Steinlöwe meets Mermaid.

Three miles from Key Biscayne is America's most unusual underwater attraction: the cemetery Neptune Memorial Reef. Photographer Todd Essick uses mystical mood between sculptures and tombs for his models to pose - as mermaids.

 

"Come on, Honey, let's go!" Todd Essick driving his Model Elaine to hurry. The photographer with the eternal Ray-Ban sunglasses on his nose that goes with the hand erratic by the brown hair and looks to the wristwatch: The time is pressing, Essick want the images in the box, before the sun is too low.

The aim of the boat trips is the end of 2007 opened Neptune Memorial Reef before Key Biscayne. There is the beauty of semi-submerged between sculptures and tombs in Pose throw. Tasteless find the one for Essick as one of the best photographers in the world, it is art, and that he did not want to discuss. What he wants, or photos for a calendar and a book, he has not time to give away.

In twelve feet deep, in between the stone lions and almost to the water surface emerging pillars, lies down to Elaine stuff. It hovers over sculptures, winds around the gates and tries, despite the absence of air really relaxed. Every 30 seconds, a helper and lets them out of the lung machine to breathe, she appeared in between, in order to move the boat.

Under water model is not an easy job? the salt burns in the eyes, the skin is different, and constantly attracts one of the buoyancy of the body to the surface. Even the photographer has been difficult: Sometimes the light does not fit, then suspended particles in water, fish, or a push in the worst moment between the object and photo lens.

Space for 100,000 graves

The underwater cemetery in Florida is the brainchild of Gary Levine and Kim Brendall, an artist and a designer, and he could have for the two to develop printing money. Over 50 tombs in the depths have already been sold, at prices up to $ 6700. The first customer was Bert Kilbridge, a diver, in March 2008 at the age of 93 years died. His son said his father would feel honored, because it is life with the sea felt.

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At nearly six hectares of land will be space for a total of over 100,000 deaths arise. Sometimes they are buried in urns, sometimes on their ashes with the concrete mixed for new sculptures. According to the operators "Neptune Society" is not only a place of remembrance arise, but also the largest artificial reef in the world? the dead as part of a new ecosystem.

Levine and Brendall had initially not easy to have a permit for their project to get. Meanwhile, however, is the recreation Atlantis underwater cemetery as attractive to the different target groups: biologists can create an artificial reef to document what ideal coral reef fish living conditions and offers protection from fishermen.

Environmentalists support the Neptune Memorial Park, tourism agencies and diving schools are pleased with the new attractions. Even the sport divers are thrilled: Hardly any other diving spot exudes such a mystique and tranquility. Over 30 species have already located, the first colorful parrot fish chewing on the vegetation of the sculptures, while silver shiny barracuda between the pillars of prey lurking.

Lobster and fish suitcase on artificial reef

Under the water the diver floats by two brass gates, which are flanked bronze lions. A aufgeschreckter boxfish studied with frantic movements of his little flippers the width. The road leads to pillars and vaults over to the central square of the area, from the out in the final stages of construction as eight spokes in a wheel to the outer circle of the Memorial lead.

Even now the area attracts many, mostly small fish, under the stones the first stretch Hummer up their probe. Their capture is not allowed, the entire area is declared protected in the fishing, hunting and fishing is banned.

Jerry Normann, President of the "Neptune Society, said: The Reef" will be a beneficiary living in the sea to create. With the help of nature and time, this underwater memorial site a reef with colorful marine life and coral growth, which provides the security, the memory of the deceased for all time to preserve. "

The last dive of the photographer

Todd Essick meanwhile, has very different problems. Again and again pushes a cloud before the sun, the light rays do not penetrate into the sea and let it not transparent enough. But ultimately, the pro lucky: One hour of good vision him to the pictures in the box to get.

There are dreamy, surreal images full of mysticism, where the model "like a mermaid on the deceased monitored." Essick said that on their return is significantly more relaxed and also can imagine, once even to be buried. "As a diver, photographer and environmentalist I like the idea that there is now a further opportunity to dive the last election. The special atmosphere of this place is just fascinating."

Just over a year after the opening of the underwater cemetery is already the most popular diving spot off the coast of Key Biscayne. But not only sport divers and biologists will benefit from the project, even for members of a funeral in the Neptune Memorial Reef very practical benefits: The grave is, and during visits must also be brought no flowers? only a diving license, they should already possess.

Dreams of Timbuktu.

Mali is the land of the Dogon, the Lehmstädte and spectacular music festivals - and suffering in the north under criminal gangs. The region, which is now in a German was abducted, German tour operators offer only isolated to.

 

Who says Mali, dreams of Timbuktu: The very name sparked the Africa-fever, the yearning for adventure on the black continent. Their wedding experienced Lehmstadt while already on the Niger in the 15th and 16 Century, when slaves, salt and gold caravans the then largest metropolis in the region ourselves, and the center of Muslim scholarship here in the desert was.

But their legendary aura Africa seduced researchers still in the 19th Century expeditions to life in the west of the continent - and now attracts many tourists. What they are in about 1000 years old town to find, is a carefully restored houses Ensemble, the protected UNESCO World Heritage stands in the hinterland of the bitterly poor Mali showed.

But Mali tourists has more to offer than the famous desert city. Cultural highlights during the year are the magnificent and spectacular music festivals like the world-famous "Festival au Desert in Essakane, about 70 kilometers west of Timbuktu which takes place annually in January. Thousands of nomads in traditional dress, including those from neighboring West African countries, flows into the oasis. For days is drumming, dancing and celebrating. Or the "Festival sur le Niger in February, which only a few years ago as the counterpart of the successful Festival au Desert in Ségou was launched.

Less well known is the Feast "Tamadacht" in Andéramboukane in remote north-east of Mali on the border to Niger. There was a German tour group organizers on Thursday attacked a 75-year-old German, a Swiss couple and a Briton were kidnapped. At the biennial festival celebrating the Tuareg tribes of the border region, their culture, wear athletic competitions and regulate disputes - Tourists are rare here.

Und das hat seinen Grund, denn vor dem Besuch dieser Gegend nördlich des Nigers warnt auch das deutsche Auswärtige Amt (AA) ausdrücklich wegen erhöhter Kriminalität und möglicher Entführungen und nimmt nur die Städte Timbuktu und Gao aus: "Die Sicherheitslage im Norden Malis wird durch bewaffnete cross-border groups operating at considerable risk, "writes the AA has long been in his travel warning.

Mali-Africa attracts connoisseurs

The major German tour operators, the study or hiking trips to Mali in the program, such as Viking or Studiosus, a visit to this Tuareg festivals not offered. "We go to customers in regions facing the Foreign Office warns," says Xenia Kuhn excursions by Hauser in Munich, the trekking tours worldwide.

Most German tour operators are focused on goals, on or near the Niger lie. These include the UNESCO World Heritage city of Djenné, which every Monday one of the largest markets in Africa's largest Lehmgebäude the world, the 100-year-old Grand Mosque, is experiencing. The programs are also Mopti, known as Venice of the Sudan at the confluence of Bani and Niger, Ségou, the Sudanese-French colonial architecture up all time, the capital Bamako, a visit to the Dogon tribes and often also a Pinassenfahrt on the Niger.

Mali, like other West African countries, particularly Africa reizen-Kenner, Xenia Kuhn says, so customers, the continent have already been several times. "Mali is still original. The trips are not luxurious, there are no nice hotels, often in the tent overnight." What the expert Hauser and their customers fascinated Mali, are the special African light, especially the enthusiastic photographers, the colors of the country and the happiness of the people.

The next trip from Hauser will likely take place as planned, said Kuhn. If the warnings of the AA, however, extend the company could still very short notice.

"A race like a chess game."

The toughest dog sled race in the world is once again before: When Iditarod race man and dog go to the limits of their power. Included is the Wuppertal Sebastian Schnülle - in the vastness of Canada and Alaska is the most successful German musher a star.

 

Sebastian Schnülle would be the first to cast a "Robinson Crusoe" movie. His long brown hair is confused in all directions, his beard was allowed to grow for years. Only the snow crystals and icicles, like climbing in his hair hanging to disturb the picture. So more of the role of John Thornton from Jack London's novel "Call of the Wild" - because Sebastian is Schnülle musher, a dog sled driver.

Throughout the year, trained Schnülle his total of 80 Alaskan huskies, to winter in the North American races to participate. As the Iditarod, the toughest sled dog race in the World: 1150 miles rush by the mushers icy and snowy landscape of Alaska, from Anchorage to Nome. Through dense jungle and abandoned goldmining settlements on barren plateaus and the ice of the Bering Sea. 1150 miles, where the men and few women on their own, and on 7 March want to be defeated again.

In the past year and crossed Schnülle his huskies on 12 March at 13:14 clock the finish line, as sensationell Tenth. He won the best placement, a German ever achieved. Almost ten days earlier stated: "Let's go." The long-drawn-out call is formally swallowed by the wind. But the 16 dog sled race Schnülles before going on? with twelve km / h, though, the team on the snow. On board are an ax, snowshoes, sleeping bag, a headlamp for night driving and cooking and food.

"Sleigh driver, cook and masseuse equally"

"Culinary is not a highlight," says Schnülle and laughs. Precooked pasta and pizza, all vacuum-packed, and lots of chocolate bars are on the menu, but takes Schnülle during the race about six kilograms from. Much more important are the things for his dogs: blankets and straw as a mattress, dog trainers, massage and foot care creams and feed en masse. "I'm sled driver, cook and masseuse alike," says Schnülle.

After about six hours' drive the dogs must be six hours to recover. Time for Schnülle to heat the food, the dogs and shoes to change the dogs shoulders and massage joints. "For me, remains a maximum of one hours sleep before we break up again. On the lack of sleep you have to be mentally set on the third day of physical intrusion." The secret of success lies in the strategy: "As a race is like a big chess game: Which dog is right for me, at what times I go and how do I go gentle? Because the hardest part comes at the end." He selects especially older and more experienced dogs.

"Gee!" The command allows the dogs unerringly to the right. There is an Indian village, one of 22 checkpoints. At 18 of them before the race Schnülle Proviant shoes and other dogs landfilled. From where he needs a total 1200th Change of clothes for himself, he is missing: "Meanwhile, I have on the line so much self-confidence that I shall not. After two days of smelling my dog and I always like."

Born and raised in Wuppertal in Ostfriesland, Schnülle worked up in the nineties as an industrial mechanic at Mercedes and studied in parallel environment. But his semester in Ontario and a first dogsled trip changed him. "My next few years, I took leave in the winter and went back into the cold." Back in Germany, he dropped his studies in the penultimate semesters and moved to the Yukon from. Since he raises sled and offers excursions for tourists.

"A kind of long-term meditation"

97 participants last year at the start of the Iditarod has gone. Along the route remained especially beginners, the so-called Rookies. Like Schnülle in his debut. 1999, he was the first time in the Yukon Quest, it is also a race of several thousand miles. "But I failed miserably," admits the 38-year-olds. Only five years later, he undertook the next start? and was Tenth. "Then I could not leave. It's like a virus. An addiction." What makes the attraction of these tough races to go? "For me, this is a kind of long meditation. You forget everything and live on only in the here and now, with your dogs."

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Yukon Quest and Iditarod in Alaska and Canada right big events. Schnülle is especially known because he was one of the few drivers in the year equal to two thousand mile race participates. Iditarod 2008 were for around 50,000 spectators at the starting line in Anchorage. The goal in Nome, there were still around 1000, although it only goes by plane. There are autograph sessions, and many of the participants have their own Mushing cards, similar to the American baseball cards. All sleds have a GPS in the process so that the fans on the Internet can pursue their favorites. These are mushers filmed from helicopters.

Dive into the light!.

Color noise in the concrete bunker on the Japanese island of Naoshima star architect has a unique museum for avant-garde art was built. Even the most spectacular beaches decorate sculptures - and in the village, there is the smallest James Bond exhibition in the world.

 

On socks shuffle six museum visitors the black stairs, at about five meters wide neonblaue rectangle. First up, they recognize that no Neonobjekt mural, but a walk in space. First, no one dares to enter, but dressed all in white Intervener means them to go - and they run on the fluorescent light.

The optical confusion by the peculiar blue is so perfect, that one would hardly be surprised if next singing angel-in Gothic Lolita costumes Petrus or a Japanese samurai-blending with cowl and the sky would appear keys. Instead, there are only a few meters a warning on the ground - do not go, crash risk. You can see the abyss because of the dark soil, but nobody dares to take the chance to leave.

Modern art to life and to make tangible - this is one of the stated goals of Japanese art Naoshima island south of Honshu region. The museum Chichu with walk-neon installation "Open Space" by James Turrell is just one of many exhibition sites. Even the shore is lined with metal sculptures, head-high reflective glass and steel structures schiffbugförmigen, which from afar could suspect that it was real wrecks.

So rich in art objects, the island is that during the tour in angeschwemmten plastic bottles and brightly painted bollards Artworks to recognize believes. And through the bushes on the roadside giant spiders lurking not too colorful to be true? At its meter large networks will be for the purpose of proof of authenticity can not be shaken.

From Yves Klein to Jasper Johns

Even if the port, where after 20 minutes ferry ride from the mainland arrives, a walk-orange gourd with black points, welcomed the visitors, it is clear that Naoshima, the "gentle island", is different than the nearby industrial and fishery landing of the Seto Maritime.

At the beginning of the nineties, the publishing house decided Benesse Corporation, Naoshima from an island of art making. Under the open sky numerous sculptures and installations, to the two art museums and Chichu Benesse Art House. The latter has a high-level collection of works by David Hockney, Jackson Pollock, Yves Klein and Jasper Johns.

"I wanted to find a direct link with the art in order to understand them individually," said Soichiro Fukutake, one of the founders of the art museums, according to website of the publisher. "Art should allow about the importance of a pleasant, beautiful life."

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[M] DDP / DPA / blogs ONLINE

Rain damaged famous Nazca lines.

Three fingers were buried a figure: Heavy rains have UNESCO-protected Nazca lines in Peru damaged. Even those parts of the Panamericana highway were washed away by the floods.

 

Lima - Heavy rain is part of the famous Nazca lines in Peru attacked, like an archaeologist reported on Monday. The huge, and only from the air quite discerning Scharr pictures are one of the main tourist attractions in Peru. They have been around 2000 years in the desert soil dug.

AFP / Yamagata UNIVERSITY
Nazca lines: Since 1994 UNESCO World Heritage Site

The area for the dry sand had unusual rain to parts of a figure also rinsed and nearby parts of the Panamericana highway washed away, said Mario Olaechea by the National Institute of Culture. The damage to the Scharr pictures were not serious, the sand will be removed.

The formations in the desert landscape between südperuanischen Nazca and Palpa in 1994 was the list of UNESCO World Heritage site recorded. They consist of land and up to ten kilometers of lines and present, up to 300 meters long depictions of plants and animals.

Archaeologists had already warned that rain could threaten the lines. It was but the first time, said Olaechea that this happened.

Ghost dance in the night sky.

In winter pilgrimage amateur astronomers north: in green, red and white blaze spectacular northern lights over the night sky. In Canada, the fans gathered in the tent city of Aurora Village - klirrendkaltem when the weather is not entirely harmless.

 

Yellowknife - Miyu the whole evening comes not from the amazement out. It has been many hours in the dark northern Canada, and it is freezing cold in this winter's night - at minus 40 degrees Celsius in the thermometer shows. But the cold discourages the petite woman from Tokyo not. What they see in the sky, is compensation for freezing everything on their journey. Because slowly go straight through the Northwest Territories at the Northern Lights: green veil, which is in good conditions compounded by red stripes. If the air is loaded, the conditions for these lights best - then they dance.

Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights are called, throughout the winter months in the sky can be seen - the best in the middle of the night. "You can never say when they come from and how strong they are lit," says "Buffalo Mike". He is one of the few locals among the Asian Himmelsguckern which are on this evening at the Aurora Village, a tent city outside of Yellowknife, have assembled.

Especially for Japanese have the lights set up by the impact of solar wind of charged particles in the atmosphere at the poles of a special fascination. "We grow up with stories about the northern lights," says Miyu. Therefore it is the dream of almost every Japanese, these lights at once sky experience.

Frostbite within minutes

In the Northwest Territories - a part of Canada, on the edge of the Arctic is - are the natural conditions particularly well. The temperatures but can be quite uncomfortable, to the wind often blows strongly. Chill The values for more then ten degrees - that's enough to keep up with the nose of the camera festzukleben or frostbite within minutes of bare skin to get.

But the Canadians are prepared for their winter, which lasts at least until April. "Good clothing is the most important thing," said Carlos Gonzales, even in the winter is nothing in his house holds. Warm clothes and trousers, heavy Filzstiefel with Kautschukfuß and down coats with hoods fellbesetzten - the clothes, the man on the roads most often sees. And the cold is dry. "This will be immediately re-warm, if you are in a heated house." The downside of the drought: The skin often eingecremt, and creams with fat, because water-freeze immediately.

Carlos' greatest pleasure is to tourists on a snowmobile and to bring with them over the frozen Great Slave Lake to drive. This well 27,000 square-kilometer lake has a depth of up to 614 meters, the deepest in North America. In winter, he is largely frozen. "The ice can be up to two meters thick," says Carlos.

Photo: DDP
Video: JKR

In doing so, the lake is not only the drivers, with the 125 horsepower engine on the snow and ice fly. The ice is also an important lifeline for those who are in the diamond mines operate. In the winter on the lake roads roads, the highways are as wide. The traffic is brisk, especially truck convoys, there are many. "They are bringing supplies for the whole year in the mines," says Carlos. So that the water below the ice is not too many waves and cracks in the icy surface causes, the truck, however, only 10 km / h on the ice creep - so they need for their tour half an eternity.

Diamonds instead of gold

Yellowknife came some 50 years ago to fame and wealth, as adventurers in the mines looking for gold. "Here, there were significantly more gold than the Klondike," said city spokesman Jon Bass. Inventories were soon exhausted - but since there was a geologist who was convinced that there are diamonds in the region must pass. He searched for many years, was finally found - and told no one for three years from its billion dollar fund. Meanwhile, three diamond mines in operation and promote the gemstones.

 

Who in the Northwest Territories is on for hours often takes no people. In the flat pine woods along the roads, however, lurking dangers - at least for tourists from the city. Wild buffalo, moose, caribou, lynx, snow foxes, wolves, bears are for the locals on the other hand, part of everyday life. Moose Burger, caribou meatloaf, soup and bison dried flesh of the arctic fish belong to the diet, because many people here to hunt and process meat and skins.

"Buffalo Mike" has been in matters of life and some of the Indians abgeschaut: He wears a cap with a leather coat and gloves, which are as large as shopping bags. These gloves are in the Northern watching the highlight of the night: All the Japanese want to deal with Mike and his outfit photographed. Even more interesting, but they find what he has to tell. His gloves were from the skin of a wolf, which he had shot himself, and a seamstress had made it soft gloves. "They keep for many years and I have never had cold hands in it."

Car rental company asks money from survivors.

Even the prime minister is outraged: A New Zealand Car of the parents has killed tourists money for a lost car keys required. The two sons were at the Fox glacier ice has been slain.

 

Wellington - The car key is in the pocket of the corpse buried - and the rental car company wants to replace: 1000 Euro calls from the family of the last week in New Zealand injured man. The young Australian tourist was with his brother on Fox Glacier tonnenschwerem under glaciers have been buried. Finally, the car is towed away and the electronic key to be replaced, the landlord argued.

DPA
Fox Glacier: The father of the two Australians killed in the accident

New Zealand Prime Minister John Keys criticized the company, and in the Australian home of the young man was the New Zealanders as a hard-hearted insults. An Unknown paid the bill on Wednesday to help the family and the debate to an end.

Akshay, 22, and Ashish, 24, Miranda was in the past week, climbed over a fence to be closer
at the Fox Glacier on the South Island of New Zealand to come. Suddenly disbanded by the glacier a huge chunks of ice and killed the brothers. The corpse of Akshay - with the car keys in his pocket - was among the giant ice sheets have not been salvaged.

On the web page of the newspaper "New Zealand Herald readers also expressed some understanding for the rental car company. The brothers were to blame for the tragedy itself, because they were climbing the fence, it was said.