Height
'Tokyo Sky Tree' is currently under construction in Tokyo. The tower will have a height of 634m, one of the world’s tallest towers in 2012; it's already taller than Tokyo Tower (333m), which is modelled after the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I’ve been to the Eiffel Tower, but never in my life to Tokyo Tower. Most junior high school students from Sendai visit Tokyo for school trips and go to the top of the tower; but my class didn't go to the top, because we ran out of time. We just had chance look at it briefly from the bus window. Our bus guide said 'This is Tokyo Tower, then, let’s go to the next destination.' and moved on in a hurry. It was only a few minutes.
People have built tall towers and buildings from ancient times, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza (146m) in Egypt. Some countries have built skyscrapers, as if they are competing with each other for the heights, like the tower of Babel. Why do people build really tall buildings? They must provide a high ratio of rentable floor space per land usage, and they must also be symbols of the city's economic power. However, I prefer to stand on the ground. OK, I admit I’m afraid of heights, but I always go to a high place. I don't know why - because it's there?
George Herbert (1886-1924), who was an English mountaineer, attempted the summit of Mount Everest. His famous response to the question 'Why do you want to climb Mount Everest?' was 'Because it's there.'
Yes, because it's there, and I know the view from a high place is beautiful and air is clean, everything is wonderful (if the weather is fine). Where did I go? The Sunshine 60 building (239.7m), Yokohama Marine Tower (106m), Fukuoka Tower (234m), AER (145.5m) in Japan, BA London Eye (135m), St Paul's Cathedral (111m), York Minster (60m), Scott Monument (60m) in the UK, Eiffel Tower (320m), La Grande Arche de la Défense (110m) in France, etc. Honestly I was scared sometimes: climbing up the mesh stair steps in St. Paul’s Cathedral, and to getting on a transparent lift (you can see right down to the ground!) in Grande Arche.
As you may realise, such heights are enough for me. If you go to Taiwan, China, the UAE, the USA etc, you can see many skyscrapers. As of 2011, Buri Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is the highest building in the world at 828m, but by 2016, I'm sure the records will have changed again and again. How tall can buildings go? I’m not sure whether I’ll go to Tokyo Sky Tree, but it will be definitely the new tourist spot in Tokyo.
People have built tall towers and buildings from ancient times, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza (146m) in Egypt. Some countries have built skyscrapers, as if they are competing with each other for the heights, like the tower of Babel. Why do people build really tall buildings? They must provide a high ratio of rentable floor space per land usage, and they must also be symbols of the city's economic power. However, I prefer to stand on the ground. OK, I admit I’m afraid of heights, but I always go to a high place. I don't know why - because it's there?
George Herbert (1886-1924), who was an English mountaineer, attempted the summit of Mount Everest. His famous response to the question 'Why do you want to climb Mount Everest?' was 'Because it's there.'
Yes, because it's there, and I know the view from a high place is beautiful and air is clean, everything is wonderful (if the weather is fine). Where did I go? The Sunshine 60 building (239.7m), Yokohama Marine Tower (106m), Fukuoka Tower (234m), AER (145.5m) in Japan, BA London Eye (135m), St Paul's Cathedral (111m), York Minster (60m), Scott Monument (60m) in the UK, Eiffel Tower (320m), La Grande Arche de la Défense (110m) in France, etc. Honestly I was scared sometimes: climbing up the mesh stair steps in St. Paul’s Cathedral, and to getting on a transparent lift (you can see right down to the ground!) in Grande Arche.
As you may realise, such heights are enough for me. If you go to Taiwan, China, the UAE, the USA etc, you can see many skyscrapers. As of 2011, Buri Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is the highest building in the world at 828m, but by 2016, I'm sure the records will have changed again and again. How tall can buildings go? I’m not sure whether I’ll go to Tokyo Sky Tree, but it will be definitely the new tourist spot in Tokyo.
