Bora Bora Island,French Polynesia

Bora Bora (Society Islands)

Bora Bora island is possibly the single most famous island in all the world. The legends, mysteries, and romance associated with the words "Bora Bora" bring an almost mystical presence to the island.
It's true Bora Bora is indeed a wonderful place to vacation... but this magical presence is not so unattainable.
This website seperates the facts from the fiction regarding this wonderful Tahiti Polynesian island paradise: Tourism aspects, activities, practicalities, culture, and all the things you'll want to know when planning a trip to Bora Bora. We propose to the would be traveler that the Island of Bora Bora is quite real and attainable as a vacation getaway. Part of the allure has to be its almost unbelievable beauty. Two towering peaks of sheer black rock dominate the center of the island and make an impressive backdrop to an assortment of blue waters that will dazzle the eyes. Bora Bora's lagoon is its most treasured feature, and allows the traveler many opportunities to experience it in a variety of ways. Windsurf, jetski, scuba dive, swim, bask in its warmth... the list goes on.Bora bora is truly an experience worth having. A wonderfully relaxing place to be as well as a great island for you to experience, your Bora Bora vacation will never be forgotten.

The warm shallow water of Bora Bora's lovely lagoon is world famous for its unspoiled beauty. An almost unbroken expanse of warm, white sand surrounds the island, providing it with a white collar of perfection for sun worshippers.
This truly beautiful island lies 240kms north west of Tahiti in the Leeward Society Islands. Home to more than 4,000 people, it is in the centre of a multicoloured lagoon, surrounded by off-shore motu islets inside a protective necklace of coral.
As you approach from the sea or air, you can't help but be awed by the basalt obelisk of Mount Otemanu, a natural sculpture that towers majestically over an island of intense emerald green.
Getting to Bora Bora is easy. A launch takes you from the Bora Bora airport on Motu Mute to the main island, crossing the lagoon to Vaitape Village.

Trinita dei Monti Church,Italy

Trinita dei Monti Church,Rome,Italy

Piazza di Spagna was at the center of the Strangers' Quarter, the triangle made by Via del Corso, Via Frattina and Via del Babuino, where most of the foreigners lived, in particular painters and sculptors. It was named after the Spanish Embassy (on the right). Vasi preferred to show Piazza di Spagna seen from the north-west giving emphasis to the Palace of Propaganda Fide by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and to the bell tower of S. Andrea delle Fratte by Francesco Borromini. He showed Piazza di Spagna seen from the south-west (giving emphasis to the Spanish Steps) in plate 128.The view is taken from the green dot in the map below. In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) Steps leading to SS. Trinitเ dei Monti; 2) Palazzo di Propaganda Fide; 3) Palazzo di Spagna; 4) Fontana della Barcaccia; 5) Campanile di S. Andrea delle Fratte. 5) is covered in another page. The small 1785 map shows also 6) SS. Trinitเ dei Monti; 7) S. Atanasio dei Greci; 8) Colonna dell'Immacolata.

The only change relates to the Column of the Immacolata erected by Pope Pius IX in 1854. Otherwise what we see today is what Vasi shows in his plate (the image was taken on December 8th while waiting for the arrival of the pope for the commemoration of the Immaculate Conception).

The Steps (called by the Italians Scalinata della Trinitเ dei Monti) were built in 1721-25 by Francesco de Sanctis to link the Piazza with the church of Trinitเ dei Monti. The curved lines of the Spanish Steps recall Porto di Ripetta built in 1704 by Alessandro Specchi.Costs were born by France (a donation had been made in 1655 by a French gentleman) to which the church belonged and the piers and the globes at the beginning of the steps have the fleurs-de-lis of the Bourbon family together with the chequered eagle of Pope Innocentius XIII. John Keats lived and died in the pink house to the right of the steps.
The church was built in 1519, but the fa็ade was completed towards the end of the XVIth century. The steps were built by Domenico Fontana in 1586-1588 and the coat of arms of Pope Sixtus V is still visible on the pillars. Both bell towers had a clock: one followed the Italian practice, while the other one followed the French practice (to learn more about the Italian hour click here). In 1789 Pope Pius VI erected in front of the church an obelisk found near Porta Salara. The top of the obelisk shows a lily and a star which are heraldic symbols of Pius VI .

The fountain was built by Pietro Bernini with the assistance of his son Gian Lorenzo at a very low level because of poor water pressure. The fountain is decorated with the sun of Urbanus VIII. See Filippo Juvarra's plate of the coat of arms by G. L. Bernini.

Cappadocia;Turkey

Cappadocia;Turkey

Cappadocia has one of the most interesting and spectacular landscapes in the world. About three million years ago the volcanoes of Mt. Erciyes and Mt. Hasan covered the surrounding plateau with volcanic tuff as a result of their violent eruptions. The natural effects of wind, water and rain eroded this area into a spectacular, surrealist landscape of rock caves, capped pinnacles and fretted ravines in colors ranging from warm tones of red and gold to cool tones of green and gray.

Cappadocia which is unique in the world and is a miraculous nature wonder is the common name of the field covered by the provinces of Aksaray, Nevsehir, Nigde, Kayseri and Kirsehir in the Middle Anatolian region.
In the upper Myosen period in the Cappadocia region as a result of the vulcanic eruptions occurred in Erciyes, Hasandag and Gulludag, in the region was formed a large tableland from the vulcanic tufas and together with the erosion of the Kizilirmak river and wind over ten thausands of years there appeared the chimney rocks which are a wonder of the nature. In the old Bronze Age the Cappadocia which was the population zone of the Assyrian civilization later has hosted the Hittite, Frig, Pers, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman civilizations. The first Christians escaped from the persecution of the Roman Empire in the 2nd century B.C. came to the Cappadocia over the Antakya and Kayseri and they have settled here. The first Christians finding the underground cities from Cappadocia have been hidden in these underground cities which gates were made in such way in which they couldn't be easily observed and they have escaped from the persecution of the Roman soldiers. Due that they had live in the underground cities for long duration without being able to go out they have developed these underground cities by making provisions rooms, ventilation chimneys, wine production places, churches, abbeys, water wells, toilets and meeting rooms.
In the prehistoric periods the first human settlements have begun and the humans have constructed the underground cities in the volcanic rocks in form of tufa due to protect themselves from the wild animals and they lived for long times in these underground cities.

Urgup, Cappadocia Turkey
In these cities made in form of rooms connected to each others some of the rooms were connected to each other only with the tunnels tight and permitting passing of just a person. At the access gates of these tunnels there were huge stone rollers used for closing the tunnels for security reasons.
The first populations of the region of Cappadocia were Hatties, Luvies and Hittites. In the 3000-2000 years B.C. the Assyrians have established trade colonies in this region. The Cappaddocian tables with cuneiform in Assyrian language founded at Kaneþ which are lighting the social and politic life of the period and were in the same time the trade and economical agreements are the firs written tablets of Anatolia. According to these documents in that period in Anatolia were founded small local kingdoms non-depending from a central authority. These had in generally in their hands a little area and were living in peace. The region creating the core of the Hittite Empire later has go under the domination of Phrigia and Pers. The Pers civilization has called this region Katpatuka and its center was Mazaka. When Datames the Satrab (Starab: little district administrator at Pers) of Cappadocia has bear arms against the biggest king of Pers, the other Anatolian Satrabs have been supported him but the revolt has been raided. In 33 b.c. the Big Alexander has captured a big part of Cappadocia. In 188 B.C. The Cappadocia which entered under the Roman domination has been captured in 100 B.C. by the Mithridatesd the king of Pontus but in 63 B.C. Pompeius has defeated Mithridates and took again the Cappadocia under the domination of Rome. In the period of Tiberius the Cappadocia gainded the status of Roman district.

Cappadocia was one of the most important places in the spreading periods of the Christian religion. The first christians trying to escape from the Roman soldiers who wanted to avoid the spreading of the Christian religion have settled in the region of Cappadocia which was so suitable for hiding and so they were able to continue their natures and to spread their religions. Saint Basileious from Kaisera and Saint Gregorios from Nyssa had settled in Cappadocia. In 647 A.C. together with occupation of Kayseri by Muaviye Cappadocia has met with the Arabian invasions. Cappadocia which went under the domination of the Seljuks in 1072 has been added to the lands of Ottoman Empire in 1399 by the Ottoman Sultan Yildirim Beyazit.
Cappadocia which is in our days one of the most important tourism centers of Turkey is visited every year by hundred thousands of tourists coming from every part of the world.

The Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands

Top 5 Reasons to Come to Galapagos

A Distinctive Sense of Place
The Galapagos is a rare destination where you become accustomed to being surprised. Nothing quite compares to the joy of observing animals in the wild here, or the sense of wonder and privilege felt while spending time with animals who don't run or fly away when humans approach, and are truly unique treasures of our earth.
Composed almost exclusively of volcanic rock, the Galapagos Islands thrust their bleak profiles from the Pacific Ocean 600 miles west of mainland Ecuador. It was here that Darwin found the perfect conditions to formulate his evolutionary theory: that far from the ravages of the continents, life evolved into a strange sub-world of specialized creatures who adapted to their harsh environment in an amazing variety of ways.
Setting foot on barren coasts of fresh black lava frozen in its descent to the shoreline, you'll see why early explorers, whalers, and pirates likened the islands to an inferno on earth. But you'll quickly come to appreciate each island as a little "world unto itself" with its own distinctive character, terrain, climate, and wildlife. You'll come to see it as a comfortable place for its odd inhabitants to lay eggs, raise young, and feed on the abundant marine life swept here by cool Humboldt Currents. From the world's only seagoing lizards to flightless cormorants and penguins, inflatable frigate birds, clownish boobies, patriarchal tortoises and 13 species of Darwin finches, you'll enjoy thrilling encounters with animals, up-close and in large numbers, who are completely at ease among human visitors. And you're sure to come away inspired to protect them and their environment, one of the last great wild places.

Active Adventures with a Focus on Nature
The best way to experience the Galapagos is by cruising between the enchanted islands. A limited number of small ships and yachts take tourists from island to island in the Galapagos. Unlike traditional cruises in other parts of the world, our Galapagos cruises lack crowds, assigned seats, lavish entertainment, and sailing for long periods at sea. Instead, we offer cruises for active individuals interested in the nature and animals of the islands, for those seeking wild places and soft adventure, with time to relax on the beach or swim and snorkel or dive.

Nature & Wildlife like Nowhere Else
Evolutionary wonders such as Darwin's finches, land and marine iguanas, and flightless cormorants, with Naturalist-guides illuminating their special features.
An incredible mix of polar and tropical species, from penguins and fur seals to flamingos and tropical fish.
Giant tortoises, waved albatrosses and sea turtles in some of their last habitats on earth.
Face-to-face encounters with animals and scientists at Darwin Research Station.
Masses of fearless seals, iguanas, and even birds who allowed us to snap photos up close.
Volcano summits, tortured lava flows, and impossibly blue sky and sea.
Snorkel with sea lions over coral reefs and submerged craters teeming with marine life.
Remote mangroves, pirate hideouts, cliffs and coasts, explored on tranquil panga excursions.
Inland lagoons and highlands with an astounding array of rare bird life.
Dramatic rock towers with diving boobies, acrobatic frigates and sea birds sweeping overhead.
Dolphins, whales, and rays seen while lunching and sunbathing up on deck.
...and so much more.

A New & Exciting Family Destination
For parents and grandparents eager to share their love of the natural world with children, our Galapagos programs are designed to offer a safe and rewarding experience for all generations. We ensure families' comfort and safety in even the most remote places by our use of only the best cruise ships of their type, as well the most modern and well-equipped ground transport. With the wide range of cruise vessels now offered in the region, and the varied choices of itineraries, the Galapagos can be enjoyed by all ages as never before.

A Great "Week Away" Escape
The Galapagos are easy to visit, even as a quick week away-depart today and you can step onto your first Galapagos beach by tomorrow. While advance bookings are encouraged, we also welcome last-minute travelers whose schedules necessitate planning on short notice, if you're flexible as to ship choice. The only requirements are that visitors must be physically capable of going ashore in small craft (assisted by cruise staff) and wading through shallow water. And all visitors should genuinely love nature, for the main reason to visit the Galapagos is to experience the wildlife. With its focus on learning and active exploration, the Galapagos are not for everyone. But for active people who genuinely love nature, the Galapagos are not to be missed.

The Bay of Fundy,North Amarica

The Bay of Fundy

It is impossible to talk about the Bay of Fundy without talking about tides. The ebb and flow of the Fundy tides are equal to the output of 250 nuclear power stations. This massive amount of untapped energy fuels a fragile ecosystem that provides a nutritious food supply for numerous species of bottom-dwelling organisims, birds, fish and the world's largest mammals, whales.Twice a day the Bay of Fundy fills and empties from the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on the earth. Often the tides begin with a significant wave called The Bore. One of the finest examples of the Bore in Nova Scotia is on the largest river in the province, the Shubenacadie. The Bay of Fundy provides the fuel for the exciting Tidal Bore on the Shubenacadie River system. There are several companies in the region providing rafting tours as this wall of water advances up the river.Tides in the Bay of Fundy proper (along south western Nova Scotia) can reach a height of 3.5 meters (11 ft.), while tides near the head of the Bay (in the Minas Basin into which the Shubenacadie River flows) can rise and fall 13 meters (43 ft.) on average and reach an unbelievable 16 meters (53 ft.) during the springtime.

Why are the Fundy Tides the Highest in the World?

While the gravitational forces of the sun and moon combine to create a continuum of tidal action the world over, it is the unique shape of the Bay of Fundy that contributes to the extraordinary high tides experienced here.
The Bay of Fundy is 290-kilometer-long (180 miles) in length. The mouth of the Bay of Fundy is 100 km (62 miles) wide and between 120 and 215 meters (400-700 feet) deep. Frequently described as funnel-shaped, this amazing body of water gradually narrows until it splits to form Chignecto Bay and the Minas Basin. Becoming gradually shallower, Chignecto Bay splits into Shepody Bay and Cumberland Basin, then Shepody Bay narrows and splits again into the Memramcook and Petitcodiac Rivers.
It is here, near this junction of rivers that the flowerpot formations of the Hopewell Rocks are found. The distance across the Bay of Fundy at this point is about 2.5 km (1.5 miles) and the depth at low tide about 14 meters (45 feet).
The highest tides of the Bay of Fundy are due to two unique characteristics of this finger of the Gulf. The gradual tapering and shallowing that constricts the tidal flow, causes the waters to rise from an average of one meter (3 feet) found elsewhere in the world to the 16-meter (52 feet) tidal range found at the head of the Bay of Fundy.
The second factor is the precise dimension of this incredible body of water. Every basin of water has its own natural rhythm and at 290 km (180 miles) long, the time it takes for the tide to flood the length of Bay of Fundy is nearly identical to the time it takes for the tide to come in from the adjoining Gulf of Maine.
This resonance - the meshing of these two rhythms - means that the tidal range is amplified. Called the "Seiche Effect", this amplification is frequently compared to the wave action produced by a child sloshing water back and forth in a bathtub, each wave higher than the one previous. It is this comparison which led to the Bay of Fundy being called 'the world's largest bathtub'.

Niagara Falls,Canada

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls (French: les Chutes du Niagara) is a set of massive waterfalls located on the Niagara River, straddling the international border separating the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. The falls are located 17 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Buffalo, New York, 75 miles (120 km) south-southeast of Toronto, Ontario, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York.
Niagara Falls is composed of two major sections separated by Goat Island: Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side of the border and American Falls on the United States side. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls also is located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island. Niagara Falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (the last ice age), and water from the newly-formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. More than six million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water fall over the crest line every minute in high flow,[1] and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average. It is the most powerful waterfall in North America.
The Niagara Falls are renowned both for their beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power. Managing the balance between recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 1800s.

The name "Niagara" (Iroquois Nation pronunciation "Nee-ah-GAh-rah"[7][8][9]) is said to originate from an Iroquois word "Onguiaahra" meaning "The Strait." The region's original inhabitants were the Ongiara, an Iroquois tribe named the Neutrals by French settlers, who found them helpful in mediating disputes with other tribes.[10]
A number of figures have some stake to the honor first circulating an eyewitness description of Niagara Falls. Frenchman Samuel de Champlain visited the area as early as 1604 during his exploration of Canada and members of his party reported to him the spectacular waterfalls, which he describe in his journals. Finnish-Swedish naturalist Pehr Kalm, explored the area in the early 1700s and wrote of the experience. The consensus honoree is Belgian Father Louis Hennepin, who observed and described the Falls in 1677, earlier than Kalm, after traveling with explorer René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, thus bringing the Falls. Further complicating matters, also there is credible evidence, that French Jesuit Reverend Paul Ragueneau visited the falls some 35 years prior to Hennepin's visit while working among the Huron First Nation in Canada. Jean de Brebeuf also may have visited the falls while spending time with the Neutral nation.[11]

Man and woman on Canadian side of Niagara Falls, circa 1858
During the 18th century tourism became popular, and by the mid-century, it was the area's main industry. Napoleon Bonaparte's brother Jérôme visited with his bride in the early 19th century.[12] Demand for passage over the Niagara River led in 1848 to the building of a footbridge and then Charles Ellet's Niagara Suspension Bridge. This was supplanted by German-born John Augustus Roebling's Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge in 1855. After the American Civil War, the New York Central railroad publicized Niagara Falls as a focus of pleasure and honeymoon visits. With increased railroad traffic, in 1886, Leffert Buck replaced Roebling's wood and stone bridge with the predominantly steel bridge that still carries trains over the Niagara River today. The first steel archway bridge near the Falls was completed in 1897. Known today as the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, it carries vehicles, trains, and pedestrians between Canada (through Canadian Customs Border Control) and the U.S.A. just below the Falls. In 1941 the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission completed the third current crossing in the immediate area of Niagara Falls with the Rainbow Bridge, carrying both pedestrian and vehicular traffic between the two countries and Canadian and U.S. customs for each country.
After the First World War, tourism boomed again as automobiles made getting to the Falls much easier. The story of Niagara Falls in the 20th century is largely that of efforts to harness the energy of the Falls for hydroelectric power, and to control the development on both sides that threaten the area's natural beauty.

Stonehenge;Britain

Stonehenge

Stonehenge is surely Britain's greatest national icon, symbolizing mystery, power and endurance. its original purpose is unclear to us, but some have speculated that it was a temple made for the worship of ancient earth deities. It has been called an astronomical observatory for marking significant events on the prehistoric calendar. Others claim that it was a sacred site for the burial of high-ranking citizens from the societies of long ago.
While we can't say with any degree of certainty what it was for, we can say that it wasn't constructed for any casual purpose. Only something very important to the ancients would have been worth the effort and investment that it took to construct Stonehenge.
The stones we see today represent Stonehenge in ruin. Many of the original stones have fallen or been removed by previous generations for home construction or road repair. There has been serious damage to some of the smaller bluestones resulting from close visitor contact (prohibited since 1978) and the prehistoric carvings on the larger sarsen stones show signs of significant wear.
Construction of the Henge In its day, the construction of Stonehenge was an impressive engineering feat, requiring commitment, time and vast amounts of manual labor. In its first phase, Stonehenge was a large earthwork; a bank and ditch arrangement called a henge, constructed approximately 5,000 years ago. It is believed that the ditch was dug with tools made from the antlers of red deer and, possibly, wood. The underlying chalk was loosened with picks and shoveled with the shoulderblades of cattle. It was then loaded into baskets and carried away. Modern experiments have shown that these tools were more than equal to the great task of earth digging and moving.
The Bluestones About 2,000 BC, the first stone circle (which is now the inner circle), comprised of small bluestones, was set up, but abandoned before completion. The stones used in that first circle are believed to be from the Prescelly Mountains, located roughly 240 miles away, at the southwestern tip of Wales. The bluestones weigh up to 4 tons each and about 80 stones were used, in all. Given the distance they had to travel, this presented quite a transportation problem.
Modern theories speculate that the stones were dragged by roller and sledge from the inland mountains to the headwaters of Milford Haven. There they were loaded onto rafts, barges or boats and sailed along the south coast of Wales, then up the Rivers Avon and Frome to a point near present-day Frome in Somerset. From this point, so the theory goes, the stones were hauled overland, again, to a place near Warminster in Wiltshire, approximately 6 miles away. From there, it's back into the pool for a slow float down the River Wylye to Salisbury, then up the Salisbury Avon to West Amesbury, leaving only a short 2 mile drag from West Amesbury to the Stonehenge site.
Construction of the Outer Ring The giant sarsen stones (which form the outer circle), weigh as much as 50 tons each. To transport them from the Marlborough Downs, roughly 20 miles to the north, is a problem of even greater magnitude than that of moving the bluestones. Most of the way, the going is relatively easy, but at the steepest part of the route, at Redhorn Hill, modern work studies estimate that at least 600 men would have been needed just to get each stone past this obstacle.
Once on site, a sarsen stone was prepared to accommodate stone lintels along its top surface. It was then dragged until the end was over the opening of the hole. Great levers were inserted under the stone and it was raised until gravity made it slide into the hole. At this point, the stone stood on about a 30ฐ angle from the ground. Ropes were attached to the top and teams of men pulled from the other side to raise it into the full upright position. It was secured by filling the hole at its base with small, round packing stones. At this point, the lintels were lowered into place and secured vertically by mortice and tenon joints and horizontally by tongue and groove joints. Stonehenge was probably finally completed around 1500 BC.
Who Built Stonehenge? The question of who built Stonehenge is largely unanswered, even today. The monument's construction has been attributed to many ancient peoples throughout the years, but the most captivating and enduring attribution has been to the Druids. This erroneous connection was first made around 3 centuries ago by the antiquary, John Aubrey. Julius Caesar and other Roman writers told of a Celtic priesthood who flourished around the time of their first conquest (55 BC). By this time, though, the stones had been standing for 2,000 years, and were, perhaps, already in a ruined condition. Besides, the Druids worshipped in forest temples and had no need for stone structures.
The best guess seems to be that the Stonehenge site was begun by the people of the late Neolithic period (around 3000 BC) and carried forward by people from a new economy which was arising at this time. These "new" people, called Beaker Folk because of their use of pottery drinking vessels, began to use metal implements and to live in a more communal fashion than their ancestors. Some think that they may have been immigrants from the continent, but that contention is not supported by archaeological evidence. It is likely that they were indigenous people doing the same old things in new ways.
As Legend Has It The legend of King Arthur provides another story of the construction of Stonehenge. It is told by the twelfth century writer, Geoffrey of Monmouth, in his History of the Kings of Britain that Merlin brought the stones to the Salisbury Plain from Ireland. Sometime in the fifth century, there had been a massacre of 300 British noblemen by the treacherous Saxon leader, Hengest. Geoffrey tells us that the high king, Aurelius Ambrosius, wanted to create a fitting memorial to the slain men. Merlin suggested an expedition to Ireland for the purpose of transplanting the Giant's Ring stone circle to Britain. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, the stones of the Giant's Ring were originally brought from Africa to Ireland by giants (who else but giants could handle the job?). The stones were located on "Mount Killaraus" and were used as a site for performing rituals and for healing. Led by King Uther and Merlin, the expedition arrived at the spot in Ireland. The Britons, none of whom were giants, apparently, were unsuccessful in their attempts to move the great stones. At this point, Merlin realized that only his magic arts would turn the trick. So, they were dismantled and shipped back to Britain where they were set up (see illus. at right) as they had been before, in a great circle, around the mass grave of the murdered noblemen. The story goes on to tell that Aurelius, Uther and Arthur's successor, Constantine were also buried there in their time*.
Present Day Stonehenge Situated in a vast plain, surrounded by hundreds of round barrows, or burial mounds, the Stonehenge site is truly impressive, and all the more so, the closer you approach. It is a place where much human effort was expended for a purpose we can only guess at. Some people see it as a place steeped in magic and mystery, some as a place where their imaginations of the past can be fired and others hold it to be a sacred place. But whatever viewpoint is brought to it and whatever its original purpose was, it should be treated as the ancients treated it, as a place of honor .
The modern age has not been altogether kind to Stonehenge, despite the lip service it pays to the preservation of heritage sites. There is a major highway running no more than 100 yards away from the stones, and a commercial circus has sprung up around it, complete with parking lots, gift shops and ice cream stands. The organization, English Heritage, is committed to righting these wrongs, and in the coming years, we may get to see Stonehenge in the setting for which it was originally created. Despite all its dilapidation and the encroachment of the modern world, Stonehenge, today, is an awe-inspiring sight, and no travel itinerary around Britain should omit it.

Giza Pyramid: Egypt

The Great Pyramid of Giza

One of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient WorldSince the earliest of times the "Great Pyramid" of Giza (Arab. Al Jizah ) along with its 2 other main pyramids have been considered one of the wonders of the world. The Great Pyramid is still among the world's largest structures, standing almost as tall as a 50 story skyscraper. The 3 main pyramids were built as tombs for 3 Egyptian Pharaohs who were considered to be gods on earth. The first and largest pyramid, known as the Great Pyramid was a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops to the Greeks), who ruled the 4th dynasty around 2575 BC, which would have been centuries before Abraham, the first Hebrew. But the real marvel of this Great Pyramid was its massive size.

Size and DescriptionThe true pyramid exists only in Egypt, though the term has also been applied to similar structures in other countries. The Great Pyramid stands 480 feet tall with a base of 750 feet in each direction forming a square at the bottom. The pyramid contains around 2,300,000 individual blocks of stones each weighing over 2.5 tons on the average, with some weighing over 16 tons and the granite roof slabs of Khufu's burial chamber weigh over 50 tons. The stones form a giant staircase with each step being waist high. The foundation below the pyramid is solid rock. Today the city of Cairo is extended out very close to the pyramids but in ancient times it stood out in the desert. Originally the stones were incased in brilliant white polished limestone which gave it a glittering appearance so much so that one Greek historian named Diodorus Siculus who lived during the 1st century BC said:
"The Pyramids...by the immensity of the work and the skill of their construction strike those who see them with wonder and awe."
A Masterpiece of EngineeringKhufu is perhaps the greatest single building ever erected by mankind. Its sides rise at an angle of 51°52' and are accurately oriented to the four cardinal points of the compass. The Great Pyramid is a masterpiece of technical skill and engineering ability. The geometric precision of its layout and the accuracy of its stonecutting are truly amazing, especially when you consider the colossal proportions of its massive size and the weight of the blocks used in it. The internal walls as well as the outer-casing stones that still remain in place, some of which weigh as much as 16 tons, show finer joints than any other masonry constructed in possibly the whole world. The casing stones which were custom cut and set, one to another, with so much accuracy that you can't get a knife blade in between the joints is truly amazing.
Who Built the Pyramids and How Was It Built?The question of who built the pyramids, and how, has long been debated by Egyptologists and historians and there is really no completely satisfactory answer. According to the earliest known historian of the Egyptian Pyramid Age, the ancient Greek historian Herodotus (5th cent. BC), the Great Pyramid took 20 years to construct and demanded the labor of 100,000 men, yet it is hard to believe that any of these enormous monuments could have been built in one pharaoh's lifetime. Even the ancient Herodotus was still 2200 years after the actual building of the pyramids.
What Archaeologists Have FoundArchaeologists have been trying to solve the puzzle of where the possibly 100,000 laborers who built the pyramids lived. Once they find the workers' living area, they can learn more about the workforce, their daily lives, and perhaps where they came from. Thus the settlement of the camps have been discovered, Bakeries have been found to feed the workers, as well as cemetaries, tools, hieroglyphical inscriptions, names of the craftsmen, overseers, inspectors, 25 unique new titles, and more. They even found 600 skeletons of Egyptians, some of which had emergency medical treatment having been injured while working on the pyramid. There is also evidence that these workers worked all year round, seeing that, according to their beliefs, they were assured a certain place in the afterlife. Their hard labor for their king and Pharaoh would also benefit the future and prosperity of Egypt as a whole.
According to MARK LEHNER, Archaeologist, Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, and Harvard Semitic Museum,
"Everything I saw (at Giza) told me, day by day, year by year, that they were very human and the marks of humanity are everywhere on them....my respect increases for those people and that society, that they could do it...it's a very impressive job, extraordinary for the people who lived then and there, but it could be done. They are human monuments."
They hauled these blocks with oxen and gangs of men with various group names like: "boat Gang," Vigourous Gang," "North Gang," Friends of Khufu Gang," "Powerful Gang," etc. We know this because these names are still marked on some of the blocks. None of these names indicate that they were slaves but rather were devoted laborors for Khufu, who they believed to be god on earth. There is also evidence that these laborors also owed a labor tax, yet they rotated from in and out of the labor force. So it seems that the builders were Egyptians as stated by ZAHI HAWASS, Director General of Giza:
"There is support (that) the builders of the pyramids were Egyptians. They are not the Jews as has been said, they are not people from a lost civilization. They are not out of space. They are Egyptian and their skeletons are here, and were examined by scholars, doctors and the race of all the people we found are completely supporting that they are Egyptians."
The ToolsIt is interesting that the wheel wasn't invented for a few centuries later yet with primitive tools the Egyptians had to quarry and cut to size the massive blocks of rock. Only 2 alloys were known to the Egyptians during this time, gold and copper. Since gold was too soft they used copper tools, such as a saw, chisel, and drill, (sharpened by the many metalworkers) with strong handles of wood, and others. Here are some of the tools that have been discovered:


Copper Chisels. Since gold was the only other available metal they chose the stronger copper for their tool-making. They pounded with granite dolerite rock balls and wooden mallets into granite to split the bedrock.
Copper Saws. These were used to cut the soft stone blocks. They also sawed into large wooden posts that were used to lever the blocks into place.
Adze with a Copper Blade. They used this as a plane and to smooth the objects and shape them to the correct finish.
Copper Drills. These were spun by twine attached to a cross-piece that was moved back and forth like a bow. They were also used to make furniture and other tools.
Where Did They Get The Stones?HAWASS states that:
"All the stones have been taken from the plateau, except the casing stones that came from Tura, and the granite in the burial chamber that came from Aswan."
They quarried the blocks (mostly limestone) and dressed them to size. The fine white limestone came from Tura, about 8 miles away on the other side of the Nile. The granite came from quarries at Aswan, around 600 miles upstream. In some of these sites there are clear marks left in the rock. They used the copper chisels, hardened and tempered by heat and quenching, to cut their way down into the limestone, gradually separating block after block from the rock face. Limestone is a sedimentary rock that will split along its layers, while granite, being an igneous rock had to be heated by fire with a sudden pouring of cold water which would cause the imperfections to split off leaving the best quality granite underneath.
Levelling the Site. They had no levels like we have today and knowing that water finds its own level they would run a channel around the hill filled with water, and then dug many more channels back and forth and then filling them with rocks and sand.
How Was it Raised?The most plausible answer is that the Egyptians, who lacked tackle and pulleys for lifting heavy weights, employed a sloping embankment of brick, earth, and sand, which was increased in height and in length as the pyramid rose and up which the stone blocks were hauled by means of sledges, rollers, and levers. They could have used one ramp or 4 (one for each corner).
Facing North, South, East, and West.They were very particular about the direction the pyramid would be facing. The Egyptian astonomers had incredible skill lining up the sides of the pyramids on a particular star which causes the sides to face almost exactly north, south, east, and west. Since the Egyptians were known for their ability in mathematics, they were familiar with triangles and that a triangle with sides of 3, 4, and 5 units would autimatically yield a right angle and using squares similar to what builders and masons use today making sure that the corners were perfectly square. The work of the surveyors was so brilliant that the sides of the Great Pyramid are not more than 7 inches different in length out of 750 feet. A masterpiece in engineering. The study of the burial chamber and how the Pharaoh was entombed will have to come later.
There is little doubt that many of the characters mentioned in the Bible had seen the Great Pyramid at Giza at some time or another.

Taj Mahal; India

Taj Mahal; India

Location: On the banks of river Yamuna in Agra

Year of Construction: 1631-1653

Built By: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan

Spread Over: 42 acres

Significance: One of the Seven Wonders of the World

Taj Mahal of India - "the epitome of love", "a monument of immeasurable beauty". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. The very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance leaves one mesmerized. Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance. It is believed that the name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan wife Mumtaz Mahal and means "Crown Palace". The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make Taj Mahal travel gain a place amongst the most popular ones. However, unless and until, one knows the love story behind the Tajmahal of India, it will come up as just a beautiful building. But, the love behind this outstanding monument is what has given a life to this monument.

History of Taj Mahal

The history of the Taj Mahal tells us "why was the Taj Mahal built" and many other myths and facts associated with this wonderful structure. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan erected the Taj Mahal in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan (then Prince Khurram) met Mumtaz Mahal (then Arjumand Banu Begum) at the age of fourteen and fell in love at the first sight. She was a Muslim Persian princess and Shah Jahan was the son of the Mughal Emperor, Jehangir. Five years later, in 1612, they got married. As you read further you will come to know more about the history of the Taj Mahal at Agra…Mumtaz Mahal, an inseparable companion of Shah Jahan, died in 1631, while giving birth to their 14th child. It is believed that during her last moments, Mumtaz Mahal obtained a promise from Shah Jahan that he will build world's most beautiful monument in her memory. But this has not been proven to be true, till date. However, Shah Jahan did indeed build a magnificent monument as a tribute to her wife, which we today know as the "Taj Mahal". Shah Jahan, himself also, lies entombed in this mausoleum along with his wife.The construction of Taj Mahal started in the year 1631 and it took approximately 22 years to build it. An epitome of love, it made use of the services of 22,000 laborers and 1,000 elephants. It was built entirely out of white marble, which was brought in from all over India and central Asia. After an expenditure of approximately 32 million rupees (approx US $68000), Taj Mahal was finally completed in the year 1653. However, the history of Taj Mahal of India still has some gaps. For example, there are many theories regarding the architect of this magnificent monument.

Inside the Taj Mahal

The real Taj Mahal consists of the mausoleum that is situated approximately 900 feet (275 m) away from the main entrance. Standing at the opposite end of the magnificent Taj gardens, it rises to a height of almost 200 feet (76m). At the lowest level of the Taj is a red sandstone platform that was built to level the land. Above that is the marble podium that serves as the base of the mausoleum. On the corners of the marble platform are four minarets that are almost 138 ft high and capped with eight windowed cupolas. As far as the view inside the Taj Mahal is concerned, it is as magnificent as its exterior. All the porticos of the tomb consist of huge iwans (a sort of arched gateways) that are adorned with exquisite calligraphy. The angles of the tomb consist of semi-octagonal arched alcoves of equal size. Attached pilasters rising from the base of the tomb demark each of the porticos, on both the sides. These pilasters rise above the fresco and are topped with beautiful pinnacles with lotus buds and finials.As we move further to get Taj Mahal inside look, we will come across an elevated central chamber, a crypt immediately below this and four octagonal corner rooms. These rooms were initially meant to house the graves of the other members of the royal family. In the central chamber is placed the cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal and that of Shah Jahan, to the left and a little higher than hers. Both the cenotaphs are inscribed in Persian and that of Mumtaz Mahal even has texts from the Koran.Interiors of the Taj Mahal of Agra also boast of a Cairene lamp above the tombs. The flame that burns in that lamp is supposed to never burn out. The, there are perforated marble screens surrounding the tombs that are inlaid with semiprecious stones. One thing is for sure that if you visit Taj Mahal once, its memories will remain etched in your memory forever.

Petra; Jordan

Petra; Jordan

Petra is the treasure of ancient world, hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains, boasting incomparable scenes that make it the most majestic and imposing ancient site still-standing nowadays.. It has been said "perhaps there is nothing in the world that resembles it", actually, for sure, there is nothing in the world that resembles it. The rock-carved rose-red city of Petra is full of mysterious charm, it was "designed to strike wonder into all who entered it".

Petra is considered the most famous and gorgeous site in Jordan located about 262 km south of Amman and 133 km north of Aqaba. It is the legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan more than 2000 years ago. Admired then for its refined culture, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water channels, Petra is now a UNESCO world heritage site and one of The New 7 Wonders of the World that enchants visitors from all corners of the globe.
The approach through a kilometer long, cool, and gloom chasm (or Siq) a long narrow gorge whose steeply rising sides all but obliterate the sun, provides a dramatic contrast with the magic to come. Suddenly the gorge opens into a natural square dominated by Petra's most famous monument, The Treasury (El-Khazneh), whose intricately carved facade glows in the dazzling sun.

More facades beckon the visitor on until the ancient city gradually unfolds, one monument leading to the next for kilometer after kilometer. The sheer size of the city and the quality of beautifully carved facades is staggering and leads one to reflect on the creativity and industry of the Nabataeans who made Petra their capital.
Petra is always breathtaking, and never to be forgotten. It flourished for over 400 years around the time of Rome and Christ (pbuh), until it was occupied by the Roman legions of the Emperor Trajan in 106 AD.

The Petra basin boasts over 800 individual monuments, including buildings, tombs, baths, funerary halls, temples, arched gateways, and colonnaded streets, that were mostly carved from the kaleidoscopic sandstone by the technical and artistic genius of its inhabitants.
Petra sights are at their best in early morning and late afternoon, when the sun warms the multicolored stones, you can view the majesty of Petra as it was seen first when discovered in 1812 after being lost by the 16th century for almost 300 years!

The Discovery of Petra

Petra the "rose-red city" of the ancient Nabataean civilization is situated in the south of Jordan. It lies to the east of Wadi Araba, a part of the Great Rift Valley, approximately 133 kilometers as the crow flies from the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba.
Hidden away amidst the folds of spectacular hills, this unique site was lost to Europeans until it was rediscovered in 1812 by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. After spending several years learning Arabic and studying the tenets of Islam, Burckhardt, who passed himself off as a Muslim from India, set out on his journey under the auspices of the London-based "Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior parts of Africa".
En route to Cairo, through the area of what is now Jordan, his fluent Arabic enabled him to understand stories of a wondrous ancient city hidden away amongst impenetrable mountains. However, he needed a plausible excuse to gain access to the city without arousing any suspicion as to his real intentions. By claiming he wished to make a sacrifice at the tomb of the Prophet Aaron (pbuh), which was nearby, he gained entry to the forgotten city of Petra.
One can imagine the impression the ruins made upon him, for he was fully able to appreciate the importance of his discovery and correctly identify the city as ancient Petra. In spite of the fact that he was obliged to conceal his interest and excitement from his guides, Burckhardt recorded what he had seen, and his account, published in 1822 was to excite great interest in Europe and inspire a long line of travelers to visit the site.
Today, the dangers of such an expedition have disappeared and the visitor is able to explore the city in comfort. One can share the excitement Burckhardt would have felt on his first visit in 1812 as one enters the narrow gorge of Al-Siq - the secret entrance to Petra. After winding down this great natural cleft for over a kilometer, the sudden impact of the view of the Treasury is as strong every time.
This unique site never fails to enchant visitors; the setting of the monumental Nabataean remains against a background of rugged mountain scenery is spectacular and its colors, equally thrilling.
Petra, once described by a poet as a "rose-red city" is in fact dusky pink, broken at times by swirls of yellow, mauve, gray and white. No two colors remain the same, for the colors constantly change according to the time of day and the quality of the light. The rock is further set off by the bright green and pink of oleanders or the orange of cactus flowers.

Machu Picchu; Peru

Machu Pichu

Machu Picchu is a city located high in the Andes Mountains in modern Peru. It lies 43 miles northwest of Cuzco at the top of a ridge, hiding it from the Urabamba gorge below. The ridge is between a block of highland and the massive Huaynac Picchu, around which the Urubamba River takes a sharp bend. The surrounding area is covered in dense bush, some of it covering Pre-Colombian cultivation terraces.
Machu Picchu (which means "Old Peak") was most likely a royal estate and religious retreat. It was built between 1460 and 1470 AD by Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, an Incan ruler. The city has an altitude of 8,000 feet, and is high above the Urubamba River canyon cloud forest, so it likely did not have any administrative, military or commercial use. After Pachacuti’s death, Machu Picchu became the property of his allus, or kinship group, which was responsible for it’s maintenance, administration, and any new construction.
Machu Picchu is comprised of approximately 200 buildings, most being residences, although there are temples, storage structures and other public buildings. It has polygonal masonry, characteristic of the late Inca period.
About 1,200 people lived in and around Machu Picchu, most of them women, children, and priests. The buildings are thought to have been planned and built under the supervision of professional Inca architects. Most of the structures are built of granite blocks cut with bronze or stone tools, and smoothed with sand. The blocks fit together perfectly without mortar, although none of the blocks are the same size and have many faces; some have as many as 30 corners. The joints are so tight that even the thinnest of knife blades can't be forced between the stones. Another unique thing about Machu Picchu is the integration of the architecture into the landscape. Existing stone formations were used in the construction of structures, sculptures are carved into the rock, water flows through cisterns and stone channels, and temples hang on steep precipices.
The houses had steep thatched roofs and trapezoidal doors; windows were unusual. Some of the houses were two stories tall; the second story was probably reached by ladder, which likely was made of rope since there weren’t many trees at Machu Picchu’s altitude. The houses, in groups of up to ten gathered around a communal courtyard, or aligned on narrow terraces, were connected by narrow alleys. At the center were large open squares; livestock enclosures and terraces for growing maize stretched around the edge of the city.
The Incas planted crops such as potatoes and maize at Machu Picchu. To get the highest yield possible, they used advanced terracing and irrigation methods to reduce erosion and increase the area available for cultivation. However, it probably did not produce a large enough surplus to export agricultural products to Cuzco, the Incan capital.
One of the most important things found at Machu Picchu is the intihuatana, which is a column of stone rising from a block of stone the size of a grand piano. Intihuatana literally means ‘for tying the sun", although it is usually translated as "hitching post of the sun". As the winter solstice approached, when the sun seemed to disappear more each day, a priest would hold a ceremony to tie the sun to the stone to prevent the sun from disappearing altogether. The other intihuatanas were destroyed by the Spanish conquistadors, but because the Spanish never found Machu Picchu, it remained intact. Mummies have also been found there; most of the mummies were women.
Few people outside the Inca’s closest retainers were actually aware of Machu Picchu’s existence. Before the Spanish conquistadors arrived, the smallpox spread ahead of them. Fifty percent of the population had been killed by the disease by 1527. The government began to fail, part of the empire seceded and it fell into civil war. So by the time Pizarro, the Inca’s conquerer, arrived in Cuzco in 1532, Machu Picchu was already forgotten.