Giethoorn

GIETHOORNS ( Goat Horns), the name originated from the first inhabitants’ discovery of hundreds of goat horns. 

Giethoorn is a village in the Dutch Province of OVERIJSSEL.  It is located in the municipality of STEENWIJKERLAND, about 5km southwest of STEENWIJK.

It used to be an auto-free zone, but nowadays, exceptions are made.  It became locally famous, especially after 1958, when the Dutch film-maker Bert Haanstra made his famous comedy FANFARE there.  In the old part of the village, there were no roads (though a cycling path was eventually added), and all transport was done by water over one of the many canals.  The lake in Giethoorn was formed by peat-unearthing.

Tourism has had a relatively small influence on the old traditional town.  The village, still only fully accessible by boat, is one of the several places commonly known as the Venice of the North or Venice of the Netherlands.

Giethoorn has 180 bridges.  Giethoorn is a very popular attraction among Chinese tourists.  The village of only 2,620 inhabitants sees between 150,000 to 200,000 Chinese tourists every year.

Since all transport is done buy boat, Giethoorn has punts (traditional flat-bottomed boats that are used for transport over the canals.  Giethoorn has a long shape and is separated into three tiny settlements : NOORDEINDE, MIDDENBUURT & ZUIDENDE. The DORPSGRACHT is the central canal that connects these separate settlements.  The farms and houses are separated from each other by small canals.  The BULTRUGBOERDERIJ is a common type of farm in Giethoorn.  It seems to have a large bump because the barn is larger than the house in front.

Giethoorn is so peaceful, so different and has such simple beauty, that it hardly seems real ——- gently gliding along small canals past old, but pretty, thatched-roof farmhouses.  You can turn down a side street (another small canal) and drift under a wooden bridge where an elderly resident may be strolling over to see a neighbour.

Giethoorn is Holland’s “water village”, and the loudest sound you can normally hear is a quacking of a duck or the noises made by other birds.  The little village is so dependent on its waterways that many houses cannot be reached by road.  When the postman delivers the mail, he travels by punt.

Boating has been a popular tourist attraction here for years, with 90km of canoe trails and scores of motorboats to rent, but now, instead of conventional outboard motors, the hire shops stock so-called WHISPER- BOATS ———– dinghies driven by electric motor.  There are three canal-side museums to visit and the SCHREUR shipyard, where the Giethoorn punt is built.

Punta Cana

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PUNTA CANA is the name of a town and tourist region at the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic,  The region, covering about 420,000 sq.m (approximately 1,100acres), is home to a coastline of sandy white beaches.

In the Province of LA ALTAGRACIA, with a population estimated at 100,000, the region borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east.  To the north, it borders BAVARO & EL CORTECITO Beaches.  It also borders CABEZA de TORO, CABO ENGANO and further west, JUANILLO.

Punta Cano has a tropical climate.  Although it is mildly windy, the ocean I the area is mainly shallow with several natural marine pools in which visitors can bathe.  The weather is fairly constant, with an average temperature of 26degrees C.  The hottest season lasts from April to November, and during the day the temperatures might reach 32degrees C.  From December to March, temperatures during the evening are around 20degrees C.  Very little rain falls around the area, mostly because of the flat landscape.  The summer months tend to be very warm and very humid.

Punta Cana was founded as a tourist resort and tourism still is 100% of the local economy.  Lots of resorts employ the tactics of scaring their visitors from venturing outside by propagating stories of robberies and murder.  These have to be taken with a pinch (or a pound) of salt.  People tend to be very friendly and helpful.  Still flashing jewellery, expensive gadgets or lots of money is not recommended.

There are quite a few interesting places to visit :

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(1)  ALTOS de CHAVON : A modern – day artist’s village, resembling a 16th century Mediterranean town.  It is set upon a spectacular hillside cliff overlooking the winding CHAVON RIVER.  It is home to a 5,000-seat amphitheatre, an archaeological museum, craft workshops, artists’ studios and an assortment of galleries and restaurants.

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(2) JUANILLO :  It is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Dominican Republic.  Until a few years ago, it was a very small village of fishermen.  The entire village was purchased as a part of a very large project called CAP CANA.  In return, for giving up their rights to occupancy, the residents were offered alternative housing, money and jobs  While Juanillo was at one time inaccessible to the public, it is now accessible to people staying at one of the Cap Cana Hotels and to property owners within the Cap Cana Project and their guests.

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(3) SANTA DOMINGO : This is the Europe of the Western Hemisphere.  It has preserved its Colonial Heritage for more than five centuries, and is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

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(4) SAONA ISLAND : It is set in the natural reserve of the PARQUE NACIONAL del ESTE.  You can relax on powder-white sans, where palm-studded beaches meet the soft surf of the Caribbean waters and sometimes even dolphins swim alongside your catamarans.

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(5) DOLPHIN ISLAND :  A short boat ride takes you to a floating platform where visitors can swim with trained dolphins in the sea.  The package includes 15mins of free time with these unique creatures.

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(6) DOMINICAN ALPS : (near the town of JARABACOA), where 18 waterfalls cascade between chasms of rock to water the rich, fertile earth below.  If you are a white-water fan, the RIO YASQUE is the longest river in the Caribbean and offers challenging kayak or rafting courses like the MIKE TYSON, which features a 12ft vertical drop.

(7) MARINARIUM :  In this water park, you can experience some of the best snorkelling in the area, complete with nurse sharks and sting rays.  Enjoy a COCOLOCO ( 100% pure coconut water) as you cruise along the coast to your final stop ——– a waist-deep natural pool in the sea.

(8) SEAQUARIUM :  You are provided with a diving helmet and allowed to walk the bottom of the clear waters with an unforgettable view of reef and coral life (no certification required)

Svaneti

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SVANETI or SVANETIA (SUANIA in ancient sources) is a historic province in Georgia, in the north-western part of the country.  It is inhabited by the SVANS, an ethnic sub-group of Georgians.

Situated on the southern slope of the Central Caucasus Mountains and surrounded by 3,000 – 5,000 metre peaks, Svaneti is the highest inhabited area in the Caucasus.  Four of the ten highest peaks are located in the region.The highest mountain in Georgia, Mount SHKHARA, at 17,059ft, is located in the province.  Prominent peaks include TETNULDI (16,319ft), SHOTA RUSTAVELI (16,273ft), Mount USHBA ( 15,453ft), ALLAMA (14,842ft) as well as LALVERI, LATSGA and others.

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Svaneti has two parts corresponding to two inhabited valleys ; (1) UPPER SVANETI and (2) LOWER SVANETI.  The landscape of Svaneti is dominated by mountains that are separated by deep gorges.  Most of the region which lies below 5,904ft above sea level is covered by mixed and coniferous forests  The forest zone is made up of tree species such as spruce, fir, beech, oak and hornbeam.  Other less common species include chestnut, birch, maple, pine and box.  The zone which extends from 5,904 – 9,840ft above sea level consists of Alpine meadows and grasslands.  Eternal snows and glaciers take over in areas that are over 3,000 metres above sea level.

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The climate is humid and is influenced by the air masses coming in from the Black Sea, the region is spared from the extremely cold winter temperatures that are characteristic of high mountains.

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Svaneti is known for its architectural treasures and picturesque landscapes.  The famous Svanetian Towers, erected mainly in the 9th – 12th centuries, makes the region” villages more attractive.  In the province are dozens of Georgian Orthodox Churches and various fortified buildings.  The architectural monuments of Upper Svaneti are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites..

Crater lake

CRATER LAKE (1,950ft deep) is situated in a 7,700-year-old caldera in the Cascades of south-central Oregon, United States.

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It is famous for its intense blue colour and the clarity of its water.  The lake is the deepest in the US and, the third and the ninth deepest in the world, depending on whether average or maximum depth is measured.  Though no rivers flow into or out of it, its waters are replaced every 250 years through rain and snowfall.

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A post caldera cinder cone forms WIZARD ISLAND.  Crater Lake is also known for the OLD MAN OF THE LAKE, a full-sized tree which is now a stump that has been bobbing vertically in the lake for over a century.  The low temperature of the water has slowed the decomposition of the wood, hence the longevity of the bobbing tree.

There are two islands in Crater Lake  : WIZARD ISLAND, formed from a cinder cone that erupted after Crater lake began to fill with water, and the smaller PHANTOM SHIP, which has seven different trees living on it.  There are also colonies of violet-green swallows and several varieties of wildflowers and lichens living there.

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While having no indigenous fish populations, the lake was stocked  from 1888 to 1941 with a variety of fish.  Several species have formed self-sustaining populations.  Due to several unique factors, mainly that the lake has no inlets or tributaries, the waters of Crater Lake are some of the purest in the world because of the absence of pollutants.  The lake has relatively high levels of dissolves salts, total alkalinity and conductivity.

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The Klamath Tribe of Native Americans, who may have witnessed the collapse of Mount Mazama and the formation of Crater Lake, have long regarded the lake as a sacred site.  Their legends tell of a battle between the Sky God (SKELL) and the God of the Underworld (LLAO).  Mount Mazama was destroyed in the battle, creating Crater Lake, called GIIWAS in the Klamath language.  The tribe used Crater Lake in “vision quests”, which often involved  climbing the caldera walls and other dangerous tasks.  Those who were successful in such quests were often regarded as having more spiritual powers.  The tribe still holds Crater lake in high regard as a spiritual site.

Since 2002, one of the State’s regular-issue license plate designs has featured Crater Lake.  The commemorative  Oregon State Quarter, which was released by the US Mint in 2005, features an image of Crater Lake on its reverse.

Samosir Island

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SAMOSIR ISLAND is a large volcanic island in Lake Toba, located in the north of the island of Sumatra, in Indonesia.  Administratively, SAMOSIR ISLAND is governed within SAMOSIR REGENCY.

The lake island was formed after the eruption of a super volcano some 75,000 years ago.  The Island was originally connected to the surrounding CALDERA wall by a small isthmus, which was cut through to aid navigation.

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At 640sq.km, SAMOSIR is the largest island within an island, and the fifth largest LAKE ISLAND in the world.  It also contains two smaller lakes— Lake SIDIHONI & Lake AEK NATONANG.  Across the lake, on the east of the island, lies ULUAN Peninsula.  The island is linked to the mainland of Sumatra on its western part by a narrow isthmus, connecting the town of PANGURURAN on SAMOSIR & TELE on mainland Sumatra.  TELE consequently offers one of the best views  of Lake TOBA & SAMOSIR Island.

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SAMOSIR is a popular tourist destination, due to its exotic history and the vistas it offers.  The tourist resorts are concentrated in the TUKTUK area.  The Island is the centre of the BATAK CULTURE, and many of the TOBA BATAK traditional houses (RUMAH ADAT) remain on the Island.  Most of the tourist accommodations are concentrated in the small town of TUKTUK, which is located a one-hour ferry ride across the lake from the town of PARAPAT.  The passenger ferry leaves from TIGA RAJA harbour every hour, between 8.30 & 19.00.  For those who run late, there is an option to take the passenger boat from AJI BATA to TOMOK until 8.30p.m.

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As you step down from the ferry at TOMOK, you will be greeted by a row of souvenir stalls selling an array of BATAK handicraft, from the traditional hand-woven ULOS cloths to BATAK bamboo calendars and all kinds of knick-knacks.

TOMOK itself is a traditional village, best known as the GATEWAY & INTRODUCTION TO SAMOSIR.

Kemi

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KEMI is a town and municipality of Finland.  It is located near the city of TORNIO.  It was founded in 1869 by decree of Russian Emperor Alexander the Second, because of its proximity to a deep-water harbour.  KEMI is situated by the BOTHNIAN BAY at the mouth of the River KEMIJOKI, and it is part of Lapland region.

The main economic activity in KEMI is centred on two large paper and wood pulp mills and on the only chromium mine in Europe (which supplies the OUTOKUMPU ferrochrome plant in Tornio).  A Polytechnic University of Applied Sciences is also situated in Kemi.

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Kemi also has a claim to fame as the home of the world’s largest Snow Castle (re-constructed every year in a different design).  In 1996, the first Snow Castle drew 300,000 visitors.  The area covered by the Castle has varied from 13,000 to 20,000sq.metres.  The highest towers have been over 20metres high and the longest walls over 1,000metres long, and the Castle has had up to three storeys.  Despite its varying configurations, the Snow Castle has a few recurring elements : a Chapel, a restaurant and a Hotel.

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 **The Snow Restaurant has ice tables and seats covered with reindeer fur, as well as ice sculptures.

** The Ecumenical Snow Chapel, with 50 to 100 seats, has seen numerous weddings of couples from as far away as Japan and Hong Kong.

**The Snow Hotel offers a choice of double rooms and a honeymoon suite, all of which are decorated by local artists using local materials.

The Snow Castle also hosts such things as an Adventure land for children, a Theatre and Ice-Art Exhibitions with lights and sound effects.  Many Opera singers and dancers have performed in the Snow Castle of KEMI.

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KEMIN KIRKON (Kemi Church) is a Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Diocese of OULU and is located in the centre of the town of Kemi.  The Gothic Revival building was designed by architect Josef Stenback, and was completed in 1902.  The building was renovated in 2003.

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Icebreaker SAMPO, which is a Finnish icebreaker built in 1960 in Helsinki and now stationed at Kemi.  The massive vessel, which was completed in 1961, was built to operate in extreme Arctic conditions.  In the northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia, it kept lanes free for shipping for nearly 30years.  Its predecessor, of the same name (1898 – 1960), was the first Icebreaker in Europe with a propeller in the bow and the stern.  The ship is now used for tourist cruises.  During the late winter of 1988, Sampo started its career in tourism.  It made its first cruise on the 14th of April, 1988 with foreign and domestic media.  In the year 1989, Sampo had 1,000 passengers and in the year 1994, the record was 6,000 passengers.  During the cruise, tourists have a chance to go down from the icebreaker and float in the sea dressed in rescue suits.  They can also participate in the guided ship tour and get to know Sampo from the engine room to the bridge.  Sampo can take 150 passengers at a time.  Yearly, it takes about 10,000 tourists on cruises, and totally there have been passengers from over 50 countries.

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KEMIN JALOKIVI GALLERIA ( Kemi Gemstone Gallery) contains one of the greatest collections of gemstones in the world.  There are more than 3,000 gemstones.  The Gallery building is  an old Customs House.  It was designed by architect Walter Thome and completed in 1912.  The large collection includes a unique and remarkable crown that was designed for the first and only King of Finland.  There is also a copy of the Imperial State Crown of England.  The copy is so exact, that it needs an expert to recognise it from the original.  One of the finest necklaces in the world was designed for Queen Marie Antoinette of France.  The original necklace does not exist anymore, but here at the Gallery, you can see the exceptional beauty of this necklace.  The copy was made from the original drawings at the Gemstone Gallery.  The KEMIN JALOKIVI GALLERIA is really a Lapland Jewel in itself.

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The PERAMEREN  JAHTI ( a sail-ship) guarantees an enjoyable and safety sailing experience.  A comfortable lounge and dining room, saloon as well as an open modern kitchen with a cook’s service makes the sailing trip easy and carefree.  There are seats on the deck, where you can enjoy the fresh sea air.  It can have 36 passengers for one-day cruises.  For longer cruises, there is accommodation for 12 persons.  The JAHTI has been built with an old boat-building style, following as much as possible the old era’s knowledge of coastal building and structure, but still respecting modern safety regulations.

Kornati

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The KORNATI Archipelago of Croatia, also known as the STOMORSKI Islands, is located in the northern part of DALMATIA, south from ZADAR, and west from SIBENIK, in the SIBENIK – KNIN county.  With 35km length and 140 islands —– some large, some small —– in a sea area of about 320sq.km, the KORNATI are the densest archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea.  The Archipelago is the plural form of the name of the largest island called KORNAT.

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There are no permanent settlements in KORNATI.  Simple houses in well-protected coves such as VRULJE, KRAVJACICA, LAVSA and others are used by mainland landowners as temporary shelters.  Most of the landowners are from the island of MURTER & DUGI OTOK.  Geographically, the KORNATI islands can be divided into main groups : the GORNJI KORNATI or UPPER KORNATI, closer to the mainland, and the DONJI KORNATI or LOWER KORNATI, which are mostly facing the open sea in the southwest.  The islands known as GORNJI KORNATI include the northernmost island of SIT and the surrounding islets, divided by a channel from ZUT and its surrounding islets to the south.  ZUT is the largest and most indented of these islands.

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In 1980, the 89 northernmost of the 140-odd islands, islets and reefs of the KORNATI Archipelago were declared a National Park (NACIONALNI PARK KORNATI), protecting the islands and their marine surroundings.  The area covered by the National Park mostly coincides with the DONJI KRONATI, which includes the island of KORNAT and the surrounding islets, separated with a channel from the island of PISKERA and the surrounding islets.

The National Park includes 109 islands, of which 76 are less than 1hectare in size of the total land surface area of KORNATI (62 sq.kms), 85% is stony and only 5% has been cultivated.

The most important places on the KORNATI islands are : the shallow channel MALA PROVERSA, the oval-shape TALJURIC island, SPINUTA bay, STIVINA bay, the 4th largest island LEVRNAKA, the 2nd largest KRAST rock area TARAC SVRSATA VELA island, MANA island, PISKERA island, PANITULA VELA island, the picturesque LAVSA bay, the resort island RAVNI ZAKAN, SMOKVICA VELA island, the OPAT Peninsula, SAMOGRAD island, the PURARA Reserve for marine life, VRGADA & GANGAROL islands.

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Most of the terrain in the KORNATI islands is KARST- limestone which, in the distant geological past, arose from sediment from the sea.  In the stone on the islands, there are numerous fossils of crustaceans and fish.  In the area, there are examples of all typical forms of KARST : bizarre shapes formed by the atmosphere, unexplored caves, areas of flat rock and, above all, cliffs.  KARST rock is porous, rapidly draining and dry, and so therefore are the KORNATI islands.  Numerous cisterns supply water for people and animals.

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Human presence on the KORNATI islands appear to extend back to the Neolithic Age.  The presence of wealthy Romans is attested by the mosaic floors of Roman Villas and the KORNATI island has a small TORETA (tower), that was probably built in the 6th century AD.  The island of PISKERA was also inhabited during the Middle Ages and served as a storage point for fish.  Archaeological sites in STRAZISCE & TARAC and on LEVRNAKA & LAVSA provide evidence that, during the Roman Era, life on KORNATI was very active.  There are many buildings and it is known that there were also stone quarries.

Deforestation and subsequent erosion and overgrazing by sheep and goats, for whose benefit the scrub was periodically burnt, impoverished the fauna and depopulated the islands, which were purchased by citizens of MURTER during the late 19th century.

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Apart from seagulls, which are the most numerous animals, there are some lizards and ring-snakes, and 69 varieties of butterfly, some amphibians and rodents.  As regards marine life, the KORNATI islands are typical of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, but, due to the underwater relief, streams and special characteristics of the sea in this labyrinth, there are also some peculiarities : algae, coral and sponges.  At one time, the sea was the richest, in the Adriatic, for sponge hunters.  The rare mollusc PINNA NOBILIS, lives in the KORNATI and is protected by law.

Not only the land, but also the sea, is within the protection of the National Park.  Fishing is limited in order to allow the regeneration of fish shoals that had been severely over-fished.

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Vegetation on the islands is very sparse.  There have been 200 known varieties of Mediterranean plants, but they have degenerated.  The most common plant is a tough variety of grass, but there are many scented and medicinal herbs : sage, feather grass and XERANTHEMUM, and these provide the best forage for bees.  Olive trees account for about 80% of the land under cultivation, followed by vineyards, figs, orchards and vegetable gardens.  It is thought that the KORNATI islands were once covered with forests of Mediterranean Holm oaks, QUERCUS ILEX, but as open fires demanded a great deal of wood, the forests were slowly destroyed.

Dongyang wood carvings

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DONGYANG, a city in the middle of ZHEJIANG PROVINCE near Shanghai, is famous for its woodcarving.  It is one of the major centres of woodcarving production of the MING (1368 – 1644) and QING (1644 – 1911) Dynasties to the present day.  Woodcarving in DONGYANG had already developed to a certain level by the  last two feudal dynasties ——— the MING and the QING.

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The magnificent woodcarvings can be found in the Imperial Palaces of Beijing, Suzhou City, Hangzhou City and Anhui Province.  During the reign of Qing Dynasty Emperor ZIANLONG (1711 – 1799), over 400 craftsmen came to the capital of Beijing to decorate the Palaces and carve the lanterns.  Those woodcarving articles are still kept in GUGONG, the Imperial palace in Beijing.

After 1910, many carvers from DONGYANG gathered in Shanghai and Hangzhou to produce export-oriented furniture and utensils combining Chinese and Western styles.  Since the founding of the PRC, highly artistic frescoes and screens appeared on the market with the rapid development of technology.  These works, focussing on historical stories and folk legends were designed using the FULL CARVING technique, which formed a unique artistic style.

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In 1957, a 19-metre-high wooden statue of SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA was sculpted for the main hall of LINGYIN TEMPLE in Hangzhou.  In 1983, DONGYANG City was named “the hometown of Chinese woodcarving” by the State Council.

The artistic forms of DONGYANG woodcarving, with distinct gradations and superb carving technology, are unique in the handicraft and art fields.  DONGYANG woodcarving, also called WHITE WOODCARVING (white is the natural colour of the wood) is second to none in terms of Chinese crafts.  In terms of techniques, DONGYANG woodcarving features a high relief, multi-layers and a rich composition of pictures, presenting the third-dimension, full yet in neat order.

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DONGYANG woodcarving emphasizes relief-skill, uses the traditional experience of a discreet bird’s-eye perspective of the structure, stresses round composition, considers dispersion and multiplicity without looseness or disorder.  Moreover,, it has other features  such as distinct gradations, obvious subject and expressive plots which often help to tell a larger story.

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DONGYANG woodcarving is mainly used to decorate houses and furniture with mainly realistic depictions of galloping horses, cranes, lotus flowers and human beings.  Nowadays, the assortment of DONGYANG woodcarving products amount to more than 2,700 varieties ———- most of which ———– covering 90% of the total output value ———- are daily wares such as cases, cabinets, stools, desks and tables.  They are exported to over 50 countries and regions, while involving thousands of craftsmen in that industry.

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Mount Rainier

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MOUNT RAINIER is the highest mountain of the Cascade Range.  It is a large STRATO VOLCANO and is located 87 km southeast of Seattle.

It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous Us and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit of 14,411ft.  Mount Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and is on the DECADE VOLCANO LIST.  Because of its large amount of glacial ice, it could potentially produce massive LAHARS (volcanic mud-flows)that could threaten the entire PUYALLUP River Valley.

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Mount Rainier was first known as TALOL or TACOMA or TAHOMA by the Native Americans.  One hypothesis of the word origin is that TACOMA means “larger than Mount Baker”.  TA (larger) + KOMA (Mount Baker).  In 1890, the US Board of Geographic Names declared that the mountain would be known as RAINIER.

On clear days it dominates the south-eastern horizon and can be seen from as far as Portland, Oregon and Victoria British Columbia.  But on a cloudy morning, when the cloud-heights are just right, the rising sun can catch the peak from below and cast a long shadow on the underside of the cloud.  This only happens during the fall and winter when the sun rises farther to the south and is in the exact position where Mount Rainier blocks the first rays of morning light.

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With 26 major glaciers and 93sq.km of permanent snowfields, Mount Rainier is the most heavily glaciated peak.  The summit is topped by two volcanic craters, each more than 1,00oft in diameter, with the larger east crater overlapping the west crater.  Geo-thermal heat from the volcano keeps areas of both craters with nearly 3.2km of passages.  A small “crater lake”, about 130 x 30ft in size and 16ft deep, the highest in North America with a surface elevation of 14,203ft, occupies the lowest portion of the west crater below more than 100ft of ice and is accessible only via the caves.

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The broad top of Mount Rainier contains three named summits.  The highest is called the COLUMBIA CREST, the 2nd summit is POINT SUCCESS and it has a topographic prominence of about 138ft, so it is not considered a separate peak.  The lowest of the 3 summits is LIBERTY CAP, which overlooks Liberty Bridge, the Sunset Amphitheatre and the dramatic Willis Wall.  High on the eastern flank of Mount Rainier is a peak known as LITTLE TAHOMA PEAK, an eroded remnant of the earlier, much higher, Mount Rainier.

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Mount Rainier is a STRATO VOLCANO and its early volcanic deposits are estimated at more than 840,000 years old.  The early deposits formed a “proto-Rainier” or an “ancestral” cone.  The volcano is highly eroded with glaciers and appears to be made mostly of ANDESITE.  Many years ago, a large chunk of the volcano slid away, and this massive avalanche removed the top of Mount Rainier, bringing its height down to 14,00ft.  Subsequent eruptions of lave and TEPHRA built up the modern “summit cone” until about as recently as 1,000 years ago.

Although Mount Rainier is an a “active volcano”, as of 2010 there was no evidence of an “imminent” eruption.  However, an eruption could be devastating for all areas surrounding the volcano and there could e loss of life and property.

LAHARS  from Mount Rainier pose the most risk to life as about 150,000 people live on top of old LAHAR deposits and such lahars could cause tsunamis capable of producing PYROCLASTIC FLOWS and expelling lava.

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The volcanic risk is somewhat mitigated by “lahar-warning signs”  and “escape route signs” in Pierce County.  5-10 “shallow” earthquakes, over 2-3 days, take place from time to time, in the region of 13,000ft below the summit., and are thought to be caused by the circulation of hot fluids beneath Mount Rainier.  SEISMIC SWARMS are common features at volcanoes and are rarely associated with eruptive activity.  A 2009 “swarm” produced the largest number of events of any swarm at Rainier, since “seismic monitoring” began over 2 decades earlier.  Yet another swarm was observed in 2011.

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Mountain climbing on Mount Rainier is difficult, involving traversing the largest glaciers in the US.  Most climbers require 2-3 days to reach the summit and climbing teams demand experience in glacier travel, self-rescue and wilderness travel.  About 8,000-13,000 people attempt the climb each year.  Mount Rainier is also popular for winter sports —– snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Ascending to 14,410 ft above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an ICON in the Washington landscape.  It is the most glaciated peak spawning 6 major rivers.  Sub-alpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano, while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier’ slower slopes.  A LIFETIME OF DISCOVERY AWAITS.

Tenerife

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TENERIFE is the largest and most populous island of the 7 Canary Islands.  It is also the most populated Island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38sq.km.  TENERIFE is also the largest and most populous island of MACARONESIA.  Also located on the island MACIZO de ANAGA since 2015 is BIOSPHERE RESERVE and is the place that has the largest number of endemic species in Europe.  The island’s capital contains the architectural symbol of the Canary Islands, the modern AUDITORIO de TENERIFE.

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About 5 million tourists visit TENERIFE each year.  It is also one of the most important tourist destinations in Spain.  TENERIFE hosts one of the world’s largest carnivals and the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is attempting to become a World Heritage Site.  

The island’s former inhabitants, the GUANCHES, referred to the island as ACHINET or CHENET.  According to Pliny the Younger, Berber King Juba -2 sent an expedition to the Canary Islands and Madeira and gave the Canary Islands its name because he found particularly ferocious dogs (CANARIA) on the island.  Ancient Romans referred to Tenerife as NIVARIA, derived from the Latin word NIX meaning “snow”, in clear reference to the snow-covered peak of the TEIDE VOLCANO.  On the other hand, maps dating to the 14th and 15th centuries, from authors like BONTIER & LE VERRIER refer to the island as ISLA del INFIERNO, literally meaning ISLAND OF HELL, a reference to the volcanic activity and eruptions of Mount TEIDE.

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Finally, TEIDE is also responsible for the name of the island widely used today, named by the BENAHOARITAS (natives of La Palma) with a derivation from the words TENE (mountain) & IFE (white).  Later, after colonisation, the name resulted in the adding of a letter “r” uniting both words to obtain the name TENERIFE as a result.

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The oldest mountain ranges in Tenerife rose from the Atlantic Ocean by volcanic eruption which gave birth to the island 12 million years ago.  The island, as it is today, was formed 3million years ago by the fusion of 3 islands, made up of the mountain ranges of ANAGA, TENO & VALLE de SAN LORENZO, due to volcanic activity from TEIDE.  The volcano is visible from most parts of the island today and the crater is 17km long at some points.

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TENERIFE is a rugged volcanic island sculpted by successive eruptions throughout its history.  There are 4 historically recorded volcanic eruptions, none of which led to casualties.  The first one was in 1704, when the ARAFO, FASNIA & SIETE FUENTES volcanoes erupted simultaneously.  In 1706, the greatest eruption occurred at TREVEJO and it produced great quantities of lave which buried the city and port of GARACHICO.  The last eruption of the 18th century happened in 1798 at CANADAS de TEIDE, in CHAHORRA.  Finally, and most recently, in 1909 which formed the CHINYERO CINDER CONE, in the municipality of Santiago del Teide, erupted.

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Mount Teide, with an elevation of 12,198 ft above sea level, is the highest point in all of Spain, and is also the 3rd largest volcano in the world from its base in the bottom of the sea.  For this reason, Tenerife is the 10th highest island worldwide.  It comprises about 200 small barren islets or large rocks including ROQUES de ANAGA, ROQUE de GARACHICO & FASNIA, adding a further 2,301.701 sq.ft to the total area.

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Tenerife is known internationally as the Island of Eternal Spring (ISLA de la ETERNA PRIMA VERA).  The island of Tenerife has a remarkable ecological diversity in site of its small surface area.  1,400 species of plants exist on the island including  Vipers Bugloss, Teide White Broom and Teide Violet. The fauna of the island has many endemic invertebrates and unique reptiles, bird and mammal species.  The fauna of Tenerife includes some 400 species of fish, 56 birds, 5 reptiles, 2 amphibians, 13 land mammals and several 1000 invertebrates, along with several species of sea turtles, whales and dolphins.

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The official symbols from nature associated with Tenerife are the bird Blue Chaffinch (FRINGILLA TEYDEA) and the Canary Islands Dragon Tree (DRACAENA DRACO).