Arvind's: May 2013

Friday, 31 May 2013

Scripps National Spelling Bee

Arvind Mahankali of New York holds his trophy after winning the National Spelling Bee at National Harbor in Maryland May 30, 2013. Mahankali, a 13-year-old from Bayside Hills, New York, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday by correctly spelling "knaidel," a kind of dumpling. Mahankali, a student at Nathaniel Hawthorne Middle School, had finished third in the contest twice before.

Tuesday, 28 May 2013

The Unkai Terrace of Tomamu - A Magical Place Above the Clouds

Located in Japan’s Tomamu Resort, on the island of Hokkaido, the Unkai Terrace is a unique scenic spot perched high atop a mountain peak that is often above the clouds, offering tourists breathtaking views of the white, fluffy sea beneath them.

The “unkai” (sea of clouds) phenomenon has been attracting tourists to the resort town on Tomamu for years. The natural hot springs in the area and the differences in temperature during the few hours when night turns into day determine the formation of an immaculate white blanket of clouds over the mountainous region, but only a few people had the chance to see the unique effect from above, until a gondola system was put in place.

It takes early-bird tourists up the mountain to the Unkai Terrace, right above the sea of clouds, where they can watch the sunrise, take photos of the Hidaka and Tokachi mountain peaks as they pierce the fluffy fog and enjoy a refreshing cup of coffee or a bowl of soup. Although the gondola fare is pretty expensive (around $20), the view from Unkai Terrace is definitely worth every yen.

12 of the World's Smallest Things You Never Knew Existed

Mind-Blowing Anime Latte Art That You Can Actually Drink

For those who love coffee and anime, these latte masterpieces are just what you've been looking for. They were created by barista Sugi, who only started taking up the hobby a year ago. She uses only toothpicks, chocolate syrup for the dark areas and cocktail syrups for the other colors.

Sleek Metro Station in Saudi Arabia

World renowned architect Zaha Hadid has just won a competition to design the new metro station for Saudia Arabia's capital city Riyadh. The city's population has doubled since 1990 and is now home to more than 5 million people. Due to this large influx of citizens, the city has now started planning a brand new metro system to better aid them in their day to day life.

Located in the King Abdullah Financial District, Hadid architect's proposal is a four story building that will feature six train platforms, two levels of underground parking, and even access to the cities pre-existing monorail line by use of a sky bridge. Much thought has been given into diminishing congestion by using a series of pedestrian walkways that run throughout the building without interfering with commuters and travelers.

Sydney Unveils Dazzling New Water Show: Vivid Aquatique

In what can only be described as a cross between Bellagio's dancing fountains and Disneyland's Fantasmic, Sydney gave us a sneak peek into their very first water show. Called Vivid Aquatique, it runs from May 24 to June 10, on the hour, every hour from 6pm to midnight. Visitors can stop by Sydney's famous Darling Harbour to see this free show that brings together all of the three key elements Vivid Sydney is known for - lights, music and creative ideas.

Friday, 17 May 2013

Indonesia

Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 17,508 islands. It has 34 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an elected legislature and president. The nation's capital city is Jakarta.

The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Malaysia. Other neighboring countries include Singapore, Philippines, Australia, Palau, and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Indonesia is a founding member of ASEAN and a member of the G-20 major economies. The Indonesian economy is the world's sixteenth largest by nominal GDP and fifteenth largest by purchasing power parity.