World's Beautiful Mountains

The natural wonders Mother nature had given us. So what's there to look forward to everyday? You might not have the budget to travel around the world and see the most beautiful places but there's beauty everywhere, nature had blessed us with landscapes, flowers, the wildlife and all other interesting things for us to enjoy and to have something to smile about and look forward to and be thankful for everyday.

I'm amazed about all the interesting photos of nature and other living creatures that I could hardly believed exist, and for my next few hubs, that would be the ingredient. As a start, let's see and admire all the beautiful mountains around the world.

Mt. Tateyama, one of "Three Holy Mountains" of Japan, and being 9892 ft., it is one of the tallest peaks in the Northern Alps. The mountain also shares the name of the town located at its foot. And I said "three Holy mountains," but what about the other two, you wonder? Mt. Tate (Tateyama,) along with Mt. Fuji and Mt. Haku are Japan's Three Holy Mountains.

For the tourists who wanted to climb and reach the peak of Tateyama, their weariness would be rewarded with a blessing from a priest and a warm sake (alcoholic drink) once they reach the top where the Oyama Shrine is. The climbing season? That would be between April to November of each year.

Mount Tai, the sacred and famed mountain of China, (the Chinese called it Daizong in early days,) is considered by the Chinese as the foremost of the "Five Great Mountains" of China. And for 3,000 years, the mountain has been a worshiping place, with its 22 temples in total, with the Dai Temple (Temple of the God of Mt. Tai) being the largest one found on the foot of the mountain.

Imagine climbing the Mount Tai all the way to the top. That would be quite a journey but to enjoy the view and the cultural heritage is priceless. It's really like the stairs to heaven with its 22 temples, 819 stone tablets, and the steps? 7,200 and that includes that of the inner temple.

Aside from being a beauty, of all mountains considered sacred, the 4327 ft. Mount Kailash is one of the most sacred ones. Pilgrims would do a 32 mile kora which is a walk around the base of the mountain and is believe to attract good fortune.

Given the name Gangs Rin-po-che by the Tibetan, (precious jewel of snows,) it is also known in other beautiful names such as Mountain of Sea Water and water peak (Tise mountain.)

Mount Apo, Philippines highest mountain is located in Mindanao, 9692 ft. is considered sacred by the indigenous people living in the area. It is also a home to many plants and animals including 118 species of butterflies and the Philippine Eagle which is the country's National bird. Because of that, the slope of the Mount Apo is protected for conservation as it is the known habitat of the critically endangered bird.

Mount Apo, which Apo means ancestors, and is used to address the elderly with respect, is one of the favorite of climbers in the country, first climb in 1880.

This beauty of South Africa is located in Kwazulu-Natal and Free State Province in the eastern part of South Africa. The Drakensberg is S.Africa's highest mountain range being 11,424 ft. The mountains name, Drakensberg means "Dragon Mountain" and since the largest proportion of the mountain falls on the Kwazulu-Natal province, the people of Zulu had started calling Drakensberg Ukhahlamba which means "Barrier of Spears."

The mountain provides home to many plants and animals including 299 species of birds and 48 species of mammals for hikers to enjoy.

Located in a national park near the city of Sokcho, Seorak mountain is one attractive tourist destination specially on Autumn season where the colors of autumn intensifies the beauty of the land. South Korea's third highest mountain, Seoraksan was designated as Korea's 5th national park in 1970.

It would be a real treat to visit Seorak mountain, and those rocks on top, wonder how to reach it? One have to take the 888 steps after following a hiking path. .

Mount Robson, located in British Columbia's second oldest provincial park, measures 12972 ft. and is the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. It's been designated by UNESCO in 1990 as part of Canadian Mountains World Heritage Site. Visitors would enjoy the flora and fauna and that includes a chance of seeing some of the 182 bird species that has been documented in the park along with other wildlife's in the land like the bears, mountain goats, and both whitetail and mule deers.

Mount Robson was first ascended in 1913.

The mountain is located in Valais alps which is the border of Italy and Switzerland, Matterhorn's name could probably mean meadow's peak, with the German word matte, meaning meadow and peak, for horn. Matterhorn was first climb in 1865 and still attracts many climbers every year. It is also Switzerland's 10th highest mountain.

"The Mountain," on what locals call Mt. Rainier, located in Washington is the most prominent of the contiguous US, 14,410 ft.

Although Mount Rainier is a composite volcano, and it got itself into the "Decade Volcano" list, the last eruption recorded was between the year of 1820-1854.

The beautiful mountain, also known as Tacoma, and Talol, meaning "Mother of Waters" by the Native Americans attracts hikers and nature lovers who might want to enjoy the meadows of wild flowers and be in the midst of the thousand years old trees in the national park named after it.

When I saw this photo of Mt. Roraima in Venezuela, I could just imagine myself being above the clouds. And my first thought was the animated movie "Laputa: Castle In The Sky," came to life. I mean, not really the castle that came to life, but the land on where it stands.

With being 9,219 ft. Mt. Roraima gained the record of being the highest of S.America's Pacaraima chain of tepui plateau. Also called Cerro Roraima and Roraima Tepui, Mt. Roraima is a true nature's wonder, made by Mother Nature some 2 billion years ago.