The news room

A low number of Russian tourists in Europe

Russian tourists have avoided Europe this summer, their number is one third lower than last year due to the Ukrainian crisis and its impact on Russia's economy, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday, as quoted by AFP.

"The decline has reached 30%, the effect of worsening our international relations," Medvedev said at a meeting on tourism, adding that is bad news for Russian citizens support the price, but these countries receiving tourists.

According to the head of the government in Moscow, Russia less traveled in Central and more in the North and South, in countries such as Bulgaria, Italy and Spain. The slowdown of the Russian economy and the ruble devaluation caused by Western sanctions against Russia, have caused failures in some of some travel agencies.

Medvedev showed that new travel agencies have closed down in just two months and 23,000 tourists stranded abroad and were repatriated by a special fund, without taking into account the tourists have returned to the country on own.

Prime Minister asked to punish those responsible, and strengthening the tourism sector regulations and insurance mechanism against such events. "The situation on the market of tourist services is simple, obvious, but it is not correct to talk about a large-scale crisis," said Medvedev.

Due to problems crossed the Russian economy and the uncertainties generated by the Ukrainian crisis, many Russians have given up large expenses, such as buying cars or trips. Director General of the Russian airline Aeroflot, Vitaly Savelev, recently stated that the application has registered the biggest drop since 2009 after the global crisis, informs mediafax.ro.

According to data released Tuesday, 40 million Russians traveling abroad annually. The most important tourist destinations of Russians are traditionally Turkey and Egypt, but the number of tourists traveling to European countries has increased in recent years, with the development of the middle class.

Old Mysterious labyrinths became a tourist attraction

At any time of year, people manifested their curiosity to know the future at the end of the year. Classic question is what will bring me new year? And the answer, and it can look every where: in the stars, palm, in coffee or signs that "look".

An old tradition says that the one who will find out a complicated maze, you will have good luck in the coming year, that give proof of intelligence and ability - which seems wrong.

From Siberia to Europe

Labyrinth is a curiosity practiced for a long time than we could imagine. Experts have noted that the oldest known labyrinth of history was found in a tomb in Siberia and dating back to the Paleolithic precisely according Infoniac.

Labyrinth Siberian mammoth ivory inlaid on contains seven convolution, surrounded by four double spirals, and difficult to get out of this system is so great that astonished about the purpose of that prehistoric man was concerned to build only such a charade.

We'll never know if he's wizards in spirals, or had made a fetish of the system meant to protect him from the dangers that lurk everywhere it.

There are no other pieces representing mazes Neolithic Danube valleys, on the shores of the Aegean Sea, in Italy, Sardinia, Portugal, Malta, United Kingdom and near Belgrade.

On how many they are, the purpose remains so enigmatic that were made. Seem enigmatic instruments in which they were prophecies tellers.

A fetish of antiquity

The most spectacular ancient labyrinth was built of stone, and Herodotus, who refers to him, records that included not only numerous corridors, and 3,000 rooms on several levels.

Herodotus recorded that in the pyramid of Hawara, was made a maze with 12 rooms, surrounded by galleries, eventaulii meant to discourage grave robbers.

Referring to ancient Crete, the documents talk about the labyrinth built by Daedalus, King Minos in order to make it impossible to exit inside the queen herself, imprisoned for an act unworthy.

The mosaics found in Pompeii, appearing and a precious maze, whose purpose can not be other than ineligentei stimulation, depending on who's likely to follow the Oracle predicts the future came to him. We speak of an assumption, the exact purpose of the labyrinth is hard to guess.

Fighting evil spirits

In China, there was once a belief that evil spirits travel only in a straight line. For their confusing, installed at the entrance of the old Chinese house drawings or other design labyrinth designed to confuse these spirits and hinder their access to housing.

Numerous mazes of stone, found in the Scandinavian country, is linked to a tradition sui generis. Fishermen were convinced that only the right path going through the maze, they will be able to return home safely from their fishing raids.

As shoulder inaninte leaving the road, the fishermen trails through the maze, good luck.

In the Catholic world - ideosebi France and Italy - there parcugerea correct misconceptions that the maze is the way of redemption of sins of believers. Can still be seen today cathedrals with intricate mazes that have made a habit believers to go through especially around religious holidays.

Superb attractions

I should still put all labyrinths in the world on account of superstition. Often they do beautiful landscapes in oil. One of the largest mazes in this way is Essex, UK.

Connoisseurs claim that the length of the labyrinth is situated about 800 years ago and the current route length measuring no less than two kilometers. Who gets lost, does not come easy from there.

There are notorious maze of Tontawa, Oklahoma, USA, at the Barcelorna, decorative labyrinth located in Hawaii and the Sacred Park in Canterbury, UK, made ​​of alleys lined with huge pantatii plant.

All, almost without exception, are tourist attractions. Labyrinth recently lost enigmatic character in trying times and guess our ancestors to succeed in life.