A Maasai man in ceremonial dress poses for visitors to take photographs of him in front of one of around a dozen pyres of ivory, in Nairobi National Park, Kenya Thursday, April 28, 2016. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has stacked 105 tons of ivory consisting of 16,000 tusks, and 1 ton of rhino horn, from stockpiles around the country, in preparation for it to be torched on Saturday to encourage global efforts to help stop the poaching of elephants and rhinos. (Photo by Ben Curtis/AP Photo)

A military police officer patrols in the Roquette Pinto shantytown, part of the Mare slum complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, April 1, 2015. The Brazilian army has begun to pull out of one of Rio de Janeiro's most violent slums, with police assuming responsibility for security in the area. (Photo by Felipe Dana/AP Photo)

American singer Demi Lovato unveils her “badass” new wax figure at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas on October 1, 2024. She marveled at the likeness and attention to detail on her tattoos – joking the only thing missing is her new engagement ring. The figure is adorned in the skirt and top from Demi's Alternative Press Magazine photoshoot, with the entire look generously donated by Demi herself. (Photo by Key Lime/Madame Tussauds USA/The Mega Agency)

Domestic tourists visit the beach at Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area in Wonsan, North Korea's Kangwon Province on July 1, 2025. North Korea opened a massive resort area on its east coast, state media said on July 2, with the tourism pet project of leader Kim Jong Un reportedly set to welcome Russian guests later this month. (Photo by Kim Won Jin/AFP Photo)

At the end of rice harvesting season, the folks of the Kagawa and Niigata Prefectures in Japan hold a straw festival to celebrate the abundance of the harvest. Dried straws cover wooden frames to form larger-than-life sculptures from animals like sharks and gorillas to vessels such as ships and tanks. The family-friendly event invites visitors of all ages to engage, interact, and play on the enormous structures.

Competitors prepare backstage before the 2015 Brazil Miss and Mister Fitness contest in Sao Paulo, Brazil, June 18, 2015. Some 96 men and women from all across the country competed in the event. (Photo by Paulo Whitaker/Reuters)

Since its unveiling in 2006 this masterpiece created by Frank Gehry to house the Hotel Marqués de Riscal has become a highly sought after contemporary, luxury retreat. Design, art, gastronomy, wine and the lush landscape all combine to create a memorable sojourn.