Hell's Gate National Park was established in 1984 south of Lake Naivasha and northwest of the capitol, Nairobi. Named for a narrow fissure in the cliffs, the park is home to a wide variety of wildlife. It's also known for the magnificent scenery of Fischer's Tower and Central Tower, which are also favorites among rock climbing fans.

The park Is small by African standards, just 26 square miles, but Is home to lions, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, hyraxes, African buffalos, gazelles, hyenas, and baboons. It's also home to over 103 species of birds, including the rare lammergeyer vulture.

The park Is also popular among tourists for biking, hiking, motorcycling, and even camping. The Maasai Cultural Center is also located in the park and provides educational programs related to the Maasai tribe's culture and traditions.

The park has also been seen on film by hundreds of millions as It was memorialized In the original The Lion King, The canyon which was the scene of Mufasa's tragic demise was based on the slot canyon located in Hell's Gate, and the hot springs were depicted as well. In 2003, Lara Croft Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life was shot in the park.

Those same hot springs provide geothermal power through five geothermal stations located In the park. In 2015, two years before the last two stations came online, steam from the hot springs and geysers under the park generated 47% of Kenya's power.

One of the most interesting sights I visited in Prague was the Astronomical Clock. It was built into the wall of the Old Town Hall in 1410 and tells not only the time, but the seasons, the day of the year, and the zodialogical season. In addition, it is thought to be the only clock on the planet capable of tracking Babylonian time, which adjusts the length of the hour based on the season so that an hour in summer is longer than an hour in winter. It also has dials that indicate the location in the sky of sun and moon.

The clock has many legends associated with It Including several about the clockmaker having been blinded by the King after he finished it to ensure that he could never create such a masterpiece for any other city. As the story goes, he made his way to the tower and threw himself into the clockworks, killing himself and stopping the clock. Although the clock has stopped working at various times over its 600 year history, all evidence indicates this legend is not based in fact.

The clock includes quite a few exquisitely detailed figures, most of which are set in motion when the clock strikes the hour. This spectacle draws visitors from around the world each hour to stand and watch intently for a 45-second demonstration of ancient precision and skill. Near the top of the clock are two windows. As the hour chimes, these windows open and figures representing the twelve apostles rotate past and pivot toward the open window. At the same time, several figures on the sides of the clock also move, including a skeleton representing death who turns his hourglass upside down to indicate one's life is over. Other figures represent vanity, greed, and infidelity. On the lower face, which tells the day of the year, four stationary figures representing an astronomer, a chronicler, a philosopher, and an angel appear.

For one of the best sites I found for more information on the history of the clock and how to read it, click here.

As I was writing BoliviaKnight and researching all about Bolivia's climate, culture, and history, I came across pictures of one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat. I know, that doesn't sound that impressive, but the reflective qualities of the salt crystals act like a mirror, reflecting the massive expanse of sky over this 4086 square miles of salt.

The reflection also causes an optical illusion that makes depth perception very difficult, leading to folks taking lots of silly pictures as well.

But the salt flat is not all fun and games. The sunlight reflecting off the salt can be blinding, the high altitude can make it hard to breath or result in altitude sickness, and the risk of driving at high speeds on the salt crust which is only a few yards thick, over a lake that is 430 feet deep, make trips across the salt flat challenging. The remote location adds to the risk of the adventure because getting help in an emergency is difficult. 

Underneath the surface lies the world's largest supply of lithium, comprising 50-70% of the world's supply of this critical component for the lithium ion batteries used to power all our smart devices.

There are several islands in the midst of the salt flat and even a hotel on one of them made entirely of salt bricks. The walls, beds, chairs, and tables are all made from bricks of salt cut from the Salar. Some of the islands are home to vizcachas, a type of chinchilla, as well as Andean foxes, and flamingos, who migrate to the Salar to breed every November.

There are legends regarding the Salar as well. According to locals the three mountains that border the salt flat, Kusina, Kusku, and Tunupa, were named for gods or giants. Tunupa married Kusku, but Kusku betrayed his wife with Kusina. It is said that as she nursed her son, Tunupa's tears mixed with milk to form the Salar, and some locals say its name should be Salar de Tunupa, to honor her tears.

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