Gunther Holtorf's 23-year road trip

This Mercedes Benz G-Wagen, affectionately named Otto, has carried Gunther Holtorf and his wife Christine on an incredible 500,000 mile journey around the world.In 1989, Gunther Holtorf and his wife Christine climbed aboard their 1988 Mercedes Benz G-Wagen to travel from Germany to Africa, where they planned to complete a once-in-a-lifetime road trip that would last 18-months.Except the trip didn’t last 18-months, it has lasted 23 years, spanned more than 200 countries and the G-Wagen now has 800,000 kilometers, or 500,000 miles, on its odometer. That’s the equivalent of 20 times around the equator.

In The Huge Abandoned Bunker

This is one of the alernate command posts of the Warsaw Pact contries located on the territory of Moldavia. There are similar constructions in Belorus, Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan.Object 1180 represents two cylindrical blocks each 36 m in diameter and 60 m deep divided into 10-12 levels. There is an additional level used as a fridge centre.The bunker was not finished and finally was abandoned, but the structure is so colossal that is truly worth visiting. It’s hard to imagine how deep everything is buried here.The staircase between the levels of the command block have also suffered looting.It would be nice for Indiana Jones movies…Typical storey of the command block has two big rooms and a corridor between them. The rooms are 4-5 m high. The walls are made of steel.

Pulitzer Photos

Pulitzer Prize is the most prestigious award for journalists, photographers and reporters.It goes only to the best, whose work is recognized bright, original and emotional. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of American (Hungarian-born) publisher Joseph Pulitzer, and is administered by Columbia University in New York City. Prizes are awarded yearly in twenty-one categories. In twenty of these, each winner receives a certificate and a US$10,000 cash award. The winner in the public service category of the journalism competition is awarded a gold medal, which always goes to a newspaper, although an individual may be named in the citation. 

Top 10 Famous Sea Stacks From Around the World

A stack or sea stack is a rock formation made up of a steep or upright column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast. They are formed when part of a headland is eroded by water crashing against the rock or as a result of wind erosion. These impressive formations are intricately created by nature only through time, tide and wind. Here are 10 famous sea stack formations from around the World.

01. Dun Briste, Ireland

Photo Link

Natural Picdump - 4

Natural Picdump - 3

Buddha Statue in Leshan

 The Leshan Giant Buddha (simplified Chinese: Lèsha-n Dàfó) was built during the Tang Dynasty (618–907AD). It is carved out of a cliff face that lies at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers in the southern part of Sichuan province in China, near the city of Leshan. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below his feet. It is the largest carved stone Buddha in the world and it is by far the tallest pre-modern statue in the world. The Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. It was not damaged by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

Construction was started in 713, led by a Chinese monk named Haitong. He hoped that the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued the shipping vessels traveling down the river. When funding for the project was threatened, he is said to have gouged out his own eyes to show his piety and sincerity. After his death, however, the onstruction was stuck due to insufficient funding. About 70 years later, a jiedushi decided to sponsor the project and the construction was completed by Haitong's disciples in 803.Apparently the massive construction resulted in so much stone being removed from the cliff face and deposited into the river below that the currents were indeed altered by the statue, making the waters safe for passing ships.

At 71 metres (233 feet) tall, the statue depicts a seated Maitreya Buddha with his hands resting on his knees. His shoulders are 28 metres wide and his smallest toenail is large enough to easily accommodate a seated person. There is a local saying: "The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain". This is partially because the mountain range in which the Leshan Giant Buddha is located is thought to be shaped like a slumbering Buddha when seen from the river, with the Leshan Giant Buddha as its heart.

The Most Beautiful Pictures Of Canadian Pacific Railway

Canadian Pacific Railway stretches from Vancouver to Montreal, and is laid in major U.S. cities such as Minneapolis, Chicago and New York. The construction of the railway network was considered madness, it was one of the most courageous decisions in the history of railways. Here are the most picturesque views of this railway.

In Loving Memory Of His Wife

Winston Howes created a lasting tribute to his wife who died 17 years agо. Не planted the sapling oaks straight after her death. Trees have grown into a glorious meadow with a heart pointing towards his wife’s childhood home. 

This Will Give You the Chills

Look closely at this picture, which was found in a cave. Guess what's on the wall? These photographs capture hundreds of thousands of bats huddled together on the wall of the Hubbard Cave in Tennessee. Millions of bats come to the cave to seek refuge during harsh winters.

Rare Golded Pearls

Jewelmer is the only pearl producer in the world that has successfully produced pearls with a rich, natural golden color. Through decades of research and biotechnology, Jewelmer was able to perfect the breeding process that produces gold-lipped Pinctada maxima pearl oysters capable of growing large, lustrous, golden pearls. This deep, rich color can only be found in South Sea pearls produced in the Philippines. Pearls are cultured by transplanting a tiny piece of mantle tissue of an oyster shell into a the shell of a young oyster. This graft forms a pearl sac and precipitate calcium carbonate into this pocket. Over time, this grows into a pearl. It takes 2 to 5 years for a pearl to mature. "Cultivation of pearls is very time-consuming process," explains Jacques Branellec, managing director of Jewelmer. "Any change in temperature and water conditions can affect the oysters. For 38 years I have been in cultivation of pearls, but I"m always learning something new." 

Clear Water

In a hot summer day people want to swim in a cool water of the sea or the lake. But when you get to the beach there are always crowds of people and water is very dirty. But there heavenly places in the World, hwere water is clean and beaches are almost empty. Here are some of them. 

Abandoned city of San Zhi

In Taiwan near Taipei there is an abandoned vacation site called San Zhi constructed of modular houses. It is said that there happened some fatal accidents during its construction, so that the project was abandoned. It’s not only me who is fascinated by these photos. They are very popular on web pages dedicated to ruins and strange places. So it may happen that the ghost city of San Zhi will be one of the first of modern ruins which will be converted in a real tourist attraction.

City Women of Fashion

The new fashion swept over the capital of Russia. Modern girls do not know how to stand out from the crowd. This is just weird. 

Glass Floor

Whould you dare to stand on such floor... It is very beautiful out there, but scary as well... 

Paris Subway Train With A Surprise

It is an ordinary train from the outside, but when you get on that train you find yourself in a fairytale. I wish, we had such trains in our country. You haven't seen anything like this. this train is decorated in Versailles style, and it goes from Paris to Versailles. 

Farnborough Airshow

The Farnborough International Airshow, held once every two years, is one of the world’s most important aerospace and defense events. Situated around 40 miles southwest of London, the show encompasses five trade days and a weekend, during which the exhibition is open to the public. It brings together the biggest players from the commercial, business and military aviation industries. 

The airshow opened with a joint flypast of the Red Arrows (the U.K. Air Force’s aerobatic team) and the world's last airworthy Avro Vulcan bomber. A relic of the Cold War, the historic plane was the first of its kind to be delivered to the Royal Air Force in July 1960, and the last Vulcan to leave military service in 1993. 

Maramadi – The Famous Bull Race of Kerala

The most famous traditional game involving bulls is Spanish bullfighting, but the people of Kerala, India, have come up with a way celebration that doesn’t involve torturing and killing poor animals. It’s called Maramadi, and it’s held every year, in the post-harvest season.Maramadi is essentially a bull racing event, only instead of a track, it takes place in flooded rice fields, which makes it infinitely more entertaining for the crowds watching from the sidelines.

Peaceful Life in Libya Before the War

Photos of Libya before the Civil War. It was really beautiful there. 

125 Interesting Real Facts

1 -69% Americans use Internet & 5.5% Indians only.

2 -El Azizia in Libya recorded a temperature of 136 degrees Fahrenheit    (57.8 Celsius) on        Sept. 13, 1922 - the hottest ever measured.

3 -Plastics take 500 years to break down.

4 -America has 30.30% airports of the world & India has only 0.70%.

5 -There are roughly 4,000 known minerals, although only about 200 are of major importance.

6 -The total surface area of the Earth is 197 million square miles.

7 -Crocodile only animal & reptile that sheds tear while eating.

8 -The world’s deadliest recorded earthquake occurred in 1557 in central China, more than 830,000 people were killed.

9 -Angel Falls in Venezuela is the worlds highest waterfall, The water of Falls drops 3,212 feet (979 meters).

10 -The sunrays reached at the earth in 8 minutes & 3 seconds.

11 -8.7 million of United State residents who were born in Asia.

12 -The world’s population has been increased 3.1 billion in last 40 years.

13 -180 million nos. of Valentine’s Day cards exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion.

14 -3,467 Nos. of confectionery nut stores in the United States, they are among the best sources of sweets for Valentine’s Day.

15 -4% people drink cold drink daily.

16 -Traffic lights are being used before the invention of motor car.

17 -More than 50 million Americans said they had a disability; for 32.5 million of them, the disability was severe.

18 -About 40% Proportion of all Valentine card purchases which parents account for.

19 -First Stock Exchange of America was in Philadelphia & it was established in 1791.

20 -Girls however are slightly more likely than boys to use home computers for e-mail, word processing and completing school assignments than playing games.

21 -A normal person laughs five times in a day.

22 -Approximate 300 million film tickets are sold every year in India.

23 -In Britain 70% mothers go for work.

24 -More artists live in California than any other state in the United States. There are 10,000 arts organizations in California.

25 -Alfred Southwick developed the idea of using electric current & Professionally he was a Dentist (MDS, DDS).

The Banpo Bridge in Seoul

The Banpo Bridge in Seoul, South Korea just got a major facelift in the form of a 10,000-nozzle fountain that runs all the way along both its sides. They were just installed last month, but already the bridge has turned into a major tourist attraction. Which is understandable, as I've certainly never driven over a bridge that's pumping out 190 tons of water per minute. And since it's just pulling up water from the river below, it's nice and eco-friendly. Hit the jump for a video of this awesome bridge in action.

The Running of the Bulls 2012

Every year, the Festival of San Fermin attracts thousands of visitors to Pamplona, Spain. Lasting nine days, the festival kicks off with massive crowds at the Chupinazo in Pamplona town square, followed by a carnival, fireworks, many bullfights, and of course, the encierro, or "running of the bulls." Held since 1591, San Fermin remains a popular, if also dangerous and controversial, event: Several people have been injured already this year, and the festival continues until July 14. Collected here are some scenes from the first days of this year's Festival of San Fermin. 

Interesting Blogs With Great Knowledge

1 - Golfcourse

A Statue of Genghis Khan

The world's largest statue of a rider on a horse was erected in Mongolia This statue, showing Chinggis Khaan (1162-1227) with a golden whip in his right hand gazing into the distance, has been erected at the Tsonjin Boldog site connected to many historic events in the territory of Erdene soum in Tov aimag, 54 km from Ulaanbaatar.

Here, Temujin (Chinggis Khaan's childhood name) becoming the great Khaan who conquered half the world after overcoming difficulties in his childhood when he lost his father, found a whip on the way back from Khereid's Toiril Khaan, where he had gone to ask for help when Mergid had captured his wife in 1117. Finding a whip is perceived by Mongolians as a good omen. Therefore, finding the whip, Chinggis Khan became greedy seeing it as a path being opened to the great cause.

The haughty and yet honorable statue is surrounded by 36 columns representing 36 Mongolian Khaans. The entire edifice is covered in 250 tonne of steel. Visitors will ascend to the exhibition hall using an elevator at the back of the horse and will walk to the horse's head passing through its chest and the back of its neck from where they will have an excellent panoramic view over the complex area and the scenery beyond. Within the complex area covering 212 ha, 13th Century living will brought to life for today's modern people. The statue is also surrounded by over 200 ger camps and examples of tribes' lifestyles with trading using coins from the 13th Century. Construction of the whole complex is to be completed in 2010, with a spa, hotel and golf course currently underway. 

A Beautiful Castle On A Lake

Loreto - a small private island and a castle on Lake Iseo in northern Iatly.At the end of the 5th century there was built a monastery, which existed for several centuries, abandoned in 16th century. During a visit to the island of Cardinal Carli Borromeo in 1580, there lived a hermit named Peter. In the late 19th century historian Gabriel Rose mentioned the presence on the island of Loreto ruins of an ancient fortress with two towers and a chapel.

After changing several owners in the early 20th century the island went to Royal Navy captain Vincenzo Richeri, who built the neo-Gothic castle and a marina with two small beacons there in 1910. A conifer garden was planted around the castle . 

Recently, the island became famous because George Clooney was going to get it. But he has already got a residence nearby, so for some reason he changed his mind. The area of ​​Lake Iseo, situated in Lombard Predalpah is 65 square km, maximum depth - 251 m, maximum width - 5 km, the maximum length - 25 km. Lake fills a basin of an ancient glacier terminal, has steep rocky shores. 

On the southern shore of the lake there is an eponymous town of Iseo. In the middle of the lake there is the largest natural lake island (the mountain-island) in Europe, Monte Isola, popular with hang gliders. 

Guess, What Is Happening There

This guy in a red shirt is Mickey Martin. Nobody knew him untill recently. He became famouse because of his revenge to Mears mobile company, whose service didn't satisfy him. He paid his 2000 shekels debt with 10 agorot coins. There were a lot of them... 

El Colacho Festival 2012

A man representing the devil leaps over babies during the festival of El Colacho on June 10, 2012 in Castrillo de Murcia near Burgos, Spain. The festival, held on the first Sunday after Corpus Cristi, represents the devil taking away original sin from the newly born babies by leaping over them. The annual ritual which dates back to the 1600s requires a man to dress as the devil and jump over babies. This ritual is believed to cleanse the babies of evil spirit and carry them on the path to a good life.

Zero Star Hotel to Open in Swiss Nuclear Bunker

The antithesis to Dubai's seven-star palaces, visitors to Switzerland can now stay in the world's first 'zero star hotel' - in a Cold War bunker. It is renowned for its high-altitude mountain refuges and ski chalets, but Switzerland’s newest hotel offers a distinctly subterranean experience. And the price will appeal in these financially straitened times: just ?7 (£5.80) a night.The hotel is, in fact, a converted nuclear bunker in the small town of Sevelen, about an hour west of Zurich.Touted as the world’s first “zero star hotel”, the Null Stern hotel has been developed by artist brothers Frank and Patrik Riklin, who conceived it as an art project but received sufficient interest to make it a full-time hotel.They have already organised a couple of test opening nights and plan to open to paying guests in the New Year. Your ?7 buys you a night in a dormitory-style bed with access to a communal shower. 

NASA's new Mars picture

    A full-circle scene combining 817 images taken by the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The US space agency NASA is calling it the "next best thing to being" on the Red Planet. (AFP Photo/)

Cage Of Death In Australia

 

Cage Of Death In Australia

 

 

Would you like to try this one? Swimming with crocodiles.

Overground Bridges For Animals

Overground Bridges For Animals

Europe and the United States began construction of elevated bridges for animals. This will help to reduce their death under the wheels of cars and thereby preserve migration routes of many species.The bridge over the overpass in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. The park has about 41 species of animals. There have been created six bridges and 35 underpasses for them.

Moscow Underground

Moscow Underground 

The Neglinka is the river in the centre of Moscow, the left tributary of the Moskva river. Its length is 7,5 km and nearly along the whole distance it flows inside the pipe.

Balkhash Kazakhstan - Abandoned Place

Balkhash Kazakhstan - Abandoned Place

The Russian Army garrison, the object 1102 "nine" (Balkhash Kazakhstan) lost in the Kazakh steppes.Radar "Daryal-U" (building № 1 - a transmitter building number 2 - receiver) meant for long-horizon detection of ballistic missiles and space objects to the "missile-south direction," - in the sector of Western China - Iran.In January 2003, building number 1 and number 2 were given to Kazakhstan.September 17, 2004 the second was burned. 

30 Vintage Photos of the Empire State Building Under Construction

30 Vintage Photos of the Empire State Building Under Construction

From its completion in 1931 until construction of the World Trade Center’s North Tower in 1972, the Empire State Building stood as the tallest building in the world. As of 2012, it is the 15th tallest skyscraper in the world and the fourth tallest free standing structure in the Americas.

At 102 floors and a roof height of 1,250 feet (381 meters), the Empire State Building was constructed in a mind-blowing 410 days. It was finished three months early and drastically under budget due to reduced building costs during the Depression [Source].

The incredible gallery below was made available by the New York Public Library. It showcases the amazing work of photographer Lewis Wickes Hine (1874-1940), a pioneering social photographer. All of the images below were taken in 1931 during the construction of the Empire State Building. Many of the images may give you chills as the workers traverse steal beams unsecured with no harnesses.

The views of New York City in the background of many of the photos give the viewers a sense of the dizzying heights these fearless workers operated at. It’s a truly special gallery that offers a fascinating glimpse into one of the most iconic buildings in the world.

 1. 

Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner – Bikini Candids in Dominican Republic

Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner – Bikini Candids in Dominican Republic

15 Incredible Cloud Formations

15 Incredible Cloud Formations

The skies have always been a constant source of fascination for humans. One common mass that everyone on the planet has seen in one form or another are clouds. They can come in all sizes, shapes, and colours; and their distinct formations have been studied by meteorologists for centuries. Below you will find a collection of 15 fascinating and incredible cloud formations. Enjoy!

NASA Space Photos from International Space Station

NASA Space Photos from International Space Station

On September 22, 2010, with the departure of the Expedition 23 crew, Colonel Douglas H. Wheelock assumed command of the International Space Station and the Expedition 25 crew. He is also known as @Astro_Wheels on twitter, where he has been tweeting space photos to his followers since he arrived at the space station. We thought that we should put some of the space photos together as a tribute to him and the whole ISS crew. The space photos bring breathtaking views from our only off planet Vista point. The following space photos are all visible on Astro_Wheels’ twitpic account, and we are eternally grateful to him for sharing these space photos with the world. Many have commented directly to him but we want to make it clear Triggerpit does not have any affiliation with Astronaut Wheelock nor NASA. The confusion might have been since all the captions are all his own words as can also be seen on his twitpic account.

Go Discovery! It was October 23, 2007 at 11:40am EST when I had my first ride to space on Discovery. She’s beautiful… just sad that this will be her last voyage. Looking forward to climbing aboard the flight deck when Discovery arrives at the Space Station in November. (9-23-2010). Incredible Photos from Space: Larry Tanner, NASA. 

Vanessa Hudgens - Bikini Candids in Hawaii

Vanessa Hudgens - Bikini Candids in Hawaii

15 of the Most Beautiful Crater Lakes in the World

15 of the Most Beautiful Crater Lakes in the World

A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite, or in an artificial explosion caused by humans.

Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not made. Crater lakes covering active (fumarolic) volcanic vents are sometimes known as volcanic lakes, and the water within them is often acidic, saturated with volcanic gases, and cloudy with a strong greenish color. Lakes located in dormant or extinct volcanoes tend to have fresh water, and the water clarity in such lakes can be exceptional due to the lack of inflowing streams and sediment.

Crater lakes form as precipitation within the rim fills the created depression. The water level rises until an equilibrium is reached between the rate of incoming and outgoing water. Sources of water loss singly or together, may include evaporation, subsurface seepage, and in places, surface leakage or overflow when the lake level reaches the lowest point on its rim. [Source: Wikipedia]

Below you will find a gallery of some of the most beautiful looking crater lakes in the world. Knowing these were all created and formed by volcanoes only adds to their mystique. Enjoy! 

1. Crater Lake, Mount Mazama – Oregon, USA 

Photograph by Ben Canales A well-known crater lake, which bears the same name as the geological feature, is Crater Lake in Oregon, USA. It is located in the caldera of Mount Mazama. It is the deepest lake in the United States with a depth of 594 m (1,949 ft). Crater Lake is fed solely by falling rain and snow, with no inflow or outflow at the surface, and hence is one of the clearest lakes in the world. [Source]