HafenCity is a new district at the site of Hamburg’s central harbor on the Elbe River, which is one of the most ambitious urban construction sites in Europe. HafenCity is filled on the weekends with tourists and residents eating at its waterside cafes, enjoying its vast open space and seeking a glimpse of its “starchitect”-designed buildings, 30 of which have been completed.
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The National Portrait Gallery aims to increase the understanding of the Australian people – their identity, history, creativity and culture – through portraiture.
Continue reading National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, Australia
Ranakpur in India is one of the holy places of Jain pilgrimage. Beautiful sculpture and grand structures mark the glory of this place. Popularly known as the Chaumukha, the temple is dedicated to Lord Adinath. It was built in the 15 th century. There are 80 domes supported by 1444 pillars in the temple and none of them is similar. The play of light and shade on the minutely carved figures leaves a tantalising effect.
During the rule of the Nayaks, the bulk of the Meenakshi temple was built, the main attraction for visitors, today. Madurai also became the cultural centre of the Tamil people. Madurai passed on to the East India Company in 1781, and in 1840, the Company razed the fort which had previously surrounded the city, and filled in the moat. Four streets, the Veli streets, which were constructed on top of the hill, till today, define the limits of the old city.
The Marakele National Park in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains, as its Tswana name suggests, has become a ‘place of sanctuary’ for an impressive variety of wildlife due to its location in the transitional zone between the dry western and moister eastern regions of South Africa. Contrasting majestic mountain landscapes, grass-clad hills and deep valleys characterize the park. Rare finds of yellowwood and cedar trees, five metre high cycads and tree ferns, are some of the plant species found here. All the large game species from elephant and rhino to the big cats as well as an amazing variety of birds including what’s probably the largest colony of endangered Cape vultures (more than 800 breeding pairs) in the world, have settled here.
Sheltered by the Langeberg Mountains and bordered to the south by the Breede River, the Bontebok National Park in South Africa provides a refuge for not only bontebok, but also for other species such as the Cape mountain zebra, red hartebeest and grey rhebok. The park is situated within the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest, but richest of the world’s six floral kingdoms.
Situated in West Mackay, just off Nebo Road, The Mackay Botanical Gardens are relatively new yet are filled with beautiful plants and wildlife native to Central Queensland. Opened in 2003 on the site of what is commonly known as the Lagoons, the development has extensive pathways, a wide variety of vegetation and boardwalks across wetlands.
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This is Tokyo‘s highest museum, on the 53rd floor of the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. Opened in 2003, it features state-of-the-art galleries with 6m-tall (20-ft.) ceilings, controlled natural lighting, and great views of Tokyo. Innovative exhibitions of emerging and established artists from around the world are shown four times a year, with past shows centering on contemporary Asian, African, and Japanese art. Although the installations alone are worth a visit, an extra incentive is the attached Tokyo City View Observatory, usually included in the museum admission and providing eye-popping views over Tokyo. Plan on at least 90 minutes up here.
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