#870 Shahara, Yemen

At the top of Jebel Shahara in Northern Yemen, a bumpy military escorted pickup truck ride up an ancient cobble-stoned road, lies an old village with timeless traditions that continue much as they would have millenia ago. Women get water from the central cistern every morning, its green cover a sign of its natural state. The multiple story buildings with icing-like whitewash are the same as they were centuries ago, tall buildings for the age they were built and cozy family-centered communities.

The town itself was a mountain fortress because of its inaccessability, and for centuries has been a safe refuge from invadors (Turkish or domestic) for rural people and Imams alike. It was famous for its scholarship, and the beautiful terraced fields allowed it to be self-sufficient in times of crisis.

The Ancient "Bridge of Sighs" a stone arch above a 300 foot canyon built in the 17th Century to connect two mountain towns is still used to carry grain, sheet, and other local products like the addictive narcotic leaf qat and of course, coffee.

This spectacular place is 2600m above sea level and it is a magnificent journey just to get there. Despite being an important tourist site, there are no restaurants and barely a handful of homestay hotels. The military escort on parts of the road is required by the government due to the likelihood of kidnapping militias, and many cars will not stop en route due to the danger. A really amazing place -- I feel lucky to have been here!

Source: http://www.viewzone.com/y-page31.html

#873 Petra, Jordan

Probably on everyone's bucket list, Petra is one of the most amazing sites in the world and really deserves that place on the must-see list. Some would say that it was made famous by Indiana Jones, but it has been a wonder for millenia ever since the Nabataens built it in the centuries before Christ. Whether it is your first glimpse of the Treasury between the narrow slabs of rock (lit up in the morning sun, or in the afternoon shadows), or the hike up to the Monastery high above the valley floor, its grandeur, its seemingly perfect architecture, symmetry and form and its beautiful pink and red hues are only the beginning of the wonder. 

An enormous city complete with large ampitheatre, houses, government buildings, temples, and other structures, it was no doubt also filled with many temporary structures that form puzzle pieces long gone. The wind has softened many a line, fires lit by sheltering Bedouin have colored many a ceiling, and pathways have changed and been worn by many a donkey. It is beautiful architecture in its own right, but its magnificence is in that instead of being built up, it has been carved out of sold rock, and to enter a room that was once sold and to feel the space shows just what a feat of engineering it was. Oh, what a spectacular place it must have been!

The walk up the mountain to the sacrificial platform was fascinating -- something that no doubt many visitors would be happier to ignore. It was also not the natural formations that were so important -- the control of the water supply was what allowed the city to gain its strength. There are Greek, Syrian and Egyptian influences. Like so many other delights, it was hidden and unknown to the western world until 1812 

I dream of visiting its lesser-known cousin Medain Salah just over the border in Saudi Arabia. One day, I will!

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra

#885 Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia

If I had to pick the most iconic and original piece of architecture in the world, the one I knew from a very young age, it would have to be the Sydney Opera House. A beautiful structure reminiscent of sails, and beautiful from afar, up close, and spectacular when lit up at night -- one day I might even climb it. When I first saw it at the age of 11, it was a real treat, something so awe-inspiring and special it made a memorable impact.

I think the era it was built (started in 1959 and finished in 1973) and the fact that it remains so iconic makes it legendary. Few recently man made structures in the world have had such a long-lasting effect other than the Eiffel Tower (#898) in Paris. It was designed by Jørn Utzon, and when construction commenced, many geometrical and structural issues with the design remained, not to mention funding and political support. We can only be glad that they all were resolved and the construction succeeded!  

Note: Apologies, but I do not have any of my own photos of the Opera House with me. Image is from http://famouswonders.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Opera_House

#894 Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Feast your eyes on this magnificent building! The Abu Dhabi mosque has only been completed very recently and is a beautiful religious monument in the standards of old. The size of 5 football fields, yet it is still only the 8th largest mosque in the world. It is spectacular in its artisanship, with materials and craftsmen coming from across the world as far away as New Zealand, Morocco, China and Germany. From afar it is a glittering magnificent white against the blue UAE skies, but upon closer examination, the white Italian marble has been carved into elegant flowers, and in other places such as the pillars, inlaid with semi-precious stones, also in the forms of flowers.

The glass in the windows is like crystal, and also carved into flowers -- as it is against Islamic traditions to portray any beast or person in their art. Stupendous chandeliers ornament each large dome with its star-shaped supports. Modern technology has not be forgotten with the smart international clocks in each room and the efficient air conditioning and lighting systems. An army of cleaners sweeps, mops, and shines each area as all the covered visitors wander through the vast spaces necks craned and cameras snapping in awe.

The late Sheikh initiated the building of this mosque, and his tomb also lies here. While the grandeur may seem excessive, it is a beauty!

 

 

 

 

 

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Zayed_Mosque