78. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 🇹🇲

Rarely visited, Turkmenistan issued fewer than 1000 tourist visas in 2015. The national animal is the akhal-teke horse, which has its own national holiday. 🐴

77. Kutaisi, Georgia 🇬🇪

Kutaisi is Georgia's third-largest city, and was the home of the Golden Fleece in Greek mythology. The main landmark is Bagrati Cathedral, named after Bagrat III, whose Bagrationi dynasty ruled in Georgia for over 1000 years (though only seven Bagrats).

76. Jamaica

Jamaica is the only country without any blue, red or white in their national flag. In 2017, the island was home to the world's oldest person (117 years old) and fastest sprinter (not the same person).

75. Istanbul, Turkey

The only city that spans two continents, in the only country that shares its name with a large bird. The largest bird that ever existed was the New Zealand moa, which could reach heights of 3.6 metres. It became extinct in the 15th century, around the same time Istanbul became Turkish.

74. Loch Ness, United Kingdom

Over a million tourists visit each year in search of the monster, though its existence is yet to be proven. Unlike that of Scotland's national animal, the unicorn.

73. Oman

Birthplace of the khanjar, a dagger shaped like a banana. According to legend the first one was invented by a sultan, whose crooked creation was quickly adopted by loyal subjects.

The world's largest chandelier can be found in the capital, Muscat, above the second largest carpet. The largest carpet is in Abu Dhabi, beneath the second largest chandelier.

And the Winner Is...

...Roswell! After a record number of votes were received from around the globe, it seems this planet was outvoted by another one. Congratulations to Roswell, 2017's Snow Globe of the Year. Here are the final rankings of the top 4:

4th. Vienna, Austria

3rd. Manarola, Italy 🥉

2nd. Mount Fuji, Japan 🥈

1st. Roswell, United States 🥇

Charlize Theron hands out trophy at lavish Monte Carlo ceremony - artist's impression

Thank you to everyone who voted. You can view Roswell's original entry here. New posts will resume after New Year. 🔮

Snow Globe of the Year 2017!

It's that time of year again! Following last year's spectacularly successful inaugural edition, in which Utrecht hopped into first place, Snow Globe of the Year is looking to find 2017's trendiest destination for snow globe admirers.

Voting is now open for the next 2 weeks, and all 71 snow globes from the archives are eligible, minus Utrecht. To cast your vote, please use the comment section below naming as many favourites as you wish.

24-carat gold trophy - artist's conception

The deadline is 00:00 UTC, Sun 24 Dec, and the winner will be revealed later that day, possibly at a glamorous ceremony in Monte Carlo. Happy voting!

72. Terschelling, Netherlands

An island belonging to the region of Friesland. Another land of fries is Belgium, where French fries are believed to have originated. Belgium has been the home of two musea dedicated to potatoes; the Potato Museum, founded in 1975 and since relocated to Albuquerque, and the Frietmuseum in Bruges, the world's only museum of fried potatoes.

71. Agra, India

Home of the Taj Mahal, a popular meeting place for rhesus monkeys. Originally two Taj Mahals were planned for opposite sides of the Yamuna river, the second made out of black marble, but funds ran out.

70. Baltimore, United States

Formerly the US's biggest producer of umbrellas and straw hats, and home of the world's largest annual My Little Pony convention. Less cheerfully it also has the US's 2nd highest murder rate.

69. Riga, Latvia

In the 17th century, the Latvian Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was one of the world's smallest colonial powers. It established the first settlement in Banjul, now capital of Gambia, and several failed colonies in Trinidad and Tobago.

68. Saint Lucia

Home of two Nobel laureates, and the smallest country to have produced even one. Between 1979 and 1992, the island received as many Nobels as China.

67. Bratislava, Slovakia

 

The only capital bordering two other countries (Austria and Hungary). The world's oldest-known emoji, a neutral face, appeared in a Slovakian document from 1635 alongside a drawing of a clown's hand. The 'clown's hand' emoji is yet to catch on. 😐

66. Dolceacqua, Italy

A medieval village with a picturesque bridge. Besides tourism, olive-growing is a major component of the local economy. In Judaism, an olive is a unit for measuring volume. Consuming anything smaller is not considered eating, allowing a 'cheat' from normal kosher restrictions (and rabbinical Weight Watchers).

65. Egypt

Home of the camel since 525 BCE. Camels are responsible for a dispute over the world's only inhabitable unclaimed land. According to an 1899 boundary set by the British, the Bir Tawil region was part of Sudan. However, a 1902 map placed it in Egypt as their nomads used it for camel grazing. In exchange, the much more valuable Hala'ib Triangle was transferred to Sudan. Both Egypt and Sudan have backed their preferred map ever since, leaving Bir Tawil unclaimed.

64. Minsk, Belarus

From the Galileo Mall in Minsk. The first country in Europe to introduce colour television. Belarus has the highest population of European bison (Europe's largest land animal), and is the world's third biggest butter exporter. The butter does not come from bison.

63. Sint Maarten

Part of St Martin, the world's smallest inhabited island shared by two countries (the other country, confusingly, is also called St Martin). Peter Stuyvesant, the last mayor of New York under Dutch rule, acquired the nickname 'Peg Leg Pete' on the island after being struck by a Spanish cannonball. He later founded Broadway.

62. Paris, France

France is the most visited country on Earth. On average, one Japanese tourist per month suffers Paris Syndrome, a psychological disorder caused by having overly high expectations of Paris. No equivalent disorder exists for Brussels.

61. Baalbek, Lebanon

Home of the well-preserved Temple of Bacchus, and the Temple of Jupiter, the largest Roman temple ever built. Its six remaining columns are 30 metres tall. Baalbek is the reputed birthplace of Saint Barbara, patron saint of explosives and barbiturates.