Hamburg  - Every Advent, a special atmosphere grips several German and European cities. Christmas shoppers jostle light-heartedly to strains of Silent Night by choirs. The crisp air is redolent of gingerbread, egg punch and fir needles. And people gather after work at outdoor Christmas markets and warm up with mulled wine.

San Francisco  - For decades, tourists to the world famous scenic site of Yosemite have rested their weary heads in the rustic cabins of Curry Village in the heart of Yosemite Valley.

But the National Park Service said Friday it was closing at least one third of the cabins in the popular lodging complex because an unstable cliff has created the potential for frequent and potentially deadly rock falls.

Lockhart, Australia -  - A million Australians live abroad and get teary-eyed listening to John Williamson's songs about cattle, kangaroos, cowboys and koalas.

"A lot of people still think I'm mainly successful in the bush, but I'm mainly successful in the cities," the nation's troubadour said. "City people do love to hear about their country now."

Williamson wows audiences in London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo with ballads about life on the land in places like Lockhart, a grain- growing town 530 kilometres south-west of Sydney.

Sonoma, California  - Californian wines are now a long established part of European connoisseurs' drinking habits, the most popular of which are varieties from the Napa Valley region.

But the West Coast state is home to another winemaking area, Sonoma, which boasts no less than 4,100 square kilometres of vines.

More than 250 vineyards are located in Sonoma, many of which have a winemaking tradition which is over a century old. A few claim to have roots in Europe's vineyards.

Leticia, Colombia/Tabatinga, Brazil  - Breakfast consists of scrambled eggs with chili sauce and refried beans in Columbia. For lunch there is charcoal-grilled fish in Peru. And rounding things off at sundown are caipirinha cocktails in Brazil.

What sounds like a wealthy jet-setter's day can be had by any backpacker for just 50 dollars, a price that includes an overnight stay at a hotel, a ride on a motorcycle taxi and a boat trip.

Utrecht, Netherlands  - The final years of Germany's last emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, were spent in Castle Dorn in the Netherlands.

The castle is a testament to its royal resident as the house is set in a spacious garden. A bridge leads over a water lily-filled moat to a flight of stairs leading to the castle's main entrance.

The interior also reflects Wilhelm's aristocratic heritage and is filled with only the finest furniture.