Atomium (The Belgian national icon)

Built in 1958 for the the Brussels World’s Fair (Expo ’58), it is103 metre(335-foot) tall monument represents a cell of an iron crystal, magnified 165 billion times, with vertical body diagonal, with tubes along the 12 edges of the cube and from all 8 vertices to the centre. The Atomium is the visiualization of microscopic molecular structures on a great enlarged scale,which is located next to Heysel metro station in Brussels.

Nine spheres ,made of steel,18 metres in diameter connect via tubes with escalators as long as 35 m. A panoramic view of Brussels is seen from the top sphere. Other spheres have exhibitions. Three upper spheres are closed to the public for safety reasons.
Designed to be the star attraction of the ephemeral World Exhibition of 1958, this 103 metre high building has continued to shine for four decades, although its brilliance gradually faded with the effects of age and corrosion. But the quality and the precision of the work saved it from demolition, an ambitious renovation project has become rality. The aim was to completely renew the casing of the spheres and to replace the aluminium skin with insulating sandwich panels in mirror polished stainless steel on the outside and galvanised steel on the inside. The facelift also entailed the restoration of the structure, the replacement of all the windows, the lighting and the electricity systems.

After more than a year of renovation work the Atomium has a new face and give visitors a brand new aesthetic experience by taking them on a very special journey through its spheres.Today, the inside of the building glows with an unparalleled sparkle. The one-directional visit through each of the six spheres open to visitors makes the most of the possibilities offered by modern animation techniques. To echo this rejuvenation, the setting of the entire site is currently being developed with in particular the construction of an entrance pavilion at the heart of a pedestrian area. A fascinating and triumphant architectural prowess of the 50s that has once again opened its doors to the general public, the challenge of the Atomium is to retain its vitality. The vitality that endears it to the public.

Lake Toba (a Heaven on Earth Beauty)

Lake Toba is a large lake, 100 km long and 30 km wide, in the middle of the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, Indonesia. When you see it you will probably be amazed of its natural beauty and lovely landscapes, but do not forget how it was formed in the past. The enormous inland lake has a history spoken of in local myths, but the true story of Toba and how this enormous inland lake evolved, lies in knowing the story of its Toba volcano.

In 1949 the Dutch geologist Rein van Bemmelen reported that Lake Toba was surrounded by a layer of ignimbrite rocks, and that it was a large volcanic caldera. Later researchers found rhyolite ash similar to that in the ignimbrite around Toba (now called Young Toba Tuff to distinguish it from layers deposited in previous explosions) in Malaysia and India, 3000 km away. Oceanographers discovered Toba ash, with its characteristic chemical “fingerprint”, on the floor of the eastern Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal.

 The Toba eruption occurred at what is now Lake Toba about 75 000 years ago. It had an estimated Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8 (which is known as mega-colossal), making it possibly the largest volcanic eruption within the last two million years. According to the researches made by Bill Rose and Craig Chesner of Michigan Technological University the total amount of erupted material was about 2800 cubic km (670 cubic miles) — around 2000 cubic kilometres of ignimbrite that flowed over the ground and around 800 cubic kilometres that fell as ash, with the wind blowing most of it to the west. By contrast, the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in United States ejected around 1 cubic km of material, whilst the largest volcanic eruption in historic times, at Mount Tambora in 1815, emitted the equivalent of around 100 cubic kilometres of dense rock and created the “Year Without a Summer” as far away as North America.

To give an idea of its magnitude, consider that although the eruption took place in Indonesia, it deposited an ash layer approximately 15 cm (6 in) thick over the entire Indian subcontinent; at one site in central India, the Toba ash layer today is up to 6 m (20 feet) thick and parts of Malaysia were covered with 9 m of ashfall. In addition it has been calculated that an amount of 1010 metric tons of sulphuric acid was ejected into the atmosphere by the event, causing acid rain fallout.
The subsequent collapse formed a caldera that, after filling with water, created Lake Toba. The island in the southern part of the lake is formed by a resurgent volcanic dome.

The Lake Toba is definetely a place to visit if you are in Indonesia. The main nearest to the lake town is Parapat, which is about 4 hours by car from Medan (4-6 hours by public bus). Local transportation around the lake takes the form of boats (cheaper, school boats with limited schedules and more expensive public boats that operate throughout the day). You can also hire a motorcycle for a day or two and get out and about (Rp.50,0000 per day inclusive of 4 litres of petrol). There are no police checking licences and there is not much traffic – just watch out for the big trucks, buses and diabolical bridges. A good journey to take on a motorcycle would be to travel North from Tuk Tuk around to the western shore, stopping at the tourist sites along the way such as the many and varied traditional houses. Motorcycles are almost always semi-automatic meaning there is no need to use a clutch to change the foot-operated gears.

Tabo Cottages is the most luxurious accommodation on the island. Prices start at around Rp.120,000 per night and climb up from there. The rooms are very clean and quite modern by Sumateran standards. Internet is available from the family’s computer for a nominal rate and the western-styled food served in the restaurant is very good.

You can eat at Jenny’s Restaurant on Samosir Island, Tuk Tuk. There is only one or two roads in Tuk Tuk, so simply ask for Jenny’s. Jenny and her husband Rinto run the very simple but cozy restaurant with view on the wonderful lake Toba. You will notice that every day the table cloth are being changed, a usually rare to find nicety and convenience. The curry is delicious. A must-try is the fresh lake-fish, steamed or grilled. Even western food like Schnitzel (breaded pork or chicken chop pan fried) is very good. For dessert try the fresh papaya that grows in the back-yard or a golden-brown banana pancake with chocolate sauce and a sprinkle of coconut. Once all the guests in the small place with only about 5 tables are fed and happy, Rinto will take the guitar from the wall and entertain his patrons. When he is singing old Batak songs about earlier times and you listen to the guitar tunes and his melancholic voice, your eyes wander over the lake and you feel like never leaving Samosir again.
A journey to Lake Toba will be definetely a great travel exprerience for you!

Bonaire island (the right place for the amazing vacation)

Bon Bini on Bonaire!
If you want to practice a lot of diffrent sports from scuba diving to windsurfing or just relaxing at the beaches, you`ve just found the right place for the amazing vacation.
One of the most extra ordinary thing to do in Bonaire is to see the wildlife. Iguanas meditatively toast themselves atop the desert rock formations of Washington Slagbaai, while vast orange-pink clouds of flamingoes drift across bone-white salt flats. There are only four places in the world where flamingo colonies breed-Bonaire is one of them. In fact, more flamingoes live on the island than humans. This chariness seems to be unnatural: if nature ever dressed a diva, the flamingo is it. The pink cotton candy feathers, the graceful, wavy neck, and the long sinewy legs all seems to cry “look at beautiful me“.In fact, the birds are so sensitive to noise and intrusion that the slightest disturbance will cause them to quickly flee. They will never come close to people, and on Bonaire, you must go to them. There are two places to see Bonaire’s flamingoes. One is at the Pekelmeer Sanctuary to the south, where the birds flock around the salt ponds; the other at Lake Gotomeer, in Washington Slagbaai National Park in the north.

St. Barts (the dream destination, a good choice)

  St. Bart- otherwise known as St. Bart, St. Barth, St. Barths, or St. Barthelemy.
You are looking for quiet, nice place just for relaxing under the gigantics palm trees. Well, St. Barts is one of the most magnificient places in the world with lots of these trees. It has beautiful beaches, so take off your shoes, take a walk on the beach and find your palm tree.
One thing is for sure – You’ll never have an experience as pleasant and romantic as what you’ll find on this miraculous French-owned Island.

Out of a crashing, volcanic explosion, came St-Barts, the pearle of the Caribbean. 25 square kilometers of land, 22 beautiful beaches, many luxurious boutiques, hundreds of traditional Creole houses and secret gardens for your dreams of avoidance. Nonchalance, happiness, calm, luxurious, warm – St. Barts has it for you. Your stay will leave you with the elegant souvenir of balmy tropical evenings swayed by the local biguine music, flavored with vanilla and peppered with Caribbean spices. Lazy days, sporty days, the sea is the king, the excellent restaurants, the refinement of the hotels…everything you need to spend a good vacation.

Vieques Beaches, Puerto Rico (one of the most scenic, quiet, and secluded beaches)

Content provided by Luisa Cupeles from Vieques Travel Guide.comIn Vieques you will find some of the most scenic, quiet, and secluded beaches on the Caribbean. Puerto Rico has been a very popular destination on the Caribbean for it’s hundreds of beaches among the immense variety of attractions for travelers. The beaches in Vieques (an off-shore island just a short 20 minute flight or a ferry ride away from the main island) stands out for it’s unspoiled and tranquil environment that makes you want to lay on the sand and let your mind free to dream.

  Vieques Beaches includes:

 
Blue Beach / Bahia de la Chiva
Secluded beach perfect for those seeking for a feeling of peache and solitude. What you will find in this beach; beauty, perfectly blue beauty. As soon as you step foot on Blue beach, it will make sense why they named it blue beach. The waters have perfectly coordinating shades of blue with clear waters and soft crisp white waves. Blue beach is like a gigantic artistic masterpiece.
Black Sand Beach – Playa Negrita
Even some locals do not know that there is black sand in Vieques. When I found out, as soon as I went to Vieques I began my search for this island treasure. Truly worth the visit, great beach for a romantic walk and for those with the desire to hunt for treasures like the Pirates of the Caribbean.
Cofi Beach / Playa Cofi
Yet another beautiful beach in Vieques and very different from the rest on the island. Bold colors of blue, reddish-brown rocks and bubbly white foam from the waves. Great views of colorful Isabel Segunda from a distance.
Esperanza Beach / Playa Esperanza
Esperanza Beach, fun beautiful beach with crystal clear waters perfect for snorkeling. Take a walk along the Strip, watch the sunset shining on colorful fisherman’s boat on the blue waters of Esperanza. During the day you will enjoy laying on the sand, getting that perfect tan and watching the fisherman come back with their catch of the day. The translation for Esperanza is “Hope”. So when you come to Esperanza take some time to look out on the waters, think of dreams and hope, they may just come true while in Vieques.
Green Beach
Green beach is located on the northern side of Vieques Island. A great name of this beach with lots of green flora along the coast just naturally growing wild and free. Popular for snorkeling and family friendly waters. On this beach you can appreciate the magnificent wildlife of this island. There were pelicans just ”chilling” on rocks above the water. The drive there was very spectacular, you have to pass the Kiani Lagoon, (mangroves), and the flora around you is lush and very green. I highly recommend a jeep to get there.

 Mosquito Pier
The Mosquito Pier is a popular spot for divers and it is located on the north east side of Vieques Island. I found a couple of locals fishing with their kids, and they told me that fishing at night is great. The future plan is to create a “short route” to the town of Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The view from the pier is stunning. You can see the beautiful coast and really appreciate just how marvelous the vegetation in this island really is, the view is simply breathtaking. Get ready to take great pictures along the pier, great site to watch birds, I found many pelicans and birds along the coast. There are great beaches along the area that are great for bathing.
Playa Grande
Playa Grande is probably the most unique beach on the island located on the south east end of Vieques. The scenery is quite stunning, great big rocks along the coast, perfect to sit down and enjoy the view holding hands with your loved one. This beach is not to be missed, (but then, they all are).
Red Beach / Bahia Corcho – Playa Caracas
This Beach is becoming one of the favorites among the locals and travelers. Red Beach / Playa Caracas is located on the southern side of Vieques. Stunning view of mountains around you, rocks at the far left end, and lots of soft sand to lounge and get the perfect tan. Pretty shades of blue water, and getting there was half the fun (if you like dirt roads). US Fish and Wildlife Services built several gazebos along the beach, so it is very family friendly.
Sun Bay Beach / Balneario Sun Bay
Sun Bay Beach, top favorite among the locals and travelers. It has family friendly facilities such as picnic tables, restrooms, and a camp ground. It is also one of the most beautiful beaches in Vieques (this is a tricky statement, since they all are). Sun Bay Beach is a picture perfect beach.

 If you want to get there you must fly into Puerto Rico before catching a 20-minute flight to Vieques Island. These flights are available from San Juan International Airport and Isla Grande Airport in San Juan. Travelers can book a charter flight on Cape Air (www.flycapeair.com), Vieques Air Link (www.viequesairlink.com) or MN Aviation (www.mnaviation.com). Puerto Rico Port Authority (800-981-2005) runs ferries from Fajardo in Puerto Rico to Isabel Segunda on Vieques Island. The ride on a passenger ferry is about one hour and 15 minutes, while the car ferry can take up to two hours.
The tourist office in Vieques is located across from the Plaza Isabel Segunda in the Casa Alcaldia, or town hall. They are open to assist visitors Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you’re planning on shopping during the afternoon, keep in mind that many business owners close for a lunchtime siesta during the middle of the day.

Taal Volcano and Lake ()ManilaOne of the most visited tourist spots in the Philippines

One of the most visited tourist spots in the Philippines, is a geological phenomenon a volcano within a lake within a volcano. Taal is the world’s smallest volcano, but do not let appearances deceive you, it can be quite deadly when it erupts. A 45-minute ride on a banca (wooden boat) will take you to the volcano, a 15-minute trek will take you to the top of the crater. An older and larger volcano is an hour away, which requires the assistance of an experienced guide.

  The volcano has erupted violently several times, causing loss of life in the populated areas surrounding the lake. Due to its eruptive history and location close to population centres, the volcano has been designated a Decade Volcano worthy of close study to prevent future natural disasters.Taal Volcano is part of a chain of volcanoes along the western side of the island of Luzon, all formed by the subduction of the Eurasian Plate underneath the Philippine Plate. Taal Lake lies within a 25–30 km caldera formed in four giant explosive eruptions between 500,000 and 100,000 years ago. Each of these eruptions created extensive ignimbrite deposits, reaching as far away as where Manila stands today. So if you are goind to the Taal Volcano i may advise you to wear jeans or rough clothes cause it is very dusty. You should also wear a hat which can be purchased as you get off boat. It is indeed a nice souvenier. Great day/value you can haggle price from P2500 down to P1500.
Google Earth Placemark

the Caribbean sea (tropical paradise)

The country is located in West Indies, the Caribbean sea. Antigua is tropical paradise. Antigua’s economy has become increasingly reliant upon tourism, and it markets itself as a luxury Caribbean escape. Many hotels and resorts are located around the coastline, and the island’s single airport. St. John is the capital city of Antigua. It is situated in the northwest, near to the airport and has a deep harbour which is able to accommodate large cruise ships. It is the biggest commercial center of the island. He is also administrative center since 1632 when the country was colonised. The nation gained its independance in 1981.

Sights to see in St. John:
* St. John`s Cathedral
* Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
The church was designed by Mr. Robert Cullen and had a short steeple at its western and. The Cathedral is built of freestone and the architect was Mr. J. Fuller of Bath and the Clerk of Works was Mr. F. Rowe of Bristol. After over a century, the church was elevated to the status of cathedral when the Diocese of Antigua was created in August 1842. The Cathedral is dominated by twin towers at the west end and provides a distinct baroque flavour. They are 70 ft high and the cupolas that crown the towers are aluminium in colour. Originally the south gate was the main entrance to the Cathedral. On top of its pillars are the bronze figures of St. John the Divine and St. John the Baptist.

The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda is housed in the colonial Court House, which was constructed in 1747 on the site of the first city market, and is the oldest building still in use in the city. The museum displays both Arawak and colonial artifacts recovered on archaeological digs on the islands. It also features a life-size replica of an Arawak house, models of sugar plantations, along with a history of the island, and Viv Richards cricket bat.

Niagara Falls (one of the largest falls on the Globe)

Niagara Falls is the second largest falls on the globe next to Victoria Falls in southern Africa.
One fifth of all the fresh water in the world lies in the four Upper Great Lakes-Michigan, Huron,Superior and Erie. All the outflow empties into the Niagara river and eventually cascades over the falls.
length of brink: 1060 feet
height: 176 feet (due to rocks at the base actual fall is 70 feet)volume of water: 150,000 U.S. Gallons per second
The word “Niagara” is derived from the Iroquois Indian word “Onguiaahra” meaning “the strait” There is an international boundary between the United States and Canada. Before the invention of film, tourists would sketch pictures of the Falls. The flow was also halted over both falls on March 30th 1848 due to an ice jam in the upper river.
The movies Niagara and Superman were filmed in part at the Falls.
In the past ten years, two daredevils lost their lives trying to conquer Niagara.
In the evenings, intense spotlights bathe the falls with different shades of color.
The first person to go over the Falls in a barrel and survive was a 63 year old female schoolteacher.

High wire tightrope acts used to be performed across the river. Most notably was “Blondin” who once actually carried his manager across on his back, stopping midway to rest ! The Falls make a tremendous sound as the water goes over and lands at the bottom. Twenty percent of the worlds freshwater lies in the Great Lakes, and most flows over Niagara Falls.
The tremendous volume of water never stops flowing, However, the falling water and mist create ice formations along the banks of the falls and river. This can result in mounds of ice as thick as fifty feet.

If the Winter is cold for long enough, the ice will completely stretch across the river and form what is known as the “ice bridge”. This ice bridge can extend for several miles down river until it reaches the area known as the lower rapids. Until 1912,visitors were allowed to actually walk out on the ice bridge and view the Falls from below. February 24th of 1888 the local newspaper reported that at least 20,000 people watched or tobogganed on the ice. Shanties selling liquor, photographs and curiosities abounded. On February 4th 1912 the ice bridge broke up and three tourists lives were lost.

Niagara Falls, Canada provides a vast array of year-round activities for the entire family. Beautifully-maintained biking and walking trails line the world-famous Niagara gorge while numerous golf courses, ball diamonds, playing fields, swimming pools and rinks unite local citizens and contribute to a strong sense of community. Whether you currently reside in Niagara Falls or are planning to locate here, we invite you to explore and discover why Niagara Falls is a great place to call home. As the helicopter gently lifts off from our Victoria Avenue location, the awe-inspiring views of the Niagara Region begin to appear below. We wouldn’t want any picture-taking opportunity to be missed so cameras should be ready to go right from the start!

The Leaning Tower of Pisa (the world’s most famous construction mistake)

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the world’s most famous construction mistake. The architect, Bonanno Pisano,
found his bell tower starting to lean almost immediately after he began to build it. And the lean kept increasing through the centuries, a tourist bonanza for Pisa, that would end if the tower leaned too far and fell.
This picture was taken in 1994, prior to a major engineering effort to stabilize the tower and reduce the lean by 10%. The tower was also closed to visitors. I had climbed it back in 1986, great fun, but disorienting.

Why the lean?

The tower is built on unsuitable ground for such a heavy and tall building. It is only about 6 feet above sea level and built on a riverbed. The underlying ground is made up of layers of sand and clay. The layers are not even and the weight of the building has compressed them. Because the layers are not even, as the ground has compressed, it has sunk more in some places than others.

Only 5 years after work on the building began, it was leaning noticeably to the North. The lean was first noticed during construction of the third floor. During the building of the next three floors, the lean was corrected by building the floors parallel to the ground, and not level with the leaning building. During this phase the tower started to lean the other way. Now it was leaning to the South.

Several plans have been tried over the years to stop the tower from falling. Some of them have been almost disastrous. In 1934 an Italian engineer drilled 361 holes into the base and filled them with mortar. The tower promptly leaned over some more. In 1993 650 tons of lead were hung from the North side of the building to try and stop the lean increasing. For a while it worked.

In 1995, they decided to try and increase the foundations under the South side of the building. They froze the ground using liquid nitrogen, to stop it moving, and then started to remove stones, so they could insert metal rods. What they didn’t know was that the stones they were removing were part of the original foundation of the building. That is the nearest the tower has come to disaster. In one night the lean increased as much as it normally increases in two years. They quickly added another 250 tons of lead and decided to rethink the whole thing.

At this point everyone was just about ready to give up. Then a British engineering professor came up with yet another idea. His plan was to remove ground from under the high side, instead of trying to add ground under the low side. In 1999 work began, and was done very slowly, so that the building wouldn’t get a sudden shock. At the beginning of June 2001, the work was complete, and the tower had been straightened up by about 16 inches, which returns it to the position it held in 1838. The engineers believe that it is safe for at least another 300 years.
So, if they know how, why didn’t they just straighten it up all the way? The answer lies in the tower’s name. It is the Leaning Tower of Pisa and just wouldn’t be the same if it didn’t lean! Some of the residents of Pisa say it would be better to let it fall down, rather than to straighten it all the way.

TOWER BASICS



Official Name: TORRE PENDENTE DI PISA
Function: Bell Tower (Campanile)
Original Architect: Bonanno Pisano
Architect who realized that the Leaning Tower could not be straightened:
Tomasso di Andrea da Pontedera (1275)
Years Built: 1173-1350



Latitude: 43.7167 (43° 43′ 0″ N)
Longitude: 10.3833 (10° 22′ 60″ E)
Elevation of Piazza dei Miracoli: About 6 feet, (2 meters) (DMS)
First Construction Stop: 1178 (War with Firenze)
Year in which lean became obvious: 1178 (Third Story)
Height at which lean became obvious: 10.6 meters (35 ft.)
Level at which Tower Straightens to North: 5 (About 110 meters)
Second Construction Stop: 1185 (War with Firenze)
Later Construction Stop: 1284 (War with Genoa, Major Sea Battle Defeat)
Height: 55.863 meters (185 feet). 8 stories.
Outer Diameter of Base: 15.484 meters
Inner Diameter of Base: 7.368 meters
Weight: 14,700 metric tons
Thickness of Walls at the Base: 8 feet
Direction of Lean: 1173-1250 North, 1272-1997 South

7th Floor Completed: 1319
Bell Tower Completed: 1350
First Bells added: 1198 (Third Floor)
Total Number of Bells: 7, tuned to musical scale
Largest Bell: L’Assunta (The Assumption). Three and a half tons, cast in 1655.
Oldest Bell: Pasquarreccia.
Address: Campo dei Miracoli – the “Field of Miracles”, Pisa, Italia
Year cement injected into base, (blamed for lean acceleration): 1934
Steps to Bell Tower: 294
Number of visitors who climbed to top in 1989: 700,000
Date Closed to Public: 7 January 1990
Date Re-opened to Public: 15 December 2001
Weight of Lead added on North side (picture above): 600 tons (1995)
Amount of tilt recorded overnight in September 1995: 2.5 mm (0.07″)
Weight of Lead added after overnight tilt in September 1995: 230 tons
Rate of Fall in 1990: 1.2 mm (1/20″) every year (“Un millimetre per anno”)
Source: The Guardian (London) August 19 1997
Amount of tilt correction from 1990 – 1999: 25 mm (about 1.0″)
Amount of tilt correction from 1999-2001: 43.8 cm (about 17.25″)
Date that Tower was last at current tilt: 1700

The Easter Island (One of the world’s most famous archaeological sites)

One of the world’s most famous yet least visited archaeological sites, Easter Island is a small, hilly, now treeless island of volcanic origin. It is located in the Pacific Ocean at 27 degrees south of the equator and some 2200 miles (3600 kilometers) off the coast of Chile, it is considered to be the world’s most remote inhabited island.

The Easter Island, known in the native language as Rapa Nui (“Big Rapa”) or Isla de Pascua in Spanish, is sixty-three square miles in size and with three extinct volcanoes (the tallest rising to 1674 feet). The oldest known traditional name of the island is Te Pito o Te Henua, meaning The Center (or Navel) of the World. In the 1860’s Tahitian sailors gave the island the name Rapa Nui, due to its resemblance to another island in Polynesia called Rapa Iti, meaning ‘Little Rapa’. The island received its most well known current name, Easter Island, from the Dutch sea captain Jacob Roggeveen who became the first European to visit Easter Sunday, April 5, 1722.

 That culture’s most famous features are its enormous stone statues called moai, at least 288 of which once stood upon massive stone platforms called ahu. There are some 250 of these ahu platforms spaced approximately one half mile apart and creating an almost unbroken line around the perimeter of the island. Another 600 moai statues, in various stages of completion, are scattered around the island, either in quarries or along ancient roads between the quarries and the coastal areas where the statues were most often erected. Nearly all the moai are carved from the tough stone of the Rano Raraku volcano. The average statue is 14 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 14 tons. Some moai were as large as 33 feet and weighed more than 80 tons (one statue only partially quarried from the bedrock was 65 feet long and would have weighed an estimated 270 tons). Depending upon the size of the statues, it has been estimated that between 50 and 150 people were needed to drag them across the countryside on sleds and rollers made from the island’s trees.

Most moai were carved out of a distinctive, compressed, easily-worked volcanic ash or tuff found at a single site called Rano Raraku. The quarry there seems to have been abandoned abruptly, with half-carved statues left in the rock. However, on closer examination the pattern of use and abandonment is more complex. The most widely-accepted theory is that the statues were carved by the ancestors of the modern Polynesian inhabitants (Rapanui) at a time when the island was largely planted with trees and resources were plentiful, supporting a population of at least 10,000–15,000 native Rapanui. The majority of the statues were still standing when Jacob Roggeveen arrived in 1722. Captain James Cook also saw many standing statues when he landed on the island in 1774. By the mid-19th century, all the statues had been toppled, presumably in internecine wars.

Ancient island legends speak of a clan chief called Hotu Matu’a, who left his original home in search of a new one. The place he chose is now known to us as Easter Island. When he died, the island was divided between his six sons and later sub-divided among their descendants. The islanders may have believed that their statues would capture the chiefs’ “mana” (supernatural powers). They may have believed that by concentrating mana on the island good things would result, e.g., rain would fall and crops would grow. The settlement legend is a fragment of what was surely a much more complicated and multi-faceted, mythic sketch, and it has changed over time.
Really amazing are these stone giants just sitting there for such a long time. I will be for sure a journey of a lifetime to get there and see them i think.

Shwedagon (The mountain of gold)

The origins of Shwedagon are lost in antiquity, its age unknown. Long before the pagoda was built, its location on Singuttara hill was already an ancient sacred site because of the buried relics of the three previous Buddhas. According to one legend, nearly 5000 years had passed since the last Buddha walked the Earth, and Singuttara hill would soon lose its blessedness unless it was reconsecrated with relics of a new Buddha. In order that such new relics might be obtained, King Okkalapa of Suvannabhumi spent much time atop the hill, meditating and praying. A series of miracles ensued and eight hairs of the historical Buddha were, somewhat magically, brought to the hill. To enshrine the relics, multiple pagodas of silver, tin, copper, lead, marble, iron and gold where built one on top of the other to a height of twenty meters. During the following centuries, passing from myth to historical fact, the pagoda grew to its present height of ninety-eight meters. Much of the continued construction of Shwedagon was actually reconstruction following disastrous earthquakes. During the 17th century the pagoda suffered earthquake damage on at least eight occasions. A particularly bad quake in 1786 brought the entire top half of the pagoda to the ground and its current shape and height date from the reconstruction of that time.

While much of the pagoda’s beauty derives from the complex geometry of its shape and surrounding structures, equally mesmerizing is its golden glow. The lower stupa is plated with 8,688 solid gold bars, an upper part with another 13,153. The tip of the stupa, far too high for the human eye to discern in any detail, is set with 5448 diamonds, 2317 rubies, sapphires, and other gems, 1065 golden bells and, at the very top, a single 76-carat diamond. Surrounding the pagoda are a plentitude of smaller shrines housing pre-Buddhist spirits called Nats, miracle working images, and even a wish granting stone. The entire temple complex radiates a palpable sense of beauty and serenity.

The perimeter of the base of the Pagoda is 1,420 fee and its height 326 feet above the platform. The base is surrounded by 64 small pagodas with four larger, one in the center of each side. There also are 4 sphinxes, one at each corner with 6 leogryphs, 3 on each side of them. Projecting beyond the base of the Pagoda, one on the center of each side are Tazaungs in which are images of the Buddha and where offerings are made.

There are also figures of elephants crouching and men kneeling, and pedestals for offerings all around the base. In front of the 72 shrines surrounding the base of the Pagoda, you will find in several places images of lions, serpents, ogres, yogis, spirits, or Wathundari (Recording Secretary Angel).

On the wall below the first terrace of the Pagoda at the WSW and WNW corners, you will see embossed figures. The former represents King Okkalapa who first built the Pagoda. The latter is a pair of figures; the one above represents Sakka who assisted in foundation of the Pagoda, and the one below, Me Lamu, consort of Sakka and mother of Okkalapa.

 

In order to make the gilding stand the weather, the Trustees after the year 1900, decided to cover the bulbous spire, called the plantain bud with gold plates, each plate measuring 1 foot square and weighing 5 ticals of gold (0.18 pound). Subscriptions were called for and the work commenced in 1903, when the whole plantain bud was covered. It is on record that 4 such gold plates were donated by the late King George, V (then Prince of Wales) and Queen Mary when they visited Myanmar in 1906.
Open from 4am-10pm everyday.
Admission Fees – US$5.

The Eiffel Tower (The most famous tower on the Earth)

The Eiffel Tower, an immense stucture of exposed latticework supports made of iron, was erected for the Paris Exposition of 1889. The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII of England) officiated at the ceremonial opening. Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, one was unanimously chosen, a radical creation from the French structural engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (b. Dec. 15, 1832, d. Dec. 28, 1923), who was assisted in the design by engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, and architect Stephen Sauvestre.

 
However, the controversial tower elicited some strong reactions, and a petition of 300 names — including those of Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier (architect of the Opéra Garnier), and Dumas the Younger — was presented to the city government, protesting its construction. The petition read, “We, the writers, painters, sculptors, architects and lovers of the beauty of Paris, do protest with all our vigour and all our indignation, in the name of French taste and endangered French art and history, against the useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower.”
Nature lovers thought that it would interfere with the flight of birds over Paris. But the Eiffel Tower was admired by Rousseau, Utrillo, Chagall, and Delaunay. It was almost torn down in 1909 at the expiration of its 20-year lease, but was saved because of its antenna — used for telegraphy at that time. Beginning in 1910 it became part of the International Time Service. French radio (since 1918), and French television (since 1957) have also made use of its stature. In the 1960s, it was the subject of a wonderful study by semiologist Roland Barthes.


Built to celebrate the science and engineering achievements of its age, soaring 300m / 984 ft. (320.75m / 1,052 ft. including antenna) and weighing 7000 tons, the structure consists of two visibly distinct parts: a base composed of a platform resting on four separate supports (called pylons or bents) and, above this, a slender tower created as the bents taper upward, rising above a second platform to merge in a unified column.
This unprecedented work, the tallest structure in the world until the Empire State Building was built about 40 years later, had several antecedents. Among them were the iron-supported railway viaducts designed by Eiffel, an arch bridge over the Douro River in Portugal with a span of 160 m (525 ft), and a design for a circular, iron-frame tower proposed by the American engineers Clarke and Reeves for the Centennial Exposition of 1876. Eiffel knew and publicly acknowledged this influence; he was no stranger to the United States, having designed the wrought-iron pylon inside Frederic Bartholdi’s Statue of Liberty in 1885. Later in the same year, he had also begun work on the cupola of the Nice observatory.
Eiffel was the leading European authority on the aerodynamics of high frames (he wrote “The Resistance of the Air” in 1913). In the construction of the Eiffel Tower, the curve of the base pylons was precisely calculated so that the bending and shearing forces of the wind were progressively transformed into forces of compression, which the bents could withstand more effectively. Such was Eiffel’s engineering wizardry that even in the strongest winds his tower never sways more than 4-1/2 inches. The superskyscrapers erected since 1960, such as the World Trade Center, were constructed in much the same way.
However difficult its birth may have been, the Tour Eiffel is now completely accepted by French citizens, and is internationally recognized as one of the symbols of Paris itself.

Facilities and Views

 

In the basements of the eastern and western pillars, one can visit the gargantuan 1899 machinery which powers the elevators, an astonishing spectacle reminiscent of a Jules Verne novel. From the Tower’s three platforms — especially the topmost — the view of Paris is superb. It is generally agreed that one hour before sunset, the panorama is at its best; don’t forget to bring your camera, and experiment with the f-stop settings to capture a dazzling sunset on the Seine. If you can’t be there in person, then check out a Live Aerial View of Paris with TF1′s webcam online: from the top of the Eiffel Tower, you can see Paris in real time, 24 hours a day, whatever the weather conditions in the French capital. To get the most out of this view of Paris, we suggest you surf their web site between 7:00 AM and 9:00 PM GMT (1:00 AM and 3:00 PM Eastern Time in the U.S.), when the City of Light is at its best.
First level: 57.63 meters (189 feet). Observatory from which to study the movements of the Eiffel Tower’s summit. Kiosk presentation about the mythic painting of the Eiffel Tower. Space CINEIFFEL: offers an exceptional
panorama of sights from the Tower. Souvenir shops (yes, every tourist MUST have a miniature replica). Restaurant “Altitude 95″ . Post office, with special stamps “Paris Eiffel Tower “. Panoramic gallery displaying the Monuments of Paris.

-300 steel workers, and 2 years (1887-1889) to construct it.15,000 iron pieces (excluding rivets).
-2.5 million rivets.
-40 tons of paint. 1671 steps to the top.
- Maximum sway at top caused by wind: 12 cm (4.75 inches).
-Maximum sway at top caused by metal dilation: 18 cm (7 inches).
-Total height in 1889: 300.51 meters (985 feet, 11 inches).
-Total height with television antenna: 320.755 meters (1052 feet, 4 inches).
-Height varies up to 15 cm depending on temperature. Size of base area: 10,281.96 square meters (2.54 acres). -Weight of foundations: 277,602 kg (306 tons).
-Weight of iron: 7.34 million kg (8092.2 tons).
-Weight of elevator systems: 946,000 kg (1042.8 tons).
-Total weight: 8.56 million kg (9441 tons).
- Pressure on foundation: 4.1 to 4.5 kg per square centimeter, depending on pier (58.26 to 64 lbs. per square inch).Dates of construction: January 26, 1887 to March 31, 1889.
-Cost of construction: 7.8 million francs ($1.5 million).
-Total number of visitors during 1889 Exposition: 1,968,287. Total receipts during 1889 Exposition: 5,919,884 francs ($1.14 million).
-Total number of visitors during 2002: 6,157,042.During its lifetime, the Eiffel Tower has witnessed a few strange scenes, including being scaled by a mountaineer in 1954, and two Englishmen parachuting off it in 1984. In 1923, the journalist Pierre Labric (who was later to become mayor of

 

Montmartre) rode a bicycle down from the first level; some accounts say he rode down the stairs, others suggest the exterior of one of the tower’s four legs which slope outward.
Politics have also played a role in its life. During World War II, the Germans hung a sign on it that read: “Deutschland Siegt Auf Allen Fronten” (“Germany is victorious on all fronts”). In 1958, a few months before Fidel Castro’s rise to power, Cuban revolutionaries hung their red-and-black flag from the first level, and, in 1979, an American from Greenpeace hung one that read: “Save the Seals”. In 1989, the Tower celebrated its centennial with music and fireworks (the show lasted 89 minutes).