Shuttle around the world and get a space age look at places you've only dreamed of visiting. Terraserver is an online database of aerial photographs, satellite images and maps from around the globe. Fly to http://www.terraserver.microsoft.com/ and search for any spot on Earth. Travel to such world landmarks as the Grand Canyon, Egypt's Pyramids or Yankee Stadium.
Russia has one of the richest and most fascinating histories in
the world. Hop around the centuries to explore the little-known details of
Russian culture at http://www.bucknell.edu/departments/russian/history.html
Climb the family tree of a czar, hang around a palace, explore national
treasures-or learn about how the communists changed all that. From the ancient
empire of Kzazaria to the 20th-century Cold War, there's nothing missing from
this complete source on Russian culture.
Ever wonder what it's like to climb the snowy Alps or to
hang from a cliff? Hike over to the Mountain Gallery at http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~qtluong/gallery/and
go on an adventure with a real mountaineering enthusiast. 
These aren't your ordinary vacation snapshots. This site offers an amazing
"phototrek" all around the globe, from the highest snowy peaks to the
most unusual climbing spots in the United States (How did they get inside that
frozen waterfall, anyway?). So pack up your cybergear and go climb a mountain!
Brought
to you by the children of Bando Elementary School in Bando, Japan, the Symphony
of friendship is a heartfelt holiday tale. Tune in to http://www.mandala.co.jp/B9/indexe.htm
and you'll enjoy the story about the start of the Japan custom of playing
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at Christmas. While flipping through the site's pages
, you'll be taken back 80 years into Japan's past with cool drawings and
adventurous narration. By story's end, you too will be touched by the gift of
music and how it can promote peace between cultures and nations. Gather your
friends' fetch a hot cocoa, and gather around the monitor because it's story
time! The symphony of Friendship is Japan's Christmas present to the children of
the world.
The renaissance remains one of the most memorable eras
of European history. Meet the explorers, philosophers and architects who brought
Europe out of the Middle Ages and into an age of intellectual freedom and
adventure. Go back in time to http://www.learner.org/exhibits/renaissance/
and relive the sites and sounds of this golden age. From Galileo's work in
astronomy and physics to the music of Gilles Bnchois and Guillaume Dufay.
The site is loaded with hands-on activities, demonstrating everything from the
dangers of trading spices on the high seas to the puzzle of the seashells
spiral. There's also a section dedicated to the Italian city of Florence,
thought to be the model of Renaissance culture. The site is literally a classic!
A rugged land of forests and lakes, the Ontario outdoors is
known for its abundance of wildlife and beautiful scenery. Now you can
electronically explore one of the best park systems in the world by checking out
the Ontario Parks Web
site. Hike out to
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/parks/ and take a virtual reality tour of Bon
Echo Park. The Park Arcade offers such fun items as the Bug Hunt, a
"Legends and Lore" page and trivia quiz. The Park
Explorer will five hard-core backpackers and lowdown on wildlife,
historical sites and hiking. And for those intent on enjoying water,
there's even a Magic Canoe Ride! Pack your tent, bug spray and fishing pole,
because it's time to take off to the "Great White North." Just don't
feed the bears!
Seeing the sites is easy with a virtual trip to the
Kyoto National Museum in Japan at http://www.kyohaku.go.jp
No reservations required! No 18-hour plane ride! Just click in
and sit back for a stroll through one of the best collections of East Asia
artifacts in the world. First stop should be the Museum Dictionary for
kids. Here's where you'll learn everything you'll need to know about
Buddhism, East Asian archaeology, Lion-Dogs, and the importance of
tea. Once you've learned more about Japanese, Chinese, and Korean
cultures, the rest of the museum will make a lot more sense. Browse
through the special exhibits or visit the permanent collection to see famous
statues of the Buddha, Samurai swords and much more. Sayonara!
Everyone loves a parade. Not many come
close to the excitement
of New York City's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Check out Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade Web site, a great place to be a part of the holiday
magic. Follow the giant turkey float to http://www.nyctourist.com/macys_menu.htm.
You'll get the 70-year history on this terrific event, including the first
balloon appearances of Felix the Cat and Bullwinkle the Moose. You'll also
view great photos from last year's parade, including clowns, marching bands,
Rugrats and an inflatable version of Big Bird. And just in case you can
make it to this fall's parade, the site has a great maps section. It's
time to cheer on the Thanksgiving floats in the Big Apple!
There's no greater thrill than reaching the
summit of a towering mountain,
especially when it's the summit of Rakekniven, a polar mountain that no one had
ever climbed until recently. Now three mountaineers relive the drama
of this ultimate vertical challenge. Bring your ice axe and a trusty rope
to http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/2000/exploration/maudland/
You'll be able to leaf through the diaries of these climbers, or you can check
out their spectacular photographs. At the same time, you'll get a glimpse
of mountaineering at its most exciting and dangerous.
The
farmer's markets of China are fascinating places to visit, full of roving
vendors, animated customers and all kinds of products and produce to choose
from. The China's Free Markets Web site takes you from the Farmer's fields
to these aisles of hustle and bustle in the city. Get ready to trade and
barter at http://www.saturdaymarket.com/chinaveg/.
With photos and stories you'll discover how these free markets work, and why
shopping and cooking are elaborate and time-consuming rituals in the Chinese
culture. From garlic brokers to ointment gurus, you'll meet the many
personalities selling their wares. Take a trip into a market basement,
where you'll fins live fish, swimming eels, crustaceans and mollusks from south
China.
Taking
up 843 acres in Manhattan, Central Park continues to be a crown jewel of New
York City. From playgrounds to bridges to skating rinks, this park has it
all. Take the subway to central park at http://www.centralparknyc.org/
and enjoy a slice of the Big Apple for yourself. Through facts and maps,
you'll find out how this once-swampy terrain has been transformed into one of
the world's great green spots. Do visit the Virtual Park, where you'll see
points of interest from the North End to the Great Lawn. You'll also find
out about musical performances, walking tours and the flowers-in-bloom schedule.
Ready to play in the city? Then We'll meet you at the Park!
Tour
of Thailand takes you on an adventurous trip through ancient cities filled with
Buddhist temples, kings and queens, and the mysteries of the Emerald Buddha.
In Thailand, elephants still work in forest management, and visitors can explore
the fabulous countryside by taking safari trips and river rafting. At http://tourismthailand.org/ndex-shock.htm
you can visit a country with more than 1,000 types birds or snorkel off the
coast to explore marine life.
It's wacky, busy, colorful and hyperfun. It's ZEEKS.com, everything you could want in a kid's site for having fun on the Web. Type in http://www.zeeks.com and join in with the zeeks club of cool computer kids. Seasonal tips and fun info will keep your hungry mind going, with things like jokes, recommended books and tidbits from history. Feeling creative? Truck on over to the Factory to create a project that you can post on the internet. Or if you're fidgety, focus on a game- there are TONS to choose from. But you'll definitely want to come back to Zeeks.com, because there's no way you can do it all in one day.
With more than 60 million people, ancient
history and world-famous landmarks, Egypt remains a land of excitement and
mystery. Now you can explore the politics of this unique nation at the
Egyptian Presidency Homepage. Walk through the desert to
http://www.presidency.gov.eg/ and
discover the workings of this important office. You'll meet President
Hosni Mubarak and sit in on Egypt's international conferences. If spending
time in the capitol city of Cairo sounds like fun, you'll love taking a virtual
tour of the Apdeen Palace. This site is full of Egyptian fun facts, maps
and news. It's time to mingle with world leaders on the Nile River.
His Excellency awaits your arrival!
Mexico
is an enchanted land complete with great scenery, endless culture and plenty of
sunshine. Now it's yours to
experience online. http://explora.presidencia.gob.mx/index_kids.html
and join Balero and his friends as they take you on a tour of this beautiful
country. You can learn about Mexico's government and its architecture -
from Aztec pyramids
to the skyscrapers of Mexico City. For history buffs, the timeline will take you
back to the days of the Mayan civilization right up to the drive for
independence and today's contemporary Mexico. A games gallery features a
puzzle, and instruction on how to make recycled paper. Don't forget to
download your favorite Mexican songs. Viva Mexico!
Get ready for a virtual safari at Wild Egypt, a cool online
adventure in search of the country's wonderful wildlife. Wear your khaki
pants and hiking boots to
http://touregypt.net/wildegypt/
and meet the animal kingdom that makes this country so special. You'll get
the chance to choose your destination, whether the underwater world of the Red
Sea, the aw-inspiring Egyptian land, or the historic shores of the Nile River.
Browse through photos of the Nile's natural wonders, including colorful birds,
beautiful fish the ever ferocious crocodiles! Looking for more
"seafari" action? The Red Sea section is loaded with goodies,
including pictures of sea cows, coral reef and some pesky crabs. Just
remember to steer clear of the poisonous lion fish! Desert dwellers may
prefer the offerings on land, however, including camels, snakes and sand cats.
You'll even meet the adorable desert foxes. And in case the cobras are the
bothersome, fierce mongooses will be sure to protect you. Explorers, it's
time for a camel ride to discover Egypt's beautiful habitats.
Imagine what it would be like to grow up in another
time and another place. How about imagining what it would feel like to
leave your family, community and your country all at once? Journey back in
time to http://www.tiac.net/users/alastair/winnie/
and learn all about the life and times of Winnie Brown Hewitt. Growing up
in a large family, 
Winnie spent much of her childhood in a small British town surrounded by
brothers and sisters and sheltered from the rest of the world. In 1927,
Winnie married Frank Hewitt, her childhood sweetheart, and moved to Kenya.
She began a new life in Africa, having to make new friends while adapting to a
new culture, a new home, and a new country. Grab your passport for the
World Wide Web and find out more about the wonderfully wide world of Winnie and
her life in Kenya.
It all started out with one photograph taken in
1958 by Art Kane. The picture featured many of the greats of the jazz
world, who gathered in Harlem for this special photo shoot. What resulted
was a
snapshot of jazz that captured the music world's imagination and gave way to a
documentary film. A great Day in Harlem brings you back to this
special
era. Head for Harlem by going back in time to http://www.harlem.org/greatday.html
You'll meet legendary musicians like Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Maxine Sullivan, and Lester Young. If you're an aspiring drummer or a budding
saxophone master, you'll love the opportunity to search the site by the
instrument of your choice. Get ready to hum to the sounds of One Day in
Harlem!
The Sky's The Limit
Marvel at the
miracles of modern engineering at the PBS site Building Big at
www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/ The site features interactive labs and
challenges on bridges, domes, skyscrapers, dams and tunnels. Consult the
"Wonders of the World Databank" for quick facts, and then learn about the
architects and engineers at "Who Builds Big." This is one BIG site.
Writing on the Wall
Take a look at fascinating piece of history at "A Concrete Curtain: The
Life and Death of the Berlin Wall." This Web site is part of an
exhibit of photographs
dedicated to preserving the history of this Cold War
symbol. Break through the wall at www.wall-berlin.org/gb/berlin.htm
Enjoy the photographs capturing the creation and destruction of the Iron
Curtain.
