Frying Pan Lake New Zealand

Frying Pan Lake is the largest hot spring in the world, located in the Echo Crater of the Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley New Zealand. In 1886, the most destructive volcanic eruption of Mount Tarawera results in formation of Echo Crater and nearly killed more than one hundred people. The crater’s partly filled with rainwater and heated groundwater, and its acidic water maintains a temperature of about 50–60 °C. Frying Pan Lake is also called Waimangu Cauldron till 1960’s, however not widely used. In 1917, another massive eruption in Echo Crater resulting bigger part of hot springs to reach its current size. The Frying Pan Lake water is naturally steaming and can appear to be boiling due to carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide gas bubbling to the surface, however, the lake's average temperature is 55 °C. The Frying Pan Lake is recognized to be as the youngest geothermal system in the world, as it occupies 38,000 square meters as a part of a volcanic crater with a flat floor that is six meters deep and vents that could go deep up to 20 meters.

The last eruption in Echo Crater taken place in 1973, which is badly, damaged the Trinity Terrace area, which was extremely colorful sinter terrace. However, these terraces are still visible on the western shore of Lake. The lake and its outflow, have an average pH level of 3.8, although some of the boiling hot springs and vents on the lake's bed feed it with alkaline water of pH 8.2 to 8.7. Monolithic Cathedral Rocks are bounded on the north side of Lake, made of rhyolitic lava at least 60,000 years old. The massive eruption of 1917 has completely changed the shape of Echo Crater, also disappeared fumarole known Devil’s Blowhole in that event. In Photos, the steam looks like low hanging fog in the early morning hours of autumn day. The Frying Pan Lake has special flair, showing the appearance of a large boiling cauldron. 

The various gradients of blue, green algae Mastigocladus Laminosus, eukaryotic algae Cyanidium Caldarium are present in the lake. The site of the extinct Waimangu Geyser is located not far from its north-eastern shore. Besides the steam and gases coming off, you will also easily notice the natural chimney at the side of the lake. The outflow water volume is Frying Pan Lake has varied. The unique cyclic nature of the hydrothermal system interconnecting Frying Pan Lake and the adjacent Inferno Crater Lake water levels and overflow volumes follow a complicated rhythm that repeats itself roughly every 38 days. When the water level and temperature of Inferno Crater Lake increase, the water level and outflow of Frying Pan Lake drop. Frying Pan Lake is one of the first major attractions encountered along the wheelchair-friendly main Waimangu walking track. Frying Pan Lake is a fantastic spot in Waimangu, where you can enjoy self-guided nature walks, amazing landscape, geysers, lakes, volcanic craters, bird life, plants and breathtaking adventure. 

Floating Walkway in The Middle of River in China

The Shiziguan scenic area, in Xuan'en County of central China's Hubei Province, has unveiled a new floating walkway over a dazzlingly blue meandering river. The wooden walkway runs through the middle of the river, and spreads for 500 meters following the course of the river as it twists and turns through the scenic landscape. The wooden floating walkway lets visitors to view the part of a valley that was earlier accessible only by rowing boat. The walkway opened for public on Ist May 2016. These incredible aerial photographs show a spectacular route in the depth of a valley in Hubei, central China, giving visitors the sensation that they're walking on water. Therefore, all around them is the lush, green forests, creating a feeling of serenity.

The Elephant Rock of Castelsardo

An unusual rock formation normally surprised drivers just like an elephant located Sardinia Italy. The Elephant Rock of Castelsardo describes as a “peculiarity” due to its resemblance with trunked animal. The below pictures were taken by a student Giulia Lupino. She is curious about Elephant rock from several years, but finally she traveled down to State Road 134 to capture photographs of the Rock. The Elephant Rock was known with the name Sa Pedra pertunta that signifies perforated stone.  

The massive mass of trachyte stone is thought to have been part of rocky complex of Monte Casteddazzu, but as the time passes, it broke away and rolled down the valley to its present location on the trunk road. Geologists believe, erosion led to the unusual appearance being formed with the perforated boulder bearing what looks like a trunk. Therefore, it is not the only natural formation to resemble with large creature. 

The young (19 years) photographer said, the bizarre rock has the form of an elephant about four meters high looks incredible to see from each side. The true sculptors of rock initially thought a small one, but actually it is massive in fact. Moreover not only does the rock add to the natural beauty of the area but it also has archaeological impact as it contains two 'Domus de Janas' - a type of chamber tomb found in Sardinia. Moreover, the walls of the frequent erratically shaped chambers have relief decorations, cow horns and bull heads on a low base formed in the rock.

A similar type of Rock Formation is located on the island of Heimaey in Southern Iceland; a basalt rock on the ocean side cliffs bears a weird resemblance to enormous elephant complete with wrinkled skin reaching its trunk into the sea. This rock is believed to form by volcanoes, rising out water. The elephant rock of Iceland can be found on the largest island in the Vestmannaeyiar, one of most widespread tourist attractions in summer months. 

The Great Banyan Tree of India

Well, The Great Banyan is a banyan tree; also called Ficus Benghalensis belonging to the family Moraceae, is more than 250 years old tree, which date of birth is yet not confirmed. The Banyan tree is located in Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden Howrah near Kolkata India. The tree has mentioned in several travel books of 19^th century, but no clear history of tree, when was it planted. The Great Banyan tree has survived many difficult situations, like two severe cyclones of 1864, and 1867. Therefore, few main branches were broken with its large number of aerial roots, which grow from the branches and run vertically to the ground and looks like is has so many trunks. The great banyan tree has drawing ever increasing visitors to the garden than its collection of exotic plants from five continents. The Great Banyan used to induce the interest of photographers is perhaps the most photographed tree in the world. Amusingly, one would find barely any difference if one compares the photographs taken in 1850s and those being taken today.

You can easily called The Great Banyan looks more like a forest than an individual tree. The present crown of the tree has a circumference of 486 m with a highest branch is 24.5 m. The Banyan tree has 3,772 aerial roots reaching down to the ground as a prop root and occupied area is about 18,918 meters. The most interesting point is that, the tree still lives in perfect vigor without its main trunk, which decayed and had to be removed in 1925. Although, in 1925 it became diseased struck by lightning and was excised to keep the remainder healthy left it as a clonal colony rather than a single tree. Moreover, a long over 330 meter road was built around its circumference, but tree is continuously spreading beyond it. The tree fruit is not edible and is red when ripe. A monument has been erected to the dead trunk, but is hardly accessible to visitors, who only have access to the perimeter of the tree. 

Source: Wikipedia