WONDERFUL TOURIST DESTINATIONS

Alaska

2011-11-27T03:48:00.000-08:00

Wild, isolated, unconquered and beautiful...this is Alaska, the land of breathtaking landscapes, scenic mountains, enormous lakes and lush nature. Alaska is home to Mount McKinley located within awesome Denali National Park, the majestic glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park, and abundant wildlife, from humpback whales to grizzly bears.
Alaska is the largest and the least densely populated state of the USA.

Arizona

2011-11-27T03:39:00.000-08:00

The mind-blowing landscape of Arizona with amazing rock formations, spectacular canyons and mysterious wild deserts deserves to be a runner-up on the list of the most beautiful places in North America. With such jewels as the sites of Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Glen Canyon, or Lake Powell (shared with Utah) it can rival the world's most amazing destinations. The only small crack in this glorious natural masterpiece is the crowd that can sometimes spoil the magnificent views.

Yoho National Park- Canada

2011-11-27T03:36:00.000-08:00

Yoho National Park, which lies in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, has an area of 1,313 sq km (507 sq mi), and it is the smallest of the four national parks in the Rockies, but its beauty is grand. The site of marvelous mountains, rivers, waterfalls, clear lakes and wide meadows was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984.

Tulum-Mexico

2011-11-27T03:33:00.000-08:00

Tulum sits on the exotic Yucatan Peninsula surrounded by the dazzling waters of the Caribbean Sea. This Mexican city of heavenly tropical landscapes houses the Pre-Columbian Maya city. The vistas of dramatically located ruins mixed with the balmy surroundings create a one-of-a-kind destination. The Caribbean laid-back atmosphere, white sands, slender palm trees and the turquoise ocean combine with the Mayan site to give the city its exceptional beauty.

Vancouver- Canada

2011-11-27T03:32:00.001-08:00

Vancouver, the harbour city beautifully located on the Burrard Peninsula between Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River in British Colombia, Canada, is a mecca for virtually all enthusiasts of museums, excellent restaurants, cafes, clubs, and in general, for fans of vibrant urban life. A large number of various rankings and surveys have proved that Vancouver is the best city in the world to live in. Besides its cultural, architectural, and infrastructural advantages, the city's natural beauty of nearby beaches, mountains, and forests makes it one of the world's most stunning metropolises.

The Kalalau Valley-Hawaii

2011-11-27T03:31:00.000-08:00

7. The Kalalau Valley. Hawaii

The Kalalau Valley is one of the most beautiful sites on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. The lush tropical valley is located in the Na Pali Coast and it is accessible only by kayak or along the Kalalau Trail.
The magnificent Kalalau is surrounded by high green cliffs of more than 2,000 feet (610m) and the azure waters of the Pacific Ocean. The glorious landscape, isolation and wild nature make the place an excellent getaway for hikers, kayakers, and other outdoor addicts.

Vellayani

2011-11-07T17:26:00.001-08:00

vellayani is a picturesque village situated on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. Vellayani Lake, the only fresh water lake in Thiruvananthapuram District, is in this village. The village has vast paddy fields which add to its beauty.
Vellayani Devi Temple is situated on the banks of Vellayani Lake. Kaliyoottu Mahotsavam, a 40- day-long festival, is the major festival celebrated in this temple. College of Agriculture, situated here, is one of the main agricultural colleges of Kerala. The village also takes the pride of possessing a big agricultural ground which belongs to this college.
Nemom Sree Mahadev Temple is easily accessible from here.

College of Agriculture Vellayani

College of Agriculture was founded in 1955 at Vellayani, a village on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. The college is housed in the palace building belonging to the royal family of erstwhile Travancore. It is under the faculty of agriculture of the Kerala Agricultural University.
A pioneering institution of its kind in Kerala, the college offers undergraduate and post graduate programs in the field of agriculture. A well-maintained farm helps in field facilities for giving adequate work experience for the BSc course and for conducting researches of MSc and PhD students.
The college has departments for agronomy, soil science, horticulture, agricultural botany and plant breeding, entomology, plant pathology, plantation crops, agricultural extension and agricultural economics. It houses a soil museum under the supervision of the department of soil science. The college also operates a sales counter cum information center for the benefit of the public.
Seminars, symposia, workshops, field days and farmers' fairs are usually organized. On-campus and off-campus trainings are imparted to various categories of officers of the Department of Agriculture, Co-operation, Forest and Nationalized Banks by the concerned specialists of the college

Vellayani Lake

Vellayani Lake, the only fresh water lake in Thiruvananthapuram District, is located at Vellayani, a picturesque village on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram city. The lake water is extensively used for drinking and irrigational purposes.
The origin of this lake is related to a saint, who used to meditate under a banyan tree at this place. One day, a beggar came up to him and asked for some water to drink. When saint found that his pot was nearly empty, he poured the last few drops in the pot into his palm and with a prayer, threw the drops as far as he could. It is believed that the land till the point where the drops touched the earth turned into a big lake.
Vellayani Vishnu Temple and Vellayani Devi Temple are two famous shrines situated on the banks of this lake

Vellayani Devi Temple

Vellayani Devi Temple is a highly revered shrine located at Vellayani, in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala. This 700-year old shrine, situated near the picturesque Vellayani Lake, is one of the renowned historic temples in Kerala. The temple enshrines Goddess Kali as the presiding deity.
Other deities worshipped here include Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh and Nagaraja. The temple also has a separate shrine dedicated to Madan Thampuran.
Vellayani Devi Temple is renowned for celebrating the longest (50 days) non pilgrimage festival of South India. This festival held once in 3 years is known as the ‘Kaliyoottu Mahotsavam’ – which literally means ‘the festival of feeding the Devi’. During the festive occasion thousands of people from all over the district visit the temple to pay respect to the deity.
Vellayani Vishnu Temple, an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, situated nearby is worth visiting.
Vellayani Devi Temple can be reached easily from Thiruvananthapuram Central Bus Station (9 km). Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station is the nearest railhead.

Vellayani Vishnu Temple

Vellayani Temple is situated in Thiruvananthapuram. It is an ancient temple. The temple faces west, which is rare for Vishnu temples. The deity of the temple is in a standing posture and has four hands. The hands at the back hold the conch and the Sudarshanachakra, while one hand in the front holds the gada [club], and the other is on varada mudra form. Vellayani Lake is situated near the temple. It is said that a sage used to meditate under this banyan tree. One day, a beggar came up to him and asked for some water to drink. The pot was empty. The sage poured the last few drops in the pot into his palm and with a prayer, threw the drops as far as he could. To the beggar's astonishment, a lake appeared, growing bigger and bigger. Out of the depths of the lake, arose an idol. The sage picks up it and placed under the banyan tree. The Travancore Devaswom is in charge of the temple.

Lake Saiful Muluk – Pakistan

2011-11-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

Lake Saiful Muluk is a lake located at the northern end of the Kaghan Valley near Naran. A fairy tale called Saiful Muluk, written by the famous sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, is associated with the lake. It is the story of prince of Persia who fell in love with a fairy princess at the lake. The impact of the lake beauty is of such extent that people believe that fairies come down to lake in full moon.

Skardu Valley

2011-11-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

Skardu Valley – Pakistan

Photo by bogavanterojo

Photo by NotMicroButSoft

Skardu Valley is part of the Baltistan. Baltistan is spread over an area of 26,000 square kilometres – just right below the jagged and glaciated ramparts of the Karakoram. Once part of Laddakh, it was known as Tibet-i-Khurd – Little Tibet. Archaeological exploration has proven that it was encompassed by the Silk Trade Route.

OOTY

2011-09-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

Ooty,located at the Nilgiri hills, is a beautiful hill station. The Botanical Gardens here has a wide variety of plants and trees and the Rose garden has about 1900 varieties. The artificial lake with boats adds charm to Ooty, Other places of interest are the Deer Park, Dodda-betta peak, the Government Museum, the Art Gallery, kalhatti waterfalls, St. Stephen's church, Umbrella tre Tribal research centre museum, jolly world amusement park, etc. It is also an ideal place for trekking, horse riding, boating, etc. The "Black Thunder" amusement park at mettupalayam is on the way to Ooty from Coimbatore. Mountain railway connect it with Mettupalayam and Coimbatore . Distance: Coibatore 98, Kodaikanal 236, Coonoor 17 km

Beijing

2011-01-23T02:33:00.000-08:00

Beijing is situated in northern China closet o Tianjin Municipality, in part it is also surrounded by Hebei Province. The city has a surface of more than 16.800 square kilometers and a population of 13.82 million people. Beijing ’s best seasons are late spring and autumn: especially in May, September and October people can enjoy the bright sunshine and a blue sky. Beijing is named the capital of the People’s Republic of China. It’s China’s most important centre for international trade and communications and on the mean time the nation’s political, economic, cultural and educational centre. Throughout its long history it has been the heart and soul of politics and society. Beijing’s long and illustrious history started about 500.000 years ago. It endured invasions, wars, rise and falls of imperial dynasties but each time it stood out as a strong and vibrant city. Beijing went through many dynasties and 34 emperors have lived and ruled the nation. Already from its earliest days it has been an important trading city.

Hefei - China

2011-01-23T02:11:00.001-08:00

Hefei is at the junction of the (South) Fei Rivers ; former names: Ho-fei , Luzhou , Luchow ; is a prefecture- level city and the capital of the Anhui province in China . Located in central
Anhui, it borders Huainan to the north, Chuzhou to the northeast, Chaohu to the southeast and Lu'an to the west. From the 8 th to
the 6 th century BC, Hefei was the site of the small state of Shu, later a part of the Chu kingdom. Many archaeological findings dating from this period have been made. The name Hefei was first given to the county set up in the area under the Han dynasty in the 2 nd century BC. In the months of June, July, August, and often September, daily temperatures can reach a high of 37 °C (99 ° F) with high humidity levels being the norm. Hefei's annual average temperature is about 15.7 ° C ( 60 ° F). Its annual precipitation is about 1 ,000 mm (39 in). It snows irregularly in the winter .

PURI

2010-11-10T07:45:00.001-08:00

Puri (Jagannath Puri) is one of the four holiest pilgrimage centres of India (Others are Dwaraka, Badarinath and Rameswaram). The jagannath temple built in 12th century has 200 metre high surrounding walls and a 58 metre high conical tower. Puri's great attractions are the famous Rath Yatra (car festival), picturesque long sandy beach, the Gundicha mandir, Raghurajpur (14km), etc. Distance: konark 35km, Bhubaneshwar 56km

CHIDAMBARAM

2010-11-10T07:31:00.001-08:00

Chidambaram's great Nataraja temple complex covers an area of 22 hectares and is one of the ancient temples in South India. Its Gopurams carved with 108 classical postures of Nataraja and the 1000 pillared Rajasabha are worth seeing. There are five halls in the temple which are architectural wonders and all with hundreds of pillars depicting dancing figures, etc. There is also a shrine known as Chitrakootam adjacent to the shrine. Distance: Chennai 232, Thanjavoor 113, Trichy 194.

NALANDA

2010-10-31T04:13:00.001-07:00

Nalanda has a very ancient history and the Nalanda University was established by Gupta emperors in the 5th century. Nalanda was famous as a centre of Buddist theology and educational activities. Attractions are the Nalanda University Archaeological complex, Archeological museum, Hueng Tsang Memorial Hall, Surajpur, Baragoan, Rajgir and Pawapuri. Distance: Rajgir 12km, Patna 95km(airport)

KURUKSHETRA

2010-10-31T03:57:00.001-07:00

Kurukshetra on the Grand Trunk Road, has many attractions. The Sri Krishna Museum is an excellent art gallery, where works by hundreds of artists are displayed. Lord Krishna is portrayed in wood, stone, bronze, etc. The kurukshetra Panorama and science centre, the Brahmasarovar tank, Sufi saint Shaikh Chehil's tomb, the small Archaeological museum Mugal gardens, Banyan tree at Jyotiar, 6km away, are visited by many. Distance: Pipli 6, Chandigarh 92.

MOUNT ABU

2010-10-31T00:58:00.001-07:00

Rajasthan's only hill station, Mount Abu at 1220 metre on the Aravalli hills is a place of scenic beauty and charm. Nakki lake, Toad rock, Wildlife sanctuary, Dilwara group of jain temples, Gaumukh, Raghunath temple, Adhar Devi temple, and Achalagarh fort and temples(10km), the Guru shikhar peak(15km) are the important attraction. Brahma kumaris Spiritual University is alsn here. Distance: Ranakpur 189, Udaipur 190, Ahmedabad 215

BHARATPUR

2010-10-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

Bharatpur is famous for the Keoladeo National Park, a unique bird sanctuary with more than 364 species within its 29sq.km, which has also been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other attractions are the Lohagarh or iron fort, the palace, Purana Mahal, Deeg fort, the Government museum, Jawahar Bhuj, Fatheh Burj, Gopal Bhavan, Bengal chamber, Suraj Bhavan, Nand Bhavan, etc. Deeg, 36km north of Bharatpur, has the Suraj mahal palace, which is one of India's most beautiful and delicately proportioned buildings. Distance: Agra 56, Delhi 205, Jaipur 176

Benoni

2010-07-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

Benoni is located on the East Rand in the South African province of Gauteng. From 2000 it has been a part Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
The name had a very sorrowful meaning and was founded in the year 1881 by Johan Rissik , who found it difficult to assign title deeds to all unclaimed state property. Thus he named this land as Farm Benoni the son of my sorrow which is a Hebrew name and was given by Rachael to her son in the biblical Book of Genesis. Later on gold mines were discovered and for a short while the name was changed to Little Cornwall.

Since it became a gold mining district a huge amount of revenue was earned and the city started flourishing. But trees were also plants to make the environment quite safe and the road neat and clean

The climate of this place is quite pleasant and can be visited at any time of the year.

The population of this lace comes to 654,509 according to 200 census.

The Wieliczka Salt Mine

2010-07-13T11:20:00.000-07:00

One widely-traveled Frenchman observed in the 18th century that Krakow's Wieliczka salt mine was no less magnificent than the Egyptian pyramids. "The historic Salt Mine in Wieliczka is the only site in the world where mining has continued since the Middle Ages. Lying on nine levels, its original excavations (longitudinals, traverses, chambers, lakes, as well as lesser and major shafts) stretch for the total of 300 kilometres: reaching the depth of 327 metres they illustrate all the stages of the development of the mining technology over time." The quotation comes from the justification of entering the Wieliczka Salt Mine into UNESCO's 1st World List of Cultural and Natural Heritage on 8th September, 1978 together with 11 other sites from all over the world. The mine is also notable for a long tradition of tourism: the famous, breath-taking site has been visited over the centuries by Nicolaus Copernicus, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Alexander von Humboldt, Dimitri Mendeleev, Boleslaw Prus, Ignacy Paderewski, Pope John Paul II, crowned heads, as well millions of people from all over the world. The salt mine forms an "underground town" with churches, lakes and passages.

Manarola

2010-07-13T11:12:00.001-07:00

Manarola is part of the Cinque Terre in the Italian region of Liguria. The Cinque Terre consists of five villages located on the cliffs at the Mediterranean coast. The other villages are Corniglia, Vernazza, Riomaggiore and Monterosso al Mare. All five are connected by train and hiking paths, which are very popular with backpackers.
The colourful village of Manarola is one of the most visited of the Cinque Terre. It's an ideal place for discovering the area and to enjoy the quiet life of this small fishing village. The most beautiful view of Manarola you can have from the path leading towards Corniglia.

Barcelona

2010-07-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain. It is located in the Iberian Peninsula on the Mediterranean coast in the northeast of Spain.

Place d'Espagna: one of the most important squares in Barcelona. Here you can see the beautiful foutain on the roundabout and the Venetian Towers.

Palau Nacional: Museum of National Art Catalunya.

View of Port Vell.

Dona i ocell, 1983

Made by Joan Miro, this statue you can find in Parc de Joan Miro.

Art in the streets of Barcelona.

The Poble Espanyol

On the photo you see the entrance tothe Spanisch Village. It has buildings that are constructed in different styles of Spanisch architecture. The village was contructed for the 1929 World Exposition

Montjuic Tower: symbol of a sportsman with the Olympic Flame.

View on the Beach of Barcelona from the sea.

Aquario Natural

2010-05-16T03:12:00.000-07:00

This is a great place to visit if you want to go snorkeling. Here, you will see a vast variety of wonderful and vibrant tropical fishes. You can also visit Rio Sucuri where you will surely be captivated by the wonderful sight of its waters and the clear skies.
Aqard - Submit Your Site

The Amazon:The World's Largest Rain Forest

2010-05-16T03:03:00.000-07:00

The Amazon River Basin is home to the largest rainforest on Earth. The basin -- roughly the size of the forty-eight contiguous United States -- covers some 40% of the South American continent and includes parts of eight South American countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname, as well as French Guiana, a department of France.

Reflecting environmental conditions as well as past human influence, the Amazon is made up of a mosaic of ecosystems and vegetation types including rainforests, seasonal forests, deciduous forests, flooded forests, and savannas. The basin is drained by the Amazon River, the world's largest river in terms of discharge, and the second longest river in the world after the Nile. The river is made up of over 1,100 tributaries, 17 of which are longer than 1000 miles, and two of which (the Negro and the Madeira) are larger, in terms of volume, than the Congo (formerly the Zaire) river. The river system is the lifeline of the forest and its history plays an important part in the development of its rainforests.

HISTORY

The World's Largest Rainforests
1. Amazon Basin, South America
2. Congo Basin, Africa
3. Indonesian Archipelago, Southeast Asia
more

At one time Amazon River flowed westward, perhaps as part of a proto-Congo (Zaire) river system from the interior of present day Africa when the continents were joined as part of Gondwana. Fifteen million years ago, the Andes were formed by the collision of the South American plate with the Nazca plate. The rise of the Andes and the linkage of the Brazilian and Guyana bedrock shields, blocked the river and caused the Amazon to become a vast inland sea. Gradually this inland sea became a massive swampy, freshwater lake and the marine inhabitants adapted to life in freshwater. For example, over 20 species of stingray, most closely related to those found in the Pacific Ocean, can be found today in the freshwaters of the Amazon.

About ten million years ago, waters worked through the sandstone to the west and the Amazon began to flow eastward. At this time the Amazon rainforest was born. During the Ice Age, sea levels dropped and the great Amazon lake rapidly drained and became a river. Three million years later, the ocean level receded enough to expose the Central American isthmus and allow mass migration of mammal species between the Americas.

The Ice Ages caused tropical rainforest around the world to retreat. Although debated, it is believed that much of the Amazon reverted to savanna and montane forest (see chapter 3-Ice Ages and Glaciation). Savanna divided patches of rainforest into "islands" and separated existing species for periods long enough to allow genetic differentiation (a similar rainforest retreat took place in Africa. Delta core samples suggest that even the mighty Congo watershed was void of rainforest at this time). When the ice ages ended, the forest was again joined and the species that were once one had diverged significantly enough to be constitute designation as separate species, adding to the tremendous diversity of the region. About 6000 years ago, sea levels rose about 130 meters, once again causing the river to be inundated like a long, giant freshwater lake.

THE AMAZON RIVER TODAY

How large is the Amazon rainforest?
In Brazil, the Amazon covers surface area of 4,100,000 square kilometers (1,583,000 square miles), of which around 3.4 million sq km (1.3 million sq mi) are presently forested. Accounting for parts of the Amazon outside of Brazil, the total extent of the Amazon is estimated at 8,235,430 sq km (3,179,715 sq mi). or comparison, the land area of the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii) is 9,629,091 square kilometers (3,717,811).

In total, the Amazon River drains about 6,915,000 square kilometers (2,722,000 square miles), or roughly 40 percent of South America.

Today the Amazon River is the most voluminous river on Earth, eleven times the volume of the Mississippi, and drains an area equivalent in size to the United States. During the high water season, the river's mouth may be 300 miles wide and every day up to 500 billion cubic feet of water (5,787,037 cubic feet/sec) flow into the Atlantic. For reference, the Amazon's daily freshwater discharge into the Atlantic is enough to supply New York City's freshwater needs for nine years. The force of the current -- from sheer water volume alone -- causes Amazon River water to continue flowing 125 miles out to sea before mixing with Atlantic salt water. Early sailors could drink freshwater out of the ocean before sighting the South American continent.

The river current carries tons of suspended sediment all the way from the Andes and gives the river a characteristic muddy whitewater appearance. It is calculated that 106 million cubic feet of suspended sediment are swept into the ocean each day. The result from the silt deposited at the mouth of the Amazon is Majaro island, a river island about the size of Switzerland.

Great Wall of China

2010-05-07T01:08:00.000-07:00

The Great wall of china as called is the largest building construction ever carried out, running to around 6,400 Km east to west from gulf of china to the yellow sea to a point in Central Asia. The construction of this fortification dates from 4th century B.C. shih Huang-ti in 214 B.C.

First Construction of the Great Wall

The first emperor of United China connected the discontinuous walls with watch towers with was used to guard as the rampart. It was mainly built against Hsiung-nu or called he Huns. The wall was constructed partly of masonry and partly of earth and was faced with brick in the eastern portion. It was again rebuilt in the 15th and 16th century. The basic Wall is 30feet height and the towers are 40m high. The great wall lies from 39.49 degrees North to 98.18 degrees East. The Yen Mountains are the world famous ones and has peak up to 4,900 feet above main sea level. The great wall has it crest over these mountains in a zigzag manner. According to the words of the Astronauts and space researchers, the only clear and visible one from the moon on earth is only “The Great Wall”. A statement said “The Great wall is the only visible thing from Satellite”.