detail from: Boba Bogdanović, Kuba, Havana

MY WORLD

SIMO JELACA, Ph.D.

ALGONQUIN PARK - ONTARIO, CANADA

Algonquin Park is located between Georgian Bay, Ottawa River and Nipissing District. It is the largest park in the province of Ontario, about 8000 km², one and a half times larger than the province of Prince Edward Island or the size of Belgium. Algonquin Park has about 2,400 lakes and 1,200 km of hiking, biking and canoeing trails. It was established in 1893 and declared national in 1992. It belongs to the national treasures of Canada. It is the oldest and most attractive provincial park and one of the largest on the North American continent. No industrial activity of any kind is allowed in it.

Algonquin Park is accessible from all sides, a true paradise for canoeists, campers and natural beauty enthusiasts, in all seasons. It is located on an archaeological site known as Algonquin Dome and contains the basins of five rivers, has rocky elevations and mixed forest systems. This is the habitat of various wild animals (moose, black bears, foxes, wolves, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons and about 250 species of birds. Among the bird species is the Canadian "Looney", which roosts there. Looney is a symbol on one Canadian dollar coin.

Through the park there are passages for canoes, in the length of about 2000 km, through lakes and river courses. There are passable hiking and biking trails through the park, and in winter it is possible to go on skis and snowmobiles. There are 12 campsites in the park, most of them are along Route 60 and are easily accessible. There are also places for picnics, there are sandy beaches, and all around there are beautiful natural beauties to observe and enjoy. Exploring the park is best done on foot or by canoe. Bicycles, canoes and more can be rented in the park, and visitors do not need to be experienced for the given rides. The routes for canoeing and cycling are marked and you should follow the prescribed instructions, primarily for your own safety. Personal waste should be carried with you and disposed of at collection points. If you go in groups, it is recommended that the groups be no larger than nine members each. Campervans require permits, which are obtained at the entrances from the main road.

Algonquin Park is associated with the Canadian painting group Group of Seven and offers artists natural beauty of great diversity, numerous attractions and wildlife. Algonquian Park is a huge Ontario tourist attraction. A special pleasure in Algonquin Park is fishing.

Not far from Algonquin Park is the small town or village of Sundridge, with about a thousand inhabitants, located by Lake Bernard itself. This place is also a tourist attraction, suitable for boating and snowmobiling. Many consider it the "Pearl of the North'' primarily because of its conveniences for life. In the extension of route 124, you reach Deer Lake, about 6 kilometers long and about one kilometer wide, with many bays and plenty of fish, a paradise for anglers. Around the lake are cottages mostly owned by Toronto residents. There are two small islands in the lake, connected to each other by a small bridge, on which there is only one family's cottage. Access to the island during the summer is only possible by boat.

And if you continue on the same road 124 to the north, you will arrive at North Bay (North Bay), a city of 112,000 inhabitants, next to Lake Nipissing itself, the size of which is about 850 km², on which there are 43 sandy beaches, three of which are larger, and about 100 km bicycle and pedestrian paths. There are about 40 species of fish in the lake, and when the ice on the lake freezes in winter, it is 75 cm thick. Near the lake are the Duchesnay Falls, and in the city there is an Air Force Museum and a local theater.

The author went fishing with Zoran Nikodijević to Algonquin Park, and stayed with Mary McKeen twice in 1992 at Lake Deer. And there we fished, made barbecue and enjoyed ourselves. We also visited (North Bay), and on the way back we bought a painting by the Canadian painter Robert Bateman in a souvenir shop.

CUBA – LAND OF SUN AND SAND BEACHES

Cuba is a land of sun and sandy beaches, it lies in the Caribbean Sea twisted like a banana, exposed to the equatorial sun with tens of kilometers of beaches, where millions of tourists from all over the world spend their vacation days and enjoy All Inclusive arrangements.

Cuba has an area of 109,884 km² without its islands, and 110,860 km² with the islands, its coasts are 5,746 km long, and it has a land border of 28.5 km with the United States in Guantanamo Bay. The island is 1250 km long, 191 km at its widest and 31 km at its narrowest. Its biggest single island is Juventud, 2200 km². Cuba, viewed from the air, resembles a crocodile, so the Cubans call it "El Crocodilo" in Spanish.

Cuba was under the rule of Spain from Columbus's conquest in 1492 until 1898. From then, from 1898 to 1902, it was under the control of the United States, when it gained its complete independence. Cuba has about 11.5 million inhabitants. The capital of Cuba is Havana (La Habana in Spanish). It was founded in 1515, its founder was the Spanish conqueror Diego Velázquez. From April to September 1980, 124,000 Cubans emigrated from Cuba to Florida, and in April 2015, the American embassy was reopened in Havana. The city of Havana covers an area of about 108,610 km², and has about 2.15 million inhabitants. The official language in Cuba is Spanish, and the currency is Pesos. Religion is Roman Catholic.

The climate in Cuba is moderately tropical, with average temperatures of 23-27°C. The dry season in Cuba lasts from November to April, and the rains eventually fall from May to October. Cuba is located in a region where hurricanes occur, mainly from August to October.

In Cuba, education is compulsory from the age of 6 to 15, which is why they have the highest literacy rate in the world, 99.8%. They are required to wear uniforms in schools, and they are different colors for each class. Cuba has the highest ratio of doctors to population in the world, and it lends its doctors to countries where they are in short supply. Cuba is a world-renowned producer of the best rum and cigarettes. Cuba has the lowest child mortality in the Western Hemisphere. There are no plants poisonous to humans in Cuba. Cuba is the most populated island in the Caribbean Sea. The main Cuban agricultural product is sugar from sugar cane. And nickel is their main export product, 21% of total Cuban exports, which amounts to 4% of world nickel production. Cuba has about 250 museums. Cuba has only 61,000 km of roads, half of which are unpaved. Voting in Cuba is mandatory. In Cuba, food recipes are passed down from generation to generation only orally. Dance and music in Cuba are very important in people's lives, especially classical, such as Bolero, Mambo and Ća-Ća-Ća. Fidel Castro erected a monument to John Lennon, from the Beatles, in 2000, considering Lennon a true musical revolutionary. In Cuba, it is a legal obligation that every hitchhiker must be picked up and escorted. In Cuba, until recently, citizens could not own cars younger than 1959. Ballerinas are highly regarded in Cuba and are paid more than doctors. While living in Cuba, Ernest Hemingway wrote two famous books, "For whom the Bell Tolls" and "The Old Man and the Sea". Christmas in Cuba was not recognized as a holiday until 1997. Cuba's favorite sport is baseball, and Cubans are some of the best in the world at boxing.

Cuba is a country with excellent tourist services, tourism is its main economic branch, and Varadero is a small town with the most first-class hotels and wonderful, clean beaches. The beaches in Varadero, along the peninsula, are over 40 km long, with over 20 "A" category hotels. In Cuba, the beaches are cleaned every morning, and their policemen ride bicycles and wear short pants. Their primary role is to protect tourists and they are very pleasant. Cuba belongs to the countries with the safest stay and the best health care. In Cuba, both the sun and the sea have a healing effect.

The author stayed in Cuba six times for two weeks, three times in Varadero, and once each in Santa Lucia, Playa Giron and Cayo Coco. Santa Lucia remained his fondest memory.

MARGARITA - VENEZUELA

Margarita Island (La isla Margarita) is 38 km from the mainland of Venezuela, and it is far enough from Atlantic hurricanes. There are 320 sunny days a year, with temperatures of 23-27°C. Margarita consists of the interconnected islands of Margarita, Macanao and La Rastingua, connected by sandbars of beautiful white sand, no more than a hundred meters long. Those two islands, although connected to each other, have different climates, eastern Margarita is fertile, and western Macanao is desert. The northern beaches of both islands are sandy: Punta Arenas, Bocca di Roso, Robledal, La Carmela, El Tunal, El Saco and Playa Aqua. On the island of Makanao is La Pared beach, without natural protection from the strong tropical sun. There is a record that there is no more beautiful sunset than at Makanau.

Margarita Island is 943 km², has about 300,000 inhabitants, the capital of that island is La Asuncion, and the largest is Porlamar, with 150,000. Macanao is less populated and less popular as a tourist. On the island of Margarita is the town of Pampatar, which has exclusive restaurants and bars, intended for snobbish tourists. Expensive sports are available here: surfing, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, horseback riding, tennis, golf and others. Water attractions include: snorkeling, diving, and deep fishing. Margarita used to be cheap for vacations, but not anymore. Along the island of Margarita stretches a mountain range with the highest peak of Guayama at 760 m, constantly shrouded in fog, which is why it is considered magical. Margarita is rich in a variety of fish and wonderful corals.The waters are clear, the temperature is around 24°C at a depth of 6-12 m, which is favorable for corals. Margarita is home to Macaws and Periwigs, which are considered the best in the world for imitating human voices. Unfortunately, they are almost exterminated, there are only about 1000 of them, and their biggest enemies are tourists, who take away their eggs. Margarita Island is connected to the mainland by underwater electric cables and a water network, and traffic is carried out by plane and ship. The food is varied and delicious.

The official name of Venezuela is Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela.

The inhabitants are Venezuelans, the language is Spanish, and the currency is Bolivar. Visas are not required for stays of up to 90 days, and the beaches are among the best in the Caribbean.

The author and his wife were on vacation in June-July 1994 on the island of Margarita, we enjoyed the beautiful beaches, and we also managed to see the cities of Pampatar, La Asuncion and Parlamar. On the way back, we landed on the island of Aruba, and before landing at the airport in Toronto, we saw Niagara Falls from a bird's eye view.

WINDSOR - ONTERIO, CANADA

Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada, it has about 220,000 inhabitants, 50% of whom are able to work. The city lies on an area of about 150 km², on the Detroit River, opposite the city of Detroit. Many nations live in the city, 50 national languages are spoken. Canadian Indians lived in Windsor until the arrival of Europeans, and then it was settled by the French, in 1749, as an agricultural population. Hence, even today, many streets have French names, Ouellette and others. In some parts of the city, many people speak French. The town of Windsor was named in 1794, after a town in Berkshire, England. In 1854 it was registered as a village, and in 1858 as a town. On October 12, 1871, there was a fire in which over 100 houses burned down, and on October 25, 1960, a massive gas explosion destroyed the Metropolitan Store houses on Ouellette Street. A tornado passed through Windsor in 1974, during which 9 people lost their lives. Windsor has a humid continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters. The lowest temperature was recorded on January 29, 1873, -32.8°C, and the highest on June 25, 1988, 40.2°C.

Windsor is a very polluted city, mainly from the use of coal in Detroit, from where the winds blow, which is why it is called the Smog capital of Canada. The death rate in Windsor is among the highest in Canada.

Windsor has 1,200 hectares of green space, 180 parks with 64 km of trails and plenty of empty spaces in the city. The city's economy is dominated by the auto industry (General Motors, Ford Motor Company Ltd and Chrysler) and many smaller companies that work for these big three. After that, the city's service activities and tourism are important. As part of tourist visits, Americans mostly come to gamble in the casino. Canada's largest highway 401, which runs through Toronto and Montreal to Quebec City, originates from Windsor.

Among educational institutions, the University of Windsor and St. Clair College, and since 2008 the University of Western Ontario has been opened for medical studies. In 2013, he graduated from the Technical Faculty of Engineering. Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd, founded in 1858, is the headquarters of whiskey production in Windsor. Recently, the industry of alternative sources of energy (wind) has been actively developing, and the Windsor Salt Mine has been operating in Windsor for over 100 years.

The composition of the population in Windsor is approximately as follows: white 71%, black 4%, Arab 4%, Asian 4%, Chinese 3.5% and others. Crime in Windsor is among the lowest in Canada.

The author moved to Windsor in 1997 and lived there for ten years, with a break of just over two years. We built a nice house in Windsor and planted a garden and an orchard. We have crossed into Detroit (USA) countless times.

FLORIDA, USA

Florida is an American state with a size of 170,304 km², about the size of England and Wales combined. The population is about 20 million, approximately: white 82.5% (of which 16% are Hispanic), black 16% and others about 1.5%. Florida is the primary launch site for spaceships (John F. Kennedy Space Center). Florida has 1,915 km of coastline, of which 1,060 km are beaches. Siesta Key Beach has the best sand, 99% pure quartz crystal. And Key West has the highest temperatures in the United States. It also has the most bars per population. Hurricanes are frequent in Florida, so by law all doors in public buildings must open to the outside. Among all American states, Florida has the most golf courses, about 1000, and golf is played the most in Florida. In addition to golf, tennis is popular, due to the climatic conditions, so most of the world's professional tennis players live in Florida, where they can train all year round. Among other sports, national football, baseball, basketball, and to some extent hockey and European football (Socker) are popular.

Florida has over 3000 lakes, the largest is Okeechobee, and in almost all lakes there are crocodiles, so swimming in the lakes is prohibited. And Florida is the only state in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist. In Florida, there is the oldest tree in the world, (Cypress, they call it "Senator"), 3500 years old.

The capital of Florida is Tallahassee, with about 182,000 inhabitants. Other cities include: Jacksonville 822,000, Miami 400,000, Tampa 336,000, Orlando 240,000, Fort Lauderdale 166,000, Hollywood 141,000, Kissimmee 60,000 and Sarasota 52,000. Our Monica Seles lives in Sarasota. Most of the Cubans who immigrated to America live in Miami and its surroundings. Americans call the city of Fort Lauderdale the Venice of America, because it has 300 km of local waterways. The university town of Clearwater is the city with the most lightning strikes in the US, but their city beach has the most sunny days of the year. Orlando is roughly the size of San Francisco. Walt Disneyland is located in Orlando, which is visited annually by over 66 million visitors, of which only about 2 million are foreign. Orlando has the largest water park in the world, Wet N' Wild, which is open 365 days a year.

Florida produces 75% of the oranges in the United States, and 40% of the world's orange juice production. Florida has 34 wineries. The Florida Museum of Hispanic and Latin American Art in Coral Gables is the first and only museum in America that promotes Latin American art.

Florida universities include: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Florida State University in Tallahassee; Florida International University in Miami; University of Central Florida in Orlando; University of North Florida in Jacksonville; University of South Florida in Tampa and New College of Florida in Sarasota.

The author stayed in Fort Lauderdale for the first time with his friend Dr. Nebojša Lekić in January 2000. Then he visited Miami and Hollywood, swam in the Atlantic, and on the way back the plane stayed longer in West Palm Beach. Later, he stayed with the family two more times for a month each in Kissimmee and Clermont for therapy for grandson Alexander in Celebration. On that occasion, we visited Tampa and Sarasota, and we were in Orlando several times. Traveling to Florida and back, we passed through 10 states along the way: New York; New Jersey; Pennsylvania; Delaware; Maryland; Washington D.C.; Virginia; North Carolina; South Carolina; Georgia and Florida. We visited the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, and, among other things, stayed in a test capsule, where they simulated a flight into space at a speed of 28,000 km/h. We had lunch and talked with a cosmonaut who spent three times in space. On August 7, 2013, he watched the launch of the spaceship from the Kennedy Center at 8:29 p.m., from a distance of about 100 km. The weather was partly cloudy, but the ship could still be seen with jets of flame trailing behind it.

MILWAUKEE - WISCONSIN

Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the largest city in the state of Wisconsin, but it is not the capital city. Milwaukee has about 600,000 inhabitants, and the capital is Madison with 245,000. About 45% of Milwaukee's population is white, 40% black, 3.5% Native American, 3.5% Asian, and 8% other. Today, among the white population, Germans predominate with close to 20% and Poles with around 8-9%. There are also lives from all the Yugoslav republics. Milwaukee is located in the southeastern part of Wisconsin, along Lake Michigan. The city occupies an area of about 250 km².

Historical records indicate that the Frenchman Jacques Vieau first settled in Milwaukee in 1795 and started the fur trade with his son-in-law Solomon Juneau. The town of Milwaukee was formed by uniting several surrounding towns in 1828, and in 1846 it was declared a city. Since then, many Germans have moved to Milwaukee, who have contributed to the development of the city. Today, Milwaukee is one of America's strongest industrial cities and among the largest ports on the lake. Milwaukee is considered the strongest American center for the production of medical diagnostic instruments. In addition, it is known for the production of beer, small gas engines, radar devices, robots and has a larger steel foundry.

Milwaukee has a children's hospital, a medical college, Sinai Medical Center, and other medical facilities. Of the museums, the following are important: the Public Museum and the Milwaukee Art Museum, and the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. The school has about 320, and the most important universities are: University of Wisconsin, Butler University and Kaplan University. There are about 130 parks of different sizes, the largest of which are: Brant 1,535,000 m², Brown Deer 1,467,000 m², Bender 1,225,000 m², Greenfield 1,142,000 m² and many others.

Milwaukee is considered a safer city, with a good standard of living and its residents walk a lot for recreation. Current sports include baseball, basketball, hockey and indoor soccer.

The author stayed in Milwaukee for two days in August 2000. I was looking for my half-brother, Nikola, the son of Ana Stipanović, on the phone. We talked on the phone, but he didn't want to reveal anything to me about us being half brothers. On our way back, we visited Libertyville near Chicago, where we visited the graves of Petr Karađorđević and Jovan Dučić.

MILAN - ITALY

Milan is the second largest city in Italy, after Rome, and the capital of Lombardy, with 1.5 million inhabitants. It is the largest industrial city of Italy, a fashion magnet for design, art and photography. The main industrial branches of Milan are textile, automotive, chemical, heavy machinery and tools. In addition, tourism is a very strong economic branch. The Italian Stock Exchange is also in Milan.

There is a shopping center in Milan, a part of the city made up of four streets: Via della Spiga, Via Manzoni, Via Sant'Andrea and Via Monte napoleone. These four streets form the so-called "Golden Square" (Quadrilatero d'Oro). Milan hosts the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, a shopping mall. Milan is the fashion capital of Italy and one of the most attractive in the world of fashion. In Milan is the world famous opera house Teatro alla Scala or La Scala, named after Santa Maria alla Scala. It has 2800 seats and the best acoustics in the world. The Duomo di Milan, the largest cathedral in the world, is very spectacular and is also a very popular tourist attraction. It was built over five centuries and is still being refined. Milan was founded by the Celts, but it gained its greatest momentum in development during the time of Rome. Everything about its development can be found in the Musei del Castello Museo Archeologico di Milano. Leonardo da Vinci's fresco "The Last Supper" in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is famous. It is protected by UNESCO as a world heritage. Reservations are required for her visit. In Milan, there are several restaurants owned by fashion designers: Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli, Marc Jacobs and Giorgio Armani.

The origin of the city of Milan dates back to 400 BC. The Duomo Cathedral was built in 1386 and has become a symbol of Milan. Milan has a large number of monumental buildings, monuments and museums. The Milan Fair is one of the world's most important exhibition and trade spaces. Milan also has several canals, reminiscent of Venice, the largest being the Naviglio Grande, completed in 1257. The Mediterranean climate prevails in Milan.

The famous people of Milan are: Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), Giorgio Armani and many others. Milan has several universities, with 185,000 students. The oldest track for Formula One car racing is Monza Formula One, which can accommodate 250,000 visitors. The San Siro football stadium is famous. There is also a Chinatown with a lot of Chinese people, who mostly work in the silk industry. In Milan, in addition to Italian, English, French, Dutch and Chinese are spoken. Religions include Catholicism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Protestantism.

The author visited Milan in 1986, officially, on which occasion he signed seven export contracts for the export of plumbing fittings for Interservis Novi Sad. Returning along the Autostrada Sunca, they stopped at Lake Como. He was in Italy several times, mostly in Trieste, and once in Venice.

It will be continued

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