Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a prehistoric and a mystical monument that is located in the county of Wiltshire, England, about 3.2 km west of Amesbury. The Stonehenge structure is a formation of stones in a circular fashion that are standing upright. The construction of this monument started more than 5000 years ago and many tourists and visitors are amazed that they are still standing in place after such a long time.

Scholars have different theories about Stonehenge. Some say that the stones were initially erect; it was only after 2400 BC that they changed positions. Others say that the blue stones could have been the ones that were erected. Others believe the structure was built as a place of worship because all the stones are placed perfectly with the sunrise.

The site of Stonehenge is also another addition to the UNESCO and it has been a part of the World Heritage Sites since 1986. It is also protected by the Scheduled Ancient Monument and managed by English Heritage. The land on which Stonehenge is located is held by the National Trust.

Recent evidence has shown that Stonehenge has served as a burial ground from its beginning. Research shows that there are people buried there dating all the way back to 3000 BC. The huge stone formation and its mysterious past are a couple reasons why nearly 8,000,000 people visit this landmark every year.

Angel Falls, The Highest Waterfall in the World

Angel Falls of Venezuela is the highest waterfall in the world. Its total height is 3,212 feet (979 m) and drops from height of 2,647 feet (807 m). The waterfall is located in the Canaima National Park of the Bolivar State. Since the water falls from such a great height, the water is vaporizes with the blow of the winds even before it touches the ground and generates mist.

The Angel’s water falls into the Churun River which is a tributary of the Carrao River. The Angel Falls, falls from the maximum height into the deepest place. On the west part of the Canaima National Park is the Auyantepuy, which is one of the biggest and largest flat mountains ending with the steep slope and has vertical walls. This is where the tepuy falls from. The total height of this mountain is close to 3000 feet. One can view the waterfall from 2 different places. The first option is to see it from the top, sitting in a small airplane and the other one is to see from the bottom, sitting in a boat approximately 3 hours of upstream navigation in the Carrao River and the Churun River. One would have to walk through the jungle that takes you to the bottom, or should we say, the base of the fall.

The waterfall were given a new name when an American aviator found it in the year 1037. It is said that if you ever get an opportunity in your life to visit the Angel Falls, do not ever miss it.

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming

The Yellowstone National Park was established by the United States Congress in 1872. It is located in Wyoming and extends to parts of Idaho and even Montana. It was the home of indigenous Americans, or Aboriginals, for 11,000 years, but today it is open to the public. There are many attractive qualities at this park, but it is mostly known for its variety of species and its geysers. It is also a great place for hikers, mountain climbers, and those who simply enjoy nature.

Yellowstone National Park covers a total area of 8,983 square kilometers and has several lakes, canyons, rivers and ranges of mountains. The Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in all of North America. It also has an active volcano in it called the Yellowstone Caldera and has erupted with massive force many times in the past two million years. There is also an ecosystem in this park that is filled with birds, animals, and several endangered species.

Forest fires are a very common sight to see every year. In 1988, the largest fire that the park ever experienced destroyed almost a third of Yellowstone National Park.

Santorini, a Small Cluster of Islands

Santorini is a small cluster of three islands that were formed due to a volcanic eruption about 3,600 years ago. The islands are located in the southern section of Aegean Sea about 200 km from Greece’s mainland. This region is a destination that is world famous and attracts thousands of tourists who want to spend their vacation here. Several flights travel to Santorini City during the summer season, but visitors can also take a ferry service and enjoy the natural scenic beauty.

On one side of Santorini, visitors get a view of the local villages. This part of the city is highly

commercial and generates revenue for the entire island. On another side of the islands is the town of Perissa. This is where visitors find black sand beaches which are popular places for many tourists. The third part of the city is called the Akotiri and it includes the ruins of the Minoan Period. Although this section is not popular among tourists, it is a well-known archeology site for researchers. In fact, legend has it that Santorini is the place where the civilization of Atlantis was once located.

Petronas Twin Tower in Kuala Lumpur

The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is among the top 10 tallest buildings in the world. At 451.9 meters (1,482.6 feet), the Petronas Twin Towers was considered the tallest building from 1998 to 2004 when measured from the base to the antenna, or spire.

The towers were designed and constructed by an Argentinean architect named Cesar Pelli. Planning for the towers officially began at the beginning of 1992 and construction began in March 1993. They were completed in the year 1998 on the site of the racetrack of Kuala Lumpur. Because of the depth of the bedrock at this location, the racetrack was an ideal location for the towers.

The Petronas Twin Towers had 22 fewer floors than the World Trade Center buildings in New York City (88 floors compared to 110 floors). They are based on the simple Islamic architecture where every floor is based on an eight point star and the overall area of the buildings is spread out over 100 acres. The bottom floor consists of a shopping mall with a wide variety of goods.

These towers are constructed from concrete, steel and glass with reinforced designs for added durability. A special kind of concrete was used because it was more reliable, but it also weighs twice as much as normal steel. Pouring the concrete was a major feat. This project holds the record for the longest pour in the nation’s history at 54 consecutive hours of pouring for each tower.