Jogjakarta, Indonesia

Indonesia depends on the Roman alphabet as the script for its official language, Bahasa Indonesia. On this street sign, however, the 'language of Indonesia' must share the spotlight with an ethnoregional tongue, Javanese, which has its own alphabet. JL is an abbreviation for jalan, meaning street. [2016]

Jogjakarta, Java, Indonesia

Hanging out! All it takes is a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals. The scene is repeated all over the world: We hope without the graffiti. But even the graffiti may be nothing more than an expression of humans' gregarious nature. [2016]

Solar Salt Works, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

The Bonaire salt works occupy the entire southern part of the island. The area is low lying and only 12 degrees north of the equator. That makes the sun intense and the Trade Winds steady: ideal combinants for evaporation. The Trade Winds also power the wind mills that pump sea water onto the flats. Once again, nature allows itself to be commercialized. [2017]

Victoria Park, Western Australia, Australia

Here's a 20th century windmill that was originally built as an advertisement. Its only purpose was attracting attention to a local merchant selling tiles and building materials. Now, it is the single most recognized landmark in suburban Victoria Park. [2006]

Aegina Island, Greece

Need a definition of 'pre-industrial'? Here it is. It seems like what pre-dated the fossil fuel era is now a fossil of its own. But not really, for these visual reminders of the past have been re-purposed for tourism. There are hundreds of mills like this across the Greek Aegean. [2004]

Roswell, New Mexico, USA

Aliens or mariachis? Perhaps both. In fact, those mysterious space creatures who landed in the 1940s have simply blended in with the local population. Is this an example of assimilation or acculturation? [2016]

Roswell, New Mexico, USA

For teachers: Here's a project idea to connect your students with their community. Re-design the street lights in town to mimic a unique element of local geography. In Roswell, they have chosen from the realm of cultural geography (perhaps imagined). Is this what Jane Jacobs meant when she wrote about "eyes on the street"? [2016]