Friday, July 23, 2010

The World’s Most Spectacular Roads

Not to be confused with the famous Milford Track trekking route, the Milford Road State Highway 94 passes through the Southern Alps of New Zealand’s South Island.
The roads of western Ireland are narrow, flanked by green, and sometimes charmed.This is the only road getting reprised from the original post. It seems to deserve it.Mývatn is a volcanically active region in northern Iceland. This road will take you there.The only route through Glacier National Park was featured in the opening scenes of “The Shining.”Roads through the desert oasis of Liwa, Abu Dhabi, stretch long.Another great coastal road, this one just 15 miles south of Cape Town.Winter means greater accessibility in northern Canada. This frozen road runs up the Northwest Territories.Southern France’s Millau Bridge is the tallest in the world — taller, actually, than the Eiffel Tower.
The Colorado River, of Grand Canyon fame, carved this canyon billions of years ago. The U.S. government built the 12-mile, $490 million interstate route through it, which was only completed in 1992.
Wrapping around northern Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island, the Cabot Trail is mountainous and windy with near-constant ocean views. I recommend biking it.
Tehran is connected to the northern city of Chalus via this road through the Alborz Mountains.
48 hairpin turns up to a 2757m (9045ft) pass in the Italian Alps, and Top Gear’s pick for “greatest driving road in the world.”

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Bukara, Uzbekistan.

Copyright: Andriy Bartkiv.

Harajuku Girls, Japan.

For youth culture Japan - "cool" and "cute" - Harajuku, just north of Shibuya, is the number one fashionable, fun, faddish, ridiculous, crazy "crib" to "chill out".

Harajuku first burst onto the scene in 1964 - the Olympic year. With the Olympic gymnasium and village located nearby, the prospect of meeting somebody famous in the street drew people from far and wide. Today, the area includes Takeshita Street, Meiji Dori Avenue and Omotesando Dori Avenue.

Takeshita Dori Street is opposite the Takeshita Dori Exit of Harajuku Station. Here, shops sell a most extraordinary blend of goods reflecting the Japanese notions of "cute", "cool and American" and "rebellious and British". In other words a strange mixture of Hello Kitty, hip-hop and the infamous British punk. As for the shoppers? Well, any form of fancy dress goes.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Sand Sculptures.....