Australia

Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the world's smallest continent and a number of islands in the Southern, Indian and Pacific Oceans. The name Australia is derived from the Latin Australis, meaning of the South. Legends of an "unknown land of the south" date back to the Roman times and were commonplace in mediaeval geography, but they were not based on any actual knowledge of the continent.

The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef, lies a short distance off the north-east coast and extends for over 2,000 kilometres. By far the largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid.

Morning mist on Govett's Creek, Blue Mountains National Park, Australia

Dawn at Milford Sound, Fjordland, New Zealand

Forest in mist near the vines, Morton National Park, NSW

Noosa River, Cooloolah National Park, Australia

Tarn reflection after sunset, South Island, New Zealand

Sunset, Lake Matheson, South Island, New Zealand

Zoe Bay and Mount Bowen at sunrise, Hinchinbrook Island National Park, Australia

Journey to the Centre of Imperial Calcutta

test

For Those Who Thought They Knew Everything....

The liquid inside young coconuts



can be used as a substitute for  Blood plasma

The King of Hearts is the only king



WITHOUT A MOUSTACHE

Oak trees do not produce acorns



until they are fifty (50) years of age or older.


The first owner of the Marlboro Company died of lung cancer.



So did the first " Marlboro Man. "


The first product to have a bar code



was Wrigley's gum.

Walt Disney was afraid



OF MICE!

Olympics 2008 Beijing Stadium

The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be held in Beijing, China from August 8, 2008 to August 24, 2008, with the opening ceremony to take place at 8 p.m. on August 8, 2008 (08-08-08-08; the number 8 is associated with prosperity in Chinese culture). Some events, like beach volleyball, sailing, and swimming's new marathon 10km events, will be held in the coastal city of Qingdao.

 

Taj Mahal

Panoramic Pictures

Taj Mahal is a monument located in Agra, India. It was commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the son of Jahangir, as a mausoleum for his Persian wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, also known as Mumtaz-ul-Zamani or Mumtaz Mahal. It took 23 years to complete (1630 - 1653) and is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture.

The architectural complex of the Taj Mahal covers an area of approximately 580 m × 300 m, comprised of five main components: the darwaza (gateway), the bageecha (garden) which is in the form of the typical Mughal charbagh (garden divided into four parts), the masjid (mosque), the mehmaan khana (guest house), and finally the mausoleum of Taj Mahal, at the northern end of the complex.

Taj Mahal

Panoramic Pictures below (Click to enlarge)

(click on the pictures below to view full size)

Dubai Projects

Palm Island. Three artificial islands in the shape of palm trees will shelter nearly 500 apartments, 2 000 villas, 25 hotels and 200 shops of luxury.  Palm Jumeirah, the most advanced, will be completed as of the end of 2005.  Hundred twenty-five kilometers of coast additional will be thus created.

Palm Island

The World. With broad of Dubaï, nearly 300 artificial islands, seen sky will form a planisphere.  If you want to acquire one of these islands, it will cost some to you between 6,2 to 36,7 million dollars.  Work of fill, already begun, should be completed at the end of 2005.

The World

Dubai Waterfront. Advancing on water of the Gulf, this whole of islands in the shape of crescent will extend on 81 square kilometres.  Becoming the greatest sea front in the world, it détrône thus the island from Manhattan in New York.

Dubai Waterfront

Old Town. It is the final district of the building site located at the foot of the tower Burj Dubai.  This great real complex will include the highest tower of the world, the greatest shopping centre of the world as well as a gigantic residential district

Old Town

Hydropolis. Entirely assembled in Germany, this underwater hotel will be immersed with broad of Dubai at the end of 2006.  It will comprise 220 continuations whose panoramic windows will give on sea-beds.  The price of a room for the night would rise with 500 dollars.

Hydropolis

Burj Dubai. This phenomenal tower from which construction began last January and will end in 2008 should reach the 800 meters height.  The building, built in three parts around a central column, finishes in spiral.  It will count 160 stages.

Burj Dubai

Madinat Al Arab. Here the representation of the one of the districts of the future greater sea front in the world, Dubai Waterfront.  This sight accounts for the architectural ambition and the spectacular development of real constructions with Dubaï.

Madinat Al Arab

Dubai Marina. new city, of a total cost of 10 billion dollars, will be built on a way of artificial navigation of 4,5 km.  It will be able to lodge 120 000 people.  Three principal towers will be set up and will bear the name of Arab perfumes

Dubai Marina

Dubai Sports City. This immense sporting complex of 7.5 km² will accomodate sports such as the cricket, the golf, Rugby, football, the sports of ground, track, and interior (tennis shoe, handball, volley ball).  Hotels, residences and villas are also envisaged

Dubai Sports City

Golden Dome. With its 455 m height and its 2,2 million m² of total surface, it will be one of bulkiest and higher buildings of the world.  It will shelter 500 000 m² offices, commercial spaces like 3 000 residential apartments.

Golden Dome

Dubailand Ski Dome. This ski resort indoor, will comprise inter alia a directional ski piste and tracks of snowboard (with 6 000 tons of true snow).  "Pinguinarium", aquariums four seasons, spa cold and hot... are also envisaged with the program.

Dubailand Ski Dome

Space Science World. Space is one of the subjects exploited in the immense park with topics of Dubailand which has the ambition to become the largest tourist park and of attractions in the world.

Space Science World

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15 of the World's Largest Objects!

Here are 15 of the worlds largest objects, from swimming pools to motorcycles to football tables!
 

World's Largest Book

The award for largest published book goes to an author and scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michael Hawley. The 133-pound book is five by seven feet, 112 pages, needs a gallon of ink for printing, and costs $2,000 to produce. Its title? “Bhutan: A Visual Odyssey Across the Kingdom.”


World’s Largest Motorcycle

Officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records, Gregory Dunham, from California's Stockton, built the world's largest motorcycle. Greg spent three years in his workshop crafting this 11 feet tall, 20 feet long monster bike which is powered by a 8.2 litre (V8 engine and has tyres that are 1.88 m tall. The 6,500-pound motorcycle with a pricetag of $300,000 is totally rideable.



World's Largest Bottle of Wine

 

It’s a 490 liter Grande Cuvee TBA NV No.7 2005 of Austrian wine maker Kracher, presented in Rehetobel Switzerland. The bottle itself has been certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest bottle of wine, holding the equivalent to 640 regular bottles of wine.


World’s Largest Revolver

You’re looking at what probably is the largest revolver in the world: a replica of Remington model 1859, by Mr. Ryszard Tobys. It’s 1.26 meter (4.13 ft.) long.


World's Largest Pencil

This mother-of-all writing utensils weighs in at 21,500 lbs and stretches to 76 feet long and it’s a version of the classic No. 2. The huge pencil was built in New York by Ashrita Furman and many talented craftsmen.


World’s Largest Pinata

Breaking the Guinness Record for the world's largest pinata, according to an onsite Guinness adjudicator, this giant mock donkey measured 28.5 meters long; 7.2 meters wide and 18 meters tall and was filled with 8,000 pounds (3,628 kilograms) of candy. A wrecking ball was used to help smash the pinata during a public event, where Carnival Cruise Lines was producing a television commercial.


World's Largest Crossword

The Ukrainian city of Lvov has recently installed what might just be the world's largest crossword (in physical size). The puzzle covers the entire side of a residential tower block that's approximately 30 meters tall. During the day the crossword appears empty - with the answers lighting up at night. The questions for the puzzle are located in different point of interests of the city: monuments, theatres, fountains etc. so people walking around the city can try to solve the puzzle and write down their answers. When night comes they can meet at this house and check how they did.


World's Largest Easter Egg

In 2005, a Belgian city entered the Guinness Book of Records creating the Largest Easter Egg ever. The Belgian chocolate producer Guylian made the chocolate egg with at least 50,000 bars. The egg measured 8.32 metres high, beating the previous record made in Kwazulu-Natal, South-Africa in 1996. Twenty-six craftsman worked altogether 525 hours to build the egg. They used 1950 kg (4300 lb) of chocolates.

World's Largest Swimming Pool

This swimming pool is more than 1,000 yards long, covers 20 acres, had a 115ft deep end and holds 66 million gallons of water. Acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest swimming pool, it took five years to build, cost nearly £1billion and the annual maintenance bill will be £2million.

The man-made saltwater lagoon has been attracting huge crowds to the San Alfonso del Mar resort at Algarrobo, on Chile's southern coast. The saltwater pool contains 250,000 cubic metres of water and is even navigable in small boats.


World's Largest Chair

This is not Photoshopped —it's an actual photograph of the world's largest chair, in the piazza of Manzano, Italy, a city of chair makers where it was created.

World's Largest Football Table

Here’s the largest table football game in the world. In fact, Table Football XXL is so huge, two entire soccer teams — 22 players — could face off with it, settling their challenges without ever setting foos on a real field. This monster was built by Amsterdam brewer Amstel, a stunt that coincided with the European Champions League Finals. If this wanted to buy this one, you’d need six flight cases just to ship it to you.