Natural Wonders: svibnja 2015

nedjelja, 24. svibnja 2015.

Natural wonders - Blue Moon Walley (China)

Blue Moon Valley area is also called Shika Snow Mountain area it is located in the southwestern Shangri-La it is about 7km away from Shangril-La county with about 15 min driving. Cable in this attraction has began to serve since 2006. With a 4,190-meter-long, this cable is the longest one in Yunnan Province. People can get to the peak (4,000 meters above the sea level) from the foot of the mountain (3,270 meters above the sea level). When standing on the peak, people can have a view of Meili Snow Mountain, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, as well as snow mountains in Daocheng, Sichuan.Shika is a Tibetan word (Shangri-la dialect) meaning a mountain abounding in deer. It is said when Sakyamuni began to preach Buddhism in the Deer Park, two deer listened to him attentively in knee-down posture. Therefore, deer stands for common people and is regarded as mascots in Tibetan Buddhism. It is the symbol of longevity and strict adherence to dharma.

Naturalt wonders - Flores Island (Azores)

Flores Island is an island of the Western group (Grupo Ocidental) of the Azores. It has an area of 143 km², a population of approximately 3907 inhabitants, and, together with Corvo Island of the western archipelago, lies within the North American Plate. It has been referred to as the Ilha Amarelo Torrado (English: Yellow/Auburn Island) by marketing and due to the association with poet Raul Brandão, but it is well known for its abundance of flowers, hence its Portuguese name of Flores.
Some early accounts existed of the "(seven) islands of the Azores and two islands of Flores" (referring to the islands of Flores and Corvo), but no "official discovery" occurred until the mid-15th century. The island of Flores was discovered in the late summer of 1452 by the navigator Diogo de Teive and his son João de Teive, and first noted by the pilot Pêro Velasco to Christopher Columbus during his voyages. For his reward, Teive received the concession of the sugar monopoly on Madeira.

Natural wonders - Wulingyuan (China)

Wulingyuan (Chinese: 武陵源; pinyin: Wǔlíngyuán) Scenic and Historic Interest Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Hunan Province, China designated in 1992. It's noted for more than 3,000 quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks across most of the site, many over 200 metres in height, along with many ravines and gorges with attractive streams, pools and waterfalls. It features 40 caves, many with large calcite deposits, and two natural bridges, Xianrenqiao (Bridge of the Immortals) and Tianqiashengkong (Bridge Across the Sky).

Natural wonders - Socotra (the most alien-looking place on Earth)

Socotra (Arabic: سُقُطْرَى‎ Suquṭra), also spelled Soqotra, is a small archipelago of four islands in the Indian Ocean.
The largest island, also called Socotra, is about 95% of the landmass of the archipelago. It lies some 240 kilometres east of the Horn of Africa and 380 kilometres south of the Arabian Peninsula. The island is very isolated and a third of its plant life is found nowhere else on the planet. It has been described as "the most alien-looking place on Earth". The island measures 132 kilometres in length and 49.7 kilometres in width.
Socotra is part of Yemen. It had long been a part of the 'Adan Governorate. In 2004 it became attached to the Hadhramaut Governorate, which is much closer to the island than 'Adan (although the nearest governorate was the Al Mahrah Governorate). In 2013, the archipelago became its own governorate.

Natural wonders - Angel Falls, Bolívar State, Venezuela

Angel Falls (Spanish: Salto Ángel; Pemon language: Kerepakupai Vená, meaning "waterfall of the deepest place", or Parakupá Vená, meaning "the fall from the highest point") is a waterfall in Venezuela. It is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, with a height of 979 m and a plunge of 807 m. The waterfall drops over the edge of the Auyantepui mountain in the Canaima National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Canaima), a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Gran Sabana region of Bolívar State. The height figure 979 m mostly consists of the main plunge but also includes about 400 m of sloped cascades and rapids below the drop and a 30-metre high plunge downstream of the talus rapids.
The falls are on the Gauja River (alternatively known as the Kerep River or Kerepacupai), which flows into the Churun River, a tributary of the Carrao River.

Natural wonders - Wisteria Flower Tunnel

Located in the city of Kitakyushu, Japan, Kawachi Fuji Garden is home to an incredible 150 Wisteria flowering plants spanning 20 different species. The garden’s main attraction is the Wisteria tunnel that allows visitors to walk down an enchanting tunnel exploding with colour.
Located about 6 hours from Tokyo, the best time to visit is from late April to mid May, typically peaking at the end of April. The garden is private so there is an entry fee.
Below you will find a gallery of this stunning garden along with information on wisteria and travel tips and visitor details I was able to cull from various sources online.

Natural wonders - Thor’s Well

"Thor’s Well is part of Cape Perpetua, a typical Pacific Northwest headland – a forested area of land on the central Oregon Coast, surrounded by water on three sides. Thor’s Well is also often simply called the Spouting Horn. It is essentially a huge salt water fountain operated by the Pacific Ocean's power.This natural spectacle is at its best when it’s the most dangerous to watch – at high tide or during winter storms.
Thor’s Well can be accessed from the north side of Cook’s Chasm but there are sharp rocks everywhere and the danger of a strong surge sweeping brave visitors right up is high.For photographers, the area’s a delight, especially at sunset, yet not many know about the place or dare stay long enough to set up their tripod. We’ve found a few who did and who have come back with stunning results.

Wonders of the World- Sigiriya (Sri Lanka)

Sigiriya is an ancient palace located in the central Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. The name refers to a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 metres (660 ft) high. According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa, this site was selected by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure —Sīhāgiri, the Lion Rock. The capital and the royal palace was abandoned after the king's death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.
Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning. It is the most visited historic site in Sri Lanka.

Natural wonders - Hamilton Pool Preserve

Hamilton Pool Preserve (Austin Texas) is a natural pool that was created when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago. The pool is located about 23 miles (37 km) west of Austin, Texas off Highway 71. Since the 1960s, Hamilton Pool has been a popular summer swimming spot for Austin visitors and residents. Hamilton Pool Preserve consists of 232 acres (0.94 km2) of protected natural habitat featuring a jade green pool into which a 50-foot (15 m) waterfall flows. The pool is surrounded by large slabs of limestone that rest by the water's edge; large stalactites grow from the ceiling high above. The ceiling and surrounding cliffs of the grotto are home to moss, maidenhair fern and cliff swallows. The Ashe juniper (cedar) uplands of the preserve are home to the endangered golden-cheeked warbler.

Natural wonders - Jacob’s Well (Texas)

Jacob's Well is a perennial karstic spring in the Texas Hill Country flowing from the bed of Cypress Creek, located northwest of Wimberley, Texas. The 12-foot (3.7 m) diameter mouth of the spring serves as a popular swimming spot for the local land owners whose properties adjoin Cypress Creek. From the opening in the creek bed, Jacob's Well cave descends vertically for about 30 feet (9.1 m), then continues downward at an angle through a series of silted chambers separated by narrow restrictions, finally reaching an average depth of 120 feet (37 m). Until the modern era, the Trinity Aquifer-fed natural artesian spring gushed water from the mouth of the cave, with a measured flow in 1924 of 170 US gallons per second (640 L/s), discharging 6 feet (1.8 m) into the air. The spring is the greatest source of water recharging the Edwards Aquifer.

Natural Wonders