Saturday, November 8, 2014

Grass Roofs in Norway

Is this the way of going Go Green? I dont think so, First  I think this is natural, but the Norwegians traditional type of green roof covered with sod on top of several layers of birch bark on gently sloping wooden roof boards and this roof called sod roof or turf roof. The late 19th century, it was the most common roof on rural log houses in large parts of Norway. Its distribution roughly corresponds to the distribution of the log building technique in the vernacular architecture of Finland and the Scandinavian peninsula. The load of approximately 250 kg per m² of a sod roof is an advantage because it helps to compress the logs and make the walls more draught-proof. In winter the total load may well increase to 400 or 500 kg per m² because of snow. Sod is also a reasonably efficient insulator in a cold climate. The birch bark underneath ensures that the roof will be waterproof and long-lasting.

Grass Roofs in Norway
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The term ‘sod roof’ is somewhat misleading, as the active, water-tight element of the roof is birch bark. The main purpose of the sod is to hold the birch bark in place. The roof might just as well have been called a "birch bark roof", but its grassy outward appearance is the reason for its name in Scandinavian languages: Norwegian and Swedish torvtak, Icelandic torfþak.

A sod roof is well suited to a barter economy because the materials are ubiquitous and cost nothing, although the work is labour-intensive. But a household would usually have a lot of manpower, and neighbours would usually be invited to take part in the roofing party, similar to a barn raising in the United States. The Norwegian term dugnad denotes an established custom in rural communities, where large undertakings were accomplished with help from neighbours. [Text source wikipedia]

Grass Roofs of Norway
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Norway grass roof
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Norwegians traditional grass roof
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Grass Roofs in Norway
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Monday, November 3, 2014

The antique train cemetery In Uyuni, Bolivia

Uyuni is a city in the southwest of Bolivia. It primarily serves as a gateway for tourists visiting the world's largest salt flats, the nearby Uyuni salt flat, the named called Lake Salar de Uyuni. The antique train cemetery is also one of the major tourist attractions of the area. It is located 3 km outside Uyuni and is connected to it by the old train tracks. The town served in the past as a distribution hub for the trains carrying minerals on their way to the Pacific Ocean ports. The train lines were built by British engineers who arrived near the end of the 19th century and formed a sizable community in Uyuni. The engineers were invited by British-sponsored Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway Companies, which is now Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia. The rail construction started in 1888 and ended in 1892. The trains were mostly used by the mining companies. In the 1940s, the mining industry collapsed, partly due to the mineral depletion. Many trains were abandoned thereby producing the train cemetery. There are talks to build a museum out of the cemetery.

The antique train cemetery In Uyuni, Bolivia
Image credit BORIS G

The Train Graveyard in Bolivia
Image credit Giulia Mancini

Train Cemetery near Uyuni in Bolivia
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Train Cemetery in Uyuni, South America, Bolivia
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Uyuni Train Cemetery
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Cemetery locomotives in Bolivia
Image credit Bharat

The antique train cemetery is also one of the major tourist attractions of the area. It is located 3 km outside Uyuni and is connected to it by the old train tracks.
Image credit Jimmy Harris

The antique train cemetery is also one of the major tourist attractions of the area. It is located 3 km outside Uyuni and is connected to it by the old train tracks.
Image credit Jimmy Harris

The antique train cemetery is also one of the major tourist attractions of the area. It is located 3 km outside Uyuni and is connected to it by the old train tracks.
Image credit Giulia Mancini

The antique train cemetery is also one of the major tourist attractions of the area. It is located 3 km outside Uyuni and is connected to it by the old train tracks.
Image credit Pierre Lesage

The antique train cemetery is also one of the major tourist attractions of the area. It is located 3 km outside Uyuni and is connected to it by the old train tracks.
Image credit stephenk1977

The Grove of Titans and Giant Redwoods Tree, California

The Coast Redwood or California Redwood — Sequoia sempervirens is the sole living species of the genus Sequoia in the cypress family Cupressaceae (formerly treated in Taxodiaceae). Common names include coast redwood and California redwood. It is an evergreen, long-lived, monoecious tree living 1,200–1,800 years or more. This species includes the tallest trees living now on Earth, reaching up to 379 feet (115.5 m) in height (without the roots) and up to 26 feet (7.9 m) in diameter at breast height. Before commercial logging and clearing began by the 1850s, this massive tree occurred naturally in an estimated 2,100,000 acres (8,500 km2) along much of coastal California (excluding southern California where rainfall is not sufficient) and the southwestern corner of coastal Oregon within the United States. An estimated 95% or more of the original old-growth redwood trees have been cut down due to their excellent properties for use as lumber in construction. The name sequoia sometimes refers to the subfamily Sequoioideae, which includes S. sempervirens along with Sequoiadendron (giant sequoia) and Metasequoia(dawn redwood). On its own, the term redwood usually refers to the coast redwood, which is covered in this article, and not to the other two species.

The Grove of Titans and Gaint Redwoods Tree, California
Image credit Steve Dunleavy


The Grove of Titans is a redwood grove in Del Norte County, Northern California, which includes several massive Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) trees, some being the largest known redwoods in terms of wood volume. The largest Coastal Redwood tree in the grove by volume is Lost Monarch. The largest known single stem Coastal Redwood that resides there is Del Norte Titan. The Grove of Titans (unofficially named) was discovered May 11, 1998, by Stephen Sillett, and naturalist Michael Taylor in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The location of the grove has not been disclosed to the general public. The discovery implies that Sillett and Taylor are the first to realize and declare the significance of the grove, not that they are the first ones to have seen the grove. In fact, many people pass by these trees as they hike the popular Mill Creek Trail, as the Grove easily can be seen--and accessed--from the trail. The grove's botanical significance is near equal withAtlas Grove to the south.

The Grove of Titans and Gaint Redwoods Tree, California
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The Grove of Titans and Gaint Redwoods Tree, California
Image credit Steve Dunleavy

The Grove of Titans and Gaint Redwoods Tree, California
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The Grove of Titans and Gaint Redwoods Tree, California
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The Grove of Titans and Gaint Redwoods Tree, California
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The Grove of Titans and Gaint Redwoods Tree, California
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The Grove of Titans and Gaint Redwoods Tree, California
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The Grove of Titans and Gaint Redwoods Tree, California
Image credit Robert Couse-Baker

The Grove of Titans and Gaint Redwoods Tree, California
Image credit solitario solo solo

This is a family at the Grove of the Titans in Jedediah Smith State Park. This grove has the largest biomass on the planet and most of it is composed of the large redwood trees.
This is a family at the Grove of the Titans in Jedediah Smith State Park. This grove has the largest biomass on the planet and most of it is composed of the large redwood trees. Image credit yofoghorn

Hanging Bamboo Bridges on the Siang River

The Hanging Bamboo Bridges are a local bridge built on the Siang River at Along, Arunachal Pradesh, India. They are made of cane and bamboo. These bridges was built by the local tribes to create a mode of transport amidst the hills.The 60 to 70 meters long bridge is a major connectivity for the tribes to other hilly areas.The bridge is worth watching and talks about the skills of the locals. Fishing is great fun in the waters near the bridge.Visitors enjoy the exciting walk on the bridge and the amazing valley view that they get while crossing it.

Hanging Bamboo Bridges on the Siang River | Along, Arunchal Pradesh
Image credit Donatella Venturi

Arunachal Pradesh — Land of the rising sun has many undiscovered places to attract tourist form many parts of the world. Tourist attractions include Buddhist monastery in tawang, Sela lake near Bomdila with its bamboo bridges overhanging the river and undiscovered scenic beauty of tuting. Rafting and trekking are also main attractable sports. Namdapha National Park located in Arunachal Pradesh, is one of the unexplored national park of India, It is also home for some of the giant animals, the great Hornbills and Red Giant Flying Squirrel.

Hanging Bamboo Bridges on the Siang River | Along, Arunchal Pradesh
Image credit Omar Sharif

Hanging Bamboo Bridges on the Siang River | Along, Arunchal Pradesh
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Hanging Bamboo Bridges on the Siang River | Along, Arunchal Pradesh
Image credit Donatella Venturi

Hanging Bamboo Bridges on the Siang River | Along, Arunchal Pradesh
Image credit Donatella Venturi

Hanging Bamboo Bridges on the Siang River | Along, Arunchal Pradesh
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Hanging Bamboo Bridges on the Siang River | Along, Arunchal Pradesh
Image credit traveltheunknown.com

Forcella Lavardet Mountain Pass, Italy

Forcella Lavardet is a high mountain pass in the Dolomites-Alps range, at an elevation of 1.542m  or 5,000 ft above the sea level, located on the municipality of Vigo di Cadore, Italy. Laid here one of the most dangerous steep and dangerous roads in the world. High Alpine Road Forcella Lavardet has 14 sharp turns that seem to lie on one another, gradually climbing up to the top of the pass. And without that dangerous road damaged by landslides in some areas it is not covered with asphalt and gravel. After a series of accidents on the road pass Forsell Lavardet was closed to motorists. Now it is a popular route for cyclists and hikers. In spite of all the danger from the road looks very interesting and even beautiful. Quietly traveling in alpine serpentine Forsell Lavardet can enjoy wonderful views over the picturesque nature of the Italian Alps.

Forcella Lavardet Mountain Pass, Italy
Image credit alsardin

Despite all the variety of modern equipment and advanced technology, the designers roads simply have no other options. Roads in the mountains are famous for their sharp hairpin turns and often are particularly picturesque.

Forcella Lavardet Mountain Pass, Italy
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Forcella Lavardet Mountain Pass, Italy
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Forcella Lavardet Mountain Pass, Italy
Image credit Ale Berishvili

Forcella Lavardet Mountain Pass, Italy
Image credit Ale Berishvili

Forcella Lavardet Mountain Pass, Italy
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Forcella Lavardet Mountain Pass, Italy
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Forcella Lavardet Mountain Pass, Italy
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Fork Lavardet Mountain Pass, Italy

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