Beautiful by Nature

A couple of years ago, my step moms son and his family went on a vacation to Turks and Caicos. Before then I had never even heard of this place. When they came back from their trip, they told us all about the trip and then showed us pictures. The beaches consisted of white sand and blue waters so clear that you could see your feet submerged in the depths of the ocean. Once I heard of their adventures I was extremely jealous. I have wanted to go ever since. Turks and Caicos are both islands, Caicos being the larger island, lies in the North Atlantic Ocean. One of the countries popular sports is sailing. This is something I have never done before and I think it would be good to try something new. Over 618,000 visitors come from mostly the United States and Canada to visit the beautiful islands. The government has created a new cruise ship port to increase the amount of tourism. They also have recently created the Turks and Caicos Music and Cultural Festival. This is during the seasons of low tourism and is a festival of many concerts that lasts a week and performers consist of international recording artists such as Alicia Keys, John Legend and Ludacris. I think it would be very fun to attend the music festival because who doesn't love a party on the beach. Another common sport on the islands is cricket. I think it would be interesting to watch a game because I am a big baseball fan and cricket is similar to baseball so I think it would be interesting to learn how the game is played. Another big thing to do on the islands is scuba diving. There are many different options and companies that will take you diving. This is something I would like to try because I have always had an interest in the marine ecosystem and the animals that live in it. The motto for the islands is "beautiful by nature" and the that's exactly what the islands are. The views are breath taking and I cant wait to visit there someday.

The Bahamas

After going to Jamaica, the next place I would like to go would be the Bahamas. It is an island country that consists of more than 700 islands, cays and inlets in the Atlantic Ocean. The Bahamas were the site of Columbus's first landfall to the New World. I thought is was interesting that today over 90 percent of the population is descendants of slaves or free Africans. The Bahamas in Spanish is Baja mar which means the shallow waters or low tide. This name represents the area around the islands that consists of very shallow sea waters. If you are planning a trip to the Bahamas, the best time to go would be during the months of December and March. During the summer months is the hurricane seasons and these tropical storms greatly impact these islands. Tourism in the Bahamas accounts for over 60 percent of the countries income. Some events that I would like to attend in the Bahamas would be the Junkanoo. It is a street parade of dance, music and art and is held every Boxing day and New Years Day. Another thing I would like to do would be to visit Atlantis Paradise Island. It is a resort and waterpark located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. One of the most well known rides in the called The Current. It is a mile long, 3 million gallon water ride that contains waves and artificial wave surges as well as fake steam and rapids throughout the ride. Also, at the resort there is the worlds largest air marine habitat. There is a series of aquariums located beneath the lobby of the Royal Towers. If you observe from the bottom floors, you are also able to view wreckage and debris from the Lost City of Atlantis. The neighboring island called the Blue Lagoon Island also has many forms of marine and wildlife. The Blue Lagoon contains a zoo filled with monkeys, peacocks, turkeys, parrots and iguanas in a paradise garden. This island goes by the more common name of Treasure Island. The island also underwent a multi million dollar expansion to enlarge the dolphin habitat that tourists can view and visit.

Jamaica

After leaving Europe, the next area I would like to visit would be the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica. Why Jamaica, I'm not sure. I just love the warm weather and tropical areas. I have never been anywhere south of Florida or out of the country for that matter. I just think it would be a nice vacation with beautiful landscaping. Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea. Most of the island contains mountains including the Blue Mountains which is the longest mountain range in Jamaica. The summit can be seen from either coast of the island and is reachable by a walking trail. In some of the higher slopes of the mountain ranges coffee is grown and this specific coffee can only be cultivated 2,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level. This popular coffee in Jamaica is known as Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. One of the most popular places to go in Jamaica is the Doctor's Cave Beach Club. It is the most visited beaches in Jamaica and is located in Montego Bay. The beach has crystal clear turquoise waters and white sandy beaches. This beach is open to the public as well as club members for a five dollar fee, but from the sounds of it, it seems well worth the five dollars. On the beach there are many bars, restaurants, changing rooms and showers. You are even able to rent snorkel gear to view the coral reefs located in the water not far from the shores of the beach. Another popular tourist attraction is the Dunn's River Falls located near Ocho Rios. This is the most known waterfall in Jamaica and receives thousands of visitors each year. This waterfall is 180 feet high and cascades down natural stairs made of rocks. One of the popular tourist activities is to climb the waterfall. The climb is usually lead by a tour guide and take a hour to a hour and a half to complete. There are stairs located alongside the waterfall for those who don't want to get wet or cant handle the uneven rocks. To successfully climb the waterfall, it usually takes a hand holding human chain lead by the guide to make the trip easier. The falls are covered by much vegetation and trees to keep the sun off the tourists and to keep those who are climbing cool. Those are just some of the places I would like to visit while I was in Jamaica. Just the warm tropical climate is enough for me to get there and then I can do activities such as snorkeling that I've always wanted to do but cant do in Michigan, that would be a dream vacation.

Hellas

While I'm still over in Europe the last country I would like to visit would be Greece. It is a country with a beautiful coastline and is made up of several different islands. With the largest city and capital being Athens, Greece is home to over 11 million people. Hellas is the Greek name for their country but in English it translates to Greece. In 2010, the city of Central Macedonia was the most visited city in Greece followed by the city of Attica. There are many theaters located in Greece. They had great acoustics and most could hold over 15,000 spectators. Most theaters where used for dramas or plays and speeches. Another classical example of Greece is the Parthenon. This is a former temple of the Greek goddess Athena who the Athens considered their patron. There was reconstruction done on the temple and now only a little of the originally building remains. It now serves as a museum and an often visited tourist attraction. While in Greece, I would like to visit its beautiful coastline. The waters are the clear blue color that can be seen for miles. It is bordered by the Aegean Sea to the east, the Ionian to the west and the Mediterranean to the south. Greece is made up of 80 percent mountains and its largest  one is  called Mount Olympus that reaches a height of 2,917 m. As you can see there is much to see in Greece and most of it is just the beautiful landscape that surrounds you and that is why I would like to visit sometime.