Oranjestad, Aruba

The Dutch built Fort Zoutman (see the cannon?) in the 1790s. Around it developed the town of Oranjestad, the island's capital, which was named after the House of Orange. The tower was added to the fort in the mid-1800s and once served as a lighthouse. [2017]

Palm Beach, Aruba

Don't worry. Green iguanas are entirely vegetarian and good-tempered. This one is a male: See the spiny back ridge and the dewlap under his chin? Fortunately, green iguanas and their lizard cousins, the whiptails, seem entirely happy to share the island with 100,000 homo sapiens. [2017]

Palm Beach, Aruba

The colors suggest Caribbean. The mill suggests Holland. The conch suggests seaside. Where are you? The Dutch Caribbean 1499. Here in Aruba, they like to add 1499, their year of founding. Aruba is a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. [2017]

Bloomfield, New Mexico, USA

B stands for Bloomfield. There are over 30 'mountain monograms' in New Mexico. Who do you think built this one? The Scouts or the Seniors? Because maintenance is required and because governments have more regulations than ever, many hillside letters are disappearing from the landscape of the western U.S. [2013]

Virginia City, Nevada, USA

V stands for Virginia City. There are almost 60 hillside monograms in Nevada and perhaps 500 in the western United States. Why are these geoglyphs uncommon in the East? Think: physical geography. [2001]

Chloride, Arizona, USA

C stands for Chloride. It may be a ghost town, but there are enough people left to show some local pride by rocking out a monogram on the hillside overlooking town. In the state of Arizona, there are almost 60 towns (or schools) which have used initials to give their genius loci someplace to dance. [2009]

Moab, Utah, USA

The first of April marks the beginning of full-fledged spring, so get out those bicycles and start enjoying the great outdoors. But, if your bike looks like this: time to trade it in! And, if your body looks like this: time to build some muscles! No foolin'! [2013]