Seven things Sunday - my 7 wonders of the World

This is highly subjective of course and involves very personal choices as I shall explain.
Everyone's 7 personal wonders will be different, and changes over the years.
There are places I still would love to go to which may boot some of these off my list.

Anyway - to start at the beginning!

1. The Acropolis, Athens, Greece.

When I was a small child I would look at pictures of this and think it was the most beautiful place in the world.
The way it sits up high and it's lovely white columns march all around it.
Little did I think that I would be ever able to see it, but when I was a university student in the UK I went on a bus tril through Europe and suddenly there I was! And there it was.
And It didn't disappoint at all - in fact I fell in love with Greece and made 3 trips there travelling to various corners and islands - and I would go back.

2. Opera House, Sydney, Australia

Many years later I moved to Sydney -

and was thrilled by the harbour, the bridge and above all the opera house.
Every time I drive over the harbour bridge I get a thrill from seeing the sparkling white sails of the opera house floating on the edge of the harbour.

3. Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

I am so lucky that I have lived in three countries on three different continents.
In the 90's hub got a job in Arizona and did we make the most of sight-seeing!
It was a few hours drive to the Grand Canyon and we saw it after rain, in the heat of summer, the south rim and the north rim.
It is so vast that you could spend a lifetime exploring it.
And we never tired of going there.

4. Empire State Building, New York, USA


This one is also part of mythology from my childhood.
It used to be the tallest building in the world.
I know there are taller ones, but this is special - the architecture is beautiful, it's a very stylish building, it's very 2oth century.
When I finally visited in 2004 my husband and two teenage kids were with me and we spent several hours up the top (or as far up as you can go). The view is so fascinating, so totally amazing.

5. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia.


It is huge, it is dying, but it is so so special.
You have to go out on a boat, and you have to snorkel (or dive) and you will see so many corals and so many fish.
It is totally unbelievable!
I am totally in love with snorkelling, floating around with my face in the water looking at the otherworld that is the underwater world.

6. Angkor Wat, Cambodia.


This is a recent addition to my 7 wonders list, as I never really knew much about it until we went there last year.
This temple Agkor Wat is one of many temples from different eras in this part of Cambodia, and it is the most spectacular in terms of size, architecture and decoration.
As with most wonders photos cannot do it justice - you just have to be there.

7. Grose Valley, Blue Moutains, Australia


Last but not least - a local one.
I am so lucky to live in a very beautiful part of the world, indeed in a World Heritage Area.
Just up the road are the sandstone cliffs, escarpements and valleys of a very ancient landscape.
Not only that they are so accessible. The main road west from Sydney to the rest of the country passes through the Blue Mountains, indeed the mountains were an almost insurmountible barrier to the early settlers. But once they were accessed people started building roads, paths, steps and other tourist friendly amenities.
So although there are many remote and wilderness areas you can still easily experience the beauty of my backyard.

What are your personal 7 wonders?
Would you like to share them?

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photos by me, trekearth, national geographic, oznadends, cairns.com.au,