Clear turquoise waters, pristine sand and the world's largest pools: The idyllic MAN MADE beaches that rival Mother Nature

With white sandy beaches and clear blue waters - these beaches look too good to be real.

In fact, they are man made, created by a company which transforms a destination into an idyllic paradise.

With projects around the world, Crystal Lagoons says its unique concept can provide an unlimited size lagoon, surrounded by picturesque sandy white beaches, anywhere in the world.

Their first project, the San Alfonso del Mar tourist complex in Chile, obtained the Guinness World Record for the largest swimming pool in the world, at a size of eight hectares. 

Crystal Lagoons expects a second Guinness World Record with the 12.5 hectares mega lagoon of the Citystars Sharm El Sheikh tourist complex in the middle of the Egyptian desert. 

Following that should be a third Guinness Record with the Mohammed Bin Rashid City project in Dubai, expected to be completed by 2020, that includes the world's largest crystalline lagoon with 40 hectares.

Idyllic destination: This man-made lagoon and beach is the company's La Jolla de Asia project in Peru

Paradise found: San Alfonso del Mar project in Chile - which was awarded the Guinness World Record for the largest swimming pool in the world

Man-made wonder: The lagoon in Las Brisas, Chile, boasts clear waters and beautiful white sand

Mohammed Bin Rashid City project in Dubai, expected to be completed by 2020, includes the world's largest crystalline lagoon with 40 hectares

Record breaker: The San Alfonso del Mar in Chile boasts the largest swimming pool in the world at a size of eight hectares

Crystal Lagoons says its unique concept can provide an unlimited size lagoon, surrounded by picturesque sandy white beaches, anywhere in the world

Crystal Lagoons expects to get a second Guinness World Record with the 12.5 hectares mega lagoon of the Citystars Sharm El Sheikh tourist complex

Breathtaking design: The Diamante Cabo San Lucas project in Mexico boasts crystal-clear waters and white sand

A swim with a view: The world's largest swimming pool in San Alfonso del Mar, Chile - made by Crystal Lagoons

Beach paradise: The Diamante Cabo San Lucas project in Mexico, surrounded by guest accommodation

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Nature versus war: How helmets, grenades and guns discarded during World War II have been swallowed up by tree trunks in Russia

Long after the dust from the last battle has settled, the dead have been laid to rest and the confetti from the victory parade has been swept into the gutter, the nature continues to bear the scars of human conflicts.
A remarkable series of photos taken in a Russian forest have been making the rounds on social media sites, showing what happens over time to instruments of carnage discarded in the woods.
The striking images depict rifles, artillery shells, grenades and sapper shovels embedded in tree trunks - essentially swallowed up by the natural surroundings in a silent act of protest against human folly.

Echo of war: Described by a web user as a Mannlicher Carcano rifle circa 1891, this rusted out weapon has embedded itself in the trunk of a tree growing in a Russian forest

Deadly machine: This Maxim gun from the 1930s was likely used during World War II that raged in Europe between 1939 and 1945

Dangerous exhibit: Even today, nearly seven decades after Victory Day, it is still possible to come across an old unexploded bomb or a granade, like this one that somehow became lodged inside a tree

Nature's triumph: These trees were skinny saplings when the helmets landed on them, possibly in the heat of a firefight

Remember the fallen: According to some estimates, more than 14million Soviet solders and officers perished in the Great Patriotic War

Some of the most powerful images in the sequence show slender trees growing through gaping holes in Soviet Army helmets.
The shape and condition of the protective gear suggest that the helmets belonged to Red Army servicemen during World War II.
Given that each of the hard-hats is damaged, their owners most likely had met a violent end.
It is likely that the helmets came to rest on young saplings during a battle. Over time, the maturing trees widened the bullet holes, and the helmets essentially became impaled.
Alexander Ostapenko, a Soviet military history enthusiast and World War II re-enactor from Kolomna, Russia, shared some of the images on his VKontakte social media account.
In a message to MailOnline Thursday night, Mr Ostapenko revealed that most of the photos have been taken in the area of the Neva Bridgehead, known as Nevsky Pyatachok, which was the site of one of the most crucial campaigns during the devastating Siege of Leningrad that lasted from September 1941 to May 1943.
The Red Army lost about 260,000 servicemen while fighting to reopen land communications with the starving, decimated city, which had been cut off from the rest of the country by invading German forces.
Some of the so-called exhibits in this outdoor military museum include a Maxim gun circa 1891; a Mannlicher Carcano rifle circa 1891, and a 75milimeter shell from a light field gun. 
According to some estimates, the Soviet Union lost about 20million people, both military and civilians, over the course of four years between 1941 and 1945. At least 14million of the casualties were soldiers and officers.
The poignant photos capturing the rusted out vestiges of World War II overwhelmed by trees drive home the message that in the end, after all the medals were handed out to heroes and all the peace treaties were signed, the only true victor is nature.

Resting place: A 75milimeter shell from a light field gun burrowed into a tree somewhere in Russia

Marker: A sapper shovel with its corroded metal blade wedged firmly in a tree and its rotting wooden handle sticking out

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Prefab Cabins for Year-Round Adventures

How amazing would it be to find the perfect vacation spot and simply plop a pre-fabricated home down on it? That’s the aim of the folks behind PODhouse, a small prefab cabin that can be delivered, electrical wiring and all, to a destination of your choosing.

Available in three sizes, PODhouses are able to accommodate a variety of living situations and preferences. The Menhir is the smallest model, offering a sleeping area that runs from front to back – and not much more room than required for sleeping.

The next step up is the Cauma, a charming tiny cottage that features a door in the middle of the cabin’s length. As seen in the above photo, additions such as small porches are simple enough to make.

The largest model, the Plaun, is large enough to hold a family – though probably not large enough for an indoor trampoline or a friendly game of tag. All of the models can come equipped with an optional entryway called Portal, a small extension of the archway to protect the entrance from the elements.

Each PODhouse has to sit on a simple foundation. The tiny cabins are moved, completely assembled, by trucks and lifted by machinery onto the foundation. Although it can be dropped into place, permits are still required to construct one and an electrician is needed to connect each cabin to the electrical grid if desired.

The German company behind the prefab cottages suggests that they can be used as extension of hotels or as small, nature-based communes. But the best use we can think of is finding a remote spot, plunking down a PODhouse, and simply getting away from it all for a couple of weeks.

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