Baljeet Sangwan

If you've ever been to a beer hall in Germany, you must know that beer drinking isn't for the faint of heart. And in Munich, in particular, beer drinking is a serious past-time. There is etiquette, there is terminology, there are pairings, and ultimately there is ambiance. But briefly, here's what you'll need to know.

Ordering Beer

Beer is served by the liter or 'Mass', or by the half-liter or 'Halb'.

If you like contrast, go to Bremen, Germany. For Bremen is both Germany's smallest state as well as one of its larger cities, with a population of around 660,000. But its appeal lies in its surprising blend of old and new, where historic neighborhoods filled with charming, age-old buildings are juxtaposed with newer high-tech sites that typically draw a wired, younger crowd.

To say that Paris is a city of art and culture, of high fashion and haute cuisine, is to understate the case. For Paris is not only the premier tourist destination of France, but among the most popular destinations in the world. It is visited by more than 30 million people every year, and is filled to the gills with visitor attractions, including several world-famous, iconic landmarks, which, collectively, are enough to overwhelm even the seasoned tourist.

If art and architecture pique your interest, go to Florence, Italy, the 'Renaissance City' on the River Arno. For this is a city bubbling over with treasures that will both surprise and delight. There are museums, galleries, cathedrals, churches, palaces, historic squares, artisan neighborhoods, landmark bridges. But that, in a nutshell, is the good thing about Florence.

If Hawaii is your idea of a dream vacation, then Maui ought to be the realization of that dream. For Maui, of all the Hawaiian islands, is the most magical, the most alluring, the most exciting. It has the best beaches, best golf courses, best windsurfing, best weather, and the sweetest pineapples you'll ever taste, Maui Gold!

And on Maui, besides soaking up the sun and sipping a mai tai as the sun sets, what else should one see and do? Well, here's the island's 'Top 10', do-not-miss list.