Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel

Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) is the 4.6 mile-long (7.4 km) Hampton Roads crossing for Interstate 664. It is a four-lane bridge-tunnel comprised of bridges, trestles, man-made islands, and tunnels under a portion of the Hampton Roads harbor where the James, Nansemond, and Elizabeth Rivers come together in South Hampton Roads, in the southeastern portion of Virginia in the United States.It connects the independent cities of Newport News on the Virginia Peninsula and Suffolk in South Hampton Roads and is part of the Hampton Roads Beltway.It includes a four-lane tunnel that is 4,800 feet (1,463 m) long, two man-made portal islands, and 3.2 miles (5.1 km) of twin trestle.

Above picture is Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (I-664), looking north. The curving 3.2-mile-long South Trestle is in the foreground. That connects to the South Island, where the south tunnel portal is, for the 4,800-foot long tunnel. The North Island and Newport News are in the distance. Starting at the left edge of the photo is the Newport News Marine Terminal.

Above picture is Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (I-664), looking south from near the tip of Newport News. In the foreground, you can see the North Approach Bridge, and the Small Boat Harbor to the left. The North Approach Bridge connects to the North Island (actually a peninsula) where the north portal of the tunnel is. In the distance, you can see the South Island and the South Trestle.

Grand Canyon Skywalk

Grand Canyon Skywalk, the highest man made structure in the world will be the first-ever cantilever shaped glass walkway to suspend more than 4,000 feet above the Colorado River and extend 70 feet from the canyon’s rim.

Grand Canyon West, a destination owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe at the Grand Canyon’s western rim, announced March 28, 2007 as the official public opening date of The Skywalk. Construction of the Skywalk began in March 2004 - and was open to the public on 28 March with 120 people allowed on the platform at any one time.

More than 1 million pounds of steel will go into the construction of SkyWalk. The bridge will be able to sustain winds in excess of 100 mph (161km/h) from 8 different directions, as well as an 8.0 magnitude earthquake within 50 miles (80.5km).

The Skywalk can withstand a weight of 71 fully loaded Boeing 747 airplanes (more than 71 million pounds), allowing for 800 people weighing 175 lbs. (80 kg) each to stand on the bridge; the allowed capacity, though, will be limited to only 120 persons. All visitors will be provided with shoe covers to protect them from slipping and to prevent scratching of the glass floor.


Located at Grand Canyon West’s Eagle Point, The Skywalk facility will also include a 6,000 square-foot visitor’s center on three levels – underground, first story and second story – which will contain a museum, movie theater, VIP lounge, gift shop, and several restaurants and bars, including a high-end restaurant called The Skywalk Café that will offer outdoor patio and rooftop seating on the edge of the canyon. The second story will be where visitors can access The Skywalk glass walkway. The visitor’s center will also offer private indoor and outdoor facilities for meetings, special events and weddings.

Great Architecture - World's Tallest Bridge

The 'Millau Viaduct', officially called 'le Viaduc de Millau' in French, is a cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France.

Designed by French bridge engineer Michel Virlogeux in collaboration with British architect Norman Foster.

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 Millau Viaduct is currently the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.

Official name: Le Viaduc de Millau

Location: Millau, France

Crosses: valley of the River Tarn

Design: Cable-Stayed

Carries: 4 lanes

STATISTICS:

Total length of the roadway: 2,460 m

Number of piers: 7

Height of Pier 7, the shortest: 77 m

Height of Pier 2, the tallest: 343 m (245 m at the roadway's level)

Number of shrouds: 154

Average height of the roadway: 270 m

Thickness of the roadway: 4.20 m

Width of the roadway; 32.05 m

Total volume of concrete used: 85,000 m³

Total weight of the bridge: 290,000 tonnes

Estimated daily traffic: 10,000–25,000 vehicles

Total length: 2,460 metres (8,071 ft)

Width: 32 metres (105 ft)

Opening date: December 14, 2004

Dust Art by Scott Wade

Scott Wade, the creator of DUST ART...
When the dust gets thick on the back window of his Mini Cooper, Scott Wade uses it as a canvas to create temporary works of art. Among his creations was a copy of C.M. Coolidge's 'A Friend in Need,' better known as dogs playing poker.

Wade used his finger and other implements to score this homage to Vincent Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' and Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa'.

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest physicists of all time.

A collage of wildlife decorates the Mini Cooper's window.

Brazilian football star Ronaldinho.

Creation of a Christmas scene.

A portrait of Kinky Friedman on the back of the Mazda.


A gimme-capped John Kelso was the subject of one window portrait.

Escape to...The Beach!

Escape to...The Desert!

Escape to...The Mountains!

Besides his finger, Wade uses traditional art tools, such as paintbrushes, and unconventional ones, like a chewed Popsicle stick, to make his drawings.

Wade takes pride in his creations, but he knows that with one good shower, his work will just wash away.

Needle Art by Willard Wigan

Willard Wigan was born in Birmingham, England in 1957 and is the creator of the smallest works of art on earth. He has a learning disability (Dyslexia), but has talented hands.

Wigan uses a tiny surgical blade to carve his microscopic figures out of rice, grains of sand and sugar, which are then mounted on pinheads. Willard can create a masterpiece within the eye of a tiny sewing needle, on the head of a pin, the tip of an eyelash or a grain of sand, spending months meticulously carving his materials into micro-figures.

Statue of Liberty in the eye of a needle

Titanic on the tip of a pin

Snow White & The 7 Dwarfs in the eye of a needle

Girl with balloon is standing on an eyelash

Winston Churchill in the eye of a needle

Elvis on a pin head

Ship on a crystal

Cast of Peter Pan on a fish hook

Six wives of Henry VIII

Marilyn Monroe on diamond

Elephant on a pin head

22 ct gold dragonfly on the tip of a needle

Frankie Dettori riding on a pinhead

Cat on hair

Visitors view exhibits through a microscope

Kerala House Boats

The Houseboats of Kerala are giant country crafts, measuring up to 80 feet in length is the perfect way to experience the beauty of Kerala's backwaters.

Traditionally, the houseboat was called Kettuvallam (boat with knots), because the entire boat was made by tying together pieces of wood. Not even a single nail is used during the construction of a Kettuvallam. Jack wood planks are joined together with coir rope and then coated with black resin made from boiled cashew nut shells.

The materials that are used in making these crafts are all local and Eco friendly bamboo poles, coconut fiber ropes, bamboo mats, coir carpets etc. The Kettuvallam of Kerala were the historic method for transporting rice and other trade.

In the last twenty years, the boats have been converted to take visitors through the small canals and villages that still inhabit this road-less and car-less world. But these boat services have been laid off with the developments taken place in the transport services in the recent past.

Today the Kettuvallam have been adapted into luxuriously furnished houseboats that have all the creature comforts of a good hotel including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling.

To complement the traditional way of rowing using large poles, outboard engines are also provided. The boats are designed to facilitate a most eco-friendly functioning.