Basilique du Sacré Cœur, Paris, France

Benediction, originally uploaded by killy keng.

With its origins in the aftermath of the French Revolution among ultra-Catholics and legitimist royalists, developed more widely in France after the Franco-Prussian War and the ensuing uprising of the Paris Commune of 1870-71.
Though today it is asserted to be dedicated in honor of the 58,000 who lost their lives during the war, the decree of the Assemblée nationale, 24 July 1873, responding to a request by the archbishop of Paris by voting its construction, specifies that it is to "expiate the crimes of the communards".
Montmartre had been the site of the Commune's first insurrection, and many hard-core communards were forever entombed in the subterranean galleries of former gypsum mines where they had retreated, by explosives detonated at the entrances by the Army of Versailles. Hostages had been executed on both sides, and the Communards had executed Georges Darboy, Archbishop of Paris, who became a martyr for the resurgent Catholic Church.
His successor Guibert, climbing the Butte Montmartre in October 1872, was reported to have had a vision, as clouds dispersed over the panorama: "It is here, it is here where the martyrs are, it is here that the Sacred Heart must reign so that it can beckon all to come".

In the moment of inertia following the resignation of the government of Adolphe Thiers, 24 May 1873, François Pie, bishop of Poitiers, expressed the national yearning for spiritual renewal— "the hour of the Church has come"— that would be expressed through the "Government of Moral Order" of the Third Republic, which linked Catholic institutions with secular ones, in "a project of religious and national renewal, the main features of which were the restoration of monarchy and the defense of Rome within a cultural framework of official piety", of which Sacré-Cœur is the chief lasting triumphalist monument.
The decree voting its construction as a "matter of public utility", 24 July, followed close on Thiers' resignation. The project was expressed by the Church as a National Vow (Voeu national) and financial support came from parishes throughout France.
The dedicatory inscription records the Basilica as the accomplishment of a vow by Alexandre Legentil and Hubert Rohault de Fleury, ratified by Joseph-Hippolyte Guibert, Archbishop of Paris. The project took many years to complete.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Erechtheum (Greek: Ἐρέχθειον Erechtheion), Acropolis, Athenσ, Greece.

athen_jungfrau_840, originally uploaded by ladypabbit.

The Erechtheum (Greek: Ἐρέχθειον Erechtheion) is an ancient Greek temple on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens in Greece.

The Erectheum was associated with some of the most ancient and holy relics of the Athenians: the Palladion, which was a xoanon (defined as a wooden effigy fallen from heaven - not man-made) of Athena Polias (Protectress of the City); the marks of Poseidon's trident and the salt water well (the "salt sea") that resulted from Poseidon's strike; the sacred olive tree that sprouted when Athena struck the rock with her spear in her successful rivalry with Poseidon for the city; the supposed burial places of the mythical kings Cecrops and Erechtheus; the sacred precincts of Cecrops' three daughters, Herse, Pandrosus and Aglaurus; and those of the tribal heroes Pandion and Boutes.

The temple itself was dedicated to Athena Polias and Poseidon Erechtheus. Within the foundations lived the sacred snake of the temple, which represented the spirit of Cecrops and whose well-being was thought essential for the safety of the city.

The snake was fed honey-cakes by Canephorae, the priestesses of Athena Polias, by custom the women of the ancient family of Eteoboutadae, the supposed descendants of the hero Boutes. The snake's occasional refusal to eat the cakes was thought a disastrous omen.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Samos the emerald of the Aegean Sea, Greece

Samos from Chris on Vimeo.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Golden Gate Bridge, CA.,USA

Golden Gate Bridge from Håkan Dahlström on Vimeo.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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First Light, Two Medicine Lake, Montana USA

First Light, Two Medicine Lake , originally uploaded by jimgoldstein.

First Light at Two Medicine Lake with Sinopah Mountain reflected in the calm water - Glacier National Park, Montana

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Peggys Cove, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Peggys_Cove_13, originally uploaded by AP Photographics.com.

Peggys Cove is 43 kilometres southwest of downtown Halifax and comprises one of the numerous small fishing communities located around the perimeter of the Chebucto Peninsula. The community is named after the cove of the same name.
Peggy is a nickname for Margaret, and the village may have taken its name from St. Margaret's Bay upon which it is situated. Legend claims a little girl, the sole survivor of a shipwreck during the mid 1800's, became known as Peggy of the Cove and eventually the folk named their village after her, Peggy's Cove.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Hong Kong Victoria Harbour,China

01160021, originally uploaded by d-k-t.

Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong.
The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea was instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent development as a trading centre.
Throughout its history, the harbour has seen numerous reclamation projects undertaken on both shores, but still retains its founding role as a port for thousands of international vessels each year.

Long famous for its spectacular views, the harbour is a major tourist attraction of Hong Kong.
Lying in the middle of the territory's dense urban region, the harbour is the site of annual fireworks displays and its promenades are popular gathering places for tourists and residents.

here:Hong Kong Victoria Harbour, viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui.
The time is after sunset.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler

Light and Shadow, Reykjanesviti, Iceland.

Light and Shadow, originally uploaded by visiticeland@hotmail.com.

Reykjanesviti is Iceland's oldest lighthouse. It serves as a landfall light for Reykjavík and Keflavík. The tower is a 31 metres tall construction, situated on the southwestern edge of the Reykjanes peninsula. The original structure was built in 1878; just eight years later the building was destroyed by an earthquake. In 1929 the current Reykjanesviti lighthouse, a concrete construction yet with traditional looks, was illuminated. Its focal plane measures 73 metres above sea level. The light characteristic is "Fl(2) 30 s", i.e. a group of two flashing lights every 30 seconds. An antenna for the transmission of DGPS-signals in the longwave range is mounted on the rooftop.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Carl Sagan tribute

Carl Sagan tribute, originally uploaded by brexians.

Carl Edward Sagan (November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996)
was an American astronomer, astrochemist, author, and highly successful popularizer of astronomy, astrophysics and other natural sciences.
He pioneered exobiology and promoted the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI).
He is world-famous for writing popular science books and for co-writing and presenting the award-winning 1980 television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which has been seen by more than 500 million people in over 60 countries.
A book to accompany the program was also published. He also wrote the novel Contact, the basis for the 1997 film of the same name. One of the last books he wrote was Pale Blue Dot.
During his lifetime, Sagan published more than 600 scientific papers and popular articles and was author, co-author, or editor of more than 20 books. In his works, he frequently advocated skeptical inquiry, secular humanism, and the scientific method.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Let's Sail Away To A Mysterious Place

Let's Sail Away To A Mysterious Place, originally uploaded by Butch Osborne.

A junk is a Chinese sailboat design dating from ancient times and still in use today. Junks were originally developed during the Han Dynasty (220 BC–200 AD) and were used as ocean going vessels as early as the 2nd century AD.
They were further evolved in the later dynasties, and were built and used throughout Asia for extensive ocean voyages. They were found, and in lesser numbers are still found, throughout South-East Asia and India, but primarily in China, perhaps today most famously in Hong Kong. Also, found more broadly, is a growing number of modern recreational junk-rigged sailboats.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Tripkau - Evangelische Fachwerkkircke St. Maria Germany

Tripkau - Evangelische Fachwerkkircke St. Maria 01, originally uploaded by Cyruz74.

Since 1618 there is in Tripkau a church building. In 1757 it became by a simple hall construction without tower he-puts, and this timber-framed building also forms even today in the original substance the nave which was extended in 1864 by choir, sacristy and tower.

Only the loft is received from the old equipment from the 18th century; pulpit, font and altar have remained from the gothic equipment of the 19th century; the organ comes from 18.th century, has been put up only late in this church.

The church was renovated basically and initiated in 1998 again. The interior is from numerous cross motives passed through which are unique in the hannoverschen county church.

In 1952 a restricted area was furnished along the internal border. At this time compulsive forced migrations from the Elbvillages took place: code name "Vermin" and "Cornflower" by the order of the "Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (STASI). 21 villages were concerned by it in which the houses were torn off and were levelled which courts. My father was resettled at the age of 10 years and his family compulsory. My grandfather lost all his possessions.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Great Wall of China

月出, originally uploaded by 做梦的多啦A梦.

The Great Wall of China
(simplified Chinese: 长城; traditional Chinese: 長城; pinyin: Chángchéng; literally "long city/fortress") or (simplified Chinese: 万里长城; traditional Chinese: 萬里長城; pinyin: Wànlǐ Chángchéng;

literally "The long wall of 10,000 Li (里)") is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from Xiongnu attacks during various successive dynasties. Since the 5th century BC, several walls have been built that were referred to as the Great Wall.
One of the most famous is the wall built between 220–206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Little of that wall remains; the majority of the existing wall were built during the Ming Dynasty.
The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia.
The most comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has recently concluded that the entire Great Wall, with all of its branches, stretches for 8,851.8 km (5,500.3 mi). This is made up of 6,259.6 km (3,889.5 mi) of sections of actual wall, 359.7 km (223.5 mi) of trenches and 2,232.5 km (1,387.2 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Millenium bridge of London UK

Millenium bridge of London, originally uploaded by Mr.GG.

The London Millennium Footbridge is a pedestrian-only steel suspension bridge crossing the River Thames in London, England, linking Bankside with the City. It is located between Southwark Bridge (downstream) and Blackfriars Railway Bridge (upstream). The bridge is owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust overseen by the City of London Corporation. Construction of the bridge began in 1998, with the opening on 10th June 2000.
Londoners nicknamed the bridge the Wobbly Bridge after participants in a special event to open the bridge (a charity walk on behalf of Save the Children) felt an unexpected (and, for some, uncomfortable) swaying motion on the first two days after the bridge opened. The bridge was closed later that day, and after two days of limited access the bridge was closed for almost two years while modifications were made to eliminate the wobble entirely. It was reopened in 2002.
The southern end of the bridge is near Globe Theatre, the Bankside Gallery and Tate Modern, the north end next to the City of London School below St Paul's Cathedral. The bridge alignment is such that a clear view of St Paul's south facade is presented from across the river, framed by the bridge supports.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Galleria - Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan Italy

Galleria - Vittorio Emanuele II, originally uploaded by jojofotografia.

Nel 1865 iniziarono i lavori con la posa della prima pietra da parte di re Vittorio Emanuele II di Savoia e due anni più tardi si inaugurò la Galleria, anche se non completamente terminata. Circa dodici anni dopo finalmente il complesso fu terminato.

Giuseppe Mengoni, l'ideatore della Galleria, vi morì proprio precipitando dalla cupola durante un'ispezione il 30 dicembre 1877, anche se non mancò l'interpretazione che si trattasse di un suicidio, dovuto alle critiche espresse da più parti e alla delusione per la mancata presenza del re all'inaugurazione. Non si poteva sapere che tale assenza era dovuta alle gravi condizioni di salute di Vittorio Emanuele II, tenute segrete, e che il re sarebbe morto dopo pochi giorni.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Guangzhou, China

Memorial Hall 纪念堂站, originally uploaded by rm996s.

Memorial Hall

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Oh La La...!! a PAris... City of light

Oh La La...!! | City of light, originally uploaded by P•A•U•L | Photography.

happy weekend

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Temple of Heaven Park, Beijing China

Temple of Heaven Park, Beijing, originally uploaded by Kurlylox1.

Time for a "postcard shot!"

This is another shot of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the centerpiece of the Temple of Heaven Park. The colors and decoration are so impressive. The temple sits atop a circular platform surrounded by characteristic white railings and accessed by staircases at various points around the circle.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Antarctica, a frozen desert.

Antarctica (NASA, Sailing With NASA, 10/24/09), originally uploaded by nasa1fan/MSFC.

This is a supporting image for the "Sailing With NASA" blog, which is documenting space shuttle external tank ET-134's sea voyage from Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Credit: NASA/Carnegie-Mellon University

Read the original blog post, "Exploration May Be a Matter of Timing" --
blogs.nasa.gov/cm/blog/sailing_with_nasa/posts/post_12562...

Follow the "Sailing With NASA" blog and the ET-134 journey:
blogs.nasa.gov/cm/blog/sailing_with_nasa

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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Main street of the Old City of Bamberg Germany

Main street of the Old City of Bamberg, originally uploaded by werkunz1.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
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