This amazing waterfall in the Canal City Mall in Fukuoka, Japan creates words in Japanese and English and creates images of dolphins and shapes. It’s amazing to see this type of water art!

There is a very valid reason why we have been able to land a man on the moon and send space shuttles as far as Saturn and beyond, but still have no clue about the many mysteries that lay right here beneath our own feet hidden deep in the heart of the earth. There are select places where Mother Nature herself opens up some of her mysteries and lets us in on a bit of a sneak peak. The astonishing Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst in Hungary are a portal to that rare world.

An amazing collection of 712 caves have been clubbed by UNESCO as part of the cluster of protected caves dubbed Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst. The unique climate of the karstic system allows these caves to present spectacular variety which spans from the tropical to the glacial. The 7 different cave structures include the caves of Baradla and Domica complex, Gombasek Cave, Silica Ice Cave, Dobsinska Ice Cave, Ochtinská Aragonite Cave and Jasovská Cave.

Baradla-Domica Cave complex is the longest among the collection of caves with a length of 21 km and offers a wonderful journey into the depths of the planet. The awesome tour of the Domica Cave is just 1700 meters long and with its intricate patterns and amazing twists, it will feel much longer and tougher than that. Found on the Slovak-Hungary border, the cave is home to the Bukk Culture and holds great archeological significance, as well.

The Gombasek Cave is famous for its constant temperature of 9° C and is known for its impeccable and unmatched natural splendor. Just the fact that it is called the ‘Fairy tale Cave’ shows the awesome delights of this hidden magical land.

But the one cave you must not miss, on your trip, is the spectacular ice cave of Dobsinska. With a temperature that never goes above -1° C throughout the year, 1,483m of the Dobsinska Ice Cave is open to the public between May and September. The intricate ice patterns, the stunning spectacle of ice, and the impeccable decoration make it a visual treat.

Known for its astonishing Aragonite formations and dazzling shine in the dark depths, the Ochtinská Aragonite Cave is truly a miniature Milky Way in the heart of the planet. The 300m trip might be short in length but it’s a magic journey with its starfish-like formations.

This is another spot that you cannot afford to miss. The Jasovská Cave - the oldest of the seven to be on public view and holds great interests for students of human evolution and archeology.

The Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst are unique, breathtaking, rare, visually all encompassing and historically significant. While most of these caves have been known unofficially for centuries in Europe, their full grandeur and their varied formations hidden inside have started to show in the early 20th century. A trip to this fairyland will surely host a celestial show just for you.

Images courtesy of Wikipedia and Unesco

Located in the northern part of Ethiopia, Lalibela was built as a response to the capture of Jerusalem by Muslims and became a center of pilgrimage for most of the country’s Christians.

Bet Giyorgis

Before the rule of Saint Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, of the Zagwe Dynasty, the town was known as Roha and was the capital city of Ethiopia. But after a drugged dream in which the monarch was instructed to build a holy city as a replica of the fallen Jerusalem, Lalibela became a religious center and a true wonder of the world. Lalibela got to see Jerusalem and the Holy Land as a young prince and the layout of the churches he ordered built, proves he tried to mimic certain details.

There are 11 monolithic churches in Lalibela, all built between the late 12^th century and the early 13^th century, during the reign of Gebre Mesqel Lalibela. The holy places are built in 3 basic styles:

Bet Giyorgis Top

Rock-hewn monolithic churches

Lalibela is the only place on Earth where constructions of this kind can be found. They are cut from the rock and separated from it completely by a trench. Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Maryam, Bete Giyorgis are all rock-hewn monolithic churches.

Rock-hewn cave churches

These were built by cutting inwards into vertical cliffs, sometimes widening existing natural caves and openings. Abba Libanos is a great example of the rock-hewn cave churches of Lalibela.

Abba Libanos

Built-up cave churches

Common monolithic churches constructed inside natural caves.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the churches of Lalibela is that they were all hand-carved by the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian population of the town, who tried their best to replicate the holy structures of Jerusalem. Many of the churches bear the same names as some of the Holy City’s construction and the river that flows through the town is known as the River Jordan.

monolithic church

The monolithic churches of Lalibela are as well constructed as they are beautiful. They are set in four groups, connected by tunnels to better handle the pouring rains of the Ethiopian rainy season, which makes Lalibela inaccessible. Every church is built according to the slope of the terrain and the trenches help carry the water to the River Jordan.

Bet Medhane Alem

Religion is the central point of Lalibela, out of approximately 8-10 thousand inhabitants, one thousand are priests. It’s a simple settlement with no paved roads, no cars or fuel stations, in which electricity has just recently arrived. If you want to take a journey back in African medieval times and see the incredible monolithic churches, consider Lalibela.

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

With holiday season now starting to take effect and vacations already planned, we are pretty sure there are still many out there who are looking for a trip. That is exactly what we are here for and if you are interested in calm blue waters, spectacular natural coral reefs and a secluded island paradise that is both enchanting and exotic, then the little known delights of Lord Howe Island is what you need to experience.

Lord Howe Island is located a good 600 km away from the Australian continent, and with nothing but the vast Pacific around the 6 mile long crescent-shaped paradise, it offers you a delightful retreat away from the hassles of civilization come this festive season. The beautiful, yet compact island offers a diverse and refreshing holiday with its amazing natural beauty and tranquil turquoise waters.

Discovered in 1788, Lord Howe Island after centuries of human impact, has wiped out much of the natural flora and fauna of the island. Yet, the island still offers a spectacular marine experience with its crescent shape protecting the coral reefs from the rough seas. If you think that the Great Barrier Reef is a marvel, then take one look at this little-known underwater ecstasy and you will be startled at the magnificent diversity.

The island also sports a very unique sight of glowing mushrooms which light up like bright light bulbs after every rain shower. The lighting is so good that you can actually read a book with it!

Few natural islands have sustained damage to their natural ecosystem like the Lord Howe Island has, due to species introduced by humans on this island. Still, there are 18 species of sea birds, 400 species of fish and plenty of animals like the Skink and Gecko that are still inhabitants of these enthralling forests. Eighty species of coral are found in these relaxing waters, which will add to your scuba diving thrill.

The island now has an airstrip, but traveling by sea still gives you a journey filled with unabated thrills and unadulterated magic. Lord Howe Island is one tiny drop of nature’s magic that you would not want to miss!

Images courtesy of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

No matter how fancy a restaurant or how tasty the food, after a while everyone gets bored and feels the need to try something new. Luckily there are a few establishments in this world outrageous enough to keep your eating experiences interesting for a very long time. Here are some weird restaurants you simply must visit:

The Heart-Attack Grill

Taste worth dying for! A great motto for a fast-food restaurant that takes pride in offering its customers the fattiest food they have ever tasted. If fat isn’t an issue when it comes to your food, you might enjoy trying the single, double, triple and quadruple Bypass Burgers, Flatliner Fries (deep-fried in pure lard for extra taste), Jolt Cola or the no-filter cigarettes.

If you do happen to have a heart-attack at the Heart-Attack Grill, the waitresses are all dressed as sexy nurses, so they probably won’t be able to save your life, but at least you’ll go with a smile on your face.

Hospitalis

Hospital food is everyone’s culinary nightmare but some Latvian entrepreneurs thought opening a hospital-themed restaurant would be good business. Believe it or not, they were right and now Hospitalis is one of the most popular restaurants in Riga.

Hospitalis is designed to look just like your average hospital, with operating tables, wheel-chairs, dentist-chairs and bartenders and waitresses dressed as doctors and nurses. Scalpels and other medical instruments serve as cutlery, while drinks and dressings are offered in syringes.

Buns and Guns

Located in a Hezbollah-controlled area of Beirut, Lebanon, Buns and Guns Restaurant is designed as a military outpost, with sandbags surrounding it and sounds of gunfire and bombs entertaining the guests. The motto of Buns and Guns is “A sandwich can kill you!” but the owner says the only way his food can do that is by its generous size.

On the menu of Buns and Guns you can find Terrorist bread, Rocket Propelled Grenade, Dragunov, Kalashnikov, Viper or B52 sandwiches and Claymore pizza. The restaurant has gained great popularity on an international level and people traveling through Beirut always stop for a bite.

The Lock-Up

If you wanted to know what having dinner in prison feels like, The Lock-Up Restaurant is the place to go. Set-up in Shinjuku, Tokyo, The Lock-up makes its clients feel like they’ve entered a gothic, medieval prison. Right from the door you are “welcomed” by a prison warden that handcuffs you and takes you to your cell. An inmate-dressed waitress offers you a complimentary ration (vitamins and other supplements) and takes tour order. The drinks are served in syringes and the food is a lot better than you would expect in a prison, but it’s hard to enjoy it when you’re terrified. Scary inmates, mad scientists and ghosts rattle the bars trying to get in when you least expect it, and only the sexy guards can scare them away.

Photo Credit

Argentina is home to the largest ice cap outside of Greenland or Antarctica. The Los Glaciers National Park in Argentina (situated in the Andes mountain range) is the country’s second largest park and recognized as a World Heritage Site. The giant reservoir of ice, covering more than 30% of the park’s surface, is fed by the ice cap and consists of nearly 50 glaciers.

The park is broken up into two sections, the northern and southern halves. Viedma Lake, Viedma Glacier and several peaks (Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre) of interest to ice climbers and trekking enthusiasts are top priorities when visiting the northern portions of the national park. In the south, tourists are treated to an assortment of large and small glaciers, most of which feed Lake Argentino. Boats travel between the various icebergs and the Perito Moreno Glacier is even accessible by land, solidifying it as the park’s main attraction.

Despite the cold temperatures and dry air (moisture from the Pacific ocean is restricted by the Andes) there are reportedly thousands of species which call this area of Argentina home. Pockets of forest lie between the outlying steppe regions and the immense ice, providing a sanctuary for fox, cougar, deer and many other mammals. Despite this abundance of hearty life, Los Glacieres National Park’s main attraction remains its frozen reserve of freshwater; it comes in many shapes and colors.

a source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source

source