Contest #559: Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan

Shahrisabz, historically known as Kish or Kesh, was the birthplace of Timur, a 14th century emperor of a large swath of south-central Asia, including all of what is now Iran and Afghanistan, as well as parts of India, Syria and Turkey.

This portion of the city is home to his Summer Palace Ak Saray. And, of course, there HAS to be a statue, right?

There is a tomb here as well for Timur, though he never occupied it and two unknown people are there now. His oldest son, Jehangir, is buried in the mausoleum complex to the lower right of the image (just right of the octagonal fountain at the bottom).

Jahangir Mausoleum in Shahrisabz 1.JPG
By FaqsclOwn work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Those who found the site included:

  • Abcdefg Hijkl
  • hhgygy
  • Garfield
  • Phil Ower
  • Walter_V_R

And after the hint:

  • Gillian B
  • Hilde Lambeir

Contest #558 – Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

This location is a small part of the largest coral reef in the western hemisphere and the 2nd largest in the world after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Coral Reef, Belize 2.jpg
By Andy Blackledgehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/hockeyholic/5657508801/

Until very recently, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was on the “List of World Heritage in Danger”. It was removed because of measures that were taken by the Belize government to restrict oil exploration in the region and protect mangrove forests.

Those who swam with the turtles included:

  • hhgygy
  • Abcdefg Hijkl
  • Rob de Wolff
  • Garfield
  • Walter_V_R
  • Phil Ower

And after the hint:

  • Hilde Lambeir
  • gscrp
  • Yakub

Contest #557: Roe River, Giant Springs State Park, Montana, USA

Much to the chagrin of the citizens of Lincoln City, Oregon, the Roe River, which flows from the Giant Springs to the Missouri River, it the official holder of The Guinness Book of World Record as “Shortest River”.

At 201′ (61 m), getting the Roe recognized was the brainchild of 5th Grade teacher Susie Nardlinger (who, oddly enough, taught at “Lincoln Elementary” in nearby Great Falls) and her 1987 class. This surpassed the “D” river in Lincoln City (about 750 miles / 1200 km away) whose previous record length came in at 440′ (130 m).

The people of Lincon City were not about to just let this go without a fight. In addition to claiming that the Roe was nothing more than a drainage ditch that some elementary students measured as a class assignment, they also claimed that their beloved D was, in fact, only really about 120′ (37 m) long (at “extremely” high tide). The Roe proponents shot back that the D was just an ocean water backup. This went back and forth until eventually the fine people at Guinness threw up their hands in disgust and discontinued the category just to end the argument, leaving the Roe as the permanent title holder.

“Oh, I saw the river the whole time…”:

  • Garfield
  • Phil Ower
  • hhgygy
  • Abcdefg Hijkl

“Ahhh, now I see that little stinker…”:

  • LawnBoy
  • Andy McConnell
  • Walter_V_R
  • Luís Filipe Miguel
  • Sandworm
  • rob de wolff
  • gscrp

Contest #556 Hint

I was having a drink just before the show and a man said to me “Do you always take your whiskey neat?” I said “No, I don’t. I sometimes don’t wear a tie and let my shirt hang out.”

And a bunch more just like that.

Contest #555: Laguna Garzon Bridge, Garzon, Uruguay

Built in 2015, this bridge replaced a ferry crossing at the mouth of this scenic lake. The architect, Rafael Viñoly, designed the bridge in this circular fashion to force travellers to slow down and take in the beauty of the site.

Laguna Garzón Bridge from Rafael Viñoly Architects on Vimeo.

Those who found it included:

  • Glenmorren
  • hhgygy
  • Sandworm
  • Phil Ower
  • Abcdefg Hijkl
  • Yakub
  • Eloy Cano
  • Garfield
  • Gillian B
  • Ashwini Agrawal
  • gscrp
  • Farceur
  • Jesus Rodriguez
  • Robin
  • Walter_V_R
  • Rob de Wolff
  • Farid
  • Hilde Lambeir
  • BC11

And after the hint:

  • bibiweb
  • Chris Nason