Images
Saint Medard precinct, Paris Ve
The church of Saint Medard on Rue Moufetard commemorates the Bishop of Noyon and Tournai, one of the most illustrious prelates of the Church of France in the late fifth and the sixth century. He was born in Picardy of a pious and noble family in about the year 457, in the time of Childeric and Saint Remigius. The precinct is a truly wonderful, bustling mix of open shops of vegetables, seafood, boulangeries, charcuteries and fromageries. Concerts of chamber music are held in the small church.
View from San Gimignano, Tuscany
Nicolo Machiavelli settled here after he left Florence. Machiavelli (1469-1527) has been described as the first great political philosopher of the Renaissance. His famous treatise, The Prince, written according to some to gain favour with the Medicis who ruled Florence, focuses on the practical problems a monarch faces in staying in power, rather than more speculative issues explaining the foundation of political authority. As such, it has been described as one of the first expressions of realpolitik.
Krakow, southern Poland
The Old City of Krakow has developed over seven centuries. It is small enough to explore on foot. Alternatively, a 90 minute journey by horse drawn tram covers most of Krakow’s must see sights including The Barbican with its three metre thick walls and the 14 th century Florian Gate. Its university is one of the oldest in Europe.
Les Baux
The medieval village of Les Baux-de-Provence, is built onto a 245m high rock, in the hills of the Alpilles near Arles in southern France. The village is officially classified and labelled as “one of the most beautiful villages in France”. Its cultural heritage is exceptionally rich, with 22 architectural treasures classified as “Historic Monuments” The village has been painstakingly restored and is now one of the most popular attractions in the region welcoming more than one-and-a-half-million tourists a year! There are only 500 permanent residents.
Perugia, Umbria
Perugia dominates the Tiber Valley from a high, irregular and rough hill. It was an important Etruscan city with marvellous buildings such as the Etruscan Arch or the Etruscan Well. The Roman emperor Ottaviano conquered the city and gave it a new name: Augusta Perusia. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the city became independent town with its own council. From 1540 until the unification of Italy in 1860 it was under direct Papal control. The town has a medieval centre and hinges on a single street the broad pedestrian thoroughfare, the Corso Vannucci.
The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin.
The Gate was commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm II to represent peace. Hitler’s armies marched along the Unter den Linden, through the gate and along Strage des 17 Juni to the Victory Column. The Gate was incorporated into the Berlin wall during the years of Communist government. The Gate now stands as a symbol of the reunification of the two sides of Berlin.
Rue Victor Hugo, Paris 19.
Victor Hugo (1802-1885), famous French author (Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables), wavered in his political views over his life. An opponent of Louis Napoleon (Napoleon III), he escaped France, returning in 1868. During the period of the Paris Commune of 1871, Hugo lived in Brussels, from where he was expelled for sheltering defeated revolutionaries. He returned to Paris from Luxemburg and was elected a senator in 1876. He died in Paris May 22 1885 and was given a national funeral attended by two million people.
Street art, Calgary, Alberta.
Sculptures now adorn the streets of cities around the world. Like this one, they are often of people, standing, sitting, talking and in Malmo (Sweden) even a troop of strolling musicians.
Old North Bridge, Concord, Massachusetts.
Here on 19 April 1775 the first shots were fired in one of a series of skirmishes between American militia and British soldiers as they marched from Boston to take over the armoury containing guns accumulated by the militia. Those shots, “heard around the world”, commenced the eight year American War of Independence.
Cafe Einstein, Berlin
Not far from the Brandenburg Gate in former east Berlin, this cafè extends to a ‘branch’ across the road: waiters navigate the traffic to reach the customers. One of the most famous physicists of all time, Alfred Einstein was a model of modest genius; when young he was told by his teacher he would never amount to anything.
The Grampians, western Victoria. Regional information sites describe the picturesque mountains of The Grampians as covering 1000 square kilometres and forming the southern extremity of the Great Dividing Range. The Grampians is Victoria’s largest National Park, comprising of outstanding landforms, dense rainforests, unsurpassed mountain peaks, sparkling waterfalls and superb lookouts. The area abounds with fauna and flora as well as Aboriginal rock art sites. There are well over 50 walking tracks catering for everything from the casual stroll to the overnight trek. The Grampians region is also home to an enduring wine growing district.
The Kimberleys, Western Australia The Kimberley region covers 420,000 square kilometres from the northeastern border of Western Australia to south of Broome on the coast. Its ancient gorges have been the home of indigenous peoples for over 60,000 years and many rock art sites are a testament to that.
Wurzburg
The capital of Lower Franconia, Bavaria, S central Germany, on the Main River, Wurzburg was originally a Celtic settlement and was made an episcopal see by St. Boniface in 741. The city was severely damaged during World War II, especially in March 1945 when, on one night, 226 allied Lancaster bombers dropped over 1,000 tons of bombs destroying 80 percent of the city and killing some 5,000 people. Contrary to what the pilots and their colleagues were told, Wurzburg contained no priority factories and no armaments: the vast majority of bombs were incendiaries with time delays and were dropped on residential areas. Many of the dead were burnt to death.
Potsdam
As a city Potsdam has existed since the 13th century. From 1660, gained renown as residence of the Prince Electors of Brandenburg. With his “Edict of Potsdam” (1685), Frederick William, the Great Elector, codified the spirit of tolerance for which the city is famous. Potsdam owes its expansion as prestigious residence of the Hohenzollern monarchs to Frederick the Great. The world-renowned Palace of Sanssouci (1745-47) with Sanssouci Park arose under his aegis. The New Garden with Cecilienhof Palace has been declared an historic monument by UNESCO and contains a memorial to the Potsdam Conference held July-August 1945 between US President Truman, British Prime Ministers Churchill and Atlee and Soviet Premier Stalin to discuss post-war arrangements in Europe.
The Prado Museum, Madrid
One of the most famous art museums in the world, the Prado houses extensive works by numerous artists including Italian artists Andrea Mantenga, Sandro Botticelli, Rafael, Tintoretto, Verones, Tiepolo; numerous Flemish artists including Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Brueghel, Quentin Metsys, Rubens and van Dyk; and Spanish artists including El Greco, Murillo, Velasquez and Goya (including “The Shootings of May 3rd“). One of the most popular exhibitions of the last 20 years featured the paintings of Velasquez. Started during the reign of Charles III, the collections have survived several challenges and were transferred several times during the Spanish Civil War, ending up in the Swiss city of Geneva and being returned to Madrid during the Second World War.
Besalu, Catalunya. Besalu is a medieval town on the junction of the Fluvia and Capadella rivers in Spain.
Wilfred the Hairy, credited with the unification of Catalonia, was born in Besalu in 878. He was so named as he was as hairy as a mountain troll, even having hair of on the souls of his feet. In the Middle Ages Besalu was the capital of a country which reached up to Corbieres, now in France. Besalu is less than an hour’s drive from Girona airport.
The Crowdy Head Lighthouse.
The Crowdy Head Lighthouse, just north of Taree on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia, was built in 1878 with a fixed catadioptric light of less than 1,000 candelas. A pilot station was established in 1860 at nearby Harrington to assist ships navigating the entrance of the Manning River with cargoes of timber, livestock and limestone.In 1878, a fixed catadioptric light of less than 1,000 candelas was erected on Crowdy Head. It was the last of a series of small lighthouses designed by James Barnet. More information can be found here.
Valencia, Catalunya
Wikipedia tells us that Valencia is the capital of the Old Kingdom of Valencia. It is the third largest city in Spain and an industrial area on the Costa del Azahar in Spain. The city has been occupied by the Visigoths, Moors and the Aragonese. The first printing press in the Iberian Peninsula was located in Valencia. The first printed Bible in a Romance language, Valencian, was printed in Valencia circa 1478, attributed to Bonifaci Ferrer. Valencian bankers loaned funds to Queen Isabella for Columbus’ trip in 1492.
During the Spanish Civil War, the capital of the Republic was moved to Valencia, and the city suffered from the blockade and siege by Franco’s forces. During the Franco years, speaking or teaching Valencian was prohibited (in a significant reversal it is now compulsory for every child studying in Valencia).
Cordoba, Andalucia
Córdoba was founded in ancient Roman times as Corduba by Claudius Marcellus and was the capital of Provincia Hispania Ulterior Baetica. Great philosophers like Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger, orators like Seneca the Elder and poets like Lucan expressed themselves in the splendid palaces of the time. Later, Cordoba occupied an important place in the Provincia Hispaniae of the Byzantine Empire and during the Visigoth period.
Cordoba became a capital once more during the Independent Emirate and the Western Umayyad Caliphate, the period of its apogee, with a population ranging between 250,000 and 500,000 inhabitants. At the 10th century, Cordoba was one of the largest cities in the world, as well as a great cultural, political and economic center. The Mosque of Cordoba was built at that time.
Kimberley rock formation
The Kimberley’s ancient gorges have been the home of indigenous peoples for over 60,000 years and many rock art sites are a testament to that.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
The Met, founded in 1872, is one of the largest and most prestigious art museums on the world. An early chair of the board was J. Pierpont Morgan, the richest banker in New York. The story goes, according to “merchants and Masterpieces†by Calvin Tomkins (Longmans, 1970) that at the end of every year, the difference between the revenue and expenditure was written out on a piece of paper which was passed around the board table and cheques written until the deficit was made up: Pierpont Morgan’s contribution was always the largest. Its first director, General Luigi Palma di Cesnola (from 1879 to 1904), so intimidated the guards that they snapped to attention every time he passed by in his metal studded boots.
The Met achieved substantial prominence during the directorship of Thomas Hoving from 1967 to 1977. Hoving had a distinctive approach to expanding the Met’s collections: rather than build more comprehensive holdings of relatively modest works, he pursued a smaller number of what he termed “world-class” pieces, a course of action, which often involved spending well in excess of the Met’s customary budgets and caused considerable controversy among trustees and in the greater art world. Hoving also spearheaded a number of rennovations, expanding into Central Park itself.
The Museum’s present director, Philippe de Montebello, who was appointed in 1978, believes in museums being elitist: whilst the Met attracts huge crowds many of the visitors are very frequent visitors. His tenure has been marked by an emphasis on the Museum doing its own shows and not having mere crowd pleasers that serve no scholarly purpose. Curators, whom he considers the “heart of the placeâ€, take VIP’s through exhibitions.
New York is a world centre for museums, many of which attract very large amounts of private money: half of all the world’s private funding of the arts is subscribed by New Yorkers.
Pompidou Centre, Paris
The Pompidou Center is one of the most spectacular buildings of Paris. It was designed by architects Renzo Piano (from Italy) and Richard Rodgers (from the UK) to bring art and culture to the man in the street. Its 1977 factory style architecture – glass facade, external stairs (below on the picture) red, blue and green external pipes – violently contrasts with the surrounding houses of Paris’ oldest district near the Hotel de Ville.
The Center has been a great success with its easily accessible public library, its art exhibitions and the French National Museum of Modern Art. The Museum has large collections of paintings spanning the 20th century and including works by the most famous artists (Picasso, Braque, Max Ernst, Magritte, Chagall, Matisse, Delaunay, Kandinsky, Klee and many others).
The architect Richard Rogers tells of standing outside the Centre at the opening, in the rain, next to an elegant Parisian woman who allowed him to share her umbrella. She asked him what he thought of it. He said, “Well, I designed it.” She looked at him sternly and then hit him over the head with her umbrella.
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa-Hull
The Museum, on the side of the Ottawa River in Hull, Quebec, is housed in a dramatic building designed by Native Canadian Douglas Cardinal. It is Canada’s National Museum of human history and was opened in 1989. It houses spectacular examples of Native American cultural material, especially from the west coast. It has been active in seeking repatriation of cultural material from other countries including Australia: the Australian Museum returned two large totem poles in the 1980’s which had been brought out by a travelling circus in the early 1900’s.
The Museum also houses exhibitions on the history of Canada since arrival of Europeans. It was, from the beginning, active in developing the use of new technology including virtual exhibitions. The CMC Corporation is also responsible for the Canadian Postal Museum and the Canadian War Museum. The Childrens’ Museum is housed with the main museum. Unlike National Museums in many countries, CMC charges general admission.
Xiuhcoatl, Serpent of Fire, Mexica, National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
This colossal statue of a a serpent of fire, a mythological being related to the cult of Xiuhtecuhtli, the God of Fire and lord of the year is of carved basalt and was found in the hsitorical centre of Mexico City. Mexica culture lasted from around 1321 through 1521AD (Mesoamerican Post Classic) and the peoples occupied central Mexico; its founders established the Aztec empire through numerous conquests.
The Museum was inaugurated in 1964. Exhibit halls are grouped around an expansive central interior patio, and are surrounded by landscaped gardens on the exterior. Entry is gained via a spacious lobby area which leads into the majestic interior patio graced by a monumental canopy-fountain and with a reflecting pool at its center. This patio is enclosed by poetry-engraved walls adorned by a carved lattice which, akin to a magic mirror, hides the interior of the exhibit halls while affording a privileged view over the patio to those visitors who ascend to the first floor of the museum.a rectangualr two story structure enclosing an open courtyard.
The layout of the 26 exhibit halls enables them to be visited independently in the order of preference determined by each visitor. The museum is also endowed with a vigorous program of parallel cultural activities consisting of conferences, movies, a well-stocked bookstore, the sale of reproductions of the display pieces, a rich and varied library with a unique reserved stock, and special temporary exhibits of a high standard.
Statue of Paul Revere, North End, Boston
Paul Revere (1734 or 1735–1818) was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. Immortalized after his death for his role as a messenger in the battles of Lexington and Concord, Revere’s name and his “midnight ride” on April 18, 1775 to revolutionaries in Concord warning them of the impending arrival of British troops, have led to his being a patriotic symbol in the USA. In his lifetime, Revere was a prosperous and prominent Boston craftsman, who helped organize an intelligence and alarm system to keep watch on the British military.
Revere later served as an officer in one of the most disastrous campaigns of the American Revolutionary War, a role for which he was later exonerated. After the war, he was early to recognize the potential for large-scale manufacturing of metal. (Modified from the Wikipedia entry.)
Revere’s house at 19 North Square in the North End is one of the oldest buildings in Boston and one of the few remaining from an early era in the history of colonial America. It is a national historic landmark and is now a museum.
Stones on the Heaphy Track, nr Nelson, New Zealand
The Heaphy Track, located in Kahurangi National Park at the north-west corner of the South Island, is the longest of the Department of Conservation’s “Great Walksâ€. For 82 kilometres the track crosses the Park’s range of landscapes, starting from the junction of the Brown and Aorere Rivers, over expansive tussock downs to the lush podocarp forests, nikau palms and roaring seas of the West Coast. All rivers and major streams are bridged. The track, which is suitable for fit, well-equipped people, takes four to six days to complete. There are huts and campsites on the track. Bookings for the huts are essential.
Procession at the Opening of the National Museum of the American Indian
Edward Rothstein (in “Museum With an American Indian Voiceâ€, New York Times, September 21, 2004) wrote “Early Tuesday morning, 20,000 members of more than 500 Indian tribes from all over the American hemisphere are expected to gather on the Mall to begin a ceremonial march toward the National Museum of the American Indian. But they will not just be celebrating the opening of the Smithsonian’s new building. This Native Nations Procession, organized by the museum and forming, perhaps, the largest assembly of America’s native peoples in modern times, will also be a self-celebration.
“That will be perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the museum. The celebration is echoed in the museum’s exhibitions. It is even asserted in the way the museum’s mesa-like structure of Kasota limestone thrusts itself eastward toward the Capitol building, as if declaring – after centuries of battle, disruption, compromise, betrayal, defeat and reinvention – “We are still here.”â€
Sierra Nevada, Spain
The Sierra Nevada , meaning “snowy range†in Spanish, is a mountain range in the region of Andalusia in Spain. It contains the highest point of continental Spain, Mulhacén at 3,479 m. It is a popular tourist destination, as its high peaks make skiing possible in Europe’s most southern ski resort in an area along the Mediterranean Sea predominantly known for its warm temperatures and abundant sunshine. At its foothills is found the city of Granada and, a little farther, Málaga and AlmerÃa. Parts of the range have been included in the Sierra Nevada National Park. The range has also been declared a biosphere reserve. The Sierra Nevada were formed during the Alpine Orogeny, a mountain-building event that also formed the European Alps to the east and the Atlas Mountains of northern Africa across the Mediterranean Sea to the south.
The Rockies
The Rocky Mountains stretch more than 4,800 kilometers (3,000 miles) from northernmost British Columbia, in Canada, to New Mexico, in the United States. The highest peak is Mount Elbert, in Colorado, which is 14,440 feet (4,401 meters) above sea level. Mount Robson in British Columbia, at 3,954 meters (12,972 feet) is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The Rocky Mountain System within the United States is a United States physiographic region.
Playing boules in the Tuileries, Paris
Recently renovated and totally separated from car traffic, the Tuileries garden is part of a spectacular and historic perspective from the Louvre palace to the Arc de Triomphe on a straight line which includes the Champs Elysées and the Concorde square.
Boules is a collective name for games played with metal balls. Two of the most played boule games are pétanque and boule lyonnaise. The aim of the game is to get your large, heavy balls as close to the small, white ‘jack’. The winner is the player whose ball is closest to the jack. It is also referred to as ‘Bowls’.
Castle Gate, Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Humgary. It was foudned as the Roman town of Aquincum around AD 89 on the site of an earlier Celtic settlement near what was to become Óbuda. Today’s Pest became the site of Contra Aquincum (or Trans Aquincum), a smaller sentry point.
The area was occupied around the year 900 by the Magyars of Central Asia, the cultural and linguistic ancestors of today’s ethnic Hungarians, who a century later officially founded the Kingdom of Hungary. Buda and Pest fell to the Ottoman invaders in 1541.
In 1944, towards the end of World War II, Budapest was partly destroyed by British and American air raids. More than 38,000 civilians lost their lives during the fighting between the attacking Soviet troops and and the defending German and Hungarian troops during the seige of December 1944 to February 1945
Buda Castle is the historical castle of the Hungarian kings. It is part of the Budapest World Heritage Site, declared in 1987.
Wetlands, Maryland, USA
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest and most productive estuary in the United States. Its entire shoreline, including wetlands and islands, encompasses more than 11,600 miles—more than the entire west coast of the U.S.
The Bay’s productivity has declined sharply in recent years—as the human population has increased beyond 16 million—and land use practices, which include the destruction of wetlands, are a major cause of this decline.
Wetlands cover only about 4 percent of the 64,000-square mile Bay watershed, but they are vital to the health and productivity of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. In recent years, public support for wetland protection and restoration and concern about wetland destruction have steadily increased. Protecting wetlands is an important part of the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort.
Castle of the Earls of Desmond
The castle in County Limerick, Ireland, was founded by William de Burgo in 1199. Askeaton castle became the dwelling place of the King of Munster. In 1287 the Castle was on the possession of Thomas De Clare. King Edward II, who reigned from 1298 to 1328, granted it to Robert de Welle on 1318. The Earls of Desmond made Askeaton castle their principal dwelling place from 1348.
Today’s structure dates from the 15th century. the English forces marched against the Desmonds in October 1579. they considered the Desmonds as traitors after the refused to accept English rule.
Cottage Garden near the Grampians, Victoria
The Grampians region, in southeastern Australia, is dominated by the spectacular Grampians mountain range with its ancient volcanoes and is part of Victoria’s ‘Western District’. The region is a popular tourist destination with a fine national park and numerous splendid wineries. The cottage pictured above is near Halls Gap, the main tourist hub in the heart of the Grampians. Set in the Fyans Valley at the foot of the of Wonderland and Mount William ranges it is promoted as the perfect place from which to explore the Grampians National Park.
Cottage near the Grampians, Victoria
The Grampians region, in southeastern Australia, is dominated by the spectacular Grampians mountain range with its ancient volcanoes and is part of Victoria’s ‘Western District’. The region is a popular tourist destination with a fine national park and numerous splendid wineries. The cottage pictured above is near Halls Gap, the main tourist hub in the heart of the Grampians. Set in the Fyans Valley at the foot of the of Wonderland and Mount William ranges it is promoted as the perfect place from which to explore the Grampians National Park.
Near Besalu, Catalunya
Besalu is a medieval town on the junction of the Fluvia and Capadella rivers in Spain.
Wilfred the Hairy, credited with the unification of Catalonia, was born in Besalu in 878. He was so named as he was as hairy as a mountain troll, even having hair of on the souls of his feet. In the Middle Ages Besalu was the capital of a country which reached up to Corbieres, now in France. Besalu is less than an hour’s drive from Girona airport.
The Romanesque bridge crossing the Fluvia was built in the eleventh century.
Hannover Street, North End, Boston
North End is Boston’s oldest residential community, where people have lived continuously since it was settled in the 1630s. Before the waves of immigrants began to arrive, however, the North End was home to some of Boston’s wealthiest residents and later to the first community of African Americans created by freed and escaped slaves. It has been a centre of Irish migration (the early 19th century), then a centre of Jewish life and recently a centre of the Italian community of Boston. It is still largely residential and well-known for its small, authentic Italian restaurants.
Although the North End is part of Boston’s original area of settlement, the bulk of the architecture one sees there today dates from the late nineteenth to early 20th centuries (tenement architecture is especially prominent). The Copp’s Hill burial ground (1660) is one of America’s oldest cemeteries. The Freedom Trail passes through the North End, making official stops at Paul Revere’s house and Old North church.
Model of the Aztec City in The Zocalo, Mexico City
Mexico City was founded as Mexico-Tenochtitlan circa March 18, 1325 by the Nahua Aztec or Mexica tribe, and rapidly became the capital of a sophisticated growing empire. Located on a small island on the middle of Lake Texcoco, the layout of the city forced the Mexica to build artificial islands (chinampas) and create a series of canals to allow the growth of the metropolis. The city was almost completely destroyed in the siege of 1521, and was redesigned and rebuilt in the following years following the Spanish urban standards.
The Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in the area in 1519 but did not succeed in conquering the city until August 13, 1521, after a 79-day siege that destroyed most of the city.
In 1524 Mexico served as the capital of the viceroyalty of New Spain and the political and cultural centre of Mexico; the Captaincy General of Guatemala, Yucatán, Cuba, Florida, and the Philippines were administered from it.
Château de Fontainebleau, near Paris
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France 55.5 km south-southeast of Paris. Inhabitants are called Bellifontains.
During the 1950s and 1960s Fontainebleau was home to the HQ Allied Forces Central Europe before being moved to Brunssum in the Netherlands, after President de Gaulle decided that he no longer needed NATO atomic weapons on French soil as France had now established its own nuclear arsenal.
Fontainebleau and nearby villages is surrounded by a forest protected by France’s Office National des Forêts and is recognised as a national park that is managed partly to conserve its wild plants and trees (such as the Service Tree of Fontainebleau) and its valuable population of birds, mammals and butterflies. It is a former royal hunting park often visited by walkers and horse riders. The forest is also well regarded for bouldering, and is particularly popular amongst climbers.
The Royal Château de Fontainebleau is a large castle where the Renaissance was introduced to France from 1528 onwards.
Street art, Buenos Aires
This complex, energetic, and seductive port city, which stretches south-to-north along the Rio de la Plata, has been the gateway to Argentina for centuries. Portenos, as the multinational people of Buenos Aires are known, possess an elaborate and rich cultural identity. They value their European heritage highly–Italian and German names outnumber Spanish and the lifestyle and architecture are markedly more European than any other in South America.
The city has no dominating monument, no natural monolith that serves as its focal point. Instead, Buenos Aires is composed of many small places, intimate details, and tiny events and interactions, each with a slightly different shade, shape, and character.
The national dance, the tango, is perhaps the best expression of that spirit–practiced in dance halls, parks, open plazas, and ballrooms, it is a dance of intimate separation and common rhythm, combining both an elegant reserve and an exuberant passion.
Stone of the Sun, National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
This monument represents the myth of the five cosmogonic suns; at the centre is the face of Tonatiuh (God of the Sun), accompanied by the 20 signs of the indigenous calendar. Mexica peoples (Late Post Classic, basalt). The sculpture was recovered from the historical centre of Mexico City.
The National Museum was inaugurated in 1964. Exhibit halls are grouped around an expansive central interior patio, and are surrounded by landscaped gardens on the exterior. Entry is gained via a spacious lobby area which leads into the majestic interior patio graced by a monumental canopy-fountain and with a reflecting pool at its center. This patio is enclosed by poetry-engraved walls adorned by a carved lattice which, akin to a magic mirror, hides the interior of the exhibit halls while affording a privileged view over the patio to those visitors who ascend to the first floor of the museum.a rectangualr two story structure enclosing an open courtyard.
The layout of the 26 exhibit halls enables them to be visited independently in the order of preference determined by each visitor. The museum is also endowed with a vigorous program of parallel cultural activities consisting of conferences, movies, a well-stocked bookstore, the sale of reproductions of the display pieces, a rich and varied library with a unique reserved stock, and special temporary exhibits of a high standard.
Ancient stone wall, Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. It was founded as the Roman town of Aquincum around AD 89 on the site of an earlier Celtic settlement near what was to become Óbuda. Today’s Pest became the site of Contra Aquincum (or Trans Aquincum), a smaller sentry point.
The area was occupied around the year 900 by the Magyars of Central Asia, the cultural and linguistic ancestors of today’s ethnic Hungarians, who a century later officially founded the Kingdom of Hungary. Buda and Pest fell to the Ottoman invaders in 1541.
In 1944, towards the end of World War II, Budapest was partly destroyed by British and American air raids. More than 38,000 civilians lost their lives during the fighting between the attacking Soviet troops and the defending German and Hungarian troops during the siege of December 1944 to February 1945
Cathedral, The Zocalo, Mexico City
The baroque Metropolitan Cathedral, together with the Basilica of Guadalupe, marked the culmination of the colonial period of Mexico.
Mexico City’s town square, formally known as the Plaza de la Constitución, is the most famous zócalo or town square. The term zócalo is related to the Italian zoccolo meaning pedestal or plinth. Zócalos were often the original central squares of Mesoamerican cities that were coopted by the Spanish conquerors.
Ciudad de México is the capital city of Mexico, and the most important economic, industrial and cultural centre in the country. Its population was nearly 9 million in 2005. Greater Mexico City had a population of 19.2 million, making it the largest metropolitan area in the western hemisphere and the second largest in the world.
Children visiting the Colonel Shaw monument, Boston Common
The Colonel Shaw Memorial was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Stanford White. William James spoke at the unveiling of the Shaw Monument on May 31, 1897.
Robert Gould Shaw Shaw was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1837 to a prominent abolitionist family. After Abraham Lincoln’s election and the secession of several Southern states, Shaw joined the 7th New York Infantry Regiment,
Later the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry and was recruited by Governor John A. Andrew to raise and command one of the first regiments of black troops of the Union, the 54th. Shaw grew to respect the soldiers, impressed by their dedication and when he learned they would receive less pay than white ones, he inspired a boycott until it was rectified.
The 54th was sent to, to take part in the operations against the Confederates stationed there. On July 18, 1863, along with two brigades of white troops, the 54th assaulted Confederate Battery Wagner near Charleston, South Carolina. As the unit hesitated in the face of fierce Confederate fire, Shaw led his men into battle by shouting, “Forward, Fifty-Fourth!” He was killed during the assault.
When the Confederate soldiers buried him, they removed his shoes and buried him with his “niggersâ€, intending it as an insult. However, Shaw’s abolitionist father proclaimed that he was proud that his son was buried alongside the black men with whom he had served.
Near Colle de Val d’Elsa
Colle de Val d’ Elsa lies in the heart of Tuscany, near the towns of Sienna, Florence and Volterra, on the via Francigena which connects Rome with the North.
The town was frequently involved in violent conflict in medieval times. One of the most famous was the battle of 1269 between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, which had considerable repercussions on the political balance in Tuscany.
During the Sixteenth century, it gradually gained power, mainly thanks to the Medici family and to the people of Colle who handled the town’s administration. At the beginning of a new era in the 17th century, a paper industry was replaced by the new iron and glass industries which was followed by crystal manufacture. Colle di Val d’Elsa, which became known as the Bohemia of Italy in the 19 century. Today it is an authentic “Crystal City”, producing 15% of the world’s crystal.
Monastery of Pere de Rhodes, Catalunya
The first official mention of the monastery originates from the year 878. It is considered art-historically as a prime example for the Catalan Roman era, if not as the actual cradle. Its origins date from the 1st century AD. According to legend, Christians coming from Rome were stranded in the bay and predicted this as a sign from God to found and erect a monastery in this place.
The monastery geographically still dominates today the bay of Llançà and Port de la Selva. During a long period its power reached from Barcelona far into the Roussillon, now part of France. In the course of the twentieth century the monastery was restored under great expenses, some think in a rather too modern way
Volterra, Tuscany
Volterra is a town of great architectural interest located 1770 feet above the sea level,
between the rivers Bra and Cecina. The main features are two fine castles and numerous Etruscan remains. Long a subject of speculation, Etruscan people are now considered to have come from western Turkey near Izmir (previously known as Smyrna) around the twelfth century BC (John Hooper, “Etruscan mystery solved” Guardian Weekly 1 July 2007).
Called Felathri by the Etruscans and Volaterrae by the Romans, Volterra was one of the most important cities in the Etruscan Confederation. From the period of the kings, it was at war with Rome. In 298 B.C., when he became consul, Scipio gained a victory here over the Etruscan armies. In the Punic Wars, however, the city was allied with Rome. In 80 B.C. it was taken by Sulla, after a siege of two years. Remains of the ancient surrounding walls, including the Etruscan the Porta dell’ Arco, may still be seen, as well as of baths, an aqueduct, an amphitheatre (see picture below), and, above all, of several Etruscan burial places.
The Duomo, Orvieto, Umbria
Orvieto is noted for The Gothic cathedral, or duomo, of Orvieto is striped in white travertine and greenish-black basalt in narrow bands. The façade is particularly striking and includes some remarkable sculpture by Lorenzo Maitani (14th century). Inside the cathedral, the Chapel of San Brizio is frescoed by Fra Angelico and with Luca Signorelli’s masterpiece, his Last Judgment (1449-51).The site of the city of Orvieto is among the most dramatic in Europe, rising above the almost-vertical faces of tufa cliffs that are completed by defensive walls built of the same stone.
The ancient city of Orvieto was a major center of Etruscan civilization. It was annexed by Rome in the third century BC. After the collapse of the Roman Empire its defensible site gained new importance: the episcopal see was transferred from Bolsena, and the city was held by Goths and by Lombards before its self-governing commune was established in the tenth century, in which consuls governed under a feudal oath of fealty to the bishop.
The site of the city of Orvieto is among the most dramatic in Europe, rising above the almost-vertical faces of tufa cliffs that are completed by defensive walls built of the same stone.
House in Perugia, Umbria
Perugia dominates the Tiber Valley from a high, irregular and rough hill. It was an important Etruscan city with marvellous buildings such as the Etruscan Arch or the Etruscan Well. The Roman emperor Ottaviano conquered the city and gave it a new name: Augusta Perusia. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the city became independent town with its own council. From 1540 until the unification of Italy in 1860 it was under direct Papal control. The town has a medieval centre and hinges on a single street the broad pedestrian thoroughfare, the Corso Vannucci.
Ardeche Gorge, Provence
Ardèche is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River. The area has been inhabited by modern humans at least since the Upper Palaeolithic, as attested by the famous cave paintings at Chauvet Pont d’Arc. The Plateau of the Ardeche river has extensive standing stones (dolmens, and menhirs) likely erected by the Celts thousands of years ago. The river is the largest natural canyon in Europe and the caves that dot the cliffs (which go as high as 1,000 feet) are known for signs of Prehistoric inhabitants (arrow heads and silex knives are often found.)
The area suffered greatly in the 9th century with raids from Magyar Hungary and Saracen slavers operating from the coast of Provence resulting in an overall depopulation of the region.
Many Romanesque churches were built in the region in the early 10th century During the Hundred Years War, the area maintained its loyalty to the French crown, despite frequent attacks from the west.
With the Napoleonic period, the Ardèche entered a period of increasingly prosperous inconspicuousness.
Near Tinonee, northern New South Wales
Tinonee is a small hamlet inland from the mid-north coast of New South Wales north of Sydney in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. The area is mostly devoted to farming.
Sculpture in the garden of the Walker Art Center Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Walker Center at 1750 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, is one of the leading contemporary art museums in the USA. Its website is as extraordinary as the Center itself.
Celsus Library, Ephesus, Turkey
Ephesus, an Ionian city in Anatolia on the western coast of Turkey south of Ismir (formerly Smyrna), is the best preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean. Its many restored buildings, monuments, squares and theatres provide a glimpse of Roman city life of the second century AD.
The famous Library was situated to the south of the Agora. This elegant monument was built in A.D. 135 by Julius Aquila in memory of his father, Celsus Polemaeanus of Sardis, Roman Senator and Proconsul of the province of Asia. The facade has been completely restored.
In a burial chamber in the lower part of the library can be seen a decorated white marble tomb in which Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus was buried. The life of Celsus is related in Greek and Latin on the bases of the statues on each side of the library staircase
See a moving panoramic image of Ephesus here.
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Athens Acropolis: the Parthenon
When work began on the Parthenon in 447 BC, the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. Work on the temple continued until 432; the Parthenon, then, represents the tangible and visible efflorescence of Athenian imperial power, unencumbered by the depredations of the Peloponnesian War. Likewise, it symbolizes the power and influence of the Athenian politician, Pericles, who championed its construction.
Many of the sculptures from this wonderful building have been dispersed to many museums. The best known are those removed by Lord Elgin and now in the British Museum in London. Despite numerous requests over many decades, there is no sign whatsoever that the Museum’s Trustees are prepared to consider return of any of the sculptures to Athens.
A new museum on the side of the Acropolis is to be opened in 2009. Replicas of the sculptures now adorn the Athens metro station Acropolis.
Consider the issues or politics, leadership, organizational development as well as colonialism, not to mention imperialism and arrogance involved in the history of this buidling and its wonderful sculptures.
Marble pathway near Lefkes, Paros, Cyclades
Paros is an island of Greece in the central Aegean Sea. One of the Cyclades island group, it lies to the west of Naxos, with which it is separated by a channel about 8 km (5 mi) wide. Wikipedia goes on to tell us that Paros lies approximately 100 nmi (185 km) south-east of Piraeus. Today, Paros is one of the most popular European tourist hotspots. Paros became known for its fine white marble which gave rise to the term Parian which is used for China and fine marbles worldwide. The island has also been called Venetian: Paro. Lefkes is situated in the central part of Paros, 11 kilometres south-east of Parikia and situated at an altitude of 300 m above sea level; it offers a breathtaking view of nearby Naxos Island. Lefkes was the capital of Paros during the Middle-Ages.
Mykonos is one of the top international tourist destinations, famous around the globe for its cosmopolitan character and its intense nightlife.
It is believed that the island was named after a local hero, who is considered an offspring of the god Apollo and was worshipped locally in antiquity.
During the Middle Ages Mykonos fell under the rule of the Venetians and in the years that followed found themselves to be victimized by the Saracens and latter the Turks who dominated the area from the 14th century. At this time the slave trade was common and thousands of islanders were abducted.
Taormina, Sicily
Taormina is a comune and small town on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Messina, about midway between Messina and Catania. The present town of Taormina occupies the ancient site, on a lofty hill which forms the last projecting point of the mountain ridge that extends along the coast from Cape Pelorus to this point. Taormina, with its popular beaches (accessible via an aerial tramway) on the Ionian sea, which is remarkably warm, has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th century. During the early 20th century the town became a colony of expatriate artists, writers, and intellectuals.
Taormina’s coastal location, facing Greece, between the powerful cities of Syracuse and Catania to the south, and Messana (and behind it, mainland Italy) to the north, determined much of its history. It is only about 5 km from the site of the ancient Naxos. According to the Wikipedia article on the town, there is no doubt that Tauromenium did not exist as a city till after the destruction of Naxos by Dionysius I of Syracuse, 403 BCE; but the circumstances connected with its foundation are somewhat confused and uncertain.
Kayakoy, Turkey
Kayaköy (Greek: Levissi) is a village 8 km south of Fethiye in southwestern Turkey where Anatolian Greeks lived until approximately 1923. The ghost town, now preserved as a museum village, consists of hundreds of rundown but still mostly intact Greek-style houses and churches which cover a small mountainside and serve as a stopping place for tourists visiting Fethiye and nearby Ölüdeniz.
It was built on the site of the ancient city of Carmylessus in the 1700s. It experienced a renewal after nearby Fethiye (known as Makri) was devastated by an earthquake in 1856 and a major fire in 1885. After the Greco-Turkish War, Kayaköy was largely abandoned after a population exchange agreement was signed by the Turkish and Greek governments in 1923.
Sultanhani Caravanserai, Turkey
The World is Round site tells us, “A door left ajar beckons… “Come in & experience the magic of the past….” A caravanserai is an old hotel that served traders and travellers along the Silk Route. It provided protection against the elements and robbers, hence the external walls are quite high and thick, like a fortress. There are many of these along the silk route – about one every 17 miles because camels could only walk about that far in a day. Despite the ornate entrance, the interior of the caravanserai is essentially quite basic, but the simplicity of the building is in itself quite beautiful, with high ceilings and geometric lines.
Catania, Sicily
Catania is the second largest city in Sicily. Situated on the east costs of the island, it has a long history of human occupation. First inhabited by the ancient Sicels it became a Chalcidian colony (Katánē) and its native population was bound to be rapidly assimilated and hellenized. It was successively occupied by the Romans (around 263 BC), and Arabs (around 900 AD). It is close to the active volcano Mt Etna. This position has been the source of both benefits and evils. Violent outbursts of the volcano from time to time desolated great parts of its territory. At other times the volcanic ashes produced a soil of great fertility, adapted especially for the growth of vines.
Paros is an island of Greece in the central Aegean Sea. One of the Cyclades island group, it lies to the west of Naxos, with which it is separated by a channel about 8 km (5 mi) wide. Wikipedia goes on to tell us that Paros lies approximately 100 nmi (185 km) south-east of Piraeus. Today, Paros is one of the most popular European tourist hotspots. Paros became known for its fine white marble which gave rise to the term Parian which is used for China and fine marbles worldwide. Numerous small villages are scattered along the coast, all with cafes, restaurants and bars.
Caltanisetta in central Sicily is identified with ancient Nissa, and natives of Caltanissetta are called nisseni. It is about 568 meters above sea level, on the slopes of Mount San Giuliano overlooking the Salso River Valley. There are traces of both Sicanian and Greek villages at Caltanissetta. The former dates from about 600 BC. The city’s true foundation as a fortified settlement dates from the Arab rule of Sicily. It was greatly expanded in Norman times. It has a large seventeenth-century cathedral built on the site of a much older church, and several late-medieval churches in the old part of town.
Saltmarshes and windmills near Marsala, Sicily
Marsala is a coastal city in western Sicily. It is best known as the source of Marsala wine.
Marsala occupies the site of Lilybaeum, the principal stronghold of the Carthaginians in Sicily, founded by Himilco in 396 BC. Neither Pyrrhus nor the Romans were able to reduce it by siege, but it was surrendered to the latter in 241 BC at the end of the First Punic War as a condition of the peace treaty.
The Arabs gave it its present name “Marsala”. On May 11, 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi and his “thousand” landed at Marsala and began his campaign to overthrow Bourbon rule in Sicily as a step toward Italy’s unification.
Trapani and Marsala are famous for some of Europe’s oldest salt marshes, which are still home to some of the windmills once used to drain water from the basins.
Piazza Armerina is a city in the centre of Sicily. It commenced as a marketplace in the 12th century, after the market town that had grown around the ancient Roman Villa Romana del Casale was destroyed in 1161 and the inhabitants of the Villa fled to it. It was an important commercial and political centre in the early middle ages, when the Sicilian parliament was united there at several occasions. It has a beautiful baroque Duomo (cathedral) and a medieval castle, the Castello Aragonese.
Paros is an island of Greece in the central Aegean Sea. One of the Cyclades island group, it lies to the west of Naxos, with which it is separated by a channel about 8 km (5 mi) wide. Wikipedia goes on to tell us that Paros lies approximately 100 nmi (185 km) south-east of Piraeus. Today, Paros is one of the most popular European tourist hotspots. Paros became known for its fine white marble which gave rise to the term Parian which is used for China and fine marbles worldwide. Numerous small villages are scattered along the coast, all with cafes, restaurants and bars.
Naousa is a beach side town on the north coast with a population of less than 3,000. In the summer it is warm and almost sunny every day. During the winter it is cold and occasionally snowy.
Pythagorio, Samos, Aegean Islands
Pythagorio is a resort town about 1 km from the main airport of Samos. The town is relatively small with tight streets so the tourist shops are forced onto the main, one-way street. The hotels are all small, more like pensions that are no more than three floors high.
The town is of course named after the famous greek mathematician Pythagoras. Modern Pythagorio is built close to a set of Archaic ruins and the Eupalino Aqueduct.
Selinunte, Sicily
Selinunte is an ancient Greek archaeological site situated on the south coast of Sicily between the valleys of the rivers Belice and Modione in the province of Trapani. The archaeological site contains five temples centered on an acropolis.
Selinus was one of the most important of the Greek colonies in Sicily founded around 650 BCE. The name is supposed to have been derived from the quantities of wild parsley which grew on the spot; and for the same reason a leaf of this parsley was adopted as the symbol of their coins.
Taormina, Sicily
Taormina is a comune and small town on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Messina, about midway between Messina and Catania. The present town of Taormina occupies the ancient site, on a lofty hill which forms the last projecting point of the mountain ridge that extends along the coast from Cape Pelorus to this point. Taormina, with its popular beaches (accessible via an aerial tramway) on the Ionian sea, which is remarkably warm, has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th century. During the early 20th century the town became a colony of expatriate artists, writers, and intellectuals.
Taormina’s coastal location, facing Greece, between the powerful cities of Syracuse and Catania to the south, and Messana (and behind it, mainland Italy) to the north, determined much of its history. It is only about 5 km from the site of the ancient Naxos. According to the Wikipedia article on the town, there is no doubt that Tauromenium did not exist as a city till after the destruction of Naxos by Dionysius I of Syracuse, 403 BCE; but the circumstances connected with its foundation are somewhat confused and uncertain.
Plaka, Athens
Plaka. Plaka is the old Ottoman neighbourhood of Athens, Greece with labyrinthine streets with many restaurants as well as archaeological sites and museums. This view is near the Hotel Vironos named for Lord Byron, that famous philhellene.
Villa Romana del Casale, Sicily
The Villa Romana del Casale is one of the most luxurious of its kind. Roman exploitation of the countryside is symbolized by the Villa which is the centre of the large estate upon which the rural economy of the Western Empire was based. It is especially noteworthy for the richness and quality of the mosaics which decorate almost every room; they are the finest mosaics in situ anywhere in the Roman world. The Villa is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Pythagorio, Samos, Aegean Isands
Pythagorio is a resort town about 1 km from the main airport of Samos. The town is relatively small with tight streets so the tourist shops are forced onto the main, one-way street. The hotels are all small, more like pensions that are no more than three floors high.
The town is of course named after the famous greek mathematician Pythagoras. Modern Pythagorio is built close to a set of Archaic ruins and the Eupalino Aqueduct.
Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef (photo Janette Griffin)
Lizard Island is a high island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef northeast of Cooktown. The Australian Museum commenced a research station on the island in 1972. The Station has grown to be one of the most successful coral reef research stations in the world. Over 1,100 research publications have appeared dealing with studies carried out at the Station. The Station is substantially supported financially by the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation and has received major grants from a number of philanthropic trusts and individuals.
Florence from Piazzale Michaelangelo
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany, and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany and has a population of approximately 364,779.
The city lies on the Arno River and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. A centre of medieval European trade and finance, the city is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. It was long under the de facto rule of the Medici family. From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
The “historic centre of Florence” was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1982. Many of its churches contain wonderful paintings by famous artists of the Renaissance. There is also the Ufizzi museums which proclaims itself as the best art museum in the world.
The Piazzale was built in 1869 and designed by architect Giuseppe Poggi; it contains copies of some of Michaelangeo’s most famous works such as a bronze David in the middle of the square.
Loggia della Signoria, Florence
The Loggia dei Lanzi, also called the Loggia della Signoria, is a building on a corner of the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy, adjoining the Uffizi Gallery. It consists of wide arches open to the street, three bays wide and one bay deep. The arches rest on clustered pilasters with Corinthian capitals. The wide arches appealed so much to the Florentines, that Michelangelo even proposed that they should be continued all around the Piazza della Signoria.
It was built between 1376 and 1382 by Benci di Cione and Simone di Francesco Talenti to house the assemblies of the people and hold public ceremonies such as the swearing into office of the Gonfaloniers and the Priors.
The Loggia now contains numerous statues. On the far right (pictured) is the manneristic celebrated group “Rape of the Sabine Women” by the Flemish artist Jean de Boulogne, better known as Giambologna. Wikipedia tells us that “this impressive work was made from one imperfect block of white marble, the largest block ever transported to Florence. The original is now in the Galleria dell’ Academia.â€
Hills of Tuscany from Montelpulciano
Montepulciano is a medieval and renaissance hill town and commune in the province of Sienna in southern Tuscany. The town, sitting on a high limestone ridge of Monte Poliziano at an elevation of 605m is exceptionally beautiful. Montepulciano is the ancient Etruscan city of Nocera Alfaterna, which in 308 B.C. made an alliance with Rome against the Samnites. In the Middle Ages it was under the control of Florence, but was conquered by Sienna in 1260.
Montepulciano is a major producer of food and drink. Wine connoisseurs consider its Vino Nobile among Italy’s best. However, the Vino Nobile de Montepulciano should not be confused with the varietal wine (Montepulciano grape) of the same name. Montepulciano is also known for its pork, cheese, “pici” pasta (a thick, rough, chewy variant on spaghetti), lentils, and honey.
Paris, the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars beside the Seine River in Paris. The tower has become a global icon of France and is one of the most recognizable structures in the world.
Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in Paris. More than 200 million people have visited the tower since its construction in 1889, making it the most visited paid monument in the world.
When the tower was completed in 1889 it was the world’s tallest tower. The tower is now the fifth-tallest structure in France and the tallest structure in Paris.
This view is from near the Trocadero and the Musee de l’Homme. The Basilica of Sacre-Coeur in Montmartre is just visible on the horizon at the left.
Oppede-le-Vieux, Provence
Oppède-le-Vieux is a small hill-top village 11 km from Cavaillon in the Luberon and 34 km from Avignon. It is built high on a rocky outcrop and surrounded by lush vegetation, thick forests and rocks which form a striking backdrop. The ruins of the old fortified castle are perched on top of the outcrop. Nearby is the16th century Romanesque church, Collegiale Notre-Dame d’Alidon: inside the church are colorful frescos, many old, faded or ruined.
A wild gorge is cut into the Luberon to the south, behind the village. From the upper part of the village there’s a magnificent view of Mont Ventoux, the Cévennes and the lower Alpes.
Raymond de Turenne sacked the village and put it to the torch at the end of the 14th century. In 1545, the Lord of Oppéde, Jean de Maynier, massacred the Vaudois who had taken refuge in the village. By the beginning of the 17th century, the old village was completely abandoned for the plain below.
Cafe “Les Deux Magots”, Paris
Named after the two wooden statues (the two magots) which still dominate the room, Les Deux Magots on Boulevarde St-Germain-des-Prés, is one the most famous cafés in Paris. It was once the haunt of Paris intellectuals such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso.
Ile St Louis, Paris
The Ile St-Louis was originally two smaller islands: the Ile aux Vaches (Island of the Cows), originally nothing but pasture; and the Ile Notre-Dame, site of judicial duels during the Middle Ages. It wasn’t until the 17th century that the 2 islands were united. The work was done by Marie, a general contractor, and his 2 sponsors, Le Regrattier and Poulettier. After the construction, lords and financiers built their homes here. As a result, the Ile St-Louis remains a lovely place to walk around and admire the mansions, still standing. It adjoins the Ile de la Cité, the cradle of Parisian civilization. where the Parisii tribe lived who were , conquered by the the Romans, led by Caesar’s lieutenant Labenius in 52 AD.
Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)Â from southern America at Jurong Bird Park, Singapore
Macaws are what most people think of when they think of parrots. They have vibrant plumage, colouring suited to life in Central and South American rain forests, with their green canopies and colorful fruits and flowers. Their large, powerful beaks allow them to easily crack nuts and seeds and their dry, scaly tongues have a bone inside them that makes them an effective tool for tapping into fruits. Macaws have gripping toes that they use to latch onto branches and to grab, hold, and examine items. They are intelligent, social birds which often gather in flocks of 10 to 30 individuals. Some Macaws can mimic human speech.
Jurong Bird Park is a 20.2 hectare open-concept park. It is the largest bird park in the Asia Pacific with a collection of more than 9,000 birds from 600 species. It specialises in birds from Southeast Asia. The idea of the Park was first conceived in 1968 by Dr Goh Keng Swee, the then Minister for Finance, during a World Bank Meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
Ardeche Gorge, Provence
Ardèche is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River. The area has been inhabited by modern humans at least since the Upper Palaeolithic, as attested by the famous cave paintings at Chauvet Pont d’Arc. The Plateau of the Ardeche river has extensive standing stones (dolmens, and menhirs) likely erected by the Celts thousands of years ago. The river is the largest natural canyon in Europe and the caves that dot the cliffs (which go as high as 1,000 feet) are known for signs of Prehistoric inhabitants (arrow heads and silex knives are often found.)
The road along one side of the Gorge has been substantially widened and upgraded in the last thirty years and is now a comfortable drive. Mid way along the road is a visitor centre from which one can visit one of the large caves in the side of the Gorge.
Street in Venasque, Provence
Venasque is a commune of the Vaucluse département, in France. Perched on the summit of a steep cliff, Venasque is a picturesque village classified among the 126 ” more beautiful villages of France ” which dominates the valley of Nesque and the plain of Carpentras. Venasque is one of the oldest villages of the Comtat Venaissin, from where it takes its name.
It has many tourist attractions, such as the nearby Mount Vaucluse, a park with several tennis courts and many open areas. It is a town on a hill, surrounded on all sides by ramparts in various states of disrepair. It is home to many notable foreigners, such as Darius Brubeck.
View from Gordes, Provence
Gordes is a mountain village and small administrative district in the Luberon area in the Vaucluse département in Provence, France ranging in altitude from 115 m to 635 m above sea level. The nearest city is Avignon.
Gordes is one of the most well-known hilltop villages in the region, and one of the most beautiful in France. Its houses and buildings of white stone root themselves into the sharp cliff of the mountain, its labyrthinth of “calades” (narrow cobblestone streets) do not leave the visitor indifferent to its charms.
Many artists have stayed in the village of Gordes and have contributed to its fame. Some, such as André Lhote, Marc Chagall, Victor Vasarely and Pol Mara came to stay. Gordes is the seat of many cultural events in summer with its museums, a festival, concerts and numerous exhibitions.
During World War II , Gordes was an active resistance village and was later awarded a medal, the Croix de guerre 1939-1945.