The Marriage Capital of the World

                         Las Vegas weddings

Las Vegas, Nevada came to be known as the Marriage Capital of the World as a result of the ease of acquiring a marriage license and the minimal costs involved. The city continues to be known as a popular wedding destination for the same reasons, but also as a result of the various types of weddings available.

Marriage license

Nevada marriage licenses are notoriously easy to get; there is no blood test or required waiting period. Las Vegas has streamlined the process further. Once a short form is completed and submitted to the marriage license bureau along with $60 cash and a government issued photographic identification, a marriage license may be obtained within minutes until midnight every night.

Within one year of receipt of the marriage license a wedding ceremony must be performed in order to have a legal union, and marriages are legal and binding throughout the United States under the Full Faith and Credit Clause, as well as most other countries.

Wedding venues

There are numerous options for wedding ceremonies in Las Vegas. The least expensive option, costing $60, is to marry at the Office of Civil Marriages.

Most weddings performed in Las Vegas may be a civil or religious service depending upon the wedding venue selected.

With an average of 115,000 weddings a year, the Las Vegas wedding industry is competitive and ceremony locations are plentiful. Most of the city's major hotels have wedding chapels and many of the local restaurants offer wedding ceremonies. Weddings may also be performed in the local churches, at one of the many golf courses, or at a free standing wedding chapel. Drive-thru weddings are also available.

The majority of the newer wedding chapels are located on the Las Vegas Strip. A local law in the 1970s made it impossible to build a free standing wedding chapel on the Las Vegas Strip. The older wedding chapels will be found downtown.

Themed weddings

Many chapels also offer themed weddings. Common themes include Hawaiian, fairy tale, Star Trek, goth, and weddings with an Elvis or Michael Jackson impersonator. The Tropicana has offered a "rock star" wedding officiated by former Quiet Riot frontman Paul Shortino.

Outside Las Vegas

Second in popularity to the wedding chapel option, is to have a ceremony performed outdoors somewhere in the surrounding Las Vegas area.

From Wikipedia        Photos: Leo Coimbra

The Hoover Dam

A Brief History Of The Hoover Dam Hoover Dam is as tall as a 60-story building.  It was the highest dam in the world when it was completed in 1935.  Its base is as thick as two football fields are long.  Each spillway, designed to let floodwaters pass without harming the dam itself, can handle the volume of water that flows over Niagara Falls.  The amount of concrete used in building it was enough to pave a road stretching from San Francisco to New York City.  The dam had to be big.  It held back what was then, and still is, the largest man-made lake in the United States.  The amount of water in the lake, when full, could cover the whole state of Connecticut ten feet deep.  Only a huge dam could stand up to the pressure of so much water. Building such a mammoth structure presented unprecedented challenges to the engineers of the Bureau of Reclamation.  It stretched the abilities of its builders to the limits.  It claimed the lives of 96 of the 21,000 men who worked on it. Construction began in 1931.  Americans began coming to see the big dam long before it was completed four years later.  Most had to travel many miles, at the end through a hostile desert, to reach this location on the border between Nevada and Arizona.  The builders soon constructed an observation platform on the canyon rim to keep the tourists away from the construction site. Hoover Dam did, and continues to do, all the things its supporters hoped it would.  It protects southern California and Arizona from the disastrous floods for which the Colorado had been famous.  It provides water to irrigate farm fields.  It supplies water and power to Los Angeles and other rapidly growing cities in the Southwest.  But the dam also had an entirely unexpected result, one that began while it was still under construction.  For millions of people in the 1930s, including those who would never visit it, Hoover Dam came to symbolize what American industry and American workers could do, even in the depths of the Great Depression.  In the early 21st century, almost a million people still come to visit the huge dam every year. Watch this video and enjoy it:

  THE LIBRARY OF TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN

 History of the Library

The Library’s history dates back to the establishment of the College in 1592 and it is the largest library in Ireland.

Today it has over 6 million printed volumes with extensive collections of journals, manuscripts, maps and music reflecting over 400 years of academic development. The most famous of its manuscripts, the Book of Kells and the Book of Durrow, were presented by Henry Jones, Bishop of Meath and former vice-chancellor of the University, in the 1660s. Other special collections include the Ussher Collection acquired in 1661 and the Fagel Collection of 1802.

The Library was endowed with Legal Deposit privilege in 1801 and continues to receive copies of material published in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The Library supports the learning and research needs across all disciplines of the College; it is a major research library of international repute; it provides services to a wide range of external users and institutions; it contributes to the development of creative initiatives in information provision and its exhibitions of manuscripts and other treasures attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to visit the Old Library each year.

Although an institution of great antiquity, the Library pioneers modern methods of resource discovery and developments in the teaching, learning and research processes.

The Long Room

The main chamber of the Old Library is the Long Room; at nearly 65 metres in length, it is filled with

200,000 of the Library’s oldest books and is one of the most impressive libraries in the world. When built (between 1712 and 1732) it had a flat plaster ceiling and shelving for books was on the lower level only, with an open gallery. By the 1850s these shelves had become completely full; largely as since 1801 the Library had been given the right to claim a free copy of every book published in Britain and Ireland. In 1860 the roof was raised to allow construction of the present barrel-vaulted ceiling and upper gallery bookcases.

Marble busts line the Long Room, a collection that began in 1743 when 14 busts were commissioned from sculptor Peter Scheemakers. The busts are of the great philosophers and writers of the western world and also of men (and yes, they are all men) connected with Trinity College Dublin - famous and not so famous. The finest bust in the collection is of the writer Jonathan Swift by Louis Francois Roubiliac.

Other treasures in the Long Room include one of the few remaining copies of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic which was read outside the General Post Office on 24 April 1916 by Patrick Pearse at the start of the Easter Rising. The harp is the oldest of its kind in Ireland and probably dates from the 15th century. It is made of oak and willow with 29 brass strings. It is the model for the emblem of Ireland.

The band of gold lettering below the gallery commemorates benefactors of the 17th and 18th centuries:

• James Ussher, Archbishop of Armagh
• King Charles II
• William Palliser, Archbishop of Cashel
• Claudius Gilbert
• Theophilius Butler

There are temporary exhibitions held in the Long Room which display the rich holdings of the Library and encourage further research.

Many of the students recognised the Long Room when they entered despite never having visited before. The reason for this is Stars Wars! When George Lucas was making Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones, he was inspired by Trinity Library and a scene in the film contains a room that looks identical to the Long Room. People often associate Harry Potter with Trinity Library too, but in this case Harry Potter was actually based on a library in Cambridge, England. They are certainly very similar as you can see from the photos! The Long Room is more than just a pretty library however. It also contains over 200000 books – some of which are very valuable original books that give us an insight into academic life in Ireland and Britain at that time. An original copy of the Declaration of the Irish Republic and the oldest example of Ireland’s national symbol – The Harp.

Source : www.tcd.ie/Library

Turism

Do you know what a landmark is?

A landmark is anything that helps you know where you are — in space, in time, in history.

If you’re sailing from Europe to New York, the Statue of Liberty will be the landmark that lets you know you’re in the right port. If you’re walking to your cousin’s house, the pizza shop on the corner is the landmark that lets you know you just have two blocks to go. Getting your driver’s license is a landmark event, as was the Revolutionary War — though which battle was harder is yours to determine.

How many landmarks have you seen?

Here you are the Top 10 Most Recognizable Landmarks in the World.

If  you are a backpacker like me, you can't miss it!

Mount Fuji, Honshu Island, Japan

The highest mountain in country is an active volcano. It has a cultural significance: for ages it has inspired artists and people still make pilgrimages to the mountain. It is a perfect symbol of Japan – a country, whose appreciation of nature blends incredibly well with culture and religion.

                                   

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The largest Art Deco sculpture in the world has become an icon of Rio. Not only it is impressive due to its size, but also the nature, surrounding Christ the Redeemer. The Sugarloaf Mountain, that you can reach by a cable car, is near and amazing panorama opens from the top of the hill.

Uluru, Northern Territory, Australia

The sandstone rock is a sacred site for the Native Australians, who believe that spirits of the dead live here. Climbing Uluru is a popular activity. However, the proposition to ban climbing has been considered lately. Therefore, it might be a good idea to hurry up and visit Uluru now.

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy

Built in AD 70 the arena could hold 50 000 spectators! Today the Colosseum stands as the symbol of glorious Roman Empire and the bloody gladiator fights. It is also a real treat for those interested in history and archeology.

Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England

The enigmatic monument of Neolithic and Bronze Age, Stonehenge was a religious site. However, it still has many secrets and is a source of speculations about its purpose. One thing is for sure: the ancient stone structures still have a special effect on people.

 Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, USA

The engineering wonder is a symbol of the West Coast. Besides being the most photographed bridge in the world, the Golden Gate Bridge offers a beautiful trek. Although it is advisable not to go on a windy day.

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

No list of the most recognizable monuments could make it without the Eiffel Tower in it. Overrated and overestimated – still the tower is a symbol of Paris, the icon of the cityscape and the best place to view the capital.

Pyramids, Giza, Egypt

The majestic ancient monuments mark the glory of Ancient Egypt. Situated in the desert, on the outskirts of Cairo, the pyramids in Giza are the most popular among the tourists. The complex includes the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is the oldest and largest pyramid in the world.

Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

The white marble mausoleum is famous in the world not only for its striking beauty, but for its romantic story as well. The emperor was devastated after his wife had died in labor and commissioned to built the monument in her memory.

The Great Wall of China

The wall that can be seen from space, was built and rebuilt for centuries. The first walls were erected in the 7th century BC. During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) the Wall has already become the largest military structure in the world.