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White Sands National Park
The name of the White Sands National Monument is well chosen. The sparkling white grains of gypsum that cover the whole area give off an eerie glow as the wind brushes over them. But there is much more that is inviting about this natural wonder in New Mexico.
Located in the Tularosa Basin it offers one of the most unusual environments for lovers of U.S. national parks. Technically, White Sands is a National Monument, a ‘step below’ the National Park designation. But the difference is only bureaucratic. The area itself is the equal of many, such as Joshua Tree, that already have that honor. Read more…
Categories: Travelers Guide Tags: National Park, USA
St. Petersburg, Russia – Venice of the North
St. Petersburg is a fascinating mixture of old-style Russia and Gilded Age Europe. Tsar Peter decided to move the capital and founded a city in 1703 devoted to culture and science. Along the banks of the River Neva he started an effort that continued for two hundred years.
For generations, artists and engineers from Italy, France, Germany and elsewhere were imported to work on projects. Using local labor they built bridges, palaces, churches and the city streets themselves. Many of their efforts are still in existence.
Among the earliest structures were several bridges, some of which survive in modified form from the time of the St. Petersburg’s founding. Everything from the six-foot wide Bank Bridge with its lovely iron griffins to the aptly-named Blue Bridge over 300 feet wide are counted among the city’s 500 spans. Read more…
Categories: Travelers Guide Tags: Russia, Saint Petersburg
The Hermitage and Winter Palace, St. Petersburg
By far one of the most popular attractions in St. Petersburg, the Winter Palace (which houses The Hermitage art museum), deserves the crowds it attracts. It is an outstanding series of structures as well as one of the world’s finest art museums.
Completed in 1762, it was the home of Russia’s monarchs for 150 years, starting with Catherine the Great. Her love for art created a vast collection that formed the largest part of the works for decades. The initial collection grew out of 255 paintings the Empress purchased from Berlin, and has grown to over 2.7 million objects. Read more…
Categories: Travelers Guide Tags: Russia, Saint Petersburg
