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Showing posts from September, 2012

5 Countries Famous for Animal Attraction

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Here's a list of recommended places you may want to embark for that epic wildlife experience. 1.  Swallows of San Juan Capistrano, California, USA People who live in the town of San Juan Capistrano, California always know when spring is coming. The swallows tell them. Every year the swallows come to San Juan Capistrano near the first day of spring - around March 19. The swallows fly to the old Spanish mission of San Juan Capistrano and use the mission as their summer home. The swallows tell the people of San Juan Capistrano when winter is coming too. Every year the swallows leave the mission around October 23. 2. The Monkeys of Gibraltar in Spain What would you do if a band of monkeys stole your dessert? What would you do if monkeys came day after day to steal vegetables from your garden? Such things happen to people living in a place called Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a narrow strip of land on the southern coast of Spain. A towering limestone rock called the Rock of Gibra...

Japan's Treasure: Horyu-ji

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In a beautiful setting of pine trees in a courtyard, stands a group of the oldest wooden buildings in the world. The sun adds a touch of gold to the gray tile roofs. Horyu-ji Atop a five-story pagoda, or tower, is a shape decorated with 9 small umbrellas. The umbrellas are a symbol of Buddha, after whom one of the world's great religion was named. The religion is called Buddhism. This peaceful place in Ikaruga, Japan is known as Horyu-ji . A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it's the main temple of a sect, or group of Buddhists. The group is named for the prince who build the temple more than a thousand years ago. The name of the sect and the prince is Shotoku. The people of Japan really treasure Horyu-ji. It contains many National Treasures. In Japan, National Treasures include buildings, paintings, sculptures and other art objects. So, besides being the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan, Horyu-ji is also a museum - a treasure house filled with priceless art.