10 Amazing Trucks

EX63-HDM 6×6 Truck

Looking from the outside, this vehicle looks like a garbage truck. You wouldn’t imagine how luxurious they are until you step a foot one it. This fancy truck is especially made by the German company Unicat.

Dekotora

The Dekotora, an abbreviation for “Decoration Truck”, is a kind of loudly decorated truck most commonly found in Japan and the Philippines. Dekotora commonly have neon or ultraviolet lights, extravagant paints, and shiny stainless or golden exterior parts. These decorations can be found on both the cab and the trailer, and not only on the exterior but also in the interior. Dekotora may be created by workers out of their work trucks for fun, or they may be designed by hobbyists for special events.

The Sauna Truck

Many Russians like sauna or “banya” as it’s being called in Russia. They don’t imagine their next weekend without a visit to such a place together with their friends. This big demand in Russia for saunas has gave a birth for such a strange device as “The Mobile Sauna”. A four wheel drive truck is a sauna equipped now. It can take you deep inside the Russian woods and you would have your sauna there. Sauna lovers say that there is nothing in the world like jumping right from the hot sauna into the cool waters of a forest lake in some place hundred miles away from civilization.

Iron Wolf Truck

This weird truck was spotted in Russia. Made by a group of Moscow bikers, the vehicle was called “Iron Wolf”. It looks like just stepped out the Mad Max movie and it can be met on roads of Russia every day, it’s not from some art gallery.

Decorative Pakistani Trucks

Even though truck art isn’t unique to Pakistan anymore, nowhere else in the world is the practice so pervasive. In a country where the per capita income is barely north of $2,000, it is surprising to see fleet owners (the trucks aren’t owner-operated) spend $3,000-$5,000 per truck for structural modifications that convert these gas-guzzling, smoke-spewing, road-dominating monstrosities into beautiful moving canvases covered in poetry, folk tales, and ‘…religious, sentimental and emotional worldviews of the individuals employed in the truck industry,’ making it one of the biggest forms of representational art in the country.

Liebherr T 282B: Largest on Earth

Liebherr, a heavy equipment manufacturer in Germany, are designers of the largest earth-hauling truck in the world, the T 282B. It weighs in at 203 tons empty, has a maximum operating weight of 592 tons, and can carry 365 tons. This beast of a truck will set you back around $3.5 million, but CD-player and air-con are optional.

Rotel: The Hotel Truck

This German creation, called the Rotel, or Das Rollende Hotel (the Rolling Hotel), is a mobile hotel in the form of a truck. I imagine that it would be like a mobile home; except that you’re sharing it was a lot more people.

Colani’s Concept Truck

These awesome trucks have been made on a Mercedes platform and are the sexiest trucks on the planet. A Swiss-German industrial designer named Luigi Colani has crafted them.

Big Rig Jig

Made of two 18-wheeler discarded tanker trucks, the Big Rig Jig was designed by artist Mike Ross. The work serves both as a sculpture and an architectural space: visitors may enter the lower truck, climb through the tankers, and emerge through a portal at the top. The rear axles of the upper tanker serve as a viewing platform, forty-two feet in the air.

Russian Police Monster Truck

Here’s a weird police amphibious truck that can practically go over anything, including water.

It’s Amazing: Flying Fish

Flying fish or the Exocoetidae are a marine fish family comprising about 50 species grouped in 7 to 9 genera. Flying fish are found in all of the major oceans, particularly in the warm subtropical and tropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Their most striking feature is their pectoral fins, which are unusually large, and enable the fish to take short gliding flights through air, above the surface of the water, in order to escape from predators. Their glides are typically around 50m, but they can use updrafts at the leading edge of waves to cover distances of at least 400m.

Amazing Buildings Swallowed by the Desert

The desert is one of the best landscapes for finding ancient buildings. The arid climate lends itself to preservation, and there is little danger of serious decay or damage from flooding. At the same time, the sand is an ever-shifting geographic feature that can swallow whole towns both quickly (as in a violent sandstorm) or slowly (as it shifts over time). The elements of one of the world’s harshest climates can wreak havoc on anything man-made, even while providing the perfect climate for it to be preserved.

Mosque Minaret, Egypt

This 1100 year old mosque was discovered near the town of Al Burullus along Egypt’s Mediterranean coastline. Archaeologists discovered in only recently, and speculate that there could be an entire town buried beneath the sand. The minaret is believed to be 30 meters tall, but only the very tip is showing above the sand.

Arouane

The outpost of Arouane is located halfway between the legendary city of Timbuktu and the salt mines. Though the salt caravan’s travel infrequently these days, the town is still inhabited. However, the ever-shifting sands mean that the buildings are almost always partially buried.

Armenian Ruins

This ruined building in Ani, Turkey is part of the remnants of the country’s once strong Armenian population. Persecution and genocide caused many Armenians to move elsewhere (as far away as Los Angeles). Meanwhile, ruins like these dot the arid countryside.

American Ghost Towns

The Berlin Ghost Town in Nevada is a reminder of the late 19th century gold rush. Located at the base of the Shoshone Mountains, the buildings were not covered by sand. Some still stand eerily intact amid the thriving desert shrubs. A mill and a hotel are the two largest remaining buildings in Berlin.

Meroe, Sudan

The pyramids at Meroe show the influence of the ancient Egyptian empire. A Nubian kingdom once had its capitol at Meroe. Pyramids and a city were built more than 2300 years ago. The city is now Sudan’s largest archaeological site, with the tombs almost completely unearthed but other parts of the city still hidden under the ever-shifting sands.

Telouet, Morocco

Telouet was inhabited until 50 years ago. Located high in the Atlas Mountains, it housed rulers who were loyal to the French colonial administration in Morocco. Because of this fact, and because slaves were used to serve the ruling family, little care has been taken to preserve these buildings which are being eroded by time and the harsh winds of the high desert.

Sahel

The Sahel is the Sahara’s little sister. Located just below the Sahara, it is mostly characterized by semi-arid grasslands. Parts of the Sahel have fallen victim to desertification, with the sand from the Sahara literally blowing into the grasslands.

Namibian Ghost Town

The town of Kolmanskop was built when diamond fever hit Namibia in the early 1900s. The town was quickly constructed a few miles inland from a major port. A mere 10 years after the first inhabitants moved in, people started leaving as diamond prices fell during World War I. By World War II, the town was completely deserted and the sand dunes started to reclaim the land.

Sandstorms

Though sandstorms would probably never be fierce enough to swallow a huge city like Dubai, they can temporarily cause problems by creating low visibility and coating everything with a layer of dust.

Dune-covered Church

This church in northern Denmark was covered by a sand dune in the late 17oos. In its final days as a working church, parishioners actually had to dig their way in. The tower, the only part that is still visible, is in remarkably good shape and has become an easily recognizable landmark. This is also a good example of why shifting sands are not merely found in the desert.

Amazing Photos: Fruits

Here is photos of interesting fruits compositions. I think they look amazing! You can try to make something similar yourself too at your home!

Amazing Motorcycle Rallies

Laconia Motorcycle Week

Laconia Motorcycle Week is one of the oldest and largest motorcycle Festivals in the country, taking place each year at Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Between 300,000 and 400,000 bikers attend the weeklong event for camping, vendors, racing, and so much more! The 2008 event will be held from June 14 – 22nd and marks the 85th anniversary of Laconia Motorcycle Week! Read more

Amazing Professional Painters from the Animal Kingdom

Humans are not the only species to create art. You can argue all day about what is art and what isn’t, but some animals are selling their creations, which puts them a notch closer to being true artists than most of us! Here are six different species of professional artists.

Koopa the Turtle Read more

Amazing Mountain Hotels

Uma Paro, Bhutan

“The first thought that comes to mind while gazing at the surrounding scenery from Uma Paro is ‘Oh my God, I’m in the Himalayas,’” says Bobby McGovern. “It’s something that only a handful of travelers ever get to experience. After spending hours on winding mountain roads or hiking the surrounding hillsides, coming back to the hotel is true heaven.” Perched on the side of a hill at 7,550 feet, five-star Uma Paro offers views up to the Himalayas and down to a valley below. The 29 rooms reflect the parent company’s philosophy of quiet comfort in inspiring, culture-rich locations. The hotel sits on 38 acres in the town of Paro, surrounded by pine valleys, terraced hills, towering peaks, cliff-clinging monasteries, and orchards lining pristine rivers.

The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera, Cordillera, Colo.

Located on a private mountaintop, the Lodge boasts many of the features of the best mountain hotels, from great views to outdoor pursuits to luxurious appointments, from remote privacy to access to culture, cuisine and camaraderie. Guests can pursue world-class, golf, fishing, skiing, hiking and other activities and return to one of only 55 extraordinary rooms in a hotel built in the style of a Belgian chateau. Rooms feature fireplaces, patios, feather down comforters and Anichini sheets. The hotel has been ranked among the best anywhere by golf, spa, travel, and ski magazines. Guests craving a bit more action can drop down into the world-renowned resort town of Vail.

Hotel Ancora, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

Located in a valley ringed by the Dolomite Alps, and originally constructed in 1826, the Hotel Ancora combines the best of outdoor activities, a great town, mountain views, and extreme luxury. From the hand-painted gothic arches in the dining room, to the guest rooms with Jacuzzis and wooden balconies, to the pedestrian mall just outside, Hotel Ancora epitomizes life at the top. Ski journalist Charlie Leocha says, “This hotel nestled in the Olympic resort town of Cortina is one of the most luxurious in the region. Cortina is the ski and snowboard resort of Italy’s beautiful people, and the passeggiata each evening outside the doors of this hotel offers a fashion show on parade. During the summer the town hosts Italy’s upper crust, who come to enjoy the mountain beauty, hiking, and top-notch regional cuisine”

Fairmont Banff Springs, Canada

Originally constructed to evoke a Scottish baronial castle in the Chateau style, and created to house upscale guests of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1888, the hotel currently offers 768 rooms in a wood and stone palace. Its public spaces can provide an entire evening of wandering between fireplaces, secret nooks, hardwood-floored ballrooms with giant beams, and galleries full of artwork. The 38,000-square-foot Willow Stream Spa provides a hideout within this luxurious hideout. Hal Phillips says, “The scale and look of the place are truly castle-like. The hotel sits on the Bow River where it cuts through the Canadian Rockies. But it’s also on the edge of a really kicking arts and ski town.”

Grand Dragon, Ladakh, India

Located in the very high desert between the Himalayas and Karakorum Mountains in India, at an altitude of over 11,000 feet, Grand Dragon is the only luxury hotel in an area rich in both culture and adventure sports. Wangchuk Kalon, Director of Snow Leopard Trails tour company, says, “I give full marks to the Grand Dragon since it is the first hotel at this height to have all rooms centrally heated and remains open throughout the year, keeping in mind the conditions we face in winter. What makes the hotel so great is that it’s so far above other hotels in the area.” Nearby sites and activities include Buddhist monasteries, rafting on the Indus and Zansker Rivers, and trekking to mountains and lakes. As an added bonus, the hotel pursues an environmental ethic which includes the incorporation of 95 solar panels.

Arlberg Hospiz Hotel, Arlberg, Austria

Originally constructed in 1386 by monks as an outpost to aid people crossing the mountains, the Hospiz and its chapel now rescue guests from more mundane hotel stays. The hotel’s largest suite holds up to 12 people. Ski journalist Charlie Leocha says, “The Arlberg Hospiz Hotel sets top international standards for quality, taste, and style. The setting, beneath the towering Valluga peak, is surrounded by flower-strewn pastures in summer and snowfields in the winter. It’s considered one of the most luxurious in Austria, houses one of the country’s top spas, three restaurants that rank among the top mountain restaurants, and one of the best Bordeaux wine cellars outside of France.”

Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, Peru

Whether your journey to the 15th-century ruins of Machu Picchu takes five days by foot along the Inca Trail or three hours on the train from Cuzco, the Lodge is the only hotel adjacent to the Lost City of the Incas. The 31 rooms and suites—many with startling mountain views—provide guests with an opportunity to visit the site early in the morning and late in the afternoons, before and after visitors who are staying elsewhere. Interior gardens feature orchids and other local flowers, and two restaurants serve Peruvian and continental cuisine. Bobby McGovern says, “There’s no better way to begin or end your day at Machu Picchu than by relaxing in the garden surrounded by mountains and local flowers. And a sunset here is one you’ll never forget.”

Sofitel Dalat Palace Hotel, Dalat, Vietnam

This posh hostelry and former French colonial hill station offers 43 rooms at nearly 5,000 feet of elevation in the Vietnamese hill country, surrounded by restored villas in the style of the French gilded age. It serves the same function that it did when the French built it the 1920s—to provide an escape from the heat and humidity of Saigon. Hal Phillips says, “You look at the hotel from the remade Art Deco exterior and think, ‘Okay, South Beach, Miami.’ Then you go inside, and it’s the 18th Century, and you’re in a Loire Valley chateau—chandeliers in the lobby, chandeliers in the chambers, and chandeliers in the bathrooms. Heavy drapery. Colonial-era phones. Oriental rugs on polished wooden floors. It’s the most comfortable place to be in Vietnam.”

Les Fermes de Marie, Megeve, France

“This old-world French resort is the favorite of the country’s super rich,” says Charlie Leocha, “and provides a luxurious French country experience whether during summer or the winter ski season.” The hotel’s 71 guest rooms, two restaurants, and award-winning spa all have a rustic mountain ambience, if anything so rich can still be called rustic. Facilities include a beautiful bar, library, and gorgeously appointed rooms and private chalets. Leocha adds, “What makes this very special other than the cuisine and service is that the lodging is in old farm houses from across France that were dismantled and then reassembled into a hamlet outside of Megeve.”

Mt. Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods, N.H.

Opened in 1902 as a summer retreat for wealthy New Yorkers and Bostonians, the hulking edifice in the Spanish Renaissance style still boasts Tiffany stained glass and crystal chandeliers, and an orchestra accompanies the nightly four-course dinners. Presidents and celebrities have enjoyed the ambience at the base of the highest Eastern U.S. peak for more than a century. Media and travel consultant Hal Philips calls it “the prototypical New England summer hotel, an enormous, sprawling white monolith with a red roof in the shadow of the tallest peak on the east coast—an incredible setting. It’s a mecca for hikers, leaf peepers, skiers, and golfers—the Donald Ross design here was just restored. It’s the kind of place where, back in the day, you’d bring a trunk and stay for a month. Today it’s a four-season affair with a new spa, and the rooms are big and quite classy. The porch doesn’t quit; it wraps all the way around the hotel.”

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