Oslofjord and Harbor – Oslo, Norway

 

City Hall (Radhuset)

 Situated at the head of the 60 mile long Oslofjord is the City of Oslo and it’s beautiful  harbor and City Hall. This view from the plaza behind City Hall (Radhuset) is probably one of the nicest views you will find from any City Hall in the world. Each December the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in the central hall of the Radhuset, although the general Nobel Prize ceremony actually occurs in Stockholm’s City Hall. In 1931, Oslo tore down a slum and began constructing its richly decorated City Hall which showcases murals of town folk, country folk and people from all classes and walks of life working harmoniously for a better society. Construction was delayed by WW II and finally finished in 1950. Access to the harbor front and other areas of downtown were turned into a relatively quite and pedestrian friendly area when the city levied a traffic-discouraging 20 kroner toll for every car entering town. The Oslofjord is a playground with 40 city-owned park-like islands.

Lago Roca – Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

 As you head south on Route 3 and pass through the city of Ushuaia, the winding road climbs to the west behind the city and ends at the entrance to Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego. Here you will find Lago Roca, a large lake that is hemmed in by the mountains and ultimately flows out into the Beagle Channel. Both the lake and Tierra del Fuego National Park are shared by Argentina and Chile. The park is ideal for camping, horseback riding, hiking, kayaking and bird watching. Adjacent to the lake you will find the Lago Roca Cabana del Bosque campground and restaurant from which you can base your activities to explore the end of the world.

The Blowhole – Espanola, Galapagos Islands

 The blowhole on the west side of Espanola is one of the obligatory photo stops in the Galapagos Islands. With all of the wildlife found on Espanola you should not overlook the beautiful scenery, but look out for the marine iguanas and the sea lions enjoying the spray created by the blowhole. Just to the south of the blowhole is an area known as the runway. It is called the runway because it is the take off point for the waved albatross. Because the albatross cannot take off from the ground, they need to get a running start and jump off the cliff to get airborne.

Terra-cotta Warriors – Xi’an, China

 

Army of Terra-cotta Warriors

 In 1974, a peasant digging a well stumbled upon one of China’s greatest archaeological findings. Realizing that he had discovered something of historical significance, he contacted the authorities. So far, the archeologists have excavated four pits that contain the 2,000 year old army of terra-cotta warriors. The terra-cotta army is a grandiose expression of imperial power by Emperor Qinshi Huangdi, who united China for the first time under the Qin dynasty. He embarked on a series of huge construction projects including the great wall. The army of terra-cotta warriors is interned within the outer wall of the emperor’s mausoleum. In pit number one is the main army of 6,000 soldiers. Each terra-cotta warrior represents an individual man. The tallest warrior stands over 6 feet tall and each was equipped with a bronze weapon that is still sharp today. Originally each of the warriors was colorfully painted although the paint has faded from most of the warriors. A few still show traces of the original colors.

 

Kilkenny Castle – Kilkenny, Ireland

 

Set in a commanding position overlooking the River Nore is the Kilkenny Castle. This Norman fortress, which was built in the 1190′s, is one of Ireland’s most famous castles. For centuries, the castle was the home of the Butler dynasty which controlled much of southeast Ireland in the Middle Ages. The Anglo-Norman Butler family came to power in the 1390′s and held power for 500 years. The castle was occupied until 1935, but because the cost of upkeep became exorbitant, the descendants of the Butler family donated the Kilkenny Castle to the nation in 1967.

  

Pyramid Lake – Jasper National Park, Canada

 Located just a short 7 kilometer hike from downtown Jasper is Pyramid Lake. For those that don’t want to hike, there is a winding road that will also get you to the lake. Pyramid Lake is a popular spot in Jasper National Park for picnicking, horseback riding, fishing, canoeing, windsurfing and boating in the summer. In the winter you can try cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice skating on the lake. There is a footbridge that leads to a small island in the middle of the lake from which you can enjoy a spectacular view of Pyramid Mountain. On a sunny day the mountain shines an exquisite orange-red because of its iron-rich rock. Even on a cloudy day you can still see the beautiful color of the mountain.

Mount Cook National Park – New Zealand

Mount Cook National Park is the king of New Zealand’s National Parks. Located on the south island, Mt. Cook along with Fiordland and Westland National Parks have been incorporated into a World Heritage Area. Of the 27 New Zealand mountains reaching over 3050 meters (10,000 feet), 22 of them are located within Mount Cook National Park. At a height of 3755 meters (12,400 feet) Mt. Cook, also known as Aoraki to the Maori’s, is the granddaddy of all New Zealand and Australasia mountains. The Mt. Cook alpine region has always been the focus of climbing in New Zealand. It was the training ground for Sir Edmund Hillary, the New Zealander who was the first person in the world to climb Mount Everest.

Old Town – Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg’s “Old Town” is one of the best preserved city centres north of the Alps. It has internationally renowned baroque architecture and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Salzburg was the birthplace of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and was also the setting for parts of the musical and film The Sound of Music.

Traces of human settlements have been found in the area dating to the Neolithic Age. The first settlements at Salzburg were apparently begun by the Celts around the 5th century BC. Around 15 BC the separate settlements were merged into one city by the Roman Empire. The Roman city was called Juvavum. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Juvavum declined sharply and by the late 7th century it had become a “near ruin”. Saint Rupert is credited with the city’s rebirth in the 8th century. When he was asked to become Bishop, Rupert surveyed the river for the site of his Basilica. Then he renamed the city “Salzburg”, a name that means “Salt Castle”, derived from the barges carrying salt on the Salzach River.

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest at Temple of Heaven – Beijing, China

 

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest

The Temple of Heaven, located just a short distance to the southeast of the Forbidden City in the heart of Beijing, is a supreme example of Ming Dynasty architecture. The temple is set in a vast 660 acre park and is where the emperor would conduct the most significant ceremonies and rites of the year. The Temple of Heaven was a regal domain and off-limits to the common people. In 1918 the temple was opened to the public and extensive renovation work has been carried out. The most striking edifice is the tall circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest which was built in 1420. Emperor Yongle’s feng shui masters determined this as the exact point where heaven and earth met. The roundness of the conical roof symbolizes the extent of heaven. The 120 foot high vault was skillfully slotted together without using a single nail.

Hand of God – Ravenna, Italy

Apse of Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna

Rodin Sculpture – Paris

The Gates of Hell – Rodin Museum

 This weeks photo challenge made me think a little harder about my travel photos which included hands. Sure I could have use a photo of my hand holding a beer since it is a tradition for us to take a photo of our first beer on every trip. But that was too lame.  So I decided to go with the “Hand of God” in the mosaic of the apse of Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna. The top photo is a close up the “Hand of God”   protruding from the clouds. The second shows the decoration of entire apse which dates to the 6th century. If you look closely you can see hand located above the cross. But I could not leave Rodin, considered the father of modern sculpture, out of a photo challenge on hands. Rodin would often exaggerate the size of the hands on his sculptures. The third photo is a good example of an oversized hand. The final photo is of a hand protruding from Rodin’s famous sculpture “the Gates of Hell.”