Egypt - The temples of Abu Simbel
Foto: Monument Valley (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
United States - Monument Valley is perhaps the most striking example of the overwhelming beauty of the desert landscape in the American Southwest. The silhouette of the solitary red rocks, surrounded by a vast, empty plain, has served as a backdrop for dozens of films and many commercials. Most of the park lies in Arizona, while the northernmost tip belongs to Utah. On the way, the sky darkens. Raindrops fall on the windshield. But we just avoid the worst. In the rearview mirror, we see a huge sandstorm sweeping across the road. The sky turns orange. When we arrive at Monument Valley National Park, it’s still drizzling lightly. A shame, because this dampens the distant views of the rock formations. Still, we decide to enter the park. The route past the monuments is unpaved. Carefully, we drive from viewpoint to viewpoint. During the drive, the rain intensifies again. From the car, we take some photos. The rainwater streams down the sandy path in heavy flows. We drive through it cautiously. It’s surprising how quickly these little streams have formed. What’s unfortunate about this weather is that tonight we will be staying in a traditional tent—a tipi. We are in the homeland of the Navajo Indians. The tipi looks spacious and sturdy. There are two beds and two chairs inside. For dinner, we drive a kilometer further to order traditional Navajo tacos—a kind of pizza base topped with chili con carne, iceberg lettuce, tomato, and chili sauce. When going to bed, the weather turns wild. It rains again and the wind picks up. Rain falls through the small opening at the top of the tent, and the wind blows the tent flap open. Both the dog and the cat try to come inside for shelter. Maybe they sleep here when there are no guests. We send them outside again and securely tie the door closed. I crawl deep under the blankets. It’s not going to be the warm, humid night I had hoped for.
Empire State Building
United States - Anyone visiting New York for the first time cannot ignore the Empire State Building. This skyscraper on the corner of 34th Street and 5th Avenue towers over the Big Apple. Entering the building at street level, I realize that it also houses regular office ...
Gambling in Las Vegas
United States - We drive to Las Vegas via the highway. On both sides, a dry desert landscape stretches out, with small bushes dotting the sandy rocky ground. By late afternoon, the Las Vegas skyline appears. It is strange that such a large city exists in the middle of ...
Grand Canyon
United States - When we arrive at the viewpoint, we look down into the depths of the Grand Canyon. Wow! One and a half kilometers below, the river flows through the gorge. We take the park’s shuttle bus to the west side, where the sunset views are best. The last rays ...
Key West in Florida
United States - Key West is an island in the Florida Straits. It is the southernmost point of the Florida Keys, about 150 km from Cuba. The island measures roughly 6.4 km long and 3.2 km wide. One of its main attractions is a concrete replica of a buoy at the corner ...
The Hawaiian Islands
United States - The islands are volcanic in origin, located on a so-called hotspot where magma rises from the Earth’s interior as lava. As the crust moves over the hotspot, a chain of islands formed from west to east, with the oldest, extinct volcanoes in the west ...
The Statue of Liberty in New York
United States - The Statue of Liberty is a monument located in New York Harbor. It stands as a symbol of welcome—not just for tourists but also for Americans themselves. The statue is 93 meters tall and weighs 225 tons. The nose is 1 meter long, the eyes have a circumference ...
The White House in Washington DC
United States - The White House is the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States, with the exception of George Washington, who died before it was completed. Its strategic location near the National Mall was selected in 1790 by President Washington ...
Wandering around Chicago
United States - Today, I have the whole day to explore Chicago. It's Saturday, the Saturday before Labor Day. That means it's extra busy—pleasantly busy. The weather is beautiful as we leave our hotel. Our first mission is to officially complete Route 66. Just like ...
Yellowstone National Park
United States - Yellowstone is one of the world’s most important sites for studying and appreciating the evolutionary history of the Earth. The park has an unparalleled collection of surface geothermal activity worldwide, thousands of hot springs, mud pots, fumaroles, ...