Naturally formed Sea Arch, County Donegal.
Sent by Claudia, WiP partner from Ireland.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Monday, July 15, 2013
Spain - Balearic Islands - Menorca
Sent by Valérie from Belgium who visited Menorca.
Minorca or Menorca (Catalan: Menorca [məˈnɔrkə]; Spanish: Menorca [meˈnorka]; from Latin: Insula Minor, later Minorica "minor island") is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca.
Minorca has a population of approximately 94,383 (2010). It is located 39°47' to 40°00'N, 3°52' to 4°24'E. Its highest point, called El Toro or Monte Toro, is 358 metres (1,175 ft) above sea level. (read further)
U.S.A. - Nebraska - Mapcard
Nebraska became the 37th state admitted to the Union on March 1, 1867. Known as the "Cornhusker State," Nebraska ranks 15th in size among all 50 states, and supports a great diversity of industry and agriculture.
Sent by Mallory from Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Nebraska /nəˈbræskə/ is a state that lies in both the Great Plains and the Midwestern United States. Its state capital is Lincoln. Its largest city is Omaha, which is on the Missouri River.
The state is crossed by many historic trails, but it was the California Gold Rush that first brought large numbers of non-indigenous settlers to the area. Nebraska became a state in 1867. (read further)
U.S.A. - Oklahoma - State Capitol Building
OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITOL
OKLAHOMA CITY
Situated among working oil wells on old Route 66, the Oklahoma State Capitol building is now complete with a concrete dome 87 years after the building's construction in 1915.
Sent by Lisa from Oklahoma City, USA.
The Oklahoma State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the building that houses the Oklahoma Legislature and executive branch offices. It is located along Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City. The present structure includes a dome that was completed in 2002. The building is a National Historic Landmark.
Oklahoma's first state capital was Guthrie, Oklahoma, but was moved to Oklahoma City in 1910. Construction began on the Oklahoma State Capitol in 1914 and was completed in 1917. Originally, it housed the judicial branch of Oklahoma, but the state's high courts moved to the Oklahoma Judicial Center in 2011.
The state capitol complex is the only state capitol grounds in the United States with active oil rigs.(read further)
U.S.A. - Arkansas - State Capitol Building
ARKANSAS STATE CAPITOL
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
Constructed from 1899 to 1915, Arkansas' State Capitol is a scaled down replica of our nation's capitol in Washington, D.C.
Sent by Terry from Sherwood, Arkansas, USA.
The Arkansas State Capitol Building, located in Little Rock, is the main house of government of the state of Arkansas.
In 1899, the St. Louis architect George R. Mann visited the governor of Arkansas Daniel W. Jones, and presented his drawings of his winning competition design for the Montana State Capitol, which had not been built. They were hung on the walls of the old Capitol to generate interest in a new building. The drawings' attractiveness eased the passage of the bills for the new building, and also drew attention to the architect. In 1899, Mann was selected as architect by a seven-member commission that included future governor George W. Donaghey. Donaghey opposed Mann's selection and advocated a national design competition, but the majority of the commission voted for Mann. After Donaghey was elected governor in 1908, he forced Mann off the project and selected Cass Gilbert to finish the Capitol.
Construction took 16 years, from 1899 to 1915. The Capitol was built on the site of the state penitentiary and prisoners helped construct the building. They lived in a dormitory that was left on the Capitol grounds while construction was taking place.
The Capitol foundations were aligned incorrectly by their original builder, future Governor George Donaghey. He centered the building on the centerline of Fifth Street (now Capitol Avenue), but he aligned the building north-south using the still-standing penitentiary walls as a guide without recognizing that Fifth Street was not aligned east-west; like other "east-west" downtown Little Rock streets, it runs parallel to the Arkansas River at a slight angle off true east-west. Therefore, the structure is situated in a north-south manner from end-to-end, which does not fit the grid street pattern of Little Rock's downtown. This also led to a slight S-curve in the formal entrance walkway between the foot of Capitol Avenue and the front steps of the Capitol. (Source)
U.S.A. - North Carolina - Raleigh
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
Raleigh was established as the capital of North Carolina in 1792 and this beautiful city is now a focal point of governmental educational, commercial, and social activity in the state.
Sent by Tiffany from Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
Raleigh (/ˈrɔːli/; raw-lee) is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees, which line the streets in the heart of the city. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2011 estimated population was 416,468, over an area of 142.8 square miles (370 km2), making Raleigh currently the 42nd most populous city in the United States. It is also one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. The city of Raleigh is named after Sir Walter Raleigh, who established the lost Roanoke Colony on Roanoke Island in present-day Dare County, North Carolina.
Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill make up the three primary cities of the Research Triangle metropolitan region. The regional nickname of "The Triangle" originated after the 1959 creation of the Research Triangle Park, primarily located in Durham County, roughly midway between the cities of Raleigh and Chapel Hill, and three major research universities of North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Research Triangle region encompasses the U.S. Census Bureau's Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill in the central Piedmont region of North Carolina. As of 2012 Census Estimate the population of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill CSA was 1,998,808. The Raleigh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as of 2012 Census Estimate was 1,188,564. (read further)
Friday, July 12, 2013
Palau (1)
Palau Pacific Resort
Sent by Mr. Naoyuki Maedani, the General Manager of Palau Pacific Resort in Koror, Palau.
Palau, sometimes spelled Belau or Pelew), officially the Republic of Palau (Palauan: Beluu er a Belau), is an island country located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is geographically part of the larger island group of Micronesia. The country's population of around 21,000 is spread across 250 islands forming the western chain of the Caroline Islands. The most populous island is Koror. The islands share maritime boundaries with Indonesia, Philippines and the Federated States of Micronesia. The capital Ngerulmud is located in Melekeok State on the nearby island of Babeldaob.
The country was originally settled around 3,000 years ago by migrants from the Philippines and sustained a Negrito population until around 900 years ago. The islands were first visited by Europeans in the 18th century, and were made part of the Spanish East Indies in 1885. Following Spain's defeat in the Spanish–American War in 1898, the islands were sold to Imperial Germany in 1899 under the terms of the German–Spanish Treaty, where they were administered as part of German New Guinea. The Imperial Japanese Navy conquered Palau during World War I, and the islands were later made a part of the Japanese-ruled South Pacific Mandate by the League of Nations. During World War II, skirmishes, including the major Battle of Peleliu, were fought between American and Japanese troops as part of the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign. Along with other Pacific Islands, Palau was made a part of the United States-governed Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in 1947. Having voted against joining the Federated States of Micronesia in 1979, the islands gained full sovereignty in 1994 under a Compact of Free Association with the United States.
Politically, Palau is a presidential republic in free association with the United States, which provides defense, funding, and access to social services. Legislative power is concentrated in the bicameral Palau National Congress. Palau's economy is based mainly on tourism, subsistence agriculture and fishing, with a significant portion of Gross National Product (GNP) derived from foreign aid. The country uses the United States dollar as its currency. The islands' culture mixes Japanese, Micronesian and Melanesian elements. The majority of citizens are of mixed Micronesian, Melanesian, and Austronesian descent, with significant groups descended from Japanese and Filipino settlers. The country's two official languages are Palauan (member of the wider Sunda–Sulawesi language group) and English, with Japanese, Sonsorolese, and Tobian recognised as regional languages. (read further)
U.S.A. - North Dakota - State Flower & State Bird
NORTH DAKOTA
The Peace Garden State
State Flower : Wild Prairie Rose, selected March 7, 1907.
State Bird : Western Meadow Lark, selected March 10, 1947.
Sent by Amy from Bismarck, North Dakota, USA.
French Guiana
French Guiana
Sent by Chunly from Jahouvey in French Guiana.
French Guiana (French: Guyane française; officially just Guiana, French: Guyane) is an overseas region of France on the north Atlantic coast of South America. It borders Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west. Its 83,534 km2 (32,253 sq mi) area has a very low population density of less than 3 inhabitants per km2, with half of its 239,450 people in 2012 living in the metropolitan area of Cayenne, its capital. By land area it is by far the largest overseas region of France. As an oversea region, it is inside the European Union.
The addition of the adjective "French" in English comes from colonial times when five such colonies existed (The Guianas), namely from west to east: Spanish Guiana (now Guayana Region in Venezuela), British Guiana (now Guyana), Dutch Guiana (now Suriname), French Guiana, and Portuguese Guiana (now Amapá, a state in far northern Brazil). French Guiana and the two larger countries to the north and west, Guyana and Suriname, are still often collectively referred to as the Guianas and comprise one large shield landmass.
A large part of the department's economy derives from the presence of the Guiana Space Centre, now the European Space Agency's primary launch site near the equator. (read further)
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Norway - Svalbard and Jan Mayen - Ny-Ålesund
Norway - Svalbard - Ny-Ålesund
Sent by Netherlands Arctic Station from Ny-Ålesund, Spitsbergen, Norway.
Ny-Ålesund ("New Ålesund") is one of the four permanent settlements on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. It is located on Brøggerhalvøya and Kongsfjorden. Like the rest of Svalbard, Ny-Ålesund is administered by the Kingdom of Norway.
Ny-Ålesund is one of the world's northernmost settlements at 78°55′N 11°56′E, and is the world's northernmost functional public settlement. It is 107 km away from Longyearbyen.
Today, it is inhabited by a permanent population of approximately 30–35 people. All of them work for one of the research stations — e.g. the Norwegian Polar Institute — or the logistics and supply company Kings Bay AS, which 'owns' and runs the research village. In the summer the activity in Ny-Ålesund is greatly increased with up to 120 researchers, technicians, and field assistants. At present, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, France, India, Italy,Japan, South Korea and China all maintain research stations at Ny-Ålesund, although not all are inhabited year-round.
Ny-Ålesund is home to the new Arctic Marine Laboratory (the northernmost in the world), which was officially opened on 1 June 2005. With many open rooms and wet and dry lab spaces alike, the marine lab is particularly useful for countries that do not maintain permanent research stations in the area. (read further)
Grenada
Multiviews of Grenada.
Sent by Spice Island Beach Resort from St. George's, Grenada.
Grenada is an island country and commonwealth realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" because of the production of nutmeg and mace crops of which Grenada is one of the world's largest exporters. Its size is 344 square kilometres (133 sq mi), with an estimated population of 110,000. Its capital is St. George's. (read further)
Netherlands - Groningen - Leek
Multiviews of Leek.
Sent by Alma, a postcrosser from Leek, Groningen,the Netherlands.
Leek ([leɪ̯k] Gronings: De Laik; West Frisian: De Like) is a municipality and a village in the Groningen province in the northeastern Netherlands, bordering on the Drenthe and Fryslân provinces.
The village is approximately 20 km west of Groningen (city) on the A7 (E22) highway.
The village grew around a fortification that was constructed here during the Eighty Years' War with Spain. The name 'Leek' was derived from a brook, the "Leke". The town is sometimes also called "The Leek". In Dutch the people from Leek are called "Leeksters".
Every year around pentecost there is a fair (Pinkstermarkt), drawing thousands of people from the area.
Near the village is a shallow lake, called "Het Leekstermeer" (also called Zulthemeer), with recreational facilities. Actually, the lake is in another municipality and in another province. (read further)
Monday, July 8, 2013
U.S.A. - North Dakota - Mapcard
NORTH DAKOTA
State Capital : Bismarck
State Bird : Western Meadowlark
State Flower : Prairie Rose
State Tree : American Elm
Admitted to Union : 1889
Sent by Mary & Family from Minot, North Dakota, USA.
Friday, July 5, 2013
U.S.A. - North Dakota - Bismarck
DOWNTOWN BISMARCK
North Dakota's Capital City.
Sent by Amy from Bismarck, North Dakota, USA.
Bismarck is the capital of the State of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 120,060. Bismarck was founded in 1872 and has been North Dakota's capital city since the State was created from Dakota Territory and admitted to the Union in 1889.
Bismarck is on the east bank of the Missouri River, directly across the river from Mandan. The two cities make up the core of the Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The North Dakota State Capitol, the tallest building in the state, is in central Bismarck. The state government employs more than 4,000 in the city. As a hub of retail and health care, Bismarck is the economic center of south-central North Dakota and north-central South Dakota. (read further)
Thursday, July 4, 2013
U.S.A. - Louisiana - Old State Capitol Building
OLD LOUISIANA STATE CAPITOL
The Old Louisiana State Capitol, a National Historic Landmark, is located in downtown Baton Rouge, next to the Mississippi River, and was designed by Architect James Harrison Dakin. Its floor plan,towers, exterior stained glass windows and gables give it the appearance of a 15th-century Gothic cathedral.
Sent by Melissa, a Swap-Bot partner from USA.
The Louisiana's Old State Capitol is a building in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States that housed the Louisiana State Legislature from the mid-19th century until the current capitol tower building was constructed in 1929.
It is built both to look like and function like a castle and has led some locals to call it the Louisiana Castle, the Castle of Baton Rouge, the Castle on the River or the Museum of Political History, though most people just call it the old capitol building. When someone says "Old State Capitol" in Louisiana they are probably talking about this building and not the two towns that were formerly the capital city; New Orleans and Donaldsonville. (read further)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)