Foto: The Statue of Liberty of the United States (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
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 of 76 cm, and the mouth is 90 cm wide. The statue was a gift from France, commemorating 100 years of independence and symbolizing friendship. The design was by Gustave Eiffel, who also designed the Eiffel Tower. French sculptor Frederic Bartholdi executed the project. Frederic’s mother, Marie Bartholdi, posed for the statue. The pedestal and crown were designed by Richard Morris Hunt. The crown has seven points, representing the seven continents and seas. It took 15 years, from 1870 to 1885, to build the statue in Paris. It was funded by the public. The statue was first constructed in Paris, then disassembled and shipped to the U.S. The statue represents a woman seeking liberty, holding a torch of freedom in her right hand, illuminated at night by mercury vapor lamps. In her left hand, she holds a tablet symbolizing the books of law. The pedestal is 46.4 meters high, doubling the statue’s height, made of concrete and stone. A poem by Emma Lazarus, The New Colossus, is inscribed, symbolizing hope and freedom.
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 ...
Gambling in Las Vegas
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 ...
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 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, ...