Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.gadling.com/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[World's worst places: Top 10 places you do not want to visit in 2012]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/06/worlds-worst-places-top-10-places-you-do-not-want-to-visit-in/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/06/worlds-worst-places-top-10-places-you-do-not-want-to-visit-in/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/06/worlds-worst-places-top-10-places-you-do-not-want-to-visit-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

world's worst places

What comes to mind when you think of the world's worst place? While it is easy to complain about rural Wal-marts, La Guardia, Applebee's, and any government office with motor vehicle in its title, none of those places escalate the game from nuisance to immediate danger. All of them can be horrible, yes, but a threatened existence they do not pose.

The places on this list are the bad places. Some have run out of hope. Others have fought war for so long it is the new normal. Most are exceptionally dangerous and heartbreaking. And while none of them are fighting for write-ups by travel bloggers or inspiring travel with the NetJet set, some of these locations may someday be on the travel map. After all, it was not long ago that current hot-spots like Cambodia and Croatia would have made such a list.

Gallery: World's worst cities

10. Harare, Zimbabwe9. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea9. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea9. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea9. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (ship)

Continue reading World's worst places: Top 10 places you do not want to visit in 2012

World's worst places: Top 10 places you do not want to visit in 2012 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>afghanistanbrasilBrazilCite SoleilCiteSoleilciudad juarezCiudadJuarezDemocratic Republic of the CongoDemocraticRepublicOfTheCongodrcfaminehaitiharareJustin DelaneyJustinDelaneykandaharKinshasaLiberiaMexicoMOGmogadishumonroviapapua new guineaPapuaNewGuineaport au princeport moresbyPortAuPrincePortMoresbyrio de janeiroRioDeJaneirorocinhasanaaSocotrasomaliatop 10Top10warworlds worst placesWorldsWorstPlacesYemenzimbabweFri, 06 Jan 2012 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The malls of Dubai: Skiing, scuba diving, and shopping]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/04/the-malls-of-dubai-skiing-scuba-diving-and-shopping/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/04/the-malls-of-dubai-skiing-scuba-diving-and-shopping/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/04/the-malls-of-dubai-skiing-scuba-diving-and-shopping/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Dubai Malls

Every country has its own culture of shopping. Italy has the pedigree, with worn estate leather goods from Tuscany and glittering catwalks fueling Milan's couture. America boasts 5th Avenue, the biggest week in fashion, and the cookie-cutter malls of middle-America. Shopping in Paris is as elegant as it is expensive, where visiting the temples of Chanel, Dior, and Hermes is like a Hajj for fashionistas. Getting fitted for a suit on Savile Row in London is a gentlemanly apex, one that is best achieved while gently pulling on a cherry-wood pipe and commenting on cheeky matters from a pink-tinged page of the Financial Times.

In Dubai, The malls are king. Vast expanses of high end extravagance, these oases from the draping emirate heat are stocked with Gucci, Tom Ford, Louis Vuitton, and any other brand that peddles four-figure handbags to the jet set. Just as America brought the shopping mall to retail prominence, Dubai has perfected the art, blown it up, and put it all back together with megatons of glitter, pomp, and reckless luxury. But more so than brands and shine, the malls of Dubai also have other extraordinary features. A skating rink and a movie theater? That is so 20th century. How about scuba diving, snow skiing, and visiting the tallest building in the world? Welcome to the malls of Dubai.

Gallery: The Malls of Dubai: Skiing, scuba diving, and shopping

Dubai Mall entranceInside the Dubai mall entranceDubai Mall is stunningLooking up, Dubai MallDubai Mall

Continue reading The malls of Dubai: Skiing, scuba diving, and shopping

The malls of Dubai: Skiing, scuba diving, and shopping originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at.mosphereburj khalifaBurjKhalifadubaidubai malldubai mallsdubai shoppingDubaiMallDubaiMallsDubaiShoppingJustin DelaneyJustinDelaneymall of the emiratesMallOfTheEmiratesscubashoppingski dubaiSkiDubaiunited arab emiratesUnitedArabEmiratesWed, 04 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The world's top ten most desolate countries]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/12/the-worlds-top-ten-most-desolate-countries/http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/12/the-worlds-top-ten-most-desolate-countries/http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/12/the-worlds-top-ten-most-desolate-countries/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

most desolate

According to a Harvard study, the earth's population will hit seven billion humans in a few months. Earlier this summer, Gadling labs profiled the effects of increasing populations on finite land resources by showcasing the world's most crowded islands. The earth is, in its own way, an island, and 21st century humanity will be presented with the challenge of adapting to rising population levels and static resources.

While countries like India have wrestled with the conundrum of feeding and housing booming population levels in Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai, the countries on this list bear no similarities to the billion strong Indian subcontinent. These countries are the ones with open space - lots of it. Countries like Greenland and Mongolia may someday be utilized for their vast expanses of open terrain, but today they are simply great places to go when you have tired of other human beings.

So while this extraordinarily hot summer may have included elbowing your way through thronged midtown Manhattan in 100 degree heat or hesitantly inhaling the stink rising off the sweaty crowd at Bonnaroo, this list is intended to take you way away from the crowds. From riding a horse through the empty steppes of Mongolia to exploring the glacial highlands of Iceland, each of these countries offers exercises in sweet sweet solitude. None of these countries have more than ten people per square mile.

Gallery: The world's ten most uninhabited countries

Number 10 - MauritaniaNumber 10 - MauritaniaNumber 10 - MauritaniaNumber 10 - MauritaniaNumber 10 - Mauritania

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The world's top ten most desolate countries originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiadesolatedesolationFalkland IslandsFalklandIslandsFrench GuianaFrenchGuianagreenlandIcelandleast populatedLeastPopulatedmauritaniaMongoliamost desolateMostDesolatenamibiapopulation densityPopulationDensitySurinamewestern saharaWesternSaharaFri, 12 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ghostscrapers - Top ten post-apocalyptic abandoned skyscrapers]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/09/ghostscrapers-top-ten-post-apocalyptic-abandoned-skyscrapers/http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/09/ghostscrapers-top-ten-post-apocalyptic-abandoned-skyscrapers/http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/09/ghostscrapers-top-ten-post-apocalyptic-abandoned-skyscrapers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

abandoned skyscrapers

When city plans exceed reality, or the money dries up, or people simply leave in a mass exodus, skyscrapers vacate and slowly decay. High winds thrash through broken windows. Rats live undisturbed amongst decades old rubble. Stairways lead to doors that may never open again. The ghost of ambition's past arrives in the present like a howling specter, creating eyesores, dangerous conditions, and free housing for opportunistic urban survivalists.

These abandoned skyscrapers range from forsaken structures aborted long before their doors opened to icons from a bygone era. While a slumper like Detroit has its fair share of empty giants, even cities with tiger cub economic growth like Bangkok are not immune to the plague of creepy abandoned high-rises. South America brings vertical favelas to the list, and Poland has a tower named after a pop-culture villain. And even San Francisco, a city with a high recreational scooter to human ratio and droves of individuals who see the world just beyond the tip of their nose, has its very own abandoned skyscraper.

From North Korea to Venezuela, these structures differ in their stories and circumstance, but each is a fine glimpse at post-apocalyptic urban decay.

Gallery: Abandoned skyscrapers from around the world

Sathorn Unique in BangkokSathorn Unique balconiesSathorn UniqueMichigan Central StationMichigan Central Station

Continue reading Ghostscrapers - Top ten post-apocalyptic abandoned skyscrapers

Ghostscrapers - Top ten post-apocalyptic abandoned skyscrapers originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abandonedabandoned buildingsabandoned skyscrapersAbandonedBuildingsAbandonedSkyscrapersbangokbuffalocaracasDetroitKrakowmemphisPyongyangRyugyong HotelRyugyongHotelsan franciscoSanFranciscosao paolosao pauloSaoPaoloSaoPauloTue, 09 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Safari on a budget: Tracking tigers and rhinos in southern Nepal]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/27/safari-on-a-budget-tracking-tigers-in-southern-nepal/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/27/safari-on-a-budget-tracking-tigers-in-southern-nepal/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/27/safari-on-a-budget-tracking-tigers-in-southern-nepal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Nepal tigers

The tigers lurked just out of sight. As we ambled through the dense Nepalese brush atop a lumbering elephant, we steadied our gaze for the minutiae of the jungle. We inspected the crevices of our visibility, focusing near and far, eager to catch glimpses of wild creatures doing wild things. Shifting left and right with each elephantine step, we clutched our splintery wooden seats perched precariously on the back of the world's largest land mammal, looking for the world's most elusive - the Royal Bengal Tiger.

We caught muddy rhinos bathing in shadowy watering holes. Peacocks strutted out and disappeared in a flash of color to the other side of our path. Monkeys swung above our heads. A Samba deer stopped to stare at us just feet from our shifting perch, skittishly retreating when our elephant grabbed a bundle of branches and effortlessly snapped them to the ground with his powerful trunk to clear our path. The tigers were illusory, hidden from our sight. Our mahout cackled, "It is okay if you no see tiger. But just remember tiger sees you."

Gallery: Chitwan National Park in Nepal

It gets hot in Chitwan, over 100FSome dugout canoes for a trip down river to the elephant sanctuaryRiver lifeI could not help but feel like I was in an ep of River MonstersSome fellow river traffic

Continue reading Safari on a budget: Tracking tigers and rhinos in southern Nepal

Safari on a budget: Tracking tigers and rhinos in southern Nepal originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chitwan national parkChitwanNationalParkNepalnepal tiger conservationnepal tigersNepalTigerConservationNepalTigerssafariTigerTigersWed, 27 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Is Dhani Jones the most interesting man in the world?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/20/is-dhani-jones-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/20/is-dhani-jones-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/20/is-dhani-jones-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

dhani jones

We have all seen the commercial. "I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis." He's called the most interesting man in the world. But, beyond the LCD panels in your television, and the din of late night TV, the man is just an actor in an especially resonant role, in a very successful advertising series, mythologized with strange deeds and characteristics. His blood smells of cologne, and he despises gyms. After all, running in place will never get you the same results as running from a lion.

It is all hilarious nonsense.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Dhani Jones may just be the most interesting man in the world. Like the Dos Equis demigod, Dhani spends much of his time defying conventions and curating his own personal mythology. He has conducted orchestras, played a decade at middle linebacker in the NFL, scrimmaged with baby elephants, swam with sharks in Australia, flown a Cessna through a thunderstorm, and even carried a suffering man on his shoulder through the Himalayas to safety at a mountain camp.

He has also played a washboard bass on a corner in New York city for tips, and was once arrested for literally dancing too much in the streets of Miami. For Dhani, life is a journey, an extremely interesting one.

Continue reading Is Dhani Jones the most interesting man in the world?

Is Dhani Jones the most interesting man in the world? originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bingbing travelBingTravelDhani Jonesdhani tackles the globeDhaniJonesDhaniTacklesTheGlobeinterviewnew yorkNewYorksportsThe sportsmanTheSportsmanWed, 20 Jul 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Montreal sewer geyser tears apart car]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/19/montreal-sewer-geyser-tears-apart-car/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/19/montreal-sewer-geyser-tears-apart-car/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/19/montreal-sewer-geyser-tears-apart-car/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


With a little bit of luck, I have lived my life hitherto in a relative bubble of innocence. Before today, I knew not the existence of sewer geysers. This terrifying video shot by a youtube user captures the intense eruption of a sewer geyser in Montreal, Canada. The force of the geyser blows open a manhole cover, lifts a car off the ground, and severely damages the vehicle. As the underground waste spills out into the road, the cameraman remains steady. He films as the eruption reaches disgusting new heights towards the video's end.

Montreal sewer geyser tears apart car originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canadageysersewage geyserSewageGeyserTue, 19 Jul 2011 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[A miniature city from up on high]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/19/a-miniature-city-from-up-on-high/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/19/a-miniature-city-from-up-on-high/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/19/a-miniature-city-from-up-on-high/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


From high above the city, jusojin captured this time-lapse AND tilt-shift video that miniaturizes the bustling city of Osaka, Japan. Trivializing every aspect of the Osaka hustle provides a toyish cityscape where people are reduced to ants and cars look like turbocharged micro machines in a lavish play-set.

Jusojin shot the video from the roof of the Umeda Sky Building - a two towered structure that boasts a sky garden called the "Floating Garden Observatory," and an underground market designed to resemble the Osaka of a century ago. With modernity clashing with old school Japan in such a cool location, the 40 floor skyscraper is a must visit in Osaka.

Continue reading A miniature city from up on high

A miniature city from up on high originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>floating gardenFloatingGardengardenJapanMicro MachinesMicroMachinesosakatilt shiftTiltShifttime lapsetime lapse videoTimeLapseTimeLapseVideoUmedavideoTue, 19 Jul 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[An Island of luxury in a sea of desert: Al Maha Desert Resort in Dubai]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/13/an-island-of-luxury-in-a-sea-of-desert-al-maha-desert-resort-in/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/13/an-island-of-luxury-in-a-sea-of-desert-al-maha-desert-resort-in/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/13/an-island-of-luxury-in-a-sea-of-desert-al-maha-desert-resort-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

al maha

Every city needs a quick getaway spot, even global centers for tourism. Parisians head for the lakes and beaches of southern France, Hong Kongers ferry to Macau for quick gambling fixes, Bostonians head for the cape to be seen and sun, and the people of Dubai escape the city for...the desert? Yes, the desert.

Indeed, the desert seems an unlikely place in which to unwind and be pampered, but a resort just outside of Dubai has perfected the art of luxuriously stranding its guests among the dunes. Al Maha, a desert-resort situated on a conservation reserve, outclasses much of its Dubai counterparts in the hospitality industry, which is no small feat. The property provides exclusively personal villas with private pools overlooking the unique wildlife sanctuary as well as all-inclusive dining and excursions. Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa lends a paradisial quality and adventurous spirit to a land known as the empty quarter.

Gallery: A desert oasis - Al Maha desert resort and wildlife

Some Oryx munching next to the spaBedouin Suite (most basic) living area with an incredible view over the dunesBedouin suite tubEach villa comes equipped with a private pool - perfect for afternoon dips

Continue reading An Island of luxury in a sea of desert: Al Maha Desert Resort in Dubai

An Island of luxury in a sea of desert: Al Maha Desert Resort in Dubai originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al mahaAlMahaconservationdesertdubaiDunedune bashingDuneBashingFalconryoryxsand dunesSandDunesWed, 13 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: the darkest type of eclipse shot from Tajikistan]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/12/video-the-darkest-type-of-eclipse-shot-from-tajikistan/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/12/video-the-darkest-type-of-eclipse-shot-from-tajikistan/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/12/video-the-darkest-type-of-eclipse-shot-from-tajikistan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Gadling, travel blog and time-lapse video enthusiast site, is proud to present this stunning video shot in Tajikistan of the total lunar eclipse last month. The eclipse was best viewed from central Asia and Africa, and vimeo user Jean-Luc Dauvergne captured it expertly in full time-lapse glory. The clarity of the stars and the silence of the Tajik steppes combine to accentuate the interstellar view. This rare central lunar eclipse only happens when the moon passes through the center part of the earth's shadow, providing the darkest type of eclipse.

The next eclipse will take place on December 10,2011, and the next central lunar eclipse will happen on July 27, 2018. Mark your calenders.

Continue reading Video: the darkest type of eclipse shot from Tajikistan

Video: the darkest type of eclipse shot from Tajikistan originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eclipselunar eclipseLunarEclipsetajikistanTue, 12 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Yellowstone in pictures: 2011]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/11/yellowstone-in-pictures-2011/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/11/yellowstone-in-pictures-2011/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/11/yellowstone-in-pictures-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

yellowstone

Yellowstone is a wild place of fire and ice. The first son of the United States national parks system, and the first national park in the entire world, is a rich ecosystem of wild creatures and geothermal wonders. With snow capped peaks and alien-looking hot springs, Yellowstone's diversity prompts millions to visit the high altitude Serengeti yearly.

While Old Faithful performs on schedule every hour or so, much of the park changes year over year. Hotbeds of geothermal activity spread and recede. The animals behave unpredictably, taking cues from weather, water level, and crowds. In one year a visitor may see only a handful of bison, but the next year, thousands may come into view at the same location on the same day. And the holy grail of Yellowstone, a bear sighting, is likely in some years and near impossible in others. (Check out these tips to safely exist among bears in the wild) This dynamism provides a unique experience even for repeat visitors.

From stopping at Bison traffic jams to kneeling quietly at a shady brook to watch a mossy antlered moose cooling off, Yellowstone provides a glimpse into what the United States looked like before being settled from coast to coast. Every American should feel obligated to visit two places in their lifetime: Yellowstone Park and New York City. One shows what we are, the other, what we were. Check out this gallery of Yellowstone beauty.

Gallery: Yellowstone in pictures: 2011

Some big horn sheepVery rare to see these so close, first time in over ten years for meMunchTwo elk, two classicsA big horn assesses my threat with wide eyes

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Yellowstone in pictures: 2011 originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bearbearsbisonOld Faithfulold faithful visitor education centerOldFaithfulOldFaithfulVisitorEducationCenteryellowstoneYellowstone National Parkyellowstone picturesYellowstoneNationalParkYellowstonePicturesMon, 11 Jul 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Is that an iPad in their pants or is the TSA just happy to see us?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/is-that-an-ipad-in-their-pants-or-is-the-tsa-just-happy-to-see-u/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/is-that-an-ipad-in-their-pants-or-is-the-tsa-just-happy-to-see-u/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/is-that-an-ipad-in-their-pants-or-is-the-tsa-just-happy-to-see-u/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It happens every day. You amble up to the TSA security checkpoint, and with the customer service touch of gulag overlords, the TSA officers slowly herd you through to freedom on the other side. They stare you down with steely eyes, inspect your ID with hawkish intensity, berate you for forgetting the hand sanitizer in the deepest recesses of your backpack, and apparently, occasionally stuff your electronics into their pants.

That is what one Florida TSA agent is guilty of - stuffing items of material worth into his TSA-issued pants. Nelson Santiago had all but perfected the art of the security checkpoint heist. He would pilfer items out of screened luggage such as GPS units, tablets, laptops, video cameras and more. He would take pictures of his loot (probably with a stolen camera) and immediately post the stolen goods online to sell. The goods would be turned around and sold before his shift even ended, making him a nimble bastard of the highest order.

And then one day, while casually stuffing a gleaming iPad into his pants, he was caught red-handed.

Continue reading Is that an iPad in their pants or is the TSA just happy to see us?

Is that an iPad in their pants or is the TSA just happy to see us? originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>floridaipadipad pantsipad theftipad thiefIpadPantsIpadTheftIpadThieftheftthiefThu, 07 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top ten most crowded islands in the world]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/top-ten-most-crowded-islands-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/top-ten-most-crowded-islands-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/top-ten-most-crowded-islands-in-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

most crowded islands

From an island microslum in Colombia to a haute enclave in central Paris, the ten most crowded islands in the world bear scant similarities in class or culture. In fact, every entry in the top ten comes from a different country. But being islands, each shares the common thread of scarcity - whether it be land, resources, or housing. In general, these islands are prophetical microcosms for an overcrowded earth - finite spaces where self sufficiency governs and demand pierces supply.

With the world's population racing higher and higher, and the "megacities club" accepting new members yearly, some day the earth could bear the traits of one of these densely packed islands.

Gallery: Most crowded islands on earth

Vasilyevsky Island in RussiaLilla Essingen in SwedenĪle Saint-Louis in FranceĪle Saint-Louis in FranceManhattan in the Unites States

Continue reading Top ten most crowded islands in the world

Top ten most crowded islands in the world originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>colombiafranceHong KongHongKongIle Saint-LouisIleSaint-louisIndiaislandsKenyamaldivesmalemanhattanmarshall islandsMarshallIslandsmigingomost crowded islandsmost populatdMostCrowdedIslandsMostPopulatdMumbainew yorkNewYorkrussiarussian federationRussianFederationSt. PetersburgSt.PetersburgStockholmswedenUgandaunited-statesThu, 07 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Exploring the world's tallest structure - the Burj Khalifa]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/06/exploring-the-worlds-tallest-structure-the-burj-khalifa/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/06/exploring-the-worlds-tallest-structure-the-burj-khalifa/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/06/exploring-the-worlds-tallest-structure-the-burj-khalifa/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

burj khalifaThe tallest building in the world does not appear made for this earth. By day it looks photoshopped into its downtown Dubai surroundings, and by night, the hulking spire looks like a rocket bound for the furthest reaches of our galaxy. And like a giant middle finger to its predecessors in the tallest building club, the structure is a testament to the audacity of Dubai - an idea that, what they build is what they are, and they are going to try and build the best.

While the world economic markets receded, Dubai kept building the beast called Khalifa. At a cost of $1.5 billion and a height of 2,717 feet, it humbles the surrounding skyscrapers in downtown Dubai. It possesses at least fifteen world records. It has the highest restaurant, the most floors, and is also the tallest structure ever built. The Middle East has not been home to the world's tallest structure since 700 years ago, when the Great Pyramid of Giza was eclipsed by Lincoln Cathedral in England.

Gallery: Burj Khalifa: The tallest building on the planet

The Burj Khalifa at nightThe Burj Khalifa towers over the downtown Dubai skylineBurj KhalifaLike a rocket

Continue reading Exploring the world's tallest structure - the Burj Khalifa

Exploring the world's tallest structure - the Burj Khalifa originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armaniarmani hotelarmani hotel dubaiArmaniHotelArmaniHotelDubaiAt the topat.mosphereAt.mosphereDubaiAtTheTopburj khalifaBurjKhalifadubaiDubai WorldDubaiWorldtallest buildingTallestBuildingTallestBuildingInTheWorldunited arab emiratesUnitedArabEmiratesWed, 06 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Budget Maldives: How to find perfect beaches and unbelievable snorkeling on a relative shoestring]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/01/budget-maldives-how-to-find-perfect-beaches-and-unbelievable-s/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/01/budget-maldives-how-to-find-perfect-beaches-and-unbelievable-s/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/01/budget-maldives-how-to-find-perfect-beaches-and-unbelievable-s/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Maldives

The lowest lying country in the world does not offer much above sea level, just 7 feet 7 inches at its highest point. This fine sliver of sun kissed atolls is so postcard perfect it borders on ridiculous. White sand beaches, Kool-aid blue seawater, and densely populated coral reefs are de rigueur in The Maldives. It is a different kind of world, a water-world with flying taxis and manta rays measuring over 20 feet from tip to tip, soaring over their colorful underwater kingdoms.

With 1,192 islands covering 26 atolls, the Maldives island chain covers a significant portion of the Indian Ocean between India and Africa. The scantly populated nation boasts only 400,000 humans, many of which are Muslim. The one time British protectorate and Islamic sultanate habitats only 200 of its many islands with the rest defending the deserted island ideal - groves of shady palms trees, tide pools filled with skittering creatures, soft white beaches that disappear into cyan water, and nary a human in sight to spoil the dream.

Gallery: The Maldives - a sandy paradise

Old and newA very mean birdA walkway to nowhereA traditional Maldivian craft

Continue reading Budget Maldives: How to find perfect beaches and unbelievable snorkeling on a relative shoestring

Budget Maldives: How to find perfect beaches and unbelievable snorkeling on a relative shoestring originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budgetBudgetTravelmaldivesmalesea turtlesSeaTurtlessnorkelsnorkelingThe MaldivesTheMaldivesunderwaterUnderwaterPhotographyFri, 01 Jul 2011 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Seven courses at the highest restaurant in the world - At.mosphere in Dubai]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/28/seven-courses-at-the-highest-restaurant-at-mosphere-dubai/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/28/seven-courses-at-the-highest-restaurant-at-mosphere-dubai/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/28/seven-courses-at-the-highest-restaurant-at-mosphere-dubai/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

at.mosphere dubai

Dubai is a city of realized hyperbole. It has the tallest building in the world, man-made islands shaped like the world's continents, and a restaurant high high above the towering skyscrapers below. At.mosphere, a restaurant in Dubai's towering Burj Khalifa, provides a dining experience with a view reminiscent of glancing out the window of a plane. It is preposterously thrilling to savor a plate of foie gras 122 floors above what appears to be the world's largest game of Sim City developing below, spreading out into open desert.

Reaching At.mosphere involves a few steps absent from most dining arrangements. First, one must enter the tallest building in the world, approach a sleek metal elevator, and make a very important choice that is really no choice at all. Only one option exists in the elevator - floor 123. With no stops to make on the way up, the elevator travels with a speedy transcendence that feels just a few technological steps removed from teleportation - 33 feet per second. In the time it takes a middle school graduate to read this paragraph, the doors swing open to reveal a spiral staircase leading to the restaurant one floor below.

Gallery: Seven courses at the top of the world - At.mosphere in Dubai

The Burj Khalifa - tallest building in the world1 choice - floor 123A cantilevered spiral staircase by designer Carol BoveThe staircase leads down to At.mosphere one floor belowThe view is unparalleled

Continue reading Seven courses at the highest restaurant in the world - At.mosphere in Dubai

Seven courses at the highest restaurant in the world - At.mosphere in Dubai originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at.mosphereat.mosphere dubaiAt.mosphereDubaiburj khalifaBurjKhalifadubaifoodtallest building in the worldTallestBuildingInTheWorldunited arab emiratesUnitedArabEmiratesTue, 28 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Abandoned rocket factory haunts the Everglades]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/27/abandoned-rocket-factory-haunts-the-everglades/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/27/abandoned-rocket-factory-haunts-the-everglades/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/27/abandoned-rocket-factory-haunts-the-everglades/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


This creepy abandoned rocket factory once possessed aspirations to help send mankind into space using solid fuel rockets. Now, the graffiti splattered walls and crumbling facade tell the tale of stunted ambition. This documentary, called Space Miami, explores the story behind this abandoned rocket factory in the Florida Everglades known as Aerojet-Dade. Built in the early 1960's, the factory tested rockets in the deepest hole ever dug in Florida - a 150 foot deep cavern. The solid fuel rockets were too large to be transported overland, so a man-made canal to the Atlantic was carved to transport the rockets by barge. All of this effort proved needless when the Apollo space mission decided to go with liquid fuel instead of the solid fuel. The plant drifted into obsolescence overnight.

In 1969, the lights were turned off, never to be turned on again.

Continue reading Abandoned rocket factory haunts the Everglades

Abandoned rocket factory haunts the Everglades originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abandonedAbandonedBuildingsDade CountyDadeCountyfloridarocketspace explorationspace programSpaceExplorationSpaceProgramunited statesUnitedStatesMon, 27 Jun 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Extreme seagull steals GoPro camera in Cannes, treats us to bird's eye view]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/25/extreme-seagull-steals-go-pro-camera-in-cannes-treats-us-to-bir/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/25/extreme-seagull-steals-go-pro-camera-in-cannes-treats-us-to-bir/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/25/extreme-seagull-steals-go-pro-camera-in-cannes-treats-us-to-bir/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Seagulls are annoying bird brained creatures - beach vagrants with a tendency to pilfer picnics and poop on heads. This seagull in Cannes, France goes one step further, making off with some electronics and filming his proud heist. The enterprising seagull thieves a GoPro video camera and absconds with it to his secret hideout. The comedic shouts of an enraged human fades as the bird takes to the sky. Upon reaching his roost, the gull cackles like a madman, perhaps mocking the victims of this theft. And then...he tries to eat the camera, destroying his credibility as a filmmaker. Somehow the owner of the camera tracked down the displaced gadget and retrieved this strange video.

Extreme seagull steals GoPro camera in Cannes, treats us to bird's eye view originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>birdscannesfranceseagullvideoSat, 25 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dubai's iconic Burj Al Arab - the world's most glamorous hotel]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/21/the-iconic-burj-al-arab-the-worlds-most-glamorous-hotel/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/21/the-iconic-burj-al-arab-the-worlds-most-glamorous-hotel/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/21/the-iconic-burj-al-arab-the-worlds-most-glamorous-hotel/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

burj al arab

Long before Dubai began showing up at the bottom of fashion advertisements along with Paris, New York, and Tokyo, it was all sand and ambition. It was once simply desert and an idea. An "if you build it, they will come" on the most massive scale. Build it, they did.

As the years piled on, Dubai transformed. The skyscrapers grew like weeds in an untended lawn. Any doubt that the city was primed to be a world class destination was responded to with the sonic roar of hundreds of buildings rising from the ground almost overnight. Ready or not, here it comes.

Today, the hotels in Dubai have more stars than the milky way. The roads run smooth and are stocked with fluorescent hypercars and murdered out Mercedes Gelandewagens. Construction cranes sway in the gentle Arabian breeze next to impossibly tall buildings. The malls have ski slopes and aquariums with neat little Guinness World Record plaques. Man-made islands shaped like palm trees maximize beach front real estate just offshore. It is a place where the compendium of engineering knowledge has been plundered, nudging the limits of man-made extravagance into open space. Engineers come to Dubai to test the pliability of steel, the outrageous whims of architectural imagination, and the possibility of solving impossible problems.

And it all began with one building - the Burj Al Arab.

Gallery: The Iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel

The Burj Al Arab towering over the surrounding Madinat Jumeriah groundsThe Burj Al Arab from the frontInitially called 7 star by the media, Jumeriah (parent company) downplays this claimA nice beach near the BurjOne road leads to the Burj Al Arab which was built on a man-made island

Continue reading Dubai's iconic Burj Al Arab - the world's most glamorous hotel

Dubai's iconic Burj Al Arab - the world's most glamorous hotel originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al qasrAlQasrburj al arabBurj al-Arab hotelBurjAl-arabHotelBurjAlArabdubaiJumeriahunited arab emiratesUnitedArabEmiratesTue, 21 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Graphing the deepest ocean to the highest peak]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/18/graphing-the-deepest-ocean-to-the-highest-peak/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/18/graphing-the-deepest-ocean-to-the-highest-peak/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/18/graphing-the-deepest-ocean-to-the-highest-peak/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

deepest ocean highest peak

The surface of the Earth plummets deeper than 35,000 feet in the Mariana Trench and reaches up to the lofty heights of the Himalaya mountain range. The rest of our planet exists somewhere in between. Every hill, coral reef, dance contest, and disappointing vacation takes place at some point between these two extremes. This amazing graph by NOAA and NASA details some of the more significant earthly markers in height and depth, such as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the resting place of the RMS Titanic, and the highest peak - Mt. Everest.

Continue reading Graphing the deepest ocean to the highest peak

Graphing the deepest ocean to the highest peak originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 18 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Everesthighest mountainHighestMountainMariana TrenchMarianaTrenchMt. EverestMt.EverestNASAnoaaSat, 18 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST