Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca

Casablanca, a city of approximately 4 million, is the economic capital of Morocco. Its Hassan II Mosque, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, is the second largest mosque in the world. It can host 25,000 worshipers within its walls and another 80,000 in its courtyard. Its minaret is the tallest in the world at 689 ft. The mosque was built between 1986-1993.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Street in Tangier

Artists such as Matisse and Tiffany were inspired by the Moroccan city of Tangier, as were writers William Burroughs and Paul Bowles, among others, who expatriated to Tangier and made it their home. Today, Tangier is home to a unique art museum, the Tangier American Legation Museum, which is housed in a building that served as the American Legation to Morocco from 1821 to 1956. It has a special room dedicated to Paul Bowles.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Queen's University in Belfast

When Queen Victoria established Queens University in 1849, it was part of a larger effort to make higher education more available throughout Ireland. Today, the school has approximately 25,000 students and is considered one of the better universities in the United Kingdom. The school's chancellor is former US Senator George Mitchell.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Dublin's Abbey Theatre

The Abbey Theatre was founded in 1904 as the National Theatre of Ireland. Behind the writing of W.B. Yeats and John Millington Synge, the Abbey would forge a distinctively Irish style of theatre. The original Abbey was destroyed by fire in 1951, and the company was compelled to use other theatres until the present facility opened in 1966. Leading Irish playwrights Hugh Leonard, Brian Friel, and Tom Murphy regularly have their works performed at the Abbey.

Friday, July 27, 2007

The Motherland Calls!

The site of the Battle of Stalingrad is now a public park in the re-named city of Volgograd, which is a city of more than 1 million along the banks of the Volga River in southern Russia. Approximately, 2 million people died during this WWII battle, and memorials to the dead can be found all over the city. The monument at the top is called "The Motherland Calls," and at approximately 155ft, it is slightly taller than the Statue of Liberty.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Amir Timur Museum in Tashkent

This is one of the recent additions to the historic city of Tashkent in the former Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan. The museum is dedicated entirely to the 14th century warrior, the amir Timur, and the Timurid Dynasty, which was one of the largest and most powerful in the history of Central Asia. English playwright Christopher Marlowe wrote a play based upon Timur called Tamberlaine the Great, Parts I and II. Today, Timur is considered the greatest national hero of Uzbekistan.

Ban Jelačić Square in Zagreb

Zagreb is the largest city in Croatia with a population of approximately 1 million. Ban Jelačić Square is located in the historic Upper Town of Zagreb and is considered main commercial square of the city. Ban Josip Jelačić, for whom the square is named, is one of the great national heroes of Croatia, who is credited with freeing the Croatian people from Hungarian influence and winning a good deal of autonomy for the Croat people within the Austro-Hungarian Hapsburg Empire.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Prešeren Square in Historic Ljubljana

France Prešeren is considered the greatest writer from Slovenia and one of the great Romantic poets of Europe. A verse from one of his poems is today the National Anthem of Slovenia.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Chinatown Gate in Portland

Located on the Willamette River at the historic Burnside Bridge in Portland, Oregon, the somewhat oddly named neighborhood "Old Town Chinatown" is the historic area where the city founders created the city of Portland in the mid-1800s. And for the traveler today, it's a natural first stop.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Seattle's Pike Place Market

Established in 1907, the Pike Place Market is the oldest continuously operating farmers market in America. Located on 9-acres of waterfront property in downtown Seattle, the Market is much more than farmers market. Craftspeople, small merchants and restaurants combine with the fresh produce and seafood to make an eclectic collection of services that attracts both locals and tourists alike.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Gastown in Vancouver


Gastown is the original town settlement that would become the city of Vancouver. Today, Gastown is a lovely historic district, filled with shops and restaurants and 19th century architecture. One of its landmarks is the world's only steam powered clock, which bursts steam at every quarter hour.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Stretch Lada in Cuba

This is a do-it-yourself stretch job performed on an old Soviet-era Russian car called Lada. Lada was the leading seller of automobiles in the Soviet Union.

Friday, July 20, 2007

El Sanctuario de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre

Nicknamed "El Cobre" for short, this is the most famous church in Cuba. Located just out of Santiago, it has, since its construction in 1927, been a church of pilgrimage for the Cuban people. Santiago is the the second largest city in Cuba and is considered the cultural and artistic capital of of the nation. Desi Arnaz was born and raised there.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Egyptian Temple in Spain

Construction on the Temple of Debod began in the 2nd century B.C. Originally located along the banks of the Nile River in southern Egypt, the temple was donated and moved to the Spanish city of Madrid when dam construction on the Nile threatened the safety of the temple. It was moved in 1968 and opened to the public in 1972.

Catedral de Canarias

This is the Cathedral of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, which are an autonomous region in the Kingdom of Spain. Las Palmas is the largest and most historic city in the Canary Islands, having served as pit-stop for mariners between Spain and the Americas. Christopher Columbus stopped here at Las Palmas in on his way to America. The Cathedral is probably the oldest structure in the city, dating to sometime in the early 1500s.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Monument of Martyrs

This is located in the intriguing city of Algiers in Algeria. The monument was built in 1984 to honor those who suffered and died during the bloody Algerian struggle for independence. Algeria officially won its independence from France on July 5, 1962.

Ruins at Pompeii

Pompeii is an ancient Roman city destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius (in the background) in 79AD. Either go with a tour guide or pay the extra money for an audio guide because there are no explanatory signs to be found any where.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Obelisco de Buenos Aires

This is Plaza de la Republica in Buenos Aires, the principle public meeting place for the people of Argentina. The 220 ft obelisk was built here in 1936 to celebrate the city's 400th anniversary.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Greetings From Liechtenstein!

The Schloss Vaduz is the residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II, who is considered one of the world's most wealthy men. Liechtenstein is an old-fashioned constitutional monarchy where the Prince wields far greater power than the Prime Minister. Located in the city of Vaduz, the home is unfortunately not open to the public.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Look Out in Budepest

The Fisherman's Bastion is located on the Buda side of the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary. Built in 1902 as a recreational look-out, it is named in honor of the fishermen who both fished here and who were charged with defending this section of the Danube from foreign invaders during the Middle Ages.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Longwood House, Natchez, Mississippi


Longwood was supposed to be the grandest mansion in all of Natchez, but construction was halted as a result of the Civil War. The interior is nearly wholly incomplete. The house is a museum open to the public.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

The Tijuana Cultural Center

Yes, Tijuana has a cultural center.

Monday, July 9, 2007

The Getty in L.A.

Founded in 1997, the Getty was designed by renown architect, Richard Meier. The museum's collection primarily consists of classical and European works.

Friday, July 6, 2007

BMW Headquarters

Still under construction, this will be the newest part of the BMW headquarters in Munich, Germany.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Melbourne's Rialto Towers

The Rialto is a 63 story office building in Melbourne, Australia. Discounting communication masts and the like, it is the tallest building in the southern hemisphere.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Golden Temple Pavillion in Kyoto, Japan

The original Golden Temple was burned to the ground by a mentally deranged monk (fictionalized in Yukio Mishima's novel The Temple of the Golden Pavillion) in 1950. It was re-built in 1955.

Monday, July 2, 2007

Frankfurt-on-the-Main

Frankfurt, Germany, is located on the Main River and is one of the commercial capitals of Europe. It is also the birthplace of Goethe.