In the "World Album" under Europe - Italy there are new pictures from the Dolomites taken by Ariane & Uwe.

Dear friends,

In order to accomodate pictures with higher quality, we have a new method of sharing photos where you can upload directly on the data base. Please read and follow the instructions under the "Share Pictures" page.

Hey family and friends, in August 2018, Honey's parents came for a 3-week vacation to Germany. We captured these moments in pictures and placed  them for you on our THE WORLD THROUGH OUR EYES page. If you have any questions you can ask us or Honey's parents. Feel free to leave comments as well.

In the folder South America - Bolivia there are some updates from Lake Titicaca and La Paz, taken by Birgit and Gerd.

In the folder Europe - Sweden there are new pictures from Stockholm, taken by Maria and Jenny.

In the folder Europe - Germany there are new pictures from Bremen, taken by Honey and Kay.

In the folder Asia - India there are new pictures from North India (Thanks to Birgit and Gerd). For more information about India and the link to the album, click on the title.

The Taj Mahal (/ˌtɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl, ˌtɑːʒ-/; meaning Crown of the Palace) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (reigned from 1628 to 1658), to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.

Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643 but  work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. The  Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in  1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around 32 million rupees, which in 2015 would be approximately 52.8 billion rupees (U.S. $827 million).  The construction project employed some 20,000 artisans under the  guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the  emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.

The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site  in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the  universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". It is  regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture  and a symbol of India's rich history. The Taj Mahal attracts 7–8  million visitors a year. In 2007, it was declared a winner of the New7Wonders of the World (2000–2007) initiative.

In the folder Oceania - The Cook Islands there are new pictures from Rarotonga and Aitutaki (Thanks to Isabel). For more information about The Cook Islands and the link to the album, click on the title.

In the folder Oceania - New Zealand there are new pictures from the south islands (Thanks to Isabel). For more information about New Zealand and the link to the album, click on the title.

New Zealand (/njuːˈziːlənd/ ( listen); Māori: Aotearoa [aɔˈtɛaɾɔa]) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses—the North Island (or Te Ika-a-Māui), and the South Island (or Te Waipounamu)—and around 600 smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga.  Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled  by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a  distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland.

Sometime between 1250 and 1300, Polynesians settled in the islands that later were named New Zealand and developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand. In 1840, representatives of Britain and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire and in 1907 it became a Dominion. Today, the majority of New Zealand's population of 4.7 million is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English predominant.

New Zealand is a developed country and ranks highly  in international comparisons of national performance, such as health,  education, economic freedom and quality of life. Since the 1980s, New  Zealand has transformed from an agrarian, regulated economy to a diverse market economy. Nationally, legislative authority is vested in an elected, unicameral Parliament, while executive political power is exercised by the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, who is currently Jacinda Ardern. Queen Elizabeth II is the country's head of state and is represented by a governor-general, currently Dame Patsy Reddy. In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes. The Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau (a dependent territory); the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing states in free association with New Zealand); and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica. New Zealand is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Pacific Islands Forum, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

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The Dominican Republic (Spanish: República Dominicana [reˈpuβliˌka ðoˌminiˈkana]) is a sovereign state located in the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with the nation of Haiti,^[12][13] making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands, along with Saint Martin, that are shared by two countries. The Dominican Republic is the second-largest Caribbean nation by area (after Cuba)  at 48,445 square kilometers (18,705 sq mi), and third by population  with approximately 10 million people, of which approximately three  million live in the metropolitan area of Santo Domingo, the capital  city.^[14][15]

Christopher Columbus landed on the island on December 5, 1492, which the native Taíno people had inhabited since the 7th century. The colony of Santo Domingo became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, the oldest continuously inhabited city, and the first seat of the Spanish colonial rule in the New World.  After more than three hundred years of Spanish rule the Dominican  people declared independence in November 1821. The leader of the  independence movement José Núñez de Cáceres, intended the Dominican nation to unite with the country of Gran Colombia,  but no longer under Spain's custody the newly independent Dominicans  were forcefully annexed by Haiti in February 1822. Independence came 22  years later after victory in the Dominican War of Independence in 1844. Over the next 72 years the Dominican Republic experienced mostly internal conflicts and a brief return to colonial status before permanently ousting Spanish rule during the Dominican War of Restoration of 1865.^[16][17][18] A United States occupation lasted eight years between 1916 and 1924, and a subsequent calm and prosperous six-year period under Horacio Vásquez Lajara was followed by the dictatorship of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo until 1961. A civil war in 1965, the country's last, was ended by U.S. military occupation and was followed by the authoritarian rule of Joaquín Balaguer, 1966–1978. Since then, the Dominican Republic has moved toward representative democracy^[6] and has been led by Leonel Fernández for most of the time since 1996. Danilo Medina,  the Dominican Republic's current president, succeeded Fernandez in  2012, winning 51% of the electoral vote over his opponent ex-president Hipólito Mejía.^[19]

The Dominican Republic has the ninth-largest economy in Latin America and is the largest economy in the Caribbean and Central American region.^[20][21]  Over the last two decades, the Dominican Republic has had one of the  fastest-growing economies in the Americas – with an average real GDP growth rate of 5.4% between 1992 and 2014.^[22] GDP growth in 2014 and 2015 reached 7.3 and 7.0%, respectively, the highest in the Western Hemisphere.^[22] In the first half of 2016 the Dominican economy grew 7.4% continuing its trend of rapid economic growth.^[23]  Recent growth has been driven by construction, manufacturing, tourism,  and mining. The country is the site of the second largest gold mine in the world, the Pueblo Viejo mine.^[24][25]  Private consumption has been strong, as a result of low inflation  (under 1% on average in 2015), job creation, as well as high level of remittances.

The Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean. The year-round golf courses are major attractions.^[26] A geographically diverse nation, the Dominican Republic is home to both the Caribbean's tallest mountain peak, Pico Duarte, and the Caribbean's largest lake and point of lowest elevation, Lake Enriquillo.^[27] The island has an average temperature of 26 °C (78.8 °F) and great climatic and biological diversity.^[26]  The country is also the site of the first cathedral, castle, monastery,  and fortress built in the Americas, located in Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone, a World Heritage Site.^[28][29] Music and sport are of great importance in the Dominican culture, with Merengue and Bachata as the national dance and music, and baseball as the favorite sport.

Denmark is a country in Scandinavia. The main part of it is Jutland, a peninsula north of Germany, but also with a number of islands, including the two major ones, Zealand and Funen, in Østersøen Sea between Jutland and Sweden.

Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European  power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is  participating in the general political and economic integration of  Europe. However, the country has opted out of parts of the European  Union's Maastricht Treaty, the European monetary system (EMU), and  issues concerning certain internal affairs.

Denmark is also the birthplace of one of the world's most popular  toys, Lego. There is no other better place in the world where one can  buy Lego bricks than at the Legoland theme park in Billund.

Today Denmark is a society that is often seen as a benchmark of  civilization; with progressive social policies, a commitment to free  speech so strong it put the country at odds with much of the world  during the 2006 cartoon crisis, a liberal social-welfare system and,  according to The Economist, one the most commercially competitive. Top  it off with a rich, well-preserved  cultural heritage, and the Danes  legendary sense of design and architecture, and you have one intriguing  holiday destination.

Finland (Finnish: Suomi, Swedish: Finland)  is in Northern Europe and has borders with Russia to the east, Norway to the north, and Sweden to the west.  

Finland is a thoroughly modern welfare state with well-planned  and comfortable small towns and cities, but still offers vast areas of  unspoiled nature. Finland has approximately 188,000 lakes (about 10% of  the country) and a similar number of islands. In the northernmost part  of the country the Northern Lights can be seen in the winter and midnight sun in the summer.  Finns also claim the mythical mountain of Korvatunturi as the home of Santa Claus, and a burgeoning tourist industry in Lapland caters to Santa fans.  

Despite living in one of the most technologically developed  countries in the world, Finns love to head to their summer cottages in  the warmer months to enjoy all manner of relaxing pastimes including  sauna, swimming, fishing and barbecuing. Today, Finland has a  distinctive language and culture that sets it apart from the rest of  Nordic Europe.

In the folder Asia - Philippines there are new pictures from Coron and Palawan (from Birgit and Gerd). For more information about Philippines click on the title.

In the folder Asia - China  there are new pictures from Hong Kong (from Birgit and Gerd). For more information about Vancouver click on the title.

In the folder North America- Canada there are new pictures from Vancouver (from Birgit and Gerd). For more information about Vancouver click on the title.

Corfu or Kerkyra (/kɔːrˈfuː, -fjuː/; Greek: Κέρκυρα, translit. Kérkyra, [ˈcercira]; Ancient Greek: Κόρκυρα, translit. Kórkyra; Latin: Corcyra; Italian: Corfù) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the northwesternmost part of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality, which also includes the smaller islands of Ereikoussa, Mathraki and Othonoi. The municipality has an area of 610,9 km², the island proper 592,8 km². The principal city of the island and seat of the municipality (pop. 32,095) is also named Corfu. Corfu is home to the Ionian University.

The island is bound up with the history of Greece from the beginnings of Greek mythology. Its history is full of battles and conquests. Ancient Korkyra took part in the Battle of Sybota which was a catalyst for the Peloponnesian War, and, according to Thucydides, the largest naval battle between Greek city states until that time. Thucydides also reports that Korkyra was one of the three great naval powers of fifth century BC Greece, along with Athens and Corinth. Medieval castles punctuating strategic locations across the island are a legacy of struggles in the Middle Ages against invasions by pirates and the Ottomans. Two of these castles enclose its capital, which is the only city in Greece to be surrounded in such a way. As a result, Corfu's capital has been officially declared a Kastropolis ("castle city") by the Greek government. From medieval times and into the 17th century, the island, having successfully repulsed the Ottomans during several sieges, was recognised as a bulwark of the European States against the Ottoman Empire and became one of the most fortified places in Europe. The fortifications of the island were used by the Venetians to defend against Ottoman intrusion into the Adriatic. Corfu eventually fell under British rule following the Napoleonic Wars. Corfu was eventually ceded by the British Empire along with the remaining islands of the United States of the Ionian Islands, and unification with modern Greece was concluded in 1864 under the Treaty of London.

In 2007, the city's old quarter was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, following a recommendation by ICOMOS.

Corfu is a very popular tourist destination. The island was the location of the 1994 European Union summit.

The Canadian Rockies (French: Rocheuses canadiennes) comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, which is a system of multiple ranges of mountains which runs from the Canadian Prairies to the Pacific Coast. The Canadian Rockies mountain system comprises the southeastern part of this system, lying between the Interior Plains of Alberta and Northeastern British Columbia on the east to the Rocky Mountain Trench of BC on the west. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA. In geographic terms the boundary is at the Canada/US border, but in geological terms it might be considered to be at Marias Pass in northern Montana. The northern end is at the Liard River in northern British Columbia.

The Canadian Rockies have numerous high peaks and ranges, such as Mount Robson (3,954 m (12,972 ft)) and Mount Columbia  (3,747 m (12,293 ft)). The Canadian Rockies are composed of shale and  limestone. Much of the range is protected by national and provincial  parks, several of which collectively comprise a World Heritage Site.

The Montmorency Falls (French: Chutes Montmorency) is a large waterfall on the Montmorency River in Quebec, Canada.^[1] The falls are located on the boundary between the borough of Beauport, and Boischatel, about 12 km (7.5 mi) from the heart of old Quebec City. The area surrounding the falls is protected within the Montmorency Falls Park (French: Parc de la Chute-Montmorency). The falls are at the mouth of the Montmorency River where it drops over the cliff shore into the Saint Lawrence River, opposite the western end of the Île d'Orleans.

There are staircases that allow visitors to view the falls from several different perspectives. A suspension bridge over the crest of the falls provides access to both sides of the park as well as a spectacular view. There is also an aerial tram (Funitel) that carries passengers between the base and the top of the falls. In the summer the park hosts an international fireworks competition with the falls as a backdrop.

Niagara Falls (/naɪˈæɡrə/) is the collective name for three waterfalls that straddle the international border between Canada and the United States; more specifically, between the province of Ontario and the state of New York. They form the southern end of the Niagara Gorge.

From largest to smallest, the three waterfalls are the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. The Horseshoe Falls lies on the border of the United States and Canada^[1] with the American Falls entirely on the United States' side, separated by Goat Island. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls are also on the United States' side, separated from the other waterfalls by Luna Island.

Located on the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, the combined falls form the highest flow rate  of any waterfall in North America that has a vertical drop of more than  165 feet (50 m). During peak daytime tourist hours, more than six  million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water goes over the crest of the falls every minute.^[2] Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America, as measured by flow rate.^[3]

The falls are 17 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Buffalo, New York, and 75 miles (121 km) south-southeast of Toronto, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls was formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (the last ice age), and water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean.

Niagara Falls is famed both for its beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power.  Balancing recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a  challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 19th century.

Ottawa: copyright Wikipedia

Ottawa (/ˈɒtəwə/ ( listen) or /-wɑː/; French pronunciation: ​[ɔtawa]) is the capital city of Canada. It stands on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of southern Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec; the two form the core of the Ottawa–Gatineau census metropolitan area (CMA) and the National Capital Region (NCR). As of 2016, Ottawa had a city population of 934,243 and a metropolitan population of 1,323,783 making it the fourth-largest city and the fifth-largest CMA in Canada.

Founded in 1826 as Bytown, and incorporated  as Ottawa in 1855, the city has evolved into the political centre of  Canada. Its original boundaries were expanded through numerous  annexations and were ultimately replaced by a new city incorporation and  amalgamation in 2001 which significantly increased its land area. The  city name "Ottawa" was chosen in reference to the Ottawa River, the name  of which is derived from the Algonquin Odawa, meaning "to trade".

Ottawa has the most educated population among Canadian cities and is home to a number of post-secondary, research, and cultural institutions, including the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery,  and numerous national museums. Ottawa has the highest standard of  living in the nation and low unemployment. It ranked 2nd nationally and  24th worldwide in the quality of life index and is consistently rated  the best place to live in Canada.