10 places you probably didn't know existed

I've been in a particularly bad mood today. Needless to say I can rely on my 'meditation' playlist to keep me at my best. It's a mix of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Eat Pray Love and numerous other 'Sacred Earth' and 'Best Relaxation' soundtracks. I can't say I listen to this music regularly, however, considering how spectacular both aforementioned films were, it has the ability and power to both calm me and take me to a place where I can only dream of being - for now. 

It's nights like these - lonely and poor - where I stay up late and pour through pages upon pages of StumbleUpon. If you start stumbling through the Travel category, I guarantee you'll find the most impressive collection of both natural and architectural beauty. It'll show you things beyond your imagination. 

I am at such a loss as to where to start - simply because there are so many stunning places. Thus, I think an assortment of worldly goodness will have to do. 

So before you, I present an array of 10 places you didn't know existed. 

The first:

1) The Ice Hotel, Sweden

So, I don't think I need to say much to convince you that staying in a hotel - made purely of ice - would actually be the coolest thing ever. The nights get down to a glorious -5 degrees, however the well-insulated heavy fur blankets on the sculptured ice beds ought to keep you warm. The most intriguing part however, is that the hotel never stands still. Throughout the course of a year, it shifts from frozen solid to a free flowing river. It is still taking shape when the first guests of Winter arrive in early December, but by April, Summer is near and the hotel stays open. One may argue it's just a little lighter and the structure is only just starting to lose its form. Upon arrival, there is what one would call an induction - informing guests on how not to freeze to death in their sleep. Before bed time, you can wander over to reception with the choice of single or double sleeping bags, sheets, warm thermal underwear and a luggage storage locker - so that whatever is in your room overnight, does not end up frozen in the morning. Of course, for me, the real appeal is the rarity of catching the Northern Lights - or Aurora Borealis (which sounds a lot nicer) - as seen in the photos to the right, it is a must see. 

2) Meteora, Greece

Now these high little houses may not seem too impressive, but once we establish the fact that they aren't houses but are in fact a cluster of ancient monasteries, these intriguing beauties cast every visitor by its majestic and enchanting spell. What we see here, is one of the six monasteries built on large sandstone pillars, rich with history and home of the ancient monks. The buildings stand high above the town so that once upon a time, monks were safe from political upheaval. They were safe for two reasons; a) it was a heck of the climb to the top, and b) the climb was up a ladder, which could be pulled up and out of reach to the angry ground folk. Originally, more than 20 monasteries were built and there is a common belief that Athanasios (founder of the monasteries) did not climb the rock, but was carried there by an eagle. What a magical place.

3) Crater Lake, Oregon, USA

Crater Lake is an incredible 594 metres deep, making it the deepest lake in all of America and the third deepest lake in the world. There is no inflow or outflow, thus being fed solely through rain and snow. This also makes it one of the clearest lakes in the world. It was formed around 7,700 years ago by the collapse of volcano Mount Mazama.  Mazama however, is not an extinct volcano, suggesting it will erupt again in the future. As the picture tells, it is beautiful at night, with an incredible constellation of stars and colours. What a beautiful sight.

4) Zhangjiajie, China

There is something quite exquisite - quite alluring about the almost-prehistoric looking Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in the northern Hunan province of China. The rugged and treacherous terrain of the forest park make it almost impossible to live in and was proven a very backward culture - due to extreme living conditions - by the stone age inhibitors.

The national park comes with a great history and over the years, many ancient relics have been found.


Not only is it such a rich source of history and time, but one may recognise it as the setting/scenery from the box office hit, Avatar. James Cameron (director) admitted the Zhangjiajie mountains were his original inspiration for the  'Hallelujah' mountain range used in the film. Some may argue that it was the uniqueness of his choice in setting/scenery that brought it such success. It certainly allowed the film to stand out from the rest.

Zhangjiajie city is now an official UNESCO listed natural wonder of the world.


5) Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria

For all the girls reading this right now - remember when you were little? Is this not the exact enchanted castle that you dreamed of marrying your Prince Charming in? This magical German palace was the personal refuge for Ludwig II of Bavaria in the nineteenth century. Nowadays, it is visited by over 1.3 million a year and has since appeared in many movies. You will all be surprised to know that it was also the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty castle. The original designer of the castle was not an architect, but in fact a theatrical set designer, hence its majestical essence. The castle was also a finalist of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

6) Derweze (A.K.A The Gates of Hell), Turkmenistan

This fiery pit of hell was a unintentional man-made hole. In 1971 when geologists tapped into a cavern filled with natural gas, the ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed leaving a huge hole in the middle of the desert. Geologists assumed that the fire would have used every last bit of fuel within a few days, however it is still burning today. What an incredible underestimation! Letting the fire burn is said to be safer than releasing the methane into the atmosphere, hence why the flames have not yet been ceased. A great little (or large) spot to visit if you are passing through Turkmenistan.

7) Monte Roraima, Venezuela

Now would you take a look at this one.

Not only is this an absolutely spectacular mountain, but it connects the boarders between Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana. It is a part of the Guyana Highland Range and as one of the park's tabletop mountains, it is considered one of the oldest geological formations on Earth. The mountain is hard to access, but it has now become very popular with backpackers and those wanting to trek - and I can see why. Looking down over the clouds, the lands and life itself must be such an unfathomable feeling. It is simply breathtaking.

8) Natural Rock Pools, Pamukkale, Turkey

The hot pools of Pamukkale left by flowing water have been bathed in for thousands of years. The ancient city built above the cliff of baths can been seen from the other side of Denizli, now considered a World Heritage Site. This exquisite site brings many tourists to the area as they can bathe in the warmth of both the water and the sun, and pour copious amounts of natural spring water all over themselves. How exciting!

9) Treehotel, Sweden

This fascinating hotel/accommodation is located in Harads, Sweden. Unlike most hotels however, it offers you  a 'contemporary design in the middle of unspoiled nature'. In other words, you have 5 choices… You can stay in the Mirrorcube (see photo on the left), The Bird's Nest (see photo directly below), The Blue Cone, The UFO (see last picture) or the The Cabin. Each cabin comes with its own features. For example, to ensure birds do not run into the mirror of the mirrorcube, infrared lasers have been added to the outside - invisible to humans, but visible to birds.

The Bird's Nest comes with a retractable staircase and a modern and spacious interior - completely the opposite of its messy exterior. The UFO cabin is cast in durable composite material in order to create a light, yet sustainable design. In order to reach The Blue Cone, one must walk across a foot bridge, accessible from the nearby mountain. The Tree Cabin was based on the idea of creating a platform high up on the hillside. Like The Blue Cone, one must walk across a footbridge in order to enter via the wooden deck.

The Tree Sauna on the other hand is very much a sauna, made completely of wood and available to anyone who stays.

Treehotel is open all year round however there are limited cabins, thus bookings must be made rather early. Rooms are quite expensive, however the novelty of staying in a UFO or a mirrorcube are most likely worth it.

This is on my bucket list.


And Lastly - Perhaps a more questionable destination;
10) Capsule Hotel, Tokyo

So we now see two extremes. We see that of comfort and decadence and we see that of convenience and efficiency. Both however, rather ingenuitive. Not only based in Tokyo, but in cities throughout Japan, the Japanese have introduced capsules for busy businessmen and hungover party-goers. With each capsule you are also getting radio, an alarm and a television. Not to mention the razors, shaving cream, bathrobe, free showers and wireless internet. Perfect for taking a quick nap before a big day in the office.

Ahh, so we can see that this world in which we live is full of surprising little places. Some of which were man-made, some of which are natural and all of which are exquisite and most certainly unique.

Until next time,

Holly.