Circles

This is Loktak Lake (Manipuri Mayek) located in East India and is known as the Floating Lake due to it's floating phumdis.  Phumdis is a mass of vegetation, soil and other organic matter.  The lake is one of the largest in India and is located in the Manipur state and has one of the world's larges phumdis at about 4 square miles.  This mass of land is now Keibul Lamjao National Park, the world's only floating national park and is home to a variety of wildlife including the Brow-antlered Deer also called Sangai.  The lake is utilized by rural fisherman who often live on the  phumids.  The lake is also a source of livelihood for the rural fisherman who live in the surrounding areas and on phumdis, also known as “phumshongs”.  The phumdis are used to build hut homes and for farm fishing.  Circular  enclosures are  created from phumids for this farming.

Life on the Edge!

For only $175 US dollars, you too can take the stroll of a lifetime. But this walk is for real adrenaline junkies only. This is the Edgewalk located at the top of the CN tower in Toronto, Canada. After being secured, visitors can circle the top of the 116 story building with no guard rail. This is a little strange.. right?

a wedding?

 

 

 

The Frying Pan

Any guess why call this Frying Pan Lake?  :).   Frying Pan Lake is located in Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley in Rotorua, New Zealand.  It is the largest hot spring on this planet.  It's also about 20 feet deep on average with vents that go as deep as 65 feet.  Various acid springs feed the lake making it dangerously hot with an average temperature of up to 130 degrees (easily burning skin within seconds). 

 

 

Pink Lava

 

 

This beautiful Fuji Shibazakura Festival is held annually during the blooming of massive pink moss flowers fields.  It takes place in the Fuji Five Lakes area and almost a million pink flowers and Mount Fuji are there to welcome you upon arrival.  The festival is held from the middle of April to June in which you can take a 90 minute stroll through the fields.   Not sure if it is 'strange' but it is strangely beautiful. no?

 

 

Windswept!

Slope point is the southernmost point of the South Island of New Zealand and lies just south of the small settlement of Waikawa.  The land in the area is primarily used for sheep farming and housing can't be found in the area.  To reach the point, you must walk about 30 minutes as their are no roads.  At the point, you will find sheep, rugged cliffs with the sea below and strange wild swept trees.  The few trees seen were planted by man to serve as shelter for the animals.  The area is constantly battered by extremely cold, strong southwesterly windows blowing from Antarctica.   The trees taking a licking and make for some pretty strange scenery.

 

Blue Below

This is the Blue Grotto (aka Blue Cave, Modra špilja) located in a small bay named Balun, on the island of Biševo in the Croatian Adriatic in Croatia.   Until 1884, this cave was only accessible by diving, however today artificially created entrance allows for small boats and tourists to enter and enjoy.   Between 11 a.m and 12 noon daily (and seasonally), sunlight reflects through the water coming from the white floor of the cave and bathes the grotto in aquamarine light, while objects in the water appear to be silver.  The cater is almost 80 feet in length and over 30 feet in depth.  It receives about 10,000 visitors annually. 

 

 

S-Mail

In the South Pacific? on vacation? want to send a postcard?  Head on down the local post office on the Island of Vanuatu, but don't forget your snorkel.  Vanuatu to the world's only underwater post office.  It's situated within the Hideway Island marine sanctuary about 10 feet underwater.   Special waterproof postcards have been created to assure your mail doesn't get soggy :).  Snorkelers and SCUBA divers can dive on down, swimmers can attempt as well.  Hideaway Island has postal staff to help you as needed.  During business hours, the postcards will be embossed by the postal staff.  Instead of being stamped with ink,  a new device has been developed.  The post office also has a special flag that is raised on a float above the site when the postal workers are in the water.  Mail is can be delivered locally and internationally.

 

Kooky Kafe!

Gotta give this folks credit for giving little kids credit.  This is the Kinderkookkafé restaurant(ish) located in Amsterdam, Netherlands.  What makes this place so strangely wonderful is that is fun by CHILDREN :)!  They are the cooks, the servers, the hostesses, the bus boys and girls and the dish washers.  Their little fingers do all of the work with a friendly adult support staff.   This is not only a darling restaurant, but it is an educational and entertaining experience for children... how clever :)!   Don't forget to make a reservation!

 

Free Town

The town of Christiania (aka Freetown, Danish: Fristaden Christiania) is a once abandoned military area of 84 acres in Copenhagen, Demark that was taken over by squatters in 1971.  They claimed the area as a free city that would be free of taxes and run free of Denmark's laws.  The new settlers transformed the area to an alternative social experiment of free thinkers, or some may say, a commune.  Today, the town still remains with over 1,000 permanent residents.  The town is a hotch-potch of huts, houses, murals, warehouses and sculptures.  Tourist can enjoy the towns creativity, as well as it's cafes, restaurants, outdoor events and live music.  It's considered the fourth largest tourist attraction in all of Copenhagen with one million visitors annually.   The town has it's own set of rules independent of the Danish government with forbid stealing, violence, guns, knives, hard drugs, biker colors and bullet proof vests.  Peace out!

The Desert Lotus

Build it and they will come!  This is the Desert Lotus Hotel located in the Xiangshawan Desert about 500 miles west of Beijing, China.  It is comprised of a steel structure anchored within sand dunes with repeating white triangular tent tops connected together in the formation of a lotus.   The hotel utilizes wind, water and wind energy of the desert and is quite self sufficient.  It is a luxurious hotel with a spa, pool and private club.  Visitors can enjoy desert surfing, yoga, camel rides and Mongolian themed performances.