Snow Globe of the Year: And the Winner Is...

...Utrecht!!! After an extremely close vote, the Netherlands' fourth largest city won by a hare's breadth. Here are the final rankings:

4th. Krimml, Austria

3rd. Roswell, United States 🥉

2nd. Bogotá, Colombia 🥈

1st. Utrecht, Netherlands 🥇

Thank you to everyone who voted, and congratulations Utrecht, now officially the world's premier snow globe shopping destination. You can view its original blog entry here.

New posts will resume in the New Year, featuring even more glamorous globes and dazzling domes. 🔮

Snow Globe of the Year: Voting Now Open!

The first-stage votes are in! Over the last week, 60 candidates have been whittled down to 4 fabulous finalists, but only one can be named this year's golden globe. The nominees are...

#1 Bogotá, Colombia 

The post that started it all. Will the Gold Museum have to settle for silver?

#7 Krimml, Austria 

From the land that invented snow globes. Hurry before it's absorbed by the moss.

#23 Utrecht, Netherlands 

In lieu of 24-carat gold medal, this bunny will accept 24 carrots.

#55 Roswell, United States 

The most popular choice from the comment section, but will it crash out in the final?

To have your say, a poll is now open in the right-hand sidebar. Voting closes 10 days from now on 24 December, when the winner will be revealed with a brand new shaken-up photo! 🔮

Announcing Snow Globe of the Year!

 

With 2017 around the corner, and this blog now three quarters of the way to fulfilling the promise of its title, 80 Shakes is launching a thrilling new competition that will no doubt come to rival the Olympics in time.

 
Snow Globe of the Year will decide once and for all which tourist hotspot (or Lübeck) has the world's most whimsical snow globes. Voting will begin on 14 December from a shortlist of 4 finalists, with results on 24 December. The winner will receive a glamorous photo shoot, and be revealed for the first time in all its shaken-up splendour!

The nomination period is now open! To have your say, please write in your favourites from the archives (or the collage above) in the comments below. Nominations close in 7 days. 🔮

60. Great Wall, China

Not visible from space. Its easternmost portion, the Shanhai Pass, extends into the sea. The cement holding the bricks together was made from sticky rice.

59. Needles, United Kingdom

A rock formation made up of three chalk outcrops off the Isle of Wight. Originally there were four, of which the most popular, Lot's Wife, was shaped like a needle. It collapsed in a storm in 1764. None of the remaining rocks are needle-shaped.

58. Sidon, Lebanon

Reputed birthplace of Jezebel, and one of the first cities to produce Tyrian purple (named after another city, Tyre), the dye that established purple's association with royalty. Inside is the Sidon Sea Castle, built offshore in the Mediterranean.

57. Belgrade, Serbia

30% of the world's raspberries come from Serbia, as do 47% of the world's Serbs. The most famous Serb not from Serbia was Nikola Tesla, inventor of the remote-controlled model boat.

56. Hawaii, United States

The ukulele originated in Hawaii as an adaptation of the machete, a type of lute from Madeira. One notable player was Queen Liliʻuokalani, composer of Aloha ʻOe and the last Hawaiian monarch.

55. Roswell, United States

Best known for the 1947 alleged UFO crash, which may have involved leprechauns. Former home of the Jingle Bob Ranch, once the largest ranch in the US, and Pat Garrett, who killed Billy the Kid. Modern Roswell has one of the world's biggest mozzarella factories.

54. Lübeck, Germany

From the Holstentor. Lübeck was capital of the world's first trade bloc, the Hanseatic League, for over 500 years.

53. Barbados

The Caribbean's easternmost island. Originally inhabited by Caribs, the country's first colonial settlement was Jamestown, later renamed Holetown after a period of decline. George Washington once spent six weeks in Barbados, his only trip outside the US.

52. Genoa, Italy

Birthplace of farinata, a delicious savoury pancake, as well as Christopher Columbus. The city's main lighthouse, the Lanterna, was the world's tallest from 1543 to 1902, and is the third oldest lighthouse still standing.

51. Vaduz, Liechtenstein

One of only two countries completely landlocked by other landlocked countries, yet home to Hilti Aktiengesellschaft, the world’s largest anchor manufacturer. Liechtenstein also boasts the world's leading producer of false teeth. Now that’s something to smile about.

50. Vienna, Austria

Birthplace of the snow globe. Early versions first appeared at the 1878 world's fair in Paris, 11 years before another world's fair for which the Eiffel Tower was built. However, the invention of the modern snow globe is credited to Vienna's Erwin Perzy in 1900. Snow globes have continuously been produced at his factory, the Original Wiener Schneekugelmanufaktur, ever since. 🔮

49. Cozumel, Mexico

An island off the Yucatán Peninsula inhabited by the Maya for 2,000 years. Notable Mayan inventions include the only pre-Columbian writing system in the Americas, accurate charts of future solar and lunar eclipses, and chewing gum.

48. Jeita, Lebanon

Best known for Jeita Grotto, a system of two limestone caves near Beirut. The lower cave is the longest in Western Asia, whilst the upper cave contains the world's largest known stalactite.

47. Los Angeles, United States

A great place to find stars. Another place to look for stars is California's Lick Observatory, named after chocolate entrepreneur James Lick. California's richest person at the time, Lick planned to build the world's largest pyramid in San Francisco, but ultimately left his fortune to good causes. These included the Lick Old Ladies' Home (later renamed), and the observatory, who used their inheritance to build the world's largest telescope (a record held for 8 years).

46. Sofia, Bulgaria

The largest city in Europe adjacent to a mountain. Bulgaria produces around 85% of the world's rose oil, the most common fragrance in perfumes. 🌹

45. Zagreb, Croatia

Home to more musea per capita than any other major city, including the cheerily themed Museum of Failed Relationships. Croatia's currency, the kuna, is also the Croatian word for marten (a relative of the weasel), due to the value of its fur in medieval times.

44. Hamburg, Germany

Home of the world's largest miniature railway. The city zoo, Tierpark Hagenbeck, was the world's first zoo without cages. Instead, animals are contained by moats.

43. South Africa

Home of the Sardine Run, one of the largest migrations in the animal kingdom. The "big five" game animals are (from left to right): elephants, rhinoceroses, lions, leopards and buffaloes. Each features on its own South African rand banknote behind Nelson Mandela.

42. Barcelona, Spain

Host of the 1888 Universal Exposition (World's Fair) for which many of the city's landmarks were built, including the Parc de la Ciutadella, Arc de Triomf and Columbus Monument. The Eiffel Tower was also intended for the fair, however Barcelona didn't want it, so it was left for the 1889 exposition in Paris.

41. Tyre, Lebanon

Birthplace of Queen Dido (Elissa), the legendary founder of Carthage, whose empire once rivaled Rome. Tyre itself became part of the Roman Empire in 64 BCE and its best-known landmarks are from the Roman period, including the Triumphal Arch and the largest Roman hippodrome (chariot racecourse) ever built.

40. Puerto Rico

Home of the coquí frog, Menudo and the world's largest radio telescope, at Arecibo Observatory. Arecibo is a centre for the SETI Institute's search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and perhaps someday extraterrestrial snow globes.

39. Prague, Czech Republic

Inside is St Vitus Cathedral, part of Prague Castle, the largest castle complex in the world. The cathedral was founded by Bohemian duke Václav I, better known in English-speaking countries as "Good King Wenceslas". St Vitus is the patron saint of comedians, dogs, epilepsy, snake bites and choreography.

38. London, United Kingdom

From London Zoo, the world's oldest scientific zoo, founded in 1828. Formerly the home of Jumbo, the elephant whose name originated the synonym for 'very large'. After 17 years at the zoo, Jumbo was sold to a circus. He died 3 years later in Canada after being hit by a steam train. 🐘

37. Giza, Egypt

Home of the Great Pyramid, the tallest structure on Earth for over 3,800 years and last building in Africa to hold the title. Africa now has the shortest tallest building of any continent besides Antarctica, the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg, which is surpassed by 53 buildings in Dubai alone.

36. Lisbon, Portugal

Home of the world's oldest bookstore, Bertrand Livreiros, in business since 1732, and Europe's smallest bookstore, Livraria do Simão. Portugal is also the world's largest cork exporter, producing around half of global supplies.

35. Colombia

Home to more endemic species (species not native to anywhere else) than any other country, the second highest number of species overall (after Brazil), and the most varieties of amphibians, birds and land mammals. 10% of all species and 20% of all plant species can be found in Colombia.

34. Frankfurt, Germany

Birthplace of the Vienna sausage. The world's longest frankfurter was made in Paraguay in 2011, measuring 200 m to commemorate 200 years of independence.

33. Santa Fe, United States

Depicted is the nearby Taos Pueblo, founded circa 1000 CE, the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the US. Santa Fe meanwhile, founded in 1607, is the third oldest colonial city in the US, and the oldest one not on the Atlantic coast. It also has a Bugs Bunny art gallery, which can be found by taking a left turn at Albuquerque.

32. Holland, Netherlands

A region of the Netherlands (and informal name for the country as a whole) that includes the country's three largest cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. Most of Holland was created over the past 1,000 years out of the sea.

31. Pisa, Italy

Home of the Leaning Tower, the world's wonkiest wonder. Construction began in 1173 and the tilt became apparent after the addition of the second floor. To correct this, additional floors were built slightly taller on one side. This caused it to lean in the opposite direction.

30. Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda

A country of two similarly sized islands, though around 90% of the population lives in Antigua. Its third largest island, the uninhabited Redonda, is a notable micronation (like Seborga). Antigua's highest point is Mount Obama, renamed in 2009 after the US president.

29. Beirut, Lebanon

Despite being in Asia, Beirut has hosted the Miss Europe pageant more than any other city. The same pageant was also once held in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

28. Sweden

Sweden has the most elk per capita of any country, mostly in its part of Sápmi (Lapland), a region that spans four countries. The world's first igloo hotel, the Icehotel, is in Swedish Sápmi, as is Kiruna Church, once voted Sweden's most beautiful building. Both are north of the Arctic Circle.

27. Nice, France

Nice was founded around 350 BCE as a colony of Greece, and was named after their goddess of victory, Nike. The English "nice" is unrelated, but comes from French, where it originally meant foolish. From 1888 - 1889, Nice was home to the world's largest telescope, until it was surpassed by a bigger one at Lick Observatory, California.

26. Everglades, United States

Florida's only world heritage site and the third largest national park in the US, after Death Valley and Yellowstone. It's also the country's largest wetlands region, and the only ecosystem on Earth where alligators and crocodiles co-exist. 🐊

25. Hohenschwangau, Germany

Home of Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria's most visited non-beer-producing tourist attraction. Built for King Ludwig II, who was later declared insane, Neuschwanstein was the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle, replicated at all Disneyland resorts.

24. Saint Lucia

The parrot inside is a St Lucia amazon, a species unique to the island. St Lucia was once the largest supplier of bananas to Great Britain, a crop that accounts for 22% of their exports.

23. Utrecht, Netherlands

From the Miffy Museum. Miffy is the star of 24 books by Utrecht's Dick Bruna, the Netherlands' biggest-selling author. She is the world's richest bunny, with a franchise worth an estimated €265 million, twice the value of Vincent van Gogh's most expensive painting, Portrait of Dr Gachet. 🐰

22. Seborga, Italy

A village in the Italian Alps that styles itself as a principality, with its own (elected) monarch, currency (the luigino), and possibly Europe's highest cats-to-people ratio. It's one of the world's largest and most credible micronations (an entity that claims sovereignty without the means or desire to pursue actual independence).

Seborga is also associated with the Knights Templar, depicted in murals throughout the village, whilst their national holiday, St Bernard's Day on 20 August, is dedicated to the order's patron saint.

21. Ireland

Home of the leprechaun and 11 Nobel laureates, though mainly known for the former. Leprechauns are reputed to be excellent shoemakers, as they dance so much their shoes wear out quickly. The world's smallest park, Mill Ends Park in Portland, US, was created as a leprechaun sanctuary after a reported sighting in 1947, the same year as the alleged Roswell UFO crash. Coincidence? ☘️👽

20. Mount Fuji, Japan

An active volcano overlooking the world's largest city, Tokyo, in the world's most earthquake-prone country. Godzilla is the least of their worries.

19. Trier, Germany

Germany's oldest city, Trier is known for its well-preserved Roman ruins, in particular the Porta Nigra, the largest Roman gate north of the Alps. The city's Roman Bridge is the oldest functioning bridge in northern Europe. Its foundations are 1,800 years old.

18. Marrakesh, Morocco

Morocco is the world's largest exporter of tinned sardines. 91% of the Moroccan canning industry is dedicated to sardine processing. In southern Africa, sardines perform one of the largest migrations in the animal kingdom, known as the Sardine Run. Measured by biomass, it is comparable to the great wildebeest migrations of the Serengeti. 🐟🐟🐟