Cayo Coco, Cuba

Now that the United States is opening up to Cuba, maybe you can experience for yourself the beautiful waters of Cayo Coco.

Best Places to Swim in the World

When you think of taking a beautiful tropical vacation, you’re often thinking of sitting on the beach and sipping on a fruity drink. But, doing that can only get you so far. It gets hot in those tropical climates, and you’re going to need to cool off! You could, of course, head back to the air conditioning of your room or suite, but there’s a better option, and it’s only a few feet in front of you. We’re talking about the open waters!

Swimming in the ocean is one of the greatest joys in life, and one that not enough people get to fully enjoy. However, if you travel to one of the places that offers the best swimming in the world, you can have an unforgettable experience.

On the following list, we’re going to identify the best places to swim in the entire world. All of them feature pristine beaches, with beautiful warm waters and a tremendous surrounding environment. However much you might love your local beach (or the one you travel to often), these swimming spots are a cut above the rest. So, put on your swim trunks, limber up, and let’s take a look!

Sydney

Sydney is the largest city of the smallest continent Australia. The city is more popular for its harbourfront Opera House. The coastal city Sydney is one of the most visited places of the entire southern hemisphere.

sydney
Major attractions of Sydney are Opera House, Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour, The Rocks, Bondi Beach, Manly Beach, Sydney Tower, Wild Life Sydney, Sea Life, Chinese Garden of Friendship, Manly Sea Life Sanctuary, Sydney Harbour National Park, Powerhouse Museum, Queen Victoria Building, Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney Cove, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Kamay Botany bay National Park, Shark Island, Sydney International Aquatic Centre, Quay, etc.

Barcelona

Barcelona is more popular as cosmopolitan capital of Spain and known for its quirky art and architecture, vibrant street life, and inventive foods. The city has historical link and there are many attractions around the city that tourists love to visit.

Barcelona
The popular tourists’ attractions are Park Guell, Casa Mila, Gothic Quarter, Montjuic, Magic Fountain of Montjuic, Palau de la Musica Catalana, Camp Nau, Montserrat, Museu Picasso, Parc de la Ciutadella, Poble Espanyol, Barcelona Zoo, Columbus Monument, Placa d’Espanya, Aquarium Barcelona, Sagrat Cor, Torre Agbar, Centre de Cultura Contemporania, Parc del Laberint d’Horta, Fundacio Antoni Tapies, Museu de la Xocolata, Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys to name a few.

Rome

Rome, the capital of Italy, Rome is popular for its art, architecture, and culture. Many tourists of the world as well as students (especially studying history and architecture) visit this place.

rome
Major tourist’s destination in Rome are Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, St. Peter’s Basilica, Spanish Steps, Palatine Hill, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, Castel Sant’ Angelo, Aventine Hill, Altare della Patria, Piazza Venezia, Hadrian’s Villa, Doria Pamphili Gallery, Circus Maximus, and many more.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a global financial center and is very popular for its skyline (high rising towers). Formerly, it was the British Colony, but now it is an independent region of China popularly known as SAR (Special Administrative Region).

Hong Kong
Among the tourists’ places Hong Kong’s Disneyland, Lantau Island, Victoria Peak, Man Mo Temple Ngong Ping 360, Wetland Park, Lamma Island, International Finance Center, Cheung Chau, Bank of China Tower, Zoological Garden, Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, State Square, Highcliff, Sharp Peak, etc. are popular.

Besides, Hong Kong is also known for its lively food scene where you can get the cheap Cantonese dim as well as the extravagant high tea. The shopping especially at spanning chaotic Temple Street Night Market is very thrilling.

Marrakesh

Located in western part of Morocco, Marrakesh is a magnificent center and home of many mosques, palaces, and gardens. This historical and small city is pretty popular for its cultures, foods, and mesmerizing palaces.

Marrakesh
Popular places to see in Marrakesh are Bahia Palace, Koutoubia Mosque, Majorelle Garden, Jemaa el-Fnaa, El Badi Palace, Marrakech Museum, Menara Gardens, Agdal Gardens, Marrakesh Railway Station, and Marrakech International Film festival.

New York City

More popular as the business capital, New York City is the largest city of the United States. It is the most popular tourists’ place in the entire North America and South America.

New York City
Situated on Hudson River, the city has plenty of places to visit, significant of them are Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Coney Island, Brooklyn Bridge, Botanic Gardens, Central Park, Governors Island, Metropolitan Opera House, etc.

Singapore

Singapore is one of the prime business centers in Asia. It is interesting to share that it is an island, a nation, and a city. The city is one of the best places, especially for the shopaholic people.

Singapore
However, among the tourists’ places Sentosa (an island resort), Singapore Zoo, Universal Studios, Singapore Flyer, Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park, Underwater World, Sri Mariamman Temple, Tiger Sky Tower, Telok Ayer Market are the points of attraction for tourists. In addition to these, varieties of foods are equally popular for the tourists.

Paris

In the past, Paris was the dream city of many Asian people. Interestingly, the fascination of the name is still there; this is the reason that Paris is the first choice of most of the tourists. In the year 2014, the city received more than 15 million tourists.

Paris
Located on the Seine River, Paris is the capital city of France. You can get here plenty of historical places as well as modern architecture. Among them Notre Dame Cathedral, Louvre museum, Eiffel Tower, Centre Pompidou, etc. are the focal attractions. The bank of the Seine from the Pont de Sully to the Pont d’Iéna has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Besides, there are plenty of fascinating hotels and restaurants. Champagne (wine) of France is another focal attraction for many of the tourists.

Bangkok

The capital of Thailand, Bangkok is the most popular tourists’ spot in Asia. However, unlike the other places, the city is popular for its cultural aspects including Buddhist temples (monasteries), parks (Lumpini Park and Benjakitti Park), and local handicrafts. Along these, Wat Phra Kaew is the must visit place. You can see here 6.6 m. tall Buddha Emerald.

bangkok
Besides, many tourists also love to visit the suburban area of Bangkok. They get peaceful environment there.

London

London is top ranked city for many years. People from all over the world love to visit this place. It is surprising to share that last year (2014) more than 18 million tourists visited this place.

london
Located on Themes River, London is the capital city of UK. It has many places that will fascinate you like anything. London Eye, dozens of historical and modern museums, Royal Botanical Kew Gardens, Tower Bridge, and Buckingham Palace are the focal attractions of this city. Besides, there are plenty of restaurants where you can enjoy food of different countries.

Best Places to Start a Business in Georgia

Georgia checks a lot of boxes for business owners.

Low tax rates? Check. Ample technology infrastructure? Check. An abundance of well-educated workers? Check. Affordable cost of living? Check. Readily available support services? Check.

It’s no wonder the Peach State is consistently rated as one of the best states to start a business.

Compare business loans
But deciding where to set up shop in Georgia, though, can be difficult. NerdWallet crunched the numbers to find the best places to start a business in the state.

NerdWallet’s analysis
NerdWallet analyzed 126 places in Georgia, each with a population of at least 5,000. Cities with fewer than 500 businesses were excluded, regardless of population. We calculated the overall score for each location based on the city’s business climate and economic health using data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

To determine a community’s business climate, we looked at average revenue, percentage of businesses with paid employees and the number of businesses per 100 people. Most small businesses in the U.S. are sole proprietorships without paid employees.

To determine a community’s economic health, we looked at median annual income, median annual housing costs and the unemployment rate.

Key takeaways
Suburbs turning a profit.  Some of Georgia’s biggest cities — Atlanta, Columbus, Augusta and Savannah — have the largest number of businesses in the state, but the most profitable businesses are in the suburbs and smaller cities. Six places in the top 10, each with a population under 60,000, boast higher average revenue per business than the state’s most populous cities.

Location, location, location. All of the top 10 cities are along major transportation routes, a plus for businesses shipping products around the region or the country. Proximity to Atlanta doesn’t hurt, either. Four of the 10 best places are within 30 miles of Georgia’s largest city.

Best places to start a business in Georgia
1. Alpharetta
With almost 60,000 residents, Alpharetta is the largest city in the top 10. It has nearly 9,000 businesses, which average over $6.9 million in revenue per business each year, more than any city on this list. Alpharetta is part of the Georgia 400 corridor, a road that stretches along state Route 400 from north Georgia to the Atlanta metro area. The corridor is a major transit route, has a strong fiber optic network and has given Alpharetta and Cumming, also in the top 10, a major economic boost.

2. Doraville
Doraville’s average revenue per business ($5,361,780) is second only to Alpharetta. The city’s proximity to Atlanta, major transportation routes and two of the state’s largest airports make it a prime location for businesses. Doraville is redeveloping a former General Motors plant, which closed in 2009, to serve as a business and community center dubbed “Assembly.” A movie studio, Third Rail Studios, is set to anchor part of the development, which also has ample space for retail, dining and other businesses.

3. Vinings
Home to over 1,700 business, Vinings is in a favorable location between two major interstates and 10 minutes from downtown Atlanta. More than 35% of the city’s businesses have paid employees, contributing to Vinings’ unemployment rate of 2.5%, which is far below the national average of 5.5%. Area businesses include Home Depot, which is headquartered nearby, as well as smaller establishments such as Social Vinings, a restaurant named business of the year in 2014 by the Vinings Business Association.

4. Garden City
Garden City is the industrial hub of Chatham County, part of the state’s coastal region. Georgia Ports Authority is based in Garden City, and the city’s shipping terminal is one of the busiest container ports in the U.S. The average revenue for businesses in Garden City is over $2.16 million, and roughly 43% of businesses have paid employees, helping keep the city’s unemployment rate below the national average.

5. Dalton
Downtown Dalton is one of the largest downtown districts in the state. The city invested $7 million to develop its city center, which is home to about 300 businesses. In total, Dalton boasts nearly 3,500 businesses, and over 40% of those have paid employees. The average revenue per business is $3,277,773, which is among the highest of the cities NerdWallet analyzed.

6. Cumming
Cumming is one of the smallest cities on this list, but it has more business per 100 people than anyplace in this study. In fact, Cumming has almost as many businesses (5,251) as it does residents (5,504). Located along the bustling Georgia 400 corridor, businesses in Cumming benefit from the area’s transportation and technology infrastructure. The city’s Small Business Services Center offers coaching and roundtable discussions to help local business owners start and grow their enterprises.

7. Norcross
Entrepreneurs eyeing Norcross for their business ventures can take advantage of free mentoring and workshops through Score Atlanta, a nonprofit resource center for small businesses in the Atlanta metro area. Incentives offered for businesses in the state-designated opportunity zone, such as a $3,500 per job tax credit, are also a bonus for business owners. These perks may contribute to the high concentration of businesses in Norcross, which has about 30 businesses per 100 residents.

8. Jesup
Jesup is the county seat of Wayne County, which was deemed an “Entrepreneur Friendly Community” by the state of Georgia. Nearly 45% of businesses in Jesup have employees on their payroll, the highest percentage of cities in this study. Companies in Jesup can take advantage of state and county programs to start and expand their businesses.

9. Carrollton
The Small Business Development Center at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton offers free consulting services to area companies, and the Burson Center, a business incubator in Carrollton, helps startups get off the ground. These services are a vital resource to the roughly 2,550 businesses in the city, and the help is paying dividends. The average revenue per business in Carrollton is over $3.6 million, making it one of the more profitable cities in the state for business owners.

10. Waycross
Three highways and railways from six directions converge in Waycross, so it’s no surprise that transportation plays a major role in the city’s economy. CSX Rice Yard, which inspects, classifies, refuels and repairs locomotives, is one of the city’s largest employers with over 1,200 employees. It’s not the only shop in town, though. Waycross is home to over 1,300 businesses, and nearly 40% of them have paid employees.

Amazing Buildings by 2008's Olympic Architects

If you have any interest in the Olympics, you've certainly seen Beijing's "Bird's Nest" and "Water Cube." But who are the geniuses behind them? And what other structures pad their résumés? Ben Smith's got all the answers below.

1. HERZOG & DE MEURON: THE GUYS BEHIND THE "BIRD'S NEST"

It's stunning that in a skyline packed with soaring structures and modern design, it is a stadium that stands out. This isn't a fluke, though. The firm responsible for the "Bird's Nest," Herzog and deMeuron, has a long history of designing functional but distinctive structures. In 2001, they were awarded the Pritzker Prize, one of the biggest honors in architecture, for seamlessly incorporating cutting-edge materials (like silkscreened glass!) into their highly elegant structures. In fact, they've been pushing the boundaries of design for years.

As you might imagine, this isn't the Swiss firm's first stadium. They've also designed Germany's Allianz Arena (pictured below) and the St. Jakob-Park Stadium (pictured under) in Switzerland. The Beijing National Stadium, however, is the most sculptural of the three.

What Herzog and de Meuron seem most known for, though, is their work with museums. The group gained recognition in this area when they converted Bankside Power Station into what's now the Tate Modern gallery in London. On this side of the pond, the best example of their aesthetic can be seen in their expansion of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, MN. The new portion of the museum has doubled gallery space and created a stir with its unusual angles and crinkled-metal exterior. For a better sense of how much space was added, take a look at the tiny pic below. The original building is the brick portion to the right.

From Water Lilies to Water Buffalo: The world’s best river cruises

Amazing Nature Landscape, the Setting Sun, Red Sunlight Breaking Through the Dark Forest

Amazing Nature Landscape, the Setting Sun, Red Sunlight Breaking Through the Dark Forest.

Hydrogen FuelcellSolar Power Hydrogen powered E-bone concept bus

Here is a peep into the technology of the future – the E-Bone concept bus. Unlike conventional buses, the E-bone bus will be powered by hydrogen fuel cells. This greatly eliminate the pollution hazards created by a large number of buses plying in big cities, running on conventional diesl fuel, emitting carbon.

Amazing - Beautiful - City - Light - Night - Sea - sky - stars

Explore Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia

Feed Monkeys in the Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali

Explore Easter Island

Kitchen : Amazing Home Bar Countertop Ideas With Best Grey Granite Countertop And Kitchen Cabinet Also Brick Stone Wall Theme And Round Ceiling And Best Pendant Lamp The Hottest Kitchen Counter Top Materials Currently Trending

Stock Photo - Kao Hin Ngam,the amazing stone for best wish

Stock Photo - Ta Poo mountain,the landmark of Pang-nga,Thailand

Amazing Flowers

Infinity pool in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands resort

Amazing Home Design Best

The world's most unusual hotels

Treehotel, Harads, Sweden

Located in the pine forest around Harads are six unique ‘treerooms’ (more are planned to open in the near future). Treehouses include the glass capsule-like Cabin, the lifelike Bird’s Nest, the mind-blowing reflective Mirrorcube and the UFO (pictured), which reminds guests of the final scene in E.T. There is also a Tree Sauna.

Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin, Germany

German artist Lars Stroschen designed this museum-meets-hotel, which has 30 unique rooms ranging from the tame to the extreme. There’s a room lined with angled mirrors, a padded cell, a crypt room (where the beds are coffins), a room with lion cages as beds, and a room which is ‘upside down’.

No Man's Fort, Solent, Portsmouth

No Man’s Fort – a Victorian-era fort which was originally built between 1867 and 1880 to protect Portsmouth from an attack from Napoleon III – has been turned into a luxury hotel, with 22 bedrooms, a lighthouse penthouse suite, nightclub, hot tub and laser quest arena.

Palacio de Sal, Uyuni, Bolivia

The Palacio de Sal – ‘Salt Palace’ – on the salt flats of Uyuni, is completely constructed from salt, including most of the furniture. There’s an impressive lobby, bar and 16 rooms with private bathrooms, central heating and electricity. The restaurant’s speciality? Salt chicken, naturally. For more information, see: palaciodesal.com.bo

The Dog Bark Park Inn, Idaho, USA

The Dog Bark Park Inn takes the term ‘dog lover’ to a whole new level. Owned by chainsaw artists, the B&B is located inside a 12-foot beagle. Guests (it sleeps four) enter the beagle’s body through the second-storey deck. It is, of course, pet-friendly.

Magic Mountain Hotel, Huilo Huilo Reserve, Chile

The Magic Mountain Hotel is in the Hulio Hulio reserve, which covers 60,000 hectares of Valdivian forest, and has natural hot springs, unexplored lakes and direct access to the Mocho Choshuenco volcano. Accommodation ranges from rooms in the main lodge, which has a waterfall cascading from the pinnacle of the roof, to secluded forest lodges.

Icehotel, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

Twenty years ago the world’s first Icehotel opened in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. Every November, ice from the frozen Torne river is fused with snow (‘snice’) to remake the hotel – new themed suites are designed every year.

V8 Hotel, Stuttgart, Germany

Car fanatics will love the V8 Hotel in Stuttgart. All rooms are themed around the automobile, with features such as vintage cars, racing paraphernalia and drive-through cinemas.

Das Park Hotel, Linz, Austria

Who would have thought concrete could be comfy? These renovated sewage pipes are, thankfully, clean and functional and sit on the banks of the Danube, making them a perfect post-industrial bolt hole.

Hotel Marqués De Riscal, Elciego, Spain

The Marqués de Riscal is architect Frank Gehry's first and only hotel project, located in Elciego, in the heart of Spain’s Rioja wine-growing region. Similarly to his other projects, such as the Guggenheim in Bilbao and the new Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, the structure is avant-garde in its approach, using huge titanium ribbons which stand out from the surrounding vineyard. The restaurant and bar are first-class, and there’s also a separate spa wing.