Sunday, June 28, 2009

Enjoy The Tower of London




The Tower of London
by Paul Lowman and Katrell Morgan
The Tower of London is a complex located on the Thames River in London. It has a rich history dating back to 1066, when William of Normandy decided to build the White Tower after he had taken over the kingdom of England. It was built and completed by Gundulf, the bishop of Rochester, in the year 1078. The Tower has been used as a royal residence as well as for a prison. Executions were held in the central keep and outside the Tower on Tower Hill. Yeoman guards now stand outside this popular tourist attraction.

The Tower of London is a complex made up of many different sections. The Tower is surrounded by a moat on three sides and the Thames River on the fourth. The outside fortifications consist of Legge's and Brass Mount. The inner fortifications, called the Ballium Wall, have 12 towers: the Bloody Tower, the Wakefield Tower, the Bell Tower, the Lanthorn Tower, the Salt Tower , the Broad Arrow Tower, the Constable Tower, the Martin Tower, the Brick Tower, the Bowyer Tower, the Flint Tower, the Devereux Tower, and the Beauchamp Tower. The Bloody Tower was named after the murder of the English child king Edward V and his brother, Richard Plantagent, Duke of York, which occurred in this tower. The Record, or Wakefield Tower, was where the records were formerly kept, and where the royal regalia, or Crown Jewels, are currently kept. The Devereux Tower is named for its most famous prisoner, Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, who was held there before his execution for treason in 1601. The Jewel Tower was named for once holding the royal regalia.

The royal apartments at the Tower of London were used as guest rooms for visits by the court, but mostly the fortress was used as a state prison. The earliest of the prisoners held there was Rannulf Flambard, Bishop of Durham. Others who were once imprisoned in the Tower are kings and princes, archbishops and abbots, queens and murderesses, traitors and saints, and freebooters and counterfeiters. The kings of Scotland and France were held there for ransom after their defeats in battle. It was used as a prison as late as World War II.

Many torture devices were made for the Tower. One was the rack, which would stretch out a person to a foot longer than his original height. There were also the scaffold and gallows, which were put up on Tower Hill in order to execute people. This apparatus was the most commonly used device for excecuting others. Most prisoners were beheaded or hanged, some were killed trying to escape, or they were murdered. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, wives of Henry VIII, were publicly executed on Tower Hill.
The Tower of London

by Paul Lowman and Katrell Morgan
Today the Tower of London is a popular tourist sight where the crown jewels are kept. They are guarded in the Jewel House in the Waterloo Block. The Tower of London also holds a museum of old armor and weaponry used by the people in the Elizabethan period. Among them are many different styles of armor from all around Europe and weaponry such as cannons and duelling pistols. A popular feature of the Tower of London is the Yeomen of the Guard, known as Beefeaters. These guards wear colorful uniforms from the Tudor period. There are about 40 of these guards who serve as officers of the Army, Royal Marines, or Royal Air Force. They are sworn into their office as Yeomen Extraordinary of The Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard, which was founded by Henry VIII in 1485. The yeomen's closing ceremony at the end of each day is a popular tourist attraction.

The Tower of London is one of the most important architectural sites in London. It is the home of the Yeoman guards, along with the crown jewels. It has a vast array of influences from the different cultures who added to this remarkable building. Now it has changed into the popular tourist sight that is a must-see because of its rich history and cultural variety.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Enjoy The Unique Beach of Daytona Beach






Daytona Beach is one of the most unique beaches in the world; it is the only place I know of where driving the family sedan along the beach is relished and even celebrated. While I give such activity low marks in terms of the best overall beach, this beach cruising is why Daytona is called the "World's Most Famous Beach." The fine, hard-packed sand along this incredibly wide beach was once used for car racing, attracting such notables as Henry Ford and Louis Chevrolet who came to test their engines, trot out the new models, and set new speed records. Daytona Beach is still the world center for racing, but today the cars roar at high speeds on a proper, paved racetrack inland; the beach speed limit is set at 10 miles per hour. In the last few years, beach driving has been banned on two areas on the north and south ends of this 23-mile stretch of sand.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Beauty Cinque Terre in Italy

The Cinque Terre, Italy. It was a long 6 years since I last visited and I hope to remedy in September with a group of friends. Home Pesto, south-east of Genoa and Pisa to the north, the Cinque Terre are five coastal villages on the Mediterranean Sea. The photo above Vernazza - I zwommen in this bay and hiked in the hills around the village. I can not wait to go back there and see if my old friend Luigi is round and more importantly, if it were still in small production of wine DOC Cinque Terre.
The Cinque Terre is a rugged stretch of coast on the Italian Riviera. E 'in the Liguria region of Italy, west of the city of La Spezia. "The five countries" consists of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.



The coastline, the five countries and the surrounding hills are all part of the Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Cinque Terre is known for its beauty. Through the centuries, man has carefully built terraces robust, powerful landscape of rocks with the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of vision "modern" development. Roads, trains and ships connecting the villages, and cars can not reach out. This is a very popular tourist destination.


In 1998, the Italian Ministry of Environment to set the protected marine area of the Cinque Terre to protect the natural environment and promote socio-economic development compatible with the natural landscape of the area.In 1999, the Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre was created to preserve the ecological balance, protection of the landscape and protect the values anthropological Site.







Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Christensen canal in Copenhagen Denmark





In Denmark you will find that the distances are short – and this makes it possible to combine all the atmosphere of buzzing city life with the relaxation of the beautiful Danish countryside. The smallest Scandinavian country has much to offer, from modern design and medieval castles to Viking remains and scenic fjords.have a fun...

Friday, June 5, 2009

Tugela Falls : The Highest Waterfall




Tugela Falls is the world's second-highest at 947 m (3110 ft) in KwaZulu-Natal province, Republic of South Africa. Tugela Falls are the world's second highest waterfall. The total drop in five free-leaping falls is 3,110 feet (947 meters). They are located in the Drakensberg (Dragon's Mountains) in the Royal Natal National Park in KwaZulu-Natal Province, Republic of South Africa. The Tugela Falls are easily viewed after a heavy rain from the main travel road into the park, glistening from the reflection of the late afternoon sun.