The Eiffel Tower is an iron tower built beside the river Seine in Paris. Originally intended as a structure to commemorate the French Revolution, nobody could have guessed that 100 years later The Eiffel Tower would become the symbol of Paris itself.

The Eiffel Tower has its name after the engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. For two years, 1887-1889, three hundred steel workers struggled to join together 18038 pieces of steel by using 2,5 million steel bolts. When thinking about safety-measurements in the 19th century it is remarkable that only one worker died during the construction of the tower.

In all they used 7300 tons of steel to form the tower's three distinct levels. Those levels currently house two restaurants and a snackbar. Altitude 95 is one the first level, the Jules Verne restaurant on the second level and the snackbar on the third level. The Jules Verne Restaurant even has one star in the Michelin guide.

The Eiffel Tower is 300 metres high, without the 21 metre antenna which is mounted on the top, and in order to get to the top visitors must climb 1665 steps. The number of steps has varied over the years with different renovations. Luckily visitors can use one of the many elevators in order to get to the top.

By far the tallest structure in Paris, the tip may bend away from the vertical by as much as 18cm (7in) due to expansion of its 7,300 metric tons of iron because of heat from the sun. Warming by the sun heats one side more than the other. That's all the more remarkable since wind shear is usually the major problem with tall structures. But, the engineering is so well-thought out that the strongest winds cause no more than five inches of deflection.

In the beginning The Eiffel Tower met a lot of resistance, there were widespread petitions to have it torn down by some who considered it ugly and intrusive. That might have succeeded if it hadn't been in use as an antenna for the then-leading-edge technology of telegraphy. In 1909 a permanent underground radio center was built and since 1957 it's been used as a transmission tower for both FM radio and television. The tower has even been part of scientific research. In 1910, Wulf used it to make measurements that resulted in the discovery of cosmic rays.

The Eiffel Tower was the world's tallest structure until 1930, the record was then overtaken by The Chrysler Building in New York.

A visit to Paris is not complete without a visit to The Eiffel Tower, it is a must. From the top visitors can se 67 km into the French landscape, it is truly a remarkable sight. If it is not appealing to stand in the long line , which you must do in order to enter the tower, it is very nice just to stand beside or beneath the tower and enjoy it. It is also a good idea to take a picnic in the nearby park.

To visit the tower, take the Metro - the Paris subway - to the Trocadero station. Then, walk from the Palais de Chaillot to the Seine. From there you can't miss it.

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Thinking of a holiday vacation in exotic Asia but does not know where to go? This travel guide article introduces you to Japan, the country in which you can find buzzing cities where you can shop and party till the wee small hours of the morning or if you prefer, visit Japan's almost nature perfect countryside and marvel at its awesome natural beauty.

Japan, or sometimes referred to as "Land of the rising sun" is an island nation located in north-eastern Asia between the northern Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan.

The country has a land mass of approximately 377,870 sq km (145 896 sq miles) which is just a tad smaller than the state of California.

The country is made up of four major island groups with more than 4,000 smaller islands surrounding the big four islands of Hokkaido to the north, Honshu, the main island, Shikoku which is the smallest of the four and Kyushu, as the southernmost island.

Japan has a very homogenous culture and thus it is not surprising that there is only one official written and spoken language. However, to the delight of tourists and business travelers, many Japanese are able to understand English and speak the language to a certain extent albeit with heavy accent as can be seen in some Hollywood movies.

The reason why many so Japanese can speak English is that the English language is the only foreign language all Japanese must learn as part of compulsory school education program.

Japan has a population of over 125 million people and most Japanese live in densely populated urban areas such as Tokyo which is the capital of Japan. Tokyo has a population of about 12 million people.

Tokyo,is a marvelous city of stark contrast which makes it as a very interesting and exciting city to tour. Tourists on holiday vacation are often enchanted with the glitzy lights of nightlife downtown Shibuya and Roppongi, homes to wonderful international and local restaurants, theme bars and karaoke clubs to dazzle you in contrast to the the tranquil serenity of Buddhist temples and sleepy side streets, where quaint local antique stores and old cafes beckon.

Tokyo is also home to the first Disneyland theme park in Asia. The other one being in Hong Kong.

Many tourists regard Japan as a food paradise haven. Japanese food is not only well known for its health benefits, it is also famous throughout the world for its painstaking presentation. It is certainly a culinary delight to indulge in Japanese food.

You can find traditional smoky yakitori stalls where customers sit around makeshift tables, drinking ice-cold beer as the sun sets on a hot summer day, to high class restaurants, where kimono clad waitresses serve the freshest sushi and sashimi.

The quality and the variety of food in Japan are so vast that you can hardly find such wide diversity and quality of food anywhere else in the world.

Traditionally, having lunch would have been from the homemade bento box, however many Japanese restaurants these days are encouraging the trend to eat out at midday by offering great lunch set meals. This may include sushi sets with miso soup and green tea.

Most Japanese have theirlunch seated by the counter so that they can watch the chef in action preparing freshly cut sushi served on a bamboo leaves.

Tokyo is usually the landing city for vacationing tourists visiting Japan and is the launching pad to other tourist attractions in this amazing country.

So if you are a tourist on a holiday vacation who loves taking in sights of natural wonders, who loves great food and plenty of nightlife action, then Japan could be your ideal holiday destination in exotic Asia.

About the Author

Chris Chew is an avid traveler and owns a website devoted to traveling in exotic Asia Tourist Attractions In Osaka and Tokyo Luxury Hotels