| Friday, December 19, 2003 - 11:57 am |
I agree ... if you look at the global world, rather than people choosing to move to sparsely populated or rural areas it is quite the reverse, with massive primate cities and capitals being highly densley populated.
Europe is highly densly population and the level of immigration is extremely high. In SE Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Taiwan act as magnets for people.
If anything it is the disparetly populated places that lose population and the cities and megalopolis' that gain. In the states the Eastern and Western Seaboards have massive inward population movements.
The fact is where there is a perception of wealth or advantage then there will be immigration, 'the bright lights effect'. This is happening everywhere and is the reason why cities like Lagos or Delhi or Beijing continue to grow and grow and grow.
With increased immigration it means that the player has to continue to develop all the hosp/Uni/welfare state which makes it more of a challenge ... so therefore high immigration would cause the developed countries to suffer more unless they are properly monitored by their owner on SC.
Just my opinion ... oh and all the academic world !
| Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 01:45 am |
I think this index has been altered from the posted, or I'm just reading it wrong (which is distinctly possible).
Currently my migration index is listed as 47.6. Going by what's been stated, I should be theoretically stable in population with no visible change due to immigration. Only birth and death.
However in 1 month, there's been a drop of 15000 (0.0008%).
Meanwhile, a slave country with an index of 46.2 continues to grow steadily in population.
Am I missing something?
| Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 01:59 am |
What is your population in said country?
High-population (over 30-35M) coutnries tend to lose people.
| Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 02:42 am |
| Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 02:44 am |
My 36M pop main is steadily gaining people with a welfare index of 113.
My 19M pop keeper slaves (of which there are 9) have been posting steady losses while having welfare indices of 90-100
And my 16M pop crap slave with a welfare index of 60 has been steadily gaining people.
Yet more proof of Camus' assertion of the absurd universe.
| Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 03:06 am |
Are you moving people around at all?
| Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 04:52 am |
Not that I am aware of.
Maybe Jozi has adopted a Karmatic approach to the whole thing... the current population losses are due to the nations' sins during their time as C3s.
| Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 05:04 am |
"Migration Index"? Where is it listed, or how do you calculate it?
| Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 08:08 am |
on the side of the page , go to the "actions tree"-under the "my corporations " link click on "my downloads"
then click on "download country indexes"
the last index is "Immigration Index"


This beautiful lot is located on the Syracuse Canal and has direct access to Carousel Lake. Fish from your own back yard or slip a boat into water and enjoy fresh water fishing at it's finest. Located close to Publix grocery Stores, Great Schools, Golfing, Boating, Shopping and everything else that makes Living in the Cape So great. Lee county is home to both the red Sox and Twins Spring training camps.
† Based on a 30-year fixed rate of 3.38% with 20% down. The estimated payment is offered for convenience and is not an offer of credit. Due to market fluctuations, interest rates are subject to change at any time and without notice. Interest rates are also subject to credit and property approval based on secondary market guidelines. The rates shown are based on average rates for our best qualified customers. Your individual rate may vary. Rates may differ for FHA, VA or jumbo loans.


Sound of Canna to be surveyed03 May, 2010 –
THE undersea habitat of one of Scotland’s most rare and endangered sea creatures is to be explored and charted in detail for the first time by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
The Sound of Canna contains dense concentrations of fan mussels (Atrina pectinata), a rare fragile mollusc now believed to be in serious decline in UK waters.
The survey will set out to chart the quantity, quality and distribution of fan mussels in the Sound together with other important marine life such as burrowing anemones, seafan communities, seagrass beds and deep burrowed mud habitats.
The survey is the first to be carried out under the Scottish Marine Protected Areas Project, a joint initiative between Marine Scotland, SNH and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). The Project includes gathering information on the important habitats and species in Scottish waters (called Priority Marine Features) to support the selection of Marine Protected Areas.
Environment minister Roseanna Cunningham said: The quality of habitat and abundance of species in Scotland’s seas provides us with a tremendous national asset offering many benefits and opportunities. It is important that we go forward balancing the growth of exciting new marine industries with the need to protect this key asset. This first detailed survey of the Sound of Canna will give us a much clearer picture of its marine life and in doing so support decisions on future management of the vulnerable fan shell population found there by Marine Scotland scientists in 2009.”
The Sound of Canna survey work is being undertaken as a pilot study. The survey team will identify the presence and condition of Priority Marine Features which could potentially lead to the designation of a Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area.
The survey adds to work being carried out elsewhere this summer. Around Ullapool and in the Firth of Clyde surveys will focus on confirming the presence of Priority Marine Features recorded in previous surveys. They will also look at extending the current knowledge of marine habitats and species in these areas. Current data suggest the sea lochs in the north of the Clyde, including Loch Fyne and Loch Long, are home to numerous PMFs including the fireworks anemone, maerl beds, and beds of blue and horse mussels. Around Ullapool previous surveys have revealed the presence of seagrass beds and tall sea pens as well as beds of maerl and flame shells.
Susan Davies, SNH’s Director of Policy and Advice said: “This is an important first step by the Scottish Government’s (Marine Scotland) MPA Project to build a more accurate record of the extent and quality of our marine wildlife and habitats. The survey will enable us to assess the conservation importance of this area and advise on ways to safeguard it for the future. SNH is pleased to be able to assist with this programme of survey work in Scottish inshore waters.”
The survey is expected to start in July 2010.


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Enterprise, Amador County, California
|Elevation||876 ft (267 m)|
Enterprise is a former mining camp in Amador County, California. It is located 5.5 miles (8.9 km) west-northwest of Fiddletown, on Big Indian Creek, at an elevation of 876 feet (267 m). Established to mine quartz, at its peak it had a population of around a hundred, but the prospects did not pan out, and there are only a few houses in the area now.
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Enterprise, Amador County, California
- Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 482. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
- Mason, Jesse D. (1881). History of Amador County, California: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Oackland, California: Thompson & West. p. 233. Retrieved 2020-05-28.


The Wiesenburg Castle (German: Burg Wiesenburg or Schloss Wiesenburg) is castle located in the Wiesenburg district of Wildenfels, Saxony, on a hill overlooking the eastern shore of the Mulde river. The castle protects the bridge across the Mulde to Schönau and Wildenfels.
Today's Castle arose out of a medieval castle, the construction of which probably began around the year 1200. The castle was first mentioned in a document dated 1251. The building was expanded in the 14th Century.
The only remains of the original castle are a part of the round keep, remnants of the castle wall, and a moat. Today's courtyard, with its timber construction and the octagonal gate tower were developed when the castle was reconstructed in 1664 after the Thirty Years' War.
History and owners
The first owners were the Vogts of Weida, who monitored the settling of the Kirchberg, Saxony basin and the Mulde area south-east of Zwickau. The inhabitants of more than twenty villages in the area had to pay socage to the castle, for example, all villages in the Rödel valley. Later, the castle ownership changed many times:
- 1350 the castle came into the possession of the House of Wettin
- 1412-1591 the castle was owned by the von der Planitz family
- 1523, ie before the German Peasants' War, the castle was sacked by the serfs. Two years later, the peasants revolted again. Based on the time imposed fines, one can calculate that 283 farmers must have participated in the uprising. That would have been almost all farmers of the estate subject to socage.
- 1591 the city of Zwickau purchased the castle and the dominion
- 1618 the Elector of Saxony obtained them
- 1663 castle and lordship of Wiesenburg plus the city of Kirchberg were sold to Philip Louis of Holstein-Sonderburg
- 1724 the lordship was acquired by Augustus II the Strong, who turned it into am Amt
- 1803 the great hall collapsed
- 1864 the castle and dominion were separated, the castle was sold to the district poor law association
- 1864-1911 the castle was in use as a poor house
- 1911 the castle was bought back
- 1945 the castle was publicly owned; many homes were created inside the structure. The farm buildings were used by the local Landwirtschaftliche Produktionsgenossenschaft (collectived farms, comparable to a Kolkhoz in the Sovier Union).
1990 the castle is privately owned again. It is not publicly accessible.
Legends tell of a secret passage which connects the castle with a "robber's castle" in the Kiefericht (a grove on the other side of the Mulde Valley).
- D. Zühlke: Werte unserer Heimat, vol. 31: Zwischen Zwickauer Mulde und Geyerschem Wald, Berlin, 1980
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to castle Wiesenburg.|


Extract from Marta’s research:
Wytomyśl is a small village in west central Poland. It has around 500 inhabitants. Its very close to Poznań - which is the city where my mother was born, and where our family used to travel every summer to visit my grandparents, aunts and unkels and all the cousins.
My grandfather was born in Wytomyśl, and I decided to choose his childhood home as the starting point of my inquiry, more specifically the fruit garden that is connected to the house.


The growth in renewable energy is fuelling new jobs in Asia and Africa. Meet three beneficiaries of the new green economy from Zambia, Pakistan and Kenya.
While the price of oil is plummeting, taking with it a significant number of jobs, the renewable energy job market is booming. It is estimated that it will grow to 24m jobs worldwide by 2030 – up from 9.2m reported in 2014 – according to analysis by the International Renewable Energy Industry (Irena), which predicts that doubling the proportion of renewables in the global energy mix would increase GDP by up to $1.3tn across the world.
The rise and rise of the solar industry has been the largest driver of growth. In 2014, it accounted for more than 2.5m jobs, largely in operations, maintenance and manufacturing – now increasingly dominated by a jobs boom in Asia.
The industry is providing hope and income to workers – present and future – across the global south.
Sheila Mbilishi, ‘solar-preneur’, Zambia
Although employment in renewable energy is comparatively low across Africa, the sunny continent is where the need and potential for employment is perhaps greatest. A fast-growing economy and population is driving demand for energy, but two-thirds of people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to electricity.
Now the renewables revolution is witnessing the rise of a generation of African “solar-preneurs” who are creating small-scale businesses by taking solar energy – in the form of lights, radios and mobile-phone charging facilities – into local communities.
In western Zambia, Sheila Mbilishi is self-employed and sells solar lights to local residents and businesses. The 67-year-old widow and mother of six buys the lights for $5 from the social enterprise SunnyMoney – part of the UK based charity SolarAid – and sells them on with a 50% profit margin.
“They sell like cupcakes,” says Mbilishi. “There is life in the lights – people got interested in them.” They are popular with pupils who want to study after dark, businesses during electricity blackouts or as a replacement for toxic kerosene lamps in homes.
Since starting the business three years ago, it has provided Mbilishi with a significant source of income, helping her to open a shop and build a two-bedroom flat. “The difference is huge,” she says. “Selling lights has helped me a lot. I have built a house out of the lights. Owning personal ones has helped me too with the current load shedding – electricity is usually off and I am not affected by no light.”
Shehak Sattar, renewable energy student, Moscow
For Shehak Sattar, choosing to study renewable energy was more a social than a personal decision. “I want to practise something different from the mainstream. It is related to the concept of believing in humanity and our survival on earth,” he says.
The 27-year-old Pakistani student is now four months into a masters degree in the science and materials of solar energy at the National University of Science and Technology in Moscow, funded by a scholarship. The course is in its first year and has mostly attracted international students – from Afghanistan and Iran to Nigeria and Namibia.
Before coming to Moscow, Sattar worked for NGOs and other agencies in Pakistan, installing and spreading the transmission of solar energy to remote communities and to slums in Islamabad and Lahore. Larger solar projects are now starting to come online in Pakistan, amid ambitions to construct the world’s largest solar farm.
“There has been a general electricity crisis in Pakistan. People are waiting for alternatives to rescue them from this suffering,” he says.
Once he has completed his course, Sattar wants to work at a university in Pakistan “to convert the attention of students to renewable energy sources” by lecturing and researching methods to make solar energy more efficient.
“We have to fight more,” he says. “We have to fight against the people who will be digging for petroleum in the coming 20 years because it will destroy our ecology’s balance.”
Mohamed Abdikadir, solar panel installer, Dadaab, Kenya
The promise of renewable energy in refugee camps could save humanitarian agencies hundreds of millions of dollars and provide job opportunities for thousands of young refugees.
Mohamed Abdikadir, 21, was born in the refugee camp complex at Dadaab in eastern Kenya, where the average family spends $17.20 per month – 24% of their income – on energy. The complex is home to more than 330,000 refugees.
Like most of his neighbours, Abdikadir’s family came to the camp after fleeing the civil war in Somalia more than two decades ago. Both his parents have since died, leaving Abdikadir to provide for his 10 younger siblings. He is now one of 5,000 young people trained to install solar panels as part of a programme in Kenya and Ethiopia organised by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), which has recruited local teachers to deliver it.
“It was hard [to learn] at first but I tried my best and now it is easy,” says Abdikadir. After completing a six-month programme a year ago, he gets up at 5am every day to pray before preparing breakfast and collecting the tools for his job in Dadaab’s dry desert landscape. “There is a lot of sun here.Renewable energy is very good in this environment.”
Before he started the programme, Abdikadir earned money by selling water but he could only make enough to provide one meal a day for his family. Now, with the extra income from solar installations – $10 on an average day – his siblings are eating three meals daily, have new clothing and are able to attend a fee-paying school.
“I am the breadwinner of the family,” he says. “[The programme] has really helped me. Before I was idle. It helps with my daily bread, my daily income.”
Abdikadir now wants to expand his education to incorporate other forms of renewable energy. Meanwhile, the NRC recently announced plans to deliver a similar programme on a larger scale for Syrians at Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan.
Building on a strong endowment of natural resource and skills, Africa is poised to become the frontline of a global transition to more-inclusive green economies.
Nairobi, 13 May 2015
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted to be here today at the beginning of a discussion that will, I am sure, see the sharing of many innovative ideas that will further drive the growing green economy revolution in Africa.
I would like to thank His Excellency William Ruto, Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, for taking the time from his busy schedule to lend weight to today’s proceedings, and therefore to the transition to a continent-wide green economy.
I would also like to congratulate His Excellency Geert Aagaard Andersen, who will later this year take over the leadership of Global Green Growth Forum in
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year, a series of events will set the development agenda for decades to come: the Financing for Development conference in Addis Ababa, the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda, and the climate change meeting in Paris at the end of the year.
The 3GF provides a timely opportunity for African stakeholders to define their priorities to feed into these important processes. I am sure you will take full advantage of this meeting – just as we are seeing the continent take advantage of the many green economy opportunities at its fingertips. Building on a strong endowment of natural resource and skills, Africa is poised to become the frontline of a global transition to more-inclusive green economies.
African Ministers of Environment endorsed the green economy at the recent African Ministerial Conference on the Environment in Cairo, acknowledging that the “green economy can be a vehicle to achieve all 17 draft sustainable development goals”.
This is a clear signal of continent-wide political will to accelerate the transition to a green economy. At a country level – from Rwanda to Ghana, from Morocco to South Africa, from Senegal to Kenya – the level of innovation and commitment to sustainable economic growth is remarkable.
In our host nation, for example, the government will soon launch its Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (GESIP), which lays out how Kenya can increase investment in the green economy.
This is simple economic sense. Investing in the green economy provides opportunities to boost growth, address poverty, create employment and improve the overall well-being of the population.
In Kenya alone, a shift in investment to green sectors would lead to an additional 3.1 million people being lifted out of poverty by 2030, and gross domestic product (GDP) 12 per cent higher than under a business-as-usual scenario.
Green investments also improve agricultural yields, on which the majority of African citizens still depend. Agriculture remains the dominant sector of the African economy – accounting for 32 per cent of GDP and supporting the livelihoods of 80 per cent of Africa’s population. In Senegal, for example, the amount of arable land available will increase by 5 per cent if investments in sustainable agriculture are made.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Africa’s economy is growing fast. The World Bank estimates that growth in sub-Saharan Africa will hit 5.1 per cent by 2017. But the challenge before today’s leaders is to ensure that this expansion does not come at the expense of the natural resources upon which the continent so heavily depends.
Natural capital is a critical asset, but such resources are often left out of balance sheets, meaning they are not accounted for in development processes – despite the economic value they bring and the many livelihoods and businesses they support.
For example, a recent UNEP study found that Zambia’s forest ecosystems contribute $1.3 billion, roughly 6.3 per cent of GDP, to the national economy – almost double previous estimates thanks to the inclusion of value-adds such as water regulation, carbon storage and pollination.
And evidence elsewhere shows that conserving natural capital creates jobs – crucial in Africa where an estimated 11 million youth are expected to join the labour market every year. Since 1995, an estimated 486,000 work opportunities were created in South Africa in environmental rehabilitation programs, including sustainable forest management and reducing invasive species.
Part of Africa’s growth strategy must also involve bringing energy to all of its citizens – a key focus of UNEP’s work under the Secretary General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative.
Over 1.2 billion people don’t have access to electricity, almost half of them in Africa. As a result, many rely on wood or other biomass to cook and heat their homes, causing millions of deaths each year from indoor air pollution.
To ensure people are not left behind, we need to provide them with access to clean, reliable and efficient energy – which of course brings the co-benefit of reduced carbon emissions and pollution. In that regard, it is encouraging to note that investment in a low-carbon future is on the rise.
In 2014, we saw a US$270 billion surge in investment, up 17 per cent on the previous year, according to the most recent Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment report from the Frankfurt School UNEP Centre and Bloomberg New Energy Finance. In developing countries, clean energy investment rose 36 per cent to US$131 billion, on track to surpass investment in developed countries.
I am delighted to note that Kenya is a major player in this shift to sustainable energy sources, with the government and private sector pursuing opportunities in geothermal, solar and wind.
Another example can be found in Ghana, where the Renewable Energy Fund is a successful illustration of resource mobilization for the promotion of renewable energy sources. Ghana is now building Africa’s largest solar PV plant.
Renewable energy also creates employment, as can be seen in Senegal – where investments in expanding solar and wind capacity are projected to create up to 30,000 additional jobs by 2035.
This trend in growth of renewable energy is one we at UNEP support through initiatives such as the Seed Capital Assistance Facility, and I look forward to seeing further investment around the continent.
Another vital element of the green economy transition lies within cities. Africa’s urban population was 41 per cent in 2012. But by 2035, around half of all its citizens will live in cities as the population approaches the two-billion mark.
This is, of course, a challenge. But it is also a major opportunity. Cities have agglomeration benefits that drive innovation, business development and job creation. What matters are innovative and integrated approaches, and the way cities are designed and managed.
For example, huge opportunities exist in energy-efficient buildings and lighting. According to a 2014 study by UNEP’s Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), energy-efficient buildings can deliver up to 20 per cent reductions in energy consumption and provide overall better market value for investors. Equally, a global switch to efficient on-grid and off-grid lighting would save more than US$140 billion and reduce CO2 emissions by 580 million tonnes every year.
Possibilities also exist in transport. With spending on transport infrastructure growing at an unprecedented rate across Africa, policymakers have a window of opportunity to mitigate climate change threats and ensure the health and well-being of millions of Africans by introducing clean and efficient transportation. In this regard, the Africa Sustainable Transport Forum, held in Nairobi last October, was an important step in the right direction.
The Adaptation Challenge
It is also important to focus our minds on the challenges the continent faces – chief among them climate change. Regardless of what the international community does this year in Paris, some impacts of climate change have already become unavoidable. Africa is, unfortunately, set to bear the brunt of such impacts.
By 2050, Africa’s adaptation costs could rise to US$50 billion per year if global warming were to remain below 2°C, and up to US$100 billion per year if the global temperature rise were more than 4°C by 2100.
This would have a severe impact on agricultural production, food security, human health and water availability – and undermine the sustainable development agenda. In Burkina Faso, for example, changes in rainfall patterns and temperatures could affect up to 30 per cent of agricultural production.
The evidence suggests that African countries – such as Ghana, Ethiopia and South Africa – are already committing resources of their own to adaptation efforts. However, international funding will be required to bridge the growing gap.
The need for financing is not limited to the climate, however. Enormous public and private investment is required for the transition to a low-carbon economy, to win the global fight against poverty and disease, and to provide high-quality education and physical infrastructure worldwide.
Indicative figures show the required additional investment flows into sustainable development will be in the range of 1 to 2.5 per cent of GDP per year from 2010 to 2050. Currently, investments in sustainable development are well below 1 per cent of global GDP.
A significant change across the world’s financial system in strategy, culture and approach will be required if capital and finance are to be reallocated to accelerate the emergence of a green economy – which is why UNEP launched the Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System.
The Inquiry, due to present its findings in October of this year, aims to engage, inform and guide policy makers, financial market actors and other stakeholders concerned with the health of the financial system and its potential for shaping the future economy.
Achieving a financial system that finances a green economy is dependent on working with all segments of the finance industry, and on bridging the dialogue gap between private finance and public stakeholders. UNEP FI is a good example of such effective partnerships. UNEP FI has 20 financial members in seven African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Morocco.
Independently, several countries, such as Ethiopia, Rwanda and Mozambique, have established, or are looking to establish, special national funds to finance the implementation of their respective Green Economy Strategies. The Government of South Africa has set up a Green Fund to provide catalytic finance to facilitate investment in green initiatives – this includes funding green economy project initiation and development, research and development, and capacity-building initiatives.
This is just the beginning of what I hope will be a global move to the catalyzing the finance we need, but money doesn’t solve everything. Only when coupled with sound regulatory frameworks and appropriate pricing and incentives, and only when sustainability is mainstreamed in national development planning processes, will green economy investments achieve their full potential.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In conclusion, governments across Africa are formulating green economy strategies. These strategies are already driving growth, employment and trade opportunities, as well as reducing natural risks.
UNEP will be working with a wider range of stakeholders, most notably under the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), to assist governments in developing and boosting these strategies. Four African countries are already working with PAGE – Ghana, Senegal, Mauritius and Burkina Faso – and we look forward to more.
In addition, UNEP is working with the African Development Bank (AfDB) in countries such as Kenya and Mozambique. The AfDB has anchored green growth in its 10-Year Strategic plan, and established a cross-departmental Green Growth team.
With initiatives such as the above and the 3GF in place, political will to act growing ever stronger, a wealth of opportunities to draw upon, and more and more partners coming on board, Africa’s growth trajectory is undoubtedly set to go green.
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Visiting Moraine Lake
If you’re planning a visit to Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, a visit to the famous Moraine Lake should be at the top of your list. I have traveled all over the world, and there are few places that rival the beauty of Moraine Lake. Although Moraine Lake is only half the size of it’s neighbor, Lake Louise, it is just as beautiful, if not more beautiful! The photos that I took at Moraine Lake have gone viral on the internet, and been featured in a number of publications, and yet they still don’t do justice to the beauty of this Canadian lake. A visit here is definitely one of the top items on my 3 Days in Banff itinerary.
Moraine Lake is a glacier-fed lake, with the Canadian Rockies clearly reflected in the bright blue hues. The view is so iconic that it was even featured on the old Canadian $20 bill. Read on to find out everything you need to know about visiting this lake!
Where is Moraine Lake?
The lake is located in Banff National Park, just 8.5 miles (or 14 kilometers) outside the Village of Lake Louise. Located in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, the lake is at an elevation of approximately 6181 feet (1,884 meters). The easiest way to get to Banff, unless you are driving, is to fly to Calgary International Airport. From here you can rent a car, as it is about a 90 minute drive from Calgary to Banff.
What Time to Visit Moraine Lake
One perk, and downside, of visiting is that it is super accessible. There is an access road with a parking lot, from which you’ll only need to walk a minute or two to reach the lake. Unfortunately, more accessible means more people. This means that the parking lot fills up quickly year round. We were actually turned away on our first visit, when we tried to visit during midday in September. During the peak months, it is even more crowded.
I recommend visiting Moraine Lake for either sunrise or sunset, in order to capture the perfect reflection of the mountains in the water. We arrived at 5:30 pm and the lighting was absolutely perfect! We, fortunately, didn’t have any issues parking at that time, however, during the summer months, it might be worth trying to arrive by sunrise. It is said that the afternoons tend to be windier, so you may have better luck arriving early anyway.
What to Do if the Moraine Lake parking lot is closed?
If you arrive at the lot and the Moraine Lake parking lot is closed, you can either choose to come back at a later time, or take the shuttle. You will be directed to another parking lot called the Park and Ride. From here you will need to take a shuttle bus. However, similar to the parking lot, starting in 2020 these buses require a reservation in advance and become quite full. There is also an option to book a shuttle in advance between Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. You can learn more about booking a shuttle on the Canada Parks website.
When to Visit Moraine Lake
While the lake is technically open year round, but there are only a few months out of the year that the service road to the parking lot is open. The Moraine Lake Road is only open from mid-May to mid-October due to an avalanche risk. It is still possible to enter via snowshoe or cross country skis, but know that this is a risk and I don’t necessarily recommend!
The summer months, specifically July and August, are the best time to visit Moraine Lake, as the water will have melted, and you will experience the crystal blue water in all of its glory. You may be surprised if you visit in May and find that the lake is still frozen over. Additionally, the water levels remain low until late June, when the glacier above that feeds the lake starts to melt.
I visited in early September, and experienced a perfect day on the lake without too many crowds. However, this is definitely a risk as well, as the next day there was a snowstorm.
Best Things to Do at Moraine Lake
Rent a Canoe
Canoe rentals are available at the lake from July 1st to mid-September. Rentals start at 80 CAD ($59 USD) plus tax for a one hour canoe rental. A paddle and life jackets are provided. Each boat can accommodate up to 3 people. Boats are available on a first-come basis, as reservations are not available.
Hike the Trails around the lake
There are a number of trails around the lake, but you won’t need to go far to get the best view of the lake!
Rockpile Trail – the rockpile trail is probably the easiest trail at Moraine Lake. While it is not much of a hike, it is worth mentioning as the views from the top are some of the best in the world.
Moraine Lake Shoreline Trail – The Lake Shoreline trail is an easy trail that originates by the Moraine Lake lodge. The trail follows the lake shore for approximately 1.5 km, with no elevation gain.
Consolation Lakes – a 3.6 mile trail starting at the lake. While there is a bit of scrabbling in the beginning, it is perfectly suitable for beginners. It is less trafficked then some of the other trails around this famous lake.
Larch Valley Trail – Larch Valley Trail is one of the longer, more difficult trails that originates from this lake in Banff. The trail is about 6.8 miles, and offers 360 view of the mountains. The conditions are best during the summer months, but it is also a great trail in the fall for seeing the foliage. It is known to be one of the best hikes in Banff.
Where to Stay Near Moraine Lake
If you’re planning a visit to Moraine Lake, you will have a range of accommodation options to choose from, from luxury hotels to camping. However, if you have the budget and book early enough in advance, I recommend the Moraine Lake Lodge. The lodge is located right on the lake, so you won’t have to worry about getting to the parking lot on time. Staying at the Moraine Lake Lodge with allow you to experience the lake at both sunrise and sunset, as well as the moments when the crowds have left.
You can find more information on booking the Moraine Lake Lodge here.
There are a number of options for both backcountry and front country camping in Banff. Here you’ll find a list of some of the best campsites in Banff.
Things to Note when visiting:
- Moraine Lake is located in Banff National Park. Please leave no trace behind, taking any garbage with you as you leave. This includes food scraps.
- Do not feed the wild animals in the area.
- Drones are not prohibited in any part of Banff National Park.
Visiting Banff? Here are some other articles that you should check out:
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“During 2013, 6,922,484 tweets originated in Chicago. That same year, members of the citys Divvy bike-sharing program logged 750,000 rides and 633,647 callers reported abandoned vehicles, potholes, and rodent infestation through the citys 311 program.”—Noah Toly, “The City of Big Data—Is It Enough?” Thriving Cities Blog (December 2014)
Living in the era of Big Data and smart technologies, there are few aspects of our cities and communities that will not inevitably be measured in some way. From employment numbers to high school graduation rates, tools abound to track a community’s progress and wellbeing. This information overload is itself a growing challenge for practitioners, leaving cities and communities in a crowded metric market place with little guidance for discernment. Do our cities need more data?


Über dieses Produkt
- KurzbeschreibungThis book encompasses various aspects of landslide investigation in the hilly regions and lays emphasis on site specific field observations and kinematics in understanding the slope failure mechanism. A case study was undertaken along the National Highway between Jammu and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir State (India) in the Northwest Himalaya. Field observations along with the data sets on the slope aspects, precipitation and joint sets were collected and analyzed. The study reveals that the hill slopes comprising of fragile and water sensitive lithologies (sandstone-mudstone alternations) become more vulnerable if timely adoption of preventive measures are not taken into account during road widening processes. The slope cutting for road widening modifies the landscape including increase in slope angle and toe cutting, and exposes new surfaces to erosion due to surface run-off during incessant rainfall and result in the formation of rills and gullies. During prolonged and continuous rainfall these rills and gullies further aggravate slope failure mechanism and result in large landslides. In addition to this loss of the angle of repose also results in slope failure due to gravity.
- AutorArjun Singh,G. M. Bhat,Yudhbir Singh
- VerlagLAP Lambert Academic Publishing
- Seiten72 Seiten
- Gewicht124 g
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Vielen Dank. Wir kümmern uns darum.


Can't help to think that the Zeitgeist member statistics are not in order. While it's mentioned on the forum that they are sorting out different mailing lists and that this is the cause for some discrepancies, I reckon that's not all of it. Some countries that are listed have a disproportionate high number of members - where you wouldn't expect it. I'm wondering if there's a bit of foul play at work here. Lets take a look at some of the countries that stand out in membership (as of 8-20-10);
Neutral Zone 13
North Korea 80
Afghanistan. Unusual high number since it can be easily assumed that not many people have internet access and speak English over there in that country, let alone get acquainted with the Zeitgeist material. Maybe soldiers from the various countries that make up the NATO coalition list Afghanistan when they become members but I would logically assume they would forward their own country of birth. (Got a good comment from Muertos, and it's entire possible that a lot of members don't identify their home country when enlisting - Afghanistan being the first country on the list and some might be a bit too lazy to scroll down.)
Antarctica. Bit of the same mechanics here. Antarctica is not a country but a continent and all the territorial claims are still disputed. There are scientists of course from many different countries but again I would assume they would list their country of birth, not the place they happen to work at.
Greenland. This 'country' is still part of Denmark although with a great deal of autonomy. It's possible that some folks there would list Greenland if they have local sentiments and don't feel any affiliation with Denmark itself. When I picture Greenland, I don't see a modern easily accessible society. I see snow, ice and isolation. But maybe a bunch of folks have internet access there. I don't know.
Neutral Zone. From Star Trek? Not sure what this is doing here on the ZG membership list. Maybe some people don't want to list their country of origin and have this option? Strange if you ask me.
North Korea. Same story here since I would expect not many people have internet access, actually since this country is so restricted in so many ways I would imagine only some government officials have internet access and they wouldn't do anything on their own without approval. I would expect the ZG membership from North Korea to be zero.
What does this mean? Well, it's pure speculation on my part but I wouldn't put it beyond the motivation of some people that they would deliberately list some of the countries I mentioned. It's quite easy to find a number of free email providers, a quick search would reveal dozens. Maybe some people use those different email accounts, list a country that doesn't make much or any sense and let the numbers rise. At some point in the future when the numbers have grown these people get vocal and start to address the fact that some countries shouldn't have such high numbers in membership, and that therefore the Zeitgeist Movement is at fault. While this is strictly theoretical on my part, seeing some people behave on the internet and criticizing Zeitgeist sometimes stooping to incredible low levels, I wouldn't put such an action that I theorized past them. So, when some people start to get loud and make an issue about the membership statistics. . . You read it here first.


Invasive Species Resources
Displaying 1 to 12 of 12Search Help
DOI. United States Geological Survey.
Invasive species are a subset of non-native (or alien) species, and knowing what species are non-native to a region is a first step to managing invasive species. People have been compiling non-native and invasive species lists ever since these species started causing harm, yet national non-native species lists are neither universal, nor common. Non-native species lists serve diverse purposes: watch lists for preventing invasions, inventory and monitoring lists for research and modeling, regulatory lists for species control, and nonregulatory lists for raising awareness. This diversity of purpose and the lists’ variation in geographic scope make compiling comprehensive lists of established (or naturalized) species for large regions difficult. However, listing what species are non-native in an area helps measure Essential Biodiversity Variables for invasive species monitoring and mount an effective response to established non-native species. In total, 1,166 authoritative sources were reviewed to compile the first comprehensive non-native species list for three large regions of the United States: Alaska, Hawaii, and the conterminous United States (lower 48 States). The list contains 11,344 unique names: 598 taxa for Alaska, 5,848 taxa for Hawaii, and 6,675 taxa for the conterminous United States.
The list is available to the public from U.S. Geological Survey ScienceBase, and the intent, though not a guarantee, is to update the list as non-native species become established in, or are eliminated from, the United States. The list has been used to annotate non-native species occurrence records in the U.S. Geological Survey all-taxa mapping application, Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON).
Open-File Report 2018-1156, 15 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181156.
North Carolina State University. Cooperative Extension. Going Native: Urban Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants.
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry. Maine Natural Areas Program.
See also: Official 2019 Endorsement of the Advisory List of Invasive Plants (PDF | 711 KB) by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
New Mexico Department of Agriculture.
See also: Noxious Weed Information for more resources.
University of New Zealand. Massey University.
Colorado Department of Agriculture. Conservation Services Division.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Galveston Bay Estuary Program; Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC).
Western Governors' Association.
Wildlife Forever has partnered with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to map invasive species and their connection to congressional districts of the western United States. The new report commissioned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) highlights 25 nonindigenous aquatic species (NAS) and ranks congressional districts’ level of infestations. See Nonindigenous Aquatic Species in the West for more information and for the "Battle of the Bads!" report.


The inns and taverns of western Sussex, 1550-1700 : a regional study of their architectural and social history
This is a regional study, providing a detailed examination of the inns and taverns situated in the western part of the county of Sussex in the south-east of England. At the beginning of the period the English inn and tavern was entering an era of expansion and proliferation, though numbers grew only slowly in the region; by its end communications had worsened and there had been no great improvement to standards of paid hospitality. There were c.40 inns in 1550, increasing to c.120 by 1700; two-thirds were urban, some of which may have been taverns, either individually or more usually functioning as inns .that sold wine. Problems of definition are examined in some detail. The period sees some inns growing in architectural as well as social terms, while others decline, disappearing from the written and physical record. Reasons for their rise and fall are discussed.


Denso™ Encapsulates Lead Based Coating on Suspended Pipeline
Exposed Surface Coatings
|Denso ColourTape™ and Denso Glass Outerwrap™
Just outside of a small town in Northern British Columbia, Canada is a dated railcar bridge that crosses over the Upper Fraser River. The rivers in Northern B.C. are fed primarily by glaciers and run-off from the snow capped peaks of the nearby mountains and supply much of the province with drinking water as well as provide a safe habitat for native fish species such as salmon and sturgeon and are closely monitored for any sources of contamination.
Suspended from the lower deck of the bridge is an oil pipeline that was originally coated with a lead based paint that had begun to flake off and subsequently fall into the pristine fresh-water river. The decision was made to use Steelcoat™ ColourTape to overwrap the existing lead paint in order to encapsulate the pipeline and prevent any further lead contamination of the river, Denso Glass Outerwrap™ was used to mechanically strengthen the coating system in locations where the pipe was suspended by saddles. Denso™ Tape was chosen because of its general properties, ease of installation and because of its resistance to ultra-violet rays. This coating system was also chosen because the surface preparation requirement is minimal and allowed the contractor to wrap the pipeline without abrasive blasting and therefore having to forego the immense and costly task of not only involving blast equipment and additional manpower but also structuring a lead containment system to be suspended under the bridge.
Fortunately the existing coating failure was in the very early stages so very little contamination ever entered the waterway. The work was accomplished by building a temporary scaffolding system that was suspended from the bridge allowing workers to access the full length of the pipeline crossing and successfully coat the pipe as the occasional train rattled across the upper deck of the bridge.


6 November 1998
Chirle, (whom we still cannot help calling Shirley), is already proving herself a treasure. She seems honest to a fault, and is certainly a more efficient worker than any of our previous helps. I do not know whether it is she who is naive or us, but she was shocked and stunned when we offered to pay her overtime for babysitting one night – she had been quite happy to babysit for free, it seems – and most days she works longer hours than we had agreed, and I have to almost persuade her to go home. I find all this quite embarrassing (very gratifying, but embarrassing all the same), but she seems to think nothing of it.
She has also been instrumental in introducing Elena to another new friend in the building – all these kids that we knew nothing about! – which, since her previous friend Nicole has just moved away, is great for both of them, and also for us. Sofia is also a much better behaved child than Nicole, and a little older, so hopefully Elena might pick up some better manners... They are already inseparable, and spend a lot of time holding hands, and Elena has even been known to eat eggs when Sophia is around!
Elena’s last school report continued in the positive vein of previous ones, with special mention of her excellent command of Spanish (although I still think that they are probably over-compensating for the fact that she also speaks English, which I think is a red herring). So, all in all, it seems that we can now probably put the Maritza Crisis well and truly behind us, and launch ourselves whole-heartedly into the Chirle Era.
The local news in Colombia continues to be depressing to say the least. The long-heralded despeje (a total pull-out by the army as a gesture of goodwill in the peace process) in parts of the lowlands in the east of the country went ahead, and these parts are now effectively run by the leftist FARC guerillas. The right-wing paramilitary groups in the region (and elsewhere) have continued with their regular massacres in unheard-of God-forsaken villages, and the FARC seem just as powerless against them as the army were. It was interesting to read the recent comments of an American negotiator who was instrumental in the successful El Salvador peace process, that he does not see the same sort of overwhelming rejection of violence in Colombia as he saw in El Salvador, and the scale of the country is on such a different level from that of El Salvador as to make any comparisons and predictions futile (just the area involved in the despeje is over twice the size of El Salvador). Not exactly optimistic...
Even talking to friends, the acceptance of the violence in the country as a given and unavoidable fact seems to be so deeply ingrained in the national psyche as to be almost sacrosanct. The normal reaction is just to play it down, or often to avoid the subject completely, and internalize it all. Many is the time that we have discussed the matter with friends only to find out later from a different source that members of their family had been killed or kidnapped by the guerrilla or the paramilitaries. Almost everyone knows someone who has suffered from the violence in some way or other, but it is almost taboo to speak about it, like admitting to cancer or AIDS.
For the past three weeks or so, my computer has been out of commission and awaiting parts from the States after it blew up during an electrical storm (despite having a voltage surge protector). I was shocked at how painful it was to be denied access to the Internet, and especially to e-mail, and it made me realize how much I have come to rely on it. I have been using the time I suddenly found on my hands to catch up on typing up (using Julie’s computer) my diary of some of the early months of our sojourn in South America, and also in producing a web-page of the History of the World research I did some years ago in Venezuela.
Julie and Elena went off to Florida for some serious mother-daughter bonding and, as I am afraid that I could not face Disney World yet again, I went off in the opposite direction for a few days, down to Pasto in deepest southern Colombia. That particular direction required a 4.30am start, which turned out to be a real waste of valuable sleep time as the plane (which would have left late anyway) developed a serious unidentified burning smell before it even took off, necessitating a change of plane and of course a delay. This new plane got us as far as Cali with no problems at all, but there we were told that Pasto airport was closed due to bad weather. Another wait. But I did get there eventually and, as we flew in low over the spectacular deep valleys and green, green mountains of Nariño state, I remembered why I had come.
|Nariño, Colombia (Pasto, Laguna de la Cocha, Santuario Las lajas, Volcán Galeras)
Pasto sits at 2,530m above sea level, surrounded by green mountains and apparently permanent mist and cloud.
It is one of the oldest cities in Colombia, founded in 1536, and, although regular earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have ensured that not much remains from the early days of the Spanish Conquest, it does still have something of a colonial feel, with its run-down old houses and ornate wooden balconies. What it does have is an excess of huge old churches, many of them in wedding-cake neo-Gothic style, and boasting garish paint-jobs. The Iglesia de Cristo Rey, for example, has a rather bizarre yellow, orange and pink checker-board colour scheme, green tiled domes and huge round stained-glass windows.
The city also seemed to have an
excess of bakeries (although all selling the same limited range of products), fat teenagers, laminating machines and winos. I know all this because I spent most of the rest of the first day plodding methodically around its streets, in less than ideal weather, when I discovered that everything (but everything!) closes on a Sunday in Pasto. God, how I walked those streets! – including some in a barrio where I should probably not have been walking, in search of a now-defunct car-rental company. At any rate, I booked into the local gringo hotel, inexplicably called Koala Inn, and made the best of their Internet facilities, as I had failed miserably to reach Julie by phone (I even made the hotel a web-site on my return).
Unbeknown to me, the next day was a Bank Holiday, and so I had the same problem all over again. Reduced to public transport, I took a bus out to Laguna de la Cocha, despite yet more distinctly unpromising weather. With my decadent and spoilt lifestyle, it is rare that I travel on the local buses, so I looked on it as a cultural experience. In true South American style, the whole bus was crammed inside and out with bags, boxes, packages and mysterious bundles, and the driver’s section was a veritable gallery of icons, lucky charms, shrines and other paraphernalia.
I was a little taken aback when a shout of "Bolsa! Bolsa!" went up, and a couple of sick-bags were very rapidly and efficiently passed back (although with the bumps and the constant curves, it was probably no surprise, and certainly everyone else knew exactly what was going on). Not that I particularly mind travelling with the great unwashed (and they certainly were), or even with the mentally retarded (there were those too). The main problem I have with buses is that if I see that perfect photo passing by, I find it very frustrating that everyone else is not clamouring to get out and snap it too. But the bus did get me to El Encano – not that there had been much chance of my seeing much in between times due to the thick mist and cloud which was clearly following me around.
From there I walked down a little side road which dead-ended at the unimaginatively-named El Puerto, a little village perched on the boggy wetlands which edge the lake and its little river. It is a rather strange but quite quaint little town, full of little Swiss-style wooden chalets with balconies covered in flowers and potted plants. Rickety little wooden bridges criss-crossed the river, and brightly-coloured barges ply their trade up and down it. All the restaurants specialized in lake trout and guinea-pigs and very little else, although I did manage to find one which produced some markedly inferior strawberries and cream for me.
Laguna de la Cocha is the largest lake
in Southern Colombia, and nestles at 2,800m among green forested mountains.
Despite the continuing persistent drizzle and low cloud, I decided anyway to take the short boat trip across to Isla La Corota, designated a National Park and Nature Reserve for the wealth of undisturbed primary forest which covers it. Apparently 500 species of trees have been identified in its tiny 8 hectare area, and many of these were marked along the short trail I followed across the island, although they were all so heavily covered with mosses, bromeliads, lichens and epiphytes that it was frankly very difficult to tell one from another.
An interesting local initiative has also established up to twenty private mini nature reserves around the edge of the lake, and local land owners have been encouraged to conserve the forest rather than burn it for charcoal which has always been the historical land use in the area. But I decided to head back towards Pasto rather than embark on a potential wild goose chase for one of these. At a pee-stop on the way back, I decided to leave the bus and walk the last 10km as finally the weather had cheered up a little, and I could at last appreciate the beauty of the surrounding countryside, with its emerald green checker-board of cultivated fields, and the vast views over distant villages and forested peaks.
Next day, almost as expected, the rental car I thought I had managed to arrange (against all odds) fell through after two or three wasted hours sitting around waiting. Deprived of my natural travel appendage and forced back onto public transport, I decided to try and make the best of it anyway and took a shared taxi to Ipiales, hard on the Ecuadorian border.
Cramped as I was, and almost sitting on the gear-stick, I at least had a good view of the wonderful scenery through which we passed, and for the first time the weather was relatively kind. From rolling green farmland to dark, brooding, rocky mountains to improbably huge valleys and canyons, it was all stirring stuff, and once again I was frustrated at not being able to take my normal excessive complement of photos. Crossing the huge Guáitara valley and gorge (largely unknown but quite stunning) was nothing short of spectacular.
Ipiales was the expected unexceptional border town – grubby, a couple of OK churches and a bad attitude –
but it was after all only a passing stop en route to the nearby Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Las Lajas. Having negotiated the gauntlet of the masses of stalls selling tacky toys and tasteless religious souvenirs (the current favourite seemed to be a holographic image of Jesus which opened and closed its eyes depending on the angle – pretty tasteful, eh?), an uncountable number of steps led down the side of the youthful Guáitara gorge, past a splendid high waterfall, to the church itself,
a dramatic and ornate black-and-white Gothic construction. Its setting is quite unique: it is built on the side of a cliff - the altar itself is set into the rock-face of the canyon - and sort of perched on top of a high-arched bridge across the river gorge. It is hemmed in by plaques commemorating the huge number of miracles credited to it, which has made it Colombia’s (and Ecuador’s for that matter) number one place of pilgrimage.
I splashed out on a personal taxi to take me back to Pasto by a slightly different route, on the understanding that I would have to get out from time to time for photos. The alternative route was along higher and much more open ground, through beautiful green farmland, and, although the drizzle had caught up with me again at the Santuario, I even managed to outrun it for a short time. After Guachucal, however, it had obviously called for reinforcements and the rest of the journey, including snow-capped Volcán Cumbal and nearby Volcán Azufral and the spectacular descent back into the Guáitara canyon from Túquerres, was lost in rain, cloud and more drizzle. "Come back in August" they all told me, which was little consolation at the time.
My last day started as gloomy and overcast as all the rest, so that initially I thought twice about attempting to climb Volcán Galeras, the huge (and still very active) volcanic mass which casts its rain-shadow over Pasto.
But I went anyway, and was glad I did as the sun did deign to show itself at least briefly, and anyway the views over Pasto and the surrounding mountains and valleys were nothing short of stunning. The track led up from the outskirts of Pasto through potato fields, potato fields and, well, potato fields, until it reached a height where presumably potatoes do not grow so well, and the natural vegetation of the shrubs and bushes which characterize the Andean forest took over. Up to about 3,600m (about two-and-a-half hours walking) things went fine, but there I found that the final section up to the crater rim of Galeras at 4,276m was out of bounds, supposedly due to potential volcanic activity, which was a bit of a shame after expending all that effort, although not completely unexpected.
And so ended my first trip to Nariño, and although I had been frustrated by the weather and by circumstances in some of the things I wanted to do, I felt that I had seen enough not to justify a return trip, even in better weather. My flight back to Bogotá was two hours late, and I knew then that it was not just the weather and the lack of organization I had a problem with – it was fate!
My friend Chris earned the distinction of being the first person to make a return visit to us in Colombia. We are hard-pushed to get anyone to visit us here, although those who have visited have always been well satisfied, pleasantly surprised, and more than happy with what they have seen, and while Chris may not have another adventure to match the Cuidad Perdida trip, he was happy for me to organize whatever I thought he may like (an approach of which I wholeheartedly approve). Unfortunately, the first week was a little awkward as Julie was away in Caracas, but we did manage a few day-trips, and the weather was not as bad as it has been recently.
On one of those I finally managed to see at least some of Parque Chicaque, which on my previous attempts had either been elusive or closed. This time it was neither of those things, but it was covered in a thick blanket of mist and cloud, although having braved nearly two hours of traffic on the Autopista del Sur to get there, we sampled what we could of it anyway. We walked down the steep trail through the dripping cloud forest, and were all but amazed to find the lodge restaurant open, despite the almost complete absence of other people. The huge sheer-sided rock faces of the valley peeped out from the cloud from time to time, and a very hazy view down over the Río Bogotá way below put in an appearance all too briefly. After walking some more of the trails and re-charging our batteries in the restaurant, we hobbled back up the main trail, which now seemed twice as steep - whoever arranged for the entrance to be at the top and not at the bottom? Clearly another attempt was needed to see the park at better advantage.
At the weekend, we drove up north past Tunja and into the beautiful, rolling, green, pastoral scenery of Boyacá state. We were delayed for over an hour en route due to an interminable cycle race, but we still made it to Paipa by just after midday.
Paipa is an old town at 2,520m above sea level, surrounded by beautiful hills and several thermal springs. Attached to the springs are any number of hotels, resorts and conference centres (and even thermo-electric power stations!), and the area is a well-known weekend getaway for the gringos of Bogotá. Friends had recommended a particular hotel just outside Paipa, and when we found it we saw why. La Casona del Salitre is an old señorial mansion built in 1770, where Simón Bolívar stayed for a while during the independence battles of the area, and is now a very pretty hotel and a National Monument to boot.
|Paipa, Boyacá, Colombia (Paipa, Lago de Tota, Monguí)
The main cobbled courtyard is dominated by the
hugest eucalyptus tree you ever did see, which gives shade over the whole of the courtyard and much of the house as well. Various other courtyards are beautifully decorated with flowers and climbing shrubs, and the various arcades and nooks and crannies are festooned with hanging baskets, as if there were not already enough colour. Passing from the eucalyptus-shaded courtyard to the sunny rear of the house involves a noticeable temperature change of about 5°C at any time of day, and it is there that the hotel's thermal pool is found too. Although piped in from a spring some half-kilometre away, the water is nevertheless extremely hot, and I had to try and persuade Elena to wade in slowly and not to try and break any swimming records. But how civilized to bathe in the mineral-rich waters, and then retire to a pool-side gourmet meal!
Later in the afternoon we drove out of Paipa, (along a road I had last been on some four years earlier),
through Sogamosa and then steeply up into the mountains above. Crossing a pass we had a high-level view of island-studded Lago de Tota down below at 3,015m. But this time I had time to drive down to the lake-side, past Aquitania (self-proclaimed "Onion Capital of Colombia", and indeed it did seem to be the only crop grown in the whole area) and Tota, before turning off onto the pretty back-roads back to Paipa. The roads were rough and we did not quite make it back in daylight, but Elena had acquitted herself well, and we were all agreed that it had been an interesting short trip.
The next day we went in search of artesanía shops but, as everything was closed on Sunday morning in Boyacá,
we drove on through the beautiful countryside in which the state abounds to the little hill-top village of Monguí, recent winner of the "Prettiest Town in Boyacá" contest. It is a very traditional old town of steep flower-decked streets and well-maintained (although not manicured) old houses. The weather was sunny and fresh at 2,900m above sea level, and we pottered around the pleasantly asymmetric main square, with cheerful little fountains in unexpected places and colourful gardens, and its huge church and convent whose complex of pan-tiled roofs were best appreciated from the steep hill just behind them. There seemed to be various natural and cultural attractions in the surrounding area, about which I had known nothing previously, and which would certainly justify another more leisurely visit.
Despite my prevarications, we did eventually find some artesanía shops open, notably the beautiful Puntolargo complex of hotel, restaurant and craft workshops near Duitama, which had one of the finest flower displays I have seen in Colombia, and where Julie bought a large wooden box which very nearly did not fit in the car. Elena slept most of the way back to Bogotá, and after the usual inexplicable traffic delays entering the city we arrived back suitably exhausted after our relaxing weekend.


Hells Gate National park is found in the Great Rift Valley in Naivasha. It is about 35 km from Naivasha town, a 45 min drive via Moi South Lake Road or Olkaria Route. It is at a distance of about 120 km from Nairobi CBD, a 3 hours’ drive via Old Naivasha Road.
It bears the name ‘Hells Gate” due to the vigorous geothermal activities within its boundaries. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is the chief custodian of this national park.
This park is popular due to its natural formations such as towering cliffs, geothermal steam plumes, gorges, stark rock towers, and volcanoes.
Hells Gate National Park Animals/ Wildlife
Major wildlife here includes the Zebra, African Buffalo, Hartebeest, Baboon, Eland, Thomson’s gazelle, Antelope, and Mountain Reedbuck.
There is also a wide variety of birds and include the vulture, eagle, augur buzzard, swifts among others.
Naivasha weather and Climate
Temperature is about 25C on average, with an average rainfall of about 450mm. In a year, there are two rain seasons. The long rains begin from March up to April and the short rains begin from November up to December.
Hells Gate National Park Trip
You can visit Hells Gate a single safari all include it in a safari that comprises other Naivasha and Nakuru attraction sites
Hells Gate is quite hot with the
It is therefore advisable to wear sunglasses, sunscreen, light clothes, a big hut that covers even your shoulders, and strong but light boots since it is very rocky hear.
It also important to carry drinking water, a camera (it is scenic here), binoculars, picnic items and camping equipment (in case you will camp here)
Hells Gate National Park Attractions
Why is the park popular? It offers great
Things to do in Hells Gate National Park
- Biking and this starts as you enter the road leading to Hells Gate. You will find a station where an
individual(with the permission of KWS to benefit the local communities) rent bikes. Bikes are of different types but don’t fall on those with two riders-there are not meant for touring in rocky areas. Trust me, we tried and didn’t work out. What a waste of money. If you get tired of the bike, you drop it anywhere there is a custodian in the park and will get back to the owner. Don’t get bothered by that, it is the order there.
- Bird watching
- Camping–three major campsites are found here and include Endachata campsite,
NaiburtaCampsite, and OldubaiCampsite.
- Game viewing
- Hiking-this is brilliant especially when in a group
- Rock climbing
Hells Gate National Park Accommodation
Hotels and Lodges near Hells Gate include;
- Enashipai Resort & Spa
- Lake Naivasha Country Club
- Kiboko Luxury Camp
- Naivasha Kongoni Lodge
- Ol Loika
- Aloepark Hotel among others- See them all here
Hells Gate National Park Entrance Fees
See the below park charges
- Citizen: Adult KES 300, Child KES 215
- Residents: Adult KES 600, Child KES 30
- Non-resident: Adult $26, Child $17
Landline: 0202384417, Mobile: 0720968527, Email: firstname.lastname@example.org
KWS Reservations: Tel: +254-20-2379407
Postal Address: The Senior Warden, Tsavo West National Park, P.O. Box 71-90128, Mtito Andei, Kenya.
How to get there
- Road– You can access Hell Gate via Nairobi-Naivasha Road on the Moi South Lake Road 5 km before you get to Naivasha town
- Air-through Naivasha Airstrip
Have a happy a wildlife visit!


- Name Tops to Myall Heritage Trail
- Length of trail 220 km, 137 miles
- Length in days 11 days
- Traildino grading MW, Moderate walk, backpacking trail
- Hut tour grading T1, Walk
220 km, 11 days, March - April and September - October
The Tops to Myall Heritage Trail is a track in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. It starts on the crest of the Great Dividing Range – say the Australian Appalachians - north of Sydney. The hike descends in stages to the sea, where you will end up in the seaside town of Tea Gardens. Since the trail is rarely walked, the current status should be checked before setting off.


East London has a proud history of using waterways to provide prosperity and leisure and London 2012 is making a contribution to reviving this tradition. I joined British Waterways’ board recently in a review of the potential for the rivers and canals around the Olympic Park to contribute to the Games and a sustainable legacy.
Various presentations took place during the day to start to illustrate the potential of this water city region. One of the most compelling was by Councillor Paul Brickell who neatly linked past and present by telling the audience that his great-grandfather had drowned in the Thames before setting out his perspective on the huge potential of the area for regeneration.
The best stories however were from the rivers themselves. We travelled very slowly from Old Ford to Limehouse and very quickly from Limehouse to Canary Wharf. The trip from Old Ford gave a unique perspective to the Olympic Park, taking in the Forman and Field salmon smokery, a 100 year old business that was on the Olympic Park site, relocated just over the canal and now boasting an art gallery and swanky restaurant. They have purchased a plot of land next door to provide canal side corporate hospitality a few metres from the boundary of the park with a stunning view over the stadium. Smart move! Another example entrepreneurial endeavour can be seen a few metres along the waterway; a rickety shed with a hand painted sign proclaiming “Olympic cycle hire”. It is clear that the IOC’s lawyers have never travelled this route. The navigation is very mixed, with some interesting developments but many parts of the journey were flanked with derelict buildings and graffiti strewn walls. The responsibility for removing graffiti lies with whoever owns the wall, making it very difficult to control alongside a waterway. We passed a barge with a collection of stuff dredged from the canal, a collection of supermarket trolleys, bikes, a refrigerator and even a motorbike. Maintaining our waterways is a never-ending job. The journey emerges into Limehouse Basin, with lots of expensive looking flats in an orgy of “waterfront living” but not very much infrastructure and not much evidence of mix of uses. The basin contains some very rare residential moorings, providing some character and animation to the waterway. During the Games, and hopefully afterwards, water taxis will ferry people on this route. A lot of work needs to be done to make the journey more pleasant but the potential for a charming and unhurried journey to and from the Park is there to be seen.
A white knuckle ride in a fast RIB around the Isle of Dogs to Canary Wharf took about 10 minutes (the Docklands Light Railway is probably just as quick but not as much fun). Entering Canary Wharf through a lock the same size as those on the Panama Canal gives a very different perspective to this place. Emerging from the tube it looks like a characterless collection of tall buildings. Enter by water and it is an inland port, capable of hosting super-yachts, naval and large commercial vessels, with the buildings providing a stunning backdrop to the water. These waterways need animating to enrich this area culturally in the same way as it has been enriched financially by the banks that seem to continue to thrive there despite the credit crunch.
Waterways are part of East London’s heritage and need to be part of its future as a sustainable place to live, work and play.
No chance of you being taken down te rest of the River Lea and by passing the Limehouse Cut at Bow Locks then?
Past the long overlooked tips and scrap yards that were to have been “regenerated” by now.
Parts of the East end have been regenerated by the advent of the Olympics at cost to other areas that are not quite so close. Interesting that Paul Brickell did n’t mention the Poplar Riverside area that his company Leaside Regeneration Ltd have been spinning for the last 8 years.
Nope lets make sure nobody sees that and go down the Limehouse Cut to Limehouse Basin…
Poplar Riverside masterplans were well in place before the Olympics were awarded – funny how all the money got sucked away thereafter.
Many thanks for your comment on my blog. I will take up the issue with Paul Brickell and with British Waterways. It is important to understand all sides of the Olympic regeneration story, not just the positive aspects.
I will let you know if I get a response.


LEONARDTOWN, Md. (January 6, 2016) — CASA of Southern Maryland, a program of the Center For Children located in Leonardtown, has sworn in four new advocates to serve in St. Mary’s County. The new advocates are Megan Monahan of Leonardtown, and Karen Lester, Amy Fournier, and Sheree White of Lexington Park. Click To View A Scan of the Article.
Source: The Enterprise, 2016


New Gen 3 Glock 21 with mepro nite sites for $699.00 (+ uncle sams cut)
It really depends on your area. Glocks here are about as cheap as anywhere and I could probably get that 21 for 550 w/o the meps, probably $630 w/ the meps. Heck, even in VA prices vary. My local shop wants 650 +/- for a NIB 21 w/o night sights.
That could be the going rate in your neck of the woods.


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On hot summer days we often choose one of the rivers and lakes in our area for a refreshing dip in the water. One of the first little lakes we discovered here was “Lago dei Gulli” in Sassello. If you don’t have the Google Maps coordinates it’s almost impossible to find. First you follow a small road that turns into a gravel road, then there’s this tiny bridge over the river, you turn to the right on a forest road and then … you cross an impressive new bridge that stands out in these natural surroundings.
In the summer months or during the weekend you will often find families enjoying the beach on the river, young people who jump off the rocks and groups that picnic or even have a barbecue.
But we usually go in the morning during the week and a lot of the times we have this little piece of paradise all for ourselves.
Our dog, Mia also enjoys our trips to the Lago dei Gulli, because we often combine a visit to the lake with a nice walk in this green, unspoiled valley. And we are not the only dog lovers who have discovered this piece of Italian paradise.
Afterwards we often go for a snack or a drink to the nearby village of Sassello. It is a small, charming place that is very popular with motorcyclists because of the quiet, winding roads that lead to it. In the summer there are often events. One time we were very lucky, there was just a meeting of oldtimers and we enjoyed watching all these beautiful cars and their proud owners. Little surprises like that always make our outings even more memorable.
Google Maps Lago dei Gulli : https://goo.gl/maps/yqTTSw8juXM4KUiL7


Ambitious light rail projects in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Phoenix underscore a paradox of auto-centric cities: As traffic worsens, even taxpayers who love their cars look favorably on public transit.
As in Denver, voters in these highway-dependant cities have approved massive rail arterials largely as inoculants against congestion. Whether their lines will actually unsnarl roadways is still a matter of debate; research has suggested that even with infrastructure alternatives in place, growing populations tend to fill freeways. But some ridership patterns, especially among students, present good news for lovers of both public transit and wide-open roads.
Los Angeles regularly tops national “worst traffic” lists, but a recent report assembled by George Washington University and Smart Growth America gave it a new spot of honor this year: One of the future’s most walkable cities.
That’s partly because of rail, according to Marc Littman with L.A. Metro. In the last two decades, Los Angeles workers have constructed four light rail and two subway lines covering 87 miles, and multiple expansions are in the works.
Before Measure R was proposed in L.A. County to implement a half-cent sales tax increase to fund transportation projects (voters approved the measure in 2008), L.A. Metro polling found that traffic congestion, safety and highway accidents were top concerns.
“We can’t build more roads,” Littman says. “There’s no land. We can’t build double-decker freeways.”
Environmental factors swayed Southern California voters as well. The L.A. Times endorsement declared that if Measure R failed “pollution will only worsen,” mirroring arguments for California’s high-speed rail that focus on climate change. But not all voters share these priorities. In Salt Lake City, congestion alleviation carries more weight.
“We have a very conservative population,” says Hal Johnson with Utah Transit Authority. “We’re a red state, and more of our voters tend to like transit based on business rather than environmental concerns.”
The transit authority tried to fund its TRAX project with tax revenue in the early ’90s, but voters rejected the initiative. According to one report, protestors at the project’s groundbreaking several years later held signs reading “Light Rail Kills Children.” By 2006, however, voters did approve a measure directing tax funds to rail expansion.
Johnson says partnerships with the local business community have been key, along with outreach that emphasizes how rail actually benefits drivers.
“We don’t look at them as competing,” he says.
A clever UTA ad from several years ago demonstrates the utility’s tactic:
As CityLab reported in June, Denver has relied on similar strategies. After freeway-widening projects did little to ease congestion, voters turned to trains.
“Denver is a car town,” Phil Washington of the Regional Transportation District told the story’s writer. Later in the article he said: “From the start, we made it clear we weren’t competing with the car.”
But some research questions whether rail lines actually do thin roadway congestion. A much-cited study published by the Journal of Transport Geography examined data from light rail in four British cities over 10 years, concluding that train ridership comes mainly from buses instead of cars. The study also pointed out that as some cars left the road for public transit, others took their place.
In Seattle, Geoff Patrick with Sound Transit outlines the nuances of marketing rail. Voters passed a tax increase to expand the region’s rails in 2008 but, because of factors like those listed in the study, the agency has tried not to make promises it can’t deliver.
“People who ride a train or bus are not competing for clear roadway space — that’s clear and irrefutable,” he says. “Where I think you need to be careful is in creating a promise that traffic will recede from its current levels.”
Congestion can be tied to so many things: driver patterns, bus service and development density, to name only a few. It’s difficult to prove overall that one factor reduces it. But regional reports on the subject do show some interesting trends.
For example, researchers from the University of Utah and the National Institute for Transportation and Communities released a joint report in June examining Salt Lake City’s rail.
“Our calculations show that without the University TRAX line, there would be at least 7,300 more cars per day on 400/500 South, and possibly as many as 21,700 additional cars,” a press release for the study states.
And Phoenix’s new light rail shows similar trends.
Albert Santana, a Phoenix light rail project administrator, says the region’s new system has been more successful than even the agency hoped. Their goal was to serve 26,000 riders a day, but so far they’ve drawn nearly 45,000 riders a day — a figure they’d hoped to have by 2020.
Santana believes the reasons echo Utah. Around 35 percent of Metro’s ridership comes from students, he says.
These figures may not demonstrate a universal fix for congestion right now, but carless culture skews young. Over time, light rail’s thinning effect on nearby roadways will likely be magnified.
Echoing many a trend piece on millennials, Santana sums up Phoenix Metro’s increasing popularity.
“The youth these days are not rushing out to buy cars,” he says.
The Works is made possible with the support of the Surdna Foundation.
Rachel Dovey is an award-winning freelance writer and former USC Annenberg fellow living at the northern tip of California’s Bay Area. She writes about infrastructure, water and climate change and has been published by Bust, Wired, Paste, SF Weekly, the East Bay Express and the North Bay Bohemian


From East Coast cottages to island dwellings, this special issue of The Cottage Journal will transport you to the coast. Embrace the calm relaxation of beach side living in your own home with style ideas and décor inspiration from cottages near and far. Explore the various architectural styles and designs of beachy abodes from the island of Nantucket to the Caribbean island of Bermuda. Wonder at the beauty of seaside gardens, the precision of a quilt artist, and the skill of an artist who uses shells as his medium. You might live a few steps or a few hundred miles from the shore, but we hope this issue allows you to be carried away by a tranquil sea breeze, if only for a moment.


The Pacific Coast Way: road-tripping from Cairns to Brisbane
With reef-fringed beaches and islands on one side, and lush rainforest and national park on the other, the Pacific Coast Way is one of the best ways to experience Queensland’s spectacular and diverse east coast.
Read on for everything you need to know to plan eight days of bucket-list-worthy adventure. (Or if you prefer to start out from Brisbane, here’s how to do the Pacific Coast Way in reverse.)
Day 1: Reconnect with nature in Cairns
You’ve got a lot of miles ahead of you – but before you start your long journey south, spend a day exploring Cairns and its surrounding rainforest, beaches and reefs.
If time is on your side, hop aboard a half or full day boat trip and snorkel or dive your way around the Great Barrier Reef. Prefer to stay on dry land? Learn about the Aboriginal people’s connection to nature on a tour of the Daintree Rainforest with an Indigenous guide.
At the end of an action-packed day, fall asleep to the sound of waves gently lapping the shore from your beachfront suite at the Alamanda Palm Cove.
Day 2: Chase waterfalls en route to Townsville
Start your day right with breakfast on the picturesque Palm Cove esplanade. NuNu’s famous coconut and banana hotcakes with coconut sugar caramel and coconut sorbet come highly recommended.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can be at the spectacular Nandroya Falls in Wooroonooran National Park in less than two hours. Take the 6km circuit track which winds along the upper valley of Douglas Creek to reach the falls: an uninterrupted 50m wall of water that descends from the basalt parapet above into the base of the falls below.
From there, it’s back on the road ‘til you reach home for the night: the stylish Rambutan boutique hotel in Townsville.
Day 3: Spend the night on a tropical Whitsunday island
See for yourself what makes sunrise at Townsville’s Castle Hill so special. Wake up early and hike to the summit of this giant pink monolith to be rewarded with 360 degree views. If time (or your energy reserves) are limited, driving to the top is also an option.
From here, it’s a 3 hour drive to Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. No visit to the Whitsunday Coast is complete without a spot of island-hopping, so set sail for Daydream Island for an overnighter at the Daydream Island Resort and Spa.
Watch the sun set with a drink in hand, then take your pick from the resort’s three restaurants – Graze, Infinity, and Inkstone Kitchen & Bar.
Day 4: Trek through national park in the Mackay region
Back on the mainland, set off on your 2.5-hour drive to the sub-tropical oasis of Eungella National Park. Stop for lunch along the way at the Pinnacle Family Hotel: part pub, part bakery and birthplace of the award-winning Pinnacle pie.
Check-in to your rainforest eco-retreat at Broken River, then head back out to explore the lush national park. Keep a lookout for the elusive duck-billed platypus – the riverbank around the property is home to a significant platypus community.
Take the short yet scenic walking track up to the aptly-named Sky Window Lookout for sunset. As night falls, return to your cabin and warm up by the log-burning stove.
Day 5: Journey from the mountains to the Capricorn Coast
Get up and out in time to enjoy sunrise and views over the Pioneer Valley at local landmark Eungella Chalet. From here, it’s a mammoth 420 km journey to the seaside town of Yeppoon, just north of Rockhampton.
Head to Yeppoon harbour for dinner and sundowners overlooking the Pacific Ocean, then rest your head for the night at Oshen Apartments.
If you fancy a break from driving, pause your road trip for a day or two and get back to nature on nearby Great Keppel Island.
Day 6: Witness the life cycle of the sea turtle in Bundaberg
Get your heart racing with a 2.3km return hike to Bluff Point at the southern end of town. Part of the Capricorn Coast National Park, this spot is a favourite with walkers thanks to its impressive views over to the Keppel Islands.
Wave goodbye to Yeppoon and hit the road to Bundaberg, a historic sugar cane city and home to Mon Repos Beach, the largest concentration of nesting marine turtles on the eastern Australian mainland. Visit between November and March to witness the rare sight of mama loggerhead turtles nesting and, later in the season, hatchlings scuttling down to the sea.
Just south of Mon Repos are the waterfront apartments of Manta Bargara Resort where you’ll be spending the night.
Day 7: Forage for farm-fresh produce on the way to Rainbow Beach
Don’t leave town without tucking into breakfast at Bundaberg’s hippest eatery, Indulge Café. From Bundaberg limes to locally caught Spanish mackerel, their seasonal menu makes the most of the home-grown produce this region is famous for.
You’ll have even more opportunities to sample locally-harvested fruit and veggies on route from Bundaberg to Rainbow Beach. Keep a lookout for ‘farm gates’ (roadside produce stalls based on the honesty box system) and stock up on strawberries, macadamias, and mangoes (some farms even make ice cream made from the fresh fruit).
On arrival at Rainbow Beach, head off-road to explore Inskip Point Peninsula, a narrow, sandy finger of land built up by wind and waves to form a natural breakwater. Some parts of the beach can be accessed by 2WD but make sure you check conditions here before you set off.
Spend your final night on the road in comfort at Rainbow Ocean Palms Resort.
DAY 8: Go beach horse-riding and climb a giant sand dune
End your journey on a high with a sunrise hike to the top of Carlo Sand Blow – a sprawling, 15-hectare sand dune just south of Rainbow Beach. From the carpark, take the 600m winding bush track to reach the top of the dune where you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of Cooloola Cove and Tin Can Bay.
After breakfast, saddle up for one last adventure: a horse ride along the beach. Then, it’s time to brush off the sand and get ready for the final leg of your Cairns to Brisbane road trip.
Just a 2.5 hour drive later, you’ll arrive in Queensland’s capital city Brisbane. Not quite ready for it all to end? Hang out in Brisbane a little longer, or get straight back on the road. Here’s some more Queensland road trip inspiration to keep you going.


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Close to Ayr seafront and a few metres from the town centre, Mercure Ayr is a comfy hotel with swimming pool, bath spa, gym and a 'Full Swing' golf simulator.
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June 18: Nepal is proud of its water resources. The government has been planning to export mineral water to the Gulf countries. Ironically, Nepal has been importing water from lands full of deserts. According to the Department of Customs, Nepal imported bottled water worth Rs 2.8 million in the last four years from the UAE alone.
Besides the UAE, Nepal also imports bottled water from more than a dozen countries including India, China, France, USA, Singapore, the UK, Hungary, Bangladesh, the Philippines among others.
During the review period, the country imported 2.1 million litres of water worth Rs 73.9 million from those countries. Nepal imports maximum amount of bottled water from India. Records at the customs department shows that water-rich Nepal paid Rs 39.6 million to India for water during the review period.
In the first eight months of the current fiscal year, Nepal imported 3.3 million litres of water worth Rs 17.5 million from abroad.
President of Nepal Bottled Water Industry Association, Subash Bhandari, told New Business Age that the bottled water imported to Nepal is chiefly consumed by five-star hotels, embassies, foreign missions in Nepal and foreigners living in Nepal.
Majority of the embassies use water from their own countries.


Miles driven: 278.8
Miles hiked: 5.3+
I camped outside of town last night and awoke slightly after 6:30 this morning before heading back into town. I meant to get gas while I was in town last night, but completely spaced out and forgot about it. Canyonlands’ closest entry point is 31 miles from Moab and since I knew nothing about the park, I wanted to make sure I had enough gas to get there, drive around, and get back.
The biggest thing I noticed was the lack of people. There was almost no one at all in the park compared to Arches. Every place I stopped had ample parking, with the exception of Upheaval Dome, which I had to circle around twice waiting for a spot to open. I only did the Island in the Sky area of the park, as the second entrance for The Needles area is almost 100 miles away from where I entered. There’s also a section called The Maze, but it’s very remote and the only roads out there are for four wheel drive vehicles.
My first stop was the Shafer Trail Overlook. This is a 4×4 road that goes down into the canyons and leads out to the White Rim Road, a 100-mile long road that follows the white rims of the canyon. I’ve seen pictures people have taken from the trail and it looks awesome, but Henrietta would not be able to make the drive. The trail itself reminds me a lot of the Moki Dugway. Google for pictures of the Shafer Trail, as the view from the overlook does not compare.
It’s an interesting drive through the park, as almost every stop focuses on the canyons, but the drive itself is entirely plains.
Next stop was the Mesa Arch, a very easy 0.5 mile hike out to the arch I’ve seen on tons of postcards. The second picture of the arch below looks like dragon skin to me.
From there, I headed down to the Grand View Point Overlook, a fairly easy 2.0 mile hike along the rim of the canyon. It’s hard to capture the depth and magnitude of what you’re looking at in photographs. There’s a bulldozer in one of the pictures, but it’s impossible to see except in the original picture size; that’s how small it looks compared to everything else.
Next I headed over to Whale Rock, a 1.0 mile hike up a huge rock (kinda looks like a whale… imagine that).
Just around the corner from Whale Rock is Upheaval Dome, which was by far the most crowded of all the stops in the park. There’s an 8.3 mile loop around the entire area, but I was not feeling it. Instead, I just did the two overlooks which is only about 1.8 miles. There was a really awesome tree at the first overlook. I’ve seen a lot of cool trees in the past few days.
My last stop was at the Green River Overlook. It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but the river is green, if you didn’t guess. I’m not sure what causes it, as I didn’t read all the information boards (assuming one of them said why).
It seems like most of the stuff in Canyonlands is more for those who have offroad vehicles. In most of the pictures you can see the 100-mile White Rim Road and it gets so close to all of the places in the park. The Maze is another thing that would be awesome to see, just based on the name, but Henrietta is not a Jeep. Oddly enough, I did sell my Jeep to build her.
I ended up driving over to Capitol Reef National Park later in the evening. I got there around sunset, and although it was sometimes blinding to drive with the sun kicking my eyes’ asses (yes, my eyes have asses), it was an extremely beautiful drive through the park. Capitol Reef is a narrow, but tall park, so the drive across it is less than 30 miles. I drove all the way through the park just to get an idea of what was there and got gas on the opposite side before driving back and camping out at a small parking area just outside the East side of the park.


We are in 1942. The Japanese conquered a large part of the Asia-Pacific, but their spread has been stoped by the United States of America, since the defeat of the Empire of Japan at Battle of Midway. Will you rewrite History ?
********* Notice :
- Green lines mean connections between territories. - Black lines mean borders between the ocean compartments. "Pacific Ocean" compartments are connected each other by their borders. Ocean compartments are connected with lands belonging to their territories.
********* Advice :
- Do not put the Surveillance Card in the game's settings. Or just make sure that the other players will not use it for the Japanese Colonial Empire bonus !