Miscellaneous

[AUSTRALIA.NTERRITORY 9828] 'Uluru seen from close by.' Uluru (Ayers Rock) seen from close by, in the light of sunrise. Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRALIA.NTERRITORY 9842] 'Desert flowers near Uluru.' After a rare rainshower, desert flowers called Rosy Dock (Rumex vesicarius) pop up at the base of Uluru (Ayers Rock). Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRALIA.NTERRITORY 9860] 'Desert flowers near Kata Tjuta.' Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) is as spectacular as Uluru (Ayers Rock), 25 km to the east. Here it is seen at sunset. The white bushes are called Cotton Bush (Ptilotus obovatus). Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRALIA.QUEENSLAND 9881] 'Endeavour River and Cooktown.' The Endeavour River, a beautiful rainforest river, got its name after the ship of captain Cook, that was wrecked on the corals in the river mouth and that was repaired on the spot where Cooktown is situated today, in Far North Queensland. Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRALIA.SYDNEY 9918] 'Sydney.' Sydney, with its Opera House as world famous icon, is a very livable city. And great for eating out, since all cultures are present. One of the neighbourhoods where life is good is The Rocks, at right on the foreground. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 11005] 'Forest in Brocken National Park.' The granite of the higher regions of the Brocken national park is weathered into peculiar cliffs, locally called "klippen". Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 11007] 'Marienkirche and vineyards in Freyburg.' The romanesque towers of the Marienkirche in Freyburg date from the first half of the 13th century. The town of Freyburg lies in the Unstrut valley, known for its Unstrut-Saale wines and, localy, the Rotkäppchen Sekt. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 11009] 'Rolling fields.' Rolling fields are the characteristic landscape of the area bordering the Harz mountains to the north. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 11011] 'Market square of Stendal.' The statue of Roland, dating 1525, is symbol for Stendal's membership of the Hanseatic League, a medieval alliance of mostly northgerman trading cities. Such cities are famous for their brick architecture, as shown here in the town hall and the towers of the Marienkirche. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 11016] 'Island town Werder.' Werder is situated on an island in river Havel, not far from the outskirts of Berlin. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.HESSEN 11018] 'Winter in Marburg.' Skating on a frozen river Lahn. Marburg is one of the smallest university cities of Germany and thanks to its students and to its mainly intact medieval towncenter it is a very pleasant city to live in and to visit. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSEN 11020] 'Nikolaikirche in Leipzig.' Originally the vaults of the Nikolaikirche in Leipzig were late-gothic (as is still the exterior of the church), but between 1784 and 1797 the complete interior was remodeled by German architect Johann Carl Friedrich Dauthe in the neoclassical style. On 4 September 1989 it was in this church that the peaceful demonstrations started that grew into the movement that brought down the communistic regime of East Germany. Photo Paul Smit.

[FRANCE.PROVENCE 10764] 'Les Baux-de-Provence.' Les Baux-de-Provence is one of the most beautiful villages of the Provence. If you don't want to be part of the masses, visit it out of high season or in the evening. Photo Paul Smit.

[FRANCE.COTEDAZUR 5775] 'Having diner in Mougins.' If you love the Provence Mougins has it all: good food, lots of art galleries, a photo museum, all within the medieval town wall. Photo Paul Smit.

[GREATBRITAIN.SCOTLAND 11022] 'Loch Clair near Torridon.' Wester Ross is one of the wildest regions of Scotland and known for its Torridon Mountains. Loch Clair is flanked by Liathach in the distance and Beinn Eighe at right. Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRALIA.NTERRITORY 9832] 'Uluru seen from close by.' Uluru (Ayers Rock) seen from close by, in early morning light. Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRALIA.NTERRITORY 9856] 'Desert flowers near Kata Tjuta.' Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) is as spectacular as Uluru (Ayers Rock), 25 km to the east. Here it is seen at sunset. The white bushes are called Cotton Bush (Ptilotus obovatus). Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRALIA.QUEENSLAND 9879] 'Lighthouse on Grassy Hill near Cooktown.' From the top of Grassy Hill, next to Cooktown in Far North Queensland, captain Cook looked out over the Coral Sea after his ship was repaired. He intended to find a route to the open sea through the coral riffs. Nowadays a lighthouse stands on Grassy Hill. Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRALIA.QUEENSLAND 9882] 'Endeavour River.' The Endeavour River, a beautiful rainforest river, got its name after the ship of captain Cook, that was wrecked on the corals in the river mouth and that was repaired on the spot where Cooktown is situated today, in Far North Queensland. Photo Paul Smit.

[CZECHIA.BOHEMIA.U 11004] 'Forest in Kamenice gorge. Lush forest in the Kamenice gorge in Bohemian Switzerland, part of the České Švýcarsko National Park (Bohemian Switzerland National Park). Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 11006] 'Selke Valley Railway.' The Selke Valley Railway (Selketalbahn) is a narrow-gauge railway, winding through the friendly lower Harz mountains. Rare steam engines are used, of which only 27 have been ever built. This one, 99 7233, dates from 1954. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 11008] 'Marienkirche and vineyards in Freyburg.' The romanesque towers of the Marienkirche in Freyburg date from the first half of the 13th century. The town of Freyburg lies in the Unstrut valley, known for its Unstrut-Saale wines and, localy, the Rotkäppchen Sekt. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 11010] 'Fortified cathedral at Havelberg.' The Domburg rises above the Havel river in the town of Havelberg. This fortified cathedral, with its romanesque tower and gothic hall and monastery buildings, is an exemple of the brick architecture typical for northern Germany. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 11012] 'Stolberg.' Stolberg, with its many half-timbered houses, is one of the perls of the Harz mountains. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.HESSEN 11017] 'Marburg by night.' Marburg is one of the smallest university cities of Germany and thanks to its students and to its mainly intact medieval towncenter it is a very pleasant city to live in and to visit. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSEN 11019] 'St. Annenkirche in Annaberg-Buchholz.' When elsewhere the Renaissance had started, in Germany the late gothic style celebrated its last jolt of splendour. The vaults of the St. Annenkirche in Annaberg-Buchholz date from 1513. Actually they are self-supporting; the ribs were added later and have solely a decorative function. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.THÜRINGEN 11021] 'Rainbow over the Thüringen plain.' A large part of the state of Thuringia (Thüringen) consists of rolling plains, called the Thüringer Becken. It is a country of wheat and poppies. Photo Paul Smit.

[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 5529] 'Digne-les-Bains.' Digne-les-Bains, where the Provence reaches the Alps. Photo Paul Smit.

[FRANCE.VOSGES 9158] 'Magical forest.' The Vosges mountains in the northeast of France are covered with forest. This magical spot, deep in the forest, can be found near Haute Koenigsbourg. Photo Paul Smit.

[GREATBRITAIN.SOUTH 2253] ’Exmoor's coast.’ Exmoor has a high and beautiful cliff coast. A spectacular path connects Lynmouth and Heddon's Mouth. Photo Paul Smit.