Mocona Falls, Argentina

Everyone knows the most popular waterfall in Argentina which is Iguazu Falls. But very few peoples know about Moconá Falls take the crown for the most unique waterfall in Argentina. Moconá falls is also recognized as Yucuma Falls, and it is located in the Uruguay River, in the province of Misiones, in Argentina, 337 kilometers from the city of Posadas and 322 kilometers from Iguazu Falls. Moconá fall does not follow the normal downward and forward trajectory that most waterfalls do. 

In its place, it runs along the length of the river with water spilling off the side into a gorge.  This is about three kilometers long waterfall and probably the only waterfalls in the world to run parallel to the river rather than perpendicular. The name Moconá means “To Swallow Everything” in the Guarani language and is used mostly in Argentina. Yucuma means “the big fall” and is popular in Brazil.

The Uruguay River acts as a natural border between Brazil and Argentina, and this exclusive geological feature is shared by both countries. A strange feature of the Uruguay River is the presence of a submerged canyon or trench at the bottom of the river channel.  This is well believed that the canyon have formed during the Ice Age, when the climate was drier and the river was narrower is up to 100 meters deep and 15 to 30% of the width of the river. The canyon is only visible in two places, one of which is the Moconá Falls.

Normally waterfalls itself is not visible for 150 days a year. During some time, the falls become more like rapids. When water level becomes low and falls below the edge of the canyon, it begins spilling into the now exposed canyon, and formed in Moconá Falls. The height of waterfall varies from five to seven meters, mainly depending on the volume of the water dragged by the Uruguay River. Therefore the width of waterfall also varies entirely depends upon volume of water ranging between 1,800 meters and 3,000 meters wide.

The most importantly the area where the Moconá falls are located is considered a Provincial Park which includes the Yabotí Biosphere Reserve. Myriad lodges have been settled down in the area which provides accommodation for visitors in search of water activities such as rubber boat rafting, canoe outings, kayaking and safaris along the river and creeks around this wetland. Source: Charismatic Planet

Mount McKinley or Denali in Alaska United States

Mount McKinley is the highest peak in North America with a summit elevation of 20,237 feet above sea level perhaps the single most inspiring mountain in the world all higher peaks are in the greater Himalaya or in the Andes, part of giant mountain ranges. In 1897 the Mountain was officially named Mount McKinley, after the popular United States president William McKinley. It is a massive snowy mass, flanked by five giant glaciers and myriad icefalls. 

It dominates the horizon from as far south as Cook Inlet, 200 miles away, and as far north as Fairbanks, 150 miles away. Its steep unbroken south slope rises 17,000 feet in twelve miles. Five main ridges extend from the summit, and several spurs and buttresses extend from these. The mountain is progressively more known by its native name, “Denali”, which means The Great One in the Athabaskan language. Denali is also the name preferred by the mountaineering community.  Denali is not a particularly difficult climb technically, but the weather is more severe here than anywhere else in the world and countless lives has been lost attempting the ascent. 

The number of attempts on the summit has increased dramatically in the recent years, and a greater percentage of these are ending in failure. This is really a heart of Alaska, and famous as “coldest” mountain in the world and as beautiful as it is dangerous. This is where Mrs Fahrenheit and Mr Celsius meet secretly at night: -40 degrees.  In any given climbing season, more than 1000 mountaineers attempt its summit. It's an astonishing geological feature which seems to have limitless faces as the variations in light render its views exceptional on a daily basis. Although ascent of Mount McKinley is considered a serious undertaking made difficult by the cold, the weather, and the sheer scale of the massive mountain. 

The climbing season starts from mid-April until mid-July, since before then it is too cold, and after that too stormy and the snow too mushy and unstable from too much sun. First ascent of the main summit of Mount McKinley came on June 7, 1913 by a party led by Hudson Stuck. The first man to reach the summit was Walter Harper, an Alaska Native. Harry Karstens and Robert Tatum also made the summit. They ascended the Muldrow Glacier route pioneered by the earlier expeditions, which is still a popular route today.

Some of major facts of Mount McKinley are as below.

Elevation (feet): 20,320

Elevation (meters):           6,194

Continent:           North America

Country:              United States

Range/Region:   Alaska Range

State:    Alaska

Latitude:              63.0694

Longitude:           -151.004

Difficulty:            Major Mountain Expedition

Best months for climbing:             Apr, May, Jun

Year first climbed:            1913

First successful climber(s):             Hudson Stuck, Harry Karstens, W. Harper, R. Tatum

Nearest major airport:    Anchorage, Alaska

Convenient Center:          Talkeetna, Alaska

 Source: Charismatic Planet

Jade Belt Bridge Beijing China

Jade Belt Bridge high arched bridge built with traditional Chinese design. Originally this design was for very practical purposes, to give access across canals for pedestrian between paddy fields, and to permit barges traveling along the canals to pass under it.  The Jade Belt Bridge also recognized as the Camel's Back Bridge.

It is 18th-century pedestrian Moon Bridge well located on the grounds of the Summer Palace in Beijing, China. It is well-known for its unique tall thin single arch. The Jade Belt Bridge is the most famous of the six bridges on the western shore of Kunming Lake. It was erected in the years 1751 to 1764, during the supremacy of the Qianlong Emperor, and was strongly built in the style of the subtle bridges in the country-side of southern China.

It is solidly made from marble and other white stone. The ornate bridge railings are adorned with carvings of cranes and other animals and the clearance of the arch was selected to accommodate the dragon boat of the Qianlong Emperor. The Kunming Lake inlet to the neighboring Yu River and during special occasions, the emperors and empress and their dragon boat would clearly pass under this bridge. So please be sure, the Jade Belt bridge at the Summer Palace is on your list of “Top Five” places to visit when you arrive in Beijing, China. Chinese believe that this bridge is a link between the earth and the heaven.

Source: Charismatic Planet