T R AV E L
World’s Largest Salt Flat
Dubbed as one of the most remarkable vistas in
all of South Africa, if not Earth, Bolivia’s Salar de
Uyuni spans over 10,500 sq km and is the result of
prehistoric lakes evaporated long ago.
A thick crust of salt stretches to the horizon,
covered by quilted, polygonal patterns of salt rising
from the ground.
Certain times of the year (rainy season,) nearby
lakes overflow and a thin layer of water transforms
the flats into a stunning reflection of the sky which
is colloquially referred to as the mirror effect.
During the dry season though, temperatures are
colder and harden the ground, allowing travellers
to drive across the landscape to areas of the flat
which aren’t accessible during rainy season.
This out-of-this-world terrain is also home to the
world’s first salt hotel.
Museum Of The Dead
A macabre spectacle or a unique display of cultural
heritage? It’s a matter of opinion between the
two when it comes to visiting Sicily’s Capuchin
Catacombs.
Created back in the late 16th century after the
Capuchin monastery’s cemetery became overrun,
the underground tombs contain around 8,000
bodies divided into separate corridors, including
one for religious figures, one for professional men,
and one for children.
The Door To Hell
Supernatural writer Eric Kripke may tell us that
the Devil’s Gate is in Wyoming, and Joss Whedon
may have led us to believe that the entrance to hell
is in Sunnydale, California in Buffy the Vampire
Slayer – but in Turkmenistan, people believe it is
actually in Ahal Province.
Located in the middle of the Karakum Desert is
a 230-foot-wide crater that simply won’t stop
burning, and is ‘fondly’ referred to as The Door to
Hell by locals. The story behind it traces back to
Soviet engineers in 1971 who, upon believing that
site was an oil field, drilled into a natural gas pocket
thereby releasing methane into the environment.
To prevent the spread of the poisonous gas, the
engineers set fire to the crater to burn the gas
leaving us with an almost 50-year-old anomaly.
Among the corpses also lies Rosalia Lombardo, a
two-year-old mummy who is referred to as the
‘Sleeping Beauty of Palermo’ because of her near-
perfect preservation. The rest of the bodies are also
presented like a museum exhibit, largely dressed to
the nines considering the number of noble families
displayed – sound like fun?