Clouds Blast in Uttarakhand ( India )

A view of the washed off buildings area near Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand on Tuesday following incessant rains and floods.

Climbing of World's Tallest Peak, Mount Everest

Sixty years ago today New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made the first confirmed ascent of the world's tallest peak which reaches 29,029 feet. Since then thousands of people have made the attempt, with many perishing. Just last week 80-year-old Japanese mountaineer Yuichiro Miura became the oldest person to reach the summit for the third time, although he said that he nearly died on the descent and that this would be his last time. The 1953 expedition that took Hillary and Norgay to the top ended with a stay of just 15 minutes, with Norgay leaving chocolates in the snow and Hillary leaving a cross that was given to him by Army Colonel John Hunt, the leader of the British expedition. -- Lloyd Young

World’s Longest Desert Highway With Green Belt (China)

The Tarim Desert Highway across the Taklamakan desert, in China, links the cities of Luntai and Minfeng on the northern and southern edges of the Tarim basin. The total length of the highway is 552 km, of which approximately 446 km is built across uninhabited areas covered by shifting sand dunes, 20 metes tall, that frequently bury the highway.

To prevent the highway from getting buried by the encroaching sand dunes, rows of vegetation were planted on both sides of the road to anchor the sand with their roots. A massive irrigation system was constructed that pump water from underground reservoirs to sustain the artificial ecosystem. Hundreds of workers were employed, housed every four kilometers along the road who tend to the short, small-leaved rose willows, sacsaoul and buckthorn and make sure they do not die. The water comes from wells, bored 100 meters deep into an aquifer which sits under the desert, which in turn is fed by the rivers that flow down from the surrounding mountains. Despite the high saline content in the water, the green belt continues to thrive.

700 Years Old Wooden Tourist Trek Up Thousands of Feet on Mountain in Chaina

These vertigo-inducing pictures show tourists navigating an extremely narrow and treacherous walkway along cliffs at a scenic mountain in China's Shaanxi Province. The precipitous Chang Kong Cliff Road on Haushan mountain was built more than 700 years ago by hermits seeking ‘immortals’ they thought were living deep in the mountains. The walkway is only a foot width wide and has been built clinging to the absolutely vertical cliff. One misstep would send pilgrims plunging thousands of feet down into the valley. These days, anyone brave enough to navigate the path does have to wear a special safety harness

Perhaps its better not to see? A daredevil visitor to Huashan Mountain's Chang Kong Cliff Road walks the narrow pathway in a dense mist which obscures the background... and the lethal drop below

Floating Phumdis of Loktak Lake, India

Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in northeast India, also called the only Floating lake in the world due to the large amount of floating phumdis on its surface. Phumdis are heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil, and organic matters at various stages of decomposition that has been thickened into a solid form. They cover a substantial part of the lake area. The largest single mass of phumdi is in the southeastern part of the lake, covering an area of 40 square kilometer. This mass constitutes the world’s largest and the only floating park, named Keibul Lamjao National Park, that is home to the endangered Brow-antlered Deer also called Sangai in the Manipuri language, indigenous to this area.

This ancient lake plays an important role in the economy of Manipur. It serves as a source of water for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water supply. 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”. Phumdis are used by the local people for constructing huts, for fishing and other livelihood uses. The villagers create artificial circular enclosures out of phumids for fish farming. These are the structures you see in the picture below. Nearly 100,000 people depends on the lake for their livelihood.

 

Sun Temple - Konark (India)

Konark Sun Temple is a 13^th century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda),at Konark, in Odisha. It was constructed fromoxidized and weathered ferruginous sandstone by King Narasimhadeva I (1238-1250 CE) of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is an example of Orissan architecture of the Ganga dynasty. The temple is one of the most renowned temples in India and is a World Heritage Site. It is one of the Seven Wonders of India (as per the poll collected by NDTV). Legend has it that the temple was constructed by Samba, the son of Lord Krishna. It is said that Samba was afflicted by leprosy, brought about by his father’s curse on him. After 12 years of penance, he was cured by Surya, the Sun God, in whose honour he built the magnificent Konark Sun Temple.

Located on the shoreline, now a little over 3 km from the sea, the temple takes the form of the chariot of Surya (Arka), the Sun God, and is heavily decorated with stone carving. The entire complex was designed in the form of the God's huge chariot drawn by seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquisitely decorated wheels at its base. The huge wheels carved at the base of the temple are one of the major attractions. The spokes of the wheels serve as sundials and the shadows cast by these can give the precise time of the day. The pyramidal roof soars over 30 m (98 ft) in height. The temple complex also contains erotic sculptures similar to the temple in Khajuraho.

Land Where Human Fantasies Are Transcribed In To Stone Sculptures - Khajuraho (India)

Situated in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh, the town of Khajuraho has been recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO. The town is famous for its imperial temples. The temples were built by the rulers of Chandela dynasty between 10th and 11th century. The construction of the temple just took around 100 years to complete. There were around 85 temples in the area but now only 22 exist. Rest are nothing more than ruins. They sure have gained popularity due to the erotic sculptures carved on the walls. However such sculptures cover only a small portion. The major share of sculptures are depicting the daily life of people in the rural India.

The Unkai Terrace of Tomamu – A Magical Place Above the Clouds

Located in Japan’s Tomamu Resort,  on the island of Hokkaido, the Unkai Terrace is a unique scenic spot perched high atop a mountain peak that is often above the clouds, offering tourists breathtaking views of the white, fluffy sea beneath them.

The “unkai” (sea of clouds) phenomenon has been attracting tourists to the resort town on Tomamu for years. The natural hot springs in the area and the differences in temperature during the few hours when night turns into day determine the formation of an immaculate white blanket of clouds over the mountainous region, but only a few people had the chance to see the unique effect from above, until a gondola system was put in place. It takes early-bird tourists up the mountain to the Unkai Terrace, right above the sea of clouds, where they can watch the sunrise, take photos of the Hidaka and Tokachi mountain peaks as they pierce the fluffy fog and enjoy a refreshing cup of coffee or a bowl of soup. Although the gondola fare is pretty expensive (around $20), the view from Unkai Terrace is definitely worth every yen.

 

Chinese Grandma Spends All Her Life Savings Taking Care of Stray Dogs and Cats

Grandma Bai, a 64-year-old animal lover from Chongqing, China, has spent the last 15 years taking care of stray dogs and cats, and has exhausted all her life savings in the process.

Case in point, Grandma Bai, a native of Leshan, China, who has spent all her savings and the last 15 years of her life taking care of over 100 stray dogs and 30 cats. Her love for these abandoned creatures and the sacrifices she has had to make have melted the hearts of millions, since the story broke out in China.

Grandma Bai used to live in the urban area of Chongqing, but as the number of animals she took in off the streets of China’s largest city grew, she realized she had to relocate to a nearby village, where the animals wouldn’t bother people so much. So, against the wishes of her family, she took all her adopted pets and moved to the country. Here, she built a home for them and continued gathering new strays from the surrounding area. Now the number of animals in her care approaches 150 (over 100 dogs and about 30 cats), and despite financial difficulties she’s still bringing in new members. According to the kind woman, the animals’ food alone costs 200 yuan ($32), and she has spent both her life savings and the money the Government paid her for demolishing her old home.

Beautiful Sun Temple - Modhera (India)

The Sun Temple, at Modhera in Gujarat, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu Sun-God, Surya. It was built in 1026 AD by King Bhimdev of the Solanki dynasty. This temple depicts the essence of ancient times. The sculptures and architecture present in this temple are still magnificent after all these years. In the present times, prayers are not offered in this temple. This temple is now under the supervision of Archaeological Survey of India.

Sigiriya - The Beautiful Place To Visit In Sri Lanka

Sigiriya or Lion Rock, Sinhalese is situated in the central Matale District of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. The place receives its name from the huge column of rock almost two hundred meters high that was once the heart of the royal capital constructed by King Kasyapa. Sigiriya nowadays is the most favorite historical site in Sri Lanka. The environments all-around Sigiriya appeared to be inhabited since prehistoric times. There’s obvious signs that the numerous rock shelters and caves in the area were occupied by Buddhist monks and ascetics from as early as the 3rd century BC. In accordance the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa the site was chosen by Kasyapa for his new capital. It documents that he constructed a spectacular capital there and a stunning structure on top of this two hundred meter tall rock. The main city and also the royal palace were abandoned after the king’s death, it was used as a Buddhist monastery until 14th century.

Beautiful Place Chamba To Get Peace Of Mind, Himachal Pradesh (India)

Chamba is an ancient town in the Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, in northern India. Located at an altitude of 996 metres (3,268 ft) above mean sea level, the town is situated on the banks of the Ravi River at its confluence with the Sal River. Though historical records date the history of the Chamba region to the Kolian tribes in the 2nd century BC, the area was formally ruled by the Maru dynasty, starting with the Raju Maru from around 500 AD, ruling from the ancient capital of Bharmour, which is located 75 kilometres (47 mi) from the town of Chamba. In 920, Raja Sahil Varman shifted the capital of the kingdom to Chamba, following the specific request of his daughter Champavati  (Chamba was named after her). From the time of Raju Maru, 67 Rajas of this dynasty have ruled over Chamba until it finally merged with the Indian Union in April 1948, although Chamba was under British suzerainty from 1846 to this time.

Shilin Stone Forest, China

The Shilin Stone Forest is a set of spectacular limestone formations located in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Yunnan Province, in China, approximately 120 km from the provincial capital Kunming. The tall rocks seem to emanate from the ground like stalagmites, with many looking like petrified trees thereby creating the illusion of a forest made of stone. Some of the stone formations are up to 30 meters tall. Over 270 millions years, abusive geological processes, and erosion by water has carved the limestone into shapes that we see today. The resulting formations are generally known as karst - a German term for the region in Slovenia where the process was first investigated.

The most expensive coffee in the world - Kopi Luwak

The most expensive coffee in the world is «Kopi Luwak». Originally this rare, with an extraordinary taste of coffee from Indonesia, its plantations are located on the islands of Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi. "Kopi" is translated from Indonesian as "coffee" and "Luwak" - this small animal, thanks to which the light appears on the expensive coffee.

The most expensive coffees in the world to produce East Java, near the Indonesian city of Surabaya. This coffee is made with the palm civet, a small wood animal, like a squirrel. This variety, also known as «Kopi Luwak», produced a very unusual way. Civet eats coffee cherries, which pass through the gastro-intestinal tract of the animal and go along with the feces undigested.

Yuyuan Gardens - Shanghai - China

Gardens and parks of the city is of great importance in Chinese culture. Imperial palaces all around the well-kept, flowers, trees, walking paths, gardens and ornamental ponds are located. When we came to this point, first built in the traditional architectural style of buildings in the Far East, and welcomes us to the streets decorated with red Chinese lamps. Shanghai weather is often damp and light rain everywhere, wandering with an umbrella. Almost maze-like streets of this area are in a state of mingled both tourists and locals strolling and shopping. Small shops, a traditional Chinese food, shrimp, fish and seafood food as sold. Also necklaces, rings, bracelets are a variety of shops selling jewelery and electronic goods.Here are a few stop is the jewelry shop. I'm very curious necklaces in particular that caught my attention immediately look at a few of them. All looks very beautiful. Ladies and showing it to one of my favorite necklace Seller. Takılabiliyormuş combining 3 different ways by changing the shape of the same necklace. Came to me, I can not get a little expensive, but the price is very impressive. Through crowded and narrow streets where we want to arrive at the actual arrive at Yu Yuan Gardens.  

The Magnificent Himalayas and Karakoram Ranges - Northern Pakistan

Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Sri Lanka

Sigiriya or Lion Rock, in Sinhalese, is located in the central Matale District of the Central Province, Sri Lanka in an area dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 meters high. At the summit of the rock is the fortified palace built by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 AD), son of Dhatusena, who came to power after he engineered the assassination of his father and seized the throne which rightfully belonged to his brother Mogallana. Fearing the vengeance of the brother, Kasyapa had a fortified palace built on the rock of Sigiriya which was reputed to be impregnable. The rock is surrounded by two wide moats, where crocodiles were introduced. During the eleven years that Kasyapa resided in Sigiriya, he created a residence of exceptional splendor and founded his capital there, impressive vestiges of which are still visible today. Mogallana finally arrived and declared war on the King. After a short but cruel battle in 495, Kasyapa committed suicide by cutting his own throat. Moggallana returned the capital to its original location Anuradapura, and converted Sigiriya into a monastery complex.

Russian Rufer on the roofs of Dubai

Vadim wrote fotobloger Mahora: "Back in Berlin under the delicious German beer we Vitali Raskalovym the idea to go out together, just like old times poshatatsya some new high-rise buildings in the city for us. Since Russia is over for us, it was decided to head for the United Arab Emirates, one of the most beautiful cities in the world and high-rise - Dubai. Even then, we did not know that it would be the coolest of our travels. "

View of the first traffic circle (First Interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road) and the Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world. Dubai has impressed me even before I landed. Our plane was landing, and all that I saw out the window - this is a huge road junctions in the desert and the abundance of the road "grid" with no houses that are intended to generate future quarters.Next was the airport terminal, on which I was an infinite number of minutes just to get to passport control. In Dubai, everything is big, so the airport is also bound to be great.Faced with the vital and mister_marat , I first learned that we have to live in a two star hotel somewhere near the airport.As it turned out, though two-star hotel, cheap, but for convenience it udelyvaet our three-and some of the four. By the way, a few days later we found out that our hotel there is also a brothel located there illegally.In the brothel, we did not go there. Although Marat told me that accidentally passed by and two zdorvennyh Negro touted him to come inside, but when they learned that he was only 21 years old, they said that even for such small pleasures

Bailong Elevator An Elevator Built Into the Side of a Mountain

Have you ever taken an elevator ride to the top of a mountain? No? Then you haven’t been to Wulingyuan in Zhangjiajie, China, because if you had, you would have surely seen the towering Bailong Elevator built into the side of a huge cliff. Also known as Hundred Dragons Elevator, this glass elevator stands 330 meters tall and is claimed to be the highest and heaviest outdoor elevator in the world. Quite possibly, it is the only elevator in the world that lets people ride up a cliff.

The elevator can take ~48 passengers at once to the top, a journey that takes 2 seconds shy of 2 minutes. After it was built, the lift was said to be the world's tallest full-exposure outdoor lift, tallest double-deck sightseeing elevator, and the fastest passenger elevator with the biggest capacity. The elevator was built during 1999 and 2002 at the cost of 120 million yuan or $19 million. The project was met with fierce criticism from environmentalists who were angry that it was sited in the middle of a World Heritage Site.

The Many Thousand Temples of Bagan, Myanmar

Located on the banks of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River, in the Mandalay Region of Burma, lies the ancient city of Bagan. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, and the political, economic and cultural nerve center of the Pagan Empire. During the kingdom's height between the 11th and 13th centuries, the wealthy Pagan rulers commissioned thousands of temples to be built in the Bagan plains. It is estimated that over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries once stood on this 100 square km plain in central Myanmar, of which the remains of over 2200 temples and pagodas still survive to the present day.

Bagan became a central powerbase in the mid 9th century under King Anawratha, who unified Burma under Theravada Buddhism. Over the course of 250 years, Bagan's rulers and their wealthy subjects constructed over 10,000 religious monuments in the Bagan plains. The prosperous city grew in size and grandeur, and became a cosmopolitan center for religious and secular studies. Monks and scholars from as far as India, Ceylon as well as the Khmer Empire came to Bagan to study prosody, phonology, grammar, astrology, alchemy, medicine, and law.