Dubai’s Palm Islands are the world’s biggest man-made island clusters. Sometimes they are also called the eighth wonder of the world. These are situated at three dissimilar locations crossways Dubai’s coast, namely Jumeirah, Jebel Ali and Deira. These islands, which are also known as The Palm Dubai or Dubai Palm are layered with rocks and sand upon a ten meter deep marine. Sand meant for laying down these sites is obtained by dredging in the close sea. The Belgian dredging firm Jan De Nul and its Dutch counterpart Van Oord have been supervising the whole operation. Work is in an difficult stage in Jumeirah and Jebel Ali while it has also picked up in the Deira part.

Each of these Dubai Palm Islands is deliberate to portray a date palm tree, with a trunk, a crown and several palms leaf. The crescent islands at the margin are assigned to play the role of breakwaters. The construction of the Palm Jebel Ali was started by Jan De Nul in 2002 and accomplished by the year-end of 2006. It required a 4 km long cape to be built, bordered by a 200m wide and a 17 km long breakwater. This asked for reclaiming approximately 135,000,000 m³ of rock, sand and limestone. About 5,000,000 m³ of rocks were required for intensification the slope.

Dubai Palm islands, which are bound to boost Dubai’s costal length by an additional 520 km, will host water theme parks, lavishness hotels, shopping malls, freehold villas, furnished beach apartments, health spas and similar other amenities. It was always Sheikh Maktoum’s dream to see Dubai grow in free trade and sightseeing, and that’s how these islands were imagined. The UAE property developer, Nakheel Properties, is controlling this whole work.

The Palm Jumeirah, which is 5 kilometers by 5 kilometers in volume, will have a crown with 17 fronds, and a surrounding 11 kilometer-long breakwater. It will make 4,000 new homes over the period of next 3 to 4 years and add 78 kilometers to Dubai’s shoreline. In fact, the inhabitants began moving into their Palm Jumeirah homes by the year-end 2006, five years after the dredging in the area had begun taking place.

The Palm Jebel Ali, which is predictable to be the home of 1.7 million people by the year 2020, will be finished by the year 2008. It will be much larger in size contrast to the Palm Jumeirah, but, the tag of major one will go to the Palm Deira, which is predictable to be finished by the year 2015. Due to its enormous size, the construction of Palm Deira is predictable to take place in several stages. Dubai’s tourism area will greatly rely on these Dubai Palm Islands for its income, once they fully got accomplished.

Popularity: 6% [?]

The ancient history of Hunza is recorded only in legends. Alexander the Great is reported to discover the strong mountains of the Karakoram and arrive at Hunza in 325 B.C. Some evidences of early history of Hunza are evident on a huge rock near Ganesh village. It is splendidly carved and engraved in Kharoshthi, Brahmi, Gupta, Sogdian and Tibetan scripts. There is a picture of Gondophares, the Kushan king of Gandhara in the first century A.D. The picture is tagged with his name and the date. Another dedication reads, ‘Chandra Vikramaditya defeats, 419 AD.’ Then, there are Tibetan words depicting hunters and Ibex. Bactrian writings point out the attack of Sassanians from Central Asia. A Chinese writing portrays the passage of a noble ambassador, Ta Wei. Similarly, Buddhist stupas and horsemen tell their own stories. Actually, the rock served as a guestbook for early travelers. Hunza appears in Tibetan history as a part of Gilgit. Tibetans called it Bruza and the people of the area were called Burushos. In 11th century A.D., the invading Shinas troop them to the valleys of Hunza and Yasin where they set up Altit, Baltit and Ganesh villages. These were the only villages until the 18th century, when new methods of farming caused the colony to get bigger.

In the 15th century, Hunza was a piece of Nagar sovereignty. The sovereignty broke away in the 15th century. It was separated into Nagar and Hunza valleys among two warring brothers because of religious clash. The clash exists even today. The people of Nagar are Shiite Muslims and followers of Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran. Hunzakuts, on the other hand, follow Agha Khani belief. The hills of Hunza face south to the warming sun. Thus, the people are warm and open in nature. Nagar faces frozen Rakaposhi, so they are cold and unsociable. For a long time, Hunza remained under Chinese authority. The Hunzakuts paid honor to Xingjian and enjoyed internal sovereignty. They earned their income by taxing the caravans passing through the well-known Silk Route. They even made numerous attacks and robed the rich groups. They used to shide food at different places in their way in order to live and wait for the caravans to pass for weeks together. They earned weights of silks and jewels in this way and sold young hostages as slaves in Kashgar.

[Show as slideshow]

Popularity: 8% [?]

With the advent of winter season, ski lovers around the world start searching the Internet and visiting different websites to locate an appropriate ski vacation package. With so many ski vacation locations around the world, it is definitely a hard task to select one. Planning is an important element for a booming ski vacation.

If you are a skier or would like to be a skier you know the pleasure of getting away from the daily schedule to go on a ski vacation. Your ski vacation should be special and memorable. For this reason and make your vacations tremendous I suggest you these 7 ski destinations for ski vacations.

1) Killington Resort:

This is the biggest ski resort in the eastern United States, with the widest range of landscape. There is something unique for every rank, Killington also swank more than a 3,000 ft perpendicular so it’s no doubt this is a permanent pet stop for our club. Stay at the Northstar Lodge with its unbelievable swimming pool size hot tub is really amazing. It is maybe not the world’s largest but it’s really Huge! There is no lack of nightlife moreover with dining and local bands at the Grist Mill, Wobbly Barn and Pickle Barrel providing great nightly amusement.

2) Stowe Resort:

There are forty-eight trails to test your riding ability or your skiing knowledge. If it’s glowing speed and vertical feet you’re after, then you should check out the Front Four. If you’re looking for a more soothing time, there are plenty of lightly sloping runs also accessible.

3) Whiteface Lake Placid:

Whiteface Mountain possesses the maximum erect of any resort east of the Rockies. You can do lots of thing there like Skate on the Olympic oval, go XC-skiing; experience earth shocking speed riding the bobsled, climb to the top of the ski jumping complex; drop down the toboggan run and you can also enjoy dining and shopping in the quaint Adirondack villages of North Creek and Lake Placid. This is a great trip for the skier and non skier alike. It’s the perfect trip to take along that significant other who does not ski or ride.

4) Vail Resort:

This is the Land of blessed Powder – 346 Inches on normal. Join that with 300 days of sunshine per year and you’ve got perfect situations. With seven huge bowls there is not any stop to the amount of skiing and riding you can do. After spending a day on the mountain the enjoyment is only start. There’s so much to do in Vail Village – boutiques, spas and art galleries line the cobblestone walkways. Everything from gourmet restaurants to fast food is situated all the way through the town. There are so many options and it’s easy to get around as the town transport service runs all day and night to take you from the Eagle Bahn Gondola to the Lionshead village. Beaver Creek is also located on a swift 10 minute ride away.

5) Aspen Ski Resort:

This is best know for its verticals and bumps but still presents lots of groomed, intermediate traveling runs and hundreds of acres open to snowboarders on the backside through Aspen Mountain Powder Tours. Mainly there is something for everybody here. With a yearly snowfall of 300 inches there is no shortage of white powder here either. The enormity of Aspen presents four major areas:

1. Aspen Mountain
2. Aspen Highlands
3. Buttermilk
4. Snowmass

Snowmobiling, cross country powder exploring, and paragliding are just some other activities by which visitors take pleasure in at Aspen. The Après ski choices are also endless with everything from fine dining to fast food. Aspen has a variety of restaurants, shopping, lodging and nightlife that caters to a range of budgets and experiences.

6) Lake Tahoe:

The base area of Lake Tahoe has an unbelievable collection of possibilities with large casino hotels offering reasonable rooms with shoes, dining, and gambling for those who are fascinated. Heavenly is a large ski area – on the top you can be looking down on the beautiful vista of Lake Tahoe in California on one side and the liberal dessert of Nevada on the other, but bringing the extremely beautiful lake are a swarm of other options, like Squaw, Alpine Meadows, North Star, and more. Kirkwood, another incredible area is a small drive.

7) Summit County:

This is one of the best ski areas.  Lift tickets and a transport system will keep you carefully entertained on the slopes of Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Copper. Each has its own taste:

• Breckenridge was an aged silver mining town and is now an active year round outside recreation center that still maintains the rural downtown beside modern range of shops and restaurants.
• A-Basin is where you ski above the tree line and kick back with this favorite of locals. Everything from the track parties and funky “bathtub races at the base” to demanding double diamond cornices and Keystone with terrain to keep you excited all day and night. An entire village area of condo villages with open-air gas fire pits and carnivals amuse before, after and during your ski day.

Pick a vacation package that is according to your budget and serves the purpose your of ski vacation. Finally, despite of which ski vacation purpose you visit, be sure to enjoy yourself completely.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Gulmarg Hindi translation: “Meadow of Flowers” is a hill station and a notified area committee in district Baramula of Jammu and Kashmir. It is located at an average.height of 2690 meters. Gulmarg is known for having one of the worlds highest Gondola (cable car).

Journey to gulmarg takes 2.5-3 hours. Getting around Gulmarg is done mostly by foot. There is only one road which loops around the whole whole hill station.

The main attraction here is the Gondola. Finished in 2004, it runs up to 3995 meters. Daily passes are available for the skiers and the nature lovers. The hills visible from the top are said to be a part of LOC and Pakistan administered Kashmir.

Major Tourist Attractions of Gulmarg are Alpather Lake, Baba Reshi Shrine, Gondola Cable Car to Kongdor, Gold Golf , Khilanmarg, St Marys church, horse riding, skiing and sledging.

Temperatures in Gulmarg remain well below zero for major part of the year. It is necessary for the tourists to wear heavy woolen clothing, gloves, boots and overcoats to prevent frostbite.

Gulmarg has long been famous for golfing. The 18-hole Gulmarg Golf Club has been in existence since the British raj. Golf is popular in the summer season. Membership is given on a daily basis on the payment of a daily fee.

Other interesting activities during the summers are horse riding and trekking. Some of the most famous treks are- trek to khilanmarg (4km), and on the same route apherwat trek (7 km). From Aprerwat there is an uphill trek to Alpather lake which is frozen for most part of the year (about 13 km from Gulmarg by foot). Khilanmarg is a small valley about 6 km away from Gulmarg. Its breath taking beauty in summers when the valley is laden with a carpet of flowers cannot be missed.

In winters Gulmarg’s slopes turn into an ideal ski resort. You need not necessarily be a ski lover to come here in winters. Many tourists come just to enjoy the snow and take a ride on the snow sledges.Snow scooters also available. A few slopes even have a ski lift to cater to the needs of the ski lovers. Most of the ski activities are concentrated in these slopes. Services of Instructors can be availed of on payment, from the ski equipment shops run by the State Government’s tourism department. Skiing in Gulmarg is cheaper than any other country.

Ziarat of Baba Reshi : Shrine of saint Baba payam-Din is situated near Alpather Lake, about 13 kilometers from Gulmarg. Baba Reshi is a well-known Muslim saint and was a courtier of the Kashmir King Zain-ul-Abidin. This shrine was built in his memory in the year 1480. The baba is known to have spent his days here, in prayer and meditation after renunciation. The cover of the grave is an exquisite piece of craftsmanship. Thousands of devotees visit the shrine through the year.

Gulmarg is known for its beauty both in the summer season and in the winter season. During the month of May local strawberries are available at reasonable prices anywhere and everywhere in Gulmarg. However it is important to bargain with the traders to get the best possible price.

[Show as slideshow]

Popularity: 8% [?]

If a usual hotel on dry land appears a little boring, then Jules Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida U.S.A is the only place for you. Jules is the unique undersea hotel. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is just a trick. If you want to get into this hotel then you’re going to have to scuba dive 21 feet under the surface of the sea.

Jules’ Undersea Lodge, named after the author of the famed maritime story 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, is the world’s first underwater hotel. At first built in the early 1970s as a groundbreaking research lab off the shore of Puerto Rico, the Lodge has been in business in Key Largo, Florida since relocating there and opening its hatch to the public in 1986.

Honestly a pioneering concept, Jules’ Undersea Lodge claimed status as the world’s only underwater accommodation accessible to the public until recent years when ecotourism has become all the temper. Many celebrities have enjoyed a stay including Steve Tyler of Aerosmith, John Fishman of Phish and former Canadian Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau.

Visitors to Jules who are not specialized divers will go through a 3-hour crash course in scuba diving before shacking up in their room for the night. After all, the doorway to the hotel is 21 feet underwater on the sea floor. If you are a diving fan, the Undersea Park is your Mecca. Also to the scuba crash course, the staff of Jules’ Undersea Lodge offers common scuba certification courses and diving tours.

After diving down and resurfacing through the wet room access, residents can doff their scuba clothe and take pleasure in all the amenities of modern life 21 feet below the surface. Supporters marvel at unobstructed views sea life in their normal settings through 42 inch windows. Completely stocked with modern conveniences like air-conditioning, hot showers, a stereo and a DVD player this hotel is perfect for the romantic escape or the adventurer who truly desires an exclusive experience. Once underwater, visitors do not have to come back until they wish. Dinner and breakfast are provided by the world’s only “mer-chef” and delivered punctually at 6:00PM (dinner) and 8:00AM (breakfast). I would advise a stay at the Undersea Lodge to anyone with a daring spirit.

[Show as slideshow]

Popularity: 58% [?]

An image sent to me by a friend.

This is the sunset at the North Pole with the moon at its closest point May 11, 2009.

A scene you will probably never get to see in person,so take a moment and enjoy God at work at the North Pole.

And, you also see the sun below the moon.

An amazing photo and not one easily duplicated.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Columnar Basalt, its nature made column like structure that looks like man made.

When a thick lava flow cools, it contracts vertically but cracks perpendicular to its directional flow with remarkable geometric regularity.

In most cases forming a regular grid of remarkable hexagonal extrusions that almost appear to be made by man.

One of the most famous such examples is the Giant’s Causeway on the coast of Ireland (shown in image below), though the largest and most widely recognized would be Devil’s Tower in Wyoming.

Basalt also forms in different but equally fascinating ways when eruptions are exposed to air or water.

Popularity: 15% [?]

The mysterious moving stones of the packed-mud desert of Death Valley have been a center of scientific controversy for decades. The place s called “Racetrack playa” in Death Valley near the western border of Arizona.

Rocks weighing up to hundreds of pounds have been known to move up to hundreds of yards at a time. Some scientists have proposed that a combination of strong winds and surface ice account for these movements.

However, this theory does not explain evidence of different rocks starting side by side and moving at different rates and in separate directions. Moreover, the physics calculations do not fully support this theory as wind speeds of hundreds of miles per hour would be needed to move some of the stones.

Popularity: 10% [?]