This is not very popular, but Reunion Island is part of the European Union, being one of France’s fully incorporated overseas departments. It is one of the French Republic’s 26 regions with the same status as those on the European mainland. Because Reunion is in a time zone to the east of Europe, the first ever purchase with the EU’s new currency was made here in 2002 – a 1 euro bag of lichees in Saint-Denis market. Photo by: Gido Gerland

The tropical island is located in the Indian Ocean, 200 km to the south west of Mauritius. The British seized the Mascarene Islands every in the 19th century, but Reunion was latter returned to France. It was uninhabited when the first Europeans visited – Portuguese explorers in 1513 – but the Reunion of today is well populated and economically successful. It is 63 km long by 45 km wide. Photo by: xavierlelay

Reunion’s boasts with vulcanological fame is that – like Hawaii – it is located on a hotspot above the earth’s crust. Fournaise is a shield volcano that has erupted more than one hundred times since the 17th century and is still erupting, most recently in 2007. The higher Piton de Neige is an extinct volcano. The island has a great variety of landscapes – volcanic peaks and lava beds, heavily forested slopes, coastal lowlands, rocky shores and a few sandy beaches. Photo by: zanimo

Tourism is an important economic activity and a typically French range of accommodation may be found – hotels, pensions, gites and the occasional resort. Getting around isn’t hard – there is a good public bus service on paved roads, though traffic can jump up at peak times – and Reunion offers a really excellent and varied range of interesting visitors attractions. Photo by: stephjeu

When to go: The very rainy season (December to March) is best avoided. Population: 785,000. How to get there: By air, ideally (for coats reasons) from Paris or Mauritius. By boat from Mauritius. Photo by: miko974

Photo by: Aureline et Freddy

Today Taiwan boats of an incredible solar-powered stadium that produce 100% of its electricity from photovoltaic technology!  The stadium had a dragon shape with 50,000 seats and 8,844 solar panels that illuminate the track and field with 3,300 lux. The stadium is brand new and will officially open its doors later this year to welcome the 2009 World Games.

The architect is Toyo Ito, whose design negates the energy drain with a stunning 14,155 sq meter solar roof that is able to provide enough energy to power the stadium’s 3,300 lights and two jumbo vision screens. To illustrate the incredible power of this system, officials ran a test this January and found that it took just six minutes to power up the stadium’s entire lighting system!Wow

The stadium also features additional public green spaces, bike paths, sports parks, and an ecological pond. Additionally, all of the plants occupying the area before construction were transplanted.

The stadium not only does the solar system provide electricity during the games, but the surplus energy will also be sold during the non-game period. When the stadium is not being used, the Taiwanese government plans to feed the extra energy into the local grid, where it will meet almost 80% of the neighboring area’s energy requirements. Besides the stadium will generate 1.14 million KWh per year, preventing the release of 660 tons of carbon dioxide into atmosphere annually.

The record speed for a wind powered vehicle is 126.1 miles per hour! That is the record set by Richard Jenkins this past weekend at the Ivenpah Lake in Nevada, where he finally managed to do what he set out to do 10 years ago – pilot the fastest wind powered vehicle in the world.

The Greenbird is a carbon-fiber composite vehicle that is exclusively wind powered, making it essentially an earthbound sailboat. There were challenges involved, since at high speeds the vehicle tends to, well, take off. To counter this problem the vehicle incorporates specific design solutions, such as wings similar to those found in formula one cars.

The crafts are elegant, sophisticated and futuristic – but are based on familiar aeronautical, sailing and wind technology principles. They use solid sails, much like an aircraft wing. The crafts’ design achieves staggering efficiency. It enables the land craft to travel at between 3 & 5 times the real wind speed, depending on the surface traction.

Cerro Negro is a volcano in Nicaragua, about 10km from the village of Malpasillo. Cerro Negro is a very new volcano, the youngest one in Central America. This fresh magma landmark offers a sudden experience through a roughly 1,600- foot volcanic slope, having air-rushing trajectory previously occupied by you and your volcano board.

Such an extreme sport is often notably at Cerro Negro. It’s hot, dusty, a little scary – and crazy enough to be fun. Cerro Negro is accessible from Leon, a colonial city historically emerged as a center of left-wing intellectualism that is about 15 miles southwest of the roughly 2,388-foot mountain (the height can vary from eruption to eruption, experts say). The city was once a Sandinista stronghold occupied by poets, revolutionaries and university students.

Nowadays despite from its spectacular churches, bright-hued colonial architecture, Leon is becoming synonymous, at least among backpacking adventure-seekers, with volcano boarding. The picture shows boarders receiving instructions on how to balance, steer and control speed on the slope, which is 41 degrees at its steepest.

With pebbles and dust flying everywhere, the ride is bumpy and the noise deafening. The whole run only takes a few minutes to descend.

Volcano boarding,  isn’t easy to master, but you can’t help but want to try. It’s a cheap adventure and a novel challenge, with actual technique required and speeds recorded. The post-boarding mojito Bigfoot throws in didn’t hurt either. Bigfoot Hostel runs boarding tours Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The price is $28, including $5 park admission. Dorm rooms at the hostel cost $6 a night; there are also four double rooms for $13, and a room for four is $28.

The total prize money on offer at the event is in excess of £3.5 million, and is contested by trainers, racehorses and jockeys from around the world. The jewel in the Royal Ascot crown is the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup, one of the greatest flat races in the world.

Enjoy and experience this unique event in the British social calendar, in one the many fantastic hospitality facilities, maintaining the tradition, heritage and pageantry of this royal occasion. An internationally renowned occasion that combines classic style, panache and elegance with enthralling sporting action, this is the perfect place to entertain clients, colleagues and friends.

The Royal Ascot Village has a private viewing area on the rails, an ideal location to view the Royal procession and the finish of each race. All Royal Ascot Village guests have full access to the New Grandstand throughout the day in addition to the exclusivity of the Village garden areas.

Calgary is the largest city in the province Alberta, Canada. Calgary is well-known as a destination for winter sports and ecotourism with a number of major mountain resorts near the city and metropolitan area. The city is among the sunniest in Canada.

Flames Central is a wonderful word class and entertainment center there.
A world-class restaurant and entertainment venue housed in a historic building makes excellent use of our custom capabilities. One 36-foot diameter and four smaller 16-foot diameter light features were created out of frame and fabric. The intricate metalwork encompasses four interlocking framed fabric rings on each element, which raise and lower to reveal the inner three-dimensional Calgary Flames logo.

Backlit with programmable LED lighting and installed on the 38-foot high ceilings, these custom light features illuminate the interior of the multi-faceted complex and change the atmosphere from a subtle corporate feel to a vibrant red when the Calgary Flames are in town. Dynamic framed ribbon forms of fabric above the bar create energy and focus.

The Lake Geneva Extreme Adventure Race will consist of a brutal cross-country race along the north shore of Lake Geneva beginning in downtown Library Park. The shore path utilized for the cross-country race is the original path established by Chief Big Foot and the Potawatomi Indian tribe who lived on the western shore of Lake Geneva in the 1800’s. The foot race (8 mile) will be followed by a demanding and cold kayak race (12 mile) along the shores of Lake Geneva. The adventure race will be held in conjunction with the annual Lake Geneva Marathon series and is designed to challenge experienced and beginning adventure racers alike. The second adventure race in the series will be held June 7, 2008 at the Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan, Wisconsin, which is located seven miles west of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The race will consist of a kayak race around Delavan Lake, (13 miles) followed by a 5k run at the Lake Lawn Resort facility. The race will be held along with the Delavan Lake Triathlon series.

Phoenix Park, one of the biggest enclosed parks in the world, provides a breath of fresh air amid the urban sprawl of modern Dublin. Phoenix Park, with its 700 hectares, is one of the largest urban enclosed park in Europe. Formal gardens, grass , lakes and mature deciduous trees. It is used by the the Irish people for a wide range of recreational pursuits and sporting activities e.g. motor racing, biking, roller blading. The flower garden is 9 22 acres. Deer are found in the park, a zoo and a visitor centre all in a castle. It’s circumference is 11km and it covers a total area pf 712 hectares / 1,760 acres.

Also known as Dublin’s playground, the Phoenix Park opened in 1747, and it is home to the Irish President and the U.S. ambassador to Ireland, not to mention the many assorted wildlife such as deer and horses. Located 3km west of Dublin city centre, the Phoenix Park is beauatifully landscaped, with quiet pedestrian walkways, ornamental gardens, grassland, nature trails, and avenues of trees, including oak, beech, pine, chestnut, and lime. Brendan Nolan’s comprehensive guide to Phoenix Park covers its origins and history, buildings and monuments, wildlife, literary associations, local lore, military use, sports, self-guided walks, and its future in an urban environment.
A lively and entertaining exhibition on the history and the wildlife of the Phoenix Park is on display in the Visitor Center. Here the visitor can enjoy a historical interpretation of the park from 3500 B.C. to the present day and can also view an audio-visual presentation on the Phoenix Park through the ages. Adjoining the Visitor Centre is the fully restored Ashtown Castle, a medieval tower house that probably dates from the 17th century.

The 60-meter obelisk is the Wellington Testimonial, erected by Sir Robert Smirke in 1817 to honour the Dubliner Sir Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852), better known as the Duke of Wellington, who defeated Napoleon in Waterloo. The Phoenix Park is under the care and management of the Office of Public Works. They have in the last 10 years taken on a program of tree replanting with over 10000 trees having been planted since the program was started.

Located in southern France, the bridge will connect the motorway from Paris to Barcelona at the point where it is interrupted by the River Tarn, which runs through a wide gorge between two plateaus. Despite its huge length, journey time over the structure is expected to be just one minute. Designed by British architect Norman Foster and French bridge engineer Michel Virlogeux, it is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world. A reading of the topography suggested two possible approaches: to cross the river, the geological generator of the landscape; or there was the challenge of spanning the 2.5 kilometers from one plateau to the other in the most economical manner. The road has two lanes in each direction and cost €400 million. Water, air, noise … everything is regularly checked on these work sites employing over 500 people for 39 months. This will be recouped by the builder, Eiffage, under a 75-year concession.

The Millau Viaduct’s sustainable development outlook guarantees it trouble-free operation for 120 years. The Millau Viaduct is an artistic and engineering marvel. It is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, with one pier’s summit at 343 metres (1,125 ft)—slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower and only 38 m (125 ft) shorter than the Empire State Building. The bridge has the optimum span between cable-stayed columns. It is delicate, transparent, and uses the minimum material, which makes it less costly to construct. Each of its sections spans 342m and its columns range in height from 75 meters to 235 meters – higher than the Eiffel Tower – with the masts rising a further 90 meters above the road deck. To accommodate the expansion and contraction of the concrete deck, each column splits into two thinner, more flexible columns below the roadway, forming an A-frame above deck level. This structure creates a dramatic silhouette – and crucially it makes the minimum intervention in the landscape.

It uses the minimum amount of material, which made it less costly to construct: the deck, the masts rising above the road deck and the multi-span cables are all in steel. Construction work used approx. 127,000m of concrete, 19,000t of steel-reinforced concrete and 5,000t of reinforcing steel for cables and 85,000 cubic meters of concrete – enough to fill London’s Albert Hall. In total, the viaduct weighs 290,000t.
The bridge’s construction broke three world records:
* The highest piles in the world: piles P2 and P3, 244.96 and 221.05 metres in height respectively, broke the French record previously held by the Tulle and Verrieres Viaducts (141m), and the world record previously held by the Kochertal Viaduct (Germany), which peaked at 181 metres;
* The highest mast in the world: the height of the mast atop pile P2, peaks at 343m.
* The highest road bridge deck in the world, which is 270m above the Tarn River at its highest point. Only the bridge deck of the Royal Gorge Bridge (321m) in Colorado, United States is higher, and is considered the highest bridge in the world

However, the roadbed of the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado in the United States tops this with its roadbed which towers 1,053 feet (321 meters) above the river below. Based upon height of roadbed, the Royal Gorge Bridge is the highest in the world while based upon mast height, the Millau Viaduct is the highest in the world. Regardless of which is the highest, the Millau Viaduct is the clear winner in terms of length and beauty.

Construction began in October 2001, and by November the following year, the highest pier had already reached 100m in height. Launching the deck started in February 2003, and was completed by May 2004. When it opened on 17 December 2004, the spectacular Millau Viaduct set new standards in both planning design and construction – without mentioning the record it set as the largest cable-stayed bridge in Europe.
WOULD YOU DRIVE OVER IT?

The Swiss Tuning Show, which will take place at GENEVA PALEXPO on 16th and 17th June 2007 stands out from numerous events that have already been dedicated to automobile tuning in Switzerland and Europe by virtue of its concept and infrastructure providing an indoor venue: the 36,000 m2 of halls 5 and 6 at GENEVA PALEXPO. Geneva is now well among the leading European expo cities. Though Frankfort and Paris have a larger surface area available, GENEVA PALEXPO offers contiguous construction of all seven halls meaning visitors do not have to go between pavillions in the open as in Paris. A Committee made up of well-known figures from the world of tuning and professional event organisers will make sure that it is a success.

The Swiss Tuning Show is different from the other shows because of its concept and its indoor venue infrastructure, protecting it from the uncertainties of the weather. Profile for exhibit include Accessories and personalisation of cars, Spare parts and components, Bodywork and paint, air brush painting, repair shops and trainers, Tyres, lubricants, chemical products and additives, Car audio, multimedia, Tuning clubs and specialised Internet portals, Specialist technical publications, Fashion and accessories.

The main objective of the Organisation Committee, whose members include Sebastien Fleury and Frederic Singy (International Tuning Fribourg, Switzerland), Geneva residents Julien Scheck (Show Tuning du Leman – P49 Geneve), Amelie Galatola and Michael Vauthey and GENEVA PALEXPO, is to set up a vast gathering, bringing together players, amateurs and fans from the world of automobile tuning, but also the general public, in an enthusiastic and friendly environment.
Geneva undoubtedly confirmed its dominant position among the international automobile shows. 730,736 visitors have passed through the gates of exhibition ground Palexpo, which is the second highest visit rate all through the history of this magnificent presentation. Its international character is most obvious when we consider the heterogeneity of exhibitors, which came from more than 100 countries. Great attention is paid by the media, which were represented by more than 5000 people which traveled to the venue from all over the world. Geneva tuning show 2007 brought us 80 world and European exhibition premieres. Let’s take a look at the most interesting of them.

In the Clubs Area, Tuning clubs from Switzerland and abroad, will be presenting some of the most spectacular, exclsuive, and original vehicles. All vehicles will be judged by experts from the world of automobiles who have been passionate about Tuning for many years, and who are up to date on the latest trends and innovations in this fast developing sector. Besides the presentation of participants’ vehicles, a lively event will be guaranteed by a clubs area, a professional exhibitors’ village, various activities, and numerous bars and restaurants.

Visitors who are showing their vehicles in the Meeting Space on Saturday and Sunday can leave their vehicle for the night in this guarded hall at no cost. The exhibition halls will be closed from mid-night Saturday until 9 :00 Sunday morning, and personal effects should not be left in the vehicles.

Estoril is a civil parish of the Portuguese municipality of Cascais. The Estoril coast is close to Lisbon – the capital of Portugal. It starts in Carcavel, 15 kilometres from Lisbon and stretches as far as Guincho. The two main resort towns are Estoril and Cascais. The town has since lost much of its status, but maintains a certain faded grandeur and is still a fashionable cosmopolitan playground with Europe’s largest casino, tennis courts, some of Europe’s finest golf courses, an automobile race track that has held Formula One Grand Prix races, and an attractive sandy beach. Early in the 20th century the resort became the playground of the rich and famous who came here to relax and sunbathe; luxurious hotels accommodated illustrious visitors which included royalty and ex-royalty.

At the bottom of this elegant, tropical style park, Tamariz Beach is accessed by an underground pass. Here the fashionable take in the sun and one can walk westwards to Cascais along a very pleasant promenade which passes various small beaches, taking in a drink on the way. The picturesque beach of Tamariz has a number of bars and restaurants, and a castle overlooking it that is owned by the royal family of Monaco.

The beach and the casino still remain big attractions. Offering a broad stretch of fine sand, Estoril’s Tamariz beach is crowded in summer. The casino has been renovated internally and offers bars, a restaurant, a floor show, gaming machines and comfortable surroundings in which to win or lose a fortune at roulette, baccarat and the like. Behind it is the casino surrounded by attractive gardens with tall palm trees. Estoril also hosts a prestigious crafts fair with artisan works from all over the country, not to mention samples of typical Portuguese fare and folk dancing displays.

Leisure goes hand in hand with relaxing in Estoril. The Tennis Club boasts over 20 courts and is open until the sun sets and not far from the centre, the “Clube de Golfe de Estoril” was established in the 40s offering a 9-hole course as well as the full 18, and has held various championships. A few kilometres towards the town of Sintra, another superb course, Penha Longa, attracts many top golfers who enjoy the terrain as well as the magnificent views. Between the two lies the famous Estoril Autodrome where enthusiasts of motor racing can visit the track where Formula One races have been held.