Place 8: Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela

Did anyone see the amazing article in Saturday's Guardian newspaper about the freak lightning stopping over Lake Maracaibo?

For thousands of years, lightning has lit up the skies over Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. This nightly occurrence is the result of a "unique meteorological phenomenon" and, according to the article, Francis Drake "abandoned a sneak attack on the city of Maracaibo in 1595 when lightning betrayed his ships to the Spanish garrison". Remarkable.

What's even more extraordinary is that after all this time, the lightning has suddenly stopped. The last bolts were seen at the end of January and there's been nothing since. Local people are mystified, whilst environmentalists point to El Nino, which is responsible for "disrupting global weather patterns" and causing a draught in Venezuela.

That this bizarre event happened every night for thousands years, prior to it's sudden cessation in January, is both incredible - and sad. We just can't keep ignoring our shameful impact on the planet without the repercussions growing and growing. If the environmentalists are to be believed, we've got a long way to go...

PS If the lightning ever returns, I want to be on the first plane over there.

Photo found at http://images.travelpod.com/users/steve_sara/southamerica.1185916920.catatumbo.jpg