Three men ride their wooden sledge during a traditional Bavarian horn sledge race in the Alpine resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The sledge race is an annual event to remember the traditional way of bringing hay, straw and wood down from the Alpine mountains to the valley. 
Photo: Reuters /Michael Dalder

An aerial view of the "Theme Park / Amusement Park" (back) constructed by the JSC "Sochi Park" company in the Adler district of the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. Sochi will host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in February. Photo: Reuters/Maxim Shemetov

An artist’s impression of Chimelong Hengqin Bay Hotel, which is the largest ocean ecological theme hotel in China. It is being touted as China's answer to Orlando, a $5 billion resort and theme park complete with a mega rollercoaster and a whale shark tank situated on a sleepy southern island next to the world's biggest gambling hub Macau. Set to begin trial operations by January-end, Chimelong is the linchpin of China’s ambitious plans to expand Hengqin into a leisure hub similar to the coastal US city, renowned for its natural attractions and theme-park resorts by Walt Disney Co and Universal Studios. Photo: Reuters