11 real-world forests that look like they’re straight out of a fairytale.
Forests are downright magical.
They're where some of our favorite fables take a twist, where Mother Nature hides her most fascinating creatures, where we go to escape the manmade chaos that consumes far too much of our time.
Forests are the lungs of our world, absorbing carbon and keeping our climates stable, and the protectors of some of our most precious resources. They safeguard habitats and wildlife that allow life to move onward and even make us healthier, too; trees clean our air, lower our stress, and can actually make us happier just by being nearby. They're spectacular.
But some forests, you might argue, are just a bit more spectacular than others.
Here are 11 otherworldly forests to remind you just how incredible life on Earth really is:
1. Bamboo Forest, Japan
Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images.
The Sagano Bamboo Forest on the outskirts of bustling Kyoto is famous for its towering green stalks that make enchanting rustling noises in the breeze you really can't hear anywhere else. Japan's Ministry of Environment included the destination on its "100 Soundscapes of Japan" list, encouraging visitors to find some much needed tranquility by listening to the natural sound effects.
2. Otzarreta Forest, Spain
Photo via iStock.
Foggy and tucked away, the Otzarreta Forest in Basque Country flaunts some of the quirkiest trees and branches you'll see on Earth (not to mention the most gorgeous fall colors, if you time it right). Northern Spain never looked so enticing.
3. The Blue Forest, Belgium
Photo by John Thys/AFP/Getty Images.
Hallerbos, dubbed "The Blue Forest," covers hundreds of acres in Halle. Come mid-April, the entire region blossoms with a bright underbelly of bluebells, so the forest certainly lives up to its name. See the bluebells quick, though — they die in early summer, and the forest fades back into shades of greens and browns.
4. Redwood National Park, United States
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.
Redwood National Park stretches alongside the northern coast of California and boasts some of the tallest, most massive trees on the planet. Its trees can live to be — get this — some 2,000 years old, sprouting from seeds that are about the same size as one from a tomato.
5. The Black Forest, Germany
Photo by Arne Dedert/AFP/Getty Images.
In the hilly southwest corner of Germany, the sprawling Black Forest covers an area nearly 100 miles north to south. Its landscapes shift hues depending on the season — Germans know the frustration and beauty that come with a bitter, dreary winter better than anyone, after all — and its pines can be so dense in certain areas that sunlight can't break through to reach the forest floor. (Which is how it got its name. Get it?)
6. Amazon rainforest, Brazil
Photo by Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images.
News flash: The Amazon Rainforest is massive. Stretching nearly from coast to coast along the northern half of South America, the Amazon holds an abundance of life like no other place. It has 390 billion trees and 2.5 million various insects, which is one of the many reasons why it's so crucial we protect it from deforestation.
7. Jiuzhaigou, China
Image via iStock.
The Jiuzhaigou takes over a vast region of Sichuan province and boasts everything from towering alpine mountains and waterfalls to pools of purplish, teal waters and coniferous trees. Maybe shoot the next "Avatar" here? (See No. 11.)
8. The Daintree Rainforest, Australia
Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images.
The Daintree Rainforest off the coast of Queensland is an incredible example of why biodiversity is so important. As many species Down Under have been isolated from other mainlands, plants and animals have adapted over time to the geography's landscapes and features in unique ways. This is incredibly helpful for scientists who want to study how and why evolution works the way it does.
9. Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
Photo by Aline Ranaivoson/AFP/Getty Images.
These "upside-down trees" in Madagascar are hundreds of years old and upwards of 98 feet. The avenue thankfully gained protective status in 2007, becoming the country's first national monument in an attempt to keep the area pristine for generations to come. One might argue it's not technically a forest, per se, but it's one cluster of trees too impressive to keep off the list.
10. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica
Image via iStock.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve — located in one of the most biodiverse countries in the world — has a whopping 755 known species of trees. A wet and tropical climate means weather there stays relatively consistent throughout the year, and committed conservation efforts means sustainability stays a big priority.
11. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China
Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images.
Zhangjiajie National Forest's natural beauty and ecological importance to Asia earned its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which means it's very protected by conservation efforts. Famous in large part due to its towering, bare-rock formations, the forest was the inspiration behind some of the scenery in "Avatar."
Those were just 11 of the world's most magical forests. But really, this list could go on and on ... and on.
In fact, chances are, there's an amazing forest waiting to be explored not too far from your own front door. Safe adventuring.
A Generation Jones teenager poses in her room.Image via Wikmedia Commons
An office kitchen.via 
An angry man eating spaghetti.via 
At least it wasn't Bubbles. 
You just know there's a person named Whiskey out there getting a kick out of this. 
An Irish woman went to the doctor for a routine eye exam. She left with bright neon green eyes.
It's not easy seeing green.
Did she get superpowers?
Going to the eye doctor can be a hassle and a pain. It's not just the routine issues and inconveniences that come along when making a doctor appointment, but sometimes the various devices being used to check your eyes' health feel invasive and uncomfortable. But at least at the end of the appointment, most of us don't look like we're turning into The Incredible Hulk. That wasn't the case for one Irish woman.
Photographer Margerita B. Wargola was just going in for a routine eye exam at the hospital but ended up leaving with her eyes a shocking, bright neon green.
At the doctor's office, the nurse practitioner was prepping Wargola for a test with a machine that Wargola had experienced before. Before the test started, Wargola presumed the nurse had dropped some saline into her eyes, as they were feeling dry. After she blinked, everything went yellow.
Wargola and the nurse initially panicked. Neither knew what was going on as Wargola suddenly had yellow vision and radioactive-looking green eyes. After the initial shock, both realized the issue: the nurse forgot to ask Wargola to remove her contact lenses before putting contrast drops in her eyes for the exam. Wargola and the nurse quickly removed the lenses from her eyes and washed them thoroughly with saline. Fortunately, Wargola's eyes were unharmed. Unfortunately, her contacts were permanently stained and she didn't bring a spare pair.
- YouTube youtube.com
Since she has poor vision, Wargola was forced to drive herself home after the eye exam wearing the neon-green contact lenses that make her look like a member of the Green Lantern Corps. She couldn't help but laugh at her predicament and recorded a video explaining it all on social media. Since then, her video has sparked a couple Reddit threads and collected a bunch of comments on Instagram:
“But the REAL question is: do you now have X-Ray vision?”
“You can just say you're a superhero.”
“I would make a few stops on the way home just to freak some people out!”
“I would have lived it up! Grab a coffee, do grocery shopping, walk around a shopping center.”
“This one would pair well with that girl who ate something with turmeric with her invisalign on and walked around Paris smiling at people with seemingly BRIGHT YELLOW TEETH.”
“I would save those for fancy special occasions! WOW!”
“Every time I'd stop I'd turn slowly and stare at the person in the car next to me.”
“Keep them. Tell people what to do. They’ll do your bidding.”
In a follow-up Instagram video, Wargola showed her followers that she was safe at home with normal eyes, showing that the damaged contact lenses were so stained that they turned the saline solution in her contacts case into a bright Gatorade yellow. She wasn't mad at the nurse and, in fact, plans on keeping the lenses to wear on St. Patrick's Day or some other special occasion.
While no harm was done and a good laugh was had, it's still best for doctors, nurses, and patients alike to double-check and ask or tell if contact lenses are being worn before each eye test. If not, there might be more than ultra-green eyes to worry about.