The stone was erected in 2000 by the company reclaiming the quarry and surrounding land for housing. Some good pictures can be found at this Flickr set.

More mysterious are the several nearby shapes created from rocks, sand and gravel - a compass, a spiral and other assorted designs. Exhaustive research (i.e. trawling through Google while drinking my morning cup of tea) has failed to reveal any information about these features. Are they art? Very ambitious graffiti? Alien communications? Who made them? Can any locals enlighten us?

Thanks to AndrewAnorak.

Locations: Wales / Categories: Monuments, Weirdness

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Thanks to the end of mass whaling the whale bones are now all gone, but the bones of ships remain, very slowing rusting away.

For example, the Eduard Bohlen ran aground here way back in 1909.

There are purportedly thousands of ships lining this coast, thanks to the gale force winds, thick fog and ferocious surf.

The Otavi ran aground in 1945, with a load of Guano she was shipping from Mercury Islands.

Once run aground, the sailors are usually also destined to add to the coast’s name, as the previously featured Namib Desert is totally inhospitable.

Despite this, someone once thought it was a good idea to build an oil rig just inland. But just like the whales, ships, and sailors, the rig is now a rotting skeleton.

Since 1971 the Skeleton coast has been a protected National Park, and the old rig does provide good shelter for the local bird population.

The most famous of the Skeleton Coast’s wrecks was the Dunedin Star cruise liner, which sank just off the coast in 1942. The dramatic rescue attempt included the additional wrecking of a rescue boat and small plane, and the whole story is documented in John Marsh’s book Skeleton Coast.

Thanks to sasroodkapje’s fantastic visible shipwreck collection and Artificial Owl, who have ground level images of the oil rig.

Locations: Namibia / Categories: Natural Landmarks, Structures, Watercraft

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Previously on Google Sightseeing: Water-skiing on Loch Lomond

Thanks to Martin Hensen.

Locations: Germany / Categories: Stadiums and Sport

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Running for about a mile across the barren rock is this line of holes of varying depths and sizes, with occasional clear gaps, for which locals and archaeologists have no explanation. They have guessed at grain storage and burial sites, though neither theory has held up to scrutiny.

Information and pictures and be found here. What’s your theory?

And don’t miss these Peruvian mysteries previously posted on Google Sightseeing.

Thanks to Remko Jansen and Andrew.

Locations: Peru / Categories: Weirdness

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A glance up at a nearby sign reveals that this is actually a shop window display for a shop selling toilets made by TOTO - manufacturer of the world’s largest toilets!

Or maybe that should be the world’s largest toilet manufacturer?

Either way, I ended up reading this thrilling Wikipedia article about toilets in Japan. Nobody ever said Wikipedia wasn’t informative!

Thanks to Andy for the submission and Simon for the research…

Locations: Japan / Categories: Street Views

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The just-released book by Stephane Grenier features interviews with 40 of the internet’s top bloggers, including the finest of all bloggers James and Alex Turnbull (that’s us!).

Packed with blogging tips, it will make the perfect christmas present (you know, for all those family members who already have the Google Sightseeing Book).

Available now on Amazon.com!

Categories: Site News

The north island of New Zealand is home to Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapiki- maungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu.

Generally called Taumata, the Maori name for this 305m high hill in it’s full form can be translated as The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one, though there are a number of other forms with different meanings.

In Wales we find the the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Often shortened to Llanfair PG, the name was invented in the 1860s as a means to attract tourists and can be translated as St Mary’s church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the rapid whirlpool and the church of St Tysilio of the red cave. Wikipedia has a helpful guide to pronunciation should you wish to visit.

Massachusetts is home to Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaug.

More commonly called Webster Lake, the name comes from the native Nipmuck language and means fishing place at the boundary, though again there are other forms with different meanings.

While the above are all names with a single word, the Guinness World Record for longest official name gives the title to the city of Bangkok: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.

This translates as The city of angels, the great city, the eternal jewel city, the impregnable city of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukam. More info at Wikipedia.

Thanks to Shea Marshall and Dave Lartigue.

Locations: Massachusetts, New Zealand, Thailand, Wales / Categories: Natural Landmarks, Weirdness

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The Amusement Park was open to the public from 1898 until 1993 and through the years it was home to a number of roller coasters, rides, shows and restaurants. The remaining dance hall is about 3300 square metres and for a while had the largest dance floor in the world.

Most visitors reached the island (also known as Bois Blanc) by ferry from Detroit, leading to perhaps the most historically significant development related to the park. In 1948 a US Supreme Court decision upheld the Michigan law preventing corporations from racial discrimination, however the ferry company tried to deny African-Americans passage as the island destination was foreign. The Court eventually decided it was not ‘very foreign’, being socially and economically closely tied to Michigan, and having no ties to nearby Ontario communities.

A comprehensive history of the park can be found here. Today the island is being developed with luxury housing, a golf course and a marina.

Just to the West of the island is the tree-lined Livingstone Shipping Channel.

The channel was cut through shallow water to provide a safe route for ship traffic heading south to Lake Erie.

Thanks to Kirk Hayhurst who submitted this fairly regularly for the last couple of years!

Locations: Ontario / Categories: Buildings, Islands, Theme Parks

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Earlier today, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, there was a 2 minute silence held at the Cenotaph in London.

The Cenotaph was erected in honour of all those who died in the war overseas, and is saluted by all passing uniformed service personnel.

Today’s remembrance ceremony was also attended by 3 of the 4 surviving British WWI veterans, who have an average age of 110.

Thanks to the BBC

Locations: England / Categories: Monuments

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First up, the western shore of the lake houses something that appears to belong in a ‘Trivial Pursuit for Giants’ game. It’s actually part of a magnesium plant which at one point was the highest emitter of toxic chemicals in the US.

Just to the north-west are assorted military facilities including bunker entrances and missile storage sites.

On the eastern shore, and on the salt flats, are facilities using the natural resource from the lake - salt farms and mines. Many others can be seen around the lake.

A couple of people with sharp eyes found this plane flying over the middle of the lake.

And one reader is convinced that this is a door to the netherworld.

Let us know what else you can find around Great Salt Lake.

Thanks to Ben, Alex Cleveland, Marty, Brian, Benjamin, James Adams, Nathan S, Graham Wall, Noknok, Leandra.

Locations: Utah / Categories: Aircraft, Structures, Weirdness

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