Kiritimati, the first inhabited place on Earth to experience the New Year each year.

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Kiritimati or Christmas Island is a Pacific Ocean atoll in the northern Line Islands and part of the Republic of Kiribati.

Kiritimati is the first inhabited place on Earth to experience the New Year each year. Despite being 1,530 miles (2,460 km) east of the 180 meridian, a 1995 realignment of the International Dateline by the Republic of Kiribati 'moved' Kiritimati to west of the dateline.

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I guess Kiritimati should be classified as a country in Australia.

K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth

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K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth (after Mount Everest). With a peak elevation of 8,611 metres (28,251 ft), K2 is part of the Karakoram segment of the Himalayan range, and is located in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, on the border[1] between Pakistan's northern territories,[2] and the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China.[3] K2 is known as the Savage Mountain due to the difficulty of ascent and the fact that for every four people who reach the summit, one dies trying. Among the Eight-thousanders, K2 has the second-highest climbing mortality rate after Annapurna.

in Wikipedia

Bicester Village

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Bicester Village Shopping Centre is an outlet centre in Bicester in the English county of Oxfordshire, for several high-end brands, including Ralph Lauren, Charles Tyrwhitt and Aquascutum, as well as housing a small number of restaurants and cafés. The centre's stores generally stock end-of-line ranges at discounted prices.

The shopping centre houses approximately 100 stores, encompassing a wide range of product categories.

The shopping centre is located just off the main roundabout which brings the A41 into Bicester, and is next to a large Tesco store and public house.

Bicester Village is served by two railway stations: Bicester North and Bicester Town.

MERRY CHRISTMAS@Hong Kong.2008

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from Mays Vision

Englischer Garten, Munich

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The Englischer Garten or "English Garden" is a large urban public park in the centre of Munich, Germany, stretching from the city centre to the northeastern city limits. It was created in 1789 by Sir Benjamin Thompson (1753-1814), later Count Rumford (Reichsgraf von Rumford) and extended and improved by his successors, Reinhard von Werneck (1757-1842) and Friedrich Ludwig von Sckell (1750-1823), who had advised on the project from the beginning.

At the mouth of the artificial stream that runs through the Englischer Garten, there is a standing wave that is produced by the water pumping mechanism. Surfers attempt to surf on this wave for as long as they can, in spite of the signs stating the unenforced law that surfing is forbidden.

Wikipedia

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Surfing in Munich

In the "Englischer Garten" you can go surfing on an artificial wave... It's forbidden but lots of surfers do it to stay sharp...

Central Park, New York City

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Central Park is a large public, urban park in New York City, with about twenty-five million visitors annually. Most of the areas immediately adjacent to the park are known for impressive buildings and valuable real estate. Central Park has been a National Historic Landmark since 1963.

The park is maintained by the Central Park Conservancy and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and architect Calvert Vaux. While much of the park looks natural, it is in fact almost entirely landscaped. It contains several natural-looking lakes and ponds, extensive walking tracks, two ice-skating rinks, the Central Park Zoo, the Central Park Conservatory Garden, a wildlife sanctuary, a large area of natural woods, a reservoir with an encircling running track, and the outdoor Delacorte Theater which hosts the "Shakespeare in the Park" summer festivals.

The park also serves as an oasis for migrating birds.

Wikipedia

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Vintage 8mm Home Movies - New York, Central Park - May 1952

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The Woolworth Building, New York

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The Woolworth Building, at 57 stories, is one of the oldest—and one of the most famous—skyscrapers in New York City. More than 95 years after its construction, it is still one of the fifty tallest buildings in the United States as well as one of the twenty tallest buildings in New York City. The building is a National Historic Landmark, having been listed in 1966.[1][2][3]

Wikipedia

Mount Raung, Indonesia

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Raung is one of Java's, (Indonesia) most active volcanoes. it is located in East Java and has a two km wide caldera surrounded by a grayish rim. The difference in color of the rim and the flanks of the volcanoes is caused by the rim’s lack of vegetation compared with the healthy and extensive vegetation on the flanks. Raung, standing almost 3332 meters above sea level, is the tallest volcano of this cluster. Although the valleys between the major volcanoes boast fertile, ash-enriched soil for agriculture, available land is very limited. Raung contains centers constructed along a NE-SW line, with Gunung Suket and Gunung Gadung stratovolcanoes being located to the NE and west, respectively.

Wikipedia

CCTV Headquarters, Beijing

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The CCTV Headquarters is a skyscraper that is currently under construction in Beijing. The building will be the new headquarters of China Central Television. Groundbreaking took place on September 22, 2004. The building will be completed in December 2008. Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren of OMA are the architects for the building, while Arup provides the complex engineering design. The building will stand at 234 metres (768 ft) tall and will have 51 floors.[1]

The main building is not a traditional tower, but a continuous loop of five horizontal and vertical sections covering 4,100,000 square feet (381,000 m2) of floor space, creating an irregular grid on the building’s facade with an open center. The construction of the building is considered to be a structural challenge, especially because it is in a seismic zone. Because of its radical shape, it has acquired the nickname dà kùchā (大裤叉)[2], translated into English as "Big Underpants"[3] or "Big Shorts".[4]

A second building, the Television Cultural Centre, includes a hotel, a visitor's centre, a large public theatre, and exhibition spaces. It is visible from the main intersection of the new Beijing Central Business District through the window of the main CCTV headquarters building. A media park forms a landscape of public entertainment, outdoor filming areas, and production studios as an extension of the central green axis of the CBD.[5] The Mandarin Oriental Hotel will be part of the complex.[citation needed]

The building was built in two sections that were joined to complete the loop on December 26, 2007. In order not to lock in structural differentials this connection was planned to be completed at the coldest time of night when the steel in the two towers cooled to the same temperature. .[6]

Wikipwdia

Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社), Hiroshima, Japan

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Itsukushima Shrine (Japanese: 厳島神社, Itsukushima Jinja) is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima) in the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as national treasures.

The first shrine buildings were probably erected in the 6th century, but the present shrine dates from the 12th century[1]

The current shrine has been in its present state since 1168 when funds were provided by the warlord Taira no Kiyomori. The shrine's construction, consisting of pier-like structures built over the bay, is due to the holy status that the island once commanded. Commoners were historically not allowed to set foot on the island, and had to approach by boat, entering through the gate that appears to float. Beside the shrine is a noh stage.

The dramatic gate (torii) of Itsukushima Shrine is one of Japan's most popular tourist attractions[citation needed], and the view of the gate in front of the island's Mount Misen is classified as one of the Three Views of Japan (along with the sand bar Amanohashidate, and Matsushima Bay). The gate has existed since 1168, though the current gate dates back to 1875. The gate, built of camphor wood, is about 16 metres high and was built in a four-legged style to provide additional stability.

The gate only appears to be floating at high tide; when the tide is low, the gate is surrounded by mud and can be accessed by foot from the island. It is common practice for visitors to place coins in the cracks of the legs of the gate and make a wish. Gathering shellfish near the gate is also popular at low tide. At night, powerful lights on the shore illuminate the gate.

Retaining the purity of the shrine is so important that since 1878, no deaths or births were permitted at the shrine. To this day, burials on the island are still forbidden.

Itsukushima Shrine@Wikipedia

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The famous "floating" torii at Itsukushima Shrine, a Ryoubu-style torii.
A torii (鳥居, torii?) is a traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entry to a Shinto shrine, although it can be found at Buddhist temples as well.

The basic structure of a torii is two columns called that are topped with a horizontal rail called the kasagi[1]. Slightly below the top rail is a second horizontal rail called the nuki. Torii are traditionally made from wood and are frequently painted vermilion. When unbarked logs are used for the torii it is called a kuroki, or "black wood" torii[1]. Since the Kamakura period of early Japan, torii have been erected from stone[1]. In recent times, makers have started to use both steel and stainless steel[citation needed]. However, the material a torii is made of is not restricted in any way, so metal, concrete, and even plastics are acceptable torii materials[2].

One type of torii gate is the Shimmei-style. In a Shimmei-style torii the kasagi bar is a round log that juts out over the edges of the two supporting columns while the nuki bar simply connects the them[1]. One example of a Shimmei-style torii is the torii that is located outside of Emperor Shōwa's gravesite. Another type of torii is the Ise-style, where the nuki is the same as the the Shimmei but the kasagi is not round, but pentagonal-shaped[1]. The most popular, and modern, style of torii is the Myojin-style. Myojin-style torii are built with curved kasagi rails that sit on top of a secondary upper bar called the shimaki[1]. There is also a vertical beam called the gakuzuka which connects the shimaki to the nuki. The gakazuka is often the location where a shrine will hang a tablet with its name. The forth type of torii is the Ryoubu-style, which is also known as yotsuashi, or the "four-legged style"[1]. This type of torii is similar to the Myojin-style except it has four supporting posts that surround the two columns. The "floating torii" at the Itsukushima Shrine is a good example of a Ryoubu-style torii.

Torii mark the transition from the sacred (the shrine) to the profane (the normal world) (see Sacred-profane dichotomy). Inari shrines typically have many torii. A person who has been successful in business often donates a torii in gratitude. The Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto has thousands of such torii.

Torii@Wikipedia

The Madeleine church

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L'église de la Madeleine (more formally, L'église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine; less formally, just La Madeleine), Madeleine Church in English, is a church occupying a commanding position in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. It was designed in its present form as a temple to the glory of Napoleon's army.

The Temple of Heaven (天壇), Beijing

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The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven (traditional Chinese: 天壇; simplified Chinese: 天坛; pinyin: Tiāntán; Manchu: Abkai mukdehun) is a complex of Taoist buildings situated in southeastern urban Beijing, in Xuanwu District. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It is regarded as a Taoist temple, although Chinese Heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, pre-dates Taoism.

Wikipedia

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Green is a code of spring. Now if you want to enjoy a warm spring, choose the green sleeveless Cheongsam. It is made of green silk brocade with big blooming peony patterns. In Chinese culture, peony is the queen of flowers, so it is the symbol of wealth and high position. Only the woman of noble family is entitled to be in Cheongsam with peony patters. V-neck collar decorated with two hand-made frog buttons is different from the traditional mandarin collar. Frog button is a kind of traditional handicraft and it needs a lot of labor. Both sides are made with slits toward the thigh and the length of the Cheongsam is to ankle. An invisible zipper is on the right side, so it is easy for you to wear. Be creative with accessories. (handbag, bracelet, etc) On a sunny afternoon, having a cup of tea in the front porch or the backyard in your house, you will spend a pleasant time with your family.


GoodOrient.com

Victoria Falls, the largest waterfall in the world and is more than a mile long.

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The Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya (the Smoke that Thunders) is a waterfall situated in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls are, by some measures, the most enormous waterfall in the world, as well as being among the most unusual in form, and having arguably the most diverse and easily seen wildlife of any major waterfall site.

Wikipedia

Blarney Castle, Ireland

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Blarney Castle is a medieval stronghold in Blarney, near Cork, Ireland. It is near the River Martin. The castle originally dates from before AD 1200. It was destroyed in 1446, but subsequently rebuilt by Cormac MacCarthy, the King of Munster. It is currently a partial ruin with some accessible rooms and the battlements. At the top of the castle lies the Stone of Eloquence, better known as the Blarney Stone. Tourists visiting Blarney Castle may hang upside-down over a sheer drop to kiss the stone, which is said to give the gift of eloquence. Photographs are taken of the "magic moment". There are many legends as to the origin of the stone, but some say that it was the Lia Fáil—a magical stone upon which Irish kings were crowned.

Surrounding the castle are beautiful and quite extensive gardens. There are paths touring the grounds with signs pointing out the various attractions such as several natural rock formations which have been given fanciful names, such as Druid's Circle, Witch's Cave and the Wishing Steps. Blarney House, a Scottish baronial-style mansion, was built on the grounds in 1874. It is also open to the public.

Wikipedia

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Blarney Castle Hotel

Frequent buses run all day from Cork city center to the airport. Buses run approximately every hour between Cork City bus station and Blarney. A taxi from the airport to the hotel will cost approximately 25 EUR.
From Cork International Airport:
Approximate distance to the hotel is 14 kilometers.

From the airport follow signs for Cork on the N25.
Take the ring road around Cork and follow N20 north.
Exit R617 on the left and follow signs for Blarney Village.
The hotel is located on the Village Green.

Area Attractions
Blarney Castle (home to the Blarney Stone) - 100 meters
Blarney Woollen Mills - 100 meters
Cork City - 9.0 kilometers

Expert Tip: Blarney Castle Hotel Was Built In 1837 Adjacent To The Blarney Castle, Home Of The Famed Blarney Stone. The Stone Is Also Known As The Stone Of Eloquence, For Those To Kiss The Stone Are Rumored To Be Blessed With The "Gift Of Gab." Extensive Gardens And Natural Rock Formations Surround The Castle.

Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia

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Mount Kinabalu (Malay: Gunung Kinabalu) is a prominent mountain in Southeast Asia. It is located in Kinabalu National Park (a World Heritage Site) in the east Malaysian state of Sabah, which is on the island of Borneo in the tropics.

In 1997, a re-survey using satellite technology established its summit (known as Low’s Peak) height at 4,095 metres (13,435 ft) above sea level, which is some 6 metres (20 ft) less than the previously thought and hitherto published figure of 4,101 metres (13,455 ft).[1] The mountain is the fourth tallest in Southeast Asia behind Hkakabo Razi of Myanmar (5881 m), Puncak Jaya (4884 m) and Puncak Trikora (4750 m) of Papua, Indonesia,[1] and is therefore also the tallest in Malaysia and on the island of Borneo, which Malaysia shares with Indonesia and Brunei. Mount Kinabalu is also the 20th highest peak in the world in terms of prominence.

The mountain and its surroundings feature a huge variety of flora, and is one of the world’s most important[citation needed] biological sites.

The main peak of the mountain (Low's Peak) can be climbed easily by a person with a good physical condition, and requires no mountaineering equipment. Other peaks along the massif, however, require rock climbing skills.

Wikipedia

Fiorano Circuit - Ferrari private track in Maranello

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Fiorano Circuit is the private track owned by Ferrari for development and testing purposes. It is located near the Italian town of Maranello.

Built in 1972, it's 8.4 metres (27.6 ft) wide and 3,021 metres (1.9 mi) long. Average F1 lap speed is over 160 km/h (99 mph) and top speed is 290 km/h (180 mph). Because it's a testing track, it has many different kinds of turns and corners, with corner diameters between 13 metres (42.7 ft) and 0.3 metres (1.0 ft). All in all it has a lot of similarities with most European Grand Prix circuits.

It's equipped with telemetry and a large steering pad for tyre testing.

When Scuderia Ferrari are testing the F1 car at the track it's common to see Tifosi watching the test from the roadside, which is the closest point at which the track is viewable to the public.

It's also used to allow Ferrari customers to test drive new cars.

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is named after this track.

from Wikipedia


FERRARI F2008 FIORANO

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow

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The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Russian: Хра́м Христа́ Спаси́теля) is the tallest Eastern Orthodox Church in the world (The Temple of Saint Sava being the the largest). It is situated in Moscow, on the bank of the Moskva River, a few blocks west of the Kremlin.

Wikipedia

Mayon Volcano, Philippines

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Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay, in the Bicol Region, on the island of Luzon, in the Philippines.
Renowned as the "Perfect Cone" because of its almost perfectly conical shape, Mayon is situated 15 kilometres northwest of Legazpi City.
Mayon is a continuing nominee as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.[1]

Wikipedia

Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Brazil

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Autódromo José Carlos Pace or Interlagos is the venue of the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix, located in a suburb of the city of São Paulo, named after José Carlos Pace, a Brazilian Formula One driver, who had died prior to its naming. It is still widely known by its former name, Interlagos.

Wikipedia

Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom)

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Cologne Cathedral (German: Kölner Dom, officially Hohe Domkirche St. Peter und Maria) is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne, under the administration of the Roman Catholic Church and is renowned as a monument of Christianity, of Gothic architecture and of the faith and perseverance of the people of the city in which it stands. It is dedicated to Saint Peter and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The cathedral is a World Heritage Site, being one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany, and Cologne's most famous landmark, described by UNESCO as an "exceptional work of human creative genius".[1] Cologne Cathedral is one of the world's largest churches, being the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. For four years, 1880-84, it was the tallest structure in the world, until the completion of the Washington Monument. It has the second-tallest church spires, only surpassed by the single spire of Ulm Cathedral, completed ten years later in 1890. Because of its enormous twin spires, it also presents the largest façade of any church in the world.

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