Aurora borealis over Vee Lake near Yellowknife, Canada (@ Michael Ericsson/Getty Images)

Aurora borealis over Vee Lake near Yellowknife, Canada (@ Michael Ericsson/Getty Images)

comments,

• It may look like a huge lava lamp…""But this sky is entirely unplugged
• This celestial canvas comes courtesy of the nighttime northern lights.""What sets this sky on fire?
• A piping hot fire, a cozy teepee, and thou.""Here\s what date night looks like up here
• It\s best to bring a few sweaters, coats, and plenty of hot cocoa for a night like this.""You\re under the Auroral Oval here

Marismas del Odiel Biosphere Reserve, Huelva Province, Andalusia, Spain (@ Martin Ruegner/Getty Images)

Marismas del Odiel Biosphere Reserve, Huelva Province, Andalusia, Spain (@ Martin Ruegner/Getty Images)

comments,

• You\re sharing this bird\s-eye view with more than 200 avian species known to frequent this place.""Get a close-up of their biosphere reserve
• Just down the coast from this protected nature reserve, you\ll find…""An old stomping ground reputedly founded by Hercules
• They say a famous barber set up shop in a nearby city.""Drop in for more than just a shave and a haircut
• When flat river deltas mingle with salty ocean waters, they create a marshy environment…""That may be best left to the birds

Detail of a banana leaf, Mainau Island, Germany (@ Egon Bömsch/Age fotostock)

Detail of a banana leaf, Mainau Island, Germany (@ Egon Bömsch/Age fotostock)

comments,

• Gentle lines and tropical colors are standard features of this…""High-performance solar energy panel
• What is a baroque palace doing on a “tropical” island like this?""Check out this leaf\s home, not far from the Rhone
• Some people eat off paper, while others prefer china.""But here\s a “plate” that really allows you to get into the food
• Although the frond of this plant is used in cooking, most people just eat its fruit.""It\s time to go beyond bread and really start cooking

Interior of Marble Caves, General Carrera Lake, Chile (@ Danita Delimont/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Interior of Marble Caves, General Carrera Lake, Chile (@ Danita Delimont/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

comments,

• Some call this blue sculpted gem the Marble Cathedral.""How heavenly can a cave be?
• Your reward for traveling the mostly unpaved Carretera Austral highway and boarding a series of ferries:""A journey along one of the most beautiful roads in the world
• Patagonia meets the Lake District just north of this watery cave.""Travelers often begin their journey to the region in this Pacific port city
• You\ll find this island in one of the largest lakes in South America.""But if you go, which Andean country will be stamped in your passport?

Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park in St. Paul, Minnesota (@ Joe Mamer/Age fotostock)

Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park in St. Paul, Minnesota (@ Joe Mamer/Age fotostock)

comments,

• The gardens of this Victorian conservatory impress visitors even in the chilliest weather.""Marjorie, Marjorie, quite extraordinary, how does your garden grow?
• Behind this glass expanse is one of the Midwest\s largest collections of “trees in a pot.”""At least, that\s what the Japanese call these pint-sized specimens
• Around here, folks claim the women are strong, the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.""Get the local news from Lake Wobegon
• You\ll find this conservatory in the northern reaches of the Upper Midwest.""And the best thing about it? Baby, it\s warm inside!

Stromatolites at dawn in Shark Bay, Western Australia (@ Frans Lanting/Corbis)

Stromatolites at dawn in Shark Bay, Western Australia (@ Frans Lanting/Corbis)

comments,

• These rock-like formations contain some of the oldest living fossils on earth.""Think of them as 3.5-billion-year-old history books that can get wet
• Today, local blokes are inviting their mates over to throw snags on the barbie.""After all, they\ve got something to celebrate down here
• Perhaps you\re acquainted with the “chicken of the sea”?""Then you should really meet this region\s bodacious bovine of the bottom
• Believe it or not, you\re looking at the site of the largest seagrass meadow on Earth. But before you dip your toe in the water…""Consider the name of this bay

Mantles of giant clams in Kingman Reef, Pacific Ocean (@ Brian J. Skerry/Getty Images)

Mantles of giant clams in Kingman Reef, Pacific Ocean (@ Brian J. Skerry/Getty Images)

comments,

• When these bivalves are still young, they hunker down on the first coral they can find…""Where they become couch potatoes of epic proportions
• Massive mollusks like these were once considered man-eaters and monsters of the deep.""Is there any truth to those clams, er claims?
• These fanciful ribbons seem to smile for the camera. But swim up close…""And you\ll wish you\d brought your wide-angle lens
• Home for these colorful clams is on a coral reef in the warm, shallow water of the central Pacific ocean.""You\ll find it smack dab in the middle of nowhere

Three alphorn players from the International Alphorn Society perform in Fort Kent, Maine (@ Don Emmert/Getty Images)

Three alphorn players from the International Alphorn Society perform in Fort Kent, Maine (@ Don Emmert/Getty Images)

comments,

• You don\t often see foxy ladies playing these long, loud horns on a sunny beach…""But that doesn\t mean it doesn\t happen
• You\ll have to climb every mountain and maybe even ford every stream…""To blow your horn for one of these recording deals
• Why in the world would you build a horn this long? And who would play it if you did?""People communicated in funny ways before we all had electricity
• When these guys are done jamming, they might join some of their friends…""For a little group photo

Fireworks at Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia (@ Tan Lian Hock/Asia RM/Age footstock)

Fireworks at Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia (@ Tan Lian Hock/Asia RM/Age footstock)

comments,

• Families are gathering here today to celebrate the end of winter.""But why have they turned on every light in the house?
• For 30 days each year, this ordinarily serene temple stays up late to illuminate the night sky.""That may not sound peaceful to you, but if any place can pull it off, it\s here
• Say you saw a 112-foot serpent slithering toward you on a nearby street. Would you run or stand your ground?""You have to ask yourself: Do you feel lucky? Well, do you?
• If you arrive in this “happy valley” today, just know that most everyone is taking the day off to celebrate the New Year.""But you\re welcome to walk around and look at the lights

Umbrellas on a beach in Cape Town, South Africa (@ Roger Wright/Getty Images)

Umbrellas on a beach in Cape Town, South Africa (@ Roger Wright/Getty Images)

comments,

• Where do folks around here take their umbrellas when there\s not a hint of rain?""Locals like to choose from among these hot spots
• If you come here for a cool Atlantic dip, you won\t be alone.""Look up and you\ll see the local gentle giant
• When Old Man Winter gets you down, it\s time to get outta town. Or even outta the hemisphere.""Take a dreamy look at some of the sunnier places like this one, way down south
• Your mission: Sit down on a sandy beach, survey the sky, sip a “sundowner” drink.""Revived? Stand up. You have this multicultural mecca to explore

Frosted bearberry (uva-ursi) bush on the tundra in the Yukon, Canada (@ Peter Van Rhijn/Corbis)

Frosted bearberry (uva-ursi) bush on the tundra in the Yukon, Canada (@ Peter Van Rhijn/Corbis)

comments,

• Would uva-ursi by any other name smell as sweet?""Ask the bears
• A certain hairy omnivore will devour thousands of berries from bushes like these every hour.""How much food does it take to satisfy a hungry bear?
• For centuries, herbalists have used the dried leaves of this plant for medicinal purposes.""Before you start munching, take some advice from an expert
• You\ll find these hardy alpine bushes across the northernmost areas of Asia, Europe, and North America.""So where does this icy shrub happen to set her roots?

King Penguin colony on South Georgia Island (@ Frans Lanting/Corbis)

King Penguin colony on South Georgia Island (@ Frans Lanting/Corbis)

comments,

• Another day, gone to the birds.""You might as well dust off the tux and join them
• Another species can claim the prize for world\s biggest penguin.""But around here, these guys are still king
• Life down here is no bed of roses.""Sometimes, you can\t even trust your neighbors…
• When Captain Cook set foot on this island in 1775, he promptly named it in honor of King George III.""But it\s these flightless fowl who rule this roost

Revelstoke Dam, British Columbia, Canada (@ Christopher Morris/Corbis)

Revelstoke Dam, British Columbia, Canada (@ Christopher Morris/Corbis)

comments,

• The power of water turns the lights on here.""What is this dam site?
• Take a twisty-turny drive along these shores...""And enjoy the view
• Where might the next man-made source of electricity come from?""Hint: Power from the people
• Turning darkness to dawn, this dam is harvesting the energy…""Of a mighty river

A worker walks across the Luang Pu Thuad statue near Ayutthaya, Thailand (@ Kozz Lig/Demotix/Corbis)

A worker walks across the Luang Pu Thuad statue near Ayutthaya, Thailand (@ Kozz Lig/Demotix/Corbis)

comments,

• Travelers adore this country\s ancient temples, sandy beaches, and welcoming people.""Welcome to the \"golden land\"
• After suffering devastating floods in this area last year…""Massive cleanup efforts are restoring it to its former grandeur
• After the quiet contemplation of a monument so grand…""Aren\t you feeling a little hungry?
• Buddhists and others may visit this larger-than-life statue in person.""But it\s common to take the smaller-than-life version on the go

Fishing village of Reine, in the Lofoten Islands, Norway (@ Frank Krahmer/Corbis)

Fishing village of Reine, in the Lofoten Islands, Norway (@ Frank Krahmer/Corbis)

comments,

• People have flourished in this fishing village for over 300 years.""Winters may be harsh, but you can\t beat the views
• Crossing the wild Moskenstraumen takes courage and skill.""What makes the local sailors so nervous?
• Up here within the Arctic Circle, winter days are super short.""But the tradeoff is the summer night sky
• What do you do when the snow piles up and the dogs can\t wait to pull the sled?""You accept the Norske challenge!

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C. (@ Mladen Antonov/Getty Images)

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C. (@ Mladen Antonov/Getty Images)

comments,

• Pastor, activist, peacemaker, and crusader against injustice and inequality.""January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968
• Originally, the unveiling of this monument was planned on the 48th anniversary of a landmark speech.""But then Irene stormed in and delayed the event
• The peaceful “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom” took place near here, 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.""It earned a simpler title after drawing a sea of 250,000 participants
• This man\s landmark speech, delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, still rings loud and pure.""Listen to it now

Roof of the British Museum’s Great Court in London, England (@ D.V.A./age footstock)

Roof of the British Museum’s Great Court in London, England (@ D.V.A./age footstock)

comments,

• Those who live in glass houses…""Would really dig this place
• What do you call a pattern like this, made by 1,656 pairs of windows?""A titillating tessellation
• Here\s a challenge: Step inside this grand museum…""And try to experience eons of world history in less than one week
• If you ever visit Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, or Big Ben…""This museum\s only a stone\s throw away

Reflection on Blue Lake, adjacent to St. Bathans, Central Otago, New Zealand (@ Colin Monteath/age footstock)

Reflection on Blue Lake, adjacent to St. Bathans, Central Otago, New Zealand (@ Colin Monteath/age footstock)

comments,

• If the turquoise hue of this lake seems almost unnatural, you\re not entirely wrong.""This man-made lake really lives up to its name
• Thanks to a blockbuster film franchise, the mountains beyond this lake...""Are known to moviegoers as Middle Earth
• Right now it\s summertime in the land Down Under, and that means getting outside.""Of course, traveling with a “model” companion is always a bonus
• Glaciers carved deep fjords out of the surrounding mountains, creating such dramatic settings…""It\s considered one of the world\s top travel destinations

People fishing at sunset in Kerala, India (@ Anders Blomqvist/Lonely Planet Images)

People fishing at sunset in Kerala, India (@ Anders Blomqvist/Lonely Planet Images)

comments,

• This isn\t your everyday fishing pole.""But how\s it work?
• Dense coconut forests line the shores here, interlaced by lagoons and backwaters that teem with sea life.""So, what\s for dinner?
• People live and work on the water around here.""It\s only natural that this is how they play
• Even when you\re standing on terra firma, you still see water for miles and miles here.""Welcome to the \"Queen of the Arabian Sea\"

Great Horned Owl in Alberta, Canada (@ Wayne Lynch/Corbis)

Great Horned Owl in Alberta, Canada (@ Wayne Lynch/Corbis)

comments,

• “Who, who, who…”""Who wants to know?
• After she eats her prey, this bird leaves a pellet behind.""(Hint: It\s not what you\re thinking)
• Because her peepers are so huge, there\s not enough skull space for them to move side to side.""Wait \till you see her head spin all crazy-like
• Our feathered friend flies mostly over the rural outposts of North America.""She posed for this portrait in a provincial place with a dazzling backdrop

Skeins of fabric hung out to dry in the dyers’ souk, Marrakech, Morocco (@ Peter Adams Photography Ltd./Getty Images)

Skeins of fabric hung out to dry in the dyers’ souk, Marrakech, Morocco (@ Peter Adams Photography Ltd./Getty Images)

comments,

• This beautiful “sunset” was brought to you by…""Once-drab skeins of drying fabric
• In the States, you have department stores, downtowns, and malls.""But here, smart shoppers browse these
• Could this fabric have been dyed with the most expensive spice in the world?""See how the pricey spice is used in local kitchens
• From the color of its clay dwellings to the hue and aroma of its spices…""This magical city delights the senses

Encounter Restaurant in LAX International Airport, Los Angeles, California (@ Tom Paiva/Getty Images)

Encounter Restaurant in LAX International Airport, Los Angeles, California (@ Tom Paiva/Getty Images)

comments,

• You can have a fine meal up here, with a lovely 360-degree view…""Of the airport?
• If this wasn\t so close to Hollywood…""We\d have a pretty good idea where this retro-futuristic saucer came from
• You\ll find this sunburst smack-dab in the middle of the third-busiest airport in the country.""Which airport tops the list?
• The City of Angels boasts well over 300 days of sunshine a year.""It\s not just the movie stars who wear shades around here

Female green ringtail possum with a joey in her pouch, Queensland, Australia (@ Dave Watts/Visuals Unlimited, Inc.)

Female green ringtail possum with a joey in her pouch, Queensland, Australia (@ Dave Watts/Visuals Unlimited, Inc.)

comments,

• To see these bug-eyed fur balls up close...""You\ll have to climb some trees
• Although this pair has a common ancestry with our North American marsupial…""They don\t play the same game
• This continent is crawling with critters sporting “purses.”""It\s one way the mamas carry their precious cargo
• If you think these arboreal marsupials look out of this world, perhaps it\s no coincidence they live in the outer limits…""Of a neighborhood that was long ago visited by a heavyweight extraterrestrial

Astronomical clock on the Zytglogge tower in Bern, Switzerland (@ Blaine Harrington/age fotostock)

Astronomical clock on the Zytglogge tower in Bern, Switzerland (@ Blaine Harrington/age fotostock)

comments,

• This clock has been chiming here since 1530. It\s a cause for great national pride…""Even in a country that produces half the world\s watches
• Legend has it, the founder of this city said he\d name the town after the first animal he saw on his next hunt, which turned out to be a bear.""Do you think he\d have mentioned seeing a squirrel?
• This centuries-old timepiece tells you not just the hour, but also the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, and zodiacal constellations.""And yet, its name simply means “time bell”
• Every hour on the hour…""Those little figurines find cause to frolic

Fairy basslet fish in blooms of lettuce coral near the Phoenix Islands, Kiribati, Micronesia (@ Paul Nicklen/National Geographic/Getty Images)

Fairy basslet fish in blooms of lettuce coral near the Phoenix Islands, Kiribati, Micronesia (@ Paul Nicklen/National Geographic/Getty Images)

comments,

• Pay a visit to this vast marine protected area and you\ll have a chance to swim…""With these and more than 500 other species of finned friends
• All members of this fish species are born female, but some later become male.""No wonder their name hints at magical powers
• Experts predict that some nearby islands…""Will join these fish underwater by the end of the century
• Though you may be tempted to toss a little vinaigrette on there and call it salad…""You\d surely break a tooth on this “lettuce”

Skier making turns on a ridge near Valdez, Alaska (@ Wink Inc./Footage Search)

Skier making turns on a ridge near Valdez, Alaska (@ Wink Inc./Footage Search)

comments,

• This is one outdoor activity where you\re expected…""To leave your tracks behind
• If you want to ski this stuff, there\s a project here that\s geared toward finding new areas.""Ironically, many are on older, forgotten slopes
• A long pipe of bubbling crude runs 800 miles from the Arctic across rugged, frozen terrain…""Before it ends up in the port town at the base of these mountains
• To get way up here, you likely need a lift of the flying sort.""After all, the tops of these peaks are a long hike up

Green leaf mantis (@ Norbert Wu/Corbis)

Green leaf mantis (@ Norbert Wu/Corbis)

comments,

• If there\s one thing freakier than a single mantis…""It\s a whole screen of \em
• Having someone special for dinner tonight?""Serve up some of these creepy-crawly recipes
• In a match between predator and prey…""Only one can survive
• Cousins of this bug are scattered around the globe.""But this little greenie was found on a Central American isthmus

Ancient city of Bagan, Myanmar (@ Philippe Body/Hemis/Corbis)

Ancient city of Bagan, Myanmar (@ Philippe Body/Hemis/Corbis)

comments,

• The oldest of these temples has endured for over 900 years.""Is that why its name means “endless wisdom”?
• Visitors to these ancient temples often take what Rudyard Kipling called “The Road to Mandalay.”""You\ll need a boat to travel this road
• A walk through the local market delivers a feast for the eyes.""And there\s plenty for your stomach to feast on, too
• Only horse-drawn carriages are allowed to travel among these ancient pagodas.""It\s not just the buildings here that seem lost in time

Aerial view of a dock in Martinique, France (@ Guido Alberto Rossi/Axiom)

Aerial view of a dock in Martinique, France (@ Guido Alberto Rossi/Axiom)

comments,

• What group of islands are you visiting…""If you take a long walk on this pier?
• Even though Europe is an ocean away from this tropical paradise…""You\ll pay for the local croissants in euros
• There are many places in the world with warm sand and cool breezes.""Which Caribbean island is right for you?
• The neighboring islands read like a who\s who of Europe.""What “magnifique” continental outpost are you stepping onto when you dock here?

Painted backstreet of Dozza in the province of Bologna, Italy (@ SIME/eStock Photos)

Painted backstreet of Dozza in the province of Bologna, Italy (@ SIME/eStock Photos)

comments,

• Every two years, artists come to this beautiful medieval village…""To paint the town
• Folks in this region don\t seem to mind the graffiti on the walls.""It\s just one of many things that add to their excellent way of life
• Walking through this urban gallery will work up an appetite.""Time for the world-famous local red sauce
• Sometimes the art here can be a little off the wall.""For instance…

Polar bear rolling on the frozen Beaufort Sea, near Point Barrow, Alaska (@ Patrick J. Endres/Visuals Unlimited)

Polar bear rolling on the frozen Beaufort Sea, near Point Barrow, Alaska (@ Patrick J. Endres/Visuals Unlimited)

comments,

• Shhhhhh…""Bear was out late last night
• How did this fella get his party supplies…""All the way up here?
• The “hair of the dog” will only get you so far.""Perhaps you need something more invigorating
• Still not feeling spunky?""Neither is this guy