Strange Planet

Strange Planet

Yes it is right here on Earth but there is no landscape anywhere like it. 

Waking up on this island called Socotra would have you looking around 

in wonder and disbelief 

that you are actually on Planet Earth.

Dorstenia gigas - apparently does not require any soil and sinks roots straight into the bare rock

It also has a distinct personality and likes to smile for the camera

 Socotra is one of those "lost world" islands (separated from the world six million years ago) where intrepid travellers - particularly those seeking exotic nature and wildlife in a remote tropical setting - can go days on end without rubbing shoulders with that less-than-endangered species: tourists. Known for decades as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean, it's the world's tenth richest island for endemic plant species. And it's the biggest island in the Middle East…125 km in length and 45 km across. Meanwhile, the landscape is one of contrasts; for example, it has isolated nature preserves with dazzling wildlife, including 900 species of plants, the famous Dragon's Blood Tree "dracaena cinnabara," some of the rarest birds that exist nowhere else in the world, and picturesque sandy beaches.

Fairy-tale and possibly haunted shipwrecks. There are diving tours available.

To give you a glimpse of Socotra's and Yemen's in general totally unique architecture, check out this place located on the mainland: Al Hajarah, Yemen - Walled city in the mist

The name Socotra is derived from a Sanskrit name, meaning "The Island of Bliss"

This island is a birder's paradise as well, with 140 different species of birds, 10 of which are not found anywhere else in the world. A unique Socotra warbler, sunbird, starling, bunting, sparrow, and cisticola are among the ones found here. There are also Socotra Cormorants

Getting around can be a challenge, as there are almost no roads. Despite the fact that this island has around 40,000 inhabitants, the Yemeni government put in the first roads just 2 years ago - after negotiations with UNESCO, which has declared this island a World Natural Heritage Site. You might prefer a camel ride to what is bound to be a bumpy and slow 4x4 ride... It is a quiet and peaceful enclave in an otherwise troubled world. If you decide to visit there, you can forget about beachfront hotels and restaurants; this island is geared towards eco-tourism and sustaining the local economy and way of life. 

Also found in Socotra's landscape is the ever-strange and extremely rare Cucumber Tree (dendrosicyos socotranum) - and yes, it's related to what's sitting in a pickle jar in your fridge

The trees and plants of this island were preserved through the long geological isolation, some varieties being 20 million years old... the dracena cinnibaris or Dragon's Blood Tree, the source of valuable resin for varnishes, dyes, and "cure-all" medicine; also (predictably) used in medieval ritual magic and alchemy. 

 The branches spread out into the sky and from below appear to hover over the landscape like so many flying saucers... and from above, they have a distinct mushroom look

The Ugly Truth - greeting cards

Unusual Houses

The Shoe House in Hellam (Pennsylvania, USA).  It was an actual guesthouse (3 bedroom, 2 baths, a kitchen and a living room) of a local shoe magnate, Mahlon N. Haines.  After his death, it was an ice cream parlor for a while, and now it is a museum.

 

The Toilet-shaped house, in Suwon (South Korea). South Korean sanitation activists marked the start of a global toilet association right here on November 21, 2007, by lifting the lid on the world's first lavatory-shaped home that offers plenty of water closet space.

The Tea Pot House.

 

Located in Dalat, Vietnam the Crazy House, formerly known as Hang Nga Villa, was designed by architect Dr. Dang Viet Nga.

 

Located in Rochester, New York the Pod House (also know as the Mushroom House) design was inspired by the plant Queen Anne’s Lace.

Located in Blantyre, Malawi the Football House or Soccer Ball House was built by Dutch Architect Jan Sonkie as his residence.

Located in Sopot, Poland at Bohaterów Monte Cassino Street the Crooked House was constructed in 2003 based off of drawings from  Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg.  

The Strawberry house, in Tokyo (Japan).

 The Pickle Barrel House, in Michigan (USA).

The One Log House, in Garberville (California, USA). It is a one-bedroom house hollowed out from a single log that came from a 2,100-year old redwood tree. After felling this 13 foot diameter forest giant, Art Schmock and a helper needed 8 months of hard labor to hollow out the log into a room 7 ft. high and 32 ft. long, weighing about 42 tons.

The Upside-Down House, in Szymbark (Poland). The house was created by Daniel Czapiewski to describe the former communist era and the present times in which we live.

The Mushroom House, in Cincinnati (Ohio, USA).

The Kettle House, in Texas (USA).

The Steel House, in Lubbock (Texas, USA). Architect and sculptor Robert Bruno spent 23 years building this strange home that looks like a giant pig out of 110 tons of steel.

The Boeing 727 House, a weird house in Benoit (Mississippi, USA). The plane set Joanne Ussary back $2,000.00, cost $4,000.00 to move, and $24,000.00 to renovate. The stairs open with a garage door remote, and one of the bathrooms is still intact. And let’s not forget the personal jacuzzi in the cockpit.

 More Crazy Houses though - not sure where they are from.  This one looks like a Space Ship: 

How lonely would you feel here?

Between a Rock and a Hard Place:

Well Hung:

Just Crazy:

Another lonely place:

Advanced Tree House:

As Cold As Ice:

Bridged: