Historical Destinations – Travel Tours, Holidays and Places
Among the most ancient nations today are Greece, Egypt and China. Of the three countries, it is only China that still has the oldest continuously existing civilization in the world. In fact, its culture and language dates back several millennia. Historians cannot help but wonder at the Glory that was Greece. It is a country that reeks of history dating back to the time Homer and the Iliad. Alexander the Great, the world’s greatest military leader of all time, also came from Greece. In his short but very productive lifetime, he built the world’s largest empire the world has ever known. He was also the only leader to have solved the “Gordian Knot” by cutting it with his sword in one elegant stroke.
The Great Wall of China
Egypt has its own wonders. When one talks of Egypt, the thing that immediately comes to mind are its pyramids which had withstood the test of time. Talk of Egypt and you will soon be discussing the secrets of the pharaohs. Egypt has one secret which has eluded the world despite its modern technology – the art of embalming. Its mummified pharaohs date back to several centuries before Christ and seeing these mummies today gives anyone the impression that they had just died only yesterday. The preservation of the human body is incredibly remarkable. Their ancient priests brought the secret of mummification to their own graves without leaving any records on how to replicate the intricate procedure.
Gizah Pyramids, Egypt
Egypt is so ancient it is one of the few countries mentioned in the Bible. Its pyramids hold so many mysteries that tourists are left bewildered how Egyptian artisans and engineers could construct giant monuments with primitive tools. The wonder of their skill lies in the precise way the pyramids had been built and positioned based on the sun’s movements in the sky. A modern marvel nowadays is the Aswan High Dam, one of the biggest dams in the world. Its construction was marred by controversy during the term of Pres. Nasser. However, its beneficial effect is the prevention of the annual flooding from the Nile River and harnessed its waters towards more productive endeavors in the agricultural sector.
Temple of Erectheum, Arcroplolis, Athens
China’s historical achievements are no less remarkable. It gave the world its first paper, its first gunpowder and its first printing press. China is an odd mixture of the modern and the extremely ancient. Its rapid rush towards modernity has threatened its cultural treasures. Many historic sites and monuments had to give way to new construction of high-rises and shopping malls and export zones. Although its economy has grown so rapidly that it has overtaken Japan in terms of total dollar reserves, a great proportion of its population still live below the poverty line. Its continuous existence has greatly contributed to its large population (the world’s largest) but it has managed to survive European colonization and several major wars. A few days from now, the 2008 Olympics will start in its capital city of Beijing (previously known as Peking). The world tourist is encouraged to visit China now before modernization erases much of its historical treasures forever.
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