2 . The California State Railroad Museum (CSRM) is in Old Sacramento. It was completed at a cost of $16.1 million, and the museum opened in May 1981. It houses 21 old locomotives (火车头) and cars. Here, visitors can learn a lot about railroad history in California and the West in America.

The museum is open from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. daily (except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day). Tickets are sold until 4:30 p. m. $12 adults; $6 students; children aged 5 and under are free.

A small number of parking spaces are on the streets of Old Sacramento. However, these spaces are not for guests visiting longer than 90 minutes. All-day parking is in large public garages at both ends of Old Sacramento.

The Silver Palace Restaurant serves good food at the right prices. It is just one block southwest of the main entrance to the museum.

BEAUTIFUL IRELAND AND ITS TRADITIONS

Ireland’s beautiful countryside has always had a great influence on its people and traditions. The country has a long history of producing great writers and poets. Its beautiful countryside excites and inspires all, offering something for each of the senses. The peaceful landscape of the “Emerald Isle” and its many green counties is a true feast for the eyes, with its rolling green hills dotted with sheep and cattle. And down by the sea, the roar of the ocean waves and cries of the seabirds make up the music of the coast. On a quiet morning in the mountains, feel the sun on your skin, and breathe in the sweet scent of fresh flowers while birds greet the new day with their morning song. With all this beauty, it is not surprising that Ireland has developed strong traditions that include music, dancing, and dining. To have a chance of experiencing this, stop by a village pub and relax with a glass of wine or a local beer. Better yet, enjoy a delicious traditional Irish Beef Stew. If you’re lucky, you might be able to enjoy some traditional music and dancing, too. And if you introduce yourself to a friendly face, you are more than likely to experience local culture and customs first­hand.

4 . Literary cities for book lovers to visit in the UK

The UK claims a rich   literary heritage, with cities packed with bookshops, literary landmarks and cafes. If you love books, try one of these city breaks.

1. York

Earning a amazing “bookspiration” score of 9.4/10, York has claimed the title of the best UK city for book lovers. Claiming the highest number of reading spots per100,000 people among all cities analyzed, York makes the literary lovers find it a best choice.

Top reading spot: Museum Gardens

2. Bath

Bath comes second, receiving a final “bookspiration” score of 8. 1/10.

Beyond its lots of quiet reading spots (more than 7 libraries and 16 bookshops per 100,000 people), the city offers enough green spaces, perfect for readers. A dream place for those who are fond of Jane Austen, it hosts the Jane Austen Festival in September every year, featuring a series ofexperiences and leaving deep impression.

Top reading spot: Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights

3. Belfast

In third place is Belfast, scoring 7.3/10. The Northern Irish city boasts 18 libraries and 55 charming bookshops to choose from. With an average Google rating of 4.71/5 — the highest of all cities analyzed, Belfast also has a increasing bookish culture as it plays host to an book festival attracting the nation’s biggest bookworms.

Top reading spot: Cave Hill

4. Bristol

Known as the hipster (潮人) capital of the UK, Bristol (6.8/10) secures fourth place to be a literary lover’s paradise. With bookshops from independent to second-hand (over 17 bookshops per 100,000 people), the lively South West city makes a perfect place for book-shopping.

Top reading spot: Hatter House Café

10 . I have well travelled in Spain and visited a good number of Spanish cities. However, no city will ever quite match Cadiz, where I spent six months studying as a student.

Before that, I knew very little about Cadiz but I decided to take a risk and explore it. Well, the risk certainly paid off.

Cadiz, Europe’s oldest city, hangs off Spain’s southern coast on a peninsula (半岛), surrounded almost entirely by water. As you leave the shady streets of the historical old city and explore more of it, you are met with vast areas of the blue Atlantic Ocean and white sandy beaches, which in my opinion are some of the best in Spain!

One of the great things about Cadiz is the wonderful, rich culture of food and drink. There are little tapa (小吃) bars lining every street and most will serve tapas for around 1.50—2 euros, meaning you can try a whole variety of Andalusian dishes.

Cadiz has also come to be known as “The Singing City”. It comes from the annual carnival (狂欢节), one of the biggest in Europe. A very large number of people go to Cadiz to see it. During those ten days, Cadiz’s narrow streets are filled with the sound of singing as musical groups fight for a place in the contest, which takes place on the last Saturday of carnival. The songs perfectly show the sense of humor of the Gaditanos, who, besides being so warm and welcoming, are said to have the best sense of humor in Spain!

That is my experience of Cadiz: a wonderful, typically Andalusian city which is often overlooked but well worth a visit. I am currently living in Huelva, just a short drive from Cadiz, so please pay attention to my next sharing!