World’s Largest Cruise Ship - Oasis of the Sea

It’s yet to be finished, but with these artistic renderings, we get to see inside of the future record holder for the world’s largest ship, a serious competitor for another maritime wonder, Liberty of the Seas. Oasis of the Sea will be a luxurious traveling city, complete with shopping streets, bars, restaurants, an amphitheater the size of a football field. And if this didn’t blow you away, the ship is also equipped with its own micro-climate and rock-climbing walls. It will weigh around 220,000 tonne, be 1,081ft long and have 16 passenger decks.

The ship is currently in construction in Aker Yards in Turku, Finland and will cost an estimated £610million. Oasis of the Sea is expected hit the ocean in late 2009, and construction of its sister ship, Allure of the Seas, is due to begin shortly.

Most Beautiful Ice Caves in the World

First, let’s take a look at the definition of Ice Cave. The term ice cave refers to any type of natural cave (most commonly lava tubes or limestone caves) that contains significant amounts of perennial (year-round) ice. At least a portion of the cave must have a temperature below 0 °C (32 °F) all year round, and water must have traveled into the cave’s cold zone. Some of these ice cave looks very beautiful and amazing.

Here’s 8 most beautiful ice caves in the World:

8. Tignes, France

Can Ice Caves made by human? Strictly speaking, no, But maybe if there is an empty tunnel and left as It is? In Tignes, in the Rhone Alpes region of France, the tunnel become a beautiful ice cave. Wherever they are found in the world there is no doubt about the beauty of the ice caves.

Tignes, France

7. Fish Creek, Canada

Fish Creek Ice Cave near Calgary in Canada is an example of how the cave configuration allows to bring very cold air from the surface in the winter but not in summer. In the winter cold air settles in a cave and forced every warm air up and out of the cave. In the summer the cold air in place and because the warm air is lighter so it can not enter. This is what is known as the ‘cold trap’.

Fish Creek Canada

6. Kunguruska, Russia

Kungar, One of the oldest cities in the Urals, is home to an ice cave Kunguruska. There are more than two dozen caves, including cave Diamond Pole. It’s believed that constituent ice cave formation composed of solid walls and the ‘organ pipes’ (hollow ice like a pipe). The cave has ever protect soldiers during the invasion of the Siberian winter.

Kunguruska, Russia

Kunguruska Russia other view

5. Scarisoara, Romania

In the middle of the Carpathian Mountains, a beautiful ice cave was discovered in the eighteenth century. The cave is believed that already exist for about three and a half thousand years. The height is about two hundred meters above sea level with a depth of more than a hundred meters and seven hundred meters long. Despite its freezing temperature, bats and small insects live in the cave.

Scarisoara, Romania

4. The Crystal Ice Cave, California USA

Ice Cave in California? It’s unbelievable but the Lava Beds National Monument is really a magic cave. Although there are lot of ice formations at Lava Bed’s but the one in Ice Crystal Cave is the most spectacular and the most strange. Smooth Formation, and because of that only a small number of visitors permitted to see that each year.

The Crystal Ice Cave California USA

The Crystal Ice Cave California USA another view

3. Serendipity Canada

Sometime, ice cave looks very similar to the glacier cave. Serendipity cave is one of the example. This amazing photographs taken by Ian McKenzie of the Alberta Speleological Society at Serendipity. Serendipity is a limestone cave ice is located in the Canadian Rockies.

Serendipity, Canada

2. Demanovska, Slovakia

The Demanovska cave is located in the Valley of Tatra in Slovakia and has been known in Europe since the Middle Ages. The fact is that Slovakia is filled with lot of caves and this ice caves is one of 44 caves in the East European countries.

Demanovska, Slovakia

Demanovska, Slovakia another view

Demanovska, Slovakia another view

1. Eisriesenwelt, Austria

Size, of course not everything, but this is the largest ice caves on the planet. The cave located forty kilometers south of Salzburg, Austria on Mount Hochkogel. The legth of the cave is more than forty kilometers. However, more than two hundred thousand visitors who came to the cave each year is only allowed to the first kilometer.

The cave was discovered in 1879. Local residents knew the existence but never really explored it. There is a simple reasons for this. Despite the ice, they believe it to be the entrance to hell.

Eisriesenwelt Austria

Eisriesenwelt Austria another view

Eisriesenwelt Austria another view

Tallest Plants in the World

These tallest plants in the world can tell us how old a plants can live and growth. These plants have survived from various weather changes and world climate changes over the years. So Let’s take a look at the top 5 tallest plants in the world:

5. Giant Sequoia: 275 feet/84.8 meters

General Sherman is the name of this Giant Sequoia. This is one of the world’s tallest giant Sequoia tree with a height of about 275 feet (84.8 meters). Although not the world’s tallest tree (redwood coast higher), it is the largest in volume, so that this giant sequoia is the world’s largest known single organism by volume. As of 2002, the volume of its trunk measured about 1487 cubic meters. This tree is located in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in the United States. Trees believed around 2300 and 2700 years old. Named after General William Tecumseh Sherman, chairman of the American Civil War in 1879.

Giant Sequoia

4. Sitka Spruce : 295 feet / 90 meters

The Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) is a coniferous evergreen tree can grows to 50-70 m tall. But this special one is incredibly up to 90 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m. This is by far the largest species of pine tree and the third tallest conifer species in the world (after Coast Redwood and Coast Douglas-fir). The trees earned the name from the community of Sitka, Alaska.

Sitka Spruce

3. Australian Mountain Ash : 295 feet / 90 meters

Eucalyptus Regnans, known by many common names like Mountain Ash, Victorian Ash, Swamp Gum, Tasmanian Oak or filamentous Gum, is a native species of Eucalyptus in southeastern Australia, in Tasmania and Victoria. Known to reach heights of more than 295 feet (90 meters) and is described as the tallest of the flowering plants.

Australian Mountain Ash

2. Coast Douglas Fir: 329 feet / 100.3 meters

Coast Douglas Fir is a very tall tree, the second tallest conifer in the world (after Coast Redwood). This tree can grow to 60-75 M (200-250 feet) and higher, and 1.5-2 m (5-6 feet) in diameter. The tallest living specimen is “Doerner Fir”, (formerly known as the Brummit fir), at the height of 100.3 m, at East Fork Brummit Creek in whispers County, Oregon. The biggest in diameter is the “Queets Fir”, 4.85 m diameter, in the Queets River valley, Olympic National Park, Washington. This plant usually live more than 500 years and sometimes more than 1000 years.

Coast Douglas Fir

1. Coast Redwood, California: 379.1 feet / 115.55 meters

Hyperion, a Coast Redwood tree in California has height of 115.55 and become the world’s tallest plant. This tree was founded in 2006. Hyperion is the name of a coastal redwoods of Northern California that has been confirmed for 115.55 m (379.1 ft) high, which ranks as the world’s tallest known living tree. Although this hyperion is the highest, this coast redwood Hyperion is the largest known, because there are some species are still missing.

Hyperion Coast Redwood

Deepest Seas in The World

Here’s a list of deepest seas in the world listed by the ocean. Deepest sea part usually called trench. Since It’s quite difficult to measure how deep is a trench, usually people using 2 special method to measure it. The method is drad loading and echo loading. So let’s take a look at the deepest seas in the world

5. Deep Litke, Eurasian Basin in Arctic Ocean: 5450 m (17,881 ft)

Litke Deep sea is located in northeast Greenland in the Eurasian Basin in the Arctic Ocean. The Litke is the deepest point in the Arctic Ocean by 5450 meters.

Eurasian Basin, is one of the two main streams in which the Arctic Basin of the Arctic Ocean is divided by the Lomonosov Ridge. This is the addition of the North Atlantic Basin.

Deep Littke Eurasian Basin in Arctic Ocean

4. South Sandwich Trench in Southern Ocean: 7235 m (23,737 ft)

South Sandwich Trench is precisely located in the South Atlantic Ocean, 100 km to east of the South Sandwich Islands. This trench is also known as the trench formed by the subduction of the southern South America plate. South Sandwich Islands is a series of volcanic islands as the result of subduction. Mount Belinda is an active volcano that still active on the island of Montagu.

South Sandwich Trench in the Southern Ocean

3. Java Trench in Indian Ocean 7258 m: (23,812 ft)

Formerly also known as the Sunda Trench, and still fomous as the Java Trench, which is located in the northeast Indian Ocean, with an area of 2600 km and maximum depth of 7725 meters. This trench is the deepest point of the Indian Ocean.

Java Trench in Indian Ocean

2. Milwaukee Deep, Puerto Rico Trench in Atlantic Ocean: 8648 m (28,373 ft)

Milwaukee, also known as that Milwaukee deep, is the deeper part of the Atlantic and Puerto Rico trench.Has a depth of 27,493 feet. Only 84 miles from the sea towards the west coast of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico Trench is an ocean trench located on the border between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. This trench associated with the multifaceted changes between subduction region along the southern island of Lesser Antilles. Lays on the western border between Cuba and Hispaniola through the Cayman Trench to the coast of Central America.

Milwaukee Deep Puerto Rico Trench in Atlantic Ocean

1. Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench in Pacific Ocean 10.923 m (35.837 ft)

Mariana Trench is the deepest sea part in the world, and the lowest elevation of the surface of the Earth. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, to the east side of the Mariana Islands. Trench approximately 2550 km long, but has an average thickness of only about 69 km. The depth reached 11,033 feet in the Challenger Deep.

Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench in Pacific Ocean

Greenest Cities in the World

Here’s the list of the greenest cities in the world. As We now that climate change becomes a new thing that is now being debated. In order to maintain continuity of the earth as a planet inhabited by human beings, exploitation and greening energy usage for human needs in the present and the future have been considered. Several cities in the world has even tried to make their city as a green city with energy use pure from nature but does not exploit nature. Here’s the list of top 5 greenest cities in the world.

5. Vancouver, Canada

The city had just been trusted to hold the first winter olympics in earth with theme is sustainable or sustainability. The Comittee was using electronic waste as a medal and build a stadium which is very “green”. But this is not just a business because of the winter Olympics. Vancouver has been settled long ago. 90% of electricity needs in the town is supplied by hydroelectric. Meanwhile wind, solar, wave and tidal energy has been used extensively to keep the environment conservation in this city.

Vancouver at night

The city mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson said on the official website of Vancouver that “Vancouver will be the greenest city in the world by 2020″. The citizens of Vancouver, that often referred as Vancouverites, want to live in a city that living, affordable and sustainable. We appreciate the extraordinary beauty of our natural environment, celebrate diversity, and working to build a bright future and green. Convergence of technology and environmental issues has changed the world economy. Vancouver is interesting and thoughtful city who wants to invest and work in a city that offers a green city promising future – a city that values our natural heritage and offer all the city element involved.

The beautiful Vancouver

4. Malmo, Sweden

This is one of the international city that focus on green space. Famous for their gardens, but also on sustainable urban development. It’s one of the largest cities in Sweden and really beautiful city. They have changed their environment to be environment-friendly area.

Beautiful Malmo Sweden

In this city you will find a lot of people cycling in the city because many roads built specifically for those who ride. This town really appreciate their green sky and did not want their green sky became polluted. Today approximately 20% of the population of Malmo come from different countries, making it the most cosmopolitan city in Sweden. This has contributed to the cultural life of the rich and the opportunity to enjoy lots of delicious and exotic food. These days the old industrial city has been replaced by suburban area of the modern middle class, residential neighborhoods and environmentally friendly.

Street in Malmo Sweden

3. Curitiba, Brazil

Curitiba is a city in southern part of Brazil and the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state (estado) since 1854. The city was founded in 1654 as a gold mining camp. Population: 1.8 millions (2007 estimate). From the early 19th century, it has received many immigrants from Germany, Italy, and Poland, and immigration continued during the 20th century with the arrival of Syrian and Japan, and the entry of massive migrants from rural areas.

A beautiful park in Curitiba Brazil

The city has many green spaces like parks and very beautiful botanical gardens such as Alemâo Bosque, Bosque de Portugal, Italiano Bosque, Bosque do Papa, Gomm Bosque, Bosque Gutierrez, Capão da Imbuia Bosque, Bosque da Fazendinha, Boa Vista Bosque, Bosque Reinhard Maack, Bosque Vista Alegre, Jardim Botanico, Memorial Ucraniano, Barigüi Parque, Parque Tanguá, Tingüi Parque, Parque das Pedreiras, Passaúna do parque, Parque São Lourenço, parque do Iguaçu e Zoo, Parque da Barreirinha, Parque dos Tropeiros, Parque do Bacacheri, Basseio público, Unilivre, and Vilinha. The city is focused to become the greenest city in the world. So residents advised to leave their cars at home.

Public transport stop near a garden in Curitiba Brazil

2. Portland, Oregon, US

The City, the home of Portland Blazzers NBA team, is really very active in welcoming new world filled with green and healthy to live. Although many US cities now prefer to use the fast lane, this is the first city to focus on alternative transit with light rail and bike path network extensively to encourage people to leave their cars at home. Also one of the first cities that pledged to reduce emissions and begin to use the sustainable building materials.

Beautiful green Portland

1. Reykjavik, Iceland

The capital of Iceland, a country that is very close to the north pole, has used the green pattern for the town where the supply of electricity is 100% supplied by hydroelectricity and geothermal energy, Transportation system also has a very green hydrogen buses, the greenest city in Europe and the world. And cities with the cleanest blue sky in the entire of the earth.

Beautiful Reykjavik Iceland

This city receives only 4 hours of heat in winter and a very bright night in winter, due to its geographic location is very close to the north pole. Along with the grow of industries and also the concept of a global green, this city has been used by many environmentalist to visit or people that just get some fresh air vacation.

Night in Reykjavik, Iceland

Most Amazing Castles in the World

Here’s the most amazing castles in the world. These castles is amazing for various reasons. We have to consider that those castles was made in the past time when the technology is not as advanced as the technology today. So We can imagine how to build those amazing castle using the technology in the past. Let’s take a look at these most amazing castles in the world

9. Prague Castle

Prague castle was built in the 10th century by the Basilica of Saint George and the Basilica of St. Vitus. According to the Guinness Book of Records, this castle is one of the largest castle in the world. With 570 meters height, length and width is about 130 meters.

The castle was described almost every style of architecture at the end of the millennium.
Almost all areas of Prague Castle was opened to tourists. Now the castle become a museums, the collection found there is including the Bohemian national galleries and art shows dedicate to Czech history.

Prague Castle

8. Palacio Da Pena Castle

Pena National Palace or Palacio Da Pena is a palace that inspired the oldest European romanticism style. This castle is located in Sao Paolo Penferrim, Portugal. Founded on the hill in the town of Sintra and when in a sunny day the palace can be seen clearly from Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Palacio da Pena is a national monument and is one of the main expressions of the 19th century romantic style of the world.

This palace is included in the list of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage and is one of the seven wonders of Portugal. This palace often used for state ceremonies by the President of the Republic of Portugal and the other official events. The building is a blend of Neo-Gothic style, Neo-Manuelism, Islamic and Neo-Renaissance with a taste of exotic romance.

Palacio Da Pena Castle

7. Predjamski Castle

Predjamski castle located ten in the mouth of a cave, 10 kilometers from Postojna, Slovenia. This castle was belong to Knight Erazem Lueger a renowned robber baron. This castle is smaller than any other castle on this list. Predjanski name taken from a village near the castle. The castle was built in stages since the 13th century.

The left side of the building was erected around of the 12th century, while the right side of the building erected in the year 1570. The castle has already perched on a 123 meters high cliff for more than 700 years. The most interesting part of the castle is the place to stay, chapel and basement, including weapons, oil painting, and Pieta from the year 1420.

Predjamski castle

6. Matsumoto Castle

The Matsumoto Castle is one of the best and most historic castle in Japan. This castle located in the city of Matsumoto in Nagano area that can be reached using the land route from Tokyo.

The castle was completed in the late 16th century and maintain the original wood interior and the stones exterior. Matsumoto castle is a land castle as it is not built on a hill or in the middle of a river.

The castle was built as a fortress during the war. In the year 1550 Matsumoto area is under the rule of Takeda Clan and Tokugawa leyasu. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi move leyasu to the Kanto region, he placed Ishikawa Norimasa to lead Matsumoto.

Norimasa and his children build towers and some other parts of the castle. Matsumoko castle also known as the castle of the crows because black walls and the roof looks like the wings of a crow.

Matsumoto Castle

5. Mont Saint-Michel Castle

This Monastic buildings with Gothic-style architecture built in the 13th century in the middle of a rocky island in Normandi called Mont Saint-Michel, about one kilometers from the northern French coast at the mouth of the river Couesnon near Avranches. From prehistoric times, the island is covered by the sea, which continued to retreat in the coastal landscape formed over millions of years.

The island was originally connected with the mainland via a land bridge that closed when high tide and shown at low tide. Therefore Mont Saint Michel called Island Place. In 1879, that land bridge was built into a causeway.

Mont Saint Michel Castle

4. The Potala Palace Castle

The Potala Palace located in Lhasa, Tibet. The building was called Potala, as the same as Mount Potala. This castle was a home of Dalai Lama until the Dalai Lama to 14 who went to Dharamsala, India after the invasion and the rebellion in 1959. Now the castle is used as a museum by people of China.

The building measures 400 meters long and 350 meters wide, with rocks against the wall of a width between 3 -5 m. Foundations made of copper to prevent damage from earthquakes. This building have about 1,000 rooms, more than 10,000 temples and 200,000 statues.

The height is around 117 meters. The peak is called Marpo Ri, which means red hill. Three hill from Lhasa Tibet represent three Tibet protective, Chokpori, south of Potalia god, spirit mountain of Vajrapani, Pongwari and Marpori, the hill where the Potala stands representing Chenresig or Avalokiteshvara.

The Potala Palace Castle

3. Lowenburg Castle

The castle that located in the Wilhemshole Park is also called the Lion castle. Built by LandGrave Wilhelm IX of Hessen Kassel, the castle was designed by royal architect named Heinrich Cristoph Jussow skilled and experienced in building constructions in France, Italy, and England.

He also have learned to England to learn English Romantic style building. Heinrich also drew the design of Landgrave Park. This castle is also one of the first Neo-Gothic building in Germany. In the back part of the buildings, there are many rooms and bridges in the front part and a tower.

Lowenburg castle is a private residence of Landgrave Wilhelm IX. Landgrave Park inside it is almost the same as Disney World Tokyo. No wonder Lowenburg Castle also called as Disneyland in its era.

As the half centuries building which is still in good condition, this castle has inspired the famous castle in the world that was nicknamed Cinderella Castle of 20th century.

Lowenburg Castle

2. Malbork Castle

Built in 1274 during the reign of Prussia. This brick castle is situated in the south of the Nogat river. The castle that previously named Marienburg was formerly the headquarters of san clan. Has been extended several times by the owner according to the number of knights and became the largest Gothic building in Europe.

The castle consists of three separate sections, the top, middle, and bottom separated under a dry moat and towers. The building was once the inhabited by about 3000 troops with the wall borders reach 210,000 square meters, 4 times greater than Windsor Castle.

World War II that occurred in 1945 has destroyed nearly half of the building. A fire in 1959 caused damage becomes more severe. The castle was rebuilt in 1962.

Malbork Castle

1. Neuschwanstein Castle

In the 19th century, this castle is where Bavaria people work hard. It is located on a hill near Hohenschwangau in southern Bavaria, Germany. Founded by Ludwig II of Bavaria.

Although visitors are prohibited photographing the interior, but the castle remains a major destination of foreign tourists. Previous Ludwig did not allow visitors come to this castle, but after his death in 1886, the building opened to the public. This is done to pay down the debt of Ludwig in the castle construction.

Every year there are approximately 1.3 million visitors come to the castle with peaked by 6000 people per day in summer. The hall is also some times used as a filming location and the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland Park and Hong Kong Disneyland.

Neuschwanstein castle