This week’s destination was the Revelstoke Railway Museum, located in the town of Revelstoke, BC in Canada. Revelstoke is located just west of the Selkirk Mountains near Rogers Pass and is an important location on the Canadian Pacific Railway route across Canada.
The museum was set up to tell the story of the CPR in this part of Canada and show off some of the rolling stock that that CPR has used over the years. Among them is CP 5468, a 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotive. The museum’s main building is practically built around this locomotive, with lots of room around it for viewing plus a second level “balcony” so you can see it from any angle. CP 5468 was built in 1948 by the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW). The locomotive weighs 124 tons (without tender). This beast is 89′ long and is 15′ 6″ high at the smokestack.
Revelstoke is a change of crew location, with train personnel boarding trains going west to Kamloops and east to Field, BC.
Contest 720 was the last in a series of dam locations (either existing, demolished or planned). We hope that you had some fun scanning the world for the nine locations.
This location is the planned location of the Great Inga Dam on the Bundi River in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s part of a large complex project that involves damming the Bundi River and redirecting the Congo River into a huge reservoir to supply water to one of several power generation facilities in the area. Each generation facility is forecast to generate up to 8 GW, with the total for the entire complex up to 40 GW. This power would be used by several countries in Africa. However at this time, construction of the complex is not finalized.
Will it be the biggest hydro-electric complex in the world? perhaps.
Are the falls the biggest in the world? Perhaps – depending on how you define “big”.
This week’s image was the location of the now-removed Glines Canyon Dam on the Elwha River in Washington, US.
The dam, also known as the Upper Elwha Dam, was originally built in 1927 to provide power for industries on the Olympic Peninsula.
But it blocked access for salmon to upper reaches of the Elwha River, reducing the number of salmon runs from up to 400,000 to near 4000. As a result, the dam was demolished in 2014 as part of the Elwha River ecosystem restoration project; as of 2015 it is the tallest dam ever to be intentionally breached. The Glines Canyon Dam was the largest dam removal ever.
Before the dam was removed:
After the dam was removed:
Found the dam site, even though it no longer exists:
The Loch Mullardoch Dam is located in northwest Scotland was constructed between 1947 and 1952 to provide a source of water for power generation. Water from Loch Mullardoch is taken via a 5 km tunnel south to Loch Benevean where it ends up at the Fasnakyle power generation station.
The reference to Munros is to mountains or hills above 914 metres / 3000’. There are 282 Munros across Scotland, with 10 of them around Loch Mullardoch. Climbers of these 10 Munros park at the dam and can start climbing from there or can take a boat down the lake to avoid walking down the lake.
The Lake Homs Dam, also known as Qattinah Dam, is a Roman-built dam near the city of Homs, Syria, which is in use to this day.
It was thought that Egyptian ruler Sethi (1319–1304 BC) built this dam but it now recognized that this structure dates to 284 AD when it was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian (284–305 AD) for irrigation purposes. With a capacity of 90 million m³, it is considered the largest Roman reservoir in the Near East and may have even been the largest artificial reservoir constructed up to that time.
This week’s “Royal” contest was the site of the first Queen concert in Truro.
The City Hall in the city of Truro hosted Queen, although the band booked was named Smile. In subsequent years, the location was turned into the Hall for Cornwall.
Little Quoin Island is located of the northern coast of Oman. It is considered by the insurance industry to be the demarcation point of entrance into the Persian Gulf. Once a ship is declared “Passed Quoin Inbound”, the insurance rates for that ship and cargo go way up.
Before the hint:
David Kozina
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
Eloy Cano
krenek
Robert
B
Lake Loktak is often called a “Floating Lake” because of these large round chunks of vegetation and soil called “phumdis”. Some phumdis are large enough for housing or even a school.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
aalecki
Glenmorren
Graham Hedley
krenek
Luís Filipe Miguel
Robert
Robin Giles
C
Legend has it that Genghis Khan found a golden whip at the location of this 40 M high statue about 50 KM east of Ulaanbaatar.
Before the hint:
David Kozina
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
After the hint:
krenek
D
Dedicated to the creator of the Armenian Alphabet, Mesrop Mashtots, this monument has 39 giant statues of the characters of the 1600-year-old alphabet.
Before the hint:
hhgygy
Lighthouse
After the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
krenek
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
E
About an hour’s train ride northwest of Barcelona, this basilica is very important to the Catalan people. Among other features, it contains the Virgin of Montserrat
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
After the hint:
krenek
F
Built to commemorate the site of the death of Captian Cook after his skirmish with the native Hawaiians in 1779. Seeing this monument takes some effort — more specifically a 2 1/2 hour hike or renting a powered kayak.
Before the hint:
David Kozina
Garfield
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
aalecki
Eloy Cano
Glenmorren
Graham Hedley
krenek
Robert
G
Built in 1933, this lighthouse has slowly had the coast erode around it. It was decommissioned in 1992 because it was completely off-shore most of the time and as the ground below it became waterlogged, it started to lean.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
aalecki
Garfield
Glenmorren
Graham Hedley
krenek
Robert
H
Only 14 golfers have ever managed a birdie on this 400 m long, 430 m drop hole with an Africa-shaped green. The first person to score a hole-in-one will be awarded 1,000,000 Rand (about $68,000 or €57,000)
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
Garfield
Graham Hedley
krenek
Luís Filipe Miguel
Robert
I
The Rolex Learning Center is the campus hub and library for the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
After the hint:
aalecki
Glenmorren
krenek
Robin Giles
J
The Roncevaux pass was the location of 3 battles, one in 778 between the forces of Charlemagne and those of the Duchy of Gascony. Killed in that battle were 3 of Charlemagne’s most trusted advisors, including Roland.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
aalecki
Garfield
Glenmorren
Graham Hedley
krenek
Luís Filipe Miguel
Robert
Robin Giles
K
Built in 2000, this park has 8 districts. The aircraft carrier is a 1:1 model of an existing Chinese aircraft carrier, while the submarine was moved here from active duty after it was decomissioned.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
After the hint:
aalecki
Glenmorren
krenek
Robin Giles
L
Radio station WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA is at 700 on the AM dial (appropriate for this contest).
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
krenek
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
Sasha Smith
After the hint:
aalecki
Glenmorren
Luís Filipe Miguel
Robin Giles
M
Built by Louis XIV at the end of the 17th century, this fort was once the symbol of the might of the French empire. Damaged by time and storms, the relic is primarily home to oyster farms and the occasional tourist.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
After the hint:
aalecki
Glenmorren
krenek
Robin Giles
N
Butlin’s Holiday Camp at Skegness was the first of the Butlin’s resorts to open, in 1935. Today the resort sees almost half a million visitors annually (pre Covid).
Beatles fans note: Paul McCartney’s first public performance was singing “Long Tall Sally” at a talent competition here. Paul and John visited here to meet with Ringo, who was playing with his previous band here, to offer him the job as the Beatles drummer.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
krenek
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
After the hint:
aalecki
Glenmorren
Luís Filipe Miguel
O
26 miles north of Marfa, Texas, in the even smaller town of Valentine, Texas, you’ll find this art installation. Of course it was featured in an episode of “The Simpsons”.
A Scottish “Scheduled Ancient Monument”, this is the ruins of a castle built around 1500. In 1760, poet Micheal Bruce wrote the poem “The Lovers” about of pair of starcrossed lovers who eventually eloped to Burleigh castle.
Before the hint:
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
aalecki
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
krenek
Luís Filipe Miguel
Robert
Robin Giles
Q
Wat Tham Krabok is a Buddhist temple dedicated to the recovery of addiction. The methods here are described as “traditional” and/or “old school” and primarily involve a lot of cold turkey and vomiting. It’s also free.
Before the hint:
Lighthouse
After the hint:
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
krenek
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
R
One of your intrepid contest admins (Paul) used to live fairly close to this odd spot off I-280 south of San Francisco. The statues were added after I left the area, and it appears that the town of Hillsborough (one of the more affluent communities in the area) are not happy about it.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
Graham Hedley
krenek
Robert
S
Located in the holy city of Haridwar, Har Ki Pauri (Steps of God) is the spot that followers of the Hindu faith believe is where the Ganges leaves the mountains and enters the plains.
The Kumbh Mela, a pilgrimage and festival of extreme importance to Hinduism happens every 12 years here, and, in fact, just began yesterday (April 1st).
Before the hint:
Ashwini Agrawal
Eloy Cano
Garfield
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
Graham Hedley
krenek
Luís Filipe Miguel
Robert
T
In 722 AD, the Christians had their first victory here against the Umayyad Arabs and Berbers, signaling the beginning of the “Reconquista” in Spain and Portugal.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
aalecki
Glenmorren
Graham Hedley
krenek
Robert
Robin Giles
U
The Utah Proving Grounds at Dugway is a US Military installation for the testing of biological and chemical weapons.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
Graham Hedley
krenek
Robert
Robin Giles
V
Designed by artist Alberto Burri, this artwork memorializes the original city of Gibellina, a town in Italy destroyed by the 1968 Belice Earthquake.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
krenek
Robert
Robin Giles
W
Kronberg Castle (the one in Denmark, there is another in Hesse, Germany) was the site of Elsinore in Hamlet (Elsinore is the anglicized version of Helsingør)
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
krenek
LawnBoy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
After the hint:
aalecki
Glenmorren
Robin Giles
X
The site of the capture of Nelson Mandela. 50 steel columns are placed in such a way that it creates an image of Mandela when seen from a distance.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
After the hint:
krenek
Robert
Robin Giles
Y
The Conciergerie was a site we had picked out for our literature location series last year. It was where Darnay was kept prisoner in the book. In real life, it was also where Marie Antoinette was held until her trip to the guillotine.
Before the hint:
Eloy Cano
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
After the hint:
aalecki
Glenmorren
krenek
Robin Giles
Z
The Octogon is the new headquarters for the Egyptian military.
Before the hint:
Garfield
Graham Hedley
hhgygy
Lighthouse
Luís Filipe Miguel
Martin de Bock
Paul Voestermans
Robert
After the hint:
aalecki
Glenmorren
krenek
Robin Giles
With 70 total points including the 52 she got for this contest, Lighthouse is the series winner! Close runner-ups to Paul Voestermans, Martin de Bock, and hhgygy, all with 50 for this contest and a VERY respectable 2nd place of 68 points total.
Claude K Bell was a sculptor and artist who worked at the Knox Berry Farm amusement park in Buena Park, California. In 1958, he opened a restaurant off of Interstate I-10 west of Palm Springs, then in 1964, in an effort to bring more business to that restaurant, he set out to create this tourist attraction.
By the time he died in 1988, Bell’s dinosaurs included an apatosaurus named “Dinny” and “Mr. Rex” the Tyrannosaurus, and the site had been included in the movie “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and the Tears for Fears video for “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”.
Today, Dinny is painted bright pink and serves as the exterior of a gift shop and museum promoting young-earth creationism.
– – Thanks Paul for pointing out that we missed Eloy Cano with his correct response. – –
Wrapping up this series of 10 contests with a theme of rather obscure holidays or events during the week, was a visit to the temporarily closed Richard Nixon Library amd Museum in Yorba Linda, California. Yorba Linda is located to the southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
The holiday this week was a celebration of the birth of Richard Nixon.
Didn’t need a presidential library card to find this week’s location:
