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the-siren-and-the-sailor · 3 years

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A story written by me and my little brother!

THIS TOOK MONTHS! INTERACTIONS, ESPECIALLY REBLOGS, ARE HIGHLY APPRECIATED!

“Now, hold it at an angle… there, that is perfect. You are a natural, Mal gein,” the woman helped her son adjust his hands, so that his dagger was properly positioned on the sharpening stone. She had a sword in her own hand, and used it to further demonstrate the way it was done.

He slowly turned the tiny blade from side to side, his eyes fully trained on it in childish wonder. Sparks flew off the wheel haphazardly and Spear giggled at the flashy sight. His mother, however, looked after him worriedly. She was not surprised when his finger slipped and nicked the blade, quickly snatching a bandage as he began to cry.

She gently shushed him, taking his hand and wrapping it in the cloth. He started apologizing through tears, but she once again quieted him.

“It’s alright, mal kendov, there is no shame in pain. That is why the gods gave us loved ones. To unify us and to lift one another up. Never forget this.”

~*~

Iýa looked the sleeping Daphne over from atop her starry perch with pity. “Struck by lightning at sea, I’m afraid. You were right to bring her here, Leonora. Let me see what I can do…” With this, she held Daphne and ran a glowing hand over her scales. The blistering burn slowly began to melt away, and Daphne’s eyes fluttered open.

Upon recognizing her surroundings, she squirmed in her mother’s arms and began to cry. She didn’t know why she was crying, exactly. Perhaps it was the way her sister had told on her mistake, or the way her mother looked at her regardless.

Either way, Iýa held her through every moment of it, crooning a lullaby in her ear and assuring her she was safe and loved. And whether Daphne believed it or not, it was the truth.

~*~

Trouble had begun to brew in the east, and the envy of the first man blew the growing storm westward. He stole a star from the Fair Folk’s skies, a great blasphemy against them and their Goddess of the sparkling Night.

While Asem was powerful to an egregious degree, the Fae still felt it necessary to push back against the man’s arrogance. This led them to go to their Goddess and make a wish.

But while the crown of Asem began to fracture his family and kingdom, the Fae’s wish had already been set in motion. Stories began to fly of monsters in the woods beyond the Faerie trading ports. Sailors would return, describing massive men as tall as trees, covered with midnight fur.

Those that knew waited with baited breath. Asem’s sin had brought him to justice all on its own, and yet the beasts made to destroy him already existed. The Fae only hoped to now hide these frightful children they had created…

~*~

Daphne sneakily slipped behind a pillar of sandstone, warily watching her back. Out of the corner of her eye, a pale pink fin darted out of view. Caught.

She would’ve laughed if it weren’t for the pressing need to not be detected. But did that poor pallid mergirl think she was being secretive in her attempts to win the match? The princess certainly hoped not, for the girl’s sake. In any case, she tapped her hand against the wall, and an icy open clip appeared around it.

With this, she allowed herself to let slip a quiet giggle and darted away behind another pillar. She coiled herself around it and promptly turned herself into pure water, so that she was effectively invisible.

Just as she had hoped, the pinky girl swam around the pillar, and was disappointed to find the princess wasn’t there. Daphne flicked her wrist, causing the clasp to snap around the girl’s tail, trapping her and making her yelp.

Revealing herself, Daphne resumed her tail, cackled like a witch, a shot ahead to claim the final prize. She snatched the flag, waving it excitedly to show off to her fellow competitors. They swam out from their hiding places, arms crossed and brows furrowed, and threw joking insults her way.

“How do you keep doing it, you wench, you?” One of them, Marina, snipped lightheartedly.

“I guess I’m just better than the lot of you,” Daphne quipped smugly.

With this, they giggled, laughed and talked, as they made their way back to their dwelling place in a cave nearby. When there, Marina and the pink tailed girl pulled Daphne into a private room to talk.

“What’s this about, ladies?” she said with slight apprehension.

“Well, we’ve been thinking. And, we figure you have the most experience with the outside world…”

“We didn’t want to send someone with anything less. And since these ‘Children of the Night’ are so out of control, even now, we thought you ought to-”

“Please, Daphne. You have friends, don’t you? The scholar you lived with in the human’s city, or what about that half-blood you got along with so well?’

Daphne held up a hand. “No, no. Cain and his family are more their targets than anyone else. And goodness knows where Ion is- frankly I don’t think they’d be able to help, anyway. And Leonora, well…”

A tense pause. They were isolated and their friends were scattered, and they knew it. What could they do? They needed the other civilizations to keep theirs afloat; they couldn’t just barricade themselves in.

“I have one last idea. Voyagers of all peoples have been the lead storytellers and information providers through this. People are bound to go to the Fae to find out what’s going on. If I wait there, I can intercept someone, get them on our side.”

And so the plan was set. Daphne gathered her things, set Marina in charge of the people, and set off for the forest shores.

~*~

After two decades of dedicating his life to a Spectrum Kendov (or Warrior), Spear had reached the point of the highest physical strength and endurance as well as elemental power of the Northern Dragon standards. A Spectrum Kendov was the highest honor a Dovah could accomplish, by defeating two God-like beings… Perun, lord of earth and all Hell fire, and Scorpio, whose stars reigned with war and bloodshed of all the other Zodiac beings.

Spear walked into the Champions Arena, the crowd roared with anticipation and excitement, for the supposed Spectrum Kendov, meant to protect them from all great evil had finally come to claim his title. His helm, shaped to match his demon horns, had already been placed upon his head, and his eyes, glistening with power and will, looked at his opponents, with no urge to kill, but to have mercy when they were beaten to the ground.

"Well, isn't this a sight to see!" Perun's deep booming voice shouted, "Another one ready to die just to claim a glorified and honorful title he just can't have!" Perun had always been the one to provoke those who had high egos, yet Spear remained unmoved with his words.

"Ain't that the truth, this little man is nothing but a few twigs tied with some leaves," A lighter, cockier voice came from Scorpio, whom was the one to provoke others who share his personality, "Sure he has a bit of a size… but he ain't average height, that's for sure!" Perun and Scorpio boomed with laughter.

"Gaah! What the fu-?" Scorpio never finished his exclamation before he was thrown into the arena wall after being punctured with a double axe bladed spear, Spear's personal weapon. The fight had begun, and Scorpio had already yielded to Spear, he was in so much shock he forgot how to fight, while Perun sprung into action with his flaming axe bladed chain, grinding the ground around Spear. As Perun made a final smash to where Spear was, a thunderbolt the size of five struck upon him, leaving Spear's weapon in his back.

Spear retrieved his weapon from Perun's back, and showed mercy on him and Scorpio, for they were only trying to find the true Spectrum Kendov. The tribe went wild and shouted, "Spear is our Guardian! All praise whoever's watching us that we have our Guardian!"

Perun spoke to Spear after he was helped up by him, "We stood no chance- your small appearance is really deceiving to your skill in battle and power. Scorpio and I made an agreement that we would be the Spectrum's protectors, because while you may be strong, you are not immortal."

Spear spoke in a gentle yet stern voice, "Indeed, and I would rather have someone by my side fighting with me, than having more power and relying on that to fight."

Perun and Scorpio took Spear to the North Tower, the one place where all you see is South. "The Wind of the Northern Winter lies here, if it finds you worthy of its own power, then you are the Spectrum Kendov, and you know what responsibility comes with that title…" Perun spoke grimly and sorrowfully as he finished his speech.

Spear responded, "I know all too well of the prophecy, but I'd rather know than not if… he… is to come in my lifetime…" The Wind of the Northern Winter flowed through his veins as he entered the tower, no cold came upon him, yet he felt he could never feel too hot. He had been chosen to be the Spectrum Kendov, the Decimator of Alduin as legend goes- but that time had not come, for another challenge for Spear and the Northern Dragons arose down South…

~*~

Nightmares plagued the residents of the trees, no doubt the Interlopers used these horrid dreams to communicate. Below the leaves, the devils hung Fae bodies in shackles, pulling and picking at them until they bled. Those above pleaded to their gods that they and their children would not be next.

The Interlopers held a ravenous, morbid curiosity. It drove them out of the forests, beyond the lands of the Fae. They tormented the remnants of the first city, the servants of the iron god and the blood necromancers of the east. Their cruel hands found their ways into the lives of the Imitites, the Ortothans, and the Dovahs who had ventured South from their home.

Even the sirens below the freezing southern waves and ice were not immune to this. They poked their heads up to find massive beasts afoot in the snow. The ice cracked under their weight, leaving them vulnerable under the sickly yellow eyes of their attackers. They sent ships to the flesh shepherds and wonder makers on land, and even some to their Fae ancestors still in the woods, but none returned.

They looked to their princess, the demigod of the moon, sea, storms, and dreams, to provide them with weapons and armour, food and shelter. She didn’t know what to do- how could she possibly slip past these monsters? They were everywhere! Not trusting the gods of the Fae she was created by, she turned to another. Going to the sea serpent of lost memories, she prayed.

The Northern Dragons reacted differently however. In their attempts to sail across lands and create new colonies, they had run into what seemed to be giant creatures of great physical strength. Those that were exploring had either been missing for a great time, or had come back with their boats and sails barely holding together, while one man handling the boat itself.

The Dovahs had decided that Spear, the Spectrum Kendov, should be the one to seek out what they heard were called Interlopers, and hunt every single one of them down. While they planned his exploration, they had caught wind of creatures called the Fae, who were being hunted by these Interlopers. With all of this information, they had compiled a plan to not only bring the Fae as an ally, but to begin not a war, but a hunt against the Interlopers. So Spear untied his sail, pushed against the boat onto the water, and sailed to what the Dovahs called the Midlands, the land between Northern and Southern lands.

~*~

Sailing across waters long, Spear found himself beached at the Midlands; scanning his surroundings he finds that a forest grows thick ahead. Grabbing his weapon off of his back, he is ready for any battle to come, as he senses danger within the dense woods. He jumps off the boat's prow and lands with grace, while only sand from where he stood moved. He sneakily and quickly veered into the woods, and found that it was vast and compacted with large, kapok trees. Spear took note as he is only used to his native Blackwood trees.

A sound appeared suddenly, Spear silently leapt to the back of the closest tree, and peered upon what looked to be what he was hunting. An interloper, magnificent in size and mass, making an absurd amount of noise through each footstep, looking like a bear on two legs, as it was covered in fur. Spear slowly and expertly aimed his weapons towards the Interlopers head, and threw. After a clash of weight caving down onto a tree, the body of the interloper crumbled into a pile of jade rocks, it was dead. Spear walked over to his weapon, sensing no other large beings around, and picked up his weapon.

Suddenly, a sharp pain dug itself into his shoulder, and he turned to be met with the end of an arrow, made of, was it ice? "Gaah! Shite! What the heck!?" Spear jumped behind a tree with an arrow in his right shoulder. "Alright, who has the bloody galls to face me in combat? I warn you, I am a Dovah!" Spear left the arrow in his arm so as to not cause more bleeding, and switched to his left hand to weild.

"Come on out Interloper! I may have mercy on you if you do!" A feminine voice shouted from beyond Spear’s field of vision.

"The hell do you mean Interloper? Is that pile of rocks not what a dead one looks like?!" Spear shouts, aggravated that he was accused of being something he wasn't.

"Wait...who are you, if not one of them?" The woman’s voice spoke once more, and Spear sensed confusion and fear in her voice. She must’ve shot him thinking she was being hunted by him.

"I'm coming out slowly, I would appreciate it if you would not shoot me again!" Spear tentatively stepped around the tree to see the figure's ice-sculpted weapon out, but not ready to fire. "I am Spear, Guardian of the Northern Dragons….who the Hell are you?"

"Princess Daphne le’Iýa, Faerie demigod of the ocean," Daphne realizes the wounds and puts away her bow while stepping towards Spear. Spear was obviously hesitant and held out his weapons towards her. "Look, I thought you were one of the monsters, and had I known you were not, I certainly wouldn't have shot you. I can fix that wound better than you can. Please, it's the least I could do."

Spear recognized her honesty, while still noticing fear in her voice. He let her come close enough to slit his throat, but she pulled the arrow out of his arm, and immediately started singing in a language the Spear only knows through ancient Faerie scrolls, and his arm healed, leaving only a scar to remember.

"You are skilled in your magic, I'm glad to have met you, even if I met your arrow first,” Spear spoke honestly and jokingly, as he knew that forgiving this supposed Daphne would be the best way to start a bond.

"I am truly sorry about that. Is there anything else I can do?" Daphne didn’t seem to want anyone else after her, and tried her best to apologize to Spear.

"Do not worry, you only shot in defense without fully knowing who you were shooting at, I can understand this," Spear patted her shoulder to assure her. "Maybe we can both benefit from this event of meeting each other… you could find safety and rest back in my homeland, and then you can share what you know about these Interlopers, this way we both are happy with what we get."

"Have you forgotten about my actions so soon? I shot you!" Daphne was dumbfounded by Spear's quick dismissal of what had happened to him. Although he shook his head at her.

"You need not worry of your actions, for they were acted upon through fear and reaction, you were only trying to keep yourself safe. I can help you with that." Daphne tried to oppose and tell him that he should not be so dismissive about the event, but Spear assured her through a side hug, which caught Daphne off guard enough for Spear to walk past her and towards his boat.

“Wait,” Daphne called. Spear turned back to look back. “The last time I crossed the ocean with someone, things ended up, well… not so good.”

“You’ll be quite safe with my people,” Spear said. Daphne shifted a bit, eying him with wary hope. He was exactly what she set out looking for, after all. “And besides. If you find yourself uncomfortable, you can always use your arrows again,” he said with a playful wink.

With this, Daphne giggled slightly and followed behind. Exiting the thick forest, the two climbed onto the boat. Spear set sail to Scandinavia, the land of the Northern Dragons. To which the two made the journey, to the next step in either great failure, or triumphant victory…

~*~

The pair tentatively made their way across the ocean, skirting past the Interlopers ships to find themselves on the icy northern shores. The princess scurried to and fro, fascinated by her new environment and its people. How different they were than the people of the places she had previously resided in…!

They were Children of the Sun, but unlike those in the First City, these people were pale, blonde, and above all, kind. They welcomed the man- Spear- back with open arms, and were more than curious to meet the woman he had brought along with him. They peppered her with questions and gifts and sights to see, until eventually she was taken to a large building made from an upside-down wooden ship, which they called the Companion’s Lodge, a place to plan a hunt of glory and honor.

Suffice to say, she should’ve known that the man she crossed the ocean with would be the leader. She also met his guards, the most different of men but an excellent team nonetheless. Here, the four pulled out books, maps, stories and paintings, pouring over them in hopes that a hint would be found. A sign that the plans they would go on to make were possible.

After much studying and deliberation, they had had enough. What better way to understand these monsters than through personal experience? Better to dive right into cold waters than to waste your time slowly wading. It was a siege they wanted, and it was a siege they would have.

~*~

The battle was ferocious, haunting... yet it yielded knowledge to Spear and Daphne. As Spear took two dozen Dovahs with him, all with different elemental abilities, Daphne trained in her skills with water. During this time she was informed of something from Spear she never expected.

"It is tradition when one makes an ally of another, they would train each other of the other's weapon, so that the bond goes beyond words of trust, it is also trust of possessions." Spear spoke to Daphne in hopes to have created at least a friend with her. "I believe we are trusting of each other, so… what do you say?"

"Uhm…" Daphne was caught a bit off guard. Her bow being one of few things she kept to remind her of the home she came from. "I'm not sure… I mean, I trust you completely… but I don't want to give my bow to anyone really…" She obviously didn't want to hurt him in any way, so she tried her best to tell him in the kindest way.

"Well, maybe we can teach each other of how to use one another's weapons, that way if we do switch weapons, it won't be devastating in battle," Spear was trusting towards Daphne, mainly because he felt a strong connection between them. Even so, Daphne felt guarded towards him, yet she agreed to training each other, as she remembered, ‘iron sharpens iron.’

While Spear was able to pick up her bow and use it with tremendous strength and agility, Daphne had immediate trouble with how to begin using Spear's complicated weapon. Until Spear suggested using it as a spear, not an axe, Daphne then swiftly grew more attuned to the weapon.

While this was happening, the Interlopers stronghold was being populated with readily growling beasts, yielding to tear apart anything that came. Just before the battle began, Daphne and Spear switched weapons, and having learned each other's weapons, they charged in the front line, and made mountains with the piling jade rocks from many fallen and crushed Interlopers.

With their great roar of excitement, the Dovahs roared with them, right into the line of Interlopers. As they crashed through their thick bodies with their hugs weapons, they became berserk and started wailing on them, showing no mercy. They had trained to fight like Hell itself, and they were as demons in this battle, blood soared not spilled, limbs flew not fell, and the morale of the Dovahs only increased. However, even with their great first triumphant starting charge, they started to wear down in numbers, just by virtue of the continuous streaming numbers of Interlopers.

As Daphne was using her water abilities in ways she never imagined using on the frontline, Spear used archery and close combat expertly to the point where he never missed his shots and never came close to getting hit. Even though the two sibling-like fighters were doing well, the Dovahs were still overwhelmed by the increasing numbers.

Many had used fire, metal, nature, and all of them were decimated, while those using lightning were barely holding on as well as wind… however, Daphne noticed something. She peers in close distance to two Dovahs using water abilities, making the Interlopers drown, what was curious however, was that when they were under the water, they couldn't move, therefore they couldn't breath and they died.

Daphne quickly refocused to the battle at hand, and Spear cries out, "Too many have fallen, fall back! Water Dovahs, drown those who follow us!" It seemed as though Spear was also paying attention to his surroundings. As the remaining group of soldiers returned to their outpost, the last two water Dovahs made a wall of water of which the Interlopers could not pass lest they drown and crumble into jade.

Daphne and Spear look at each other in agreement. The battle may have been lost for that day… but knowledge of weakness in their enemies may prove to be the element to winning the war, or as the Northern Dragons call it, the hunt…

~*~

The Companion's Lodge was bathed in a tense argument. They started the siege with the advantage of surprise, but it had quickly descended into mindless violence and death.

“How could this have happened? I thought we had them!” Scorpio shouted in frustration.

“We made sure to bring our best! All different kinds of elemental wielders were there with us, and nearly all of them were slaughtered! What more could we possibly have done?” Perun huffed. Although calmer than the others, his voice still wavered with stress.

“At least we learned their weakness,” Spear started to speak before being cut off.

“Oh, fantastic. Just in time for your people to be killed,” Daphne said icily.

“Our people,” Spear tried an uncertain smile.

Daphne paused and sighed, relieving a tad bit of the tension. “Yes, our people.” She looked around the room, which had largely quieted down. “I’m so sorry. If I had known it would turn out this way…”

“But you couldn’t have. This isn’t any of our faults,” Perun said in a soothing, almost fatherly tone. A somber silence fell over them, each lost in thought, or perhaps simply in grief.

“Daphne could tell us more about why this is happening,” Scorpio spoke quietly.

“I already told you all I know about the Interlo…” she trailed off. That didn’t seem to be the point. “Alright.”

“Well, the Fae goddess- my mother, Iýa. She created me and my… sister, Leonora. But she was made princess and I wasn’t, so I ran away. I didn’t realize why I needed to stay until the Fae had Iýa create the Interlopers we now face.”

A, “But why?” from Perun.

A, “Shush!” from Spear.

Daphne giggled before turning serious again. “The first man- Asem- stole from my people. He took a star and used it for a crown. I was already gone when all this happened, but I’m told the Faeries wished for justice. In return, Iýa gave them the Interlopers. Not that it mattered. Asem’s greed had already torn his family apart. His wives left him, his sons quarreled until they drove each other apart, and his people all left or died in the chaos.”

“And how is it you know so much about him?” Scorpio spoke with a hint of accusation.

She drew in a breath to argue, but Perun spoke as before her, more calmly. “He’s right. Even we didn’t know this, and we live much closer to the first city than you did at the time.”

Daphne huffed and turned away. Spear put a hand on her shoulder, making her tense and then ease up.

“I was there.” Silence. Spear’s hand pulled away. “I know how that must sound. Most people would have you believe I immediately joined the sirens under the ice, but…” She took a deep breath. “There was this boy. I went with him to his city- the first city- and his family. They were nice, but not kind. And I was there to witness this be their downfall. Not that it matters now- and it’s probably for the best, anyway.”

Spear put his arm around Daphne’s shoulder to comfort her, and it worked. She steeled herself again to go on. “Now, as for the Interlopers- in the city was a sorcerer- his name was Noah. I know it sounds like a long shot, but I know him, and I know he could help. I think our next step is to find him.”

~*~

Daphne had hidden herself away under her covers, with a small, glowing gem of ice. Curled up and warm, she sang a lullaby and fiddled with the ginger scarf in her hands. Her sister’s. If only they could’ve just gotten along, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. If she had just sought to understand her mother’s wishes for her, or if she had met Asem just a little sooner to convince him not to do what he did...

You’ll never be able to hate yourself enough to rewrite history, that boy’s gentle voice whispered to her. Silently, she nodded. Her heart ached with longing. How she wished she could hold him again. She’d fall to her knees and beg if it meant she could giggle with her sister again, or squirm and cry in her mother’s arms. If this could all go back to normal. But, drawing in a shaky breath, she reminded herself not to dwell on what could have been. She had a new family now, one that truly loved her, and she had to protect them.

Spear meanwhile, took a knife from his shield, which had many, but this one was different. This first knife he had crafted with his mother, the one of few things that actually cut him. He held it in his hands in admiration, as if he had never seen it before. Spear then held the knife to his chest as if trying to hug it, and thought about his mother.

He began singing an old song told by many of the Dovahs, called, My Mother Told Me. He sang it perfectly in three different keys. He then replaced his knife back into his shield, and stood up. He was ready for battle, for exhaustion, even for death… because he was once a boy who cut himself with his own knife… and now is the Spectrum Kendov… he feared not the death of himself, but the death of his newfound sister, therefore he swore that he would protect her, even at the cost of his life...

~*~

"Water is their weakness!" Perun shouted, "Why the Hell can't we just use your powers in every battle and destroy these cursed Interlopers?!" Perun was insistent on being a warlord, making sure everyone had a chance of fighting and getting stronger. Though he didn't realize the bigger picture.

"Every time I used my powers for an extended amount of time, I got tired, that is why we can't continuously use these powers every battle, because it would weaken us to the point where we can't even fight!" Spear spoke angrily at Perun, though he knew Perun's powers worked differently because he was a mythological God, he hated his lack of empathy when others got tired from using them. "Even if we didn't get tired, why should we fight and lose more of our men, when we can wipe them out completely in one big swipe?!"

"What are you talking about…?" Perun's curiosity perked up as he heard this. Daphne opened up a scroll of prophecy, and with her knowledge explained to both Perun and Scorpio more about Noah, a human from the seas, able to control great waves from below ground.

With this knowledge they created a plan, Spear would use his powers that combined into weather to create a huge rainstorm, Daphne would use her powers to raise the waves of the oceans, lakes, and rivers, and finally Noah would use his power to break the ground and gush water from the Earth. Their powers combined should be enough to cover all but the highest parts of the Earth. They trusted that the Interlopers would fall in and sink, while others would either get to the high ground, use boats, or swim in the sea if they were sea creatures. The missing component was Noah himself.

"Where is this Noah?" Scorpio asked urgently, he wanted to rid the Northern Dragons of any threats as soon as possible. Daphne then pulled out a map of the Midlands and pointed out where he could be.

"Right in the middle of an Interloper camp?" Spear grunted this, as he did not want anything to go wrong in getting Noah. Daphne nods, her expression was a mix of anger and disappointment, she had the same feelings as Spear. Perun started to notice the bond between Spear and Daphne, and while the two were talking more, Perun pulled Scorpio aside.

"I remember that Noah was taken captive with the Daevite Methuselah, though I don't know what their intentions were," Daphne spoke to Spear, she was annoyed by the fact they had to fight more Interlopers to get one person.

"I have Dovahs around the area, mainly for scouting. They came back long before all of this and told me that there is a camp, and it's only guarded by about 40 beasts, which I would think are Interlopers. It will only be tedious, that's all," Spear spoke to Daphne, trying to lift her spirits at least a little. It worked, and Daphne thanked him for being the one to look at a mug half full. Spear meanwhile thanked Daphne for looking at every possible bad ending, things to avoid.

As Scorpio and Perun come back unnoticed, they begin to pack for the adventure ahead. They thought it would be a walk in the small forest, so they only brought Spear, Daphne, Perun, and Scorpio. A mistake they made to bring so little to a battle they thought would be easy. For there may be small numbers, but the camp is one of the oldest camps the Interlopers made, and since they do not age with time… trouble is amongst those who venture into these parts of the Midlands…

~*~

The travelers numbering four ventured forth into the seemingly haunted woods. As they were traveling Perun started sensing many things in the woods, small animals mostly. He looked everywhere at all times, making sure they were safe. It seemed the right thing to do considering they were going into unknown territory for everyone.

The trees themselves were massive birch trees, usually thought of as peaceful, harmless. However twisted magic had affected these trees over the decades, and created monster-like limbs and branches. Even with these weird formations, no twigs or branches had fallen to be broken, as if nobody had ever ventured into this area.

They managed to find the camp of the Interlopers, and snuck in. All of them were on high alert, especially Perun, as they crouched and sneakily ran in multiple directions.

Daphne left the group and followed the sweet scent of water, a stark contrast against the putrid stank of things rotting in the dark. The brook led her to a horrid sound, red lights serving as a waypoint. It was awful; the closer she got, the more she clung to the bed of the stream for comfort. But alas, her head emerged at the rumbling thud of Interloper footsteps. She immediately gagged.

There, in the middle of a crowd of singing devils, was Iýa, but it was not really her. This was a massive, sickly tree, the size of a large town. It was twisted and warped, with a thousand wriggling bodies strung up in it’s branches. The aberration was screaming and crying an demonic bellow, all the while the Interlopers hummed as though in joy.

What was this thing? This couldn’t be Iýa, it wasn’t possible! Iýa was a glowing mother, a sleeper in the stars, a granter of wishes. She cared for the downtrodden and oppressed, and all those who could not defend themselves. She couldn’t become this, this...

Meanwhile, Spear, Scorpio, and Perun had convened in the main camp. It seemed that only the prisoner's area was inhabited, there they found the supposed Noah. As they started to unchain him, he started grunting. They quickly shushed him and told him they were there to help, he calmed down enough to be unchained, however, they did not quiet him in time.

Suddenly, a loud sound of seemingly screeching giggling and groaning of war had been shouted, despite Perun's attempts to look everywhere, he managed to miss the entire garrison of the Interloper camp. Spear and Daphne, now returned, immediately stood back to back as if they could take on the whole world, while Perun and Scorpio started smashing their weapons onto the Interlopers. Scorpios scythe had pierced many during the battle, while Perun's axe on a chain whirled around and clashed the heads of many. Spear and Daphne, using each other's weapons as always, were always either defending each other or helping the other attack an Interloper, they were synchronized.

The fight continued on like this until Daphne was thrown to a tree, leaving Spear vulnerable to the last remaining Interloper. Spear looked about him as the Interloper charged his weapon at him….although no injury befell him, rather on Scorpio. Spear threw his weapon and the last Interloper was thrown into a tree and broke into jade. Spear slides to Scorpio's side in time for him to speak to Spear for a short time…..

After his dialogue, his body turns bright and, as if he were being sucked into the sky, his body lifted up swiftly, leaving only his necklace for Spear to bear… Scorpio was dead. Spear shouted out in rage and a thunderstorm started to appear, then it stopped. Daphne hugged Spear tightly, and while Spear was caught off guard by this, he embraced her, being thankful that he was still with her at least. Perun had then brought who was seemingly Noah out of hiding, from behind thick berry bushes, and into sight.

After their journey back, and the heartache of Scorpio's death, they explain the whole plan of how to destroy the Interlopers. Noah was quite panicked at first, but after calming down and hearing Perun, Spear, and Daphne, as well as considering they saved him, he agreed to being a part of the plan. So together, they trained, and got ready for The Great Flood of Cleansing Sin. Factions around the world had been sent a message entitling everyone to either get to high ground, build ships to sail on, or dive deep underwater so as to not be destroyed by the coming flood. Who knew what more sacrifices have to be made to create peace, was it even worth it all? The story continued, and the next step was the extinction of a race…

~*~

Spear, Daphne, Noah, and Perun travelled back to the forest of their greatest travesty, and had one last moment of remorse, sorrow, heartache. The rest of the Dovahs were building their ships to sail on the waters to come, and they decided to go to the location after the prophesied flood.

Daphne didn't know Scorpio for long, but she still enjoyed his comedic comments and his radiation of happiness, and she knew everything would be at least a good amount more depressing. Spear knew Scorpio for not much longer than Daphne, but like Daphne, he enjoyed Scorpio's company, as well as their many interesting conversations… including the one where he told Spear he was getting married.

Spear and Perun had to hug his fiancé for over an hour just to comfort her. Perun was Scorpio's brother, they were not blood related, but brothers nonetheless, therefore Perun, for the first time in his entire life, cried a tear from his eye. All Dovahs remorsed of his death, but only those who truly knew and had a relationship with Scorpio needed time, time to be sad. Then anger rose from the sadness, and all of them started preparing for the creation of the flood.

As Spear and Perun walked away, Daphne tailed behind them and slipped into the nearby creek. She did not have the will to enjoy the feeling of her tail returning; the situation at hand was much too grim. Her mother was now an abomination, her heart torn out for those created to be betrayed. And a man who had so quickly become a brother to her was dead. Daphne never had any brothers, why now that she did would one be taken away so carelessly?

Daphne heaved a sigh and began to sob. At first it seemed that the Interlopers were tools, created to do the Fae's dirty work and then be ignored forever. But they weren’t; they were children. Made for violence and cast aside like waste. And festering in the dark for so long, was it any surprise they didn’t know any better? Was it their fault?

She now knew what needed to be done, but hadn’t they already lost enough? A good friend and a mother gone were too much, how could she bring herself to wipe out an entire race, even despite their actions?

She once again thought of Asem’s family, of Cain, and felt an overwhelming pang of guilt. Oh, all the things she could’ve, should’ve, didn’t do to stop this! Clutching at the clockwork bracelet he had given to her, she did the only thing she could think to do; pray. Not to what was left of Iýa, not to any leviathans or sea serpents, but to a simple god with a simple purpose. She only hoped her words could be heard, that things could still be fixed. But the quiet sound of a thousand voices whispered to her, that she already knew what to do.

Touching a hand to the grass, she began to sing. It was her sister’s song, a flowery poem of spring, rebirth and justice. But this was not justice for her, Daphne thought as the flowers around her began to bloom in unison. This isn’t for the Faeries, their queen, or even Leo (though Daphne did hope she was safe). This was not for Asem or the Children of the Sun, or even the countless cultures that had been picked, pulled, and torn at by the devils.

No, the flood may be necessary to wipe out the horror of their acts, but the flowers now blooming across the face of the planet would serve as the Interlopers grave. And she would ensure this day would be remembered.

~*~

The flowers had wilted as the sun set the evening after their blooming. In the night that followed, light rain began to drizzle. This quickly turned to torrents and lightning that could rival that of even the god’s creation. Flash floods cascaded down mountains, turning creeks into rivers and rivers into great lakes. Forests became cold swaps and Interloper camps were reduced to sticks and blankets.

Those devils that were not fastened in place by the waters took the prisoners by their chains to the summits of peaks. Yet still most of the monsters slipped and fell, leaving the humans, Faeries, and Daevas still in their chains to find higher grounds, both together and on their own.

All the while, Daphne and Spear were deep, deep, down, their magic sustaining and growing on itself on their life forces. Low in the halls of Daphne’s first home, in the strip of land connecting the massive continents, they dreamt.

Hers started out pleasant. She was in a field, picking flowers as fast as her sister’s magic grew them. They took turns braiding the blossoms into each other’s hair, until the ground began to shake and the earth was overturned. They were then older, ceaselessly arguing as their mother futilely tried to calm them. Both sisters stormed off, swearing to never speak again.

The doors slammed shut, and there she sat beside the scholar, quietly watching him write. She reached behind him for a pen to mimic his strange symbols with. But as soon as her eyes turned, she was face to face with the starry iron crown of Asem. Across her eyes played scenes of the brutality and deadly force of the Interlopers- their prisoners crying, her mother’s corpse screaming- and the storms and floods created to wash them away.

And then she saw things she didn’t recognize. Simple flashes, almost ideas. Some were light. Her friends, older and stronger. A wedding, two boys that looked half like her. Spear, in command of legions, and Leonora, princess of the Fae. But some were dark. A corrupt king and his four knights, sent to destroy, going back to their kingdom in cursed shambles. The cadaver of her sister, willingly having given her life to end the terrorous reign of the Fae’s ruiners, and the great profanities she created.

And then her mind went blank. Only the rains remained.

While this happened, Spear and Perun quickly started getting ready while Noah and Daphne had already started using their powers. Perun was there to guard them, but just in case anyone slipped by, Spear created spheres of protection to serve as a shield against any attack, and he surrounded Noah, Daphne and himself. While Spear started to control his power, he saw Perun burst into a flaming creature, with black wings that seemed to be infected with white colors. Then, Spear lost himself to his thoughts, his powers activated, and he could only see darkness.

Then, a flash of light, and he could see everything. He saw the bodies of the many fallen Dovahs that died during the hunt against the Interlopers. In the middle of the body littered ground, he saw Scorpio, his heart pierced, and his body lay soulless. Then, his eyes filled with life, and he got up. Spear stood back in shock and terror at this sight, he didn't realize this was only in his spiritual mind. Scorpio plucked the halberd from his chest, and tossed it to the ground, and then gave Spear a brotherly hug.

As Spear was in question, Scorpio calmed him, saying that it was not his soul that died, and that there is hope for him to live. Spear begged him to tell him how, he said he only knew that the coming Alduin must be defeated, before he could return. Spear was still in question, but Scorpio assured him that he would be a guide of what to do, and where to go throughout his life from now on. Scorpio then touched his necklace, which Spear bared on his chest, and Spear filled with increased power. The Blessing of the Zodiacs, only given to those worthy enough to fight by the side of a Star.

As Spear started calming down, his heart filled somewhat with anger, as he still remembered the deaths of the many Dovahs, and Scorpio. Then his heart filled somewhat with love, as his brotherly relationship with Daphne reigned in his heart, he knew he had to defend her. He didn't even think about his family, his friends, or even anyone else he was supposed to save, and he even forgot about the deaths. All he thought of was Daphne, and even the thought of her being injured haunted him… so he protected her.

In the physical realm, Noah was breaking water from the ground, and Daphne was moving water from all bodies of water, just as planned. Interlopers expectantly charged towards them, but then a fiery creature came crashing down, and looked at them. Horns grew a meter long each, body of a demon, with huge hawk-like wings colored charcoal and streaks of pure white, a tail meters long reached around the creature, and at the end, was an axe, all the while the creature was violently flaming, and was hold a huge Greatsword in one hand, and a Battleaxe on a thick chain in the other. It was Perun, in his true Rising Demonic form, filled with rage. Still in the stage of horror, the Interlopers were then crashed into by Perun, while he wailed his axe around and flurried his sword at them, they felt fear. Even in their terrified state, they fought hard against Perun, though they knew they couldn't take him down, they just needed to get past him. Due to Perun's arrogance in attacking them, many Interlopers ran past him and towards the flooding trio.

Though they got close to them they stopped in horror, as they looked at one of the three. Spear was glowing lightning bright, and a hurricane the size of the entire world started. Even Perun looked in confusion, he knew Spear could never use that much power in any given situation, but he did, because of the blessing given by Scorpio's spirit, and Spear's heart filled with the brotherly protection for Daphne. He created the hurricane that not only flailed the opposing Interlopers away, but immediately started filling the earth with the water.

Clans and Kingdoms around the world were taking refuge to hide from the flood. Samurai of the Isles took to the mountains with the Ninjas of Darkness. The Woodlands Weres took refuge in mountains as well, far from the Isles. The Southern Dragons used magic to protect them from the waters, and the Northern Dragons used ships, as they were voyaging Vikings, and loved the challenge of the storm. And the creature of the water took refuge in underwater caves.

The Interlopers were swiftly wiped out, as they couldn't swim or build boats fast enough, they crumbled into jade as they were suffocated by the rising waters. An entire race was wiped out, all except a few remaining Interlopers that managed to get high enough, but they were eventually taken prisoner or driven underground.

Then, when all the destruction was done, Spear and Daphne woke up exhausted in all ways, using that much power greatly diminished their strength. Perun ran to them in a hurry, and tried offering to help them up, but they both refused and just wanted to lay down for a bit. When they somewhat rested they slowly got up, and Spear and Daphne hugged tightly, and then they looked for Noah. When they found him, his body was resting peacefully, a burnt-out husk as he took his final breath using a great amount of power to help them stop the Interlopers.

~*~

And so the floods receded, and life seemed to simply go on. The sparse handful of Interlopers leftover were dragged into hiding, and their prisoners found their way free of their chains and back to their homes.

Daphne's blue eyes looked upon Spear's hazel, and smiled wearily. Then, they hugged tightly. Though they had made it in the end, many had sacrificed their life to help them get this far. Their mission was done, and Noah, Scorpio, and the Interlopers went with it.

They returned to the Dovah home land, where celebrations had burst forth like lightning. For the first time in a long time, they allowed themselves to simply rest and enjoy themselves. They ate, drank, and were merry for seven days and seven nights, but no time limit could contain their joy.

Until the bitter taste had set in. So much was lost, and yet they partied. But they reminded themselves that festivity was not meant to diminish the sacrifices made to allow it. They honored those that had fallen by reveling in the peace and freedom they had brought.

Perhaps the world would never be entirely fixed, but they had learned by now that it didn’t matter. Spear had never forgotten his mother’s words, and chose now to share them with his newfound sister. That is why the gods gave us loved ones. To unify us and to lift one another up.

“So what now?” Daphne asked him at one time. “The world will never be the same. It’s like, their entire existence has just been… swallowed whole.”

“Yes, I suppose that was the point. But we’ve done a great thing, you know.” She smiled at him and nodded. “And now we… carry on?”

She sighed.

“...And now we carry on.”

~*~

And so Spear returns to Scandinavia, and continues to be the Spectrum Kendov, Guardian of the Northern dragons. Not only that, but as he bears the necklace of his fallen brother, Scorpio, he feels his night sky presence, watching over him, as if he was right next to Spear. Perun becomes the general of the entire Northern Dragon Dovahs, and sets up a way of communication for Daphne and Spear, making it so that they can continue being siblings. After all of this Spear trains, what he trains for is only in prophecy. At first he didn't believe it, but as soon as he found a scroll prophesying Noah and the flood, Spear began his training to fight Alduin…

Daphne found herself aimlessly wandering when the Flood had finally left. She met the madman Ion again, and helped them raise their religion. And after a while, her path crossed that of the scholarboy from the first city again. They were married in a temple of the Iron God, and when that church no longer accepted them, they fled to build a family and a city of their own. Every now and again, the princess, now queen, would ride the waves north to see her Dovah brothers, just as they went south to meet her, as well.

The Interlopers fell into legend, the ghost stories that would frighten children at night. All had forgotten them but the Faeries and the Dovahs. They mourned for the losses caused across the world, and for all that they had allowed themselves to do and believe. So when the Apollyons came to conquer the Faeries, they accepted their fate in hopes that justice could be served properly this time.

And Iýa? She tore out her own heart to make the prison the Interlopers requested, where Asem rots to the present day. Her body, similarly, decays in a cavern just below it, as do the few remaining Interlopers and the Apollyon knight who failed to seize her. The Wormwood trees had long since pulled it into an underground cavern, wiping its memory from all those above. All that was left was a scar. Although Dovahs were disconnected from this magic, therefore they could remember all.

Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here. About the envy of Adam, about the failures of the Fae, or maybe about the levity blindly doled out by Iýa herself. Or maybe it's about the teamwork of those who opposed the Interlopers, the love that bound them together, and the relentless courage they wielded. We may never know.

And so, the book closes and another story is shelved.

~*~

Well, dear reader, if you've read this far, I couldn't possibly thank you enough!

And many, many thanks to my little brother, Spear (@jack-spear-eye), for helping me on this!! Scorpio, Perun, and Kendov (Warrior) Spear (his self-insert), and the Dovahs are all his creations; Daphne is mine. We created the plot together, and the worldbuilding in general belongs to djkaktus (based on SCP-6666, 4840, and 4812).

Lil' man, I swear, he was the best partner on this! Every time I hit a roadblock, he had a new idea that got the gears turning again. It was a big commitment, too, I mean, just look at all that text! But we pulled it off, and I'm glad we did!

Fearless and creative optimist you are, I couldn't have done it without you, Spear.

So without further ado, here's the man to talk about it a little, too!

I did this not for my own gain, but to show others a message of unity, as well as to entertain. Normally I would say something in dovahzul (Dragon tongue/language) But pretty much I just want to say thank you all very much for giving me the chance to be a part of this community, and I want to personally thank Andy (@the-siren-and-the-sailor) for giving me the chance to do all of this, and giving me something to look forward to :•)

And last but not least, the TL;DR!

#please consider reblogging #reblogs appreciated!#writing #📝 written in the history books 📜

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pratikrebari · 4 years

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N.D.A

Men Apart Every Man An Emperor.

The National Defence Academy (NDA) is the Joint Services academy of the Indian Armed Forces, where cadets of the three services, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force train together before they go on to pre-commissioning training in their respective service academies. The NDA is located at Khadakwasla near Pune, Maharashtra. It is the first tri-service academy in the world.

NDA alumni have led and fought in every major conflict in which the Indian Armed Forces has been called to action since the academy was established. The alumni include 3 Param Vir Chakra recipients and 9 Ashoka Chakra recipients. National Defence Academy has produced 27 service Chiefs Of Staff till date. Current Chiefs Of Staff of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force are all NDA alumni.

History

Sudan Block of the National Defence Academy

In 1941, Lord Linlithgow, then Viceroy of India received a gift of £100,000 from a grateful Sudanese Government towards building a war memorial in recognition of the sacrifices of Indian troops in the liberation of Sudan in the East African Campaign during World War II. At the end of the war, Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck, then Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, drawing on experiences of the army during the war, led a committee to study various military academies around the world and submitted a report to the Government of India in Dec. 1946. The committee recommended the establishment of a Joint Services Military Academy, with training modelled on the United States Military Academy at West Point.[3]

After the independence of India in Aug. 1947, the Chiefs of Staff Committee immediately implemented the recommendations of the Auchinleck report. The committee initiated an action plan in late 1947 to commission a permanent defence academy and began the search for a suitable site. It also decided to set up an interim training academy, known as the Joint Services Wing (JSW), which was commissioned on 1 Jan. 1949 at the Armed Forces Academy (now known as the Indian Military Academy) in Dehradun. Initially, after two years of training at the JSW, Army cadets went on to the Military wing of the AFA for two years of further pre-commission training, while the Navy and Air Force cadets were sent to Dartmouth and Cranwell in the United Kingdom for further training.

Following partition, India's share of the monetary gift received from Sudan, amounted to £70,000 (the remaining £30,000 went to Pakistan). The Indian Army decided to use these funds to partly cover the cost of construction of the NDA. The foundation stone for the academy was laid by then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru on 6 Oct. 1949. The National Defence Academy was formally commissioned on 7 Dec. 1954, with an inauguration ceremony held on 16 Jan. 1955.[4] The JSW program was transferred from the IMA to the NDA.

Campus

The Sudan Block and the Ashok Stambha at the National Defence Academy

Shivaji memorial at the National Defence Academy[5] The 17th century Maratha warrior king is considered as the Father of Indian Navy.[6] [7]

The NDA campus is located about 17 km south-west of Pune city, north-west of Khadakwasla Lake. It spans 7,015 acres (28.39 km2) of the 8,022 acres (32.46 km2) donated by the Government of the former Bombay State. The site was chosen for being on a lake shore, the suitability of the neighboring hilly terrain, proximity to the Arabian Sea and other military establishments, an operational air base nearby at Lohegaon as well as the salubrious climate. The existence of an old combined-forces training centre and a disused mock landing ship, HMS Angostura, on the north bank of the Khadakwasla lake which had been used to train troops for amphibious landings, lent additional leverage for the selection of the site.[3] Aptly, NDA is also located in the hunting grounds of the legendary Shivaji, with the Sinhagad Fort as a panoramic backdrop.

The administrative headquarters of the NDA was named the Sudan Block, in honour of the sacrifices of Indian soldiers in the Sudan theatre during the East African Campaign. It was inaugurated by then Ambassador of Sudan to India, Rahmatullah Abdulla, on 30 May 1959. The building is a 3-storey basalt and granite structure constructed with Jodhpur red sandstone. Its architecture features an exterior design comprising a blend of arches, pillars and verandahs, topped by a dome. The foyer has white Italian marble flooring and panelling on the interior walls. On the walls of the foyer hang the portraits of NDA graduates who have been honored with the highest gallantry awards, the Param Vir Chakra or the Ashoka Chakra.

A number of war relics adorn the NDA campus, including legendary captured tanks and aircraft.[8] The Vyas Library offers an extensive collection of over 100,000 printed volumes, in addition to numerous electronic subscriptions and a number of periodicals and journals from around the world in at least 10 languages.

Admission

The "H" squadron (aka hunter sqdrn) dormitory at the National Defence Academy

Applicants to the NDA are selected via a written exam conducted by the UPSC, followed by extensive interviews by the SSB covering general aptitude, psychological testing, team skills as well as physical and social skills, along with medical tests. Incoming classes are accepted twice a year for semesters starting in July and January. About 4,50,000 applicants sit for each written exam. Typically, about 6,300 of these are invited to interview. Only unmarried male candidates are eligible for NDA & NA Examination. The minimum age should be 16 and half years and maximum age should be 19 and half years. Applicants to join the Air Force also go through a Pilot Aptitude Battery Test. About 320 cadets are accepted to the academy each semester. About 70 cadets are accepted for the Air Force, 42 for the Navy and 208 for the Army.

Cadets who are accepted and successfully complete the program are sent to their respective training academies for one year of training before granting of commission: army cadets go to IMA at Dehradun, Air Force cadets to AFA at Dundigal, Hyderabad, and naval cadets to INA, Ezhimala, Kerala. A cadet can only decline a commission in case of a serious permanent medical condition caused during the program.

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rutak · 4 years

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1. I would suggest not to drive from Tallinn directly to Tartu, but take a detour and admire Shore of Peipsi Lake. Tallinn – Rakvere (99 km / 1h 12 min)- Kuremäe ( from Rakvere 91 km/ 1h 10 min)- driving along lake Peipsi (Lohusuu, Mustvee, Alatskivi) 94,6 km/ 1 h) to Tartu (from Alatskivi 40 km/ 37 min)

Rakvere visit 13th-century castle ruins, open 10-18, ticket 9 euro

Kuremäe The Pühtitsa Dormition Convent (Kuremäe Convent) is open every day: 07:00 – 19:00, free

Mustvee Mustvee Old Believer’s Museum is one of the 21 places in Southern Estonia worth discovering that are marked by a yellow National Geographic window; is open advance bookings only

Alatskivi Alatskivi Castle is a Neo-Gothic castle in Alatskivi, Estonia. Dating to the 17th century; amazing rose garden. Take a tour in the castle, participate in workshops

Have dinner in Alatskivi pub or

Fish and Onion Restaurant of the Old-Believers of Kolkja open 12-18

And/ or visit Peipsimaa külastuskeskus /Peipsimaa Visitor Centre. Workshops, dinner, info…open Wednesday- Sunday 11-18

2. From Tartu Vastseliina 99 km/ 1 h 16 min– Kolodavitsa ( 19,5 km/ 20 min) – Piusa (4 km/ 5 min) – Orava (8 km/ 10 min)- Värska (16,6 km/ 20 min) – Taevaskoja (49 km/ 40 min)- Tartu (48 km/ 38 min)

Vastseliina Episcopal Castle was built in 1342 on the lands of the Bishop of Tartu and it became one of the most powerful fortifications in old Livonia

The Piusa sandstone caves, Ticket 5 eur

Bread baking workshop in Obinitsa, 15 eur, advance bookings only

Värska Beautiful lake and amazing nature. Pick and eat wild blueberries and lingonberry. Word-famous Värska mineral water. Be careful.:) This is the area of States Borders. Be careful and follow signs. Latvia is in EU and you welcome to visit Latvia, but for Russia, you need a visa J Have a dinner Seto Talumuuseumi Tsäimaja in the Seto Farm Museum.

Taevaskoja sandstone cliff. Very beautiful. Have just for a walk or ask for a guided tour. Check from this link for other activities.

Tartu- Võru ( 71 km / 56 min) Munamäe (10 km/ 14 min ) Rõuge ( 15 km/ 15 min) Sangaste loss ( 70 km/ 1 h) Pühajärve ( 22 km/ 20 min) Tartu (48, 5 km/ 40 min)

Võru beautiful lakes, promenades; Võrumaa Food Center (the title of the “Year of the Woodwork” awarded to the building), a monument to the “Estonian Food”, which was erected by a farmer from a private person and paid the price of a combine. Find Piret Pilberg linen fashions Võru, Tartu 31 Admire painted flats houses in Võru, painted by Navitrolla

Suur Munamägi Observation Tower The highest peak in Estonia (and the Baltic states), reaching 318 meters (1,043 ft) above sea level. Suur Munamägi (translation is” Big Egg Mountain”) Ticket 4 eur

Rõuge Suurjärv Lake Suurjärv in Rõuge is the deepest of the Estonian lakes – 38 m. There is a public sandy beach near the lake and the hiking trail in the Rõuge Primeval Valleyruns along its shore. The Monument to the Estonian Mother

Sangaste Castle The castle was built earl Bergs, rye breeder – “Estonian rye King” Castle in the Vinzor style,

Pühajärve and Otepää Pühajärv (“Holy Lake”) is a lake in Estonia, near the town of Otepää. Otepää is the most well-known winter sports centre in the Baltics and the Winter Capital of Estonia. Otepää got its name, which in Estonian means “bear’s head” after the shape of the castle hill. Otepää is first and foremost known as a ski resort and here you can enjoy cross-country and downhill skiing, as well as snowboarding and snow tubing. During the summer you can hike along the paths of Otepää Nature Park, Have dinner in Pühajärve SPA or in a very fancy restaurant GMP Pühajärve.

From Tartu to Viljandi (75 km/ 58 min) Riidaja ( 45 km/ 39 min) Helme (10,8 km/ 10 min) Taagepera (15,6 km/ 13 min) Lilli ( 10 km/ 18 min) Tartu (96 km/ 1h 30 min)

Viljandi My childhood hometown 🙂 impressive castle ruins, former home of the ruling Livonian Order. Two lakes, The Kondas centre of naive art; Estonian Traditional Music Center.

Park your car near the bus station/Centrum. Walkthrough Tartu Street to Castle ruins, Go down the Trepimägi to the lakes of Viljandi Rent a boat. Go back to the old city, visit recycling fashions stores (there are a lot of and very good ones) Have dinner in Roheline Maja or Fellin or Amrita Pizza. Rent a bike: Joosepi Jalgrattapood Kaalu 9, Viljandi

Riidaja Bagpipe Holiday House. You can enjoy the performances of Anu and Triinu Taul. The farm has its own airport. Sightseeing flights with a motorized hang glider.

Helme Caves and manor Situated to the north of castle ruins, the caves have a white Burtniek layer of sandstone walls standing 3 m high

Taagepera Castle is open advance bookings only. Baron Hugo von Stryk had the impressive art nouveau castle built as a home for himself more than a hundred years ago.

Lilli Teringi study trail 4,5 km . Go hiking!! J Perfect overview of Estonian bogs. If you are brave enough, you can swim in a bog- lake J Your biggest problem can be mosquitos (depending on weather). Buy some repellent.

4 Best Routs to Visit South Estonia #visitestonia #southestonia #võro #seto 1.

#Estonia #Nature #photos

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geotourism · 2 years

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Zion national park Utah- Best Trail for hike and camping

Zion National Park

Zion National Park is located in southern Utah near the city of Springdale. Park is a 147,000-acre desert sanctuary and is one of America’s most beloved national parks. It preserves epic red Sandstone formations, around 610 m high, that are carved brilliantly in colored canyons. Zion national park’s most prominent feature is 229-square-mile Zion Canyon. The canyon, which spans 24 kilometers and reaches a depth of up to 805 m, was carved by the North fork of the Virgin River. The canyon runs southward through the Narrows valley before reaching the Temple, where the North Fork river creates a tall, seasonal, waterfall. The gorge then runs southwest through Zion before merging with Pine Creek Canyon nearby Springdale. See the zion national park map.

Zion national park consists of 80 summits. The highest, Horse Ranch Mountain, is found in the Kolob Canyons region. The park’s most iconic landmarks, like The Watchman, West Temple, Towers of the Virgin, and Cathedral Mountain, all are found along the park’s scenic Zion Canyon road. Some other famous rock formations include the Court of the Patriarchs, The Pulpit, The Spearhead, the Beehives, The Great White Throne, and Lady Mountain.

Zion is a Hebrew word that means ‘refuge’ or ‘sanctuary. Human inhabitation in the Zion region started over 8,000 years ago with small groups of Native Americans. After the 1800s, Mormon pioneers arrived in Southern Utah. In November 1919, the United States of America designated the region as Zion National Park. apart from its spectacular rock formations, Zion is also known for its incredible biodiversity of plants and animal species. The Zion national park is often divided into four life zones desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest, each zone hosting a variety of plants and animals species. Nearly 289 species of birds and 75 mammals inhabit the park.

Geology of the Area

Zion National Park is located in southwestern Utah near the town of Springdale. Zion Canyon is a prominent feature of the 590 km2 area, which is 24 km long and up to 800 m deep. The canyon exposed by reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone eroded by the North Fork of the Virgin River. The lowest point in the park is 1,117 m at Coalpits Wash and the highest peak is 2,660 m at Horse Ranch Mountain.

Zion Park is located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert regions, and has a unique geography with a variety of life zones that allow for unusual plant and animal diversity. Zion National Park includes some beautiful mountains, canyons, buttes, mesas, monoliths, rivers, slot canyons, and natural arches. The geology of the Zion and Kolob canyons area represents 150 million years of formation mostly Mesozoic-aged sedimentation. At various periods in that time warm, shallow seas, streams, lakes, vast deserts, and dry-shore environments covered the area. The Colorado Plateau forms due to the upliftment process around 13 million years ago with the highest elevation of 3000m.

Zion mountain Trail rides

The Narrows

The Narrow is the narrowest section of the Virgin River in Zion Canyon. The hike begins along the scenic Riverside Walk, through ankle-deep or waist-deep water along the canyon. Though the trail spans more than 24 kilometers, hikers can turn around at any point,

Zion national park angels landing

Angels Landing is a side of sandstone cliffs, clinging to a set of chains. This is Zion’s most iconic trail takes trekkers up the side of a mountain following a narrow ridge to a 457m viewpoint overlooking Zion Canyon. Thrill-seekers will appreciate views and chain-assisted rock-climbing. This natural stair of Sandstone is dangerous and will surely test your fear of heights. The trail is just a mile long, making it a short and safe alternative to view Zion icons like Towers of the Virgins, the Streaked Wall, East Temple, and Beehives.

Also read- The Secret of ‘VILA FRANCA DO CAMPO’ Islet of Azores archipelago

Zion national park camping

Zion National Park has three campgrounds. Watchman Campground is located in Zion Canyon and is open all year round. South Campground and The Lava Point Campground. Camping is permitted in designated campsites. Watchman Campground is the most famous campground.

Zion national park city

Zion Mountain Ranch

Zion Mountain Ranch is the best place to make a base camp to visit the National park area. The 8,000-acre ranch is very near to the park and offers visitors a peaceful, remote getaway in the mountains. The Zion Mountain Ranch also offers visitors the opportunity to go horseback riding through the mountains. Canyoneering in Utah is the most dramatic experience in the canyons, exploring the corners of Zion via jeep and guided hikes are the best activities around the place.

Zion mountain Lodge

Zion Lodge is the best place within the National park area and is located in the heart of hikers paradise. The lodge is surrounded by Zion’s spectacular 610m canyon walls and some of the park’s most popular attractions and trekking trails. Zion mountain biking, tram rides, and transportation to and from the park are all available at Zion Lodge.

Springdale

Springdale is a small town located outside of the boundaries of Park. Springdale boasts a variety of accommodations and restaurants, is the perfect place to expand some time to the place. The Springdale Shuttle stops at 9 different locations in Springdale, takes visitors to and from the heart of the park. Mountain biking in Zion, Mountain lion in Zion, Zion mountain ranch restaurant, Zion mountain resort are some major attractions in the national park area. There are some other excellent accommodation options Surrounding areas in Zion national park-like- Mount Carmel, Kanab, and St. George.

Zion national park closest airport

MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT in Las Vegas is the nearest airport from Zion with direct flights from many foreign and domestic airports. Apart from this Visitors can reach the park via ST. GEORGE REGIONAL AIRPORT and SALT LAKE CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

#Zion national park #Zion national park Utah

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sanctuaryforascrivener · 6 years

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A Question of Freedom

Word Count: ~3k Summary: Freedom is harder to accept than it has any right to be. A late-night conversation with someone who knows what you’ve been through can help. Inspiration taken from bits and pieces I’ve inhaled of this fandom over the last couple of weeks. Unbeta’ed once again, constructive criticism is welcome.

Though the days still held the heat of late summer, they were slowly shortening as the night winds brought the first chills down from the north. The old Virginia creeper over the southern wall of Redwall Abbey had long since caught the fire of autumn, the orange and flame-bright red a sharp contrast to the dusky rose of the sandstones. Within the walls, the orchards lay sheltered, their trees laden with apples, damsons, pears, and bright leaves. Harvest would begin soon, as the industrious creatures who called the Abbey home reaped their rightful reward.

At the moment, however, those same industrious creatures were taking their well-deserved rest, secure in the knowledge that those who had been lost and those who had travelled far had returned home safe and sound, and that peace and safety were once again the order of the day. The windows were dark, even the most restless having blown out their candles and put aside their occupations for the morrow. The only illumination came from the crescent moon and the myriad of stars above.

The stillness was broken by a near-silent scrape of metal on stone. One of the dormitory windows opened, inch by careful inch, until a young squirrel was able to slide herself through the gap. She scrambled down the old stone without trouble, and set off across the lawn. She was a ragged looking creature, thin and hollow cheeked, with worn patches throughout her dusty brown fur. Once out of the building, though, she didn’t seem to decide where to go, and wandered aimlessly—first towards the main gate, then over towards the orchard and the strawberry patch, then the flower gardens. As she rounded the corner of the building, though, she froze and darted back.

A mouse was sitting on the shore of the abbey pond, leaning back on his paws with his face pointing at the sky. Simply clad in the green habit and brown sandals of the order, he looked perfectly serene as he gazed at the moon, but the squirrelmaid knew that if she had been seen, she would be sent straight back to bed. Nobeast was meant to be up and about at this late hour, as the twin bells had long since tolled midnight. As he hadn’t said anything, though, perhaps she had gone unnoticed—

“Come sit with me, young one,” a voice called across the night, too soft to disturb the stillness.

The squirrelmaid cursed quietly under her breath, but slunk out from behind the wall, crossing obediently to crouch next to the mouse. Her ears were back and she glared at the ground, braced for another lecture about rules.

Sensing her thoughts, the mouse chuckled. “I’m not going to lecture you or send you back to bed,” he said, good humor lacing his words. “You fought hard for the sky. I wouldn’t dream of taking it from you.”

The squirrelmaid shot the mouse a sharp, searching look, but she settled to sit with him on the edge of the pond, tilting her head up to look at the moon as well. The autumn night was clear and crisp, and the stars were scattered across the velvety dark blue with the carelessness of a spray of water droplets. She looked back down quickly, blinking tears from her eyes at the sheer immensity. To distract herself, she returned her attention to her companion, only to find him watching her with a sad understanding in his eyes, though a small smile still played about his whiskers. She recognized him, now—the one who had brought them all north, who had come for his son and welcomed them all to his family and home, the one called Matthias.

“It’s Elmkirk, isn’t it?” he said, and she nodded once. She was no more sure what to make of him now than she had been when she’d first met him, shattering the chains with one swing of that magnificent, terrifying sword. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“No,” Elmkirk said shortly, curling her paws into fists.

He didn’t comment on her rudeness, only nodded and looked back over the pond. “Aye, that’s understandable. It took half a season before I was comfortable bedding down indoors, let alone with a counterpane and mattress and proper pillow.”

Elmkirk blinked, and shifted, bringing her tail around to comb her claws through it, a child’s nervous habit. “Oh?”

“Mhm. It helped to have the window open, though with winter coming that might not be the best idea.”

“It’s too—” Elmkirk paused, not sure why she felt the need to confess her difficulties to Matthias. But there was just something about the mouse that, well… that made her feel safe. Elmkirk had to wonder if this was how she’d felt with her parents, before Slagar. “It’s too quiet. Back in Malkariss, we had to all pile together, because it was so cold in the caves. And we were so tired that it didn’t matter that you had an elbow in your stomach and paws in your face, you just slept. And here…”

“Here, you’re not too tired to dream,” Matthias said, and sighed.

Elmkirk gave another short, sharp nod. After several long minutes of silence, she asked, hesitant, “Then were you, too…?”

“Yes.” Quiet, no hesitation, no shame. “Yes, I was, though I was a season or two younger than you when I escaped. I had the sky and the sea I was born next to, though that hardly seemed a blessing at the time.”

“Did you kill ‘em?”

Again, that same, unyielding voice. “Yes. And though I lost much in the act, even then I knew I would do it again given the choice. Maybe differently, less recklessly, but I have never regretted slaying the tyrant.”

Elmkirk narrowed her eyes and shot a glance to the mouse. “But if that’s the case, then why were you so shocked down in the pits?” The mouse tilted his head to one side, confusion clear on his face. “When we killed Malkariss. You didn’t object, but it wasn’t hard to tell you were horrified. But he deserved it!” she burst out suddenly, on her feet. “He did! The Evil One, the disease ridden cur! At his word we were taken from our families, at his word we were beaten, we were starved, we were forced to build--all for his glory, his exultation! We were taken from our plains, from our mountains, from our forests, from our sky, all at his whim! Fuel for the fire of a mad, pointless vision!” She broke off and buried her face in the crook of her arm, hot, angry tears stinging her eyes.

The mouse had followed her to her feet, standing beside her and listening to her rant with unending patience. “Matthias has been a freebeast all his life,” he said. “He cannot understand the righteous fury of a slave finally given the opportunity to rise up. He saw children stone a living creature to death, and one frail and old at that. Justice though it was, to one who has never been made to feel less than he is, it seemed only like cold blooded murder. Matthias has a good and noble heart, but he has never endured the ignominy of slavery, of the chains, of the lash, of going hungry while you watch your master feast. He knows of the evils of slavery, yes. He is not naive. But he cannot understand. Seasons willing, he never will.”

“I wish I didn’t!”

“As does any beast who has endured it,” the mouse said. “But you do understand.” He watched her a moment, as she clenched and unclenched her paws, struggling to bring her emotions back under control. “You are angry,” he said at last, and Elmkirk snorted at the obvious statement. He smiled briefly, grimly. “That’s good. Anger can give a creature drive, determination. But you must focus and temper that anger, or else it will consume you.”

“How?” Elmkirk snapped. Malkariss was dead, the slave drivers were dead, the city lost beneath stone and rubble and there it would stay. There wasn’t anything to focus her anger upon, and yet she still burned with it.

“That is the hardest question, and one I cannot answer,” the mouse said. He shrugged. “I know of a hedgehog who had never tilled the earth before being captured by slavers and forced to farm. He kept a garden after he was freed, because he liked the act of it, and that as a freebeast he could choose what to grow, where to grow it, and had the right to keep all his produce. After six seasons in a pirate galley, an otter could never bring herself to see the ocean again, could barely stand streams. But she learned all she could of healing, because she did not wish to see another creature suffer as she had. A dormouse joined a group of travelling minstrels because after a lifetime of sorrow he found a love for bringing joy to others.”

“How is that angry? Gardening and healing and laughing, that just sounds stupid!”

“That’s the trick of it. You accept the anger inside you, and you use it to change the world around you. That is what I mean by tempering it.” He folded his hands into his sleeves, watching to see if she understood.

“What did you do?” It was a challenge, but the mouse didn’t rise to it, only smiled wistfully.

“It took me seasons to understand. I nearly let the anger consume me, and it was only the grace and guidance of those around me that enabled me to escape that fate. I decided that I would never again see those under my protection be ground under the heel of a tyrant. No more. And I helped to build a family and a home for anyone who would want it. Eventually, I found peace.” He shrugged, and gave Elmkirk a piercing look. “So, Elmkirk. What will you do now, with your understanding and your freedom?”

It was a challenge of his own. Elmkirk swallowed, and traced patterns with one footpaw in the grass. “I don’t… I don’t know,” she admitted finally. “I mean, I have to stay here.”

The mouse smiled again, and gestured to the winding dirt path through the orchard. “Come, I want to show you something.”

The pair walked slowly down the path, no words passing between them. In time, they came out of the orchard and back into the open, crossing the lawn to a small wicker gate set deep into the eastern wall of the building. The mouse nodded towards the gate. “Where is the lock?”

Nonplussed, Elmkirk shrugged. “On the inside?”

“Yes, it is. And in Malkariss, where were they?”

“On the doors and the chains,” she grumbled, not seeing the point of this questioning.

The mouse laughed softly. “Cheek,” he said, though not without affection. “But they were on the outside, weren’t they? Where you couldn’t reach them, couldn’t unlock them?”

“Yes…”

The mouse shrugged, and crossed to the steps leading to the top of the wall. He sat on one of them, resting his chin in his paws and watching the young squirrel. “Listen to me. You’re angry. That’s as it should be. No beast should endure what you have had to. You hear the elders here tell you you’re safe, that you’ll never know want or cold or abuse again, but you also hear them tell you the rules, assign you chores, lock the gates at night and scold you for misbehavior, and you wonder if you’ve really escaped slavery after all, or if this is only one big trick. Or, if the beasts here don’t turn on you, if you’ll wake and be back in the mines of Malkariss, where the sky is a distant memory and a full belly a hopeless dream.”

Elmkirk stood rooted to the spot. It was as if the mouse was speaking her most secret thoughts, things she hadn’t even let herself fully think. The ghost of a smile flicked across the mouse’s face, and he nodded.

“You’ve been unsafe for so long that it’s hard to believe otherwise, let alone that you’re welcome, or even wanted,” he said quietly, gray eyes distant. “Believe me, I know. But I can promise you that not a single creature here wishes you harm, and that every single one of them would die before allowing you to be enslaved again. We may be a peaceful order, but true peace can only be protected through strength. Those that forget our strength, that threaten our peace and our freedom do so at their peril. Do you understand?”

Elmkirk swallowed hard. “I think so, sir. But that doesn’t explain why you were asking me about locks.”

The mouse nodded approval of the question. “You will always find a warm welcome here, Elmkirk, and you will always be wanted. Every creature living within these walls contributes to Redwall, and you would be missed should you choose to leave. But the gates of Redwall will always be open for you—from either side of the walls. The locks are on the inside, Elmkirk. Should you wish to leave, should you decide that your path splits from ours, not a creature here would stop you from walking out those gates. They would only offer supplies and a helping hand upon your way, and sincere wishes for you to return. Whether you decide to leave tomorrow morning or in ten seasons’ time.”

“You mean—you mean I could go?” Elmkirk demanded. She hadn’t had a family to return to, after Malkariss. Not one she remembered. She hadn’t really decided to come here, either, it had simply been assumed she would, and she hadn’t contested it. “Just leave?”

“Yes,” the mouse agreed. “You could. You could go anywhere, do anything.”

Possibilities sparked in Elmkirk’s mind. She could go. Could wander further north along the path, or follow it south into different lands. Maybe see the sea, or the mountains—she’d heard of the mountains before, from another squirrel out of the north. Proper, rocky mountains, not like the high cliff she’d been dragged up by Slagar. She could travel along the rivers, or just live in the forest, among the trees. Mouth working silently, she looked again at the mouse, overwhelmed by gratitude for the sheer possibility he’d just revealed to her.

“You’re free, Elmkirk,” he said, another smile creeping over his face. “You’re free, beholden to no beast. Not even us.”

Elmkirk sat down hard on the grass, head spinning. “I’m free,” she whispered again, then giggled. “I’m free.”

The mouse laughed as well. “Yes, you are. But I’d recommend at least staying here through the winter. Travelling alone through snow isn’t the most fun, trust me. And should you decide to wander come spring, you ought to know that however far you go, however long you are gone, Redwall Abbey will always give you a warm welcome should you decide to return. You have a home, should you want it.”

Still reeling, Elmkirk struggled to speak for several seconds. “Who are you?” she finally demanded. “You’re not Matthias, but I don’t know who you are.”

The mouse laughed, more loudly and freely than he had yet. “Now there’s a problem I never expected to run into,” he said when he’d regained control of himself. “Most of the time, he’s mistaken for me rather than the other way around. I think I’m flattered.” There was a twinkle in his gray eyes now as he watched the squirrelmaid. “My name’s Martin. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elmkirk.”

“Are you two brothers, then?” she persisted. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around the abbey.”

“You could think of us as brothers, I suppose,” Martin said, still grinning. “Though I’m much older than young Matthias. We’ve been told we look quite similar.” Elmkirk scowled, sensing she was missing something but not able to put her paw on what. Before she could speak to ask another question, Martin stood and walked back down the steps to join her on the grass. “Unfortunately, it’s long past time you slept. If you can’t in the bed, I always had more luck pulling the blankets off and making a nest in the corner. And,” he added, as he started back towards the abbey with Elmkirk trailing behind him, “I would be shocked if some of the others weren’t having similar problems sleeping. You might not need the warmth anymore, but sleeping with other creatures can offer comfort, too, when you trust them to watch your back.”

They paused beneath the window Elmkirk had climbed out of, and Martin nodded his head towards the wall. “You won’t have too much trouble getting up?”

“No,” Elmkirk muttered. “Besides, it’s either this or the door, and I don’t want Constance to catch me out.”

“Oh, yes, badger mums can be quite strict when it comes to curfew,” Martin said with a wry smile. “Even when there’s a perfectly good reason to be out and about. Bella caught me sneaking back in one night and gave me a lecture blistering enough that it woke most of the abbey.”

Elmkirk snickered as she started up the wall. “Well, sir, I won’t tell you were out of bed if you don’t tell on me,” she said.

The mouse winked. “Deal,” he said, and raised one paw in farewell. “Oh, and Elmkirk?” The squirrelmaid paused, two-thirds up the wall. “If you ever need someone to listen, I’m always around.”

“Thank you, Martin,” she said, a faint smile stealing over her face as well—the first in what felt like seasons. She was over the windowsill with a flick of her tail and back in the dim dormitory hall, full of beds and still figures. She closed the window quietly as she could and sat on the edge of her bed, thinking.

“Hey,” she said at last in a loud whisper. No one flinched, but the absolute stillness gave the others away. She smiled again, broader this time, firmer. “Does anyone else want to sleep together?”

There was a beat of silence, then another, before a small mouse turned over and poked his nose over the blanket. “If you promise not to let your tail tickle my nose,” he said.

“Promise.”

There was a flurry of activity from the other beds, whispers and stifled giggles.

When Sister May creaked the door open the next morning to check on the newest additions to Redwall, she found every one of the freed slaves in a tangle of tails and paws and blankets in the middle of the floor, snoring happily.

#fic #Redwall #Martin the Warrior #original character #takes place right after Mattimeo #sort of messy sort of rambling #very unsure of the pacing and characterization

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patecostello54 · 1 year

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Benefits Of Using Sandstone Pavers For Paving Paths And Park Avenues

Paver is basically a pre-cast piece consisting of bricks, concrete or stones which is generally employed for exterior landscaping applications. They were initially manufactured in Europe; thereafter they were distributed with parts of the planet. Interlocking pavers are prepared by installing a tough stone over the compact stone made sub base and sand beds. They're generally used for paving driveways, docks, walkways, balconies, pools and patios. Sandstone is a very common material employed for designing pavers. Most homeowners would rather have sandstone pavers of their homes. Sandstone pavers can be found in several beautiful textures. They're beautiful, versatile and elegant, radiating warmth and wonder inside their surroundings. Further, use of subtle color combinations ensures that they appear stunning. These pavers are great for all weathers and environment types. Because of their neutral shades, they remain cool in summers and warm during winters. When people say sandstone is a long-lasting material, they're being truthful! Sandstone made pavers and tiles when sealed with suitable sealant, takes a longer time of your energy. Proper sealing checks the entry of moisture inside. This makes sandstone resistant to daily wear, climatic aberration or corrosion. sandstone retaining walls sydney make great inclusions in public places, homes, commercial complexes as well as other structures. They can be found in various designs, shapes and forms so that you can easily make use of them everywhere! Further, due to water-resistant properties, these stones are useful for constructing fountains, garden idols and pools. Sandstone pavers can be found in selection of shades. You can co-ordinate these with along with of one's room to be able to complement your interiors. Deep brown, auburn and chocolate colored sandstone has high quantity of iron oxide. It can easily camouflage marks. Yellow sandstone is used for paving saltwater pools because it is resistant to saline winds or acidic water. Beige, cream, light grey and white shades consist of purple or red veins that are lines that trace the entry of water inside. These stones are used by creating idols. Red, scarlet or pink sandstone is soft, smooth and non-slippery. It includes uniform grains and are available with polishes, sawn or rough surfaces. They're tolerant to natural changes and weathering therefore they're used by paving roads or put to ornate uses. In case you'd like your home interiors and exteriors to appear beautiful, you should use sandstone pavers for lining your falls, pavements and walls!

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joynerkyed30 · 1 year

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Purchase Sandstone Blocks For Constructing Beautiful Homes

Sandstone, a famous sedimentary rock contains feldspar and quartz grains. Since past handful of centuries, sandstone has been used being a construction material out of its durability and strength. Besides having unique shades and inherent beauty, this stone looks attractive when used by building luxurious bungalows therefore many constructors prefer sandstone blocks for condos. Sandstone blocks that are used for construction are first crushed and broken into fine gravel like powdery substance. Thereafter sandstone steps sydney 's blended with concrete so that you can manufacture ornamental bricks and round stones. These reconstituted bricks are used for paving avenues too. Sandstone is a type of selection for making stones because it really is trendy and radiates a vintage appearance. It is great for both commercial too as residential structures. In addition to this, it really is hard and resistant against corrosion, acid rains or harsh climatic conditions therefore most builders use sandstone blocks like a flagstone material for building patios, walls or put on the extender in a very tile like format for covering up garden grounds, bathroom floors and kitchen countertops. This material is proof against slips and spills. Moreover, it really is also used being a finishing material for other blocks because of its rough textures. Sandstone blocks can be modified and combined with a lot of other stones and materials for several applications. Unlike regular red bricks or concrete which can be monotonous, plain and lifeless, sandstone however is available in numerous vibrant shades. This color variation basically is dependent upon the positioning that yields these rocks. Due to use of lots of colors like yellow, red, brown, chocolate, orange, beige and cream these rocks are used for lining ceilings and walls. You can use color coordinated sandstone tiles for decorating the walls of one's sitting room and guest room. If you're thinking of purchasing modified or reconstituted sandstone blocks for your household, you can get them from any someone's place of business that supplies building materials. Check out newspaper classifieds or search through local telephone directories an internet-based websites so that you can find the very best sandstone dealer or your city. Some vendors offer whole sandstone, crushed sandstone or small gravel like sandstone pebbles, based upon customer requirements. Before purchasing sandstone blocks, you may also call any local recyclers so that you can find recycled sandstone that's purchased from demolition projects and leftover construction materials. Thus, you may get these blocks for half industry rates!

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tamboradventure · 4 years

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The 11 Best Things to See and Do in Israel

Posted: 03/05/20 | March 5th, 2020

Home to incredible historical and religious sites, the mineral-rich Dead Sea (which is also the lowest point on Earth), a lively nightlife, and a world-class food scene, Israel has a lot to offer visiting travelers.

Though a small country that doesn’t take too long to drive around, there’s just SO much on offer that you could still easily spend weeks here and not run out of amazing sights to see, activities to do, and delicious food to eat.

To help you get started planning your trip, here’s a list of what I consider to be some of the best things to see and do in Israel:

1. Tel Aviv

With almost four million people in the greater Tel Aviv area, this beach city on the Mediterranean has a lively, cosmopolitan vibe. It’s the country’s most modern city and where the majority of international flights arrive (there are also international airports in Haifa and Eilat, but Tel Aviv is the main point of arrival).

While the city has a lot to offer (including 13 beaches), one of the major draws is the food. The culinary scene is full of inventive eateries using fresh, organic ingredients and mixing traditional Israeli cuisine with tastes from around the world, reflecting the many ethnicities that make up the country’s population. There’s even a huge number of vegan options too (Israel is an incredible destination for vegetarian and vegan travelers). You can also stroll the stalls at the Carmel Market and the Levinsky Market for tasty local street food.

Tel Aviv also has a nightlife that would rival New York or London. For a night out, you can find rooftop bars, wine bars, and craft beer breweries all over town. In particular, check out venues lining Rothschild Boulevard. Also, there’s a strong music scene with tons of live concerts happening around town (in all genres) as well as a world-class philharmonic orchestra. There’s lots of great theatre here too!

During the day, visit any of dozens of museums, including the popular Yitzhak Rabin Center, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, or the Museum of the Jewish People. Tel Aviv also has many informative and insightful walking tour companies to help you learn more about the city’s past, its people, its street art, and its architecture (Tel Aviv’s Bauhaus structures, “the White City,” is a UNESCO World Heritage site). New Europe is the best free walking tour in town (just be sure to tip).

And don’t miss the ancient port of Jaffa (home to a large flea market, an artists quarter, fine restaurants, a mixed population of Arabs and Jews, and great views of Tel Aviv).

2. The Dead Sea

Israel and Jordan share the Dead Sea. Covering over 600 square kilometers, its shores are the lowest point on earth and its water is so salty — over eight times more than the ocean — that virtually no sea life can survive in it (hence its name). That saltiness also means you float on the water (salt increases buoyancy), which is why you’ll see lots of people here snapping pictures as they float the day away.

Unfortunately, it also means that if you have any cuts on your body, you will feel them keenly! Additionally, industrial exploitation has shrunk the shoreline and caused sinkholes in some areas, so beware of that and pay attention to any signage.

The salt and other minerals (like magnesium and bromide) have historically been thought of as healing, which is why there are tons of health retreats lining the shore. While many beaches are only accessible through a resort, there are also several public ones along the coast, including Neve Midbar in the north and Ein Bokek in the south.

3. Jerusalem

Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world, with its history stretching back about 5,000 years. Referred to as “the Holy City” (in Arabic, al-Quds), Jerusalem holds an important place in three of the world’s major religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Home to over a million people, it’s a destination for pilgrims and tourists alike, brimming with an incredible (and often controversial) history.

The walled Old City, not to mention nearby Mount Zion and the City of David (the original site of Jerusalem), include so many famous and significant sites that you could easily spend several days touring them.

For Jews, the Western Wall (formerly called the Wailing Wall) is considered the holiest place for prayer. It is divided into men’s and women’s sections, and there are tunnels on one side that can be explored.

The Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount (just above the Western Wall) are among the holiest sites for Muslims, behind only Mecca and Medina.

For Christians, the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City mark the path of Jesus’s final walk to his execution and the site of his crucifixion.

In the western, newer section of Jerusalem, be sure to visit Yad Vashem, the deeply emotional official memorial for the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. There’s also the Israel Museum, which is home to the Dead Sea Scrolls and other treasures of Israel’s past.

For an insightful overview of the city, take a walking tour or food tour. There’s the Machane Yehuda market tour, and Abraham Tours (which also runs an amazing hostel) organizes daily walking tours highlighting Jerusalem’s past from different (and often competing) perspectives.

4. Biblical Sites

As an epicenter for three major religions, Israel has a lot of important shrines and pilgrimage destinations. A large number of travelers join biblical tours (either guided tours or self-guided ones) to visit places like the Galilee, Bethlehem, and Jericho (the latter two in Palestine).

Galilee is home to a number of Christian sites, including Nazareth, where you’ll find the largest church in the Middle East; and the Jesus Trail or the Gospel Trail, hikes from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee — which is also home to numerous sites of Christian interest, such as Capernaum, Tabgha (where Jesus fed people loaves and fishes), Cana, and the Mount of Beatitudes (the supposed location of the Sermon on the Mount).

Known as the birthplace of Jesus, Bethlehem is a must-visit destination. Be sure to visit the Church of the Nativity, one of the most important Christian sites (ostensibly where Jesus was born) and also one of the world’s oldest operating churches (it opened in 333 CE).

Near Jericho, you’ll find Qasr el Yahud on the Jordan River, said to be the place where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, and the Monastery of St George, a cliff-hanging complex carved into a sheer rock wall in the Judean Desert.

5. The Negev Desert

The Negev Desert covers the southern half of Israel and spans over 13,000 square kilometers, taking up 55% of the entire country. It’s a starkly beautiful place. For the best views, visit the Florence and George Wise Observatory near Mitzpe Ramon. Also, don’t miss Timna Park in the far south (near Eilat), which has incredible geological formations: huge sandstone pillars and sand of many colors. There’s also an annual hot air balloon festival held there each autumn.

The Negev is full of all kinds of adventure activities, too, from sandboarding in the dunes in the north to rappelling off the cliffs of the Ramon Crater. If you don’t have a car, you’ll find no shortage of tour companies to take you around.

6. Masada National Park and Fortress

One of the most-visited parts of the Negev Desert is Masada National Park. Located just 100km (62 miles) south of Jerusalem on the edge of the Dead Sea, this was the ancient fortress built by King Herod the Great on a plateau. It’s famed for being a refuge for Jewish rebels against the Roman Empire, who lived up there for seven years before committing mass suicide after a siege by the Romans back in 73 CE. Today, it’s a symbol of Israeli determination and one of the country’s most popular attractions.

There’s a cable car up to the fortress, but an alternative is to hike up the Snake Path, a 60-90-minute hike offering views of the arid landscape, the Dead Sea, and Jordan. Just be aware that it can be really hot in summer (it’s a desert after all), and sometimes authorities close the path if the weather is too hot. (Bring lots of water.) It’s better (and cooler) to ascend before dawn and see the sunrise over Jordan from the trail or the summit.

Open daily from 8am until 3pm-5pm. Admission to the park is $9 USD. You can reach the park in about 90 minutes from Jerusalem by car.

7. Dive Israel’s Reefs and Wrecks

Israel borders the Mediterranean Sea and has a short coastline on the Red Sea — both of which offer world-class snorkeling and scuba diving. Some of the best spots on the Red Sea, where you can see incredible coral and sea life, include Coral Reef Beach, Migdalor Beach, and Princess Beach.

For scuba divers, the water deepens very quickly off Eilat, so you can do deep-water diving without needing to use a boat to get further from the shore. (Those who don’t wish to go in the water can visit the Underwater Observatory Marine Park.)

On the Mediterranean coast, divers can explore shipwrecks and ancient Roman ruins at the Underwater Archaeological Park at Caesarea.

8. Israel’s Lesser-Known Archaeological Sites

There has been human activity in what is now Israel for over 100,000 years, making the region incredibly rich when it comes to archaeological finds. While most people are familiar with the main sites (such as Jerusalem, Caesarea, and Masada) there are actually tons more to see throughout the country.

In fact, there are more than 300 excavations active in Israel, which means that there are new discoveries being made all the time. Here are some of the best lesser-known sites:

Megiddo – Located southeast of Haifa, this was once a fortified city, with its origins going back to around 3000 BCE. The Hebrew name “Har Megiddo” (Mount Megiddo) became in Greek “Armageddon,” as this is the supposed site of the end-times battle. Today, the ruins host an excellent and informative museum that sheds light on the area and its sprawling history.

Templars’ Tunnel in Akko – This secret tunnel was built by the medieval Templars at their fortress in Akko (Acre) in the 13th century. It stretches 150m and was only discovered in 1994. The site is accessible to the public, which means you can actually explore the tunnel yourself.

Beit She’an – This Biblical site dates back to the 6th century BCE and is home to beautiful and well-preserved Roman ruins, including bathhouses, a theater, column-lined streets, and much more. It was the Roman capital of northern Israel and is one of the largest archaeological sites in the world.

Beit Guvrin-Maresha – Located in Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park (near Kiryat Gat), this Roman ruin was known as Eleutheropolis during the Roman and Byzantine eras. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to a Jewish cemetery, an amphitheater, and a Byzantine church. You can also find the ruins of public baths and burial caves here as well.

Herodium National Park – Located just outside of Jerusalem, this fortress built into a hill rivals the more popular Masada yet sees a fraction of the visitors. Here you’ll find palatial ruins, underground tunnels, secret caves, lookout points offering beautiful views, and the famous tomb of Herod the Great.

As for the more well-known Caesarea National Park, it’s located just 30 minutes by car south of Haifa. As one of the country’s biggest archaeological sites, it’s home to Roman, Byzantine, and Crusader cities. It’s famous for its Roman aqueduct, hippodrome, and amphitheater (a great place to see a concert), plus there is a public beach and shopping nearby.

9. Learn About Gaza (and the West Bank)

Located on the southwest coast, Gaza has a long past. In recent history, the region has been controlled by the British, Egyptians, and Israelis, and is currently ruled (de facto) by Hamas. Palestine-Israel relations are a sensitive topic — and I have no desire to get into that in this post — but understanding the conflict is vital to understanding the region and its history.

While you can’t easily visit Gaza, it’s just 71 km (44 miles) from Tel Aviv, and there are several border tours you can take to learn more about the ongoing conflict. Abraham Tours runs “dual-narrative” tours of Gaza that offer insight into the complex history of the conflict (they also run tours about the West Bank).

Additionally, Green Olive Tours, a joint Israeli-Palestinian company, offers tons of insightful single and multiday tours around Gaza and the West Bank as well.

And these are some reputable NGOs that work in Gaza that you can reach out to:

Palestinian Circus School

Medical Aid for Palestinians

The Freedom Theatre

10. Haifa

Haifa, a relaxed port city on Mount Carmel in the north, is another must-see destination. Home to just under 300,000 people, the city’s history stretches back to the third century CE. An important industrial hub, Haifa boasts a mix of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian inhabitants, which has helped it maintain a diverse and cosmopolitan feel. Haifa is also home to Israel’s only subway: a single line with six stops

You could easily spend a few days just seeing the highlights. Don’t miss the UNESCO World Heritage Baha’i Gardens in the city center, a beautiful terraced garden that is home to the golden-domed Baha’i Shrine of the Báb. For an amazing view, take the cable car up Mount Carmel to the Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery. The ride is just five minutes and costs 35 ILS ($10 USD) (round-trip). You’ll be rewarded with a picture-perfect view of Haifa and the Mediterranean.

You can also base yourself in Haifa while taking day trips to Nazareth, Megiddo, or other destinations in Galilee or along the coast.

11. Visit a Kibbutz

A kibbutz is a collective community typically centered around a particular job or workplace. They started back in 1910 and were originally centered around collective agriculture. The concept spread rapidly, and today there are still nearly 300 across the country. Many are open to visits from tourists who are looking for a more unique travel experience. Here are some of the most popular kibbutzim if you’re looking to learn more:

Kibbutz Ein Gev – Located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, this is one of the biggest kibbutzim in the country. It’s home to a beachside resort open to visitors, as well as several agricultural operations (including dairy farming and a banana plantation). Over 600 people live in the kibbutz, and you can take a short train tour through it to learn more or book a stay at its holiday resort. The tours last 30 minutes and cost 16 ILS (under $5 USD).

Kibbutz Degania Alef – Established in 1910, this was Israel’s first kibbutz. It is home to over 500 people, who all work in the community’s factories, farms, or service industries. There are also two small museums in the community that shed light on its history and development, as well as some historical buildings you can visit to learn more (you’ll need to book your museum visits in advance).

Kibbutz Ein Gedi – Located on the Dead Sea, this kibbutz is famous for its botanical garden, which spans almost 25 acres and is home to over 900 species of plants. Founded in 1953, the kibbutz is home to just over 600 people and is focused on agriculture and tourism. Free tours are available daily in English and Hebrew.

***

Whether you are interested in religious history, are curious about archaeology, or just want to spend time outdoors hiking, diving, and snorkeling, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Israel. It’s truly a world-class destination for laid-back vacationers, foodies, and intrepid backpackers looking to get off the beaten trail.

No matter what you’re looking for, Israel won’t disappoint.

Book Your Trip to Israel: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe, so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com, as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. Some suggested places to stay in Israel are:

Florentine Backpackers Hostel (Tel Aviv) – A fun, social party hostel in Tel Aviv surrounded by craft-beer bars and quirky cafés. It’s near the beach too!

Abraham Hostel (Jerusalem) – A social hostel that hosts tons of activities, from yoga to hummus-making classes to open-mic nights. It’s really easy to meet people here and has a laid back atmosphere.

Haifa Hostel (Haifa) – This is a new hostel, so everything is in good shape and kept clean. It’s in a good location and close to the gardens, and the staff are super friendly and helpful.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those 70 or over)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all those I use — and I think they’ll help you too!

Photo credits: 5 – Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia, 7 – dorin BEN HAMO, 11 – Israel_photo_gallery

The post The 11 Best Things to See and Do in Israel appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

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flyingcarpettours · 5 years

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Egypt Travel and Jordan Tours

Enjoy an exciting Egypt Travel and Jordan Tours with Flying Carpet Tours, explore the incredible History of Egypt and the exquisite monuments in Jordan in Petra, Experience the wonders of Petra, float in the Dead Sea, marvel at the Greco Roman ruins at Jerash or simply relax on the shores of the Red Sea at Aqaba.

Experience the of the Ancient Egyptians and follow their traces with amazing Tour in Cairo, Unleash your inner and feast your eyes watching the magnificent Pyramids of Giza which considered the magnificent man-made structures in history, built from roughly 2550 to 2490 B.C as massive tombs to the kings Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinus but some still don’t accept that the ancient Egyptians were capable of such achievements. Wonder at the mysterious statue of Sphinx which consists of about 2,000 limestone blocks, until now no one knows for what purpose the statue was built or whom it’s belonging to. Get to know more about the Giza Plateau and explore the Valley Temple, next move to the Egyptian Museum, scout the treasures of tut ankh amun, your last visit will be to Old Cairo, visit the hanging church, Abu Serga Church, and Ben Ezra synagogue.

Discover the greatness of the Ancient Egyptians and sail along the Nile River on board a deluxe Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan, where you will get amazed by watching the incredible amount of ruins and monuments. feast your soul while exploring the East and West Bank of Luxor which include about a third of the most remarkable monuments in the world such as Karnak Temple, the biggest temple in the world, Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon then scout to Aswan and you will experience the warm weather and the amazing landscapes while visiting the astonishing sightseeing in the city such as Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk and more.

Watch the glory of Jerash Where a city in Jordan, north of the capital Amman. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, it’s known for the ruins of the walled Greco-Roman settlement of Gerasa just outside the modern city. These include the 2nd-century Hadrian’s Arch, the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis and the huge Forum’s oval colonnade.

Experience the history in Petra, it contains the largest attractions of Jordan, at the beginning it was established by Nabatean Arabs, but at the Ptolemaic era it became a trading center for the caravans, it is considered as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, where history and culture pave the way to breathtaking, get a magical experience to enter this hidden city through a long narrow Siq, scout the amazing carved buildings made by Human hands, get the chance to try horseback riding to the entrance of the canyon, Camels are available to hire inside Petra and more.

Book Egypt Travel and Jordan Tours

Day 01: Arrive Cairo

At the time your flight touching Cairo Land, one delegate from Flying Carpet Tours will be holding a sign with your name, transfer to hotel, relax from the inconvenience of your travel, be ready for your Cairo and Nile Cruise Package tomorrow, overnight in Cairo.

Day 02: Pyramids, Memphis, Sakkara

Taste the flavor of your breakfast at hotel, then Flying Carpet Tours guide will escort you to a flourishing day tour to Memphis City at Mit Rahina, beguile your eyes with the huge Statue of Ramses II at the Open Air Museum in Memphis City, Next tour to the step Pyramid of King Zoser, Sakkara Pyramid, relax by having Lunch at local restaurant, Next Excursion to Pyramids of Giza, Explore Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinus, then your tour guide will take you to panoramic view of the pyramids, memorable photos available to the three pyramids together, next move to the Sphinx, scout the valley temple, your guide will give you some time for shopping to buy whatever you prefer, finally Flying Carpet Tours Guide will transfer you back to your hotel in Cairo, at night try optional tour to the sound and light show at the pyramids, overnight in Cairo.

Day 03: Egyptian Museum, Citadel of Salah El-Din, Old Cairo

Enjoy the savor of your breakfast at hotel, then Flying Carpet Tours guide will escort you to a thrilling Cairo Tours, visit the Egyptian Museum, scout the treasures of Tut Ankh Amun, then your guide will reveal the legends of Salah El-Din Citadel where history and culture pave the way to breathtaking, watch the architectural splendor of the Alabaster Mosque, finally visit Old Cairo including the hanging church, Abu Serga Church, and Ben Ezra synagogue, finally your guide will escort you to Giza train station for departure to Aswan by Sleeper Train, Dinner on board the train and overnight.

Day 04: The High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk, Philae Temple

Taste the flavor of your breakfast on board the train, once you arrive Aswan train station, Flying Carpet Tours delegate will escort you to your hotel, visit Aswan High Dam, Feast your eyes by watching the glory of Philae Temple, passing by the Unfinished Obelisk, at the end of your tour, back to your Hotel, overnight in Aswan.

Day 05: Aswan / Abu Simbel / Aswan

Today is designed especially for you to enjoy, We want you to be quite sure that your program includes cultural exchange activity once you visit Abu Simbel Temple, Take your breakfast box from your hotel at 04:00 am, then drive by your private vehicle to Abu Simbel where you will be learning more about the glory of the ancient Egyptian history, Visit the Temples of Abu Simbel which will definitely enrich your trip experience, then Flying Carpet Tours guide will drive you back to Aswan, check into your Nile Cruise, Lunch served on board, rest of the day at leisure, Dinner and overnight on board.

Day 06: Nile Cruise

Taste the flavor of your breakfast on board, feast your eyes once your Cruise sailing to Kom Ombo, arrive Kom Ombo, unleash your soul while exploring the glory of Kom Ombo Temple, sail towards Edfu, Visit Horus Temple in Edfu, continue sailing to Esna, Lunch on board, Dinner and overnight on board.

Day 07: Nile Cruise

Taste the flavor of your breakfast on board while sailing to luxor, arrive luxor, feast your eyes between Valley of the Kings ( visit 03 Tombs Only ), Next visit to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, known now with the name of El-Deir El-Bahary, your last visit will be to Colossi of Memnon, Watch the glory of the two huge statues, finally your tour guide will escort you back to your Cruise, Lunch included on board, Dinner and overnight on board.

Day 08: Luxor to Sharm

Taste the flavor of your breakfast on board, feast your eyes and scout Luxor Culture, visit the fabulous Karnak Temple with its huge Pillars hall, next tour to Luxor Temple, finally your tour guide will escort you to Luxor Airport, fly to Sharm, arrive sharm, transfer to your hotel, relax, overnight in Sharm.

Day 09: Sharm El Sheikh

Taste the flavor of your breakfast at hotel, it is your leisure day in Sharm , try a lot of Water sports, Swimming, Snorkeling, Diving, bask under the gleaming Sun, beguile your eyes with the awesome Red Sea, Or choose between the splendid Excursions in Sharm, overnight in Sharm.

Day 10: Sharm El Sheikh

Day 11: Sharm El sheikh / Amman

Taste the flavor of your breakfast at hotel, then Flying Carpet Tours delegate will transfer you to Sharm Airport, catch your flight to Amman, arrive Amman Airport, transfer to hotel, relax from the inconvenience of travel, overnight in Amman.

Day 12: Mountain of Nebo, Madaba - Dead Sea Tour

Taste the flavor of your breakfast at hotel, then drive by air-conditioned vehicle to The Mountain of Nebo, and visit the tomb of Moses the profit, then explore the old Monastery overlooking the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, as well as Jericho, then move to visit Madaba, akso visit St. George’s Church, then visit the mosaic map of Palestine, then drive to the famous dead sea, which is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west, It was one of the world's first health resorts, it is your chance to enjoy natural health and the beauty at the same time, the dead sea considered the saltiest and most mineral-laden body of water in the world. Get relax, and enjoy, at the end of the day transfer back to the Hotel in Amman, Overnight in Amman.

Day 13: Petra Tour

Taste the flavor of your breakfast at hotel, then drive by air-conditioned vehicle to The Rose Red City of Petra, know the legends of Petra, carved directly into vibrant red, white, pink, and sandstone cliff faces, the prehistoric Jordanian city of Petra was "lost" to the Western world for hundreds of years, Petra is without a doubt Jordan's most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction, enter this hidden city through a long narrow Siq, Explore the amazing carved buildings made by Human hands, get the chance to try horseback riding to the entrance of the canyon, Camels are available to hire inside Petra, finally at the end of your tour drive back to Amman, overnight in Amman.

Day 14: Final Departure

Today is the valediction day, taste the flavor of your breakfast at hotel, then one of Flying Carpet Tours delegates will lead you to Amman International airport, for the final departure.

More info about: Egypt Travel and Jordan Tours

Tel.: +201099906242

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.flyingcarpettours.com

#egypt travel #jordan tours #egypt vacations #jordan vacations #sharm el sheikh #amman to petra #dead sea #madaba #petra jordan tours

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j0sgomez-blog · 5 years

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By Michael Lanza

Olympic, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Glacier, Zion, Grand Teton, Mount Rainier, Canyonlands, Sequoia, Great Smoky Mountains. To backpackers, these names read like a list of America’s greatest cathedrals in nature—and no surprise, because these parks hold some of the most scenic, adventurous, and coveted backpacking trips in the country. Hike any of them and it will earn a spot on your personal top-10 list. Knock off all 10 trips on this list and you will experience some of the finest landscapes not only in the nation, but on the planet.

Ready to be blown away? Scroll through this list and find your next unforgettable trip.

Remember that all of these parks have permit systems that often require applying for a reservation months in advance; find the smartest strategies for navigating that application process in my “10 Tips For Getting a Hard-to-Get National Park Backcountry Permit.”

Please share your thoughts on my list and offer your own suggestions in the comments section at the bottom of this story.

My son, Nate, hiking toward Strawberry Point on the coast of Olympic National Park.

The Wild Olympic Coast

Distance: 17.5 miles, 2 to 3 days Why It’s Unique: Sea stacks, giant trees, beach campsites, exciting rope ladders, abundant sea life.

My wife, Penny, descending a rope ladder on the coast of Olympic National Park.

Backpacking the 17.5-mile southern stretch of Olympic National Park’s 73-mile-long wilderness coastline, you will walk in the shadow of scores of sea stacks rising up to 200 feet out of the ocean and giant trees in one of Earth’s largest virgin temperature rainforests. You will see tide pools and boulders teeming with sea stars, mussels, and sea anemones while hiking along the beach, traverse surprisingly rugged and muddy overland trails, and scale rope ladders dangling down eroding headlands. You also just may spot seals, sea otters, and whales. A fun trip with school-age kids, it’s less crowded than the more popular northern stretch of the Olympic coast.

See my story “The Wildest Shore: Backpacking the Southern Olympic Coast,” and all of my stories about Olympic National Park.

Find your next adventure in your Inbox. Sign up for my FREE email newsletter now.

Todd Arndt hiking the North Kaibab Trail in Grand Canyon National Park.

Grand Canyon Traverse

Distance: 21 to 23.5 miles, 2 to 3 days Why It’s Unique: Incomparable canyon vistas, geology older than life on Earth, unforgettable campsites, desert oases and wildflowers.

Mark Fenton hiking the Grand Canyon’s South Kaibab Trail.

Backpacking across the Grand Canyon via either of two possible routes on the three main “corridor” trails—the South Kaibab or Bright Angel with the North Kaibab—is truly a hike like no other in the world. From long vistas spanning the Grand Canyon’s staggering vastness of towering rock formations and almost 40 geologic layers, to immersion in tributary canyons with soaring walls and waterfalls, your perspective constantly changes. Every backpacker should make this trek or another in the Big Ditch—and given the high demand for backcountry permits on those three trails, other options (see below) are often easier to pull off.

See all of my stories about Grand Canyon National Park, including:

“Fit to be Tired: Hiking the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim in a Day” “April Fools: Dayhiking the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim” “Backpacking the Grand Canyon’s Thunder River-Deer Creek Loop” “Dropping Into the Grand Canyon: A Four-Day Hike From Grandview Point to the South Kaibab Trail” “A Matter of Perspective: A Father-Daughter Hike in the Grand Canyon” “One Extraordinary Day: A 25-Mile Dayhike in the Grand Canyon” “Not Quite Impassable: Backpacking the Grand Canyon’s Royal Arch Loop”

Do this trip smartly and safely. Get my expert e-guide to backpacking the Grand Canyon rim to rim or my expert e-guide to dayhiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim.

Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside, which has made several top outdoors blog lists. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Subscribe now to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip. Please follow my adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

Mark Fenton backpacking over Clouds Rest in Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite South of Tuolumne Meadows

Distance: 65 miles, 5 to 8 days Why It’s Unique: Famous landmarks like Half Dome, Clouds Rest, Tenaya Lake, Nevada Fall, and Tuolumne Meadows, plus some of Yosemite’s most-remote wilderness.

Todd Arndt on “The Visor” of Half Dome.

This just may be the perfect Yosemite backpacking trip: You see iconic vistas like the view from atop the sheer, 2,000-foot Northwest Face of Half Dome, and enjoy the solitude and scenery of one of Yosemite’s largest chunks of wilderness, the remote Clark Range in the park’s southeast quadrant. Besides Half Dome, this 65-mile hike’s highlights include another of the best summits in the park, Clouds Rest (1,000 feet higher than Half Dome); thunderous, 594-foot-tall Nevada Fall; the stunning granite domes of Tuolumne and Tenaya Lake and the peaks of the Vogelsang area; Red Peak Pass in the Clark Range; and the lakes and creeks at the headwaters of the Merced River.

See my story about that trip, “Best of Yosemite, Part 1: Backpacking South of Tuolumne Meadows,” my story about a comparably remote and gorgeous, 87-mile hike, “Best of Yosemite, Part 2: Backpacking Remote Northern Yosemite,” and all of my stories about Yosemite National Park.

Do this trip right using my expert e-guide “The Best Backpacking Trip in Yosemite.”

Jerry Hapgood backpacking the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park.

Glacier’s Northern Loop

Distance: 65 miles, 5 to 8 days Why It’s Unique: Megafauna like mountain goats, bighorn sheep, moose, elk, and grizzly and black bears, breathtaking mountain scenery, primal wilderness.

Backpackers on the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park.

Few places in the continental United States harbor the breadth of megafauna found in Glacier. You will likely see goats, bighorns, elk, and moose—and possibly black and grizzly bears. Neck-craning cliffs slash into Montana’s big sky, and glaciers pour down mountainsides. The 65-mile Northern Loop is arguably the best multi-day hike in Glacier, featuring the entire Highline Trail, the Many Glacier area, Piegan Pass and Stoney Indian Pass, the Ptarmigan Wall and Tunnel, and some of the park’s finest lakes and most-remote wilderness. Have a sense of urgency about this trip: The park’s glaciers are on the fast track to extinction.

See my story “Descending the Food Chain: Backpacking Glacier National Park’s Northern Loop,” and all of my stories about Glacier National Park.

Get my expert e-guides to backpacking Glacier’s Northern Loop and the CDT through Glacier.

David Gordon on day two in The Narrows, Zion National Park.

Zion’s Narrows

Distance: 16 miles, 2 days Why It’s Unique: A narrow canyon with towering, multi-hued walls, hanging gardens, and pools to wade.

David Gordon in Zion’s Narrows.

Little wonder that Zion’s Narrows is one of the most sought-after backcountry permits in the National Park System. With sandstone walls that rise up to a thousand feet tall and close in to just 20 to 30 feet apart, the Narrows of the North Fork of the Virgin River has few, if any rivals among the canyons of the Southwest. Hiking in shallow water for much of the route’s 16 miles, you’ll gradually descend deeper and deeper as the canyon scenery evolves, marveling at the sight of water pouring from solid rock and enjoying one of your most unusual nights of backcountry camping.

See my story “Luck of the Draw, Part 2: Backpacking Zion’s Narrows” and all of my stories about Zion National Park.

Click here now to get my e-guide The Complete Guide to Backpacking Zion’s Narrows.

Mike Baron in the South Fork Cascade Canyon, Grand Teton National Park.

The Teton Crest Trail

Distance: 27-39 miles, multiple variations, 3 to 5 days Why It’s Unique: Big, unobstructed views for much of its distance, beautiful wildflowers and campsites, and that mind-boggling Tetons skyline.

Death Canyon Shelf on the Teton Crest Trail.

Unquestionably one of America’s premier multi-day treks, the Teton Crest Trail stays above treeline for much of its traverse along the spine of the range, with nearly constant, long views of the peaks. Certain spots along the TCT have entered the place-name vocabularies of veteran Tetons backpackers: Death Canyon Shelf, Hurricane Pass, the South and North Forks of Cascade Canyon, Lake Solitude, and Paintbrush Divide, one of the highest points reached by trail in the park, at nearly 11,000 feet. After some 20 trips in the Tetons, backpacking, climbing, and dayhiking, I promise that you can return repeatedly and never fail to be awed by these peaks.

See my stories “American Classic: The Teton Crest Trail” and “Walking Familiar Ground: Reliving Old Memories and Making New Ones on the Teton Crest Trail,” plus all of my stories about the Teton Crest Trail and all of my Ask Me posts about Grand Teton National Park.

Itching to backpack in the Tetons? See my e-guides to the Teton Crest Trail and the best short backpacking trip in Grand Teton National Park.

My son, Nate, backpacking the Wonderland Trail, Mount Rainier National Park.

Mount Rainier’s Wonderland Trail

Distance: 93 miles, 8 to 11 days Why It’s Unique: Roaring, glaciated rivers, lush rainforest, incomparable wildflowers, and ever-changing views of ice- and snow-cloaked Mount Rainier.

A waterfall along the Wonderland Trail.

Certainly one of America’s best hikes of a week or more, the Wonderland Trail makes an up-and-down circuit of the peak widely considered the queen of the Pacific Northwest, if not of the entire Lower 48: 14,411-foot Mount Rainier. The Mountain boggles the mind: Seeing it appear as you round a bend can stop you in your tracks in disbelief over its staggering relief. The Wonderland features innumerable waterfalls, views of Rainier, and some of the best wildflower meadows you’ll ever see. Don’t underestimate its strenuousness: With a cumulative elevation gain and loss of about 23,000 feet, the trail regularly dishes up 3,000-foot ascents and descents. But there isn’t another loop hike like it.

See my story “Wildflowers, Waterfalls, and Slugs at Mount Rainier,” about a three-day, 22-mile family backpacking trip from Mowich Lake to Sunrise in the park, this Ask Me post describing my favorite dayhikes at Rainier, and all of my stories about Mount Rainier National Park.

Want my help planning any trip on this list? Click here for expert advice you won’t get elsewhere.

Crossing the pass between Big Spring and Squaw canyons in the Needles District.

The Needles District of Canyonlands

Distance: 7 to 20+ miles, 2 to 3 days Why It’s Unique: 300-foot-tall, candlestick-like pinnacles, natural arches, narrow slot canyons.

My son, Nate, hiking the Chesler Park Trail, Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Waves of rippling rock look like a petrified ocean on a red planet. Sandstone spires rise up to 300 feet tall, with giant heads bigger around than the column on which they sit. Stratified cliffs stretch for miles. With fascinating geology that provides something of a Southwest canyons highlights tour, the Needles District doesn’t have the severe, strenuous elevation gain and loss endemic to backpacking in the Grand Canyon and some other Southwest canyons. Scarce water sources pose the biggest challenge, but the distances between them aren’t too great to prevent inexperienced backpackers from exploring Chesler Park and Big Spring, Squaw, and Lost canyons, as well as the Peekaboo Trail.

See my story “No Straight Lines: Backpacking and Hiking in Canyonlands and Arches National Parks” and all of my stories about Canyonlands and Arches.

Explore the best of the Southwest. See my stories “The 12 Best Hikes in Utah’s National Parks” and “The 10 Best Backpacking Trips in the Southwest.”

My family backpacking the High Sierra Trail in Sequoia National Park.

Sequoia’s Mineral King Area

Distance: 40 miles, 4 to 6 days Why It’s Unique: Beautiful lakes and campsites, jagged granite peaks, passes over 11,000 feet, and backcountry giant sequoia groves.

My daughter at Precipice Lake in Sequoia.

This 40-mile loop from Sequoia’s Mineral King area (lead photo at top of story) delivers a full-value High Sierra experience, including passes up to 11,630 feet high with sweeping views of the majestic southern High Sierra, and tranquil backcountry groves of giant sequoias that you may have to yourselves. I found the scenery photogenic around every bend, with row upon row of huge, granite spires looming thousands of feet above deep canyons, and campsites beside crystalline mountain lakes reflecting cliffs and razor-sharp peaks. While the John Muir Trail and popular paths in Yosemite may not offer much solitude, this trip shows the quieter side of the High Sierra without compromising on natural beauty.

See my story “Heavy Lifting: Backpacking Sequoia National Park” and all of my stories about adventures in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.

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The view from the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Bottom to Top in the Great Smoky Mountains

Distance: 34 miles, 3 to 4 days Why It’s Unique: Unparalleled forest diversity, long views from the Appalachian Trail, and lovely streams and cascades.

Noland Creek, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

While the Great Smokies may appear out of place on a list of Western national parks, there are good reasons why these forested mountains are beloved by backpackers. I discovered their magic on a 34-mile loop from near Fontana Lake up to a stretch of the Appalachian Trail along the park’s crest. That grand tour of this half-million-acre park included rocky streams tumbling through cascades; some of the 1,600 species of flowering plants (76 listed as threatened or endangered); and gazing out over an ocean of blue ridges from 6,643-foot Clingmans Dome and the park’s highest bald, 5,920-foot Andrews Bald. I also found a surprising degree of solitude, even during the fall foliage season.

See my story “In the Garden of Eden: Backpacking the Great Smoky Mountains” and all of my stories about hiking and backpacking in western North Carolina.

Want more? See “The 20 Best National Park Dayhikes” and “Extreme Hiking: America’s Best Hard Dayhikes.”

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