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  • Dancing putto, boy symbol of love & frivolity, 1 of 37 carved replica Stirling Heads at Stirling Castle in Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. Putti (plural) are traditionally associated with Cupid, the Roman god of love, and often signified the triumph of divine love, as in a royal marriage. The King's Inner Hall at Stirling Castle has a ceiling of 37 carved replica Stirling Heads, originally designed for James V and finished by his widow Mary of Guise in the 1540s.
    17SC1-2144_Scotland.jpg
  • The Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) inspired a T shirt saying "I love boobies," in Puerto Ayora, capitol of Santa Cruz Island and the largest town in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, South America. Situated in the centre of the archipelago, Santa Cruz Canton is the second largest island of the Galápagos archipelago after Isabela. The economy includes tourism, agriculture and cattle raising.
    09ECU-5070_Galapagos.jpg
  • National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Greece: a beautiful sculpture of Aphrodite, Eros, and Pan was found on Delos Island and dates from 100 BC. Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of  love, beauty, pleasure, sexuality, and procreation. She was born of Uranus, or else from parents Zeus and Dione. Her Roman equivalent was Venus. Aphrodite is also known as Cytherea (Lady of Cythera) and Cypris (Lady of Cyprus) after the two cult-sites which claimed her birth. Myrtles, doves, sparrows, horses, and swans are sacred to Aphrodite. Eros was the Greek god of love, whose Roman counterpart was Cupid ("desire"). Some myths make Eros a primordial god, while others say he is the son of Aphrodite. Pan, the companion of the nymphs, is the god of shepherds and flocks, nature, mountain wilds, hunting, rustic music, and theatrical criticism. Pan has the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat, like a faun or satyr. Pan's homeland of rustic Arcadia associates him with fields, groves, wooded glens, fertility, and the season of spring. In Roman religion and myth, Pan's counterpart was Faunus.
    01GRE-29-15_Aphrodite-Eros-Pan-sculp...jpg
  • In the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece, see a sculpture of Antinoos (or Antinous), who lived about 110-130 AD and was Roman emperor Hadrian's lover and best friend. Hadrian lived 76-138 AD and become one of the few exemplary Roman sovereigns. Hadrian fell in love with the boy Antinous, who accompanied him on his extended trips through the Empire. At age 20, Antinous was drowned, or drowned himself, in the Nile. Cassius Dion recounts that Antinous had learned from an astrologer that he might in this way add his life-span to that of Hadrian's. The sovereign mourned for his friend for the rest of his life. He ordered the foundation of a city, Antinoopolis, at the place where Antinous had died. He surrounded himself with statues and busts of Antinous on his trips, and even more so at his old-age residence, the "Villa" in Tivoli. A star or constellation was named after Antinous.
    01GRE-29-17_Roman-bust.jpg
  • The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri, built 1602) spans the Roi di Palazzo and connects the Old Prison and interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace to the New Prison located across the canal to the right, in Venice, Italy, Europe. The bridge can be seen from Ponte della Paglia next to the Doge’s Palace. The bridge name, given by Lord Byron in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. Little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows. A local legend says that lovers will be granted eternal love and bliss if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs as the bells of St Mark's Campanile toll. This legend served as a plot line for the movie "A Little Romance," featuring Laurence Olivier and Diane Lane. Venice (Venezia), founded in the 400s AD, is capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic City of Canals stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10358_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • See a lovely sunset view of the Blue Ridge Mountains (a subset of the Appalachian Mountains) at Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook (Milepost 44.9, elevation 2485 feet) on the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Buena Vista, Virginia, USA. Local trees release hydrocarbons into the atmosphere and create a characteristic blue haze on pristine days as seen in this photo; but more often a white or gray haze obscures distant views due to air pollution. The scenic 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway connects Shenandoah National Park (in Virginia) with Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, following crestlines and the Appalachian Trail. This panorama was stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
    1510SE-1843-45pan_Chimney-Rock-Mount...jpg
  • Buddhist statue of Jizo / Ojizo-sama at Seiganto-ji Temple in Wakayama Prefecture, on the Kii Peninsula, Honshu, Japan. In Japan, Buddhist statues of Jizo (or respectfully Ojizo-sama) can sometimes be seen wearing tiny children's clothing or red bibs, or with toys, placed by grieving parents to protect their lost ones. Ojizo-sama is one of the most loved of Japanese divinities. His features are commonly made more baby-like to resemble the children he protects. His statues are a common sight along roadsides and graveyards. Traditionally, he is seen as the guardian of children, and in particular, children who died before their parents. Jizo has been worshipped as the guardian of the souls of mizuko, the souls of stillborn, miscarried or aborted fetuses ("water children"). Jizo is a Japanese version of Ksitigarbha (Sanskrit for "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix" or "Earth Womb"), a bodhisattva revered in East Asian Buddhism. Ksitigarbha is usually depicted as a Buddhist monk with a halo around his shaved head. He carries a staff to force open the gates of hell and a wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness.  Seiganto-ji (Temple of the Blue Waves) is a Tendai Buddhist temple. Don't miss the iconic view of thundering Nachi-no-Taki waterfall (133 m, Japan's tallest) paired with Seiganto-ji pagoda. According to a legend, it was founded (near a previous nature worship site) by the priest Ragyo Shonin, a monk from India. Seiganto-ji is part of the Kumano Sanzan shrine complex and is one of the few jingu-ji still in existence after the separation of Shinto and Buddhism forced by the Japanese government during the Meiji restoration. Seiganto-ji is is stop #1 on Kansai Kannon Pilgrimage, and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed as the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range". Access: by bus from Nachi Station (20 min) or Kii-Katsuura Station (30 min). Ask driver to stop at base of the Daimonzaka trail ("Daimonzaka" stop); or at
    1810JPN-5765.jpg
  • A naked, human-like breast shape grows naturally in the red and yellow bark of a Pacific Madrone or Madrona (Arbutus menziesii) tree, along the lovely Goose Rock Perimeter Trail, in Deception Pass State Park, on Whidbey Island, Washington state, USA.
    1505WHI-054_Arbutus-menziesii_breast.jpg
  • A naked, human-like breast shape grows naturally in the red and yellow bark of a Pacific Madrone or Madrona (Arbutus menziesii) tree, along the lovely Goose Rock Perimeter Trail, in Deception Pass State Park, on Whidbey Island, Washington state, USA.
    1505WHI-057_Arbutus-menziesii_breast.jpg
  • Nazca Booby male and female birds preen each other on the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, South America. The Nazca Booby (which has an orange beak) was formerly regarded as a subspecies of the Masked Booby (which has a yellow beak) but is now recognized as a separate species. Nazca and Masked Booby species differ in size, nesting habits, and mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data.
    94GAL-10-18_Nazca-Boobies-groom.jpg
  • The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus, or Rocky Mountain Goat) is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. This even-toed ungulate is in the family Bovidae, in subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes) in the Oreamnos genus (but is NOT a true "goat"–Capra genus). Sperry Campground, Gunsight Pass Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
    2209RV-0709.jpg
  • A boy's vest and sweater are laid on a bed in Dr. Watt's residence, built in 1900. Barkerville Historic Town & Park, British Columbia, Canada. Historically the main town of the Cariboo Gold Rush, Barkerville is now the largest living-history museum in Western North America. The town was named after Billy Barker from Cambridgeshire, England, who struck gold here in 1861, and his claim became the richest and the most famous. This National Historic Site nestles in the Cariboo Mountains at elevation 1200m (4000ft), at the end of BC Highway 26, 80 kilometres (50 mi) east of Quesnel. Gold here was first discovered at Hills Bar in 1858, followed by other strikes in 1859 and 1860. Wide publication of these discoveries in 1861 began the Cariboo Gold Rush, which reached full swing by 1865 following strikes along Williams Creek.
    1906AKH-0531.jpg
  • Moonrise, a swan and red bridge reflect in the moat of Matsumoto Castle, which was built 1592-1614 in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto Castle is a "hirajiro" - a castle built on plains rather than on a hill or mountain, in Matsumoto. Matsumotojo's main castle keep and its smaller, second donjon were built from 1592 to 1614, well-fortified as peace was not yet fully achieved at the time. In 1635, when military threats had ceased, a third, barely defended turret and another for moon viewing were added to the castle. Interesting features of the castle include steep wooden stairs, openings to drop stones onto invaders, openings for archers, as well as an observation deck at the top, sixth floor of the main keep with views over the Matsumoto city.
    1810JP2-092.jpg
  • Ivelet bridge, River Swale, Swaledale. We followed the River Swale via meadows, woods, and villages, on our walk from Keld to Reeth in Yorkshire Dales National Park, England, United Kingdom, Europe. England Coast to Coast hike day 8 of 14. [This image, commissioned by Wilderness Travel, is not available to any other agency providing group travel in the UK, but may otherwise be licensable from Tom Dempsey – please inquire at PhotoSeek.com.]
    17UK-3145_England.jpg
  • Face in giant tropical leaf. The exquisite Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden near Hilo is my favorite garden in the Hawaiian Islands! Delightful paths and boardwalks take you through a soothing green tropical wonderland endowed with streams (Alakahi Stream, Boulder Creek), waterfalls (Onomea Falls) and oceanfront vistas across Onomea Bay. Purchased in 1977 and transformed over 8 backbreaking years by Dan and Pauline Lutkenhouse, the garden opened to the public in 1984 and was donated to a nonprofit trust in 1995. On the Big Island, a few minutes north of Hilo off of Route 19, take the narrow four-mile Pepe'ekeo Scenic Drive which winds along coastal cliffs, across one-lane wooden bridges over picturesque waterfalls, to reach this peaceful oasis. The garden grows over 2000 plant species, representing more than 125 families and 750 genera, with diverse palms (nearly 200 species), heliconias (80+ species) and bromeliads (80+ species). Address: 27-717 Old Mamalahoa Highway, Papaikou, HI 96781, USA. For this photo’s licensing options, please inquire.
    1701HAW-2480.jpg
  • Daffodils blooming at Green Lake on March 18, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. Shot on Samsung Galaxy Note 5 SmartPhone.
    1603WA-027.jpg
  • Beacon Heights is a scenic half-mile round trip walk with 130 feet gain from Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 305.2 in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, USA. Enjoy brilliant fall leaf colors in mid October atop an outcropping of quartzite rock. Local trees release hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, creating a characteristic blue haze over the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a subset of the Appalachian Mountains. Beacon Heights Parking Area (elevation 4220 feet) is near the intersection with Hwy 221 (near Grandfather Mountain Entrance Road). This trail also connects with the Tanawha Trail (13.5 miles to Price Lake) and the Mountains to the Sea Trail. The scenic 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway was built 1935-1987 to aesthetically connect Shenandoah National Park (in Virginia) with Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, following crestlines and the Appalachian Trail. This panorama was stitched from 3 overlapping photos taken October 12, 2015.
    1510SE-1303-05pan_Beacon-Heights_NC.jpg
  • Hybrid rhododendron flowers (in the heath family, Ericaceae) bloom magenta-pink in beautiful Meerkerk Gardens, on Whidbey Island, in the state of Washington, USA. To see the park's blossoms at their spectacular peak, visit around late April or early May. Getting there: 2 miles south of Greenbank, turn east at the corner of Highway 525 and Resort Road, and go to 3531 Meerkerk Lane. (Photo was taken May 22, 2015.)
    1505WHI-252_Meerkerk-Gardens.jpg
  • Hybrid rhododendron flowers (in the heath family, Ericaceae) bloom reddish pink in beautiful Meerkerk Gardens, on Whidbey Island, in the state of Washington, USA. To see the park's blossoms at their spectacular peak, visit around late April or early May. Getting there: 2 miles south of Greenbank, turn east at the corner of Highway 525 and Resort Road, and go to 3531 Meerkerk Lane. (Photo was taken May 22, 2015.)
    1505WHI-240_Meerkerk-Gardens.jpg
  • Erythronium grandiflorum is commonly known as glacier lily, yellow avalanche lily, and dogtooth fawn lily. The flower was photographed along the Table Mountain Trail #1209, near Blewett Pass, Wenatchee National Forest, Washington, USA.
    1405WA-492.jpg
  • Large stamens extend from a pink lily flower blooming and wetted with water drops in a Virginia garden, USA.
    12VA-009.jpg
  • A man in white shirt and black pants dances tango with a woman in a red dress, as a free demonstration in Dorrego Square, in San Telmo barrio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America.
    05ARG-10217-tangueros-Dorrego-Square.jpg
  • The Russian Orthodox Church in the town of Ninilchik was redesigned and constructed in 1901 in Alaska, USA. Notice that the Russian Orthodox Cross has two extra arms: the top arm represents the inscribed acronyms [ INRI in Latin,  in Greek, and a Hebrew version, meaning "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews" ], and the angled bottom arm is his footrest. Russian Orthodox religion was born in Kiev in the "land of the Rus" in 988 AD as a branch of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. After Russian discovery of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands in 1741, Russian fur traders taught Christianity to Alaskan Natives. The first eight Russian Orthodox missionaries came to Kodiak Island, Alaska (Russian America) in 1794. The religion spread amongst Alaskans, and the monks mission was made a diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church a few years after the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867. Ninilchik is on the Sterling Highway on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula on the coast of Cook Inlet, 186 miles by road from Anchorage and 38 miles from Homer. The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act recognized Ninilchik as an Alaska Native village. Ninilchik hosts the annual Kenai Peninsula State Fair.
    06AK_1124_Russian-Orthodox-Church-Ni...jpg
  • A bonded pair of Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata; or Galapagos Albatross) grooms at Suaraz Point, a wet landing on Española (Hood) Island, the oldest of the Galapagos Islands, which are a province of Ecuador, South America.  The Waved Albatross is the only tropical member of the Albatross family (Diomedeidae). During the non-breeding season, Waved Albatross mostly reside in the coastal areas of Ecuador and Peru. The Waved Albatross breeds primarily on Española Island in the Galápagos archipelago (and maybe some on Genovesa Island and Isla de la Plata). Waved Albatross have blue feet and distinctively yellowish-cream neck and head, which contrasts with their mostly brownish bodies. The very long, bright yellow bill looks disproportionately large in comparison to the relatively small head and long, slender neck. They have chestnut brown upper parts and underparts, except for the breast, with fine barring, a little coarser on the rump. They have brown upper-wings, back, and tail, along with a whitish breast and underwings. Their axillaries (armpit feathers) are brown. Chicks have brown fluffy feathers. Juveniles are similar to adults except for more white on their head. Their lifespan may reach 40 to 45 years. Diomedeidae (the Albatross family) come from the Procellariiformes order (along with Shearwaters, Fulmars, Storm-petrels, and Diving-petrels).
    09ECU-5343_Galapagos.jpg
  • In 1906, the crew of the sailing ship Peter Iredale took refuge at Fort Stevens, after she ran aground on Clatsop Spit. The wreck is visible today, within Fort Stevens State Park, along the Oregon Coast, USA. Active from 1863–1947, Fort Stevens was an American military installation that guarded the mouth of the Columbia River in the state of Oregon. Built near the end of the American Civil War, it was named for a slain Civil War general and former Washington Territory governor, Isaac I. Stevens.
    2102OR1-027.jpg
  • See Bird Rocks and other sea stacks from scenic Chapman Beach, which is just north of Ecola Creek, the biggest stream running through the town of Cannon Beach, on the Oregon coast, USA.
    2102OR2-298.jpg
  • Pacific sea nettles (Chrysaora fuscescens) undulate hypnotically in a blue tank at Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport, Oregon, USA.
    2102OR2-616.jpg
  • A pink wild rose flower on Piute Pass trail. John Muir Wilderness, Inyo National Forest, Mono County, California, USA.
    2007CA-1685.jpg
  • Secret Lake. We hiked Leavitt Meadows Loop clockwise (8.9 miles with 1570 ft gain with ridge extension above Lane Lake) in Hoover Wilderness, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, California, USA. Trailhead is at Leavitt Meadows Campground, 38.33401 N, 119.55177 W. Staying below 8000 ft elevation, this makes a good training hike. The best ambiance is at Secret Lake. Roosevelt and Lane Lakes provide pleasant views.
    2007CA-1012.jpg
  • A juvenile mountain goat crosses the road in Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota, USA. The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus, or Rocky Mountain Goat) is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. It is an even-toed ungulate in the family Bovidae, in subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes), in the Oreamnos genus, but is NOT a true "goat."
    20.10US1-0921.jpg
  • The rufous-bellied seedsnipe (Attagis gayi), below Piedra Negra in Rio Electrico Valley, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, Patagonia, South America. Attagis gayi is a wading bird resident in the Andes of South America from Ecuador and southwards. Its most common food is the buds and leaf tips of cushion plants. Refugio and Campground Piedra del Fraile ("Stone of the Friar"; 14.5 km round trip) serves as a comfortable base for hiking and climbing in scenic Rio Electrico Valley.
    2002PAT-4428.jpg
  • The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is a camelid native to South America, closely related to the llama. Its name comes from the Quechua word huanaco (modern spelling wanaku). Young guanacos are called chulengos. Location: Chacabuco Valley, near Cochrane, in Chile, South America. Patagonia National Park consists of the Tompkins Conservation donation in addition to the former national reserves of Jeinimeni and Tamango, plus fiscal land. Parque Patagonia was created by Conservacion Patagonica, a nonprofit incorporated in California and founded in 2000 by Kris Tompkins. On January 29, 2018, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Kris Tompkins signed a decree creating 5 national parks, including Patagonia National Park.
    2002PAT-0895.jpg
  • The Pink House, bunkhouse and barn preserved at John Moulton Homestead, at the corner of Mormon Row and Antelope Flats Road, in the valley of Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1909US1-0560-564-Pano.jpg
  • Clear Creek Valley, seen along the hike from Green River Lakes to Slide Lake (13 miles round trip with 2100 feet gain) in the Wind River Range, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Rocky Mountains, Wyoming, USA. The Continental Divide follows the crest of the "Winds". Mostly composed of granite batholiths formed deep within the earth over 1 billion years ago, the Wind River Range is one of the oldest mountain ranges in North America. These granite monoliths were uplifted, exposed by erosion, then carved by glaciers 500,000 years ago to form cirques and U-shaped valleys. Glaciers scoured the terminal moraine which naturally dams the Green River Lakes, the headwaters of the Green River (chief tributary to the Colorado River).
    1909US1-0263.jpg
  • The granite monolith of Squaretop Mountain (11,695 feet) rises above Lower Green River Lake, in the Wind River Range, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Rocky Mountains, Wyoming, USA. We hiked from Green River Lakes trailhead to Slide Lake (13 miles round trip with 2100 feet gain). The Continental Divide follows the crest of the "Winds". Mostly composed of granite batholiths formed deep within the earth over 1 billion years ago, the Wind River Range is one of the oldest mountain ranges in North America. These granite monoliths were uplifted, exposed by erosion, then carved by glaciers 500,000 years ago to form cirques and U-shaped valleys. Glaciers scoured the terminal moraine which naturally dams the Green River Lakes, the headwaters of the Green River (chief tributary to the Colorado River).
    1909US1-0240.jpg
  • The granite monolith of Squaretop Mountain (11,695 feet elevation) rises above Upper Green River Lake, in the Wind River Range, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Rocky Mountains, Wyoming, USA. We hiked a lollipop loop around Lower Green River Lake including the side trip to Upper Green River Lake (totalling 7.2 miles with 700 feet gain). The Continental Divide follows the crest of the "Winds". Mostly composed of granite batholiths formed deep within the earth over 1 billion years ago, the Wind River Range is one of the oldest mountain ranges in North America. These granite monoliths were uplifted, exposed by erosion, then carved by glaciers 500,000 years ago to form cirques and U-shaped valleys. Glaciers scoured the terminal moraine which naturally dams the Green River Lakes, the headwaters of the Green River (chief tributary to the Colorado River).
    1909US1-0104.jpg
  • Watson Lake signpost forest, began 1942 in Yukon, Canada. The Sign Post Forest is one of the most famous landmarks along the Alaska Highway. Started by a homesick GI in 1942, the number of signs has snowballed. Private Carl Lindley, serving with the 341st Engineers during World War II, was assigned light duty while recovering from an injury and erected the signpost for his hometown: "Danville, Ill. 2835 miles". Visitors may add their own signs to the over 80,000 already present. The Alaska Highway was built as a military road during World War II in just 9 months in 1942, to link existing airfields via Canada to the territory of Alaska. The ALCAN Highway (a military acronym for Alaska-Canada) opened to the public in 1948. It begins in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and runs via Whitehorse, Yukon to Delta Junction, Alaska. The "Alaskan Highway" is comprised of British Columbia Highway 97, Yukon Highway 1 and Alaska Route 2. While the ALCAN measured 2700 kilometers (1700 mi) upon completion in 1942, by 2012 it was rerouted and shortened to 2232 km (1387 mi). Once legendary for being a rough, challenging drive, the highway is now paved over its entire length. Delta Junction, at the end of the highway, claims "Historic Milepost 1422" where the Alaska Highway meets the Richardson Highway, which continues 96 mi (155 km) to the city of Fairbanks at Historic Milepost 1520, often (but unofficially) regarded as the northern portion of the Alaska Highway (although its Mileposts are measured from Valdez). This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1906AKH-5976-p1-Pano.jpg
  • Wood Bison, a threatened species in Canada, graze along the Alaska Highway near Liard Hot Springs, in British Columbia.
    1906AKH-6020.jpg
  • Watson Lake signpost forest, began 1942 in Yukon, Canada. The Sign Post Forest is one of the most famous landmarks along the Alaska Highway. Started by a homesick GI in 1942, the number of signs has snowballed. Private Carl Lindley, serving with the 341st Engineers during World War II, was assigned light duty while recovering from an injury and erected the signpost for his hometown: "Danville, Ill. 2835 miles". Visitors may add their own signs to the over 80,000 already present. The Alaska Highway was built as a military road during World War II in just 9 months in 1942, to link existing airfields via Canada to the territory of Alaska. The ALCAN Highway (a military acronym for Alaska-Canada) opened to the public in 1948. It begins in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and runs via Whitehorse, Yukon to Delta Junction, Alaska. The "Alaskan Highway" is comprised of British Columbia Highway 97, Yukon Highway 1 and Alaska Route 2. While the ALCAN measured 2700 kilometers (1700 mi) upon completion in 1942, by 2012 it was rerouted and shortened to 2232 km (1387 mi). Once legendary for being a rough, challenging drive, the highway is now paved over its entire length. Delta Junction, at the end of the highway, claims "Historic Milepost 1422" where the Alaska Highway meets the Richardson Highway, which continues 96 mi (155 km) to the city of Fairbanks at Historic Milepost 1520, often (but unofficially) regarded as the northern portion of the Alaska Highway (although its Mileposts are measured from Valdez).
    1906AKH-5963.jpg
  • Our RV parks with a view of Rainbow Glacier in the Chilkat Range, seen from Chilkat State Park, Haines, Alaska, USA.
    1906AKH-3187.jpg
  • New Zealand fur seal pups (Arctocephalus forsteri) thrive in the colony at Long Reef Point on the Tasman Sea near Martins Bay Hut, on the Hollyford Track, in Fiordland National Park, Southland region, South Island of New Zealand. After the arrival of Europeans in New Zealand, hunting reduced the seal population near to extinction. This mammal is known as kekeno in Maori language. Some call it Australasian fur seal, South Australian fur seal, Antipodean fur seal, or long-nosed fur seal. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
    1901NZ1-2280.jpg
  • Russell lupin flowers bloom at the Church of the Good Shepherd, which was built in 1935 at Lake Tekapo, in the Canterbury region, South Island, New Zealand. These nonnative Russell lupin flowers were blooming in early January 2019. The plant's widespread diaspora began with David Douglas bringing the herbaceous lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) from North America to Britain in the 1820s. In the early 1900s, George Russell, a horticulturist from York, UK, spent two decades breeding the Russell hybrids (Lupinus X russellii hort). First naturalized to New Zealand by local farmers wanting to beautify their landscape in the 1950s, Russell lupins have invaded large areas of roadsides, pastures, and riverbeds. This alien plant most threatens indigenous species in the braided river beds of Canterbury region. Russell lupin is classed as an invasive species in New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania, and Ukraine.
    1901NZ1-0309.jpg
  • Nonnative Russell lupin flowers explode in color along Fairlie-Tekapo Road in early January 2019, in Canterbury region, South Island of New Zealand. The plant's diaspora began with David Douglas bringing the herbaceous lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) from North America to Britain in the 1820s. In the early 1900s, George Russell, a horticulturist from York, UK, spent two decades breeding the Russell hybrids (Lupinus X russellii hort). First naturalized to New Zealand by local farmers wanting to beautify their landscape in the 1950s, Russell lupins have invaded large areas of roadsides, pastures, and riverbeds. This alien plant most threatens indigenous species in the braided river beds of Canterbury region. Russell lupin is classed as an invasive species in New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1901NZ1-0135-138-Pano.jpg
  • Nonnative Russell lupin flowers explode in color along Fairlie-Tekapo Road in early January 2019, in Canterbury region, South Island of New Zealand. The plant's diaspora began with David Douglas bringing the herbaceous lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) from North America to Britain in the 1820s. In the early 1900s, George Russell, a horticulturist from York, UK, spent two decades breeding the Russell hybrids (Lupinus X russellii hort). First naturalized to New Zealand by local farmers wanting to beautify their landscape in the 1950s, Russell lupins have invaded large areas of roadsides, pastures, and riverbeds. This alien plant most threatens indigenous species in the braided river beds of Canterbury region. Russell lupin is classed as an invasive species in New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania, and Ukraine.
    1901NZ1-0166.jpg
  • Nonnative Russell lupin flowers explode in color along Fairlie-Tekapo Road in early January 2019, in Canterbury region, South Island of New Zealand. The plant's diaspora began with David Douglas bringing the herbaceous lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) from North America to Britain in the 1820s. In the early 1900s, George Russell, a horticulturist from York, UK, spent two decades breeding the Russell hybrids (Lupinus X russellii hort). First naturalized to New Zealand by local farmers wanting to beautify their landscape in the 1950s, Russell lupins have invaded large areas of roadsides, pastures, and riverbeds. This alien plant most threatens indigenous species in the braided river beds of Canterbury region. Russell lupin is classed as an invasive species in New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. To license this Copyright photo, please inquire at PhotoSeek.com .
    1901NZ1-0131.jpg
  • Young kids in school uniforms parade through Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Tokyo, Japan. Shinjuku Gyoen originated during the Edo Period (1603-1867) as a feudal lord's Tokyo residence. Later it was converted into a botanical garden before being transferred to the Imperial Family in 1903 who used used it for recreation and the entertainment of guests. The park was almost completely destroyed during World War II, but was eventually rebuilt and reopened in 1949 as a public park. Access Shinjuku Gyoen park via three gates: Shinjuku Gate is a ten minute walk east from the "New South Exit" of JR Shinjuku Station or a five minute walk from Shinjukugyoenmae Station on the Marunouchi Subway Line. Okido Gate is a five minute walk from Shinjukugyoenmae Station on the Marunouchi Subway Line. Sendagaya Gate is a five minute walk from JR Sendagaya Station on the local Chuo/Sobu Line.
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  • Popular for its path through a small bamboo grove, Arashiyama is a touristy district in the western outskirts of Kyoto, in Japan. Pleasure boats can be rented on the river near Togetsukyo Bridge.
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  • Kyoto Shibori Museum opened in 2001 in Kyoto, Japan, to protect and pass down the knowledge of this traditional fabric dyeing technique.  To license this Copyright photo, please inquire at PhotoSeek.com.
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  • Carved marble rock bull at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, Kyoto, Japan. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, a scholar and politician who was unfairly exiled by his political rivals. A number of disasters were attributed to Michizane's vengeful spirit after his death in exile, and these shrines were built to appease him. Kyoto, Japan.
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  • Young girl in yellow and red kimono. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, a scholar and politician who was unfairly exiled by his political rivals. A number of disasters were attributed to Michizane's vengeful spirit after his death in exile, and these shrines were built to appease him. Kyoto, Japan.
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  • Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple whose top two floors are covered in gold leaf, in Kyoto, Japan. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408. Kinkakuji was the inspiration for the similarly named Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), built by Yoshimitsu's grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, on the other side of the city a few decades later. Kinkakuji overlooks a large pond. It has burned down numerous times throughout its history including twice during the Onin War, a civil war that destroyed much of Kyoto; and once again more recently in 1950 when it was set on fire by a fanatic monk. The present structure was rebuilt in 1955. The first floor is built in the Shinden style used for palace buildings during the Heian Period. The second floor is built in the Bukke style used in samurai residences, with its exterior completely covered in gold leaf. The third and uppermost floor is built in the style of a Chinese Zen Hall, is gilded inside and out, and is capped with a golden phoenix.
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  • Lit at night, Matsumoto Castle reflects in the moat by its red bridge. The castle was built from 1592-1614 in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto Castle is a "hirajiro" - a castle built on plains rather than on a hill or mountain, in Matsumoto. Matsumotojo's main castle keep and its smaller, second donjon were built from 1592 to 1614, well-fortified as peace was not yet fully achieved at the time. In 1635, when military threats had ceased, a third, barely defended turret and another for moon viewing were added to the castle. Interesting features of the castle include steep wooden stairs, openings to drop stones onto invaders, openings for archers, as well as an observation deck at the top, sixth floor of the main keep with views over the Matsumoto city.
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  • Lit at night, Matsumoto Castle reflects in the moat by its red bridge. The castle was built from 1592-1614 in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto Castle is a "hirajiro" - a castle built on plains rather than on a hill or mountain, in Matsumoto. Matsumotojo's main castle keep and its smaller, second donjon were built from 1592 to 1614, well-fortified as peace was not yet fully achieved at the time. In 1635, when military threats had ceased, a third, barely defended turret and another for moon viewing were added to the castle. Interesting features of the castle include steep wooden stairs, openings to drop stones onto invaders, openings for archers, as well as an observation deck at the top, sixth floor of the main keep with views over the Matsumoto city.
    1810JPN-4845.jpg
  • At dusk, Matsumoto Castle can best be admired by its red bridge. The castle was built from 1592-1614 in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto Castle is a "hirajiro" - a castle built on plains rather than on a hill or mountain, in Matsumoto. Matsumotojo's main castle keep and its smaller, second donjon were built from 1592 to 1614, well-fortified as peace was not yet fully achieved at the time. In 1635, when military threats had ceased, a third, barely defended turret and another for moon viewing were added to the castle. Interesting features of the castle include steep wooden stairs, openings to drop stones onto invaders, openings for archers, as well as an observation deck at the top, sixth floor of the main keep with views over the Matsumoto city.
    1810JPN-4816.jpg
  • Parents bring a child to explore upper floors of Matsumoto Castle. Matsumoto Castle is a "hirajiro" - a castle built on plains rather than on a hill or mountain, in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumotojo's main castle keep and its smaller, second donjon were built from 1592 to 1614, well-fortified as peace was not yet fully achieved at the time. In 1635, when military threats had ceased, a third, barely defended turret and another for moon viewing were added to the castle. Interesting features of the castle include steep wooden stairs, openings to drop stones onto invaders, openings for archers, as well as an observation deck at the top, sixth floor of the main keep with views over the Matsumoto city.
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  • Chureito Pagoda, Fujiyoshida city, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. This five storied pagoda overlooks Fujiyoshida City. In clear weather it offers iconic views combined with Mount Fuji in the distance. The pagoda is part of the Arakura Sengen Shrine and was built as a peace memorial in 1963, nearly 400 steps up the mountain from the shrine's main buildings.
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  • Ryuzu Waterfall (Ryuzu no Taki, "dragon head waterfall") on Yukawa River near its discharge into Lake Chuzenji, in Nikko National Park, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Autumn foliage colors typically peak here in early October, but we saw good colors on October 23, 2018. Follow the river upstream for 300 meters for more views of the rushing river, then catch the bus, or continue on the trail towards Senjogahara Marshlands.
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  • The Sleeping Cat Carving (Nemurineko) protects the entrance gate to the grave of Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
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  • Honored in a stylized statue, this tanuki, or Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) is a subspecies of Asian raccoon dog, in the canid family. In Japanese folklore, the legendary tanuki is reputed to be mischievous and jolly, a master of disguise and shapeshifting, but somewhat gullible and absentminded. The tanuki is a common theme in Japanese art and statuary. "Tanuki" is often mistakenly translated into English as "badger" or "raccoon" (as used in the US version of the movie Pom Poko and outlined in Tom Robbins' book Villa Incognito), two unrelated types of animals with superficially similar appearances.  The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.
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  • Fall foliage colors. Kamikochi ("Upper Highlands") is a high valley within the Hida Mountains, in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Last logged in the mid 1800s, it is now a popular nature resort. Embraced within the "Northern Alps" of the Japanese Alps, the valley floor ranges from 1400 m (4600 ft) to 1600 m (5200 ft) elevation. Its highest peak is Okuhotakadake (3190 m or 10,470 ft).
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  • Bighorn Sheep / Ovis canadensis at Radium Hot Springs village, British Columbia, Canada.
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  • Magenta flowers. The Hound's Tooth (2819 meters) rises above Bugaboo Glacier in Bugaboo Provincial Park, in the Purcell Range of the Columbia Mountains, British Columbia, Canada. The Spires Trail to Conrad Kain Hut is 6 miles round trip with 2400 ft gain.
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  • Prairie dog (genus Cynomys) in Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, USA. Prairie dogs, a type of ground squirrel, are herbivorous burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America.
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  • Skyline Divide trail, Mount Baker (elevation 10,781 feet) in Mount Baker Wilderness, in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, near Bellingham, Washington, USA.
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  • Sonic Bloom by Dan Corson. Solar cells make each flower sing by day and light at night at Pacific Science Center, Seattle Center, Washington, USA.
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  • Erected 4600 years ago, the Callanish Standing Stones are one of the most spectacular megalithic monuments in Scotland. The main site known as "Callanish I" forms a cross with a central stone circle erected circa 2900-2600 BC. More lines of stones were added by 2000 BC (the close of the Neolithic era), and it become a focus for rituals during the Bronze Age. From 1500-1000 BC, farmers emptied the burials and ploughed the area. After from 800 BC, peat accumulated 1.5 meters deep and buried the stones until removed in 1857. Visit this spectacular ancient site near the village of Callanish (Gaelic: Calanais), on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides (Western Isles), Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe.
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  • Since restoration in the early 1900s, a footbridge connects the island of Donan to the mainland. Eilean Donan Castle looks spectacular when spotlit at twilight, in Kintail National Scenic Area, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. This picturesque island stronghold was first built in the 1200s in the western Highlands where three sea lochs meet (Loch Duich, Loch Long, and Loch Alsh) at the village of Dornie. The island is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint martyred in 617. The castle became a stronghold of the Clan Mackenzie and their allies Clan Macrae. In the early 1700s, the Mackenzies' involvement in the Jacobite rebellions led in 1719 to the castle's destruction by government ships. Lieutenant-Colonel John Macrae-Gilstrap's 1920-32 reconstruction of the ruins made the present buildings.
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  • Across the street from Arnol Blackhouse, visit a furnished 1920s whitehouse. These new crofthouses were so different and bright inside that they were nicknamed "whitehouses," which led to the nickname "blackhouses" for the older 1800s antiquated structures. Evolving health regulations in the early 1900s demanded that livestock be housed separately, so "whitehouses" were built with several chimneys, single-thickness walls cemented with lime mortar, wallpaper, lino floors, and separate barn and byre (cowshed). Visit Arnol village on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides (Western Isles), Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe.
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  • Peat fire, teakettle, open hearth. Built around 1880, Arnol Blackhouse is a fully furnished traditional Lewis thatched dwelling, which sheltered a family and its animals under the same chimneyless roof. Warmed by a peat fire in a central open hearth with the smoke filtering out through the thatched straw roof, this blackhouse was home to a Hebridean crofting family and their animals, until they moved out in 1966. Today Arnol Blackhouse is insightfully preserved like the family left it. Evolving health regulations in the early 1900s demanded that livestock be housed separately, so "whitehouses" were built with several chimneys, single-thickness walls cemented with lime mortar, wallpaper, lino floors, and separate barn and byre (cowshed). Across the street from Arnol Blackhouse you can visit a furnished 1920s whitehouse. These new crofthouses were so different and bright inside that they were nicknamed "whitehouses," which led to the nickname "blackhouses" for the older antiquated structures. Visit Arnol village on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides (Western Isles), Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe.
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  • This statue of Scottish author Sir Walter Scott is inside the 1846 Scott Monument, the largest monument to a writer in the world. Find it in Princes Street Gardens, near Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station (named after Scott's Waverley novels), in Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. This Victorian Gothic monument was designed by John Steell. It is made from white Carrara marble, showing Scott seated, resting from writing one of his works with a quill pen and his dog Maida by his side. Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet, FRSE (1771-1832) was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright and poet. Many of his works remain classics of both English-language literature and of Scottish literature, including: Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, Old Mortality, The Lady of the Lake, Waverley, The Heart of Midlothian and The Bride of Lammermoor. Scott was also an advocate, judge and legal administrator by profession, and throughout his career combined his writing and editing work with his daily occupation as Clerk of Session and Sheriff-Depute of Selkirkshire. A prominent member of the Tory establishment in Edinburgh, Scott was an active member of the Highland Society and served a long term as President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1820–32). In the background of the Scott Monument fly the UK's Union Jack and Scottish flag, atop the Bank of Scotland Head Office building (HBOS, Lloyds Banking Group) on The Mound. Inside is Museum on the Mound, which focuses on money, coinage and economics.
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  • Street performer woman in white. Edinburgh, capital of Scotland, UK, Europe.
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  • Painted life-sized fiberglass Edinburgh Rugby Kyloe Cow, at Kyloe Gourmet Steak Restaurant, 1-3 Rutland Street, in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. First mentioned in the 500s AD, Highland cattle (Scots: Heilan coo, slang: curly coo) have long horns and long wavy coats and are primarily for meat. They originated in the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland.
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  • Inverness Castle overlooks the River Ness, in Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. The red sandstone structure was built in 1836 by architect William Burn on the site of an 11th-century fort. Today, it houses Inverness Sheriff Court. In April 2017 the north tower of the castle was opened to the public as a view point.
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  • Sunrise views from Digg, near Staffin, Isle of Skye, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. This image was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
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  • Morning rainbow seen over farms at Digg village, near Staffin, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK, Europe.
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  • Orange rays of sunrise spotlight the Scottish Highlands including Munros (over 3000 feet elevation) in the Fannichs mountain range, seen across the sea from Digg, near Staffin, on Isle of Skye, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe.
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  • Sligachan Old Bridge and Black Cuillin mountain range on Isle of Skye, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. This image was stitched from several overlapping photos.
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  • Sunset at Eilean Donan Castle, in Kintail National Scenic Area, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. This picturesque island stronghold sits where three sea lochs meet at the village of Dornie in the western Highlands (Loch Duich, Loch Long, and Loch Alsh). Since restoration of the 1200s castle in the early 1900s, a footbridge connects the island to the mainland. The island is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint martyred in 617. The castle was founded in the 1200s and became a stronghold of the Clan Mackenzie and their allies the Clan Macrae. In the early 1700s, the Mackenzies' involvement in the Jacobite rebellions led in 1719 to the castle's destruction by government ships. Lieutenant-Colonel John Macrae-Gilstrap's 1920-32 reconstruction of the ruins made the present buildings.
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  • Inside Stirling Castle, the Scottish King's Bedchamber displays a unicorn. Why a unicorn? Unicorns were first depicted in 2600 BC in ancient seals of the Indus Valley Civilization and were mentioned by the ancient Greeks. In Celtic mythology the unicorn symbolized purity, innocence, masculinity and power. The proud, haughty unicorn was chosen as Scotland's national animal because it would rather die than be captured, just as Scots would fight to remain sovereign and unconquered. The unicorn was first used on the Scottish royal coat of arms by William I in the 1100s, and two unicorns supported the shield until 1603. When James VI became James I of England and Ireland in 1603, he replaced one unicorn with the national animal of England, the lion, to demonstrate unity. Once the capital of Scotland, Stirling is visually dominated by Stirling Castle, in the United Kingdom, Europe. Most of Stirling Castle's main buildings date from the 1400s and 1500s, when it peaked in importance.
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  • The Kelpies, built of structural steel in 2013, are the world's largest pair of equine sculptures. Towering 30 meters above the Forth & Clyde Canal, these two horse head artworks are a monumental tribute to the horse power heritage (pulling wagons, ploughs, barges and coalships) vital to early industrial Scotland. Scottish sculptor Andy Scott designed these twin 300-tonne feats of engineering. Visit the Kelpies in the Helix parkland project, Falkirk, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe.
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  • The Kelpies, built of structural steel in 2013, are the world's largest pair of equine sculptures. Towering 30 meters above the Forth & Clyde Canal, these two horse head artworks are a monumental tribute to the horse power heritage (pulling wagons, ploughs, barges and coalships) vital to early industrial Scotland. Scottish sculptor Andy Scott designed these twin 300-tonne feats of engineering. Visit the Kelpies in the Helix parkland project, Falkirk, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe.
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  • Hanging flower pots at Comlongon's 1902 Edwardian hotel. Comlongon Castle is a restored Medieval Scottish tower house dating from the late 1400s. Guests can stay in the attached Edwardian hotel, a baronial style mansion built 1900-02, set in 120 acres of manicured gardens, sweeping lawns, carp pond, lakes and woodlands, near Clarencefield and Dumfries, in southwest Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. Originally built by the Murrays of Cockpool, Comlongon Castle remained in the Murray family until 1984. The castle is 50 feet square and stands 70 feet high, with walls over 4 meters thick, with impressive displays of weapons, armor and banners.
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  • Horse & foal. Comlongon Castle is a restored Medieval Scottish tower house dating from the late 1400s. Guests can stay in the attached Edwardian hotel, a baronial style mansion built 1900-02, set in 120 acres of manicured gardens, sweeping lawns, carp pond, lakes and woodlands, near Clarencefield and Dumfries, in southwest Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. Originally built by the Murrays of Cockpool, Comlongon Castle remained in the Murray family until 1984. The castle is 50 feet square and stands 70 feet high, with walls over 4 meters thick, with impressive displays of weapons, armor and banners.
    17SC1-1064_Scotland.jpg
  • Horse & foal. Comlongon Castle is a restored Medieval Scottish tower house dating from the late 1400s. Guests can stay in the attached Edwardian hotel, a baronial style mansion built 1900-02, set in 120 acres of manicured gardens, sweeping lawns, carp pond, lakes and woodlands, near Clarencefield and Dumfries, in southwest Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. Originally built by the Murrays of Cockpool, Comlongon Castle remained in the Murray family until 1984. The castle is 50 feet square and stands 70 feet high, with walls over 4 meters thick, with impressive displays of weapons, armor and banners.
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  • Visit spectacular Whitby Abbey which dates from 657-1538 AD, in the fishing port of Whitby, in North Yorkshire county, England, United Kingdom, Europe. This Christian monastery later became a Benedictine abbey, which was confiscated by the crown during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII in 1537-8. The abbey church overlooks the North Sea on East Cliff above Whitby. Whitby Abbey became famous in fiction by Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula, as Dracula came ashore as a creature resembling a large dog who climbed the dramatic 199 steps leading to the ruins above the Esk River. England Coast to Coast hike day 13 of 14. [This image, commissioned by Wilderness Travel, is not available to any other agency providing group travel in the UK, but may otherwise be licensable from Tom Dempsey – please inquire at PhotoSeek.com.]
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  • Sheep seen at Wasdale Head in Lake District NP, United Kingdom, Europe. England Coast to Coast hike with Wilderness Travel, day 3 of 14: from Wasdale Head to Seathwaite. From Wasdale Head, we climbed to 1637-foot Styhead Pass, then descended via Styhead Tarn to the valley of Borrowdale. Overnight at Keswick Country House, in Cumbria county. [This image, commissioned by Wilderness Travel, is not available to any other agency providing group travel in the UK, but may otherwise be licensable from Tom Dempsey – please inquire at PhotoSeek.com.]
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  • Sheep seen descending into Wasdale valley, down to Wastwater lake and the hamlet of Wasdale Head, in Lake District National Park, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe. England Coast to Coast hike day 2 of 14: from Eskdale in Cumbria county, we walked to Boot for lunch at a local pub and a visit to a working medieval corn mill. We then climbed to Burnmoor Tarn, and descended to Wasdale Head. Via minibus we returned to Irton Hall for night 2 of 2. [This image, commissioned by Wilderness Travel, is not available to any other agency providing group travel in the UK, but may otherwise be licensable from Tom Dempsey – please inquire at PhotoSeek.com.]
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  • Tropical bouquet of flowers in the bathroom of Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden near Hilo. Anthurium andraeanum (Flamingo Flower) is an ornamental garden plant and houseplant, native to shady, humid tropical forests of Colombia and Ecuador. Projecting from a bright red heart-shaped spathe (a type of bract), the spike of its long white spadix has a yellow tip. Delightful paths and boardwalks take you through a soothing green tropical wonderland endowed with streams (Alakahi Stream, Boulder Creek), waterfalls (Onomea Falls) and oceanfront vistas across Onomea Bay. Purchased in 1977 and transformed over 8 backbreaking years by Dan and Pauline Lutkenhouse, the garden opened to the public in 1984 and was donated to a nonprofit trust in 1995. On the Big Island, a few minutes north of Hilo off of Route 19, take the narrow four-mile Pepe'ekeo Scenic Drive which winds along coastal cliffs, across one-lane wooden bridges over picturesque waterfalls, to reach this peaceful oasis. The garden grows over 2000 plant species, representing more than 125 families and 750 genera, with diverse palms (nearly 200 species), heliconias (80+ species) and bromeliads (80+ species). Address: 27-717 Old Mamalahoa Highway, Papaikou, Hawaii 96781, USA.
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  • A white and pink orchid pops in contrast with green background. The exquisite Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden near Hilo is my favorite garden in the Hawaiian Islands. Delightful paths and boardwalks take you through a soothing green tropical wonderland endowed with streams (Alakahi Stream, Boulder Creek), waterfalls (Onomea Falls) and oceanfront vistas across Onomea Bay. Purchased in 1977 and transformed over 8 backbreaking years by Dan and Pauline Lutkenhouse, the garden opened to the public in 1984 and was donated to a nonprofit trust in 1995. On the Big Island, a few minutes north of Hilo off of Route 19, take the narrow four-mile Pepe'ekeo Scenic Drive which winds along coastal cliffs, across one-lane wooden bridges over picturesque waterfalls, to reach this peaceful oasis. The garden grows over 2000 plant species, representing more than 125 families and 750 genera, with diverse palms (nearly 200 species), heliconias (80+ species) and bromeliads (80+ species). Address: 27-717 Old Mamalahoa Highway, Papaikou, HI 96781, USA.
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  • Beautiful Hanakapiai Falls (300 feet high) is a slippery side trip from Kalalau Trail, on Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii, USA. A stunning day hike along the Kalalau Trail goes from Ke'e Beach to Hanakapiai Beach, with a rougher side trip to impressive Hanakapiai Falls, in Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park on the island of Kauai. To reach Hanakapiai Valley's waterfall, follow the signed clay trails for a moderately strenuous 8.8 miles round trip with 2200 feet cumulative gain (measured on my GPS). Bring plenty of fresh water. I recommend boots with sturdy tread, hiking poles, plus water shoes for the several stream crossings. Arrive early to get parking at the trailhead in Haena State Park at the end of the Kuhio Highway (Hawaii Route 560). The gorgeous Kalalau Trail was built in the late 1800s to connect Hawaiians living in the remote valleys. No permit is needed for day hiking to Hanakapiai Falls. But hikers going onwards from Hanakapiai Beach to Hanakoa and Kalalau Valleys require a camping permit from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (HDLNR).
    1701HAW-1060.jpg
  • The impressive Hanakapiai Falls (300 feet high) is a slippery side trip from Kalalau Trail, on Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii, USA. A beautiful day hike along the Kalalau Trail goes from Ke'e Beach to Hanakapiai Beach, with a rougher side trip to impressive Hanakapiai Falls, in Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park on the island of Kauai. To reach Hanakapiai Valley's waterfall, follow the signed clay trails for a moderately strenuous 8.8 miles round trip with 2200 feet cumulative gain (measured on my GPS), and bring plenty of fresh water. I recommend boots with sturdy tread, hiking poles, plus water shoes for the several stream crossings. Arrive early to get parking at the trailhead in Haena State Park at the end of the Kuhio Highway (Hawaii Route 560). The gorgeous Kalalau Trail was built in the late 1800s to connect Hawaiians living in the remote valleys. No permit is needed for day hiking to Hanakapiai Falls. But hikers going onwards from Hanakapiai Beach to Hanakoa and Kalalau Valleys require a camping permit from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (HDLNR).
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  • An orange flower of the African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata) lies on a large tropical leaf in Wailuku River State Park at Rainbow Falls, in Hilo, Hawaii, USA.
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  • Hawaii's native Hala tree is also known as Tahitian Screwpine, Pu Hala, Screw Pine, Textile Screwpine, Thatch Screwpine, Pandanus, Pandan, Tourist Pineapple or Pineapple Tree (Pandanus tectorius, or synonyms: P. chamissonis, P. douglasii, P. menziesii, P. odoratissimus; in the Screw-pine family, Pandanaceae). Some people mistake hala fruit heads for pineapples, which are unrelated plants. Cultivated varieties of Hala differing from the native version were brought to Hawaii by the ancient Polynesians in their canoes. Hala was useful for medicinal purposes, and the fruit was eaten and used to make leis. Its roots could make cordage. Hala leaves served as thatch and could be stripped of spiny edges to be woven or plaited into mats, pillows, sails, baskets, hats, sandals, and fans. A beautiful day hike along the slippery Kalalau Trail goes from Ke'e Beach to Hanakapiai Beach, with a rougher side trip to impressive Hanakapiai Falls, in Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, USA. To reach Hanakapiai Valley's waterfall, follow the signed clay trails for a moderately strenuous 8.8 miles round trip with 2200 feet cumulative gain (measured on my GPS)
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  • Philippine Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis plicata), native to Southeast Asia, was introduced to Hawaii as an ornamental garden plant and it later naturalized in the wild. The violet-pink or magenta-purple flowers have 5 oval-shaped pink, purple, or white tepals (2 side petals and 3 petal-like sepals) and a similarly colored, spade-shaped labellum. The leaves emerge from pseudobulbs and are bright green, linear-lanceolate, and distinctively plicate (having fanlike folds along their length). It was photographed within the first mile of the Kalalau Trail in Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, USA.
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  • Bougainvillea is a genus of thorny ornamental vines and shrubs with colorful papery triangular to egg-shaped, petal-like floral bracts surrounding its small whitish flowers; native to Brazil. Photo is from Princeville, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, USA.
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  • Lodging in Princeville, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, USA. Orange flowers of the African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata).
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  • An adult pair of nene birds guard their chick (not visible) by a fence in Princeville, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, USA. The nene (Branta sandvicensis, or Hawaiian goose) is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and is the official state bird. Nenes are found in the wild on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai and Hawaii (the Big Island). Nene DNA indicates that the species evolved from the Canada goose (Branta canadensis) which likely arrived here about 500,000 years ago, shortly after the volcanic Big Island emerged from the sea.
    1701HAW-0867.jpg
  • Nawiliwili Beach walkway at Kauai Marriott Resort, Lihue, island of Kauai, Hawaii, USA.
    1701HAW-2134.jpg
  • Anthurium andraeanum (Flamingo Flower) is an ornamental garden plant and houseplant, native to shady, humid tropical forests of Colombia and Ecuador. Projecting from a bright red heart-shaped spathe (a type of bract), the spike of its long white spadix has a yellow tip. The plants are poisonous and contain calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause severe mouth irritation and swelling if ingested. The Volcano Inn has beautiful flower landscaping in a lush cloud forest, on the Big Island, Hawaii, USA. Address: 19-3820 Old Volcano Rd, Volcano, HI 96785
    1701HAW-2175.jpg
  • A pink orchid blooms in Allerton Garden, on the south shore of Kauai, Hawaii, USA. Address: 4425 Lawai Rd, Koloa, HI 96756. Nestled in a valley transected by the Lawai Stream ending in Lawai Bay, Allerton Garden is one of five gardens of the non-profit National Tropical Botanical Garden (ntbg.org).
    1701HAW-2070.jpg
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