Amazing Bridges from All Across the World

Completed in 2003, the Seri Wawasan Bridge was designed by the Kuala Lumpur-based firm, PJSI Consultants, and is located in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Architecture is a form of art that had no limits nor boundaries and can be found just anywhere across the world, from houses to skyscrapers, buildings to bridges.

Here are 8 of one of the most beautiful bridges in the world, designed by world-renowned architects such as Zaha Hadid and Santiago Calatrava.

(Images credit to Yahoo! News)

Today, the iconic Tower Bridge in London is a must-see tourist attraction. Opened in 1894, the bridge allows automobiles and pedestrians to cross the River Thames, while also allowing river traffic to pass, as the bascules can be raised to an angle of 86 degrees.

Designed by starchitect Santiago Calatrava, Puente de la Mujer, which was completed in 2001, is located in the commercial district of Buenos Aires.

Built in 1650, Isfahan’s Khaju Bridge was built at the height of the Safavid dynasty (1501–1736) in modern day Iran. The structure, which is 436 feet long and 40 feet wide, contains 23 arches. Beautiful in the daylight and at night, the Khaju Bridge is a popular public meeting spot.

Completed in 2001, Amsterdam’s High Bridge (which also goes by the name Python Bridge) was designed by the New York–based firm West 8.

Designed by the late Zaha Hadid, Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Bridge was completed in 2010 for a total of $300 million.

Running through the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France, the Millau Viaduct is the world’s tallest bridge, with a summit that rises some 1,125 feet above the base of the structure. Designed by architect Sir Norman Foster and structural engineer Michel Virlogeux, the bridge opened in 2004.

Completed in 2003, the Seri Wawasan Bridge was designed by the Kuala Lumpur-based firm, PJSI Consultants, and is located in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Venice’s Rialto Bridge, which was built in the 16th century, is the oldest bridge still standing over the city’s Grand Canal.

In Photos: South America Hit By Severe Flooding

Men travel on a boat near flood-affected houses in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday.

In the worse affected country, Paraguay, around 90,000 people in the area around the capital city of Asuncion have been evacuated, the municipal Emergencies Office said. Many are poor families living in precarious housing along the banks of the River Paraguay. (Reuters)

Please click the photos for larger images:

Men travel on a boat near flood-affected houses in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

People travel on a boat near flood-affected houses in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Nino, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

A woman looks at a nativity scene on top of her house above flood waters in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

A flood-affected home is pictured in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

Houses are seen partially submerged in floodwaters in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

A flooded home is pictured in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

People travel on a boat near flood-affected houses in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

Germany Wins World Cup On Mario Gotze’s Brilliant Goal

Gratulation Deutschland!!!!

2014 World Cup champion, Germany becomes the first European country to win the trophy in South America.

The goal, which was scored by Mario Gotze was a brilliant goal that helps Germany to win the World Cup for the fourth time.

Mario Gotze blasted the ball over the bar in the last seconds of the match.

During the last minutes of the match, Schuerrle escaped down the left and sent the ball that Götze controlled on his chest before he blasted it over the bar.

I thought it was not a goal until I saw Gotze celebrating his goal on the TV screen.

But I must pity Bastian Schweinsteiger for his injury.

German goal keeper, Manuel Neuer won the Golden Glove Award for making 25 saves and completing 202 passes…

And the Golden Ball Award was won by the Argentina striker, Lionel Messi…

While the Golden Boot was awarded to Colombian hero, James Rodriguez.

Gratulation Deutschland!!!!

 

Will Germany Win 2014 World Cup?

Photos: Breathtaking World Heritage Sites

Iguacu Falls

Iguacu Falls. (Photo Credit: Dmitry V. Petrenko/Shutterstock)

At 490 feet wide and nearly 3000 feet long, Iguaçu Falls is filled with falls of every size and intensity, most notably Devil’s Throat, where water drops from a height of 270 feet. With the highest flow of water on record, Iguaçu easily topples its equally famous sisters, Victoria and Niagara Falls. Ample viewing opportunities are available: Argentina offers close-up action shots with walkways that lead visitors into the action—feeling the power of the water is unforgettable. Brazil features all-encompassing panoramas and sweeping vistas of the falls’ network, allowing you to appreciate their sheer size.

Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Islands,off the coast of Ecuador.  (Photo credit: sunsinger/Shutterstock)

A utopian universe of 19 volcanic islands comprises the Galápagos archipelago, roughly 1,000 kilometers off the coast of Ecuador, in the Pacific Ocean. Watch your step on islands Isabela and Fernandina, where endemic marine iguanas are protected and thriving, each reaching up to five and a half feet long. Swim with sea lions, sharks, and giant turtles—all playful and curious, having never faced threats from humans. 

Rock Islands Southern Lagoon

Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, Republic of Palau. (Photo Credit: howamo/Shutterstock)

The term “picturesque” must have been coined with Palau in mind. The 200-kilometer chain of islands forms the archipelago, geographically part of Micronesia. Out of eight islands and 250 islets, Palau’s limestone Rock Islands jut out as if positioned on pedestals. Erosion has transformed them into towering umbrella shapes, bases fringed by fronds, reefs, coral walls, caves, and planes and ships—remnants of World War II. With pristine waters, visibility reaches almost 200 feet below the surface. Inhabited for over 4,000 years, the islands are home to ancient burial grounds and drawings.

Halong Bay

Halong Bay, Vietnam. (Photo Credit: John Bill/Shutterstock)

This iconic group of evolving stone islands casts different shapes and colors, depending on the light and time of day, onto the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. The oldest is 280 million years old. Around half of the 2,000-odd limestone and schist islands are named after the shapes they project, such as Hon Rong (“Dragon Islet”). Halong Bay comprises the southwest islands, where eagles soar around forested peaks. Natural grottoes and caves punctuate the intricate and elaborate mesh of islands.

Meteora

Meteora, Greece.  (Photo Credit: Gabriela Insuratelu/Shutterstock)

Precariously perched atop pinnacles of sandstone, 1300 feet high, Meteora’s six Greek Orthodox monasteries tower over the city of Kalambaka in central Greece. They’re centuries old—dating to the 9th century—from a time when Byzantine hermit monks, who lived in Meteora’s caves, were forced to move to safety at these heights.

Borobudur Temple Compounds

Borobudur Temple Compounds, East Java, Indonesia. (Photo Credit: Luciano Mortula/Shutterstock).

Mysticism shrouds dawn in Borobudur. Giant faded pink bell structures cap a giant stupa, representing the micro cosmos, and shimmer through a misty golden sunrise. It’s an ethereal scene that radiates ancient spirituality. The world’s largest Buddhist monument, dated to the 9th century, can be found here. One million tourists pour into Borobudur’s grounds annually to marvel at the balustrades, relief panels, and Buddha statues. The stonework features an interlocking design—an architectural feat for its time.

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre,  Italy. (Photo Credit: Dudarev Mikhail/Shutterstock).

Serrated mountains host olive groves and lush terraced vineyards, nestling five vivid villages that are carved into the coastline. Each is crammed with a distinctive ambiance, connected by wildflowers and butterflies, steeples, and a confectionary of colorful buildings. The cliffs of Cinque Terre seemingly slip into the sea—a protected marine area. Villages are reached solely by train, through a series of tunnels along sheer cliffs.

New Stonehenge 

New Stonehenge visitor centre set to open.

The English Heritage chief executive, Simon Thurley, says Stonehenge has now got “the exhibition and the museum that it deserves”, as part of the ongoing £27m project to improve facilities at the site.

60 People Attacked By Piranha In Parana River, Argentina (Photos)

Piranha fish are known for their sharp teeth and large appetite for meat. Hundreds of attacks are reported every year, with experts and biologists often warning swimmers not to go into unknown waters. (Photo MailOnline)

On December 25, 2013, about 60 people were attacked by piranhas in the Parana River, off the coast of Rosario, about 310 kilometers (200 miles) north of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

It was said that there are lots of piranhas in the river.

Lifeguards director Federico Cornier said that the bathers might had been bitten by a type of piranha named palometa. 

Palometa is big, voracious and with sharp teeth that can really bite. 

Health Undersecretary Gabriela Quintanilla told reporters that a girl lost part of a finger in the incident.

A medical official, Gustavo Centurion, said the attack which began at mid-morning was “very aggressive.”

“There were some people that the fish literally had torn bits of flesh from,” he said.

Officials said the unusually warm weather also was apparently responsible for the fish congregating on the river’s surface before the attack.

Dec. 25, 2013: A man is treated after he was bit by a palometa, a type of piranha, while wading in the Parana River in Rosario, Argentina. Lifeguards director Federico Cornier said Thursday that thousands of bathers were cooling off from 100 degree temperatures in the Parana River on Wednesday when bathers suddenly came to them complaining of bite marks on their hands and feet. He blamed the attack on palometas, a type of piranha, big, voracious and with sharp teeth that can really bite. (AP/LA CAPITAL)

A man is treated after he was bit by a palometa, a type of piranha, while wading in the Parana River in Rosario, Argentina. Photo: AP

Photo credit to Projec.com

In Photos: Gauchos (Cowboys) In Action

Today I learn a new word which – gauchos.

In the U.S.A. people call them cowboys but in Latin Americas they are called  ‘gauchos’.

These gauchos from all over Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil visit Montevideo to participate in the Criolla Week to win the best rider award.

(Please click here for the images)

Argentina’s Upsala Glacier Iceburg Tipped Over

A group of tourists touring the Upsala Glacier in Argentina were lucky to see a huge iceberg breaking into the lake.

They were traveling in a type of boat called catamaran.

One of the tourists recorded what happened and posted it on YouTube.

It happened in March but the video was posted in May.

On March 4, 2012 a massive ice wall at the Perito Moreno glacier near the city of El Calafate, southern Argentina falled into the Lago Argentino; please click here for the photos.

Here is the video of the Argentina’s Upsala Glacier iceberg breaking:

I think the iceberg melted because of  the global warming even though some scientists do not blame global warming.

Global warming may caused lots of places to sink into the sea; please click here for: ’100 Places To Go Before They Disappear’, A Book By Gaute Hogh.

Argentinian Ice Wall Collapses – REUTERS Photos

Tourists look at the Perito Moreno glacier after the rupture of a massive ice wall near the city of El Calafate in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, southern Argentina, March 4, 2012. The glacier, a massive tongue of ice in the Santa Cruz province that covers 250 square kilometres (97 square miles), advances yearly into a lake, known as Lago Argentino. As Perito Moreno moves forward, it cuts off a river feeding the lake. Water builds up pressure and slowly undermines the ice, forming a tunnel until ice comes tumbling down. The phenomenon repeats itself at irregular intervals, with the last major ice falls occurring in 2008. REUTERS/Andres Arce

How I wish I can be there 🙂

Tourists wait to see the rupture of the leading edge of the Perito Moreno glacier near the city of El Calafate in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, southern Argentina, March 2, 2012. REUTERS/Andres Arce

The Perito Moreno glacier is seen after the rupture of a massive ice wall near the city of El Calafate in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, southern Argentina, March 4, 2012. REUTERS/Andres Arce

The Perito Moreno glacier is seen after the rupture of a massive ice wall near the city of El Calafate in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, southern Argentina, March 4, 2012. REUTERS/Andres Arce

Happy Merdeka Day/ Happy Independence Day

Happy Merdeka Day ❗

It means it is Malaysia’s Independence Day.

Malaysia was independence from British on 31\8\57.

So, this year is our 53rd ‘Merdaka Day’ (Independence Day).

The Malaysian Flag (Jalur Gemilang)

The ‘Father of Independence’ or ‘Bapa Kemerdekaan’ is YM Tengku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj.

Tengku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj is the first Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Now the Prime Minister is Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak

People in Malaysia put the Malaysian flag at their houses.

I put my Malaysian flag at my house too.

I wonder what is the Argentinian Independence Day called ❓