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View Requirements >- Brazilian Visa Requirements to Visit the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
- Get a Cambodian Visa to Visit Banteay Srei
- Get an Indonesian Visa To Ride the Waves in Bali
- Ghana Visa Requirements to Surf and Swim in Akwidaa
- Get a Chinese Visa to Visit the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan
Archive for March, 2011
Brazilian Visa Requirements to Visit the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
March 20th, 2011
This week's featured World Heritage Site is a gorgeous church built in the Rococo style. The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos is located in the city of Minais Gerais, an old prospector's town. During the 18th century, more than 30,000 people moved here hoping to make their fortune. The church was built to serve them. At least according to legend, the striking interior is the masterpiece of crippled sculptor Aleijadinho.
Aleijadinho was the son of a Portuguese carpenter and his slave. Immensely talented, he unfortunately fell prey to leprosy or a similar illness as a young man. The name "Aleijadinho" is a nickname that means "the little cripple." However, his disease didn't stop him from sculpting. He carved the statues inside the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos with chisels
Get a Cambodian Visa to Visit Banteay Srei
March 18th, 2011
If Angkor Wat is the symbol of Cambodia, Banteay Srei is its hidden jewel. Though it's located off the beaten path, it's still fairly easy to get to from Siem Reap.
This tiny temple was built in the 10th century AD. Built of red sandstone, it is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
Part of the attraction of Angkor Wat is its scale: there's something sublime walking through the immense ruins, half reclaimed by the jungle. But Banteay Srei is proof that good things can come in small packages, too. Asia for Visitors calls Banteay Srei "perhaps the most intricately carved and beautiful of the temples." Gods and goddesses adorn the temple's red sandstone walls, all rendered in exquisitely detailed relief.
Tourism of Cambodia gives this rather fanciful description of the site:
"Banteay S
Get an Indonesian Visa To Ride the Waves in Bali
March 18th, 2011
With its turquoise water, gorgeous beaches and excellent waves, Bali is one of the world's top surfing destinations. If you've always dreamed of riding the waves in this island paradise, here's what you need to know to make it happen.
When to Go
The dry season, from April/May to September/November, is the best time to go to Bali for a surfing trip. However, even during the wet season there are still plenty of places to surf. In fact, SurfingBali.com notes that "Bali has surf breaks both the west-facing and east-facing coastlines and, because of this an offshore wind can be found somewhere on the island on any given day. Because of the number of surf breaks and the quality and consistency of the waves in Bali, it is still possible to find a many places to surf with only a small to mod
Ghana Visa Requirements to Surf and Swim in Akwidaa
March 16th, 2011
Located on Ghana's scenic West Coast, the tiny fishing village of Akwidaa seems like an unlikely destination. However, this write-up on Matador Travel has me ready to fill out a Ghana visa application immediately.
Here's how he describes the eco-lodge he stayed at and the surrounding area:
"For Peace Corps workers in West Africa, Green Turtle is Mecca. An untouched beach (one of the most swimmable in the region) lies between two fishing villages and backs up to a rainforest preserve. A ring of beach chalets surround a comfortable open-air bamboo pavilion, where an old fishing boat serves as the bar. The entire place has been built with locally sourced, sustainably harvested materials, solar panels provide electricity, and all of the toilets are composting."
Plus, the best surfing spot
Get a Chinese Visa to Visit the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan
March 13th, 2011
You could literally spend weeks touring this week's featured UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas includes 1.7 million hectares of land inside China's Three Parallel Rivers National Park.
The three rivers in question are among the largest and most important in Asia: the Yangtze, the Mekong and the Salween. Although their courses take them far away from each other, they run roughly parallel in Yunnan province, slicing deep gorges into the steep mountains.
According to UNESCO, "The deep, parallel gorges of the Jinsha, Lancang and Nu Jiang are the outstanding natural feature of the site; while large sections of the three rivers lie just outside the site boundaries, the river gorges are nevertheless the dominant scenic element in the area. High
