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Our journey to Patagonia starts off in the countryside. Sheep farming is common across much of this region and the Falklands - introduced to the area in the late 1800s, the constant demand of sheep wool and meat ever since has kept this a vital economic activity. With the sheep population outnumbering humans 10 to 1 - you're bound to see them wherever you go. Our next stop is Ushuaia, Argentina - the southernmost town in the world. Abandoned and wrecked ships dot the harbour, such as St. Christopher - a reminder of how unpredictable the waters of the Beagle Channel can be. With dreary, foggy days being the norm here - these boats seem to fit right in. Ushuaia is located on the Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire) archipelago - a name that comes from Spanish explorers observing the local Yaghan people's tradition of constantly keeping a fire stoked to deal with the chilly weather. In autumn however, the landscape itself turns into a "land of fire", coming alive with a beautiful display of red, orange, and yellow foliage. With much of the year being best described as bleak - it's a dramatic change that's quite stunning. In Patagonia, much of the land consists of barren plateaus and grasslands - one of the few ways to get around is by taking the Pan-American Highway, the world's longest motorable road. While much of the surrounding landscape is rather plain, there always seems to be something interesting if you look hard enough - and in this case, don't be surprised if you see a couple of llamas grazing the lands. Patagonia is dotted with countless rivers, creating great canyons as they slowly carve away the landscape. The Rio Pinturas Canyon of Argentina is perhaps the best example in all of Patagonia - it's just as dramatic as it is beautiful. Another destination you'll want to be sure to visit is the Cueva de las Manos (Cave of the Hands), tucked away in the surrounding granite cliffs - few places in the world can compare to its collection of ancient rock paintings. Our last stop might be the most spectacular of them all. Rising nearly 10,000 feet above the surrounding Patagonian landscape in relative isolation, the mountains of Chile's Torres del Paine will take your breath away. Catching a good view of them is quite difficult, with heavy clouds often covering the peaks and violent storms frequently battering the area. It only seems fitting however - this is truly one of the most untamed places on Earth and a can't miss destination of Patagonia. Don't forget to comment, like, and follow True Earth if you haven't already! -korver --- Replies for "Central Asia"
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Our journey to Southeast Asia begins with a trip through the scenic, mountainous landscape of northern Vietnam. For thousands of years, terraces have turned these hillsides into effective farmland - with rice being the staple crop for many. For as far as the eye can see, these terraces stretch on into the distance - a never ending showcase of simple, rural beauty. Our next stop is the mysterious Chocolate Hills of Bohol Island in The Philippines. Some 1,776 brownish-red hills dot the landscape for miles around, and a variety of wild myths try to explain their existence. Some legends state that the hills are the leftovers of massive pebbles thrown by giants many eons ago. Others believe that the hills have a cosmic connection, with each hill representing various stars and planets. No matter what the explanation, they still leave us in awe. The crater lakes of Kelimutu in Indonesia are one of the more remarkable destinations on our journey - the lakes are just as stunning as they are mesmerizing. The mineral rich water that fills each of these lakes changes color many times throughout the year, so each trip is truly a unique experience. Despite the ominous steam that emanates from the lakes, the volcano has actually been dormant for quite some time. Our next stop is the largest Buddhist monument in the world - Indonesia's Borobudur. Rain or shine, it's a truly impressive structure - we're amazed by the sheer quantity of artifacts on display. With over 2,500 relief panels and 500 Buddha statues lining the exterior, we've never seen anything like it before. Reaching the top brings incredible views of the surrounding landscape - but more importantly it signifies the end of a pilgrimage for Buddhists. As we start to head back north, a can't miss destination is Thailand's Phang Nga Bay, tucked away on the west coast of the country. With over 40 limestone islands jutting hundreds of feet into the air, it truly takes your breath away. We grab a boat and find a secluded beach on one of the islands - no better way to spend the day! As our journey begins to wind down, we make sure to visit one of the iconic landmarks of Southeast Asia - Cambodia's Angkor Wat. The world's largest religious monument never fails to disappoint - you could spend years exploring this vast complex. While the views from the outside are truly impressive, the interior is a different story. To our dismay, we find out that much of the complex has been looted in recent years, with bas-reliefs and relics fetching high prices on the black market. It'll take a little exploring around to find the rooms left in pristine condition - but it's certainly worth it. Our final stop is none other than one of the most impressive archeological sites in the world, Myanmar's Bagan. Over 10,000 pagodas were built on this vast desert plain nearly a thousand years ago - with a little over 2,200 remaining today. Despite constant earthquake damage (the ruins are built directly on top of a fault line) - the locals continue to rebuild these treasured ruins time and time again. No trip to Bagan is complete without a hot air balloon ride - despite the steep price, the incredible views for miles around make it a once in a lifetime experience. Don't forget to comment, like, and follow True Earth if you haven't already! -korver --- Replies for "Moscow"
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After visiting the world's tallest waterfall and largest rain forest, our small Cessna finally lands at our next destination. We've got quite the trip planned, so enjoy Our first stop in our journey is the capital and largest city of Suriname, Paramaribo. It's truly a one of a kind city, with its mixture of beautiful colonial Dutch architecture on the edge of the rain forest. The Dutch architecture serves as a reminder to the past - the country was under Dutch rule for nearly 150 years as Dutch Guiana until it gained its independence back in 1975. Our time in Paramaribo is brief - and unfortunately, the rain never seems to stop during our stay, as is common in much of the country. We board our plane once again and head back out. Cloaked in heavy rain clouds, Mount Roraima on the Brazil/Venezuela/Guyana border is truly breathtaking with its imposing sheer cliffs. Countless waterfalls plunge off of its tiered slopes - yet another sign that we're in the middle of rainy season. We land our plane just inside Eastern Venezuela for a quick excursion. We're up for a challenge, and the imposing Autana Tepui provides just that. After a couple of days of nerve wracking climbing, we finally reach the top and put up our tents for the night, taking in the view. We get back on our plane and land a couple hundred miles north in Valencia. We'll be traveling by car for now on, and the first stop is the small town of Puerto Colombia on the southern coast of the Caribbean Sea. It's a charming little village, with its small river filled with brightly colored riverboats. No trip here would be complete without taking one for a cruise through the village, and we do just that. After driving along the Caribbean coast for a couple hundred more miles, we finally make our way to the Pan-American highway. Taking that south, we travel high through the mountains of Colombia for quite some time until we finally reach Colombia's Cocora Valley. This place seems almost unreal, with it's famed wax palm trees climbing to heights of up to 200 feet tall. The surrounding landscape is equally impressive, with quaint farming villages surrounded by rolling hillsides and steep, rocky slopes. The locals are quite hospitable, letting us stay the night. Not too far from the Cocora Valley is another one of Colombia's famous attractions, the Las Lajas Sanctuary. Built between 1916 and 1949, this church is one of the most impressive sights in all of South America, standing high above the steep Guáitara River canyon. Between the location, waterfalls, and reports to this day of "mysterious healing" - it's truly a magical place. After driving for seemingly an eternity through nothing but the barren deserts of Central and Southern Peru, we eventually reach a sight worth looking for. There's one landmark here that you'll want to keep your eye out for - they're easy to miss. Eventually we find one of the legendary Nazca lines - the condor. Created between 500 B.C. and A.D. 500, the Nazca culture created these lines by removing the rocks from the desert floor, revealing the lighter colored ground beneath. The best way to view these lines is by air however, so we catch a quick ride and do just that. After checking out the famed Nazca lines, we start to head our way inland towards Cuzco and finally make our way towards the legendary Machu Picchu. There's no more roads from this point forward - the only way to the top is by foot. After stopping at a local village, we get out our backpacking gear and get ready for the adventure ahead of us. It's quite the climb up the mountain, but after numerous days and nights traversing through dense rain forest, finally seeing these majestic ruins makes it all worth it. We get back on the highway and start heading south once more. The landscape initially is barren - but eventually it turns into something much more beautiful. The steep slopes have been terraced by local farmers for thousands of years, and there's no better example of their work than the Colca Canyon. Through advanced irrigation strategies they transformed these steep mountainsides into workable farmland, and to this day the locals make their living off them. Our trip slowly gets higher and higher in elevation as we start heading eastwards. Eventually it becomes hard to just catch out breath, but we soon adapt to the massive height difference. Perched in the middle of these mountains is the world's highest lake, Lake Titicaca, a sight that we wouldn't want to miss. One of the most remarkable sights here is the floating islands of the local Uros people. By taking the tough reeds that surround the lake (totora) - they've managed to build floating islands that entire families can live on. They allow us to have a glimpse into their daily lives, allowing us onto one of their island and to observe some of their ancient traditions. We're finally out of the mountains, but the adventure as just begun for us. This swampy, densely forested area of Brazil is known as The Pantanal - and there's only one way through it, the transpantaneira. The road acts as the only safe route through the wetlands, and we run into numerous herds of cattle on the road along the way. It doesn't take long for us to get into our first standoff - as a couple of crocodile-resembling caimans need to make their way across the road. We finally reach the capital of Brazil, Brasília. Seeking a more centrally located capital, in 1960 the capital was changed from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília and an entire city was planned and built from the ground up. Architect Oscar Niemeyer designed many of the important buildings here, giving them a distinctive flair. There's no better example than the Palácio do Planalto - the official workplace of the President of Brazil truly comes alive at night. From Brasília, we start traveling eastwards towards the Brazilian coastline. Every Brazilian beach side city is magnificent, but Rio stands out from the rest. Standing atop of Corcovado Mountain is the famous Cristo Redentor statue - a must visit for any tourist, especially at sunrise. Completed in 1931, its arms were placed in an open stance, symbolizing peace. A couple hundred miles west is another Brazilian beach side city that you don't want to miss, Santos - one of the most beautiful cities that we encounter during our journey. Its gardens (the world's longest) and beaches are truly magnificent, stretching for as far as the eye can see. After all the traveling we've done thus far - some time spent relaxing on the beach is more than overdue. When traveling through Brazil, you're bound to run into a number of favelas (slums) on the outskirts of many of the larger cities. We saw a number of them in Rio de Janeiro - and as we travel through São Paulo, we see quite a few more. The people here make the most of their situation, gathering whatever they can find in order to create a house for their families. We begin the final leg of our journey with the mighty Itaipu Dam, located on the Paraná River on the Paraguay/Brazil border. You truly can't underestimate the size of this massive structure - it's the largest hydroelectric scheme in the world. This dam alone provides nearly 80% of Paraguay's electricity, as well as much of the power to many important cities in Brazil - but it did come at a steep $20 billion cost. It's the rainy season - so we get to see an up close view of the spillway in action, which drains out any excess water from the Itaipu reservoir. Our next stop is some 20 miles south - the world famous Iguazu Falls. From miles around you can hear them rumbling - you can just sense the power of these falls. There's a seemingly infinite amount of waterfalls here, and the best way to experience them is to get up close. One way is to board one of the many boats that travel along the lower river - and we do just that, getting as close to the falls as possible. But no trip is complete without visiting the "Devil's Throat" (seen in the top left corner of the picture) - an elevated walkway takes us as close as we can possibly get to it, witnessing a one of a kind wonder. Finally, our journey wraps up when we reach one of the premier destinations in South America - Buenos Aires. Once you see the avenues and architecture, it's not hard to see why it's called the "Paris of South America". 9 de Julio isn't just wide - it's the world's largest avenue - and right in the middle of it is the famous Obelisco de Buenos Aires. Built to commemorate the founding of the city in 1536, it's truly amazing at night. - Bonus Pictures - Everything else that didn't make it into an update this year, so here's their final destination. Enjoy! Yaounde, Cameroon Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania Agbokim Waterfalls, Nigeria Ancient City of Djado (1000 A.D.), Niger Rubber Farm, Liberia Mother and Child Balancing Rocks, Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe Great Blue Hole, Belize Sutherland Falls, New Zealand Great Wall of China Prague's Christmas Market New Year's Eve in Prague Attribution for the pictures: Waterkant Paramaribo, CCSA3, Forrestjunky | Tepuy Autana (Kuaymayojo), CCSA3, Fernando Flores | View from Mt. Roraima "Window", CCSA2, Paulo Fassina | puerto colombia (choroní, venezuela), CC2, Olga Berrios | Ceroxylon Quindiuense Cocora, CC3, Diegotorquemada | Santuario Nacional de Las Lajas 02, CCSA3, GameOfLight | Colca Canton Puno, CCSA2, world-wide-gifts.com | Machu Picchu, Peru, Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike2.0, Pedro Szekely | Nazca Lines - Condor, CCSA2, Paul Williams | Uros Islands in Lake Titicaca - panoramio, CC3, Frans-Banja Mulder | Por do Sol Pantanal em Mato Grosso Brasil, CCSA3, Filipefrazao | Yellow Jesus, CCSA3, dabldy | Panoramica Santos, CC2, Diego Silvestre | Sao Paulo, Brasil, CC2, Francisco Autunes | Usina Hidroelétrica Itaipu Binacional / Itaipu Dam, CC2, Deni Williams | Iguazu National Park Falls, CC3, Tomfriedel | Obelisk Buenos Aires, CC2, Nestor Galina. Notes: Various edits were made to each picture, including color, slight blurring, and sharpening. All these banners have the same license as the original pictures. Don't forget to comment, like, and follow True Earth if you haven't already! -korver
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The Leaning Tower of Pisa Pisa, Italy Originally built in 1173, this world famous bell tower began to tilt as soon as it was being constructed. Soft soil coupled with an inadequate foundation meant that the tower had to be built slightly curved just so it wouldn't fall over during construction. The tower slowly began to tilt more and more as the years went by, and by 1990 the tower was on the verge of collapse and had to be closed to the public. Numerous attempts at straightening the tower were made throughout the 1990s, and was deemed safe enough to reopen in 2001. Today the tower stands at a 4 degree tilt. National Library of Greece Athens, Greece The heart of Athens comes alive at night. The National Library of Greece, built in 1829, holds one of the world's largest collections of Greek manuscripts behind it's impressive stone columns. Landwasser Viaduct Swiss Alps One of the most noteworthy locations on the legendary Glacier Express passenger train is the breathtaking Landwasser Viaduct, especially during wintertime. Standing 213 feet at it's highest point, it's one of the most picturesque locations in the entire Swiss Alps. The Pantheon Rome, Italy Perhaps the most well preserved building of Ancient Rome, the Pantheon remains to this day as a temple to the Roman Gods. The circular oculus at the top allows light to enter, as well as the rain and any other natural elements. While there's numerous ways to get to the Pantheon, you can't go wrong with the time-tested solution: a horse drawn carriage through the streets of Rome. Puente Nuevo Ronda, Spain Located in the Andalusia region of Spain, the mountaintop city of Ronda is split in two by the 390 foot deep El Tajo canyon. Connecting the two sides of the old town is the breathtaking Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) - completed in 1793, to this day it remains one of the world's most iconic bridges. Contra Dam Swiss Alps Opened in 1965, Switzerland's Contra Dam is one of the most impressive locations in the entire Alps. Most notably, in 1995 it was featured in the bungee jumping opening sequence of GoldenEye (one of my favorite movies of all time, which is why I chose to make it in the first place). Periodically, the two spillways on each side of the dam will open, releasing 1,300 m/s of water, truly an amazing sight. Don't forget to comment, like, and follow True Earth if you haven't already! Thanks -korver
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Our journey through the Amazon starts off in Manaus, located on the Rio Negro in the heart of the rain forest. It's one of the largest cities in the Amazon - despite it's remote location, it's well worth the visit. We take a stroll down many of it's historic roads, enjoying some of the architecture - the best example being it's beautiful ornate opera house. The Amazon Theatre was constructed back in 1896, back when the surrounding region was flourishing from the rubber trade. Lots has changed since then, and unfortunately we'll meet some of the harsh realities quickly.. After our visit in Manaus, we board our boat and begin traveling north through the rain forest. Unfortunately, it'll take quite some time before we actually get to see the untamed forest, as deforestation has cleared out much of the land. Once pristine sections of rain forest have been replaced by the signature "fishbone" pattern for as far as the eye can see. The need for cattle ranching and crops means that many will do just about anything for more land, including slashing and burning whole sections in one go. Although the rate of deforestation has dropped in recent years, it can't change the fact that nearly 20 percent of the forest has been destroyed over the last 40 years alone. Our journey continues northwards, and we move from the Rio Negro to one of it's smaller tributaries, the Rio Demini. As the river undulates and curves it's way gently through the rain forest, we finally get our first true taste of the Amazon. We get a chance to observe some of the surrounding wildlife - a pair of jaguars being the clear highlight of the day. Once we reach the small fishing village of Lisbão, we get a chance to meet the locals and stock up on supplies as we continue on deeper into the rain forest. The river gets narrower and narrower the further we go along - and it leaves us less room for error as we continue our travels. Once we finally reach some rapids, the only way to continue onward is by foot. We were told that the local Yanomami people inhabit these lands - but after many days hiking through the deep forest, we thought we would never see them. Finally, right at the Venezuela/Brazil border, we catch a smoke cloud far off in the corner of our eyes. As we move closer, sure enough we see the roof of a shabono (their circular huts) peeking over the canopy of the forest - we've finally found found them. As we move closer to greet them, the situation quickly turns murky as they take out their bow and arrow. They've never seen outsiders before, and not knowing if we're friend or foe - they threaten to shoot. To dispel the situation, we offer a pair of matches and they cautiously accept the gift. After learning how they work, they put down their weapons - we've finally gained their respect. After hiking for weeks from small village to small village, we finally reach one with a small airport. They're offering plane rides over Angel Falls - an offer we can't refuse. The ride takes us over a number of tepuis in the Guiana Highlands - stunning for sure, but they won't compare to what we see next. We finally reach the falls a couple hours later - getting about as close as you can possibly get by plane. At over 3,200 feet tall, the world's tallest waterfall doesn't disappoint - it's truly an extraordinary view. Don't forget to comment, like, and follow True Earth if you haven't already! Thanks -korver --- Replies for "Scenes From Africa":
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Our trip to Africa starts off in Lagos, Africa's largest city. Getting anywhere around town seems to be an impossible task with the never ending flow of traffic. Street vendors and hawkers are on every street corner, and the massive crowds of people everywhere adds to the congestion. In order to go anywhere, using the bright yellow danfos (buses) are almost a necessity - they're virtually everywhere in the city. But just when we thought the traffic was bad enough around our hotel - one of the local markets spills out onto the streets. This in turn forces one of the main roads to shut down and everything comes to a complete standstill for a couple of days. We're limited to touring the city by foot at this point, but at least we get to check out many of the beautiful goods that the local markets have to offer. After our stay in Lagos, we start traveling East - right into the heart of Congo. All the roads from this point forward are dirt covered - which potentially makes rainy season a real headache. Fortunately for us, we don't run into any problems for the time being. Along our way, we get to meet numerous tribes, observing their rituals and getting a chance to see how the locals live. The mud and thatched roof huts they call home have been a mainstay for thousands of years - and we can see why, noting their sturdiness and ease of build. Our next stop in our African journey is northern Tanzania where we take our Jeep through Serengeti National Park. The views from the ground are amazing, almost immediately spotting large herds of elephants, giraffes, and zebras. However, to get an even better view, we decide to board a hot air balloon instead. It's wildebeest migration season, and we get an excellent birds-eye view from our balloon - also finally spotting a couple of lions on the prowl as well. Once we get back on the ground, we finally start to make our way out of the park - but not before stopping a few times to let a herd of Giraffes make their way across the road. We board our plane and arrive next in Madagascar, being sure to see it's famous Avenue of the Baobabs. Not only are they perhaps the world's fattest tree, but they also can live for 2,000 years or more - they're truly marvelous as they tower high above us. However, just as we make our way out of the area, we're met with an unexpected surprise. We thought we left the traffic back in Lagos - but evidently we were quite wrong, getting stuck in a cattle traffic jam on numerous occasions. Once we make it back to the mainland, we travel a couple hundred miles West and make our way across the Zimbabwean border. After getting lost more than a couple times and finally getting some much needed help from the locals, we're able to locate Great Zimbabwe, nestled in the middle of the Zimbabwean foothills. Once the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe, all that's left is a collection of ruins scattered around central and western Africa. Despite their current state, you can still get a sense of the power and greatness that these walls once held. Our final destination is perhaps Africa's most famous - Victoria Falls. One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, these awe-inspiring falls truly live up to the title. Once we get there, we're sure to try out a little whitewater river rafting - it's the middle of the high season and the river is in full force. However, there's still something that's a little more dangerous that we have to try out. Our tour guide takes us back up to the top of the falls, and we board a small boat to Livingstone Island near the middle of the Zambezi River. We slowly move our way across the lip of the falls, careful not to take one wrong step on any slippery rocks along our way. Finally, we reach our destination - the infamous Devil's pool. We take the plunge, and the only thing protecting us from a 300+ foot drop is a small submerged rock barrier on the edge. We take a deep breath, carefully leaning over the edge to catch the view of a lifetime. Don't forget to comment, like, and follow True Earth if you haven't already! Thanks -korver
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After a brief absence, our journey picks back up on the small nation of Palau, an archipelago of over 200 small islands in the far Western Pacific Ocean. Numerous volcanic explosions many eons ago pushed coral larvae up and out of the Earth's core, forming a massive limestone reef - and the erosion since then has given Palau's islands their distinctive mushroom shape. As most of the 200 islands are quite rocky with palms and mangroves draping over the waters' edge, it takes us a bit to find a nice beach, but we're sure to enjoy it once we get there. Later on in the day, we get out our snorkels and explore the many coral reefs that surround the island - making sure to avoid the sharks that call the waters home. We get back on our cruise ship and spend the next couple of weeks making stops at various South Pacific islands, none of which however are as beautiful as Bora Bora. The small atoll was formed by a massive volcanic explosion some three million years ago, and has been slowly sinking back into the ocean ever since. The waters that surround much of the islands are extremely shallow, giving the the locals the opportunity to build structures directly on the water - which is where we'll be staying tonight. Our thatched hut on stilts provides us an up close view of the many bent palm trees and pristine coral reefs that surround the island, and we take a moment to enjoy the island as the sun begins to set. We board the cruise ship once again and 1,500 miles later, we reach Pitcairn Island. Pitcairn's history goes back to 1789, where Fletcher Christian staged a mutiny against the William Bligh, captain of the British navy ship HMS Bounty. Christian and a small number of other mutineers settled on Pitcairn - making Adamstown their main settlement. To this day, nearly all of the 56 inhabitants of Adamstown are descendants of the original mutineers, and a number of them will be greeting us when our cruise ship reaches the island, which is traditional when a ship reaches the small port. After a small dinner in the square, we take a look around the island - not much seems to have changed since 1789. Not a single car or vehicle can be found on the entire island, making Adamstown seem very much stuck in time. Despite fighting flying cockroaches and spiders for the majority of our stay in our one bedroom shack, we take a liking to Adamstown's charm, with it's unique assortment of pines and palms along with the pounding waves that never cease to stop. Our final stop in our journey across the Pacific is Chile's Easter Island. After getting off our cruise ship, we check out some of the Moai that dot the island as we make our way to Anakena Beach. Rano Raraku is one of the best locations to do so, and it gives us the opportunity to get up and close with some of the Moai - but not too close, as touching the Moai is strictly prohibited. We finally reach Anakena Beach. Anakena is one of two beaches that Easter Island has to offer - the rest of the island is quite rocky and barren, making it a popular tourist destination. We're surrounded by wild horses, endless palm trees, and the sound of crashing waves once we get to the beach, and Moai statues face inwards towards the island to greet us once we get there. The Rapa Nui people purposely placed the Moai facing inland while they were being constructed some 600-800 years ago - to show that they were protecting and honoring the people of Easter Island. The mysterious Moai statues offer more questions than answers: how were they built, how were they set up, and how did the Rapa Nui people move the statues across the island? No one really knows for certain, so we just sit back and admire their greatness. After checking out the Moai, we spend the rest of our day lounging around in our inner tubes, taking in the natural beauty of the island. Easter Island is truly a one of a kind destination, and it makes for a fitting end to our South Pacific journey. Don't forget to comment, like, and follow True Earth if you haven't already! Thanks -korver
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In our first Greek update, we got to take a look at one of Greece's most recognizable natural wonders. Now, we turn our attention to some of Greece's most awe-inspiring, mysterious, and magical landmarks of the past and present. --- "There is nothing permanent, except change." -Heraclitus The center of the universe - the Tholos of Delphi "Bear up, my child, bear up; Zeus who oversees and directs all things is still mighty in heaven." -Sophocles Athena's temple - The Parthenon "Experience, travel - these are as education in themselves." -Euripides Born from ashes - Santorini "I never learned how to tune a harp, or play upon a lute; but I know how to raise a small and inconsiderable city to glory and greatness." -Themistocles The capitol - Athens "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous." -Aristotle In the heavens above - Meteora Don't forget to comment, like, and follow True Earth if you haven't already! -korver
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Located on the island of Cephalonia in the Ionian Sea, few beaches across the globe can compare to Greece's breathtaking Myrtos Beach. Due to it's remote and rugged location, the beach is completely inaccessible by foot - the only way to reach it is to traverse your way down a series of steep hairpin curves. Once you make it there however, you'll be rewarded greatly with pristine, warm Mediterranean waters, perfectly soft white sand, and of course, incredible views. Our journey gets started off with us making accommodations at a timeless Greek villa - our room overlooks the edge of the beach, giving us a fantastic view of the sunset. We'll be staying here tonight, and tomorrow we're off to the beach. We set off for the beach early in the morning, driving through endless fields of daisies and poppies along our way. However, just as we roll down our windows to take in the smell, the clouds darken and it starts pouring. It looks like our day at the beach could very well be in jeopardy. Fortunately for us however, it was nothing more than a quick rain shower. The sky eventually begins to clear up and the beach starts to come alive with tourists. We stake out a prime spot on the beachfront and soak up the sun - no better way to spend an afternoon! Myrtos Beach is more than just a beach - it's an experience. Activities such as hang gliding are extremely popular throughout the area, so we throw caution to the wind and decide to give it a shot. We make our way back to the beach just as the day begins to wind down. Once nightfall approaches, we get a little peace and quiet once the beach starts emptying out - being sure to take it all in one last time. A perfect end to our day. I hope you enjoyed your visit to Myrtos Beach! Don't forget to comment, like, and follow True Earth if you haven't already! -korver
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Jutting 11,020 feet out of the southern Patagonian landscape, the imposing sheer granite walls of Mount Fitz Roy makes it the one of the crown jewels of southern South America. Technically challenging climbing routes coupled with notoriously bad weather makes it one of the toughest climbs in the world, but the view from the top makes it all worth it. Day 1 Our journey starts off in the sleepy little town of El Chaltén, Argentina, right at the footstep of Mount Fitz Roy. Our group meets up to discuss our routes in the upcoming days - the weather looks like it'll be manageable, but in this part of the world, that could change in the blink of an eye. We set off for Fitz Roy, and we're immediately in for a treat. The fall foliage is in full swing surrounding the misty Rio Fitz Roy, making for an absolutely gorgeous view. We won't be here long however, as the terrain quickly starts to get much more challenging. After several more miles of walking, we start to approach the base of the mountain and get our first up close view of the surrounding peaks, Techado Negro and Aguja de la 'S'. They're beautiful, no doubt - but they pale in comparison to the peak we're headed to next. Nightfall begins to set in, so we set up our tents and call it a day. Day 2 The day started off fairly easily - a straight forward climb up the mountain. However, our plans quickly got derailed when a storm approaches us, making any technical climbing an impossibility. We decide to instead take cover in a rocky outcrop and wait it out. Conditions finally improved just enough for us to continue on - and we begin to make our ascent up near-vertical granite cliffs. We had originally planned on setting up our tents on a small, flat plateau a couple hundred feet away - but due to previous setbacks, we fall behind and the darkness combined with driving rain makes any more climbing far too dangerous. We're forced to precariously hang our tents off the side of the mighty Aguja Poincenot instead. Day 3 Conditions still aren't great, but we continue to push on. The granite cliffs are coated with a thin layer of ice and storm clouds begin to roll in, making things far more dangerous than we had originally thought. However, despite the conditions, we persevere and finally reach the peak of Mount Fitz Roy. We proudly set up our Argentinian flag and take in the beautiful view - its just as good as you would imagine. Don't forget to comment, like, and follow True Earth if you haven't already! -korver
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