July 9, 2018 - USA UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Team USA brings home the SILVER!!!

Elisa's Daily Scoop
Covering Long Island & NYC Boroughs 
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 20 DAYS: SCRANTON, PA
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USA UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Hey there!

Happy Monday!  Yes, the beginning of a new week and boy is it lovely out here on Long Island.

Woke up a bit sore as I've been to the gym for the past few days and then late last night, Gianna and I decided to give ourselves a good work out and set off to Lifetime Fitness at 8:30pm.

In any case, it all feels good!

I was in contact all day yesterday as she was at the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA)  in Long Beach, California for the past three days, where my young cousins, Cosette and Dominic were performing as they are part of the International Peace Choir.

This event, was quite, which included 63 different nations is essentially, an Olympics of Performing Arts!!

Amazing, right! Tanya was sending me texts and video clips all day and night!

PLEASE READ HER SCOOP!
She has added lots of photos, videos and info about her experience there, as both a travel blogger and a mom of two participants.  And not to be a spoiler but Team USA brought home  the Silver!!

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In celebration of Team USA's win at WCOPA, I wanted to provide a detailed list of some other wonderful USA "wins" in having been named as UNESCO World Heritage Sites!!

​As of 2016, there are 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United States of America.

​These sites are considered important to the natural and cultural heritage of the country.

​These sites are considered important to the natural and cultural heritage of the country. The San Antonio Missions in Texas is the newest addition to the list, which was inscribed in 2015.

These 23 sites are located in 19 states and Puerto Rico. There are also two transboundary sites which are shared with Canada.

The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor - UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984 (c) travelincousins.com

• Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (1982)
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park (1995)
• Chaco Culture (1987)
• Everglades National Park (1979)
• Grand Canyon National Park (1979)
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1983)
• Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (1987)
• Independence Hall (1979)
• Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek (1979)
• La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico (1983)
• Mammoth Cave National Park (1981)
• Mesa Verde National Park (1978)
• Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville (1987)
• Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point (2014)
• Olympic National Park (1981)
• Papahnaumokukea (2010)
• San Antonio Missions (2015)
• Statue of Liberty (1984)
• Taos Pueblo (1992)
• Redwood National and State Parks (1980)
• Waterton Glacier International Peace Park (1995)
• Yellowstone National Park (1978)
• Yosemite National Park (1984)

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Fort Schuyler in the Bronx - featured article by Elisa (c) travelincousins.com

I hope this list inspires you to visit some of these great and notable sites!!! I just gave me some great ideas for more trips!!!
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I'll add a link later on to my latest article in Elisa's Long Island, Outer NYC Boroughs & Travelin' 25:
25 Reasons That Make the Hudson Valley Hot Air Balloon Festival Great.

If you haven't already read last week's article, click below:
Historic Fort Schuyler and A Cup of Little Italy Cappuccino  read more

more later...
-E
xoxo

Tanya's Daily Scoop 
Covering the West Coast & the World
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 3 DAYS:
WASHINGTON DC/VIRGINIA

Team USA brings home the SILVER!!!

OH WHAT A NIGHT...

Hey there, how are you guys all doing?
Keeping cool I should hope.

Before I go on to tell you about the very EXCITING news and the AMAZING night that we had, I want to wish my brother a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

And now for the SCOOP:

VIDEO - on the way to WCOPA

Wheatgrass, smoothies and acai bowls (c)travelincousins.com

We would arrive at the Westin Long Beach Hotel to meet with our choir at our specified call time.

Arrival at call time (c)travelincousins.com

Waiting to line up with the rest of Team USA (c)travelincousins.com

The Philippines would also seem to have a similar call time and be taking some team photos for the Philippines newspaper before lining up.

​I thought it would be a great idea to have our own Ambassador of the Philippines (Andrew) get in there along with the rest of the nations competitors. Another choir associate had agreed and asked me if she should approach the team and make the suggestion. Yes absolutely!!

Well I'm not too sure they understood what she was asking, but they were perfectly happy to have Andrew in their pictures.

Andrew and the Philippines (c)travelincousins.com

All the photographers (c)travelincousins.com

What absolutely amazing and some rather interesting costumes there were roaming about the lobby and in the staging area!

For last night would also be the costume competition. And we would get a better glance of these as the night would progress.

Philippine Costumes (c)travelincousins.com

Holland costumes (c)travelincousins.com

Team Austria (c)travelincousins.com

Team USA (c)travelincousins.com

Team Guatemala (c)travelincousins.com

​As our readers know, on Friday night Team USA competed in the Team Production category at WCOPA (World Championships of Performing Arts).

Who was Team USA?

Team USA was comprised of our own International Peace Choir and 43 other competitors from across the USA.

Team USA (c)travelincousins.com

Team USA (c)travelincousins.com

Team USA (c)travelincousins.com

Hanging with the team (c)travelincousins.com

VIDEO - waiting with Team USA

After staging with the rest of Team USA, we would march in alphabetical team order to the Long Beach Convention Center - better known as "Hollywood by the Beach"

Crossing over to the Convention Center (c)travelincousins.com

VIDEO - Team USA crossing over to the venue

And then we would wait some more. Something that both Hollywood and the Military have in common is that you get accustom to HURRY UP and WAIT!

Heading to the convention center (c)travelincousins.com

Waiting to go through security (c)travelincousins.com

Waiting to go through security (c)travelincousins.com

Waiting to go through security (c)travelincousins.com

Waiting to go through security (c)travelincousins.com

Waiting for team pictures (c)travelincousins.com

Fountains (c)travelincousins.com

Convention Center (c)travelincousins.com

The line would move slowly and through security as each team would stop for the professional and media team pictures.

Waiting to take team pictures (c)travelincousins.com

Team pictures (c)travelincousins.com

Team pictures (c)travelincousins.com

Team pictures (c)travelincousins.com

We would then all walk together as teams to yet another staging area prior to the Parade of Nations.

Heading to stage for the Parade of Nations (c)travelincousins.com

Heading to stage for the Parade of Nations (c)travelincousins.com

Yesterday was the Parade of (63) Nations, the Opening Ceremonies and the revealing results from Friday night's competition...

​Not to mention one HUMONGOUS international party!!!!

63 nations staging (c)travelincousins.com

63 nations staging (c)travelincousins.com

63 nations staging (c)travelincousins.com

63 nations staging (c)travelincousins.com

Long Beach Convention Center (c)travelincousins.com

63 nations staging (c)travelincousins.com

Pics with New Zealand (c)travelincousins.com

The excitement would continue to build and flags would be waving as we would get closer to the Parade of Nations and continue to move closer to the stage.

The "athletes" would be entertained by a variety of acts on stage.

Being that there were 63 nations, rather than posting yet another 63 pics just on the Parade of Nations, I will create an entire page for WCOPA, where you can enjoy all the wonderful and colorful pictures!

​But I figure why not give you a little sample:

And then it was finally our turn!!

After much excitement, tons of energy, lots of dancing and meeting people from around the world it was time to announce the winners from Friday night's Team competition.

WooHooHOOOOO! Our own International Peace Choir representing Team USA won the Silver Medal!

The kids were beyond excited to take home the silver!!

And we were beyond proud of our amazing ambassadors!!!
Who have also now been approached by a number of agents interested in us signing a contract!

What an amazing amazing night!!!

Cosette has already expressed her interest in participating in this event again next year. The entry is either via audition or recruitment and the dates for the 23rd annual WCOPA are July 13 - 21 of 2019. Which means that I have some travel dates that need adjusting!

Anyhow, much to do and celebrate,
-Travelin' Tanya