Chartres, France

Good-bye, 2010. Au revoir, from the most magnificent of all Gothic Cathedrals. This is the central portal of Chartres' west facade. Its theme? The End of Time. The guardians of the jamb? Old Testament royalty. What an honor to be carried through an 800-year-old gateway to the great beyond. [2005]

London, England, UK

The ordinary of today becomes the memory of tomorrow. Don't go to London hoping to replicate this picture. This was one of the last deliveries of newsprint to The Daily Mail on Fleet Street, home of the British Press since the age of William Caxton and Richard Pynson. How could you possibly modernize a printing operation in a physical plant like this? [1984]

New Castle, Delaware, USA

Meet St. Peter, the most divine,
At the house of Immanuel.
Mortal remains you may leave behind
At a churchyard in the Del.
Aware he is of all you do
To keep from going to hell.
Cross the divide, go inside
And sanctify USAlf.
You'll know you're there when you do hear
The brand-New Castle bell.
[2008]

Rotarua, New Zealand

You didn't want to be here 240,000 years ago. That's when the volcano erupted, collapsed into itself, and gave birth to the Rotarua caldera, which is today occupied by a geothermal lake. That's steam, not ground fog. Anything surprising about the Maori village of Ohinemutu? Perhaps the English Tudor architecture. [2006]

Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia

Fishing Boat Harbor has become the heart of Fremantle's tourist precinct, especially during yachting season and when cruise boats call. In our mind's eye, this is what we want to see when we stroll the waterfront. The arts make it possible. [2006]

Faro, Portugal

Portugal sent Lusophonia to Brazil, and Brazil sent Bougainvillea to Portugal (albeit via the French, and not until the 18th century). Bougainvillea enjoys the sun and doesn't mind a little dryness. It seems perfectly suited to the Mediterranean climate of the Algarve and its climatic companion in North America, California. [2009]

Frederick, Maryland, USA

Healthy main streets in the hearts of homey downtowns are always a pleasure to find. Frederick has one of the best. And, it's even better at Christmas when public sculptures hail the season to be jolly. I guess this must be an earthbound reindeer since the sculpture was called "Earthbound Christmas." [2006]

Mexico City, DF, Mexico

Aztec (more precisely, Mexica) purification ceremonies take place on Mexico City's Zócalo, and they take place right in front of the Cathedral! The Zócalo is one of the great public squares of the world, a place of place-making rituals both traditional and modern. [2008]

Hanover County, Virginia, USA

America's first Thoroughbreds came to Hanover County in 1730, and here they are today. The county was named to honor the British royal family; in turn, Virginia's Thoroughbreds became the royal family of the racing industry, with colonies of their own in Kentucky. Anyone for overthrowing the British royals and renaming the county Thoroughbred County? [2005]

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

She's everywhere; she's everywhere. In Mexico, Our Lady of Guadalupe is everywhere, even sunning herself on the beach. Check out the neighbors, however; some of them look absolutely pagan. As 'Queen of Mexico,' the Blessed Virgin has been part of the nation-building apparatus, and those others haven't. [2007]

Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

'Welcome to winter,' says the Bonhomme. Specifically, welcome to the Quebec Winter Carnival, with Le Bonhomme as the guest of honor. He personifies the merriment of the low-sun season, the folk culture of the Quebecois (regardez la ceinture fléchée), and the American appetite for hamburgers. Start getting ready for the February celebration now. [2005]

Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

Built on the profits of linen and shipbuilding, Belfast City Hall looks more like a national parliament than a municipal building. Queen Victoria brought to the city a Golden Age. To say 'thank you,' the city kept her around, complete with her scepter (symbol of royal authority) and the globus cruciger (symbol of a higher, and global, authority). [2009]

Riga, Latvia

Lett's [sic] look at Latvia: not the modern landscape of Riga, but the ancient landscape of the Baltic littoral. Here's a glimpse of the pre-Christian world of folk creatures and forest spirits. Big head, no body, fat feet: What does it tell you about the Letts? And, what do you make of the living wreath on top and the sacrificial flowers below? [2003]

Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain

The Feast of the Assumption falls on August 15, and it seems like all of Toledo descends on the cathedral. After the mass is celebrated by the 'Primate of All Spain,' parishoners partake of the 'miracle water' from the cathedral's spring. Jugs are filled and refilled, passed from one to another, and never a lip do they touch. Actually, it's harder than you think. [2009]

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

It's often likened to 'drowning nuns,' but the official name is the Sydney Opera House. It rises like an island from the city's harbor, just as the island continent rises from the world ocean. Perhaps that is why this urban inselberg has become the most popular symbol of Australia. Here, aesthetes gather nightly to enjoy the world city's best symphonic art. [2006]

Uluru, Northern Territory, Australia

It's often called Ayers Rock, but the Aboriginal name is Uluru. It rises like an island from the desert plain, just as the island continent rises from the world ocean. Perhaps that is why Uluru has become the most popular symbol of Australia. Aesthetes gather nightly to watch the symphony of changing colors until darkness descends on the desert. [1988]

Canberra, ACT, Australia

Canberra is the federal capital, so it is also the place where foreign embassies locate. What is going on here in front of the Chinese Embassy could not go on in China itself. The Falun Gong, an 'evil sect' according to Chinese authorities, is protesting its demonization and persecution in the PRC. Their methods, of course, are peaceful. [2006]

Castle Rock, Colorado, USA

A beaut of a butte, isn't it?  Only a pod of condos on top would make it more beautiful. Just think what potential buyers would pay for a view of the Front Range of the Rockies. And they would have easy access to the six Starbucks in the nearby county seat (which goes by the same name, Castle Rock). [2005]

Zitácuaro, Michoacán, Mexico

It's a market along Zitácuaro's main shopping street. Here, people peddle poultry and pedestrians purchase something to make for dinner. But what's with the color of those chickens? The street says 'marigolds.' The skeptic says 'rubbed with yellow dye.' And what do the feet say? 'Make me into delicious chicken soup.' [2008]

Ordino, Andorra

There's a patina of prosperity that pervades Andorra. Ordino is no exception. Skiers come in the winter; hikers come in the summer; shoppers come year around. They all leave a few euros behind. The Andorrans use those euros to turn their landscape into a visual delight. It keeps their clients coming back. [2005]

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

What's an art lesson look like? Like this. The body language invites interaction and the public poses for a picture. "Tell me a secret," says he. Go ahead, and know that it will go no further. Public art imbues places with a joie de vivre: seize it while young, and it will last a lifetime. [2010]

Athens, Greece

In Greece, March 25 is July 4. It's the day the Greeks declared their independence from Ottoman rule, beginning a revolution that lasted nine years starting in 1821. The holiday provides the perfect opportunity for a military parade and for children to dress up like their forefathers. [2006]

Aleppo, Syria

If I were a Christian in the Middle East, I would prefer to live in Syria, a country that has spent decades building bridges between religions. Among Syria's Christians are the Armenians. You can tell this church is Armenian by observing (1) the unique khatchcar cross with its double-tipped arms, and (2) the pointed domes reposing on octagonal drums. [1996]

Jaffa, Israel

No matter what you read, there's not much of a natural harbor here. The site advantage was provided by the elevation; height made it possible to invigilate the coast. The situational advantage was the result of Jaffa's straight-line trajectory to Jerusalem. It was the port both Solomon and Herod used to acquire cedar wood from Lebanon for the temple. [2010]

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

"Imitation is the highest form of flattery": thus sayeth the nabobs of Nevada with no apologies for their lack of originality. The message is clear, though: you, too, could be as rich as a pharaoh if you hit the jackpot here at the Luxor Casino. Too bad the geography's mixed up. Egypt's Luxor is 300 miles away from the Great Sphinx and Khafre's pyramid. [1995]

Giza, Egypt

What has the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh? The 4500-year-old Great Sphinx on Egypt's Giza Plateau. The Sphinx was probably built as chief guardian of Khafre's tomb, the pyramid in the background. The problem? He doesn't look very ferocious. The body language and facial expressions suggest a creature at peace with world. [2001]

Petra, Jordan

Petra means rock. And out of the rock, the ancient city was cut. Today, it is Jordan's pride and joy, the linchpin of international tourism, made known to the world by Indiana Jones. There is no reason to believe this 'building' was a treasury, but that is what it's called. It's the first thing you see when you emerge from the rock-walled siq. [1995]

Istanbul, Turkey

"Happy is he who calls himself a Turk."  That's one of Atatürk's most famous quotes, and that's Atatürk lording it over a neighborhood square in Istanbul.  In the center is modern Turkey's father, gathered around him are his sons, and in the distance (see them?) are his daughters.  [2007]

Kalaat Samaan, Syria

Byzantine Christianity had its ascetics. One lived here in western Syria. On a pillar. For almost 40 years. Day and night. His name was Simeon, and he begat a generation of fellow 'stylites.' Each of them lived on a pillar. Now around St. Simeon's pillar are the bones of the Byzantine church built after his death. Can you see what's left of his pillar? [1993] 

Jerusalem, Israel

Which one of the following statements is correct? (a) The Golden Gate leads into Jerusalem and onto the Temple Mount. (b) The Gate of Eternal Life leads into Al Quds and onto the Haram al-Sharif. It depends on your leanings. Jews prefer the first, Muslims the second. Actually, since 1541 it has led nowhere. [2010]

Marrakech, Morocco

Green and brown. Blue and bisque.
These are the colors of Marrakech.
Shadows deep. Two palms peek
over the wall, one oblique.
[2010]

Athens, Greece

Artemis was goddess of the hunt and had a home on the Acropolis. She was assisted by, and often shown with, her dogs. Could this be one of them? Does he look like a lion hunter to you? Does this look like the Acropolis? It is. You can just catch a glimpse of the Parthenon's columns. [2006]

London, England, UK

To mark 'Black July,' London's Tamils have assembled on Trafalgar Square to remember the events of 1983 when hundreds, if not thousands, of Tamils were killed, and the civil war on Sri Lanka began. The war was proclaimed 'over' three months before this demonstration, but you wouldn't know it from the flags, militant symbols of the Liberation Tigers. [2009]

London, England, UK

Not only is the 'the colorful flag' illegal in Turkish Kurdistan, the holiday is, too. Here, in mid-March, on London's Trafalgar Square, Kurds of the diaspora celebrate the traditional Kurdish New Year, Newroz. PKK leader, Abdullah Öcalan, imprisoned by Turkey since 1999, provides an enduring rallying point of protest. [2009]

Helsinki, Finland

The flag of Kurdistan is illegal in most of Kurdistan, but it flies freely in Finland, here in front of the Finnish Parliament. Could there be a more appropriate forum than a city whose name, Helsinki, has come to symbolize human rights, self-determination, and the legitimacy of dissent? [2005]

Las Palmas, Jalisco, Mexico

For national Maize Day, always the day after Thanksgiving, let's go to the country that gave us maize: Mexico. Here in Las Palmas, not far from the Pacific Ocean, a load of corn (sorry, maize) is being delivered for manufacture into tortillas. Prepare the maize properly, fill the tortillas with beans, and you have a 'complete protein' even without the meat. [2008]

Knights Ferry, California, USA

Thanksgiving gives us a chance to reflect on the things we love, things like covered bridges. Knights Ferry bridge, completed in 1863, is now closed to traffic, but it sees many a runner dashing across the Stanislaus River. What does an investment of this magnitude tell you about the economic geography of California's gold rush? [2005] 

New York, New York, USA

Let's make the landscape safe for cyclists. Let's make it convenient, too. Over a hundred years ago, New York City built the country's first bike path. Today it has 170 miles of dedicated bike lanes on its streets. New York continues to be a leader of the rebellion against autocracy: that's rule by the auto.  What is taking its place? Velocracy! [2005]

Istanbul, Turkey

Do you see the name on the boat in the background? It tells you where you are. Haliç is the Turkish name of the Golden Horn, Istanbul's harbor. Essentially, the harbor was a fish trap, which meant that the growing city of Byzantium always had an enviable source of protein. What you see here is both an ancient and modern sketch of life in Istanbul. [2010]

Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

The Falls Road is in the heart of Republican Belfast. So is Kevin Lynch, Irish National Liberation Army volunteer, who died in 1981 on a hunger strike in prison. His image and his flag were paraded onto the streets by the West Belfast Workers Party in a show of support for the causes for which he died. (To Irish workers, it's a plough, not the 'big dipper.') [2009]

Jerusalem, Israel

Count the crosses. You are in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. Most residents here are Arab Christians, members of the Greek Orthodox church. Note how the buildings climb the ridge to the two big domes on top. The largest marks the burial place of Jesus, a place known as Golgotha in Roman times and just outside the city walls. [2010]

Madrid, Spain

What is an ancient Greek temple doing in Madrid? Symbolizing democracy, the foremost contribution of the ancient Hellenes. Inside this neoclassical edifice convenes Spain's Congress of Deputies. Outside sits a lion, commemorating victory in the African wars. Actually, the building is not so ancient, just old. It was built in the mid-19th century. [2009]

St. Augustine, Florida, USA

The lizards of St. Augustine may spend more time reading history than you do. This one was so absorbed in the life of Confederate General Loring that he didn't dart away. Phalanges like that give him real sticktoitiveness when it comes to learning. [2007]

Monaco-Ville, Monaco

Take a look at the most densely populated country in the world: Monaco. This view is from 'The Rock,' Monaco's original site. The vertical cliff is the frontier with France. Monaco's history began with La Rocher when it was fortified by the Grimaldis. At one time, this cannon repelled invaders. Today, it attracts invaders: they are known as tourists. [2008]

Paris, France

The Georges Pompidou Expressway along the right bank of the Seine disappears every summer. Out come the beach chairs, umbrellas, palm trees, and fountains. 'Paris Plage' appears. It's a super-cool use of public space during the month when most French are on their annual holiday. Doubtful it's an expressway? Look for the broken white line. [2005]

Genoa, Italy

The water, bread, and olive oil have already arrived, but no dinner companion yet. At the very least, he’ll be dining with breeze and ganders: the gentle waft from the Mediterranean and gentle gazes from nearby rooftops. Wanna bet he didn't order spaghetti and meatballs? [2008]

Jerusalem, Israel

The sun is setting and shabbat is about over. Two young men, Orthodox Jews, romp across the rooftops of Jerusalem. They are silhouetted by the Dome of the Rock. The Mount of Olives forms the backdrop. In three layers you see the city of three faiths: Judaism, Islam, Christianity. The concept?  Sacred-space compression. [2010]

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Plovdiv is the Slavic version of Philippopolis. The city was taken over and re-named by Philip II 2400 years ago. I guess we know where Alexander got his naming habits. Here is the Macedonian king presiding over Dzhumaya Square today. In his hand he holds the key to understanding the city's site: three hills, the link between history and geography. [2010]

Girona, Catalonia, Spain

Rivers open up the urban landscape, become reflecting pools on sunny days, and turn the visual world upside down. You might like the bridge over the Onyar, but you will like it twice as much when multiplied by two. The Onyar reflects Girona's cultural landscape like the facets of a diamond. In Girona, Catalan culture just sparkles. [2005] 

Front Royal, Virginia, USA

The Skyline High School Band gets ready for a concert in front of the county court house on Veterans Day, this year domed by blue skies and watched over by the Methodist Church in the background. Scenes like this have played out on Main Streets all across the United States every November 11th since 1919. [2010]