Amman, the capital of Jordan, is a modern city with numerous ancient ruins. Atop Jabal al-Qala’a hill, the historic Citadel includes the pillars of the Roman Temple of Hercules and the 8th-century Umayyad Palace complex, known for its grand dome. Built into a different downtown hillside, the Roman Theater is a 6,000-capacity, 2nd-century stone amphitheater offering occasional events.
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Cinematic Travel: The Beauty Of Budapest (4K)
Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views.
Lake Views: Oeschinensee, Kandersteg, Switzerland
Lake Oeschinen, which lies above Kandersteg, Switzerland, is a pristine mountain lake, fed by the glacial brooks of the three-thousand-meter peaks of Blüemlisalp, Oeschinenhorn, Fründenhorn and Doldenhorn. People who love to swim, nature lovers and hikers can really enjoy themselves here.
Walking Tours: Amiens In Northern France (4K)
Amiens is a city in northern France, divided by the Somme river. It’s known for the Gothic Amiens Cathedral and nearby medieval belfry. Shops and cafes line the Quartier St.-Leu’s narrow streets. Floating market gardens (“hortillonnages”) dot the city’s canals. The Musée de Picardie shows art and antiquities spanning centuries. Nearby, the Maison de Jules Verne is a museum where the science fiction author once lived.
New Art Books: ‘Venice – A Sketchbook Guide’ (2022)
Matthew Rice is a long-time observer and illustrator of cities, buildings and all those who inhabit them, with an uncanny ability to express the energy of a place through a few lines of ink and splashes of paint.
For years, Venice has been a source of deep creative inspiration for him; and now, in Venice: A Sketchbook Guide, he captures the highlights of this most beguiling of Italian cities. Unsurprisingly, given his abiding passion for architecture, Matthew provides a wealth of information about the ‘stones’ of Venice, including an illustrated guide to the main building styles of the city – Byzantine, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Modern – and exemplars of its balconies, bridges and campaniles.
Further sections explore the city’s sestieri – its six residential quarters – as well as its history, paintings, festivals, wildlife and, not least, its cicchetti and aperitivi. Following the same landscape format as Matthew’s real-life sketchbooks, Venice: A Sketchbook Guide will combine enchanting watercolour illustrations with an informed, personal and witty text, and promises to delight all visitors to Venice, armchair or actual.
Concrete Architecture: The Sandcastle In Point Chevalier, New Zealand
As an architectural house, The Sandcastle by Ponting Fitzgerald Architects champions the creative and structural benefits of concrete. Inspired by a sandcastle and built by Bannan Construction, the sculptural building is firmly established within its coastal context.
00:00 – An Introduction to the Architectural House 00:53 – Creating a Sandcastle 01:19 – Entering the House 02:06 – Building for the Coastal Climate 02:32 – A Unique Use of Concrete 03:37 – Materiality 04:07 – Lighting in the House 04:25 – Unique Qualities of the House 05:00 – What the Builder is Most Proud Of
Built within the inner harbour zone of Point Chevalier, The Sandcastle is situated directly above the shore. Sitting on a bluff of land that resembles a sand dune in constitution, the three-storey concrete home is conceived as an architectural house that naturally extends from the surrounding landscape. A house tour of The Sandcastle evidences its status as an architectural house, with the form of the building representing a playful yet sophisticated interpretation of a sandcastle. Concrete plays an important role in realising the shape of the home, offering endless formal possibilities in its pre-set, liquid state. Ponting Fitzgerald Architects crafts a dynamic materiality that withstands the erosive coastal climate. Although the concrete exterior interacts with the salt, wind and water of the environment – gracefully expressing the passage of time through a weather-beaten appearance – The Sandcastle maintains its structural integrity, establishing itself as an architectural house embedded in the landscape. With the help of Bannan Construction, Ponting Fitzgerald Architects creates an architectural house that is both rugged in nature and refined in form and concept. The Sandcastle stands as an enduring aspect of the coast; a solid piece of architecture, made in recognition of place.
Swiss Hikes: The Stäuber Waterfall, Canton Of Uri
Magic Stäuber waterfall with relaxing music & nature sounds, incredible scenes of Switzerland. A peaceful ambience in the middle of the nature. Stäuber (also called Stäuben or Stäubifall) is a very powerful waterfall near Unterschächen (Klausenpass) in the region Uri, Switzerland. Stäuber is one of the bigger, more powerful waterfalls in Switzerland, especially early in the season.
Stäuber is located along road from Altdorf to Unterschächen and further to the Klausenpass. Near Aesch you already see the Stäuber in the distance, from the roadside. There are several viewpoints along the road where you have tremendous views (from a distance) on the 100 meter single drop waterfall, Stäuber. Early in the season the waterfall can get very powerful, so impressive to see. A must see when you are driving in the Uri Canton.
Driving over the Klausenpass is certainly a great experience! The Stäuber is mostly fed with melted snow and ice from the glacier Hüfi (Hüfifirn), a 7 kilometer long glacier. There is another waterfall east of the Klausenpass called Berglistüber wasserfall. A waterfall where you can walk behind and is mentioned as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Switzerland.
World Economic Forum: Top Stories Of The Week
This week The World Economic Forum are highlighting 4 top stories – millennial retirement savings, slingshot tech for satellite launches, China’s cheapest electric car, and Paris noise sensors
Timeline: 00:15 Millennial retirement savings 01:48 Slingshot satellite launches 03:46 China’s cheapest electric car 04:52 Paris installs noise sensors
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.
Aviation: Are Electric Air Taxis & Planes Ready Yet?
The aviation industry is keen to reduce its carbon footprint, and big money is being spent developing battery-powered aircraft. Last year, investors poured around $5bn into companies seeking to get manned electric VTOLs – vertical take-off and landing craft – airborne. The technology is improving, but as the FT’s Charlotte Middlehurst reports, there are still major hurdles to overcome.
Travel: Top 10 Places To Visit In Washington State
Washington is best known for its biggest city of Seattle, but the Evergreen State is also home to a huge number of scenic destinations. Whether you want to hike right up to waterfalls, admire snow-capped mountains from a distance or spend the day on islands off the coast, Washington has it all. It is easy to pack your vacation with city life, world-class attractions, national parks and more while in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s a look at the best places to visit in Washington State.
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