World Travel: February 2012

Saturday 25 February 2012

Blue Mountains Australia

The Blue Mountains is a mountainous region in New South Wales, Australia. It borders on Sydney's metropolitan area, its foothills starting approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of the state capital. The area begins on the west side of the Nepean River and extends westward as far as Coxs River. Geologically, it is situated in the central parts of the Sydney basin.

Consisting mainly of a sandstone plateau, the area is dissected by gorges up to 760 metres (2,490 ft) deep. The highest point of the range is Mount Werong at 1,215 metres (3,986 ft) above sea level. A large part of the Blue Mountains is incorporated into the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site, consisting of seven national park areas and a conservation reserve.

The Blue Mountains area includes the local government areas of the City of Blue Mountains, the City of Hawkesbury, the City of Lithgow and Oberon.

Blue Mountains

Thursday 9 February 2012

Travel to Eurasian Cyprus :)

Cyprus officially the Republic of Cyprus is a Eurasian island country located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and Lebanon and north of Egypt. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the Republic of Cyprus is a member of the European Union.

The earliest known human activity on the island dates back to around the 10th millennium BCE. Archaeological remains from this period include the well-preserved Neolithic village of Khirokitia, which has been declared a World Heritage Site with an "enhanced protection" status in the event of armed conflict by UNESCO, along with the archaeological sites of Paphos and the Painted Churches of the Troodos Region. Cyprus is home to some of the oldest water wells in the world, and is the site of the earliest known example of feline domestication.

At a strategic location in the Middle East, Cyprus has been occupied by several major powers, including the empires of the Hittites, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Rashidun and Umayyad Arab caliphates, Lusignans, Venetians, and Ottomans. Settled by Mycenean Greeks in the 2nd millennium BCE, the island also experienced long periods of Greek rule under the Ptolemaic Egyptians and the Byzantines. In 333 BCE, Alexander the Great conquered the island from the Persians. The Ottoman Empire conquered the island in 1571 and it remained under Ottoman control for over three centuries. It was placed under British administration in 1878 until it was granted independence in 1960,becoming a member of the Commonwealth the following year.

In 1974, following 11 years of intercommunal violence between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots an attempted coup d'état by Greek Cypriot nationalists and elements of the Greek military junta with the aim of achieving enosis (union of the island with Greece) took place. Turkey used this as a pretext to invade the northern portion of the island. Turkish forces remained after a cease-fire, resulting in the partition of the island; an objective of Turkey since 1955. The intercommunal violence and subsequent Turkish invasion led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Cypriots and the establishment of a separate Turkish Cypriot political entity in the north. These events and the resulting political situation are matters of ongoing dispute.

The Republic of Cyprus has de jure sovereignty over the island of Cyprus and its surrounding waters, except for the British military bases of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The Republic of Cyprus is de facto partitioned into two main parts; the area under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus, comprising about 59% of the island's area, and the Turkish-controlled area in the north, calling itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and recognised only by Turkey, covering about 36% of the island's area.

Cyprus is the third most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of its most popular tourist destinations. An advanced, high-income economy with a very high Human Development Index, the Republic of Cyprus was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement until it joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. On January 1, 2008, Cyprus joined the euro.

Cyprus

Bermuda Tourism And Beaches

The Bermuda beaches are arguably the top overall Bermuda attractions, and with so many excellent ones to choose from, it's hard to pick a favorite. Astwood Cove Beach, Horseshoe Bay Beach, and Elbow Beach are some of the best Bermuda beaches, but there are other great ones as well. As you may have already heard, some Bermuda beaches have pink sand, which is most interesting, and many have a number of fun watersports, such as windsurfing, kayaking, and of course, swimming.

Bermuda Tourism

In 1612, the Virginia Company sent 60 settlers to Bermuda to colonize the island and build a capital city. That year, the Virginia Company sold the island to the Bermuda Company and the island continued to prosper. Eventually, Bermuda was bought by the British and became a British Colony.

Several wars affected relations with Bermuda, including the American Revolutionary War. In 1775, the U.S. colonies established an effective blockade surrounding Bermuda and severely restricted trade, causing widespread hardships for Bermuda's residents. Eventually, the conflict ended and trade relations with the mainland resumed. Later, during the War of 1812, Bermuda was used as a British supply and military base and again suffered blockades that prevented supplies from reaching the island, causing many shortages and hardships.

And finally, during the Civil War, Bermuda was used as a supplier of munitions and supplies to the Confederate forces, making many Bermudians wealthy as a result. In 1941, the U.S. leased a portion of the island from Great Britain to use a military base of operations. Later, in 1995, both the British and the U.S. Naval Bases closed.

No longer used as a military base of operations, Bermuda remains a favorite tourist destination for divers and boaters world-wide.

Australia Opera House Views

The Sydney Opera House is situated in Sydney, Australia. The opera house was made a part of the UNESCO, World Heritage Site in 2007 and is said to be the world’s most distinct 20th century buildings. It is also considered one of the most famous performing art centers in the world. The Sydney Opera House was built by an architect Jorn Utzon and also received the Pritzker prize in the year 2003. The synopsis of the quotation that was written on it said that the opera house is one of the masterpieces designed by this architect and will be considered the icon of the 20th century not only for this city but also for the country & continent of Australia.

The Sydney Opera House is located on the Sydney Harbor, which is very close to the Sydney Bridge. The opera house serves as a venue for art performing center rather than just the opera theater. To name a few, it became a major presenting venue for Opera Australia, The Australian Ballet, the Sydney Theatre Company and the Sydney Symphony. It is maintained and administered by the Sydney Opera House Trust.

Australia Opera House

Tuesday 7 February 2012

Famous Places In The World

Australian Beaches Great Views

South East Coast [Sydney] - Central East [Brisbane/Gold Coast]: November-April for swimming and surfing, though the water isn't exactly warm even then, and sunshine is not guarenteed either, especially in the Sydney area.
Bluebottles [Portugese men of-war] choose this season to visit, particularly if there's an onshore breeze. Warnings will be posted, but locals generally disregard the chance of a close encounter with a few painful nematocysts. Part of the Australian deal, battling nature tooth and claw, but rent a wetsuit if you want to surf with protection.
North East Coast [Cairns & Great Barrier Reef islands]: all year is hot [above 26C] but Jan-March gets some rain and cloud while December-January is crowded and super heated, so April-November is best for swimming. Scuba divers like September-December.
South West [Perth] Best September-November, March-May.
North West [Exmouth, Ningaloo Reef, Broome, Kimberley] Best May-October.