dimanche 8 mai 2011

Baalbek & Its Ruined Temples Lebanon

Baalbek is a small town situated in the Bakaa Valley, Lebanon. The city has made a name of its own because of the monumental ruined temples during the roman period. During that time, Baalbek was called the Heliopolis, which was one the biggest sanctuaries. This is said to be one of the greatest wonder of the ancient world and one of the best built of the roman dynasty. These are till date preserved as the best piece of art by the Romans.
Some of the gods that are worshiped here are the Harmony of Jupiter, Mercury, Venus etc. The city serves as the venue for the festival called Baalbek International that happens once in a year. Almost 85 km from the northeast is the city Beirut. The Baalbek temple is said to be one of the holiest and peaceful places and it is the biggest stone construction in the entire world.
The origin of the Baalbek is still unknown and different scholars have different thoughts about its origin. Baal means lord and this label was given to deity of sky. It means the Bekaa Valley’s god. Baalbek is also the place of birth of Baal. Most of the tourists in the Lebanon city come here to visit the Baalbek. It is also said that the admiration of Baal is the amalgamation form of God Jupiter, who was then called the Heliopolitian. It is said that the history of Baalbek is rooted to 5000 years back. A lot of tourists visit this place because of the spirituality that is attached to it.
Baalbek & Its Ruined Temples
Baalbek & Its Ruined Temples
Baalbek & Its Ruined Temples
Baalbek & Its Ruined Temples
Baalbek & Its Ruined Temples
Baalbek & Its Ruined Temples

Leaning Tower of Pisa Italy

The leading tower of Pisa, also known as the Tower of Pisa, is a free standing bell tower next to the Church of the Italian city of Pisa. The Tower is located behind the church and is said to be the third oldest structure in Pisa. The tower was made to stand straight, however immediately after it was constructed, it started leaning towards the south east due to a weekly laid foundation and substrate that allows the foundation to change direction.

The total height of the tower is 186.27 feet from the ground towards the lower side and 186.02 feet on the higher side. Its width from the bottom is measured 13 plus feet and 8 plus feet from the top. The Towers total weight is 14,500 metric tons and has 296/294 steps.

The Tower Of Pisa was made over a period of 177 years in three different sections. The first floor was constructed in the year 1173 and it was in the year 1178 when the tower had the thirds floor, when the tower started to sink. The reason was that a three meter foundation had used unbalanced soil, which actually means that the design was flawed right from the beginning. Then the construction was halted for almost a century as the city was in continuous war and in the mean while, the soil got the time to settle in, else the tower was for sure to topple over. The tower also has a clock that was installed on the third floor.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Leaning Tower of Pisa

Sahara Desert Hottest Desert in the World

The Sahara Desert is the largest and the hottest desert in the world. It is spread over more than 9,000,000 Square Km (3,630,000 sq miles). It covers the most of North Africa and is as big as the United States. The desert starts at the Red sea, across the Mediterranean, and over to the Atlantic Ocean. It is spread over 12 African nations, Egypt, Chad, Algeria, Eritrea, Libya, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Sudan, Western Sahara, and Tunisia.

The history of the Sahara Desert goes back thousands of years. The sand dunes of the desert are big that they reach heights of 600 feet.

Life in the Sahara Desert is very difficult due to its climate. It receives less than 3 inches of rain every year. It may rain twice in one week, to an extreme of no rainfall over the next three years. Oasis are scattered throughout this desert, however, because of its size, it’s not easy to trace.

The Sahara Desert is the hottest place in the world with the temperature reaching up to 57.7 degree Celsius (135.8 degree F). Scientists have said that the desert expands and shrinks. Currently, it has been recorded that the Sahara is growing southward by 48 km every year.

The typical fauna that can be seen in the desert are domestic camels and goats. As far as the wild life is concerned, it is a common sight to see a scorpion, monitor lizard, sand vipers, wild dogs, ostriches, cheetah, and many more. The only types of birds that can be visible are African Silver bills and black throated fire finch.
Sahara Desert
Sahara Desert
Sahara Desert
Sahara Desert
Sahara Desert

dimanche 1 mai 2011

Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon Myanmar

The Shwedagon Pagoda or stupa is also called the Golden Pagoda and it is situated in Yangon, Myanmar. The exact height of the Stupa is 321.5 feet. The Shwedagon
Pagoda is located to the west of the Kandawgyi Lake, on the Singuttara hill. This Pagoda is considered to be the most religious pagoda of Lord Buddha for the Burmese. The Pagoda was built to give shelter to the hairs of Buddha.

The reason why the Shwedagon is so special because its Spire is made up of a thick quote of gold and has lots and lots of diamonds, rubies and precious gems embedded in it. The lighting effect in the Shwedagon Stupa gives it a different feel altogether, the entire place lilts as of it is the aura of Lord Buddha still prevailing in the place.

The exact age of the Pagoda is not known to anyone. It is estimated that the structure is 1000 to 2500 years old, made during the time of Buddha. However, it has been said that over the years, it has been destroyed numerous times in the past due to earthquakes and other natural disasters.

The Shwedagon can be reached from all four sides of the hill. On the east and south, one can see vendors selling different kinds of items like the flags, books and images of Lord Buddha. A pair of lions guards the entrance to the Shrine. It is also said that the entire city of Myanmar has contributed gold to the pagoda so that it can be maintained well. This all started from the queen of Shin Sawbu who donated gold equal to her own weight.

Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda

Lijiang River and Its Cruise China

The Lijiang River is also called the Li River in China and originates from the Guangxi Province. It is the highest holiday spot in the entire china. The river starts from the mountains in the Xigan County and covers the Guilin, Yangzhou and makes its way to the next 83 km stretch of natural scenic beauty and thick bamboo forests with amazingly strange rocky formations.

It is a very common sight to see the fishing board every now and then. However, the usage of birds as bait for the fishing is going down. If you decide to go on a cruise in the Li River, the entire boat trip takes a total of seven hours and with the help of a good guide, you can learn a lot about the beauty of the river. The journey includes Pierced Hill, Clean Vase Hill and Embroidery Hill. At about 100 km stretch, one can see one of the best scenic beauties in China.

Some of the best places to view during a planned holiday tour to the Li River are the Reed-Flute Rock, Seven Stars Park, Mountain of Splendid Hues, Elephant- Trunk Hill, Lingqu Canal etc. Also, there are some other packages that are worth every penny that one can spend during their visit to the Lijiang River in china. The scenic beauty of Li river in Guilin is used as a common backdrop for a lot of landscape paintings, poems etc. A common sight to this is bamboo boats, and water buffalo. It has also been said that the beauty of the Li River is so mesmerizing, that it attracts visitors from all over the world.
Lijiang River and Its Cruise
Lijiang River and Its Cruise
Lijiang River and Its Cruise
Lijiang River and Its Cruise
Lijiang River and Its Cruise