James' World 2

Click the link below the picture

.

Known for its dramatic landscapes, this outdoor region has trails for hikers & horses.

The Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness is a 47,195-acre (19,099 ha) wilderness area located within the Coconino National Forest in the U.S. state of Arizona.

The wilderness is predominantly wind and water sculpted pinnacles, windows, arches, and slot canyons, and the red-rock cliffs of the Mogollon Rim that mark the edge of the Colorado Plateau. Bordered on the east by Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, the high mesas of Secret Mountain and Wilson Mountain jut out into the lower country, and canyons as deep as 1,500 feet (457 m) drain into Oak Creek and the Verde River.

Prehistoric rock art and abandoned cliff dwellings can be found in the wilderness.

.

An image from Mormon Canyon in Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness, Arizona

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

The phases of the Moon are the different ways the Moon looks from Earth over about a month.

As the Moon orbits around the Earth, the half of the Moon that faces the Sun will be lit up. The different shapes of the lit portion of the Moon that can be seen from Earth are known as phases of the Moon. Each phase repeats itself every 29.5 days.

The same half of the Moon always faces the Earth, because of tidal locking. So the phases will always occur over the same half of the Moon’s surface.

A phase is an angle of the moon to the earth so it appears differently every day.

.

An image of a MoonPhase Chart

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

Dark-Sky National Parks

This distinction recognizes “an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment,” according to the International Dark-Sky Association.

.

An image from a US Dark Sky Park

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

Malta is the largest of the three major islands that constitute the Maltese archipelago. It is sometimes referred to as Valletta for statistical purposes to distinguish the main island from the entire country. Malta is in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea directly south of Italy and north of Libya. The island is 27 kilometers (17 mi) long and 14.5 kilometers (9 mi) wide, with a total area of 246 square kilometers (95 sq mi). The capital is Valletta, while the largest locality is Birkirkara. The island is made up of many small towns, which together form one larger urban zone with a population of 409,259. The landscape is characterized by low hills with terraced fields.

.

An image from the Maltese Islands

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

Lake Tahoe–Nevada State Park is a state park comprising multiple management units and public recreation areas on the northeast shores of Lake Tahoe in the U.S. state of Nevada. The park covers approximately 14,301 acres.

.

An image from Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

Scotland castles were primarily used defensively – to hold power and to protect communities against invaders. As a result, most castles were built in the areas most at risk from invasions – such as in Galloway, which marked the southern borders between England and Scotland.

.

An image of a Scotland Castle

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

Saas-Fee, a resort village in the Swiss Alps near the Italian border, is known for its proximity to mountains more than 4,000m above sea level, or 4-thousand. It’s a gateway to more than 100km of pistes for skiing and snowboarding, plus sledding and toboggan runs. The Mittelallalin Ice Pavilion is a frozen grotto carved into the Fee Glacier. In the summer, the surrounding area draws hikers and rock climbers.

.

An image from Saas-Fee, Switzerland

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

Thanks to a change in regulations that began to officially allow tourists to stay among the local population, rather than just on privately owned resort islands. In 2015, a total of 1.2 million tourists visited the Maldives, and another 1.5 million visited in 2016.

.

An image of an Aerial view of a small island in the Maldives

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

Oahu is the proverbial heartbeat of surfing in Hawaii. The island’s North Shore is the place to catch the perfect wave, regardless of your skill level. Before you head out, we should note that the winter waves can be massive and are best left to the professional crowd.

.

An image of Surfing at Pūpūkea, Oahu, Hawaii

.

.

Click the link below for the images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

Ban Gioc – Detian Falls or Ban Gioc falls is a collective name for two waterfalls on the Quây Sơn River, that straddle the international border between China and Vietnam; more specifically located between the Karst hills of Daxin County, Guangxi, and Trùng Khánh District, Cao Bằng Province.

.

An image of Ban Gioc Detian Falls

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________