Each of us wants to escape rush of a city from time to time and lie low somewhere far from everything and anything. And it better be a place where one can listen to whisper of waves, feel light breeze and forever make friends with inimitably loud silence that muffles every disturbing thought…
But there are lucky ones on this planet, who live in such places permanently and call them homes… Practice has proven that number of fans of island-based life of a hermit grows blisteringly especially among high and mighty. Upon purchasing uninhabited islands they turn them into completely inhabited works of art. We are going to tell you about some of them today!
Heart Island, the USA
Located in the United States not far from Alexandria Bay City, Heart Island has probably the most romantic history. In distant year 1900 millionaire John Boldt bought the island and constructed a castle on it where he shared life with his dear Louise. But after her death the island was left for the mercy of fate – deserted rooms were subject to regular plunder.Photo borongaja.com
The problem needed to be dealt with somehow and ultimately government arrived at a solution of buying the island out. Since then love keeps living there, lovebirds from every nook of the United States cover huge distances to get married on this island of all places. But alongside everything else a not too romantic institution is situated on Heart Island – American customs. Due to the fact the island is a borderland territory of the United States, frontier service for visitors can be found there.Photo paththroughhistory.iloveny.com
Just Room Enough Island, Canada
On one of islands of Thousand Islands Archipelago a peculiar tiny home is situated. Though “situated” is a bit of an understatement – it simply occupies entire territory of the tiny island, given that it consists of just one room. Mini-nest was created in 1950s by Sizeland family who had dreamt of a cozy place to spend weekends and holidays. No surprise that they came up with the idea of secluding themselves so radically because not far from their island the abovementioned Heart Island is located probably to serve as an example to follow. And despite the fact that the scale of the house can hardly be compared to the vast of Boldt Castle, but the idea is no less inspiring.Photo nypost.com
Loreto, Italy
Located on Lake Iseo in Northern Italy, this private island has attracted people with its seclusion and mysteriousness since olden times. Since 5th through 16th century it served as a retreat for monks who built own monastery there. Later the island passed from hands to hands numerous times and in different periods a gothic castle, a small port and several lighthouses were erected on it. Besides, wonderful green park is planted there. Currently the island is private property.Photo visitbergamo.net
Dunbar, Honduras
Small Dunbar Island is probably the most mysterious in this world. There is this legend that hundreds of years ago a pirate named Blackbeard hid a treasure in caves of the island. They also say that the owner of the future villa had found numerous pre-Columbian ceramics in one of the caves prior to construction. However nobody has managed to find that treasure yet… But one person does have own treasure on this island – a villa, erected on a pile of rocks. Construction of a three-storey building, surrounded by man-made oak forest, lasted for nearly three years. But lasting efforts paid off: nowadays the villa is used as a hotel and enjoys popularity among divers. Numerous water entertainments and tours around the vicinity are at the service of guests on this tiny piece of land among waves.Photo travel.padi.com
MontSaint-Michel, France
On north-western coast of France a unique island is situated, where Mont Saint Michel fortress is located. Mont saint Michel Abbey is the most visited landmark in France regardless of the Eifel Tower. Tourists notice it from afar while only approaching the island. No surprise there because the abbey is situated on the very top of the rock and looks just stunning. Erection of themajestic construction began on the island in distant 10th century. The process lasted for as long as five hundred years but in 12th century already this spot became a centre of pilgrimage in Western European region. Currently over 60 people reside on the island to supervise work of the abbey and do farming.Photo handluggageonly.co.uk
Kyrgyzstan is called Middle Asian Switzerland. Mountains, rivers, waterfalls, caves, cols and green meadows aren’t a speck inferior in terms of aesthetics to European ones yet travelers haven't duly appreciated this country so far. Across-the-board exploration of the land by the state’s guests has only just begun. And alongside hotels that are being swiftly erected, ordinary yurts are still offered for residence to feel local natural.
To build a settlement on flatland - is this such a hard trick to pull off? A completely different story is when land is self-willed and rock-ribbed both directly and metaphorically speaking. People have been trying to master land and have own say in in-rock urban development for centuries. But only those who succeded in finding common ground with Earth managed to create true novels in stone.
When I, as a little girl, for the first time passed my hand over trimmed bush, my palm got scratched with sharp edges of twigs and lasting arborvitae fragrance hit my nose. Mesmerized, I was not able to take my eyes away from the cones, balls and squares that surrounded me in the park of a small resort town. I felt like being inside a fairy tale, where behind the leaves I could notice a smile of the Cheshire Cat.
What do you imagine when you hear the word "abbey"? I'm sure most people will first of all think of Westminster. But what if I said that in fact it is no longer an abbey? So what makes these medieval buildings so special? Let's look at the example of buildings from different European countries.
The architecture of temples has interesting and sometimes controversial history. Quite often the novelties and fundamentals of movements in architecture started with the building of temples with sophisticated design. The Polish Roman Catholic churches are rather bright in their beauty.
The Times newspaper edition recognized Ålesund as the most beautiful town in Norway. It is not without reason: wayward sea, mesmerizing northern nature, famous fjords, fabulous multi-coloured houses in the Art Nouveau style and the legendary Trolls' Path, beckon those wishing to see the stunning wild landscapes.
There’s hardly anything that compares to bright-starred sky and silence. It is the stars that OUTLOOK want to tell you about or more precisely about the places with the best view on them. In Europe it is recommended to go stargazing not to some place but to… Slovenia. Point is, this small country is one of the cleanest in the world and consequently isn’t that polluted with smog.
Remember how the little prince taught to see not a hat, but a boa constrictor digesting an elephant? So, in San Francisco you have the opportunity to see the street part of which is swallowed by a boa. A serpent Lombard Street crawled into almost all the Frisco city guides.
Impressions of this city depend much on what you have visited before being introduced to it. After Los Angeles it may seem very business-like and culturally rich, after New York – provincial and old-fashioned somehow. In any case, it has a bright and memorable face of a gentleman from Massachusetts.
Lighthouse - this word evokes beautiful associations: sea adventures, storms, huge ships. And we do not want to dispel these thoughts, but rather to add fuel to the fire. There is a great amount of them in the world, they are striking by their beauty and inimitable. Today we are sharing with you the quintet of amazing lighthouses!
First exhibition of paintings in the world’s most visited museum the Louvre was opened on 1793. But its building was well-known far beyond France, though the edifice was not used with such lofty cultural purposes.
"A small territory with a great mission" is the motto under which on February 11, 1929 Lateran Treaty between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy See recognized Vatican as a sovereign territory. It was an agreement which opened doors for curious patrons who for centuries had been trading gossip about "What is kept inside Vatican castles?".
Today, OUTLOOK continues one of its most popular column with a story about how you can spend ten dollars, forever green and pleasant for pocket and eye, in the Eternal City in which crowds of tourists flock annually and who never ceases to amaze every lucky person who has been here! Believe us, the capital of Italy has something to surprise you!
For certain reasons there are two capitals in America – official and actual. Context manager from Kyiv Bohdan Yanchev visited them both and told us about spirits of these cities, about their landmarks and about what they represent in reality. If you think that New York is imbued with expensive perfumes and there is nothing else to do in Washington but to lie on a lawn by the White House – you are wrong!
As a child I could spend hours gazing at the sky and spying majestic flocks of birds winging their way south. For a kid this movement was a real magic. Today my bookshelf hosts almost no books about magic, though I am still excited about feathered tribes travelling in hope to land on their winter grounds.
Ice and snow has long been used by artists to create different figures and objects, and only 1960, this age-old skill became a new trend of a land art! The largest number of winter artworks is created during special festivals about which we will tell our readers.
Next ‘character’ of our cycle about symbolic means of public transport is yellow cab of New York. It is impossible to imagine the Big Apple and especially its centre, Manhattan, without those bright and incredibly handy cars. Seemingly, there are more “checkers” than people.
Icerink instead of heated floor. Bomber hat and a puffer jacket as an alternative to terry robe. Eco-hotels and cafes in Canada, Romania and even hot Dubai offer a possibility to have leisure time a-la North Pole. The exotic hotels are not only those near the ocean and tropic palms.
Till the beginning of 2022 there is little time that’s why in case one hasn’t decided yet where and how to celebrate the most popular holiday on our planet, OUTLOOK offers the list of the brightest cities for the celebration. There all the wishes and dreams will, definitely, come true!
A little son came to his father and suggested to run away from mom and granny to the North Pole? Now, do not indulge into tragic speeches of severe frosts, pitch darkness of the polar night and hungry polar bears! Give a conspiracy wink to a little brave one, and give him a real man's job for his school winter holidays that is to learn how to build an igloo, night shelter in ever-frost lands.
Photo borongaja.com
Photo nypost.com
