Cool Things In Random Places

Deep in the the Atacama desert in Chile emerges a giant sculpture of a hand. A popular photo spot for tourist visiting the Atacama. The hand was constructed at an altitude of 1,100 meters above sea level. The work has a base of iron and cement, and stands 11 meters tall. The sculpture was inaugurated on March 28, 1992. The sculpture is located about 70 kilometers to the south of Antofagasta, Chile. The artist behind Mano de Desierto, The Hand of the Desert is the Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal. 

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The Underwater Sculpture Park is the work of sculptor Jason Taylor from England, who has a passion for creating fantastic and unique pieces of work depicting Grenada’s colourful history and folklore and placing them underwater. All of the sculptures are in beautiful clear shallow water easily accessible by divers and snorkelers. The sculptures end up creating artificial reefs, and enhancing the marine environment.

The response from visitors diving the site has been reported as nothing short of amazement and fascination on the whole concept.

“the artist’s interventions promote hope and recovery, and underline our need to understand and protect the natural world.” continue reading…

The Door to Hell, is situated near the small town of Darvaz in Turkmenistan.  Thirty-five years ago, geologists were drilling for gas when then encountered a very large cavern underground filled with a poisonous gas.  They ignited the gas expecting it to burn off in a few hours.  The gas is still burning to this day. Its 60 meters in diameter and 20 meters depth have not been caused by volcanic activity or a meteorite impact.This crater was created sometime in the 50’s when the Soviets were prospecting for natural gas in this area and it’s been burning since then.

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Valencia, Spain
La Despertà the beginning of Fallas 2009 -The last Sunday in February boasts one amazingly loud display making this one of the most dramatic festivals in the world. Firecrackers in the hands of thousands of people 7:30 am on a Sunday morning. The aftermath is a cloud of smoke and ringing ears.

“The last Sunday in February is a huge, busy day in the city. Not all Sundays are like this. And in Valencia, the last Sunday in February manages to achieve the polar opposite. It’s 7:30 in the morning, and you’re on the streets, in the middle of World War III.

The Despertà is Valencia’s annual wake-up call for Fallas — the region’s most important festival and one of the biggest in the world. At 7am, thousands of people belonging to organized groups (Fallas Commissions) gather at Parterre Park (location) to collect their ammunition bags for an assault on the city’s sleeping populace. And at 7:30am sharp, all hell breaks loose.”
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Ivrea Carnival

The Battle of the Oranges, Ivrea, Italy
Italy stages its biggest food fight each  February in the Piedmont town of Ivrea, where thousands gather each year before Lent to re-enact a medieval battle by hurling oranges at each other. By the end of it the entire town is awash with Vitamin C.

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One of the world’s biggest holes is located in Russia.
The giant hole is actually a diamond mine in Eastern Siberia near the town Mirna. It is 525 meters deep and 1.25 km in the diameter. Mirna’s open pit diamond mine closed operations in 2004 after nearly 50 years. According to bizarre reports air traffic has been suspended due to the “suction above the hole” reporting of extreme downdrafts over the pit.

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Crocosaurus Cove ” Cage of Death” Not Really…

An Australian  theme park hopes to lure tourists into a “Cage of Death” for a close encounter with a 18ft crocodile.

Just 1.5″in of acrylic separates brave visitors from the jaws of “Choppa” – a feisty saltwater croc.

Top End tourists climb into a clear box before being lowered into “Choppa’s” lair.

They’ll then spend 15 minutes inside the 9 foot high cage and watch Choppa, who lost both front feet while fighting other crocodiles, trying to take a bite out of them.

One of the first people to climb into the Cage of Death, Jim Charles, told the Northern Territory News it was a scary experience.

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In Riga, Latvia, a truly cool and bizarre themed restaurant, accented with all things medical. Once you arrive at Hospitalis, patrons check in as patients, and are served by nurses, as doctors prepare the dishes. Doctors will also prepare your drinks in beakers and test tubes. continue reading…

The San Alfonso del Mar Resort at Algarrobo, on Chile ’s southern coast has a pool so large that resort guests use can use kayaks and small boats to get around. At over 1,000 yards long, covering more 20 acres, with an astounding  115-foot deep end, and holding 66 million gallons of water.  This lagoon was created by Crystal Lagoons. This pool is now also the deepest in the world trumping the Nemo 33 pool at 108 feet. continue reading…

It all Started in 1986 and was itheld the first weekend after Halloween, this event is the World Championship pumpkin-throwing contest. Approximately 100 competing teams construct and fire a variety of pumpkin-launching devices, including catapults, trebuchets, centrifugal machines and pneumatic air cannons. Currently, the longest distances have been in excess of 4,400 feet, fired from pneumatic air cannons. Each launcher gets the best of three shots, with duds (pumpkin pie in the sky) counting as zero feet. Launchers typically hurl white pumpkins because they can better withstand the forces of launch than the orange ones. Officials mark each chunk with a small, color coded flag. Other event higlights include a carnival area with amusement rides and food vendors and a cooking contest, where locals can enter their favorite pumpkin recipes. 

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