HISTORY IN THE WORLD: 2009

CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL PARK

Carlsbad Cavern and at least 86 other known caves lie deep within a Permian-age fossil reef in the hinterlands of New Mexico, including Lechuguilla Cave, the nation's deepest and third-longest limestone cave at 1,567 feet. Carlsbad Cavern, one of the world's largest underground chambers and home to countless cave formations, is highly accessible via a variety of tours offered year-round.

Although most people come to explore the caves, the 46,766 above-ground acres of Carlsbad offer a short nature trail and more than 50 miles of primitive backcountry trails. A very long time ago, a shallow sea covered the area of what is now Carlsbad Cavern. Plants and animals lived and died in the sea. Their shells and skeletons piled on top of each other, making a reef.

Over time, many layers piled up, squashing the shells and making the layers hard, compact and thick. Then the sea dried up, causing the reef to be exposed to the air. Movements in the earth's crust pushed the reef upwards, forming a limestone mountain. Trees and other plants grew on the mountain, covering the old reef and causing cracks to develop in the limestone.

Rainwater sank into the soil and went down through the plants' roots and finally down through the cracks in the limestone. On its way through the atmosphere and the soil, the water absorbed carbon dioxide. A weak acid was chemically formed when the water mixed with the carbon dioxide. The resulting carbonic acid dissolved the calcite in the limestone. At some point, large rocks in the cave ceiling fell. This opened up chambers, like the Cavern's Big Room -- 25 stories high and a third of a mile wide. As water seeped and dripped its way into the Cavern, beautiful formations decorated the cave.

Bats
The many caves of Carlsbad Caverns NP are home to an abundance of bats. Join an evening bat flight program to learn more about these fascinating flying mammals.

Iceberg Rock
A single 200,000-ton boulder that fell from a cave ceiling thousands of years ago.

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CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK

The Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile-long wrinkle in the Earth's crust, extends from nearby Thousand Lakes Mountain all the way south to the Colorado River (now Lake Powell).

The most scenic portion of the Fold, found near the Fremont River, is known as Capitol Reef -- "Capitol" for the white domes of Navajo sandstone that resemble Capitol building rotundas, and "reef" for the rocky cliffs which present a barrier to travel, like a coral reef. This area is called the "Land of the Sleeping Rainbow" by the Navajo, in tribute to the brilliant hues of the canyon walls. The colorful free-standing monoliths, or temples, of Cathedral Valley have been formed by erosion of the soft reddish-orange Entrada sandstone. A visit to Capitol Reef National Park is a spectacular visual experience!

Capitol Reef National Park was established to protect these grand and colorful geologic features, as well as the historical and ancient cultural history that abound in the area.

Nearly 10,000 feet of sedimentary strata are found in the Capitol Reef area. These rocks range in age from Permian (as old as 270 million years old) to Cretaceous (as young as 80 million years old.) The Waterpocket Fold has tilted this geologic layercake down to the east. The older rocks are found in the western part of the park, and the younger rocks are found near the east boundary.

This layer-upon-layer sequence of sedimentary rock records nearly 200 million years of geologic history. Rock layers in Capitol Reef reveal ancient climates as varied as rivers and swamps (Chinle Formation), Sahara-like deserts (Navajo sandstone), and shallow ocean (Mancos shale).

Visitors to Capitol Reef are often curious about the orchards that lie within a mile or two of the visitor center. These trees are the most obvious remnant of the pioneer community of Fruita, which was settled in 1880. Usually no more than 10 families lived in Fruita at any one time, and the last resident moved away in 1969.

The early settlers planted these orchards to insure subsistence. Today, the orchards are preserved and protected as a Rural Historic Landscape. They hold approximately 2,700 trees and are composed of cherry, apricot, peach, pear, and apple, as well as a few plum, mulberry, almond, and walnut trees. The National Park Service now owns and maintains the orchards with a 2-person orchard crew that is kept busy year-round with pruning, irrigation, and orchard management.

Visitors are welcome to stroll in any unlocked orchard, and may consume as much ripe fruit as they wish while within the orchards themselves.

Cathedral Valley
The colorful free-standing monoliths, or temples, of Cathedral Valley have been formed by erosion of the soft reddish-orange Entrada Sandstone.

Land of the Sleeping Rainbow
The Capitol Reef area is called the "Land of the Sleeping Rainbow" by the Navajo, in tribute to the brilliant hues of the canyon walls.

Waterpocket Fold
This 100-mile-long wrinkle in the Earth's crust extends from nearby Thousand Lakes Mountain all the way south to the Colorado River (now Lake Powell). Capitol Reef National Park was established to protect this grand and colorful geologic feature.

Capitol Reef NP is located in south-central Utah. From Green River, Utah, take Hwy. 24 west through Hanksville; from Richfield, take Hwy. 24 east through the communities of Loa, Lyman, Bicknell, and Torrey.

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CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK

Canyonlands National Park preserves 527 square miles of colorful sandstone canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches and spires in the heart of the Colorado Plateau in Southeastern Utah.

Within the vast and remote reaches of this magnificent park lie two great rivers, wooded buttes and mesas, a maze of serpentine canyons, extensive grasslands, more than 100 square miles of rainbow-hued slickrock, and desert wildlife species including bighorn sheep.

Water and gravity have been the prime architects of this land, carving flat layers of sedimentary rock into the distinct landscapes seen today, and the park is divided into four unique districts by the erosive and life-giving Green and Colorado Rivers: the Island in the Sky, the Maze, the Needles, and the Rivers themselves.

Canyonlands is far removed from civilization, primarily a backcountry destination, and receives much less use than any other national park in Utah. Activities include sightseeing, hiking, camping, mountain biking, four-wheel driving, and river rafting. Green and Colorado Rivers The combined flow of the Green and Colorado Rivers spills down Cataract Canyon with remarkable power, creating a world-class stretch of whitewater.

Horseshoe Canyon Horseshoe Canyon is a detached park unit whose intriguing rock art is considered by many to be the most significant in North America. Other sights include spring wildflowers, sheer sandstone walls, and cottonwood trees.

Sandstone Spires The massive sandstone spires that give the Needles its name were created by erosion and fracturing, forming a crazy quilt pattern over the land.

Canyonlands National Park is located amid the immensely rugged terrain of southeastern Utah. It is comprised of three land districts which, though near each other on the map, lie a full 2-6 hours apart by car.

Needles District: From U.S. 191, take Utah 211 west to the Needles. Island in the Sky District: From U.S. 191, take Utah 313 south to the Island. Maze District: From Utah 24, take a graded dirt road east to the Hans Flat Ranger Station.

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BALI ISLAND IN INDONESIA

Bali is part of the Indonesian archipelago of 18,500 islands and lies approximately 8°C south of the equator. The overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of Bali are Hindu, (Well in actual fact a mixture of Hinduism, Buddhism and Animism).

Embrace the mystique of an enchanting island, Bali, the bewitching beaches, cascading landscapes and willowed hills! The serenity of the place would engulf you, while the rich cultural and religious heritage would inspire you and transcend your mind into a different plain. Immerse in the myriad ways of entertainment in Bali that spice up one's stay in this magical island. There are a whole lot of things to do in Bali, ranging from the viewing of traditional dance and music performances to cinemas in Bali, or embarking on a plethora of sporting activities in Bali. Bali Traveling Guide does not let your expectations down and serves considerable information on all the varieties of entertainment in Bali.

The traditional modes of entertainment in Bali are a celebration of its art and culture - music, the euphony of which reverberates in the air, and dance performances which cast a spell on the tourists. The Music Clubs and Theaters in Bali serve as proper venues to enjoy all these quintessential gems of Balinese culture. The Pasar Senggol in Bali in Grand Hyatt in Bali arranges varieties of dance performances like the monkey dance or the more epicurean dances based on tales of Ramayana. The Taman Werdi Budaya is a huge theater complex with a host of stages where a variety of performances can be enjoyed.
There are some cinema halls and complexes in different locations of Bali. Cinemas in Bali have become quite a popular form of entertainment in Bali. There is a cinema complex in Denpasar, in the west of the main local market. Here special focus is given on Asian cinema from various regions.

Traveling to Bali, the island surrounded by the sea, spearheads a lot of inshore and offshore sporting activities. Ranging from exciting water-sports like snorkeling, scuba diving to golfing, sports of the elites; everything is included within sports in Bali. Those keen to make the full of Entertainment in Bali in Indonesia, should try out these sports in the wonderful locations of the island.

History of Bali
Bali has been inhabited for a long time. Sembiran, a village in northern Bali, was believed to have been home to the people of the Ice Age, proven by the discovery of stone axes and adzes. Further discoveries of more sophisticated stone tools, agricultural techniques and basic pottery at Cekik in Bali's far west, point to the people of the Neolithic era. At Cekik, there is evidence of a settlement together with burial sites of around a hundred people thought to be from the Neolithic through to the Bronze Age. The massive drums of the Bronze Age, together with their stone moulds have been discovered throughout the Indonesian archipelago, including the most famous and largest drum in Southeast Asia, the Moon of Pejeng, nearly two meters wide, now housed in a temple in east Ubud. In East Java and Bali, there has also been a concentration of carved stone sarcophagi, which we can see in the Bali Museum in Denpasar and Purbakala Museum in ejeng.

Bali was busy with trade from as early as 200 BC. The prasasti, or metal inscriptions, Bali's earliest written records from the ninth century AD, show a significant Buddhist and Hindu influence; especially in the statues, bronzes and rock-cut caves around Mount Kawi and Gajah Cave. Balinese society was pretty sophisticated by about 900 AD. Their marriage portrait of the Balinese King Udayana to East Java's Princess Mahendratta is captured in a stone carving in the Pura Korah Tegipan in the Batur area. Their son, Erlangga, born around 991 AD, later succeeded to the throne of the Javanese kingdom and brought Java and Bali together until his death in 1049.

In 1284, Bali was conquered by Kertanegara, the ruler of the Singasari; until the turn of the century, saw Bali under its own rule under the hands of King Bedaulu of Pejeng, east of Ubud. 1343 AD, is an important date in Bali's history. It was then that the whole island was conquered by East Java under the mighty Hindu Majapahit kingdom. This resulted in massive changes in Balinese society, including the introduction of the caste system.

Balinese who did not embrace the changes fled to the isolated and remote mountainous areas and hill areas. Their descendants are known today as Bali Aga or Bali Mula that means the "original Balinese". They still live separately in villages like Tenganan near Dasa Temple and Trunyan on the shores of Batur Lake, and maintain their ancient laws and traditional ways. When Majapahit in East Java fell in 1515, the many small Islamic kingdoms in the island merged into the Islamic Mataram empire, Majapahit's most dedicated Hindu priests, craftsmen, soldiers, nobles and artists fled east to Bali, and flooded the island with Javanese culture and Hindu practices. Considering the huge influence and power of Islam at the time, it is worth pondering why and how Bali still remained strongly Hindu and Buddhist.

Batu Renggong, also known as Dewa Agung, means great god, became king in 1550, and this title became hereditary through the succeeding generations of the kingdom of Gelgel, and later Klungkung, until the twentieth century. Bali reached the pinnacle of its Golden Era under the reign of the Batu Renggong, the great god ruler. Bali's decline started when Batu Renggong's grandson, Di Made Bekung, lost Blambangan, Lombok and Sumbawa. DI Made Bekung's chief minister, Gusti Agung Maruti, eventually rebelled and reigned from 1650 till 1686, when he in turn was killed by DI Made Bekung's son, Dewa Agung Jambe, who then moved the court to Klungkung, and named his new palace the Semarapura, Abode of the God of Love.

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BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK

This is a land of geologic wonders, where erosion has carved colorful limestones, sandstones and mudstones into thousands of spires, fins, pinnacles and mazes in horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters along the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah.

Collectively called "hoodoos," these unique formations are whimsically arranged and tinted with colors too numerous and subtle to name.

Ponderosa pines, high elevation meadows and spruce-fir forests border the rim of the plateau, while panoramic views of 3 states extend far beyond the park's boundaries. Clear air and a lack of nearby large light sources creates unparalleled opportunities for star gazing.

Agua Canyon
Contrasts of light and color that are among the most satisfying in the park.

Bryce Amphitheater
The largest natural amphitheater in the park.

Natural Bridge
An arch formed by the combined forces of rain and frost erosion acting from the top of the rock.

Ponderosa Canyon
Multi-colored hoodoos framed by pine-covered foothills and the Table Cliffs Plateau to the north.

Located in south-central Utah, 85 miles northeast of Zion National Park. From north or south on U.S. 89, turn east on Utah 12 (7 miles south of Panguitch, Utah) and travel to the junction with Utah 63. Turn south (right) on Utah 63 and travel 3 miles to the park entrance. (Utah 12 continues east through the park.) From the east, travel west on Utah 12 to the junction of Utah 63. Turn south (left) to reach the park entrance.

A shuttle service is available from the airport. Sightseeing bus tours are available from St. George, Cedar City and Kanab, Utah.

Madain Saleh National Historic Park Saudi Arabia

This region, the Biblical Midian, is mostly undulating desert, interspersed with huge rocky outcroppings and lush oases.

Here, between 500 B.C. and 100 A.D., the same Nabatean people who carved the great structures of Petra, Jordan, created 125 monumental cut-rock tombs and facades, edifices up to 130 feet tall, still standing today in remarkable preservation.

BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK

Biscayne National Park is known locally as a fantastic place for recreation. The park protects and preserves a nationally significant marine ecosystem with mangrove shorelines, a shallow bay, undeveloped islands, and living coral reefs.

The park is 95% water. It has protected these unique resources since 1968.

Cultural resources at Biscayne National Park represent well over 2,000 years of history, and some sites may be as much as 10,000 years old. These resources are rich with archaeological remains, at what has been a crossroads of maritime trade and exploration since the days of the earliest inhabitants of this area.

From the north to Convoy Point, take the Turnpike, and then the Homestead extension of the Turnpike south, to Exit 6 (Speedway Blvd.). Turn left from exit ramp south to S.W. 328th St. (North Canal Dr.). Turn left and go to the end of the road. Approximately 5 miles, entrance is on the left.

US-1: South to Homestead. Turn left on SW 328th St., and go the end of the road. Approximately 9 miles, entrance is on the left.

From South to Convoy Point: US-1, north to Homestead. Turn right on SW 328th St., and go to the end of the road. Approximately 9 miles, entrance is on the left.

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BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK

Big Bend National Park is a land of borders. Situated along the Rio Grande boundary with Mexico, it is a place where countries and cultures meet. It is also a place that merges natural environments, from desert to mountains to rolling river, creating a great diversity of plants and animals.

The park covers over 801,000 acres of west Texas in the place where the Rio Grande makes a sharp turn -- the Big Bend.

Author Fredrick Gelbach describes these borderlands aptly when he calls them "a carpet of interacting plants and animals deftly woven on a geologic loom." This statement conjures images of bold mountains, stark desert landscapes, and a ribbon of water slicing through it all. And indeed, Big Bend is a diverse natural area of river, desert, and mountains, a land of extremes -- hot and cold, wet and dry, high and low. To wander the shimmering desert flats, to ascend the rimrock of the desert mountains, to float the canyons of the Rio Grande, to be "on the border" is to experience sights and sounds and solitude unmatched anywhere else.

More than 150 miles of trails offer opportunities for day hikes and backpacking trips throughout this largest expanse of roadless public lands in Texas.

Elevations within Big Bend National Park range from 1,800 feet at the eastern end of Boquillas Canyon to 7,825 feet atop Emory Peak. These elevation changes produce an exceptional variety of microclimates, plants, animals, and scenic vistas.

At the heart of park lie the Chisos Mountains, a range born of fire during volcanic eruptions and igneous intrusions 40 - 60 million years ago then exposed by the incessant forces of erosion. Ascending the slopes of the Chisos, the thorns of the desert give way to evergreens like pinyon pine and juniper, and oak trees begin to appear. Some surprising species living at the very limit of their ranges can be found in the higher, moister areas, such as bigtooth maple, quaking aspen, and Douglas fir.

Although only 2% of the park is woodland, this area draws people like a magnet, especially in the summer, as daytime temperatures are usually about 20 degrees cooler than by the river. Here, in this mountain island surrounded by a desert sea, one can find flora and fauna unique to the Chihuahuan desert, and some unique to Big Bend.

Birdwatchers hope to gain a glimpse of the colima warbler, a bird that winters in Mexico and is seen in the US only in Big Bend. Mountain lions, black bears, and towering century plants also make the Chisos their home. Visitors to the Chisos are struck by the contrasts the mountains provide. Prickly pears and pine trees live side by side, and a snow-covered cactus is not an uncommon sight.

If the Chisos Mountains are the heart of Big Bend, then the desert floor is its soul. Ninety-eight percent of the park is desert, and, like the mountains, the desert is a land of contrasts. You can touch 400-million-year-old rocks with one hand and a day-old flower with the other, and temperatures can soar 50 degrees between dawn and midday.

Big Bend's desert landscape encompasses mesas, mountains, and dikes formed by volcanic activity; limestone ridges and cliffs formed 100 - 200 million years ago when shallow seas covered the area; and ever-changing arroyos that are dry most of the year, but subject to violent flash flooding during summer rains. Water is truly the architect of the desert, as its presence or absence determines the way the desert looks, its plant and animal life, and the way humans have been able to use it through time. The adaptations that allow creatures like the roadrunners, coyotes, or javelinas to survive here are no less than amazing, and even allow them to thrive. Think of the land not as burdened by its lack (or, in some months abundance) of water, but rather as blessed. It is this cycle of wet and dry, so unfamiliar to those from wetter climates, that makes possible the spectacular displays of bluebonnets, yucca blossoms, and other beloved wildflowers.

The one location where you can count on seeing water in Big Bend is along the Rio Grande, a riparian oasis that has been called the lifeblood of Big Bend. To drift through the majestic canyons of the Rio Grande with your oars touching two countries at the same time is to span time and space. Although the river, as the boundary between the United States and Mexico, looks like a solid line on the maps of the area, it is always changing, always going somewhere, and it takes us along on its current, opening our eyes to a panorama of towering cliffs, brilliant bird life, and grassy vegas or beaches.

Chisos Mountains
The Chisos Mountains are an isolated island of lush plant life and abundant animals in the middle of a desert sea.

Rare Birds
Big Bend has more types of birds, bats, and cacti than any other national park in the United States. A birdwatcher's paradise, it is home to about 450 avian species.

Santa Elena Canyon of the Rio Grande River
Long stretch of river confined between sheer limestone walls that rise as much as 1,500 feet above the water.

Three paved roads lead to the park:

1) U.S. 385 from Marathon, TX, to the north entrance.

2) State Route 118 from Alpine, TX, to the west entrance.

3) Ranch Road 170 from Presidio to Study Butte, and then State Route 118 to the west entrance.

Big Bend National Park headquarters is located 70 miles south of Marathon, TX, and 108 miles from Alpine, TX, via Hwy. 118.

Located in southwestern South Dakota, Badlands National Park consists of nearly 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires, blended with the largest protected mixed-grass prairie in the United States.

The 64,000 acres of designated official wilderness are a reintroduction site for the black-footed ferret, the most endangered land mammal in North America. The Stronghold Unit of the park, co-managed with the Ogallala Sioux Tribe, includes sites of 1890's Ghost Dances.

The more than 11,000 years of human history here pale in comparison to the eons-old paleontological resources. Badlands National Park contains the world's richest Oligocene epoch fossil beds, dating from 23 to 35 million years old. The evolution of mammal species such as the horse, sheep, rhinoceros, and pig are studied in the Badlands formations.

The bizarre landforms called badlands are, despite the uninviting name, a masterpiece of water and wind sculpture. They are near-deserts of a special kind, where rain is infrequent, the bare rocks are poorly consolidated and relatively uniform in their resistance to erosion, and runoff water washes away large amounts of sediment.

On average, the White River Badlands of South Dakota erode one inch per year. They are formidable redoubts of stark beauty where the delicate balance between creation and decay, that distinguishes so much geologic art, is manifested in improbable landscapes - near moonscapes - whose individual elements seem to defy gravity. Erosion is so rapid that the landforms can change perceptibly overnight as a result of a single thunderstorm!

Throughout Badlands National Park, weird shapes are etched into a plateau of soft sediments and volcanic ash, revealing colorful bands of flat-lying strata. The stratification adds immeasurably to the beauty of each scene, binding together all of its diverse parts. Viewed horizontally, individual beds are traceable from pinnacle to pinnacle, mound to mound, ridge to ridge, across the intervening ravines. Viewed from above, the bands curve in and out of the valley like contour lines on a topographic map.

A geologic story is written in the rocks of Badlands National Park, every bit as fascinating and colorful as their outward appearance. It is an account of 75 million years of accumulation, with intermittent periods of erosion, that began when the Rocky Mountains reared up in the west and spread sediments over vast expanses of the plains. The sand, silt, and clay, mixed and interbedded with volcanic ash, stacked up, layer upon flat-lying layer, until the pile was thousands of feet deep. In a final phase of volcanism as the uplift ended, white ash rained from the sky to frost the cake, completing the building stage.

Bison are the large dominant plant grazers in the grassland ecosystem of the northern Great Plains. Appreciative visitors use up a lot of film when they are lucky enough to see them in the park. Reintroduced in 1963 after an absence of about 100 years, a portion of the 600-animal-herd can often be seen while driving along the Sage Creek Rim Road, searching with binoculars from the Pinnacles Overlook, or hiking in the Sage Creek Unit of the Badlands Wilderness.

If you see a buffalo in the park, you are observing the same animal as the tourist next to you watching bison. Common usage makes these terms interchangeable, although biologists are more fussy in limiting "buffalo" to wild cattle native only to Africa and Asia.

No longer free to roam millions of acres of prairie, the badlands bison are kept within the boundaries of the park to prevent "trespass" onto surrounding private and public grazing lands. This also separates them from their once infinite lunch bucket of grass and deprives them of a cool beverage from the permanent waters of the White and Cheyenne Rivers. Additionally, predators like the wolf and grizzly bear, which removed part of the weaker, older, or young animals to control population size, are no longer allowed to live in this part of the country.

The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is considered to be the most endangered land mammal in North America. Thought to be extinct in the 1970s, a small colony of this member of the weasel family was found on a ranch near Meteetse, Wyoming; in the time since, canine distemper swept through the colony, killing all but eighteen ferrets.

Black-footed Ferret

Buttes, Pinnacles, Spires
Bizarre shapes are etched into a plateau of soft sediments and volcanic ash, revealing colorful bands of flat-lying strata.

Oligocene Epoch Fossil Beds
Badlands National Park contains the world's richest Oligocene epoch fossil beds, dating from 23 to 35 million years old.

From Westbound Interstate 90, take exit 131 (Cactus Flat) or exit 110 (Wall). Follow signs to Badlands National Park. From Eastbound Interstate 90, take Exit 109 near the community of Wall. Follow signs directing vehicles south approximately seven miles to the Pinnacles Entrance of the park. From Highway 44, Highway 44 intersects with Highway 377 in the town of Interior. Follow 377 two miles to the Interior Entrance to the park.

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ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

This is a world of stone and sky, where between the eye and the horizon lies a colorful panorama of buttes, canyons, and plateaus. Life is challenging in this desert environment, yet many animals have adapted to the extremes of temperature and topography here.

Rare perennial streams and seeps support explosions of vegetation and echo with the songs of water-loving wildlife. The forces of nature have, over an immense span of time, created a wondrous landscape here.

Slickrock caps of Navajo sandstone cover layers of sediment from ancient oceans, shores, and deserts, and folds and warps in these layers indicate movement of long-buried salt deposits. Hiking trails lead to graceful sandstone spans arcing against the sky, enormous rocks balanced on thin spires, standing rock fins, and cliff walls hundreds of feet high.

Arches National Park possesses a beauty both grand and strange. Some who visit will want to know more about geologic or natural history. Others may be inspired to creative expression. The sublime beauty of the land, however, speaks to everyone. Arches National Park lies atop an underground salt bed called the Paradox Formation, which is responsible for the arches, spires, balanced rocks, fins, and eroded monoliths common throughout the park.

Thousands of feet thick in places, the Paradox layer was deposited across the Colorado Plateau some 300 million years ago when a sea flowed into the region and eventually evaporated. Over millions of years, the salt bed was covered with the residue of floods and winds as the oceans returned and evaporated again and again.

Much of this debris was cemented into rock. At one time this overlying layer of rock may have been more than a mile thick. Salt under pressure is unstable, and the salt bed below Arches began to flow under the weight of the overlying sandstones. This movement caused the surface rock to buckle and shift, thrusting some sections upward into domes, dropping others into surrounding cavities, and causing vertical cracks which would later contribute to the development of arches.

The Formation of Arches

As the subsurface movement of salt shaped the surface, erosion stripped away the younger rock layers. Water seeped into cracks and joints, washing away loose debris and eroding the "cement" that held the sandstone together, leaving a series of free-standing fins. During colder periods, ice formed, its expansion putting pressure on the rock, breaking off bits and pieces, and sometimes creating openings. Many damaged fins collapsed.

Others, with the right degree of hardness and balance, have survived as the world-famous formations of Arches National Park. Faults deep in the Earth also contributed to the instability on the surface. The result of one such 2,500-foot displacement is called the Moab Fault and is visible from the Arches Visitor Center. Salt Valley was also formed by such a displacement. Except for isolated remnants, the major rock formations visible in the park today are the salmon-colored Entrada Sandstone, in which most of the arches form, and the tan-colored Navajo Sandstone.

Devils Garden A garden of rock that includes many of the awe-inspiring arches for which the park is named.

Klondike Blufffs
Make sure to see these dramatic cliffs.

Petrified Dunes
Dunes frozen in time.

Arches NP can be reached by driving 26 miles SE on US 191 from Interstate 70 at Crescent Junction. The signed turnoff to the park is 4 miles northwest of the north end of Moab, and 2 miles from the Colorado River bridge on US 191.

Amtrak and Greyhound both serve Green River (50 miles from Moab), and Greyhound also stops at Crescent Junction (30 miles away). Taxi and shuttle services can be arranged from these locations.

From Salt Lake City, a commuter airline (Alpine Air: (801)575-2839) and a shuttle bus (Bighorn Express: (435)587-3061) provide transportation to Moab.

AMERICAN SAMOA NATIONAL PARK'S

American Samoa National Park's 10,500 acres of paleotropical rainforests, pristine coral reefs, and magnificent white sand beaches are located on the three South Pacific islands of Tutuila, Ofu, and Ta'u.

Two lush rainforest preserves and a coral reef are home to unique tropical animals including the flying fox, Pacific boa, tortoises, and an array of birds and fish.

From the mountaintops down to the ocean's edge, these islands are covered with a diverse, mixed-species, paleotropical (Old World) rainforest. Samoa's rainforest is closely related to that of Asia and Africa, as opposed to the neotropical (New World) rainforests of Central and South America.

Depending on elevation, the forest can be characterized as coastal, lowland, ridge, montane, or cloud forest. In addition to many species of trees, vegetation here includes vines, ferns, lichens, epiphytes (air plants), and mosses.

The Manu'a Islands (Ofu, Olosega, Ta'u) of eastern American Samoa are famous for their history, culture, and spectacular beauty. The wildlife of Manu'a is also special. Since the Manu'a Islands are only 60 miles east of Tutuila, one might expect that the same kinds of birds and animals would be found in both places, but in fact, there are four species of birds living in Manu'a that do not occur on Tutuila.

The most beautiful of the birds of Manu'a is Samoa's only parrot, the segavao, or blue-crowned lory. This tiny jewel of a bird, only 7 inches long, is colored with emerald-green back and wings, ruby red face and throat, and a sapphire-blue crown. In historic times these colorful feathers were used to decorate fine mats.

American Samoa is home to many different birds and fish and a few very interesting mammals. There are more than 35 species of birds, both resident and migratory, including seabirds, water birds, forest birds, and shore birds. The cliffs and sea stacks are ideal nesting habitat for tropical seabirds, while the rainforest is home to collared kingfishers, cardinal and wattled honeyeaters, blue-crowned lories, Samoan starlings, purple-capped fruit doves, many-colored fruit doves, Pacific pigeons, and banded rails.

Bats are the only native mammals found in American Samoa. They are harmless to people. There are two species of flying foxes (fruit bat) and one insect-eating bat species here. The fruit bats, the Samoan flying fox and the white-collared flying fox, are as large as one pound, with a wingspan of 3 feet. They eat pollen and fruits and serve an essential role in the ecology of the native rainforest by pollinating plants and dispersing seeds.

Of the park's total area of 10,500 acres, about 8,000 acres are rainforest. Depending on elevation, this forest can be characterized as coastal, lowland, ridge, montane, or cloud forest. In addition to many species of trees, plants found here include vines, ferns, lichens, epiphytes (air plants) , and mosses.

Samoa's rainforest is closely related to that of Asia and Africa, as opposed to the neotropical (New World) rainforests of Central and South America. In mixed-species forest, no single tree or plant species dominates. The rainforests within park boundaries are largely intact, and extend uninterrupted from sea level up to cloud forests on mountain summits. This is the only rainforest of its kind protected within a US national park.

Subsistence farming is allowed on some park lands. Near villages that border on the rainforest there are small plantations where taro, coconut, banana, breadfruit, papaya, mango and other crops are grown for a family's consumption.

Amalau Valley
The Amalau Valley is a good place to watch above the trees for flying foxes.

Coral Reefs
The coral reefs off the coast of Ofu Island are among the healthiest in the South Pacific.

Flying Fox
The Samoan flying fox, a giant fruit bat, has a wingspan of about three feet and weighs almost one pound.

Matafao Peak
Matafao Peak is Tutuila Island's tallest mountain at 2,142 feet.

Mount 'Alava
Mount 'Alava rises up from the Amalau Valley to tower above the ocean at 1,610 feet.

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Acadia preserves about 40,000 acres of Atlantic Coast shoreline, mixed hardwood and spruce/fir forest, mountains, lakes, and several offshore islands. Each headland, bay, and inlet reveals the majestic interface between sea and land.

Acadia's rocky headlands bear the brunt of enormous energies unleashed in waves that batter cliffs and erupt in lofty spray. Behind these headlands lie Acadia's forests and mountains, made easy to explore by an extensive system of carriage roads.

Wildlife includes 40 mammal species, 11 species of amphibians, over 273 species of birds, and 7 species of reptiles; more than a dozen other terrestrial and marine mammals have been identified on adjacent lands or water bodies.

While most visitors spend their time within the Mount Desert Island portion of the park, the Schoodic Peninsula and Isle au Haut hold wonders of their own.

Deep shell heaps indicate American Indian encampments dating back 6,000 years here, but prehistoric records are scanty. The first written descriptions of Maine Coast Indians, recorded 100 years after European trade contacts began, describe American Indians who lived off the land by hunting, fishing, collecting shellfish, and gathering plants and berries.

BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NATIONAL PARK

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison's unique and spectacular landscape was formed slowly by the action of water and rock scouring down through hard Proterozoic crystalline rock.

No other canyon in North America combines the narrow opening, sheer walls, and startling depths offered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The Gunnison River within the Black Canyon drops an average of 95 feet per mile (18 meters per kilometer), one of the greatest rates of fall for a river in North America.

The canyon offers opportunities for spectacular drive-up viewing, short walks to many canyon overlooks, hiking trails and routes, wildlife viewing, birding, camping, picnicking, photography, fishing (physically demanding access), bouldering, inner-canyon hiking and climbing.

Inner Canyon
As in any wilderness experience, you should be prepared to adapt to the conditions found there. This is an on-your-own experience. There are no maintained or marked trails into the inner canyon. Routes are difficult to follow. Hikers are expected to find their own way and to be prepared for self-rescue.

While descending, study the route behind, as this will make it easier on the way up when confronted with a choice of routes and drainages. The hike into the canyon and back up is very strenuous. Bring high energy foods and at least 4 quarts of water per person.

A sports drink is recommended. River water must be treated but remember that wading in the cold water (40F) is hazardous. At levels above 450-500 cubic feet per second the combination of high, swift water and cold temperatures increases the danger. Also be aware that poison ivy grows in the drainages and along the river.

North Rim
Animal and bird life abound on the North Rim. Some commonly seen animals include deer, coyote, porcupine, yellow-bellied marmot, chipmunk, and squirrel. Occasional sightings are also made of badger, bobcat, and black bear. Bird watchers should keep an eye out for such species as red-tailed hawk, white-throated swift and violet green swallow, Clark's nutcracker, raven, western tanager and falcon (prairie and peregrine).

Rock climbing on the sheer, vertical walls of the North Rim is a popular activity with advanced and expert level climbers. Remember this when you get the urge to throw a rock over the edge. You can bike on the North Rim Road but not on the trails. Pets on a leash are welcome everywhere except for the North Vista Trail.

Hikers should be aware that limited cattle grazing is permitted on the North Rim. Please keep cattle gates closed should you encounter them. Horseback riding is permitted only on North Rim Drive and Deadhorse Trail. Hikers should give riders the right of way by stepping off the trail and avoiding sudden movements or noise.

South Rim
From the rim of the Vernal Mesa, enjoy sweeping panoramic views of the San Juan Mountain Range, Uncompahgre Valley, and Bostwick Park to the south. To the north, look for the West Elk Mountains, Painted Wall, Gunnison River, and Black Canyon.

NEXT

THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS SOUTH AMERICA

The Galapagos Islands are famous for the rich diversity of life found on their 120 volcanic islands, located directly on the Equator about 1000 km off the Pacific coast of South America.

Naturalist Charles Darwin's monumental work On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection was based largely upon observations he made during a five-week stay in the Galapagos in 1835, while on the 5-year journey of exploration of the HMS Beagle. Elevations range from sea level to the 1,707-metre summit of Wolf Volcano, one of many extinct, dormant, and active volcanoes found throughout the 766,514 hectares of protected islands and 7,990,000 hectares of marine reserve within the Galapagos Archipelago.

Habitats include varied coastal vegetation, mangrove swamps in coves and lagoons, arid zones of cactus and other species, and moist upland forests and shrublands in the high-elevation fog belt. Wildlife includes 11 subspecies of the Galapagos giant tortoise, each on a different island; marine iguanas, which graze on rocks under the sea; Galapagos penguin, Galapagos flightless cormorant, Galapagos hawk, lava heron, and dozens of other bird species; and mammals including Galapagos fur seal, Galapagos sea lion, and two species of bats.

Most of the breeding land birds of the Galapagos Archipelago are endemic to the islands, as are one-third of the vascular land plants. With the exception of two marine tortoises, all the reptiles of the Galapagos are endemic as well, including marine iguanas, terrestrial iguanas, many lizards and geckos, and 11 subspecies of Galapagos giant tortoise. Green turtles and hawksbill turtles are common in the waters surrounding the islands, and the green turtles breed on sandy beaches.

Native mammals of the Galapagos are few, owing to the 1,000 km span of Pacific Ocean between these volcanic islands and the mainland. The six native species include Galapagos fur seal, Galapagos sea lion, two species of rice rat, and two species of bat.

It is possible, in some seasons, to arrange tours of the Galapagos upon your arrival in the islands. This is reportedly less expensive than advance bookings on the mainland.

CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK

This magnificent tropical wilderness domain is one of the last major old-growth rainforests in Central America.

Encompassing more than 54,000 land hectares and 2,400 of ocean, Corcovado National Park is a lush realm of misty cloud forests, oak woodlands, deep swamps, hot sandy beaches, and impenetrable rainforests.

More than 500 tree species occur here, in an incredibly diverse array of habitats that are home to 367 species of birds, 140 species of mammals, 51 species of amphibians, 64 species of reptiles, 40 species of freshwater fish, and more than 6,000 species of insects.

Crocodiles, jaguars, pumas, white-lipped peccaries, and howler monkeys roam the forests, while hummingbirds, parakeets, and scarlet macaws enliven the skies.

Activities include dayhiking, extended wilderness backpacking, beach swimming, snorkeling, and wildlife observation.

THE COPPER CANYON MEXICO

The Copper Canyon of Mexico is renowned for ruggedness, remoteness, and the vastness of its scarcely-explored reaches.

Encompassing the roughly 64,000 square kilometres of the Sierra Taruhumara, it is not a single canyon at all, but a vast domain of many deep canyons, abrupt precipices, torrential rivers, and spectacular waterfalls that comprise the largest canyon system in North America.

The name Copper Canyon, or Barrancas del Cobre, derives from a copper-walled segment of the larger Rio Urique canyon, and over time has been applied to the entire canyons region.

Within this region lie four or more canyons deeper than the Grand Canyon of Arizona, and the newly-discovered 453-metre plunge of Piedra Volada falls, the highest waterfall in Mexico and among the five highest on Earth.

Vegetation ranges from forests of oak, pine, juniper, and cottonwood to wildflower meadows and subtropical canyon bottoms. Wildlife includes black bear, puma, deer, boar, and 300 species of birds.

The Tarahumara Indians of Copper Canyon are runners over vast distances of rugged trails, and it is these trails that provide foot access from the railway trailheads to most areas of this scarce-developed region.

TOP 10 PARKS IN THE WORLD

SAGARMATHA NATIONAL PARK NEPAL

Sagarmatha National Park, is located in eastern Nepal, containing parts of the Himalayas and the southern half of Mount Everest. The park was created July 19, 1976 and in 1979 was inscribed as a Natural World Heritage Site.

Sagarmatha is Sanskrit for "Sagar = sky (not to be confused with sea/ocean) and matha = forehead or head " and is the modern Nepali name for Mount Everest.

The park encompasses an area of 1,148 km² and ranges in elevation from its lowest point of 2,845 m (9,335 ft) at Jorsalle to 8,850 m (29,035 ft) at the summit of Everest. Barren land above 5,000 m (16,400 ft) comprises 69% of the park while 28% is grazing land and the remaining 3% is forested. Most of the park area is very rugged and steep, with its terrain cut by deep rivers and glaciers.

Unlike other parks, this park can be divided into four climate zones because of the rising altitude. The climatic zones include a forested lower zone, a zone of alpine scrub, the upper alpine zone which includes upper limit of vegetation growth, and the Arctic zone where no plants can grow. The types of plants and animals that are found in the park depend on the altitude. The park contains the upper watershed of the Dudh Kosi river basin system.

The park's visitor centre is located at the top of a hill in Namche Bazaar, also where a company of the Nepal Army is stationed for protecting the park. The park's southern entrance is a few hundred metres north of Mondzo at 2,835 m (9,300 ft), a one day hike from Lukla.

Flora and fauna
In the lower forested zone, birch, juniper, blue pines, firs, bamboo and rhododendron grow. Above this zone all vegetation are found to be dwarf or shrubs. As the altitude increases, plant life is restricted to lichens and mosses. Plants cease to grow at about 5,750 m (18,690 ft), because this is the permanent snow line in the Himalayas.

Forests of pine and hemlock cover the lower elevations of the national park. At elevations of around 3500 meters and above, forests of silver fir, birch, rhododendron and juniper trees are found. The forests provide habitat to at least 118 species of birds, including Danphe, Blood pheasant, Red-billed chough, and yellow-billed chough.

Sagarmatha National Park is also home to a number of rare species, including musk deer, wild yak, snow leopard, Himalayan black bear and red panda. Besides, many other animals such as Himalayan thars, deer, langur monkeys, hares, mountain foxes, martens, and Himalayan wolves are found in the park. However, their numbers are not very large and many visitors may not be able to see them.

The partial pressure of oxygen falls with altitude. Therefore, the animals that are found here are adapted to living on less oxygen as well as a cold temperature. They have thick coats to retain body heat. Some of them have shortened limbs to prevent loss of body heat. The Himalayan bears go into hibernation in caves during the winter when there is no food available.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/

TOP 10 PARKS IN THE WORLD

IGUAZU NATIONAL PARK ARGENTINA

The park was created in 1934 and it contains one of the greatest natural beauties of Argentina, the Iguazu Falls, surrounded by the subtropical jungle.

The Iguazú National Park is a national park of Argentina, located in the Iguazú Department, in the north of the province of Misiones, Argentine Mesopotamia. It has an area of 550 km2 (212 sq mi). Across the Iguazu River lies its Brazilian counterpart (Iguaçu National Park).

Both sites were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, in 1984 and 1986. The area of the park was inhabited 10,000 years ago by the hunter-gatherers of the Eldoradense culture. They were displaced around 1,000 CE by the Guaraní, who brought new agricultural technologies, and were displaced in turn by the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadores in the 16th century, though their legacy is still alive in this area (the name of the park and the river is Guaraní y guasu, "large water"). The first European to visit the zone was Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, in 1542; Jesuit missions followed in 1609.

Flora and fauna
The fauna of the park includes several endangered species: jaguar, jaguarundi, tapir, ocelot, tirica, anteater, pavas de monte, the jungle eagle, and the Yacare Caiman. One can also find birds like the vencejo de cascada and large toucans, mammals like the coatí, and a diversity of butterflies.

The vinaceous-breasted parrot, named for its wine-colored plumage, is found in this park. The Iguazú River ends in the Paraná River 23 km beyond the falls, after a 1320 km course. Inside the park it becomes up to 1,500 m wide and turns first south, then north, forming a large U-shape.

Its banks are densely populated by trees, including the ceibo (Cockspur coral tree), whose flower is Argentina's national flower. The flora of the park also features lapacho negro and lapacho amarillo (family Bignoniaceae), as well as palmito trees and the 40-metre-high palo rosa (family Apocynaceae).

Recreation
Admission for non-Argentine residents is ARS $60 (around USD $20), and ARS $30 the following day if one gets their ticket stamped before leaving the park on the first day, the admission includes transport on the Rainforest Ecological Train which permits visitors access to different walkways. The park only accepts Argentine pesos for entrance.

Park hours are 8.00 to 18.00 between April and September, and 7.30 to 18.30 between October and March. To get from Puerto Iguazu, Argentina to Iguazu Falls National Park, one can utilize the El Practico bus service which departs from the main bus terminal in Puerto Iguazu and runs service approximately every 30 minutes between 7.15 and 19.15. Each way ticket is ARS $5 as of August 2008. Bus tickets can be purchased at the bus terminal, or on the bus. Exact change is not necessary.

Source : http://www.en.wikipedia.org/

TOP 10 PARKS IN THE WORLD

TIKAL NATIONAL PARK GUATEMALA

Tikal was a dominating influence in the southern Maya lowlands throughout most of the Early Classic. The site, however, was often at war and inscriptions tell of alliances and conflict with other Maya states, including Uaxactun, Caracol, Dos Pilas, Naranjo, and Calakmul.

The site was defeated at the end of the Early Classic by Caracol, which rose to take Tikal's place as the paramount center in the southern Maya lowlands. It appears another defeat was suffered at the hands of Dos Pilas during the middle 7th century, with the possible capture and sacrifice of Tikal's ruler at the time (Sharer 1994:265).

Tikal Hiatus
The "Tikal hiatus" refers to a period between the late 6th to late 7th century where there was a lapse in the writing of inscriptions and large-scale construction at Tikal. This hiatus in activity at Tikal was long unexplained until later epigraphic decipherments identified that the period was prompted by Tikal's comprehensive defeat at the hands of the Caracol polity in A.D. 562 after six years of warfare against an alliance of Calakmul, Dos Pilas and Naranjo.

The hiatus at Tikal lasted up to the ascension of Jasaw Chan K'awiil I (Ruler A) in A.D. 682. In A.D. 695, Yukno’m Yich’Aak K’ahk’ of Calakmul (Kanal), was defeated by the new ruler of Tikal, Jasaw Chan K'awiil I, Nu’n U Jol Chaak’s heir. This defeat of Calakmul restored Tikal’s preeminence in the Central Maya region, but never again in the southwest Petén, where Dos Pilas maintained its presence.

The beginning of the Tikal hiatus has served as a marker by which archaeologists commonly sub-divide the Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology into the Early and Late Classic

Modern History
As is often the case with huge ancient ruins, knowledge of the site was never completely lost in the region. Some second- or third-hand accounts of Tikal appeared in print starting in the 17th century, continuing through the writings of John Lloyd Stephens in the early 19th century (Stephens and his illustrator Frederick Catherwood heard rumors of a lost city, with white building tops towering above the jungle, during their 1839-40 travels in the region).

Due to the site's remoteness from modern towns, however, no explorers visited Tikal until Modesto Méndez and Ambrosio Tut visited it in 1848. Several other expeditions came to further investigate, map, and photograph Tikal in the 19th century (including Alfred P. Maudslay in 1881-82) and the early 20th century.

In 1951, a small airstrip was built at the ruins, which previously could only be reached by several days’ travel through the jungle on foot or mule. From 1956 through 1970, major archeological excavations were made by the University of Pennsylvania. In 1979, the Guatemalan government began a further archeological project at Tikal, which continues to this day.

Popular Culture
* Tikal was used as background scenery of the Rebel base on Yavin 4 in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
* The character Tikal the Echidna from the videogame Sonic Adventure is named after the ruins, and several areas in the game are designed based on the ruins.
* Tikal is a level of the game of Fantastic Four
* Tikal is the name of a board game by Rio Grande Games.
* The song Temple of the Cat by musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen makes reference to the Jaguar Temple and the city of Tikal. Samples on the song come from a Maya festival.
* Tikal appears in the videogame Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis.
* Tikal is the title of second song on E.S. Posthumus' album Unearthed.
* One of the Temples of Tikal features as a Wonder in the computer game Rise of Nations.
* Tikal appears as exterior of Drax's pyramid headquarters in the Amazon rainforest in Moonraker (film).

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/

HISTORY OF LEXUS

Established in the early 1980s and launched in 1989, the Lexus marque soon became associated with quality,luxury and superior customer satisfaction.

The brand reputation grew quickly until, barely a dozen years after its founding, Lexus became America's best-selling line of luxury motor vehicles.

Lexus belongs to the global Toyota family, whose members together constitute the world's third-leading automaker.

History
August 1983
At a top-level, top-secret meeting, Toyota Chairman Eiji Toyoda determines the time is right to create a luxury vehicle to challenge the world's best.

May 1985
A study team visits the U.S. to conduct focus groups while a design team moves to California to develop concepts.

July 1985
The first of the LS 400 running prototypes is built.

May 1986
Performance testing begins on the Autobahn in Germany.

September 1986
Extensive testing on American roads begins.

May 1987
Management approves the final design of the LS 400.

January 1989
The LS 400 and ES 250 are unveiled to the world at Detroit and Los Angeles auto shows.

September 1989
The LS 400 and ES 250 go on sale.

January 1990
The LS 400 is named a Car and Driver 10Best.

February 1990
The Motoring Press Association names the LS 400 Best Imported Car of the Year.

July 1990
Lexus first appears in a J.D. Power and Associates study, ranked as the #1 Carline in the Initial Quality Study (IQS).SM

May 1991
Lexus unveils the first new addition to its product line, the SC 400.

August 1991
The SC 300 is introduced.
Lexus sweeps the J.D. Power and Associates studies, topping the Customer Satisfaction StudySM as the #1 Carline, the Initial Quality Study (IQS)SM as the Best Overall Carline, and the Sales Satisfaction StudySM as the Best Overall Carline.

September 1991
The ES 300 replaces the ES 250.

January 1992
The SC 400 and ES 300 are named Automobile Magazine All-Stars, and SC 400 a Car and Driver 10Best. Lexus outsells BMW and Mercedes-Benz to become the number-one luxury import.

March 1992
Motor Trend and the Motoring Press Association name the SC 400 Import Car of the Year.

July 1992
Lexus again tops the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction StudySM as the #1 Carline, and the Sales Satisfaction StudySM as the Best Overall Carline.

September 1992
A freshened LS 400 appears with more than 50 changes, many as a direct response to dealer and customer requests.

January 1993
Lexus introduces its first luxury performance sedan, the GS 300. The SC 300 is named to the Car and Driver 10Best list and to Automobile Magazine's All-Star list.

June 1993
The LS 400 is named the Best Import Car for 1993 by The Robb Report.

July 1993
For the third year in a row, Lexus is ranked as the #1 Carline in the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Study.SM

February 1994
Lexus is ranked as the Best Overall Carline in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Performance Study,SM reflecting satisfaction after three years of ownership.

May 1994
Lexus sweeps the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS),SM with the Best Overall Carline ranking.

July 1994
Lexus is ranked as the #1 Carline in the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction StudySM for the fourth straight year and as the Best Overall Carline in Sales Satisfaction for the third time in four years.

November 1994
The redesigned second-generation LS 400 goes on sale.

December 1994
The new LS 400 is designated Best of What's New by Popular Science.

January 1995
The SC 300 is named a Car and Driver 10Best. The LS 400 receives Popular Mechanics' Design and Engineering Award. And Lexus was the best-selling luxury import in 1994.

March 1995
In its first year of eligibility, Lexus is ranked by J.D. Power and Associates as the Best Overall Carline in Vehicle DependabilitySM after five years of ownership.

July 1995
For an unprecedented fifth consecutive year, Lexus ranks as the #1 Carline in the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Study.SM

January 1996
Lexus introduces the LX 450 luxury sport-utility vehicle. Just two months later, it climbs to the top of the luxury SUV segment, surpassing Range Rover in units sold.

March 1996
In its second year of eligibility, Lexus is again ranked first by J.D. Power and Associates as the Best Overall Carline in Vehicle DependabilitySM after five years of ownership.

May 1996
The ES 300 and SC 400/300 rank as the Best Entry Luxury Car and Best Premium Luxury Car, respectively, in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS).SM

June 1996
Lexus is ranked a Best Overall Nameplate in the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Satisfaction Index.SM

July 1996
The LS 400 is named one of the Twenty-Four Most Important Automobiles of the Century by Automobile Magazine.

September 1996
A more luxurious, more powerful, second-generation ES 300 is introduced. LS 400 is ranked Most Appealing Premium Luxury Car in the J.D. Power and Associates APEAL study.SM

February 1997
SC 300 named an Automobile Magazine All-Star for the fifth time.

March 1997
For the third consecutive year, Lexus ranks as the #1 Nameplate in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study,SM registering the fewest problems after five years of ownership.

July 1997
For the sixth time, Lexus ranks as the #1 Nameplate in the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Study.SM

October 1997
Dramatically more powerful GS line introduced, with the V8-powered GS 400 joining the GS 300. LS 400 gets a more powerful V8 and new appearance.

December 1997
The GS line is named Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year.

January 1998
Lexus unveils a new breed of SUV, the RX 300, at the North American International Auto Show. Along with the more powerful LX 470, this creates the ultimate luxury SUV line.

April 1998
Lexus once again is named the #1 Nameplate in long-term dependability after five years of ownership by the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Index.SM Lexus has earned this honor every year it's been eligible.

October 1998
The RX 300 becomes the first SUV to be named Sport/Utility of the Year by Motor Trend magazine, which creates the new category in recognition of the immense popularity of SUVs.

January 1999
The GS 400/300 is honored as one of Car and Driver's 10Best.

March 1999
Lexus is the #1 Nameplate in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability IndexSM for the fifth straight year.

July 1999
Lexus ranks as the #1 Nameplate in the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction IndexSM for the eighth time in nine years.

September 1999
Lexus celebrates the 10th anniversary of its first vehicle going on sale in the U.S.

November 1999
Lexus sells its millionth vehicle in the U.S.

December 1999
For the fourth consecutive year, Lexus posts best-ever annual sales.

June 2000
Lexus launches a car to rock the performance sedan world: the IS 300.

October 2000
The all-new LS 430 flagship sedan launches.

November 2000
Lexus is the #1 Nameplate in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Index (VDI)SM for the sixth straight year.

March 2001
A historical union of love and power: The 2002 Lexus SC 430 is launched.

August 2001
Launch of the power-potent 2002 IS 300 5-Speed and SportCross.

October 2001
Lexus redefines luxury with the launch of the 2002 ES 300.

October 2001
Lexus finishes first in all three luxury car categories in the J.D. Power and Associates 2001 Automotive, Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study.SM The Lexus LS 430 is ranked Most Appealing Premium Luxury Car, the GS 430 and GS 300 are ranked Most Appealing Mid Luxury Car, and the ES 300 is ranked Most Appealing Entry Luxury Car.

November 2001
Lexus is awarded the #1 Nameplate in Long-Term Dependability in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Index (VDI)SM for the seventh year in a row.

August 2002
The Lexus LS 430 ranks as the Best Premium Luxury Car in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS)SM for the sixth year in a row.

November 2002
A new kind of adventure begins with the launch of the ruggedly luxurious 2003 Lexus GX 470.

March 2003
The entirely new Lexus RX 330 has arrived, offering a stunning combination of style, technology and luxury.

May 2003
For the seventh consecutive year, the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS)SM names the LS the Highest Ranked Premium Luxury Car. The same study also designates the GS as the Highest Ranked Mid Luxury Car, while the ES earns the title of Highest Ranked Entry Luxury Car.

April 2004
For the second year in a row, the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS)SM names the GS as the Highest Ranked Mid Luxury Car and the RX as the Highest Ranked Entry Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle. Additionally, the SC was voted Highest Ranked Premium Luxury Car and the LX was dubbed the Highest Ranked Premium Sport Utility Vehicle.

May 2004
Three's a charm, as IntelliChoice magazine chooses the LS and ES as Best Overall Values in their categories, and the RX as the Best SUV Over $30,000.

March 2005
Euphoria is the perfect word to describe the introduction of the powerful all-new 2006 GS, loaded with breakthrough innovations in performance and luxury.

TOP 10 PARKS IN THE WORLD

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

Stretching over 350 miles from north to south, and teeming with wildlife, Kruger National Park is justly rated as one of the world's finest game reserves. Kruger is home to more species of wildlife than any other game sanctuary on the continent, and is one of Africa's few remaining havens for big cats.

Well over a thousand lions, and large populations of leopard and cheetah, roam freely here, along with substantial numbers of elephant, zebra, rhino, giraffe, hippopotamus, impala, and kudu--more than enough to satisfy even the most shutter-happy photographer. Kruger is also--like South Africa as a whole--an outstanding destination for birdwatchers, offering a scarcely believable diversity and abundance of species.

Founded in 1898 by Paul Kruger, the park has over the last century been well tended and carefully developed. Unlike many reserves and sanctuaries, it is blessed with an outstanding road network, and in recent years its perimeter fencing has been substantially reduced, allowing greater migration ranges and increased wildlife populations.

Stretching along the park's western border are a number of private reserves, supplementing the land available to Kruger's game and allowing greatly enhanced opportunities for safari visits. On the private reserves, visitors are permitted to travel on foot, in open vehicles, and to view wildlife at night, none of which activities are permitted within the park itself.