8 Travel Destinations of Myth and Legend
Chichen Itza Ruins
The mystery surrounding the date of December 21st, 2012 is getting plenty of attention in the media. That date, also the winter solstice, marks the end of the Mayan long count calendar. Many have speculated that an end-of-the-world event might occur, but only the ancient Maya know for sure. On that date, there is no better place in the world to experience this myth than Chichen Itza, the capitol of the Mayan civilization in Mexico. The pyramid above is itself a calendar– its four sides have a total of 365 steps, and its corners cast a shadow of a serpent only on the Spring and Autumn Equinox. This pyramid, a temple to the god Quetzacoatl, might just be the world’s largest calendar, constructed by one of history’s most mathematically-advanced cultures. If the mystery fascinates you, we suggest you keep Chichen Itza on your itinerary for the 21st of December, 2012.
Easter Island
Easter Island is a place of legend, a strange and distant isle over a thousand miles off the coast of Chile. Its landscape is protected by nearly 900 massive statues called Moai, which are the stone representations of the people’s deified ancestors. What is most remarkable about the Moai is that they weigh up to 87 tons, but were moved by their ancient people for many miles. Still to this day, scientists have been unable to determine how they were moved, which leaves magic as the mythical explanation. The story says that the island’s king had control over the Moai, allowing them to come to life and walk its surface at his command. Visitors to Easter Island can study and experience the Moai and the lost culture that created them. Getting there isn’t easy, but a trip like this is a once-in-a-lifetime treat.
Angkor Wat
The great lost city of Cambodia is also its greatest national symbol. Angkor Wat is the largest religious building in the world, a temple complex that was built to honor the Hindu god Vishnu and to act as the capitol of the Khmer empire. Not long after its completion, war and a new religion would change its story forever. Angkor Wat was sacked by an enemy of the Khmer, and it was widely abandoned for a new capitol to the north. Thanks to its moat, the jungle never overtook it, and it remained in stunning condition when it was re-discovered by European explorers in the late 1500s. Today, Angkor Wat is a celebrated Buddhist temple and the symbol on the flag of Cambodia. It is a truly fascinating structure with immense dignity and detail. A visit to Angkor Wat justifies a trip to Cambodia, as this could be the most storied structure of the Buddhist faith.
Christ the Redeemer
The breathtaking harbor of Rio de Janeiro is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and the statue at its peak is on a list of its own. The harbor is protected by a massive statue of Jesus that stands 130 feet tall, over 2100 feet above the water below. The Christ the Redeemer statue was built in 1931 as one of the most recognizable landmarks in all of Brazil. It has become a point of pilgrimage for Christians throughout Brazil and the world around it, as weddings and other ceremonies are celebrated under the statue’s arms. Rio, its harbor, its statue and its people are amongst the world’s most beautiful, and a pilgrimage of your own would be the trip of a lifetime.
Pyramids of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza may be the most recognizable destination on this list, as they represent some of the most remarkable achievements in human history. Their construction, however, remains a mystery today, as no one theory has been proven to be the technique of the ancient Egyptians. Guided tours of the pyramids, the Sphinx and the surrounding tombs will take one deep into the history of ancient Egypt. The myths, legends and truth of the Great Sphinx and pyramids are well known in Western Culture, making Giza a common travel destination for the history-addicted traveler.
Machu Picchu
The great lost city of the Inca was one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century. The city of Machu Picchu sat abandoned for centuries after the Inca fell victim to Spanish conquest. While some natives were aware of its existence, it didn’t reach national awareness until its discovery in 1911. Machu Picchu was constructed as a holy city for the Incas, a complex of 140 terraced buildings that included agricultural and urban space. After its rediscovery, Machu Picchu was added as a UNESCO World Heritage site, easily one of the world’s most beautiful structures of an ancient culture. Travelers can visit Machu Picchu by taking a train from Cusco or the more adventurous Inca Trail, a four-day journey through the mountains of Peru. This is certainly one to experience in your life time.
The City of Petra
The city of Petra is one of humanity’s most fantastic works of culture, a city carved into the red rocks of Jordan. Petra was constructed in the 6th century B.C.E. by a tribe called the Nabataeans, a pre-islamic group located between Syria and Arabia. Petra is a collection of massive, intricately-detailed structures carved into the thin, rocky valleys of its environment. In the first century C.E., the Romans took over Petra and its hallmark Ad Dier, shown above, became a Christian monastery. Sadly, Petra may not outlive the next few centuries, as erosion and unsustainable tourism are weathering its red walls. While we hate to add to the problem, we’d love to see Petra in this lifetime.
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is one of the most recognized and mysterious monuments of ancient humanity. Today, theories of its construction and use try to tell its story, but none succeed in discovering precisely why this stone structure was built. Located near Salisbury, England, Stonehenge has been widely visited by tourists from around the world as well as playing host to mass events. If visiting Stonehenge is on your bucket list, plan to do so on either the Summer or Winter Solstice, or the Spring or Autumn Equinox. At these dates, full access to Stonehenge is granted by the government. Otherwise, visitors can’t get much closer than the frame in the photo above.
The mystery surrounding the date of December 21st, 2012 is getting plenty of attention in the media. That date, also the winter solstice, marks the end of the Mayan long count calendar. Many have speculated that an end-of-the-world event might occur, but only the ancient Maya know for sure. On that date, there is no better place in the world to experience this myth than Chichen Itza, the capitol of the Mayan civilization in Mexico. The pyramid above is itself a calendar– its four sides have a total of 365 steps, and its corners cast a shadow of a serpent only on the Spring and Autumn Equinox. This pyramid, a temple to the god Quetzacoatl, might just be the world’s largest calendar, constructed by one of history’s most mathematically-advanced cultures. If the mystery fascinates you, we suggest you keep Chichen Itza on your itinerary for the 21st of December, 2012.
Easter Island
Easter Island is a place of legend, a strange and distant isle over a thousand miles off the coast of Chile. Its landscape is protected by nearly 900 massive statues called Moai, which are the stone representations of the people’s deified ancestors. What is most remarkable about the Moai is that they weigh up to 87 tons, but were moved by their ancient people for many miles. Still to this day, scientists have been unable to determine how they were moved, which leaves magic as the mythical explanation. The story says that the island’s king had control over the Moai, allowing them to come to life and walk its surface at his command. Visitors to Easter Island can study and experience the Moai and the lost culture that created them. Getting there isn’t easy, but a trip like this is a once-in-a-lifetime treat.
Angkor Wat
The great lost city of Cambodia is also its greatest national symbol. Angkor Wat is the largest religious building in the world, a temple complex that was built to honor the Hindu god Vishnu and to act as the capitol of the Khmer empire. Not long after its completion, war and a new religion would change its story forever. Angkor Wat was sacked by an enemy of the Khmer, and it was widely abandoned for a new capitol to the north. Thanks to its moat, the jungle never overtook it, and it remained in stunning condition when it was re-discovered by European explorers in the late 1500s. Today, Angkor Wat is a celebrated Buddhist temple and the symbol on the flag of Cambodia. It is a truly fascinating structure with immense dignity and detail. A visit to Angkor Wat justifies a trip to Cambodia, as this could be the most storied structure of the Buddhist faith.
Christ the Redeemer
The breathtaking harbor of Rio de Janeiro is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and the statue at its peak is on a list of its own. The harbor is protected by a massive statue of Jesus that stands 130 feet tall, over 2100 feet above the water below. The Christ the Redeemer statue was built in 1931 as one of the most recognizable landmarks in all of Brazil. It has become a point of pilgrimage for Christians throughout Brazil and the world around it, as weddings and other ceremonies are celebrated under the statue’s arms. Rio, its harbor, its statue and its people are amongst the world’s most beautiful, and a pilgrimage of your own would be the trip of a lifetime.
Pyramids of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza may be the most recognizable destination on this list, as they represent some of the most remarkable achievements in human history. Their construction, however, remains a mystery today, as no one theory has been proven to be the technique of the ancient Egyptians. Guided tours of the pyramids, the Sphinx and the surrounding tombs will take one deep into the history of ancient Egypt. The myths, legends and truth of the Great Sphinx and pyramids are well known in Western Culture, making Giza a common travel destination for the history-addicted traveler.
Machu Picchu
The great lost city of the Inca was one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century. The city of Machu Picchu sat abandoned for centuries after the Inca fell victim to Spanish conquest. While some natives were aware of its existence, it didn’t reach national awareness until its discovery in 1911. Machu Picchu was constructed as a holy city for the Incas, a complex of 140 terraced buildings that included agricultural and urban space. After its rediscovery, Machu Picchu was added as a UNESCO World Heritage site, easily one of the world’s most beautiful structures of an ancient culture. Travelers can visit Machu Picchu by taking a train from Cusco or the more adventurous Inca Trail, a four-day journey through the mountains of Peru. This is certainly one to experience in your life time.
The City of Petra
The city of Petra is one of humanity’s most fantastic works of culture, a city carved into the red rocks of Jordan. Petra was constructed in the 6th century B.C.E. by a tribe called the Nabataeans, a pre-islamic group located between Syria and Arabia. Petra is a collection of massive, intricately-detailed structures carved into the thin, rocky valleys of its environment. In the first century C.E., the Romans took over Petra and its hallmark Ad Dier, shown above, became a Christian monastery. Sadly, Petra may not outlive the next few centuries, as erosion and unsustainable tourism are weathering its red walls. While we hate to add to the problem, we’d love to see Petra in this lifetime.
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is one of the most recognized and mysterious monuments of ancient humanity. Today, theories of its construction and use try to tell its story, but none succeed in discovering precisely why this stone structure was built. Located near Salisbury, England, Stonehenge has been widely visited by tourists from around the world as well as playing host to mass events. If visiting Stonehenge is on your bucket list, plan to do so on either the Summer or Winter Solstice, or the Spring or Autumn Equinox. At these dates, full access to Stonehenge is granted by the government. Otherwise, visitors can’t get much closer than the frame in the photo above.
El Coliseo de Puerto Rico entre los más taquilleros del mundo
El Coliseo de Puerto Rico entre los más taquilleros del mundo
Supera al Staples Center de Los Angeles y al Wembley Arena en Londres
Por ELNUEVODIA.COM
El Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot informó esta semana que sus instalaciones se colocaron, durante el primer trimestre de 2011, en el octavo lugar del “Top 50 Arena Venues” del mundo y número dos del hemisferio occidental.
Con esta posición el llamado “Choliseo” se ubica por encima del Staples Center de Los Angeles, del American Airlines Arena de Miami e incluso del Wembley Arena de Londres, entre otros.
Este listado lo prepara la revista Pollstar, una de las más prestigiosas de la industria.
En los primeros tres meses de este año, el Coliseo tuvo una asistencia por encima de las 205,000 personas.
Durante el primer trimestre de 2011, El Coliseo ha sido posicionado en 13 ocasiones entre las primeras 25 arenas a nivel mundial, según las revistas de la industria Pollstar, Billboard y Venues Today.
El Coliseo también ha sido reconocido como uno de los mejores lugares para producir eventos, tras recibir el “Prime Site Award Winner”, otorgado por la revista “Facilities”, mediante la votación de agentes, productores y profesionales del entretenimiento.
“Estos reconocimientos en los medios especializados consolidan a la Isla como un destino importante para disfrutar de grandes espectáculos de reconocidos artistas locales e internacionales”, indicó Jaime A. López, director de la Autoridad del Distrito de Convenciones.
“Esto es un valor adicional que tiene como objetivo el ofrecer a los puertorriqueños facilidades de entretenimiento de excelencia y calidad”, dijo López.
López mencionó como ejemplo el hecho de que el cantante boricua Ricky Martin comenzó aquí, el pasado mes de marzo, su más reciente gira mundial “Música+Alma+Sexo”, la cuál continua por varias ciudades de Estados Unidos bajo el auspicio de la Compañía de Turismo.
Además del público que asiste al Coliseo y de los grandes espectáculos que éste presenta, cabe destacar la variedad de ofertas en el programa, que exalta desde conciertos de todo tipo de género musical hasta eventos familiares y deportivos, para el interés de grandes y chicos.
En lo que va de año se han presentado un sinnúmero de reconocidos artistas, entre los que se encuentran la leyenda del heavy metal Ozzy Osbourne, Enrique Iglesias, Paramore, Chayanne y Selena Gómez, entre otros.
“Estamos honrados de ser la compañía que administra el Coliseo más importante del país y lo demuestra el hecho de estar entre las 25 arenas de mayor renombre y el compromiso de los empleados de ofrecer un nivel superior de servicio”, sostuvo Wesley Cullen, gerente general del Coliseo de Puerto Rico, administrado por la empresa SMG.
“Seis años después de haber comenzado la tarea de administrar el Coliseo y luego de haber atendido a casi cuatro millones de personas, estamos ofreciendo entretenimiento variado con la energía y el entusiasmo del primer día”.
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