The World is a Crazy Place

Lately, I've been thinking about the universe and all the things in it and hot dogs and German toast. Und I realized like every other tawdry poofter who takes the time to smell the hibiscus shrub just how crazy this place truly is. It made me happy and slightly crazy.

The first evidence of this madness popped up in a YouTube related search to something involving Turkish bath houses and vitriolic acids, subjects that I often find myself researching at work. From what I gather, a place in Uzbekistan near the small town of Darvaz is popularly known as "The Door to Hell," and it's easy to see where it gets its sinister name. The story attributed to this Hellish portal goes as such: While drilling for gas, geologists discovered a massive underground cavern filled with gas. To prevent the poisonous gas from escaping the hole, they...ignited it. Logic notwithstanding, the fire has been burning brightly ever since - for well over 30 years. I recall that I once wrote a post on the abandoned eternally burning town of Centralia, Pennsylvania, where people actually still live despite the dangers of the unstable ground. Creepy!

This next instance of world-poppycock is found in Russia. Large holes in the ground of Russian forests have been discovered, but leave no explanation to what they might be. Though I think this might be a hoax or an easy explainable phenomenon, one of the comments added to the story had this theory to offer:

Another interesting detail posted in the comments is that the holes seemed to have been dug from the bottom up, not downwards. Some commentors suggested that these holes could be tree holes, which are created when volcanic ash settles around a tree, hardens, and becomes the hole you see here. Others have suggested that the holes are chimney entrances tino caves.

I say they're chamberpots for the gods. Mysterious holes, indeed.



While I love what Mother Nature and divine beings have done with the place, humankind has really gone above and beyond as explorers and creative inventors. One in particular, photographer Arthur Mole, added another chapter to human achievement by arranging and photographing large masses of living bodies to create national and religious symbols, such as the side profile of Woodrow Wilson seen below.



It's a bit off from the general theme here, but still shows how random the world can be: Check out these Houses in Remote Places. I'm not sure how long I'd last living in any of these secluded places, but to simply visit would be a fantastic break from the chaos of the city.

There are so many more bizarre going-ons out there - from insanely beautiful subways (My commute would be so much better if New York's system followed example) to abandoned cities - but I leave off with a personal experience: On the final day of my trip to Boston, Scott and I arrived early at Bay Station for the bus back to New York City. While he was using the restroom, an older man with nose hairs so long I mistook them for his moustache, approached me and asked, "Are you an actor?" My ego immediately perked up and I blushed, but kindly told him I wasn't. "Are you from New York City?" Ah, my ego chimed in again, just like in movies and tv shows, where people from the big city are mistook for attractive actors and models. "Do you know Macauley Culkin?" Sensing the conversation was taking a turn for the worse, I shook my head - but this didn't effectively kill the conversation. He rambled on with two completely unrelated tangents, paused suddenly, and then said, "Oh, well, I thought I saw you walking around with him last year in the city." Speechless. "Okay, well, anyways, just wondering if you had some spare change for a coffee. Bye!"

As he lumbered off, Scott returned and we sat in silence for a little before I retold my bizarre experience that took place just seconds before. Such an insignificant event, yet that small interaction stuck with me. People are just fascinating and whether he was just trying to talk me up for some kleingeld or actually attempting to stimulate thoughtful conversation (that I was just not having at the time), I'll probably never see him again. I meet so many people in the world everyday and discover so many interesting stories simply sitting here in my office chair at home. The world is truly a crazy place!