Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Then Most Millions of Baby Blue Eyes Blooms

 

Nemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park

Spring is the season where plants come alive. And while you can find beautiful blooms in cities, it'd be hardpressed to see an entire field dedicated to flowers. That is why people in Japan travel to a spacious nature park roughly two hours south of Tokyo. Spread over about 864 acres, the Hitachi Seaside Park contains millions of gorgeous florals that bloom every year to form a dreamy, storybook setting.

While the park features an array of flora, it is most famous for its field of nemophila, also known as baby blue eyes. Inside Miharashi's Hill—one of the gardens that make up the nature park—there is about 500 million nemophila that bloom from April to May. During this time, the luxurious pale color blends into the sky to create a romantic scene for visitors to photograph and stroll through, always staying on the provided trail.

In addition to baby blue eyes, the coastal destination also includes a section called Tamago no Mori Flower Garden. This area is reminiscent of Dutch landscapes, featuring 260 varieties of tulips in a range of colours, as well as model windmills scattered across the garden. The chromatic assortment of tulips creates mesmerizing patterns within the wooded area, which tourists can view from different angles as they stroll along the path.

Scroll down to see more spectacular photos of these flowers.

Japan's Hitachi Seaside Park is famous for its gorgeous natural beauty.

Nemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park

Located in Hitachinaka City, in the Ibaraki Prefecture, this popular destination features an array of colorful blooms.

Nemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park

Its most famous flower is nemophila, or baby blue eyes, which bloom from April to May.

Nemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park

They have about 500 million nemophila in their garden called Miharashi's Hill.

Nemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park

They also have a field of tulips called the Tamago no Mori Flower Garden.

Nemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park

It features 280 varieties of tulips in a range of colors.

Nemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside ParkNemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Parkc

Nemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside ParkNemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside ParkNemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park

Watch these videos to learn more about the park:

Monday, May 2, 2022

An Italian Town Is Filled With Ancient Cave Dwellings


Ancient town of Matera at sunrise, Basilicata, Italy

Italy is full of beautiful cultural cities. And while most people are familiar with Rome, Florence, and Venice, there are many hidden gems to explore. Undoubtedly, Matera is one of these gems. This southern Italian town is located in the Basilicata region and is known for its incredible cave dwellings, also known as Sassi.

Dug into the chalky stone that is typical of the region, these dwellings are small caverns that have undergone a series of transformations over the years. These prehistoric cave homes were actually inhabited until the mid-1950s when residents were evacuated due to poor sanitary conditions. In the late-1980s, the Sassi got a revival and has been turned into hotels, guest houses, art galleries, and cultural centres. Matera was even named a European Capital of Culture in 2019 to solidify its return to glory.

While scholars aren't completely sure when these cave dwellings were first occupied, it's believed that the town was settled as early as the 10th millennium BCE. This makes Matera one of the earliest places in the world to be continuously inhabited. Over history, Matera has been occupied by Greeks, Romans, Bourbons, and many others. Hollywood has also been drawn to Matera's unique beauty, with films such as No Time to DieWonder Woman, and The Passion of Christ using it as a key location.

Today, Matera is divided between the ancient town that includes the Sassi and the modern city. The Sassi sit on a rocky outcrop above the town, almost as a symbol of regeneration. These dwellings, which were once riddled with poverty, have now been reborn. With a thriving arts community and tourism centre, Matera is one of southern Italy's fastest-growing economies and is an example of how history can be preserved while still moving forward into the future.

Matera is a town in southern Italy known for its ancient cave dwellings.

Matera at Sunset


Matera, Italy


Matera, Italy

or Sassi—are dug into chalky stone and have recently been revitalized.


Cave Dwelling in Matera

The picturesque town is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world.

Matera, Italy

In 1993, the Sassi were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ancient town of Matera (Sassi di Matera) in beautiful morning light, Basilicata, southern Italy

Belmond Andean Explorer Train

 The first luxurious train in South America, Since the summer of 2017. The Belmond Andean Explorer - travels through the majestic Andean countryside along some of the world's highest-lying railroads. The first thing that arouses interest is its route: it runs between Cuzco (the ancient capital of the Inca Empire) and the picturesque city of Arequipa. The second thing that will not leave you indifferent is its interior, made in the spirit of the 1920s and 1930s, and the unique views that open up to travellers.

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Belmond Train Peru

The hotel on wheels was designed by the London agency Muza Lab. Inge Moore described the idea of ​​the project as follows: "We wanted to create a space where you can calmly think and dream, where the beauty of the earth fills the soul."

The train is designed for 48 passengers. But in it, you will not find any reserved seats or shared coaches, only luxurious coupes in various variations. By the way, they are more reminiscent of the rooms of expensive hotels. Single cabins of the luxury class, double and coupe with bunk shelves - the choice makes your stay here even more comfortable. The train also has two restaurants, a spa area with panoramic windows, a bar and a grand piano, and a boutique where you can buy handmade gifts. The restaurant's menu includes delicious dishes from vegetables and fruits that were grown in the Andes.


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Belmond Andean Explorer Train


However, Belmond Andean Explorer is interesting not only by its non-standard route but also by providing a haven for long-distance travel fans inside it. The structure does not find reserved seats or typical common carriages, but there are only compartments in different variations, each of which looks more like a room in an expensive hotel.


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A unique Belmond Andean Explorer train Inca Empire of Cusco in Peru

The main feature of the train is its wide viewing windows, allowing you to fully admire the local view. Belmond Andean Explorer also has its own observation platform, where travellers can enjoy outdoor activities. Among other things, on the train, you can find a carriage with large panoramic windows, where a bar and a piano are also located.

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The train has comfortable single rooms of the "luxury" class, as well as double, two-room and a compartment with shelves with two tiers. All rooms are equipped with their own showers and toilets.

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Belmond Andean Explorer has two restaurant cars, which are distinguished by expensive finishes and first-class service. Here you can find rather non-standard dishes prepared only with fresh products, and you can also try fruits grown in the Peruvian Andes. The menu itself was compiled by the chefs of one of the most famous hotels in Peru.

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Everything on the train is equipped for the convenience of passengers, and the design has virtually nothing to do with standard cars. Therefore, there are no familiar shelves for things or worn-out wafer towels. The main element of the design of the express train is a stepped cross, which since ancient times has been in great demand directly in South America.

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Another “feature” of the train is a sightseeing car. Sofas are installed here - you can relax and drink cocktails in the fresh air, getting real pleasure from the surrounding beauty.

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A shelf for personal belongings in a luxury train has nothing to do with what passengers of ordinary trains are used to. There are no washed waffle towels here.

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One of the repeating design elements of the Belmond Andean Express - The Chakana - is a stepped cross, which has been widespread in South America since ancient times.

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It is depicted on the walls of the wagons, on the uniform of the service staff, on napkins and glasses, and even on bathrobes and towels provided to guests.

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In addition to two restaurants, the train has a saloon with panoramic windows, a bar and a piano. Here you can also enjoy the fantastic beauty of Peruvian landscapes. And, of course, communicate with fellow travellers.

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According to The Telegraph, about $ 10 million had to be spent to equip the vehicle. In total, the train has 24 compartments, with about 50 employees.

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A standard ticket from Cuzco to, in fact, Arequipa through Belmond Andean Explorer will cost $ 1.4 thousand. It is worth noting that the train immediately became popular among travellers and tickets are sold out quickly, despite their high cost.

The Crooked Forest

The Crooked Forest in Polish "Krzywy Las" located near the town Gryfino, in the Polish region of Pomerania, Poland is the scene of one of these mysterious events that astonish all who see it. Around 400 Scots pines in this Krzywy forest area have a strange curve at the base of their trunks or crooked bush. These bent trees are almost 90 degrees to the north a few centimetres from the ground, taking a characteristic "J" shape. For this reason, the crooked forest trees that suffer this curious phenomenon have been nicknamed by the locals "Crooked Forest". 

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J shaped trees

Crooked forest in Poland


Poland crooked forest, The causes of these strange j-shaped trees are not at all clear, which has given rise to all kinds of theories about its origin. The wildest ones point to gravitational anomalies, evil energies, or a relationship with the famous circles that appear in cornfields.

Bent trees in the eerie forest of Gryfino, Poland has several stories of  weird trees


Other theories seek a more scientific explanation and suggest that these weird trees could have been deformed by a strong wind or a large accumulation of snow that occurred during their youth. However, the fact that all these pines are surrounded by many trees of the same species and age that do not present the curve makes this explanation less credible.

Something similar happens with another possible explanation that has great popular roots. According to its defenders, the strange shape of the trunks is because the shaped trees were crushed by the tanks that circulated through the area during World War II when the pines were between seven and ten years old.

Curved tree forest - Others claim that the curve is the direct result of the action of man, who planted the trees in the 1930s and gave them that shape on purpose to produce curved wood, used mainly in shipbuilding. The invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany would have paralyzed the project, so the crooked trees would have continued to grow vertically or trees that grows sideways until they acquired the curious shape they have today.

Poland forest — The use of techniques to deform logs is widely documented in many areas of Europe, which lends some credence to this theory. However, the people of Gryfino reject this possibility, as pinewood has never been used to build ships.

Gryfino forest - A final theory points to the possibility that the deformation was caused by the Melampsora pinitorqua fungus, which causes deformations in the shoots of young pines, although they are usually not as pronounced as those of the Gryfino eerie forest. Whatever the origin of this curious phenomenon, the truth is that these strange curved trees and their mysterious origin have already become a real tourist attraction in the area.


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Crooked Forest

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Crooked Forest in Poland Google Map

Crooked Forest Poland Video

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The Madain Saleh – Hegra Saudi Arabia

 Madain Saleh, a pre-Islamic archaeological site, is located in the Al-Ula sector, Saudi Arabia's Al Madinah Region, about 400 km northwest of Madinah. It was previously known as Hegra, and this site was once the most important preserved site of the civilization Nabataeans to the south of Petra, Jordan. It contains 131 large, rock-cut tombs decorated with facades and many of which have inscribed Nabataean epigraphs. They are spread over 13.4 km. Madain Saleh is a shining example of Nabataeans' hydraulic and architectural skills.


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Madain Saleh

Hegra Saudi Arabia


Madain Saleh in Saudi Arabia — The Nabataean empire stretches from its capital Petra (now Jordan), deep into the Arabian Peninsula. It ruled vast, semi-arid areas and earned its wealth by trading incense, spices, and aromatic plants. Madain Saleh was a major stop on the main northern-south trade route. In 106 AD, Nabataean Kingdom was seized by the Romans. They changed the trade route from the Arabian Peninsula's overland north-south route to the Red Sea maritime route. Hegra's status as a trade centre declined, and it was eventually abandoned and lost to the sea.

Rock city worship — It is not known much more about the history of Hegra, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the rise of Islam. This was because pilgrims and travellers only mentioned it on their way to Mecca. Hegra was a stop along the pilgrimage route that provided water and supplies for pilgrims. Ibn Battuta, a celebrated traveller from the 14th century, describes the Hegra's magnificent red-stone-cut tombs but does not mention human activities.

Mada’in Salih


Madain Saleh Saudi Arabia — The Nabataean Kingdom was at the crossroads of trade and culture. This can be seen in the diverse motifs used for facade decorations. They borrow stylistic elements from Egypt, Phoenicia, Egypt, and their native artistic style. The troglodytic graves were also decorated with Latin scripts and Roman decorations. Contrary to their elaborate exteriors, the interiors are plain and severe in rock-cut structures.

Cursed architecture — The site has been referred to as a "cursed" place, a reputation that the national government is trying to erase as it seeks out Mada'in Salih's potential as a tourist destination.

Mada In Saleh


Madain Saleh has been officially designated an archaeological site since 1972 to protect its potential tourism. UNESCO declared Madain Saleh a site of patrimony in 2008 for its well-preserved remains of late antiquity, particularly the 131 monumental rock-cut tombs with elaborately decorated facades of the Nabataean Kingdom. 


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Rock city Worship

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Madain Saleh Inside
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Mada'in Saleh inside
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Petra Saudi Arabia
Elephant Mountain Saudi
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Elephant Mountain Saudi

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Madain Saleh in Saudi Arabia

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Mada'in Salih

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Mada In Saleh
Madain Saleh Map
The Mysterious Madain Saleh of Saudi Arabia — Video
Qasr al Farid Tomb
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