The Mystery of the Sphinx's Nose

 Hi everyone!

Today's topic is a mystery. It's about the famous statue in Egypt, the Sphinx and where its nose went! 

What you think you know about the Sphinx might not be true. The Sphinx is a statue of a lion with a head of a pharaoh (possibly pharaoh Khufu or his son Khafre). A pharaoh was an ancient Egyptian king. They were believed to be a reincarnation of the Egyptian Sun god, Ra. The huge sandstone statue is located near the capital of Egypt, Cairo. The locals believe that the Sphinx looks over the city and the Nile River, protecting it.

For centuries, people have wondered what happened to the Sphinx' nose! I have two theories about where it went and what happened to it. 

The first theory is that robbers stole the nose. Why? Well, some people believe that the Sphinx has magical powers and it uses that to protect Cairo and the Nile River. Because of that, robbers probably wanted to take a piece of the Sphinx for themselves. The Sphinx used to have colorful paints and lots of gold jewelry on it. The robbers might have also damaged the Sphinx's nose while they were stealing its jewelry.  

The previous theory might have been true but this next one I am going to talk about will make more sense. This second theory is that sand and other debris might have eroded the Sphinx's nose. Erosion is a major villain in the damage of monuments and statues. Sandstorms are very common in Egypt and centuries of them probably would have taken the Sphinx's nose off.

Well, that wraps up this week's post! Please comment in the comment section on which theory you believe the most. Thanks guys and I'll catch you later!

                          

                                                                                      Bye!

                                                                                      Adi

India Independence Day and a Special Piano Song!

Hi everyone!

Last week was a special week for India. Why? Well, India's independence day was last Saturday, August 15th. It was the country's 73rd anniversary of freedom from British rule. If you do the math, India's independence was in the year 1947. 

The British Empire ruled India from 1757. This means that India was under the rule of Britain for almost 200 years! The British entered India as traders but soon established it's rule over the country. 

                                          

As time passed, the British started to misuse its power by ill-treating people and levying high taxes. This caused the Indian citizens to revolt and rebel the British and their harsh policies. Early freedom fighters like Rani of Jhansi, Tipu Sultan, and Mangal Pandey fought the British for the freedom of their kingdoms. Freedom fighters such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawharhal Nehru spearheaded the Indian Independence Movement for the entire country's independence. There were many other leaders such as Subhash Chandra Bose. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bhagat Singh who participated in the movement. Eventually, after all its struggle and strife, India got its independence.

                                   

As part of this year's independence celebration, I got an opportunity to play the Indian National Anthem (Jana Gana Mana) on the keyboard for a senior citizen group of our community who are also part of the IAWW (Indian Association of Western Washington). You can watch it here:

I hope you guys have a great rest of your day and weekend ahead. Happy India Independence Day!

Bye,

Adi

 

8 of the World's Most Awesome Roller-coasters

 Hi everyone!

In today's topic I will be talking about the 8 most awesome roller-coasters according to National Geographic Kids. Let's get started!

Takabisha:

Where it can be found: Fuji-Q Highland Theme Park, Japan

Fun Fact: While on the roller-coaster, passengers drop 121 feet straight down.

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Tower of Terror II:

Where it can be found: Dreamworld, Australia

Fun Fact: Passengers on the ride experience 6.5 seconds of weightlessness from a 90-degree vertical drop.

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Formula Rossa:

Where it can be found: Ferrari World, UAE (United Arab Emirates)

Fun Fact; Formula Rossa is one of the world's most fastest roller-coasters. Passengers travel 1.28 miles in just 90 seconds.

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The Smiler:

Where it can be found: Alton Towers, England

Fun Fact: For people who like upside down roller-coasters, this one would be for you. In this ride, passengers are flipped 14 times.

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Rougarou:

Where it can be found: Cedar Point, United States

Fun Fact: The cars on the roller-coaster have no floor. So, keep your shoes on your feet!

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Kingda Ka:

Where it can be found: Six Flags Great Adventure, United States

Fun Fact; This roller-coaster is really awesome! It goes 90 miles an hour and is twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty (415 feet)!

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Shambhala:

Where it can be found: PortAventura, Spain

Fun Fact: This ride takes you speeding over five camel-back shaped peaks.

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Gravity Max:

Where it can be found: Lihpao Land Discover World, Taiwan

Fun Fact: The passenger cars on this ride start vertical, but then as they speed through a tunnel, the cars tilt straight down.

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Well, that wraps up this week's post. I certainly enjoyed writing this and learning about these roller-coasters. I'll see you guys next week!

                                                                            Bye!

                                                                            Adi