The house is owned by the daughter of the ex-president of Vietnam, who studied architecture in Moscow.

It does not comply with any convention about house building, has unexpected twists and turns, roofs and rooms. It looks like a fairy tale castle, it has enormous “animals” like a giraffe and a spider, no window is rectangular or round,

and it can be visited like a museum.

Hang Nga Guesthouse a.k.a Crazy House

9. Cubic Houses (Rotterdam, Netherlands)

The original idea of these cubic houses came about in the 1970s. Piet Blom has developed a couple of these cubic houses that were built in Helmond.

The city of Rotterdam asked him to design housing on top of a pedestrian bridge and he decided to use the cubic houses idea. The concept behind these houses is that he tries to create a forest by each cube representing an abstract tree; therefore the whole village becomes a forest.

Cubic Houses

8. Habitat 67 (Montreal, Canada)

Expo 67, one of the world’s largest universal expositions was held in Montreal. Housing was one of the main themes of Expo 67.

The cube is the base, the mean and the finality of Habitat 67. In its material sense, the cube is a symbol of stability. As for its mystic meaning, the cube is symbol of wisdom, truth, moral perfection, at the origin itself of our civilization.

354 cubes of a magnificent grey-beige build up one on the other to form 146 residences nestled between sky and earth, between city and river, between greenery and light.

Habitat 67

7. Wonderworks (Pigeon Forge, TN, United States)

Located along the main thoroughfare, you might miss this odd structure altogether if not for its unique architecture. It leans! When you drive by, don’t dismiss it as yet another tourist trap in a town full of vendors capitalizing on the lure of the Smoky Mountains. Even parents on their way to the more famous Dollywood Theme Park might want to consider Wonderworks, when trying to budget which attractions deserve their hard earned vacation dollars.

Wonderworks

6. Kansas City Public Library (Missouri, United States)

This project, located in the heart of Kansas City, represents one of the pioneer projects behind the revitalization of downtown.

The people of Kansas City were asked to help pick highly influential books that represent Kansas City. Those titles were included as ‘bookbindings’ in the innovative design of the parking garage exterior, to inspire people to utilize the downtown Central Library.

Kansas City Public Library

5. The Basket Building (Ohio, United States)

The Longaberger Basket Company building in Newark, Ohio might just be a strangest office building in the world. The 180,000-square-foot building, a replica of the company’s famous market basket, cost $30 million and took two years to complete. Many experts tried to persuade Dave Longaberger to alter his plans, but he wanted an exact replica of the real thing.

The Basket Building

4. Ferdinand Cheval Palace a.k.a Ideal Palace

In 1879, French postman Ferdinand Cheval began building a structure that was inspired by the shape of a stone he tripped over one day. He wasn’t a mason and not more an architect and spent 33 years building his “Ideal Palace” using stones he collected on his daily mail route. The Palace was finished in 1912, took over 10,000 days and 93,000 hours to construct.

Ferdinand Cheval Palace a.k.a Ideal Palace

3. The Torre Galatea Figueras (Spain)

The first things you notice are the giant egg sculptures along the roofline. Then it hits you that the Salvador Dali Theater Museum in Figueras, Spain, is no ordinary building. The museum’s tower, Torre Galatea, was named for the surrealist artist’s deceased wife, and Dali himself lived there until his death in 1989. Interestingly, the museum sits next to the parish church where Dali was baptized in 1904; he is buried in an unmarked crypt in the museum’s main exhibition hall.

The Torre Galatea Figueras

2. Forest Spiral - Hundertwasser Building

The Hundertwasser house “Waldspirale” (”Forest Spiral”) was built in Darmstadt between 1998 and 2000. Friedensreich Hundertwasser, the famous Austrian architect and painter, is widely renowned for his revolutionary, colourful architectural designs which incorporate irregular, organic forms, e.g. onion-shaped domes.

The structure with 105 apartments wraps around a landscaped courtyard with a running stream. Up in the turret at the southeast corner, there is a restaurant, including a cocktail bar.

Forest Spiral - Hundertwasser Building

1. The Crooked House (Sopot, Poland)

Construction of the building started in in January 2003 and in December 2003 it was finished. House architecture is based on Jan Marcin Szancer (famous Polish drawer and child books illustrator) and Per Dahlberg (Swedish painter living in Sopot) pictures and paintings.

The Crooked House

via villageofjoy.com

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

9. Entourage - Vince Chase is the newest “it” actor. His career is sky-rocketing. He makes the move to Hollywood and brings his childhood friends from Queens with him. Eric, his best and closest friend, takes on the roll of Vince’s manager. Drama, Vince’s half-brother, is also an actor who follows along with Vince hoping to gain his own fame. Turtle is the least experienced member of the group and spends his days running errands, wanting to party and using Vince’s fame to get girls. Then there is Ari, Vince’s aggressive and high-powered agent.
Watch as Vince and his buddies soak up everything that Hollywood has to offer. See what it’s like to make it as a movie star.

8. Futurama - Futurama follows the exploits of Fry, a pizza delivery boy who was cryogenically frozen by accident for 1,000 years; Leela, a female cyclops; Bender, an immoral robot, and others as they work for an intergalactic delivery service owned by Fry’s great, great, great… nephew, Professor Farnsworth.

7. The Simpsons - The FOX network’s most successful series to date was a spin-off from The Tracey Ullman Show. Originally appearing on that series as a 1 minute filler, it was decided that these characters could support a half hour series.

6. Californication - David Duchovny heads up the cast in this comedy about a novelist with sex and drug addictions who is struggling to raise his daughter half the time, while having problems with his ex-girlfriend. 

5. Scrubs - This half-hour comedy focuses on the bizarre experiences of fresh-faced medical intern John “J.D.” Dorian as he embarks on his healing career in a surreal hospital crammed full of unpredictable staffers and patients ? where humor and tragedy can merge paths at any time.

4. Boston Legal - Led by an Emmy Award-winning cast, “Boston Legal” tells the professional and personal stories of a group of brilliant but often emotionally challenged attorneys. Fast-paced and darkly comedic, the series confronts social and moral issues, while its characters continually stretch the boundaries of the law.
Back-to-back Emmy Award winners James Spader and William Shatner play Alan Shore and Denny Crane, unlikely kindred spirits among the brigade of high-priced litigators at Crane, Poole and Schmidt. In addition, one of the founding law partners, Shirley Schmidt (played by five-time Emmy winner Candice Bergen), has been coaxed back to the Boston law firm to help bring order to the chaotic office. She keeps a vigilant eye on all, particularly Denny Crane - with whom she has a checkered history.
3. South Park - South Park is an animated series featuring four boys who live in the Colorado town of South Park, which is beset by frequent odd occurrences. The show grew out of short film that Trey Parker and Matt Stone created called The Spirit of Christmas.

2. Two and a Half Men - A hedonistic jingle writer’s free-wheeling life comes to an abrupt halt when his brother and 10-year-old nephew move into his beach-front house.

1. How I Met Your Mother - Egged on by his best friend’s upcoming nuptials, Ted believes he finds the woman of his dreams in Robin — though destiny might have something different in mind.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon is the steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in Arizona State of United States. The powerful sources that cause an impact on the Grand Canyon is erosion, first is by water and second is by wind.

Nearly 5 million people visit the 1 mile deep Grand Canyon every year. Planning a vacation to the Grand Canyon national park provides a great relief for you and your family.

The best time to visit Grand Canyon is during the summer, fall and mild spring, but most locals agree that winter is the great time to visit. There are various camp grounds both on the top and floor of the Grand Canyon. Camping at the floor of the Grand Canyon needs a permit from the country office.

9. Great Barrier Reef

Great Barrier Reef

This is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. It is one of the top travel destinations in Australia. You can see it from the outer space and it is the world’s largest single structure, which is made of living organisms.

The reef supports 10,000 species which consists of 1500 types of fishes and 200 kinds of birds. This beauty inspires many of the travelers to visit the place.

8. The South Island

The South Island Of New Zealand

The South Island of New Zealand is characterized by grand open landscapes. The island is well known for spectacular fiords, large beach forests, golden sand beaches and broad plains. Everybody can enjoy the travel to south island.

The south island has ten national parks. These parks incorporate world heritage sites, lakes, glaciers, fiords, native forest, coastline, and world class hiking tracks. The fabulous scenery across the south land attracts many people to plan vacation.

7. Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal

According to most of the travelers, Taj Mahal, most beautiful building, in India is one of the great wonders of the world. This is a hybrid of many artistic styles. Once you visit Taj Mahal, you can enjoy various places near it.

The river side behind Taj Mahal provides a wonderful environment. You can enjoy greatly along with your family.

6. Uluru

Uluru

Uluru or Ayers Rock in Australia is one of the world’s great natural wonders. Planning to visit this place is a great way to explore and experience the cultural and physical significance of this Australian icon.

The rock is at its visual best at sunrise and sunset. Most of the travelers like to climb the rock by using an ancient aboriginal trail.

5. Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is a Mayan word. Chichen Itza is one of the largest archeological cities of Mexico and one of the Seven wonders. It is the most visited tourist destination. Travelers like to visit Chichen Itza as a day trip. If you want to enjoy all the activities near by Chichen Itza, it takes 2-3 days stay.

Before entering into the Chichen Itza, you will come across an informative museum, clean rest rooms, a dining room, few vender stands and gift shops. You can visit the site at any time of the year.

4. Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This is mystical place and a great spot to divinity. It is the Peru’s most popular place, so most of you like to see the place. People of Machu Picchu feel that they are the creators of god. This place offers you strange forces of nature that permit the individual to attain a contrary cosmic state.

The place is located at 2300 meters above the sea level. So, you can enjoy the vicinity of the place. One day is enough to visit the spots around Machu Picchu.

While planning to visit Machu Picchu, you need to understand a little about the geography of this area, because the location is remote and inaccessible.

3. Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls can be accessed from both the American and Canadian side, but the best view facing the falls is completely from the Canadian side. When you take a trip to Niagara Falls, don’t forget to take a ride on the famous maid-of-the-mist boats. You won’t get the entire experience of Niagara Falls until you ride one of these boats.

It is the foundation for many interesting places to see and things to do. If you love beautiful landscapes, romantic getaways, family adventures and vibrant nightlife then Niagara Falls is the best place to visit.

2. Petra

Petra

Petra, one of the seven wonders, is fabled rose red city and is a well known earliest Nabataean city in the south Jordan. If you have decided to travel to Jordan, then Petra is at the top of your priority list. The solid red stand stone buildings in Petra are unlike anything that you have ever seen before.

One full day is enough to see everything around Petra. This town offers you a wide variety of hotels to fit your budget.

1. The Pyramids

The Pyramids

Pyramids and wonderful temples are the great things to enjoy in Egypt. Travel to Egypt offers you the nature and desert treks, fishing, golfing, scuba diving and birding groups. You can choose the places like Sinai coasts or red sea to relax.

Winter is the best season to go for a vacation to Egypt. March-May and September-November is the best time to enjoy the warm days of Egypt.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

This castle complex is Louis XIV’s masterpiece, a structure so magnificent that the state treasury was almost depleted during its construction. Also known as the Palace of Versailles, and located now on the edge of Paris, this palace became home to French nobility during the seventeenth century. As the complex grew through four “building campaigns,” Versailles became the center of French government. Louis XIV lived at Versailles, and government offices, homes of thousands of courtiers and their retinues were built there, and nobles of a certain rank and position spent time each year at the court complex. Louis XIV’s attempt to centralize the French government succeeded, as few could match the ostentatious glamour represented by Versailles.

Château de Versailles

4. Bran Castle

This is another castle that the faint of heart might want to avoid! Commonly known as Dracula ’s Castle, the Bran Castle was originally a stronghold built by the Knights of Teutonic Order in 1212. The first documentary attestation of the Bran Castle is the act issued on 19 November 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Brasov) the privilege to build the Citadel. The building started in 1378 as a defense against Turks and later became a customs post on the pass between Transylvania and Walachia. From 1920 the castle became a royal residence until the expulsion of the royal family in 1948. Today it functions as a very attractive museum of medieval arts. The official Romanian site will provide you with the lowdown on this country’s castles, so be sure to visit that site if you plan to visit Romania.

Bran Castle

3. Frankenstein Castle

Darmstadt, Germany is home to the setting for Mary Shelley’s Gothic horror novel, Frankenstein. This castle was the 18th century home of Lord Konrad Dippel Von Frankenstein. There are many theories about Dippel, including one that he sold his soul for eternal life. In reality, Dippel was a highly controversial alchemist in whose laboratory the colour Prussian Blue was discovered. Maybe his enemies tried to ruin his reputation with the legend about the monster created in his laboratory. Visit Frankenstein Castle during Halloween to get the maximum scare factor, as an elaborate monster-themed theater show is performed, along with actors who lurk in the castle shadows.

Frankenstein Castle

2. Castello di Strassoldo di Sopra

While there are more magnificent and famous Italian castles, this choice is far from the maddening tourist crowd. This castle is the ‘upper’ castle, which is located near the Castello di Strassoldo di Sotto (”lower” castle), and both castles are located in northeast Italy. Both castles also are privately owned by the Strassoldo family and have been in this family for almost one thousand years. Since they’re privately owned, they aren’t open to the public; however, the owners open their halls for two fascinating exhibits in the spring and fall each year. Additionally, important wedding banquets and other memorable events are personally organized by the owners. The castle’s splendid and fully furnished halls can host several hundred people, while the park can be used for open air buffets and wonderful photos. The owners of the Castello di Sopra have recently restored a fifteenth-century small house called “la Vicinia,” which they rent out overnight. This building and the castle are located in the heart of a lovely medieval village, surrounded by a centuries-old park that’s fed by spring waters.

Castello di Strassoldo di Sopra

1. Windsor Castle

If you plan to visit England, you’ll discover that you could spend months visiting all the castles on this island. However, Windsor Castle is probably the most well known castle in the world, as - together with Buckingham Palace in London and Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh - it is one of the official residences of England’s Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world. This building and its complex have provided a home and fortress for royalty for over 900 years. Originally made of wood, the castle was built for William the Conqueror to guard the approach to London. The site sits above the River Thames, on the edge of a Saxon hunting ground and one day’s march from the Tower of London. Visitors can walk around the State Apartments, which are extensive suites of rooms at the heart of the working palace. Once you’re through with this castle, you can visit some of the top castles in Britain listed at the Travel Channel. Those castles all come highly recommended, but don’t forget to visit some of the smaller castles such as the one located in Dolwyddelan, Wales. This castle is a lovely place to visit along the road from Betws-y-Coed to the western coast and provides a chance to view Mount Snowden, the highest mountain in Wales.

Windsor Castle

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

9. The Wire - In chronicling a multi-generational family business dealing illegal drugs and the efforts of the Baltimore police to curb their trade, this series draws parallels between these organizations and the men and women on either side of the battle.

8. Las Vegas - Las Vegas is a fast paced drama about one of Sin City’s biggest casinos The Montecito. It follows the lives of 6 key employees and how they solve everyday problems that occur and could cost the casino a lot of money.

7. The Mentalist - tells the tale of a man, Patrick Jane who is employed as an independent detective working with the California Bureau of Investigation to solve crimes. He was making a living a psychic and would assist the police on cases — only his life changed when he lost the two most important people in his life to one of those serial killers he was helping track. He works with the Serious Crime Unit and uses his refined observations skills to help them solve cases. He works with senior agent, Teresa Gibson, agents Kimball Cho & Wayne Rigsby and the rookie, Grace Van Pelt.

6.  The Tudors - The Tudors will focus on the rarely dramatized, tumultuous early years of King Henry VIII’s nearly 40-year, omnipotent reign (1509-1547) of England. In addition to dalliances with famous female consorts Catherine of Aragon and the infamous Anne Boleyn, the series delves into Henry’s most notable political relationships, including those with philosopher Sir Thomas More and Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, head of the Catholic Church of England during its break with Rome.

5. The Pretender - The Pretender is the story of Jarod, a boy-genius taken from his family as a child. Jarod possesses the ability to quickly learn and impersonate different jobs and occupations. His abductors, a facility simply known as The Centre, tested his abilities through various simulations.

4. Alias - Sydney Bristow is an international spy recruited out of college and trained for espionage and self-defense

3. Prison Break - Michael Scofield is a desperate man in a desperate situation. His brother, Lincoln Burrows, is on death row and scheduled to die in a few months for a murder Michael is convinced Lincoln did not commit. With no other options and time winding down, Michael holds up a bank to get himself incarcerated alongside his brother in Fox River State Penitentiary. Once he’s inside, we learn that Michael — a structural engineer with the blueprints for the prison — has hatched an elaborate plan to break Lincoln out and prove his innocence.

2. 24 - One of the tensest, most intriguing television shows airing today, the critically acclaimed 24 has captured the attention of millions of viewers. Created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, 24 has become one of FOX’s leading TV shows. It centres around its main protagonist, Jack Bauer, as well as a plethora of supporting characters. Bauer, a skilled government agent, works in the Counter Terrorist Unit, located in Los Angeles. Over the course of six thrilling seasons, Jack Bauer has evaded terrorists, nuclear weapons, assassins, and many other sinister figures, all with equally sinister goals in mind. 24 is highly unique in the fact that each season takes place over 24 hours in real time, with each episode spanning one hour of the day.

1.  Rome - “Rome” is the saga of two ordinary Roman soldiers and their families. An intimate drama of love and betrayal, masters and slaves, and husbands and wives, it chronicles epic times that saw the fall of a republic and the creation of an empire.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

9. True Blood - Alan Ball, creator of Six Feet Under, returns to HBO with a new series based on the novel series Southern Vampire by Charlaine Harris. The series follows Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic barmaid who finds comfort in the company of vampires since they have no brainwave activity for her to read. She and her brother Jason were raised by her grandmother after losing their parents in a flood and she tries to keep her telepathic ability a secret. Thanks largely in part to the creation of a Japanese-made synthetic blood called Tru Blood (where the series takes it name) vampires have made their existence known to the world. Sookie works at the bar ‘Merlotte’s’ which is owned and operated by her boss Sam Merlotte who has a secret of his own.

8. The Dresden Files -Ever since he was a boy, Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, knew that monsters were real, just as he was able to make things happen simply with the force of his will. As he grew he began to learn of his magical heritage, given to him by his mother, and coveted by his Uncle, who would stop at nothing to possess it.
Now that he is grown Harry is the only private investigator / wizard in Chicago and listed in the phone book. He uses real magic to help him solve his cases, much to the chagrin of both the police and the magical establishment, whose shadow wars often spill into the ‘real’ world and involve people who have no idea just how magical, and dark, the world can be.

7. Star Trek DS9 - When the Cardassian occupation of Bajor ended in 2369, the mining space-station Terok Nor was left abandoned, its systems ripped out. By invitation of the provisional Bajoran government, Starfleet stepped in to oversee the rebuilding and day-to-day operations of the newly christened Deep Space Nine. Starfleet’s position was a tentative one, many Bajorans suspicious and unwelcoming as a result of Cardassian oppression and brutality. However the alliance held and soon DS9 was a center of travel and commerce thanks to a newly found stable wormhole, leading to the largely unexplored Gamma Quadrant.

6. Smallville - Smallville tells the tale of a teenage Clark Kent in the days before he was Superman. It is the town where he came from where very strange things started happening with his arrival in a spaceship in the midst of a meteor storm of green rocks. Clark must deal with a variety of individuals given powers by the green rocks, keep his powers a secret, cope with his friendship with a young Lex Luthor, and balance the two girls in his life, Chloe and Lana. The show also shows us how Lex Luthor develops from a friend of Clark’s and kinda-okay guy to (presumably) the villain who will plague Superman in his later years.

5. Supernatural - Supernatural stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki as Dean and Sam Winchester, two brothers who travel the country looking for their missing father and battling evil spirits along the way.

4. Heroes - Heroes is a serial saga about people all over the world discovering that they have superpowers and trying to deal with how this change affects their lives. Not only are they discovering what having superpowers means to them but also the larger picture of where their superpowers come from. Their ultimate destiny is nothing less than saving the world.

3. Stargate Atlantis - A secret group of scientists have discovered the location of the famous lost city of Atlantis, but it’s not on Earth. It’s located in another galaxy altogether, the Pegasus galaxy. Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off from the highly successful Stargate SG-1 series, follows a multinational scientific and military group, lead by Diplomat Dr. Elizabeth Weir, headed on a one way trip to Atlantis. Their mission: to investigate the secrets of Atlantis, a city now known to have been built by ancient powerful beings, and bring whatever they discover back to Earth. They will be all on their own, with no means to return, with no means of rescue or support, unless they can find the technology they need in Atlantis to return them to Earth.

2. Battlestar Galactica - This show introduces many new elements to the Galactica Tale. The Cylons look like US now, they could be anywhere, and they seem to have developed a monotheistic religion that is in contrast to the human polytheistic religion. The Cylons begin by wiping out the twelve colonies and sending the survivors… all 47,000 (approx) of them on a desperate search for the fabled 13th colony… Earth.

1. Stargate SG-1 - This sequel to the 1994 movie Stargate chronicles the further adventures of SGC (Stargate Command). It turned out that the Goa’uld Ra was only one of many alien System Lords who used the Stargates to conquer much of the universe. When Earth uncovers a working cartouche to decipher the coding system of Earth’s stargate, they can now travel anywhere. Earth’s military sends out SG teams to explore new planets, find technology, and oppose the Goa’uld.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Huge advancements in scientific technology have been able to create an island full of living dinosaurs. John Hammond have invited four individuals, plus his two grandchildren to join him at Jurassic Park. But will everything go to plan? Especially when one of the parks own workers attempt to steal the dinosaurs embryos, and have to shut down all the electricity in the process. It’s now a race for survival with everyone located all over the island.

9.The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - $921,600,000

Sauron’s forces increase. His allies grow. The Ringwraiths return in an even more frightening form. Saruman’s army of Uruk Hai is ready to launch an assault against Aragorn and the people of Rohan. Yet, the Fellowship is broken and Boromir is dead. For the little hope that is left, Frodo and Sam march on into Mordor, unprotected. A number of new allies join with Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Pippin and Merry. And they must defend Rohan and attack Isengard. Yet, while all this is going on, Sauron’s troops mass toward the City of Gondor, for the War of the Ring is about to begin

8.Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace  - $922,379,000

This First Episode follows the young years of Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader). The friendship of Obi-wan Kenobi, Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn are also central aspects. And the beginning of the rise to power of Senator Palpatine to Emperor.

7.Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - $937,000,866

After a lonely summer on Privet Drive, Harry returns to a Hogwarts full of ill-fortune. Few of students and parents believe him or Dumbledore that Voldemort is really back. The ministry had decided to step in by appointing a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher that proves to be the nastiest person Harry has ever encountered. Harry also can’t help stealing glances with the beautiful Cho Chang. To top it off are dreams that Harry can’t explain, and a mystery behind something Voldemort is searching for. With these many things Harry begins one of his toughest years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End - $958,404,152

Elizabeth, Will and the crew of the Pearl sail off the edge of the map (literally) with the help of mysterious Tia Dalma and the late Captain Barbossa who has been raised by the dead to save Captain Jack Sparrow . He has been condemned to the terrible fate of remaining in the void of Davey Jones’ locker for eternity. But rescuing Jack isn’t the real meat of this movie - Lord Cutler Beckett has control of the heart of Davey Jones, and with that he controls the sea. The nine pirate lords of the world must unite for a final stand against Beckett, Jones and the East India Trade company 

5.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone - $968,657,891

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the first film in the Harry Potter series based on the novels by J.K. Rowling. It is the tale of Harry Potter, an ordinary 11-year-old boy serving as a sort of slave for his aunt and uncle who learns that he is actually a wizard and has been invited to attend the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry is snatched away from his mundane existence by Hagrid, the grounds keeper for Hogwarts, and quickly thrown into a world completely foreign to both him and the viewer. Famous for an incident that happened at his birth, Harry makes friends easily at his new school. He soon finds, however, that the wizarding world is far more dangerous for him than he would have imagined, and he quickly learns that not all wizards are ones to be trusted

4. The Dark Knight - $995,037,655

Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker

3. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest - $1,060,332,628

Once again we’re plunged into the world of sword fights and “savvy” pirates. Captain Jack Sparrow is reminded he owes a debt to Davy Jones, who captains the flying Dutchman, a ghostly ship, with a crew from hell. Facing the “locker” Jack must find the heart of Davy Jones but to save himself he must get the help of quick-witted Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan. If that’s not complicated enough, Will and Elizabeth are sentenced to hang, unless will can get Lord Cutler Beckett Jack’s compass, Will is forced to join another crazy adventure with Jack

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - $1,129,219,252

While Frodo & Sam continue to approach Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring, unaware of the path Gollum is leading them, the former Fellowship aid Rohan & Gondor in a great battle in the Pelennor Fields, Minas Tirith and the Black Gates as Sauron wages his last war against Middle-Earth

1. Titanic - $1,835,300,000

84 years later a 100-year-old woman named Rose DeWitt Bukator tells the story to her granddaughter Lizzy Calvert, Brock Lovett, Lewis Bodine, Bobby Buell, and Anatoly Mikailavich on the Keldysh about her life set in April 10th 1912, on a ship called Titanic when young Rose boards the departing ship with the upper-class passengers and her mother, Ruth DeWitt Bukater, and her fiancé, Caledon Cal Hockley. Meanwhile, a drifter and artist named Jack Dawson and his best friend Fabrizio De Rossi win third-class tickets to the ship in a game. And she explains the whole story from departure until the death of Titanic on its first and last voyage April 15th, 1912 at 2:20 in the morning

via Imdb

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

9. Criminal Minds - An elite group of profilers analyze the nation’s most dangerous criminal minds in an effort to anticipate their next moves before they strike again.

8. The Tudors - The Tudors will focus on the rarely dramatized, tumultuous early years of King Henry VIII’s nearly 40-year, omnipotent reign (1509-1547) of England. In addition to dalliances with famous female consorts Catherine of Aragon and the infamous Anne Boleyn, the series delves into Henry’s most notable political relationships, including those with philosopher Sir Thomas More and Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, head of the Catholic Church of England during its break with Rome.

7. Sopranos - Meet Tony Soprano: your average, middle-aged businessman. Tony’s got a dutiful wife. A not-so-dutiful son. A daughter named Meadow. An uncle who’s losing his marbles. A hot-headed nephew. A not-too-secret mistress. And a shrink to tell all his secrets, except the one she already knows: Tony’s a mob boss who’s troubles are wrapped up in his two families. These days, it’s getting tougher and tougher to make a killing in the killing business. Just because you’re “made” - doesn’t mean you’ve got it made.

6. Death Note - Light Yagami is the top high school student of Japan who had, until recently, led a boring and uneventful life. That changed quickly when he found a mysterious notebook with the title “Death Note” on it, lying on the ground during the year 2003. Although initially skeptical, after realizing that the “Death Note” is a Shinigami’s tool with the power to kill anyone whose name is written on its pages, Light decided to use it to “cleanse” the world of evil.
Soon the many unexplainable deaths of reported criminals was noticed, and Light becomes hunted by the Japanese police force and a mysterious detective known as “L.” L quickly discovers that the murderer, that the publics dubs “Kira,” is located in Japan, and that he can kill just by knowing someone’s face and name. Light realizes that L is just as cunning, if not more intelligent than himself, and begins a cat and mouse chase with L to see who will be the first to have his identity exposed.

5. The Shield - The Shield breaks the conventional formula of the cop genre. It plays out in a tough, morally ambiguous world in which the line between good and bad is crossed ever day. The series focuses on the tension between a group of corrupt but effective cops and a captain torn between bringing them down and advancing his own political ambitions.

4. 24 - One of the tensest, most intriguing television shows airing today, the critically acclaimed 24 has captured the attention of millions of viewers. Created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, 24 has become one of FOX’s leading TV shows. It centres around its main protagonist, Jack Bauer, as well as a plethora of supporting characters. Bauer, a skilled government agent, works in the Counter Terrorist Unit, located in Los Angeles. Over the course of six thrilling seasons, Jack Bauer has evaded terrorists, nuclear weapons, assassins, and many other sinister figures, all with equally sinister goals in mind. 24 is highly unique in the fact that each season takes place over 24 hours in real time, with each episode spanning one hour of the day.

3. Rome - “Rome” is the saga of two ordinary Roman soldiers and their families. An intimate drama of love and betrayal, masters and slaves, and husbands and wives, it chronicles epic times that saw the fall of a republic and the creation of an empire.

2. House, M.D. - House, M.D is an hour-long Emmy-winning medical drama that debuted in the fall of 2004 and stars Golden Globe-winning British actor and comedian Hugh Laurie. Laurie plays Dr. Gregory House, a maverick medical genius who heads a team of young diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey. This team goes to extraordinary lengths to accomplish a common task: diagnosing and treating unusual ailments. Most episodes start outside the hospital, showing the events leading to the onset of illness for that week’s patient.

1. Dexter - Based on Jeff Lindsay’s novel “Darkly Dreaming Dexter,” this new crime thriller tells the story of a strange man named Dexter Morgan. Once an abused and abandoned child, Dexter is now a successful forensics pathologist…but lurking just beneath his charismatic personality is a terrible truth. Dexter has corralled his innate homicidal urges into a closely guarded second career: He hunts down and brutally murders those vicious criminals who have managed to avoid the clutches of the law.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Kolossi Castle is stronghold located a few kilometers outside the city of Limassol on the island of Cyprus. It held a great strategic importance and contained production of sugar, one of Cyprus’ main exports in the Middle Ages. The original castle was built about 1210 by Frankish military when the land of Kolossi was given by King Hugh I to the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (Hospitallers). It is a stone fortress and the baseground was probably used as a store with two underground cisterns.

Kolossi Castle

You’ll enter the first floor via a suspended bridge, and on the south wall of one of the two lower rooms there is a wall painting representing the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the Blason Magnac, which is testimony to the royal devotional use of this room. The next room with the fireplace was likely to be the main dining and reception room. On the second floor there are two more rooms, which were used for lodging. On the roof of the monument, a scalding bowl and loopholes bring the thought of the visitor back to medieval sieges, along with the thought of boiling oil. Former inhabitants of this castle include Richard the Lionhearted and the Knights Templar.

4. Rhodes Castle

The Island of Roses, or Rhodes, is famous for its historic Medieval town, great shopping, and the site of the Colossus of Rhodes. This ‘castle’ was built within the Old Town walls at the beginning of the 13th century CE by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. The building is comprised of 205 rooms and a conference area that hosts summits for European and world leaders. Today it attracts visitors from around the world as it houses the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes. Rhodes lies between Crete and the near East along the Aegean ocean. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands and popular even among the Greeks as a holiday retreat. Rhodes holds about sixty thousand permanent residents, and it is the financial and cultural center of the southeastern Aegean area. The excellent tourist infrastructure that includes a wide variety of entertainment makes Rhodes a popular destination.

Rhodes Castle

3. Arg-é Bam Castle


This enormous citadel, situated on the famous Silk Road, was built some time before 500 BCE and remained in use until 1850 CE. It is not known for certain why it was then abandoned. Located in Bam, Iran, this castle is the largest adobe building in the world. The entire building was a large fortress in whose heart the citadel itself was located, but because of the impressive look of the citadel, which forms the highest point, the entire fortress is named the Bam Citadel. It is listed by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage Site, but an earthquake in 2003 destroyed more than 80 percent of the buildings. However, since it is a World Heritage site, several countries - including Japan, Italy, and France - have joined forces to reconstruct the buildings. The World Bank has also granted a large sum of money to the restoration project.

Arg-é Bam Castle

2. Castle Zaman


Castle Zaman is perched atop a desert cliff midway between Taba and Nuweiba in Sinai. The simple architecture provides amazing views over the Gulf of Aqaba, and into Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The exact site signifies a landmark on the ancient road that connected St. Catherine’s Monastery with Jerusalem. But, while a distant perspective might fool your eyes into believing this is an ancient ruin, Castle Zaman was built along a local theme to accommodate the contemporary tourist market. Used for honeymooners, parties, film or fashion shootings, the castle and its amenities are available for rent on a weekly or daily basis depending upon availability. Zaman’s private beach, with its pristine sand and crystal clear waters, is the only virgin beach left in the Taba and Nuweiba area.

Castle Zaman

1.Krak des Chevaliers

T.E. Lawrence once described this castle, located in Syria, as “the best preserved and most wholly admirable castle in the world.” It is the easternmost of a chain of five castles intended to secure the Homs Gap, atop a 650-meter-high hill along the only route from Antioch to Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea. This castle and Beaufort, located in Lebanon as well, were the most important connection castles in the Middle East and they planed a major role in coastal defense for the Crusaders. In 1142 the castle was given by Raymond, Count of Tripoli, to the Knights Hospitallers, and it was they who, during the ensuing fifty years, remodeled and developed it as the most distinguished work of military architecture of its time. The castle remains one of the most complete pieces of military architecture dating from this period, and it holds some of the best preserved Crusader frescoes in the world. The complex contains two concentric walls that sandwich a ditch. The outer wall is an impressive three meters in width, and originally featured a dry moat and drawbridge and was designed to be able to withstand a siege lasting up to five years. Three of the eight round towers were built following the Crusades. Additionally, a chapel within this complex was later converted into a mosque.

Krak des Chevaliers

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Active troops : 484 000
Reserve troops: 4 000 000
Defense budget: 3.2 BN $
Tanks: 1 829
Aircraft carriers: 0
Submarines: 2
Nuclear submarines: 0
Fighter aircraft: 211
Nuclear weapons: 0

9.Turkey

Active troops : 514 000
Reserve troops: 378 000
Defense budget: 22.56 BN $
Tanks: 4 205
Aircraft carriers: 0
Submarines: 14
Nuclear submarines: 0
Fighter aircraft: 900
Nuclear weapons:  NATO Shared

8.Iran

Active troops : 545 000
Reserve troops: 350 000
Defense budget: 6.2 BN $
Tanks: 1 800
Aircraft carriers: 0
Submarines: 13
Nuclear submarines: 0
Fighter aircraft: 214
Nuclear weapons:0

7.Pakistan (Nuclear power)

Active troops : 650 000
Reserve troops: 518 000
Defense budget: 5.2 BN $
Tanks: 2 451
Aircraft carriers: 0
Submarines: 8
Nuclear submarines: 0
Fighter aircraft: 523
Nuclear weapons:55-90

6.Republic of Korea

Active troops : 687 000
Reserve troops: 4 500 000
Defense budget: 29.53 BN $
Tanks: 2 300
Aircraft carriers: 0
Submarines: 11
Nuclear submarines: 0
Fighter aircraft: 388
Nuclear weapons:0

5.Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Active troops : 1 106 000
Reserve troops: 4 700 000
Defense budget: 5.0 BN $
Tanks: 3 500
Aircraft carriers: 0
Submarines: 26
Nuclear submarines: 0
Fighter aircraft: 621
Nuclear weapons: 0

4.Russia (Nuclear power)

Active troops : 1 245 000
Reserve troops: 1 690 000
Defense budget: 50.0 to 70.0  BN $
Tanks: 28 381
Aircraft carriers: 0
Submarines: 18
Nuclear submarines: 35
Fighter aircraft: 2 099
Nuclear weapons: 16 800

3.India (Nuclear power)

Active troops : 1 325 000
Reserve troops: 1 155 000
Defense budget: 27.0  BN $
Tanks: 3 978
Aircraft carriers: 1
Submarines: 16
Nuclear submarines: 0
Fighter aircraft: 1 430
Nuclear weapons: 100-140

2.United States of America (Nuclear power)

Active troops : 1 380 000
Reserve troops: 1 463 000
Defense budget: 711.0  BN $
Tanks: 7 821
Aircraft carriers: 12
Submarines: 0
Nuclear submarines: 72
Fighter aircraft: 2 604
Nuclear weapons:9 200

1.People’s Republic of China  (Nuclear power)

Active troops : 2 255 000
Reserve troops: 800 000
Defense budget: 61.0-121.0  BN $
Tanks: 7 580
Aircraft carriers: 0
Submarines: 55
Nuclear submarines: 8
Fighter aircraft: 1 471
Nuclear weapons: 400

Republished by Blog Post Promoter