Kalahari Desert

Kalahari Desert, Africa

The seemingly infinite semi-arid deserts of Kalahari offer unique experiences and unspoiled nature. A land of extremes, droughts and harsh weather, Kalahari also supports a variety of plants and wildlife, including black-maned lions, hyenas, cheetahs, lions, leopards, zebras, and flamingos.

The vast space has a variety of landscapes including red sands and grasslands. Riemvasmaak, a village in the desert, offers a glimpse into the lives of semi-nomadic sheep and goat herders, and rides across the red sands on a donkey cart. Augrabies Falls National Park contains the world’s sixth tallest waterfall. The Sunqu (Orange) River flows through the region, surrounded by the fertile Green Kalahari, complete with vineyards.

 Activities in the Kalahari Desert include safaris as well as sand-boarding down the sand dunes, and soaking in the mineral hot springs. In the evenings, watch the vibrant orange sunsets, and go stargazing under the clear skies of southern Africa.

Wellington Arch

Wellington Arch or Constitutional Arch was built to honor the Duke of Wellington.

Wellington Arch which is also popularly referred to as the Constitution Arch is the creation of Decimus Burton. The magnificent monument is located at London’s Hyde Park corner and towards the end of Constitution Hill. The monument was built in honor of the Duke of Wellington and was erected way back in the year 1828 as a befitting memorial to Sir Arthur Wellesley who was the first Duke of Wellington and later was also appointed as the Prime Minister.

The original statue depicted the Duke straddling over a horse. Nevertheless, in the year 1882 as part of the road extension scheme, the arch had to be moved to its existing abode at Hyde Park Corner. Today, the arch stands like a sentinel over the rather busy Hyde Park traffic island. In the year 1912 the statue was again replaced by a colossal bronze sculpture of “Wuadriga” by renowned artist Adrian Jones which till date is the largest bronze figurine in Britain. Today, the Wellington Arch is looked after by the English Heritage and the edifice has been fully renovated and restored.

A visit to the interiors of this grand edifice is a must for the first time visitor. There are three floors inside and houses a wide variety of exhibits, which highlights the many facets of this historic arch. In the past, the arch also housed a Police Station, which was among the smallest in London. On a clear sunny day, the breathtaking glimpses of the London Eye, Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace can be seen from the pinnacle. One great way to appreciate the beauty of the surroundings is to take leisurely walks around the beautifully landscaped Royal Parks. The arch itself has a marvelous exhibit – “Lived in London: Celebration of Blue Plaques”.

Many tourists are so overwhelmed with the grandeur of the Wellington Arch that they miss out on one of the most bizarre statues that one will ever come across, not only in London, but anywhere else in the world. In an obscure and shaded area is the remarkable statue of a dead soldier.

Salisbury Cathedral, London

Salisbury Cathedral, London – one of Britain’s most famous Gothic Cathedral

Salisbury Cathedral, London is undoubtedly Britain’s most famous 13th century Gothic cathedral. The enormous and lofty spire grabs your attention. Once you reach the Cathedral, viewing the stonework that has gone towards creating such an architecturally evolved church in Salisbury, is in itself a wonderful experience.

The Cathedral is situated in the midst of a cluster of monumental buildings and edifices. It is enclosed by eight acres of busy green lawns and you can’t differentiate much between walking on a carpet or walking on grass.

Of the four surviving Magna Carta, the one at Salisbury Cathedral is the best preserved. Apart from this, the Cathedral’s clock, which dates back to 1386 AD and now located in the magnificent Bell is the oldest working clock. Being a pioneering church in Britain, the Salisbury Cathedral was the first to introduce the Cathedral School. The Salisbury Cathedral was also the first to introduce an exclusive girl’s choir.

The Cathedral maintains records of people who have been married, baptized or buried in the Cathedral and the records are provided to any body from the general public who might want to know more about their ancestors/ family members or friends.

Guided tours of the Cathedral are provided everyday. Each and every aspect of the Cathedral’s rich past and its’ many historical artifacts and relics are highlighted in the most interesting manner. If you are energetic, just climb upstairs, 332 steps in all, to the pinnacle of the tower. The experience from the top is breathtaking.

Atlantis Paradise Island

Atlantis Paradise Island

A resort and water park on an island in the Bahamas, Atlantis is designed to resemble the legendary lost city of Atlantis. The water park features nine water slides, eleven pools, and a mile-long river for tubing. Themed slides include the Mayan Temple slides, the Challenger, with two side-by-side slides so friends can race one another down, the Serpent Slide, and the Abyss, a 200 foot body slide with a 50 foot vertical drop into an underground lair. Access to Aquaventure Water Park is free for resort guests.

Another popular attraction at Atlantis Paradise Island is Dolphin Cay, where visitors can interact with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, sea lions, stingrays and more.

 The resort also features several hotels, a shopping district, and frequent live performances from some of the hottest celebrities.

Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam is an arched dam in the Colorado River’s Black Canyon. Constructed from concrete during the Great Depression in the 1930s, the dam is considered an engineering marvel, though many lives were lost during its construction. The builders had to overcome many challenges to make the dam possible. The dam was built to control water flow to prevent floods, and also to generate hydroelectric power. The dam is also known as Boulder Dam, but was originally named for President Herbert Hoover, who was president during the early construction of the dam.

Visitors to the Hoover Dam are often amazed at its size and power. Tours are available for the power plant and also to go into the dam.

Redwood National and State Parks

Redwood National and State Parks

Redwood National and State Parks are home to the tallest trees in the world, the coast redwood. The Redwood National and State Parks include parks operated by both the National Park Service and the California State Park Service. There are a total for four parks included in the group: Redwood National Park, and the state parks Del Norte Coast, Jedediah Smith, and Prairie Creek Redwoods.

The state parks were established in the 1920s after years of logging in the old growth forests devastated the landscape and led to a movement to save the remaining forests. When Redwood National Park was established in 1968, almost 90 percent of the forests had already been destroyed.

In addition to the massive redwoods, the park offers oak trees, rivers, prairies and 37 miles of coastline.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial in USA

Mount Rushmore National Memorial at South Dakota,USA

The Mount Rushmore National Memorial on Mount Rushmore is located near Keystone in South Dakota, USA. It is one of the most iconic monuments representing the United States internationally. Set against the impressive granite background of the Black Hills the huge sculptures of America’s four iconic United States presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln – stand out in a rare display of historic grandeur.
These 60-foot high carvings, 500-feet feet up the hills, were sculpted by the well-known Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and later by his son, Lincoln Borglum. The Mount Rushmore Memorial covers 1,278 acres and is about 5,725 feet above sea level.

The idea of creating the sculpture was the brainchild of Doane Robinson, a well-known South Dakota historian. Robinson believed that a mammoth carving on the Black Hills in South Dakota would attract much tourist interest in the state. He worked with John Boland, President Calvin Coolidge, Congressman William Williamson, and other leaders to secure funding. Needles was the site initially suggested to house these mammoth monuments. Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor, however believed that Mount Rushmore was a better choice due to its excellent quality granite. Robinson had initially envisaged it to feature local western heroes such as Lewis and Clark, and Buffalo Bill Cody but once again Borglum stepped in and suggested that the sculpture be given a Pan-American focus.

Construction work started in 1927, and the sculpture was completed in 1941. Gutzon Borglum’s death in March 1941 left the sculpture to an uncertain fate but his son Lincoln Borglum took over till the end of work in October 1941. Nearly three million visitors are known to visit Mount Rushmore annually.

The construction of the sculpture at Mt. Rushmore cost $989,992.32 in all. The cave behind the sculpture is called the “Hall of Records” and was initially intended to house the historic relics associated with the monument but could not be completed due to lack of funding. Mount Rushmore has been over seen by the National Park Service since 1933, even as the sculpture was being constructed

Golden Mountains of Altai in Russia

Golden Mountains of Altai at Siberia, Russia

The Altai mountains, located in Russia, contain natural reserves, lakes mountains, and a plateau. The Golden Mountains of Altai UNESCO site includes three general areas: Altaisky Zapovednik, Katunsky Zapovednik, and the Ukok Quiet Zone (Ukok plateau). The site also includes Lake Teletskoye and Belukha Mountain. The regions are located along the borders to China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan.

The Golden Mountains of Altai are noted for their high level of biodiversity and a variety of vegetation zones, from steppe and forest-steppe, to mixed forest, subalpine vegetation, and alpine vegetation. The region is a habitat for endangered species including the snow leopard.

Humans have inhabited the region for almost a million years, with Paleolithic settlements found in the Gorno-Altaisk region. The mountains have been the site of tribal unions, khanates, and empires ranging from the Scythians, to the Turks, Uigurs, Yenissey Kirgiz, Kidans, Mongols, and Oitrats. The local people are Russians and the Altaisky, who are Turkish-speaking hunter-gatherer people who continue to live in the natural environment.

Within the site, Katun Nature Reserve which was established in 1991 and joined the Golden Mountains designation in 1998, is home to 700 plant varieties, 51 mammal species, 140 bird species and various reptiles and fish. Ecosystems contained in this portion include glaciers, alpine tundra, meadows, and forests.