The NEW Seven Wonders of the World

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It's a slow news day here at Casa Chew (both kids sick at home) so I took a few minutes to check out the morning paper. I was reading an article in the Washington Post. Apparently, the 7 Wonders of the World are being reconsidered. I didn't even know what the original 7 were or who selected them. Let's consider this an educational blog entry for all of us.

Fact 1: The Seven Wonders of the World were identified by 'the ancient Greeks' more than 2,000 years ago.
Fact 2: The Seven Wonders of the World are as follows: Pyramids at Giza; Colossus of Rhodes; Hanging Gardens of Babylon; Pharos (Lighthouse) of Alexandria; Statue of Zeus at Olympia; Mausoleum at Halicarnassus; Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.

Turns out, back in 2001, some guy with plenty of time and money decided that the list needed to be updated, since only 1 of the Ancient Wonders (The Pyramids at Giza) are still in existence. Hummm, I sense a documentary/travel log project coming on....

And, I'm right. Turns out same rich guy started a web site where you and I can vote on the NEW Seven Wonders. In addition, we can travel with him, via blog entries and video to the top destinations. To what end, you ask? Well, there's a foundation attached to the project that will collect money to save the sites listed. So, 'Cast a Vote, Save a Pyramid', is my guess. If you want to cast a vote you can visit New 7 Wonders.

I spend a lot of time daydreaming about all the incredible things there are to see in the World and wonder if life is long enough to see them all. I'd like to see them all. I'd like my daughters to see them. How about you?

Fact 3: The current top 7 vote getters for the New Wonders are: Jordan's ancient city of Petra; The Pyramids at Giza; the Great Wall of China; the Taj Mahal; the Easter Island statues of Chile (pictured above); the Colosseum in Rome and the Inca city of Manchu Picchu in Peru.

I'm happy to say that we've managed to see 2 of the new 7. I hope my husband will indulge my urge to see the remaining 5.