Sunday, November 23, 2008

Eiffel Tower - The Tallest Building in Paris

The Eiffel Tower is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars Eiffel Tower -  The Tallest Building in Parisbeside the Seine River in Paris. The tower has become a global icon of France and is one of the most recognizable structures in the world.


Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in Paris. More than 200,000,000 have visited the tower since its construction in 1889, including 6,719,200 in 2006, making it the most visited paid monument in the world. Including the 24 m (79 ft) antenna, the structure is 325 m (1,063 ft) high (since 2000), which is equivalent to about 81 levels in a conventional building.


When the tower was completed in 1889 it was the world's tallest tower — a title it retained until 1930 when New York City's Chrysler Building (319m —1,047 ft tall) was completed. The tower is now the fifth-tallest structure in France and the tallest structure in Paris, with the second-tallest being the Tour Montparnasse (210 m — 689 ft), although that will soon be surpassed by Tour AXA (225.11 m — 738.36 ft).


The metal structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tonnes while the entire structure including non-metal components is approximately 10,000 tonnes. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7 in) because of thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun. The tower also sways 6–7 cm (2–3 in) in the wind.


As demonstration of the economy of design, if the 7300 tonnes of the metal structure were melted down it would fill the 125 meter square base to a depth of only 6 cm (2.36 in), assuming a density of the metal to be 7.8 tonnes per cubic meter. The tower has a mass less than the mass of the air contained in a cylinder of the same dimensions, that is 324 meters high and 88.3 meters in radius. The weight of the tower is 10,100 tonnes compared to 10,265 tonnes of air.


The first and second levels are accessible by stairways and lifts. A ticket booth at the south tower base sells tickets to access the stairs which begin at that location. At the first platform the stairs continue up from the east tower and the third level summit is only accessible by lift. From the first or second platform the stairs are open for anyone to ascend or descend regardless of whether they have purchased a lift ticket or stair ticket.


The actual count of stairs includes 9 steps to the ticket booth at the base, 328 steps to the first level, 340 steps to the second level and 18 steps to the lift platform on the second level. When exiting the lift at the third level there are 15 more steps to ascend to the upper observation platform. The step count is printed periodically on the side of the stairs to give an indication of progress of ascent. The majority of the ascent allows for an unhindered view of the area directly beneath and around the tower although some short stretches of the stairway are enclosed.


Maintenance of the tower includes applying 50 to 60 tonnes of paint every seven years to protect it from rust. In order to maintain a uniform appearance to an observer on the ground, three separate colors of paint are used on the tower, with the darkest on the bottom and the lightest at the top. On occasion the colour of the paint is changed; the tower is currently painted a shade of brownish-grey.


On the first floor there are interactive consoles hosting a poll for the colour to use for a future session of painting. The co-architects of the Eiffel Tower are Emile Nouguier, Maurice Koechlin and Stephen Sauvestre.via


Other pictures of Eiffel Tower.

Panoramic view from underneath the Eiffel Tower.The Eiffel tower and the Seine at night
Looking up at the Eiffel Tower

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Fairy Meadows - Nanga Parbat, Pakistan

Fairy Meadows is a meadow on the north side of Nanga Parbat (9th highest in the World and 2nd highest in Pakistan, a few kilometers south of Fairy Meadows - Nanga Parbat,  Pakistanthe Karakoram Highway and the Indus River in the Diamer district of Northern Areas, Pakistan. It is the best place to view the majestic beauty of Nanga Parbat.


Nanga Parbat is a Persian word, which means Naked Mountain, the local People call Diamer (Monarch of the God). It also knows Killer Mountain among the mountaineers as more 40 climbers have lost their lives trying to conquer it during expeditions.


The meadows are lush green alpine pastures situated in the middle of a pine forest at an altitude of 3,306 m. The meadows have been a thrilling destination for polo lovers, spending couple of days here, having a touch of real adventure.


Fairy Meadows has been a source of enchantment since long for back packers, climbers, wildlife researchers, photographers, painters & geologists, besides nature lovers. The pine forests skirting Fairy Meadows are perhaps one of the virgin forests in the north of Pakistan, and are home to a number of species of birds and wildlife. The site overlooks the Raikot Glacier and provides a majestic view of the North Face of Nanga Parbat, commonly known as the Raikot Face.


The area in front of Fairy Meadows Cottages is known as Pari Mahal (Fairy Palace), named by the famous Japanese photographer, Fujita Heroki. The Fairy Meadows Cottages are at a distance of eight minutes hike from main village and other tourist resorts with its breathtaking natural view of great Nanga Parbat.



How To Get There

Fairy Meadows can be easily approached from the capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operates two flights to Gilgit daily, which is the main city of Northern Areas of Pakistan. Further via silk route (KKH) up to Raikot Bridge, 76 km from Gilgit & further 1 ½ jeep able journey.


A road journey from Islamabad on Karakoram Highway (KKH) takes 11 hours to Chillas. From here, Raikot bridge on silk route is 61 km away. Another scenic approach by road from Rawalpindi is through the Kaghan Valley. Jeep able road passes through the Kaghan Valley via the Babusar Pass (4173 m) through Chillas, reaching the Raikot Bridge. Jeeps are available at Raikot Bridge round the clock, carrying 6 passengers on one vehicle. A small café in Jail village offers refreshments & lunch.via


Other pictures of Fairy Meadows in Nanga Parbat.


Fairy Meadows - Nanga Parbat,  PakistanFairy Meadows - Nanga Parbat,  Pakistan


Video of Fairy Meadows in Nanga Parbat.