Sailboats racing in the 2008 Acura Miami Grand Prix, Florida (@ Sharon Green/Corbis)

Sailboats racing in the 2008 Acura Miami Grand Prix, Florida (@ Sharon Green/Corbis)

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• From above, the Miami Grand Prix looks like a pleasant day on the sea.""Let\s get closer to the action
• A Portuguese sailor often gets credit for being the first to circumnavigate the world.""But did he really make it?
• Way back in 1929, a tattooed hero with a love of canned greens made his debut.""Chances are you can sing along to his theme song
• After the race, tie up at the dock…""And catch more action in this glitzy hot spot

Combine harvester gathers the wheat crop, England (@ Corbis Motion)

Combine harvester gathers the wheat crop, England (@ Corbis Motion)

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• A single machine that combines the tasks of reaping, threshing, and winnowing grain…""But what will we call it?
• While we\re busy harvesting the grain, the cows are off in the pasture enjoying some tunes.""What?
• After the grain is harvested and ready for use, it\s time to preheat the kitchen oven…""And prepare to loaf
• This combine rolling through amber waves of grain has to be an all-American scene, right?""Actually, folks use these rigs ‘round the globe, including in this part of an island kingdom

Iron staircase of Currituck Beach Lighthouse, North Carolina (@ Peter Ptschelinzew/Lonely Planet)

Iron staircase of Currituck Beach Lighthouse, North Carolina (@ Peter Ptschelinzew/Lonely Planet)

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• Take a deep breath…""It\s 214 steps to the tippy top
• Meh. Who needs stairs…""When you can do this?
• Visitors can make their way to the top to feel the breeze and sun.""And what a view they get for the climb
• It takes a million bricks, a lot of iron, and full automation to keep the lights on in this house.""See where you\ll find it shining

Majlis al Jinn, one of the world's largest cave chambers, Oman (@ Mark Daffey/Lonely Planet)

Majlis al Jinn, one of the world's largest cave chambers, Oman (@ Mark Daffey/Lonely Planet)

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• Since the floor of this cave is nearly 400 feet down...""Getting back out again may be the hard part
• One group of scientists goes deep underground into caves like this...""Looking for \"extremophiles\" and clues about ... ALIENS!
• The name of this cave means “meeting place of the jinns.”""So, what\s a jinn?
• This subterranean grotto might inspire a yearning for wide-open views.""And lucky for you, the nearby capital city sits on a picturesque natural harbor

Murray River National Park in Australia (@ Ignacio Palacios/Lonely Planet)

Murray River National Park in Australia (@ Ignacio Palacios/Lonely Planet)

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• This scenic bend captures just a small part of the longest river on the continent.""Where is this waterway?
• Conservation efforts to keep this river healthy are on the rise, because native animals and plants are threatened.""Who wouldn\t want to save this local resident?
• Need a bit of the Deep South while you\re Down Under?""Climb aboard one of the paddle steamers here
• The river isn\t just part of the popular national park that runs along its banks.""See from the air how it also provides rich soil for farmland

Rows of ice pops (@ Flirt/Superstock)

Rows of ice pops (@ Flirt/Superstock)

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• Had things worked out differently…""This picture might have made you crave an “Epsicle”
• Why buy when you can freeze your own?""Oh! The flavors you\ll make
• If necessity is the mother of invention, are accidents the weird cousins?""Let\s see the family reunion
• Don\t throw out the sticks when you\re done enjoying frozen treats.""Save them for a moment of crafty inspiration

Aerial view of Piriápolis waterfront and promenade, Uruguay (@ Bernardo Galmarini/Alamy)

Aerial view of Piriápolis waterfront and promenade, Uruguay (@ Bernardo Galmarini/Alamy)

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• This beach resort town is known for its waterfront promenade and European flavor…""Can you name it?
• When they celebrate down here, it usually entails a wood fire and some serious grilling.""And today they\ve got a good reason to party
• Take a short drive to the east and you\ll find a ginormous hand jutting out of the sand.""Is there a body attached to it?
• Word among the jet set is that this may be the world\s next travel hot spot.""Which unassuming Latin gem is ready to step into the limelight?

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia (@ Clipcanvas)

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia (@ Clipcanvas)

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• Who knew that when calcium carbonate encrusts plants and bacteria…""The results could be so magnificent
• See what happens when just the right mix of minerals and organisms come together…""To give the water here these distinctive hues
• Swimming isn\t allowed in these crystal-clear, but ecologically fragile pools.""So take a stroll along the wooden paths of this natural wonder
• These waterfalls have seen their share of political conflict through the years…""But their peaceful setting endures in this European nation

Arrow crab on a sponge in the Caribbean Sea (@ Jurgen Freund/Aurora Photos)

Arrow crab on a sponge in the Caribbean Sea (@ Jurgen Freund/Aurora Photos)

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• Sorry, but these creatures do exist outside your nightmares.""What is this spindly-legged beast?
• Jutting up between those googly eyes is a long, spearlike nose.""Does it remind you of a famous landmark?
• Want to see a scuba diver find one of these crawlers?""Of course you do
• Crabs and spiders are closely related.""But some crabs are a bit more spiderlike than others

Sheep on Achill Island, County Mayo, Ireland (@ Maura Molloy)

Sheep on Achill Island, County Mayo, Ireland (@ Maura Molloy)

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• This season, the sheep are sporting a raffish pink dye.""See the latest in anti-rustling fashion for sheep
• A cruel landlord once dwelled on the island where these sheep live.""Perhaps you recognize his name?
• Painted sheep? Bah!""These Welsh herds kick it 21st-century style
• Someone should tell these sheep to never turn their back on the ocean…""They might miss this gnarly local attraction

Ice fields at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (@ Oleg Bulanyy)

Ice fields at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (@ Oleg Bulanyy)

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• You\re looking at a sprawling ice field…""Just 200 miles from the equator
• This is one of the seven summits on a mountain climber\s bucket list.""Why do you suppose they call them the “7”?
• Some scientists claim that the “shining mountain” is rapidly losing its sheen. Others aren\t so sure.""What\s the big debate?
• Ernest Hemingway wrote about the snows of this mountain, one of the most accessible high peaks in the world.""Start your walk in a tropical climate and ascend to the chilly rooftop

Wat Chai Wattanaram in Ayutthaya, Thailand (@ SIME/eStock Photo)

Wat Chai Wattanaram in Ayutthaya, Thailand (@ SIME/eStock Photo)

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• Welcome to…""“The Temple of long reign and glorious era”
• These ornate structures date from a time when this was the center of a powerful kingdom known in the West as Siam.""With its great wealth and many canals, the capital was dubbed \"The Venice of the East\"
• This temple is just one of many spectacular sights a traveler will find here.""Take a two-minute tour
• Locals refer to their homeland as the “Land of the Free.”""An excellent motto for a country that\s never been a European colony

Seaplanes docked in Seattle, Washington (@ John & Lisa Merrill/Danita Delimont)

Seaplanes docked in Seattle, Washington (@ John & Lisa Merrill/Danita Delimont)

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• This lake is just a giant runway for these planes to lift off…""And perform a flyby in celebration of this special day
• You don\t need to take to the skies to see the sights of this watery town…""But you should get ready to quack
• Ready to fly, but don\t have a slip at the docks?""A new kind of aircraft will fit in your garage
• A 1916 seaplane crafted of wood, wire, and linen marked the start of an aerospace industry giant.""What was this formative plane?

Aerial view of cultivated fields in Arizona (@ Jim Wark/Lonely Planet)

Aerial view of cultivated fields in Arizona (@ Jim Wark/Lonely Planet)

comments,

• If farmers painted by numbers…""Do you think their compositions would look like these?
• Who – or what – is making strange patterns in crop fields at night?""You might want to ask your microwave
• Out working in the fields around here?""Watch out for this hairy, smelly beast!
• This undulating farmland is found in a state better known for its deserts and canyons.""Where do farmers rarely worry about getting enough sun for their crops?

Close-up of a melon (@ Corbis)

Close-up of a melon (@ Corbis)

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• Once you\ve tried this juicy sweetheart, you…""Can\t elope with another
• Today, folks are delivering one-liners, knock-knocking, and sharing tall tales about walking into bars.""It\s a real laughing matter
• There once was a beauty who could sing and dance while wearing a fruit salad on her head.""Watching her moves, all we can say is, “Chica Chica Boom Chic”
• Resist the temptation to just cut into that perfectly ripe orb.""Try a new recipe, instead

Fritillary butterfly sitting on a blade of grass (@ Clipcanvas)

Fritillary butterfly sitting on a blade of grass (@ Clipcanvas)

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• After hatching, molting, morphing, and hanging around in the dark, it\s time to...""Flap your wings and enjoy some sun
• This aerialist can take off, fly, and land with the greatest of ease.""But who could do all that and also sting?
• Lack a voice and a sharp left jab? Here\s a colorful way to yell…""“LEAVE ME ALONE!”
• Want to cultivate a relationship with this pretty fellow?""It might take a green thumb

Sheikh Zayed Bridge at night in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (@ spreephoto.de/Getty Images)

Sheikh Zayed Bridge at night in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (@ spreephoto.de/Getty Images)

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• Head to glitzy Abu Dhabi in style.""Motor across this span
• Cross this bridge to find…""Full-throttle fun
• The designer of this marvel is often referred to as architecture\s leading lady.""Recently, she was given the royal treatment
• The undulating design of this bridge is meant to reflect the flowing sands of the desert.""Where should you go to see it up close?

The Basin in Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire (@ Danita Delimont/Getty Images)

The Basin in Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire (@ Danita Delimont/Getty Images)

comments,

• When Mother Nature takes 15,000 years to polish a rock…""She ends up with a pretty nice basin
• Henry Fonda gave his last performance in a movie filmed near here. It may have been Fonda\s “swan song”…""But some thought the loons stole the show
• There once was a great mountain man whose stony profile became a rock slide.""Who was this local legend?
• Keep your eyes peeled for “notches” as you travel through the White Mountains.""A beautiful destination awaits you

A detail of the Basketball Arena at the Olympic Park in Stratford, London, England (@ Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

A detail of the Basketball Arena at the Olympic Park in Stratford, London, England (@ Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

comments,

• Could this be a marble statue? A set of wavy organ pipes?""The sound of sneakers on wood might be a clue
• What happened 20 years ago when they combined a Bird with some Barkley, Pippen, Magic, and Air?""The stuff of dreams
• You\re looking at the distinctive exterior of the London Basketball Arena.""But instead of dribbles and dunks, you\ll find this other fast-action sport inside today
• After the Games end, something big is going to happen to this arena, the largest temporary building in the park.""It\s a real slam dunk for the future

Three dabbling ducks with their heads in the water, Saxony, Germany (@ S Meyers/Blickwinkel/age fotostock)

Three dabbling ducks with their heads in the water, Saxony, Germany (@ S Meyers/Blickwinkel/age fotostock)

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• What kind of birds swim around with their tails in the air…""Like they just don\t care?
• This trio may appear to be in a, well, compromised position.""But that\s nothing compared to the trouble this guy gets himself into
• Teams of women are jumping into the deep end today in a bid to win some medals.""What are they doing to keep their dreams afloat?
• These bobbers have synchronized their movements well enough...""But the swimmers in London have a little more grace

Aerial view of Hyde Park and the Serpentine Lake in London, England (@ Andrew Holt/Getty Images)

Aerial view of Hyde Park and the Serpentine Lake in London, England (@ Andrew Holt/Getty Images)

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• No matter which path you choose…""You\re sure to enjoy the view
• One woman owns all the swans here.""She must think she\s royalty or something
• “I\ve experienced big waves, jellyfish, weeds, … a bloodied nose, a black eye and sore feet. It\s a tough sport.”""Who said this, and what punishing event was she describing?
• More than swans are swimming in this lake today.""What competition is creating its own current here?

The Olympic Stadium in Stratford, London, England (@ Michael Steele/Getty Images)

The Olympic Stadium in Stratford, London, England (@ Michael Steele/Getty Images)

comments,

• Shortlisted for the United Kingdom\s most prestigious architecture award…""Is this building, designed without a top
• Among those who turned out for a celebrity bike race to open this stadium…""Was none other than the lord of the Abbey himself
• Take a world-class track and add competitive mascots. What do you get?""We\re not sure, but keep an eye on the daffodil
• Some have proposed converting this into a Formula One auto racetrack once the Games have ended.""But today, track-and-field athletes are running circles around that idea

Dressage horse and rider (@ imagebroker.net/SuperStock)

Dressage horse and rider (@ imagebroker.net/SuperStock)

comments,

• Teams from around the world are bringing the highest level of equestrian competition to London\s Greenwich Park today.""Who\s feeling their oats and winning medals?
• Equine stardom is usually reserved for screen actors playing characters like Flicka, Mr. Ed, and Silver.""Here\s one of the latest to trot into the limelight
• A horse and rider require years of practice to perform the complicated choreography of this sport.""And what a lovely pair of dancers they become
• You\re looking at a very large and regal…""Ballerina

Shooting complex at the Royal Artillery Barracks in London, England (@ Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images)

Shooting complex at the Royal Artillery Barracks in London, England (@ Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images)

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• No, this isn\t NASA\s secret moon-cheese research facility.""What is all that racket coming from inside?
• Unusual architecture makes urban landscapes more fun.""Get a load of these buildings
• The skeet shooting competitions in this building move so fast they might be hard to follow.""Let\s. Slow. It. Down.
• This structure is meant to be temporary, unlike the massive, 236-year-old barracks across the lawn.""They make for quite a contrast

A golden snub-nosed monkey plays in a tree in the Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi province, China (@ Ma Xiaobo Photography China/Corbis)

A golden snub-nosed monkey plays in a tree in the Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi province, China (@ Ma Xiaobo Photography China/Corbis)

comments,

• Just hanging around, he says.""Who is this fellow with the flaxen fur?
• Perhaps if we spent more time on the monkey bars as kids…""We could all do this, too. (Maybe)
• If you want to see these primates in their natural habitat, you\ll have to do some climbing.""And that\s before you get to the forest
• It\s not just a keen fashion sense that gives this monkey his luxuriant coat.""His fur allows him to go where no other monkey can bear to tread

Missy Franklin of the United States competes in the women's 200-meter backstroke heat 4 in London, England (@ Al Bello/Getty Images)

Missy Franklin of the United States competes in the women's 200-meter backstroke heat 4 in London, England (@ Al Bello/Getty Images)

comments,

• A third gold medal for a 17-year-old swimmer…""And a world record to go with it
• Another famous Franklin was also an avid swimmer.""Luckily for us, he let his other passions get in the way of his swimming aspirations
• Her fans are cheering back home...""But perhaps nowhere as loudly as in one Colorado town
• If the Games have you recalling iconic victories from past competitions…""You can find those memorable moments here

ExCeL Centre Phase 2 East Entrance in London, England (@ Edmund Sumner/age fotostock)

ExCeL Centre Phase 2 East Entrance in London, England (@ Edmund Sumner/age fotostock)

comments,

• Though it may look like a parking garage for UFOs…""This space is occupied with more terrestrial events today
• Forget pingpong. Fans in this arena today are cheering for athletes who bring something…""Altogether more exciting to the table
• Of the seven competitions held at this venue during the Games, one is a martial art with a name that translates to “gentle way” in English.""Is it taekwondo or judo?
• In addition to its sleek, futuristic look, London\s ExCeL Centre is pretty eco-friendly.""Other modern structures took the “green building” idea in a different direction

Detail of the Velodrome at the Olympic Park in Stratford, London, England (@ Anthony Collins Cycling/Alamy)

Detail of the Velodrome at the Olympic Park in Stratford, London, England (@ Anthony Collins Cycling/Alamy)

comments,

• To cyclists, what\s the big difference between road racing and track racing?""A whole lot of déjà vu
• Got a new favorite athlete?""Meet Team USA
• How do you design a sustainable space that can seat 6,000 spectators, provide enough room for teams competing on wheels…""And ensure it\s around for the next 70 years?
• This venue for Olympic track cycling is sometimes called \"the Pringle.\"""Can you see why?