Paradnaya Kaleidoscope is famous for its colorful stained glass staircase, but the whole 19th century old wooden house is worth a visit, with a great atmosphere.
In its heyday, mosaic stained glass was a common architectural feature of Tbilisi. Sadly most examples have been lost to time – but there are a few buildings that still boast gorgeous rainbow windows.
One of Tbilisi’s most recognisable landmarks, the “Kaleidoscope House” has large multi-coloured glass windows on all three sides of its front stairway. When the afternoon sun hits at just the right angle, it paints a colourful pattern onto the stairs and wooden balustrades.
The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi (commonly known as Sameba) is the third-tallest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world and one of the largest religious buildings in the world by total area. Sameba is a synthesis of traditional styles dominating the Georgian church architecture at various stages in history and has some Byzantine undertones.
The Superb Starling is a member of the starling family, formerly known as Spreo Superbus.
This species has a very wide range and is commonly found in East Africa.
But this one was in the Jungle Dome at Center Parcs Het Heijderbos in the Netherlands. It is an indoor tropical jungle dome created with the WWF, with an exotic atmosphere, tropical flora and fauna, suspension bridges...
The Lesser Blue-eared Starling is a species of passerine bird in the family Sturnidae, which lives in sub-Saharan Africa.
But this one was in the Jungle Dome at Center Parcs Het Heijderbos in the Netherlands. It is an indoor tropical jungle dome created with the WWF, with an exotic atmosphere, tropical flora and fauna, suspension bridges...
Kenya is among the countries identified as having unsafe tap water. It is one of 187 countries in the world where tap water is considered unsafe.
Not surprisingly, the safest tap water is found in developed countries. Conversely, countries in Central America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East are considered high risk.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 842,000 people die each year in the world from diarrhea due to poor drinking water, sanitation and hand hygiene.
In the last two decades alone, the African lion population is estimated to have decreased by over 40% and now occupies approximately 17% of its historical range.
However, in the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem in Kenya, the story is different, with lions are roaring back thanks to unified efforts led by local communities, conservation organizations, and the Kenya Wildlife Service.
The African Baobab is a multipurpose, drought resistant, wild fruit tree, endemic to arid and semi-arid lands of Sub-Saharan Africa. Baobab populations have been showing a lack of regeneration, and therefore causes concern for the species survival.
The tree’s pulp has more protein than breast milk, more vitamin C than oranges, more magnesium than spinach, more iron than red meat and more potassium than a banana. It has become a popular additive in reinforced foods.
Researchers believe baobab has the potential to become a major regional export commodity, with Southern and Eastern African regions capable of supplying 700,000 metric tonnes of baobab fruit a year.
There are a lot of such small hotels in towns and villages we passed through during our safari. This one in Ntulelei, on the road between Nairobi and the Masai Mara National Reserve, was one of the most “attracting”.
The red deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species. Although at one time red deer were rare in parts of Europe, they were never close to extinction. Reintroduction and conservation efforts have resulted in an increase of red deer populations, while other areas, such as North Africa, have continued to show a population decline.
More Grant’s zebras are in the wild than any other species or subspecies of zebras. Unlike Grevy and mountain zebras, they are not endangered.
Grant’s zebras eat the coarse grasses that grow on the African plains, and they are resistant to diseases that often kill cattle, so the zebras do well in the African savannas.
However, recent civil wars and political conflicts in the African countries near their habitats has caused regional extinction, and sometimes zebras are killed for their coats, or to eliminate competition with domestic livestock.
Elephants have to eat 5% of their body weight every day and so sleep for only 4-5 hours a day. They can drink up to 200 litres in one drinking session!
The Mara elephants have unfortunately been under threat due to poaching and human-elephant conflicts.
Elephants are highly sociable and have similar life cycles to humans. The maternity herd is very protective of young, but males are ejected at 12-15 years old, after which they become nomadic males, often associating with other males.
Elephants have strong bonds and even at 9yrs old a calf may spend over half of the time less than 5metres away from it mother.
The Mara elephants have unfortunately been under threat due to poaching and human-elephant conflicts.
The magnificent Fontcouverte cascade on La Clarée river, near Névache, is a protected site. The cascade takes its name from a miraculous spring that was partly hidden and covered by a bush: “the covered fountain”.