Encore Trail

Welcome to Africa, our first stop on our trip around the world.  From this map, can you name three African countries that border on the Mediterranean Sea?  Next can you name three countries that border the Red Sea?  Now let us visit the only country that borders both, can you name it?

Egypt is bordered by the Mediterranean on one side and the Red Sea on the other.   It was the home of civilization over 5000 years ago. 

When you think of Egypt, what is one of the first things you think about? 

The pyramids are located in Gaza which is just off the Nile River.  Do you know what the pyramids were used for?

What is the monument called tht has the body of a lion, with the head of a man?

China has the largest population of any country in the world.  Asia has the largest land mass of any continent as well as the largest population.

The United States is currently fighting a war against terror in one Asian country, Afghanistan.  Do you see Afghanistan on this map?

This is Afghanistan.  You just learned that Asia has the largest population of any continent.  Do you think Afghanistan has a large population as well?

Asia has the largest population of any continent, but Afghanistan is very sparsely populated.  Can you name the three places where the population is greater than 200 persons per kilometer?

Let's now fly to Europe.  Which country is the home of the Vatican?

Rome, Italy is the home of the Vatican.  The Vatican is the world headquarters of the Catholic Church and is where the Pope lives.  What does the shape of Italy remind you of?   

What two countries are less than 20 miles from each other across the English Channel?

If you said France and England, you are correct.  Place your mouse pointer on France.  What is the capital?  What is the capital of Spain?

Let's fly now to the home of the Great Barrier Reef.  Do you know where that is?

If you said Australia, you are correct.   The Great Barrier reef is off the northeast coast of Australia and is actually made up of over 2000 individual reefs.  Australia is not only a continent, but a country as well.  Melbourne is the capital, can you point out Melbourne on the map.

Let's now fly to a country where most of the Amazon River is located.  Do you know where we are going?

Brazil is located in South America.  Actually it is the largest country in South America.  Brazil covers almost half the land mass of the entire continent. 

Almost every country in South America has a coastline on either the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans.  Can you name the two land-locked countries?

Did you say Bolivia and Paraguay?  If you did, you are correct.  The equator is the imaginary line that circles the globe at its widest point.  How many South American countries are located on this line?

If you said 7, you are correct.  They are Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Siriname, and French Guiana.

Let's now fly to the home of the Alamo.  Do you know where that is?

The Alamo is located in San Antonio, Texas.  A very famous battle was fought here that helped Texas gain its independence from Mexico.

From here let's fly to the Statue of Liberty.  Do you know where that is?

The Statue of Liberty is located in the New York harbor, between New York and New Jersey.  It was presented to the American people by the French people as a symbol of freedom.

Let's now go to the home of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Do you know where that is?

We are now in San Francisco.  Do you know what state we are in?

Yes we are in California.  Do you know who the governor of California is?

You guessed it.  The governator himself.

Let's now fly closer to home.  Do you know where the highest point east of the Mississippi river is located?

Rising more than a mile high, Mount Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi river.  It is located less than 50 miles from here in the Black Mountains and offers majestic views of the entire area.

From here we can take a scenic walk along the Blue Ridge Parkway back to Swannanoa.  Do you know what the Blue Ridge Parkway is?

The Blue Ridge Parkway is over 460 miles of scenic highway located mainly in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  It passes within 3 miles of SVYDC.   A new destination center was just opened less than 10 miles from here in Asheville filled with exhibits, maps, and displays on the Parkway. 

From the Parkway, we will now walk back to the campus.

Welcome home. I hope you enjoyed your trip.