Animals Zoo Park

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• The Grand Canyon Pictures From Space - The Seven Natural Wonders of the World History
• Palau Islands Pictures Info and Photos
• The Great Pyramid of Giza Pictures and Photos - Info
• Victoria Falls Zimbabwe Pictures and Information

The Grand Canyon Pictures From Space - The Seven Natural Wonders of the World History Posted: 20 Jan 2010 05:58 AM PST The Seven Natural Wonders of the World : The Grand Canyon History and Pictures From Space The Grand Canyon Picture The Grand Canyon Picture The Grand Canyon Beautiful Picture The Grand Canyon Picture From Space About This Wonderful Place (The Grand Canyon) : The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park — one of the first national parks in the United States. 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. View from Grandview Point. A map of the Grand Canyon and surrounding areas, circa 1908. Longstanding scientific consensus has been that the canyon was created by the Colorado River over a six million year period. The canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, ranges in width from 4 to 18 miles (6.4 to 29 km) and attains a depth of over a mile (1.83 km) (6000 feet). Nearly two billion years of the Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. The "canyon began in the west, followed by another that formed in the east. Eventually, the two broke through and met as a single majestic rent in the earth some six million years ago. [...] The merger apparently occurred where the river today bends to the west, in the area known as the Kaibab Arch." Before European immigration, the area was inhabited by Native Americans who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The Pueblo people considered the Grand Canyon ("Ongtupqa" in Hopi language) a holy site and made pilgrimages to it. The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540. For More Read at Wikipedia

Palau Islands Pictures Info and Photos Posted: 20 Jan 2010 05:40 AM PST The Seven Underwater Wonders of the World : Information about Palau Islands with Pictures and Photos. > There are more than 250 islands in the Republic of Palau—though about 70 percent of its people live in the capital city of Koror. Tourists drive the nation's economy, most are drawn by the world class diving in their coastal waters. By Travel.Nationalgeographic Palau Islands Picture Palau Islands Photo Wonderful Palau Islands Photo World Wonder Palau Islands Picture The Seven Underwater Wonders of the World About Palau : The warm waters of Palau, a small archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, hold perhaps the richest and most biologically diverse coral reefs on the planet. In this "cradle of diversity," marine biologists have recorded 700 species of corals and 1,500 species of fish. Palau's coral reefs began to grow millions of years ago when coral polyps colonized submerged volcanic mountains. The tiny polyps produced a material that cemented them in place. Side by side, they built hard, external skeletons around their soft bodies, and when they died, other corals built skeletons on top of them. Geologic forces eventually raised the coral topped mountains above the sea, and all the exposed corals died. In time, new colonies built more reefs on the islands undersea slopes. Today, divers swimming over the coral gardens of Ngemelis Island are moved by nature's artistry and creativity. The top of this reef, just a few feet below the surface, resembles wild flowers swaying in the breeze. Here, soft coral trees and bushes seem to have been painted in stunning shades of green, red, yellow, and orange. Among the many fish species fluttering around gracefully are yellow butterflyfish, blue-headed wrasses, and emperor angelfish-black masked and striped. Not so graceful, though, is the mango-size puffer, a fish that sucks in water when startled and inflates its body to the size of a football. Sharp spikes stick out in all directions and are quite a deterrent to potential predators. Another cumbersome swimmer is the pear-sized trunkfish, whose tough, trunklike body is difficult for predators to chew. Nestled among the Ngemelis corals are giant clams. These two- or three-foot-long creatures, depicted in early movies as being able to grab divers' feet, feed harmlessly on plankton-not divers. And poking ever so slightly out of cracks in the corals are green and red brittle stars. Related to sea stars, these animals grow arms that break off easily if bitten by predators or touched by scuba divers. Brittle stars hide until sundown, but at night they crawl out, spread their arms, and feed on plankton. Sometimes the best way to observe fish is to find a sandy patch, settle down, and wait, letting them get accustomed to you. And a good technique for finding a particular kind of fish is to look from right to left, rather than left to right-the usual way in which people view things. Looking in this manner slows down the viewing process and increases the odds of sighting an animal. Not difficult to spot are watermelon-size cuttlefish hovering in the water. Related to the octopus and squid, these members of the cephalopod group can change their colors, patterns, and shapes so that they sometimes look like floating plants or free-swimming octopuses, their arms tickling unseen objects. Another master at deception is the crocodilefish. A lie-in-wait predator, this three-foot-long fish has an uncanny resemblance to its reptilian namesake. One of the greatest underwater shows on earth can be seen at Blue Corner, a part of the archipelago named for the deep blue quality of its water. Here, currents strong enough to rip the mask from a diver's face bring in a healthy supply of plankton, a food source that attracts unicornfish, tangs, and other plankton-eaters. In turn, these fish attract huge schools of predators, including sharks and jacks. The school of jacks can number 300 or 400 and be so dense that it nearly blocks the sunlight, creating the effect of an underwater eclipse. Blue Corner also attracts manta rays and eagle rays. With wingspans of several feet, these large plankton-feeders have few predators and can feed leisurely without having to worry about the ever present sharks patrolling the reef. At Blue Corner, the currents are so fast that a diver's encounter with a pelagic fish may last only a few minutes before he or she is whisked into the open ocean. Some divers overcome the time constraints of current diving by using a reef hook, a three-foot-long line with a hook at both ends. One hook attaches to a scuba vest and the other to a nook or cranny in the reef. The hook extends the dive, but in the process of setting, adjusting, and releasing it, a diver damages the fragile corals. Healthy coral gardens are found in many other areas of Palau, but at Blue Corner major areas of coral are now barren white patches of rock. This little corner of the world shows what can happen when underwater wonders are overwhelmed by people's desire to see them at any cost. Among Palau's other attractions are 80 marine lakes. Jellyfish lake, with its extraordinary jellyfish population, is the most visited. Like the others, it is dark green, has poor visibility, and is as warm as bathwater. Each day, jellyfish slowly follow the sun's path across the lake, soaking up sunlight for the life-supporting algae in their tissues. Because they haven't needed to protect themselves from predators, these jellyfish have lost the ability to sting. Their lake was sealed off from the open ocean eons ago, and jellyfish-eaters, such as turtles, were locked out. Without the threat of getting stung, today's underwater explorers can swim freely among yellow polka-dotted jellyfish shimmering harmlessly in the sun. Courtesy By Wonder Club > By Visitors Request We added extra Categories : Top Female Tennis Stars

The Great Pyramid of Giza Pictures and Photos - Info Posted: 20 Jan 2010 05:30 AM PST The Wonders of the Ancient World info and Pictures : The Great Pyramid of Giza Info Pictures and Photos The Great Pyramid, Giza Picture The building blocks of The Great Pyramid, Giza Egypt Giza Pyramids after sunset Photo Giza pyramids soaring above the city Picture Giza pyramids soaring above the city of Cairo, Egypt The Great Pyramids in Giza Photo The Great Pyramid of Giza Picture The Great Pyramid of Giza Info : It is the one and only Wonder which does not require a description by early historians and poets. It is the one and only Wonder that does not need speculations concerning its appearance, size, and shape. It is the oldest, yet it is the only surviving of the Seven Ancient Wonders. It is the Great Pyramid of Giza. Location: At the city of Giza, a necropolis of ancient Memphis, and today part of Greater Cairo, Egypt. History Of The Great Pyramid of Giza : Contrary to the common belief, only the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), not all three Great Pyramids, is on top of the list of Wonders. The monument was built by the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty around the year 2560 BC to serve as a tomb when he dies. The tradition of pyramid building started in Ancient Egypt as a sophistication of the idea of a mastaba or "platform" covering the royal tomb. Later, several stacked mastabas were used. Early pyramids, such as the Step Pyramid of King Zoser (Djoser) at Saqqara by the famous Egyptian architect, Imhotep, illustrate this connection. The great pyramid is believed to have been built over a 20 year period. The site was first prepared, and blocks of stone were transported and placed. An outer casing (which disappeared over the years) was then used to smooth the surface. Although it is not known how the blocks were put in place, several theories have been proposed. One theory involves the construction of a straight or spiral ramp that was raised as the construction proceeded. This ramp, coated with mud and water, eased the displacement of the blocks which were pushed (or pulled) into place. A second theory suggests that the blocks were placed using long levers with a short angled foot. Throughout their history, the pyramids of Giza have stimulated human imagination. They were referred to as "The Granaries of Joseph" and "The Mountains of Pharaoh". When Napoleon invaded Egypt in 1798, his pride was expressed through his famous quote: "Soldats! Du haute de ces Pyramides, 40 siècles nous contemplent". (Soldiers! From the top of these Pyramids, 40 centuries are looking at us) Today, the Great Pyramid is enclosed, together with the other pyramids and the Sphinx, in the touristic region of the Giza Plateau. Also in the area is the museum housing the mysterious Sun Boat, only discovered in 1954 near the south side of the pyramid. The boat is believed to have been used to carry the body of Khufu in his last journey on earth before being buried inside the pyramid. It may also serve him as a means of transportation in his afterlife journey according to Ancient Egyptian beliefs. Description : When it was built, the Great pyramid was 145.75 m (481 ft) high. Over the years, it lost 10 m (30 ft) off its top. It ranked as the tallest structure on Earth for more than 43 centuries, only to be surpassed in height in the nineteenth century AD. It was covered with a casing of stones to smooth its surface (some of the casing can still be seen near the top of Khefre's pyramid). The sloping angle of its sides is 54 degrees 54 minutes. Each side is carefully oriented with one of the cardinal points of the compass, that is, north, south, east, and west. The horizontal cross section of the pyramid is square at any level, with each side measuring 229 m (751 ft) in length. The maximum error between side lengths is astonishingly less than 0.1%. The structure consists of approximately 2 million blocks of stone, each weighing more than two tons. It has been suggested that there are enough blocks in the three pyramids to build a 3 m (10 ft) high, 0.3 m (1 ft) thick wall around France. The area covered by the Great pyramid can accommodate St Peter's in Rome, the cathedrals of Florence and Milan, and Westminster and St Paul's in London combined. On the north face, is the pyramid's entrance. A number of corridors, galleries, and escape shafts either lead to the King's burial chamber, or were intended to serve other functions. The King's chamber is located at the heart of the pyramid, only accessible through the Great Gallery and an ascending corridor. The King's sarcophagus is made of red granite, as are the interior walls of the King's Chamber. Most impressive is the sharp-edged stone over the doorway which is over 3 m (10 ft) long, 2.4 m (8 feet) high and 1.3 m (4 ft) thick. All of the interior stones fit so well, a card won't fit between them. The sarcophagus is oriented in accordance with the compass directions, and is only about 1 cm smaller in dimensions than the chamber entrance. It might have been introduced as the structure was progressing. New theories concerning the origin and purpose of the Pyramids of Giza have been proposed... Astronomic observatories... Places of cult worship... Geometric structures constructed by a long-gone civilization... Even extraterrestrial-related theories have been proposed with little evidence in support... The overwhelming scientific and historic evidence still supports the conclusion that, like many smaller pyramids in the region, the Great Pyramids were built by the great Ancient Egyptian civilization off the West bank of the Nile as tombs for their magnificent Kings... Tombs where Khufu, Khefre, and Menkaure could start their mystic journey to the afterlife. Note : For the high-quality art prints of Great Pyramid of Giza Posters available at Allposters.com For Travel advice, Hotel Accommodations tripadvisor.com

Victoria Falls Zimbabwe Pictures and Information Posted: 19 Jan 2010 09:06 PM PST The Seven (7) Natural Wonders of the World : Victoria Falls Zimbabwe Pictures and Information with Pictures > History The history of Victoria Falls does not go back too far from now, as it was only discovered in November of 1855 by David Livingstone. However, today the falls continues to be as allusive a destination as it was to the explorers, surveyors, missionaries, and hunters of the 1800s. The impulse to travel to the falls is the same, but the pursuit is only a little bit different. > Adventure Victoria Falls is the biggest waterfall in the whole world, and it serves as a safari gateway for Southern Africa. The falls has become a very popular place for visitors to go white water rafting, river boarding, and even bungee jumping. The downstream rapids of the river after the falls provide some of the scariest river boarding and white water rafting for beginners, as well as those who have experience, than anywhere else. > Activities Bungee jumpers also enjoy the thrill of Victoria Falls, where they can jump down 111 meters off of the bridge by the falls, which was just recently named the highest commercial bungee jump in the world. Aside from rafting and bungee jumping, however, visitors can also enjoy bird watching, aerial trips on a helicopter, walking trails, shopping, etc. as well. Victoria Falls Zimbabwe Picture Victoria Falls Zimbabwe Picture Victoria Falls Zimbabwe From Top Photo Picture of Victoria Falls Zimbabwe About This Beautiful Zimbabwe Falls Information : They're one of the most spectacular waterfalls you'll ever see. The Victoria Falls, which tower more than 100 meters high, majestically dropping into a series of gorges and stretching for more than 1.7 kilometers wide, form the largest curtain of falling water in the world. The Falls have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and straddle the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia along the mighty Zambezi river. They were considered the crown in the jewel of Zimbabwe's tourism industry. But these days, there are few international flights and plenty of empty seats. Today, most tourists -- frightened by reports inside Zimbabwe of political repression, food shortages and cholera -- opt to see the magnificent waterfalls not in Zimbabwe but in Zambia, where new hotels and river lodges have sprung up. Many Zimbabwean traders and tour operators have also moved their operations across the border. Small tourist companies in the Zimbabwean town of Victoria Falls, a short stroll from the actual falls, are struggling to survive. I appeared to be the only shopper as I strolled around the town's open market where crafts, from stone sculptures to wooden bowls and masks, were being sold. Local traders and artists crowded around me, each urging me to look at their wares. "Just five dollars" they pleaded as I glanced at some bowls. "Special rate. Please -- we need to buy some bread today." The number of tourists visiting Zimbabwe began to fall nine years ago, when political tensions between supporters and opponents of President Robert Mugabe increased. Tour operators in Victoria Falls told me visitor numbers have dropped to less than 25% of their former levels. Victoria Falls has some world class lodges and hotels. But there are few clients these days. On my drive back from a game reserve about an hour and a half away in Botswana, Zimbabwean police stopped motorists at a checkpoint. A female officer asked my driver if he had any food to give her. It was late afternoon, but, she said, she'd been on duty since six in the morning and hadn't eaten all day. Across the road, I spotted some other police talking to other motorists who'd climbed out of their vehicle and were talking under the shade of a tree. A loaf of bread was pulled out of a bag and torn into two halves. One policeman walked away, carrying a chunk of bread under his arm. The country's political crisis, hyperinflation and a cholera epidemic, which has spread across the entire country and killed nearly 4,000 people, has meant Zimbabwe has had a hard time selling itself as an ideal tourist destination. There are serious food shortages and more than half of the population rely on food hand-outs. Many of the country's problems are also evident in this tourist town. The shops are better stocked than in most other towns in Zimbabwe and restaurants have extensive menus. But locals, paid in virtually worthless Zimbabwean currency, are struggling to buy their daily necessities which are mostly sold in South African rand or American dollars. Children beg for money from the occasional tourist passing by on the streets. Few have been able to return to school. Classes were closed for most of last year when teachers stayed away in protest at their pitiful wages, which had failed to keep up with sky-rocketing inflation. The only bright spot in Victoria Falls, it seems, is that the town itself -- unlike most other parts of the country -- is cholera-free. For travelers wanting to enjoy spectacular sights with few other visitors as distractions, Victoria Falls is the ultimate place to get away from it all. Courtesy By : hararetribune > All The Official New 7 Wonders of the World Information with Photos > The Seven (7) Wonders of the Medieval Mind : Information About The Great Wall of China - Picture and Photos

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