Friday 21 April 2017

The Crystal Mosque, Malaysia


The Crystal Mosque is located at Islamic Heritage Park on the island of Wan Man in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia. The mosque is also called Masjid Kristal is very popular with its uniqueness. Crystal Mosque is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Malaysia was built between the years 2006 to 2008 and was officially opened on 8 February 2008 by 13th in Pertuan Agong, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu.

The Crystal Mosque grand structure is lightly coat the steel, glass and crystal that are used as the main ingredient in the development of three and form a look that is truly remarkable and astonishing. The masjid has a capacity to accommodate over 1,500 worshippers at one time. The visitors get excited and enjoy the beauty of mosque, actually wonderful place, where different countries tourist come to see the beauty of the mosque is a very solid foundation of all. The Crystal Mosque is regarded one of most beautiful mosques in the world. This unique structure adopts a contemporary style injected with Moorish and Gothic elements.

A large crystal chandelier forms the main prayer hall’s centerpiece. At night, the mosque comes alive with a mesmerizing display of lights, which changes the color of its domes and minarets to pink, green, yellow and blue. Masjid Kristal is the country’s first ‘intelligent’ mosque with a built-in IT infrastructure and WiFi connection, providing visitors with internet access with which to read the electronic Quran seemingly a point of pride for the architects.

Its sleek and modern look design reflects off the water and often illuminated from the inside, which makes its glass domes shine. The Islam Heritage Park also features replicas of many of the world’s most famous mosques from around the world. Oddly enough, in this theme park embracing Islamic culture across the globe, the Crystal Mosque contains elements of Chinese architecture and design, much to the irritation of many Malaysians.












The Forever Bent Trees of Slope Point, New Zealand


Slope Point is the southern point of New Zealand’s South Island, famous due to consistently lashed with fierce and cold southwesterly winds that blow up from Antarctica. In this region the wind is so strong and persistent, that caused the trees twisted, warped and constantly bent along the direction the wind blows. The Slope Point is mainly used for sheep farming, and aside from a few sheep, no humans or other animals live on this part of the island.

However, there’re some derelict shacks built under the protection of the windswept trees, but even those are abandoned. The marvelously steep cliffs drop down to the sea below. Here, the scenes are truly astonishing over the rocky coastline and surrounding cliffs. Although, there is a slight signpost that shows the distance to the Equator and the South Pole, and a small solar-powered lighthouse stands on the farmland. Yet like virtually everywhere else in New Zealand you will find hardy creatures need some shelter from the elements and so, many decades ago, local farmers planted saplings which they hoped would meet the expense of their animals some respite from the often savagely inclement weather.

Please keep in mind that there are no proper roads to Slope Point, but it can be reached by a 20-minute walk following dilapidated yellow markers. It is maybe hard to believe this challenging micro-climate is only a few hours’ drive from the fiords and rain forests of Milford Sound.  As such Slope Point contributes to the excellent and idiosyncratic beauty of New Zealand - the broad diversity of landscapes in the vicinity each other. There is no public access during the lambing season starting September to November.


















Thursday 20 April 2017

Terraces of the Bahá’í Faith, Isarel


The Terraces of the Bahá'í Faith, are garden terraces around the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. It is also known as the Hanging Gardens of Haifa, rest in the neighborhoods of Wadi Nisnas and Hadar HaCarmel. This is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Israel, along with the Baha'i Holy Places in Western Galilee. In July 2008, the Bahá’í Gardens in Haifa and ‘Akko were inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, in recognition of their “outstanding universal value” as holy places and places of pilgrimage for the followers of the Bahá’í Faith.

The architect was Fariborz Sahba of Iran and the structural engineers were Karban and Co. of Haifa. Fariborz started work in 1987 designing the gardens and oversaw construction; initially the gardens extend almost one kilometer up the side of Mount Carmel, covering some 200,000 square metres of land. The different parts of the gardens offer a variety of experiences, the graveled paths, hedges and flower beds groomed and nurtured by dedicated gardeners frame panoramic views of the city, the Galilee Hills and the Mediterranean Sea.

The terraces represent the first 18 disciples of the Báb, who were designated "Letters of the Living", though no individual terraces are associated with individual Letters. Moreover, 9 concentric circles provide the main geometry of the 18 terraces, as the identification of a circle pre-supposes a center, so the terraces have been conceived as generated from the Shrine of the Báb. The 18 terraces plus the one terrace of the Shrine of the Báb make 19 terraces total. However, 19 is a significant number within both the Bahá'í and Bábí religions. The terraces were opened to the public in June 2001. The gardens are linked by a set of stairs flanked by twin streams of running water cascading down the mountainside through the steps and terrace bridges. As the Bahá’í religion and temples all around the world are open for every single person, no matter the religion and skin color that person has, this attractive site is one of the most peaceful ones in the world.

In addition, the irrigation system based on a computer which meteorologic data receives controls hundreds of valves to allocate water throughout the gardens by sprinkling and dripping. Hence, this process is completed at night and in the early morning, to avoid wasting water by evaporation. The water that flows alongside the stairs is flowing in a closed system within each terrace; to avoid little water is wasted. Furthermore, the gardens have elements of the Persian paradise gardens, separating the site from the noise of the surroundings and linking the different Bahá'í buildings on Mount Carmel together.



















Monday 17 April 2017

El Caminito del Rey Path, The Most Dangerous Foothpath in Spain’s


The world’s most dangerous footpath is set to reopen for the tourist season on 22 April 2017. This is one of Spain’s most prevalent tourist attractions, El Caminito del Rey Path, slices through the Gaitanes Gorge providing thrill seekers with dramatic views 330ft above Gualdalhorce River. The reinforced King’s Little Pathway, as it is known in English, is now more of a beauty spot than a danger zone after a £4million restoration project. The dangerous walkway was revamped and re-opened in 2015 after 5 people plunged to their deaths between 1999 and 2000. The attraction was so popular among peoples, as path has welcomed more than 600,000 tourists before re-opening two years ago.  

The attraction is so popular that it has set a limit of visitors per year at 300,000, with 1,100 admitted per day. The four-mile network of paths will open from Tuesday to Friday, depends upon weather conditions, and it is estimated that it will take the average visitors 4 to 5 hours to walk the full route. For the security point of view, it was restored and security fences were installed, El Caminito del Rey was a dangerous climbing spot, enticing daredevil holidaymakers from around the world thanks to its state of disrepair. The narrow concrete path, supported by steel stanchions at around 45 degrees into the rock face, had wide gaps and rickety hand rails that posed a massive challenge even for experienced climbers. However, accessible from the towns of Ardales and Alora (El Chorro), the footpath is a century old and was built for workers at two nearby hydroelectric plants. It is now managed in a joint venture by Hermandos Campano and Bobastro 2000.