Interesting Tourist places and things

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Lotus Lake, Taiwan



Lotus Lake is a man-made lake and popular tourist destination on the east side of Tsoying District in Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan. Opened in 1951, it is famous for the lotus plants on the lake and the numerous temples around the lake, including the Spring and Autumn Pavilions, the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, and the Confucian Temple.



Lotus Lake was the site for several water sporting events for World Games 2009, including canoe polo, water ski, and dragon boat.

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Belchite - Ghost Town in Spain



Belchite is a village in Zaragoza province, Spain, about 40 km southeast of Zaragoza. It has a population of about 1,647 (2007).



On June 15, 1809, French and Spanish forces in the Peninsular War fought
the Battle of MarÃ*a near Belchite.



Between August 24 and September 7, 1937, Republican and Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War fought the Battle of Belchite in and around the town. After 1939 a new village of Belchite was built adjacent to the ruins of the old, which remain a ghost town as a memorial to the war.


The remains of the old village have been used as filming locations in some Spanish and Hollywood movies.

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Secret Places ON Earth

Vatican Secret Archives



Vatican Secret Archives, which are as vast as they are old. Headed by a cardinal like the Vatican Library, another rumored storehouse of secrets, they partially open today to a few approved scholars who are let in only with specific purposes and with permission of the Pope.


Club 33

Since 1967 Disney’s Exclusive Club 33, Walt Disney felt that he needed a special private place where he could entertain sponsors and other guests. After he had died Disney Land decided to make Club 33 open only to special members. As of June 2007, the membership waiting list was 14 years.


Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center


Just 46 miles from Washington DC, a mysterious and secretive underground military base exists, located deep inside a mountain near the rural town of Bluemont, Virginia. Said to be equipped with all amenities of life. In the event of nuclear war, declaration of martial law, or other national emergency, the President, his cabinet and the rest of the Executive Branch would be “relocated� to Mount Weather.

Room 39


Room 39 is one of the most secret organizations in arguably the world’s most secretive state. Its mission is to obtain foreign currency for Supreme Leader of North Korea. The powerful entity, which has existed for decades, is believed to raise funds through business ventures, some legitimate and some not. Room 39 is believed to be located inside a ruling Workers’ Party building in Pyongyang.

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Secret Places ON Earth

White’s Gentlemen’s Club

It was established in 1693 to sell hot chocolate, a rare and expensive commodity at the time. Now its membership is reserved for the wealthiest and most influential members of society.


Moscow Metro-2



Metro-2 in Moscow, Russia has a secret underground metro system which parallels the public Moscow Metro. It is said to connect the Kremlin with the FSB headquarters, the government airport at Vnukovo-2. In the late 1940s Stalin had created the tunnels in the event of a nuclear war.

Area 51



Area 51 which is known for its secretive nature and undoubted connection to classified aircraft research, together with reports of unusual phenomena, have led Area 51 to become a focus of modern UFO and conspiracy theories. Located at Groom Lake, it is a large secretive military base.

Ise Grand Shrine



The Ise Grand Shrine which is located in Japan is considered arguably one of the most sacred, holiest and important places in Japan. Shrine is demolished and Rebuilt once every twenty years. The only people who are able to access the shrine are the Japanese imperial family and the high priestesses and priests.

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Secret Places ON Earth

RAF Menwith Hill


Known for its connection with Echelon spy network. The Menwith Hill spy base near Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest electronic monitoring station in the world. It has been the key link in a worldwide eavesdropping network.

Mezhgorye



Russia’s massive secret underground facility at Yamantau Mountain and the city of Mezhgorye is rumored that the Yamantau Mountain project was associated with the so-called ‘Dead Hand’ nuclear retaliatory command and control system for strategic missiles.

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Laxmi Vilas Palace Vadodara - Royal Residence

Right from its imposing façade to its ornate interiors, Laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara, is always on its way to impress the visitors to no end. Vadodara's Laxmi Vilas Palace was constructed during the period from 1878 to 1890. The construction of this palace was commissioned by Maharaja Sayaji Rao III. The total cost of its construction amounted to a whooping sixty lakh.



The palace is still served as the royal residence. The interiors of the palace exude opulence and are graced with marble mosaic, fine stone and valuable furnishings. The palace features a grand Durbar Hall that boasts of an italian mosaic floor. The walls of the Durbar Hall are beautified with brilliant mosaic decorations.



The palace sprawls for about 700 acres and incorporates a number of buildings. The Moti Bagh Palace and museum need a special mention. The museum was constructed for the Maharaja's children for educational purposes. Today this museum houses a large number of art works belonging to the Royal family. Among all the works of art, the paintings of Raja Ravi Verma stand out on the virtue of the skill of the artist that is clearly reflected in them.




Another popular highlight of Laxmi Vilas Palace is the zoo. Today nothing remains of the zoo except a pond that is inhabited by a number of crocodiles. If you are lucky enough you might also find peacocks strutting about the palace compound or langoors hanging from the tree branches.

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Fishing Fest, Alaska




Fabulous Fishing Fest That Attracts Foreign Tourists . The
Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska is a popular place for brown bears to fish for river salmon.
They use various strategies to grab the fish including jumping over the falls, wading in the water
and stealing salmon form each other. The whole scene is very spectacular. It attracts tourists from all over the world.




Hallo Bay is located on the Katmai coast, and Hallo Bay Camp offers
guided bear viewing tours by foot. Access to Hallo Bay is by air directly
from Homer, AK. The bear viewing hike is relatively strenuous, and guests should be prepared
to walk up to 9 hours. Bears in the area eat fish, berries, clams, and sweet grasses.
Katmai Wilderness Lodge offers a variety of bear viewing tours for guests staying at the lodge.



Katmai National Park is only accessed by air, normally from Anchorage.
The summer season begins in early June and ends mid-September. The
main Ranger Station is located at Brooks Camp, the most popular
destination in Katmai National Park. There is a lodge and campground at Brooks Camp
for overnight guests. Bears at Brooks Camp are viewed
from the safety of platforms overlooking the waterfall and mouth of the
river.




At 290 air miles southwest of Anchorage, Katmai National Park is one of
Alaska’s most remote National Parks. It holds something for everyone
during their Alaska vacation. The park was originally formed to protect
the volcanic area known as The Valley of 10,000 Smokes, which was
forever changed by the eruption of the Novarupta Volcano in 1912. The
eruption left a forty square mile ash deposit that is up to 700 feet deep in
some areas. Today, the area is better known for its large population of
Brown Bears. The latest survey estimates there are 2000 bears in Katmai
National Park. During July and September, brown bears often gather at
Brooks Falls to feed on salmon swimming up river to their spawning
grounds. Visitors from all over the world come to the Falls in hopes of
viewing the bears in a classic Alaskan scene. The area has much to offer.
Along with bear viewing and volcano tours, sport fishing for Salmon and
Trout is also very popular. The coastal regions are very popular destinations as well.
Bears can be viewed combing the beach for clams or
digging grasses and roots.