Random Trivia:

San Francisco, California is one place that on a clear day has spectacular views. This shot is taken from Marin County looking south towards the city. The pointed structure in the background is the Trans-America building.

The Golden Gate Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world. The population in the city of San Francisco is about 750,000. But the population in the Bay Area is around 7.2 million.

The Bay Area is one of my favorite places. It is home to much natural beauty, culture and fantastic dining. Many companies such as Apple, Pixar and Adobe have their headquarters here. Real estate is some of the most expensive in the country. Right now on the market is a $65 million dollar French villa for sale. It has a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, garden and a guest house.

Random Trivia:

Mt. Olympus is the home of the Greek gods of mythology and of course Zeus the supreme ruler of the all the gods. It is the highest mountain peak in Greece and it reaches 9,570 feet above sea level.

The life expectancy for women in Greece is 81.2 years and for men it is 78.4. Researchers believe that the Mediterranean diet rich in olive oils, vegetables and fruit is a major reason for the longevity of the Greek people. Of course living in such a lovely place also is a benefit.

Random Trivia:

Alaska is a place of such pristine beauty and natural wonder. Wildlife abounds and roams freely in much of Alaska. Alaska was bought from Russia for less than 2 cents an acre in 1867. Alaska is only 55 miles east of Russia. Some parts of Alaska have 24 hours of daylight and 24 hours of darkness.

Mt. Denali is the tallest mountain in North America at 20, 320 feet. Alaska is twice the size of Texas and has 29 volcanoes. It is one-third the area of the continental United States.

In 1964, there was a devastating earthquake that occurred in Alaska and there was a tsunami that followed. Reportedly the tsunami lifted a ship and it landed in a schoolyard over two blocks away.

Random Trivia:

Volcan Poas is an active crater in Costa Rica, South America. Volcan Paos has an elevation of 8,870 feet above sea level. Paos has two craters and is a volcano that has erupted 39 times since 1828. The area is almost always in a state of some kind of volcanic activity. It has been having mild continuous eruption for about 11 million years. One of the craters measures 0.9 of a mile in diameter and is 900 feet deep.

Costa Rica has a diverse geography from rainforests to volcanoes. It also has a rich ecosystem of many species that are found nowhere else on the planet.

Random Trivia:

Rudyard Kipling described Milford Sound “as the eighth wonder of the world.” Waterfalls meet ancient rainforests which grasp magnificent fiords. The very town of Milford exists to sustain the travelers who venture to this spectacular place.

The country of New Zealand has practically zero pollution and one-quarter of it is protected wilderness. New Zealand has three active volcanoes.

The natives of this part of the world are known for their hospitality and friendliness.
Who wouldn’t be friendly living in such a paradise?

It is no wonder that many visitors to this glorious region of the world call it “heaven on earth.”

Random Trivia:

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was originally settled by the Portuguese and this is why it is the only country in South America where the primary language is not Spanish. This picture is taken of Rio de Janeiro from Sugarloaf Mountain.

As beautiful as this view may be, Brazil has a tremendous gap better the very rich and the very poor. Many of the people of Brazil live in poverty. The crime rate in parts of Brazil is also very high. Homicide is a leading statistic in the drug infested neighborhoods of the slums. Unfortunately law enforcement in Brazil also has a proven reputation of being violent and corrupt.

But as we look at the remarkable view in this photo, we only see the beauty of the natural topography meeting the human habitats of the 21st century.
Oil has recently been discovered off the coast of Brazil as well.

Random Facts:

Nairobi, Kenya, Africa. This photograph stunningly depicts the modern day lifestyle conflicting with the natural geography of Nairobi. The Maasai translation of Nairobi means “cool waters” and the country of Kenya has always been a refuge of wildlife and wonder. This part of the world is the natural habitat of the giraffe, lion, African elephant and zebra.
The terror group Al Qaida bombed the U.S. Embassy in 1998.

Over two hundred civilians were killed in this terrorist attack. The Nairobi National Park is an animal reserve that is home to many species including rhinoceros, warthogs, cheetahs, gazelles, zebras, giraffes, African elephants, and hundreds of different kinds of birds.

Random Trivia:

Antarctica- 98% of the continent of Antarctica is frozen in ice. It is also one of the driest places in the world. There is little rainfall and few human inhabitants on this continent. It is home to approximately 70 sub glacial lakes that are thousands of meters below the surface of Antarctica. One sub glacial lake is believed to be close to one million years old.

The continent of Antarctica used to be part of a super continent but divided from this piece of land over 25 million years ago. The temperature range can be from a high of 41 degrees to a low of 130 degrees below zero.

Due to the constant reflection of light on the snow, sunburns are a big problem in this part of the world.

Antarctica has no government and is not even a country, as the climate is just too hostile for year-round human habitation. However, scientists do work on the continent during the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere of December to March. Much attention has been paid lately to the continent of Antarctica due to the effects of global warming and the melting of ice at an above normal rate.

Random Facts:

New York City, New York, U.S.A. – New York City has the highest human population in the United States. It is a hot-bed for finance, commerce and global businesses. In addition it is a huge tourist attraction with such places as Elias Island and the Stature of Liberty that welcome so many immigrants to America. New York is also the headquarters for the fashion industry and theater.

Violent crime and the homicide rate have decreased in the city over the last 10 years. Americans who claim an Italian ancestry lead the residents of New York City, followed by Irish-Americans. Not surprisingly, Catholicism is the religion of 40% of New York City dwellers.

There are 722 miles of subway track in the city of New York. The first capital of the United States was actually New York City before Washington D.C. Toilet paper was invented in New York City, in 1857 by Joseph Gayetty.

Random Trivia:

Mt. Fuji, Japan- Mt. Fuji is Japan’s highest mountain and volcano. The last time that Mt. Fuji erupted was back in 1707. When it erupted in 1707, it covered Tokyo with ash. It is an adored mountain in Japan and known for its perfectly shaped triangular form.
Mt. Fuji is often called the “sleeping giant” and over 200,000 tourists a year make their spiritual journey to its summit. There is a picture of Mt. Fuji on the 500yen.

Mt. Fuji is considered to be a sacred mountain among the Japanese and at one time women were forbidden to climb it. Mt. Fuji is located in the “Ring of Fire” which means that it is a volcano in the Pacific Tectonic Plate and includes the volcanoes of Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Shasta as well as volcanoes in New Zealand and South America. Mt. Fuji is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Japan.

Random Trivia:

Earth- Earth is often called the “blue planet” and is made up of over 70% water. So far it is the only planet where we have found viable life. Earth is the third planet from the sun. The sun is the nearest star to Earth and it is 93 million miles away. A car traveling to the sun would take 177 years to reach it, traveling 65 miles an hour. Light speed from the sun travels at 186,000 miles a second and travels to heat Earth in just 8 minutes.

One million planet Earths could fit into the area of the sun. If you started digging at the North Pole of Earth it would take you 7,900 miles to reach the South Pole. The inner core of the Earth has a temperature of 13,000 degrees and that is hotter than the temperature of the sun.

I hope you enjoyed these postcards of spectacular views from Earth and I will write again soon.