Misunderstood by many, Germany is one of the most unique and charming countries on the continent. Since reunification Germany has at last gained a higher profile as a place to visit, thanks partly to the remarkable resurgence of its capital, Berlin, one of the most fascinating and exciting cities in Europe. It's no surprise at all that today’s Germany is more diverse and cosmopolitan than old stereotypes suggest; mixing time-honoured nationalism and tradition with multicultural modernism and self-confidence.

Děčín is a town in the north of the Czech Republic. It is the largest town in the Děčín District. Near the German border, not far from Dresden and 83 minutes north of Prague by rail, the city of Děčín in the Ústí nad Labem Region is on the trade route between the Czech Republic and Germany. All cargo transported by road, rail and water passes through the town, as it is also at the meeting-point of the rivers Elbe (Labe in Czech) and Ploučnice. Děčín is actually made up of two towns, one on either side of the river Labe; the old town of Děčín is on the right bank, and on the left bank is Podmokly (German: Bodenbach) which became part of the town in 1942. [content failed to embed]

Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area. Dresden has a long history as the capital and royal residence for the Electors and Kings of Saxony, who for centuries furnished the city with cultural and artistic splendour. The city was known as the Jewel Box, because of its baroque and rococo city centre. Eleven square kilometres of the city centre was completely destroyed by the controversial Allied aerial bombing towards the end of World War II. The impact of the bombing and 40 years of urban development during the East German socialist era have considerably changed the face of the city.

China (officially the People's Republic of China (PRC) – an ancient, mysterious and beautiful land, is always appealing to adventurous foreign visitors. The first thing that strikes visitors to the country is the extraordinary density of its population. In much of China, villages, towns and cities seem to sprawl endlessly into one another along the grey arteries of busy expressways. The main tourist highlights – the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Army and the Yangzi gorges, are relatively few considering the vast size of the country, and much of China’s historic architecture has been deliberately destroyed in the rush to modernize.