World's Scariest Bridges (part 1)

Rotting wooden planks, held aloft by rusty bits of wire, stretch out in front of you. You reach for a railing to steady yourself, but all you find are two threadbare ropes. The howling wind blows the rickety footbridge from side to side. Somewhere below you lies the forest floor—you don’t even know how far. All bridges serve a purpose, whether utilitarian or inspirational. And some of them, like Musou Tsuribashi—this shaky, 50-year-old crossing in southern Japan—add a distinct element of fear. But you don’t have to be in a remote part of the world: scary...

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Top 10 The Most Expensive Homes

As new home sales have fallen to record lows, building a super luxury mansion for sale today may strike some people as risky, if not crazy, but that is not stopping ambitious developers. In high-end enclaves across the U.S., a number of residences—some of which began construction before the recession—have come to market this year with asking prices north of $20 million (and in some cases considerably more).To identify the most expensive new constructions for sale nationwide, Businessweek.com searched listings on Realtor.com, Sotheby’s International Realty, Corcoran, and Zillow.com. Some were built on spec—or built by developers for sale on the open market, not for a client—while others were custom-built for owners who later decided...

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Bizarre Beaches of the World

While the words beach vacation usually call to mind a tropical white-sand beach studded with palm trees and lapped by turquoise waters, the truth is that the world's beaches come in all shapes and sizes—some stranger than others. There are black, green, red, and even purple stretches of sand. Humans also add their own bizarre twists to the beaches of the world and have even tried to trump Mother Nature. Just look at the world's largest swimming pool (pictured below), which runs alongside a gorgeous Pacific Ocean beach in Chile. Oh, what will they think up next?Nauthólsvík BeachReykjavík, IcelandYou wouldn't expect Iceland to be a swimmer's paradise. But then you probably haven't been to Nauthólsvík Beach on the southern coast of Reykjavík....

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Private Islands for Sale

The idea of owning your own island is probably a remote fantasy these days, especially after three years of economic carnage to your bank account, savings, and retirement portfolio. ut come on. It's August. Maybe you're on budget vacation, at the beach, or at a bayfront or lakefront rental. So who hasn't gazed out at an island from the shore, and wondered what it would be like to own your own kingdom, tethered to civilization only by water or air? Think Robinson Crusoe. Sir Richard Branson, Johnny Depp, and Celine Dion all own their own islands. 1. Ram Island Place: Machias Bay, Maine, 50 miles east of Bar HarborAsking Price: $595,000Acreage: 16Undeveloped One tree, a few sheep, a 20 by 20 foot platform for pitching a tent, and a mooring...

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