The Alsace region of France is known for its quaint villages, dry white wine, and proximity to Germany. The Taennchel rock formations tucked away in the Vosges Mountains in Alsace are a quiet stone sanctuary where you can spend the day slowly ascending a path lined with moss-covered stones. Historical artifacts, the beauty of nature,…
European fairy tales are full of gorgeous enchanted forests populated by magical creatures such as giants, gnomes, and elves. The vibrant wildflowers that blanket the Hallerbos—or ‘Blue Forest’—in Belgium have surely sparked the imaginations of storytellers throughout the ages. Each spring, the Blue Forest is home to a sea of delicate bluebell blooms that delight…
Every year, countless travelers flock to the Romanian region of Transylvania to visit stately Bran Castle, after which Irish horror master Bram Stoker modeled Count Dracula’s imposing lair. Many visitors are unaware that a forest known as Hoia-Baciu is the spookiest place in all of Transylvania. Hoia-Baciu is home to twisted trees, dense blankets of…
Transylvania, Romania is best known for a menacing castle that was home to a fierce warrior and ruler named Vlad the Impaler. Vlad the Impaler ruled Transylvania in the mid-1400s. Locals view him as an avenging hero who drove away Saxon invaders. Descendants of the defeated Saxons have characterized Vlad the Impaler as a brutal…
Close to the town of Lembang in West Java province, Indonesia, is the Orchid Forest Cikole. It is a wooded area, which is home to the biggest collection of orchids in the country. However, the vibrant colors of white, magenta, purple, pink, and yellow of the pretty blooming plants are not the only reason to…
The cause of the peculiar bend in the 400 pine trees in the Crooked Forest near Gryfino, West Pomerania in Poland remains a mystery to this day. The trees, planted around 1930 in what was then the German province of Pomerania, have a sharp 90-degree bend at their base, before growing straight towards the sky….
Breaking the monotony of flat agricultural areas of the Pampas, Argentina, this guitar is shaped entirely of trees. Spanning 2/3 of a mile, this multi-colored instrument was built by the farmer Pedro Martín Ureta to commemorate his wife who passed away at 25. Graciela, Ureta’s wife, once suggested they carve a design into their fields…
