Franklin County Moonshine Capital of the World

Have you ever wanted to travel back in time and experience a little history of the Moonshine industry? Consider taking the Moonshine Express tour complete with music,story telling and re-enactments in Franklin County, Virginia. Franklin County is the Moonshine Capital of the World.



We experienced a bit of the past with this recent local excursion we took. On April 18, we entered a motorcoach named the Moonshine Express in Rocky Mount, VA. For a small price of $14 for the ticket, we traveled around the town where more than 65 actors provided their story as it related to them surrounding their experiences with moonshine. A lot of sugar seems to be purchased in Franklin County especially back in the 1930's . Could have been used to put up sweet pickles and jams, but story tells it was more for making the beverage. Old cars and firetrucks lined the streets to enhance the experience of this travel back in time.  Definitely recommended on a nice sunny day in Franklin County Virginia, the Moonshine Capital of the World!

Sites to See: The Great Wall of China

(Recent picture of The Great Wall of China)

The Great Wall of China is one of the most magnificent landmarks standing today and many tourists make the trip to see this structure in China. Here are some of the interesting facts and history surrounding the Great Wall of China.

- There were several Great Walls built to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from attacks by Xiognu during the 6th century BC and the 16th century . The most famous of the walls has very little remaining of it. It was built by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, between 220 & 200 BC.

- There are a total of four Great Walls during China's history, built under the direction of different dynasties:

208 BC (the Qin Dynasty)

1st century BC (the Han Dynasty)

1138 - 1198 (the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period)

1368-1620 (from Hongwu Emperor until Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty)

- The current wall was built by the Ming Dynasty. Construction continued by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), and the Great Wall became the world's largest military structure ever erected.

- The Great Wall is considered the world's longest human-made structure stretching over 4,000 miles in total length from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west.

- It is estimated that some 2-3 million Chinese died during the centuries it took to build and maintain the Great Wall of China. At its peak, the Wall was guarded by over 1 million men.

- Signal points are prominent on certain sections of The Great Wall. These were located at high points along the wall to allow for increased visibility so soldiers could warn of enemy attacks, or call for reinforcements.

- The Great Wall was mainly built from Earth or Taipa, stones, and wood, before bricks were used. The Ming Dynasty introduced heavy use of bricks in many areas of the wall, as well as tile, lime and stone.

- A 1932 Ripley's Believe it or Not! cartoon claimed that the Wall was visible from the moon. This claim is unfounded and untrue. There's a more popular debate over whether the Great Wall is visible from low orbit outer space. Several astronauts have claimed they saw it, but not without the aid of a viewing device. Others thought they saw the Wall from space but saw the Great Canal of China instead.

- One of the best times to visit the Great Wall may be during the Spring season, in order to avoid tourists. It's a beautiful site amongst the trees, plants and vegetation changing colors. Visiting in fall gives an amazing view with pleasant weather, making autumn another great time to visit. In winer, the wall and mountains nearby can become covered by snow, offering a very beautiful scene. Tourists are also fewer as this time of year is very cold.

More information:

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Statue of Liberty History & Facts

Facts & History for Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island in New York City and is approximately 305 feet tall in height, if you measure from the foundation of the pedestal to its torch. The Statue alone, If measured from the Statue's heel to torch, is a little over 111 feet tall in height.

- The reason why the Statue of Liberty is green or a green-blue color, is due to discoloration caused by natural chemical reactions. Most statues in the outdoors will have these sorts of natural reactions. The chemical reactions made copper salts which created the current greenish hue seen on the statue, in a process called "patination".

- Discussions of building a gift for the United States to celebrate the Centennial of the Declaration of Independence began in France prior to 1867, with French sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi assigned the project. He was inspired by the Suez Canal project which a friend was working on.

- Bartholdi imagined a giant lighthouse standing at the entrance to the Suez Canal, and elaborated on this idea. He decided to create a structure that resembled the Roman goddess Libertas. He presented his plans in 1867 and re-designed plans in 1869, but the project was not approved due to finances.

- Bartholdi originally wanted to present the completed statue to the United States on July 4, 1876 but many delays prevented this. At that time, the right arm and torch were completed and put on display at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.

- The completed head of the statue was put on display at the Paris Exposition on June 30, 1878.

- Bartholdi was granted a design patent for the statue February 18, 1879, and funding for the statue was completed in France in July of 1882.

- Several small scale models of the Statue of Liberty were built prior to the monument today. One was built in 1870 and displayed in Paris, while another was displayed in Brazil in 1869.

- The French frigate named Isère delivered the statue in New York Harbor on June 17, 1885. It was packed into 214 total crates and disassembled to over 300 pieces.

- On April 22, 1886, the pedestal base for the statue was finally completed. A final touch was given when the masons working on the project tossed silver coins into the mortar.

- The statue was presented to America as a gift from the people of France in 1886 as a representation of the enduring liberty and union of the Country after the Civil War. President Grover Cleveland presented the statue on October 28, 1886.

- The statue was considered the Eighth wonder of the world when it was erected in 1886, as it was the tallest structure in the city and tallest statue in the entire world.

- The width of the Statue of Liberty's skin is just 2 inches. Supporting the statue are extensive steel frames designed by the builder of the Eiffel Tower.

- The pedestal that the Statue of Liberty sits atop of was built on top of Fort Wood on Bedloe's Island. Fort Wood was part of the inner harbor's defenses during the Revolutionary War. Today, inside the pedestal is a museum for visitors.

- From 1886 to 1902, the Statue of Liberty functioned mainly as a lighthouse on Bedloe's Island. An electric plant was on the island used to supply electric power to the statue, making it the first lighthouse to use electricity.

- In 1956, the Island known as Bedloe's Island was renamed Liberty Island.

- In 1966 the Statue of Liberty as well as Ellis Island and Liberty Island were all listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

- The original torch of the Statue of Liberty is on display in the museum/pedestal lobby.

-The following poem by Emma Lazarus is etched on a bronze plaque inside the walls of the statue's pedestal:

The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land,
Here at our sea-washed, sunset-gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome, her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin-cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she,
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore;
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Tourist/Visitor Information:

- The statue is open everyday from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Currently only the Statue of Liberty's base/pedestal and museum are accessible to the public.

- Visitors can climb to the top of the pedestal to get some amazing 360 degree views of the harbor as well as a closer look at the statue itself.

- There are also tours available from National Park Service Rangers which take about 45 minutes and cover the history of the monument.

More info is available by calling the Statue of Liberty National Monument National Park Service at (212) 363-3200.

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Facts about the Roman Colosseum in Rome, Italy

(Outside view of the Roman Colosseum in Rome, Italy)

If you're taking a trip to Rome, Italy a must see site is the world-famous Roman Colosseum. The Colosseum is an eliptical ampitheater located in the center of Rome, Italy, and is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions. Once inside the majestic and historic Colosseum you can take a walking tour and feel as if you're walking in ancient history. See the ticket prices and Colosseum schedule below. Here you will also find some interesting facts about the Roman Colosseum to prepare you for your visit to the historic site!

Facts about the Roman Colosseum

- Under the emperor Vespian, construction started on the Colosseum between 70 and 72 AD. It was completed around 80 BC by emperor Titus, but more modifications were made to it from 81-96 BC under emperor Domitian.

- Colosseum measurements: 189 meters (615 ft / 640 Roman feet) long, and 156 meters (510 ft / 528 Roman feet) wide, with a base area of 6 acres (24,000 m2). The height of the outer wall is 48 meters (157 ft / 165 Roman feet). The perimeter originally measured 545 metres (1,788 ft / 1,835 Roman feet). (source: Wikipedia.org)

- The Colosseum's original Latin name was "Amphitheatrum Flavium" or "Flavian Amphitheater", since it was constructed by members of the Flavian dynasty. It is said the name Colosseum was derived from the nearby Colossal statue of emperor Nero. The statue was recreated to look more like Helios or Apollo (Sun god) and was believed to have magical powers, serving as an iconic symbol of Rome's permanency.

- The main purpose of the Colosseum was gladiatoral contests and public spectacles. The Colosseum was said to hold around 80, 000 spectators and during its use for contests, about 500,000 people and over a million animals died during various battles.

- Some of the contests and events that took place in the Colosseum included: executions, mock sea-battles, drama plays based on mythology and re-enactments of famous battles.

- The five cent Euro coin includes a depiction of the ancient Roman Colosseum on it.

- Several movies have included the Colosseum itself or its likeness. In the popular Best picture "Gladiator" (2000), they recreated the Colosseum using Computer Generated Imagery (CGI). The 2008 film "Jumper" included a battle scene in the actual Colosseum. 1972's "Way of the Dragon" featured a battle between Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee in the Colosseum as well.

- About 684 species of flora (vegetation) have been identified in the Colosseum since 1643 when Domenico Panaroli first began cataloguing them. The reason behind so many flora species is due to bird migration, Rome's changing climates and the use of animals from all areas of the world within the Colosseum.

- In the year 1349, a severe earthquake occurred which caused the outer south side of the Colosseum to collapse. The fallen stone was used to build palaces, churches, hospitals and other buildings.

- There is a close connection with the Roman Catholic Church and the Colosseum. In 1749, Pope Benedict XIV declared that the Colosseum was a sacred site where Christians had been martyred. He had the Stations of the Cross installed there and declared it sacred with the blood of those Christians who had died there. As religious tradition, each Good Friday, the current Pope now leads a procession known as the "Way of the Cross" to the ampitheatre.

- Thousands of tourists pay to visit the Colosseum each year. A museum dedicated to Eros exists in the outer wall, and part of the arena floor has been re-floored.


(A look inside the modern day Colosseum)

If you plan on taking a tour of the Colosseum, here's the information you'll need. The Colosseum is open every day of the year, excluding Christmas Day and New Year's Day, and opens at 09.00 AM; closing times are as follows:

Last Sunday of March to end August, 07.30 PM
September, 07.00 PM
October, 06.30 PM
November to February 15th, 04.30 PM
February 16th to March 15th, 05.00 PM
March 16th to last Saturday of March, 05.30 PM

Full price tickets for entrance to the Roman Colosseum generally cost €16.00. Reduced tickets are available for EU citizens age 18-25 at the price of €11.50. There are discounted complimentary tickets available for EU citizens under the age of 18 or over the age of 65 at €4.50. There may be a line depending upon the time of day you choose. Also be advised that there are plenty of vendors outside the Colosseum as well as people dressed as Ancient gladiators. Pictures can be taken with the gladiators and purchased for a fee.

We hope you've enjoyed these interesting facts about the Roman Colosseum and that you enjoy your journey to Rome, Italy!

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Also see: Interesting facts about the Acropolis in Athens, Greece