“Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink the wild air.” 

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

There isn’t much that a stay on a tropical island cannot cure. To feel the salty ocean breeze on your suntanned skin, to lie on the warm sand and sip from a coconut, are some of life’s greatest sensations. So, where in the tropics should one visit? Leave it to Spartan and the Green Egg for all your tropical wanderlust. 

“The tropics are regions of the Earth that lie roughly in the middle of the globe. The tropics between the latitude lines of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.” This means that there’s more sunshine in the tropics than in other places, and the climate is warmer and more humid. The tropics are known for being a sort of paradise filled with rainforests, ripe fruits, colorful flowers, all sorts of birds, insects, reptiles, and stunning beaches. What’s not to love?

Spartan and the Green Egg, Tropical Destinations: 

(And don’t forget to collect your explorer pins, stickers, and lanyards!)

Kiribati, Micronesia: “Kiribati is part of Micronesia, located in the Pacific Ocean. Kiribati is home to many beautiful islands, like Line, Gilbert, and the Phoenix Islands. All of the islands have a beautiful tropical climate since they are located right along the Equator. Some of the most popular activities for tourists include swimming, snorkeling, and fishing in the gorgeous island waters.” Did you know that Kiribati is also known for its incredible and diverse wildlife, especially the sea birds? 

“This island is part of the group of islands that used to be called the New Hebrides. They are located not too far from the Solomon Islands. Captain Cook landed on the island in 1774 and asked the natives what the island was called. Misunderstanding what he was asking, they replied that the island was called “ground.” The word for ground in the Kwamera language is Tanna. The island is considered a tropical forest surrounded by mountains that are almost 1,000 meters high. One of those mountains is still an active volcano.” Yasur, the volcano, has been “erupting almost continuously since the 18^th century”! Located in the South Pacific, Tanna is the most fertile island in Vanuatu and produces coffee and copra (“dried sections of the meat of a coconut”).

Tanna Island, Vanuatu: 

“This island is part of the group of islands that used to be called the New Hebrides. They are located not too far from the Solomon Islands. Captain Cook landed on the island in 1774 and asked the natives what the island was called. Misunderstanding what he was asking, they replied that the island was called “ground.” The word for ground in the Kwamera language is Tanna. The island is considered a tropical forest surrounded by mountains that are almost 1,000 meters high. One of those mountains is still an active volcano.” Yasur, the volcano, has been “erupting almost continuously since the 18^th century”! Located in the South Pacific, Tanna is the most fertile island in Vanuatu and produces coffee and copra (“dried sections of the meat of a coconut”).

Daintree Rainforest – Queensland: “The Daintree Rainforest is considered the most complex tropical ecosystem on Earth. It is the last remaining tropical rainforest refuge in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef is located to the east of the rainforest. The plants and animals in this rainforest are diverse, hosting 90% of Australia’s butterfly and bat population.” Daintree is actually the oldest rainforest in the world and has been growing for “over 180 million years.” There are over 3,000 different types of plant species growing here along with 12,000 different species of insect!

For more information on all your travel-related needs, check out Spartan and the Green Egg, the series of books, and the links below:

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/kiribati-micronesia/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/rio-platano-biosphere-reserve/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/tanna-island-vanuatu/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/daintree-rainforest-queensland/

For more information on the tropical destinations mentioned in this blog, consult the links below:

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/tropics/print/

https://www.britannica.com/place/Tanna-island-Vanuatu

https://www.britannica.com/topic/copra

https://www.australia.com/en-us/places/cairns-and-surrounds/guide-to-the-daintree-rainforest.html

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

#explorerpins #tropicaldestinations

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, as well as a UNESCO world heritage site. It makes up about “ten per cent of the world’s coral reef ecosystems.”

• With 3000 separate reefs and over 900 continental islands and coral cays, the Great Barrier Reef offers some of the most beautiful and exciting spots for snorkeling, swimming, and diving.  It is also the most extensive and diverse underwater ecosystem in the world.
• What is a “coral cay”? It’s a tiny island on a coral reef.
• The marine life is truly something to behold (and many species are threatened with extinction). There are thousands of species of fish, mollusk, and hundreds of species of tropical birds and coral, along with anemones, sponges, and crustaceans (such as crabs, shrimps, and barnacles).

Why it’s so important: Discover with Spartan and the Green Egg

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”

-Jacques Cousteau

“The Great Barrier Reef is considered the largest living thing on earth, as well as the largest coral reef system. It’s even possible to see the reef from outer space. It stretches over fourteen hundred miles and is home to many types of aquatic species. It is located in the Coral Sea, right off the coast of Queensland, Australia.” Collect your Spartan and the Green Egg Great Barrier Reef explorer pin today!

• The complex maze of coral reefs provides homes for all sorts of marine creatures that have been around since pre-historic times. Without these reefs, these incredible animals would die.
• There are other marine habitats to be found in The Great Barrier Reef other than just complex and colorful coral systems. There are “seagrass, mangroves, sand, algal and sponge gardens, and inter-reefal communities.” 
• There are also “deep oceanic areas more than 250km offshore.” 

Fun Facts: 

(barrierreef.org)

• The Great Barrier Reef contains “the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish, and 4,000 types of mollusks.” 
• One of the largest continental islands of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is over 1,000 meters above sea level.
• The ecosystem of the GBR covers almost 350,000 square kilometers. 

Awesome Adventures: 

(tourismaustralia.com)

There is an astonishing amount of flora, fauna (including the manatee, also known as the “dugong” or “sea cow” and the large green turtle), and islands with sun-drenched sandy beaches. Some of the sea turtles and clams are over one hundred and twenty years old! There are a myriad of exciting exploratory activities on these islands, including:

• Snorkeling: Imagine the amazing wilderness beneath the sea, complete with colorful fish of all shapes and sizes and fantastic coral reef systems.
• Scuba diving
• With its kaleidoscopic beauty of colors that only nature can provide, helicopter tours above the GBR are very popular.
• Tours on glass-bottomed boats
• Whale watching
• Swimming with dolphins!

Save the Reef

(Theguardian.com)

The Great Barrier Reef is in danger. Because of global warming, many of the coral reef systems have been compromised and bleached, while pollution is a threat to all sorts of marine life. Much of the reef has deteriorated, so conservation efforts are extremely important. To learn more about threats to the GBR and what you can do, check out this website.

For more information on Spartan and the Green Egg and the collectible Explorer Pins, visit the link below:

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/largest-coral-reef/

For more information on the Great Barrier Reef, consult the links below: 

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154/

https://www.queensland.com/us/en/places-to-see/experiences/great-barrier-reef.html

https://www.barrierreef.org/the-reef/threats

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog #greatbarrierreef #australia #conservation #explorerpins #traveltheworld 

“Don’t worry about the world ending today. It’s already tomorrow in Australia.”

 –Charles M. Schulz

Surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Australia is a magical place filled with Indigenous peoples, sacred monoliths, and all types of landscapes—from the hot arid desert, outback, and bush to the Great Barrier Reef (one of the world’s largest ecosystems), and the architectural marvel, The Sydney Opera House. You may think of an outdoorsman with a delightful accent saying “G’day mate” or some of Australia’s most famous animals, such as koalas munching on bamboo or a mother kangaroo with a baby tucked in her pouch. 

There’s the Murray River (Australia’s longest) in the Southeast, which is one of the most navigable in the world, and, of course, the Great Barrier Reef (the world’s largest coral reef system, complete with thousands of species of fish and mollusks). 

Australia has an interesting history: Beginning in 1788, New South Wales, Australia, was used as a penal colony for convicts sent from England, Ireland, and Scotland. It is also a land known for extremes: severe heat and all sorts of rare, exotic animals. Some cultural highlights of Australia include the traditional music with instruments like the didgeridoo or “yidaki,” clapstick, bullroarer, and gum-leaf.

Animals of Australia

Koalas, wombats, crocodiles, and kangaroos all make up the exotic animal population in Australia. Some are cuddlier and cuter than others but remember, these are all wild creatures, and in the wild is exactly where they need to be: in their unbothered, natural habitat. Because of deforestation, many koalas lost their homes and ended up stranded in cities without food or shelter. 

Most Spectacular Destinations

Come to a world of adventure and exploration with Spartan and the Green Egg! Our explorer pins illuminate some of the world’s most impressive landmarks and wonders to inspire education and curiosity. 

“Uluru (also known as “Ayers Rock”) is found in the northern part of Australia. It is a gigantic sandstone formation that has great spiritual meaning to the Aboriginal tribes in the area. Uluru is filled with different springs, water holes, rock caves, and tons of ancient paintings. All of the branching paths give tourists plenty of locations to explore.” 

This amazing monolith is a sacred monolith to the Anangu people; this means that it’s incredibly disrespectful to climb Uluru; it is not a tourist destination as much as a special site to be admired. It is a resting place for the past spirits and ancestors of Indigenous peoples, namely the Mala men who used it as a travel route. Because of these beliefs, Uluru is a UNESCO World Heritage site and protected by law. While base walks are still permitted, one cannot climb the rock. It is even frowned upon to take photographs of certain areas of the formation. 

• “Lake Hillier is located on an island off Australia’s coast and its special color has been puzzling scientists for centuries. This lake is completely pink! Scientists believe that the pink color is caused by a type of red algae or by the presence of a high number of bacteria in the salt crusts. Unlike other pink lakes in the world, when you pour Lake Hillier’s water into a glass, it stays pink. Lake Hillier is only 250 meters wide and is an important place for many migrating and native birds.” The only living organisms in the lake are the red algae and microorganisms such as Dunaliella saline. 

 “The Great Barrier Reef is considered the largest living thing on earth, and the largest coral reef system. It’s even possible to see the reef from outer space. It stretches over fourteen hundred miles and is home to many types of aquatic species. It is located in the Coral Sea, right off the coast of Queensland, Australia.” 

The Whitsunday Islands are found along the coast of the Great Barrier Reef and Queensland. With seventy-four islands in total, most remain uninhabited by people. Complete with rain forests and white sandy beaches, the islands are picturesque and ideal for snorkeling, diving, and observing marine wildlife.

To learn more about these sites mentioned, the animals that live there, and ways to help protect these precious environments, visit the UNESCO World Heritage website and the links below:

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/447/

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154/

For more information about Spartan and the Green Egg and the destinations mentioned in this blog, check out the links below:

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/pink-lake-hilier/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/uluru/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/largest-coral-reef/

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/whitsunday-islands/

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

#explorerpins #travel #explore #australia #learnaboutaustralia #traveltheworld #uluru #thegreatbarrierreef 

The Amazing Azores 

(Flores, an island in the Azores: azoreschoice.com)

Located in Portugal, the Azores are an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. They are a series of islands (three of which have been designated as biospheres by UNESCO) known for their underwater mountains, volcanoes (mostly dormant), grottoes, caverns, hot springs, lakes, green pastures, and forests. This is truly a land of extremes and a dream destination! The Azores are known for their amazing wildlife and sheer beauty. One of the most common activities on the islands is whale watching. Some of the most common whales to spot are sperm, mink, fin, and pilot whales. There are also lots of dolphins!

Spartan and the Green Egg

(SGE explorer pin)

“The Azores are made up of nine different volcanic islands in the Portugal region. The islands are part of the North Atlantic Ocean. While all of the islands are volcanic, many of them have not had an eruption in recent years. The islands have a relaxing tropical climate and feature many beautiful forests. One of the islands, Pico, is home to Mount Pico. The top of Mount Pico is the tallest location within Portugal.”

Geotourism

(Gruta das Torres, visitazores.com)

“Geotourism” is a term that relates to geology and those who seek out destinations with awesome geological sights. The mountains, volcanoes, and craters are part of what makes the Azores a famous place for explorers and adventure, but that’s not all. There’s also lava tubes, patches of land covered in lava known as “mistérios,” rock formations, cliffs, and fumaroles. 

• What’s a fumarole?  A fumarole is an opening in the earth (near or in a volcano) that releases gases and steam.
• How about a lava tube? Lava tubes are caves formed from volcanic vents and resemble tunnels or channels. A tube develops when a lava flow crusts over and is emptied of lava.
• And a “mudpot”? A mudpot is a shallow pool of acidic bubbling water. It’s sort of like a hot spring. They are fascinating to watch and actually can dissolve rock.

The Gruta das Torres or “Grotto of Towers,” is the largest and most famous lava cave in the Azores. Filled with stalactites and stalagmites, the cave is over 5,000 meters long.

Lakes, Pools and Waterfalls

(Goworldtravel.com)

Did you know that the most fertile land on earth was built by volcanoes? After the lava flows and cools, the soil is filled with nutrients. 

The Azores are known for their breathtaking botanical gardens, lush forests, and abundance of water. Waterfalls, thermal pools, lakes, and hot springs are just a few things to see in the Azores, and they make for wonderful adventures and sports. Swimming, kayaking, surfing, fishing, and whale watching are just a handful of things to do! One can even swim in a volcanic crater filled with cool water. 

For more information on the Azores, collectible explorer pins, and more, visit Spartan and the Green Egg’s website along with the link below:

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/azores/

For more information cited in this blog, check out the sites below:

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/this-other-eden-the-azores-europes-secret-islands-of-adventure

https://www.yellowstone.org/mudpots/

https://www.visitportugal.com/en/NR/exeres/A2E62E95-9921-4D33-BF85-36FEC4FB35EA

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog #theazores #portugal #littleexplorers #explorerpins #funandadventure

Otherworldly, Celestial Sights

Are you interested in outer space, other planets, and, possibly, extraterrestrial life? What about the stars, moon, and sun? There are lots of sights to behold this year, and new, exciting discoveries are arising every day! 

• Ice volcanoes on Pluto; “Signs of cryovolcanic activity on the dwarf planet in the recent geological past must be driven by an underground body of water, a study suggests.” According to the New York Times and a NASA spacecraft that was sent to outer space, there are ice volcanoes on Pluto! Instead of molten lava, these mountains emit ice. Pluto may also be home to some sort of ocean; even though Pluto is basically a ball of ice, new evidence suggests that there may be wonders lurking beneath its surface that we’ve only begun to explore.

• There are so many exciting celestial Wonders to see this year, so get your telescope and look to the sky for heavenly sights! Watch out for a total eclipse of the moon in mid-May, a possible meteor shower at the end of May (slow-moving so they’ll be quite visible to the naked eye), the alignment of five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) in June, an enormous full moon (the biggest of the year) in July, more meteor showers, a possible eclipse of the sun in October and a total lunar eclipse in November! 
• “Otherworldly wreckage on Mars”: The “landing of the Perseverance rover on the surface of the red planet in February 2021” left a bit of a component behind, a wreckage that looked alien but is not. Don’t be disappointed, though, because, while this is not evidence of interplanetary life, it is a piece of impressive technology used to study rocks inside a crater. The rocks found are very different from each other in their composition, meaning that some are made from magma that probably came from a lava lake and the other rocks are comprised of something called basaltic lava flows. The Perseverance rover also captured images of a small moon on Mars called “Phobos.”

It’s Really, Really, Really Old!

Are you an aspiring paleontologist or simply into fossils and evolution? 

• Flowers recently found petrified in amber are estimated to be 99 million years old! These ancient flowers were discovered in what is now Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is extremely rare for flowers to become fossilized and to remain virtually unchanged for such a vast period of time as they are so fragile. Most flowers wilt and die before they are preserved, so to find these plants intact is amazing.  The researchers studying the plants have called one of the persevered flowers “Eophylica priscatellata” and the other “Phylica piloburmensis,” the latter being a genus native to present-day South Africa. Finding these flowers is significant because it helps to “shed light on ancient mystery of evolution.”

Strange and Amazing Animals

Are you an animal lover?

A Wolverine was spotted at Yellow Stone National Park! “There are only seven documented wolverines in Yellowstone,” so actually spotting a wolverine is an extremely rare occurrence, and this was caught on camera! Such a sighting is beyond exciting as wolverines are an endangered species and are very rarely seen by humans. 

• Sea anemones are incredible because, well, they’re absolutely beautiful and strange and, according to recent studies, share a genetic link with humans. “A gene linked to the development of hearing in humans has just been linked to sensory development in sea anemones, too.” The gene “pou-iv” “can be found in the tentacles of the starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis), where it plays a crucial role in the animal’s sense of touch.” So, sea anemones can feel thanks to the same gene that helps us humans hear. How wild is that?!

For more information on the topics mentioned in this blog, check out the links below: 

(And for more information on all sorts of exciting and stimulating educational materials, games, puzzles, and travel-related paraphernalia galore, check out Spartan and the Green Egg.) 

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/9-must-see-stargazing-events-to-watch-in-2022

https://greekreporter.com/2022/02/05/99-million-year-old-flowers-amber/

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/27/science/nasa-mars-wreckage-photo.html

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/wolverine-spotted-at-yellowstone#:~:text=A%20wolverine%20was%20spotted%20inside,%2C%20he%20told%20Travel%20%2B%20Leisure.

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-gene-linked-to-hearing-in-humans-helps-anemones-feel-the-world-around-them

Photo credits: 

• Image via NASA/ JHUAPL/ SwRI/ Isaac Herrera/ Kelsi Singer.
• Ancient flowers preserved in amber were found in present-day Myanmar, photo credit: Shuo Wang
• MacNeil Lyons/Yellowstone Insight

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog#pluto #seanemones #wolverine #celestialwonders #amazingwonders #fossils #exploretheworld

Angry weather is also sometimes called severe weather. It happens in nature often. In fact, there are parts of the world where bad weather seasons happen every year. One place that happens is in the southern United States. States like Florida and Louisiana go through hurricane season each year. 

Tornadoes, dust storms, and blizzards are other types of angry weather. It is important to know about those types of storms. That way, you can stay safe when they happen. You can also read about angry weather events from years ago if you love history. It can teach you how bad weather changed people and places. Here are some angry weather events from history to get you started. 

The Galveston Hurricane

A hurricane is a big rainstorm that also comes with strong winds. The winds swirl around in a circle as the hurricane moves. Hurricanes start over water, but they can move onto land. Today, weather experts can track hurricanes. Then they can warn people to get to safe places early before the hurricanes hit. That was not always true, though. Sometimes our ancestors were surprised by hurricanes.

One of the most famous hurricanes struck Galveston, Texas. It happened on September 8, 1900. Before the hurricane, Galveston was one of the most popular Texas cities. After, most of the buildings were destroyed. People later rebuilt in Galveston, but Houston, Texas, became more popular in the meantime. Today, Houston is still one of the biggest Texas cities. 

The Dust Bowl

Another historic storm was the Dust Bowl. When there is no rain for a long time, everything gets very dry. That is called a drought. Then windy storms come through. They swirl a lot of sand and dirt into the air. Back in the 1930s, there were wide-open spaces in states like Kansas, Texas, and Colorado. They were part of the Dust Bowl. That was an area where those wind and sandstorms happened often. When those storms came through, they caused a lot of problems for farmers. Crops were destroyed, so some farmers lost a lot of money. Some even lost their farms. 

Today, dust storms still happen in some parts of the United States sometimes. They are just not as big. The states in the Dust Bowl have higher populations now. Construction has made the wide-open spaces smaller. That gives big dust storms less of a chance to form.

The Blizzard of ’78

The Blizzard of ’78 was a huge snowstorm that struck New England. It started on February 5, 1978, and ended on February 7. In Boston, Massachusetts, 27.1 inches of snow fell during the storm. 

The storm came as a surprise to many people. In fact, some people had to spend days in their cars trapped on roads. It stopped airplanes and all other forms of travel in most New England states for days. Many people were also trapped in the buildings where they worked or in their homes. Power outages and flooding along the coast also caused problems, but most people survived the storm. Today, people are more ready for blizzards because experts learned from the Blizzard of ’78.

The 1974 Tanner, Alabama Tornadoes

A tornado is a swirling air column connected to a thunderstorm. Sometimes, it creates a funnel-shaped cloud you can see. As it moves, it picks up items in its path, like trees and road signs. Strong tornadoes can even pick up cars or roofs of houses. Tornado strength is measured using a scale. An F1 is mild, and an F5 is very strong.

Some people travel to find excitement, but sometimes the excitement comes to them instead. That is what happened to the people who lived in Tanner, Alabama, in 1974. They got an exciting shock when two F5 tornadoes hit near their town 30 minutes apart. The tornadoes caused a lot of damage, and many people were killed. Some of those who survived resettled the area, but many moved away. Two tornadoes hitting in the same spot is an angry weather event that almost never happens. Both being F5 tornadoes created a weather event that put the town of Tanner permanently in the record books.

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

There’s nothing more majestic than a mighty waterfall. Let’s discover, with the help of Spartan and the Green Egg, the cause and characteristics of these fantastic formations.

“Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking stick.” –J.R.R. Tolkien

Basics: The Who, What, When and Where of Waterfalls 

Waterfalls are some of the most splendid sights in all of nature.  A waterfall is created when a river or other moving body of water flows over a rocky cliff into a pool below. Rushing water comes from rivers that flow over rocky ledges into what is known as a “plunge pool” beneath. This is usually caused by erosion—but not always—and more wearing away of the earth’s surface takes place as the force of water crashes, carrying pebbles, rocks, sediment, etc. 

 “A stream’s velocity increases as it nears a waterfall, increasing the amount of erosion taking place. The crashing flow of the water may also create powerful whirlpools that erode the rock of the plunge pool beneath them. The resulting erosion at the base of a waterfall can be very dramatic, and cause the waterfall to actually ‘recede.’” 

• Volcanoes, glaciers, earthquakes, and landslides also create waterfalls. 
• The tallest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls (over 3,200 feet high), located near the jungle in Venezuela. With a plunge of over 800 meters, these cascades are truly extraordinary. Where does the water come from? Mostly from the Atlantic Ocean. “Northeasterly trade winds” blow from the Sahara Desert, bringing along dry masses of air that “evaporate water from the ocean surface and carry it towards South America.” How incredible is that?!

Spartan and the Green Egg Sights/Explorer Pin Destinations

Join Spartan and the Green Egg and discover some of the most amazing waterfalls on the globe. With the help of SGE’s explorer pin collection, you can learn about geography and keep a bright and colorful souvenir depicting your favorite destination. 

“Water is the driver of nature.” –Leonardo Da Vinci

“The Paílón del Diablo is a large waterfall in Ecuador. The Spanish name translates to “Devil’s Cauldron.” To reach the trail to the waterfalls, one must cross a small, suspended bridge. When it is viewed from the bridge, the image of a devil’s face can be seen in the rock. The waterfall is about 100 feet down and maintains a temperature of about 73°F.” Who actually visits these destinations, you may ask. Explorers and adventurers! Daredevils seek out these fantastic—as well as dangerous—places.

• “The Underwater Waterfalls can be found in the waters of Mauritius Island. Located in the Indian Ocean, there is an illusion of underwater waterfalls. The sediments of sand and silt in the waters have varying shades of greens, blues, and whites that create this optical illusion. The best way to view the illusion is through helicopter tours or from aerial photographs.”

“The Plitvice Lakes National Park is not only one of the largest parks in Croatia, but it is one of the oldest parks in all of southeastern Europe. There is a road that runs through the park, which connects the Croatian inland with the rest of the Adriatic coastal region. The waters throughout the park are different shades of blue, green, and gray. This leads to some very unique waterfalls and lakes throughout the Plitvice Lakes National Park.”

“The Iguazu Falls get their name from where they are located, the Iguazu River. The river is on the border of Argentina and Brazil. The falls split the river and divide the area into upper and lower Iguazu. A local legend states that the two waterfalls were formed when an ancient god split them in two.” Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Iguazu Falls are one of the world’s most impressive landscapes.

Honorable Mentions: 

• Murchison Falls in Uganda
• NohKaLikai Falls in India 
• Epupa Falls in Namibia
• Yosemite Falls in the United States

To learn more about what Spartan and the Green Egg has to offer, visit the website and visit the links below:

Visit the World Waterfall Database for more information on waterfalls!

To learn more about the waterfalls mentioned in this blog, check out the links below:

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

#explorerpins #waterfalls

Halloween would not be complete without a frightening haunted house, mansion, estate, or castle! The ambiance is all that really matters: if it’s spooky enough to give you a chill and inspire scary ghost stories, it’s a success! Here are some of our favorite fictional haunted houses, what makes them great, and actual places you can visit year-round.

“Am I walking toward something I should be running away from?”

 –Shirley Jackson, “The Haunting of Hill House”

Some of our favorite haunted houses are merely fictitious and we can snuggle up and read about them under the covers. Other houses around the world are said to be haunted by ghosts and specters, and we love to read about those, too!

Crumbling old facades covered in ivy surrounded by moors, crooked trees, gargoyles on stone ledges, winds that sound like wolves howling in the distance, a dark forest nearby, and, of course, a full moon half covered by hazy clouds all set the scene for a spooky mansion filled with all sorts of haunts and scares.

What makes the perfect haunted house? Have you ever been to a Halloween party in a house that’s been made to look like a spooky old decaying mansion? What were your favorite details? What do you normally think of when telling a scary story? Eerie smoke, drafty rooms, darkness lit only by candlelight, cobwebs, bats, spiders, and even ghosts? There’s usually a graveyard with headstones emblazoned with clever epitaphs (like “Rest in Pieces”), a coffin somewhere (for vampires), a dank cellar, and, of course, a witch’s broom!

Classic Haunted Houses (in Fiction)

“I am longing to be with you, and by the sea, where we can talk together freely and build our castles in the air.” –Bram Stoker, “Dracula”

• The House of Usher (Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher,” 1839) actually ends up cracking down the middle and disappearing into the earth at the end. It is indeed a supernatural house with creepy twins Roderick and Madeline Usher.
• Hill House (as in “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson, 1959) is surrounded by hills and deals extensively with the paranormal. Whoever stays in the house experiences disturbances within their psyche.
• Manderlay (from Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 “Rebecca”) is a gothic English country estate haunted by the aristocratic owner’s deceased wife. This fictional mansion has become so popular that even castles in real life (especially in the UK) have been dubbed “Manderlay.”

• Count Dracula’s castle in Transylvania (from Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” 1897) is probably one of the most famous spooky settings in all of literature. Other than the count himself (who actually crawls along the façade in the novel), the castle is surrounded by high stone walls and heavy iron gates that clang shut, great arches, and is filled with the sounds of chains rattling, fabrics and furniture hundreds of years old, and a golden dining service that seems to appear out of nowhere. Of course, Count Dracula never drinks wine (he prefers blood!). 

Children’s Books

Sometimes haunted houses are a bit more fun and palatable when they appear in children’s stories. Some must-reads for this Halloween season include:

• “Ghosts in the House” by Kazuno Kohara

• “Inside a House that is Haunted” by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (illustrated by Tedd Arnold)
• “At the Old Haunted House” by Helen Ketteman
• “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” by Justine Korman. Okay, it’s really about a pumpkin patch (and not a haunted house), but it’s a Halloween must!

Spooky Houses, Haunted Forts and Castles to Visit 

These places will really make the hair on the back of your neck stand up!

• Winchester Mystery House: “Secret passageways, stairs that lead to nowhere, and miles of twisting corridors all delight thousands of visitors to the Winchester Mystery House. Built by Sarah Winchester around 1882, the house has 160 rooms and was built without a blueprint. Each evening Mrs. Winchester would have a séance, and each morning she would tell the builders what the spirits said needed to be built. As a result, Sarah believed she was building a place where she could never be haunted.” The Winchester Mystery House is one of Spartan and the Green Egg’s exciting destinations (and explorer pin). It is one of America’s most famous haunted destinations.

• Edinburgh Castle in Scotland has been besieged so many times (23) over the years (since the 11^th Century) that it’s said to inhabit quite a few ghosts. Complete with a network of tunnels (where people have vanished), it sits atop Castle Rock and is a completely imposing—and one of the most historic—sites in the UK. 

• Raynham Hall, Norfolk, England, is a four-hundred-year-old country estate and was famously the home of the Townshend family. It is most well known for a photograph taken on one of the home’s several staircases, where the faint image of a spectral woman can be seen. It is believed to be an apparition depicting Dorothy Townshend.
• Bhangarh Fort, from the 17^th century, is considered the most haunted place in India. What was once a palace now stands in ruins and is thought to be cursed. With a background of mountains in the distance, it is definitely a sight to behold.

To learn more about fascinating sights around the world, visit SGE on the web and check out the link below:

(John Coulthart illustrations from Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” are included in this blog.)

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog #dracula #winchestermysteryhouse #childrensbooks

#hauntedhouses #halloween #thehauntingofhillhouse #thefallofthehouseofusher 

Otherworldly, Celestial Sights

Are you interested in outer space, other planets, and, possibly, extraterrestrial life? What about the stars, moon, and sun? There are lots of sights to behold this year, and new, exciting discoveries are arising every day! 

• Ice volcanoes on Pluto; “Signs of cryovolcanic activity on the dwarf planet in the recent geological past must be driven by an underground body of water, a study suggests.” According to the New York Times and a NASA spacecraft that was sent to outer space, there are ice volcanoes on Pluto! Instead of molten lava, these mountains emit ice. Pluto may also be home to some sort of ocean; even though Pluto is basically a ball of ice, new evidence suggests that there may be wonders lurking beneath its surface that we’ve only begun to explore.
• There are so many exciting celestial Wonders to see this year, so get your telescope and look to the sky for heavenly sights! Watch out for a total eclipse of the moon in mid-May, a possible meteor shower at the end of May (slow-moving so they’ll be quite visible to the naked eye), the alignment of five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) in June, an enormous full moon (the biggest of the year) in July, more meteor showers, a possible eclipse of the sun in October and a total lunar eclipse in November! 

• “Otherworldly wreckage on Mars”: The “landing of the Perseverance rover on the surface of the red planet in February 2021” left a bit of a component behind, a wreckage that looked alien but is not. Don’t be disappointed, though, because, while this is not evidence of interplanetary life, it is a piece of impressive technology used to study rocks inside a crater. The rocks found are very different from each other in their composition, meaning that some are made from magma that probably came from a lava lake and the other rocks are comprised of something called basaltic lava flows. The Perseverance rover also captured images of a small moon on Mars called “Phobos.”

It’s Really, Really, Really Old!

Are you an aspiring paleontologist or simply into fossils and evolution? 

• Flowers recently found petrified in amber are estimated to be 99 million years old! These ancient flowers were discovered in what is now Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is extremely rare for flowers to become fossilized and to remain virtually unchanged for such a vast period of time as they are so fragile. Most flowers wilt and die before they are preserved, so to find these plants intact is amazing.  The researchers studying the plants have called one of the persevered flowers “Eophylica priscatellata” and the other “Phylica piloburmensis,” the latter being a genus native to present-day South Africa. Finding these flowers is significant because it helps to “shed light on ancient mystery of evolution.”

Strange and Amazing Animals

Are you an animal lover?

• A Wolverine was spotted at Yellow Stone National Park! “There are only seven documented wolverines in Yellowstone,” so actually spotting a wolverine is an extremely rare occurrence, and this was caught on camera! Such a sighting is beyond exciting as wolverines are an endangered species and are very rarely seen by humans. 
• Sea anemones are incredible because, well, they’re absolutely beautiful and strange and, according to recent studies, share a genetic link with humans. “A gene linked to the development of hearing in humans has just been linked to sensory development in sea anemones, too.” The gene “pou-iv” “can be found in the tentacles of the starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis), where it plays a crucial role in the animal’s sense of touch.” So, sea anemones can feel thanks to the same gene that helps us humans hear. How wild is that?!

For more information on the topics mentioned in this blog, check out the links below: 

(And for more information on all sorts of exciting and stimulating educational materials, games, puzzles, and travel-related paraphernalia galore, check out Spartan and the Green Egg.) 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/29/science/pluto-ice-volcanoes.html

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/9-must-see-stargazing-events-to-watch-in-2022

https://greekreporter.com/2022/02/05/99-million-year-old-flowers-amber/

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/27/science/nasa-mars-wreckage-photo.html

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/wolverine-spotted-at-yellowstone#:~:text=A%20wolverine%20was%20spotted%20inside,%2C%20he%20told%20Travel%20%2B%20Leisure.

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-gene-linked-to-hearing-in-humans-helps-anemones-feel-the-world-around-them

Photo credits: 

• Image via NASA/ JHUAPL/ SwRI/ Isaac Herrera/ Kelsi Singer.
• Ancient flowers preserved in amber were found in present-day Myanmar, photo credit: Shuo Wang
• MacNeil Lyons/Yellowstone Insight

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

#pluto #seanemones #wolverine #celestialwonders #amazingwonders #fossils #exploretheworld

Private Collections That Became Tourist Attractions

Collecting things is a lot of fun. That’s why so many people have private collections. Collecting is an excellent hobby because it’s almost like a scavenger hunt. Collectors often find items to collect at flea markets, antique shops, yard sales, and online. It’s easier than ever for people to complete their collections now that technology like laptops and cellphones lets them search for their favorite things everywhere.

The only problem with collecting things, especially for a long time, is many collectors eventually find their collections are too big to keep to themselves. Some collected items, like cars, are too big to fit in houses anyway. Others, like comic books, are small individually, but when a collector has lots of them, they begin to take up space. Sometimes, a collection is so large, or a collector just wants to share it with other people so much that their collection becomes a tourist attraction. The collector might open their home to visitors, open a museum, or loan or donate part of a collection to a museum that is already open. Here are some examples of what people collect and collections that became tourist attractions.

What People Like to Collect

There is no one thing everyone likes to collect. Collections of all different things are popular. Some popular things to collect are jewelry, decorations, or items people can trade with each other, like and patches.

There are also people who collect things like:

• Cars
• Motorbikes
• Art
• Airplanes
• Movie and TV Show Memorabilia
• Collectibles Relating to Certain Animals or Symbols

You never know what people might like to collect. Sometimes collections come from things adults liked when they were kids. Other times collections might remind people of a certain time in their lives. For example, a former athlete or sports fan might have a house full of sports collectibles. Here are some interesting private collections people turned into tourist attractions.

The Cat Museum in Kraków, Poland

The cat museum opened in 2019. It is owned by a couple from the Ukraine. It contains about 1,000 cat collectibles. It’s not the only cat museum either. There are museums like it in many different countries because so many people love cats. Most of those museums have started out as private collections.

Island of the Dolls, Mexico

There is an island in Mexico called Island of the Dolls. The whole island is covered in many different types of dolls. The legend of the island says a young girl once died there. The island’s caretaker decided to start hanging dolls around the island so her ghost could play with them. Other people have also visited the island and left dolls over the years, so the collection keeps getting bigger as more tourists go there.

Tiny Chair Museum in Georgia, USA

If you are ever in Stone Mountain, Georgia, you can visit a very strange roadside attraction called the Tiny Chair Museum. It started because a woman named Barbara Hartsfield saw a tiny chair one day while out shopping. She thought it was cute and bought it. Soon, she was collecting them as a hobby. Today, her hobby has grown into the world’s largest collection of tiny chairs. Many of them are not just chairs. Some have other purposes, like tiny chair-shaped salt and pepper shakers. She has them all displayed in her roadside museum.

Isett Heritage Museum in Pennsylvania, USA

The Isett Museum is in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It contains the private collection of Mel Isett. Mr. Isett has been collecting all sorts of everyday items from the 1800s and 1900s for years. His museum now houses over 40,000 household items preserved so people in the future can see them, such as:

• Radios
• Toys
• Cameras
• Kitchen Appliances
• Plates
• Clocks
• Railroad Collectibles

Finding Fun Private Collections Turned Tourist Attractions

Ask your mom and dad to take you on a day trip, and you’ll probably find some private collections turned tourist attractions not far from your own home. They are everywhere because so many people love to collect things. Some you might just happen to pass while riding in the car. You can find others ahead of time by looking online for interesting private collections that have turned into public attractions. Either way, you’ll find it fun to see all the great things people collect.

Start your own collection with Spartan and the Gang! Collect all of the pins, patches, and stickers from some of the most interesting places around the world.

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog #collectibles #kidscollect

“If you see a fairy ring
In a field of grass,
Very lightly step around,
Tiptoe as you pass;
Last night fairies frolicked there,
And they’re sleeping somewhere near.”
-William Shakespeare

Fairy Rings and Circles
Fairy ring (also known as a “fairy circles” or “elf” or “pixie circles”) are rings or semi-circles of mushrooms and toadstools in the grass and on the forest floor. They occur naturally and are quite the delight to see! It’s as if a group of fairies have been communing, each with their own little toadstool to sit upon. Fungi thrive in the damp, so it’s best to go hunting for fairy rings after a rainstorm.

Only certain kinds of mushrooms form rings where fairies dance inside. The most common fungi to form a fairy ring are probably the “Giant Puffball” (which looks exactly as you’d imagine). (Fairy illustration by Walter Jenks Morgan: British, 1847-1924)

The legend goes that you should not step inside a fairy ring for, if you do, you may be stuck within the magical circle forever with the dancing fairies! The dizziness of all the whirling and twirling may drive you mad!

If you do enter a fairy ring, wear your hat backward (for this will confuse the fairies), or you run around the ring nine times or during a full moon to break the spell. Of course, this is folklore and just for fun.

There are circumstances where fairy rings thrive in a not-so-damp place…actually in one of the driest places imaginable…the Namib Desert!

Sand Dunes and Fairy Circles of the Namib Desert

Spartan and the Green Egg’s explorer pin (and description) for the Namib Desert focuses on the magnificent sand dunes, but the desert is also known for its otherworldly, almost inexplicable fairy rings.

“The sand dunes located in the Namib Desert are some of the tallest in the world. Photographers love the sand dunes because of their red colors. The word Sossusvlei means ‘dead-end’ marsh. At the bottom of the dunes lies a small clay pond that is full of saltwater. During the rainy season, though, this small pond becomes a lake. The large dunes began their remarkable journey in the Atlantic Ocean, then traveled via the Benguela current northwards. The wind carried the sand all the way to Africa. This same wind shapes many of the dunes’ tops to look like stars.”

Mysterious rings (that can reach up to forty feet in size) form in the African desert and then, somehow, disappear. Some call these “ghost circles.” Some explanations as to their formation include “root-eating sand termites competing underground for resources and self-organizing plants competing above ground for water.” Whatever their exact cause (it is still up for debate), they are magical creations that only nature could provide.

For more information on collectible explorer pins, check out Spartan and the Green Egg’s website and all its fascinating facts about the world around us.

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/the-sand-dunes-of-sossusvlei-namib-desert/

For more information about fairy rings, consult the websites listed below:

https://www.ancient-origins.net/human-origins-folklore/do-you-dare-enter-fairy-ring-mythical-mushroom-portals-supernatural-003677
https://earthsky.org/earth/fairy-rings

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog #namibdesert #sanddunesofsossuvlei #fairyrings #fairycircles #folklore

“Less is a Bore.” –Architect, Robert Venturi
A Bird’s Eye View: The Tallest Buildings in New York City

(“Lunch Atop a Skyscraper”, Originally printed in the New York Herald-Tribune on October 2, 1932–800 feet in the air, at what is now Rockefeller Center)
“[H]e could see the island of Manhattan off to the left. The towers were jammed together so tightly, he could feel the mass and stupendous weight. Just think of the millions, from all over the globe, who yearned to be on that island, in those towers, in those narrow streets! There it was, the Rome, the Paris, the London of the twentieth century, the city of ambition, the dense magnetic rock, the irresistible destination of all those who insist on being where things are happening-and he was among the victors!”
― Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities, 1987


(Vintage postcard depicting King Kong atop the Empire State Building)

• • The Empire State Building: New York isn’t called the Empire State for nothing! As of 2019, the Empire State Building was ranked as the 6th tallest in the city. Standing at 1,250 feet and complete with 102 floors, this Midtown marvel was completed in 1931 and is probably the most iconic building in all of New York City.

(The Chrysler Buildingat night)

• The Chrysler Building: Known for its iconic beauty (some say, when lit up at night, it resembles a Christmas ornament), The Chrysler Building was built in 1930 and is 1,046 feet tall. The Manhattan skyline wouldn’t be the same without it.
• The New York Times Tower: At 1,046 feet, this building is the pinnacle of journalism as a structure. It is home to the New York Times Company and newspaper, along with the International New York Times.
• Three World Trade Center: Completed in 2018, this mighty building stands tall at 1,079 feet.
• 30 Hudson Yards: The newest addition to the list of very tall buildings in New York City can be found in the trendy neighborhood of Hudson Yards. Completed in 2019, this building stands at 1,268 feet.

• One World Trade Center: At 1,776 feet, this World Trade Center building is the tallest in New York City. Completed in 2014, it is located in the Financial District and is a symbol of hope for New Yorkers. We must never forget what happened involving the original Twin Towers (World Trade Center) on September 11th, 2001.

And the Rest of the World! The Tallest Buildings in the World Ranked!
“The city buildings in the distance are holding up the sky, it seems.”
― Markus Zusak, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, 2000


(Photo of Burj Khalifa courtesy of SOM)

1. Burj Khalifa: The tallest building in the world! Completed in 2010, the Burj Khalifa—located in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, stands at a staggering height of 2,716 feet. It also has the highest observation deck in the world (talk about a bird’s eye view!) as well as the elevator with the longest travel distance. Imagine the view from the observation deck overlooking the city of Dubai! It truly is a modern-day architectural marvel.
2. Shanghai Tower: The tallest building in China (and the second tallest in the world)! Completed in 2015, the Shanghai Tower is 2,073 feet tall.
   (Makkah Royal Clock Tower)
3. Makkah Royal Clock Tower: At 1,972 feet, this magnificent clock tower is located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and was completed in 2012.
4. Ping An Finance Center: At nearly 2,000 feet (1,965 feet to be exact), this structure in Shenzhen, China, has 120 floors. Construction was completed in 2017.
5. Lotte World Tower: Completed the same year as the Ping An Finance Center, the Lotte World Tower—located in Seoul, South Korea—is a staggering 1,819 feet tall.

For more information on the remarkable architecture mentioned in this blog, consult the websites cited below.
https://www.businessinsider.com/tallest-buildings-new-york-city-nyc-ranked-skyscrapers-supertall-2019-4#t11-new-york-times-tower-1https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/aug/23/inside-shanghai-tower-china-tallest-building-green-skyscrapers
https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/jeddah-tower/2
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g295424-d1936354-Reviews-The_Dubai_Fountain-Dubai_Emirate_of_Dubai.html
http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/new-york-times-tower/423
https://structurae.net/en/structures/one-world-trade-center-2014-new-york
https://thetowerinfo.com/buildings-list/chrysler-building/
#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog #tallestbuildingsintheworld #skyscrapers

(fastcompany.com)

The World’s Fastest Land Animals

The Cheetah is the world’s fastest land mammal; it runs more quickly than any other creature and can reach speeds up to sixty miles per hour in about three seconds! A cheetah usually sprints after its prey and can run as fast as seventy-five miles per hour. The animal exerts a lot of energy in a short amount of time: not only does it move at alarmingly fast speeds but is very nimble, agile, and has terrific eyesight. Cheetahs live mostly in Africa (and a few can be found in parts of Iran). Cheetahs can be found in the Southwestern portion of the continent in Namibia while the Northwestern African Cheetah is native to the Sahara desert and the Sahel.

Spartan and the Green Egg’s Explorer Stickers make it possible to see the world! Collect the Sand Dunes of Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert sticker in order to learn more about Namibia—one of the homes of the cheetah.

For more information on another of the cheetah’s homes, collect the Richat Structure explorer pin. Known as the “Eye of the Sahara,” this geologic dome is one of the most impressive sites in the Sahara desert.

• The Greyhound is the fastest dog there is and can run up to forty-five miles per hour! They were originally bred for hunting hares and foxes and are native to Europe and Eurasia.
• The Wildebeest (found in Ghana and the African Savanna) is also known as a “gnu” and is actually an antelope. These amazing animals can run as fast as fifty miles an hour.

Don’t forget to collect your Ghana Explorer Sticker!

• The Jackrabbit is actually a hare and is a desert dweller. Known for its speed, a black-tailed jackrabbit can leap twenty feet into the air and can run thirty to thirty-five miles an hour. Not only do they run very fast but they move in a zig-zag motion! Jackrabbits can be found in the southwestern United States (including Arizona) and Northwestern Mexico.

Collect the Spartan and the Green Egg Antelope Canyon, Arizona Explorer Sticker to learn more about one of the homes of the jackrabbit.

In The Air

• The Golden Eagle can be found in North America (mostly the western United States and Alaska) and Mexico. This eagle is a bird of prey and can fly at speeds over thirty miles per hour.

(A golden eagle, allaboutbirds.org)

• Hummingbirds’ wings move so fast that they actually hum (they can fly nearly fifty miles per hour). These tiny birds may be tiny, but they are some of the most beautiful and fascinating creatures of the air. The males are known for their ruby-colored throats, while the females have more subdued hues. They can be found in many places—from South America to Alaska, to tropical forests and even way up in the Andes Mountains.

(Killer Whale, sci-news.com)

Under the Sea

• The Killer Whale or “orca” is one of the world’s most magnificent creatures: with its mighty size and black and white color scheme, it is actually a member of the dolphin family. This mighty mammal can be found in the Pacific Northwest and along Norway’s Atlantic Coast. Orcas are highly intelligent and can swim up to forty miles a day at speeds of up to thirty-four miles per hour.

Don’t forget to collect your Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway Explorer Sticker!

• The Black Marlin is one of the world’s fastest fish. It has been said that a marlin can swim up to eighty miles per hour and can be found in subtropical areas of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

(Spartan and the Green Egg’s Indian Ocean Explorer Sticker)

To learn more about Spartan and the Green Egg explorer stickers and geographical sites mentioned in this blog, visit the websites below:

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/richat-structure/
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/the-sand-dunes-of-sossusvlei-namib-desert/
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/ghana/
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/antelope-canyon-arizona/
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/atlantic-ocean-road/
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/indian-ocean/
For more information on the animals mentioned in this blog, consult the websites below:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/c/cheetah/
https://scubadiverlife.com/oceans-fastest-animals/
https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/greyhound#/slide/1
https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/wildebeest
https://animals.mom.me/fast-golden-eagle-fly-9969.html
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/o/orca/

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog
#explorerstickers #thefastestanimalsonearth

Make it Kids Day at the San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo encompasses 100 acres in the city’s Balboa Park. More than 3,700 animals, including some endangered species, call this place home. Unless you and your children can travel at the speed of light, do not plan on seeing them all in one day. Here are some helpful tips I learned during my recent visit to this truly remarkable zoo.

Plan Your Day Ahead of Time

But don’t plan every minute of your day ahead of time because, as I soon found out, your schedule will quickly fly out the window once you pass through the entrance gates. This zoo is immense, and there are so many interesting and exciting exhibits, many of which we spent a lot longer lingering in front of than we had initially anticipated. Think about getting the San Diego Zoo App for your phone. It gives you a map of the zoo and tells you what special events are happening on the day of your visit.

Ask your kids which animals are their favorite. You can then plot your course and organize your route so you wind around the Zoo instead of walking miles back and forth from one exhibit to another.

The Zoo provides colorful and easy to read maps at the entrance. The maps also list all the restaurants and fast-food type places to eat. There is a large Flamingo display near the entrance that will keep the kids entertained while you review the map.

The map also includes a list of special events for the day, their time, and locations. Check the events calendar specifically for “Keeper Talks.” These are free and scheduled at various times and zoo locations throughout the day. An animal keeper will be at the talk site with the specific animal that is on the schedule. The keeper provides an overview of the animal and answers any questions a visitor may have about that specific animal. Other events may involve an extra fee.

Begin Your Day with A 35-Minute Guided Bus Tour

The Guided Bus Tour, which is included with your admission to the Zoo, will give you a good overview. Also included in the entrance fee are unlimited rides on the Express Bus, which stops at various locations around the park allowing you to get on or off.

The aerial tramway, included in the entrance fee, is fun for kids and adults to ride high above the park and absorb a stunning overview of the vegetation and animal enclosures. The tram also provides an impressive view of the San Diego skyline. Though animals are generally not visible from the tram, it can save you from walking from one area of the Zoo to another if you have plotted your course to include animals near the entrance to each side of the tram. Your feet will thank you, and did I mention it’s fun?

Plot Your Food and Beverage Day

Whether you want a sit-down gourmet dinner, something more akin to a coffee shop, or hamburgers and French fries, you will find it all here. Food kiosks also offer veggie burgers. Adults may find wine or beer available at most food kiosks and restaurants.
The park does allow you to bring in food and water, but no coolers larger than a six-pack beverage size. If you buy bottled water inside the park, any food kiosk will refill the bottle for free. Plus, there are plenty of drinking fountains around the park. Even if you take advantage of every mode of transport the Zoo has to offer, you will still be surprised at the amount of walking involved. So be sure to keep yourself hydrated, and don’t forget the sunscreen.

Explore your world and the universe through the Spartan and the Green Egg Series. Join the Explorer’s Club, enjoy interactive games, collect travel pins and more! Learn about the world and the SGE Explorers today!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog #learnabouttheworld, #explorersclub

(petroglyphs in Zion National Park, Utah, www.alpenglowimagesphotography.com/)

Which Native American Sites Should I Visit? Where Exactly Are They?

• Nevada is home to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and Museum as well as the Grimes Point Archeological Area, where petroglyphs and other forms of rock art can be found.

• Utah: Cedar Mesa is a plateau measuring 400 square miles and is bordered by the Grand Gulch and Comb Ridge. The Grand Gulch Primitive Area is a network of canyons formed from sandstone. Grand Gulch is known for its pueblo ruins and is exceptional for hiking. Comb Ridge and Butler Wash are also incredible sites filled with Anasazi ruins near the foothills of the Abajo Mountains. Comb Wash is a valley in San Juan, Utah, and merges with the San Juan River while Comb Ridge in what is known as a “monocline” (a formation in rock strata that resembles two steps).

• The Zion National Park in Utah is filled with canyon trails (including The Weeping Rock, Hidden Canyon, and Observation Point Trails) and wildlife (such as black bear, mountain goats, moose, and elk) beneath a clear blue sky. It is known for its amazing colors of red, cream, and pink sandstone cliffs. To collect Spartan and the Green Egg’s Zion National Park travel pin, visit Spartanandthegreenegg.com!

• Arizona is home to the Navajo National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Canyon de Chelly, and Antelope Canyon (to name a few). You can also collect the Spartan and the Green Egg travel pin for Antelope Canyon (known for “its unique arches made out of spiraling rocks”).

• New Mexico: The Aztec Ruins National Monument is located on the Animas River and is known for its nearly 1,000-year-old structures created by the Pueblo Indians (including ancient rooms, trails, and passageways).

(Four Corners Region, www.farmingtonnm.org)

• The Four Corners Region of the United States is where the southwestern border of Colorado meets Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico.

• Mesa Verde National Park is known for its famous cliff dwellings built in the late 12^th century by the Ancestral Puebloan people (also known as the Anasazi Indians); they built pueblos in which to live under the overhanging cliffs. Located in Colorado, this national park contains some of the most well-preserved ruins of ancient Native American life.

(Cedar Mesa, Utah.com)

What is the Cultural Significance of these Ruins?

These ruins are the preserved remains of an ancient culture that was incredibly advanced and imaginative. The tribes that lived there were a mighty people, and those (such as the Anasazi Tribe) were wiped out by the 1300s. The Native American people understood and valued wilderness and nature in a way unlike any other, and it is through these magnificent ruins that we can discover and honor the past.

For more information on the many culturally significant archeological sites discussed in this blog (along with many others), consult the websites below.

https://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/cedar-mesa-grand-gulch/comb-ridge.html
https://www.blm.gov/visit/grimes-point-hidden-cave-site
http://www.americanwesttravel.com/utah/grand-gulch-primitive-area/
https://andrewskurka.com/quickstart-guide-cedar-mesa-grand-gulch-utah/
https://www.nps.gov/meve/learn/historyculture/cliff_dwellings_home.htm#:~:targetText=The%20cliff%20dwellings%
20of%20Mesa,built%20beneath%20the%20overhanging%20cliffs.
https://www.oars.com/blog/southwests-best-ancient-sites/
https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/stunning-places-see-native-american-ruins.html/
http://photographersguide.org/top-anasazi-sites-in-the-american-southwest/
https://www.americansouthwest.net/ancient-ruins.html
https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/amsw/sitelist.htm
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/antelope-canyon-arizona/
https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/zion-national-park/

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Orangutans: What Makes Them So Unique?

• Orangutans make up not just one but species of ape and are, sadly, very rare as they are an endangered species.
• “Orangutan” literally means “person of the forest.”
• They can live up to fifty years in the wild and mostly travel by swinging from tree to tree.
• “Flanged” males have what is called a “throat sac” that enables them to make very loud noises or “long calls.”
• Humans and orangutans have 97% DNA in common.

Appearance

• Male orangutans may have what are called “flanges” (padded cheeks) and, for some reason, female orangutans are most attracted to and most likely to mate with these males.
• Since there are three species of orangutan, they tend to vary in appearance. The three different names of species include the “Bornean,” “Sumatran,” and the “Tapanuli.” (The Sumatran species of orangutan has longer facial hair than the others.)
• Orangutans are amazing to look at: they have shaggy, reddish fur and incredibly long, strong arms. Their arms are longer than their legs and, when an orangutan stands, he/she is able to touch their ankles.
• Their fur looks bright orangey/red in the sunlight but, when they vanish into the shadows of the forest, orangutans appear very dark. This is because their skin absorbs the sunlight and, when they are in the shade, we are actually seeing the skin underneath their shaggy fur.

Where Do They Live?

• Today they can only be found in Borneo (an island in Southeast Asia) and Sumatra (an Indonesian island). (To learn more about Borneo, their tribal longhouses, the languages spoken there, closest bodies of water, etc., collect Spartan and the Green Egg’s explorer pins.)
• Because of deforestation, the rainforests where orangutans live are decreasing in size and endangering the great apes.

Mother Orangutans and their Young/Behavior

• According to Discover Wildlife, orangutan mothers and their babies have such an intense bond that the mother will carry her baby around for about five years and will sleep in the nest with her offspring until another is born. This is the closest bond that has been observed of any non-human mammal.
• Orangutans are incredibly smart and even have the ability to make tools. They have been known to make a tool from a stick in which to scratch themselves.
• These great apes sleep in nests high up in trees and will create new sleeping areas every night.
• Not only are orangutans known to be very intelligent, but they are also patient (mothers will sometimes breastfeed their young for up to eight years).
• Male orangutans are known to be solitary creatures; they are even called “loners” and use their “long call” to stay out of each other’s way.

For more information on orangutans and what you can do to help this amazing and critically endangered species, visit The Orangutan Project and learn how to get involved.

Also, make sure to visit these websites consulted in the blog:

https://www.spartanandthegreenegg.com/product/tribal-long-house/

<https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/group/orangutans/

https://www.orangutan.org.au/about-orangutans/orangutan-facts/

https://orangutan.org/orangutan-facts/

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/facts-about-orangutans/

https://wwf.panda.org/knowledge_hub/endangered_species/great_apes/orangutans/

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

SMART TIPS FOR VISITING THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM

From sea lions, penguins, and frolicking dolphins to an incredible variety of freshwater and saltwater fish, there’s no better way to introduce curious kids to aquatic life than the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia.
This accredited facility boasts a mind-boggling number of tanks, learning opportunities, and programs designed with children in mind. That means it’s the perfect place for young future marine biologists to spend an afternoon they’ll remember for a lifetime. Considering taking your family to this world-class aquatic destination? Here’s what you’ll need to know before you go:

• Spend time inside, not waiting in line. With school groups and tourists waiting to get into this huge aquarium, you could find yourself stuck outside in the Atlanta heat in a very long line. Skipping this less-than-exciting aspect of the visit is easy, though – just buy your tickets and parking pass online ahead of time. Not only will you save a few dollars for souvenirs in the gift shop, but you’ll also be able to stroll right in to the air-conditioned goodness of the aquarium. Be aware that buying your parking ahead of time means a once in-once out vehicle policy is in place; you won’t be able to leave mid-afternoon and return later on the same parking pass.

• Browse showtimes and behind-the-scenes tour options before arrival. While admission to the aquarium shows are a mix of free and paid, animal encounters always carry an additional charge. With a slew of positive reviews, however, these encounters aren’t your average upsell fare: not only will your littlest family members get a chance to directly interact with the animal(s) in the encounter, they’ll also get a souvenir photo to remember the experience.

• Don’t miss special aquarium events. Throughout the year, the aquarium hosts a variety of special events, both during operating hours and before and after the facility opens. While parents may want to try some tranquil yoga outside the dolphin tanks to greet the day, their children are sure to appreciate age-appropriate events like thepopular “Toddler Time” series, with themed afternoons each month. A full calendar of aquarium events and event ticket purchasing is always available on the website.

• Get lunch just before visiting. Snacks and drinks aren’t allowed in the aquarium, so if your children are prone to “hangry” behavior, make sure to fuel up before the 3 to 4 hours it will take to get through the aquarium. Head to a nearby restaurant, or pack a picnic lunch to enjoy at the first-come-first-serve patio seating outside the aquarium. There is a cafeteria inside the aquarium, but visitors report the prices can be a little high, and the wait can be a bit long as well.

There’s a lot to see inside the aquarium – the 100,000+ creature count isn’t an exaggeration. Expect to spend anywhere from 3 to 4 hours if you’re trying to see the entire facility, and plan to arrive as early or late in the day as possible to avoid large crowds. A rewarding, educational, and incredibly fun experience for visitors of all ages, families with children routinely rave about the aquarium: it’s definitely worth a day trip if you’re visiting the Atlanta area.

Explore your world and the universe though the Spartan and the Green Egg Series. Join the Explorer’s Club, enjoy interactive games, collect travel pins and more! Learnabout the world and the SGE Explorers Today!

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

About 20 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by the Indian Ocean, which is the third largest ocean in the world. The whole USA could fit in that surface area more than five times. The Indian Ocean is unique in many ways. Let’s explore some of the special things about it.

The Indian Ocean’s Area and Temperature

The Indian Ocean is between Australia and Africa. It is bordered by Antarctica to the south and India to the north. Its area is about 27,240,000 square miles. Since it is much smaller than the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean is also much warmer. In fact, it is the warmest of all of the world’s oceans, and it is getting warmer all the time. Near the Equator, the water can be over 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Because of its hot temperatures a lot of sea life has trouble living in the Indian Ocean. That’s why the Indian Ocean has fewer species of fish and marine mammals than the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific Ocean. And of those marine species that do call the Indian Ocean home, many are having trouble surviving because of overfishing by man, the slowly rising water temperature caused by global warming, and lots of pollution.

The Indian Ocean’s Importance for the Oil Trade

Much of the world’s oil comes from the Middle East and is shipped along trade routes in the Indian Ocean. One of those most famous trade routes is the man-made Suez Canal. The Suez Canal connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea, allowing ships to pass quickly between the two. A lot of the oil transported through the Indian Ocean is also mined there on offshore oil rigs, which threaten the habitats of the sea life that live around them.

The Water Currents in the Indian Ocean

Several of the world’s oceans have gyres, which are water currents that move in a circle. The one in the Indian Ocean flows counter-clockwise in the winter, but in the summer big storms called monsoons hit, which make the currents flow in the opposite direction. The change of water current direction has a big impact on the continents surrounding the Indian Ocean, as well as on the sea life that lives below the surface because the change in the currents changes the water temperatures. But many of the species living in the Indian Ocean have adapted to those changes.

The Indian Ocean’s Marine Life

Although there are not as wide a variety of sea creatures living in the Indian Ocean compared to the Atlantic or Pacific, there are some very important creatures that make their homes in the Indian Ocean. One of them is the humpback whale. Humpback whales travel in groups called pods. The Indian Ocean is not their only home, but it is the place with the largest humpback whale breeding area in the world.

The Indian Ocean also has areas that are perfect habitats for anemones, which can’t live without the fish that live with them, such as clownfish. More than 25 types of fish who live in or around anemones can be found in the Indian Ocean. Many of them do not live in any of the world’s other oceans.

Lots of different types of turtles also live in the Indian Ocean. Loggerhead and leatherback turtles, both endangered, are two turtle types living there. They eat jellyfish, shrimp, sea urchins, and other sea creatures.

Many of those beautiful creatures are disappearing because of climate changes, pollution, and humans damaging their environments. But scientists and regular people just like you are trying to help. Each day they are working together to find new ways to clean up the oceans and stop overfishing.

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog

Foods in Africa vary widely, thanks to the many different cultures that call this continent home. While rice and porridge are commonly found in many African dishes, others use a variety of spices and seasonings that are native to the region or adopted from other parts of the world. You can learn quite a bit about African cultures by studying the types of foods people eat on a regular basis.

Northern Africa

The northern part of Africa is mainly known for couscous, a type of pasta made from semolina. People in this region typically add meat and vegetables to couscous to make a tasty stew. You’ll also find several seasonings that were brought over by Arabian cultures, including saffron and ginger. North African cultures also enjoy foods that have been introduced from the Americas, such as zucchini and chili peppers.

Central Africa

In the central part of Africa, many cultures follow a meat-based diet that includes meats from animals that are hunted in the wild, including crocodile and warthogs. Since parts of central Africa are hard to reach, people in this region tend to eat a lot of traditional cultural foods that have been around for centuries. Over the years, though, foods from other parts of the world have been introduced here, including plantains, okra and cassava roots.

Southern Africa

The southern part of Africa is a melting pot of foods from native, Asian, and European populations. You’ll find meats such as ostrich flavored with Indian spices and made with elements of Dutch or British cuisines. Seafood and fresh fruit, including bananas and grapes, are also commonly eaten in southern African cultures.

Western Africa

West African cultures typically eat very starchy foods, such as fufu paste, which comes from yams. Their diets don’t include a lot of meat, but they do include tons of spices and seasonings, such as cloves and chili peppers. When West Africans do eat meat, it’s usually chicken, goat or seafood.

Eastern Africa

In the eastern part of Africa, cultures follow diets that include a lot of grains and vegetables. People in this region usually don’t eat much meat, although they do tend cattle, sheep and other livestock. Some traditional local favorites you’ll find here include a paste made from corn, called ugali, and steamed bananas, known as matoke. People in eastern Africa also eat foods brought over from Europe, Asia and the Americas, including chili peppers, pineapples, and tomatoes.

#traveltheworld #kids #seethesights #teachyourkids #fullcyclepublications #spartanandthegreenegg  #books #nabilakhashoggi #OnTheBlog