Magical Photographs Of The Snow-Covered Small Japanese Town
Ginzan Onsen is an achingly photogenic hot spring town in the Yamagata region of Northern Japan. Literally meaning ‘silver mountain,’ the location became famous for its old-Japan look and feel after it was used for the site of the period drama Oshin. Continue reading »
Man Quits Lucrative NYC Job, Builds Treehouse Of His “Childhood Dreams”
In 2011, Foster Huntington did something that many people only dream about. He quit his day job, bought a Volkswagen van, and escaped the urban jungle of New York City. Afterwards, he wandered the country and published multiple photo books, including one that’s aptly-titled Home Is Where You Park It. Huntington also introduced the popular hashtag #vanlife, and he inspired countless people with his beautifully-captured adventures. Continue reading »
Curated Images And Textures From Google Maps
At the intersection of technology, nature, and aesthetics, Arterrae is a project that finds the awe-inspiring textures and colors hidden in Google Maps satellite images. Continue reading »
Benetton Uses Ethnicity Data To Create Computer-Generated ‘Models’ From Different Cities
For decades, Benetton has been known for using models of different skin colors, ethnicities and appearances to promote diversity with its “United Colors” campaigns. But the latest campaign doesn’t use real models; instead, the Italian fashion retailer has used computer-generated faces based on data from different cities around the world. Continue reading »
Chinese Village Builds Giant Golden Statue Of Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People’s Republic of China, was a controversial figure. His Marxist–Leninist theories, military strategies and communist ideas, especially his “Great Leap Forward” campaign, where he attempted to rapidly transform China’s economy from an agrarian economy to an industrial one, led to widespread famine resulting in the death of an estimated 45 million people. Through starvation, forced labor and executions, Mao killed a total of 70 million Chinese during his 27-years tenure as the Chairman of Communist Party of China. Continue reading »
You Can Stay At This Converted Oil Rig In Malaysia And Go Diving
Located in the waters off Sipadan in Malaysia, is an old oil rig that is now a dive platform and resort named ‘Seaventures‘. The surrounding area is one of the diving industry’s renowned top dive destinations, and is commonly ranked as being one of the world’s best. Seaventures takes advantage of this position and allows guests to dive directly from the rig. Continue reading »
Adorable ‘Little Monks’ In Chongqing Go Viral Online
A group of photos depicting two little boys dressed as monks in a temple in Chongqing, southwest China, have become a hit online, chinanews.com reports. These photos were taken by a netizen when he and his friend took their sons to the Two Buddha Temple in Hechuan, Chongqing for a trip together. (CNS/Zhong Xin) Continue reading »
An African-Inspired Treehouse Has Sprouted Up In London
Virgin Holidays have built a South African inspired treehouse on London’s Southbank, to promote travel to South Africa. The temporary treehouse installation (only there for one week) was inspired by the Lion Sands Game Reserve accommodation in South Africa. The treehouse is positioned 35-feet above the ground. The best part about this treehouse is that you can win an overnight stay in it. Continue reading »
McDonald’s Introduces Chocolate-Covered French Fries To Japan
Photo: Brian Ashcraft / Kotaku
McDonald’s is attempting to reverse its sagging fortunes in Japan with the launch this week of a new menu item: french fries smothered in chocolate sauce. Continue reading »
Extraordinary Images Of The Costa Concordia Cruise Ship By Jonathan Danko Kielkowski
Photo by Jonathan Danko Kielkowski
Extraordinary images of the cruise ship by Jonathan Danko Kielkowski from his book Concordia, published by White Press. The German photographer swam out to where the ship – which ran aground off Tuscany in 2012 with the loss of 32 lives – is moored. Francesco Schettino, the ship’s captain, was jailed for 16 years over the accident. Continue reading »
World’s Largest Railway Model Is Now On Google “Mini” Street View
Google’s Street View, that lets you explore the world through the virtual eyes of street level cameras, has now shrunk itself to the size of a thumb, so that you can experience the world’s largest miniature model railway as if it has been blown to real size. Continue reading »
Old Fire Truck Turned Into Spacious Hotel Room
Planning on exploring the Scottish countryside? Well why not sleep in an Unique stay like this renovated Fire Truck! Located on the Inshriach House Estate in Aviemore, Scotland, the Beer Moth Hotel is a unique accommodation meant for two people. Continue reading »
“Days of Night – Nights of Day”: Photographer’s Vision Of The Northernmost City In The World
Elena Chernyshova’s vision of Norilsk, Russia, the northernmost city in the world, is a series of surprises by which she extracts otherworldly beauty from ugly realities. Norilsk ranks as the seventh most polluted city on earth, and its origins are dark: It was built in the 1920s and ’30s on the backs and bones of gulag prisoners. Now it is a company town that mines and smelts the world’s biggest haul of nickel and palladium, 24/7.
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Forget Harry Potter And Platform 9¾ – This Train Station In Japan Only Has One Passenger
The Kami-Shirataki train station is located in Japan’s north island of Hokkaido, three years ago due to its remote location and ending of freight trains, the Japan Railway decided to close it down. Continue reading »
Rare Photos Of Germany Before It Was Destroyed By War
Long before it was crippled and destroyed by two World Wars, Germany was a land of beauty, gothic splendour and picturesque villages. After the second world war ended on September 2nd 1945, Germany went through decades of rebuilding with much of it’s original beauty bombed and laying in ruins. Continue reading »
The Battle For The Largest Bonfire In The Netherlands
In the last few days of the year leading up to the midnight of December 31, two Dutch teams from the neighboring districts of Scheveningen (in Noorderstrand) and Duindorp (in Zuiderstrand) battle each other on Scheveningen’s North Beach for the title of “the largest bonfire in the Netherlands”. The long tradition and a matter of pride keeps the emotions churning as enthusiastic participants stack wooden crates and pallets as high as they can. The battle is closely monitored not only from Scheveningen and Duindorp, but also in the rest of the Netherlands and beyond. Tourists come all the way from America, Germany, France and England to see the bonfires. Before the bonfires are lit on the midnight of December 31, there are usually performances by artists and fireworks display. Continue reading »
Gigantic Snow Wall Along Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Japan
The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a unique and spectacular route through the Northern Japan Alps, which is traversed by various means of transportation, including cable cars, trolley buses and a ropeway. The route is particularly famous for the high snow walls that line some of its roads in spring. Continue reading »
A Daredevil Aerial Walkway Over A Tea Park In China
What’s more dangerous than a glass-bottom bridge? A bridge without a bottom, of course!
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The Mighty Oak Planted In An Abandoned Dovecote
In the old days, the possession of a dovecote was a symbol of status and power, and only the nobles had the privilege of owning one. Breeding pigeons had good value. It not only provided meat and eggs — pigeons and doves were an important food source in Western Europe — but their dung served as an excellent fertilizer. The pigeons kept by the lords however were a nuisance to nearby peasant farmers, particular at the time of sowing of new crops. When feudalism in France was abolished on 4 August 1789, the rights to keep dovecot were thrown out as well. Thousands of dovecotes all across France fell into disuse. Continue reading »
Couples Can Now Get Married In The Middle Of The Indian Ocean
For couples looking to get married at the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, one thing’s for certain: they definitely won’t need to bring something blue. In the middle of the Indian Ocean, the resort’s engaged guests can now say their vows in a freestanding, glass-bottomed pavilion. The couple and their (at most) 16 guests are invited to experience a ceremony unlike any other as they board a boat to get to the modest yet refreshingly elegant structure. Continue reading »
It Was Way More Fun Flying Around The World 50 Years Ago
Today, air travel is flooded with thousands of budget airlines, cheap deals and the smallest seats imaginable. For the vast majority of people who fly, it’s merely about getting from A to B without losing your sanity in the process. But 50 years ago, the world of aviation was actually the polar opposite. It wasn’t all about the lowest airfares and the cheapest route – there was a think called service as well. Continue reading »
Earth, Then And Now: Dramatic Changes In Our Planet Revealed By Incredible NASA Images
Image credits: wwf.org
If you compare some of the photographs which can be found on NASA’s website, you can really see how human beings have changed the appearance of our world over the years. The time difference between these images ranges from five to 100 years. Incredible stuff. Continue reading »
100-Year-Old Negatives Discovered In Block Of Ice In Antarctica
For the past 100 years, a box of never-before-seen negatives has been preserved in a block of ice in Antarctica. Recently, Conservators of the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust came across the 22 exposed, but unprocessed, cellulose nitrate negatives during an attempt to restore an old exploration hut.
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Invasion of the Vine that Ate the South
No really, that’s its nickname, “the vine that ate the South“; Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida most notably swallowed by the invader so far. Continue reading »
Artist Humorously Illustrates the Events of His Flight That Every Traveler Can Relate To
Renowned New York Times illustrator Christoph Niemann recently took a transatlantic flight from New York City to Berlin (with a layover in London), and documented the journey in his sketchbook. The trek itself was typical for your average flight of this distance, but this is precisely what makes his work so enjoyable and humorous to read. Niemann perfectly captures the frustration, boredom, and routine that comes from sitting on a plane for over 12 hours. Continue reading »
