Ice layer, which is almost 3 feet thick, always covers Lake Baikal during winters and till beginning of March that remains same. Lake Baikal is 400 mile long and 5,000 foot deep. But in next two months the sun will get brighter and the ice on lake will slowly start melting with a process punctuated by cracking sounds not unlike the sharp report of guns.
According to Russians this “Sacred Lake” is 25 millions years old and this is the oldest lake on the planet. It is also the deepest lake, holding more water than all of North America’s Great Lakes combined. The aquatic life of the lake comprises more than 1,500 animal species and 1,000 plant species, two third of which are found in this lake only. A marine scientist Andy Rechnitzer says that Baikal is biologically more diverse than other lakes in the world that’s because of its oxygen rich water, which circulates from its surface to its deepest depths, a process likely related to geothermal vents.
The most interesting animal in the lake is Baikal seal or nurpa, the world’s only fresh water seal. Nurpas use their sharp claws to carve dens for their families while ice is still forming. It’s easy to find their dens, only look for air bubbles trapped in the ice after being exhaled by nurpas. The small breathing holes can be seen also that drifted by seals.
Diving in Lake Baikal is totally different than diving in other warms waters. Here for diving a crewmember must use a small metal saw to cut a small hole in the ice. After that a circular manhole size opening is cut with a chain saw, and long poles are used to push the round slab under the ice, though the water is warmer than the air (36 degree F) but still its so much cold for scuba diving. That’s why every 30 seconds or so divers must tug on safety lines attached to their wrists to let the crew above know that they are all right. [click to continue…]
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Let’s take you a marvelous journey to visit the 7most amazing lost cities of India: you will come to know about bustling seaports, golden trade centers, gorgeous places of worship & powerhouse capital cities of great empire. 
In spite of the fact these cities finally fell to war or natural catastrophe, their legacies survive in lofty temples save as World Heritage Sites or changed into museums or art galleries, beautiful art pieces and contemporary reliance on the knowledge and ancient methods devised by the dwellers of old cities in farming, bead-making and metallurgy. Well, then what are you waiting for? Ride on and have fun by going back in time.
1- Vijayanagara Empire
Virupaksha Temple (Hampi)
Sangama dynasty princes harihara I and Bukka Raya I were the founders of Vijayanagara. They established it in 1336. This great ancient city was the capital of an empire of the same name which also remained one of the greatest superpowers in Indian history. The peak time, you can also call its golden period, of this Indian kingdom remained for almost twenty years (from 1509-29) ruled by Krishnadevaraya. At that time its area was 33-sq-km and the empire spread over nearly the whole peninsula southern region of the rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra.
Ancient Market
Agricultural riches used to bring material wealth to its state that was also connected with global trade markets. But similar to many other powerful regimes, this empire also finally collapsed. It fell down when Deccan sultans attacked on it in 1565, the empire couldn’t get over after then, and was eventually stamped down in 1646 by the Sultans of Bijapur and Golkonda at that time. The city’s ruins have now been declared as a World Heritage Site. They extend all sides of today’s Hampi in the south Indian state of Karnataka.
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