Jaap van 't Veen's photos

Nature area Appelbergen is a former military training area where troops assembled for field exercises. It is located east of the village of Glimmen on the Hondsrug . This complex of several ridges was formed by the land ice at the end of the Saale glaciation (370.000 to 130.000 years ago). All over Appelbergen one can find traces of the last ice age (the Weichselian glaciation, 115.000 years to 10.000 years ago). For instance pingos, or hills of ice, which rose up and then collapsed when the ice melted. Nowadays they show up like round pools. In the Appelbergen is the Grote Veen (main image and PiPs 1 and 2) a large peat bog with a round shape. Most probably it is one of the pingos. In World War II the Germans killed 34 people and buried them secretly here; 19 were found, but the other 15 have never been recovered. A part of the Grote Veen has been dug out in order to find these war victims. Despite the fact that nothing was found, a sober monument has been erected in 2004 in memory of them (PiP3).

Hunebedden (megalithic tombs) are the oldest monuments in the Netherlands. They were built more than 5.000 years ago in the last phase of the Stone Age by people of the Funnel Beaker Culture, who buried their dead in these hunebedden . The stones of which the dolmens are built are originating from Scandinavia. They were carried south by the advancing land ice during an ice age. When the ice melted at the end of the ice age, the stones that were carried along were left behind. Most of these tombs in the province of Drenthe lie in fields or woods. Hunebed D4 is an exception, as it lies next to a wall of a small 19th century farmhouse and has survived nearly intact. Its ‘twin’ D3 lies close by and was for a long time partly covered by a mound of sand that was part of the original burial monument. The remains of that mound were dug away in 1870. Although almost complete, with all of the lintels and all but two of the uprights being present, these two tombs have never been restored. Only the cracks in the lintels have been filled with cement. They make a pretty picture, not least because of the wildly shaped branches of the old oak trees above the stones. Despite standing by the side of the road, the hunebedden are not immediately visible. We had to follow the signs to a narrow path that squeezes between two small dilapidated farmhouses and only then we found the large green lichen-covered lumps of stone, standing ‘head to tail’.

The majestic stadhuis (city hall) is built in the sixteenth century; construction of the building - after designs made by Cornelis Floris de Vriendt and several other architects and artists - started in 1561 and was completed four years later. At that time Antwerp was one of the largest and most important cities in the world. As one of the world's most powerful commercial centers the new city hall was to become a symbol of the city's wealth and power. It is considered being the most important Renaissance building in the “Low Countries”. During the Spanish Fury in 1576, the new building was set on fire by Spanish soldiers, leaving only the exterior walls standing. The city hall was rebuilt three years later, in 1579. The façade is richly decorated with statues, ornaments and coat of arms. It is facing the Grote Markt with its wonderful 16th and 17th centuries houses (PiPs). The stadhuis is decorated with the flags of the countries of the European Union, in addition to flags of all the countries that have a consulate in Antwerp. The ground floor of the building originally housed small shops. The construction of the city hall was partly funded with the rent received from those shopkeepers. The stadhuis of Antwerp is since 1999 inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List along with the belfries of Belgium and France.

The city of Salta is located in the Lerma Valley - more than 1.150 meters above sea level - at the foothills of the Andes mountains. Salta la Linda (which means "Salta the Beautiful"), is a major tourist destination in northwest Argentina. It features colonial architecture, including the 18th century Cabildo , the 19th century Cathedral and the wonderful Iglesia San Francisco . These buildings and some museums are located around or nearby the Plaza 9 de Julio (main square). Salta is starting point for exploring the scenic northwest part of the country. Salta was founded in 1582 by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Lerma, who intended the settlement to be an outpost between Lima and Buenos Aires. During the Argentine War of Independence (1810 – 1818) the city became a commercial and military strategic point. Between 1816 and 1821 Salta was led by local military leader General Martín Miguel de Güemes, who defended the city and surrounding area from Spanish forces coming from further north. Salta emerged from the war politically in disarray and financially bankrupt. However, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the arrival of Italian, Spanish and Arab immigrants revived trade and agriculture all over the area, while further enhancing the city's multicultural flavor. Main picture: Salta, seen from Cerro San Bernardo, accessible by cable car or on foot. PiP1: Plaza 9 de Julio PiP2: monument of General Martin Miguel de Güemes

St. Jacob's Church was built in 1471 on the foundations of a smaller church, at least two hundred years old than the present one. The parish church of Škofja Loka is a late-gothic hall-like church. Its interior is adorned with reliefs of guilds and church’s patrons, the ceiling is decorated with frescoes painted in the 16th century. St. Jacob’s has a black marble renaissance from 1694 and a remarkable main altar with gilded statues. In the 20th century the interior of the church was renovated according to drawings by famous Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik; chandeliers and a new baptistery were added too.

Olympia was the site of the ancient Olympic Games, which were celebrated every four years, starting in 776 BCE. Olympia is situated in a valley in Elis, in western Peloponnesus. The site was not a town, but only a sanctuary with buildings associated with games and the worship of the gods. The sanctuary - originally known as the Altis - was a level area, about 200 meters long by nearly 180 meters broad. It was walled on each side, except to the north where it was bounded by Mount Kronos. The Altis consists of a somewhat disordered arrangement of buildings, the most important of which were the Temple of Hera, the Temple of Zeus, the area of the great altar of Zeus, the votive buildings and buildings associated with the administration of the games. The Philippeion (main image and PiP1) - the only structure inside the Altis dedicated to a human - was a circular memorial for king Philip II of Macedonia. Outside the Altis were the stadium (PiP2) and the hippodrome, where the Olympic Games took place, the palaestra/wrestling school (PiP3), the gymnasium, where all competitors were obliged to train for at least one month and the leonidaion (PiP4), lodging place for athletes taking part in the Olympic Games. Excavations of the archaeological site began in 1829 and many valuable objects were discovered, which can be seen in the nearby museum. According to UNESCO’s World Heritage website, there is probably no ancient archaeological site anywhere in the world more relevant in today’s world than Olympia. The Olympic flame - a symbol of the modern Olympic movement, introduced for the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam - is lit in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera in Olympia (PiP5).

The Bärgunt-Hütte is an more than hundred years old alpine mountain cabin in the Bärgunt valley. It lies in a wonderful alpine landscape, directly at the foot of the mountain Grosser Widderstein in the Austrian Alps. The Bärgunt-Hütte - the oldest and largest alp in the Kleinwalsertal - is affiliated with an alpine cattle range with appx. 200 cows. Nowadays also a popular destination for hikers - in summer (PiP1) as well as in winter - who can enjoy the surrounding mountain scene from Grosser Widderstein to Walmendingerhorn (PiP2) on the sunny terrace of the mountain hut. The hut can be reached from the car park (1.220 m.) at the end of the dead-end-road through the Kleinwalsertal in Baad. The 2,5 km walking path follows the Bärgunt valley (PiP3) to the Bärgunt-Hütte at an altitude of 1.408 m.

The Hoher Ifen - also called Hochifen - is a 2.230 meters high summit of the Ifen plateau, which is part of the Allgäu Alps. It lies on the border between Austria and Germany and can only be accessed by road from Germany. Hoher Ifen is part of the European Watershed, where water is separated between the North Sea (Rhine River) and the Black Sea (Danube). This Dolomite-like rock formation with its steep walls is the natural landmark of the Kleinwalsertal. In winter the mountain plateau is an impressive backdrop for the Ifen ski area.

Kornau is a hamlet of Oberstdorf, which lies on a ridge between the Stillach and Breitach valleys. It delights with its magnificent postcard panorama of the Oberstdorf mountain world from the Rubihorn near Reichenbach to the Allgäu main ridge in the southern valleys. Kornau lies on an altitude of almost 915 meters - about hundred meters above Oberstdorf - on a sunny terrace. Although during our visit it was not very sunny, but grey and snowy. I took this picture from the path from Kornau to the Söllereck ski area.

Bretten is a picturesque little city with a medieval old center. It is located in the Kraichgau and surrounded by the hills of the Odenwald and Schwarzwald. The nobleman Wigilo gave in the year of 767 a piece of land to the Lorsch Monastery under the name of “villa breteheim”. This was entered into the codex of the monastery and is considered being the first time the name of Bretten was officially mentioned. Since 1148 Bretten had the right to mint and issue coins and in 1254 it received city rights. The heart of the city is the market square, which is surrounded by half-timbered houses, dating back from the early 18th century. The Melanchthonhaus (Melanchthon’s House) – PiP2 - is also standing on the market square. This imposing reddish neo-gothic building was built in 1897 - erected as a memorial on the 400th anniversary of the birth - on the place of the birth house of Philipp Melanchthon, which was burnt down in the devastating fire of 1689. It hosts the second biggest exposition in Germany dedicated to the Reformation. (Melanchthon was one of the most important figures of the Reformation, a man of great erudition, a scholar, a theologian, an educator and one of Martin Luther’s close personal friends.)

The site of the Ljubljana Cathedral was originally occupied by a Romanic church, which was first mentioned in1263. It was built by boatmen and fishermen in honor of their patron, Saint Nicholas. This church burnt down in 1361 and was rebuilt in gothic style. Eight years after the establishing of the Ljubljana Diocese in 1461 the cathedral was burnt down, most probably by the Turks. Early 18th century a new cathedral in baroque style was built, which was consecrated in1707. The church's dome with a height of 24 meters was only built in 1841, originally a fake dome was painted on the arch above the centre of the cross; the dome fresco was painted in 1844. Not expecting such a beauty in Ljubljana, I was really impressed by the interior of the cathedral with its six side altars. It is a baroque masterpiece, which depicts classic gilt decorations, pink marble, detailed ceiling frescoes, carved choir stalls and a stunning main altar. In 1859 the interior was completely renovated: the frescoes were cleaned, the walls were covered with marble and the gilding was restored. Since 2008 the cathedral has been insured as a cultural monument of national importance in Slovenia. Two bronze doors were added in 1996 for the 1250th anniversary of Christianity in Slovenia and to commemorate a visit by former Pope John Paul II to the cathedral. The so called “Ljubljana door”- where visitors have to enter the church - has portraits of six bishops, depicting the history of the Ljubljana diocese (PiP3).

The beautiful medieval city of Škofja Loka was mentioned in the year of 973 as Lonca. The town was enclosed by stone walls with five gated towers. Škofja Loka gained city rights in 1274 and became a vibrant craftsman and economic center of the region. After a devastating earthquake in 1511 that damaged nearly every building in town, Škofja Loka was successfully renovated and has not changed in appearance since. It still retains its original city plan. The heart of the town is formed by the Upper Square ( Plac and the Lower Square ( Lontrg ), lined with old and colourful buildings. Škofja Loka and its surrounding estates were the property of the Bavarian Bishops of Freising - the name literally means “bishop's meadow” - for more than 900 years, before the land was traded between Austria and Italy. Skofja Loka was inhabited by craftspeople and traders, who were organised into different guilds. Škofja Loka is considered being one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Slovenia; its both squares were proclaimed a National Cultural Monument in 1987. In the center of the Upper Square, a statue of Mother Mary commemorates the end of the plague in Škofja Loka in 1751.

Soon after their immigration to Kleinwalsertal the Walser - coming from the Swiss canton Wallis - started building a first place of worship in Mittelberg. A stone with the year 1302 on the outside wall of the choir should be considered as proof of the existence of a small sacral building. In 1390, a new chapel with altar and cemetery was inaugurated. In 1391 Mittelberg was raised to an independent parish. Until then, the place belonged to the parish of Fischen in Allgäu (Germany). Over the years the church became too small and in 1460 the construction of the new church in Mittelberg was started. It was built in gothic style and consecrated in 1463 with three altars. Sankt Jodok (Saint Judoc) - who lived in the 7th century - was chosen as the patron saint of the church. Its current appearance became the church in 1693 by a seven meter extension and the construction of the sacristy and a gallery. An avalanche had invaded the nave that year, so the main entrance was walled in and two side doors were opened. The slender tower of the church - with a height of 66 meters - is a real architectural landmark of the Kleinwalsertal . The interior offers some amazing wall frescoes, dating back to the year of 1470. The restored late-Gothic murals give the parish church a special atmosphere; they once represented the so called "biblia pauperum": the Bible for believers ignorant of reading.

The Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary (also known as Church of Mary or in Slovenian language Cerkev Marijinega vnebovzetja ) is located on a small island in the middle of Lake Bled. Before this church was built, a temple dedicated to the pagan goddess of life and fertility stood at the same place. After Christianisation in 745, the ancient Slavic temple was replaced by a church, dedicated to the birth of Mary. The church was renovated in 1465. Present-day Church of Mary was rebuilt in the 17th century after an earthquake. The interior is decorated with remains of gothic frescos from around 1470 in the presbyterium and rich baroque equipment with a golden central altar and three marble side altars. The church has a free standing 52 meters high bell tower - added in 1465 - which can be visited. The tower has one large and two small bells that still resound today. The church lies on an island in the western part of Lake Bled and has been a place of worship for Catholics and a pilgrimage destination over the centuries. The first pilgrims visited the church already in the 12th century, asking for indulgences. They travelled to the island by pletnas . A pletna is a wooden gondola-like boat with a canopy, traditional for Lake Bled and still the main means of transport. Of special interest in the church is a bell of wishes, made by Francesco Patavino from Padova in 1534. The legend says that those who ring the bell and make a wish, will see their wish come true. It is possible to have Catholic, Protestant or even civil wedding ceremonies in the Church of Mary. It is a tradition that before getting married the groom carries the bride up the 99 stone steps of the staircase located on the southern part of the island.

Moni Stomiou (Stomiou monastery) lies in one of the most astonishing locations in Greece, above the gorge of the Aoos river (PiP5). It owes its name to that location: the stomiou (= "mouth") of the ravine. The monastery is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was originally built in 1590 on the other side of the river. It was moved to its present location in 1774 because the Holy icon of the monastery had been miraculously transported there. In 1943 the monastery was almost completely destroyed by German troops, only the church was spared. Fifteen years later, the complex was rebuilt and restored by the Konitsa monk Paisios, who was canonized in 2015. The cell in which he lived during his four-year stay is still being maintained. Moni Stomiou now functions as an active male monastery. It has eleven newly built cells with additional rooms and a small, cruciform church with dome. Interesting are the iconostasis with several Byzantine icons and the relics of many saints, which were transferred from the original monastery. The only way to visit the monastery is a two hour walk through the Aoos Gorge from the Konitsa bridge .

Sagiada is a quiet coastal fishing village in the northwest of Thesprotia, close to the border with Albania. In its heyday Sagiada was one of the busiest ports of Epirus. Wealthy merchants lived in Old Sagiada, which was built on a hillside above the harbour. During the Turkish occupation Ali Pasha - an Ottoman Albanian ruler who served as pasha of Epirus and the western parts of Thessaly and Greek Macedonia - talked with Napoleon in Sagiada, trying to get assistance for his military campaigns. Old Sagiada was burnt down in 1943 by Albanian cohorts (known as Tsamides) of the Germans. The inhabitants fled to the coast and never came back to rebuild the village. The only building which was restored after the war by the villagers is the Agios Georgios church. It stands in the middle of the ruins on a kind of village square. The ruins covered with ivy are the only other reminders of the past nowadays. When we visited the ghost village a cow along the main road was the only living creature we encountered.

The Konitsa or Aoos bridge was built by architect and stone-master Zioga Frontzou. The work started in 1823 and was finished in 1870 (although it looks older). The bridge helped to improve communication and transport between the local population in the area. The construction of the bridge was a difficult and expensive undertaking and a miracle of its time. The bridge - professionally and aesthetically designed - was not only financed by the rich, but also by the ordinary people who shared the idea of the bridge. The single-span stone arch bridge has a width of 35 meters and a height of 20 meters and is one of the largest stone bridges in Epirus (and even the Balkan). It’s not only the bridge, but also the location with the Aoos river flowing under the arch and an incredible view into the Aoos Gorge with the natural beauty of the green mountains of the Northern Pindos National Park in the background. Konitsa bridge is built on the place where the Aoos is narrowing with also some good rocks on both sides of the river. Therefore an one and only arch of big radius could steadily cover the distance, avoiding bigger and more expensive constructions. Under the arch hangs a little bell, which warned crossing people for strong winds. The bell was lost, but replaced in 1975.

Cabra Corral is the biggest artificial lake in northwestern Argentina. The dam - the largest water construction in the area with a height of 93 meters - was built between 1966 and 1972. The water of the lake is used for power generation and drinking water supply. The dam combines waters from the rivers of the Calchaquí Valley, creating a lake of 115 square km with millions of liters of water. The project was named after the title used on folders of the project by an American company. It became Cabra Corral instead of Corral de Cabras (Goat Yard), as the area was truly called. Located about 75 km south of the city of Salta Cabral Corral has become an important recreational destination with many activities, like swimming, kayaking, fishing and bungee jumping. We stayed in a hotel on the lakeside after a few days of only dust and red rocks and that was refreshing and a completely different world.