Varanasi and Ganges River India

Varanasi, also known locally as Banaras is situated on the banks of the river Ganges in utter Pradesh, India. It is also called as the city of lights and is known to be one of the most sacred places for many Hindus. It is also said that this city is one of the oldest in the entire world.The river Ganges is known for its outing and the city has also chosen its culture based on the rivers purity and religious belief. Most of the prominent poets, writers and philosophers have been born in this part of the city. It is said that the entire city is blessed by gods, making it all the more popular for the common man of India. In fact, the origin of Ayurveda has also been associated with Varanasi. Followers of the Hindu community call this place the...

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Bogota Travel Guide

The capital of Columbia is Bogota and it is located at an elevation of about nine thousand feet on a mountain rimmed plateau near the Andes Mountains. Bogata has a temperate climate with average temperatures of about fifty-seven degrees all year long. Bogota is currently one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in South America. Some of the industries found in Bogota include printing and publishing, motor-vehicle assembly, food processing and manufacturing of products such as textiles, metals, machinery and electrical equipment. Bogota is also headquarters to many banks and corporations. As of 2005 the population of Bogota was over six million.Getting Around BogotaThe roads and highways in Bogota have experienced a strain due to the rapid...

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Moscow Kremlin Russia

Moscow Kremlin is also called the Kremlin and is a castle that is situated at the heart of Moscow. It has four palaces and four cathedrals. The site is the official residence of the president of Russia.The great Kremlin Palace is one of the biggest castle in the entire Russia. The palace has a very stunning looking combination of yellow and white with a green roof top. The golden color adds a touch of wealth to the entire palace. The palace was made in the year 1837 by King Nicholas I. The palace was initially built in the year 1462 during the rule of Ivan the Terrible. However, it was rebuilt because a lot of damage was done to the place during war times. During the 18th century, the construction came to a halt as the entire Russian capital...

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Florence and Its Cityscape

The city of Florence is the capital of the Italy. The city is situated on the top of a river called Arno and is known for its interesting past, art and architecture. For a period of 5 years i.e. from 1865 to 1870 it was also declared the capital of Italy. The City of Florence is a part of the World Heritage Site which was registered in 1982.Florence is one of the mot attractive tourist spot in the entire Italy due to is cityscape. The reason why Florence Cityscape is so special is because since the sixteenth century, it has fascinated big masters like Leonardo da Vinci and till the 21st century, mesmerizes every tourist that visits this place.Some of the major attractions of the city are the Duomo, Sky line Icons, Best Vantage etc. The Duomo...

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St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice Italy

Saint Mark’s Basilica is a cathedral located in the city of Venice, Italy. It is one of the most beautiful cathedrals of the city and is famous because of its uniqueness in terms of the wealth and the magnificent interior. This cathedral is a living example of the Byzantine Architecture. The cathedral is situated on the St. Marks Square. Long time back, it did not serve as a cathedral, in fact it was a Chapel for the Venetian City and its rulers. Since eleventh century onwards, the cathedral was known by the nick name Church of God an in Italian “Chiesa d’Oro.”The entire cathedral of St. Mark has had arts men like the Europeans and the Italian, that is the reason it displays the beauty and design of both cultures. St. Mark’s Basilica is known...

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Abu Simbel Archaeological Site Egypt

Abu Simble are two huge rock temples in south Egypt about 290 km south west of Aswan. This is an archeological site and now registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are also called the Nubian Monuments. The history of these temples takes us back to the 13th century when they were carved out of a mountain side. The entire monument was relocated in 1960 on an artificial hill.The reason the monuments were shifted because they were gradually drowning in the Lake Nasser. This lake was a huge artificial reservoir that was made by the river Nile and Aswan Dam. The Abu Simbel attracts a lot of tourists every year as it is the top most visited spot in Egypt.The temple almost took 2o years to complete. The temple is a dedication to three different...

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Alaska Tourism USA

Alaska had in the past its fair share of setbacks in the tourism industry. There were the 1967 floods, which virtually put tourism on a standstill, and the infamous terrorist attacks of 2001, leading to a general collapse in confidence of the American tourism industry and security measures as a whole.However, this year and next year are expected to be even more brutal and some have even mentioned the potential decline of 30%. Others have suggested less but a minimum of 10% has been generally agreed on.The main problem is, of course, the worrying economic cloud, which is circling above the planet. Americans, especially, are extra concerned about parting with their dollars and are exercising an extra degree of caution. Meanwhile, cuts in the...

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St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow Russia

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, Russia was built by Ivan the Terrible between 1555 and 1561. According to legends, the builder of this Cathedral was blinded so that such a beautiful structure could never be built again. The Cathedral is vividly colorful and contains redbrick towers that add to its beauty. The church’s design consists of nine chapels, each mounted with its individual dome that marks the assault on the city of Kazan.The Cathedral provides a strong religious symbolism and is based on architectural designs found in Jerusalem. Eight of the domes make a circular form around the ninth dome, forming a star (if viewed from the top). The number eight is considered an auspicious number according to Jewish calendar. There is a deep contrast...

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Delphi, an Archaeological Site in Greece

Delphi, a modern town in Greece is a famous archaeological site in the valley of Phocis. Delphi is located in the center of Greece, on the terraces that border the slope of Mount Parnassus. It also includes the Sanctuary of Apollo, a place where the ancient Oracle once lived. It was the place of the Delphic Oracle in Greek mythology when the main god of worship was Apollo. It is a site that is a must view for those who have always been influenced by the charm of the Oracle. The history shows that Delphi was populated during the Neolithic era. During 100 B.C., it became an important center for religious and political activities. It is interesting to know that the exact function of the Oracle cannot be found in any of the prehistoric documents;...

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Golden Pavilion Info & Photos

The Golden Pavilion Temple, also called Kinkaku-ji in Japanese, was built in 1397 and it is located in Kyoto, Japan. It was initially made to serve as a villa for retirement for Shogun Ashikaga. It was quite later that his son converted the building into a Zen temple. The Golden Pavilion was burned twice and was reconstructed after five years. In the year 1950, a monk burned the entire temple into ashes and finally planned to take his own life by jumping behind the hill. The monk survived the attempt to die. However, his mother due to the shame that her son had brought, jumped from the train into the river. The monk was sent to jail for 7 years where he died due to illness.The Golden Temple is a building with three stories. The upper two stories...

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