Czech Republic - The castles of Valtice and Lednice
Foto: The casinos of Las Vegas (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
United States - We drive to Las Vegas via the highway. On both sides, a dry desert landscape stretches out, with small bushes dotting the sandy rocky ground. By late afternoon, the Las Vegas skyline appears. It is strange that such a large city exists in the middle of the desert. I see tall buildings, and from afar, the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, and a Disney-like hotel. I am unsure where to look as we turn onto the Strip, Las Vegas’ main street, lined with hotels and casinos. Our hotel, Monte Carlo, is also on the Strip. We park and check in, joining a long line at the reception. I count more than twenty counters, about half staffed. Our room is on the 14th floor of the 30-plus-story hotel. Everything here is enormous, including a shopping center below with stores like Starbucks, and of course, a huge casino. To reach the Strip, we walk through the casino, over 100 meters of slot machines, gaming tables, and roulette. Even the bar allows gambling. We play a small game, each putting a dollar in a slot machine. On the first try, it rings, and we win over $20. The second machine yields a smaller prize, about three euros. Further attempts to win more fail. We take our winnings and head onto the Strip, overwhelmed by lights and sounds vying for attention. People hand out coupons for hotels, casinos, and even paid services. A huge motorcycle sticks out of the Harley Davidson club. In front of the Bellagio, fountains perform a choreographed ballet every fifteen minutes, 1,200 fountains moving to music. Across the street, bars and restaurants occupy a small version of the Eiffel Tower. At the New York Hotel, the American city atmosphere is recreated. We end the evening with a drink at our hotel casino bar. I lie in bed, reflecting on the bizarre city that is Las Vegas.
Empire State Building
United States - Anyone visiting New York for the first time cannot ignore the Empire State Building. This skyscraper on the corner of 34th Street and 5th Avenue towers over the Big Apple. Entering the building at street level, I realize that it also houses regular office ...
Grand Canyon
United States - When we arrive at the viewpoint, we look down into the depths of the Grand Canyon. Wow! One and a half kilometers below, the river flows through the gorge. We take the park’s shuttle bus to the west side, where the sunset views are best. The last rays ...
Key West in Florida
United States - Key West is an island in the Florida Straits. It is the southernmost point of the Florida Keys, about 150 km from Cuba. The island measures roughly 6.4 km long and 3.2 km wide. One of its main attractions is a concrete replica of a buoy at the corner ...
Monument Valley
United States - Monument Valley is perhaps the most striking example of the overwhelming beauty of the desert landscape in the American Southwest. The silhouette of the solitary red rocks, surrounded by a vast, empty plain, has served as a backdrop for dozens of films ...
The Hawaiian Islands
United States - The islands are volcanic in origin, located on a so-called hotspot where magma rises from the Earth’s interior as lava. As the crust moves over the hotspot, a chain of islands formed from west to east, with the oldest, extinct volcanoes in the west ...
The Statue of Liberty in New York
United States - The Statue of Liberty is a monument located in New York Harbor. It stands as a symbol of welcome—not just for tourists but also for Americans themselves. The statue is 93 meters tall and weighs 225 tons. The nose is 1 meter long, the eyes have a circumference ...
The White House in Washington DC
United States - The White House is the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States, with the exception of George Washington, who died before it was completed. Its strategic location near the National Mall was selected in 1790 by President Washington ...
Wandering around Chicago
United States - Today, I have the whole day to explore Chicago. It's Saturday, the Saturday before Labor Day. That means it's extra busy—pleasantly busy. The weather is beautiful as we leave our hotel. Our first mission is to officially complete Route 66. Just like ...
Yellowstone National Park
United States - Yellowstone is one of the world’s most important sites for studying and appreciating the evolutionary history of the Earth. The park has an unparalleled collection of surface geothermal activity worldwide, thousands of hot springs, mud pots, fumaroles, ...