Over the years we’ve featured hundreds of sights claiming to be the “World’s Largest Something“, and when we featured the World’s Largest Dump Truck last week, I wondered if we were finally running out. However our loyal readers came through with some classic “World’s Largest” material - replete with the usual controversy of course!

Yes, we’re truly scraping the bottom of the “World’s Largest” barrel - because it’s time for the World’s Largest Barrel!

Bad Dürkheim in Germany is home to the World’s largest wine festival - the sausagey-sounding “Wurstmarkt” - and it’s also the location of this absolutely giant barrel, which has a claimed capacity of 1,700,000 litres. Unfortunately they decided to fill it with a restaurant instead of booze.

But does this barrel-restaurant really count, or is it just a building that looks like a barrel?

If we exclude it, then the title may fall to the 220,000 litre Heidelberg Tun: the World’s largest barrel which is actually used as a barrel. Also in Germany, it’s sadly kept in the basement of Heidelberg Castle.

Wikipedia’s article on the World’s largest roadside attractions claims that the world’s largest barrel is neither of these, but is instead found at McWilliams Wines, in Hanwood, NSW, Australia. However I don’t believe the Big Hanwood Barrel was constructed using traditional barrel-making techniques, and anyway doesn’t look nearly big enough…

You’ll be glad to know that the “World’s largest roadside attractions” Wikipedia article has enough silly “World’s Largest” sights to keep us going for another few years at least!

Thanks to Izzy and Flümo.

Google’s Street View service continues its spread across the globe with today’s launch in New Zealand.

Skycity in Auckland

Spotted any famous, cool or just weird sites in New Zealand? Let us know!

Scraping the bottom of the “world’s largest” barrel¹, it’s the awe-inspiring (former) World’s Largest Dump Truck!

Built as a prototype and dubbed the “Terex Titan”, the 20m long truck can carry a payload of up to 350 tons.

The manufacturer came up with loads of possibly untrue facts about the truck, such as being able to hold “2 greyhound buses and 2 pickup trucks”, or “1,000,000 golf balls”.

However amazing these facts, by 1990 the Terex Titan had outlived its useful life and was purchased by the town of Sparwood in British Columbia to be put on permanent display.

Read more on the Terex Corporation and the Terex Titan on Wikipedia, or watch an overly dramatic video of the truck on YouTube.

For more large trucks see our previous post on the Bingham Canyon Mine.

Apple’s recent iPhone 2.2 update has added Google Maps Street View to the already essential device.

With the iPhone’s pinch-zoom and finger-panning, the experience is even better than on the web.

The only downside is that the iPhone doesn’t automatically load Street View from Google Maps links. This means you have to manually drop a pin to get the Street View mode, and then pan around until you find what you’re looking for. Hopefully, Apple will address this in a future update.

However, as a navigational aide, I can see the iPhone Street View being invaluable - just as soon as they add UK Street Views!

Namibia’s Skeleton Coast is named so for two different types of skeletons that littered the beaches: whales and ships.

Thanks to the end of mass whaling the whale bones are now all gone, but the bones of ships remain, very slowing rusting away.

For example, the Eduard Bohlen ran aground here way back in 1909.

There are purportedly thousands of ships lining this coast, thanks to the gale force winds, thick fog and ferocious surf.

The Otavi ran aground in 1945, with a load of Guano she was shipping from Mercury Islands.

Once run aground, the sailors are usually also destined to add to the coast’s name, as the previously featured Namib Desert is totally inhospitable.

Despite this, someone once thought it was a good idea to build an oil rig just inland. But just like the whales, ships, and sailors, the rig is now a rotting skeleton.

Since 1971 the Skeleton coast has been a protected National Park, and the old rig does provide good shelter for the local bird population.

The most famous of the Skeleton Coast’s wrecks was the Dunedin Star cruise liner, which sank just off the coast in 1942. The dramatic rescue attempt included the additional wrecking of a rescue boat and small plane, and the whole story is documented in John Marsh’s book Skeleton Coast.

Thanks to sasroodkapje’s fantastic visible shipwreck collection and Artificial Owl, who have ground level images of the oil rig.

If you’ve always dreamed of being a world-famous blogger, then you can’t do better than “Blog Blazers: 40 Top Bloggers Share Their Secrets”.

The just-released book by Stephane Grenier features interviews with 40 of the internet’s top bloggers, including the finest of all bloggers James and Alex Turnbull (that’s us!).

Packed with blogging tips, it will make the perfect christmas present (you know, for all those family members who already have the Google Sightseeing Book).

Available now on Amazon.com!

Today marks the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I, which is being commemorated across the globe.

Earlier today, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, there was a 2 minute silence held at the Cenotaph in London.

The Cenotaph was erected in honour of all those who died in the war overseas, and is saluted by all passing uniformed service personnel.

Today’s remembrance ceremony was also attended by 3 of the 4 surviving British WWI veterans, who have an average age of 110.

Thanks to the BBC

The residents of Sampsonia Way, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania have gone all out to welcome the visiting Google Street View car.

Firstly, they’ve brought in a marching band for the occasion!

Once the band get out the way, we can see that there’s also a massive welcome party underway, with confetti flying everywhere.

Further down the street and things start getting a little bizarre - a mad scientist is attacking some other scientists with a “love-inducing laser beam”.

Moving on, some marathon runners narrowly escape vehicular assassination.

Things take a turn for the seriously weird next, as we find a (clearly labelled) “oversized ham”. Is there somebody inside perhaps?

The meat theme continues on the corner, where we find a huge roast chicken.

As we pass “Fireman Way” we can see a fireman rescuing a cat. Obviously.

And finally at the end of that utterly odd little journey, an epic battle is underway!

You can see a map of all the things, and read more about them on the official Street With a View site. They also have a making-of video, which we can see in the street view images was filmed by this guy!

Thanks to Jake Peterson.