Interesting Things with JC #491: "New Caledonia" is a beautiful archipelago located in the South Pacific. It's the ideal place to get a "break from the ads" and enjoy nature.

Interesting Things with JC #261: “Kiribati” is made up of 33 atolls, these are ring-shaped reefs or a series of islands caused by submerged volcanos. Out of the 33 islands that all straddle the equator, and only 20 are inhabited. Although it only takes up a total of 811sq kilometers, Kiribati spans a distance equal to an area that is roughly the size of India, and it's the only country to fall within the northern, southern, eastern and western hemispheres. Kiribati is the third-least visited country in the world. Around 6,000 visitors come here annually. Only the Pacific island-nations of the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu receive fewer tourists.

Interesting Things with JC #233 - On April 5th, 1722 Jacob Roggeveen discovered Easter Island. Jacob was a Dutch explorer who was sent to find Terra Australis and Davis Land. He planned the expedition along with his brother Jan Roggeveen, who stayed in the Netherlands.

Interesting Things with JC #216: “Black Parrot of Seychelles” - The black parrot or the Praslin parrot is a bird found only in the Praslin island of Seychelles. Although it is the national bird of Seychelles and a protected species, the black parrot is threatened outside its native habitat.

Seychelles is located in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, it's an archipelago consisting of 115 islands and is neighbour to tourist destinations like Mauritius and Maldives. The beaches of the Seychelles are among the most beautiful beaches in the world, with turquoise blue water, powder-soft sand, and fascinating granite rocks.

Charles Looff was a German master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides, who immigrated to the United States of America in 1870. During his lifetime, he built over 40 carousels, several amusements parks, numerous roller coasters and Ferris wheels, and built California's famous Santa Monica Pier. The Crescent Park Carousel was his crown jewel and is the largest and most elaborate carousel he ever constructed.

On January 1, 1892, Annie Moore, a 17 year old girl from County Cork, Ireland, made headlines as the first immigrant to be processed at Ellis Island. She is honored by statues on both sides of the Atlantic at Ellis Island National Monument, New York Harbor and at the Cobh Heritage Centre, County Cork, Ireland.

After you enjoy this podcast, please visit AnnieMoore.net to learn more.