Devil's Swimming Pool

January 21, 2010 7:13 AM

Atlas Obscura was previously mentioned here, but at that time had only been up and running for a week or so. It has since filled out a lot. Start your tour (if you dare) by taking a plunge into the Devil's Swimming Pool - a natural pool on the lip of Victoria Falls, inches from the 100-meter precipice.

Just a few other highlights I stumbled across: the 12-story wooden spiral Waldspirale building in Darmstadt; the Hanging Temple in Hengshan, China; and the astonishing stepwells in India. The Atlas truly deserves its title as 'A Compendium of the World's Wonders, Curiosities and Esoterica'.

posted by woodblock100 (12 comments total)

According to Wikipedia, the Devil's Swimming Pool is "safe," while Atlas Obscura claims it is "the world's highest and most dangerous infinity pool." Personally, even from the vantage of my laptop, I'm a little worried those people may fall over.
posted by Hoenikker at 7:28 AM on January 21, 2010

Awesome site; thanks. Between the Devil's Swimming Pool, the Sears Tower Glass Platform and the Last Handwoven Bridge people like me can vicariously and safely work on our fear of heights.
*Shudders*
*Looks for more*
posted by Hardcore Poser at 7:33 AM on January 21, 2010

Mozart's possible skull?? what the hell...i'm going to open a museum of 'possibles'. It will feature Ghandi's possible nutsack, Lord Neville Chamberlain's potential gallstone, and Catherine the Great's maybe left breast.
posted by spicynuts at 7:49 AM on January 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

You go ahead, Hardcore Poser - I'm'a stand wa-a-a-ay back over here. Yeek.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:52 AM on January 21, 2010

This is great, but the banner ads are terrible, and "Hilarius."
posted by exlotuseater at 8:15 AM on January 21, 2010

Oh man, the Lajitas Ghost Town is a bizarre/funny/amazing microcosm of Old West mythology. Hopefully they regulate the goat's booze intake.

You go ahead, Hardcore Poser - I'm'a stand wa-a-a-ay back over here. Yeek.
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:52 AM on January 21 [+] [!]

...Strongbad? That you?
posted by Hardcore Poser at 9:12 AM on January 21, 2010

Having threatened to do so for years, disgruntled local Jim Bob Hargrove promptly castrated the goat — a common practice in farm animals, but a very uncommon thing to do to a Mayor, no mater how much people might want to.
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:23 AM on January 21, 2010

Wow. Not sure how I missed this site the first time around. This is fantastic. Thanks!
posted by Lutoslawski at 9:39 AM on January 21, 2010

The Devil's Swimming Pool doesn't look so bad from those photos, but it helps to view it in perspective. Even then, the initial photos I've seen on Flickr and elsewhere fail to portray how BIG the thing is. I imagine the Devil's Swimming Pool is safe, as long as you don't tap-dance on the lip of the pool and plummet to your death.

After reading about the exploration of urban/modern ruins, I want to wander around The World Discoverer.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:43 AM on January 21, 2010

Fantastic! Thank you.
posted by blue shadows at 6:04 PM on January 21, 2010

Nice. I've forwarded this to 'moonMan so that we may plan our vacations accordingly.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 7:05 AM on January 22, 2010

Thanks for the post, woodblock!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:29 PM on January 22, 2010