The rock shelters at Bhimbetka are a very ancient formation and go back to around 10,000 years ago. The rocks here are said to be from that time when the areas was a huge ocean and the rocks got this form after incessantly hitting against the sea waves. Bhimbetka is a place where you would find around 750 rock shelters and these have been discovered from the jungles. There are at least 400 painting here and only around 20 caves are open for the tourists. The caves have beautiful paintings dating back to many historical periods. With the majority of them being painted in white and red, there are some in yellow and green too. There is certain richness about the red colour and alongwith the yellow and the green are to be bought. The caves have paintings showing about a period of the past. Paintings here had to re done –and these revealed that there are people who want to see a decorated rock structure.

With predominant style as Warli, there is a lot of Madhubani painting too. With geometrical drawings to depict figures, there is a non geometrical figure that could be meditating either Indian sage or Lord Shiva. Some paintings are very fresh and it is impossible to believe that these are old paintings belonging to a special time.

The paintings have many animals, then of course humans and sometimes small trees. Flowers and rocks are also major features here. War scenes and sights of soldiers on horses are also shown here. The king is easily recognizable as he has a decorated horse. Sometimes artists show a king having an umbrella on top. There are scenes that show a lot of community loving and have people dancing, singing and laughing. This place was chosen by all the artists as the water here could not go anywhere and so the paintings would survive. There is another feeling that paintings were there everywhere but due to the floods and the due to water coming in, these were destroyed. Those, which were not touched, remained intact.

The rock shelters are not the only ones in Bhimbetka. Besides this you also have a potential auditorium like structure. This is the place where the community gatherings were perhaps held in ancient times. There is a rock like structure in the centre. Tis could be the throne. It is believed that maybe the throne was used by a headman or a king.

Thee is a cave temple around 100 metres from the entry point of Bhimbetka. This is a cave temple that was maybe a practicing temple. It is said that this temple was the temple that was set on fired by the Pandavas during the time they wee in exile. IN fact, Bhimbetka means Bheema who used to sit.

The rock shelters at Bhimbetka were discovered by an Indian while most of the ancient Indian structures were found by British Officers. Bhimbetka was discovered by V. S. wakankar. Then the excavations were carried out and today you have the biggest art based cave in India. Before the caves were discovered, it was said to be a Buddhist hill with many stupas. The caves also show how the human life continued here from pre historical to medieval period.

Thus, the Rock shelter of Bhimbetka with its 700 rock shelters is a place that is necessary see in tours here. The paintings here belong to the Mesolithic period and here is a lot of resemblance between the people living in the villages nearby and those shown in the paintings.

The forests surrounding the Bhimbetka caves have actually helped in preserving the paintings. The paintings show hunting, honey collection, animal faiths, dancing, masks, and disguises, beautification of bodies, horse, and elephant riding. There are rhinoceros, tiger, bison, peacocks, antelopes, and elephants shown in the paintings.

The paintings have been done with soft red stone, manganese, wooden charcoal, and hematite. Leaf extracts and animal fat have also been used. The rock shelters of Bhimbetka show a lot of chronology of the manner in which prehistoric man has evolved. The ceilings of the rock shelters and the walls all have the beautiful paintings, which form the mainstay of tours here.

With many more interesting experiences here, the travels to Bhimbetka would not be short of a small historical adventure.

While here in Paris, the historical monuments surely deserve a mention as they form the mainstay of tours here. The Basilica of St. Denis is one such structure which is surely a great cathedral basilica in this lovely city of pleasurable delights. This has been named after France’s patron saint and is a great place where the best of historical constructions have come up. It is believed that it stands where  Saint Denis was buried. Saint Denis was also known as Saint Dinonysius. He was buried sometime in the 275 AD. Thus the abbey which later on became a church became a place of pilgrimage.

It was initially founded in the 7th century and today the Basilica of St. Denis was constructed in a Gothic design sometime in the 12th century. The Regent of France of Abbot Suger constructed this. From the 7th century, the Basilica of St. Denis had a new role as the place where the kings and the queens of France were buried. The St. Denis Basilica remained so for many years and then most of the French monarchs were buried here. But during the French Revolution there were tombs that were opened and the remains inside them removed.

Then it was in the year 1966 that the Basilica of St. Denis became a cathedral. Today this historical structure of the Basilica of St. Denis is open to the tourists and gives views that are fascinating and provide the best sights of this lovely façade into the beautiful interiors. Visitors get to see the lovely necropolis within this beautiful historical façade of the St. Denis.

There are guided tours that are available here for the tourists and the tour guides speak Italian, French, English, and Spanish and these tours go on for a period of an hour and a quarter or maybe an hour and a half. Tourists coming to this part of the world in France surely go back with a greatly historical experience and it is a treat for the history lover to be in the Basilica of St. Denis.

Situated in the northern region of Paris, the Basilica of Saint Denis or the Basilique Saint Denis is a very important Catholic Basilica which is located in Saint Denis. It is very famous amongst the architecture lovers for its Gothic kind of architecture and is in fact often compared to the way the Westminster Abbey is famous for its elegance and charm.

Thus Saint Denis who was the French patron saint who was also the first bishop of Paris has this simple shrine that initially built on the burial place which had Saint Denis also buried here.

The structure today was started by the Abbot Suger and did not get completed till the 13th century. Today a great landmark, and a major Gothic structure, the Saint Denis Basilica is surely a visual delight.

The abbey church with its lovely cadaver tombs has had all the monarchs except three of the region here and they were buried from the 10th century till the year 1789. There are many effigies of the queens and the kings in the tombs and it is sad that the French revolution brought about destruction of most of them. In fact it was the works of the archaeologist Alexandre Lenoir that saved the monuments from further getting destroyed as he claimed them as precious artworks for the Museum of the French Monuments.

Then in the year 1806, Napolean Bonaparte opened the church again but the royal remains were then left in the mass graves only. Then Napolean got exiled to Elba and the Bourbons came to power. When they ordered for the copses of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI to be searched then they were duly found in the year 1815 and then brought to St. Denis and buried here.

With the rose window and a lovely cremated parapet here providing the utmost magnificence to the structure the Saint Denis Basilica is surely a structure to be proud about in France.

The word Chapultepec exactly means “at the grasshoppers hill”. This somewhat expresses the positioning of the Chapultepec Castle, atop the Chapultepec Hill, although there are no huge grasshoppers that have set up residence here. The Chapultepec Castle is a towering monument, and is close to 7628 ft in the Chapultepec Park.

From being a fortress in the ancient times, the Chapultepec Castle has been used for several functions, such as a training academy for the military, the residence of the President, European Sovereign home as well as an observatory. As an observatory the castle is simply magnificent. It stands right on top of the towering height of the hill. In the present day, it is home to the famous Mexican National Museum of History and is also referred to commonly as the Museo Nacional de Historia.

In addition, the Chapultepec Castle has had a huge number of legends associated with it. There are quite a few incidents that have made it the legendary structure it is now. The castle is the only citadel in entire North America that was stayed in by great European royalties such as the Empress Carlota and consort, Maximilian I, the famous Mexican Emperor. The position of Chapultepec Hill is also a significantly holy destination for the Aztec people. There are quite a few things to see and explore.

Go for the highlighted tour of the main galleries in the Imperial War Museum featuring the Museum’s Sound and Document Archives. On your way, know about 40 key exhibits as well as hear to the men’s and women’s experiences, who made history. Certainly, I am speaking about the audio guide that starts from the Information Desk and lasts for 1 hour 45 minutes for small fee.

All the exhibits are scattered nicely on the building’s six floors. On the Lower Ground, you will come across the First as well as the Second World War exhibits of which the main highlights are Trench Experience and the Blitz Experience. Start from the First World War exhibit in your left so that you do not miss anything. Here, it is a bit confusing to roam around, but walk in the direction of the arrows and remain in the left. On the Ground floor, there are large exhibits of which the Polaris missile as well as five aero planes such as the uncommon Mark I Spitfire hovering from below the glass domed roof is the main highlight. Also explore the Children’s War here. On this floor, there are tourist facilities such as a cafe and shop.

On the First floor, exhibits such as the Secret War for pre-teens and Survival at Sea reside, while the Second floor is the home of the art galleries. Floor 1 also houses a British lofty bomber plane fuselage that is exciting for one and all to climb through. Kids will love doing so for sure! The Third floor houses the Holocaust Exhibition great for the teens, but not for children under 14. On the Fourth floor, exhibits display the crimes against humanity, which are not suggested for children under 16.

At the main entrance, steep steps are there, which might make your travel a bit tricky. So, if you are a wheelchair-bound visitor, take the Park Entrance on the side. The entire building of the Imperial War Museum is accessible via the two elevators along with an additional lift devoted to the Holocaust Exhibition. As photography is permitted, you can do so, suggestively from Floor 2 for the best views.

The shop at the museum offers a sale after a temporary exhibition, which means you can get some merchandise reductions. The Cafe is good for snacks as well as children’s meal. Highchairs are also on offer here, which are at the back of the last room. When you come to visit the museum and if the weather is fine, do spend some time on the grounds where kids can play and you can relax in a small café.

Address

Lambeth Road, London SE1 6HZ

Nearest Tube Station

Lambeth North

Timings

10 am to 6 pm daily

Closed on

24, 25, and 26 December

Admission

Free, but fee might be charged for special exhibitions.

Just take up a chance to be like an unusual tourist who would journey on off the beaten path, be away from the crowded/costly theme parks, and would love to unveil the cultural offerings from north to south Florida. If you think so and plan your Florida vacations to go in this way, you will encounter the hidden gems of the state.

Key West

Linked by a bridge off the coast, this sunny land is a cultural destination that not most of the tourists know. The celebrated author Hemingway lived here soon after a vacation here and today his dwelling is a beautiful museum. In fact, your historical journey will start as soon as you reach the museum because of the descendants of the Hemingway’s polydactyl cat yet living around. And yes, one more historical fact of this coastal destination is that several U. S. presidents such as Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman boosted the history by spending their winter months in the Southernmost House Grand Hotel and Museum.

Fort Myers

This was the winter home of the famous Thomas Edison as well as Henry Ford. Look for the Edison’s home that is now known as the ‘Seminole Lodge’ that boasts among the initial modern swimming pools along with the laboratory. This dwelling is an ideal model reflecting a best historical site in Florida. Just nearby is ‘The Mangoes’ that was the winter home of Henry Ford’s, which was just remodeled now and holds a garage filled with old Ford automobiles. Both these homes are along the flowing river and offer lush gardens.

Palm Beach

This is a city of contrasts! This was where in 1880s, Henry Flagler started to buy railroads, linked roads, and commissioned additional tracks along the coastlines. To know about his accomplishments, head off to The Henry Flagler Museum that is today housed in his great winter home – Whitehall. Next historical attraction is within the periphery and in the Delray Beach – the tranquil Morikami Museum as well as the Japanese Gardens that exhibits how Japan was welcomed on this Florida coast.  The galleries focus on the old as well as modern Japanese art and culture, festival celebrations, tea ceremonies, special holidays, and tasting events. Well, this is a mandatory tour for all the history lovers!

Sarasota

This is one more hub of historical places highlighting cultural past influenced by the Native American as well as the Spanish. Check out for the Historic Spanish Point where you can explore surprisingly over 5,000 years of history. This is the home of ancient Indian mounds, archaeological trips, living history performances, great edifices, and a butterfly garden. Further, do also take a tour of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art as well as the Ringling Museum of the American Circus. The art museum exhibits ancient as well as Asian, American, and European artworks; while the circus museum houses a big collection of costumes, handbills, props, and posters of early circus. And yes, do explore a small circus on the grounds.

Pensacola

This Blue Angels home has been the birthplace of the naval aviation. So, obviously there has to be a fascinating National Museum of Naval Aviation where over 150 restored aircrafts are on display. Here, you can also fly a simulator or explore more about this field in Florida history in the Memorial Theatre. Now, look for the Fort Pickens that was used during the Civil War and featuring the Apache warrior, Geronimo.

The city of Jerash is in a nice green valley which falls into the eastern part of Jordan which is also part of the Holy Land.  There is a long history of an unbroken chain of human beings living in this place. There have been people living here since almost six thousand five hundred years before.  The ruins are preserved quite beautiful. And these ruins are all preserved well in the Greco Roman Village many other beautifully constructed Islamic buildings.

Under the roman rule this city flourished quite a lot. If you ever think of holidays in Jordan Jerash, then you should think Jerash.

You should head to the triumphal arch which is the best way to explore this well preserved roman City. Now this place is partially restored. You could make your way high up the many columns. Make you don’t miss the oval plaza and once you here you will surely want to linger till the scorching sun sets. And when this happens, the whole city of ruins glows in shades of orange and red because of the setting sun.

There is a huge temple of Zeus; this place is surrounded by tall and elegant columns which are made in the style of Corinthians. When you head further north from the plaza, this place is the Maximum Cardo which is basically the thoroughfare in Jerash set up by the Romans.  There are cobblestones from then on, and thereby even have the furrows of the roman chariot Wheels.

When you come for Holidays in Jordan, there is an Archeological museum that has an assorted collection of artifacts that have been salvaged from this very site.

They have even found Gold jewelry, gold coins and pottery which could have most probably been used as tickets to the theater in those times.

Dalat is also called the city of love. The weather here is mild and like spring most of the year. This place is well known amongst the locals as a famous honeymoon destination. According to the local people, the city is quite magical with beautiful landscapes; there are amazing waterfalls, forests that are thick and green. This place is also famous for its many flower gardens.

Traditionally the original French elegance is quite prominent here with the graciousness that is offered by the Vietnamese culture, to make the most beautiful hotel in dalat here called the Sofitel Dalat Palace hotel.

This marvelous place overlooks the Xuan Huong Lake which was built in the year nineteen hundred and twenty two. This was still the best mountain resort in he whole of indo china.  This hotel in dalat has a world class, eighteen hole golf course. This is quite rare for a place like dalat Vietnam.  This happens to be the only one of its kind in existence.

The Halong Bay vietnam is said to be where dragons came down from heaven and spat out long streams of jade droplets, these apparently fell into the Halong Bay.  The thousands of islands and inlets here protect the bay from all the people who come here uninvited. It was also made to defend the region from the invading marauders.

This beautiful water body raises curious questions. This place has many islands that are nature sculpted. The outcropping here resemble different animals like dogs, elephants, toads, monkeys. These shapes have surreal quality and are made in the classical Chinese and Vietnamese painting styles.

The sampans and the junks very artistically seem to blend into the silhouette against the beautiful horizon like large butterflies.

These are about hundred miles in length. This place is also home to many beautiful beaches. The beaches here are sandy and have very few people around so there is a lot of privacy. The fishing village here is very unique and is many centuries old.   The boat people here till today honor the water deities and perform rituals regularly. There is a huge fleet of tourist boats and an inexpensive hotel here which makes this place an ideal visit. Make sure you go and check out the Bay Chai and the Hong Gai . There is a wealth of hidden lagoons and many caves that are mostly hidden and can only be accessed by boat, the caves here are rich in stalactites and stalagmite formations. You could either take a boat ride or even have a trip in a kayak that would take you zig zagging through the famous bay.

The main tourist attraction in Jordon is of course Petra, although the Wadi rum is the second most famous tourist site in this region.

If you want to have the desert experience there is not other police like this. Here you can have everything from a luxury tent camp to a general hike with the local Bedouin guides.

In fact Lawrence of Arabia was out of this region and it is a famous site for his many exploits, during the end of the First World War, Lawrence based himself here.

One of the most famous rock formations in the area was called the seven pillar of wisdom and his then became the title for his book.

The film also had real shots taken from Wadi rum. David lean who was filming the movie at that time wanted to have the locations as authentic as they could be.

During the late nineteen eighties, this location became a popular destination for rock climbing.

The tallest peak I this region is the Jabal rum peak, this peak can be seen all the way from Saudi Arabia and the red sea.

It would highly recommended to hire a local Bedouin who will be your guide and go with you for a two or three day trek by camels.  This is a far better alternative than the organized tours by the desert tour companies. . One of the best things you could do is go to sleep under the stars with the grainy smooth sand under you and a cool starry sky above.

Riding a camel is something that you will remember for a long time. The humpty movement of the camel gives off a very relaxing after effect. The movement is very good and soothing for your back.  While you are in the desert especially if you are raveling fair distances, then it would be a good idea to alternate between sitting on the camels back and walking along. This is how the Bedouins do it and seems to be the best habit with camel back travel.

The nights here are uncomfortably cold, especially during the winters.  And during the summers, the days are blazing hot. Hence; the best times to actually go into the desert is during spring and autumn.

Wadi rum is also called valley of the moon. The valley that has cut into sandstone and granite rocks; this is the largest Wadi in the whole of Jordan,

Rum is Aramaic means high or elevated.

The tallest peak here in um Dami which is about eighteen hundred meters above sea level.

This area is now one of the most popular destinations among tourists. There are almost no Arab tourists here in this region.

Although over the weekends, his place is visited frequently from people from Amman.

Activities like sand duning, hiking, horseback riding and of course rock climbing; are quite famous and are commonly seen at various campsites at designated areas in the desert. These camp sites would be fairly close to civilization.

The sudden influx of tourists has promoted the Bedouins in their economic matters to a fair extent.

Don’t be surprised if you see the Bedouins using cellular phones and driving big four wheels SUV’s. They use this economy to further grow their business of adventure tourism.

In the village of Wadi rum, there are few hundred Bedouins in the village.  These have tents made up of goat’s hair and house designed in the wind tower style and now, they also have modern concrete houses. The village has schools for boys and girls and a police headquarters for patrolling the desert.

Some of the major films that have scenes that have been shot here are at Wadi Rum are:

Lawrence of Arabia

Red planet

And Transformers: revenge of the fallen.

There are various centers for diving. And the beaches are lovely with ancient ruins decorating them.

You can chose to drive around as is easier to get a car hired and go everywhere.

Cancun is close to the airport; this makes it easy to arrive into without much hassle.

You might first want to go and check out Playa del Carmen. This is one of the nicest beaches in all of Mexico. The area is also famous for its golf courses.

An eighteen-hole golf course called Puerto Costa Maya.  There are many activities here like dune buggy-ing and kayaking.

Snorkeling at the Great Mayan reef is world famous and renowned for its beautiful aquatic fauna.

Over here in Cancun most of the tourist attractions are close to each other so it’s easy for the tourists to move around and go to many different places in short periods of time.

Try Cenote diving which is diving in the underground caverns and tunnels in the ocean.

The temperature of the water is always stable and warm. The wildlife here is amazing. You will get to see spider monkeys at the Puaax Yetel Kooh Nature Park.

Once you are done with the park, get adventurous and go visit the Tulum ruins.

Next on the list is Chichen Itza.  This place is just off the local highway. The speciality of this world famous ruin is that it lines up in a perfect astronomical precision with other ruins in the region. This place used to be a commercial, spiritual and cultural center for the Mayan people.

You should arrange to go here during the spring equinox. When the buildings all get aligned the shadow of a large snake can be seen on the side of the temple.

There is another temple complex at Valladolid. Once you are done exploring this place, head over to Rio Lagartos, this tiny village is famous for its flamingoes.  If you are much into avifauna, it would be best if you take a boat ride on the lake.

After you have fed your appetite for bird watching; come to Merida. This happens to be Yucatan’s cultural capital. Besides of course, being the cities official capital. Here you will find lovely hotels cafes and small museums.

The main market place here is the Mercado municipal Lucas de Galvez.

Here you will find all the goodies that are made locally like hand decorated shirts, different kinds of baskets, pottery items, hammocks and Panama hats.

While you are in the market try the local delicacy, the pit baked pork.

Check back here in a week for part two of the amazing Yucatan peninsula.

History:-

Aksum is talked about in the 1st century AD in the “Periplus of the Erythraean Sea” as an imperative bazaar place for ivory, which was sent abroad all the way through the prehistoric world, and it is also said that Zoskales was the monarch of Aksum in the 1st century AD. It is believed that apart from controlling the empire of Aksum he was also ruling 2 different harbours on the Red Sea namely the Adulis (located very close to Massawa) and Avalites (located very close to  Assab) Both of the islands were situated in Eritrea. It is also said that he had a good amount of knowledge of the Greek literature.

The Empire:-

The Empire of Aksum at its tallness was all extensive from corner to corner of the majority of the contemporary Eritrea, along with northern Ethiopia, also Yemen, as well as southern Saudi Arabia and also northern Sudan. Aksum the capital city of the empire at present is located in northern Ethiopia. In the present day a less important group of people, the city of Aksum was on one occasion a full of life city. It had played a role of being the economic as well as the cultural center of the empire. Two hills lies in the east of the empire whereas the west expanse of the capital is surrounded by two rivers. Maybe it was providing the preliminary impulsion for the people to get settled in the area. By the side of the hills as well as the plain which are located in the exterior of the city, the Aksumites had graveyards with involved grave stones renowned as stelae and also the obelisks. Other significant cities included Yeha,  Matara, Hawulti, Adulis, and also the city of Qohaito. Three of the above mentioned cities today are an integral part of Eritrea.

In the early third century, Aksum began snooping in South Arabian dealings, calculating at epoch the western Tihama expanse surrounded by other regions. By the late third century it had started casting its own money and was known as Mani as one of the 4 grand authorities of his time by the side with the provinces of China, Rome and. The empire was attracted and later changed to Christianity around 325 or 328 AD during the rule of King Ezana. The empire of Aksumite was the foremost state always to bring into play the picture of the cross on its money. At its stature, Aksum restricted northern Ethiopia, northern Sudan, Eritrea, southern Egypt, Yemen, Djibouti and southern the Saudi Arabia. The total area that was controlled by the empire was around 1.25 million sq km.

It was a quasi supporter of Byzantium in opposition to the Persian kingdom of the day and did turned down subsequent to the 7th century due to unidentified motives, but well-versed assumptions puts forward the ascend of Islam greatly shocked its capability to buy and sell with the Far East in the period when shipping was restricted to coastal steering as well as cut it off from its most important marketplaces in Byzantium, Alexandria and Southern Europe.

Society:-

The Aksumite residents comprised of the Semitic-speaking populace. They were in a group acknowledged as Habeshas. Cushitic-speaking locals were known as Kunama while the Nilo-Saharan-speaking crowds were known as Nara. Aksumites did have their personally appointed slaves, and a customized feudal arrangement was in set to ranch the ground.

Religion:-

Previous to its alteration to Christianity the Aksumites experienced a polytheistic religious conviction. Astar was the most important god of the pre-Christian Aksumites. The kings of Aksum were used to trace their heredity from his son, Mahrem (also known as Maher). Some where around 324 AD the King Ezana II was transformed by his slave-tutor named Frumentius. He was the originator of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Frumentius trained the monarch at the same time as he was immature, and at several spot staged the change of the kingdom. We are well acquainted with that the Axumites transformed to Christianity for the reason that in their coins they restored the disc and hemispherical with the cross. Frumentius was in touch with the Church in Alexandria and was selected Bishop of Ethiopia more or less around the 330 AD. The Church of Alexandria by no means reined Aksum in strongly, to a certain extent permitting its individual outline of Christianity to expand; on the other hand it did kept hold of a number of authority and the Ethiopian Church got behind the Coptic Church of Alexandria hooked on Monophysitism subsequent to the Council of Chalcedon. Aksum is also the supposed to be the house of the sacred remnant of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark is supposed to have been situated in the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion for its protection by Menelik I.

Coinage:-

The Empire of Aksum was the foremost African empire which was politically as well as economically and politically determined sufficient to concern its personal coins, which weary legends in Ge’ez as well as Greek. As of the time in power of Endubis up to Armah (just about 270 to 610), gold as well as silver and also bronze coins were made. Producing currency in very old times was a performance of huge significance in itself, for it announced that the Axumite Empire well thought-out itself equivalent to its neighbors. A lot of of the coins are utilized as a signpost on the subject of what was occurring at the time when they were created. An instance being the adding up of the cross to the currency, subsequent to the adaptation of the kingdom to Christianity. The occurrence of coins also made trade to be easily carried out, and was at one time a helpful tool of the half-truths and was also a resource.

The Aksumite Empire is represented as the most important supporter of Byzantium in the Belisarius sequence by David Drake and also Eric Flint printed by Baen Books. The sequence takes place for the duration of the time in power of Kaleb of Axum, who in the sequence was killedby the Malwa in 532 AD at the Ta’akha Maryam and his position was taken over by his youngest son Eon bisi Dakuen.