ItchyFeetTraveler
Main Navigation
 Instead of creating stacks of travel photo albums, I created itchyfeettraveler.com. Publishing this site enables me to relive my travel adventures long after I've returned home. It also serves as a warm reminder to me about the places I've been and allows me to easily share my travel experiences with others. |
ItchyFeet Travels . . . |
| Recent Travels | |||
|
Kyoto, which means ‘Capital City’, was founded in the 8th century and served as the nation’s capital for more than 1,000 years. Today it is Japan’s seventh largest city. As the former capital, many major temples, important shrines and imperial palaces were built here. Unlike some cities in Japan, Kyoto was almost untouched during the World War II bombing that nearly destroyed some cities. The city’s ancient temples and shrines draw more than 50 million visitors into the city each year. Kyoto has seventeen World History sites including some of its 1,700 temples and 400 shrines. Many tourists see Kyoto as the cultural and spiritual capital of Japan. |
Construction of the Great Wall of China began more than 2,000 years ago. Its combined length stretches more than 5,000 miles from one end of China to the other. The Wall snakes like a gigantic dragon from the east to the west up and down mountains and through the deserts and grasslands of China.
The Wall is actually an ancient network of several walls that were built beginning as early as the 5th century by different emperors to protect the Chinese border. They were later joined together and became known collectively as The Great Wall.
While some parts of this massive structure, one of the world’s great wonders, are in ruins and have mostly disappeared, other parts have been renovated and attract thousands of national and international tourists annually.
Although it was originally built for military purposes to defend the capital city and the imperial tombs from invaders, today the Great Wall stands as one of the world’s most amazing human accomplishments and a testament to the might and ingenuity of the Chinese civilization.
Giant pandas have survived for 80 million years. But they are an endangered species. Less than 2,000 exist today. Eighty seven of them are at the Chengdu Panda Research Center where research continues to protect and expand the species.
