Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia beautiful place Review and HD Photos

The world's largest salt flat sits at a lofty 3653m (11,985ft) and blankets an amazing 12,000 sq km (4633 sq mi). It was part of a prehistoric salt lake, Lago Minchín, which once covered most of southwest Bolivia. When it dried up, it left a couple of seasonal puddles and several salt pans, including the Salar de Uyuni. The savage beauty of this vast salt desert makes it one of South America's most awe-inspiring spectacles.

 

From strange islands in a sea of blindingly bright salt to delicately colored mineral lakes in the Andean mountains, this is an unforgettable Bolivian landscape.

 

However, travellers should take great care in choosing which tour operator to go with when visiting the salt flats. Fatal accidents due to unsafe vehicles and drivers are not unheard of. Make sure your vehicles have seatbelts, emergency radio transmitters and first aid equipment, and don't shy from asking about guides' levels of training and experience. Of course, there are also many reputable tour operators in the area who will ensure your experience of this natural wonder is both memorable and safe.

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Salar de Uyuni

ANGKOR WAT, CAMBODIA Beautiful Place and HD Photos

Although the trees that surround Angkor have been tamed, it is still possible to imagine how this ancient city was “lost” to the outside world for centuries until the French explorer Henri Mahout discovered it smothered in the jungle in 1860.

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer civilization, which spanned some 500 years, until it was sacked by Thai invaders in 1431. It reached its zenith in the 12th century, first with the building of the temple that came to be known as Angkor Wat and later with the construction of Angkor Thom, a royal city-within-a-city.

The temple was built by King Suryavarman II as a representation of Mount Meru, the mythical holy centre of Hinduism. Sorrounded by a large moat bridged by a stone causeway, it is a west-facing rectangular stone structure comprising three levels. The uppermost level, formerly open only to priests and the king, is topped with four corner towers and a central sanctuary 65 metres from the ground. Originally devoted to the Hindu god Shiva, the temple later became a Wat, or Buddhist monastery, and is now accepted as a spiritual monument by the predominantly Buddhist Cambodians. Images of the Buddha can be found among its vaulted galleries.Even after more than 800 years of plundering and erosion the carvings of Angkor Wat remain exquisite and the wealth of detail is bewildering. Galleries of bas-reliefs - the longest in the world - depict scenes from the Hindu religious epic, the Mahabharata, battle scenes from Khmer history and warnings about the tortures of hell.

The temple is best seen in the golden light of early morning when the rays of the sun pick out the apsaras (celestial nymphs) carved into its walls, seeming to breathe life into them. Amid the quiet beauty, it is hard to imagine that this place was one of the final refuges of the notorious Khmer Rouge communist movement - until you notice scars from the impact of bullets on the stone of the building.
Direct flights from Bangkok in Thailand have made the temples of Angkor more accessible, and they are now visited by more tourists than ever. Most tend to gather at the north poollo phulograph the reflections of the rising sun, but those seeking peace and tranquillity should head straight to the principal sanctuary ut Angkor Wat. This is reached by one of four flights of steep and worn stairs, signifying just how difficult and arduous is the path to heaven. It was once the exclusive preserve of Hindu priests, but now you too can have it to yourself - providing you get there early enough.The top level of Angkor Wat seems to have been designed for the sunrise. Golden fingers slide through the unique, stone-pillared windows and illuminate details that quickly recede in the brilliant light of the day, and some of the most beautiful apsaras - which can be found in the central sanctuary - are uncovered by the rising sun, only to be hidden in shadow again just 20 minutes later.

 

It can sometimes be half an hour before the first few explorers from the sunrise party reach here. Most don't bother; they go back to their hotels for breakfast, and return here later in the day, when the sun is intense and energy-sapping, and the atmosphere far from spiritual.Other parts of the Angkor complex not to be missed are the Bayon and Ta Prohm. Built later than Angkor Wat, the Bayon is a small temple covered with giant, impassive stone faces reminiscent of Lord Buddha, and perhaps marking the transition from Hinduism to Buddhism in the Khmer civilization. Ta Prohm is a largely ruined temple complex, with roots of banyan and kapok trees growing out of the stonework - and sometimes so much a part of it that neither would survive any attempt at separation.INFO
Siem Reap. the nearest town to Angkor (10 km awayl. can be reached by plane from Bangkok, Thailand (Bangkok Airways has several flights a day in both directions} or from the Cambodian capital. Phnom Penh. Alternatively, you can get there by boat across Tonle Sap. This lake trip takes most of the day but is an interesting journey. A wide range of accommodation is available in Siem Reap, from inexpensive guest houses to the exclusive hotels.
Tickets for the ruins can be bought for one, three or seven days. Three days is a good amount of time.

PYRAMID OF KUKULCÁN, Chichen Itza - MEXICO

Sitting at the centre of the ancient Mayan site of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, the pyramid of Kukulcan has a pleasing symmetry and an imposing bulk, but perhaps its true majesty lies in the secrets of its construction - over 1000 years ago. The pyramid is a giant calendar. It consists of nine levels faced with a total of 52 panels - the number of y

ears in the Mayan- Toltec cycle. The staircases on each face of the pyramid have 364 steps. Add the square platform at the top, and you have 365 - the number of days in the solar year. Most impressively, at the spring and autumn equinoxes the shadow cast by the sun on the northern staircase appears to cause a massively long 'snake' to crawl down the building and link with the stone serpent's head at the foot of the staircase

The pyramid of Kukulcan has other secrets too. Hidden deep within it is another, much older pyramid. A small door takes you to a narrow passage that appears to run up what would have been the outside of the original structure. Cramped and oppressive, it leads to the original sanctuary, where a large chac-mool – the characteristic reclining Mayan figure - and a jaguar-shaped throne are for ever entombed, the jade inlay of the big cat's coat shining dimly through the gloom.

You will have to get up early to appreciate Kukulcan properly because by 10.30 a.m. it is swarming with visitors. If you are among the first through the gate at 8.30 in the morning, you should manage an hour of near-solitude.

From the top of the pyramid the whole site seems to be completely surrounded by a sea of trees stretching as far as the eye can see, and obliterating almost all signs of human life. Only the tops of some of the lesser ruins and the open grassed ceremonial area are visible. A number of other ruins make up the ceremonial area of Chichén Itzá, including the Temple of the Warriors, a large structure surrounded by intricately carved stone pillars and topped with a reclining chac-mool.

Varanasi, India

 

Reputed to be the oldest living city in the world, having been continually inhabited for more than 4000 years, Varanasi (formerly Benares) is also one of the holiest places of Hinduism. It is so revered that the devout believe that just by dying there they can be freed from the endless cycle of rebirth. The old Hindu name for Varanasi is Kashi - City of Light - and the quality of light here is truly spectacular. It is one of the few places in the world where this has inspired artists with its clarity and texture. It IS best appreciated at sunrise as the faithful come down to the sacred : River Ganges to bathe.

The narrow, tangled streets of the old town, Godaulia, all seem to lead to the Ganges. Flanking the river and leading down to the water are flights of stone steps called ghats. Many of these are hundreds of years old, some built by the maharajas whose palaces still tower over them. The ghats teem with life: stalls sell everything from vegetables to religious icons, pandas (pilgrim priests) preach to the faithful, barbers shave the heads of pilgrims and mourners, sadhus (holy men) meditate and prrform feats of yoga, boatmen ply for trade, dhobi-wallahs (washermen) beat laundry against the steps and small boys play enthusiastic games of cricket. Streams of pilgrims from all over lndia make their way through this activity to bathe in the river, believing that by doing so they can welsh away their sins. The best way to observe the bathing ritual is to take a rowing boat down the Ganges. This will involve haggling with a boatman the day before you want to go, so ask at your hotel to get an idea of the correct price. Make sure you specify whether the price is per person or for the whole boat. (You might want to get this in writing to avoid the almost inevitable arguments later.)

Next morning, as you make your way to the river in the cold pre-dawn light, stumbling through the alleys of the old town and pushing past sacred cows that wander around freely, it will seem like a strange way to get to Paradise. However, as s oon as you are floating down the Ganges and the sun rises over the far bank, driving away the cold and bathing the ghats in soft golden light, you will forget the discomfort. Hindus try to visit Varanasi at least once in their lifetime, and have to bathe at five different ghats to complete the pilgrimage. Hinduism is a joyful religion, and although bathing has great spiritual significance, the pilgrims laugh, splash, dive and push each other into the water.

It takes a few hours to travel the length of the river, fighting the current and stopping to watch the pilgrims and sadhus along the way. Get your boatman to drop you off at Manikarnika Ghat and walk back along the river to Dasasvamedha Ghat where most boat trips start. Manikarnika is the cremation ghat. (Being cremated at Varanasi is yet another way to guarantee salvation, so many Hindu families go to great lengths to ensure their deceased loved ones undergo this ritual.) Bodies are brought from far away - sometimes on the roofs of buses - to be burnt here. Once at Varanasi, they are carried down to the ghat to chants of 'Ram Nam Satya Had' ('The name of god is truth!'), Firewood is haggled over, prayers are said, then the body is burnt and the ashes swept into the Ganges.

INFO

Varanasi is easily reached by air ,from New Delhi or Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). There are also comfortable express trains, although you should try to take at least one old-style Indian train just for the experience. Accommodation boils down to a choice between quality and location. Hotels near the ghats are generally cheap but shoddy. Those of better quality and therefore more expensive tend to be in the new town. As with most things in India, the contrast between the two is often extreme.

Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City and HD Photos

Saint Peter´s Basilica is simbol of the force and the platform which, when the time again became ripe, would explode as the glorious centre of a rejuvenated Rome. By the third century, the Roman Empire had grown too big for its own good. Emperor Diocletian, aiming to make his cumbersome and restless dominions more manageable, divided the Empire into Eastern and Westem parts. The East was governed from Constantinople and the West from Ravenna, and then Milan. No longer the political focus of the Mediterranean and the conquered European world, the splendid city of Rome went into decline. However, before the Western Empire fell apart, two developments ensured that through its dark years, Rome's light would diminish but not extinguish. One was the establishment of the papacy. The second was the Basilica erected by Emperor Constantine, that great saviour of the Christians, over St Peter's grave.

In front of Saint Peter's Basillica you´ll find the statues of Saint Peter...

and Saint Paul, with Jesus on the topPeter, considered first amongst Christ's twelve apostles, was crucified and buried in Rome in 61 CE. He was the founder of Christianity in Rome. The Pope is recognized as his successor, as well as the Vicar of Christ and the worldwide spiritual head of the Roman Catholic Church. As Rome struggled through its difficult years, the papacy floundered but held itself together. By the eighth century, the legacy of the Western Roman Empire had been appropriated by a federation of central European states going by the nomenclature of the Holy Roman Empire. 

Unified by Latin Christianity, the Empire beheld the Pope as its spiritual head. Nevertheless, despite being protected by the Holy Roman Emperors, the papacy remained insecure. By the fifteenth century, however, it had recharged and consolidated its resources. The Church was now plump with wealth, and its custodians, the popes, were itching to reassert their religion's and their own domimince. The Renaissance had begun in Italy. Rome's time had come again.

More than 1100 years into its first incarnation by now, St Peter's Basilica was not in the best of shape. Pope Nicholas V decided to something about it. From the time he began the demolition of the old building in 1452 to the consecration of the new building in 1626, eighteen popes blessed and witnessed the project. More importantly, virtually the who's who of the Renaissance's Creative line-up, as well as many Mannerist and Baroque virtuosos, contributed to it. The result was awesome.

The first impression of the Basilica - since 1929, a part of the independent Vatican state, within Rome - is of the enormity of its scale. The arrow straight road from the teeming city breaks into a massive piazza enclosed with semi - circular Doric colonnades designed by the Baroque architect Giovanni Bernini.

From the centre of the enormous space rises an Egyptian obelisk, first brought to Rome by Emperor Caligula in the first century, and raised here in the sixteenth century in complete silence, as a symbol of Christianity's victory over pagan faiths. The cross at its pinnacle is said to contain the relics of Christ's True Cross. The fifty-metre-high palatial façade of the Basilica is propped up by Corinthian columns. Again in Baroque style, Carlo Maderno's design is perfect for the Pope to stand at the balcony and bless the thronging crowds below. Past the main entrance into the Basilica is the Porta Santa, or the Holy Door, which is traditionally kept walled up and opened personally by the Pope for the course of a designated Holy Year. A window in the apse lights up an image of the Holy Spirit as a dove. 

Dominating the nave is Bernini's ornamental baldacchino of gilded bronze. It covers the main altar at which only the Pope can celebrate Mass. Underneath it is St Peter's subterranean crypt, from which two-and-a-half hectares of magnificence radiates.Some way off from the Basilica, on Janiculum hillside, is the site of St. Peter's crucifixion. In the early sixteenth century, Donato Bramante designed the Tempietto San Pietro here. Displaying all the elements of classical antiquity, the Tempietto is considered Rome's first true Renaissance building. Its drum, dome and Dark columns served as the prototypal essence of the Basilica's central plan, for which Bramantc was commissioned by Pope Julius II. He was succeeded by another Renaissance giant, Raphael, much of whose handiwork was later altered. However, the creative instinct behind the Basilica's masterpiece, its dome, was Michelangelo's.At the age of seventy - one, Michelangelo was persuaded to take over as chief architect of St Peter's. His conditions: he would work "for the love of the Saint", without payment, without interference and without accounting responsibilities. He probably got the deal he wanted, though his hemispherical design was changed to an ovoid shape due to structural concerns.

Almost 140 metres high, the dome gets its skeletal strength from sixteen externally visible radial ribs. One can climb up to the base of the lantern for a sweeping view of the symmetrical piazza.

The inner shell looms over the baldacchino. Embellished with scores of frescoes, its curvature soars up to a bright climax. Medallions of saints are ranged around the base. Around it, in letters two metres high, are words from the Gospel of Matthew. They recall of the true reason for the sumptuous art and grandeur all around: "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church... I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven..." The Keys are below, carved on the base of the altar canopy, as part of Pope Urban VIII's coat of arms.

GRAVENSTEEN, GHENT - BELGIUM

After the death of Philip of Alsace at the Siege of Acre, during his return visit to the Holy Land, The Gravensteen became the permanent seat of the counts of Flanders until the 14th century. After their departure, the castle was used first as the royal mint, then as a courthouse, then as a prison, and finally as a textile factory, before it was abandoned altogether and fell into decay.

Private houses were attached to the castle and a substantial amount of its stonework was removed for use in the construction of other buildings. By the end of the 19th century the castle was a forlorn ruin, and plans to demolish it were announced.

The prospect of losing the historic building, however, galvanised the citizens of Ghent into action. In 1885, the civic authority purchased The Gravensteen and set about an ambitious project that involved the demolition of all the abutting residences and the complete restoration of the keep.

Today The Gravensteen has recaptured much of its former glory and, although some Belgians question whether enough of the original castle remains for it to merit its claim to be almost a thousand years old, it has become one of Ghent's prime tourist attractions.

From the top of the keep there is a magnificent view over the city, and inside it there is a memorable, if sometimes ghoulish, exhibition of medieval weaponry and instruments of torture.

After it was reduced to a pile of stones in 1890, The Gravensteen was reconstructed according to ancient drawings, which were not always historically correct – hence the castle is a curious mix of architectural styles. Central to the building is the rectangular keep, with its battlements, and corbeled watchtowers on each , corner. The castle is still partially surrounded at the rear by a medieval moat.

The curtain wall, features several round corbeled, crenellated turrets, the largest with a conical spired roof, and wooden shutters covering window openings. Arrow slits are also incorported in the turrets. The smaller turrets are open at the back, while the larger one is square in section, containing a staircase for access to the different levels.

Passing through the huge gatehouse at the front elevation the visitor is presented with the impressive stone keep, which dominates the castle.

The Gravensteen (Count's Castle in Dutch) was built by Philip of Alsace, Count of Flanders (ruled 1168-91).

It was modelled on the fortifications he had seen when he took part in the Second Crusade (1145-49).

Archaeological excavations have revealed at least one earlier fort, and possibly as many as three previous wooden stockades on this site.

ALHAMBRA, GRANADA, SPAIN

Overlooking Granada, the Alhambra presents a hard and unyielding face to the world, its square towers displaying martial symmetry. This severity is softened when you approach from the back, as terraces of ornate gardens, interspersed with pools of running water, seek to emulate the shady, cool gardens of the Koranic heaven.

After the heat and dryness of North Africa the Moors must have thought they had reached heaven when they conquered Granada. The Sierra Nevada. snow-capped for much of the year, provided the conquerors with water for the fountains and pools that helped to make this corner of Spain paradise on Earth.

The Alhambra is a product of the wars between Christianity and Islam. The Moors of North Africa conquered Spain in 711, but by the beginning of the 13th century their influence had weakened and their 'kingdom' - just a few independent Muslim states in what is now Andalusia - was under pressure from Christian reconquistas. Prince Ibn al-Ahmar, who was driven south from Saragossa, decided to create a new capital at Granada, and began building the fortifications that would keep it safe. For over 200 years the kingdom prospered, and subsequent rulers added to and refined the Alhambra. It was a period of peace that came at a price, however. During this time the Christian kings of Spain were in the ascendancy, and Granada was left in peace only because the Moors paid tributes and sometimes sent troops to fight on the side of the Christians against other, more troublesome, Muslim city states.

At the end of the 15th century the battlements of the Alhambra were called into use when the army of Catholic rulers Ferdinand and Isabella laid siege to Granada. Seven months later this last Muslim stronghold in Spain gave way, and it has remained in Spanish hands ever since.

Typical of Moorish architecture, the palace has a façade that is both commanding and utilitarian, yet hidden within its defensive walls is decoration of enduring beauty. The Alhambra consists of three main parts: the Alcazaba, or fortress; the Generalife, which was the summer palace and actually lies outside the main defensive walls; and the Casa Real, or Royal Palace. The last of these is without doubt the most beautiful part of the Alhambra, many of its rooms decorated with colourful tiles or richly carved stonework, the patterns based on stylized quotes from the Koran.

Within some of these rooms you can still see the fountains or pools of water so prized by the Moors. Numerous small windows overlook shady gardens or the small white houses of the Albaicin district, the old Moorish quarter, parts of which are as old as the Alhambra itself. Spring is a beautiful time to visit, with clear warm days and cool nights. The trees are newly green, the gardens are in flower and the Sierra Nevada, still snow-capped, stands watch over the city. Even better, the Casa Real is not crowded and you can generally get in without queueing or waiting for a slot, as you must in the height of summer, when all the timed entrance tickets are often allocated within an hour of the ticket office opening.

You might also be able to get a room at the Parador de San Francisco, a luxury, state-run hotel in a converted monastery within the gardens of the Alhambra - a tranquil retreat in the evenings when the crowds have gone.

There are many vantage points around the city from which you can get a different perspective on the Alhambra. From the Mirador San Cristobel you will see the Alcazaba against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada. Walk through the rambling, cobbled streets of Albaicin to the Mirador de San Nicolas and you will see wonderful sunsets that bathe the Alhambra in gLowing red light. From the top of the Sacromonte (the old gypsy quarter, where some gypsies still live in caves carved into the hillside) you will see how the Alhambra towers over the town from its perfect defensive position. And from the hill above the Generalife you can appreciate how much the gardens and water terraces contribute to the Alhambra. Also visible is the massive Palacio de Carlos V, built in the 16th century, after the Christian conquest, on the site of many lesser Moorish buildings. The grounds of this palace are so large that bullfights were once held in the courtyard.

Granada is easily reached by road from Seville or Malaga, two international airports that are well served by some airlines from most parts of Europe. While the Alhambra is seen to advantage from many viewpoints around the city, you can enjoy it at close quarters by staying in its gardens at the luxurious Parador de San Francisco. However, you should book well in advance for the privilege, even in the low season.