Vacation To Beautiful Places

Panama Canal

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:42:11 PDT

Panama

The Panama Canal is a man-made Canal which joins the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. One of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken, has had an enormous impact on maritime transport between the two oceans, which replaces the long and treacherous path through the Drake Passage and Cape Horn at the southernmost tip of South America . A ship sailing from New York to San Francisco, travel through the channel of 9500 km (6000 miles), well below half of 22500 km (14000 mi) route around Cape Horn. Although the concept of a canal near Panama dates back to the early 16 th century, the first attempt to build a canal began in 1880 under French leadership. After this attempt failed and 21900 workers saw die, the project to construct a channel was attempted and completed by the United States in the early 1900, with the opening of the channel in 1914. The construction of 77 km (48 miles) canal was plagued by problems, including disease (especially malaria and yellow fever) and landslides. By the time the canal was completed, for a total of 27500 workers, estimated to have died in French and American efforts.

Since the opening, the channel has had a huge success, and continues to be a key conduit for international trade patterns. The channel can accommodate vessels from small private yachts to commercial vessels large. The maximum size of the vessel that may use the channel is known as Panamax, an increasing number of modern ships exceed this limit, and are known as post-Panamax ships. A typical passage through the channel from a cargo vessel is about nine hours. 14011 ships passed through in 2005, with a total capacity of 278.8 million tonnes, making an average of nearly 40 vessels per day.

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Stonehenge

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:58:52 PDT

Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 3.2 kilometers (2.0 miles) west of Amesbury and 13 km (8.1 miles) north of Salisbury.

Archeologi believe that the position stones were erected around 2200 BC and the land surrounding circular bank and ditch, which constitute the first phase of the monument, were dated to about 3100 BC.

New archaeological evidence to find the Stonehenge Riverside Project indicates that Stonehenge was used as a burial ground from its earliest beginnings.

Golden Gate Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:59:13 PDT

San Francisco, California and Marin County, California

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the beginning of the San Francisco Bay onto the Pacific Ocean. As part of both United States Highway 101 and California Route 1, it connects the city of San Francisco on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula to Marin County.

The Golden Gate Bridge had the longest suspension bridge span in the world when it was finished in 1937 and has become an internationally acknowledged symbol of San Francisco and California. Since its completion, the span length has been surpassed through eight other bridges. It still has the second longest suspension bridge main span in the U.S., after the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York City. In 2007, it was ranked fifth on the List of America's popular Architecture by the American Institute of Architects

The Golden Gate Bridge spans the Golden Gate, a narrow, 400-foot (120 m) deep strait that serves as the mouth of the San Francisco Bay, between San Francisco at the northernmost tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, and the Marin Headlands at the far southern end of Marin County. Although close through proximity, the two sides of the strait are split by important natural obstructions. Crossing the strait directly by boat is insecure because of strong currents and lack of suitable landings. Ocean tides drive an average of 528 billion gallons (2 billion cubic meters) of water every six hours, at peak currents exceeding 5.6 mph (2.5 m/s). Circumnavigating the Bay, even so, involves a trip of several hundred miles and crossing several major rivers.

Taj Mahal

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:59:36 PDT

Agra, India

The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum placed in Agra, India, that was built under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in remembering of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

The Taj Mahal (also "the Taj") is believed the best example of Mughal architecture, a style that combinings elements from Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic styles of architecture. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Islamic art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."

While the white domed marble and tile mausoleum is most familiar, Taj Mahal is an integrated symmetric composite of structures that was finished around 1648. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is commonly believed to be the principal designer of the Taj Mahal.

Almost travellers claim this wonder the world's most beautiful building - ever. Some say it is worthy a travel half way around the world just to see it. That’s what they said :-)

Great Pyramid of Giza

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:59:55 PDT

Giza, Egypt

The Great Pyramid of Giza , also called Khufu's Pyramid or the Pyramid of Khufu, and Pyramid of Cheops, is the most older and biggest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is at present Cairo, Egypt in Africa, and is the only continuing appendage of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is considered the pyramid was assembled as a tomb for 4th dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek) and manufactured across a 20 year period concluding about 2560 BC. The Great Pyramid was the most marvelous man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. Visibly entirely that remains is the fundamental step-pyramid core structure seen now. A lot of the casing stones that at one time covered the structure can still be caught around the base of the Great Pyramid. There have been varying scientific and alternative possibilities affecting the Great Pyramid's construction techniques. Most accepted construction possibilities are supported the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place.

There are three known chambers deep down the Great Pyramid. The bottom chamber is cut into the bedrock upon which the pyramid was built and was incomplete. A passage from the Grand Gallery leads to the Queen's Chamber, while an antechamber leads from the Grand Gallery to the King's Chamber. The sarcophagus of the King's Chamber was cored out of a single piece of Red Aswan granite and back-number found to be overlarge to fit through the passageway leading to the chamber. Both the King's Chamber and the Queen's Chamber contains small shafts that ascend out of the pyramid. Egyptologists now conclude they were instead used for ceremonial aims. The Great Pyramid is the only pyramid acknowledged to contain both ascending and descending passages. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the primary part of a complex setting of constructions that included two mortuary temples in honor of Khufu (one close to the pyramid and one near the Nile), three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite" pyramid, a raised causeway associating the two temples, and small mastaba tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles.

Machu Picchu

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:07:42 PDT

Peru

Machu Picchu (Quechua: Machu Picchu, "Old Peak") is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,400 meters (7,875 ft) above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is 80 km (50 mi) northwest of Cuzco. Often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", Machu Picchu is probably the most familiar symbol of the Inca Empire. It was built around the year 1450, but abandoned a hundred years later, at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Forgotten for centuries, the site was brought to worldwide attention in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, an American historian. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction. It was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It is also one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its primary buildings are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are located in what is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu. In September of 2007, Peru and Yale University reached an agreement regarding the return of artifacts which Hiram Bingham had removed from Machu Picchu in the early 20th century. Currently, there are concerns about the impact of tourism on the site as it reached 400,000 visitors in 2003.

Lombok

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:02:17 PDT

West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Lombok (population 2,950,105 in 2005) is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It is part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east. It is roughly circular, with a "tail" to the southwest, about 70 km across and a total area of about 4,725 km² (1,825 sq mi). The administrative capital and largest city on the island is Mataram.

Lombok has been promoted as "an unspoiled Bali" for quite some time, with beautiful beaches and the large, looming volcano of Mount Rinjani. However, an impending tourism boom was severely disrupted by riots in 2000, when mobs of Muslims and ethnic Sasak people, ostensibly protesting sectarian violence in Maluku, attacked and looted churches as well as homes and businesses owned by Christians and ethnic Chinese. The ensuing years have been quieter, but tourists have continued to stay away.

The more Islamic culture in Lombok compared than Bali may explain the reason why Lombok is quieter than Bali in terms of parties and nightlife, which can be either a positive or a negative depending on your point of view. Lombok is also becoming increasingly popular for honeymooners.

Tips

You can try surfing and photography, there’s a lot of beautiful places in Lombok.

For more information, click this link

Kuta

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Thu, 22 May 2008 02:51:17 PDT

Kuta Bali, Indonesia

Bali has many beautifull place to visit. Kuta beach is one of them. It has white sands, great waves for surfers, amazing daily sunset view, suits for sunbath, take the air, swimming, and various kind of activities. Kuta beach are one of the favorite place for surfing, usually there are big surfing events (local and international) held during the summer holiday and patricipated by the local surfer and international.

Kuta is a town in southern Bali, Indonesia. A former fishing village, it was one of the first towns on Bali to see substantial tourist development, and as a beach resort remains one of Indonesia's major tourist destinations. It is known internationally for its long sandy beach, varied accommodation, many restaurants and bars, and substantial Australian population. It is located near Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport.

Kuta was the site of the October 12, 2002 Bali bombing (202 killed) and the October 1, 2005 Bali bombing (26 killed).

Kuta is now the center of an extensive tourist-oriented urban area that merges into the neighboring towns. Legian, to the north, is the commercial hub of Kuta and the site of many restaurants and entertainment spots. Most of the area's big beachfront hotels are in the southern section of Tuban.

Legian and Seminyak are northern extensions of Kuta along Jl. Legian and Jl. Basangkasa. They are somewhat quieter suburbs with cottage-style accommodations, where many of the expat crowd live. Also to the north are Petitenget, Berawa, Canggu, and Seseh - new and quieter continuations of Kuta's beach. They are easy to reach through Abian Timbul or Denpasar and Kerobokan. Several large hotels are located in this area: the Oberoi Bali, Hard Rock Hotel Bali, the Intan Bali Village, the Legian in Petitenget, the Dewata Beach and the Bali Sani Suites in Berawa.

To the south, Kuta Beach extends beyond the airport into Jimbaran.

The Balinese Provincial Government have taken the view that the preservation of the Balinese culture, natural resources and wildlife are of primary importance in the development of the island. To this end they have limited tourist development to the peninsula on the extreme southern aspect of the island; Kuta beach is on the western side of this peninsula and Sanur is on the east. To the north of the peninsula no new tourist development is supposedly permitted.

Tips :
Surving, photography, and watch the sunset, although there are many activities you can do :).

Great Wall of China

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Thu, 22 May 2008 02:47:19 PDT

China

China has a many good places, but one of the greatest is greatwall of China. When I see this great wall, I remember Chineese kungfu movie that I always watch when I was a child :-)).

The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. Several walls, referred to as the Great Wall of China, were built since the 5th century BC. The most famous is the wall built between 200 BC - 220 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang; little of it remains; it was much farther north than the current wall, which was built during the Ming Dynasty.

The Great Wall stretches over approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia, but stretches to over 6,700 km (4,160 miles) in total. At its peak, the Ming Wall was guarded by more than one million men. It has been estimated that somewhere in the range of 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries-long project of building the wall.

Few Tips
Go in the early morning or late afternoon when sightseeing buses are relatively scarce. And, the low-angled sun rays help make great photographs. Crowds can be thick from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

Learn more

Eiffel Tower

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:03:48 PDT

Paris – France

The Eiffel Tower is a very romantic landmark in Paris. Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in Paris and one of the most recognized structures in the world. More than 200,000,000 have visited the tower since its construction in 1889, including 6,719,200 in 2006, making it the most visited paid monument in the world. Including the 24 m (79 ft) antenna, the structure is 325 m (1,063 ft) high (since 2000), which is equivalent to about 81 levels in a conventional building.

The metal structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tonnes while the entire structure including non-metal components is approximately 10,000 tonnes. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7 in) because of thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun. The tower also sways 6-7 cm (2-3 in) in the wind. As demonstration of the economy of design, if the 7300 tonnes of the metal structure were melted down it would fill the 125 meter square base to a depth of only 6 cm (2.36 in), assuming a density of the metal to be 7.8 tonnes per cubic meter. The tower has a mass less than the mass of the air contained in a cylinder of the same dimensions, that is 324 meters high and 88.3 meters in radius. The weight of the tower is 10,100 tonnes compared to 10,265 tonnes of air.

Tips :
Go to the roof top in late afternoon and wait for the special moment - when the Eiffel Tower lights up.

Special moment, Eiffel Tower

Disneyland

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:02:38 PDT

Anaheim, California, US

It’s fun being with children. Especially with your son. I think this is the right place to hang out and having fun with them.

Disneyland is a theme park that is located at 1313 South Harbor Boulevard in Anaheim, California, USA. It opened on July 17, 1955. The park is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. Currently the park has been visited by more than 515 million guests since it opened to the public, including presidents, royalty, and other heads of state.

In 1998 Disneyland was renamed Disneyland Park in order to distinguish it from the larger Disneyland Resort complex

Tips :
1. In general, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the least busy days.
2. If you go when Disneyland is less busy, be aware that
- The park hours are shorter
- More rides may be closed for maintenance
- FastPasses may not be offered
3. Weekends are about twice as busy as weekdays, and 3-day weekends are 3 times as busy
4. Saturdays are busier than Sundays
5. Schools have random Fridays off and half-days, which can impact attendance. Consult the local School District Calendar before your trip.
6. Bring Your family, have fun !

Fun with Disneyland

Colosseum

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:04:18 PDT

Rome, Italy

The Colosseum is one of the most famous building in the world and rates high on my list of the most important archeological monuments. The Colosseum is probably the most famous of all Roman landmarks. And that's no wonder really. In 8 years time 15000 people worked to complete the Flavian Amphitheatre as it was called back then. ( I hope You're not boring:D)

The Colosseum or Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium, Italian Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo), is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering.

Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started between 70 and 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign (81–96). The name "Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and Titus's family name (Flavius, from the gens Flavia).

Originally capable of seating around 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. It remained in use for nearly 500 years with the last recorded games being held there as late as the 6th century. As well as the traditional gladiatorial games, many other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building eventually ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such varied purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.

Although it is now in a ruined condition due to damage caused by earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum has long been seen as an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. Today it is one of modern Rome's most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession to the amphitheatre.
The Colosseum is also depicted on the Italian version of the five-cent euro coin.

Few tips :
1. Open every day
2. Tickets : about 11.5 £
3. Guide tour : about 15 £
4. Simple, bring Your pen, booknote, and camera

Comment???

Learn Colloseum

Bunaken

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:05:59 PDT

(North Sulawesi, Sulawesi, Indonesia)

Wow… It’s very beautifull. I highly rocommend for this one:). Bunaken is one of Indonesia's most famous dive areas, and it draws scuba divers from all over the world. In addition to Bunaken itself, a rather featureless banana-shaped island, the national park includes the neighboring islands of Manado Tua, a distinctive cone-shaped extinct volcano, Siladen,Montehagen, Nain and Nain Kecil.
Nearly everything can be found at Bunaken. Reef inhabitants include white and black tip reef sharks, giant sea turtles, napoleonfish and dugongs. You may frequently run into dolphins, and occasionally schools of whales.

About Bunaken
The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 890.65 km², 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists.

The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27 to 29 °C) Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. For example, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken. The park has around 70 genera of corals; compare this to a mere 10 in Hawaii. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it may be slightly higher than in the Philippines, where 2,500 species, or nearly 70% of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found.

A few tips
1. Of course…Dive and dive.
2. Fishing, beach combing and hiking, also fun. It depends on Your hobbies.
3. Don’t forget to bring Your camera.
4. Remember, stay save

What do You think? It’s free to comment…

Bunaken travel guide

Borobudur

noreply@blogger.com (run'G) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:06:33 PDT

(Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia)

Borobudur as I know (or maybe I'm wrong:D) means a temple high on top of a hill. I think this place was amazing. And, as I know Borobudur is a combination with two words, BARA and BUDUR. Bara is actually derived from a Sanskrit word VIHARA which means a complex of temples, monastery or dormitory. While BUDUR is derived from the Balinese BIDUHUR, which means high. The Borobudur Temple is considered as one of the seven wonders of the world. This temple is located at Borobudur District, South of Magelang, Central Java.

If You are interested with the Borubudur history, this is a few description about it from Wikipedia (Please visit wikipedia for more detail).
Borobudur is a ninth century Mahayana Buddhist monument. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome is located at the center of the top platform, and is surrounded by seventy-two Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely, Kamadhatu (the world of desire); Rupadhatu (the world of forms); and Arupadhatu (the world of formless). During the journey, the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades.

Evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the fourteenth century decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Java, and the Javanese conversion to Islam. It was rediscovered in 1814 by Sir Thomas Raffles, the British ruler of Java. Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, following which the monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur is still used for pilgrimage, where once a year Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument, and Borobudur is Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction. (Fiuh...)

A few tips
1. Before You go to Borobudur, don’t forget to bring Your pen, booknote, and camera (bring Your sunblock too:)).
2. Entrance fees for Borobudur is about USD 10.
3. Take a guide for the temple tour, if You want to have as much information on this temple as possible.
4. Or You can buy this book : “Borobudur - The Golden Tales of Buddhas” and “Chandi Borobudur - A Monument of Mankind by Dr. Soekmono”.

What do you think about Borobudur?

more about Borobudur