http://picturechoice.org/ Nature landscape and travel photography en-us Copyright (c) picturechoice.org All Rights Reserved http://www.rssfeedssubmit.com/rss-generator/ http://picturechoice.org/iceland/pics/2007061105%20Gullfoss.JPG http://picturechoice.org/ 144 400 http://www.picturechoice.org/md/prignitz/index.html The term Prignitz originally means the region north of the confluence of the Elbe and Havel rivers in Germany. This region is larger than the district and also includes large portions of the neighbouring district of Ostprignitz-Ruppin. The Elbe river forms the western border of the district. http://www.picturechoice.org/rd/ The Dominican Republic (Spanish: Republica Dominicana) is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are occupied by two countries. http://www.picturechoice.org/tuscany/ Tuscany (Italian: Toscana) is a region in Italy. It is known for its landscapes and its artistic legacy. Six Tuscan localities have been UNESCO protected sites: the historical center of Florence (1982), the historical center of Siena (1995), the square of the Cathedral of Pisa (1987), the historical center of San Gimignano (1990), the historical center of Pienza (1996) and the Val d'Orcia (2004). http://www.picturechoice.org/egypt/aswan.html Aswan or Aswanl, formerly spelled Assuan, (Arabic: Aswa-n; Ancient Egyptian: Swenet, "Trade"; Coptic: Swa-n; Ancient Greek: Syene) is a city in the south of Egypt, the capital of the Aswan Governorate. It stands on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract and is a busy market and tourist center. The modern city has expanded and includes the formerly separate community on the island of Elephantine. Aswan is one of the driest inhabited places in the world; as of early 2001, the last rain there was six years earlier. As of 6 October 2009[update], the last rainfall was a thunderstorm on May 13, 2006. In Nubian settlements, they generally do not bother to roof all of the rooms in their houses. http://www.picturechoice.org/egypt/philae_temple.html Philae (Greek: Philai; Ancient Egyptian: Pilak; Arabic: Anas el Wagud) is an island in the Nile River and the previous site of an Ancient Egyptian temple complex in southern Egypt. The complex was dismantled and relocated to a nearby island in connection to the UNESCO project started because of the construction of the High Dam, after beeing partly flooded by the first Aswan Dam for half a century. http://www.picturechoice.org/egypt/kom_ombo_temple.html Kom Ombo (Coptic: Embo; Greek: Omboi or Ombos or Latin: Ambo and Ombi is an agricultural town in Egypt famous for the Temple of Kom Ombo. It was originally an Egyptian city called Nubt, meaning City of Gold (not to be confused with the city north of Naqada that was also called Nubt/Ombos). It became a Greek settlement during the Greco-Roman Period. The town's location on the Nile 50 km north of Aswan (Syene) gave it some control over trade routes from Nubia to the Nile Valley, but its main rise to prominence came with the erection of the temple in the 2nd century BC. http://www.picturechoice.org/egypt/edfu_temple.html Edfu (also spelt Idfu or in modern French as Edfou and known in antiquity as Behdet) is an Egyptian city, located on the west bank of the Nile River between Esna and Aswan, with a population of approximately sixty thousand people. Edfu is the site of the Ptolemaic Temple of Horus and an ancient settlement, Tell Edfu (described below). About 5 km (3 miles) north of Edfu are remains of ancient pyramids. http://www.picturechoice.org/egypt/hatshepsut_temple.html Hatshepsut (or Hatchepsut), meaning Foremost of Noble Ladies, (1508 BC - 1458 BC) was the fifth pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty. http://www.picturechoice.org/egypt/nile.html The Nile (Arabic: an-ni-l, Ancient Egyptian iteru or H.'pi-, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing river in Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. http://www.picturechoice.org/egypt/luxor_temple.html Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the River Nile in the city today known as Luxor (ancient Thebes) and was founded in 1400 B.C.E. Known in the Egyptian language as ipet resyt, or "the southern sanctuary", the temple was dedicated to the Theban Triad of Amun, Mut, and Chons and was built during the New Kingdom, the focus of the annual Opet Festival, in which a cult statue of Amun was paraded down the Nile from nearby Karnak Temple (ipet-isut) to stay there for a while, with his consort Mut, in a celebration of fertility whence its name. http://www.picturechoice.org/egypt/karnak_temple.html The very old Karnak Temple Complex, usually called simply Karnak, comprises a vast conglomeration of ruined temples, chapels, pylons and other buildings, notably the Great Temple of Amen and a massive structure begun by Pharaoh Amenhotep III (ca. 1391-1351 BC). It is located near Luxor, some 500 km south of Cairo, in Egypt. http://www.picturechoice.org/desktopimages.html Full size and resolution examples for free use as desptop images. http://www.picturechoice.org/franconia/wuerzburg/index.html Wuerzburg is a city in the region of Franconia, Germany. Located on the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian. http://www.picturechoice.org/franconia/rothenburg_ob_der_tauber/index.html Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a town in the district of Ansbach of Mittelfranken (Middle Franconia) Germany, well known for its well-preserved medieval old town, a destination for tourists from around the world. In the Middle Ages, it was an Imperial Free City. A significant fraction of Rothenburg is car-free. http://www.picturechoice.org/franconia/bamberg/index.html Bamberg is a town in Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from getting near to Bamberg. Bamberg is home to nearly 7,000 foreign nationals, including over 4,100 members of the United States Army and their dependents. The name Bamberg is supposed to have its origin in the House of Babenberg. http://www.picturechoice.org/md/sanssouci/index.html Sanssouci is the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, at Potsdam, near Berlin. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it too is notable for the numerous temples and follies in Sanssouci Park. The palace was designed by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 to fulfil Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court. This is emphasized by the palace's name: a French phrase (sans souci) which translates loosely as "without cares" or "carefree" symbolising that the palace was a place for relaxation rather than a seat of power. http://www.picturechoice.org/andalusia/malaga.html Malaga is a port city in Andalusia, southern Spain, on the Costa del Sol coast of the Mediterranean. http://www.picturechoice.org/andalusia/seville.html Seville (Spanish: Sevilla) is the artistic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. http://www.picturechoice.org/andalusia/ronda.html Ronda is a city in the Spanish province of Malaga. It is located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the city of Malaga, within the autonomous community of Andalusia. http://www.picturechoice.org/andalusia/mezquita_cordoba.html The Mezquita (Spanish for "mosque") of Cordoba is a Roman Catholic cathedral and former mosque situated in the Andalusian city of Cordoba, Spain. Under the rule of Islam, it was built as the second-largest mosque in the world, and is perhaps the most accomplished monument of the Umayyad dynasty of Cordoba. http://www.picturechoice.org/andalusia/alhambra.html The Alhambra (from Arabic Al-Alhamra, literally "the red one"; the complete name was al-Qal at al-Alhamra' = "the red fortress") is a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish rulers of Granada in southern Spain (known as Al-Andalus when the fortress was constructed), occupying a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada. http://www.picturechoice.org/andalusia/alcazar.html The Alcazar of Seville (Spanish "Alcazares Reales de Sevilla" or "Royal Alcazars of Seville") is a royal palace in Seville, Spain. Originally a Moorish fort, the Alcazar (from the Arabic al-qasr, meaning "palace"). http://www.picturechoice.org/new_zealand/abel-tasman-national-park/index.html Abel Tasman National Park is a national park located at the north end of the South Island of New Zealand. The park was founded in 1942 and with a coverage of only 225.3 square kilometres, is the smallest of New Zealand's national parks. The park consists of forested, hilly country to the north of the valleys of the Takaka and Riwaka Rivers, and is bounded to the north by the waters of Golden Bay and Tasman Bay. http://www.picturechoice.org/new_zealand/coromandel/index.html The Coromandel Peninsula lies in the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Waikato region and extends 85 kilometres north from the western end of the Bay of Plenty, forming a natural barrier to protect the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames in the west from the Pacific Ocean to the east. http://www.picturechoice.org/new_zealand/waiotapu/index.html Wai-O-Tapu (Maori for Sacred Waters) is an active geothermal area just north of the Reporoa caldera in New Zealand's Taupo Volcanic Zone. The area has many hot springs noted for their colourful appearance, in addition to the Lady Knox Geyser. Prior to European occupation the area was the homeland of the Ngati Whaoa tribe who descended from those on the Arawa waka (canoe). http://www.picturechoice.org/new_zealand/waimangu/index.html Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Rotorua New Zealand. The Worlds Newest Geothermal System. In 1886, Mount Tarawera in Rotorua erupted, and destroyed the surrounding area. The eruption opened the earth along a 17-kilometre line, splitting Mount Tarawera in two, exploding Lake Rotomahana to 20 times its original size, and forming the seven craters that today make up the Waimangu Volcanic Valley Rotorua attraction. http://www.picturechoice.org/new_zealand/tongariro/index.html Tongariro National Park is the oldest national park in New Zealand, located in the central North Island. It has been acknowledged by UNESCO as one of the 25 mixed cultural and natural World Heritage Sites.Tongariro National Park was the fourth National Park established in the world. The active volcanic mountains Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro are located in the centre of the park. http://www.picturechoice.org/new_zealand/mount-cook/index.html Aoraki/Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand. It lies in the Southern Alps, the mountain range which runs the length of the South Island. A popular tourist destination, it is also a favourite challenge for mountain climbers. Aoraki/Mt Cook consists of three summits lying slightly south and east of the main divide, the Low Peak, Middle Peak and High Peak, with the Tasman Glacier to the east and the Hooker Glacier to the west. http://www.picturechoice.org/new_zealand/lake-matheson/index.html Lake Matheson is located near the Fox Glacier township on the West coast of the South Island. It is famous for its near-perfect reflected views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. Lake Matheson was formed about 14,000 years ago when the Fox Glacier retreated from its last major advance and left a depression which filled with Water. http://www.picturechoice.org/new_zealand/pancake-rocks/index.html Punakaiki is a small community on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, between Westport and Greymouth. The community lies on the edge of the Paparoa National Park. The Pancake Rocks are a popular tourist goal at Dolomite Point south of the main village. The Pancake Rocks are a heavily eroded limestone area where the sea bursts though a number of vertical blowholes during high tides. Together with the 'pancake'-layering of the limestone (created by immense pressure on alternating hard and soft layers of marine creatures and plant sediments), these form the main attraction of the area. http://www.picturechoice.org/new_zealand/milford-sound/index.html Milford Sound (Piopiotahi in Maori) is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. It has been judged the world's top travel destination in an international survey, and is acclaimed as New Zealand's own most famous tourist destination. Rudyard Kipling had previously called it the eighth Wonder of the World. http://www.picturechoice.org/new_zealand/index.html New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island) and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Maori named New Zealand Aotearoa, which is commonly translated into English as The Land of the Long White Cloud. http://www.picturechoice.org/franconia/hohenlohe_franconia.html Hohenlohe Franconia is part of Baden-Wuerttemberg in Germany and belongs to the historical region Franconia http://www.picturechoice.org/md/havelberg/index.html Havelberg is a town in the district of Stendal, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the Havel, and part of the town is built on an island in the centre of the river Havel. http://picturechoice.org/iceland/glacierwalk.html Solheimajoekull is an outlet glacier from the south-western part of the Myrdalsjoekull ice cap in Iceland. It occupies a valley trough, and is about 8 km long and 1 km broad at its broadest http://picturechoice.org/franconia/bayreuth/ Bayreuth is the capital of Upper Franconia, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Frankish Alb and the Fichtelgebirge http://picturechoice.org/swh/schaalsee/ Schaalsee is a lake in Germany. It forms part of the border between Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.It was declared a biosphere reserve in 2000 http://picturechoice.org/ls/goslar/ Goslar is a historic town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Goslar and located on the northwestern slopes of the Harz hills http://picturechoice.org/franconia/ Franconia (German: Franken) is an historic region in modern Germany http://picturechoice.org/franconia/fs/ The Franconian Switzerland is an upland in Upper Franconia and a popular tourist retreat. Located between the Pegnitz River in the east and the south, the Regnitz River in the west and the Main River in the north, its relief reaches 600 meters in height http://picturechoice.org/franconia/fs/lillachtal/ River Lillach near Weissenohe in Franconian Switzerland - a unique natural monument http://picturechoice.org/korea/ South Korea, officially known as the Republic of Korea is an East Asian state on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula http://picturechoice.org/fuerteventura/ Fuerteventura, a Spanish island, is one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa http://picturechoice.org/tenerife/ Tenerife, a Spanish island, is the largest of the seven Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa http://picturechoice.org/andalusia/ Andalusia is an autonomous community of Spain. Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest, in terms of its land area, of the seventeen autonomous communities of the Kingdom of Spain. Its capital is Seville http://picturechoice.org/rhodes/ Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, situated in eastern Aegean Sea http://picturechoice.org/grancanaria/ Gran Canaria is the third largest island of the Canary Islands, an archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean 210 km from the northwest coast of Africa and belonging to Spain http://www.picturechoice.org/md/woerlitzerpark/ The Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Woerlitz is Unesco World Heritage http://picturechoice.org/franconia/nuremberg/ Nuremberg (German: Nuernberg) is a city in the German region Franconia. It is situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and is Franconia's largest city http://picturechoice.org/swh/sylt/ Sylt is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein http://picturechoice.org/franconia/fs/eibgrat/ The dolomite cliffs of the Eibgrat near Betzenstein in Franconian Switzerland are a popular moving goal http://picturechoice.org/iceland/ Crete is a popular tourist destination; its attractions include the Minoan sites of Knossos and Phaistos as well as many other natural sites, monuments, and beaches http://picturechoice.org/crete/ Visit the beautiful nature of Iceland and its waterfalls http://picturechoice.org/rd/ The Carribean Island Dominican Republic with its palm beaches, Soana island, Sierra oriental and Bahia the San Lorenzo http://picturechoice.org/majorca/ The Balearic Island Majorca with many different sites and the Botanical garden Botanicatus http://picturechoice.org/ls/lueneburghl/ The heathland near Lueneburg in Lower Saxony Germany has a unique notion http://picturechoice.org/tyrol/ Tyrol in the Austrian Alps http://picturechoice.org/aegean/ Eastern Aegean in Turkey with its greek roman remains is the cradle of the European and Christian civilization. Visit Ephesus, Priene, Milet, Didyma, Pamukkale, Hierapolis and Ayasoluk hill with Basilica of St. John