The Seven Wonders of the World

On July 7, 2007 the official list of the new 7 Wonders of the World was released. The list included the beautiful destinations of Chichen Itza in Mexico, Christ Redeemer in Brasil, the Colosseum in Italy, the Taj Mahal in India, the Great Wall of China, Petra in Jordan, and Machu Picchu in Peru. These are not the wonders that many people may have expected to be on the list. Other sites like the Statues of Easter Island in Chile, Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, Stonehenge in England, or Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany are often associated with the 7 Wonders of the World. I have been lucky enough to see many of these places, but it seems that I have only seen one of the official 7 Wonders of the World, which is the Colossuem in Italy.

A few summers ago, my mum (who lives in England) decided to take me on a trip around Europe. When I was little I grew up in England and lived there for eight years so we decided to visit all of the great places we had never seen before. We travelled through France, Belgium, Germany, and Italy. Italy was beautiful. We were able to visit Venice and the Colosseum in Rome. While Venice was amazing, the Colosseum was absolutely astonishing. I couldn't believe that I was looking at a structure that had survived since ancient times. I couldn't believe that Romans had actually piled into this place to watch gladiators battle for their lives. The sheer size of the Colosseum was marvellous. Even though the Colosseum was incredible and I would recommend taking a trip to see the Colosseum, there are other destinations that I feel would be better for the list of the 7 Wonders of the World.

Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany is definitely one that I felt deserved the title. While the castle doesn't have the same history as the Colosseum, it is absolutely beautiful. When I stood on the bridge looking out to the castle, I felt transported to another time and place. It was so picturesque that it was the inspiration for the castle in Sleeping Beauty. This destination is definitely worth a trip to Germany.

If Neuschwanstein isn't a good candidate for the 7 Wonders of the World because of its lack of history then why not the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt? They have plenty of history and they are a marvel to the modern world. The size of the blocks used to construct these titanic pyramids begs the question, "How was an ancient civilization able to move these gigantic blocks? And while the pyramids are included on the list of Ancient Wonders of the World, they should be included on the newly revised 7 Wonders of the World. The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt are amazing and I think that everyone should have the opportunity to see them at some point in their lives.

The official list for the new 7 Wonders of the World has includes some great places, but don't assume that because a destination was chosen to be a finalist as opposed to an actual wonder, it isn't as interesting. There are actually many places on the list of finalists that are beautiful and interesting, it's just a matter of opinion. If you prefer the history of a destination you may love the Colosseum in Italy or Petra, Jordan. However, if you prefer mysterious places, you may opt for a trip to Machu Picchu, Stonehenge, or the Statues of Easter Island. For those you like monuments that are symbolize the country in which they are situated, the Eiffel Tower or Statue of Liberty might be of interest. So make your own decision when it comes to where to take your next vacation, and don't let the official list do too much of your thinking for you.