Dreamy places

Maupiti - The Unspoken Paradise

2010-12-06T06:28:00.000-08:00

» Maupiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia

A shot of Maupiti's paradisaical Tereia beach from the island mountain. This island is lost in the Pacific islands making it such a great find with less than 2,000 inhabitants and a laid back atmosphere! I shot this with a 300mm zoom lens and a Canon 30D.
By SF Brit

Rice terraces in early morning mist, Guangxi Province, China

2010-12-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

» Guangxi Zhuang, China

Rice terraces in early morning mist, Guangxi Province, China
By miquitos

Rocamadour

2010-11-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

» Rocamadour, Lot, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Rocamadour, was built on a rocky wall at a point where the mummified body of an old hermit was discovered. At these middle age-old times, people thought it was a miracle. One of the 300 "Most beautiful of France" labelized village, a jewel climbing the rock wall. Registered as UNESCO's world heritage list as a step on the Way of St. James. Rocamadour, Lot, Midi-Pyrenees region, France, may 2010.
By dynamosquito

Climbing Journal Mount Rinjani

2010-11-25T18:31:00.000-08:00

Mount Rinjani, Lombok Timur, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Today, from the lake at 2000 meter, we need to climb up to Plawangan Senaru at 2641 meter before decending down to Senaru village at 600 meter. Why like that? That is Rinjani. Up down up down. And today we will see another terrain. You name it, Rinjani has almost all terrains.
By Bohari Adventures

Mont St. Michel

2010-11-25T10:23:00.000-08:00

» Mont-St-Michel, Manche, Basse-Normandie, Normandy, France

Mont Saint-Michel (English: St Michael's Mount) is a rocky tidal island in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one kilometer off the country's north coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches.
By Michal Osmenda

Taipei Taxi Turmoil

2010-11-25T06:36:00.000-08:00

» Taipei, Taiwan

Crazy Taipei taxis. I love this city :D
By Robert S. Donovan

Serengeti National Park

2010-11-22T14:31:00.000-08:00

» Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Elephants in Serengeti National Park (Tanzania).
By Noel Feans

Dubai in the fog

2010-11-22T10:09:00.000-08:00

» Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai covered by fog. Only the buildings along Sheikh Zayed Road can be seen.

Lonely bench in Ekerö

2010-11-15T06:11:00.000-08:00

» Ekerö, Sweden

Ekerö is a locality and the seat of Ekerö Municipality in Stockholm County, Sweden, with 10,322 inhabitants in 2005.

Färingsö is the largest of the islands forming Ekerö Municipality. Ekerö consists of the formerly separate islets of Ekerö, Munsö and Kärsö.

Source: Wikipedia
Photo: Per Ola Wiberg ~ Powi

First sunrays from a farmhouse in Bergara (Guipuzcoa, Spain)

2010-11-14T05:52:00.000-08:00

» Bergara, Guipuzcoa Province, Basque Country, Spain

Bergara is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the north of Spain.

An Enlightened center of education operated by the Real Sociedad Bascongada de Amigos del País ("Royal Basque Society of Friends of the Country"), it was the place where Faustino Elhuyar discovered wolfram.

During the Carlist Wars, it operated as the capital and royal court of the Carlists. It was there where the agreement symbolized in the Vergara Embrace between Rafael Maroto and Baldomero Espartero, Prince of Vergara ended one of the period wars.

Source: Wikipedia
Photo: GViciano

Galata Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey

2010-11-13T05:42:00.000-08:00

» Galata Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey

The Galata Bridge (in Turkish Galata Köprüsü) is a bridge that spans the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. From the end of the 19th century in particular, the bridge has featured in Turkish literature, theater, poetry and novels.

History

The oldest recorded bridge over the Golden Horn in Istanbul was built during the reign of Justinian the Great in the 6th century AD close to the area near the Theodosian Land Walls at the western end of the city. In 1453, during the Fall of Constantinople, the Turks assembled a mobile bridge by putting their ships next to each other and used it for transporting their troops from one side of the Golden Horn to the other.

In the years 1502-1503 plans to construct the first bridge in the current location were discussed. Sultan Bayezid II solicited a design and Leonardo da Vinci, utilizing three well-known geometrical principles, the pressed-bow, parabolic curve and keystone arch, created an unprecedented single span 240 m long and 24 m wide bridge for the Golden Horn, which would become the longest bridge in the world of that period if constructed. However, the ambitious design did not meet with the Sultan's approval. Another Italian artist, Michelangelo was also invited to design a bridge for Istanbul. Michelangelo rejected the proposal, and the idea of building a bridge across the Golden Horn was shelved until the 19th century.

A smaller scale version of Leonardo da Vinci's Golden Horn Bridge was brought to life in 2001 near Oslo, Norway by the contemporary artist Vebjørn Sand, the first civil engineering project based on a Leonardo da Vinci sketch to be constructed. The Leonardo Bridge Project hopes to build the design as a practical footbridge around the world, including the Golden Horn in Istanbul, using local materials and collaborating with local artisans as a global public art project. The Wall Street Journal referred to the Project as a "...logo for the nations." (WSJ, Nov. 5-6, 2005)

By Kıvanç Niş

Sunrise in Mnt. Huang Shan

2010-11-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

» Huangshan, Anhui, China

Huangshan is a granite massif consisting of 36 separate peaks, rising above 1,800 m. Famous throughout Chinese artistic history, Huangshan represents the typical mountain in Chinese paintings. Frequently shrouded in mist, the many peaks appear to float on clouds and have very fanciful names such as 18 Arhats Worshipping the South Sea, Lotus Flower Peak, Celestial Capital, Paint Brush, etc.

Jagged granite peaks clothed in uniquely shaped pine trees create a spectacular landscape of great interest to artists and photographers. The development of walking tracks and cable cars makes this landscape accessible to most active travellers.

Over 1,450 kinds of plant are found within the Park. The most spectacular tree is the unique Pinus huangshanensis which grows precariously clinging to rock faces. Many of the trees have names such as the Welcoming Guest and the Seeing-off Guest Pines. Carpinus, Cornus, Enkianthus, Fraxinus, Rhododendron and Weigelia are some of the species of flowering tree to be seen. 470 species of animals have been recorded. The most frequently seen ground animals are squirrels and small skinks.

Source: Wikitravel
Photo: madiko83

White Bay Beach, Guana Island, British Virgin Islands

2010-11-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

» Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean

Guana Island is an island of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in the Caribbean. One of the few remaining privately-owned islands in its part of the world, Guana has seven white powder-sand beaches and 850 acres (3.4 km2) of tropical forest, mountains, hills, and valleys. The island is mostly natural preserve and has a small resort.

In the 18th century, two Quaker families came to Guana as part of what was called "the Quaker Experiment" which lasted for about forty-five years in the BVI. They used African slaves and cultivated sugar cane. When they were recalled to the United States and England, they left behind two cannons still on Guana today. Archaeologists have extensively studied the Quaker ruins and have also unearthed older artifacts that give insight into Guana's earlier Amerindian history.

Beth and Louis Bigelow of Massachusetts purchased Guana in 1934. With the help of local men they built six stone cottages and developed a reputation as creative pioneers. Their guests - professionals, intellectuals and world travelers - came for months at a time, attracted to the simple but rich life.

Henry and Gloria Jarecki bought Guana in 1975 and began improving accommodations and other facilities with the goal of maintaining the island's historic style and ambiance. An interest in conservation led them to establish a long-term restoration program to protect the island's flora and fauna and bring back once-common species.

Scientists say that Guana has more flora and fauna than any island of its size yet studied in the Caribbean and possibly the world.[1] The restoration program has brought extirpated species back to Guana and other Virgin Islands. The stout iguana had survived only on Anegada but now flourishes on Guana and lives on other islands as well. Other plant and animal species that have been restored and protected include the red-legged tortoise, the Bridled Quail-dove, the Caribbean flamingo, the White-crowned Pigeon, Eggers' mallow tree, the Virgin Islands euphorb, Hohenberg's ground bromeliad, and a unique bromeliad found nowhere else.

Guana also has three reef areas. White Bay is a set of parallel patch reefs in shallow water, where there are no strong waves or currents. The reefs are home to about 100 tropical reef fishes, waving gorgonians called fan corals, and the various species of hard corals. Muskmelon Bay is a deep bay with reefs at 60 to 80 feet (24 m). Large, oceanic fishes like tuna and king mackerel may be seen there. North Bay is a windward, rough-water bay with deep reefs and wrecks.

» Complete list of all 1000 Places To See Before You Die

Source: Wikipedia
Photo: New Jersey Birds

Canaima

2010-11-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

» Canaima National Park, Guayana Highlands, Gran Sabana, Bolivar State, Venezuela

Canaima National Park is in the Gran Sabana region of Venezuela, in the southern Bolivar State.

Canaima National Park is the gateway to Angel Falls. Although other waterfalls and lagoons can be visited from Canaima camp, the main reason tourists fly here is for the three-day, two-night trips to the base of Angel Falls.

Flat, grassy savannahs with dramatic tepuis (table-top mountains), waterfalls and moriche palms. Angel Falls is located on the side of the largest of the Venezuela's tepuis known as Auyan-tepui.

There is an incredible variety of tropical wildlife in the area, including monkeys, poison arrow frogs and hundreds of species of orchids. Mammals in the area are generally difficult to spot but include giant anteaters, armadillos, porcupines, three-toed sloths, otters, jaguars, pumas, tapirs and capybaras.Some of the birds that you can see are king vulture, paradise tanager, white bellbird, cock of the rock, musician wren, great kiskadee, bananaquit, velvet browned brillant, capunchinbird, sooty-capped hermit, blue-cheeked parrot and others.

Source: Wikitravel
Photo: Adalbertop

Danmark O, Fohn Fjord, Renodde. 70°N/26°W

2010-11-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

» Fohn Fjord, Renodde, Greenland

Greenland (Greenlandic: Kalaallit Nunaat; Danish: Grønland) is the world's largest non-continental island, in the far northeast of North America, largely within the Arctic Circle. Although it is still part of the Kingdom of Denmark, it was granted self-government effective in 1979, more recently it voted for more autonomy, in effect making it a separate country with formal ties to Denmark. Some inhabitants are now projecting the eventual road to independence. Copenhagen remains responsible for its foreign affairs, and of course is a source of investment. The closest neighbouring countries are Iceland to the South-East, Canada to the West and Svalbard in Norway to the North-East.

Although some maps with flat projections of the globe tend to make Greenland look the size of Africa, it is actually "only" about the size of Mexico. Greenland has the world's lowest population density.

It represents some 97% of the area of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Danish territorial claim is rooted in the 10th-century explorations of the Vikings, though administrative power has changed hands several times over the centuries due to developments in Europe. The native Greenlanders, or Kalaallit, are Inuit descendants of nomads from northern Canada. ("Eskimo" is offensive in some parts of the Arctic.)

According to the Icelandic Sagas, Erik the Red chose the name "Greenland" to entice settlers from Iceland. In fact, Greenland has far more ice cover (about 84% of its immense surface area) than Iceland does. This may only be legend: the southern coasts the Vikings settled are green in summer, and were likely more so during the Medieval Warm Period.

Be careful with maps of Greenland, as many Greenlandic names simply reference a particular geographical feature. For example, "Kangerlussuaq" means "Big Fjord" and so is not only the Greenlandic name for Søndre Strømfjord.

When visiting a city or village don't be afraid to ask for directions of shops, places to eat or somewhere to sleep, even if you think there might not be any. Most places (even Nuuk) are small enough for everyone to know where everything is, and therefore no one bothered to put up a sign. Don't be surprised to find a fully equipped supermarket inside a grey factory-like building in the middle of nowhere.

Source: Wikitravel
Photo: Rita Willaert

Party in the sky - Prosser

2010-11-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

» Prosser, Yakima Valley, Washington

I got up at 3am to drive from Seattle to Prosser in eastern WA. Still debating whether or not it was worth it. It was pretty cool to see the 31 balloons launch at sunrise over the Yakima river. I will be offline for a few weeks on a road trip to Banff and Jasper. Thanks for checking out the photo and saying hi.

By Seattle Miles

Buenos Aires

2010-11-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

» Buenos Aires, Capital Federal District, Argentina

Buenos Aires is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and accommodation listings — consider printing them all.

Buenos Aires (official name Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, also called Capital Federal ) is the capital of the Argentine Republic. The name means fair winds in Spanish. It is one of the largest cities in Latin America, with a lot of cultural offerings, and is the point of departure for travelling to the rest of the country. Inhabitants of Buenos Aires are called porteños, "people from the port". Buenos Aires is a singular, open and integrating destination that allows the visitor not only to view the city but the opportunity to have an exceptional urban adventure.

The city is geographically contained inside the province of Buenos Aires, but it is politically autonomous. Its coordinates are 34º 36' S, 58º 26' W.

The city extends on a plain covering 19.4 kilometers (12 miles) from north to south and 17.9 kilometers (11 miles) from east to west.

Approximately three million people live in the City of Buenos Aires (the Federal Capital of Argentina with 202 square kilometers equivalent to 78.3 sq miles). The City is divided into 48 districts or barrios. Together with its metropolitan area or Great Buenos Aires (Gran Buenos Aires) this is one of the ten most populated urban centers in the world with over 14 million people. Most of the country's activity is highly concentrated in this single city and its surroundings.

Buenos Aires constantly receives tourists from all over the world and offers a large choice of cultural events, nightlife, restaurants and pubs, so you can expect good services and a wide range of options.

Buenos Aires has also one of the largest homosexual communities in Latin America and there is a liberal attitude towards gay society. The Capital Federal law allows and recognizes legal civil marriage. Following the economic recovery, in recent years there has been an increase in gay-friendly businesses such as real estate, apartment rental, travel agents, language classes, tango classes, bars, restaurants, hotels and guesthouses. Since 2007, the city has seen the arrival of more gay cruise ships, the opening of a gay 5-star hotel and a general increase in gay tourism.

While no longer the dirt-cheap discount destination it was in the first half of the 2000s (some hotel prices have risen by over 100%), visitors from North America and Europe will still find it a bargain. Food costs range from 2-pesos hot dogs and 20-pesos large pizzas to 40 pesos steak dinners at high-end restaurants. Transportation is equally affordable with metro and bus trips for little more than a peso and downtown taxi services starting at 6 pesos. Hotels, as anywhere, vary from cheap hostels to full service five stars that can run into the thousands of pesos.

Source: Wikitravel
Photo: zaqi

Budapest

2010-11-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

» Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. With green filled parks full of charming pleasures, museums that will inspire, and a pulsating nightlife that is on par with its European counterparts, Budapest is one of Europe's most delightful and enjoyable cities. Thanks to the perfect location, inhabitants' hospitality and memorable monuments is it mentioned as "Little Paris of Central Europe" and "Pearl of Danube".

Regarded by many as one of world's most beautiful cities, travelers are quickly recognising the appeal of Budapest, with tourism accounting for approximately 20 million visitors per year.

Consisting of two very different cities, Buda on the West bank of the Danube River and Pest on the East bank, Budapest (pronounced "BOO-dah-pesht") offers travelers Viennese romanticism at an affordable price. However, Budapest is unique in its own right. Hungarians are proud of what this ancient capital has to offer and its contributions to European culture, especially in the field of music, a language one doesn't need to speak to appreciate.

Source: Wikitravel
Photo: ** Maurice **

Perls - Elafonissi Island, Greece

2010-11-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

» Elafonissi, Chania, Crete, Greece

Elafonisi Island is near the southeast tip of Crete, 43km from Kastelli and 76km from Chania. The road from Chrisoskalitissa continues as a dirt track of 5km to Elafonisi. There are organized bus tours from Kastelli and Chania as well as boat tours from Paleohora to Elafonisi. The area of Elafonisi has beautiful beaches, in front of which is the island of Elafonisi itself.

This lovely islet was the site of a massacre of 850 women and children by the Turks in 1824. The women and children were hidden there and as the Turks camped on the beaches a horse found the shallow, 0.5 - 0.8 metre-deep water path to the island. The Turks discovered the women and children and slaughtered them. There is a memorial plaque on the highest point of the islet.

By Wolfgang Staudt

Tranquilité, Portofino

2010-11-04T02:00:00.000-07:00

» Portofino, Italian Riviera, Italy

Portofino is a fashionable resort town crawling with celebrities. Both have very picturesque harbors, great seafood and a relaxing ambiance. Travel guru Rick Steves says that the trail between the two towns is one of the favorites of hikers. The distance is only about 3 miles, or 5 kilometers.

Portofino cannot be reached by train, so train travelers disembark at Santa Margherita Ligure. It is a short walk to the harbor with wonderful cafes and lovely boats. From the harbor in Santa Margherita Ligure, simply follow the harbor and sea coast and soon you are walking along the sea, past beaches laden with sun worshipers and secret pirate coves. At the tiny town of Paraggi, the trail takes up to the right side of the road on a nice paved/gravel path through the woods.

Reaching Portofino, you walk between stone walls and finally dive down to the tiny harbor stacked with million-dollar yachts and colorful fishing boats. The walker may choose to take the inexpensive ferry back to Santa Margherita Ligure or may walk back or take the bus. But first have a delightful meal and wine overlooking the beautiful people enjoying Portofino.

By Aida Photography

Directions to a Beach - Eleuthera, Bahamas

2010-11-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

» Eleuthera, Out Islands, Bahamas, Caribbean

Eleuthera is an island in The Bahamas, lying 50 miles (80 km) east of Nassau. It is very long and thin—110 miles (180 km) long and in places little more than a mile wide. According to the 2000 Census, the population of Eleuthera is approximately 8,000. The name "Eleuthera" is derived from the feminine form of the Greek word ελεύθερος (eleutheros), "free".

The topography of the island varies from wide rolling pink sand beaches to large outcrops of ancient coral reefs. The eastern side of the island faces the Atlantic Ocean while the western side faces the Great Bahama Bank, one of the two Bahama Banks.

Enjoy (walk, swim, snorkel, get a tan, or whatever you like to do on beaches) the many great beaches. The water is usually rougher (bigger waves) on the Atlantic side of the island.

Surfing near Gregory Town in North-Central Eleuthera ("Surfer's Beach").

Swim, snorkel or dive the tidal current at Current Cut (North Eleuthera). Thrilling!

Fishing is one of the biggest sports in Eleuthera. Several people have recommended Paul Petty as a good local fishing guide.

Explore the Hatchet Bay Cave... bring a friend and at least one flashlight (preferably one each - or a back-up candle and matches - you don't want to get stuck without light down there!). Bring swimming gear if you want to explore the lowest level, which is half-filled with water. There are some friendly bats in the cave, but not many.

Explore some of the other caves on the island (there are several)! A) There is one just north of Ten Bay Beach (South of South Palmetto Point) - look out for the "Bahamas Heritage" sign on Queen's Highway. This one has a huge colony of bats, you can't miss them, and you will need a flashlight here! B) There is a nice system of caves just south of Rock Sound - look out for the "Bahamas Heritage" sign opposite to a church. You don't need any flashlight here. There is a small colony of bats in one of the caves. Also, look out for the turtle in the nearby "bottomless" pond. C) Preacher's Cave, close to a nice beach at the northern end of Eleuthera, is of historic interest as "The first Bahamian settlement". No flashlights needed here. The unpaved road, taking you the 2 miles or so from Queen's Highway to the cave, is a tough drive for a normal car (although possible).

Watch the Junkanoo parade in Tarpum Bay (this is a must if you happen to be on the island during Christmas time)! Check with the locals for the exact schedule.

Feed the fishes (or swim with them) in the Ocean Hole in Rock Sound.

Take a bath in "Queen's Bath", a mile or so south of the Glass Window Bridge. But make sure to watch out for big waves!

Attend a "Friday Night's Fish Fry" in Governor's Harbour. A large percentage of all tourists on the island seems to gather here every Friday for some BBQ, drinks and loud music. Be prepared to wait for an hour or more to get your food once you have ordered.

Source: Wikipedia and Wikitravel
Photo: RyAwesome

Cloud Gate at Sunrise, Chicago

2010-11-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

» Cloud Gate, Millenium Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA

icky cloudy morning. i was hoping for a brilliant sunrise- i mean, i should have been rewarded for getting up at 5 in the morning, taking the el to downtown chicago in rush hour just to take a photo without tourists, right? not so. i was given clouds and cold fingers, blah

and, i also was surprised to stumble across this secret world of morning photographers. I met a very nice woman who was also shooting the bean and this other man who kept walking in my shots. (grumble) I feel like i am now part this underground group of photographers who wake up wayyyy to early and photograph the world without silly people walking in and out of pictures. I must keep my eyes open for fellow members during my next travels. :]

Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate, a public sculpture by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, is the centerpiece of the AT&T Plaza in Millennium Park within the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The sculpture and AT&T Plaza are located on top of Park Grill, between the Chase Promenade and McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink. Constructed between 2004 and 2006, the sculpture is nicknamed "The Bean" because of its bean-like shape. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its highly polished exterior has no visible seams. It is 33 feet by 66 feet by 42 feet (10 m × 20 m × 13 m), and weighs 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons).

Kapoor's design was inspired by liquid mercury and the sculpture's surface reflects and distorts the city's skyline. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate's 12-foot (3.7 m) high arch. On the underside is the "omphalos" (Greek for "navel"), a concave chamber that warps and multiplies reflections. The sculpture builds upon many of Kapoor's artistic themes, and is popular with tourists as a photo-taking opportunity for its unique reflective properties.

Source: Wikipedia
Photo: Kara Allyson

Lumpini Park Lights, Bangkok

2010-11-03T02:00:00.000-07:00

» Lumpini, Bangkok, Thailand

Lumphini Park (also Lumpini or Lumpinee, Thai: สวนลุมพินี) is a 360-rai (57.6-hectare (142-acre)) park in Bangkok, Thailand. This park offers rare open public space, trees and playgrounds in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake where visitors can rent a variety of boats. Paths around the park totalling approximately 2.5km in length are a popular area for evening joggers. Officially, cycling is only permitted during the day between the times of 5am to 3pm. There is a smoking ban throughout the park, and dogs are not allowed.

Lumpini Park was created in the 1920s by King Rama VI on royal property. A statue of the king stands at the southwestern entrance to the park. It was named for Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha in Nepal, and at the time of its creation stood on the outskirts of the city.

Today it lies in the heart of the main business district and is in the Lumphini sub-district, on the north side of Rama IV Road, between Ratchadamri Road and Witthayu Road.

It has Bangkok's first public library and dance hall. During winter time, the Palm Garden of Lumphini Park becomes the site for the annual Concert in the Park festival featuring classical music by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and other bands.

Source: Wikipedia
Photo: MikeBehnken

Taj Mahal, Agra, India

2010-11-02T18:00:00.000-07:00

» Taj Mahal, Agra, India

The Taj Mahal is an immense mausoleum of white marble, built between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife. Taj Mahal means Crown Palace; one of the wife's names was Mumtaz Mahal, Ornament of the Palace. The Taj is one of the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tombs in the world, one of the masterpieces of Indian Muslim architecture, and one of the great sites of the world's heritage.

The Taj Mahal has a life of its own that leaps out of marble, provided you understand that it is a monument of love. The Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore called it a teardrop on the cheek of eternity, while the English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold, said it was Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor's love wrought in living stones. It is a celebration of woman built in marble and that is the way to appreciate it.

Although it is one of the most photographed edifices in the world and instantly recognisable, actually seeing it is awe-inspiring. Not everything is in the photos. The grounds of the complex include several other beautiful buildings, reflecting pools, and extensive ornamental gardens with flowering trees and bushes, and a small gift shop. The Taj framed by trees and reflected in a pool is amazing. Close up, large parts of the building are covered with inlaid stonework.

There is an apocryphal tale that Shah Jahan planned to build an exact copy out of black marble on the opposite side of the river. His plans were foiled by his son, who murdered three elder brothers and overthrew his father to acquire the throne. Shah Jahan is now buried alongside his wife in the Taj Mahal.

If you are taking a camera, beware that because the Taj is white your camera may underexpose your photos. If it is a film camera you will not find out until it is too late. Overexposure by 1 or 2 stops is recommended.

The Taj is open from 6:00 AM to 7:30 PM every day except Friday. Entry costs Rs 250 (plus levy of Rs 500) for foreigners and Rs 20 for Indians. Get there as early as possible to beat the crowds, and plan to visit the Taj at least two different times during the day (dusk and dawn are best) in order to experience the full effect of changing sunlight on the amazing building. It is also utterly stunning under a full moon. To buy tickets, you can go to the south gate, but this gate is 1 km far away of the entrance and the counter open at 8:00 AM. At the west and east gate, the counter open at 6:00 AM.

The Taj is located pretty much in the middle of town. Expect a line to get into the grounds. There are three gates. The western gate is the main gate where most tourists enter. A large number of people turn up on weekends and public holidays and entry through the western gate may take hours. The southern and eastern gates are much less busy and should be tried on such days.

There are night viewing sessions on the nights of a full moon and the two days before and after (so five days in total). Exceptions are Fridays (the Muslim sabbath) and the month of Ramadan. Tickets must be purchased 24 hours in advance, starting at 10am, but do not always sell out, so it can be worth looking into it when you arrive even if well after 10am. Tickets only allow viewing from the red sandstone plaza at the south end of the complex, and only for a 1/2 hour window.

» Complete list of all 1000 Places To See Before You Die

Source: Wikitravel
Photo: valcanno

Stonehenge at Sunset

2010-11-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

» Stonehenge, Amesbury, Wiltshire, England, UK

Stonehenge is a well-known Neolithic and Bronze Age stone monument located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. The whole WHS is quite large and contains many other structures from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

Stonehenge is in a World Heritage Site of over 2000 hectares that is considered one of the most archaeologicaly rich in Europe. It is home to some of the most important Neolithic and Bronze Age finds and structures in the UK, and contains some 200 scheduled monuments. It is also the site of one of the biggest Chalk grassland reversion projects in the world.

Stonehenge is owned by the nation and is administered by English Heritage [1]. Much of the World Heritage Site land is owned by local farms, but a third is owned and managed by the National Trust who are spearheading the grass regeneration scheme.

History
Evidence indicates that the area around Stonehenge has been occupied since around 8000BC, but it was during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods that the vast majority of the monuments around it came to be built. Early work at Stonehenge itself began in 3000BC when an outer ditch and embankment was constructed, and standing timbers erected. From about 2500BC, Neolithic and Bronze age man started to bring Bluestones and Sarsen stones from Wales and the Marlborough Downs. It was not until 1600BC that Stonehenge came to be completed. Most of the other monuments in the area such as Durrington Walls and Woodhenge date from the same period. A nearby hill fort was built during the Iron Age, and there is evidence to suggest that the area was extensively settled by the Romans. The nearby town of Amesbury was later settled during the Saxon reign in 979AD.

Stonehenge and the land immediately around it was given to the nation in 1918. Being on the edge of the military training area Salisbury Plain, a large amount of military facilities have also been constructed in the area, including military barracks, a light railway and an aerodrome built within a stone's throw of Stonehenge (most of which has now fortunately been removed). Since then the National Trust has acquired some 850 hectares around Stonehenge, and the area was given UNESCO World Heritage status in 1986.

Landscape
The Stonehenge landscape is one of the best preserved areas of readily accessible chalk downland in the UK. On the edge of Salisbury plain it features several rolling hills and dry river valleys that allow for pleasant walks without too much trouble. Surrounding farmland is ideal for crops and animal grazing.

Source: Wikitravel
Photo: MrsMinifig