The Spectacular Glass Beach of Ussuri Bay

Well, there’ a 30 mins drive away from the city of Vladivostok, Russia, lies a spectacular bay surrounded by remarkable cliffs. Though, it has not been very long ago, the Russian beach here was used as dumping ground of old glass bottles by a local porcelain factory, or so the story goes. Therefore, according to another version, the waste glass products were washed away by the river and then swept into the sea. But many thanks to the tremendous power of Mother Nature, the bay, near Vladivostok, now boasts one of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever see. As the years passes the seaside on Ussuri Bay has taken on a rare appearance.

The countless broken bits of glass, rounded smooth by the persistent pounding of the ocean waves cover every bit of the beach. While Ussuri Bay was once considered very unsafe, authorities have now deemed it a particularly protected area called Glass Beach that is popular with both tourists and locals. When on a sunny day, they sparkle like lighted candles, the Glass Beach of Ussuri Bay is not the only perfect example of nature correcting man’s mistake. However, the waves of the North Pacific have washed the broken beer, wine and vodka bottles into millions of smooth and colorful “pebbles” that have turned the area from a no-go zone to a tourist attraction that visitors pay to see. And looking at these stunning pictures, we’re really not surprised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Unique Underwater Museum at Cape Tarkhankut

More than 100 meters off the coast at Cape Tarhankut, the westernmost part of Crimea, at a depth of 10 to 12 meters is a distinctive museum of sculptures. The unique underwater museum has more than 50 sculptures and busts of former Soviet leaders including Lenin, Stalin, and Marx, as well as beautiful replicas of some of the world’s iconic attraction such as the Eiffel Tower of Paris and London's Tower Bridge.

The museum, also known as "Alley of Leaders", was created in 1992 by scuba diver Vladimir Broumenskyy, a native of Donetsk. Therefore the Soviet Union had just shrunken and there was an surplus of broken statues and busts of communist leaders that the eclectic crowds had pulled down from their pedestals. Moreover some of those went to Moscow where it became “Park of the Fallen Heroes”. Furthermore Vladimir Broumenskyy gets together a few and took them with him to Cape Tarhankut where he sunk them into the sea. Hence the underwater museum has been growing ever since with new exhibits, and being situated at an already trendy scuba diving site, the exclusive museum has never complained about lack of visitors.

Akhmad Kadyrov Mosque, Grozny, Russia

In 1818, Grozny was founded, when the defense line was no longer required.  In 1870, Grozny became a regional center, and experiences a larger migration of workers for oil industry development. The newly built railroad in the end of 18^th century, made Grozny largest industrial center of Caucasus region. As the time passes, the town of Grozny grows in terms of everything. Now, from last 10 to 15 years, Muslims culture has been flourished and lot of Mosque (Masjid) built. The famous official known "Heart of Chechnya" Akhmad Kadyrov Mosque was built, along with a large Islamic complex, a religious school, an Islamic university, a hotel, a religious library, a soccer stadium, the Grozny-City Towers. Indeed the amazing beauty of Mosque has captivating people hearts. The exterior walls are adorned in travertine marble, as well as interior walls are decorated with white marble especially brought from Turkish Marmara Island. On October 16, 2008, the Masjid was officially opened for public in a ceremony. The “Heart of Chechnya” Masjid contains one of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) relics, a 1,400 year old bowl used by Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).

The "Heart of Chechnya" is the largest mosque in Europe & Russia. The dome diameter is 16 meters with a height of 32 meters. The mosque minarets are 62 meters tall, actually makes them tallest minarets in Russia. Though, it is strictly prohibited to climb up on minarets, but an “Airpano” team has given special sanctions to view from top. The dizzying ascent steep stairs will take you on top to see the marvelous view of city. It is incredible that a Muezzin used to climb up to a minaret five times a day to call for prayer, often called Azan or Adhan). Imagine, going to top of minaret for Azan, the person must be physically fit, equal to 20^th floor of building over and over again. But these days, technology has get the job easier for Muezzin by using loudspeakers installed on the minarets and microphone is connected to the lower level of Masjid. The "Heart of Chechnya" Masjid can accommodate more than 10,000 people, and almost equal number of peoples can pray on the square in front of the Mosque as well as in the summer gallery. The Mosque walls and the dome are competently painted by master artisans from Turkey. Moreover, the inner surface of the main dome is majestically decorated by Surat al-Ikhlas ("The Purity of Faith", the 112th Sura of the Qur'an): "He is Allah, who is one, the eternal God. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent".

This beautiful Masjid is shine in night with 36 chandeliers (a chandelier alone is 8 meters high) and modeled after other famous mosques: “Al-Kubbat Sahra” in Jerusalem, Roza-Nabevi in Medina, and the Kaa’bah shrine in Makkah. In fact, Masjid itself and all its elements are extremely impressive, especially air lightness of the structure. As everybody knows, Muslims are strongly believer of One Allah, and during the month of Ramzan, when Muslims are with fasting, offering Namaz or Salat,  and Tarawhe means (Rest), the atmospheres are extremely impressive and eye-catching. Moreover, in the Ramadan month, hundreds of men, shoulder to shoulder praying together without any hassel. They lined up in an impressive way, without feeling of cast, colors, offer prayers, and even teach other to stay on Allah’s path. In the time of sunsets, the “Heart of Chechnya” Masjid beautifully glows in the descending ascending darkness, and surrounding park, fountains are illuminated as well, which makes it an inviting place for an evening stroll. Source: Airpano

Courtesy of www.AirPano.com

Courtesy of www.AirPano.com

The Mysterious Manpupuner Rock Formations

The Manpupuner rock formations are a set of 7 huge stone pillars situated on a flat plateau, west of the Ural Mountains in the Troitsko-Pechorsky District of the Komi Republic. More than 200 million years ago this area was comprises with high mountains. However, natural weathering conditions by rain, wind, snow, coldness and heat progressively damaging the mountains, particularly the weaker rock. The comparatively hard sericite-quartzite schist, which the stone pillars are composed of, lasted and now towers over the surrounding plain. One of these pillars stand to some extent apart from the others, and with its slender bottom and broad mid-section look like a massive bottle, turned upside down. Moreover, six others are lined up at the edge of a cliff. People have seen all sorts of shapes in these pillars the figure of a man, or the head of a horse or a sheep. To each of these monoliths is between 30 to 42 meters high. This wonderful ready-made piece of folklore must have stimulated a thousand variations on the story over the millennia since people first come across the Manpupuner Rock Formations. And why not geologists still haven’t quite worked out what happened exactly to make the formation.

Moreover, these pillars are also called the "Seven Giants" or "Seven Strong Men" are mysterious, starkly contrasting their plateau environment. According to a several local legends, the stone pillars were once an entourage of Samoyeds giants walking through the mountains to Siberia in order to abolish the Mansi people. Though, the men were challenged by a shaman with the white face, called Yallingner, who turned all the warriors into stones. Yallingner himself was turned into a stone, and since then, the seven formations have been standing in this area, with one facing the other six. It is believed one of the Seven Wonders of Russia, the Manpupuner rock formations are a very popular attraction in Russia, though not well known internationally and comparatively unspoiled by tourism, thanks to their remote location. Visitors trying to understand these bizarre monuments, and looking for a greater challenge can attempt to climb the Strong Men. However, reaching the top of the Manpupuner Formations is in actual fact impossible considering their shape and texture and a number of expert climbers have failed in their face.