San Zhi, Taiwan

San-Zhi

Designed as a luxurious tourist resort in Northern Taiwan, the futuristic town of San Zhi was abandoned before it was even completed. Stories say that many workers died while working on the pod-houses and the government decided to pull the plug on the project. So now, instead of an expensive tourist destination for the richest people in Taiwan, San Zhi is just a ghost town left at the mercy of the elements.

Locals say San Zhi is now haunted by the ghosts of those who died here during construction.

Pripyat, Ukraine

Pripyat

The city of Pripyat was the home of Chernobyl workers before the terrible nuclear accident but after 1986 it was completely deserted. Because the residents were not allowed to take anything but a suitcase of uncontaminated clothes when Pripyat was evacuated, it had the look of a quiet museum. But that all changed when authorities announced that the area was relatively safe, that’s when scavengers made their appearance, taking even the toilet-seats from some apartments.

Although access to the city is not completely restricted, I don’t know why anyone would want to visit such a spooky location where there are still some traces of radiation.

Hashima Island, Japan

Hashima Island

Also known as Gunkanjima or Battleship Island because of its shape, Hashima is one of many deserted islands on the Japanese coast. In 1890 a coal-mining company started building facilities here and the island was surrounded by a tall concrete wall to protect it from hurricanes. At one point Hashima had one of the highest population densities in history, but as petroleum began to replace coal, in 1974 the facilities were shut-down and the population evacuated. Access to Hashima Island has been restricted ever since it was abandoned and rumors say it is haunted.

Bodie, USA

Bodie

Once a flourishing gold-mining town with a population of nearly 10,000 souls, Bodie is now a decaying ghost town left at the mercy of the elements. Founded in 1859 as a mining camp by gold prospector W. Bodye, the town attracted gold diggers from all over the world but because it had little groundwater resources it was deserted at the beginning of the 20^th century.

Bodie is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and the remaining houses have been preserved with their original interiors.

Centralia, USA

Centralia

Centralia was never a large town, at its peak it only had about 2,000 residents out of which just 18 remain today. The downfall of this American borough started in 1962 when the authorities ignited a town landfill that was atop an unsealed coal mine. The coal started burning underground causing damage and endangering the lives of locals.

Centralia was literally sitting on a powder keg and when gas stations started registering high temperatures in their fuel tanks the authorities decided to evacuate the town. The underground fire still burns and scientists say it could be burning for another 250 years.

Photo credits: 1, 2 , 3, 4 , 5

Our current buildings around the world are midgets compared to this tall development.

Starting his sculptures in the 1960s and 1970s, William Pye is an artist known on a global scale for its sculptures focused around water. Pye was born in London, but spent a lot of time at his family’s country home in Surrey, where he became fascinated with the abundant rivers and lakes in the area. The natural world combined with the use of geometry became a major source of inspiration for the artist.

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No holiday is complete without a little shopping. If you’re looking to fill that empty space in your closet with some new threads, these are some of the best places to do it. From high fashion to knockoffs, the following cities will fill your closet with everything imaginable:

Paris, France
The French are renowned for their fashions, with designs that have been the rage since the decadent court of the Sun King. Paris is paramount in the fashion world, attracting the very best designers, models and celebrities. Explore the fashion world in the City of Lights, from Dior and Hermès, to Chanel and Gaultier, and upgrade your wardrobe as you downsize your wallet. After a spree in Paris, your wardrobe will definitely turn heads.

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Apart from the big attractions, a great tourist destination in India, is Jodhpur, a city with a history of itself that has everything a traveler could wish for. From amazing palaces to beautiful forts and temples, with six huge gates and a thick stone wall to surround the old city, you’d better not forget your camera and make sure you explore every little corner.

Located on an arid spot close to the Thar Desert which borders Pakistan, Jodhpur is renowned for its urban sea of indigo washed buildings, that gave it’s name, the Blue City. The reasons to chose blue was the belief that it can keep insects away, especially mosquitoes and termites, and that it defers heat from the sun. Read the rest of this entry

A great hotel, sea view, lots of entertaining activities or relaxing time on a fine sand beach, good food and lots of sun, are usually key ingredients for a great vacation. But not for those that feel stranded by their bathing suit.

They usually go for the clothing-optional resorts, therefore we decided to show you the best of the best when it comes to sun-bathing in Adam’s and Eve’s costumes.

1. Hidden Beach Resort - Au Naturel Club, Mexico

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