FunTASTIC | Languages, communication and travel at their best

Novak Djokovic ended Rafael Nadal’s decade long unbeaten streak in Monte-Carlo

21-April-2013 · by Verbalist

Novak Djokovic ended Rafael Nadal’s decade long unbeaten streak in Monte-Carlo on Sunday, winning the 2013 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in straight sets.

The victory means Djokovic has now won eight of the nine Masters 1000 titles – the first man ever to do so. He will surely complete the set by the end of his career and he’ll now be focusing his sights on the Cincinnati Masters in August, the only one he’s yet to win.

Photo: Getty Images

Visit Britain, You are Invited by Jamie Oliver

21-April-2013 · by Verbalist

VisitBritain has launched its latest TV commercials featuring celebrities encouraging people to visit the UK. Jamie Oliver is part of a reborn UK eating scene that’s seen Britain fall in love with fine produce, locally sourced ingredients and innovative cooking. READ MORE

The Most Beautiful Roads

19-April-2013 · by Verbalist

The greatest driving roads in the world should have a perfect mixture between challenging and complicated bends, long fast straights, little to no traffic and especially breathtaking views!

These roads might have enough twists and turns to give you a headache but you’ll feel incredible after you’ve conquered them and you’ll surely want to try it again and again and again.

Chapmans Peak Drive, Cape Town, South Africa

Red Rock Scenic Road 1

Dadès Gorges, High Atlas, Morocco

Stelvio Pass, Eastern Alps, Italy

Highway 1, Big Sur, California

Karakoram Highway, China-Pakistan

Ruta 40, Argentina

Sani Pass, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The Atlantic Road, Norway, photo 2

Seven Mile Bridge, Florida Keys

U.S. Route 550 – The Million Dollar Highway, Colorado

The Atlantic Road, Norway

Tianmen Mountain Road, Hunan, China, photo 2

Tianmen Mountain Road, Hunan, China

Transfăgărășan, Romania

Trollstigen, Rauma, Norway

Guoliang Tunnel Road, China

Great Ocean Road, Australia

Furka Pass, Switzerland

White Rim Road, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road in the United Arab Emirates

Oberalp Pass 1

Close encounters of the best kind in Indonesia

13-April-2013 · by Verbalist

Our favorite verbalist Vladimir Cirjakovic sent us some unique photos from his study trip to Indonesia – Vlado, this is fantastic!

Photo taken in Peipei, Siberut Barat Daya, Mentawai
Language “Mentawai”
Ale Vita: Hello
Masura Bagata: Thanks
Simo Kere: You’re welcome
I am with Aman Lau-Lau 🙂

Vladina čudesna poznanstva i putovanje Indonezijom

Naš omiljeni verbalista Vladimir Ćirjaković poslao nam je ove fotke sa svog putovanja u Indoneziji – Vlado, ovo je fenomenalno!

Verbalist Vladimir Cirjakovic in Indonesia

Air Malta and Gangnam Style

13-April-2013 · by Verbalist

Maelstrom at Kauai, Hawaii

12-April-2013 · by Verbalist

A maelstrom is a very powerful whirlpool; a large, swirling body of water. The power of tidal whirlpools tends to be exaggerated by laymen. There are virtually no stories of large ships ever being sucked into a maelstrom, although smaller craft are in danger and tsunami generated maelstroms may even threaten larger crafts. Tales like those by Paul the Deacon, Jules Verne and Edgar Allan Poe are entirely fictional.

One of the earliest uses of the Scandinavian word was by Edgar Allan Poe in his story “A Descent into the Maelstrom” (1841). In turn, the Nordic word is derived from the Dutch maelstrom, modern spelling maalstroom, from malen (to grind) and stroom (stream), to form the meaning grinding current or literally “mill-stream”, in the sense of milling (grinding) grain.

Daredevils on the cliffs of Yosemite Park

12-April-2013 · by Verbalist

In California’s Yosemite National Park, a new breed of daredevil climbers practice the sport of free soloing — rock climbing without a rope and relying solely on hands and feet wedged into the cracks to ascend the park’s massive granite obelisks.

Daredevils on the cliffs of Yosemite Park

Fine line between life and death

The slackline walker – who is also a rock climber – Dean Potter carried out death-defying stunts at Yosemite National Park last year. The specially-designed rope is known as a ‘slackline’ and is considered to be more challenging than a conventional tightrope as the line is not completely taut, therefore susceptible to bouncing and stretching.

American daredevil Dean Potter