Gaza Resist

Machu Picchu History
Hiram Bingham, the credited discoverer of this historical site, along with several others, originally thought that the citadel was the traditional birthplace of the Inca of the “Virgins of the Suns”. Machu Picchu was built around 1460 at the height of the Inca Empire but abandoned less than 100 years later. It is likely that most of its inhabitants were wiped out by smallpox before the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the area, and there is no record of their having known of the remote city.

Another theories suggest that Machu Picchu was an Inca “llacta”, a settlement built to control the economy of these conquered regions. Yet others think that it may have been built as a prison for a select few who had committed heinous crimes against Inca society. Research conducted by scholars has convinced most archaeologists that rather than a defensive retreat, Machu Picchu was an estate of the Inca emperor, Pachacuti.

Although Machu Picchu is located only about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Inca capital, Cusco, it was never discovered by the Spanish and consequently not envaded and destroyed. Over the centuries, the surrounding jungle grew over much of the site, and few knew of its existence. The site was found on July 24, 1911, by Hiram Bingham.

Machu Picchu was established as a World Heritage Site in 1983 when it was described as “an absolute masterpiece of architecture and a unique testimony to the Inca civilization”. On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Machu Picchu Visitor Information
There are several different ways to visit Machu Picchu: on foot, along the Inca Trail, by train from the city of Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, or by helicopter from the Cuzco airport to Aguas Calientes. Tours cost a few hundred dollars, while helicopter excursions cost more. There is a park fee of US$40 dollars to help maintain conservation of the park area.

Most people get to Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail. This is a four day hike through the mountains. It’s not long but it is very hard and the ascent is very steep. Tours book out months in advance and cost hundreds of dollars. The majority of hotels in Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley can be found in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes. A little closer to the site itself, however, the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge occupies an amazingly privileged spot, while back down in Cuzco, the Hotel Monasterio is an equally attractive (if not quite so perfectly located) choice of hotel in Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

Highlights to see and do while visiting Machu Picchu include:

• Aguas Caliantes – Before your journey to Machu Picchu begins, Aguas Caliantes is a small village that sits at the bottom of Machu Pichu. The entire village is built around a river that is known for its hot springs. A small village where hikers and travelers alike are able to soak in the fresh air of the mountains, relax in natural hot springs, and fall asleep to the sound of the steadily flowing river.
• Temple of the Sun – The Temple of the Sun was used to honor and celebrate Inti, the Sun, an important Incan deity. When the sun of the winter solstice enters through the central window, it falls directly on the large ceremonial stone. The round building protects the stone.
• Temple of the Three Windows- located west of the main square and has a large rectangular floor. Its name comes from the fact that it has three main windows and two blind bays. With the main temple it is one of the most impressive architecture structures in Machu Pichu.
• Huayna Picchu – In Quechua this means “young peak”. The peak of Huayna Picchu is about 2,720 metres (8,900 ft) above sea level, or about 360 metres (1,200 ft) higher than Machu Picchu. You can hike to the top of Huayna Picchu in about 1-2 hours, and once atop you can look down over all of Machu Picchu. Truly a site not to be missed and well worth the extra hike. However, you may want to do this first as they only allow the first 400 people to make the hike.

Machu Picchu Conservation Efforts
UNESCO continually threatens to put Machu Picchu on its list of World Heritage in Danger sites, a designation meant to encourage swift corrective action.

In January 2001 the government began to regulate the trail and to require permits. Of the 93 tour operators that had sold Inca Trail packages at the time, half were denied permission to continue operating. To meet the new requirements tour operators must use only assigned camp sites with proper toilet facilities; carry all garbage with them; use only propane for fuel (no open fires); provide two guides for groups of more than seven tourists; and limit the amount porters carry to 25 kilos.

The World Monuments Fund placed Machu Picchu on its 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world because of environmental degradation resulting from the impact of tourism, uncontrolled development in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes that included a poorly sited tram to ease visitor access, and the construction of a bridge across the Vilcanota River that is likely to bring even more tourists to the site in defiance of a court order and government protests against it.

Iran is located in the Middle East, bounded by Turkmenistan and the Caspian Sea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, Iraq and Turkey. The centre and east of the country is largely barren desert with mountainous regions in the west. Tehran, the capital, is essentially a busy and modern city, but the best of the old has been preserved.

As one of the first countries to be occupied by the early Islamic armies which came out of Arabia in the seventh century, Iran has a rich and detailed history. The antique sights of Persia, one of the greatest empires of the ancient world, can be witnessed alongside bustling metropolises and vast mountain ranges. Several bazaars are just as old and Iran is the destination for those in search of the most expensive rugs and carpets in the world.

Iran has maintained a distinct cultural identity within the Islamic world by retaining its own language and adhering to the Shi’a interpretation of Islam. As a unique Islamic Republic, Iran is ruled by both supreme leaders and elected presidents.

Forget the 20th-century stereotype of a rich Arab Gulf state, of hastily thrown up tower blocks, chaotic streets and bafflingly tacky urban sculpture: Qatar – or at least the capital, Doha – has metamorphosed into a self-confident, elegant entrepôt that gives the UAE a run for its money.

Occupying a flat peninsula jutting into the oil-rich waters of The Gulf, Qatar is one of the richest per capita countries in the world – a wealth exhibited in high-profile projects, such as the new Museum of Islamic Art, built to house the largest such collection in the world.

With 50% of Qatar’s population living in the capital, the country is a virtual city state.  But for those not content with jogging around Doha’s fine corniche, a string of beaches beckon for rest and recuperation, and the magnificent dunes of Khor al-Adaid help even up the odds between God and Mammon.

Joshua Tree National Park is located in a forlorn section of eastern California where the Mojave Desert meets the Colorado Desert in a colorful tumult of rocks and arid vegetation.

The Colorado Desert occupies the eastern section of the park  and features gardens of Cholla cacti and Ocotillo, a multi branch whip-like plant, along with the ever-present Creosote Bush. The Mojave Desert section, to the north, is cooler, wetter and home to the Joshua Tree, the Park’s namesake.

Local legend holds that Mormon settlers, when transiting California in the 19th century, came upon a tree that appeared to be pointing the way to the Promised Land and so named the tree after Joshua, the leader of the Israelite tribes after the death of Moses.

In addition to its unique vegetation, Joshua Tree National Park is noted for its colossal  jumbles of rock.

The rock formations now visible at Joshua Tree were originally  formed as large pools of magma that moved towards the surface of the Mojave, but never quite managed to escape to the surface and cool in the atmosphere.  Instead, the molten material crystallized over vast periods of time and slowly evolved into a form of granite called monzogranite.  During the succeeding geologic eras, the surface materials covering these deposits were eroded away and  the monzogranite formations, finally arriving at the surface,  were greeted by destructive erosional forces.

The monzogranite at Joshua Tree has  a rectangular joint system and these joints have been attacked by water and frost over eons, leading to piles of large rectangular blocks of rock.  Of course, the process continues to erode the material and in many areas the park appears almost as if it had been shattered by a  cosmic hammer.  The overall look is unique and very dramatic.  Numerous areas of the Park highlight this process.   Be sure to visit the Arch Rocks, Jumbo Rocks and Skull Rocks areas to see some of the best topography.

Two of our favorite areas within Joshua Tree are famous for their vegetation.  The Cholla Garden is, not surprisingly, composed of Teddy Bear Cholla, more commonly known as “Jumping Cholla”.  These compact cacti are loaded with thousand of spines that are ready to “spring” into action, if you should happen to bump into one (not recommended).  The Chollas are a compact, silvery green cactus whose blooms, though interesting, are not part of its reproductive process. Instead, the stalk and stems die and drop into the nearby soil, reseeding the cacti in the process.

The Cholla Garden features a brief nature walk (you will find a  brochure describing the walk at the trail head – donations accepted) and is something you should consider if visiting the park.

As noted earlier, the Joshua Trees are located in the Mojave Desert section of Joshua Tree and can be found by following the road that eventually leads to the Town of Joshua Tree (the town is located outside of the park).  The Joshua trees are scraggly looking, but quite impressive when they are in bloom (usually near Easter).  The tree is a Yucca variant known as Yucca brevefolia and a member of the Lily family.

The tree form seems to defy description. The younger Joshua Trees are usually  upright and comprised of a limited number of branches arranged in a tidy fashion. Older trees often exhibit a large number of branches that are bent, gnarled and trend in a million directions, sometimes along the ground,

Joshua Tree National Park covers nearly 800,000 acres and much of it is too remote for casual touring.  The park’s main road passes all  the major attractions of the park and driving this road will provide a day of adventure for you and your family.

The elevations in the park vary, with the eastern section (part of the Colorado Desert) generally below 3,000 ft.  The western section falls in the Mojave Desert and is higher (above 3,000 ft), damper and slightly cooler than the Colorado Desert.  The use of cooler and damper are relative terms here as all of the park is a desert.

Availability and Admission Fee

The entrance fee to the park is $15 for a 7-day vehicle permit,  which covers all of the passengers in the vehicle. Discounts are available for seniors (aged 62 and older) through the Interagency Senior Pass that costs $10.  The Senior Pass is available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over and is good for a lifetime.

Best Time To Visit

Open all year, Joshua Tree has three, modest visitor centers at the Oasis, Joshua Tree and Cottonwood entrances.  The Park is not complex and, unless you are going to camp, can be toured in less than a day, including time to hike one or more of the Park’s delightful trails.

There are a number of programs led by park rangers,  including walks and hikes.  The Keys Ranch Tour is highly recommended, but you should make reservations in advance.

Camping

Joshua Tree has nine campgrounds and all are very popular during the season, which runs from  fall to  early spring.  Campsites are limited to six people, three tents and two cars, although group sites are, also, available.  Some of the campsites can be reserved in advance.  Check with the National Park Service for details.

The temperatures during the summer can be deadly and touring is recommended only during the late fall, winter and early spring.  Information on visiting and details for the park can be found at the official website of the National Park Service.

Remember that the Park can be cold at night during the winter.  In addition,  even in spring, the daytime weather can be cool, verging on cold and windy, so bring a light jacket just in case.

Lodging and Nearby Places

Other than camping, there are few places to lodge close to Joshua Tree.  Indio is 25 miles to the west of the Park’s south entrance at Cottonwood Springs.  Your best bet is to plan on staying at Palm Springs, La Quinta, Palm Desert or one of the other desert communities to the southwest of Joshua Tree National Park

There is something epic about Dubai: it’s not just the world’s tallest tower or the first seven-star hotel, the reclaimed islands or the indoor ski slope, it’s the sheer vision of those Emiratis who had the courage and ambition a decade ago to build something extraordinary out of the desert.

Dubai may have taken a knock in the current global recession but nothing will hold this city of the future back for long. Already visitors are streaming through Dubai’s new airport terminal, which houses the world’s largest single floor space, and flocking to Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping centre. Dubai has a mission to be the biggest and the best and the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower opened in January 2010, is symbolic of Dubai’s ‘the-sky-is-the-limit’ attitude.

Expatriate workers may pine for home or for the ‘good old days’ before the notorious city traffic, but most visitors find Dubai with its sandy beaches and all-night entertainment an exhilarating experience. Cross the creek on an abra (water taxi), dine underwater at the Atlantis Hotel, or play golf on a desert turned green, and this safe and friendly city of year-round sunny skies will be sure to lure you back.

the city of Cannes is situated in the southern part of France, in the Riviera region and has a population of approximately 70.000 inhabitants. Cannes is very famous around the world for its Film Festival and also for its Cannes Lions Festival. This a luxurious city and has tourism as its principal resource.

It is 905 km away from Paris, 164 km from Marseille and 26 km away from Nice. The coast is very visited. The Boulevard de la Croisette is one of the most important attractions for tourists who love the beach, sun and sand.

La Croisette is a 12 km waterfront avenue bordered with palm trees, with many elegant hotels, cafés, shops and restaurants around. Visiting the Musée de la Castre is also a good option for seeing impressive works of art, paintings, sculptures and decorative art. And if you want to relax visit the Îles de Lérins (Lérins Islands) with nice views and beautiful beaches.

If you just take a walk in the streets of Cannes you will discover a very friendly atmosphere. The main streets are d’Antibes and Meynardier. You will have a good time at the boutiques. Its restaurants are very good, although the prices are sometimes expensive. Depending on whether the restaurant is located on the waterfront or not, the price will be a bit more expensive.

The reasons that led me to fix Adelaide where it is I do not expect to be generally understood or calmly judged of at present. My enemies, however, by disputing their validity in every particular, have done me the good service of fixing the whole of the responsibility upon me. I am perfectly willing to bear it; and I leave it to posterity, and not to them, to decide whether I am entitled to praise or to blame.’

Colonel Light should be commended for his brilliant choice. The wide sweeping streets, city squares and lush green boundaries make Adelaide an enchanting city to explore. And if you think that’s all there is to it, think again. You only need scratch the surface of the quiet achiever of Australian cities to tap into its hedonistic vein. This epicurean playground boasts world-renown major events, spanning the cultured and cerebral, artistic and gastronomic, petrol-burning and sports crazed. The pleasure-seeking spirit flows from varied cuisines and magnificent wines through to the healthy live music and bar scene and numerous galas that celebrate a thriving arts community. During the innovative Adelaide Fringe Festival, the artistic flair of this historically progressive, yet still conservative, city truly emerges.

The traditional owners of the Adelaide area are the Kaurna people, whose territory extends south towards Cape Jervis and north towards Port Wakefield. Early European colonists (free settlers) began to arrive in 1836, creating a lush, European-style capital, while successive waves of settlers have added to the cosmopolitan mix.

Adelaide is just a cycle away from native bushland hiking in the Mt Lofty Ranges. The city makes an excellent base for trips into the nearby wine regions, surf lessons on the Fleurieu Peninsula and hikes through the wildlife lair of Kangaroo Island.

London is an easy city to tour, but you visit can be made more effortless, if you take a few minutes to learn the ins-and-outs of exploring this vibrant city and its unique culture. Read our section on London Tourism for practical information on visiting a country where money is called the Pound, the subway is called the Tube and walking is dangerous for those of us used to driving on the right side of the road (it’s “keep left” in the United Kingdom)..

*
Tower of London
o The Tower of London, a historic fortress and once a prison, is the city’s most spectacular and popular attraction.  Click here for a detailed description of the Tower and tips for visiting.  While in the neighborhood, you might want to snap a few photos of the nearby Tower Bridge.

*
Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey
o If you are interested in the British monarchy and the trappings of power, Westminster is the place for you. In our Guide to the Westminster area of London. We provide details about: Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Palace, the Cabinet War Rooms, Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the Tate Britain Art Museum.  Click to read our Guide to the Best Places to Visit in Westminster , for details on the attractions in this magnificent, historic area of London.  If you are interested in World War II, a visit to the Cabinet War Rooms is an excellent way to spend an hour.

*
St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, The Temple, City of London
o Along the north bank of the Thames, you will find the Strand and the City of London, which include the ancient heart of the city and its  financial and legal centers. St Paul’s Cathedral is one of London’s must-see attractions, as is the Temple Church, a central plot-location in Dan Brown’s DaVinci Code.  Covent Garden, another of the area’s highlights, is known for touristy shopping in a frenetic, but fun outdoor market. Click our guide to the Strand, for details and pictures of the attractions mentioned above.

*
London Eye, Tate Modern, Globe Theater, Imperial War Museum
o You will find a number of interesting attractions located on the South Bank of the Thames River. We recommend visiting: the London Eye (an enormous Ferris Wheel that is  London’s most popular new destination), the Tate Modern Art Museum,  the Imperial War Museum and Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. If you do visit these attractions, you will have experienced: the best view of London, an internationally renowed art gallery,  a provocative museum on war and warfare, and one the of the most famous theaters in the world.. Click our Guide to London’s South Bank for descriptions and photographs of the attractions on the South Bank of the Thames.

*
Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery, Oxford Street
o These attractions are found in a compact area of London known as Mayfair and the West End. Our guide to sightseeing Mayfair describes the attractions listed above, as well as shopping at: Regent Street, the Dover Street Market and Shepherd Market.  Mayfair is  regarded as one of the most exciting areas in London and we expect you will spend quite a bit of time exploring its attractions.   In addition to the National Gallery, you will find London’s famous National Portrait Gallery right next door. Click  Mayfair and the West End for pictures and details on this fantastic section of London.

*
Kensington Palace, Harrods, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum
o The  sightseeing attractions listed above are located in the areas of London known as Kensington and Knightsbridge. These areas of London are glorious, glamorous and educational.  In addition to the attractions mentioned above, we cover the Victoria and Albert Museum and shopping in Beauchamp Place. Click Kensington/Knightsbridge for our concise descriptions of the best places to visit in the trendy areas of Kensington and Knightsbridge.

*
British Museum, British Library
o The Bloomsbury section of London is the home to two incredible treasures: the British Museum and the British Library. The British Museum is one of the world’s great museums and a trip to the British Library is a treat for anyone interested in the printed word.  Click on our guide to the best places to visit in Bloomsbury for detailed information on these attractions.

*
Madame Tassaud’s, Regent Park, 221b Baker Street, Abbey Road Studios
o Our Guide to the Marylebone area covers : Madame Tassaud’s,  Regent’s Park,  221 B Baker Street (the supposed residence of Sherlock Holmes) and the Abbey Road Studios (famous as a recording studio for the Beatles).  While these attractions are not for everyone, they have a devoted clientele.  Click our Guide to the Marylebone area   for descriptions of  these attractions.

*
London’s Street Markets
o If you like wandering and bargain hunting, London’s street markets may be just the place for you. If shopping is not on your agenda, tag along anyway, as these interesting areas are great for people watching and offer yet another view of London’s complex culture.  Click the link below to read about eight of the most popular street markets in London.

*
Best Daytrips From London
o During your trip to London, you may want to see what’s outside the city and if you do, your interests will be rewarded.  Click the link above for detailed information on these easy daytrips from London:
+ Windsor Castle
+ Hampton Court Palace
+ Kew Gardens
+ Greenwich and the Royal Observatory

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory that was conquered during the Great Siege (1779-1783) and ceded to the country as part of the Treaty of Utrecht at the end of the War of the Spanish Succession.  Gibraltar occupies a short peninsula extending south of Spain at the point where the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean intermix.  The peninsula, separated from Africa by twenty miles of water, is dominated by a massive and majestic sandstone ridge  known as the Rock of Gibraltar (approximately 1400 feet high).

In the past,  the “Rock” was considered as one of the two Pillars of Hercules, based on the fable that Hercules created the rift valley between Europe and Africa by severing the continents with a bash of his weapon.  Most tourist come to see the “Rock” and travel to its top. Although the area’s other attractions are modest, there is enough to see in Gibraltar to take up a day.

Gibraltar has been a highly desirable piece of military real estate for centuries being the strategic location on the only exit from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.   In fact, the Rock was named in honor of the Arab general, Tariq ibn-Ziyad who built the first recorded fortress upon it in 711 A.D. The Moors then named the site Jebel Tariq (mountain of Tarik). Over the next several centuries the name was modified to Gibraltar.  The phrase“Solid as the “Rock of Gibraltar,” is derived from the fact that although the area was assaulted many times while under British rule, no one was able to destroy the “Rock”.

English is the primary language and the United Kingdom’s claim to the area infuriates Spain in its  desire to reclaim the territory.  If you enter Gibraltar by sea, you might miss the tension.  If you cross the border from Spain (which requires you to cross Gibraltar’s airport runway) you might get a minor taste of  the tension.

Gibraltar Museum:

This is a great place to start your tour. The Museum provides a terrific introduction to Gibraltar, its remarkable history, and insight into the significance of the many of the historic sites you can see during your visit.

The Museum is built over what is said to be the best preserved, 14th century Moorish bathhouse in Europe. It is housed in the 17th to 18th century home of the Chief Ordinance Officers of the British Army and is known locally as the “Bomb House.”

Its many exhibits are displayed in a series of galleries, such as the “Passage of Time” gallery, which tells the story of life on Gibraltar from as early as the Jurassic Period. Other galleries depict natural history, the great siege, Islamic life, and more. For further information about the Gibraltar Museum .

The Great Siege Tunnels:

These tunnels, also known as the upper gallery, were first excavated out of the rock by the British army to transport heavy guns to a promontory from which they planned to defend Gibraltar from French and Spanish invaders. Ultimately many of the guns were set up inside the cave, which allowed them to shoot at the enemy while the Rock’s wall protected them from return fire. There are four gun-batteries in the first 370 feet of tunnel completed during the Siege and seven more in St. Georges Hall, completed after the Great Siege was won. Touring the tunnels you will be entertained by exhibits and reenactments of the battles, as well as a spectacular view from the batteries in St. George’s Hall. These tunnels are just a small sampling of the more than 30 miles of tunnels that exist inside the Rock of Gibraltar.

St. Michaels Cave:

It was once rumored that St. Michaels cave was bottomless, and that it was linked to Africa by a subterranean passage. Although it is a very deep, no such passage has ever been found. What you will find, though, is a spectacular natural grotto featuring some very impressive stalagmites and stalactites, which, when backlit create an almost fairy tale atmosphere. Cathedral Cave, with its natural acoustics, is often used as a concert hall and entertainment venue. During World War II, it was prepared as a hospital, but was never put to use.

Lower St. Michaels Cave:

In 1942, when another entrance was being excavated to the original St. Michaels Cave, a new cave was found. The lower cave features a captivating subterranean lake. Guided tours of Lower St. Michael’s Cave are available through advance reservations only and are limited to small groups. The Lower Cave is still in its original natural state, so the tour requires some light climbing with ropes, and the paths are a little darker, wetter and narrower than those found in the caves above. Plan to dress appropriately with warm clothing, and non-slip shoes. Children under 10 are not permitted.

The amazing vistas in the Grand Canyon National Park reveal the continual battle between erosion and land building.  Stronger layers of rock are resistant to erosion and often form a cap that protects the rock layers beneath, creating canyons and buttes standing as isolated monuments  in an area where the capstone rock once ran from horizon to horizon.

The snow-fed Colorado River carved the canyon we see today ands it flows almost a mile below the canyon’s rim, as it continues cutting downward, now exposing some of the oldest rock layers in the United States

If you look closely, you will note the strata in the Grand Canyon are tipped to the north, which creates an asymmetry. If you visit the South Rim you will see Panoramic views of the temples in the canyon, while from the North Rim you peer into the abyss, while standing in the middle of it .

The rocks being exposed by the Colorado River are close to two billion years old.  The canyon is an erosional feature thought to be around six million years old. During this time, the Colorado River has managed to cut its channel  at a rate that slightly exceeded the uplift of the Colorado Plateau, allowing the river to function as a warm knife slicing through butter.  In a humid environment, the river would have widened its flood plain in a manner similar to that to the Mississippi River. Here, however, aridity has constrained river, although the Colorado will continue its work of carving the plateau down to sea level.

The geologic history of the Grand Canyon was largely unknown until after the Civil War.  John Wesley Powell, a Civil War veteran, made the first complete navigation through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River with a team of ten riding in small wooden boats.  Powell, who was one armed, was quite an adventurer and was often tied to chair that was anchored in his boat so that he could observe the Canyon and its geology, even as they shot the rapids!  Powell later became the first director of the United States Geological Survey.

The Grand Canyon National Park encompasses both the North and South Rims of the Canyon.  If it is your first visit, we think you will find the panoramic views from the South Rim to your liking.  In addition, there is a wider range of lodging available at and near the South Rim and more vistas, as well as direct access to trails into the Canyon.  Approximately ninety-percent of those who visit select   the South Rim as their destination.

There is a small  airport (the Grand Canyon National Park Airport) at Tusayan,  however many visitors prefer to fly to Phoenix or Las Vegas as part of their trip to the Grand Canyons.  If you approach from the east (from the direction of Albuquerque) consider driving highway 89 to 64 to enter the park. Selecting this route has the advantage of taking you through the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, a scenic volcanic landscape that can be stunning at sunrise or sunset.

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon (around 7,000 feet in elevation) extends across many miles and touring by a vehicle is the easiest way to see the areas that may be of interest to you, although there is a shuttle that offers free service to several areas of the South Rim.  Many  visitors start their tour of the South Rim from Mather Point (the first overlook on the south entrance road), which is regarded by as the most panoramic of the views from the South Rim. The Canyon View Information Plaza is nearby and a good place gather more information about seeing the park. When you arrive, be sure to grab a copy the free park newspaper,  “The Guide”, which contains maps, act ivies, special programs and current news about the park (there are special issues for the North and South Rims).

Yavapi Point is just west of Mather Point and its observation tower features geology displays, as well as outstanding views of the Colorado River cutting away at the bottom of the Canyon.  Desert View Drive extends 25 miles to the east (to a place known as  Desert View) and offers numerous vistas where you can park and, then, view the Grand Canyon.

Be sure to take some time to hike along the approved paths on the Canyon’s edge for a sense of the tranquility that can be found away from the Grand Canyon Village and more popular overlooks. If you are in tip- top shape, you might want to consider talking to the rangers about hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up. This is a rugged outing and should only be undertaken by those in good shape and prepared for a rigorous hike (bring plenty of water, wear good quality hiking boots and have ample amounts of food, sunscreen and determination).

The North Rim is a five hour drive (215 miles /346 kms) from the South Rim, as the canyon between the two is a mile deep (1.6 km) and bisects the two sections of the park.  As noted previously, the North Rim is less panoramic than the South Rim and access to overlooks is much more limited.  On the other hand, in some ways the North is more beautiful and because the crowds are smaller, it is certainly more peaceful.  Due to its height (approximately 8,000 feet in elevation) the North Rim has a shorter summer season than the South Rim and is closed during Winter.  One additional advantage of its increased elevation is that the North Rim has more vegetation than the South Rim.

The North Rim Visitor center, located on the Bright Angel Peninsula is a good place to start your tour. Continue past the Visitor Center to the Lodge for classic view of  the Grand Canyon.   Nearby is a short trail that leads to spectacular views of Roaring Springs and Bright Angel Canyons.

Port Imperial and Cape Royal can be reached by a short, but scenic, winding drive and there is much to see along the way if you have the desire to stop, look and walk a little. Point Imperial is the highest point on the North Rim at 8800 feet and overlooks the Painted Desert and the eastern end of the Grand Canyon.