Awesome Wonders of our Amazing World

By Elaine L Mroczka

Lessons Learned from Our Travels

Travel broadens our minds, but until we leave our "safe home space" and have seen how other people live, we really can't grasp that concept! Until one venture out into the world, all we really know is our own existence. We really have no idea how others around the world survive, what they're experiencing, or the conditions others are facing to meet their needs. When one witnesses firsthand the extreme poverty in many parts of the world, it is truly an eye-opener! Some people are forced to sell their children in order to buy food to survive. Many cultures still persecute people and prevent them from many of the accepted freedoms we have here in America. Wars are being fought in many parts of the world, with people barely surviving. We are so blessed in this country to have the freedoms that we have but are often taken for granted. Travel allows us to really see the world as it is today and how we should never take anything for granted again!

Having traveled to most parts of the world, we've found that people are all basically the same! No matter what our ethnicity, race, religion, gender, or culture, we all need the same basic things. Shelter, food, and clothing are most necessary to provide comfort in our lives. They may look different, taste different, or be different, but they still serve the same purposes for all of us. After those basic needs are met, most humans want good jobs to provide a decent living for themselves and their families.

People all over the world want their children to succeed and be happy. Peace, health, safety, education, security, and acceptance are also desired by mostly everyone no matter where they live in the world. My grandma and parents always taught me the "golden rule" to treat others the way I would want to be treated. I have found that when I applied that simple rule, it was a great way to get along with people in any part of the world. Greeting people with a kind smile, sharing thoughtful words, and showing an interest in another person's culture are simple things to do but accomplish much. If people would just realize that we're all very much alike, embrace the few differences we have, and show respect for one another, then possibly, our world could truly experience peace on earth!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798885056946

Book preview

Awesome Wonders

of

Our Amazing World

Elaine L. Mroczka

Copyright © 2022 Elaine L. Mroczka

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2022

ISBN 979-8-88505-693-9 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88505-694-6 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Acknowledgment 

Awesome Wonders of Our Amazing World 

Natural Beauty of the World

Magnificent Mountains

Colossal Canyons

Dry Deserts

Vast Volcanoes

Great Geysers and Geothermal Pools

Gigantic Glaciers

Fantastic Fjords

Outstanding Oceans and Scenic Seas

Lovely Lakes

Rolling Rivers

Clever Canals

Wonderful Waterfalls

Interesting Islands, Balmy Beaches, and Remarkable Reefs

Awesome Animals

Pretty Plants

Lovely Lights, Shining Stars, and the Stunning Midnight Sun

Captivating Cities

Cities in North America 

United States of America

Mexico

Canada

Cities in South America 

Brazil

Argentina

Chile

Peru

Cities in Australia and New Zealand 

Australia

New Zealand

Cities in Europe 

France

England

Italy

Greece

Austria

Hungary

Czech Republic

Croatia

Cities in Africa 

Egypt

South Africa

Morocco

Cities in Asia

Singapore

China

Japan

Russia

Cities in the Middle East

Turkey

Israel

United Arab Emirates

Marvelous Man-Made Monuments

Palatial Palaces

Holy Houses of Worship

Lessons Learned from our Travels

Acknowledgment

Many years ago, on a summer weekend at a swimming pool, my now-husband asked me if I’d like to go to Europe with him! We’d been dating for only a couple of months, so I began laughing! I responded that I thought we should see if this relationship was going to last before we started planning our European vacation. He responded, I have no doubts that it will! And the rest is history!

We took our first trip to Europe on our honeymoon in July 1997. Since that time, we’ve been back to Europe ten more times and have visited many places on the other continents as well. We’ve gone on twenty cruises all over the world. We are so grateful that most of our travels were done before the world was shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected all our lives for well over two years now!

So I dedicate this book and thank my wonderful and loving husband, Tom, for believing in us! He instinctively knew that sharing our lives together, along with traveling and exploring the world, would be incredible and exciting.

My husband has become quite an artist with a camera. He’s developed a photogenic eye, enhancing the lighting, perspective, colors, and composition of our many cherished photographs. We have a lovely gallery wall in our home with some of those special travel photos. And after each trip, Tom spent countless hours making a DVD of each of our adventures, complete with music, text, and transitions to go along with our beautiful photos and videos.

What amazing memories we’ve made and shared together! I am so very grateful that Tom is my soul mate and life partner! I’d done some traveling on my own before, but I would never have had the opportunity to travel the world as extensively as I have without Tom coming into my life. Sharing these varied and awesome wonders has been truly an incredible experience. What a blessing Tom has been to me!

Awesome Wonders of Our Amazing World

Our earth is a vast and awesome place. We have seen large landmasses called continents. Antarctica is the only continent that we saw, but we didn’t stop at, since it’s mostly penguins and ice! But my husband and I have been privileged to travel to about eighty-three of the one hundred ninety-five countries located on six