Happy New Year 2015

This is a picture taken from Time Square on New Year's Eve.

Times Square is a major commercial intersection and a neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the junction of Broadway (now converted into a pedestrian plaza) and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets. Brightly adorned with billboards and advertisements, Times Square is sometimes referred to as "The Crossroads of the World", "The Center of the Universe", and the heart of "The Great White Way". It is the hub of the Broadway Theater District, one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections, and a major center of the world's entertainment industry. Times Square is one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, drawing over 39 million visitors annually. Approximately 330,000 people pass through Times Square daily, many of whom are either tourists or people working in the area.

Formerly Longacre Square, Times Square was renamed in April 1904 after The New York Times moved its headquarters to the newly erected Times Building (now called One Times Square), the site of the annual ball drop on New Year's Eve, a tradition which began on December 31, 1907 and continues today, attracting over a million visitors to Times Square every New Year's Eve.

Cute Hedgehog

A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae, which is in order Erinaceomorpha. There are seventeen species of hedgehog in five genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and New Zealand (by introduction). There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas. Hedgehogs share distant ancestry with shrews (family Soricidae), with gymnures possibly being the intermediate link, and have changed little over the last 15 million years. Like many of the first mammals, they have adapted to a nocturnal way of life. Hedgehogs' spiny protection resembles that of the unrelated rodent porcupines and monotreme echidnas.

A defense that all species of hedgehogs possess is the ability to roll into a tight ball, causing all of the spines to point outwards. However, its effectiveness depends on the number of spines, and since some of the desert hedgehogs evolved to carry less weight, they are much more likely to try to run away and sometimes even attack the intruder, trying to ram into the intruder with its spines; rolling up into a spiny ball is used by those species as a last resort. There are a different number of predators for different species: while forest hedgehogs have relatively few predators, primarily birds (especially owls) and ferrets, smaller species like the long-eared hedgehog are preyed on by foxes, wolves and mongooses.

Tokyo Skyline with Mount Fuji in the background

Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the most populous metropolitan area in the world. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family. Tokyo is in the Kantō region on the southeastern side of the main island Honshu and includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands. Tokyo Metropolis was formed in 1943 from the merger of the former Tokyo Prefecture (東京府) and the city of Tokyo (東京市).

Ligurian Coast, Italy

This coast stretches along the North Italian coast and from the picture above you can see that it is full of vibrant colours just inviting you in to explore! Walking down sunbathed streets you cannot help but feel that you really are living the life.

Brașov, Romania

A 13th century medieval town with a heavy German influence, Brașov is located in Transylvania and is one of the major towns close to Dracula’s Bran Castle. There are plenty of hiking opportunities nearby, and very friendly hostel staff!

Bled, Slovenia

Bled Lake is the ideal place to explore Slovenia is rich of nature and cultural heritage in rural areas and the activities offered. Bled Lake is very enchanting and mysterious ancient cliff top fortress transformed into a winter wonderland when it was decorated by a covering of snow with the scent of roasted chestnuts drifting through the trees. Every visitor is fascinated by the fantastic Bled a variety of scenery and charming alpine lake. Bled Island, for centuries the symbol of the region. Cliff top Castle impressive broods Lake and offers a stunning view of Bled Lake, the surrounding area and the peak-the highest peak in Slovenia. If you would like to see Bled in style, love train ride around the Lake. Bled surrounded by mountains and with a fairytale Castle perched on a Crag overlooking a 17th-century Church on an island.

Tenby, Wales

Tenby is a picturesque Welsh village contained within 13th century medieval walls. With 200 hundred listed buildings in the area it provides picturesque views from every vantage point.

Mont St Michel, France

Mont-Saint-Michel is a commune with 43 ​​residents in the department of Manche in Basse-Normandie region, which was founded in 708. It is situated on the rocky island of Mont Saint-Michel in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel in the Wadden Sea of Normandy. The island is only about 55,000 square meters and is located about one kilometer from the coast. Nearby are the mouth of the Couesnon, the city of Avranches and the border with Brittany. The landscape is called Avranchin.

The non-construction 92 meters high island is known for its built on her abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. This Benedictine monastery dominates the small island and is an example of French Norman architecture) and for a fortified abbey. In the monastery lived and worked until the 1960s Benedictine monks since 2001, living there religious of the “Fraternité Monastique de Jérusalem”.

The Mont has become a major tourist attraction, he is visited by about 3.5 million people. In still low, but increasing extent it is again – visited by pilgrims, among other things, in connection with the Camino de Santiago – as in the Middle Ages. The mountain and its bay are since 1979 a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. He also is listed since 1998 as part of the World Heritage Camino de Santiago in France.

Krakow, Poland

I fell in love with this city as soon as I stepped off the bus. Arriving in this picturesque perfect Polish town you could be forgiven for thinking you have walked straight into a postcard. Krakow offers incredible architecture, amazing nature, and very nice people. The fact that it is host to 10 universities provides an amazing nightlife! It is remains my favourite city in Europe!

Lofoten

Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude. Lofoten is known for a distinctive scenery with mountains and peaks, open sea and sheltered bays, beaches and untouched lands.

Lofoten Islands

Travelers, resting on the Lofoten Islands have the opportunity not only to plunge into the world of peace, but also find entertainment for all tastes — diving, snorkelling, natural safari on boats, climbing. Well, if you’re lucky — you’ll see killer whales and northern lights.

Ballycarbery Castle

Ballycarbery Castle is a castle 3km from Cahersiveen, County Kerry, Ireland . The castle is situated high on a grass hill facing the sea and is a short distance from Cahergall Fort and Leacanabuile Fort.

There was some kind of residence situated on the site of the castle as early as 1398 however the present ruins were constructed in the 16th century. It was noted as a McCarthy Mor castle by some sources at that time but whether it was occupied by the McCarthy Mors or their wardens the O'Connells is unknown. The castle was passed onto Sir Valentine Browne following the death of its owner Donal McCarthy More. In 1652 it was attacked by cannon fire from Parliament forces during the War of the Three Kingdoms. In the 18th century a house was built on the site using the barn wall and it was inhabited by the Lauder family. This house was demolished in the early 20th century.

Lofoten Islands, Norway

Every year millions of tourists from all over the world come here in order to personally enjoy the natural attractions. One of the most interesting routes are the Lofoten Islands, located in the north-west of the country. The archipelago consists of seven major islands: Austvogёy, Værøy, Vestvågøy, Gimsøy, Moskenesøya, Røst and Flakstadøya. Their total area is 1,227 square km; population — 24,000 people. The main occupation of the locals — fishing.

Adansonia grandidieri, Madagascar

Adansonia grandidieri, sometimes known as Grandidier's baobab, is the biggest and most famous of Madagascar's six species of baobabs. This imposing and unusual tree is endemic to the island of Madagascar, where it is an endangered species threatened by the encroachment of agricultural land.

Huge sandstorm covered the city of Phoenix, USA.

A dust storm or sand storm is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Particles are transported by saltation and suspension, a process that moves soil from one place and deposits it in another.

Drylands around North Africa and the Arabian peninsula are the main terrestrial sources of airborne dust. Also with some contributions from Iran, Pakistan and India into the Arabian Sea, and China's significant storms deposit dust in the Pacific. It has been argued that recently, poor management of the Earth's drylands, such as neglecting the fallow system, are increasing dust storms size and frequency from desert margins and changing both the local and global climate, and also impacting local economies.

The term sandstorm is used most often in the context of desert sandstorms, especially in the Sahara Desert, or places where sand is a more prevalent soil type than dirt or rock, when, in addition to fine particles obscuring visibility, a considerable amount of larger sand particles are blown closer to the surface. The term dust storm is more likely to be used when finer particles are blown long distances, especially when the dust storm affects urban areas.

Northern Lights over ice Jokulsarlon lagoon, Iceland.

An aurora is a natural light display in the sky, predominantly seen in the high latitude (Arctic and Antarctic) regions. The name ”auroras” is now more commonly used for the linguistic plural ”aurorae” of ”aurora”, so is adopted throughout the main text of this article. Modern style guides recommend that the names of meteorological phenomena, such as aurora borealis, be uncapitalized. Auroras are caused by charged particles, mainly electrons and protons, entering the atmosphere from above causing ionisation and excitation of atmospheric constituents, and consequent optical emissions. Incident protons can also produce emissions as hydrogen atoms after gaining an electron from the atmosphere.

Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands is an archipelago and autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Norway and Iceland, at about 320 kilometres (200 mi) north-north-west of mainland Scotland. The total area is approximately 1,400 km2 (540 sq mi) with a 2010 population of almost 50,000 people.

The Faroe Islands have been a self-governing country within the Danish Realm since 1948. Over the years, the Faroese have taken control of most domestic matters. Areas that remain the responsibility of Denmark include military defence, police, justice, currency and foreign affairs. The Faroe Islands also have representatives in the Nordic Council as members of the Danish delegation.

The islands were associated with and taxed by Norway, then the Union of Kalmar, and then Denmark–Norway until 1814, when Norway was united with Sweden. Scandinavia was in political turmoil following the Sixth Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars, when the Treaty of Kiel granted Denmark control over the Faroes, Iceland and Greenland in 1814. The Danish trade monopoly ended in 1856.

Church of St. Andrew in Vuoksa, Russia.

Photo of sandstorm over the Sahara

Photo of sandstorm over the Sahara, made from the ISS.

Consequences of floods in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The 2010 Slovenia floods, on the weekend of 17–19 September 2010, were caused by heavy rains in Slovenia, resulting in one of the worst floods in the country's history. Among the regions affected were the capital Ljubljana, the Zasavje region, Laško, the Slovenian Littoral and the Lower Carniola region. Initial damage was estimated to reach €15 million. Three people were killed.

In Ljubljana, the river Gradaščica – together with the Mali graben stream – flooded several parts of the Vič District, and record water levels were reached. Several transformers were shut down to prevent accidents, leaving some 3,000 people without electricity.

Lantern festival in Thailand

Lantern festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

In Thailand sky lanterns are often traditionally made from oiled rice paper on a bamboo frame. They may also be constructed from other lightweight papers. The source of hot air is usually a small candle or fuel cell composed of a waxy combustible material lit and which usually stays lit despite the surrounding air currents. The Thai name is khom fai. Many areas of Asia, however, do not permit sky lanterns because of widespread fire hazards as well as danger to livestock.

Paris at sunset

The city is a major rail, highway, and air-transport hub, served by the two international airports Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly. Opened in 1900, the city's subway system, the Paris Métro, serves 9 million passengers daily. Paris is the hub of the national road network, and is surrounded by three orbital roads: the Périphérique, the A86 motorway, and the Francilienne motorway in the outer suburbs.

Hôtel de Ville, Paris

The Hôtel de Ville in Paris, France, is the building housing the city's local administration. Standing on the place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville (formerly place de Grève) in the 4th arrondissement, it has been the location of the municipality of Paris since 1357. It serves multiple functions, housing the local administration, the Mayor of Paris (since 1977), and also serves as a venue for large receptions.

Haystack Rock

Haystack Rock is a 235-foot (72-meter) sea stack in Cannon Beach, Oregon. It is sometimes claimed locally to be the third-tallest such "intertidal" (meaning it can be reached by land) structure in the world, but there are no official references to support this. A popular tourist destination, the monolithic rock is adjacent to the beach and accessible by foot at low tide. The Haystack Rock tide pools are home to many intertidal animals, including starfish, sea anemone, crabs, chitons, limpets, and sea slugs. The rock is also a nesting site for many sea birds, including terns and puffins.

The aurora borealis in the skies over Hammerfest, Norway

An aurora is a natural light display in the sky, predominantly seen in the high latitude (Arctic and Antarctic) regions. The name ”auroras” is now more commonly used for the linguistic plural ”aurorae” of ”aurora”, so is adopted throughout the main text of this article. Modern style guides recommend that the names of meteorological phenomena, such as aurora borealis, be uncapitalized. Auroras are caused by charged particles, mainly electrons and protons, entering the atmosphere from above causing ionisation and excitation of atmospheric constituents, and consequent optical emissions. Incident protons can also produce emissions as hydrogen atoms after gaining an electron from the atmosphere.

Little Owls

The little owl (Athene noctua) is a bird that inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, Asia east to Korea, and north Africa. It is not native to Great Britain and was first introduced in 1842 by Thomas Powys and is now naturalised there. It was also successfully introduced to the South Island of New Zealand in the early 20th century.

This species is among the larger grouping of owls that is known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The other grouping is the barn owls, Tytonidae.

Capsule Inn Akihabara

Akihabara is not a new word and not a new topic to discuss, it is just a place for a brand-new way of spending your nights while in Tokyo.

So, Akihabara is a stylish and digi-center of Tokyo, having a lot of electronic stores, namely there the Capsule Inn Akihabara is located. It goes without saying, that Japan is a country of progress, innovations and technics. In order to save space, the Japanese people created an unusual type of accommodation – a Capsule hotel.

As a rule,a Capsule hotel consists of 2 parts: a public lounge space and a private space (with sleeping capsules). A typical sleeping capsule is a place made of reinforced plastic with the following amenities: TV, alarm clock, radio, special lighting and blinds (just to add privacy). Every device is possible to reach in a sleeping position.

First Artificial Sea Beach in Japan

Japan adores to be ahead of the whole world, its people will never get tired of these constant creations and inventions. The Japanese are always making something new, something really interesting and completely addictive. What do you think about world’s biggest artificial indoor sea beach, that was created in the southern Japan? Cool? Why not?

This time, the Japanese-inventors tossed a challenge to our Mother Nature. Actually, their cool beach is just a huge Ocean Dome (approximately 6 football pitches, it can house 10,000 tourists), that allows everybody to lie on the artificial beach, among artificial palm-trees and enjoy the sound of artificial tide. The real beach is only 300 meters away and it looks really lonely, since if failed to win in this extremely stiff competition.

Dream Homes in Dream Land – Dubai

Dubai is a magical emirate, showing unbelievable economical growth and stunning combination of past and future, old and almost fell into ruins buildings with brand new and super modern ones. These modern buildings are cool, bright and look at their predecessors with obvious sarcasm. Dubai has more luxurious hotels than any other country, more property for sale, many international companies invest their money in Dubai, it is a glam, stylish, cosmopolitan, wealthy international business and pleasure hub.

Chateau de Chambord

The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France, is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed by King Francis I of France.

Chambord is the largest château in the Loire Valley; it was built to serve as a hunting lodge for Francis I, who maintained his royal residences at the châteaux of Blois and Amboise. The original design of the Château de Chambord is attributed, though with some doubt, to Domenico da Cortona; Leonardo da Vinci may also have been involved.

In 1792, in the wake of the French Revolution, some of the furnishings were sold and timber removed. For a time the building was left abandoned, though in the 19th century some attempts were made at restoration. During the Second World War, art works from the collections of the Louvre and the Château de Compiègne were moved to the Château de Chambord. The château is now open to the public, receiving 700,000 visitors in 2007.

Yorkshire Dales

The Yorkshire Dales (also known simply as The Dales) is an upland area of the Pennines in Northern England dissected by numerous valleys.

The area lies within the county boundaries of historic Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire and Cumbria. Most of the area falls within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, created in 1954 and now one of the fifteen National parks of Britain, but the term also includes areas to the east of the National Park, notably Nidderdale.

The Dales is a collection of river valleys and the hills among them, rising from the Vale of York westwards to the hilltops of the main Pennine watershed. In some places, such as Ribblesdale and Dentdale, the area extends westwards across the watershed, but most of the valleys drain eastwards to the Vale of York, into the Ouse and then the Humber.

The word dale comes from the Nordic/Germanic word for valley (dal, tal), and occurs in valley names across Yorkshire and Northern England, but the name Yorkshire Dales is generally used to refer specifically to the dales west of the Vale of York and north of the West Yorkshire Urban Area.

Bora Bora

Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island, located about 230 kilometres (143 miles) northwest of Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the centre of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, the highest point at 727 metres (2,385 feet).

Bora Bora is a major international tourist destination, famous for its aqua-centric luxury resorts. The major settlement, Vaitape, is on the western side of the main island, opposite the main channel into the lagoon. Produce of the island is mostly limited to what can be obtained from the sea and the plentiful coconut trees, which were historically of economic importance for copra. According to a 2008 census, Bora Bora has a permanent population of 8,880.

Mumbai

Mumbai is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, most populous metropolitan area in India, and the eighth most populous city in the world, with an estimated city population of 18.4 million and metropolitan area population of 20.7 million as of 2011. Along with the urban areas, including the cities of Navi Mumbai, Thane, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, it is one of the most populous urban regions in the world. Mumbai lies on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour. In 2009, Mumbai was named an alpha world city. It is also the wealthiest city in India, and has the highest GDP of any city in South, West or Central Asia.

Mumbai is the financial, commercial and entertainment capital of India. It is also one of the world's top ten centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow, generating 6.16% of India's GDP and accounting for 25% of industrial output, 70% of maritime trade in India (Mumbai Port Trust & JNPT), and 70% of capital transactions to India's economy. The city houses important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India, the SEBI and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indian companies and multinational corporations. It is also home to some of India's premier scientific and nuclear institutes like BARC, NPCL, IREL, TIFR, AERB, AECI, and the Department of Atomic Energy. The city also houses India's Hindi (Bollywood) and Marathi film and television industry. Mumbai's business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a higher standard of living, attract migrants from all over India, making the city a melting pot of many communities and cultures.

Millau Bridge The Highest Bridge in the World

The Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France.

Designed by the French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and British architect Norman Foster, it is the tallest bridge in the world with one mast's summit at 343.0 metres (1,125 ft) above the base of the structure. It is the 12th highest bridge deck in the world, being 270 metres (890 ft) between the road deck and the ground below. Millau Viaduct is part of the A75-A71 autoroute axis from Paris to Béziers and Montpellier. Construction cost was approximately €400 million. It was formally inaugurated on 14 December 2004, and opened to traffic on 16 December. The bridge has been consistently ranked as one of the great engineering achievements of all time. The bridge received the 2006 International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering Outstanding Structure Award.

The Dubai Fountain

The Dubai Fountain is the world's largest choreographed fountain system set on the 30-acre manmade Burj Khalifa Lake, at the center of the Downtown Dubai development in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was designed by WET Design, the California-based company responsible for the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel Lake in Las Vegas. Illuminated by 6,600 lights and 25 colored projectors, it is 275 m (902 ft) long and shoots water up to 500 ft (152.4 m) into the air accompanied by a range of classical to contemporary Arabic and world music. It was built at a cost of AED 800 million (USD $218 million).

The name of the fountain was chosen after a contest organized by the developer Emaar Properties, the result of which was announced on 26 October 2008. Testing of the fountain began in February 2009, and the fountain was officially inaugurated on 8 May 2009 along with the official opening ceremony of The Dubai Mall. On 2 January 2010 the length of Dubai fountains was increased to 275 m (902.2 ft).

Iwakuni Castle

Iwakuni Castle is a castle in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, Japan.

This castle was constructed by Kikkawa Hiroie from 1601 to 1608 as his own castle. Kikkawa was a retainer of a vassal of the Shogun under the Mōri clan. However, this castle was dismantled as per the Ikkoku-ichijo (一國一城, literally, "One Castle Per Province") order established by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1615. The famous Kintai Bridge was originally a bridge to the main gate of the castle. After the destruction of the castle, Kikkawa used a part of the old castle as his residential office. The Kikkawa clan held this castle and Iwakuni Han, which was assessed at 30,000 (later 60,000) koku.

A replica of the castle tower stands high on a hill above the Nishiki River and the Kintai Bridge in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Iwakuni Castle was selected to be one of the 100 Great Castles of Japan by the Japan Castle Foundation in 2006.

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. The 2011 census recorded 603,502 people in the city, making it the eighth largest Canadian municipality. The Greater Vancouver area of around 2.4 million inhabitants is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country and the most populous in Western Canada. Vancouver is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada; 52% of its residents have a first language other than English. Vancouver is classed as a Beta global city. The City of Vancouver encompasses a land area of about 114 square kilometres, giving it a population density of about 5,249 people per square kilometre (13,590 per square mile). Vancouver is the most densely populated Canadian municipality, and the fourth most densely populated city over 250,000 residents in North America, behind New York City, San Francisco, and Mexico City.

Hotel de Paris, Monte Carlo Icon

Monte Carlo's iconic Casino, left, and the Hotel de Paris, right, at the Place du Casino.

The Hotel de Paris, Monaco’s Belle Epoque beauty on the Riviera, piles up accolades like a roulette player on a roll raking in chips, and it’s not by luck or chance. The latest is Condé Nast Traveler’s 2011 Reader’s Choice Awards, naming it the Number One Hotel in Southern Europe, and that includes all of France, Spain and Italy.

The Call of Istanbul

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. Its commercial and historical centre lies in the European part of Eurasia, while about a third of its population lives in the Asian part. With a population of 14.1 million, the city forms the largest urban agglomeration in Europe as well as the largest in the Middle East, and the sixth-largest city proper in the world. Istanbul's vast area of 5,343 square kilometers (2,063 sq mi) is coterminous with Istanbul Province, of which the city is the administrative capital. Istanbul is a transcontinental city, straddling the Bosphorus strait in northwestern Turkey between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.

Approximately 11.6 million foreign visitors arrived in Istanbul in 2012, two years after it was named a European Capital of Culture, making the city the world's fifth-most-popular tourist destination. The city's biggest draw remains its historic center, partially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its cultural and entertainment hub can be found across the city's natural harbor, the Golden Horn, in the Beyoğlu district. Considered a global city, Istanbul is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan economies in the world. It hosts the headquarters of many Turkish companies and media outlets and accounts for more than a quarter of the country's gross domestic product. Hoping to capitalize on its revitalization and rapid expansion, Istanbul bid for the Summer Olympics five times in twenty years.

Topkapı Palace

The Topkapı Palace is a large palace in Istanbul, Turkey, that was the primary residence of the Ottoman sultans for approximately 400 years (1465–1856) of their 624-year reign.

Following the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1923, Topkapı Palace was transformed by a government decree dated April 3, 1924, into a museum of the imperial era. The Topkapı Palace Museum is administered by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The palace complex has hundreds of rooms and chambers, but only the most important are accessible to the public today. The complex is guarded by officials of the ministry as well as armed guards of the Turkish military. The palace includes many fine examples of Ottoman architecture. It contains large collections of porcelain, robes, weapons, shields, armor, Ottoman miniatures, Islamic calligraphic manuscripts and murals, as well as a display of Ottoman treasures and jewelry.

The Most Colorful Snake: California Red Sided Garter Snake

Not Dangerous (Non-poisonous) - This snake does not have venom that is dangerous to most humans.

Gartersnakes have toxins in their saliva which can be deadly to their prey and their bite might produce an unpleasant reaction in humans, but they are not considered dangerous to humans.

The species Thamnophis sirtalis - Common Gartersnake, has the largest distribution of any gartersnake, ranging from the east coast to the west coast and north into Canada, farther north than any other species of snake in North America.

This subspecies, Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis - California Red-sided Gartersnake, is endemic to California, ranging from Humboldt County south, along the coast ranges (excluding much of the San Francisco peninsula) and east of the San Francisco Bay along the central and south coasts to San Diego County.

Black Howler Monkey

The black howler (Alouatta caraya) is a species of howler monkey, a large New World monkey, from northeastern Argentina, eastern Bolivia, eastern and southern Brazil, and Paraguay. Together with the brown howler, it is the southernmost member of the Alouatta genus. Only the adult male is black; adult females and juveniles of both genders are overall whitish to yellowish-buff. However, variations occur even among the adult males; some have patches of reddish-brown or buff fur.

They live in groups of three to 19 individuals (usually seven to 9). The sex ratio is usually one to three males for every seven to nine females in a group. When mating, males and females within a single group pair off.

Named for their vocalizations, they may be heard most often around sunrise. This "dawn chorus" sounds much more like roaring than howling, and it announces the howlers' position as a means to avoiding conflict with other groups. The call can be heard up to 5 km away.

These monkeys commonly sleep or rest up to 70% of the day, making it one of the least active monkeys in the New World. Their habitat is forest, especially semideciduous and gallery. Black howlers are folivorous, eating mostly leaves, and occasionally fruit, such as figs. They generally prefer walking and climbing to running or leaping. The prehensile tail is very strong and acts as a fifth limb, allowing the monkeys greater versatility when climbing and allowing them greater safety in the occasional fall from a high branch. Because their limb structure makes terrestrial movement awkward, they spend most of their time in the trees and only come down for water during dry spells. Otherwise, the monkeys drink by wetting their hands on moist leaves, and then licking the water off their hands. Their lifespans are up to 20 years, but more commonly 15 years in the wild.

USS Arizona Memorial

The USS Arizona Memorial, located at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, marks the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and marines killed on the USS Arizona (BB-39) during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 and commemorates the events of that day. The attack on Pearl Harbor and the island of Oʻahu was the action that led to the United States' direct involvement in World War II.

The memorial, built in 1962, is visited by more than one million people annually. Accessible only by boat, it straddles the sunken hull of the battleship without touching it. Historical information about the attack, shuttle boats to and from the memorial, and general visitor services are available at the associated USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center, which opened in 1980 and is operated by the National Park Service. The sunken remains of the battleship were declared a National Historic Landmark on 5 May 1989.

Cute Photo of Little Owls

Mont Saint Michel

Mont Saint-Michel is an island commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one kilometre (0.6 miles) off the country's northwestern coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. 100 hectares (247 acres) in size, the island has a population of 44 (2009).

The island has held strategic fortifications since ancient times, and since the eighth century AD has been the seat of the monastery from which it draws its name. The structural composition of the town exemplifies the feudal society that constructed it: On top, God, the abbey and monastery; below this, the great halls; then stores and housing; and at the bottom, outside the walls, fishermen's and farmers' housing.

Its unique position of being an island only 600 metres from land made it readily accessible on low tide to the many pilgrims to its abbey. Equally, this position made it readily defensible as an incoming tide stranded, or drowned, would-be assailants. By capitalising on this natural defence, the Mont remained unconquered during the Hundred Years' War with a small garrison successfully defending it against a full attack by the English in 1433. The reverse benefits of its natural defence were not lost on Louis XI, who turned the Mont into a prison. Thereafter the abbey began to be used more regularly as a jail during the Ancien Régime.

One of France's most recognisable landmarks, Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites and more than 3 million people visit it each year.

Jambiani Beach

Jambiani is a village on the Tanzanian island of Unguja, part of Zanzibar. It is located on the southeast coast between Paje and Makunduchi.

Iceberg Sky

An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that has broken off a glacier or an ice shelf and is floating freely in open water. It may subsequently become frozen into pack ice (one form of sea ice). As it drifts into shallower waters, it may come into contact with the seabed, a process referred to as seabed gouging by ice.

Lake of Lotus

Beautiful sunset...

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvice Lakes National Park is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia.

The national park was founded in 1949 and is situated in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia, at the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The important north-south road connection, which passes through the national park area, connects the Croatian inland with the Adriatic coastal region.

The protected area extends over 296.85 square kilometres (73,350 acres). About 90% of this area is part of Lika-Senj County, while the remaining 10% is part of Karlovac County.

In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register among the first natural sites worldwide. Each year, more than 1,200,000 visitors are recorded.

Tree Kangaroo

The tree-kangaroos are a genus of Macropodidae marsupials of the genus Dendrolagus adapted for arboreal locomotion. They inhabit the tropical rainforests of New Guinea, far northeastern Queensland and some of the islands in the region. Most tree-kangaroos are considered threatened due to hunting and habitat destruction. Tree-kangaroos are the only true arboreal members of the kangaroo family.