In Photos: South America Hit By Severe Flooding

Men travel on a boat near flood-affected houses in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday.

In the worse affected country, Paraguay, around 90,000 people in the area around the capital city of Asuncion have been evacuated, the municipal Emergencies Office said. Many are poor families living in precarious housing along the banks of the River Paraguay. (Reuters)

Please click the photos for larger images:

A flooded home is pictured in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

Houses are seen partially submerged in floodwaters in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

People travel on a boat near flood-affected houses in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

Men travel on a boat near flood-affected houses in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

People travel on a boat near flood-affected houses in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Nino, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

A woman looks at a nativity scene on top of her house above flood waters in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

A flood-affected home is pictured in Asuncion, December 27, 2015. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes in the bordering areas of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina due to severe flooding in the wake of heavy summer rains brought on by El Niño, authorities said on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

Germany Wins World Cup On Mario Gotze’s Brilliant Goal

Gratulation Deutschland!!!!

2014 World Cup champion, Germany becomes the first European country to win the trophy in South America.

The goal, which was scored by Mario Gotze was a brilliant goal that helps Germany to win the World Cup for the fourth time.

Mario Gotze blasted the ball over the bar in the last seconds of the match.

During the last minutes of the match, Schuerrle escaped down the left and sent the ball that Götze controlled on his chest before he blasted it over the bar.

I thought it was not a goal until I saw Gotze celebrating his goal on the TV screen.

But I must pity Bastian Schweinsteiger for his injury.

German goal keeper, Manuel Neuer won the Golden Glove Award for making 25 saves and completing 202 passes…

And the Golden Ball Award was won by the Argentina striker, Lionel Messi…

While the Golden Boot was awarded to Colombian hero, James Rodriguez.

Gratulation Deutschland!!!!

 

Will Germany Win 2014 World Cup?

Photos: Breathtaking World Heritage Sites

Iguacu Falls

Iguacu Falls. (Photo Credit: Dmitry V. Petrenko/Shutterstock)

At 490 feet wide and nearly 3000 feet long, Iguaçu Falls is filled with falls of every size and intensity, most notably Devil’s Throat, where water drops from a height of 270 feet. With the highest flow of water on record, Iguaçu easily topples its equally famous sisters, Victoria and Niagara Falls. Ample viewing opportunities are available: Argentina offers close-up action shots with walkways that lead visitors into the action—feeling the power of the water is unforgettable. Brazil features all-encompassing panoramas and sweeping vistas of the falls’ network, allowing you to appreciate their sheer size.

Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Islands,off the coast of Ecuador.  (Photo credit: sunsinger/Shutterstock)

A utopian universe of 19 volcanic islands comprises the Galápagos archipelago, roughly 1,000 kilometers off the coast of Ecuador, in the Pacific Ocean. Watch your step on islands Isabela and Fernandina, where endemic marine iguanas are protected and thriving, each reaching up to five and a half feet long. Swim with sea lions, sharks, and giant turtles—all playful and curious, having never faced threats from humans. 

Rock Islands Southern Lagoon

Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, Republic of Palau. (Photo Credit: howamo/Shutterstock)

The term “picturesque” must have been coined with Palau in mind. The 200-kilometer chain of islands forms the archipelago, geographically part of Micronesia. Out of eight islands and 250 islets, Palau’s limestone Rock Islands jut out as if positioned on pedestals. Erosion has transformed them into towering umbrella shapes, bases fringed by fronds, reefs, coral walls, caves, and planes and ships—remnants of World War II. With pristine waters, visibility reaches almost 200 feet below the surface. Inhabited for over 4,000 years, the islands are home to ancient burial grounds and drawings.

Halong Bay

Halong Bay, Vietnam. (Photo Credit: John Bill/Shutterstock)

This iconic group of evolving stone islands casts different shapes and colors, depending on the light and time of day, onto the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. The oldest is 280 million years old. Around half of the 2,000-odd limestone and schist islands are named after the shapes they project, such as Hon Rong (“Dragon Islet”). Halong Bay comprises the southwest islands, where eagles soar around forested peaks. Natural grottoes and caves punctuate the intricate and elaborate mesh of islands.

Meteora

Meteora, Greece.  (Photo Credit: Gabriela Insuratelu/Shutterstock)

Precariously perched atop pinnacles of sandstone, 1300 feet high, Meteora’s six Greek Orthodox monasteries tower over the city of Kalambaka in central Greece. They’re centuries old—dating to the 9th century—from a time when Byzantine hermit monks, who lived in Meteora’s caves, were forced to move to safety at these heights.

Borobudur Temple Compounds

Borobudur Temple Compounds, East Java, Indonesia. (Photo Credit: Luciano Mortula/Shutterstock).

Mysticism shrouds dawn in Borobudur. Giant faded pink bell structures cap a giant stupa, representing the micro cosmos, and shimmer through a misty golden sunrise. It’s an ethereal scene that radiates ancient spirituality. The world’s largest Buddhist monument, dated to the 9th century, can be found here. One million tourists pour into Borobudur’s grounds annually to marvel at the balustrades, relief panels, and Buddha statues. The stonework features an interlocking design—an architectural feat for its time.

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre,  Italy. (Photo Credit: Dudarev Mikhail/Shutterstock).

Serrated mountains host olive groves and lush terraced vineyards, nestling five vivid villages that are carved into the coastline. Each is crammed with a distinctive ambiance, connected by wildflowers and butterflies, steeples, and a confectionary of colorful buildings. The cliffs of Cinque Terre seemingly slip into the sea—a protected marine area. Villages are reached solely by train, through a series of tunnels along sheer cliffs.

New Stonehenge 

New Stonehenge visitor centre set to open.

The English Heritage chief executive, Simon Thurley, says Stonehenge has now got “the exhibition and the museum that it deserves”, as part of the ongoing £27m project to improve facilities at the site.

60 People Attacked By Piranha In Parana River, Argentina (Photos)

Piranha fish are known for their sharp teeth and large appetite for meat. Hundreds of attacks are reported every year, with experts and biologists often warning swimmers not to go into unknown waters. (Photo MailOnline)

On December 25, 2013, about 60 people were attacked by piranhas in the Parana River, off the coast of Rosario, about 310 kilometers (200 miles) north of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

It was said that there are lots of piranhas in the river.

Lifeguards director Federico Cornier said that the bathers might had been bitten by a type of piranha named palometa. 

Palometa is big, voracious and with sharp teeth that can really bite. 

Health Undersecretary Gabriela Quintanilla told reporters that a girl lost part of a finger in the incident.

A medical official, Gustavo Centurion, said the attack which began at mid-morning was “very aggressive.”

“There were some people that the fish literally had torn bits of flesh from,” he said.

Officials said the unusually warm weather also was apparently responsible for the fish congregating on the river’s surface before the attack.

Dec. 25, 2013: A man is treated after he was bit by a palometa, a type of piranha, while wading in the Parana River in Rosario, Argentina. Lifeguards director Federico Cornier said Thursday that thousands of bathers were cooling off from 100 degree temperatures in the Parana River on Wednesday when bathers suddenly came to them complaining of bite marks on their hands and feet. He blamed the attack on palometas, a type of piranha, big, voracious and with sharp teeth that can really bite. (AP/LA CAPITAL)

A man is treated after he was bit by a palometa, a type of piranha, while wading in the Parana River in Rosario, Argentina. Photo: AP

Photo credit to Projec.com

In Photos: Gauchos (Cowboys) In Action

Today I learn a new word which – gauchos.

In the U.S.A. people call them cowboys but in Latin Americas they are called  ‘gauchos’.

These gauchos from all over Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil visit Montevideo to participate in the Criolla Week to win the best rider award.

Please click the photos for larger images:

A gaucho falls from a wild horse during the annual celebration of Criolla Week in Montevideo, March 28, 2013. Throughout Easter Week, “gauchos”, the Latin American equivalent of the North American cowboy, from all over Uruguay and neighboring Argentina and Brazil will visit Montevideo to participate in the Criolla Week to win the best rider award. The competition is held from March 24 to March 30 this year. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY – Tags: SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

A gaucho rides a wild horse during the annual celebration of Criolla Week in Montevideo, March 27, 2013. Throughout Easter Week, “gauchos”, the Latin American equivalent of the North American cowboy, from all over Uruguay and neighboring Argentina and Brazil will visit Montevideo to participate in the Criolla Week to win the best rider award. The competition is held from March 24 to March 30 this year. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY – Tags: SOCIETY)

A gaucho falls from a wild horse during the annual celebration of Criolla Week in Montevideo, March 28, 2013. Throughout Easter Week, “gauchos”, the Latin American equivalent of the North American cowboy, from all over Uruguay and neighboring Argentina and Brazil will visit Montevideo to participate in the Criolla Week to win the best rider award. The competition is held from March 24 to March 30 this year. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY – Tags: SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

A gaucho rides an unbroken horse during the annual celebration of Criolla Week in Montevideo, March 25, 2013. Throughout Easter Week “gauchos”, the Latin American equivalent of the North American “cowboy”, from all over Uruguay and neighboring Argentina and Brazil visit Montevideo to participate in Criolla Week to win the award of best rider. The competition is held March 24 – March 30. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY – Tags: SOCIETY ANIMALS TRAVEL TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

A gaucho rides a wild horse during the annual celebration of Criolla Week in Montevideo, March 28, 2013. Throughout Easter Week, “gauchos”, the Latin American equivalent of the North American cowboy, from all over Uruguay and neighboring Argentina and Brazil will visit Montevideo to participate in the Criolla Week to win the best rider award. The competition is held from March 24 to March 30 this year. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY – Tags: SOCIETY

A gaucho falls from a wild horse during the annual celebration of Criolla Week in Montevideo, March 28, 2013. Throughout Easter Week, “gauchos”, the Latin American equivalent of the North American cowboy, from all over Uruguay and neighboring Argentina and Brazil will visit Montevideo to participate in the Criolla Week to win the best rider award. The competition is held from March 24 to March 30 this year. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY – Tags: SOCIETY)

A gaucho falls from a wild horse during the annual celebration of Criolla Week in Montevideo, March 28, 2013. Throughout Easter Week, “gauchos”, the Latin American equivalent of the North American cowboy, from all over Uruguay and neighboring Argentina and Brazil will visit Montevideo to participate in the Criolla Week to win the best rider award. The competition is held from March 24 to March 30 this year. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY – Tags: SOCIETY)

A gaucho rides a wild horse during the annual celebration of Criolla Week in Montevideo, March 28, 2013. Throughout Easter Week, “gauchos”, the Latin American equivalent of the North American cowboy, from all over Uruguay and neighboring Argentina and Brazil will visit Montevideo to participate in the Criolla Week to win the best rider award. The competition is held from March 24 to March 30 this year. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY – Tags: SOCIETY

A gaucho falls from a wild horse during the annual celebration of Criolla Week in Montevideo, March 27, 2013. Throughout Easter Week, “gauchos”, the Latin American equivalent of the North American cowboy, from all over Uruguay and neighboring Argentina and Brazil will visit Montevideo to participate in the Criolla Week to win the best rider award. The competition is held from March 24 to March 30 this year. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY – Tags: SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) RELIGION)