“Snake Island” is an island located off the coast of Brazil. The island is small in size, and has many different types of terrain, ranging from bare rock to rainforest. The island has a temperate climate. The island is the only home of the critically endangered, venomous Bothrops insularis (golden lancehead pit viper), which has a diet of birds. It’s closed to the public in order to protect this snake population. Because there are so many snakes on one island, by some estimates one snake to every square meter of the island, there is competition for resources. continue reading for more.
5. White’s
White’s is a gentleman’s club situated in St James’s Street, London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1693, it is the oldest and also widely considered the most exclusive gentleman’s club in London. The club gained reputation in the 18th century for both its exclusivity and the often raffish behavior of its members. Notable current members include Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Conrad Black and Tom Stacey. White’s continues to maintain its standards as an establishment exclusively for gentlemen; a brief exception being made for a visit by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
4. RAF Menwith Hill
RAF Menwith Hill is a Royal Air Force station near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England which provides communications and intelligence support services to the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The site acts as a ground station for a number of satellites operated by the US National Reconnaissance Office, on behalf of the US National Security Agency, with antennae contained in a large number of highly distinctive white radomes, and is alleged to be an element of the ECHELON system.
3. Ise Grand Shrine
Located in the city of Ise, Mie, Japan, Ise Grand Shrine a Shinto shrine dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu. Purportedly the home of the Sacred Mirror, the shrine is one of Shinto’s holiest and most important sites. Access to both sites is strictly limited, with the common public allowed to see little more than the thatched roofs of the central structures, hidden behind four tall wooden fences. The chief priest or priestess of Ise Shrine must come from the Imperial House of Japan and is responsible for watching over the Shrine.
2. Surtsey Island
Surtsey is a volcanic island located in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago off the southern coast of Iceland. It was formed in a volcanic eruption which began 130-meters below sea level, and reached the surface on November 14, 1963. The eruption lasted until June 5, 1967, when the island reached its maximum size of 2.7 km2. It was intensively studied by volcanologists during its eruption, and afterwards by botanists and other biologists as life forms gradually colonized the originally barren island. The undersea vents that produced Surtsey are part of the Vestmannaeyjar submarine volcanic system, part of the fissure of the sea floor called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
1. Necker Island
Necker Island is a 74-acre island in the British Virgin Islands just north of Virgin Gorda. The island’s land is entirely owned by Richard Branson, Chairman of the Virgin Group and is part of the Virgin Limited Edition portfolio of luxury properties. The whole island operates like a resort and can accommodate up to 28 guests. It took 3 years and approximately US$10 million to turn it into a private island retreat. Using local stone, Brazilian hardwoods, Asian antiques, Indian rugs, art pieces and fabrics and bamboo furniture from Bali, the architects and elite designers created a 10-bedroom Balinese-style villa crowning a hill above the beach. Each of the 10 bedrooms has open walls giving a 360-degree view and cooling winds from any direction in the house.