Virpur, Rajkot district

Virpur is a town in Rajkot district of Gujarat, India. Virpur is the birthplace of saint Jalaram and had a temple dedicated to him here which is popular among pilgrims. It was named after a Koli king Viro Bariyo.
Temples.
Virparanath, Jethabapa and Jalaram Bapa are saints associated with this town and many of its religious sites. Religious sites in Virpur include:
Jalaram Bapa Mandir.
Jalaram was a Hindu saint from Gujarat, India. He was born in Virpur, Rajkot district, Gujarat, India, on 4 November 1799, which is the 7th day Krishna Paksha of Kartik month on the Hindu calendar VS year 1856, one week after the Hindu festival of Diwali. His father was Pradhan Thakkar and his mother was Rajbai Thakkar, who belonged to Lohana, a merchant clan. He was a devotee of the Hindu god Rama. Numerous temples across the world have been built in his name. The main shrine of Jalaram Bapa is located at Virpur. The shrine is actually the housing complex where Jalaram lived during his lifetime. The shrine houses the belongings of Jalaram and the deities of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman worshipped by him. It also has on display the "Jholi" and "Danda" said to be given to him by God, however the main attraction is the portrait of Jalaram Bapa. There is also a black and white photo of Jalaram Bapa, taken one year before his death. Millions of followers visit Virpur on the anniversary of Jalaram Bapa's birth, which is celebrated as "Jalaram Jayanti." on the seventh day of the bright fortnight in the Hindu calendar month on Kartika. There are many guest houses in Virpur to accommodate tourists and pilgrims. Money is not accepted at the Jalaram Bapa temple. Some Dharamshalas serve food to visitors free of cost and without taking a donation.
Virpur's economy is largely supported by tourism for pilgrims and visitors.
Connectivity.
The nearest towns are Gondal, Jetpur and Dhoraji. The nearest airport is Rajkot Airport.


Daniel J. Evans Wilderness

The Daniel J. Evans Wilderness is a , federally protected wilderness area comprising over 95% of Olympic National Park in Washington State. It includes of Pacific Ocean coastline. It is the largest wilderness area in Washington. Elevation ranges from sea level to at the peak of Mount Olympus. Mount Olympus has the third largest glacier system in the contiguous United States.
From 1988 to 2017, it was known as the Olympic Wilderness. The protected area was renamed in honor of Governor and U.S. Senator Daniel J. Evans in 2017. During his tenure in the U.S. Senate, Evans co-sponsored the 1988 bill that created the state's national wilderness areas.


Illinizas Ecological Reserve

Illinizas Ecological Reserve (sometimes referred to as Illinizas National Park) is a protected area in Ecuador, located in the provinces of Cotopaxi and Pichincha. The reserve consists of 149,900 hectares, and lies 55 kilometers south of Quito.


Upper Tweeddale National Scenic Area

The Upper Tweeddale National Scenic Area lies in the Borders region of Scotland. It is one of 40 national scenic areas (NSA) in Scotland, which are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure their protection from inappropriate development. The designated area covers 12,770 ha (49 square miles) of countryside surrounding the upper reaches of the River Tweed between Broughton and Peebles.
National scenic areas are designated primarily to recognise the scenic qualities of an area, but sometimes also e.g. its culture, history, archaeology, geology or wildlife. Areas with such qualities may be protected via other national and international designations that overlap with the NSA designation. There are two Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) within the designated area of the Upper Tweeddale NSA.
Although the national scenic area designation provides a degree of additional protection via the planning process, there are no bodies equivalent to a national park authority, and whilst local authorities (in this case Scottish Borders Council) can produce a management strategy for each one, only the three national scenic areas within Dumfries and Galloway currently have management strategies.
Creation of the national scenic area.
Following the Second World War, a committee, chaired by Sir Douglas Ramsay, was established to consider preservation of the landscape in Scotland. The report, published in 1945, proposed that five areas (Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, the Cairngorms, Glen Coe-Ben Nevis-Black Mount, Wester Ross and Glen Strathfarrar-Glen Affric-Glen Cannich) should receive a level of protection. Accordingly, the government designated these areas as "national park direction areas", giving powers for planning decisions taken by local authorities to be reviewed by central government. Following a further review of landscape protection in 1978, additional areas, including the area of the current Upper Tweeddale NSA, were identified as worthy of protection due to their landscape qualities. Accordingly, in 1981 the direction areas were replaced by the national scenic area designation, which was based on the 1978 recommendations and thus included this area. The defined area remains as originally mapped in 1978, but was redesignated under new legislation in 2010.
Description.
The original 1978 report that led to the area being designated as a national scenic area noted:
Historic features of the area include the hill fort at Dreva Craig, Barns Tower, and the castles at Stobo, Neidpath and Tinnis. The John Buchan Way, a 22 km walking route between Broughton and Peebles, passes through the area.
Conservation designations.
The River Tweed (including tributaries such as the Manor Water and the Holm Water) is designated as a Special Area of Conservation, holding important populations of salmon, brook lamprey, river lamprey, sea lamprey and otter. The river has a very diverse ecology due to the mixed geology of its catchment area, and is also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). There is a further SSSI within the boundaries of the NSA, the Tweedsmuir Hills, which form the largest area of mountain plateau in Scotland outwith (i.e. outside) the Highlands, and which hosts nationally important populations of breeding birds, mosses, liverworts and arctic–alpine plants. The grounds surrounding Barns Tower and Stobo Castle, and Dawyck Botanic Garden, are listed in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.


Turda Gorge

Turda Gorge (, ) is a natural reserve (on Hășdate River) situated 6 km west of Turda and about 15 km south-east of Cluj-Napoca, in Transylvania, Romania.
Geography.
The canyon, formed through the erosion of the Jurassic limestone of the mountain, is 2 900 m long and the walls have heights reaching 300 m. The total surface of the canyon is of 324 ha.
Cheile Turzii contain one of the richest and most scenic karst landscapes in Romania. More than 1000 plant and animal species (some of them rare or endangered, like the wild garlic or some species of eagle) live here.
History.
The site has been inhabited since the neolithic.
Flora.
More than 1,000 plant species can be found in the reservation, including Allium obliquum, Dianthus integripetalus, Viola jobi.
Fauna.
67 species of birds, butterflies (Eublema, Heterogynis, Dysauxes, Phybalopterix etc.) fish, amphibians and some mammals (foxes, weasels, martens, wild boars etc.
Caves.
There are some 60 known caves, almost all of them being of small size (the longest one is 120 m).
Other tourist attractions.
Cheile Turzii are just a few km away from two other canyons (Cheile Turului and Cheile Borzești) as well as from "Ciucaș waterfall".
Cheile Turzii is one of the main rock climbing sites in Romania.


Sinivuori Strict Nature Reserve

Sinivuori Strict Nature Reserve ("Sinivuoren luonnonpuisto") is a strict nature reserve located in the Pirkanmaa region of Finland. There are no paths in this reserve of deciduous forest, though walking on the crossing roads is allowed. Most of the forests of this type in Finland have been logged down, when fields were created.


Sayano-Shushenski Nature Reserve

Sayano-Shushenski Nature Reserve () (also Sayano-Shushensky) is a Russian 'zapovednik' (strict ecological reserve) reserve in a remote area of the West Sayan Mountains of south Siberia. It is on the southern bank of the Yenisei River along the Sayano-Shushenskoye reservoir. The reserve thus protects a large section of the wooded, mountainous territory above the reservoir created by the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam, the largest power plant in Russia. Both the reserve and the dam were established 1976, and a major purpose of the reserve besides conservation is the study of the ecological effects of a large reservoir on the local ecology. The reserve covers an area of . It is situated in the Shushensky District of Krasnoyarsk Krai.
Topography.
The Sayano-Shushenski Reserve covers mountainous terrain on the axial ridge of the western Sayan mountains, including the Khemchiksky Ridge (northern slope) and Kantegirsky range (eastern spurs). It is bounded on the north by the Yenisei River. Elevations range from 500 to 2735 meters.
Climate and Ecoregion.
Sayano-Shushenski is located in the "Sayan montane conifer forests" ecoregion, an ecoregion that is at the mid-elevation levels of the Sayan Mountains, the highest mountains in Siberia. It is in a transition zone between the Siberian taiga to the north and the Mongolian steppe to the south. This ecoregion has high levels of biodiversity due to the meeting of ecological zones, the variations in altitude, and the variations in relief.
The climate of Sayano-Shushenski is "Subarctic climate, without dry season" (Köppen climate classification Subartic climate (Dfc)). This climate is characterized by mild summers (only 1-3 months above ) and cold, snowy winters (coldest month below ). The Sayano Reserve experiences not only climate differences based on altitude, but across the line of the ranges: the north slope is wet (1000-1500 mm/year of precipitation), while the southern steppe side averages only 400 mm/year. The north slope may see 1.5 meters of snow while the southern sees 0.3 meters.
Flora and fauna.
The forests of the reserve vary by elevation and by proximity to the reservoir. The mid-level forests are mostly taiga fir and pine, with some zones of larch forests. The mountain steppe regions grade out to even shrubs-steppe and grassland. Fluctuations in the water level due to operations of the dam can be dramatic (up to 40 meters). This leads to plant zones that contain species that reflect the influence of human actions, and are a primary focus of scientists in the reserve. In the upper regions of the reservoir, the receding waters have produced broad floodplains.
The most common mammals in the reserve are those that are widespread in Siberia: sable, squirrel, elk, wolf, wolverine, lynx and others. In the upper levels of the mountains there are typical Arctic species: arctic shrews and reindeer. In steppe region are more Mongolian-representative species: Siberian mountain goat, Pallas's cat, long-tailed hamster and the grey marmot. There a small number of snow leopards in the reserve. Over 100 species of birds are recorded. Those representative of the Siberian taiga include the Eurasian nuthatch, blue nightingale, nightingale whistler, nutcracker, Himalayan Cuckoo, and grouse. The bearded partridge is typical of the rocky steppe areas, and birds of prey such as ospreys, falcons and eagles are common throughout. Reptiles include copperhead snakes and adders; amphibians are represented by the moor frog and common toad.
Ecoeducation and access.
As a strict nature reserve, the Sayano-Shushenski Reserve is mostly closed to the general public, although scientists and those with 'environmental education' purposes can make arrangements with park management for visits. The reserves maintains a nature museum that is open to the public, and there are two 'ecotourist' routes through the territory that are open to the public, but require these permits to be obtained in advance. The main office is in the city of Shushenskoye.


Azas Nature Reserve

Azas Nature Reserve () is a Russian 'Zapovednik' (strict nature reserve), located in the central part of the Todzha basin (a large intermountain trough within the Altai-Sayan mountain region) of south-central Asia about 500 km west of Lake Baikal. The reserve stretches along the Azas River, and is situated in the Todzhinsky District of Tuva.
Topography.
The reserve covers a dense network of rivers and lakes in the mountain headwaters of what eventually becomes the Yenisei River. The primary river is the Azas River, which flows into Todzha Lake (Todzha is another name for Azas), before flowing out again as the Toora-Khem River. The base rock is Proterozoic and Paleozoic (that is, older than 250 million years) sandstones, limestones and various intrusions. In most of the territory this is covered with recent (Quaternary) moraine and fluvial sediments.
Located in the glacially-created Todzha Basin, the reserve itself is mid-level in altitude (850 meters to 2,000 meters), but surrounded on three sides by higher mountains (over 2,600 meters). To the west are the Western Sayan Mountains, and to the north and east are the Eastern Sayan Mountains. In the hilly moraine sections of the basic there are many lakes (30 large, and over 100 small lakes) and sphagnum bogs.
Climate and ecoregion.
Azas is located in the "Sayan alpine meadows and tundra" ecoregion. Below 2400 meters, this ecoregion is characterized by galacially-carved valleys with an upland mosaic landscape of alpine meadows and stands of upland conifers.
The climate of Azas is Subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dwc), characterized by long, very cold winters and cool summers. The average daily temperature in January is -28,7 C °, in July - +14,6 C °. There are only 52 frost-free days on average, and the average annual precipitation is 343 mm, 60% of which falls in the summer.
Flora and fauna.
Forest areas occupy 68% of the reserve, bald mountain tundra and alpine meadows cover 16%, and the remainder is bogs, meadows, grasslands, rivers and lakes. The forests display altitude zoning, with larch-birch below 1100 meters, larch-pine-moss up to 1700 meters, and alpine pine-cedar-large above 1700 meters. The animal life in the reserve has not yet been fully studied, but is typical of the Altai-Sayan mountain country and the base steppe sections.
Ecoeducation and access.
Azas is a protected nature reserve, but ecological tourism is permitted on marked educational routes. The most popular destination is Lake Azas, and there are 30 sites of religious pilgrimage in the territory. Most active tourism beyond hiking is forbidden - no camping, etc. - unless in an official group led by reserve guides and scientists. In the buffer zone around the reserve there are facilities for camping and recreation.


Norwegian County Road 86

County Road 86 () is a highway in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The eastern end of the road begins in the village of Andselv (in the Bardufoss area of Målselv Municipality). It then heads west to the Gisund Bridge connecting the mainland of Norway to the large island of Senja. The road then heads across the island of Senja to the village of Torsken on the western coast of Senja Municipality. Part of the route is one of eighteen designated National Tourist Routes in Norway.


Bales Beach Aquatic Reserve

 Bales Beach Aquatic Reserve was a marine protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located in waters off the south coast of Kangaroo Island immediately adjoining and including the intertidal zone within the locality of Seal Bay whose full extent is occupied by the Seal Bay Conservation Park.
It was declared after 1971 for the purpose of ‘the protection of a major breeding colony of the Australian sea lion’. The collection or the removal of any marine organism was prohibited within the reserve. The aquatic reserve which immediately adjoined the Seal Bay Aquatic Reserve extents eastward for a distance of about Bay and also extends seaward a distance of about . It has an area of . While it was managed in conjunction with the Seal Bay Aquatic Reserve, it was gazetted as a separate aquatic reserve. On 20 October 2016, it was abolished.
Since 2012, it was located within the boundaries of a “habitat protection zone” within the Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park.
The aquatic reserve was classified as an IUCN Category II protected area.


Visim Nature Reserve

Visim Nature Reserve () (also Visimskiy) is a Russian 'zapovednik' (strict nature reserve) protecting an area of southern taiga in the low Middle Ural Mountains. In 2001, it was named a UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve. It is named for the ancient village of Visim, which was home to the Russian writer Dmitry Mamin-Sibiryak, who wrote about rural life in the Urals. Most of the reserve is located on its western slope in the headwaters of the Sulёm River, a right tributary of the Chusovoi River, part of the vast Volga-Kama basin. Part, however is on the eastern slope in the Ob River watershed. The reserve thus straddles the Europe-Asia continental divide: water from the reserve flows into both the Caspian Sea through the Volga River, and the Kara Sea through the Ob River. The reserve is situated in the Kirovgrad District of Sverdlovsk Oblast, about 100 km northwest of Yekaterinburg.
Topography.
The Visim Reserve has a terrain that is mostly low mountains with conifer forests. The core reserve is roughly rectangular, 20 km across, with much larger buffer zones (where hunting and fishing are prohibited) to the north. The eastern part of the reserve is low mountains with relative heights of 250 to 300 meters, and a maximum height of 700 meters above sea level. The delineated biosphere includes the core region of Visimskiy (33,487 hectares), plus a buffer zone extending north for 46,000 hectares, and a transition zone extending for a further 100,000 hectares north.
Climate and ecoregion.
Visim is located in the "Urals montane tundra and taiga" ecoregion, a region that covers the Ural Mountains in a band that is narrow from west-east, but runs up most of the divide between European and Asiatic Russia. The area is a meeting zones of taiga and tundra tree and plant species.
The climate of Visim is "Humid continental climate, warm summer" (Köppen climate classification (Dfb)). This climate is characterized by large swings in temperature, both diurnally and seasonally, with mild summers and cold, snowy winters. In the Visim Reserve, the growing season averages 141 days; average annual precipitation is 600 mm.
Flora and fauna.
The Visim Reserve serves as a reference for representative plant communities of the southern Urals mountain taiga. 56% of the plant species of the Middle Urals botanical region are found within Visimsky. Scientific study can study the relative growth patterns in old-growth forest (in the core reserve), secondary forest (particularly in the buffer zones where logging occurred in the 1950s), and transitional zone forests that have been affected by mining and other economic activity. Scientists on the reserve have recorded 435 species of vascular plants.
The reserve experienced extensive windfall damage during storms in 1995, and forest fires in 1998 and 2010, that left only 1,500 hectares in a pristine old-growth state. 86% of the territory is forested, with Siberian spruce, Siberian fir, and birch dominating the secondary forest.
The animal life of the reserve is typical of the Mid-Urals taiga: moose, wolf, bear, rabbit, beaver, marten, ermine, weasel, shrews and other rodents. Scientists on the reserve have recorded 48 species of mammals. 185 species of birds have been recorded, of which 125 are nesting.
Ecoeducation and access.
As a strict nature reserve, the Visim Reserve is mostly closed to the general public, although scientists and those with 'environmental education' purposes can make arrangements with park management for visits. The reserve is building three 'ecotourist' routes, however, that will be open to the public, but require permits to be obtained in advance. Public access is easier in the buffer and transition zones. The main office is in the city of Kirovgrad.


Minnesota Scenic Byways

Minnesota Scenic Byways are a system of roads in the U.S. state of Minnesota which pass through areas of scenic, cultural, or recreational significance. There are currently 22 scenic byways in the system with a total length of . Eight of these byways are also designated as National Scenic Byways, and the North Shore Scenic Drive is further designated as an All-American Road.
Minnesota's scenic byway program was established in 1992 as a joint effort between the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Office of Tourism, and Minnesota Historical Society. The Minnesota Scenic Byways Commission began designating byways in 1994.
Byways.
Apple Blossom Drive Scenic Byway.
Apple Blossom Drive Scenic Byway is a route in southeastern Minnesota that runs from La Crescent to U.S. Highway 61 north of Donehower. The highway meets the Great River Road at both ends and provides access to Great River Bluffs State Park. As its name suggests, many apple orchards are along the highway.
Avenue of Pines Scenic Byway.
Avenue of Pines Scenic Byway consists of the entirety of Minnesota State Highway 46, a road which connects U.S. Highway 2 in Deer River to the south with Minnesota State Highway 1 in Northome. The route passes through the Chippewa National Forest and provides views of pine stands and several lakes, including Lake Winnibigoshish.
Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway.
Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway consists of the entirety of Minnesota State Highway 38, a road which links U.S. Highway 2 in Grand Rapids with Minnesota State Highway 1 in Effie. A former logging road, the byway passes several lakes and enters the Chippewa National Forest.
Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway.
Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway is a route in central Minnesota with several loops and spurs. The landscape along the route was formed by glaciers, the evidence of which can be seen in its many glacial lakes and ridges. Sibley State Park, Monson Lake State Park, and Glacial Lakes State Park are along the byway.
Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway.
Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway is a network of roads, bicycle paths, and pedestrian paths in Minneapolis and its neighboring suburbs. The byway begins in downtown Minneapolis and follows the Mississippi River to the city's southern edge before looping along its western and northern borders. It connects downtown attractions, numerous parks and historic sites, and the city's Chain of Lakes.
Great River Road National Scenic Byway.
The Great River Road follows the Mississippi River on both banks from its source in Minnesota to its mouth in Louisiana, entering ten states in total. The Minnesota portion of the road connects its source at Itasca State Park to the Iowa border in the state's southeastern tip. Along the way, the road passes through twenty of the state's counties and several of its major cities, including both Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Gunflint Trail National Scenic Byway.
Gunflint Trail National Scenic Byway is a road following County Road 12 in Cook County, Minnesota's northeastern tip. The byway begins in Grand Marais and passes through Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Many recreational opportunities exist along the road, including lakes with fishing and canoe access, hiking trails, and campsites.
Historic Bluff Country National Scenic Byway.
Historic Bluff Country National Scenic Byway is an alternate designation for Minnesota State Highway 16, an highway in southeastern Minnesota. The route follows the Root River through the hills, bluffs, and valleys of the Driftless Area. The river provides fishing, canoeing, and other recreational opportunities. Much of Minnesota's Amish population lives along the route.
Highway 75 King of Trails Scenic Byway.
The Highway 75 King of Trails Scenic Byway includes all of U.S. Highway 75's route through western Minnesota. The highway passes through Minnesota's prairie regions and passes Pipestone National Monument as well as multiple state parks.
Lady Slipper Scenic Byway.
Lady Slipper Scenic Byway is a route between U.S. Highway 2 in Cass Lake and U.S. Highway 71 in Blackduck. The route passes through the Chippewa National Forest and features views of many lakes and forested areas. It also provides access to the Rabideau CCC Camp. Its name comes from the lady slippers which bloom in the area in summer.
Lake Country Scenic Byway.
Lake Country Scenic Byway is a three-legged route in north central Minnesota. Its legs meet in Park Rapids and lead to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, Itasca State Park, and Walker. The route passes many of Minnesota's lakes and provides birdwatching opportunities through access to the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail and Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge.
Lake Mille Lacs Scenic Byway.
Lake Mille Lacs Scenic Byway is a road encircling Lake Mille Lacs. The road includes parts of Minnesota State Highway 18, Minnesota State Highway 27, Minnesota State Highway 47, and Minnesota State Highway 169. Attractions along the byway include Father Hennepin State Park, Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, views of the lake and Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, and several historic sites.
Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway.
Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway is a highway following the Minnesota River from its source at Big Stone Lake to Belle Plaine. The route passes through several small riverside towns and access points to canoeing on the river. It also connects several historic sites related to the Dakota people and the Dakota War of 1862.
North Shore All-American Scenic Drive.
North Shore Scenic Drive is a route that follows the North Shore of Lake Superior between Duluth and Grand Portage. While much of the route is shared with Minnesota State Highway 61, it follows county highways which run closer to the lake along its southern portions. The byway links seven of Minnesota's state parks, Split Rock Lighthouse, historic sites related to the fishing and fur trading industries, and the Superior Hiking Trail.
Otter Trail Scenic Byway.
Otter Trail Scenic Byway is an loop route in Otter Tail County. The route passes Glendalough State Park, Maplewood State Park, and hundreds of lakes. It also runs through several of the county's main cities, including the county seat of Fergus Falls, and historic sites.
Paul Bunyan National Scenic Byway.
Paul Bunyan National Scenic Byway is a route through central Minnesota. The highway, which takes its name from the legend of Paul Bunyan, runs through an area with numerous lakes and connects the resort towns of Crosslake, Pequot Lakes, and Pine River. Recreational opportunities along the byway include fishing, cycling, hiking, and bird watching.
Saint Croix Scenic Byway.
Saint Croix Scenic Byway is a route that follows the St. Croix River, which forms part of Minnesota's eastern border. The route runs from U.S. Highway 10 near Hastings to Sandstone. The byway connects the flatter landscapes of southern Minnesota with the forested, hilly landscapes of northern Minnesota.
Shooting Star Scenic Byway.
Shooting Star Scenic Byway is a route which follows part of Minnesota State Highway 56 in southern Minnesota. One of the first scenic byways designated for wildflower viewing, the route provides views of wildflowers and native grasses managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Lake Louise State Park and several small towns are along the byway.
Skyline Parkway.
Skyline Parkway is a route overlooking Duluth and Lake Superior. The byway provides scenic views, birdwatching at Hawk Ridge, and access to mountain biking and hiking paths. Numerous waterfalls can be seen from the route.
Superior National Forest Scenic Byway.
Superior National Forest Scenic Byway is a through the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota. Passing through a sparsely populated area, the byway provides scenic forest views and access to hawk watching and boating sites. Historic sites such as the Toimi School and the Timber Arch Bridge can also be found along the route.
Veterans Evergreen Memorial Drive.
Veterans Evergreen Memorial Drive is a route following Minnesota State Highway 23 from Interstate 35 at Banning State Park to Duluth. The highway serves as a scenic bypass of Interstate 35 for travelers between the Twin Cities and Duluth. It also crosses several rivers and creeks with fishing and canoeing access.
Waters of the Dancing Sky Scenic Byway.
Waters of the Dancing Sky Scenic Byway runs for near Minnesota's northern border, linking the North Dakota border with Voyageurs National Park. The western section of the byway, between North Dakota and Warroad follows the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail, which features birdwatching opportunities. The section from Warroad to Baudette passes through areas full of wildflowers, particularly lady slippers. A spur from Baudette connects the route to Zippel Bay State Park. East of Baudette, the route follows the Rainy River, a popular fishing site. The byway's name comes from a nickname for the Aurora Borealis, which can be seen from many points along the route.


Bank of China Building, Shanghai

The Bank of China Building is a tower located at No. 23 on the Bund, in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Previously the headquarters of the Bank of China, it now houses the Shanghai Branch of the Bank of China.
It was built on the site of the old German Club (c. 1907). It housed the headquarters of the Bank of China. The stunted appearance of the building is attributed to Victor Sassoon's insistence that no other building on the Bund could rise higher than his.
History.
No. 23, the Bund was previously the German Club. During World War I, the Chinese government declared war on Germany, and confiscated the German Club as enemy assets. At the end of World War I, the Bank of China purchased the property from the government for 630,000 silver yuan.
In 1928, the Bank of China moved its headquarters from Beijing to Shanghai. The Bank of China purchased land in Jinkee Road (now Dianchi Road) and Yuenmingyuen Road (now Yuanmingyuan Road) in 1930 to house its headquarters. From then on, the Shanghai branch would each year set aside RMB 500,000 from its surplus, as the construction fund for a new headquarters building. In April 1934, the board of directors decided to construct an 18-floor building, for the office administration and operation of the Head Office and the Shanghai Branch, on the former German Club site. The estimated basic construction cost was 6 million silver yuan.
A primary reason why the bank officials want to have the building in the Bund concession was according to Zhang Jia'ao, the then president of the Bank of China states because "Bank of China had endured hardship and thrived. Since its infrastructure had been reformed and it was strong enough to compete with those European and American banks on the Bund, it needed a new building, which could symbolize modernity, soundness and international credit."
In the original design, this building had 34 floors and would be the highest in the Far East. Actually, the current foundation was still strong enough for a 34-floor building. However, Victor Sassoon insisted that "any house built next to my building is not allowed to be higher than the spire of the Sassoon House". The Municipal Council of the British concession refused to issue the construction permit with an excuse of "Chinese were poor in designing ability and the 34-story building would do harm to the foundations of the surrounding buildings". Finally, the Bank of China building was cut nearly half, with a top height 1 foot lower than the nearby Sassoon House.
In September 1934, Bank of China established a special Management Council to deal with the construction of the building, chaired by Mr. Tsuyee Pei, Head Office's Overseas Department manager and Shanghai Branch manager. Tsuyee Pei was the father of architect I. M. Pei, who would later design the Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong. The design drafts were jointly prepared by a famous Shanghai design firm Palmer & Turner and Mr. Lu Qianshou (also: Luke Him Sau 1904 - 1991), the Chief Architect of the Bank of China. Dao Kee Construction Co., Ltd, a local firm, won the bid by proposing a budget of RMB 1.813 million for the 18-month project.
In 1935, the government of the Republic of China started restructuring the Central Bank, Bank of China and Bank of Communications. Bank of China, whose stocks were 80% publicly owned, became the target of plunder by various powers. It was forced to add RMB 15 million government stocks, making its total capital RMB 40 million, half public and half government owned. With this, the control fell into the hands of the government and T. V. Soong became chairman of Bank of China.
On October10, 1936, T. V. Soong presided over the foundation-laying ceremony of the Bank of China Tower at No. 23 on the Bund. On the day, the "Shanghai Times" carried a detailed report on the event. The original text reads:
The building was topped out in 1937. Right then, the War of Resistance against Japan broke out, which postponed the completion. In 1941, it served as the office of the reserve bank of Wang Jingwei's illegitimate government; it had been turned over to the Central Bank after the victory against the Japanese. After several rounds of negotiations, Bank of China didn't move to that building till the New Year of 1946, ten years from the time it was built.
Features.
The Bank of China Tower occupies a gross floor area of , consisting of two buildings. The east building is the main structure with 15 floors facing the Bund. The ground floor has a higher ceiling, plus two floors underground, making a total of 17 floors. The west building is an annex on four floors. The overall outlook carries a traditional Chinese style, clad in smooth Jinshan stones. Its top is a pyramid with a square base. Parts of the brackets are decorated with stone door arches. A cut-out of the Chinese character for "longevity" can be spotted on both sides of each floor, imparting a calm and peaceful air to the grand construction. Traditional decorations are also adopted for the flower patterns and panes on the railing.
In Shanghai's international concessions, the erection of the Bank of China Tower among numerous foreign buildings, a building funded by the bank and constructed by Chinese workers and combining the Chinese and Western architectural styles, has broken the foreign dominance of Shanghai's grand buildings. In other words, it has again demonstrated Bank of China's determination to compete with western banks in China.


Churute Mangroves Ecological Reserve

Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve is located in the Guayas Province of Ecuador. The nature reserve is located from Guayaquil.
Fauna.
The many lakes located in the park are great ways to view many aquatic birds and tortoises. Ducks, herons, woodpeckers, badgers, anteaters, shrimp and crabs inhabit the inlets in the lakes.
Flora.
Near the water are many mangrove formations. Oak, ebony, silk-cotton trees and balsa are some trees found in the dry forests. Around most of the park orchids and bromeliads cover the landscape.
Attractions and Other.
Canoe trips through mangrove areas allow the viewing of many unique species of Fauna.
HIking is also an option here.
See also.
List of national parks in Ecuador


Baihe Nature Reserve

Baihe Nature Reserve is located in northern Sichuan province in central China. It is a home of the endangered Golden snub-nosed monkey and the Giant panda. The reserve, founded in 1963, covers an area of 163 sq. kilometers. It is near the Jiuzhaigou Valley and the scenic Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area.


Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway

Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway is a US National Scenic Byway commemorating Chiricahua Apache warrior Geronimo. The road is also recognized by the New Mexico Department of Transportation as a scenic and historic byway. The town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico lies at the center of this trail with a southern end at San Lorenzo, Grant County, New Mexico and a northern end at Beaverhead Ranger Station. The Federal Highway Administration gives the total length of this scenic road as .
Geronimo Trail incorporates several New Mexico state highways passing along Elephant Butte Dam, Elephant Butte Lake State Park, Caballo Lake, Caballo Mountains and Black Range Mountains. It is connected to the Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway in the southwest and El Camino Real De Tierra Adentro in the northeast. Towns along its southern route starting from San Lorenzo include Kingston, Hillsboro, Caballo, Williamsburg, and the ghost town of Lake Valley which is located south of the trail from Hillsboro on . From Truth or Consequences north, there are Elephant Butte, New Mexico, Cuchillo, Winston and Chloride.


GPT Group

The GPT Group is a Real Estate Investment Trust (also known as an Australian Stock Exchange listed stapled entity). The Group has been publicly listed in Australia since April 1971 and is now one of Australia's largest diversified listed property groups.
GPT focuses on active ownership of Australian real estate in a portfolio valued at more than $20 billion that includes retail, office and logistics and business park assets. This focus is complemented by Funds Management and selective development.
GPT is consistently ranked as one of the world's best performing property and real estate companies in international sustainability benchmarks and awards. GPT is a leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, having held the number one or two position for the last nine years. GPT in September 2015 confirmed it had achieved a 50 per cent reduction in the emissions intensity of its operations compared to its 2005 baseline.


Nizhnesvirsky Nature Reserve

The Nizhnesvirsky Nature Reserve (, lit. "Lower Svir Zapovednik") is a 416 km² (131 sq mi) zapovednik in Lodeynopolsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, established on June 11, 1980 to protect landscapes of the eastern shore of Lake Ladoga.
Geography.
The nature reserve occupies lowlands on the right bank of the lower Svir River, including a portion of the eastern shore of Lake Ladoga and its waters. The zapovednik's northern border coincides with the border of the Republic of Karelia. The areas across the border belong to Olonetsky Zakaznik. About 30% of the reserve is swamp and peat bog, with additional transient fens and wetlands. The forests are coniferous spruce with an under-story of blueberry bush and shrub. The terrain features sand ridges left by the retreating glaciers in the last Ice Age. The reserve is in the Scandinavian and Russian taiga ecoregion, and has a humid continental climate (Köppen's Dfb).
History.
It was first proposed in the 1950s that protected areas on the eastern shore of Lake Ladoga be created. At the time, the proposals were rejected by the authorities. The expansion and the industrial growth of the city of Leningrad caused considerable impact on the ecology of surrounding areas, and it was again proposed that a protected area be established to study this impact. In 1976 a large-scale program started, and, in particular, Nizhnesvirsky Zakaznik was established. Eventually, the zakaznik was transformed into a nature reserve in 1980.
Fauna and flora.
It is an important stopover location for migratory birds. The predominant tree species is Scots Pine. A considerable area is occupied by swamps.
Forty species of mammals occur in the nature reserve. Big mammals include brown bear, moose, and lynx.


List of National Nature Reserves of France

The list of National Nature Reserves of France presents the list of National Nature Reserves, in French "Réserves Naturelles Nationales", (RNN) located on French territory.
Since the law on local democracy of 2002, the six former RNN 24, 51, 85, 120, 147 and 151, located in Corsica, are now known as "Corsican Nature Reserves", in French "Réserves naturelles de Corse", (RNC).
The oldest French RNN is that of Lake Luitel, established in 1961.
According to the INSEE, a nature reserve is a part of the territory where fauna, flora, soil, waters, mineral and fossil deposits and, in general, the environment tof particular importance are protected. This territory should be protected from any artificial intervention likely to degrade it.
On February 1, 2020, 167 national natural reserves exists in France
Downgraded National Nature Reserves.
The following nature reserves have been downgraded (or will be downgraded for Chalmessin) as a result of their integration into other protected areas.


Grotta Gigante

Grotta Gigante ("Giant Cave", or "Jama pri Briščikih"), also known as "Riesengrotte" or as "Grotta di Brisciachi", is a giant cave on the Italian side of the Trieste Karst ("Carso"), close to the village of Borgo Grotta Gigante or Briščiki in the municipality of Sgonico. Its central cavern is high, wide and long, putting it in the 1995 "Guinness Book of Records" as the world's largest show cave. This record was broken in 2010 when La Verna cave in the south west of France was opened to tourists, measuring .
Overview.
The cave contains many large stalactites and stalagmites, many of exceptional beauty. A feature of the stalagmites is their "dish-pile" appearance, formed by water dropping from up to above and depositing calcium carbonate over a wide area.
The enormous hall is high, long and wide. A steep path with atmospheric electric lighting allows the visitor to spend about 45 minutes in this underground space, with its rich calcite concretions, the highest of which is no less than high.
Its available space and the constant temperatures throughout the year have led to the placement of scientific instruments, including the two Grotta Gigante horizontal pendulums which hang down from about , and are the longest geodetic pendula in the world.
History.
The cave was first explored by Antonio Federico Lindner in 1840. At the time, the karst behind Trieste was being searched for underground water from the Timavo River so as to be able to plan the city's aqueduct. In 1897, it was fully mapped by Andrea Perko, properly equipped for guided tours in 1905 by Club Touristi Triestini, and inaugurated in 1908. After World War I, ownership went to the Julian Alpine Society. Tourism only really began in 1957, when electricity was installed, unveiling new perspectives and details.
Museum.
The Museum of Speleology is near the cave, and besides the various speleological, geological, and paleontological finds, it also includes some valuable archeological pieces and a poster collection of the cave. Two wide parking lots are available on the outside. Visits are scheduled at regular intervals throughout the day with expert guides. A guided walk through the cave takes about an hour.


Arakwal National Park

Arakwal National Park is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 624 km north of Sydney and 2  km south of Cape Byron, the most easterly point of mainland Australia. The nearest town is Byron Bay. The park protects an area of Wallum country, of coastal clay heaths behind Tallow Beach, providing habitat to numerous bird species and two native frog species, the Wallum Froglet ("Crinia tinnula") and Wallum Sedge Frog ("Litoria olongburensis"), both of which are deemed vulnerable to extinction.
Traditionally the land of the Arakwal people, the park was proclaimed in 2001 after the Arakwal Indigenous community and the New South Wales state government reached a land use agreement. The Arakwal people are co-managers of the park.


Ocoee Scenic Byway

The Ocoee Scenic Byway is a National Forest Scenic Byway and Tennessee Scenic Byway that traverses through the Cherokee National Forest, in East Tennessee. It is part of both U.S. Route 64 and U.S. Route 74, and features the Ocoee Whitewater Center and scenic bluffs along Ocoee River and Gorge.
Route description.
The scenic byway traverses along of US 64/US 74, as it routes along the north banks of the Ocoee River. At Oswald Road (Forest Road 77), the Chilhowee Scenic Spur climbs to the top of the Chilhowee Mountains. Various boating/fishing activities can be done at Parksville Lake; while canoeing, rafting and kayaking can be done at the Ocoee Whitewater Center, venue of the 1996 Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom Competition when the Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, Georgia. The majority of the route is two lanes, but a short segment east of the whitewater center is four lanes. Part of the four lane section was narrowed to two lanes before the Olympics to make room for stands, and the original eastbound lanes of that section are now used as parking for the Whitewater Center. The two lane sections are the only sections of US 64 in Tennessee that are still two lanes.
History.
The route follows the Old Copper Road, originally a wagon trail dating back to the 1850s for transporting Copper from the Copper Basin area to Cleveland and Chattanooga. The Ocoee Scenic Byway was the first National Forest Scenic Byway in the nation, designated on July 22, 1988, by the United States Forest Service (USFS).
The route is prone to rockslides. The worst rockslide in the route's history occurred on November 10, 2009 near Ocoee Dam No. 2, blocking the route for months.
Due to the increasing rate of commercial traffic, TDOT has plans to replace the route with a new four lane highway. Multiple methods are being considered, including a route on the south side over the river and existing route, a route over nearby Little Frog Mountain, and a tunnel.


Lamprechtsofen

Lamprechtsofen (also called Lamprechtshöhle or, together with a connected cave, Lamprechtsofen-Vogelschacht) is a limestone karst river cave in Austria. With a depth of , it is one of the deepest caves in the world. Before the discovery of the Krubera Cave in Georgia, it was the deepest-known cave in the world. Lamprechtsofen is located northwest of Weißbach bei Lofer (Salzburg), Austria, in the Leogang Mountains.
History.
Early history.
The cave has been known for centuries. In 1701 it was walled up to prevent the intrusion of treasure seekers, who were lured to the cave by legends of wealth hidden by a knight named Lamprecht after the Crusades.
In 1905, several human skeletons were found in the cave, probably the remains of treasure hunters. At the same time, a portion of the cave was opened to the public as a show cave.
Exploration and depth record.
The exploration of Lamprechtsofen has been primarily conducted from the bottom (from the resurgence of its cave river), rather than the top-down exploration typical for vertical caves.
On August 19, 1998, a team led by Polish caver Andrzej Ciszewski discovered a connection between Lamprechtsofen and the PL-2 cave system, which established the height difference of the united cave system as . This new discovery made Lamprechtsofen the deepest-known cave in the world for less than three years, since Krubera was discovered in June 2001 to be deep.
As of 2014, Lamprechtsofen is the fourth-deepest cave in the world, since two more Georgian caves have since been discovered to be deeper. Sarma Cave is and Illyuzia-Mezhonnogo-Snezhnaya Cave is .
Show cave.
Today, about are open to visitors, a portion of the cave that covers a altitude difference.
Because of the cave's river, it is subject to flooding from heavy rain and melting snow. As such, visitors and explorers have been occasionally trapped in the cave.


Pejeperro Wildlife Refuge

Pejeperro Wildlife Refuge (), is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Osa Conservation Area, it was created in 2000 by decree 28550-MINAE.


Cache La Poudre Wilderness

The Cache la Poudre Wilderness is federally-protected area administered by the U.S. Forest Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is located on the Canyon Lakes Ranger District on the Roosevelt National Forest in Colorado. This wilderness covers and is characterized by steep, rugged terrain along the Cache la Poudre River. Elevations in this area varies from to . Only one trail, the Mount McConnel National Recreation Trail that is long, exists in this wilderness, and of the Little South Fork of the Cache La Poudre River flow through the wilderness.


Arribes del Duero Natural Park

Arribes del Duero Natural Park is a protected area in western Spain, covering 106.105 ha in the autonomous community of Castile and León. In this area the river Duero forms the national boundary between Spain and Portugal, and the Portuguese side is also protected under the International Douro Natural Park.
The most notable characteristics of this natural space are its biodiversity and range of watercourses, which have eroded deep valleys and vertiginous precipices. This landscape is known as "Arribes", which is where the reserve name comes from.
Fauna.
The park is a Special Protection Area, recognised by European Union for birds such as the black stork.


Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary

Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary is a marine protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located on the east coast of Gulf St Vincent in and adjoining the north-western part of the Adelaide metropolitan area and which was established in 2005 for the protection of a resident population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins ("Tursiops aduncus").
The sanctuary covers an area of coastline extending from Port Gawler in the north to North Haven in the south, and includes the waterways of the Port Adelaide River, the Barker Inlet and some associated channels, as well as Torrens and Garden Islands, and inlets on the Lefevre Peninsula such as Mutton Cove. The habitat protected by the sanctuary consists of “mangroves, seagrass, saltmarsh, tidal flats, tidal creeks and estuarine rivers.” As of 2014, it covered an area of .
The sanctuary was proclaimed in 2005 for the purpose of achieving the following two objects:
(a) to protect the dolphin population of the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet; and
(b) to protect the natural habitat of that population.
The sanctuary is also required to achieve the following six objectives:
(a) the protection of the dolphin population of the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet from direct physical harm is to be maintained and improved;
 (b) the key habitat features in the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet that are necessary to sustain the dolphin population are to be maintained, protected and restored;
 (c) water quality within the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet should be improved to a level that sustains the ecological processes, environmental values and productive capacity of the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet;
(d) the interests of the community are to be taken into account by recognising indigenous and other cultural, and historical, relationships with the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet and surrounding areas, and by ensuring appropriate participation in processes associated with the management of the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet;
 (e) public awareness of the importance of a healthy Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet to the economic, social and cultural prosperities of the local communities, and the community more generally, is to be promoted;
 (f) the principles of ecological sustainable development in relation to the use and management of the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet are to be promoted.
As of June 2015, the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary was managed by the Department of Environment and Water with assistance from other South Australian government agencies, local government and other organizations with responsibilities in respect to the waters and land associated with the sanctuary or having an interest in such. Management activity was supported by a community volunteer group known as the ADS Action Group which was created in 2012 and which had 50 registered volunteers in 2015.
The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary shares territory with the following protected areas – the Barker Inlet-St Kilda Aquatic Reserve, the Port Gawler Conservation Park, the majority of the St Kilda – Chapman Creek Aquatic Reserve and the Torrens Island Conservation Park. It will also share territory with parts of the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary yet to be proclaimed as of 27 October 2016 and which are located in localities and suburbs including Bolivar, Buckland Park, Dry Creek, Globe Derby Park, Port Gawler and St Kilda.
The sanctuary also adjoins the "Adelaide Metropolitan Beaches Restricted Area" which extends from North Haven in the north along the Adelaide metropolitan coastline to Sellicks Beach in the south and which is described in the "National Parks and Wildlife (Protected Animals—Marine Mammals) Regulations 2010". Both the sanctuary and the "Adelaide Metropolitan Beaches Restricted Area" are areas subject to the additional regulatory requirements regarding “commercial activities” in respect to interaction with marine mammals including all species of dolphins present in South Australia.
The sanctuary is classified as an IUCN Category VI protected area.


Pasar pagi

Pasar pagi (Malay/Indonesian, lit.: "morning market") is a type of traditional market found in Indonesia and Malaysia, sometimes classified as a wet market.
Operating hours.
"Pasar pagi" mostly operate from early morning to the afternoon. Nevertheless, there is also a related traditional market called "pasar malam" (lit.: "night market"). The difference between "pasar pagi" and "pasar malam" is in its operating hours. "Pasar pagi" opens early in the morning from dawn to the noon every day, approximately from 04:00 to 12:00. On the other hand, "pasar malam" opens at night, approximately from 17:00 to 22:00, and only on selected days of a week.
The type of goods being sold is also quite different. "Pasar pagi" is where many housewives, domestic helps and local folks appear to shop their daily needs, mostly uncooked fresh produce. The things which are on sale are usually fresh daily produce, including fruits, vegetables, spices, fish, meat, eggs, and all kinds of daily products. While "pasar malam" is more to cater a leisurely shopping and eating-out activity, selling ready to eat food, snacks, clothing and various knick-knacks.
Indonesia.
In Indonesia, practically all traditional markets are "pasar pagi", open from early in the dawn to mid day. Often the stalls are temporarily overflow occupying nearby streets around the marketplace — which normally open for traffic in other hours of the day. They sell fresh produces, such as vegetables, fruits, chicken, meat and fish. The major "pasar pagi" in Jakarta are Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua, Pasar Induk Kramat Jati, Pasar Minggu and Pasar Senen. Pasar Minggu specialized on fruits and vegetables, while Pasar Kue Subuh in Senen specialized on selling "kue", as they offer a rich variety of traditional Indonesian snack, open every "subuh" (dawn).
Malaysia.
In Malaysia, one of the biggest "pasar pagi" is at Pasar Pudu at Pudu and Jalan Pasar at Chow Kit area in Kuala Lumpur.
In March 2020, all wet markets (including pasar pagi) were temporarily banned from operating due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


Six Goswamis of Vrindavana

The Six Goswamis of Vrindavan were a group of devotional teachers (gurus) from the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Vedic religion who lived in India during the 15th and 16th centuries. They are closely associated with the land of Vrindavan where they spent much time in service of the Bengali saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is considered as Lord Krishna's "yuga-avatar" by the Gaudiya Vaishnava lineage, who highly regard them for their extreme renunciation of physical comforts and pleasures in the practice of Bhakti Yoga, and for their philosophical presentations of the teachings of their guru, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Vrindavan.
As well as producing a prolific amount of writings regarding Vaishnava philosophy and practices, the Six Goswamis also dedicated a significant amount of their time to uncovering many ancient and sacred areas of land in Vrindavan associated with Radha, Krishna and the Gopis. These sections of land are the sites wherein Radha and Krishna performed specific lilas during the previous yuga in accordance to the events recorded in the Bhagavata Purana. Although having little in the way of financial possessions themselves, the Goswamis inspired the building of a number of large and ornate temples on or around these sites (dedicated to the worship of Radha and Krishna) which play a role in Vrindavan society to this day.
Members.
The six members of the group were:


Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park

Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park is a reserve covering 1,499 hectares of limestone Karst landscape near the town of Katherine, in Australia's Northern Territory. The park is easily accessible from the Stuart Highway, about south of Katherine, and features two show caves where guided tours are offered to the public, making it a popular tourist attraction. The caves are the only tropical examples in Australia which are open to the public.
Cutta Cutta Caves are associated with "Barrac Barrac", or Diver Duck dreaming creation stories by the local Jawoyn Indigenous people. Other sources, such as Lonely Planet, claim Cutta Cutta is a Jawoyn word meaning "many stars", as they believe that caves are where the stars rest during the day; however, there does not seem to be a specific name for the formations in the documented or oral history. Evidence of occupation by the Jawoyn people can be found throughout the park with a number of campsites and stone artifacts identified. At least one unnamed cave within the park shows evidence of man-made grooves on an interior wall some distance from the entrance, although it is widely understood that the Jawoyn people did not regularly enter the deep caves.
Following European settlement, the main cave was discovered by a stockman around 1900, and has been known by several names. Initially Smith's Cave, during World War II, servicemen called it 16 Mile Cave. In 1967 the caves were placed under the management of the Northern Territory Reserves Board as the Sixteen Mile Caves Reserve, and guided tours commenced. In 1979, the park changed to its current name and in 1991, a second cave, Tindal Cave, was opened to the public, which has since been closed.
Only one cave is open for guided tours. Cutta Cutta Cave extends , with accessible to the public with lighting and walkways. There are a number of other cave systems within the park which are not open to the public.
In addition to a visitor centre and kiosk, the park offers a Tropical Woodland walk, with information for visitors about the local flora and fauna. The caves are subject to flooding during the tropical wet season and may be closed for periods of time. As well as limestone stalactite and stalagmite formations, a number of rare species can be observed in and around the caves including the carnivorous ghost bat and the brown tree snake.


Sheesh Mahal (Lahore Fort)

The Sheesh Mahal (; " “The Palace of Mirrors”") is located within the "Shah Burj" block in northern-western corner of Lahore Fort. It was constructed under the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631–32. The ornate white marble pavilion is inlaid with pietra dura and complex mirror-work of the finest quality. The hall was reserved for personal use by the imperial family and close aides. It is among the 21 monuments that were built by successive Mughal emperors inside Lahore Fort, and forms the "jewel in the Fort’s crown." As part of the larger Lahore Fort Complex, it has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.
Etymology.
"Sheesh Mahal", in Urdu language, literally means 'Crystal Palace'. However, with its pietra dura decorations and intricate mirror-work inlaid into the white marble walls and ceilings creating gleaming effect, the lavish room has come to be known as 'Palace of Mirrors', and sometimes the 'Hall of Mirrors'. Similar halls are also found in the contemporary palace of the Agra Fort, and show influence on the later additions to Amber Fort.
History.
The solid brick foundations of Lahore Fort were laid in 1566 under the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar the Great on the location of an earlier mud-fort. To build the new fort, the Emperor brought experienced artisans after the completion of Fatehpur Sikri. Later, Shah Jahan converted the fort into a pleasure resort and added Diwan-i-Khas, Moti Masjid, Naulakha Pavilion, sleeping chambers, and Sheesh Mahal in to the complex. Sheesh Mahal is located within the "Shah Burj" (King's Pavilion) block that was actually built by his predecessor Jahangir. The chamber was exclusively used for private council meetings as part of the daily routine of the emperor, whereas the whole block was only accessible to the imperial princes, the vizier, and selected courtiers. The extension work of private quarters by Shah Jahan continued between 1628 and 1634. The distinctive Shah Jahani architecture is reflected in the extensive use of white marble and hierarchical accents of the construction. During the Sikh Empire, "Shah Burj" became Ranjit Singh's favourite place. He built a harem over the top of Sheesh Mahal. This was also the place where he used to display his prized possession, the Koh-i-Noor.
Design.
The Sheesh Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan. It was built in the middle of Jahangir's rule. The façade, consisting of five cusped marble arches supported by coupled columns, opens into the courtyard. The engrailed spandrels and bases are inlaid with precious stones. The pavilion is in the form of a semi-octagon, and consists of apartments roofed with gilded cupolas and intricately decorated with pietra dura and convex glass and mirror mosaic ("ayina kari") with thousands of small mirrors. At night they light candles. The decorative features also include stucco tracery ("munabat kari") and carved marble screens in geometrical and tendril designs. The roof of the central hall rises up to two storeys. The hall was originally decorated with fresco paintings that were later replaced with glass mosaic in different colours.
Conservation.
The additional constructions carried out during the subsequent Sikh and British rules of Punjab on the top of Sheesh Mahal added to the dead load that made the structure vulnerable to collapse. In 1904-05, the plaster from the ceiling of main veranda fell apart, exposing the decay of internal wooden beams and the corroding roof. At this stage, the building was listed by the department of archaeology of British India in 1927 and the repair work was carried out. Similar problems arose in 1960s and were resolved through minor repairs. In 1975, Sheesh Mahal was listed as a protected monument under the Antiquities Act by Pakistan's Department of Archaeology whereas in 1981, as part of the larger Lahore Fort Complex, it became inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was not until 2006 that the problems of the ceiling were comprehensively resolved and the structure was restored.


Shirdi (Lok Sabha constituency)

Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 48 Lok Sabha (lower house of Indian parliament) constituencies of Maharashtra state in western India. This constituency was created on 19 February 2008 as a part of the implementation of the Presidential notification based on the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission of India constituted on 12 July 2002. This constituency is one of the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Ahmednagar district. It first held elections in 2009 and its first member of parliament (MP) was Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure of Shiv Sena. As of the 2014 elections, its current MP is Sadashiv Lokhande also of Shiv Sena.
Assembly segments.
Presently, Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency comprises six Vidhan Sabha (legislative assembly) segments. These segments are:
Members of Parliament.
"See Kopargaon (Lok Sabha constituency)"
Key
Election results.
General elections 2019.

General election 2009.


E3 European long distance path

The E3 European long distance path, or just E3 path, is a long-distance footpath that is planned to run from the Portuguese coast to the Black Sea in Bulgaria. It is one of the network of European long-distance paths.
Route.
The completed sections of the route pass through Spain, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, a short stretch in Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria.
It is planned to extend the route into Portugal to end at Cape St. Vincent.
Spain.
See Traildino
The Spanish portion of the E3 follows the Way of St. James, and specifically the French Way between Santiago de Compostela and France.
France.
See Traildino
Luxembourg.
See Traildino
Belgium.
See Traildino
Germany.
See Traildino
Czech Republic.
See Traildino
Slovakia.
See Traildino
In Slovakia, the path runs over the Malá Fatra and the Tatra Mountains.
Poland.
See Traildino
Hungary.
See Traildino
Bulgaria.
See Traildino
In Bulgaria, the path follows the ridge of the Balkan Mountains from Kom Peak on the Serbian border to Cape Emine on the Black Sea and is locally famous as the Kom–Emine long-distance trail.
Romania.
In Romania, the route includes the Carpatians Mountains.


Prataparudra Deva

Prataparudra Deva (Odia: ଗଜପତି ପ୍ରତାପରୁଦ୍ର ଦେବ) was the third Gajapati emperor of Odisha from the Suryavamsa Gajapati Empire started by his grandfather Kapilendra Deva Routaraya. He ruled from the year 1497 to 1540 A.D. Besides being a ruler, he was a devout Vaishnava and adherent of the famous saint, Sri Chaitanaya who arrived in Odisha during his rule. His life was extremely occupied with overwhelming military campaigns in defense of his inherited territory from three frontal invasions by the enemy states Vijayanagar, Hussain Shahi dynasty of Bengal and Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda. He lost large portions of his territory to the neighboring enemy states initiating the dissolution of Odisha's military hegemony and imperial status that continued for nearly a period of 600 years before him.
Military Conflicts on All Fronts and Decline of Imperial Odisha.
Prataparudra Deva's life was heavily occupied in dealing with continuous military threats by his neighboring rulers on multiple fronts.
First War with Hussain Shahi Dynasty of Bengal (1497-1500 A.D).
On the death of Purushottam Deva, Prataparudra Deva was immediately engulfed with the defensive measures for his empire from the consistently invading parties of Gauda or Bengal sultan Alauddin Hussain Shah. The Bhakti Bhagavata Maha Kavyam states that he was only 17 years old when he faced this challenge and finally drove the invaders out of his northern borders. He reinforced the northern frontiers with more military deployment though minor skirmishes continued.
Southern Expedition and brief occupation of Vijayanagar (1500-1508 A.D).
After being able to halt the invasions from Bengal, Prataparudra Deva marches south to recover and capture territories from Vijayanagar Kingdom. For a brief time he was able to capture Vijayanagara or Vidyanagar fort. Anantavarman copper plates of Prataparudra Deva states that he reached the banks of river Krishna on 4 November 1500 AD.
First conflict with Vijayanagar.
The Saluva dynasty ruler Immadi Narasimha Raya was ruling Vijayanagar when Prataparudra Deva sets out for his southern expedition. His influential commander Tuluva Narasa Nayaka tried to recover Kondavidu and Udayagiri forts from the Prataparudra Deva in a military contest with the Gajapati. Prataparudra Deva's Anantakarma grant declares that he was able to capture the Krishna river basin with the use of force. The Odia army was unable to make any advance into Vijayanagara territory beyond their stronghold of Udayagiri region. The Odia army though managed to march to the tip of the Sethu Bandha or Adam's bridge in the south.
Second conflict with Vijayanagar.
According to the Rajavrolu plates of Prataparudra Deva and Madala Panji records, the Gajapati was camping on the river Ponnaiyar river banks and was successful in occupying parts of Vijayanagar for a brief time from Viranarasimha Raya after driving out the inmates of the fortified city there. However, the king had to suddenly return to Odisha as a severe famine ensued in his own kingdom in the year 1507-1508 A.D.
Second War with Hussain Shahi Dynasty of Bengal (1509 A.D).
The Sultan of Bengal Alauddin Hussain Shah sent his commander Ismail Ghazi with an invasion force to attack Odisha when the Gajapati was and most of his army was on the expedition of southern India. The Upada grant and Velicherla plates of Prataparudra Deva state the invasive intentions of the Bengal sultan displayed continuously by trying to violate the frontier positions.
Ismail Ghazi's Invasion in Absence of the King.
Ismail Ghazi marched straight on to the Gajapati capital of Cuttack from the Bengal frontier. A formidable defense was put up by the defending in charge Ananta Samantaray of the Barabati fort in Cuttack but due to the overwhelming number of the raiding forces, he had to retreat and re position in the Sarangagarh fort on the southern side of the Kathajodi river. Ismail marched on to the holy city of Puri where the servitors and priests of Puri temple secretly transported the Jagannath idols via a boat to a hidden island hill amidst the Chilika lake called Chadeiguha before his arrival. An Odia general called Bhoi Bidyadhar organized the defense and continued clashing with the raiders until the Gajapati army returned. After arriving back in his kingdom with a large expeditionary force amidst these chaotic conditions, Prataparudra Deva pursued the fleeing forces into the frontier of Bengal laying seize to the Mandarana fort of Qutb Shahi forces at today's Jahanabad Sub-Division in Hoogly
First Battle of Mandarana Fort.
Mandrana fort of Bengal was a militarily strategic fort of the Sultans of Bengal where Alauddin Hussain Shah was himself located at the time when Prataparudra Deva laid a seize. After a severe fighting, the fort fell into the hands of the Odia army and the Sultan of Bengal along with some of his followers fled from the location leaving their army in the middle of the battle who were also later put to a crushing defeat.
Treachery of Govinda Vidyadhar and Second Battle of Mandarana Fort.
After the conquest of the fort Govinda Vidyadhara, a traitor who happened to be a high ranking commander of the Odia ranks changed sides in his greed for the throne of Odisha and joined the Sultan of Bengal. Though the fighting had stopped for a while, it resumed when the Alauddin got support from Govinda Vidyadhara. A severe conflict ensued in the same site and possibly the Mandarana fort fell back into the hands of the Hussain Shahi forces. The Odia army didn't retreat instead continued to hold up the Muslim armies on the northern frontiers reinforced by the orders of the Gajapati.
Seven Years War with Vijayanagar and downfall of the Empire (1512-1519 A.D).
Krishnadevaraya became the king of Vijayanagar in the year 1509. Sensing the threat posed by the Gajapati forces in the south, he was advised by his minister Timmarusu to undertake a military campaign for occupying the forts like Udayagiri, Kondapalii and Kondavidu under the control of Odia forces. Also, the timing was apt as Prataparudra Deva was himself absent in the Deccan and was indulged in conflicts with the Muslim forces of Bengal. Krishnadevaraya first subdued the Velama chiefs of the Telegana region who were the allies of Gajapati king from the times of Kapilendra Deva Routaraya. He then marched on to the Udaygiri fort.
Seizure of Udayagiri Fort and resistance by Odia forces (1512-1514 A.D).
Udayagiri fort was guarded by an Odia garrison of 10,000 infantry, 400 cavalry and 8000 other men deployed at the outskirts of the fort. The guarding force was commanded by the paternal uncle of the Gajapati himself, Tirumala Routaraya. A strong contingent of Vijayanagar forces numbering 34,000 infantry and 800 war elephants marched through Gutti and Gondikotta laid a seize on the fort in the year 1512. A brave defensive hold out and consistent fight across the outer wall of the fort continued for 18 months without any help reaching to the combatants from Odisha. Portuguese traveler Fernao Nunes accompanying the Vijayanagar ruler writes that as the generals of Krishnadeva Raya failed to capture the fort, he himself took the charge. Frenao also mentions that there was a severe fight to tooth and nail put up by the forces from both the sides and the Odia forces were fighting with a strong determination to defend their position until their last breath. To secure an effective position for attacking the stubborn inmates inside the fort, Vijayanagar forces had to cut the rocky boulders and build paths through the surrounding hills. Since no help reached to the Odia forces, they had to surrender finally in the year 1514. A Balagopala idol of lord Sri Krishna was carried away by the Vijayanagar forces as victory trophy from the fort.
Seizure of Kondavidu and captivity of the royal family members (1515 A.D).
Krishnadeva's forces marched on the smaller forts surrounding the Kondaveedu Fort which formed a strong defensive perimeter of the main fort at Kondavidu. The forces of Vijayanagar were held up for six months due to the resistance of the defending bands and garrisons of Odia forces in the smaller forts like Addanki, Nagarjunakonda, Bellamkonada, Vinukonda, Ketavaram and Kindukuru. Prataparudra Deva reached Kondavidu with a strong army comprising 1300 war elephants and 20,000 cavalry compelling the enemy to retreat for a while. When the Gajapati moved out for Kondapalli, the seize of Kondavidu was again attempted. Some of the Odia officers were bribed and joined the Vijayanagar camp while the crown prince Virabhadra held up the fort for three months. A literary work of the Vijayanagar emperor himself called as Amuktamalyada mentions that the Odia soldiers inside the fort often died without enduring a single wound due to starvation. The Vijayanagar forces had to erect square wooden sheds around the fort and demolished the rampart walls for occupying the tower of the fort. The inmates surrendered the fort in and Virabhadra was taken as captive along with his son Narahari Patra other officers. The Boya chiefs of the Eighteen Kampanas together with 3,00,000 infantry of the Vijayanagar's army devastated and plundered the country dependent on Kondavidu, Kondapalli, Bellamkonda, Vinukonda, Nagarjuna Konda and other forts.
Loss of Kondapalli Fort, the Gajapati administrative center of the Southern Territories.
During the invasion of Vijayanagar, the Qutb Shahi forces of Golconda were allied with Prataparudra Deva as they had the same enemy. After a brief fighting for two months at the Kondapalli Fort by the combined Odia and Qutb Shahi forces, it fell to Vijayanagar forces. The commander of the fort Sirishchandra Mohapatra and the queen of Prataparudra Deva were captured at the fort along with other Odia and Muslims from Golconda state by the Vijayanagar forces and taken as prisoners. After the fall of Kondapalli, the Odia controlled smaller forts in Telegana region like Khamammettu, Anantagiri, Kanakgiri, Nalagonda, Udrakonda, Urlagonda, etc. were taken over by the Vijayanagar forces.
Resistance by Citaph Khan at Potnuru Simhadri and Rajamahendri.
Krishnadevaraya marched to Simhadri region from Rajmahendri but a Muslim general from Warangal serving the Gajapati and possibly a local ruler named as Citaph Khan alias Sitapati lead a large army of 60,000 archers and obstructed the Vijayanagar forces for a long time. The force held the positions tormenting the advancing soldiers of Krishnadevaraya until they finally managed to attack the rear with great difficulty. On the advise of Timmarusu and the increasing ferocity of the Odia forces, he halted his forces at Simhadri where he made some donations at the famous Varahalakshmi Narasimha temple and commissioned the building of the outer walls of the temple. Vijayanagar spies had reported the intact and unique fighting capacities of the Odia forces which they had witnessed at Cuttack.
Honor suicide of Crown Prince Virabhadra.
The captive crown prince Virabhadra who was considered to be a very fine swordsman of his time died a sad death in Vijayanagar when he was forced for showing up his skills in a duel with a commoner for verification by the Krishnadeva himself. Since he belonged to a royal blood line, this demand for a show off with a commoner made him feel dishonored and then he took his own life with the sword he was holding at the time.
Matrimonial alliance and agreement with Vijayanagar.
Disheartened by the death of his son in enemy captivity and his other family members taken as prisoners by Vijayanagar along with his queen, Prataparudra decided to enter into treaty with Krishnadevaraya. As per the treaty, the territories north of the river Krishna were returned to Odisha along with all the family members taken as prisoners in the war. In return Prataparudra had to marry of his daughter Jaganmohini also known as Tukla, Bhadra and Annapurna Devi in marriage to Krishnadevaraya. Later she was abandoned by her husband on the ground of suspicion of being a threat to his life. She lived a life of loner at Kumbham in Kurnool district. She wrote a poem called Tukka Panchakam in which she had confessed the negligent and alienating behavior of Krishnadevaray towards her.
Conflict with Qutb Shai Dynasty of Golconda (1531 A.D).
The Qutb Shahi ruler of Golconda Quli Qutb Shah invaded southern parts of Odisha and captured many forts along with the regional administrative center of Kondapalli on 20 March 1531. Prataparudra Deva set out with a force of 3,00,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry and 700 war elephants to confront the invading forces and was successful after rigorous fighting with the Muslim forces but also lost many large portions of his territory in the south. He built the temple of Mangalagiri on the bank of river Krishna to commemorate his victory over Quli. After the death of Prataparudra Deva in 1540 A.D, Quli captured Rajamahendri as the central administration of Odisha had collapsed and two successors of Prataparudra were murdered by the traitor Govinda Vidyadhar.
Spiritual life and association with Sri Chaitanya.
Gajapati Prataparudra Deva is often held responsible for losing the military status of Odisha due to his spiritual adherence, over involvement and indulgence with Sri Chaitanya. The doubt of historians is based on the fact that the enemy Bengal Sultan Hussain Shah played a role in the life of Chaitanya. Two leading followers of Chaitanya, Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami were courtiers in the administration of Hussain Shah before accompanying Chaitanya in his travel to Odisha. The governor of the southern territories of the Gajapati Ramananda Rai who was based at Rajamahendri was influenced by Chaitanya's words and left his position to follow him while the conditions in the southern frontiers were critical, enduring the invasion of Vijayanagar. However, Prataparudra was himself a devout Vaishnava before the arrival of Chaitanya and was also the head servitor of lord Jagannath as per the royal traditions of the Gajapatis of Odisha. The descriptions of a spy from Vijayanagar about the Gajapati's personal life gives a proper insight about his spiritual ways of living. As per the account, the Gajapati used to wake up two hours earlier before sunrise and would pay respects two Brhamins before looking at anyone else. He would then take ride on his horse accompanied by the Sixteen Brhamin Patras for twenty to thirty miles before returning. After taking bath he would then indulge in worship of lord Jagannath only after which he eats food followed by recitation of Ramayana. After this he carries on his daily business wearing the official robes.
Despite his wish to meet and have an audience with Chaitnaya, the saint avoided any audience as it was his discipline to avoid meeting women and kings. He was only able to see Chaitanya face to face while performing the Chera Pahara ritual during the Ratha Yatra festival of lord Jagannath following which he humbly bowed down to saints present there. Even in an event, he stopped his general Harichandana from taking any retaliatory action against a devotee of Chaitnaya who had obstructed the view of the king by standing in front him and then slapped the general when he tried to move him away. In his first meeting with the saint after a long wait and as planned by his disciples, he began reciting a verse from ‘Gopi Gita’, mentioned in Shrimad Bhagavatam and won the attention of Chaitanya. He presented the saint with a painting of Krishna so that he can meditate on it. Ramananda Rai records about the kings extreme willingness to hear about devotional sermons from Chaitnya in his work Jagannatha-Vallabha-Natakam. Numerous literary works from the era celebrate the spiritual association of Gajapati Prataparudra Deva with Chaitnya.
Cultural contribution, revival of Sanskrit and Odia literature.
Prataparudra Deva had undertaken many building projects despite his troublesome life filled with battles.
Some building activities undertaken during Prataparudra Deva.
In his Undavaill inscription he is termed as a great learner and master of 64 arts. His Velicherla plates states that he assumed the title of Vidyaniddhi (accomplished learner).
Sanskrit literary works composed during Prataparudra Deva.
Other Sanskrit poets like Markandeya, Ramakrishna Bhatta. Balabhadra Mishra flourished in his era.
Sanskrit works written by the Gajapati Prataparudra Deva himself.
The king himself authored works like
Odia literary works composed during Prataparudra Deva's rule.
Odia literature attained a higher status during the rule of Prataparudra as it was the famous era of and highly respected immortal Odia literary creations by the Panchsakhas or five divine friends namely Balarama Dasa, Jagannatha Dasa, Ananta Dasa, Achyutananda Dasa and Jasobanta Dasa. The Panchasakhas were basically opposed to caste system and Brahmin patronage by the Odia kings. They were also opposed to Gaudiya Vaisnavism that had arrived in Odisha through Chaitanya and contributed to a separate school of learning called Utkaliya. Some of them had ideological conflict with the royal order but were later accepted and encouraged by the king himself after he realized his mistakes.
By Ananata Dasa.
Other Odia poets like Chaitanya Dasa, Arjuna Dasa, Kanhai Khuntia, Gopala Guru, Madhavi Devi and Madhaba Pattanayaka also flourished during his rule giving new dimensions to the literary achievements of Odia language in that era. Prataparudra Deva made it mandatory for only Jayadeva's Gitagovinda to be sung at while the Odia and Telugu Devadasis (temple dancers) while they performed. Four Vaishnava singers were trained to perform the service of singing Gitagovinda verses. It was during his rule that the Gotipua dance tradition was introduced.
Personality and Historical Consequences.
The rule of Prataparudra Deva was an era when a great social revolution in Odisha was at its zenith due to the Bhakti movement closely contested between Gaudiya and Utkaliya Vaishnavism school of thoughts. Common man was not untouched by the beautiful literature and devotional ballads that appeared before them composed by great devotees. Due to forced rigorous military campaigns and failed state policy, the military status of medieval Odisha declined during Prataparudra's rule and the empire was eventually reduced to only a small strip of land in eastern India covering parts of coastal and central Odisha, Northern Andhra and parts of southern Bengal. The tributary and Garhjat (princedoms), rebellious generals and hinterland domains within the Odishan realm destabilized the central authority of the Gajapatis in Odisha. As an emperor, Prataparudra Deva utilized his full available military strength to defend the frontiers of his empire but events of internal treachery, ignorant policies against a strategically threat of Muslim Bengal by his father and a possible situation of imbalance of his personal spiritual life with the instant demands from his military command, led to the loss of huge southern territories to his enemies. Prataparudra Deva had 32 sons and many daughters from his multiple wives out of which Padma, Padmalaya, Ila and Mahila are known to be the Maharanis or the main queens. One of his queens called Gauri Devi was the disciple of Jagannatha Dasa from the Panchasakha fold. His successors were murdered by the treacherous Govinda Vidyadhara after his death. The military hegemony and imperial status of Odisha continuing from the past era of Somavanshi and Eastern Gangas was lost after his ruling years ended with his death.


Petite Terre Islands

Petite Terre Islands (, literally "Islands of the Small Land") are two small uninhabited islands located about to the south-east of the island of Grande-Terre (Guadeloupe), in the Lesser Antilles. These two islands are named Petite Terre ("Small Land") in contrast with the much larger Grande-Terre ("Large Land") island.
Petite Terre is made up of two islands: Terre de Bas island to the southwest and the smaller Terre de Haut island to the northeast. Their combined land area is 1.68 km² (168 hectares). Terre de Bas island (literally "Low Land" island or "Down Land" island) is so named because it is downwind compared to Terre de Haut island ("Upper Land" island) to its northeast which first meets the trade winds blowing from the north-east in the Caribbean.
Administratively, the Petite Terre Islands are dependent on the commune (municipality) of La Désirade. The two islands and 842 hectares (2,081 acres) of the sea around them were declared a nature reserve, the "National Nature Reserve of Îles de la Petite-Terre".


Beaver Canyon Scenic Byway


Salt Water Tabby


Ohio Caverns

Ohio Caverns is a show cave located from Dayton, Ohio near West Liberty, in Salem Township, Champaign County, Ohio in the United States. A popular tourist destination and member of the National Caving Association, it is the largest of all the cave systems in Ohio and contains many crystal formations. Approximately 90% of its stalactite and stalagmite formations are still active. The cavern system was originally an aquifer, holding an underground river of melted glacier water. This river eventually receded to lower levels of the ground and is now unseen.
Formation.
The Ohio Caverns are located in the Bellefontaine Outlier, which is an outcropping of Devonian-age bedrock surrounded by Silurian-age carbonates. Most recently it has been proposed that in post-Devonian times there was a set of active parallel faults that down-dropped a block of Logan County, forming a graben, also called a rift valley.
Continued erosion of several glaciers would have been concentrated on areas around the graben, leaving this area without its protective layer of Bedford shale and more susceptible to erosion. The sunken graben area then became a topographical high, now the highest point in Ohio at the elevation of 1549 feet above sea level.
History.
Discovery.
The tunnel system known today as the Ohio Caverns was discovered August 17, 1897 by Robert Noffsinger, a farmhand who worked on the land. A sinkhole had been forming on land owned by Abraham William Reams over a period of about 10 years. In August 1897, this sink hole measured 50 feet across by 10 feet deep. One particular night, the sinkhole was filled completely with water during a hard rain. By morning, the water was completely gone. Reams reported to the local newspaper that he lost "several hundred barrels of water." Reams had recently hired Robert Noffsinger, a young man from Virginia, to work on his farm. By Reams' orders, Noffsinger and Jordan Reams (unknown relation to William Reams) began to dig in the sinkhole. Noffsinger dug a few feet of soil until he hit the top of the ground's limestone layer. After finding a crack in the limestone, Noffsinger broke through this rock as well. Immediately feeling the caverns' air, Noffsinger was even more curious. He lowered himself into the caverns and became the first living creature inside of the Ohio Caverns system. After crawling 8 feet into the caverns, Noffsinger called back out to Jordan Reams to fetch him an oil lantern. After Noffsinger received the lantern, he explored 802 feet on his first trip into the caverns.
Mt. Tabor Cave Tours.
Noffsinger informed the landowner, a farmer named William Reams, of his discovery. Reams himself explored the cave and then decided to open the cave to the public. The cave was opened to Reams' friends and family on August 27, 1897 and then to the public on September 9, 1897. Advertised under the name Mt. Tabor Cave Tours, the business brought in hundreds of Ohioans during its 25-year run. These early tourists explored just over of the system but virtually destroyed it by removing crystal formations in that area and writing their names on the walls and ceilings.
Excavation.
Reams sold the land in 1922 to two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, Allen and Ira Smith, who hired an unknown number of workers to help them excavate the rest of the caverns. The team spent three and a half years digging with an array of spades and shovels to remove mud left in the tunnels by the underground river that eroded the tunnels. As they went, the Smith team strung 60-watt light bulbs from the walls and ceilings to help them see. These lights were powered by a Fordson tractor on the surface, as the area did not get electricity until the mid-1930s.
Four new exits were dug, one of which contained a horse-drawn wooden freight elevator. The group mapped approximately of tunnel and decided on the best route for a one-way tour. They closed one of the exits permanently with a crude rock wall and planted a tree over it. The elevator also was filled in with rocks, and a concrete wall in the cave now seals it shut. Keeping the style of entrance that Reams had used, iron doors were built at the two ends of the new tour route. A small entrance building was built over one end of the route, and 38 steps descend from the ground floor of the building through the basement and into the cave, below the surface. At the other end, a single flight of 60 concrete stairs was built. Reams' iron door and the current exit door have developed holes large enough for bats to enter the cave, and today some little brown bats and eastern pipistrelles take shelter in the cave, primarily in the winter.
The Ohio Caverns.
The excavation team laid gravel in the pathways they had dug. The Smith family opened their business as the Ohio Caverns in 1925 with a guided tour route that did not include the section that Reams' early visitors had explored and ravaged.
The rest of the twentieth century brought several changes for the caverns and park. On the surface, two picnic shelters, a dining hall (which has since been converted to a storage building), a playground, a restroom building, and a steel barn were built. Later, a small exit building was built to increase security at the exit stairwell, and the entrance building was renovated to now include a gift shop and a new basement containing offices and storage. In the cave, concrete was hand-laid on the floors in the 1970s. A professional cave lighter, whose team hid the new lights in concrete sconces in more creative and less obstructive places than the previous bare bulbs, was hired in the 1980s.
The Historical Tour.
To celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Noffsinger's discovery of the cave, the Ohio Caverns opened its Historical Tour in 1997. Reams' section of the cave was adorned with the bare bulbs and gravel floors of the early Ohio Caverns tours. The Historical Section was added as a 45-minute extension to the regular tour, and the Historical Tour has been offered as an option ever since.
Attractions.
The Crystal Sea and Natural Bridge.
The Crystal Sea is an artificial water-retention pool that holds excess water out of the walkway. Only about deep, its name is derived from the reflection of the ceiling visible in the water. The Crystal Sea is very close to the site of the freight elevator used from 1922 to 1925 and is also close to a mud shelf above the pathway called the Natural Bridge, which holds between 10 and 20 crystal columns and is the original floor of the tunnel. The Smiths' team left the columns intact during excavation and simply dug under them, forming the Natural Bridge.
Fantasy Land and The Old Town Pump.
Fantasy Land holds more soda straws and helictites than any other area of the Ohio Caverns. It is called Fantasy Land for the many named formations in the room, one of which being The Old Town Pump, which resembles a hand pump.
The Crystal King and Deepest Point.
The Crystal King is the largest free-hanging stalactite in Ohio. At last measurement, the Crystal King was long. It is estimated to weigh over and be over 200,000 years old. It is also noteworthy that the Crystal King and Fantasy Land are farther from the surface than any other point of the cave. The designated Deepest Point is underground.
The Big Room and The Good Luck Crystal.
The Big Room, at more than , is the largest room in the cave and holds hundreds of formations, including the tallest column in the cave, which is almost tall, and the newest column, which came together in the 1980s. The next column that will be formed in the caverns is also in The Big Room, and it is estimated to be formed within the next century. During the early days of the Smiths' tours, touching formations was not prohibited, and there are many formations in the Big Room that are very close to the pathways and have therefore become permanently stained from the dirt and oil in human hands. One such formation, a tall stalagmite once called The Good Luck Crystal, was touched for "good luck" by almost every person who came through the Ohio Caverns for about a year until the staff noticed the developing brown stain. In 1926, a no-touching rule was established in the caverns. At the same time, the staff renamed The Good Luck Crystal, The Dirty Crystal.
The Palace of the Gods and Dual Formations.
The Palace of the Gods is the most photographed room in the caverns because of its variety of colors and formations. There are examples of every type of formation in the cave: iron oxide formations; manganese dioxide formations; calcite formations: stalactites, stalagmites, columns, flowstone, soda straws, and helictites; and Dual Formations. Dual Formations are extremely rare. The Ohio Caverns is the only known cave in North America and one of very few in the world known to have Dual Formations. A Dual Formation is characterized as being a formation growing on another formation. In the Palace of the Gods, there are calcite stalactites growing on the ends of iron oxide formations.
The Jewel Room.
The Jewel Room once helped earn Ohio Caverns the nickname "America's Most Colorful Caverns". Its color is split down the middle of the room so that one side of the room is primarily decorated in iron oxide while the other side is darker from manganese dioxide deposits. The Jewel Room was the last area finished by the Smith team and is therefore the end of the tour. There is an enormous pile in the Jewel Room of rocks from the construction of the exit stairway. At the end of each guided tour, a recording of the song "Beautiful Ohio" has been played since 1928.
The Historic Section.
A tour of the Historic Section, also known as The Old Cave and Reams' Cave, has been offered since 1997 as an extension of the regular tour. Unlike the concrete floors and hidden-sconce lights in the rest of the cave, there are bare light bulbs and gravel floors similar to the early years of Ohio Caverns tours. Attractions in the Historic Section include The Palace of Natural Art, a colorful natural rotunda; The Giant's Coffin, a rock nicknamed so by Reams' early tourists; and The Pulpit, which crudely resembles a church setting and even has an upright-standing rock that resembles a pulpit. Also in the Historic Section are several small crawling areas, including Lovers' Lane and The Backscratcher, which were explored by Reams and his visitors but not excavated by the Smiths' team. The Historic Section has very few speleothems because most of them were taken as souvenirs between 1897 and 1922, so its main commercial appeals are its color and graffiti.