eHighway

E16 highway north of Stockholm, Sweden  

This article is about a 2-kilometer eHighway opened on June 22nd, 2016, in Sweden. The difference between this highway and normal highways is the fact that this has a system of wires for trucks, so, for the trucks to move they use electricity rather than gasoline.
The Swedish Minister for Infrastructure, Anna Johansson, and the Minister of Energy (SE), Ibrahim Baylan, inaugurated that highway along with the wires installed by Siemens, and with 2 diesel hybrid vehicles manufactured by Scania.
They will start a 2 years trial the Swedish Transportation Administration, Trafikverket, and Gävleborg County expect to create this eHighway system for future commercial use.

I love when the people join technology in the daily life for a better world!! What I liked the most about this article is knowing that studied people are trying to find the way to use less fossil fuel and to avoid creating more damage and climatic problems in the world.

We all know that one of the sources of carbon dioxide that harms the ozone layer is the one that comes out from the cars, buses, etc. So, I think is really important to find the way to solve that, and what some people in Sweden did was using the long wires on the highways so the transports can connect to a source of electricity to move along the highway. Which is good because the trucks would use electricity to move rather than gasoline.

And also, I consider the fact that they are also promoting having for 2030 a fossil fuel independent transport very important. Because it is knows that in approximately 100 years we are not going to have enough fossil fuel to the system of transportation, so, it is urgent to leave the dependency of gasoline.

Article: https://eu-smartcities.eu/content/sweden-opens-world%E2%80%99s-first-ehighway

The Venice of Netherlands

Giethoorn, Netherlands

This article is about a little town called Giethoorn, which is located in Netherlands, 120 kilometers from Amsterdam. The peculiarity of this town is that is surrounded by water, just like Venice. It was founded in 1230. And the town is known as "the Venice of Netherlands" or "the Venice of the North."
The characteristics of this town are:

• They don't use cars
• They travel with silent boats
• The louder noise may come from a bird
• In summer they play water sports 
• In winter the water freezes out and the citizens and tourists skate
• There is a museum called Oude Aarde, which contain gems, minerals and fossils preserved since 1969
• The town contains 176 bridges 

I think that is a beautiful and picturesque place that we should visit at least once. We all know Venice, it's trade, it's tourism, it's language, it's culture and it's people, but by the other hand we have also this other town that is similar to Venice but less but this town is similar but less visited.

Is awesome this town, I really like the fact that it is surrounded by water, it gives a sense of unique because there are no so many towns/cities in which you need to use boats to move from a place to another place. The article captivated my attention since the beginning with its photos, I was really impressed with the houses and the boats, is just weird because is not common having those kind of cities. But I think is cool.

So, there are few things that I like about this town:

1. First, the fact that as they are surrounded by water they don't use cars, which is a huge benefit because they don't pollute the air
2. Second, that the people there transport from a place to another by silent boats, which is good because it doesn't cause noise pollution
3. Third, that the citizens there take advantage of their canals: in summer they enjoy water sports and in winter, when the canals are frozen, they practice ice skating 
4. Forth, that is a very peaceful and small town away from the craziness of the cities

Article: http://www.grandesmedios.com/no-venecia-giethoorn-queda-holanda/

Best cities for living abroad

Valencia, Spain

Toronto, Canada

Taipei, Taiwan

Antwerp, Belgium

Sydney, Australia

Santiago, Chile

Vienna, Austria

This article is about 11 cities that were ranked as the "11 Of The Greatest Cities For Living Abroad In 2016" with the help of 3 major recent studies:

• HSBC's annual Expat Explorer survey, which rate countries with the "ease of balancing career and family life"
• Eurostat's Urban Europe report, which rate countries "with quality of life"



Singapore

• InterNations Expat Insider survey, which rate countries on "easy of settling in and making friends"

And the 11 greatest cities were:

1. Valencia, Spain
2. Toronto, Canada
3. Antwerp, Belgium
4. Taipei, Taiwan
5. Sydney, Australia
6. Santiago, Chile
7. Vienna, Austria
8. Singapore
9. Mexico City, Mexico
10. Sofia, Bulgaria
11. Barcelona, Spain

Mexico City, Mexico

I like knowing this type of information because it is the opinion of the residents of these cities, who are glad and confortables living there, even though is not their home countries. So, this ranking means that these 11 cities, which were considered the greatest to live abroad, offers good opportunities, chances and standards for the immigrants if they are planning to move, like:

• Great food
• Glorious beaches 
• Friendly neighbors
• Diverse backgrounds
• Beautiful scenes
• Great jobs
• Cosmopolitan vibes
• Low cost of living 
• Good transportation 
• Good health



Sofia, Bulgaria

• Integration of technology and public services

These 11 facts were the most important in the 11 cities, which I found interesting because the immigrants don't just look for a place to live, but a place where they can be accepted, where they can meet people with diverse background, where they can work and save some money, where they can enjoy eating good food, and more. 

Barcelona, Spain

Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/best-places-to-live-abroad_us_57e05cf5e4b04a1497b631d4

+100

Accialori, Italy.

This article is about a research that Alan Maisel, a cardiologist and professor of the University of California at San Diego, did in a city in Italy called Accialori.
Once when he went on vacations to that small village and he saw "all these leathernecked, tanned people in their 90s and 100s who looked nine months pregnant and were smoking cigarettes," he was curious about all these people so he started to investigate, and he discovered that the village boasts "300 elders who have reached the age of 100 — and about 20 percent of those centenarians have reached 110."
So Maisel, joined with researchers from UC San Diego and Sapienza University of Rome, they started to figure out why the citizens there live so long. They concluded some facts that are the reason of why they live so long:

• They all eat rosemary, which is planted there, and anchovies 
• The air is unpolluted
• They enjoy a mediterranean weather
• They have a very unstressed life
• They don't use cars, as it is a small village they just walk 

I was very impressed when I read the article. Is so amazing that the simplest people are the ones that can live longer. The citizens don't use cars, meaning that to move from one side of the village to the other they need to walk, so by walking they are constantly exercising, and daily exercise is healthy; they plant their own vegetables and food, so they manage the crops, which is more healthy; also, by the fact that they don't use cars and it is not an industrial city, the air is unpolluted, so they breathe fresh air, which extends their lives because some studies have proved that polluted aire shortens the life. 

I loved discovering this town, I think that what they do is the secret for a long life. We all know that in order to have good health and a good life we have to eat healthy, do exercise, and avoid getting stressed. So what I like about this article is that it is proven that you must accomplish those 3 things to live longer.

Actually we live in a very stressful world, and especially if we live in cities, but for me we should at least try to: eat well, do exercises and avoid stress, even if the last one is more difficult. But even if we are not living in Accialori, trying and making the effort may be a big step to move to a better life.

Article: http://nypost.com/2016/04/12/if-you-want-to-live-forever-move-to-this-italian-town/

Al Noor Tower

Casablanca, Morocco / Barad-dur, Mordor 

This article is about a tower called "Al Noor Tower," which right now is in construction, but will be finished in 2018. It is located in Casablanca, Morocco, which is very favorable because it would be in the gateway between Europe and Africa, so, it would make Morocco an attractive location for development.
The particularity of this tower is that it looks like the dark fortress of Sauron, from The Lords of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R Tolkien, and illustrated in the TLOR movies from the director Peter Jackson.
Al Noor Tower is going to be the highest tower in Africa, it would have 540 meters tall. The heigh of the building was designed in recognition to the 54 countries in Africa. And it will contain 114 floors, which represents each chapter of the holy Islam book: Quran. And it will include offices, apartments, a luxury hotel, an art gallery, and a luxury arcade of shops.
After constructed it will be the fifth tallest building in the world, just before the One World Trade Center that is 541 meters tall.

There are 3 things why I liked this article.

First I like that this architect is bringing development and improvement to Africa. We all know that right now Africa is not developed as other countries, but this tower is the beginning of the break of that reality. A time of changes will come, which will benefit to the African citizens. More people will invest, and the continent will become more attractive and more touristic for foreign people that want to visit them.

Second, I like development. As I said before, Africa is not so developed as European countries or American countries, but it can change. We are humans, and humans evolve, so I like the evolution of the African countries, I feel is very important that they have the chance to do something different and to live in a different era in which most of the countries are all living: an era of changes and improvement thanks to the technology.

And finally, I love discovering that the building has a deeper meaning that it seems. First, I'm fan of The Lord of The Rings, so I love the style of the building. Second, is very impressive that it would be 540 meters tall symbolizing the 54 countries in the continent, and that the 114 floors represents each chapter of the Quran. These last 2 facts gives a sense of unity to the Africans, because it unifies all of them, the tower represents the majority of them. And third, this building is also the gate of development in Africa, because I believe that Africa is a very potential continent, it's just that the people don't know yet.


Article: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/13/africa/morocco-africas-tallest-building/

Ribbon Chapel

Onomichi, Japan.

This article is about a wedding chapel, designed by the Japanese architect Hiroshi Nakamura, in Onomichi, Japan. This chapel consists on two different stairways that goes into a doble espiral, which are joined at the top. This model refers to the union of a marriage: the stairways start at different locations and they form a singular estructure at the end.

The structure is designed with glasses, so the people can have a beautiful view of the trees and the coast near the chapel. This creates a close relationship with the surrounding environment. And the external estructure has panels made of titanium zinc, which is resistant to damage from the sea breeze.
And, the top of the structure has an observation platform that is 15.4 meters above the ground, allowing the married to see coastal vistas.

I loved the design of this chapel, and the meaning of its structure.

I think is amazing the fact that in a moment of the wedding, the wife and the husband walk to the top of the building where their paths are connected. But I feel that in some way it has a deeper meaning, and that at the end of their own paths they both unite in order to start a new path together.

But anyways, apart from its magical meaning, I was very impressed with the structure, I really liked the building as it is, that place is like a dream. Or, as the Spanish proverb says: "parece sacado de un cuento" (english: it is like something taken out from a fairy-tail). The fact that is near the sea and has a beautiful environment makes a perfect surrounding. The place fits to the chapel, and the chapel to the place too. It doesn't exist a better place to construct that building that in Onomichi.


Article: http://www.designboom.com/architecture/hiroshi-nakamura-nap-ribbon-chapel-spiral-hiroshima-japan-01-28-2015/

The Big Apple

New York City, USA

Have you ever asked yourself why Manhattan is often called "The Big Apple"?
Me too.
This article explains the origin of the word:
One time the New York Morning Telegraph sports writer, John J. Fitz Gerald, listened a man calling Los Angeles as "The Big Apple," but he really liked that name, so in his horse racing column he used the nick name "Around the Big Apple."
Since then he began every column with the header: “The Big Apple. The dream of every lad that ever threw a leg over a thoroughbred and the goal of all horsemen. There's only one Big Apple. That's New York.”
So, its popularity started to spread out from the horse-racing context, and the people started to use that term for NYC.

I was very curious about why NYC was called "The Big Apple," how it started, and who came with the idea if calling the city with that nickname. I liked this article because it explains exactly who came with the nickname, and how this man did to spread out the term throughout the population in 1924.

What I liked the most was the fact that John Fitz Gerald used the New York Morning Telegraph to spread out the term, especially because in that time it was more difficult to diffuse something, and T.V. didn't exist, but he made it.

And the people really liked the idea of giving that nickname to NYC, which is the most amazing thing, because, for me, it gives a sense of unity to the citizens living there.


Article: http://mentalfloss.com/article/31841/why-new-york-city-called-big-apple

'The Martian' desert

Etyek, Hungary

We have seen the recent movie "The Martian" with Matt Damon, who is an astronaut surviving in Mars, and we all have had the same question if the film was shoot in Hollywood, or not. This article is about all the places where the movie was filmed:

Budapest, Hungary

• Etyek, Hungary: They filmed at the Korda Studios in ‘Hungary’s Napa Valley’ in the city Etyek, which is 20 miles away from the capital Budapest
• Budapest, Hungary: Cast-members practiced indoor skydiving at the SkyWard centre’s gravity-defying, 260km-wind tunnel
• Wadi Rum, Jordan: Know as the "Valley of the Moon" is a red desert that pretended to be "Mars"

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Something I really like about movies, is looking for the location where it was filmed. For me, it is very fascinating and interesting to search that type of information because it makes me think and analyze all the effort the people did to achieve the movie, including the places where they needed to go to shoot the movie.

When I first read the article I was very impressed when I saw the "Valley of the Moon" in Jordan, because I didn't know that this place existed. I had the doubt about the place where the movie was filmed because I had no idea that here in Earth we had a red desert. So, it was a total surprise when I realized that it is totally red. From the rocks, to the sand, which is the perfect landscape for movies related to Mars. 

We don't know every city and place in the world. We can be in a country without knowing which interesting places we would like to discover. But, for me, one of the main sources to know more these places are the movies, which always are showing us interesting places around the world. Like this case: I didn't know about the "Valley of the Moon" until I saw "The Martian."

Article: http://www.readersdigest.co.uk/travel-adventure/guide/martians-out-world-filming-locations

The Lord of the Rings films

New Zealand

Matamata

Wellington

Nelson

We all know that the movies "The Lord of the Rings" are adapted to a book with the same name from J.R.R. Tolkien  . But we don't know where exactly the movies were filmed until now.
This article is about the places where they filmed these movies:

Canterbury

• Matamata: the Shire and Hobbiton
• Wellington: Gardens of Isengard, the River Anduin, Rivendell, Osgiliath Wood, Paths of the Dead
• Nelson: Home of the 'One Ring', Chetwood Forest, Dimrill Dale
• Canterbury: Edoras (Rohan city)
• Mackenzie Country: Pelennor Fields (the epic field where thousands of orcs bred by Sauron clashed with the men of Gondor and Rohan)
• Southern Lakes: Ford of Bruinen, Gandalf’s ride, Isengard and Lothlorien
• Fiorland: River Anduin, Fangorn Forest

Mackenzie Country

"The Lord of the Rings" trilogy are part of my favorite books, and the movies too. When I saw this article I couldn't believe that these places were real, it's magic. I really love when, first, the director decide to develop a movie of an amazing book, and second, when they choose a real landscape to film the movie, as Peter Jackson did when he started these 3 films in 2001.

I think that sometimes we don't need especial effects to make a movie extraordinary. Just with an espectacular landscape you can catch the attention of the public. And realizing that these landscapes are real, and not just part of the especial effects is amazing. Those fans (like me) would like to go someday to New Zealand just to visit these iconic places.

Southern Lakes

But these are not just words. If I had the chance to visit New Zealand, the first thing that I would do is go to these 7 places (Matamata, Wellington, Nelson, Catembury, Mackenzie Country, Southern Lakes, and Fiorland) just to feel "being" part of the movie. I know that it would be amazing. And I know that all the fans of this trilogy, and the no-fans too, would like to go to these places. Because the simply landscape is attracting for all the visitors, not just for us (the fans) that we know that those places are part of our favorite movie.


Article: http://www.newzealand.com/int/feature/the-lord-of-the-rings-trilogy-filming-locations/

“La Tour des Cedres“

Lausana, Switzerland

The article is about a building that would be constructed in Lausana for 2017, but is not a regular building...Is the first building covered with Cedres plantation!! Was created by the italian architecture Stefano Boeri; in the past he had created a house covered with 150 trees and a cathedral with trees. But this time, he decided to make a building with trees.
The building is going to be 117 meters height and would have 36 floors. Also, it would be covered of Cedrus trees which have the caracteristic of being durable. This plant has the capacity of supporting extreme climate changes, it can be found in the Middle East, and in the Himalaya too.
And it will help to: trap dust, muffle outside noise, strong wind gusts, release additional oxygen into the city, and create more pleasant views for those living.

I love that the people try to do something to contribute to the environment! And that the architectures are finding a way to construct buildings but first thinking in the environment, how the buildings would affect it, and how are they gonna contribute to protect it instead just killing it.

It is so amazing to think how Stefano Boeri imagined this building and what he is doing to complete his project. Because he looks like a very punctillious man, in the article says that the building would be home of 100 trees, 6,000 shrubs and 18,000 plants.

I like that it has so many advantages, and I love that in some way is contributing to the environment. Because we know that we have produced over the lasts years a lot of carbon dioxide and toxics and stuff, and this new plan of creating green-buildings is so original, helpful, and crucial for the environment. And also the fact that has advantages too for the people living there, like I said before, it would trap dust, muffle outside noise, strong wind gusts, release additional oxygen into the city, and create more pleasant views for those living.

Article: https://arquitecturaideal.com/la-tour-des-cedres-arboles-hoja-perenne/?utm_source=ReviveOldPost&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ReviveOldPost

Historical data from the Eiffel Tower

Paris, France. 

This article is about some curious data from the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower has 20,000 light bulbs which in 2003 were replaced by 25 mountain climbers for 5 months; originally it was going to last for 20 years but Eiffel found a way to make it last longer; also de fact that all the nights, 5 minutos every hour, the tower glows in gold; to go to the highest part of the tower, the tourists must climb 1,665 stairs, or if you don't want, the tower has 8 elevators; for 41 years it was the highest building in the world, with 324 meters; per year it receives approximately 7 thousand of visitants; it can be seen from almost every part of the city; and more.
Few years before it was inaugurated the tower had this essential part:

For me this is one of my favorite towers of all time. Is so impressive how they did this tower, but especially in that time, because now we use the technology to make the things easier, faster, effective, and in those years the technology wasn't even developed. And especially, what I also like, are the changes that they have done after the creation of the tower. For example, in the article they added a photo of how the first floor was at the beginning (the photo in the right) and if you go there right now is completely different, all is closed and allows more people to go there. And finally, also I love to see the tower with the lights on, was very smart from Eiffel because it is more attractive to watch the tower with a lot of lights on, and also is very simbolic when the tower's lights are from another country's flag in form of solidarity when this other country has suffered terrorist attacks.


Article: http://www.grandesmedios.com/curiosidades-de-la-torre-eiffel/