Spots & Exotics

Lhasa

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 12:50:00 +0000

southwest of Lhasa

Lhasa, which means "Land of the Gods", is the heart of Tibet. Over 1,300 years old, it sits in a valley right next to the Lhasa River. Tourist resources are plenty, good hotels, tasty restaurants, travel agencies, Chinese department stores and supermarkets, in some parts of the city, you may find no difference to other Chinese cities, but the Tibetan influence is still strong and evident, especially around the old quarters near Barkhor.
The Eastern end of Lhasa is more prominently traditional Tibetan, focusing on the area around the Jokhang and the Barkhor. Traditionally dressed Tibetans engaged on a kora (a clockwise journey around the Jokhang, the major Buddhist shrine), often spinning prayer wheels are a common sight in that area. The Western end of Lhasa is more Han in character (i.e. Han Chinese from the east of the country). It is busy and modern, and many ways a surprise to many tourists. It is there one finds most of the infrastructure, such as banks and contact with officialdom.
It is strictly enforced that non-Chinese nationals are required to obtain a special permit to visit Tibet and hire a tour guide every day they stay in Tibet. Individual permits are almost impossible to obtain for average tourists, group permits (at least 5 persons of the same nationality (July 2012) are easier. (July 2012: Some agencies in Kathmandu are able to obtain a permit for 4 persons of the same nationality. Cost for a 8 day Jeep tour from Kathmandu to Lhasa ~650USD pP + Visa + Flight or Train)
It is possible to visit Lhasa on 3-7 day tours from Kathmandu, Nepal, but there have been reports of tours that do not allow enough time for visitors to adjust to the dramatic altitude change resulting in some travelers suffering from altitude sickness being left along the way (without any refund, of course). You can choose from the options fly-in and fly-out, drive-in and fly-out, etc. Fly-in and fly-out comes at a small extra cost and offers the most comfort and safety.
Chinese Standard Time (Beijing) is used in Tibet, which is 8 hours ahead (+) of GMT and 2 hours 15 minutes ahead of Nepal.

The Jokhang Temple (Tsuglagkhang) - constructed in the 7th century AD to house the statues of Buddha that princesses Bhrikuti from Nepal and Wen Cheng from Tang Dynasty China brought as gifts for their future husband, King Songtsan Gampo. The temple has been enlarged many times over the centuries and now also houses statues of King Songtsan Gambo and his two famous foreign brides. However, the original statue of Jowo Sakyamuni Buddha that Princess Wen Cheng brought from Chang’an over 1300 years ago is definitely its most sacred and famous possession, and is perhaps the most venerated religious artifact in all of Tibet. The temple, a splendid four-floor building facing west under a guilded rooftop, is on Barkhor Square in the center of the old section of Lhasa.
The Potala Palace (Podrang Potala) - A stronghold probably existed on Red Hill as early as the 7th century AD when King Songtsen Gampo built a fortress on it for his two foreign wives. The palace was rebuilt by the Fifth Dalai Lama in three years, while the Thirteenth Dalai Lama extended and repaired it into what it is now. It became winter palace in 1755 when the Seventh Dalai Lama made the Norbulinka into a summer residence. With over 1 000 rooms, the Potala contained the living quarters of the Dalai Lamas while they lived, and their sumptuous golden tombs when they died. As the religious and political centre of old Tibet and the winter residence of Dalai Lamas, the palace witnessed the life of the Dalai Lamas and the important political and religious activities in the past centuries. Potala Palace also houses great amounts of rare cultural relics including the gold hand-written Buddhist scriptures, valuable gifts from the Chinese emperors and a lot of priceless antiques. Admission ¥100. Guided palace tours generally include one hour inside the palace; allow at least that much time to walk up and down the many steps leading up to and from the palace. The palace is 14 stories tall and any visit involves climbing a lot of stairs up/down. Make sure you are fully acclimated before visiting.
The Potala was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994, the Jokhang Temple Monastery in 2000 and the Norbulingka Summer Palace in 2001.
The Norbulingka Summer Palace - located about 1km south of the Potala Palace - The Seventh Dalai Lama constructed the first summer palace in 1755 and each successive ruler added his own buildings. Norbulingka is now undergoing complete restoration. Presently, the complex contains a small zoo, botanical gardens, and a mansion. There is a small entrance fee.
The Barkhor Street market a circular street around the Jokhang Temple in the center of the old section of Lhasa, it is the oldest street in a very traditional style in Tibet, where you can enjoy bargaining with the local Tibetan vendors for the handicrafts which are rare to be seen elsewhere in the world. Barkhor Street is one of the most important religious paths along which pilgrims walk around Jokhang Temple while turning prayer wheels in their hands through centuries. Buddhist pilgrims walk or progress by body-lengths along the street clockwise every day into deep night.
Drepung Monastery was founded in 1416 by a disciple of Tsong Khapa, was the biggest and richest monastery in Tibet and its lamas helped to train each new young Dalai Lama. Drepung was also home to the Nechung, the state oracle. At its height, Drepung had over 10 000 monks, and governed 700 subsidiary monasteries and owned vast estates. Drepung belongs to the Gelupa sect.
Sera Monastery was founded in 1419 by one of Tsong Khapa’s (the founder of the Gelupa sect) eight disciples. It became famous for its tantric teachings, while Drepung drew fame from its governing role. Sera was smaller than Drepung, with 7,000 monks, but was very rich and comparable in power. The monks of Sera were considered clever and dangerous.

Tibet Museum Minzulu Road, Lhasa. Admission ¥25. Elaborate museum with artifacts reflecting the entire history of Tibet. Ask for a free audio tour in your language at the entrance. Predictably, the museum presents a very Chinese view of the "Peaceful Liberation" of Tibet, but the museum is worth a visit.

Do not wear a hat inside the Jokhang, Potala or other sacred sites. Please no short pants or tank tops. When visiting shrines it is customary to leave a small money offering, especially where you do not have to buy a ticket!
Circumambulate stupas and other sacred objects in a clock-wise direction.
Do not climb onto statues, mani stones or other sacred objects.
Avoid eating garlic before visiting a temple. Tibetans find the garlic breath in a temple disrespectful.

Photography is NOT allowed inside the Potala Palace. You can take photos in the Jokhang temple. Some monasteries will allow photography upon payment of a small donation or fee. Monks begging will often allow a photograph after you make a small contribution. When in doubt, ask before snapping your camera.

Lefkada Island, Greece.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 May 2013 11:33:00 +0000

Lefkada is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of Greece, connected to the mainland by a long causeway and floating bridge. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Lefkada. It is situated on the northern part of the island, approximately 20 minutes by automobile away from Aktion National Airport. The island is part of the regional unit of Lefkada.

20 km south of Nidri is the resort of Vasiliki, a windsurfing center. There are ferries to Kefalonia and Ithaca from Vasiliki. South of Vasiliki is Cape Lefkada, where the Greek female poet Sappho allegedly leapt to her death from the 30 m high cliffs.

The famous beach of Porto Katsiki is located on Lefkada's west coast. Lefkada was attached to mainland Greece
. The Corinthians dug a trench in the 7th century BC on its isthmus.

GRIZZLY ROBOTIC UTILITY VEHICLE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:32:00 +0000

It doesn't much matter what the job is — if it can be done via robot, it can probably be done with the Grizzly Robotic Utility Vehicle ($TBA). This rugged machine features an articulated front axle and 26" ATV tires for conquering uneven terrain, a modular interface for connecting a wide range of implements, a flat surface area of over one square meter and a payload capacity of 600 kg or well over half a ton. It also boasts a secure storage area for sensitive objects, vehicle-wide Ethernet and USB, and support for the Robot Operating System so you can program it to do pretty much anything you want.

Heeremas-Aegir:

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:27:00 +0000

The AEGIR is Heerema’s latest deepwater construction vessel (DCV), which will be capable of executing complex infrastructure and pipeline projects in ultra deep water and will also have sufficient lifting capacity to install fixed platforms in relatively shallow water

Volvo rolls out new R-Design versions of S60, XC60 and new V60

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:18:00 +0000

Volvo has put together R-Design packages for its newly facelifted S60, V60 and XC60 models, and for those who want more bark to go with them, there's a power upgrade for the S60 and V60 courtesy of Polestar performance. The aesthetics start with new front and rear fascias, the grille going frameless and Tech Matte Black with a silk metal diagonal bar, the back end getting a finned diffuser and round R-Design tailpipes. On top of that, the S60 and V60 are lowered 15 millimeters and can be fitted with 19-inch versions of the company's Ixion wheel pattern.

The R-Design sport chassis stiffens things up, items like the rear dampers getting 20-percent stiffer while front bushings get a whopping 400-percent stiffer. Inside there's a black headliner, perforated leather mixed with nubuck and contrasting stitching on the sport seats, or a full leather option for those who love their cow, and the Adaptive Digital Display gets a blue hue when set to the Elegance appearance theme

A 1.5C Temperature Rise Would Set Off Siberia's Permafrost Carbon Bomb, Scientists Warn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:17:00 +0000

Researchers led by experts from Oxford University warn that a 1.5C temperature rise would melt Siberia’s permafrost, which would in turn release hundreds of gigatonnes of stored carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. Covering nearly a quarter of the northern hemisphere, this ticking carbon bomb would speed up global warming and cause widespread climate change. However, it would likely take a few decades for the permafrost to melt and therefore greenhouse gas emissions would initially trickle into the atmosphere. The researchers studied stalactites and stalagmites in Siberia that formed hundreds of thousands of years ago when temperatures rose. By cutting into the icy structures, the scientists were able to determine when their growth accelerated and slowed; they then compared this information to climate conditions at the time. Based on these measurements, they determined that the 400,000 year old cave formations in a far northern cave grew when temperatures were 1.5C higher than they were prior to the industrial revolution. But in places where there was only a 0.5-1.0C temperature rise, no such formations occurred, suggesting that 1.5C is “a tipping point,”.

“I would expect to see continuous permafrost start to thaw along the boundaries at this threshold of 1.5C [in future],” Anton Vaks, lead researcher from Oxford University. This melting and subsequent climate change would have a resounding impact on the surrounding environment, Vaks continued. Arid areas, including the Gobi Desert, could become much wetter, but more research must be done to establish the rate at which these changes are expected to occur.

Get lost in a stunning 320-gigapixel image of London

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:15:00 +0000

How well do you know the landmarks of London? Get up close and personal with a stunning 320-gigapixel image of the city captured atop the BT Tower.
Snapped by panorama experts 360Cities, the epic photography endeavor required the use of four Canon 7D dSLR cameras outfitted with some heavy-duty equipment.
Each camera used an EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, Extender EF 2x III teleconverter, and a Rodeon VR Head ST robotic panorama head. After shooting 48,640 individual pictures over the course of three days (shortly after the 2012 Olympics), 360Cities spent the next several months assembling and stitching together the final gargantuan image.

If printed out on paper, the 320-gigapixel super shot would stretch out 323 feet wide and stand 77 feet tall -- nearly the same size as Buckingham Palace. I wonder how much that frame would cost.

Hobbiton, Shire, New Zealand.This is the location where famous Hollywood trilogy Lord of the Rings was filmed.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 02:22:00 +0000

The Shire is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, described in The Lord of the Rings and other works. The Shire refers to an area settled exclusively by Hobbits and largely removed from the goings-on in the rest of Middle-earth. It is located in the northwest of the continent, in the large region of Eriador and the Kingdom of Arnor. Its name in Westron was Sûza "Shire" or Sûzat "The Shire". Its name in Sindarin was i Drann.

According to Tolkien, the Shire measured 40 leagues (193 km, 120 miles) from the Far Downs in the west to the Brandywine Bridge in the east, and 50 leagues (241 km, 150 miles) from the northern moors to the marshes in the south. This is confirmed in an essay by Tolkien on translating The Lord of the Rings, where he describes the Shire as having an area of 18,000 square miles (47,000 km²).
The original territory of the Shire was bounded on the east by the Baranduin River, on the north by uplands rising to the old centre of Arnor, on the west by the White Downs, and on the south by marshland south of the River Shirebourne. After the original settlement, hobbits also expanded to the east into Buckland between the Baranduin and the Old Forest, and (much later) to the west into the Westmarch between the White Downs and the Tower Hills.
The Shire was originally divided into four Farthings. The outlying lands of Buckland and the Westmarch were formally added after the War of the Ring. Within the Farthings there are some smaller unofficial clan homelands: the Tooks nearly all live in or near Tuckborough in Tookland, for instance. A Hobbit surname often indicates where the family came from: Samwise Gamgee's last name derives from Gamwich, where the family originated. Buckland was named for the Oldbucks (later called the Brandybucks).
The Shire is described as a small but beautiful and fruitful land, beloved by its inhabitants. The Hobbits had an extensive agricultural system in the Shire but were not industrialised. The landscape included small pockets of forest (again similar to the English countryside). Various supplies were produced in the Shire, including cereals, fruit, wood and pipe-weed.

Hobbiton is a village along a stream locally known as The Water, a short distance west of Bywater. There are no stables, inns, or pubs in the town, the nearest of which are found in Bywater. The neighbourhood to the north, The Hill, is divided into Underhill on the south and Overhill on the north; The Hill Road runs north from Bagshot Lane and continues onward to Overhill.
On the north bank of the Water in Hobbiton was "The Mill", with a large water-wheel and a yard behind it. Sandyman the Miller owned the Mill and operated it with the help of his son Ted Sandyman. Lotho Sackville-Baggins had the Old Mill knocked down and the New Mill built in its place. The New Mill was an ugly red-brick building with a tall chimney. It was bigger than the Old Mill and full of wheels and strange contraptions to increase production. The New Mill straddled the Water and poured pollutants into the stream. It was operated by Men, and Ted Sandyman stayed on to help them. When Saruman came to the Shire in September 3019, the Mill was no longer used for grinding grain but for some industrial purpose; and loud noises, smoke, and filth issued from it. After Saruman was killed and the Chief's Men defeated at the Battle of Bywater, the New Mill was removed

Elevador da Bica, Lisbon, Portugal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:38:00 +0000

The Bica Funicular is a funicular in Lisbon, Portugal, that forms the connection between the Calçada do Combro/Rua do Loreto and the Rua de S. Paulo. It is operated by Carris.
The Bica funicular was opened on 28 June, 1892. It climbs the Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo for 245 metres from the Rua S. Paulo. The lower station of this funicular railroad is almost hidden behind a facade on the Rua de S. Paulo with the inscription "Ascensor da Bica". It was constructed by Raoul Mesnier de Ponsard and opened to the public in 1892.In 2002 it was designated a National Monument.

Spots & Exotics: Phugtal Monastery,Ladakh,India

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:06:00 +0000

Spots & Exotics: Phugtal Monastery,Ladakh,India: Phugtal Monastery or Phugtal Gompa (often transliterated as Phuktal ) is a monastery in south-eastern Zanskar, Ladakh in northern India...

Lake Huron

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:48:00 +0000

Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the easterly portion of Lake Michigan–Huron, having the same surface elevation as its westerly counterpart, to which it is connected by the wide Straits of Mackinac. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States. The name of the lake is derived from early French explorers who named it for the Huron people inhabiting the region. The huronian glaciation was named due to evidence collected from Lake Huron region.

By surface area, Lake Huron is the second-largest of the Great Lakes, with a surface area of 23,000 square miles (59,600 km²) making it the third-largest fresh water lake on Earth (and the fourth-largest lake, if the Caspian Sea is counted as a lake). By volume however, Lake Huron is only the third largest of the Great Lakes, being surpassed by Lake Michigan in this aspect. When measured at the Low Water Datum, the lake contains a volume of 850 cubic miles (3,540 km³) and a shoreline length (including islands) of 3,827 miles (6,157 km).
The surface of Lake Huron is 577 feet (176 m) above sea level. The lake's average depth is 195 feet (59 m), while the maximum depth is 750 feet (229 m).It has a length of 206 miles (332 km) and a greatest breadth of 183 miles (295 km).
Important cities on Lake Huron include: Goderich, Sarnia, Bay City, Alpena, Rogers City, Cheboygan, St. Ignace, and Port Huron.
A large bay that protrudes northeast from Lake Huron into Ontario, Canada is called Georgian Bay. A notable feature of the lake is Manitoulin Island, which separates the North Channel and Georgian Bay from Lake Huron's main body of water. It is the world's largest freshwater island.A smaller bay that protrudes southwest from Lake Huron into the state of Michigan, U.S.A. is called Saginaw Bay.

Drowned ship in lake Huron

More than a thousand wrecks have been recorded in Lake Huron. These purportedly include the first European vessel to sail the Great Lakes, Le Griffon built in 1679 on the eastern shore of Lake Erie, near Buffalo, New York, Sieur de la Salle navigated across Lake Erie, up the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River out into Lake Huron. Passing the Straits of Mackinac, La Salle and the Griffon made landfall on Washington Island, off the tip of the Door Peninsula on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan. Here, La Salle filled the Griffon with pelts and in late November 1679 sent the Griffon back to the site of modern day Buffalo, never to be seen again.
Two wrecks have been identified as the Griffon, although neither has gained final verification as the actual wreck. Blown by a fierce storm after leaving, the Griffon ran aground before the storm. The people of Manitoulin Island say that the wreck in Mississagi Straits at the western tip of the island is that of the Griffon. Meanwhile, others near Tobermory say that the wreck on Russell Island, 150 miles further east in Georgian Bay is that of the Griffin

Kauai, Hawaii

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:36:00 +0000

Kauaʻi or Kauai , known as Tauaʻi in the ancient Kauaʻi dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km²), it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States.Known also as the "Garden Isle", Kauaʻi lies 105 miles (169 km) across the Kauaʻi Channel, northwest of Oʻahu. This island is the site of Waimea Canyon State Park.
The United States Census Bureau defines Kauaʻi as Census Tracts 401 through 409 of Kauaʻi County, Hawaiʻi, which is all of the county except for the islands of Kaʻula, Lehua, and Niʻihau. The 2010 census population of Kauaʻi (the island) was 67,091, with the largest town by population being Kapaʻa.

Kauaʻi's origins are volcanic, the island having been formed by the passage of the Pacific plate over the Hawaii hotspot. At approximately six million years old, it is the oldest of the main islands. The highest peak on this mountainous island is Kawaikini at 5,243 feet (1,598 m).
The second highest peak is Mount Waiʻaleʻale near the center of the island, 5,148 feet (1,569 m) above sea level. One of the wettest spots on earth, with an annual average rainfall of 460 inches (1,200 cm), is located on the east side of Mount Waiʻaleʻale. The high annual rainfall has eroded deep valleys in the central mountains, carving out canyons with many scenic waterfalls. On the west side of the island, Waimea town is located at the mouth of the Waimea River, whose flow formed Waimea Canyon, one of the world's most scenic canyons, and which is part of Waimea Canyon State Park. At 3,000 feet (914 m) deep, Waimea Canyon is often referred to as "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific". Kokeo Point lies on the south side of the island. The Na Pali Coast is a center for recreation in a wild setting, including kayaking past the beaches, or hiking on the trail along the coastal cliffs.

This Futuristic Building Design Comes from Zaha Hadid Architect

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:36:00 +0000

This futuristic building design is a complex of apartments, offices and leisure facilities proposed for an abandoned site in Belgrade, Serbia. The lot is only 500 meters from the city’s center, but is currently abandoned and unused. The design covers an area of 94,000 square meters and is called Beko Masterplan.

The Beko Masterplan will feature a five-star hotel, a congress center, galleries and stores. There will also be an underground parking lot. The main attraction of this futuristic building is the aesthetic design itself. It’s the kind of design that makes you stand back and say “we’ve officially reached ‘the future.’”

“The masterplan follows the region’s strong Modernist traditions and has applied new concepts and methods that examine and organize the programs of the site; defining a composition of buildings with the elegance of coherence that addresses the complexity of twenty-first century living patterns,” said Zaha Hadid.

The world's largest wind farm is coming!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:31:00 +0000

Officials have unveiled plans to build the largest wind farm in the world. It will be built 10 miles off the coast of Fukushima.

Ever since the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan has been looking for new sources of energy to replace its nuclear reactors. This is no easy task, not only because nuclear power provided a significant fraction of the country's electricity, but also because if you just replace nuclear by fossil fuel power plants, you are trading one problem for another. Clean energy is the ideal substitute despite many challenges, but Japan is forging ahead!

Penitentes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:33:00 +0000

These strange snow formations are called penitentes (or nieves penitentes). The tall, thin spikes are typically blade-shaped and can be found at high altitudes above 13,000 feet and are made of hardened snow or ice. The blades usually are oriented toward the sun.

It takes rather precise climatic conditions to produce penitentes.

In 2006, researchers were able to create penitentes in the lab, a first. The American Physical Society reports, "After some false starts, the apparatus that worked was a large horizontal freezer with a clear Plexiglas top. The team cooled the air by sending it through liquid nitrogen and also controlled humidity. They shined a flood lamp onto a block of snow or ice in the freezer and produced one- to five-centimeter

-tall spikes on the block within a few hours."

"Understanding their growth may give researchers insight into the process of glacier “evaporation” and may shed light on similarly-shaped micro-spikes that appear in materials like those in solar-powered energy cells," states the researchers. It may also help them in understanding how to preserve glaciers in a warming world.

HARLEY XL1200 BY CRD

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Cafe Racer Dreams have made a name for themselves with classy Triumph and Honda customs. They’ve resisted the lure of Milwaukee so far, but as with most builders, there comes a time when you need to look at the Harley-Davidson Sportster.

The Harley brand is strong in Spain, but most customs are of the fringed leather variety. So CRD main man Pedro García decided to try a different approach, and at the same time, get the bike to corner well—by fitting 17” wheels. The result is CRD #21, nicknamed “The Stroke.” The base bike is a 2008 XL1200, but it’s now running a tank from Storz Performance. The seat is custom-made, and fitted onto a modified rear frame. Storz supplied the pipes too, with breathing enhanced on the inlet side by K&N filters. The suspension has been upgraded with Öhlins components and the controls and brakes are from Performance Machine. The headlight is now relocated well below the line of the bars, which sport LSL controls, and the foot controls are from Tarozzi. A complete repaint, including hand-lettering, finishes the job. The XL1200 now looks much more compact and muscular, with a nose-down visual stance and more focus on the engine. Is this the sort of Sportster that Harley themselves should be making, do you think?

Adastra Superyacht

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:07:00 +0000

Described by Boat International as "one of the world's most amazing super yachts, that could spell the future for efficient long range cruising", the striking 42.5m Trimaran Adastra has recently been launched in China for Hong Kong clients Anto and Elaine Marden.

"Adastra" is the result of meticulous attention to detail and innovative design to build a yacht that meets the needs of a very experienced ocean voyaging couple and their family, and to provide the level of comfort and style that would be expected in a yacht of this class and size. No effort has been spared in the challenge to produce a beautiful yacht that will have exceptionally low fuel consumption and yet provide excellent sea keeping qualities and luxurious accommodation. "Adastra" takes the power trimaran concept further than has ever been attempted before, previous vessels like "Earthrace" and "Cable and Wireless" were stripped out record breaking machines. The challenge of turning this concept into a viable luxury yacht has led us to further research and to develop new thinking on stability and comfort at sea for this type of craft. Extensive tank testing and radio controlled model tests in waves have been carried out to analyse stability and performance. Outrigger height has been optimised for ease of motion at sea, and a new outrigger shape has been developed to increase stability in waves. We have undertaken a state of the art structural analysis of all the major components in the yacht in order to achieve the light weight required for very low fuel consumption. All this has resulted in the exceptional vessel that was launched in China in April 2012.

Adastra's 16 metre beam creates a spacious saloon area on the main deck which offers superb views through a panoramic window and accommodates a lounge area, dining table and navigation station. A forward facing door through the saloon window gives easy access to a large sunbed on the foredeck. The aft deck has a sofa and bar area to port and a dining area to starboard, further aft of this there is space for a 4.9 metre tender and directly below is a garage which can store a 3.1 metre tender. The garage door has been designed to fold out and create a large dive platform. Extra space has been created below deck by slightly flaring the central hull just above the waterline. This area has been split into two sections with a full-width master cabin located aft with access from the deck saloon, and two further guest cabins, accommodation for the crew, and the galley located forward of the engine compartment. Adastra offers comfortable accommodation for nine guests and up to six crew members. The main helm station, which has seating for two, is positioned in a raised pilot house situated between the aft deck and the saloon area and forms part of the cross beam structure.

Extensive structural analysis of all parts of the yacht has been carried out, initially by White Young and Green and later by ASTA. This was the only viable way to analyse a shape and structure as complex as this. Simulations of loadings from side slamming, wave impact, and torsional effects of the outrigger riding through waves, were all applied to the computer model. The superstructure is carbon fibre with Nomex honeycomb core, the hull is glass/kevlar foam sandwich and the interior is light weight oak cabinetry using honeycomb panels. To help reduce weight, virtually every aspect of the boat is custom built. This includes carbon fibre hatches, portlights, ladders and even hinges, which are all built specifically for the vessel.

The anchoring system is unique with three anchors all driven by carbon fibre drum winches run by hydraulics. The primary anchor is a custom 130kg Bruce style anchor that deploys out of the starboard wing. The second anchor is 80kg and deploys out of the bow with a carbon fibre arm. The third anchor is 60kg which deploys out of the port wing and will be used as a stern anchor.

Urban forest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 05:52:00 +0000

Urban forest, is a high commercial high-rise tower by MAD architects located in Chongqing, a major city in founder Yansong Ma’s home country of China. The proposal reiterate MAD’s design approach of syncing architecture with nature.
Aesthetically evocative on the mountainous landscape of the country, is made up of curved, abstracted shaped floors which have been layered slightly off-center from one another. Each level is afforded unaltered panoramic city views by the floor-to-ceiling glass, connected by a core cylindrical structure, which additionally conceals the core structure to deep within the space, each level’s interior is protected by full length glass windows with a see-through, wrap around balcony. As light enters the Urban Forest, it not only illuminates the spaces, but also becomes their visual structure, which provides transparency throughout the building, and makes the floors almost seem as if they are floating on top of one another. The extended floor plates form balconies which are infused with vegetation, courtyards, pools, and trees that serve as a connecting node for the urban form and environment, but the overall design brings together nature and the urban metropolis, with the incorporation of green space and large expansive views of the city.

Credits:
Architects: MAD Ltd
Location: Chongqing, China
Typology: Commercial, Office, Hotel
Site Area: 7,700 sqm
Building Area: 216,000 sqm
Building Height: 385 m
Structural Design: ARUP Group Ltd

Superyacht Adastra

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 05:50:00 +0000

One of the world's most amazing super yachts, that could spell the future for efficient long range cruising"
Boat International.The Adastra is so hi-tech that you can even control it with your Apple iPad within a 50 metre range.Its range is 4,000 miles, enough to go from the UK to New York in a single trip without refueling. With a length of 42m, it has a maximum speed of 22.5 knots, weighs in at 52 tonnes and has the capacity to host nine guests with room for up to six crew members. With her shiny body and smooth curves, this 17.55€-million superyacht is a real wealth symbol. Extensive structural analysis of all parts of the yacht has been carried out, initially by White Young and Green and later by ASTA. This was the only viable way to analyse a shape and structure as complex as this. Simulations of loadings from side slamming, wave impact, and torsional effects of the outrigger riding through waves, were all applied to the computer model.

Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal Football Club

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:56:00 +0000

Ashburton Grove, known for sponsorship reasons as the Emirates Stadium or simply The Emirates, is an association football stadium located in Islington, North London, England. It is the current home of Arsenal Football Club. At a capacity of 60,361, the Emirates is the third-largest football stadium in England after Wembley and Old Trafford and fourth-largest in the United Kingdom.
In 1997, Arsenal started exploring the possibility of relocating to a new stadium, having been denied planning permission by Islington Council to expand its then home ground of Highbury. After considering various options, the club settled on purchasing an industrial and waste disposal estate in Ashburton Grove and submitted their planning brief to the public in 2000. In spite of opposition to the move by local residents and club shareholders, Arsenal succeeded in winning the council's approval to which manager Arsène Wenger later described as being the "biggest decision in Arsenal's history" since the board opted to bring Herbert Chapman to the club in 1925.Estate relocation work began in August 2002 and commenced four months later. Financing for the stadium proved difficult, resulting in the club delaying work until February 2004. Emirates Airline was later announced as the main sponsor for the stadium in October 2004 and work reached completion in July 2006 at a cost of £390 million.
The stadium has undergone a process of 'Arsenalisation' beginning in August 2009, with the aim of restoring the club's heritage and history. The ground has frequently hosted music concerts and several international fixtures featuring the Brazil national football team.

In August 2009, Arsenal began a programme of 'Arsenalisation' of the Emirates Stadium after listening to feedback from supporters in a forum. The intention was to turn the stadium into a "visible stronghold of all things Arsenal through a variety of artistic and creative means", led by club CEO Ivan Gazidis.
Among the first changes were white seats installed in the pattern of the club's trademark cannon, located in the lower level stands opposite the entrance tunnel. "The Spirit of Highbury" – a shrine depicting every player to have played for Arsenal during its 93-year residence – was erected in late 2009 outside the stadium at the south end. Eight large murals on the exterior of the stadium were installed, each depicting four Arsenal legends linking arms, such that the effect of the completed design is 32 legends in a huddle embracing the stadium
Around the lower concourse of the stadium, further murals depicting 12 "greatest moments" in Arsenal history voted for by a poll on the club's website.Prior to the start of the 2010–11 season, Arsenal renamed the coloured seating quadrants of the ground as the East Stand, West Stand, North Bank, and Clock End.Akin to Highbury, this involved the installation of a clock above the newly renamed Clock End which was unveiled in a league match against Blackpool.
In April 2011, Arsenal renamed two bridges near the stadium in honour of club directors Ken Friar and Danny Fiszman. As part of the club's 125 anniversary celebrations in December 2011, Arsenal unveiled three statues of former captain Tony Adams, record goalscorer Thierry Henry and manager Herbert Chapman outside of the stadium.
The highest attendance for an Arsenal match at Emirates Stadium as of 2012 is 60,961, for a 2–2 draw with Manchester United on 3 November 2007. The average attendance for competitive first-team fixtures in the stadium's first season, 2006–07, was 59,837, with a Premier League average attendance of 60,045.The lowest attendance for an Arsenal match at Emirates Stadium as of 2012 is 46,539 against Shrewsbury Town in the Football League Cup third round on 20 September 2011, where Arsenal won 3–1.

Iguazu-falls, Brazil

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:48:00 +0000

Iguazu Falls, Iguazú Falls, Iguassu Falls or Iguaçu Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of Brazilian state Paraná and Argentine province Misiones. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu. The Iguazu River rises near the city of Curitiba. It flows through Brazil for most of its course. Below its confluence with the San Antonio River, the Iguazu River forms the boundary between Argentina and Brazil.

The name "Iguazu" comes from the Guarani or Tupi words "y" , meaning "water", and "ûasú "[waˈsu], meaning "big". Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In rage, the god sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall. The first European to find the falls was the Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541.
There are two international airports close to Iguazú Falls: the Argentine Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport (IGR) and the Brazilian Foz do Iguaçu International Airport (IGU). Argentina's airport is 25 kilometres (16 mi) from the city of Iguazu but closer to the Falls hotels than its Brazilian counterpart. There is bus and taxi service from and to the Airport-Falls. Brazil's airport is between Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil and the falls. LAN Airlines and Aerolíneas Argentinas have direct flights from Buenos Aires to Iguazu International Airport Krause. Several Brazilian airlines, such as TAM Airlines, GOL, Azul, WebJet, offer service from the main Brazilian cities to Foz do Iguaçu.
Iguazu Falls experiences a subtropical climate with abundant precipitation and high temperatures year-round.

A look on Pienza

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:40:00 +0000

Pienza, a town and comune in the province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany (central Italy), between the towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, is the "touchstone of Renaissance urbanism."
In 1996, UNESCO declared the town a World Heritage Site, and in 2004 the entire valley, the Val d'Orcia, was included on the list of UNESCO's World Cultural Landscapes.
Pienza was rebuilt from a village called Corsignano, which was the birthplace (1405) of Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini , a Renaissance humanist born into an exiled Sienese family, who later became Pope Pius II. Once he became Pope, Piccolomini had the entire village rebuilt as an ideal Renaissance town. Intended as a retreat from Rome, it represents the first application of humanist urban planning concepts, creating an impetus for planning that was adopted in other Italian towns and cities and eventually spread to other European centers.

The rebuilding was done by Florentine architect Bernardo Gambarelli (known as Bernardo Rossellino) who may have worked with the humanist and architect Leon Battista Alberti, though there are no documents to prove it for sure. Alberti was in the employ of the Papal Curia at the time and served as an advisor to Pius. Construction started about 1459. Pope Pius II consecrated the Duomo on August 29, 1462, during his long summer visit. He included a detailed description of the structures in his Commentaries, written during the last two years of his life.

Lichtenstein Castle, Honau, Germany

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:34:00 +0000

Lichtenstein Castle is situated on a cliff located near Honau on the Swabian Alb, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Historically, there has been a castle on the site since around 1200. It was twice destroyed, once in the Reichskrieg's War of 1311 and again by the city-state of Reutlingen in 1381. The castle was not reconstructed and subsequently fell to ruin.
In 1802, the land came into the hands of King Frederick I of Württemberg, who built a hunting lodge there. By 1837, the land had passed to his nephew Duke Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, who, inspired by Wilhelm Hauff's novel Lichtenstein , added the current castle in 1840–42. The romantic Neo-Gothic design of the castle was created by the architect Carl Alexander Heideloff.
Today, the castle is still owned by the Dukes of Urach, but is open to visitors. The castle contains a large collection of historic weapons and armour.

Montserrat, Catalonia- Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:31:00 +0000

Montserrat is a multi-peaked mountain located near the city of Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. It is part of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range. The main peaks are Sant Jeroni (1,236 m), Montgrós (1,120 m) and Miranda de les Agulles (903 m). The mountain is the namesake for the Caribbean island of Montserrat.
It is well known as the site of the Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat, which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary and which is identified by some with the location of the Holy Grail in Arthurian myth.

"Montserrat" literally means "saw (serrated, like the common handsaw) mountain" in Catalan. It describes its peculiar aspect with multitude of rock formations which are visible from a great distance. The mountain is composed of strikingly pink conglomerate, a form of sedimentary rock. Montserrat is Spain's first National Park.
The Benedictine Abbey can be reached by road, by the Aeri de Montserrat cable car, or by the Montserrat Rack Railway. The lower stations of both the rack railway and the cable car can be reached by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya train from Barcelona's Plaça d'Espanya station. From the abbey, the Funicular de Sant Joan funicular railway goes up to the top of the mountain, where there are various abandoned hovels in the cliff faces that were previously the abodes of reclusive monks, whilst the Funicular de Santa Cova descends to a shrine.
The highest summit of Montserrat is called Sant Jeroni (Saint Jerome) and stands at 1,236 meters (4,055 feet) above sea-level. It is accessible by hiking trails which connect from the top entrance to the Sant Joan funicular, the monastery, or the base of the mountain.
The Cavall Bernat (1 111 m) is an important rock feature popular with climbers.

Lotus Flower ArtScience Museum in Singapore, architect Moshe Safdie

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:23:00 +0000

ArtScience Museum is one of the attractions at Marina Bay Sands, an integrated resort in Singapore owned by the US Las Vegas Sands company. Opened on 17 February 2011 by Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, it is the world's first ArtScience museum.
Although it has a permanent exhibition, ArtScience Gallery, the ArtScience Museum mainly hosts touring exhibitions curated by other museums.
The architecture is said be a form reminiscent of a lotus flower. It is designed by the architect Moshe Safdie.

Referred to as "The Welcoming Hand of Singapore" by Las Vegas Sands chairman Sheldon Adelson, the ArtScience Museum is anchored by a round base in the middle, with ten extensions referred to as "fingers". The design concept for each finger denotes various gallery spaces sporting skylights at the "fingertips" which are included as sustainable illumination for the curved interior walls.