10 Most Fantastic Bridges of the World

Bridges might not get the respect the world’s tallest skyscrapers get but these horizontalarchitectural wonders push the engineering envelope just as hard. From “Galloping Gertie” to the Golden Gate, these 10 bridges prove the journey is often more interesting than the destination.So here are some of the most fantastic bridges of the world. I hope you will like it. If I have left your favorite then do share with us in comment section.

Brooklyn Bridge, New York

When is comes to beauty no bridge is better than New York’s Brooklyn Bridge. The 5,989 ft structure took 13 years to build. For 20 years it reigned as the longest suspension bridge in the world. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in New York.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Washington

Opened on July 1st, 1940, the mile-long suspension bridge quickly garnered the name “Galloping gertie” due to the way the bridge deck oscillated in windy weather.

Ponte Octavio Frias de Oliveira, Sao Paulo

A stunning sight for the eyes, especially when lit up at night, the Ponte Octavio Frias de Oliveira in Sao Paulo, Brazil is the world’s first x-shaped cable stayed bridge with two crossed lanes.

Rainbow Bridge, Tokyo

Standing out from Tokyo’s brilliant nighttime neon glow isn’t easy but the Rainbow Bridge accomplishes it with ease. When the sun goes down, a lighting system on the bridge switches on and bathes the bridge in rainbow colors.

Beipanjiang River Railroad Bridge, China

The Beipanjiang River Railroad Bridge in Guizhou, China, ranks with the world’s longest arch bridges but stands out due to its spectacular scenic beauty. 

Gateshead Millennium Bridge, UK

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is often called the “Blinking Eye Bridge” due to its unusual method of operation. Due to its smallish size and method of operation, the entire structure was set in place in one piece.

Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge, Brazil

The Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge displays an appealing, modernistic design that complements that of Brazil’s master-planned capital, Brasilia. The bridge has a length of 3,900 ft and was named to commemorate former president Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira.

Alamillo Bridge, Spain

Built for practical and aesthetic reasons for Expo 92, the “Puente del Alamillo” is a strikingly beautiful cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge that only has one pylon.

Hangzhou Bay Bridge, China

At 22 miles, The Hangzhou Bay Bridge is the longest ocean-crossing bridge in the world.It reduces travel times from the Yangtse River Delta area around Shanghai to the port city of Ningbo from 4 hours to a mere 2.5 hours.

Millau Viaduct, France

Designer Norman Foster specially incorporated a sweeping curve into the layout of the bridge so that drivers crossing it would get a good view of the picture-postcard perfect town. TheMillau Viaduct ranks as the world’s tallest vehicular bridge.

10 Most Romantic Places in Ireland

The beauty of the Irish landscape has an almost spiritual quality and a mythic resonance, which speaks of age-old legends and folklore. Each location in Ireland has a story to tell that has been handed down through the generations. Ireland is truly a heaven for romance. Here each scenery is full of stories.

So here I have compiled some of the most romantic places in Ireland. I may have missed out some so do share your favorite in comment section.

Lakes of Killarney

The Lakes of Killarney are a renowned scenic attraction located near Killarney, County Kerry, in Ireland. It is full of Lakes, green landscapes and mountains. It’s undoubtedly a perfect lover heaven.

Cliff of Moher

Cliff of Moher is sheer wonder of nature. It is beside a magnificent stretch of coastline. The cliffs rise 394 feet above the Atlantic Ocean and the view is spectacular. A must if you’re visiting Ireland’s west coast.

Castle Leslie, Co. Monaghan

Castle Leslie offers regal sanctuary in the most unusual, enchanting and luxurious accommodation set in 1,000 acres of ancient woodland and glittering lakes. Spoil yourself and spend a remarkable week-end living like a King and Queen.

Kinsale, Co. Cork

Kinsale is one of the most picturesque villages in Ireland with beautiful buildings, a golf course. Fantastic restaurants and intimate pubs snugly tucked away on its narrow streets. It’s a fantastic place to spend a few romantic nights.

Bunratty Castle, Co. Clare

Bunratty Castle is the most complete and authentic medieval fortress in Ireland. Each evening medieval banquets are put on and you are treated as guests at a medieval court complete with singers and musicians. Phone ahead to the organizers and inform them of your intention to propose to your beloved and they will arrange a minstrel serenading your lady.

Ross Castle, Lough Sheelin, Co. Meath

Sleep a night in the haunted Ross Castle on the banks of Lough Sheelin. The ghost of Sabina Nugent is said to roam the flagstones of the castle. Sabina died of a broken heart and to this day she haunts the castle, searching of for her lover. How about spending a romantic evening snuggled away in such a palace of romance.

Waterford Castle

A 15th century castle, it sits on an island in the River Suir, and the castle can only be reached by its own private ferry. If you are planning a honeymoon, or you’re just a hopeless romantic, Waterford Castle is the place for you.

Inistiogue, County Kilkenny

Inistiogue is a great place to go with your nearest and dearest, set in amongst rolling green countryside and beautiful woodlands. It’s a favorite romantic haven for many Irish people and an ideal place to declare your love.

Adare Manor, County Limerick

At the Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort course, u will enjoy luxurious treatment rooms, world-class dining facilities, fishing, shopping, sightseeing and a host of other estate activities guaranteed to pamper you in style.

Whitefriar Church, Dublin

Go spend some time in the home of remains the actual patron saint of Lovers – Saint Valentine! His remains are interred in Whitefriar Street Church, Dublin. It has become a pilgrimage for those seeking love, celebrating love and indeed cursing love! But what an ideal place to propose to your beloved!

10 Most Famous Technology Shrines in the World

Ever wondered where were the foundation stones of today’s technology giants laid? What were the places where the seeds of some of the biggest technology innovations first germinated? No they were not plush offices, but small garages, apartments or hostel rooms where these companies were set up. These buildings today mirror the journey of a dream.

So here are some of the most famous Technology Shrines. Some of these are birth places of today’s IT giants while others are centers which exemplify technology prowess that world have attained over the years.

367 Addison Ave, Palo Alto, California

Here in this house in 1939 college friends Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard laid the foundation of today’s largest personal computer manufacturer, Hewlett-Packard. The garage served as research lab, development workshop and manufacturing facility for the company’s early products.
2066 Crist Dr, Los Altos, California

Apple Computer Inc was born in the company’s CEO Steve Jobs’ parent’s spare bedroom. The room was basically a garage attached to his home at 2066 Crist Dr, Los Altos, California.

232 Santa Margarita Avenue, Menlo Park, California

This is the address where in the year 1998, Larry Page and Sergey Brin joined hands to build what eventually became the world’s no. 1 search engine and Internet Company, Google.

CERN, Geneva, Switzerland

It is one of the world’s largest and most respected centers for scientific research. Here In 1990, physicist Tim Berners-Lee and systems engineer Robert Cailliau devised the concept of an information system based on hypertext links.

Xerox PARC, Palo Alto, California

Another technology Shrine is PARC (Palo Alto Research Center, Inc), popularly known as Xerox PARC. Here the first graphical user interface was invented and the first Ethernet cables were connected. This is also the place where first laser printer was invented.

Ames Lab, Iowa State University, Iowa

What makes Ames Lab part of the tech’s holy sites is that this is the place where John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry built the world’s first electronic digital computer between the years 1937 and 1942.
Moore School of Engineering, University of Pennsylvania

Regarded as the birthplace of the computer industry, the Moore School is where the first general-purpose digital electronic computer, the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer), was built between 1943 and 1946.
IBM’s Main Plant, Poughkeepsie

This was the first building of IBM in NY. In April 1953, the most advanced, most flexible high-speed computer in the world called the IBM 701 Electronic Data Processing Machine was unveiled here.
Room 2713, Dobie Hall, University of Texas

Dobie Center, a privately-owned twenty-seven story residence hall located adjacent to the University of Texas at Austin campus is the birthplace of today’s second largest PC maker, Dell.
Kirkland House, Harvard University

Ever wondered where is the birthplace of the world’s most popular social networking site Facebook that today boasts of 250 million users. Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook here at Harvard University in the year 2004.

10 Top Tourists Attractions in New York

New York, New York, so good they named it twice, is one of the major cities in the world and also one of the top tourist destinations in America. It is also known affectionately as the ‘Big Apple’ and is next to both the Atlantic Ocean and the start of the Hudson River. The lively and bustling metropolis of New York City is full of interesting sights and major landmarks. Due to this reason New York City attracts more than 47 million foreign and American tourists each year.

Here are some of the top tourist attractions in New York. So if you are planning a visit to New York sometime soon then do visit them. There are countless others but below are NY’s best.

Empire State Building

Tired of staring up at New York City skyscrapers? Check out the view of New York City from atop the Empire State Building. You can avoid waiting in the ticket line for the Empire State Building if you buy your tickets online in advance.

Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the United States in honor of the friendship established during the French Revolution. The Statue of Liberty has become an American symbol of freedom and welcome to the immigrants who come to the USA looking for a better life.

Grand Central Terminal

Renovations since its opening in 1913 have turned Grand Central into more than just a hub for transportation — there are shops, dining and more available to visitors. There are group tours available, as well as free tours for individuals on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Rockefeller Center

The Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan, is known for its Christmas, ice skating, Top of the Rock Observation Deck, Radio City Music Hall and numerous shopping and dining opportunities. Rockefeller Center is a great destination for visitors any time of year.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum offers visitors a fascinating look into the immigrant experience. Interactive exhibits, walking tours and movies reveal the hardships and challenges faced by immigrants passing through Ellis Island.

Staten Island Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry is a free ferry from lower Manhattan to Staten Island, used by commuters and tourists wanting a view of the harbor and the Statue of Liberty.

American Museum of Natural History

Since opening to the public in 1869, the American Museum of Natural History has evolved and grown. In addition to the Rose Center planetarium and regular exhibits, the American Museum of Natural History hosts a revolving series of new exhibits, so there is always something new to see.

Central Park

Central Park has offered a welcome escape from the concrete jungle of New York City for over 150 years. Take a walk, a boat ride or just enjoy a picnic in Central Park and discover for yourself why Central Park is so popular.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Over 2 million works of art from around the world and throughout history are housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is an iconic art museum that is well worth a visit.
Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge, built between 1869 and 1883, connects Manhattan with New York’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, at the time one of the country’s largest cities. The bridge is one of the most magnificent landmarks in New York.

Lantau Island And the Big Buddha

Lantau Island is the largest island in Hong Kong. There is a spectacular cable car known as the Ngong Ping 360. It is considered to be the longest in Asia.  Being there during the Chinese New Year is amazing. It is the same New Year that has made us take their symbols into our own calendar. Characters for the year can be horses, dragons, snakes or even rabbits. Confusion sometimes arises when deciding whether a year can be characterized by the rabbit or the cat. This is because of the multitone of the word "cat".

The road towards the big Buddha as many other streets of Hong Kong are always decorated on the first day of the first moon on the Chinese lunar calendar. This marks the beginning of a new year. Funny enough this date changes from year to year!

As one heads to buy a ticket to the cable car, there are many welcome messages in the many languages of the world. To get to the Po Lin monastery and to the big statue of Buddha known as Tian Tau Buddha, one needs to take a cable car. You can choose one with a transparent floor or an ordinary one. But on weekends there is high demand for the ones with transparent floors. The queue for them is usually long and people usually wait for hours not to miss them. 

A 25 minute ride on the cable car opens a variety of breathtaking views. 

This one here might be the third type of cabins not spoken of at the cashier's desk. 

And on the crystal-clear water you might notice several fishing boats as this one here.

A view of the city and its skyscrappers.

The airport from afar.

Up we rise.

And the path winds itself like a snake through the hills.

Tourists take a break after a long day's trek.

It is said that in good visibilty the Big Buddha can be seen from as far as Macau. Hard to believe though. Seeing is believing they say. 

Ngong Ping is a modern, Chinese styled cultural village. All the brightness, colorfulness and elegance remind one of an amusement park. Here there is a multimedia a presentation known as "Walking with Buddha", the "Monkey Tales" theatre, the International Cable Car gallery, and the Nature center of Ngong Ping. Not forgetting the ever increasing souvenir shops, tea shops, fast food stalls and restaurants. Just everything a tourist needs.

A boulevard in Ngong Ping.

Some statue with a funny helmet.

The Buddha sitting in a lotus pose weighs 250 tons and has a height of 34 meters. He sits on a hill above the Po Lin monastery, at the very top of steep climbing stairs. He is surrounded by six Bodhisattva each with a symbolic offering. Buddha gracefully, kindly and somehow ironically looks at them.  The statue itself is made on a framed base that consists of 202 pieces that were cast for a period of 3 years at Nanjing.

A Wonder Of Ancient Greece

The city of Knossos is the most ancient colony of Crete, one of the first European cities and the most important site of the Minoan civilization named after the son of Zeus and Europa, Minos.

Keukenhof Flower Park

Keukenhof is the biggest park of bulbous flowers in the world that is located near Lisse city in South Holland province, between Amsterdam and the Hague. On the area of 32 hectares there grow various tulips, irises, narcissi, amaryllises, roses, orchids etc. Probably it's one of the most photographed places in the world.

The name of the park is originated from the words keuken ("cuisine") and hof("yard, park, garden"). The fact is that in the XV century the present park was a part of hunting land, where Jacoba's servants were picking herbals for cooking, hence the name. 

At the entry visitors are welcomed by women in traditional dresses, they offer boolets and maps of the park.

Many visitors come with cameras. The park is an ideal place for those who want to learn how to photograph flowers. All they should have - time and patience. The only disadvantage of Keukenhof - many flowers are in the shades of trees and there's no much sense in shooting them.