Full Moon Festival

Thousands of Thai monks put on a light show for Buddha as full moon festival begins

• Makha Bucha marks the first full moon day which falls on the third lunar month
• Alcohol banned for 24 hours as mark of respect for important holy day
• Buddhists visit temples to hear sermons and perform good deeds

By Steve Robson

PUBLISHED: 02:07 GMT, 26 February 2013 | UPDATED: 02:38 GMT, 26 February 2013

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These beautiful images show thousands of Thai Buddhist monks gathering to carry lanterns and venerate a statue of Buddha to mark one of the holiest days of the religious calender.

Makha Bucha commemorates the full moon day which falls on the third lunar month of the year.

Though sources differ slightly, it is generally believed the festival originates from the first sermon given by Lord Buddha, nine months after his Enlightenment, when 1,250 monk disciples appeared spontaneously to hear him speak.

Thousands of Thai Buddhist monks chant during a lantern lighting to celebrate Makha Bucha day at Dhammakaya Temple in Pathum Thani province, on the outskirts of Bangkok

Makha Bucha or Magha Puja also known as the day of the Fourfold Assembly is one of the holiest days to commemorate the full moon night of the third lunar month

People walk around the Buddha Statue holding candles for prayers during Makha Bucha Day

'Makha' is the Thai word for the third lunar month while 'Bucha' means to honour or venerate.

It is believed Makha Bucha day originates from when Lord Buddha gave a sermon to 1,250 monks who appeared before him spontaneously

World's Strangest Snacks

Well, it finally happened.

I've been on the computer so much and have been receiving so many e-mails lately,

that my cursor actually overheated.

Check it out for yourself.

Click Here

World's Strangest Snacks 1. Hákarl: Icelandic Fermented Shark     Popular in Iceland, the Hákarl is a basking shark which has been cured with a particular fermentation process and hung to dry for four to five months. It is often served in cubes on toothpicks and comes in two varieties; chewy and reddish glerhákarl (lit. "glassy shark") from the belly, and white and soft skyrhákarl (lit. "skyr shark") from the body.   2. Balut: Fertilized Duck Egg     Balut is a fertilized duck egg, with a partially formed fetus inside. It is usually eaten by cracking open the shell and drinking the fluid. Then fetus is seasoned with salt and pepper, and eaten raw. These eggs can be commonly found in the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia.NOTE: according to some of our readers, the embryo is not eaten raw. The whole egg is cooked either by steaming, boiling or with heated sand.   3. Kanikko: Candied Crabs       Lacquered with a sugary, slightly spicy coating, these Japanese crab snacks taste fishy and sweet.   4. Casu Marzu: Italian Maggot Cheese   During the aging process of "Rotten Cheese," a fly called Piophila casei deposits its eggs on the cheese. When the maggots are born, they move throughout the cheese, excreting enzymes that give it an overwhelmingly pungent smell, a rotten taste, and a soft, creamy texture. The cheese is served at weddings and other family gatherings.   5. Escamoles: Ant Eggs     Escamoles are made from the eggs of black ants, which are collected from colonies, and harvested from the roots of the agave plant in Mexico. They must be collected, just before the larvae turn into ants, and the larvae collectors must wear protective gear to protect themselves from stings. Their taste have been described as that of corn, and they are often eaten in tacos.   6. Squid Balls       A snack, they feel mildly squid-ish, craggy on the outside and steamy-bouncy on the inside.   7. Dried Wild Fish     Targeted to kids, this snack made in China to be distributed in Russia may seem repulsive to some and the list of ingredients on the back of the pouch is refreshingly short: fish, salt.   8. Crickets on a stick     If you live in Beijing or Bangkok, you might fancy a taste of crickets. Or maybe you would prefer baby nestling sparrows, mice, snakes, or maybe a bowl of scrumptious scorpion soup?   9. Black Garlic Chocolate   Japan's Black Garlic Chocolates are made by Takko Shoji, who claims the fermented black garlic coated with bittersweet chocolate can increase energy and promote metabolism when eaten regularly over a couple of months.   10. Pork Skin     Pork rinds --pieces of pig's fried or roasted skin (rind)-- are actually quite common in several countries around the world. Chunks of cured pork skins are deep-fried and puffed into light, irregular curls, and often seasoned with chili pepper or barbecue flavouring.  These microwavable pork rinds are sold in bags that resemble microwave popcorn (although not exhibiting the 'popping' sound) and can be eaten still warm. Pickled pork rinds, on the other hand, are often enjoyed refrigerated and cold. Unlike the crisp and fluffy texture of fried pork rinds, pickled pork rinds are very rich and buttery, much like foie .

Britain from above

The heart-stopping shots are the work of aerial photographer Jason Hawkes who developed a love of Britain 'svaried landscape since taking his first flying lesson 20 years ago.

 

 

Perfect location: The Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland featured in the Harry Potter films.

Jubilee year: Buckingham Palace dominates the landscape in this aerial view of London

Jolly hockey pics: Pictured from above these sports pitches and the ant like people playing take on a strange geometrical beauty

Field of dreams: The Oval cricket pitch in South London at night

Fun land: A rollercoaster track twists and turns to form an incredible colourful image at this amusement park in Southend-on-Sea.

Looking down on an angel: A rarely seen view of Anthony Gormley's Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead

Brighton Pier:

Hanging out with Nelson: A view looking down on Nelson's Column in London 's Trafalgar Square

Ace view: Centre Court at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club

London suburbs:

Heritage site: A quiet moment at Stonehenge

Nooks and crannies: A lighthouse looks out over a rugged stretch of coast near East Prawle in Devon

Myth and legend: Some believe Glastonbury Tor in Somerset is the final resting place of King Arthur

Bluegrass: A field of Flax in Buckinghamshire takes on magical properties

Wrong turns: Longleat maze near Bath is the largest in Britain

The jail where you'd want to be locked up

Notorious prison is transformed into luxury hotel (and guests still sleep in the cells) By Anthony Bond PUBLISHED: 17:28 GMT, 25 February 2013 | UPDATED: 07:36 GMT, 26 February 2013 It was previously a place from which people desperately wanted to leave. As one of the Netherlands' most feared prisons for almost 150 years, Het Arresthuis was not a place you would want to stay. But following its closure and something of a makeover, people are now paying good money to spend a night at the former jail. Grim: As one of the Netherlands' most feared prisons for almost 150 years, Het Arresthuis was not a place you would want to stay Luxury: Following its closure and something of a makeover, people now pay big money to spend at least one night in the old holding cells Change: The 105 prisoner's quarters have been converted into 40 spacious rooms Intimidating: This picture shows Het Arresthuis when it was a notorious prison The 105 prisoner’s quarters have been converted into 40 spacious rooms,  including 24 standard rooms, 12 deluxe rooms, and four suites, all of which feature modern furnishings and chic interior design. All of the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a flat screen TV, free WiFi, and even a personal coffee and tea machine.   More... From sunshine to Swindon: Tourist builds replica in his back garden of the hotel where he stayed in Portugal after falling in love with the building The hotel also features a  sauna, fitness centre, central patio with olive trees, and an organic herb garden.  Het Arresthuis opened its doors in 1862 and quickly established a reputation as an intimidating jail. Fancy: All of the rooms feature modern furnishings and chic interior design. This picture shows guests enjoying dinner Makeover: This image shows one of the rooms, which used to be a cell for prisoners Stylish: This image shows part of one of the bathrooms Relaxing: Guests enjoy drinks and food in this pleasant terrace area Despite the prison featuring lots of bars, this place has both kinds – the ones you can’t get past and the ones where you can get a drink. After being abandoned for a number of years, the jail reopened in 2002. But in mid 2007 it closed permanently after which construction of the hotel began.  Het Arresthuis was also called 'bolletjesbajes' which translates as stuffer's prison. Accommodation: Het Arresthuis opened its doors in 1862, as a prison. It closed down for good in 2007 Pleasant: Unlike prisoners who were always keen to leave their cells, guests actually pay big money to spend a night here Scary: Despite the cells having a nice makeover, the original doors have been kept in place Plush: The jail most certainly did not have a bar like this when it was open Het Arresthuis is not the only former prison which has been transformed into a hotel. After closing in 1996, Oxford Prison was transformed into a Malmaison hotel. Another prison which is now a hotel is the Jailhotel Lowengraben in Lucerne Built in 1862, it was used as a prison until 1998, before being converted into a hotel. Welcoming: This shows one of the entrances to the hotel Nice touch: The hotel has been fitted out with luxury design features Sparkling: The kitchen facilities are certainly an improvement on those when Het Arresthuis was a jail Fun: Its doubtful that the prisoners who used to stay here looked as happy as these guests

Planet fantastic

Stunning images of the world's most breathtaking landscapes They look like scenes straight out of the latest sci-fi blockbuster, futuristic landscapes from a distant alien world. But this is planet Earth at its most magnificent, the spectacular quirks of mother nature that  continue to astound and delight in equal measure. From the vivid colours of a beautiful hot spring to a random rock formation that looks just like an elephant, the incredible landscapes have formed over millions of years. The Wave: (Utah, USA) Carved rock eroded into a wave-like formation made of jurrasic-age Navajo sandstone that is approximately 190 million years old The Beauty Pool: (Yellowstone National Park, USA) The hot spring allows luminous algae and bacteria to flourish creating a vivid array of colours Take Beauty Pool, a much visited site in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, where the hot spring has allowed algae and bacteria to flourish creating a staggeringly beautiful array of luminous colours.   Or the incredible sliding stones of Death Valley, California - the movement of which continues to baffle experts, who remain at a loss to explain how these enormous boulders, weighing up to 700 pounds each, have slid across a perfectly flat bed. The Wave in Utah, USA, is a swooping curve of sandstone rock, 190 million years old, that has been gradually eroded by wind and rain to create a spectacular natural display. The Moeraki Boulders: (New Zealand) The gigantic boulders started forming on the ocean floor and can now been seen sitting mysteriously on the coastline thanks to centuries of erosion The sliding stones: (Death Valley, California, USA) The movement of the rocks continues to baffle experts who are at a loss to explain why they have moved across a perfectly flat bed despite weighing up to 700 pounds each The Peculiar Pinnacles: (Nambung National Park, Western Australia) These amazing natural limestone structures, some standing as high as five metres, were formed approximately 25,000 to 30,000 years ago after the sea receded and left deposits of shells Crater Lake: (Oregon, USA) Formed about 150 years ago by the collapse of the volcano Mount Mazama Elephant Rock: ( Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, USA) A strange natural sandstone rock formation which looks like an elephant Balls Pyramid: (Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia) The world's tallest sea stack, at 562 metres formed through processes of coastal geomorphology, which are entirely natural. Time, wind, and water are the only factors involved Hiller Lake: (Western Australia) Scientists cannot explain the pink colour although they have proven it is not due to the presence of algae Then there is the mysterious bright pink Lake Hiller in Western Australia. Its startling colour remains a mystery and while scientists have proven it's not due to the presence of algae, unlike the other salt lakes down under, they still can't explain why it's pink.   One can only imagine how these incredible sights would have stunned our early ancestors. The Moeraki Boulders for example, that sit mysteriously on the New Zealand coastline, resemble giant eggs laid by some terrible monster from the deep. Or travel inland to New Zealand's Champagne Pool - where hot water containing gold, silver, mercury, sulphur and arsenic bubbles up like a fiery pit. Other wonders include the Great Blue Hole in Belize - A large submarine sinkhole which is over 984 feet across and 407 feet deep formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation when sea levels were much lower. The peculiar pinnacles at Nambung National Park, Western Australia - amazing natural limestone structures, some standing as high as five metres, were formed approximately 25,000 to 30,000 years ago after the sea receded and left deposits of sea shells. Over time, coastal winds removed the surrounding sand leaving the pillars exposed. The Great Blue Hole: (Belize) A large submarine sinkhole which is over 984 feet across and 407 feet deep formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation when sea levels were much lower Badwater Salt Flats: (California, USA) This is the lowest point of the United States at -282 feet Tsingy: (Ankarana National Park, Northern Madagascar) A series of carpet limestone pinnacles The Champagne Pool: (Waiotapu Geothermal area of New Zealand) A colourful hot spring with a surface temperature of 74 degrees celsius. It bubbles due to uprising carbon dioxide Tufa Pinnacles: (Mono Lake, Sierra Nevada, USA) Mono Lake is a closed hydrological basin meaning water flows into it but it doesn't flow out. The only way for water to leave is through evaporation Bryce Amphitheatre: (Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA) The bizarre pinnacles of limestone rock and eroding fins create a majestic display The Puente del Inca: (Argentina) A natural rock bridge covered by bright orange and yellow bacteria mats created by natural sulphur springs which cover the rock walls Rainforest sinkhole: (Jaua-Sarisarinama National Park, Venezuela) A sinkhole is the natural depression of or hole in the Earth's surface. __._,_.___