From 360 feet up…Would you? Could you? Dare to see Victoria Falls?…

During the months of September and December, you’ll see swimmers, even families with kids enjoying a dip, just inches from the edge. They’re hardly suicidal as these pics show, and the shallow pool they’re flailing about in is called Devil’s Pool. It’s a natural, relatively safe rock pool situated at the top of the falls.
This creates ideal conditions for swimming, if you’re prepared to make a short leap of faith. Swimming just two inches from the edge in the midst of the thunderous roar of water all around you can make for an exhilarating adrenaline rush, and the photo opps are incredible.

Swimming at the edge of Victoria Falls

If the footage is anything to go by, this is one of those “51 things to do before you die” kind of must-tries, no?

The Eiffel Tower: A Truly Elegant Street Lamp

The Eiffel Tower is most certainly an impressive sight in Paris France worth getting close to. Take time to lie in the grass at theChamps de mars and gaze at the steel structure. Ascend the tower for spectacular views of Paris whatever you do don’t forget your camera. At least once but better twice on your stay, return at night with a bottle of Merlot and your lover to watch the spectacular light display. The Eiffel Tower tops out at over 1,000 feet, containing 2 restaurants, a souvenir shop, a post office (for that one of a kind postmark), snack bar, and a viewing area like no other you’ve ever seen.

The metal structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tonnes while the entire structure including non-metal components is approximately 10,000 tonnes. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7 in) because of thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun.

The tower of Paris faced harsh criticism, especially from the artistic (imagine that) community of Paris, calling the structure a “truly tragic street lamp.” It is said that Guy de Maupassant ate lunch on the lower level of the Paris tower everyday because it was the only view of the city in which he couldn’t see it.  Apparently the Chefs were as skilled in the art of food preparation then as they are today. The critics grudgingly silenced their screeching criticisms as millions visitors ascended the tower 1889. Today, the Eiffel Tower is an icon of Paris, and is not only embraced by the city, but buy the world.

Fifth Stop – Cinque Terre – Probably our favorite stop of our trip. We stayed in the town of Monterosso which is the most northern town of the 5 towns. The only way to get to most towns is either by train or by trail. Lots of German and Dutch hikers. This is the Italian Riviera. It is a vacation spot for tourists and Italians. There were not many people around while we were there. Perfect. A storm blew in while we were there and huge waves were crashing along the coast. It was cold and rainy, but that didn’t bother us. The food and wine were again very good. They are known for their white wine.

We hiked along the trail that connects the five towns. We saw all the Germans in their hiking gear and were wondering how hard these trails were because we only had tennis shoes. It turned out to be a walk in the park and I found it amusing that the tourists would be wearing over $200 worth of fancy hiking gear. If you go to Italy, you must stay in the Cinque Terre.

The Canals!