The Ancient Thiva

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Thiva is an ancient name used to denominate part of Thebes, and is, without any doubt, one of the most interesting and appealing destinations in the entire country. The city of Thiva is situated on the northern area of the Cithaeron range, between Attica and Boeotia, in central Greece. There so many amazing antique spots and ancient areas to meet in Thiva that it is recommendable for tourists to count with as much time for visiting it as possible since this is an absolutely unique place which deserves as much attention and exploration as it can have.

The city of Thiva is related to many ancient legends and myths, a characteristic counted among its main attractions. These legends were not only important in ancient Greece times but also in the future since they have had a strong influence in areas such as literature and arts in general among others.

One of the main attractions in Thiva, as well as one of the most interesting places tourists could find in all Greece, is the citadel Cadmea. The ancient Cadmea was founded by Cadmus, a spot which was deeply explored in the year 1909 when many antique legends and myths became more clear after some discoveries produced in that place.

Several excavations in Thiva have brought to the light many amazing facts and elements from ancient Greece. These excavations have allowed historians, archeologists, and professionals from a variety of other disciplines to learn about ancient cultures and discover facts which are of major importance to not only Greece but the entire world as well. Among the elements and objects discovered in these excavations there are, per example, letters, cylinder seals, weapons, and many tablets with inscriptions of the type known as Linear B.

The main attraction offered by Thiva is its amazing antique history. This is a destination which those who like disciplines such as archeology, history, anthropology, art history, and architecture among others, should not miss while meeting Greece. This destination is one of the most amazing ones visitors could find in Greece and maybe the entire world, and therefore they should make sure of visiting it while being in this region.

The Ancient Thiva

The Ancient Sites of Rome

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For 3,000 years Rome has stood at the forefront of civilisation. The might of the Roman Empire brought great wealth and prosperity to the city and its allies. Rome became a treasure trove of extravagant architecture and monuments.

As fortune smiled down on Rome, their riches established communities endowed with ornamental landmarks, many of which stand to this day.

At the core of the once mighty Empire, The Roman Forum was the heart and soul of government. Originally a cemetery, the Forum grew with the Empire and was the nucleus of everyday life. Aristocracy would socialise and decide the course of history during lavish banquets, drinking their wine and gorging on the luscious food.

At the centre of the Forum is the Temple to Julius Caesar built by Augustus, his adopted son and first Roman Emperor. The fresh flowers signify the exact spot where Caesar was cremated.

The Colosseum is undoubtedly the most recognisable of all ancient Romes landmarks. Built by Jewish slaves, the amphitheatre was synonymous with blood sports.

Opened by Emperor Titus in 80 AD, the imperial thirst for bloodshed was insatiable. Gladiators became infamous overnight as battles between man and beast caught the imagination of the Roman public.

Hundreds of thousands of men and beasts were slaughtered during the course of these Roman games. The butchery continued mercilessly until these particular blood sports were outlawed in 523 AD.

The communities of the Empire held the Roman gods in high esteem; religion played a significant part in the lives of the Romans and homage was paid frequently to those in higher places.

The Pantheon was built as a temple to the gods. The original was destroyed by fire in the 1st century BC resulting in dismay amongst the communities.

During the early part of the 2nd century AD, Emperor Hadrian took it upon himself to rebuild the monument and provide his people once more with a pathway to the gods. Hadrian was an amateur architect and completed the new temple in 125 AD.

Two mammoth doors, like sentinels standing before the path to the gods guard the entrance to the temple. The doors were extensively restored during the 17th century, raising doubts whether they can ever again be classed as original.

Once inside, the unexpected scale of the interior is awe-inspiring. Marble panels grace the walls and floors; remarkably, half of the wall panels are from the original build nearly 2,000 years ago.

The Ancient Sites of Rome

The Ancient Beauty of AustraliaS Daintree Rainforest

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The Daintree is the largest tropical rainforest in Australia, and covers an area of approximately 1,200 square kilometres in North Queensland. It stretches from the Daintree River north to Cooktown and west to the Great Dividing Range, and is one of the most complex tropical rainforest ecosystems on earth. Its structural complexity and the diversity of its flora is unrivalled on the Australian continent.

The Daintree region offers many unique natural features to be explored. The striking landscape is rich and diverse, and includes spectacular scenery, mountain ranges, fast flowing streams and waterfalls, deep gorges and dense rainforest. The Daintree’s outstanding coastal scenery includes an unusual combination of tropical rainforest, white sandy beaches and offshore reefs. Mt Pieter Botte rises to the west of Cape Tribulation with massive granite outcrops, and the summit provides breathtaking views of vast undisturbed forest. To the south, the horizon is dominated by the huge granite boulders of Thornton Peak, one of highest mountains in Queensland.

The vegetation of the Daintree area is among the most diverse in Australia. 13 different types of rainforest have been identified, from the tall forests of the coastal plains with massive curling liana growth and exotic buttress roots, through to the middle altitude forests with characteristic small-leafed species, and the montane forests with areas of heath-like vegetation that crown the mountain tops. The mangrove forests which line the mouth of the Daintree’s creeks and rivers have the highest species diversity for this habitat type in Australia. The wet tropical rainforests of North-East Queensland contain the richest variety of fauna found in Australia. While representing only 0.1% of the Australia landmass, the region is home to 65% of Australia’s bat and butterfly species, 30% of the frog, marsupial and reptile species, and 20% of the bird species.

Millions of years ago when Australia was much warmer and wetter, rainforests thrived in places as far inland as Ayers Rock. As Australia became more arid, rainforests were gradually replaced by dry woodlands, grasslands and deserts in many parts of the continent. In the Daintree region, however, the climate and topography remained ideal for rainforests and so the area became a last refuge for Australia’s original rainforests. Within this refuge many species continued to survive without the need to adapt to new conditions. The descendants of these species still survive today in the Daintree and retain many of their ancestors’ original characteristics, some dating back more than 100 million years.

One species, commonly known as the Idiot Fruit (Idiospermum australiense), is among the rarest and most primitive flowering plants on earth. It was discovered in 1970 and was arguably Australia’s most significant botanical find as it clearly demonstrated just how ancient the Daintree Rainforests actually are. Of a total of 19 primitive flowering plant families remaining on the planet, 12 of these families are found in the Daintree region, representing the highest concentration of such plants worldwide. These ancient plants could provides answers to questions about the origins of flowering plants in general.

The Daintree Forest area is undoubtedly of enormous intrinsic value and it is therefore important that visitors cooperate in its preservation. The disturbance of plant and animal life should be kept to a minimum. Avoid short cuts through the forest as the resulting trails can cause erosion and die-back. Use elevated boardwalks where ever provided. Of course, don’t pick flowers, take cuttings or collect rainforest seeds … please leave these magical forests just as you found them. Don’t forget the golden rule: Leave nothing but footsteps, take nothing but photographs!

The Ancient Beauty of AustraliaS Daintree Rainforest

China the Most Ancient Empire on the Earth

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A country with the biggest population on the Earth, a country closed for a several decades; nowadays China is becoming one of the most interesting tourist destinations in Asia.

China is one of the oldest states in the world and the only, surviving till today.

For visitors China offers a great variety of choices. Whether you are interested in Chinese history, Chinese culture or Chinese scenery, your trip will be very interesting.

Of course, those who like to know China should visit its Capital Beijing. Beijing is a capital city for over 800 years now. Thirty-four emperors have lived and ruled the nation in Beijing and it has been an important trading city from its earliest days. Now Beijing is a modern metropolis, but you still can see the traces of the Chinese glorious story – Forbidden City – the largest and best-preserved imperial palace complex, a section of the Great Wall and the largest sacrificial complex in the world – the Temple of Heaven. In the old part of Beijing people still leave in small houses, that dont differ from those their ancestors lived in. This part of the city looks like they missed at least 100 last years. However there is another Beijing modern, with skyscrapers and prestigious hotels, with restaurants and bars. The world-biggest central square, ruefully famous Tian’anmen Square attracts a lot of tourists. In 2008 Beijing will host the Olympic Games, so the amount of modern buildings and tourist services will increase significantly.

Shanghai with its population of about 18 millions is the biggest city in China. Originally Shanghai was a seaside fishing village, but today it has become a multi-cultural metropolis with both modern and traditional Chinese features. Known as “the Oriental Paris”, Shanghai is the top shopping destination in China. It also can be called the most Western Chinese city. As a port city Shanghai survived a considerable foreign influence.

A very special place in China is Hong Kong. It became a part of China only in 1999 and still had strong links with the West, particularly with the Great Britain. Today Hong Kong is a great international trading post, a powerful manufacturing base and one of the world’s largest financial centres. Hong Kong is also famous for its cinema.

Another interesting experience in China could become a cruise along Yangtze, the greatest Chinese river. Usually they last from 5 to 22 days. You will visit Chongqing, Fengdu, Sandouping and some other Chinise places of interest.

Amazing world of the mysterious Tibetan civilization is without any doubt worth visiting but its a subject of a separate trip that will take about 2 weeks.

Anyway, China has a lot to offer and you can choose your own travel program to see what you want.

China the Most Ancient Empire on the Earth