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Acropolis MuseumArt Collections in Athens, Greece On the site of the Acropolis itself, this discreet building houses a magnificent collection of art and sculpture primarily dedicated to the religious history of the Acropolis and excavated from the site. There are a host of notable works from the Archaic and Classical periods.
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Review by Photo by flickr user James Gordon |
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CousineIslands in Seychelles The small island of Cousine is a private luxury resort and nature reserve. A one kilometre long white, sandy beach, a favourite place for local turtles to lay their eggs, separates Cousine’s tropical forest from the Indian Ocean. Only eight guests may stay on the island at any time so privacy and peace and quiet are assured. The proceeds of the resort are put back into conservation in the area, especially towards programs on the island, where five of the Seychelles endemic bird species as well as may others make their nests.
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Review by Photo by flickr user Olivier Cochard-Labbé |
![Matsés: The "Cat People" of the Amazon](/images/photoclip/Matsés:-The-"Cat-People"-of-the-Amazon,,400,,images,uploads,146e17b1754dd7_0.jpg)
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Matsés: The "Cat People" of the AmazonTraditional Cultures in Peru For the 17 Matsés communities living by the Rio Yavari and Rio Galvez, many changes have been made since contact was first established by Christian missionaries in 1969. There are still no phones or public transportation in these parts of the Peruvian and Brazilian rainforest, but the Matsés are fighting logging and oil companies to preserve an ancient way of life.
The "cat people" (so-named for the 'whiskers' and facial tattoos that adorn the members) are clinging to ancient traditions and methods, their awesome knowledge of Amazonian plants and wildlife as threatened with extinction as the rainforest itself. The community is working to preserve the culture with their grass-roots organisation, the Movement in the Amazon for Tribal Subsistence and Economic Sustainability or MATSES. MATSES was formed by Matsés teachers, who work to preserve the language and culture through the education of both Matsés and tourists. Contact MATSES to inquire about a native guide as commercial operators are forbidden from entering the reserve
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Review by Photo by danpantone |
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Head-Smashed-In Buffalo JumpArchaeological Sites in Alberta, Canada Native Americans found a quick and easy way to get a lot of food fast was to chase a herd of bison over a cliff then going down below to carve them all up for easy transportation. Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is one of the bet preserved of these early abattoir precipices. Bison tracks running between two ridges and of course the large number of bones on the canyon floor as testament to this efficiency. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, an Interpretive Centre explaining more about the Blackfoot peoples who lived in this region has been built into the cliffs of the jump.
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Review by Photo by flickr user species_snob |
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Exploring Surtshellir Lava TubeCaves & Caving in Iceland Iceland formed atop a hotspot on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge as a mass of congealed lava flows over millions of years. One fairly recent lava flow, in a geological sense, contains Iceland’s best know cave, an enormous lava tube, which can easily be explored with a minimum of gear on a day trip from the capital, Reykjavik. You’ll need a light; preferably also a helmet to guard against the potential of falling rock on the remote chance that would happen; hiking boots, as a safeguard against a twisted ankle while scrambling amongst the boulders; and a light jacket. The whole thing is free. The most difficult part is simply getting there. Away from the main towns, and off the Ring Road that encircles Iceland, most roads are gravel, and some of those are in very poor condition, with deep ruts, so having a 4WD vehicle is highly preferable. In any case, enjoy the volcanic scenery along the way. Heading out of Reykjavik, you drive to the farm Kalmanstunga, and from there, out into the lava field, called Hallmundahraun, consisting of dark basaltic rocks. As you get closer to Surtshellir, you’ll notice a steady stream of inconspicuous fingerpost signs guiding you towards it. When you arrive, there’s a small gravel parking lot and a footpath leading out over the lava field. Simply follow the line of stone cairns. After a while you’ll begin seeing huge pits, places where the ceiling of the lava tube has collapsed. Do not attempt to descend the sheer walls of these pits, instead continue until you reach the intended entrances, where easy trails lead into the large openings. The air is deliciously cool and a welcome refuge, in summer, from the annoying swarms of lava gnats on the surface above. Once inside the lava tube you‘ll need a good light, as some parts are in total darkness. Indeed, the cave was so large in places that my lights failed to illuminate the walls. The tube runs in a northeast-southwest direction, and including the much smaller side braches, is nearly 2 kilometers long. Looking up at the right time, you can see “lavacicles”—solidified remnants of lava drippings from the ceiling, comparable to the stalactites of limestone caves. In other spots, grotesque ice formations are found. As you continue, you’ll be able to walk out into the huge pits you saw from above earlier, following the continuation of the lava tube on the other side. Unconnected parts of the tube are given separate names. Hiking through the lava field, you will also find smaller voids known as blisters, where the molten lava blistered upwards. Surtshellir Lava Tube has a long history, having been first described in 1679. In the olden days it was the reputed lair of a giant, from which it got its name, and later, bands of robbers. An entertaining little piece on “Caverns and Banditti in Iceland,” appearing in The Penny Magazine in 1838, featured Surtshellir. The world’s first map of a lava tube, published in 1757, was of Surtshellir.
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Review by Photo by gregorybrick |
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