World Hertiage Sites

For Christmas this year, I received an amazing book on the World Hertiage Sites designated by UNESCO . Did you know the whole idea came about in the 1950's? When drawing up the plan for the Aswan Dam, the Egyptian government realized that numerous artefacts of the Nile Valley including the temple of Abu Simbel would be submerged and lost forever. So it was decided that safeguard measured must be placed on this and other treasures of the world. 873 sites of common heritage of humankind are now protected under the UN convention.

The Galapagos Islands were designated in 1987. Did you know there are 120 islands in the area? That the Galapagos tortoise can live 250 years? The book calls the islands a "tossed salad" of marine species.

Florence, Italy - founded in 59BC is a testament to cultural traditions and it exerted an extraordinary artistic influence on many parts of Europe for centuries. Take your camera and just try to keep you mouth closed as you wander in awe of the redstoned galleries, churches, bridges and cathedrals.

"Long Wall of Tne Thousand Li" is usually referred to as The Great Wall of China. Built as a defensive strategy against neighbouring enemies, the wall is a masterpiece of construction and a "perfect example of architecture integrated into the landscape". WhenI stood on the wall, I was more gob-smacked than I thought I would be. It is stunning to stand on a wall built in 220BC.

Back to Egypt one more - on the list of sites is a place called Whale Valley - not a typo I assure you! Fossils there represent the story of evolution of the whales - the emergence of a suborder of whales as an ocean-going mammal from a previous life as a land-based mammal. Who knew?