Austria - Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg

SALZBURG - SALIBURGO - SALZBOURG

A scenic view of Salzburg, Austria with the historic Hohensalzburg Fotress towering above the city's Baroque architecture.

Sent by Flo Salzburg, Austria.

Salzburg is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Alps mountains.

The town occupies the site of the Roman settlement of Iuvavum. Founded as an episcopal see in 696, it became a seat of the archbishop in 798. Its main sources of income were salt extraction, trade, as well as gold mining. The fortress of Hohensalzburg, one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe, dates from the 11th century. In the 17th century, Salzburg became a centre of the Counter-Reformation, with monasteries and numerous Baroque churches built. Salzburg has an extensive cultural and educational history, being the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and being home to three universities and a large student population. Today, along with Vienna and the Tyrol, Salzburg is one of Austria's most popular tourist destinations.

Salzburg's historic center (German: Altstadt) is renowned for its Baroque architecture and is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps. The historic center was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 (read more).

Marilyn Monroe (4) - The Seven Year Itch (1955)

French-release movie poster for the film The Seven Year Itch. It prominently features the iconic image of Marilyn Monroe in a white dress, with the French title "7 ans de réflexion.

Sent by Paige from Maine, USA.

The Seven Year Itch is an American comedy film by Billy Wilder , released in 1955 .

In a style dear to the director, the film begins with a sequence among the Algonquin Indians who gave the name Manhattan to this famous island of New York a few hundred years ago: the warriors bid farewell to their wives and children who are leaving for cooler regions during the great summer heat, and immediately afterwards fall under the spell of young and charming squaws...

Richard Sherman, an executive at a small publishing house specializing in cheap (re)editions with enticing covers, accompanied his wife Helen and son Ricky to the train station for the same reason: they were leaving the New York heat for Maine , much more welcoming in the summer. Barely separated, sensual temptations were already present and menacing, but Richard vowed never to succumb to them, just as he would never succumb to alcohol or cigarettes, following the advice of his wife and doctor (read more).

Remarkable Women #8 - Elizabeth Blackwell

Elizabeth Blackwell - Doctor

Sent by Maddie from Salt LAke City in Utah, USA.

Elizabeth Blackwell (3 February 1821 – 31 May 1910) was an English-American physician, notable as the first woman to earn a medical degree in the United States, and the first woman on the Medical Register of the General Medical Council for the United Kingdom. Blackwell played an important role in both the United States and the United Kingdom as a social reformer, and was a pioneer in promoting education for women in medicine. Her contributions remain celebrated with the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal, awarded annually to a woman who has made a significant contribution to the promotion of women in medicine.

Blackwell was not initially interested in a career in medicine. She became a schoolteacher in order to support her family. This occupation was seen as suitable for women during the 1800s; however, she soon found it unsuitable for her. Blackwell's interest in medicine was sparked after a friend fell ill and remarked that, had a female doctor cared for her, she might not have suffered so much. Blackwell began applying to medical schools and immediately began to endure the prejudice against her sex that would persist throughout her career. She was rejected from each medical school she applied to, except Geneva Medical College in New York, in which the male students voted in favor of Blackwell's acceptance, albeit as a joke. Thus, in 1847, Blackwell became the first woman to attend medical school in the United States (read more).

MS "Moby Dick"

"Moby Dick", a passenger or tour boat operating in Berlin, Germany. It has a distinctive checkered pattern on its side.

Sent by Carola from Berlin, Germany.

The shiny fish skin with black scales and the large silver caudal fin – even from a distance you can recognize our Moby Dick! Named after one of the most famous aquatic animals in the world, our MS “Moby Dick” attracts everyone’s attention. The unusual adventure ship invites you to one boat trip after another (read more).

Swimwear #17

Bill Medcalf - American Pinup

Sent by Leisa from Marshall in Texas, USA.

Coca Cola Ad Card (10)

Vintage Coca Cola Jigsaw Advertisement.

Sent by Cathy from Alabama, USA.

Germany - Bavaria - Dießen am Ammersee

Dießen am Ammersee

Marienmünster

Sent by Mara from Bavaria, Germany.

Dießen am Ammersee (German pronunciation: [ˈdiːsn̩ ʔam ˈʔamɐˌzeː], lit. 'Dießen on the Ammersee'; Southern Bavarian: Diaßn am Ammasä) is a municipality in the district of Landsberg in Bavaria in Germany. It is located on the shores of the Ammersee.

Situated in the Bavarian Alpine Foreland the town stretches from the shores of the Ammersee to the forested morainic hills of the Saale and Würm glaciation.

The town area consists of the market town of Dießen (with St. Georgen, Wengen, Ziegelstadel, Bischofsried and Seehof) and the former independent boroughs of Rieden (with Riederau, Bierdorf, Lachen, St. Alban and Romenthal), Dettenschwang (with Oberhausen, Unterhausen, Wolfgrub and Abtsried), Dettenhofen (with Pitzeshofen, Engenried, Hübschenried and Ummenhausen) and Obermühlhausen (with Oberbeuern, Unterbeuern and Schlöglhof) (read more).

USA - Colorado - Coors® Brewing Company

Coors® Brewing Company

Golden, Colorado

A summer view of Golden, Colorado, from Lookout Mountain, Coors Brewing Company, established in 1893, is the world's largest single-site brewery. For a free Coors and Company merchandise catalog, call 1-800-443-8242 or visit website at www.coorsandco.com

Sent by Maria from New Jersey, USA.

The Coors Brewing Company is an American brewery and beer company based in Golden, Colorado. Founded in 1873 by Adolph Coors and Jacob Schueler, it is a subsidiary of Molson Coors. The first Coors brewery in Golden is the largest single brewery operating in the world.

In 1873, German immigrants Adolph Coors and Jacob Schueler from Prussia immigrated to the United States and established a brewery in what was then Golden City, Colorado Territory (now Golden, Colorado), after buying a recipe for a Pilsner-style beer from a Czech immigrant, William Silhan. Coors invested $2,000 in the operation, and Schueler invested $18,000 (read more).

Swimwear #16

Pin Up Girl Square by Edward Fielding.

Sent by Diane from New Mexico, USA.

China - Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing

China's World Heritage List

Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing

Sent by Mikaela from Zhengzhou, China.

The Temple of Heaven, founded in the first half of the 15th century, is a dignified complex of fine cult buildings set in gardens and surrounded by historic pine woods. In its overall layout and that of its individual buildings, it symbolizes the relationship between earth and heaven – the human world and God's world – which stands at the heart of Chinese cosmogony, and also the special role played by the emperors within that relationship.

The Temple of Heaven is an axial arrangement of Circular Mound Altar to the south open to the sky with the conically roofed Imperial Vault of Heaven immediately to its north. This is linked by a raised sacred way to the circular, three-tiered, conically roofed Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests further to the north. Here at these places the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties as interlocutors between humankind and the celestial realm offered sacrifice to heaven and prayed for bumper harvests. To the west is the Hall of Abstinence where the emperor fasted after making sacrifice. The whole is surrounded by a double-walled, pine-treed enclosure. Between the inner and outer walls to the west are the Divine Music Administration hall and the building that was the Stables for Sacrificial Animals. Within the complex there are a total of 92 ancient buildings with 600 rooms. It is the most complete existing imperial sacrificial building complex in China and the world's largest existing building complex for offering sacrifice to heaven (read more).

USA - Utah - Park City

PARK CITY, UTAH

Located east of Salt Lake City, Park City is at an elevation of 6,720 feet above sea level. With temperatures ranging in the nid-80's during the summer and fabulous skiing during the winter, it's not a surprise that over 7,000 people call Park City home.

Sent by Dawn from Salt Lake City in Utah, USA.

Park City is a city in Utah, United States. Most of the city is within Summit County, with some portions extending into Wasatch County. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The population was 8,396 at the 2020 census, and on average, the tourist population greatly exceeds the number of permanent residents. The city is 32 miles (51 km) southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and 20 miles (32 km) from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80.

After a population decline following the shutdown of the area's mining industry, the city rebounded during the 1980s and 1990s through an expansion of its tourism business. According to 2021 data, the city brought in a yearly average of $529.8 million to the Utah economy as a tourist hot spot, $80 million of which was attributed to the Sundance Film Festival. The city has two major ski resorts: Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain Resort (combined with Canyons Village at Park City) and one minor resort: Woodward Park City (an action sports training and fun center). Both Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resorts were the major locations for ski and snowboarding events at the 2002 Winter Olympics, and are expected to reprise these roles for the 2034 Winter Olympics. Although they receive less snow and have a shorter ski season than do their counterparts in Salt Lake County, such as Snowbird resort, they are much easier to access.

In 2015, Park City Ski Resort and Canyons resorts merged, creating the largest ski area in the U.S. In all, the resort boasts 17 slopes, 14 bowls, 300 trails and 22 miles (35 km) of lifts.

The city was the original location of the United States' largest independent film festival, the Sundance Film Festival; home of the United States Ski Team; training center for members of the Australian Freestyle Ski Team; the largest collection of factory outlet stores in northern Utah; the 2002 Olympic bobsled/skeleton/luge track at the Utah Olympic Park; and golf courses. Some scenes from the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber were shot in the city. Outdoor-oriented businesses such as backcountry.com, Rossignol USA, and Skullcandy have their headquarters in Park City. The city has many retailers, clubs, bars, and restaurants, and has nearby reservoirs, hot springs, forests, and hiking and biking trails.

In the summertime, many valley residents of the Wasatch Front visit the town to escape high temperatures. Park City is usually cooler than Salt Lake City as it lies mostly higher than 7,000 feet (2,100 m) above sea level, while Salt Lake City is situated at an elevation of about 4,300 feet (1,300 m) (read more).

USA - Maine - Pine Tree State

MAINE : Pine Tree State.

Sent by Paige from Maine, USA.

Maine is called the "Pine Tree State" because of its extensive forests, which are dominated by pine trees. The state has the highest percentage of forest cover in the U.S., with over 80% of its total area being forested, and the white pine in particular played a significant role in its history, industry, and even its colonial-era flag. 

Approximately 90% of Maine's land is covered by forests, much of which is composed of pine. The white pine was a particularly important resource historically.

The pine tree was a vital part of the state's economy and early American development, as tall white pines were prized for shipbuilding, especially as masts for warships.

The white pine is central to Maine's identity and is featured on the state's official floral emblem, the pine cone and tassel.

India - Tamil Nadu - Our Lady of Lourdes Church

Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Tiruchirappalli.

A famous church constructed during 1895-1903, the main tower of which is 220 feet in height and small tower is 120 feet in height, is an important landmark of the city.

Sent by kapish from Tamil Nadu, India.

The Our Lady of Lourdes Church is located in the city of Tiruchirapalli in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Built in the Gallo-Catholic design, the Church is devoted to Our Lady of Lourdes. The church is considered one of oldest of the 22 churches in the city which are older than 100 years. The church is located in the premises of St. Joseph's College Higher Secondary School, Trichy. The church is one of the major landmarks in the city.

The foundation was laid during 1895 and the construction completed by 1903 when it was thrown open to public. The images of St. Ignatius, St. Francis Xavier, Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Peter, and St. John de Britto on the middle of the spire is the most notable feature of the church. The renovated church was dedicated on 10 February 1998 and the Way of cross was blessed and erected during 1999. The church presents a case study of a Gothic style church built fully with indigenous material and craftsmen.

Our Lady of Angels Church is a working church with hourly prayer and daily services and follows Roman Catholic sect of Christianity. The church has various religious practices from 5:15 am to 8 pm. There are four annual feasts in the church with the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes held annually on 11 February being the most prominent among them. The church is associated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tiruchirapalli, while it is maintained and administered by the Fathers of Society of Jesus (The Jesuits) (read more).

USA - Utah - Tibber Fork Reservoir

Tibble Fork Reservoir is one of many hidden gems located up American Fork Canyon. Nestled in the scenic Wasatch Mountains, Tibble Fork offers breathtaking views of Mount Timpanogos and a variety of outdoor activities.

Sent by Paula from Utah, USA.

Tibble Fork and Silver Lake Flat Reservoir are beautiful fresh water lakes located up American Fork Canyon. These popular outdoor recreation areas offer a wide variety of activities and trails perfect for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, camping, ATV’s and horseback riding. Nestled in the scenic Wasatch Mountains, Tibble Fork and Silver Lake offer spectacular views and are a frequented for their photographic opportunities. Note: Tibble Fork and Silver Lake are managed by the U.S. Forest Service and require a small day use fee to access. Accessibility: To get to these Reservoirs, take the Alpine-Highland exit 284. Stay on Hwy 92 and turn left at North Fork junction in American Fork Canyon. Silver Lake Flat is just past Tibble Fork Reservoir (read more).

Italy - Marche - Historic Centre of Urbino

Architechtural view of the interior courtyard of the Ducal Palace of Urbino in Italy. Historic Centre of Urbino, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sent by Luca from Marche, Italy.

The small hill town of Urbino, in the Marche, experienced a great cultural flowering in the 15th century, attracting artists and scholars from all over Italy and beyond, and influencing cultural developments elsewhere in Europe. Owing to its economic and cultural stagnation from the 16th century onwards, it has preserved its Renaissance appearance to a remarkable extent.

The small Italian hill town of Urbino became, for a short time during the Renaissance era, one of the major cultural centres of Europe. Today, the historic centre is defined by its Renaissance walls that survive virtually intact, complete with bastions. Within these walls, several buildings of extraordinary quality have been retained such as the Ducal Palace, the cathedral, the Monastery of Santa Chiara and a complex system of oratories.

The initial nucleus of the city evolved from a fortified Roman settlement dating from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE. The Romans built on the top of the hill where the Ducal Palace now stands and until the 11th century, the city remained within these limits. At the end of that century, its urban expansion required the construction of a new system of defensive walls. In the mid 15th century, Federico da Montefeltro undertook a radical rebuilding campaign within these original walls without disturbing the overall urban structure. The city was later further expanded to a second hill lying to the north, giving the area, now enclosed by the Renaissance walls an elongated outline.

Urbino is a small city in the hills that experienced an astonishing cultural flowering in the 15th century. During this period, it attracted artists and scholars from all over Italy and beyond which, in turn, influenced cultural developments elsewhere in Europe. Between 1444 and 1482, Federico da Montefeltro ruled in Urbino and his court brought together some of the era’s leaders: foremost humanists of the time such as Leone Battista Alberti, Marsilio Ficino, and Giovanni Bessarione; mathematicians like Paul van Middelburg; and artists such as Luciano Laurana, Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca and Ambrogio Barocci. These men created and implemented outstanding cultural and urban projects. This cultural climate made it possible for Raffaello, Donato Bramante and the mathematician Luca Pacioli to flourish in their own art and science (read more).

Germany - Brandenburg - Rathenow

Rathenow - Stadt der Optik (City of Optics)

Various landmarks and scenes from the German town of Rathenow; 

1. Stadtpanorama

2. Bismarkturm

3. Weinbergbrücke

4. „Der abtragejunge“ (Karl Mertens)

Sent by Annelt from Rathenow, Germany.

Rathenow (German: [ˈʁaːtənoː]) is a town in the district of Havelland in Brandenburg, in eastern Germany, with a population of 24,063 (2020).

The Protestant church of St. Marien Andreas, originally a basilica, and transformed to the Gothic style in 1517-1589, and the Roman Catholic Church of St. George, are noteworthy.

Rathenow is known for being the former capital of eyewear manufacturing in East Germany. It is also known for its stones, called Rathenow stones.

In 1675, during the Scanian War, it was the site of a battle between Swedish and Brandenburgian forces.

During World War II, Rathenow was the location of a forced labour subcamp of the Nazi prison for women and juveniles in Berlin-Lichtenberg and a subcamp of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Prisoners of the latter were mostly Dutch, Belgian and French (read more).

Germany - Schleswig-Holstein - Hanseatic City of Lübeck

An aerial view of the German city of Lübeck, a Hanseatic city known for its Brick Gothic architecture and historic center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stadt der Lübeck sieben türme is "City of the Seven Towers".

Sent by Jasmin from Hessen, Germany.

Lübeck – the former capital and Queen City of the Hanseatic League – was founded in the 12th century and prospered until the 16th century as the major trading centre for northern Europe. It has remained a centre for maritime commerce to this day, particularly with the Nordic countries. Despite the damage it suffered during the Second World War, the basic structure of the old city, consisting mainly of 15th- and 16th-century patrician residences, public monuments (the famous Holstentor brick gate), churches and salt storehouses, remains unaltered.

Founded in 1143 on the Baltic coast of northern Germany, Lübeck was from 1230 to 1535 one of the principal cities of the Hanseatic League, a league of merchant cities which came to hold a monopoly over the trade of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The plan of the Old Town island of Lübeck, with its blade-like outline determined by two parallel routes of traffic running along the crest of the island, dates back to the beginnings of the city and attests to its expansion as a commercial centre of Northern Europe. To the west, the richest quarters with the trading houses and the homes of the rich merchants are located, and to the east, small commerces and artisans. The very strict socio-economic organization emerges through the singular disposition of the Buden, small workshops set in the back courtyards of the rich hares, to which access was provided through a narrow network of alleyways (Gänge).

Lübeck has remained an urban monument characteristic of a significant historical structure even though the city was severely damaged during the Second World War. Almost 20% of it were destroyed, including the most famous monumental complexes- the Cathedral of Lübeck, the churches of St Peter and St Mary and especially the Gründungsviertel, the hilltop quarter where the gabled houses of the rich merchants clustered. Selective reconstruction has permitted the replacement of the most important churches and monuments (read more).

Belgium - Ghent

Collage of buildings in the city of Ghent, Belgium.

Sent by Jean from Ghent, Belgium.

Ghent (Dutch: Gent [ɣɛnt]; French: Gand [ɡɑ̃]; historically known as Gaunt in English) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the province of East Flanders, and the third largest in the country, after Brussels and Antwerp. It is a port and university city.

The city originally started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie. In the Late Middle Ages Ghent became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe, with some 50,000 people in 1300. After the late 16th century Ghent became a less important city, resulting in an extremely well-preserved historic centre, making Ghent a popular tourist destination.

The municipality comprises the city of Ghent proper and the surrounding suburbs of Afsnee, Desteldonk, Drongen, Gentbrugge, Ledeberg, Mariakerke, Mendonk, Oostakker, Sint-Amandsberg, Sint-Denijs-Westrem, Sint-Kruis-Winkel, Wondelgem and Zwijnaarde. With 270,473 inhabitants at the end of 2024, Ghent is Belgium's second largest municipality by number of inhabitants. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of 1,205 km² (465 sq mi) and had a total population of 560,522 as of 1 January 2018, which ranks it as the fourth most populous in Belgium. The current mayor of Ghent is Mathias De Clercq (Open Vld).

The ten-day-long Ghent Festival (Gentse Feesten) is held every year and attended by about 1–1.5 million visitors (read more).