Petra Info

Petra

Petra

Petra

Petra

Petra is a site in the Arabah, Jordan that was discovered by a Swiss explorer called Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812 and is considered to be, yet another splendid beauty in the history of mankind. Arabah is a section of the Great Rift Valley and it is located between the Dead Sea (north) and the Gulf of Aqaba (south) forming part of the border between Jordan (east) and Israel (west).

Petra represents the ancient world’s heritage culture. It is a beauty hidden behind layers of mountain. The ones who have seen it say it is a treasure beyond comparison. It is now said to be one of the seventh wonder of the world and it belongs to the UNESCO world heritage site. The entire red rose city of Petra has such a charismatic appeal that it attracts anyone & everyone who enters the city, taking them to a different world of divine beauty and mystery. Petra mainly is admired because of its picture perfect architecture, its complex structure, quality and the non mentionable mere size.

Petra is said to have its origin before 106 AD; its culture is said to have been flourished in almost 400 years old. The one’s who visited it say that it is a site that can never be forgotten. The city of Petra takes its name, which is the Greek word for “rock”, from the fact that it is most notable for its buildings and tombs that are carved directly into the red sandstone that serves as the city’s natural protection from invaders. Its popularity with tourists may also have a connection to the city’s Biblical significance. It is here where King Aretas called for the arrest of the Apostle Paul at the time of his conversion.

Location & How to Get to Petra

This historical fortress is located 170 miles southwest of Amman, Jordan on the edges of the Wadi Araba desert. It is also 50 miles south of the Dead Sea and the only way to enter the city is through a narrow crevice called the Siq. One has to uncover a very narrow path of mountains, kilometer by kilometer before they get to see the majestic beauty of Petra.This path is only about five meters wide, with sandstone walls towering up hundreds of meters high on both sides. This long, narrow & not very well lighted gorge is very cool & soothes the visitors before it unfolds the mystery step by step.

A taxi is the best means of transportation to get from the Queen Alia International Airport to Amman. Remember to ask the driver to take you to the Wahdat bus terminal, since there are two major bus stations in Amman. Destinations are usually printed in Arabic on the respective buses, so if you do not read Arabic, ask to be shown to the bus that will take you to Petra.

Holiday destination: Poldat holiday, Pakistan

Poldat is a spot located deep inside Hingol National Park. Hingol River cuts the high altitude mountains here. It’s a unique collection of adventures different terrains and wildlife. After 40 KM of strenuous trekking, crossing various jungles and harsh terrain is required to reach the spot. You can experience unique formation of rocks that took thousands of years to form such beautiful formations its heaven for people who are interested in photography (Landscape and wildlife).

Holiday destination: Puerto Rico Holidays

Holidays in Puerto Rico have great appeal for anyone who likes water sports and wildlife. The north coast of Puerto Rico has the most exciting beaches. The best surfing is around Isabela and Rincon beaches. For scuba diving head for Isla Desecheo and La Parguera where there’s a coral reef that is twenty miles long. The gentlest snorkeling is around Isla Caja de Muertos. The highlights of Puerto Rico’s nature reserves are El Yunque with its cool jungle interiors and Vieques National Wildlife Refuge where it’s easy to cycle and you’ll find newly opened pristine beaches. Puerto Rico is east of the Dominican Republic and west of the British Virgin Islands.

Holiday destination: Italy

When it comes to art, history, music, design, fashion, great food and wine, all roads seem to lead back to Italy. It’s no wonder that it is one of the most-visited countries in the world. It does offer a full, deluxe package of everything a traveler could wish for. If your goal is just to see iconic attractions, your journey would take you from north to south, from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, to the Doge’s Palace in Venice and the Coliseum in Rome. In between you’d be treated to spectacular scenery along the way.

Imagine driving through the countryside with the windows down. Sometimes you’d smell fragrant orange and lemon blossoms. Other times, the scent of freshly baked focaccia would linger in the air. Italy appeals to all the senses. Touch buttery soft Italian-made cashmere sweaters in the shops of Milan. Taste the freshness of homemade, tomato sauce with savoury pasta, hand dried the old-fashioned way. See the deep shades of crimson as you raise a glass of Tuscan red wine to the light. Hear the crystal clear sounds of a Verdi opera reverberate in a centuries-old theatre.

Even if you’ve been to Italy before, it still holds surprises for even repeat visitors. Take a ferry to explore islands like Sicily off the coast, or go north to picturesque peaks of the Italian Alps. Consider a hands-on experience in Italy to really appreciate its wonders. You can spend a day with a wine master, learning the secrets of wine appreciation, or you may tour Roman ruins with an archaeologist and try your hand at uncovering, ancient artifacts. No matter how or where you go, your holiday in Italy promises to thrill with discoveries old and new.

Table Mountain the city of Cape Town in South Africa

Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top. The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. With spectacular views from the top and great panoramic views of the city this mountain tops the list of places to see in South Africa. For those who can’t take the hike, they offer a 3min ride on a cableway from top to bottom. At the top you’ll find a restaurant, cableway cocktail bar (which can be rented out for events) and other hiking activities.

Table Mountain pictures

Giro d'Italia 2010 Wrap Up: Ivan Basso 2nd Victory in Giro d'Italia

After 21 stages around Italy's regions Ivan Basso won his second Giro d'Italia.

The Giro d'Italia finished Sunday with a loop around Verona. Although the Italian Ivan Basso did not win the Verona stage 21, he is the overall Giro d'Italia 2010 winner, making an Italian the Giro d' Italia champion.

It's been four years since Basso first found glory winning the Giro d'Italia. In between there was a fall from grace, a laborious resurrection, and finally redemption, when Basso once again cinched victory Sunday in his beloved "Giro."



Last year Basso returned for the Centennial Giro d'Italia famed Italian race, where he finished fifth place. While the result failed to create much of a stir in the media, Basso was hopeful.

He improved slightly with a fourth-place in the Tour of Spain at the end of 2009, but it was in this year's Giro that Basso once again became a winner. Like other pre-race favorites Cadel Evans and Alexandre Vinokourov, Basso struggled to control this uncontrollable three-week race that started in Holland.

The first week on the 2010 Giro d'Italia was filled with horrible spring weather in Italy that brought suffering crashes to all the cyclists. Basso and the Liquigas Team returned to Italyafter the Holland portion and dominated the team time trial. The 30- year old Basso, along with up-and-coming teammate Vincenzo Nibali, folded on stage seven from Carrara to Montalcino in rain filled deluge that transformed the stage's Tuscan white dirt roads of the "Strade Bianche" into a muddy mess.

The two minutes he lost to Montalcino that day were followed by a 12-plus minutes he and the other 2010 Giro d'Italia favorites lost when nearly 50 riders broke away on stage 11 to the earthquake town of L'Aquila on another rain-drenched stage. Suddenly the most prominent threat in the race wasn't from Evans or Vinokourov, but Spaniard David Arroyo, who was now sitting comfortably in the lead.

However, Giro d'Italia fans know that it is the mountain stages in the final weeks that determine who will be the Giro d'Italia winner. Basso exploited the mountain stages in the final week. While other favorites were exhausted, Basso rebounded, proving that he is still one of the world's top climbers when he's at his best. And with each climb he chipped away at Arroyo's lead.

The most impressive moment came when he soloed to victory on the Monte Zoncolan, one of the hardest climbs in all of professional bike racing, at the finish of stage 15. But the most decisive moment came when he launched an attack with Stefano Garzelli and his teammate Nibali on stage 19 to Aprica.

Surging on the Mortirolo Pass, in Lombardy, a climb Lance Armstrong called the hardest in all cycling, the trio rolled away from the competition. In contrast to his famed climbing skills, Basso is also noted as a wretched descender. Yet chaperoned by Nibali, one of the best, Basso held his advantage down the mountain, and the trio only increased their lead on the final climb to Aprica. At the finish, the pink leader's jersey was his. Days later, so was his second victory in the famed Giro d'Italia.

After taking over the pink jersey on Friday Basso stated regarding his past doping problems, "What good does it do to stir that up again... That's an old story from 2006. What interests me is what I have been able to do since I put a number back on my jersey. Being in the middle of the storm makes you suffer, but also grow. The last four years are behind me. I prefer to think about the present... The Tour de France, I want it too much," Basso said. "That's where my career was shattered and that's where it will really start again. I want to give the Tour what it gave to me-a lot of joy and emotion."

Nevertheless, after his final victory in Verona on Sunday, Basso admitted, "credibility is earned one day at a time."

Final overall standings at the 2010 Giro d'Italia:

1. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 87hr 44min 01sec, 2. David Arroyo (ESP/GCE) at 1:51, 3. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) 2:37, 4. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AND) 2:50, 5. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 3:27, 6. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 7:06, 7. Richie Porte (AUS/SAX) 7:22, 8. Carlos Sastre (ESP/CTT) 9:39, 9. Marco Pinotti (ITA/THR) 14:20, 10. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/LIQ) 14:51, 11. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 17:10, 12. Bauke Mollema (NED/RAB) 19:41, 13. John Gadret (FRA/ALM) 23:03, 14. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/KAT) 25:21, 15. Mauricio Ardila (COL/RAB) 32:29, 16. Linus Gerdemann (GER/MRM) 34:49, 17. Dario Cioni (ITA/SKY) 36:44, 18. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/RAB) 37:27, 19. Alexander Efimkin (RUS/ALM) 39:43, 20. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) 45:17, 21. Francis de Greef (BEL/OLO) 50:08, 22. Iban Mayoz (ESP/FOT) 1hr 07min 37sec, 23. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/BTL) 1h10:16, 24. Pieter Weening (NED/RAB) 1h10:55, 25. Vladimir Miholjevic (CRO/ASA) 1h11:10
Selected: 40. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 1h47:58

Holiday destination: Pakistan holidays

Pakistan is a breathtaking country there are a lot of good places for holidays and they are also easy to reach because of the cheap and economical resources of transportation in Pakistan. Karachi is the biggest city of the country. Basically Pakistan is the country which has intensive weather so when it is summer, the summer is too hot and when there is winter it is so cold. The best places for enjoyment in Pakistan all seasons, especially winter like Swat, Kaghan, Gilgit, Muree, Naran, Quetta, Islamabad and some great places in northern area of Pakistan.