Phoebettmh Travel

(Ireland) –10 things to do and see near the Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher (Irish: Aillte an Mhothair, lit. cliffs of the ruin, also known as the Cliffs of Mohair) are located in the parish of Liscannor at the south-western edge of the Burren area near Doolin, which is located in County Clare, Ireland.

(Ireland) –Cliffs of Moher

The cliffs rise 120 meters (390 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head (Irish: Ceann na Cailleach), and reach their maximum height of 214 meters (702 ft) just north of O'Brien's Tower, eight kilometres away. The views from the cliffs attract close to one million visitors per year. On a clear day, the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay, as are the valleys and hills of Connemara.

(Ireland) –Cliffs of Moher

O'Brien's Tower is a round stone tower at the approximate midpoint of the cliffs. It was built by Sir Cornelius O'Brien, a descendant of Ireland's High King Brian Boru, in order to impress female visitors. From atop that watchtower, visitors can view the Aran Islands and Galway Bay, the Maum Turk Mountains and the Twelve Pins to the north in Connemara, and Loop Head to the south.

The Cliffs of Moher rank as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland and topped the list of attractions in 2006 by drawing almost one million visitors. 10 things to do and see near the Cliffs of Moher:

(Ireland) –Cliffs of Moher

1. Atlantis take a bracing walk along the cliff tops, try and spot or hear the fabled bells of Irelands very own lost city of Atlantis.

2. St Brigid’s well about 2 miles south of the cliffs on the right beside the O'Brien monument is a very famous holy well, and a revered place of pilgrimage every spring on Feb 1st.

(Ireland) - Cliffs of Moher Cruise

3. Vaughans Restaurant stop for something to eat in the little seaside village of Liscannor, superb food served all day in a traditional pub atmosphere, excellent pints & deserts!

4. Lahinch Seaworld great rainy day alternative, Irelands biggest aquariam, indoor pool and leisure centre.

5. Atlantic Hotel a truly elegant throw back to the glamourous days of seaside holidays, fine dining, white linen tablecloths, silver candlesticks, need I say more?

6. Lahinch Surf School run by the guys who made the video, learn how to surf like a pro! all ages, all stages, be bold, be brave....be careful!

7. Cliffs of Moher Cruise take a scenic boat tour along the base of the cliffs, out of Doolin to see the puffin colonies, this is really great and fun to do with plenty of excellent photo opportunities for the snap happy.

8. O'Connors Pub in Doolin, on the go since 1832, famous throughout Ireland and even the world for traditional Irish music sessions or seisuins as they are known as gaelige. Their beef in Guinness stew is not half bad either?

9. Doolin Cave see the largest stalactite in the northern hemisphere, great Indiana Jones style adventure. have been for a ride on the Happy Hooker.

10. Ballinalackin Castle Hotel have a posh dinner, or stay in this superb country house hotel with the best breakfast sausages in Ireland.

Food, Hotel and more

1. Cullinans Seafood Restaurant fast making a name for themselves as one of the best fish restaurants in the West!

2. Aille River Hostel Awarded 2nd Best Hostel in Ireland 2009

3. Irish Music Shop a treasure trove for music lovers with rare sheet music as well as instruments.

(Ireland) - Doolin Cave

4. Doolin Jam Company drop in and treat yourself to the best homemade jams in Ireland which come in tempting flavours like champagne&raspberry, port&blackcurrant, whiskey marmalade...

5. Doolin Hotel contemporary cool in a rural landscape.

6. Lehinch Golf Links reputedly another one of Tiger Woods favourites

7. Orbital Winds Kite surfing school for the ultimate adrenalin rush.

8. The Lahinch Bookshop enjoys the rare & delicious treat of browsing through real books not an online catalogue in this well stocked bookshop.

9. Burren Smokehouse helps yourself to free samples of premium oak smoked salmon & other artisan food goodies in Lisdoonvarna.

10. Doolin Cave or Poll an Iolain, saving the best till last! This is the ‘real deal’ a supervised geological experience

(Wiki, Irelands Hidden Gems)

(Poland) – Welcome to Masurian Lake District

The Masurian Lake District or Masurian Lakeland (Polish: Pojezierze Mazurskie; German: Masurische Seenplatte) is a lake district in northeastern Poland within the geographical region of Masuria. It contains more than 2,000 lakes. The district had been elected as one of the 28 finalists of the New7Wonders of Nature.

(Poland) – Masurian Lake District

The Lakeland extends roughly 290 km (180 mi) eastwards from the lower Vistula River to the Poland-Lithuania border, and occupies an area of roughly 52,000 square kilometres (20,000 sq mi). Administratively, the Lake District lies within the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. Small parts of the district lie within the Masovian and Podlaskie Voivodeships.

(Poland) – Masurian Lake District

The lakes are well connected by rivers and canals, forming an extensive system of waterways. The 18th-century Masurian Canal links this system to the Baltic Sea. The whole area is a prime tourist destination, frequented by boating enthusiasts, canoeists, anglers, hikers, bikers and nature-lovers. It is one of the most famous lake districts in Central Europe and a popular vacation spot, with the highest number of visitors every year.

How to get there

The Masurian Lakeland can be reached by air, train, bus, or car.

- The nearby international airports are in Warsaw, Gdańsk, and Vilnius.

- The main transport hub in the region is the town of Ełk. There are trains to Masuria from Warsaw, Gdańsk and Vilnius, and buses from many Polish cities.

- A boat service connects some central towns in the region. Biking and boating are popular ways to get around.

(Poland) – Masurian Lake District

Hotels can be found in close proximity to the Great Masurian Lakes, in towns of Giżycko, Mikołajki and Ełk among others. There are also guesthouses and campsites in surrounding villages.

Sights and Activities

Masuria is famous for its lakes and forests, offering a wide range of outdoor activities from sailing to kayaking and swimming. The region includes the largest lake in Poland called Śniardwy. The resort towns include the most popular Giżycko and Mikołajki, Węgorzewo, Ryn, Pisz and Iława. Giżycko is located on the shore of Lake Niegocin. It has an ancient fortress, historic church, bridges, and passenger boats to the towns of Węgorzewo, Mikołajki and Ruciane-Nida.

(Poland) - Masurian Lake District - Lake Śniardwy

The town of Mikołajki is a popular tourism center. In addition to lakes, the Masurian region also has many rivers used for fly fishing, and forest areas that offer many trails for trekking and biking. There is also a variety of wildlife, edible berries and mushrooms, and large protected areas, including the Masurian Landscape Park that includes 11 nature reserves such as the Łuknajno Lake that is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, or the Białowieża Forest with a breeding station for European Bisons.

(Wiki)

(Germany) - Black Forest (Schwarzwald) – Home of the cuckoo clock

The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) is one of Germany’s oldest and most popular holiday regions and even people who aren’t familiar with the region know that it’s the home of the cuckoo clock, have enjoyed its famous Black Forest cake and heard of some old myths and legends of sorcerers, witches and werewolves that supposedly lurk in the dark forests.

(Germany) - Black Forest (Schwarzwald)

The Black Forest is a wooded mountain region in the German state of Baden-Württemberg in the southwestern part of Germany. This region of about 200 kms long and 60 kms wide of rolling hills and lush valleys is bordered by France on its west, Switzerland on its south, the Swabian Alb and Lake Constance in the east and the Kraichgau region in the north. Germans and other Europeans know it well as for over two decades, the German television medical series Die Schwarzwaldklinik (Black Forest Clinic) brought images of the Black Forest into the living rooms of millions of viewers in over 40 countries.

Famous for its Good Food, Wellness Spas and Walking Holidays

The Black Forest certainly has a lot more to offer visitors than Black Forest cake, cuckoo clocks and ham. The region enjoys 28 million overnight stays per annum and people come here to enjoy its good food, the wellness spas, relaxation, hiking or driving holidays, or to take a walk in the Black Forest.

(Germany) Europa Park Rust

The Schwarzwald is home to a number of internationally renowned towns and places of interest, such as Calw, the birthplace of the author Herman Hesse, the UNESCO World Heritage listed Maulbronn Monastery Complex and Baden-Baden, famous for its spa and casino. As well as the charming university towns such as Tübingen and Freiburg you’ll also come across fairy-tale villages.

(Germany) Freiburg

The Schwarzwald oozes with health and this region boasts the highest concentration of spas, health resorts and hotels with beauty and fitness facilities in Germany. And for the young ones, Germany’s biggest theme park, the Europa-Park Rust is also in the Black Forest.

Black Forest Cake

Train trips and driving holidays are a popular way to see the best of the area. Scenic routes in the northern section include the Black Forest Spa Route and the Black Forest Valley Route whereas in the south-west, near Freiburg is the Black Forest Panorama Route.

A Skiing Tradition

The The Black Forest was the birthplace of skiing in central Europe, with the first ski club being founded at the Feldberg Mountain. It was also here that the first wooden skis were produced and the first ski lift built. Today, the Feldberg region is one of the largest ski resorts outside of the Alps. The Feldberg Mountain rises to a height of 1,493 metres and in winter its powdery pistes are a great attraction to skiers.

(Germany) -Tubingen

Visiting the Schwarzwald one also gets to experience its rich culture and traditions, which people here believe in preserving. Depending on the occasion, you may see women dressed in traditional costumes and most certainly you’ll still see women in the famous “Bollenhut” hats with their distinctive pompoms. Girls and unmarried women wear hats with the bright red pompoms whilst the married women have black pompoms on their hats.

And then, there’s the good food – apparently about 10% of Germany’s top 100 chefs are working in the kitchens in the Black Forest.

(travelsignposts)

(Lebanon) - A full day tour to the Jeita Grotto

Jeita Grotto is a compound of crystallized caves in Lebanon located 20 km north of Beirut in the Valley of Nahr al-Kalb (Dog River). This cave has several name changes the Grottoes Nahr al-Kalb, then known as Djaita, Jehita, and finally Jeita. Naher el Kalb is the name of the river that flows through the caves, while Jeita, which means “roaring water” in Aramaic, is the city where the cave entrance is located. The transition from Nahr al-Kalb Grottoes ke Jeita Grottoes occurred in 1927 many newspapers used the last name.

(Lebanon) - A full day tour to the Jeita Grotto

This grotto is made up of two limestone caves, upper galleries and a lower cave through which a 6230 m long river runs. Geologically, the caves provide a tunnel or escape route for the underground river. In this cave and galleries, the action of water in the limestone has created cathedral-like vaults full of various sizes, colors and shapes of stalactites and stalagmites, majestic curtains and fantastic rock formations. The total length of the cave is more than 9000 m and there is one among the biggest stalactites in the world hanging 8,20 m. The grotto accommodates a huge hall with a distance of 108 m from the ceiling till the water level.

(Lebanon) - A full day tour to the Jeita Grotto

The remains of the ancient foundry were found in a small cave near the Nahr al-Kalb River, indicating that the cave was used in antiquity to produce swords.

(Lebanon) - A full day tour to the Jeita Grotto

(Wiki, Hangouto)

Azerbaijan is home to nearly 400 Mud Volcanoes

The term mud volcano or mud dome is used to refer to formations created by geo-excreted liquids and gases, although there are several different processes which may cause such activity. It is estimated that 300 of the planet's estimated 700 mud volcanoes are found in Gobustan, Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea. In Azerbaijan, eruptions are driven from a deep mud reservoir which is connected to the surface even during dormant periods, when seeping water still shows a deep origin. Seeps have temperatures up to 2–3 °C above the ambient temperature. In 2001, one mud volcano 15 kilometers from Baku made world headlines when it suddenly started spewing flames 15 m high.

Azerbaijan is home to nearly 400 Mud Volcanoes

Azeri mud volcano flares

In the Spring of 2001, volcanic activity under the Caspian Sea off the Azeri coast created a whole new island. In October 2001there was an impressive volcanic eruption in Azerbaijan at Lokbatan, but there were no casualties or evacuation warnings.

But Azerbaijan does not have a single active volcano, at least not in the usual sense of the word. What Azerbaijan does have is mud volcanoes - hundreds of them. Mud volcanoes are the little-known relatives of the more common magmatic variety. They do erupt occasionally with spectacular results, but are generally not considered to be dangerous.

Tourist itinerary

Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea are home to nearly four hundred mud volcanoes - more than half the total throughout the world. Tourists often look for them around Alat, Gobustan, Salyan and other locations.

Mud volcanoes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but those most common in Azerbaijan have several small cones, or vents, up to about four metres in height (13 feet), sometimes topping a hill ofseveral hundred metres.

These small cones emit cold mud, water and gas almost continually - an amazing and even beautiful sight, which has become part of the tourist itinerary for foreigners visiting Azerbaijan.

But sometimes even mud volcanoes have their day.

Huge flames, tonnes of mud

Every twenty years or so, a mud volcano may explode with great force, shooting flames hundreds of metres into the sky, and depositing tonnes of mud on the surrounding area.

This was the kind of eruption that witnesses described seeing on a hillside 15 kilometres (nine miles) outside the Azerbaijani capital Baku on Thursday morning (25/10/2001).

Azerbaijan is home to nearly 400 Mud Volcanoes

"There was a big explosion, and a huge flame started coming from the hillside," said one witness. "It looked as though an animal was trying to get out of the ground.

"The flame was unbelievably big, about three hundred metres high. It was surrounded by dense, black smoke, and lots of mud was being thrown into the air.

"The biggest flames burned for about five minutes.Then there was another huge explosion, and then they calmed down to about 10 or 20 metres (32 or 65 feet) high."

The flames could easily be seen from 15 kilometres away on the day of the explosion, and were still burning, although at a lower level, three days later.

Land of fire

Mud volcanoes are one of the visible signs of the presence of oil and gas reserves under the land and sea in the Caspian region. Gas seeps are a related phenomenon.

These occur when a pocket of gas under the ground finds a passage to the surface. One gas seep burns continually on a hillside near Baku, ignored by the sheep but sometimes visited by curious tourists.

It is an unearthly sight, especially at dusk, and it is easy to understand how these fires that never appear to burn out became objects of worship.

The appearance of the Zoroastrian religion in Azerbaijan almost 2,000 years ago is closely connected with these geological phenomena, and, according to one theory, the name "Azerbaijan" itself was derived from the word for "fire" in Persian.

Geologists agree on some aspects of the formation and activities of mud volcanoes. They are formed when mud and sand up to several kilometres beneath the Earth's surface are squeezed upwards by compressive forces and expelled.

Azerbaijan is home to nearly 400 Mud Volcanoes

The origins of the volcanoes are disputed. Mud volcanoes are often formed in areas of weakness in the Earth's crust, along fault lines, and are associated with geologically young sedimentary deposits, the presence of organic gas from hydrocarbon deposits, and overlying pressure which forces this gas to the surface.

But when it comes to accounting for the differences between mud volcanoes, their varying shapes and sizes, the gases they emit and their unpredictable behaviour, there is little agreement.

Geologists describe mud volcanoes as "capricious", and are still arguing about exactly how they are formed. Some believe they are created during the sedimentary process itself, while others argue that different processes are also involved, for example, seismic activity.

To the non-geologist, the explanations can seem, well, as clear as mud. But the arguments about their origins only add to the aura of mystery that surrounds these unusual and enigmatic phenomena.

(Wiki, Azerbaijan 24)

(Venezuela) - 7 Most Interesting Angel Falls Facts

Angel Falls (Spanish: Salto Ángel; Pemon language: Kerepakupai Vená, meaning "waterfall of the deepest place", or Parakupá Vená, meaning "the fall from the highest point") is a waterfall in Venezuela.