OUR BIG TRIP
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BEST ATTRACTIONSBackpacking through Europe, Asia and America was a once in a lifetime experience and along the way we saw some amazing sights that will stay with us for the rest of our days.
We keep being asked what activities we enjoyed doing most on our trip. It is very difficult to choose but we have had a think and drawn up a list of our top 10 best attractions. To read a full account about our experiences with each one please click on the title name below. Reputed to be the largest cemetery in the world and the only man made structure visible from space, The Great Wall is undoubtedly China's most iconic symbol. A World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the rampart extends for more than 4000 miles from Shanhaiguan on the country's east coast to the remote outpost of Jiayuguan in Mongolia's Gobi Desert. With over 60 million cubic metres of bricks and stone slabs The Great Wall is unquestionably the greatest fortification in the history of mankind, not to mention one of the world's foremost must see sights. Visiting it on a rare clear day, with the sun radiating out of translucent blue skies, the sight of the buttress stretching far into the distance against a backdrop of verdant, fertile flora was simply of out of this world. For us, indisputably, it provided the most enduring image of our entire trip. Resplendent with rapunzel towers, turrets topped with slate spires and a deep, intimidating moat, Segovia's magnificent 15th century castle resembles something out of a fairytale and its position atop a ragged cliff only serves to heighten its aura. The interior of the castle, with its collection of lavishly furnished rooms is very impressive but what really steals the show is the superb Torre de Juan II, an imperious watchtower that dominates the fortress. Reached by climbing a winding, dark staircase whose 152 steps were so narrow that we had to breathe in sharply to let people pass, the ascent to the top was pretty challenging. However once we reached there it was definitely worth it. For set against a backdrop of the barren coffee coloured countryside, and spanning from Segovia's imposing cathedral, past the rustic villages of Zamarramala and San Marcos to the sacred El Parrel Monastery, the views we witnessed were simply amazing to behold. As a day trip from Madrid it is something we can not recommend enough. Despite not being especially religious our visit to the Vatican City was extremely memorable. Even though I had seen countless images of St Peter's Square, the Sistine Chapel and the famous church on television and in magazines over the years I was still blown away by what I saw when we went there. Not just in terms of the impressive embellishments, which include the 2 magnificent semi circular colonnades that dominate St Peter's Square, the incredible baroque 29 metre high Baldacchino inside the church and the myriad of paintings and artifacts within the Vatican Museum, but also because I was able to note the influence that religion still holds on many people's lives. The sight of hundreds of people in the church knelt in prayer, imploring God for some kind of assistance, was one of the most evocative I have ever seen. Although not an activity I would necessarily do myself, it really brought home to me the power of hope. Amidst a city with so much culture, charm and sophistication it can be difficult to come up with a definitive highlight. However in Paris we found one place that seemed to perfectly showcase these traits. Although the inside of the Basilique du Sacre Coeur is a rousing attraction in itself, it is its majestic location, which towers above the Montmarte from the top of a very steep hill, that truly stirs the soul. Offering scintillating views of the city, particularly at night when most of the buildings have just switched on their lights, the Sacre Coeur is the kind of romantic place where you can happily lose yourself for hours. With a city as beautiful as Paris to look at it is a spot I know I would never tire of visiting. Standing 2 miles in length, with a main span of 4200 feet the Golden Gate Bridge is a magnificent structure that links San Francisco with neighbouring Marin County. Arguably one of America's most iconic images the bridge provides views of a truly seductive panorama that includes Alcatraz, the bay, the marina and the city's famous skyline. There are many ways to enjoy this scenery whilst traversing the bridge but whether it be by driving, walking, jogging, or as we did cycling, you will surely not to be disappointed. A must for all visitors to San Francisco. Famous as the fountain where Anita Ekberg cooled off at night in Fellini's film La Dolce Vita, the Fontana di Trevi, is an outstanding construction. Spectacularly designed in a high baroque style the Trevi Fountain, as it is more popularly known, majestically depicts the sea god Neptune, riding a winged chariot driven by seas horses through the raging waters of the Acqua Vergine Aqueduct. The craftsmanship and attention to detail is incredible and though one has to jostle with hundreds of people just to find a decent spot to look at it, it really is a mesmeric sight. Legend has it that throwing a coin into its water will ensure your return to Rome one day. However the mere opportunity to revisit such a wonderful structure should really provide you with ample reason to come back. One of the world's most famous and culturally significant ancient sites, the Acropolis is a living monument to one of mankind's greatest civilizations. From its dominant position atop a hill the structure rules the skyline and can be seen from pretty much anywhere in the city. It is a majestic sight and one cannot help but be drawn to it. Although its world famous structures, which include the Parthenon and Erechtheion, are very impressive the tumultuous swarm of the tens of thousands of visitors who descend upon the complex every day can taint your enjoyment a little. However if your accommodation, like ours was, is fortunate enough to possess a rooftop terrace bar the Acropolis can be appreciated from a vastly different but equally fascinating perspective. In the comfort of our seats, whilst drinking a cup of tea, we could only watch in awe as the brilliant illumination of the setting sun gradually shrouded the Parthenon, itself bathed in the golden glow of the lights that decorate it at night, in a fantastic fusion of colours. An orange, red and pink canvas of the most scintillating composition that immersed the entire site in a magnitude that even to this day I still find impossible to compute. Other than to recognise that it is an image that will stay with me for the rest of my life and one that I was lucky enough to have seen in the first place. I love Washington D.C. It is a clean, spacious, well laid out city with a wealth of heavyweight attractions that would hold major billing in most other cities in the country. However despite the variety there is one site that I am particularly fond of; The Reflecting Pool. Nestled in Constitution Gardens between the Lincoln and World War II memorials the Reflecting Pool, so called because it mirrors both monuments, is over a third of a mile long, 150 feet wide and 30cm deep. Flanked by shaded trees that line sedate pedestrian walkways I find the landmark to be extraordinarily beautiful and the presence of ducks swimming serenely in the water only adds to its appeal. The perfect place for a picnic, if I was working in Washington D.C. it would be the place I would choose to eat my lunch everyday. As theme parks go Universal Studios is excellent. Divided into 3 main areas, the Universal City Walk, which houses a parade of shops and restaurants, the Upper Lot and the Lower Lot, which are separated by four escalators that each extend for more than 100 feet, the complex is so big that there is plenty to do for child and adult alike. We had a fantastic day here, splitting our time between undertaking the 45 minute Studio Tour a semi-educational, semi-thrill trolley car ride that ventured behind the scenes of film making, taking us into large movie production hangers and past permanent motion picture sets that have recorded some of the greatest television shows and films in history, and its gut wrenching, high energy rollercoaster rides and mind blowing special effects and pyrotechnics shows. All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable, if not slightly tiring experience, but having paid a cheaper price to get in and with less crowds to contend with, we can say with total conviction that we had a much better time here than we did at Disney. A bit of a well kept secret and rather difficult to find, the Labyrinth is an attraction that our guidebook failed to mention. Yet thankfully as Cath had stumbled upon it on a previous visit to Budapest it was something that I was able to experience for myself. Located beneath Castle Hill, the Labyrinth is a network of underground tunnels containing huge, cavernous rooms, originally intended as cellars and bomb shelters, that literally goes on for miles. Cloaked in virtual darkness, (it is a good idea to carry a torch with you as some of the sections are so dark that you can not even see your hands in front of your face!) the tunnels can be explored with the aid of a guide. But really most of the fun is in exploring the passageways yourself. Not something for those with a nervous disposition the lack of light, coupled with the playing of ghostly sounding audio recordings makes for a very creepy exploration. Yet as some of the artefacts you discover are truly mind boggling the labyrinth is a brilliantly conceived attraction that you should go out of you way to visit if you ever find yourself in Budapest. That is, of course, if you can ever find its entrance!
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