Lets ROME around!

Hey guys,well...it's my last entry on this particular blog.The idea was to let you in on hot spots you should visit. My last place on where you should visit is the place I want to visit the most. Rome, Italy is a place that I wish to visit as soon as possible and multiple times.
Rome is the largest, most populated area in Italy. The population is around 2.7 million people. There are endless places to visit in Rome.If you are a history buff, I would recommend visit here first.
Ancient Roman belief is that Rome got its name from two semi-god brothers, Romulus and Remus.The story explains that they were two twin boys who fought eachother. Romulus killed Remus therefore naming his land Rome.
If you're into history, you can off the day by visiting Vatican City.This is a city-state within the city of Rome.This is home to the Roman Catholic Church.Within Vatican City there are many places to visit. One place might be the Sistine Chapel.Many of you know of this place of the church with the angels painted on the ceiling. The Sistine Chapel is the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. Michelangelo painted the ceiling within four years.(1508-1512)Another place might be St.Peter's Basilica. This is a church that has the largest interior. The altar at the front of the church is said to hold the tomb of St. Peter himself.(one of the 12 apostles chosen by Jesus)
If you are in the WWE (if you're a fan you'll know what WWE stands for), a trip to the Roman Colosseum would be right up your alley.It's finished structure was around 80 A.D.50,000 people could gather in the Colosseum to see what the gladiatorial shows.Gladiators would fight to the death for pure entertainment.Sometimes animals would be brought in from near Africa and would be hunted and fought in the Colosseum.Now its structure is a little worn out but can still be seen in the center of Rome.

Who?...Manitou! Manitou Springs,Colorado

I accidently skipped yesterday...sorry.For some unknown reason I've been thinking of a place that I've already been...Manitou Springs, Colorado. With a small population of 4,980 people, Manitou Springs brings a home town feel.This quaint little place is located within the tip of the Great Rocky Mountains. It is right outside of Colorado Springs.
If you've ever been there, you will know that any description that I give you will never do it justice, but I'll try.
When you make your way through the moutain, it seems as if time has taken a step backwards.The first thing you do is find a place to park.Any parking lot will work considering that you will do a considerable amount of walking and will end up at your starting point.
The place that seems to stand out first is the former castle that is built on the side of the mountain.It is known as the Miramont Castle museum.It once served as a home to a wealthy priest.The architecture is a little odd but very interesting.
If you have some time to spend in the area a ride on the Pike's Peak trail way is a great way to view parts of the mountain that you would otherwise not be able to see by driving.
Of course there are probably alot of things you can find to do on the internet,take it from me and just walk around.By walking around the streets of Manitou Springs, you will see things that you've only heard of or seen in old movies.
From far away you can smell cotton candy from the nostalgic candy store known as Goldminer's Nuts & Candy.When you walk in here you will see that they have just about every candy you can think of including candies that you have not see since you were a kid and even when your parents were kids.There is also a chocolate store known as Patsy's that sells nothing but chocolate. Alot of the chocolates are home made.
There are alot of stores owned by the local Navajo and Cherokee tribes that sells handmade crafts and blankets.
This little town seems to draw in artsy people.I remember coming out of one of the stores to find a novelist writing in a leather journal on the steps.I remember seeing about three painters working on their art.If you really want to see something artsy and very cool, visit the Glassblowers of Manitou. You can see them make different things from blowing air into hot glass.
All of the old timey stores are very cool but the place I loved the most was the Penny arcade.What makes this arcade cool is that it is inside and outside. They have all sorts of game dating back to the original game system Atari all the way to the dance revolution games.
Manitou Springs has stores that I bet most people have never seen such as a popcorn store, a hulu hoop store and a yo-yo store.
Last but not least and the reason for it's name, there are natural springs all over the sidewalks. The come out not stop of little water fountain like posts.The water taste like carbonated water but it does not stop people from stopping to take a drink or fill a cup with it.
The pictures that you see here capture a small bit of the paradise city that is Manitou Springs, Colorado.

England

Okay...lets skip back across the pond to the UK. England will be the pick country for the day.England is part of the United Kingdom, in Europe.Within the country there are about 51,466,000 people. The temperature in England is usually mild averaging around 70 degrees in the summer and about 4o degrees in the winter.
There are many reasons I chose to write about England. The architecture is what seems to draw me in first.
A very old monument, Stonehenge, is a very interesting place in England to visit.Stonehenge is

an erection of many large stones arranged in a circle and stacked on eachother. It is believed to be a sacred burial ground.Some scientists say that it dates back to 3000 B.C. It is understood that new constructions were added until 800 B.C.
Next on the itinerary is Winchester.Winchester is one of the oldest towns in England.This town becomes a big tourist site because of the Winchester Cathedral. This cathedral was first built upon rafts to float in the marsh.It wasn't until the 19th century that divers had to go underneath and create a solid foundation.
The most recognized city in England would be London.London has seen it's share of heartaches such as the great fire in 1666, that destroyed a large area of the inner city of London.Another hard hit to the city of London were the eleven murders supposedly commited by Jack the Ripper.On the lighter side of things, London is home of the Westminster Abbey.Buckingham Palace is also located in London.Buckingham Palace is the home of the British Monarch.
England also has a beautiful countryside if a long drive is what's needed after days of sightseeing.
And speaking of sightseeing, when in London, try out the cool double decker buses.

Viva Las Vegas!

I was going to introduce a new country however; I've had a particular city on my mind that I cannot let go by without telling you about it. Las Vegas is this city of choice for this blog.
Las Vegas is a city within Nevada and has a population of about 558,383 people.It became an official city in 1911.
Las Vegas is known for gambling,dining and entertainment.The first casinos that came to be in Las Vegas were run by notorious gang members, such as mob leader Bugsy.Since the legalization of gambling in the city, Las Vegas became the getaway for famous movie stars.
If you have a good amount of extra cash and are of age, the casinos on the strip can probably entertain you for a couple of hours.Oh yeah, it might be a good idea to learn how to actually play the games first.You don't want to look too lost.Not only are the casinos fun for gambling but they are not too bad to look at also.You can also bet on the horses if you want more gambling excitement.
If you can be pulled away for just a moment, take a night and see a Las Vegas Show.If you are into different kinds of music, there are multiple performers that can give you an array of choices. Right now the headliner is Cher. There are other performers such as Bette Midler, Barry Manilow and of course the classic...Wayne Newton that might catch your interest.
If you are not interested in the artists singing, you can take in a magic show by David Copperfield or Penn and Teller.
If you happen to be traveling with young children, Las Vegas is a stop for Broadway shows such as The Lion King or Cirque du Soleil.

Of course, there are other things that are just as exciting that are off the strip.If you're looking for an adrenaline rush, jumping off a plane into the widespread desert may take care of it.Hoover Dam is not too far away if you want to take a short drive.
If you are over 21 and not too vulnerable as to lose all your money, Las Vegas is definitely a must-see.

Take a bite of the BIG APPLE!

Since I've been talking alot about other countries, I 've decided to focus this blog on a city within our own country. New York City, New York to be exact.
New York City is one of the most populated areas in the world. There are over 8.3 million people in New York City. Because of the population this area is divided into Burroughs: Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, The Bronx and Brooklyn.The average temperature in the summer is around 75 degrees and in the winter months the temperature tends to stay below 55 degrees.
Since there is absolutely no way I can give you all of the interesting facts about New York, I'll just give you the highlights.
New York City, really, is like all sorts of different countries living together in the same house. One trip here and you will find yourself submersed in many different cultures.
Fine Arts are a large part of New York's past and present. Everyone knows that Broadway shows originate from Broadway in New York. Musicals that everyone has come to love can be seen live at Minskoff theatre.
Many musicians come to New York to find their rhythm. To help them along New York has Juilliard Performing Arts School. Columbia and New York University are other large and popular schools here.
The Metropolitan Museum would have to be a stop to visit while visiting N.Y.C.It is one of the largest museums in the world.
New York is the Mecca for the fashion industry. New styles and style magazines like Vogue originate from here.
For sightseeing, New York has endless places to visit.Among these places is Central Park. This is one of or the most visited public parks and is located in Manhattan.
As far as buildings go,well...there are many skyscrapers to choose from. The Chrysler building, Empire State building and the Trump Towers are few you can add to your list.Maybe a trip around the Hudson River to see the Statue of Liberty can make your day.
For the sports buffs, N.Y.C. has an array of professional sports teams.In New York, you can find the New York Jets and New York Giants football team, the New York Yankees and the New York Mets baseball team, the New York Knicks basketball team and the New York Rangers hockey team.
All of these things to do are just part of the reason everyone should visit here at least once.Oh yeah, if you are a fan of the Today Show on NBC standing outside Studio 1A is a cool way to get on national tv and see free concerts.If you are there for New Year's Eve, Times Square is the place to be.

Egypt

Hi again!Okay, for the next place on my list of places to visit, I choose Egypt. Egypt is a country that it mostly on the northern part of Africa but does run a little into Asia. The country of Egypt has around 77,420,000 people.
The reason I chose this country is because of the history and historical sites.The Egyptians were one of the first known civilizations because they were the first to document their life. They wrote on scrolls made of papyrus and also left us beautiful drawings, paintings and carvings on the walls known as hieroglyphics.They used the hieroglyphics to record laws, stories of great times and of sorrowful times.As of now it has been determined that there has been over 6 thousand years of history recorded on hieroglyphics.
Egyptians have also left their mark on history by their great monuments.When people first think of Egypt, the pyramids come to mind. The most talked of are The Great Pyramids of Giza and The Great Spinx.Buried within and under these pyramids are believed to be sacred tombs of the Egyptian kings. When exploring the tombs, many golden artifacts such as thrones,jewelery, and beds were found surrounding the tomb.Historians believe that this was to please the Gods so that they would have a blessed next life.As of now 118 of these man-made wonders have been discovered.
Another interesting fact is the way Egyptians used to preserve the dead and make them ready for their next life. This is called mummification. After they would preserve the body, Egyptians would encase them in caskets within caskets and then place it in a decorated golden tomb.You can view many of the Egyptian mummies in museums around the world.
Of course there are a lot of modern sites that you can visit, but I could not recommend this place without letting you know what my primary reasons for visiting Egypt.

Greenland...Not so green

The next spot to be filled belongs to Greenland.Greenland is a country within the Kingdom of Denmark.It just so happens to be the largest island in the world.Although, it is an island that is big enough to be an entire continent, it holds a little under 58 thousand people.

This magnificent place is filled with plenty, wide open space. Many people think that because the name of this place is Greenland, it should be filled with the wide open fields of green grass, when in fact, this place has an ice sheet that covers about 80% of the land.
Most of the inhabitants of this area still remain the Inuit Eskimos.88% of the natives are Inuit Eskimos to be exact.

Here in Greenland the sport of choice is European football and to make money here the people of Greenland export fish.

Of course being a mountainous snow filled area, you can go skiing and sledding.

One cool natural phenomena in Greenland are the natural hot springs that are spread throughout.If you feel adventurous you can slip into something a little more comfortable and slip into the spring.You wouldn't have to worry about freezing because the water is hot enough to bathe in.The temperature never reaches over 50 degrees in the hot summer months.This weather may be colder than what we are used to here but it does not stop sightseers from taking in nature hikes or boat tours along the coast.

On these tours or hikes many native animals can be seen going about their business. Some of the animals included are: reindeer, narwhal, walruses, polar bears and most exiting the Humpback whale.

If you are lucky enough to travel here and take a whale-watching tour, you will see firsthand the 79,000 pound mammal swim up and slam its wide tail on the cold ocean surface.

One other sightseeing tour you can go on is iceberg cruising.By boat or by small plane, you can actually get close and personal with the huge mounds of frozen ice that date back thousands of years ago.

Ahhh Choo!!......Belize you!

For number 3 out of the 10 places that everyone should visit, I chose... Belize(formerly British Honduras).
Belize is a country located in Central America. It is separated by six smaller districts.As a whole there are over 320,000 people in this country. Although Spanish is spoken half of the time, English is the official language
Belize is filled with thousands of things to do here.Since there is not too much space I will give you the highlights.
The first thing to do after the long plane rides to get here is hit the beaches.Since Belize hugs the Caribbean Sea and has many islands, there are endless places for you to visit.At the public beaches you can go snorkeling, fishing, surfing(for those of you who can) or just sit and take in the sun and crystal clear water.You can also rent small huts that are built over the water.You can also rent small boats or take a boat guided tour from island to island.
Beside the amazing beaches here in Belize, the Mayan ruins came make an interesting educational journey.The Mayan ruins date back to about 600 to 900 A.D. They were built from Mayans who were the original inhabitants of this area.There are over 300 ancient Mayan structures spread through Belize.There are a few temples that you can hike up to get a skyline view of Belize.
If you have the time and energy you can go on arranged hikes through the Rainforests or visit the caves that are also throughout Belize.You can also visit the sanctuaries and zoos that hold some of the native animals such as the jaguar and tapirs.
Just like any touring place there are shops and restaurants where you can buy and taste a piece the local culture.

No Place Like Nome

Hey guys! (Or my one follower)For my next hot spot to visit, I've chosen a place where many people really don't think about. It's a place where I guess out of sight is really out of mind.

Drum roll please.....NOME, ALASKA!

Nome, Alaska is a very small city that sits on the water's edge in Alaska. The average temperature is usually under 50 degrees Fahrenheit. In Nome, the population is only a little of 3,50o. Originally home to the Inupiat people, Nome became popular in the 1800's along with the California gold rushes.

Aside from the usual things you hear about Alaska, cold and colder, here about a lot of other things that you can do or see in Nome.

One great event to witness here is the Iditarod dog sled race. The race consists of many mushers and their team of dogs pulling them on a sled. They travel for over 1,161 miles. It starts in Willow, AK and ends in Nome. It's a race to see who is the fastest at reaching the destination despite sub-zero temperatures and white-outs.

Other interesting things to do in Nome include: fishing, hunting skiing and of course, site seeing. Nome is home to many bears, caribous and moose. They have guides that take you close enough to witness a lot of these natural wonders.

One other cool fact about Nome, Alaska is that it is so close to the Arctic circle that for many weeks dead of night is as bright as day.

If you chose to visit Nome you may have a chance to view the Northern Lights. They are streams of light that shine at dusk.They are created by a magnetic disturbances and chemical reactions between the sun and earth. Here you can see a clear image of the Northern Lights.

If you like to try something a little different Nome, Alaska should be on your list of Must-Sees, as it is on mine.

Tokyo,Japan

I have always wanted to visit Tokyo,Japan. The sites and history of this extraordinary place makes,what i think, an amazing vacation.This is one of my top ten places to visit.
Tokyo is located on the island of Honshu, which is one many islands that make up Japan.It's original name was Edo and it was originally a small fishing area. After what was known as the Edo period, the city of Tokyo was established. After many years Tokyo became the hub for politics and fashion.Now there are over 12MILLION people that call Tokyo home.
One of the reasons Tokyo became first on my list for places EVERYONE should visit is it's magnificent scenery. From this picture, I'm sure that you can probably figure out that downtown Tokyo is very similar to New York's downtown.In fact,they have many of the same store and restaurants here,like McDonalds.I know that I could spend days roaming around and visiting the stores here.
Tokyo also has baseball and soccer like we have here in America. Tokyo also has a Disney World if you want to experience a little more American and Japanese culture together.
Tokyo rank one of the leading fashion industries in the world. There are many fashion shows centered here in the spring ,where famous and new designers show off their work.
For the the active person, like myself, you can take a hike at one of the most famous mountains in Tokyo, Mt.Fuji. There are hikes that are scheduled to go up the side of the mountain.Actually, Mt.Fuji is a dormant volcano that hasn't erupted since the early 1700's.This mountains stands at 12,388 feet tall.
Now, aside from all the normal tourist attractions a person could visit and learn about the local culture.The beliefs of the Japanese people date back to ancient times. I think it would be pretty cool to learn about the ancient and modern cultures and then try to visit some of the ancient temples or the Imperial Palace located in Tokyo.
So with all these fun and interesting thing to do in Tokyo, you'll now see why I chose this place as one of the top ten places everyone should visit.