My Trip Around the World, Callanan

This is it, I am back in Des Moines. Now I am in Callanan Middle School, this is the last stop. What I am going to do here is learn, be board, do homework, eat lunch, and go home.

Did you know...

The residents of the Des Moines consume more potato chips than any other area in the nation. (More than 11 pounds per year.)

Des Moines ranks fourth out of 1,000 entries. The top-five awards were given to (1) Seattle, Washington, (2) Boston, Massachusetts, (3) Savannah, Georgia, (4) Des Moines, Iowa, and (5) Cleveland, Ohio.

The Average household income is $38,408 every month

The tallest building in Des moines is 801 Grand (also known as the Principal Tower), it is 45 stories tall

Des Moines is situated at the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers

http://www.seedesmoines.com/

My Trip Around the World, Honolulu

This is my second-to-last stop and then my vacation is over which is very sad. Right now I am in Honolulu, Hawaii. Things to do: Go snorkeling, Go to a luau, Go exploring. Things done: Go swimming in the sea, Go to a aquarium, Drink Pina Colada's.

Did you know...

Hawaii was the 50th state admitted to the union on August 20, 1959.

By a legislative act, Hawaii became officially known as the “Aloha State” in 1959.

When measured from east to west, Hawaii is the widest state in the United States.

Hawaii has the highest population density in the United States.

Hawaii is the only U.S. state that grows coffee.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honolulu

My Trip Around the World, Wellington

Now I'm in Wellington, New Zealand. Wellington is the capital. I came here because I'm trying to visit everywhere in the world.

Did you know...

Wellington is the world's most southern capital and central Wellington is only two kilometres in diameter.

Wellington is located at the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island.

Evidence of early Maori settlement and cultivation can be found at sites all around the Wellington peninsula.

Wellington is home to these famous movie stars:
Peter Jackson (Lord Of The Rings, King Kong).
Geoff Dixon (Silver Screen) and Cloud 9 (The Tribe, Enid Blyton series).
Richard Taylor (Lord Of The Rings, King Kong, Jane and the Dragon).

Wellington is home to most national theatre, dance and performance companies, as well as the national museum, archives and library.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington

My Trip Around the World, Sydney

This is the eighteenth stop and I am in Sydney, Australia. I cant wait to go to the Sydney Opera
House, even though I don't really like opera, I think its kind of boring.

Did you know...

Sydney is situated on Australia’s south-east coast and is the state capital of New South Wales.
The main languages spoken in Sydney are English, Chinese and Arabic.

Sydney was founded in 1788, when convict-bearing ships of the first fleet came from England, to set up the colony of New South Wales.

Sydney was officially founded as a city in the year 1842.

A resident of Sydney is known as a Sydneysider.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney

My Trip Around the World, Wagga Wagga

I came to Wagga Wagga, Australia because I just couldn't resist visiting here. The name is just to funny.
Did you know...
Wagga Wagga was flooded in 1974 when the Murrumbidgee River reached a mammoth height of 10.74 metres. It was the highest recorded level in the 20th Century
In the Wiradjuri language, “Murrumbidgee” means “Plenty water” or “Big water”
Captain Charles Sturt first charted the waters of the Murrumbidgee River in 1829. His name can bee seen throughout the City.
The Kapooka Military Base opened in 1941 as the Royal Australian Engineers Training Centre
The Chiko Roll made its first appearance at the Wagga Wagga Show in 1951. It was inspired by the Chinese spring roll and was designed to be eaten with one hand whilst drinking a beer with the other.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagga_Wagga

My Trip Around the World, Tokyo

Now I am in Tokyo, Japan. My fifteenth destination. I came here because my dad always said that the best sushi he ever tasted was in Japan, and I love sushi so I just had to come.
Did you know...
The name ‘Tokyo’ literally translates to ‘Eastern Capital’.
The 23 wards of Tokyo collectively constitute the ‘City of Tokyo’, which is one of the largest cities in the world.
Tokyo is one of the three world finance ‘command centers’, apart from New York and London.
Tokyo is home to many of the world's most developed investment banks and insurance companies.
Railways in Tokyo have the most extensive urban railway network in the whole world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo

My Trip Around the World, Shaghai

Right now I am in Shanghai, China and having a great time. The city almost looks like a science fiction town if you see it from afar.
Did you know...
Shanghai is also known as the ‘Paris of the East’ and the ‘Queen of the Orient’.
Shanghai serves as the largest base of industrial technology in the People's Republic of China.
Shanghai is the largest city of the People's Republic of China and the eighth largest city in the world.
Shanghai stands divided into 16 districts and 3 counties.
Shanghai is the world's largest cargo port
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai

My Trip Around the World, Bangkok

Next stop is... Bangkok, Thailand! You know when you don't have anything planed and your in a foreign country you just wander the streets and look around? well that's what I did and it was a tiring day but I had fun.
Did you know...
Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand.
The Thai name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or Krung Thep.
Bangkok is also referred to as the ‘City Of Angels’.
Bangkok is split into separate patches of land by the Chao Phraya River, which is Thailand’s longest river.
Owing to the large number of canals constructed in Bangkok, it is also called the ‘Venice of East’.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok

My Trip Around the World, Taj Mahal

I'm starting to get jet lag from traveling so much, I think this is the 13th of the 21 stops... 8 more to go! The Taj Mahal is a tomb but it looks like a palace... I wonder why. By the way I'm in India. Taj Mahal appears pink in the morning, white in the day and changes its color to golden in the moon light. An identical Taj Mahal was supposed to be built in black marble instead of white. The base of it can still be seen across the river. The Taj Mahal costs in today’s money about US $100 million. It took 22 years and 22,000 people to complete the Taj Mahal. The Emperor ordered to chop off the hands of the workers who had constructed the Taj Mahal so no one could make anything like it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

My Trip Around the World, Sphinx

Right now I am in Giza right by the Sphinx, it is also super cool. I can't wait to take some pictures.
Did you know...

The Sphinx was built by Pharaoh Khafre, during the Old Kingdom.

It is believed that Khafre's workers shaped the stone into the lion and gave it their king's face .

It was carved out of a single block of limestone of varying quality.

The oldest repair work on the Sphinx was done over 4000 years ago .

Many alternative, often contradictory, theories have been proposed regarding the Pyramid's construction techniques.

http://www.focusmm.com/sound/amusic/kalam.mid

My Trip Around the World, The Pyramids

The Pyramids are HUGE! It is so cool to stand right by them. It's a wonder how the Egyptians built these and its fun to imagine how.
Did you know...
The Main Pyramid is estimated to have about 2,300,000 stone blocks
They still don't know what the mortar is made of
There are no hieroglyphics or writing in the Pyramid
The features of the Great Pyramids are so large they are visible even from the Moon.
The Pyramids are the only remaining member of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza

My Trip Around the World, Crete

Crete is so neat. I cant wait to see the Minotaurs Maze and to go explore the island.
Swiming is another thing I want to do here.
Did you know...
Crete is the largest island of Greece
In the past, Crete served as the centre of the Minoan civilization, the oldest form of Greek, and hence European, civilization
Crete is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean
The people of Crete refer to themselves as Cretan, not Greek
Speaking in mythological terms, Crete is believed to be the place where Zeus grew up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crete

My Trip Around the World, Venice

Right now I am riding a gondola on the Grand Canal, everything is so beautiful here. It's sad to think that Venice is slowly sinking bit by bit back into the water.
Did you know...
Venice is built on 117 islands, features 150 canals and over 400 bridges
The Italian flag is green, white, and red
The colors of the Italian flag represent three virtues: hope (green), faith (white), and charity (red).
Italy is slightly larger than Arizona
Almost 20% of Italy's population is over 65 years old
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice

My Trip Around the World, Paris

Whooo! The Eiffel Tower is so cool! You can see super far, France is really unique and different but its still awesome. The food is really good here, I even tried escargot it was slimy.
Did you know...
The famous church Notre Dame lives here
The Eiffel Tower used to be red
More than 43 million people visit France every year
Paris is only 6 by 7 miles/10 by 11 kilometers, which means you can walk across the capital in less than two hours
It rains 187 inches every year
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris

My Trip Around the World, Antarctica

Hi, right now I'm in Antarctica. Don't ask why, I have no idea myself.... Well, while I'm here I'll just go see the penguins. P.S. I hate being cold.
Did you know...

It is the fifth largest continent

There are no countries on Antarctica

No people live here

Groups of scientists come for periods of time to study this frigid land.

Many countries operate science stations in Antarctica, but no nation owns the land

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctica

My Trip Around the World, Barcelos

I am now in Barcelos, Brazil. Barcelos is a fun little town in the middle of the Amazons. What I want to do here is explore the jungle and take pictures.
Did you know...
Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world
Brazil is world famous for it's penchant for football
The territory of Brazil falls between central South America and the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered by Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela and the department of French Guiana to the north.
Brazilian people produce world´s best coffee.
The population is 198,739,269
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil

My Trip Around the World, Machu Picchu

Right now I am on a mountain surrounded by rain forest in Peru. I am visiting Machu Picchu, a abandoned ancient civilization built by the Incas. They were very advanced and thought of many ways to inprove there living, like leveling the earth into giant steps so they could farm on the steep slope.
Did you know...
Often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", Machu Picchu is the most known symbol of the Inca Empire.
Machu Picchu is one of the New Seven Wonders Of The World.
The site was built around 1460 but abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers after a century.
The site was forgotten by the world until 1911, when it was discovered by Hiram Bingham, an American historian.
Machu Picchu is built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_picchu

My Trip Around the World, Quito

Right now I am in Quito, Ecuador. It is lots of fun just wandering the streets, there are so many different people here. it is a great learning experience.
Did you know...
The official name of Ecuador is the ‘Republic of Ecuador’.
The official language of Ecuador is Spanish. However, Quechua and other indigenous languages are also widely spoken here.
Many of the people in Ecuador are Roman Catholics.
The main ethnic groups in Ecuador include Mestizo, Amerindian, Spanish and Blacks.
The currency of Ecuador is US Dollar (US$), since January 2001.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quito

My Trip Around the World, Quebec City

Quebec, Canada is so neat! Even though everything is really pricey here I'm having a great time. A lot of people here talk funny, some even speak french.

Did you know...

The Château Frontenac in Quebec City is the most photographed hotel in the world.

The people have a festival called Quebec City's Carnival each winter. The festival has been celebrated since 1880.

Quebec is one of the most intriguing cities on the North American continent.

As the major center of French Canada, Quebec most of the population is bilingual, capable of speaking French and English.

The average snowfall is 130 inches

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_City

My Trip Around the World, New York City

Right now i am New York City, it's so exiting! They have great food here and I'm stuffing my face.
Did you know that...
More than 26,000 people live in every square mile in New York City.
The island of Manhatten was purchased from Native Americans for about $24
New York City is the largest city in the U.S.
It was also the U.S. capital from 1789 to 1790, about a year.
Approximately 8,000,000 people live in New York City.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City

Random

THis is really random but I like cats. Weird is'nt it? I just love cute little kittens and kats... yeah. Really random.

My Summer

This summer we built a treehouse in our backyard, it's 3-storys high and it's really awsome. Actally its not done yet, we still have to attach a basket pulley and finish a wall. Other than that it is practicly done, on warm days I swing in the hammock and read a book.
I also went to Seattle to visit my dad, we did lots of fun things. Whats odd is that Seattle, in the summer is really rainy but they had a drought, and in Des Moines when it's usually hot and sunny it was pouring rain. I think it has some thing to do with global warming and chamging climates.
See you next time!
-N