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Sunday, January 10, 2010

Carlsbad Caves (Carlsbad Cavern National Park), New Mexico, US

carlsbad caverns rail

Carlsbad Caverns Rail On the tour route

No one knows how many caves are there in the world; but definitely there are many more to be discovered than what have been listed. There is something weird about caves; they are far more than mere emptiness; they were home to our forefathers; ancient men used to express his artistic talents on its walls; that trend still follows human beings; even space age people turn artists if let free in a cave with a crayon! For a cave every kid is a Michelangelo; and its walls a Sistine Chapel! Even a child will run in to it; if a cave is spotted; darkness, echo, and bats all make a cave a miniature world of mysteries.

The American Cosquer

Jim White was an illiterate cowboy; curiosity and hard work alone were his assets; with just that and a little bit of luck; now his name remains among top names in explorers! A swarm of bats that aroused his curiosity; instead of ignoring them and tending his cattle he went in search of the source; could find only a cactus forest; neglecting their pricks he proceeded inside to see only a dark and gaping hole! The story is similar to that of 35year old Henry Cosquer a diving instructor of Marseilles who discovered the Cosquer’s Cave.

Hard work, curiosity and a bit of luck

carlsbad caverns

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Millions of bats were coming out of the hole that seemed deep and dark. Jim made a born fire burning some dry twigs and threw the burning twigs in to the hole. He could sense the twigs falling to a depth of less than 200 feet; seeing the fire bats stopped coming out. After a while the flow continued; Jim thought “if millions of bats stay here; it must be substantially big; and there must be something substantial”. That young man did not know he was unfolding world’s most amazing cavern in the world.

Jim White got engaged

The Carlsbad Caverns are the largest cave-system in the world but it is the sheer variety and magnificence of the stalactite formations that make it the most unique. Jim White was engaged by a mining company that extracted the fossilized droppings of bats for its nitrate rich manure qualities. He was given permission to explore the remote corners of the cave complex during his leisure time. Jim utilized this right to bring out all the mysteries and named the strange formations in professional finesse. When the National Park was formed Jim got posting as its first Chief Ranger.

The National Park

carlsbad caverns entrance

Outside the entrance to the Carlsbad Caverns

The Carlsbad Cavern National Park is located on the western part of River Pecos beside the Guadalupe Mountains and the Chihuahua Desert. It is about 18 miles from (southwest) Carlsbad a small city in the southeastern part of New Mexico State of US. The Park contains about 109 caves including the Carlsbad Caves. The Lechuguilla Cave is one of the most amazing one with a depth of 1604 feet; it is a virtual laboratory for scientists to do research on geological as well as biological researches in an unpolluted environment. It is the fifth longest cave in the world.

Shapes weird; names strange

As per scientists this whole area was an inland sea filled with coral reefs about 25 million years back; by some geological upheavals the sea got dried up and coral reefs got covered with gypsum and salt. There after it took millions of years for the rainwater to seep in and dissolve the calcium compound in corals to shape them in such weird shapes as that resembles witch’s finger, king’s palace, hall of giants, queen’s chamber, lake of clouds and things with all strange shapes and equally strange names!

Stalactites and stalagmites

These weird shaped calcium compound formations belong to two categories, the stalactites are those tapering structures hanging like icicles from the roof of the cave; they are formed when water concentrated with minerals slowly drip from above depositing minerals from above. Stalagmites are (huge penitents) pillar like formations standing from the bottom of the cave; these are formed when water slowly dissolves the soft outer part of the calcium compounds filled in the cave. Carlsbad Caverns have both of them richly placed.

Of bats

It is estimated that about a million bats live in this cave; they belong to about seven species of which the Mexican Free-tail bats are most common; these bats are migratory and live in the ‘Bats Cave’ for day time refuge, maternity and roost. There is a gigantic ‘hall’ for bats in the cavern near the natural entrance of the cave; they dangle comfortably on its ceiling; authorities take special care to see them not being disturbed by the visitors. They halt here from early spring to October and fly off to tropical Mexico during winter. Bats don’t use their eyesight much as they depend on their sonar guidance for travel and catching prey.

Rooms and their names

witchs finger carlsbad caverns

The Witch’s Finger in Carlsbad Caverns

The Hall of the Giants

This is the biggest chamber in the whole Carlsbad cavern system with an area of 357,469 sq feet. The conical rocks that arise from the floor and the pricks like millions of formation directed downwards give an eerie look to this gigantic chamber.

Left hand tunnel is a long and straight passage that leads to the Lake of Clouds; it may seem hard to believe that this was spontaneously. Floor of the passage is intermitted with numerous fissures; no one knows what is beneath these fissures.

Lake of the Clouds

It is the lowest point of the cave (among the so far discovered caverns) and it has a substantially large lake with round cloud shaped rocks. It is located in a side passage from the left hand tunnel.

Balloon Ballroom is small in width and located in the ceiling of the main entrance; it is so named as it was first accessed tying the end of a rope with some balloons and floating it over to the passage.

Bat Cave is exclusively reserved for the original inhabitants of the cave-the bats. It has no adornment with stalactites and bats love the engulfing darkness, they breed and rear the young in this hall.

Bell Cord Room has a very special formation a cord like stalactite formation that come down from a hole in the ceiling resembling a church bell cord coming from a church spire.

Bifrost Room is a very beautiful name reminding the Norse Myth of the world above the sky that can be accessed only by climbing along a rainbow! In fact there are rainbow like color formation by traces of oxides present in the white calcium background.

carlsbad flowstone

Flowstone in carlsbad caverns, a form of travertine

Witch’s Finger is perhaps the most amazing growth of Stalagmite which less than two feet in diameter and grows up like a slender finger to about 20 feet in height.

Green Lake Room

Located at the uppermost floor of the ‘Scenic Room’; it has got a green colored pool at its corner thereby giving the chamber this name. It has got some significance; when the world was quivering under the threat of imminent nuclear attack; security agencies were in search of a protected space to escape the atom bomb. They reached the Green Lake Cave and observed the lake waters while atomic explosion was done at a distant place. The lake waters did not produce any ripples thereby assuring them of a safe place!

A World Heritage Site

carlsbad caverns

Rock of Ages in the Big Room, photo by Ansel Adams

In 1930 US President Herbert Hoover declared Carlsbad caves and numerous Permian Age fossil- reefs located in the surrounding area as The Carlsbad Cavern National Park. UNESCO declared the park as a World Heritage Sit in December 6, 1995. This park spreads in to an area of 46766 acres around the cave. At present the park is a hot spot for tourists; more than 50,000 people visit this place every year; the park is open 24 hours all round the year except in the Christmas day. Two third of the park area is left as ‘wilderness area’ as a measure of preservation of the ecosystem.

The Tallest Vehicular Bridge in the World - Millau Viaduct

Millau ViaductThe Millau Viaduct is a large cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the river Tarn near Millau in southern France. Designed by the structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and British architect Norman Foster, it is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, with one mast's summit at 343 metres (1,125 ft) - slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower and only 38 m (125 ft) shorter than the Empire State Building. The viaduct is part of the A75-A71 autoroute axis from Paris to Béziers. It was formally dedicated on 14 December 2004, inaugurated the day after and opened to traffic two days later. The bridge won the 2006 IABSE Outstanding Structure Award.

Source

Corbett National Park

Corbett National Park
Corbett National Park
Corbett National ParkThe Jim Corbett National Park, located in the foothills of the Himalayas, is a primal jungle as Rudyard Kipling put it. It is named after the hunter turned conservationist Jim Corbett who played a key role in its establishment - is the oldest national park in India. Despite extensive tourism, the park has managed to retain its primeval ambience, where man must walk timorously, in awe and with a strong sense of his own insignificance. Home to a variety of flora and fauna, it is famous for its wild population of Tigers, Leopards and Elephants.

The park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park. The park spans across some 920.9 square km at an altitude of 600 to 1100 metres about the foothills of the western Himalayas in the districts of Nainital and Pauri Garhwal in the state of Uttaranchal (formerly part of Uttar Pradesh). In its eventful 64-year life, it has grown considerably in size and now includes the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary as a part of its 1,319 sq km of reserved forest area.

Pictures via corbett-national-park

Lainio Snow Village

Every November in Finland, the super cool Lainio Snow Village and SnowHotel (featured in the James Bond film Die Another Day) is created. Approx 1,000 truck loads of snow are used to create the Snow Village covering 20,000 square metres. The Snow Village is an arctic adventure offering a large ice hotel with an ice restaurant and ice bar, along with activities such as an ice maze and snow slides.




Opened in 2000, this ice hotel's accommodation consists of 20 igloo bedrooms and 7 fancy ice suites. Every year the Snow Village is designed different but always a magical experience combining ice artistry, handicraft and breathtaking constructions made of snow.




Snow Village Location
Found in the western part of Finnish Lapland, the location of the Snow Hotel is near the ski resorts Ylläs and Levi, about 150 kilometers north of Rovaniemi, Finland.

Most guests come to the town of Ylläsjärvi by flying to Rovaniemi airport or flying to Kittila airport (the latter being just 25 minutes away from the Snow Hotel).






Staying Overnight in the SnowHotel
Pack yourself tightly into your sleeping bag during a night at the Snow Hotel. There are approximately 30 rooms, all made of ice and snow. Individually decorated suites with different themes are also available.



The temperature in the Snow Hotel ranges from 0 to -5 degrees Celsius (23-32 degrees Fahrenheit) depending on the Scandinavian weather outside. However, there is a heated area where hotel guests can enjoy warm showers and a sauna, or warm up in the group room in front of the fireplace and TVs.

Ice Bar
The family-owned Snow Hotel also has Europe's largest Ice Bar where you can meet others in a unique bar are with an otherworldly atmosphere, and drink from glasses made of ice. I can assure you, just seeing this bar is worth a visit to the Snow Village.






Ice Restaurant





Snow Village Surrounding Area
Leave the hotel and you find prettily illuminated ice sculptures to enjoy in the "park". Active and younger guests mingle at the ice maze and the big snow slide for some winter fun. Nearby, there is a sparkling white Ice Chapel with detailed ice sculpting that's definitely worth seeing.





Weddings in the Ice Chapel
For wedding couples, Snow Village offers remarkable settings for an unforgettable day of ceremony and celebration. To start with couples can choose between an ice chapel with furnishings made of ice and a traditional, cosy wooden chapel.





Here are a couple of the room options available for visitors to the Snow Village....

SnowHotel - Ice Suite

You sleep in high quality thermal sleeping bags. Each suite is individually decorated with unique ice art. Includes a guided tour inside the Snow Village, sleepover instructions, high quality sleeping bags and fleece lining bags, shower and toilet facilities, room wake up with hot berry juice, buffet breakfast in warm log restaurant and a diploma of igloo overnight stay.




Price: 320,00 €/suite/night

Includes a guided tour inside the Snow Village, sleepover instructions, high quality sleeping bags and fleece lining bags, shower and toilet facilities, room wake up with hot berry juice, buffet breakfast in warm log restaurant and a diploma of igloo overnight stay. Inside the snow hotel there are two warm bedrooms as a back up for those who want to change the room in the middle of the night. Evening or morning sauna in SnowHotel's underground sauna: 10 € / person. Sauna must be booked in advance. Warm overalls and boots can be rented from restaurant LainioKrouvi. Price is 10,00 € / set per day.


SnowHotel - Standard Room

You sleep in high quality thermal sleeping bags in a round shaped igloo room. The room is made of snow and decorated with a bedframe and bedside tables made of ice.




Includes a guided tour inside the Snow Village, sleepover instructions, high quality sleeping bags and fleece lining bags, shower and toilet facilities, room wake up with hot berry juice, buffet breakfast in warm log restaurant and a diploma of igloo overnight stay.



Double room: Adults: 120,00 € / person. Children: 70,00 € / person
Extra Bed: 70,00 €
Single room: 180,00 €

Includes a guided tour inside the Snow Village, sleepover instructions, high quality sleeping bags and fleece lining bags, shower and toilet facilities, room wake up with hot berry juice, buffet breakfast in warm log restaurant and a diploma of igloo overnight stay.

Inside the snow hotel there are two warm bedrooms as a back up for those who want to change the room in the middle of the night. Evening or morning sauna in SnowHotel's underground sauna: 10 € / person. Sauna must be booked in advance. Warm overalls and boots can be rented from restaurant LainioKrouvi. Price is 10,00 € / set per day.

Snow Village Opening Times
Snow Village will be opened again on December 10th of 2009 and will remain open until April 15th of 2010. Open daily from 10:00 to 22:00. Entrance fee 7 €/adult, 4€/child. Guided tour 40€/group. (group size 1-40)

Visit the Snow Village website for further details.

Emerald Lake Lodge Canada

Emerald Lake Lodge Hotel in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada features 85 guest rooms in cabin style buildings and the historic main lodge on the shores of Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park. Built of hand-hewn timber and featuring massive stone fireplaces, Emerald Lake Lodge includes a formal dining room, quiet reading and sitting rooms, conference facilities and a games room and boasts stunning views.



Emerald Lake Lodge is enhanced by an oak bar salvaged from an 1890's Yukon saloon. The historical lodge offers a true escape from the hectic pace of modern life - There are no televisions and no internet access in any of the rooms. There is no mobile phone reception in the entire area of Yoho National Park.









Emerald Lodge Games Room
The games room has billiards, chess, board games and the lodge's only television while the lakeside fire pit offers a bonfire under the stars with hot chocolate and the aromas of the forest.




Emerald Lake Lodge Dining
Dining facilities available at the lodge are the Mt. Burgess dining room with lots of game and indigenous fruits, vegetables and berries on the menu, and Cilantro on the lake, with its own well stocked wine cellar complete with a tasting area offering a selection of wines from France, California and Canada. Also the Kicking Horse Saloon offers the perfect place to unwind and is enhanced by an original wood bar from the Yukon, circa 1890.



Emerald Lake Lodge, Canada - Travel Video




Emerald Lake Lodge Features
  • Stunning outdoor hot tub offers a dazzling view of Emerald Lake
  • Romantic firepit which is amazing in the evening to truly appreciate the beauty and serenity of the area
  • Fitness room and dry sauna are available for our guests to enjoy all day long

Emerald Lake Lodge Firepit












Emerald Lake Lodge Location

Emerald Lake Lodge is located 20 minutes West of Lake Louise in Yoho National Park (2.5 hours from Calgary International Airport). Take the Trans Canada Highway heading West towards Field and Golden BC. The turnoff to Emerald Lake Lodge is located 1km on the highway past Field, BC. Follow the road for 6km until you see a sign that says "Overnight Guest Parking".



Turn left into the parking lot. In the parking lot is a cabin. Use the telephone in the cabin to call the front desk to have the shuttle pick you up and bring you to the main lodge. For transportation from Calgary to the mountains, and around the mountain areas, contact Banff Transportation.


Emerald Lake Lodge Map


View Larger Map

Final Note
  • Emerald Lake Lodge will be closed for maintenance from 11am April 12, 2010 until April 23, 2010 at 4pm.
  • The lodge will be closed for maintenance from 11am October 13, 2010, reopening at 4pm, November 17, 2010.
For more information and bookings visit the Emerald Lake Lodge website