Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 16

What is all the fuss about the leaning tower of Pisa?  It’s just a leaning tower after all!!

Why are we all so fascinated with the leaning tower of Pisa when in theory it’s just a very crooked piece of architecture?  Why does it lean and who made it lean?

All these questions will be answered below - so just read on…….

Why Does The Leaning Tower Of Pisa Lean?
Lets start with the most popular question of why does it lean in the first place and why hasn’t it just fallen over?

Well, when constructed in the 12th century to complement the neighboring cathedral - it’s foundations were not strong enough to support it and so it started to list to one side very soon after completion of just 3 layers.  It is suggested that had the town not gone to war and left the tower to ’settle’ for the next 50 or so years the whole thing would have toppled over when they added the higher levels!

So after the very unsuitable and shallow foundations had naturally reached a compromise with gravity, they started to build up again.  However to compensate, they actually built the tower with lower arcades on the back side to try to straighten it back up - leaving the tower actually bent in the middle!

And as you can clearly see in pictures, the top level sits at an entirely different angle to the lower tower as this was built ’straight’ (at the time) to try to balance the whole thing out!

The History Of The Leaning Tower Of Pisa:
Well, there is debate as to who built the leaning tower of Pisa as there were so many stages of construction, and according to a lot of sources there is still hot debate about it.

Apparently there was the purchase of the foundation stones in 1172 by a local lady, then the foundations assembled the following year, but whether it was Guglielmo or Diotisalvi who did most of the initial construction - no one can be sure!

Around 100 years later 1272, Giovanni de Simone is the mason credited with most of the final stages of construction - with the bell tower not added until a further 100 years!

Quite a venture really from start to finish and then have the whole thing fall over!

Where Is The Leaning Tower Of Pisa Located?
The tower was built in the city of Pisa in the grounds of the Cathedral in (not surprisingly) Cathedral Square - Piazza del Duomo.  It was built to be the free-standing bell tower for the Cathedral - and does contain 7 bells today.

How Tall Is The Leaning Tower Of Pisa?
Well, the tower itself is just under 56 meters on the lowest side and just under 57 meters on the tallest side!

There are smaller features on one side and there are also 2 internal steps less on the wonky side to try to ’straighten’ the tower!  And the top of the tower is an amazing 12ft and 10inches off centre from where it would be if the tower was straight!

That’s just crazy!  However, when the Italian’s wanted to ‘fix’ the tower to make sure it didn’t topple - they requested specifically that the tilt be kept as it is to keep it as a tourist hot spot!

posted by Travel Cat on May 31

Ireland is a country of hidden gems - and there are a whole host of ancient sites for you to look at in awe!

It’s not just shamrocks and Guiness that you will see in this amazing country - there are years and years of history to be found here as well.  And I have put a few of them together here to whet your appetite.

So, let’s get started here with the most amazing and mystical, across some rocks, and through to the political!

1) Newgrange: Southern Ireland
This huge enclosed ‘temple’ is coated in a glowing casing of white - and can be seen from some distance away.

According to Celtic lore, the legendary Kings of Tara were buried here, but excavations have proved otherwise - putting this megalithic structure at over 5200 years old!  That’s older than the pyramids of Egypt!

With an entrance tunnel to funnel the morning sunlight into the centre of the structure at a certain time of year - it is completely unique.  There is apparently nothing else in the structure apart from this ’sun funnel’!

2) The Giant’s Causeway: Northern Ireland
You must have seen a picture of these amazing rock formations - and they have set off many an amazing legend of their origins due to their bizarre appearance on the northern coast.  Protruding out into the sea and bashed by the waves all day everyday - but why are they there?

No words can really do them justice, but they are crooked plateaus of (mainly) hexagonal rocks completely vertical in the ground.  They have all eroded over time - but at different rates, so they look like some sort of giant board game - with around 37,000 columns! 

3) Blarney Castle: Southern Ireland 
Visitors from all over the world (like me) travel to this small castle to see the Blarney Stone.  Luck is apparently bestowed on all those who kiss it - but they don’t tell you that it is susspended away from the main castle wall and that you have to lay on your back hanging off the wall to kiss it!

The history of the Stone is engrained in the ‘wars’ between England and Scotland over this historically important stone - well, according to myths and legends.  But there are some great caves and gardens around the Castle.  Well worth stopping off.

Of course there are plenty of other great sites here, and these are just 3 of my favourites as highlights!

Go there yourself - and find your own best bits!

posted by Travel Cat on May 10

Wow - the sunshine has been fantastic this month, and the talk of the big summer vacation is increasing!

But what has everyone already been up to?  Rather than waiting until July and August, many of you are just heading out there anytime and enjoying yourselves.  So let’s hear about some of them so far…..

Jennifer Miner starts of this bunch of articles with her great little story about a family trip to one of the most child friendly spots in Florida.  Take a look at the article and photo’s right here: Universal Studios Orlando Animal Actors on Location Show.

Dee Andrews then comes along with her little story of technology!  When travelling to some of the more remote places in the world - you have to remember that you can’t have all the modern trapping at your finger tips - and what you might have to do to get it there!  So do enjoy My Travails in Gaucin as a warning for your own travels!

This third article is only short - but what a great game!  I’ve never heard of this, but it certainly sound like something that would pass the time - so join Tom Ranieri to read about The Ultimate Travel Game.

One more about a glad-it’s-over car journey from Laurie Thornton with her Tips for Happy Car Trips at And A Mommy In A Pear Tree. She makes it cound so easy!

And finally Sarah Travaglio finds out what it’s like on the other side of the fence once she started traveling with her young son on a plane!  She was one side and now she is the other: Traveling with Kids « Miss Capa Tosta.

Let me know your plans for the next few weeks - and maybe even feature your own articles right here!

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posted by Travel Cat on May 1

Visit 1 of the most talked about natural sight-seeing spots in the States - but you must look down!

This amazing landscape is something that draws crowds day after day, and is one of the locations on millions of peoples ‘Places To Visit’ list - and I’m not surprised at why.

Here are a few of your questions answered about this magnificent semi-arid gorge!

How Was The Grand Canyon Formed?
The Grand Canyon was formed by the natural effect of erosion on the (colorful) soft rocks of the Colorado Plateau - an action that is still continuing today.

Basically, the Colorado River is wearing away at the softer rocks of the Canyon as it head down to the sea.  What makes the Grand Canyon so deep, is the fact that the Colorado Plateau was raised up really high in the past that the river had no choice but to erode down so deep revealing over 2 billion years of geological deposits in the process!

Mind you, many scientists think that it has taken the river around 17 million years to do so!

How Deep Is The Grand Canyon?
Due to the raising of the sediments in this area, the Grand Canyon is over a mile deep along a great part of it’s route - that’s around 6000ft - about as deep down as Mount Rushmore is high!

Are There Any Other Facts About The Grand Canyon? 
Yes plenty, but lets just say that it is around 277 miles long from it’s start to the ocean - in Mexico, between the Baja state and the mainland.  It can be anything up to 18 miles wide - that’s 29 kilometers, or as little as 4 miles depending on the rivers course and the resistance of the neighboring rocks. 

The Native American people of the area were very familiar with the canyon, and believed it to be a Holy Site.  Infact the Pueblo people who lived in settlements on it’s steep sides called it ‘Ongtupqa’ in their Hopi language, meaning just that.  There storage caves and the dwellings of several other tribes can be found in the area.

Where Is The Grand Canyon National Park Located?
The Grand Canyon is located in the northern part of the state of Arizona, although the Colorado River passes through  4 further states (2 before reaching the canyon, and 2 after) as well as Mexico before discharging into the Gulf of California.

The Grand Canyon National Park surrounds the canyon itself, but also incorporates 4927 km2 of other land and reserves including land in Coconino and Mohave Counties.

Most visitors either drive to the area on Arizona State Route 64, where they arrive at the South Rim where the bulk of the sites and visitor facilities are; but the less visited North Rim uses the State Route 67 in.

What Is The Grand Canyon Skywalk?
The Grand Canyon Skywalk is one of the most thrilling parts of a visit to this amazing place - but isn’t something for everyone!  Basically, it is an unsupported glass platform, that juts out over the side of the canyon, leaving ‘air space’ between your feet and the mile down to the Colorado River!

Obviously it is fully secure and has passed numerous Health and Safety tests and re-tests - but would you have the nerve to actually step off of the side of the gorge and look past your feet to a tumbling white-water river passing underneath?

Is It Worth Going On 1 Of The Grand Canyon Helicoptor Tours? 
The thrill of flying over the natural feature is well worth the flight - but as with the skywalk - you don’t want to be afraid of heights!

You will be able to see an awful lot more of the Grand Canyon itself if you do take the helicopter ride, and you will come away from the site with memories that not many people are brave enough to earn themselves.  I mean if you are going to go all the way there to see the canyon in the first place - then make sure you save enough to get the helicopter ride when you get there - I don’t think you will ever regret it!

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posted by Travel Cat on Apr 10

Hello again, and what great weather we have been having at last! 

Walking in the sunshine always makes the day 10 times better!  And it’s great to spend more time with my nephews and nieces and realising how much they have grown since last spring - and how many more questions they have!

Amanda Sykora has an even better plan - take the kids before they can ask questions, and enjoy the trip yourself! Take a look at her honest review of a trip to Disneyland with her young child: Thanks for the memories!.

The memories aren’t quite so good for MummyT when her 9-year-old finds an unwanted creepy crawly in their room: Winged Creatures « Travels with a Nine Year Old.

Traveling while you are pregnant can also be a worry, but if you are considering this, do take on board some of the tips from Eternal*Voyageur traveling through South America with her family with her article Guide to Pregnant Backpacking.

And why not prepare your child for future travel (and some great job opportunities) by teaching them a second language from a very young age. Here is a great and extensive article on helping you to do just that: so join Mariana Ashley on her blog and see what steps you could take on How to Raise a Brilliant, Bilingual Baby: 100 Tips, Tools, & Tricks! I will be using some of these resources myself for my young niece!

Our first post from a young person (although it’s not strictly about travelling) - just a fun day out with her mom shopping! So join Antoinette Patterson as she struts here stuff in town: The Mother Escapades: To Bugis and Beyond.

See you next time with more traveling fun!