First up, I’d like to share with you what I think are simply the strangest places on earth! They say that truth is stranger than fiction and this is the case for these extraordinary places. You‘ll be so intrigued that you will just have to see them for yourself… The Eye of Africa, Mauritania This mysterious eye shaped structure is situated in the Sahara desert of Mauritania, and at 40km in diameter it is a well known landmark for astronauts on space missions. Scientists say this incredible natural wonder is caused by uplift and erosion of the rocks over thousands of years. Go to Google maps to try to find it for yourself! The Travertine Pools of Pamukkale, Turkey The rare and beautiful pools of Pamukkale have been revered for thousands of years and were originally formed through earthquakes. These allowed the calcium carbonate rich spring water to come to the surface and form layers of Travertine. Relatively unknown, they have now become a UNESCO world heritage site. The Great Blue Hole, Belize This cavernous hole in the ocean is a breathtaking sight from the air and is one of the most visible of many blue holes located in these waters. It is a staggering 1000ft in diameter and 412ft deep. Thousands of years ago during the ice age a cave network was formed and when the sea levels rose they collapsed inwards forming these natural phenomena. Stonehenge, UK This iconic and formidable ring of stone circles on Salisbury plains is a prehistoric monument dating from between 3000 and 2000 BC. No-one knows exactly why or how it was built. The mysterious stone circle draws spectators from around the world and is a mecca for druids at summer solstice. Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand These extraordinary boulders are a natural phenomenon, formed over 4 million years and are found up and down the North Otago coast of New Zealand’s South Island. They are up to two metres high and weigh several tonnes. Door to Hell, Turkmenistan The fiery pit burning in the Karakum Desert in northern Turkmenistan is a strange and eerie sight. The natural gas field has been burning continuously since it was lit in 1971 by soviet engineers drilling for natural gas. They set fire to it to burn off the poisonous gases being emitted after the ground collapsed. It has been burning for four decades. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia This strangely beautiful, alien landscape is in fact found in Bolivia and is the world’s largest salt lake, as well as the world’s largest mirror at 4,086 square miles (10,582 sq. km). It also accounts for between 50% to 70% of the world’s lithium reserves. Right, I hope that gives you some ideas on places to visit in future. Let me know what you think are the strangest places in the world to visit? I’d love to hear from you. Look out for my editorial section soon, where you will be able to comment on the stories that I write about. All the best, Faisal Siddiqui
Posted on: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 05:21:58 +0000
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