A Celebration of the Worlds Most Fragile Wonders

Frommer's® 500 Places to See Before They Disappear by Holly Hughes

Feb 6, 2009

A review of Holly Hughes' book, "500 Places to See Before They Disappear" published by Frommer's®. A book that points out what we are losing on the planet and why.

"Though this book was originally conceived as a handbook for eco-tourists, it soon became clear that we couldn’t separate natural and man-made attractions. After all, historical and cultural landmarks are part of the environment, too. The destruction of an entire city like New Orleans is as much as a natural disaster as the destruction of an entire biosphere like the Amazonian rainforest; the same concerns affect the Acropolis as the giant redwoods. If changes in the natural environment have threatened the piping plover, the Tasmanian devil, and the mountain gorilla, so too have changes in our cultural environment threatened classic amusement parks, ballparks, and movie palaces. Our planet is the poorer every time we allow something beautiful to die." From the Back Cover

Paperback: 480 pages, Publisher: Frommer's®, 1 edition (October 20, 2008), Language: English, ISBN-13: 978-0470189863

A Celebration of the World's Most Fragile Wonders

This guidebook leads you around the globe to visit cultural, historic, and natural treasures at risk—from red Routemaster buses in England and red-footed boobies in the Cayman Islands to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

You'll learn why these attractions are important,why they need protection, and how you can explore them responsibly, preserving them for future generations. Details on airports and accommodations, geographical and subject indexes, Web sites, and other service information will help you make the most of your trip.

See Them Now

The Cedars of Lebanon; Pompeii, Italy; Sherwood Forest, England; Fraser Island, Queensland, Australia; Ancient Temple of Angkor Wat, Cambodia; Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, United States; The giant pandas of Wolong, China And hundreds of other marvels such as:

Tikal, El Peten, Guatemala

Why might it disappear? The Mayan pyramids and other structures at Tikal are made of soft limestone, which is particularly vulnerable to erosion by wind, rain, and the relentless humidity of the surrounding jungle. Although Tikal awes many of its visitors, some can’t seem to resist scrawling graffiti on the exposed walls or breaking off pieces of stone to carry home as souvenirs.

Mono Lake, Lee Vining, California

Why might it disappear? Mono Lake was on its way to becoming a dry salt bed surrounded by a barren landscape after much of the water that once flowed into the lake was diverted to supply the growing population of Los Angeles. Fortunately, the alarm was raised in time, and today the state is managing the water supply and rebuilding the wetlands at Mono Lake.

La Sagrada, Barcelona, Spain

Why might it disappear? The unfinished La Sagrada Familia, designed by Gaudí, is scheduled to be finally completed in 2026. But will the proposed underground tunnel for a high-speed train, which may shake its foundations, be completed before the cathedral is finished?

Baalbek, Mosul, Iraq

Why might it disappear? Looting and development have done great damage to the ancient city of Nineveh, once the capital of the Assyrian empire. Today, the biggest threat to the city, its remaining artifacts, and other antiquities is the war between the United States and Iraqi insurgents. Until the war ends and Iraq is politically stable, nothing can be done to protect or preserve any of its ancient treasures.

Save then all

This book illustrates the reasons why we should tread much more lightly on the planet and try to save what we still have.

The copyright of the article A Celebration of the Worlds Most Fragile Wonders in Travel Books is owned by John Lamkin. Permission to republish A Celebration of the Worlds Most Fragile Wonders in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.