The Horreo - Singular Symbol of Spain

If you travel through north eastern Spain the chances are that you will see something like above structure, pictured in Ourense in Galicia. Known as hórreo and often centuries old, these structures served a vital purpose for the local communities. Can you guess what they were for?

As European civilization spread so did problem solving technology. The hórreo was the answer to a particular issue – how to keep cobs of corn and other crops dry and safe from rodents before they were threshed. Although a simple solution it was one which persevered through two thousand years. Although they have now been superseded, the hórreo of Spain are a reminder that a good idea can persist for a great deal of time.ssss

Although hórreo is the modern Spanish word, the constructions come with a variety of different names according o the local language or dialect with variations in places such as Asturia, Galicia and the Basque country.

They will also come in a variety of permutations and combinations - some even have a thatched roof. Yet they all follow very similar means of construction. Common to them all is the manner in which the hórreo is raised from the ground by pillars. Yet the design is a little more complex than that.

At the base of each is an enormous slab of stone which are known as pilpayos. The legs of the hórreo stand upon this and are usually known as pegollos. On top of this is another huge stone which is called the muela. This combination of stone (or sometimes wood) is remarkably effective at keeping rodents at bay.

Many people think that the hórreo was a Roman invention and its use was spread around the empire as it expanded. This is because the word hórreo derives from the Latin horreum. Yet according to Roman writers such as Strabonius the structure was not an invention of the empire. Anthropologists believe that they were originally Celtic in origin.

Anyone would be forgiven for thinking the hórreo a Roman invention. If you are familiar with the hypercaust system of furnace driven heating and ventilation built under many Roman villas there are striking similarities. Whereas in a hypercaust heat would travel upwards, the hórreo structure was designed to keep things above cool. Hence a hypercaust was built under the ground, a hórreo above, exposed to the elements.

As you can see the shape of the hórreo differs, and this depends on the region. In Galicia and Asturia the hórreo is usually an extended rectangle. In Cantabria and Galicia they tend to be square. Although they were part of the landscape for hundreds of years before the first depiction in literature comes from the 12th century.

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Steepest Road In The World

Initially, Baldwin Street slopes gently from the valley floor, then climbs steeply to its intersection with Buchanan Street at the top. Over the 161.2 metre length of the top section, it climbs a vertical height of 47.22 metres, which is an average gradient of 1 in 3.41.On its steepest section, the gradient is 1 in 2.86.

Every year, during Dunedin's Festival, large numbers of athletes, including family groups, take part in social and competitive foot races to the top of the street and return. These races are known as the "BALDWIN STREET GUTBUSTER". The street is named for William Baldwin, who carried out the original subdivision. Baldwin was a member of the Otago Provincial COuncil and founder of the "Otago Guardian" newspaper in 1873.

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Green Algae Chokes Beach in China

According to Chinese authorities an algae bloom, or “green tide,” has clogged nearly 7,700 square miles (20,000 square kilometers) of the Yellow Sea. The algae blanketing the beaches belongs to a species of marine plankton known as Enteromorpha prolifera, found in waters all around the world. In the right conditions, the algae can explode into so-called macro-algal blooms, Steve Morton, a marine biologist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), told National Geographic News in 2010.

Such massive blooms require warm ocean temperatures and waters rich in the elements phosphorus and nitrogen, which are found in fertilizers and can be carried to the coasts by water runoff. While the algae aren’t toxic, big blooms can create oxygen-poor “dead zones” in the water and leave an unpleasant odor on beaches.

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Luxurious Tropical Island Paradise

Tropical Island Paradise is another amazing project from Yacht Island Design. It’s an island on a 295 ft (90 m) long luxury yacht equipped with swimming pool, tropical plants and even a small waterfall. The yacht-island can travel at a speed of 15 knots and has VIP suits, spa, bar and dining area on board. There is even a helicopter landing pad.

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Top 10 Yummiest Food Around The World

1 Valencia, Spain

Eating food out in Spain is often cheap and meals are substantial rather than gourmet. One of the best ways to sample Spanish food is to try tapas, or snacks, which are served at any time of day in local bars. It is also renowned for its health benefits and fresh ingredients. A famous Spanish dish called Paella is consisted from rice and seafood and can also be vegetarian.

2 Paris, France

Paris food is known throughout the world for its unparalleled quality and taste. The wide variety of food in Paris is sure to overwhelm every food lover with delight. French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social and political change.

3 Malaysia

Malaysian Food is not one particular distinction of food but a culinary diversity originating from it’s multi-ethnic population of Malay, Indian, Eurasian, Chinese, Nyonya and the Indigenous peoples of Borneo. A brief look into the past and how this multi-ethnic country came to be, is essential in order to comprehend how such a cosmic array of food, has now come to be known all over the world as ‘Malaysian Food’. Presented here are some of the various delicious and popular dishes from this rainbow of gastronomic spectrum, with pictures and detailed recipes, from each unique ethnic kitchen.

4 Bangkok, Thailand

Thai cuisine is the national cuisine of Thailand. Thai cuisine places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. Thai cuisine is known for being spicy. Balance, detail and variety are important to Thai cooking. Thai food is known for its balance of the four fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet, salty, and (optional) bitter and it also can be quite hot (spicy).

5 Hong Kong

Hong Kong cuisine can best be described as a type of eclectic cuisine with extensive influences from Cantonese cuisine and parts of non-Cantonese-speaking China (especially Chaozhou, Dongjiang, Fujian and the Yangtze River Delta), Western world, Japan, and Southeast Asia, due to Hong Kong’s past as a British colony and long history of being an international city of commerce. From the roadside stalls to the most upscale restaurants, Hong Kong provides an unlimited variety of food in every class.

6 Japanese

Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule. In the early modern era significant changes occurred resulting in the introduction of non-Japanese cultures, most notably Western culture, to Japan.

7 Alexandria, Egypt

In Egypt, dining out can range from stand-up sandwich bars to luxurious five-course meals. You can find small, inexpensive establishments that serve good Egyptian food for only a few pounds. If you’re in a hurry, try the local snack bars. While the cubbyholes off the street (which probably have running water) are generally safe. The larger cities even have Western-style fast-food chains like McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken, but they’re relatively expensive. In cities both food and water are safe although the change in your diet may produce short-term gastrointestinal upsets.

8 Mexico

Real Mexican food is quite unlike the dishes found in most Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in other countries. In tourist areas you’ll find restaurants with familiar names and gringo menus, though the offerings will often be over-priced and not of a high standard. If you have a taste for adventure you’ll be well rewarded in Mexico; if not stick to a few simple and traditional dishes that are almost always excellent and not too spicy.

You’ll find standards much higher than if you search the menus for something familiar. Mexican cuisine has some superb rich or spicy dishes, but we recommend that you take it easy for the first few days until your stomach has grown accustomed to its new environment.

9 Kashmir, India

Indian food is a diverse and extraordinary one, reflecting a complex layering of cultures through history and based on religious beliefs, geography, climate and availability of ingredients. India’s range of cuisine can amaze even a connoisseur. Different regions in India offer their own specialties with their very own taste, subtlety and aroma. The exotic tastes, hues and textures of Indian food have ensured a steady growth in popularity in the West. The combination of fresh ingredients and cooking techniques are both a gastronomic delight and fulfill today’s requirements for healthy eating.

10 Veneto, Italy

Italy is famous for its food as much as for its huge artistic and historical assets and for the fashion industry. To check our recipes please check also our Italian food recipes database. Actually food is one of the cornerstones of Italian culture and even if times are changing and life is more and more frenetic, Italians still find a great pleasure in sitting at a table, in an home or restaurant and sharing a good meal together. Italians love discovering new foods and new way of preparing familiar dishes. Every year there’s more and more interest in the traditional cuisine of the various regions and in biological, environment friendly foods.

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