Thursday 18 February 2016

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System




The coastal area of Belize is an outstanding natural system consisting of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries. The system’s seven sites illustrate the evolutionary history of reef development and are a significant habitat for threatened species, including marine turtles, manatees and the American marine crocodile.



Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels)



The four major town houses - Hôtel Tassel, Hôtel Solvay, Hôtel van Eetvelde, and Maison & Atelier Horta - located in Brussels and designed by the architect Victor Horta, one of the earliest initiators of Art Nouveau, are some of the most remarkable pioneering works of architecture of the end of the 19th century. The stylistic revolution represented by these works is characterised by their open plan, the diffusion of light, and the brilliant joining of the curved lines of decoration with the structure of the building.



Bucharest, Romania



Bucharest, in southern Romania, is the country's capital and commercial center. Its most iconic structure is the massive, communist-era Palatul Parlamentului government building, which has 1,100 rooms. Nearby, the historic Lipscani district is home to an energetic nightlife scene as well as tiny Eastern Orthodox Stavropoleos Church and 15th-century Curtea Veche palace, where Prince Vlad III (“The Impaler”) once ruled.

Dublin, Ireland



Dublin, capital of the Republic of Ireland, is on Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey. Its medieval buildings include 13th-century Dublin Castle and imposing St. Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1191. Temple Bar is a riverside nightlife and cultural quarter, home to the Irish Film Institute. Bustling, largely pedestrianised Grafton Street is the city’s principal shopping area, also famed for its buskers.

Keoladeo National Park, India



This former duck-hunting reserve of the Maharajas is one of the major wintering areas for large numbers of aquatic birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia. Some 364 species of birds, including the rare Siberian crane, have been recorded in the park.

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, India



On a gentle slope in the foothills of the Himalayas, where wooded hills give way to alluvial grasslands and tropical forests, the Manas sanctuary is home to a great variety of wildlife, including many endangered species, such as the tiger, pygmy hog, Indian rhinoceros and Indian elephant.

Lake Bled, Slovenia



Lake Bled is a lake in the Julian Alps of the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. The area is a tourist destination. 

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow



The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is a cathedral in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskva River, a few blocks southwest of the Kremlin. With an overall height of 103 metres, it is the tallest Orthodox Christian church in the world. 

Friday 5 February 2016

Gibraltar



Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory on the south coast of Spain known for the Rock of Gibraltar, a 426m limestone ridge at its centre. Gibraltar occupies 7 sq. km of a peninsula bordered to the north by the region of Andalusia. First settled by Moors in the Middle Ages and later ruled by Spain, the outpost was joined to Britain in 1713.

El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area, Philippines



The El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area is located on the north-western tip of the mainland of Palawan. In 1991, the Government of the Philippines proclaimed Bacuit Bay as a marine reserve. In 1998, the protected area was expanded to include terrestrial ecosystems and portions of the municipality of Taytay. It is now known as El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area, which covers over 36,000 hectares of land and 54,000 hectares of marine waters.

Taal Volcano, Philippines


Taal Volcano is a complex volcano located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is the second most active volcano in the Philippines with 33 historical eruptions. 

Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic



Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) is a spa town in the west Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. Its numerous thermal springs have made it a popular resort since the 19th century. The riverside spa district is home to several colonnades with columned walkways. The modern Hot Spring Colonnade houses the Pramen Vřídlo geyser, which spouts up to 12 meters high.

Morrocoy National Park,Venezuela



Morrocoy National Park is located in the easternmost coast of Falcón state and northwestern of Golfo Triste, in the west central Venezuelan coast, near the towns of Boca de Aroa, Tucacas, Sanare, Chichiriviche, Flamenco and Tocuyo de la Costa, and consists of 32,090 acres. It was declared a national park on May 26, 1974.

Anguilla



Anguilla, a British overseas territory in the Eastern Caribbean, comprises a small main island and several offshore islets. Its beaches range from long sandy stretches like Rendezvous Bay, overlooking neighboring Saint Martin island, to secluded coves reached by boat, such as at Little Bay. Protected areas include Big Spring, known for its prehistoric petroglyphs, and East End Pond, a wildlife conservation site.

Greece



Greece is a country in southeastern Europe consisting of 2 mainland peninsulas and thousands of islands throughout the Aegean and Ionian seas. It's often called the birthplace of Western civilization, and Athens, its capital, retains ancient landmarks including the 5th-century-B.C.E. Acropolis citadel and Parthenon temple. Greece is also known for its beaches, from the black sands of Santorini to the party resorts of Mykonos.

Ras al Had Turtle Reserve and the Heritage Site of Ras al Jinz, Oman



The reserve encompasses a stretch of a coastline, with some hills behind, and the beaches are of importance for the nesting turtles. It also includes a trace of a coastline that includes two large tidal inlets (khaurs). In addition to its scenic values, the Ras al Had area contains several archaeological sites of national significance located within Ras al Had Peninsula, around Khaur Jarama, Ras al Jinz and along the coast of Ras al Khaba.

Wednesday 3 February 2016

Shanghai, China




Enormous Shanghai, on China’s central coast, is the country's biggest city and a global financial hub. Its heart is the Bund, a famed waterfront promenade lined with colonial-era buildings. Across the Huangpu River rises Pudong’s futuristic skyline, including 632m Shanghai Tower and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, with distinctive pink spheres. Sprawling Yuyuan Garden has traditional pavilions, towers and ponds.

Beijing, China



Beijing, China’s massive capital, has history stretching back 3 millennia. Yet it’s known as much for its modern architecture as its ancient sites such as the grand Forbidden City complex, the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Nearby, the massive Tiananmen Square pedestrian plaza is site of Mao Zedong’s mausoleum and the National Museum of China, displaying a vast collection of cultural relics.