Las Vegas: Entertainment Capital of the World

Also known as The Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas, Nevada, is one of the best vacation, shopping, and gambling destinations. Situated in the arid basin of the Mojave Desert, this magical city is surrounded by mountains varying in color from pink to rust and gray.

Hoover Dam

Bodie - California Ghost Town

Every place in this world has a story… sometimes beautiful, sometimes sad, every abandoned place becomes a memory, a memory that will soon be forgotten if we do not try to keep it alive and discover more of its secrets. Bodie is a genuine California gold-mining ghost town from the late 1800′s, located in the eastern slopes of the Sierra, close to the Nevada border. Due to an extremely wild climate, the forgotten city can be very very hot while summer and covered with snow in winter. Its story began in 1859, when William S. Body (Bodey) found gold here. The mining camp grew slowly from 1860 to the mid-1870s, became a boom town in 1877 and by 1879, it had a population of about 10,000 with 2,000 buildings. Sadly, the boom was over in four short years and by 1882, Bodie fall into decline. At that time, the town of Bodie bustled with families,

Unbelievable Rio Carnival

Lively colors, sparkling costumes, people dancing and laughing, a real hurricane – each year the amazing parades hold on the Sambadrome, Rio de Janeiro attract many thousands of Brazilians and foreign tourists. The wonderful Brazilian Carnival, celebrated as a profane event, is held forty days before Easter and represents the beginning of Lent. It is in fact an act of farewell to the pleasures of the flesh for the period of Lent. Although the carnival is held in many cities of the country, Rio de Janeiro is regarded as the Carnival Capital of the World, a place of entertainment and culture.

The world's beautiful monasteries

I think these are some of the most beautiful monasteries. Hidden in the mountains, so close to the sky, they are quiet shelters far far away from secular society. No matter the religion, these isolated wonders remain an expression of pure faith and peace beyond time and space. Some of them are still inhabited, others, forgotten will become dust with time.  

Xuan Kong Temple, near Datong, China :

Bizarre streets in the world

Pan-American Highway

The Americas

Claim To Fame: World’s longest road

The Pan-American Highway is the longest motoring road in the world. It has replaced Yonge Street (in Toronto Canada) as the longest road since changes were made to the configuration of Highway 11 and Yonge Street in the 1990s. The Pan-American highway links the mainland nations of the Americas and is an amazing 48,000 kilometers (29,800 miles) long. The highway passes through 15 nations, including the USA, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and El Salvador.

Most best beaches

For those of us that worship the sun, we are perpetually searching for the perfect spot to worship. What makes a spot perfect? Well, that can vary greatly from one person to the next. Some of us prefer a quiet spot where we can enjoy the sun in peace. Some of us want to be where we can show off our designer swimwear and toned body. Still others are looking to worship without getting those annoying tan lines. Regardless of your personal tanning style, we would all agree that the three essential ingredients for a world class sunbathing spot are sun, sand and surroundings. With those three ingredients in mind, we’ve listed the best of the best. From famous to infamous, secluded to crowded and fashion conscious to bathing suits optional, you are sure to find a beach on the list that agrees with your style. This list is in no particular order.

White Beach

Boracay Island, Philippines

Over two miles of powder soft white sands that never get hot. Can we say sunbather’s paradise? This little slice of heaven lay virtually untouched until about 30 years ago. It is now considered by most to be one the best tropical vacation spots in the world. Make sure you go during Amihan

World's famous waterfalls

The Sutherland Falls

The beautiful fiords of New Zealand have been featured before in this site, but as gorgeous as the fiords are, the water is not limited to the inlets. Just south of Milford Sound lies Sutherland, arguably New Zealand’s most famous waterfall. Usually tall cascades don’t provide a good representation of what a powerful waterfall should look like. There are exceptions of course, and the first edition featured a couple. So, keeping up with that tradition, the Sutherland Falls is an unbelievably tall waterfall at 580m, and is thankfully not too narrow, nor imperfectly vertical as with non-plunge falls; both common faults with tall waterfalls. Also the water flow certainly isn’t weak and being reduced to a trickle as is the case with some of tallest waterfalls of the world. The

Beautiful Hong Kong

I recently found these pictures of Hong Kong. It is so interesting how a place can be changed by  colors, by a natural phenomenon like fog, by the power of daylight or by night, a rainy day, a pale sunset, or by a beautiful celebration.

The world's most densely populated countries

  Singapore 

Singapore is a highly populated island nation located on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. A popular destination for both tourism and business, Singapore is also one of the richest countries in the world because of its highly developed economy. Singapore has been rated as the most business-friendly economy in the world, with thousands of foreign expatriates working in multi-national corporations. The city-state also employs tens of thousands of foreign blue-collared workers from around the world. With a total population density of over 6300 people per square kilometer, it ranks 2nd in the world.

World's most breathtaking places

 Colosseum, Rome

Construction of the Colosseum was begun sometime between AD 70 and 72 during the reign of Vespasian; the structure was officially dedicated in AD 80 by Titus in a ceremony that included 100 days of games. The Colosseum is a freestanding structure of stone and concrete, measuring 620 by 513 feet (190 by 155 metres) overall and seating some 50,000 spectators. It was the scene of thousands of hand-to-hand combats between gladiators, of contests between men and animals.

Wonderful places for traveling

 Queenstown

New Zealand

For: Excitement

In Winter or Summer, Queenstown is a fantastic place to holiday. In the Winter it is full of people there for the skiing, and in summer it is full of people there to take the white water trips down the Shotover river. I would also say that the food in Queenstown ranks as the best I have eaten in the entire world; though food in New Zealand is of an extremely high standard in general. There are a large number of hotels right on the waterfront of Lake Wakitipu (New Zealand’s longest lake and third largest). The water is bitterly cold (even in summer) – but it is beautiful to look at from your

Vatican City, St. Peter’s Basilica

The Basilica of Saint Peter, officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano is located within the Vatican City. St. Peter’s has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people. It is regarded as one of the holiest Christian sites and has been described as “holding a unique position in the Christian world” and as “the greatest of all churches of Christendom”. In Catholic tradition, it is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession. Tradition holds that Saint Peter’s tomb is below the altar of the basilica. There has been a church on this site since the 4th century. Construction on the present basilica, over the old Constantinian basilica, began on April 18, 1506 and was completed on November 18, 1626. It is associated with the papacy, with the Counter-reformation and with numerous artists, most significantly Michelangelo. As a work of architecture, it is regarded as the greatest building of its age.

Best night clubs

Entertainment at weekends is what everyone wants. For those who are tired of the nightclubs in their city, this version of international discos and clubs is a reliable one. However, you have to pay attention to prices as they can be much higher than prices in your native town.

Halikarnas Club

Halikarnas, Turkey is the only club in the world set up in the Roman style, where the party takes place in the open and fresh air invites you to have more fun.

Las Lajas Cathedral

Ipiales, Colombia. Las Lajas Cathedral is a cathedral located in the municipality of Ipiales and built inside the canyon of the Guaitara River. The architecture of this cathedral is of gothic revival architecture built from January 1, 1916 to August 20, 1949, with donations from local churchgoers with the intention to replace an old 19th century chapel. The story of the cathedral’s creation is that in 1754 an Amerindian named “Maria Mueces” and deaf-mute daughter “Rosa” were caught up by a very strong storm. They found refuge between the gigantic Lajas and to Maria Mueces surprise the girl exclaimed “the mestiza is calling me…” and pointing to the lightning illuminated painting over the laja.

Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń

Licheń Stary, Poland. The Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń is located in the village of Licheń Stary near Konin in Poland. It was designed by Barbara Bielecka and built between 1994 and 2004. The construction founded entirely from pilgrims’ donations. With the central nave 98 meters tall, 120 meters long and 77 meters wide, and with a tower 141.5 metres tall, it is Poland’s largest church and on of the largest churches in the world. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows whose icon, dating back to the 18th century, is displayed in the basilica’s main altar. It is one of Poland’s principal pilgrimage sites.

Most romantic cities

There are various kinds of cities to visit when you want to relax and rejuvenate yourself. Besides you can visit the destination of your choice to have the most fascinating time. All these cities have romance in their atmosphere.

Venice

Situated in Italy this romantic city has lots to offer. There are a lot of places for sightseeing that is sure to make you have a fantastic time. Ranging from churches, museums and historical monuments this romantic city has it all. Gondola ride is the most thrilling ride for people of all age groups.

Notre-Dame de la Garde

Marseille, France. Notre-Dame de la Garde is a basilica located in Marseille, France. This ornate Neo-Byzantine church is situated at the highest natural point in Marseille, a 162 m (532 ft) limestone outcrop on the south side of the Old Port. As well as being a major local landmark, it is the site of a popular annual pilgrimage every Assumption Day (August 15). Local inhabitants commonly refer to it as la bonne mère (“the good mother”). The church was built between 1853, when the foundation stone was laid on September 11, and 1864. The church was built on the site of a 13th century chapel, also dedicated to Our Lady of the Watch, the traditional guardian of seafarers.

The basilica is surmounted by a 60 m (197 ft) belfry topped with a huge statue of the Virgin and Child, visible across much of the city and for miles out at sea. Construction of the basilica took five years and required 170,000 tons of material, including 23 shiploads of marble and porphyry from Italy.

Basilica of our lady of dolours

Thrissur, India. The stunningly white Basilica of Our Lady of Delours is located in southern India and is the biggest in tallest church in Asia. The church began construction in 1929 and was consecrated in 1940, yet the tallest of the towers was not completed until 2007 and was dubbed the Bible Tower. The basilica was built in an Indo-Gothic style with three large towers, the tallest of which is 260 feet high. The red cross atop the Bible Tower is lit at night and can be seen from miles away. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of the Dolours in reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the seven sorrows of her life.

Beautiful beaches of the World

Some people just like the calmness that the beach offers. Some just like to be in the sun and like to get a little tan. Some might like the scenery. Whatever the reason is, Beaches brings us closer to nature. Anything that does so is always appreciated by people across the globe.

Eleuthera Beach

Most luxurious pools

Swimming is a great exercise and great time spent thing but when it comes to luxury, Swimming becomes a source of happiness and relaxation. I’m quite sure everybody would have seen pools in their city but the pools that you are about to see now are out of this world.

Here is a list of 10 most luxurious pools around the world. If you’re a swimming lover and planning a holiday, these are the places that you would want to go.

Burj Al Arab Dubai

Of course the tallest skyscraper on this earth would have a luxurious swimming pool. It’s amazing. Pool with an Arab touch keeps reminding you that you’re in Burj Dubai.

Unbelievable Guaíra Falls

Located on the Parana river the Guaíra Falls were, in terms of total volume, the largest waterfall on earth. 1,750,000 cubic feet of water fell over this waterfall each second on average, compared to just 70,000 cubic feet per second for Niagra Falls. However, the falls were flooded in 1982 when a dam was created to take advantage of this massive flow rate. The Itaipu Dam is now the second most powerful hydroelectric dam in the world, after the Three Gorges Dam. The Itaipu Dam supplies 90% of the power consumed by Paraguay, and 19% of the power consumed by Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Iceberg B-15 in Antarctica

Iceberg B-15 was the largest ever recorded iceberg. It had an area of 3,100 km², making it larger than the island of Jamaica, and was created when part of the Ross Ice Shelf broke off in March 2000. In 2003, it broke apart, and one of the larger pieces (called B-15a) drifted north, eventually smashing into a glacier in 2005, breaking off an 8-km² section and forcing many antarctic maps to be rewritten. It drifted along the coast and eventually ran aground, breaking up once again. In 2006, a storm in Alaska (that’s right, Alaska) caused an ocean swell that travelled 13,500km, over 6 days, to Antarctica and broke up the largest remaining part even more. Almost a decade on, parts of the iceberg have still not melted, with the largest remaining part, still called B-15a, having an area of 1,700 km². The picture above shows B-15a (top left) in 2005, after drifting west into the Drygalski Glacier (bottom), breaking the end off into several pieces.

Wonderful Places on Antarctica

With a salinity of over 40%, Don Juan Pond is the saltiest body of water in the world. It is named after the two pilots who first investigated the pond in 1961, Lt Don Roe and Lt John Hickey. It is a small lake, only 100m by 300m, and on average 0.1m deep, but it is so salty that even in the Antarctic, where the temperature at the pond regularly drops to as low as -30 degrees Celsius, it never freezes. It is 18 times saltier than sea water, compared to the Dead Sea which is only 8 times saltier than sea water.

Beautiful Places on New Zealand

Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is known for its geothermal activity, with a number of geysers, notably the Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa, and boiling mud pools (pictured above) located in the city. This thermal activity owes itself to the Rotorua caldera on which the city lies. Rotorua is also a top adventure destination and is New Zealand’s Maori cultural heartland. Rotorua city is renowned for its unique “rotten eggs” aroma, which is caused by the geothermal activity releasing sulphur compounds into the atmosphere. If you are ever visiting New Zealand – this is a city you must see. It was once home to the famed Pink and White Terraces and you can visit thermal wonderlands with sights that are truly astounding.

Amazing Places on Greenland

This is more of a curiosity and not visually impressive, but 83-42 is believed to be the northernmost permanent point of land on earth. It is tiny, only 35m by 15m and 4m high, but is about 400 miles from the north pole. It beat the previous record holder, ATOW1996, when it was discovered in 1998, and lichens were found growing on it, suggesting it was not just one of the temporary gravel bars that are found in that region, which are regularly pushed around by the rough seas. The picture above features what is currently the northernmost point on land, one of the temporary gravel bars, photographed in 2007, as I could find no photos of 83-42 (For some reason, nobody feels the need to produce a photograph of a tiny rock in the middle of nowhere, which only five people have ever stepped foot on).

The U. S. Bullion Repository

Fort Knox, Kentucky. Yes, you read that right. This legend is based on the premise that the Bullion Depository is probably the single most secure place on the planet. Some of its security measures are a mystery, but it is known that no one, not even the President, is allowed on the property, except the U. S. Mint Police stationed inside.

The closest anyone can get to it is Highway 31, about 400 yards from the building. The security consists of multiple fences, the innermost electrified, alarms, cameras, armed guards, and the nearby Fort Knox units: 30,000 active troops who train every day with Apache helicopter gunships, M-1 Abrams tanks, armored personnel carriers and heavy demolition.

Somewhere in the Jerusalem Sewers

Not the same legend as that of #6, this legend states that the Knights Templar, of the First Crusade, never found either the Grail or the Ark of the Covenant, because the sewer system provided the finest hiding place on Earth at the time. Jerusalem has been attacked many times, and the Jews living at the time of the Ark’s disappearance from the Bible are sure to have lowered it into the sewers to protect it from Nebuchadnezzar, in 586 BC.

The Disciples may have known the location of the Ark and hidden the Grail with it, deep in the sewers, since the Ark had escaped notice for almost 600 years by then. Digging is expressly forbidden except for those professional archaeologists intent on uncovering sites of antiquity, not relic hunters. Digging may undermine the buildings above.

Santa Maria de Montserrat

Catalonia, Spain. This legend ties in with the German Grail legend of Munsalvaesche, which is another name for Corbenic, the castle where the Fisher King lived, and where Sir Galahad was born.

“Munsalvaesche” is German for the Latin phrase “mons salvationis,” “the mount of salvation.” “Montserrat,” however, is Catalan for “jagged mountain.” The monastery and abbey are nestled in the mountain, and the Grail is said to be hidden somewhere under the church grounds, or elsewhere on the mountain. If so, it may well never be found, as the terrain is extraordinarily rugged and the mountain is gigantic. The peak, at 4,055 feet, is called

Sant Jeroni, “Saint Jerome,” who features prominently in several Grail legends. He may have traveled to the area in the late 300s AD and hidden the Grail there.

Catedral de Santa Maria de Valencia

Spain. Another contender is on display at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Valencia, and this is considered the most likely. Skeptics claim that IF the Grail even exists, the Valencia Chalice is the best bet. It was carbon dated in 1960 to a date of somewhere between the 300s BC and the 100s AD, manufactured in the Middle East, so it is possible. Even if it isn’t the Grail, its age makes it extremely valuable.

It is made of dark red agate, and set in a gold stem, with another, upturned bowl of chalcedony as the base. It is the official Chalice of the Roman Catholic Church.

Cattedrale di San Lorenzo

Genoa, Italy. The Grail may not be lost, but found, and on display to the public for free at the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, in Genoa. This relic is a bowl made of green glass, which was thought to be emerald, until it was broken in the time of Napoleon.

No one knows where it came from, but William of Tyre, in 1170, writes that it first turned up in a mosque in Caesarea, Israel, in 1101. It has not been carbon dated.

Beautiful Paris

Located in France. In every list of visiting places, Paris cannot be forgotten. IT JUST CANNOT.

Wonderful Miami

Located in Florida. You don’t need a reason to go to this beautiful and amazing place. But still if you want details, well ULTRA Music Festival, Miami Wine and Food Festival and Miami Beach Gay parade is happening this spring. So book your tickets right NOW!!

Incredible Yosemite National Park

Located in California. Well spring is the time for growth and time of new lives. Enjoy the waterfalls and see the baby animals take their first step into this world. Awesome place.

Wonderful city Prague

Located in Czech Republic. Why to go? A three week Prague Spring Music Festival is happening this spring. Moreover, the handcrafts goods and traditional foods from Easter Market cannot be missed.

Beautiful city Ottawa

Located in Canada. In every spring, this city celebrates a Canadian Tulip Festival which is the largest tulip festival of the world. Last year 3 million tulips were used. Worth watching.

Unbelievable place Saint Lucia

Island country in the eastern Caribbean sea. The main reason why you should go in this spring is to attend the annual Saint Lucia Jazz Festival which is captioned by Lionel Richie this spring.

Wonderful Denver

Located in U.S. you can see American showing Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective at the Denver Art Museum, and the 10 acres  Toyota Elephant Passage at Denver Zoo which is opening on June 1^st.

Marvelous Mallorca

Located in Spain. 3 or 4 festivals are celebrated during spring in this area, Medieval Festival being the popular one. Great place to go in spring. You will not regret your trip.

Incredible Paso Robles

Located in California. This is one of the best places to go in spring. Farmers showcase their farm-fresh fare which is beautiful and worth watching. Also there is a Paso Robles Wine Festival which you cannot miss.

Beautiful Tuscany

Located in Italy. This place is known for its gorgeous landscapes and huge artistic gallery. So if you’re going somewhere in this spring, this is the place you’d want to go.

Sri Venkateswara Balaji

Sri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple – a magnificent construction located 20km from Tirupati, India. The dome above the Deity’s main room is covered in hammered solid gold. Temple – a magnificent construction located 20km from Tirupati, India. The dome above the Deity’s main room is covered in hammered solid gold.

wonderful place on the grounds of Rokuonji Temple

The Golden Pavilion – or Kinkakuji is a wonderful place on the grounds of Rokuonji Temple, Kyoto, Japan. A gold treasure within a mesmerizing setting.

Worst Places In world

5. Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Pacific Ocean

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also described as the Pacific Trash Vortex, is a gyre of marine litter in the central North Pacific Ocean located roughly between 135° to 155°W and 35° to 42°N. Most current estimates state that it is larger than the U.S. state of Texas, with some estimates claiming that it is larger than the continental United States, however the exact size is not known for sure. The Patch is characterized by exceptionally high concentrations of pelagic plastics, chemical sludge, and other debris that have been trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Gyre. The patch is not easily visible because it consists of very small pieces, almost invisible to the naked eye, most of its contents are suspended beneath the surface of the ocean. This is not a place the average Joe would want to visit.

Beautiful airports

Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is situated seven miles from central district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. This airport accommodates 90.0 million passengers and 978,824 flights.
O’Hare International Airport
O’Hare International Airport is situated in the north western corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States. In 2008, the airport had 881,566 aircraft operation with 69,353,654 passengers passing through the airport.
Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport is located in the London Borough of Hillingdon, United Kingdom. This airport handles nearly 67,056,228 passengers annually.
Haneda Airport
Haneda Airport is located in Ota, Tokyo, Japan. Haneda handled 66,735,587 passengers in 2008.
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport
Charles de Gaulle Airport is located in city of Paris, France. This airport in 2008 handled 60,851,998 passengers and 559,812 aircraft movements.
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport also known as LAX is located in southwestern Los Angeles in the neighborhood of Westchester, United States. In 2009 this airport handled 59,542,151 passengers.
Dallas International Airport
Dallas/Fort worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth. In 2008 this airport handled 685,491 aircrafts and 59,784,876 passengers.
Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing Capital International Airport is located northeast of Beijing city center, China. In 2008 the airport registered 431,670 aircraft movements and 55.94 million passengers.
Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport is located Frankfurt am Main, Germany. This airport handled 53,467,450 passengers in 2008.
Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport is located southeast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In 2008 this airport handled 260,530 aircrafts and 37,000,000 passengers.

Pirates of Somalia

Piracy off the Somali coast has been a threat to international shipping since the beginning of Somalia’s civil war in the early 1990s. Somali pirates continue their attacks against international ships in and around the Gulf of Aden, despite the deterrent of stepped-up international naval escorts and patrols – and the increased failure rate of their attacks. Under agreements with Somalia, the U.N, and each other, ships belonging to fifteen countries now patrol the area.

Pirates are being captured more regularly and being handed over to authorities in Yeman, Somalia and Kenya for trial. I was always curious about Pirates of Somalia, so I collected these photos.

Pirates flee from the German navy as the frigate Rheinland-Pfalz intercepted them in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia's coast on March 3, 2009. The German navy detained nine people on March 3, 2009 after they tried to attack a German merchant ship, German media reported.

Suspected pirates keep their hands in the air as directed by sailors aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf

Photos shows pirates hijacking MV Faina, a cargo ship owned and operated by Kaalbye Shipping Ukraine on September 25, 2008. It was carrying cargo of 33 Soviet-era T-72 tanks plus other weapons.

Somali pirates holding the merchant vessel MV Faina stand on the deck of the ship after a U.S. Navy request to check on the health and welfare of the ship's crew in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia. (Photo by US Navy)

The crew of the hijacked Ukrainian merchant vessel MV Faina stand on the deck, under the watch of armed Somali pirates on November 9

A French Atlantic Plane escort a Danish ship with sensitive freight, off the coast of Djibouti, as part of an assignment to escort commercial ships in this area.

French frigate, Le Floreal watches over the Danish ship "Puma" which is carrying sensitive cargo, on January 11, 2009, in the Gulf of Aden.

The MV Sirius Star is observed at anchor by the US Navy on January 9, 2009. Suspected pirates can be seen on deck an up in the command center.

A parachute dropped by a small aircraft during an apparent payment to pirates holding the Sirius Star off the coast of Somalia, January 9, 2009. Somali pirates then freed the Saudi supertanker seized in the world's biggest ship hijacking for a $3 million ransom - but five drowned when their boat capsized as they were making off with their share.

Flying on board a Panther helicopter dispatched from the French frigate, Le Floreal, a crew member watches a commercial ship during a supervision mission on January 11, 2009, in the Gulf of Aden.

Search and seizure team members from the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf close in to apprehend suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden February 12, 2009

Commandos from French frigate Le Floreal arrest nine Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden in this January 27, 2009. France has captured 57 pirates in seven such operations since last April.

This photo shows suspected pirates, intercepted by Marine commandos of the French Navy in the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia coasts.

Bundeswehr soldiers approaching pirates in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia on March 3, 2009, after frigate Rheinland-Pfalz (background) had received a distress call from a German-owned container ship saying she was under fire from pirates armed with bazookas and machine guns. The frigate then dispatched a helicopter which together with another chopper from the US naval ship Monterey stopped the attempted attack by firing warning shots. German soldiers boarded the pirate vessel and took the nine into custody.

German navy from frigate Rheinland-Pfalz detain pirates in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia's coast on March 3, 2009, in this picture made available on March 4, 2009.

Suspected Somali pirates as the captured by French Navy.

A rusty Kalashnikov assault rifle, confiscated from pirates detained by German navy from frigate Rheinland-Pfalz in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia's coast on March 3, 2009

Ransom money is dropped near the Ukrainian cargo ship MV Faina while under observation by a U.S. Navy ship February 4, 2009 off the coast of Somalia near Hobyo.

MV Faina is escorted by a Kenyan port authority tug vessel into the port of Mombasa, Kenya on February 12, 2009, after it was released by Somali pirates a week ago. It arrived in Mombasa amid a raging controversy over its cargo of battle tanks and ammunition.

Soviet made T-72 tanks sit in the hull of the Belize flagged MV Faina on February 13, 2009 at the Mombasa, Kenya harbor where it has been berthed for the last two days.

Suspected pirates wait to be moved at the port in Mombassa, Kenya, Tuesday, March 10, 2009, after they were handed over to Kenyan police by the German navy who arrested them off the coast of Somalia the previous week.

Yemeni coast guards on standby next to the damaged Japanese tanker Takayama, that was attacked by pirates following its arrival in the southern Yemeni port of Aden.