The Mercedes-Benz of Helicopters

A European rotary-winged aircraft company has teamed up with Mercedes-Benz to outfit its twin-engine utility helicopter for business-luxury transport.

By Davey G. Johnson | Yahoo! Autos – Thu, May 26, 2011 4:18 PM EDT

You can almost hear the call echoing through the Austrian Alps: “The top speed of mein SL65 AMG is too low! Get to ze choppah!” Assuming the angst-ridden Salzburg billionaire hadn’t removed the 155-mph limiter from his V-12-powered Mercedes-Benz, he would be right — but just barely. The Eurocopter EC145 won't exceed 167 mph, but the point-to-point convenience a helicopter affords means never missing a last-minute lunch in Vienna. Until now, however, one couldn’t purchase an EC145 with an interior spec'd out by the lux-meisters in Stuttgart.

The European rotary-winged aircraft consortium — and sister company of Airbus under the EADS umbrella — has teamed up with Mercedes-Benz to outfit its twin-engine utility helicopter for business-luxury transport. The lead on the project was undertaken by the company’s Advanced Design Studio in Como, Italy, which pulled design cues from the company’s designo roster of interior packages. Not to compare apples to oranges, the EC145 Mercedes-Benz Style is more akin to a S65than an SL. Or, with its land-darn-near-anywhere capability, a G-Class SUV.

The rail-mounted seats can be configured for up to eight passengers (think capo, consigliere and six gorillas). The wood and ambient lighting draw influence from Benz’ up-level E-Class and S-Class sedans. Unfortunately, the SLS AMG’s gullwing doors aren’t an available option, as they interfere with the operation of the 145’s rotor. On the plus-side, Eurocopter can outfit the whirlybird with an infrared-suppression system, making it difficult for bad guys armed with Stinger missiles to get a lock on you as you and your lady of the evening snack on strudel and sip a nice riesling.

As for the price, Eurocopter EC145s start at $5.5 million, but the Mercedes-Benz version will reportedly go for closer to €6 million (or approximately $8.5 million).

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/the-mercedes-benz-helicopter.html

Top 25 Companies for Work-Life Balance

Top 25 Companies for Work-Life Balance

Alexis Grant
Monday, May 23, 2011

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Nestlé Purina Petcare, MITRE, and SAS top list compiled by Glassdoor.

If you want a better work-life balance, consider trying to land a job at Nestlé Purina Petcare Company, where you can bring your dog into the office; MITRE, a technology-consulting organization that employees say is family-friendly; or SAS Institute, a business analytics software provider that offers on-site child care, a heathcare center, and a fitness center.

Those companies, when rated by their employees, rank at the top of a new list for work-life balance created by Glassdoor, a website that offers insight into careers and companies, as well as job listings. This is the first year Glassdoor has produced such a list, reflecting what could be interpreted as an increasing desire for workplace policies that allow employees to meet family and personal responsibilities.

"A lot of companies talk about a good work-life balance," says Robert Hohman, CEO and co-founder of Glassdoor. "But not that many deliver. The [companies] on this list actually deliver."

The list is based on survey results from more than 150,000 employees who work or have worked at 36,000 companies. Between April 2010 and March 2011, they rated their satisfaction with their employer's support of balancing work and personal life, as well as management's support of taking time off when necessary.

Because work-life balance can be achieved in different ways, Hohman breaks it down into two camps. The first is telecommuting and other opportunities for flexible scheduling, which allows employees to be out of the office when they need to. "We see that in the case of MITRE," he says.

Other companies help employees bring more of their life to work, Hohman says, such as Facebook, which ranked No. 7. These employers offer amenities like on-site laundry, food services, and child care. Because such perks make work more pleasant for employees, they end up benefiting the company, too. "Companies that have a strong work-life balance are optimized for long-term success," Hohman says. "Those companies tend to keep employers longer, and those employees tend to be happier. And I would argue, in turn, those employees tend to be more productive over the long term."

Indeed, work-life balance is about more than reputation; it also helps companies retain their best employees. Offering flexible scheduling is the most effective way of improving employee retention rates, says Dick Finnegan, a former human-resources director and CEO of C-Suite Analytics, which helps companies decrease employee turnover. "The more liberal companies can be with letting people pick their own schedule times, letting them work from home, letting them -- especially people who travel a lot -- have no established schedules, letting people leverage technology to work from anywhere -- the more companies aggressively offer those things, the higher their retention."

If your company doesn't offer those policies, look to your direct boss to help you create a comfortable balance between your work and personal life. "Individual supervisors can trump company policies," Finnegan says.

Nestlé Purina Petcare Company, a maker of dog and cat food, has 9,850 employees globally, most of them in St. Louis, where the company's based. And yes, they're hiring; a spokeswoman says the company has openings for marketers, copywriters, accountants, engineers, sales representatives, paralegals, and more. But before you apply, make sure you'll fit in with a furry-friend-loving culture. "Bringing pets to work is a major plus," one employee wrote on Glassdoor, where you have to rate your own company to read other employees' reviews. "Pets on the work floor make everyone happier."

The MITRE Corporation, which is based in Bedford, Mass., and McLean, Va., employs about 7,000 scientists, engineers, and support specialists, according to the company's website. "Employees can adjust their hours around their children's schedules," an employee wrote on Glassdoor. "I don't miss a thing with my kids' lives, and I wouldn't trade that for anything."

But there's a drawback to working for a company where employees want to stay for the long haul, points out one Nestlé Purina employee. "People never leave, so there's not a lot of opportunity to grow or move around," the employee complained anonymously on Glassdoor.

That's likely to change over the next few years, says Steve Degnan, who oversees human resources for Nestlé Purina's North America division. (The company also has nearly 2,500 employees in Latin America.) A high percentage of the company's employees are baby boomers, he says, who will likely retire in the next five to 10 years, offering plenty of room for other employees to grow and for the company to hire new workers.

"I would not mistake being recognized for work-life balance for a lack of intensity," Degnan says. "You walk into our building and you can see and feel a level of comfort, but it's still a passionate, intensively competitive [environment]."

Interested in working for one of these companies? Here are a few ideas for how to get your foot in the door (follow the links for tips on each job-search strategy):

Use your online network. Look up the company on LinkedIn to see whether any of your contacts work there. Do the same on Facebook, using new networking tool In the Door. Having a personal recommendation can go a long way toward helping you get noticed.

If you don't have a contact, make one. Check to see whether the company or their recruiting arm is on Twitter, and work to establish a relationship. Or research the company's employees on LinkedIn to find out where they interact, both in person and online, and show up there to get to know them. (Hint: If you take this route, build relationships before going in for the kill.)

Pitch the company. Rather than waiting for an opening, contact the company and tell them why they should hire you.

Check out the company's advertised openings. Find the company's Careers page on their website or LinkedIn profile to learn whether any of their openings fit what you're looking for. Glassdoor also lists open positions for each company.

Here's Glassdoor's full list of companies with the best work-life balance:

1. Nestlé Purina Petcare Company
2. MITRE
3. SAS Institute
4. FactSet
5. United Space Alliance
6. Slalom Consulting
7. Facebook
8. Morningstar
9. Susquehanna International Group
10. Colgate-Palmolive
11. Mentor Graphics
12. Autodesk
13. Sheetz
14. Agilent Technologies
15. Turner Broadcasting
16. Dupont
17. Southwest Airlines
18. General Mills
19. Biogen Idec
20. Scottrade
21. Chevron
22. Synopsys
23. MTV Networks
24. Intuit
25. National Instruments

This article is part of a series related to being Financially Fit

http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-112722-9629-4-top-25-companies-for-work-life-balance?ywaad=ad0035&nc

Sepuluh Cara Berhemat

Oleh Famega Syavira Putri | Yahoo News – Jum, 20 Mei 2011

Ada sepuluh ide untuk melakukan penghematan dengan cara sederhana, yang mudah dilakukan tanpa harus menjadi pelit.

1. Bawa air minum
Membeli air minum dalam kemasan tak hanya menambah sampah plastik tapi juga memboroskan uang. Bayangkan, jika dalam sehari Anda membeli sebotol air minum dengan harga Rp 3000, dalam sebulan Anda menghabiskan Rp 90 ribu. Sebagai gantinya, belilah botol minum sendiri — yang bisa diisi ulang.

2. Membawa daftar belanjaan
Buatlah daftar belanjaan sebelum pergi berbelanja ke toko. Pastikan daftar Anda hanya berisikan barang-barang yang memang Anda butuhkan. Hanya barang yang masuk daftar yang boleh dibeli, lainnya tidak.

3. Berjalan kaki lebih sering
Cobalah jalan kaki jika tujuan Anda cukup dekat. Kurangi ketergantungan terhadap kendaraan pribadi dan gunakan kendaraan umum. Anda juga bisa mencoba memberi tumpangan dengan teman yang searah. Informasinya bisa didapat melalui beberapa komunitas yang berbagi kendaraan sepertiwww.nebeng.com.

4. Manfaatkan perpustakaan
Anda tidak perlu senantiasa membeli buku baru. Kunjungilah perpustakaan untuk mencari buku yang diperlukan.

5. Kurangi makan di luar
Usahakan memasak dan membawa bekal makan siang untuk di kantor. Memasak akan menghemat banyak biaya dibandingkan selalu makan di luar.

6.Jauhi ATM asing
Menarik uang dari bank selain bank Anda bisa menyebabkan pemotongan uang dari rekening. Jumlahnya bervariasi mulai dari Rp 3000 hingga Rp 20 ribu. Nilai ini nampaknya kecil, tapi bayangkan jumlah totalnya jika sering dilakukan.

7. Membuat kopi sendiri
Daripada membeli kopi mahal di kafe, lebih baik minum kopi buatan sendiri. Sedikit-sedikit mengirit lama-lama jadi bukit.

8. Kurangi ke mal
Jalan-jalan ke mal bisa mendatangkan banyak godaan untuk membeli barang secara impulsif. Maka itu, lebih baik habiskan waktu libur dengan piknik ke taman atau museum.

9. Manfaatkan kartu diskon
Beberapa toko menawarkan diskon bagi pelanggan yang punya kartu anggota. Manfaatkan hal ini dengan bijak. Awas, ini berbeda dengan membeli barang diskon yang sebenarnya tidak dibutuhkan.

10. Daur ulang
Kreatiflah: ada banyak ide yang bisa dilakukan untuk mendaur ulang barang yang tak digunakan lagi. Misalnya, memadukan pakaian lama dengan baju lain sehingga menjadi lebih menarik.

Anda punya ide lain?

http://id.berita.yahoo.com/sepuluh-cara-berhemat.html

Masjid Tertua Wonosobo, Datangnya Keturunan Brawijaya

12 Agustus 2010 | 23:00 wib

Masjid Tertua Wonosobo (1)

Datangnya Keturunan Brawijaya

SESUAI namanya, Masjid Getas berada di Dusun Getas, Desa Wonosari, Kecamatan Wonosobo. Fisik bangunannya sangat sederhana, namun justru hal ini yang membuat masjid itu menjadi menarik untuk ditelisik.

Lebih-lebih, ditengah kesederhanaan ini, siapa sangka jika pendirinya masih memiliki ikatan darah dengan Brawijaya, tokoh Kerajaan Majapahit.

Masjid Getas, begitu masyarakat sekitar menyebutnya. Tak ada nama khusus yang diberikan, meskipun bangunan itu menyandang predikat masjid tertua di Kabupaten Wonosobo.

Mustofa (60), pengurus masjid yang masih keturunan pendiri tempat itu mengatakan, sejak dahulu memang demikian adanya. "Masjid ini memang tidak punya nama khusus, sebenarnya saya juga ingin masjid ini punya nama," tuturnya, beberapa waktu lalu.

Mustofa pun bercerita, sejarah Masjid Getas dimulai dari datangnya seorang pensyiar Islam dari Demak. Sekitar tahun 1750, Raden Hasan Qonawi masuk ke wilayah ini dengan misi menyebarkan ajaran Islam. Untuk itulah dia membangun masjid dengan luas 12 x 14 meter persegi tersebut.

Strukturnya dibuat dari kayu, dengan kayu nangka sebagai bahan baku utama. Kini, meski telah berdiri ratusan tahun, jika berkunjung ke bangunan bersejarah itu, Anda akan menjumpai bagian-bagian masjid yang masih utuh, sesuai bentuk aslinya. Contohnya, pintu utama, mimbar dan pengimaman yang memiliki keseragaman ukiran kaligrafi, juga sebuah bedug kuno.

Berlanjut pada kisah Raden Hasan, tak lama tinggal di Getas, ia lantas mengembara ke Ambarawa. Kembali dalam misinya menyebarkan Agama Islam, demikian kata Mustofa. "Padahal sebenarnya di sini dia sudah agak aman dari kejaran Belanda," ungkapnya.

Ya, Raden Hasan memang menjadi target kaum kompeni. Hal itu tak lain karena ia dianggap memiliki pusaka yang menjadi incaran kolonial. "Raden punya warisan dari Kerajaan Majapahit berupa kulit kerbau, itu dianggap sakti," jelas Mustofa.

Pria petani itu menambahkan, kulit kerbau yang dimaksud adalah kulit Kerbau Ndalu. Kerbau yang dibunuh Jaka Tingkir.

Setelah Raden Hasan pergi, keturunannyalah yang kemudian meneruskan syiar Islam di wilayah tersebut. Kyai Muhammad Zein, nama putra ketiga Raden Hasan. Tak hanya mengurus masjid, Kyai Zein mendirikan sebuah pondok pesantren tak jauh dari masjid.

Sayangnya, pondok pesantren itu tidak mampu bertahan lama karena tak memiliki penerus, sementara Kyai Zein pergi ke daerah lain. Mustofa sendiri yang merupakan cucu buyut Kyai Zein, masih menyimpan bukti tertulis pendirian pondok pesantren itu.

bersambung...

( Rahayu Kurniawati / CN16 )

http://suaramerdeka.com/v1/index.php/ramadan/ramadan_detail/54168/Datangnya-Keturunan-Brawijaya

Masjid Al Iman Loano Miliki Garis Spiritual dengan Masjid Demak

23 Agustus 2010 | 20:25 wib

Masjid Al Iman Loano

Miliki Garis Spiritual dengan Masjid Demak

MASJID Al Iman atau yang lebih tersohor dengan sebutan Masjid Loano merupakan satu dari sekian banyak bangunan peninggalan peradaban klasik yang sudah ditetapkan sebagai Benda Cagar Budaya (BCB) oleh Balai Pelestarian Peninggalan Purbakala (BP3)
Provinsi Jawa Tengah.

Tempat peribadatan umat muslim ini memang tergolong memiliki nilai sejarah yang istimewa. Bukan lantaran kemegahan bangunannya, tapi dikarenakan usia bangunan yang sangat tua tapi konstruksi bangunan masih bisa dipertahankan sesuai aslinya.

Memang tidak ada data sejarah pasti yang bisa menjelaskan kepastian kapan pertama kali masjid itu dibangun. Namun dari bentuk dan gaya arsitektur bangunan, diperkirakan Masjid Al Iman dibangun pada abad XV masehi. Antara lain terlihat dari konstruksi usuk yang bukan sekedar dipaku menempel, tapi ditanam masuk ke konstruksi pengeret.

Masjid tersebut memiliki 16 tiang yang semuanya merupakan kayu jati utuh berusia ratusan tahun. Dari 16 tiang tersebut, empat di antaranya merupakan saka guru yang berfungsi sebagai penyangga hingga bagian rangka atap.

Kasie Sejarah dan Kepurbakalaan Dinas Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Drs Eko Riyanto menjelaskan, masjid tersebut memang pernah diubah bentuk rangka atapnya oleh penduduk sekitar. Tapi sejak Maret lalu konstruksinya dikembalikan seperti semua oleh Balai Pelestarian Peninggalan Pubakala (BP3) Jawa Tengah.

"Masjid itu usianya sudah ratusan tahun dan dibangun pada masa peradaban Islam Purworejo. Otomatis, masjid itu menjadi informasi penting sekaligus etalase untuk mempelajari peradaban Islam di Kabupaten Purworejo. Masjid itu menjadi semacam prasasti sejarah Islam," paparnya.

Lebih Tua dari Masjid Demak

Masjid Loano ini memang telah menjadi salah satu saksi sejarah syiar Islam di Kabupaten Purworejo. Dari beberapa referensi yang berhasil ditelusuri Suara Merdeka CyberNews serta informasi dari penduduk sekitar, masjid Loano dari sisi umurnya sebenarnya jauh lebih tua dibandingkan dengan salah satu masjid tua di pulau Jawa yang menjadi pusat pemerintahan kerajaan Islam Demak. Yakni Masjid Demak yang didirikan Sunan Kalijaga sekitar abad XV atau sekitar 1477 M.

Dalam beberapa hikayat penduduk sekitar dikisahkan, masjid Loano ini didirikan sebelum masjid Demak. Ulama yang dipercaya masyarakat sebagai pendiri masjid ini adalah Sunan Geseng, yang tidak lain adalah murid Sunan Kalijaga. Dengan demikian,
kedua masjid tersebut telah memiliki garis hubung spiritual sejak awal.

Diceritakan pula, dulunya Loano merupakan sebuah kerajaan besar tersendiri sejak zaman kerajaan Pajajaran hingga kerajaan Mataram. Besar kemungkinan masjid Loano ini dibangun pada masa kejayaan kerajaan tersebut dan memiliki fungsi sebagai masjid agung.

Salah satu keistimewaan masjid yang dibangun dalam Benteng Kadipaten ini adalah puncak masjid yang disebut Mustaka. Dalam Mustaka ini terdapat kayu penunjuk yang dapat berubah-ubah arahnya. Masyarakat sekitar memercayai, konon perubahan arah itu menunjukkan tempat adanya musibah di Indonesia.

Di bagian kayu atas masjid juga terdapat khat atau tulisan berbahasa Arab yang memuat tentang beberapa doa dalam salat. Sedangkan kubahnya terbuat dari tanah liat berkualitas tinggi dan biasanya digunakan untuk pembuatan kramik. Juga mimbar masjid yang terbuat dari kayu jati dengan bentuk khas zaman klasik.

( Nur Kholiq / CN16 )

http://suaramerdeka.com/v1/index.php/ramadan/ramadan_detail/54249/Miliki-Garis-Spiritual-dengan-Masjid-Demak

World's Best Ruins Provided by: By Christine Sarkis Machu Picchu, Peru Photo: Thinkstock/iStockphoto More from SmarterTravel.com Great Castles (You Can Sleep In) Ten Amazing Animal Adventures America's Most Stress-Free Airports More from Yahoo! Travel Check flight deals now! Tips for Wellness on the Road Ruins reach across centuries to fire the imagination and fuel travel plans. The very best make you feel young, small, and utterly amazed by the architectural chops of the ancients. Among the many amazing ruins that still exist today, a few stand out as the trip of a lifetime. No matter which ruins you visit, a few rules hold true: Time your trip for the less crowded times of day, often early or late. Give yourself plenty of time, as some ruins require days of exploration. Hire a knowledgeable guide, since the history is rich but the signage is often cursory. And get beyond the most popular parts of the ruin; you'll need a bit of quiet space to appreciate this kind of ancient majesty. Machu Picchu, Peru The journey to Machu Picchu is epic even with relatively newfangled transportation like trains. But each year, about 25,000 people forgo the more direct routes and walk for days along the 27-mile Inca Trail to reach the ruin. Since its rediscovery a century ago, this treasure of the Inca set high in a cloud forest of the Peruvian Andes has captured imaginations worldwide. The massive stone blocks tell the story of both a sprawling agricultural zone with terracing and ancient food storehouses and an urban zone replete with temples, squares, tombs, and living quarters. If you're considering a trek to Machu Picchu, plan ahead: You can only make the hike with a licensed company, and spots book up quickly, especially in high season. Acropolis, Greece Photo: Thinkstock/iStockphoto Acropolis, Greece Waiting for the traffic to speed past at a crowded intersection in Athens, you're likely to forget that history keeps constant watch over the city. Glance up, however, and you'll catch the view Athenians and visitors alike have been admiring for the last 2,500 years. Time has battered the once-pristine temples and gates that crown the hill of the Acropolis, leaving stone ruins that retain a familiar splendor even after thousands of years of wear and destruction. The elegant proportions of the fifth-century B.C. Parthenon and the Temple of Athena Nike—both dedicated to the city's patron deity—are a reminder of how much we still rely on ancient Greece for our concepts of beauty. Mesa Verde, United States Photo: Thinkstock/iStockphoto Mesa Verde, United States Great ruins aren't always an ocean away: Some of the best preserved Native American cliff dwellings in North America reside in Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. Home to the Ancestral Puebloans—whose descendants became 20 different Southwestern tribes, including the Hopi and Zuni—Mesa Verde traces 700 years of history across 4,000 archeological sites. Visit mesa-top pueblos and the dwellings built beneath massive overhanging cliffs. Ascend steep trails and ladders, or crawl through tunnels to explore ancient architecture such as the 150-room Cliff Palace or the hard-to-reach Balcony House. The park's hours vary by season, and not all sites are open year-round. Angkor, Cambodia Photo: Thinkstock/iStockphoto Angkor, Cambodia War or natural disaster might have weakened the Khmer Empire's ancient capital, but ultimately, it was the jungle that conquered this ninth- to fifteenth-century urban center. Today, the densely forested 150-square-mile Angkor Archaeological Park protects part of a vast cluster of ancient capitals, many of which remain buried. The park's most famous temple, Angkor Wat, is the world's largest religious building. But the park's dozens of other ruins, including Bayon temple with its wall of 11,000 carved figures, offer quieter glimpses into the art and architecture of this culturally rich 600-year period. Great Pyramids And Memphis, Egypt Photo: Thinkstock/iStockphoto Great Pyramids And Memphis, Egypt Political unrest or no, a roundup of the world's best ruins can't exclude Egypt. The last existing ancient wonder of the world, the Great Pyramid of Giza stands as a lone window into the far past. With more than 4,000 years to ponder the question, experts still can't agree on how the builders placed more than 2 million stone blocks so perfectly. The rest of the Giza Necropolis holds more wonders: two more Great Pyramids, built during 80 years by 20,000 to 30,000 workers, plus the Great Sphinx, cemeteries, and the ruins of a village. The pyramids are part of a larger UNESCO World Heritage site that includes Memphis, the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. A trip can even include some up-close-and-personal time: Visitors can explore the interiors of some of the pyramids. And the recent drop in tourism offers intrepid travelers the rare chance to experience the pyramids without the usual crowds. Tikal, Guatemala Photo: Thinkstock/iStockphoto Tikal, Guatemala Stay overnight in the national park for the ultimate experience at Tikal, an ancient Maya city in northernGuatemala that was home to 90,000 people before being abandoned in the tenth century. Early the next morning, before the park opens to the general public, join a small group making the trek through a jungle awash in the pre-dawn symphony of birds and insects. Climb to the top of Temple IV, the Temple of the Two-Headed Serpent, to witness a sunrise that reveals ancient temples and pyramids rising from the verdant forest blanket. You've still got hours to explore this vast complex of pyramids, temples, and plazas before the big crowds roll in. Along the way, catch glimpses of brown coatis, toucans, howler monkeys, and some of the hundreds of other species to call Tikal home. Petra, Jordan Photo: Thinkstock/Photos.com Petra, Jordan Hailed as a "rose-red city half as old as time" in a 19th-century poem, the ancient city of Petra was half built and half carved into red sandstone cliffs. Nabataean Arabs established the city in the sixth century B.C., and for hundreds of years it thrived as a trade center for frankincense, myrrh, and spices. Now, as then, enter the ruins of the city through a narrow, half-mile-long gorge squeezed between cliffs nearly 300 feet high. Inside, explore architecturally elaborate tombs and temples, sacrificial altars, and even a Roman-style amphitheater. Most people explore on foot, but visitors can also ride camels and donkeys. The sun lights up the red cliffs of Petra most dramatically in mid-morning and late afternoon, so be sure to time your visit accordingly. Colosseum, Italy Photo: Thinkstock/Hemera Colosseum, Italy Digitally reimagined in Hollywood blockbusters such as Gladiator, the camera really shaves millennia off Rome's Colosseum. But the 2,000-year-old ruins are so evocative up close that special effects seem superfluous. With a bloody history of fights to the death between gladiators, slaves, prisoners, and wild animals, the Colosseum held 50,000 spectators or more in its heyday. Later, Romans used the abandoned arena as a quarry: Stones from the Colosseum are part of the cathedrals of St. Peter and St. John Lateran. Last summer, entirely new sections of the ruin—including the basement— were opened for tours. Great Wall Of China, China Photo: Thinkstock/Hemera Great Wall Of China, China Like a dragon, the Great Wall of China slithers its way across the landscape for about 4,500 miles, and, like a dragon, the wall protects something treasured. Constructed to shelter China's people and culture from the outside world, the "Long Wall of 10 Thousand Li" was built during 2,000 years by many imperial dynasties. While some parts of the wall are in ruins or have disappeared entirely, other sections have been restored or preserved. The most popular section today is the Badaling Great Wall, close to Beijing. Slightly farther from the capital city and offering a more rugged (and less crowded) experience is the Great Wall at Mutianyu. In Qinhuangdao City, the Laolongtou Great Wall actually stretches into the sea, and is said to resemble a dragon drinking water. Palmyra, Syria Photo: Thinkstock/Photos.com Palmyra, Syria Twice a day, at sunrise and sunset, the Bride of the Desert blushes, even 18 centuries after her birth.Palmyra, also known as Tadmor, is in the desert northeast of Damascus, Syria, and was once a wealthy caravan oasis along the Silk Road, linking Persia, India, and China with the Roman Empire. At a crossroads of cultures, the ruins of grand colonnaded streets, temples, funerary towers, and aqueducts demonstrate a mingling of influences that made this an awfully cosmopolitan place for the second century. Palmyra was also home to the warrior queen and conqueror Zenobia, and tour guides tell exciting tales that give this seemingly isolated place a starring role in world history. http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-40006586

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