New Seven Wonders of the World July 11, 2007 Jill Hopefully this is next on my list of wonders. Are here. I’m sadly only 1 for 7 (2 for 8 if you include the only Ancient Wonder still standing). But I’m 6 for 14 on the finalists…
Sorry, I meant StonEhenge. And the Acropolis would’ve been nice too. Jill, which seven would you have liked to see make the cut?
I actually found Stonehenge totally anticlimactic. It’s a bunch of piled-up rocks! Whereas the Taj Mahal, which is the only of the seven that I’ve actually been to, was truly the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.
Stonehenge is beautiful and breathtaking, but you can’t get anywhere near the place these days iirc. I haven’t been to any of the rest and am unlikely to (except possibly one day New York), so perhaps I don’t have much of a basis of comparison.
I’ve seen none of the 7, and only 4 of the finalists – but most of the others are on my list of places to see someday. Hagia Sophia is pretty cool, but I actually was far more impressed with the Blue Mosque that faces it.
I’ve been to 5 of the 7, and 11 of the other 14. The Taj Mahal, Great Wall, Colosseum, and Machu Picchu are all deserving. I’ve never been to Petra or Chichen Itza. I have been to Christ the Redeemer, and it boggles the mind that it beat out any of the 11 that I have seen. I heard that Brazil really put a push on to get the Internet votes.
To not have the Pyramids on that list is ridiculous. And I’m sorry, but I think someone stuffed the ballot box for Christ Redeemer.
The Pyramids were on the Ancient Wonders list, DarthVelma. I think the original seven were disqualified in this round, so there Pyramids at Giza were out along with the Colossus of Rhodes, the Lighthouse of Pharos, and the rest.
Okay, no, I’m wrong. ‘Parently the Gizan Pyramids were on the list, along with some truly peculiar picks: Neuschwanstein, mostly famous for being the model for that Disney castle? Even Petra’s an odd choice, though it’s neat. So’s the Alhambra; it’s a truly remarkable place, definitely a wonder to behold, but it just doesn’t strike me as having that instantly-recognizable iconic status a Wonder of the World ought to have.
South America really represented. Its especially nice to see the indigenous Americans get some long-overdue respect for the fact that their civilization had marvels that compare well to anything the Romans or Europeans were up to. Too often, people talk about great civilizations but pretend that there weren’t millions of people in highly advanced social organizations ’round here in the New World.
Wait a minute. Asian…Middle Eastern…Hispanic…Mesoamerican…Mesoamerican…Italian…Indian… OMG! Reverse racism! This is totally reverse racism! Where are the white people wonders? We’ve clearly been deliberately excluded due to race. Doubtlessly Martin Luther King Jr. is rolling over in his grave because of this travesty. This is the biggest injustice ever.
It is nice to see so many South American picks. I’m actually embarrassed that I’ve only seen one of the new Seven Wonders, but at least I’ve seen the only Ancient Wonder still around–the Pyramids. I really must travel more! (Looks feebly at passport.)
Heh, is it just me, or does it look like the Jesus statue is about to start rampaging? He looks like he’s prepping to stomp the heck out of some tourists. And why is that on the final list and the Egyptian pyramids NOT?
Ah, so they’re in some sort of hierarchy? Ancient Wonders, new Seven Wonders…I wasn’t even aware these things were fluid. Shows what I know.
I kind of agree with you, little light, about Petra, but since that’s the only one on the list I’ve been to, I have to support it. I am puzzled, though, that the Dome of the Rock/Al-Aqsa compound didn’t make it. That’s truly impressive. It must have been left off for political reasons (or maybe because this is some kind of tourist outfit that figures it won’t be able to sell many tickets to Jerusalem).
Heh, is it just me, or does it look like the Jesus statue is about to start rampaging? He looks like he’s prepping to stomp the heck out of some tourists. Dude. The idea of that statue coming alive and stomping Rio a la Godzilla would be the most awesome B-movie ever. And they nominated the Sydney Opera house? Buh? I love that building, but it’s not a WONDER.
I always liked the redneck equivalent of the giant statue, Christ o the Ozarks. That I’ve seen. Also, I agree with the anticlimax of Stonehenge, and would venture forth Mount Rushmore as a potential American inclusion. Also: replace Chichén Itzá with Angkor Wat.
Yeah, that Christ statue should definitely be off. Angkor should be in its place. And, much as I think that Petra is really, really cool, the Easter Island statues are more deserving, I think. But I haven’t been to any of the final 7. However, I’ve visited Stonehenge (really impressive, I thought, even if you can’t get close to it) and the Eiffel Tower (also really cool, but how is that a wonder, anyway).
Forget Mt. Rushmore. The real stuff is Crazy Horse. Check it out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Horse_Memorial When it’s done, it’ll be the world largest sculpture. They’ve been working it on for fifty years now, and they will not be done in my lifetime. Imagine a statue made out of a whole mountain… awesomeness abounds.
I’m disappointed Angkor Wat didn’t make the list. It’s a really amazing place. I’d take over Chichen Itza, quite frankly, having visited both.
I’d hate to be standing under that statue when the arms fall off. (You know they will; gravity is no respecter of persons.)