Where (Pacific Ocean)

volcano Mariana Islands

* Mariana Islands:
- The Mariana Islands (also the Marianas; up to the early 20th century sometimes called Ladrones Islands, from Spanish Islas de los Ladrones meaning "Islands of Thieves") are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western  (tây bắc) Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east. They are south of Japan and north of New Guinea, and immediately to the east of the Philippine Sea. The south end of the Marianas chain is the island of Guam. The islands were named after Spanish Queen Mariana of Austria in the 17th century, when Spain started the colonization of the archipielago.

Places (China & East Asia) (1)

Macau - Hongkong - Shenzhen tour

* Macau (Macau or Macao?), China:
- Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover on 20 December 1999. The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macau stipulate that Macau operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, 50 years after the transfer.
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* Guang dong <Quảng Đông>:
- Quảng Đông là một tỉnh nằm ven biển phía nam Trung Quốc . Tỉnh lỵ là thành phố Quảng Châu. Quảng Đông là 1 trong những tỉnh giàu nhất Trung Quốc với GDP danh nghĩa là 265 tỷ USD năm 2005, do đó tỉnh này đã thu hút 30 triệu người nhập cư từ vùng khác của Trung Quốc. GDP của Quảng Đông chiếm 12% tổng GDP của Trung Quốc. Quảng Châu và Thâm Quyến là 2 trong 4 tỉnh và thành phố quan trọng nhất Trung Quốc.
- "Quảng" có nghĩa là rộng rãi và có liên quan tới khu vực thời Nhà Tấn. "Quảng Đông" có nghĩa là phía đông rộng rãi, Quảng Đông và Quảng Tây được gọi chung là "Lưỡng Quảng" (兩廣 liăng guăng). Tên viết tắt hiện nay của Quảng Đông là "Việt" 粵/粤 (Yue), liên quan đến "Bách Việt" (百越), một tên chung chỉ các dân tộc sống ở Quảng Đông và các khu vực xung quanh vào thời xưa. Quảng Đông có vị trí xa trung tâm nền văn minh Trung Hoa cổ đại ở đồng bằng phía bắc Trung Hoa. Thời đấy, đây là nơi sinh sống của các tộc người được gọi chung là "Bách Việt" (百越), các tộc người có lẽ là Tai-Kadai có liên quan đến dân tộc Choang ở tỉnh Quảng Tây.

Saxons

Central Europe 5th century
(source: wikipedia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxons
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_saxon_mean
http://www.britroyals.com/kings.asp?id=alfred

Places (Western Europe) (1)

ABOUT:
1. Holland vs. Netherlands? (internationalstudents.nl); (funtrivia.com)
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* Palos de la Frontera, Spain:
- Palos de la Frontera is a town and municipality located in the southwestern Spanish province of Huelva, in the autonomous community of Andalusia.
- Sáng sớm ngày 3 tháng 8, năm 1492, đoàn tàu thám hiểm của Colômbô gồm 3 tàu lớn đã rời cảng Palos de la Frontera gần cửa biển Rio Tinto để tiến tới một cuộc khám phá tình cờ (tìm ra châu Mỹ).
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* Andalusia, Spain:
- Andalusia is in the south of the Iberian peninsula. It is an autonomous community of Spain. Seville is the capital city of Andalusia. Seville is as well as the artistic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain.
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* Delft, South of Holland (Netherlands):
- Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, the Netherlands. It is located in between Rotterdam and The Hague. Delft is primarily known for its typically Dutch town centre (with canals); also for the painter Vermeer, Delft Blue pottery (Delftware), the Delft University of Technology, and its association with the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange-Nassau.
- See more: Delft centre (sinfras.com); Delft storm umbrellas (senzumbrellas.com)
- Notable men of Delft: Antonie Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) - nhà vi sinh vật học (đầu tiên trên thế giới)
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* Hanover, German:
- Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony, Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg (later described as the Elector of Hanover). At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the Electorate was enlarged to become the capital of the Kingdom of Hanover.

Places (Northern Europe) (1)

* Lapland

Places (South Europe & The Balkans) (1)

* Tower of the Winds, Athens (Ancient Greece):
- The Tower of the Winds, also called horologion (timepiece), is an octagonal Pentelic marble clocktower on the Roman agora in Athens. The structure features a combination of sundials, a water clock and a wind vane. It was supposedly built by Andronicus of Cyrrhus around 50 BC, but according to other sources might have been constructed in the 2nd century BC before the rest of the forum.
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* Genoa, Italy:
- Genoa is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria.
- There is a monument to Christopher Columbus in Genoa. Genoa là nơi Columbus đã sống 22 năm đầu đời (from 1451 to 1473) của ông. Genoa cách Venice khoảng 288 km.
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* Padua (northern Italy):

Adriatic Sea

- Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua cách Venice khoảng 34 km về phía Tây.
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* Adriatic Sea:
- The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges. The western coast is Italian, while the eastern coast runs along Slovenia (47 km), Croatia (5,835 km) , Bosnia and Herzegovina (26 km), Montenegro (294 km), and Albania (295 km).
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* Venice:
- NATIONAL LIBRARY MARCIANA (venice-italy-hotels.com)

Peninsula

Norway

Balkan Peninsula

* Scandinavia Peninsula:
- Denmark, Norway, & Sweden
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Iberian Peninsula

* Balkan peninsula:
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* Iberian Peninsula:
_ The Iberian Peninsula or Iberia is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes modern-day states Portugal, Spain, Andorra, the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar and a very small area of France. It is the westernmost of the three major southern European peninsulas—the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan peninsulas. The Pyrenees form the northeast edge of the peninsula, separating it from the rest of Europe.

Places (France) (1)

Boulogne

* The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or gemeinden in Germany. French communes have no exact equivalent in the United Kingdom, but are closest to parishes, towns or cities.
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* Boulogne-sur-Mer is a city in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais.

- blogs.princeton.edu

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* (recommend) aplaceinfrance.co.uk New property throughout France.

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* Pyrenees (also Pyrenées):

- The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms the natural border between France and Spain.
-----
* Gascony:
- Gascony is an area of southwest France.
- Gascony is the land of d'Artagnan, who inspired Alexandre Dumas's character in The Three Musketeers.

Brittany, France

- Gascony is also famed for its douceur de vivre ("sweetness of life").
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* Flanders:
- For centuries, Flanders has served as the crossroads between the French, German, and British civilizations.
- The Flemings or Flemish (Dutch: Vlamingen) are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Waloons. Flemish make up the majority of the population (about 60%).
- Where is Flanders located? Flanders is in North of Belgium and surrounded by Netherlands, France, Germany and South Begium. It is also called the country of the Flemings. (answers.ask.com)
- Flanders field (the poem 'In the Flanders fields' WWI)
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* Poitiers:

pyrenees

* Crécy-en-Ponthieu:
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* Harfleur:
- Harfleur is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.
- It was the principal seaport in north-western France for six centuries, until Le Havre was built about five kilometres (three miles) downstream in the sixteenth century to take advantage of anchorages less prone to siltation. Harfleur is now on the eastern edge of Le Havre's urban area.
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* Azincourt (Agincourt in English) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.
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map of France

* Burgundy (French region):
- Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) is one of the 27 regions of France.
- (hanoiwineclub.com) Burgundy (Bourgogne) là vùng sản xuất rượu vang lớn nằm ở miền đông nước Pháp, kéo dài từ phía bắc Auxerre xuống vùng nam Mâcon. Đây là vùng có số lượng vang trắng và đỏ sản xuất ngang nhau.
- Northern Burgundy (bargeladycruises.com)
- Burgundy wine (wine-pages.com Burgundy wine)
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* Picquigny, France:
- Picquigny is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.
- Treaty of Picquigny (1475)

Places (France) (2)

Anjou,
Western France

Anjou is a province of the Western France.

* Anjou  (ăn´jū) (pron: ann-joo)
- Capital: Angers (pron: awn-zhay)
- French annexation: 1326
- The red border on this shield indicates it was an inherited fief, and the fleurs-de-lys (the royal banner) were added to show Anjou’s annexation to France.

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* Normandy:
Info:
- D-day 1944
- Claude Monet

red D'anjou pears

*Travel Normandy Guide France:
Normandy is one of the geographical regions in France. It is located on the Northwest of the country bordering the English Channel. This region comprises five departments: Manche, Calvados, Eure, Seine-Maritime and Orne. The economy of the region is based on fishing, cattle raising and tourism. There is an important development of shipbilidng, metalworking, oilrefining and textiles industries. The climate is warm and temperate and in the summer temperature can get high. Nevertheless, the climate here is great for doing outdoor activities but you will need sun protection.

Tourism influences the economy of the region to a great extent. There are some important beach resorts such as Deauville, Granville and Étretat. Deauville is France’s most enchating beach resort and it is associated with glamour, style and prestige.

pear, Anjou,
France

The principal cities of Normandy are Caen, Cherbourg, LeHavre and Rouen. Below there is a brief descrption of them.

Caen is the capital city of one of Normandy’s departments, Calvados. This city is a port center and it is located on the River Orne. this Caen is also known for the development of the steel, textile and electronic industries. Some of the attractions in the city are the Abbaye-Aux-Hommes established by William the Conqueror and the Church of Saint-Pierre. Cherbourg , located in the northwest of France in the Manche department , is a naval base and seaport. The principal industries here are coal, timber, and shipbuilding.

Normandy1

The city of Le Havre is situated in the north of France on the English Channel and it is the second seaport in the country. Sugar, petroleum shipbuilding are some of the city industries.Rouen located 115 km from Paris on the Seine River is a principal port especially for the transshipment of petroleum, coal, wood, wines, etc. Chemical, textile, paper, processed food are some of the industries developed in the city. Rouen is an important tourist center due to the presence of historical and architectural relics.

An great attraction in Normandy is Mont-Saint-Michel whichis a small island located in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel in the English Channel. There is a well-known Gottic abbey which is kept as a national historical museum and one of the most important attractions in the city

Normandy

The town of Bayeux, Normandy has as its central feature the beautiful Notre-Dame Cathedral. This town also hosts a museum in honor of the Battle of Normandy, as well as the 200-ft. long Bayeux Tapestry which depicts the tale of William the Conquerer. Bayeux is one of the few towns to escape the destructive bombings of WWII, and so many of its buildings date as far back as the 15th Century.

Festivals, exhibitions ,fairs of many kinds and other events take place in different cities of Normandy all year round. All these attract visitors to taste the culture of this region as well as its food.

A dramatic coastline, fascinating history and, of course, good food and wine all around, Normandy is one of France's more intriguing regions, and well worth a visit.
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Manche

* Bayeux:
- Bayeux is located 7 km from the coast of La Manche (English Channel).
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* Caen, Normandy

Places (UK) (3)

Hereford cattle

* Buckingham Palace, London:
- Buckingham Palace is the London home and primary residence of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focus for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis.
- Originally known as Buckingham House, the building which forms the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1705 on a site which had been in private ownership for at least 150 years.
- Buckingham Palace (royal.gov.uk)
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* The Iron Bridge, Coalbrookdale, river Severn, Shropshire, England:

Wye valley

- The Iron Bridge crosses the River Severn at the Ironbridge Gorge, by the village of Ironbridge, in Shropshire, England. It was the first arch bridge in the world to be made out of cast iron, a material which was previously far too expensive to use for large structures. However, a new blast furnace nearby lowered the cost and so encouraged local engineers and architects to solve a long-standing problem of a crossing over the river.
- In the early 18th century, the only way to cross the Severn Gorge was by ferry. However, the industries that were growing in the area of Coalbrookdale and Broseley needed a more reliable crossing.
- The Iron Bridge at Coalbrookdakle has been described as the "Stonehenge of the Industrial Revolution". The original Stonehenge stands testament to long past history. The Iron Bridge, a magnificent and innovative design when first constructed, now stands testament to the marvels of the Industrial Revolution.

Shrewsbury, England

Aqueduct
above the River Dee

Places (UK) (2)

England

* Giới thiệu về England thông qua các icons: icons.org.uk/theicons
1. http://www.uk.filo.pl/england_the_heart.htm The heart of England (the West Middles region of England ?!) Shrewsbury
2.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ The-One-Minute-Guide-To--Darwin-s-Shrewsbury
3. http://www.ruralways.org.uk/countrybreaks/browse/hampshire/ Rural ways
4. http://ukbestguide.com/tag/windsor-castle/ Windsor Castle (tourism)
5. http://www.fromoldbooks.org/ Windsor Castle (some introduce) & a very nice painting of this castle (pencil coloured)
6.http://www.royaloakday.org.uk/ Royal oak day (Wiltshire)
7. www.britainexpress.com/index.htm
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* The British Isles:
- (woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk) The British Isles is a geographically term which includes two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and 5,000 small islands, most notably the Isle of Man which has its own parliament and laws.

Royal Holloway, University of London

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* Pontefract Castle, England:
- Pontefract Castle is a castle in the town of Pontefract, in the City of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It was the site of the demise ('die') of Richard II of England, and later the place of a series of famous sieges  (bao vây) during the English Civil War (1642-1651).
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* Wakefield, Yorkshire, England:
- Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England.
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* Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England:

Population density

- Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire (South West region of England), England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook. It gives its name to the Borough of Tewkesbury, of which the town is the second largest settlement.
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* The Tower of London:
- Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England.
- It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. The Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history. It was besieged several times and controlling it has been important to controlling the country.
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* Warwick, England:
- Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, 18 km south of Coventry.
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* Barnet, North London, England:

Gwynedd, North/West of Wales

- High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located 10 miles (16 km) north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London borough of which it forms a part.
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* Battle of Bosworth Field:
- The Battle of Bosworth Field (or the Battle of Bosworth) was the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians. Their leader Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, became the first English monarch of the Tudor dynasty by his victory and subsequent marriage to a Yorkist princess. His opponent Richard III, the last king of the House of York, was killed in the battle. Historians consider Bosworth Field to mark the end of the Plantagenet dynasty.
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* Folkestone, Kent, England:

The Tower with the River Thames
and Tower Bridge to the south.
The outer curtain walls were
erected in the 13th century.

- Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its growing importance as a seaside resort all contributed to its growth. Currently Folkestone has the only sandy beach and coastal park within an hour of north London.
- Folkestone là quê hương của nhà vật lý học William Harvey.
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* Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, East Midlands, England:
- Hardwick Hall, in Derbyshire, is one of the most significant Elizabethan country houses in England. In common with its architect Robert Smythson's other works at both Longleat House and Wollaton Hall, Hardwick Hall is one of the earliest examples of the English interpretation of the Renaissance style of architecture, which came into fashion when it was no longer thought necessary to fortify one's home.

Places (UK) (1)

Cardiff

1. very recommend site: http://www.heritagecities.com/ (Britain's Heritage cities)
* Bath
* Canterbury
* Chester
* Durham
* Lincoln
* Oxford

London

* Stratford
* York
2. oldukphotos.com (Westminster abbey; Big Ben; etc.)
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* Fraserburgh (Scots: The Broch):
- is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
- Fraserburgh Academy
• Wisdom is the Key to Life.
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Dover - Calais

* Stamford, Lincolnshire (The finest stone town in England):

- The town of Stamford is situated 100 miles north of London, just off the A1, which was the old Great North Road leading to York and Edinburgh. (source: stamford.co.uk)
- A brief history of Stamford, Lincolnshire
- Stamford, Lincolnshire (travel photos)
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* Northumbria:
- @England's North East region (englandsnortheast.co.uk) (Hisrory of Northumbria)
- Borderlands: Northumberland

Elvet Bridge, Durham,
North East England

- tartan pattern
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* Canterbury (shire county: Kent) is an historic English cathedral city.
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* Dover:
- Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England.The surrounding chalk cliffs have become known as the White cliffs of Dover, and the narrow sea passage nearby – the Strait of Dover.

White cliffs of Dover

- Dover Castle -- Guardian of the 'Gateway to England'
- Dover Castle is one of the largest castles in England, proudly standing on top of the White Cliffs, overlooking busy port of Dover. The castle guards the shortest crossing point to continental Europe. (It is only 21 miles (34 km) between Dover and France.)
- History of Dover Castle (chiddingstone.kent.sch.uk)
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* Peterborough (Cambridgeshire, England, UK)
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Durham Cathedral

* Ely, Cambridgeshire, England:
- Ely Cathedral church
- www.emersonkent.com
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* Durham /ˈdʌrəm/ /ˈdʊrəm/: -- North East England
- (thisisdurham.com - tourism website)
- Durham is a city in the North East of England.
- Durham castle, Durham Cathedral, Elvet bridge, river Wear.
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* York:
- Yorkshire (HQ: York) is the largest county in United Kingdom.

Ely Cathedral

- York Minster
- York attractions list (britainexpress.com)
- York360.co.uk - old postcards of York
- yorkshire-england.co.uk The city of York ♥
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* Exeter - South West of England:
- Exeter is a city in Devon, England. The city is on the River Exe, about 60km northeast of Plymouth, and about 110km southwest of Bristol.
- Exeter - Capital city of Devon (exeter-devon.co.uk)

Burghley House,
Stamford, Lincolnshire

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* Herefordshire - a county in the West Midlands region of England.

- HQ: Hereford
- beef: Probably Hereford's most famous export is its beef cattle - Hereford cattle.
* Hereford is a cathedral city. It lies on the River Wye, approx. 26km east of the border with Wales.
- River Wye; Wye Bridge
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map Saxons

* Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is the second largest town in the ceremonial county of Shropshire, after Telford. It lies on the River Severn.
- Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury on 12 February 1809 at The Mount House.
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* Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. It lies on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales.
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* Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England.
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* Hampshire:

Canterbury Cathedral

- Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England, UK.
- HQ: Hampshire's county town is Winchester.
- The port cities: Southampton, Portsmouth
- Winchester Cathedral
- Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was the most popular English novelist of the Victorian era. He was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.
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* The New Forest, Hampshire, England.
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* Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England.

Westminster Abbey
at night

- Alnwick castle is the second largest inhabited castle in England after Windsor Castle, and has been home of the Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309. It has featured in many film and television productions over the years, and was seen recently in 'Elizabeth', 'Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves' and 'Robin of Sherwood'. The castle grounds are used as the location for some of Hogwarts' exteriors, for example the scene where Harry and his classmates have their first flying lesson with broomsticks (The movie Harry Potter). (exteriors: ngoại cảnh)
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* Devizes:
- Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Chippenham and about 11 miles (18 km) east of Trowbridge.
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Battle Abbey

* Salisbury:
- Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire - South West England, and the only city in the county.
- Wiltshire has so many places of interest, e.g. Stonehenge (located about 13 km north of Salisbury).
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* Evesham:
- Evesham is a market town and a civil parish in the Local Authority District of Wychavon in the county of Worcestershire (West Midlands region), England.
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* Marlborough:

crop circle, Devizes,
England, 1999

- Marlborough is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire (region: South West of England) on the Old Bath Road, the old main road from London to Bath. It is reputed to have one of the widest high streets in Britain, second only to Stockton-on-Tees.
- Marlborough market
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* Lewes:
- Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, South East of England.
- Lewes castle
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Salisbury Cathedral

* Gwynedd (Wales):
- Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd.
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* Woodstock, Oxfordshire:
- Woodstock is a small town 13 km northwest of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. It is the location of Blenheim Palace. Blenheim Palace is a country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace.

Yorkshire flag

- Winston Churchill was born in Blenheim Palace in 1874 and is buried in the nearby village of Bladon.
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* Montgomery, Powys, Wales:
- Welcome to Montgomery (montgomery-powys.co.uk): There are many towns and cities all over the globe which are proud to be called Montgomery, the capital of the State of Alabama in the USA is probably the most populous and Sainte Foy de Montgommery or Saint Germain de Montgommery in  Basse-Normandie may be the oldest, but this web site is dedicated to Montgomery, Montgomeryshire, a historically important little town (call it a village and you will be hounded by the Town Council for ever) situated deep in the Welsh Marches, the border country between  Wales and England (21 miles west of Shrewsbury). Originally the county town of Montgomeryshire (now part of Powys), Montgomery has a population of 1256 (2001 census) and is one of the most attractive towns in Wales.
- the Montgomery castle
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* Welsh Marches:
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* Surrey:
- Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties.

counties of England

county map

Places (UK - Scotland)

Tartan Ribbon,
photograph taken by
James Clerk Maxwell
in 1861.
Considered the first
colour photograph.

* tartan (n): a pattern of different coloured straight lines crossing each other at 90 degree angles, or a cloth with this pattern

- a tartan kilt
- The Auld Alliance tartan
* scone (bread): The scone is a small British quick bread of Scottish origin.
* Sir William Wallace (c.1272-1305)
* The River Tweed, Scotland.
* Auld Lang Syne is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song.
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* Scone, Scotland:
- Scone (pronounced /sku:n/) is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The medieval village of Scone, which grew up around the monastery and royal residence, was abandoned in the early 19th century when the residents were removed and a new palace was built on the site by the Earl of Mansfield. Hence the modern village of Scone, and the medieval village of Old Scone, can often be distinguished.

tartan

Both sites lie in the historical province of Gowrie. Old Scone was the historic capital of the Kingdom of Alba (Scotland). In the Middle Ages it was an important royal centre, used as a royal residence and as the coronation site of the kingdom's monarchs. Around the royal site grew the town of Perth and the Abbey of Scone.

- Scone Palace - The crowning place of Scottish Kings (Welcome to Scone Place www.scone-palace.co.uk)
- Stone of Scone (Stone of Destiny): (1296; 1996)
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tartan
(Auld alliance)

* Fife, Scotland, UK:
- Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire. It was originally one of the Pictish kingdoms, known as Fib, and is still commonly known as the Kingdom of Fife within Scotland.
- It is a lieutenancy area, and was a county of Scotland until 1975. Fife is Scotland's 3rd largest local authority area by population. The historic town of St Andrews is located on the northeast coast of Fife. It is well-known for one of the most ancient universities in Europe and is renowned as the home of golf.

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* Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland:
- Leith (/liːθ/) is a district and former municipal burgh to the north of the city of Edinburgh at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is the port of Edinburgh, Scotland.
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* Hebrides, west coast of Scotland:
- The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are 2 main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive influences of Celtic, Norse and English speaking peoples, which is reflected in the names given to the islands.

Places (Ireland)

Ireland

* Republic of Ireland (capital city: Dublin)
- Area: 84,421 km²
- Dublin castle (destination360.com)
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(* Northern Ireland (United Kingdom; Belfast))
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* Dublin:
- Dublin castle
- dublincastle.ie
- heritageireland.ie Dublin castle
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Republic of Ireland:
* Music and dance:
- Irish traditional music has remained vibrant, despite globalising cultural forces, and retains many traditional aspects. It has influenced various music genres, such as American country and roots music, and to some extent modern rock. It has occasionally been blended with styles such as rock and roll and punk rock. Well known artists include Altan, Clannad, The Chieftains, The Dubliners, The Saw Doctors, Christy Moore, Mary Black, ensembles such as Anúna and Celtic Woman, and cross-over artists such as Enya and Sinéad O'Connor.

Ireland_shamrock

- Ireland has also produced many internationally known artists in other genres, such as rock, pop, jazz, and blues, including The Corrs, The Cranberries, The Pogues, Thin Lizzy, Boyzone, Westlife, U2, Chris de Burgh, Damien Rice, guitarist Rory Gallagher, and Academy Award winner Glen Hansard of The Frames. Contemporary artists include Bell X1, Fight Like Apes, Jape, Lisa Hannigan, Mick Flannery, My Bloody Valentine, Republic of Loose, The Blizzards, The Coronas, The Script, Two Door Cinema Club, Cathy Davey, and Imelda May.

Dublin castle

- There are a number of classical music ensembles around the country, such as the RTÉ Performing Groups. Ireland also has three opera organisations. Opera Ireland produces large-scale operas in Dublin, the Opera Theatre Company tours its chamber-style operas throughout the country, and the annual Wexford Opera Festival, which promotes lesser-known operas, takes place during October and November.

♥___♥ I LOVE WESTLIFE ♥___♥

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