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Thursday, January 31, 2013

10 World Beautiful Cities in the Mirror of Water

You must have heard about a story that when a stag saw his reflection in water he got felt proud of his beautiful and big horns. Similarly there are many cities in this world that lies near some ocean, lake, sea or river.
These cities look awesome and their reflection in water near them looks more beautiful and beautiful. This almost creates a magical effect. No matter the city is old or new, their building are of old sculptures, stone and architecture or skyscrapers or colorful or black and white and of modern architecture, they look just dazzling in water reflection and the scene is really heat touching.
Well these cities below will prove me right when you will have a glance at them. The beauty of these cities pictures is not only because of reflection in water but also because of perfection of photographer in his field. Have a look at these cities and just feel the beauty and feel of heaven on earth.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur is the federal capital and most populous city in Malaysia. The city covering an area of 243 km2 (94 sq mi), has a population of 1.5 million as of 2010, and an estimate of 1.6 million as of 2012. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million. It is among the fastest growing metropolitan regions in the country, in terms of population and economy.
Kuala Lumpur is the cultural, financial and economic centre of Malaysia due to its position as the capital as well as being a key city. Kuala Lumpur is home to the tallest twin buildings in the world, the Petronas Twin Towers, which have become an iconic symbol of Malaysia’s futuristic developments.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 Los Angeles, USA
Los Angeles  with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in the state of California, and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of 468.67 square miles (1,213.8 km2), and is located in Southern California.
Often known by its initials L.A., the city is the focal point of the larger Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan statistical area, which contains 12,828,837 people as of 2010, and is one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the worldand the second largest in the United States.
Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the United States, while the entire Los Angeles area itself has been recognized as the most diverse of the nation’s largest cities. The city’s inhabitants are referred to as “Angelenos”.
Nicknamed the City of Angels, Los Angeles is a world center of business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, and education. It is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. Los Angeles has been ranked the third richest city and fifth most powerful and influential city in the world.
Los Angeles, USA
Los Angeles, USA

Milwaukee, USA
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the City of Milwaukee has a population of 594,833.
Milwaukee is also the regional center of the seven county Greater Milwaukee Area, with an estimated population of 2,014,032 as of 2008.
Once known almost exclusively as a brewing and manufacturing powerhouse, Milwaukee’s image has changed with the decline of industry in most of the US.
Milwaukee, USA
Milwaukee, USA

 Madrid, Spain
Madrid  is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 millionand the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third largest in the European Union after London and Paris. The city spans a total of 604.3 km2 (233.3 sq mi).
Madrid urban agglomeration has the 3rd largest GDP in the European Union and its influences in politics, education, entertainment, environment, media, fashion, science, culture, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world’s major global cities.
Madrid is the most touristic city of Spain, the fourth-most touristic of the continent, and is the 10th most livable city in the world according to Monocle magazine, in its 2010 index. Madrid also ranks among the 12 greenest European cities in 2010. Madrid is currently bidding to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Madrid, Spain
Madrid, Spain

 Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau. A city-statesituated on China’s south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a land mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade, and the currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world.
Hong Kong has one of the highest per capita income in the world. The dense space also led to a highly developed transportation network with public transport travelling rate exceeding 90 percent, the highest in the world. Hong Kong has numerous high international rankings in various aspects. For instance, its economic freedom, financial and economic competitiveness, quality of life, corruption perception, Human Development Index, etc., are all ranked highly.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong

 Manila, Philippines
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila. Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast, and Pasay to the south.
Manila has a total population of more than 1,660,714 according to the 2007 census. Manila is the second most populous city in the Philippines, behind its neighbor, Quezon City. The populace inhabit an area of only 38.55 square kilometers, making Manila the most densely populated city in the world. Metro Manila is the most populous metropolitan area in the Philippines and the 11th in the world with an estimated population of 16,300,000. The greater urban area is the fifth-most populous in the world and has an estimated metropolitan population of 20,654,307 people.
It is home to many scientific and educational institutions, as well as numerous sport facilities. These make the city a major political, commercial, cosmopolitan, cultural, educational, religious, and transportation center of the Philippines.
Yet therefore, this mirror image of its buildings in the port gives a sense of airy space.
Manila, Philippines
Manila, Philippines

Perth, Western Australia
Perth  is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.
Perth became known worldwide as the “City of Light” when city residents lit their house lights and streetlights as American astronaut John Glenn passed overhead while orbiting the earth on Friendship 7 in 1962. The city repeated the act as Glenn passed overhead on the Space Shuttle in 1998. Perth is tied for eighth place in The Economist‘s 2011 list of the World’s Most Livable Cities.
This snap – which was taken from verdant Kings Park and shows the city center reflected in Swan River.
Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia

Singapore
Singapore  officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator.
An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia’s Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. Singapore is highly urbanised but almost half of the country is covered by greenery. More land is being created for development through land reclamation. At this time we see the metropolis’ skyline reflected astonishingly in water.
Singapore
Singapore

 New York City, USA
New York is the most populous city in the United Statesand the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment.
The home of the United Nations Headquarters, New York is an important center for international diplomacyand has been described as the cultural capital of the world. The city is also referred to as New York City or The City of New Yorkto distinguish it from the State of New York, of which it is a part.
New York City consists of five boroughs, each of which comprises a state county. The five boroughs — The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island — were consolidated into a single city in 1898.
With a 2010 United States Census population of 8,175,133distributed over a land area of just 305 square miles (790 km2), New York is the most densely populated major city in the United States. As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.
Until now at darkness the glittering splendor of the Big Apple’s famous skyline reflects marvelously in the waters around it.
New York City, USA
New York City, USA

 Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. The 2011 census recorded more than 603,000 people in the city, making it the eighth largest among Canadian cities. The metropolitan area, with more than 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the countryand the most populous in Western Canada.
Major film production studios in Vancouver and Burnaby have turned Metro Vancouver into the third-largest film production centre in North America after Los Angeles and New York City, earning it the film industry nickname, Hollywood North.
Vancouver has ranked highly in worldwide “livable city” rankings for more than a decade according to business magazine assessments and it was also acknowledged by Economist Intelligence Unit as the first city to rank among the top-ten of the world’s most livable cities for five straight years.
This is some eye-catching picture to be found here – like this one. As photographer Tunde Pecsvari express it: “The skyline made of skyscrapers and modern buildings meets a piece of nature in Stanley Park. Everything reflects on the peaceful water of the sea.”
Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver, Canada
http://oddstuffmagazine.com/10-world-beautiful-cities-in-the-mirror-of-water.html

Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

1.Edith Lake

Edith Lake is small Alpine Lake located in the Idaho United States. It’s positioned at Sawtooth Mountains in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
edith lake jasper national park canada1 880x660 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

2. Plitvice Lakes

Plitvice lakes are oldest national park in Southeast Europe located in Croatia.  In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register among the first natural sites worldwide.
plitvice lakes1 880x591 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

3. Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo is located at Mackenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand. It covers an area of 32 sq mi, and is at an altitude of 2,300 ft above sea level.
lake tekapo new zealand1 880x585 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

4. Mount Gambier Blue Lake

The Blue Lake in Mount Gambier, South Australia is a large monomictic lake located in an extinct volcanic maar associated with the Mount Gambier maar complex. It is one of four crater lakes on Mount Gambier.
Mount Gambier Blue Lake1 880x660 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

5. Maligne Lake, Canada

Maligne Lake is a lake in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. It is famed for the colour of its water, the surrounding peaks, the three glaciers visible from the lake and Spirit Island, one of the most photographed locations in the world.
maligne lake canada1 880x589 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

 6. Upper Arrow Lake British Columbia

The Arrow Lakes in British Columbia, Canada, divided into Upper Arrow Lake and Lower Arrow Lake, are widenings of the Columbia River. The lakes are situated between the Selkirk Mountains to the east and the Monashee Mountains to the west. Beachland is fairly rare
upper arrow lake british columbia1 880x660 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

 7. Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake is a glacially-fed lake in Banff National Park, 8.7 mi outside the Village of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. It is situated in the Valley of the Ten Peaks.
diadema Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

 8. Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake is a reservoir in the North Cascade mountains of northern Washington state, USA. Created by Diablo Dam, the lake is located between Ross Lake and Gorge Lake on the Skagit River at an elevation of 1,201 feet above sea level.
Diablo Lake Washington USA 880x586 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

 

9. Melissani Lake

Melissani Cave or Melissani Lake, also Melisani is a Greek cave located on the island of Kefalonia, northwest of Sami, about 5 km SE of Agia Efthymia, NE of Argostoli and NW of Poros.
Lake Melissani1 880x660 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

 10. Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a lake in Alberta, Canada. The glacial lake is located in Banff National Park, 3.1 mi from the hamlet of Lake Louise and the Trans-Canada Highway.
Lake Louise alberta canada1 880x660 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

 11. Tirol Lake

Located in Tirol Austria, It comprises the Austrian part of the historic Princely County of Tyrol, corresponding with the present-day Euroregion Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino. The capital of Tyrol is Innsbruck.
tirol lake1 880x583 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

 12. Tahoe Lake

Tahoe Lake is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America
Lake Tahoe1 880x587 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

 13. Alpine Lake Colorado

The Gunnison National Forest covers 1,665,121 acres of land and is located a little west of central Colorado in the Rocky Mountains. There are fifty-four developed campgrounds of which twenty-six met the selection criteria.
alpine lake colorado1 880x587 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

 14. Medicine Lake

Medicine Lake is located at Jasper national park in Canada. It is located approximately 12 miles southeast of the townsite of Jasper, Alberta. Medicine Lake is approximately 4.3 miles long and is a relatively shallow lake.
Medicine Lake Jasper National Park Canada 880x586 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

 15. Malawi Lake

Lake Malawi is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world
lake malawi1 880x597 Top 15 Most Beautiful Lakes Around The World

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture

With the arrival of cold weather in different cities and towns master of ice figures create the intricate design of the ice blocks. In the case goes as artificial ice, and natural ice blocks. Sculptures are obtained and very simple, and very complicated, because there is no limit of imagination of this artist. we offer you a selection where you will find a dozen of these ice masterpieces from various countries.

  Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (2)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (3)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (4)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (5)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (6)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (7)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (8)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (9)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (10)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (11)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (12)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (13)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (14)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (15)   Incredible Masterpieces of Ice Sculpture (16)
http://oddstuffmagazine.com/incredible-masterpieces-of-ice-sculpture.html

Most Bicycle Friendly Cities In The World

Beijing, China

Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China. The city is recognized as the political, educational, and cultural centre of China. Cycling is very popular in the city that hosted the summer Olympics in 2008. During the 2008 Olympic Games cycling was ideal way to get around in Beijing. New cycle paths were constructed before the Games to accommodate cyclists and it became popular thereafter.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain. It is recognized as a Global City due to its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, education and tourism. On 22 March 2007, Barcelona’s City Council started the Bicing (a community bicycle program) service. Once the user has their user card, they can take a bicycle from any of the 100 stations spread around the city and use it anywhere the urban area of the city, and then leave it at another station.

Bogota, Colombia

Bogota is the capital city of Colombia. In terms of land area, Bogota is the largest city in Colombia. Despite the city’s chronic congestion, the city is regarded as one if the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world. The ciclorruta (Bogota’s bike paths network) is one of the most extensive dedicated bike path networks of any city in the world. Since its construction, bicycle use has quintupled in the city, and it is estimated that there are between 300,000 and 400,000 trips made daily in the city.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark. It is a bicycle-friendly city and 36% of all citizens commute to work, school or university by bicycle. The city’s bicycle paths are extensive and well used. Bicycle paths are often separated from the main traffic lanes and sometimes have their own signal systems. The municipality is also developing a system of interconnected green bicycle routes, greenways, the aim being to facilitate fast, safe, and pleasant bicycle transport from one end of the city to the other.


Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands. The city is considered one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world and is a centre of bicycle culture with good facilities for cyclists such as bike paths and bike racks. Bicycles are used by all socio-economic groups because of their convenience, Amsterdam’s small size, the large number of bike paths, the flat terrain, and the arguable inconvenience of driving an automobile. In the city centre, driving a car is discouraged.

Friday, January 25, 2013

World's 15 most spectacular swimming pools

1. Alila Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

Alilia Uluwatu 
If infinity is too scary, head back to the private pool in your villa. This spectacular cliff-top infinity pool appears to float in space. The scary-looking cage at the end is actually a user-friendly cabana designed for gazing out over the horizon in comfort.
Wonder why the water is empty? Lovely as this 50-meter beauty is, guests are probably using one of the private pools that come with each of the 84 villas.

2. The Library, Koh Samui, Thailand

The Library 
No, no one's been murdered, that's the way we decorate here. The Library’s pool gets its startling color from a base of mosaic glass tiles in orange, yellow and blood red. The effect is heightened by the red mattresses that line the perimeter, and at night underwater lights transform the swimming pool into a dazzling spectacle on the Chaweng seafront.

3. Pelican Hill, California, United States

The Resort at Pelican Hill 
The lap that never ends. Named after the Coliseum in Rome, this is the world’s largest circular pool with a diameter stretching 41.5 meters.
Vaulted arches, corniced columns and an amphitheater of terraced decks sit above the 1 million hand-set glass mosaic tiles which line the bottom, and it’s all surrounded by ultra deluxe private cabanas in a resort that aims to recreate classical Italy in Orange County.

4. Huvafen Fushi, Maldives

Huvafen Fushi 
Not to be mistaken for an airport runway. This enchanting pool, one of the largest in the Maldives, was the first to employ fiber optics. It’s illuminated by more than 1,000 of the little lights, and its shoreline deck often becomes a backdrop for glamorous events like international fashion shows.
It segues to the only salt-water flotation pool in the Maldives, full of minerals with known therapeutic and healing effects.

5. Nandana Villa, Grand Bahama, Bahamas

Nandana VillaWhere sea and pool merge. Private and serene, the pool at Nandana seems to drop straight into the Atlantic and is the focal point of this Balinese-style property.
As it’s a private rental villa, the dramatic minimalism of the pool is not sullied by the clutter of dozens of loungers and parasols which line your average hotel pool; there are just half a dozen teak sun beds and three strategically placed palm trees.

6. The Standard, Los Angeles, United States

The StandardEven better when watching movies of parched desert dwellers. From a rooftop 12 stories up, this pool offers panoramic views of the City of Angels. The turquoise water contrasts dramatically with the deep red Astroturf of the surrounding sundeck, where there are also bright red water-bed canopies accommodating up to 10 poseurs apiece.
At night the pool becomes an entertainment space, with an open fireplace, dance floor and bar.

7. Paresa Phuket, Thailand

Paresa Phuket 
One of the most picturesque meals you'll ever have. This infinity pool overlooking the Andaman Sea offers the ultimate in al fresco dining. It’s punctuated with tiny private man-made islands in the shadows bookable for a romantic tête-à-tête.
The starlight above is reflected in the pool, and the only soundtrack is the swish of soothing ocean waves.

8. Punta Tragara, Capri, Italy

Punta TragaraEven political heavyweights don't mind a splash about. With views towards the iconic Faraglioni rocks, this pool is set amid cypress-studded rocks in a luxury hotel on the island, which has played host to the rich and famous for a century.
With a nod to Le Corbusier, this 1920 hotel and its pools have entertained Dwight Eisenhower and Sir Winston Churchill, as well as a flurry of starlets.

9. Sanctuary Swala, Tanzania

Sanctuary SwalaWhatever you do, try not to look like a gazelle. Overlooking a water hole in a secluded area of Tarangire National Park, this pool offers views of elephants and rare kudu antelopes against a backdrop of Africa’s dramatic baobab trees.
Best enjoyed at night with sundowners, served by the retainers who have turned down the fluffy bed in your luxury tent and come out to light the campfire.

10. Alila Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Alila Ubud 
Is it a pool or a mirror?This infinity pool set amidst the rice fields of central Bali boasts a spectacular location, floating above the lush Ayung River valley.
The pool spreads out to form an elongated rectangle until it seems to disappear down the terraced jungle hillside.

11. The St. Regis, Lhasa, Tibet

St Regis LhasaThere's extravagant, and there's gold-plated extravagant. Tibet may be associated with monks and spirituality, but its newest resort boasts a gold-plated pool. It’s situated in The Iridium Room, designed for spiritual wellbeing in a new hotel built at 3,657 meters on the roof of the world.
Guests who feel too dazzled by the opulence of the materials can nip out to the adjacent meditation garden to recover their chi.

12. Skye, São Paolo, Brazil

Hotel UniqueUnique by name ...Bizarrely named for the windswept Scottish island, Skye is actually the spectacular crimson rooftop pool of Hotel Unique, a luxury boutique hotel built in the gravity-defying shape of an inverted arc.
With no other high buildings within a one-kilometer radius, it enjoys panoramic views, and its expansive deck is transformed into a cocktail venue by night.

13. The Cambrian, Switzerland

The Cambrian 
All you need's a mug of mulled wine. The heated outdoor pool at this design hotel in the Swiss alps gives bathers the sensation of swimming straight into the surrounding snow-capped mountains.
As well as the restorative view, it is equipped with a bubbling massage bed and soothing jets to soothe the muscles of skiers after a hard day on the slopes.

14. The Park Hyderabad, India

The Park Hyderabad 
A royal color for a regal experience. This startlingly modern hotel in the city of ancient Muslim royalty boasts a pool intended to give a sense of swimming into a 3-D movie, with its infinity edge overlooking Hussian Saggar Lake.
The violet hue matches the furniture in a hotel which uses the regal color all over the place -- appropriately for a royal city.

15. Hearst Castle, California, United States

Hearst Castle 
The fact that you're not allowed to jump in makes it even more tempting. The newspaper magnate who inspired "Citizen Kane," William Randolph Hearst, built two spectacular Roman-inspired pools at his fairytale castle in the hills. Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable and other legendary figures have splashed in the outdoor Neptune Pool, where a special ramp was installed to allow easy access for the pet dachshund of Hearst’s lover, Marion Davies.
Today the pool is a highlight of tours around the property -- though swimming is not allowed.