Things To Do In South Beach Miami

1. The bridge stretches to 26.3 miles in length, including the Cangkou Channel Bridge and Red Island Channel Bridge which spans for 260 meters and 120 meters respectively. They are rare cable-stayed bridges.

2. The main path is 17.4275 miles long and the actual sea-crossing length is 15.6405 miles .

3. The width of the bridge is 35 meters and the height of the bridge is 149 meters which is equal to a 50 storey building.

4. Qingdao Haiwan Bridge’s main track starts at 200 meters form the Licun River Bridge of Jiaozhou Bay Express Way at Qingdao side and ends at Huangdao Side, express way at 0.621371 miles and its thickness is 1meter.

5. It has 6 two-way lanes and its driving speed is to be maintained at 49.7096 miles/hr.

6. The bridge has maintained a dual limitation from the ship and the airplane. The highest navigation point for a ship is 49 meters, a width of 260 meters and the wheel can pass 10,000 tons. The navigation point for the airline is limited to 120 meters.

7. It ranks first in the number of pillars used, which is above 5000.

8. The number of workers required for the construction were 20,000 and the cost of the project is estimated to US$ 2.3 billion.

9. The punching bored concrete piles and the cushion caps used are 5127 and 1258, respectively and ranks first in the world.

10. The Qingdao Haiwan Bridge has adapted low pile cap and is first in the world to do so.

11. It was also the first project to have used the non-bottom sealing technology in concrete pouring jacket, which prevents the jacket from cracking.

12. The new anti-erosion method system, has been used to construct the bridge, which will prevent the bridge from erosion because of salinity, industrial waste, freeze thawing and typhoon. It is also said to be earthquake and typhoon proof.

13. It has set a new domestic construction record by adapting the rotary drilling unit offshore construction Φ2.5m piles based on the GPS measurement and orientation system of RTK and VRS technology.

14. The 4D construction management system of Qingdao Haiwan Bridge has been formed by the 4D technology and the 4D Management and is the first of its kind in China.

15. Life of the bridge is marked as 100 years.

Among his latest projects we could mention 80 South Street, which is a residential skyscraper which has its name after its own address, and which is made of 10 city houses shaped as cubes placed one on top of the other. These houses have a pattern resembling a ladder and so each house has a roof of its own. This so-called ‘townhouse in the sky” type of design has brought Mr. Calatrava a lot of clients, despite the enormous price of $30.000.000 for each cube in particular.

Calatrava is also the author of what was once an approved project, but it is currently canceled: that of the Chicago Spire skyscraper in the city of Chicago. It was abandoned out of financial reasons. The building was intended to be constructed starting in 2007, in August, and to be finished in the year of 2011. It might have been North America’s tallest building. Unfortunately (perhaps), this project was canceled at the beginning of 2010.

At any rate, Calatrava’s works also include a number of three bridges in Dallas, over the Trinity River. However, the building of the very first bridge, called Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge after its donor, was continuously postponed because of financial difficulties again. This has brought up many controversial debates, and critiques..

Another impressive project belonging to the Spanish designer is the Tenerife Concert Hall. The Tenerife Concert Hall is situated in Santa Cruz, Tenerife’s capital, in the Los Llanos area. It is located between the port’s edge and Marine Park and it is a connection between the ocean and the city, being highly appreciated as part of the city.

The Tenerife Auditorium is a building finished in the year of 2003. This building has a very famous organic structure under the form of white-blue sails. The auditorium has a big concert hall, an opera hall and some other smaller rooms. It is one of the city’s emblems and one of the most photographed buildings in the world. It is located close to Santa Cruz of Tenerife port, and therefore it is close to the sea. It represents one of the main tourist attractions in Tenerife and Canary Islands.

When going to another place it is important to be prepared when it comes to interacting with the people and how you will maneuver your way around the town or city area. A couple of months before you plan to travel, read up on the place and familiarize yourself with the landmarks around where you will be staying and educate yourself about tourist spots that you must check out. A lot of people have tour guides assigned to them from an agency to help them work their way around the city. I remember when we’d gone to Thailand not knowing the language at all but relying heavily on a tour guide who was able to give us a good chunk of sight seeing memories. Prepare yourself with the kinds of food that is available there since your system and palate may be sensitive to change. Try learning basic sentences of the dialect to help yourself around like in convenient stores or at the mall, so that you aren’t completely handicapped when in a country that doesn’t have English as part of their system. Also remember to look up certain traditions and cultural habits so that you aren’t breaking any of these valued beliefs, especially if it is a conservative and traditional country.

Things to Pack for an Overseas Trip

Besides knowing what to pack, it is also crucial to know how to pack light for an overseas trip since the last thing anyone wants, is to be weighed down by unnecessary luggage. So let’s look here into the following overseas adventure travel guide on what you must have with you before you set out on your trip. You’ll find here a checklist of items to take and pack into your suitcase, where it is important to keep things like your passport, foreign currency, keys, visa (if any) and credit cards in your handbag.

Rio Camuy Caves
In you are in a mood for a little bit of adventure, you have got to see these caves. Archaeologists discovered them in 1950′s near Lares. They were made by Taino Indians, which were the indigenous tribe in the ancient region. These caves have huge deposits of limestone. There are over 220 caves and 17 entrances, which makes it the biggest network of caves in the world. These caves are also a home for 13 species of bats. An interesting fact about this location is that there are over 800 caves still left to be discovered. So, there’s quite a chance you might lead another exploration whilst you are on your tour!

Lagoon Tortuguero
If something relaxing and soothing is your idea of this Puerto Rican vacation, look no further. Lagoon Tortuguero, a natural water reserve, which is a home to over 700 species of plants is one of the places filled with views, which are sure to leave you looking for words! One can go hiking, kayaking and boating to see the diverse ecological reserve of this lagoon closely. If nothing else, watching the sunset at this lagoon is a totally enigmatic experience.

El Arsenal
One cannot miss out on a lesson in history, while visiting Puerto Rico. The military base of Old San Juan, which was built in 1800 by the Spaniards after the Spanish-American war is a historical site worth a visit. It’s Roman architecture, has been turned into an Institute of Puerto Rican culture. The historically significant place is a home to Puerto Rican art and culture.

El Yunque Read the rest of this entry »

It’s very easy to say “honeymoon at the Bahamas” but where in the Bahamas exactly? The Bahamas is made up of 29 islands, each with its own indigenous population, things to do on land and water and attractions. It is said every beach of a Bahamas island has a different sand color! So which are the best honeymoon destinations in the Bahamas? Below are 4 of the best and most beautiful places to see.

✈ Grand Bahama Island
☀ Being one of the largest islands of the Bahamas, means there’s a lot to do and a lot to explore on this scenic island. Take a romantic stroll through the Garden of Groves with waterfalls and lush vegetation with nearly 10,000 different flora species.

☀ For nature lovers, there’s the Lucayan National park, which has the world’s longest underwater cave system. Other nature attractions are the Rand Nature Center and Sanctuary Bay (main attraction dolphins!).

☀ Visit the Grand Bahama museum or the Perfume factory, where you can make your own fragrance. For water activities, there’s the Gold Rock beach and the UNEXSO center for diving.

✈ Eleuthera
☀ This narrow island, which lies 50 km east of Nassau is just 2 miles wide but is home to high mountains and cliffs, deep coral reefs and picturesque, pinkish white sandy beaches.

☀ Deep sea diving, snorkeling or fishing are some of the aquatic activities. The island is small and seemingly untouched by civilization and its most charming quality, is the clear, pink sand against the light blue ocean.

✈ Abaco Islands
☀ A romantic sail around small scattered islands, amongst clear calm water… Bahamas top sailing destination is the Abaco Islands. This group of islands is a one-stop honeymoon destination in itself.

☀ Visit the Treasure Cay Beach for the softest, whitest sand and a golf course. For sightseeing, there’s the candy striped lighthouse of Hope Town, a colonial small settlement on Elbow Cay. Read the rest of this entry »