Prague dawn selfie

Prague dawn selfie, originally uploaded by alexring.

Prague (pron.: /ˈprɑːɡ/; Czech: Praha pronounced [ˈpraɦa] ( listen)) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. It is the fourteenth-largest city in the European Union. It is also the historical capital of Bohemia proper. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its larger urban zone is estimated to have a population of nearly 2 million. The city has a temperate oceanic climate, with warm summers and chilly winters.
Prague has been a political, cultural, and economic centre of central Europe with waxing and waning fortunes during its 1,100-year existence. Founded during the Romanesque and flourishing by the Gothic and Renaissance eras, Prague was not only the capital of the Czech state, but also the seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. It was an important city to the Habsburg Monarchy and its Austro-Hungarian Empire and after World War I became the capital of Czechoslovakia. The city played major roles in the Protestant Reformation, the Thirty Years' War, and in 20th-century history, during both World Wars and the post-war Communist era.
Prague is home to a number of famous cultural attractions, many of which survived the violence and destruction of 20th century Europe. Main attractions include the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter, the Lennon Wall, and Petřín hill. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
The city boasts more than ten major museums, along with numerous theatres, galleries, cinemas, and other historical exhibits. A modern public transportation system connects the city. Also, it is home to a wide range of public and private schools, including Charles University. Prague is classified as a Beta+ global city according to GaWC studies, comparable to Berlin, Rome, or Houston. Its rich history makes it a popular tourist destination, and the city receives more than 4.1 million international visitors annually, as of 2009. In 2011, Prague was the sixth-most-visited city in Europe.

Serra de Tramuntana illes balears

Serra de Tramuntana, originally uploaded by . SantiMB ..

Un paisaje natural que es Patrimonio de la Humanidad. Aquí están las montañas más altas de la isla de Mallorca, 54 de ellas superando los mil metros. Aquí el Puig Roig, de 1003m de altitud.

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Sa Calobra - Escorca, Illes Balears.

As Heaven Reaches Down for You

As Heaven Reaches Down for You, originally uploaded by RyanManuel.

Happy Hump Day everyone.

Skånskt kaffe

Skånskt kaffe, originally uploaded by Håkan Dahlström.

Redan 1881 öppnade Carlos Zoéga, efter att ha varit bosatt i bland annat Brasilien, en kaffehandel i Landskrona. 1886 flyttade han sin verksamhet till en butik på Kullagatan 27 i Helsingborg där familjen hade både sin bostad och sitt rosteri, med namnet Helsingborgs Patent-Kaffe-Ångbränneri. När Carlos Zoéga avled år 1888 övertog hans hustru Maria butiken och runt sekelskiftet flyttade man till en ny lokal på Drottninggatan där företaget fortfarande har butik. 1903 skapade man här Mollbergs blandning och 1918 Horns blandning, som senare kom att heta Skånerost.
Maria Zoéga hade ett tag efter makens död gift om sig med grosshandlaren Johan Svensson och tillsammans hade de fått sonen Rudolf. Hela familjen behöll efternamnet Zoégas. Rudolf Zoéga började sin bana i företaget 1913 och tog sedan över när fadern dog 1923. Han blev den som utvecklade företaget till en industriell verksamhet. Han ska ha sagt följande om konsten att blanda ett bra kaffe:
”Att komponera en kaffeblandning kan i någon mån jämföras med att komponera musik. Det måste vara harmoni för att kompositionen ska bli bra.„
1952 flyttade verksamheten till nybyggda och större lokaler på Ängelholmsvägen som innehöll ett av dåtidens modernaste rosterier. Dessa lokaler hyser fortfarande företagets verksamhet. Bolaget ombildades till aktiebolag 1958 och 1986 övertogs bolaget av dåvarande Findus numera Nestlé.
Zoégas hade 2008 en marknadsandel på 20% av Sveriges kaffeförsäljning och 65,7% av försäljningen av mörkrostat kaffe.

#Menetes #Karpathos #Dodecanese #Greece

Menetes, originally uploaded by Patrick Giardina.

Menetes Village Karpathos: Situated 8 kilometres south-west from Pigadia, Menetes is the cleanest village of Karpathos.

It little whitewashed houses with their yellow and blue shutters and doors are creating, with the narrow alleys and the flowered balconies and yards, a wonderful and attractive scenery.

Worth-seeing are the Church of the Assumption, the Byzantine Church of Agios Mamas and the archaeological collection of the village, exhibiting various findings from the surrounding area.
Accommodations, taverns and cafes are available in the village of Menetes.

#Dadia Soufli #Thrace #Greece

Dadia Soufli, a set by dimsis on Flickr.

Dadia (Greek: Δαδιά) is a village in the northwestern part of the Evros Prefecture in Greece located south-southwest of Orestiada, southwest of Soufli north of Feres and northeast of Evros. Dadia is linked with the road connecting to the GR-51/E85 (Alexandroupoli - Soufli - Orestiada - Ormeni) to the east. Dadia is also in the municipality of Soufli. Its 2001 population was 800 for the village and 823 for the municipal district.

The name originates from a resinous pine wood which in the past was used for lighting.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dadia

lighthouse of alexandroupolis

024 - lighthouse of alexandroupolis, originally uploaded by Atakan Sevgi.

The lighthouse is in the picturesque part of the waterfront and provides great opportunities for picture taking. Nevertheless, there isn't much to do at the lighthouse, and is really just a great way to enjoy the outdoors when in Alexandroupoli.

The Tholos @ Delphi #Greece, Mt. #Parnassus

DSC_8262 n, originally uploaded by melusinaelena.

The Tholos at the base of Mount Parnassus:
3 of 20 Doric columns.

The Tholos (Ancient Rome) at the sanctuary of Athena Pronoia is a circular building that was constructed between 380 and 360 BC. It consisted of 20 Doric columns arranged with an exterior diameter of 14.76 meters, with 10 Corinthian columns in the interior.
The Tholos is located approximately a half a mile (800 m) from the main ruins at Delphi. Three of the Doric columns have been restored, making it the most popular site at Delphi for tourists to take photographs.
Vitruvius (vii, introduction) notes Theodorus of Samos as the architect of the Round Building which is at Delphi.

Nicaea ( İznik ), Turkey...

İznik Gezisi, originally uploaded by pelince.com.

Nicaea (/naɪˈsiːə/; Greek: Νίκαια) was a Hellenic city in northwestern Anatolia, and is primarily known as the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea (the first and seventh Ecumenical councils in the early history of the Christian Church), the Nicene Creed (which comes from the First Council), and as the capital city of the Empire of Nicaea.
Nicaea served as the interim capital city of the Byzantine Empire between 1204 and 1261, following the Fourth Crusade in 1204, until the recapture of Constantinople by the Byzantines in 1261.
The ancient city is located within modern Iznik, Turkey, and is situated in a fertile basin at the eastern end of Lake Ascanius, bounded by ranges of hills to the north and south. It is situated with its west wall rising from the lake itself, providing both protection from siege from that direction, as well as a source of supplies which would be difficult to cut off. The lake is large enough that it could not be blockaded from the land easily, and the city was large enough to make any attempt to reach the harbour from shore-based siege weapons very difficult.
The ancient city is surrounded on all sides by 5 km (3 mi) of walls about 10 m (33 ft) high. These are in turn surrounded by a double ditch on the land portions, and also included over 100 towers in various locations. Large gates on the three landbound sides of the walls provided the only entrance to the city.
Today the walls have been pierced in many places for roads, but much of the early work survives and, as a result, it is a major tourist destination.

#Corfu #Ionian #Greece

1000 BPM (coming to you), originally uploaded by ~Lily_Sandrita~.

coming to you

An April blast | #Bordley, Craven, North #Yorkshire, #England,

An April blast, originally uploaded by bingleyman2.

An April blast @ #Bordley is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England, within the Yorkshire Dales National Park and 12 miles (19 km) north of Skipton. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 23.

Velvet Sunrise @ Palouse NW USA

Velvet Sunrise, originally uploaded by RyanManuel.

The Palouse (/pəˈluːs/ pə-looss) is a region of the northwestern United States, encompassing parts of southeastern Washington, north central Idaho and, in some definitions, extending south into northeast Oregon.
It is a major agricultural area, primarily producing wheat and legumes.
Situated about 160 miles (260 km) north of the Oregon Trail, the region experienced rapid growth in the late 19th century, and at one time, the population of the Palouse surpassed even that of the Puget Sound area as the most populous region of the state.
The region is home to two land grant universities, the University of Idaho in Moscow and Washington State University in Pullman.
Located just eight miles (13 km) apart, both schools opened in the early 1890s.

#Polichnitos, #Lesvos, #Aegean, #Greece

Polichnitos - Lesvos, originally uploaded by TooTall 62.

#Polichnitos, #Lesvos, #Aegean, #Greece #travel #ttot #travelling2GR

This small town is situated at 45 kilometres west of Mytilene and is famous for its hot springs.

Most of the houses and mansions in Polichnitos are made of heavy stones which in addition to the churches and the remains of the Castle, create an attractive and traditional picture.

Accommodations, cafes, bars and taverns are available. The beach resort of the town is only a few kilometres north and is called Skala Polichnitou.

#Leros, #Dodecanese, #Greece

leros, originally uploaded by troy colautti.

Not quite your Mama Mia - but one of those island chapels - this is on #Leros, #Dodecanese, #Greece #travel #ttot #travelling2GR

A paradise in the Aegean islands. Leros island located in the north part part of the Dodecanese between the islands of Patmos and Kalymnos. You can come to Leros with ferries from Piraeus or you can come from Kos and Rhodes Greece. The island of Leros is famous as other tourist Greek islands like Spetses Paros, Mykonos, Skiathos or Santorini, but is an ideal place for relaxing holidays for both families and young people.

Comet Panstarrs and M31 Above Aurora

Comet Panstarrs and M31 Above Aurora, originally uploaded by David Cartier.

One of the moments this morning when the stationary Aurora receded from drowning the deep sky pair in it's light.

It isn't

It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it., originally uploaded by Christolakis.

It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.

~ Al Gore

Berries

Berries, originally uploaded by HenryStradford.

The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors. The seeds are usually embedded in the flesh of the ovary (there are some non-fleshy exceptions, such as peppers. A plant that bears berries is said to be bacciferous or baccate (a fruit that resembles a berry, whether it actually is a berry or not, can also be called "baccate").
In everyday English, "berry" is a term for any small edible fruit. These "berries" are usually juicy, round or semi-oblong, brightly coloured, sweet or sour, and do not have a stone or pit, although many seeds may be present.
Many berries, such as the tomato, are edible, but others in the same family, such as the fruits of the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) and the fruits of the potato (Solanum tuberosum) are poisonous to humans. Some berries, such as Capsicum, have space rather than pulp around their seeds.

Step into the light

Step into the light, originally uploaded by Spyros Papaspyropoulos.

I took this photo sometime about 20 days ago and I remember waiting for these two to step into the light so I could capture them. It was late morning, early noon and the sun was still sideways, creating this lovely effect in the dark alleys of the Old Town of Rethymno.

Road to Delphi

Road to Delphi 2, originally uploaded by viewgatherer.

In The Alleys Of Astypalea

In The Alleys Of Astypalea, originally uploaded by jimbonzo079.

Astypalaia - Greece - Αστυπαλαια - Ελλαδα

Cradle Mountain

Cradle Mountain, originally uploaded by stevoarnold.

Tasmania - Cradle Mountain

Between the walls

Between the walls, originally uploaded by ~Lily_Sandrita~.

Between the walls

Photographer's Delight @ #Gergeri #Heraklion #Crete #Greece

Photographer's Delight, originally uploaded by macropoulos.

Η Γέργερη είναι μεγάλος οικισμός και έδρα του Δήμου Ρούβα της επαρχίας Καινούργιου με 1.506 κατοίκους το 2001 και με υψόμετρο 520 μέτρα. Αν προχωρήσουμε προς τα νότια η πορεία μας θα μας οδηγήσει στον Ψηλορείτη που είναι 39,6 χιλιόμετρα στο δρόμο προς Ζαρό ή Καμάρες .
Στο χωριό υπάρχει υδραγωγείο και οι ιεροί ναοί: Μεταμόρφωση του Σωτήρος, με μαρμάρινα μέλη αρχαιοτέρου ναού (εντός του οποίου είχαν σφαχτεί) από τους Τούρκους πολλοί Χριστιανοί, ο Άγιος Γεώργιος, ο Άγιος Στυλιανός και ο Προφήτης Ηλίας. Ο τελευταίος βρίσκεται σε βράχο μέσα στο χωριό και οικοδομήθηκε το 1905. Σε μικρή απόσταση είναι κτισμένη η Παναγιά η Κερά με τοιχογραφίες του 1443, αλλά καπνισμένες. Από τη θέση αυτή τουφέκισαν οι Γερμανοί 25 κατοίκους της Γέργερης.
Στα υψώματα επάνω από το χωριό βρίσκεται το μεγαλύτερο δάσος πρίνων στην Κρήτη. Είναι το δάσος του Ρούβα, το οποίο αποτέλεσε καταφύγιο των Χριστιανών κατά τις επαναστάσεις των προηγούμενων αιώνων. Στην περιοχή του Ρούβα βρίσκονται τα «μητάτα» των κτηνοτρόφων της Γέργερης, όπου το Μάιο διεξάγονται οι «κουρές». Πρόκειται για το κούρεμα των προβάτων, που συνοδεύεται από γλέντι, οινοποσία και φαγοπότι με συγγενείς και φίλους. Στις 3 Νοεμβρίου ανοίγουν για πρώτη φορά τα βαρέλια με το νέο κρασί και εορτάζεται ο πολιούχος, Άγιος Γεώργιος ο Μεθυστής.Επίσης, στο χωριό γίνεται πανηγύρι και της Υπαπαντής (2 Φεβρουαρίου).
Στο δάσος από πρίνους του Ρούβα έξω από το χωριό, αναπτύσσονται ενδημικά είδη χλωρίδας και πανίδας. Στο χωριό υπάρχει Μουσείο Φυσικής Ιστορίας και παραδοσιακή δημοτική επιχείρηση που προσφέρει όλα τα κρητικά παραδοσιακά φαγητά.
Ανάμεσα στα άλλα, λειτουργούν στο χωριό υπηρεσίες, ΚΕΠ, νηπιαγωγείο, Δημοτικό Σχολείο και Γυμνάσιο.