10 Unusual and Creative Fountains

Beautiful fountains and creative fountain designs from all over the world.

Bellagio Fountains

Breathtaking fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas were destined to romance your senses. [link]

Swarovski Face Fountain

This amazing fountain forms an entrance to the Swarovski headquarters in Wattens, Austria.

Floating Fountains

Isamu Noguchi took the concept of water supported fountains to another level when he created this incredible looking set of fountains that look like they are taking off under the force of their own water jets.

Floating Fountains

Isamu Noguchi took the concept of water supported fountains to another level when he created this incredible looking set of fountains that look like they are taking off under the force of their own water jets. [link]

Vortex Fountain

Beautiful water fountain, titled Charybdis, designed by William Pye. [link]

Highlights of Christchurch

Cathedral Square has always been the heart of Christchurch. According to English tradition, the presence of a cathedral meant that Christchurch was officially a city well before the size of its population justified this status. Strangely enough, my paternal grandmother, who was German, had passed on this esoteric piece of information to me at an early age and armed with this knowledge I won a prize during a three-week long school geography tour of New Zealand which passed through Christchurch. This is probably the first and last time that I have ever benefited from the masses of largely worthless information which I willingly crammed into my innocent mind. Cathedral Square is a pleasant open area where tourists and locals can mingle, with plenty of good shopping and restaurants within close walking distance. People might do their supermarket shopping out in the suburbs, but the center of Christchurch is still vibrant and a place that people like to go, unlike the empty core of New Zealand's largest city, Auckland. In Cathedral Square itself you can climb the cathedral tower or sit outside to listen to local personality The Wizard, who dresses the part, rants at great length and volume about feminism, and might now have retired to not-so-quiet obscurity, leaving the city a poorer place.

The citizens' War Memorial Statue is right next to the cathedral - you can see it on the left-hand side of the previous photo. It commemorates all of the New Zealanders who died during world war one to make the world safe from Kaiser Wilhelm. This statue caused controversy when it was proposed, because the Bridge of Remembrance had already been suggested as a memorial, and the two projects had to compete against each other for funding. Nevertheless, they both got built and the statue with its more central location adds interest to the square.

From Cathedral Square you can catch one of the old-time electric trams which were brought back into service as a tourist attraction. They do a loop around the inner city, dropping people off at various destinations where visitors might want to go.

Christchurch was a carefully planned and controlled settlement and, as even its name suggests, a deliberate effort was made to create a little slice of England here, down to the transporting of a vertical slice of English society, with landed gentry at the top and servants at the bottom. There's still an aspect of this class structure in the city and in some quarters it still matters which high school you went to and what your ancestor's station in life was. However, in my six years in Christchurch I never experienced this snobbery personally and the strong egalitarianism of New Zealand society soon overwhelmed this attempt to transplant a foreign class stratification. In some ways, though, Christchurch is "more English than the English", with the willows overgrowing the Avon river and boats still being punted by servants in boater hats - purely for the tourist trade, of course.

The Anglican cathedral isn't the only one in Christchurch; this is the catholic cathedral a bit further out from the center of town. However, "The" Cathedral is the Anglican one, and catholics were always a small slice of New Zealand society, except in a few areas such as the west coast of the South Island.

Downstream from where the photo of the punters was taken you'll find the Ferrier Fountain, across the river from Victoria Square, a nice little park with a statue of - Queen Victoria, who else? The Ferrier Fountain is similar in design to the El Alamein fountain in the suburb of King's Cross near downtown Sydney, Australia.

A bit further downstream is the old Edmonds Band Rotunda, now used as a restaurant. Edmonds Baking Powder, with its slogan of "sure to rise", was a real New Zealand icon and I guess pretty much every house in the country had a packet sitting in a cupboard.

Sumner beach is near the spot where the Avon River and its smaller sister the Heathcote join forces and create an estuary, before meeting the Pacific ocean. Cave Rock with a small structure on top is directly in front of you, with the Sumner hill behind, with a narrow and winding road climbing steeply up over the hill to Taylor's Mistake beach.

Here's Cave Rock, Sumner beach and the estuary from the top of Sumner Hill. In the background you can see downtown Christchurch, and far across the Canterbury Plains you can just make out the Southern Alps. The estuary is a very popular spot for the city's windsurfers, even if this is the place where the city's treated effluent is discharged into the ocean!

Downtown Christchurch from the top of the Port Hills, which meet the ocean at Sumner. One less desirable aspect of Christchurch is the smog which you can see in this photo. The Southern Alps in the background are about 50 kilometers from Christchurch, but sometimes they're much more clearly visible than in this photo. Residents of the city have long had an unfortunate belief in their god-given right to burn coal, with the result that the city gets quite polluted, especially in winter. The smell of smoke when I left the house in the morning is one of my earliest recollections of Christchurch, after moving down from the clear air of Auckland. Another memory is the thick and rather surreal ceiling of smoke which gathers just above the level of the street lights, when a so-called "thermal inversion" traps the warm smog below a layer of cold air.

These dramatic cliffs are less than a kilometer around the hill from Sumner beach. You can watch sea birds such as cormorants from the path at the top of the cliffs, or do paid tandem para-sailing jumps straight off the edge of the cliffs immediately before you, landing at Taylor's Mistake beach, outside the left-hand frame of this photo.

And here is Taylor's Mistake beach. It was a favourite haunt of mine virtually every weekend during the summer, where I soaked up the rays which eventually gave me a melanoma. It's a very pleasant spot and you can walk along a path visible above the water on the far side of the bay, all the way around to Godley Head, which has gun emplacements to keep Lyttelton Harbour safe from the Czar and Czarina of Russia. Somehow I neglected to do this walk during my six years in Christchurch, so I guess I'll have to go back some day and make amends!

Coleraine's Peace Fountain - a Present from America

On July Fourth 2002 a very special present was unveiled in a park in Coleraine, County Londonderry. It is a peace fountain and is a gift from "the communities of the United States to the communities of Northern Ireland". It is designed to celebrate "Northern Ireland rising from the ashes of past violence".

The Phoenix Peace Fountain in Anderson Park Coleraine

The fountain is surrounded by sculptured shapes in the form of Giant's Causeway stones. Each stone represents one of the 26 district councils in the province. Above these sits the phoenix bird arising from the flames.

Schools, churches, mineral and engineering companies across America donated materials for this sculpture, including one Connecticut firm which donated over $20,000 worth of stainless steel.

Groups and individuals from many American States including Florida, Georgia, Arizona, New York, Washington DC, and Massachusetts raised over $350,000 for the construction of the fountain.

As well as cash, many firms also donated their time, materials and expertise to build the sculpture. Click to see complete list of contributors

But the most inspiring material within this piece are the melted down thousands of guns which were collected from across America between March 2001 and February 2002. Some of the outlines of these firearms are still to be seen within the "Nest" of the bird and also at the base of the pool.

The Ashtabula County Sheriff's Department was the first to offer firearms to the project and over 400 "court ordered" guns, which had been used for criminal activity, were melted down. The Department then sent out letters to other Ohio law enforcement agencies and Akron Police Department responded with hundreds more guns and further co-ordinated the state-wide media coverage. Other law enforcement agencies followed suit and eventually thousands of firearms, which had been used in suicides, homicides and other criminal activity, arrived from as far away as Columbus and Cincinnati.

Speaking about the fountain, Senator George Mitchell said "All across America people are rooting for Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland holds a warm spot in the hearts of Americans. People want to do something to express their care and concern and their hopes for their fellow citizens in Northern Ireland".

Make A Style Statement At Your Home With Water Features

If you are looking for a beautiful home decor accessory them get some water features at your home. I am more than hundred percent sure that once you get the water fountain you will be able to create a soothing, warm and refreshing environment in your room. They all are available in numerous varieties of designs. All are very easy to install and to maintain. They take little maintenance. If you are looking for the information on water feature then you are at right place. Here in this article I will tell you some of its best features and benefits of having water features.

The water features are available to provide a relaxing atmosphere to your home as well as garden. They are best for the use in your office, home, hotels, resorts and restaurants. Some of the famous models of water features are described below. Keep on reading this post if you want to know more in this respect.



Garden fountains
Garden fountains are designed for the ultimate comfort and relaxing atmosphere in the garden. The stone built fountains are best for your big backyards as they are very strong against heavily rain and cold. They are very effectively and beautifully designed for the decoration of the garden. Most of the expert designers are making these exterior decorative products.

Stone fountains
Stone fountains are best and suitable for enhancing the looks of your indoor as well as outdoor. They all are designed with lots of patience and attention. They are constructed from the natural pebbles and are available in different designs like Victorian and modern.



Interactive fountains
An interactive water feature is very interest to shoe off your value and status. They are designed for the entertainment. They work with the movement of music. The surface of these fountains is non slippery and more stable.


Marble fountains
This type of fountain is available at very high cost as the cost of the marbles is very high. They are best and appropriate in terms of durability and longevity. They are very proficient in making environment cool and stress free. Some most attractive and exciting designs bring some aesthetic value to your home. Marbles are one of the most powerful and crack resistant materials. You can customize all the fountains with your business's logo and slogan.

Floating fountains
The floating models are designed with the top quality raw materials. They all are constructed in various colors, shapes and sizes. The best features of this type of decor accessory are written below.

1. They are much stain resistant and are designed accurately.

2. They all are available at very light weight. They are heat resistant.

3. They come with lots of durability and proficiency.

The water features add a lush and cool look to your indoor as well as outdoor with less effort. They can be of any size and shape. They come with an electric pump which is used to circulate water from up to down. This was all about various types of water features. Get any of them at your home.

The Victorian Fountain at Government House Annapolis, Maryland

This beautiful Victorian-style fountain was created and installed in the garden at Government House in 1990. The fountain was designed by Graham Landscape Architects in Annapolis and sculptor Lyle Beddes of Historical Arts and Casting helped to create it. The design includes many images that represent Maryland and its bounty, including corn, crabs, tobacco, terrapins and the Baltimore Oriole, the state bird.

The fountain was the inspiration of former governor William Donald Schaefer and his official hostess Hilda Mae Snoops. It cost $169,000 and was paid for with private funds. In 1994, Governor Schaefer officially dedicated the fountain to Mrs. Snoops, who died in 1999.

Government House, which stands across the street from the historic Maryland State House in Annapolis, was built in 1868 as a high Victorian mansion. In 1935, it was expanded and completely renovated into the style of a five-part Georgian house. The fountain stands near a bay window that still remains from the building's Victorian beginnings.

Mr. Congeniality at the Cantor

I have a confession: I get in trouble a lot at the Cantor Arts Center.

I know, arts editors should be setting a good example. But I go into exhibits with my little reporter's notebook and take notes in pen, when only pencils are allowed. The museum guards have a word with me. I take photos of the sculptures with my little pink iPhone. You're usually not supposed to do that.

I could play the press card and tell the truth, which is that I'm considering the exhibition for an article. But that seems snotty. So I just keep getting in trouble. It's not the guards' fault. I just forget to bring a pencil. (Sorry, Anna.)

Today, though, I had a really nice interaction with one of the museum guards. In a hurry, I was dashing in and out of the galleries getting quick looks at a few of the shows. Somehow, the same guard ended up holding the door for me three times.

He was a friendly young guy, and finally I said: "Three times. That's getting to be a record."

Without missing a beat, he said, "I'd do it a hundred times if you went through that many doors."

I felt like I was in a Cary Grant movie.

Pictured: Someone at the Cantor who isn't me (i.e., well-behaved). Photo from museum.stanford.edu.

Animals That are Born Blind

1. Star Nosed Mole

Star nosed Mole is a real animal (not known to many people). Habitat ranges from Canada to Georgia. People rarely see because they live in swamps and wetlands. He is almost blind and animals that use the flesh to feel the shape of a star on his nose.

2. Cave Fish

Cave Fish can only be found in the cave that has a flow to it. They do not have functional eyes and pigmentation. They have a sensor forming papillae rows on their skin, which they use to help them navigate a dark environment. The majority of cave fish have little or no pigment in their skin.

3. Blind Snakes

This snake resembles the long earthworms. They live in burrows underground, and menggunakkan not anything to see, most of the rest of the eye they can not be used.

The picture below is the western blind snake. Skin color pink, purple, brown or silver-colored, shiny, brown, cylindrical, and blunt at both ends, and has a light-detecting black eyespots.

4. Texas Blind Salamander

Texas blind salamander, lives in a cave can reach an adult length of about 13 centimeters. His eyes were small and hidden under the skin. Salamanders spend their entire lives in darkness.

5. Blind Spider
Of the 850 new species, were found during a survey in Australia in underground habitats, spiders are blind, was "totally unexpected things that are found in unexpected places," by team members Steve Cooper, from the South Australian Museum , in October 2009.

For example, a scientist found an arachnid in Western Australia's dry pastureland that has been estimated that only exist in the rainforest - "the first time in a group of species ever found in Australia," said Cooper.