Wood Buffalo National Park is the largest park in Canada, and covers an area of 11,070,000 acres. To put it into perspective, Wood Buffalo National park covers more territory than the entire country of Switzerland. It is located across northeastern Alberta and into the Southern portion of the Northwest Territories. It is treasured by residents of Fort McMurray. In the summer, lots of families leave their Fort McMurray furnished suites and head out to the park to see the incredible natural landscape and the diverse wildlife. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage site, which makes it the second largest protected area in the World. The park is very unique, here are some fun facts that you didn’t know about Wood Buffalo National Park.

Wood Buffalo National Park is home to the endangered Whopping Crane. They are the tallest North American bird, with a height of 1.5 metres and a wingspan of 2.3 metres. Its lifespan is estimated to be between 22 and 24 years old, in the wild. The Whopping Crane was declared an endangered species as of 1967 due to unregulated hunting and loss of habitat. They are only one of two crane species in North America. The species is protected at Wood Buffalo National Park, which is the only place that the Whopping Crane can be found. When Whopping Cranes are born, they are cinnamon brown in colour, but as they mature they become white with a red crown, and a long, dark pointed bill.

In 1982, Wood Buffalo National Park received recognition by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)for protecting the Peace Athabasca-Delta and the whopping crane nesting area. Both sites were designated as Ramsar sites under the Ramsar convention which focuses on identifying and protecting critical habitat for migratory birds.

Wood Buffalo National Park has an extraordinarily diverse landscape; its landscape consists of: boreal forest, salt plains, and gypsum karst landforms. The boreal forest portion is the most accessible and popular part of the park. Some of the trees that you will find in the boreal forest include: spruce, jackpine, aspen, and poplar.

The park is home to hard to see species like black bears, wolves, moose, foxes, beavers, and sandhill cranes. You could visit the park every day and still not catch a glimpse of these elusive animals.

Wood Buffalo National park has the World’s largest beaver dam which went unspotted for many years until a researcher noticed it when they were looking at satellite images. Park staff were surprised when they received a call one day from BBC who heard about the beaver dam through the researcher’s website.

The beaver dam is located in a remote and undisturbed area between the Birch Mountain highlands and the Peace Athabasca Delta. It is an ideal location for the beavers as the boreal forest provides them with the wood that they need to build the dams, and the run-off from the Highlands provide them with plenty of water.

The impressive structure of Red Fort stand along the eastern edge of the walled city on the western bank of the river Yamuna. The Red Fort was built as a royal residence by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century. The construction began in 1639 and completed in 1648. The Mughal Emperor constructed the fort with the aim of concentrating the Mughal power in one monument, which looks like a mini dynamic city. It is the third Delhi monument which has been included in the world heritage list after Qutab Minar and Humayun’s Tomb.

Architecture:

The Red Fort is a delight to visitors imagination. The major highlights of the Red Fort are Diwan-i-am (hall of public audience), where the emperor use to hear disputes from his subjects and Diwan-i-khas (hall of private audience), a luxurious chamber where the king would hold private meetings while seated on his solid gold peacock throne (now in Tehran). Make a visit to Moti Mahal (Pearl Mosque), built in 1659 by Aurangzeb for his own personal use and security.

Another curious feature of the fort are Royal Baths, that are three large rooms surmounted by domes, with a fountain in the center, one of which was set up as a sauna. The floors were highlighted with pietra dura and the rooms were illuminated by colored and beautiful glass in the roof. Check out Shahi Burj, an octagonal tower located at the northeastern edge of the fort, which was once the private working area of Shah Jahan. Last but not the least, appreciate the architectural magnificence of Rang Mahal (Palace of Colors), which was once the residence of emperors wife.

Entrance:

The Fort has two main entrances – Delhi and Lahore Gate. Entry is through the Lahore Gate (named as such because it faces Lahore, about 500 miles away). It remains open on all days from 9 am to 6 pm. Th entry fee is Rs Rs 10. If you want to take camera along with yourself, you will have to pay Rs 25 extra for that.

Things to do and see:

Light and Sound Show:

Every morning (except Monday) one hour show in English and Hindi, based on India’s history is organized within the fort. The tickets are available from the fort ticket kiosk or from the Indian Tourism Development Cooperation counter at the Indian Tourism Delhi office. The English sessions are at 7.30 pm from November to January, 8.30 pm from February to April and September to October, and at 9 pm from May to August.

Shopping Delights:

Stroll Chatta Chowk, which is a famous market place near to the Red Fort. You can buy everything from souvenirs, knickknacks to carpets and fine brass. While in Delhi you will obviously love to have yummy street food. Try out pani puri and bhel puri from the road side stalls.

Building Your Own Web Site – Access The River of Gold And Work From Home!

Doing business on the internet can be a richly rewarding enterprise or a curse on your life. You should learn how searches are done, how ranking works, what the search engines look for, how to attract traffic, how NOT to attract traffic and so on.

Here are 3 tips to help you get started.

Tip #1: Take your time. Don’t fall for any of the dozens of get rich quick schemes that are out there promising you a successful web site within hours or a few days. Success requires work, patience, skill and knowledge. A successful web site is one that ranks highly in the search engines. To do this, it requires certain features and qualities. Get informed and educated a bit before you start. Before you know it, you will work from home full time.

Tip #2: You will need a web hosting company. Be wary of any claims made by many web hosting companies. The $5.95 special is usually worth nothing after you’ve encountered their software that is hard to use or the surcharges that have to be paid before you have a web page that looks half decent. Some of them promise to SEO (search engine optimize) your page at no charge. You will get what you paid for. If you wonder why your page is not ranking highly with the search engines, this free service is your first suspect.

Tip #3: You will encounter problems quickly as you go about building your own web site. This is normal and good. You are learning. Nothing can be more frustrating than trying to figure out what to do from incomplete instructions or something written by someone for whom English is a second language.

Do you want to build a web page that will attract nothing on the web or do you want to take your time and build a properly designed web site that is a magnet for free, highly targeted traffic allowing you to work from home?

After Ontario and British Columbia, Alberta has the third largest Aboriginal population in Canada. The Aboriginal population graced Canada with its unique, contemporary art which can be found at most Canadian art galleries.

Alberta is home to the prestigious Fort McMurray Art Gallery, where indigenous art lines the walls. There is an abundance of aboriginal artists in Alberta; here is a list of several artists to look out for. And, you never know, you may just leave the gallery with a painting of your very own to hang on the walls of your Fort McMurray apartment rental.

Frederick R. McDonald: Frederick is a Woodland Cree painter, born in Fort McMurray, Alberta. He spent his childhood living along the Athabasca River, where he was exposed to aboriginal culture. As a result, he gained a deep appreciation for their values and way of life. He assimilated to the culture, hunting and trapping was even one of his main sources of income, until he left the aboriginal way of life to pursue his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Calgary.

Frederick uses a variety of styles and expressions in his paintings. When asked in an interview, what Frederick shows in his art, he answered, "four things." The four things mentioned include: the history of Aboriginal people in North America (from both a historical perspective, and from his perspective), the memories of his people and his childhood when growing up along the Athabasca river, spiritual communication, and a look into the future of Aboriginal people.

Frederick refers to his style of art as a reflection of the colour of his people. This inspired him to write his book, Ancestral Portraits: The colour of my people. His book gives you a glimpse into his life, and showcases a repertoire of his art.

Crystal Lee Clark: Crystal Lee Clark is a freelance, multimedia artist, who was born and raised in Fort McMurray, Alberta. She was exposed to a large diversity of cultures and landscapes through her academic and professional career. Having graduated from the Enowkin International School of Indigenous Writing and Visual Arts, she was deeply moved to specialize in digital, and mixed media Aboriginal art.

Crystal has the unique style of mixing art with technology. She is currently in the process of attaining her Masters of Educational Technology Studies, and has already attained her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Victoria, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia.

Crystal’s latest accomplishment was getting first place in the Peace Hills Trust annual art competition in both 2011 and 2012.

Jane Ash Poitras: Jane is a Cree artist, born in the isolated aboriginal community of Fort Chipewan, Alberta. She was orphaned at the age of six when her mother died of tuberculosis. She pursued a University degree in microbiology, and she followed her degree with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She then completed a Masters of Fine Arts at Yale University. It was at Yale where Jane was influenced by non-Western art. Jane’s work is inspired by aboriginal history, culture and politics.

Although museums do their job of showcasing Omani heritage adequately, Al Jalali Fort stands as a testament to the splendor of Omani heritage like none other. Tourists and royalty alike travel to take in the lessons of cultural heritage that this fort has to offer. A prominent visitor’s book at the entrance preserves the names of all who have visited this fortress and what their impressions of it are like. Al Jalali Fort remains one of the most popular and prominent examples of Omani fortifications. Perched atop high mountains, the fort hosts spectacular views of Muscat and its surrounding harbor. The Sultan’s Al Alam Palace is also visible from atop the walls of Al Jalali.

Al Jalali Fort is considered to be the twin of the Al Mirani Fort. In an era gone by, it was the city of Muscat’s first line of defense against marauders. Combined, the two forts made Muscat an almost impenetrable location. The original part of the castle was originally constructed by an occupying Portuguese army in the 1500’s. Although there is some debate about what the original structure looked like, it is generally thought that it was a hastily constructed out post built to keep an eye on Persian naval forces who were threatening to invade at the time. After Omani forces in 1650 recaptured their homeland, new additions of walls and towers allowed Al Jalali Fort to assume the look it has today.

The traces of the Portuguese influence in building the fort are almost undetectable today. Sultan Oaboos provided monies for the fort to be refurbished and restored into the glorious monument it is today. Surrounded by an imposing wall on all sides, the only entrance possible to Al Jalali Fort is through the harbor. A flight of precarious, rocky stairs leads of the side of a cliff to its gates. After one has entered the fort, the spectacular views routinely leave visitors speechless.

Many of the cannons and other firepower that were used to defend the fort in her heyday have been preserved to enhance the bloody history of the fort. The heads of cannons can still be seen peeping through the cannon windows, and various types of muskets and guns adorn the interior walls of the fort. Another prized artifact on display is a painting that depicts Muscat at the time of the Portuguese occupation. In the center of the fort is an oddly peaceful and beautiful courtyard. It is a small oasis in the midst of a building that holds so much martial and military history.

Off of the courtyard are the entrances to several rooms. One of these rooms was rumored to be the prison of the fort in its heyday. The fort also hosts a myriad of towers and stairways. The main purpose of this maze like feature was to further confuse an enemy should they happen to breach the fort’s outer defenses. For a first time visitor or one who has previously seen the splendor of this fortification, Al Jalali Fort in Oman offers new discoveries for everyone.

Calcutta now called Kolkata is the largest Indian City in the East. It is also the city that is most associated with the Raj having served as the Imperial capital till 1911. Thus the entire India was controlled by the English from Calcutta.

This long association with the Raj has left the city with iconic buildings and monuments that breathe the spirit of the Raj. One such building is Fort William which was named after William III the King of England at the time the Forts construction was commenced in 1758.

If you drive along the Hooghly River you cannot miss seeing this flat structure nestled within open spaces called the maiden. The maiden with its green spaces is open land and presently serves as the lungs of Calcutta. But at that time when the fort was constructed the open spaces were kept deliberately, so that the cannons mounted on the ramparts of the Fort could have a clear line of fire.

The name of the great Robert Clive is closely associated with this Fort. In 157 after his great victory in the battle of Plessey, Clive made plans for the construction of this fort. It came on the land adjoining the Hooghly River in 1758 and has a checkered history of more than 240 years.

It is estimated that the fort was built at a cost of two million pounds sterling and is one of the best pieces of architecture left behind by the Raj. The Fort has an octagonal shape with six gates surrounded by a moat. The construction is simple but arresting.The Fort was ready for use after a construction activity spanning 13 years.

The Fort was designed by Captain John Brohier on the instructions of Robert Clive who occupied it. Fairly large, the Fort can house 15,000 troops and has excellent barracks inside that have stood the test of time. The Fort also houses the residence of the Army commander.

The fort inside has iconic structures that breathe history. There is the chapel of Saint Peter inside which was built in 1826. The chapel is no longer in use and houses a library. But a visit inside will be a rewarding experience as the names of British heroes who gave their lives for India and the Raj adorn the walls.

Presently the fort is the headquarters of the Indian Army’s eastern command and not open to general visitors. But one can obtain a permit and visit this beautiful structure which is an enduring tribute to the Raj and the days when the sun never set on the British Empire.

The city of Fort Lauderdale, located in Broward County, Florida, is considered to be a famous destination that once catered to vacationing spring break college students.

The city now is a thriving business, real estate, and tourism hub for the county and South Florida, as well. This place has currently a total population of 152,397, and is the county seat as well. Fort Lauderdale’s downtown area, particularly within and around Las Olas Boulevard, has seen robust growth in the last 10 years, and has a large array of new hotels, high-rise condominium developments and shopping centers.

Among the city’s other new improvements include a large selection of of new boutiques, galleries, and restaurants as well as upgrades to Lockhart Stadium, which hosts some regional sporting events. For those who plan to relocate to this lovely and booming metropolis, you will be able to find out that now is a good time to buy a home here, as home prices are down, mortgage rates are favorable and tax relief appears to be right around the corner, to help those in distress because of the current housing crunch.

Home Prices Have Dropped Here As A result Of the Housing Crunch

Because of the damaging effects brought about by the mortgage crunch, home prices and sales of existing homes slipped recently as South Florida’s housing downturn went into its third consecutive year.

For Broward County, the median price fell 14 percent in January 2008, to $314,200 from around $364,500 for the same period last year, according to data from the Florida Association of Realtors. Home sales also dropped as a result, by 33 percent, to 307 from 458, and analysts have noted that this was the fewest homes ever recorded to change hands in any month countywide in the recent years. .

There’s Still Good News Despite The Current Crunch

Despite the quite gloomy scenario created by the recent US housing slump, there’s still good news for prospective buyers in this area, as the market is beginning to see a drop in single family home and condominium prices, which signals that the city’s real estate market is beginning to turned full circle, and slowly revive. Most are saying that we are going to be seeing soon a buyer’s market.

At present, there is a wide choice of available properties listed for sale partly because of sluggish sales, a rise in foreclosures and many investors in need of bailout. There are currently three times as many properties on the market for sale, and only a third of the number of home buyers searching looking for properties. According to local property observers, a lot of sellers are now offering incentives to purchase such as making contributions to the buyer’s closing costs and allowances for upgrades, and repairs that were previously not seen or heard of before.

According to recent figures collected from the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale, the median price of a single family home in Broward County is pegged at $353,500 and the median price of a 2-bedroom condominium unit is $179,000.

Those wishing to buy pre-construction luxury condo units are cautioned, as rising fuel costs, inflation, rising inventories, could make the high-end condominium sector vulnerable to many negative factors, and could either lead to a spike in prices, or lower resale values in the long run.

http://hometerra.com – Fort Lauderdale Homes

Ft. Lauderdale is a city in Broward County, Florida that is considered one of he best places to live in the state, in part because it is rich with a network of waterways and canals, making it known as the “Venice of America”, with the inter coastal waterway and Las Olas area located at the hear of the city.

Probably one of the most unique features of the city, and of Broward county as well is the strategic location of the area wherein it is situated between two other major counties – Miami-Dade and Palm Beach.

Most view this as a very convenient location, and within just a thirty minute drive, residents here will have easy access to more activities and amenities, from the region’s three main airports and sea ports for travel, to more amenities for outdoor and water sports activities, entertainment, and cultural and entertainment venues

The City Has One Of The Best Beaches And State Parks In Florida

Ft. Lauderdale’s beach has recently undergone a multi-million renovation, with the addition of brick walkways and lush green landscapes. With around seven miles of beautiful beaches and 185 miles of local waterways, the most popular forms of recreation here are water-based outdoor activities, with the Atlantic Ocean offering the perfect setting for divers to observe tropical underwater life, view sunken ships and coral reefs.

Broward county is also viewed as having some of the best parks anywhere in the state, with dozens from which to choose from, and tourists and residents will surely have a wide array of places to swim, jog, exercise or simply go on a picnic and enjoy a lovely day in the sun.

Hordes of sun-seekers worldwide also come to this unique city to play, relax, and sometimes even to work. Although the place has been commonly associated with mostly being only for the rich and famous that can afford opulent and luxurious lifestyles, most frequent visitors know that the city offers a much wider array of accommodations and experiences.

Real Estate Offerings Here

The greater Fort Lauderdale area offers accommodations that will surely suit every budget and preference, ranging from small and affordable family-run lodges and inns, to deluxe resorts and upscale hotels.

Around a third the area’s total room count is considered ideal for meetings and convention business. The city also has a wider offering of single-family homes, apartments town homes, condominiums and waterfront residences, some of which have built-in facilities for docking boats and other pleasure watercraft.

The area also has world-class spa resorts as well as hotels and resorts with golf and other recreational activities. The city is also noted as a shopping paradise, and the Greater Fort Lauderdale area offers some of the best shopping destinations in the state where shoppers can find items ranging from diamonds and precious antiques to discounted designer wear and apparel.

The city’s other off-beach attractions include a visit to the oceanfront estate of the late painter Frederic Bartlett. The biggest Broadway musicals in the nation frequently make their stop to the the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The famous Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art has just recently completed an expansion, and is home to one of the art world’s major collections of early 20th-century art. Art and music festivals in this city are frequent and have broad appeal.

http://hometerra.com – Fort Lauderdale Home

If you want to build an amazing sculpture or fort and you don’t want to spend a lot of time doing it, here is the ultimate method. I have built several snow shelters having lived in both Colorado and Idaho for over 17 years (as of this writing). I also have five children who love playing in the winter snow as much as they love swimming in the hot summer weather.

Here are the needed tools: a five-gallon bucket, a snow shovel, a person with a big foot, and as many hands as possible. As a father it was imperative to get a snow structure up quickly so the kids could play and this was the best way we found so far.

The concept is simple; fill up the bucket with snow and stomp it solid with a big foot. Dump the compacted snow cylinder out and place it where needed. The buckets we use are plastic and tend to be narrower at the bottom so dumping out the packed cylinder is very easy. We like to lay the cylinders on their sides and stack them like logs. Because one end of the cylinder is larger around than the other, you can use this geometry to help construct different contours and really put some creativity into your sculpture.

Team up the cylinder manufacture and keep making them as fast as you can. Get as many buckets as possible because when one is full someone can haul it away allowing you to start on the next. Keep the system moving until you almost fall from exhaustion which is a great time for a break with warm cocoa.

Pack snow filling the hollow spaces as soon as a cylinder is placed tightly against the previous. Snow has an interesting characteristic; once disturbed it locks tightly and becomes relatively strong making your walls amazingly sturdy. The time it takes for the snow to lock depends on how well your snow is packing so be careful and have patience when creating overhangs and ceilings. When it is time to arc the ceiling, start off-setting the cylinders moving them in about 1/3 each layer.

With eight neighborhood kids, six buckets, and four shovels it didn’t take too long to make a snow shelter having three rooms and an 8′ long entrance tunnel. The main room’s ceiling was about 6′ high. The fort’s exterior walls were so thick the kids were able to carve steps in to get to the top and up there they built more walls resembling castle bastions.

So there you have it; a method to build a huge sculpture or fort very quickly. Because of the size and thickness, our big fort lasted into the season where new grass was coming up for fresh spring growth!