Milford Sound

Mitre Peak, Sinbad Gully and Lion Peak in Milford Sound, New Zealand

Milford Sound Located on the northern end of Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound is a natural wonder with spectacular landscapes and scenery. It is a narrow inlet of the sea between steep cliffs that seem to rise suddenly from the water. Many million years ago, the Milford Sound inlet used to be a valley. The … Read more

Hobbiton

Bag End: The hobbit hole of the Baggins family built in the Hobbiton Movie Set, New Zealand

The Hobbiton Movie Set is where the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movie series were filmed and was it was created by their director Peter Jackson. The movie set became a huge tourist attraction after it was made a permanent feature in this location in 2010.There are day tours both for Auckland and Rotorua to this place.  It takes about 2 hours to visit the set.

New Zealand

Lake Wakatipu in the South Island of New Zealand

New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries on earth. It is a country of islands endowed with natural beauty and unique wildlife and vegetation. It consists of two big islands, named the North Island and the South Island, and 600 smaller islands. Life developed in isolation in these islands, somewhat like the Galápagos … Read more

Ta Prohm

A Ta Prohm Temple structure with a tree grown on top

Ta Prohm is one of the most visited temple complexes in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The temple complex is intermingled with tall trees, some of which have grown on top of structures with their roots flowing down to the ground, which makes a fascinating view. Location It is located a mile east of Bayon. Archaeological Site … Read more

Bayon

A view of the Bayon Temple from the southwest side

Bayon is a mysterious Buddhist temple constructed at the exact center of Angkor Thom. Whereas Angkor Wat gives an impression of a grandeur edifice with harmonious design and open spaces, Bayon appears like a jumble of disproportionate structures crammed in a small place, and yet it is one of the most visited sites in Siem Reap. … Read more

Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom South Gate in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Located a mile north of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom is a city founded in the late 12th century by the famed Khmer King Jayavarman VII on the western banks of the Siem Reap River.  It served as the Khmer capital until the 17th century. The city now contains the ruins of several temples within its … Read more

Angkor Wat

A view of the Angkor Wat Temple at sunrise

Dedicated originally to Vishnu, the magnificent temple complex of Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument built anywhere in the world. Considered an architectural marvel, the temple is an imposing sight with a majestic facade and five tall towers that can be seen from a distance. The symmetry and precision with which the temple complex was built are striking. Because of the symmetry, all the five towers on the top can only be seen at a certain angle.Built like a mountain having three concentric enclosures with inner enclosures higher than the outer ones, Angkor Wat is filled with repetitive and recursive structures that are pleasing to the eye. These structures include pillars, roofs, galleries, doorways with lintels and pediments, and gopuras (towers). In-spite of Angkor Wat’s grand scale, it gives an impression of a harmonious architecture because of its open spaces, the proportionality of the architectural elements and seamless blending with the surroundings.

Banteay Srei Temple

A beautifully decorated pediment of the east gopura of the middle enclosure with a bas-relief depicting time monster Kaala.

Known for its exceptional beauty, intricate carvings, and fine workmanship, Banteay Srei is a gem among hundreds of temples that dot the Cambodian landscape. Located 16 miles northeast of Siem Reap, it is relatively a small temple complex containing multiple single-story structures. Unlike many other temples in Cambodia, it is not built like a temple-mountain.Dedicated to Shiva, the Banteay Srei Temple has some of the stunningly beautiful bas-reliefs that depict gods, demigods and scenarios based on the episodes from the Hindu epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. The bas-reliefs, most of which adorn the pediments, are deeply cut and finely carved. Even after 1000 years, most of the sculptures and bas-reliefs have retained their original sharpness.

Cambodia

A Waterfall in Phnom Kulen, Cambodia

Cambodia has a glorious history and rich heritage. Hinduism and Buddhism flourished here for many centuries. As a result, it is home to numerous religious monuments, including Angkor Wat, an architectural masterpiece. The original name of Cambodia is Kamboja, which is the name of one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas (great tribes) that existed in ancient India … Read more

Mycenae

Carving of lions on the pediment of the Lion Gate in Peloponnese, Greece

Mycenae is the site where a mysterious late bronze-age civilization rose from nowhere around 1900 BCE, flourished mostly in the Peloponnese peninsula, and then disappeared suddenly around 1100 BCE. Whatever little we know about the Mycenaean civilization is fascinating.The Mycenaean were a loose confederation of city-states, each of which was ruled by a king. The center of the Mycenaean civilization was the city-state of Mycenae. According to a myth, Perseus, a son of Zeus and Danae, founded Mycenae. Mycenae was also the capital of legendary King Agamemnon, who defeated Troy. Homer refers to the Mycenaean people as Achaeans.

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