We covered some otherwordly places before (see, for example, Bolivian Salt Lake, or The Richat Structure), but this island simply blows away any notion about what is considered "normal" for a landscape on Earth.

The climate is harsh, hot and dry, and yet - the most amazing plant life thrives there. Situated in the Indian Ocean 250 km from Somalia and 340 km from Yemen, the wide sandy beaches rise to limestone plateaus full of caves (some 7 kilometers in length) and mountains up to 1525 meters high.

The name Socotra is derived from a Sanscrit name, meaning "The Island of Bliss"... Is it the beaches? The isolation and quiet? or the strange and crazy botanical allure?

Was the famous Chtulhu myths creator aware of these forbidding mountains with their hauntingly weird flora (think of plant mutations from his "The Color out of Space") ? We almost tempted to call Socotra the other "Mountains of Madness" - the trees and plants of this island were preserved thru the long geological isolation, some varieties being 20 million years old... 

We begin with 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:

There is also the Desert Rose (adenium obesium) which looks like nothing so much as a blooming elephant leg. Dorstenia gigas - apparently does not require any soil and sinks roots straight into the bare rock.

Somewhat similar to the weird Dorstenia gigas, is this "bucha" vegetable, found as far north as Croatia. I hope it's not pregnant with anything malignant inside this sack. John Wyndham (with his "The Day of the Triffids") would've loved it. 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.

Want to see some fairy-tale (and possibly haunted) shipwrecks? There are diving tours available... Hopefully some IMAX crew would film it in all its glory one day.

Al Hajarah, Yemen - Walled city in the mist.

Computer game designers take note - this mysterious city in the foggy Yemen's Haraz Mountains can surely fire up imagination of anybody who decides to explore it.

The Sinister Six is the latest project car from Team Alpine also known as the lord of darkness called Alpine BMW 645i Sinister Six.

Developed to showcase the firm's high-volume capabilities, it's based on a 645Ci, but none of the standard bodywork is left and the one-off model is 22cm wider than the showroom version. Unique 24-inch alloy wheels on the front, massive 26-inch rims on the back and airbrushed bodywork complete the comic book looks.

Alpine, a Japanese professional in car-audio stuff, knows very well why they’ve chose the BMW 6 for its showcar. This company was founded in 1967 and it’s based in Tokyo. They work on audio systems for cars like head-units, speakers, and stereos with DVD and satellite navigation and much more. They do their job perfectly and this is frequently proven by many awards and satisfied customers. Despite its increased width, the big coupé has room for only one person. However, climbing inside is like boarding a sci-fi spaceship, thanks to the circular cockpit which rotates automatically as the rear bodywork slides backwards to aid entry.

Once inside there's no steering wheel, so changes of direction are made using a computer-inspired joystick. Five LCD monitors replace the conventional instrumentation. Music fans will welcome the powerful 8,000-watt sound system, which ensures that you will certainly hear the Sinister Six coming before you see it.

Tourists look out over the construction taking place on the World Trade Center site in New York City, two days before the seventh anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Workers at Ground Zero watch and take pictures as the first beam for the future 9/11 memorial is raised into place September 2, 2008 in New York. Construction workers started erecting the frame of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum nearly seven years after the terrorist attacks destroyed the World Trade Center.

The World Trade Center site, under construction Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008 in New York. In the distance, to the south, the Statue of Liberty and Verrazano-Narrows Bridge can be seen.

Traffic passes the construction site of the Freedom Tower .

Workers tie steel reinforcing bars in place prior to pouring a concrete floor at the Freedom Tower construction site Friday, September 5, 2008 at the World Trade Center site in New York.

The Survivors' Staircase, center, is shown at the World Trade Center site Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008 in New York. The staircase, the escape route from the World Trade Center for many survivors of the attacks of September 11th, will become part of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

An aerial view of lower Manhattan on Monday, Sept. 8, 2008 in New York City. The Staten Island Ferry can be seen at lower right, and the site of the World Trade Center can be seen just left of center, where the white cranes are just visible.

And, a brief look back at the scene of the attacks in New York in September, 2001. Seen here, the twin towers of World Trade Center burn after two planes crashed into each on September 11th.

A man stands in the rubble, and calls out asking if anyone needs help, shortly after the collapse of the first World Trade Center Tower 11 September, 2001, in New York City.

Firefighters make their way through the rubble of the World Trade Center Tower 11 on September 11th, 2001

Juan Jose Mendez of Spain competes in the Men's Individual pursuit (LC4) in the Track Cycling event.

Michael Teuber of Germany competes in individual pursuit (LC4) Track Cycling event at Laoshan Velodrome during day three of the 2008 Paralympic Games.

Michael Milton of Australia competes in the Men's Individual pursuit (LC 3) Track Cycling event at Laoshan Velodrome during day three of the 2008 Paralympic Games.

Jan Boyen of Belgium competes in the Men's 1km time trial (LC2) Track Cycling event at Laoshan Velodrome during day three of the 2008 Paralympic Games .

Juan Jose Mendez is a paralympic track cyclist who's missing his left arm and left leg. He competes in the men's individual pursuit event in Beijing, China.

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In the early 1900’s, things seemed very different, At the beginning of the 20th century diamonds were discovered in the desert area just outside Lüderitz. Sometimes these diamonds lay fully exposed on top of the sand. This caused a diamond rush from all over the world and the once desolated lonely desert was engulfed with the influx of fortune seekers.

Out of this desert grew the elegant town of Kolmanskop, which included facilities like a casino, theatre, skittle alley, butchery, bakery, soda water and lemonade plant, swimming pool and a hospital with the first x-ray machine in the Southern Hemisphere.

Some 700 families lived in the town, including about 300 German adults, 40 children and 800 Owambo contract workers.

Each morning the ice – vendor came down the streets, which were even then smothered with sand, to deliver the daily ration of ice blocks and cold drinks to each household. Wages were good and virtually everything was free, including company houses, milk deliveries and other fringe benefits.

Shortly after the drop in diamond sales after the First World War and the discovery of richer deposits further south at Oranjemund, the beginning of the end started.

So within 40 years the town was born, flourished and then died. One day Kolmanskop’s sand-clearing squad failed to turn up, the ice-man stayed away, the school bell rang no more. During the 1950's the town was deserted and the dunes began to reclaim what was always theirs.

Soon the metal screens collapsed and the pretty gardens and tidy streets were buried under the sand. Doors and windows creaked on their hinges, cracked window panes stared sightlessly across the desert. A new ghost town had been born.

A couple of old buildings are still standing and some interiors like the theatre is still in very good condition, but the rest are crumbling ruins demolished from grandeur to ghost houses. One can explore the whole area within the fences and it creates the perfect set up for good photographic opportunities.

It is important to buy special permits before visiting the town. Permits can be bought from the travel agency next to Pension Zum Sperrgebiet in Lüderitz.

The area is still mined and it is part of the ‘Sperrgebiet’ (Restricted Area). Visitors who apply for a permit must prove that they have no criminal record.

Tourists must provide their own transport from the town. To get to Kolmanskop, drive east on the B4 from Lüderitz for some 10 km and turn south on a well sign posted road.
The other ghost town in the Namib Desert is Elizabeth Bay, but tourists are not allowed to visit it.

Have you seen ever professional beggars ? Then check it out in Spain down the street...Haha that's really funny.

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