The Grand Palace

The Grand Palace of Bangkok, Thailand is known for it’s Beautiful Architecture

Bangkok tourist attractions cannot be talked about without talking of the Grand Palace. A complex of various historical buildings located in the heart of Bangkok, the Grand Palace is surrounded by walls built in 1783. Within these walls of the Grand Palace are situated the Chapel Royal of the Emerald Buddha, the royal residences and government offices.

The Grand Palace came in to existence when King Rama I shifted the capital of Thailand to Bangkok. Apart from making the Grand Palace the center of administration with all his ministries and offices, King Rama I also used it as his residence. Being no longer the royal residence, the Grand Palace is now used only for occasional ceremonies.

Highlights of the palace include Amarinda Hall, Boromabiman Hall, Grand Palace Hal/ Chakri Maha Prasat, Dusit Hall, Phra Thinang Borom Phiman, Phra Asada Maha Chedi and Museum.

Amarinda Hall, also known as ‘the Great Residence’ is situated in Phra Maha Montien building of the Grand Palace. With its carved boat-shaped throne, Amarinda Vinichai Hall is an enchanting site that will mesmerize you with its interiors. Nowadays, Amarinda Hall in the Grand Palace is used for ceremonial occasions.

Built by King Chulalongkom Rama V, Chakri Maha Prasat was used by him as his residence. This beautiful renaissance-style building was not used as residence since the death of King Rama VIII, who was found shot dead in this room. The elegant crystal decorations inside the hall are worth watching during your tour to Bangkok.

Dusit Maha Prasad, also known as ‘Audience Hall’, is the third important building of the Grand Palace. This hall is known for the crowing ceremony of King Rama I. Apart from been used as the customary hall for the lying-in-state of Ayuttaya kings, Dusit Hall in the Grand Palace serves as a perfect venue for the annual Consecration Day Ceremony, Dusit Hall in the Grand Palace.

King Rama V built Phra Thinang Borom Phiman in 1903 for his son and the heir to the throne. With Indra (rain god) on the east side, Varuna (wind god) on the west, Agni (fire god) on the north and Yama (god of death) on the south side, the Siamese conception of the Vedic Gods in India is depicted inside Phra Thinang Borom Phiman of the Grand Palace and is a beautiful site.

Tourists are advised to strictly follow the dress code for visiting the Grand Palace. You won’t be allowed to enter the palace bare foot and wearing revealing clothes or with bare shoulders. In short, you have to fully dress up and would be provided with clothes at a booth near the entry gate if not adhering to their dress code.

An entry ticket is required for tourists. This includes admission ticket to Vimanmek Mansion, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Central Court. Entry for Thai people is absolutely free.

Benedictine Convent of Saint John

Benedictine Convent of Saint John at Müstair, Switzerland

The Benedictine Convent of Saint John, also called the Abbey of Saint John, is located in Müstair, Switzerland. This quaint Swiss village is a unique destination in itself and home to a majority of speakers of the Romansh language. The Convent was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, offering examples of Carolingian art, well-preserved heritage of the Carolingian  (from the reign of Charlemagne and his heirs). This art includes Early Middle Ages frescoes, Romanesque frescoes, murals, and other historical architecture.

The frescoes include Biblical scenes from both the Old and New Testament, and are fine and rare examples of art from the important Carolingian period from around the year 800. These frescoes are created in varies hues of reds and browns.

Other significant art in the Benedictine Convent of Saint John includes the stucco statue of Charlemagne, and a relief of the Baptism of Christ in the Romanesque style, created in 1087.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, (New York and Ontario)

Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls along the border between the United States and Canada, in New York and Ontario. Formed from the melting of glaciers after the last ice age, Niagara Falls consists of Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. On the Canadian side of the border is Horseshoe Falls, while American and Bridal Veil Falls are on the American side of the boundary.

Visitors can view the waterfalls at the observation stations, or take a boat tour on the Maid of the Mist, or take a tour behind the falls.

In addition to the waterfalls, there are many other entertaining attractions, like the boardwalk, White Water Walk, and Niagara Skywheel. The nearby Marineland Theme Park offers close encounters with marine life, like whales and dolphins.

Boyana Church

Boyana Church at Sofia, Bulgaria

Boyana Church in Sofia, Bulgaria’s Boyana quarter, is a Bulgarian Orthodox church, famous for the frescoes housed within its inconspicuous medieval walls. The majority of these well-preserved frescoes were painted in 1259, with 89 scenes including 240 people, and are fine examples of Eastern European art from the medieval era.The frescoes are painted on top of another layer of paintings from an earlier period.

The church itself was built beginning in the 10^th century, with expansions extending all the way into the middle of the 19^th century. The church is constructed in a medieval style, and includes the oldest wing on the east end, which is a simple one-apse church, the two-story section was then built with a sepulcher and vault, and  the final church was added much later.

Aeolian Islands, Italy

Marina Corta in Lipari Island (Aeolian Islands)

Located in the Tyrrhenian Sea just north of the Italian island of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands are an archipelago formed by volcanic activity. The Aeolian Islands are part of Italy and commonly accessed via Sicily. There are seven main Aeolian Islands, which have a combined total of over 1,200 square kilometers (463 square miles) of land. There are also several smaller islets in the archipelago. The main islands in the archipelago are Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi, and Alicudi. Two active volcanoes are located in the Aeolian Islands: Stromboli and Vulcano.

The main island of the group is Lipari, which serves as a transportation hub and base for visitors to the islands. Vulcano is home to the volcano named Vulcano, and is a popular destination for beach vacations and mud baths. Stromboli, though most remote, is a popular spot to visit for its regularly active volcano. The other islands offer scenic nature and great views of the volcanoes.

Doñana National Park in Spain

Wetlands at Doñana National Park in Spain

Doñana National Park is situated along the banks of the Guadalquivir River and the delta where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Consisting of various areas of marshland and swamps, lagoons, sand dunes, streams, scrub woodland, and maquis, the park is a habitat to diverse plant and animal life, including several threatened and endangered species. Spanish lynx, Adalbert’s eagle, marbled teal, and white-headed duck are among the threatened species residing within the park.

Doñana serves as one of the largest habitats for herons in the Mediterranean, and serves as a winter migration destination for over 500,000 waterfowl. The park also serves as a breeding ground for various animals including egrets and waders.

As such an important wildlife habitat, there have been many conservation efforts put into effect at the park. The World Wildlife Fund works to protect parts of the park, including the ecosystem of the marshes, which is threatened by irrigation for agricultural use as well as tourism. There has also been a suggestion that the lost city of Atlantis was located around the swamps of Doñana.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Home to one of the  most active volcanoes on Earth, the Kilauea volcano,and one of the world’s most massive volcanic mass, Mauna Loa, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the most popular attractions of the state and a sacred place for the native Hawaiians. The volcanoes are highly active and the volcanic activity is constantly expanding the island. Kilauea is called “the world’s only drive-in volcano”. In its current level of activity it generates 250,000-650,000 cubic yards of lava each day. The natives worship Pele, the volcano goddess, who lives here.

Spanning over 333,000 acres from the summit of Maunaloa to the sea, the park offers visitors about 150 miles of hiking trails. The part showcases extraordinary natural diversity and visitors can find volcanic craters, deserts and rainforests within the park precincts. Apart from the unique experience of watching the lava from Kilauea as it flows into the sea, the Kilauea Visitor Center, the Crater Rim Drive, the Halemaumau Crater, the Thurston Lava Tube, and the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum form the key attractions of the national park.

Angel Falls

Angel Falls – The Highest Waterfall in the World, Venezuela

Angel Falls, in the Canaima National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Venezuela), is the highest waterfall in the world. Called Salto Ángel in Spanish and Kerepakupai Vená – “waterfall of the deepest place” – in the Pemon language, the falls are part of the Gauja River or the Kerep River, a tributary of the Churun which itself drains into the Carrao River. The world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall, Angel Falls has a total height of 3,287 feet or 1,002 meter with the main plunge recording about 2,648 feet. The minor rapids and cascades of the falls stretch about a quarter mile and a 98 feet downstream.

The Angel Falls tip over the edge of the Auyantepui Mountain in the Gran Sabana region of Bolívar State. The Canaima National Park was established in 1962 and was designated a UNESCO National Heritage Site in 1994. The region is home to the Pemon Indians who worship the region as a sacred land and believe in the presence of guarding spirits here. The waterfall was named after Jimmie Angel, the American pilot who first flew a plane over the falls. Several attempts to revert to the indigenous Spanish or Pemon names have been made in recent years without much success.

Engelsberg Ironworks in Sweden

Engelsberg Ironworks   Best-preserved example of Swedish ironworks.

Engelsberg Ironworks is a historical industrial complex located in Sweden, which features administrative and residential buildings from the 17th to 19th centuries. This well-preserved example of a traditional Swedish ironworks was built in 1681, and grew into a modern ironworks from 1700-1800. Sweden has long been known for its superior iron, becoming a leader in iron production in the 1700s to 1800s, remaining the economic leader in the iron industry for two centuries.

The ironworks was started by local peasants in the 13th century, alongside their agriculture pursuits. After the water-wheel became used, the iron industry took off in the late Middle Ages, growing rapidly. Pig-iron production, created by primitive smelting furnaces, was initially restricted to peasants.

Production steadily increased and the complex expanded during the 18th century as a result of improving technology. About 50 buildings were built around the complex, some decorated with Gustavian paintings. Houses include the master gardener’s house (built in 1790), a brewery (1829),and an inspector’s house, an office building, stables and smiths’ cottages. The complex provides a picture of the Swedish accomplishments in their historical traditions and equipment as well as the way of life in terms of society and culture in Sweden during this time period. Some of the ironworks machines continue to work today, giving visitors a view into how the mill once functioned.

Shedd Aquarium in Chicago

Shedd Aquarium in Chicago

Shedd Aquarium is home to more than 25,000 fish and over 32,000 creatures in total, from about 1500 species including fish, marine mammals, birds, snakes, amphibians, and insects. With about 2 million visitors annually, Shedd has been the most visited aquarium in the country multiple years, and is a major attraction in Chicago. Shedd became the first inland aquarium with a permanent saltwater fish collection after shipping millions of gallons of salt water from the Atlantic waters of Florida.

Major exhibits at Shedd Aquarium include a miniature version of the Amazon River and its jungles. Animals that are part of this exhibit include anacondas, rays, and crocodiles, which are found in the wilderness of the Amazon.

The Caribbean Reef is represented in its own exhibit, which houses a green sea turtle, a moray eel, rays, and sharks. The oceanarium features an aquatic show, starring Pacific White-sided dolphins and Beluga whales, with sea otters and sea lions.

The Snowy Mountains in Australia

The Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, Australia

The Snowy Mountains, informally known as the ”Snowies”, form part of the larger Australian Alps and the Great Dividing Range. They are the highest mountain range of Australia and boast of Australia’s tallest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko. Historians believe that the mountains were inhabited by indigenous tribes for twenty thousand years. The mountains were explored only during the nineteenth century, by the Europeans, in the year 1835.

The region is well known for grazing and skiing. It is also the largest producer of fine wools, lamb and stud cattle and sheep. The major tourist attraction of the place is the high country that is replete with Australia’s premier ski fields. These ski fields attract a lot of tourists and facilities. The amenities available in the centers of Thredbo, Perisher, Smiggins and Guthega are world class.