Each time I remember the song: Around the World by Aqua, I often think of what it will take for me to go to different places of interest around the world and what the places I will like to visit before I die will be.In the song, the reason for going round the world is different from what will make me embark on a journey to explore places around the world. Life is short and transient and so it needs to be enjoyed. A trip to places of wonder will be really fulfilling and rewarding. Let me list a collection of places of timeless wonders I wish I can visit before I die, they include mysterious places that defy explanation to sites of natural beauty. Come with me on this interesting journey.
THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN LAPLAND FINLAND:
A lot of people have never witnessed a celestial phenomenon, they can only imagine such things. In the northern part of Finland is a place called Lapland that stretches into other Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Norway.
It is a location where visitors can catch the site of a cosmic dance of colors in the skies. A person's imagination is dwarfed by the array of the harmony of colors of different varieties or hues often seen in the darkness of the Arctic sky.
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA:
China is known as a hotbed of tradition and rich history.One site that often stands out in China's landscape is the Great Wall of China. I wish to see myself dressed in the Chinese attire Changshan and walk through the Great Wall of China. This architectural masterpiece covers over 21,000 km of thick wall built about 3,000 years ago as a fortification and as part of a defense system to protect China from invading armies.
Although much of this wall has collapsed over time but a part of this 8 meters thick wall Is still standing. It was built over a period of 2,000 years and it is a symbolism of the determination of the ancient Chinese military to see to his completion despite the odds they faced and a testament to the resilience of civilizations.
THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA AND THE GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM:
The grand Egyptian museum completed last year is the largest archaeological museum in the world it holds the mummified bodies of ancient historical figures like the Pharaohs who lived over 3,000 years ago. Imagine seeing artifacts, tools, pottery,ornaments and other accessories used by people who lived thousands of years ago all well preserved. One's journey to Egypt will be incomplete without a visit to the Egyptian pyramids of Giza, these majestic structures have been standing for thousands of years and in them are the secrets of ancient Egyptian civilizations.
You'll be left wondering how humans were able to build such colossal structures without the use of modern engineering knowledge and technology,they are statement of human ingenuity.
THE AMAZON RAINFOREST:
This is a real fortress of nature and it is home to thousands of animals and plant species some of which are rare and almost extinct. Much of this forest can be found in Brazil but it spans through Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador,Guyana, Peru,Suriname, Venezuela and French Guyana. In size it is larger than Mexico and more than 20% of the oxygen in the world comes from this forest.
It's vast resources are yet untapped,about 5% of the raw materials used for pharmaceutical products produced in the United States and Europe are sourced from this forest. It is said that over 80% of the foods eaten by man worldwide were first seen in the Amazon rainforest. The Earth cannot survive without the Amazon.
THE BADAGRY HERITAGE MUSEUM:
This museum relives the story of the dark ages of the Transatlantic slave trade. Behind it's walls are artifacts and relics of the items used by slave trade merchants.
It is located in Badagry in southwestern Nigeria where ancestors of the black communities in the United States and the Caribbean countries were taken from. Each year between 1473 and 1888 about 17,000 slaves were sold through its coast.
In its gallery you will see evidences of how slaves were chained,fed,packed in decks of ships like cargos as well as official documents detailing the transactions that were done by the slave merchants. A visit to this museum tells a tale of man's inhumanity to man.
CONCLUSION:
As I conclude this breathtaking tour of some of the world's wonders, a collection of rich experiences from diverse cultures and continents becomes manifest. It is a collection of both historical and natural landmarks that are supremely unique. I take delight in celebrating earth's rich resources and I can't wait for the day that my wish to visit these places will come true.