5 photos.
Monday, May 31, 2021
Fortress of Suomenlinna - Finland
Built in the second half of the 18th century by Sweden on a group of islands located at the entrance of Helsinki's harbour, this fortress is an especially interesting example of European military architecture of the time.
The lion and the mouse
Aesop's fable of the lion and the mouse.
A mouse accidentally lands in a lion's den; however, this spares her life and when the lion gets entangled in a trap set by hunters, the mouse comes to his rescue.
Being good for first names or simple ones is rarely wasted.
5 photos.
Sunday, May 30, 2021
Danube Delta - Romania
The waters of the Danube, which flow into the Black Sea, form the largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas.
The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in its numerous lakes and marshes.
5 foto's.
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a winter sport where skis are jumped from a slope.
The aim is to jump as far as possible and as beautiful as possible.
Ski jumping has been on the program since the first Winter Olympics in 1924.
5 photos.
Saturday, May 29, 2021
Reims - France
The outstanding handling of new architectural techniques in the 13th century, and the harmonious marriage of sculptural decoration with architecture, has made Notre-Dame in Reims one of the masterpieces of Gothic art.
The former abbey still has its beautiful 9th-century nave, in which lie the remains of Archbishop St Rémi (440–533), who instituted the Holy Anointing of the kings of France.
The former archiepiscopal palace known as the Tau Palace, which played an important role in religious ceremonies, was almost entirely rebuilt in the 17th century.
5 photos.
Murcia - Spain
Murcia is a city and municipality in the SE of Spain.
It is the capital of the Murcia region.
5 photos.
Thursday, May 27, 2021
Borobudur Temple Compounds - Indonesia
This famous Buddhist temple, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, is located in central Java.
It was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa.
The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 m2.
Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha.
The monument was restored with UNESCO's help in the 1970s.
5 photos
Durban - South Africa
Durban is a South African city in the municipality of eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal province.
The municipality name is also the Zulu name for Durban.
The city itself has nearly 600,000 inhabitants, while the metropolitan municipality of eThekwini is home to more than three million people, including a large Indian community.
5 photos.
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves - Niger
This is the largest protected area in Africa, covering some 7.7 million ha, though the area considered a protected sanctuary constitutes only one-sixth of the total area.
It includes the volcanic rock mass of the Aïr, a small Sahelian pocket, isolated as regards its climate and flora and fauna, and situated in the Saharan desert of Ténéré.
The reserves boast an outstanding variety of landscapes, plant species and wild animals.
5 photos.
Samara - Russia
Samara is a city of millions in European Russia.
The city is located about a thousand km E of Moscow, where the river Samara flows into the Volga, which here forms the Arch of Samara.
5 photos.
