American jeeps with pin-up girls parading through the streets of Villefranche-sur-mer on July 4. The US 6th Fleet was based in Villefranche from 1948 until 1966. As a result, the community has long had close ties with America. Every American Independence Day, they host a day-long series of events to honor that friendship. Visitors can […]
Burning of a fishing boat during the Fete de la Saint-Pierre (Festival of Saint Peter), Nice France. Held on or around June 29, which is the feast day of Saint Peter, the patron saint of fishermen, the festival begins with a marine parade and the blessing of the fishing fleet. Afterwards, a procession of religious […]
The Eiffel Tower viewed from a park across the Seine. Built in 1889 for the World’s Fair, nearly 7 million visitors ascend the tower every year. Despite its current popularity, it originally drew significant criticism. For example, Artists against the Eiffel Tower described its potential impact on the cityscape in ruinous terms. They wrote, “. […]
This 2012 sculpture, Twice Twist, sits on a bluff just south of Bondi Beach, Australia. Called Oushi Zokei in Japanese, the name is an anagram of the artist’s own name, Keizo Ushio. According to a study of Ushio and his works, the words “Oushi Zokei” in Japanese can be interpreted in a variety of ways. […]
Photo taken from a train of the rain in Spain falling mainly on the plain. Well done, Professor Higgins. Well done!
Parade of traditional “pointus” fishing boats during the Nice Port Festival, June 9, 2018. Pointus boats derive their name from their pointed stern and tall bow sprit (“pointu” means “sharp” in French). These little boats were originally powered by latin sails and by oars, but now use standard motors when fishing the Mediterranean.
Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Coro (Basilica of Saint Mary of the Choir). Baroque Roman Catholic church completed in 1774. Located in the Old Town section of San Sebastian, Spain.
Picasso vase at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice, France. Because it was created without the use of a pottery wheel, the vase takes on a more sculptural aspect than a traditional one.
Red Bull Air Race, Cannes, France. April 2018. Pilots fly at up to 230 mph (370 kph) through inflatable pylons that are only 82 feet (25 meters) tall. During certain parts of the race, the pilots experience up to 10Gs of force.
Mini lending library on the beach in Dubai. Literacy rates in the United Arab Emirates have gone from 54% for males and 31% for females in 1975 to nearly 95% for both genders today.
Still Life with Stone and Car by American artist Jimmie Durham. This work was created in 2004 by dropping a two-ton boulder onto a 1999 Ford Festiva that was parked on the Opera House forecourt. Durham describes the work by saying: “This piece is concerned with monuments and monumentality, but also with nature; that implacable hard […]
Umbrellas on the beach at Beaulieu-sur-mer, France, located about 5 miles east of Nice. The town’s name aptly means “Beautiful place on the sea.”
One of the constant and largely unavoidable challenges facing solo travelers is how to enjoy dining alone. Restaurants filled with laughter and conversation are great places to go to get to know the pulse of a city. But when you’re all by yourself, that sort of lively atmosphere can leave you feeling overwhelmed and isolated. […]
Surfers riding a solid swell at La Grand Plage beach break in Biarritz, France. One of six breaks in the Basque region, Grand Plage is jam-packed in the summer, with newbies and intermediate surfers vying for the waves.
Dunns Swamp, New South Wales, Australia. Created by the damming of the Cudgegong river in the 1920s, this scenic recreation area and campground is part of the larger Wollemi National Park. Despite its name, it’s not actually a swamp but a lake. Local fauna include common wombats, superb lyrebirds, satin bowerbirds, and an Australian owl called the […]
Interior of the Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre located at the top of Grafton Street, Dublin, Ireland. Prior to the mall’s construction, the Dandelion Market stood on this spot, location for some of U2’s earliest gigs.
View of the southern French Alps from St. Paul de Vence. Located on the crest of a hill, this fortified medieval town is home to a burgeoning art community and was at one time home to Marc Chagall.
Winter view of the Chain Bridge, Hungary. Built in 1849, strengthened and modified in 1915, destroyed in 1945 and reopened in 1949, this bridge over the Danube unites the twin cities of Buda and Pest and was at one time considered a marvel of engineering.
Bicycle course for the IronMan de Nice held on Sunday, June 26, 2018. This year’s event drew 2754 athletes and was won for the 5th time by 39-year-old Frederik Van Lierde of Belgium.
Arrival of the clipper ship Hermione into Nice Port on a foggy morning in April 2018. One of the world’s largest wooden sailing ships, the Hermione is a replica of a French frigate called the Hermione that was built in 1779. French aristocrat and military officer Lafayette sailed to the American colonies in 1780 on that […]
“Support” sculpture rising out of the waters of the Grand Canal in Venice, “supporting” the Ca’Sagredo Hotel. Artist Lorenzo Quinn, son of actor Anthony Quinn, created the giant hands. In interviews, he explained that the work is a reflection on the threat that climate change poses to the world. However, the fact that the hands […]
Surfers on the water at Riviera Beach in Malta. Known locally as Ghajn Tuffieha Beach, this small cove can be found on the northwestern side of the island. Due to its western exposure, it gets small to medium-sized waves fairly regularly throughout the year. It’s no rival to classic surf spots like Bondi and Waikiki, […]
Bas-relief monument on the walls of the old town of Nice, honoring Catarina Segurana. Living in Nice during the 16th century when the town was part of the Duchy of Savoy, Segurana helped lead the fight against the Franco-Ottoman invasion of Nice in August of 1543. The generally accepted story is that she took the […]
The architectural elements on the side of this building that faces the Esplanade Georges Pompidou in Nice, France are all entirely painted on as part of a giant trompe-l’oeil artwork. The only real detail on this otherwise flat surface is the overhanging gutter at the very top. Meaning “fool the eye,” trompe-l’oeil artworks appear all over […]