Georgia now truly has its own ‘diamond in the sky!’ Located around a two-hour drive west of Tbilisi, a diamond-shaped glass restaurant is now sitting suspended mid-air from a glass bridge. The entire construction is dangling almost 900 feet above the famous Dashbashi Canyon, commonly known as the Tsalka Canyon. Let’s know more about this intriguing venue.

The New Attraction

The recently opened spectacular landmark features a first-of-its-kind restaurant hanging at the center of a 787-foot-long glass bridge. With several levels inside, the glass bar is located at the highest point of the bridge. The Georgian and Israeli investment firm Kass Group, which financially backed the whole project, has dubbed the bridge Diamond Bridge. According to the group, the construction is the crown jewel of the country, and is going to constitute a distinctive attraction for both residents and international tourists. The restaurant is surrounded by breathtaking vista of lush steep slopes of the canyon and astounding waterfalls. The transparent structure gives the person sitting inside a viewpoint of the Dashbashi Canyon Natural Monument with the gushing Ktsia River flowing through volcanic rocks.

The Opening Ceremony

Irakli Garibashvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia attended the recent inauguration ceremony of the new restaurant in the capital city of Tbilisi. He proudly stated that this unique landmark is a prominent example of Georgian heritage and modern development, converged through world-class infrastructure. The Diamond Bridge also includes interesting features like a cliff swing and a zip line for the diners to bike across. The Kass Group revealed their upcoming plan of laser light shows on the location that can be visible from the restaurant and the visitor’s center. Additionally, the group also plans to submit the restaurant to the Guinness World Records to make it officially the highest hanging restaurant in the world suspended from a bridge.

Machu Picchu is one of the seven wonders of the modern world and an incredible archaeological delight. Recently, it was decided that the site would become carbon neutral by 2050. The efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the historic site will start now and progressively cut down the emissions to 45 percent by 2030. The famous tourist location in Peru is open for visitors once again, and the efforts towards reducing its carbon emotions will follow the Paris climate agreement guidelines.

Machu Picchu Is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Back in 1983, Machu Picchu was declared one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. In addition to being a historic site, the place is a natural habitat for important species, including the Andean bear, some unique orchids, and endemic birds. With so much to keep and preserve there, it was decided that more measures have to be taken.

The latest initiative combines public and private investment and aims to engage in activities that will have a positive impact on the environment surrounding Machu Picchu. In addition to reducing the carbon footprint of the area, people hope to also expand organic waste treatment and reduce the use of plastic. Tourists will even be encouraged to check their carbon emissions when visiting the site.

Nearly Five Percent of Peru’s Carbon Emissions Come from Tourism

A report of the UN’s World Tourism Organization shows that almost five percent of the overall carbon emissions in Peru come from tourism. The Peruvian government has started a new initiative to address the potential problems tourism and overcrowding can cause to its environment and priceless heritage sites such as Machu Picchu. The country is also pushing towards sustainable development and taking direct action to combat climate change.

Peru will reduce its carbon emissions on three levels. First, it will focus on destinations that can benefit from becoming carbon neutral, then it will pay attention to certain enterprises and corporate activities that affect the climate, and third, it will show tourists how to travel better and reduce their own carbon footprint.