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Big boom in glass-bottom bridges

 

Glass-bottomed bridges with spectacular views seem to be a real trend these days. Germany has just opened a new one across the Geierlay canyon, and the Chinese bridge Gumbo reported on last week is so busy officials have had to cap access to it.

The German bridge, over Geierlay canyon, has already drawn thousands for the nearly 1/4-mile walk about 300 feet above a forested valley. Tourist officials are hoping it will boost use of local hiking trails and add about $3 million to the local economy. The bridge was put up in only 130 days.

Not to be left behind in the race for more, China is working on another, which will be the world's highest glass bridge when completed, 300 metres above the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in Hunan. It will be 430 meters long.

Also in the running, Russia last summer opened its "SkyBridge," stretching 439 metres and rising 207 meters above the Krasnaya Polyana valley near the resort city of Sochi, home of the 2012 Olympics.

For more, including London's Tower Bridge walk, France's absolutely vertiginous viewing box above Chamonix and a Chinese glass-bottomed cliff walk, click HERE.

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The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

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I'm with you there...I love spectacular views as much as the next guy, but when I'm looking down a long way I feel nervous chills...add that to a swaying bridge, and I'm, well, not there!

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

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