Garden of the Gods

It was August of 1859 when two surveyors started out from Denver City to begin a townsite, soon to be called Colorado City. While exploring nearby locations, they came upon a beautiful area of sandstone formations. M. S. Beach, who related this incident, suggested that it would be a "capital place for a beer garden" when the country grew up. His companion, Rufus Cable, a "young and poetic man", exclaimed, "Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods." It has been so called ever since.

Thorncrown Chapel

Nestled in a woodland setting, Thorncrown Chapel rises forty-eight feet into the Ozark sky. This magnificent wooden structure contains 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass. It sits atop over 100 tons of native stone and colored flagstone, making it blend perfectly with its setting. The chapel's simple design and majestic beauty combine to make it what critics have called "one of the finest religious spaces of modern times."

On July 10, 1980 Thorncrown Chapel opened. Since then over six million people have visited this little chapel on the hillside. Thorncrown has won numerous architectural awards. It has been featured on television programs such as NBC Nightly News and the 700 Club. Almost every major magazine in the country has carried a story about the chapel including Time, Newsweek, and Parade.

Thorncrown Chapel is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It is located on Highway 62 West three miles outside of Eureka Springs. There is no admission fee, but donations are accepted. Every tour group will receive a presentation telling the story of the chapel followed by an inspirational song by one of the Thorncrown musicians. There is ample parking for buses and RVs. So, while in the Ozarks, stop by what many have called one of the most beautiful and inspiring chapels in the world. It will be a visit you will not soon forget.

Basilica di Santa Croce

In E.M. Forster's "A Room with a View", the young heroine, Lucy Honeychurch, winds up alone in Basilica di Santa Croce, seen here, without her "Handbook to Northern Italy." With no cultural authority to tell her what to think, Forster wrote, "the pernicious charm of Italy worked on her, and, instead of acquiring information, she began to be happy."

The Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross) is the principal Franciscan church in Florence, Italy, and a minor basilica of the Roman Catholic Church. It is situated on the Piazza di Santa Croce, about 800 metres south west of the Duomo. The site, when first chosen, was in marshland outside the city walls. It is the burial place of some of the most illustrious Italians, such as Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, Gentile and Rossini, thus it is known also as the Temple of the Italian Glories (Tempio dell'Itale Glorie).

Glass Beach

Glass Beach is a beach in MacKerricher State Park near Fort Bragg, California that is abundant in sea glass created from years of dumping garbage into an area of coastline near the northern part of the town.

Lizard Island

Australia's northern most resort, Lizard Island Reosrt is located right on the Great Barrier Reef, fringed with coral reefs and 24 powdery white beaches. Outstanding in every respect, the unique pleasures of Lizard Island have created an idyllic retreat known as 'one of one'. Spectacular diving and snorkelling opportunities abound, including the famous Cod Hole, where you'll come face to face with a massive, yet curious Potato Cod swimming right up to inspect you with child like curiosity. Discover secluded, pristine beaches by foot or by motorised dinghy with a gourmet picnic just for two. Try bushwalking, sailing, fishing, a glass bottom boat trip, or perhaps indulge in a pampering treatment at the luxurious Azure Spa. Dining is another of the many pleasures here. The menu, which changes daily, is fresh and creative, showcasing the finest local produce. Each of the 40 villas is elegant and spacious, with either ocean or beach views. All meals, beverages and many island activities are included.

Hocking Hills State Park

Hocking Hills State Park is a non-contiguous state park in the Hocking Hills region of Hocking County, Ohio, United States; it is contiguous with the Hocking State Forest. Within the park are several spectacular features based around rock formations, including Old Man's Cave, a narrow, deep gorge featuring waterfalls; Rock House, a cliffed area with a rock shelter; Cantwell Cliffs, a broad gorge at the head of a hollow with a unique stone stairway; and Ash Cave, a large rock shelter with a small waterfall, and Cedar Falls, a larger waterfall south of Old Man's Cave.

Popeye Village

Popeye Village, also known as Sweethaven Village, is a group of rustic and ramshackle wooden buildings located at Anchor Bay in the north-west corner of the Mediterranean island of Malta, two miles from the village of Mellieħa.

It was built as a film set for the production of the 1980 live-action musical feature film Popeye, produced by Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Productions and starring Robin Williams. Today it is open to the public as an open-air museum and family entertainment complex.

Le Moulin de l'Abbaye Hotel

The Moulin de l'Abbaye sits in the heart of the beautiful village of Brantôme, known as the "Venice of the Périgord". Nestled alongside the original mill-pond, this spot is one of the most delightful places in the Dordogne. The mill itself is wreathed in ivy, and looks out over the 16th century masterpiece that is the right-angled bridge, the Pont Coudé, which links the abbey, founded in 769 by Charlemagne, with the monastery garden as well as the medieval tower, the Renaissance pavilion and the abbey itself.

Zion National Park, Utah

Emerald pool at Subway

The mystical journey through the Left Fork of North Creek involves route finding, plunging cautiously into chilly pools then sloshing, sometimes frantically, through frigid water over and through difficult obstacles. The narrow Subway section of this hike forces hikers through a unique tunnel sculpted by the Left Fork of North Creek. Churning water chisels the rock floor, forming shallow potholes that fill to the brim with frosty water. Silhouettes dance freely on multi-colored walls where only a trickle of sun light penetrates into the curved chamber of the Subway. Falling water echoes in the nature carved tunnel where dragonflies dart, frogs laze about and shimmering emerald pools tempt cold hikers to dawdle. Before long, the promise of daylight urges an exit to the warmth of the sun waiting outside the Subway. The canyon widens as hikers cross back and forth across the creek, making their way to the grueling uphill exit. For those that want a glimpse of the canyon, but choose to stay away from uncomfortable obstacles, explore the canyon from the bottom where thin sheets of glistening water cascade over mossy stair-step slivers of rock.

Sleepy Hollow Cemetary

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is a cemetery located on Bedford Street near the center of Concord, Massachusetts. The cemetery is the burial site of a number of famous Concordians, including some of the United States' greatest authors and thinkers, especially on a hill known as "Author's Ridge."









Famous Graves:

• The Alcott family, including Amos Bronson Alcott (Transcendentalist, philosopher, educator), Abby May (Wife of Amos Bronson Alcott), and their daughter Louisa May Alcott (author of Little Women and others)
• Ephraim Wales Bull (inventor of the Concord Grape)
• Arthur R. Bethke (Concord Oil Owner, US Army Captain, Bethke Cancer Center)
• William Ellery Channing (Transcendentalist and poet)
• Ralph Waldo Emerson (Transcendentalist and poet)
• Daniel Chester French (sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial)
• Nathaniel Hawthorne (author of The Scarlet Letter and others)
• Sophia Hawthorne (wife of Nathaniel Hawthorne)
• George Frisbie Hoar (19th-century politician)
• Richard Marius (Reformation historian and Southern novelist)
• Ralph Munroe (yacht designer and pioneer of South Florida)
• Elizabeth Peabody (education reformer)
• Franklin Benjamin Sanborn (author and social reformer)
• Henry David Thoreau (Transcendentalist, philosopher, and author)
• George Washington Wright (California's first representative in Congress)

Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Lower Lewis River Falls

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest is one of the oldest National Forests in the United States. Included as part of the Mount Rainier Forest Reserve in 1897, this area was set aside as the Columbia National Forest in 1908. It was renamed the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in 1949.

Whether you seek solitude, social activity, creative inspiration, wildlife, forest products or scenic beauty, you can find it in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. We invite you to enjoy the many different aspects of your National Forest.

Located in southwest Washington State, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest now encompasses 1,312,000 acres and includes the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument established by Congress in 1982.


The Lewis River Valley will delight any explorer who comes looking for spectacular waterfalls surrounded by old-growth forest. This is an area packed with some of the most spectacular and interesting waterfalls on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Trails, ranging from easiest to most difficult, provide paths of discovery through this diverse landscape. Easy wheelchair accessible trails allow close approach to Big Creek, Curly Creek, Miller Creek and Lower Lewis River Falls. Other waterfalls are viewed from the Lewis River Trail, which follows the Lewis River for over 15 miles.

Socotra

Socotra has been described as one of the most alien-looking place on Earth, and it’s not hard to see why. It is very isolated with a harsh, dry climate and as a result a third of its plant-life is found nowhere else, including the famous Dragon’s Blood Tree, a very-unnatural looking umbrella-shaped tree which produces red sap. There are also a large number of birds, spiders and other animals native to the island, and coral reefs around it which similarly have a large number of endemic (i.e. only found there) species. Socotra is considered the most biodiverse place in the Arabian sea, and is a World Heritage Site.

Chefchaouen, the Blue City of Morocco

Chefchaouen is a small charming city of about 40,000 inhabitants located in northeastern Morocco near the Mediterranean Sea. Situated in the heart of Morocco's Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen is a tourist’s delight with affordable accommodations, and above all, a picturesque town set against the dramatic backdrop of the Rif Mountains filled with white-washed homes with distinctive, powder-blue accents.

Chefchaouen was painted blue by the Jewish refugees who lived there during the 1930's. The beauty of Chefchaouen's mountainous surroundings are enhanced by the contrast of the brightly painted medina (old town). It is this beauty and the relaxed atmosphere of the town that makes Chefchaouen very attractive to visitors. The main square in the medina is lined with cafes and filled to the brim with locals and tourist mingling easily. Another reason why backpackers love Chefchaouen is the easy availability of drugs. Tourism in Chaouen is driven by its reputation as center of the marijuana plantations region in North Morocco. During the summer approximately two hundred hotels cater to the influx of European tourists.

Chefchaouen is a popular shopping destination as well, as it offers many native handicrafts that are not available elsewhere in Morocco, such as wool garments and woven blankets. The goat cheese native to the area is also popular with tourists. The countryside around it has a reputation for being a prolific source of cannabis. The Chefchaouen region is one of the main producers of cannabis in Morocco. Hashish is subsequently sold all over town, but is mostly the domain of native Chaouenis.

Skaftafell Ice Cave

Ice caves are temporary structures that appear at the edge of glaciers. They look amazingly beautiful from the inside. This particular cave is located on the frozen lagoon of the Svínafellsjökull glacier in Skaftafell, Iceland. The centuries old ice coming down the slopes of Öræfajökull via Svínafellsjökull glacier has metamorphosed into highly pressurized glacier ice that contains almost no air bubbles. The lack of air means that it absorbs almost all visible light, apart from the blue fraction which is then visible to the naked eye. However, this blue ice can be seen only under certain circumstances. It can be seen in winter after long periods of rain when the surface layer of the glacier has been washed away. It can be seen in ice-caves like this one and on floating icebergs that have recently rolled over.

This cave in the glacier ice is the result of glacial mill, or Moulin where rain and melt water on the glacier surface are channeled into streams that enter the glacier at crevices. The waterfall melts a hole into the glacier while the ponded water drains towards lower elevations by forming long ice caves with an outlet at the terminus of the glacier. The fine grained sediments in the water along with wind blown sediments cause the frozen meltwater stream to appear in a muddy colour while the top of the cave exhibits the deep blue colour. Due to the fast movement of the glacier of about 1 m per day over uneven terrain, this ice cave cracked up at its end into a deep vertical crevice, called cerrac. This causes the indirect daylight to enter the ice cave from both ends resulting in homogeneous lighting of the ice tunnel.

The cave is accessible through a 22-foot entrance on the shoreline. At the end it tapers to a tight squeeze no more than four feet high. Ice caves are in general unstable things and can collapse at any time. They are safe to enter only in winter when the cold temperatures harden the ice. Even so one could hear constant cracking sounds inside the cave. It was not because it was going to collapse but because the cave was moving along with the glacier itself. Each time the glacier moved a millimeter loud sounds could be heard.

Chamarel Falls and the Colored Earth

The Seven Coloured Earths, a small region near the village of Chamarel, Mauritius, is a geological curiosity and a major tourist attraction of Mauritius. This relatively small area of about 7,500 square meters comprises of sand dunes of seven distinct colours (approximately red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple and yellow).

The sands were formed from the decomposition of volcanic rock (basalt) gullies into clay, further transformed into ferralitic soil by total hydrolysis (chemical break- down of minerals by water). The two main elements of the resulting soil, iron and aluminium, are responsible for red/anthracite and blue/purplish colours respectively. The different shades of colour are believed to be a consequence of the molten volcanic rock cooling down at different external temperatures.

An unusual property of the sands is that they settle in different layers even if mixed together that gives the dunes a surrealistic, striped colouring. This strange phenomenon can be observed even on a smaller scale, if one takes a handful of sands of different colours and mixes them together, they'll eventually separate into a layered spectrum. The cause of their consistent spontaneous separation is yet to be explained. Another interesting feature of Chamarel's Coloured Earths is that the dunes seemingly never erode, in spite of Mauritius' torrential, tropical rains.

Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite

Winter is one of the most romantic times to visit Yosemite National Park where snow blankets the landscape and turns it into a picture postcard. Tenaya Lodge is just the place to spend time outdoors enjoying the winter playground and later in a cozy sanctuary with your special someone.


Kissed by natural beauty all around, Tenaya Lodge is the perfect place for a romantic California getaway. Pounding waterfalls, exhilarating hikes and starry Sierra nights. You'll be closer to nature and to each other. Touch the smooth, cool scrape of a trailside granite boulder, breathe in the sweet pine scent of a riverside forest. You'll engage every sense, including the sense of wonder, with romantic California getaways from Tenaya Lodge. Enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides, a spa suite with jetted bath-tub, champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries, Ascent Spa bath kit, private dinner for two and rose-petal turn-down service.

Montaña Mágica Lodge

Montaña Mágica Lodge, also known as Magic Mountain Lodge, is located within Huilo Huilo, a 232 square mile natural reserve in southern Chile. Covered in rainforest moss and vines, this manmade volcano-like structure spews water and is only accessible by a monkey bridge. And if this isn’t sufficiently magical and surreal, outside are hot tubs, carved from hollowed out tree trunks, with ideal vantage points for wildlife sightings.

Verzasca River

The Verzasca is a Swiss 30-km long mountain river originating at Pizzo Barone and flowing into Lake Maggiore. It is known for its clear turquoise water and vibrant colored rocks, as well as its treacherous currents. The Verzasca Dam is a few kilometers upriver from this lake.

Baobab Avenue

The amazing baobab (Adansonia) or monkey bread tree can grow up to nearly 100 feet (30 m) tall and 35 feet (11 m) wide. Their defining characteristic: their swollen trunk are actually water storage – the baobab tree can store as much as 31,700 gallon (120,000 l) of water to endure harsh drought conditions.

Baobab trees are native to Madagascar (it’s the country’s national tree!), mainland Africa, and Australia. A cluster of "the grandest of all" baobab trees (Adansonia grandidieri) can be found in the Baobab Avenue, near Morondava, in Madagascar.

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves attraction is a cave at Waitomo on the North Island of New Zealand, known for its population of glowworms, Arachnocampa luminosa. These glowworms are found exclusively in New Zealand and are around the size of an average mosquito. This cave is part of the Waitomo Caves system that includes the Ruakuri Cave and the Aranui Cave.

Library at Strahov Monastery

It isn't often the splendour and perfection of architecture has the opportunity to house a collection of books as rare as they are valuable. But such is the case in the Library of the magnificent building which is the Strahov Monastery. The monastery can trace a brave and resilient history all the way back to 1142 when no less a personage as King Vratislav II decided that the approach to his Castle headquarters would be well served by having a cloister along its route to add a little gravity and serenity to the area. When the - impossible to pronounce quickly - Premonstratensians settled in and made the cloister, or monastery, their own he was well pleased. Like all important buildings that adorn a city its fortunes rose and fell down the centuries alongside those of Prague in general, but today just like all those years ago the Premonstratensians are still to be found in this tranquil and astonishing place.

The Library of Strahov, of which we will speak of in detail here does not have, nor ever did have books, which go back to the very origins of the monastery. It did however contain an impressive collection accumulated during the late years of the sixteenth century and early seventeenth century the fruits of the labours of Abbot Questenberg and his successors. However the lengthy and very destructive Thirty Years War which had Swedish forces stationed in and around Prague for long periods meant that when the Swedes got around to plundering and pillaging the monastery they carted most of the collection back to Sweden, the Abbot's entreaties and his Swedish sounding name notwithstanding. New attempts were made after the Peace of Westphalia 1648 to build up a repository of sacred and non-theological books in the monastery and from 1679 onwards this was performed with exceptional care and diligence. With an eye to any further disruptive invasions many books were put in storage in basements and by and large hidden from view. But with the strengthening of the monastery's defenses not to mention the entire building's massive overhaul to resemble the Baroque masterpiece we see today the books were ready to be carefully dusted down and placed on sturdy shelves in the newly constructed Library Hall. Library rules were drawn up, strict in the extreme, books were permitted to be taken down and consulted only by the most deserving and so it was that a great aura built up around them. To be prefect of the Library was a position of no little prestige among the Premonstratensians and many a monk coveted it passionately.The acquisitions of more and more books especially in the second half of the 17th century and throughout the 18th century meant that the ever expanding library required another mighty hall (the Philosophical Hall). This was at the end of the 18th century.

Rácz Hotel & Thermal Spa

The spa adjacent to the hotel uses local thermal water in its 16th-century Turkish baths and Habsburg dynasty pools. The ambience will plunge guests back in time, with the added advantage of fully restored spaces. Saunas, pools, 21 rooms for massages and traditional treatments…enough to relax the day away! Don’t forget to visit Buda Castle, just a 10-minute walk away, before returning to one of the 67 rooms and suites for some well-deserved rest.

Jalousie Plantation

Our luxury St Lucia resort is set within over 100 acres of lush rainforest on the site of an 18th Century sugar plantation, the lushly landscaped grounds sweep down to the stunning white sand Sugar Beach and the glimmering Caribbean Sea. The plantation's luxury villas and villa suites, and luxury Sugar Mill rooms boast elegant plantation styling, four-poster beds, luxurious Egyptian cotton linens, personalized butler service and every modern amenity for a pampering stay. Each of our St Lucia resort's villas and villa suites affords spectacular views of the Pitons or the Caribbean sea.

The indulgent, world-class Rainforest Spa, a full PADI dive facility, sumptuous waterfront dining, and chic bars and lounges ensure the quintessential St Lucia resort vacation experience, all close to the isle’s top tourist attractions.

Offering space enough for families and honeymooners alike, The Jalousie Plantation Sugar Beach, St Lucia is the premier choice among Soufriere hotels for discerning travelers seeking seclusion and tranquility amid unsurpassed natural beauty.

Yadis Ksar Ghilane Campement

A luxurious camp for your excursion in the Sahara.

A welcoming sight awaits you in the Tunisian desert - nestled in the shade of a private oasis - Yadis Campement Ksar Ghilane ushers you in to this hospitable land of colours and contrasts, spices and scents.

The permanent tents are made of stone and canvas - reminiscent of traditional Bedouin dwellings. Yadis Campement's location at a former Berber castle (ksar) features a restored watchtower that offers guests breathaking views of the Great Eastern Erg desert dunes.

Camp Yadis Ksar Ghilane is surrounded by its own desert oasis near the other saharan oases of Ksar Guilane; southeast of Zaafrane in southern Tunisia. The camp is also near a hot spring (swimming possible) and beverage outlets.

60 comfortable tents pitched in a star formation around the swimming pool and observation tower feature:

Air conditioning and heating with individual control.
Double bed or twin beds (with mattresses and bed linen that you would expect to find in a hotel).
Possibility of additional third and fourth beds for families (with 1-2 children under 12 yrs).
Private bathroom with hot running water, shower and toiletries (hairdryer on request).
Living room with wrought iron furniture.
Traditional floor coverings.

The main restaurant serves typical cuisine of the south of Tunisia (such as briks and lamb dishes cooked in a stone oven) and Mediterranean cuisine. Breakfast, lunch and Dinner is available at set times but flexibility is provided according to guest arrivals/departures.

At the bar you can expect a variety of cocktails and drinks throughout the day in a unique setting that overlooks the pool.

The outdoor swimming pool, fed by a nearby spring, has sun loungers with mattresses and parasols (towels on request).
Entertainment can be provided by folklore groups on request.
For wellness, there is the nearby thermal spring and massages.
Camel trekking, horse riding, dune drives and a visit to a Roman fort (3 km away) are also possible from the campsite.
Motorbike hire is available from a company nearby.

Booking Office Bar and Restaurant

The fantasy of time travel is simply a daydream one never expects to embark upon. But as you step into the stately venue of the former ticketing headquarters for London’s St. Pancras Rail Station, murmurs of hurried travelers beginning their journeys linger in the air and you begin to believe time travel is possible. The grandiose new resident occupying the former booking office of the British railway services transports you back, far back, to a time when travel was a luxury and preparation for it was a social experience. The appropriately titled, Booking Office Bar and Restaurant in the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, is an architectural statement of British heritage and history. Gothic arched windows frame the dramatically high ceilings while the 100ft marble bar spans the length of the palatial cathedral-like hall. Rich, stylish furnishings and dark wood décor are the backdrop to the show stopping centerpiece of the room, the original ticket booth, magnificently restored and a true testament of the respect taken during restoration, celebrating both the ephemeral lifestyle of a jet-setter and the legacy of English traditions.

The unique appeal of the Booking Office is reflected in the clientele, a revolving door of diverse guests ranging from business suits to fashionable socialites all with varying purposes and schedules. Patrons can arrive fresh from their Eurostar journeys and nibble on a selection of bar snacks, like haggis bon-bons and modern interpretations of time-honored British recipes. The drinks menu, a declaration of praise and admiration of the Victorian era, features an array of bespoke and seasonal cocktails with contemporary novelties such as Billy Dawson’s punch, served in hand made copper punch bowls. Continuing down the path of reverence to English heritage, there is an abundance of wines, ales and ciders sourced from local and historical breweries. Afternoon tea can be enjoyed on the outside seating area overlooking the platforms of St. Pancras Station.

A ubiquitous café echoing the transient spirit of its patrons, the Booking Office Bar and Restaurant is not just a passage until your next destination, it is your destination.