April, 2011 Archives

Heaven aka Navajo Nation – Canyon de Chelly National Monument

April 27th, 2011 Permalink

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is located on the Navajo Nation and is about 84,000 acres of gorgeous land which has more than 4,000 years of human occupation. That makes this land one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes of North America. Canyon de Chelly has thousands of years of perserved culture like cliff dwelling architecture, artifacts, and rock art. The National Park Service and the Navajo Nation share resources and continue to work in partnership to manage this breathtakingly beautiful national monument. Canyon de Chelly National Monument is part one of Heaven aka the Navajo Nation. [50 Photos]
Magnificent Monument Valley is part two in the tribute to the Navajo Nation. Awe-inspiring Antelope Canyon (30 PICS) Navajo Nation Tribute Part 3

Canyon de Chelly, Navajo by Edward S. Curtis

Canyon de Chelly — Navajo. This awesome photo was taken in 1904. Seven riders on horseback and dog trek against background of canyon cliffs. It wasn’t until 1931 when President Hoover authorized the area as a national monument to preserve the important archeological resources that span more than 4,000 years of human occupation. The monument encompasses approximately 84,000 acres of lands located entirely on the Navajo Nation with roughly 40 families residing within the park boundaries. Photo #1 by Edward S. Curtis

More Photos

Power of the Storm: 44 Ferocious Waves Attacking Lighthouses

April 25th, 2011 Permalink

When you don’t live close to a coastline or a major body of water, seeing the waves when you visit is exciting. But there are times when the waves turn into churning monsters of nature that attack man-made objects like lighthouses. Those exciting huge waves are then terrifyingly ferocious. Yet some people are held spellbound by nature’s fury. And some are amazingly brave and talented photographers who capture that perfect split second to share with us. Lighthouses are found worldwide, marking dangerous coastlines and lighting the way to safe harbor. Can you imagine being inside a lighthouse while nature is doing her stormy best to chew it up and destroy it with punishing waves? In this collection of fantastic photos, it’s nature vs man-made lighthouses and landmarks. It’s a struggle; the power of the storm’s ferocious waves are attacking the architecture of man. Which do you think will win? We love these pics! [44 Photos]

Stormy weather and rough seas at Roker Lighthouse © Gail Johnson

The photographer described this awesome shot as, “Stormy weather and rough seas at Roker Lighthouse.” Photo #1 by © Gail Johnson

More Photos

Christ the Redeemer Statue – 1 of 7 New Wonders of the World (45 Inspiring Pics)

April 20th, 2011 Permalink

Christ the Redeemer is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. As such, the Cristo Redentor statue in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, is photographed by thousands each year. Christ the Redeemer statue speaks a bit differently to each photographer who captures the image as seen in their magnificent mind’s eye. Their talent, a blessing to be sure, has been collected here to celebrate Easter and Christ. We love these pics! [45 Pictures]

From Back - Christ the Redeemer overlooking Rio De Janeiro

It’s been said of Christo Redentor: “The statue of Christ the Redeemer, though majestic, is not the main attraction. What impresses most visitors is the breathtaking panoramic view. Almost every major city attractions can be enjoyed away from the top. The Sugar Loaf, the Guanabara Bay, the Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean are the points that stand out in the landscape” ~ Andre Sampaio. This photo is an example of that. Taken from the back – Christ the Redeemer overlooking a beautiful and panoramic Rio De Janeiro. Photo #1 by Artyominc

More Photos

Global Art Project Can Be Seen From Space! (21 Pics)

April 18th, 2011 Permalink

350 Earth is the world’s first art exhibit large enough to be seen from space! 350 EARTH is a global project to put art and creativity at the center of the growing movement to stop the climate crisis. 350.org launched the 350 EARTH project in November 2010 in the lead up to the UN Climate Meetings in Cancun, Mexico, coordinating over a dozen major public art pieces large enough to be seen from space. 350.org is building a global movement to solve the climate crisis. We love these pics and this project! [21 Pics]

Solar Scarab -- Cairo, Egypt

“Solar Scarab” by Sarah Rifaat — Cairo, Egypt. In Cairo, Egypt, hundreds of students formed the image of a traditional Scarab beetle, a traditional symbol of rebirth and regeneration that was often depicted on temple walls pushing the ball of the sun across the sky. Using the scarab and the sun in this art piece is both a reminder of the integral part the sun has always played in Egyptian history, and a call for re-examining our modern relationship to this most abundant source of clean energy. Photo #1 by Ahmed Hayman

More Photos

Freaky Fengdu Ghost City – WTF China?!? (34 Photos)

April 16th, 2011 Permalink

Most folks have seen some totally freaky things coming out of Japan, bizarre game shows or festivals, and people are like WTF Japan? Well how about WTF China??? Fengdu Ghost City: This place was once ancient temples, but now has become a tacky amusement park. Instead of Mickey Mouse and happy stuff, visitors move closer and closer until visiting Hell. WTF China?!? Fengdu, the “City of Ghosts,” is situated at the northern end of the Yangtze River. It attracts tourists from all over China to learn about Chinese ghost culture and the afterlife. Visitors are constantly reminded here that good is rewarded with good, and evil is rewarded with terrifying and torturous evil. [34 WTF Freaky Photos]

Fengdu Temple

Fengdu Ghost City is about 110 mile (170 kilometers) downstream from Chongqing Municipality on the north bank of the Yangtze River in the People’s Republic of China. Fengu Ghost City is a tourist attraction featured along a Yangtze cruise. Fengdu Ghost City is a place to learn about Chinese ghost culture, the afterlife, and to see what the Chinese would call a “model of hell.” Fengdu became known as Ghost City in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) when two Imperial court officials married and settled on Ming Mountain to practice Taoist teachings. The couples’ surnames combined, Yin and Wang, sounded like “King of Hell” in Chinese. They supposedly became immortals. Thus was born Fengdu City of Ghosts – the hell theme and ghosts culture stuck. This photo is of cool Ghost City architecture and a freaky scene on the roof. Photo #1 by Tennessee Wanderer

More Photos

Beautiful Tree Nymphs: Dazzling Red-Eyed Tree Frogs (16 PICS)

April 15th, 2011 Permalink

Although science fiction has not yet made a B-Grade cheesy movie where glowing red-eyed tree frogs become attacking vampire frogs, these stunningly colored frogs are famous for their ruby red peepers. Scientists believe the red-eyed tree frog developed its vivid scarlet eyes to shock predators and escape from being the prey in that instant of pause. Red-eyed tree frogs are iconic rain-forest amphibians and are often photographed for magazines to promote the cause of saving the world’s rain forests. [16 Photos]

Red Eyed Treefrogs

Red-eyed tree frogs are iconic rain-forest amphibians. They sleep during the day, hidden away, and stuck to the bottom of a leafs, keeping eyes closed and legs tucked in to cover body markings. This makes the little frogs almost invisible to other creatures that might be hunting for prey. There are scientists who believe these flamboyant frogs developed vivid ruby red eyes to shock predators for moment. That pause by predators can give the red-eyed tree a frog a chance to get away. This photo is of two bizarrely colored Red-Eyed Tree Frogs. Photo #1 by flickrfavorites

More Photos

Mind-Blowing Kaleidoscope of Colors at Painted Hills [50 Fantastic Pics]

April 8th, 2011 Permalink

The Painted Hills are nature’s eye candy in a kaleidoscope of colors. This truly unique scenic marvel is within the heavily eroded volcanic deposits of Oregon at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument Park. Entombed in the natural beauty are well-preserved plant and animal fossil records which span more than 40 of the 65 million years of the Cenozoic Era. Best of all is the mind-blowing and stunning beauty. Can you hear nature calling to you, adventurers? We love these pics! [50 Fantastic Photos!]

Painted Hills  - Oregon's John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a 14,000 acre National Park in Oregon that is divided into three widely separated units. The monument’s main headquarters is at the Cant Ranch Visitor Center in the Sheep Rock Unit. There is also the Clarno Unit and the Painted Hills Unit. This is a breathtaking example of Painted Hills. Photo #1 by Misserion

More Photos

Holy Rats! Karni Mata – Rat Temple (32 PICS)

April 6th, 2011 Permalink

Holy rats, rats rats! This isn’t Disney World and Mickey Mouse. In India, there is a temple filled with rats on purpose! It’s called Karni Mata, the Rat Temple, and these photographers were brave enough to get close to the rats so we don’t have to get any closer than these wild photos. At this temple, the rats are considered sacred and are protected. If you kill one, you must replace it with a rat made out of solid gold. [32 Photos]

rat temple - Karni Mata

Karni Mata, the Rat Temple, at Deshnoke, Rajasthan, India. Rats are inside the temple and crawling outside too. In fact, rats are everywhere at Karni Mata! Here, at the Rat Temple, rats are sacred and people consider themselves lucky to get close to hordes of rats. Photo #1 by Enric Bach

More Photos

Earth’s Bulls-Eye, the Eye of Africa, Landmark for Astronauts (14 PICS)

April 5th, 2011 Permalink

Since the beginning of space missions, the Earth’s bulls-eye caught the interest of astronauts in the otherwise featureless Sahara Desert. Over the years, it has become a landmark for astronauts. At first, the circular pattern was thought to have been a meteorite impact, but now the 31 mile wide bulls-eye, called the Richat Structure, is believed to be uplifted rock, a circular anticline, laid bare by erosion. Some people call this bulls-eye in the Sahara the “Eye of Africa.” [14 pics]

The Richat Structure, a prominent circular feature in the Sahara desert of Mauritania near Ouadane

This prominent circular feature, known as the Richat Structure, in the Sahara desert of Mauritania is often noted by astronauts because it forms a conspicuous 50-kilometer-wide (30-mile-wide) bull’s-eye on the otherwise rather featureless expanse of the desert. Initially mistaken for a possible impact crater, it is now known to be an eroded circular anticline (structural dome) of layered sedimentary rocks. Photo #1 by NASA/JPL/NIMA

More Photos