New York Skyscraper

Here is the latest project by architect Frank Gehry to build a new skyscraper in Manhattan. The tower called New York by Gehry will be a height of 265 meters, over 900 apartments. A modern look to discover more.

Tour de France 2010

The bicycle race includes a total of 20 stages and covers 3,642 km before finishing in Paris on 25th July.

The pack climbs towards Colombiere pass during the 9th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday, July 13, 2010.. (AP Photo)

Sankore Mosque – Timbuktu

One of the historic mosques of Timbuktu, the Sankore mosque was built during the declining years of the Empire of Mali, in the early 15th century A.D. Architecturally, it is remarkable for its large pyramidal mihrab.

Island of Lombok – Indonesia

60 Worst Countries in the World

n the last five years, the Foundation for Peace compile ranking of countries in the world on all factors that determine the quality of life. According to that list, composed photographs is this series called “Postcards from hell”, because there, a picture is worth 1,000 words:

1. SOMALIA

FSI score: 114.3 (out of 120)
Somalia has topped the Failed States Index for the last three years — a testament not only to the depth of the country’s long-running political and humanitarian disaster, but also, as James Traub writes, to the international community’s inability to find an answer. After two decades of chaos, the country is today largely under the control of Islamist militant groups, the most notorious and powerful of which is al-Shabab. A second faction, Hizbul Islam, rivals the former in brutality — it recently executed two Somalis for the crime of watching the World Cup. Off the coast, pirates such as the men pictured here torment passing ships, often holding them hostage for a high price. In 2009, Somali pirates earned an estimated $89 million in ransom payments.

2. CHAD

Score: 113.3
Chad’s troubles are often written off as spillover from the conflict taking place in next-door Darfur, Sudan. But this central African country has plenty of problems of its own. An indigenous conflict has displaced

Earth from Above by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

“Earth From Above” is the result of the aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s five-year airborne odyssey across six continents. It’s a spectacular presentation of large scale photographs of astonishing natural landscapes. Every stunning aerial photograph tells a story about our changing planet.

Cattle, Argentina

Incredible Snowfall in Helsinki, Finland

incredible images of snowfall in Helsinki Finland at 15 degrees Celsius temperature.

Brave – or, rather, unfortunate – cyclists were battling with the severe weather.

South America Photography by Tom Robinson

Boy with dead Condor. Southern Altiplano, Bolivia.

Aerial Views of the World

Sometimes we all can use a different perspective on things. With the hustle and bustle of our day to day lives, we can forget to look beyond ourselves – at the bigger picture. If that sounds like you, maybe you’ll enjoy a different view. Check out the collection of bird’s eye view photographs below and get a different look at the world around you.
Photo by PhOtOnQuAnTiQuE

Photo by heather

Beautiful Night Scenes of Dubai

Beautiful pictures of the night in Dubai (UAE) from the sky.

Recycled Cathedral

Surely you’ve seen several beautiful churches. But none of them is better than this. This Cathedral was built by Husto Martinez in Madrid, Spain, using only construction debris. He started a huge building almost 50 years and works daily.


This impressive church was built almost exclusively from local materials gathered from Martinez, and today it is 40 meters high and has an area of 8000 square meters. Husto Martinez, who called himself Don Husto worked on this massive building itself having been forced to abandon his monastic order due to illness. After he recovered, he devoted his life to building the church with his money and his land. The Cathedral is almost finished, it takes only a few artistic details, roof, windows and building permits.

Mosques are the Holy place of Muslims. It refers to a Arabic word Masjid. Muslims prayer five times a day when Adhan is call by muezzin in the Mosque. Mosques present all over the world in a huge amount that the voice of adhan is one which surrounds 24hrs of the day in the world, not stop for even a single second (Click Here to see the video). Lets have a look at these beautiful mosques from all over the world.

Singapore Unique Swimming Pool

The Marina Bay Sands in Singapore has recently offered a unique swimming pool in the world.Designed by architect Moshe Safdie, this pool placed at 200 meters high above the three buildings of the hotel, impressed by the view it offers and the rich decoration.

Beautiful Dubai Sky View

A new film designed and impressive time-lapse by Englishman Philip Bloom, shot with Canon 7D, the 5D MK II and the Panasonic GF1. Filmed in Dubai for five days and five nights: the incredible shots and capturing HD to discover later in the article.

Time Lapse in Los Angeles City

A beautiful time lapse video in the city of Los Angeles, directly inspired by the work of Matt Logue on his series of photographs Empty Los Angeles. The concept is available in video on a soundtrack of Radiohead. A Sliding afterwards.

Time Lapse in Different Cities of Japan

A trip across Japan with this beautiful time-lapse video entitled “Hayaku” by Brad Kremer. Many shots made in Tokyo, Matsuyama, Imabari, Nagano, Gifu and Ishizushisan. All on a soundtrack of Royksopp and The Album Leaf.

Stepping Back in Time at the Hotel Lana’i

If you a frequent, or even infrequent, reader of this site, then you are no doubt aware that I was recently on the island of Lana’i as part of the Lana’i Visitor’s Bureau New-Media-Artist-in-Residence Program. While there, we had the unique opportunity to stay at all three hotels located on the island, including one we had not visited previously, the Hotel Lana’i.
The history of Lana’i is an odd one, as even the casual observer would probably expect. Throughout its past, the island went through periods of growth and building, only to be followed by demolition and building of something entirely different. During one of these building phases, and the one which still leaves its mark on the island today, was the introduction of the Dole pineapple plantation and Lana’i City.
In the early 1920s, the Company designed and built a planned town for its workers. An integral part of the design was the building that originally served as a Club House, meant to house Hawaiian Pineapple Company management employees and company guests, but today is the Hotel Lana’i.
As we were escorted through the boutique hotel, which has a cozy eleven rooms, the owner, Mike, made a point to remind us that even though he and his wife had performed a comprehensive refurbishment, the fact remained that the hotel was a 1926 building. The word of warning was not needed though, our stay at the Hotel Lana’i was as pleasant as any we have enjoyed at a boutique, bed and breakfast style hotel.
The best feature of this remarkable establishment is the intangible vibe that reverberates throughout the old plantation building. It must come from the owners, who are passionate about their hotel and that love is obvious in everything they do. More importantly though, everyone there just seemed so damned happy.
When we checked in, the front desk clerk said that we would be sharing a veranda with another couple. “I haven’t met them, but I’m sure they’re nice – everyone here is nice!” Truer words have never been spoken.

Hotel Lana'i

While our stay at the Hotel was brief, it was lovely in every way. The room was well furnished and the night spent there was one of the best we enjoyed while on the island.  What really thrilled me though, was that we were in the heart of the small village, Lana’i City. Rather than have to take a shuttle, we awoke in the morning to the sounds of roosters and bright rays of sun dappling over the Cook pines. It was early morning, and the resort shuttles weren’t running yet, which meant we had that moment all to ourselves, a unique feat indeed.
In a previous post, I highlighted the Hotel Lana’i for its value in making Lana’i very budget friendly. Now I am pleased to highlight it for providing a warm and unique experience in the heart of the old plantation town.

Early morning view of Lana'i City from the Hotel Lana'i

My Unvisit to the Temple Mount

Jerusalem has many important sites, both in historical and religious contexts, usually a combination of both. The three great monotheistic religions of the world, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, each claim the city as holy and have corresponding sites of importance in the great capital of antiquity. Of these the most enigmatic is without doubt the Temple Mount.
Simply put, the Temple Mount just may be the most holy site in the world. According to Judaism, the Temple Mount is where God created the world, where life was breathed into Adam and where the two great temples once stood. It is also home to the Divine Presence, giving great importance to the Temples and why the site remains holy today. The Kotel, or Western Wall, is the last remaining vestige of the ancient Temple complex, thus the site of pilgrimage for many Jews. The site is important in the Christian faith for the role it played in Jesus’ life as well as being the site of the Second Coming. Finally, Islam considers the site its third most holy for being the location of Muhammad’s journey to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven. On the Mount are the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The area is revered by all three religions because of the presence of the Dome of the Rock, inside of which sits the Foundation Stone, which is also believed to be the altar on which Abraham bound his son Isaac.
Due to this importance across the three religions, the site has been, and continues to be, a source of great tension and debate. Israel has controlled the site, indeed the entire city of Jerusalem, since the Six-Day War, but the Temple Mount is managed by an Islamic Council. Because the location of the Holy of Holies remains unknown, Israel’s Chief Rabbis have long maintained that it is forbidden for Jews to enter the Temple Mount, although it still remains a topic of debate amongst religious authorities.

End of a very long line

Unlike the Kotel or the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Temple Mount complex is not always open and many of the buildings contained on the site are verboten to non-Muslims. When I visited it was open to

Interactive Travel Guide – What to do in Istanbul

A regular feature on LandLopers is the Interactive Travel Guide. The idea is to highlight one city or country every week and then get the best recommendations from you all. By the end of the week, we hopefully will have created the best tips not from guide books, but from real people.
To continue this social media experiment, this week I want to highlight Istanbul.
Located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Istanbul’s importance has never been in question, signs of which can be seen throughout the city. One of the best areas to experience the history of Istanbul, as well as enjoy a rare moment of bucolic peace, is found at the Topkapi Palace.

Topkapi served as the capital of the Ottoman Empire and home to its Sultans for more than four centuries. Vestiges of this Imperial past can be seen throughout the complex from ornate doors to relics in the museum belonging to the Prophet Mohammad.
Since it was nearly closing time, we rushed about the Palace, glancing through Treasuries and small Museums, more interested in the intricate design and architecture than anything else. My moment of Zen was standing in a patio overlooking the Bosporus. It was gorgeous, gazing out across the intersection of continents and cultures and imagining the people who stood there before me. Throughout Istanbul, but especially at Topkapi, the city’s rich history is palpable.
Prompted by the crowds strolling to the gates like lemmings, we left with hesitation, not wanting to leave the calm, peaceful world of the palace complex behind. It may have been at that moment when I fell in love with this great quirky city.
NOW it’s your turn. Please comment and tell us your favorite thing to do, see or eat in Istanbul. If you haven’t been yet, please let us know what you would most like to do.

Top 10 Luxurious Hotels In New York

New York City is the most populated city in the United States and even as a region New York is very popular among travelers. This is the number one destination in the Untied States for foreign visitors as it is the cultural, financial, entertainment, industrial, fashion and commercial center of the United States. However the key to enjoy your entire Big Apple tenure is to consult guides that offer compact knowledge regarding New York Hotels. Of course there is very long list but we have selected some and we believe that are worth your stay in New York. These desirable New York Hotels offer various amenities and services only for your comfort.

Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge

Mandarin Oriental, Dallas

The 10 Strangest Laws Around the World

1. Singapore

In a bid to keep the streets of this super-efficient city clean, the authorities in Singapore decided in 1992 to ban chewing gum completely. Stick to a mint.

2. Eraclea, Italy

Many holidaymakers head to the sandy beach at Eraclea to escape the hordes of tourists in nearby Venice. Unfortunately, those who enjoy building sandcastles can think again – it’s forbidden.

3. Amsterdam, Netherlands

A curious loophole in the law means that smoking tobacco in a public place such as a coffee shop in

The Worst Way to Visit the Vatican

A visit to Vatican City is a must for any tourist in Rome and not without reason. There is no need to go into the rich history, art and architecture of this tiny country, suffice it to say it is a remarkable place to visit. Not everyone though knows how to visit the Vatican properly and most will either miss out on unique experiences or spend most of their time waiting in line.
It’s not difficult to transform a simple trip to the Vatican Museum into a miserable travel experience. Most of the visitors to this massive institution aren’t there to see priceless statues or reliquaries, they are there for the chance to spend a few moments admiring the remarkable beauty of the newly cleaned ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
Getting in to see this marvel of fresco design though is sometimes easier said than done. At almost any time of the year, but especially the peak tourist times, the queue for the museums can be hours long – hours long. Since you know you’re going to visit, the best way of avoiding the line from hell is to buy tickets ahead of time. Simply go to the museum site, select how many people, the date and time and purchase tickets online. You will be able to print off your tickets at home and you are done! That, however, is only half the battle.

When I visited, I arrived at the Vatican Museum entrance, printed ticket in hand, and was ready to go. However, I was met with a line that wrapped around for blocks and no clear indication of what I was supposed to do. There were no signs indicating that people with tickets can skip this queue, which they can. I brazenly went to the front of the line, showed the guards my ticket and they ushered me in. No problem.

Finding an Authentic Experience in Honolulu’s Chinatown

The first-time visitor to Honolulu will almost assuredly be quickly overwhelmed by the constant traffic, high-end stores and island glam of the city within moments of arrival. Hawaii conjures thoughts of quiet beaches, swaying palms and the faint sounds of ukulele in the distance. Arriving in Waikiki, a veritable Vegas of the South Pacific, can be confusing and even disappointing. Away from the Ferrari stores and gun ranges, Honolulu has not only preserved its true personality, but offers a peek at what it means to live in this dynamic city to anyone willing to look for it.
The first part of my Hawaiian experience was occupied with work; a conference was the impetus for the trip in the first place. Any business traveler though knows that there are occasional opportunities that are work free, creating the perfect opportunity for some quick sightseeing. I used one of my few free afternoons to discover an area of town rich in history and importance to the city - Chinatown.

The best way to get to Chinatown from Waikiki is via public bus, a cab ride is about $20 each way. TheBus numbers 2 or 20 will take you directly to Chinatown. A friend was driving that way, so I hitched a ride and started my walk on Maunakea Street.

Five Strange Things About Honolulu

My first visit to Hawaii last year began as it does for millions, with a stay in Waikiki. This area of tropical perfection has, over the years, grown at an incredible rate and today is an interesting mix of the laid back, Hawaiian spirit of Aloha and Las Vegas. I’m not criticizing it though, it’s that strange combination which makes it endearing. I did though find a few strange things during my visit.

Shooting Ranges
Japanese gun laws are extremely strict; among the most severe in the world, and state that no one can bear firearms under any circumstance. In an odd sociological phenomenon, the combination of these gun laws and

A Visit to Forgotten Muristan

No it’s not a small country in the former Soviet Union, nor is it a far flung province of Afghanistan or even China. While it doesn’t enjoy borders or even many inhabitants, Muristan is one of the most important neighborhoods in world history, found in the ancient city of Jerusalem.
It was early, around seven or so, and the souks in the Old City were a ghost town. I couldn’t believe no one, not a soul, was meandering the mazelike alleys along with me. I had to meet a tour guide for a day trip at the Jaffa Gate, but first I wanted a peek at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I arrived only the night before, and other than a quick shawarma, hadn’t done much yet.
The air felt good as I took the stairs two at a time down through the Christian quarter on the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I must have made a wrong turn, which is more common than actually going the right way in Jerusalem, because in front of me was a church, but not the one I had in mind. I looked around, and noticed a small gated recess next to the church. Intrigued as to why a plaque would be under lock and key, I squinted through the bars and instantly realized where I was – I had found Muristan.

I consider myself spiritual rather than religious, but something has to be said for the phenomenon that no fewer than seven hospitals have been located on the same site south of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for more than two-thousand years. Whatever mysterious forces may be influencing the presence of a hospital in Muristan, what can’t be doubted is the importance the area has had for centuries.
On the gate surrounding the well guarded plaque next to the Church of the Holy Redeemer is a simple eight-