Travel Tips and Trips

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY-JANNET ANNENBERG HOOKER HALL OF GEMS

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:54:00 +0000

This is the second part of the series of my visit to National Museum of Natural History.

Janet Annenberg Hooker, 93, philanthropist who gave money and rare jewels to the Smithsonian Institution. A daughter of Moses Annenberg, who founded Triangle Publications, Hooker contributed an estimated $9 million in cash and gems to the museum. Her namesake gallery, the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, which opened in 1997 has a walk-through mine, interactive exhibits and high-resolution videos of earthquakes and volcanoes. Among the gems she donated were the Hooker Starburst Diamonds, a set of rare yellow diamonds, including a 245-carat necklace with 50 rectangular diamonds, a 61-carat diamond ring, and earrings. She also helped to pay for renovations and the redesign of rooms in the White House and the State Department headquarters, and was a donor to the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the New York Philharmonic.

Hope diamond

The Hope Diamond is a large, 45.52-carat, deep blue diamond, currently housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C.. The diamond is legendary for the curse it supposedly puts on whoever possesses it. The Hope Diamond appears to be a brilliant blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within the diamond. The Hope Diamond exhibits red phosphoresence under ultraviolet light and is classified as a Type IIb diamond.

Marie Antoniette necklace

Butterfly

blue stone and diamonds

blue stone

blue stones

yellow and other colored diamonds

yellow diamonds

ruby

ruby

ruby bracelet

emerald necklace

emerald and diamond necklace

emerald with diamond

emerald with diamonds

Tanzanian brooch

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY-THE LIVE BUTTERFLY PAVILION

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:45:00 +0000

The Live Butterfly Pavilion is located at the second floor of the National Museum of Natural History. You can take a stroll among live butterflies and plants. Ticket is $ 6.00 for adult. This is the place where I experienced with butterflies fluttering close to you that you can touch them. Pity, there is a "no touch policy".

LIVE BUTTERFLIES 1

Black with coral spots

LIVE BUTTERFLIES 2

Yellow on yellow

LIVE BUTTERFLIES 3

monarch butterfly?

LIVE BUTTERFLIES 4

Dang, this butterfly is showing off.

LIVE BUTTERFLIES 5

Buckeye on Yellow

LIVE BUTTERFLIES 6

Butterfly drinking?

Black on Orange

LIVE BUTTERFLIES 8

Black on green

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY-MAMMALS-MEET YOUR RELATIVES

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:37:00 +0000

CLOSEST RELATIVES

PRIMATES

A primate is any member of the biological order Primates (Latin: "prime, first rank", the group that contains lemurs, the Aye-aye, lorids, galagos, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes, with the last category including humans.

BATS

A bat is a mammal in the order Chiroptera. Their most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of flight (though other mammals, such as flying squirrels, gliding flying possums and colugos, can glide for limited distances).

KANGAROO

A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning 'large foot'). The largest species from this family are the Red Kangaroo, the Antilopine Kangaroo, and the Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo of the Macropus genus. The many smaller species which include the wallabies, tree-kangaroos, wallaroos, pademelons and the Quokka, some 63 living species in all. Kangaroos are endemic to the continent of Australia, while the smaller macropods are found in New Guinea.

RODENTS FAMILY

Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing.

Forty percent of mammal species are rodents, and they are found in vast numbers on all continents other than Antarctica. Common rodents include mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks, gophers, porcupines, beavers, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, degus, chinchillas, and groundhogs.

SQUIRREL

Flying Squirrel

BIGGEST RAT

Fox

Fox is a name applied to any of roughly 27 species of small to medium-sized canids, characterized by possessing a long, narrow snout, and a bushy tail, or "brush". By far the most common and widespread species of fox is the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), although various species are found on almost every continent.

Wolf

Most authorities see the wolf as the dog's direct ancestor.

Moose or Elk

Moose (Alces alces) is the North American name for the largest extant species in the deer family. The same animal is called the Elk in Europe.

Rhinocerus

The rhinoceros family is characterised by large size (one of the largest remaining megafauna alive today) with all of the species capable of reaching one ton or more in weight; herbivorous diet; and a thick protective skin, 1.5–5 cm thick, formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure; relatively small brains for mammals this size (400–600g); and a large horn.

Zebra

Zebras are odd-toed ungulates of the Equidae family native to eastern, southern and southwestern Africa. They are best known for their distinctive white and black stripes, which come in different patterns unique to each individual.

Koala

The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a thickset arboreal marsupial herbivore native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae.

The Koala is found in coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia, from near Adelaide to the southern part of Cape York Peninsula.

African Buffalo

The African Buffalo or Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a bovid from the family of the Bovidae. It is up to 1.7 meters high, 3.4 meters long. Savannah type buffaloes weigh 500-900 kg, with only males, normally larger than females, reaching the upper weight range. Forest type buffaloes are only half that size.The African Buffalo is not closely related to the slightly larger Wild Asian Water Buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear.] Owing to its unpredictable nature which makes it highly dangerous to humans, it has not been domesticated, unlike its Asian counterpart, the Domestic Asian Water Buffalo.

Mt. Vernon-George Washington Mansion

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:26:00 +0000

We visited Mt. Vernon, the 50 acre- estate of the late President George Washington in Virginia. It was restored, conserved, preserved by the Mt. Vernon Ladies' Association.

It was open to the visitors for more than 140 years now and 70 million people had visited the place. My brother and I are among those people, one Saturday in the month of September, after my minor surgery.

So the tour was confined mostly to the Mansion grounds and the mansion itself.

Inside the mansion, cameras and videos are not allowed. The scaled model of the mansion shows the different chambers of the three storey-mansion.

This is the close-up shot of the third level of the scaled model of the mansion. The bedroom shown was that of Martha Washington which she used after the late President died.

There are two dining rooms in the mansion. This scaled model is the large dining room where Washington entertained dignitaries and other guests. This opens to the porch at the backyard. I saw this in a movie which chronicled the life of George Washington. But of course, it was mere re-creation since this place could not be used by anybody. It seems their furnitures (reproductions ) were smaller in terms of size compared to the ones used these days.

The chairs at the porch were for watching the sunset and the calm Potomac River.

It is believed that the design of the house which was restored by several artisans, architects, miniaturists was done mostly by George Washington. Architecture then was not a estblished profession. The first US President when informed of the criticism made by the media, said "I can truy say that I'd rather be at Mt. Vernon with a friend or two about me rather than to be atteneded at the seat of government by the officers of the State and the representatives of every power in Europe. "

The Little Parlor was where the social gatherings that required dancing and music
were held. The harpsichord that adorned the little parlor was the original music instrument used by the President's stepgranddaughter Nelly.

This is one of the upperbedchambers for guests.

Washington's love for trees filled his diary for references as to the trees and shrubs that he planted such as the elm, white ash and tulip poplars.

These trees are now centuries old. Home to the birds that populate the estate.

Washington built larger structures to replace the small outbuildings as additions to the mansion connected with "pallsades:. He called them the dependencies.

Both the exterior of the mansion and these structures made us of the "rusticated" which was a method of applying sand to the newlypainted wooden boards to make them appear like stones.

This is one of the collonades that join the outbuildings to the mansion.

The outbuildings are the servant's hall, the kitchen, the laundry houses, clerk house and guest houses for the personal servants and slaves of visiting dignitaties and or relatives are located at the mansion grounds. In the movie that I saw, G. Washington talked to her wife about incorporating in his will the grant of freedom to their more than 100 slaves . The will provided for the emancipation after Martha Washington's death, however, one year after the President's death, his wife freed them all. She provided for pensions for the old and infirms. Then she paid the freed slaves, their salaries.

Instead of trash bins, this is what you wll find as repository of your gums or food which are not allowed inside the mansion.

For physically handixapped people and with guests who have toddlers, these are available without asking.

Shenandoah Park

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 09:43:00 +0000

So my brother and I went to Shenandoah Park to see the changing colors of the trees for autumn.

Here is a background of the park from Wikipedia.

Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Piedmont region of Virginia. The national park is long and narrow, with the broad Shenandoah River and valley on the west side, and the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont on the east. Almost 40 % of the land area i.e. 79,579 acres (322 km²), has been designated as Wilderness and is protected as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

The park is best known for Skyline Drive, a 105 mile (169 km) road that runs the entire length of the park along the ridge of the mountains. The drive is particularly popular in the fall when the leaves are changing colors. 101 miles (162 km) of the Appalachian Trail are also in the park. In total, there are over 500 miles (800 km) of trails within the park. Of the trails, one of the most popular is Old Rag Mountain, which offers a thrilling rock scramble and some of the most breathtaking views in Virginia. There is also horseback riding, camping, bicycling, and many waterfalls. The Skyline Drive is a designated as a National Scenic Byway and an All-American Road.

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

The Color of Autumn in Shenandoah Park

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 08:59:00 +0000

Shenandoah Park-The Entrance

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 19:45:00 +0000

Entrance to the park from March thru November is $15 per vehicle, $8 per pedestrian and bicyclist and $10 motorcyclist. Commercial buses are also subject to entrance fees. Your entrance permit is good for seven consecutive days. An annual Shenandoah Passport costs $30. A 12-month Golden Eagle Passport, good at any national park or national recreation area, costs $65. Pick up either of these passes at park entrance stations.

A Golden Access Passport is free to U.S. residents with lifetime disabilities, and a Golden Age Passport is available to U.S. residents 62 or older for a one-time, $10 fee. You can get Golden Eagle, Golden Access or Golden Age Passports at any national park, monument or recreation area that charges entrance fees.

Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Shenandoah Park -Skyline Drive

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 10:00:00 +0000

This is the Skyline Drive which stretches 105 miles and runs the entire length of the park along the ridge of the mountains. The drive is particularly popular in the fall when the leaves are changing colors.

I told you it is long.

With twists and turns.

That we stop from time to time to admire the views from different elevations.

Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Shenandoah Park - Camp Trail

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 08:37:00 +0000

There are about five hundred miles of trails that campers, backpackers and mountain climbers can enjoy.

Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Visitor Center in the Park

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 10:49:00 +0000

There are visitor centers in the park where one can take a break. One of these is this store where books about the camp, wilderness and plants can be purchased. Lots of souvenirs too. There is a logbook where one can write about his/her wild animals sightings while in the park.

Infront the visitor center is also a good view of the ridges.
Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitor Center (Milepost 51) Directly across from Big Meadows.

Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Sunset and the Ridges

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 08:57:00 +0000

Looking westward during sunset in autumn.

Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Another Visitor Center and Restroom Area

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:03:00 +0000

This is another visitor center stop. The trees in the parking area are of different colors.
This is another tree in the same area. Notice the color the of the leaves of the trees.

Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Trees in Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 09:35:00 +0000

Afternoon sun lit tall trees during autumn.

and not so tall trees as well but with the same color of leaves. Yellow.
Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Fallen leaves , tree trunk and vines in Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 20:02:00 +0000

Fallen leaves mixed with drying leaves of creeping vines and dry trunk tree are common sights during Autumn.
Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Tulip Poplar Trees

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 18:24:00 +0000

The tall symmetrical cones of light golden yellow foliage that puctuate the red, browns, and greens of many fall hillsides of the southern Appalachians are Tulip Poplars.

This species has one of the most distinctive leaves of any of our trees, 8-20 cm (3-8") long or wide and broadly notched at the apex.

After yellow, the leaves become brown.

Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Beauty in Dried Twigs, Branches and Trunk of Trees

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 19:30:00 +0000

You can find beauty in the park even in the dried brown leaves, twigs, branches of
once beautiful blooming trees.

This is the close-up of the core of a trunk of a tree.

Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Trees in Hillsides During Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 08:06:00 +0000

Trees in hillsides against a backdrop of late afternoon sun in Autumn.

Shenandoah Park,road trip,

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

The Getty Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 23:22:00 +0000

Since its opening in 1997, my friends based in LA had been urging me to visit the place, knowing that I am fond of museums. But hectic schedules prevented me from
going to the place.

But then that day, I missed one appointment, so off we went to the Getty Museum on a hill.

The picture was taken from wikipedia, since my photos were limited only to short distance shots inside the museum complex. As a background, below is the article about Getty Museum.

The Getty Center, designed by architect Richard Meier, is the flagship museum of the J. Paul Getty Trust. Its design has feng shui influences. It has a seven-story deep underground parking garage with over 1,200 parking spaces. It is located on a hill in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California overlooking Interstate 405 and is open to the public for free (although there is a charge for parking). The Getty Center is high enough that on a clear day, it is possible to see the snow at Big Bear as well as the Pacific Ocean and the entire Los Angeles basin. Much of the buildings and grounds are made of travertine. Other parts are made of white marble.

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Getty Museum-Work of Art

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 22:38:00 +0000

The building stone is travertine, from Bagni di Tivoli, Italy, the same source as the Coliseum, Trevi Fountain and St. Peter's Basilica colonnade.

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Getty Museum-Arrival Plaza-Museum Entrance

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 22:29:00 +0000

This is where guests get off from the tram. Stairway leads to the main door of the museum.

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Getty Museum-The Tram

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 22:28:00 +0000

The trams bring the guest to the museum located on a hill.

At first, I did not want to go. I am afraid of heights. But then my companions insisted and advised me not to look outside the tram's window.

The ascent is not frightening.

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Getty Museum-The Trees

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:56:00 +0000

At this angle, you may think that this is just one tree.

But when you move backward or forward, you will see that this is only one among the many that lined the different parts of the Getty Museum garden. The trees were planted in a row that when viewed from one side, you only see the tree closest to you.

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Getty Museum-Garden-Bouganvilla Trellis

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:54:00 +0000

Sculpted trellis fountains forged from rebar overflow with bougainvillea.

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Getty Museum- The Garden Maze

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 23:47:00 +0000

The reflecting pool and maze at the bottom of the Central Garden.

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland

Getty Museum-Rest Areas

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 22:11:00 +0000

Wherever you go, you find trees for shades.

budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland