Life Inside a Women's Prison in Afghanistan

A lot of these girls were imprisoned for indecent behavior. For example, the girl in the first photo is 19 years old and she went to jail for runaway with her boyfriend.

Weirdest Towns in the World

Somewhere, throughout this entire world, there are different unusual, rather fantastic and surrealist places that seem to go beyond any imagination. When talking about the weirdest towns in the world we mean modern ghost towns, underground communities or places were people cannot be buried.

Modern ghost town, China

Usually, a ghost town is an abandoned human settlement, an old town which people left due to certain disasters, economical failure or war. But, how can a modern town become a ghost town? In Ordos, China, Kangbashi is one of the newest and more modern neighborhoods, but it is absolutely empty. The Kangbashi district in Interior Mongolia, China was built based on modern standards, being able to host more than 1 million people, most of them having to work at the mines near this town. Authorities invested about 2,6 million dollars in order to transform the area into a real metropolis with ski scrappers, museums, theaters, libraries, parks and luxurious residences. Besides, even if it might sound rather weird, no one thought that people might need schools, hospitals, TV cable, internet, clubs for young people to have fun, or taxis. This became a good reason for people to avoid the luxurious town. If you ever think of visiting this modern ghost town, don't be surprised if the only persons you are going to meet on the street will be the garbage men and a few extremely courageous individuals who dared to live here.

Federation of Damanhur, Italy

At 50 kilometers north of Turin there is an underground town called Damanhur or the Town of Lights. Its inhabitants say that their powerful social, spiritual and economical basis is a great example for all humankind. They have their own constitution, currency, which is credito, and language, which they use in rituals. The main ideal of the inhabitants in Damanhur is promoting the freedom of expression and encouraging creativity, which are seen as important steps for the superior evolution of human species. The place has been kept a secret for long time, no stranger being allowed to enter until recently. Its existence has been made public a few years ago by a former member of the community. Since then, Damanhur opened its gates for visitors. Founded in 1977, Damanhur is a place where one can see everywhere symbols evoking the duality of our existence, man-woman, Sun-Moon, good-evil. Damanhur is also famous for its time travels that are thought at the Damanhur University. They also have a special room for time and space traveling.

Garbage City, Egypt

Manshiet Nasser is a strange community in Cairo, Egypt named the “Garbage City” due to the fact that tones of trash from all over the capital are thrown here. However, the most bizarre thing is that there are people, even entire families living in Manshiet Nasser who are known as "Zabbalin" meaning "garbage men". They even make a living by cheaply collecting, sorting and disposing of the vast trash. In fact, about 80% of the waste gathered in Manshiet Nasser is recycled and resold. In the Garbage City, most families are specialized in sorting one type of trash.

Longyearbyen, Norway

Longyearbyen is the largest settlement and the administrative center of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago. It is one of the world's northernmost towns and at first sight it is just a quite town in the interior of the Arctic Circle. Longyearbyen has a population of about 2,100. Being the most populated among the Arctic towns, the place provides an easy access to the Arctic frontier. Well, this is your first feeling before getting to know some of its weird customs. A night lasts about 6 months and students learn how to shoot polar bears in order to protect against their attacks. Kindergarten children learn different physiotherapy techniques so they can maintain their mobility in cases of abundant snow, eventhough snowing started to be rather rare due to global warming. Nothing seems so strange until now, until the inhabitants have to deal with a natural phenomenon, which is death. Experts discovered that permafrost impedes the natural decomposition of the body, therefore no one has been admitted into the graveyard for over 70 years. In order to be buried, people have to make advanced arrangements to be flown to another part of Norway, procedure that can last too much. However, despite the fact that people cannot be buried in Longyearbyen, the town is ready for the Apocalypse.

White Man in a Whole, Coober Pedy, Australia

Coober Pedy is a small town in the northern part of South Australia, having a population of about 2,000 inhabitants. The city is known for its statute of the opal capital of the world due to the huge quantity of precious opal exploited here. Besides, Cobber Pedy became famous for the largest population living underground in refurbished mines because of the unbearable heat outside, during the day. The name “Coober Pedy” comes from the Aboriginal words “kupa piti” or “white man in a hole”. Situated between Adelaide and Alice Spring, Coober Pedy became a real attraction for tourists who are curious to visit the underground mines, churches, hotel, cemetery and stores. When temperatures are extremely high, an underground house will keep it temperature constant.

Nkhata Bay, Malawi

Nkhata Bay is the capital of the Nkhata Bay District in Malawi, and it is described by Lonely Planet as “Caribbeanesque” with a “lush tropical indent”. It is on the shore of Lake Malawi (formerly Lake Nyasa), east of Mzuzu, and is one of the main ports on Lake Malawi. It is a beautiful location, and if you’re aiming for Africa, you should consider the tender shores of Lake Malawi.

Bordered by Mozambique to the south and east, Tanzania to the north, and Zambia to the west, Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa, runs along most of Malawi’s eastern border. It’s described as the “Warm Heart of Africa”, referring to the friendliness of the people. And it certainly lives up to its name.

The town of Nkhata Bay is home to the Tonga people who are famed for their love of fine dressing; it’s common to see older men dressed in full suits with Homburg hats, spats and canes. Extremely small and cozy, this is a place for aspiring expats with Africa in mind– as well as for those with an authentic notion of ‘escaping’. As with Africa in general, this is a place for those who warm to the notion of culture shock, and seek it out.

Nkhata Bay is fairly small and walkable. Alternatively, you can hire a water taxi to take you from one end of the village to the other; this is also a neat way to see the coastline. There is only one beach around, but it is only a gentle 20 minute walk from the town.

One of the must sees of Nkhata Bay is the feeding of the fish eagle which lives high up on the cliff face south of Njaya Lodge. Trips can be organized by any of the lodges. And if you have a vehicle at your disposal, you should visit the huge Kawalazi coffee plantation located roughly half-way between Mzuzu and Nkhata Bay (as you travel towards Nkhata Bay, there’s a small sign on your right). A very friendly Sikh manages it, and he’s happy to take you around and show you how the plantation runs. The countryside around the plantation is also worth exploring if you want a break from the lake.

One of the best things to do while on the lake is dive. Most of the lodges can arrange other day trips to points around the lake, and rent out fins, masks, kayaks and more. The mouth-breeding cichlid fishes are fascinating and represent the most diverse vertebrate radiation in the history of the Earth!

Also, not too far away is Nyika National Park – Malawi’s biggest national park, located on the 1800m high Nyika Plateau. Can you imagine the views?

Malawi is one of Africa’s true jewels, and at the heart of the continent it is the ideal launching point for discovering the whole of the eastern side of the continent. Check it out!

The Science and Technology Museums of Beijing, China

China Science and Technology Museum

This is a centralized science and technology museum, meant to promote scientific and cultural literacy to the public. This museum holds science exhibitions, training-based exhibition programs and experiment-based exhibition programs.

There is Exhibition Hall A, which exhibits ancient Chinese technology, such as astronomy, the compass, gunpowder, bronze use, paper and printing. There is then a collection of exhibits on modern Chinese technology, such as heat, optics, electromagnetics, acoustics, nuclear and information technology. Exhibition Hall B has displays of astronautics, energy, communications, life science and environmental science. Exhibition Hall C has one of the biggest Astro-vision theaters in the world with very advanced cinematography.

Beijing Yushengtang Herbal Medicine Museum

This interesting museum has over 3,000 items on display, showing how herbs are a vital part of Chinese culture. There are not only herbal medicines for show, but also statues and fossil inscriptions from the Ming and Shang Dynasty that are related to the topic. The museum is a trace of herbal medicine in the contemporary world back into the ancient world 6,000 years ago.

Beijing Museum of Natural History

The Beijing Museum of Natural History has many exhibits of life from millions of years ago. There is a Dinosaur World that has a Jurassic Park and Cretaceous Park, with dozens of fossils on display from those eras. The Ancient Animal Exhibition Room that has many primitive and simple creatures on show. The Human Being Exhibition Room has evolutionary evidence of human development.

The Tank Museum

Interested in military technology?

The Tank Museum in Beijing exists between the Summer Palace, and the Badaling part of the Great Wall of China. Its eleven exhibition rooms contain about 1,400 items, including many photographic displays. Its rooms show many examples of Chinese armors, tank armored cars, and weapon models. It has tanks that date back to 1916 and go into the current age.

Geological Museum of China

This is an older museum, and is one of the best geological museums in Asia, containing about 200,000 specimens off all sorts. It contains dinosaur and bird fossils, as well as teeth from primitive humans. They also have stoneware, stone pearls, bone needles and other artifacts from ancient humans. Other halls have things on display like mineral rocks and crystals, diamonds and stratum paleontology. This museum is also host to several research projects about dinosaurs, volcanic activity, botany and primitive birds.

Public Transit in Shanghai, China: The Metro and Bus

Shanghai is China’s largest city, and has a substantial public transit system. The different types of transit are all integrated with each other.

The best way to buy tickets is to purchase a transit light blue IC card. It works as a debit card, as you put credit on it, and it takes the credit off whenever you use it for a ride. You can add more credit onto the card at metro stations, convenience stores and even at McDonald’s. You can use the same card in most vehicles, including buses, light rails, ferries, metro and even some taxis. You can purchase one of these cards at any counter of the Metro Stations. You must pay a deposit for the physical card, but you get it back once you return it.

Shanghai Metro

The Shanghai Metro, aka the Shanghai Rail Transit, includes the subway and the light rail lines. This system is the easiest and best way to get around Shanghai, even if you do not know the language. It is a newer system that has been open since 1995, and has been growing ever since.

Today, the Shanghai Metro includes 11 lines and 217 stations, which make up 367 kilometers of tracks. It has the second largest metro network of Asia, after Seoul, South Korea. Many new lines are under construction, and there are a projected 20 lines to be built by 2020. The metro and light rail are connected, but locals feel that the light rail is not as reliable as the metro.

Click here for a complete map and time table.

Buses

In Shanghai, there are both urban buses and long distance buses. In total, there are approximately 1,100 bus lines that run throughout the grounds of the city. The urban buses mostly have uniform rates, no matter how many stops you take, but the long distance buses have fluctuating prices, depending on how far your overall trip goes. There are special number codes to understand the bus lines. For instance, buses 01-200 are the downtown regular lines; 201-299 are the rush hour lines; 301-399 are the night lines; 401-499 are the cross-river lines. There are also special and suburban bus lines.

There are ten tourist bus lines, such as Tourist Line 6, that goes around the Shanghai Stadium to the Jiading District; Tourist Line 7 goes through many of Shanghai’s cultural and historic sites.