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Friday the 13th in 2012 and the Double Rainbow

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When we think of Friday the 13th we naturally think of Freddy Krueger and a lot of bad luck.  This also happens to be the second and final Friday the 13th of 2012, the year the Mayan calendar comes to an end.  Many movies and folklore have been told about the Armageddon coming at the end of this year (I’m planning a special party for this year’s Winter Solstice) and yet today, on Friday the 13tt, 2012, I witnessed the exceptionally rare DOUBLE RAINBOW

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That double rainbow in that video DID NOT occur in the year of Armageddon 2012 nor on Friday the 13th.  That makes this one even more spectacular.  Now for the real question, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?  some options:

  1. I was running at the time I saw the rainbow, perhaps I am about to be gifted with the super power of super speed.  If so, I promise to keep a public identity and name my team of other superheroes something creative like X-Men or Avengers….something we all can relate to.

  2. Someone ‘upstairs’ heard the news before me that a Chipotle just opened about 2 miles from my house.

  3. One final gift before the world comes to an end.  I am personally more excited for the Chipotle but I’ll take the double rainbow.

  4. Florida is about to sink into the sea, or get pummeled by a hurricane this season.

  5. Two pots of gold are available; I need to buy some lottery tickets or head to the casino.

  6. Waldo, my dog, wants to be dressed as ‘My Little Pony’ for the weekend. [Jill’s note: NO]

  7. World Peace.

  8. Waldo will become the super hero, prance around like My Little Pony, and bring about World Peace.  (I think he could do it, really, he’s pretty awesome!)

  9. I should go back to bed while my luck is up and nothing bad has happened.

  10. Follow the instruction I feel I have been given and eat a lot of pie.

Anybody else have any thoughts on this incredibly rare and important of subjects?

 

 

Photo: Tunnel Log

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Giant Sequoia trees are quite common in California’s Sequoia National Park and a Californian tour is not complete without a visit.  The tree in this picture fell in 1937 and blocked the road.  Rather than move the gargantuan tree, someone had the bright idea to just cut a hole through the darned thing instead.  Thus was born Sequoia National Park’s infamous Tunnel Log.  The tree itself measures 84m (275 feet) tall.  The tunnel, built in 1938, is 5.2m (17-feett) wide and cuts through tree’s 6.4m (21 feet) diameter.

Tour California's Sequia National Park

To me it is almost a shame that the road is still open to traffic rather than having the space closed and used as something of a study center for children to learn about the forest and the growth rings of trees.  Many of these trees are older than the United States of America and that makes the forest tops on my list of places to visit out west.  Supposedly the tallest tree in the park is kept a secret by those who know so that it can reign over the forest in peace.

IF YOU GO: If you do visit the Sequoia National Park then don’t forget to see the Moro Rock as well. It has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. You can always Tour California with Titan Travel, 16 day Californian Holidays from only £1685. Or fly to Los Angeles with British Airways from £680 return in August.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr user Sowerspics via a creative commons license.

Burj Khalifa

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This monstrous beauty is currently the tallest man made structure in all the world, and yes, it sits in the middle of Dubai. Dubai may be known as an oil-rich nation in the middle east, but it’s been trying to revamp it’s economy and image in the last decade.

What I love about this building is that the design pulls in elements of traditional Islamic architecture. Inspired by the Hymenocallis flower, the building spirals upwards in a geometric and nature inspired pattern. With 27 terraces and a floor plan designed to maximize views and natural light, the building probably feels like it’s reaching into the sky. Apparently the view from above or from the foot of the tower looks like an onion dome, also a typical element in Islamic architecture.

For all its fanfare and good looks, it’s actually not doing too well.  Started in 2004, the building was finally opened in January 2010- right in the middle of the global financial crisis.   I hope that means the Penthouse is still available.

IF YOU GO:  For some, the hustle and bustle of the city is superb and the reason to visit Dubai.  From extravagant shopping malls to high end boutiques, Dubai is a shopper’s paradise. Find cheap holidays to Dubai to have more money to spend once you’re there!

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr user neekoh.fi  via a creative commons license.

A Camel Kiss

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I came across this photo the other day and instantly thought it was something worth sharing here.  The photographer came across a stable of camels while walking and his wife put out her hand for the camel to say hello.  They had just come from Marrakech where her hand had been painted.

A special Henna kiss from a Camel in Morocco

The amazing thing about this photo to me is that the photographer had the presence of mind to snap the photo of the hand like that.  Had it been me, I think I would have tried to capture the entire person and camel….or at least the face of the camel.  This photo captures the magic of the Berber village and is the sort of photo that instantly carries you to a place you’ve never been and makes me want to book a flight to Morocco right now!

IF YOU GO:  Morocco is a wonderful and magical place.  It is ethnically unique and yet still very accessible from the US and Europe.  I had the good fortune to travel their via ferry from Spain but to get to the Berbers it’s probably best to fly straight to Marrakesh or even Casablanca.  Once there you may find French to be your best tool to communicate, the dialect of Arabic spoke there is different so if it’s not your first language you’ll likely find things difficult.

Photo Credit: Flickr user DavidDennisPhotos.com via creative commons licensing.

Songkran – Thai New Year

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Today marks the official start of the Thai New Year. Taking a look at photos basically tells me it’s a giant water fight.

Songkran Thai Water Festival

The holiday is celebrated throughout Southeast Asia and into Yunnan, China as well. Overtime it has evolved from the sprinkling of a bit of water on the elders as a sign of respect into the water festival pictured below. This time of the year things are downright hot in Southeast Asia, which is one reason for the evolution into a water fight, but truthfully I think it’s just a lot more fun this way.

In addition to the throwing of water in the streets, revelers often paint their bodies in chalk as well. Some say the practice goes back to the chalk used by the monks to mark blessings. Whatever the case it looks like a fun and chaotic festival to me.

Songkran Thai Water Festival

IF YOU GO: The festival originally tracked to the Thai Lunar Calendar but has since been fixed on April 13-15 on the western calendar. This year that happens to be on the unlucky Friday the 13th but next year it shouldn’t so be sure to find some cheap flights to Bangkok to join the fun yourself….just be sure to bring a super-soaker with you.

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