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Geneva was known as the capital of the Allobrogi until the Romans conquered the Celts in the area of modern Switzerland in 120 B.C. It became an important Roman provincial town and was a Catholic See after 400. In the fifth and the ninth century, Geneva was capital to the kingdom of Burgundy until power shifted further west. When Burgundy fell to the German empire in 1026, Geneva became part of that as well. In 512 the first great cathedral to St Maximus was built by Princess Seleuba of Burgundy, sister to Queen Clotilde.

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In 1124 the bishop was elevated to prince but was caught in a constant power struggle with the Counts of Geneva. In 1394 the line of the Counts died out and their lands and titles fell to their neighbours and cousins, the Counts of Savoy, who were duly elevated to a dukedom. This gave even more pressure on the prince-bishops who finally joined the Swiss Confederation in 1526 in a bid to shift power. The power bid succeeded but coincided with the Reformation and cost the Savoyards their city and the prince-bishop his see.

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After the Napoleonic wars Geneva regained its independence against the pressure of the Dukes of Savoy, who had meanwhile become kings of Sardinia as well, and the kingdom of France. It became part of the Swiss state in 1848. As the House of Savoy went on to become kings of Italy, it is quite logical that they live in Geneva today and this since the abdication of Umberto II.

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Geneva, also called the city of Calvin, offers a plethora of views and interesting things to see. It is also called the diplomat's city, as so many international organisations have their seats there. Just to name a choice few, besides the UN there are the International Red Cross and Red Halfmoon, The Aga Khan Trust, and my favourite the ICC (International Committee of Committees). Due to this international flair, you find a restaurant in the city serving food from every country you may think of.

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The city's first bishops are historically a muddle, but no matter which source you use they definitely became saints. Later inhabitants include less saintly persons such as Lenin, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Voltaire as well as Calvin. The city has housed many refugee royal families at one time or another, from Spain, Greece, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania as well as the Imperial families of Persia or the Ottoman Empire.

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The language spoken and used is French. The rest of Switzerland makes fun of the city because of its tax rate. Even though the per capita income is the highest in Switzerland, taxes are as well, as all income derived from international organisations is tax free, thereby excluding the highest earners from paying any taxes at all.

Geneva also hosts CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, which currently is trying to simulate the Big Bang. To this end they built a little machine in a tunnel loop with a diameter of 25 km, all underground. In another test published last year, they had been able to beam particles over the distance of 25 km; a joy to all Star Trek fans, I hope.

For further information on the city of Geneva you may want to go to the official homepage of the city government geneve.ch.

The most important tip before leaving home is to write down all of your information. This includes your phone number, destination name, flight numbers, airport name, and other information that may be of importance. If you happen to run into trouble when abroad, someone will be able to properly contact you. Next make sure you know where you are going, especially in airports.

They can be big. You can find layouts of different airports online. This will help you in being able to find your gate number quickly and efficiently. It is manditory that you also look at the airport travel guide before traveling. Many things have been limited and prohibited from being taken with you.

It is a good idea when taking lots of luggage to properly tag them, just in case they get lost. Also mark your bags with something that you can identify them by, such as with a piece of ribbon or tape. Once you arrive to your destination, it is a good idea to call back home and let everyone know you have made it.

Ethiopia

They call pancakes Injeera. Pancakes served with meat and vegetables! Wow!

India (Southern)

They call it dosai, thosai, or dhosa. It is a South Indian crepe. Many ingredients are added such as black gram, potatoes or even pickles!

China

They call this a Green Onion Pancake made with green onions and served with mooshu dishes

Thailand

They call it Roti Kaeng Karee. A crispy pancake Muslim style with coconut-milk based curry. Plus, spices!

Japan

They call it as Dorayaki. It is a sweet pancake filled with bean paste.

Vietnam

They call it Banh Xeo. Had enough lettuce, fishwort and coriander, yet?

Korea

They call this one Pajeon and Bindaetteok and it is made with seafood, chili paste, and lots of veggies.

Middle East

They call it Pita. The most common stuffing is fried chickpea balls (falafel), but it is also often filled with the meat of chicken or lamb called Shwarma.

INDIA

In India, there are no Big Macs because the Hindu people don't eat beef.

However, they have the Maharaja Mac, which is a Big Mac made of lamb or chicken meat. There is also a vegetarian burger, the McAloo Tikki.

GERMANY

It's bottoms up in Germany, where McDonald's serves - Beer!

CANADA

In parts of Canada, have a lobster dinner with the McLobster lobster roll. Pardon me - "McHomard" (in French).

JAPAN

Japan totally reinvents McDonald's with its Ebi Filet-O (shrimp burgers), Koroke Burger (mashed potato, cabbage and katsu sauce, all in a sandwich), Ebi-Chiki (shrimp nuggets) and Green Tea-flavored milkshake!

NORWAY

In fish-loving Norway, they have the McLaks, a sandwich made of grilled salmon and dill sauce.

CHILE

In Chile, you can dress your burgers with - not ketchup - avocado paste!

COSTA RICA

In Costa Rica, unsurprisingly, you can order Gallo Pinto, meaning rice and beans.

GREECE

It's not Greek without pita, so when in Greece, have a Greek Mac, a burger made of patties wrapped in pita.

HONG KONG

Rice-loving Hong Kong, has - of course - Rice Burgers, where the burgers are in between, not burger buns, but two patties of glutinous rice.

ISRAEL

Despite Jewish religious dietary laws, most McDonald's are not Kosher (there are a few exceptions), and they serve "McPitzutz" ice creams and cheeseburgers... and Israel is one of the only countries that cooks the meat over charcoal versus frying. They also have the McKebab, two patties with Middle Eastern seasonings, stuffed into a pita bread.

URUGUAY

In Uruguay, they have the McHuevo, which is like a regular hamburger, but it is topped with a poached egg.

On the other hand:

McDONALD'S PRODUCTS YOU PROBABLY NEVER HEARD ABOUT

Although McDonald's is a giant success in the food industry, not everything Ray Kroc touches turns to gold. Here are some of the Golden Arches' products that didn't turn out to be golden after all. What products are these? Find out here: Nine Mcdonald's Products That Actually Flopped

Travel insurance protects the cost of your trip against cancellation and interruption along with providing medical, travel delay coverage and lost or damaged property. In the event of cancellation or travel interruption, travelers are reimbursed. Apart from this, travel insurance also covers for emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation and a number of other situations which can arise. But the most important element of travel insurance is the medical expenses cover. If you don't have cover and you are traveling to a country with high medical costs, or if you needed to be flown back in an emergency, the potential cost to you could be huge.

Many travelers encounter emergencies before they even board the plane. Even if you are taking a short trip within the USA , travel insurance should still be considered a necessity. Visiting the USA can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it can become very unpleasant and challenging when sickness or injury occurs and medical services or medical evacuation is needed immediately. Medical care is excellent in most parts of the US , but it can be very expensive for cases of critical illness. Due to the high medical costs in the USA , it is hard to get covered if you are planning a holiday there and any such emergency occurs.

When you are planning your trip, it is a good idea to contact your primary healthcare provider or insurer to determine your policy details such as, under what circumstances and to what extent are you covered, while traveling abroad. It is possible your health care provider offers little or no protection while traveling in the USA . If this is the case, then you must immediately purchase supplementary international medical insurance or travel insurance to avoid the high costs that might result from serious sickness or injury on their trip.

International Medical Insurance is short or long term insurance designed to reimburse your medical expenses incurred while traveling or living in a foreign country. The plan coverage includes emergency evacuation, reunion and repatriation benefits as well as other travel assistance services. The plan coverage may be single trip, multi-trip or renewable.

These are some types of medical expenses that the insurance company does not cover and hence does not pay. These usually include expenses arising from the illegal use of drugs, medical conditions that existed prior to the purchase of the insurance and medical costs arising from participation in dangerous activities or risky sports.

There are many websites that offer travel insurance online thus making selecting and purchasing global travel insurance fast and easy. Most sites offer only one type of coverage, either a travel protection plan or international medical insurance, or they offer coverage to citizens of a particular country. Only a few insurers offer a variety of plans for travelers from all countries. With the help of the Internet, you can compare quotes from different providers and more importantly see what you get for your money in relation to other quotes.

Quote Travel Insurance allows you to quote and buy your choice of travel insurance from its selection of 100 different products. This is the first system to rate individual components within a policy, therefore making it a unique comparison site. As soon as your purchase is accepted, you will receive a policy number and a complete email confirmation document.

USA Tourist has partnered with Travel Insurance Center and it provides a wide selection of travel protection plans and International Medical Insurance. You can purchase your travel insurance online from their web pages.

Essential Travel Limited has affiliated with Quote Travel Insurance to provide USA residents with more than 100 travel insurance proposals. Customers can purchase insurance immediately or use their detailed comparison system.

Travel insurance can be arranged months in advance of a trip, and fully trained and friendly staffs provide advice and general information as well as issue quotes and policies. There are several comprehensive plans offered by companies including –

• Medical Expenses
• Medical Coverage for Non-U.S. citizens
• Personal Liability
• Legal Expenses
• Flight Insurance (Cancellation Cover, Airline Ticket protection, flight accident insurance) – This is helpful in case travelers are unable to take their trip due to illness or death (of the traveler or a family member), weather, airline strikes, terrorism, bankruptcy, becoming unemployed, jury duty or their home being rendered uninhabitable due to fire / flood etc.
• Single Trip Plans
• Personal Belongings Cover
• Emergency Medical Evacuation – In the event, the traveler is unable to get to a local hospital on his own, he is provided emergency transportation to a local hospital. If the family members are covered on the same policy they can return home also.
• Emergency Reunion covers the expenses of bringing a family member to the injured or ill person during a medical emergency.

Travel insurance is thus very important and should be considered a priority. You should set aside sufficient time to research and choose the coverage that is appropriate for you and your trip. Whether you are traveling abroad or within the USA , travel insurance is an important consideration that deserves some thoughtful planning. Purchasing your coverage right away may save you a frantic call on the way to the airport when you realize you have overlooked this important consideration.