Creation … a man works on a sand sculpture during preparations for the FIESA 2009 International Sand Sculpture Festival in Pera, Southern US.
Group effort … an international team of 60 sculptors will turn 35,000 tons of sand into sculptures spread over 15,000 square metres for the festival.
Beautiful … a sculpture of a plane.
Pondering … a sculptor works on a sand sculpture of “The Thinker”.
Massive … a man works on a sand sculpture of a primate.
Digging deep … working on the sculptures.
Swirl … the detail is incredible .
Effort … sculpting is hard work.
Precision … fine detail is prominent..

Work of art … the sculptures .

Its capital, the Zanzibar City, sits at one of the larger islands named Unguja. Recently, the Stone Town, which is in the capital, received global recognition and was pegged as a World heritage Site.

So, does it still have spice?

As a matter of fact one of the leading industries in Zanzibar or Spice Islands is spice exports. It’s still one of the leading producers of cloves, nutmeg, pepper, and cinnamon. Aside from tourism, Zanzibar Island also reaps significant income from Raffia Palm plantations. Acres and acres of land in the Zanzibar Islands are used to grow these native palms. Parts of these palms are used for textile and construction—other areas that fuel the growth of the Spice Islands.

What does Zanzibar mean?

“Zanzibar” came from the Persian word “Zangibar” which literally translates to “Coast of the Blacks”. The Islands enjoyed trade in the past with Arabs and Persians, among other peoples, and because they’re an African country, they were identified by their skin color.

Eye candy, anyone?

Anyone visiting Zanzibar Islands will notice the rich edifices that blend with the palm trees. Aside from miles and miles of coastlines, which is already expected of any archipelago, Zanzibar Islands also boast of circular towers, beautiful mosques, and raised terraces. You spot Arab and Persian influences in the building’s structures as you walk the streets of the capital. You should visit the Livingstone house, the Guliani Bridge, and the famous House of Wonders. If you’re interested in Persian baths or “hammam”, you will also find a lot of these in the town of Kidichi.

Religion

The people of Zanzibar Islands are a largely Sunni Muslim community. This is another sign of the strong Arab and Persian influences that remained in the islands. Travelers need not worry about too many restrictions in food and clothing, however. The Zanzibar Islands are one of the finest tourist destinations in the world because of its beaches and cultural heritage. It’s a comparatively liberal country compared to other Islam nations worldwide.Source : The Zanzibar Islands

The Easter Island is one of the most isolated pieces of land in the world. This volcanic island in the South Pacific has its nearest neighbors, Chile and Tahiti, 2000 miles away. If you are from North America, you have to take an airplane, another aircraft, and a boat to see the famous Easter Island statues.

Natives of the island call their home Te Pito O Te Henua or Navel of the World. The Dutch explorer, Admiral Roggeveen, discovered the island in 1722 during Easter and thus named it Easter Island. Today, Rapa Nui is a collective term to define the island, its inhabitants, and their language.

Anyone who goes to the Chilean island may need to consider getting the Easter Island map online or through their travel agents. The Easter Island map will guide you to discover the wonders of the southernmost tip of the Polynesian Triangle. Discover the Easter Island statues, Easter Island heads, the volcanoes, and other rustic and scenic land and seascapes.

Discovering the Island

The Easter Island sculptures are the center of attention when one visits the island. The best way to discover them among other interesting things is by hiking or a short taxi ride.

To start your visit, it will be best to visit the Ahu Tahai on the northern part of the island. It is an archaeological museum which can give you an overview of what to expect while discovering the Easter Island head and Easter Island statues. Maps that can help you plan your stay are also available.

A must see in the island is the Rano Kau. It is most magnificent volcano of the Easter Island where the Orongo, an archeological site, can be seen. If a 316 meter climb sounds daunting, you may take a taxi to the summit and hike down the scenic crater. When you see the view from the top of this volcano, you will understand the true meaning of awe.

The following day, visit the Easter Island statues and enjoy the beach of Anakena. Most of the statues that you will see here have been restored to help them survive what time and weather brings. From Anakena, you can take a 5 to 6 kilometer trek back to Hanga Roa or the town proper. Along the coast you will see Easter Island statues that have fallen, brown hawks watching you from their resting place, and you will appreciate the fantastic scenery. Don’t forget to bring food, water, and your sun block.

On your third day on Easter Island, visit Rano Raraku along its south coast. It was a quarry site considered as the birth place of the Easter Island heads and other Easter Island statues. This spot will let you see almost 400 stone Moais or statues in different stages of completion and deterioration. You can enjoy the site by yourself if you reach it before 9 am. If you do not want to join other tourists, you can again walk back to town.

Ahu Tepeu is a site where you will not see Easter Island statues but you will appreciate the stone works and caves that you can explore. From Ahu Tepeu, you can head inland to Ahu Akivi considered to be the most photographed site. You will see seven Easter Island heads re-erected in the 1960s. You can go back to town by taking farm roads nearby. Just check your Easter Island Map and you will not get lost.

A short hike can also take you to the top of Puna Pau which is a small crate which has been the source of the red stones that crowns most of the Easter Island heads.

The weather on the Easter Island is perfect to get your legs going. There are no fences to block your way and you can discover the island from many exciting points that will give you the most spectacular view of the Easter Island, the Easter Island statues, and the surrounding blue of the Pacific Ocean.

He was a skilled sign writer until Bruno shifted from being a skill’s man to an artisan. Bruno developed his craft and created his own identity as an artist. His works were full of character and culture. Bruno evolved as an artist when he had an opportunity to travel in the four corners of the globe. He often traveled alone or enjoyed the company of Marleen, his better half.

Bruno Torfs immortalized his travels through his art. He often will have a number of sketches of people, sceneries, and things from the places that he visited. These simple sketches were transformed into wonderful works of art using oil on canvas.

He sold his paintings through exhibitions that he and his family organized in the lower levels of their home.

This was Bruno’s lifestyle until he decided to move to Australia and realize his dream of creating a sculpture garden that will attract people from all over the globe.

Their family found their sweet home in Melbourne. He was able to purchase a property in a Victorian Village of Marysville. The place was his ideal home since next to it was a lush green which is perfect for his garden.

Bruno Torfs spent hours, days, and months of hard work to create the sculpture garden that he wants to showcase to the world. Five months of sweat and the sub-Alpine forest was transformed into a magical garden full of masterfully crafted statues.

The park also became home to his collection of artworks. The family also displayed paintings, smaller sculptures, and sketches which had to be brought to Australia from Europe.

The sculpture garden started with just fifteen terracotta pieces. Today, there are about a hundred more works of art and Bruno Torfs is never tired of sculpting more timeless art that appeals to all ages.

Have you ever heard of Rats Temple anywhere in the world till now? Well today we bring out one such place for you all. There is a temple called Karni Mata Hindu Temple which was built way back in early 1900 by the then Maharajah Ganga Singh.  He built this as a tribute to Karni Mata or the Rat Goddess. The most surprising part of the story is that it still houses about 20,000 rats. This place is located somewhere in India’s state called Rajasthan. To some it might sound like a nightmare to imagine so many rats at a place and making the place stink like anything, but it’s a fact.

For these 20,000 rats this Karni Mata Hindu Temple is like a home. The rats are called Kabbas locally. As per the legend, an incarnation of Goddess Durga, one of the child of her clansmen died. After a lot of futile tries, god of death told her that the child has already taken birth in a new incarnation. Then Goddess Durga made a deal that all the clans men will take birth as rats. And from then so many rats took birth and throng the place even today.

People from all over the country come here to take the blessing of the Goddess. And they feel sighting a white rat is a supreme blessing because there are hardly 4-5 white rats in the whole community of rats. In India they worship many animals but this one is really peculiar because it is not found anywhere else in the world. People from across the globe come here for doing research on this rats and the specialty of the temple. If you happen to visit India anytime do visit the Karni Mata Hindu Temple atleast once. You will really be amazed to see them.