The National Gingerbread House Day is observed annually on December 12.
It celebrates the tradition of making houses and architectural models out of gingerbread cookies. The tradition can be traced back to the 1600s.
Image source Flickr
The idea of a gingerbread house originated in Brothers Grimm’s Hansel and Gretel tail. German gingerbread guilds made the idea of gingerbread houses more festive.
A favorite food of an Armenian monk, Gregory of Nicopolis, brought gingerbread to Europe around 992 AD and taught French Christians to bake it. Gingerbread was often used in religious ceremonies and was baked to be sturdy as it was often molded into images of saints.
According the Guinness Book of World Records, the world’s largest gingerbread house was made in 2013 by the Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas. The house was 60 ft long and 10.1 ft tall.
Insano, the world’s tallest water slide, is towering over the Brazilian landscape at a whopping 41 metres high, it is the equivalent of a 14-storey building.
Insano has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records and brave riders plummet down the slide at a nerve-shredding speed, reaching around 65 miles an hour.
The plunge is so steep that although riders travel 41 metres, the whole ride takes just four or five seconds.
The Brazilian beach park website describes the Insano as the most extreme equipment of this type of the planet.
Constructed in 1989, the thrill ride attracts dare devils from all over the world.
Martha Carolina, who works at the beach park, said: “I’m a Brazilian and I work at the water park – it’s funny to watch the tourists start panicking and sometimes they really start crying. Normally they’re all Europeans, Germans, Russians and French.”
One rider commented: “When you slide down, you basically fly because the fall is too steep so you’re in mid-air for most of it.”
Insano, the world’s tallest water slide, is towering over the Brazilian landscape at a whopping 41 metres high, it is the equivalent of a 14-storey building
For safety reasons Insano only allows travel in a single position – on your back with arms and legs crossed. However with such hair-raising speeds it is hard to imagine this would be a problem for most as it is unlikely many would want to plunge down head first.
Insano can be found in Fortaleza, Brazil, and for those not distracted by the significant drop below it offers great views of the Atlantic Ocean from the top.
Arirang Mass Games will be held in North Korean capital Pyongyang from August 1st until September 9th, 2012.
Mass Games takes place in the one of the biggest world’s stadium – Pyongyang’s May Day Stadium (for 150,000 visitors). The most magnificent show on Earth involves over 100,000 performers.
Amazing choreography, unbelievable synchronism and intricacy of acrobatic numbers – result of many months’ hard trainings of thousands of people. Ninety minute-long spectacular performance really astonishes imagination.
Arirang Mass Games will be held in North Korean capital Pyongyang from August 1st until September 9th, 2012
After success of the Arirang Festival in 2005, the organizers decided to extend Mass Games into next years. In 2007, August 16, Mass Games entered to Guinness Book of World Records. The record of “largest gymnastic and artistic performance in the world was created in Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK” the Guinness Certificate says.
The Mass Games at Arirang Festival possess an important ideological character praising the Workers Party of North Korea, its armed forces, Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. These messages may not be clear to foreign spectators who are not aware of North Korean iconography: a rising sun symbolizes Kim Il-Sung. When a gun is shown, it signifies the gun which Kim Il-Sung gave to his son Kim Jong-Il. The color red, particularly in flowers, stands for the working class. And the color purple and red flowers represent Kim Il-Sung (as the flower “Kimilsungia” is a purple orchid and the flower “Kimjongilia” is a red begonia). A snowy mountain with a lake represents Mount Paektu where Kim Jong-Il is said to have been born in a log cabin.
From as young as 5 years old, citizens are selected based on skill level to serve for the Arirang Festival for many years. In most cases this will be the way of life for them until retirement.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to visit DPRK and to see the most spectacular show in the world!
Lolong, the one-ton crocodile caught in Bunawan, Philippines, has been named the world’s largest saltwater crocodile in captivity.
The Associated Press reports that Lolong was caught by locals last September.
On Monday, the Guinness Book of World Records declared that the 20.24 feet, 1000 pound crocodile was the largest in captivity.
At the time of the crocodile’s capture, Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde said: “There were mixed feelings. We’re really proud because it proves the rich biodiversity of our place but at the same time, there are fears that Lolong may not be alone.”
Lolong, the one-ton crocodile caught in Bunawan, Philippines, has been named the world’s largest saltwater crocodile in captivity
Edwin Cox Eldorde said that he saw a second giant crocodile during Lolong’s capture and he is worried that another man-eating crocodile may be in the surrounding waters.
On the bright side, however, the capture of Lolong has given the town a spike in tourism. A new ecotourism park has been established at the outskirts of Bunawan which has drawn thousands of tourists to see the giant crocodile.
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje said that the new world record title could help the zoo bring in more people. It could also help to show people that it is important to protect the biodiversity near Bunawan.
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