Spring In Greece - Kos Island

As soon as you leave a plane you are embraced by mild and warm air. It's not hot like on the mainland, all the island is blown through by the wind. This post won't contain architecture, sights, important historic ruins or excavations. Because it's not the most meaningful here. It's the territory of the nature, mountains and the sea. Emerald water kisses the coastal pebbles, everything around is in bloom, the air has so many smells, hardly caught but so wonderful.

Bruges - the Cemetery of Umbrellas

Bruges originates from the word "Bryggia" that means "Pier". 

It was founded in 852 by count Baldwin The Iron Arm. In present days Bruges is a large tourist destination of Belgium. Cute, hospitable, friendly Bruges. A lot of shops where famous Belgian chocolate may be bought.

It's pleasant just to walk along its streets without any map. And it's diffucult to lose your way here because the old center is not big and surrounded by a canal.
Besides, hiring a bicycle is a great idea, cyclists have many rights and cars always give way to them. Don't forget your camera - something interesting can be seen at each corner.

But this post is mostly about sad umbrellas of Belgians. Why? When it starts raining here, the wind is very strong and many umbrellas break. Belgians throw them away and buy new ones. That's why in rainy days Bruges is such a cemetery of umbrellas...

Most of all thrown out umbrellas at the stores where they are sold.

Some of them have just been bought...

Even if an only spoke is broken an umbrella is not needed anymore...

Cascais - "Little Stone" of Portugal

Cascais is a wonderful city of Portugal located 30 minutes driving from Lisbon. So you may get there by taxi only for 20 euros. As it is one of the main resorts of the sunny coast (Portuguese Riviera), you may bathe there, the city has all resort attributes: beaches (windsurfing), restaurants, clubs, the embankment at the foot of the citadel, churches, chapels. But probably the main thing located there is a wonderful museum of an artist Paula Rego.

By the way, the name "Cascais" is originated from the word "cascale" - "little stone".

Berlin.1:1000 And 1:500 Scale

In the next building of the museum of history and culture of Berlin (Märkisches Museum) there is an interesting place where one can see "The city model of Berlin". Admission free.

Interactive Museum In Hong Kong

Hong Kong scientific museum is widely popular due to numerous interactive show-pieces.

The energetic machine is installed on the first floor of the museum and consists of interwoven reinforcing tubes and bronze cylinders. When the machine is set into action one gets easily fascinated by endless movement of balls.

Illusions in the world of mirrors.

It is allowed to touch the show-pieces which can be used while teaching schoolchildren physics.

Distorting mirrors.

Take a picture of your reflection in the mirror.

Exhibition called "Marvellous Inventions of Leonardo da Vinci" was held from October to February and included 5 conditional areas such as "War", "Hydraulics", "Flight", "Studio of Leonardo" and "Mechanics".

General view of the "War" area.

How diving started up.

Flights.

Ships.

Inner construction.

Bridge.

Pictures in the "Studio of Leonardo". Find the difference between two similar pictures of Mona Lisa.

Mechanics.

General view.

Flywheel.

Pulley.

The earliest bicycle was invented by Leonardo.

Flying butterflies on the screen.

Abandoned Amusement Park In Berlin

In Berlin there is an abandoned amusement park, once the pride of the German Democratic Republic and the favourite place for the citizens to rest. But how does it look today? Let us see.

Hua Shan Mountain - the Holy Top of Taoism

Hua Shan Mountain, Shaanxi Province, China. One of the five holy mountains of Taoism in China, located in the range of Qin Ling. It is famous for picturesque rocks and a difficult and dangerous ascent on the top. The path in the mountains connects many tops till the highest one of 2100m, it's a unique route. On the way there are a lot of Taoist monasteries, pagodas, temples, gates and bridges. In China they say: "If you have visited the five holy mountains of China, you may not go to the others, but if you have visited Hua Shan, even those four are not necessary". The Hua Mountains used to be called Si Yue - "Western Mountains". The name "Hua Shan" - "Blossoming Mountan" they got due to the resemblance of five peaks of theirs: the Eastern, Western, Southern, Northern and Central - with a lotus flower.

The Hua Shan Mountains are closely connected with Taoism and are mentioned in its early texts as one of the places suitable for Taoist religious practices and alchemy lessons. They say that Lao Zi himself lived here. The most part of the constructions were built here in the period of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Up to date the well preserved are Yuquan (the XI century), Dongdao temple (1714) and Zhenyue palace of the Yuan dynasty. In December 1990 UNESCO included Hua Shan in the list of the objects of the world nature heritage. Now this place is rather popular among tourists. You may climb the mountain either on foot or by funicular. 5 hours up along the path from the town of the same name. Traditionally pilgrims have climbed only along the path and slept under one of the mountains to go around all five peaks the next morning.

Tourists

Strange combination indeed: cucumbers and soda water.

The rocks with lots of small temples, caves, stairs...

On the top at last.

Very narrow stairs

It's really the place of calmness - all temples, caves, stairs are in full harmony with the landscape.