Z is for Zurich

April has been a spectacular journey blogging through the alphabet. Good job to everyone who participated. Thanks for following along on my adventure! This was my first time doing the A-Z challenge, and it was so much fun, I might have to do it again next year.

Z = Zurich

On this last stop I'll leave you with a sight of Zurich, Switzerland. Enjoy!

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Many thanks to everyone who was behind the scenes organizing this grand event. Welcome, and thank you to all my new followers, and may you blog happy!

Y is for Yellowstone National Park

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

Y = Yellowstone National Park

What a fantastic stop on the tour today. Located in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, Yellowstone has 60% of the worlds geysers. It's diverse habitats are home to many species (including some that are endangered or threatened). I'm not going to say much about the park except I think it's someplace every American should try to visit once in their lifetime, and the Old Faithful Geyser must be a sight to behold. Bring your camera!

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Spooky Factor: 2

Intrigue Factor: 2

Beauty Factor: 5

X is for Xi'an & the Terra Cotta Warriors

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

X = Xi'an

In Xi'an, China there is an army so grand that just the sight of them would have you shaking in your pants, but fear not brave tourists these soldiers are the Terra Cotta Warriors, the guardians of China's first Emperor, and are statues that date back to the late third century BC. There are over 8,ooo soldiers, 130 chariots, 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses. What an impressive find!

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Spook Factor: 1
Intrigue Factor: 4
Beauty Factor: 4

Biblio: click here and here

W is for Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

W = Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Located in Louisville, Kentucky the Waverly Hills Sanatorium is dubbed the most spiritually active place on earth, and has been featured on many paranormal shows. The land was originally purchased by Major Thomas H. Hays in 1883. He started a one room school house for his daughter. The teacher named the school, Waverly School for her fondness for the "Waverly novels." The board of Tuberculosis Hospital kept the name after purchasing the land and building the sanatorium. It served as a tuberculosis hospital until 1961. It was renovated in 1962, and reopened as Woodhaven Medical Services as a geriatric facility, and closed by the state in 1980.

Let me know if you see any ghosts because I'll be waiting for you on the tour bus. Yeah, I'm sitting this one out.

Spook Factor: 5
Intrigue Factor: 3
Beauty Factor: 1

 Biblio: click here

V is for Venice

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

V is for Venice

Venice, Italy is our stop today. Board the gondola and get ready for a beautiful ride.

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                                                           (source with a bloggers story)

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                                                              (source with a bloggers story)

Points of Interest

Piazza San Marco

Grand Canal

Rialto Bridge

Doge's Palace 

Saint Marks Basilica

Bridge of Sighs

Murano

Palazzo Grassi 

Spook Factor: 1 (if you're afraid of water)

Intrigue Factor: 5

Beauty Factor: 5

It was Venice and their beautiful gondolas that gave me the idea that I needed this factor in my book, Deadly Kisses. Yes, the Grim Reapers in my made up world steer these in the underground rivers. Souls beware.

U is for Underground Caves and Rivers

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

U = Underground Caves and Rivers

Get out your flashlight, and put on your hiking boots because today's stop we're going for one heck of an adventure--beneath the earth.

The Reed Flute Cave

Located in Guilin Guangxi, China this underground cave is made from natural limestone. It's over 180 million years old and stalactites and stalagmites fill the the cave.

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Cave of Crystals

This cave is located in Naica, Mexico and is 1,000 feet below the Chihuahua desert. It has some of the biggest crystals ever found. The largest is 39 feet in length, 13 feet in diameter, and weighs 55 tons. I wonder  what that retails for? The cave is so hot most of it has gone unexplored. Tell me this doesn't look like Superman's fortress of solitude?!

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Puerto Princesa Underground River

This national park is located in the Philippines. It's river system is the most unique in the world, and it flows directly into the South China Sea. This is how I envision my characters underground river to be from Deadly Kisses. 

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Spooky Factor: 1

Intrigue Factor: 5

Beauty Factor: 5

T is for Tranyslvania

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

T = Transylvania 

Today's stop is in Romania where the most famous legend is that of vampires. Author Bram Stoker's, 'Count Dracula,' was loosely based on Vlad Tepes (1431-1476), the medieval Prince of Transylvania. He was also called Vlad the Impaler for enforcing the law by hammering wooden stakes through his victims. In the story he was made to live in Bran Castle, situated between the Bucegi and Piatra Mountains, deep in the Carpathian Mountains. Today Bran Castle is a hotspot for tourists.

Bran Castle (source)

Another stop on the tour is the Rasnov Citadel also known as the "Fortress of Fear." The citadel was built in 1215 as part of a defense system for the Transylvania villages to protect themselves from the Turks and Tatars who invaded the country. There was only one successful seige in 1612 when the people surrendered after their secret water supply was found. With the secret out, a well was built inside the fortress. There was a discovery of human bones in the well which stemmed many other stories.There have also been reports of paranormal activity including: shadows, sounds, and cold spots. This location is now a tourist attraction.

Citadel (source)

Spook Factor:4

Intrigue Factor:4

Beauty Factor:4

Biblio: click here, click here

S is for the Sallie House

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

S = Sallie House

The Sallie House located in Atchison, and has been labeled the most haunted house in Kansas. It has been documented to have nine apparitions, and full bodied apparition have been seen. Sallie, being the most active, famous ghost in the house giving it the name "Sallie House." 

The house was built between 1867-1871 and occupied by the Finney family. Many of the Finney's have lived and died in the home, the last being Agnes Finney on November 28, 1939. After that, the house was rented out to various families, all who stay there only a short period of time. Later the Pickman's lived here, bringing light to the strange occurrences. Many people speculate that there is a door that lets in spirits from the other side, and some are evil.

EVP's have captured voices of men, woman, and children. There have been reports of loud knockings, thumps, and some people have left with scratch marks. Much of this evidence was documented for the show Sightings.

This is one haunted location that gives me the creeps. Yikes!

Spooky factor: 5

Intrigue factor: 3

Beauty factor: 1

Biblio: picture source, click here.

R is for Rome

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

R = Rome

This is my favorite stop on the A-Z tour bus. Rome, Italy has got to be ranked up there as one of the most gorgeous cities in the world. Don't take my word for it, see the pictures below.

Vatican City

Roman Forum

The Fountain of Four Rivers at Piazza Navona

Campo de Fiori

With a history that spans two and a half thousand years it would take a whole book to write about the history and mysteries of Rome. So below are some links.

If you ever get to vacation in Rome take the Dark Rome tour at night.

Here is an expert from their website that sums it up.

"In a city as ancient as Rome every stone has a story to tell, every building has a history. And in a city that survived the Middle Ages and the Inquisition, those stories can be dark and sinister, a world away from the tales told by other tour guides on other tours." Click here and it will take you to their website. 

History of Rome. Click here to go to Wikipedia.

For some of Rome's Ghosts click here and here.

I hope you enjoy the links!

Spooky factor: 5

Intrigue factor: 5

Beauty factor: 5

Biblio: Pictures are courtesy of http://www.rome.info/



Q is for the RMS Queen Mary

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

Q = RMS Queen Mary

The Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner. In her day she was bigger and faster than the well known, Titanic. She sailed in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936-1967. Starting off transporting the rich and famous, and going to "troopship" during WW II called the "Grey Ghost." After the war it resumed as a luxury cruise ship. The ship now resides in Long Beach, California as a tourist attraction with a restaurant, museum, and hotel. Most of the machinery has been removed--some turbines, propellers, and all of the boilers. But some things might have remained--passengers of the past!

The engine room, and door 13, that crushed two people to death, is an active paranormal room. The first and second class swimming pools are also said to be active: woman in 30's style swimming suits have been seen, splashing, wet footprints, and the spirit of a young girl. A girl in a white evening gown roams the salon. Noises of unknown origin echo throughout the ship. Stay the night and decide for yourself, but maybe you should sleep with the lights on.

Spook factor:3
Intrigue factor:2
Beauty factor:3


Biblio: Wiki, and picture source, click here

P is for Pennsylvania

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

P = Pennsylvania

Our tour stops in an odd place off of Route 61 in Columbia County. Be prepared there will be no amenities. There is a town in Pennsylvania and the population is 12. Welcome to the ghost town of Centralia, PA.

In 1962 this average American town went up in flames beneath the earth in a mine fire. Most of the town was bought out and relocated because the conditions in Centralia were inhabitable. The mine fire also spread into the town of Byrnesville which caused another town to be abandoned an relocated.

"This was a world where no human could live, hotter than the planet Mercury, its atmosphere as poisonous as Saturn's. At the heart of the fire, temperatures easily exceeded 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit [540 degrees Celsius]. Lethal clouds of carbon monoxide and other gases swirled through the rock chambers."— David DeKok, Unseen Danger: A Tragedy of People, Government, and the Centralia Mine Fire (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1986) Taken from Wiki

From the quote above it sounds like hell on earth. Today very few homes remain, and after 50 years the fire still burns. The area looks like a field with paved streets with smoke that still billows up from the ground.

Enter at your own risk!

Spooky:2

Intrigue:3

Beauty:0

Biblio: Wiki, picture source

O is for Osgood Castle

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

O = Osgood Castle

Osgood Castle is located in Redstone Colorado. It was built in the early 20th century as the home of John C. Osgood. He made his fortune as a coal and steel pioneer in the west, and was the founder of the Colorodo Fuel and Iron Company. Osgood developed a town of Redstone as a model company town, part of his experiment. Many businessman from around the world came to visit, and it was dubbed the "Ruby of the Rockies." It is now open for public tours, and events.

Some say the castle is haunted though. Cigar smoke is smelled suddenly in rooms of the castle, and sometimes chairs are dragged from one corner of the room to the other. Maybe Mr. Osgood still keeps watch over the castle.

Spook:1

Intrigue:1

Beauty:3

Biblio: Wiki,  click here, click here

N is for New Orleans

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

N = New Orleans

I can't believe we made it halfway through the A-Z challenge. The tour bus had stopped in Louisiana in the historic city of New Orleans, and the home of Mardi Gras. The city has many attractions--from the French Quarter and Bourbon Streets famous nightlife to the unique foods. But did you know New Orleans past still haunts the city.

Here are some haunted locations.

Lalaurie House 1140 Royal St located in the French Quarter

St. Louis Cemetery Number 1

Le Pavilion Hotel

Arnaud's Restaurant

Canal Street at City Park Avenue

Cafe Lafite in Exile

The Sultans Palace 716 Dauphine St.

The Beauregard-Keyes House

Hotel Monteleone

Another oddity

Because of New Orleans ethnic diversity the voodoo culture blossomed in the city in the 1700's. Today the city markets voodoo in its shops that are full of charms, spells, and candles. Maybe the real ceremonies are being done in private. Do you think voodoo is still being practiced?

The city is one of kind, and I would love to visit there one day. How about you?

Spooky:2

Intrigue:3

Beauty:4

Biblio: Wiki, click here,

M is for Mexico to the Island of Dolls

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of  April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

M = Mexico

Our tour stops have led us to unusual locations, but this location on our next stop is really over the top. Located in Mexico, south of Mexico City is the Island of Dolls, or in Spanish Isla De Las Munecas. As in the name, it literally is an island covered in dolls. They hang in just about in every tree, making you feel like you're being watched.

A hermit named Don Julian Santana Barrera, moved there. He said he was haunted by a ghost of a little girl who had drowned in a canal. He placed them around his home as a shrine to the little girl spirit. In 2001, his nephew found him dead in the same canal where the little girl was said to have drowned. Now this island is one of the weirdest tourist locations. People claim the dolls whisper to you.

I for one, wouldn't step foot here. This is creepy to the max! I watched an episode of TAPS that investigated the paranormal claims here, and weird things happened. Would you visit The Island of Dolls? I'm opting out of this location because it's to creepy for me.

Spook factor: 5

Intrigue factor:2

Beauty factor: 1

Bilblio: Click here, Click here.

L is for Lemp Mansion

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of  April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

L = Lemp Mansion

A house is never silent in darkness

to those who listen intently;

there is a whispering in distant chambers,

an unearthly hand presses the snib of the window,

the latch rises.

Ghosts were created when the first man

woke in the night.

--  James Matthew Barrie, "The Little Minister"

The Lemp Mansion is located in Benton Park, St. Louis, Missouri. The Lemp family (originally from Germany) moved into the house in 1876. The house had a renovation in 1911 to make room for offices for the Lemp Brewery (America's first lager beer brewers). In 1901 the heir to the family business, Fredererick, died under suspicious circumstances. Three years later William shot himself in the head. Soon after that Prohibition closed their plant. There were three more family suicides. William might have had an illegitimate son, Zeke aka "monkey face." The child was born with Down's Syndrome, and hidden away in the attic. No records exist to prove the child was real.

The stories of hauntings began when the last of the Lemp's died in the 1970's. The house then became a run- down boarding house. Today the mansion is now a restaurant and inn. CLICK HERE to book a room to see, if in fact, the Lemp Mansion is haunted.

This site has also been on the TV. MTV featured the tunnels below the house in a reality show called, Fear. In 2011 it was on a show called, Off Limits. In 2010 it was investigated and featured on Ghost Hunters. In 2009 it was investigated and featured on, Ghost Lab.

For a more in depth history CLICK HERE.

Spook factor 4 1/2

Intrigue factor: 3

Beauty factor: 3

Also, my book, DEADLY KISSES, is free this weekend. CLICK HERE to get it because a writer wants people to read their book more than anything else! Happy reading!

Biblio: click here, Wiki, poem source, picture source.

K is for Kentucky Hauntings

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of  April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

K = Kentucky

Every state has their stories passed down from one generation to the next, and Kentucky is no different. I compiled a list of places to visit, to get your scare on.

In a Alexandria there is a place called Witch Hill. Tree + witch hanging + curse = spooky

Annville on Highway 577 At night on a full moon you can see a glowing grave

Arbourville at Union College. A ghost of a student haunts room 245. He fell out of a second story window.

Bardstown at the old Talbolt Inn are haunted by ghosts that were killed there.

Bellefonte at Bellefonte Hospital, an old catholic run hospital. It is said a nun named Frannie haunts the halls. She is seen mostly near the emergency room.

Jackson at Combs Cemetery has had many sightings and noises within it.

These are only a few, and to see the full list of haunted Kentucky towns CLICK HERE.

Every town has their story. Does your town? Do tell.

In my town the rumor from the kids is that the school is haunted from a resident from the past. I think they just like to scare the new kids coming into middle school though.

I'm not rating today, due to the multiple locations.

Source

J is for Jerusalem

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of  April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

J = Jerusalem

J was a challenge, and the pickings were slim. I chose Jerusalem as our stop today for it's ancient intrigue, and its holiness. During its long history the city has been destroyed twice, and attacked fifty-two times. If the walls could talk in this city, its tales would span, to what seems like, the beginning of mankind. 

The Well of Souls is located under a site of a ruined Jewish temple. It is believed to contain the Ark of the Covenant--the sacred vessel of the original Ten Commandments tablets that God gave to Moses at Mt. Sinai. No one knows if the well truly exists, and there has been no archaeological exploration.

Ancient stone markings have been uncovered, dating back thousands of years ago. The strange V shapes cut into the ancient bedrock has archaeologists stumped.  CLICK HERE to read the story, and see the picture.

The Garden Tomb was discovered in 1867, and was identified as the burial place of Jesus. Of course no one knows for sure.

This ancient city probably holds secrets yet to be discovered.

Spook factor: 2

Intrigue factor: 3

Beauty factor:3

Biblio: Natgeo, picture source, Wiki

I is for Islands

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of  April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

I = Islands

We're going on an island hopping adventure today. I couldn't decide on a specific island because they're all amazing, and unique in their own way. So, I'm sharing all of them with you.

Ellis Island in New York the island of hope, and tears. It was America's largest, and most active immigration center. Over 12 million immigrants were processed. Some gained entry to the country, while others were denied, tearing families apart. It made me wonder if my ancestors walked through the doors of this immigration building, looking for the American dream. So, I searched the Ellis Island passenger lists. Guess what? My maiden name is there! I have no doubt some of those people are my family that immigrated here from Italy. Very cool! Click here to search the records for your family.

Easter Island is the most isolated place on earth, and is made up of extinct volcanoes  Easter Island is off the coast of Chile, and it's over 2,000 miles away from any civilization, adding to the mystery. It's famous for it's 32 feet high statue people, called Moai. They're carved in the image of the island's Rapa Nui ancestors, and date back to the 12th century.

For all the controversies about Easter Island CLICK HERE.

Hawaiian Islands are located in the Pacific Ocean, and are the exposed  peaks of an underwater mountain range, known as, Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain formed by volcanoes. The islands are amazing, from their indigenous Polynesian people and culture, to the beautiful landscape, and vivid blue oceans. What's not to love! It's also riddled in mystery. CLICK HERE to read.

Galapagos Islands are located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, off the west coast of South America. The island is known for its diverse wildlife, and incredible marine life. The Galapagos marine iguana is the only lizard to swim in the ocean.  Charles Darwin studied here, noting the unusual species due to isolation, and the adaptions they made in their environment. It gave way to his Origin of Species theory. Want to know 10 bizarre facts about the islands CLICK HERE.

I won't be rating these, and I'll let you be the judge. 

Biblio: nps site,Wiki,