Saturday 5 September 2015

SAIL Amsterdam, Biggest Attractions in Holland



SAIL Amsterdam is one of the biggest attractions in Amsterdam Holland, and the greatest nautical spectacle in the world where scores of tall ships and thousands of other historical ships gather along the river IJ for a wonderful parade. SAIL Amsterdam inaugural edition took places in 1975, under the name “'Sail Amsterdam 700” to celebrate the 700th anniversary of Amsterdam and it is the largest free public event in the world. At the heart of this internationally popular event is an incomparable flotilla of Tall Ships, maritime heritage, naval ships and inspiring replicas. Furthermore to the vessels themselves, each day offers up a diverse program of cultural and sporting activities of broad public appeal. The successful event proved such a big success that a 2nd edition was planned in 1980. Therefore, in order to deliver solid direction, the “SAIL Amsterdam Foundation” was established in 1977. After that, SAIL has returned to Amsterdam’s waterways organized every 5 years regularly between August 19 to August 23, during which the ships take part in several events such sailor choirs or re-enactments of naval battles to display the city’s maritime legacy. SAIL Amsterdam 2015 will totally astonish you. Therefore, days prior to the occasion you can get a preview of the astounding fleet in IJmuiden, where the ships gather for the parade. This so-called “PreSail Ijmuiden” also entices thousands of boat lovers, water sports enthusiasts and curious people.

On the wharfs, the SAIL program organizes sporting events and children’s activities and remarkable fireworks shows at night. Apart from the participating ships, thousands of smaller yacht and boats filled with audiences join them making an exclusive sight. The success of Sail Amsterdam 700 led to the establishment of the Stitching Sail Amsterdam (SSA, Foundation Sail Amsterdam) has been organizing the event every 5 years. The event is highly believed to be inspired by the “Eerste Nederlandse Tentoonstelling op Scheepvaartgebied” literally, “the First Dutch Exhibition in Shipping Technology” that was organized in the summer of 1913. Moreover, to the real ships that visited Amsterdam, there were exhibitions that displayed models of modern boats, and paintings and drawings of historic ships. Moreover, to relax the spectators there is concerts and rowing competitions were also organized. Sail Amsterdam 2015, the ninth edition of the sailing event, will be held on scheduled date of 19 August until 23 August 23, and is likely to be attended by 2 million people. The exhibition ended with large fireworks, which is also a sightseeing view, perhaps life time view.  

Friday 4 September 2015

Kata Tjuta, A Group of Large Dome Formation in Central Australia

Kata Tjuta, is also called “Kata Joota”, and also famous as “Mount Olga” or colloquially as “The Olgas”, are a group of large domed rock formations “bornhardts” cover an area of 21.68 km2 located about 365 kilometers southwest of Alice Springs, in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. Both Uluru, and Kata Tjuta / Mount Olga form are the two major landmarks within the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The majestically beautiful 36 domes that made up of Kata Tjuta / Mount Olga are composed of conglomerate, a sedimentary rock containing of cobbles and boulders of varying rock types as well as granite and basalt, cemented by a matrix of sandstone. Moreover, the alternative name, “The Olgas”, comes from the tallest peak, Mt. Olga, which is, highest point is 3,497 feet above sea level. In 1872, Mt. Olga was given name by Ernest Giles in the honor of Queen Olga of Wurttemberg. In 15 December 1993, a dual naming policy was adopted that allowed official names both traditional Aboriginal name and the English name. As a result, Mount Olga was renamed Mount Olga / Kata Tjuta. However, on 6 November 2002, the dual name was officially reversed to Kata Tjuta / Mount Olga.

The region organized an event known as the Woodroff Thrust, thrust granulite facies rocks northward over low-grade metamorphic rocks. The ultimate erosion of the formation resulted in a molasse facies, or deposition in front of rising mountains, though in this case the Petermann Orogeny, to make the deposit recognized as the Mount Currie Conglomerate. The Mount Currie Conglomerate is made up of predominately of basalt, granite porphyry, gneiss and volcanic rock fragments with a matrix composed of angular quartz, microcline and orthoclase among other minerals. Anangu are the traditional owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta and the land around and they have been at this place from unidentified time. Although Anangu people have connected to the area for thousands of years and some historical records advice they may have been there for more than 10,000 years. They have always known that this is a very special place. There’re “Many Head” the huge rocks are separated by steep-sided gorges and valleys. Walking tracks lead around the area to lookouts, waterholes and picnic areas, while the main trail, Valley of the Winds, is a 7.5-km loop.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is so-called Red Centre of the continent and is a UNESCO World Heritage area. Both Uluru “Ayers Rock” and the Kata Tjuta “Mount Olga” are made of sediment originating in this Mount Currie Conglomerate and both have a chemical composition alike to granite. Scientists predict the rock dating have been given it an age of 600 mya, matching the date of the Woodroof Thrust event. Therefore, the actual fresh rock that makes up the Kata Tjuta / Mount Olga and Uluru / Ayers Rock are medium to dark gray with green or pink hues in some laminae. The bright orange-red hue, for which the structures are noted, is due to a patina over finely divided feldspar coated in iron oxide.There are several Pitjantjatjara Dreamtime legends accompanying with this place and undeniably everything in the vicinity including, of course, Uluru / Ayers Rock. A vast number of legends surround the great snake king Wanambi who is said to live on the summit of Kata Tjuta / Mount Olga and only comes down during the dry season. The majority of mythology surrounding the site is not unveiled to outsiders in particular to women. As is the custom, should women become identified to the "men's business" they are susceptible to violent attacks, even death. Kata Tjuta / Mount Olga can be accessed via Ayers Rock Airport. It is then a 55 km drive south, then west. Tourists have to pay National Park entry fee. The park is protecting hundreds of plant species, 24 native mammal species and 72 reptile species. To protect these, off-road access away from Uluru and Kata Tjuta is not allowed.

Kata Tjuta is most beautiful when viewed at sunrise or sunset. If you’re after some serious adventure, you can even grasp how incredibly ancient and strangely imposing Kata Tjuta is by tackling the moderately hard Valley of the Winds Walk. It is highly suggest to walk early in the morning as it makes a much comfortable. Therefore, if the climate is suitable for walks then visitors are allowed to walk, hence if temperature is 36 degrees or more, then walk is closed from 11am at the Kalpa lookout. So, early morning walk is best to avoid disappointment. If the temperature is due to be 36 degrees or more then this walk is closed from 11am at the Kalpa Lookout, so get there early to avoid disappointment. Another 2km walk that is available is the Olga Gorge Walk (Tatintjawiya), which walks into the beautiful gorge. The nearest accommodation to the Olgas would be at the Ayers Rock Resort, where there is a range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets. There's a picnic and sunset-viewing area with its glorious, blood-red best at sunset.

Thursday 3 September 2015

Newspaper Rock, Covered with Hundreds of Ancient Indian Petroglyphs



Well, in San Juan Country, a 200 square foot Newspaper rock surface is covered by hundreds of ancient Indian Petroglyphs, the rock art chiseled and pecked into stone. Newspaper Rock is situated right next to Utah Route 211 about 45 kilometers northwest of Monticello and 85 km south of Moab. It’s difficult to know the exact date of petroglyphs, because they have been pecked into the rock’s outer layer of natural varnish, rather than painted o. However, the historical data is approximately 2,000 years old of human doings in the area, just like a newspaper. Though they’re distinctive of several sites throughout the United States and these petroglyphs are one of the largest, safely preserved and effortlessly accessed groups in the Southwest.

These petroglyphs feature showing a mixture of animals, human, different material and abstract forms are representing the Fremont, Anasazi, Navajo and Anglo cultures. These petroglyphs can be easily found on the vertical Wingate sandstone cliffs on the upper end of Indian Creek Canyon. The images are embossed on Newspaper Rock have been adorned into the dark coating on the rock, can be called desert varnish, actually a blackish manganese-iron deposit that progressively forms on exposed sandstone cliff faces owing to the action of rainfall and bacteria. Therefore, the ancient artists use to etch more than 650 figures and patterns on the rock by pecking the coated rock surface using sharpened tools to eliminate the desert varnish and expose the lighter rock beneath. The older figures are themselves becoming darker in color as new varnish gradually develops. Hence, the first carvings were made about 2,000 years ago by the “Anasazi” peoples who were best recognized for their stone and earth dwellings rather than their art.

The Fremont people, who were contemporaries of the Anasazi, also contributed to the Newspaper Rock. They’ve etched bulky human frames with trapezoidal torsos, as well as some of the bighorn sheep, and perhaps several of the handprint and footprint shapes. Later, the Utes and Navajo people added figures portraying hunters on horseback, and images of warrior shields and wheels. In the recent times the carvings were made in the early 20th century, by the first modern day explorers of this region who left their mark with initials and names carved all around the margins of these ancient, ineffable images. 

These days, the Newspaper Rock is now protected by a fence that keeps tourists 10 feet away from the rock surface to avoid vandalism. The monument has free entry, however no best facilities apart from a carpark lot, sometimes with Indian jewelry sellers in attendance. Nevertheless the setting is peaceful and satisfied sheltered, as the canyon at this point is quite narrow, overgrown by bushes and tall cottonwood trees, with the clear waters of the creek flowing close to the road, and sheer reddish cliffs rising 250 feet above.  There is a good picnic area on the far side of the road.

Mud Volcano that has Supernatural Resemblance to a Massive Human Eye



These unbelievable photographs show a spectacular mud volcano which looks like a huge human eye when captured from the sky. The erratic phenomenon was caught on camera on the Sakhalin Island, East Russia, at the Pugachevskiy mud volcano. From high above, the center of the volcano looks like the pupil, surrounded by a muddy brown iris. The 40 years Old Russian photographer Mikhail Mikhailov said, I didn't ever see anything like this before.

Although, there’re a lot number of mud volcanoes in the world, but this one is really special because it is resembles with the human eye. I haven't ever seen it looking like an eye! It is strongly believed, that it was a formed with a very strong eruption, the mud was getting out from one point and got spread around evenly. Therefore, the consequences created a very stunning view, looking exactly like an earth eye especially from a helicopter. It is for sure a rare and exclusive phenomenon. Generally mud volcanoes are formations created by geo-excreted gases and liquids, though the process can vary somewhat. As de-compaction occurs, gases are produced at a high rate, causing mud to become tough. As the pressure builds up, the mud is released out of the volcano through fractures in the structure. Well, the largest concentration of mud volcanoes can be found in Azerbaijan, which boasts around 400 in total, some of which have created perpetual and temporary islands. 

Wednesday 2 September 2015

Valley of Geysers, A Natural Wonder in Kamchatka Russia

The Valley of Geysers is a geyser field on Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, and has the second largest concentration of geysers in the world. This six kilometers  long basin with around 90 geysers and various hot springs is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East, mainly on the left bank of the ever-deepening “Geysernaya River”, into which geothermal waters flow from a fairly young stratovolcano, Kikhpinych. It is part of the “Kronotsky Nature Reserve”, which, in turn, is included into the World Heritage Site "Volcanoes of Kamchatka" and temperatures have been found to be 250 °C, 500 m below the caldera ground. The valley is one of the rare places in the world where geysers occur naturally, along with Yellowstone National Park in the United States and sites in Iceland, Chile, and New Zealand. The access to valley is extremely difficult; you can reach with helicopters available the only feasible means of transport.

In 1942 a local scientist “Tatyan Ustinova” has discovered the "pulsating" geysers of Kamchatka. Therefore, she revealed her findings after 14 years later and little exploration of the area until 1972. As the time goes, an idea was introduced to get systematic survey to be done in mid-1970 and later on, an automatic monitoring system was introduced in 1990. Out of hundreds geysers, only 30 geysers were given names. Hence one of massive geyser “Velikan” is capable of generating a jet of water reaching up to 130 feet. So, in the early 1980’s the area was promoted across the USSR, and popularity increase in the tourist magnets of Kamchatka and Russian Far East. However, foreigner visitors were permitted into valley in 1990. Almost more than 3000 tourists visited valley of Geysers annually.  The valley is an extremely paradise, steaming waterfalls cascade down the valley walls; grassy banks breathe with life; geysers erupts jets of boiling water; and bubbling mud pots gurgle and pop. Beautiful multicolored clays and algae- matted waterslides mark the landscape, and wafting aromas bear witness to sulfur-belching springs.

The Valley of Geysers has seriously suffered from the landslide on June 3, 2007, a gigantic mudflow inundated two thirds of the valley witnessed an exclusive natural event, but the consequences of such a natural catastrophe are irreversible. Therefore, the World Heritage Site has also expressed its deep concern over the issue. In fact this was a tragic event for humankind, in that we have lost one of the best rare natural wonders of the world. On June 5 2007, it was reported that a thermal lake is forming above the valley due to the landslide occurred while the documentary Wild Russia was filmed; it features footage of before and after the disaster. The extent of long-lasting change is not yet clear, but may be less than was originally thought. As of June 9, 2007, waters have receded to some extent, revealing some of the inundated features. Velikan (Giant) Geyser, one of the field's largest, was not buried in the slide and has in recent times been observed to be active. In 2008 the Valley of Geysers was elected as one of seven Wonders of Russia, because of several thousand people visit the Valley every year because of its remote location and reserve status. Nonetheless, the Valley is still very alive and attracts a lot of interest from scientists and tourists.