Places

Festival of mud and rock under water

2010-07-31T06:32:00.001-07:00

They say that every year in Denmark held a rock festival, which takes place in early July. But some years, rock fans have bad luck with the weather (or maybe good, depending on how you look: D). In the following images to see the wild was the rain, let tents while literally under water. But, as always, never missing people willing to have fun with the mud, fun often ends with scantily clad people (look at the girls in the last picture) and making ridiculous. More images after the break...

Flying Over a Strip of Beach

2010-07-18T04:59:00.001-07:00

Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM, ICAO: TNCM) (also known as Sint Maarten International Airport) serves the Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin. In 2007, the airport handled 1,647,824 passengers and 103,650 aircraft movements. The airport serves as a hub for Windward Islands Airways and is the major gateway for the smaller Leeward Islands, including Anguilla, Saba, St. Barthélemy and St. Eustatius. It is named after Juliana of the Netherlands, who as crown princess landed here in 1944, the year after the airport opened. There is also an airport on the French side of the island near Marigot, called Aéroport de Grand Case or L'Espérance Airport.The airport was started as a military airstrip in 1942. It was converted to a civilian airport in 1943. In 1964 the airport was remodeled and relocated, with a new terminal building and control tower. The facilities were upgraded in 1985 and 2001. More Images after the break...

Text Via : Link

The Most Unusual Buildings Around The World

2010-07-15T06:27:00.000-07:00

1. The public library in Kansas City, USA

All the buildings reflect the desire of their creators. The builders have stepped away from the ordinary standard of architecture, we can say that these prominent structures are among the unique treasures of the world, which transmit the bizarre sense of uniqueness, which shows contemporary exotic forms of external and internal design and permissible visionary architect. More images after the break...

2. Atomium in Brussels, Belgium

3. Milwaukee Art Museum (Museum of Art, Milwaukee). Milwaukee, USA

4. Church of hallgrimur (Lutheran Church) in Reykjavik, Iceland

5. Longaberger Basket Building. Newark, USA

6. Wonder works. Pigeon Forge, United States

7. Another upside-down house (Upside down house) in Shimbarke, Poland

8. Crooked house. Sopot, Poland

9. Tenerife Auditorium. Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

10. Bull ring. Birmingham, United Kingdom

11. La Tete au Carre in Nice, France. Inside is a library

12. Eden project. Britain

13. Snail House in Sofia

14. Edificio mirador in Madrid

15. Nautilus house. Mexico

16. Calakmul building - a building in a giant washing machine. Mexico

17. The residential complex Habitat-67. Montreal, Canada

18. Montreal biosphere. Montreal, Canada

19. Olympic Stadium in Montreal

20. Lotus Temple. New Delhi, India

21. Wooden skyscraper in Arkhangelsk. Demolished in 2009

22. Stone House (Stone house) in Guimaraes, Portugal

23. Mammy's Cupboard. Natchez, USA

24. National Library, Minsk

25. Cubic houses. Rotterdam, Netherlands

26. Casapueblo. Maldonado, Uruguay

27. Library of Alexandrina. Alexandria, Egypt

28. Cathedral of Brasilia (Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida) - Catholic cathedral in the capital of Brazil - Brasilia. Serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Brasilia

29.

30. Denver Art Museum - Denver Art Museum

31. Graz Art Museum - Museum of Arts in Graz, Austria

32. Le Palais Ideal (Ideal Palace) in Hauterives, France. Built usual French postman Ferdinand Cheval enthusiast for 33 years (1879-1912).

33. Casa Battlo Antonio Gaudi in Barcelona

34. The National Stadium in Beijing

35. National Theatre in the same

36. Museum Ripley's Believe It or Not! near Niagara Falls in Canada

37. Palais bulles in Cannes

38. Experience music project. Seattle, USA

39. Back view

40. Skyscraper Gherkin building in London or cucumber

41. Banpo Bridge in Seoul, South Korea

42. Dynamic Tower in Dubai. Tower, whose every floor is moving on its own axis, independently of the others. The first building that can change its shape. Still under construction.

Chinese on the Beach

2010-07-15T05:49:00.000-07:00

The Chinese are also people and they have just as hot in here, everyone wants to swim, but how to do this in a country with a population of 1.34 billion people? It turns out everything really, you become more tightly to each other and stand to cool in a cool drink of water:) More images after the break...

Via : Link

Top 10 Caribbean Islands for 2010

2010-07-13T06:04:00.001-07:00

1. Anguilla

A sister of the Leeward island chain, Anguilla is truly one of the most romantic places on earth. Tucked away in the middle of the tranquil Caribbean Sea, a magical island lives and breathes a dynamic culture amidst a Garden of Eden of white sandy beaches and scintillating azure waters. As one sways with the ebb and flow of the gentle currents, you become a witness to nature’s perfect functions when left untouched.

The Caribbean is unlike any other place in the world. It is home to some of the most beautiful islands and waters you will find anywhere. You will see white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters filled with some amazing marine life. The cultures that you will encounter are among the most carefree and relaxing in the world. More images after the break...

2. Antigua

Antigua means ancient or antique in Spanish, and it is the perfect name for that tropical and charming island in the Caribbean. Located in the West Indies, Antigua was colonized by the Spanish in the fifteenth century, and makes the absolute perfect destination of Caribbeans. Antigua is also famous as a best wedding destination in the world. Antigua is historic but not run down, and it has a special charm and beauty that makes it the most desired tourist destination in the Caribbean.

3. British Virgin Islands

The pristine BVI has long attracted yachties and royalty to its turquoise waters, thanks to posh resorts like Rosewood Little Dix Bay, Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, and Peter Island. The British Virgin Islands are part of the British Territories in the Caribbean. They are located northeast of the US Virgin Islands, on the northeast corner of the Caribbean Sea. Their exotic beaches are considered among the best Caribbean Beaches and the Islands are famous for Caribbean fishing, Sailing, Scuba Diving and Snorkeling.

4. Curacao

Curacao has historically trailed its sister Caribbean islands of Aruba and Bonaire when it comes to attracting vacationers, largely because oil refining and financial services, rather than tourism, dominate its prosperous economy. Sea Aquarium is a must for any one in Curacao for holiday. You can swim with the dolphins, kiss the sea lions (or get kissed by them actually) and see the beautiful flamingos.

5. Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic is an island with many features and incredible history. Dominican Republic main attractions gets the attention of many tourists with its great historical landmarks and nice people. The country has too many places to see and explore. One of the places located in the capital is the Cathedral of Santa Maria. The Aquarium with lots of beautiful marine life to see is another great attraction. The beaches are something you cannot forget. There is more than a 1000 miles of beaches all around. Punta Cana and Cabarete are worldwide known to have incredibly beautiful beaches. You can also go to a tour that will take you to Saona island and Catalina island for some of the best scuba diving you have ever seen.

6. Grenada

Grenada is a spectacular beautiful island that has golden beaches; crystal water falls, flourishing green mountains and aromatic spice trees, which give this island its nickname as the Isle of Spice. There are 46 sun soaked beaches around the Spice Island of Grenada. One important reason to visit Grenada is its wild and lively carnival held every year in the third quarter. It seems that anyone who visits will not be lacking in things to do and sights to see because of the many beautiful spots and year-round festivities Grenada is known for.

7. Jamaica

Jamaica vacations don’t just mean luxurious resorts with all amenities at your fingertips. Besides its pristine beaches lapped by warm turquoise water, Jamaica boasts a host of natural scenic wonders which are well worth a visit. Well, the most exciting is Dunn’s River Falls, where visitors can climb up the falls as part of a human chain, and enjoy the soothing effect of the massage parlor’s rushing waters as they cascade to the ocean. There are also nature trails through the lush tropical foliage of bamboos, ferns, ginger lilies, orchids, crotons, palms and breadfruit trees. Shoppers will delight in the straw crafts, wood carvings, and other artworks available at the craft park and there is a cafeteria specializing in Jamaican delights such as jerked chicken and curried goat.

8. St. Lucia

St Lucia is one of the smaller more leisurely Islands in the Caribbean, boasting beautiful beaches with a welcoming light breeze, like the popular Anse de Sable beach. As most Caribbean Islands, it has the typical white sands where the calm ocean waves are ideal for water sports, like sailing and para-gliding. The island is a popular stop for both cruise visitors and vacationers coming for a long-term stay at nearly 100 hotels, resorts and inns.

9. St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Before St. Vincent served as the setting for “Pirates of the Caribbean”, this remote island and the whole Grenadine chain was primarily known only to sailors and seclusion-seeking rock stars. Indeed, Mick Jagger and David Bowie discreetly frequent the exclusive Grenadine isle of Mustique. These days, however, the even prettier, quiet island of Bequia is on the rise, thanks to buzz about newcomer Firefly Plantation Bequia and the halfway complete Bequia Beach Hotel. Canouan Island already boasts a sprawling, superluxe Raffles resort that evokes the South Pacific. And lush St. Vincent is touching up its popular sights like the panoramic Belmont Lookout and the canopied Vermont Nature Trail.

10. Vieques, Puerto Rico

Vieques, Puerto Rico is one of the most unspoiled islands of the Caribbean. It is an unforgettable and very affordable destination for any traveler. Since embracing tourism in 2003 after decades as a U.S. naval base, the tiny island of Vieques has been the most accessible “uncharted territory” in the Caribbean. With Vieques harboring more than 40 miles of unspoiled sand and the Caribbean’s largest wildlife refuge, its small hotels and casual restaurants have attracted easygoing, eco-minded tourists.

10 American Rivers at Risk

2010-07-13T05:44:00.000-07:00

1. The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in California was second on the list. American Rivers cited two efforts to reenginer the water supply and flood control systems as threats to the delta. This photo shows the Sacramento River. This post features a list of 10 American rivers which are according to from the U.S. environmental group American Rivers are really endangered. More images after the break...

2. The Upper Colorado River

The Upper Colorado River could become “a shadow of its former self” if two new water diversion projects proceed, according to a report from the U.S. environmental group American Rivers. The river is on a list of the 10 most endangered waterways compiled by the group.

3. Coosa River in Alabama

Seven hydropower dams were built on the Coosa River in Alabama in the mid-1900s, but American Rivers wants the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to insist on protections for wildlife in the license for Alabama Power Co. to operate the dams for the next 50 years.

4. Cedar River in Cedar Rapids

A June 2008 image shows flooding along the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The report says outdated flood management by the Army Corps of Engineers is hurting fish and wildlife habitat.

5. Gauley River

U.S. regulators should stop mountaintop mining in West Virginia that is hurting the Gauley River, American Rivers says. The river is known for its whitewater rafting.

6. Monongahela River

The view from the Hot Metal Bridge of downtown Pittsburgh, where the Monongahela River meets the Allegheny River to form the Ohio. The Monongahela is threated by pollution created by natural gas extraction.

7. Eastern Idaho’s Teton River

Eastern Idaho’s Teton River provides habitat for Yellowstone cutthroat trout, but there’s a proposal to rebuild the Teton Dam, which collapsed in 1976, killing 11 people and causing more than $1 billion in damage.

8.The Upper Delaware River

The Upper Delaware River is at the top of American Rivers’ endangered list. The group says the river in New York state, source for drinking water for 17 million people, is threatened by chemicals from natural gas drilling and poor flood management.

9. National Wild and Scenic Chetco River

National Wild and Scenic Chetco River in Oregon’s Kalmiopsis Wilderness and one of the areas proposed for mining.

10. North Carolina’s Little River

North Carolina’s Little River provides drinking water and irrigation supplies. A proposed dam would hurt the river’s health, American Rivers says. Via : Link

World’s Top 20 Largest Mosques

2010-07-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

20. Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem

Al-Aqsa Mosque also known as al-Aqsa, is an Islamic holy place in the Old City of Jerusalem. The site that includes the mosque (along with the Dome of the Rock) is also referred to as al-Haram ash-Sharif or “Sacred Noble Sanctuary”, a site also known as the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, the place where the First and Second Temples are generally accepted to have stood. Widely considered as the third holiest site in Islam, Muslims believe that the prophet Muhammad was transported from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to al-Aqsa during the Night Journey. Islamic tradition holds that Muhammad led prayers towards this site until the seventeenth month after the emigration, when God ordered him to turn towards the Ka’aba. Al-Aqsa is comes as twentieth largest mosque of the world. A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. Muslims often refer to the mosque by its Arabic name, Masjid. The mosque serves as a place where Muslims can come together for prayer as well as a center for information, education and dispute settlement. This post features top 20 largest mosques of the world, hope you will like our effort. read more after the break...20 photos..

19. Masjid e Tooba (Gol Masjid), Karachi, Pakistan

Masjid e Tooba or Tooba Mosque is located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Locally, it is also known as the Gol Masjid. Masjid e Tooba was built in 1969 in Defense Housing Society, Karachi is nineteenth largest mosque in the world. It is located just off main Korangi Road. Masjid e Tooba is often claimed to be the largest single dome mosque in the world. It is also major tourist attraction in Karachi. Masjid e Tooba is built with pure white marble. The dome of the Masjid e Tooba is 72 meters (236 feet) in diameter, and is balanced on a low surrounding wall with no central pillars. Masjid e Tooba has a single minaret standing 70 meters high. The central prayer hall has a capacity of 5,000 people. It has been built keeping acoustics in mind. A person speaking inside one end of the dome can be heard at the other end. This mosque was designed by Pakistani architect Dr Babar Hamid Chauhan.

18. Al Fateh Mosque (Bahrain Grand Mosque)

The Al-Fateh Mosque also known as Al-Fateh Islamic Center & Al Fateh Grand Mosque is eighteenth of the largest mosques in the world, capable of accommodating over 7,000 worshippers at a time. he mosque is the largest place of worship in Bahrain. It is located next to the King Faisal Highway in Juffair, which is a town located in the capital city of Manama. The mosque very close to the Royal Bahraini Palace, the residence of the king of Bahrain Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah. The huge dome built on top of the Al-Fatih Mosque is made of pure fiberglass.

17. Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a historical mosque in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Ottoman Empire (from 1453 to 1923). The mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. It was built between 1609 and 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I. Like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasah and a hospice. While still used as a mosque, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque has also become a popular tourist attraction. Sultan Ahmed Mosque is known as seventeenth largest mosque in the world.

16. Grozny Central Dome Mosque

Akhmad Kadyrov Grozny Central Dome Mosque is located in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, and bears the name of Akhmad Kadyrov. The mosque design is based on the Blue Mosque in I.stanbul. On October 16, 2008, the mosque was officially opened in a ceremony in which Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov spoke and was with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. This mosque is one of the biggest in Europe. In this mosque ten thousand Muslims can pray at a time and its minarets reach 60m high and is sixteenth largest mosque in the world.

15. Baitul Futuh Mosque

The Bait’ul Futuh Mosque is the largest mosque in Western Europe and fifteenth largest in the world with an area of 5.2 acres (21,000 m2), the mosque complex can accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers. Built in 2003 at a cost of approximately £5.5 million, entirely from donations of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, it is located in the south-west London suburb of Morden, next to Morden South railway station, 150 yards from the Morden Underground.

14. Masjid-e-Aqsa Rabwah, Pakistan

Masjid-e-Aqsa is the greatest mosque of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The foundation stone was laid in 1966 and the building’s inauguration took place on March 31, 1972. The mosque is the main mosque of the Ahmadiyya in Rabwah for 12,000 worshipers. The design came from the mosque, Abdul Rashid, at the request of Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad should occur in one Central Mosque Rabwah. The blueprint was already established during his tenure, but because of the Caliph was not affected, the foundation will be laid. On 28 October 1966 Mirza Nasir Ahmad laid the foundation for the Masjid-e-Aqsa. The Friday Sermon the third Caliph 31 The mosque was opened in March 1972. Masjid-e-Aqsa is fourteenth largest mosque in the world.

13. Masjid Negara, Malaysia

The Masjid Negara is the national mosque of Malaysia, located in Kuala Lumpur. It has a capacity of 15,000 people and is situated among 13 acres (53,000 m2) of beautiful gardens. The original structure was designed by a three-person team from the Public Works Department – UK architect Howard Ashley, and Malaysians Hisham Albakri and Baharuddin Kassim. Originally built in 1965, it is a bold and modern approach in reinforced concrete, symbolic of the aspirations of a then newly-independent Malaysia. Its key features are a 73-metre-high minaret and an 18-pointed star concrete main roof. The umbrella, synonymous with the tropics, is featured conspicuously – the main roof is reminiscent of an open umbrella, the minaret’s cap a folded one. The folded plates of the concrete main roof is a creative solution to achieving the larger spans required in the main gathering hall. Reflecting pools and fountains spread throughout the compound. Masjid Negara known as thirteenth largest mosque in the world.

12. Id Kah Mosque, China

The Id Kah Mosque is a mosque located in Kashgar, Xinjiang, in the western People’s Republic of China. It is the largest mosque in China and twelfth largest mosque in the world . Every Friday, it houses nearly 10,000 worshippers and may accommodate up to 20,000. The mosque was built by Saqsiz Mirza in ca. 1442 (although it incorporated older structures dating back to 996) and covers 16,800 square meters.

11. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Oman

In 1992 Sultan Qaboos directed that his country of Oman should have a Grand Mosque. A competition for its design took place in 1993 and after a site was chosen at Bausher construction commenced in 1995. Building work, which was undertaken by Carillion Alawi LLC took six years and four months. The Mosque is built from 300,000 tonnes of Indian sandstone and eleventh largest mosque in the world. The main musalla (prayer hall) is square (external dimensions 74.4 x 74.4 metres) with a central dome rising to a height of fifty metres above the floor. The dome and the main minaret (90 metres) and four flanking minarets (45.5 metres) are the mosque’s chief visual features.

10. Baitul Mukarram, Bangladesh

Baitul Mukarram is the national mosque of Bangladesh. Located at the heart of Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, the mosque was founded during the 1960s. The mosque has a capacity of 30,000, giving it the respectable position of being the 10th biggest mosque in the world. However the mosque is constantly getting overcrowded. This especially occurs during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which has resulted in the Bangladeshi government having to add extensions to the mosque, thus increasing the capacity to at least 40,000.

9. Jama Masjid, Delhi, India

Jama Masjid, commonly known as the Jama Masjid of Delhi, is the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, and completed in the year 1656 AD, it is the largest and best-known mosque in India and ninth largest mosque in the world. It lies at the origin of a very busy central street of Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk. The later name, Jama Masjid, is a reference to the weekly Friday noon congregation prayers of Muslims, Jummah, which are usually done at a mosque, the “congregational mosque”. The courtyard of the mosque can hold up to twenty-five thousand worshipers.

8. Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates and the eighth largest mosque in the world. It is named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder and the first President of the United Arab Emirates, who is also buried there. The mosque was officially opened in the Islamic month of Ramadan in 2007.

7. Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan

The Badshahi Mosque or the ‘Emperor’s Mosque’ in Lahore is the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the seventh largest mosque in the world. Epitomising the beauty, passion and grandeur of the Mughal era, it is Lahore’s most famous landmark and a major tourist attraction. Capable of accommodating 10,000 worshippers in its main prayer hall and a further 100,000 in its courtyard and porticoes, it remained the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986 (a period of 313 years), when overtaken in size by the completion of the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. Today, it remains the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world.

6. Faisal Mosque, Islamabad, Pakistan

The Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is the largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the sixth largest mosque in the world. It was the largest mosque in the world from 1986 to 1993 when overtaken in size by the completion of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. Subsequent expansions of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca and the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet’s Mosque) in Medina, Saudi Arabia during the 1990s relegated Faisal Mosque to fourth place in terms of size. Faisal Mosque is conceived as the National Mosque of Pakistan. It has a covered area of 5,000 m2 (54,000 sq ft) and has a capacity to accommodate approximately 300,000 worshippers (100,000 in its main prayer hall, courtyard and porticoes and another 200,000 in its adjoining grounds).

5. The Hassan II Mosque

Located in Casablanca is the largest mosque in Morocco and the fifth largest mosque in the world. Designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau and built by Bouygues.[1] It stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic, which can be seen through a gigantic glass floor with room for 25,000 worshippers. A further 80,000 can be accommodated in the mosque’s adjoining grounds for a total of 105,000 worshippers present at any given time at the Hassan II mosque. Its minaret is the world’s tallest at 210 m (689 ft).

4. Istiqlal Mosque

Istiqlal Mosque, or Masjid Istiqlal, in Jakarta, Indonesia is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia in term of capacity to accommodate people. However in term of building structure and land coverage, Istiqlal is the largest in Southeast Asia and fourth largest in the world. This national mosque of Indonesia was build to commemorate Indonesian independence, as nation’s gratitude for God’s blessings; the independence of Indonesia. Therefore the national mosque of Indonesia was named “Istiqlal”, an Arabic word for “Independence”.

3. Imam Reza Shrine

Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, Iran is a complex which contains the mausoleum of Ima-m Ridha, the eighth Imam of Twelver Shi’ites and known as third largest mosque of the world. Also contained within the complex include: the Goharshad Mosque, a museum, a library, four seminaries, a cemetery, the Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, a dining hall for pilgrims, vast prayer halls, and other buildings.

2. Al-Masjid al-Nabawi

Al-Masjid al-Nabawi “Mosque of the Prophet”), often called the Prophet’s Mosque, is a mosque situated in the city of Medina. As the final resting place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, it is considered the second holiest site in Islam by both Shia and Sunni Muslims (the first being the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca) and is the second largest mosque in the world.

1. Masjid al-Haram, Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Masjid al-Haram is the largest mosque in the world. Located in the city of Mecca, it surrounds the Kaaba, the place which Muslims worldwide turn towards while offering daily prayers and is Islam’s holiest place. The mosque is also known as the Grand Mosque. The current structure covers an area of 4,008,020 square metres (990.40 acres) including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to four million Muslim worshippers during the Hajj period, one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world.

Via : Wikipedia

Suspension Bridge made of Grass

2010-06-16T23:42:00.000-07:00

Qeswachaka, the hanging bridge located at the southern province of Canas in Cuzco, Peru. It is hand-woven from a local grass called "Qoya". It is 120 feet long and is rebuilt every year by a local community. More images after the break...

Via : Link

Snake Temple

2010-06-01T05:44:00.000-07:00

There is in Malaysia on the island of Penang, a place as the Temple of Snakes. Here live the most dangerous species of snakes - rattlesnakes. The temple is infested by them: on the floor, in corners, even on the altar. Here they are gods, they had to bow to the faithful.

1. In the Snake Temple in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, has a place and people, and one of the most dangerous creatures on earth - the snakes. more images after the break...

2. Located at Sungai Kluang, on the island of Penang, Snake Temple is also known as Temple of Azure Clouds, or the Temple of pure clouds - in honor of the clear sky Penang.

3. In this temple, home to rattlesnakes, which the locals believe the servants Chor Soo Kong and deities.

4) Legend of the development of the temple says that he is standing there an ulterior motive, the legend, by the way, you can watch movies online at specialized sites. Earlier, before the advent of the holy palace here, on this place was a lonely hermit shack believer, who was always happy to see the snakes in his house.

5. And they did not refuse his hospitality and often crawled here, many lived permanently here. When the hermit had died, and the shack collapsed, and the snakes are gone from these lands, and when he was elevated to an elegant temple, they began to consider themselves in one piece with a sacred institution.

6. Thousands of believers come to the Temple of snakes in Penang every year.

7. Someone said that this act of Chor Soo Kong, others believe that rattlesnakes - one of the most aggressive species of snakes - calm down under the influence of smoke from smoking.

8. Unfortunately, the number of snakes in the temple fell sharply due to the urbanization of the area.

9. However, do not worry. Most of the guests of the temple (ie, snakes) poisonous glands removed, so that they can embrace and even photographed.

10. Scientists still can not explain the fact that on certain days in the temple slides a huge number of snakes. On ordinary days in the temple can be seen only a few snakes, which mainly lie in the dark corners and do not stir.

Football Worldcup in South Africa

2010-06-01T05:33:00.000-07:00

June 11 to begin the 19th FIFA World Cup. This year's event will be hosted by South Africa and will be the first World Cup played on the African continent. For the ten stadiums, in 9 cities will play 32 matches of national teams, among which, unfortunately, our lack of representation.Therefore, the great festival of football, I invite you to Football Fridays at 990px. Every Friday until the start of the championships, will show some photographs related to this edition of the championships, organized in South Africa. The first one is going symbols upcoming championships and the arena where the matches will be played, so treat not only for fans but also the blade changes for all fans of architecture. (29 photos)

1st GERMANY, Berlin, June 9, 2006: Employee security company presenting a statuette given to masters of the world by FIFA. Based on the information engraved on the winners of the previous championships. AFP PHOTO BARBARA SAX. more pictures after the break...

2nd Germany, Leverkusen, September 5, 2009: Zakumi (a combination of ZA - South Africa signs the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 and the words of Kumi - in many African languages means "ten") - the mascot of the championship in South Africa - poses for photos before a friendly match between the representations of Germany and South Africa. AFP PHOTO DDP / Lennart Preiss

3rd GERMANY, Munich, 4 December 2009: Jabulani (which in Zulu means "celebrate") - A formal model of the ball, which will play football at the championships in South Africa. AFP PHOTO DDP / OLIVER LANG

4th GERMANY, Duisburg, 27 April 2006: Presentation Cup FIFA World Cup. AFP PHOTO DDP / Volker HARTMANN

5th South Africa, Johannesburg, 13 June 2009: The tunnel leading to the turf at Ellis Park stadium, Johannesburg. The stadium can accommodate 60 thousand. viewers. AFP PHOTO / ROBERTO SCHMIDT

6th South Africa, Johannesburg, 20 November 2008: Work on laying the new turf on the stadium's Ellis Park. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE

7th South Africa, Soweto, 16 March 2010: General view of the stadium in Soweto, which will house nearly 95 thousand. viewers. (Photo: 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa via Getty Images)

8th South Africa, Soweto, 13 December 2009: The football stadium on the outskirts of Johannesburg. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE

9th South Africa, Soweto, 28 March 2010: A lump seen the stadium in Soweto in the late evening. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE

10th South Africa, Johannesburg, 23 June 2009: Children playing football in a stadium in Soweto. AFP PHOTO / YASUYOSHI Chiba

11th South Africa, Soweto, 28 March 2010: The football stadium in Soweto at night. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE

12th South Africa, Cape Town, 2 December 2009: Night panorama of Cape Town and the scene of the upcoming world championships in football, with a capacity of 68 thousand. viewers. (Photo: Darren Stewart / Gallo Images / Getty Images)

13th South Africa, Cape Town, 25 April 2010: Panorama of Cape Town with a visible Green Point Stadium. AFP PHOTO / Dean Treml

14th South Africa, Cape Town, 22 March 2010: The Prayer (here sitting in the stands 45 thousand. People) at the newly opened stadium in Cape Town. AFP PHOTO / Roger Bosch

15th South Africa, Cape Town, March 1, 2010: One of the locker room at the Green Point stadium. AFP PHOTO STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN

16th South Africa, Cape Town, March 1, 2010: The cell at the police station, located at Green Point stadium. AFP PHOTO STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN

17th South Africa, Durban, December 8, 2009: Cloakroom Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE

18th South Africa, Durban, December 8, 2009: View of the grandstand and turf stadium in Durban. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE

19th South Africa, Durban, February 12, 2010: Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. AFP PHOTO / EUROLUFTBILD

20th South Africa, Polokwane, 15 February 2010: Aerial view of the stadium Peter Mokaby in Polokwane, where 45 thousand can cheer. viewers. AFP PHOTO / EUROLUFTBILD

21st South Africa, Nelspruit, 21 March 2010: Football Stadium Mbombela in Nelspruit, which stands at 44 thousand fit. viewers. AFP PHOTO / STR

22nd South Africa, Nelspruit, March 21, 2010: Tribune, and turf stadium in Nelspruit. AFP PHOTO / STR

23rd South Africa, Nelspruit, 21 March 2010: The entrance to the toilets for the ladies at the Mbombela stadium. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE

24th RPA, Rustenburg, June 16, 2009: In the foreground a woman carry water from the distribution point. On the second plan, the Royal Bafokeng Stadium - multi-use stadium in Rustenburg. AFP PHOTO / FRANCOIS XAVIER MARIT

25th South Africa, Rustenburg, June 21, 2009: A view of the whole object Royal Bafokeng Stadium, located 42 thousand in the stands. viewers. AFP PHOTO / FRANCOIS XAVIER MARIT

26th South Africa, Port Elizabeth, 23 June 2009: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth capacity of 48 thousand. viewers. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE

27th South Africa, Port Elizabeth, July 23, 2009: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium at night. AFP PHOTO / JOE Alexander

28th South Africa, Port Elizabeth, May 14, 2010: Sokolniki Arnold Slabbert, together with her students - a wandering hawk - involved in killing pests on Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (mainly pigeons and rodents). AFP PHOTO / Gianluigi GUERCIA

29th South Africa, Port Elizabeth, May 14, 2010: The peregrine falcon is at work on the stadium Nelson Mandela Bay. AFP PHOTO / Gianluigi GUERCIA Via Link

Russian stadiums for the World Cup in 2018

2010-05-16T05:41:00.000-07:00

1. Dynamo Moscow

Russian stadiums for the World Cup in 2018, More images after the break...

2. Spartak Moscow

3. Luzhniki, Moscow

4. Moscow region

5. St. Petersburg

6. Kaliningrad

7. Yaroslavl

8. Nizhny Novgorod

9. Kazan

10. Samara

11. Rostov-na-Donu

12. Volgograd

13. Saransk

14. Krasnodar

15. Sochi

16. Ekaterinburg

Jabuticaba - The Grape Tree That Fruits on Its Trunk

2010-05-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

Image Credit Flickr User Maurogaunandi

No, this is not a belated April Fool’s prank. They look as if they may have been pinned there by an over enthusiastic gardener to impress the neighbors but the fruit of the Jabuticaba really does grow off the trunk of the tree. View more images after the break...

Image Credit Flickr User Mauroguanandi

Otherwise known as the Brazilian Grape Tree, this plant is native to South America, notably Paraguay, Argentina and (obviously from its name) mostly from Brazil. The fruit, a succulent looking purple color can be plucked and eaten straight from the tree.

Image Credit Flickr User Mauroguanando

Image Credit Flckr User ign11

It is also a popular ingredient in jellies and is also juiced to make a refreshing summer drink. What is more it can be fermented and made in to wine and strong liquor. After three days off the tree the fermentation will begin so sometimes, there is no choice. Honestly.

Image Credit Wikimedia Commons

If you want one of these in your garden then you have to be patient. The tree takes an age to grow, but once it reaches maturity it is worth it. However, it has proven to be very adaptable and although it prefers moist and slightly acid soils it will even grow well in an alkaline type soil.

Image Credit Flickr User Mauroguanandi

The flowers themselves appear on the tree at most twice a year – naturally. They look like some strange alien creature that has deposited itself on the trunk and branches. The habit of flowers doing this makes them cauliflorous. Instead of growing new shoots these plants flower direct from the woody trunk or stem.

Image Credit Flickr User Santa Rosa Old Skool

You might ask why it is this way. The simple answer is that it has evolved in this manner so that animals that cannot climb very high can reach it, eat it and then expel the seeds away from the parent tree to further propagate the species.

Image Credit Flickr User Mauroguanandi

If the tree is well irrigated then it will flower and fruit all the year round. The fruit itself is about four centimeters in diameter and has up to four large seeds. As well as being used as food the skins can be dried out and used to treat asthma and diarrhoea.

Image Credit Flickr User Felipe Setlik

If your tonsils are swollen you can also use it to try and alleviate the inflammation. It is also hoped that the tree will be useful in the fight against cancer as several anti-cancer compounds have been found in the fruit. Altogether a useful tree if a slightly strange looking one.

Queen Elizabeth — Japan’s Most Famous Love Hotel

2010-05-05T23:11:00.000-07:00

Love hotels are part of Japan’s tradition, and the Queen Elizabeth is regarded as the most popular of them all. It’s not because of the great service, but more because of its wacky design. More images after the break...

Shaped like the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship, this weird-looking hotel is located in Kanagawa, not far from Tokyo. Apparently the rooms also have a naval theme, so guests feel more like they’re doing it on a real ship.

One of the funniest things about the recently reconditioned Queen Elizabeth Love Hotel is that it features statues of Jake and Rose, from James Cameron’s Titanic, doing the flying pose, on the ship’s bow. I fail to see the connection, but I guess a boat’s a boat, and…well whatever attracts more customers, right?

Via — Link

Camouflaged Cell Phone Towers

2010-04-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

Even though people increasingly depend upon cellular communications, they are opposed to the bare cell phone towers spoiling otherwise scenic views. Many people view bare towers as an ugly mark on a beautiful landscape. So many companies disguise their cell phone towers as trees, church towers, flag poles, water tanks and other features. These are generally called "stealth towers" or "stealth installations". More images after the break...

Via : Link

Shuvalov Bell Factory

2010-04-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

There is certainly something fascinating about bells. They are not just tools for producing high-quality and extraordinary clear sounds. Bell is also a means of fellowship of God and people. Somehow, bells draw His attention to something that’s happening in a church. For toll can be a festive or a mournful thing; it also can inform one of good news or just please your ear with music that the toller makes, more images after the break...

And there is more. Each bell is a work of art itself. There is one small bell factory located in the north of the Yaroslav region, nearby Tutaevo town, which is probably known all round the world. You can hear the toll of Tutaev bells almost in every church of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

No, of course bells aren’t being born like that. At the beginning there are lots of calculations and lots of paperwork that must be done. After all the routine, casting molds which will make the shape of a bell itself are need to be carved out. And only afterwards a long process goes in by way of which clay will be put on the stem coating after coating. Notably that even the clay used is special one. It is collected in some quarry in the Yaroslav region and then delivered to the plant. Do not ask about quarry location: Tutaev masters prefer not to breathe a word about it.

Owner and a soul of the factory is Nikolai Shuvalov. Who can tell us about bells and their making process more than he?

Clay is being put on a workpiece with the quality of clay upgraded with every single coating. When it’s finished we’re getting inner surface of the bell made of clay. Then there is a new mold being slipped on the stem which is going to make the outer face of a bell. The clay is being coated on it layer after layer, but its quality is much better now.

When the mold is finished different trimmings are being put onto the bell. It is a painstaking work as well. At first you need to make all the trimmings of playdough, mold them and then do it once more, but make them of natural bees-wax this time. And then wax letters and trimmings are being fastened onto the clay bell.

And now, after two months of backbreaking job, the final molding stage arrives. The casting itself doesn’t usually last longer than ten or 15 minutes. And when the metal is cooled off we can see that the bell is almost ready.

The tongue must be fixed to a bell. One of these or maybe some another kind of a tongue.

That is all. The bell is ready.

You can already toll it. And Vladimir Degtyarev, a toller and an artist does it with a sparkish ingenuity.

Each bell has its own voice and the clearer this voice – the more valuable the bell is. You can see notes on some bells – they are tones the bells sing.

If you will take a closer look at this bell, you will be able to read what is written on it: “This bell is founded by the willing hands of President Medvedev and his family.”

Via : Link

Turnip Rock on Lake Huron

2010-04-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

One of the little-known wonders of Huron County, Turnip Rock stands off the the rocky shores of Lake Huron, near Michigan's thumbnail. This place is charming and unbelievably beautiful. The land around Turnip Rock is privately owned, so the only way to reach it is by boat, More images after the break...

Frozen Money

2010-03-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

In Sydney, was a promotional campaign to mark the opening of a new label clothing. On the square "Martin Place" put 400-pound block of ice, which were concluded in 1000 Australian dollars. To get them, we had to work hard. more images after the break...

Bird Singing Contest in Yala 2010

2010-03-28T22:45:00.000-07:00

Thai Muslim villagers look at birds in cages during in a bird-singing contest in Yala province, about 1,100 km (683 miles) south of Bangkok March 7, 2010. About 6,000 birds took part in the competition. (Reuters)

More images after the break...

Via Link

Mango Tree House

2010-03-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

I wish I could live in this wonderful house built on a mango tree. Only think about it: you can eat as many mangos as you wish, and if you don’t like this tropical fruit you can always make mango juice for your friends. Wouldn’t that be awesome? 10 more images after the break...

Another Seven Wonders Of The World

2010-03-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

01 Banaue Rice Terraces (Philippines)

The Banaue Rice Terraces are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the indigenous people. The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to by Filipinos as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately 1500 meters (5000 ft) above sea level and cover 10,360 square kilometers (about 4000 square miles) of mountainside. They are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces. It is said that if the steps are put end to end it would encircle half the globe. Read more after the break...

The Banaue terraces are part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, ancient sprawling man-made structures from 2,000 to 6,000 years old. They are found in the provinces of Kalinga, Apayao, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Locals to this day still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing, often opting for the more lucrative hospitality industry generated by the Rice Terraces. The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps", which need constant reconstruction and care. Via — Link

02 Ajanta Caves (India)

Photo — Link

AJANTA is world's greatest historical monument recognised by UNESCO located just 40kms from Jalgaon city of Maharashtra, India. There are 30 caves in Ajanta of which 9, 10, 19, 26 and 29 are chaitya-grihas and the rest are monasteries. These caves were discovered in AD 1819 and were built up in the earlier 2nd century BC-AD. Most of the paintings in Ajanta are right from 2nd century BC-AD and some of them about the fifth century AD and continued for the next two centuries. All paintings shows heavy religious influence and centre around Buddha, Bodhisattvas, incidents from the life of Buddha and the Jatakas. The paintings are executed on a ground of mud-plaster in the tempera technique.

Conjures before one's vision, a dream of beauty- of caves, hidden in the midst of a lonely glen with a streamlet flowing down below, caves that were scooped out into the heart of the rock so that the pious Buddhist monk, out on mission to spread the tenets of Buddhism could dwell and pray, caves that the followers of Lord Buddha, embellished with architectural details with a skilful command of the hammer over the chisel, with sculpture of highest craftsmanship and above all, with the paintings of infinite charm.

At Ajanta, the paintings on the walls, illustrate the events in the life of prince Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism and in the more popular Jatakas stories pertaining to Buddha's previous incarnation. According to the older conceptions, the Buddha wrought many deeds of kindness and mercy in a long series of transmigration as a Bodhisattva, before achieving his final birth as the sage of sakyas.

Incidentally they contain the scenes of semi-mythological history, the royal court and popular life of the ancient times, as told in romances and plays. Some pictures recall the Greek and Roman compositions and proportions, few late resemble to Chinese manners to some extent. But majority belongs to a phase, which is purely Indian, as they are found nowhere else. These monuments were constructed during two different periods of time separated by a long interval of four centuries. The older ones were the product of last to centuries before Christ and belong to Hinayana period of Buddhism in later part of 2nd century AD when Buddhism was divided into two sections, after the conduct of the fourth general council under another great king, Kanishka. Vai — Link

03 Sigiriya (Sri Lanka)

Photo — Link

Sigiriya (Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and palace ruin situated in the central Matale District of Sri Lanka, surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures. A popular tourist destination, Sigiriya is also renowned for its ancient paintings (frescos),[1] which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India. The Sigiriya was built during the reign of King Kassapa I (AD 477 – 495), and it is one of the seven World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.

Sigiriya may have been inhabited through prehistoric times. It was used as a rock-shelter mountain monastery from about the 5th century BC, with caves prepared and donated by devotees to the Buddhist Sangha. The garden and palace were built by King Kasyapa. Following King Kasyapa's death, it was again a monastery complex up to about the 14th century, after which it was abandoned. . The Sigiri inscriptions were deciphered by the archaeologist Senarath Paranavithana in his renowned two-volume work, published by Oxford, Sigiri Graffiti. He also wrote the popular book "Story of Sigiriya".

The Mahavamsa, the ancient historical record of Sri Lanka, describes King Kasyapa as the son of King Dhatusena. Kasyapa murdered his father by walling him alive and then usurping the throne which rightfully belonged to his brother Mogallana, Dhatusena's son by the true queen. Mogallana fled to India to escape being assassinated by Kasyapa but vowed revenge. In India he raised an army with the intention of returning and retaking the throne of Sri Lanka which he considered was rightfully his. Knowing the inevitable return of Mogallana, Kasyapa is said to have built his palace on the summit of Sigiriya as a fortress and pleasure palace. Mogallana finally arrived and declared war. During the battle Kasyapa's armies abandoned him and he committed suicide by falling on his sword. Chronicles and lore say that the battle-elephant on which Kasyapa was mounted changed course to take a strategic advantage, but the army misinterpreted the movement as the King having opted to retreat, prompting the army to abandon the king altogether. Moggallana returned the capital to Anuradapura, converting Sigiriya into a monastery complex.

Alternative stories have the primary builder of Sigiriya as King Dhatusena, with Kasyapa finishing the work in honour of his father. Still other stories have Kasyapa as a playboy king, with Sigiriya a pleasure palace. Even Kasyapa's eventual fate is mutable. In some versions he is assassinated by poison administered by a concubine. In others he cuts his own throat when isolated in his final battle.[5] Still further interpretations have the site as the work of a Buddhist community, with no military function at all. This site may have been important in the competition between the Mahayana and Theravada Buddhist traditions in ancient Sri Lanka.

Via — Link

04 Leptis Magna (Libya)

Photo — Link

Leptis Magna, also known as Lectis Magna (or Lepcis Magna as it is sometimes spelled), also called Lpqy or Neapolis, was a prominent city of the Roman Empire. Its ruins are located in Al Khums, Libya, 130 km east of Tripoli, on the coast where the Wadi Lebda meets the sea. The site is one of the most spectacular and unspoiled Roman ruins in the Mediterranean. Via — Link

05 Meteora (Greece)

Photo — Link

The Metéora (Greek "suspended rocks", "suspended in the air" or "in the heavens above") is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains, in central Greece. The nearest town is Kalambaka. The Metéora is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List under criteria. Via — Link

06 Bagan (Myanmar)

Photo — Link

Bagan, formerly Pagan, is an ancient city in the Mandalay Division of Burma. Formally titled Arimaddanapura or Arimaddana (the City of the Enemy Crusher) and also known as Tambadipa (the Land of Copper) or Tassadessa (the Parched Land), it was the ancient capital of several ancient kingdoms in Burma. It is located in the dry central plains of the country, on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwady River, 90 miles (145 km) southwest of Mandalay.

Bagan was submitted to become a UNESCO heritage site but many speculate of politics as partly the reason for the exclusion. UNESCO does not designate Bagan as a World Heritage Site. The main reason given is that the military junta (SPDC) has haphazardly restored ancient stupas, temples and buildings, ignoring original architectural styles and using modern materials which bear little or no resemblance to the original designs. The junta has also established a golf course, a paved highway, and built a 200-foot (61-m) watchtower in the southeastern suburb of Minnanthu. Via — Link

07 Valley of Flowers National Park

Photo — Link

Valley of Flowers National Park is an Indian national park, Nestled high in West Himalaya, is renowned for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty. This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, brown bear and blue sheep. The gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park. Together they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya. The park stretches over an expanse of 87.50 km².

The Valley of Flowers is an outstandingly beautiful high-altitude Himalayan valley that has been acknowledged as such by renowned mountaineers and botanists in literature for over a century and in Hindu mythology for much longer. Its ‘gentle’ landscape, breathtakingly beautiful meadows of alpine flowers and ease of access complement the rugged, mountain wilderness for which the inner basin of Nanda Devi National Park is renowned.

Valley of flower is splashed with colour as it bloomed with hundreds different beautiful flowers, taking on various shades of colours as time progressed. Valley was declared a national park in 1982, and now it is a World Heritage Site. The locals, of course, always knew of the existence of the valley, and believed that it was inhabited by fairies.

While trekking towards valley of flowers, tourists can experience the beauty of shining peaks fully covered with snow. Tourists can also see the beautiful view of surrounding greenery and various running streams with crystal clear water.

The valley is home to many celebrated flowers like the Brahmakamal, the Blue Poppy and the Cobra Lily. It is a much sought after haunt for flower-lovers, botanists and of course trekkers, for whom a sufficient excuse to embark on a mission to reach a place, is that it exists.

The Valley of Flowers is internationally important on account of its diverse alpine flora, representative of the West Himalaya biogeographic zone. The rich diversity of species reflects the valley’s location within a transition zone between the Zaskar and Great Himalayas ranges to the north and south, respectively, and between the Eastern Himalaya and Western Himalaya flora. A number of plant species are internationally threatened, several have not been recorded from elsewhere in Uttarakhand and two have not been recorded in Nanda Devi National Park. The diversity of threatened species of medicinal plants is higher than has been recorded in other Indian Himalayan protected areas. The entire Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve lies within the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA). Seven restricted-range bird species are endemic to this part of the EBA.

The Valley of Flowers was declared a national park in 1982. This part of Uttarakhand, in the upper reaches of Garhwal, is inaccessible through much of the year. The area lies on the Zanskar range of the Himalayas with the highest point in the national park being Gauri Parbat at 6,719 m above sea level. Via — Link

08 Tower of Hercules (Spain)

The Tower of Hercules (Galician and Spanish: Torre de Hércules) is an ancient Roman lighthouse on a peninsula about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the centre of A Coruña, Galicia, in north-western Spain. The name Corunna is said to be derived from the ancient columna, meaning column. The structure is 55 metres (180 ft) tall and overlooks the North Atlantic coast of Spain. The structure, almost 1900 years old and rehabilitated in 1791, is the oldest Roman lighthouse still used as a lighthouse.

The Tower of Hercules is a National Monument of Spain, and since June, 27 2009 the Tower of Hercules is also considered an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the second tallest lighthouse in Spain, after the Faro de Chipiona.

Construction and History

The tower remains a sentinel from days long past. It is known to have existed by the 2nd century, built or perhaps rebuilt under Trajan, perhaps on foundations and just possibly following a design that was Phoenician in origin. It is thought to be modeled after the Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria. At its base is preserved the cornerstone with the inscription MARTI AUG.SACR C.SEVIVS LUPUS ARCHTECTUS AEMINIENSIS LVSITANVS.EX.VO, permitting the original lighthouse tower to be ascribed to the architect Gaius Sevius Lupus, from Aeminium (present-day Coimbra, Portugal) in the former province of Lusitania, as an ex voto dedicated to Mars. The tower has been in constant use since the 2nd century and considered to be the oldest existing lighthouse in the world. Originally it was constructed with an ascending ramp encircling its sides, for oxen to bring cartloads of wood to keep the light fueled at night.[citation needed]

The earliest surviving mention of the lighthouse at Brigantium is by Paulus Orosius in Historiae adversum Paganos written ca 415 – 417:

Secundus angulus circium intendit, ubi Brigantia Gallaeciae civitas sita altissimum farum et inter pauca memorandi operis ad speculam Britanniae erigit” ("At the second angle of the circuit [circumnavigating Hispania], where the Gallaecian city of Brigantia is sited, a very tall lighthouse is erected among a few commemorative works, for looking towards Britannia.") Vai — Link

09 Library of Celsus (Turkey)

The library of Celsus, in Ephesus, Asia Minor (Anatolia, now Turkey), was built in honor of Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus (completed in 135 AD) by Celsus’ son, Gaius Julius Aquila (consul, 110 AD). Celsus had been consul in 92 AD, governor of Asia in 115 AD, and a wealthy and popular local citizen.

The library was built to store 12,000 scrolls and to serve as a monumental tomb for Celsus. It was unusual to be buried within a library or even within city limits, so this was a special honor for Celsus. Via — Link

10 Torun' (Poland)

Source: santabanta.com

Torun' [?t?ru?] ( listen) (German: Thorn (Ltspkr.png listen), Kashubian: Torn', Latin: Thorunium, see also: other names) is a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River, with population over 205,934 as of June 2009, making it the second-largest city of Kujawy-Pomerania Province, after Bydgoszcz. The medieval old town of Torun' is the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus. In 1997 it was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List as a World Heritage Site.

Previously it was the capital of the Torun' Voivodeship (1975–98) and the Pomeranian Voivodeship (1921–45). Since 1999, Torun' has been a seat of the self-government of the Kujawy-Pomerania Province and, as such, is one of its two capitals (together with Bydgoszcz). The cities and neighboring counties form the Bydgoszcz-Torun' bipolar metropolitan area. In September 2004, Bydgoszcz Medical School joined Torun''s Nicolaus Copernicus University as its Collegium Medicum. (Another Seven Wonders Of The World = Ritemail.blogspot.com)

No One Could Imagine That This Place Could Be Deadly Dangerous

2010-03-05T03:22:00.000-08:00

Who would have predicted that ordinary rain can do that with a river in a such idyllic place of Mag-Aso falls on Bohol Island, Philippines. Everything was normal when suddenly the water began to rise very quickly, the waterfall started to fall heavily and the river current accelerated. The two guys who were in the water at that time found themselves trapped under the waterfall. This continued for several hours ... The bodies of two guys were found a couple days later, 5 km from this place that seemed to be a little piece of paradise... More images after the break...

The Least Populated Countries in The World

2010-02-23T09:12:00.000-08:00

10 - Dominica 72,500

Dominica, (French: Dominique) officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. To the north-northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique. Its size is 754 square kilometres (291 sq mi) and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of 1,447 metres (4,750 ft). The Commonwealth of Dominica has an estimated population of 72,500. The capital is Roseau.

Dominica has been nicknamed the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean" for its seemingly unspoiled natural beauty. It is the youngest island in the Lesser Antilles, still being formed by geothermal-volcanic activity, as evidenced by the world's second-largest boiling lake. The island features lush mountainous rainforests, home of many rare plant, animal and bird species. There are xeric areas in some of the western coastal regions, but heavy rainfall can be expected inland. The Sisserou Parrot (also known as the Imperial Amazon), the island's national bird, is featured on the national flag. Dominica's economy is heavily dependent on both tourism and agriculture. More images after the break...
Christopher Columbus named the island after the day of the week on which he spotted it, a Sunday (dominica in Latin), November 3, 1493. In the next hundred years after Columbus' landing, Dominica remained isolated, and even more Caribs settled there after being driven from surrounding islands as European powers entered the region. France formally ceded possession of Dominica to the United Kingdom in 1763. The United Kingdom then set up a government and made the island a colony in 1805.

The emancipation of African slaves occurred throughout the British Empire in 1834, and, in 1838, Dominica became the first British Caribbean colony to have a legislature controlled by an African majority. In 1896, the United Kingdom reassumed governmental control of Dominica, turning it into a Crown colony. Half a century later, from 1958 to 1962, Dominica became a province of the short-lived West Indies Federation. In 1978, Dominica became an independent nation. Link

09 The Marshall Islands 62,000

The Marshall Islands en-us-Marshall Islands.ogg, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. This nation of roughly 62,000 people is located north of Nauru and Kiribati, east of the Federated States of Micronesia, and south of the U.S. territory of Wake Island, to which it lays claim. Link

08 Saint Kitts and Nevis 52,000

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis),[2] located in the Leeward Islands, is a federal two-island nation in the West Indies. It is the smallest sovereign nation in the Americas, in both area and population.

The capital city and headquarters of government for the federated state is Basseterre on the larger island of Saint Kitts. The smaller state of Nevis lies about 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Saint Kitts, across a shallow channel called "The Narrows".

Historically, the British dependency of Anguilla was also a part of this union, which was then known collectively as Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla. Saint Kitts and Nevis are geographically part of the Leeward Islands. To the north-northwest lie the islands of Saint Eustatius, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, and Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten. To the east and northeast are Antigua and Barbuda, and to the southeast is the small uninhabited island of Redonda, and the island of Montserrat, which currently has an active volcano (see Soufrière Hills).

Saint Kitts and Nevis were amongst the first islands in the Caribbean to be settled by Europeans. Saint Kitts was home to the first British and French colonies in the Caribbean. Link

07 Liechtenstein 35,000

The Principality of Liechtenstein German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein, correct-German-pronunciation-of-Fuerstentum-Liechtenstein.ogg is a doubly landlocked alpine microstate in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over 160 km² (about 61.7 square miles) and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz; the biggest town is Schaan.

Liechtenstein is the smallest German-speaking country in the world, and the only alpine country to lie entirely within the Alps. It is also the only German-speaking country not to share a common frontier with Germany. It is a constitutional monarchy divided into 11 municipalities. Much of Liechtenstein's terrain is mountainous, making it a winter sports destination. Many cultivated fields and small farms characterize its landscape both in the north (Unterland, lower land) and in the south (Oberland, upper land). The country has a strong financial sector located in the capital, Vaduz, and has been identified as a tax haven. It is a member of the European Free Trade Association but not of the European Union. Liechtenstein is the richest country in the world on a per-capita basis. Link

06 - Monaco - 33,000

Monaco en-us-Monaco.ogg, officially the Principality of Monaco (French: Principauté de Monaco; Monégasque: Principatu de Múnegu; Italian: Principato di Monaco; Occitan: Principat de Mónegue), is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its center is about 16 km (9.9 mi) from Italy. Its area is just under 2 km² with an estimated population of almost 33,000.

Monaco is the name of the country and its capital (and only) city. It is famous as a tax haven, and wealthy foreigners make up the majority of the population, around 84%. Monaco is a constitutional monarchy and principality, with Prince Albert II as head of state. The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco since 1297, and the state's sovereignty was officially recognized by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861. Despite being independent, Monaco's defence is the responsibility of France. Link

5 - San Marino - 30,000

The Most Serene Republic of San Marino Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino) is a country situated in the Apennine Mountains. It is a landlocked enclave, completely surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over 60 km2 with an estimated population of almost 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino. One of the European microstates along with Liechtenstein, the Vatican, Monaco, Andorra, and Malta, San Marino has the smallest population of all the members of the Council of Europe.

San Marino is the oldest recorded sovereign state and constitutional republic in the world, having been founded on 3 September 301 by stonecutter Marinus of Rab. Legend has it that Marinus left Rab, then a Roman colony, in 257 when the future emperor, Diocletian, issued a decree calling for the reconstruction of the city walls of Rimini, which had been destroyed by Liburnian pirates. The constitution of San Marino, enacted in 1600, is the world's oldest constitution still in effect. Link

4 - Palau - 20,000

Palau en-us-Palau.ogg, officially the Republic of Palau (Palauan: Beluu er a Belau), is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, some 500 miles (800 km) east of the Philippines and 2,000 miles (3,200 km) south of Tokyo. Having emerged from United Nations trusteeship (administered by the United States) in 1994, it is one of the world's youngest and smallest sovereign states. In English, the name is sometimes spelled Belau in accordance with the native pronunciation. It was formerly also spelled Pelew. Link

3 - Tuvalu - 12373

Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls. Its population of 12,373 makes it the third-least-populated sovereign state in the world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. In terms of physical land size, at just 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City at 0.44 km2 (0.17 sq mi), Monaco at 1.95 km2 (0.75 sq mi) and Nauru at 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi).

The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people. The islands came under the UK's sphere of influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a protectorate from 1892 to 1916 and as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1916 to 1974. In 1974, the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth in 1978. Link

02 - Nauru - 10,000

Nauru (pronounced, officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island nation in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbor is Banaba Island in Kiribati, 300 km to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest island nation, covering just 21 square kilometres (8.1 square miles).

Settled by Micronesian and Polynesian people, Nauru was annexed and claimed as a colony by the German Empire in the late 19th century. After World War I, Nauru became a League of Nations mandate administered by Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. During World War II, Nauru was occupied by Japanese troops who were bypassed by the Allied advance across the Pacific, and after the war ended, it entered into trusteeship again. Nauru was declared independent in 1968.

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Nauru was a "rentier state". Nauru is a phosphate rock island, with deposits close to the surface, which allow for simple strip mining operations. This island was a major exporter of phosphate starting in 1907, when the Pacific Phosphate Company began mining there, through the formation of the British Phosphate Commission in 1919, and continuing after independence. This gave Nauru back full control of its minerals under the Nauru Phosphate Corporation, until the deposits ran out during the 1980s. For this reason, Nauru briefly boasted the highest per-capita income enjoyed by any sovereign state in the world during the late 1960s and early 1970s. When the phosphate reserves were exhausted, and the environment had been seriously harmed by mining, the trust established to manage the island's wealth became greatly reduced in value. To earn income, the government resorted to unusual measures. In the 1990s, Nauru briefly became a tax haven and illegal money laundering center. From 2001 to 2008, it accepted aid from the Australian government in exchange for housing an illegal migrant detention center that held and processed asylum seekers trying to enter Australia.

From December 2005 to September 2006, Nauru became partially isolated from the outside world when Air Nauru, the only airline with service to the island, ceased to operate. The only outside access to Nauru was then by ocean-going ships. The airline was able to restart operations under the name Our Airline with monetary aid from Taiwan.

On 15 December 2009 Nauru became the fourth country to recognise Abkhazia, and on 16 December recognised South Ossetia, regions of Georgia which had been de facto independent since the early 1990s and were recognised as such by Russia after the brief Russia-Georgia summer war of 2008. Reports suggest that this decision netted Nauru Russian aid of around US$50,000,000. Link

01 The Vatican City - 800

Vatican City en-us-Vatican City.ogg, officially the State of the Vatican City (Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano, pronounced, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, the capital city of Italy. It has an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres) (0.44 km2), and a population of just over 800.

Vatican City is a city-state that came into existence in 1929. It is distinct from the Holy See, which dates back to early Christianity and is the main episcopal see of 1.147 billion Latin and Eastern Catholic adherents around the globe. Ordinances of Vatican City are published in Italian; official documents of the Holy See are issued mainly in Latin. The two entities even have distinct passports: the Holy See, not being a country, only issues diplomatic and service passports; the state of Vatican City issues normal passports. In both cases the passports issued are very few.

The Lateran Treaty in 1929, which brought the city-state into existence, spoke of it as a new creation (Preamble and Article III), not as a vestige of the much larger Papal States (756-1870) that had previously encompassed central Italy. Most of this territory was absorbed into the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, and the final portion, namely the city of Rome with a small area close to it, ten years later, in 1870.

Vatican City is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state, ruled by the bishop of Rome—the Pope. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergymen of various nationalities. It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Sancta Sedes) and the location of the Pope's residence, referred to as the Apostolic Palace.

The Popes have resided in the area that in 1929 became Vatican City since the return from Avignon in 1377. Previously, they resided in the Lateran Palace on the Caelian Hill on the opposite side of Rome, which site Constantine gave to Pope Miltiades in 313. The signing of the agreements that established the new state took place in the latter building, giving rise to the name of Lateran Pacts, by which they are known. Link

Ryugyong Hotel — The world's biggest ruin

2010-02-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

The construction of the 330 m tall tower in Pyongyang, North Korea began in 1987. It has a total 360,000 m² (3.9 million ft²) floor space and 105 stories. The building should have been opened in 1989, by that time it could have been the tallest hotel in the world and the 7th largest skyscraper. North Korea have spent ~$750 million or 2% of the country's GDP on the Ryugyong Hotel. The hotel was designed to have 3,000 rooms, 7 revolving restaurants, casinos(!), nightclubs(!) and Japanese lounges. In 1989 -the original completion date- they had several construction method and material problems therefore the opening was delayed, but in 1992 the construction came to a complete halt due to funding problems, electricity shortages, and the prevailing famine. More images after the break...

2008 Update: After 16 years Ryugyong Hotel is starting to get back to life. Egypt's Orascom group has recently begun refurbishing the top floors of the tower. The company has put glass panels into the concrete shell and installed telecommunications antennas. South Korean estimations say that it would cost $2 billion to finish the hotel and make it safe, that is the same as 10% annual GDP of North Korea.

In April 2008 Orascom group has started refurbishing the Ryugyong Tower, starting with the top floors. In late 2008 the work on cladding has been the main focus of construction. Works on the tower will be finished by 2012, the year of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, ex leader of North Korea. Orascom claimed that the main goal would mean to make the tower more attractive. Hopefully it does not mean finishing the cladding, yet the structure would be left unhabitable. The Dubai based Emaar Properties developer company showed their interest in the construction of Ryugyong Hotel Tower. Emaar is one of the largest developer firms in the world and they are known for building the world's tallest tower, the Burj Dubai.

In 2006 the hotel was still not finished (it had reached its full structural height though) and left alone with a crane on the top. The building is completely empty, there is no facade on the tower either. The Ryugyong Hotel with the current structure will never be opened. The Government of North Korea was trying to find new investors to build a new structure, they would need ~$300 million for this. The tower is still by far the tallest in Pyongyang (the capital city) and in the whole of North Korea.

Via Link

Aircraft Hotel

2010-01-27T22:00:00.000-08:00

If you're thinking to yourself, "that's sort of a small window for a luxury hotel suite," well, you're right. But it's only because this room occupies the entirety of a repurposed Cold War-era East German aircraft. More images after the break...

OK, the view isn't anything special: the plane stays grounded outside the Teuge airport in the Netherlands. But the room itself, dubbed the Vliegtuigsuite, is spectacular, including three flat screen TVs, a Blu-ray player, a sauna, and a jacuzzi. Guests have access to the entire plane, from your king-size bed in the back all the way up to the cockpit. On Dec. 7th 2007 I post Plane Restaurent and this time a plane hotel, the world is really amazing.

Via Link 1 2 3

New tower in the Emirates — Nakheel Tower

2010-01-12T06:08:00.000-08:00

The latest design attempting to breach the dizzying heights of the Burj Dubai has been revealed as the multibillion dollar Nakheel Tower. Designed by the developments wing of major investment company Nakheel, the tower will be more than a kilometre high, covering a space of around 270 hectares, and will become home to around 55,000 people, a workplace for 45,000, and is hoped will attract millions of visitors each year. More images and video after a jump...

Nakheel Tower will comprise of four individual towers within a single structure, a distinctive crescent-shaped podium encircling the base and complementing the structure’s remarkable height. The multibillion-dollar development, commissioned by Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of Dubai World, will also include 250,000 sq m of hotels and hospitality space, 100,000 sq m of retail space and huge expanses of green spaces, including canal walks, parks and landscaping. The Tower itself, cited geographically central to Dubai at the intersection of Sheikh Zayed Road and the Arabian canal, will aim to complement surrounding developments, such as Jumeirah Park and Discovery Gardens.

In terms of design the architects have sought inspiration not just from Islamic design but also from the Islamic principles of inclusion, innovation, diversity, excellence, growth and progress: “These are the principles that have motivated and guided Islamic culture throughout history. Now they are shaping the cities of the future,” explained Sultan Bin Sulayem. To this end, the architects have sought inspiration and incorporated elements from the great Islamic cities of the past such as the gardens of Alhambra in Spain, the harbour of Alexandria in Egypt, and the bridges of Isfahan in Iran.

Sustainability and safety will be key to the development of the tower, with the latest standards and technology incorporated in its development, Sultan Bin Sulayem believes it will “send another message to the world that Dubai has a vision like no other place on earth.” Via Link

Forget the 3,280 feet-high 200-floor Nakheel Tower because it’s no longer going to be the highest skyscraper in the world. The new upcoming beast is this amazing 1.55-mile-high skyscraper planned for the Jumeirah City project in Dubai. The building is so tall that its main elevator is in fact a vertical 125mph bullet train. This city-in-a-skyscraper will consume 37,000 megawatts per hour per year, with a 15MWH peak usage, but as the plans show, it has been designed to generate most of it using wind, thermal, and solar power. Via Link

Skyscraper Urban Forest

2010-01-08T06:35:00.000-08:00

Urban Forest, Chongqing, China

All images courtesy of MAD architects

MAD architects has sent us images of a new project, urban forest, located in chongqing, china. drawing on the mountainous landscape of the country, the commercial high-rise building, is made up of curved, abstracted shaped floors which have been layered slightly off-center from one another. Connected by a core cylindrical structure, each level's interior is protected by full length glass windows with a see-through, wrap around balcony. this provides transparency throughout the building, and makes the floors almost seem as if they are floating on top of one another. the overall design brings together nature and the urban metropolis, with the incorporation of green space and large expansive views of the city. More images after a jump...

Via : Link

The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman Monument Is Raised in Moscow

2010-01-03T06:41:00.000-08:00

The famous sculpture has been installed onto its new pedestal on 28th November. It was originally created in 1937 by the soviet sculptor Vera Mukhina especially for the World Fair in Paris. This 25 meters high sculptural composition was to crown a huge Soviet pavilion at the bank of Siene River. More images after a break.......

The sculpture is made of stainless chrome-nickel steel – not a very typical material for sculptures even for extremely industrialized Soviet countries in the late 1930’s. But for the words of the author “its reflecting grey would allow to single the monument out of the ambient space”.

A young man holding a hammer and a lady with a sickle were to embody the masters of the Soviet land – labor class and collective farming. The tools they hand form the hammer and sickle symbol – state emblem of the Soviet Union. After the Paris World Fair finished the monument was tried be moved to Moscow but due to its enormous size was seriously damaged while being transported. In 1939 it was reconstructed in Moscow and installed at the Northern entrance to the All-USSR Agricultural Exhibition (now called All-Russia Exhibition Center). In 1979 the sculpture was restored.

In 2003 Moscow was one of the favorite to accept Expo 2010 so it was decided to dismantle the monument for substantial reconstruction. It was taken in 40 pieces. It was planned to be returned to its place in 2005 but after Expo 2010 was awarded to Shanghai and due to the financial problems reconstruction works were delayed and the day of the sculpture’s return was postponed for several times.

Nobody knew the exact time when they are going to raise the monument, but there were some rumors a day before that it’ll be 8 a.m. They appeared to be truth and at 7.50 the huge sculpture began its way up. A unique crane that can cope with a nearly 200 tons weight was ordered especially for this event in Finland. There are only three of them in the world. The lift was very slow – about 30 minutes. That gave enough time for gapers to stand open-mouthed and to use their cell phone cameras.

At last the statue was fastened at the top of a new exhibition pavilion – an exact copy of that standing in Paris in 1937. It will accommodate Vera Mukhina Museum, a number of exhibition sites and a conference-hall. The facade of the building is not finished yet – some decoration works are in progress. The modern restorers refused to use beautiful marble originally decorated the pavilion due to its high cost and susceptibility to low temperatures. They used granite instead – stones of 12 different tints were ordered in Italy, Kazakhstan, Turkey and China.

Via : Link

The Great Buddha of Kamakura

2009-12-28T06:26:00.000-08:00

The Great Buddha from Kamakura (Daibutsu) represents the Amida Buddha (in Japanese Amida Nyorai), the Buddha of the Infinite Light, the main Deity of the Buddhist Sect Jodo (Pure Land).

Actually, Buddha is not a name, but a honorific term, like the Christian Mesia. Buddha comes from Sanskrit and it is the past participle of the verb Buddh, meaning “to awaken” or “to know", translated in English as “one who has awakened to the truth".

In Japanese it is also referred as Butsu, hence Daibutsu (written ?? or ??), from ? Dai, meaning Great and ? or ? Butsu (the On reading), meaning Buddha. More images after a break...

In the Mahayana tradition there are many Buddha. The Historical Buddha (the Prince Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism) is one of them and the statues of the various Buddha share common attributes. The Amida Buddha is not Siddhartha Gautama, it is a monk named Dharmakara, who become a Buddha and lived in very old times (or in another realm…). Amida Buddha is usually represented wearing simple monk clothes and the Kamakura Daibutsu is no exception.

The hair is represented in small spiral curls (Rahotsu in Japanese). This is an allusion to a legend about Prince Siddhartha, who at one moment pulled his hair together into a top knot and cut it. After the cut, the hair spiraled into fine curls and he never needed to cut its hair again.

The statue of Amida Buddha must always have 656 curls.

On the top of the head we can see Ushnisha (Nikkei in Japanese), a bump on top of the head symbolizing the fact that Buddha is all-knowing and also symbolizing a fully developed top chakra.

At the front base of the Nikkei we can see a circular object, the Nikkeishu (Nikkei Jewel), which “radiates the light of wisdom":

Also, on the forehead, we can see Urna (Byakugo in Japanese), symbolic the representation of the third eye, emitting rays of light and symbolizing that Buddha is all-seeing. Usually, on Buddha statues the third eye is represented from a crystal or a gem. On the Kamakura Great Buddha, Byakugo is made of pure silver, weighing 13.5 kilograms.

The elongated ears symbolize that Buddha is all-hearing…

The hands are represented in the position of Mida no Join (Meditation Mudra), a Japanese specific position, used exclusively for Amida Buddha.

I will return tomorrow with a more down-to-earth look at this statue…

Via Link

The Highest Railways in the World

2009-12-22T06:17:00.000-08:00

Photo (Foto: China Photos/Getty Images)

The Qingzang railway, Qinghai–Xizang railway, or Qinghai–Tibet railway is a high-altitude railway that connects Xining, Qinghai Province, to Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, in China. The total length of Qingzang railway is 1956 km. Construction of the 815 km section between Xining and Golmud was completed by 1984. The 1142 km section between Golmud and Lhasa was inaugurated on 1 July 2006 by president Hu Jintao: the first two passenger trains were "Qing 1" (Q1) from Golmud to Lhasa, and "Zang 2" (J2) from Lhasa.This railway is the first to connect China proper with the Tibet Autonomous Region, which, due to its altitude and terrain, is the last province-level entity in mainland China to have a conventional railway. Testing of the line and equipment started on 1 May 2006. Passenger trains run from Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Xining and Lanzhou. 54 images after a break.......

The line includes the Tanggula Pass, which, at 5,072 m (16,640 feet) above sea level, is the world's highest rail track. The 1,338 m Fenghuoshan tunnel is the highest rail tunnel in the world at 4,905 m above sea level. It is known as the nearest door to the heaven. The 4,010-m Guanjiao tunnel is the longest tunnel from Xining to Golmod and the 3,345-m Yangbajing tunnel is the longest tunnel from Golmod to Lhasa. More than 960 km, or over 80% of the Golmud-Lhasa section, is at an altitude of more than 4,000 m. There are 675 bridges, totalling 159.88 km, and about 550 km of the railway is laid on permafrost. Text Via Link

Photos Via Link

Four Enormous - Eerie Hands

2009-12-14T06:41:00.000-08:00

For many reasons there are hundreds if not thousands of large outdoor hand sculptures around the world, the majority of which seem to be reaching towards the sky in an attempt to escape life below ground. I'm a big fan of all things creepy so thought I'd show you 4 of the best examples. Here they are.

Mano del Desertio

Image Credit: Wikipedia

The 11 metre tall Mano del Desertio can be found protruding from the sand in the Atacama Desert, Chile, and has been standing alone since 1992 when it was inaugurated. Made from a combination of iron and cement, the huge hand was designed and built by Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal, the man also behind 'The Drowned', seen below. More after the break..

The Drowned

Image Credit: Patricia Soransso

Designed by Mario Irarrázabal in 1982, Then Drowned was initially built as a warning to sunbathers about the dangers of drowning in Punta del Este, Uruguay, and I can imagine the sculpture definitely keeping people away from the water. The piece of art was so well received by the public that Irarrázabal went on to make hand sculptures in Chile, Venice and Spain.

Somewhere in Saskatoon

Image Credit: SummachPhoto

I've found it extremely difficult to uncover any information about this extremely creepy hand's exact whereabouts, but what I do know is that it can be found somewhere in Saskatoon, Canada, quite near the University. I've no idea of the sculptor's identity. Regardless, it's incredibly eerie.

Hand of Harmony

Image Credit: Rhinosaurus

The Hand of Harmony is just one of many sculptures on Homigot Beach in South Korea but is also the most widely recognised. The hand is made from bronze and granite, was built in 1999 and apparently is meant to symbolise 'continuing efforts of all Korean citizens to pursue a better quality of life'.

The Mystery of Qin Shi Huangdis Mausoleum

2009-12-14T05:17:00.000-08:00

1. The Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huangdi / Photo from Fraggle Rockstar

The tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China is loaded with historical significances. This mausoleum, which is seen as the epitome of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi’s boundless power and prestige is located 30 km to the outside of X’ian in the Shensi province of China. Qin Shi Huangdi was the only ruler who single-handedly unified the seven warring clans of the China of 221 BCE and commanded massive construction of several public infrastructures as well as the legendary Great Wall of China. More after the break...

2. Generales de Qin Shi Huang / Photo from Lezama

The emperor left a written record of his military and diplomatic feats in a series of tablets. He successfully abolished feudalism, promoted religion and divided China into 36 states for an efficient administration. Among the other significant achievements of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi was the standardization of various systems of writing, weights and measures, currencies and the simplification of the record-keeping methods. Despite these progressive works, Qin Shi Huangdi was despotic and tyrannical in his rule.

3. Some of the 7000 Warriors, discovered in 1974. They are guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi near Xi’an, Central China. Known as the “Terra-cotta Army”, the Warriors are now considered the 8th Wonder of the World / Photo from Heaven’s Gate (John)

Interestingly, this great builder ordered the erection of his burial chamber right after his ascension to the throne in 246 BCE when he was just a boy of thirteen! Going by the records about his personal traits, it was rather a contradictory step for Qin Shi Huangdi to take because of his search for an immortality formula to help him eternalize his ‘divine rule’. However, the work completed 36 years after it was started and Qin Shi Huangdi died soon after in 210 BCE to be buried in it.

4. Tomb Warriors exhibit in Epcot’s China Pavillion. / Photo from Damgaard

The discovery of this archeological treasure happened in 1974, when a team of Chinese peasants abruptly came across the tomb while trying to drill a well. What was most striking about this mausoleum was its huge size and the remarkable artworks stored in it. This includes the 8000 life-size army consisting of terracotta statues of men and horses. Because each statue was individually built with 3-inch thick terra-cotta clay, you can distinguish each soldier and horse from another in their unique looks, weaponry and dressing.

5. Terracotta Warriors / Photo from One Daring Armadillo

The warriors are positioned according to the ranks they held in the contemporary time. The different sections of the 8000 troops are distributed in three separate chambers. The first and the largest chamber contains the troop of active duty officers, the second chamber is where the reserves are placed while the third small chamber houses 68 elite commanders and officers. All the soldiers face east to protect the afterlife of Qin Shi Huangdi from possible enemy attacks coming from that direction.

6. Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses – Xian, China. / Photo from Purple Cloud

The mystery of this tomb lies in the fact that the three-chamber terracotta soldier complex forms only 1% of the total mausoleum area. The central section of the 90-feet tall mausoleum building beneath an earthen pyramid is still unexcavated. According to the accounts of Chinese historians and popular legends, this part is mapped as a city, with walls, palaces and cemetery and meant for the use of Qin Shi Huangdi in his luxurious afterlife. The rivers and water bodies are sketched with flowing mercury while the sky is represented by constellations of pearls.

7. Photo from Kiwi Mikex

The underground palace is arguably the most elaborate structure in its grandeur and amenities. It could be an abode of long-buried treasures like precious gems, metals and other wealth. This intricate bronze-lined, waterproof construction extending over four square miles took the labor of 700,000 prisoners of war and slaves for its completion after which they were killed to stop them from divulging the tomb’s secret. To make Qin Shi Huangdi’s second life as pompous as his life on earth, his mistresses were buried alive in this tomb as well.

8. Life after death / Photo from Mernas

Even today the excitement over the mysterious secrets of this sophisticated necropolis has not stopped drawing groups of tourists and intellectuals from the world over. As a tourist, you can freely take a tour to the spot although all the details of its excavations are strictly under Chinese authorities. They are still to dig out treasures and valuables from the womb of Qin Shi Huangdi’s mausoleum. Only when the tomb is opened up completely, the myriad marvelous accounts it has commanded will meet the light of truth.

9. Xi’an – Terracota Warriors / Photo from mseguias (Source)

Lock of Love

2009-12-03T05:52:00.000-08:00

The tradition probably originated from China where the love locks can be seen at several locations alongside the Great Wall of China and also in many temples and on the steps/paths leading to sacred peaks.

The tradition has spread around the World and is now quite prevalent in South Korea, Japan, Guam, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Russia, USA etc.

Juyongguan, Sanbu and Badaling sections of the Great Wall, being close to Beijing, are the most popular sections of the Great Wall and thousands of locks of various sizes, attached to the rows and rows of steel chains along the wall, can be seen at these places.

The watch towers at these places are occasionally used as a venue for weddings. Loving couples announce their love for each other as they hang their lock, and then they throw away the key, in the hopes that their love will last for as long as the Great Wall stands.

I have tried to locate and placemark as many places as I could find on the World Wide Web. I am sure the romantic readers will now try to find more such places.

Here are some photographs taken at these locations;

Great Wall, Juyongguan, China

Image from Panoramio is by irish craptock

Locks of love are the padlocks fixed by loving couples, on to a fence or a pole or metallic chain/string alongside some wall etc at a public place, to symbolize their eternal love. A couple would hang a padlock after inscribing their name or initials on it and throw the key away so that their love is locked forever. Some couple use two inter-twined locks, each lock bearing their name/initials. Besides lovers, often family members and close friends also put such locks at these places, to lock their relationship forever. 35 More after the break...

Great Wall, Sanbu, China

Image from Panoramio is by Rehal AlKhabar Wael AlDafaq

It may be worth noting that often family members and close friends, not necessarily lovers, also put such locks at these places, to lock their relationship forever.

Great Wall, Badaling, China

Image from Flickr is by Alieh

President Richard Nixon during his historic journey to China visited this portion of the wall alongwith his wife, on February 24, 1972.

Mt. Hua, Huashan, China

It is one of the, Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism. The mountain is famous for steep peaks which are very difficult to climb.

Image from Panoramio is by Liu Hongshi liuhs

Puning Temple, (commonly called the Big Buddha Temple) Chengde, China

Image from travelblog.org is by Elizabeth Christie

Mt. Putuo, Putuoshan Island, China

Image from Picasaweb is by Andrew

Mt. Tai, Taishan, China

The route to the peak of Taishan (Mt. Tai) has many temples. These temples and the railings along the route are the favourite spots for the loving couples to lock their lock of love.

Image from Panoramio is by Sam Mintonye

This image of lovelocks was taken on way to the peak of Taishan (Mt. Tai)

Image from Panoramio is by Hua Qing Hot Spring

This image was taken near the famous Confucius Temple located on a peak of Mt. Tai

Wulingyuan Scenic Area, Zhangjiajie

Image from travelblog.org is by Elizabeth Christie

The path is leading to, reportedly the highest natural bridge in the world, often called heaven's gate.

Image from travelblog.org is by Cheuk

This one was taken at a nearby area.

Keila-Joa, Estonia

On the railings of a pedestrian bridge near the waterfall.

Image from Panoramio is by Duke1999

Two Lovers' Point, (Puntan dos Amantes) Tumon Bay, Guam

Image from Flickr is by chotda

Szinva Terrace, Miskolc, Hungary

Image from Panoramio is by FedorTamas

Pics, Hungary

Image from Panoramio is by Antissimo

Image from Panoramio is by Bal�zs S�ndor

Tata, Hungary

Image from Panoramio is by Napsugi

Bruneck (Brunico), Italy

Image from Panoramio is by doc.pl(Gdansk)

Ponto Vecchio, Florence, Italy

Image from Panoramio is by Pietro Rapisarda

Ponte Aragonese, Ischia, Italy

Image from Flickr is by Underpuppy

Parco Sempione, Milan, Italy

Image from Flickr is by Andrek

Napoli (Naples), Italy

Image from Panoramio is by Maria Rosaria Penna

Image from Panoramio is by Santhat

Via dell'amore, Riomaggiore, Italy

Image from Panoramio is by �Luigi Petrazzoli

Ponte Milvio, Rome, Italy

Image from Panoramio is by psetron

The condition of the pole due to overload can be clearly seen in this photo.

Image from Panoramio is by gianni loperfido

The photo shows the present arrangement, where in locks are put on a chain and not on the lighting pole.

Siracusa-Ortigia Bridge, Sicily

Image from Blah Blah Blog is by Linda (aka Lou)

Riga Park, Riga, Latvia

Image from Panoramio is by alex_walker

Luzhkov bridge, Moscow, Russia

Image from Panoramio is by Alexander Pototskiy

N Seoul Tower, Seoul, S Korea

Image from Panora mio is by Meditation

The lovelocks have almost blocked view beneath.

Lovelock, Nevada, USA

Image from Panoramio is by mitrom

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10 Most Fascinating Castles and Palaces

2009-12-01T05:53:00.000-08:00

1. The Potala Palace: Tibet's greatest monumental structure

Originally built by King Songtsen Gampo in the seventh century, Potala Palace is located on the Red Hill of Lhasa, Tibet. Destroyed by lightning and war, Potala Palace had been rebuilt by the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1645. Since then, Potala Palace has become the seat of Dalai Lamas and also the political center of Tibet. The thirteenth Dalai Lama extended it to the present size, 117 meters (384 ft) in height and 360 meters (1,180 ft) in width, covering an area of more than 130, 000 sq meters (about 32 acres). Mainly comprised by the White Palace (administerial building) and the Red Palace (religious building), Potala Palace is famous for its grand buildings, complicated constructions, devotional atmosphere and splendid artworks. More after the break...

Perched upon Marpo Ri hill, 130 meters above the Lhasa valley, the Potala Palace rises a further 170 meters and is the greatest monumental structure in all of Tibet. Early legends concerning the rocky hill tell of a sacred cave, considered to be the dwelling place of the Bodhisattva Chenresi (Avilokiteshvara), that was used as a meditation retreat by Emperor Songtsen Gampo in the seventh century AD. In 637 Songtsen Gampo built a palace on the hill. This structure stood until the seventeenth century, when it was incorporated into the foundations of the greater buildings still standing today. Construction of the present palace began in 1645 during the reign of the fifth Dalai Lama and by 1648 the Potrang Karpo, or White Palace, was completed. The Potrang Marpo, or Red Palace, was added between 1690 and 1694; its construction required the labors of more than 7000 workers and 1500 artists and craftsman. In 1922 the 13th Dalai Lama renovated many chapels and assembly halls in the White Palace and added two stories to the Red Palace. The Potala Palace was only slightly damaged during the Tibetan uprising against the invading Chinese in 1959. Unlike most other Tibetan religious structures, it was not sacked by the Red Guards during the 1960s and 1970s, apparently through the personal intervention of Chou En Lai. As a result, all the chapels and their artifacts are very well preserved.Via Link

2. Mont Saint-Michel: a Medieval Castle on a Small Island

Le Mont-Saint-Michel (English: Saint Michael's Mount) is a rocky tidal island and a commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one kilometre off the country's north coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. The population of the island is 41.

Formation

In prehistoric times the bay was land. As sea levels rose erosion shaped the coastal landscape over millions of years. Several blocks of granite or granulite emerged in the bay, having resisted the wear and tear of the ocean better than the surrounding rocks. These included Lillemer, the Mont-Dol, Tombelaine and Mont Tombe, later called Mont-Saint-Michel.

Tidal island

Mont-Saint-Michel seen from Spot Satellite

Mont-Saint-Michel was previously connected to the mainland via a thin natural land bridge, which before modernization was covered at high tide and revealed at low tide. This has been compromised by several developments. Over the centuries, the coastal flats have been polderised to create pasture. Thus the distance between the shore and the south coast of Mont-Saint-Michel has decreased. The Couesnon River has been canalised, reducing the flow of water and thereby encouraging a silting-up of the bay. In 1879, the land bridge was fortified into a true causeway. This prevented the tide from scouring the silt round the mount.

At low tide surrounded by mud flats - seen from the air

On 16 June 2006, the French prime minister and regional authorities announced a €164 million project (Projet Mont-Saint-Michel) to build a hydraulic dam using the waters of the river Couesnon and of tides that will help remove the accumulated silt deposited by the uprising tides, and to make Mont-Saint-Michel an island again. It is expected to be completed by 2012.

The construction of the dam is now complete (it was inaugurated in 2009), but the project also includes the destruction of the causeway that was built on top of the small land bridge and enlarged, to join the island to the continent, but also used as a parking for visitors. It will be replaced by an elevated light bridge, under which the waters will flow more freely, and that will improve the efficiency of the now operational dam, and the construction of another parking on the continent. Visitors will have to use small shuttles to cross the future bridge which will be still open to walking people and unmotorized cycles. Via Link

3 Predjamski Castle: Integrated in a Cave

llama Castle' (Slovene: Predjamski grad or Grad Predjama, German: Höhlenburg Lueg, Italian: Castel Lueghi) is a Renaissance castle built within a cave mouth in southwestern Slovenia. It is located approximately 11 kilometres from Postojna.

History of the castle

The castle was first mentioned in the year 1274 with the German name Luegg, when the Patriarch of Aquileia built the castle in Gothic style. The castle was built under a natural rocky arch high in the stone wall to make access to it difficult. It was later acquired and expanded by the Luegg noble family, also known as the Knights of Adelsberg (the German name of Postojna).

The legend of Erazem of Predjama

The castle became known as the seat of Knight Erazem Lueger (or Luegger), owner of the castle in 15th century, and a renowned robber baron. He was the son of the Imperial Governor of Trieste, Nikolaj Lueger. According to legend, Erazem came into conflict with the Habsburg establishment, when he killed the commander of the Imperial army Marshall Pappencheim, who had offended the honour of Erazem's deceased friend, Andrej Baumkircher of Vipava. Fleeing from the revenge of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III, Erazem settled in the family fortress of Predjama. He allied himself with the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus, and started to attack Habsburg estates and towns in Carniola, turning into some kind of local Robin Hood.

The Imperial forces sent the Governor of Trieste, Andrej Ravbar, to siege the castle. After a long siege, Erazem was betrayed by one of his men and killed. Via Link

4. Neuschwanstein Castle: the Classic Fairytale's Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle (German: Schloss Neuschwanstein, lit. New Swan Stone palace, pronounced [n??'?va?n?ta??n]) is a 19th-century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner, the King's inspiring muse. Although public photography of the interior is not permitted, it is the most photographed building in Germany and is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. Ludwig himself named it Neue Hohenschwangau; the name Neuschwanstein was coined after his death.

The reclusive Ludwig did not allow visitors to his castles, which he intended as personal refuges, but after his death in 1886 the castle was opened to the public (in part due to the need to pay off the debts Ludwig incurred financing its construction).[citation needed] Since that time over 50 million people have visited the Neuschwanstein Castle. About 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer. The palace has appeared in several movies, and was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle (1955) at both Disneyland Park and Hong Kong Disneyland.

In 1923 Crown Prince Rupprecht gave the palace to the state of Bavaria, unlike nearby Hohenschwangau Castle which was transferred to the private Wittelsbach Trust (Wittelsbacher Ausgleichfonds), which is administered on behalf of the head of the house of Wittelsbach, currently Franz, Duke of Bavaria. The Free State of Bavaria has spent more than €14.5 million on Neuschwanstein's maintenance, renovation and visitor services since 1990. Via Link

5 Matsumoto Castle: Japan's most fascinating castle

Matsumoto Castle is one of Japan's finest historic castles. It is located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture and is within easy reach of Tokyo by road or rail. The keep (tenshukaku), which was completed in the late 16th century, maintains its original wooden interiors and external stonework. It is listed as a National Treasure of Japan.

Matsumoto Castle is a flatland castle (hirajiro) because it is not built on a hilltop or amid rivers, but on a plain. Its complete defences would have included an extensive system of inter-connecting walls, moats and gatehouses. In 1872, following the Meiji Restoration, the site, like many former daimyos' castles, was sold at auction for redevelopment. However, when news broke that the keep was going to be demolished, an influential figure from Matsumoto, Ichikawa Ryozo, along with residents from Matsumoto started a campaign to save the building. Their efforts were rewarded when the tower was acquired by the city government. In the late Meiji period the keep started to lean to one side due to neglect coupled with a structural defect. ( But rumour said that it was because of the curse Tada Kasuke had put on more than two hundred years before with his last breath on the execution pole.) A local high school principal, Kobayashi Unari, decided to renovate the castle and appealed for funds. The castle underwent "the great Meiji renovation"(1903-1913) thanks to Kobayashi and others. Half a century later, it underwent another renovation "the great Showa renovation"(1950-1955). In 1990, the Kuromon-Ninomon (second gate of the Black Gate) and sodebei (side wall) were reconstructed. The square drum gate was reconstructed in 1999. There is a plan for restoring the soto-bori(outer moat) which was reclaimed for a residential zone. Via Link

6. Hunyad Castle: were Dracula was held prisoner

The Hunyad Castle (Romanian: Castelul Huniazilor or Castelul Corvinestilor, Hungarian: Vajdahunyad vára) is a castle in Transylvanian Hunedoara, present-day Romania. Until 1541 it was part of the Kingdom of Hungary, and after the Principality of Transylvania.

It is believed to be the place where Vlad III of Wallachia (commonly known as Vlad the Impaler) was held prisoner for 7 years after he was deposed in 1462.

The castle is a relic of the Hunyadi dynasty. In the 14th century, the castle was given to John Hunyadi Serb, or Sorb by Sigismund king of Hungary as severance. The castle was restored between 1446 and 1453 by his grandson John Hunyadi. It was built mainly in Gothic style, but has Renaissance architectural elements. It features tall and strong defense towers, an interior yard and a drawbridge. Built over the site of an older fortification and on a rock above the small river Zlasti, the castle is a large and imposing building with tall and diversely colored roofs, towers and myriad windows and balconies adorned with stone carvings.

As one of the most important properties of John Hunyadi, the castle was transformed during his reign. It became a sumptuous home, not only a strategically enforced point. With the passing of the years, the masters of the castle had modified its look, adding towers, halls and guest rooms. The gallery and the keep - the last defense tower (called "Ne boisa" = Do not be afraid), which remained unchanged from Iancu de Hunedoara's time, and the Capistrano Tower (named after the Franciscan monk from the castle court) are some of the most significant parts of the construction. Other significant parts of the building are the Knights' Hall (a great reception hall), the Club Tower, the White bastion, which served as a food storage room, and the Diet Hall, on whose walls medallions are painted (among them there are the portraits of Matei Basarab, ruler from Wallachia, and Vasile Lupu, ruler of Moldavia). In the wing of the castle called the Mantle, a painting can be seen which portrays the legend of the raven from which the name of the descendants of John Hunyadi, Corvinus came.

In the castle yard, near the chapel built also during Vlad The Third's ruling, is a well 30 meters deep. The legend says that this fountain was dug by twelve Turkish prisoners to whom liberty was promised if they reached water. After 15 years they completed the well, but their captors did not keep their promise. It is said that the inscription on a wall of the well means "you have water, but not soul". Specialists, however, have translated the inscription as "he who wrote this inscription is Hasan, who lives as slave of the giaours, in the fortress near the church".

In February 2007, Hunyad Castle played host to the British paranormal television program Most Haunted Live! for a three-night live investigation into the spirits reported to be haunting the castle. Via Link

7. Malbork Castle: World's Largest Brick Gothic Castle

The Castle in Malbork (German: Die Marienburg, Polish: Zamek w Malborku) was built in Prussia by the Teutonic Order as an Ordensburg. The Order named it Marienburg, literally "Mary's Castle". The town which grew around it was also named Marienburg, but since 1945 it is again, after 173 years, part of Poland and known as Malbork.

The castle is a classic example of a medieval fortress, and is the world’s largest brick gothic castle. UNESCO listed the castle and its museum as World Heritage Sites in December 1997 as Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork. It is one of two World Heritage Sites in the region with origins in the Teutonic Order. The other is the Medieval Town of Torun, founded in 1231 as the site of the castle Thorn (Torun).

The castle was founded in 1274 by the Teutonic Order during their government of Prussia and is located on the Southeastern bank of the river Nogat. It was named Marienburg after the Virgin Mary, patron saint of the Order.

The Order had been based in Acre, but when this last stronghold of the Crusades fell, the Order had to move its headquarters to Venice. In 1309, in the wake of both the papal persecution of the Knights Templar as well as the Teutonic takeover of Danzig, the Order under Siegfried von Feuchtwangen moved its headquarters into the Prussian part of their monastic state. They chose the Marienburg, conveniently located on the Nogat, in the Vistula Delta, which allows access by ship.

The castle was expanded several time to host the growing number of Knights, and became the largest fortified Gothic building in Europe, featuring several sections and walls. It consists of three separate sections - the High, Middle and Lower Castles, separated by multiple dry moats and towers. The castle once housed approximately 3,000 "brothers in arms", and the outermost castle walls enclose 52 acres (210,000 m²), four times larger than the enclosed space of Windsor Castle.

The favourable position of the castle on the river Nogat and its relatively flat surrounding allowed for easy access by barges and trading ships, from the Vistula and the Baltic Sea. During their governance, the Teutonic Knights collected river tolls on passing ships, as did other castles along the rivers, imposing a monopoly on the trade of amber. When the city became a member of the Hanseatic League, many Hanseatic meetings were held at Marienburg castle. Via Link

8. Palacio da Pena: Oldest Palace inspired by European Romanticism

The Pena National Palace (Portuguese: Palácio Nacional da Pena) is the oldest palace inspired by European Romanticism. It is located in the civil parish of São Pedro de Penaferrim, municipality of Sintra, Portugal. The palace stands on the top of a hill above the town of Sintra, and on a clear day it can be easily seen from Lisbon and much of its metropolitan area. It is a national monument and constitutes one of the major expressions of 19th century Romanticism in the world. The palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. It is also used for state occasions by the President of the Portuguese Republic and other government officials. Via Link

9. Lowenburg Castle: The Disneyland of the 18th century Photo Link

Within the Wilhelmshöhe Hill Park which sits on one end of the city of Kassel, there stands what appears to be a medieval castle. However, the Löwenburg or “Lion’s Castle” was ordered to be built by the Landgrave Wilhelm IX from Hessen Kassel (1743 -1821) (later he gained the higher title of Elector Wilhelm I - Kurfürst Wilhelm I), the Walt Disney of his era, over a period of eight years between 1793 and 1801 as a romantic ruin. It was carfelully designed by his royal court building inspector Heinrich Christoph Jussow (1754 – 1825) who had been trained as an architect and construction project manager in France, Italy, and England, and who had gone to England specifically to study romantic English ruins and draw up a plan for the Landgrave’s garden folly. Today scholars regard Löwenburg Castle ruins as one of the most significant buildings of its genre, in addition to being one of the first major neo-Gothic buildings in Germany.

What the Landgrave did here was the eighteenth century equivalent of Disney World Tokyo. It is a central element of the Wilhlemshöhe castle park which, starting in 1785, the Landgrave transformed into a landscaped garden modeled on the English pattern, and filled with themed areas – fake Roman aquaducts, fake English Castle Ruins, fake Grecian temples, and even a fake Chinese Village. In terms of sheer monumental size, however, the fake monumental castle ruin of the Löwenburg stands apart from the numerous antiquated and pseudo-medieval constructions that served as decorative motifs for landscaped parks in other parts of Europe. Via Link

10. Prague Castle: World's Largest Ancient Castle

Prague Castle (Czech: Pražský hrad) is a castle in Prague where the Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. The Czech Crown Jewels are kept here. Prague Castle is one of the biggest castles in the world (according to Guinness Book of Records the biggest ancient castle [1]) at about 570 meters in length and an average of about 130 meters wide.

History

The history of the castle stretches back to the 9th century (870). The first walled building was the church of Our Lady[2]. The Basilica of Saint George and the Basilica of St. Vitus were founded in the first half of the 10th century. The first convent in Bohemia was founded in the castle, next to the church of St. George. A Romanesque palace was erected here during the 12th century. In the 14th century, under the reign of Charles IV the royal palace was rebuilt in Gothic style and the castle fortifications were strengthened. In place of rotunda and basilica of St. Vitus began building of a vast Gothic church, that have been completed almost six centuries later. During the Hussite Wars and the following decades the Castle was not inhabited. In 1485, King Ladislaus II Jagello began to rebuild the castle. The massive Vladislav Hall (built by Benedikt Rejt) was added to the Royal Palace. There were also built new defence towers on the northern side of the castle. A large fire in 1541 destroyed large parts of the castle. Under the Habsburgs some new buildings in renaissance style appeared here. Ferdinand I built Belvedere, summer palace for his wife Anne. Rudolph II used Prague Castle as his main residence. He founded the northern wing of the palace, with the Spanish Hall, where his precious artistic collections were exhibited. The Second Prague defenestration in 1618 began the Bohemian Revolt. During the subsequent wars the Castle was damaged and dilapidated. Many works from the collection of Rudolph II were looted by Swedes in 1648, in the course of the Thirty Years' War. The last major rebuilding of the castle was carried out by Queen Maria Theresa in the second half of the 18th century. Ferdinand V, after abdication in 1848, chose Prague Castle as his home. Via Link

Brazilian Women Prisons

2009-11-26T04:29:00.000-08:00

Incredible photo essay of a photographer Luiz Santos who made this project in order to show the situation of women in Brazil prisons and their children that live with them in prison and who are exposed to “violence, drug use and poor hygiene.”

A detainee returns to prison after a visit to a local hospital. The prison itself has a surgery but major medical proceedings take part away from the main building. Moving prisoners can be a daunting business. Attempting escapes are commonplace. More after the break...

Dona Maria is a former prisoner herself and comes to the prison to visit her daughter who waits trial for shop lifting. She is the main provider for her grandson Junior, 9, and granddaughter Vitoria, 4 - a responsibility she considers too great.

Dona Maria is a former prisoner herself and comes to the prison to visit her daughter condemned for drug trafficking. She fells humiliated every time she visits her daughter as the warders strip her naked and search her vagina for drugs with the help of a torch. She also struggles to maintain her daughter's children.

Michele Damaces, 19 and Ingride. Michele was arrested with her partner both accused of trafficking crack cocaine.

Michele Damaces, 19, feeds her 9 days old baby.

The prison is open to visitors on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It is an opportunity to catch up with the world outside the walls. In the common area families meet to share not only stories, anxieties and experiences but also the physical space.

A mother waits to meet her son at a prison gate. Black poor children born in prison (or who have mothers in prison) are more likely to get involved in crime than those white, free and better off counterparts. The State in Brazil has the obligation to protect vulnerable children but rarely do so. At the end, grandmothers outside the prisons are, in fact, responsible for those left without assistance.

Rosangela, 33, and her 1 year old son Bruno. Rosangela was sent to prison for one year, eleven months and ten days convicted of international drug trafficking. Pedro was born in prison.

Pedro was born in prison. His mother Rosangela, 33, (on the left) was locked for international drug trafficking as she attempted to embark to Spain carrying cocaine. According to Brazilian law a child cannot stay in prison once completing two years of age but in many cases the detainees are abandoned by the family or are so poor that they can't afford childcare so the children have to live with them.

Inmates look after themselves (and other inmates' children) as long as internal disputes do not get on the way. Antonia Lucia, 29, is a crack cocaine addict - and my right hand on this assignment. She holds an inmates's baby.

No doubt prisons are tough places. It is also true that inmates find support and comfort amongst themselves as the State fails to assist them. Pregnant inmates are very vulnerable and cared for by other prisoners. Different from the general public's perception, the fact that some prisoners are guilty of horrible crimes, it does not mean they lack of friendship and compassion.

A prisoner has arrived one day prior my first day in the prison. On visit days she is kept locked in a small pavilion as she does not have friends or relatives in town. Some prisoners are from distant villages and relatives cannot afford to travel to the prison. Some others are simply abandoned.

Suelen Santos Medeiros, a 23 years old spent one year in prison for drug trafficking and now waits to be sentenced for storming a local hairdresser and throwing acid on her boyfriend lover's face. She ended up injuring eight people - including herself. Wilames, her partner and also a drug dealer, was arrested on the same occasion for possession of a fire arm.

During my time in the prison the inmates wrote a letter to the prison's director to complain about the conditions in the prison as well as to demand the review of cases. Those accused of minor crimes, and waiting to be sentenced, live in the same cells as sentenced murders. Workshops were closed due political struggles at managerial level and the inmates complain of boredom as they spend the day doing noting but smoking weed or planing the next escape.

These items were confiscated by the warders during a number of searches in the cells. Amongst them there are sex toys, hand made weapons and mobile phones (kept hidden away in the inmates' vagina). Inmates complain that searches are carried violently by the police special forces in fully riot gear and balaclavas.

Sister Adele moved to Brazil from Milan/Italy in 1993. She quotes from the Bible '...I was in jail and you visited me...' to justify her work with the families in the prison in Bahia/Brazil. Brazilian judges ruled, in 1999, that children over the age of two could not leave in prison with their mothers. As the inmates did not trust the State they decided to trust their children in the hands of Sister Adele. Her mission then begun.

Sister Adele administers a creche near the prison and looks after those who are too old to stay in prison or are from extremely poor backgrounds. The children receive good education and live like a family. In return they must accept Catholicism as their religion.

Dona Maria de Fatima contracted HIV while injecting cocaine - an addiction she has left behind. She has a daughter in prison and looks after Diane (pictured), one of her granddaughters. Her other daughter is a crack cocaine addict and her son works in security on a minimum wage.

Dona Maria de Fatima, 48 years old, who contracted HIV while injecting cocaine, looks after her granddaughter Diane as her daughter is currently in prison. Although very poor and sharing accommodation with drug dealers, drug addicts and thieves, Dona Maria de Fatima sends Diane to school and ballet and flute classes. She invests her energies in braking the cycle of violence, imprisonment and poverty that surrounds her and her community. She gave up her addiction to cocaine altogether.

Suelen Santos Medeiros, who was sentenced for burning her boyfriend's lover with acid, appears on a television blood thirsty program. When that happens the community where she lives stops to watch. Crime is almost the only way for them to enjoy their '15 minutes of fame'.

Dona Maria de Fatima's daughter (who did not want to reveal her name) is addicted to crack cocaine and has given birth to her seventh offspring. The only possessions the child has was given by the government as part of a program to assist extremely poor mothers who cannot afford the cost of maternity. The mothers must take part in pre-birth programs during pregnancy to receive the benefit. These programs aim to reduce levels of children (and mothers) mortality during labour. Her mother is HIV positive and her sister is currently imprisoned. Those inmates in long-term relationship have the right to have intimate encounters but only if they agree on receiving a contraceptive injection. The rooms where the encounters occur are as basic to say the least.

Via : Link