Swing At the End of the World

 

 

Deep in the Ecuadorian wilderness there is a seismic monitoring station.  It is formally known as Casa del Arbol  (aka  The Tree House).  It is a simple one room shack made of wood to observe Mt. Tungurahua (Ecuador) which is an active volcano in the area.  The main attraction is a simple swing hanging from a skinny tree branch for anyone to enjoy.   With no safety measures or equipment of any kind,  adults and even children can go for a swing over a deep and dangerous canyon.

Stair Well?

Thought I needed a stairway heading down :).   Chand Baori is a lovely example of a step well situated in the village of Abhaneri near Jaipur in India's state of Rajasthan.  It was constructed in 800 AD after being built by King Chanda of the Nikumbha Dynasty and is dedicated to Hashat Mata Goddess of Joy and Happiness.  The Chand Baori was intended to conserve water as the area is which is located is very arid.   The bottom of the well is about 5 degrees cooler than at the surface.  It was used traditionally as a gathering place for locals during times of intense heat.

 

Stairway to Heaven?

 

It's about as close as one can get to a stairway to heaven,  thanks to China.   This 300 ft staircase was built along a a cliff in the Taihang Mountains in Linzhou, China to promote tourism.  Forunately,  you don't need any grear to enjoy climbing this mountain.   However,  you do need to be under the age of 60 and have good health.  Apparently, it's windy and the staircase makes a lot of frightening noises.  Sounds fun!

 

 

 

Magic Island

Musha Cay is a private island owned by David Copperfield, a famous American magician.   It is located in the Exuma Chain in the Bahamas.  It's about 85 miles southeast of Nassau.  When he acquired the islands, he was determined to make them the most "magical" place in the world.
Musha Cay has three smaller islands surrounding it that have been made into private accommodations for vacationers.  Musha Cay website doesn't list prices :).  Apparently,  David Cooperfield lives on the main island with his wife and young daughter.

Sweethaven Village

Popeye's Village is none other than Sweethaven Village from the 1980s live action musical film, Popeye.   The film production set is quite beautiful, made of rustic and ramshackle wooden buildings.  The village is located in Anchor Bay on the Mediterranean Sea of Malta (near the village of Melieha). After completion of the movie,  it was decided the village would remain, leaving it a tourist attraction.  It is open daily and has various family attractions as well as play houses.  Families can explore the buildings, inside and out.  Popeye and Olive Oyl stroll the village for children's delight.  The village also includes a cinema and various shows.

 

 

Valley Of Peace :(

Wadi Al-Salaam (Valley of Peace) is an Islamic cemetery  located in Shia holy city of Najaf, Iraq.   It is believed to be the most massive cemetery in the entire world.   The grounds are about 1,485 acres and contains over 5 million remains.  Burials are performed daily now for 1,400 years.
The graveyard holds an importance in Shiite Islamic beliefs in that souls of the faithful men and women shall be moved there, no matter where their bodies have been buried.  Many profits, kings, princesses and sultans lie in this cemetery.

 

Gotta ask WHY?

Nearly 3,000 residents live on Miyake-Jima Island (part of the Izu Islands) in Japan.  It's just  about 180km from Tokyo.  On the island,  you will find Mount Oyama, a very active volcanic that has been erupting for over 500 years.  It is also an unlikely tourist destination.. some say volcanic touring.  Not only do tourists enjoy it's ever evolving landscape, there are unique fauna and flora and several rare species of birds and animals.  The island also has beautiful diving and snorkeling opportunities do it's coral reef.  What makes this island so darn unique and makes me question "WHY?" is that all residents are required to carry a gas mask at all times as the mountains are constantly emitting sulfuric gas.  Air raid sirens go off if there is a dramatic increase in the levels of sulphur in the air and citizens don their masks for safety.  Since it's most recent eruption,  there apparently has been a constant flow of this gas.

 

 

Golden Rock.

 

An amazing creation of the nature, this rock formation called Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, but also known as "The Golden rock", is located in Mon State, and it is religiously related to the Buddhist pilgrimage site in Myanmar, one of the three biggest in the country.  The formation consists of small pagoda built on the top of the granite boulder which is turned into a golden rock by the religious devotees who covered it with pasted golden leaves. There is a legend about that rock, according to which it is scarcely sitting on the strand of Buddha's hair. And it looks like it will roll down the hill every moment, but seems to defy gravity for ages.

The Lap of Luxury

Hotel Kakslauttanen (part of Igloo Village)  is the place to stay when in Fineland's Lapland.   This is a very unique ice hotel and is popular with tourists.   Here you can book yourself and igloo between Dec and April.  Igloo Village offers 20 actual snow igloos, 32 rustic cabins and 20 glass igloos for whatever your wishes.  In the glass igloos, northern lights can be enjoyed.   Don't worry about sleeping in the snow igloos because they provide you with special sleeping bags, sock and headcover. The hotel has a large smoke sauna to warm up.  Apparently the Finnish will jump into the icy river nearby.