The 'Wedded Rocks' The 'Wedded Rocks' (Meoto-Iwa) or 'Husband and Wife Rocks' are named after two Japanese Shinto deities, Izanagi and Izanami. Representing their enduring union is a heavy rope of rice straw, or shimenawa, which joins them.  The City of Palmyra In third century BC, this Aramaic oasis in south-central Syria was a bustling caravan city for travelers. Palmyra means 'City of Palm Trees' and is said to have been built by King Solomon.  Moai Stone Statues on Easter Island The islanders call them Moai, but little else is known about these massive sculpted heads that rim the outer slopes of Easter Island. The Moai stand with their backs to the sea and are believed to be ancestors to the current inhabitants, the Rapa Nui. It's estimated that these heads date back to 1000 AD.  Cordillera Real Mountaineering Hut Some say Bolivia's Andean trekking routes rival the beauty of the Himalayas. The Cordillera Real or 'The Royal Mountains,' (so named in the 1600s by invading Spanish Conquistadors) are home to the indigenous Aymara people. Nowadays, this mountain range attracts climbers from all corners of the globe.  Kintai Bridge of Iwakuni Imagine this wooden foot bridge in Iwakuni, Japan, surrounded by blossoming cherry trees. Now try to imagine how this bridge was built in 1673 AD without a single nail.  The Royal Ontario Museum The Michael Lee-Chin Crystal Building in Toronto, Ontario, is considered one of the world's architectural marvels and home to the Royal Ontario Museum. The exterior is 20 percent glass and constructed from 3,500 tons of steel, 38 tons of bolts, 9,000 cubic meters of cement.  The Bridge of 33 Arches Commissioned in 1602 during the reign of Shah Abbas I, this arched bridge is one of eleven such bridges in Isfahan, Iran. The Si-o-Seh Pol means 'Bridge of 33 Arches' and was built utilizing pontoons during a time when the Persian Empire was one of the most powerful in the world.  The Hanging Monastery The Hanging Monastery in China's Jinlong Canyon was founded during the Northern Wei period from 386 to 584 AD. The monastery houses statues dedicated to the founders of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.  The Treasury in Petra Although it is called the Treasury, this pink sandstone facade from the first century AD never was one. Archaeologists believe this was the entrance to a great temple. Regardless of intent, the founders of Petra were ingenious and creative builders who developed a thriving desert metropolis and advanced hydraulic engineering systems, including methods for water conservation. A decline in trade routes and a number of devastating earthquakes decimated the city 1,500 years ago.  The Falkirk Wheel There's only one place in the world to find a rotating boat lift. Decades after a series of locks and canals in Scotland fell into disrepair, the Falkirk Wheel was born. Through a system of large rotating wheels, boats are hoisted into the air from one canal, and then deposited into another. One of the main architects of the final design used Legos to model his concept.  Email me |
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