Contest #892 – Manitou Incline, Manitou Springs, Colorado, US

There used to be a small gauge railway that climbed up from Manitou Springs to the top of Rocky Mountain, just east of Pike’s Peak. In 1990, a rock slide ended the run of that train and massively damaged the tracks. In it’s place, the local residents created a hiking/climbing path to the top of the mountain in the clearing where the tracks had been. There are nearly 2800 steps to this stairway, some of the inclines reach 68%, making it a challenge for most hikers.

Those who climbed up before the hint:

  • Eloy Cano
  • hhgygy
  • Martin de Bock
  • Paul Voestermans
  • Lighthouse
  • Graham Hedley
  • Phil Ower
  • Turriant
  • Bas van Limpt
  • Garfield
  • Angie CF

And after the hint:

  • Robin
  • bernd
  • Kent Pearson

Contest #890 – Horta, Faial Island, Azores, Portugal

Faial is one of the 9 islands in the Azores chain. It sits about 1700 KM from Lisbon and about 2400 KM from New York City. The main city on the island, Horta, has a protected harbor which, together with its location, makes it a great stopover for vessals making a transatlantic crossing.

Mariners are known for being a superstitious lot, and there is a strongly held superstition that if you stop in Horta, you need to leave behind some art on the dock to assure safe passage the rest of the way. There’s the story of the “Ariadne”, a ship which wintered in Horta in 1967 but neither captain nor crew left any art behind. After they left harbor to continue their journey west, they were never heard from again.

Those who left art, all before the hint, were:

  • hhgygy
  • Graham Hedley
  • Paul Voestermans
  • Martin de Bock
  • Kent Pearson
  • Ashwini Agrawal
  • Turriant
  • Garfield
  • Eloy Cano
  • Angie CF
  • bernd
  • Phil Ower
  • Lighthouse
  • Bas van Limpt

This concludes the 880s! I guess Andrew and I made it too easy, because we have 7 players with perfect scores: hhgygy, Paul Voestermans, Martin de Bock, Garfield, Eloy Cano, Angie CF, Phil Ower, and Lighthouse. Congrats!

Contest #889 – Winstar World Casino, Thackerville, Oklahoma, USA

Travelling south on Interstate 35 in Oklahoma a short distance from the Texas border, you’ll find yourself blinded by the massive electronic signage announcing this place. The largest casino by gaming floor space in the world, it is run by the indigenous Chickasaw nation under compacts with the Oklahoma state government primarily for the benefit of the tribe.

This space started out as a little bingo hall just over the border. Because all gambling was illegal in Texas, the site attracted visitors from Dallas, Fort Worth and other north Texas communities, which led to quick and impressive growth.

Those who hit a jackpot before the hint:

  • Kent Pearson
  • Garfield
  • Paul Voestermans
  • Martin de Bock
  • Phil Ower
  • Eloy Cano
  • Angie CF
  • Lighthouse
  • hhgygy

and after the hint:

  • Ashwini Agrawal
  • Graham Hedley

Contest #888 – World Joyland Theme Park, Changzhou, China

Take 2 very popular games (World of Warcraft and StarCraft), throw in some Disney characters, make a really bad copy of Universal Islands of Adventure, then add in a total lack of any concern for international property rights and a complete lack of respect for the legal teams behind Activision, Blizzard, Disney, or a whole host of other companies, and you have this place a couple of hours outside Shanghai.

Those who found this place before the hint:

  • Paul Voestermans
  • Martin de Bock
  • hhgygy
  • Turriant
  • Garfield
  • Phil Ower
  • Lighthouse
  • Eloy Cano
  • Kent Pearson
  • Graham Hedley
  • Bas van Limpt
  • Angie CF

Contest #887 – Jerwan Aqueduct, Ninevah, Iraq

Jerwan archaeological site, part of Neo-Assyrian king Sennacherib's canal system 06.jpg
By Levi ClancyOwn work, CC0, Link

In the 8th century BCE, The Assyrian King Sennacherib had a problem. He had all these gardens in Ninevah (near the modern city of Mosul) (some would refer to them as the “Hanging Gardens of Babylon”, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World), but water was scarce there. To fix his problem, he had an aqueduct created to bring water from the mountains near Dohuk, 75 km away. Considering that this aqueduct predates any such Roman construction by 500 years, many consider this to be the site to be the oldest aqueduct in the world.

Those who moved the water to find it before the hint:

  • Martin de Bock
  • Paul Voestermans
  • hhgygy
  • Garfield
  • Lighthouse
  • Eloy Cano
  • Kent Pearson
  • Phil Ower
  • Graham Hedley
  • Angie CF
  • Turriant
  • Bas van Limpt
  • Glenmorren

And after the hint:

  • bernd

Contest #886 – The Church of St. Igor of Chernigov, Novo Peredelkino, Russia

Церковь Святого Игоря Черниговского (Ново-Переделкино) (04).jpg
By Ap1915Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

The primate of the Russian Orthodox Church holds the title “Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia”. Most of the year the Patriarch lives in a residence in Moscow about 5km from St. Basil’s Cathedral, where he presides. In the summer, though, the Patriarch hangs out at the Patriarsaya Rezidentsiya, aka Manor Lukino, which is some 25 km from St. Basil’s.

In 2005, Patriarch Alexi II got the great idea that it would be nice to work closer to home. Since that means building a new Cathedral, the Church of St. Igor’s was built about 800 m from Lukino Manor. Now, his 77 year old successor, Patriarch Kirill, can walk to work in the summer.

Those who found this location before the hint:

  • hhgygy
  • Paul Voestermans
  • Martin de Bock
  • Garfield
  • Phil Ower
  • Lighthouse
  • Eloy Cano
  • Bas van Limpt
  • Kent Pearson
  • Graham Hedley
  • Turriant
  • Angie CF

And after the hint:

  • Ashwini Agrawal
  • bernd

Contest #885: Jatayu Rock near Chadayamangalam, Kerala, India

Jatayu Rock, located near Chadayamangalam in Kerala, India, is a significant geological and cultural landmark. It is named after Jatayu, a mythical eagle from the Indian epic Ramayana, who is said to have attempted to rescue Sita from the demon king Ravana. The rock formation is believed to be the site of Jatayu’s epic battle, where he fell to the ground after being wounded.

Spanning over 260 acres, Jatayu Rock features a massive granite outcrop that attracts both tourists and adventure enthusiasts. The site has been developed into a park, with various attractions, including a cable car ride, a 6D theater, and facilities for rock climbing and trekking. The Jatayu Earth Center, located nearby, aims to promote adventure tourism and educate visitors about the local ecosystem and mythology.

The area is surrounded by lush greenery and offers panoramic views of the Western Ghats, making it a popular destination for nature lovers and those interested in India’s rich cultural heritage.

Before the hint:

  • Paul Voestermans
  • Martin de Bock
  • Graham Hedley
  • Glenmorren
  • Ashwini Agrawal
  • Kent Pearson
  • Garfield
  • Eloy Cano
  • hhgygy
  • Bernd
  • Phil Ower
  • Angie CF
  • Bas van Limpt
  • Jesus Rodriguez
  • Lighthouse

After the hint:

  • Turriant

Contest #884 – Leaning Tower of Niles, Niles, Illinois, USA

The last time I visited Tuscany, I only had a day and I had to choose between a wonderful wine tour or visiting Florence and Pisa. After very little deliberation (’cause I like my Chianti Classico), I chose the wine tour and had a fabulous time.

But, I did miss my opportunity to see Il Duomo and it’s famous leaning bell tower. I never got my chance to take the kitschy “holding up the tower” photo. Alas, as a US resident, I now have my chance for that photo without having to travel back to Italy or fighting the crowds that swamp Il Duomo grounds each and every day.

In the small Chicago suburb of Niles, Illinois, a factory owner built a replica of the Pisa tower to hide and beautify a water tower. Completed in 1934, this version is about 1/2 the height of the famous one in Italy. The Niles tower is not open to the public, but it does contain 7 bells, tuned to musical scale, just like the one in Pisa.

Not known yet: are there any decent wineries near by?

Those who chose Illinois over Italy before the hint:

And after the hint:

Contest #882 – Folegandros, Greece

So, you want to experience Oia Santorini with the white houses and blue roofs, but not really into the crowds there?

The Island of Folegandros is also in the Cyclades with stunning views, crystal blue water, and warm inviting people. What it is missing, besides the blue domed churches, is the throngs of tourists, and, of course, the donkeys. You won’t find large commercial cruise ships stopping here 3-4 at a time and unloading 15,000 or more day-trippers here.

Those who journeyed here instead of the beaten path before the hint:

  • hhgygy
  • Eloy Cano
  • Paul Voestermans
  • Phil Ower
  • Lighthouse
  • Martin de Bock
  • Garfield
  • Angie CF

and after the hint:

  • Bas van Limpt
  • Graham Hedley

Contest #881 – Sky Lagoon, Kópavogur, Iceland

Exterior of Sky Lagoon with sign and turf wall
By LaurenmclOwn work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

When in Iceland, most tourists head for the Blue Lagoon, the largest and most familiar geothermal pool in the nation. However, located closer to Reykjavik, with amazing views of glaciers, mountains, and an infinity pool that looks out to the ocean, Sky Lagoon is a newer location which hasn’t been descended on yet by throngs of tourists.

Sky Lagoon sauna with view of ocean
By LaurenmclOwn work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Those who partook in the 7 step Ritual experience for 2 points before the hint:

  • Martin de Bock
  • Glenmorren
  • hhgygy
  • Paul Voestermans
  • Phil Ower
  • Garfield
  • bernd
  • Graham Hedley
  • Eloy Cano
  • Lighthouse
  • Ashwini Agrawal
  • Angie CF
  • Bas van Limpt

And those who simply paid the entry package after the hint for 1 point:

  • Kent Pearso