Palmyra, a 2,000-year old city with Roman ruins in the middle of the Syrian desert, is in the hands of ISIS. The city was noted in the annals of the Assyrian kings, and may have been mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Palmyra was incorporated by the Seleucid Empire and then the Roman Empire, which brought prosperity. The major attraction of the area is the stunning ruins – the most famous and well-preserved of which are the Temple of Bel, the Theatre, the colonnade, the funerary towers, the hypogeum of 3 brothers, and the Arab castle, all in this very particular desert context.

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Every year a different scene is set up and made out of sand on Las Canteras beach, in Gran Canaria’s capital, Las Palmas.

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Dunes are located a few miles from Natal, Rio Grande de Norte, close to the beach. You can see the dunes from the road. For the more adventurous you can take a buggy ride, or a camel on the dunes. Natal is also known as the City of the Sun and the City of the Dunes and it has been amply blessed by Nature where beauty and charm are concerned. It is also one of the most visited cities in Brazil.

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Punalu’u Beach Park is the most famous black sand beach on Hawaii. It is located on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is a perfect place to watch the sea turtles, and swim or snorkel. Punaluu Beach was created by lava flowing into the ocean. You should enjoy the soothing massaging feeling of the lava granules under foot. Taking black sand from here is strictly not allowed.

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credit: Ariane Middel

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credit: stevecadman

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