Mecca, the Holiest City in Islam

Mecca, also called Makkah, is a city in Saudi Arabia. It is the holiest city in Islam and is considered to be very sacred to Muslims. Muslims believe that it is very important to visit Mecca at least once in their lives. It is very interesting to note that almost three million Muslims pay visit to this city every year. Today Mecca is dealing with both positive and negative issues. It is still very popular for tourism, but it is having hard times dealing with infrastructure problems.

Mecca is the home of Masjid Al Haram. This is the world’s largest mosque. Initially, it was a place for trading during the 7th century. Also, till 1924, it was governed by the local sheriffs. After that, it saw a lot of modernization and growth in its size and structure. Today, it is ruled by the local municipality of Mecca by a Mayor who is directly appointed by the Government of Saudi Arabia.

The history of Mecca dates back to 2000 BC. Some people believe that Abraham built the Kaaba with his son, Ishmael. Over the years, this place had almost 360 idols. Mecca today has the biggest Mosque in the world. Every day, daily prayers are offered in it and another step is being taken by the government to renovate the entire place so that it can accommodate 900,000 people at a time. By Saudi law, non-Muslims are forbidden to enter Mecca, which is strictly enforced by the government.

Kathmandu City

Kathmandu is the biggest city and the official capital of Nepal. It is located in Kathmandu Valley, which has two other cities called Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. One is the old city and the other is the new city of Kathmandu Valley. The language spoken in Nepal is Napali. Kathmandu city has a total population of 700,000 and it is the only developed and modern city in the entire Nepal.

The view from the Airport is so breathtaking as it is covered from hills all over and has untapped natural beauty and greenery all over. The main religion followed in Kathmandu is Hinduism. It is present in the center of the Himalayas and some of the peaks of the Himalayas are clearly visible.

Kathmandu has a very famous temple that is called Kaasthamandap, which was built in 1567 AD. It is also called Marusthal and is entirely made of wood. It is now rules by the government, but once, it was ruled by the royal house.

Swayambhunath and Boudhanath are two famous stupas within Kathmandu. It also has a famous Hindu shrine, called Pashupatinath. Kathmandu city, throughout the year, has honeymoon visitors visiting mostly from India. The city has a small thickly populated place where you will find monks in abundance. The city has seven most prominent groups of monuments that are rich in culture and heritage, which speak volumes about the city historic past. Durbar Square and Changu Narayan temple are very unique, which is worth a visit.

Kathmandu has some of the best five star hotels in the main city and gambling in the casino is legal.

Metropolitan Museum in New York City

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (also referred to as “The Met” Museum) is found in New York City. It is one of the largest art museums in the world. In total, this museum contains more than two million pieces of art which are divided into 19 different departments. It also has a smaller department in upper Manhattan which displays historic features of medieval art.

This museum has a collection of classical antiques, art of Ancient Egypt, paintings and sculptures of the European royals, and also American modern art. It offers exhibits of historic holdings from all of the continents and cultures, including African, Asian, Islamic and many more. It is also an encyclopedia for a full collection of musical instruments, weapons, armor, costumes and accessories from all parts of the world. The Met also has great collection of interiors right from the 1st century up until the modern age of interior design.

The making of the Metropolitan Museum is very unique. Many people from different areas and walks of life came together and began forming the museum in 1870. This group included leading businessmen, financiers, and known artists who had a notion of bringing the art and education in front of the American public. It was formally opened for the public in 1872.

The Metropolitan is known for its sleekness and rich color contrasts. The unique lighting effect adds an added touch to the polished monuments. Its architectural structure is Gothic and is governed by the local administration of New York. Tourists find this facility an ideal place for spending time with their family and friends.

Mount Everest

Mount Everest, which literally means “the top or the head of the sky,” is the tallest mountain on Earth. The mountain itself touches the borders of Tibet and Nepal and is a part of the Himalayan Range. During 1856, the name of Mount Everest was Peak XV, but the Geographical Society gave it its official name in 1865 in honor of George Everest. Its total height above sea level is 29,029 feet.

Despite the fact it is the highest peak in the world, hikers and adventurers from all over the world come and attempt to climb this mountain. A whole team of climbers can help both amateur and novice climbers get to the peak. If one follows the standard route to climb, it can be quite safe. However, the problem is that the Himalayas are faced with bad weather and fast wind, leading to difficulty breathing at the high altitude.

Climbers must pay heavy amount of money to climb the mountain. This fee acts as a continuous source of income to Nepal. However, an equal amount has to be raised to get a license and permit of $25,000 to climb Mount Everest. Until 2007, 210 people have lost their lives to bad weather conditions while trying to climb Mount Everest.

There are two main routes for climbing Mt. Everest. One is from southeast of Nepal and the other is from north of Tibet. The most preferred route out of the two is the one from Nepal. The best time to start climbing is in May before the summer monsoon because the direction of the wind is quite favorable during that time. 

Wat Phra Kaew

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, also called Wat Phra Kaew, is considered the most sacred temple (wat) of Buddha in Thailand. Wat Phra Kaew is located within the historic center of Bangkok (district PhraNakhon) inside the grounds of the Grand Palace. Within the temple is a valuable artifact called the Emerald Buddha Statue which is believed to be the idol that protects the city. The Statue of Emerald Buddha is made up of green jade (not emerald) and is dressed in gold clothes with a total height of 45 cm.

As far as the history of the statue goes, it is said that it was made in India in 43 BC in Patliputra. The statue was transferred to Sri Lanka to keep it safe. In 1784, it was placed in its current home in Thailand. The structure of the statue is called the Jasper Statue. Tourists not only come to this place because of its sacred beauty, but also to adore and admire the beautiful statue that stands in the middle of the temple. It is green in color and covered with gold. It has three different sets of clothes which are changed only by the king when the seasons change. The sets of clothes that are not used are kept safe in Regalia (public grounds) for public display. The temple is like a personal chapel of the royal family and therefore does not house any monks.

The entrance to the temple is in the rear and it faces the back of the Emerald Buddha Statue. To reach the entrance to the ubosot, the audience has to climb up to the terrace. The temple is covered entirely by a gallery, the outside of which is depicted with paintings from the Ramakien epic.