苏格兰高地上的厄克特城堡和内斯湖 Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands (© AWL Images/Danita Delimont)
苏格兰高地上的厄克特城堡和内斯湖 Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands (© AWL Images/Danita Delimont)
A monster view in Scotland
People love a good mystery. Maybe that's why we've been fascinated by mythical creatures like the Loch Ness monster for nearly 1,500 years. We're looking at Urquhart Castle, a ruin founded in the 13th century, with Loch Ness behind it. As the legend goes, on August 22, 565, an Irish priest named Columba confronted 'Nessie' and commanded the 'water beast' away. Since then, people have claimed to spot, or even photograph the Loch Ness monster, as well as Bigfoot, the chupacabra, the yeti, and other creatures around the world. This subculture practices cryptozoology—the study of hidden animals. Are any of these beasts real? Probably not, but why spoil the fun?
雾中的卡斯特诺城堡，法国佩里戈尔 (© Infografick/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
斯诺多尼亚国家公园多尔威泽兰城堡，英国威尔士康威 (© Sebastian Wasek/Sime/eStock Photo)
旧圣胡安的圣费利佩海角城堡，波多黎各 Castillo del Morro in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico (© grandriver/Getty Images)
旧圣胡安的圣费利佩海角城堡，波多黎各 Castillo del Morro in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico (© grandriver/Getty Images)
The old guard at Old San Juan
This photo shows a different side of Castillo San Felipe del Morro on the coast of Old San Juan in Puerto Rico. Spanish colonists had the fortress built to control entry to the harbor of the settlement they called 'Ciudad de Puerto Rico’'—which, translated to English, means 'rich port city.' Castillo del Morro was held by Spain from 1539 to 1898, when the United States seized control after the Spanish-American War. Today it's a World Heritage Site and a major attraction for visitors to this, the oldest part of one of North America's oldest capital cities.
In September 2017, Puerto Rico was devasted by the landfall of Hurricane Maria, which wreaked havoc the landscape, people, and livelihoods of this US territory. One thing the people of Puerto Rico have encouraged since that terrible natural disaster is to come visit. With an economy based heavily on tourism, it's a way to rebuild the island's economy and to see some amazing colonial sites, as well as the bounty of its tropical Caribbean environment.
法国塔恩河沿岸的Castelbouc城堡和塔恩峡谷 Castelbouc and the Gorges du Tarn along the Tarn River in France (© Stefan Schurr/Westend61/Offset)
法国塔恩河沿岸的Castelbouc城堡和塔恩峡谷 Castelbouc and the Gorges du Tarn along the Tarn River in France (© Stefan Schurr/Westend61/Offset)
Bidding summer adieu
Today, on the traditional end of the French summer season, we're featuring the wild beauty of the Gorges du Tarn, a canyon formed by the Tarn River in south central France. The Tarn Gorge is about 33 miles long and, at points, almost 2,000 feet deep. It's a popular spot for tourists, especially kayakers and rock climbers. History buffs also find much to explore, including the castles and villages built along—or even carved into—the canyon walls, like Castelbouc in today's image.
