Mesaieed is another oiland gas hub in Qatar that was recognized as an area of prime importance in the 20th century. In 1949, it became QatarPetroleum’s tanker terminal, growing Qatar’s oil industry. Other reasons included the deep waters that surrounded the area and its proximity to Doha.Located in the southeast of Qatar, it houses employees of Qatar Petroleum, but that isn’t its only claim to fame. Mesaieed is surrounded by golden dunes and beautiful beaches.

The village of Nuenen is also known as Van Gogh Village, and rightly so. There isn’t a place in the Netherlands where you can tread in the footsteps of this famous painter quite so literally. Here, stories about Van Gogh are still vividly told, his letters are available for reading, and there are no fewer than fourteen locations which have been immortalised by Van Gogh in a picture or a painting. Experiencing Van Gogh’s life in the Netherlands so intensely is not possible anywhere else. “The museum is a gem” In the Vincentre museum you will hear all about Van Gogh and read his own stories about Nuenen, where he lived and worked from 1883 to 1885. Who was he, how did he live, who did he socialise with, and why was he so passionate about Nuenen? It will all become clear during an educational tour with an audio guide in no fewer than eight languages: Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Chinese. In the village itself, no fewer than 23 locations have a direct link with Van Gogh. Together, they form a walking and cycling route with interactive informational signs in Dutch and English. From The Potato Eaters to The Starry Night The Potato Eaters is based on a scene that Van Gogh saw at the house of a peasant family in Nuenen. It literally comes to life in theatre Het Klooster. The world famous designer Daan Roosegaarde designed, based on Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, the now famous and unique Van Gogh-Roosegaarde cycle path, for which thousands of twinkling stones were incorporated in the asphalt. This cycle path, between Nuenen and the nearby city of Eindhoven, is part of the Van Gogh Cycle Route. Heritage locations in Brabant This cycle route connects the five Van Gogh heritage locations in Brabant, which of course include Nuenen. You won’t get any closer to Van Gogh than this. Or, as one of our enthusiastic guests wrote about Nuenen: “The same view that Van Gogh had!” Come and experience the place in which Van Gogh was inspired by the rural Brabant countryside, easily accessible at no more than ten kilometres away from Eindhoven, city of technology and design.

Cyclists are welcome in these inland sand dunes, on the beautiful wide cycle paths or on the mountain bike trail, but the park is especially suitable to explore on foot or with a dog, if kept on a leash. With the help of the marked hiking routes you can explore the area on your own. It is advisable to bring a walking map so that you do not get lost! For mountain bikers, unpaved bike paths and routes have been set out and horse riding is possible on the marked riding trails (and free riding over the sand). Mountain bikers and riders need a permit, available at Natuurmonumenten, the surrounding catering establishments and riding schools.

Located adjacent to Mausoleum of The First Qin Emperor and Lishan National Forest Park, the water of this hot spring contains many minerals that are said to be good for the skin. It is said that the most famous imperial concubine of the Tang Dynasty, Yang Yu Huan, one of the four famous beauties of ancient China, chose this as her bathing ground.