Yakutsk � The Coldest City in The World

Photo � Link

Yakutsk, a remote city in Eastern Siberia along the Lena River, is the coldest city in the world. Located 1840 km away from Irkoustk and 5000 km away from Moscow, this city founded in 1632 by the Cossacks imposes upon its inhabitants an extreme way of life. And yet, despite particularly harsh conditions, Yakutsk boasts a population of 270,000, or a quarter of the entire population of Siberia. No other place on the planet experiences the temperature extreme found here: in winter, the temperatures regularly fall to minus 40� (the coldest temperature recorded was �64�C) and in summer often reaches temperatures above 30�C. Photos: January 2013. A scene in Yakutsk, Siberia, the coldest city in the world. 19 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Wood Bridge In Netherland

Commissioned by the Province of Friesland, Oak (Onix and Achterbosch Architecture) has developed a road bridge that connects 2 districts of Sneek on either side of the A7 motorway. The bridge was designed for a municipality that wished to establish a new city marker along the motorway. Framework The Department of Public Works, the user of the bridge, stated that it wished to use more wood in its constructions.

We regarded it as important to elaborate the wooden bridge in such a way that it would be both recognizable and new to Sneek. The contours call to mind the traditional cheese-cover farmhouses of Friesland; the construction evokes reminiscences of the building expertise that it still abundantly present in the old city; the wooden beams reflect the shipbuilding industry, with Sneek as the water recreation city par excellence in the North Netherlands. All these aspects led to the first uncovered wooden bridge in the heaviest load class. This bridge is not only a novelty for the Netherlands but also for countries such as Canada, Norway and Switzerland where the covered bridge is a well-known feature. The bridge consists of Accoya wood, an acetylated type of wood that has been produced in a factory in Arnhem for around one year now. The acetylation of wood is a process that makes wood almost imperishable. The design of the bridge is a fusion of infrastructure, construction, art and architecture. As a component of the renewed A7 motorway, the wooden bridge was envisaged at two positions. 13 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

10 Most Unusual Parks in the World

Nature - The best artist, but sometimes it interferes with the idea man, and because such an alliance appear surprising places. We offer you a selection of the most unusual parks in the world.

Park Buddhas � Laos

Photo � Link

The park was started in 1958 by Luang Pu (Venerable Grandfather) Bunleua Sulilat. Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat was a priest-shaman who integrated Hinduism and Buddhism. His unique perspective was influenced by a Hindu rishi under whom he studied in Vietnam. After the revolution in 1975, anxious about the repercussions of the rule of Pathet Lao, he fled from Laos to Thailand where he built another sculpture park, Sala Keoku in Nong Khai. Both parks are located right next to the Thai-Lao border (Mekong river), only a few kilometers apart from each other, and the tallest structures of the Buddha Park can actually be seen from the Thai side of Mekong.

The statues are made of reinforced concrete and are ornate, and sometimes bizarre, in design. The statues appear to be centuries old, though they are not. There are sculptures of humans, gods, animals, and demons. There are numerous sculptures of Buddha, characters of Buddhist beliefs like Avalokitesvara, and characters of Hindu lore, including Shiva, Vishnu, and Arjuna. These sculptures were presumably cast by unskilled workers under the supervision of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat. One notable sculpture resembles a giant pumpkin. It has three stories representing three levels - Hell, Earth and Heaven. Visitors can enter through an opening which is a mouth of a 3-metre-tall demon head (9.8 ft) and climb staircases from hell to heaven. Each story contains sculptures depicting the level. At the top, there is a vantage point where the entire park is visible. Another sculpture, an enormous 120-metre-long (390 ft) reclining Buddha, is also a park attraction. Text � Via... 09 more after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Terrace Unkai � A Magical Place Above the Clouds

Located in Japan�s Tomamu Resort, on the island of Hokkaido, the Unkai Terrace is a unique scenic spot perched high atop a mountain peak that is often above the clouds, offering tourists breathtaking views of the white, fluffy sea beneath them.

The �unkai� (sea of clouds) phenomenon has been attracting tourists to the resort town on Tomamu for years. The natural hot springs in the area and the differences in temperature during the few hours when night turns into day determine the formation of an immaculate white blanket of clouds over the mountainous region, but only a few people had the chance to see the unique effect from above, until a gondola system was put in place. It takes early-bird tourists up the mountain to the Unkai Terrace, right above the sea of clouds, where they can watch the sunrise, take photos of the Hidaka and Tokachi mountain peaks as they pierce the fluffy fog and enjoy a refreshing cup of coffee or a bowl of soup. Although the gondola fare is pretty expensive (around $20), the view from Unkai Terrace is definitely worth every yen. 12 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Native American Portraits By Kirby Sattler

The work of Kirby Sattler is fueled by an inherent interest in the Indigenous Peoples of the Earth. His current images evolve from the history, ceremony, mythology, and spirituality of the Native American. 07 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

World Different Faces of Female

FaceResearch.org, a site run by two psychologists at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, features software that can average together faces from thousands of photos. These images purportedly show the average face of women from 40 different nationalities. 09 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

140 Years of Levi Strauss & Co. Created Levi's Jeans

We all love to wear and jeans. This is one of the most diverse and fashionable clothing that is unlikely to ever go out of style. Jeans can be worn anywhere � at barbecues, a night club, a walk with the dog �. And we all know the name of one of the most popular companies in the world for the sale of jeans � well, this post is dedicated to the legendary jeans Levi�s, who were born in the distant 1853. 14 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Zaha Hadid's Sleek Metro Station in Saudia Arabia

World renowned architect Zaha Hadid has just won a competition to design the new metro station for Saudia Arabia's capital city Riyadh. The city's population has doubled since 1990 and is now home to more than 5 million people. Due to this large influx of citizens, the city has now started planning a brand new metro system to better aid them in their day to day life.

Located in the King Abdullah Financial District, Hadid architect's proposal is a four story building that will feature six train platforms, two levels of underground parking, and even access to the cities pre-existing monorail line by use of a sky bridge. Much thought has been given into diminishing congestion by using a series of pedestrian walkways that run throughout the building without interfering with commuters and travelers.

Other design aspects of this project are the undulating waves featured on the walls and roof that are meant to symbolize Saudia Arabia's rolling desert dunes and give the building its unique fluid look. The structure's woven latice facade is designed to allow natural light to enter the interior of the station without causing a harsh glare. The estimated completion date of this project is 2017 and is sure to be an iconic landmark for the city of Riyadh. 05 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Striking Situation

Striking Situation, 29 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

The Miami Sun By Visiondivision

Another proposal for the much talked about competition for the new landmark at the Bayfront Park in Miami and this time proposal comes from visiondivision practice. Their design captures the soul of Miami as well as giving the city a fresh and innovative icon that would boost Miami's architectural legacy. Here comes the Miami Sun by visiondivision's group.

From the Architects:

Background � Miami is located in the Sunshine State of Florida and is a city that is blessed with a tropical climate and great weather almost all year around, making it a major tourist destination and a popular place to retire. The city of Miami that we know of today is a reclaimed city in many ways. The land where most of the downtown area is, used to be a part of the Everglades wetland, but was drained to create land opportunities. A major part of the city was also created by landfill with the dredging of Biscayne Bay. The majority of Miami Beach is mainly created in this way and this is also the case for the many islands that lies between Miami Beach and the downtown area, such as the port of Miami for example, which is the base for the enormous cruise ships that has their embarkation point from this area. These ships are own little islands in themselves and Miami is the number one cruise port in the world. The tradition of creating new spaces from water leads to a pretty unsentimental and interesting approach to landscaping as well as architecture. The Bayfront Park which is the setting for this new proposed landmark was also created in this traditional way to free new spaces, in this case by setting up a retaining wall and pumping out sea water. 08 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Hungry Planet � What the World Eats?

Germany, Bargteheide

The Melander family spends around $568 per week.

Peter Menzel and Faith D�Aluision traveled the world exploring how the eating habits differ from country to country and presented their results in a photo album, called Hungry Planet: What the World Eats. The wife and husband�s team visited 24 different countries and 30 families to photograph them at home, at the market, and surrounded by their weekly food supplies. Apart from being interesting and educative, the project brings up some social issues. The exposed weekly grocery list provides information not only about dietary habits, but also about health, economy, lifestyle, etc. It also clearly shows the division between the first world and the developing countries. Interestingly, less affluent families eat more nutritious food than those who could actually afford it. On the contrary, more economically stable families eat more processed food, while fresh products constitute just a small part of their diet. Come to think of it, how much does your family spend on food per week and what kind of food do you eat? 17 more after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Women vs Animals

Women usually like all the cute and fluffy creature, they always want to pet them... But these creatures can be not that cute. And this is what can happen, if you try to get along with them, 33 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

10 Cheapest Destinations Travel in 2013

Inflation is at an all time high and is really hurting middle class Americans. Hawaii and Mexico are more expensive than California, so where can we go this summer? Here you go lucky Loljam people, a list of the cheapest destinations of 2013. Travel on!

01. Turkey

"Turkey is on the rise, so the time for the best of the new at the price of the old is now. In the last decade, the country has grown its tourism infrastructure by 67 percent, and more recently it has emerged as a global airline hub. And those are just a few of the reasons we recently named Turkey one of our Destinations to Watch in 2013. For now, the dollar will still get you far in this country of ancient ruins, historic towns, and beckoning beaches." 09 more after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

15 Famous Quotes on Friendship

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Photograph by Dawn Ellner

Very cool compilation of quotes on friendship overlaid onto pictures. So many beautiful words about friendship were said. It is always interesting to know, what was friendship for such people like Muhammad Ali, Bob Marley, Oscar Wilde or Friedrich Nietzsche... 14 more after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Curious people try to stand behind the Plane � Video

Tweet

Ritemail Picdump � 90 Pics

Ritemail Picdump � 88 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Thousand Year Old Baobab Tree

Photo � Link

Spotted in the Ifaty reserve, north of Tulear in southwestern Madagascar (Lat: -23.15, Long: 43.62), is this incredible Baobab tree that is purportedly a thousand years old. Adansonia za, common name Baobab, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Adansonia belonging to the Bombacaceae family.

It�s a large thick-stemmed deciduous tree, about 10�40 meters (33�130 ft) high and about 6 meters (20 ft) in diameter. The trunk and branches have a brownish-rose colored hue. The tree is wide at the base and grows to a narrow point towards the top of the tree.

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

102-Year-Old Abandoned Ship is a Floating Forest

Photo � Link

The SS Ayrfield is one of many decommissioned ships in the Homebush Bay, just west of Sydney, but what separates it from the other stranded vessels is the incredible foliage that adorns the rusted hull. The beautiful spectacle, also referred to as The Floating Forest, adds a bit of life to the area, which happens to be a sort of ship graveyard.

Originally launched as the SS Corrimal, the massive 1,140-tonne steel beast was built in 1911 in the UK and registered in Sydney in 1912 as a steam collier which was later used to transport supplies to American troops stationed in the Pacific region during World War II. The ship went on to serve as a collier between Newcastle and Miller's terminal in Blackwattle Bay.

Eventually, in 1972, the SS Ayrfield was retired and sent to Homebush Bay which served as a ship-breaking yard. While many ships were taken apart, about four metallic bodies of vessels that are over 75 years old currently float in the bay, though none are enveloped by nature quite like the Ayrfield. The ship continues to attract visitors to its majestic presence, rich with mangrove trees. 05 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

What is the view of Other Planets Were as Close to Earth as the Moon

Distance of Moon From Earth in Sky

What if a celestial body like Jupiter, the biggest planet in our solar system, was as close to the Earth as our moon? Would it fill the night sky? Illustrator and author Ron Miller[www.black-cat-studios.com] sought to answer the question using the reference photograph above.

It�s important to note that this is strictly a visual exercise. If a planet like Jupiter were actually as close to Earth as the Moon, its immense gravitation would wreak havoc on our planet. So for the gallery below, please temporarily suspend your disbelief and just imagine how amazing it would be to see a planet like Saturn in such incredible detail.

For reference, the Moon is about 386,243 km (240,000 miles) from Earth and has a diameter of approximately 3,476 km (2,160 miles). The Earth�s diameter is 12,742 km (7,918 miles) 05 more Planet after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

A Touching Lover Story

10th Grade:-

As I sat there in English class, I stared at the girl next to me. She was my so called �best friend�. I stared at her long, silky hair, and wished she was mine. But she didn�t notice me like that, and I knew it. After class, she walked up to me and asked me for the notes she had missed the day before. I handed them to her.

She said �thanks� and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don�t want to be just friends, I love her but I�m just too shy, and I don�t know why.

Read more after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Steep Stairs illusion � Video

Tweet

Guess Who?

Guess who? 05 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Katrina Kaif Photoshoot for L'officiel

Katrina Kaif Stunning Photoshoot For L�Official India 2013. Katrina Kaif emphasizes on the front of L'Officiel Magazine's Indian release for the month of April 2013. She looks beautiful in the 11th anniversary issue phtoshoot. Katrina kaif is the most popular women in the world. she says, she will wins the hearts of public all arround the work. 05 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Ritemail Picdump

Ritemail Picdump, 59 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Fountain Sprays Water Look Like a Boat

Photo � Link

Can imagine this is fountain sprays water to look like a boat, At first, the image above looks like a boat, one that is caught in a soaking surge of water, but it is in fact a cleverly designed fountain sprinkling water out of its man-made pores. Located at Playa de la Malvarrosa in Valencia, Spain and known simply as Water Boat Fountain (or Fuente del Barco de Agua in Spanish) by visitors and locals alike, the sculptural fountain creates the illusion of both the hull and the sail of a boat with liquid jets. One is left baffled by its simple design mimicking the appearance of a sailboat with nothing more than a few rods spraying fine streams of water.

A variety of similar designs of the structure are said to be situated around the world, including one in Portugal and one in Israel, though this one in Spain appears to gain the most attention from foreign visitors. The brilliant attraction invites visitors to take in its surreal appearance, which adds a lively playfulness to the environment. 11 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Shruthi Hassan � Maxim Magazine Photoshoot

Maxim magazine got its prominence for photo shoots of famous actresses and here is the turn of Shruti hassan. Her makeup is minimal and she has tried to give a natural look to all her poses. 10 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Recycling of Old Shoes in Africa

What will these old shoes become after the recycling? Take a look, 04 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

A Few Intriguing Facts about Britain

18 more Intriguing Facts about Britain after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

The World's Biggest Megacities

20. Buenos Aires

Urban area: 13.5 million people

City: 2.9 million people

According to the 2012 edition of Demographia's World Urban Areas index, the capital of Argentina is the second largest urban area in South America after Sao Paulo. Its per capita income is among the highest in Latin America and its quality of life is ranked number one in the region, although some estimates say that 4 million people in the area live in poverty. It is also reportedly the most visited city in Latin America.

Urban Detail � Buenos Aires is known for its European style architecture and culture, a legacy of the Spanish and Italian origins of most of the population. It has the highest concentration of theatres in Latin America and is the birthplace of Tango music and dance. (Source: Reuters) 19 more after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Scientist Generates Electricity from Foods

Back to Light is a creatively scientific series by photographer Caleb Charland that explores the naturally electrifying power of ordinary objects like fruits and loose change. The images in the series features a number of materials, including consumables readily found in one's pantry, generating enough power to light lamps and LED lights.

The ongoing photo project, which began in 2010, was initially inspired by the powerful simplicity of the potato battery. The science enthusiast explains, "By inserting a galvanized nail into one side of a potato and a copper wire in the other side a small electrical current is generated. The zinc coating on the nail gives off electrons due to the electrolyte environment within the potato. These electrons then travel along the copper wire providing the electrical voltage to illuminate a small light emitting diode. The utter simplicity of this electrical phenomenon is endlessly fascinating for me."

Orange Battery

Additionally, Charland reflects on his own project by saying: "This work speaks to a common curiosity we all have for how the world works as well as a global concern for the future of earth�s energy sources. My hope is that these photographs function as micro utopias by suggesting and illustrating the endless possibilities of alternative and sustainable energy production."

Charland tells us that he hopes to expand his project this summer by making "little hydro electric generators and installing them in the landscape." Until then, the photographer is showing a selection of his works at Schneider Gallery in Chicago and has a solo show coming up at Gallery Kayafas in Boston from May 17th through June 7th. 11 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Celebrity Photoshop Bobbleheads

Imgur user samuelorsaumell has developed a series of photo manipulations under the apt title Celebrity Photoshop Bobbleheads that features some of today's most prominent stars as disproportionate people with abnormally giant heads. Like a set of wobbly-headed figurines that furnish many desks, these re-imagined celebrities are cartoonish in their warped proportions yet oddly believable due to the artist's skilled abilities.

From leading ladies like Emma Watson and Jennifer Lawrence to scene-stealing men like Will Ferrell and Michael C. Hall, the series presents a fully rounded collection of unnaturally large famous faces on comparably small bodies. The digital artist shared these life-size bobblehead images on reddit where it was met with a flood of attention and praise for his clean craftsmanship. 13 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Effort and Experience � Story

Wow. This one cuts deep.

One young man went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the initial interview, and now would meet the director for the final interview.

The director discovered from his CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent. He asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "no".

" Was it your father who paid for your school fees?"

"My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.� he replied.

Read more...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Guess Who?

A very famous man is the father of this cute girl. I think you will be very surprised to see the answer, 12 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

�Pont de Signe� Bridge Held by Three Big Helium Balloons

French artist Olivier Grosset�te used three enormous helium balloons to float a rope bridge over a lake in Tatton Park, a historic estate in north-west England. Oliver Grosset�te created Pont de Singe, which means "monkey bridge", for the Tatton Park Biennial, which this year was themed around flight. Located in the park's Japanese garden, the structure comprised a long rope bridge made of cedar wood held aloft by three helium-filled balloons. The ends of the bridge were left to trail in the water. Though visitors weren't allowed to use the bridge, it would theoretically be strong enough to hold the weight of a person, according to Grosset�te. 08 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Streets of France by OakOak

OakOak is a street artist from Saint-�tienne, France, whose playful diversions bring smiles to those who come across his work. The Outsiders Gallery sums up his style nicely:

Pen-pusher by day, street art superhero by night, Saint-�tienne sensation OakOak�s hilarious, imaginative, irreverent and sometimes a little macabre street work has filled column inches from BBC Brazil to Beijing�s biggest daily newspaper� Daubing simple graffiti and paintings on urban features � often the broken ones � OakOak does what street art does best, amuse and inspire people of all ages and demographics by appropriating the city�s less appealing elements.

OakOak is a street artist, but he is not a fine artist painting in public. His work, either on the streets of his native St Etienne, France, or made on his travels, is opportunistic and never �authorised�. He is completely untrained in art and works full-time in an office. Whilst his favourite artist is Amedeo Modigliani, he cites his main influences as football, comic books, video games and his home town. �I like this city, her atmosphere� OakOak says of Saint-�tienne �and I wanted it to look nicer. It was an industrial city with many coal mines; now it�s in regeneration and still quite poor. But it�s easily travelled by foot with awkward aspects ideal for art. I saw shapes everywhere, and wanted to realise them.� 20 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Alia Bhatt Latest Photoshoot Stills

Alia Bhatt Latest Photoshoot Stills, 21 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

25 Similar Movies Released Around the Same Year

01. Olympus Has Fallen | White House Down � 2013

Have you ever noticed two seemingly identical movies being released at the same time and wondered why Hollywood studios would do such a thing? While you may have first chalked it up to mere coincidence, a quick scroll through the list below suggests otherwise.

Earlier this week, Redditor CircadianHour compiled a list of �twin movies�. As to why? Another commenter (tossedsaladandscram) suggests that competing studios often own similar movie scripts and if one studio gets wind that another is making a movie that is similar to a script they own they may try to make it and put it out earlier or around the same time.

A secondary reason, suggested by Ducksaucenem, implies the benefits of shared marketing and buzz, especially if Studio B has a smaller budget. Interestingly, this could be why studios prefer to buy exclusive rights to comics and graphic novels, so other studios can�t replicate the storyline.

Coincidence or not, below is a list of strangely similar movies released around the same time. Any suggestions for additional �twin movies� please let me know in the comments! 24 more after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Thousand Temples of Bagan � Myanmar

Photo � Link

Bagan located on the banks of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River, in the Mandalay Region of Burma, lies the ancient city of Bagan. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, and the political, economic and cultural nerve center of the Pagan Empire. During the kingdom's height between the 11th and 13th centuries, the wealthy Pagan rulers commissioned thousands of temples to be built in the Bagan plains. It is estimated that over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries once stood on this 100 square km plain in central Myanmar, of which the remains of over 2200 temples and pagodas still survive to the present day.

Bagan became a central powerbase in the mid 9th century under King Anawratha, who unified Burma under Theravada Buddhism. Over the course of 250 years, Bagan's rulers and their wealthy subjects constructed over 10,000 religious monuments in the Bagan plains. The prosperous city grew in size and grandeur, and became a cosmopolitan center for religious and secular studies. Monks and scholars from as far as India, Ceylon as well as the Khmer Empire came to Bagan to study prosody, phonology, grammar, astrology, alchemy, medicine, and law. 19 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Ghosts of War � WWII Photos on to Modern Street Scenes

�Cherbourg, avenue de Paris, ancient Poste de Police, jardin Public.�

History is often seen as a subject of cramming � what we often don�t appreciate, is how intertwined it is with our present. Dutch historian Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse tries to demonstrate that very literally with her Ghosts of War photo series, where she blends the present day and the original World War II pictures of the same place into one. Jo spends hours looking for the locations and taking pictures that match the originals, and then photoshops them to combine the war ghosts into the current settings.

�I try to make people realise that history is all around us. That where you live, work or go to school, once people fought, died or simply experienced a different kind of life. We are history, history is us,� � she says.

16 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

World Tallest Fountain � King Fahd's Fountain

Photo � Link

King Fahd's Fountain, also known as the Jeddah Fountain, is the tallest of its type of fountain in the world. Located in the coast of Jeddah, west coast of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The fountain jets water 1,024 feet (312 m) above the Red Sea. It was donated to the city of Jeddah by King Fahd, hence its name. The fountain is visible throughout the entire vicinity of Jeddah. The water it ejects can reach a speed of 375 kilometres (233 mi) per hour and its airborne mass can exceed 18 tons. It was constructed between 1980 and 1983 and began operating in 1985. The fountain uses saltwater taken from the Red Sea instead of freshwater. It uses over 500 spotlights to illuminate the fountain at night. 19 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Cool Control on Soccer Ball � Video

Tweet

Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou � Morocco

Located in the foothills on the southern slopes of the High Atlas in the Province of Ouarzazate, the site of Ait-Ben-Haddou is the most famous ksar in the Ounila Valley. The Ksar of A�t-Ben-Haddou is a striking example of southern Moroccan architecture.

Photo � Link

The ksar is a mainly collective grouping of dwellings. Inside the defensive walls which are reinforced by angle towers and pierced with a baffle gate, houses crowd together - some modest, others resembling small urban castles with their high angle towers and upper sections decorated with motifs in clay brick - but there are also buildings and community areas. It is an extraordinary ensemble of buildings offering a complete panorama of pre-Saharan earthen construction techniques. The oldest constructions do not appear to be earlier than the 17th century, although their structure and technique were propagated from a very early period in the valleys of southern Morocco. The site was also one of the many trading posts on the commercial route linking ancient Sudan to Marrakesh by the Dra Valley and the Tizi-n'Telouet Pass. Architecturally, the living quarters form a compact grouping, closed and suspended. The community areas of the ksar include a mosque, a public square, grain threshing areas outside the ramparts, a fortification and a loft at the top of the village, an caravanserai, two cemeteries (Muslim and Jewish) and the Sanctuary of the Saint Sidi Ali or Amer. The Ksar of Ait- Ben-Haddou is a perfect synthesis of earthen architecture of the pre-Saharan regions of Morocco. 18 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Watercolors on the verge of Fantasy

Liu Yun Sheng �Child of the West�"

International Watercolor Society announced the results of its Third competition IWS 2012-2013. Traditionally, the competition, which was held in the Turkish town of Seferihisar their works were water colorist from around the world. This year, the Chinese have become triumphant, whose watercolors took the first three places. It seems that our neighbor to the east has created a pipeline for the production of watercolor artists at the level of state support - the quantity and quality of their work is amazing. In general, these air, light, 'live' watercolors are gorgeous and in technique and content, and it is difficult to imagine how hard it was for the jury to choose the winners. In this collection Ritemail represents the best of the winners and participants from viewing that you get the most aesthetically pleasing. 19 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Bar Refaeli Photoshoot for Fox Spring-Summer 2013

Bar Refaeli Photoshoot for Fox Spring-Summer 2013, 11 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

Four sisters and 36 years

1975

Back in 1975, American photographer Nicholas Nixon captured by his camera general portrait of the four sisters, among whom was his wife Bibi. From the moment the picture was to make an annual tradition. In total, the project eventually lasted exactly thirty-six years. At the time of the first shot, the youngest of the sisters, Mimi, was fifteen years old. And at the time of the last photo, the eldest sister, Bibi, was already 61. The series is called "Brown Sisters" These photos can not be considered highly artistic. However, the project itself is quite interesting to observe how the maturation. It was growing up, because women never get old ;) 35 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

The World's Tallest Bicycle

It's hard to believe, but someone came up with the idea to build the world's tallest bike. And this one was the designer Richie Trimble. In the stories have already been attempts to build the longest or the most eco-friendly bike, but until now no one and had no idea. The unique 4.5-meter-long bike was designed specifically for the annual event CicLAvia VI, which constantly collects in Los Angeles, a lot of people, especially cycling enthusiasts. 09 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet

3D Pencil Drawings Pop Out of the Page

20-year-old student of architecture department of Syria Muhammad Ejleh in their leisure time creates amazing three-dimensional drawings. His work is so skillfully executed that it's hard to believe that there is not used any photo manipulation. Using only a pencil and paper, Ejleh masterfully creates the impression of depth and texture in each image. On one picture can take up to 8 hours of operation. 12 more images after the break...

Continue Reading.......

Tweet