The Aurora Borealis at Yelowknife, Canada

Photos of northern lights from Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, on the north shore of Great Slave Lake, approximately 400 km south of the Arctic Circle.

The aurora borealis, or northern lights, are actually giant electrical storms formed by solar flares from the sun that react with the Earth’s magnetic field. This midnight show draws thousands of visitors each winter to spend an hour outside at night, sometimes at minus 30ºC and more.
Water that has a few degrees below zero, freezes in time when the wave break through the ice.


Auroras, sometimes called the northern and southern (polar) lights or aurorae, are natural light displays in the sky, usually observed at night, particularly in the polar regions. They typically occur in the ionosphere. They are also referred to as polar auroras.
In northern latitudes, the effect is known as the aurora borealis. The aurora borealis is also called the northern polar lights, as it is only visible in the sky from the Northern Hemisphere, with the chance of visibility increasing with proximity to the North Magnetic Pole. (Earth's is currently in the arctic islands of northern Canada.) Auroras seen near the magnetic pole may be high overhead, but from further away, they illuminate the northern horizon as a greenish glow or sometimes a faint red, as if the sun were rising from an unusual direction. The Aurora Borealis most often occurs near the equinoxes.

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Who says Flintstones are gone?

Mount Sahand Kandovan - 700 years Old Village
In the north east of Iran at the foot of Mount Sahand in Kandovan, the villagers live in cave homes carved out from the volcanic rock.
The houses are of two to four storeys; the ground floor is used for animals, the first and maybe second floor as well, are used as living areas, whilst the top floor is used to store things.

Most houses face south so residents enjoy sunlight during the day. The houses have windows with decorative glass. It is said that the houses have an “air circulation system that keeps the homes cool in summer and warm in winter”, but I suspect it is the great thermal capacity of the whole mountain rock that is doing the work. Nowadays the houses have electrical connection, water piped in and even waste plumbing.
The Sahand is well known for its spring-water which is believed to be able to cure diseases. A river runs through the valley in the village, providing water for the agricultural terraces and animal husbandry.

Private Islands You Can't Afford

Tetiroa
The mysterious Polynesian island jewel known as Tetiaroa is actually a 4.5 mile wide atoll comprised of 12 motus (small islands) and located just 36.5 miles north of Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia on the island of Tahiti.
It is probably most famously known for its now deceased but legendary owner, Hollywood actor, Marlon Brando, although relatively few travelers have ever visited the place. (In actuality, Marlon didn't ever really own the place, but rather was privy to a 99 year lease to it from the FP government.) The only official resident of the island is Marlon's son Eihotu.
The island is practically intact nature with a fantastic collection of tropical birds.

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Nygard cay
Nygard cay is a perfect location for every Bahamas traveler. The exclusive Bahamas Luxury Nygard Cay is 6 acres at the end of Lyford Cay in New Providencia, approx. 22 minutes from Paradise Island. In 1987, Peter Nygard fulfilled his creative passion and architecturally designed and built his own 5 acre Robinson Crusoe playground named Nygard Cay. The private luxury resort includes replicas of Mayan Temples, private tennis court, beaches, pool, aquarium, 85-foot yacht, disco club and state-of-the-art Home Theatre and 20+ themed cabanas for himself, his family and many celebrity guests who wish to get away for a serene sabbatical. If you want to stay there, you'll have to pay $42 000 for one day.

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Musha Cay
Musha Cay is a 150 acre (1/4 of a sq. mile), privately owned island in the Exuma Chain, in the southern Bahamas. It is located 85 miles southeast of Nassau.
Musha Cay is surrounded by three smaller islands that maintain its guests' privacy. There can only be one group of guests, numbering up to twenty-four, at any one time. Musha Cay is owned by David Copperfield.
The island features palm trees, exotic flowers and tropical vegetation, and its white sand beaches border on the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Caribbean. A live-in staff of 30, including a world-class chef, look after the needs of up to 20 guests, with accommodations provided in 5 unique English Colonial-style villas. Each villa has large mahogany decks, 4-poster beds in the master bedrooms, and access to its own private beach. For up to 12 persons a price will be $32 250 per day.

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Isla De Sa Ferradura
Isla de sa Ferradura lies north of Ibiza and is a pearl in the Mediterranean Sea. Most days during summer, the temperature hovers around 27°C (85°F). Even in winter, though, you are bound to get one or two days of the much-touted 300 days-out-of-the-year worth of sunshine. The island has been transformed into a super-hacienda. Rental price is $230 000 per week. If you want to buy a place, you'll have to pay $39 700 700.

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Dark Island
Dark island is situated on the St. Lawrence River, close to the border of the USA and Canada. A certain mystery surrounds the castle on Dark Island - with its underground passageways and evocative paintings. Singer Castle is a 100 year-old-castle and is one of the very few historical castles in the United States.

Official page, Wikipedia

Cabbage cay, Bahamas
Cabbage Cay is a 35-acre private island located in the inner bay, just off North Eleuthera and Harbour Island. This island has 3 sandy beaches and exotic collection of animals. If you want to buy this paradise, you'll have to pay $2 500 000.

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