UNIQUE AND INTERESTING

2012-02-08T23:14:00.000-08:00

PAMUKKALE: THE COTTON CASTLE

Pamukkale, meaning "Cotton Castle" in Turkish, is a natural site and attraction in south-western Turkey in the Denizli Province. Pamukkale is located in Turkey's Inner Aegean region, in the River Menderes valley, which enjoys a temperate climate over the greater part of the year.

The ancient city of Hierapolis was built on top of the white "castle" which is in total about 2700 meters long and 160m high. It can be seen from the hills on the opposite side of the valley in the town of Denizli, 20 km away.

Pamukkale is one of Turkey’s top attractions and a precious in the world with its cotton-look terraces. The underground water once gave life to the ancient city of Hierapolis now helps Pamukkale be one of the most important thermal centers of Turkey.

Pamukkale is known as 8th wonder of the world by Turkish people, The water (35 C) which is flowing down the cliff of Pamukkale has turned the area into as white as cotton color, and carved this fantastic formation of stalactites and basins. It is the largest and finest example of elaborate calcium formation, which dominates the landscape miles around.

2012-01-31T22:39:00.000-08:00

GHOST TOWNS & ABANDONED MINES IN ALASKA, ARIZONA AND ARKANSAS

The many ghost towns dotted about the United States are silent reminders of the country’s (often lawless) past. Adventurers came from far and wide to seek their fortunes on the frontiers, building numerous communities around mines and railroads that declined as their raw materials were often rapidly depleted.

Alaska – Independence Mine and Kennecott Mining Camp

From the moment lode (hard rock) gold was found in the Talkeetna Mountains in 1886, the “rush” was on! Lode mining required elaborate tunnels and heavy equipment, and several mining companies merged to pool their resources. The result was Independence Mine, with an operation comprising 27 structures across more than 1,350 acres.

At its peak in 1941, the company operating Independence Mine employed 204 men, blasted almost 12 miles of tunnels, and produced 34,416 ounces of gold worth $1,204,560; today $17,208,000. World War Two rendered gold mining nonessential, although Independence Mine continued to operate due to the presence of sheelite (a source of tungsten, which is a strategic metal). But supplies were low and the mine closed in 1943. I was granted a brief reprieve in 1946 when gold mining resumed, but Independence Mine never recovered and January 1951 saw the end of an epoch in Alaskan history.

The abandoned mining camp at Kennecott was once the centre of Alaska’s copper mining operations. Stephen Birch, a newly qualified mining engineer, bought the prospectors’ interest in mine for $275,000. Within 20 years the investment would yield the richest known concentration of copper in the world. Battles raged between conservationists and those with a financial interest in the copper, including the Guggenheim family and J.P. Morgan, who formed the Kennecott Copper Corporation in 1903.

Kennecott had five mines, four of them connected by tunnels. At its peak in 1916, the copper ore yield was valued at $32.4 million. High grade supplies were depleted by the 1930s, and the last train-load of copper ore left Kennecott on November 10, 1938. The following day, it was a ghost town, and national historic monument. For more ghost towns in Alaska, check out the abandoned stilt village of Ukivok, and this related article.

Arizona Ghost Towns – Fairbank, Sasco and Swansea

Fairbank was once an important town in the “Arizona Territory”, brought about by the railroad and tied in fate to the silver mines of legendary frontier town Tombstone. The town was named after Chicago investor Nathaniel Kellogg Fairbank who partially financed the railroad. Fairbank founded the Grand Central Mining Company, which had an interest in Tombstone’s mines. The town was formally founded on May 16, 1883, the day the local Post Office opened.

Fairbank’s railroad station and proximity to Tombstone ensured its vibrancy, with supplies brought in and silver ore shipped out. At its peak Fairbank was home to around 100 residents, a steam quartz mill, general store, butcher shop, restaurant, Wells Fargo office, railroad depot, stage coach station, and of course, the ubiquitous saloon. But when it rains in the desert, it pours! Flooding closed Tombstone’s mines in 1886 and Fairbank’s fate was all but sealed. The last significant event in the town’s history came in 1900 during an attempted train robbery, when a lawman mortally wounded robber “Three Fingered Jack” Dunlop, in true Wild West fashion.

Sasco rose to prominence towards the end of the Old West, and is perhaps not how many would imagine a “Wild West” ghost town to be. But this town, which once housed 600 people and is an acronym for Southern Arizona Smelter Company, boasts some interesting remains. Most extensive are the old Rockland Hotel (above), smelter foundations and the old cemetery. Sasco’s habitationw as short-lived, mainly between 1907 and 1919, when the post office closed.

Swansea was a mining town settled around 1909, originally called Signal. Due to a lack of smelting facilities at the time, most of the copper ore was shipped to Swansea in the United Kingdom. At a time when the world was a smaller place, the journey must have been epic – railroad to the Colorado River, then by ship from the Gulf of California around Cape Horn to the UK. A smelter was finally added, but the town took the name Swansea in honour of its history. But decline set in fast, and Swansea was a ghost town by 1937.

Arkansas – Rush Ghost Town

Unlike the Wild West, Arkansas was a zinc and lead mining region, and Rush was settled for that purpose. The town was settled from around 1880 to 1940, although the bottom dropped out the zinc market after World War One, and Rush’s population dwindled from almost 5,000 to 500. Rush had shops, a hotel, a doctor’s office, and even a moving picture show. Today, the abandoned ghost town is a symbol of the boom-bust cities in America.

2012-01-17T23:28:00.000-08:00

SNOW FORTS

2012-01-04T18:39:00.000-08:00

LARGEST NATURAL ARCH - GREEN BRIDGE OF WALES

The Green Bridge of Wales, in Pembrokeshire, was formed through the natural erosion of limestone, of which the arch is made. It’s the largest natural arch in Wales and one of the biggest in the world, to boot. Due to coastal erosion and waves, eventually it will collapse.

Visitors can reach this feature by means of the Pembrokeshire coastal path, near Bosherston, an easy grass path which leads to a viewing platform. The 186 mile (299km) coastal Path meanders on through some of the most ruggedly picturesque scenery in the world, with outstanding views of charming in-lets leading peaceful golden beaches, mysterious smugglers caves and other natural formations shaped by time and tide.

2011-12-27T20:22:00.000-08:00

RED HILL OF LHASA - TIBET: POTALA PALACE

The Potala Palace is located on the Red Hill of Lhasa, Tibet. It was riginally built by King Songtsen Gampo in the 17th century. The Potala Palace was the main residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama escaped to Dharamsala, India.

2011-12-22T23:15:00.001-08:00

NAIL ART BY MARCUS LEVINE

Marcus Levine makes art with hammer and nails, using up to 50,000 rigid steel nails to recreate something as fragile and curvy as the human body. Levine’s ability to immaculately capture the curvilinear nature of the human body with such sharp and inflexible objects is remarkable. He manages to create figures which are beautifully muscular yet wonderfully delicate, and it is clear that the artist has an innate grasp of human shape.

2011-12-13T04:02:00.001-08:00

INTERESTING PLACES IN IRAN

Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name “Iran” has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia. Both “Persia” and “Iran” are used interchangeably in cultural contexts; however, “Iran” is the name used officially in political contexts. The 18th largest country in the world in terms of area at 1,648,195 km2 (636,372 sq mi), Iran has a population of around 78 million. Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations. The first dynasty in Iran formed during the Elamite kingdom in 2800 BC. Due to those reasons, Iran is rich with archeology and nature sites.

Following are 30 interesting places that can be found in Iran.

1. Oroomieh Lake, North Western Iran

2. Outskirts of Shiraz – Iran

3. Saayeh khosh – Southern Iran

4. Chehel Sotoun Palace Pavilion – Isfahan

5. Layalestan – Gilan, Northern Iran

6. Vank Cathedral, Isfahan

7. Marble Palace, Tehran

8. Kohgiluyeh Boyer Ahmad Province – Iran

9. Bagh -e Eram Palace @ Gardens, Shiraz

10. Izeh – South – Western Iran

11. Aali Gaapou – Isfahan , Iran

12. Uramanat North, Western Iran

13. Chahar Bagh Avenue – Isfahan

14. Village of Roodbarak – Norhtern Iran

15. Lahijan – Guilan Province , Iran

16. Mansion in Mazanderan – Northern Iran

17. Margoon waterfall

18. Asalem – Khalkhal – Northern Iran

19. Oroumieh Lake – N.W. Iran

20. Traditional Persian outdoor tea house

21. White Bridge – Ahwaz, South-Western Iran

22. Waterfalls near Shiraz – Iran

23. A serene Lake in Guilan, Northern Iran

24. Winter night in Isfahan

25. Cottage in Northern Iran

26. Pear Orchard – Shiraz

27. Latian Lake near Tehran

28. Museum of Fine Arts, Tehran

29. Arg-e Kola Farangi – Birjand , Iran

30. Baluchestan province

2011-12-05T21:23:00.000-08:00

DEVIL TOWN ROCK FORMATION - SERBIA

Djavolja Varos is a strange rock formation in south Serbia, created by strong water erosion of the surrounding soil. Djavolja Varos, which means "Devil's Town" in Serbian, features 202 earth pyramids, each between 2-15 meters high and 4-6 meters wide. Most of these rock towers have an andesit cap that protects them from further erosion.

When an earth pyramid protects its protective cap, it is quickly disintegrated by the falling rains, but they form just as quick, because of the heavy water erosion. This is what inspired locals to name this extraordinary site Djavolja Varos, because they believe changes like these happen when demons fight each other for power.

The strange sounds made by the wind in this place are also behind its creepy name. The murmurs, howling and squeaking coming from Djavolja Varos on windy nights have frightened local population for centuries and are at the bottom of their eerie legends.

2011-11-30T03:45:00.000-08:00

SWITZERLAND THRILLING TRIP ZIG-ZAG ROADS

2011-11-23T19:00:00.000-08:00

WORLD'S STRANGEST AIRPORTS

1. Kansai International Airport (Osaka, Japan)

Background:

Land is a scarce resource in Japan, so engineers headed roughly 3 miles offshore into Osaka Bay to build this colossal structure. Work on the manmade island started in 1987, and by 1994 jumbo jets were touching down. Travelers can get from the airport to the main island of Honshu via car, railroad or even a high-speed ferry.

Why It's Unique:

Kansai's artificial island is 2.5 miles long and 1.6 miles wide—so large that it's visible from space. Earthquakes, dangerous cyclones, an unstable seabed, and sabotage attempts from protestors are just some of the variables engineers were forced to account for. As impressive as the airport is, Stewart Schreckengast, a professor of aviation technology at Purdue University and a former aviation consultant with MITRE, cautions that climate change and rising sea levels pose a very real threat to the airport's existence. "When this was built, [engineers] probably didn't account for global warming," he says. "In 50 years or so, this might be underwater."

2. Gibraltar Airport (Gibraltar)

Background:

Between Morocco and Spain sits the tiny British territory of Gibraltar. Construction of the airport dates back to World War II, and it continues to serve as a base for the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force, though commercial flights land on a daily basis.

Why It's Unique:

Winston Churchill Avenue, Gibraltar's busiest road, cuts directly across the runway. Railroad-style crossing gates hold cars back every time a plane lands or departs. "There's essentially a mountain on one side of the island and a town on the other," Schreckengast says. "The runway goes from side to side on the island because it's the only flat space there, so it's the best they can do. It's a fairly safe operation as far as keeping people away," he says, "It just happens to be the best place to land, so sometimes it's a road and sometimes it's a runway."

3. Madeira International Airport (Madeira, Portugal)

Background:

Madeira is a small island far off the coast of Portugal, which makes an airport that is capable of landing commercial-size aircraft vital to its development. This airport's original runway was only about 5000 feet long, posing a huge risk to even the most experienced pilots and limiting imports and tourism.

Why It's Unique:

Engineers extended the runway to more than 9000 feet by building a massive girder bridge atop about 200 pillars. The bridge, which itself is over 3000 feet long and 590 feet wide, is strong enough to handle the weight of 747s and similar jets. In 2004, the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering selected the expansion project for its Outstanding Structure Award, noting that the design and construction was both "sensitive to environmental and aesthetic considerations."

4. Don Mueang International Airport (Bangkok, Thailand)

Background:

From a distance Don Mueang International looks like any other midsize airport. However, smack-dab in the middle of the two runways is an 18-hole golf course.

Why It's Unique:

Schreckengast, who has worked on consulting projects at this airport, says one of the major problems is that the only taxiways were located at the end of the runways. "We recommended that they build an additional taxiway in the middle, from side to side, and they said ‘absolutely not, that will take out a green and one fairway.'" The airport and the course were originally an all-military operation, but have since opened up to commercial traffic. Security threats, however, have limited the public's access to the greens.

5. Ice Runway (Antarctica)

Background:

The Ice Runway is one of three major airstrips used to haul supplies and researchers to Antarctica's McMurdo Station. As its name implies, there are no paved runways here—just long stretches of ice and snow that are meticulously groomed.

Why It's Unique:

There is no shortage of space on the Ice Runway, so super-size aircraft like the C-130 Hercules and the C-17 Globemaster III can land with relative ease. The real challenge is making sure that the weight of the aircraft and cargo doesn't bust the ice or get the plane stuck in soft snow. As the ice of the runway begins to break up, planes are redirected to Pegasus Field or Williams Field, the two other airstrips servicing the continent.

6. Congonhas Airport (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

Background:

Most major cities have an airport, but rarely are they built just 5 miles from the city center, especially in metropolises like Sao Paulo. Congonhas' close proximity to downtown can be attributed in part to the fact that it was completed in 1936, with the city experiencing rapid development in the following decades.

Why It's Unique:

While having an airport only 5 miles from the city center may be a convenience for commuters, it places a strain on both pilots and air traffic control crews. "It becomes a challenge in terms of safety to just get the plane in there," Schreckengast says. "Then you throw on noise restrictions and these terribly awkward arrival and departure routes that are needed to minimize your noise-print and it becomes quite challenging for pilots." Fortunately, Sao Paulo's many high-rise buildings are far enough away from the airport that they aren't an immediate obstacle for pilots landing or taking off.

7. Courchevel International Airport (Courchevel, France)

Background:

Getting to the iconic ski resort of Courchevel requires navigating the formidable French Alps before making a hair-raising landing at Courchevel International Airport. The runway is about 1700 feet long, but the real surprise is the large hill toward the middle of the strip.

Why It's Unique:

"You take off downhill and you land going uphill," Schreckengast says. He adds that the hill, which has an 18.5 percent grade, is so steep that small planes could probably gain enough momentum rolling down it with no engines to safely glide off the edge. Landing at Courchevel is obviously no easy task, so pilots are required to obtain certification before attempting to conquer the dangerous runway.

2011-11-19T18:26:00.000-08:00

AFRICAN MAD MAN EGG HAT

Gregory Da Silva, better known as Egg Man, is an African comedian artist and storyteller famous for wearing an outrageous hat adorned with 1,000 eggs.

2011-11-13T20:16:00.000-08:00

ALPHABET TAUGHT TO KIDS NOWADAYS

2011-11-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

MOVING ART IN PAKISTAN

2011-10-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

THE NARROWEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD

2011-10-20T03:47:00.000-07:00

CREATIVE FOOD ART

2011-10-13T01:28:00.001-07:00

SELF-PORTRAIT WITH PLASTIC BOTTLE CAPS

Chicago-based artist Mary Ellen Croteau has created an astounding self-portrait using thousands of recycled plastic bottle caps.

2011-09-29T02:12:00.000-07:00

HOLY ZIGZAG STAIRWAYS OF PORTUGAL

The concept of the construction is amazing. At the foot of the mountain starts a zigzag way to the temple. Going up a pilgrim is supposed to empathize the martydoms and the way of Jesus Christ to the cross. Each turn is decorated with a little chapel devoted to one of the event of those days Bom Jesus do Monte is a Portuguese sanctuary in Tenoes, surroundings of the city of Braga, in northern Portugal. Its name means Good Jesus of the Mount. The Sanctuary is a notable example of pilgrimage site with a monumental, Baroque stairway that climbs 116 metres (381 feet). It is an important tourist attraction of Braga.

Zigzag Stairways Braga

2011-09-23T03:15:00.000-07:00

BUBBLE HOTEL ROOMS IN LOCAL PARK

The French town of Roubaix, has recently opened a series of portable hotel rooms in a local park. They can be rented by people who want to feel close to nature in the middle of the urban jungle. The unusual bubble rooms were launched in 2010 and have since then been made available to people who want to enjoy a unique experience in the middle of nature, for around $700 a night.

2011-09-02T03:15:00.000-07:00

INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL IN GUJARAT, INDIA

Tourism Corporation of Gujarat has celebrated the International Kite Festival 2011 with wholesome participation from all over the globe at Sabarmati River Front. International Kite Festival is held at Ahmedabad every year. Kite flying enthusiasts from different parts of the world arrive at Ahmedabad to take part in the international competition. The festival draws expert kite-makers and fliers not only from cities of India but also from around the world.

2011-08-24T03:37:00.000-07:00

ORDA CAVE - WORLD'S LONGEST UNDERWATER GYPSUM
CAVE IN RUSSIA

2011-08-17T01:44:00.000-07:00

HAMBURG WATER WOMAN

A large statue of a woman (13-foot-high (4m), 98-foot-long (30m)) was installed in Hamburg, Germany. "Die Badende" was created by artist Oliver Voss.

2011-08-11T01:49:00.000-07:00

BEAUTIFUL HIMALAYAN BIRDS

2011-08-05T02:00:00.000-07:00

WORLD'S HEAVIEST AND LARGEST AIRCRAFT

The An-225 Mriya is a strategic airlift transport aircraft, which was built by the Antonov Design Bureau, and is the largest flying airplane ever built. Capable of transporting oversized objects externally, the An-225 was designed mainly to transport the Russian space shuttle “Buran” and its components from a service area to a launch site. With a maximum gross weight of 640 tonnes (1,411,000 lb), the An-225 is the world’s heaviest and largest aircraft.

2011-07-29T01:37:00.000-07:00

10 MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES OF THE WORLD

We live in a world blessed with sights that are beautiful beyond words. Every human being probably dreams of visiting at least one of those places in their lifetime. Living in modern cities with high-rise buildings, we tend to miss out on what Mother Nature has to offer as well as some of the most incredible man-made structures built throughout the course of history.

The Grand Canyon, United States

A steep gorge by the Colorado River, Arizona in the United States, the Grand Canyon has some truly enjoyable scenery. It is 277 miles in length, 4 to 18 miles in width, and about a mile deep. Scientists believe that the canyon was created by the Colorado River over a six million year period.

Native Americans built settlements in the caves within the canyon before the emigration of Europeans. It was also considered to be a site of pilgrimage by the Pueblo people. The first recorded visit to the Grand Canyon by the Europeans was in 1869. Although it is not the deepest canyon in the world, it is known for its extremely large size and beautifully intricate landscape. The Grand Canyon National Park is said to be one of the first national parks in the United States and it attracts more than five million visitors a year. Weather conditions in the Grand Canyon vary greatly between seasons as well as varying at different elevations. While winter snow is experienced by the higher forested rims, the inner gorge has a desert temperature because of the low elevation.

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

One of the natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia is the world’s largest coral reef. It has the distinction of being placed in the World Heritage as well as the National Heritage lists.

With more than 600 islands and coral cays, the reef covers more than 300,000 sq. km. Corals make up the reefs and cays and are responsible for a huge variety of sea life in the reef — green turtles, several varieties of whales and dolphins, the dugong, about 4000 types of mollusks, 1500 different species of fish, as well as beautifully colored bird life encompassing at least 200 species. The Great Reef Marine Park is a huge tourist attraction with millions of tourists visiting the area each year. Sporting activities include reef sailing, scuba diving, and snorkeling, amongst others.

Cape Town, South Africa

Aptly called “Heaven on earth,” this beautiful town at the tip of the African continent, with small roads surrounded by huge mountains, makes a person feel small; showing how marvelous and dominating nature can actually be.

The Cape Dutch style buildings depict the architectural heritage of the place. Beauty abounds in the black clouds that seem to pay homage to Table Mountain at all times. Cape Point, Signal Hill, Chapman’s Peak Drive, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Robben Island, Rhodes Memorial, and the beaches are some of the famous tourist attractions. Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town is famous for its natural floral kingdom as well as its harbor. This town is one of the most popular tourist attractions of South Africa with its wine tasting day trips, whale watching, and dolphin watching.

Taj Mahal, India

The Taj Mahal in India is one of the wonders of the world and is one of the most beautiful mausoleums constructed by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, in memory of his favorite queen, Mumtaz Mahal. Located in Agra, white marble was used in the construction of this symbol of love, and the Taj Mahal is considered to be the pinnacle of Mughal architecture.

As the story goes, the emperor was grief-stricken when he lost his beloved third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took thousands of craftsmen and artisans, and about twenty years to construct it. The masons, stone cutters, carvers, inlayers, calligraphers, painters, and others were brought from throughout the entire empire as well as from Iran and Central Asia. Semi-precious stones were used for inlay ornamentation. It later became the mausoleum of Shah Jahan too. This is a huge tourist attraction with one to two million tourists visiting it every year.

Canadian Rockies, Canada

The majestic Canadian Rockies are the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. They are a visitor’s wonderland and the playground for western Canada. They are older than the American Rockies and are formed from over thrusting.

The Canadian Rockies house five national parks, and four of those national parks (along with other provincial parks) combine to form a single UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of beautiful mountain landscapes, lakes, canyons, waterfalls, glaciers, peaks, limestone caves, and fossils. Mount Robson is the highest peak of the Canadian Rockies and climbing it is considered a challenge. These beautiful mountains are a haven for hikers and walkers alike.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu in Peru, which means ‘Old Peak,” is one of the most enigmatic ancient sites in the world. According to legend, Machu Picchu was long ago considered to be a sacred place. The credit for the creation of the extraordinary city goes to the Inca people who have erected many stone structures and turned the place into a work of art.

Two thousand feet above the Urubamba river, these ruins consist of baths, temples, palaces, and about 150 houses, all very well preserved. These gray granite structures, some of which weigh more than 50 tons, are so perfectly sculpted that they are nothing less than works of architectural genius. They were rediscovered by a Yale archaeologist in 1911. The ethereal beauty, workmanship, and history of the place attracts millions of tourists each year.

The Pyramids, Egypt

The Egyptian pyramids are massive monuments with a square base and four triangular sides rising up to a point. There is still a lot of curiosity (and many theories) as to how the pyramids were actually constructed.

It is generally believed that the Egyptians began constructing them after 2700 B.C. and that they were built as tombs for the pharaohs. The most well-known (and the largest) pyramids of Egypt are the Pyramids at Giza which are said to be the largest ever built. It’s said that the Great Pyramid at Giza took 23 years to complete, using a work force of around 30,000 people. About 118 pyramids have been identified, and they are popular and intriguing to tourists and home researchers alike.

Petra, Jordan

Described by the UNESCO as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage”, Petra is an archeological site on the slope of Mount Hor. It is one of the new wonders of the world and is famous for its rock-cut architecture.

This site was kept hidden until 1812 when it was discovered by a Swiss explorer. It was said to have been prepared by God for the Jewish people. Petra once flourished under the Roman empire but a rapid decline began with the Arabian trade being taken elsewhere. Then an earthquake caused a great deal of destruction. Tourists frequent the place to get a glimpse of the ruins of this beautiful city.

Great Wall of China, China

One of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China is a man-made structure that was constructed over two thousand years ago and took about 100 years to complete. The vastness of this project brings to light the immense capabilities of man.

The constructions started in the 5th Century B.C. It is actually not a single wall, but rather many walls put together, and it stretches over 4,000 miles. It was constructed to protect the Chinese Empire from the Xiongnu people in the north. The wall was initially built of stone, grass, earth, and wood, but bricks were used once the production started. It is believed that about 2-3 million Chinese died during the construction project.

The Iguazu Waterfalls, Argentina-Brazil Border

Heralded as the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, the Iguazu Waterfalls are a true wonder of nature. They are located at the border of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. While the Argentinean side allows visitors to walk right around the water or explore the National Park, the Brazilian side is known for its panoramic views and splendor.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt is believed to have exclaimed upon seeing these falls, “poor Niagara.” The area surrounding the falls provides ample opportunities for rock climbing as well as water sports. Iguazu has the distinction of having a greater annual flow than any other waterfall in the world.

With all of these, and many more beautiful places that exist in our world, we surrounded by choices. The only way to decide on the places to visit is to follow your heart. While some may love the tranquility of water, others may bury themselves deep in architectural miracles, ancient sites, or the serenity of a small town.

2011-07-23T22:08:00.000-07:00

WORLD'S STEEPEST ROLLER-COASTER IN JAPAN

Japan’s Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park has unveiled its 14th Guinness world record-breaking ride – the Takabisha roller-coaster. Nestled at the foot of Mount Fuji, the new track is nearly two miles long and features seven major twists and a stomach-churning 141 feet single vertical fall at 121 degrees, making it the steepest roller-coaster drop in the world.

Takabisha riders will be hurtled around the track at 62 miles per hour, meaning that the ride, will last just 112 seconds and can experience a split second of weightlessness as they nosedive down the mountainous drop.

Costing three billion yen (£23 million) to build, the Takabisha steals the title from Mumbo Jumbo in Yorkshire, which features a 98ft drop at 112 degrees. This speed-rides around its tracks at 150mph.

2011-07-18T03:40:00.000-07:00

SHARK ATTACK

2011-07-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

AIRPORT SECURITY CARTOONS

2011-07-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

10 MOST FAMOUS LOST CITIES OF THE WORLD

A city becomes lost when it is abandoned by its inhabitants and left to decay. This can be the result of war, migration, or natural disaster, but in each case these cities can act as a sort of time capsule, leaving a civilization frozen in history and waiting to be discovered. While many of these cities have indeed been rediscovered, others have never been found and have taken on the status of legend.

Whether real or mythical,some of the most famous lost cities have captured the imaginations of historians, archeologists, and adventurers.

ATLANTIS

Described by Plato as an advanced civilization and formidable naval power, Atlantis is said to have conquered much of Europe before sinking into the sea as the result of some kind of environmental disaster. While Plato’s story is seen by most as a work of fiction, his description of a massive civilization years ahead of its time technologically has captured the imaginations of countless writers.

THE CITY OF THE CAESARS

Also known as the Wandering City and the City of Patagonia, The City of the Caesars is a mythical city that is believed to have been located on the southernmost tip of South America. The city has never been found, and at this point it is considered more legend than anything.

TROY

Troy was a once-legendary city located in modern day Turkey. Troy was long considered by many to be the stuff of myth until it was first excavated in the 1870s. It was discovered that there were actually numerous cities on the site, which over the years had been built on top of one another.

THE LOST CITY OF Z

Supposedly located deep in the jungles of Brazil, the lost city of Z was said to be an advanced civilization with a sophisticated network of bridges, roads, and temples. No evidence of its existence has ever been uncovered. In recent years, a city known as Kuhikugu was discovered in the Amazon Rainforest that showed evidence of sophisticated fortifications and engineering, leading many to speculate that it may be the source of the Z legend.

PETRA

The most beautiful of all the cities, Petra is located in Jordon. Its most striking feature is its exquisite stone architecture, which is carved out of the rocks of the surrounding mountains. It was explored in 18th century.

EL DORADO

One of the most famous of all the legendary cities, El Dorado was a mythical empire supposedly found in the jungles of South America. The city was said to be led by a powerful king and hold untold riches of gold and jewels.

MEMPHIS

Founded in 3,100 B.C., Memphis was the capital of ancient Egypt, and served as the civilization’s administrative center for hundreds of years before being abandoned with the rise of Thebes and Alexandria. Unfortunately, stones from the ruins had been appropriated to build nearby settlements, and many important parts of the site remain lost to historians.

ANGKOR

The Angkor region of Cambodia and its surroundings which big in size have since been recognized as the biggest pre-industrial city in the world, and its famed temple of Angkor Wat is commonly considered to be the largest religious monument in existence.

POMPEII

The Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed in AD 79 after the nearby volcano Vesuvius erupted and buried the entire community under 60 feet of ash and rock. The city was estimated to have had around 20,000 inhabitants at the time, and it was considered one of the premier vacation spots for the upper class of Roman society.

MACHU PICCHU

Isolated near the Urubamba Valley in Peru, the city was never found and plundered by conquistadors, and it was not until historian Hiram Bingham visited it in 1911. It was said to be a prison, but recent research suggests that it was probably a personal estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti.

2011-06-28T01:34:00.000-07:00

THE TALLEST HOTEL ON THE PLANET

The Hong Kong Ritz Carlton is the tallest hotel in the planet. The 1,600 feet architectural masterpiece houses 312 hotel rooms starting on the 102 floor. With thе mоst аmazing views imаginable аnd six different restaurants tо chоose from, who will ever wаnt tо dеscend tо thе grоund?

2011-06-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

CUTIE BIRD WAS SITTING ON MY BALCONY

2011-06-19T20:25:00.000-07:00

MOST BEAUTIFUL INDIAN ROADS

Ahtong, Sikkim

Corbert Park Pathway, Uttar Pradesh

Numaligarh, Assam

Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh

Nainital, Uttaranchal

Almora, Uttaranchal

Udagamandalam (Ooty)

Patratu Valley, Jharkhand

Gulmarg, Kashmir

Manali Pass, Himachal Pradesh

2011-06-14T01:31:00.000-07:00

UNIQUE TEMPLES IN THE WORLD

Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched precariously on the edge of a 3,000-feet-high cliff in Paro Valley, is one of the holiest places in Bhutan.

Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Mai, Thailand is unlike any Buddhist temples in the world.

Prambanan is a Hindu temple in Central Java, Indonesia. The temple was built in 850 CE, and is composed of 8 main shrines and 250 surrounding smaller ones.

No one knows exactly when the Shwedagon Paya (or Pagoda) in Myanmar was built – legend has it that it is 2,500 years old though archaeologists estimate that it was built between the 6th and 10th century.

Temple of Heaven is a Taoist Temple in Beijing, the capital of China. The temple was constructed in 14th century by Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty.

Chion-in Temple was built in 1234 CE to honor the founder of Jodo (Pure Land) Buddhism, a priest named Honen, who fasted to death in the very spot.

In the 19th century, Dutch occupiers of Indonesia found a massive ancient ruin deep in the jungles of Java. What they discovered was the complex of Borobudur, a gigantic structure built with nearly 2 million cubic feet (55,000 m³) of stones. The temple has nearly 2,700 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.

2011-06-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

SHIP WRECKS AROUND THE WORLD

British photographer Alex Mustard has travelled the world snapping pictures of wrecked ships lying on the sea bed.

2011-06-06T03:14:00.000-07:00

SEE HOW COUPLE OF BIRDS CONSTRUCT THEIR NEST

2011-05-30T22:34:00.000-07:00

WAKE UP HYDERABAD (INDIA)-LACK OF COMPLETE SENSE

2011-05-27T21:33:00.000-07:00

SUPERB SOLUTION ON RECENT PETROL HIKE

2011-05-24T03:55:00.000-07:00

CAPTURED THIS SHOT NEAR MY HOUSE

2011-05-18T01:13:00.000-07:00

OBAMA HAS DONE A MARVELLOUS JOB. ISN'T IT ???

2011-05-11T00:58:00.000-07:00

THE SMALLEST SOLAR POWER CINEMA OF THE WORLD

SWANSEA now has the smallest solar powered cinema in the world.

The micro movie house powered entirely by the sun is fully mobile and can be towed behind a car. It can accommodate eight adults and has a full library of comedy, quirky films, movie shorts and music videos.

The Sol Cinema has been lavished with pride and style. A low energy LED projector shows short movies in cinematic surroundings. Lithium batteries are used to store the energy from the sun to power the cinema all day and night.

Photovoltaic panel harness the sunlight, even as the films are being shown and never run out of power.

Audiences at the moment range from children to pensioners and all get educated and entertained by solar powered cinema.”

2011-05-05T23:45:00.000-07:00

BANKER SPENDS 35 YEARS COLLECTING BEER CANS

Nick West, 51-year-old banker from Clevendon, Britain has spent the last 35 years putting together an impressive collection of 6,788 beer cans.

The banker from North Somerset started his British beer can collection when he was only 16 years old. His wife-to-be, Dorothy, bought him a book about collecting beer cans, not knowing she would spend the next 35 years regretting her bad taste in presents. Nick became quite fond of collecting all kinds of beer cans, and before long, the couple had to move to a larger house, one that would be roomy enough for his ever-growing collection.

Dorothy doesn’t approve of her husband’s hobby, and she’s sure that if they would have remained in their old home, they could have paid off the entire mortgage by now. Instead, the largest room in their new house is now occupied by 6,788 cans of beer. To top things off, Nick spends serious amount of money on vintage beer cans, as much as $1,975 for one of the first cans ever produced in Britain.

Nick West usually drinks the contents of the beer cans he collects, but he doesn’t do it the usual way. Instead of pulling the key, he makes two holes in the bottom of the can, empties the content, drinks it, and ads the can to his collection. That’s kind of a hassle, but I guess it’s worth it, if you can live every guy’s dream of having a house full of beer cans.

2011-04-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

INDIA WILL BE THE WINNER

WILL BE IN THE HANDS OF

BECAUSE..........

2011-03-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

WORLD'S LARGEST SEA BRIDGE:
THE QINGDAO HAIWAN BRIDGE,CHINA

At 42.5 kilometers, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge, connecting the city of Qingdao in Eastern China's Shandong province with the suburban Huangdao District across the waters of the northern part of Jiaozhou Bay, is the longest bridge over water. The six-lane road bridge is almost 5 kilometers longer than the previous record holder - the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in the American state of Louisiana. When it opens to traffic later this year, the bridge is expected to carry over 30,000 cars a day and will cut the commute between the city of Qingdao and the sprawling suburb of Huangdao by between 20 and 30 minutes.

The bridge was built in just 4 years at a cost of US$ 8.6 billion. At least 10,000 workers toiled in two teams around the clock to build the bridge, which was constructed from opposite ends and connected in the middle in the last few days. The 450,000 ton structure of steel is supported by 5,200 columns and is strong enough to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake, typhoons or the impact of a 300,000 ton vessel.

China is already home to seven of the world's 10 longest bridges, including the world's lengthiest, the 102 mile Danyang-Kunshan rail bridge, which runs over land and water near Shanghai.

Beijing pumping billions into boosting China's infrastructure, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge will not be the world's longest sea bridge for very long. In December 2009, work started on a 31 mile bridge that will link Zhuhai in southern Guangdong Province, China's manufacturing heartland, with the financial centre of Hong Kong. The £6.5 billion project is expected to be completed in 2016.

2011-03-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Community Bookshelf [Central Library Parking Garage] is a striking feature of Kansas City’s downtown. It runs along the south wall of the Central Library’s parking garage on 10th Street between Wyandotte Street and Baltimore Avenue. The book spines, which measure approximately 25 feet by 9 feet, are made of signboard mylar. The shelf showcases 22 titles reflecting a wide variety of reading interests as suggested by Kansas City readers and then selected by The Kansas City Public Library Board of Trustees.

2011-03-10T00:19:00.000-08:00

FLOATING TENNIS COURT - DOHA

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the two top seated tennis players in the world, kicked off the tournament in Doha with an exhibition match on a floating tennis court.

Nadal and Federer were brought in by boat, to a tennis court floating in a lagoon, on the coast of Doha, Qatar. The two exchanged a few friendly balls, but avoided sprints, as neither seemed to fancy a bath.

2010-12-25T03:01:00.000-08:00

2010-12-12T10:58:00.000-08:00

GREEN RAILWAYS IN EUROPE

2010-12-05T17:46:00.000-08:00

THE NATURAL ROOT BRIDGES OF CHERRAPUNJI, INDIA

Deep within the southern Khasi and Jaintia hills (north eastern India), the humid and warm climate determines unusual natural shapes and rich vegetation. This is the place where bridges grow naturally instead of being built.

The Ficus elastica is a a species of Indian rubber tree with very strong roots which have the ability to extend and surpass any obstacle, whether we are talking about boulders or rivers. This is how these amazing root bridges of Cherrapunji were formed. Currently they serve as means of locomotion for the locals.

Some of these bridges are incredibly strong and can hold up to 55 people at a time. The root bridges have a medium length of a hundred feet (about 30 meters) and some of them are 500 years old.

2010-11-29T00:56:00.000-08:00

DESERTED ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN-HASHIMA ISLAND

Hashima Island off the coast of Japan was once the most densely populated city on planet earth. From 1890 to 1974, the island was a coal mining facility. But when petroleum replaced coal in the 1960's, coal mines across Japan began shutting down and Hashima was abandoned, giving it a new nickname, “Ghost Island.”

Mitsubishi bought the island in 18901 and began using it as a coal mining facility. When space for the workers began to run out, they built Japan’s first large scale reinforced concrete apartment block on the island in 1916. More concrete tower blocks followed, and by 1959 the population of Hashima reached its peak of 5,259 – an astonishing 1,391 people per 10,000 square metres within the residential district – which is said to be the highest population density ever recorded in the world. The 15-acre island is one of 505 uninhabited islands in the Nagasaki Prefecture about 15 kilometers from Nagasaki itself. Sightseeing boat trips around the island are provided by two operators; Yamasa-Kaiun from Nagasaki Port, Kyodo Co. from Nomo Island.

As of April, 2009, the island is open again for public visits, with Yamasa Kaiun providing transportation to the island from Nagasaki. When petroleum began to replace coal here in the 1960s, coal production at Hashima began to decline, and Mitsubishi officially announced the closure of the mine in 1974. Today there is nobody left at all. Protected by a high sea wall, and completely off-limits to the public, the island is now an empty, rotting and collapsing ghost town, as clearly demonstrated.

2010-11-24T07:33:00.000-08:00

CHINESE STUNTMAN MUNCHES ON LIGHT BULBS

Zhang Yujian, a Chinese stuntman from Mudanjiang City, Heilonjiang Province, has eaten two light bulbs during his performance. The glass-eating master has a record of three light bulbs eaten in just 120 seconds. He certainly made short work of the sharp glass, without any serious cuts.

2010-11-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

BORYEONG MUD FESTIVAL, SOUTH KOREA

The Boryeong Mud Festival is an annual festival which takes place during the summer in Boryeong, South Korea. The first Mud Festival was staged in 1998 and, by 2007, the festival attracted 2.2 million visitors to Boryeong.

The mud is dug up near Boryeong, trucked to the Daecheon beach area, and dumped at a 'Mud Experience Land'. The mud is considered rich in minerals and used to manufacture cosmetics.

Some of the final weekend participants are foreign tourists, and especially American Soldiers, but most of the participants during the week are Koreans, attracted by clever marketing by the town. The town fathers and mothers discovered that the mud is more lucrative as a tourist attraction than using the muddy fields for agriculture. The economy generated from the festival supports the many hotels and restaurants along the waterway and several blocks inland. There is also a great deal to see and do in the vicinity and a free tourist bus takes visitors to local sites, including an impressive coal mine and a famous Buddhist shrine.

Boryeong Mud Festival took place from July 17-25, 2010.

2010-10-14T06:37:00.000-07:00

EUROPEAN BEARD AND MOUSTACHE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Germany’s famous East Bavarian Beard Club played host to the European Beard and Moustache Championships high in the Austrian Alps on October 2, 2010. The event drew about 150 participants from eight countries to the town of Leogang, not far from Salzburg, Austria. The competition saw men compete in 17 eccentric categories, including "Freestyle Beard," "Natural Moustache" and "Verdi," with the winner of the latter category bearing a style akin to the famous 19th century Italian composer Giuseppi Verdi.

2010-10-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

LIBRARY DESK MADE FROM RECYCLED BOOKS

Whoever thought of this idea is pretty bright... After a devastating fire in the Architecture building burned down a portion of the library, Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands purchased a new collection to replace the old volumes. Instead of throwing away the old, unburned books, they stacked them up to create this awesome administrative desk, which they appropriately placed in the library.

2010-09-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

FLOWER SHOW IN PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

2010-09-19T20:27:00.000-07:00

RUSSIA IN COLOUR, A CENTURY AGO (PART 2)

Cornflowers in a field of rye, 1909.

Laying concrete for the dam's sluice, 1912. Workers and supervisors pose for a photograph amid preparations for pouring cement for sluice dam foundation across the Oka River near Beloomut.

Sart woman in purdah in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, ca. 1910. Until the Russian revolution of 1917, "Sart" was the name for Uzbeks living in Kazakhstan.

General view of the wharf at Mezhevaya Utka, 1912.

Peasants harvesting hay in 1909.

Prokudin-Gorskii rides along on a handcar outside Petrozavodsk on the Murmansk railway along Lake Onega near Petrozavodsk in 1910.

A water-carrier in Samarkand (present-day Uzbekistan), ca. 1910.

A dog rests on the shore of Lake Lindozero in 1910.

Factory in Kyn, Russia, belonging to Count S.A. Stroganov, 1912.

Russian children sit on the side of a hill near a church and bell tower near White Lake, in Russia, 1909.

Emir Seyyid Mir Mohammed Alim Khan, the Emir of Bukhara, seated holding a sword in Bukhara, (present-day Uzbekistan), ca. 1910.

A boy leans on a wooden gatepost in 1910.

A metal truss bridge on stone piers, part of the Trans-Siberian Railway, crossing the Kama River near Perm, Ural Mountains Region, ca. 1910.

Nomadic Kirghiz on the Golodnaia Steppe in present-day Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, ca. 1910.

A man and woman pose in Dagestan, ca. 1910.

A general view of Sukhumi, Abkhazia and its bay, seen sometime around 1910 from Cherniavskii Mountain.

A boy sits in the court of Tillia-Kari mosque in Samarkand, present-day Uzbekistan, ca. 1910.

2010-09-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

RUSSIA IN COLOUR, A CENTURY AGO (PART 1)

Extraordinary collection of color photographs taken between 1909 and 1912. In those years, photographer Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii (1863-1944) undertook a photographic survey of the Russian Empire with the support of Tsar Nicholas II. He used a specialized camera to capture three black and white images in fairly quick succession, using red, green and blue filters, allowing them to later be recombined and projected with filtered lanterns to show near true color images. The high quality of the images, combined with the bright colors, make it difficult for viewers to believe that they are looking 100 years back in time - when these photographs were taken, neither the Russian Revolution nor World War I had yet begun.

An Armenian woman in national costume poses for Prokudin-Gorskii on a hillside near Artvin (in present day Turkey), circa 1910.

Self-portrait on the Karolitskhali River, 1910. Prokudin-Gorskii in suit and hat, seated on rock beside the Karolitskhali River, in the Caucasus Mountains near the seaport of Batumi on the eastern coast of the Black Sea.

Molding of an artistic casting (Kasli Iron Works), 1910.

A woman is seated in a calm spot on the Sim River, part of the Volga watershed in 1910.

A chapel sits on the site where the city of Belozersk was founded in ancient times, photographed in 1909.

Tiflis (Tblisi), Georgia from the grounds of Saint David Church, 1910.

Isfandiyar Jurji Bahadur, Khan of the Russian protectorate of Khorezm (Khiva, now a part of modern Uzbekistan), full-length portrait, seated outdoors, ca. 1910.

A closer detail view of Isfandiyar, Khan of the Russian protectorate of Khorezm. This photo would have been taken near the start of his reign in 1910, when he was 39 years old. He ruled Khorezm until his death in 1918.

On the Sim River, a shepherd boy.

Alternators made in Budapest, Hungary, in the power generating hall of a hydroelectric station in Iolotan (Eloten), Turkmenistan, on the Murghab River, 1910.

A Georgian woman poses for a photograph.

A group of women in Dagestan.

General view of Artvin (now in Turkey) from the small town of Svet, 1910.

Pinkhus Karlinskii, eighty-four years old with sixty-six years of service. Supervisor of Chernigov floodgate, part of the Mariinskii Canal system. Photo taken in 1909.

General view of the Nikolaevskii Cathedral from southwest in Mozhaisk in 1911.

Jewish children with a teacher in Samarkand, (in modern Uzbekistan), 1910.

A switch operator poses on the Trans-Siberian Railroad, near the town of Ust Katav on the Yuryuzan River in 1910.

2010-09-07T01:48:00.000-07:00

HIGHEST WATERFALL IN THE WORLD, ANGEL FALLS

At fifteen times the height of Niagara Falls, Angel Falls is the highest in the world.

Angel Falls is the world's highest waterfall with a height of 979 meters (3,212 feet) and a plunge of 807 meters (2,647 feet).

Angel Falls is located in the Canaima National Park, an UNESCO World Heritage site in the Gran Sabana region of Bolivar State, Venezuela. It is one of the countrytop tourist destinations despite its isolated location.

The height of the falls is so great, that before getting anywhere near the ground, the water is atomized by the strong winds and turned into mist? The mist can be felt a mile (1.6 km) away.

The base of the falls feeds into the Kerep River (alternatively known as the Rio Gauya), which flows into the Churun River, a tributary of the Carrao River.

Apparently, the falls were not known to the outside world until American aviator Jimmie Angel flew over them on November 16, 1933 during a flight searching for a valuable ore bed. Returning on October 9, 1937, Angel tried to land his Flamingo monoplane, El Rio Caroni atop the mountain, but the plane was damaged when the wheels sank into the marshy ground. He and his three companions, including his wife Marie, were then forced to descend the mountain on foot. It took them 11 days to make their way back to civilization, but news of their adventure spread, and the waterfall was named Angel Falls in his honour. Angel plane remained on top of the mountaintop for 33 years before being lifted out by helicopter. It was restored at the Aviation Museum in Maracay and now sits outdoors on the front of the airport at Ciudad BolÃvar.

2010-08-31T00:03:00.001-07:00

MONKEY ADOPTS A KITTEN AT BALI, INDONESIA

A young long tailed macaque monkey has been spotted in a forest protectively nuzzling and grooming a ginger kitten and making sure no harm came to it. The extraordinary sight was captured by amateur photographer Anne Young while on holiday at the Monkey Forest Park, in the Ubud region of Bali, Indonesia.

During the remarkable moments the monkey would become agitated if Anne ventured too near to take pictures and at one point used a huge leaf to try and cover the kitten from view.

The monkey was even wary of other macaques and would not allow other young males to get too close.

Throughout the session the kitten enjoyed the attention being lavished on it by its protective carer and made no effort to leave.

The reserve is inhabited by about 340 monkeys in four groups. It is considered sacred by locals and visited by about 10,000 tourists each month.

It is not known how the cat came to be in the company of the macaques.

2010-08-25T00:46:00.000-07:00

OPENING CEREMONY OF YOUTH OLYMPIC GAME IN SINGAPORE

The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is an international multi-sport event first held in Singapore on August 14, 2010 and scheduled to last 12 days until August 26. The games are planned to be held every four years in staggered summer and winter events consistent with the current Olympic Games format. Singapore welcomed young athletes from around the world in a ceremony opening the inaugural Youth Olympic Games and the competitors are all between 14 and 18 years of age. This year, 3,500 athletes from more than 200 countries participated in 184 events in 26 sports.

Darren Choy of Singapore carries the Youth Olympic torch on his way to ignite the Youth Olympic Flame at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Youth Olympics at The Float at Marina Bay on August 14, 2010 in Singapore.

On July 23, 2010, Greek actress Ino Menegaki lights the flame at Ancient Olympia, where the Olympics were born in 776 B.C., during the official ceremony of the lighting of the flame that will burn at the Singapore inaugural Youth Olympic Games on August 14.

Greek actress Ino Menegaki, playing the role of high priestess, carries the flame inside the ancient stadium at Olympia, Greece on Thursday ,July 22, 2010. The ceremony was part of a full dress rehearsal carried out amid the ruins of Ancient Olympia.

Greek actress Ino Menegaki delivers the flame to the first runner inside the stadium in Ancient Olympia on Friday July 23, 2010. The flame was bound for the August 14-26 Singapore inaugural Youth Olympic Games.

Singapore Youth Olympic Committee Chairman and IOC Vice-President, Ng Ser Miang arrives at the Singapore Changi Airport with a safety lantern containing the Youth Olympic flame on Thursday August 5, 2010 in Singapore.

The Youth Olympic Torch is transported on a Phoenix across the Singapore River towards the cauldron during the opening ceremony mark the start of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games held on Saturday August 14, 2010 in Singapore.

A boat in the shape of a phoenix carries the Youth Olympic torch across the water during the opening ceremony of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games at the Marina Bay floating platform in Singapore on August 14, 2010.

Fireworks explode during the opening ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games at the Marina Bay floating platform in Singapore on August 14, 2010.

A torch bearer runs with the Youth Olympic torch during the opening ceremony of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games at the Marina Bay floating platform in Singapore on August 14, 2010.

A dragon puppet moves between a school of carp puppets during the opening ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games at the Marina Bay floating platform in Singapore on August 14, 2010.

Sixteen-year-old Darren Choy (left) receives the Youth Olympic flame before lighting the cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games at the Marina Bay floating platform in Singapore on August 14, 2010.

Sixteen-year-old Darren Choy of Singapore lights the Singapore Youth Olympic Games cauldron on August 14, 2010.

Entertainers make the shape of the Olympic Rings while performing at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Youth Olympics at The Float at Marina Bay on August 14, 2010 in Singapore.

Performers splash water during the opening ceremony celebrations of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games Saturday Aug. 14, 2010 in Singapore.

Costumed performers are seen during the opening Youth Olympic Games ceremony on Saturday August 14, 2010 in Singapore.

The Singapore flag is carried during the opening ceremony of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore on August 14, 2010.

Members of the Canadian delegation arrive for the opening ceremony of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore on August 14, 2010.