Popularly known as the "King of Fruits" in Southeast Asia, durian is distinguished not only for its size and thorn-covered husk, but definitely also for its repulsive stench, which is best described as a mixture of feces and vomit. In spite of its odor, it tastes heavenly. As the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace puts it, it flesh is like "a rich custard highly flavored with almonds," while English novelist Anthony Burgess compared his experience of eating durian to "eating sweet raspberry blancmange in the lavatory." Durian is widely used to flavor an assortment of sweet and savory Southeast Asian cuisines as candies, biscuits and ice creams. However, due to its smell, it is banned from establishments as airports and hotels.
Limburger Cheese
Limburger cheese is a high calorie and cholesterol-rich German/Belgium dairy product well-known for its pungent aroma. It is made from pasteurized goat's milk fermented in the bacterium Brevibacterium linens, the very same bacterium found on human skin and partly responsible for body odor. So, if by chance you walked past someone who hasn't taken a bath in a month and thought if only such a scent could be turned into something edible, then, take heart, treat yourself with some Limburger cheese!
Natto
Natto is a popular traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans, most usually eaten during breakfast to accompany rice. Commonly used as an ingredient of miso soup, salad and even ice cream, it has a somewhat nutty and salty taste that somehow contradicts its rather strong ammoniac smell. Supported by medical studies, natto contains a chemical enzyme, aptly called nattokinase, which can reduce the likelihood of blood clotting, and thus, can help to prevent heart attack and strokes. It is also rich in vitamin K, which can assist in bone formation, thereby preventing osteoporosis.
Surströmming
Also called as "soured herring", surströmming is a Swedish delicacy consisting of fermented Baltic herring. Freshly caught herring are cleaned, placed in barrels to be fermented for about 2 months, and then canned for another 6 to 12 months of fermentation. Gases accumulate considerably inside the cans, building up an enormous amount of pressure that causes the once cylindrically-shaped cans to swell into rounded ones. Several major airlines have banned the fish citing the possibility of the pressurized cans exploding in-flight. The dish is often eaten outdoors due to its smell, which is a blend of amazing aromas including rancid-butter butyric acid, pungent propionic acid, rotten-egg hydrogen sulfide and sour acetic acid. It is normally eaten with bread topped with butter, chopped onions and boiled potatoes and served a glass of cold milk or beer. Though the Swedes do confess that it may not be the world's best smelling food, it certainly makes up for its taste.
Century Egg
Also known as hundred-year egg and thousand-year egg, century egg is a Chinese delicacy made from duck, quail or chicken eggs preserved in a mixture of clay, ash, lime, salt and rice straw. After the process is completed for several months, the yolk becomes a dark soft, greenish substance that exudes an odor similar to ammonia and sulfur, while the white becomes a dark brownish transparent jelly with little flavor. It can be eaten without extra preparation as a dim sum or side dish; and is popularly used to garnish rice congee or porridge.
Kimchee
A staple of the Korean diet, kimchee is made of vegetables, principally cabbages and radishes, fermented in brine and a mixture of seasonings as garlic, scallions, onions, chili pepper and ginger. Kimchee smells much like sweaty feet. And the bad news is: eating it also makes one smell pretty much the same as the pungent spices such as chili and garlic makes the odor ooze out of your pores even long after you have consumed it. Having a variety of vegetables as its main ingredients, it is reputable for being a healthy food as it contains very high concentration of dietary fiber that can aid digestion, and is rich in various vitamins and minerals that may possibly reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
Hákarl
Hákarl, a traditional Icelandic delicacy, is made from Greenland or basking shark, which is very poisonous in its unprocessed state due to its high uric acid content. The shark is fermented for about 6 to 12 weeks under the ground covered with gravel and topped with stones until all fluids are squeezed out of the body; and then hung to dry for several months. It has a particularly formidable ammoniac smell, much akin to many cleaning products; and a taste that will get your gag reflexes going in no time. Hákarl is generally served in small cubes on toothpicks with a shot of the local brandy brennivin that can somehow ease the eating process. Renowned chef Anthony Bourdain from the Travel Channel hit show "No Reservations" described the dish as "the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing."
Who was she? Vesna Vulovic was a stewardess back in the '70s working on a Serbian airline.
How She Stared Down Death: Except for surviving countless ass gropings during her time as a stewardess there was really nothing special about this lady. Oh yeah, except for the fact that she fell 33,000 fucking feet and lived to tell the tale.
On January 26, 1972 our gal was working an extra shift due to a clerical error. She took the shift anyway to earn a little extra scratch, probably to supplement her bear-wrestling hobby or something. Anyway, some terrorists decided to blow up her plane and succeeded in doing so at the worst possible time, when the plane was really high up in the air.
Not only did she survive the explosion that blew the plane into pieces, but she was the only person to live after hitting the side of the mountain. Normally this would totally suck by itself, but it was winter so the mountain was also frozen which probably made it feel like she hit it after falling 33,000 and 10 feet.
Now because we're talking about reality and not a cartoon, she did in fact break a bunch of bones and fell into a coma, but when she woke up she looked around and asked for a cigarette. Apparently flipping Death the bird really gives you cravings.
Not convinced? Did we tell you she was left paralyzed ... but then regained her ability to walk through sheer force of will and balls-out effort? She also didn't suffer any of those New Age, sissy boy "psychological effects" either and continued to fly like nothing happened. As a bonus she collected a Guinness World Record for her troubles.
Want to see if you're as tough? No problem all you have to do is jump off the equivalent of 26 Empire State Buildings.
In case you're wondering, a fall like that takes about three minutes, which should be plenty of time to contemplate death (and every single bad decision you've made in your life) and after that, don't forget to live, break your back, fall into a coma, become paralyzed and then recover, which we figure is the hard part.
Aron Ralston Hacks Off His Own Fucking Arm
Who was he? A mechanical engineer at Intel. You know those engineers are renowned for being tough guys.
How He Stared Down Death: No biggie, all he did was take a hike in the woods and came out five days later, missing an arm, which he had to cut off himself.
Seems Aron was big on mountain climbing, which by itself is pretty manly, but not enough to get him on this list. Except during this particular hike a boulder fell on him, pinning his arm. For five days he worked to push the rock off and finally realized he would die unless he took drastic action.
Because the prospect of cutting off your arm may not impress some of you hardcore readers, we need to point out that he first had to break his arm by snapping it against the same rock pinning him down. Then came the hard part, cutting through the flesh.
Lucky for Aron he had a multi-use tool. Unluckily for Aron it was a piece of crap knock-off that he probably got from an aunt at Christmas. Plus saying that he was lucky to have the tool to cut through his arm is kind of like saying you're lucky to have Chapstick on your lips while your head is on fire.
Death wasn't about to give up easily though, and after cutting through the flesh, Aron had to use the pliers to cut through the tendons that the knife couldn't cut. If you feel like the details presented thus far aren't quite gruesome enough, here's a nice interview where Ralston describes how the flesh on his arm already started to rot into mush by the time he got free:
Finally he freed himself, gave Death one last manly smile and found some help. He ended up losing the arm but had it replaced by a bitching climbing ax, accomplishing in one step what we hope evolution does for the rest of us over the next few million years.
Jim Thompson POW and Legendary Badass
Who was he? Jim was just a store clerk, until he decided he could probably impress more girls by telling them he was a Green Beret, which he became.
How He Stared Down Death: During the Vietnam War, Jim was captured and held as a prisoner of war, at which time he was beaten and tortured. The time we're speaking of by the way was a period of nine years, giving him a pretty bittersweet record for being held as a POW.
His plane was shot down in 1964, with Jim taking a bullet and breaking his back in the process. Surviving that part would have been enough of a harrowing story for most people to tell for the rest of their lives. But it was a long way from over for Jim.
After being captured, Jim was held in a jungle camp and jammed into a wooden cage too small for him to sit up or fully stretch out. For months his captors wanted him to sign papers saying that he was treated well. Jim told them to fuck off and in return was beaten and tortured some more. At some point, probably because his voice was sore from telling them to fuck themselves, he finally signed.
As a reward, he was moved into solitary confinement for four years. He was finally moved into a prison with other prisoners which was great, except that the beatings and torture continued, which pretty much blew. At one point during his captivity, he became so weak that he suffered a heart seizure. Realizing he needed his heart to live, Jim survived that scare and even managed to escape five times.
The time took its toll on Jim though and it looked like Death would win this one. Another prisoner who saw Jim reported that he thought the enemy had placed a corpse in the cell next door. However, Death forgot the fact the Jim was a Green Beret and he held on until he was finally released in 1973. He weighed 90 pounds.
Thompson unfortunately succumbed to death shortly after his release. And by "shortly" we mean 30 years later, of natural causes, in Florida.
Poon Lim, Cast Away
Who was he? He was steward on a British ship during World War II, with an unfortunate first name, at least by Western standards.
How He Stared Down Death: The ship he was working on was blown up by the Germans. Being total assholes, the Germans did this while the ship was far away from land. Surviving the explosion was no biggie for Poon, but it forced him to climb into a life raft and hang out until he was rescued ... 133 fucking days later.
At first there was water in the raft and a few boxes of biscuits. But these ran out quickly and Poon had to get all MacGyver and make himself some fish hooks out of nails and tin cans to catch fish to survive.
Between doing awesome stuff like catching sharks and drinking the blood of birds he caught, he also had to deal with sunburn, seasickness and storms that wrecked his food and water supplies. Eventually he figured he needed to catch more food. For us that would mean more fish. For Poon it meant catching a fucking shark. For Death it meant Poon was not going down easy.
He could have been rescued sooner but another German U-boat that spotted him offered no help. It was at this point that Poon began to suspect that the Nazis were dicks.
He finally sailed near Brazil and was rescued by some fishermen, and these days the US Navy teaches his survival techniques to its sailors.
The Meng Brothers Eat Coal For Breakfast
Who were they? A coal miner working in China, which is basically like poking Death in the face on a regular basis for a living.
How They Stared Down Death: Meng Xianchen and Meng Xianyou were working hard in a coal mine when the tunnel they were working in collapsed, burying them alive. Generally coal mines anywhere are not safe places to work, but the Mengs were working in an illegal mine, which meant that the safety budget was probably spent on booze and bribes instead of things like oxygen or emergency training.
After the mines collapsed, a rescue team was sent in to try and dig Meng and his brother out, but then quickly gave up. Their fellow miners then gave it a try, and were promptly arrested for illegal mining, presumably on the basis they could accidentally dig up some coal along with the two human beings trapped under it.
So, trapped underground with no food or water and a system too retarded to save them, everyone gave up hope. The Mengs' relatives even conducted burial rites at the mine.
The brothers, however, were still alive. Realizing the rescue effort wasn't coming, the brothers started digging themselves out. Armed with only one pickaxe and their bare hands, they tunneled their way through 66 feet of coal.
In between making jokes about each other's wives and drinking their own urine, they also tried chomping on some coal to take the edge off their hunger. According to Meng, coal tastes great when you're starving to death. Otherwise it tastes like ass.
Once they pulled themselves to the surface, Meng Xianchen and Meng Xianyou gave Death the double bird salute and gave the officials who called off the rescue a hard stare. Then they went to the hospital, where Meng Xianchen said he crapped coal for a few days.
Brent Case Has Bear-Proof Skin
Who was he? A surveyor working up in Canada, which is like the US, but with better beer and fewer guns.
How He Stared Down Death: Brent was minding his own business while working in the forests of British Columbia when Death came to visit in the form of a 900-pound adult grizzly bear.
Brent was carrying an ax at the time, but that probably doesn't help a lot against a bear unless it's the kind of ax that shoots shotgun shells. Brent, knowing better, decided to play dead.
Unfortunately the bear wasn't looking for a fair fight and started munching on Brent's skull. At one point he thought the bear was actually eating his brain. While this may not have been true, from the picture below you can't blame him for thinking this.
The bear took a few more chunks out of Brent, threw him into a bog and jumped on him WWE-style a few times before saying "Screw it" and walking off leaving Brent for dead.
It should be noted that playing dead still probably saved his life, as bears typically won't eat an already-dead victim (we're not sure why, but we think it's considered dishonorable according to the code all bears live by). Regardless, with his scalp hanging in huge flaps from his skull and bleeding heavily, Brent managed to get up and go for help. He got back to his car and drove 15 miles, covered in blood and bear bites. Death could only stand on the side of the road and shake its fist.
Alexis Goggins, Invincible Girl
Who was she? Just an ordinary first grader, attending classes, hanging with her friends.
How She Stared Down Death: She had to save her mom from some crazy dude. She did this by jumping in front of him and taking six bullets, point blank, including a couple to the head.
It started when some lowlife kidnapped Alexis and her mom (OK, the lowlife was the mom's boyfriend). The mother tried to stall the bad guy and managed to call 911, but the cops said they couldn't send anyone. Apparently they were all busy with more fucked up situations than a man holding a child hostage at gunpoint.
It was at this point that the gunman decided he should stamp his passport into hell and started shooting. Two bullets struck the mother before little Alexis dove between them, begging the shooter to stop. Without hesitation, he shot six times, little Alexis taking the bullets that would have killed her mother. By this time the cops arrived, as they figured things were getting really serious because now someone was actually shooting.
Alexis thought about dying for a second then decided she still had some shit to do. Death could only watch as she grabbed her stuff and headed back to the land of the living, despite some serious injuries that would have killed most of us twice and some of us three times.
This would be jaw-droppingly impressive for a 250-pound Marine combat vet, let alone a seven-year-old girl. And while we would like to cling to our original theory that she's actually an immortal Highlander, the truth is this seven-year-old girl is simply more man than we'll ever be.
One of the most popular places to hang-out during the blistering hot summer months are at one of the approximately 1,600 water parks around the world. Nowadays, it doesn’t even have to be summer to enjoy some of these awesome water parks, because a growing trend in the amusement park industry is indoor water parks. You can now enjoy the excitement of blasting down a speedy water ride while there’s two-feet of snow outside – even at places as far north as Alaska!
In 2003 alone, there were an estimated 72 million visitors to water parks across North America, and this figure is growing by about 3% per year. So needless to say, existing water parks will continue to grow, and new ones will be popping-up, across the globe. Water parks are continuously trying to build the fastest, tallest, and scariest water rides on the planet, and this list of the top water parks in the world will let you know where you can find some of the most awesome water slides anywhere.
Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia
Sunway Lagoon: As the largest water park in Malaysia, Sunway Lagoon is a place that must be visited when traveling to the Kuala Lumpur area. This award-winning water park features a ton of water rides that are separated into 3 main areas: Waters of Africa, World of Adventure, and Wild Wild West. Each themed area has its own set of thrilling water rides, including a state-of-the-art surf beach with over 6,000 tons of real sand, and palm trees, that make this experience truly one-of-a-kind. Thrill-seekers will also love the Cameroon Climb double-tube ride, which blasts you down a steep hill from 45ft up, and then shoots you back up a steep hill at a height of about 24-feet – all while traveling at blistering speeds. 2
Ocean Dome, Japan
Ocean Dome: This amazing indoor water park in Japan just happens to be the largest retractable-roof dome on the planet. This huge indoor water park is the second largest in the world at 322,752 square feet of water-splashing fun. It features a very realistic ‘Great Bank’ indoor wave pool that has 450 feet of crushed-marble sand as its beach. You’ll also find a very large volcano surrounded by water slides that ‘erupts’ every hour by shooting flames into the air. Unfortunately, the Ocean Dome was closed down in October of 2007. So if you were one of the 10 million visitors to this great water park, consider yourself lucky! 3
Tropical Islands, Germany
Tropical Islands: This is not only the largest indoor water park in the world (covering 710,000 square feet), but it’s also the largest free-standing building in the world at about 1,080ft long by 630ft wide by 321ft high. This former zeppelin hangar has been transformed into not just a water park, but a full tropical island paradise with water, sand, and even a rainforest with 30,000 trees and plants. Up to 7,000 visitors can fit into this huge building at any one time, and enjoy the water slides, artificial sun, or just relax on the large beach.
Chimelong Water Park, China
Chimelong Water Park: This awesome water park will be the world’s largest water park as of the summer of 2008. The 900,000 square foot water wonderland will be a water-lovers dream with some of the most innovative new water attractions anywhere. One of the new water rides at Chimelong Water Park is called the Behemoth Bowl, which will essentially be a gigantic bowl that visitors will slip-and-slide their way through on their way to the pool below. This new attraction will be like no other water ride in the world and should make Chimelong one of the most visited water parks on the planet. Aside from the Behemoth Bowl, this place houses some of the fastest, tallest, and scariest water slides in the world – it also sports the longest lazy river in the world, so you can relax after shooting down all of the thrill rides that Chimelong has to offer.
Wet ‘n Wild, Florida
Wet ‘n Wild: Labeled as the best water park in Orlando (there are many of them), Wet ‘n Wild was one of the first water parks in America (1977). This insane water park has 5 awesome thrill rides, along with tons of other more relaxing water rides. Brain Wash is a 2-4 person tube ride that features a 53ft vertical drop into a huge 65ft domed funnel. The Bomb Bay water slide features a ridiculous 76ft nearly vertical drop – the cool thing about this ride is that you rest on a trap door at the top of slide, and it suddenly opens without warning dropping you 7-stories down – wow!
World Water Park, Canada
World Water Park: Located in the chilly city of Edmonton, this indoor water park remains at a tropical 86 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Just because this place is indoors doesn’t mean that the water attractions here are sub-par. This 2.7 million gallon water wonderland features the world’s largest indoor wave pool and 85ft high slides. Some of the most extreme water slides at World Water Park are Tropical Typhoon, Sky Screamer, and Nessie’s Revenge. Aside from these three thrill-slides, there’s also about 9 other slides, a bungee jumping area, a long zip-line, and hot tubs to relax in. And get this…When you’re done frolicking in the water, you can go shopping at the world’s largest shopping center (800 stores and 110 restaurants), which is the building that World Water Park is located in – the West Edmonton Mall. 7
Schlitterbahn, Texas
Schlitterbahn: This huge water park in Texas has continuously been voted as the world’s ‘Best Water Park’ by Amusement Today’s respected Golden Ticket Awards. Schlitterbahn, which means ’slippery road’ in German, is definitely one of the top water parks in the world because of its innovative water slides. This 65 acre water wonderland is the home of the world’s first surfing machine, 3 uphill water coasters, 17 water slides, and 3 miles of tubing fun. One of the rides at Schlitterbahn is called Raging River, and it’s a mile-long chute which takes an incredible 45 minutes to finish! Probably the most groundbreaking water ride is the Master Blaster, which features jets of water that push rafts up and down hills down a 1,000ft track – water parks from around the world have scrambled to create their own version of this ride. This place is even located near a natural spring, so much of the water here is fresh spring water, rather than heavily chlorinated water.
Splashin’ Safari, Indiana
Splashin’ Safari: Nestled in the festive town of Santa Claus, Indiana, Splashin’ Safari has consistently been considered by many as one of the best water parks in the Midwestern United States since it was opened in 1993. This 22 acre Africa-themed park is situated right next to Holiday World Amusement Park, and it features over 15 hair-raising thrill-slides, as well as multiple wave pools, lazy river, and kiddie areas. One of the must-ride water slides is called the Zinga, which is an 8-story high tunnel slide that shoots riders into a gigantic funnel and eventually into the splash pool below. Another can’t miss ride is called Zoombabwe, which is the tallest tunnel water slide in the world at over 10-stories high and 900 feet long!
Water World, Colorado
Water World: This 64 acre water park in the Mile High City is one of the largest in America, and it features some water rides unlike any other in the world. The abundance of water rides here (42 in all) range from kiddie rides, up to some of the best thrill-rides in the U.S. One of the most popular rides at Water World is called the Screamin’ Mimi. This mostly-dry water ride (does that make sense?) shoots riders down a 50ft dry track and then skips them across the water below. There are three speed slides at Water World (Flat Line, Red Line, and Pipe Line), and they fire sliders down approximately 80ft at speeds around 40 mph. When you’re ready to slow-down at Water World, the must-ride attraction is called the Voyage to the Center of the Earth, which is a 5-minute slow ride that takes you back into the time of the dinosaurs – very unique and fun for the whole family. There’s so much to do at Water World that you may want to plan on staying here for more than one day. 1
Aquacity, Majorca
Aquacity: Off the east coast of Spain, you can find the beautiful island of Majorca and the home of the largest water park in the Balearic Islands, Aquacity. This 621,000 square foot water park is a mix of beauty and excitement. About a quarter of the water park’s land is dedicated to spectacular gardens and parks. The other three-quarters of the land is dedicated to anyone looking to have a good time splashing around in one of the best water parks in the area. A few of the must-ride water attractions at Aquacity Majorca Island include: Banzai, the Grand Canyon, and Devil’s Tail. There are a total of 16 pools at this gigantic park as well, so there’s plenty of room to just kick-back and relax once you’re exhausted from hitting-up the thrill-rides.
Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe Water Park, North Carolina
Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe Water Park: This refreshing water park is one of the largest on the east coast of the United States, and the largest in either of the Carolinas. With over 5 million gallons of water being splashed around at Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe Water Park, this place is the place to be on a hot and humid Carolina summer day. This park boasts over 36 water rides which range from kiddie slides to adrenaline-junkie speed slides. Two of the main attractions at Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe Water Park include the Bonzai Pipeline and Daredevil Drop. Bonzai Pipeline scoots two people at a time down a 50ft nearly vertical drop at about 40 mph, while Daredevil Drop sends riders down 76ft in a near free-fall.
Water Country USA, Virginia
Water Country USA: This 1950-1960s surf theme park brings back memories of the Beach Boys, but it also has some of the newest and most innovative water rides in the Eastern United States. Waiting in line for a ride is usually faster here than most other water parks because of the electronic monitoring system put in place that gives you the ‘green light’ when it’s safe for you to take the plunge. The Hubba-Hubba Highway is a 1,500ft river rapids – the largest water ride at this park. Other popular rides here include: Big Daddy Falls – a super-soaking river rafting adventure that is 670ft long; Jet Scream – there are 4 ultra-fast (25 mph) twisting and turning flumes that all splash at into the same pool; Nitro Racer – you can race up to 6 other people down this super-speed slide; Rampage – shoots you, and your surf toboggan nearly straight down 75ft at ultra-fast speeds, and then skips you across 120ft of water. There’s also Surfer’s Bay, a huge wave pool
Aqualand, Corfu
Aqualand: Aqualand Corfu is one of the largest water parks in all of Europe, and some say that it’s the best. It certainly has was it takes to be one of the best aqua parks in all of Europe including the third largest wave pool in the world, 375,000 square feet of fun in the sun, and some of the best water rides in all of Europe. Some of the popular water slides here include: the Black Hole, Kamikaze, the Four Twisters, Crazy River, Giant Slides and there are also kiddy slides for children. Aqualand Corfu even has two new free-fall slides for adrenaline-junkies, and a gigantic jacuzzi for those who just want to relax beneath the warm Greek sun. This place is definitely worth spending a day here next time you come to Corfu.
Water Country, New Hampshire
Water Country: This water park has something for everyone from young children to adults. Water Country is the home of the largest wave pool in the New England area, as well as a variety of speed slides and tube rides. You can race against your friends on the Double Dive Boggan, or experience the thrill of a bobsled ride at the Triple Giant Slides. The Double Geronimo is a side-by-side speed slide that fires the rider almost straight down the 58ft slide. You can also enjoy two white water rafting rides with your family: Thunder Falls and Wild Canyon.
Wild Rivers, California
Wild Rivers: Wild Rivers is an excellent family water park, and it’s usually not as crowded as nearby Raging Waters in San Dimas. Hop on a singel or double-tube and get soaked on on River Rapids, Wipeout, or Chaos. The longest water ride at Wild Rivers is The Abyss – a 655ft dark tunnel ride with a 50ft vertical drop. Go surfing or body surfing at Monsoon Lagoon or Hurricane Harbor, or just relax pool-side. No matter what kind fun or relaxation you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find it at Wild Rivers. Unfortunately though, Wild Rivers had to shut down operation by the end of the 2007 season. They are looking for a new area to build the park, but we’ll have to wait and see if this happens.
Aqualand, Gran Canaria
Aqualand: Aqualand is a chain of water parks in Europe with a total of 15 locations scattered throughout Spain, Portugal, and France. Aqualand Maspalomas in Gran Canaria is the largest water park in the Canary Islands. This park features 13 attractions and 33 water slides. The most popular water slide here is called the Tornado - a giant, double-tubed water slide that will give you the feeling of being flushed down a toilet!
Blizzard Beach, Florida
Blizzard Beach: Blizzard Beach in Florida has to be called the ‘coolest’ water park in the world because of its snowy winter theme – not to mention it has some of the tallest water slides (slopes) in the world. The approximately 1.6 million visitors flock to this winter wonderland in the sun each year to take on one of the tallest and fastest water slides in the world – Summit Plummet. This awesome water slide features a near-vertical 120ft drop, and you can expect to reach speeds of up to 60 mph! Get ready for the biggest wedgie of your life! For those people who are a little less daring, you can check out the one of the longest (1,200-feet) family raft rides in the world, or kick-back and relax at the 3,000ft lazy river.
Typhoon Lagoon, Florida
Typhoon Lagoon: This tropical paradise in Florida features a huge 2.75 million gallon wave pool for surfing or body boarding, which happens to be the largest outdoor wave pool in the world. The fun doesn’t end there though. Thrill-seekers can take on the 95ft Mount Mayday tube ride, which curves down the huge man-made mountain. One of the most unique aspects of this water park is its one-of-a-kind, 362,000 gallon saltwater Shark Reef stocked with tropical fish and sharks. Snorkeling and diving at this gigantic shark tank is one of the most unique experiences in the world.
Adaland, Turkey
Adaland: This water park is located on a mountainside overlooking the Aegean coast in Turkey. The views here are spectacular, and the water rides are equally impressive. Adaland is billed as Europe’s largest water park, and it features a white-water rafting river, enclosed tubes, and plenty of breakneck chutes. One of the most unique aspects of this park is the outdoor dance club that sprays a nice cooling mist over the patrons while they dance to music played by live bands or a DJ.
Noah’s Ark Waterpark, Wisconsin
Noah’s Ark Waterpark: One of the largest water parks in the United States, Noah’s Ark features over 60 water slides, rides, and games. The 70 acre park has just about anything that an amusement park should have including: 47 water slides, 2 wave pools, 2 rivers, 4 children’s water play areas, Paradise Lagoon pool, 3 amusement park rides, 18-hole mini golf, 3 arcades, and their new 4-D Dive-In Theater. This water park has been around for 30 years now, and it continues to be one of the most visited water parks in the U.S. Time Warp is one of the most popular water slides at Noah’s Ark. This is the world’s largest ‘bowl’ ride, and it drops a total of 70-feet. There’s also the Black Anaconda, which is a quarter-mile long water coaster that reaches speeds of 30 mph.
Wild Wadi Water Park, Dubai
Wild Wadi Water Park: This 12 acre water park in Jumeirah, Dubai is the perfect blend of fun and relaxation. While there may not be as many thrill-rides here as other water parks, there is still plenty of fun and excitement to be had at Wild Wadi. There are a total of 8 Master Blaster rides here, which are the water coaster rides that use jets of water to shoot riders up-hill along the track. There’s also two Flowrider wave-making attractions for surfing or boogie boarding. The lazy river at Wild Wadi is unique in that it unexpectedly explodes periodically with bursts of 16,000 gallons of water, from a huge man-made mountain, down the once docile river turning it into a raging rapids. The one must-ride water slide at Wild Wadi is the Jumeirah Sceirah, which is a 108fttall free-fall slide that fires riders down the track at about 50 mph!
Raging Waters, California
Raging Waters: Raging Waters is one of three such water parks in the state of California, and it happens to be the largest in Northern California at 23 acres. There’s plenty of fun to be had at this park, including the new Dragon’s Den tube ride that takes riders circling around a 35ft bowl while being watched by a mist-breathing dragon in the center of the bowl. Another awesome slide here is the Shotgun Falls, which shoots visitors down the chute and then drops them 10-feet into the water. The speedy Serpentine Slides are also popular at Raging Waters, as they send riders down a 7-story, twisty slide at blistering speeds.
SplashTown Waterpark, Texas
SplashTown Waterpark: This awesome water park in South Texas features everything from much-needed relaxation, to rip-roaring fun and excitement. There’s plenty for the kids to do at Crocodile Isle and Treehouse Island, and there’s also plenty of thrill-rides here as well. New for 2008 is the RipQurl, which is a dark tunnel flume that sends riders into a huge 40ft bowl and finally into the pool below. There is plenty of other exhilarating water slides here as well, including the Tornado, Thuder Run, Texas Freefall, Space Rapids, Shotgun Falls, Zoom Flumes, and much more. SplashTown has a total of over 50 water rides, and they also hold the title of the largest wave pool in South Texas.
Kalahari Water Park, Wisconsin
Kalahari Water Park: The largest indoor water park in the United States is the Kalahari Water Park in the state of Wisconsin. At approximately 125,000 square feet, this indoor aqua park hosts the longest indoor lazy river in America. This place has a FlowRider surf machine that creates perfect 5ftwaves to ride year-round. You can also find a Master Blaster water coaster here – the only indoor uphill water coaster in the country. You can also check out the wave pool, kiddie areas, and hot tubs at Kalahari among other water activities. Once you’re exhausted you can rest at your own private cabana equipped with flat-screen TV, refrigerator, chaise lounge, security safe, and iPod docking station.
Sandcastle Waterpark, UK
Sandcastle Waterpark: The Sandcastle Waterpark is the largest indoor water park in the UK, and it features over 18 different water attractions for people of all ages. This place has a wave machine, lazy river, kids play areas, and of course water slides. If you come to this place, you’ve gotta check out the Masterblaster water coaster, which is the longest indoor water coaster in the world. Another awesome attraction here is the Sidewinder. This gravity-defying half-pipe water ride was the first of its kind to be constructed at an indoor water park. Kids will love the Caribbean Storm Treehous and play here for hours, while parents can relax in the lazy river. 28 White Water, Georgia
White Water: This Water Park at Six Flags in Atlanta has plenty of family water rides to choose from, and they also have two awesome thrill-rides. The newest and most popular thrill-ride at White Water is the Tornado. This is a 75ft tall water slide with a gigantic funnel at the end, which eventually swallows you up. If Tornado isn’t enough fun for you, you need to check out the Cliffhanger. This speed slide shoots you nearly straight down from 90ft up, and at crazy speeds.
Las Cascadas Water Park, Puerto Rico
Las Cascadas Water Park: Originally built in 1985, this Puerto Rican water park is the largest in the Caribbean. At this park, you can relax along the Tropical Lazy River, challenge the speed slides, or conquer the Twister. There are plenty of other water activities at Las Cascadas for the kids, and for those who just want to relax. Right now, construction is underway for a new monstrous water slide, and an adjacent hotel. While this isn’t one of the biggest or most innovative water parks in the world, it’s definitely growing year after year. Who needs a huge state-of-the-art water park in the Caribbean anyway – its already one of the most beautiful natural water parks in the world!
There are many species of birds but these ones in the list are more vulnerable to harm because they cannot fly to escape danger.
All of the birds that live in this world are all beautiful, but these birds that are listed below are even more unique because of its inability to fly.
Takahe Bird
is bird is only found in New Zealand and is considered to be an endangered specie of any living flightless birds under rail family. Its been assumed to be extinct before but after a very long search, some takahe birds were found near Lake Te Anau in the Murchison mountain. its overall length is up to 63 cm (24.8 in). It is a stocky bird, with reduced wings, strong legs and a massive bill. At present, there are 225 remaining Takahe birds in its habitat and is being carefully bred to prevent extinction. The only problem is the slow maturity and the low fertility of mature Takahe bird.
Penguin
A penguin cannot fly but is a very good swimmer because it can flap its arms rapidly. Its kind lives only in the Southern hemisphere, it is because of the cold temperature there. There about 20 species of penguins but is still debated until now. The largest living species is the Emperor Penguin, while the smallest is the Little Blue Penguin. Penguins usually feed on fishes, squids and other small sea preys they could find while swimming underwater.
Kiwi
This bird is endemic to New Zealand and is used as the national symbol of the country. This flightless bird is considered to be the smallest among the ratites. There are about 5 species of this kind of bird. Kiwis are very shy and nocturnal that is why they are vulnerable to predators, but ever since people built sanctuaries for them, they can already be seen in daylight. They have a very sharp sense of smell, and they are a very unusual kind of bird having nostrils at the end of their bills.
Cassowary
This is knwon to be the second largest flightless birds next to ostrich. They are fed mainly on fruits and other plants that edible. Its species is also part of the ratite and has only three accepted today: Southern Cassowary, Dwarf Cassowary, Northern Cassowary. They are a very kind of bird but once disturbed would be a very dangerous bird as listed by the Guinness. Although Cassowary birds are already becoming extinct.
Ostrich
This is known as the lasrgest flightless bird and it is the only specie that lives of its family. I know that most of us already know this fact but its egg is even larger than its brain that is why this kind of bird is known to do crazy things. An ostrich can run as fast as 46 miles per hour and is considered to be the faster bird runner on land. There is nothing to be worried about with this species because they are not even close to being endangered.
Rhea Birds
This specie belongs to the flightless ratite birds and is native to South America. Among any other flightless birds, it has large wings that are spread when this bird is running. It has two species; the American Rhea and the Darwin's Rhea. This bird reach up to 6 months until it become mature but does not go into breeding until it reach the age of 2 years old.
Kakapo
If we are going to examine the fosils of the Kakapo in the entire country of New Zealand, it would seem that it is the most common bird before. The species of this bird are already becoming extinct that is why many conservation plans have been made to prevent this bird to get extinct. According to statistics, the number Kakapo birds significanly increased. They are nocturnal, that's why the meaning of their name is "night owl". This bird is also named as parrot owl because of its features.
Emu
This bird is the largest native bird of Australia is the only extant member of genus Dromaius. This bird reaches up to 2 m (6.5 ft) in height, and is common to mainland Australia. Almost the same as the ostrich, it can run up to the maximum speed of 30 miled per hour. It is not yet becoming extinct nor is it near of becoming endagnered. It is because of its environment that makes it sake frm any harm. There are about three extant specie in Australia. Flightless Cormorant or Galapagos Cormorant
The name itself would suggest that it is a native in the Galapagos Island. Among any other cormorants, this is the only specie that has lost the ability to fly, it could be because this bird has adopted life on the land and water. This bird has an estimated 1500 embers left on the wild that is why many groups try to have active conservation program to save the lives of the remaining flightless cormorant. It normally feeds on fishes, eels, small octopus, and other small sea creatures. This bird is considered to be the largest among its extant species. Reproduction of its bird starts on the coldest months like July to October when there is an abundant food.
Greenland: World travellers say that one of the best places to see the Northern Lights during the winter months is Greenland. It’s a place with a long history of the aurora borealis since it was the first place where they were seen and then chronicled by a traveller in the Norwegian chronicle Konungs Skuggsj from AD 1230.
Bear Lake, Alaska
Bear Lake: There are three main reasons that people go to Bear Lake, Alaska. One is that they are interested in helping out with the salmon enhancement project that the area is known for. Another is that that they are in the U.S. Air Force and are stationed at Eielson Air Force Base which is located there. And the third is that they want to see the unique colouring of the Northern Lights as viewed over the lake.
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks: In addition to Bear Lake, there are many more touristy destinations in Alaska where people can (and do) go to see the Northern Lights. Favourite destinations for viewing this phenomenon include Denali National Park and anywhere in Fairbanks.
Iceland
Iceland: There is hardly a place in the world that is more beautiful than Iceland. It’s impossible to believe that it can get any prettier unless you happen to be there during the winter when the Northern Lights add another dimension to the appeal of this already unique country.
Murmansk, Russia
Murmansk: Murmansk is an ice-free Russian port located in the Kola Peninsula (near Finland and Norway). It’s the largest city in the region and a terrific place to see a stunning display of the Northern Lights. In fact, they’re one of the top tourist attractions for people visiting this area.
Yellowknife, Canada
Yellowknife: Although there are numerous places in Canada where you can see the aurora borealis, this is one of the favoured destinations for viewing the lights. It gets crowded as a result of the fact that the town is small and there are a lot of people coming to see the lights, but it’s perfect for those who want to camp out and commune with nature.
Norway: A long time ago, the people of Scandinavia believed that the Northern Lights were caused by large schools of herring jumping into the sky. Today they know differently, of course, but they still appreciate the magic of the light show that appears there. A popular method for travellers here to see the Northern Lights is through a ‘night safari’ tour.
Finland
Finland: Another theory associated with the Northern Lights comes from an old myth where people once believed that the beautiful display of colours in the sky was caused by a fox running across the clouds there.
Sweden
Sweden: The Northern Lights aren’t as common to see in Sweden as in some of the other countries just north of this area. However, Swedish locals and visitors are sometimes treated to distant views of the Northern Lights which combine with the colour of the sky here to create a stunning palette in the clouds.
Estonia
Estonia: One of the few reasons that people travel to Estonia is that they want to see the Northern Lights there. Capitalising on that, the area has emphasized the Northern Lights as a major tourist attraction. A couple of years ago, The New York Times summed up the area by calling Estonia ‘a land of Northern Lights, Cybercafes and the Flat Tax’. That’s a fairly heady concoction!
Lake Superior, Michigan
Lake Superior: People who are in the continental United States can head to the northernmost part of Michigan to see the Northern Lights over the massive Lake Superior. The Keweenaw Peninsula which juts into the lake is a great place for getting on a boat and waiting to see the aurora borealis make its magic.
Scotland, UK
Scotland: People don’t go on holiday to Scotland specifically to see the Northern Lights because they are such a rare occurrence, even at the very far north of the country. They happen about once a month to the thrill of the people who do happen to be in the area at the time and are particularly beautiful when set against the backdrop of the already gorgeous Scottish landscape.
From The Sky
From The Sky: All of these cities and destinations are terrific places to see the Northern Lights. However, the best place to get a really great view is from a plane. It doesn’t matter which part of the Northern Skies you’re flying over; a glance at the northern lights from a plane window will take your breath away. Better yet are how they look from space!
These videos provide a glimpse into the incredible natural world around us, and depict how some amazing creatures have evolved to survive in it.
1 Cordycepes Fungi
This amazing fungus has evolved a way of attacking the brains of bullet ants. They mind control the ants to move to higher ground where the fungus spore will spread more effectively. 2 The Lyre Bird
This bird is an impressive copy cat. It can reproduce the mating calls of up to 20 different species. It can even copy other more man made sounds that it hears, including camera shutters and car alarms, to amazing perfection. 3 Moonwalking Manakin Bird
The Manakin bird from the rain forests of Latin America has developed a very cool way of attracting mates. It uses a Michael Jackson type moonwalk as part of its mating ritual. Very cool, and truly amazing. 4 Parasitic Worms Attack Snails
These parasites called Leucochloridium paradoxum, invade the minds of these unsuspecting snails. They use the snail as bait to lure larger prey to them who then spread their eggs throughout the forest.
5 Japanese Honey Bees
These Japanese honey bees have evolved an amazing way of protecting themselves from the world's largest hornet. A technique that the introduced European bees have not mastered yet.
Tu Jin-Sheng: Pulls a Truck with his Penis As Kung Fu magazine puts it: "When a man can tow a truck with his genitals, that’s all anyone ever really remembers about him." Tu Jin-Sheng, a 50-year-old man from Taiwan, is a martial arts grandmaster of Iron Crotch, a branch of Qigong said to have 60,000 followers worldwide. On 2005, he attached his penis to a truck for a demonstration, and pulled it several yards across a car park in Fremont.
About 20 people, most of whom study Qigong, the ancient Chinese art of movement and breathing to increase energy, gathered for the truck pull. Its practitioners are known to lift hundreds of pounds with their genitals to increase energy and sexual performance.
The truck demonstration was made for a British crew filming the documentary "Penis Envy" shown below, it's a must-see!
Miroslaw Magola: Moves objects with his Mind
"Remember, there is no spoon". Just like that kid from "The Matrix" movie, Miroslaw Magola --The "Magnetic Man"-- defies laws of gravity with an extraordinary ability — applying the power of psycho kinesis he can raise anything from metal pans to marble statues, transport them through the air to affix to his body, then creates a force to keep them there — simply using mind control.
An avid enthusiast of the phenomenon of psychic energy, Miroslaw has developed his skill to manipulate lifeless objects in mid-air to obey his will, even forcing them spin around or shake. His mental powers are so keen that he can jump around while an object is stuck to his head without losing his mental grasp of the item. Miroslaw explains how he employs psycho kinetics to perform these uncanny feats, “It works because I load myself with energy (I connect myself to it) and at the same time I wish for the object to raise.”
Miroslaw has undergone numerous tests for his perplexing skill which remains unexplained by conventional science to date. Although Miroslaw Magola is gifted with some of the strangest abilities in the world which are generally regarded as paranormal, his book is filled with protests against exactly this form of categorization. He deals with and discusses things ‘beyond our world,’ yet describes himself as a radical rationalist and insists on his normality.
Manjit Singh: Pulls a Jet with his Ears
57 year-old Manjit Singh, called the "Ironman", holds more than 30 world records including pulling a double decker bus with his hair, lifting 85 kg with his ears, and of course, pulling a Jet also with his ears! On April 2007, Ironman pulled the aircraft -weighting approximately 7.4 tonnes- 12ft along the apron at East Midlands Airport, UK.
Speaking after the record attempt, he said: "I don't feel too bad, I have a little bit of pain around the ears but I'm ok." The attempt raised money for his charity Manjit Fitness, which aims to get children living in his native Mahilpur, India involved in sport.
Ru Anting: Writes with his Tears
56 year-old Ru Anting, Luoyang in China, has a very special talent: he can write calligraphy with water he shoots from his eyes. After sucking up some water with his nose, he then sprays it through his tear ducts, ending up on the paper.
Ru discovered his unusual talent as a child while swimming in the river. "Sometimes I would swallow water while swimming, and once I accidentally discovered the water I swallowed could be shot out through my eyes. My friends were all shocked to see it," he said.
But it wasn't until the 1990s, when Ru lost his job in a local fertilizer factory after more than 20 years, that he began to develop his unusual talent. After three years of intensive training, he found he could shoot water accurately up to 10ft from his eyes at will.
Michel Lotito: Eats Everything
French entertainer Michel Lotito is known as Monsieur Mangetout (Mister Eat-it-all). As a famous consumer of undigestables, Lotito's performances are the consumption of metal, glass, rubber and so on in items such as bicycles, televisions, a Cessna 150, and smaller items which are disassembled, cut-up and swallowed. The aircraft took roughly two years to be 'eaten' from 1978 to 1980. He began eating unusual material while a child and has been performing publicly since 1966.
Lotito does not often suffer from ill-effects due to his diet, even after the consumption of materials usually considered poisonous. When performing he consumes around a kilogram of material daily, preceding it with mineral oil and drinking considerable quantities of water during the 'meal'. He apparently possesses a stomach and intestine with walls of twice the expected thickness, and his digestive acids are, allegedly, unusually powerful, allowing him to digest a certain portion of his metallic meals.
Thai Ngoc: Needs no Sleep
Sixty-four-year-old Thai Ngoc, a vietnamese farmer, is known around the world for a unique talent: he needs no sleep. After getting a fever in 1973, we hasn't been able to sleep and has counted infinite numbers of sheep during more than 11,700 consecutive sleepless nights. "I don't know whether the insomnia has impacted my health or not. But I'm still healthy and can farm normally like others," Ngoc said. Proving his health, the elderly resident of Que Trung commune, Que Son district said he can carry two 50kg bags of fertilizer down 4km of road to return home every day.
Ngoc currently lives on his 5ha farm at the foot of a mountain busy with farming and taking care of pigs and chickens all day. His six children live at their house in Que Trung. Ngoc often does extra farm work or guards his farm at night to prevent theft, saying he used three months of sleepless nights to dig two large ponds to raise fish.
Zhang Quan: Claps as Loud as a Helicopter
70 year-old Zhang Quan is hoping to get into the record books - by clapping his hands. His claps measured 107 decibels, just three decibels lower than whirling helicopter blades. The bad news? local environmental protection officials say Zhang is so loud, he could face arrest for noise pollution if he claps too often.
Wei Mingtang: Blows up Balloons with his Ears
Wei Mingtang, 55, is a factory worker from Guilin city, in Guangxi province, China. About 30 years ago he discovered his ears leaked air, so he came up with the idea of using his ears and a pipe for his -now famous- act: inflate balloons with his ears!
On a recent city Spring Festival Party, Wei also blew out 20 candles in a line within 20 seconds using a hose leading out from his ears.
9 Claudio Pinto: Pops both of his Eyes
48-year-old brazilian man Claudio Pinto hopes for a place in the record books for an amazing talent: he can pop both eyes 95% out of their sockets. Pinto has undergone various tests and doctors say they have never seen or heard of a person who can pop the eyes as much as him.
The man from Belo Horizonte, said: "It is a pretty easy way to make money. I can pop my eyes out four centimetres each, it is a gift from God, I feel blessed."
Paul Oldfield: World's Only Flatulist
Mr Methane, alias former train driver Paul Oldfield, claims to be the only performing professional flatulist in the world, or more precisely, a "professional farter". His 'talent' came to light when he accompanied his sister in yoga practice. There, he discovered - to his surprise and delight - that he was able to take in air through the rear, retain it, and then expel it as and when he chose. At first, it was nothing more than a party trick to entertain fellow railwaymen, but eventually Mr Methane found that by careful control, he could pick out a simple tune.
He gradually expanded his repertoire, which now ranges from Strauss's Blue Danube waltz through to Kylie Minogue's I Should Be So Lucky. Then, on 1991, he left his job at British Rail and devoted himself to his new entertainment career. On stage, he wears a bright green-and-purple skin-tight costume with cape and mask, looking like a superhero, and travels around the world with his act.
Bellagio Fountains (Las Vegas): A Choreographed Water Show The Fountains of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas (USA) is a vast, choreographed water fountain with performances set to light and music. The performances are visible from numerous vantage points on the Strip, both from the street and from neighboring structures. The fountain's show takes place every 30 minutes in the afternoons and early evenings, and every 15 minutes from 8 PM to midnight. The Fountains are set in a nine-acre man-made lake. The fountain display is choreographed to various pieces of music; current pieces include "Fly Me To The Moon" (Frank Sinatra), "Time to Say Goodbye" (Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli) and "My Heart Will Go On" (Celine Dion).
Contrary to a common urban myth that the lake is filled with treated greywater from the hotel, it is actually serviced by a fresh water well that was drilled decades prior to irrigate a golf course which previously utilized the site. In fact, the fountains use less water at present than under its prior golf course use.[3] They incorporate a network of underwater pipes with over 1,200 nozzles that makes it possible to stage fountain displays coordinated with over 4,500 lights. It is estimated that the fountains cost US$50 million to build.
Fountain of Wealth (Suntec): World's Largest Fountain
The Fountain of Wealth is located underground within the commercial complex (largest shopping mall) of Suntec City in Singapore and is famous for being the largest fountain in the world. A symbol of wealth and life, the Fountain of Wealth was designed based on the Hindu mandala, meaning universe and is a symbolic representation of the oneness in spirit, unity and harmony among the four races in Singapore. The fountain is made of bronze, and consists of a circular ring with a circumference of 66 metres supported on four large slanted columns. It occupies an area of 1683 metres (5521 ft), with a height of 13.8m (45.2 ft). Water from the fountain shoots up to 30 metres high.
Magic Fountain of Montjuic (Barcelona): A spectacular display of colour, light and motion
The Magic Fountain of Montjuic is a spectacular display of colour, light, motion, music and water acrobatics in Barcelona. Located between Placa d’Espanya and the National Palau, the magic fountain attracts thousands of tourists every night to see the water and the music show. Built by designer Carles Buigas in 1929 for the Great Universal Exhibition, over 3000 workers were commissioned to work on the project and less than a year later the magic fountain was born.
Volcano Fountain (Abu Dhabi): Forever Lost
Sadly, on 2004 the Volcano Fountain --once an scenic landmark of Abu Dhabi and one of the world's most beautiful fountains-- was demolished to make space for a more picturesque development as part of a reformation of the corniche. The 80-foot-high fountain had been built like a circular pyramid with a flight of steps from the four sides going up the six platforms to the fountain on the top. During evenings the fountain would turn into a pleasant spectacle with coloured lights on as the water cascades down.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda Fountains (Xian): Around Emperor Gaozong's Pagoda
Originally built in 652 during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. It’s located in the southern suburb of Xian City (China), the place is famous for being home to the largest musical fountain in Asia with the longest light-belt in the world.
People’s Friendship Fountain (Moscow): A Gilded USSR Fountain
The People’s Friendship Fountain (also known as Friendship of Nations) on Moscow features 16 gilded statues of maidens in their national costumes, representing all the Soviet Union Republics. The fountain is framed by an octahedral bowl of red granite with a surface area of 4,000 square meters. The fountain is serviced by a complex system of eight powerful pumps that can shoot 1,200 liters of water from 800 jets to the height of 24 meters each second.
Trevi Fountain (Rome): World's Most Famous Fountain
Standing 25.9 meters (85 feet) high and 19.8 meters (65 feet) wide, Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) is one of the most beautiful sculptures in Rome, Italy. It was ordered in 1732 by Clemens XII and thirty years later his predecessor Clemens XIII christened it. The fountain has Neptune or Oceanus in the middle and two tritons, one trying to tame a fiery horse symbolizing the rough sea, and one blowing a shell-horn symbolizing the quiet sea.
Trevi became famous for a scene in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, when Anita Ekberg takes a late-night bath in the fountain. There’s also a legend saying that if you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, you will return to Rome.
Oval Fountain (Tivoli): UNESCO world heritage site
The Fontana dell'Ovato (Oval Fountain), also called Fontana di Tivoli, is located in Villa d'Este, Tivoli, Italy. The fountain cascades from its egg-shaped basin into a pool set against a rustic nymphaeum. The design was made by Pirro Ligorio. The whole Villa was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 2001.
Peterhof Fountain (Saint Petersburg): Along the Russian Versailles
Peterhof is an immensely luxurious and beautifully preserved Imperial estate, founded in 1710 by Peter the Great on the shore of the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea). It combines several ornate palaces, a number of beautifully landscaped parks and a dazzling array of magnificent statues and fountains, lending it the epithet "The Russian Versailles". The Grand Cascade flows spectacularly from beneath the palace towards the Baltic Sea and is one of the largest fountain ensembles in the world. From the Grand Cascade's largest fountain, decorated with a magnificent gold statue of Samson battling with the lion, a channel flows through the park to the pier, where hydrofoils and boats from St. Petersburg dock.
King Fahd’s Fountain (Jeddah): World's Tallest
Located in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the King Fahd’s Fountain is famous for being the highest fountain in the world, throwing water up to 1023 ft (312m) - that’s taller than the Eiffel Tower, if you exclude the antenna. It uses 3 massive pumps that can deliver 625 litres of water per second at an amazing speed of 233 mph (375 km/h ). Traveling to Jeddah, don’t forget to pay it a visit, it’s incredible.
Maximum height achieved is as the maximum height achieved is 1023ft (312m) by the water is 312m (1023ft). The 3 massive pumps deliver 625 litres (165 gallons) of water per second each. The water is propelled through the 126mm (5 inch) nozzles at an incredible speed of 375 km/h (233mph).
Nerdy reputation or not, coin collecting (otherwise known as numismatics) has been a hobby since the days of ancient Rome. If you’re not a member of the enthusiast crowd, though, knowing a thing or two about the following faves just might be enough to help you rub elbows with true aficionados.
The Stupidest Coin the Government Ever Made: The Racketeer Nickel
In 1883, the United States issued a newly designed five-cent piece called the “V nickel.” The coin got its name because the value was indicated on the back simply with the Roman numeral ‘V,’ sans the word “cents.” After all, it was obvious it was a nickel, right? Apparently not. Turns out, the V nickel was the same size as a U.S. $5 gold piece, and both coins featured a bust of Lady Liberty on the front.
It wasn’t long before light bulbs started going off over the heads of con men all across America. Within weeks of the V’s debut, crooks were gold-plating the nickels and palming them off as $5 gold pieces. Meanwhile, government officials scoffed at the notion that anyone would fall for such an obvious hoax. Unfortunately, they were wrong again. Despite the gold-plated nickels not looking like $5 coins and not being nearly as heavy, most people didn’t notice, because the gold coins were rarely used in everyday purchases.
By April 1883, “gilded nickels” were both a national joke and a growing concern for commerce and law enforcement. The U.S. Secret Service made arrests in 10 states related to the scam. In one raid, they seized a “half bushel” of coins waiting to be plated. But all good things come to an end, and con artists had a hard time getting enough new nickels to keep the racket going. Finally, embarrassed officials put an end to the scam by halting production of the nickels until new dies were prepared. This time, the redesigned backs read “V cents.” Today, the V nickel remains a favorite among coin collectors.
The Coin You Carry in Bundles: The Kissi Penny
money hasn’t always been strictly confined to coins and bills. In Biblical times, for example, people used sheep and cattle as currency. Of course, because deceased livestock don’t paste that well into scrapbooks, numismatists have to draw the line somewhere. And that’s where the phrase “odd and curious money” comes in. It’s a numismatist category used to classify various pre-cash societies in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
One widely collected type of odd and curious money is an iron currency from West Africa known as the Kissi penny or Kilindi. Named for the Kissi people living in and around Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, the pennies are actually rods of twisted iron roughly 1 foot long. Each has a double-pointed tip at one end and a leaf-like piece at the other—distinctive marks that kept “clippers” from being able to whittle away the metal and pawn off the cut coin as whole. The exact value of the Kissi penny is not known, but it wasn’t much. Large purchases were made by binding Kissi pennies into bundles of 20 to 100. Historians do know, however, that Kissi pennies weren’t taken lightly. They were said to possess a soul, and if one was broken, it was repaired by a blacksmith under the guidance of a local priest. 3
The Coin Your Mom Doesn’t Want You to Pick Up: Leper Colony Coins
Leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, was once among the most feared diseases in the world. Mistakenly believed to be highly contagious, it was a disfiguring and paralyzing condition that, until the 1900s, had no known cure. Sufferers were forced from their homes and exiled into colonies, where they wouldn’t be able to spread the disease to the larger population.
Among attempts to quarantine lepers? Giving them their own currency. Many people feared leprosy could be transmitted by handling money, so special coins were minted (and, in some cases, paper bills printed) for leper colonies in areas including Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, the U.S. Canal Zone, and the Philippines. Some city officials found another convenient use for leper money—paying inmates for their work and allowing them to buy personal items with it. This, so the logic went, prevented prisoners from ever being able to save up “real” money to aid in an escape.
The Coin from 1780 That’s Definitely Not from 1780: The Maria Theresa Thaler
The English word “dollar” comes from “thaler,” any of several large silver coins issued in the German-speaking countries of central Europe between the 15th and 18th centuries. But by far the most famous is the Maria Theresa thaler, which features a portrait of Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria (1717–1780) on the front. And though the archduchess’ thalers were Austrian coins, they wound up being circulated across North Africa and the Middle East for almost two centuries. Because Austrian traders used them to buy coffee in the Middle East, thalers quickly became popular among Eastern merchants, who came to trust the weight and purity of the coins’ silver content.
The catch? Merchants put their trust solely in the 1780 Maria Theresa thaler. When presented with newer (and perfectly legitimate) thalers imprinted with more current dates or featuring different monarchs, Eastern traders assumed the coins were counterfeits. Eventually, it became such a problem that the Austrian government agreed to mint new Maria Theresa thalers, dated 1780, for foreign trade. In fact, for decades after that prized date, demand for the coins was so strong that mints in Italy, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands churned out their own versions of the 1780 Maria Theresa thaler.
Reportedly, the 1780 thalers were still circulating in parts of Yemen, Muscat, and Oman until the early 1980s. And today, Austria still mints Maria Theresa thalers, though they’re commemorative coins not used for regular trade. Estimates vary, but it’s believed between 400 million and 800 million of them may have been minted during the last 225 years. 5.
The Coin You Can Never Take on an Airplane: Spanish Pieces of Eight
In the New World, colonists had to get creative when it came to currency. Because the British were too cheap to mint coins for their American settlements, colonists had to make do with barter, paper money, or whatever foreign coins they could scrape up through trade. Fortunately, Spain’s New World colonies were rich in silver mines, and the Spanish had plenty of coins to toss around.
At the time, Spain minted coins about the same size as the Germanic silver thaler coins of Europe, and Americans took to calling them “Spanish dollars.” But officially, Spanish dollars were valued at eight reals (real being Spanish for “royal”). So how do you make change for a Spanish dollar? For our colonial forefathers, it was easy. Knowing that silver is a fairly soft metal, they’d just take a mallet and a chisel, or even an axe, and slice up the coin like a pizza. The cut slices were called “bits,” or pieces of eight. A 2-real piece was worth about 25 U.S. cents, which is why a quarter is sometimes referred to as “two bits.” Another term for cut coin slices was “sharp silver,” because the points were indeed sharp enough to cut cloth or even skin.
The circulation of pieces of eight and Spanish dollars in America began to decline after the first U.S. Mint opened in Philadelphia in 1792. However, it took a long time for the establishment to catch up with America’s demand for coins, and foreign currency was legal tender in the United States until 1857.
The Dreamiest Coin of All Time: The King Edward Coin
When Britain’s King Edward VIII gave up his crown, he also gave up the glory of seeing his face on English currency. Edward succeeded his father, King George V, in 1936, but problems quickly arose after he announced his intentions to wed a twice-divorced American named Wallis Simpson. Rather than dump his scandalous fiancée, Edward played to the fairy-tale dreams of every girl in the world and gave up the crown instead.
Edward VIII’s reign lasted less than one year, which wasn’t long enough for Britain to switch to new coins, so all the British coins minted during his reign still bore the profile of his late father. Certain colonial coins, such as this 1936 10-cent piece from British East Africa, carried King Edward’s name, but not his image. Rare relics of Edward’s short (and romantic) reign, these coins are a numismatist favorite.
As for the hole in the middle, that’s a fairly common design trait of yore. One explanation is that it allowed people to carry their coins on a string or wear them on a necklace, so they’d be easier to keep track of. 7. The Not-Quite Counterfeit Coin: The 1804 Silver Dollar
America’s most famous rare coin is the 1804 silver dollar. Why so special? Because it was actually made by mistake. Due to governmental budget constraints, the production of silver dollars was halted in the early 19th century. And while a few thousand $1 coins were minted in 1804, they were produced frugally, using the previous year’s dies. Ironically, the first $1 coins dated 1804 weren’t made until 1834, when the United States decided to present the King of Siam and the Sultan of Muscat with a diplomatic gift: complete sets of American coins. Records at the U.S. Mint correctly listed 1804 as the last year silver dollars were made, but didn’t specify that the last ones were dated 1803. Consequently, American officials decided to strike a few new dollars with the date 1804, and ended up creating a coin that had never before existed.
Today, there are only 15 of these 1804 silver dollars left. Eight of them were from the batch minted as diplomatic gifts. The other seven were produced between 1858 and 1860, when an employee of the Philadelphia Mint decided to get rich quick on the coin collector’s market. Using the mint’s silver and equipment, he struck a number of new 1804 silver dollars to sell to collectors. The phony coins (although illegally produced, they’re technically not counterfeits because they were made at a U.S. Mint) were eventually found and melted down—all but seven of them, that is. One of these re-strikes was auctioned in 2003 for $1.21 million, but that’s chump change compared to the $4.14 million paid for one of the original coins back in 1999. 8. The “Choose Your Own Coin” Coin: Blank Coins
The quality-control regulators at our mints do a great job of catching mistakes, but luckily for collectors, some botched coins do make their way into circulation. Among the more common errors are blank coins, such as this one-cent piece. Coins are made by pressing a die onto a planchet, or coin blank, that’s been punched out of a piece of sheet metal. Sometimes, a planchet slips through the process without being struck, and a blank coin, such as the one above, ends up in an otherwise ordinary roll of pennies. Other common errors include coins struck off-center, coins struck on the wrong planchet (i.e., the image of a quarter stamped onto a penny), and double-struck coins. 9. The Coin You Could Stub a Toe On: England’s Giant Pennies
The original English penny was a silver piece descended from a dime-size Roman silver coin, but that sleek and elegant design began to change in the late 1700s. During that century, Britain struggled with the cost of minting coins and often didn’t bother to mint them in small denominations. Labor costs were high, and those who had money dealt in larger denominations, anyway. Then, in the late 18th century, inventors Matthew Boulton and James Watt (who are often credited with creating the first practical steam engine) invented coin-making machinery that greatly cut production costs.
During the Middle Ages, English monarchs, always in need of money, realized they could make a profit by cranking out pennies with less than a penny’s worth of silver. More and more copper was added to the mix, and by the turn of the 19th century, pennies were entirely copper (or bronze). Of course, because these metals were cheaper, the coins got bigger—much bigger.
For the next century and a half, English pennies stayed big—about the size of a modern U.S. half dollar. They also stayed heavy. In fact, demonstrators in the 1960s sometimes used British pennies to throw at police officers. And in 1966, a woman was arrested in Nevada for plunking British pennies into slot machines meant to take U.S. half-dollar coins.
Inflation eventually drove the price of copper so high that making coins out of the metal no longer made sense. By 1969, a ton of English pennies, worth about $1,080 U.S., could be melted down and sold for more than $1,600 worth of scrap copper. The official end to the giant penny craze came in 1971, when Great Britain decided to decimalize its currency.
Incidentally, the United States once followed in the mother country’s footsteps by minting huge pennies. From 1793 to 1857, America made one-cent pieces that were almost the size of today’s half dollars. 10. The Coin That Taught the Government to Recycle: Steel Pennies
While meat, sugar, and gasoline were in short supply during World War II, Uncle Sam was also having trouble getting his hands on enough copper. Turns out, the country’s entire supply was being used to mint coins. In fact, it’s estimated some 4,600 tons of copper went toward making pennies in 1942—enough to make 120 field cannons or 1.25 million artillery shells. So, in 1943, copper pennies were replaced with pennies made of zinc-coated steel.
Steel pennies were unpopular from the start. Vending machines read them as fakes; streetcar conductors mistook them for dimes; and, after the coins had circulated for a short time, the zinc began to wear off and the steel core began to rust.
By the end of 1943, steel pennies were on their way out. But, how would the government scrounge up enough copper for decent self-respecting pennies? Recycling, of course. Army and Navy personnel were ordered to pick up rifle and artillery-shell casings from firing ranges and even battlefields. The empty brass shells were then sent to the Mint, where they were melted down, mixed with a little more copper, and made into pennies.
The campaign worked. All U.S. pennies minted in 1944 and 1945 were made from World War II shell casings. Yet, the new coins presented their own problems. Sometimes, the brass shell cases and fresh copper weren’t mixed completely, giving some of the coins noticeable brass streaks. Also, the explosive residue in the shell casings often stained or discolored the pennies.
No, it's not the first of April, the phenomenon known as a "fire rainbow" does exist. Here, read the science behind it and marvel at some amazing photography of this rare beauty, the Circumhorizon Arc, known to its friends as a CHA.
If you are very lucky you may see a fire rainbow once or twice in your life. It sounds like it could be one of a series of children's books - "Harry Potter and the Fire Rainbow" has a certain ring to it, but this phenomenon is not fiction. If you are in the right place and at the right time then a fire rainbow is something that you will remember witnessing forever.
To name it properly, a fire rainbow is a circumhorizontal arc. It is also known as a circumhorizon arc but whichever you chose, scientists (and aficionados) call it a CHA. It is given its name because it looks as if a rainbow has spontaneously combusted as it made its way across the sky. It could even be suspected, perhaps, that some malign fairy or goblin has blown the rainbow up to stop some errant human discovering that elusive pot of gold at its end!
The real explanation behind a fire rainbow lies more in science text books than in a Brothers Grimm tale. A CHA is a kind of halo - which is an optical phenomenon. These appear around the moon - or in this case the Sun. You have probably seen a halo yourself around a strong light source - take a look at street lights in the fog for example.
Although there are many different types of optical halos, a CHA is caused by the refraction though ice crystals in cirrus clouds of light from the sun. Refraction happens when the speed of light is reduced inside a particular medium. This particular refraction happens when light goes from air without cloud to air containing cloud. In this case it is vital that the cloud is cirrus in shape.
A cirrus cloud is one of those thin, wispy ones, often with tufts sticking out like disheveled hair! They can be huge - covering so much of the sky that you cannot see where one ends and another begins. When they are a massive sheet they are called cirrostratus. They are formed at enormous heights - over eight thousand meters. There is very little moisture at those heights and that's why they are so skinny!
So, what happens when light hits a cirrus cloud and what special conditions are needed to form a fire rainbow? The refraction of the light causes it to separate from its "white" form to its different components (which people call wavelengths). The person on the street would say that the light is bent out of shape and split up in to all the different colors that make it up. In other words, a rainbow - or in our case, a fire rainbow!
So, why don't we see fire rainbows as often as (its now more mundane!) cousin, the rainbow? For a start the sun has to be at least fifty eight degrees above the horizon for one to occur - and you have to be lucky enough to have cirrus clouds around at the same time! Because of the necessary height of the sun you will not see a fire rainbow north of fifty five degrees - and likewise further south of the magic fifty five degrees. You may occasionally see one if you are high up on a mountain further south or north, but it is not likely!
There is more! The ice crystals in the cirrus cloud have to be horizontal to refract the sun. If they are then the arc is formed. Ice crystals have six sides, meaning that they are hexagonal. The light goes in through one of the side faces of the crystal. Then it is refracted and it leaves through the bottom horizontal face. Below is my rather poor attempt to reproduce the process in PowerPoint!
It is vital that the crystal is aligned just so as otherwise the light will not separate in to the rainbow like colors we expect. If the alignment is correct then the whole cirrus cloud will "explode" in to a flaming, fire rainbow! The sight is almost as if someone has sprayed the sky with gasoline, thrown a lit match at it and then leant back, arms folded, to take in their handiwork!
So, if you are lucky enough to see this phenomenon, perhaps it is a good idea to make a wish! The conditions for a fire rainbow are so exact that it means that to see one is a rare sight indeed. When nature does us this sort of favor by giving us a gift such as this, then perhaps it is only right that we make a wish when we encounter it! It may not be very scientific, but to be honest, would you care?
Whether you believe in God, the Big Bang theory, or some other idea you cannot deny the fact that the world in which we live in is mind-blowingly overwhelming. We live upon a canvas of picturesque beauty and admirable wonders; an exhibition of ancient artwork and glamorous spectacles. Raging waterfalls crashing down onto rocks, snow-capped majestic mountains standing tall and proud and even a morning sunrise that casts it's heart-warming rays upon the landscape. Of course, to experience these fully it would be best to get some hands-on experience, but for those of you who don't fancy taking a trip into Brazil to see the Iguassu falls or waking up at the crack of dawn to catch a fleeting glimpse of the morning sun, here is a breakdown of just ten amazing natural wonders to blow your mind:
The Northern Lights
This marvellous happening of beauty is also often called “Aurora Borealis” named after the Roman Goddess of dawn (Aurora) and the Greek word for the north wind (Boreas). This spectacle can only be viewed in the North Sky of the Northern Hemisphere, most often during March through to April and September through to October. Often appearing as a green glow (although sometimes faint red) a lot of people wish to see this “piece of art in the sky”.
The Great Barrier Reef
Admired among many, off the coast of north-east Australia in the Coral Sea lays this behemoth of vibrantly coloured fish and a forest of extraordinary reef. This is the world's largest reef that stretches out over an area of 344,400 square kilometres which is home to a wide range of tropical fish, built by billions of organisms. People often scuba dive off of boats just to look upon this beautiful piece of sea landscape.
A Simple Sunrise
Most people believe that you must travel far and wide to experience the full splendours of this Earth but in actual fact they can be found anywhere. Most people can take solace in waking up early, sitting on a nearby hill and watching the morning sun rise behind the landscape with it's shine blaring across the skies, puncturing the clouds and blasting it's way across the land. Sunrises look very effective on lakes and beaches.
Machu Picchu
Lost in the mountainside, this remote secret village was discovered a hundred years ago by an American Historian named Hiram Bingham and only recently it was made one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Built with brick (and with some excellent places to climb on) this town is now populated by Llamas and tourists who flock to Peru just to witness and be a part of this unique culture. Machu Picchu was constructed around 1460 at the height of the Inca empire but it was abandoned 100 years later until urban tourists can and invaded this natural landscape.
A Smile
A very meaningful natural wonder. A single smile can lift someone's mood and bring out the best in people. If you're feeling down and blue, a quick smile can help to cheer you up, especially if it's from a friend or someone who you care about a lot. Isn't it amazing? How a little effort can do so much; sure, it might not be something that you remember for the rest of your life, but it shows compassion and care and can make you feel special.
A Snowflake
'The [Creator] scratched his nose again. “You soon run out of ideas for snowflakes, for example.”' - Eric by Terry Pratchett.
That's the thing about snowflakes; they're so intricate and unique. A sparkling miniscule sculpture of pure intricacy and beauty. Never will you see two that are exactly the same as they glide elegantly down from the winter sky. True beauty can be found right outside your doorstep.
Iguassu Falls
Niagara Falls has nothing on this. Iguassu (Commonly spelt “Iguazu or “Iguaçu”) Falls are situated on the border between Brazil and Argentina, where the frothy waters fall over the edge of the rocky landscape in this forest filled area. Legend says that a God was planning on marrying a beautiful aborigine by the name of Naipi, but she fled with her lover Tarobá in a canoe. In a fit of rage the God sliced the river to create the waterfalls and consequently condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon, a steep-sided gorge that was carved by the Colorado River in the state of Arizona. The canyon is 277 miles long, ranging in width from 4 and 18 miles and has stood for 17 million years. Native Americans built settlements within the canyon and its many caves and the “Pueblo” people considered it to be a holy site, making pilgrimages to it. The first European (known) to have viewed it was García López de Cárdenas from Spain.
A Rainbow
A Rainbow actually has no physical form, but is a very attractive visual illusion created by our eye viewing the light being bent through raindrops, and it most commonly seen when it is rainy and sunny, or near waterfalls. Also, because it has no physical shape there is no end to it, and therefore, no pot of the gold at the end. Just thought I'd clear that up. Whenever a rainbow is in the sky, people often point it out, and appreciate it's beauty as it shows the entire spectrum of white light from red to violet.
The Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest is located in the Amazon Basin of South America (the area is also known as Amazonia) and is a moist broadleaf forest that takes up 5.5 million square kilometres and spread out throughout nine different nations. This rainforest is so big that it represents over half of the planet's remaining tropical rainforest in the entire world, and so beautifulwith it's luscious green leaves and it's wild habitat.
Most of us thought that flowers and plants that are capable of blooming once after thousands of years exist only in childhood fairytales. Meanwhile, big plants capable of consuming their small prey are thought to be extinct. Fortunately, recent discoveries have validated the existence of these creatures. However, biologists have considered their population as endangered species due to the low existing numbers of their kind. Environmental changes and man-made activities are considered the primary reasons for the decline of their numbers.
Youtan Poluo The 38 pieces of very small white flowers measuring a diameter of 1mm was found by a Chinese farmer - Mr. Ding - growing in his steel pipes. Youtan Poluo is a legendary flower thought to exist only in the Buddhist scriptures. According to botanical experts, the flower only blooms once every 3000 years. According to Indian Myth, the flower only blossoms when the Sage King of the future visits the present world. Youtan Poluo is translated in Sanskrit as "Udumbara" or "Udambara" flower. Similar phenomenon has occurred at Chonggye-sa Temple in Seoul when the flower blossomed on the Buddha statue's forehead.
Nepenthes Tenax
From the species of tropical flesh-eating pitcher plant, the nepenthes tenax has been spotted in the Northern Queensland, Australia. The Nepenthes Tenax can grow a maximum height of 100 cm with vines exceeding to 25 cm high. Nepenthes Tenax is regarded as exceptional specie of pitcher flower since others can only grow at a maximum height of 15 cm. N. Tenax is last found only January this year by the ecologist, Charles Clarke, from James Cook University. The plant is found in the northern Cape York. Botanical archeologists believe that this flower can actually consume small rats, mice, lizards and even birds. Botanists predict that the flower will cost around hundreds of U.S dollars per piece if sold in the global black market.
Kadupul Flower The legendary flower, named Kadupul, is believed to be an offering of Celestial Nagas for Buddha after they bloom. Kadupul flowers emit strange fragrance as it blooms during midnight. Strangely, these flowers immediately die during dawn. Seeing Kadupul flower blooms is a very rare experience among those that grow the flower. Kadupul flower is native to Sri Lankan lands but still, the blooming of the flowers has rarely been spotted even by the locals.
Silversword or Ahinahina Plant The endangered plant since 1922, Ahinahina, exclusively grows only in the alpine regions of Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and Haleakala. The tough skin of this plant is capable of enduring harsh weather conditions, especially snowy weather and intensive heat of the sun. Ahinahina plant is currently being cultivated and protected from external threats due to their threatened population. According to the authorities of Haleakala National Park, silverswords have been endangered by extensive herding and vandalism.
After sensing the creature, the tentacles perform its predatory mechanism, called thigmotropism, in order to trap its prey. Afterwards, the plant digests the prey using its digestive glands. Sundews are now considered endangered due to the increasing temperature as well as the limited growing areas available for their kind.
Drosera capensis
Otherwise known as the Cape sundew, Drosera capensis is native to the land of South African cape. Cape Sundew is usually cultivated in the southern capes of Africa due to its insecticidal function. Sundew has its strap-like and beautifully colored tentacles that can grow to a length of 15 cm and 1 cm wide. These tentacles secrete sticky mucous substance called mucilage, which traps insects or other small preys.
Some of the most fascinating man-made structures on earth are the massive auditoriums that were once used for theatrical performances, music shows, as well for more sinister purposes such as violent wild animal shows and gladiatorial contests. These awesome theatres have a historical stigma attached to them, and in some cases, history is still being made because some are still being used today.
It’s hard to believe that some of these theatres are close to 3,000 years old, and it’s amazing that they’re even still standing. The amount of engineering knowledge that our ancient ancestors had developed is just as mesmerising especially when some of these auditoria rival present-day outdoor theatres in terms of acoustic properties. That’s amazing for a 2,000 year old theatre that is large enough to seat 25,000 people or more!
The Colosseum, Italy
: Probably the most popular of all ancient auditoriums, the Colosseum is also the largest known amphitheatre ever built during the Roman Empire. The construction of the Colosseum was completed in 80 AD, and it originally had a capacity of 50,000 spectators. This venue was used mainly for gladiator competitions and other public spectacles for nearly 500 years. Since then, the Colosseum has taken on some damage due to several earthquakes, and also from stone-robbers who want to have a piece of the famous auditorium.
The Colosseum is quite a large structure. Its original form was approximately 660 Roman feet (1 Roman foot = 0.97 feet) long and 520 Roman feet wide, and a total perimeter of about 1,885 Roman feet. The height of the outer wall measures about 165 Roman feet tall. The Colosseum is Rome’s most popular tourist attraction, and one of the greatest man-made structures of all-time.
Epidauros Theatre, Greece
Epidauros Theatre: Built during the fourth century BC, the Epidauros Theatre was a huge 15,000 seat theatre with amazing acoustic properties. As a matter of fact, you can sit anywhere in this auditorium and hear someone on the center stage of the theatre strike a match. The limestone seats seem to block out the low frequencies of crowd chatter, and enhance the high frequencies of performers on-stage. The remarkable acoustic quality of this theatre was either designed by mistake, or it was because of some engineering far ahead of its time.
Ephesus Theatre, Turkey
Ephesus Theatre: The Ephesus Theatre is located on the slope of the Panayir Hill in the ancient city of Ephesus. It was constructed during the Hellenistic Period in the 3rd Century BC. The theatre was later enlarged during the Roman Period. This huge theatre could seat 25,000 people in its 67 rows of seats, which were separated into three sections. Much of the seating area was made of marble, especially the lower section, which was reserved for important people of the time. The width of the cavea is an impressive 466 feet across with a stage building soaring 3 storey high, an incredible theatre.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Greece
Odeon of Herodes Atticus: Originally built in 161 AD by Herodes Atticus, this theatre was built as an amphitheatre with a three-story high stone wall in the front of the venue, and a wooden roof overhead. Since then, this 5,000 seat auditorium has been restored using marble for the seating areas, and it’s today used for concerts during events such as the Athens Festival throughout the summer. The views from this theatre, located on the south slope of the Acropolis of Athens, are spectacular to the say the least.
Side Theatre, Turkey
Side Theatre: The resort town of Side is one of the best-known classical cities in all of Turkey. The huge ancient theatre here is spectacular and was constructed in the classic Roman amphitheatre style with extravagant arches used to support huge walls. The theatre was turned into an open-air venue sometime in the 5th or 6th Century. Much of this massive auditorium has collapsed overtime due to its sheer size and through erosion. This theatre originally sat between 15,000 and 20,000 people.
Caesarea, Israel
Caesarea: This remarkable ancient amphitheatre was constructed over 2,000 years ago, and today it’s one of Israel’s most popular tourist attractions. This amazingly large outdoor auditorium is not just a historical landmark, though, it’s still used today for concerts and shows. The immense size and architecture of the ancient city of Caesarea is breathtaking, and the auditorium offers spectacular views of the Mediterranean from high atop the stadium seating.
Kourion Theatre, Cyprus
Kourion Theatre: The spectacular Kourion Amphitheatre on the beautiful island of Cyprus offers both a historical perspective of the ancient Roman ages, and a beautiful view of the Mediterranean. This 2nd Century AD theatre has a capacity of about 2,000 people, and it was mostly used as a host site for gladiator games. Today, the theatre has been restored, and it’s used for live concerts and shows. It doesn’t get much better than enjoying a live concert at this historical auditorium with amazing views of the sea in the distance – that’s the life!
Argos Theatre, Greece
Argos Theatre: The ancient Argos Theatre site in Greece actually consists of two theatres that are about 100 meters apart. There is a smaller theatre that originally seated about 2,500, and then there is a larger theatre that originally sat approximately 20,000; today it seats about half that. The larger theatre originally consisted of 90 steps, which was much more than other theatres, and the seating areas were divided into upper, middle, and lower sections. The smaller auditorium dates back to the 5th Century, while the larger one was built about 100 years later. Experts believe that these ancient amphitheatres were buried for approximately 1,400 years before being discovered in 1892.
Bouleuterion of Aphrodisias, Turkey
Bouleuterion of Aphrodisias: The Bouleuterion (or council house) is located in North Agora, and it was built sometime between the 2nd and 3rd Century AD. This auditorium was not only used for theatre purposes, but it was also used by area council members for meetings. The estimated capacity of this auditorium is 1,750, although today it’s much smaller than that because the top twelve rows have been destroyed over time. The first nine rows of seating are made of marble, and they remain fully intact. The stage is about 138 feet wide and is raised off the ground. The area in front of the stage was where the orchestra was located. There is evidence that this was a covered auditorium, because the orchestra area had no drainage gutters for rainwater
Aspendos Theatre, Turkey
Aspendos Theatre: Created back in 155 AD, the Aspendos Theatre is one of the most well-preserved examples of Roman theatre construction in the world. This ancient auditorium is 325 feet by 240 feet in size, and it seats up to 20,000 people. The cavea (seating area) consists of 41 rows of seating that are divided into a lower and upper section. The upper seating area features inscribed names of theatrical patrons of the time etched into the near marble-quality limestone. The theatre originally had a retractable awning that could be used to provide shade over the spectators on a hot day, and this is evident by the 58 post holes found in the upper level of the theatre. Aspendos Theatre is easily one of the most spectacular ancient theatres to visit, because it’s so well-preserved.
Bosra Amphitheatre, Syria
Bosra Amphitheatre: This extremely well-preserved Roman Theatre in the city of Bosra, Syria was constructed back in the 2nd Century AD. This historical gem seats about 15,000 spectators, and it has an amazing story behind its pristine preservation. For over 2,000 years, the ancient ancestors of the people of Bosra kept the Bosra Theatre intact by burying it in sand, and building a fortress around it to protect against any kind of damage that it may receive over the years (war, attacks, the elements, etc.). Because of these precautionary steps taken by the ancient ancestors of the people of Bosra, the Bosra Amphitheatre is known as one of the most preserved ancient Roman auditoriums in the world.
Orange Theatre, France
Orange Theatre: This stunningly beautiful theatre is located in Southern France at Arausio and it was built about 2,000 years ago. This theatre is one of the most well-preserved examples of Roman theatre. The theatre originally sat 7,000 spectators in its tiered seating design, which was a typical design of the time. The stage is 210 feet long, and a castle-like wall shoots 120 feet into the air just behind the stage. This theatre is known for the awesome acoustics that are produced here due to the design of the auditorium. The Les Choregies music festival is held here every summer because of the remarkable acoustics, and it has become one of the largest in the region.
Termessos Theatre, Turkey
Termessos Theatre: Built sometime around the 2nd Century AD, the Termessos Theatre is located at one of Turkey’s best preserved ancient cities. The ancient city of Termessos is built at an elevation of over 3,000 feet in the Taurus Mountains. The spectacular theatre at Termessos had an original capacity of between 4,000 and 5,000 people. There were a total of 8 tiers of seating, which were shaped in the traditional semi-circle pattern. There were a total of five rooms hidden beneath the stage that were used to hold wild animals before shows. Much of this theatre today is in ruins, but it still features a strong historical presence and magnificent views high atop the Taurus Mountains.
Arykanda Theatre, Turkey
Arykanda Theatre: The ancient city of Arykanda is estimated to date all the way back to the 5th Century BC. The theatre here was built during the Roman era, and it’s still today in relatively good shape. The theatre is small, only featuring 20 rows of seating, but there is a lot of fine detail that was put into the design of the theatre. You can see Greek writings across the top two rows of seating, and the stairs featured decorative touches that added to the theatre’s elegance. There are also holes at the edge of each row of seating that are believed to have supported protective awnings during performances.
Pergamon Theatre, Turkey
Pergamon Theatre: This Greco-Roman type theatre was constructed in the 3rd Century BC and it was enlarged to its final size about 100 years later. The nearly 122 feet high auditorium could originally seat up to 10,000 people in its seating area which was built into the hillside. The steep hillside that this theatre was built upon made it the steepest theatre of the entire ancient world. There are a total of 78 rows of seating, which are divided into a total of 3 sections. All of the seats were made out of andesite and trachyte, except for the marble seat of honor, which was reserved for the wealthiest and most powerful people.
The Delphi Theatre, Greece
The Delphi Theatre: The impressive theatre at Delphi is situated upon a hill overlooking the Temple of Apollo, and the entire ancient city below. The 35 rows of limestone seating could accommodate up to 5,000 people during a show at this magnificent auditorium. It’s believed that this theatre was built sometime in the 4th Century BC and was later added onto.
Taormina Theatre, Italy
Taormina Theatre: In the heart of Sicily you can find the Taormina Theatre, which offers some of the most beautiful views of the bay of Naxos, the volcano of Mt. Etna, and the majestic Castle Mola. This 2nd Century BC theatre has a diameter of about 376 feet and a gigantic stage wall that measures 90 feet by 120 feet. This Greek theatre was later reconstructed by the Romans who used an astounding 100,000 cubic meters of stone to widen the theatre. The Taormina Theatre is still used today to host concerts, ballet, and other theatrical performances.
Praia do Cassino Beach: At over 150 miles in length, this is the longest beach in the entire world. Brazil’s beaches are known for their white sand, warm temperatures and welcoming locals. Any trip here is going to be hot, hot, hot! All sorts of water activities can be enjoyed here but surfing is the most popular pastime.
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
Cox’s Bazar: This beach has the distinction of being the world’s longest ‘natural sand’ beach, stretching across 150 miles. It’s an interesting place which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Bangladesh but remains relatively little known amongst travellers in general since Bangladesh is not considered a top destination for the average family. The people who do go here will find that there are three separate spots to enjoy: Laboni Beach which is the main beach close to town, Humchari which is loved for its waterfalls and Inani Beach which is favoured for suntanning. You may hear people here calling the beach Panowa; the term means ‘little flower’ and is the nickname that locals know the place by.
Padre Island, Texas
Padre Island: This beach is about 130 miles long and is known for being one of the longest drivable beaches in the world. Located in Texas, the water here is from the Gulf of Mexico so it’s a place where the water is warm enough for swimming nearly all year round. There are two distinct sides to this beach; the north side is a party spot for spring break kids and the south side is a National Seashore where visitors can see the dunes and tides preserved in their original state. Make sure to look for the sea turtles which are a favourite tourist attraction here.
Ninety Mile Beach, Australia
Ninety Mile Beach, Australia: At just over ninety miles, this is a beautiful Australian beach dotted with charming coastal towns. Unfortunately, there aren’t terrific swimming or surfing conditions here most of the time so it’s not necessarily a favourite beach for watersports. Nevertheless, people who are seeking to get great beach photographs will find miles and miles of picture perfect spots here.
Ninety Mile Beach, New Zealand
Ninety Mile Beach, New Zealand: Not to be outdone by Australia, this neighbouring country also has a Ninety Mile Beach. However, this one is slightly shorter at about 88 miles in length. It’s a popular tourist destination because the sand dunes here look a lot like desert land which provides an interesting contrast to the ocean.
Playa Novillero, Mexico
Playa Novillero: . This little-known beach is a favourite of people who have travelled extensively throughout Mexico. It is a pristine beach that stretches about fifty miles long and has unique wave patterns that interest people who study water. Despite the fact that this isn’t a tourist attraction, there are some interesting sights to see in the nearby area including historic churches and an indigenous art museum.
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach: This popular tourist beach that people on the East Coast flock to each summer is approximately 35 miles long. It has the distinction of being named ‘The World’s Longest Pleasure Beach’ by the Guinness Book of World Records. You can take that to mean whatever you like but keep in mind that Virginia’s state motto is ‘Virginia is for Lovers’.
Long Beach, Washington
Long Beach: This beach regularly claims to be the longest beach in the world and/or the United States but it’s only about thirty miles long, so in reality it’s five times shorter than the longest beaches in the world. Nevertheless, it is a long beach and the longest beach on the United States’ West Coast so it gets to rank even though it boasts to be bigger than it is.
Stockton Beach, Australia
Stockton Beach: This beach is only about 20 miles long but it’s one of the widest long beaches in the world. In other words, this baby’s got length and girth. It’s known for its sand dunes; in fact, it’s said to have the largest moving sand dunes in the world. You can ride quads or go sandboarding on the dunes and then hit the water with your surfboard.
Muizenberg, South Africa
Muizenberg: This is a beach located in a small beach town in Africa that is charming, quaint and filled with small historic sites. The beach is slightly longer than twelve miles and is popular among rock climbers who scale the cliffs there. They tend to watch out carefully below though because part of the beach, called False Bay, is known for its White Shark population.
Colva Beach, India
Colva Beach: At approximately twelve and a half miles long, Colva Beach is the longest of the beautiful beaches of Goa. This part of India became popular with in the 1970’s with Western tourists who were interested in exploring an Eastern way of life. Its popularity grew when it became a spot for multi-day raves where people from around the world would party the days away. There are over 50 miles of coastal white sand beaches here that welcome in a diverse array of backpacking travellers.
Clifton Beach, Pakistan
Clifton Beach: This ten mile long beach on the Arabian Sea is a popular place for Pakistan’s tourists due in no small part to the fact that it’s believed to be safe even in times when the rest of the country is politically unsettled. That safety was jeopardised in 2003 due to an oil spill in the area but it has since been rebuilt. Amusement parks, camel rides and general beach activities all draw people to the area.
Wasaga Beach, Canada
Wasaga Beach: This beach is only about eight and a half miles long but it has the honour of being the world’s longest freshwater beach (or so it claims in its tour guides anyway). It’s a favourite tourist destination for Ontario visitors who can enjoy activities ranging from hiking to boating.
Sauble Beach, Canada
Sauble Beach: With nearly seven miles of beach, this is the world’s second longest freshwater beach behind Ontario’s other major beach, Wasaga. If you’re a fan of freshwater, Ontario is definitely the place to go for the long beaches!
Marina Beach, IndiaMarina Beach: . This beach is only about eight miles long so many people are surprised to see it on a list of the world’s longest beaches. However, it has been marketed as the world’s longest beach so successfully that people often believe that it really is a very long beach. It’s not in the top ten but that doesn’t mean that it’s a beach that should be ignored; located on the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean, it’s a beautiful sandy beach that offers much to the tourist who is drawn there. One of the special sights that you’ll want to make sure to see is the set of stone statues here which honour local celebrities ranging from actors to politicians. It should be noted that the water here is polluted and swimming in some areas is off limits but it is still considered a tourist destination for anyone visiting Chennai.
They come in an array of colors. They beautifully dance in the skies, enchanting all who view them. They are known as the Aurora Borealis. The Borealis are also more commonly known as the Northern Lights, specifically because they most commonly occur in the Northern Hemisphere. The Cree call them Dance of the Spirits.
A French scientist, Pierre Gassendi, saw the lights in the north in 1621. He dubbed the lights Aurora Borealis, after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora.
It is believed in some cultures that the auroras are the spirits of their dead. The Eskimos believe that they are the souls of animals. Some even believe that as the auroras dance closer to the those who are watching them, that they will envelop you, and take you to the heavens.
The auroras are created when charged particles collide in the Earth's atmosphere. The energy created by the charged particles become lost by light emissions. Different gases within the upper atmosphere create the various colors of the auroras. Even solar wind activity from the Sun can influence the color of the auroras.
The auroras typically look like waving curtains across the sky. But it also takes on the shapes of streamers, arcs, patches, and rays. The auroras occur between 35-600 miles above the Earth. It is suggested that they are shaped by the Earth's magnetic field. Satellites have shown that they often spiral around the Earth, guided by magnetic field lines.
Although they are brief, the sheer beauty of this awesome phenomena gives us a glimpse at heaven. There are few natural occurrences such as these, which can offer us such wonderful sights.
After an arduous climb up to the top of a waterfall or massive cliff, are you feeling brave enough to take a flying leap from the peak of your destination? How about if it means that you have to jump through narrow crevices into icy cold waters, risking your life because of the height of the jump and the chance that you’re going to pummel straight into the side of that cliff? Some crazy people out there aren’t afraid to take these chances, or are at least brave enough to overcome those fears. Here’s a look at nine of the places where they go to do those insane jumps.
La Quebrada Cliffs, Mexico
La Quebrada Cliffs: Cliff jumpers aren’t all crazy and appreciate that it’s much safer to jump into a deep lake or a waterfall’s plunge pool. But in Mexico they do things differently: seemingly health and safety was of little concern when someone decided to turn the La Quebrada cliffs into a diving spot. Not only do cliff jumpers here have to contend with all the usual variables, height, rocks, wind, but they also have to account for open ocean swells filling up and draining out the water levels. In other words, if your cliff jump was badly timed you stand a good chance of hitting something other than water.
But it doesn’t stop there! A group called the La Quebrada Cliff Divers perform cliff jumps nightly, in the dark. They make it look easy, especially since they jump with torches to put on a really cool show. In reality, however, it’s anything but easy and they’re risking their lives every time that they jump. Some of the jumps these guys pull off are just insane: there’s not much more you can say about it.
Wolfgangsee, Austria
Wolfgangsee: When I watched these videos of cliff diving at Wolfgangsee I was literally gobsmacked: what type of person considers cliff jumping from these extreme heights a ’sport’? Suffice to say the divers at the Red Bull Wolfgangsee Cliff Diving contest really pushed the envelope with incredible dives from mind-blowing heights of around 100ft. Fortunately, there are various jumps so you can scale to the top and leap into the waters below or you can work your way up to that kind of true fear.
Ponte Brolla, Switzerland
Ponte Brolla: This is a popular cliff diving spot in Switzerland but that doesn’t mean that it’s for the average cliff jumping tourist. It is a spot that’s best for professionals as evidenced by the fact that the World High Diving Federation held their European Cliff Diving Championships here last summer when participants performed somersaults, flying leaps and armstands to the delight of the audience. Not all has been pretty here, though: Ponte Brolla has been the site of several serious accidents among professional divers. The height of the jump, the jaggedness of the rocks and the iciness of the water all combine to make this a very dangerous cliff diving spot to risk your life.
Red Rocks Park, Vermont
Red Rocks Park: It’s not just the icy chill of the waters here that make this a dangerous (but popular) place to go extreme cliff jumping, there’s also the 80ft plunge straight into the water below. Many of these jumps are between narrow rock walls, adding to the already stratospheric danger levels. One jumper here landed parallel to the water after a ninety foot jump, breaking his back and requiring a six-month recovery after surgery!
Tar Creek Falls, California
Tar Creek Falls: It takes a long time to hike up to the top of the 70ft waterfall, so you’re exhausted before you even make the jump. While it’s considered quite a high jump, what really makes it dangerous is how the layout of the land makes it difficult to jump more than a few feet away from the side of the cliff and risk slamming into it as you fall.
Angora Lakes, Nevada
Angora Lakes, Nevada: Some people make it look easy to somersault off of the sides of 70ft cliffs at this Nevada cliff jumping spot, but some unfortunate people also don’t walk away unharmed. This has got to be one of the most insane and outright dangerous places to cliff jump but at least you can fit in a backflip on the way down!
Lighthouse Park, British Columbia
Lighthouse Park: Most people visit Lighthouse Park in British Columbia to check out the massive trees that grow in the forest and down on the waterfront. However, more adventurous people flock to Lighthouse Park to check out the massive jumps that are possible off the cliffs and into the lake.
Think you can drink like a sailor? Maybe you should take a moment to reflect on what that truly means.
The record for history’s largest cocktail belongs to British Lord Admiral Edward Russell. In 1694, he threw an officer’s party that employed a garden’s fountain as the punch bowl.
The concoction? A mixture that included 250 gallons of brandy, 125 gallons of Malaga wine, 1,400 pounds of sugar, 2,500 lemons, 20 gallons of lime juice, and 5 pounds of nutmeg.
A series of bartenders actually paddled around in a small wooden canoe, filling up guests’ cups. Not only that, but they had to work in 15-minute shifts to avoid being overcome by the fumes and falling overboard.
The party continued nonstop for a full week, pausing only briefly during rainstorms to erect a silk canopy over the punch to keep it from getting watered down. In fact, the festivities didn’t end until the fountain had been drunk completely dry.
The D.U.I. That Roused a Nation: Paul Revere’s Medford Pre-Party
The key to a good drinking story is not really how much you consumed, but what kind of idiocy you engaged in afterwards. Idiocy like, say, sparking a war.
Turns out, Paul Revere’s famous ride didn’t start out as a hootin’ hollerin’ wake-up-the-villagers sort of trip. According to historian Charles Taussig, Revere embarked on the stealth mission from Charlestown to Lexington in order to warn Sam Adams (the beer guy) and John Hancock (the big signature guy) that the British were coming. But by chance, his route took him through Medford—the rum capital of America. At the time, rum was colonial America’s number one commercial industry. So naturally, Revere stopped in for a brief rest at the house of Captain Isaac Hall, the leader of the local Minutemen and distiller of Old Medford Rum.
By the time Revere saddled up again, he’d sampled his fair share of Captain Hall’s hospitality and “he who came a silent horseman, departed a virile and vociferous crusader, with a cry of defiance and not of fear.” Not surprisingly, Revere was “pulled over” by the authorities (Redcoats) and detained for an hour before being released. So, it was actually Revere’s drunken caterwauling that roused Adams and Hancock at about 4:30 in the morning, only half an hour before fighting broke out on Lexington Green. Unfortunately, history has no record of Revere’s reaction when he awoke the next day (presumably nursing a hangover) and was informed of what he’d done.
The London Brew-nami of 1814
The Industrial Revolution wasn’t all steam engines and textile mills. Beer production increased exponentially, as well. Fortunately, the good people of England were up to the challenge and drained kegs as fast as they were made. Brewery owners became known as “beer barons,” and they spent their newfound wealth in an age-old manner — by trying to party more than the next guy.
Case in point: In 1814, Meux’s Horse Shoe Brewery in London constructed a brewing vat that was 22 feet tall and 60 feet in diameter, with an interior big enough to seat 200 for dinner — which is exactly how its completion was celebrated. (Why 200? Because a rival had built a vat that seated 100, of course.)
After the dinner, the vat was filled to its 4,000-barrel capacity. Pretty impressive, given the grand scale of the project, but pretty unfortunate given that they overlooked a faulty supporting hoop. Yup, the vat ruptured, causing other vats to break, and the resulting commotion was heard up to 5 miles away.
A wall of 1.3 million gallons of dark beer washed down the street, caving in two buildings and killing nine people by means of “drowning, injury, poisoning by the porter fumes, or drunkenness.”
The story gets even more unbelievable, though. Rescue attempts were blocked and delayed by the thousands who flocked to the area to drink directly off the road. And when survivors were finally brought to the hospital, the other patients became convinced from the smell that the hospital was serving beer to every ward except theirs. A riot broke out, and even more people were left injured.
Sadly, this incident was not deemed tragic enough at the time to merit an annual memorial service and/or reenactment.
New York State of Mind: The Dutch Ingratiate Themselves to the Natives
In 1609, the Dutch sent English explorer Henry Hudson westward for a third attempt at finding the fabled Northeast Passage. A near mutiny forced him southward, and upon reaching land, he encountered members of the Delaware Indian tribe.
To foster good relations, Hudson shared his brandy with the tribal chief, who soon passed out. But upon waking up the next day, he asked Hudson to pour some more for the rest of his tribe. From then on, the Indians referred to the island as Manahachtanienk — literally, “The High Island.”
And not “high” as in “tall;” high as in “the place where we got blotto.” Most people would agree that Manhattan has stayed true to the spirit of its name ever since.
Indian Elephants Raid the Liquor Cabinet
No wonder they don’t sell beer at the circus. Apparently, elephants like to get wasted. In fact, an outpost of the Indian army in the jungle region of Bagdogra has been under attack ever since a local herd of elephants raided the base in search of food and discovered the soldiers’ entire winter rations of rum.
Since then, the pachyderms have regularly raided the base for a drink and have smashed down all defenses put up by the army, including electrified fences and firewalls.
According to The Daily Telegraph, “An officer recently posted there explained that the elephants broke the rum bottles by cleverly curling their trunks around the bottom. Then they empty the contents down their throats. They soon got drunk, he said, and swayed around. They enjoy themselves and then return to the jungle.”
This is by no means a singular incident, though. The animal kingdom is well-known for its ability to identify fruit that’s begun to ferment. Anthropologists even believe this is how early man discovered alcohol — by observing the strange behavior of animals on a fruit bender.
Sanddabs are just one of the many marine creatures inhabiting this underworld hidden treasure. "It is an opportunistic predator, feeding on a variety of crustaceans, as well as smaller fish, squid, and octopuses."Look very closely, as the name is derived from the sand dabs hiding within the ocean floor.
Through the 19th century, the word "kelp" was largely associated with seaweeds that could be burned to obtain soda ash ( sodium carbonate). The word "kelp" was also used directly to refer to these processed ashes.
Bongo kelp ash is rich in iodine and alkali. Interesting enough, Kelp ash is used in soap and glass production. Until the Leblanc process was commercialized in the early 1800s, burning of kelp in Scotland was one of the principal industrial sources of soda ash .Alginate, a kelp-derived carbohydrate, is used to thicken products such as ice cream, jelly, salad dressing, and toothpaste, as well as an ingredient in exotic dog food .
During the Highland Clearances, many Scottish Highlanders were moved off their crofts, and went to industries such as fishing and kelping . During the 1820s, when there were steep falls in the price of kelp, landlords wanted to create pools of cheap or virtually free labor, supplied by families subsisting in new crofting townships.
Kelp harvesting and processing was a very lucrative way of using this labor, and landlords petitioned for legislation designed to stop emigration. However, the economic collapse of the kelp industry in northern Scotland led to further emigration, especially to North America.
Fun Facts
Kelp Forest Sculpture in Art
Kelp has made it's way out of the waters and into the homes of collectors, restaurants, and aspiring artists. There is one man in particular that has taken this beautiful ecological marine life and transformed it into unique pieces of art.
Glass Sculpture by Jeff Burnette
Jeff Burnette is one of Canada's premier glass blowers. Burnette has been working with glass since 1979 and in this time has developed his own unique style. He is revolutionizing the glass blowing industry in Vancouver where his 2600 sq ft workshop is located.
Vanuatu: This small island country is located about 310 miles east of Australia in the warm Pacific Ocean. The water here is incredibly warm and clear, perfect for diving. Vanuatu is a very diverse dive site, offering everything from caves and swim-throughs to wall-diving and shipwrecks. The most famous shipwreck in Vanuatu is the SS President Coolidge, which is the largest accessible shipwreck in the world.
The Blue Corner Wall, Palau
The Blue Corner Wall: Many divers who have experienced the amazing seascapes at Blue Corner Wall claim that this was their best diving holiday ever. The underwater life here consists of barracudas, sharks, turtles, orcas (killer whales), tuna, and much more. The reef wall consists of ‘hooks’ which divers can hold onto, and sit-back and gaze in amazement at the schools of fish swimming in the nearby sea current as if it were a super highway.
The Great Blue Hole, Belize
The Great Blue Hole: This large ‘hole’ is located about 2 hours from Caye Caulker in Belize. This unique diving site will offer some of the most amazing underwater scenery anywhere in the world, almost like an underwater cave. The Great Blue Hole shoots down about 148m, and you can expect to see lots of sharks including bull sharks, lemon sharks, mako’s, hammerheads, and black-tip reef sharks.
British Virgin Islands, Caribbean
British Virgin Islands: The British Virgin Islands bask in the warm tropical waters of the Caribbean and offer divers a variety of underwater scenery including the famous shipwreck R.M.S. Rhone (featured in the film ‘The Deep’) and also the Chikuzen wreck. The quiet and less-populated diving sites in the British Virgin Islands offer divers of all experience levels the chance to see barracudas, a variety of sharks, and many other sea creatures without the hustle and bustle of some of the other popular dive sites around the world.
Koh Tao, Thailand
Koh Tao: This tourist-friendly resort island in the Gulf of Thailand is specifically designed for scuba divers. The area is surrounded by colourful coral reefs, and the water is crystal clear, perfect for diving. The main attraction at Koh Tao is the chance to have a close-encounter with the majestic whale shark, which is a popular visitor to the area.
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Grand Cayman: Diving at Grand Cayman is almost like exploring an underwater mountain range. Grand Cayman provides divers with the ultimate in wall diving, as the underwater walls plummet sharply down into the deep blue at depths of 23,000 - 25,000 feet. There’s a wide range of sealife to be discovered at Grand Cayman such as sea turtles, hundreds of tropical fish species, barracudas, sharks, sponges, and many stingrays. Grand Cayman is home to the world famous Stingray City, where visitors can swim with these ‘people-friendly’ stingrays in shallow water. Visitors can feed and pet these magnificent sea creatures, which provides tourists with one of the best wild encounters with marine life anywhere in the world. These stingrays are so comfortable with people, that once they hear the sound of the incoming boats filled with tourists, they begin swimming right up to the boats in large numbers.
Malta, Mediterranean Sea
Malta: This island is located just south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, and it offers a variety of diving opportunities by boat or just off-shore the mainland. There are a good number of shipwrecks near Malta, as well as reefs filled with seagrass beds and lots of soft coral. You may encounter tuna, jacks, barracuda, octopus, moray eels, seahorses, and many other marine creatures in the deep waters of the Mediterranean. Along the limestone walls of Malta, erosion has created many caves, arches, and crevices that greatly enhance the diving experience here.
Richelieu Rock, Thailand
Richelieu Rock: This is the ultimate dive site for spotting the enormous whale shark. The best time to spot these majestic sea creatures is in early spring, but even then, the elusive whale shark can only be spotted at Richelieu Rock about 10% of the time. If you’re not lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a whale shark, there is plenty of other beautiful marine life that can be spotted here including: white-eyed moray eels, manta rays, nurse sharks, barracuda, sea fans, sponges, Malabar groupers, clown fish, frog fish, and seahorses. This dive site is better suited for experienced divers, as there tends to be strong ocean currents and rough seas as this spot.
Elphinstone Reef, Egyptian Red Sea
Elphinstone Reef: Located just south of the Thistlegorm dive site in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt, Elphinstone Reef is a a diver’s dream. This reef offers both snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities where you can expect to see barracuda, emperor angel fish, zebra angel fish, soft coral, big groupers, giant morays, hammerheads, white-tips, colourful reef fish, turtles, and much more. At a depth of about 200ft, you can explore a huge underwater arch. Legend says that there’s a sarcophagus just beneath the arch that is the resting place of an unknown pharaoh, you can actually view a mysterious rectangular structure encrusted with coral beneath the arch. The beautiful marine life and mystery surrounding this dive site attracts many people to Elphinstone Reef each year.
Jupiter, Florida
Jupiter: Diving in Jupiter, Florida is quite a treat with its various shipwrecks and abundant sea life, if you’re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of a goliath grouper. Located just north of Miami in the Atlantic Ocean, this area is certainly one of the best dive sites in the United States.
Truk (Chuuk) Lagoon, Micronesia
Truk (Chuuk) Lagoon: Truk is one of the top wreck-diving sites in the world with planes, armed cargo ships, tankers, destroyers, and a submarine all making this spot their final resting places. The water here is very warm year round (mid-80’s °F), and you can expect to see grey reef sharks, turtles, stingrays, jellyfish, and lots of other sea life.
Cozumel, Mexico
Cozumel: This small island off the coast of Mexico is surrounded by spectacular reefs and amazingly clear water, which makes this a perfect spot for scuba diving. Cozumel offers divers the chance to explorer sea life along the reefs, or divers can explore the underwater caves which are beaming with unique sea creatures and gorgeous rock formations. You can also explore the 184ft long shipwreck that was sank in 1999 for the sole purpose of diving.
Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
Grand Turk: Beautiful Grand Turk is an island paradise located along the southern tip of The Bahamas. Visibility here is top-notch, which makes for perfect diving. This dive site is surrounded by walls and soft corals which plunge over 7,000 feet straight down. This location is a hotspot for manta rays, which congregate here during the summer months. You can also expect to encounter a variety of sharks, eels, and sea turtles, just to name a few.
Tiputa Pass, Rangiroa
Tiputa Pass: The world’s second largest atoll (island of coral which is encircled by a lagoon) is Rangiroa in the South Pacific, and it offers some of the best diving in the world as well. Visibility here is well-over 100 feet, so you can see plenty of marine life in these crystal clear waters. You can gain access to the beautiful coral reefs here by ’shooting the Tiputa pass’, which is basically a steady 5-knot current that acts as highway for the sea creatures here. You will be able to view a wide range of fish at Tiputa pass including, the gigantic devil fish, hammerheads, tiger sharks, gray, whitetip, and many others. Often times, you can see hundreds of sharks gather here at one time, quite a sight!
Yongala Wreck, Australia
Yongala Wreck: The S.S. Yongala sank back in 1911 off the coast of Cape Bowling Green, and it’s now considered to be one of the best wreck dive sites in the world. This wreck is over 300 feet long and is home to a variety of sea life including Trevally, bull rays, barracuda, queenfish, turtles, sea snakes, and the huge Queensland Groupers. In the winter months, you may even spot a migrating humpback whale.
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands
Bikini Atoll: Bikini Atoll is famous for being the location where the U.S. tested 23 nuclear bombs between 1946 and 1958. The large blasts sank 10 ships that were moored in the lagoon at the time. These shipwrecks make for great diving, and one of the most famous of the wrecks is the USS Saratoga. This 880ft long carrier is almost fully intact, and it sits upright in only about 36 feet of water. Divers can explorer the wrecks and find a ton of cool items that were aboard the ships when they sank such as bombs, guns, and plenty of other cool artifacts.
SS Thistlegorm Shipwreck, Red Sea
SS Thistlegorm Shipwreck: This British Merchant Navy ship sank in the Red Sea back in 1941, and it has become a world-famous dive site since then. The wreck is about 100 feet below the surface of the Red Sea, which puts it at a perfect depth for diving without the need for specialised equipment. The cargo on-board at the time the ship sank included an armored Rolls Royce, armored vehicles, Norton motorcycles, Bren guns, cases of ammunition, and lots of other interesting artifacts. The fascinating artifacts, along with the abundant marine life, at the SS Thistlegorm wreck make it one of the most attractive places in the world for scuba divers to explore.
Fiji Islands, South Pacific
Fiji Islands: The Fiji Islands offer some of the best diving sites in the world because of the pristine, crystal clear water which gives divers great visibility, and because of the great marine life, reefs, and shipwrecks available to explore. The Fiji Islands are considered the ’soft coral capital of the world’, and is home to the ‘Great White Wall’ and the ‘Yellow Tunnel’, both famous dive sites. Expect to find an underwater photo opportunity where ever you choose to dive in the Fiji Islands.
Scapa Flow, Scotland
Scapa Flow: Like many of the other great dive sites in the world, Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands is famous its historic shipwrecks which make for great diving. Scapa Flow is the resting place for 7 of the German High Seas Fleet that were sank here during World War I, among a host of other smaller wrecks. The water here is very cold (39-57 °F), so a dry suit is recommended when diving. Besides being able to explore the many shipwrecks in the area, divers can also see a variety of marine life, including seals, wrasse, conger eels, jellyfish, octopus, crabs, urchins, starfish, sponges, and lots of fish.
Sipadan Island, Malaysia
Sipadan Island: If it’s marine life you’re looking for, then diving at Sipadan Island is just what you need. These warm waters are host to a huge variety of sea creatures including barracudas, gray reef sharks, octopi, turtles, dolphins, eagle rays, jacks, and pretty much any other kind of fish you can think of. There are a variety of dive locations at Sipadan Island including one of the most famous called Barracuda Point, and there are also caves and reefs to explore as well. Many people swear that this is the best diving location in the world, even experienced divers.
The Bahamas, Caribbean
The Bahamas: With over 700 islands in The Bahamas, there are plenty of opportunities to dive here. The Travel Channel calls The Bahamas ‘one of the best scuba diving sites in North America’. There are a variety of blue holes, 120 miles of barrier reef, lots of shipwrecks, and plenty of wall-diving opportunities for more experienced divers. In The Bahamas, you can expect to come across large sea turtles, rays, dolphins, and a plethora of sharks. Shark dives are very popular here.
Catalina Island, California
Catalina Island: This small island off the coast of Southern California offers some of the most extensive kelp forests in the world, fish-filled reefs, and some good shark diving. You can spot the mako shark here, which is one of the fastest sharks in the world. Also expect to see horn sharks, soupfin sharks, sunfish, lobsters, barracudas, bat rays, electric torpedo rays, and the common octopus. Often time while diving here you’ll be joined by curious sealions, who are always fun to watch. Diving at Catalina Island is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity that you’ll never forget.
Shark & Yolanda Reef, Egyptian Red Sea
Shark & Yolanda Reef: These two reefs are connected by a sandy plateau where you’ll find the shipwrecked ‘Yolanda’. You can drift along the natural currents provided by the Red Sea, explore the Yolanda wreck, or gaze at the colourful coral along the reef. This dive consists of a 2,300ft drop into the deep blue. At shark reef you can expect to find large fish and of course sharks. You’ll also encounter rays, turtles, large eels, and large schools of fish swimming by. It’s a magnificent site, and one that divers never forget.
Heron Island, Australia
Heron Island: This small coral cay is located just east of Australia at the southern edge of the Great Barrier Reef. This dive site is home to over 1,000 species of fish and 72% of all coral species found on the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is protected by the government, so it’s in good condition. Diving here is like no other place on earth, and you can see whales, sea turtles, sharks, and so much more, definitely one of the best places in the world to explore the deep sea. Many claim that it’s a life-changing experience to dive here.
Cuba, Caribbean
Cuba: With beautiful turquoise waters which average near 80°F year-round and over 100ft visibility in most locations, Cuba is the perfect place to go scuba diving. Shallow reefs, deep tunnels and walls, and a few shipwrecks are awaiting divers in Cuba. There is a huge variety of marine life in Cuba including nurse sharks, barracuda, tuna, snappers, parrotfish, jacks, and even whale sharks (best seen in November). The reefs in Cuba are filled with over 50 species of coral, and over 200 species of sponges. Cuba is quickly becoming a preferred site for diving for both beginners and expert divers alike.
Navy Pier, Western Australia
Navy Pier: This 300-meter wide structure is located about 300-meters from shore, and although it’s a relatively small dive site, it features some of the most spectacular marine life in the world. It has been said that diving at Navy Pier is ‘the best shore dive on the planet.’ When diving in these waters, you can expect to see lots of white-tip sharks, large sting rays, lion and scorpion fish, large schools of glass fish, eels, brown rays, and even humpback whales. Swimming at Navy Pier is like swimming in an aquarium, which easily makes it one of the top dives in the world.
Protea Banks, South Africa
Protea Banks: Famous for some of the best shark dives in the world, Protea Banks will get you up close and personal with some of the ocean’s fiercest predators. This dive site consists of a series of reefs approximately 8 km. off-shore, and there are a series of strong ocean currents here. Every summer at Protea Banks, the famous Sardine Run occurs, attracting whales, dolphins, and of course sharks. Some of the popular species of sharks that can be seen at Protea Banks includes: ‘raggies’, bull sharks, tiger sharks, black tips, mako’s, and even Great Whites. Needless to say, this shark paradise can be somewhat dangerous, but that’s exactly what the appeal of this place is for divers across the globe.
Maui, Hawaii
Maui: Many people consider Maui to be one of the top dive destinations in the world because of the 450 species of reef fish that can be seen here, 25% of them are exclusive to the island. Maui offers a range of diving opportunities including reef dives and dives near volcanic craters. It’s not uncommon to spot sea turtles, sharks, whales, whale sharks, scorpion fish, rockfish, Hawaiian damselfish, conger eels, and octopus. One of the most popular dives in Maui is the Molokini crater dive, where many of the larger sea creatures can be spotted.
Manta Ray Night Dive, Hawaii
Manta Ray Night Dive: The Manta Ray Night Dive in Hawaii is truly one of the most unique dives anywhere. This dive takes place in the early evening when bright lights, located 30 feet below the ocean’s surface, are turned on, this attracts plankton, which is the manta rays food source. Manta rays in Kailua Kona have average wingspans between 8 - 13 feet, and they are truly gentle giants. This experience is one which people don’t soon forget, and is definitely worthy of the title of one of the best dive sites in the world.
Bloody Bay Wall, Cayman Islands
Bloody Bay Wall: For fans of wall-dives, it doesn’t get much better than Bloody Bay Wall in the Cayman Islands. This dive site features a 6,000 ft vertical drop into the ocean abyss, and along that wall you can find brightly coloured coral, sponges, and small reef fish. What’s great about this dive site, is that you can explore the smaller sealife along the wall, or you can view the larger marine life out in the open ocean, thanks to the incredible visibility here. Some of the larger sea creatures that you’ll find here are turtles, stingrays, eagle rays, large Nassau groupers, and sharks.
Bonaire: The island of Bonaire is located in the southern Caribbean, and it features unspoiled coral reefs and crystal clear water that is perfect for diving. Bonaire is sort-of a diving mecca, with approximately 75% of its tourists coming to the island for the sole purpose of diving these waters. The coral reefs surrounding this island paradise are accessible from the shore, and the entire underwater environment is protected by the government so that it remains in pristine condition. Many different species of marine life can be found here including orange sponges, angelfish, Caribbean reef squid, seahorses, octopus, and much more. There are some wall-dive opportunities, as well as several shipwrecks that can be explored by the diver, including the Hilma Hooker wreck 100ft beneath the surface of the sea. Bonaire is certainly one of the most ‘untouched’ dive sites in the world, which makes it very attractive to divers from around the world.
Blue Hole, Red Sea
Blue Hole: The Blue Hole is not the most popular dive site in the world, but it is considered to be the most dangerous dive site anywhere. For this reason alone, expert divers flock here to conquer the infamous Blue Hole, which is also nicknamed ‘Diver’s Cemetery’. There have been numerous diver fatalities at this location, and it’s mostly due to nitrogen narcosis from diving too deep, and for too long. The reason that this seems to happen here is because divers attempt to find the tunnel to the reef (known as ‘the arch’), which is at a depth of about 52m, and it’s sometimes hard to navigate. There have been 40 official fatalities at the Blue Hole, but many believe that the actual number of deaths could be double that amount. So if you’re looking for the ‘Mt. Everest of diving’, come dive the Blue Hole, if you dare.
Stabiae: Ask what people want from their time off on holiday and most will say that a great view of a beautiful landscape is important. Well that’s exactly why the ancients favoured the coastal town of Stabiae; it offered a stunning view of the Bay of Naples and the mountains that surrounded that region. Unfortunately, Stabiae was covered in ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and that put an end to this particular small seaside town.
Ostia Antica, Italy
Ostia Antica: People seeking a retreat to the country back in the third and fourth centuries would often choose a break away to this popular colonia. Ostia Antica was located at the mouth of the River Tiber and was the site of numerous inns where travellers could rest their weary heads. It also had several sources of entertainment including bars, theatres and baths.
A short train ride from Rome will take you there today to see the remains of what was once a vibrant town. Believe it or not, it used to be a port city but sedimentary deposits from the Tiber mean that it is far more inland today.
Hierapolis, Turkey
Hierapolis: If you’re the kind of person who loves the idea of a rejuvenating spa holiday then you could have easily hung out with the ancient Romans because that was precisely their style. This destination is an ancient city located in Turkey which is home to natural hot springs that the ancients ventured to for healing and relaxation.
Popular in the 2nd Century BC, it was filled with temples, theaters, gyms and libraries but the most popular area was the baths. This also served as a retirement location for some of the ancient Romans who eventually died here and are buried in the necropolis at this location. Today this is a historic site with a museum dedicated to educating people about this therapeutic destination. The Pamukkale healing waters are still available for tourists to enjoy to this day.
Capri, Italy
Capri: If you were going to take a holiday to a beautiful Italian island today, there’s a good chance that you would choose Capri as your destination. Capri has had a rather colourful historyto say the least; it changed hands from one empire to another and being regularly sacked by pirates including the infamous Admiral Barbarossa. There is a long history of people visiting Capri for a break right back from the time of the Roman Republic, although they were probably used to a Capri without the designer shops!
Antioch, Syria
Antioch: Syria is a place where a battle for control of the land played out for several centuries in early times. During the fourth century, the Roman capital of Antioch was located here in what is now modern-day Antakya, Turkey. In ancient times Antioch was one of the largest cities in the entire known world and served as a major urban destination for the more adventurous and well-to-do ancients who came to enjoy the circus, theatre and the new colonnades being built there.
Baiae, Italy
Baiae: People who had a lot of money around the first and second century AD got to indulge in the luxury of a break to coastal resort towns; Julius Caesar and Emperor Nero both reportedly had elaborate villas built here for their holidays. It’s reported that Baiae was popular at least with some travellers in antiquity because of the medicinal hot springs found here, but it’s believed that the real reason people came here was because it was a hedonistic pleasure destination: think Las Vegas or Monte Carlo for the ancients.
You won’t be living it up in Baiae today, though, since volcanic and seismic activity in the area left most of the city under the Bay of Naples. There are some remaining ruins in the nearby coastal town, now called Baia.
Pompeii, Italy: This was a popular spot in the first century and it’s still a popular spot today for tourists who want to learn about the tragic history of the area. Pompeii would have been considered a more urban destination where people coming from other parts of Italy could get away, quite like the modern day city break.
Like with most destinations in ancient times, the main reason people ventured here was to enjoy the baths that were so intrinsic to life in the area at that time. It is also believed that Pompeii was a retreat for ancient artisans.
Anyone who has seen Jaws knows that the first thing that you’re supposed to do when you see a shark in the water is get to the safety of land. Even those who haven’t seen the movie would instinctually know to get away from a shark that they encountered in the ocean. But some people do everything in their power to fight their human instincts in order to experience incredible events that the rest of the human population hasn’t had the opportunity to experience. Swimming with sharks is one of those experiences. Most of us wouldn’t do it but a small (and growing) population of travellers have taken a strong interest in finding the most beautiful waters in the world to test the fates by swimming with sharks. Here’s where they’re doing it.
Bahamas, Caribbean
Bahamas: If you want to encounter more than just one type of shark, the Bahamas is your place to do it because it’s got the best diversity of any other shark diving location. Sharks here range from the Great White down to the smallest runts in the shark litter. You’ll be swimming cage free on the tours that are given here; just wait for the tour guide to toss some bait into the water and then join the sharks for their food fest. Try not to get mistaken for the meal! West End, Grand Bahama is a favourite place for many people who are seeking to swim with Tiger Sharks but the tours in that area do require cages.
Cocos Island, Costa Rica
Cocos Island: Costa Rica is a terrific destination even if you’re not going to swim with sharks but it’s also top-rated for that specific adventure activity. The favourite animal that you can swim with in these waters is the unique hammerhead shark. In addition to the pleasure of that, you’ll be swimming in and around waterfalls. Cocos Island is renowned as one of the best shark diving locations in the world!
False Bay, South Africa
False Bay: This is a relatively new place for shark diving and one that regular divers have taken a strong interest in. It’s preferred by experienced divers because it tends to get less crowded with tourists than some of the other nearby popular diving spots. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing to see here, though; Great White sharks abound in the area ready to satiate your need to see them feed.
Farallon Islands, United States
Farallon Islands: People who live in or are visiting San Francisco might find themselves itching for even more adventure than the city itself can offer. A boat out to the Farallon Islands to swim with the Great White Sharks might do the trick. It is said that the Great Whites here are some of the largest in the world. The trip here is different from many because there is a focus on preserving the nature of the area. Whereas other tours will throw food in the water (called chum) to get the sharks to feed, the goal here is actually to watch the sharks feed naturally on the seals of the area. Now that’s some animal adventure up close!
Florida, United States
Florida: Every year there are headlines about shark attacks somewhere off the coast of Florida and parents urge their kids to be vigilant in the water. And every year, a set of stubborn folks challenges those parents’ fears and dive into the water to swim with the sharks. There are multiple places throughout Florida where you can enjoy guided tours for the local shark population.
Galapagos Islands, Pacific Ocean
Galapagos Islands: People head to these South American islands to enjoy a luxurious holiday. Most of them go no further than to wade in the waters by the shore and to observe the iguanas and turtles that can be found on the beach. However, a few brave people will go out in the water with a guide and find some sharks to swim around with.
Gansbaai, South Africa
Gansbaai: Head out into the water and keep an eye out for the seals that are hanging around the island shores here. They’re the bait for a swarm of great white sharks in this part of the world that shark swimming travellers regularly trek to enjoy. The area is called The World’s Great White Shark Capital because it’s got the densest population of these babies out of anywhere in the world. The part of the water that you’ll be swimming in is known as Shark Alley; it’s one alley you don’t want to meet a stranger in! It’s dangerous enough that you’ll have to swim inside of a cage if you’re going to try out this adventure.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Great Barrier Reef: There aren’t too many places in the world that are better known for the beauty of their coastline than Australia. If you get the chance to travel to the amazing Great Barrier Reef, challenge yourself to dive into that water with the sharks that love the location as much as you will.
Hin Mu Sang, Thailand
Hin Mu Sang: This is a place where experienced SCUBA divers can go to get away from the guided shark tours into waters where it’s fairly safe to swim with sharks. The sharks that you’ll find here are mostly leopard sharks.
Maldives, Indian Ocean
Maldives: Located off of the coast of India, this is a part of the world that not a lot of travellers take the opportunity to see. Those who do will find that the resorts here offer unique activities including the possibility of a shark swim. It is said to be one of the safer places to swim with sharks and is favoured by people who want to take their children on the expedition.
Isla Guadalupe, Mexico
Isla Guadalupe: This is one of the most beautiful places in the world to go shark diving. A pristine island off of the coast of Mexico, this area is unpolluted in comparison with other spots located nearby. The water is warm, the sunshine sparkles against it and you’ll feel like you’ve drifted away to paradise - until you see those Great White teeth coming at you that is!
Neptune Islands, South Australia
Neptune Islands: When shark diving first became popular, this was one of the only places that you could go to see a Great White Shark. Of course, what happens when man comes into the wildlife is that the wildlife disappears. For some time, there weren’t sharks to be seen here. However, they’ve recently been spotted in the area again and many divers are excited about going back to swim with these magnificently terrifying animals.
Ningaloo Reef, Australia
Ningaloo Reef: This is a terrific place to go to swim with whale sharks and there’s a good reason that you might want to trek halfway around the world to do that; whale sharks are humongous animals like the Great White but they’re relatively laidback and lack the dangerous traits of most other sharks. That’s not to say it’s particularly ’safe’ to swim with them but it’s safer than in most places!
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Those people who are looking to swim with sharks in one of the most remote locations possible will want to try to snag a tour with a guide in Papua New Guinea. The Tufi Reef here is an impressive sight to behold and it’s a place where smaller sharks are drawn to find their food.
Point Judith, United States
Point Judith: There’s a type of shark called the blue shark that not many people get to see because it’s a migrating animal that doesn’t hang out in any one place for too long. However, there’s a time of the year when a group of these fairly frightening creatures is treading water in the Rhode Island area. Brave New Englanders can join them in the water to get a glimpse. Be forewarned: if the sharks don’t get you, there’s a good chance the cold Rhode Island water might!
Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
Sharm El Sheikh: This resort (also featured in our list of best diving sites) is known for being a terrific place to go deep sea diving. There are all sorts of interesting creatures to see under the water here so you’ll be entertained throughout the time that you’re diving in the area. Of course, it’s the sharks that you’re really there to see and they’ll certainly accommodate you.
Southern California, United States
Southern California: This is one of the best places in the world for the new, casual shark diver. This is the person who travels moderately but not extensively and just wants to shake up his or her world a little bit. You’ll take a cruise boat out into the water, usually in the San Diego area, and then you’ll get to where the sharks are and do your diving. When not diving, you can enjoy the amenities of the ship. It’s about as relaxing as a shark dive can possibly be.
Underwater World, Singapore
Underwater World: For those people who just can’t wrap their minds around the idea of going out into the ocean and jumping in to the water with sharks, there are more controlled situations in which it is possible to go shark swimming. The best of these is Underwater World, an oceanarium on an island off of the coast of Singapore where visitors can get an education in marine life while safely swimming with the sharks.
fairytales, princes, princesses and Disney movies of childhood and even as we get older, the appeal of the castle remains at least partly because they so regularly serve as backdrops in video games, movies and books.
Unless you happen to find that you had a long lost great great grandfather who left you an international conglomerate in mining and shipping then, unfortunately, you’ll probably never get the chance to live in such grandeur. Luckily there are a lot of absolutely stunning castles around the world that are open to the public, some are even converted into hotels where you can stay if only for a night.
We present you the 7 visually stunning and historically fascinating castles from throughout Europe and beyond.
Prague Castle, Czech Republic
Prague Castle: This 9th Century castle is one of the largest castles in the world and is home to the crown jewels of the Bohemian Kingdom, which according to legend will cause a usurper to die within one year if worn: interestingly this is exactly what happened to Reinhard Heydrich during the Second World War when he was assassinated within a year of placing the crown on his head.
Czechoslovakian kings and presidents have lived in this massive mansion in central Prague which includes not just residences but also churches, palaces, towers, stables and over half a dozen gardens. Lit up at night, Prague Castle is simply mind-blowingly beautiful!
Alhambra Castle, Spain
Alhambra Castle: The name of this 9th Century castle translates to The Red Fortress and highlights the most outstanding feature of this stunning castle - its instantly recognisable red hue. It’s of architectural interest today because of the fact that it blends both Christian and Islamic design, but the real reason that people love to visit this attraction on Spain’s Costa Tropical is because the building is just so amazingly beautiful.
Amazingly the Alhambra fell into neglect throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries with the lowest point being Napolean’s transformation of the castle into barracks for his troops stationed in Granada. It wasn’t until 1870 that the Alhambra was designated a national monument and given protection.
Himeji Castle, Japan
Himeji Castle: For a castle that looks different from any in the west, you might want to take a trip to Japan to see the 80+ buildings that make up this flatland mountain castle. The design of Himeji Castle is distinctly Japanese, fascinating and awe-inspiring. Among the many defensive elements is the famous maze of paths that protects the main keep by channeling any would-be attacking force into dead ends where they can be attacked by air from the relative safety of the keep. If you are more into anime than Disney, this is the ideal castle.
Chateau de Chambord, France
Chateau de Chambord: This is the largest castle in the surrounding region and yet it wasn’t even originally built to be a primary residence for the king who ordered its construction; Chateau de Chambord was in fact intended to be a hunting lodge offering respite from the stresses and strains of being a king. Chateau de Chambord is recognised today as one of the most outstanding castles in the world, particularly in terms of its representation of French Medieval and Classical Italian architecture.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
Neuschwanstein Castle: This Bavarian castle sits atop a mountain in Germany and offers a spectacular view and vantage point over the surrounding region that can hardly be matched by any that of any other castle in the world. Constructed by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a mountain retreat, Neuschwanstein Castle has a gatehouse, a Bower, a citadel and the Knight’s House with a square tower. Chances are that you wouldn’t even notice the view here, though, because you’d be so entranced by the splendour of the castle itself. In fact, the castle was the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in Florida.
Said to be the most photographed tourist destination in Germany, Neuschwanstein Castle, or New Swan as it translates into English, is a popular spot for anyone interested in Germanic history.
Chapultepec Castle, Mexico City
Chapultepec Castle: North America has a few amazing castles to its name, the most impressive of which is this one located on a hill overlooking Mexico City. In addition to being a home for royalty, Chapultepec Castle has been a military academy and an observatory. It’s currently a museum providing information about the history of the area to visitors but people go here to see the building more than to learn what it’s about!
Schonbrunn Palace, Austria
Schonbrunn Palace: Anyone who knows much about European history knows about the important influence of the Hapsburg family. The aesthetic preferences of that family are displayed here in the palaces and gardens that make up this amazing castle in the heart of modern Vienna. One outstanding feature is a ‘Roman Ruin’ which was created in the 18th Century on the grounds that represents the ancient architecture of Rome in days gone by.
In case you haven’t noticed, the world is getting crowded and continues to get worse with overpopulation in many parts of the world. Combined with the fact that we are rapidly depleting our natural resources, this is causing many people to experience the feeling that they just want to get away from it all. If you’re one of those people, you might be in luck, and you won’t even have to wait until we colonise Mars!
Despite the overcrowding of urban areas, there are still plenty of places right here on this planet that are uninhabited and isolated. If you’ve ever daydreamed about taking refuge on a deserted island, the following seven islands are a good place to start your search for tranquility.
De Long Islands, Russia
De Long Islands: There are five uninhabited islands within a larger area called the New Siberian Islands, which are located north of the East Siberian coast. Historically there was some debate about who had control over this group of islands, with some saying that they belonged to the United States, but they are now controlled by the Sakha Republic of Russia. The De Long Islands are currently covered by icy glaciers, but who knows how inhabitable they may become as the earth continues to warm up.
Blasket Islands, Ireland
Blasket Islands: This chain of islands just off the coast of the Dingle Peninsula in south west Ireland has an interesting history because it was once populated by a group of creative people who produced a series of books about island life here. However, the population of the islands dwindled and the area was eventually abandoned in 1953; Blasket Islands remain uninhabited to this day. Ferry tours are available if you want to see some of the main islands in the chain, but there are several smaller islands that remain untouched.
Uninhabited Islands of the Maldives, Indian Ocean
Uninhabited Islands of the Maldives: You’re probably already familiar with the Maldive Islands because they’re a stunningly beautiful place that has recently become a popular tourist destination. But did you know that this area consists of over 1,000 islands and that less than a quarter of them are populated by humans? That leaves over 800 small islands in the Maldives uninhabited; at least one of those must be a great place for you to go to get away from people!
Phoenix Islands, Kiribati
Phoenix Islands: The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight atolls and two submerged coral reef islands under the jurisdiction of the government of Kiribati. At the beginning of 2008, the government declared this a protected area; it is now the largest marine protected area in the world.
Heard Island & McDonald Islands, Australia
Heard Island & McDonald Islands: These two islands located off of the coast of Australia may be deserted but they get a lot of attention from travellers nonetheless. That’s because these are the sites of the only two active volcanoes in this part of the world; one of these volcanoes, Mawson Peak, is the highest mountain in Australia. It certainly offers an impressive addition to the landscape, but are you sure that you would want to live here?
Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Canada
Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Travel to the northernmost part of Canada and you will find a series of nearly one hundred islands that make up this arctic archipelago. You might think that no one would live here at all due to the freezing cold temperatures but many of the islands have communities located on them. Nevertheless, there are quite a few uninhabited islands here. In fact, nine of the fifteen largest islands in this area have a population of zero.
San Juan Islands, United States
San Juan Islands: In the north west corner of the United States is a set of over four hundred islands called the San Juan Islands that are considered to be a part of the state of Washington. Some of these islands can be reached by ferry but only about one sixth of them are permanently inhabited. That’s a lot of land up there that could be put to good use someday!
For most of us, booking a hotel involves checking out our favourite travel website or calling the hotel directly, but for MMO fans, it’s a bit different. For MMO players, booking a hotel involves checking in to their favourite online virtual hotel within their MMO game of choice, whether it be SL, WOW or one of the other games.
Travel has gone virtual within these MMO’s, which is probably quite a smart thing to do given then cost of fuel now and the recent rash of bankrupt airlines. The biggest names in the international hotel industry are getting onboard with this trend for massively multiplayer online games. So next time your avatar needs a place to stay in virtual space, check into one of these virtual hotels where lodging is literally out of this world. Some of them are actually quite impressive, but then again, what isn’t in a virtual world?
lustrious Hotel
Illustrious Hotel: This hotel isn’t associated with any MMO, such as Second Life, instead it’s more like a virtual hotel for businesses to advertise their products and services. It’s a creative alternative to traditional advertising, where websites can rent a room at the hotel and visitors can check out the room by simply mousing over the room at the Illustrious Hotel home page.
The people behind this one-of-a-kind virtual hotel also claim that the Illustrious Hotel will host various special events to help generate repeat traffic to the site, and thus increasing traffic to the businesses paying to stay at the virtual hotel. Whether or not this website will ever take off is yet to be seen, but at least the hotel itself looks cool!
Habbo Hotel
Habbo Hotel: This online PC game isn’t an actual virtual hotel, it’s more like an online virtual world. Habbo Hotel was created in 2000 and was designed as a social networking game where teenagers around the world can chat and interact in a virtual world. The idea has clearly caught on as it is now one of the most popular MMO’s in the world.
Habbo Hotel has over 75 million registered users and growing. The popularity of this particular virtual hotel is in large part due to the fact that it’s free to join the community, although you must purchase inexpensive Habbo Credits in order to play games or decorate your room.
World of Warcraft Dungeons
World of Warcraft Dungeons: The closest thing you’ll see to a hotel in the world’s most popular MMO is the large number of the so-called micro and world dungeons laced throughout the virtual land. These dungeons are located within tombs, haunted mines, ice caves, sunken ships, and many other locations - not the most comfortable accommodation and certainly not the type of place you’d want to stay in the real world.
Rixos Hotel
Rixos Hotel: The Rixos Hotel Group is a chain of luxury hotels based in Turkey. This popular brand decided in 2007 to join the Second Life (SL) virtual world by opening a virtual Rixos Hotel complete with employees hired from the best and most experienced candidates out there. Rixos Hotel Group will be one of the highest investors in SL with a variety of golf courses, entertainment areas, and the hotel just to name a few. Executives from the Rixos group hope to corner the virtual hotel market in SL, which has around 8 million registered users.
Starwood Aloft Hotel
Starwood Aloft Hotel: Starwood, owners of the Westin, Sheraton, and prestigious W hotel chains, is one of the biggest names in the international hotel industry. Back in 2006, Starwood decided to explore a new style of hotel with minimalist design, high ceilings and chic furnishings. With a loft-style room, this ultra-cool design was soon dubbed Aloft.
Starwood decided to try their new hotel in the virtual world before actually building it, just so they could see if it would actually be successful in the real world. They opened the hotel in Second Life, and then monitored how visitors interacted with the hotel, measuring what they liked and disliked etc. In fact, Starwood were actually the first hotel chain to open a hotel in Second Life, and it proved to be a largely successful test market for them.
Google Lively
Google Lively: Google recently announced the introduction of their very own virtual world that they call Google Lively. Google Lively will work hand-in-hand with social networking sites, such as Facebook, and it will be a browser-based application complete with avatar customisation, custom rooms for each user, and more chatting than two 16-year-old girls gossiping on the phone.
Each member of Google Lively will be able to design their own avatar and setup shop in their own virtual room that is completely designed by the user. Users will be able to chat with other users and chill out in each others rooms, as well as explore the rest of this MMO’s virtual world.
There is a mystique surrounding these beautiful Japanese rock gardens, aka Zen gardens, that originated in the Japanese culture hundreds of years ago. These artistic gardens consist mainly of fine gravel or sand that is raked in various artistic patterns, and larger rocks which are strategically placed throughout the gravel bed. These gardens are symbolic of the Buddhist belief that one can achieve Zen, or enlightenment, through meditation and deep relaxation. Traditional Zen gardens are interpreted differently by each individual, and nobody knows for sure what their true meaning is. Many people believe that the gravel of the garden represents water, and the larger rocks represents land or islands in that water.
The one thing that we do know for sure is that these Japanese rock gardens are visually stunning. Some of the most historic rock gardens also function as extremely popular meditation sites for people from around the world. People claim to get a sense of relaxation, or enlightenment, at these gardens that they can’t achieve anywhere else in the world. Furthermore, Zen gardens are becoming ever more popular in the Western World. Here’s a some photos of some of the most beautiful, and historic, Japanese rock gardens from around the world.
Zuiho-in
Zuiho-in: Located in Kyoto, Japan, Zuiho-in is one of the sub-temples of Daitoku-ji, which is one of the 14 branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. You can find multiple rock gardens at this temple including Zuiho-tei, and they are all world-renowned meditation sites. Visiting these 700 year old historical rock gardens is quite an enlighting experience according to those who have been there.
Shitenno-ji Honbo Garden
Shitenno-ji Honbo Garden: This extraordinary Zen garden was built at the oldest large-scale temple in Japan, way back in 593. The Honbo Garden features not only the traditional patterns of gravel and large rocks, but it also is made even more beautiful by the extensive plant life and small stream that outline this historical rock garden. This Japanese rock garden is located in Osaka, Japan.
Portland Japanese Garden
Portland Japanese Garden: This Zen garden is a Japanese style garden that is located in Portland, Oregon. The garden sits on a 5.5 acre site, and it was voted as the best Japanese garden located outside of Japan. The authentic-looking Zen garden in Portland was completed in 1967, and it actually consists of 5 major sub-gardens. The Japanese rock garden here consists of rippled sand that is symbolic of the ocean, and larger rocks that rise from the ocean.
Tofoku-ji Garden
Tofoku-ji Garden: The Zen gardens located at Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto, Japan, are some of the most amazing of their kind. This temple was constructed in 1236, and today it’s one of Japan’s busiest temples during the autumn because of it’s spectacularly colorful leaf viewing. Tourists flock here to view this historical temple, and the well-groomed Zen Garden. The gardens here are designed in traditional Japanese styling with the minimalistic gravel and stone construction.
Rozan-ji Temple
Rozan-ji Temple: This temple was founded in 938, and features a beautiful moss and white gravel garden that is laced with small trees and large rocks. What makes this place so popular amongst tourists is that this site was once the residence of one of Japan’s most famous authors ever – Murasaki Shikibu. This elegant rock garden is located just east of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, Japan.
Ginkaku-ji Temple
Ginkaku-ji Temple: At this temple in Kyoto, Japan, you can find a unique rock garden that is most famous for its large mound of sand on the northwest side of the grounds. This carefully constructed pile of sand is said to symbolise Mt. Fuji. The rest of the Zen garden at Ginkaku-ji Temple is filled with a variety of mosses and beautifully groomed white gravel. The temple was built in 1474 by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, and the garden was supposedly designed by the famous landscape artist Soami.
Honen-in Temple
Honen-in Temple: At the foot of Mt. Nyoigadake, you will find the Honen-in Temple and its exquisite Zen gardens. This Buddhist temple was created in 1680 in honor of Honen, who was the founder of Jodo Buddhism in Japan. Located in Kyoto, Japan, this rock garden is popular for its large, raised mounds of sand which sport various designs on them that are frequently changed according to the season. Surrounded by cherry trees, beautiful gardens, and a relaxing carp pond, this Japanese rock garden is the epitome of the word ‘tranquil’.
Daizen-ji Temple
Daizen-ji Temple: Deep in the heart of Kyoto, Japan’s wine country, you’ll find the Daizen-ji Temple. A priest by the name of Gyoki had a vision of Yakushi (healing and medicine Buddha) holding grapes in one of his hands, and so he constructed his vision the next day, which later led to the contruction of the Daizen-ji Temple. This statue is famous in Japan. The gardens at Daizen-ji are beautifully constructed with nicely manicured white gravel, moss, and large stones creating this natural canvas of artwork.
Banryutei Rock Garden
Banryutei Rock Garden: This popular Japanese rock garden is located just south of Osaka on Mt. Koya. On the grounds of the Kongobu-ji Temple, the Banryutei Rock Garden is famous for being the largest of its kind in Japan. This huge Zen garden is 2340-square-meters in size, and it features 140 large granite stones that are set in a bed of fine gravel. These large stones are strategically placed to symbolise a pair of dragons emerging from the clouds to protect the temple.
Ryoan-ji
Ryoan-ji: Perhaps Japan’s most popular Zen garden, Ryoan-ji is located in northwest Kyoto, Japan. The garden itself is rather basic, consisting of a 90ft by 30ft white gravel bed and 15 large irregular rocks that are surrounded by moss. This mystical rock garden is a bit of a mystery in terms of when it was made, and what it’s original purpose was. Many people believe that this Zen garden was originally laid-out sometime around the 15th Century, and has since then been modified throughout time. The meaning of the stones at Ryoan-ji are in the eye of the beholder.
Manshu-in Garden
Manshu-in Garden: This stunning rock garden is located on the grounds of the Manshu-in Temple in Japan. This temple was created in the 8th Century, and it was later moved during the Edo Period (1603-1868). The main garden is one of the temple’s main attractions, and it features a 400 year old Pinus pentaphylla tree. The garden also features a small island, surrounded by gravel, with a Pine tree in the center of a cluster of Azalea bushes – many people believe that this represents a Lord surrounded by his subjects.
Kamigamo Shrine
Kamigamo Shrine: This famous shrine in Japan dates back to the 7th Century, and it’s a very important part of Japanese history. This location is actually a series of shrines with the most important ones surrounded by Japanese rock gardens. The most notable one is the Kamigamo Shrine, which features two enigmatic cones made of gravel. These cones are memorials to the holy trees that once served the purpose of welcoming spirits to this shrine.
Daisen-in Teien Garden
Daisen-in Teien Garden: This spectacular Zen garden is located at Daitokuji Temple, and it was created in 1509. The garden itself is rather confined, but it still contains many different elements for such a small space. Some of the metaphorical Zen elements included in this garden are a Mt. Horai “mountain”, crane and turtle islands, stone bridges, and a dry waterfall. The south garden is very reminiscent of the cone-shaped gravel mounds at Kamigamo Shrine, while the rest of the gardens feature other elements such as rocks, bushes, and moss.
Taizo-in Dry Landscape: Taizo-in is the oldest (1404) sub-temple of the Myoshin-ji complex, and it’s located in Kyoto, Japan. Its most famous garden is the rock garden that is attributed to the painter Kano Motonobu, who was a resident here. The Zen garden here features an arrangement of foliage surrounded by a gravel ’stream’, and rocks set-up in various locations. Although this Zen temple is relatively small in size, the rock garden here is extraordinarily complex and beautiful.
Nanzen-ji Garden
Nanzen-ji Garden: This garden is located at one of the most powerful monasteries in all of Japan, which makes it one of the best locations in the world for people seeking enlightenment. Nanzen-ji was originally constructed in the 13th Century, and later rebuilt after it was destroyed during the Onin Wars of the 15th Century. The garden’s form as it is today was probably built sometime during the 1600’s. The rock garden at Nanzen-ji is called the ‘Leaping Tiger Garden’, because some people believe that the large rocks symbolise a tiger leaping over the water. The large rocks are surrounded with Azalea bushes, maples, pines, moss, and gravel which is meticulously manicured often.
Ryogen-in Zen Garden
Ryogen-in Zen Garden: Located in the Daitoku-ji complex, Ryogen-in is a sub-temple with several unique Zen gardens. The most famous of these rock gardens features beautifully manicured gravel with a mass of moss near the center of the garden with large stones protruding from the earth. This group of large stones is said to represent Mt. Horai, which is the mythical home of Taoist immortals – this symbolism is very common in a Zen garden. This garden was constructed back in 1502, and it’s located near other sub-temples including Zuiho-in Temple. While Ryogen-in may not be as popular amongst tourists as the Zuiho-in Temple, its gardens are equally as beautiful.
Saiho-ji Garden
Saiho-ji Garden: The Zen garden at Saiho-ji Temple is one of the first-ever to be recognized as a true Zen garden. This place is a bit different than the other gardens in this list, because instead of having a bed of gravel, this place features a bed of moss. As a matter of fact, this garden is popularly known as ‘Kokedera’, or ‘moss temple’. There are over 120 varieties of moss at the Saiho-ji Garden, making it one of the most unique and colourful Zen gardens in the world. It’s also one of the most expensive for tourists to visit, and tourists must attend a thorough orientation in order to walk the grounds at Saiho-ji – these two factors make this garden one of the most exclusive of its kind for tourists. The unusually tough tourism restrictions at Saiho-ji were put into place in order to protect the delicate moss from being damaged by too many people walking on it.
Konchi-in Garden
Konchi-in Garden: This sub-temple of one of the most powerful monasteries in Japan, Nanzen-ji, was constructed in the 15th Century and later moved to its present location in Kyoto. The exquisite garden at this temple was created by famous designer Kobori Enshu. This garden is sometimes referred to as the ‘Garden of Tortoise and Crane’, because of the large rock formations that symbolise these creatures. In Japanese and Chinese thought, these symbols traditionally represent longevity. The large stones and various types of foliage are separated from the Temple by a large white gravel bed that is beautifully manicured. This Zen garden is very popular amongst tourists, because gazing at this garden from the steps at the foot of the Temple is almost like staring at a 2-dimensional painting in an art gallery.
Joei-ji Temple
Joei-ji Temple: This Zen temple, located in Yamaguchi, was designed and created during the 15th Century. It’s famous for its Zen garden, which is called ‘Sesshutei’. The designer of this Japanese rock garden was the famous monk and painter, Sesshu. This garden is based upon one of Sesshu’s landscape paintings. The Sesshutei Garden uses all the traditional Japanese rock garden design elements including gravel, large rocks, trees, and mosses.
Hypnotic in its beauty, but deadly if consumed. As you may have guessed, this plant is named after the hero of Greek mythology.
Azaleas
Most harmful if ingested by a dog, azaleas have a soft texture and petals that seem to flow with the wind. Azalea festivals are held in cities all over North America.
Belladonna
Also called "deadly nightshade," one of the most toxic plants in the western hemisphere, belladonna is often used as a recreational drug. The hallucinations produced by belladonna are typically unpleasant, however, and there are occasional unpleasant overdoses. It is also used for alternative and mainstream medicinal purposes.
Bloodflower
Its bright, cheerful colors are quite inviting and appropriate as ornamental plants. Although not healthy for human consumption, bloodflower is a food source for butterflies.
Crown Vetch
Toxic to horses, but beneficial for cultivating the earth, crown vetch has been named the state beautification plant of Pennsylvania.
False Indigo
Elegantly shaped, false indigo is not as bad as its name implies. It has a plethora of medicinal usages, but if consumed in excess, false indigo could induce vomiting or diarrhea.
Henbane
Also called "stinking nightshade," henbane can be fatal to animals in small doses. The "hen" part may not necessarily have to do with chickens...
Larkspur
Western varieties of larkspur are poisonous to cattle, but its delicate petals would have you believe its a faerie in disguise.
Lily of the Valley
Also known as "Our Lady's tears," lily of the valley looks more like a handle of little bells--serene and inviting. If untended, however, they can spread like wild fire.
Nightshade
More generally, nightshade is alsoknown as the potato family; some of these, like eggplant, are edible and others are indeed deadly.
Most people are content to spend their lives achieving modest but realistic goals. They aim to rise towards the top of their business or to do well at the gym in the sport of their choice. And then there are the people who aim for more. These are the people who don’t just run marathons but are ultramarathoners, the people who don’t just walk regular buy actually walk around the world. What drives these people to do what they do? Maybe it’s an internal urge to be the best at something. Or maybe they’re just plain crazy.
Walking Around World, Harry Lee ‘The Hawk’ McGinnis
82-Year-Old Man Walks Around World: Everyone out there has a dream. Some people dream about winning the lottery. Other people dream about having a big family. For Harry Lee ‘The Hawk’ McGinnis, the dream was to walk around the entire world. He started walking back in 1983, covering 80,000 miles across 66 countries.
He’s planning to finish walking around the world, across all seven continents, by the time he reaches his 82nd birthday in 2010. After that, he’s going to settle down and write a book. Hm, I wonder if he’ll be doing a book tour?
Peace Pilgrim’s 30 Year Walk, Mildred Norman
Peace Pilgrim: This is another individual who did a whole lot of walking. She didn’t cover nearly as much ground as Hawk McGinnis, just a measly 25,000 miles. And she was only in her seventies when she passed away so she doesn’t get the ‘oldest world walker’ prize. But she walked for nearly thirty years and she did it all in the name of peace. Considering the number of wars that happened around the world during her trek, some might say she walked in vain.
Swimming The English Channel, Alison Streeter
Queen of the English Channel: Swimming the 21 mile English Channel is no big deal anymore. It was an amazing feat when Captain Matthew Webb first swam the Channel back in the 19th Century but now it’s been done by hundreds of people so if you really want to stand out, you need to do something drastic.
Alison Streeter started swimming the Channel when she was just eighteen years old. She drew some attention when she swam it back-to-back and then she really got attention when she became the only woman to swim it back-to-back-to-back covering over 60 miles before retreating to land. She has completed the swim a total of 43 times. Notably, Kevin Murphy, the King of the English Channel, has only swum it 34 times.
Swimming The Atlantic Ocean, Benoit Lecomte
Crossing the Atlantic Without a Boat (More or Less): The Queen of the English Channel might be impressive but it takes more than what she’s got to swim across an entire ocean. Benoit Lecomte did precisely that back in 1998, the first man to do so without the aid of a kickboard. Of course, he did have the benefit of a boat that warned away sharks and gave him a place to rest every night. But since he did swim for at least six hours each day for more than seventy days straight, he should get at least a little of your respect. The 3,700 mile swim apparently didn’t wear him out because he’s got plans to swim the Pacific Ocean next.
Speed Walking The Appalachian Trail, Andrew Thompson
Speed Walking The Appalachian Trail: Thousands of people have hiked the 2000+ mile long Appalachian Trail so just walking along it certainly doesn’t rank as a crazy trek, although that’s debatable; it’s a little nutty to walk from Georgia to Maine even if others are doing it. However, it’s more than a little crazy to try and do it quickly. The journey typically takes 4-5 months but Andrew Thompson did it in just 47 days. Maybe he got the extra push he needed when he had to run from an angry bear.
Around The World In A Hot Air Balloon, Steve Fossett
Around The World In A Hot Air Balloon: Most people don’t ever get into a hot air balloon. Those who do generally go up for a quick tour and then come back down. Not Steve Fossett. In 2002, he set off in a ten-story hot air balloon by himself to travel around the world. Getting up to speeds over 180 mph, he managed to make an around-the-world flight in under fourteen days. He engaged in a bunch of other aviation and sailing adventures before he tragically disappeared last year. He’s been legally declared dead but no one really knows what happened to this legendary adventurer.
Trekking 4,000 Miles Across The Sahara,
Trekking 4,000 Miles Across The Sahara: There are actually a surprising number of people who have walked across the grueling Sahara Desert, usually in the interest of a non-profit cause. However, most don’t do it alone and they don’t follow an ancient camel trade route that is 4,000 miles long. That’s exactly what Helen Thayer did in 1996 when she became the first woman to walk the Sahara. She’s accomplished a number of other things in life including walking across the Mongolian Gobi Desert and being the first woman to walk/ski solo to the magnetic North Pole.
4,500 Kayak Around British Isles, Sean Morley
4,500 Kayak Around British Isles: There is nothing easy about kayaking. It looks nice and relaxing but kayaking will sap strength from your arms while and require constant attention to keep yourself afloat in the midst of swell. That didn’t stop Sean Morley from becoming the first person to kayak around the UK and Ireland. It took him five months to paddle the 4,500 miles and he did it all by himself. He needs a pat on the back since his arms are probably too tired to do it himself!
Running Around the World, Robert Garside
Running Around the World: Some might say that it’s crazy to try to run around the world, especially if you’re the first person to do it like Robert Garside was. With almost no money to his name, he started running. His adventures during the trek included being shot at in South Africa, almost shot in Panama, imprisoned in China and nearly mugged in Mexico. On the plus side, he met his wife in Venezuela. The run took him five years but he did manage to do it and got a Guinness World Record title for his efforts.
19th Century Circumnavigation By Bicycle, Annie Londonderry
19th Century Circumnavigation By Bicycle: Most women in the 19th Century hid their feistiness underneath corsets and coiffed hair-dos while Annie Londonderry acted hers out by accepting a challenge to prove that women can make it in a man’s world. She was the first woman to successfully bicycle around the entire world, which was an feat made even more amazing considering she’d never ridden a bicycle before starting the journey.
Annie Londonderry also succeeded in meeting the second rule of the challenge which was that she earned $5,000 during her ride, primarily by working as a journalist reporting on her own adventure. Her husband and children probably weren’t thrilled when she abandoned them to undertake the fifteen month trek but the rest of womankind was cheering, or at least they should’ve been!
Ultramarathoner, Dean Karnazes
Ultramarathoner: Dean Karnazes is just plain crazy about running. He is the ultimate ultramarathoner, a sport that involves running anywhere from 50 miles to 3,000 miles at a time. Although others hold world records that beat him out in length and speed, Karnazes has the most diverse range of different ultramarathon achievements under his belt. They include running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days, running 135 miles in 120 degree heat in Death Valley and running a South Pole marathon in weather that was forty degrees below zero. In case that’s not enough in the diversity category, he’s also a swimmer who has crossed the San Francisco Bay.
Running In Circles For 3,100 Miles, Wolfgang Schwerk
Running In Circles For 3,100 Miles: It’s a little bit nutty to want to run 3,100 miles. It’s just plain crazy to run it in a half-mile loop over and over. But that’s exactly what people do when they compete in the Self-Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race which takes place around-and-around one city block in Queens, New York. The speed record for the race is held by Wolfgang Schwerk who completed it in just over 40 days. It makes your head spin just thinking about it.
Running 150 Miles On A Treadmill, Bergland & Karnazes
Running 150 Miles On A Treadmill: At least if you’re running around the block, the scenery changes. But what’s up with people who have broken records running over one hundred miles on a treadmill?! The world record of over 150 miles was held by Edit Berces for a long time until some ultramarathoners came along and ran her out of the race. Berces holds other records that were probably a lot more fun to break such as the speed record for a 100 mile track run and back-to-back distance records for twenty four hour runs.
Speed Climbing Mount Everest, Christian Stangl
Speed Climbing Mount Everest: There’s a good chance people will call you crazy for trying to climb Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. It’s a challenge that many have chosen to face over the years. But it’s a risky endeavor and one that most people take their time trying to accomplish. Not Christian Stangl; he has the world record for the fastest climb from Camp III to the summit which he did in 16 hours and 42 minutes!
Climb Mount Everest But Never See It, Erik Weihenmayer
Climb Mount Everest But Never See It: At least Stangl was rewarded with a terrific view when he got to the top of Mount Everest. When Erik Weihenmayer climbed the mountain, he didn’t get to see anything at all because he’s the only blind man to have made the climb.
Gliding Continuously For 56 Hours, Charles Atger
Gliding Continuously For 56 Hours: In 1952, Charles Atger achieved a world record by remaining in the sky in a glider for over fifty six hours. The gliding association that gave him the award then discontinued the idea of rewarding people for the foolish behaviour of spending far too much time in a glider without sleep.
Kitesurfing From Lanzarote To Morocco, Kirsty Jones
Kitesurfing From Lanzarote To Morocco, Kitesurfing is a fun sport that combines a power kite with a surf board to pull you through the water at speed. However, most people don’t care to go long distances on these boards. On the other hand, some people do. For example, Kirsty Jones decided to go nearly one hundred and fifty miles from Lanzarote to Morocco. When she was done she said she was sore, happy and wanted some chocolate!
Extreme Long Distance Dog Sled Racing, Lance Mackey
Extreme Long Distance Dog Sled Racing: Sled dog racing is a sport that has some intense competitions it. The two toughest long-distance races are the Iditarod (1,161 miles) and the Yukon Quest (1,060 miles). It’s not only the distance that makes these races difficult but the fact that the race takes place in freezing cold blizzards with temperatures that can drop as low as one hundred degrees below zero.
For most people, just one of these races is too crazy to attempt. But Lance Mackey was insane enough to go ahead and do both races in one year (and win them both). He apparently felt that wasn’t sufficient because he went ahead and did it the following year as well.
One may wonder why a coronal has such higher temperature. Picture clearly shows a vague snapped shot of the sun's surface along with relatively thin strips of corona. This rare scene is hardly seen from the Earth. Their temperature is hundreds times higher than the sun. Astronomers have long been searching the main source of the cyclic heat radiation that causes magnetic field within the solar surface. From the close observation via the orbiting satellites, one can see the far ultraviolet and its related images. These images revealed to the astronomers that the surface thermal radiation is less between the ring and the solar surface. These relatively high temperature grand corollas have more than 30 times of the diameter of our earth.
This is the hub of the universe that explains the entire background of the circumstance of the mysterious stars in the space.
This is a planet of Venus, which is located the second nearest to the sun. It is considered as a "springboard" for the spacecraft to fly through the distant Jupiter, particularly when fuel savings is being considered. This photograph was captured in February 1990 when the Galileo spacecraft flying over the Venus. This image shows us the turbulent state of the sulphuric acid clouds over the surface of Venus. The sunlight reflection of the upper atmosphere of Venus surface appears extremely bright. Recently, a controversy has aroused widespread interest on the hypothesis that proposed the possibility of the bacteria dwelling in the upper atmosphere of Venus.
This is the best photo of Saturn ever captured in 2003 by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The Saturn situated close to the earth on December 31, 2004. Its location to the Earth is the closest within the recent 30 years ever observed. Through a good small telescope, one may also see the beauty of Saturn's rings.
Some people say the machine can create unbelievable art at the time it is crossing the rings' of Saturn. This is a lateral view image of Saturn's rings captured by a non-man operated Cassini spacecraft in March 2005. The distance between the Cassini spacecraft and the Titan II at that moment was 1.001 million meters. The Cassini spacecraft planned to complete the trips of 70 laps around Saturn within the next three years since 2006.
This image shows the farthest galaxies in the universe. It also reveals a great success of the international study group of the astronomers who discovered the most distant galaxies in the universe. The galaxy is 13 billion light years from the Earth and it was born 7.5 billion years after the Big Bang, and at that time the universe has not reached to the age of 5% as compared to its present age now.
This black and white photo shows the pyramid captured by the satellite imaging system on November 17, 1999.
This is the best image ever captured on the Mars. It was captured by the HST that was rotating around the Earth on June 26, 2003. The Mars was said to be located 68 million kilometres from the Earth, which was claimed as the closest location ever from the Earth since 1988.
This photo was taken on July 17, 2003. It reflects the aspirations of human to explore the space.
The sun was flashing a light of rainbow.
These four different characteristics of the sun was taken at different wavelengths include (a) Fe IX / X, 17.1nm, (b) Fe XII, 19.5nm, (c) Fe XV, 28.4nm and (d) helium II / Si XI, 30.4nm. This image was taken using Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) on October 27, 1998.
This solar image shows a wavelength of Fe XII, 19.5nm and it was taken by SOHO. Few bright suns's region explains the active area of the sun, while several dark regions are coronal holes. The ring that engulfs around the sun is called coronal.
This HST captured image provides astronomers details on the whirlpool galaxy and dust clouds. This whirlpool galaxy is also called M51 or NGC 5194 galaxy to where most of the stars were born. There is another nearby galaxy called NGC 5195 located closer to NGC 5194 galaxy, and its gravity affects the star formation of the whirlpool galaxy. This image clearly shows bright, young red constellations in the universe.
This broad-beam sombrero type of the galaxy has a huge protruding part in its appearance. Such galaxy is younger than some of the galaxies in the universe; nevertheless, it has not yet developed into an elegant whirlpool galaxy. This hat resembled galaxy is called M104 with its dark belt blanketing around its central part. Careful analysis found that many bright spot seem in the image is actually Globular Clusters. The magnificent ring of M104 contains many young and bright stars.
This image was captured by the HST. It shows nearly-death stars, which were located 4,000 light years from the Earth with their surroundings engulfing by many hail-like substances. This image also revealed that the nearly-death stars were releasing some compressed gaseous. The outflow of the gaseous started spreading outward in a bubble shape. It is obvious that the central part of the stars were surrounded by a layer dust of black belt. Astronomers believed that this black belt contains lots of dust and other substances which appear undistinguishable. They also said that they are not certain how long does the evaporation within the central part of the stars last. They added that its central temperature is as high as 250,000 degree Celsius. Also, the astronomers claimed that they had never observed these stars before.
This image was captured on February 26, 1998 on Aruba Island. Due to the shade of the moon shadow, the solar formed into a rarely seen world's largest and natural "glasses", with the scene called "total solar eclipse".
Astronomers obtained this Ring Nebula image using the HST. It shows a heated gas ring of the Ring Nebula.
This mysterious scene of Eskimo Nebula was captured by NASA in December 1999. As seen by the ground-based telescopes of the nebula called NGC2392 resembled face coated with a thick coat and thus astronomers had named it as Eskimo Nebula. This so-called thick coat is actually the ring formation of the comet-like substance.
This image shows "Polar-Ring" of NGC 4650A galaxies. It is located 130 million light years distance away from the Earth and it is one of the known polar-ring out of a total of 100. Its formation is still remained unknown, but astronomers believed that its formation may due to the collision between two galaxies dated back 10 million years ago.
The image shows the collision between the comet and the Jupiter.
This image shows fragments of Comet Shoemaker, Levy 9.
This image was taken by Kitty Peak National Observatory of the United States on March 28, 1993. It detailed the diagram of Comet Shoemaker, Levy 9 revolving around the Jupiter.
Pavo, a distance of 750,000 light years cylindrical spiral galaxy called NGC 6872. It interacted well with the northern neighbourhood galaxy called IC 4970. This grand scene was captured using a Very Large Telescope (VLT) by the European Southern Observatory.
This is a California Condor Chick. As you can see, not only is it very pretty is has several nice shades of pink. As such it clearly warranted the number one position on the list.
Pink for sure, these are hairless lab mice. They are nicely set of by the black background. If they had hair the hair would be white, then they would not be on this list, would they?
When people think pink, they think flamingo! Flamingos get their pink color from the shrimp they eat.
Pigs are probably another animal people think of when asked to think of a pink animal. Not all pigs are pink, some are black, brown, or a mixture of these colors. The pink is the color of the skin that would be covered with white hair, if they were hairy, but they are not, so they are pink. Interestingly enough, wild pigs are hairy.
Pink birds again, oh my! This is a pink Cockatoo. A very handsome bird indeed. Often kept as pets, they are noted for their intelligence and ability to mimic sounds and words they hear. If you have one, or have a friend who has one, you could train it to say "Pretty in Pink", in a short time simply by repeating it over and over in the same tone of voice.
Don't they just get cuter and cuter as we go down the list? This is the naked mole rat, you will note, he is also rather blind. They live in caves and probably don't even know how pink they are, or are not. They are not nearly as pink as some pinker critters, which is why they are way down here on the list, just above a kitty, which would frighten most mole rats, if they could see it.
This is hairless breed of cat from Canada, this is the Sphynx cat. She is ignoring the naked mole rat above. Silly cat, mole rats are for children.
Number eight, and last on the list, is the Hairless Terrier Dog, he is way down here, cause he is only part pink. He snuck in after the cat. I think they are friends. Hairless dogs are popular with people who have allergies, or don't like to clean up dog hair, or who just want a freaky looking dog.
These sacred places are home to some of the most spectacular geological formations around the world and these are just the beginning.
Caves are found throughout the world, but only a portion of them have been explored and documented by cavers. These sacred places are home to some of the most spectacular geological formations around the world and these are just the beginning.
Throughout history, primitive civilizations have made use of caves for shelter, burial tombs, or as religious sites. Since artifacts placed in caves are protected from the harsh climate and scavenging animals, this means caves are an archaeological treasure for knowledge about these people.
Reed Flute Cave
The Reed Flute Cave is located at the Guangming Hill in the northwestern outskirts of the city. The cave is full of an immense number of stalactites, stalagmites, and rocks in all shapes and sizes. The cave is about 240 meters long.
Ajanta
The first Buddhist cave monuments at Ajanta date from the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. during the Gupta period. The paintings and sculptures of Ajanta, considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, have had a substantial artistic influence.
Melissani Caves, Kefalonia
In Greek mythology, Melissani was the cave of the nymphs. The cave features a lake that is surrounded with foliage and forests. The cave is located east of the mountains of Evmorfia and Agia Dynati.
Situated at Porto Cristo, in the east of Majorca, the Cave of Hams is renowned throughout the world for its delicately ramified dripstone formations. The unsurpassed exquisiteness of the Caves is heightened by the artistic illumination created by Lorenzo Caldentey, son of the discoverer.
Caves at Keri
The Caves at Keri are located on the southwest coast of Zakynthos (Zante) The Blue Caves, the Bat cave, the Seal Cave and several others, were created by the erosion of the rocks. They are impressive and the fluctuation of colors inside and outside the caves is marvelous.
Kongshan Baiyun Cave The Kongshan Baiyun Cave is located to the west of the Lincheng County Seat, 50 kilometers away from Xingtai City. The local geography has created great cave formations. In this over 4,000 square meters cave, there are five interconnected halls and over two hundred scenes in which the stalactite, the stalagmite, the sheet, the stone waterfall can be seen. Furthermore, the ancient stalagmite group found on the ridge of the Kongshan Hill is unique in China and even rare in the world, for there has not been a similar discovery in other countries. They are very valuable for the research on the ancient climate, crust, and geological changes.
Bhaja Caves
The Bhaja Caves, near the Karla Caves, are a group of 18 rock-cut caves dating back to 200 BC. The caves are located near Lonavala and Karli in the western state of Maharashtra between the cities of Mumbai and Pune in India. There are a group of 14 stupas, five inside and nine outside the caves. A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, once thought to be places of Buddhist worship, typically the remains of a Buddha or saint.
Sunsets on other planets are different from those on earth because of the planet and the sun distance and atmospheric compositions. Mars is farther from the sun than earth is, so the sun is only about two-thirds the size on Mars that it appears on earth. Mars is also covered by red dust that is hoisted into the atmosphere but fast, thin winds and lacks oxygen and nitrogen.
A study found that up to 2 hours after twilight, sunlight continued to reflect off Martian dust high in the atmosphere creating a diffuse glow.
In the picture above you can see the power of water at work. Mother Nature is a force to always be respected. She can carve out mountains creating rivers and streams.
Wow! What an awesome shot of a rainbow over the Niagara Falls. If you look past the rainbow you can see the whitecaps on the water as it picks up speed just before it crashes over the brink of this truly amazing waterfall.
This is truly an amazing picture of the Krimmler Falls; it's considered to be the tallest waterfall in Europe standing 1248 feet high. It can be found in Austria's Hone Tavern National Park. This awesome Creation of Mother Nature is a must see!
This is yet another truly beautiful water fall that can be found in Austria; it speaks directly to ones heart and inspires peace and tranquility.
The Baron waterfall is yet another amazing site and if you look really closely you can see Mother Nature at work here also and you might find the study of erosion very interesting here. By studying the many layers of rock we can learn some very interest facts and history concerning the earth.
This waterfall below just wants to make me drop everything I'm doing and go swimming. Hey it's 112 here in the desert today and the water is very inviting.
I could spend a few weeks here and the world around me would fade into the shadows of the past.
Canada has some really awesome waterfalls as well
This is a great picture of Niagara Falls on the Canadian side.
This beauty can be found in Brazil and it's really an amazing site. You can see the forces of Mother Nature at work in this picture.
The picture above is of the Apucaraninha water fall in Brazil. It's a truly amazing site to see and if anyone ever doubted the master painter and power of Creator, look again. It's a truly astounding piece of Creation.
Carnivorous plants refer to any meat-eating plants with urn-, trumpet-, or pitcher-shaped leaves. Asclepiadaceae (milkweed family), Sarraceniaceae (new world pitcher plants, or Sarracenia genus found in the eastern part of North America), and Nepenthaceae (Old World pitcher plants) are some of their examples. They inhibit primarily in wet or sandy meadows, savannas, swamps, bogs, fens, or any places where the soils are acidic, water-saturated, lack of phosphates or nitrates, and sunshine seasonally abundant living environments.
The known species of carnivorous plants are more than 660 species and 9 plant families, with the Venus flytrap being the famous and one of the most abundant species among them. Meanwhile, the Utricularia genus is identified as the largest number of the species on earth.
I think these plants do not appear as early as other prehistoric plants on earth. The reason is that they need Nitrogen as their essential nutrients for their growth. Most plants cannot absorb Nitrogen directly from the air, except for a small number of leguminous plants which are adapted with unique nitrogen-fixing property as in the example of Rhizobium.
Most carnivorous plants inhibit in some water-saturated places which are found to be more prone to lack of Nitrogen. In order to sustain the survival, most living things had by means to undergo certain evolution processes to enable themselves to be adapted with their own “fixing” property or to survive in low-nutrients environments. That means, they have to break down the insects to obtain their Nitrogen content (insect bodies contain about 10.5% nitrogen), and hence they are termed as meat-eating plants. The nitrogen content in their tissues that is obtained from their prey ranges from 20 to 75%, depending on their species (such as Cephalotus, Drosera, Nepenthes, Pinguicula, Sarracenia, Utricularia, and etc.). Apart from Nitrogen, Utricularia and Triphyophyllum are also known to absorb Magnesium and Potassium, while Sarracenia absorbs Phosphorus in prey. The adaptation of their leaves specially modified as traps enable them to obtain some nutrients by trapping and digesting various invertebrates, and occasionally they may even digest larger animals such as frogs and mammals.
Most carnivorous plants can carry out photosynthesis (a process which enables plants to make their own foods), besides digesting their prey to obtain essential nutrients. Meanwhile, they can sustain under extreme environmental surroundings. They are adapted with a prey-trapping mechanism feature characterizing by their deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. Scientists believe that they may have evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favoring more deeply cupped leaves over relatively long evolutionary time. Some of them such as Nepenthes are placed within clades consisting particularly of flypaper traps, but some have evolved from flypaper traps by loss of mucilage. Very often, these plants climb by tendrils. The end of these tendrils may develop into pitchers, which help them to capture and digest insects.
In insectivorous plants (insects are one of their common prey items), their leaves appear in the form of deep cups or pitchers in which visiting insects will fall into them. Once in the plant, the prey tumbles down into a liquid pool and drowns, and then they are digested by the action of enzymes secreted by cells located in the walls in their pitcher-like structures of these plants. The digestion of prey releases nitrates and other nutrients, and these essential nutrients are then absorbed for their growth.
The Venus flytrap, which has leaf lobes, is one of the wonder in the world of plants as this carnivorous plant can capture its prey very quickly in a terrifying way. The Utricularia genus is an underwater plant, which can suck its prey into bladders with its fastest-acting trap in times as short as 1/30 of a second. Meanwhile, the complex-acting trap belongs to genus Genlisea.
Nepenthes or the Monkey cup (the tropical pitcher plant) satisfies its appetite with crawling bugs, insects, and even in certain rare cases, rat or bird that could not find its way out of a Nepenthes pitcher becomes sick or near death in its trap. The centipede may cry in help if it is accidentally trapped by Nepenthes. Like Nepenthes, Venus also involves in the vertebrate buffet as it has been observed with frog skeletons in its trap. Utricularia and Aldrovanda live with their traps submerging in water and they capture rotifers, daphnia, mosquito larvae and other larger aquatics as their foods. Pinguicula and Drosera captures moths, flies, gnats and other flying insects as their prey. The genus Genlisea captures protozoans. It is scary to see pitcher plants such as Cephalotus, Nepenthes, Sarracenia digest wasps, butterflies, beetles, ants, spiders, and flies in a tremendously rapid and terrible manner!
Carnivorous plants such as Venus flytraps, sundews, butterworts, and many genera of pitcher plants make their own digestive enzymes (such as ribonuclease, chitinase, amylase, peroxidise, phosphatise, protease, lipase, and esterase) to help digest and dissolve the protein in their prey. Nevertheless, other types of these plants (such as Heliamphora) depend wholly on bacteria to provide them the appropriate enzymes. They let the food rotting in their traps, before consuming the decomposed molecules as they are unable to secrete the digestive juices to aid in digestion. There is also an obvious symbiotic relationship found among the carnivorous plants (such as Sarracenia purpurea) as they rely upon both bacterially generated enzymes and their own enzymes. In this case, the bacteria get comfortable and cool places to live on these plants, while the plants enjoy the bug-soup digested by the bacteria.
Each of these carnivorous plants is very smart in playing tricks to attract their prey. These hungry carnivores emit deadly sweet scent; some have patches of pigmentation on their traps, or brightly colored nectar-like orbs to beguile their prey; some bear sticky, gummy, wet and slippery parts to curb their captured prey from being escaping away. The prey with “straight and simple brains”, of course, will always find hard to run away from those strange downward-pointing hairs, or slippery chambers attaching to these plants. Not enough to these descriptions, there are always dangerous traps and tricks such as sucking bladders, snapping jaws, and woefully efficient narcotic compounds abound these hungry carnivores. So, animals should beware and mind their steps before selecting places for them to rest on or stop. Otherwise, they will be doomed to death.
Not surprising, the white truffle is the world's most expensive mushroom. Found in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy, the white truffle's price is due to it's relative rarity. These truffles are generally sold for anywhere between $1,350 and $2,700 per kilogram. The record price paid for this delicacy, however, was $330,000 for 1.5 kilograms worth.
Essen Platinum Club Sandwich
The world's most expensive sandwich is the Essen Platinum Club Sandwich. It is a triple-decker sandwich, containing the finest grade chicken, ham, hard-boiled quails' eggs and white truffles. This sandwich contains almost 2,000 calories and is the world's most expensive, selling for a hefty price of almost $200.
Steak and Mushroom Pie
Based on the traditional steak and mushroom pie that is so popular in England, this dish contains $1,000 worth of Wagyu beef, $3,330 worth of Matsutake mushrooms, two bottles of Chateau Mouton Rothschild priced at $4,200 each, black truffles and edible gold leaf. The whole pie serves 8 people and costs around $15,900. A single slice costs $1,990, but is also served with a glass of champagne.
Le Parker Meridien Omelet
The most expensive omelet in the world is sold at Le Parker Meridien restaurant in New York City. It contains 10 ounces of Sevruga caviar, six eggs, and an entire lobster. If you order it in the restaurant, it costs $1,000. To make it yourself at home, the ingredients will only run you $700.
Serendipity 3 Sundae
One of the most expensive desserts in the world is a sundae sold at Serendipity 3, located on the east side of Manhattan. Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most expensive dessert, it consists of five scoops of Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream, Madagascar vanilla, 23 karat edible gold leaf, and the world's most expensive chocolate, the Amedei Porceleana. To order this rich dessert, it will cost you over $1,000.
Kona Nigari Water
The most expensive water in the world is Kona Nigari water. This desalinated, high-mineral water comes from the deep waters off the coast of Hawaii and costs $16.75 per ounce.
Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum
This rum is the highest-selling because of it's rarity as well as it's high proof. Bottled in 1940, there are only 4 bottles left in the world, each priced at around $53,000.
8
Tieguanyin
A rare Chinese green tea, Tieguanyin costs $3,000 per kilo (2 lbs, 3 oz) and approximately $15 for a single cup.
Kopi Luwak
You can't have a discussion of the world's most expensive foods without mentioning Kopi Luwak. Originating from Sumatra, Kopi Luwak is created from coffee beans that have passed through the digestive track of the Asian Palm Civet. The civets eat the coffee berries and the undigested beans pass through their system. The beans are then collected and brewed. Many people claim that the coffee has a high level of complex acidity that cannot be achieved through any other brewing method. With only around 500 pounds of beans produced every year, the cost for a pound is upwards of $300.
This unusual six-legged Cambodian cow was found resting at the farm near to the Cambodia city, Phnom Penh on October 7, 2003. The monks from the local pagoda who scared of getting bad fortune that would bring by the cow, later named it as “Cham Leck.” (Literally means “strange”)
A Deformed Octopus
This six-legged octopus or “hexapus” was found by the British marine experts. They claimed that this was the first unusual sea creature discovered among the octopus families. It was observed to have two limbs lesser than its normal species. His keepers at the Blackpool Sea Life Centre which is situated in the northwest of England believed that its deformity was due to the birth defect instead of the casual accident.
A Deformed Giraffe This was Gemina, a giraffe which was found to have a dominant crooked neck joining to its body at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Unfortunately, it died on January 9, 2008.
A Deformed Lamb
This seven-legged lamb was photographed when it was found on July 31, 2007, at the farm at Methven near to Christ Church which is situated in the South Island of New Zealand. The veterinarian, Steve Williams believed that this deformity was caused by a misprint in embryo formation. Due to this scientific reason, the lamb was being born polydactyl (or with many legs). He further remarked that this is a common condition that may have occurred once in every several million sheep.
One deformed duckling called “Stumpy” was found at Warrawee Duck Farm in Copythorne, Hamphire (a country on the south coast of England), England. This duckling was born in 2007 with four legs which is unusual to a typical duck that has two legs. While examining this duckling, the scientist found that it has two unusual legs grown out behind its normal pair of legs. According to its owner, the duck has no problem with its daily activities despite these deformed legs which was caused by a rare mutation. These two legs seemed to support its movement.
A Deformed Reptile Fossil Scientists have long found the double-headed fossil. From the laboratory sample, this aquatic reptile was identified died at its very young age before forming into a fossil. This extinct adult reptile was diagnosed to grow as long as one meter. Its relatively long neck marked its unusual feature among its species.
Two Deformed Calves Before New Year's Eve, one unusual and unexplainable phenomenon occurred in a dairy farm in Virginia, an American state on the Atlantic Coast of the southern United States. A mother cow gave birth to a calf with two faces on December 27, 2006. This calf was believed to be a product of artificial insemination. There was not much of a difference from this calf and other ordinary ones when viewing it from its neck until to its tail. Nevertheless, the rare characteristic for such “double-sided” calf was that it has a relatively unusual large head. It breathed out of two noses, and has two tongues, which moved independently.
This six-legged calf was born on April 29, 2007 at the farm of Brian Slocum of Litchfield. The calf was diagnosed to have both male and female reproductive organs
Three Deformed Tortoises
This tortoise was seen on June 24, 2007, in Huaibei which is located in the eastern part of Anhui Province of China. The local media reported that its gourd shaped resembling a large fruit with a hard skin and soft juicy flesh inside was the result of a gene mutation. That means the gene mutation has contributed to its aberration, a condition of a temporary change from what is normal or acceptable among its species.
During the birthday celebration of this two-headed Greek tortoise on September 5, 2007, the official of the Natural History Museum in Geneva presented it to the press and public. The tortoise was named after the two-headed Roman god as Janus when it was born on September 3, 1997. The museum then invited those children who were born in 1997 to participate in the celebration of Janus's birthday.
Two Deformed Snakes
As seen in the photo, this albino snake was born with two heads. The strange feature for such snake is that its two separate mouths were connected to the same stomach. Usually, the snake, which was born with this deformed characteristic, would not live longer. As a result, its life may be as short as two months. Nevertheless, the snake that you see in the picture had unexpectedly survived for a long life span of 8 years.
Two Deformed Kittens
This two-faced kitten was born in Inverness, Fla. It has one esophagus, two noses and four eyes. This photo was pictured while its owner, Cobra Macini was feeing his beloved kitten.
One unusual event happened in Oregon City in the United States. A kitten was born with only one large eye grown on the position of its nose on December 28, 2005. This type of deformity is known as Holoprosencephaly. Besides one eye, the kitten was also found to have no nose at all. This deformed kitten finally died two days after it was born.
A Deformed Crocodile These baby crocodiles were born in June 2001, at the Samut Prakarn Crocodile Farm which is located on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand. Unfortunately, they were born with their bodies joined together at their bottom part. They were reptiles identified for having two tails and eight legs.
A Deformed Chicken
A chicken with four legs was discovered on September 21, 2006, in one of the chicken farms in the United States. This chicken was different from other normal chickens as it has four very long legs attached beneath its body.
Deformed Pigs
The research team from the Taiwan University succeeded in producing three green fluorescent pigs. According to the professor of the University, Prof. Dr. Wu, these three green fluorescent pigs were the outcomes of this experiment, in which the green fluorescent genes from the jellyfish were implanted into three transgenic pig embryos. It produced three pigs that have their entire bodies emitting green fluorescent light.
A Deformed Turtle
The local people in Costa Rica happened to come across the rarely seen double-headed turtle lying on the shore. This turtle did not have a typical appearance of a turtle, as it had two brains grown out on its front. The turtle in the photo was hatched on the beach on November 20, 2005 in this deformed manner when it was found.
Two Deformed Frogs
In 1995, many seriously deformed leopard frogs were discovered around the lakes and rivers in the wetlands of the United States. According to reliable sources, several species with these deformities have been found across Minnesota, and into neighboring South Dakota, Quebec and Wisconsin over years. Among these deformed frogs, some were found with three legs, some were found to be handicapped of legs, and some even have four to five legs. When this news spread, it quickly drew the attention of environmental experts. New research identifies that such deformities have been caused partly due to runoff from farming and ranching. This conclusion was supported by the study of a University of Colorado, as they agreed that the growing number of deformed frogs were primarily caused by the nutrient-rich runoff from farming and ranching as indicated by the new research.
Stinky Tofu
Durian
Limburger Cheese
Natto
Surströmming
Century Egg
Kimchee
Hákarl
Norway
Tu Jin-Sheng: Pulls a Truck with his Penis
Florida Keys, Florida
Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles
Pompeii, Italy
Tenju-an Garden
Melissani Caves, Kefalonia
Candelaria Caves
Kongshan Baiyun Cave
