Set your sights on incredible sights
Ian Stalker
Meg Boyd
Goway Travel
Meg Boyd was dazzled by an interior Australian landmark that’s clearly rock-solid.
The Goway employee says massive, 348-meter-high rock formation Uluru — once known as Ayer’s Rock — is remarkable because of its “sheer size, the colours, the history and the significance of Uluru to the Indigenous people of the area — the traditional land owners.
“It gets a lot of attention without a doubt. What I think though is that most people don’t realize just how much there is to see and do,” she says of the Northern Territory attraction. “Many think you can just fly in for a night, have a little look and move on. Yes, you can but you miss so much. There’s a wide range of activities, this is one place where I genuinely believe you should engage the services of a guide to really scratch the surface and learn the stories of what makes this place so special. Walk, cycle, Segway, spend a day with the Indigenous community, see the sunrise, the sunset, ride a camel or even fly above in a helicopter or small plane. Eat a gourmet bbq dinner in the desert, stargaze or walk through the Field of Night.”
One visit to Uluru wasn’t enough for Boyd.
“I would be honoured to visit again,” she says. “I’d love to experience some indigenous touring and also visit nearby Kings Canyon.”
Dallyce Macas
explora
“Machu Picchu is truly a great wonder of the world,” she says. “The discovery of the citadel by the renowned explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911, seeing with your own eyes what hazardous terrain he and his team journeyed through on foot to find this archeological site, is phenomenal. My first visit was made even more special as I was able to share the experience with my daughter Veronika, who is the Peru regional manager for Butterfield & Robinson.”
Machu Picchu has become the iconic symbol of Peru, with some concerned it was attracting too many visitors.
“One could argue that Machu Picchu may get a little too much attention, and is suffering from overtourism,” Macas states. “The government of Peru has done great work to regulate the flow of visitors and reduce wear and tear on the stones. Travellers should take plenty of time to stay in the Sacred Valley (of Andean Peru), and make this magical region of Peru a destination for a holiday, not just a stop-over on the way up to Machu Picchu.”
Lessner Gomez
Cuba Tourist Board
Lessner Gomez loves Havana’s Hotel Nacional de Cuba.
As did John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Errol Flynn and a huge number of other celebrities who used its bar as a preferred watering hole when they visited Havana.
Gomez, the Cuba Tourist Board’s director for English Canada, notes the walls of the hotel’s bar are coated with pictures of the rich and famous who stayed in the landmark hotel, which even appeared in the movie Godfather II. (Tensions been the Cuban and American governments led the movie’s producers to use a Puerto Rican hotel as a stand-in.)
“The Hotel Nacional de Cuba is considered a symbol of history, culture and Cuban identity. It was declared a National Monument,” Gomez says of the imposing structure.
“It boasts a privileged location standing on a hill just a few meters from the sea, offers a great view of Havana Harbor, the seawall and the city. The hotel stands out for its refined elegance and its ancient splendour, which since the 1930s has attracted a large number of personalities from the arts, science and politics.”
The building of the hotel was rumoured to be financed by American mobsters, who frequently hobnobbed in it. Gomez says tourists may not be fully familiar with the property’s eventful past but realize it’s a Havana icon and can “sense it’s a piece of our history.”
Gomez says those visiting the Hotel Nacional’s bar can enjoy a classic Cuban drink while looking at pictures of movie stars and others that adorn the walls or quench their thirst on hotel grounds as well.
“I love mojitos and I love the view of Havana’s harbour, for sure, to enjoy a mojito at the Nacional’s gardens is a must-do in Havana,” he says.
Sally Mikhail
GMTours
Sally Mikhail says it’s no wonder that the Cairo-area Great Pyramid of Giza was included among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Mikhail, who heads GMTours, points out that the Pyramids date back thousands of years and the Great Pyramid of Giza — the largest and oldest of the Pyramids — is the only one of the Seven Wonders still standing.
“A lot of thought went into the Pyramids’ construction to show the deep love and respect the people had for their Pharaohs and to demonstrate the great mystery to the after-death theory in general. It (the Great Pyramid of Giza) contains chambers specially made for the king and queen, where they kept all the jewelry and all the necessities that the king and the queen might need when they come back in their second life. These structures, show a great mastery of monumental stone working: individual blocks were large or colossal and were extremely accurately fitted to one another. Surveying and planning also were carried out with remarkable precision. Approximately 2.3 billion rocks were used to make this pyramid, but its precise dimensions are what makes it one of the wonders. There are not many other pyramids that are as intriguing as the Great Pyramid of Giza, making it a favourite tourist destination. The construction itself makes you wonder how it was built and still stands so strongly today…like a miracle! For this reason itself I always love to go back and admire this piece of history.”
Meanwhile, when it comes to particularly impressive handiwork crafted by Mother Nature, Mikhail gives the nod to the Azores’ Lagoa das Sete Cidades or Lagoon of the Seven Cities, which was formed by a volcano. “It consists of two small, ecologically different lakes connected by a narrow strait, which is crossed by a bridge. The volcano is located on the western third of the island of São Miguel. The Lagoa das Sete Cidades is part of a natural landscape and largest natural fresh water in the region. This is a natural occurring site, without human intervention. One can spend hours hiking and walking around admiring God’s creation. It is truly beautiful!” Mikhail states.
Meanwhile, Mikhail counsels that travellers can always come across points of interest and people of interest as they explore this great wide world.
“Every country in the world has something beautiful to offer, a piece of history to admire and always remember, but the true beauty can be found in the people,” she advises. “Visiting different countries and meeting different people of the world, conversing, laughing – this is what makes me always want to go back.”
