Strange Places

I wanted to look into our own backyard for this post, to reveal some of the natural (and maybe even unnatural) wonders and spectacles that the average person doesn't know about. These are places which have sometimes taken millions of years to form, and I don't think we appreciate how truly wonderful the world can be, because we don't have a birds eye perspective of everything around us.

The first natural wonder I have for you today is called "The Eye of Africa" and it's breathtaking to say the least. This natural wonder is called a guelb ri-chat structure, and it is almost entirely unique in it's physical appearance.

The Eye of Africa is visible from space, and while no one has figured out for certain how it's formed, there's speculation that volcanic activity combined with the successive heating and cooling of the crust near the surface has something to do with it. Further research is needed to figure out just how exactly this monumental wonder is formed.

Next up we have "The Nine Hells of Beppu" which is a collection of steamy hot mineral pools in Japan. These pools are all inherently different and each has it's own unique colour (thanks to various minerals in the different flows of water). Some of the pools are so hot, you can cook eggs in them!

The 9 pools and their description are:
Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell) - Turqoise
Shiraike Jigoku (White Pond Hell) - White pool, created by large amounts of calcium on the pond floor.
Oniyama Jigoku (Devil's Mountain Hell) - Clear, home to 100 crocodiles and produces steam hot enough to pull a short train.
Yama Jigoku (Mountain Hell) - Small ponds surround this steamy mud "mountain"
Kinryu Jigoku (Golden Dragon Hell) - Green, lush vegetation.
Kamada Jigoku (Cooking Pot Hell) - Several boiling hot pools
Katsumaki Jigoku (Spout Hell) - A geyser which sprays boiling water every 30 minutes.
Oniishibozu Jigoku (Shaven Head Hell) - Pools of boiling grey mud, produces bubbles which resemble a shaven monks head.
Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell) - Red coloured water, thanks to iron minerals oxidized in the pond.

(Pictured, Blood Pond Hell).

The last place I wanted to show you guys is called Socotra Island, located just off of the coast of Yemen. It's a place where many of the plants and animals were isolated for millions of years.

There's roughly 40,000 inhabitants to this beautiful island, and some of the unique trees and birds bring in visitors from all over the world. So many visitors in fact, that the island got it's first two roads in the past few years.

If you're interested in the full extent that the island of Socotra has to offer, check out this youtube video detailing some of the beautiful "things" that live there.

Ancient Egypt

This week we'll be looking at the awe inspiring and mysterious culture that was the ancient Egyptians.

As a brief summary of how ancient Egypt came to be, the individual states of the southern and northern parts of Egypt were united around 3150 BC under the rule of the first official pharaoh, Menes. He created the capital city Memphis, which roughly translated meant "the balance of two lands".

The country depended (and still does depend) on the natural spectacle which is the river Nile, providing water, food, and transportation for all. Even today, roughly 95% of the Egyptian population is situated in the areas surrounding the Nile. The country was also extremely religious, practicing a worship of many different deities.

But now, for the fun stuff.

Here's a few interesting facts you might not have known about the pyramids, pharaohs, and the people who profited off of the ancients thousands of years later:

- There are some historically educated people out there who believe the first pharaohs were actually not of this planet! (LOL!)
- IF a pharaoh ruled for 30 years (and didn't meet an "untimely" death) they would have to prove their fitness in a fixed course.
- While mummifying a person, if a priest knocked off a finger or toe, they would replace is with a wooden object found in the workshop.
- The pyramids were not built by 10,000 slaves over the course of 10 years as the ancient Greeks suggested. Most likely they were built over the course of 5 years (per pyramid) by roughly 25,000 or so free citizens who were well taken care of.
- EVERY SINGLE PYRAMID IN EGYPT HAS BEEN ROBBED. There is not one pyramid in Egypt that has not had something missing or been broken into.
- Because there were so many people digging up mummies in the 1800's (thanks to the discovery of the ancient Egyptian sites), they became of little to no value. In fact, they were sometimes used as engine fuel in locomotives.
- Cleopatra, "the most famous queen" of Egypt was actually Greek. (Look it up, I was astonished!)
- The ordinary citizen ate bread that was so grainy and coarse, it would wear away their teeth.

and my favourite piece of information? See below.

- King Charles II would rub the dust that fell off of a mummy onto his skin, believing it would rub off the greatness. (a truly insane man).

Egypt was truly a beautiful place, and I personally love looking in to the past and seeing some of the ingenuity and progression that took place.

However, this world is full of mysteries, weird things, and strange phenomenon and I hope this article has given you a little insight into the very weird world the ancients lived in! I hope you join me tomorrow as I will have a new post up every day until Wednesday!

Happy Hunting!