Put this under WTF

Built in Germany as a tourist attraction. Can you imagine the heating bills for this thing?

More pics at: https://imgur.com/gallery/6mylD

I wouldn't get my hubby in that place for a million dollars, but I can understand why it would be popular in the middle of a German winter.

As I've mentioned before I am not a betting girl, but if I were, I'd wager a bet that it is also popular with the locals.

Knowing German engineering, I'd also bet that the place is fantastically insulated and while no doubt high, the heating bills are not as high as we'd expect.

EE, do you know what it's called or where it's at? I'd like to look it up.

EDIT: Nebbermind... I went to your Imgur link and found the following comment: "That's the Tropical Islands resort in Brandenburg, Germany. While it's located on the area of a former Soviet air base, the hangar itself(1)" My first guess was going to be Bremerhaven... the water fooled me.

2^nd EDIT: This is further down in the comments: "actually it's not soviet, it's just been built on a former soviet airfield a few years ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Islands"

I think it is awesome.

Holy smokes. They are PROUD of those damned "rainforest camp" tipis! The indoor ones cost €280.50 for two people (can't get a price for 1 person, but it'd be no fun to go alone, I suppose) per night during winter. Summertime is a tad more reasonable @ €113/night for 2 folks.

You can "pitch" outdoors in a camper or a tent for €55.00/night. Summertime also offers outdoor tipis for €76.40 for two.

$$$$!!!! Or shall I say, €€€€€€€€€!!!!!

For some reason this reminded me of The Absolute Most Awesomely Fun Experience I've had abroad. When I was in Denmark our hosts took us on several REALLY neat trips to see the history of the country... and THIS one on one Saturday, to the Silkeborg Gokart Center. I can't find any English translations of their website or any relevant info on the center... bummer.

The coolest part is that their gokarts go 80+ km/hr, which translates to 50+ mi/hr. That's pretty damned fast when you're on an extremely difficult course and there are people constantly coming up behind you, you're passing people and you all are bumping into each other. I am an aggressive gokart driver and nearly got kicked off the course... I did have to take a couple of "time outs" tee hee. I was on my last warning before the day was through.

I can't remember if it's the fastest course in Europe or in the world... never the less, it's friggin FAST.

There are many cart tracks in the states where thedy are doing well over 100MPH, including the big 2 1/2 mile track in Daytona where they run the Daytona 500.. For years, they had cart races soon after Christmas.. YES, there have been deaths where they hit the walls..

Ouch!

The one we went to in Denmark is an indoor track (kinda has to be for year-round activity with their weather) and it had the NARROWEST TRACK with the CRAZIEST hairpins and turns I've ever been on... which at least partially accounts for why I almost got booted from the track. lol. It was AWESOME. I was SO SORE for the next few days... a deceptively hard work out on your upper body especially.

Yes, it will wear you out in the long distance/time enduro races. The town cop at home clocked me at 108 on my go cart one day on the road right in front of the house.. He set the radar up just to see how fast it would go. That was in 1977 or so. Dang was I stupid back then.. I didn't even have a helmet or anything on other than pants and a t-shiirt..

I'm up w/insomnia but need to try again to get some sleep so I'll be somewhat presentable for Easter supper @Granny's tomorrow @1400, but remind me to tell you about our go kart we had when I was growing up... some truly hillbilly redneck shit, and dangerous as F***!!!!

I had a cart with a Mcculloch chain saw engine on it. It would do about 20,000+ RPM.. What a screamer. The bad thing is the engines wouldn't last very long at the high RPMs and cost a fortune to repair/replace and most tracks went to 5 HP Briggs and Straton motors because people just couldn't afford rebuilds or new engines every few weeks..

Wooohooo!

If I was Kansas, Nebraska on north....I would have one of these under construction in a New York minute! Overnight, these tourist-dollar-starved states would become prime destinations from September through May!