tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76061624931712835142024-03-21T05:23:51.052+03:00NATURE OF THE WORLDLightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702578733250890724noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-23735230509969198502018-02-05T22:37:00.003+03:002019-05-01T11:30:31.527+03:00Li River , China<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <b>Li River</b> or <b>Lijiang</b> is a river in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. It flows 83 kilometres from Guilin to Yangshuo, where the karst mountains and river sights highlight the famous Li River cruise.<br />
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The Li River originates in the Mao'er Mountains in Xing'an County and flows in the general southern direction through Guilin, Yangshuo and Pingle. In Pingle the Li River merges with the Lipu River and the Gongcheng River and continues south as the Gui River, which falls into the Xi Jiang, the western tributary of the Pearl River, in Wuzhou.</div>
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The upper course of the River Li is connected by the ancient Lingqu Canal with the Xiang River, which flows north into the Yangtze; this in the past made the Li and Gui Rivers part of a highly important waterway connecting the Yangtze Valley with the Pearl River Delta.</div>
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The 437-kilometre (272 mi) course of the Li and Gui Rivers is flanked by green hills. Cormorant fishing is often associated with the Lijiang (see bird intelligence).</div>
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Tourist cruises in different boats (varying from small bamboo-like rafts
to larger, air-conditioned ships) are offered on the Li River
throughout the year and are one of the major attractions of Guilin.</div>
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Features</div>
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Reed Flute Cave: a limestone cave with a large number of stalactites, stalagmites, stalacto-stalagmites, rocky curtains, and cave corals.</div>
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Seven-Star Park: the largest park in Guilin.</div>
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Mountain of Splendid Hues: a mountain consisting of many layers of variously colored rocks.</div>
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Elephant-Trunk Hill: a hill that looks like a giant elephant drinking water with its trunk. It is symbol of the city of Guilin.</div>
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Lingqu Canal:
dug in 214 BC, is one of the three big water conservation projects of
ancient China and the oldest existing canal in the world.</div>
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Other attractions include: Duxiu Peak, Nanxi Park, the Taohua River, the
Giant Banyan, and the Huashan-Lijiang National Folklore Park.</div>
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<complete id="goog_753649214"><a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/102900928495747409773" target="_blank">NATURE OF THE WORLD</a> </complete><br />
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-16280659622735041122014-11-16T11:27:00.000+02:002014-11-16T11:27:22.563+02:00Nepal Kathmandu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Kathmandu</b> is the capital and largest municipality of Nepal. It is the only city of Nepal with the administrative status of Mahanagarpalika (Metropolitan City), as compared to Up-Mahanagarpalika (Sub-Metropolitan City) or Nagarpalika (Municipality). Kathmandu is the core of Nepal's largest urban agglomeration located in the Kathmandu valley consisting of Lalitpur, Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi, Bhaktapur and a number of smaller communities. Kathmandu is also known informally as "KTM" or the "tri-city".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4"><span></span><span></span></sup>
According to the 2011 census, Kathmandu has a population of close to 1
million people. The municipal area is 50.67 square kilometres
(19.56 sq mi)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-facts_5-0"><span></span><span></span></sup> and has a population density of 3000per km² and 17000 per km square in city.</div>
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The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) in the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley of central Nepal.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KTM_intro_6-0"><span></span><span></span></sup> It is surrounded by four major mountains: Shivapuri, Phulchoki, Nagarjun, and Chandragiri. Kathmandu Valley is part of three districts (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur), has the highest population density in the country, and is home to about a twelfth of Nepal's population. </div>
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Historically, the Kathmandu Valley and adjoining areas were known as Nepal Mandala. Until the 15th century, Bhaktapur was its capital when two other capitals, Kathmandu and Lalitpur, were established.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7"><span></span><span></span></sup> During the Rana and Shah
eras, British historians called the valley itself "Nepal Proper".
Today, Kathmandu is not only the capital of the Federal Democratic
Republic of Nepal, but also the headquarters of the Bagmati Zone and the Central Development Region of Nepal.</div>
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Kathmandu is the gateway to tourism in Nepal. It is also the hub of the country's economy.
It has the most advanced infrastructure of any urban area in Nepal, and
its economy is focused on tourism, which accounted for 3.8% of Nepal's
GDP in 1995–96. Tourism in Kathmandu declined thereafter during a period
of political unrest, but since then has improved. In 2013, Kathmandu
was ranked third among the top 10 travel destinations on the rise in the
world by TripAdvisor, and ranked first in Asia </div>
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The city has a rich history, spanning nearly 2000 years, as inferred
from inscriptions found in the valley. Religious and cultural
festivities form a major part of the lives of people residing in
Kathmandu. Most of Kathmandu's people follow Hinduism and many others follow Buddhism. There are people of other religious beliefs as well, giving Kathmandu a cosmopolitan culture. Nepali is the most commonly spoken language in the city. English is understood by Kathmandu's educated residents.</div>
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The city of Kathmandu was named after Kasthamandap temple, that stands in Durbar Square. In Sanskrit, Kastha means "wood" and Mandap means "covered shelter". This temple, also known as Maru Satal,
was built in 1596 by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla. The two-storey
structure is made entirely of wood, and uses no iron nails nor supports.
According to legend, all the timber used to build this pagoda was obtained from a single tree.</div>
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The colophons of ancient manuscripts, dated as late as the 20th century, refer to Kathmandu as Kasthamandap Mahanagar in Nepal Mandala.
Mahanagar means "great city". The city is called "Kasthamandap" in a
vow that Buddhist priests still recite to this day. Thus, Kathmandu is
also known as Kasthamandap. During medieval times, the city was
sometimes called Kantipur . This name is derived from two Sanskrit words - Kanti and pur. "Kanti" is one of the names of the Goddess Lakshmi, and "pur" means place. </div>
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Among the indigenous Newar people, Kathmandu is known as Yen Desa , and Patan and Bhaktapur are known as Yala Desa and Khwopa Desa .<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11"><span></span><span></span></sup> "Yen" is the shorter form of Yambu , which originally referred to the northern half of Kathmandu.</div>
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Archaeological excavations in parts of Kathmandu have found evidence of
ancient civilizations. The oldest of these findings is a statue, found
in Maligaon, that was dated at 185 AD.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Kantipur_13-0"><span></span><span></span></sup> The excavation of Dhando Chaitya uncovered a brick with an inscription in Brahmi script. Archaeologists believe it is two thousand years old.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Kantipur_13-1"><span></span><span></span></sup> Stone inscriptions are an ubiquitous element at heritage sites and are key sources for the history of Nepal </div>
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The earliest Western reference to Kathmandu appears in an account of Jesuit Fathers Johann Grueber and Albert d'Orville. In 1661, they passed through Nepal on their way from Tibet to India, and reported that they reached "Cadmendu, the capital of the Kingdom of Necbal"</div>
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Origin Wikipedia...</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-1641270474957295852014-11-16T09:50:00.002+02:002014-11-16T09:55:17.662+02:00Lake Brienz , Switzerland <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lake Brienz is a lake that lies to the north of the Alps, in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It has a length of nearly nine miles, a wide of 1.7 miles, and a maximum depth of 850 feet. Its area is roughly 11.5 square miles, and the surface is nearly 2,000 feet above sea level. The lake is fed by the upper parts of the Aar River at the eastern side and by the Lutschine River, flowing in from the valleys of Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald, at its southwestern corner. It flows out into a further part of the Aar river at the western side. </div>
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Brienz is also the name of a village, and that is where the lake gets its name. That village is at the eastern side. The lake ends on the western side with the Bodeli, a bit of land that divides it from Lake Thun. Bonigen is a village that takes up the lake frontage of the Bodeli, and the bigger resort town of Interlake is on the Aar river in between those lakes. Iseltwald is a village on the southern shore, and Oberried, Niederried, and Ringgenberg are on the northern shore.</div>
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The lake has a poor nutrient composition, and fishing is not that popular as a result. However, there was more than 10,000 kg of fish caught in 2010. </div>
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Passenger ships have been out on the lake since the late 1830s, and there are five passenger ships out on the lake right now. </div>
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The Burnig railway line follows along the lake’s northern shore, and there is a local road as well, and the A8 motorway uses an alternate, and somewhat tunneled, route over the southern shore.</div>
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Lake Brienz is a truly beautiful lake. It has crystal clear waters, and it is set against a backgroup of towering mountains. Some of the settlements have some amazing places to eat fresh fish from the lake. Make sure that you take a digital camera along because you’re not going to get a chance to see lakes like this back home. The crystal clear blue waters are not unique to Switzerland, but they definitely leave a major impression.</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-69136397177838699142014-08-09T08:19:00.000+03:002014-11-16T09:34:04.700+02:00Easter Island - Chile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Easter Island</b> (Rapa Nui: <span lang="rap">Rapa Nui</span>, Spanish: <span lang="es">Isla de Pascua</span>) is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle. Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapa Nui people. In 1995, UNESCO named Easter Island a World Heritage Site, with much of the island protected within Rapa Nui National Park.<br />
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Polynesian people settled on Easter Island in the first millennium AD, and created a thriving culture, as evidenced by the <i>moai</i> and other artifacts. However, human activity, the introduction of the Polynesian rat and overpopulation led to gradual deforestation
and extinction of natural resources, which caused the demise of the
Rapa Nui civilization. By the time of European arrival in 1722, the
island's population had dropped to 2,000–3,000 from a high of
approximately 15,000 just a century earlier. Diseases carried by
European sailors and Peruvianslave raiding of the 1860s further reduced the Rapa Nui population, down to 111 in 1877. </div>
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Easter Island is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6"></sup> The nearest inhabited land (50 residents) is Pitcairn Island 2,075 kilometres (1,289 mi) away, the nearest town with a population over 500 is Rikitea on island Mangareva 2,606 km (1,619 mi) away, and the nearest continental point lies in central Chile, 3,512 kilometres (2,182 mi) away.</div>
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Easter Island is a special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888. Administratively, it belongs to the Valparaíso Region and more specifically, is the only commune of the Province Isla de Pascua.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7"></sup> According to the 2012 census, it has about 5,800 residents, of which some 60% are descendants of the aboriginal Rapa Nui. </div>
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The large stone statues, or moai, for which Easter Island is famous, were carved in the period 1100–1680 CE (rectified radio-carbon dates).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-beck_14-1"></sup> A total of 887 monolithic stone statues have been inventoried on the island and in museum collections so far.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-65"></sup>
Although often identified as "Easter Island heads", the statues have
torsos, most of them ending at the top of the thighs, although a small
number are complete figures that kneel on bent knees with their hands
over their stomachs.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-66"></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-67"></sup> Some upright moai have become buried up to their necks by shifting soils.</div>
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Almost all (95%)<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (June 2013)"></span></i></sup> moai were carved from compressed, easily worked solidified volcanic ash or tuff found at a single site on the side of the extinct volcano Rano Raraku. The native islanders who carved them used only stone hand chisels, mainly basalt toki,
which lie in place all over the quarry. The stone chisels were
sharpened by chipping off a new edge when dulled. The volcanic stone was
first wetted to soften it before sculpting began, then again
periodically during the process. While many teams worked on different
statues at the same time, a single moai took a team of five or six men
approximately a year to complete. Each statue represented the deceased
head of a lineage. </div>
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Only a quarter of the statues were installed, while nearly half remained
in the quarry at Rano Raraku and the rest sat elsewhere, presumably on
their way to intended locations. The largest moai raised on a platform
is known as "Paro". It weighs 82 tons and is 9.8 m (32.15 ft) long.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-68"></sup> Several other statues of similar weight were transported to several ahu on the North and South coasts.</div>
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Possible means by which the statues were moved include employment of a miro manga erua, a Y-shaped sledge with cross pieces, pulled with ropes made from the tough bark of the hau-hau tree,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-69"></sup>
and tied around the statue's neck. Anywhere from 180 to 250 men were
required for pulling, depending on the size of the moai. Some 50 of the
statues were re-erected in modern times. One of the first was on Ahu
Ature Huke in Anakena beach in 1958. It was raised using traditional methods during a Heyerdahl expedition. Another method that might have been used would be to attach ropes to
the statue and rock it, tugging it forward as it rocked. This would fit
the legend of the Mo'ai 'walking' to their final locations.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-70"></sup> This might have been managed by as few as 15 people. This is supported by the following evidence:</div>
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The name "Easter Island" was given by the island's first recorded European visitor, the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who encountered it on Easter Sunday (5 April<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8"></sup>) 1722, while searching for Davis or David's island. Roggeveen named it Paasch-Eyland (18th century Dutch for "Easter Island").<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-jrjournal_9-0"></sup> The island's official Spanish name, <i>Isla de Pascua</i>, also means "Easter Island".</div>
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The current Polynesian name of the island, Rapa Nui "Big Rapa",
was coined after the slave raids of the early 1860s, and refers to the
island's topographic resemblance to the island of Rapa in the Bass Islands of theAustral Islands<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10"></sup> group. However Thor Heyerdahl<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11"></sup> argued that <i>Rapa</i> was the original name of Easter Island, and that Rapa Iti was named by refugees from there.<br />
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The phrase Te pito o te henua has been said to be the original name of the island since William Churchill (1912) gave it the romantic translation "Land's End" in his Voyage à l'Île de Pâques, published in 1877. William inquired about the phrase and was told that there were three <i>te pito o te henua</i><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12"></sup>
, these being the three capes (land's ends) of the island. He was
unable to elicit a Polynesian name for the island itself, and concluded
that there may not have been one. </div>
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According to Barthel (1974), oral tradition has it that the island was first named Te pito o te kainga a Hau Maka "The little piece of land of Hau Maka".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13"></sup> However, there are two words pronounced <i>pito</i>
in Rapa Nui, one meaning 'end' and one 'navel', and the phrase can thus
also mean "the Navel of the World". This was apparently its actual
meaning: Alphonse Pinart gave it the actual translation "the Navel of the World". Another name, Mata ki te rangi, means "Eyes looking to the sky".</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-14109597456449625742014-05-15T06:51:00.000+03:002014-08-23T23:59:13.299+03:00Victoria & Alfred Waterfront<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <b>Victoria & Alfred Waterfront</b> in the historic heart of Cape Town's working harbour is South Africa's most-visited destination, having the highest rate of foreign tourists of any attraction in the country.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"></sup> Situated between Robben Island and Table Mountain
and set against a backdrop of sea and mountain views, it offers a
variety of shopping and entertainment options to visitors, intermingled
with office locations, the Somerset Hospital, hotels (such as the historical Breakwater Lodge - once a 19th-century prison) and luxury apartments in the residential marina.</div>
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It houses the Nelson Mandela Gateway which offers boat trips to Robben Island, as well as the Two Oceans Aquarium and Chavonnes Battery museum. The SAS Somerset is used as a museum and moored within the inner basin.</div>
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Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria,
began construction of the harbour in 1860. The first basin was named
after himself, the second after his mother, hence the name.</div>
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The <b>Victoria & Alfred Waterfront development</b> is a renewal
project that incorporates much of the historic harbour infrastructure.
The whole complex is managed by a private company owned by Transnet. An international consortium of Dubai World and London & Regional Properties
acquired the development in 2006 at a record value in South African
terms of 7.4 billion rand. They sold the completed attraction to South
African owners Growthpoint, the country's largest property company, and the Public Investment Corporation in 2011. </div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702578733250890724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-70007858881878012212014-03-14T10:58:00.000+02:002014-05-07T11:36:13.858+03:00Chillon Castle, Switzerland <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Château de Chillon (Chillon Castle) is an island castle located on the shore of Lake Geneva in the commune of Veytaux, at the eastern end of the lake, 3 km from Montreux, Switzerland. The castle consists of 100 independent buildings that were gradually connected to become the building as it stands now</div>
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The oldest parts of the castle have not been definitively dated, but the first written record of the castle is in 1160 or 1005.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"></sup> From the mid 12th century, the castle was home to the Counts of Savoy, and it was greatly expanded in the 13th century by Pietro II. The Castle was never taken in a siege, but did change hands through treaties. </div>
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It was made popular by Lord Byron, who wrote the poem The Prisoner Of Chillon (1816) about François de Bonivard, a Genevois
monk and politician who was imprisoned there from 1530 to 1536; Byron
also carved his name on a pillar of the dungeon. The castle is one of
the settings in Henry James's novella Daisy Miller (1878).</div>
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The history of Chillon was influenced by three major periods: the Savoy Period, the Bernese Period, and the Vaudois Period.</div>
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Chillon is currently open to the public for visits and tours. According
to the castle website, Chillon is listed as "Switzerland's most visited
historic monument".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"></sup>
There is a fee for entrance and there are both parking spaces and a bus
stop nearby for travel. Inside the castle there are several recreations
of the interiors of some of the main rooms including the grand bedroom,
hall and cave stores.</div>
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Inside the castle itself there are four great halls, three courtyards,
and a series of bedrooms open to the public. One of the oldest is the Camera domini, which was a room occupied by the Duke of Savoy - it is decorated with 14th Century medieval murals .</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-22835717850598880852013-12-17T17:40:00.000+02:002014-05-17T19:17:22.496+03:00Dunnottar Castle Scotland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Dunnottar Castle</b> is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Stonehaven.<br />
<a name='more'></a>The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th and 16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been fortified in the Early Middle Ages. Dunnottar has played a prominent role in the history of Scotland through to the 18th-century Jacobite risings because of its strategic location and the strength of its situation. <br />
Dunnottar is best known as the place where the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, were hidden from Oliver Cromwell's invading army in the 17th century. The property of the Keiths from the 14th century, and the seat of the Earl Marischal, Dunnottar declined after the last Earl forfeited his titles by taking part in the Jacobite rebellion of 1715. The castle was restored in the 20th century and is now open to the public.</div>
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The ruins of the castle are spread over 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres), surrounded by steep cliffs that drop to the North Sea,
50 metres (160 ft) below. A narrow strip of land joins the headland to
the mainland, along which a steep path leads up to the gatehouse. The
various buildings within the castle include the 14th-century tower house
as well as the 16th-century palace. Dunnottar Castle is a scheduled monument,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-schedule_2-0"></sup> and twelve structures on the site are listed buildings .</div>
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A chapel at Dunnottar is said to have been founded by St Ninian in the 5th century,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Coventry_4-0"></sup>
although it is not clear when the site was first fortified, but in any
case the legend is late and highly implausible. Possibly the earliest
written reference to the site is found in the Annals of Ulster which record two sieges of "Dún Foither" in 681 and 694. The earlier event has been interpreted as an attack by Brude, the Pictish king of Fortriu, to extend his power over the north-east coast of Scotland.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5"></sup> The Scottish Chronicle records that King Domnall II, the first ruler to be called <i>rí Alban</i> (King of Alba), was killed at Dunnottar during an attack by Vikings in 900.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6"></sup> King Aethelstan of Wessex led a force into Scotland in 934, and raided as far north as Dunnottar according to the account of Symeon of Durham.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7"></sup> W. D. Simpson speculated that a motte
might lie under the present caste, but excavations in the 1980s failed
to uncover substantive evidence of early medieval fortification. The
discovery of a group of Pictish stones at Dunnicaer, a nearby sea stack,
has prompted speculation that "Dún Foither" was actually located on the
adjacent headland of Bowduns, 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) to the north.</div>
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During the reign of King William the Lion (ruled 1165–1214) Dunnottar was a centre of local administration for The Mearns.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-rcahms_9-0"></sup> The castle is named in the Roman de Fergus, an early 13th-century Arthurian romance, in which the hero Fergus must travel to Dunnottar to retrieve a magic shield.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-simpson4_10-0"></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11"></sup> In May 1276 a church on the site was consecrated by William Wishart, Bishop of St Andrews.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-simpson4_10-1"></sup> The poet Blind Harry relates that William Wallace captured Dunnottar from the English in 1297, during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He is said to have imprisoned 4,000 defeated English soldiers in the church and burned them alive.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Coventry_4-1"></sup> In 1336 Edward III of England ordered Willam Sinclair, 8th Baron of Roslin,
to sail eight ships to the partially ruined Dunnottar for the purpose
of rebuilding and fortifying the site as a forward resupply base for his
northern campaign. Sinclair took with him 160 soldiers, horses, and a
corps of masons and carpenters.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sumption_12-0"></sup> Edward himself visited in July,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13"></sup> but the English efforts were undone before the end of the year when the Scottish Regent Sir Andrew Murray led a force that captured and again destroyed the defences of Dunnottar .</div>
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In the 14th century Dunnottar was granted to William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (d.1370),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mcgladdery_14-0"></sup> and in 1346 a licence to crenellate was issued by David II.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-geddes_15-0"></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16"></sup> Around 1359 William Keith, Marischal of Scotland, married Margaret Fraser, niece of Robert the Bruce,
and was granted the barony of Dunnottar at this time. Keith then gave
the lands of Dunnottar to his daughter Christian and son-in-law William Lindsay of Byres, but in 1392 an excambion (exchange) was agreed whereby Keith regained Dunnottar and Lindsay took lands in Fife.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-groome_17-0"></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mcgladdery_14-1"></sup> William Keith completed construction of the tower house at Dunnottar, but was excommunicated
for building on the consecrated ground associated with the parish
church. Keith had provided a new parish church closer to Stonehaven, but
was forced to write to the Pope, Benedict XIII, who issued a bull in 1395 lifting the excommunication.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mcgladdery_14-2"></sup> William Keith's descendents were created Earls Marischal in the mid 15th century, and they held Dunottar until the 18th century.</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-15720879924697519882013-11-05T20:36:00.001+02:002013-12-17T00:07:07.203+02:00Andaman and Nicobar Islands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <b>Andaman and Nicobar Islands</b> are a group of islands at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, and are a Union Territory of India. The territory is 150 km (93 mi) north of Aceh in Indonesia and separated from Thailand and Burma by the Andaman Sea. It comprises two island groups, the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands, separated by the 10°N parallel, with the Andamans to the north of this latitude, and the Nicobars to the south. The Andaman Sea lies to the east and the Bay of Bengal to the west.<br />
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The territory's capital is the Andamanese town of Port Blair. The total land area of the territory is approximately 8,073 km<sup>2</sup> (3,117 sq mi). The capital of Nicobar Islands is Car Nicobar also known as Malacca. The earliest archaeological evidence yet documented goes back some 2,200 years; however, genetic and cultural studies suggest that the indigenous Andamanese people may have been isolated from other populations since the Middle Paleolithic.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4"></sup> In that time, the Andamanese have diversified into distinct linguistic, cultural and territorial groups.</div>
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The Nicobar Islands appear to have been populated by people of various
backgrounds. At the time of the European contact, the indigenous
inhabitants were the Nicobarese people, speaking a Mon-Khmer language; and the Shompen, whose language is of uncertain affiliation. Both are unrelated to the Andamanese. </div>
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There are 572 islands in the territory having an area of 7,950 km<sup>2</sup>
(3,070 sq mi). Of these, about 34 are permanently inhabited. The
islands extend from 6° to 14° North latitudes and from 92° to 94° East
longitudes. The Andamans are separated from the Nicobar group by a
channel (the Ten Degree Channel) some 150 km (93 mi) wide. The highest point is located in North Andaman Island (Saddle Peak at 732 m (2,402 ft)). The Andaman group has 325 islands which cover an area of 6,170 km<sup>2</sup> (2,382 sq mi) while the Nicobar group has only 24 islands with an area of 1,765 km<sup>2</sup> (681 sq mi).</div>
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The capital of the union territory, Port Blair, is located 1,255 km (780 mi) from Kolkata, 1,200 km (750 mi) from Visakhapatnam and 1,190 km (740 mi) from Chennai.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Planning_Commission_Report_11-2"></sup> The northernmost point of the Andaman and Nicobars group is 901 km (560 mi) away from the mouth of the Hooghly River
and 190 km (120 mi) from Burma. Indira Point at 6°45’10″N and
93°49’36″E at the southern tip of the southernmost island, Great
Nicobar, is the southernmost point of India and lies only 150 km (93 mi)
from Sumatra in Indonesia. </div>
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During World War II, the islands were practically under Japanese control, only nominally under the authority of the Arzi Hukumate Azad Hind of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Bose visited the islands during the war, and renamed them as
"Shaheed-dweep" (Martyr Island) and "Swaraj-dweep" (Self-rule Island).</div>
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General Loganathan, of the Indian National Army
was made the Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. On 22
February 1944 he along with four INA officers — Major Mansoor Ali Alvi,
Sub. Lt. Md. Iqbal, Lt. Suba Singh and stenographer Srinivasan—arrived
at Lambaline Airport in Port Blair. On 21 March 1944 the Headquarters of the Civil Administration was established near the Gurudwara at Aberdeen Bazaar. On 2 October 1944, Col. Loganathan handed over the charge to Maj. Alvi and left Port Blair, never to return.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10"></sup> The islands were reoccupied by British and Indian troops of the 116th Indian Infantry Brigade on 7 October 1945, to whom the remaining Japanese garrison surrendered.</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-69868975693070044702013-10-27T10:10:00.001+02:002013-12-16T22:22:19.117+02:00Galápagos Islands 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <b>Galápagos Islands</b>, are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed on either side of the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, 926 km (575 mi) west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part. The Galápagos Islands and their surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a biological marine reserve. The principal language on the islands is Spanish. The islands have a population of slightly over 25,000.<br />
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The islands are famed for their vast number of endemic species and were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. The first recorded visit to the islands happened by chance in 1535, when the Dominican friar Fray Tomas de Berlanga went to Peru to arbitrate in a dispute between Francisco Pizarro
and his subordinates. De Berlanga was blown off course, though he
eventually returned to the Spanish Empire and described the conditions
of the islands and the animals that inhabited them. The first navigation chart of the islands was made by the buccaneer Ambrose Cowley in 1684. He named the individual islands after some of his fellow pirates
or after the British noblemen who helped the privateer's cause. More
recently, the Ecuadorian Government gave most of the islands Spanish
names. While the Spanish names are official, many users (especially ecological researchers) continue to use the older English names, principally because those were the names used when Charles Darwin visited.</div>
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The islands are located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, 973 km (525 nmi;
605 mi) off the west coast of South America. The closest land mass is
that of mainland Ecuador, the country to which they belong, 926 km/500 nmi to the east.</div>
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The islands are found at the coordinates 1°40'N–1°36'S, 89°16'–92°01'W.
Straddling the equator, islands in the chain are located in both the
northern and southern hemispheres, with Volcán Wolf and Volcán Ecuador on Isla Isabela being directly on the equator. Española Island, the southernmost islet of the archipelago, and Darwin Island, the northernmost one, are spread out over a distance of 220 km (137 mi). The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) considers them wholly within the South Pacific Ocean, however.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2"></sup> The Galápagos Archipelago consists of 7,880 km<sup>2</sup> (3,040 sq mi) of land spread over 45,000 km<sup>2</sup> (17,000 sq mi) of ocean. The largest of the islands, Isabela, measures 2,250 sq mi/5,827 km<sup>2</sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"></sup>
and makes up close to three-quarters of the total land area of the
Galápagos. Volcán Wolf on Isabela is the highest point, with an
elevation of 1,707 m (5,600 ft) above sea level. </div>
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The group consists of 18 main islands, 3 smaller islands, and 107 rocks and islets. The islands are located at the Galapagos Triple Junction.
The archipelago is located on the Nazca Plate (a tectonic plate), which
is moving east/southeast, diving under the South American Plate at a
rate of about 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) per year.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4"></sup> It is also atop the Galapagos hotspot, a place where the Earth's crust is being melted from below by a mantle plume, creating volcanoes. The first islands formed here at least 8 million and possibly up to 90 million years ago</div>
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While the older islands have disappeared below the sea as they moved
away from the mantle plume, the youngest islands, Isabela and Fernandina, are still being formed, with the most recent volcanic eruption
in April 2009 where lava from the volcanic island Fernandina started
flowing both towards the island's shoreline and into the centre caldera.</div>
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Baltra (South Seymour) Island
– Also known as South Seymour, Baltra is a small flat island located
near the centre of the Galápagos. It was created by geological uplift.
The island is very arid, and vegetation consists of salt bushes, prickly
pear cacti and palo santo trees.Until 1986, Baltra (Seymour) Airport
was the only airport serving the Galápagos. Now, there are two airports
which receive flights from the continent; the other is located on San Cristóbal Island.
Private planes flying to Galápagos must fly to Baltra, as it is the
only airport with facilities for planes overnight. On arriving in
Baltra, all visitors are immediately transported by bus to one of two
docks. The first dock is located in a small bay, where the boats
cruising Galápagos await passengers. The second is a ferry dock, which
connects Baltra to the island of Santa Cruz. In 2007 and 2008, the
Baltra airport was remodelled to include additional restaurants, shops
and an improved visitor area.<br />
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During the 1940s, scientists decided to move 70 of Baltra's land iguanas to the neighboring North Seymour Island as part of an experiment. This move had unexpected results during the military occupation of Baltra in World War II; the native iguanas became extinct on the island. During the 1980s, iguanas from North Seymour were brought to the Charles Darwin Research Station
as part of a breeding and repopulation project, and in the 1990s, land
iguanas were reintroduced to Baltra. As of 1997, scientists counted 97
iguanas living on Baltra; 13 of which were born on the islands.</div>
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Galápagos Islands Animals
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-42901728385203324102013-10-27T08:35:00.000+02:002013-12-16T22:12:09.171+02:00Gaiola Island - Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Gaiola Island</b> is one of the minor islands of Naples, Italy; it is offshore of Posillipo and gives its name to the Underwater Park of Gaiola (Parco Sommerso di Gaiola), a protected marine area.<br />
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The island takes its name from the cavities that dot the coast of Posillipo (from the Latin cavea,
"little cave", and then through the dialect "Caviola"). Originally, the
small island was known as Euplea, protector of safe navigation, and was
the site of a small temple. </div>
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The island is very close to the coast, reachable with a few strokes of
swimming. It is assumed that originally it was nothing more than an
extension of the promontory opposite and was artificially separated only
at a later time at the behest of Lucullus.</div>
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In the 17th century the island was virtually littered with Roman
factories, while, two centuries later, the island served as a battery in
defense of the Gulf of Naples.</div>
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At the beginning of the 19th century, the island was inhabited by a hermit,
nicknamed "The Wizard", who lived thanks to the almsgiving of
fishermen. Soon after, the island saw the construction of the villa that
occupies it today and which was at one time owned by Norman Douglas, author of Land of the Siren. In the 1920s there was a cable car that connected the island to the mainland.</div>
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Naples's population has considered Gaiola a "cursed island", which with
its beauty hides a "restless fate". The reputation came about because of
the frequent premature death of its owners. For example, in the 1920s,
it belonged to the Swiss Hans Braun, who was found dead and wrapped in a
rug; a little later, his wife drowned in the sea. The next owner was
the German Otto Grunback, who died of a heart attack while staying in
the villa. A similar fate befell the pharmaceutical industrialist Maurice-Yves Sandoz, who committed suicide in a mental hospital in Switzerland;
its subsequent owner, a German steel industrialist, Baron Karl Paul
Langheim, was dragged to economic ruin by wild living. The island has
also belonged to Gianni Agnelli, who suffered the deaths of many relatives, and to Paul Getty, who endured the kidnapping of a grandson. The last private owner of the island was Gianpasquale Grappone, who was jailed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"></sup>
Newspapers talked again about the "Gaiola Malediction" in 2009, after
the murder of Franco Ambrosio and his wife Giovanna Sacco, who owned a
villa opposite the island.</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-58746570836839684942013-10-21T08:56:00.000+03:002013-12-16T22:20:31.375+02:00Iguazu Falls - Argentina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Iguazu Falls</b>, <b>Iguazú Falls</b>, <b>Iguassu Falls</b> or <b>Iguaçu Falls</b> (Portuguese: <span lang="pt" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><i>Cataratas do Iguaçu</i></span> <span class="IPA" title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)">[kataˈɾatɐz du iɡwaˈsu]</span>; Spanish: <span lang="es" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><i>Cataratas del Iguazú</i></span> <span class="IPA" title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)">[kataˈɾatas ðel iɣwaˈsu]</span>; Guarani: <span lang="gn" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><i>Chororo Yguasu</i></span> <span class="IPA" title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)">[ɕoɾoɾo ɨɣʷasu]</span>) are waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentinian province of Misiones. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu. The Iguazu River rises near the city of Curitiba.
The river flows through Brazil for most of its course, although most of
the falls are on the Argentine side. Below its confluence with the San
Antonio River, the Iguazu River forms the boundary between Argentina and Brazil.<br />
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The name "Iguazu" comes from the Guarani or Tupi words "<i>y</i>" <span class="IPA" title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)"></span>, meaning "water", and "<i>ûasú</i> "<span class="IPA" title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)">[waˈsu]</span>, meaning "big".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-SATravel_2-0"></sup> Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful woman named <i>Naipí</i>, who fled with her mortal lover <i>Tarobá</i> in a canoe. In rage, the god sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-SATravel_2-1"></sup> The first European to find the falls was the Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541.</div>
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Iguazu Falls is located where the Iguazu River tumbles over the edge of the Paraná Plateau, 23 kilometres (14 mi) upriver from the Iguazu's confluence with the Paraná River.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Britannica_1-5"></sup>
Numerous islands along the 2.7-kilometre-long (1.7 mi) edge divide the
falls into numerous separate waterfalls and cataracts, varying between
60 to 82 metres (197 to 269 ft) high. The number of these smaller
waterfalls fluctuates from 150 to 300, depending on the water level.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wondermondo_3-0"></sup> About half of the river's flow falls into a long and narrow chasm called the Devil's Throat (<span lang="es" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><i>Garganta del Diablo</i></span> in Spanish or <span lang="pt" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><i>Garganta do Diabo</i></span> in Portuguese).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Britannica_1-6"></sup>
The Devil's Throat is U-shaped, 82 metres high, 150 m wide, and 700 m
long (269×490×2,300 ft). Placenames have been given also to many other
smaller falls, such as San Martin Falls, Bossetti Falls and many others.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wondermondo_3-1"></sup> </div>
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About 900 metres (2,950 ft) of the 2.7-kilometre (1.7 mi) length does not have water flowing over it. The edge of the basalt cap recedes by 3 mm (0.1 in) per year. The water of the lower Iguazu collects in a canyon that drains in the Paraná River, a short distance downstream from the Itaipu Dam. The junction of the water flows marks the border between Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. There are points in the cities of Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, and Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, which have access to the Iguazu River, where the borders of all three nations can be seen, a popular tourist attraction for visitors to the three cities.</div>
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The Iguazu Falls are arranged in a way that seems like a reverse letter
"J". The border between Brazil and Argentina runs through the Devil's
Throat. On the right bank is the Brazilian territory, which has just
over 20% of the jumps of these falls, and the left side jumps are
Argentine, which make up almost 80% of the falls.</div>
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<span class="nowrap">There are two</span> international airports close to Iguazú Falls: the Argentine Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport (IGR) and the Brazilian Foz do Iguaçu International Airport
(IGU). Argentina's airport is 25 kilometres (16 mi) from the city of
Iguazu but closer to the Falls hotels than its Brazilian counterpart.
There is bus and taxi service from and to the Airport-Falls. Brazil's
airport is between Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil and the falls. LAN Airlines and Aerolíneas Argentinas have direct flights from Buenos Aires to Iguazu International Airport Krause. Several Brazilian airlines, such as TAM Airlines, GOL, Azul, WebJet, offer service from the main Brazilian cities to Foz do Iguaçu.</div>
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Origin Wikipedia...</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-29943737660953789712013-09-29T09:25:00.000+03:002014-05-17T19:22:19.499+03:00Vernazza, Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Vernazza</b> (Latin: <i><b>Vulnetia</b></i>) is a town and <i>comune</i> located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective <i>verna</i> meaning "native" and the aptly named indigenous wine, <i>vernaccia</i> ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker.<br />
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First records recognizing Vernazza as a fortified town date back to the
year 1080. Referred to as an active maritime base of the Obertenghi, a family of Italian nobility, it was a likely point of departure for naval forces in defence of pirates. Over the next two centuries, Vernazza was vital in Genova's conquest of Liguria,
providing port, fleet, and soldiers. In 1209, the approximately 90 most
powerful families of Vernazza pledged their allegiance to the republic
of Genova.</div>
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The first documented presence of a church dates back to 1251, with the
parish of San Pietro cited in 1267. Reference to the Church of Santa
Margherita d'Antiochia of Vernazza occurs in 1318. Some scholars are of
the opinion, due to the use of materials and mode of construction, that
the actual creation of the Church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia took
place earlier, some time in the 12th century. The Church of Santa
Margherita d'Antiochia was expanded upon and renovated over the course
of the 16th and 17th centuries, and thereafter was erected the octagonal
bell tower that rises from the apse.</div>
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In the 1400s, Vernazza focused in its defense against the dreadful and
regularly occurring pirate raids, erecting a fortifying wall. In the
mid-1600s, like many of the Cinque Terre villages, Vernazza suffered a
period of decline that negatively affected wine production, and
prolonged the construction of the trail system and harbor <i>molo</i> (pier constructed to protect against heavy seas).</div>
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In the 1800s, after a long period of stagnation, Vernazza returned to
wine production, enlarging and creating new terraced hillsides. The
result was a revitalization of Vernazza's commerce. Also at this time,
the construction of the Genova–La Spezia
rail line began, putting an end to Vernazza's long isolation. The
population of Vernazza increased by 60% as a result. Meanwhile, the
construction of La Spezia's naval base also proved important to Vernazza
in providing employment for many members of the community. </div>
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With the arrival of the 20th century, Vernazza experienced a wave of
emigration as working the land was viewed as dangerous and the culprit
of disease, and the ability to further exploit agriculture diminished. In 1997, the Cinque Terre was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in 1999 the National Park of the Cinque Terre
was born. Today the main source of revenue for Vernazza is tourism.
However, as a testimony to the strength of centuries-old tradition,
fishing, wine and olive oil production still continue to take place.</div>
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On 25 October 2011, Vernazza was struck by torrential rains, massive
flooding, and mudslides that left the town buried in over 4 metres of
mud and debris, causing over 100 million euro worth of damage. The town
was evacuated and remained in a continued state of emergency.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"></sup> </div>
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</style>Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-90673961520006386422013-08-25T10:27:00.000+03:002014-05-17T19:24:04.037+03:00Thousand Islands - Canada<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <b>Thousand Islands</b> constitute an archipelago of 1,864 islands that straddles the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about 50 miles (80 km) downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario, the U.S. islands in the state of New York.<br />
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The 1,864 islands range in size from over 40 square miles (100 km<sup>2</sup>) to smaller islands occupied by a single residence, or uninhabited outcroppings of rocks that are only home to migratory waterfowl.
To count as one of the Thousand Islands these minimum criteria had to
be met: 1) Above water level year round; 2) Have an area greater than 1
square foot (0.093 m<sup>2</sup>); and 3) Support at least one living tree. </div>
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Large freighters frequently ply the Saint Lawrence Seaway, but the area has so many shoals and rocks that vessels sometimes hire maritime pilots
to help them travel through the hazardous waterway. Under the Canadian
span, a vessel just less than 25 feet (7.6 m) offshore can find itself
in over 200 feet (61 m) of water. Similarly, rocks and shoals less than
two feet (61 cm) underwater can be found in the center of channels 90
feet (27 m) deep.</div>
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Because of the great number of rocks and shoals just above or below the
water's surface, it is unwise to travel the waters at night, unless one
stays in the main channels and has charts, a chart plotter, or knows the
area well. The water is so clear in some areas, that a rocky bottom can
be observed in 80 feet (24 m) of water. Before the advent of the zebra mussel,
visibility of only ten to fifteen feet was usual, slightly decreasing
as the years passed. Water clarity improved markedly in the mid-1990s
with the arrival of zebra mussels, which feed on algae. The area has
several shipwrecks, and although most of them are over 100 feet (30 m)
underwater, some are a mere 15 feet (4.6 m) down and can be seen from
the surface. </div>
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Geologically, the islands are located where a branch of the Canadian Shield runs south across the river to join with the Adirondacks. Around twenty of these islands form the Thousand Islands National Park, the oldest of Canada's national parks
east of the Rockies. The park hosts campgrounds, inland walking trails,
annual family events, as well as a national heritage building. </div>
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The Thousand Islands-Frontenac Arch region was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2002. The U.S. islands include numerous New York state parks, including Wellesley Island State Park, and Robert Moses State Park - Thousand Islands located on an island in the St. Lawrence. </div>
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The Thousand Islands Bridge connects New York State and Ontario by traversing Wellesley Island at the northernmost point of Interstate 81 in Jefferson County and meets Highway 137, which leads to Highway 401. The Thousand Islands Parkway provides a scenic view of many of the islands.</div>
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The largest island in the group, Wolfe Island, is located entirely in Ontario. Adjacent to Wolfe but part of New York is Carleton Island, the site of a ruined fort, Fort Haldiman,
built in 1779 by the British during the American Revolutionary War. The
island was captured by three American soldiers during the War of 1812 and remains part of the United States today. </div>
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</style>Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-64637999984765202372013-08-16T05:31:00.001+03:002014-05-17T19:26:02.692+03:00Melbourne Victoria Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Melbourne</b> <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne#cite_note-3"></a></sup> is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CensusQuickStats_2-1"></sup> The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. The metropolis is located on Port Phillip, a large natural bay, with the city centre positioned on the estuary of the Yarra River at the northernmost point of the bay.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GoogleMaps_4-0"></sup>
The metropolitan area then extends south from the City Centre, along
the eastern and western shorelines of Port Phillip, and expands into the
hinterland.</div>
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The City Centre is situated in the municipality known as the City of Melbourne, and the metropolitan area consists of a further 30 municipalities.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MelbLGAs_5-0"></sup>
The metropolis has a population of 4.25 million, growing the fastest in
numerical terms and fifth fastest in percentage terms since the
previous year.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-PopulationGrowth_1-1"></sup> Inhabitants of Melbourne are called Melburnians.</div>
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Melbourne was founded in 1835 (47 years after the European settlement of Australia) by settlers from Launceston in Van Diemen's Land.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-settlement8-9_7-0"></sup> It was named by Governor of New South Wales Sir Richard Bourke in 1837, in honour of the British Prime Minister of the day, William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-settlement8-9_7-1"></sup> Melbourne was officially declared a city by Queen Victoria in 1847.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MilesLewis25_8-0"></sup> In 1851, it became the capital city of the newly created colony of Victoria.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MilesLewis25_8-1"></sup> During the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s, it was transformed into one of the world's largest and wealthiest cities.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-RobertCervero320_9-0"></sup> After the federation of Australia in 1901, it served as the interim seat of government of the newly created nation of Australia until 1927 ..</div>
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Melbourne has been ranked as the world's most liveable city in ratings published by the Economist Group's Intelligence Unit (in 2011 and 2012).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11"></sup> It has also been ranked in the top ten Global University Cities by RMIT's Global University Cities Index (since 2006)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-RMITGUCI_12-0"></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TheAustBestUni_13-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne#cite_note-TheAustBestUni-13"></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TheAgeTopUnis_14-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne#cite_note-TheAgeTopUnis-14"></a></sup> and the top 20 Global Innovation Cities by the 2thinknow Global Innovation Agency (since 2007).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2thinknow2007_15-0"></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2thinknow2008_16-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne#cite_note-2thinknow2008-16"></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2thinknow2009_17-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne#cite_note-2thinknow2009-17"></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2thinknow2010_18-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne#cite_note-2thinknow2010-18"></a></sup> Often referred to as the "cultural capital of Australia",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TourismAust_19-0"></sup> Melbourne is the birthplace of cultural institutions such as Australian film (as well as the world's first feature film),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Stratton_20-0"></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21"></sup> Australian television,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-first24_22-0"></sup> Australian rules football,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Now_2003._pg._182_23-0"></sup> the Australian impressionist art movement (known as the Heidelberg School)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AstburyMasters_24-0"></sup> and Australian dance styles such as New Vogue and the Melbourne Shuffle.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TheAgeDanceTrance_25-0"></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Gwynne202_26-0"></sup> It is also a major centre for contemporary and traditional Australian music.</div>
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The main passenger airport serving the metropolis is Melbourne Airport, which is the second busiest in Australia. The Port of Melbourne is Australia's busiest seaport for containerised and general cargo.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27"></sup> Melbourne is also home to the world's largest tram network .</div>
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Before the arrival of European settlers, the area was occupied for an estimated 31,000 to 40,000 years<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29"></sup> by under 20,000<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-rbg.vic.gov.au_30-0"></sup> hunter-gatherers from three indigenous regional tribes: the Wurundjeri, Boonwurrung and Wathaurong.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31"></sup> The area was an important meeting place for the clans of the Kulin nation alliance and a vital source of food and water . The first European settlement in Victoria was established by Colonel David Collins in October 1803, at Sullivan Bay, near present-day Sorrento, but this settlement was relocated to what is now Hobart Tasmania in February 1804, due to a perceived lack of resources. It would be 30 years before another settlement was attempted .</div>
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In May and June 1835, the area which is now central and northern Melbourne was explored by John Batman, a leading member of the Port Phillip Association in Van Diemen's Land (now called Tasmania), who negotiated a purchase of 600,000 acres (2,400 km<sup>2</sup>) with eight Wurundjeri elders.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-settlement_32-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne#cite_note-settlement-32"></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-merrimerri_33-1"></sup> Batman selected a site on the northern bank of the Yarra River, declaring that "this will be the place for a village".<sup class="Template-Fact" style="white-space: nowrap;"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (October 2011)"></span></sup> Batman then returned to Launceston in Tasmania. In early August 1835 a different group of settlers, including John Pascoe Fawkner, left Launceston on the ship Enterprize. John Pascoe Fawkner
was forced to disembark at Georgetown, Tasmania because of outstanding
debts. The remainder of the party continued and arrived at the mouth of
the Yarra River on 15 August 1835. On 30 August 1835 the party
disembarked and established a settlement at the site of the current
Melbourne Immigration Museum. John Batman and his group arrived on 2 September 1835 and the two groups ultimately agreed to share the settlement.</div>
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Batman's Treaty with the Aborigines was annulled by the New South Wales government (which at the time governed all of eastern mainland Australia), which compensated the association.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-settlement_32-2"></sup> In 1836, Governor Bourke declared the city the administrative capital of the Port Phillip District of New South Wales, and commissioned the first plan for the city, the Hoddle Grid, in 1837.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-COM2_35-0"></sup> Later that year the settlement was named "Melbourne" after the British Prime Minister, William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, whose seat was Melbourne Hall in the market town of Melbourne, Derbyshire. On 13 April 1837, the settlement's general post office was officially opened with that name. </div>
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Origin Wikipedia....</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-16846413049049095532013-07-29T09:13:00.000+03:002014-05-17T19:28:25.016+03:00Kilyos Beach Turkey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The extreme northern Istanbul suburb
of <b>Kilyos</b>, 35 km (22
miles) north of the Galata
Bridge,
faces the deep, chilly waters of the <b>Black
Sea</b>, and is a favorite
getaway spot for sweating Istanbullus
on steamy summer afternoons.</div>
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<b>Kilyos</b> has <b> hotels, guesthouses </b>and<b> restaurants</b> open
during the
summer. The beach is
open daily in warm weather from 8 am to 6
pm for
a fee; it's <b>very crowded</b> on summer weekends, but not so crowded on weekdays.</div>
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<b></b><b>NOTE! </b>The beach
may be subject to <b>deadly
riptides and undertow,</b> so
educate yourself about what to do
in case
of undetow
(swim parallel to the shore to
escape the current, then swim toward
the shore), swim in <b>protected
areas</b> or where there
are
<b>lifeguards</b>, and <b>don't
swim alone</b>.</div>
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To <b>get to Kilyos</b> from
Istanbul,
take a Bosphorus
cruise on a traditional Istanbul
ferryboat to <b>Sarıyer</b>
(or you can take a
bus), then from Sarıyer take
Bus 151 or a minibus (Sarıyer-Kilyos)
north to Kilyos, a 20-minute ride.</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-13995255600564320102013-07-12T09:38:00.000+03:002014-05-17T19:30:07.664+03:00Antananarivo Madagascar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Antananarivo</b> ( from <span lang="mg">Tanànan'ny Arivolahy</span>), formerly <b>Tananarive</b> , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form <b>Tana</b>.
The larger urban area surrounding the city, known as
Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or
"Antananarivo-Capital"), is the capital of Analamanga Region.<br />
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Antananarivo is situated in the center of the island length-wise, and
145 km (90 mi) away from the eastern coast. The city occupies a
commanding position, being built on the summit
and slopes of a long and narrow rocky ridge, which extends north and
south for about 4 km (2 mi) and rises at its highest point to about
200 m (660 ft) above the extensive rice plain to the west, although the
town is at about 1,275 m (4,183 ft) above sea level.
It is Madagascar's largest city and is its administrative,
communications, and economic center. The city is located 215 km (134 mi)
west-southwest of Toamasina,
the principal seaport of the island, with which it is connected by
railway, and for about 100 km (62 mi) along the coastal lagoons..</div>
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Unlike most capital cities in southern Africa, Antananarivo was already a major city before the colonial era. The city was founded circa 1625 by King Andrianjaka
and takes its name (the City of the Thousand) from the number of
soldiers assigned to guard it. For many years it was the principal
village of the Hova
chiefs and gained importance as those chiefs made themselves sovereigns
of the greater part of Madagascar, eventually becoming a town of some
80,000 inhabitants.</div>
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In 1793 Antananarivo was made the capital of the Merina kings. The conquests of King Radama I made it the capital of almost all of Madagascar. The royal residence of the monarchs was set up at the Rova of Antananarivo. Until 1869 all buildings within the city proper were of wood or rushes and followed traditional Malagasy architectural norms,
but even then it possessed several timber palaces of considerable size,
the largest being 120 ft (37 m) high. These crown the summit of the
central portion of the ridge; and the largest palace, with its lofty roof and towers, is the most conspicuous object from every point of view. </div>
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Since the introduction of stone and brick by James Cameron and other London Missionary Society
missionaries in the early 19th century, the entire city has been
rebuilt and now contains numerous European-style structures, including
the royal palaces, the houses formerly belonging to the prime minister
and nobles, the French residency, the Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals, and several stone churches. The Museum of Ethnology and Paleontology is located in the city.</div>
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The city was captured by the French in 1895 and incorporated into their Madagascar protectorate. After the French conquest of Madagascar
when the city had a population of some 100,000, it was extensively
remodeled as the population grew to 175,000 by 1950. Roads were
constructed throughout the city, broad flights of steps connecting
places too steep for the formation of carriage roads were built, and the
central space, called Andohalo,
was enhanced with walks, terraces, flower-beds and trees. Water,
previously obtained from springs at the foot of the hill, was brought
from the Ikopa River which skirts the capital to the south and west.</div>
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After independence in 1960 the pace of growth increased rapidly. The
city's population reached 1.4 million by the end of the 20th century.
Industries include food products, cigarettes, and textiles.</div>
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The city is guarded by two forts built on hills to the east. Including
an Anglican and a Roman Catholic cathedral (this is the see city of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antananarivo), there are more than 5,000 church buildings in the city and its suburbs. Antananarivo hosts a campus of the University of Madagascar and the Collège Rural d'Ambatobe. Ivato Airport serves the city with several regional routes and flights to and from Paris, Johannesburg and Nairobi among other cities.</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-84914829649305847112013-07-07T09:23:00.000+03:002014-05-17T19:32:01.152+03:00Negril Jamaica<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Negril</b> is a small (pop. 3,000) but widely dispersed beach resort town located across parts of two Jamaican parishes, Westmoreland and Hanover. Negril is just about one hour and fifteen minutes drive from Sir Donald Sangster International Airport, in Montego Bay. Westmoreland is the westernmost parish in Jamaica, located on the south side of the island.
Downtown Negril, the West End cliff resorts to the south of downtown,
and the southern portion of the so-called "seven mile (11 km) beach" are
in Westmoreland. The northernmost resorts on the beach are in Hanover
Parish. The nearest large town is Savanna-la-Mar, the capital of Westmoreland Parish.<br />
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<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2"><span style="font-size: small;">The name Negril is a shortened version of Negrillo (Spanish: Little black ones),
as it was originally named by the Spanish in 1494. The name is thought
by some to be a reference to the black cliffs south of the village.
Another theory holds that because there was a vast population of black
eels along Negril's coast, the Spaniards called the area Negro Eels which was shortened to Negrillo and then to Negril. Although Negril has a long history, it did not become well known until the second half of the twentieth century.</span></sup></div>
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<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2"><span style="font-size: small;"><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"></sup></span> </sup><br />
Negril's development as a resort location began during the late 1950s,
though access to the area proved difficult as ferries were required to
drop off passengers in Negril Bay, forcing them to wade to shore. Most
vacationers would rent rooms inside the homes of Jamaican families, or
would pitch tents in their yards. Daniel Connell was the first person to
create more traditional vacation lodging for these "flower children"
when he set up the first guest house in Negril - Palm Grove. The area's
welcoming and hospitable reputation grew over time and the first of many
resorts was constructed in the mid to late 1960s. The first hotel in
Negril was the Yacht Club by Mary's Bay on the West End.</div>
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When the road between Montego Bay
and Negril was improved in the early 1970s, it helped to increase
Negril's status as a new resort location. It was a two-lane paved road
that ran approximately 100 yards (91 m) inland from two white coral sand
beaches, at the southern end of which was a small village. The long
paved road from the village ran north to Green Island, home to many of
the Jamaican workers in Negril, and was straight enough to double as a
runway for small airplanes, which was why there were lengths of railroad
track standing on end along the side of the road - to discourage drug
smugglers from landing on the road to pick up cheap cargos of marijuana.</div>
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After Negril's infrastructure was expanded—anticipating the growth of resorts and an expanding population, a small airport, the Negril Aerodrome,
was built in 1976 near Rutland Point, alongside several small hotels
mostly catering to the North American winter tourists. Europeans also
came to Negril, and several hotels were built to cater directly to those
guests.</div>
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Origin Wikipedia....</div>
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<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2"><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"></sup> </sup></div>
Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-1803483497508621192013-06-25T16:51:00.000+03:002014-05-17T19:33:48.696+03:00Annecy, France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Annecy</b> is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy (<i>Lac d'Annecy</i>), 35 kilometres (22 miles) south of Geneva.<br />
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Starting as the capital of the county of Geneva, after the demise of the counts of Geneva, it became integrated into the House of Savoy's possessions in 1401. In 1444, it was set up by the Princes of Savoy as the capital of a region covering the possessions of the Genevois, Faucigny and Beaufortain. With the advance of Calvinism in 1535, it became a center for the Counter-Reformation and the bishop's see of Geneva was transferred here .</div>
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During the French Revolution the Savoy region was conquered by France. Annecy became attached to the département of Mont Blanc, of which the capital was Chambéry. After the Bourbon Restoration in 1815, it was returned to the Kingdom of Sardinia (heir of the Duchy of Savoy). When Savoy was sold to France in 1860, it became the capital of the new <i>département</i> of Haute-Savoie.</div>
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Francis of Sales was born at the nearby castle of Sales in 1567. He was bishop of Annecy from 1602 to 1622. Annecy was the site of the second round of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) talks in 1949.In 2012, Annecy was the scene of a multiple murder .</div>
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The Fier forms part of the commune's north-western border. The mountains around the town of Annecy are: Le Mont Veyrier, Le Semnoz, La Tournette and the Parmelan.</div>
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Palais de l'Isle is a castle in the centre of the Thiou canal, built in
1132. It was the primary residence of the Lord of Annecy as early as the
12th century, and later became the Count of Geneva's administrative headquarters, then alternately a courthouse, a mint, and finally a jail from the Middle Ages until 1865 and then again during World War II. The Palais de l'Ile was classified as a Historical Monument in 1900, and today houses a local history museum. </div>
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Origin Wikipedia ...<br />
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<b><i><a class="g-profile" href="http://plus.google.com/102900928495747409773" target="_blank">THE NATURE OF THE WORLD</a> </i></b></h3>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-7593681843447526892013-06-08T20:25:00.000+03:002014-05-17T19:35:23.232+03:00Gozo , Malta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Gozo</b> is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago. Compared to its southeastern neighbour, Gozo is more rural and known for its scenic hills, which are featured on its coat of arms .</div>
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The island of Gozo has long been associated with Ogygia, the island home of the nymph Calypso in Homer's <i>Odyssey</i>. Calypso, possessed of great supernatural powers, holds Odysseus captive for a number of years because of her love for him before releasing him to continue his journey home .</div>
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The island itself has a population of around 31,000 people (all of Malta
combined has 402,000), and its inhabitants are known as <i>Gozitans</i> . It is rich in historical locations such as the Ġgantija temples which, along with the Megalithic Temples of Malta, are the world's oldest free-standing structures and also among the world's oldest religious structures .</div>
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The island is rural in character and, compared to the main island Malta,
less developed. Azure Window, a natural arch formed millions of years
ago when a limestone cave collapsed, is one of the features of the
island. There are many beaches on the island and seaside resorts popular
with tourists and locals alike. The most popular are Marsalforn and
Xlendi Bay. Gozo is considered one of the top diving destinations in the
Mediterranean and a centre for water sports.</div>
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For such a small island, Gozo has a high concentration of churches (46
in all). The Xewkija church has a capacity of 3000, enough for the
entire population of Xewkija village, its dome is larger than that of
St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The church bells are rung daily for the canonical hours Matins, Lauds, Terce, Sext, None and vespers. The most famous church on the island is the National Shrine and Basilica of Santwarju tal-Madonna ta' Pinu. </div>
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Origin Wikipedia..</div>
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<b><i><a class="g-profile" href="http://plus.google.com/102900928495747409773" target="_blank">THE NATURE OF THE WORLD</a> </i></b></h3>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-62434967348580723242013-06-04T10:55:00.000+03:002013-07-07T09:32:07.806+03:00Great Zimbabwe National Monument<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Great Zimbabwe National Monument is approximately 30 km from Masvingo
and located in the lowveld at an altitude of some 1100 m in a sparsely
populated region of the Bantu/Shona people. The property, built between
1100 and 1450 AD, extends over almost 800 ha and is divided into three
groups: the Hill Ruins, the Great Enclosure and the Valley Ruins.<br />
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The Hill Ruins, forming a huge granite mass atop a spur facing
north-east/south-west, were continuously inhabited from the 11th to 15th
centuries, and there are numerous layers of traces of human
settlements. Rough granite rubble-stone blocks form distinct enclosures,
accessed by narrow, partly covered, passageways. This acropolis is
generally considered a 'royal city'; the west enclosure is thought to
have been the residence of successive chiefs and the east enclosure,
where six steatite upright posts topped with birds were found,
considered to serve a ritual purpose.</div>
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The Valley Ruins are a series of living ensembles scattered throughout
the valley which date to the 19th century. Each ensemble has similar
characteristics: many constructions are in brick (huts, indoor flooring
and benches, holders for recipients, basins, etc.) and dry stone masonry
walls provide insulation for each ensemble. Resembling later
developments of the Stone Age, the building work was carried out to a
high standard of craftsmanship, incorporating an impressive display of
chevron and chequered wall decorations.</div>
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Scientific research has proved that Great Zimbabwe was founded in the
11th century on a site which had been sparsely inhabited in the
prehistoric period, by a Bantu population of the Iron Age, the Shona. In
the 14th century, it was the principal city of a major state extending
over the gold-rich plateaux; its population exceeded 10,000 inhabitants.
About 1450, the capital was abandoned because the hinterland could no
longer furnish food for the overpopulated city and because of
deforestation. The resulting migration benefited Khami, which became the
most influential city in the region, but signaled waning political
power. When in 1505 the Portuguese settled in Sofala, the region was
divided between the rival powers of the kingdoms of Torwa and
Mwene-Mutapa.</div>
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Archaeological excavations have revealed glass beads and porcelain from
China and Persia, and gold and Arab coins from Kilwa which testify to
the extent of long-standing trade with the outer world. Other evidence,
including potsherds and ironware, gives a further insight to the
property’s socio-economic complexity and about farming and pastoral
activities. A monumental granite cross, located at a traditionally
revered and sacred spiritual site, also illustrates community contact
with missionaries.</div>
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The ruins of Great Zimbabwe bear a unique testimony to the lost
civilization of the Shona between the 11th and 15th centuries. A unique
artistic achievement, this great city has struck the imagination of
African and European travellers since the Middle Ages, as evidenced by
the persistent legends which attribute to it a biblical origin. The
entire Zimbabwe nation has identified with this historically symbolic
ensemble and has adopted as its emblem the steatite bird, which may have
been a royal totem.</div>
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The pioneering works of David Randall-MacIver in 1905-6, corroborated
since by numerous finds of dated archaeological artefacts and by
radiocarbon analysis, have proved that Great Zimbabwe was founded in the
11th century on a site which had been sparsely inhabited in the
prehistoric period, by a Bantu population of the Iron Age, the Shona. In
the 14th century, it was the principal city of a major state extending
over the gold-rich plateaux; its population exceeded 10,000 inhabitants.
In about 1450, this capital was abandoned, not as a result of war, but
because the hinterland could no longer furnish food for the
overpopulated city, and deforestation made it necessary to go farther
and farther to find firewood. The resulting migration benefited Khami,
which became the most influential city in the region, but signalled
waning political power.</div>
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When in 1505 the Portuguese settled in Sofala, the region was divided
between the rival powers of the kingdoms of Torwa and Mwene-Mutapa. From
the 11th to 15th centuries, the wealth of Great Zimbabwe was associated
with gold trading, controlled by the Arabs, and extensive trade
activities on the east coast of Africa where Kilwa was the main trading
centre. In addition to jewellery that had escaped greedy European gold
hunters at the end of the 19th century, archaeological excavations in
Great Zimbabwe unearthed glass beads and fragments of porcelain and
pottery of Chinese and Persian origin which testify to the extent of
trade within the continent. A 14th-century Arab coin from Kilwa was also
found; it was reissued in 1972.</div>
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Origin Unesco Org...</div>
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<a class="g-profile" href="http://plus.google.com/102900928495747409773" target="_blank">THE NATURE OF THE WORLD</a> </div>
Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-63845354594962276952013-06-01T15:10:00.000+03:002013-07-07T09:32:16.206+03:00Republic of Malawi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b></b><b>Malawi</b> , officially the <b>Republic of Malawi</b>, is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Malawi is over 118,000 km<sup>2</sup> (45,560 sq mi) with an estimated population of more than 14,900,000. Its capital is Lilongwe, which is also Malawi's largest city; the second largest is Blantyre and the third is Mzuzu. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, an old name of the Nyanja people that inhabit the area. The country is also nicknamed "The Warm Heart of Africa".<br />
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The area of Africa now known as Malawi was colonised by migrating tribes
of Bantu around the 10th century. In 1891 the area was colonised again,
this time by the British. In 1953 Malawi, then known as Nyasaland,
became part of the semi-independent central African Federation
(CAF). The Federation was dissolved in 1963 and in 1964, Nyasaland
gained full independence and was renamed Malawi. Upon gaining
independence it became a single-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda, who remained president until 1994, when he was ousted from power. Joyce Banda (no relation) is the current president, raised to that position after president Bingu wa Mutharika died in 2012. She is the first female leader in Malawi.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10"></sup> Malawi has a democratic, multi-party government. Malawi has a small military force that includes an army, a navy and an air wing. Malawi's foreign policy is pro-Western and includes positive diplomatic relations with most countries and participation in several international organisations. </div>
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Malawi is among the world's least-developed countries.
The economy is heavily based in agriculture, with a largely rural
population. The Malawian government depends heavily on outside aid to
meet development
needs, although this need (and the aid offered) has decreased since
2000. The Malawian government faces challenges in building and expanding
the economy, improving education, health care, environmental protection,
and becoming financially independent. Malawi has several programs
developed since 2005 that focus on these issues, and the country's
outlook appears to be improving, with improvements in economic growth,
education and healthcare seen in 2007 and 2008.</div>
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Malawi has a low life expectancy and high infant mortality. There is a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, which is a drain on the labour force and government expenditures. There is a diverse population of native peoples, Asians and Europeans,
with several languages spoken and an array of religious beliefs.
Although there was tribal conflict in the past, by 2008 it had
diminished considerably and the concept of a Malawian nationality had
begun to form. Malawi has a culture combining native and colonial
aspects, including sports, art, dance and music. </div>
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Origin Wikipedia ..</div>
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Malawi National Park</div>
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Mzuzu Market </div>
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Lake Malawi</div>
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Swim to Kande Island </div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-37572771862815306132013-05-12T09:04:00.000+03:002013-06-01T14:51:39.385+03:00Positano, Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Positano</b> is a village and <i>comune</i> on the Amalfi Coast (<i>Costiera Amalfitana</i>), in Campania, Italy. The main part of the city sits in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast.<br />
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Positano was a port of the Amalfi Republic
in medieval times, and prospered during the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the town had fallen
on hard times. More than half the population emigrated, mostly to Australia.</div>
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Positano was a relatively poor fishing village during the first half
of the twentieth century. It began to attract large numbers of tourists
in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in <i>Harper's Bazaar</i>
in May, 1953: "Positano bites deep", Steinbeck wrote. "It is a dream
place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly
real after you have gone."</div>
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The church of <i>Santa Maria Assunta</i> features a dome made of majolica tiles as well as a thirteenth century Byzantine icon of a black Madonna.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Santa_Maria_Assunta_Church_in_Positano_1-0"></sup> According to local legend, the icon had been stolen from Byzantium
and was being transported by pirates across the Mediterranean. A
terrible storm had blown up in the waters opposite Positano and the
frightened sailors heard a voice on board saying "Posa, posa!" ("Put
down! Put down!"). The precious icon was unloaded and carried to the
fishing village and the storm abated.</div>
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Positano has been featured in several films, including <i>Only You</i> (1994), and <i>Under the Tuscan Sun</i> (2003), as well as being mentioned in the 2009 musical film <i>Nine</i>
in the song "Cinema Italiano". Positano is also the setting for the
romantic adventure novel, "Finding Positano, A Love Story" (2010), by
William James. It also hosts the annual <i>Cartoons on the Bay Festival</i>, at which Pulcinella awards for excellence in animation are presented. </div>
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From July 1967 and through most of the 1970s, Positano was home of singer-songwriter Shawn Phillips and was where most of his best known work was composed. Also, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones wrote the song "Midnight Rambler" in the cafes of Positano while on vacation.</div>
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Today tourism is by far the major industry in Positano. Positano is also very popular for Limoncello and for "L'Albertissimo", an alcoholic tipple that can only be found at a small stall at the main harbour. </div>
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Origin Wikipedia...</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-30058292978509824872013-04-30T10:16:00.000+03:002013-05-12T09:07:20.726+03:00Santorini, Greece<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Santorini</b> , and officially <b>Thira</b> , is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands, with an area of approximately 73 km<sup>2</sup>
(28 sq mi) and a 2011 census population of 15,550. The municipality of
Santorini comprises the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. The total land area is 90.623 km<sup>2</sup> (34.990 sq mi). Santorini is part of the Thira regional unit .<br />
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Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic
explosion that destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single
island, and created the current geological caldera. A giant central,
rectangular lagoon, which measures about 12 by 7 km (7.5 by 4.3 mi), is
surrounded by 300 m (980 ft) high, steep cliffs on three sides. The main
island slopes downward to the Aegean Sea. On the fourth side, the
lagoon is separated from the sea by another much smaller island called Therasia;
the lagoon is connected to the sea in two places, in the northwest and
southwest. The caldera being 400m deep makes it possible for all but the
largest ships to anchor anywhere in the protected bay; there is also a
newly built marina in Vlychada on the southwestern coast. The principal
port is called Athinias. The capital, Fira, clings to the top of the cliff looking down on the lagoon. The volcanic rocks present from the prior eruptions feature olivine and have a small presence of hornblende. </div>
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It is the most active volcanic centre in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc,
though what remains today is chiefly a water-filled caldera. The
volcanic arc is approximately 500 km (310 mi) long and 20 to 40 km (12
to 25 mi) wide. The region first became volcanically active around 3–4
million years ago, though volcanism on Thera began around 2 million
years ago with the extrusion of dacitic lavas from vents around the Akrotiri.</div>
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The island is the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history: the Minoan eruption (sometimes called the <b>Thera eruption</b>), which occurred some 3600 years ago at the height of the Minoan civilization. The eruption left a large caldera surrounded by volcanic ash deposits hundreds of metres deep and may have led indirectly to the collapse of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, 110 km (68 mi) to the south, through a gigantic tsunami. Another popular theory holds that the Thera eruption is the source of the legend of Atlantis.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pell_4-0"></sup> </div>
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<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorini#cite_note-3"></a></sup></div>
Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-36991084041833942662013-04-28T09:09:00.000+03:002013-05-12T09:07:30.352+03:00Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <b>Ponte Vecchio</b> is a Medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence,
Italy, noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common.
Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are
jewellers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. The Ponte Vecchio's two
neighbouring bridges are the Ponte Santa Trinita and the Ponte alle Grazie.<br />
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The bridge spans the Arno at its narrowest point<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-tci_3-0"></sup> where it is believed that a bridge was first built in Roman times,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-arch_4-0"></sup> when the via Cassia crossed the river at this point.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-tci_3-1"></sup> The Roman piers were of stone, the superstructure of wood. The bridge first appears in a document of 996.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-tci_3-2"></sup> After being destroyed by a flood in 1117 it was reconstructed in stone but swept away again in 1333<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-arch_4-1"></sup> save two of its central piers, as noted by Giovanni Villani in his <i>Nuova Cronica</i>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5"></sup> It was rebuilt in 1345,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6"></sup> Giorgio Vasari recorded the tradition in his day, that attributed its design to Taddeo Gaddi,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pv_1-1"></sup> besides Giotto one of the few artistic names of the trecento still recalled two hundred years later. Modern historians present Neri di Fioravanti as a possible candidate. </div>
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Sheltered in a little loggia at the central opening of the bridge is a weathered dedication stone, which once read <i>Nel
trentatrè dopo il mille-trecento, il ponte cadde, per diluvio dell'
acque: poi dieci anni, come al Comun piacque, rifatto fu con questo
adornamento</i>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7"></sup> The Torre dei Mannelli was built at the southeast corner of the bridge to defend it.</div>
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The bridge consists of three segmental arches: the main arch has a
span of 30 meters (98 ft) the two side arches each span 27 meters
(88 ft). The rise of the arches is between 3.5 and 4.4 meters (11½ to
14½ feet), and the span-to-rise ratio 5:1.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-structurae_8-0"></sup> It has always hosted shops and merchants who displayed their goods on tables before their premises, after authorization of the Bargello (a sort of a lord mayor, a magistrate and a police authority). The back shops (<i>retrobotteghe</i>) that may be seen from upriver, were added in the seventeenth century</div>
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It is said that the economic concept of bankruptcy
originated here: when a merchant could not pay his debts, the table on
which he sold his wares (the "banco") was physically broken ("rotto") by
soldiers, and this practice was called "bancorotto" (broken table;
possibly it can come from "banca rotta" which means "broken bank"). Not
having a table anymore, the merchant was not able to sell anything.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_Vecchio#cite_note-10"></a></sup> During World War II, the Ponte Vecchio was not destroyed by Germans during their retreat of August 4, 1944, unlike all other bridges in Florence. This was allegedly, according to many locals and tour guides, because of an express order by Hitler.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_Vecchio#cite_note-15"></a></sup>
Access to Ponte Vecchio was, however, obstructed by the destruction of
the buildings at both ends, which have since been rebuilt using a
combination of original and modern design.</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606162493171283514.post-55264959790128155332013-04-19T09:06:00.000+03:002013-04-19T09:10:14.541+03:00Geghard Armenia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The monastery of <b>Geghard</b> is a unique architectural construction in the Kotayk province of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the main chapel was built in 1215, the monastery complex was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. The monastery had thus been originally named <b>Ayrivank</b>, meaning "the Monastery of the Cave". The name commonly used for the monastery today, Geghard, or more fully <b>Geghardavank</b> (Գեղարդավանք), meaning "the Monastery of the Spear", originates from the spear which had wounded Jesus at the Crucifixion, allegedly brought to Armenia by Apostle Jude, called here Thaddeus, and stored amongst many other relics. Now it is displayed in the Echmiadzin treasury.<br />
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The spectacular towering cliffs surrounding the monastery are part of the Azat river gorge, and are included together with the monastery in the World Heritage Site
listing. Some of the churches within the monastery complex are entirely
dug out of the cliff rocks, others are little more than caves, while
others are elaborate structures, with both architecturally complex
walled sections and rooms deep inside the cliff. The combination,
together with numerous engraved and free-standing khachkars is a unique sight, being one of the most frequented tourist destinations in Armenia. Most visitors to Geghard also choose to visit the nearby Garni temple, a Parthenon-like
structure located further down the Azat river. Visiting both sites in
one trip is so common that they are often referred to in unison as
Garni-Geghard.</div>
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The monastery was founded in the 4th century, according to tradition by Gregory the Illuminator.
The site is that of a spring arising in a cave which had been sacred in
pre-Christian times, hence one of the names by which it was known,
Ayrivank (the Monastery of the Cave). The first monastery was destroyed
by Arabs in the 9th century. Nothing has remained of the structures of Ayrivank. According to
Armenian historians of the 4th, 8th and 10th centuries the monastery
comprised, apart from religious buildings, well-appointed residential
and service installations. Ayrivank suffered greatly in 923 from Nasr, a
vice-regent of an Arabian caliph in Armenia, who plundered its valuable
property, including unique manuscripts, and burned down the magnificent
structures of the monastery. Earthquakes also did it no small damage.</div>
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Though there are inscriptions dating to the 1160s, the main church was
built in 1215 under the auspices of the brothers Zakare and Ivane, the
generals of Queen Tamar
of Georgia, who took back most of Armenia from the Turks. The gavit,
partly free-standing, partly carved in the cliff, dates to before 1225,
and a series of chapels hewn into the rock dates from the mid 13th
century following the purchase of the monastery by Prince Prosh Khaghbakian,
vassal of the Zakarians and founder of the Proshian principality. Over a
short period the Proshyans built the cave structures which brought
Geghard well-merited fame — the second cave church, the family sepulcher
of zhamatun
Papak and Ruzukan, a hall for gatherings and studies (collapsed in the
middle of the 20th century) and numerous cells. The chamber reached from
the North East of the gavit became Prince Prosh Khaghbakian’s
tomb in 1283. The adjacent chamber has carved in the rock the arms of
the Proshian family, including an eagle with a lamb in its claws. A
stairway W of the gavit leads up to a funerary chamber carved out in
1288 for Papak Proshian
and his wife Ruzukan. The Proshyan princes provided Geghard with an
irrigation system in the 13th century. At this time it was also known as
the Monastery of the Seven Churches and the Monastery of the Forty
Altars. All around the monastery are caves and khachkars. The monastery was defunct, the main church used to shelter the flocks of the Karapapakh
nomads in winter, until resettled by a few monks from Ejmiatsin after
the Russian conquest. Restored for tourist purposes but now with a small
ecclesiastical presence, the site is still a major place of pilgrimage. </div>
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The monastery was famous because of the relics that it housed. The most
celebrated of these was the spear which had wounded Christ on the Cross,
allegedly brought there by the Apostle Thaddeus,
from which comes its present name, Geghard-avank ("the Monastery of the
Spear"), first recorded in a document of 1250. This made it a popular
place of pilgrimage for Armenian Christians over many centuries. Relics
of the Apostles Andrew and John were donated in the 12th century, and
pious visitors made numerous grants of land, money, manuscripts, etc.,
over the succeeding centuries. In one of the cave cells there lived, in
the 13th century, Mkhitar Ayrivanetsi, the well-known Armenian historian.</div>
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No works of applied art have survived in Geghard, except for the legendary spear (<i>geghard</i>).
The shaft has a diamond-shaped plate attached to its end; a Greek cross
with flared ends is cut through the plate. A special case was made for
it in 1687, now kept in the museum of Echmiadzin monastery. The gilded
silver case is an ordinary handicraft article of 17th century Armenia.</div>
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Origin Wikipedia...</div>
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Lightninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998943717993887859noreply@blogger.com0