Oddity Central - Collecting Oddities » Travel

The Underwater Restaurant of the Red Sea

Spooky — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:00:46 +0000

The world’s first underwater restaurant and bar, the Red Sea Star Restaurant is still one of the most amazing places on Earth.

Located in Eliat, Israel’s southernmost city, the Red Sea Star was built in 1998, in an area that had become very dirty and polluted, due to illegal human activities. Designing and planning the underwater structure lasted 4 years, during which time, a coral nursery was created, to revive the beautiful underwater life that was once present in the area. The actual building lasted another 4 years.

Submerged six meters under the Red Sea, this underwater restaurant, bar and observatory features a marine-themed interior design and a large number of windows that allow visitors to check out the underwater paradise that surrounds them. The Red Sea Star is the world’s only night-time underwater observatory, using a soft light (specific colors and wave lengths) to reveal the natural habitat, without disturbing it.

The Key Sculpture of Prague

Spooky — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:32:31 +0000

Designed and built by Jili David, voted the most influential Czech artist of the last 20 years, this impressive work of art was unveiled on March 9, in the Franz Kafka Square of Prague.

Made using 85,741 metal keys, the sculpture symbolizes the 20 years that have passed since the Velvet Revolution. Keys were picked as the main theme because jangling keys were the symbol of pro-democratic rallies, organized by Vaclav Havel, in 1989.

The 6-meter-tall artistic construction spells the word “Revoluce” (Revolution) with the lower letters considerably distorted. There has been some controversy regarding Jili David’s key sculpture, because the work was commissioned by international telecommunications company, Vodafone, who also collected the keys. Money from an international company, for a national symbol raised some questions in the Czech Republic.

Above photos via Waymarking

Photo by EPA

Toy Travel Agency Sends Your Plush Toys on an Amazing Journey

Spooky — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:46:38 +0000

No time to travel? That’s no reason to kill the globetrotting mood for everybody. At least. give your favorite plush toy the chance to see one of the world’s greatest cities.

Toy Traveling, a new travel agency in the Czech Republic, has come up with an original plan to keep afloat in times of economical crisis. The owners of this unique company were inspired by the 2001 French hit movie, Amelie. Basically they offer people the chance to send their favorite toys on a memorable journey through Prague.

Your stuffed animal will get to see memorable sights like Prague Casle or Charles Bridge, and get his picture taken at all the major landmarks in the city. This is just the basic package, if you want your toy to really have a good time, you can pay extra for a massage, aromatherapy and even a picnic.

Prices start at 90 euro and go all the way to 150 euro, with all the extra services. It’s not cheap, but your plush toy will love you for it.

Above photos by REUTERS via Xinhua

Thamkrabok Monastery – World’s Toughest Rehab Clinic

Spooky — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:30:18 +0000

Although the names of those who get treated here are never revealed, Thamkrabok Monastery has had many famous patients, from moviestars to high ranking politicians.

Hidden away in a forest, 140 km north of Bankok, Thailand, the Buddhist Monastery of Thamkrabok takes in alcoholics and drug users from all over the world. Unlinke famous detox clinics like Betty Ford (California), or Priory (London), this Thai monastery doesn’t have paparazzi lurking around, and it’s a lot cheaper. One month at Betty Ford Clinic costs $23,000, while just one week at Priory amounts to 5,000 pounds. At Thamkrabok Monastery, all you need is $3 for food, because treatment and accomodations are supported by donations.

Photos by GETTY IMAGES

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The rehab treatment at Thamkrabok lasts 10 days, and only those who come of their own free will, are willing to follow all instructions, and are comitted to kicking their habit for good, are welcome. When they decide to go to Thamkrabok Monastery, patients must realize they are in for a rude awakening. No matter their social status or wealth, patients will have to sleep in a mass dormitory, wake up very early and take every medicine given by the monks.

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That might sound bearable, but most of the herbal treatments at Thamkrabok will have anyone puking out their insides, almost instantly. Apart from the black herbal pills, disgusting herbal drinks, and tons of herbal teas, addicts also have to sweat out their habit in herbal saunas.

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After the 10 day program is completed, patients have the option of staying a while longer, to meditate and do chores around the monastery. When they leave Thamkrabok, people must realize they will never get the chance to get treated again. If they leave, and they’re yet cured, they won’t be able to return.

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Above two photos by GETTY IMAGES via Telegraph.co.uk

The Mysterious Dancing Forest of Kaliningrad

Spooky — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:31:28 +0000

Located on the thin Curonian Spit that splits the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea, lies one of the strangest natural phenomena on Earth.

Known as the Dancing Forest by caretakers of Curonian Spit National Park and as the Drunken Forest, by locals, this unusual pine forest is made of trees of various shapes, most of them twisted in circles and spirals, along the ground.

According to tourists, the Dancing Forest looks more like a site near Chernobyl, with 20-year-old pines tied into natural knots and loops, like lumpy contortionists. A few years ago, the park manager invited students from local universities to conduct studies, and get to the bottom of the mystery.

Since then, several theories emerged, including one suggested by a psychic who said the forest is located on a spot where massive amounts of positive and negative energies collide. Others say the causes are geological, that it must have something to do with the unstable sandy soil. But the most widely accepted theory is that the Dancing Forest was manipulated by the powerful winds blowing in the area.

Whatever the reason, the Dancing Forest of Kaliningrad is definitely an interesting site, especially if you’re into strange natural phenomena.

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Cal Orko – The Dinosaur Wall of Bolivia

Spooky — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:01:48 +0000

A cement quarry near Sucre is home the world’s largest site of dinosaur tracks, known by the locals as Cal Orko.

More than 68 million years ago, thousands of dinosaurs flocked at Cal Orko (a lakeside in those times) in search of food and water. This explains the over 5,000 dinosaur tracks, laid in around 350 criss-cross trackways, on a crumbling wall. The most amazing thing about Cal Orko is it features footprints from 330 dinosaur species, from the Cretaceous, just before they went extinct.

The fascinating 70-degree rockface is a rather new discovery, found by Bolivian workers, in 1994. It stretches 1.5 kilometers in length and it’s 150 meters tall. Compared to other dinosaur track sites, on any other continent, Cal Orko is by far the biggest and most important.

Unfortunately, Cal Orko is in constant danger of crumbling and Bolivian authorities spend $30 million every year, to keep it in place. With all their efforts, part of the Dinosaur Wall has crumbled at the beginning of February, and with it about 300 footprints have been lost.

Photos via Fogonazos

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Cano Cristales – The Rainbow River

Spooky — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:03:45 +0000

Known as ‘The River of Five Colors” or “The Rainbow River”, Cano Cristales is one of the most amazing rivers of our world.

For the most part of a year, Cano Cristales river, in Colombia, is just an ordinary as any other flowing waters you might have seen. But for a brief period of time, it becomes the scene of a natural festival of colors. The special algae living on the river’s bed of rocks is behind this incredible natural phenomenon.

The river’s flow of water regulates the amount of sunlight reaching the algae, and during the rainy season, it keeps the sun’s rays from reaching the bottom. During the dry season, the water is too shallow to sustain river life, but between these two seasons, conditions are just right for the colors of Cano Cristales to come to life.

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During this time the entire river bed is covered in an array of colors, ranging from blue, to green and red, with countless of shades in between. It’s a pity this colorful miracle lasts only a few days, between the wet and dry seasons. But I guess that just makes it even more special.

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Unfortunately, or rather luckily, Cano Cristales is located in a remote area, near the town of La Macarena. The 20-meter-wide, 100-meter-long wonder river is only accessible by horse or mule and only a few travel agencies offer tours.

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The Relaxing Cat Cafes of Japan

Spooky — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:30:01 +0000

Cats are famous for their relaxing effect on people, but in a country like Japan, where space is an issue, having a pet is problematic. That’s when cat cafes come into play.

For a modest fee of between $5 and $8 Japanese animal lovers can enjoy their usual coffee surrounded by dozens of playful cats. Spending an hour in the company of cats can work wonders on the human mind, and when you’re as stressed as Japanese business-men, even more so. Many of them can’t fit a household pet into their busy schedules, so they opt for a relaxing one-hour break in the company of purring felines.

It might seem like an oddity to us, but ever since the first cat cafe opened in 2004, in Osaka, this sort of establishment has become mainstream in Japan. While you can pet the cats and pay with them, you must obey a very simple set of rules regarding hygiene. In order to prevent infection OF THE CATS, customers have to wear disposable socks and slippers, as well as wash their hands with antiseptic.

Above photos via ya-parazit

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The Phallic Monuments of Love Valley

Spooky — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:39:27 +0000

The appropriately-named Love Valley is a part of Cappadocia that features some rather excited exciting natural structures.

Before you ask, no this is not where the annual Phallic Festival is celebrated, it’s one of Turkey’s most interesting tourist destinations. Apart from its breathtaking beauty and one of the best trekking places in Asia, Love Valley is famous for hosting a relatively large number of literally rock hard…willies. That’s right, the eroded volcanic ash monuments resemble phalli proudly reaching for the sky.

Like the inspired dude who post this story on Neatorama said: “If God created Love Valley, he most likely did it when he was a school boy.” Brilliant!

via Trifter

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Animatronic Dinosaurs Invade London

Spooky — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:11:00 +0000

There must be something about Britain’s capital because after the invasion of the blue rubber duckies, it’s time for fierce dinosaurs to take over a part of the city.

Dinosaurs Unleashed is an animatronic dinosaur display that today opens its gates to the public. It is located on Oxford Street, a well-known shopping area of London turned dinosaur playground. 24 life-like dinosaur models (including stegosaurus, iguanadon, diplodocus or tyrannosaurus rex) will entertain visitors with their realistic movements and sounds. The largest dinosaur model on display is the 30-meters-tall Diplodocus, 3 times the length of an English double-decker bus

Just as impressive as the robotic dinosaurs is the incredible setting. Featuring marshland, forest and prehistoric plants that existed during the reign of the dinosaurs, it will take people 65 million years into the past.

Dinosaurs Unleashed will stay open starting from January 28 until April 30.

Above photos by PA via Daily Mail

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