Thursday, May 15, 2014

Capilla de Marmol- Patagonia, Chile



After a boat ride through some bump and icy waters, you will arrive at the Capillas de Marmol in Chile, which is and elevated cliff coming out the water created by erosion of crashing waves over a span of 300 million years. The erosion has carved 'holes' out and has polished the limestone with white marble. There are also shades of grey, blue, and pink in the rocks because of quartz impurities, and they're referred to as the 'marble chapels.'

The white marble walls reflect the blue lake water which causes an intense color change depending on the tide, or the season.

The boat will bring you up to the marble so you can touch it, and sometimes even to an area where you can stand and take pictures. 









Illuminated Caves- Okinawa, Japan


The Gyokusendo cave is one of the biggest Caves in Okinawa at about 3 miles long. The cave's wall are made up of limestone deep under the earth with thousands of fragile stalactites (sharp stone obstacles) hanging from the walls. Just a shout or whistle could cause all the stalactites to come crashing down. The cave is approximately 300,000 years old, so visitors must be careful and can only go about a mile into the cave. The biggest attraction in the cave is the river that runs along the pathway. Colored lights are used to achieve an illuminated effect. There's actually a wide range of interesting displays of pools and waterfalls.  The cave's  clear water, you can see beautiful coral reefs, endless amounts of tropical fish. Okinawa even offers scuba diving tours in a variety of spots around the area.  



Underwater lighting






  








Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Vettica- Campania, Italy

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful and impressive places in Italy. The village of Vettica Maggiore is perched above the sparkling turquoise-blue and purple sea; pictures will show you exactly why it deserves its UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Just a few kilometers down, a 'Music on the Rocks' concert it hosted for people who want to have a great time and enjoy dancing to music.  
Obvioulsy, even just laying on the white
sand beaches is an unreal and relaxing
sight. Swimming in the clear waters will
be a must, and you can even wander to
find beautiful swimming holes.




Hotel La Montana Magica, Hulio Chile

If you're looking for an exotic and cozy get away, the Hotel La Montana Magica in Hulio, Chile is a perfect rainforest adventure. The hotel 'erupts' every day, sending water running down the outside of the 13-room guest house. The Chilean retreat is accessible only by foot and guests must use a swinging rope bridge to cross onto the property

The hotel offers many exciting activites such as, mini golfing in the rainforest, hiking, and zip lining. The zip line is actually the longest zip line in South America and is 1500 feet off the ground. There are also relaxing hot tubs carved out of huge tree trunks!

Hotel La Montana is a must see and unique destination. It is built in the middle of a biosphere and is even declared as a national heritage by UNESCO.
                                                                         
                                                                                           

Beachy Head, England



Beachy Head is a porminent headland on the English Channel coast. Miles of chalk sea cliffs overlook the ocean, with the highest cliff at 530 feet! There's also a famous red and white striped tower lighthouse that sits at the base of the cliff. At high tide, it's beautifully surrounded by water.



The chalk of the cliffs was formed over a 30 million year period when the whole area was under the sea. For those interested in discovering fossils, a diverse range of them can be found within the white chalk like echinoids, brachiopods, gastropods and bryozoans.

The Beachy Head cliffs are also somewhat spiritual, as a very popular spot for sucide. Hundreds of deaths occur each year from these cliffs.

Beachy Head is truly a special place that everyone should visit.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Salar De Uyuni, Bolivia


In a desolate desert in the southwest area of Bolivia is is 3,800 square mile sheet of salt. Essentially they're hexagonal crystals, which are made up by the crystalline nature of the salt. This unbelievable adventure is only achievable during the salt desert's wet season; it is transformed into a lake that is deep enough for a truck or boat to make their way across- being only 6 to 26 inches deep. This shallow lake flawlessly reflects the sky, causing an illusion of an infinite sky when looking both up and down. The sight is said to be especially amazing at night when the stars are out! 





https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/americas-south-america/Bolivia/salar-de-uyuni-tour-3f464a3e-ce1f-43f5-a857-f897b01c5d29?page=1 is a great website that informs you all about visiting and taking organized tours- the Q and A section is very helpful and makes the adventure a more realistic possibility :)


Thursday, April 3, 2014

Pamukkale, Turkey

The natural wonders of the "Cottoncastle" in Pamukkale are truly a must-see sight. Huge stalactites, cascades, and mineral baths have formed along the the pure, white mountain side. These thermal hot springs have been bathed in since the time of the ancient Romans- used for their amazing therapeutic healing powers. 
For thousands of years a deep underground spring has been pouring out streams of hot, mineral-saturated water. As it has flowed down the mountainside, the steaming water has hollowed gigantic pool-like basins in the earth. The water's rich mineral content has coated the basins with a smooth layer of cotton-white rock.