Expedia The Planets: People

Spotting shapes in clouds is a delightful way to pass a lazy afternoon. There's even a society dedicated to cloud spotting. It’s called the Cloud Appreciation Society, founded by Gavin Pretor-Pinney to foster understanding and appreciation of clouds, and to fight “blue sky thinking”.

A clear blue sky has always been associated with good, happy weather – a perfect summer’s day, while cloudy skies are regarded as a metaphor for doom. Nothing could be more depressing, it seems, than to have ‘a cloud on the horizon’. Gavin Pretor-Pinney decided that this has to stop. “Someone needs to stand up for the clouds”, he says. So in 2004, he started the Cloud Appreciation Society and few months later launched a website. People sent in their cloud photograph, which he put up on the gallery pages for others to look at. The early trickle of submission soon swelled to a torrent. Today, it has over 29,000 members worldwide from 83+ different countries, and many thousands of amazing images.

Below is a collection of some of the most peculiar cloud formations.

A cloud monkeying around over Bangkok. Photo by Alex Cliff

Cloud Alien ahead.....Eagle River Valley, Colorado. U.S. Photo by Terry Robinson.

Aladdin's lamp, spotted over The Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. Photo by Andrea Andreoli.

A baby floats over Zurich, Switzerland. Photo by Danièle Siebenhaar.

The big chicken on the roof of Manor Market in Bishop California, is being mirrored in the clouds. Photo by Andrew Kirk.

A dolphin leaping from an inky black sea over Sussex, UK. Photo by Beryl Pratt.

Dolphins at play, Sausalito, California. U.S. Photo by David Holbrooke.

A heart in the clouds over Norwich, UK. Photo by Doug Taylor

A Dove over Kent, UK. Photo by Pauline Reay-Earnshaw

Eagle soars over Cambridge. U.K. Photo by Christie Nel.

Elephant in a storm cloud, taken on holiday at Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand. Photo by Graham Blackett.

A feather over Brockenhurst in the New Forest, Hants., UK. Photo by Chris Gleed-Owen

A heart over SuperDevoluy, Saint Etienne en Devoluy, France. Photo by Emily Morus-Jones

A hummingbird over Berryton, Kansas, US. Photo by Shannon Franks

Jack Palance, spotted over Loudonville, Ohio, US. Photo by Catherine Wilson

A jellyfish over Berry, New South Wales, Australia. Photo by Mark Muirhead.

A cumulus called Kitty, Western New York. U.S. Photo by Diane Mariotti.

A man running with a bouquet of flowers. Spotted over France. Photo by Rudolf Wehrung.

A giant Mushroom over North Jutland, Denmark. Photo by Jan Hertoghs

Poodle spotted over Sanderstead, Surrey. U.K. Photo by Alex Brooker.

A poodle with shades enjoys a day by the sea over Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Photo by Bill Williamson.

A rabbit hopping over Nottinghamshire, UK. Photo by Andy Jamieson.

Shhhhhh dont tell anyone. There's a monster rat over Tortona, Alessandria, Italy. Photo by Pietro Cordelli.

A sunset smile over West Hollywood, California, US. Photo by Christine Murphy.

Little Cumulus cloud from East Texas, US, smoking. Photo by Jan Morris Marek.

A snail, spotted just before sunrise over Anglesey, UK. Photo by John Rowlands

A turtle travelling on the back of a crocodile over the border between France and Spain. Photo by Jean-Francois Guillot

A witch or the grumpy old man in the muppets over Bangkok. Photo by Alex Cliff.

The iconic scene from TV programme The Apprentice, when Lord Sugar says "you're fired", acted out over Bangkok. Photo by Alex Cliff

Animal, Asia, People

Buffalo Bodypainting Competition in China

XPlanet - 10/24/2014 08:37:00 PM

Artists from eight countries gathered in Jiangcheng county in China on May 18 to take part in an international buffalo bodypainting competition. The city of Pu’er has held cattle bodypainting competition for the last three years, and this year’s competition coincides with the 60th anniversary of the founding of Jiangcheng County.

A total of 48 water buffalos were covered in brightly colored body paint. Every cow was painted by a group consisting of 3 to 7 artists from United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Finland, New Zealand, Vietnam, Laos and China. A prize money of 100,000 yuan ($16,042) was on offer for the most beautifully decorated bovine. This year, the first pace was won by a team of local schoolchildren.

Painting on the buffalos is an ancient custom in Jiancheng derived from a legend, according to which a group of water buffaloes were once attacked by a large tiger when they were taken to the fields to graze. The tiger caught one unfortunate buffalo and as the two creatures struggled around on the field, mud and blood covered the buffalo's body. The bull looked so terrifying that the tiger got scared and ran away. After that locals started painting on their cattle to keep the predators away. The tradition later developed into a popular festival held each year to celebrate harvest and honor the cattle.

Sources: GBTimes / ChinaDaily / Time

Amazing, Europe, People, Travel

Zlatni Rat - The Golden Horn Beach, Croatia

Unknown - 10/24/2014 06:37:00 PM

The Golden Horn, also called Zlatni Rat, is the most spectacular of Croatia's beaches. This vast, golden pebble beach, almost 580 yards long, juts out into the water like a white tongue stretched into the sea. The tip of the beach changes shape and position, depending on the wind. Surrounded by pine wood and crystal clear sea, this beach stands out with its fascinating beauty.

Situated at the south eastern edge of the Croatian island Brač, near Bol, this beach became, throughout the years, the favorite spot for tourists both Croatian and foreign. The beach attracts tourists from all over the world, who enjoy the sun, the sea and water sports.

The Golden Horn offers a wide range of water sports, including jet-ski, SSI scuba-diving, banana boats, as well as parachute rides, beach volley and many other fun things. For those who just want to relax, away from the scorching sun rays, the nearby pine forest represents a perfect retreat.

Building, Mystery, People

Paranal Observatory in Chile

Unknown - 10/24/2014 05:55:00 PM

Paranal Observatory is an astronomical observatory located on the mountains of Cerro Paranal in the Atacama desert of northern Chile, at an altitude of 2,635 meters, about 120 kilometers south of Antofagasta and 80 km north of Taltal. Far from city lights, high above sea level, with more than 350 cloudless days a year, Atacama desert is an ideal location for ground-based astronomy.

The Very Large Telescope (VLT) at Cerro Paranal is European Southern Observatory's premier site for observations in the visible and infrared light, and at one time, was one of the most powerful optical array in the world. This groundbreaking observatory consist of four separate 8.2 m (320 in) telescopes and a large collection of instruments. Additionally, the four main telescopes can combine their light to operate as a single device. Unknown to most people except astronomers and photographers, the observatory had a brief moment of mainstream fame in 2008 when it appeared in the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

Photo credit

In addition to the telescopes, there are control buildings and maintenance facilities as well as a hotel which provides accommodation for staff and visitors. This is located 200 meters lower and 3 km from the telescopes, and embedded half into the mountain with the concrete coloured to blend into the landscape.

One of the best thing about Paranal Observatory is it offers free tours to visitors.