Monday 17 August 2015

12 Magical places on Earth
 
                                                           1) Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, USA
The light blue tunnel of wonder seen here is the Mendenhall Glacier, which is 12 miles long, and located in the Mendenhall Valley in Juneau. Tours of the magnificent glacier caves are offered on a daily basis, and are definitely worth exploring.  



2) Spotted Lake, Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada
The bizarre looking circles are actually mineral deposits. The circles can change colors, and become more visible during the summertime. The lake is said to have healing powers as well. 
                                                 
                                                3) The Devil’s Punchbowl, Central Oregon, USA
The Devil's Punch Bowl is located near the coasts of the Pacific Ocean. The bowl shape was created when both caves inside had collapsed. The purple seaweed and snowy-white sands help give the Punch Bowl its magical appearance.
                                                           4) Three Sisters Volcano, Oregon, USA
The name of the volcano comes from its three connected peaks, which are Faith (the north), Charity (the south) and Hope (the center). The volcano is based in the Cascade Range area of Oregon.

                                                   5) Rainbow Mountains, Gansu Province, China
The gorgeous layers of colorful sandstone formations, are the results of erosion, which occurred over 24 million years ago! The mountains are located in Zhangye Danxia Geological Park.
                                                                      6) Valley of Fire, Nevada, USA
This seemingly colorful abstract canvas painting was actually the cause of shifting desert sands, some millions of years ago. The beautiful sandstone formations can be found at Fire State Park.

 
                                                                7) Goðafoss, Iceland
The translation of Goðafoss means "waterfall of the gods". The waterfall is 12 meters (40 feet) high, and 30 meters across (100 feet). It is located in the Bárðardalur district of North-Central Iceland.
                                                                 8) Apostle Islands, Wisconsin, USA
source 
The lake caves of Apostle Islands are located in Lake Superior. The Apostle Islands are made up of 21 individual islands on the shoreline. The spiral of icicles almost seem to light up during the winter season. 
 
                                                                     9) Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia
The turquoise-colored ice on the lake is more commonly referred to as the Pearl of Siberia. The ice is strong enough to support the force of moving snowmobiles when the lake freezes during the winter. 
10) Alentejo Beach, Portugal
The stunning green pastures of the marshlands are located to the north of Alentejo Beach. The views from the coast are absolutely magnificent during the summer nights.
11) Antarctica
Antarctica might not be the first place on your list for vacation spots, but the views are truly something special to admire. Temperatures dip below -30° F (-34° C).  If you plan on visiting, you better bundle up! 


12) Fly Geyser, Nevada, USA
The geyser was the result of an accidental well drilling in 1964. The waters can reach almost 5 feet (1.5 meters) when spouting. Access to the geyser is limited to a dirt road, but not to worry, you can spot the geyser from a mile away!  



Tuesday 7 July 2015

Ireland was able to work with its debt load to make it more manageable...
   Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan said earlier on Tuesday that Greece should follow his country's example in tackling its financial crisis. He said that Ireland was able to work with its debt load to make it more manageable. He suggested Greece should also come forward with debt proposals.
"There is not a one-size-fits-all that we are looking at,'' he said. For many, Ireland is an example of how austerity measures demanded by bailout creditors over the past few years have worked. The country is forecast to post the strongest economic growth in the 28-nation EU this year.