Irish Traveler.eu

Niagara Falls maybe not the world’s biggest, but is no doubt the most visited.

I saw it again, and was even more impressive than the first time.

If you want to know more about Niagara Falls, than you should read this.

First of all, let the numbers speaking: 110 000 cubic metres fall in every minutes, and 20 000 000 tourists are mesmerized every year by these water falls (they are in fact two falls: one of them measures 53 m in height, and the other 21 m). The total width is almost 1 kilometre, and there are a dozen of skyscrapers build on the shores.

It lies on the border between Canada and U.S. , between the lakes originated by the last ice period. The bigger falls is in Canada, not far from Toronto (avoid driving on highway during hot sommer week ends, you might need four hours). If you come from New York City, you need 10 hours bus travel.

Be very carefull when approaching the town: already when you are 10 km away you can hear Niagara Falls ! It is an amazing, scaring, strong noise. If you look better, you can see also some very fine water drops.

The name Niagara comes from an Indian language. The Iroquaise Indians called the Falls “Niheeka”.

Since 1800 this area is opened for tourism and travels. In 1885 the State of New York declares Niagara as national Park, followed one year later by Canada. Today is one of the most important traveling targets in North America. The last fashion : fancy wedding parties organized near the falls! Yearly, 50000 couples marry here.

The Canadian side is much more better developed. You can admire Niagara from the ship “Maid of the Mist” ; from helicopter or balloon, or even from a tower. At night, the Falls are red, green, blue or orange, due to the artificial light.

Niagara Falls by night.

So, if you plan to marry soon, go to Niagara Falls!

And if you want to divorce go also to Niagara Falls.

But simply go there, it is a necessary experience.

Niagara Falls is such a cool honeymoon destination even Napoleon’s Brother chose it… 

I Recommend …

Japanese Traditinal Cooking Tokyo Japan Organic Life.

Japanese Traditional Cooking Video Blog Tokyo Japan Organic Life.

Japanese Traditional Cooking Class Online in Tokyo with Refined White Sugar Free Recipe as Whole Foods Diet and Raw Food Diet.

Well written blog, excellent sense of humor, …great informative posts, great photos and videos – a really great job!!

Excellent site, I very much enjoyed my visit.

Author – Yuki :

West Tokyo, Japan

I was under the ALMOST BLIND conditions when I was 20s because of receiving side effects of certain certified medicine which I received from early child food. But THE MORE I lost sight ability, THE MORE I was able to get memorization ability. I passed JP Patent Attorney Exam for only several months and I recovered by new　Chinese herbal medicine.MY DREAM is purchase of that patent right from Chinese Inventor and receiving certification from health of ministry. I am very glad to be able to receive your kind attentions !

Mount McKinley or Denali in Alaska is the highest mountain peak in North America, at a height of approximately 20,320 feet (6,194 m).^[1] It is the centerpiece of Denali National Park.

Mount McKinley or Denali – one of Seven Summits list.

Notable features :

Mount McKinley has a larger bulk and rise than Mount Everest. Even though the summit of Everest is about 9,000 feet (2,700 m) higher as measured from sea level, its base sits on the Tibetan Plateau at about 17,000 feet (5,200 m), giving it a real vertical rise of little more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m). The base of Mount McKinley is roughly a 2,000-foot plateau, giving it an actual rise of 18,000 feet (5,500 m).

The mountain is also characterized by extremely cold weather. A thermometer left exposed at an elevation of 15,000 feet on Mount McKinley over 19 years recorded a temperature of −100°F (−73.3°C) at some point during its exposure^{[citation needed]}. There is also an unusually severe risk of altitude illness for climbers, due to not only its high elevation but also its high latitude.^[2] At the equator, a mountain as high as Mount McKinley would have 47% as much oxygen available on its summit as there is at sea level,^[3] but because of its latitude, the pressure on the summit of McKinley is even lower.^[4]

Climbing history :

The first recorded attempt to climb Mount McKinley was by Judge James Wickersham in 1903, via the Peters
Glacier and the North Face, now known as the Wickersham Wall. This route has tremendous avalanche danger and was not successfully climbed until 1963.

Famed explorer Dr. Frederick Cook claimed the first ascent of the mountain in 1906. His claim was regarded with some suspicion from the start, but was also widely believed. It was later proved fraudulent, with some crucial evidence provided by Bradford Washburn when he was sketched on a lower peak.

In 1910, four locals (Tom Lloyd, Peter Anderson, Billy Taylor, and Charles McGonagall), known as the Sourdough expedition, attempted McKinley, despite a complete lack of climbing experience. They spent approximately three months on the mountain. However, their purported summit day was impressive: carrying a bag of doughnuts, a thermos of cocoa each and a 14-foot (4.2 m) spruce pole, two of them reached the North Summit, lower of the two, and erected the pole near the top. According to them, they took a total of 18 hours — a record that has yet to be breached (as of 2006). No one believed their success (partly due to false claims that they had cd climbed both summits) until the true first ascent, in 1913. In 1912, the Parker-Browne expedition nearly reached the summit, turning back within just a few hundred yards of it due to harsh weather. In fact, that probably saved their lives, as a powerful earthquake shattered the glacier they ascended hours after they safely left it.

The first ascent of the main summit of McKinley came on June 7, 1913 by a party led by Hudson Stuck. The first man to reach the summit was Walter Harper, an Alaska Native. Harry Karstens and Robert Tatum also made the summit. Tatum later commented, “The view from the top of Mount McKinley is like looking out the windows of Heaven!”^[5] They ascended the Muldrow Glacier route pioneered by the earlier expeditions, which is still often climbed today. Stuck confirmed, via binoculars, the presence of a large pole near the North Summit; this report confirmed the Sourdough ascent, and today it is widely believed that the Sourdoughs did succeed on the North Summit. However, the pole was never seen before or since, so there is still some doubt. Stuck also discovered that the Parker-Browne party were only about 200 feet (61 m) of elevation short of the true summit when they turned back.

See the timeline below for more important events in Mount McKinley’s climbing history.

The mountain is regularly climbed today, with just over 50% of the expeditions successful, although it is still a dangerous undertaking. By 2003, the mountain had claimed the lives of nearly 100 mountaineers.^[6] The vast majority of climbers use the West Buttress Route, pioneered in 1951 by Bradford Washburn, after an extensive aerial photographic analysis of the mountain. Climbers typically take two to four weeks to ascend the mountain.

Timeline :

• 1896-1902 Surveys by Robert Muldrow, George Eldridge, Alfred Brooks.
• 1903. First attempt, by Judge James Wickersham.
• 1906. Frederick Cook falsely claims the first ascent of McKinley.
• 1910. The Sourdoughs ascend the North Summit.
• 1912. The Parker-Browne attempt almost reaches the South Summit.
• 1913. First ascent by Hudson Stuck, Walter Harper, Harry Karstens, Robert Tatum.
• 1932. Second ascent, by Alfred Linley, Harry Liek, Grant Pearson, Erling Strom. (Both peaks were climbed.)
• 1947. Barbara Washburn becomes the first woman to reach the summit as her husband Bradford Washburn becomes the first to summit twice.
• 1951. First ascent of the West Buttress Route, led by Bradford Washburn.
• 1954. First ascent of the very long South Buttress Route.
• 1959. First ascent of the West Rib, now a popular, mildly technical route to the summit.
• 1961. First ascent of the Cassin Ridge, the best-known technical route on the mountain. This was a major landmark in Alaskan climbing.
• 1963. Two teams make first ascents of two different routes on the Wickersham Wall.
• 1967. First winter ascent, via the West Buttress, by Dave Johnston, Art Davidson, and Ray Genet.
• 1967. Seven members of Joe Wilcox’s twelve-man expedition perish in a storm near the summit. Up to this time, this was the third worst disaster in mountaineering history in terms of lives lost.
• 1970. First solo ascent by Naomi Uemura.
• 1984. Uemura returns to make the first winter solo ascent, but dies after summitting. Tono Križo, František Korl and Blažej Adam from the Slovak Mountaineering Association climb a very direct route to the summit, now known as the Slovak Route, on the south face of the mountain, to the right of the Cassin Ridge.^[7]
• 1988. First solo winter ascent with safe return, by Vern Tejas.
• 1990. Alaskan Norma Jean Saunders became the first woman to officially document a solo ascent of Mount McKinley. She climbed the West Buttress.

Mt. McKinley in July 2006

McKinley, Mount McKinley, Mount Denali (6194 m n.p.m.) – najwyższy szczyt Ameryki Północnej, położony w górach Alaska (USA). McKinley zbudowany jest ze skał krystalicznych (głównie granitów i łupków krystalicznych). Jego masyw pokryty jest wiecznym śniegiem i lodowcami, największy z nich, o długości ok. 50 km to lodowiec Muldrow. Względem otaczających go dolin występuje u jego stoków jedna z największych deniwelacji na świecie – ponad 5 kilometrów.

Po raz pierwszy szczyt został zdobyty w 1913. Nazwa na cześć amerykańskiego prezydenta Williama McKinleya, “Denali” to tradycyjna indiańska nazwa góry. Obecnie masyw McKinleya objęty jest parkiem narodowym Denali. Z uwagi na fakt, że jest to najwyższy szczyt Ameryki Północnej, wchodzi on w skład tzw. Korony Ziemi.

** oryginal post by : – http://himalman.wordpress.com/

The ultimate challenge to the ‘just-do-it’ ambitious trekker. This moderate to challenging graded trek takes to you to the foot of Mt. Everest traversing across the high Cho La pass at an elevation of 5420 m. Also included is the opportunity to trek to the summit of both Gokyo Ri [5340m.] and Kala Pattar [5554m.] for magnificent views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu and Cho Oyu. A visit to Everest Base Camp will give you the chance to have a closer look at the spectacular Khumbu Icefall. Beginners or inexperienced climbers can take this trek, but this trek requires one to be moderately fit. Considering the snow conditions over Cho La Pass, the trek may not be advisable during winter [January & February] and the monsoon season [July & August].

Outline Itinerery :

Day 1 Arrive Kathmandu Day 2 Sightseeing in Kathmandu Day 3 Flight to Lukla & trek to Phakding (2656m) Day 4 Trek to Namche (3450m) Day 5 Rest day in Namche Day 6 Trek to Dole (4084m) Day 7 Trek to Machermo (4410m) Day 8 Rest day in Machermo Day 9 Trek to (4750m) Day 10 Ascent of Gokyo Ri (5483m) Day 11 Trek to Tragnag (4690m) Day 12 Across Cho La 5420 m. to Lobuche (4928m) Day 13 Trek to Gorak Shep (5184m) Day 14 Trek to Everest Base Camp (5357m) & return to Gorak Shep Day 15 Trek to Pangboche (3985m) Day 16 Trek to Namche(3450m); Day 17 Trek to Lukla (2800m) Day 18 Fly to Kathmandu Day 19 Depart Kathmandu Detail Itinerery – Gokyo, Kala Pattar & Everest Base Camp Trek

DAY 01 ARRIVAL IN KATHMANDU Flying to Kathmandu along the northern border of Nepal on a clear day is in itself an exciting and memorable experience as exotic panoramic view of snow-capped Annapurna mountain range peaks sprawls before you. The Nepali support team will meet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel.

Day 2 – Sightseeing of Kathmandu Valley Kathmandu, being a historical and cultural heart of Nepal, is a popular destination for tourists, trekkers and adventure seekers. The city presents a wonderful mixture of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and Western influence in the Valley. Patan and Bhaktapur are its two major neighboring cities which bear immense historical, cultural and religious significance. There will be a half day guided tour to the famous & biggest Hindu shrine Pasupathinath, the largest Buddhist stupa in town Boudhanath, the 15th century palace of 55 windows and Soyambhunath. In the evening, a trip orientation meeting will be organized.

Day 3 – Fly to Lukla & Trek to Phakding [2652m] A spectacular flight and hair raising landing on a steep mountain runway brings us to the start of our trek at the village of Lukla [2850m]. After meeting the crew, we head up the Dudh Kosi Valley on a well-marked trail to Phakding.

Dudh Kosi – bridge in Phakding.

Day 4 – Trek to Namche [3450m] From Phakding, we cross and re-cross the river on high suspension bridges. Beyond Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park which was set-up in order to protect and preserve this fragile mountain environment. We then ascend quite steeply to Namche and along the way, if the weather is clear, catch a first glimpse of Mt Everest in the distance. Namche is the main trading village in the Khumbu and has a busy Saturday market – a meeting place for the Hindu traders from the lowlands and the Tibetan yak caravans that have crossed the glaciated Nangpa La Pass.

Day 5 – Rest day in Namche Namche is tucked away between two ridges amidst the giant peaks of the Khumbu and has an abundance of lodges, tea shops and souvenir shops as well as a magnificent outlook. It is an ideal place to spend a rest day, acclimatizing to the new altitude before heading off towards Tengboche. Options for acclimatization walks include a visit to Khunde hospital which was set-up by Sir Edmund Hillary, or a one hour walk up to the Everest view hotel above Namche for the sunset view of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. There are also good views from the national park centre and museum just above the town.

Day 6 Trek to Dole [4084m] We are now approaching 4500m, so we will stay at Machermo for an extra day .Today is a spectacular day in terms of scenery as we follow the main trail north out of Namche. A short climb to a crest reveals a wonderful view towards Everest and Lhotse. We follow this main trail for a while longer, passing many traders selling Tibetan handicrafts, to a crossroads high above the Dudh Kosi. The trail to Everest drops down the hill but we turn off here and climb to cross the Mon La before reaching Phortse Tenga. From Phortse Tenga, the trail climbs steeply to Dole, through rhododendron and birch forest festooned with hanging mosses and lichens.

Day 7 Trek to Machermo [4410m] From Dole we climb steadily along the side of the valley, where the rhododendron forests give way to scrub juniper as the altitude increases. The trail passes many summer settlements [yersa], which are used when yaks are taken to these pastures to graze in the summer months. Ahead of us are excellent views of Cho Oyu, while at the rear are the peaks of Kantega and Thamserku. Today’s trek is a short one and we will arrive at Machermo in time for lunch.

Day 8 Rest day in Machermo We are now approaching 4500m, so we will stay at Machermo for an extra day to acclimatise. There are plenty of possibilities for exploration around the camp and just above the village there is an excellent view encompassing Cho Oyu [8210m] and the mountains which flank the Ngozumpa Glacier.

Day 9 Trek to Gokyo [4750m] Rested, we head for the lakes at Gokyo. We follow a very scenic path to Pangka and then descend slightly, following one of the rivers which flow down the west side of the Ngozumpa Glacier. We climb a steep rocky incline into the valley by the side of the glacier, passing the first of the holy lakes. We soon arrive at the second of the lakes, crossing the path which heads across the glacier to Cho La – our route to Lobuche and Everest, later in the trek. The third lake is known as Dudh Pokhari and on its eastern shore is the settlement of Gokyo. Walking by the side of the lake, the scenery is breathtaking with the summits of Cho Oyu and Gyachung Kang reflected in its emerald green waters.

View of Gokyo

Day 10 Rest day – Ascent of Gokyo Ri [5483m] Gokyo Ri looms above the village on the northern edge of the lake and we leave camp just after first light, following a steep path up the hillside. As we climb, the summits of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu slowly come into sight and the view from the summit of Gokyo Ri itself, is one of the finest to be had in the Everest region – some say it is even better than that from Kala Pattar. For those who still have some energy, there are more good views to be had by dropping back down to the main path and following it north to the fourth and fifth of the Gokyo lakes, the latter being about three hours from Gokyo

Everest and Lhotse from Gokyo Ri.

Day 11 Trek to Tragnag [4690m] Fit and acclimatised, we leave Gokyo to cross the Ngozumpa Glacier. We descend to the second lake and drop down onto the glacier. The route across the glacier is marked by cairns and is generally quite well defined. We climb off the glacier by a small dwelling known as Tragnag and follow a shallow valley to our camp by a small kharka.

Day 12 Trek to Lobuche [4928m] An early start is necessary today, as we have to cross Cho La and make the long descent to Lobuche. Continuing up the valley, we cross a ridge and an old lateral moraine, before beginning the rocky scramble to the pass. From the pass there are excellent views, across to the Rolwaling Valley in the west and Ama Dablam to the south east. The descent from the pass involves the crossing of a small glacier [often snow covered] which is fairly straightforward. There are more excellent views of Ama Dablam and the forbidding north face of Cholatse as we descend to the pastures below. The way to Lobuche contours the grassy slopes above a lake, the Tshola Tsho, to join up with the main Everest trail from Pheriche and Thyangboche. The trail flattens out and follows the valley on the west side of the Khumbu Glacier to Lobuche.

Day 13 Trek to Gorak Shep [5184m] To reach our next objective, Kala Pattar, the trail continues to follow the valley beside the Khumbu Glacier, and offers superb views of the surrounding mountains, especially where the path is forced to rise to cross a tributary glacier. We stop for lunch at our camping place for the night, Gorak Shep. Later in the afternoon, when the sun begins to set over the Everest, we make our way to the top of one of the finest viewpoints in the Khumbu, Kala Pattar [5549m]. As the light begins to fade we stroll back to our camp at Gorak Shep and have an early night in preparation for our trek to Everest Base Camp the following day.

Day 14 Trek to Everest Base Camp [5357m] & return to Gorak Shep. For the trek to Everest Base Camp, a very early start is required. It takes several hours on a trail across the Khumbu Glacier which weaves its way along translucent ice pinnacles and past seemingly bottomless crevasses. At Base Camp, there will hopefully be an expedition ‘in residence’ and there are great views up into the Khumbu Icefall where there is often some climbing activity. On the return leg, we can take a higher route to get a spectacular view of the Khumbu icefall and the route to the south Col. We then return to Gorak Shep.

Day 15 Trek to Pangboche [3985m] It is downhill most of the way today, past Lobuche to Duglha and Pheriche. The Himalayan Rescue Association has trekkers’ aid post here which is interesting to visit. After lunch we cross the Khumbu Khola on a wooden suspension bridge and follow the Imja Khola to the village of Pangboche.

Day 16 Trek to Namche [3450m] We continue to follow the river and, after crossing it, climb up through birch and rhododendron forest to Thyangboche and its famous monastery. There are magnificent views from here and Kwangde, Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Kantega and Thamserku are just a few of the Himalayan giants which can be seen. From Thyangboche we descend to the bridge over the Dudh Kosi at Phunki Tenga, where there are water driven prayer wheels, before making our way back to Namche.

Day 17 Trek to Lukla [2800m] Our final day’s trekking follows the Dudh Kosi back down to Lukla. This last evening in the mountains is the ideal opportunity for a farewell party with the sherpa guides and porters, where we can sample some chang, try Sherpa dancing and look back on a memorable trekking experience.

Day 18 Fly to Kathmandu We take an early morning flight back to Kathmandu.

Day 19 Depart Kathmandu Our Nepalese support team will take you to the airport for your flight home.If you prefer to stay longer, you can go for short tours such as game drive at National parks, rafting, Tibet tours, mountain biking etc).

** see : -Trekking in Nepal Himalaya : EVEREST HIGH VALLEY – Travel Guide. /Version english/

and -  Everest Base Camp – CLASSIC treks. / Version polish and english /

Maldives with its beautiful coral islands, sunny beaches and tranquil and peaceful environment is a great place for a romantic vacation. More and more couples are nowadays coming to this country for a grand holiday. Because of this reason, one can find numerous honeymoon resorts in the country.

Maldives Honeymoon Resorts are equipped with all the features that makes your Honeymoon special in all ways. The services rendered, the food offered, the hotel amenities and various entertainment options available in these resorts allow the couples to have a great time and enjoy their vacation in a grand fashion.

The various honeymoon resorts have all the luxuries that one can find in any other luxury resort. The rooms are spacious and are equipped with a huge comfortable king sized beds. The rooms are decorated with flowers and vases. The rooms are specially designed for the couples on their honeymoon. Most of the rooms have private balconies from where you can watch the setting sun with your beloved one. The rooms have luxurious attached bathrooms with bathtubs and shower facility.

Most of the honeymoon resorts are located on or near the beach. This allows the couples to go for a walk on the beach or simply sit in the shade of the huge coconut trees and share a quiet and romantic moment with one another. Couples can also go for a number of water-based activities like scuba diving, sailing or snorkeling. These honeymoon resorts have all the facilities that allow one tom embark upon such activities.

The resorts also organize dinner parties for the honeymoon couples. Candle lit dinners are extremely common in these resorts. Besides, musical performances are also held for the entertainment of the guests. Jazz music performances are held and ball dance parties are often organized.

These resorts also have special honeymoon packages for the couples. Often one can find special spa packages for couples or island tour packages for the couples. The Maldives Honeymoon Resorts are designed to make your holiday a grand and romantic experience. Every service rendered and the facilities offered will surely make your honeymoon a magical experience.

Recommended Honeymoon Resorts are below :

o Angsana Resort & Spa at Ihuru
o Angsana Resort & Spa at Velavaru
o Banyan Tree Maldives at Vabbinfaru
o Baros Maldives
o Dhonveli Beach Resort & Spa
o Four Seasons Maldives at Kuda Huraa
o One&Only Reethi Rah
o Soneva Gili
o Island Hideaway at Dhonakulhi

** more : – http://www.maldivesholidayoffers.com/index.php