Yellowstone has many thermal activities going on at the present, yet many have changed like at mammoth hot springs, the hot springs have dried up and changed. At Yellowstone Lake you can rent boats and fishing equipment to go fishing in the lake for fun or for a hobby. With all the mountains you might want to rent a good trail car like a Jeep since small cars tend to need a long time to go up a slope and often make your trip slow. Hiking on trails is a favorite pastime of many at Yellowstone so why not grab your hiking shoes and you camera and see animals and natural beauties in your own time.

At the Mud Volcano area there is many buffalo or bison to see and take pictures of: just be careful not to get to close or you could get hurt or injured. But enjoy the geysers and bison.

If you’re done with your trips to Yellowstone why not check out the Grand Teton national park near it? It has many beautiful mountains and it doesn’t take that long to go through the whole park. After you come through Grand Teton you might want to check out Jackson Hole. It’s a nice old western town with cool cowboy feelings. After this experience close with the wild you’ll come to understand nature more and hopefully change your litter habits. If you enjoyed Yellowstone and Grand Teton you might want to check other National Wildlife Parks and donate some money to the welfare of the parks.

Offering Jummah (Friday) prayers in Al-Haram Mosque is a unique experience as almost complete population of Mecca city and surrounding areas reach the holy mosque to offer prayers. Once we went to Saudi Arabia the Friday prayers were held at 1 PM and we went to the mosque at 11 AM to get a place in the shade and to our luck we found place at the rear in the building. People who came late they got place in the outer courtyard and in the sun. Almost at each prayer mosque is full with people and is normally overcrowded at Fajar and Maghrib prayers.

Jumma prayers were lead by Imam Kaaba Sheikh Abdur Rehman Al Sadees and it was a unique experience to listen to the recitation of Holy Qurran during the prayers by him. His sweet voice had a charming effect on all attending the prayers. Best sound system has been installed in the mosque. The pitch and quality of the sound remains the same through out the mosque. We all family members were very happy to had availed this unique opportunity.

A good thing about Saudi Arabia is that at time of prayers all type of business comes to a halt, and shopkeepers close shops till the time prayers are offered. All buyers are encouraged to leave the shop at that time. During my stay at Saudi Arabia, except jewelry shops I never found any shop being locked, only shopkeeper would put a cloth in-front of his shop or at best put a chair or piece of cardboard in front. After prayers shops would open again, markets fills up with customers and shopping spree continues as usual.

I also found street vendors mostly from African countries selling low quality merchandise in the main streets after the prayers and they would flee in the narrow streets after seeing police patrol. These street vendors sell the same products that are available in the main shops but are of inferior quality, it seemed that China has taken over market every where. Mostly people from subcontinent and Africa having limited budget for shopping are often found buying things from these vendors. Mostly these people sell handbags, wrist watches, cut pieces of cloth and sweets

Some Important Statistics of Masjid-ul-Haram

For the benefit of the readers some important statistics of the mosque have been given for general knowledge.

To get to the Grand Canyon, travel to Phoenix, Arizona first. It is about a 4 hour drive from Central Phoenix to the South rim. The entrance fee to the Grand Canyon is $25 per vehicle to cover maintenance costs. However if you possess a National Parks Golden Eagle pass the cost is reduced.

Importance of the site

The fact that the Grand Canyon is listed as a World Heritage site means a lot to groups and governments involved. Conservationist groups major argument was that the parks wilderness aspect was being exterminated by visitors trampling carelessly and coming too often. The excessive visitors were causing lack of biodiversity. The Grand Canyon met all four requirements of UNESCO World heritage customs thus becoming a World Heritage Site.

Site Management

The US National Park Service managed the sight since 1919 as a National Park. This was before it became a World Heritage Site. There was a site management plan made in 1977 in accordance to the Environmental Policy act of 1969.

Characteristics of the site

This is a natural World Heritage site, not cultural as humans did not make it, the environment did. The sheer spectacular view would leave you speechless. The canyon is a world heritage sight as of 1979. It is revered for historical importance as it tells us history dating back millenniums. It helps in understanding of geological activity in the last 6 million years as nothing but the elements created it.

Location

Located in the state Arizona, in America the Grand Canyon shows millenniums of history. The abyss is nearly 1500m deep.

Climate

At the Grand Canyon the weather varies, and often the north rim and the south rim are different. The temperature can rise or drop dramatically, so be prepared for anything. Also, altitude sickness can occur due to being so high up. The South rim is 7000 feet above sea level, and the North rim is 8000 feet above sea level. At the south rim, June and July are the warmest however it is also the rainiest season. The coolest time is January, reaching down to -8c Celsius. The north rim is generally colder than the south, with the rainfall being higher and the temperature cooler.