2020年5月

亨宁斯韦尔渔村的体育场，挪威诺尔兰郡 Fishing village of Henningsvær with Henningsvær Idrettslag Stadion, Nordland, Norway (© Viktor Posnov/Alamy)

My my, it's Syttende Mai

Home to only about 500 folks, the far-flung village of Henningsvær, Norway, is recognized for its historic charm and as part of the Lofoten archipelago's important cod fishery. And thanks to the recent boom in drone photography, the Arctic hamlet with the unlikely soccer field has come to be regarded among the most scenic on Earth. The Henningsvær Idrettslag Stadion (in our photo's lower right) lies at Henningsvær's southern tip, on flat ground hewn out of the rocky outcrop. Look closely at the hills around the stadium and you'll see wooden racks for drying cod—a reminder that even though there's space for fun on these tiny islets, the business of fishing is still very much a key part of life here.

We're visiting Norway today because it's May 17, or Syttende Mai, to Norwegians and observant Midwesterners. It's the date in 1814 when the Norwegian national assembly enacted the nation's constitution—one of Europe's earliest. Though Norway would be paired with Sweden under a common crown until 1905, the document declared the self-direction of Norway's people, many of whom now celebrate Norwegian Constitution Day's dawning with a traditional salmon-and-eggs breakfast—and maybe a glass or two of champagne.

南奥索峰的Lac d'Ayous小屋，法国 Lac d'Ayous hut with Midi d'Ossau mountain, France (© Eneko Aldaz/Offset by Shutterstock)

Beautiful lake in the Pyrenees mountains

The Ayous lakes are a marvel here. Nestled in the heart of the Pyrenees, this set of six lakes provide an unparalleled environment for hiking enthusiasts and nature lovers. In this uncertain times, hiking is not necessarily a top priority, but hope is allowed, nothing prevents us from dreaming of what we will do next. In today's image, we can see the southern peak of Ossau, whose highest point is 2884 meters above sea level, and Lake Ayous, also called Lake Roumassot. Lake Ayous covers an area of 5.1 hectares and can reach a depth of 16 meters in some places.

从Toroweap Overlook俯瞰大峡谷和科罗拉多河，亚利桑那州大峡谷国家公园 Grand Canyon and Colorado River from Toroweap Overlook, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (© Matteo Colombo Travel Photo/Shutterstock)

The last thing seen by Wile E. Coyote

We'd say, 'Don't look down,' but that'd kind of be missing the point: Verticality is what put Toroweap Overlook on the map. Situated on the Grand Canyon's elevated north rim, it offers an unmatched view down a sheer 3,000-foot drop straight to the Colorado riverbed.

It's just one of the payoffs for those who take the road less traveled to the remote North Rim—only about 10% of park visitors. Since the 'other side' is about 1,000 feet higher on average than the touristy South Rim, its climate is chillier and given to harsher weather, so it is typically open only from today, May 15, to October 15.

以阿贡火山为背景Sidemen山谷中的稻田，印度尼西亚巴厘岛 Rice fields in the Sidemen Valley, with Mount Agung in the background, Bali, Indonesia (© Jon Arnold/Danita Delimont)

Green fields of grain

We're looking down on the lush fields of the Sidemen Valley, sitting in the shadow of Bali's tallest mountain, Mount Agung. In May, this Indonesian province marks the end of the harvest season of a key staple—rice. Towns and villages are decorated with colorful flags, and farmers erect shrines to Dewi Sri, the rice goddess. Small, handmade straw dolls depicting the goddess are left here and there in further tribute. Before 'social distancing' entered the global vocabulary, people came together to share traditional food and indulge in fun and games, like water buffalo races through the streets. This year, to be sure, the celebrations will be more subdued, more private, though the gratitude for a bountiful harvest, we suspect, just as deeply felt.

大提顿国家公园中的Old Patriarch Tree，怀俄明州 The Old Patriarch Tree of Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming (© George Sanker/Minden Pictures)

A tree amid the Tetons

This limber pine standing alone in the sage brush flats has a name—Old Patriarch. A favorite subject of nature photographers in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, Old Patriarch is thought to be more than a thousand years old. The 'Cathedral Group' of the Teton Mountains forms a breathtaking backdrop, bursting up from the valley floor below and stretching dramatically to the soaring peaks. The national park spreads out below the spires for 310,000 acres, creating a home for extraordinary wildlife, pristine lakes, and alpine terrain. Sounds like the Old Patriarch has found quite a home for himself.

Commonly found in the Rocky Mountains, limber pines are known to stand the test of time—literally. Some people estimate Old Patriarch to be more than a thousand years old. The 'Cathedral Group' of the Teton Mountains forms a breathtaking backdrop, bursting up from the valley floor below and stretching dramatically to the soaring peaks. The national park spreads out below the spires for 310,000 acres, creating a home for extraordinary wildlife, pristine lakes, and alpine terrain. Sounds like the Old Patriarch has found quite a home for himself.

Summer storm from City Beach, Perth, Australia (© JohnCrux/Getty Images)

Thunderbolt and lightning…

Ever endured a scorcher of a summer’s day only to be hit with a thunderstorm soon after? That’s especially common here at City Beach in Perth, where the two go together like Vegemite and toast. Moisture and warmth are both major factors in the creation of thunderstorms, meaning when humidity and heat ramp up during the hotter months, large amounts of warm, humid air gradually rise off the ground via surface winds into an unstable atmosphere. If this atmosphere is particularly unstable that can lead to severe conditions like large hail, wind gusts of 90 km/h and uncharacteristically heavy rainfall - leading to flash flooding.

阿德莱德山的葡萄园，澳大利亚 (© Ben Goode/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

印克斯湖国家公园中的德克萨斯矢车菊，德克萨斯州 Bluebonnets growing alongside an old road in the Texas Hill Country (© Inge Johnsson/Alamy)

Where the wildflowers grow

In honor of National Wildflower Week, we're looking at a field of blooming bluebonnets, the state flower of Texas. If you notice bluebonnets and other blooms while traveling down Texas highways, thank the state's Department of Transportation, which sows tens of thousands of pounds of wildflower seeds along roadways each year.

But wildflowers aren't just pretty to look at. Most of these native plants grow on their own—without the need for cultivation—helping preserve water, protect against erosion, and provide habitat for birds, butterflies, and other critters. Plus, they have a restorative quality for the mind, just as wildflower-lover Lady Bird Johnson once said: 'Where flowers bloom, so does hope.'

Gondolas called trajineras in the canals of Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico (© Orbon Alija/Getty Images)

Cinco de Mayo in Xochimilco

This aerial view comes from Xochimilco, a borough of Mexico City that's famous for its canals, leftover from a lake and canal system that once connected settlements in the Valley of Mexico. The canals are best explored from these colorful gondola-like boats known as a trajineras, floating past artificial islands that were once used for agriculture.

We think the Xochimilco canals would be a fine place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo today. While Americans often confuse the holiday with Mexico's Independence Day, it's actually the anniversary of Mexico's 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla. The victory was especially significant because the Mexicans overcame France despite having a much smaller, less equipped army. When France later took Mexico City, the Battle of Puebla remained a source of Mexican pride and hope during the occupation.

库斯科附近萨克塞华曼的印加要塞，秘鲁 Inca fortress of Sacsayhuamán near Cusco, Peru (© Susanne Kremer/eStock Photo)

The (Inca) empire strikes back

It's the 1530s. Spanish conquistadors are cementing their hold over the lands of the Incan Empire, including the massive 12th-century stone fortress in today's image: Sacsayhuamán, in the old Inca capital of Cusco. The Spanish hold prisoner a man named Manco Inca, the puppet leader they've installed over the Incans. But one day in the spring of 1536, he escapes.

He returns on May 6, accompanied by legions of Inca warriors. The Inca retake much of Cusco, including Sacsayhuamán, which they make their main base, forcing the Spanish to take refuge in buildings near the main plaza. In the end, the Incan effort fails: After a few months, the Spanish retake Sacsayhuamán and then manage to cut off the Incans' supplies, forcing their surrender and finalizing Spain's control over Peru. The Spaniards will partly dismantle Sacsayhuamán and use its smaller blocks to build colonial Cusco. But even today, the outer walls of impossibly large interlocking stones still overlook the modern-day city, a symbol of the mysterious empire that once ruled here.