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Japan's Indoor Beach: Where The Surf is Always Up


Imagine a beach with no bugs or sun burns.
There are no bugs here or sun burns either.
The world's one and only indoor beach can be found in Japan's Ocean Dome about 1,200 miles south of Tokyo in Miyazaki, on Japan's southernmost Kyushu Island.
Here, the water is always blue and salt-free, waves are perfectly timed, sharks are elsewhere, and its never too hot, or cold, to take a dip.


Japan's Ocean Dome even has its own marble sand and a volcano that spits fake flames every hour, on the hour. Shores are sanitized; permitting surfers to drip-dry in the perfect climate, which never varies, day and night, every day of the year.

The Ocean Dome also boasts the world's largest retractable roof.

The beach sits inside a vast dome that measures 300 x 100 meters (984 feet x 328 feet). The heated ocean sends 13,500 tons of salt-free water sweeping across 600 tons of polished marble chips that comprise a long shoreline.
The world's largest artificial sea washes over the world's biggest indoor beach, fringed with artificial fish and fauna.
Bogus parrots ruffle their feathers and squawk at tourists from the rainforest that has no rain.
There are no bugs here or sun burns either.
 
But like most things in life, entrance into this paradise costs. Visitors pay with payment tokens that are computer-coded plastic tags. Admission runs about US $50 for adults, with rides running $5-10 more. Add $10 more for two hours with a boogie board, or $5 for two hours of inner tube rental.

Visitors are offered many diversions in the form of shopping centers tennis courts and golf courses. On the other side of the beach is the plastic rainforest, where guests can travel among holographic sea pirates, demons and dinosaurs.
Who could ask for anything more?

DANNII Minogue is pregnant with her first child


DanniiX Factor judge Dannii Minogue has confirmed she is expecting a baby with boyfriend Kris Smith.
   
The 38-year-old received the results of her 12-week scan today and gushed they are "delighted" at the news.
   
Her spokesman Simon Jones announced: "Dannii and Kris are very excited and can't wait to start their family in 2010.
   
"Rumours and stories surfaced across the weekend about Dannii being pregnant and having already had her 12-week scan. "These stories were incorrect. Dannii had her 12-week scan this week and was given the results today with the all-clear to make an announcement."
   
The baby is due in July. Dannii - who has been dating Kris since September 2008 - has previously revealed her relationship with the rugby player made her rethink her attitude to motherhood.  She said: "I've never been maternal. "I almost thought I was going to escape it, and now I'm in a relationship that is just so right, maybe I have to think about it."
   
Source:OK magazine UK