Amazing, might be an apt

word to describe the world

we live in. Every little thing
around us is amazing, from a
small butterfly to a towering
elephant.
Yet there are certain things
in the world that are so
amazing that the whole
world talks about them and
craves to see them. One such
awe-inspiring sight is the
Grand Canyon in the US. This
canyon is carved so beauti
fully by nature, that it keeps
attracting travellers.
Not only natural wonders,
but man-made marvels like
the Colosseum of Rome, are
amazing too.
This issue of Tell Me Why
is about some such amazing
places in the world. Read
about them, and carry a
dream to visit them all!
What makes Mount Kilimanjaro one
amazing landmark to see?

M ount Kilimanjaro is famous

across the globe for being the high
est point in Africa. It stands at a
height of 5,895 metres. The most
important fact about Mount Kiliman
jaro is that it is not really a mountain
as such, but a dormant volcano,
made up of three volcanic cones
named Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo.
The first two are extinct, meaning
they cannot erupt again, but Kibo is
dormant, and there are chances of it
erupting in future.
Another fact about Kilimanjaro is
that it is one of the Seven Summits in
the world. More than 1 000 square
kilometres around the mountain are
known to be covered by thick forests
that accommodate as many as 1 40
different species of animals.
The summit of the mountain, on the
other hand, is covered by glaciers
and snow. It was in 1 889 that the first
ascent to the peak was recorded , by
Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller.
 Why does the Namib Desert often
inspire travellers around the
globe?

The Namib Desert is best known

as one of the oldest deserts in the
world, and has been in existence
for over 50 million years! It is also
one of the largest ones, stretching
along the Atlantic coasts of
Namibia, Angola, and South Afri
ca.
The term ' Namib' is said to have
originated from the Nama lan
guage, in which it means 'vast
area'.
There are many reasons why
this coastal desert remains a
wonderful sight. It has beautiful
sand dunes and rugged moun
tains. It is also an important
location for the mining of materi
als like diamonds, and tungsten.
Apart from these, the Namib is
also home to a number of strange
Extra La rge le. plants and animals that can be
The Namib desert found nowhere else in the world.
spreads across three An example for this is the shrub
countries- Namibia, like plant named Welwitschia mira
Angola, and South Afri bilis, that grows just two leaves,
ca, and covers an area but lives for over 1 000 years.
of approximately 8 1 , 000 Then, there are animals like the
square kilometres! mountain zebra, gemsbok etc.
Why is Victoria waterfalls so
popular?
Victoria Falls, is one of the
biggest, and most impressive
waterfalls on Earth. It is locat
ed in the middle of the Zam
bezi River. It is said that almost
600 million cubic litres of water
hit the ground every minute
from the waterfalls! It has been
described by CNN as one of
the Seven Natural Wonders of
the World.
Although the falls is popular
ly known as'Victoria', locals in
the area call it ' Mosi-oa-Tun
ya', meaning 'the smoke that
thunders', because of its noise
and water splashes. It was the
Scottish missionary David Liv
ingstone who named this won
der in November 1 855, after
Queen Victoria of Britain .
6
Apart from its beauty, the
Victoria Falls is also important
for other reasons. It supplies
energy to several cities in
Zambia and Zimbabwe. The
Boaruka Island and the Living
stone Island are the two islands
that are situated on the crest of
the falls.
There are many labels and
descriptions given to the
majestic Victoria. One such
popular description in modern
terms is this- the greatest cur
tain of falling water in the world!
Whata cool
waterf all...
 wetland i s a place where the water is
shallow, and the soil is very soggy.
What makes the Okavango Delta
special is that it is one of the world's
largest inland river deltas, as well as
a breathtaking sight.
The source of the delta is the Oka
vango R iver, one of the longest riv
ers in southern Africa. It is interesting
to see how the delta is formed. The
Okavango River, which begins in the
mountains of Central Angola, flows
southward, and reaches the Kalaha
ri Desert in northern Botswana.

Why is the Okavango

Delta so famous?

The Okavango Delta is

a unique wetland in Bot
swana that covers an
area of about 1 6,800
square kilometres. A

There, it spreads out to form the del

Delta ta. Interestingly, both the river and
The Okavango Delta is the delta are named after the Oka
only a little smaller vango people of northern Namibia. It
than Israel. or half the is also home to some of the most
size of Switzerland! endangered species of mammals
like the white rhinoceros, cheetah
A M AZ I N G PLAC ES TO S E E 7
Why is Lamu Island con
sidered as a must visit
place?
O ne of the most attrac aren't any on the island ! Yes, that is
tive places in Africa, the
Lamu Island, is a part of
the Lamu Archipelago of
Kenya. The island
stands out for its beauty.
Geographically, the
island is composed of a
town and three villages-
Hurry up!
I want to see
the sunset.
Shela, Matondoni, and Kipungani.
When one reaches the land, one
cannot wait for a taxi or any other
motor vehicle, simply because there
one of the major features of Lamu
that people use only non-motor
modes of transportation like don
keys, bicycles etc.
The most important part of the
island is the Lamu Old Town, which
was once a major trading centre in
coastal East Africa. It is also a his
torically important centre of Swahili
culture, as well as religion.
Some of the historic sites here
include the German Post Office and
the Lamu Fort. Another sight that
stirs wonder in the mind of any trav
eller is the use of coral stone and
mangrove timber throughout the
island, which is a Swahili feature.
Tell Me Why
What is Serengeti famous for?

The Serengeti is a world

famous ecosystem in East
Central Africa, located in north
Tanzania, and extending to
southwestern Kenya. Its area
is as vast as 30,000 square kil
ometres, giving rise to its name
which means 'endless plains'
in the Maasai language.
Much of the Serengeti was
known to outsiders as Maasai
land. The Maasai are known
as fierce warriors.
The most important part of
the Serengeti is the national
park in it with the same name
that is home to a wide variety
of flora and fauna. There are
as well a number of other pro
tected reserves and conserva
tion areas in this region as
well, like the Ngorongoro Con
servation Area.
However, the spot is most
famous for having the largest
mammal migration in the world
and, is a popular destination of
African safaris.
Some of the most common
ly found mammals in Serengeti
include gazelles, zebras, Afri
can buffaloes, waterbucks etc.
Why is Madagascar a famous
travel destination?
The island nation of Mada
gascar is a place u nique for its
ecosystem and extraordinary
wildlife. It is the fourth largest
island in the world, and is locat
ed in the Indian Ocean, off the
eastern coast of Africa.
Experts have found out that
approximately around 90 per
cent of the reptiles, plants and
We 1come to
Madagas car!
mammals seen in the country
exist nowhere else in the world!
Due to its ecological diversity,
Madagascar is sometimes
referred to as the 'eighth conti
nent' by ecologists.
One of the unique animals
found in the country is a lemur
known as the silky sifaka,
which is a critically threatened
species. The island is also
home to the rare ploughshare
tortoise whose population
today is just less than 1 000.
Similarly, there are more than
1 1 000 endemic plant species,
and a variety of mammals, and
amphibians present on the
island. Therefore, Madagascar
is thought to be one of the
most amazing places to visit
across the world.
Tell Me Why
Why is it said that the pyramid of
Giza is a well known monument?
T he Pyramids of Giza are some
thing most of us are familiar with.
The Great Pyramid is one of the
oldest structures in the world today.
The magnificent structure was built
for the Pharaoh Khufu, around 2560
BC. I n fact, it is part of a complex of
three large pyramids in the Giza
Necropolis located in modern Cairo,
Egypt. The other two are the Pyra
mid of Khafre and the Pyramid of
Menkaure. Along with these, the
complex also consists of a majestic
Sphinx statue.
There are various stories regarding
the construction and completion of
the pyramids, and it is believed to
have taken around 20 years to com
plete the works.
I nside the G reat Pyramid, there are
three major rooms- the King's Cham
ber, the Queen's Chamber, and the
Mystery
The Great Pyramid is
believed to have been
constructed using more
than two million stone
blocks that ranged from
two, to over fifty tonnes.
However. it still remains
unknown how they were
transported!
G rand Gallery. There
are also small tunnels
and air shafts that lead
to the chambers from
outside. I ncidentally, the
G reat Pyramid remained
the tallest man-made
structure in the world for
over 3800 years.
Why is the Sahara Desert so
famous?
L ocated in North Africa,
the Sahara is the largest hot
desert in the world.
Geographically, the Sahara
Desert covers as many as
eleven different countries
including Egypt, Libya, Tuni
sia, Algeria, Morocco, Western
Sahara, Mauritania, Mali,
Niger, Chad, and Sudan, with
an area of around 9.4 million
square kilometres.
The term 'Sahara' has its ori
gin in the Arabic language,
meaning 'desert'. Predictably,
it is one of the most consistent
ly hottest places in the world.
12
On the other hand, it can
drop below freezing point rap
idly at nights. In general, the
climate is hot, dry, and windy.
While it rarely rains in some
parts, there are regions which
do not see a drop of rain in
years!
All this makes Sahara an
inhospitable place to live. It is
estimated that only less than
2.5 million people live in the
region, despite its vastness.
The highest point in t he
desert is the volcano named
Emi Koussi in Chad. Histori
ans note that thousands of
years ago, the Sahara Desert
had enough water to let people
live well.
Tell M e Why
 Why is Mount Kenya a place to
see?

I f you are one who has seen a

huge mountain in real life, there
is little chance that you went
away without appreciating its
grandeur. Such is the glory that
structures like mountains have.
And if it is something like Mount
Kenya, it cannot but leave a
spectator spellbound.
Located in Kenya, Mount Ken
ya is the second highest peak in
Africa, after Kilimanjaro. It stands
at a height of 5 1 99 metres above
sea level, making it one of the
most beautiful sights in the world.
Many peaks on Mount Mount Kenya is an ancient
Kenya were formed by extinct volcano which was active
volcanic eruptions, and thousands of years ago. Current
thus, the mountain is ly, there are eleven small, shrink
made up of different ing glaciers on the mountain.
kinds of volcanic rocks. There are three major peaks
However, the last on the mountain- Batian, Nelion
eruption took place two and Lenana. The first persons to
million years ago! climb Batian were Sir Halford
John Mackinder, Josef Brocher
el, and Cesar Oilier.
Why is Fez so popular? architecture, and historical
remains. Fez is divided into
Fez is best known to the three zones. Among these,
world as the cultural centre of the most popular is the Fez el
Morocco. It was founded in 789 Bali Medina. The historical
by Idris I. U ntil 1 9 25, Fez was quarter and traditional houses
the capital city of the country. make it an altogether interest-
Even today it remains the best
conserved city of the Arab
world, and is an international
destination.
The most attractive features
of the city include its splendid
ing place for travellers. It is
also one of the world's
largest urban pedestrian
zones.
According to some histo
rians, the Medina of Fez is
among the best conserved
historic towns of the Arab
world.
Another prominent place
in the city is the U niversity
of AI Quaraouiyine, found
ed in AD 859. It is the old
est conti n uously
functioning university in
the world today. Fez is
known by different names
across the world, popularly
as the ' Athens of Africa'.
Seed!
Coco de mer, or the
sea coconut or double
coconut is a rare
palm tree endemic to
Seychelles that
produces the largest
and the heaviest seed
in the world.
Why is Seychelles considered as
a place one must visit?
SeYChelleS , officially, the Repub
lic of Seychelles, is one of the
most attractive tropical islands in
the world. It is an archipelago
located 1 600 kilometres east of
the African coast in the Indian
Ocean, consisting of 1 1 5 islands.
The capital city is Victoria on the
Mahe island, which is the largest
of all.
The most fascinating feature of
the island includes the beaches. It
also has to its credit six marine
national parks and a wide variety
of marine life. Specifically, the
island is home to a large number
of Aldabra tortoises, and the
hawksbill sea turtles.
Cousin Island on the archipela
go is the best place to see these
turtles as the nesting population
here is very high. Besides, Sey
chelles is considered to be the
best destination for scuba divers.
Why is it said that Table Moun
tain is a great tourist attrac
tion?
There are numerous rea
sons why South Africa remains
a travellers' favourite. One of it
is the famous Table Mountain
that overlooks the capital city
of Cape Town. In fact, it is one
of the few natural wonders that
is located in the middle of a
major city.
Geographically, the Table
Mountain is a flat-topped
mountain. The major attraction
here is the national park with
the same name, situated close
by. The region is known to be
one of the richest areas for
16
plants in the world, with numer
ous unique species. The most
important ones among them
are the 1 460 varieties of fyn
bos, a unique kind of vegeta
tion and the rare amphibian
Table Mountain Ghost Frogs.
Adding to the attractions of
the mountain is the enchanting
cableway that takes visitors to
the plateau at its top. The
upper cable station offers a
breathtaking sight of the Cape
Town, Table Bay and Robben
Island to the north, and the
Atlantic seaboard to the west
and south. The mountain is
also a popular destination
among hikers and para-gliders
across the globe.
Tell Me Why
What makes Bagamoyo a tour
ist attraction?
B agamoyo is a famous town
in Tanzania that is at once
beautiful and disturbing. It is
beautiful for its cultural herit
age, but disturbing for its his
tory of s lavery.
Founded at the end of the
1 8th century, Bagamoyo is s it
uated 72 kilometres north of
Dar es Salaam. U nder Ger
man rule, it was the first capital
of Tanzania. This place was
also famous for the ivory trade,
bes ides s lavery.
Presently, the Bagamoyo
town is the capital of the Baga
moyo district. The name of the
place has been derived from
the Swahili words 'bwaga
moyo', meaning 'throw down
your heart'.
There are many important
sites in the town, like the ' Bag
amoyo Church' which was per
haps the first on the East Coast
of Africa, the ' Bagamoyo
Museum' that preserves old
photos and remains of the
s lave trade and the Kaole ruins
of the 1 2th century. Another
important place is the Ruvu
River Delta, a paradise for
birds .
I n addition to these, the Bag
amoyo white s and beaches
are something known to leave
visitors fascinated. They are
among the finest beaches on
the whole of the East African
coast.
 The Abu Simbel Temple
is in fact two separate
temples, of which one is
dedicated to King
Ramses II, and the other
to his beloved wife
Queen Nefertari.

Why are the Abu Simbel temples

famous?

L ocated in Aswan, in Southern

Egypt, the Abu Simbel is yet another
work of wonder that fascinates travel
lers across the world. It is a complex of
two massive rock temples, carved into
a mountains ide on the west bank of the
Nile River. There are many debates
regarding the construction of this epic
complex. But what remains universally
accepted is that the structures
were built by Pharaoh Ramses
I I, sometime in the 1 3th century.
It is s aid to have taken twenty
long years for the completion of
work.
However, despite its grand
s ize, the Abu Simbel complex
was covered by desert sand for
hundreds of years . It remained
forgotten u ntil a Swiss scholar
named Jean- Louis Burckhardt
rediscovered it in 1 81 3. But he
couldn't dig out an entry to the
temple. In 1 81 7, an Italian
explorer Giovanni Belzoni man
aged to enter the temple com
plex, and reintroduced it to the
world.
In 1 968, the complex was
relocated in its entirety on an
artificial hill made from a domed
structure above the Aswan
High Dam reservoi r.
Name it
The term 'Sossusvlei'
has a mixed origin, and it
means 'dead-end marsh'.
Why are the Sossusvlei
dunes popular?
The Sossusvlei is best
known for its sand dunes,
which are believed to be the
highest in the world. It is
located in the southern part of
the Namib Desert.
Geologically, Soss usvlei is
a claypan that holds rain
water to form a lake. In other
words, it is a circular s haped
depress ion filled with water in
the heart of the Namib. Due
to its high clay content, this
pan retains water for a long
time, making it a rare s ight.
There are many animals that
live in the Soss usvlei. These
include thos e which can s u r
vive with little water, like the
anthropods , rodents , jackals ,
reptiles, antelopes etc.
As a matter of fact, sand
dunes are present in various
parts of the world. But what
makes the dunes in Soss usv
lei s pecial is their colour com
pos ition.
The varying shades of red,
depending on the age of the
dunes, define the stark beau
ty of the Namib Desert.
Why is it said that the Spitz
koppe is an amazing place to
see?
T he Spitzkoppe is a world
famous group of rounded
granite mountains seen in the
Namib Desert. They are locat
ed between the towns of Usa
kos and Swakopmund and are
more than 1 20 million years
old. Standing at a height of
1 784 metres , the Spitzkoppe
is a very popular spot among
climbers across the world. The
first ascent was recorded in
1 946 by Hans and Else Wong
schofsky and J. de V. G raaf.
There are many features
that attract vis itors to the Spitz
koppe. The 'Small Spitzkoppe'
20
that stands at a height of 1 584
metres above sea level, and
the dome- like Pondok Moun
tains are two of them.
On the eastern s ide lies the
Bus hman's Paradise, a cave
that offers a walk up the steep
incline through a fixed steel
cable. In these parts , one can
see remains of Bus hman
paintings and rock art. Sadly,
most of it has been damaged
in the course of time. However,
Shall we
visit Spitzkoppe
this time?
there are some rock paintings
still preserved at the Small
Bushman's Paradise and
Golden Snake s ites .
Why is Mount Mulanje a beau
tiful sight?
M ount Mulanje or the Mulan
je Mass if is a large rock hill
located in Malawi. The peculi
arity of the mount is that it rises
s harply from the plains of Chi
radzulu that s urrounds it, and
the tea-growing Mulanje dis
trict.
There are as many as 20
rocky peaks on the plateaus ,
out of which the Sapitwa is the
highest point. It stands at a
height of 3002 metres .
AMAZ I N G P LAC E S TO S E E
I ncidentally, Mount Mulanje
is one of the biggest in Africa.
The mountain is rich in wildlife,
where one can spot tiny ante
lopes like the klipspringer to
various other small mammals .
There are as well a variety of
birds as well, like the buzzard,
and black eagle .
In fact, it is part of the pro
tected Mulanje Mountain For
est Reserve. It is also home to
the famous Mulanje cypress , a
tree that is heavily logged and
thought to be endangered.
For its natural ecosystem
and beauty, the Mount Mulan
je remains one of the most
popular hiking and climbing
destinations in Africa, with
thousands vis iting it each year.
21
Why is Bazaruto Archipelago
an exciting place to visit?
The Bazaruto Archipelago is
one of the most riveting places
in the continent. It is located off
the southern coast of Mozam
bique. Bazaruto, Benguerra,
Magaruque, Santa Carolina
and Bangue are the five is lands
that make up the cluster.
The deep blue waters ,
unspoiled sandy beaches ,
palm trees and coral reefs are
what make the is lands an inter
national travel destination. The
rock is land of Santa Carolina,
particularly, has three beautiful
beaches with coral reefs . It is
regarded as the 'gem' of the
is lands , and sometimes , also
22
called the Paradise Is land.
Bes ides s uch attractiveness ,
the is lands are also said to be
home to a large number of
marine animals on the Indo
Pacific region. These include
the humpback whales , spin
ner, humpback and bottlenose
dolphins , marlins , barracudas ,
marine turtles and dugongs , a
marine mammal.
In 1 97 1 , the archipelago
became a national park, ensur
ing more protection to the spe
cies .
Why is Acadia known to be a
place of scenic beauty?
A cadia was the name of a
colony established by the
French in North America. It
included the places that we
now know as Nova Scotia,
Prince Edward Is land, and
parts of New Brunswick, the
Gas pe Penins ula, and Maine.
The colony was important for
its geographic position as it
was close to fis hing grounds,
s hipping routes and the Britis h
colonies along the Atlantic
coast.
AMAZ I N G P LAC E S TO S E E
However, there are more
reasons that add to the rele
vance of Acadia. It stood out in
beauty and divers ity that capti
vated any visitor. As a res u lt
the Acadia National Park was
founded in the US state of
Maine in the early 20th century.
The biggest attractions of the
park are the mountains , wood
lands , lakes , and an ocean
s horeline.
It s preads across more than
49,000 acres , including 30,000
acres on the Mount Desert
Is land, and on s maller is lands
close by.
23
Why are the Great Smoky Moun
tains an amazing sight?

T he Great Smoky Mountains

is a popular mountain range in
the United States . Georgraphi
cally, they form a segment of the
Appalachian mountains in east
ern Tennessee and the western
North Carolina. Also known by
the name G reat Smokies or
Smokies, the place is highly
praised for its rich ecosystem.
The most important part of the
G reat Smoky Mountains is the
national park with the same
name.
Trees like hemlock, black
cherry, black walnut, yellow
birch etc. can be found inside
the park. Also, there are many
species of wildlife like the black
bears, white tailed deer, ruffed
grouse, wild boars , raccoons
and numerous attractive song-

-
---
 birds, that make the Great
Smoky National Park all the
more fascinating.
There are as well a number
of historical structures main
tained within the Smokies
Park as well, like those at the
Cades Cove, and the Elk
mont. As per records , more
than 9 million people visit the
place every year.

Why is Florida Keys so

famous?

The Florida Keys is an

interesting chain of islands
located off the coast of south
ern Florida. It begins in the
Atlantic Ocean, south of the
Miami beach and curves into
the Gulf of Mexico.
What makes the Keys spe
Bridge for Keys cial is their incomparable
Out of the 42 bridges ecological richness and coral
that connect the Florida reefs. It is said that the John
Keys, the Seven Mile Pennekamp Coral Reef State
Bridge is the largest. Park here contains the larg
Harris Gap Bridge is the est living coral formations in
shortest. North America.
The Key Largo is the larg
est of the keys , extending
long 50 kilometres. But the
most populated and econom
ically developed area is the
25
Key West. The Over Why is the Antelope Canyon special?
seas Highway that
runs from the main T he Antelope Canyon is a world
land to the Key West famous s lot canyon located in Arizona. A
connects all of the s lot canyon is one which is formed by the
is lands . It consists of wear of water rus hing through rock. Nor
42 bridges , and is mally, the depth of s uch canyons are
one of the longest larger than their width.
overwater roads in There are two separate sections on
the world. the Antelope Canyon, namely the Upper
Antelope and the Lower Antelope. They
are both located in the LeChee Chapter
of Navajo.
As per historical records , the canyon
was formed after an erosion of Navajo
Sandstone, caused mainly by flas h
flooding. As some of you might know, a
flas hflood is the occurrence of s udden,
unexpected local flood.
However, the Antelope Canyon is
presently the most important point of
tourism in the Navajo Nation, contribut
ing to its economy. It is also a popular
destination among photographers ,
because of the s pectacle it offers .
26 Tell Me Why
Why is Yosemite Valley One s uch is the Yosemite Valley,
a tourist attraction? located in the western Sierra Nevada
mountain of Northern California.
S ince time immemori Adding to the attractions , is the
al, valleys and moun Yosemite Falls , the highest in North
tains have remained America.
among the most cher The Sierra Nevada salamander,
ished places in the the rattles nake, Gilbert's s kink,
world. One may not be American black bear, chickaree are
able to climb them, but some of the wildlife here. There are
the very s ight of a valley birds as well, like the American dip
itself fills our minds with per, dark-eyed junco and the white
joy, and create everlast headed woodpecker seen. The pres
ing memories . ence o f trees like s ugar pines , white
fir, and ponderosa pines make the
region all the more lus h.
The Yosemite Valley is also known
to be a dream place for hikers , with
different trails around. The Yosemite
Hotel to Hospital
Falls Trail that leads to the top of the
Interestingly. the most waterfalls and the Four Mile Trail
luxurious Ahwahnee leading to the glacier point are two of
Hotel in Yosemite once them.
served as a military
hospital.
Why is Mount Rushmore
National Memorial famous?
The
Mount Rus hmore
National Memorial is a gigantic
sculpture built in the Black Hills
of South Dakota in the U nited
States of America.
It is a huge representation of
the heads of George Was hing
ton, Thomas Jefferson, Theo
dore Roos evelt, and Abraham
Lincoln, the former pres idents
of the country.
Each of the carving is about
1 8.2 metres tall, and is made
out of granite. The work is seen
on the southeast s ide of Mount
Rus hmore, hence the name of
the memorial.
The idea of a monumental
sculpture was put forward by a
historian named Doane Robin
son in 1 923. In 1 927 , the work
began under the sculptor Gut
zon Borglum.
He propos ed that the four
heads in the sculpture symbol
ize the first 1 50 years of the
United States . The work was
completed in 1 94 1 .
Today, the Mount Rus hmore
sculpture is one of the greatest
iconic images in the US.
Why is Lake Tahoe a
place to visit?
L ake Tahoe is a
famous fres hwater lake
in the Sierra Nevada
mountain range of the
U nited States . It is said
to be the largest alpine
lake in North America.
There are many rea
sons why Lake Tahoe is
important. One of them
is that the water from the
lake is supplied for the
Newlands Irrigation Pro
ject in Nevada.
Another reason is its
attractiveness. For its
clear water and the pan-
Forever
Lake Tahoe is believed
to be over two million
years old . It is consid
ered to be an ancient
lake, and is often count
ed among the 20 oldest
lakes in the world.
orama of s u rrounding mountains, the
lake has become one of the most
popular tourist destinations in the
country.
I n addition to s uch scenery, Tahoe
is a famous s pot for winter s ports
and s ummer outdoor recreation.
Thousands of people visit the place
in winter to enjoy activities like down
hill s kiing, s now tubing, cross-coun
try s kiing, s nowmobile riding and
s nows hoei ng.
History goes that Lake Tahoe was
once the centre of the Washoe Indi
an territory, and the area was inhab
ited by the Was hoe tribe of Native
Americans.
In fact, the very name of the lake
comes from the Was hoe Indian word
meaning 'big water'.
Why is the Grand Canyon a famous
tourist attraction?

The G rand Canyon is one of the

most celebrated s ites in the world,
noted for its impress ive s hapes
and colours.
As the name s uggests , it is an
extens ive canyon, that was cut by
the Colorado River in the plateau
region of Arizona. It runs almost
446 kilometres through the north
western part of Arizona and ranges
from 0.2 to 29 kilometres in width.
Believe it or not, there are places
where the canyon is more than a
kilometre deep!
Historians note that many of the
rocks in the canyon are at least 4
billion years old. Some of them
even res emble temples or castles ,
making it a beautiful spectacle from
a distance. As mentioned earlier,
there is a wide range of colours
one can see here. The canyon is
said to be mostly red, but there are
layers of rocks that appear buff,
gray, green, pink, and violet.
Below the G rand Canyon lie
magnificent forests of pine, fir,
spruce, and aspen. There are also
a large number of wildlife in the
region, including coyotes , foxes ,
deer, badgers , pumas , bobcats ,
rabbits , squirrels , and chipmunks .
30
Why is Monument Valley a
good place to visit?

M onument Valley is a
wide expanse that is
marked by enormous rock
features, including mes as,
cliffs, and buttes . Part of
the Colorado Plateau, It
lies between the borders
of Arizona and Utah in the
U S . It is estimated that the
valley covers an area of
over 36826 hectares .
The biggest attraction of
Monument Valley is the
buttes, or isolated hills that
are steep on s ides and flat
on top.
Yet another much visited
s ite on the valley are the
Mittens, which are a pair of

Controversy
Between 1948 and 1967,
parts of Monument Valley
were mined for large
quantities of uranium.
This had then caused a
major controversy.

31
thumb-like outcrops. In addition, there
is the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal
Park that makes it a m ust-see place for
travellers across the world.
One of the features that contribute to
the attractiveness of the valley is its viv
id red colour. This coloration happens
due to the presence of iron oxide. There
are also blue-gray rocks here, making it
a rare com bination of beauty.

Why is Mammoth Cave National Park

so famous?

T he Mammoth Cave National Park is For the surprises

a highly popular park that preserves ins ide, the Mammoth
the Mammoth cave, which has the caves are nothing but
longest cave s ystem in the world. It is a m agnificent crea
located in Kentucky in the US. Explor tion. There are under
ers have m apped more than 650 kilo ground lakes , rivers
metres of caves here, and still continue and numerous geo
to discover new pass ages . logic formations that

leave any visitor spell
bound. Apart from the
large natural entrance,
there are as well many
artificial ones as well,
including an access by
elevator that helps vis i
tors to enter the caves .
I ns ide the pass ages
live numerous animals
that perfectly adapt to
the cave conditions .
The eyeless fis h and
cave crickets are two of
them.
Various kinds of birds ,
reptiles, animals like the
white-tailed deer, foxes
and opossums are
some of the wild ani
mals inhabiting the park.
AMAZ I N G P LAC E S TO S E E
Why is Kauai an amazing site t o see?
Kauai is a stunning volcanic island
in Hawaii, US. It is believed to be the
oldest of the Hawaiian Islands . One
of the features of Kauai is that it is
dominated by Mount Waialeale, at its
centre. The s u mmit of this mount is
one of the wettest places on Earth.
There are a few cities on the is land,
like the Lihue, which is the centre of
bus iness and the chief port, and
Kapaa, the most populous town.The
Kauai museum is among the most
visited places on Kauai.
Other attractions on the isle include
the Russ ian Fort Elizabeth State His
torical Park and the Kilauea Light
house, which contains the world's
largest lighthouse clams hell lens,
although now inactive.
However, one cannot miss the
Waimea Canyon lying on the west of
the is land. For its grandeur, it is often
called the ' G rand Canyon of the
Pacific'.
33
Why is Big Sur an amazing
place to see?
The Big Sur is a scenic region
in Western California, US that
comprises a 1 60 kilometre long
stretch of sea coast along the
Pacific Ocean.
It is regarded as the greatest
meeting of land and water in
the world, where the Santa
Lucia Mountains rise s harply
from the ocean.
The coastal roads that are
winding and narrow provide
enchanting views of the Pacific
Ocean and the wild areas of
the Los Padres National Forest
nearby. Another im portant
place here is the Pfeiffer Big
34
Sur State Park, spread over
more than 323.7 hectares . It is
home to a wide variety of wild
life and trees like coastal red
woods .
The park contains the village
of Big Sur. The Garrapata,
Andrew Molera, and San Sime
on, and Point Sur State Histor
ic Park are some of the other
state parks in the Big Sur area.
This place, which is now a
m ajor tourist destination was
once just cattle ranches and
small farms . Many writers have
appreciated the beauty of Big
Sur in their works . American
poet Robinson Jeffers is one of
them . His home is now one of
the landmarks of Big Sur.
Tell Me Why
Why is the Oneonta Gorge so
famous?

The Oneonta Gorge is a gorge

located in the Columbia River Gorge
area of the Oregon state. A gorge, as
some of you might know, is a narrow
valley with steep walls lying between
hills or mountains .
The Oneonta Gorge is a highly
impress ive formation that is often
described as 'one of the true dramat
ic chas ms in the State'.The gorge is
s pecial for the unique aquatic and
woodland plants growing in the region.
The walls of the basalt rocks here are
home to a wide variety of ferns,
mosses, hepatics or liverworts and
lichens which are found exclus ively
within the Columbia River gorge.
There are four major waterfalls on
the Oneonta creeks that run through
the gorge. The Middle falls can be
seen clearly from a footpath at a dis
tance, but the lower falls can be s een
only by walking upstream from the
creek's outlet at the Historic Colum
bia River Highway.
Similarly, the Upper Falls can be
viewed if one can climb up the creek
or climb down a canyon wall.
The fourth falls or the Triple Falls
can be s een from a point on the
upper trails of the canyon.
What makes the Dry Tortugas
National Park an Interesting
tourist location?
The Dry Tortugas National
Park is a name that remains
synonymous with marine
beauty. Located on the Dry
Tortugas is lands in southwest
ern Florida, the park covers an
area of 262 square kilometers .
I t was built to preserve Fort
Jefferson and the seven Dry
Tortugas is lands that lie west
of Key West in the G u lf of Mex
ico.
As mentioned before, the
Dry Tortugas National Park is
noted for its rich s ea life. The
36
colourful coral reefs, legends
of s h ipwrecks, and tropical
bird breeding grounds are
some of the best spectacles
here. Fort Jefferson is another
reason why the park is impor
tant. It is a massive, unfinished
coastal fortress, which hap
pens to be the largest masonry
structure in the Western Hemi
sphere.
The fort was built with more
than 1 6 million bricks . Bes ides
its historical s ignificance, the
park is also a renowned s ite for
bird watching. The parade
ground of the Fort is the place
where one can spot numerous
birds .
Tell Me Why
 Why is Katmai National Park and
Preserve famous?

The Katmai National Park and

Preserve is an area in southwest
ern Alas ka, US, most noted for its
wilderness and distinctive geologic
features .
Named after Mount Katmai, the
park has 1 8 individual volcanoes
out of which seven are active. In
fact, the area was made a national
monument in 1 91 8, s ix years after
the violent eruption of the Novarup-
ta Volcano.
... One of the important landmarks
of the Katmai National Park is the
Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes . It
was a green valley that got convert
ed into an as h-filled wasteland after
the eruption of the Novarupta.
The park is also noted for its
lakes , forests , rivers , mars hlands
and wildlife. The Snows hoe hare,
Alas kan moose, Canadian lynx,
wolverine, river otter, mink, red fox,
weasel, marten etc., are some of
the mammals in the area. There
are also marine mammals like
the harbour seal, sea lion and sea
otter. However, the most prominent
animal here is the Alas kan brown
bear. Katmai has the world's larg
est protected brown bear popula
tion.
AMAZIN G P LAC ES TO S E E 37
What makes Denali special?

D enali is the highest mountain

peak in North America that is
located close to the centre of the
Alas ka Range in South-Central
Alas ka.
After Mount Everest and Acon
cagua, Denali is the third most
prominent and isolated peak on
Earth. It is a giant block of gran
ite believed to have been lifted
above the earth's crust due to
tectonic activity, millions of years
ago.
There are two significant s um
mits on the peak, the South Sum
mit which is the higher one, and
the North Summit. Flowing off the
slopes of the mountain are five
large glaciers .
Starting from 1 903, many
attempts were made to climb the
summit of Denali. However, the
first s uccessful ascent was
recorded on June 7, 1 91 3, by
climbers Hudson Stuck, Harry
Karstens , Walter Harper, and
Robert Tatum. Today, Denali is a
famous s pot among climbers .
The term 'Denali' was the name
given to the mountain by native
Athabascan I ndians. It means
'The Great One'.
Why is Vieques said to be an amaz
ing place to visit?

V ieqUeS, or the Isla de Vieques is

Island nation
a beautiful island of Puerto Rico in
the northeastern Caribb ean. It is There are several
part of the Spanish Virgin Islands offshore islands to
and retains influences from centu Puerto Rico. The
ries-long Spanish presence in the largest of these are
land. Vieques, Culebra,
Geographically, Vieques is about and Mona.
34 kilometres long and 6 kilometers
wide. Isabel Segunda, the chief
town and Esperanza, a fishing vil
lage are two of the important places
on the isle.
There are many reasons why
Vieques is known to the world. The
closeness to waters as well as the
hilly terrain is indeed fascinating.
But what b rought this little island to
global attention was a series of pro
tests.
History says that in the early
1 940s, a large part of the island was
occupied by the US Navy. But, the
protests from the natives forced the
US Navy to withdraw from the
island. Following this, Vieques was
designated a National Wildlife Ref
uge. Today, it is a major hub of eco
tourism with u nspoiled beaches
along with historical remains attract
ing thousands of visitors each year.
Why is Tikal a popular tourist destination?

Tikal was a major city and ceremonial site of the

Ancient Mayan civilization. It was also an urban
centre in the southern Maya lowlands which stood
30 kilometres north of Lake Peteln Itza. Today,
this place is in the archaeological region of Peten
in northern Guatemala.
H istorically, Tikal was first developed as a small
village during 900-300 BC. With the construction
of pyramids and temples, it later became a cere
monial centre. It was also an important point in the
trading network that had been established in
Southern Mexico and Central Amercia by the cen-

tral Mexican city of

Teotihuacan.
However, the city
reached its greatness
during AD 600 when
palaces, pyramids and

plazas were b uilt. This
was also the time when
Mayan art flourished in
sculpture, monumental
and vase painting. The
city reached its archi
tectural and artistic
peak b etween AD 600
and 800, after which it
saw a steep decline.
Population fell and so
did its art. By the 1 0th
century, Tikal was
ab andoned.
The Tikal Project of the
University of Pennsylva
nia reco rded over 200
monuments at the site.
AMAZ I N G P LA C E S TO S E E
O axaca, or the Free and Sovereign
State of Oaxaca is a state in southern
Mexico. Specifically, it is one of the
states that constitute the 32 federative
entities of Mexico. What makes the
state so famous is its land, culture,
and people.
A large part of the state is mountain
ous, covered by the mountains of the
Sierra Madre del Sur range. As it goes
down south, the mountains turn nar
rower, and form a plain along the
Pacific coast. In the east, it descends
to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
Historically, there were different
native groups inhab iting the region
that is now called Oaxaca.
In the early 1 6th century, Spanish
rulers conquered the region and con
trolled it for a long 300 years. Later,
Mexico gained independence from
the Spanish, and Oaxaca b ecame a
free state in 1 824.
It is now one of the most ethnically
41
 Why are the Canadian Rockies a vis
ual treat?

T he Canadian Rockies are a mag

nificent segment of the Rocky Moun
tains that extend some 1 600
With a height of
kilometres from the northern British
Columb ia in Canada. They form a
3953.8 metres above
sea-level. Mount
border b etween the provinces of Brit
Robson remains the
ish Columb ia and Alberta.
highest peak in the
There are a number of peaks and
Canadian Rockies.
ranges on the Canadian Rockies.
This includes Mount Rob son that
stands the highest, Mount Joffre,
diverse state in the coun Mount Assiniboine and Mount
try with a number of Columb ia.
indigenous groups. The Out of the high peaks, only Mount
capital of the state, Oax Temple has an estab lished scram
aca de Juarez, is the site b ling route. But even this is danger
of the major cultural ous for climb ers without adequate
institutions here, includ experience. Besides, the upper
ing the Benito Jua rez slopes of the mountain are covered
University of Oaxaca with snow, making it all the more dif
and the Regional Muse ficult to move upward.
um of Oaxaca. A good portion of the mountain
range is protected by five national
and three provincial parks. The
Banff, Jasper, and Waterton Lakes
National Parks among these on the
eastern slopes in Alberta are also
famous for the spectacular alpine
scenery they offer.
There are numerous river systems
that have their source in the Cana
dian Rockies.
Tell Me Why
What makes Churchill popular
among travellers?
C hurchill is a town in northern
Manitob a in Canada, most famous
for polar b ears. It is the northernmost
seaport of the country, and is located
on the west shore of the Hudson
Bay.
As said before, Churchill is home to
a large number of polar bears and
has earned the title ' the Polar Bear
Capital of the World'.
In autumn, the town witnesses the
movement of animals
from inland towards the
shores. The tourism
industry in the region is
developed by focusing
on the migration hab its
of the bears. There are
modified b uses called
'tundra b uggies' that car
ry tourists safely to view
polar bears.
I n addition to this,
there are thousands of
b eluga whales in the
waters of Churchill that
make the place even
more interesting. The
movement of the whales
into the warmer waters
of the Churchill river
estuary in the months of
July and August is said
to be a major attraction.
Why is Machu Picchu a site to
visit?
M achu Picchu that stands in
the mountains of south-central
Peru is a deserted city of the
Inca people.
It is one of the very few Amer
ican I ndian sites that still
remains mostly undamaged.
Mary had a
little Llama ...
Historical sources indicate that
the dwellings at the site were
built and occupied probably
during the mid- 1 400s and
1 500s. In Quechua, the lan
guage of the Incas, Machu Pic
chu means the 'old peak'.
The ancient city lies between
two sharp peaks in the eastern
Andes Mountains at a height of
2350 metres. There were two
sections in Machu Picchu, one
for farming and the other one,
urban. Step-like fields called
terraces constituted the farm
ing section. In the urban sec
tion, there were houses,
temples and a cemetery.
It is believed that Machu Pic
chu remained hidden from the
Spanish when they conquered
Tell Me Why

the I ncas in the 1 500s. The city
was covered by plants and
remained known only to a few
people living there, for hun
dreds of years.
In 1 91 1 , when a local farmer
led US archaeologist Hiram
Bingham to the ruins of this
ancient city, it started getting
global attention.
Why are the Iguazu Falls an
amazing place to see?
T he Iguazu Falls are a series
of scenic waterfalls located on
the stretch of the Iguazu R iver.
Extending for 2.7 kilometres,
they form the border b etween
Brazil and Argentina. They are
almost three times wider than
the famous Niagara Falls in
North America.
The name Iguazu has come
from the Guarani Indian word
meaning 'great water'. The
falls are known as Iguacu, or
Iguassu in Brazil.
The Iguazu Falls are situated
where the Iguazu river tumbles
over the edge of the Parana
Plateau. There are numerous
rocky and wooded islands that
lie along the edge.
Depending on the water lev
el, the number of the falls too
change from 1 50 to 275. It has
been found that almost half of
the river water falls into what is
called the Devil's Throat, a
U-shaped narrow chasm close
to it. Breathtaking views of this
section can be obtained from
the Brazilian as well as Argen
tine sides.
What makes the Galapagos Island a
beautiful location for nature lovers?

T he Galapagos Islands are a

famous cluster of volcanic islands
spread on the either side of the Equa
tor in the Pacific Ocean.
It consists of 1 3 major islands, six
smaller islands and a group of islets,
lying about a 1 000 kilometres west of
the mainland Ecuador. The archipel
ago covers a total land area of 8,01 0
square kilometres which scatters
over 5957 0 square kilometres of
ocean. The Galapagos National Park
forms a part of the islands.
Isabela Island is the largest of the of Panama, Tomas de
islands in Galapagos. It is around Berlanga in 1 535. It
1 32 kilometres long and constitutes gained international
more than half of the archipelago. attention after the visit of
Mount Azul, which is the highest the English naturalist
point of Galapagos is situated in Charles Darwin in 1 835.
Isabela.
History says that the scenic island
cluster was discovered by the b ishop

One of its Kind

The Galapagos Islands
is a place of oddities.
An example for this is
the Galapagos Penguin.
the only one of its kind
found i n the Northern
Hemisphere.
 Why is the Amazon rainforest a para
dise for nature lovers?

T he Amazon rainforest is a large tropi

cal rainforest that covers most of Ama
zon b asin in South America. Spread
over an area of 6,000,000 square kilo
metres, the rainforest comprises about
40 per cent of the total area of Brazil.
The region includes territories belonging
It was the unique fau to other eight more nations- Peru,
na of the islands that Columb ia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia,
contributed to the Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
groundbreaking the In short, Amazon comprises the largest
ories on natural and the most diverse b iodiverse tract of
selection presented tropical rainforests in the world.
in Darwin's work 'On The rainforest is guarded by the G uia
the Origin of Spe na Highlands in the north, the Andes
cies', in1 859. Mountains in the west, the Brazilian cen
tral plateau to the south, and the Atlantic
Ocean to the east.
The lush vegetation includes a large
variety of trees including species of myr
tle, laurel, palm, and acacia, rosewood,
Brazil nut, and rubber tree. Considering
the wildlife, the Amazon is very rich with
jaguars, manatees, tapirs, red deer,
capybara and many other types of
rodents, and several types of monkeys.
47
 Why is Cartagena a very
famous historical place?
T he city of Cartagena is the
capital of the Bolivar State,
and the fifth-largest city in
Colombia. It lies in the north
ern part of Columbia in the
Caribbean coast region. The
==
city is known to the world for its
historical significance.
Settlements around the Cart
agena Bay date back to 4000
BC. It is believed that various
indigenous people had inhab
ited the place back then. The
city was, however, founded in
1 533 by a Spanish command
er Pedro de Heredia, and
remained a major colony of
Spain for nearly three centu
ries. In fact, it was named after
the Cartagena city of Spain .
During the Spanish rule, the
Columbian Cartagena was a
centre of political and econom
ic activities. It was also a major
slave market.
In 1 8 1 1 , Cartagena declared
independence from Spain and
the following years witnessed
great confusion and fights. The
city that was once economical
ly stable then declined in com
merce. However, after the
opening of petroleum fields in
the Magdalena River valley in
1 91 7, Cartagena experienced
a renewed growth. Today, it is
an important city in Columbia.
Why is Torres del Paine
National Park special?
The Torres del Paine Nation
al Park is a national park in
southern Chilean Patagonia. It
covers an area of around
242,242 hectares and is one of
the largest and most-visited
parks in Chile. In 1 978, it was
designated a World Biosphere
Reserve by UN ESCO.
Part of the National System
of Protected Forested Areas of
Chile, the Torres del Paine
national park promises many
spectacular views and
moments to a visitor. One of
the main attractions here is a
small mountain group called
the Cordillera Paine. Besides,
the region also encompasses
glaciers, lakes and rivers. The
Dickson Lake, Nordenskjold
Lake, Pehoe Lake, G rey Lake,
Sarmiento Lake, and Del Toro
Lake are some of the famous
lakes here. Another water
body flowing through the park
is the beautiful Paine River.
In addition to these, the Tor
res del Paine national park is
noted for its flora and fauna. It
has documented a wide varie
ty of plant species including 85
non-native ones. It is also
home to many animals like
Guanacos, pumas, foxes and
the endangered Chilean Hue
mul.
 Why is Lake Atitlan considered
as a beautiful site?

Gorgeous
L ake Atitla n is a magnificent
lake in southwestern Guatemala,
In his 1934 travel book lying in the central highlands. It is
'Beyond the Mexique said to be the deepest lake in
Bay', the famous English Central America with a maximum
writer Aldous Huxley depth of about 340 metres. The
praised the beauty of three cone-shaped volcanoes of
Lake Atitlan. Atitla n, Tolima n , and San Pedro
lie on the b orders of the lake.
There are many reasons why
Lake Atitlan remains a global
attraction. On the shores of this
lake are situated numerous vil
lages that still have the Mayan
culture.
As it is known to the rest of the
world , the Atitlan lake is very
attractive . It stands out for its
i mmense and picturesque set
ting, su rrou nded by mountains,
volcanoes and wildflowers .
According to German n atu ralist
Alexander von H u mb oldt, it is
'the most b eautifu l lake i n the
world'. In 1 955, the region
around the l ake b ecame a
n ational park. Corn, onions,
beans, squash, tomatoes, cucum
b ers and pitahaya fruit are the
major crops in the area on which
the indigenous people depend.
Why is the Geiranger Fjord
unique?
T he Geiranger Fjord is one
of many inlets from the sea
along Norway's western coast.
It is located in the Sunnmore
region of More og Romsdal
county and is one of the most
visited tourist sites in the coun
try.
What makes the Geiranger
Fjord special is its scenic
beauty. There are a number of
ab andoned farms that lie along
the sides of the fjord. Skagefla,
Knivsfla, and Blomberg are the
most visited among these
today. Close to them lie the
beautiful village of Geiranger,
AMAZ I N G PLAC E S TO S E E
which is thought to b e one of
the best travel destinations in
Europe for its scenery.
Another feature that adds to
the charm of the fjord is the
impressive waterfalls called
'Seven Sisters' and 'Suitor'.
Both the falls face each other
across the fjord. An interesting
story about them is that the
'Suitor' is trying to woo the sis
ters opposite. There is one
more attractive falls here - the
Bridal Veil.
For its splendour, the
Geiranger fjord has been the
subject of many films. The
famous animated movie by
Disney named 'Frozen' was
inspired by the fjord.
51
What makes Faroe Island a
tourist attraction?
Faroe Islands is a cluster of
beautiful islands in the North
Atlantic Ocean that lie between
Iceland and Norway. It is a
self-governing administrative
division of Denmark. As many
as 17 inhabited islands are
part of this cluster, along with
many islets and reefs.
The Faroe Islands are said to
be high and rugged due to their
volcanic composition.
The islands are largely tree
less and the natural vegetation
consists of moss, grass, and
Ma'!Y1iii
wetland. It also lacks indigenous
mammals, reptiles and toads
but is home to rats and hares.
There are as well numerous
sea birds on the island .
The Faroese people are said
to be mostly descendants of
Norwegian Vikings who colo
nized the place in AD 800.
Many of them depend on
sheep raising for their liveli
hood. But the economy of the

island primarily focuses on fishing
and related industries. Faroese and
Danish are the two official languages
on the island. The former had a rich
oral literature that was not written
down until the 1 9th century.
Why is Stonehenge an amazing loca
tion to view?
T he Stonehenge is a preh istoric
stone circle monument, cemetery,
and archaeolog ical site located on
the Salisb u ry Plain in England . It is
b e l ieved to have b een b u ilt
b etween 3000 and 1 520 BC, in six
stages.
There are many stories on why the
Stonehenge was b uilt. Many schol
ars hold that it was a place of wor
ship or a b u rial ground.
However, it is unique for its artifi
cially shaped sarsen stones, arrang-
AMAZ I N G P LAC E S TO S E E
History and
Science
Stonehenge is important
not just to archaeolo
gists and historians. but
to astronomers too. I n
1720. O r Halley is said
to have used magnetic
deviation and the posi-
tion of the rising Sun to
estimate the age of the
structure.
ed in a peculiar way.
There were two groups
in which the large stones
were arranged- one was
a circle of flat stones that
rested on top of stones
standing upright. The
other was a group within
the circle- a horseshoe
shaped group of five
pairs of upright stones.
There is a straight path
called the Avenue that
leads away from the cir
cles. An upright stone
named the Heel Stone
stands near the centre of
the Avenue.
53
What makes the Lake District
so popular?

T he Lake District is a region

credited with a fascinating
countryside in Cumb ria, the
north-west of England. With
numerous lakes and more
than 1 00 mountain peaks, it
covers a total area of 2,243
square kilometres. The region
was declared a national park
in 1 95 1 in order to protect its whom lived in the Lake District.
natural resources for future As mentioned earlier, there
generations. are many important lakes and
Also known as the Lakes or mountains situated in the Lake
the Lakeland, this b reathtaking District. This includes the larg
destination has been very spe est, Lake Windermere and the
cial to nature lovers since time highest English mountain
immemorial. Poet William Scafell Pike. The area is also
Wordsworth is one of them
whose early writings reflect the
beauty of this place. In fact,
there was a group called the
Lake Poets during the turn of
the nineteenth century, com Mythical
prising poets and writers all of According t o local folk
lore, Giant's Causeway
was built by the mythi
cal hero Finn MacCum
hail as part of a
causeway to the Scot
tish island of Staffa,
either for love or war.

one of the most populated
national parks in the coun
try having major settle
ments within the mountain-
ous areas. Keswick,
Windermere, Amb leside,
and Bowness-on-Winder
mere are the four large
towns here.
Why is the Giant's Causeway an
amazing site to see?
T he Giant's Causeway is an
extensive area covering ab out
40,000 interlocking b asalt col
umns. It is spread over six kilo
metres along the northern coast
of Northern I reland, on the edge
of the Antrim plateau . These
stone pillars with up to seven
irregular sides that point out of
the cliff is just a spectacular sight.
This Causeway was formed
some 50 million years ago as a
result of a volcanic eruption that
caused lava to flow towards the
coast. When it came in contact
with the sea, the lava cooled,
forming layers of b asalt columns.
And b ecause of the pressure
b etween the columns, each of
them sculpted into different
shapes. Ever since it was first
documented, in 1 693, the Giant's
Causeway has been subjected to
studies by geologists. It stands as
a special place, not just for the
formations b ut also for the grass
lands close by. There were
human settlements in the area
during the 1 800s, b ut it is now
uninhab ited. However, more than
three lakh persons visit the site
every year.
55
What makes Andalusia a thrill of the culture.
ing place to visit? Other major tourist attrac
tions here include the city cen
Andalusia is a historical tres of Ubeda and Baeza in the
region of Spain, located in the province of Jaen, both which
southern portion of the coun are U N ESCO World Heritage
try. It is an autonomous com Sites, the Great Mosque of
munity which has the city of C6rdoba, the Alhamb ra in G ra
Sevilla as its capital. nada, along with numerous
Divided into eight provinces, museums, cathedrals, castles,
Andalusia is the most populat forts, monasteries and stun
ed and the second largest of ning beaches.
the communities.
Andalusia was a wealthy and
politically influential region.
Even today the remains of its
culture and traditions can be
seen in the community's archi
tecture, language and cus
toms. The famous b ull fights
and the gypsy flamenco music
with dance are two highlights
56
Why are the Dolomites an
amazing place to see?
The Dolomites are a fasci
nating group of mountains that
lie on the eastern section of
the northern Italian Alps. It
consists of a number of majes
tic peaks out of which 1 8 rise
to more than 1 000 feet. The
Marmolada is the highest of
all, at a height of 3341 .8 metres.
The first scientific study
about the region was made by
the 1 8th century French geolo
gist Dieudonne Dolomieu . It is
from him that the mountain
range and its rock took their
name. Geologically, the range
is formed of light-coloured dol
omitic limestones. As many as
41 glaciers are seen in the
region. Most of the lower
slopes of the mountain were
once covered by thick forests,
but today only patches of
woodland remain.
The main peaks of the Dolo
mites were climbed in the
1 860s by English mountain
eers. However, the range has
witnessed major disasters
after that. In 1 963, more than
2500 people died after a land
slide occurred in the southern
Dolomites. It caused the Vaiont
Dam to overspill and flood the
village of Longarone.

Why is Mont Blanc famous?
M ont Blanc or Monte Bianco is the
highest mountain in Europe. It is
located in the Alps and lies along the
border of France and Italy, extending
to Switzerland. Ranked 1 1 th in the
world in topographic prominence, the
mountain rises to a height of 4,808
metres above the sea level.
Literally meaning 'White Mountain',
the Mont Blanc is covered for at least
1 00 square kilometres by glaciers.
The importance of the mountain
was brought before the world in the
1 8th century when P. Martel , Jean A.
Deluc and Horace Benedict de Saus
sure drew attention to it as the West
ern Europe's highest mountain, in
separate attempts. It later created an
interest among climbers.
58
Depending on the snow
cover, the height of
Mont Blanc varies each
year. There are in fact
two summits that are
situated 100 feet apart.
In 1 786, the summit
was conquered by
Michel-Gabriel Paccard
and Jacques Balmat.
Today, the region is one
of the most important
tourist centres on the
continent, and has facili
ties for winter sports as
well. The famous Mont
Blanc Tunnel is another
major attraction here.
M on t Blan c
is n ot easy t o
con qu e r...
Why is Petra tou Romiou a
famous tourist location?
P etra tou Romiou or the
Rock of the Greek is a sea
stack seen in the coastal city
Pafos in Cyprus.
What makes the formation
famous is its beauty as well as
mythological relevance. The
rock has a magnificent struc
ture with corals, seaweed and
pieces of shells on it.
According to legend, Petra
tou Romiou is situated where
the G reek goddess Aphrodite
was born. Hence, it is also
known as Aphrodite's Rock.
According to another folk sto
ry, a person who swims
around the rock is believed to
be blessed with eternal beau
ty. However, this may not be
easy, as the sea is usually
very rough making it difficult
to enter the water. Tou rists
are often advised not to swim
here. Climbing the rock is also
prohibited.
There is one more legend
associated with the Petra tou
Romiou. It says that the rock
was thrown by Basil, the leg
endary hero in the epic of
Digenes Akrites, from the
Toodos Mountains. He did this
to destroy the Arab ships that
were on the way to take over
Cyprus. The rock landed
where it is now situated.
What makes Black Forest an
amazing place to see?
T he Black Forest is a thickly
wooded mountain region in the
state of Baden-WOrttemberg,
in southwestern Germany.
The name of this region
comes from the dark-coloured
fig and pine trees present in
the region . Other than this
lushness there are many fea
tures in the area that attract
thousands of people to this
location every year. The Titi
see and the Schluchsee lakes
are two of them. They offer
opportunities for water sports
60
like diving and wind surfing for
adventure lovers. Then there
is the spa-town of Baden
Baden that is noted for the
numerous thermal baths, the
imperial town of Gengenbach
and the flower and wine village
of Sasbachwalden.
For travellers in search of
picturesque, old towns, places
like Altensteig, Dornstetten,
Freiburg im Breisgau, and
Gernsbach would be the ulti
mate options. There are as
well the former monastery of
St. Blasien, the abbeys of
Saint Trudpert that fascinate
people from all over the world.
Tell Me Why
 What makes Tuscany a place to see?

Tuscany is a region in west-central

Italy that is marked for its landscapes,
traditions, art and history. The city of
Florence is its capital. Geographical
ly, the region comprises the provinc
es of Massa-Carrara, Lucca, Pistoia,
Prato, Firenze, Livorno, Pisa, Arezzo,
Siena, and Grosseto.
There are multiple reasons why
tourists across the world prefer Tus
cany for a vacation. As a matter of
fact, it is one of the most visited plac
es in the world. For people in love
with culture, the region has much to
offer. The churches, palaces, art gal
leries, museums and villages of Tus
cany reflect its unique cultural and
artistic heritage. There are also many
Tuscany art schools which have created
famous artists, and contributed to the
Tuscany hosts some
region's nickname as the 'art palace
of the most valuable
of Italy'. Hence the place is rightly
art works in the
regarded as the birthplace of Italian
world . The marvel
Renaissance which was a major cUl
lous sculpture work
tural movement in world history.
'David ' by Michelan
gelo is exhibited in
Florence, for the
world to see.
What makes the Colosseum
an interesting site to visit?
C Olosseum, or the Flavian
Amphitheatre is a huge amphi
theater that was built in Rome
between 70 and 72 BC. It was
constructed during the rule of
Vespasian, a Roman emperor
of the Flavian dynasty. The
magnificent structure is locat
ed just east of the Palatine Hill.
The Colosseum, said to be
the biggest amphitheatre in
the entire Roman Empire,
could house around sixty thou
sand spectators. Structurally,
it was an oval or round building
that had rising levels of seats
arranged around a central
open space. This space called
the arena was meant for stag
ing entertainment, gladiator
fights etc.
However, in medieval times
the Colosseum was damaged
by lightning and earthquake. It
was also largely vandalized,
as a result of which its marble
seats and decorative materials
disappeared. The building was
subsequently used as a place
to house animals and slaves.
the Serious efforts to preserve
the majestic construction were
made only in the 1 9th century.
Why is Santorini Island a
famous tourist location?
The Santorini Island or Thera
is an island on the southern
Aegean Sea that lies about 200 kilo
metres southeast of Greece. It is part
of an archipelago of the same name,
and covers a total land area of around
90 square kilometres. The munici
pality of Santorini consists of the
inhabited islands of Santorini and
Therasia, and the uninhabited
islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia
Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana.
It has been found that Santorini is
geologically, the remaining eastern
half of an exploded volcano. There is
a central, rectangular lagoon that is
surrounded by steep cliffs on three
sides. The main part of the island
slopes downward to the sea.
Experts hold that the site of the
island has witnessed one of the larg
est volcanic eruptions in history.
Known as the Minoan eruption or the
AMAZ I N G PLAC ES TO S E E
Thera eruption, i t took
place some 3600 years
ago at the height of the
Minoan Civilization.
History goes that the
name of the island 'San
torini' had arisen in the
1 3th century, and is a
reference to Saint Irene.
Be utiful One
Prior to being called
Santorini'. the island
was known as Kalliste.
meaning 'the most
beautiful one' .
63
Why is London an amazing city to visit?

The capital city of the United Kingdom,

London is one of the oldest in the world with
a history spanning nearly two millennia. It is
the largest metropolis in Britain today, as
well as the economic, transportation, and
cultural centre of the country.
Geographically, London is situated in the
southeastern part of England, extending
across the River Thames. According to his
torians, the city was founded by the Romans
as 'Londinium'.
There are numerous reasons why the city
receives millions of visitors each year. The
biggest attractions here include places like
the royal Buckingham Palace, the British
Museum, Piccadilly Circus, the National
Gallery, Madame Tussaud's waxwork col
lection, the three great South Kensington
museums, and the Tate
Welcome galleries.
to Lond on.
There are other sites in
the metropolis that have
been recognized as
World Heritage Sites.
They are the Tower of
London, Kew Gardens,
the site comprising the
Palace of Westminster,
Westminster Abbey, and
St. Margaret's Church,
and the historic settle
ment of G reenwich.
Why is the Acropolis of Ath
ens a famous place to visit?
A thens is a historical city
and the capital of Greece that
is marked for its artistic and
intellectual heritage. There are
many sights in and around the
city that can leave a visitor
spellbound. One of them is the
Acropolis.
It is an ancient citadel or for
tress that is located on a rock
formation above Athens. His
tory records that the site was
built during the second half of
the 5th century Be as a home
to Athena, the patron goddess
of the city.
It is special, for the archaeo
logical remains of several mar
vellous buildings that once
AMAZ I N G PLAC E S TO S E E
stood here. Some of the most
important ones are the Parthe
non, the chief shrine to Athena,
the Propylaea which was the
gateway to the sacred area,
the Erechtheum, which was a
shrine to the agricultural deities
and the Temple of Athena
Nike, an architectural symbol
of harmony.
The term 'Acropolis' comes
from the Greek word meaning
'the highest point'. It is to be
noted that there are many
acropolis in Greece, but the
most significant one is the
Athenian.
Today, only remains of the
fortress can be seen at the
location. A considerable por
tion of the buildings have been
destroyed over centuries.
65
Why is Venice one amazing
site to visit?
Venice is an Italian city and a
major sea port situated across
a group of 1 1 7 small islands. It
is the capital of the Veneto
region. The city is most famous
for the beauty of its settings,
architecture and artwork. It is
also one of the oldest tourist
and cultural centres in the
world.
The name 'Venice' has been
derived from the ancient Veneti
people who lived in the region
during the 1 0th century Be.
Historically, the city was the
capital of the Republic of Ven
ice which was a prominent
maritime and financial power
during the Middle Ages and the
Renaissance Period.
Back then, the city is known
to have witnessed many impor
tant artistic movements. It was
particularly, a very i mportant
place in the history of music,
and the birthplace of the
famous Italian composer Anto
nio Lucio Vivaldi. In 1 866, the
Republic of Venice became
part of the Kingdom of Italy.
Today, the city of Venice is
one of the most important tour
ist centres. St Mark's Basilica,
the Piazza San Marco, the
Grand Canal, and the Lido di
Venezia are some of the major
tourist spots.
Why are the Tulip fields in the
Netherlands world famous?
T he massive churches and
cathedrals, prestigious muse
ums and traditional windmills
are indeed trademarks of the
Netherlands. But no discus
sion on the marvels of this
place can be complete without
tulips or Keukenhof or the bulb
districts.
It is said that every spring,
more than seven million flow
ers bloom at the Keukenhof,
including a thousand varieties
of tulips. Known as the Garden
of Europe, the Keukenhof is
the world's largest flower gar
den that covers an area of 3 1 .9
hectares. It is situated in the
Lisse town of the Netherlands.
With daffodils, croci, narcissi
and hyacinths other than tulips,
the Keukenhof is a showcase
for the Dutch flower industry.
The radiant combination of
yellow, purple, red, orange,
gold colours with heavenly
scents, offer an incomparable
spectacle for visitors.
However, the story of tulips
did not begin here. I n fact,
these flowers are not Dutch at
all . They arrived from Turkey in
the 1 590s, and became popu
lar in no time. Ever since, tulips
have been one of the biggest
attractions of the Netherlands.
There is also something
known as the Bollenstreek or
bulb districts in the country.
Here, the land is carpeted with
fields of hyacinths, daffodils,
dahlias and of course, tulips for
miles together.
Why is Angkor Wat a place to
visit?
T he Angor Wat is a Cambo
dian temple complex that
forms the largest religious
monument in the world.
Covering an area of around
1 62 hectares, it was built in the
early 1 2th century by the Khmer
King Suryavarman II in
Yasodharapura, the capital of
the Khmer Empire.
Originally, the complex was
a H indu temple dedicated to
God Vishnu, but it gradually
transformed into a Buddhist
temple towards the end of the
century. The temple is now a
symbol of Cambodia.
Literally, 'Angor Wat' means
the 'city of temples' in Khmer
68
language. The most striking
feature of the temple is its
architecture. It serves as the
best example of the Khmer
classical style. The work is a
representation of Mount Meru,
the home of the gods. The
central structure symbolizes
the five peaks of the mountain,
and the walls symbolize the
surrounding ranges and
oceans. The interiors of the
temple are decorated in a
grand manner depicting scenes
and episodes from Hindu epics.
Why are the aldlves known
as a country to be visited?
The Maldives, or the Repub
lic of Maldives is an independ
ent island nation that lies in the
Tell Me Why
 I ndian Ocean. It is made up of 1 200
coral islands and sandbanks. Male is
the capital of the archipelago, and is
the main urban centre. A quarter of
the country's population live in this
part.
Historically, the island was inhab
ited by Buddhists from Sri Lanka and
India in the 5th century BG. By the
1 1 00s, Islam was adopted and the
region was governed by the Islamic
S ultanate for centuries. During the
1 7th century, Maldives fell u nder
Dutch control, and later u nder the
British. In 1 968, the country was
made a republic and all other colo
Action Taken nial powers were removed.
Today, the Maldives is one of the
Maldives was the first
most visited tourist destinations in
country in the world to
the world. The Alimatha Island, the
hold an underwater
diving area of Manta Point, the
cabinet meeting. Held i n
N ational Museum, the Old Friday
2009, it was pa rt of the
Mosque and the historical place of
country's effort to raise
Utheemu Ganduvaru are some of
awareness on climate
the prominent places in the archipel
change.
ago.
Why is the Potala palace an
amazing location to see?
The Potala Palace is a reli
gious and administrative com
plex in Lhasa, Tibet
Autonomous Region. It is situ
ated on the Red Mountain or
Marpori, 1 30 metres above the
Lhasa River Valley.
Built in the 1 600s, the palace
was a brilliant construction with
1 3 stories containing more than
1 000 rooms, 1 0,000 shrines,
and about 200,000 statues. It
is named after Mount Potalaka
Why is the Taj Mahal an
extraordinary site to visit?
The Taj Mahal is a historical
monument that doesn't need
much introduction. It is a splen
did mausoleum complex locat
ed in the city of Agra in Uttar
Pradesh.
With a blend of Indian and
Persian styles, the structure
sets the finest example of
Mughal architecture. It is one
of the most iconic monuments
in the world, and is visited by
millions of tourists every year.
The history of the Taj Mahal
70
which was believed to be the
abode of the bodhisattva
Avalokitesvara.
According to historians, the
complex was built in the mid-
is something many of us are
familiar with. It was built by the
Mughal emperor Shah Jahan
for his wife Mumtaz Mahal who
died in 1 631 . The construction
of the building began in 1 632
and the work continued for
long 22 years. The hard work
of over 20,000 workers was
behind the completion of this
beautiful memorial. The chief
architect of the complex is
believed to be Ustad Ahmad
Lahawri.
Structurally, the Taj Mahal
has five principal elements- the
main gateway, the garden, the
Tell Me Why

1 7th century by the fifth Dalai
Lama, after being advised that
the site was ideal as a seat of
government. There are two
main parts of the palace- the
White Palace or Potrang Kar
po and the Red Palace or
Potrang Marpo. The former
was the residence of the Dalai
Lamas until 1 959.
Potrang Marpo on the other
hand is a major pilgrimage
centre devoted to religious
study and Buddhist prayer.
With numerous halls, chapels,
libraries, galleries, winding
passages and tombs, it has a
very complicated structure.
Today the Potala Palace is
one of the most important pil
grimage centres in the country.

mosque, the building of the jawab mir

roring the mosque and the tomb. Alto
gether, they are spread on an area of
1 6.9 hectares. In the interiors as well as Herculean Task
the exteriors, one can see grand deco The construction
rations using precious stones. of the Taj Mahal
began in 1632, a
year after the death
of Empress Mumtaz,
and was completed
only in 1653 .
Why is Kyoto a very popular
city?
K yoto is a city located in the
west-central part of the Hon
shu Island in Japan noted for
its history and culture. It is the
capital of the Kyoto Prefecture
of the Kansai region and forms
a major part of the Kyoto-Osa
ka-Kobe metropolitan area.
The city was once the imperial
capital of Japan for over a
thousand years. and hence, is
also called the thousand-year
capital.
Not much about the early
history of Kyoto is known. But
archaeological evidences sug
gest that human settlements in
the region began in the Paleo-
72
lithic Era. By around the 6th
century AD, the Shimogamo
Shrine was established here.
At present, Kyoto is an
important city in Japan. It is
also a major tourist place not
ed for its architecture, gardens,
and palaces. There are around
2000 religious places in Kyoto
including 1 600 Buddhist tem
ples and 400 Shinto shrines.
While the Katsura Imperial Vil
la in the suburbs of the city is
regarded as a fine architectur
al treasure, the Shugaku-in
Imperial Villa stands out as the
best garden in the country.
The city is a major centre for
the manufacturing of Kimono,
the traditional Japanese gar
ment.
Tell Me Why
What makes Phan Thiet an
amazing place?
P han Thiet is a city on the
coast in south eastern Viet
nam. It is a place that is noted
for its coastal attractions.
What primarily pull tou rists to
Phan Thiet are its beaches.
The most important ones are
Ke Ga and Tien Thanh that are
peaceful and quiet. Then,
there is the attractive Rang
beach in Ham Tien ward which
was discovered by foreigners
in 1 995, when they came there
to watch a solar eclipse.
The fairy stream of the ward
is also very popular, where a
small stream has carved a
canyon through the dunes,
AMAZ I N G PLACES TO S E E
revealing colourful layers of
sand. Together, the sandy
beaches, its clean waters and
the numerous resorts close to
them attract tou rists from all
over, for swimming and relaxa
tion.
Traditionally, the main
source of Phan Thiet's income
is fishing and related indus
tries. The place is very famous
for the manufacturing of fish
sauce. With a few hundred
residents, Hon Rom is the
most important fishing village,
in this region.
The hill that divides Mui Ne
and Hon Rom is also an inter
esting tourist location, noted
for the orange sand dunes pre
sent there.
73

Isla d " n La e
Interestingly. the moun
tainous lake of Yamdrok
has a dozen islands on
it. The largest of these
is about 3000 square
kilometres.
Why is Yamdrok Jake a
famous tourist attrac
tion?
The Yamdrok Lake, or
the Yamdrok Yumtso
Lake is a famous fresh
water lake in Tibet.
Spread over 72 kilome
tres, it is regarded as
one of the three largest
sacred lakes in the coun
try. There are numerous
small streams that feed
this water body that is
74
surrounded by beautiful snow
capped mountains.
The city of Lhasa lies a hundred kil
ometres to the northeast of Yamdrok
Yumtso and the town of Gyantse is
around 90 kilometres to its west. The
Yamdrok Hydropower station that is
set up just north of the lake, is the
largest in the country.
In addition to this, there are rea
sons why the Yamdrok Yumtso is
important to the Tibet
ans. As said earlier,
the people consider it
a sacred place with
special spiritual pow
ers. Like mountains,
lakes are also believed
to be the dwelling plac
es of protective dei
ties.
The famous Sam
ding Monastery is situ
ated on the peninsula
jutting into the lake.
Why is Mount Fuji a famous
place to visit?
M ount Fuji, or Fujiyama is
the highest mountain in Japan.
It is in fact a volcano that is
located near the Pacific Ocean
on the island of Honshu. The
symmetrical cone of the moun
tain which is mostly snow
capped is regarded as a
symbol of Japan and is often
depicted in artworks.
Originally meaning 'immor
tal', Fuji is considered to be a
sacred abode by the Japa
nese people. Along with Mount
Tate and Mount Haku, it forms
the Three Holy Mountains of
Japan. There are several
shrines and temples that sur-
round Fujiyama. It is said that
each summer, thousands of
Japanese climb the shrines as
a religious practice.
Although it has remained
dormant since the last eruption
of 1 707, the volcano of Fuji is
classified as active by geolo
gists. The actual age of the
mountain is unconfirmed. But it
is believed to have been formed
some 2.6 million years ago.
There are five important
lakes that lie on the slopes of
Mount Fuji, including the Lake
Kawaguchi that gets the
famous inverted reflection of
the mountain on its still waters
and the Lake Yamanaka, the
largest of all noted for its popu
lar resort area.
 P etra was an ancient city in the
Arab Kingdom located in what is
now the southwestern part of Jor
dan . It is noted for its historical
remains as well as architecture.
The Nabataeans, who inhabited
the land for long called the town
'Raqmu'. Today, Petra is known by
one more name, as the Rose City,
due to the colour of the stone out of
which it was carved. Historical evi
dence suggests that many of the
buildings in the town were carved
directly into rocky sandstone cliffs. In
fact, the very name of the town comes
from the Greek word meaning 'rock'.
It is believed that Petra was
established sometime in 3 1 2 BC as
the capital city of the Arab Nabatae
ans. After the Nabataeans were
defeated in civil wars, the region
witnessed Roman, and later, Islam
ic rulers. However, over the centu
ries, Petra became unknown to the
world, mainly because of the earth
quakes that damaged the city.
Petra is known to have It remained unseen until the
been named after the Swiss traveller Johann Ludwig
Greek word 'petros' Burckhardt rediscovered it in 1 81 2.
meaning 'rocks'. Today, the city is the symbol of Jor
Ryan Thomas dan that receives thousands of vis
itors each year.
76 Tell Me Why
Why is Bali so popular?
B ali is an enchanting island
in the I ndonesian province,
noted for its rich artistic tradi
tions and culture. It is located
in the westernmost part of the
Lesser Sunda Islands between
Java and Lombok. Denpasar
serves as the capital of this
beautiful place.
A considerable portion of the
Bali Island is mountainous.
The highest point is the Mount
Agung, or the Bali Peak. It is
popularly known as the 'navel of
the world'. Having some 20,000
temples and shrines, Bali is
also called the 'Island of Gods'.
One major reason why peo
ple get attracted to Bali is its
culture. With diverse art forms
like painting, sculpture, wood
carving, handcrafts, and per
forming arts, the island has
much to offer a visitor. The
performing artists here often
portray stories from Hindu epics
like the Ramayana, but with a
heavy Balinese influence.
In addition to these, there
are numerous places in the
island that attract tourists. The
centre of wood carving Klung
kung, the lively market of
Gianyar, the fine arts museum
of Ubud and the Lovina Beach
are some of the important
places here. Bali is also part of
the Coral Triangle that has a
high biodiversity of marine
species.
Why is the Sagano Bamboo forest
an amazing place to visit?

J apan is a nation blessed with

many attractions. It is a perfect
destination for people who love the On either side of the
calmness of nature as well as the roads of the Saga no
advancements of the world Bamboo Forest, there
because the country has it all- from are railings made of old,
mountains, beaches, national dry and fallen parts of
parks, temples, shrines, palaces bamboo.
and other majestic structures to . Sneha Rao
skyscrapers, high speed bullet
trains, shopping facilities, and pop
culture.
Among these numerous experi
ences, a visitor cannot miss the
Sagano Bamboo forest. On a plain
note, it is a forest cover of bamboo
trees in the Arashiyama district
close to Kyoto. For its breathtaking
beauty, Sagano has been
described as one of the most beau
tiful groves on Earth.
However, it is not just to see the
greenery that thousands of tourists
come here every year, but also to
'hear' the forest! The distinct rus
tling sound of the bamboos here is
so comforting and amazing that
the Japanese Ministry of the Envi
ronment included the Sagano
Bamboo Forest on its list of ' 1 00
soundscapes of Japan'.
Why is the Great Wall of China
an important location to visit?
The G reat Wall of China, as
most of us know, is one of the
largest engineering and build
ing projects ever carried out in
the world. It was originally built
as a defensive system against
invasion and attacks, but is
now one of the biggest tou rist
attractions.
Structurally, the wall is made
up of numerous walls con
structed over two millennia,
across northern China and
southern Mongolia.
History goes that in the 7th
century BC, the state of Chu
began to construct a permanent
defensive system which was
called the Square Wall. Between
the 6th and the 4th centuries, oth
er states too followed the trend.
Later in the 3rd century BC,
Emperor Shihuangdi of the Qin
dynasty connected a number
of walls into a single system.
The most extensive part of
the Wall runs for 8850 kilome
tres, from Mount Hu to Jiayu
Pass. The wall, with all of its
branches measure out to be
21 , 1 96 kilometres!
 Public Square
The Registan was a pub
lic square in the ancient
c ity of Samarkand where
royal proclamations as
well as public execu
tions were carried out.
Why is Samarkand con
sidered as a place that
must be explored?
S amarkand is one of
the oldest cities of Cen
tral Asia that is now part
of the modern-day
Uzbekistan. In the 4th
century BC, the place
was known as Maracan
da. It was also the for
mer capital of Sogdiana.
The history of Samar
kand suggests that the
city was conquered
many times. In 329 BC,
Alexander the Great
80
took control over the city. Later it
passed under the control of the Ira
nian, Persian and Turkish peoples,
until it was conquered by the Mongol
Emperor Genghis Khan in 1 220.
Since the beginning Samarkand had
been a very important place because
of its location on the Silk Road trade
route that connected China with the
West.
What makes Samarkand an inter
national destination is its cultural
heritage. It is as well a prominent
Islamic centre for scholarly studies.
There are many attractive mosques,
madrassas and mausoleum in and
around the city that were built by
Tamerlane.
Tell Me Why
 Besides, the traditions of
ancient crafts like embroidery,
silk weaving, engraving, carv
ing and painting on wood are
also successfully preserved in
Samarkand.
What makes painted mountain
an amazing site?
M ountains are always a fas
cinating sight. Be it covered
with pure white snow or, thick
green forests. or dry
brown rocks, they remain a
wonder to human eyes. But
have you ever thought about
how they would look with all
the radiant colours in the world
coming together? Such a sight
would be nothing less than a
visual feast! And that is exactly
what the Rainbow Mountains
in China is.
Located within the Zhangye
Oanxia Landform Geological
Park, the colourful mountains
are considered to be a geolog
ical wonder. They appear in a
wide variety of colours, making
the site look like a rainbow
capped mountain range.
The national park is situated
in the Gansu province in the
country's northwestern region.
It is believed that the colourful
mountains here are sand
stones and siltstones that were
deposited millions of years
ago, even before the Himala
yas were formed . Along with
the sand and silt, i ron and
trace minerals were deposited
too. In the course of time, this
resulted in the formation of
multiple colours.
I want
to paint a
m ountain ...
 Up to the Sky
With some terraces
located as high as 4000
metres above the sea
level, the Banaue Rice
Terraces may look like a
giant's step, stretching
towards the sky.
Interestingly, the terraces were
built largely by hand, using minimal
Why is it said that the equipment. They are located
Banaue Rice Terraces are approximately 1 524 metres above
an amazing site? the sea level and cover an area of
1 0,360 square kilometres.
T he Banaue rice terrac An ancient irrigation system from
es are the world-famous the rainforests situated above the
terraces carved into the terraces is what feeds the crops. A
mountains of Ifugao in the popular saying in the region is that
Philippines. It is believed if the steps were put end to end, it would
that these 'steps' were set form a circle at least half the diam-
up by the ancestors of the
indigenous people, some
2000 years ago.
The construction of the
terraces is so perfect that
they are often regarded as
the 'Eighth Wonder of the
World'. It also reflects the
skills and knowledge of
the Ifugaos people that
have been passed down
the generations.
82

eter of the globe! I n short, the
terraces are so attractive that
each year thousands of people
from across the globe visit the
site just to enjoy this marvel.
What makes Hong Kong such a
popular city?
H ong Kong, is an autono
mous territory that is located on
the southeastern coast of Chi-
na. It consists of Hong Kong
Island, the southern part of
the Kowloon Peninsula and
the New Territories.
The region plays an impor
tant role in terms of economy,
manufacturing, politics, tech
nology as well as tourism. It is
also renowned for its deep
natural harbour, which ena
bles easy access by interna
tional cargo ships,
Historically, Hong Kong
was a British colony from the
mid-1 9th century till the Sec
ond World War. Then in 1 945,
control was taken over by
Japan. In 1 984, the Sino-Brit
ish Joint Declaration was
made following which Hong
Kong became a special
administrative region in 1 997.
The economy of Hong Kong
depends largely on imports
of raw materials, food, fuel
and other consumer prod
ucts.
Every year it receives a
large number of business
and tourist travellers. One of
the major attractions here is
the Hong Kong Disneyland, a
theme park based on the
original Disneyland in Cali
fornia.
83
Why is Bhaktapur an interest and temples. The very mean
ing site to visit? ing of the word 'Bhaktapur' is
'the city of devotees'.
B haktapur or Bhatgaon is an There are many sites in the
ancient city in the Nepal Val city that have stood the test of
ley, southeast of Kathmandu. time. They include the old pal
It has played a very important ace in Durbar Square built in
role in history as the largest of 1 700 and the copper-gilt figure
the three Newar kingdoms of of King Bhupatindra Malia
the Kathmandu Valley, and as nearby.
the capital of Nepal during the
great 'Malia Kingdom'. Even
today the city is one of the larg
est in the valley.
Believed to have been found
ed in AD 865 by Raja Ananda
Malia, Bhaktapur remained a
major settlement for 200 years.
It is marked with rich palaces
84
Why i the Sea of Galile an
amazing location to see?
Q Uite unlike what its name
suggests, the Sea of Galilee is
a freshwater lake in Israel. It is
very large and covers a total
area of 1 66 square kilometres.
I nterestingly, the water level in
the lake is far below sea level.
This makes Galilee the lowest
freshwater lake on the Earth,
and the second-lowest lake in
the world after the Dead Sea.
The main source of the lake is
the Jordan River.
Although there are geo
graphical peculiarities, the Sea
of Galilee is most famous for
its religious significance. It
plays an important role in
Christianity as it was the scene
of many episodes in the life of
Jesus Christ, including his
Sermon on the Mount at where
he first taught the Lord's
Prayer.
It was also the site of the first
Jewish kibbutz settlement
Deganya, established in 1 909.
Throughout the history, the
lake has been called by differ
ent names. In the Old Testa
ment it appeared as the 'Sea
of Kinneret'.
As it is a beautiful religious
site, there are pilgrims as well
as tourists visiting the region
for most parts of the year.
The hiking trail called Jesus
Trail is one major attraction
here. Another is the site
where the lake flows into the
Jordan River.
Why are the Batu caves
famous?

O ne of the most popular Hin

du shrines outside India, the
Batu caves are a series of caves
and cave temples in the Gom
bak district of Malaysia. It is a
limestone hill that takes its name
from the Sungai Batu or the
Stone R iver flowing close to it.
The shrine is dedicated to Lord
Muruga.
What makes Batu special is
that it is one of the four shrines
of Lord Muruga in the country.
The others are Kallumalai Temple
in Ipoh, Tanneermalai Temple in
Penang and the Sannasimalai
Temple in Malacca.
Historical evidences suggest
that the caves are at least 400
million years old. Their entranc
es were known to have been
used as shelter by the indige The Tallest
nous people.
The world's tallest statue of
The Batu cave complex com
lord Muruga is situated in
prises of three main caves and
the Batu Caves. It was made up
a few smaller ones. The Temple
of 250 tonnes of steel bar, 1550
cave is the biggest that features
cubic metres of concrete, and
highly decorated shrines. To
300 litres of gold paint,
reach the site one has to climb
purchased from Thailand.
272 steep steps. The Art Gal
Devnath
lery Cave and Museum Cave
are the other two.
86 Tell Me Why
 Why is Railay visited by so many?
r T he Railay or the Rai Leh is
known to the world for its serene
beaches and majestic cliffs. It is a
small peninsula that lies between
the city of Krabi and Ao Nang in
Thailand.
The limestone cliffs here are so
high and extensive that they cut
the area off the mainland access.
Hence the only way to reach this
beautiful destination is by boat.
This peculiar aspect has, in turn,
fascinated rock climbers and
tourists from all over the world .
Geographically, Railay is divid
ed into four main areas- Phra
Nang, West Railay, East Railay,
and Ton Sai. Among these, the
beaches of the East Railay is the
point where boats from Krabi
arrive.
The West Railay is the primary
destination for beach-goers. It
has high limestone cliffs on either
side, as well as long walking
streets lined with restaurants and
shops. This area is connected to
the east side by several trails
through the jungle. There are tra
ditional long-tailed boats availa
ble here for transportation to
other parts of the island.
What makes Bagan an amazing
place to visit?

B agan is an ancient city that is

now part of the Mandalay Region
of Myanmar. Between the 9th
and 1 3th centuries, it served as
the capital of the Kingdom of
Pagan, which was the first to
unify the regions that constitute
the modern day Myanmar.
At its best, there were more
than 1 0,000 Buddhist temples,
pagodas and monasteries con
structed in the Bagan plains.
Out of these, remains of over
2200 temples and pagodas still
survive.
Ever since, it was noted for
religious structures with magnifi
cent architecture. There are two
kinds of Bagan temples- the stu
pa-style solid temple and the gu
style hollow temple. The Bupaya
Pagoda, the Gawdawpalin Tem
ple and the Lawkananda Pago
da are some of the best
examples of Bagan contribution
to temple designs.
Another major attraction in the
city is the Bagan Archaeological
Museum that houses a number
of rare Bagan period objects
including the original Myazedi
inscriptions in AD 1 1 1 3.
88

Rival to Angkor Wat
As far as the tourist inflow
is concerned the Bagan
Archaeological Zone poses
a stiff competition to the
Angor Wat in Cambodia.
What makes Guilin one attractive
city?
G uilin or Kweilin is a city that
lies in the northeast of China's
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous
Region. Situated on the west
bank of the Li River, it is noted for
its breathtaking beauty and tourist
inflow. The place has a large
number of fragrant sweet osman
thus trees in and around, due to
which it gained the present name
meaning 'forest of sweet osman
thus'.
Historically, Guilin has been an
important centre of trade and
administration for long because of
its location on an agriculturally
rich valley floor. At first it was a
handicraft centre.
Then, in the early 20th century,
the economy of the city centred
around a thermal power plant and
textile mills. However, after this,
the city saw an expansion with
industries related to electronics,
medicine etc. coming up.
Today, the economy of Guilin is
largely dependent on tourism. It is
blessed with fantastic mountains
and hills like the Kitten Mountain,
and the Elephant Trunk Hill that
have since long been depicted in
Chinese artworks.
89
 War Time
During the World War I I ,
Why is Bora Bora said to be an amaz Bora Bora was chosen
ing place? by the US as its supply

B ora
outpost for the South
Bora is a striking volcanic Pacific fleet. Subse-

island part of the Leeward group in quently, the island acted

the Society Islands of French Poly
nesia. Surrounded by a lagoon and
coral reefs, it lies in the central South
Pacific Ocean. The earliest name of
the island is known to have been
'Pora pora mai te pora', meaning
'created by the gods' in the local
Tahitian dialect. It later became 'Bora
Bora'.
Historically, the island was inhab
ited by Polynesian people sometime
in the 4th century Be . It gained
global attention only in the 1 8th
century when the Dutch adm i ral
Jacob Roggeveen spotted it in
90
as an oil depot, airstrip,
and seaplane base.
1 722. I n the late 1 9th
century, Bora Bora was
annexed by France.
In terms of its geogra
phy, the settlement of
Vaitape lies on the west
ern side of the main
island. In the central
region, there are two
peaks rising from an
extinct volcano. They
Tell Me Why
 Why is the Great Barrier Reef one of
Australia's famous attractions?

T he Great Barrier Reef is the long

est and the largest reef system in the
world. It is a complex of coral reefs,
shoals and small islands in the Pacif
ic Ocean, located off the northeast
ern coast of Australia. Roughly
covering an area of 350,000 square
kilometres the reef is one of the larg
est structures ever built by living
creatures. Tiny organisms called
coral polyps work behind the com
position of this wonderful marine
are the Mount Pahia and system.
the Mount Otemanu . Interestingly, there are many other
Other than these, the forms of life supported by the Great
island offers much more Barrier Reef. This includes around
to visiting tourists. 300 species of hard coral as well as
anemones, sponges, worms, gas
tropods, lobsters, crayfish, prawns,
crabs, and a great variety of fishes
and birds. Historical evidences sug
gest that the reef has also been
important for humans, especially the
Aboriginal Australian and Torres
Strait Islander peoples. They have
been living in the region for thou
sands of years and the reef is part of
their culture.
 Historically. Sydney
harbour is a drowned
river estuary carved out
of sandstone about 29
million years ago.
What is Sydney Harbour
famous for?
T he Sydney Harbour
of Australia is a water
way known to the world
for its striking scenery
and environment. It is
one of the favourite des
tinations of people who
love swimming, sailing,
yachting, kayaking and
diving. With over hun
dred kilometres of shore
lines, natural parks and
92
historical sites surrounding, this nat
ural harbour is a trademark of the city
of Sydney.
The renowned Sydney Harbour
Bridge and the performing art centre
of Sydney Opera House lie close to
the harbour. There are other amaz
ing islands as well nearby, including
the Fort Denison, Shark Island, Clark
Island, Rodd Island, Goat Island and
Cockatoo Islands.
Going by h istorical evidence,
one can perceive that Sydney Har
bour had a considerable role d u r
ing the Second World War. It was
related to the construction of the
Sydney Harbour anti-submarine
boom net in 1 942 as a measure to
p rotect the harbo u r from subma
rine attack.
Tell M e Why
 the arid centre of the Western Pla
teau and its semi arid northern plains
where water bodies are scattered
and sometimes dry. Such places are
important in terms of environment as
well as tourism.
Historically, even the driest remote
regions have been inhabited by indig
enous Australians for around 50,000
years. As a result, such areas have
become part of the Australian herit
age, history and folklore.
Today, the Outback is regarded as
the largest remaining, intact natural
area on Earth . The MacDonnell
What makes Australian Ranges, the town of Birdsville, the
Outback an interesting Katherine Gorge, Uluru and the Dev
place to visit? ii's Marbles are some of the popular
tourist attractions in the country's
A ny inland area that Outback. Many animals like red kan
lies far from large, pop garoos and dingoes that are well
ulated centres is called adapted to the climatic conditions can
an Outback in Australia. be seen in the regions.
It usually refers to the Livestock grazing, or pastoralism,
semiarid inland areas of using cattle and sheep form the larg
eastern Australia and est industry across the Outback.
Why is Tasmania one place to visit?
T he smallest of the Australian
states, Tasmania is famous across
the world as a 'natural state' with
about 45 per cent of its area lying in
reserves, national parks and World
Heritage Sites. Geographically, this
island is located 240 kilometres to
and coastal scenery. At
a height of 1 ,6 1 7 metres,
Mount Ossa is the high
est peak on the island. It
stands proudly in the
Cradle Mountain-Lake
St Clair National Park
which is part of the Tas
manian Wilderness

the south of the Australian mainland, World Heritage Area that

and has its capital in Hobart. It preserves all the nation
encompasses the main island of al parks and reserves in
Tasmania, and 334 islands sur the state.
rou nding it.
Historical evidences show that the
name 'Tasmania' comes from Abel
Janszoon Tasman, the Dutch explor
er who happened to be the first Euro
pean to discover the island.
Today, Tasmania is most famous
for its spectacular mountains, lakes
94
 What makes the Mamanuca
Islands a place to see?

T he Mamanuca Islands
The Monuriki island of
are a group of volcanic
Mamanuca was the main
islands in Fiji that lie to the
location for the block
west of Nadi and south of the
buster film 'Cast Away'
Yasawa Islands. Altogether
released in 2000.
the archipelago consists of
20 beautiful islands out of
which only a few are inhabit
ed.
What makes the Mamanu
ca Island cluster a popular
tourist destination is its
coastal beauty. The sandy
beaches, live coral reefs,
and the crystal clear water
together offer an amazing
experience to the visitors of
this serene archipelago.
In addition, one can also
engage in activities like
swimming, diving, surfing
and snorkel ling in the waters
here.
The Namotu Island noted
for lUXUry resorts, the Planta
tion Island or Maiolo Lailai
that offer water sports and
the Castaway Island, or Oal
ito are some of the major
tourist sites in Mamanuca.
 Here.s a contest for our readers.
Can you identify the castle shown below, which
was made famous by a classic horror novel?
All you need to do is send us an e-mail, naming the
castle. (PI f , [ GI r ' " L 01 I [' AL',0
THE E MIIIL) You are also welcome to send your
answers by post. Ten winners will be awarded
prizes. In case there are more than ten correct
entries, the winners will be chosen by lot.

If you are sending your entry by post, Our e-mail address:

superscribe this on your envelope. childrensdivision@mmp.in
M.M. Publications ltd., Please enter CASTLE CONTEST
P.B. No. 226, Kottayam, Kerala, INDIA. Pin - 686 001. in the subject line of your email.

96 Tell Me Why

Question sent by:
Arjun Madhav on e-mail
Send us your questions
E mail: tellmewhy@mmp.in
AMAZ I N G P LAC E S TO S E E
Can we make plastic disappear?
'No' would be the obvious answer,
because that is the basic problem with
plastic. We use it, then throw it away
and cause environmental pollution.
But wait- there's some good news
from Japan which may end this men
ace once and forever. Scientists in
Japan have discovered a species of
bacteria named Ideonella sakaiensis
that eat plastic! The species fully
breaks down one of the most common
kinds of plastic called Polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) . It's the type often
used to package bottled drinks, cos
metics and household cleaners. This
could be a major step in reducing
plastic pollution. Isn't it amazing?
97
 STORY OF
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MANORAMA TELL M E WHY AMAZING PLACES TO SEE

Chief Editor: Ammu Mathew Editor-in-Charge: A.V. Harisanker

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98 Tell Me Why