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Saturday, March 30, 2024

Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, Ardèche - France

Located in a limestone plateau of the Ardèche River in southern France, the property contains the earliest-known and best-preserved figurative drawings in the world, dating back as early as the Aurignacian period (30,000–32,000 BP), making it an exceptional testimony of prehistoric art. 
The cave was closed off by a rock fall approximately 20,000 years BP and remained sealed until its discovery in 1994, which helped to keep it in pristine condition. 
Over 1,000 images have so far been inventoried on its walls, combining a variety of anthropomorphic and animal motifs. 
Of exceptional aesthetic quality, they demonstrate a range of techniques including the skilful use of shading, combinations of paint and engraving, anatomical precision, three-dimensionality and movement. 
They include several dangerous animal species difficult to observe at that time, such as mammoth, bear, cave lion, rhino, bison and auroch, as well as 4,000 inventoried remains of prehistoric fauna and a variety of human footprints.








Sulawesi Tengah

Central Sulawesi is one of the provinces of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Sulawesi. 
The province was established on April 13, 1964.








Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Caves of Maresha and Bet-Guvrin - Israel

The archaeological site contains some 3,500 underground chambers distributed among distinct complexes carved in the thick and homogenous soft chalk of Lower Judea under the former towns of Maresha and Bet Guvrin. 
Situated on the crossroads of trade routes to Mesopotamia and Egypt, the site bears witness to the region’s tapestry of cultures and their evolution over more than 2,000 years from the 8th century BCE—when Maresha, the older of the two towns was built—to the time of the Crusaders. 
These quarried caves served as cisterns, oil presses, baths, columbaria (dovecotes), stables, places of religious worship, hideaways and, on the outskirts of the towns, burial areas. 
Some of the larger chambers feature vaulted arches and supporting pillars.








Rajasthan

Rajasthan is a state of India, located in the NW of the country. 
In area and population it is approximately equal to Italy. 
The capital of Rajasthan is Jaipur.








Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Carolingian Westwork and Civitas Corvey - Germany

The site is located along the Weser River on the outskirts of Höxter where the Carolingian Westwork and Civitas Corvey were erected between AD 822 and 885 in a largely preserved rural setting. 
The Westwork is the only standing structure that dates back to the Carolingian era, while the original imperial abbey complex is preserved as archaeological remains that are only partially excavated. 
The Westwork of Corvey uniquely illustrates one of the most important Carolingian architectural expressions. 
It is a genuine creation of this period, and its architectural articulation and decoration clearly illustrate the role played within the Frankish empire by imperial monasteries in securing territorial control and administration, as well as the propagation of Christianity and the Carolingian cultural and political order throughout Europe.








Höfuðborgarsvæðið (Capital Region)

Höfuðborgarsvæðið, or the "Capital Region" or the "Greater Reykjavik Region" is one of the eight regions of Iceland. 
It has a population of 191,612 and an area of 1,042 km², making it by far Iceland's most populous region and home to more than half of Iceland's population.








Monday, March 25, 2024

Bolgar - Russia

This property lies on the shores of the Volga River, south of its confluence with the River Kama, and south of the capital of Tatarstan, Kazan. 
It contains evidence of the medieval city of Bolgar, an early settlement of the civilization of Volga-Bolgars, which existed between the 7th and 15th centuries AD, and was the first capital of the Golden Horde in the 13th century. 
Bolgar represents the historical cultural exchanges and transformations of Eurasia over several centuries that played a pivotal role in the formation of civilizations, customs and cultural traditions. 
The property provides remarkable evidence of historic continuity and cultural diversity.
It is a symbolic reminder of the acceptance of Islam by the Volga-Bolgars in AD 922 and remains a sacred pilgrimage destination to the Tatar Muslims.









Bouncer egg

Characteristics: 
Open-faced sandwich with at least two fried eggs. 
Typically contains ham and/or cheese on toasted bread. 
Variants exist with bacon, roast beef, avocado, kimchi, pulled chicken, etc. 
Can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or brunch. 
Often served with salad or pickle. 

Other names: 
Double egg ball House malt Fried eggs with toppings








Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Xinjiang Tianshan - China

Xinjiang Tianshan comprises four components—Tomur, Kalajun-Kuerdening, Bayinbukuke and Bogda— that total 606,833 hectares. 
They are part of the Tianshan mountain system of Central Asia, one of the largest mountain ranges in the world. 
Xinjiang Tianshan presents unique physical geographic features and scenically beautiful areas including spectacular snow and snowy mountains glacier-capped peaks, undisturbed forests and meadows, clear rivers and lakes and red bed canyons. 
These landscapes contrast with the vast adjacent desert landscapes, creating a striking visual contrast between hot and cold environments, dry and wet, desolate and luxuriant. 
The landforms and ecosystems of the site have been preserved since the Pliocene epoch and present an outstanding example of ongoing biological and ecological evolutionary processes. 
The site also extends into the Taklimakan Desert, one of the world’s largest and highest deserts, known for its large dune forms and great dust storms. 
Xinjiang Tianshan is moreover an important habitat for endemic and relic flora species, some rare and endangered.








Rhodopi

The district of Rodopi is a region in eastern Greece, named after the Rhodope Mountains that form its northern border. 
The capital is Komotini. 
Rodopi has a varied landscape with mountains, gorges, rivers, valleys, plains and beaches. 
Rodopi has a special demographic, with a Muslim minority making up more than half of the population. The capital Komotini has a long history and a multicultural atmosphere.