I've swum in a cenote, following local guide down a rather dark tunnel. Was surprised to see a few small fish in there.
Pamukkale thermal pools in Turkey. The picture must have been taken on a rare quiet day - it's one of Turkey's most popular tourist spots and is normally very crowded.
Tucavaca Valley in Bolivia - known to be home to 3295 species of butterfly. A lepidopterist's heaven, millions of butterflies descend on the valley at the start of the rainy season in November - presumably to do whatever it is that butterflies do... Apparently, 14-day tours are available at a cost of £4975 - but you have to make your own way to La Paz...
Pangong Lake which spans eastern Ladakh in India and West Tibet - a soda lake with a high pH factor of 9.4, which accounts for the green algae in the picture. The middle section of the lake is disputed territory, and has been the scene of many 'skirmishes' between Indian and Chinese troops in recent years.
Gardens by the Bay - a nature park spanning 250 acres in central Singapore. Created at a cost of over $1 billion, it was opened in 2012 and has become one of Singapore's most popular tourist attractions. The tree-like structures are 'Supertrees' - each one being a garden within a garden, playing host to exotic ferns, orchids, vines and bromeliads. It's also on my bucket list...
Sulphur springs around Lake Dallol in Ethiopia's Danakil Depression. The Depression lies about 125m below sea level, and is one of the hottest and most inhospitable places on Earth. A plain around 200km long and 50km wide, it's home to numerous sulphur springs, volcanoes, geysers, acidic pools, vast salt pans, and colourful mineral-laden lakes. It was also home to Lucy, the 3.2million year-old hominin fossil found in 1974.
An aerial view of Yuanyang rice terraces in China's Yunnan province - looking like a piece of abstract artwork with a few real trees and huts sprinkled over it.
Dendrosencio kilimanjari - the Giant Groundsel tree which grows on the slopes of Africa’s highest mountain - Kilimanjaro - at elevations between 11,000 and 14,000 feet. Growing to a height of 20 feet, the trees first appeared around one million years ago.
It grows on most of East African mountains at that altitude. Those in the picture are almost in flower which does not happen very often.
Not quite - the clue is in the scientific name - kilimanjari. There are 11 species of Dendrosenecio - those that grow elsewhere go by different names - such as Dendrosenecio johnstonii.
Well I did not know that, I guess they are so far apart geographically they became distinct species. tx.
Australia's - and the world's - two largest rocks. On the left Burringurrah (aka Mount Augustus) with Uluru (aka Ayers Rock) on the right. I've never really understood the prominence afforded to Uluru - given that they are both remote, and that Burringurrah is twice the size of Uluru.
Aerial view of the Finger Lakes in New York State - not ghostly apparitions in the water but cyanobacterial blooms. Better known as blue/green algae, the blooms are toxic to humans, dogs and fish, as well as to both domesticated & wild animals.
Mangroves in the Cayapas Mataje Mangrove Reserve in north-western Ecuador. Reminiscent of walking Triffids, they are recognised as the tallest mangroves in the world - growing up to 60 metres in height.
The Chocolate Hills on the island of Bohol in the Philippines. Spread over an area of 20 square miles, there are estimated to be around 1700 of the conical grass-covered, limestone hills. During the dry season, the grass dries up to give them their name.
In a farm field in the town of Croaker, Virginia - 43 large scale busts of past US Presidents. Standing up to 20 feet tall and weighing about 22K pounds, the Presidents Heads were once part of Presidents Park in Williamsburg - which went bankrupt in 2010. They were due to be destroyed, but a local rescued them and moved them to his farm 10 miles away. Lord only knows why...
The Burning Dolomites in northern Italy. The normally pale grey rocks turn red as they 'soak up' sunlight at sunset to give the appearance of being on fire - an image in this instance enhanced by the unusual cloud formation above them.
The Pyramid of the Niches - situated in the centre of the ruins of the ancient Mexican city of El Tajín. Built by an unknown civilisation, It's 20 metres tall, with 7 stepped terraces leading to the top. Each of its four sides is covered with stacked rows of small niches formed from blocks of stone - there being 365 suggests that the pyramid may have been built as a kind of calendar to track the days of the year. Maybe @Mexican Hornet can shed some light...
