Articles written by Paris Franz

Gender is an important element of Italian grammar. This article highlights some shortcuts to learning Italian noun genders.

Dec 11, 2009 - Paris Franz

History comes alive at Salisbury Cathedral, home to England's tallest spire, crusader tombs and the Magna Carta.

Dec 9, 2009 - Paris Franz

The seventeenth century saw the rise of the antiquary, the gentleman-scholar with a passion for the past. The history of Stonehenge proved to be antiquarian heaven.

Dec 7, 2009 - Paris Franz

The subject of much study and debate, the mysterious, five-thousand year old Stonehenge continues to fascinate.

Dec 3, 2009 - Paris Franz

The Ghost Forest, an art installation of tree stumps from the rainforest, aims to raise awareness of the role of deforestation in climate change.

Nov 21, 2009 - Paris Franz

First time home buyers are crucial to the recovery of the UK property market. First time buyers need affordable mortgages.

Nov 18, 2009 - Paris Franz

As war and rebellion become inevitable, it's decision time on Babylon 5. The heavy duty third season of the science fiction saga comes to DVD.

Nov 11, 2009 - Paris Franz

British universities are facing up to the challenges posed by universities in Asia and the Americas, with five higher education institutions in the global top ten.

Nov 6, 2009 - Paris Franz

In an age of increasing pressure to conserve water, saving water in the home is an easy way to help both the environment and the wallet.

Nov 3, 2009 - Paris Franz

The origins of the flood story can be traced back to the mythology of ancient Mesopotamia and the tale of Atrahasis, who was warned to build a boat and save life.

Nov 1, 2009 - Paris Franz

After much argument and controversy, the biggest public works project in Italian history is under way, but is it too little, too late?

Oct 30, 2009 - Paris Franz

The digital switchover is well underway in the United Kingdom, with television regions around the country set to complete the switch by the end of 2012.

Oct 27, 2009 - Paris Franz

The second season of Babylon 5, an ambitious science-fiction drama, draws in the viewer with its tales of intrigue, mystery and betrayal.

Oct 21, 2009 - Paris Franz

The first season of Babylon 5 is available as a DVD box set, its 22 episodes laying the groundwork for a classic science-fiction television series.

Oct 16, 2009 - Paris Franz

The Australian Pavilion at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China, invites visitors on a journey of discovery.

Oct 4, 2009 - Paris Franz

Regularly overcrowded, the jewel of the Venetian Lagoon is becoming a victim of its own popularity.

Sep 27, 2009 - Paris Franz

Since 1997, the Portable Antiquities Scheme in England and Wales has seen an abundance of archaeological material brought to light by members of the public.

Sep 20, 2009 - Paris Franz

Armed with a metal detector, a plough or simply an experienced eye, treasure seekers continue to find precious artefacts from Britain's past.

Sep 14, 2009 - Paris Franz

Treasure seekers and metal detector enthusiasts need to be aware of the law when searching for buried treasure in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Sep 7, 2009 - Paris Franz

The London Wetland Centre brings the countryside to the city, offering a year-round day out for the whole family.

Aug 24, 2009 - Paris Franz

The second X-Files film fails to scale the heights reached by the best of its television predecessor.

Aug 18, 2009 - Paris Franz

Bestselling author Bill Bryson tackles the enigma that is Shakespeare in a short and insightful biography.

Aug 16, 2009 - Paris Franz

The Museum of Cadiz houses a fascinating mix of art and archaeology from the ancient port city on the southern coast of Andalusia.

Jul 20, 2009 - Paris Franz

From China's best museum to a buzzing night-life scene, Shanghai offers the visitor a wide range of things to do and see.

Jun 13, 2009 - Paris Franz

Sun Shuyun follows the trail of heroic Chinese monk in search of the origins of Buddhism in China.

Jun 6, 2009 - Paris Franz

The first World Expo to be held in a developing country, the Shanghai Expo, the so-called Economic Olympics, is looking to break records.

May 27, 2009 - Paris Franz

Hurun Report's 2009 Wealth Report details the spread of wealth in China, from the capital Beijing to the remote cities of the interior.

May 8, 2009 - Paris Franz

Full to bursting with items from China's long history, Shanghai's museums don't come better than this.

May 1, 2009 - Paris Franz

Sprawling People's Square, at the heart of booming Shanghai, is the city's cultural and political center.

Apr 25, 2009 - Paris Franz

China's turbulent past casts a long shadow as enigmatic Inspector Chen reluctantly takes on a baffling murder case.

Apr 25, 2009 - Paris Franz

Life for visitors to Shanghai is eased by a subway system mapped in both English and Chinese, and a proliferation of bilingual road signs.

Apr 18, 2009 - Paris Franz

While trying to unravel the mystery of what happened to the last king of Laos, Stalking the Elephant Kings delves into the mystery that is Laos.

Mar 25, 2009 - Paris Franz

An Englishman in Paris recounts the comic culinary adventures of a young man in Paris.

Mar 20, 2009 - Paris Franz

Standing atop a grand flight of stairs, the facade of the Church of St Paul's has been called a "sermon in stone", and the greatest monument to Christianity in Asia.

Mar 14, 2009 - Paris Franz

The Dragon and the Foreign Devils charts the history of China and its foreign relations over the course of three thousand years.

Feb 18, 2009 - Paris Franz

While its origins are obscured by myth and legend, the history of Chinese silk shows it played a central role in the civilization of ancient China.

Feb 18, 2009 - Paris Franz

Mandarin Chinese is becoming an increasingly popular language, and many foreign students are making their way to China to undertake Mandarin language study.

Feb 10, 2009 - Paris Franz

Despite increasing competition from Macau's casinos, betting on the horses remains the first choice for Hong Kong's gamblers.

Feb 7, 2009 - Paris Franz

Flashy and gaudy, as befits the casino-studded gambling town of Macau on China's southern coast, the Grand Lisboa has been described as both "iconic" and an "eyesore".

Feb 5, 2009 - Paris Franz

Four hundred years of cultural exchange between Portugal and China has left an enticing architectural legacy in the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Macau.

Feb 4, 2009 - Paris Franz

Visitors to Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey can enjoy award-winning English sparkling wine in England's answer to Champagne.

Jan 27, 2009 - Paris Franz

Global warming is making life difficult for many, but certain wine-producing countries look to be sitting pretty as temperatures rise.

Jan 27, 2009 - Paris Franz

The second season of Bones, following the adventures of forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan, hits its stride.

Jan 26, 2009 - Paris Franz

The first season of Bones, inspired by the work of forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, gets off to a shaky start, but becomes increasingly assured.

Jan 24, 2009 - Paris Franz

Award-winning Raise the Red Lantern, directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li, helped bring Chinese cinema to the attention of the wider world.

Jan 23, 2009 - Paris Franz

The financial crisis and a wealth of alternative entertainment opportunities are making life difficult for the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Jan 23, 2009 - Paris Franz

The commercial possibilities of the mighty Mekong River attracted great attention in nineteenth-century French Indochina.

Jan 17, 2009 - Paris Franz

While researchers agree on the basic facts about the giant panda, the animal with the famous black and white coat retains an air of mystery.

Jan 12, 2009 - Paris Franz

A number of universities across Asia have ranked consistently amongst the best universities in the world.

Jan 10, 2009 - Paris Franz

With attractions ranging from roller-coasters to giant pandas, cable-cars to dolphins, Ocean Park in Hong Kong has something for everyone.

Jan 7, 2009 - Paris Franz

For the first time since the voyages of Zheng He in the fifteenth century, China has deployed its navy overseas, in response to the threat posed by Somali pirates.

Jan 3, 2009 - Paris Franz

Covering eight hectares of prime real estate in the centre of the city, Hong Kong Park offers a welcome respite from the urban hurly-burly.

Dec 28, 2008 - Paris Franz

The waters of the Pearl River Delta are home to the little-studied. and startlingly pink, Chinese white dolphin.

Dec 25, 2008 - Paris Franz

China's economic development, a key factor in the Chinese Communist Party's legitimacy, is dependent on a secure energy supply.

Dec 19, 2008 - Paris Franz

The Asian elephant has played a central role in Thai history, yet rapidly shrinking habitat and a drastic reduction in numbers mean that it is now an endangered species.

Dec 15, 2008 - Paris Franz

The Elephant Nature Park in the Mae Taeng Valley in northern Thailand is home to over thirty Asian elephants, many of them rescued from dire circumstances.

Dec 13, 2008 - Paris Franz

Affectionately known as The Pen, Hong Kong's Peninsula Hotel has defied the city's penchant for knocking down older buildings to become an iconic luxury hotel.

Dec 13, 2008 - Paris Franz

Intrepid antiques dealer Lara McClintoch searches for Chinese antiquity in the final book of Lyn Hamilton's Archaeological Mystery series.

Dec 8, 2008 - Paris Franz

At odds with its image of only caring about money, Hong Kong is home to Asia's premier arts festival, showcasing the arts of east and west.

Dec 7, 2008 - Paris Franz

Hong Kong is positioning itself as the Asian hub for the trading and distribution of wine, as wine sales in China continue to rise.

Dec 4, 2008 - Paris Franz

Visitors to Hong Kong have little trouble navigating the city as, when it comes to public transport, Hong Kong shows how it should be done.

Dec 1, 2008 - Paris Franz

Auction house wine departments have returned to Asia as the wealthy increasingly look to wine as a safe investment in troubled financial times.

Nov 30, 2008 - Paris Franz

Taken from today's headlines, Robert Harris' The Ghost is a tale of intrigue and deception, and the addictive nature of power.

Nov 28, 2008 - Paris Franz

Lantau Island is home to some of Hong Kong's most varied tourist attractions, from hiking trails to Buddhist retreats to a Disneyland with Chinese characteristics.

Nov 27, 2008 - Paris Franz

Director Sue Williams' new film documents the lives of nine people against the background of China's blazing economic development.

Nov 24, 2008 - Paris Franz

Hong Kong remains a monument to consumerism, but there is a growing awareness in this Special Administrative Region of China of the need to protect the environment.

Nov 23, 2008 - Paris Franz

Despite its growing popularity, Luang Prabang remains a sleepy jewel surrounded by the jungles of northern Laos.

Nov 17, 2008 - Paris Franz

In Thailand, the exotic adornments of the Padaung, or Kayan, tribe, whose women encase their necks in brass coils, make them vulnerable to human trafficking.

Nov 14, 2008 - Paris Franz

After more than a century of research, archaeologists at Angkor, once the capital of the mighty Khmer Empire, are still making new discoveries.

Nov 12, 2008 - Paris Franz

Hong Kong's first International Jazz Festival takes place from November 16-22, 2008 at venues across the city.

Nov 9, 2008 - Paris Franz

The Carnival of Venice, traditionally a hedonistic celebration of the good things in life before the austerity of Lent, is going strong in the twenty-first century.

Nov 6, 2008 - Paris Franz

With a history going back some four thousand years, chocolate - the food of the gods - has long been a temptation.

Nov 5, 2008 - Paris Franz

The governments of Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to hold talks in November to resolve the ongoing border crisis centered around the Preah Vihear temple.

Nov 2, 2008 - Paris Franz

The port city of Trieste was both a refuge and an inspiration to Irish writer James Joyce, who lived there for nearly eleven years between 1904 and 1920.

Nov 2, 2008 - Paris Franz

The temple of Angkor Wat is a symbol of Cambodia. It is attracting an increasing number of visitors, but its ability to cope with its popularity is in question.

Oct 26, 2008 - Paris Franz