Kyrgyzstan - Issyk-Kul Lake

A vintage-style poster featuring Issyk-Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan.

Sent by Gala from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Issyk-Kul (Russian: Иссык-Куль) or Ysyk-Köl (Kyrgyz: Ысык-Көл [ɯsɯ́q kʰɵl]; lit. 'Hot Lake') is an endorheic saline lake in the western Tian Shan mountains in eastern Kyrgyzstan—just south of a dividing range separating Kyrgyzstan from Kazakhstan. It is the eighth-deepest lake in the world, the eleventh-largest lake in the world by volume, and the second-largest saline lake. It is located at an elevation of 1,607 metres (5,272 ft), making it the deepest lake whose deepest point is above sea level at 939 metres (3,081 ft). Despite the elevation and low temperatures during winter, it rarely freezes due to its high salinity.

The lake is a Ramsar site of globally significant biodiversity and forms part of the Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve.

Issyk-Kul Lake is 182 kilometres (113 mi) long, up to 60 kilometres (37 mi) wide and its surface area is 6,236 square kilometres (2,408 sq mi). It is the second-largest mountain lake in the world behind Lake Titicaca in South America. It is at an altitude of 1,607 metres (5,272 ft) and reaches 668 metres (2,192 ft) in depth.

About 118 rivers and streams flow into the lake; the largest are the Jyrgalang and Tüp. It is fed by springs, including many hot springs and snow melt. The lake has no current outlet, but some hydrologists hypothesize that the lake's water filters deep underground into the Chu River. The bottom of the lake contains the mineral monohydrocalcite: one of the few known lacustrine deposits (read more).

Kenya - Maasai Mara National Reserve

A lioness and her cub sharing a tender moment in Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Sent by Margaret from Nairobi, Kenya.

Maasai Mara, sometimes also spelt Masai Mara and locally known simply as The Mara, is a large national game reserve in Narok County, Kenya, contiguous with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It is named in honour of the Maasai people, the ancestral inhabitants of the area, who migrated to the area from the Nile Basin. Their description of the area when looked at from afar: "Mara" means "spotted" in the Maa language because of the short bushy trees which dot the landscape.

Maasai Mara is one of the wildlife conservation and wilderness areas in Africa, with its populations of lions, leopards, cheetahs and African bush elephants. It also hosts the Great Migration, which secured it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, and as one of the ten Wonders of the World.

The Great Migration usually happens in July depending on weather as the wildebeest moves in large numbers crossing the Mara River from Tanzania.

The Greater Mara ecosystem encompasses areas known as the Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Triangle, several Maasai group ranches, and Maasai Mara conservancies (read more).

USA - Utah - Beehive State

Utah - Beehive State

Sent by Cynthia Marie from Ogden in Utah, USA.

Utah’s moniker of the “Beehive State” comes from the reputation bees have for industriousness, a value that is an intrinsic part of the the the state’s history and culture. The beehive symbol is derived from the sacred Book of Mormon, where “Deseret” means “honeybee.” This term was used by the early Mormon settlers who wanted statehood for the region they called Deseret. The beehive represents the industrious nature of the people, reflecting their dedication to building a thriving community despite harsh condition.

When Utah became a state in 1896, the beehive was incorporated into the state seal and flag, reinforcing its significance as a symbol of unity and perseverance. The symbol is so strongly associated with the state that when the flag was redesigned in the 2020s, the beehive remained its dominant feature. The beehive’s presence on the state flag and seal serves as a reminder of the settlers’ efforts to create a prosperous society through hard work and collaboration. With Mormons making up a significant portion of Utah’s population, the values associated with the beehive continue to play a vital role in shaping the state’s cultural landscape (read more).

Mexico - Laredo Convent Avenue Port of Entry

A Mexican international bridge, specifically for the Laredo #1 International Bridge (Laredo Convent Avenue Port of Entry) located in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Sent by Hermann Munoz from Tamaulipas, Mexico.

The Laredo Convent Avenue Port of Entry is located at the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge (sometimes referred to as "Bridge I" or "Old Bridge" or "Convent Avenue Bridge"). Since 1889, a bridge connected Laredo, Texas with Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas at this location. For many years, this was the only crossing for vehicular and pedestrian traffic between the two cities.

In 1889, eight years after the first railroad bridge was constructed connecting two cities, the "Foot and Wagon Bridge" was built, enabling pedestrians and horse-drawn carriages to cross the border. This bridge was destroyed by a tornado and subsequent flood in 1905, and again by a mysterious fire in 1920. It was destroyed again by floods in 1932 and 1954. During each reconstruction, temporary pontoon bridges were built to accommodate traffic. The current bridge was completed in 1955. The construction of the Amistad Dam in 1969 has mitigated the effect of subsequent flooding conditions. It wasn't until 1976 that a second bridge was built to further connect the two cities.

The U.S. Inspection Station building that was built in 1943 was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1992 (read more).

Mexico - Silao, Guanajuato

The Centro Cultural Silao (Silao Cultural Centre), located in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Sent by Hermann Munoz from Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Silao, city, west-central Guanajuato estado (state), north-central Mexico. Founded in 1537, Silao lies along the Silao River at 5,830 feet (1,777 metres) above sea level. By virtue of its location in the Bajío region, known as the granary of Mexico, Silao is an important agricultural centre. A wide variety of crops, including corn (maize), beans, wheat, chickpeas, avocados, peaches, and strawberries, thrive in the temperate climate. Livestock are also raised in the vicinity. The city’s principal industry is the weaving of serapes. Silao is a transportation hub, and the main rail line and highway between Mexico City and Ciudad Juárez pass through the city. A branch railroad and road lead 15 miles (24 km) east-northeast to Guanajuato city, the state capital. Pop. (2000) 61,661; (2010) 74,242 (read more).

USA - Indiana - Hoosier State

Indiana - Hoosier State.

Sent by Patti from Indiana, USA.

For well over a century and a half the people of Indiana have been called Hoosiers. It is one of the oldest of state nicknames and has had a wider acceptance than most. True, there are Buckeyes of Ohio, the Suckers of Illinois and the Tarheels of North Carolina -- but none of these has had the popular usage accorded Hoosier.

The only comparable term in American experience is Yankee. And that started out as a synonym for New Englander. In the Civil War era Southerners applied it indiscriminately to all Northerners. In the world wars, many a boy from Dixie doubtless felt a sense of shock when he discovered that in the eyes of our British (Limey) allies that all Americans were Yanks!

But where did Hoosier come from? What is its origin? We know that it came into general usage in the 1830s. John Finley of Richmond wrote a poem, "The Hoosier's Nest," which was used as the "Carrier's Address" of the Indianapolis Journal, Jan. 1, 1833. It was widely copied throughout the country and even abroad. Finley originally wrote Hoosier as "Hoosher." Apparently the poet felt that it was sufficiently familiar to be understandable to his readers. A few days later, on January 8, 1833, at the Jackson Day dinner at Indianapolis, John W. Davis offered "The Hoosher State of Indiana" as a toast. And in August, former Indiana governor James B. Ray announced that he intended to publish a newspaper, The Hoosier, at Greencastle, Indiana (read more).

Japan - Kyoto Prefecture - Yasaka Pagoda

Kyoto / Yasaka Street

At the end of the cobbled street, one can see "The Pagoda of Yasaka", the symbol of Higashiyama. The town which has been conserved for years is one of the scenaries which represents Kyoto, stirs one's imagination about the ancient capital.

Sent by Aoi from Okayama City, Japan.

The Yasaka Pagoda (Japanese: 八坂の塔, romanized: Yasaka-no-to), also known as the Tower of Yasaka, is a Buddhist pagoda located in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The 5-story tall pagoda is the last remaining structure of a 6th-century temple complex known as Hōkan-ji (法観寺). It was founded by the Goguryeo clan that established in Japan, and is the oldest temple in Kyoto. The pagoda is now a tourist attraction.

Archaeological evidence dates the foundation of the Yasaka Pagoda to the 7th Century. The founding date is disputed between the reign of Prince Shotoku and the sixth year of the Tenmu period (678 CE). The pagoda and the associated temple were destroyed and reconstructed several times up to 1440, of which the current pagoda stands to this day.

Control of the pagoda was historically disputed between the nearby Shinto Gion Shrine and the Buddhist temple of Kiyomizu-dera, to the point the pagoda was burnt down in May 1179. It was later rebuilt in 1191 with funding from Kawachi Genji noble Minamoto no Yoritomo. In 1240, the head priest of the nearby Buddhist temple of Kennin-ji affiliated the pagoda with Zen Buddhism, which remains the official designation of the Yasaka Pagoda to the present day (read more).

Australia - South Australia - Adelaide Botanic Garden

Adelaide Botanic Garden, South Australia.

Beautiful, vibrant, alive and tranquil.

Sent by Sharyn from Adelaide, Australia.

The Adelaide Botanic Garden is a 51-hectare (130-acre) public garden at the north-east corner of the Adelaide city centre, in the Adelaide Park Lands. It lies on North Terrace (between Lot Fourteen, the site of the old Royal Adelaide Hospital, and the National Wine Centre) and behind it the Botanic Park (adjacent to the Adelaide Zoo). Work was begun on the site in 1855, with its official opening to the public on 4 October 1857.

The Adelaide Botanic Garden and adjacent State Herbarium of South Australia, together with the Wittunga Botanic Garden and Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, comprise the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia, administered by the Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, a state government statutory authority.

From the first official survey carried out for the map of Adelaide, Colonel William Light intended for the planned city to have a "botanical garden". To this end, he designated a naturally occurring ait that had formed in the course of the River Torrens, in what is now the West Parklands. However attempts to establish a garden were abandoned owing to frequent flooding of the area. After a second attempt had failed, the northern bank of the Torrens, opposite the present location of the Adelaide Zoo, was considered, and it was here in 1839 that John Bailey (1800-1864), an experienced gardener and Colonial Botanist, made a third attempt, but no funding was offered. The South Australian Agricultural and Horticultural Society (formed 1842) and other groups continued to press for the creation of a public garden. The public were aware of the economic and scientific benefits of such a garden, already seen elsewhere in the British Empire. In 1854 the present site was recommended to the government by the Society and George William Francis (who had begun appealing to the Governor Sir Henry Young soon after his arrival in 1849 to establish the garden), and Francis was appointed superintendent of the garden in 1855 (read more).

Germany - Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - Rostock

A collage imagery of Rostock, a major Hanseatic city located on the Baltic coast in Germany.

Sent by Ida from Pasealk in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

Rostock (/ˈrɒstɒk/; German: [ˈʁɔstɔk]), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (German: Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock), is the largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the state, close to the border with Pomerania. With around 210,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city on the German Baltic coast after Kiel and Lübeck, the eighth-largest city in the area of former East Germany, as well as the 39th-largest city of Germany. Rostock was the largest coastal and most important port city in East Germany.

Rostock stands on the estuary of the River Warnow into the Bay of Mecklenburg of the Baltic Sea. The city stretches for about 16 km (10 mi) along the river. The river flows into the sea in the very north of the city, between the boroughs of Warnemünde and Hohe Düne. The city center lies further upstream, in the very south of the city. Most of Rostock's inhabitants live on the western side of the Warnow; the area east of the river is dominated by the port, industrial estates, and the forested Rostock Heath. The city's coastline east and west of the river mouth is relatively undeveloped, with long sandy beaches prevailing. The name of the city is of Slavic origin.

Rostock is the economic center of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the state's only regiopolis (a city outside the core of a metropolitan area). The port of Rostock is the fourth largest port in Germany after the North Sea ports of Hamburg, Bremen/Bremerhaven, and Wilhelmshaven, and the largest port on the German Baltic coast. The ferry routes between Rostock to Gedser in Denmark and to Trelleborg in Southern Sweden are among the busiest between Germany and Scandinavia. Rostock–Laage Airport lies in a rural region southeast of the city.

The city is home to the oldest university in the Baltic region and one of the oldest universities in the world, the University of Rostock, founded in 1419. The university's hospital, Universitätsmedizin Rostock, is one of two university hospitals in the state, along with Universitätsmedizin Greifswald of the University of Greifswald in Western Pomerania (read more).

Netherlands - South Holland - Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout

Windmills of Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sent by Corien from Goes, Netherlands.

The Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout is a group of buildings in an exceptional human-made landscape in which the centuries-long battle of the Dutch people to drain parts of their territory and protect them against further inundation is dramatically demonstrated through the survival of all the major elements of the complex system that was devised for this purpose.

Construction of hydraulic works for the drainage of land for agriculture and settlement began in the Middle Ages and has continued uninterruptedly to the present day. The property illustrates all the typical features associated with this technology: polders, high and low-lying drainage and transport channels for superfluous polder water, embankments and dikes, 19 drainage mills, 3 pumping stations, 2 discharge sluices and 2 Water Board Assembly Houses. The beautifully preserved mills can be divided into three categories: 8 round brick ground-sailers, 10 thatched octagonal smock mills, and one hollow post mill.

The installations in the Kinderdijk-Elshout area demonstrate admirably the outstanding contribution made by the people in Netherlands to the technology of handling water.

The landscape is striking in its juxtaposition of its horizontal features, represented by the canals, the dikes, and the fields, with the vertical rhythms of the mill system. There is no drainage network of this kind or of comparable antiquity anywhere else in the Netherlands or in the world (read more).

Ivory Coast - Assinie

Fishing scene in Assinie (also known as Assinie-Mafia), Ivory Coast.

Sent by my best friend Taovik of Togo from Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Assinie-Mafia is a coastal resort town in south-eastern Ivory Coast. It is a sub-prefecture of Adiaké Department in Sud-Comoé Region, Comoé District.

Assinie-Mafia is located 80 kilometres east of Abidjan along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. Access to the area is by road A100 going east from Abidjan then turning right to the B-107 road (Route Assinie) then Route Assinie-Mafia along the coast. The road ends at Assinie-Mafia. Assinie-Mafia is a long narrow settlement along the coast on both sides of the outlet of Aby Lagoon.

Assinie-Mafia was a commune until March 2012, when it became one of 1,126 communes nationwide that were abolished.

The Assinie area starts at the location of the Paul-Emile Durand cottage in the west bordered to the south by the ocean and accessible by the Assinie-Mafia road. Opposite the town of Assinie-Mafia is a narrow peninsula (100–1000 m wide) extending from the west and 15 km long which is occupied by luxury villas and huts. Access is by car, private boats, or canoes across the lagoon (read more).

Belarus - Brest Fortress-Hero

Entrance to Memorial Complex in the form of five-pointed star.

Sent by Natalia from Minsk, Belarus.

Brest Fortress (Belarusian: Брэсцкая крэпасць, romanized: Bresckaja krepasć; Russian: Брестская крепость, romanized: Brestskaya krepost; Polish: Twierdza brzeska; Lithuanian: Bresto tvirtovė), formerly known as Brest-Litovsk Fortress, is a 19th-century fortress in Brest, Belarus. In 1965, the title Hero Fortress was given to the fortress to commemorate the defence of the frontier stronghold during the first week of Operation Barbarossa, when Axis forces invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941. The title "Hero Fortress" corresponds to the title "Hero City" that the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union awarded to twelve Soviet cities.

Brest Fortress has sustained its original outline of a star shaped fortification since its construction in the early 19th century. The Citadel, the core of the fortress, was on the central island formed by the Bug River and the two branches of the Mukhavets River. The island was skirted by a ring of a two-storied barrack with 4 semi-towers. The 1.8 km long barrack comprised 500 rooms to accommodate 12,000 soldiers within thick walls built from super strong red bricks. Originally there were 4 gates to enter the Citadel. Today only Kholm Gate and Terespol Gate can be seen; most of the barrack lies in ruins (read more).

USA - California - Mill Valley

A winter landscape with snow-covered rocks and trees near water falls in Mill Valley, California.

Sent by Ariel from California, USA.

Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States, located about 14 miles (23 km) north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge and 52 miles (84 km) from Napa Valley. The population was 14,231 at the 2020 census.

Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay, and the eastern slopes of Mount Tamalpais. Beyond the flat coastal area and marshlands, it occupies narrow wooded canyons, mostly of second-growth redwoods, on the southeastern slopes of Mount Tamalpais. The Mill Valley 94941 ZIP Code also includes the following adjacent unincorporated communities: Almonte, Alto, Homestead Valley, Tamalpais Valley, and Strawberry. The Muir Woods National Monument is also located just outside the city limits (read more).

Germany - Brandenburg - Neuruppin

Fontane City Neuruppin (Mark Brandenburg), the birthplace of Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Theodor Fontane, and the city of the Nuruppin. View accross the Lanke with the monastery church in the middle.

Sent by Werner from Cologne, Germany.

Neuruppin (German: [nɔʏʁʊˈpiːn], lit. 'New Ruppin', in contrast to "Old Ruppin [de]"; North Brandenburgisch: Reppin) is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, the administrative seat of Ostprignitz-Ruppin district. It is the birthplace of the novelist Theodor Fontane (1819–1898) and therefore also referred to as Fontanestadt. A garrison town since 1688 and largely rebuilt in a Neoclassical style after a devastating fire in 1787, Neuruppin has the reputation of being "the most Prussian of all Prussian towns".

Neuruppin is one of the largest cities in Germany in terms of area. The city of Neuruppin, 60 km (37 mi) northwest of Berlin in the district of Ostprignitz-Ruppin (Ruppin Switzerland), consists in the south of the districts located on the shores of Ruppiner See, which is crossed by the Rhin River, including the actual core city of Neuruppin and Alt Ruppin. In the north, it stretches up to the Rheinsberg Lake Region and the border with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It is part of the Stechlin-Ruppiner Land Nature Park and is connected to the Wittstock-Ruppiner Heide, which was partly used for military purposes as the Wittstock military training area (read more).

Lithuania - Alytus

The highest pedestrian and cyclists bridge in Alytus.

Sent by Jolanta from Vilnius, Lithuania.

Alytus (Lithuanian: [ɐlʲiːˈtʊs]) is a city with municipal rights in southern Lithuania. It is the sixth-largest city in Lithuania and the 14th-largest city in the Baltic states, and also the capital of Alytus County. Being the historical centre of the Dzūkija region, it is connected to several major roads, linking it with the cities of Vilnius; Kaunas; Lazdijai, which is on the border with Poland; and Grodno, Belarus. In July 2024, its total population was counted as 50,996 people. The city lies on the banks of the Nemunas river.

For centuries, the city was divided into two separate entities. Even today, it consists of two parts still frequently referred to as Alytus I and Alytus II. The Alytus I half is smaller, and less developed than the Alytus II half, which forms the city centre with parks, microdistricts and industrial areas.

The name of the city is believed to be derived from the Lithuanian hydronym Alytupis (meaning river). Its name in other languages includes the Polish Olita, the German Aliten, the Russian Olita, the Belarusian Alita, and the Yiddish Alite (read more).