A view of one of the many canals that flow through the medieval city of Bruges, located in the West Flanders province of northwest Belgium.



Bruges, sometimes known as the Venice of the North, has a population of over 117,000, of which 20,000 live in the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site city center. The city was founded by Vikings in the 9th century, and from the 12th to the 15th century, Bruges become a major trading center because of its location near the North Sea and its canals, but in the 1500s, its major channel began to silt, and Bruges fell into despair until tourism and a new port brought new life in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Belfry, seen in the background at 272 feet, is a famous bell tower built in the 13th century. Inside the tower, 48 bells can be found along with 366 steps to the top. In 2008, a film staring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson was filmed almost entirely in the city, and was not surprisingly titled In Bruges.

The United States Capitol building as it sits atop Capitol Hill on the eastern side of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.



The building, which is the meeting place of the United States Congress, began construction on September 18, 1793. The Capitol building is composted of a central domed housing a rotunda, a north Senate wing, and a south House of Representatives ring. On December 2, 2008, a Capitol Visitor Center was opened which allows tourists a glimpse inside the building.

A view of Lake Tahoe to south from Tahoe City, California on the north shore.


This alpine lake is located on the border of California and Nevada at an elevation of 6,225 feet and was formed during the Ice Age over 2 million years ago. With an average depth of 1,000 feet and maximum depth of 1,645 feet, Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States after Crater Lake in Oregon. In the winter, skiers and snowboarders visit many of the ski resorts surrounding the lake including Squaw Valley and Heavenly, which hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics. In the summer, fishing, boating, camping, and other water sports are very popular.

The stunning Latourell Falls can be found along the Columbia River Gorge canyon just outside of Portland, Oregon.


The waterfall drops nearly 250 feet down an overhanging basalt cliff into a small pool. Latourell Falls is one of the best known waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge canyon, and is accessible by a walking path to the base of the falls.

A view of the two colorful islands known as Na Mokulua, off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii.


Na Mokulua literally means "the two islands", but they are most often known as "The Moks". The white sands of Lankai Beach can be seen in the foreground, which is near the city of Kailua. The islands are state bird sanctuaries and very popular with kayakers, who often visit the larger Moku Nui island. The smaller Moku Iki island is off limits.