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shadowkatWell finished another water color tonight, and pruned a bit more of my novel today. Revising is kind of like pruning. Cutting away the dead weight.
I kind of fell down a rabbit hole on Most Dangerous Places. Used to own a book of the Most Dangerous Places To Visit Around the World (which surprisingly (to me at any rate) listed NYC among them. It's kind of hard to see the place you happen to live in as dangerous. But I suppose it is to someone? Anyhow hunting dangerous places to visit during my lunch hour - on the internet, lead me to a list of the weirdest places in the world.
59 Weirdest Places Across the World that You Should Visit (or Maybe Not - Some are Scary and Dangerous as All Get Out)
This blends into the most dangerous places around the world...which are fascinating, beautiful, mysterious, and dangerous.
Lake Natron
Looking for some weird places in the world? How about this terrifying lake? Animals that die in this African lake are turned into statues, through calcification. The presence of huge volumes of sodium bicarbonate ensures they turn into mummies. And because of the high alkaline collection, the lake looks red in color, especially during summer in Tanzania. This is the reason why this lake is also known as the ‘Petrifying Lake’. In spite of all these conditions, it is grazing ground for the Lesser Flamingos. Fancy a dip? Don’t even think about it!
Location: Tanzania
Best time to visit: June to August
How to reach: Fly to Tanzania and book a guided tour of Rift Valley of which the lake is a part.
One of the Africa Documentaries on HBO had a whole segment on this lake. It's frightening, but also insanely beautiful.
Here's another version of the 49 Weirdest Places List. But the first list is more extensive and a lot more fun, the second has bigger pictures.
I'm trying to find the one that the Suicide Forest from Japan. Oh, there's apparently a...
Cat Island in Japan.
There are only 100 humans on this island, but there are thousands of cats. The inhabitants, on the other hand, are ecstatic about their living situation. Cat Island is located in the Ehime Prefecture of Japan, which is a remote part of the country. The cats surpass the humans by a factor of ten. Cats were introduced to fishing boats to kill rats, but they stayed on the island.
Best time of the year to visit: June and July
Hot Tip: Visit the shrine at the center of this island that is said to bring good luck to married couples.
(One of the lists I accessed at work stated that humans were introduced to fishing boats to combat the rat population, but they stayed on the island and propagated and as a result the human population thrived. I need to find that list. Ah, it's the first list that I posted, above... where it states:
An island that is home to a mere 100 humans, and thousands of cats which makes it one of the strange places on Earth. The locals love the living situation though. For a dog-lover like me, this is one of the strangest places on earth. Cat Island is located in a remote region of Japan that goes by the name of Ehime Prefecture. Here, the cats outnumber human beings by a ratio of 10:1. People were introduced to combat rodents on fishing boats but remained on this island. They procreated and thus, the human settlement flourished.
Location: Japan
Best time to visit: mid-December to mid-April
How to reach: Take a train from Sendai to Ishinomaki Station and then a bus and ferry from the station to Tashirojima Island.
That list, the first link - also has the Suicide Forest..
The Aokigahara Forest is said to be one of the weirdest places in the world by locals and travelers alike, at least the ones who did not venture into it! In fact, the Hollywood flick The Forest is entirely based on this forest itself, the story in that movie explores the spooky nature of this very jungle which is said to have been haunting people for a very long time now. Also called the Suicide Forest, this place is situated at the foothills of the famed volcano Mount Fuji in Japan and is notorious for its endless cases of haunting and apparitions that have occurred here. The worst part is that more than 500 people are said to have committed suicide in this forest.
Location: Japan
Best time to visit: mid-June to mid-September
How to reach: You can take a taxi or bus from Tokyo to the entrance of the forest (don’t go inside!)
So, if I ever come into a lot of money - does anyone want to travel with me to all these places, take photos, write about, and do blog postings?
But back to the list of Most Dangerous Places...
There's some disagreement? And some are odd...
22 of the Most Dangerous Tourist Destinations
But here's the fun list I found at work during my lunch hour...(by the way on some lists - is Fraser Island, Australia - which does have the most venomous spiders, snakes and water life, and is breathtakingly beautiful.)
12 Most Dangerous Places in the World
North Sentinel island is situated in the Andaman Islands and is considered one of the most dangerous places in the world for tourists to visit. The native people of this place have been living in their traditional way and have denied all possible ways to connect with the outer world. The tribal people living on this island are not used to outside people and if tourists step foot on their island, they see them as a threat and indulge in acts of violence.
This is amongst the strangest islands on the earth and attracts globetrotters with its tales. Another reason why people are asked not to visit the place because of the safety of the tribal community. They have absolutely no immunity and tourists can carry some disease-causing germs and may spread it to the whole community.
And
Madidi National Park is situated along the Amazon river in Bolivia and has an area of around 19,000 square kilometers. The national park, which is a dense forest, is filled with all kinds of flora and fauna, and some of these plant species are dangerous and not edible. The forest is filled with predators owing which tourists are advised against visiting the park on their own. The forest is one of the largest protected areas of the world because it houses highly dangerous animals, birds, and plants and bags a place in the list of most dangerous places to visit on earth.
This place has some of most dangerous creatures in the Amazon River - such ass electric eels, piranha, anaconda...and is protected to maintain our climate and balance.
The site is funny - it lists these places to give you ideas for your bucket list. LOL! Darwin Award Contenders - step up.
I'll avoid. I'd rather go somewhere safe and beautiful, but that's just me.
Oh, found an even better link - or with better pictures. (I like the pictures). Planet of Hotels Guide to the Most Dangerous Tourist Places in the World - Or how we kill off pesky tourists without even trying...
Death Valley National Park lives up to its name, being the hottest and driest place in the United States. In the XIX century, thousands of miners were killed on its territory as they tried to take a shortcut, moving from place to place in search of gold deposits. There are far fewer victims in our century, but Death Valley still kills — up to 10 people lose their lives here every year. The main threat to tourists is the high temperature. In summer, the temperature ranges from +50°C during the day (the record high is +57°C) and drops drastically at night. There are also dangerous animals in the Valley (coyotes, rattlesnakes, scorpions, and black widow spiders), risk of flash floods and mudslides during rain storms, and the possibility of stumbling upon an illegal marijuana plantation. So what is it that attracts travelers to such a dangerous place? First of all, these are absolutely alien landscapes. Here you can find colorful mountains, sand dunes, plains covered with salt, drying rivers, canyons, and clay desert. The most popular locations are Zabriskie Point and Dante's View with their fantastic views, the rainbow hills of Artists Palette, the surreal Badwater Basin salt marsh, the incredible Mosaic Canyon, and the dried-up Racetrack Playa Lake with moving rocks.
Also the site of a lot of movies...and Westerns. One list states - if you want to go someplace similar to Death Valley, but with less chance of dying than you can go to Phoenix, Arizona in the summer.
Huashan, China
One of the Sacred Holy Mountains of China, worshipped in Taoism — Huashan — is located in the central part of the Celestial Empire, in Shaanxi Province. It is crowned by five peaks — Central, North, West, East, and South. The last one is the highest (2154 m). This is where the famous Trail of Death is located, along which Taoist monks used to climb to the temple at the top. Today, this extremely dangerous route is used by tourists wishing to experience an unprecedented adrenaline rush and admire the fabulously beautiful scenery. The temple has been turned into a tea house, where the brave ones can rest. The trail, which follows the curve of the steep cliffs, is a wooden planking two planks wide. It overhangs a gorge of several hundred meters. There are no railings or barriers. One can move along it only by pressing against the stone walls and holding on to the chains nailed to them. A short rope serves as a safety net. Even the most desperate adrenaline junkie should think twice before stepping on the Path of Death — the tracking lasts about 30 minutes, any mistake could cost lives, and you'll have to come back the same way. But despite this, thousands of tourists come here every year to test themselves.
And... once again Madidi...(I've been to Australia - as long as you aren't wandering about the rural areas - it's perfectly safe.)
Madidi National Park, Bolivia
Everyone knows that Australia has been called the continent where all living things try to kill you. But even it is far more merciful to its visitors than Bolivia's Madidi National Park. Any traveler who is not careful and respectful enough of its flora and fauna risks having the most excruciating experience of their lives or losing it altogether. Therefore, its name is very often heard in answer to the question of what is the most dangerous place in the world. Madidi National Park is a striking wilderness located at the foot of the Andes in the northwest of Bolivia, in the department of La Paz. Its area is 18957 km² and covers several climatic zones. In terms of biodiversity, the park is the most important on the planet and, at first, glance seems like a real paradise. But desperate extreme tourists, who dream of visiting Madidi, should carefully weigh all the risks. Touching most plants threatens severe allergic reactions — rashes, itching, dizziness, and breathing problems. Even through small cuts and wounds, as well as with water and food, dangerous parasites can enter the human body. And local flies and gadflies lay their larvae under the skin of animals and humans. Such fate awaits extreme travelers as well. Against this background, even the predators in the park do not seem so dangerous.
Eh, avoid at all costs. Also note to self - do not fly over Bolivia or the Andes in a private plane. I think they did an "Alone" reality show in the Andes, and had issues.
However, there's places like the Ecolodge that provide guided nature trail hikes, and boat trips in the park. So it is doable.
I kind of fell down a rabbit hole on Most Dangerous Places. Used to own a book of the Most Dangerous Places To Visit Around the World (which surprisingly (to me at any rate) listed NYC among them. It's kind of hard to see the place you happen to live in as dangerous. But I suppose it is to someone? Anyhow hunting dangerous places to visit during my lunch hour - on the internet, lead me to a list of the weirdest places in the world.
59 Weirdest Places Across the World that You Should Visit (or Maybe Not - Some are Scary and Dangerous as All Get Out)
This blends into the most dangerous places around the world...which are fascinating, beautiful, mysterious, and dangerous.
Lake Natron
Looking for some weird places in the world? How about this terrifying lake? Animals that die in this African lake are turned into statues, through calcification. The presence of huge volumes of sodium bicarbonate ensures they turn into mummies. And because of the high alkaline collection, the lake looks red in color, especially during summer in Tanzania. This is the reason why this lake is also known as the ‘Petrifying Lake’. In spite of all these conditions, it is grazing ground for the Lesser Flamingos. Fancy a dip? Don’t even think about it!
Location: Tanzania
Best time to visit: June to August
How to reach: Fly to Tanzania and book a guided tour of Rift Valley of which the lake is a part.
One of the Africa Documentaries on HBO had a whole segment on this lake. It's frightening, but also insanely beautiful.
Here's another version of the 49 Weirdest Places List. But the first list is more extensive and a lot more fun, the second has bigger pictures.
I'm trying to find the one that the Suicide Forest from Japan. Oh, there's apparently a...
Cat Island in Japan.
There are only 100 humans on this island, but there are thousands of cats. The inhabitants, on the other hand, are ecstatic about their living situation. Cat Island is located in the Ehime Prefecture of Japan, which is a remote part of the country. The cats surpass the humans by a factor of ten. Cats were introduced to fishing boats to kill rats, but they stayed on the island.
Best time of the year to visit: June and July
Hot Tip: Visit the shrine at the center of this island that is said to bring good luck to married couples.
(One of the lists I accessed at work stated that humans were introduced to fishing boats to combat the rat population, but they stayed on the island and propagated and as a result the human population thrived. I need to find that list. Ah, it's the first list that I posted, above... where it states:
An island that is home to a mere 100 humans, and thousands of cats which makes it one of the strange places on Earth. The locals love the living situation though. For a dog-lover like me, this is one of the strangest places on earth. Cat Island is located in a remote region of Japan that goes by the name of Ehime Prefecture. Here, the cats outnumber human beings by a ratio of 10:1. People were introduced to combat rodents on fishing boats but remained on this island. They procreated and thus, the human settlement flourished.
Location: Japan
Best time to visit: mid-December to mid-April
How to reach: Take a train from Sendai to Ishinomaki Station and then a bus and ferry from the station to Tashirojima Island.
That list, the first link - also has the Suicide Forest..
The Aokigahara Forest is said to be one of the weirdest places in the world by locals and travelers alike, at least the ones who did not venture into it! In fact, the Hollywood flick The Forest is entirely based on this forest itself, the story in that movie explores the spooky nature of this very jungle which is said to have been haunting people for a very long time now. Also called the Suicide Forest, this place is situated at the foothills of the famed volcano Mount Fuji in Japan and is notorious for its endless cases of haunting and apparitions that have occurred here. The worst part is that more than 500 people are said to have committed suicide in this forest.
Location: Japan
Best time to visit: mid-June to mid-September
How to reach: You can take a taxi or bus from Tokyo to the entrance of the forest (don’t go inside!)
So, if I ever come into a lot of money - does anyone want to travel with me to all these places, take photos, write about, and do blog postings?
But back to the list of Most Dangerous Places...
There's some disagreement? And some are odd...
22 of the Most Dangerous Tourist Destinations
But here's the fun list I found at work during my lunch hour...(by the way on some lists - is Fraser Island, Australia - which does have the most venomous spiders, snakes and water life, and is breathtakingly beautiful.)
12 Most Dangerous Places in the World
North Sentinel island is situated in the Andaman Islands and is considered one of the most dangerous places in the world for tourists to visit. The native people of this place have been living in their traditional way and have denied all possible ways to connect with the outer world. The tribal people living on this island are not used to outside people and if tourists step foot on their island, they see them as a threat and indulge in acts of violence.
This is amongst the strangest islands on the earth and attracts globetrotters with its tales. Another reason why people are asked not to visit the place because of the safety of the tribal community. They have absolutely no immunity and tourists can carry some disease-causing germs and may spread it to the whole community.
And
Madidi National Park is situated along the Amazon river in Bolivia and has an area of around 19,000 square kilometers. The national park, which is a dense forest, is filled with all kinds of flora and fauna, and some of these plant species are dangerous and not edible. The forest is filled with predators owing which tourists are advised against visiting the park on their own. The forest is one of the largest protected areas of the world because it houses highly dangerous animals, birds, and plants and bags a place in the list of most dangerous places to visit on earth.
This place has some of most dangerous creatures in the Amazon River - such ass electric eels, piranha, anaconda...and is protected to maintain our climate and balance.
The site is funny - it lists these places to give you ideas for your bucket list. LOL! Darwin Award Contenders - step up.
I'll avoid. I'd rather go somewhere safe and beautiful, but that's just me.
Oh, found an even better link - or with better pictures. (I like the pictures). Planet of Hotels Guide to the Most Dangerous Tourist Places in the World - Or how we kill off pesky tourists without even trying...
Death Valley National Park lives up to its name, being the hottest and driest place in the United States. In the XIX century, thousands of miners were killed on its territory as they tried to take a shortcut, moving from place to place in search of gold deposits. There are far fewer victims in our century, but Death Valley still kills — up to 10 people lose their lives here every year. The main threat to tourists is the high temperature. In summer, the temperature ranges from +50°C during the day (the record high is +57°C) and drops drastically at night. There are also dangerous animals in the Valley (coyotes, rattlesnakes, scorpions, and black widow spiders), risk of flash floods and mudslides during rain storms, and the possibility of stumbling upon an illegal marijuana plantation. So what is it that attracts travelers to such a dangerous place? First of all, these are absolutely alien landscapes. Here you can find colorful mountains, sand dunes, plains covered with salt, drying rivers, canyons, and clay desert. The most popular locations are Zabriskie Point and Dante's View with their fantastic views, the rainbow hills of Artists Palette, the surreal Badwater Basin salt marsh, the incredible Mosaic Canyon, and the dried-up Racetrack Playa Lake with moving rocks.
Also the site of a lot of movies...and Westerns. One list states - if you want to go someplace similar to Death Valley, but with less chance of dying than you can go to Phoenix, Arizona in the summer.
Huashan, China
One of the Sacred Holy Mountains of China, worshipped in Taoism — Huashan — is located in the central part of the Celestial Empire, in Shaanxi Province. It is crowned by five peaks — Central, North, West, East, and South. The last one is the highest (2154 m). This is where the famous Trail of Death is located, along which Taoist monks used to climb to the temple at the top. Today, this extremely dangerous route is used by tourists wishing to experience an unprecedented adrenaline rush and admire the fabulously beautiful scenery. The temple has been turned into a tea house, where the brave ones can rest. The trail, which follows the curve of the steep cliffs, is a wooden planking two planks wide. It overhangs a gorge of several hundred meters. There are no railings or barriers. One can move along it only by pressing against the stone walls and holding on to the chains nailed to them. A short rope serves as a safety net. Even the most desperate adrenaline junkie should think twice before stepping on the Path of Death — the tracking lasts about 30 minutes, any mistake could cost lives, and you'll have to come back the same way. But despite this, thousands of tourists come here every year to test themselves.
And... once again Madidi...(I've been to Australia - as long as you aren't wandering about the rural areas - it's perfectly safe.)
Madidi National Park, Bolivia
Everyone knows that Australia has been called the continent where all living things try to kill you. But even it is far more merciful to its visitors than Bolivia's Madidi National Park. Any traveler who is not careful and respectful enough of its flora and fauna risks having the most excruciating experience of their lives or losing it altogether. Therefore, its name is very often heard in answer to the question of what is the most dangerous place in the world. Madidi National Park is a striking wilderness located at the foot of the Andes in the northwest of Bolivia, in the department of La Paz. Its area is 18957 km² and covers several climatic zones. In terms of biodiversity, the park is the most important on the planet and, at first, glance seems like a real paradise. But desperate extreme tourists, who dream of visiting Madidi, should carefully weigh all the risks. Touching most plants threatens severe allergic reactions — rashes, itching, dizziness, and breathing problems. Even through small cuts and wounds, as well as with water and food, dangerous parasites can enter the human body. And local flies and gadflies lay their larvae under the skin of animals and humans. Such fate awaits extreme travelers as well. Against this background, even the predators in the park do not seem so dangerous.
Eh, avoid at all costs. Also note to self - do not fly over Bolivia or the Andes in a private plane. I think they did an "Alone" reality show in the Andes, and had issues.
However, there's places like the Ecolodge that provide guided nature trail hikes, and boat trips in the park. So it is doable.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-18 12:13 pm (UTC)I suppose NYC violent crime was rather worse a few decades ago, it's really improved since, not sure anybody fully understands how or why!
no subject
Date: 2023-04-19 12:43 pm (UTC)NYC had the highest crime rate allegedly in the 1970s. But it got bad again during the pandemic. And is now getting better. Why? Crack downs, stronger gun restrictions (NYC and NY has the strictest gun restrictions in the US), more police on the streets and in the subways and trains. Security cameras. Pulling homeless off the streets.
But there has been a resurgence in crime in recent years - due to income disparities, increase in immigrants seeking asylum, etc.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-18 02:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-04-19 12:51 pm (UTC)Most of the places on the list are due to nitwits who insist on visiting them - either unprepared, unguided, against advice, illegally, or to do themselves harm. Madidi National Park is on it - because people insist on going in there unguided, unprepared, and thinking - ah wilderness!
What looks dangerous is relative
Date: 2023-04-18 02:22 pm (UTC)I visited Canyon Lands National Park in Utah one summer. I took a mile hike away from a parking lot out on a narrow promontory, that I knew had steep cliffs on both sides. The trail went through the tall brush most of the way. So I couldn't see the edge on either side. I began hearing something big moving to my right. It definitely had four legs, so it was nothing to worry about. I figured it was a mule deer. The noise kept getting louder until I saw it, a Mountain Big Horn Sheep. It saw me and took off running. I saw it long enough to see it go down out of sight *over the edge.* Heck, I wouldn't start running up there on the cliffs, let alone try going down the side! I got to the end of the trail and saw where the Green and Colorado Rivers meet in a canyon below the valley floor. It was a *long* way down from me to the valley floor.
I've watched dangerous-places vids on YouTube. That's getting close enough for me!
Re: What looks dangerous is relative
Date: 2023-04-19 12:36 pm (UTC)Doing the zip-line and hanging bridges in Costa Rica was actually much worse. I will never do a zip line again. They had to ferry me across the lines - because the only sign of my fear was my hands couldn't stop shaking. Highly dangerous - I could have ripped my fingers off if I'd done it without them ferrying me across. Once was enough. The hanging bridges weren't that bad - except they were grated and you could see the forest floor below the clouds under your feet. And the bridges would swing whenever some annoying tourist jumped up and down on them or played with it - they were made with steel and wires, so sturdy, but moved.
So, hanging bridges - I can kind of do again. But there's no way I'd do the Death Plank Walk in Hunan China, not that I plan on going to China anytime soon. There's another one - in Sydney Australia - people walk at the top of the bridge - upper rails. Someone asked if I'd done that - and I said, no, outside of it not being available in the 1990s, I'd never have done it and Mother wouldn't have permitted it.
Would like to go to Canyon Lands National Park sometime, also see Monument Valley. G adventures has some interesting National Park Excursions - although I'm wary of how much time they appear to think it takes to drive and visit each one. They start in Palm Springs/Joshua Tree then to Death Valley, and Canyonlands (Grand Canyon), and Monument Park/ Vegas and to Segoia, then Yosemite, then San Fran. (I may have some of the order wrong but those are all the sites for a 10 -14 day visit. I thought, uh, you could spend a week in each of those spots.)
It's a Canadian Company.
Re: What looks dangerous is relative
Date: 2023-04-19 02:08 pm (UTC)When I was taking vacations from work, I got to drive to a rich area like Southeastern Utah (Canyonlands N.P., Arches N.P., Natural Bridges N.P.) and spend a few days going out from a single base. I got to do hikes at each place I didn't get to do with the family when I was a kid. But there is always more, hikes through parks that can take a week by themselves, and out of the way areas it takes time to drive to even if you have a car... You just have to enjoy what you can do. For instance at Monument Valley Park you can see much (the buttes seen in umpty western movies) from the parking lot, but to go into it, you have to go with a Navaho guide, and I never had time for that. Still glad I went.
Re: What looks dangerous is relative
Date: 2023-04-19 05:33 pm (UTC)"We'll jet off this morning to Page, Arizona, the gateway to famous Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
Join a local Navajo guide and explore Antelope Canyon; a stunning natural sandstone slot canyon located on tribal lands. Admire the blue sky above from the bottom of the canyon and make sure you bring your camera to take loads of photos.
Afterwards, visit Horseshoe Bend for a short hike to stand atop the steep cliffs overlooking the natural bend in the Colorado River. Today’s adventure will end in Monument Valley where you will have time to relax and unwind after a busy day of sightseeing.
Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch
Day 5Monument Valley/Grand Canyon National Park
This morning you’ll be treated to a sunrise Navajo guided jeep tour of Monument Valley. Admire the majesty and magnetic atmosphere of this special place before continuing on toward the Grand Canyon. En route, stop for lunch at a family-owned Navajo food truck, before arriving at the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon just in time for a spectacular sunset."
They didn't have this stuff prior to the pandemic - but I think a lot of people want to visit the national parks now, with all the documentaries about them viewed during the pandemic. I've been to quite a few of the parks, but there's a lot I haven't been to. And I know I'd like to go to them.
For some reason or other - I really just want to travel within the US right now, not so much outside of it, which is ironic, since I got my passport renewed in 2019, with the intention of traveling outside the US. LOL!
Re: What looks dangerous is relative
Date: 2023-04-20 12:54 am (UTC)Re: What looks dangerous is relative
Date: 2023-04-21 01:03 am (UTC)