Artsy hairstyle: Clients who get haircuts from stylist Truong Xuan Tuan wish their hair would never grow again! That’s because the stylist, of Hanoi, Vietnam, creates works of art on the backs of people’s heads using razors and trimmers. He might trim hair to form a celebrity’s face, a cartoon character, a spider, or an urban scene. Because he cannot simply rub out any mistakes, he only creates designs that he has practiced making in the past. Those coming into his shop can browse through a portfolio and pick something they like. Warning: the designs become a bit fuzzy as the person’s hair grows back!

Manhole lights: City planners in Tokorozawa, Japan, have a novel idea to decorate manhole covers. They outfitted 27 of these necessary, but usually unattractive, pieces of the city’s infrastructure with solar-powered LED lights. The lights reveal designs that incorporate anime characters, which are popular in Japan. The 27 artistic designs are illuminated every evening at 5 p.m., and those who are out late can enjoy them until they turn off at 2 a.m. Another motive that inspired the city’s planners is that the extra lighting may help prevent nighttime crime. See them here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Fishing pool: With travel at a standstill during the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels around the world have seen a huge decrease in business. To make ends meet, the Aveda Resort, a luxury hotel in Kumarakom, Kerala, India, tried a novel approach to maintain some of its income. They re-purposed the hotel’s pool as a fish farm. The large pool was drained and filled with fresh water, then loaded with 16,000 young pearl spot fish. The fish can be harvested and sold, raising money to help with the hotel’s expenses. The project has also helped to keep hotel staff busy.

Hot springs: In the Tuscan region of Italy, a natural hot spring near Saturnia is a sight to behold. Called Cascate del Mulino, which means “Waterfalls of the Mill,” this hot spot features natural white limestone pools over which warm water flows. The turquoise liquid, at a constant 37°C (98.6°F), comes from an underground source and is full of minerals and sulphur. This beautiful natural wonder is free for users and is located downstream from a tourist complex called Terme di Saturnia Spa, where an entrance fee must be paid. The best time to visit is in fall, winter, or early spring when it is less crowded. See the beautiful falls and some other hot spots of Tuscany here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Dating game: If you are trying to meet that special someone, it’s best not to damage their property in the process. But that’s what Yoshito Harada of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, did. He got into the bad habit of slashing the tires on women’s cars, then following them so he could offer to help. Recently, one of his targets remembered him from a previous tire-slashing incident, and she called the cops. It wasn’t long before the police discovered that Harada had played this “game” several years earlier and had been caught. He paid compensation for the tires and didn’t go to jail, but none of the ladies was interested in dating him.

Tiger tales: Getting caught in floodwater is no fun, even for tigers. One such feline, a resident of the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, in north-eastern India, was looking for shelter when it discovered a goat shed on someone’s property in Kandolimari Village. Park officials identified the animal as a not-quite-full-grown, male Bengal tiger. Officials kept a close eye on the situation so nobody, including the tiger, would get hurt. During heavy rains, many animals in the park, including elephants and rhinos, must find sanctuary by moving to higher ground.

Tall and straight: Cactus plants can grow to be quite tall, and one in Takinogawa, Tokyo (Japan), leaves onlookers awestruck at its height. This cactus looks like a pole as it reaches for the sky on the side of a three-story building. No one is aware of the plant’s age or genus, but it does appear that someone cares for the prickly thing. Metal rings are wrapped around the plant that attach it to the building, presumably so it won’t topple over. The building is 10 metres (33 ft.) high, and this cactus is a little taller than that. Its top is slightly higher than the building.

Pandemic dress: Peyton Manker was not able to wear her homemade dress to her high school prom, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, lots of people saw her unique dress on social media. Manker, of Sparta, Illinois (U.S.), decided to enter a contest to make her dress out of duct tape, and she succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. She spent almost 400 hours and used about 41 rolls of tape to create her dress. The coronavirus-themed gown is royal blue and gold and contains colourful scenes depicting the pandemic, such as hospital staff with masks. See her dress here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Lottery luck: It’s not much fun to discover that a car tire is low on air, necessitating a stop at a gas station with an air pump. But for a man from Michigan (U.S.), it led to winning a whopping $2 million. The fellow was driving his wife’s truck when he realized one of the tires was going soft. He pulled into the nearest gas station, but didn’t have coins for the air pump. That led him to enter the adjoining store to get some change, and he decided to pick up a lottery ticket while he was at it. The winner and his wife will invest their winnings in a new home, and maybe they’ll even get a new, airtight tire for the truck.

Bear country: When Sean Atkinson looked at the security camera to see who had broken into his home near Orillia, Ontario (Canada), he was surprised to find that the burglar was not a person, but a bear! The animal seemed to have opened the door like a human, and then it walked in nonchalantly, as though it owned the place. It rummaged around quite a bit, but didn’t find much to eat in the empty pizza boxes that were lying around. Getting out of the house was a little bit trickier because the door slammed back in the poor creature’s face. However, the bear made it out, with not much damage to Atkinson’s home.

Lacy cookies: Judit Czinkné Poór of Ajka, Hungary, probably never expected that her skill at painting porcelain would transfer to cookie decorating. That is just what happened, and today the artist is a well-known pastry chef with her own shop. She is able to turn a gingerbread cookie into a creative edible that appears to be covered in traditional Hungarian lace and delicate flowers. She has expanded her decorating to included cartoon characters and animal figures. As can be imagined, completing a batch of cookies takes Poór a long time, so she is unable to keep up with the demand. However, she shares her talent through teaching.

Subway splendour: When one thinks of subway stations in big cities, visions of concrete, graffiti, and dimly lit underground corridors may come to mind. Not so in Moscow, where the metro stations look more like ornately decorated dance halls. Rather than being dirty and unpleasant, these stations are beautiful and opulent. Each station in the city has its own unique design, with some featuring stained glass and chandeliers, while others display plaster mosaics and marble seating. They are unexpected sights to see while waiting to catch the train to a destination. See some of the incredible stations here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

New from old: An American mother of three knows how to save money on clothing. Caitlin Trantham taught herself how to sew, and she now uses her skill to transform second-hand clothing into modern pieces. She tries not to spend more than about $10 USD on any one item, but does allow herself a few dollars for things like buttons and zippers. Her creations include turning a 1980s prom gown into a cocktail dress, a huge printed shirt into a snazzy, belted outfit, and a plaid, collared get-up into a spaghetti-strapped sundress. Trantham, who plans to donate some of her creations, shares her work on social media.

Sandy beach? Homeowners who would like to have their own backyard beach can call a Spanish company called Piscinas de Arena, which translates to “Sand Pools.” This company builds pools that look like a beach oasis. They use a special sand/concrete mixture that looks like sand, but is actually a smooth surface. This “sand” slopes into a turquoise pool of calm, clear water, so sunbathers can seem to be wading into the sea. The builders then complete the mirage by rimming the area with rocks, shrubs, or any other natural items that suit the owner’s fancy.

Movie lovers: A couple from Germany like to go on vacations, and their unique hobby takes them to different locales. Robin Lachhein and Judith Schneider enjoy re-creating scenes from movies. They research the location of a scene, find facsimiles of the actors’ clothing in thrift stores, and then pose for the shot. They’ve done scenes from La La Land in California  (U.S.), Game of Thrones in Spain, Lord of the Rings in New Zealand, P.S. I Love You in Ireland, and many more! Of course, they pick scenes with a male and a female character, and they limit touch-ups of the photos to colour correction only.

Just can’t win: Daredevil dirt bike enthusiasts love a competition, and there is none more challenging than the annual Andler Hillclimb in Belgium. In fact, it is such an impossible climb that no one has ever reached the top, although many have tried. The conditions on the trail include changes of surface and steep inclines that have proven to be unconquerable. To be named as a successful competitor, a rider and bike must reach the top. The closest to do so was a daredevil whose front wheel crossed the finish line, but he fell back before the whole bike crossed over. Try, try again! See them in action here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Odd shape: Square watermelons actually exist in Japan, but they don’t come from special seeds. They are created when a watermelon of the usual variety is grown inside a box so that the final product is square. Watermelons of this shape have the advantage of being stackable, so therefore are more easily transported and stored. The taste of these watermelons isn’t like regular ones because they’re harvested before they become mature. People buy them as ornamental gifts, parting with as much as $100 USD if purchasing from a Japanese store, and for much more from specialty stores in other countries.

A place for books: There is a library like no other in Stockholm, Sweden. Stadsbiblioteket (City Library) was designed by architect Gunnar Asplund in the 1920s. Its round shape is unusual, with stacks of books encircling the huge room. Above the stacks is a viewing area, allowing visitors to take a bird’s-eye look at the hundreds of thousands of books available for reading and loaning. The architectural style is known as Nordic Classicism; some people call it “Swedish Grace.” Both inside and out, the building is a photographer’s dream, not to mention a reader’s fantasy.

Sink art: An artist in Milan, Italy, didn’t let the coronavirus pandemic get in her way. During the shutdown in that country, Marta Grossi used an everyday home feature as her canvas: the sink. Normally used for the drab tasks of doing dishes and personal care regimes, Grossi decided to breathe creative life into the basins by using watercolour paints. From sea anemones to butterflies to floral designs and animal life, she created bright, colourful scenes. She left each painting intact for 24 hours, but took photos before washing each design down the drain.

Wild winds: On New Zealand’s South Island is a windswept area called Slope Point. This forbidding place on the island’s most southern tip, almost midway between the Equator and the South Pole, experiences relentless, howling winds that come across the ocean, uninterrupted, from Antarctica. Sheep graze there, and years ago farmers decided to plant trees to act as shelters for the animals. Today, those trees are a tourist attraction because the wind has forced them to grow sideways – literally. While people like to come to see the trees, they must make day trips because there are no accommodations on this wild, windy point.

See the trees here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Lighting the way: Tobermory, Ontario (Canada), is situated near dangerous waters. Located at the merger of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, the waters sometimes are treacherous, and the weather can be bad. To guide ships into the harbour, the Big Tub Lighthouse was built in 1885 for $675 CDN. Today, the original structure no longer exists, and in its place is a six-sided wooden lighthouse that stands 14 metres (43 ft.) high. Its existence is necessary, especially considering that two old shipwrecks can be seen in the offshore waters. Today, scuba divers enjoy exploring them.

Snow art: British Artist Simon Beck uses a unique medium for his work: snow. He creates geometric patterns on large stretches of the untouched white stuff by walking on it in a systematic way. His snowshoe footprints make the design, which he plans beforehand on paper. Many of his works were made in the Alps, but he has traveled to other snowy places to make a piece. The images take many hours to create and can cover an area the size of a football field. A high vantage point is the best way to see his snowflakes, checkerboards, and other intricate shapes. See his story and creations here:www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Pen art: Many people keep a stash of ballpoint pens on hand for writing notes or letters. But for Ukrainian artist Andrey Poletaev, the ballpoint pen is his paintbrush. Poletaev is an artist who creates drawings using these pens, and his work looks almost like black-and-white photographs. They are intricate and can take hundreds of hours to finish. He layers ink in some places, and lightly covers other areas to create many shades. He creates street scenes, portraits, animals, and landscapes using old techniques and creating many of his own.

Photo-crazy: A photographer in India really loves his craft and likes to let the world know it. Ravi Hongal, from Belgaum, Karnataka, has been taking photos since he was a child, and today he has his own studio. To show off his obsession, he built his three-story home using a camera-themed style. A gigantic replica of a camera lens and flash are mounted on the wall above the front door. What appears to be a length of film hangs down the side of the house. But Hongal didn’t stop there in expressing his passion for cameras. He named his sons after well-known camera brands: Canon, Nikon, and Epson.

Kidding aside: Kris Hedstrom of Odessa, Florida (U.S.), thinks she had the wool pulled over her eyes when the Nigerian dwarf goats she purchased couldn’t be registered as pedigrees. The goats – Bella, Gigi, Rosie, Zelda, and Margoat – came from neighbour Heather Dayner’s farm. When Hedstrom tried to register the animals, she was turned away because Dayner was not an active member of the American Dairy Goat Association. Not to be deterred, Hedstrom filed a lawsuit asking Dayner to pay for a paternity test on the goats.

Purple paradise: Those who like the colour purple now have a must-see destination to put on their wish lists: Banwol Island and Parkji Island in Sinan-gun, South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Authorities on these islands have planted lavender fields and various trees with purple flowers, and they are developing an infrastructure painted with purple. The two islands are connected via a purple footbridge, and some of the roads have been splashed with violet paint. Homeowners have even joined the action by painting their houses various shades of this vibrant colour. See this amazing purple paradise here...www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Vertical cave: A deep cave in Mexico is called Sótano de las Golondrinas (Cave of the Swallows). Located in the forest in Aquismón, San Luis Potosí, this open-air cave shaft is over 370 metres (1,200 ft.) deep, and even deeper in some spots. Its name stems from the brightly coloured parakeets and swifts that settle down along the walls at night. In the morning, all the birds fly up and out of the cave, making a spectacular sight. The Cave of the Swallows also attracts human visitors who enjoy extreme sports. They jump in with a parachute or spend a full hour rappelling to the bottom using specialized ropes and gear.

Pyramid crazy: Andrey and Victoria Vakhrushev from the village of Istinka near St. Petersburg, Russia, are enamoured by the Great Pyramid of Giza. In fact, they are so captivated by the ancient structure that they built a replica in their backyard. While much smaller than the original, the couple’s creation is still a sight to behold. They thoroughly researched the project and applied similar specifications to scale. They ended up using about 400 tonnes of concrete blocks. Finding a contractor took a while, but eventually one agreed to take on the job. See their creation here...

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