Machu Picchu - Peru

MACHU PICHU

INTRODUCTION

The glorious works in the fields of architecture and culture have been the great attributes of the ancient civilizations. One thing in this regard is undoubted and definite that if you visit any historic place anywhere in the world, you will be mesmerized with the beauty and hard work which will be obvious from the masterpieces of the ancient people. To justify this statement why not has a virtual tour of UNESCO’s another World Heritage Site? This written effort is to introduce you to Peru which is a South American country. The place which we will explore is the ruins of Machu Pichu which is an historic site built in 1450. But the construction work was stopped and remained closed for almost 100 years. This beautiful historic place was unknown to the outer world till 1911 when an American historian Hiram Bingham rediscovered the place. This place was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. Its historic importance can be observed from the fact that it was included in the voting list of New Seven Wonders of World in 2007. This place belongs to the  Inca World. Inca is referred as Inca Empire which was the largest empire in the pre-Columbian America.

ABOUT THE SITE

There are two portions of the site. One is called the urban sector and the other is called agricultural sector. These portions or sectors are divided by a wall. These two sectors are further divided into upper and lower sectors for agriculture sector and east and west for urban sector. This further classification is divided with plazas.

The main building of the site contains regular shape walls which are made of polished dry stone. This is the classical style in Inca architectural style. The people of the Inca Empire were masters of making buildings in such style. In this style of construction the blocks of stone are cut into square shapes with great accuracy that they hold each other tightly and no material like mortar is used between them. An advantage of not using mortar between the stones is that it provides more resistant to earthquake. These stones are held so tightly that even a blade of grass can not fit between the stones. Although the residents of that time were aware of the use of wheel but they didn’t use the device in practical terms. They used the wheel in toys. When they had not used wheel in their practical life then how they moved and placed such big blocks of stone. It is still an unanswered question and mystery.

If you are adventurous and like mystery then this is the best place to visit. This site is attracting tourists every year from all over the world. In 2003 the total visitors reached to 400,000. It would be great if you have plan to visit Machu Pichu.

FAIRY MEADOWS

Heaven on Earth - Best Natural Places to visit in Pakistan

Introduction
Natural beauty is un matched and at its best in northern areas of Pakistan. This part of the country is famous all around the world because of sky high mountains, lush green valleys, mighty rivers, beautiful lakes, and amazing wildlife. In short, you can find all natural beauty in the area. Among the other beautiful places in North Pakistan, there are Fairy Meadows which are famous around the globe for its natural beauty. This is undoubtedly outstanding natural beauty. These meadows are situated at the base of Nanga Parbat in Astore District of Gilgit Baltistan province. Nanga parbat is the 9^thhighest mountain of the world with elevation of 8,125m. Nanga Parbat is called the Killer Mountain because it is very difficult to climb that’s why is the deadliest mountain in the world. The view of Nanga Parbat is breathtaking from the fairy meadows. Fairy meadows are great attraction for polo lovers, mountaineers, photographers, climbers etc.

LOCATION & BEAUTY

This beautiful place is located in front of the North face of the Killer Mountain, Nanga Parbat and at the bottom of the Raikot Glacier. These meadows are located on the south of Karakaram Highway and Indus River. By reaching Raikot bridge there is the journey of one and half hour to reach the point from where you start the journey towards fairy meadows. Then the path becomes narrow and you can not continue traveling by jeeps. The only way to reach the site is hiking. This upward journey takes two and half hours, although it becomes very tiring but you enjoy the beauty at its beast and set aside all other feelings other than the magic of the place. If you want to reach the base camp which is called Beyal camp of Nanga Parbat you have to walk through the beautiful pine forest of the fairy meadows. There are birch trees, beautiful streams and a beautiful lake surrounded by the trees. There are famous fairy meadow cottages. In front of these cottages you will find famous Pari Mahal or Fairy Palace. This name was given by a Japanese photographer Fujita Heroki. This meadow accommodates the most of the visitors who come to see the Nanga Parbat. If you really want to enjoy the beauty of the area and the glory of Nanga Partabt then there is no place other than the fairy meadows. The name, Fairy Meadows was given by an Austrian climber with the name Hermann Buhl. This is the man who climbed the Nanga Parbat for the first time in 1953. Many of the visitors and climbers are of the view that this is the best place to see on earth.

FOR TOURISTS

The place is very tourist friendly. You can find tents and food easily there. Although food is bit expensive but accommodation is available at reasonable rates. But you can cook yourself because meat, pulses and potatoes are available. The best time to visit the are is June-July because you can access the are only in summers. In winters place is closed due to heavy snowfall.

It is truly called heaven on Earth. Get ready and have a beautiful journey to the Fairy Meadows in Pakistan.

Grand CANYON - USA

Nature's Architectural Wonder

INTRODUCTION

This world famous canyon is located in the Arizona State of United States of America. Basically this canyon is steep sided and has been formed by the carving of Colorado River. When we define a canyon we say that a canyon is a deep ravine between cliffs normally formed by the carving of a river. Most of the part of Grand Canyon is situated in the Grand Canyon National Park. This canyon is the result of uplift of Colorado Plateau. Although the right time of the formation of Grand Canyon is still a point of debate among the geologists but current evidences suggest that the Colorado River started flowing through the canyon about 17 million years ago.

It is really a big canyon and you can find the proof of the statement with the fact that the Grand Canyon is 277 miles long with the width of 18 miles and depth is about 1 mile. Although it is neither the deepest nor the widest canyon of the world but it is famous for its overwhelming size and specially the intricacy and colourful landscape. It was 1540 when the first European named Garcia Lopez viewed the Grand Canyon. The original inhabitants of the canyon are Peublo People who were Native Americans.

TOURISM

The Grand Canyon is a big tourist attraction in United States of America. Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most famous natural attractions in the world. You can imagine that how popular is the site with the fact it attracts about 5 million people every year.  But the majority of the tourists are from the different states of America which is about 83% while the remaining 17% of the visitors come from other countries like United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Canada and Japan.No doubt that the site as a whole is a wonderful place to see.

Besides the normal sightseeing at Grand Canyon, there are other activities which the visitors can enjoy like rafting, hiking and helicopter tours.  If you have a plan to visit the site then you have all the options to reach and access. To reach the floor of the valley you can access by foot, muleback or by boat or raft. It is very difficult for the hikers to come down the canyon and reach back to the rim in one day.

The officials recommend because of the distance, steep and rocky trails and heat exhaustion. Recently on the west side of Grand Canyon the Hualapai tribes opened the Grand Canyon Skywalk which is glass bottomed. This gives the beautiful view indeed but it has some limitations like you can’t take cameras and personal equipment are not allowed in view of securing the glass from damage.

PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Grand Canyon National Park has different types of plants. There are about 1737 species of vascular plants, 167 species of fungi and 64 species of moss. There are about dozen of endemic plants. There are 34 species of mammals of which 15 are rodents and eight are bats. The weather of the place varies according to the elevation. The forested parts of the canyon receive snowfall in winter. The weather remains dry but there is substantial precipitation twice a year. The fatalities of the place are also known.

HUANGSHAN Mountain - Best Heritage Place in China

Yellow Mountain - Best Heritage Place to visit in China

TOURISM IN CHINA

Beauty is not restricted to any region or people of any country. It is a universal thing. Every part of the world has its own importance and beauty. Some parts of the world are famous just for one reason while there are number of parts which are famous for many reasons. China is one of such parts of the world. In general, people don’t consider China as important tourist attraction. World knows China just an economic power. The achievements of China in the fields of science and technology are remarkable and exemplary. China has proved itself as one of the biggest economies of the world. But this is not the only reason of China’s popularity. China is a beautiful country with amazing landscapes, eye catching sceneries, unique mountain and peak ranges. China has a rich historical background. There are hundreds of places belonging to ancient times. But the nature has given china its beauty. Among these beautiful places there is Huangshan Mountain which is also called Yellow Mountain.

ABOUT HUANGSHAN MOUNTAIN

LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY

Huangshan Mountain is named on the name of Huangshan city which is in Anhui province. It is basically in the southern area of the province. There are 72 peaks of the Mountain. Three peaks of among these are most famous. The height of these peaks is above 1800 meters. These peaks are namely, Lotus peak, Bright Summit peak and Tiandu peak. The area of the Mountain is about 154 sq.km.

LANDSCAPE & SCENERY

Landscape of Huangshan Mountain is marvelous undoubtedly. Without any exaggeration we can say that it is one of the most famous mountain beauties of not only Asia but of the world. The mountain sight is astonished with the beautiful trees, singing birds flying there, a number of colourful flowers, sky touching peaks, pine trees, clouds of fog playing hide and seek, beautiful white stones. This all gives an artistic and romantic view to the Mountain. Sitting at the mountain you feel that it is the big painting masterpiece with all its colours. Colours are so beautifully painted that you don’t need to see anything after seeing this beautiful natural sculptor There are really amazing sights of the mountain. When you reach at the height of the mountain, clouds remain at the height of yours. You can really feel & touch the clouds. The view of sunrise and sunset are just great and have no match.. Plants are in big number here. Approximately, there are 1500 kinds of plants and flowers. The paintings and other art work in China has the inspiration from Huangshan Mountain.

CULTURE

There is no change in the lifestyle of the people of Huangshan. The people here follow the customs and traditions of their old times. Although the conditions have evolved a little bit but it’s in its original form yet. People are of beautiful nature. In the city there is much architecture of ancient times which represent the culture of the area.

CLIMATE OF THE MOUNTAIN

The climate of the Huangshan Mountain remains changing throughout the year. The climate here belongs to the subtropical monsoon climate system, so it remains hot in summer and very cold in winter. In summer temperature remains about 27 degree Celsius while in winter it drops down to freezing minus 22 degree Celsius. The average temperature during the year remains about 8 degree Celsius. The mountain faces heavy rains due to subtropical monsoon climate.

ADVICE FOR TOURISTS

Mountain gets heavy snow and rain so the tourists’ have to follow the precautionary measures. Due to snow and rain it becomes very slippery there, so it is better to have shoes which can help in walk on snow and slippery conditions. Due to changing weather conditions, tourists must keep warm clothes, hats, gloves, walking sticks with them. If you plan to visit the mountain then be sure that it is going to be an unforgettable memory.

PUERTO PRINCESA River - Philippines

Best Natural Places To Visit In Philippines

INTRODUCTION

It would definitely be a matter of interest for the readers to know about the underground rivers. When we say Underground River it means a river that flows or runs beneath the ground surface which may be wholly or partly. This kind of rivers flow through the cave systems and are all natural. You can find the underground rivers which are man made. These are made by covering over the river or by diverting the flow of the river with the help of culverts. This is done normally for the development in urban areas. One example of man made underground rivers is Fleet River in London.

ABOUT PUERTO PRINCESA

Among the number of natural underground rivers, there is a very famous Puerto Princesa River which has been declared National Park. Puerto Princesa is located in the city of Puerto Princesa which is the capital of Palawan Province in Philippines. When you reach the Island, at the northern coast of the Island you will find the national park which is in the Saint Paul Mountain Range. About 90% of the park consists of the sharp, karst limestone ridges. It is also known with the name St. Paul Underground River. This place has been among the 28 finalists which were selected for the New Seven Wonders of Nature competition. The part of the river which is underground is about 8.2 kilometers. This river enters directly into the South China Sea but before entering the sea it flows through a cave. The cave is about 120m wide and 60m high. This is the distinguishing feature of Puerto Princesa river. This was the longest underground river in the world till 2007 but this distinction came to end by the discovery of an underground river in Mexico. This site is a full combination of mountains and sea ecosystem. It is a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO.

BEAUTY OF PUERTO PRINCESA PARK

The landscape of the park is based upon the limestone karst mountains. This park has some most important forests of Asia. There are thirteen types of forests in Asia out of which eight are in the Puerto Princesa National Park. This is a huge formation of forests. The eight forest types found here are named forest over limestone soil, forest over ultramafic soil, montane forest, freshwater swamp forest, mangrove forest, lowland evergreen rainforest, riverine forest and beach forest. You will find 800 plant species in the park.

Same is the case with birds. Puerto Princesa is located in the Palawan Island. There are about 252 bird species found on the island out of which 165 are recorded in the Puerto Princesa Park. There are about 15 bird species which are endemic. Birds like Blue napped parrot, Tabon scrub fowl, Hill myna and White breasted eagle are seen most in the park. When you enter the cave you find nine species of bats, two species of swiftlets and whip spider. When you come to the coastal areas of the Puerto Princesa National Park you find Sea cow and Hawksbill sea turtle.

If you want to have unique and adventurous experience in life then this could be an ideal site to fulfill your wish. If you want, that you must, to visit the river in the cave then you can hire boats for this marvelous experience.

More Information about PUERTO PRINCESA River at

www.puerto-undergroundriver.com/

Trip to Vietnam

It was discovered in 1970s, the city formerly name was Saigon and it is also largest city in Vietnam and still maintaining a wealth of heritage. It has large international airport, Ho Chi Minh City has become increasingly well connected to the world with flights now heading beyond Southeast Asia. Among the more interesting sights and attractions are the numerous relics from the Vietnam War which continue to fascinate western visitors in particular.

Some of the famous tourist attractions are named below for your help.

• Dai Giac Pagoda
• Dam Sen Park
• Dam Sen Water Park
• Giac Lam Pagoda
• Giac Vien Pagoda
• History Museum
• International Club
• Jade Emperor Pagoda
• Lam Son Pool
• Le Van Duyet Temple
• Zoo and Botanical Garden
• Thien Hau Pagoda
• Tan Dinh Church

Food and Wine in Ho Chi Minh City: There are numerous eateries in Ho Chin Minh city. In Vietnam, you can find all types of food like, Indian, Chinese, American, Japanese, French, Thai and many more. Some of the famous restaurants are listed below. To talk about wines, whisky is one of the popular wines in Ho Chi Minh City. Some famous bars are also there with special types of wines.



• Bi Bi
• Bodhi Tree II
• Chao Thai
• Dai Dong Restaurant
• Good Morning Vietnam
• Hoi An Restaurant
• Lemon Grass
• La Fourchette
• Le Camargue
• Le Caprice
• Lemongrass
• Pho Hoa
• Quan An Ngon
• Restaurant 13
• Ritz
• Thi Sac Street Cafés
• Thien Que
• Underground
• Urvashi
• rland


More Information at:

www.nps.gov/vive/

www.vietnamtripadvisor.com/

www.vietnamtoptrip.com/

MARINA BAY SANDS SKYPARK - Singapore

Engineering Wonder

INTRODUCTION

Human mind is just amazing. It has created wonders in the world. In every field of life you will find such amazing creations that will make you stagnant for a moment. Although every field is full of such surprising creations and inventions but the fields of science, architecture and construction are more visible. Same has been done and happened in the architecture and construction of Marina Bay Sands. Its architecture, construction, location and beauty are at their best and unique. This is the breathtaking place in Singapore. When you see the beauty of the sky park you may forget to take a breath for a while. You would definitely think that how and who would have constructed this architectural masterpiece.

Marina bay is located in the southern part of Singapore. This is called 24/7 destination for the people who want to find new living and lifestyles, want to exchange business ideas. On the other hand if you want some recreation and enjoy your holidays then you will get more here in Marina Bay. In front of Marina Bay, Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort.

THE RESORT FEATURES

Las Vegas Sands developed this amazing structure. Marina Bay Sands is the world’s most expensive casino with the property cost of S$8 billion. The total area of the resort is 20 hectare. The resort consists of casino, a hotel with 2,561 rooms, convention and exhibition center which is spread over 120,000 sq.m area, shopping malls, a unique art and science museum, two sand theatres, seven celebrity chef restaurants, two floating pavilions. The casino is so big that there are 500 tables arranged and 1600 slot machines are operating. At the top of the complex there is the most amazing feature of the resort, a park which is named Sky Park. This park has the capacity of 3,900 people and an amazing 150m infinity swimming pool. This pool is on the top of the world’s largest cantilevered platform. The designer or architect of the project is Moshe Safdie architects. The engineers were from Arup & Parsons Brinkerhoff. The main contractor of this most amazing project was Ssang Yong Engineering & Construction. Some difficulties like labour shortage, global financial crisis and cost of material delayed the opening of the resort which was planned in 2009.

BEAUTY OF RESORT

It is one of the world’s ever best structures. Its construction is really an engineering and architectural wonder. The beauty of the resort starts with three 55 storey towers. These towers were built in 2009. The climax of the beauty is a sky terrace which is named Sands Sky Park. This park is spread over 1 hectare. This is not the end because infront of the three towers there are three blocks named Theatre block, Convention and exhibition block and Casino block those have been designed with ultimate sophistication and beauty. When you move next to the blocks you find Art and Science Museum. This is the ultimate beauty in itself. It’s been designed in the shape of Lotus flower. The beauty of the museum is a laser light show in the night and a waterfall in the morning through the roof of the museum. A light and water show is presented which is the largest in the Southeast Asia.

When you reach the top of the three towers there is the most spectacular scenery. This is a park named Sky Park covering 1 hectare area with the world’s largest elevated swimming pool. The edge of the pool is 146 m long and gives the infinity look. The pool seems spread till the horizon.  The features of the swimming pool are awesome. Pool is made of stainless steel which weighs 422,000 pounds and has the water capacity of 376,500 gallons. In Sky Park there are restaurants, nightclubs, gardens, hundreds of trees and plants.

Marina Bay Sands is a famous tourist and gamblers’ attraction in Singapore. In June 2010, 500,000 gamblers visited the casino. Average 25,000 visitors come to visit the casino. It is projected that it will contribute $2.7 billion to the GDP of Singapore.


More Info at:
http://www.marinabaysands.com/

SOCOTRA - YEMEN

Jewel of Arabian Sea

Introduction

Through our journey of beautiful places of the world, we have visited a number of islands around the globe. Today again we are going to take a tour of another island. Basically it is an archipelago of four islands. The visit of this island has some unique features. The island is located in the northwestern Indian Ocean. This isolated island is located about 350 km away from the Arabian Peninsula. Geologically the archipelago is located very far from the Arab world and Africa. This feature has resulted in the great global importance of the island regarding the conservation of biodiversity and is termed as the Galapagos of Indian Ocean. The island has unique importance regarding the vegetation as well. The archipelago is comprised of four islands which include Socotra, Abd al Kuri, Samhah and Darsah. The largest island of the archipelago is also named Socotra. The socotra island covers the 95% of the landmass of the archipelago. A very unique feature of the island is that it has been described as the most alien-looking place on earth. UNESCO recognized the island as world natural heritage site in 2008. Socotra island is also mentioned in the Travels of Marco Polo.

FLORA & FAUNA

It is said that Socotra is the jewel of biodiversity in Arabian Sea and it is rightly said. The island has endemic flora. The reason of the endemism is that the island is geologically isolated and the second reason is the fierce heat and drought conditions of the island. There are about 825 plant species on Socotra out of which 307 are endemic which means that these species are found nowhere else on the planet.

According to IUCN red list, there are 3 critically endangered species and 27 endangered plant species. The flora of the island is really unique. There are number of unique and strange looking trees and plants but the most striking of all of them is Dragon’s blood tree. It is strange looking umbrella shaped tree which carries red sap. Ancient people were of the view that the red sap is the blood of dragon. Earlier this red sap was used as dye and medicine and now it is used as paint and varnish.

The fauna of the island is also very rich and unique. There are several species of birds which include a number of endemic species. The endemic birds include Socotra Starling, Socotra Grosbeak, Socotra Sunbird and renowned Socotra Sparrow.  Socotra Warbler is also found here which is said to be monotypic endemic kind of birds. Bats are also found on the island and are the only native mammals of the island. Marine life of the island is also diverse. There are about 300 species of crabs, lobster and shrimp and 730 species of coastal fish.

Some facts about the endemism of different species are that 90% of its reptile and 95% of its snail species are not found anywhere else in the world.

CLIMATE

Geography of the island states that it is the most isolated place on earth regarding continental origin. The climate of the island is distinguished as tropical desert climate and semi desert climate. The average temperature of the island is 18º C. there is not much rainfall throughout the year. Normally it remains light but spreads allover.

If you want to see a wonderful place with number of unique features then we recommend you to visit Socotra.it would definitely be a awesome visit.


Useful Information at:
www.socotraguide.com