`Subway stations are usually designed in a clean and modernistic style in order to make people forget they are traveling deep underground. It is different in the Stockholm subway though, in which several of the deep underground stations are cut into solid rock which were left with cave-like ceilings. Oldnature meets nextnature. The fine ‘cave paintings’ make the finishing touch.

Munich U-Bahn (Germany)

Munich Public Transport System (MVV) is a splendidly constructed system consisting of dozens of S-Bahn (suburbian trains), U-Bahn (subway), Tram-Bahn / Straßenbahn (streetcar) and bus lines, connecting all parts of the city perfectly. This metro system has been opened in 1972 and has spacious and clean stations. The earlier ones are rather minimalistic in design while the later ones got more interesting architectural features and some works of art.

Shanghai Bund Sightseeing Tunnel (China)

This has to be one of the most surreal, psychedlic and fun forms of public transport. The Tunnel connects East Nanjin Rd on the Bund, and Pudong near the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, running under the Huangpu river. It’s a psychedelic trip in a glass capsule along the 647 metre flashing, strobing tunnel.

Frankfurt’s Bockenheimer Warte station

A weird subway entrance, looking like a train bursting through the sidewalk from below, is located in Frankfurt. Architect Zbiginiew Peter Pininski reported he felt inspired by surrealist artist René Magritte when creating it.

Moscow’s Komsomolskaya Station (Russia)

he Komsomolskaya station of the Moscow Metro is the most famous of all those on the Koltsevaya Line and of the whole system, and an icon of Moscow itself, partly due to it being located on Moscow’s busiest transport hub, Komsomolskaya Square, which serves three railway terminals: Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky and Kazansky. The station’s connotation is of a gateway to Moscow and to the rest of Russia, and its theme is of the patriotic history and inspiring future of the nation. It was opened on January 30, 1952, as part of the second stage of the Ring line.

Pyongyang Metro (North Korea)

uilt to link secret underground military facilities, the Pyongyang Metro is nevertheless an important part of the transport infrastructure in the capital of North Korea (officially, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK). There is evidence that it includes secret government-only lines, although the extent of these, if they exist, is unknown. Its station architecture is among the most attractive in the world. However, relatively little is known about the Metro outside the country, as few visitors are able to investigate the system.

Bilbao, a small city in the Basque region,(Spain)

Bilbao, a small city in the Basque region, is proud of their subway system, not only because of its speed and efficiency, but also because of its design. Norman Foster, the architect who did the Reichtag in Berlin, the Gherkin in London, and the world’s largest airport in Hong Kong, designed Bilbao’s metro stations. The stations are well-lit and spacious. Foster uses a simple, yet aesthetically pleasing design, especially with the support beams, staircases, and lights. The entrances are especially unique. Nicknamed “el Fosterito,” the entrances are glass round tubes that emerge to the street level.

New York’s City Hall station (US)

While the stations of the subway are now often dirty, ugly, and are marginally welcoming places, this is not always the case. New York City once had the imagination to build stations which were beautiful as well as practical. The City Hall station remains the most impressive subway station in New York, and yet it hasn’t been used since 1945.

Chicago’s O’Hare Station (US)

The O’Hare terminal station was built in 1984, looking toward the airport terminal from the platforms. The curved sidewalls of glass block, backlit in different colors, illuminate the platforms and absorb sound in the station. The stairs and escalators at the end of the platforms ascend through a gray metal wall that mimics an airplane fuselage to deliver passengers to the fare controls and out into the airport terminal.

Dubai Metro Stations (UAE)

The elevated and at-grade Dubai Metro stations combine both heritage and modern designs. They have been modelled on the shape of seashell, inspired from the diving and pearl-fishing heritage of the UAE, while the interior design depicts the four elements of nature – water, air, earth and fire. Conceptual design of some stations includes traditional architectural ingredients used in antique Arab buildings such as wind towers, oriels, alleyways or internal arches.

Daniel Arsham’s apartment in Brooklyn is the only pint-sized place we’ve ever wanted to live in. It’s a mere 90 square feet — that’s about big enough to fit a toothbrush — but the decor’s so sleek and minimal, we’d trade in our own sardine can in a heartbeat. The apartment’s a loft attached to the offices of Snarkitecture, the cool-kid architecture firm where Arsham is a partner, and it’s basically just a room that serves two functions: sleeping and dressing. But oh, what a room it is. The walls look like great big, pixelated screens that fade from gray to white as you approach the ceiling. On closer inspection, the pixels are actually ping-pong balls — a whopping 25,000 of ‘em.

NY’s smallest apartment

A pair of New Yorkers living in a 175-square-foot studio might just be the wave of the future. Zaarath and Christopher Prokop don’t cook in their own kitchen. They “store” most of their clothes at dry cleaners. A cappuccino machine is their only kitchen appliance, and a cat-gym and a queen-sized bed are almost the only furniture. But the Prokops say that they’re happy with their home, which cost them $150,000 a few months ago. With two full-time jobs, they’ll have paid off the mortgage in just two years.

The Hamster wheel apartment

File this one under nuts. Mimicking that of a hamster wheel, the conceptual design puts a handful of rooms in a giant wheel like device. As you turn the wheel – looks like it takes some leg power – and alter its orientation it changes its functionality. In other words, turn it 180 degrees and the kitchen becomes the ceiling and the floor the living room. Hey, it might be viable in a really long tube like design. Ideal for NYC living where you often feel like a rodent anyway.

The Jean-Paul Gaultier designed after himself

When famous fashion designers show interiors of their homes it’s always exciting. This apartment belongs to French designer Jean-Paul Gaultier. It is situated in front of the Eiffel tower, with amazing views over Paris. The interior design seems a bit crazy and monochromatic because of nautical stripes that are running through the apartment walls, floors and furniture. These stripes happened to be a signature of the designer. Besides there are a garden and a doll rooms that also should be mentioned. The garden room is all covered with plants: ivy weaves into the sofa; lichen grows over the woven chairs in the shade of a tree, and moss, like green velvet, carpets the stone. The doll room is also the bedroom. Fabric unfolds on its walls and forms a powdery velum on the ceiling. The corset dress of a fairground doll becomes the bed’s giant quilt. In this room, lingerie, a lace that fishnets on the carpet and is mirrored in the window panes.

Artist Don Lucho has created “Casa de Karton”: an entire apartment (including a toilet, a bed, and even utensils) out of paper and cardboard. While his motivation is unclear, it’s still pretty impressive. The apartment has all the furniture and other items that a kitchen or a bedroom is expected to have. Being in these “carton rooms” will make you feel like you’re a part of a drawing. Beside the house he has also made a car wreck out of carton, and placed it on the street so it looks realistic.

The apartment decorated with paint over concrete

This seems to be just another lobby on the thirteenth floor of a middle class building in Ukraine, with the exception of the unique concrete painted walls. The lady who lives in one of the apartments is devoted to keeping things the way they are supposed to be. According to her, some neighbors tried to protest against the way it looks and they tried to even ruin this artwork, although they couldn’t really do much about it. So she is keeping the looks as it is regardless of her neighbors disapprovals.

The apartment connected with external stairs

Pictures of Iwan Baan for this building and apartments in Tokyo, designed by Sou Fujimoto. A unique design for this house, in opposition to the district, consisting of 5 separate units with separate bedrooms. All are connected by stairs.

The cinema transformed into an apartment

You are looking at a fascinating studio apartment that used to house the Plaza-Astoria Cinema initially opened in 1931. We don’t know if this is the consequence of Astoria Cinemas being hit by the financial crisis, but we do know this one bedroom apartment located in downtown Stockholm (district of Vasastan) is currently up for sale for 3 216 400 USD. The total surface of the loft is 423 sqm with terrace of 39 sqm and an orangery of 22 sqm near the Vasa Park. Aside from its impressive size, the former cultural crib also features a large walk-in-closet, a luxury bathroom with adjoining sauna, a Japanese recreational area, a fire ring, a 5 meter high palm-tree (total ceiling height 7.8 meters!) and many more.

It is Known as the most dangerous bridge in the world, the Hussaini Hanging Bridge is only one of many precarious rope bridges in Northern Pakistan. For most of the citizens, the only way to travel was by walking across mountain passes to Rawalpindi. In 1978, the Karakoram Highway was completed and the region was connected, but inter-region travel remains as difficult as it was 100 years ago. Regular aspects of travel through this region include the rickety cable and plank bridges which cross Northern Pakistan’s mountain streams and rivers. Among these is the Hussaini Hanging Bridge, crossing Borit Lake in the Upper Hunza. This rope bridge is both long and poorly maintained. Many planks are missing, and strong winds shake the bridge as you cross it. It does little to ease nerves that a previous, older, broken bridge hangs in tatters next to the “new” one.
Despite its dangerous looks, however, the Hussaini is a relatively safe bridge and has become something of a tourist draw, with hikers testing their nerves as they carefully work their way across.This Bridge was swept away in 2010 world,s largest flooding in Pakistan But local people constructed it once again with self reliance. These people were brave and hard workers.

The Immortal Bridge (China)

Mount Tai in the Shandon Province of China has had cultural and religious significance for thousands of years. It is one of the five sacred mountains of China and is associated with the dawn, birth and renaissance. As you progress up the mountain you will come across this – The Immortal Bridge. This Bridge is composed of three huge rocks and several smaller ones. Below it is a valley and to the south is a seemingly bottomless abyss. No one knows quite when these enormous rocks fell into their current place but it is quite likely they have been like this since the last ice age.

The Old Bridge of Konitsa (Greece)

This centuries-old bridge in Greece spans the river Aoos, which isfull in winter. If you look carefully to the right under the top of the bridge, you can see a small bell. Villagers say that when there is enough wind to make the bell sound, it is too dangerous to cross the bridge.

arrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is a rope suspension bridge near Ballintoy, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The bridge links the mainland to the tiny Carrick Island. The site is owned and maintained by the National Trust, spans twenty metres and is thirty metres above the rocks below. Today the bridge is mainly a tourist attraction, with 247,000 visitors in 2009. When it’s windy, this is truly an exhilarating experience – terrifying (if you’re afraid of heights) but exhilarating.

Royal Gorge Bridge (Colorado)

The Royal Gorge Bridge is a tourist attraction near Cañon City, Colorado, within a 360-acre (150 ha) theme park. The bridge deck hangs 955 feet (291 m) above the Arkansas River, and held the record of highest bridge in the world from 1929 until 2003, when it was surpassed by the Beipanjiang River 2003 Bridge in China. It is a suspension bridge with a main span of 938 feet (286 m). The bridge is 1,260 feet (384 m) long and 18 feet (5.5 m) wide, with a wooden walkway with 1292 planks. The bridge is suspended from towers that are 150 feet (46 m) high.

Inca Rope Bridge (Inca Empire, Peru)

nca rope bridges were simple suspension bridges over canyons and gorges (pongos) to provide access for the Inca Empire. Bridges of this type were suitable for use since the Inca people did not use wheeled transport – traffic was limited to pedestrians and livestock. These bridges were an integral part on the Inca road system and are an example of Inca innovation in engineering. They were frequently used by Chasqui runners delivering messages throughout the Inca Empire.
The Incas used natural fibers found within the local vegetation to build bridges. These fibers were woven together creating a strong enough rope and were reinforced with wood creating a cable floor. Each side was then attached to a pair of stone anchors on each side of the canyon with massive cables of woven grass linking these two pylons together. Adding to this construction, two additional cables acted as guardrails. The cables which supported the foot-path were reinforced with plaited branches. This multi-structure system made these bridges strong enough to even carry the Spaniards while riding horses after they arrived. However, these massive bridges were so heavy that they tended to sag in the middle, and this caused them to sway in strong winds. Part of the bridge’s strength and reliability came from the fact that each cable was replaced every year by local villagers as part of their mita public service or obligation.

This sky bridge spans around the gorge on Pulau Langkawi, which is the largest island in the Langkawi archipelago, Malaysia. It’s suspended at 687 m above sea level, offering magnificent views of the Andaman Sea and Thailand’s Tarutao Island. The view from the bridge is really breathtaking – its curves provide different perspectives of the landscapes. The Sky Bridge is one of the most spectacular bridges in the world that delivers quite a pump of adrenaline. This unique cable-stayed bridge is suspended by only one support column. This 95-yard column is held up by 8 load-balancing cables. The curved pedestrian bridge spans 125 m across a spectacular chasm. The bridge is 136 yards long and 2 yards wide. The 1.8 m-wide Sky Bridge had two 3.6 m-wide triangular platforms that provided a spectacular viewing area for visitors. And remember when in the front of the bridge, you are standing 687 m above sea level.

Puente de Ojuela (Mexico)

Ojuela was a small mining settlement located northwest of the city of Durango, Durango, in northern Mexico. The settlement is now well known as a ghost town as a result of the mineral ore being exhausted. The only surviving and functional structure is a suspension bridge. The bridge is known as “Puente de Ojuela” (Ojuela Bridge) by the locals. The original bridge was designed by the famous Roebling brothers, who also designed the Brooklyn Bridge. At the time of construction, the Puente de Ojuela was the third longest suspension bridge in the world. It was rebuilt recently by the Peñoles Company, the original was scrapped and only the main arches are now displayed at the Torreón Exposition Center.

Vitim River in Siberia, Russia

This broad river is the Vitim River in Siberia, Russia. The bridge that’s provided to get you across is made of wood and not in a very good condition. It’s only wide enough for one car but it’s 570 meter (1870 feet) so it takes good 3 minutes to drive across it if you’re a skilled driver. If you’re not so skilled, you could be looking at a 15 meters drop into the Vitim River, which ain’t no fun. And that’s really nothing. Vitim River Bridge is in Russian Siberia. For those who don’t know this region, it gets brutally cold there most of the year with temperatures way below Northern Ontario and everything covered in snow and ice. This bridge turns into an icicle with no traction yet locals drive up and down this bridge as it’s often their only way across Vitim River.

Bryce Canyon’s Natural Bridge (Utah, US)

The most popular arch in Bryce Canyon, is located 1.7 miles past Fairview Point and is visible from the Natural Bridge turn-out. The naming of Natural Bridge in Bryce Canyon caused a slight uproar in the geology circles. Even though the natural-made structure looks like a bridge, it is in fact an arch.

From Frankfurt-based studio Ilio comes Bookwave, a curtain, room divider and bookshelf all rolled into one. The soft soul of the fabric provides all these functions in a new approach as it expands to any size.

Us Map Book Shelf.

This really cool bookshelf, with each shelf being the outline of a US state, is actually a work of art with the incredibly long and slightly confusing title of “Oh, the farmer and the cowman should be friends” (the title is is actually a song from the old musical Oklahoma, thanks Teija). It was created by artist Ron Arad and is made of corten and mirror-polished stainless steel, measuring over 15 feet wide. It would be pretty cool if each shelf had books related to or about that particular state.

Head Book Shelf.

The Library Head is a unique bookshelf that was designed by Nicola L. in the shape of a head. I can’t think of a better place to store all of your favorite stories.

Polar Bear Bookshelf

Ever wanted a polar bear bookshelf in your living room or home library? It’s definitely safer than having the real thing and in the case of the Joe Bookshelf by iBride is undoubtedly easier to manage as well. The collector’s bear bookshelf is made from a high-pressure laminate with a pre-recycled wood core. In itself, the bookshelf is made up of lattice-work shelves which have been created in the shape of a polar bear.

Wisdom Tree Bookshelf

Rock Bookshelf

Cave Bookshelf

Read Bookshelf

Elastic Bookshelf

Table Shelf

Book Shelf Bed Fort

Point Architects from Tokyo combined a bed with a bookcase and the result was called the Uroko House. The incredible bookcase completely surrounds this bed, making it look like an igloo made of books. They also prepared a step by step project of how the Uroko House was created.

Kayla Kromer, of Hamburger Bed fame, strikes back with this out-of-this-galaxy Millennium Falcon bed, complete with working taillights, smuggling pouches, and a goddamn starfield projector.

Book Bed.

Cabriolet Bed.

Although manufactured in the late 60′s, the Cabriolet Bed by designer Joe Colombo holds good in design and technology even today. Probably regarded as ahead of its times, the bed incorporates multifunctional features that is seen in most modern designs as well. Included on the bed head are switches for operating the fan, radio, cigarette lighter and even a phone. The coolest thing about the entire design is that in a jiffy, total privacy can be achieved with minimal fuss. The bed doesn’t rely on flimsy curtains of the four-poster style seen used in those days, instead the yellow canopy on top pulls down to completely engulf the bed.
Also included in the bed head are small drawers to store nick-knacks or medicines. The backside of the Cabriolet Bed features a mirror.

Millennium Bed.

Kayla Kromer, of Hamburger Bed fame, strikes back with this out-of-this-galaxy Millennium Falcon bed, complete with working taillights, smuggling pouches, and a goddamn starfield projector.

Bed.

File this under cool beds for geeks. Located inside an actual office, this bed was designed to look like a giant net (or spiderweb) overlooking the bottom floor.

Fofa Bunk Bed.

Sure we’ve all seen convertible sofas that transform into a double bed and even easy chairs that convert to single beds but have you ever seen a couch that can become bunk beds? Now you have with the space saving Doc couch from Resource Furniture. The cover is fully removable for easy cleaning and there is an integrated ladder.

Beam Bed.

This Beam Bed is designed to shoot out an array of light beams from under your sleeping surface. It makes your bed resemble a UFO more closely than a comfortable place to rest your head.
Designed by Ewan Robertson for Lagostudio, this lacquered wood crafted Beam Bed emits a steady glow from the central base of the frame which is divided into beams thanks to borders set along the bed frame.

Bird Nest Bed.

This giant bird nest was designed by Merav Eitan and Gaston Zahr as part of the Green Garden Exhibition. Looks so inviting, doesn’t it.

Roller Coaster Bed.

The New Decor is an art exhibition displayed at the Hayward Gallery in London. The exhibit featured 30 artists and is designed to explore “the evolution of interior and exterior environments.” The artists have essentially created provocative installations from everyday household furniture or items, such as this roller coaster-resembling bed by Los Carpinteros. It looks like it would be such a blast to have a slumber party on, or even just to roll around it for a while.

Under Water Bed.

Morfeo Bed.

Nestled in the desert on the Persian Gulf is one of the world’s fastest growing cities, Dubai. The largest city in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has embraced changing global attitudes and has gone from a city whose economy revolved around oil to a showcase of business and luxury. Though they have a history of trade, being a major international hub since it was controlled by the British decades ago, real estate has taken center stage. Dubai has transformed its skyline with plenty of steel, glass and locally inspired architecture. Its construction projects have become both a mecca for businesses and for tourists. Here’s a look at just a few:5: Rose Rayhaan by Rotana

Better know as the Rose Tower, this is the world’s tallest hotel at 333 meters high (currently the 29th tallest building in the world). It officially opened in December 2009 and has the dubious distinction of being one of the only alcohol-free hotels in the city.4: Palm Jumeirah

he Palm Jumeirah was the first artificial land mass built off the shore of Dubai. It extends 5 km out to sea and covers an area of roughly 25 square kilometers.

Its unique shape helps add 520 kilometers to Dubai’s coastline. It is the only complete project of its kind, although the larger Palm Jebel Ali is nearing completion. It is the self-proclaimed “Eighth Wonder of the World.”

Burj Al Arab

Rising out of the Persian Gulf on its own private island, the Burj Al Arab is a world class luxury hotel.

The architecture of the building was said to have been inspired by the sail of Arabian dhow ship. Inside, they building was constructed to scream decadence, with double story rooms and a restaurant featuring a 990,000 liter aquarium.

The World is a planned community like no other. Situated 4 kilometers off the coast, it is an artificial archipelago consisting of 260 individual islands which together mirror an image of the Earth’s surface.

Each island is for sale, although most of them have been bought up. The project has encountered some financial problems and work was halted in 2009. There is no firm date for its completion nor the completion of any construction on any of the islands.

part of a complex of mixed-use buildings near the heart of the business district the Burj Khalifa opened on January 4, 2010 as the world’s tallest man-made structure.It takes three to four years to build.

Brazil’s Eco-Stadium

Marina Bay, Singapore

Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Cast: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman

Meteors crashing to earth, altering the landscape forever. Wind and sand blowing for millions of years, changing the shape of rocks and exposing formations buried for eons. Water continuously rushing through the ages, shaping new channels and widening old ones. Volcanoes underground lifting up the earth’s crust to show itself for the first time in millennia, their craters collapsing to form lakes. Earthquakes opening up hidden caverns…

These are the monumental events that form our amazing world and the geological wonders in it. Here we take a look at thirteen of them. Some you will know and others will be completely new to you. All will be examples of the power of nature to create wonderful things.13. The Eye of the Sahara, Mauritania

Formally known as the Richat Structure, the Eye of the Sahara is a much more appropriate name. This mysterious blue eye has puzzled scientist since the first space flights, when astronauts noticed it looking back at them. Space shuttles use the 50 km-wide feature as a landmark even today, it is so clear in the middle of the barren Sahara desert. Researchers now believe it is a “symmetrical uplift”, essentially an area that rose up as hard quartz while softer rock and sand was eroded from it.12. Sailing Stones, Death Valley, USA

This mysterious and ghostly phenomenon occurs at Racetrack Playa, Death Valley which is a fitting location! The stones travel long distances without any human or animal help! It seems as if they just lift themselves up and scoot along, making a trail or groove in the rock surface as they travel. Scientists’ best guess as to why this happens at present is that wind at the level of the stones causes them almost to hydroplane. Sometimes they turn left or right, and other times it looks like two stones are racing each other. They only move every three or four years and the grooves take some time to build up. Definitely a wonder of the world!11. The Blue Grotto, Italy

The Blue Grotto in Capri is a gorgeous cave with a brilliant blue color to it due to two separate sources of light. One is tiny, the opening you can see in this picture which allows small rowboats in. The other opening is much larger and beneath the first, sending in rays of light into the cave from below. Of course, it is more difficult for this second hole to allow light through as it is underwater, but its size makes the difference.10. Crystal Cave of Giants, Mexico

Standing in 90 degree heat on huge logs of crystals, one might indeed be in a giants’ showroom in Chihuahua, Mexico. Dwarfing humans in size, these are the largest crystals of selenite ever found. The heat inside comes from magma under the floor of the cave, and it was magma-heated water that once filled the whole space. As a result, it became rich in minerals like gypsum, causing the crystal logs to form. Because of the heat and humidity, scientists can’t spend more than 10 minutes at a time in the cave without suffering ill effects, so it is no wonder tourists won’t have the opportunity to visit in the near future.9. Stone Forest, Madagascar

he Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park in Madagascar is also known as its Stone Forest. The unbelievable array of rock formations are part of the World Heritage Site and National Park. The forest is also home to numerous species including critically endangered lorises. As is often the case, the local name is a perfect descriptor, as it means “where you cannot walk barefoot”. These karst formations were formed through erosion of the uplands – erosion that happened both horizontally and vertically, creating a breathtaking sight of “trees”, fissures and caverns.8. Chocolate Hills, The Philippines

The Chocolate Hills in the Philippines are named for their resemblance to Hershey kisses during the dry season when the grass is brown. With estimates of up to 1,776 of these amazing mounds – actually called haycock hills – they make a spectacular landscape. When visiting, you are standing on millions of years’ worth marine limestone, which contains fossils, old coral and mollusks! They were created by erosion from above and below by water after they had been lifted up from sea level.

Wave Rock, Australia

This incredible rock is found in Hayden, Australia. It looks like the earth sculpted a breaking wave and put it down on the land – which is almost exactly what happened! The rock, composed of granite, formed by a process of erosion while still underneath the earth 60 million years ago! As the earth exposed more of the area, it finally came into view to amaze and delight us all.

Fantasy Cave, Bermuda

Many know of Crystal Cave in Bermuda but few know of her sister cave, Fantasy. As beautiful as her sibling, she is also deeper. There are 88 steps down into her cavern. The authorities had to close the cave for a long time in the 1940s, but it was reopened with all new lighting and pathways in 2001.5. Bungle Bungles, Australia

Bungle Bungles (a great name!) are found in the the Purnululu National Park in Western Australia, also a World Heritage Site. They are beehive shaped mounds with tiger striping caused by bacteria growing on the gray stripes and iron manganese on the red. They’re an incredible sight, looking like the condominiums of giant bees as big as helicopters!

Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand

The Moeraki Boulders are amazing boulders found on the New Zealand coast. They are highly spherical in almost all cases and were exposed due to erosion and winds. As with many geological wonders, you would be excused for thinking that giants have been there, playing marbles as they crash among the waves.

The Wave, Arizona, USA

This incredible formation of sandstone rock is stunning in its colors. Formed from Jurassic era sandstone (about 190 million years old), researchers say that sand dunes compacted and hardened, with erosion now forming the wavelike lines and shapes in the structure. Like a painting, everywhere you look there are new and amazing shapes to stun the eye.

Pamukkale, Turkey

These stunning terraces of water are found in Pamukkale Turkey and were shaped from a substance called travertine, which forms from the build-up of sediments of calcium carbonate deposited in water from hot springs. Then the calcium dioxide degasses and you are left with these beautiful terraces, with warm water flowing over them.

Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA

These stunning terraces of water are found in Pamukkale Turkey and were shaped from a substance called travertine, which forms from the build-up of sediments of calcium carbonate deposited in water from hot springs. Then the calcium dioxide degasses and you are left with these beautiful terraces, with warm water flowing over them.1. Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA

Jubuticaba,the tree that Fruits on its Trunk.

No, this is not a belated April Fool’s prank. They look as if they may have been pinned there by an over enthusiastic gardener to impress the neighbors but the fruit of the Jabuticaba really does grow off the trunk of the tree.

Otherwise known as the Brazilian Grape Tree, this plant is native to South America, notably Paraguay, Argentina and (obviously from its name) mostly from Brazil.  The fruit, a succulent looking purple color can be plucked and eaten straight from the tree

It is also a popular ingredient in jellies and is also juiced to make a refreshing summer drink.  What is more it can be fermented and made in to wine and strong liquor.  After three days off the tree the fermentation will begin so sometimes, there is no choice.  Honestly.

If you want one of these in your garden then you have to be patient.  The tree takes an age to grow, but once it reaches maturity it is worth it.  However, it has proven to be very adaptable and although it prefers moist and slightly acid soils it will even grow well in an alkaline type soil.

The flowers themselves appear on the tree at most twice a year – naturally.  They look like some strange alien creature that has deposited itself on the trunk and branches. The habit of flowers doing this makes them cauliflorous.   Instead of growing new shoots these plants flower direct from the woody trunk or stem.

You might ask why it is this way.  The simple answer is that it has evolved in this manner so that animals that cannot climb very high can reach it, eat it and then expel the seeds away from the parent tree to further propagate the species.

If the tree is well irrigated then it will flower and fruit all the year round.  The fruit itself is about four centimeters in diameter and has up to four large seeds.  As well as being used as food the skins can be dried out and used to treat asthma and diarrhoea.

If your tonsils are swollen you can also use it to try and alleviate the inflammation.  It is also hoped that the tree will be useful in the fight against cancer as several anti-cancer compounds have been found in the fruit.