Rio de Janeiro
Posted by admin at Jun 17th, 2008 in Brazil, South America
Nearly five hundred years have seen RIO DE JANEIRO transformed from a fortified outpost on the rim of an unknown continent into one of the world's great cities. Its recorded past is tied exclusively to the legacy of the colonialism on which it was founded. No lasting vestige survives of the civilization of the Tamoios people, who inhabited the land before the Portuguese arrived, and the city's history effectively begins on January 1, 1502, when a Portuguese captain, André Gonçalves, steered his craft into Guanabara Bay, thinking he was heading into the mouth of a great river.
The Cusco Valley and the Incas are synonymous in most people's minds, but the area was populated well before they arrived on the scene and they simply built their empire on the toil and ingenuity of generations of previous cultures. The Killki culture, for instance, whose members learned to work the hard diorite and andesite stones that abound here and, although primarily agriculturists, built stone structures, dominated the scene around 700-800 AD. Some of these structures still survive, while others were incorporated into later Inca constructions - the sun temple of Koricancha, for example, seems to have been built on the foundations a Killki sun temple. Early Inca pots, too, are stylistically close to Killki-produced items, while classical Inca pots demonstrate strong similarities to ceramics produced around 1000 AD by the Lucre culture, whose main site was at Choquepugio, 35km from modern Cusco. 
Bangkok’s chief attraction includes the stunning Wat Phra Kaeo (also known as the Emerald Buddha Chapel) and Grand Palace complex, the Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), Vimanmek Palace, the world’s biggest golden teak building and the Pasteur Institute Snake’s Farm where some of the most deadly snakes are “milked” to make invaluable serum. The Suan Pakkand Palace houses a lacquer pavilion which is festooned with medieval gold leaf murals a must see for travelers to the area. Thailand has made an amazing recovery since the 2004 tsunami. However those wishing to travel to the ravaged areas should check with the tour operators or the embassy for the latest information.
Chinese civilization has its roots in Shaanxi and Henan provinces where the Huang He, or Yellow River, winds around the fertile valley. The Han Chinese moved to and settled the area during the 3rd century BC. Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, lies just a few miles to the west of the convergence of the Wei and Huang He rivers. It was Emperor Qin who finally unified all of the warring clans into a potent and unified nation. Emperor Qin’s tomb lies about twenty miles east of the city and is an astonishing precinct to visit and explore. This is the area of a very interesting find. The tomb of Qin contains a terracotta army that was accidentally discovered by peasants who were digging a new well back in 1974. Modern buildings now cover these treasures, which provide a protected environment for them.
If sleep is not a high on your list of things to do, the Caribbean islands are for you. Spending the day on the beach in the sun and the night at a dance club can take its toll on many, but in the Caribbean, going to bed in the wee hours of the morning is the norm for many travelers. If you are interested in trying out your luck, you’ll want to make a trip to one of the many available casinos. The main sources of adult entertainment in the region are, drinking, gambling, and dancing. Generally speaking, these three activities go hand in hand.
From dinosaur bones to volcanoes, Mexico is famous for its natural wonders, beauty and antique look and feel. Mexico is a large country with a variety of landscapes that make it a paradise for travelers and locals alike. Mexico is home to large industrialized cities, high class resorts, and ancient ruins. This blend of the old and new, intertwined with natural surroundings is what gives Mexico its charm. Some of the most visited tourist attractions in Mexico consist of the Frida Kahlo Museum, which is a museum that displays the life work of Frida Kahlo, who is a famous artist of the 20th century. Another is Zocalo, which is a plaza that is open to the public and which happens to be one of the largest in the world. Cancun a Mayan is an ecological park that is widely popular. And of course you wouldn’t want to miss the Billy the Kid Museum, or the Caelsbad Caverns, which are home to some of the largest caves in Mexico and in the world.
In Chili’s capital city, Santiago, a person can ski in the Andes at day break, and then head over to Vina Del Mar for a bout of snorkeling and go swimming in the clear blue waters along the shore. If you were to go to Parque Metropolitano you could enjoy a wonderful botanical garden, a zoo, and a lovely view of the entire city. A wonderful tourist spot lay in the vicinity of the northern border with Peru in the city, Arica. It’s famed for its pristine beaches and the splendid San Marcos Cathedral. This is also a great spot for fishing enthusiasts. Interestingly, a person can visit salt marshes, and a unique and inviting landscape that even has volcanoes. All of this can be found in Alstiplano that along with various lakes resides at the top of a 12,000 ft plateau. This plateau is also the home of the Aymara Indians, an indigenous tribe. The unique alpaca and llama can be seen in this area in large numbers.
