Tuesday, August 25, 2015

The Tunnel on the Beach of Dunedin

The Tunnel on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand, In the 1870's when John Cargill lost his youngest daughter during to a rip tide. So overpowered by the sables of her loss, John en-sphere from depression which he never recover. He decided to keep busy himself, with a time-consuming project, something that would honor his daughter and bring beauty to his pain, So he create something beautiful in memory of his youngest daughter. He decided to dig tunnel framed at a sandstone coastline south of Dunedin, New Zealand. It is easy to say Awesome creation but one grieving father show's his pain and just wanted to give his daughter something to smile about even though she was gone.

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Image credit David Overton

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Image credit Beijing1211

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Image credit Dunedin NZ

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Image credit gavinflickr

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Top of the tunnel leading to Tunnel Beach. Image credit David Overton

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Image credit kevin cagnon

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Image credit Gerhard Illig

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Image credit Katrina Koger

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Image credit Sam Kynman-Cole

Father dig tunnel in the memory of his youngest daughter on the Beach of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Image credit eyeintim

No Tie Policy

The Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse in Scottsdale, Arizona. Since 1957, The iconic restaurant, known for its thousands of ties hanging from the ceiling. Steeped in a tradition of “casual dining,” the interior of this fine establishment is home to the world’s largest neckties collection, created by the Pinnacle Peak Patio’s “No Necktie Policy,” which began with the original owner. This tradition has continued through the years with more than 1,000,000 neckties being cut off any diners who refused to take them off. The first diner to experience the consequences of not taking off his necktie insisted on having his tie stapled to the rafters for all to see. Pinnacle Peak Patio’s “No Necktie Policy” is simply one of the idiosyncrasies that locals love about the place.

The Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse, No Tie Policy
Image credit Ned Chiariello

The Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse, No Tie Policy
Image credit DebMomOf3

Image credit DebMomOf3

The Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse, No Tie Policy
Image credit DebMomOf3

The Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse, No Tie Policy
Image credit Jenni

The Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse, No Tie Policy
Image credit Byron & Lisa Wise

The Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse, No Tie Policy
Image credit DebMomOf3

The Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse, No Tie Policy
The policy is no ties allowed. those who wear one get it snipped off by a cowgirl. The is Tie permanently becomes the Patio's property along with thousands of other hanging from the rafters. Image credit William Bird

The Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse, No Tie Policy
Image credit Will Benton

Image credit Will Benton

The Pinnacle Peak Patio Steakhouse, No Tie Policy
Image credit John Collins

The Massive Nazi Resort Complex with 10,000 Bedroom

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island. It is especially known for its colossal Nazi-planned tourist structures, in fact, the mega-resorts complex is six stories high, with a usable area of ​​185,000 square meters and 10,000 rooms, all are sea facing. Approx 150 meter from the beach and although they were planned as a holiday resort by the infamous Adolf Hitler, they were never used for this purpose. The complex has a formal heritage listing as a particularly striking example of Third Reich architecture. This massive building complex was began to construct in between 1936 and 1939 as a Strength Through Joy "Kraft durch Freude or KdF Seebad Prora" project and originally envisioned by Nazi politician Robert Ley. During the few years that Prora was under construction, all major construction companies of the Reich and nearly 9,000 workers were involved in this project. The onset of World War II in 1939, building on Prora stopped and the construction workers transferred to the V-Weapons plant at Peenemünde.

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.
Image credit Panoramio

The hotel would be operational in the summer of 1940, but in 1939 when World War II broke out, the construction was halted immediately. Only the hotel blocks, the theater and the quay were at that time in carcass ready. Prora was never used for the purpose for which it was designed. During the war, parts of the complex used as a military hospital, an SS training school and, when the war was nearing its end, an inn for Germans whose homes were destroyed by the Allies.

In 1945 the Soviet Army took control of the region and established a military base at Prora. The Soviet Army's 2nd Artillery Brigade occupied block 5 of Prora from 1945 to 1955. In the late 1940s two of the housing blocks - one on the North and one on the South - were demolished and the remains mostly removed.

Hitler’s plans for Prora were ambitious. He wanted a gigantic sea resort, the “most mighty and large one to ever have existed”, holding 20,000 beds. In the middle, a massive building was to be erected. At the same time, Hitler wanted it to be convertible into a military hospital in case of war. Hitler insisted that the plans of a massive indoor arena by architect Erich Putlitz be included. Putlitz’s Festival Hall was intended to be able to accommodate all 20,000 guests at the same time. His plans included two wave-swimming pools, a cinema and a theatre. A large dock for passenger ships was also planned.

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.
Image credit Frank M. Rafik

In the late 1950s the East German military rebuilt several of the buildings. Since the buildings had been stripped to the bare brick in the late 1940s, most of the exterior and interior finish that can be seen today was done under East German control. After the formation of the German Democratic Republic's (GDR's) National Peoples Army in 1956, the buildings became a restricted military area housing several East German Army units. The most prominent were the elite 40.  After German reunification, the National People's Army of the GDR was absorbed into the West Germany Bundeswehr, that took over the building. Initially consideration was given to demolishing the buildings, but it was later given landmark protection and a tax break offered to developers to renovate it. Parts of the building were used from 1990 to 1992 by the Military Technical School of the Bundeswehr. From 1992 to 1994 a part of the building was used to house asylum seekers from the Balkans.

Today, Prora still stands mostly empty. Some of the rooms are used as gallery space, while another section houses a small museum devoted to the site, and most successfully, a portion houses Germany's largest youth hostel. Most recently it seems that there are attempts being made to turn some of Prora into luxury condos. Turning Hitler's vacation rooms for the common man into homes for the wealthy may be the best way to make sure Prora is purged of its checkered beginnings. 

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.
Image credit Rupert Ganzer

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.
Image credit Mark Rushton

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.
Image credit Clara

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.
Image credit Bea K.

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.
Image credit Mark Rushton

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.
Image credit Bea K.

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.
Image credit Clara

Prora the concrete complex is extend over a length of  4.5 km or 2.8 miles long and stretches like a ribbon along the beautiful sandy beaches of the East German, Ruegen Island.
Prora, Binz, Germany, Image credit Mark Rushton

Aoshima, The Cat Island of Japan

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island, Ehime Prefecture, is unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan. “Cat Island,” as the locals call it, small places where there are significantly more feline residents than people and inhabited by 15 people and hundreds of cats. However, the 0.5 km² island does have one unique claim to fame–it’s known as a paradise for cats and cat lovers. 

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit NITRONAT [REUTERS]

The island wasn’t always so deserted, nor was it known as being a “cat paradise.” Inhabitants of what is now Hyogo Prefecture first migrated to Aoshima approximately 380 years ago to fish the enormous numbers of sardines in the surrounding waters. Cats were initially introduced to the island to stop mice from chewing through fishing nets. The island experienced a peak population of 798 in 1955, but the number of people dwindled just as the population of cats multiplied.

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit noriaki maeda

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit Hal Arai

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit Hal Arai

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit Hal Arai

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit Hal Arai

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit Hal Arai

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit Hal Arai

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit Hal Arai

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit Hal Arai

Aoshima, The Cat Island, is a small island into Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, is a small, unpretentious island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Image credit Hal Arai

Digital Art by Anil Saxena

This beautiful world is now a digital world. Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop. Anil started out doing conventional darkroom photo composition and retouching them before moving these skills over to Photoshop. He is a true perfectionist: “If the image is a success but my work goes unnoticed, I’m doing my job well.” says Anil.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.

Digital Artist Anil Saxena from Mumbai, India created this set of surreal images using Photoshop.