Aogashima Island - A Volcanic Japanese Island In The Philippine Sea

Japan is a sovereign island nation in East Asia. It is a stratovolcanic archipelago consisting of about 6,852 islands. The four largest are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku, which make up about ninety-seven percent of Japan's land area and often are referred to as home islands. Honshu is the largest island, on which the capital, Tokyo, is located. Japan also has over 4,000 smaller islands, of which over 430 are inhabited. Aogashima Island is one of those small islands of Japan. Aogashima is a volcanic Japanese island in the Philippine Sea (The Philippine Sea is located in the western part of the North Pacific Ocean).

The Aogashima island is administered by Tokyo approximately 358 kilometres south of Tokyo and 64 kilometres south of Hachijō-jima (Hachijō-jima is also a volcanic Japanese island in the Philippine Sea). Aogashima island is 3.5 km in length with a maximum width of 2.5 km. It is formed by the overlapping remnants of at least four submarine calderas. It is the southernmost and most isolated inhabited island of the Izu archipelago (The Izu Islands are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula of Honshū). The population of Aogashima Island is 170. Aogashima is within the boundaries of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Fuji-Hakone-Izu is a national park in Yamanashi, Shizuoka, and Kanagawa Prefectures, and western Tokyo Metropolis. It consists of Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands. This national park covers the area of 1,227 square kilometres.

The Aogashima island is surrounded by very steep rugged cliffs of layered volcanic deposits. The southern coast also rises to a sharp ridge which creates an edge of Caldera named Ikenosawa with a diameter of 1.5 km. Caldera dominates the island, with one point on its southern ridge, Otonbu with the height of 423 meters, as the island's highest point. The caldera is occupied by a secondary cone named Maruyama. Aogashima Island is Still considered a Class-C active volcano by the Japan Meteorological Agency. The last eruption of Aogashima was during a four-year period from 1781–1785. Though is has been a while since its last eruption, the island was the site of a series of earthquakes, known as an “earthquake swarm” in the 1780’s and a large eruption in 1785 that killed 130-140 people, nearly half of the island’s population. The history of human settlement on Aogashima is uncertain. Most of the people in Aogashima are Japanese.

There are one post office and one primary high school on the island. With only 170 people living, there is only one postal address to this island and the post worker delivers based on "name" of individual. However, Aogashima is a beautiful place to visit and there is no direct transport from the main island of Japan to Aogashima. You can reach the island from Hachijo-jima by helicopter or ferry. 

Read More

Tri-State Tornado - The Deadliest Tornado In The History of United States

There are many such devastating events in the world which are capable of destroying the world in just a moment. There are many natural disasters, such as Earth Quake, Tsunami, Hurricanes and many other weather phenomenon. The name of Tornado always comes in our mind when we think about these kinds of devastating weather events. Let's first understand, what exactly does a tornado mean? A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud. Cumulonimbus is a dense, towering vertical cloud, forming from water vapor carried by powerful upward air currents. If observed during a storm, these clouds may be referred to as thunderheads. Tornadoes are often referred to as twisters, whirlwinds or cyclones.

Tornado

There are many deadly tornadoes recorded in the entire world. But the most extreme tornado in recorded history was the Tri-State Tornado, which spread through parts of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana on March 18, 1925. It was the deadliest tornado in the history of United States. Tornadoes are more common in United States than in any other country. The United States receives more than 1,200 tornadoes, annually four times the amount seen in Europe. The violent tornadoes, those rated EF4 or EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale - occur more often in the United States than in any other country. There is an area of the United States where tornadoes are most frequently formed.  The name given to this area is Tornado Alley.

Tornado

The Tri-State Tornado was the 2nd deadliest tornado in world history. The 151 to 235 mi track left by the Tri-State Tornado was the longest ever recorded in the world as it crossed from southeastern Missouri, through southern Illinois, then into southwestern Indiana. It is considered an F5 tornado, the maximum damage rating issued on the Fujita scale. It holds the records for longest path length at 219 miles, longest duration at about 3½ hours, and fastest forward speed for a significant tornado at 73 mph (117 km/h) anywhere on Earth.

Tornado

In all, at least 695 people died and 2,027 were injured, the majority in southern Illinois. Three states, 13 counties, and more than 19 communities, four of which were effectively effaced, were in the path of the record 3.5 hour duration tornado. Approximately 15,000 homes were destroyed by the Tri-State Tornado. The damage was estimated at $16.5 million and in 2011 adjusted dollars that is approximately $1.4 billion. There were nine schools across three states were destroyed in which 69 students were killed.

Read More

Spiti Valley, India - The Natural Beautiful Landscape

Spiti Valley is one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in India. It is a cold desert mountain valley located high in the Himalaya mountains in the north-eastern part of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The area is surrounded by very beautiful mountain ranges. The magnificent views of the river and the mountains are very attractive. The name "Spiti" means "The Middle Land", i.e. the land between Tibet and India. The valley and surrounding region is one of the least populated regions in India. It is the gateway to the northernmost reaches of the nation. Spiti valley lies in the North Eastern section of the Indian state Himachal Pradesh, and forms part of the Lahaul and Spiti district. Lahaul and Spiti is surrounded by high mountain ranges.

The sub-divisional headquarters is Kaza, Himachal Pradesh which is situated along the Spiti River at an elevation of about 12,500 feet above mean sea level. The Kaza, Tabo, Spiti and Pin valley make up for the real wilderness and inhabitant world. The Rohtang Pass, at 13,054 feet, separates Lahul and Spiti from the Kullu Valley. Lahul and Spiti are cut off from each other by the higher Kunzum Pass, at 15,059 feet. A strategic 8.8km tunnel in Rohtang gives all weather access to Spiti and reduce the travel distance by 48-kilometer. The Baspa and Kinnaur regions show a world full of eye-catching view. The valley is likewise cut off from the north up to eight months of the year by heavy snowfalls and thick icing conditions.

Spiti valley is a research and cultural centre for Buddhists. It includes Key Monastery and Tabo Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in the world. The Pin Valley of Spiti is home to the few surviving Buchen Lamas of the Nyingmapa (The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Nyingma literally means "ancient") sect of Buddhism. It was the location of the scenery and cinematography in the Indian films Paap, Highway and Milarepa, a biographical adventure tale about one of Buddhism's most famous Tibetan saints. Spiti is summer home to hundreds of semi-nomadic Gaddi sheep and goat herders who come to this valley for grazing their animals from the surrounding villages.

Key Gompa, a Vajrayana Buddhist monastery in Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh.

The Spiti River originates from Kunzum range and Tegpo and Kabzian streams are its tributaries. The river attains peak discharge in late summers due to glacier melting. After flowing through Spiti valley, the Spiti River meets Satluj at Namgia in Kinnaur district traversing a length of about 150 km. from the North-West beyond that it flows in South-West direction in the Pradesh. The main settlements along the Spiti River and its tributaries are Hansi and Dhankar Gompa. Spiti valley is accessible throughout year via Kinnaur from Shimla route on a difficult 412-kilometre-long road. Tourists from outside India need inner line permits to enter Spiti through Kinnaur. Spiti's border start at Samdo which is quite near to India-China border. Due to high elevation one is likely to feel altitude sickness in Spiti. In summer spiti valley can be reached via Manali through Rohtang pass and Kunzum pass.

Read More

Vredefort crater - The Largest Impact Crater On Earth

There are millions of craters formed daily in each and every galaxy of the entire universe. But we all belong to planet earth, therefore we will only talk about our planet earth. Since the beginning of creation, our planet Earth has suffered from many impact craters. There are many impact craters have been reported on earth. But the name of the largest known impact crater on earth is Vredefort crater. Before proceeding, let's understand first what actually is impact crater means? An impact crater can be defined as a circular depression in the surface of a planet, moon, or other solid body in the Solar System or elsewhere, formed by the hypervelocity impact of a smaller body.

Vredefort Dome, seen from space

The Vredefort crater is the largest verified impact crater on Earth. Vredefort crater has an estimated radius of 118 miles, making it the world's largest known impact structure. When it was formed, It was more than 300 km across. What remains of it is located in the present-day Free State Province of South Africa and named after the town of Vredefort, which is situated near its center. The remaining geological structures at its center are known as the Vredefort Dome or Vredefort impact structure. This crater was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. The crater is estimated to be 2.023 billion years old with impact being in the Paleoproterozoic Era (Spanning the time period from 2,500 to 1,600 million years ago). It is the second-oldest known crater on Earth.

There are also some kind of craters which are formed by volcanic eruption, known as volcanic craters. In contrast to volcanic craters, which result from explosion or internal collapse. It is a roughly circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity.

Volcanic Smoking Crater 

The asteroid that hit Vredefort is estimated to have been one of the largest ever to strike Earth, thought to have been approximately 10–15 km in diameter. The original crater was estimated to have a diameter of roughly 300 km, although this has been eroded away. It would have been larger than the 250 km Sudbury Basin and the 180 km Chicxulub Crater. The remaining structure, the Vredefort Dome, consists of a partial ring of hills 70 km in diameter. The dome in the center of the crater was originally thought to have been formed by a volcanic explosion, but in the mid-1990s, evidence revealed it was the site of a huge bolide impact. The Vredefort Dome in the center of the crater is home to four towns, namely Parys, Vredefort, Koppies and Venterskroon. Parys is the largest and a tourist hub, both Vredefort and Koppies mainly depend on an agricultural economy.

Read More

The Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA - One of the America's Most Spectacular Natural Wonders

Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular natural sights in the United States. It is the scenic beauty of nature and acts as more than just a view. Actually, it is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and attains a depth of over a mile. This canyon is an unique combinations of geologic color and erosional forms. It overwhelms our senses through its immense size. When the earliest travelers stood here to see the canyon, they simply could not comprehend the canyon enormous scale. The scientists still do not know how exactly the canyon was created, but they do know the story stretches back to billions years ago. The Grand Canyon is part of the Colorado River basin which has developed over the past 70 million years. It is the result of erosion which exposes one of the most complete geologic columns on the planet.

Grand Canyon is located within the Grand Canyon National Park. Grand Canyon National Park is the 15th site in the United States to have been named a national park. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, the park is located in northwestern Arizona. The park covers 1,217,262 acres of unincorporated area in Coconino (Coconino County is a county located in the north central part of the U.S. state of Arizona) and Mohave (Mohave County is in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona.) counties. This park received nearly six million recreational visitors in 2016, which is the second highest count of all U.S. national parks after Great Smoky Mountains National Park. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery.

Many recent studies support the hypothesis that the Colorado River established its course through this region approximately 5 to 6 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River has driven the down-cutting of the tributaries and retreat of the cliffs, simultaneously deepening and widening the canyon. The first European to see the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540. This area has been continuously inhabited by Native Americans, who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The Pueblo people (Pueblo peoples are Native Americans in the Southwestern United States who share common agricultural, material and religious practices) considered the Grand Canyon a holy site, and made pilgrimages to it.

The Grand Canyon area has some of the cleanest air in the United States. However, at times the air quality can be considerably affected by events such as forest fires and dust storms in the Southwest. A number of actions have been taken to preserve and further improve air quality and visibility at the canyon.

There are approximately 1,737 known species of vascular plants, 167 species of fungi, 64 species of moss and 195 species of lichen found in Grand Canyon National Park. Sixty-three plants found here have been given special status by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There are around 90 mammal species found along the Colorado River corridor, of which 18 are rodents and 22 are bats.

Grand Canyon National Park is one of the best sights for tourism. It is one of the world's premier natural attractions, attracting about five million visitors per year. Overall, 83% were from the United States: California (12.2%), Arizona (8.9%), Texas (4.8%), Florida (3.4%) and New York (3.2%) represented the top domestic visitors. Seventeen percent of visitors were from outside the United States; the most prominently represented nations were the United Kingdom (3.8%), Canada (3.5%), Japan (2.1%), Germany (1.9%) and The Netherlands (1.2%). If you are a traveler or traveling is your passion, then it is the best location for you to visit, it will definitely make you stunned with its naturally built gorgeous landscape.

Read More

The Wuppertal Suspension Railway, Germany - The Oldest Electric Elevated Railway With Hanging Trains In The World

There is a railway service in Germany where hanging trains are doing a pretty good job. The name of this railway service is "The Wuppertal Suspension Railway. It is also known as Wuppertaler Schwebebahn. It is a suspension railway in Wuppertal, Germany. It is the oldest electric elevated railway with hanging cars in the world and is a unique system. This railway service is quite old and was started in 1901. It was designed by Eugen Langen to sell to the city of Berlin, the installation with elevated stations was built in Barmen, Elberfeld and Vohwinkel between 1897 and 1903; the first track opened in 1901. About 82,000 people travel daily in these trains. Interestingly, this train service was not copied in any other country or city for public transport. This Suspension Railway is still in use today as a normal means of local public transport, moving 25 million passengers annually.

According to a report, Hanging train has been victimized only once in a serious accident. A serious accident took place in 1999 which left five people dead and 47 injured. In this accident, the train fell into the river Wupper, in which 5 people were killed and about 47 were injured. Apart from this, there were minor accidents in 2008 and 2013, but no one was killed in it. On 5 August 2008, a train collided with a crane truck making deliveries under the track, causing a 10-metre-long tear in the floor of one of the cars. The truck driver was seriously injured, and the train driver and some passengers were treated for shock. On 17 October 2013, a section of power rail 100 metres long fell from the track onto Federal Route 7, damaging several cars parked there and forcing closure of the road. The city's fire service had to rescue 70 passengers from a stopped train. No one was injured.

The suspension railway runs along a route of 13.3 kilometres, at a height of about 12 metres above the River Wupper between Oberbarmen and Sonnborner Straße and about 8 metres above the valley road between Sonnborner Straße and Vohwinkel. 20 stations have been built for the stoppage of the train. The reason for hanging of these trains is that the city of Wuppertal was reached the peak of its industrial development by the end of the 19th century. Roads were there, but for vehicles and for pedestrians. It was difficult to run trains on the road. Underground railways could not be operated because of a hilly terrain. In this situation some engineers decided to run the hanging train. It is also considered as one of the world's oldest Monorail.

The cars are suspended from a single rail built underneath a supporting steel frame. The cars hang on wheels which are driven by multiple electric motors operating at 750 volts DC, fed from an extra rail. The supporting frame and tracks are made out of 486 pillars and bridgework sections. The Wuppertal Suspension Railway operates within the VRR (The Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr is the public transport association covering the area of the Rhine-Ruhr conurbation in Germany) transport association and accepts tickets issued by the VRR companies.

Read More

The Rakotzbrücke, Germany - The Devil’s Bridge

There are many such unusual places on our planet that attracts us because of its amazing structure and beauty. When we look at these places at first glance, we do not believe in our eyes. To stay in touch with these amazing places, we have to see these places over and over again. The name of such an amazing place in Germany is called "The Rakotzbrücke". It was built in 1860. It is also known as the Devil's Bridge. Devil's Bridge is a term applied to dozens of ancient bridges, found primarily in Europe. Most of these bridges are stone or masonry arch bridges and represent a significant technological achievement. Each of the Devil's Bridges has a corresponding Devil-related myth or folktale. The Rakotzbrücke is known as “Devil’s Bridge”, due to the colloquialism that such bridges were so miraculous that they must have been built by Satan itself. While this bridge was created by mortal hands, its builders did seem to hold the aesthetics of the bridge in higher regard than its utility. This jaw-dropping bridge uses its reflection to form a perfect circle.

This bridge is located in Azalea and Rhododendron Park Kromlau. Kromlau is a district of the Saxon municipality of Gablenz in the district of Görlitz. This Park is a 200-acre landscaped park in the municipality of Gablenz, Germany. The park is an example of an English garden and has many small ponds and lakes. The devil's bridge was specially built during the mid-19th century to create a circle when it is reflected in the waters beneath it. Local lore often wrongly attributes these bridges to the Roman era, but in fact many of them are medieval, having been built between 1000 and 1600 AD. In medieval times some Roman roads were themselves considered beyond human capabilities and needs, and therefore had to have been built by the devil.

This bridge is famed for its unique construction accuracy and its reflection merging into a perfect circle, no matter where you see it from. The most bizarre trait of this bridge is its parabola. The parabola of the bridge is designed to be one half of a perfect circle. When the water beneath the bridge is calm and the light is right, it forms an illusion of a splendidly complete circle made of stone.

The Rhododendron Park has no entry fee and can be accessed any time. The area is very serene and extra quiet. There is no fee need be paid to enter the site, but in order to preserve it, the park's most prominent feature is not allowed to cross the bridge. The Rakotzbrücke is a short walk from the free car parking area. The main parking area near the Rakotz Bridge is in the village of Kromlau.

Read More

The Amazing Musical Roads - The Music plays through tactile vibration

All of you have seen many types of roads in the world, but have you ever heard about the singing road or musical road. Yes, it is true. Many roads have been built in the world where music plays whenever the vehicle passes over it. Such roads have been given a name, which is called the musical road. A musical road is a road, or part of a road, which when driven over causes a tactile vibration and audible rumbling transmitted through the wheels into the car body in the form of a musical tune. There are many countries where these musical roads have been built. These roads are known to exist in nine countries: Denmark, Japan, South Korea, the United States of America, China, San Marino, Taiwan, The Netherlands, and Ukraine.

Denmark - Asphaltophone

The first known musical road, the Asphaltophone, was created in October 1995 in Gylling, Østjylland, Denmark. It was constructed by Steen Krarup Jensen and Jakob Freud-Magnus, two Danish artists. The Asphaltophone is made from a series of raised pavement markers, similar to Botts' dots, spaced out at intermittent intervals -- watermark -- so that as a vehicle drives over the markers, the vibrations caused by the wheels can be heard inside the car.

Japan - Melody Road

In Japan, Shizuo Shinoda accidentally scraped some markings into a road with a bulldozer and drove over them, and realised that it was possible to create tunes depending on the depth and spacing of the grooves. In 2007, the Hokkaido National Industrial Research Institute, which had previously worked on a system using infra-red lights to detect dangerous road surfaces, refined Shinoda's designs to create the Melody Road. As of 2016, there are now over 30 Melody Roads in Japan, with 4 in Hokkaido, 3 in Hiroshima, 2 in Shizuoka, 2 in Oita, 10 in Gunma, and 1 each in various other prefectures.

Netherlands - Singing Highway 

A singing road was installed near the village of Jelsum in Friesland. The Friesland provincial anthem (De Alde Friezen) would play if drivers obeyed the speed limits, otherwise the song would play off-key. After complaints from villagers, the singing road was removed.

South Korea - Singing Road

The Singing Road can be found close to Anyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea. the Singing Road is intended to help motorists stay alert and awake - 68% of traffic accidents in South Korea are due to inattentive, sleeping or speeding drivers. The tune played is "Mary Had a Little Lamb".

United States - Civic Musical Road

The Civic Musical Road was built on Avenue K in Lancaster, California, United States, on September 5th 2008. The road appears in Honda Civic commercials. The rhythm is recognizable, but the intervals are so far off that the melody bears only a slight resemblance to the William Tell Overture, regardless of the car speed.

New Mexico - Tijeras

In October 2014, the village of Tijeras, New Mexico installed a musical road on a two-lane stretch of U.S. Route 66 which plays America the Beautiful when a vehicle drives over it. This highway is labelled NM 333, between Miles 4 and 5, eastbound. Funded by the National Geographic Society, the project was coordinated with the New Mexico Department of Transportation who described the project as a way to get drivers to slow down.

Read More

Train to the Clouds, Argentina - A Tourist Train Service

In Argentina, at the height of 4220 meters above mean sea level, a train passes through the Andes Mountains range called 'The Train to the Clouds'. Actually, It is a tourist train service in Salta Province, Argentina. This railway line is one of the highest rail routes in the world. It is the fifth highest railway in the world. The Train to the clouds is also known as Tren a las Nubes. The service runs along the eastern part of the Salta–Antofagasta railway line of the Belgrano Railway that connects the Argentine Northwest with the Chilean border in the Andes mountain range, over 4,220 metres above mean sea level. When this train passes through certain areas, it seems that it is moving ahead by rubbing the clouds. Actually there are heavy clouds on both sides of the railway line. It is originally built for economic and social reasons, it is now primarily of interest to tourists as a heritage railway, though cheaper tickets are also available for locals to use the train as transport.

The construction of the railway officially started in 1921, with the intention of connecting the North of Argentina with Chile across the Andes. The La Polvorilla viaduct, the highest of the line, was finished on 7 November 1932. The route was designed by American engineer Richard Maury and after whom one of the stations has been named. The complete railway was inaugurated on 20 February 1948, following numerous delays and complications and a 2-year period where work was paralyzed.

Tren a las Nubes - La Polvorilla

The railway line has 29 bridges, 21 tunnels, 13 viaducts, 2 spirals and 2 zigzags. The zigzags allow the train to climb up driving back and forth parallel to the slope of the mountain. It departs from Salta every Saturday at 07:05, and returns around midnight, though most tourists simply do the 8-hour one-way trip and return by other means. The train is composed of a dining carriage, bar carriage, a first aid area and two passenger carriages with room for 170 people, though this is expected to increase to 400 over time.

Once the train has left Salta, it first enters the Valle de Lerma, and then the Quebrada del Toro, before reaching the puna. There are numerous stops along the way, some with markets selling artisan goods and locals offering regional cuisine.

Read More

Torres del Paine National Park - The Paradise of Beautiful Mountains, Glaciers, Lakes and Rivers

Torres del Paine National Park is the land of legendary beauty which is surrounded by spectacular sights of nature. This national park is a kind of paradise encompassing mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers in southern Chilean Patagonia. This national park is located in the southernmost and largest region of Chile called Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica. It is one of the largest and most visited parks in Chile. This National Park measured approximately 242,242 hectares. The park averages around 252,000 visitors a year, of which 54% are foreign tourists, who come from many countries all over the world. The park borders Bernardo O'Higgins National Park to the west and the Los Glaciares National Park to the north in Argentine territory. The park has been elected as the fifth most beautiful place in the world by National Geographic and the 8th Wonder of the World by TripAdvisor. The main attractions of this national park are Cordillera del Paine, Los Cuernos, French Valley and Grey Glacier. The Cordillera del Paine is the centerpiece of the park. The Cordillera Paine is a small mountain group in Torres del Paine National Park. The highest summit of the range is Cerro Paine Grande, at 2,884 meters. The best-known and most spectacular summits are the Torres del Paine (Towers of Paine). Paine means "blue" in the native Tehuelche language. The South Tower of Paine (about 2,500 m), The Central Tower of Paine (about 2,460 m), The North Tower of Paine (about 2,260 m).

Torres del Paine National Park was established in 1959. Its previous name was Parque Nacional de Turismo Lago Grey (Grey Lake National Tourism Park) and the present name was given in 1970. Lady Florence Dixie, in her book published in 1880, gave one of the first descriptions of the area and referred to the three towers as Cleopatra's Needles. She and her party are sometimes credited as being the first "foreign tourists" to visit the area that is now called Torres del Paine National Park.

In 1985, a tourist started a fire that burned about 150 km² of the park. The blaze affected the areas east and south around Lake Pehoe. In February 2005, an accidental fire started by a Czech backpacker, which lasted for about ten days, destroyed 155 km² of the park, including about 2 km² of native forest.

The landscape of the park is dominated by the Paine massif, which is an eastern spur of the Andes located on the east side of the Grey Glacier, rising dramatically above the Patagonian steppe. Small valleys separate the spectacular granite spires and mountains of the massif. These are: Valle del Frances (French Valley), Valle Bader, Valle Ascencio, and Valle del Silencio (Silence Valley). The Southern Patagonian Ice Field mantles a great portion of the park. Glaciers include the Dickson, the Grey, and the Tyndall. Among the lakes are the Dickson Lake, Nordenskjöld Lake, Lake Pehoé, Grey Lake, Sarmiento Lake, and Del Toro Lake. Only a portion of the latter is within the borders of the park. All are vividly colored, most due to rock flour suspended in their waters. The main river flowing through the park is Paine River. Most of the rivers and lakes of the park drain into Última Esperanza Sound via Serrano River.

The national park has over 252,000 visitors per year. It is a popular hiking destination in Chile. There are clearly marked paths and many refugios which provide shelter and basic services.  Hikers can opt for a day trip to see the towers, walk the popular "W" route in about five days, or trek the full circle in 8 to 9 days. But hikers are not allowed to stray from the paths in the national park. The visitor impact on the park has been scientifically measured. A certified guide is required to access some parts of the park. These arrangements need to be made before entering the park.

It is recommended to visit the park between September and April during the Southern Spring, Summer and early Autumn. During summer, daylight hours are very long given the extreme southern latitude. Outside of this time frame, the weather becomes extreme for the majority of the public. During the southern winter, daylight dwindles to only a few hours a day. Everything here is so impressive that it seems to be the beauty of another planet. Nature lovers should go to this place to see the wonderful and spectacular views of nature.

Read More

Saint Lucia - One of the most beautiful Caribbean island

Whenever the matter is of Island, then how can we forget Caribbean islands. The List of Caribbean islands includes many beautiful islands. But today we will talk about the Saint Lucia Island. Saint Lucia is one of the most beautiful tropical Caribbean island which is known for its natural beauty and historical importance. Saint Lucia is a sovereign island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Saint Lucia is the most beautiful isle of all the earth. It is a kind of sensorial experience that will feed your spirit with flavours it has gathered from the earth, the sea and  the people. It is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 617 km2 and reported a population of 165,595 in the 2010 census. Its capital is Castries.

Born of Volcanic origin, the Island of Saint Lucia offers a burst of natural splendour with every turn. The volcanic plugs are the most amazing sights in Saint Lucia. There are two main volcanic plugs where hiking is allowed. The scenes from these volcanic plugs are just breathtaking. This volcanic island of Saint Lucia is more mountainous than most Caribbean islands, with the highest point being Mount Gimie, at 950 metres above sea level. Two other mountains, the Pitons, form the island's most famous landmark. Saint Lucia was named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse by the French, who were the island's first European settlers. It is the only country in the world named after a woman. The pigeon islet is the home to several historical sites of Saint Lucia. In the late 1550s, the French pirate Francois le Clerc set up a camp on Pigeon Island, from where he attacked passing Spanish ships. There is an another history related to Pigeon Island. In 1605, an English vessel called the Oliphe Blossome was blown off-course on its way to Guyana, and the 67 colonists started a settlement on Saint Lucia, after initially being welcomed by the Carib chief Anthonie. By 26 September 1605, only 19 survived, after continued attack by the Carib chief Augraumart, so they fled the island. The mountainous pigeon islet is also known for hiking and snorkeling.

Marigot Bay of Saint Lucia is one of the world's most beautiful bays. It is located on the western coast of Saint Lucia. It is 3.75 miles southwest from Castries and a short distance from the Saint Lucian National Marine Reserve. It is surrounded on three sides by steep, forested hills. Marigot bay includes beautiful corals, crystal clear water, clean shore and swaying palm trees. To enjoy the real beauty of Marigot bay, you have to climb to the top point of the Island. The inland portion of the bay forms a hurricane hole, used to shelter boats from hurricanes. Marigot Bay is a historic landmark, having been the site of a number of battles between the French and British navies. The American novelist James A. Michener famously described Marigot Bay as "The most beautiful bay in the Caribbean.

Tourism plays a great role in the popularity of Saint Lucia. It is vital to Saint Lucia's economy. Saint Lucia is the perfect destination for tourists. It tends to be popular due to its tropical weather and scenery and its numerous beaches and resorts. There are many other tourist attractions in Saint Lucia which include a drive-in volcano, Sulphur Springs, the Botanical Gardens, the Majestic twin Peaks "The Pitons", a world heritage site, the rain forests, several options of boat trips, zip lining and Pigeon Island National Park, which is home to Fort Rodney, an old British military base. Whether you are adventure seeker, environmentalist, dive enthusiast and lovers seeking that ultimate romance experience then it is a perfect place for you which gives you a best experience of your life.

Read More

Morning Glory clouds - A Rare Meteorological Phenomenon

There always happens a strange phenomenon involving the weather in the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland, Australia. The name given to this phenomenon is called Morning Glory clouds  The Morning Glory cloud is a rare meteorological phenomenon consisting of a low-level atmospheric solitary wave and associated cloud, occasionally observed in different locations around the world. The wave often occurs as an amplitude-ordered series of waves forming bands of roll clouds. However, it is believed that due to the configuration of land and sea in the area of the southern part of the Gulf of Carpentaria in Northern Australia plays an important role in the formation of these strange clouds. In the town of Burketown in Queensland, Morning Glory clouds can be observed very close to Earth from late September to early November. These unusual cloud formations have been noticed here since ancient times. The local Garrawa Aboriginal people called it kangólgi. Royal Australian Air Force pilots first reported this phenomenon in 1942. This strange clouds phenomenon of the Gulf of Carpentaria has been studied by multiple teams of scientists since the early 1970s. The first studies were published by Reg H. Clarke (University of Melbourne). The occurrence of these Morning Glory clouds are not clearly understood because its rarity means it has little significance in terms of rainfall or climate.

These clouds are generally formed at the height of 100 to 200 metres above the ground in the shape of long thin stripes. A Morning Glory cloud is a kind of roll cloud (A roll cloud is a low, horizontal, tube-shaped, and relatively rare type of arcus cloud) that can be up to 1,000 kilometres long, 1 to 2 kilometres high. In an aircraft there is a significantly better chance of sighting the cloud. These clouds attracts glider pilots intent on riding this phenomenon. The cloud often travels at the rate of 10 to 20 metres per second. Sometimes there is only one cloud, sometimes there are up to ten consecutive roll clouds. Three distinct types of Morning Glory clouds have been identified. The Morning Glory is often accompanied by sudden wind squalls, intense low-level wind shear, a rapid increase in the vertical displacement of air parcels, and a sharp pressure jump at the surface. In the front of the cloud, there is strong vertical motion that transports air up through the cloud and creates the rolling appearance, while the air in the middle and rear of the cloud becomes turbulent and sinks. The cloud quickly dissipates over land where the air is drier. Morning Glory Clouds are occasionally formed in United States, the English Channel, Munich, Berlin, eastern Russia, and other maritime regions of Australia. But such phenomenon occurs regularly in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland, Australia.

Read More

Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - The Largest Cave in The World

There is an underground cave in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park of Vietnam, which is known as the world's largest cave. The name of this world's largest cave is Hang Son Doong. In Vietnamese, the meaning of Hang Son Đoong is Mountain River Cave. It is one of the most spectacular sights in Southeast Asia. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is situated in a limestone zone of 2,000 km2 in Vietnamese territory and borders another limestone zone of 2,000 km2 of Hin Namno in Laotian territory. The core zone of this national park covers 857.54 km2 and a buffer zone of 1,954 km2. Hang Son Doong cave was discovered by a local man named Ho Khanh in 1990. But Only in 2009 did the cave become internationally known after a group of cavers from the British Cave Research Association, led by Howard Limbert. No one had seen this cave before. Ho Khanh is a Vietnamese logger turned cave guide. It is said that in search of food and timber, Ho Khanh was wandering in National Park for several weeks in 1990. Suddenly he saw a cave in the park and went inside it. As soon as he entered the cave, he heard the voice of the river. He saw that a wide river was flowing out of it. Even he heard the sound of fast wind blowing inside the cave. Without any rope or gear, Ho Khanh did not venture further into the cave. He was scared and went away from there. Ho Khanh later gave up his logging job and return to farming with his family, but never gave up on the hope that one day he would find the cave again. After this he forgot this cave and never talked about it. After several years of this incident, a group of researchers from the British Cave Research Association came on a trip to find new caves in the Phong Nha Ke Bang region. During this time, the British Cave Researchers met Ho Khanh to know about his discovery of cave. The researchers team asked Ho Khanh for help. Ho Khanh agreed to guide the team to find the legendary cave.

But after many attempts, the researches team did not find the way to this cave. Ho Khanh also tried many times to find out the cave but he failed. In a final effort to recover his memory, Ho Khanh headed to the jungle one winter’s morning in 2009 and re-discovered Son Đoong, the name as it is known later. This time he also remembered the path of cave. The British team immediately came back to Vietnam and followed Ho Khanh. On April 14, 2010 they found what they were looking for. Since the discovery, Ho Khanh has been a guide for the team for many expeditions to explore caves in the area. Ho khanh is now a cave guide, conservationist and is running his own tour and catering business, Ho Khanh Homestay. According to Howard Limbert, the main Son Đoong cave passage is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume - 38.4×106 cubic metres. It is more than 5 kilometres long, 200 metres high and 150 metres wide. Its cross-section is believed to be twice that of the next largest passage, in Deer Cave, Malaysia. The government approved access to the cave system in June 2013. In early August 2013, the first tourist group explored the cave on a guided tour at a cost of US$3,000 each. Permits are required to access the cave and are made available on a limited basis. It is said that this cave is so large that it has its own river, forest and even its own separate weather. It is believed that there are bats, birds, monkeys and many other animals inside the cave.

Read More

The Catacombs of Paris - The Underground Ossuaries of More Than Six Million People

Catacomb is an underground cemetery, especially one consisting of tunnels and rooms with recesses dug out for coffins and tombs. You can also define it as an underground crematory where the alive persons can see and touch the bones of dead people. Although there are many catacombs in the world, but the Catacombs of Paris are the most famous among them. It is not a haunted place but it is an example of beautiful artwork done by arranging humans bones and skulls in a beautiful manner. The Catacombs of Paris are underground ossuaries in Paris, France, which hold the remains of more than six million people in a small part of a tunnel network built to consolidate Paris' ancient stone mines. This ossuary was created as part of the effort to eliminate the city's overflowing cemeteries. The Catacombs of Paris are a living cemetery whose walls are made from human bones and skulls. You can even touch these bones and skulls. Here you will see only the bones and skulls of humans around you. The ossuary remained largely forgotten until it became a novelty-place for concerts and other private events in the early 19th century, after further renovations and the construction of accesses around Place Denfert-Rochereau, it was open to public visitation from 1874. Parisians presently often refer to the entire tunnel network as "the catacombs".

Cemeteries whose remains were moved to the Catacombs include Saints-Innocents (the largest by far with about 2 million buried over 600 years of operation), Saint-Étienne-des-Grès (one of the oldest), Madeleine Cemetery, Errancis Cemetery (used for the victims of the French Revolution), and Notre-Dame-des-Blancs-Manteaux. The Holy Innocents Cemetery is a defunct cemetery in Paris that was used from the Middle Ages until the late 18th century. It was the oldest and largest cemetery in Paris. The catacombs in their first years were a disorganised bone repository, but Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury, director of the Paris Mine Inspection Service from 1810, had renovations done that would transform the underground caverns into a visitable mausoleum.

The Catacombs of Paris became a curiosity for more privileged Parisians from their creation, an early visitor being the Count of Artois during 1787. Public visits began after its renovation into a proper ossuary. Many times these catacombs were closed and reopened during these time periods. After an incident of vandalism, the Catacombs were again closed to the public during September 2009 and reopened on 19 December of the same year.

There were lots of other events happened in the catacombs:-

1. During World War II, Parisian members of the French Resistance used the tunnel system. 
2. Bodies of the dead from the riots in the Place de Grève, the Hôtel de Brienne, and Rue Meslée were put in the catacombs on 28 and 29 August 1788.
3. During 1871, communards killed a group of monarchists there. 
4. The tomb of the Val-de-Grâce hospital doorkeeper, Philibert Aspairt, lost in the catacombs during 1793 and found 11 years later, is located in the catacombs on the spot where his body was found.
5. During 1974, the film The Holes was filmed and set within the Catacombs of Paris.

Read More

Molokai, Hawaii - The Stunning Beauty of Hawaii

Molokai is the stunning natural sight of Hawaii. It is also known as “The Friendly Isle", which means Friendly Island. This island has over a hundred miles of shoreline, hidden waterfalls, ancient ruins, and the proud native heritage of Hawaii. It is the fifth largest island of eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Island Chain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Molokai offers a taste of Hawaii unlike any other island, both in historic value and natural beauty. It is 38 by 10 miles in size at its extreme length and width with a usable land area of 260 square miles. Molokai is the fifth-largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. Molokai developed from two distinct shield volcanoes (A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows) known as East Molokai and the much smaller West Molokai. The East Molokai Volcano, sometimes also known as Wailau for the Wailau valley on its north side. It is an extinct shield volcano comprising the eastern two-thirds of the island of Molokai. The highest point is Kamakou on East Molokai, at 4,970 feet. West Molokai is sometimes called Mauna Loa for the census-designated place. It is an extinct shield volcano comprising the western half of Molokai island.

Molokai is split into two main geographical areas. The low western half is very dry and the soil is heavily denuded due to poor land management practices, which allowed over-grazing by goats. The eastern half of the island is a high plateau (Plateau is also called a high plain or a tableland, it is an area of a highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain that is raised significantly above the surrounding area, often with one or more sides with steep slopes) rising up to an elevation of 4,900 ft on Kamakou peak and includes the 2,774 acres Molokai Forest Reserve. The eastern half is covered with lush wet forests that get more than 300 in (7,600 mm) of rain per year. Molokai is home to a great number of endemic plant and animal species. However, many of its species, including the olomaʻo (Myadestes lanaiensis), kākāwahie (Paroreomyza flammea). Molokai is home to a wingless fly among many other endemic insects.

Molokai is perhaps best known for one of the most troubling times in Hawaii’s past - the leper colony of Kalaupapa. Leprosy (Leprosy is a long-term infection by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis. It is also known as Hansen's disease) was among Eurasian diseases introduced to the Hawaiian islands by traders, sailors, workers and others who lived in societies where these diseases were endemic. Because of the islanders' lack of immunity to the new diseases, they suffered high rates of infection and death from smallpox, cholera and whooping cough, as well as leprosy. Sugar planters were worried about the effects on their labor force and pressured the government to take action to control the spread of leprosy. The legislature passed a control act requiring quarantine of people with leprosy. The government established Kalawao located on the isolated Kalaupapa peninsula on the northern side of Molokai, followed by Kalaupapa as the sites of a leper colony that operated from 1866 to 1969. Because Kalaupapa had a better climate and sea access, it developed as the main community. A research hospital was developed at Kalawao. The population of these settlements reached a peak of 1100 shortly after the turn of the 20th century.

The tourism industry on Molokai is relatively small, compared to the other islands in Hawaii. Only 64,767 tourists visited Molokai in 2015. For years, residents of Molokai have resisted private developers' attempts to dramatically increase tourism. Accommodations are limited; as of 2014, only one hotel was open on the island. Most tourists find lodgings at rental condos and houses. This island contains many parks and other protected areas, including Palaʻau State Park, Kiowea Beach Park, Kakahaia National Wildlife Refuge, Molokai Forest Reserve, Pelekunu Preserve, George Murphy Beach Park, Halawa Beach Park, and Papohaku Beach Park (3 miles of pristine beach) in the portion within Maui County. Today Kalawao County is preserved by the Kalaupapa National Historical Park. If you decide to stay a few nights or a day trip, Molokai will be a Hawaiian experience you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Read More