Germany scenic rivers are the Rhine, Moselle, Danube and Elbe, to name a few. Visitors can take the water for a few hours, days or a couple of weeks on board the German river cruise ships that stop in historic cities, ancient castles and vineyards, and spectacular views. The annual event “Rhine in Flames” takes place along the Middle Rhine river valley every summer with a spectacular fireworks light up the night sky.

German spas and natural hot springs have long been known for their healing properties. Spago can not just relax in the heated water and enjoy the fresh alpine air in the picturesque spa, but can also choose from a wide range of hydrotherapy baths, massages and salt and unusual treatment mud in the luxury spa hotels. With spas and health of more than 350, as well as numerous hotels and resorts, your welfare is a priority.

Germany has around 1,250 wine festivals each year. Village squares, vineyards, castles and city streets are part of the events leading locals and visitors gather to celebrate the harvest. Most festivals are held in the fall, about 500 festivals are held in cities along the Rhine, particularly in the Rheingau region, while another 300 are taking place along the Moselle River. There are festivals throughout the Main and Neckar.

The National Police have implemented a modernization and development plan to increase the capabilities and efficiency of the total force. In addition to administrative reorganization; modernization projects include procurement of new vehicles, aircraft and equipment, construction of new police stations and forensic laboratories, restructured training programs and the replacement of AKM rifles with 9 mm UZIs for police officers in urban areas.

The African slave trade provided a large number of black slaves to Europeans and their African agents. For example, in what is now Angola, the Imbangala had economies which were heavily focused on the slave trade.Within the Portuguese Empire, most black African slaves were traded to Brazilian merchants arrived to Portugal’s African ports from other Portuguese colony – Brazil (South America) – seeking cheap workforce for use on Brazilian agricultural plantations. This trade would last until the first half of the 1800s. The Portuguese gradually took control of the coastal strip throughout the sixteenth century by a series of treaties and wars forming the Portuguese colony of Angola. Taking advantage of the Portuguese Restoration War, the Dutch occupied Luanda from 1641 to 1648, where they allied with local peoples to consolidate their colonial rule against the remaining Portuguese resistance.

Coastal Benguela is Angola’s second most important city and the country’s self-proclaimed cultural capital. Spared a direct hit in the bloody 40 year civil war, Benguela retains a laid-back small-town ambience in a bustling big city setting.

For Benguela’s most colourful and authentic day trip take the train 30km (18.6mi) to Lobito from the central station. The trip takes 90 minutes and the transportation is in shabby cattle trucks, but the journey is like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. This short section is all that remains of a huge rail line that ran 1368km (850mi) from Lobito, across Angola to Luau on the Congo border.

Angola is dry from May/June, gets warm in October, then pretty soggy from November to April/May. Obviously hotel rates are cheaper and popular tourist haunts much quieter during the rainy seasons. The local people are also happier because good rains mean good crops, so traditional festivals are often held at this time.