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!

The Bamiyan Buddhas (the most impressive Buddhist monuments in western Asia)

The Bamiyan Buddhas were among the most impressive Buddhist monuments in western Asia before their demolition in March 2001. No one knows exactly when they were constructed, but it was likely that they were erected sometime in the 4th or 5th century AD. For many centuries they stood sentinel to groups of wandering monks and merchants along the famous “silk road” from Rome to China. Alongside the Buddhas, monasteries once existed here as places of sanctuary, but were abandoned in the 9th century as Islam displaced Buddhism in Afghanistan.

The two Buddha figures were commonly classified as the larger and smaller one (53 and 38 meters, respectively). They were once covered with a mixture of mud and straw that had worn away long ago. The straw was covered with plaster and painted to model the rich expressions of the face, hands, and robes. Long before their destruction this year, both the plaster covering and the surrounding cave paintings were rubbed away.

The Buddhas were destroyed following the Taliban’s assertion that the statues were idolatrous. With the swift collapse of the Tabliban in November, 2001, a team of Swiss preservationists has announced plans to restore the statues using precise three-dimensional data collected in the 1970s. However, the United Nations recommended in early 2002 that the monuments not be restored as a reminder of the Taliban’s destructive legacy.

 


 

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

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

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).

Colosseum of Rome (the Most Dramatic Historic Monuments on Earth)

The Colosseum – the greatest amphitheatre of the antiquity – was built in Rome, Italy, about 1920 years ago. It is considered an architectural and engineering wonder, and remains as a standing proof of both the grandeur and the cruelty of the Roman world.
The Colosseum or Coliseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is a giant amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome. Originally capable of seating 50,000 spectators, it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. It was built on a site just east of the Roman Forum, with construction starting between 70 and 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian. The amphitheatre, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire, was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian’s reign.

The Colosseum remained in use for nearly 500 years with the last recorded games being held there as late as the 6th century — well after the traditional date of the fall of Rome in 476. As well as the traditional gladiatorial games, many other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building eventually ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such varied purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.
 Although it is now in a severely ruined condition due to damage caused by earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum has long been seen as an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome and is one of the finest surviving examples of Roman architecture. It is one of modern Rome’s most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Catholic Church, whose Pope leads a torchlit procession to the amphitheatre each Good Friday.The Colosseum measures 48 metres (157 ft / 165 Roman feet) high, 189 metres (615 ft / 640 Roman feet) long, and 156 metres (510 ft / 528 Roman feet) wide. Unlike earlier amphitheatres, it was an entirely free-standing structure, constructed on flat ground rather than being built into an existing hillside or natural depression. Its outer wall originally measured 545 metres (1,788 ft / 1,835 Roman feet) and is estimated to have required over 100,000 cubic meters (3,531,466 ft) of travertine stone held together by 300 tons of iron clamps.
The surviving part of the outer wall’s monumental facade comprises three stories of superimposed arcades surmounted by a podium on which stands a tall attic, both of which are pierced by windows interspersed at regular intervals. The arcades are framed by half-columns of the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders, while the attic is decorated with Corinthian pilasters. Each of the arches in the second- and third-floor arcades framed statues, probably honoring divinities and other figures from Classical mythology.
The Colosseum’s huge crowd capacity made it essential that the venue could be filled or evacuated quickly. Its architects adopted solutions very similar to those used in modern stadiums to deal with the same problem. The amphitheatre was ringed by eighty entrances at ground level, 76 of which were used by ordinary spectators. Each entrance and exit was numbered, as was each staircase. The northern main entrance was reserved for the Roman Emperor and his aides, whilst the other three axial entrances were most likely used by the elite.
The arena itself was 83 metres by 48 metres (272 ft by 157 ft / 280 by 163 Roman feet).It comprised a wooden floor covered by sand (the Latin word for sand is harena or arena), covering an elaborate underground structure called the hypogeum (literally meaning “underground”). Little now remains of the original arena floor, but the hypogeum is still clearly visible. It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath; larger hinged platforms, called hegmata, provided access for elephants and the like. It was restructured on numerous occasions; at least twelve different phases of construction can be seen.
Hollywood movies reinforced some widespread false impressions about the Colosseum of Rome. Historians doubt that the wholesale martyring of Christians occurred there. And, the image of lions eating the Christians before cheering crowds is likely fantasy. Films have also bolstered the myth that thumbs down meant to kill the person in the arena. It was just the opposite in Roman times. Thumbs up signaled “kill him” and thumbs down, “spare him.”

The Colosseum – Entry €11 (€9 if you’re under 25). Expect a long queue and an even longer wait. You can skip the queue if you decide to take a tour, but if you don’t want a tour, you can STILL skip the queue. If you walk across the street to the Roman Forum, you can buy a day-long pass for €10,better still, a 7-day pass for €20 or a standard Colosseum + Palatine ticket at €11. This pass gets you in to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Baths of Caracalla, and the catacombs. If you don’t want to cram it all into one day, get the pass. Plus, it is nice to buy a slice of pizza and eat in the gardens of Palatine Hill. There are lots of people offering tours in English just outside the entrance to the Colosseum. Inside you can take a tour (English, Spanish, or German) every 30 minutes or so for an additional fee of €3.5 per person. The tours are given by knowledgeable archeologists, but they don’t take you to any areas you couldn’t visit on your own.

Kakula Island (The Jewel of the South Pacific)

Just a five-minute boat ride north of Efate Island in the Vanauatu Island chain, Kakula Island has been called “The Jewel of the South Pacific” for good reason. Its lush 90 acres include white sand beaches, coral reefs and pristine tropical splendor. Protected by neighboring islands, the calm waters surrounding Kakula are excellent for swimming, fishing and snorkeling. Uninhabited and unspoiled, Kakula serves as a breeding ground for sea turtles.

Escape to paradise and discover one of the most beautiful islands in the South Seas – Kakula Island, down from the seawall and see live corals and tropical fish. Water is flat and shallow , very clear and beautiful.
This is a private island so the only place to go is at the very end by the sand spit. The beach is sand, with some lovely shells. Here is plenty of room to launch.

Winter is from May through October, summer November through April. Summer is very warm and humid. Air-temperature in winter approx. 25°C, in summer 30+°C. The water is warm and mellow. Temperature year-round approx. 24-25°C. Normally no wetsuit needed, but some days it’s nice with a shorty.
Winter (June to September) is the best season for kiting here as the trades are pretty steady. In summer you can get hurricanes and heaps of changing weather. As the wind here is generated by the trades, it’s pretty stable and predictable. Dominating direction is Southeast. Starts building in the morning, and normally starts decreasing late afternoon. Normal strength 12-15 knots, but also days with more. Good directions for kiting are Southeast to East.How to get there:
Get to Port-Vila on Efate. Then get to the North of Efate. here you need a boat to get there.
Nightlife:
No nightlife.Only ride!

The Parthenon (the one historical site you can’t miss)

What would a visit to Athens, Greece be without going to the Acropolis to see the Parthenon? The Acropolis is the one historical site you can’t miss. You can take a tour or wander up there yourself but during the summer, whatever you do, unless it is overcast, go early or late in the day. It can get very hot up there and gasping for breath can take way from your ability to marvel at the greatest of all archaeological sites. The Acropolis rises sharply from the plain of Attica with steep cliffs on three sides. It is accessible by foot only to the west, where it is linked by a low ridge to the hill of the Areopagus. It is formed by a layer of blue-grey limestone, which is very hard but water-permeable. This rests on a layer of schist-sandstone marl, softer than the limestone but water-impermeable. This arrangement leads to the ready formation of artesian springs, as well as sheltered caves at the hill’s feet, which was also a factor that attracted human habitation on and around the rock.

Getting to the Acropolis is easy and more pleasant than ever because the large avenues which border the south and west of the site (Apostolou Pavlou in Thission and Dionissiou Areopagitou in Makrianni) have been turned into giant pedestrian streets with cafes and restaurants and the walk is quite pleasant. From the Plaka and Monastiraki side it has always been a car-less, enjoyable walk and all you have to do is walk uphill from wherever you are and when you get to the top and there are woods instead of buildings, and steps, take a right.
After climbing the steps you are at the entrance, or the Propylaea, which was completed in 432 just before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian wars. The main architect was Mnesicles, a colleague of Phidias. To your left is the Pinacotheca and a Hellenistic pedestal and on the right the tiny temple to Nike Athena or the Athena of Victory which commemorates the Athenians victory over the Persians. This small temple stands on a platform that overlooks the islands of Saronic Gulf and used to house a statue of Athena. It was dismantled by the Turks in 1686 so they could use the platform for a large cannon. It was rebuilt between 1836 and 1842 and again taken apart and rebuilt in 1936 when it was discovered that the platform was crumbing. If you looking from the propylaea towards Pireaus on a clear day you can see ships waiting outside the port of Pireaus, the islands and the mountains of the Peloponessos beyond.

The Parthenon and other main buildings on the Acropolis were built by Pericles in the fifth century BC as a monument to the cultural and political achievements of the inhabitants of Athens. The term acropolis means upper city and many of the city states of ancient Greece are built around an acropolis where the inhabitants can go as a place of refuge in times of invasion. It’s for this reason that the most sacred buildings are usually on the acropolis. It’s the safest most secure place in town. As little as 150 years ago there were still dwellings on the Acropolis of Athens
Every four years the Athenians held a festival called the Panathenaea that rivalled the Olympic Games in popularity. During the festival, a procession moved through Athens up to the Acropolis and into the Parthenon (as depicted in the frieze on the inside of the Parthenon). There, a vast robe of woven wool (peplos) was ceremoniously placed on Phidias’ massive ivory and gold statue of Athena.

The best time to go up there is the late winter or spring when even this stone mountain is not immune to the proliferation of grass and wildflowers which seem to burst from every crack. Even in December, January and February the Acropolis can be surprisingly green.
The Acropolis is open from 8am to 6:30 pm every day. These hours can change depending on the season and sometimes it is open in the evening of the full moon in the summer. They don’t allow you to bring backpacks or day bags on the Acropolis. You have to check them so if you need to bring a bag with you be sure to have a spare pocket for your valuables. The cost of entrance to the Acropolis is about 12 euros and is good for the other sites in the area including the ancient agora, theatre of Dionysos, Kerameikos, Roman Agora, Tower of the Winds and the Temple of Olympian Zeus and is supposedly good for a week. You can also buy individual tickets to these other sites. One way to get to the Acropolis is to walk up from the Plaka and keep climbing until you come to the small road that goes around it and head west (to your right). The entrance is up from the rock of Areopagos. The easiest way is to follow Dioysiou Aeropagitou, the large pedestrian street that starts near Hadrian’s Arch and goes around the north of the Acropolis until you come to the marble paths that lead up the hill. This road becomes Apostolou Pavlou which is also car-less and continues past the cafes of Thission to the lower Ermou and Kerameikos archaeological site which is at the bottom of Monastiraki.