#881 A'ali Cemetery, Dilman Culture Burial Mounds, Bahrain

Looking at these images, it may be hard to see what is so impressive about the A'ali Burial Mounds that lie just on the boundary of the Bahraini capital Manama, and stretch for miles in the harsh landscape. An important trading partner and ocean goer, supplier of pearls during the Mesopotamian era, the Dilman culture have left very few remains for historians to study. With 11,100 recorded mounds, it is a very dense, little heard of cemetery of the ancient world.

Named for the village of A'ali, very little is known about them. They are called 'royal' because they are larger than any other Dilmun mounds, but the Dilmans did not have royal dynasties. The more elaborate mounds are formed of rings of stone. Archaeologically, they have unearthed ivory, gold, and other less precious items like furniture fragments. The history of the gulf is rich and goes back deep into history, but has not left many relics as people were transitory and life was simple and harsh.

Source: http://archaeology.about.com/od/athroughadterms/qt/Aali-Cemetery.htm

#882 Lemaire Channel, Antarctica

While it may appear to be a very large channel, in bad weather its possible to have to navigate the small (1,600m wide at its narrowest), iceberg-filled area in fog and clouds so low you can't see either side -- if you can pass through at all due to the ice. Nicknamed by visitors as 'Kodak Gap', it is a spectacular, narrow passage between the Antarctic Kiev Peninsula and Booth Island. It was named by De Gerlache for a fellow Belgian explorer (of the Congo!), the first to traverse it 1898. Such high cliffs (3000m) on either side make for spectacular scenery, making a large ship appear nothing more than a toy.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemaire_Channel
http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/travel/locations/lemaire_channel.shtml

#883 Krak de Chevaliers, Syria

Near the border between Lebanon and Syria in the historic hills controlled by so many different peoples over the millenia, lies the Krak de Chevaliers, one of the most famous crusader castles. Castles are one of my favorite relics of history -- they are living history, moving out of a story book and into an imaginable reality. The ramparts, the arches, the tunnels, the turrets and towers -- all of them can bring history to life, although I think my favorite architectural feature are the narrow windows created to make it as difficult as possible to throw or shoot something inside (but still wide enough for an arrow to be shot out). The layers of inhabitants from the underground servants, to the kitchens, and the barracks for soliders -- all are fascinating.

Krak de Chevaliers (a name coined as recently as the 19th Century when romanticism caused a revival in interest in the crusader ruins) has over time been the residence of Kurds, the County of Tripoli (which lay just north of the Kingdom of Jerusalem), the Knights Hospitalier, and was conquered by the Mamluk Sultan Baibars after a 36 day seige. It watches over the strategic Homs gap, and is only one of a series of castles that helped Christian crusaders keep control of the Holy Land.

As one of the most important preserved medieval castles in existence, it holds many fascinations including a large chapel, hall of the knights, inner and outer wards, many walls including decorative frescoes. If you're lucky you'll find your way into a dark cavern down a seemingly never-ending stairwell -- bring a torch!

From the Lonely Planet: Described by TE Lawrence as the ‘finest castle in the world’, this hilltop Crusader fortress might be 800 years old but, like a good botox treatment, stands tight and taut against the ravages of time. It’s the classic blueprint of a medieval castle, its thick outer walls separated from the inner structure by a moat dug out of the rock. Inside, it’s a minitown, complete with a chapel, baths, a great hall and a Gothic loggia. The most visible sign of ageing is the vegetation that grows from its walls; nothing a good shave wouldn’t fix.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/themes/photography/what-an-eyeful-the-worlds-most-beautiful-buildings/?intaffil=lpemail#ixzz2Zinx5m6c

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krak_des_Chevaliers 

#884 Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

The southernmost point of Africa, south of Cape Town, is Cape Agulhas, but many people believe it to be at the end of Cape Peninsula - the Cape of Good Hope along with Cape Point. It is a windswept, wild place, colder and windier than you could ever imagine, even at the height of summer. Despite rumors, the two seas don't meet with different colors, although the currents join further east, but there are many sea birds and a sharp rock of a peninsula. The peninsula is also home to penguins, the odd seal and several farms.

Driving through Table Mountain National Park from Cape Town, past the pesky baboons, along steep cliffs and past gorgeous beaches helps to give a sense of how far away and how wild it is, and how it might have gotten a dubious reputation. Along with Cape Horn (#889), it has long held a special significance for sailors as a way point, and remains legendary.

#885 Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia

If I had to pick the most iconic and original piece of architecture in the world, the one I knew from a very young age, it would have to be the Sydney Opera House. A beautiful structure reminiscent of sails, and beautiful from afar, up close, and spectacular when lit up at night -- one day I might even climb it. When I first saw it at the age of 11, it was a real treat, something so awe-inspiring and special it made a memorable impact.

I think the era it was built (started in 1959 and finished in 1973) and the fact that it remains so iconic makes it legendary. Few recently man made structures in the world have had such a long-lasting effect other than the Eiffel Tower (#898) in Paris. It was designed by Jørn Utzon, and when construction commenced, many geometrical and structural issues with the design remained, not to mention funding and political support. We can only be glad that they all were resolved and the construction succeeded!  

Note: Apologies, but I do not have any of my own photos of the Opera House with me. Image is from http://famouswonders.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Opera_House

#886 Wadi Rum, Jordan

There are few places in the world that are so much the center of the world, yet so isolated and desolate that very little life exists there. Wadi Rum is such a place. Very close to Aqaba on the Red Sea, it is an area that has been inhabited and traversed for millennia, yet there are almost no settlements and minimal inhabitants. It is a spectacular place, as beautiful a desert as could exists, with unique and beautiful windswept rock arches and towers, rich red and gold sands, and vast vistas of mirages and shimmering heat. The Bedouins have roamed this area for centuries and still call it home. There is nothing more welcoming than a small fire in a Bedouin desert tent, with tea ready for consumption, a soft red woolen cushion and the blissful shade from the scorching sun.

Rock art decorates the ancient walls showing images of a story that has long been forgotten. Lawrence of Arabia was much at home here and his legacy lives on amongst the people. Wadi Rum is a mystical, special place, Wadi representing a valley, and rum definitely not translating to what we know it as!

#887 New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Whether it's dancing on tables and bars, throwing or receiving beads, climbing out a window to sit on the roof because there is no space in a house, or finding somewhere to eat for 20 people, finding space on the floor to sleep of the friend of a friend's apartment, these are my memories of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. However, New Orleans is so much more than this! It is a heart for jazz, cajun food, French creole architecture, the memories of all that went before Hurricane Katrina, the old streets including the famous/infamous Bourbon Street.

Originally French, but bought by the USA as part of the Louisiana Purchase (which was much more than just current Louisiana state), it was sacked by several, including the British in 1812 and again blockaded by the Union in the Civil War.

I remember being shocked by how segregated it still is, but how delighted I was by the old houses... I wish I had better pictures than those just from a party weekend!

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans