40+ Chicago’s Bean Stunning Photos

London-based Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor designed this sculptor for the opening of Chicago’s Millennium Park in 2004. Officially named Cloud Gate but always fondly referred to as simply The Bean, it has become a landmark for the Windy City and is one of its most photographed public arts. Weighting a whopping 110 tons, The Bean was constructed from stainless steel plates wrapped around a fortified steel frame that’s hollow on the inside and has a concave base that visitors can walk under. Upon completion, the surface was polished to give it a sleek, shiny appearance – a clean, seamless mirror that reflects the towering skyscrapers the city is famous for. Simple as it may look, The Bean has drawn numerous admirers and compliments, with some even hailing it as Chicago’s most provocative artwork since Picasso’s unnamed sculptural piece from 1967. Without further due, please enjoy the magnificent photos of Chicago’s Bean and I hope you like them.

Madain Saleh: Monument of the Past [PICS]

These photos are parts of 132 chambers and tombs left by Tsamudis and Nabateans during their magnificent architecture era which is between 200 B.C and 100 A.D. The location is about 200km from north of Medina City. In July 2008, UNESCO has proclaimed the site as World’s Heritage. Below are some of the amazing photos of the monuments. Could you imagine how their looks in the past?

Why You Should Visit San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama is one of the most visited tourist places in all of Chile. It’s located in the Atacama desert which is the driest place on earth. Yet many unique plants and animals like flamingos, Llamas and Alpacas can be found there. The town is located close to many different and amazing archaeological, geographic and tourist areas. You can visit such tourist attractions as Pukara (prehispanic fortress) Quitor, Tulor village (over 3,000 years old), the Tatio geysers, the Atacama salt lakes, Moon Valley as well as the picturesque Inca towns of Toconao, Peine, Socaire, Talabre and Caspana.

There are many mummies, known as the Mummies of Atacama, which have been found in this area. The driest of the desert, as well as the isolation and the saltiness of the soil are just some of the factors that helped in the natural mummification of the bodies.

In the middle of the desert you will come across the giant salt lake of Salar de Atacama. It is the world’s third largest salt flat and is inhabited by beautiful pink flamingos. Even if water is present, you should realize that the water would be toxic to humans because it has so much salt.

Some of the highest volcanoes in the South America and amazing volcanic hot springs with falls and pools are also located in the Atacama area. El Tatio Geysers are located more than 4000 meters above the sea level and are spectacular at dawn. You can also dip in the thermal pools of Puritama.

Valle De La Luna, Moon Valley, is a must see for any tourist. You will see breathtaking scenery over the desert area as well as many fascinating canyons, caves and sand dunes. The sunsets of the Moon Vally are unforgettable. Yes, people do “sand board” down the dunes.

Stunning Chinese Fisherman Photos

The live of Chinese fishermen is so poor that they have to go out to sea everyday to catch fish to sell although there is an incoming thunderstorm on the way. The choppy waters and heavy rain made it very difficult to fish. The fishermen’s little boat swayed vigorously from side to side. As they are about to throw their net into the sea, a huge wave rocked their boat, causing them to lose their balance and fall into the sea. “God, please help us!” they screamed in the water, “Who is going to take care of our wife and children?”

I just want to share that the live of fishermen is not easy and very life-threatening. Please be grateful on what you have today. Anyway, please see following photos. Really awesome!

Tokyo’s “Underground Temple” – The Largest in the World

Tokyo, with a population of 12.4 million, is one of the largest cities in the world and still growing. It is known for not only having huge amounts of anime and robot fans, but also for its annual rainy and typhoon seasons that can flood the whole city. Because of this, there is a need to build a massive underground drainage system to counter the problem. In 1992, a plan called G-Cans Project or the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel (drainage system) was approved and construction began. The G-Cans project was completed in 2004. Below are some of the pictures of “Tokyo’s Drainage System: The Largest in the World”.

To download of rain water, the complex is equipped with a turbopump 59. Their total capacity of 14 thousand horsepower, they can outrun the top 200 tons of water per second. It seems that this might certainly be designed for the most intense flooding. However, in this area in a heavy downpour falling on 200 millimeters of precipitation, and sometimes up to 400 (monthly rainfall for Moscow, for example, is 35 millimeters). Therefore, margin of safety facilities placed enormous. Let all the sea would rise in clouds and rain fall. Designers should consider a set of massive underground storage for many thousands of tons of water to the height of precipitation area upstairs is not to submergence.

Since its opening, the G-Cans has prevented floods from entering the metropolis, but “unfortunately” it can’t prevent many people, including celebrities and film makers from flooding the place. It is due to the G-Cans project is also meant to be a tourist attraction, and can be visited for free twice a day, from Tuesday to Friday. Unfortunately, the tour is conducted only in Japanese. 

Top 10 Most Magnificent Mosques in the World

Mosques are places where the followers of Islam worship. There are many of them around the world, ranging from very large Mosques that can seat 50,000 people to ones so small that they can only hold 10 people at a time. They are known for having amazing domes with crescents on top; tall and slender minarets that are usually situated at the corner of the building structure; amazing Art of Arabic Calligraphy and Quran verses in the Prayer Halls. Here is my list of the “Top 10 Most Magnificent Mosques in the World”. You may have been fortunate enough to have already visited some of them. 

No 10. Mosque of Dearborn, Michigan, USA

No 9. Shah Faisal Mosque, Islamabad, Pakistan

No 8. Muhammad Ali Mosque, Cairo, Egypt

No 7. Shah Mosque, Isfahan, Iran

No 6. Al Aqsa Mosque (Dome of the Rock), Jerusalem, Palestine

No 5. Putra Mosque, Putrajaya, Malaysia

No 4. Sultan Ahmed Mosque a.k.a Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

awan, Brunei

No 2. Al-Nabawi (Prophet) Mosque, Medina

No 1. Haram Sharif Grand Mosque, Mecca

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe: The Most Creepiest Pool in the World

Mosi-oa-Tunya (the Smoke that Thunders) or The Victoria Falls, which was named by Scottish explorer, David Livingstone, is located in Zimbabwe, Southern Africa. The height of the magnificent waterfalls is 108 meters, which can be considered among the highest waterfalls in the world.

The most popular location is known as the “Devil’s Swimming Pool” where during the months of September and December, visitors can swim as close as possible to the edge of the falls without falling over. Pretty cool isn’t it? Below are the brave and splendid photos of people who have visited the scariest pool.

Siege of Leningrad Blockade Now and Then Photos

History has told us all but frequently we forget about the hardship experienced by generations past, especially during certain wars. However, some people have a very creative and profound way of reflecting on times gone by, presenting their take on the world in a new light. Hopefully our children and future generation will still remember that comfortable life they get is coming from bloodshed of people in the past.

These haunting, hybrid images of past and present St Petersburg – formerly known as Leningrad – are the works of Sergei Larenkov. After studying old images of the city, Larenkov visited the same spots, capturing them on film. He then digitally superimposed the old image over new, producing these eerie and thought-provoking shots using remakable photoshop technique.

Like ghosts captured forever on film the scenes depict all too clearly a harshness that can result only from times of war. The 900-day Siege of Leningrad, also known as The Leningrad Blockade, lasted from September 9, 1941, to January 27, 1944 – just over 65 years ago – and was “one of the longest and most destructive sieges of major cities in modern history, and second most costly,” according to Wikipedia sources.

Although the blend of the two images seems natural, it’s hard not to ignore the colorful boundary of the present and focus totally on the black and white scene of the past. Each image demands the viewer to stop and contemplate what life must have been like in Leningrad during World War II. The difference between life now and then in these moving images is distinct, and deserves the attention of an undoubtedly more privileged audience. Thumbs up!

Magnificent Beach Houses in Dubai Photos

Dubai has not only been known as the fastest growing city in the world, but also the most lavish city in the world. Last time, I posted about the top 5 secret places and the top 5 places of interests you must not miss during your vacation at Dubai. Now, I want to post the photos of magnificent architecture beach houses that can be found in the city of Palm 

Magnificient Missouri St. Louis Getaway Arc Photos

On this post, I want to share with you about such magnificient Getaway Arc photos taken by one of my real life friend. His portfolio can be found on his fotopages called ShahStudio. They went to St. Louis, Missouri for 4 days (24 to 28th December) during the winter break. Well, I used to be with during this time to travel around the states. I really miss those valuable time with them. The drive took them about 10 hours from Minneapolis to St. Louis, Missouri. The city was not as hectic as Minneapolis (my college city). Biggest attraction there is the Gateway Arc. Designed by a Finnish architect, Eero Saarinen. It was a magnificent and working statue. Saarinen really did think about everything, Especially the unique design of the elevators. Too bad he didn’t have the chance to see the arc before he died.

Beautiful Photos of 2009 Solar Eclipse “Ring” Seen Over South East Asia

The rare event of solar eclipse had happened at Southeast Asia region, on which the dark disk of the moon creeps across the setting sun. Only people viewing from the southern Indian Ocean were among the few to see the full annular eclipse, so called because at its peak the eclipse is surrounded by an annulus, or ring, of fiery light.

A fantastic sequence of photos above shows the moon passing between Earth and the sun before, during, and after an annular eclipse, as seen on January 26, 2009, from Bandar Lampung in Indonesia. The path of the full annular eclipse crossed mostly open ocean in the southern part of the globe, starting about 560 miles (900 kilometers) south of Africa and not reaching land until it crossed Australia’s Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean. However, observers in southern Africa, Madagascar, Australia, and Southeast Asia were able to watch a partial eclipse.

Astronomer Jay Pasachoff used a specially equipped camera to capture images of the January 26, 2009, annular eclipse from the Indonesian island of Java. Practicing photography techniques and for getting the public excited about astronomy is significant for him as he added later.

The image of haze blurs the bright ring around an annular eclipse on January 26, 2009 was captured from Anyer Beach on the Indonesian island of Java, one of the few places where the solar eclipse was completely visible. Crowds gathered across Indonesia to witness the event, some cheering and banging drums as the moon seemed to cross the face of the sun.

These two magnificient photos were taken from Malaysia. The clouds seems to fold during the eclipse and the color reacts accordingly. The picture has been taken from one of the busiest highway in the nation.

New Year 2009 Celebrations at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Malaysia has celebrated its 2009 new year practically early than any other place in the world. Why? Go open your high school’s geography book and find out yourself. :p These are some pictures of 2009 countdown at variety of places in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysians ushered in the new year by letting their hair down at several countdown parties. Anyway, as reported by local newspaper today, despite concerns over the turbulent state of the economy, many were intent on having fun ushering in 2009 which was greeted by some fearsome fireworks displays. At Dataran Merdeka here, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad and AmBank Group chairman Tan Sri Datuk Azman Hashim joined the crowd for the countdown organised by the bank. They were entertained by artistes such as M. Nasir, Mawi, popular bands Point Blanc, Hujan

, Estranged and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall orchestra as well as performances by various cultural troupes including the orang asli. As the Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad clocktower struck twelve, there were shouts of “Happy New Year” and cheers. The crowd was then treated to a spectacular fireworks show. Parties were also held at KLCC and Bukit Bintang.

Meanwhile, In PETALING JAYA, the festivities centered on 1 Utama shopping complex with samba dancers, fire eaters and Brazilian percussionists adding colour before a line-up of artistes took to the stage. Deejays from the 988 radio station played games and gave away prizes to the partygoers. The highlight of the celebration was the special appearance of Hong Kong singer Justin Lo, who got the crowd going with his catchy pop tunes. A stone’s throw away at The Curve, artistes Juwita Suwito, Karen Kong, Faisal Tahir and Rynn Lim entertained the crowd at a street party.

Update from Oberoi/Trident Hotel, Mumbai India

This is another prestigious hotel in Mumbai for travellers to stay. In the middle of among the busiest city in the world, the hotel is indeed stand up its name. However, lately due to terror attack, all travellers are afraid to come, plus 24 deaths are coming from this hotel. The latest news from the hotel management as follows:

The evacuation of guests is complete. Guests have been rejoined with their families and friends or have been escorted to alternate accommodation that had been arranged for them. Guests who had travelled to Mumbai from other cities and from overseas are being offered all support for their return or onward journey.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the horrific act of terrorism. We are greatly saddened by the demise of some guests and members of our staff.

We are distressed that our guests had to undergo an extremely harrowing experience and some of our guests and staff suffered injuries – Our thoughts are with them.

We are very grateful to our guests for their complete cooperation and understanding.

The bravery of the police, security forces and firefighters has inspired us – We thank them immensely for their cooperation.

We salute our staff for their courageousness, tirelessness and dedication.

Highlight on Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai India

Recently world has been shocked with terrorist attack at Mumbai, India which killed almost 130 persons and injured many of others. Where the heck is actually Taj Mahal Hotel? Is it near the greatest Taj Mahal Wonder of the World? Nope. Actually, the Taj Mahal Palace is a prestigious hotel located in the Colaba region of Mumbai, India, next to the Gateway of India. Part of the Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, this 105-year old heritage building retains its stature as the flagship property of the group.

What’s more? It boasts a distinguished list of guests including Mick Jagger, Jacques Chirac, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent & Katharine, Duchess of Kent, Harald V of Norway & Queen Sonja of Norway, Marianne Faithfull, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Charles, Prince of Wales, The Beatles, Bill Clinton and Jacqueline Onassis. The hotel indeed is very popular among famous people in the world.

From an historical and architectural point of view, The Taj Mahal Palace and the Tower are two distinct buildings, built at different times and in different architectural designs. The “Tower” refers to the Taj Intercontinental.

On November 26, 2008 the hotel was damaged in a series of attacks in the southern part of Mumbai. The roof of the hotel was destroyed by fire in the hours after the attack. What will happen next to this historical hotel? We just wait and see.

Blending with Culture of Rome, Italy on Your Trip

I know most of people have been travelling to Rome, Italy. It is kind of weird if you said you love travelling but you didn’t go to Rome yet. It’s just sound little awkward. Anyway, if you have been to Rome before, I suggest for your second trip that you become a part of the culture and lose yourself in the alleys of Rome. This is what most people miss during the trip to Rome, Italy.

For this second trip or travel, we decided to blend ourselves with the Rome itself. Guess what we found or at least experience? We’ve discovered famous artists, digs, scluptures, paintings, and world famous choirs in small churches. Sit and sip and engage the people. We now have lifetime friends in Rome. In today’s world travel and tight space on airplanes, I started about 15 years ago to use saline spray before boarding an airplane followed by generour portions of neosporin swabbed in my nostrils. I also wipe down all surfaces with antiseptic towels. Since then, I have never “caught” anything on a plane trip. Recommended by my oncologist. Best cappuccino in Rome….Cafe Farnese on the Piazza Farnese. Great people watching, lots of locals.

Places of Interest in Sydney

Have you ever visiting Australia ? Well i guess you should go and see for yourself. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, action, relaxation or want to discover Australia’s hidden treasures, Sydney has it all… Today I will tell you a bit on a few places of interest, attractions and event that happened around Sydney.

Sydney is a city of full of unique festivals and events, great scenery and yet one of the most fast-moving, becoming one of a great cities on the planet. So, what’s there in Sydney? First we are going to take a look at the Sydney Opera House, It’s an Australia’s most famous building. That’s why it has been listed as a “must-see” travel attraction. In other words, your travel is not perfect until you go and see this place. Among other attractions are Sydney Skywalk, Sydney Showboats and Sydney Harbour Cruises.

For Skywalk, it is a unique high-altitude adventure on top of Sydney Tower. At 268meters (879 feet) above Sydney, Skywalk takes you on an exhilarating outdoor walk at the roof of the city, double the height of Sydney Harbor Bridge.Dressed in protective clothing and safety-harnessed to external walkways, Skywalk guests experience a buzz unmatched by any other Sydney attraction. Step out onto the clouds as you venture across the glass-floored viewing platform for 360-degree views over glittering Sydney and beyond.

And for exclusive part, you might want to board Sydney Harbor Cruises. Join an evening of quality dining and entertainment featuring a program of the world’s most popular arias, performed by principal Australian opera singers. A unique dining and entertainment experience that will make your evening an event. You can choose either Comedy Dinner Cruises, Salsa Latin Floor Show Cruises, or Rock n Roll Lunch Cruises. Other beautiful places that you can visit is like King Cross, Sydney Markets, Watsons bay and for historic building you can go visit Elizabeth Bay House, Susannah Place and Vaucluse House.

Yellowstone Firehole Fish Parked at Bank

We watched these guys and gals sipping stuff in about 8″ of water for 10 minutes. Must have been midges – we saw nothing.

Sauntered back to the car, changed cameras, and rigged up. Returned and took one on a size 20, (all used up and ragged,) Hare’s Ear: well greased and floated. Didn’t get our sneakers or fanny wet. Returned to car and watched the wet fanny’s for a time.

Most fishers were up to their fanny in the Firehole River yesterday. We suspect that it’s cooler that way, but that’s where the fish like it too. Hmmm..

Gangtok the Unity in Diversity of India

Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim with a population of approximately 50,000 has emerged into the mainstream of the Tourism Industry, with more and more tourist visiting this little Himalayan state every year. Gangtok has developed into a cosmopolitan flavour where old-world charm and hospitality exist along with the Internet Age.

With different cultures and religion existing in perfect harmony, Gangtok has shown that “Unity in Diversity” exists in Sikkim. Sikkimese have strong bonding with their age-old traditions and customs. However, a quick survey of Gangtok

shows that the bubble of modernization has burst with a bang in the town. The capital is definitely not behind the rest of the world in terms of urbanization – Broad roads, flyovers, posh markets, state-of-art hospital, educational institutes, fast food outlets, discothèques, and all other modern amenities that the heart can desire for. One imposing manmade landmark of the town is the 200 ft-high TV tower which overlooks the town and is situated near the Enchey Monastry below Ganesh Tok. A stroll along the Mahatma Gandhi Marg is shopper’s delight- Hotels, restaurants, curios, footwear and almost everything is available. Be here to experience the magic.

Taxis are the most widely available public transport within Gangtok. Most of the residents stay within a few kilometres of the town centre and many have their own vehicles such as two-wheelers and cars.The share of personal vehicles and taxis combined is 98% of Gangtok’s total vehicles, a high percentage when compared to other Indian cities. City buses comprise less than one percent of vehicles. Those travelling longer distances generally make use of share-jeeps, a kind of public taxis. Four wheel drives are used to easily navigate the steep slopes of the roads. The 1 km (0.6 mi) long cable car with three stops connects lower Gangtok suburbs with Sikkim Legislative assembly in central Gangtok and the upper suburbs.

Gangtok is connected to the rest of India by an all-weather metalled highway, National Highway 31A, which links Gangtok to Siliguri, located 114 km (71 mi) away in the neighbouring state of West Bengal. The highway also provides a link to the neighbouring hill station towns of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, which are the nearest urban areas. Regular jeep, van, and bus services link these towns to Gangtok. Gangtok is a linear city that has developed along the arterial roads, especially National Highway 31A. Most of the road length in Gangtok, is of two lane undivided carriageway with footpath on one side of the road and drain on the other. The steep gradient of the different road stretches coupled with a spiral road configuration constrain the smooth flow of vehicular as well as pedestrian traffic. The nearest railhead connected to the rest of India is the station of New Jalpaiguri, a suburb of Siliguri, situated 124 km (77 mi) away from Gangtok. The closest airport is Bagdogra Airport, 16 km (10 mi) from Siliguri. Although Gangtok does not have an airport, it is linked to Bagdogra airport via a daily helicopter service.

Top 5 Dubai Secrets

1. Dubai’s Very Best Hot Chocolate
The hot chocolate at the Avalanche Cafe, Ski Dubai is suprisingly good. It’s one of the rare instances where whipped cream actually enhances the drink. Partly because it looks like snow, partly because it acts as a useful platform for the M&Ms. But for more interesting flavours, try the hot chocolate cafe in Abu Dhabi’s Marina Mall.

2. Historic Dubai
The archaeological site in Jumeirah. It’s probably easier and more informative to visit Dubai museum though. And more comfortable, given the air conditioning.

3. Garhoud Plant Souk
This is a great place to buy plants, and much cheaper than the Dubai Garden Centre place on Sheikh Zayed Road. The ideal place to buy your bougainvillea barricade to keep the peeping toms out. (Interesting note: if you never water bougainvillea, it dies. If you water it too much, it dies. Sometimes it just dies anyway).

4. House of Prose
A great secondhand bookshop. And while they will buy back books for half price, they always seem to be overwhelmed with stock, so they’re unlikely to buy everything you bring them if you’re having a clear out. It’s also a good place to gauge how crap a recent novel is, by the stacks of copies rejected by Jumeirah Janes in the discount shelf.

5. Indoor Rainforest
At the Grand Hyatt just before Garhoud Bridge. Just don’t try to get there in rush hour. The problem is with this one is that it’s high budget only if you want to have a drink. However the deli-cafe there has some interesting imported goods, even if you do need to have your own oil well to be able to afford them.

World's most luxurious airport lounges

From ‘space pods’ to the swish hangout with a stream running through it, we list the airline waiting rooms so plush you'll positively enjoy the phrase 'flight delayed’

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse

 Heathrow Airport
Bubble chairs, pink walls and the poolside lounge make you feel groovy, baby, rather than a weary traveller. Check in early to make the most of the 14 metre-long cocktail bar, a Cowshed spa and Bumble and Bumble hair salon. But, if that sounds too exerting, relax in one of the suede day beds in the Sky Lounge, and watch the planes take off with stellar views of the runway.

The Most Beautiful Beacon In The Southeast Asia

The beacon Kega is located near the Vietnamese town Phan Thiết and was built by a French architect in 1897. It is considered to be the most beautiful beacon in the Southeast Asia.

German Castles In Snow Dresses

The majority of German castles are private possessions. So tourists can not easily visit them when they want. The owner himself fixes time and a day of possible visits. 

Creepy But Tasty Thai Food

Have you been in Thailand? If you have you've probably had a chance to eat creepy and not that creepy Thai food.

The food sold right in the streets is not bad at all, but comfort of restaurants is always better.

Alberobello - Italian Hobbiton

If you happened to be in the South of Italy looking for a nice interesting place to visit then Alberobello is surely for you.

It is a small town, very different from those you get used to see.

These small snowy huts are called trulli (from Latin "trulla" which means "сone"). They were started to be built in the 17th century in the time of very high taxation on property.

Light limestone was the main material they were built of. It was laid in layers without using any binder. And that was done for a reason.

When inspectors came to the town, its residents pulled out a foundation stone and the whole construction collapsed. As a result, all the inspectors could see was only a pile of stones.

Trulli may be males and females. "Males", besides cones, have onion domes on their top as well.

There are special streets for tourists on which numerous cafes and shops are located.

This is the yard of the Trulli Museum, a very beautiful and informative place.

Amazing Lello Bookstore

Livraria Lello is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful bookstores in the whole world. Located near DOS Leões square this old store presents an amazing interior - stained-glass windows,  woodcarving, wonderful staircase, glazed book shelves and the art deco facade.

The history of Lello began in 1894, when direction over it was assumed by Jose Pinto de Sousa Lello, at that time the store was called Chardron, and it was not even a store, their business was publishing and editing books. The business had been growing and soon it required a new bigger building. 

The building was designed by Xavier Esteves. The facade is made in neogothic style. The building is now admitted to be a national monument. Livraria Lello opened its doors to first visitors in 1906 and became a flagship store of one Portuguese publishing house.

Amazing interior of the store is made of massive decorated walls, ceilings from wood with intricate carving design and striking twisted red staircase leading to the second floor.

All the property and management rights belong to the members of the Lello family.

Sentani Bodyart

They call themselves Sentani People but they don't belong to any tribe. They all are from different places: some are from Biak islands, some are from Serui.  But they live along the shores of Sentani lake. Nearby is the capital of Western Papua - Jayapura. It is a modern city with hotels, bars and internet cafes. So the youth here is up-to-date as well. They go to churches, study in colleges, hang out with friends, use facebook.

The Garden of Awesome Proportions (Big Pictures)

The Nongnooch Tropical Garden & Resort is one of the must-see places in Thailand. It's located about 20 km to the south from Pattaya. Among tourists it is also known The Park of Orchids.

It occupies a huge territory of some hectares in the picturesque valley surrounded by the mountains. This tropical garden with beautiful and always green landscape - achitecture compositions is a true masterpiece of the landscape design. The Nongnooch is also a botanic garden, one of the largest in Asia.  

Here you may see a great variety of tropical plants. The garden of orchids, the cacti garden, where are collected cacti of all possible shapes, types and sizes - some of them are very huge. The garden has a wonderful gallery of palm trees. On the territory is a garden of butterflies with a farm to keep their population, because, as we all know, the life span of the insects only a couple of weeks. And there is a little zoo here too with quite exotic animals.

The garden is rather well-planned, there are arbours and pavillions. One may even see the British Stonehenge, though the copy is not so large, it looks good and fits into the landscape in the best way, and the French park ... is just fantastic! And, of course, various sculptures, fountains, lanes...