MONUMENT VALLEY

 Sunrise at Monument Valley  

  Monument Valley road

Beautiful sunrise  

Location : Arizona- Utah state line, U.S.A.

The area is part of the Colorado Plateau. The elevation of the valley floor ranges from 5,000 to 6,000 feet (1,500 to 1,800 m) above sea level. The floor is largely siltstone of the Cutler Group, or sand derived from it, deposited by the meandering rivers that carved the valley. The valley's vivid red color comes from iron oxide exposed in the weathered siltstone. The darker, blue-gray rocks in the valley get their color frommanganese oxide. The buttes are clearly stratified, with three principal layers. The lowest layer is the Organ Rock Shale, the middle is de Chelly Sandstone, and the top layer is the Moenkopi Formation capped by Shinarump Conglomerate. The valley includes large stone structures including the famed "Eye of the Sun".

In tourism industry, Monument Valley is officially a large area that includes much of the area surrounding Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, a Navajo Nation equivalent to a national park. Oljato, for example, is also within the area designated as Monument Valley. Visitors may pay an access fee and drive through the park on a 27 km dirt road about two to three hour trip. Parts of Monument Valley are accessible only by guided tour, such as Mystery Valley and Hunts Mesa.

Panorama in the winter

Other than that, for the climate Monument Valley experiences a desert climate with cold winters and hot summers. While the summers may be hot, the heat is tempered by region's aridity and high altitude. Although the valley experiences an average of 54 days above 90 °F (32 °C) annually, summer highs rarely exceed 100 °F (38 °C). Summer nights are comfortably cool, and temperatures drop quickly after sunset. Winters are cold, but daytime highs are usually above freezing. Even in the winter, temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) are uncommon, though possible. Monument Valley receives an occasional light snowfall in the winter, however, it usually melts within a day or two.  

TULIP FLOWER FIELDS

 View of Tulip flower fields 

Amazing view of flowers

Colourful flowers

Location : Keukenhof, Lisse, Holland.

Keukenhof is an unforgettable experience for people of all ages. The historic park with more than 2700 trees covers an area of thirty-two hectares, full of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and all the other spring bulbs. The floral displays in the park and the unique flower shows in the various pavilions are a glorious visual feast. The world famous Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse are opened from mid-March until mid-May.

The striking colors of the flowering tulip bulbs are a typical sight in Holland during the spring. The bright red, pink and yellow colors are overwhelmingly beautiful and are the tourists must see and must experience it. The season is from the end of March until the second  week of May the flowers in the bulb fields bloom. It goes without saying that the exact period depends on the weather. Generally speaking, the best time is the second half of April. At the end of March the crocus season starts. The daffodils and early and small tulips are next, from the beginning of April. From mid-April the daffodils and the hyacinths bloom. Finally, from mid April until the first week in May the tulips show off their glorious colors.

The millions of bicycles in Holland are another trademark. Therefore, what better way to enjoy the lovely fragrances, the local culture and being part of this colorful landscape than to cycle through it? While marveling at the unique views, the winding routes through the fields take you from the historic town of Leiden to the beautiful city of Haarlem. A visit to the world-famous Keukenhof will give you plenty opportunities to take that beautiful shot.

SALAR DE UYUNI

 Salar De Uyuni

  Amazing view at night 

 Salar De Uyuni viewed from space

Location : Potosi and Oruro, Bolivia, South America.

Salar de Uyuni (or Salar de Tunupa) is the world's largest salt flat at 10,582 square kilometres. It is located in the Potosí and Oruro departments in southwest Bolivia, near the crest of the Andes and is at an elevation of 3,656 meters (11,995 ft) above mean sea level. The Salar was formed as a result of transformations between several prehistoric lakes. It is covered by a few meters of salt crust, which has an extraordinary flatness with the average altitude variations within one meter over the entire area of the Salar. The crust serves as a source of salt and covers a pool of brine, which is exceptionally rich in lithium. It contains 50% to 70% of the world's lithium reserves, which is in the process of being extracted. The large area, clear skies, and the exceptional flatness of the surface make the Salar an ideal object for calibrating the altimeters of Earth observation satellites. The geological history of the Salar is associated with a sequential transformation between several vast lakes. Some 30,000 to 42,000 years ago, the area was part of a giant prehistoric lake, Lake Minchin.

In Spanish, salar mean salt flat. Uyuni originates from the Aymara language and means a pen (enclosure), Uyuni is also the name of a town that serves as a gateway for tourists visiting the Salar. Thus Salar de Uyuni can be loosely translated as a salt flat with enclosures, the latter possibly referring to the "islands" of the Salar or as "salt flat at Uyuni.

  

                                                                                                                               

Salar de Uyuni also have flora and fauna, Every November, Salar de Uyuni is the breeding ground for three species of pink South American flamingo: the Chilean, Andean and rare James's Flamingos, their color presumably originating from feeding on pink algae. There are about 80 other bird species present, including the Horned Coot, Andean Goose and Andean Hillstar. Andean fox (culpeo) is a representative animal, and the "islands" of Salar (in particular Incahuasi island) host colonies of rabbit-like viscachas.

         

     Cemetry of trains

In tourism industry, Salar de Uyuni attracts tourists from around the world. As it is located far from the cities, a number of hotels have been built in the area. Due to lack of conventional construction materials, many of them are almost entirely (walls, roof, furniture) built with salt blocks cut from the Salar. Now, new salt hotels were built near the periphery of the Salar, closer to roads, in full compliance with environmental rules. One major tourist attraction is an antique train cemetery.  It is three kilometers outside Uyuni and is connected to it by the old train tracks. The town served in the past as a distribution hub for the trains carrying minerals en route to Pacific Ocean ports. The trains were mostly used by the mining companies. In the 1940s, the mining industry collapsed, partly because of mineral depletion. Many trains were abandoned, producing the train cemetery. There are proposals to build a museum from the cemetery.

TANAH LOT

The picture of Tanah Lot

Beautiful view in Tanah Lot

Sunset in Tanah Lot

Location : Tabanan, Indonesia.

Tanah Lot is a rock formation off the Indonesian island of Bali. It is home of a pilgrimage temple, the Pura Tanah Lot (literally "Tanah Lot temple"), and a popular tourist and cultural icon for photography and general exoticism. Tanah Lot means "Land [sic: in the] Sea" in the Balinese language. Located in Tabanan, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Denpasar, the temple sits on a large offshore rock which has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide.

The Tanah Lot temple was built and has been a part of Balinese mythology for centuries. The temple is one of seven sea temples around the Balinese coast. Each of the sea temples were established within eyesight of the next to form a chain along the south-western coast. However, the temple had significant Hindu influence. At the base of the rocky island, poisonous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. A giant snake purportedly protects the temple.

The area leading to Tanah Lot is highly commercialized and people are required to pay to enter the area. To reach the temple, visitors must walk through a set of Balinese market-format souvenir shops which cover each side of the path down to the sea. On the mainland clifftops, restaurants have also been provided for tourists.

PREIKESTOLEN

  

  

View of Preikestolen

  

Information about Preikestolen

Location : Ryfylke, Rogaland, Norway.

For the information,  Preikestolen or Prekestolen, also known by the English translations of Preacher's Pulpit or Pulpit Rock, is a steep and massive cliff 604 metres (1982 feet) above Lysefjorden, opposite the Kjerag plateau, in Forsand, Ryfylke, Norway. The top of the cliff is approximately 25 by 25 metres (82 by 82 feet), almost flat, and is a famous tourist attraction in Norway. The tourists that visit this place are increase from year to another year. In 2012, they are between 150 000 and 200 000 peoples who come to this place and it making Preikestolen as one of the most visited natural tourist attractions in Norway.

This place also have their history, The old local name of the natural attraction is Hyvlatonnå (English: Planned Tooth). The name Prekestolen (without i) is a newer invention, around the year 1900 the local tourist organisation, Stavanger Turistforening wanted to promote the place for trekking and thus gave the place a more telling name. It has later on been adapted by the local community, and since the official form of Norwegian in the area is Nynorsk, the (i) has been added, hence the official name is now Preikestolen.

Brave tourist ( don't do this if you want to life long !! )

The Pulpit Rock is located in Ryfylke, Rogaland, a county in Western Norway. The city of Stavanger, the fourth largest in Norway, is located only 25 kilometers from the site, and the parking facility of the Pulpit Rock is located about one hour from Stavanger by ferry and car. The walk to Preikestolen is very steep in places. The path starts at the Preikestolhytta, at an elevation of approximately 270 metres (886 feet) above sea level, and climbs to 604 metres (1982 feet). The hike takes 1–3 hours depending on experience and fitness level. Even though the elevation differential is only 334 metres (1096 feet) and the walk is not particularly long (3.8 km each way), the total elevation gain and loss over the course of the hike is more than one might initially expect, as the path climbs and descends various ridges.

In addition, the surroundings of Pulpit Rock also beautiful and amazing. The cliff overlooks the densely and colorful green valleys of the Ryfylke region. The mountains surrounding the cliff reach heights of up to 843 meters. Some of the hilltops have plains which are interspersed with lakes.The nearby mountain Kjerag (which reaches the height of 1,110 meters, near the bottom of the Lysefjord) is also a very popular hiking destination.

MACHU PICCHU

Image of Machu Picchu

Map of Machu Picchu

Location : Cusco Region, Peru.

Machu Picchu is situated on a mountain ridge above the Sacred Valley which is 80 kilometres northwest of Cusco and through which theUrubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often mistakenly referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of Inca civilization. The Incas built the estate around 1450, but abandoned it a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Although known locally, it was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction. Most of the outlying buildings have been reconstructed in order to give tourists a better idea of what the structures originally looked like.

The construction of Machu Picchu appears to date from the period of the two great Incas, Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui (1438–71) and Tupac Inca Yupanqui (1472–93). It was abandoned just over 100 years later, in 1572, as a belated result of the Spanish Conquest. It is possible that most of its inhabitants died from smallpox introduced by travelers before the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the area. The latter had notes of a place called Piccho, although there is no record of the Spanish having visited the remote city. The types of sacred rocks defaced by the conquistadors in other locations are untouched at Machu Picchu.

The architecture is adapted to the natural form of the mountains. Approximately 200 buildings are arranged on wide parallel terraces around a vast central square that is oriented east-west. The various kanchas or compounds are long and narrow in order to exploit the terrain. Extensive terraces were used for agriculture and sophisticated channeling systems provided irrigation for the fields. Numerous stone stairways set in the walls allowed access to the different levels across the site. The eastern section of the city was probably residential. The western, separated by the square, was for religious and ceremonial purposes. This section contains the Torreón, the massive tower which may have been used as an observatory. Located in the first zone are the primary archaeological treasures: the Inti Watana, the Temple of the Sun and the Room of the Three Windows. These were dedicated to Inti, their sun god and greatest deity. The Popular District, or Residential District, is the place where the lower-class people lived. It includes storage buildings and simple houses.

Inti Watana stone

The Inti Watana stone is one of many ritual stones in South America. These stones are arranged to point directly at the sun during the winter solstice. The name of the stone is derived from the Quechua language: inti means "sun", and wata- is the verb root "to tie, hitch (up)". The Quechua -na suffix derives nouns for tools or places. Hence inti watana is literally an instrument or place to "tie up the sun", often expressed in English as "The Hitching Post of the Sun". The Inca believed the stone held the sun in its place along its annual path in the sky. Inti Mach'ay is a special cave designed to celebrate and observe the Royal Feast of the Sun. This festival was only to be celebrated by nobility in the Incan month of Qhapaq Raymi and was associated with the December solstice. 

As Peru's most visited tourist attraction and major revenue generator, it is continually threatened by economic and commercial forces. In the late 1990s, the Peruvian government granted concessions to allow the construction of a cable car and development of a luxury hotel, including a tourist complex with boutiques and restaurants. Many people protested against the plans, including members of the Peruvian public, international scientists, and academics, as they were worried that the greater numbers of visitors would pose a tremendous physical burden on the ruins. Many protested a plan to build a bridge to the site as well. A no-fly zone exists above the area. UNESCO is considering putting Machu Picchu on its List of World Heritage in Danger.

PETRA

  Picture of Petra

     Map of Petra 

View of Petra :

 

Location : Wadi Musa, Ma'an, Jordan.

Petra is a historical and archaeological city in the Ma'an, Jordan. It's famous for its rock- cut architecture and water conduit system, Another name of Petra is Rose City due to the color of the stone out of which it is carved. Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. 

The writers identify Petra as the capital of the Nabataeans and the center of their caravan trade. Enclosed by towering rocks and watered by a perennial stream, Petra not only possessed the advantages of a fortress, but controlled the main commercial routes which passed through it to Gaza in the west, to Bosra and Damascus in the north, to Aqaba and Leuce Come on the Red Sea, and across the desert to the Persian Gulf.

In ancient times, Petra might have been approached from the south on a track leading across the plain of Petra, around Jabal Haroun ("Aaron's Mountain"), where the Tomb of Aaron, said to be the burial-place of Aaron, brother of Moses, is located. Another approach was possibly from the high plateau to the north. Today, most modern visitors approach the site from the east. The impressive eastern entrance leads steeply down through a dark, narrow gorge called theSiq ("the shaft"), a natural geological feature formed from a deep split in the sandstone rocks and serving as a waterway flowing into Wadi Musa. At the end of the narrow gorge stands Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (popularly known as "the Treasury"), hewn into the sandstone cliff. While remaining in remarkably preserved condition, the face of the structure is marked by hundreds of bullet holes made by the local Bedouin tribes that hoped to dislodge riches that were once rumored to be hidden within it.

A little further from the Treasury, at the foot of the mountain called en-Nejr, is a massive theatre, positioned so as to bring the greatest number of tombs within view. At the point where the valley opens out into the plain, the site of the city is revealed with striking effect. The amphitheatre has been cut into the hillside and into several of the tombs during its construction. Rectangular gaps in the seating are still visible. Almost enclosing it on three sides are rose-colored mountain walls, divided into groups by deep fissures and lined with knobs cut from the rock in the form of towers.


Other than that, Petra also popular as shooting place for the film. The example of the film is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Arabian Nights, Passion in the Desert, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, The Mummy Returnsand Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.