http://www.crocodilekruger.co.za/

Crocodile Kruger Safari Lodge is aptly situated on the banks of the Crocodile River, overlooking the Kruger National Park, offering both the leisure and corporate client a gateway to the regions' many tourist attractions.

In addition to the professional big 5 game viewing experiences on offer in the Kruger National Park, the Crocodile Kruger Safari Lodge is uniquely positioned to further afford its visitors the opportunity to experience day trips to the Panorama Route, Swaziland and Mozambique.

The double storey thatch roofed lodge offers six luxury en-suite, air-conditioned double bedrooms with sleeperwood furniture.

Each room at Crocodile Kruger Safari Lodge offers a view of the river and bushveld and breathes rest and comfort. The lower deck accommodates a dining area where breakfast can be enjoyed while overlooking the swimming pool and the upper verandah is equipped with comfortable chairs and a bar for the thirsty, with spectacular views overlooking the river and Kruger National Park.

Dining at night takes place under the stars in summer or next to an open fire on the chilly winter nights.

Location

Crocodile Kruger Safari Lodge is situated In Marloth Park Nature Reserve approximately 420 km from Pretoria and Johannesburg , 60 km from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport and 100 km from Maputo.

Directions


From Pretoria and Johannesburg take the N4 East . Continue on the N4 past Nelspruit and Malelane until 10 km after Hectorspruit. Take the Marloth Park turnoff and travel on the good gravel road into the reserve (approximately 8 km). After entering the Reserve (Tar Road) travel past Kudu Road and then turn left into Crocodile Road. There will be a fork in the Road, keep right in Crocodile Road. Drive down to the River and Kruger Park boundary. The road will turn right. The Lodge is situated on your right hand side at No. 442 Crocodile Road.d.

La Tomatina - Tomato Throwing Festival

La Tomatina - Tomato Throwing Festival

La Tomatina is a Spanish festival where people throw tomatoes and friendly fight with each other. It always have been celebrated on the last Wednesday of august, during the days of festivities of Buñol. Many people came from foreign country for celebrating the the tomato throwing fight with their friends. Tons of tomatoes are use for celebrating tomatina festival carried through large trucks.

It quiet interesting because of throwing tomatoes on your close one's. But it have certain rules. It was derived for protect people from injuries and unnecessary wound. There will be a ambulance parked near to the event happening place for emergency. In karnataka state of India, a private organization planned to do tomatina festival but government not given permission for it.

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Self-Confidence Of Handless Student - Fan Ling

Self-Confidence Of Handless Student - Fan Ling

Fan Ling, 21, studies at the library of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University on Oct 18, 2011. Fan lost his right arm and most of his left arm, and one ear after being hit by high voltage wires at the age of 6. However, despite his handicap he still writes, works on the computer, plays tennis, draws and lives an active lifestyle. Ling is an inspiration and a reminder that no matter how hard your life can be there still is no reason to throw in the towel and give up. Fan says he wants to teach in less-developed areas after graduation.

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Amazing Watermelon Art

Amazing Watermelon Art

BEAUTY OF WATERMELON




 

 

http://amazingfunplanet.blogspot.com/2013/01/amazing-watermelon-art.html

theqa site: publish a dog similar Lion panic in the U.S. state of Virginia, where authorities received several contacts for reporting vision.
The network quoted «CNN» America, for Norfolk police, saying it had received several contacts on the emergency service, confirms see an animal like the lion in the streets of the city.
She noted that everyone was afraid of being a lion escaped from the zoo and attacking their city, but it turns out that it is not only just a lion-like dog.
She explained that the dog 'Charles' for Daniel Painter, who pointed out that he cut and his righteousness and dyed to resemble University logo «Old Dominion, that Artadha, which shows a lion.


http://www.theqa1.com/2013/01/blog-post_4736.html
 

Llama

The llama is a South American relative of the camel, though the llama does not have a hump. These sturdy creatures are domestic animals used by the peoples of the Andes Mountains. (Their wild relatives are guanacos and vicuñas). Native peoples have used llamas as pack animals for centuries. Typically, they are saddled with loads of 50 to 75 pounds (23 to 34 kilograms). Under such weight they can cover up to 20 miles (32 kilometers) in a single day. Pack trains of llamas, which can include several hundred animals, move large amounts of goods over even the very rough terrain of the Andes.

Llamas are willing pack animals but only to a point. An overloaded llama will simply refuse to move. These animals often lie down on the ground and they may spit, hiss, or even kick at their owners until their burden is lessened.

Llamas graze on grass and, like cows, regurgitate their food and chew it as cud. They chomp on such wads for some time before swallowing them for complete digestion. Llamas can survive by eating many different kinds of plants, and they need little water. These attributes make them durable and dependable even in sparse mountainous terrain.

Llamas contribute much more than transportation to the human communities in which they live. Leather is made from their hides, and their wool is crafted into ropes, rugs, and fabrics. Llama excrement is dried and burned for fuel. Even in death, llamas can serve their human owners—some people slaughter them and eat their meat.

 http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/llama/

 

Liger

Liger Classification and Evolution
The Liger is the largest of the world's felines, known to grow up to 12ft tall when standing on their hind legs. Created by the mating of a male Lion with a female Tiger, Ligers tend to far exceed the size of both of their parents and although they share similar characteristics with both of them, the Liger tends to be more like a Lion rather than a Tiger. A Tigon is the result of breeding a female Lion with a male Tiger, with this animal tending to be less like a Lion having more Tiger-like qualities. Due to the fact though that Lions and Tigers live in different areas of the world, it is very unlikely that Ligers (or Tigons) would occur naturally in the wild. Today there are a handful of Ligers found in zoos around the world, which are a result of either accidental or deliberate Human intervention.

Liger Anatomy and Appearance
The Liger is an enormous animal with a large muscular body and broad head. Ligers tend to have sandy or dark yellow fur which is covered in the distinctive faint stripes inherited from their mother. Although other variations in fur colour have been known (including white when their mother is a White Tiger), the Liger generally has a more Lion-like appearance including the manes of the males. Although a Liger's mane is not as big or as impressive as that of an adult Lion, they can grow quite large on some individuals but it is not uncommon for a male Liger to have no mane at all. Along with their stripes which tend to be most noticeable around their hind quarters, the Liger may also inherit the spots found on the backs of Tiger's ears along with the tufted fur around their chins.

Liger Distribution and Habitat
Historically it could have been possible although rare, for a male Lion to mate with a female Tiger in the wild to produce Liger offspring. This is because the Asiatic Lion once roamed across a much larger portion of Asia meaning that they could have more easily wandered into a Tiger's territory. Today however, Tigers are only found in the dense jungles of Asia where they are being pushed into smaller and smaller pockets of their natural habitat. Lions on the other hand, are found patrolling the African grasslands with the exception of the few remaining Asiatic Lions, who are found in a remote forest in India where there are no Tigers. Sadly, although the natural habitat of the Liger would probably be fairly similar to that of a Tiger, the world's only known Ligers are found in caged enclosures.

Liger Behaviour and Lifestyle
Despite their gigantic size and the fact that their parents are two of the planet's most ferocious predators, the Liger is known to have a relatively gentle and docile nature particularly when interacting with handlers. They have however been reported to be slightly confused as to whether or not they are Lions or Tigers as their most bewildering characteristic is the fact that they seem to love water. In the wild, it is not uncommon for Tigers to enter water either to catch prey or to cool down in the heat and so they are naturally good swimmers, which is something that the Liger seems to have inherited. Lions do not like water however and so it is often reported that it does take some time for the Liger to take to it's water loving lifestyle. Another odd thing is the fact that the Liger appears to make both Lion and Tiger noises but it's roar is more like that of a Lion's.

Liger Reproduction and Life Cycles
Most Ligers are created through the accidental introduction of Lions and Tigers in the same enclosure although it can take up to a year for the two to mate. After mating the male Lion with the female Tiger, the Tiger gives birth to a litter of between 2 and 4 Liger cubs after a gestation period that lasts for about 100 days. As with the young of other large felines, the Liger cubs are born blind and are incredibly vulnerable, relying heavily on their mother for their first 6 months of life. As with Lion cubs, young Ligers have darker spots on their fur which helps to provide them with extra camouflage. However, as with some adult Lions, these spots often remain on Ligers and are most prominent on their underside. Many Liger cubs are sadly born with birth defects and often don't survive for longer than a week.

Liger Diet and Prey
Like the rest of the world's felines, the Liger is a carnivorous animal meaning that it hunts and kills other animals in order to gain it's nutrition. Although the wild diet of the Liger can only be presumed, it is thought to be similar to that of a Tiger mainly hunting larger herbivores including Deer, Wild Boar and (due to their immense size) possibly small or vulnerable Asian Elephants. In captivity they tend to eat an average of 20lbs of meat a day but it is thought that a Liger would easily devour 100lbs worth of food in one sitting. The Liger has an enormous and incredibly strong jaw with sharp, pointed teeth which are ideal for tearing through flesh. Ligers also have very muscular bodies and sharp claws which also help them to catch and eat their prey.

Liger Predators and Threats
If they were found in the wild, the Liger would be the most dominant predator in their environment and would therefore have no natural predators to worry about, with the obvious exception of Humans. Much like Lions and Tigers, Ligers would be subjected to both hunting for trophies and their fur, along with severe habitat loss throughout much of what would be their natural range. In captivity, many Liger cubs are born with fatal birth defects due to the fact that it is the result of cross-breeding of two different species. Another problem to consider is the unnatural nature in which Ligers are both bred and kept all around the world. As it is highly unlikely that Ligers can occur in the wild today, they are merely being bred and kept by zoos in order to make money.

Liger Interesting Facts and Features
Although like many other hybrids Ligers tend to be sterile, it has been known for a female Liger to be able to produce offspring but a fertile male Liger has never been recorded. She will either be bred with a male Lion or a male Tiger to either produce a litter of Li-Liger or Ti-Liger offspring depending on the species of the father. One of the most famous Ligers is a Hollywood creation named Hercules, who is the offspring of a male Lion and a female Tiger in an institute in Florida. At the age of three he stood at 10ft tall when on his hind legs and weighed half a ton. Another reason as to why Ligers would be rarely produced in the wild is that if a male Lion and a female Tiger came across one another, they are much more likely to fight to defend their territory or avoid one another completely in order to risk getting hurt.

Liger Relationship with Humans
The Liger has been bred by people since the early 19th century when a litter of Liger cubs was born in Asia in 1824. It was more than 100 years however until the next recorded litter which was in a zoo in South Africa just before World War II. Although Ligers are known to be quite even tempered, there remains a great deal of controversy over the cross-breeding of two different animal species, particularly when it is so highly unlikely to occur without Human intervention. Today there are a number of Ligers found in zoos and animal institutes around the world, who are bred (generally by accident) and kept as a money-making attraction.

Liger Conservation Status and Life Today
As there is no real scientific name assigned to the Liger due to the fact that it is made from cross-breeding two separate species artificially, and that is it is not found in the wild, the Liger has no conservation status. The Liger is found in only a handful of enclosures on the planet but they remain frowned upon by many as they do not exist in the wild and therefore have no value as such to conservation. Tigons are more rarely found than Ligers today however, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries there were more of them than there were Ligers. The breeding of Ligers is now banned in a number of countries around the world.

King Cobra

It seems unfairly menacing that a snake that can literally "stand up" and look a full-grown person in the eye would also be among the most venomous on the planet, but that describes the famous king cobra.

King cobras can reach 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length, making them the longest of all venomous snakes. When confronted, they can raise up to one-third of their bodies straight off the ground and still move forward to attack. They will also flare out their iconic hoods and emit a bone-chilling hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog.

Their venom is not the most potent among venomous snakes, but the amount of neurotoxin they can deliver in a single bite—up to two-tenths of a fluid ounce (seven milliliters)—is enough to kill 20 people, or even an elephant. Fortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible, but they are fiercely aggressive when cornered.

King cobras live mainly in the rain forests and plains of India, southern China, and Southeast Asia, and their coloring can vary greatly from region to region. They are comfortable in the trees, on land, and in water, feeding mainly on other snakes, venomous and nonvenomous. They will also eat lizards, eggs, and small mammals.

They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, which they guard ferociously until the hatchlings emerge.

King cobras may be best known as the species of choice for the snake charmers of South Asia. Although cobras can hear, they are actually deaf to ambient noises, sensing ground vibrations instead. The charmer's flute entices the cobra by its shape and movement, not by the music it emits.

 

 http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/king-cobra/

Fish

Fish are found in every ocean, lake, river and stream in all corners of the globe, in many sizes, colours and species. Most fish (depending on size) tend to eat plankton in the water, insects and smaller fish.

Fish respire through gills in the sides of their heads, allowing the fish to breath underwater. Fish return to the water surface for air at varying intervals. The electric eel fish can go for up to 10 minutes without resurfacing for air.
Due to the bright colours of fish, and the fact that fish are extremely peaceful animals, many people today now keep all kinds of fish in tanks and ponds.

 

Tapir

Tapirs look something like pigs with trunks, but they are actually related to horses and rhinoceroses. This eclectic lineage is an ancient one—and so is the tapir itself. Scientists believe that these animals have changed little over tens of millions of years.

Tapirs have a short prehensile (gripping) trunk, which is really an extended nose and upper lip. They use this trunk to grab branches and clean them of leaves or to help pluck tasty fruit. Tapirs feed each morning and evening. During these hours they follow tunnel-like paths, worn through the heavy brush by many a tapir footstep, to reach water holes and lush feeding grounds. As they roam and defecate they deposit the seeds they have consumed and promote future plant growth.

Though they appear densely built, tapirs are at home in the water and often submerge to cool off. They are excellent swimmers and can even dive to feed on aquatic plants. They also wallow in mud, perhaps to remove pesky ticks from their thick hides.

New World tapirs generally live in the forests and grasslands of Central and South America. A notable exception is the mountain (or woolly) tapir, which lives high in the Andes Mountains. Woolly tapirs, named for their warm and protective coat, are the smallest of all tapirs.

The world's biggest tapir is found in the Old World—Southeast Asia. The black-and-white Malay tapir can grow to 800 pounds (363 kilograms). It inhabits the forests and swamps of Malaysia and Sumatra.

All four tapir species are endangered or threatened, largely due to hunting and habitat loss.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/tapir/

Great Sphinx, Egypt

Photograph by Donald McLeish

In 1928 National Geographic Editor Gilbert H. Grosvenor wanted "outdated" photographs of the Great Sphinx of Giza—images made prior to excavation—removed from the archive. This 1921 photo by Donald McLeish survived and has been in the image collection for over 90 years.

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Moose

Alces alces

Moose are the largest of all the deer species. Males are immediately recognizable by their huge antlers, which can spread 6 feet (1.8 meters) from end to end. Moose have long faces and muzzles that dangle over their chins. A flap of skin known as a bell sways beneath each moose's throat.
Moose are so tall that they prefer to browse higher grasses and shrubs because lowering their heads to ground level can be difficult. In winter they eat shrubs and pinecones, but they also scrape snow with their large hooves to clear areas for browsing on mosses and lichens. These hooves also act as snowshoes to support the heavy animals in soft snow and in muddy or marshy ground.
In summer, food is far more plentiful in the northern regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. When the ice melts, moose are often seen in lakes, rivers, or wetlands, feeding on aquatic plants both at and below the surface. Moose are at home in the water and, despite their staggering bulk, are good swimmers. They have been seen paddling several miles at a time, and will even submerge completely, staying under for 30 seconds or more.
Moose are similarly nimble on land. They can run up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour over short distances, and trot steadily at 20 miles (32 kilometers) an hour.
Males, called bulls, bellow loudly to attract mates each September and October. The usually solitary bulls may come together at this time to battle with their antlers for mating supremacy. After mating, the two sexes go their separate ways until the following year. Though they may occasionally feed in the same grounds, they tend to ignore each other.
Females give birth to one or two calves in the spring—each weighing some 30 pounds (14 kilograms). These calves grow quickly and can outrun a person by the time they are just five days old. Young moose stay with their mothers until the following mating season.

Falcon

Falcons are medium sized birds of prey found all across the world although falcons tend to prefer the more temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Falcons are best known for their ruthlessness and their incredible flying abilities.

Falcons have tapered wings that allow the falcon to change direction extremely quickly especially when compared to other birds. Falcons have been recorded diving at speeds of up to 200mph, meaning they are the fastest creatures on the planet!
There are more than 40 different species of falcon that can be found all around the world such as the peregrine falcon and the black falcon. Falcons vary in size from 25cm tall to more than 60cm tall, but the height of the falcon depends on the species. The peregrine falcon is the most common bird of prey in the world and is found on every continent besides Antarctica.
Falcons are birds of prey and are therefore known for their incredible hunting skills and being a ruthless, dominant predator within their environment. Falcons hunt their prey from the skies above and swoop down through the air to catch it once they have spotted a meal with their incredible eyesight. Falcons hunt all kinds of small animals like mice, frogs, fish and falcons will even catch small birds in the air.
Due to the large size, speed and alertness of the falcon, the falcon has few natural predators and even fewer that are actually airborne. Humans and wolves tend to be the main predators of the falcon on the ground and eagles and even large owls have been known to hunt the smaller species of falcon (and of course the young and inexperienced falcons) in the air. The eggs and chicks of the falcon are particularly vulnerable to being eaten.

Falcons have adapted in many ways to maximise their chances of survival in the skies. The falcon has tapered wings that allow the falcon to be more agile; incredibly acute eyesight which enables the falcon to spot prey on the ground far below; an aerodynamic body shape means that the falcon glides through the air more easily and a sharp pointed beak helps the falcon to grab and eat it's prey more effectively.
Falcons nest on high ground such as mountains and cliffs and in the tops of tall trees. This means that the vulnerable eggs and chicks of the falcon are in the safest place possible. Falcons start to breed when they are about a year old. Female falcons lay an average of 3 eggs per clutch and look after their chicks until they are big enough and strong enough to fend for themselves.
Falcons are generally solitary birds and only really come together to mate. Although falcons are known to stay in the same place, many species of falcon are migratory birds and have been known to travel more than 15,000 miles per year.

Raven

 

Common ravens are actually rather remarkable animals. These sleek, black birds are excellent and acrobatic fliers on par with falcons and hawks. Such aerial skills are on display during breeding season, when exciting mating rituals include an elaborate dance of chases, dives, and rolls.
These intelligent birds were honored by Native Americans and often portrayed as sly pranksters for their playful nature.
Known as scavengers, ravens are also effective hunters that sometimes use cooperative techniques. Teams of ravens have been known to hunt down game too large for a single bird. They also prey on eggs and nestlings of other birds, such as coastal seabirds, as well as rodents, grains, worms, and insects. Ravens do dine on carrion and sometimes on human garbage.
In winter, common ravens may gather in flocks to forage during the day and to roost at night. During the rest of the year, they are often coupled, or in small groups. Ravens are believed to mate for life. They build large, stick nests in which females lay three to seven eggs each spring. Both parents care for their young, which remain dependent for several months.
Common ravens typically vocalize with a croaking sound, but they boast a wider repertoire of calls.
Ravens are the largest passerine (perching) birds in North America. They were once exterminated as pests thought to constitute a threat to game birds and domestic animals. Today, populations are expanding, and the birds are a familiar sight across the Northern Hemisphere from the icy Arctic to the Mediterranean and in urban areas as well.

Pufferfish

Tetraodontidae

Pufferfish are poor swimmers, but can quickly ingest huge amounts of water to turn themselves into a virtually inedible ball several times their normal size.

Biologists think pufferfish, also known as blowfish, developed their famous “inflatability” because their slow, somewhat clumsy swimming style makes them vulnerable to predators. In lieu of escape, pufferfish use their highly elastic stomachs and the ability to quickly ingest huge amounts of water (and even air when necessary) to turn themselves into a virtually inedible ball several times their normal size. Some species also have spines on their skin to make them even less palatable.

A predator that manages to snag a puffer before it inflates won’t feel lucky for long. Almost all pufferfish contain tetrodotoxin, a substance that makes them foul tasting and often lethal to fish. To humans, tetrodotoxin is deadly, up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide. There is enough toxin in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote.

Amazingly, the meat of some pufferfish is considered a delicacy. Called fugu in Japan, it is extremely expensive and only prepared by trained, licensed chefs who know that one bad cut means almost certain death for a customer. In fact, many such deaths occur annually.

There are more than 120 species of pufferfish worldwide. Most are found in tropical and subtropical ocean waters, but some species live in brackish and even fresh water. They have long, tapered bodies with bulbous heads. Some wear wild markings and colors to advertise their toxicity, while others have more muted or cryptic coloring to blend in with their environment.

They range in size from the 1-inch-long (2.5-centimeter-long) dwarf or pygmy puffer to the freshwater giant puffer, which can grow to more than 2 feet (61 centimeters) in length. They are scaleless fish and usually have rough to spiky skin. All have four teeth that are fused together into a beak-like form.

The diet of the pufferfish includes mostly invertebrates and algae. Large specimens will even crack open and eat clams, mussels, and shellfish with their hard beaks. Poisonous puffers are believed to synthesize their deadly toxin from the bacteria in the animals they eat.

Some species of pufferfish are considered vulnerable due to pollution, habitat loss, and overfishing, but most populations are considered stable.

Pyramids of Giza

flickr/gloria_euyoque

The Giza necropolis, situated in the immediate vicinity of the southwestern suburbs of Cairo is probably the most famous ancient site in the world. The pyramids in Giza were built over the span of three generations – by Khufu, his second reigning son Khafre, and Menkaure. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the oldest and sole remnant of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Over 2 million blocks of stone were used to construct the pyramid, during a 20 year period concluding around 2560 BC. The pyramid is an awe-inspiring 139 meters (455 feet) high making it the largest pyramid in Egypt, although nearby Khafre’s Pyramid appears to be larger as it is build at a higher elevation.

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Great Wall of China

flickr/betta design

The Great Wall of China built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from the attacks of the Xiongnu tribes. Several walls have been built that were referred to as the Great Wall. One of the most famous is the wall built between 220–206 BC by the first Emperor of China but little of that wall remains. The majority of the existing wall were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). The most comprehensive archaeological survey has recently concluded that the entire Great Wall, with all of its branches, stretches for 8,851.8 kilometers (5,500.3 miles).

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Machu Picchu

 

flickr/szeke

One of the most beautiful and impressive ancient sites in the world, Machu Pichu was rediscovered in 1911 by Hawaiian historian Hiram after it lay hidden for centuries above the Urubamba Valley. The “Lost City of the Incas” is invisible from below and completely self-contained, surrounded by agricultural terraces and watered by natural springs. Although known locally, it was largely unknown to the outside world before being rediscovered in 1911. Since then, Machu Picchu has become the most important tourist attraction in Peru.

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Petra

 

flickr/FirstDown

Petra, the fabled “rose red city, half as old as time”, was the ancient capital of the Nabataean kingdom. It is without a doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction. A vast, unique city, carved into the side of the Wadi Musa Canyon centuries ago by the Nabataeans, who turned it into an important junction for the silk and spice routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Greece and Rome. The most elaborate building in Petra is Al Khazneh (“The Treasury”‎), carved out of a sandstone rock face, it’s massive façade dwarfing everything around it.

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Teotihuacan

 

flickr/El Fotopakismo

In the 2nd century BC a new civilization arose in the valley of Mexico. This civilization built the flourishing metropolis of Teotihuacán and it’s huge step pyramids. The Pyramid of the Sun was built around 100 AD and is 75 meters (246 ft (75) high making it the largest building in Teotihuacán and one of the largest in Mesoamerica. The construction of the smaller Pyramid of the Moon started a century later and was finished in 450 A.D. Seven centuries after the demise of the Teotihuacán empire the pyramids were honored and utilized by the Aztecs and became a place of pilgrimage.

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• Explore Teotihuacan

flickr/DragonWoman

Angkor Wat

 
Angkor Wat is a vast temple complex featuring the magnificent remains of several capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century AD. These include the famous Angkor Wat temple, the world’s largest single religious monument, and the Bayon temple (at Angkor Thom) with its multitude of massive stone faces. During it’s long history Angkor went through many changes in religion converting between Hinduism to Buddhism several times. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country’s prime attraction for visitors.

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Colosseum

flickr/Brunswickian

The Colosseum is the largest and most famous amphitheater ever built in the Roman Empire. Its construction was started by emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty in 72 AD and was finished by his son Titus in 80 AD. During the Colosseum’s opening ceremonies, spectacles were held for 100 days in which 5,000 of animals and 2,000 gladiators were killed. The Colosseum was capable of holding some 50,000 spectators who could enter the building through no less than 80 entrances. Spectators were protected from the rain and heat of the sun by sail,s called the “velarium”, around the top of the attic. It is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions and has become an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome.

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Taj Mahal

 

flickr/ironmanixs

The Taj Mahal is an immense mausoleum of white marble, built between 1632 and 1653 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife. The Taj is one of the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tombs in the world, one of the masterpieces of Mughal architecture, and one of the great sites of the world’s heritage. Called “a teardrop on the cheek of eternity”, the monument is actually an integrated complex of structures. Besides the white domed marble mausoleum it includes several other beautiful buildings, reflecting pools, and extensive ornamental gardens with flowering trees and bushes.

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Moai

flickr/jdelard

The world famous moai are monolithic statues located on Easter Island, one of the most isolated islands on Earth. The statues were carved by the Polynesian colonizers of the island, mostly between circa 1250 AD and 1500 AD. In addition to representing deceased ancestors, the moai were also regarded as the embodiment of powerful living or former chiefs. The tallest moai erected, called Paro, was almost 10 meters (33 ft) high and weighed 75 tonnes. The statues were till standing when Europeans first visited the island, but most would be cast down during later conflicts between clans. Today about 50 moai have been re-erected on Easter Island or museums elsewhere.

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Parthenon, Acropolis

flickr/JOVIKA

The Parthenon on top of the Acropolis is one of the most famous buildings in the world and a visit to Athens is not complete without visiting this temple. The construction of the Parthenon started in in 447 BC, replacing and older temple that was destroyed by the Persians, and completed in 432 BC. The purpose of the Parthenon was to house a massive statue of Athena Parthenos made from ivory, silver and gold. Sometime in the 5th century the statue was looted by one of the Roman Emperors, and taken to Constantinople, where it was later destroyed. During its long life the Parthenon has also served as a fortress, a church, a mosque and as a powder magazine.

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Heaviest aircraft pulled by a man

Kevin Fast (Canada) pulled a CC-177 Globemaster III, weighing 188.83 tonnes (416,299 lb), a distance of 8.8 m (28 ft 10.46 in) at Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ontario, Canada, on 17 September 2009.