Beijing’s Haunted Mansion: Chinese Shun Expensive Beijing Property for Fear of Ghosts
The beautiful three-story French Baroque-style house at Chaonei No. 81 is a well-known anomaly of Beijing. Small courtyard properties in this area of China’s capital city sell for millions of dollars, and yet this once lavish mansion lies in a state of decay. The reason no one will go near it? Fear of ghosts and death. […]
Man Spends $65,000 on Macabre World Tour of Celebrity Graves
For most people, an ideal holiday involves gorgeous natural surroundings, famous landmarks and fun activities, but for 38-year-old Mark Dabbs the perfect vacation is all about visiting celebrity graves. So far he has spent around £40,000 ($65,000) traveling across six continents and visiting the final resting places of over 200 famous people. From the grave of […]
No Bottles or Plates Allowed at Ukraine’s Unique Jar Bar
The Jar Bar, in Kiev, Ukraine, is the only place in the world where every item on the menu is served in glass pickle jars. To make sure patrons understand the concept, there’s even a sign on the door that shows bottles, glasses, bowls, cups and any other kind of dishes are strictly forbidden. Although there […]
Smog-Covered Hong Kong Installs Clear Skyline Banners for Vacation Photos
Hong Kong has one of the world’s most stunning skylines. The problem is it’s becoming barely visible behind the dense curtain of smog that has engulfed several of the city’s districts, and even harder to capture in vacation photos. Unable to fix the air pollution problem, tourism authorities have instead decided to install clear skyline […]
Former Monk Has Spent the Last 50 Years Building a Giant Junk Cathedral in the Name of God
Justo Gallego Martinez, an 86-year-old farmer from Spain, has spent the last 50 years of his life single-handedly building a large cathedral in a suburb of Madrid, without any architectural knowledge or construction experience. Considering the sheer size of Justo Gallego’s junk cathedral, almost 40 meters (131 feet) tall, with its large dome and spires towering […]
The Game of Gostra – Running Up a Greasy Wooden Pole in Malta
Every year, on the afternoon of the last Sunday in August, brave young men from all over Malta compete in the traditional game of “gostra”, trying to run all the way to the top of a long greasy pole and snatch one of the three prizes. Dating back to the Middle Ages, the game of […]
Man Builds 12,000 Square-Foot Castle in the Middle of a Florida Swamp
When he moved from New York to Florida over 40 years ago, Howard Solomon took the saying “A man’s home is his castle” quite literally. The artist once known as “The DaVinci of Debris” spent a total of 12 years building a three-storey castle by hand, in the middle of a swamp. Solomon began working […]
Martial Arts Enthusiasts Practice Impossible “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” Kung Fu Moves at Chinese Resort
Remember those awesome action sequences from the movies like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, where kung fu masters would float through the air, skim on water and do battle through tall bamboo trees? A Chinese resort is now giving martial arts enthusiast the chance to perform these impossible feats themselves with the help of special effects […]
Solo Per Due – World’s Smallest Restaurant Only Seats Two People at a Time
If you’re searching for the most private restaurant dining experience possible, look no further than Solo Per Due, a small ristorante in Vacone, Italy, that only features one table and two chairs. Aptly named “Solo Per Due”, Italian for “just for two”, the world’s smallest restaurant only accepts two people at a time. This unique […]
Indonesian Villagers Beat Each Other with Rattan Brooms in the Name of Brotherhood and Friendship
Every year, a week after the end of Ramadan, the Indonesian villages of Morella and Mamala hold Pukul Sapu, a unique ritual that has men from the two villages beating each other across their bare backs with rattan broomsticks. There’s nothing like a good beating to strengthen the bond between members of a community, at according to […]
Scala di Santa Maria del Monte – Probably the World’s Most Beautifully Decorated Staircase
Located in the Sicilian town of Caltagirone, La Scala di Santa Maria del Monte is an old 142-step staircase, each of which are decorated with a different ceramic pattern. It’s a wonder to behold, but during the Spring and Summer seasons it becomes even more breathtaking as locals adorn it with potted flowers and lanterns, […]
Chinese Get Their Feet Wet at Chongqing’s Unique River Restaurant
Aptly named the River Cafe, one restaurant in Chongqing, southern China, has come up with an ingenious way of attracting clients. Taking advantage of a nearby stream, the owners have set up dozens of tables straight on the water, offering patrons a cool escape from the unbearable heat. With summer temperatures reaching over 40 degrees […]
Paradise Lost – England’s Deceptively Inviting Blue Lagoon Is Now Black
It was known as England’s Blue Lagoon and its tranquil turquoise waters really did resemble those of an exotic watery paradise, but the popular swimming spot located near Buxton, was actually a flooded former quarry and its alluring contents were almost as toxic as bleach. That didn’t seem to bother people who came here from all […]
Danza de los Zancos – The Whirling Stilt Dancers of Anguiano
Walking on stilts is a daunting task for most people, but for the skilled “danzatores” of Anguiano, Spain, it’s a regular walk in the park. During the annual Danza de los Zancos celebration they take to the streets on wooden stilts measuring some 50 centimeters, and spin rapidly down the town’s steepest alleyways. They risk breaking […]
The Ultimate Thrill Ride – Dangling on the Edge of a Canyon in a Pneumatic Swing
Located on the edge of a canyon, 1,300 feet above the Colorado River, the Giant Canyon Swing at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is definitely not your playground swing set. But if you’re an adrenaline junky this might very well be your dream come true. Glenwood Springs is a small Colorado town famous for its wide variety of family-oriented […]