California is celebrated for its natural beauty. Many admirers of the Golden State will enthusiastically insist that no corner of California is more breathtaking than Big Sur. One of Big Sur’s loveliest vistas is a slim 80-foot waterfall called McWay Falls. McWay Falls qualifies as a tidefall since it empties directly into the Pacific Ocean…
After legendary horror writer Stephen King published his novel “The Shining”, the Maine native decided to ditch his adopted home of Colorado. Stephen King’s creative instincts were urging him to return to Maine. In 1980, Stephen King purchased a spooky Victorian mansion located on West Broadway in the shadow of downtown Bangor. The stately Victorian…
Pete Nelson has had a passion for treehouses that dates back to his childhood in New Jersey. Nelson’s father constructed a whimsical treehouse in the family’s New Jersey backyard. As Nelson grew up, his love of treehouses continued to grow stronger. After attending college in Colorado, Nelson founded a construction business that was dedicated entirely…
In order to pass the time, veteran Huang Yung-Fu decided to beautify the dull, grey Taiwanese village that he called home. Huang Yung-Fu’s neighbors—also fellow veterans—were beginning to leave in droves. Huang Yung-Fu had settled in his neighborhood after fighting in the Second Sino-Chinese War and the Chinese Civil War. Several neighborhoods in Taiwan were…
When most people who are relatively unfamiliar with the Pacific Northwest think of Washington state, the first things that come to mind are snow-covered Mount Rainer, or the majestic Cascade Range. One of the most stunning sights in all of Washington State is lesser-known Lake Chelan. Located in the shadow of the North Cascades, royal…
In the days before trains, planes, and automobiles medieval towns had to rely on sturdy, towering walls to protect their populations from hostile invaders. Countless remnants of formerly grand defensive rampart walls are scattered throughout Europe. One of the most stunning examples of a fully intact rampart wall is in the Tuscan town of Monteriggioni….
In the late 1980s. Austin resident Vince Hannemann took the phrase “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure” quite literally. Hannemann began to construct a fort in his backyard out of discarded items such as license plates, surf boards, street signs, and bicycles. Vince Hannemann didn’t start out with any grand plans for his trash…
The small Spanish town of Castellfollit de la Roca is not the ideal travel destination for those who are claustrophobic or afraid of heights. Castellfollit de la Roca is located atop a frightfully narrow cliff with a 160-foot drop. Throughout most of the town, a single slim walkway separates rows of multistory dwellings. The town’s…
