Tell us about your team locale.

[Ben E Lou]

I confess that I haven't even heard of a number of the places our teams are from. Why don't we use this thread to get familiar with those that are likely non-familiar?

I'll start off with the Low Country. It's an area along the SC/GA coast that was heavily used for plantation crop production (mainly rice). There's therefore a curious mix of wealthy families who trace their roots back to slave-era plantation ownership, and descendents of slaves. The Gullah culture is still present in a number of communities, and there are still older whites around here who grew up on the family plantation, and can speak Gullah with the best of 'em. (There's a funny story about Arthur Ravenel giving us directions to his house that I need to tell y'all later. His normal speech has a pretty heavy Gullah accent, causing some words to just come out plain weird-sounding, even to his non-Low-Country relatives.)

Due to the heavy presence of marshlands, wild gators thrive in the area, even within the city limits of Charleston. (There are areas within the city limits that are pretty much undevelopable due to the marsh.) There was a gator sunning himself right outside of a Charleston's largest shopping mall, located in a heavily populated and commercially-developed area, just a few weeks ago. Another thing unique to the area, mentioned in another thread, is the tradition of the Low Country Boil. It's usually some combination of shrimp, crawfish, sausage, potatoes, onions, and corn on the cob, all boiled together in a big-ol' pot. A true Low Country Boil is served outdoors, on a long table covered with newspapers, and eaten with your hands (even the taters). Even aristocratic old-Charleston blue-blood weddings have been known to do an outdoor Low Country Boil for the reception. Low Country Boils are also very popular for large gatherings, tailgates, church dinners-on-the-grounds, and the like.

This article gives a little more about what the area is like:


The Low Country
Exploring Coastal South Carolina and Georgia
By Claire Pamplin

Ocean, rivers and marshes have always defined life in the Low Country. The abundance of water in low-lying terrain made the 200-mile-long region between Charleston, South Carolina and St. Marys, Georgia rich from rice and cotton in the 19th century.
Sunrise at Hunting Island The rice and cotton industries began to decline before the Civil War, but the war added a debilitating blow to the region's economy. Some areas have recovered only in recent years, and today many of the towns and communities along the coast are growing, vibrant with new energy. Charleston and Savannah began their restoration programs years ago, but recently Beaufort, Port Royal, and St. Marys have established historic districts. Some streets and squares look almost exactly as they did one hundred or even two hundred years ago. Even the tiniest communities, such as Port Royal, have little theatres or other arts programs. Good (or at least decent) restaurants are everywhere.


Driving along U.S. Highway 17 or secondary roads , you cross tidal creeks winding through endless marshes. Stop for a bit of refreshment, and you'll easily find a cafe, restaurant or bar overlooking a river or inlet. In fact, just as water defined the life and economy of the Low Country 200 years ago, it will define your visit. You'll paddle along tidal creeks, through marshes or in the open ocean. If you go biking, you will doubtless ride along beaches and rivers. You are a birder? The region is a superb bird-watching spot because of the water.

[Northwood_DK]

Copenhagen Great Danes.



Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and the country's largest city (population 1.2mil). Copenhagen faces to the east the Øresund, the strait of water that separates Denmark from Sweden, and that connects the North Sea with the Baltic Sea.
Though there is evidence that Copenhagen existed as a settlement over 6,000 years ago, its first written record did not come until 1043. At this time Copenhagen, then called simply Havn (harbour), was of little strategic or political importance but consisted merely of a small group of wattle and daub huts located between the present day Rådhuspladsen (City Hall Square) and the sea.

The city was founded in 1167 by Bishop Absalon. Copenhagen's growing prosperity, founded on the good herring catch in Øresund, attracted the attention of the tradesmen from Lübeck in northern Germany, who attacked the city twice in the mid-13th century (the Danish-German rivalryes will be brutal).

By marrying the Norwegian king and simultaneously being sovereign of Sweden, the Danish Queen Margrethe I set the scene for the founding of the Northern Alliance formalised as the Kalmar Union in 1397. In 1596, thousands of guests from Europe's noblest families gathered at the coronation of the man who was to become probably Denmark's best-known king, Christian IV. A man of great appetites and ambition, Christian IV is known as the Architect King, and he was responsible for many of Copenhagen's finest buildings and quarters (Rosenborg Castle, the Round Tower, parts of Christiansborg Castle, the Stock Exchange, Nyboder and Christianshavn among them). He also caused Denmark's fall to virtual bankruptcy. His relationship with Sweden, beginning with his declaration of war in 1611, was his downfall. The battles between the two neighbours raged long after his death in 1648, ultimately resulting in the loss of much of Denmark's empire.
Following a plague in 1711, Copenhagen was hit by further disasters in the 18th Century in the shape of two fires that ravaged the city in 1728 and 1795. Among the darkest days in Copenhagen's history were the two occasions it fell victim to bombardments by the British navy (1801-1807). The first occasion arose after Denmark had entered into an armed neutrality pact with Russia, Sweden and France against England. As a result, Admirals Nelson and Parker in April 1801 led a fleet into the Øresund and commenced bombarding the city with canon fire. The second bombardment was far worse, resulting in 300 houses being destroyed.
On 9 April 1940, Hitler's troops landed in Copenhagen and, meeting little resistance, commenced an occupation that was to last the rest of the War. Germany moved 200,000 troops into Denmark, which it saw as a useful source of agricultural produce.

Despite the best efforts of the Danish resistance movement, and the secret evacuation of nearly 7,000 Danish Jews to Sweden, Denmark resigned itself to being ruled by Berlin. Liberation by the British army, led by Field Marshall Montgomery, came on 4 May 1945.


The Great Danes will play therir homegames in Parken Stadium that is currently has a capacity of 41,752 at football games, and is the home ground of F.C. Copenhagen and also the Danish national football team. Parken has also been the venue for several major european sporting events the last few years including UEFA Cup final between Arsenal and Galatasaray in May 2000.

Places of interest to visit in Copenhagen can be mentioned:

Amalienborg Palace - home of the Danish royal family.
The New Copenhagen Opera House
The Little Mermaid - This small and unimposing statue is a symbol of Copenhagen and kown from the fairytale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen
Tivoli Gardens - A famous amusement park in the center of Copenhagen that opend in 1843 and is one of the oldest amusement park in the world.

[RedKingGold]

As mentioned before, I was born and grew up in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Wilkes-Barre is a relatively small town in Northeastern Pennsylvania roughly two hours from Philadelphia and 2 1/2 hours from New York City. I also went to college in Wilkes-Barre, attending King's College.

Wilkes-Barre growth/decline was largely tied to the anthricite coal industry. When anthricite coal was being used in the early 20th century, Northeastern Pennsylvania was one of the largest coal mining areas in the world. Actually, my grandfather was a coal-miner before some of the great disasters in the mid-20th century. My naming the team the "coal miners" is in homage to him and my hometown's history.

Below is a brief history of the town from Wikipedia (which is surprisingly accurate):

History

[edit] Beginnings
The Wyoming Valley was first inhabited by the Shawanese and Delaware Indian tribes in the early 1700s. By 1769, a group of settlers, led by John Durkee, became the first Europeans to reach the area. The settlement was named Wilkes-Barre, after John Wilkes and Isaac Barre, two British members of Parliament who supported colonial America.

The initial settlers were aligned with Connecticut, which had a claim on the land that rivaled Pennsylvania's. Armed men loyal to Pennsylvania twice attempted to evict the residents of Wilkes-Barre in what came to be known as the Pennamite Wars. After the American Revolution, the conflict was resolved so that the settlers retained title to their lands but transferred their allegiance to Pennsylvania.

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, as depicted on an 1889 panoramic map.
[edit] Industrial foundations: manufacturing, coal and railroads
Wilkes-Barre's population exploded due to the discovery of anthracite coal in the 1800s, which gave the city the nickname of "The Diamond City." Hundreds of thousands of immigrants flocked to the city, seeking jobs in the numerous mines and collieries that sprung up.



[edit] 20th century
The coal industry survived several disasters, including an explosion at the Baltimore Colliery in 1919 that killed 92 miners, but it could not survive the gradual switch to other energy sources. Most coal operations left Wilkes-Barre by the end of World War II, and the 1959 Knox Mine Disaster marked the end of King Coal's heyday.


[edit] Disastrous flooding
Manufacturing and retail remained as Wilkes-Barre's strongest industries, but the city's economy took a major blow from Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972. The storm pushed the Susquehanna River to nearly 41 feet, four feet above the city's levees, and flooded the downtown with nine feet of water. Six people were killed, 25,000 homes and businesses were either damaged or destroyed, and damages were estimated to be $1 billion with President Richard Nixon sending aid to the area.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Wilkes-Barre attempted to repair the damage from Agnes by building a levee system which rises 41 feet and has successfully battled less threatening floods of 1996, 2004, and 2006 with the Army Corps of Engineers praising the quality of the levees. In addition, Wilkes-Barre was attracting new businesses to the city (including the finished construction of the Wyoming Valley Mall and a large downtown Boscov's), though many opted to move to the suburbs. By 2000, Mayor Tom McGroarty earned the city a less than dubious reputation with his handling of the city's fiscal affairs and his confrontational style towards several state and federal officials. Governor Mark Schweiker went so far as to call him "inept." When McGroarty lost the mayoral primary in 2003, Wilkes-Barre was nearly $11 million in debt.



[edit] 21st century
The landmark Sterling Hotel at Market and River St.On June 9, 2005, Mayor Thomas M. Leighton unveiled his I believe... campaign for Wilkes-Barre, which was intended to boost the city's spirits. Many residents were skeptical of the campaign, though construction had begun on a planned downtown theatre complex which had a much anticipated grand opening on June 30, 2006, and renovation of the landmark Hotel Sterling was being pursued by CityVest, a nonprofit developer. Also underway is a downtown two-floor Barnes & Noble store (opened October 17, 2006) and the expansion of Wilkes University and King's College in terms of their reliability. Also, the legendary wornout red street lights in Public Square and across downtown have been replaced with more modern and sufficient green lights. Leighton has however been under pressure to implement measures to tackle city crime, which has risen 39 percent on his watch according to local newspapers Times Leader and Citizen's Voice.

In 2006, the City of Wilkes-Barre celebrates its 200th anniversary (Bicentennial) celebration. There were several events which were scheduled to commemorate this momentous occasion over the July 4th Weekend, including a free concert with the legendary Beach Boys in the City's Kirby Park. Unfortunately, due to extremely heavy rains, the Susquehanna River crested high enough that most of the City had to be evacuated on June 28, 2006, forcing the cancellation of the events. However, the City rescheduled their Bicentennial Blastoff, their Bicentennial Parade and the Bicentennial Gala to different dates throughout August. The Beach Boys graciously rescheduled their concert and played Kirby Park on Labor Day Weekend, Sunday September 3, 2006. Mayor Leighton and the newly-created non-profit group, Celebrate Wilkes-Barre, Inc., have promised to continue the traditions created during this Bicentennial year.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I'll look something up later, but here's what I know off the top of my head about Columbus, Ohio:

There's a pretty decent-sized Wal-Mart there. It's near a Microtel hotel.

That's really all I know. I spent a night in Columbus near the end of my journey northward from Louisiana.

[Flasch186]

Jacksonville, Florida
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Jacksonville, Florida
Motto: Where Florida Begins
Location in the state of Florida
Location in the state of Florida
Coordinates: 30°19′10″N, 81°39′36″W
Country United States
State Florida
County Duval
Mayor John Peyton (R)
Area
- City 2,264.5 km² (885 sq mi)
- Land 1962.4 km² (767 sq mi)
- Water 302.1 km²
Elevation 6 m
Population
- City (2005) 782,623
- Density 441.58/km²
- Metro 1,348,381
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)


Jacksonville is the most populous city in the state of Florida and the thirteenth most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Duval County.GR6 Since 1968, the city has shared a consolidated government with the county, making it the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States. As of 2005, the city proper has an estimated population of 782,623 [1] with a metropolitan population of more than 1.3 million.[2]

Jacksonville is located in the First Coast region of northeast Florida. The city is situated on the banks of the St. Johns River, which flows north and empties into the Atlantic Ocean about 20 miles east of downtown. The settlement that became Jacksonville was founded in 1791 as Cowford due to its location at a narrow point in the river where cattle were once driven across. The city was renamed in 1822 for Andrew Jackson, the first military governor of the Florida Territory and eventual seventh President of the United States.



The history of Jacksonville spans hundreds of years, and has been influenced by the area's unique geography and location. The first settlement in the area, called Ossachite, was made over 6,000 years ago by the Timucua Indians in the vicinity of modern-day downtown Jacksonville.

European explorers first arrived in 1562, when French Huguenot explorer Jean Ribault charted the St. Johns River. René Goulaine de Laudonnière established the first European settlement at Fort Caroline two years later.

Florida became a territory of the United States in 1821, and the following year Cowford acquired the name Jacksonville, after the first military governor of the Florida Territory and eventual seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson. The Florida Legislative Council approved a charter for a town government on February 9, 1832.

During the American Civil War, Jacksonville was a key supply point for hogs and cattle leaving Florida and aiding the Confederate cause. The city was blockaded by the Union, changing hands several times. Though no battles were fought in Jacksonville, the city was left in a considerable state of disarray after the war.

During Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, Jacksonville and nearby St. Augustine became popular winter resorts for the rich and famous. Visitors arrived by steamboat and later by railroad. The city's tourism, however, was dealt major blows in the late 1800s by yellow fever outbreaks and the extension of the Florida East Coast Railroad to south Florida.

On May 2, 1901, downtown Jacksonville was ravaged by a fire that was started at a fiber factory. Known as the "Great Fire of 1901", it was one of the worst disasters in Florida history, destroying the business district and rendering 10,000 residents homeless in the course of eight hours. Famed New York architect Henry John Klutho was a primary figure in the reconstruction of the city. More than 13,000 buildings were constructed between 1901 and 1912.
Motion picture scene at Gaumont Studios, 1910.
Enlarge
Motion picture scene at Gaumont Studios, 1910.

In the 1910s, New York-based moviemakers were attracted to Jacksonville's warm climate, exotic locations, excellent rail access, and cheap labor. Over the course of the decade, more than 30 silent film studios were established, earning Jacksonville the title "Winter Film Capital of the World". The city's conservative political climate and the emergence of Hollywood as a major film production center quickly ended the city's film industry. Several converted movie studio sites remain in Arlington.

During this time, Jacksonville also became a banking and insurance center, with companies such as Barnett National, Atlantic National, Florida National, Prudential, Gulf Life, Afro-American Insurance, Independent Life and American Heritage Life thriving in the business district. The U.S. Navy also became a major employer and economic force during the 1940s, with the installation of three major naval bases in the city. Jacksonville, like most large cities in the United States, suffered from negative effects of rapid urban sprawl after World War II. Voters elected to consolidate the city and county governments in 1968, making Jacksonville the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States.

Jacksonville has long struggled with its violent crime rate; it has been Florida's murder capital for 12 of the last 17 years.[1] Murders peaked at 174 in 1991.[citation needed]




Today's skyline:

[miked]

Ah yes, Bozeman, Montana. I've spent a lot of time driving through Montana, especially from West Yellowstone p to Big Sky and Bozeman. It truly is beautiful, hotels are cheap and hiking is awesome.




Bozeman is a city in southwestern Montana, USA. It is the county seat of Gallatin County. With a 2000 population of 27,509, Bozeman is the fifth largest city in the state. The city is named after John M. Bozeman, founder of the Bozeman Trail. Located in the fastest-growing county in the state [1], Bozeman is an All-America City. Bozeman residents are known as Bozemanites.

Bozeman is home to Montana State University - Bozeman. The local newspaper is the Bozeman Chronicle. Gallatin Field Airport serves the city.

Prehistory
For thousands of years, Native Americans tribes including the Shoshone, Nez Perce, Blackfeet, Flathead and Sioux made the area their home, though the Gallatin Valley was not permanently held by any particular tribe.


19th century
William Clark visited the area in July 1806 as he traveled east from Three Forks along the Gallatin River. The journal entries from Clark's party briefly describes the future city's location in a place the local natives called the "Valley of the Flowers" [2].

In 1863, John Bozeman, along with a partner named John Jacobs, opened the Bozeman Trail, an offshoot from the Oregon Trail leading to the mining town of Virginia City through the Gallatin Valley and the future location of the city of Bozeman.

John Bozeman, with Daniel Rouse and William Bealle platted the town in 1864 stating "standing right in the gate of the mountains ready to swallow up all tenderfeet that would reach the territory from the east, with their golden fleeces to be taken care of...". The Indian Wars closed the Bozeman Trail in 1868, but the town's fertile land attracted permanent settlers.

In 1866 Nelson Story arrived with 3,000 head of longhorn cattle sneaking past angry Native Americans and the U.S. Army who tried to turn Story back for safety reasons. Those first cattle formed the first herd in Montana's cattle industry.

Fort Ellis was established in 1868 by Captain R. S. LaMotte and two companies of the 2nd Cavalry, after the mysterious death of John Bozeman near Yellowstone and considerable political disturbance in the area led local settlers and miners to feel a need for added protection. The fort, named for Gettysburg casualty Colonel Augustus Van Horne Ellis, was decommissioned in 1886 and very few remains are left at the actual site, now occupied by the Fort Ellis Experimental Station of Montana State University [3]. In addition to Fort Ellis, a short-lived fort, Fort Elizabeth Meahger (also simply known as Fort Meagher), was established in 1867 by volunteer militiamen. This fort was located eight miles east of town on Rock Creek.

Northern Pacific Railway tracks finally reached the small town in 1883. By 1900, Bozeman's population reached 3,500.


20th century
In two episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise, Carbon Creek and Desert Crossing, the city was named as the fictional location of First Contact (as shown in the movie Star Trek: First Contact) between Vulcans and Humans, an obvious nod from Bozeman native and Star Trek producer Brannon Braga. A starship in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Cause and Effect is also named after the town, the USS Bozeman.

In 1906, a Chinese immigrant name Lu-Sing murdered another Chinese immigrant named Tom Sing (no relation). In a fascinating summary defense, witnesses indicate that Lu-Sing acted in self-defense but Lu-Sing was found guilty and hanged outside the Bozeman Jail [4].

The first Federal Building and Post Office was built in 1915 (many years later, while empty, it was used along with downtown Bozeman in filming A River Runs Through It (1992) by Robert Redford and starring Brad Pitt.) It is now used by HRDC, a community organization.

Montana State University in recent years has graduated a number of pioneering scientists and engineers who have stayed in Bozeman and founded technology companies that compete on a national and global level. Local technology companies such as Zoot Enterprises and RightNow Technologies have in turn recruited many Montana State University Graduates to help build an innovative and dedicated workforce. The University's Museum of the Rockies was put on the map by famed paleontologist Jack Horner.

In the popular television show C.S.I N.Y character Lindsay Monroe was originally a C.S.I in Bozeman before she transferred to New York. This was noted in the very first episode she appeared in by Det. Mac Taylor when he said “Hey it's my new C.S.I. from Bozeman." The character also earned the nickname Montana from a coworker Det. Danny Messer because of her roots in the state.

Residents and visitors enjoy easy access to skiing at the Big Sky Ski Resort. Plentiful recreational activities and the free marketing the area received from A River Runs Through It and The Horse Whisperer have combined to bring a steady influx of new residents and visitors.

[gstelmack]

Raleigh NC is state capitol. I've only lived here 10 years or so, so I'm not up on all the really old history stuff, but right now it's a fast-growing area with a nice mix of transplanted Yankees, long-time residents, and nearby agricultural regions. A veritable melting pot in the truest sense. Home of the Stanely Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL and the sinking-fast NC State Wolfpack of the NCAA, and right next door to both Duke and UNC. The area's religion is ACC basketball, with some Bible-Belt thrown in for good measure.

It's the eastern point of the Research Triangle, with a large concentration of high-tech firms. Telecomm used to be the big industry, but the 'Net crash of 00 killed off the big telecomm firms, and bio-tech is now the growing business. Used to be home to the IBM PC as well. Also a hotbed of game development, with my employer Red Storm Entertainment based here as well as Epic (of Unreal fame) and several other smaller firms.

The area is trying hard to catch Atlanta in traffic problems and San Jose in housing prices, although it's not quite big enough yet and with plenty of rural land nearby to stave off both for the moment.

[Narcizo]

I'll try to keep it brief. Rusholme is a suburb of Manchester (I think the 3rd biggest city in England, possibly not) and a pretty dingy suburb at that. It's packed full of deteriorating Victorian terraced houses, which in turn are packed with students, recent immigrants, and not so recent immigrants. Live in one of these houses and you need to wear your thermals, in-doors. Cruise around the shopping areas outside of opening time and they're all shuttered up. Cruise around during opening time and most of them are still shuttered up.

It has about 4 claims to fame, in reverse order of "fame";
1) I lived there while I was a student,
2) It's home to Maine Road, previously home to Manchester City FC until they moved to a newer, shinier stadium. Soon to be home to the Rusholme Ruffians.
3) It's home to the Curry Mile. A road that allegedly has the greatest concentration of Curry houses outside of the Indian subcontinent. (How anyone has managed to measure this is anyone's guess).
4) It's immortalised in a (pretty mundane, as it happens) Smiths song.

Manchester is viewed by many (mostly its own inhabitants) as the true cultural capital of England. It was a Mill town that grew rapidly in the Victorian period quickly becoming the textile capital of England. After the collapse of all sorts of industry it, like the rest of England, survive on service industries. It's probably best known for Man Utd and Pop Music.

It rains there all the time.

[CraigSca]

Let's see - Delaware. The FIRST state, baby!

Well - as I tell people when I move here, it's growing astronomically because of its central location between Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and Manhattan. It's becoming the new suburbia for these cities as land is plentiful, housing costs are much lower and there is NO state sales tax. No sales tax because of its favorable tax structure for corporations, so every bank in the U.S. (it seems) is incorporated here. Since it's pretty much a farming state and has stayed that way since the Colonial period, there are very few "charming" areas. Meaning, there are very few charming towns (200+ year old, with older architecture) that are experiencing a rebirth. Fortunately, as the area I live in continues to grow, it seems the powers-that-be have a handle on zoning laws, so as new growth is experienced, it's contained and built to be pleasing to the eye.

Famous people from Delaware - according to Wikipedia, Valerie Bertinelli, Elisabeth Shue and (what I hear) Ryan Phillipe (recently split from that famous actress with the Leno-like jaw and whose name escapes me) has family here.

I picked the Encryptors because I'm currently working as a sales engineer for a company that sells encryption hardware.

Oh, and special thanks to the state of New Jersey for building their nuclear power plant within eye-shot of the entire central section of Delaware. Jerks.

[Icy]

Toledo, Spain

The city of Toledo is the capital of the province of the same name, and is also the capital of the Autonomous Community (like an USA state but with less independence from the central goberment) called Castilla-La Mancha. The city is located at 529 metres above sea level, in the Castillian meseta (plateau), practically in the centre of the Iberian peninsula, and just 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of Madrid on the A42 highway.

Toledo has a typical continental climate, cold in winter and hot in summer, although slightly tempered by the presence of the Tajo river flowing around its historic centre. The months of November and February generally bring the most rainfall, though not particularly heavy, and snow is unusual.

Although the city is small in size, it is a leading political, economic and social center, oriented primarily towards the production of its characteristic crafts (swords and medieval weapons mainly) and the promotion and care of its great historical, artistic, and cultural heritage.

With the exception of the mountains along the southern fringe, the province, one of the largest in Spain, is a land of flat terrain devoted primarily to agriculture, livestock and light industry. It is traversed by the Tajo (Tagus) river, on the banks of which the two most important cities can be found, Talavera de la Reina and the capital itself.

In December 1987, the UNESCO declared Toledo a World Heritage city in recognition of its uniqueness. This is due as much as anything to its special history, since in the past the city was host to Christian, Islamic and Hebrew culture and the architecture of the city relects this - being almost impossible to walk its streets without coming across an ancient mosque, a Gothic or Mudejar church, a Romanesque or Visigothic structure, a synagogue, or a Renaissance palace.

Toledo History

The historic city centre sits on a craggy rock, which is almost completely encircled by a wide meander of the Tagus river, called the Tajo in Spanish. The Roman historian Tito Livio mentioned the city of Toletum, a term whose origin would be Tollitum, meaning "raised aloft". The city's historic centre is one of the largest in Spain, and has more than 100 monuments.

Toledo has a long and prodigious history. It was a fortified urban zone even in the era of the Iberians, before the arrival of the Romans who conquered it in the year 192 BC. Later, the Barbarians would invade the by-now decadent empire. Among these were the Alanis and the Visigoths. In the year 411, the Alanis captured the town, but their victory was short-lived; seven years later the Visigoths would conquer Toledo. By the 7th century, the Visigoths completely dominated the Peninsula, making Toledo the capital of Spain. This situation lasted for 124 years, until the arrival of the Moors in 711.

During the first three-and-a-half centuries of Moslem rule in Al Andalus, Islam dominated Toledo, called 'Tolati-Tola' by the Moors. This period saw the three major religious communities - Moslems, 'Mozarabes' (Christians living under Moslem rule in medieval Spain) and a significant Hebrew minority - all living peaceably together.

In 1035, Alfonso VI of Castilla captured the city and made it his capital. The Jewish community continued to have a significant presence, and became one of the most flourishing in the world. The heritage they left includes two ancient synagogues in the Jewish quarter. Along with the Jews and the Christians were the 'Mudejars', the Moslems living under Christian rule. They gave birth to a unique artistic style, the 'Mudejar', a synthesis of Christian and Moslem aesthetics and possibly the most characteristic of Spanish artistic trends that survived well after the Moslem presence quit the Iberian Peninsula.

Toledo in the 13th century saw a tremendous cultural revival under King Alfonso X El Sabio (The Wise), and the School of Translators was established. The sages working there translated works from Arabic or Hebrew into Latin. They thus brought to Europe the knowledge of the erudite Moslems, far superior to Christian learning of the time. But even more importantly, these translations were the means through which Europe rediscovered classical learning, as the works of all the great Greek philosophers and other learned men had first been translated into Arabic.

Despite the fact that later Monarchs had itinerant courts and no longer established them in Toledo, the city retained its significance until the end of the Christian "Reconquest" of Spain in 1492. It was then that the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, expelled the Jews from their kingdoms. The expulsion of the Jews, and with them their cultural and socio-economic importance, had a serious impact on the city.

In the 16th century, when the Spanish Empire was in full bloom, Carlos I of Spain and V of Austria settled his court in Toledo. Unfortunately, the Empire itself led to the decline of Toledo. The city was too small for administering the Empire's vast resources, and in 1561, Felipe II moved the court to Madrid. Ironically, Madrid had gained importance only as a military outpost for the defence of Toledo. The once-imperial city fell into decline, and never again regained its past importance.

In the 20th century, the last of the Spanish civil wars rent the country between 1936 and 1939. At the beginning of the struggle, Toledo acquired crucial psychological and propagandistic importance as the city was entirely in Republican hands, except for the besieged Alcázar (castle). Nevertheless, the city languished again during the four decades of Franco's dictatorship. This changed with the arrival of democracy at the end of the 1970s. Spain was structured into 17 autonomous communities (similar to federal states) and Toledo became the capital of one of them, Castilla La Mancha. As a regional capital, it has successfully recovered some of its dynamic past.

Arts and culture

Cervantes described Toledo as a "rocky gravity, glory of Spain, and light of her cities." The old city is located on a mountaintop, surrounded on three sides by a bend in the Tagus River, and contains many historical sites, including the Alcázar, the cathedral (the primate church of Spain), and the Zocodover, a central marketplace.

From the 5th century to the 16th century about thirty synods were held at Toledo. The earliest, directed against Priscillian, assembled in 400. At the synod of 589 the Visigoth King Reccared declared his conversion from Arianism; the synod of 633, guided by the encyclopedist Isidore of Seville, decreed uniformity of liturgy throughout the Visigothic kingdom and took stringent measures against baptized Jews who had relapsed into their former faith. The council of 681 assured to the archbishop of Toledo the primacy of Spain.

As nearly one hundred early canons of Toledo found a place in the Decretum Gratiani, they exerted an important influence on the development of ecclesiastical law. The synod of 1565–1566 concerned itself with the execution of the decrees of the Council of Trent; and the last council held at Toledo, 1582–1583, was guided in detail by Philip II.

Toledo was famed for religious tolerance and had large communities of Jews and Muslims until they were expelled from Spain in 1492; the city therefore has important religious monuments like the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, the Synagogue of El Transito, and the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz.

In the 13th century, Toledo was a major cultural center under the guidance of Alfonso X, called "El Sabio" ("the Wise") for his love of learning. The Toledo school of translators rendered available great academic and philosophical works in Arabic and Hebrew by translating them into Latin, bringing vast stores of knowledge to Europe for the first time.

The cathedral of Toledo (Catedral de Toledo) was modeled after the Bourges Cathedral though it also combines some characteristics of the Mudéjar style. It is remarkable for its incorporation of light and features the Baroque altar called El Transparente, several stories high, with fantastic figures of stucco, painting, bronze castings, and multiple colors of marble, a masterpiece of medieval mixed media by Narciso Tomé topped by the daily effect for just a few minutes of a shaft of sunlight striking it through a similarly ornamented hole in the roof. The effect gives the impression that the whole altar is rising to heaven. It is from the play of light that this feature of the cathedral derives its name.

Toledo was home to El Greco for the latter part of his life, and is the subject of some of his most famous paintings, including The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, exhibited in the Church of Santo Tomé.

Additionally, the city was renowned throughout the middle ages and into the present day as an important center for the production of swords and other bladed instruments.

Pictures from Toledo

http://www.fotosdetoledo.com/f/pics/...ica-Toledo.jpg

http://www.coloredhome.com/toledo/toledo.JPG

http://www.coloredhome.com/toledo/toledo003.JPG

http://fotos.euroresidentes.com/foto...ledo%20(1).jpg

http://www.coloredhome.com/toledo/toledo011.JPG

http://www.wesleyan.edu/madrid/fotos...s/DSCN1571.JPG

http://www.coloredhome.com/toledo/toledo010.JPG

http://www.coloredhome.com/toledo/toledo020.JPG

http://www.coloredhome.com/toledo/toledo067.JPG

http://www.coloredhome.com/toledo/toledo108.JPG

http://www.coloredhome.com/toledo/toledo106.JPG

http://www.visitaguiadatoledo.com/im...cal-toledo.jpg

[Icy]

As you can see, i love my city

[cartman]

Sleepy ranching community about to change

After negotiations to play professional football games at the Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas broke down late last week, the management decided to look to build a new stadium to house the franchise. After reading an article that most CEOs live within 10 miles of their office, owner Greg Gowins decided to build the new stadium in Driftwood, TX, about 25 miles southwest of Austin. If you are not familiar with Driftwood, here is a synopsis:

DRIFTWOOD, TEXAS. Driftwood, seventeen miles northwest of San Marcos in central Hays County, grew up in the 1880s as a supply center for neighboring ranches and farms. Pioneers settled in the area, then known as Liberty Hill, as early as 1850, but most settlers arrived in the early 1880s. The community grew rapidly in that decade, perhaps as a result of its access to the new rail terminals at Kyle and Buda. By 1890 Driftwood had a post office, a school, churches, a cotton gin, and a general store. From a low of ten in 1925, the population grew to nearly 100 during the middle years of the twentieth century, then dwindled to fewer than twenty-five by the 1970s. In 1945 Driftwood became part of the Buda school district. A century after its founding, the community remained a quiet Hill Country crossroads served by a general store and post office. In 1990 the population was twenty-one. Perhaps the most famous site in Driftwood is the world famous Salt Lick BBQ restaurant.

The plans for the stadium have not yet been finalized, but it appears that construction will take place along Onion Creek, and become part of the Salt Lick site. The name of the team, 'Rabid Javelina', refers to a type of small wild pig, that are nearly blind and smell really bad. The rabid portion comes from the possibility of infection from the millions of bats that inhabit the area.

Downtown Driftwood:


The Salt Lick:

[3ric]

Lapland (Lappland in Swedish) (also Lappia, Sápmi, and Saamiland) is the name of the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sami people. The Sami people prefer using Sápmi. The cultural region includes the Lappi (Lapland in English) province in Finland and the Swedish Lapland province in Sweden.
Lapland is located in Northern Europe and includes the northern parts of Scandinavia and the Kola peninsula. It spans over four countries: Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. With the fall of the Soviet Union and increasing internationalization, co-operation across borders is becoming more important and existing county and national borders less important both for the Sami aboriginal population and the non-Sami population. A majority of the current population of this region has at least some Sami ancestry, yet most identify with their respective nation-state ethnicities.

More at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapland

[Eaglesfan27]

Atlantic City, NJ is best known for casinos obviously, but my fondest memories of it are when I was very small. I was born in Somers Point, but my mom's first apartment with me in it was on the border of Ventnor City and Atlantic City. I loved the Steel Pier in Atlantic City as a kid and while I was very young, I remember being very sad when my mom moved out of Atlantic City due to rising crime. I moved back to Atlantic City as a young adult and spent quite a few good summers there with friends in between college semesters.

Here is more info (excerpts) from wikipedia:

Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 40,517. It is a resort community located on Absecon Island, off the Atlantic Ocean coast of New Jersey. Other municipalities on the island are Ventnor City, Margate City, and Longport. The main route onto the island containing Atlantic City is the Atlantic City Expressway.

Atlantic City has always been primarily a resort town. Its location in South Jersey, hugging the Atlantic Ocean between marshlands and islands, presented itself as prime real estate for developers. The city was incorporated in 1854, the same year in which train service began, linking this remote parcel of land with the more populated, urban centers of New York City and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Atlantic City became a popular beach destination because of its proximity to Philadelphia.
In 1870, the first boardwalk was built along a portion of the beach to help hotel owners keep sand out of their lobbies. The idea caught on, and the boardwalk was expanded and modified several times in the following years. The historic length of the Boardwalk, before the 1944 hurricane, was about 7 miles (11.2 kilometers) long and it extended from Atlantic City, through Ventnor and Margate, into Longport. Today, it is 4.12 miles (6.63 kilometers) long and 60 feet (20 meters) wide, reinforced with steel and concrete. The combined length of the Atlantic City and Ventnor Boardwalks is approximately 5.75 miles (9.25 kilometers) long. It is now the world's longest boardwalk.
Ocean Pier, the world's first oceanside amusement pier was built in Atlantic City in 1882.^[1] Other famous piers included the now-defunct Steel Pier (opened 1898) and the Million Dollar Pier (opened 1906), now the site of a shopping mall.
During the early part of the 20th Century, Atlantic City went through a radical building boom. Modest little boarding houses that dotted the boardwalk would grow into monster sand castles by the sea. Two of the city’s most distinctive hotels were the Marlborough-Blenheim and the Traymore Hotels.
In 1903, Josiah White III bought a parcel of land near Ohio Avenue (today the site of Bally's Atlantic City) and the boardwalk and built the Queen Anne style Marlborough House. The hotel was a hit and in 1905-1906 he chose to expand the hotel and bought another parcel of land next door to his Marlborough House. In an effort to make his new hotel a source of conversation, White hired the architectural firm of Price and McLanahan to design his hotel. The architectural firm decided to make use of reinforced concrete, a new building material invented by Jean-Louis Lambot in 1848 (Joseph Monier received the patent in 1867). The hotel’s Spanish and Moorish theme capped off with its signature dome and chimneys represented a step forward from other hotels that had a classically designed influence. White named the new hotel the Blenheim and merged the two hotels into the Marlborough-Blenheim.
Across the way at the corner of Illinois Avenue and the boardwalk, would grow the city’s most distinctive hotel, The Traymore. Began in 1879 as a small boarding house, the hotel grew through a series of uncoordinated expansion. By 1914, the hotel’s owner, Daniel White, taking a hint from the Marlborough-Blenheim, commissioned the firm of Price and McLanahan to build an even bigger hotel. Sixteen stories high, the tan brick and gold-capped hotel would become one of the city’s best-known landmarks. The hotel was best known for making use of ocean-facing hotel rooms by jutting its wings farther out from the main portion of the hotel along Pacific Avenue.
One by one, other large hotels sprung up along the Boardwalk. The Brighton, the Chelsea, The Shelburne. The Ambassador, The Ritz Carlton, the Breakers, best known for its snob appeal for only the highest class of person roomed there and enjoyed its roof top garden lounge. The Quaker-owned Chalfonte House and Haddon Hall opened in the 1890's, would by the twenties merge into the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall and would become the city’s largest hotel with nearly one thousand rooms. By 1930, the city’s last large hotel, the Claridge, would open. At nearly twenty-four stories it would become known as the “Skyscraper By The Sea.”
The city hosted the 1964 Democratic National Convention which nominated Lyndon Johnson for President and Hubert Humphrey as Vice President. The ticket won in a landslide that November. The convention and the press coverage it generated, however, cast a harsh light on Atlantic City, which by then was in the midst of a long period of economic decline. Many felt that the friendship between LBJ and the Governor of New Jersey at that time, Richard J. Hughes, led Atlantic City to host the Democratic Convention.
Like all major cities, Atlantic City contains distinct neighborhoods or districts. The communities are known as: The Inlet, Bungalow Park; The Marina District, Midtown, Westside, Ducktown, Chelsea, Chelsea Heights and Venice Park.
Like many older urban communities, Atlantic City became plagued with poverty, crime, and disinvestment by the middle class in the mid to late 20th century. The neighborhood known as the "inlet" became particularly impoverished. In an effort at revitalizing the city, New Jersey voters in 1976 approved casino gambling for the city of Atlantic City. Resorts International became the first legal casino in the eastern United States when it opened on May 26, 1978. Other casinos were soon added along the boardwalk and later in the marina district for a total of eleven today. The introduction of gambling did not, however, quickly eliminate many of the urban problems that plagued Atlantic City. Many have argued that it only served to magnify those problems, as evidenced in the stark contrast between tourism-intensive areas and the adjacent impoverished working-class neighborhoods. Drug-infested tenements in poor condition stand directly beside multi-billion dollar casino hotels along the ocean in some locations. In addition, Atlantic City has played second-fiddle to Las Vegas, Nevada, as a gambling mecca in the United States, although in the late 1970s and 1980s, when Las Vegas was experiencing a massive drop in tourism due to crime, particularly the Mafia's role, and other economic factors, Atlantic City was favored over Las Vegas. On July 3, 2003, Atlantic City's newest casino, The Borgata, opened with much success. Another major attraction is the oldest remaining Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium in the world. It is also Ripley's most famous odditorium.
Atlantic City is home to New Jersey's first wind farm. The Jersey-Atlantic Wind Farm consists of five 1.5 MW turbine towers, each almost 400 feet (120 meters) high.

[fantastic flying froggies]

The Camargue:

The Camargue is located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the River Rhône delta.

With an area of over 930 km² (360 sq. miles), the Camargue is western Europe's largest river delta (technically an island, as it is wholly surrounded by water). It is a vast plain comprising large brine lagoons or étangs, cut off from the sea by sandbars and encircled by reed-covered marshes which are in turn surrounded by a large cultivated area.
Approximately a third of the Camargue is either lakes or marshland.

The Camargue is home to more than 400 species of birds, the brine ponds providing one of the few European habitats for the greater flamingo. The marshes are also a prime habitat for many species of insects, notably (and notoriously) some of the most ferocious mosquitos to be found anywhere in France. Camargue is also famous for wild bulls and horses.

Humans have lived in the Camargue for centuries, greatly affecting it with drainage schemes, dykes, rice paddies and salt pans. Much of the outer Camargue has been drained for agricultural purposes. The Camargue has its own eponymous horse breed, the famous white Camaguais ridden by the gardians who rear the region's fighting bulls for export to Spain.


Link to full wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camargue

I bolded the possible team names.

For you heroic fantasy readers out there, if you've ever read the Hawkmoon series by Michael Moorcock (sp?), Hawkmoon's friend and father in law, Count Brass is count of the Camargue (spelled Kamarg in the book) and his castle is situated in Aigues-Mortes, a medieval walled city about 10 miles from where I live.

[Emiliano]

What an interesting thread. Ok, I'm copying this one from Wikipedia.

---

Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of the Lazio region, as well as the country's largest and most populous comune, with about 2.5 million residents (3.8 million considering the whole urbanised area, as represented by the Province of Rome). It is located in the central-western portion of the Italian peninsula, where the river Aniene joins the Tiber. As one of the largest cities in the European Union, the Comune di Roma has a gross domestic product of €97 billion in the year 2005, equal to 6.7% of Italy's GDP — the highest proportion of GDP produced by any single Italian comune. The current Mayor of Rome is Walter Veltroni.

According to legend, the city of Rome was founded by the twins Romulus and Remus on April 21, 753 BC. Archeological evidence supports claims that Rome was inhabited since the 8th century BC and earlier[2][3][4]. The city was the cradle of Roman civilization that produced the largest and longest-lasting empire of classical antiquity that reached its greatest extent in 117. The city was pivotal and responsible for the spread of Greco-Roman culture that endures to this day. Rome is also identified with Christianity and the Catholic Church and has been the episcopal seat of the Popes since the 1st century. The State of the Vatican City, the sovereign territory of the Holy See and smallest nation in the world, is an enclave of Rome.

Rome, Caput mundi ("capital of the world"), Limen Apostolorum ("threshold of the Apostles"), la città dei sette colli ("the city of the seven hills") or simply l'Urbe ("the City"),[5] is thoroughly modern and cosmopolitan. As one of the few major European cities that escaped World War II relatively unscathed, central Rome remains essentially Renaissance in character. The Historic Centre of Rome is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site[6] by virtue of its three thousand years of accumulated history and art: a city of the divine and the sublime, of gods, kings, emperors and popes — Città Eterna — the "Eternal City".



Official flag of Comune di Roma


Official seal of Comune di Roma


Nickname: "The Eternal City"
Motto: SPQR (Senatus PopulusQue Romanus)
Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey)


Coordinates: 41°54′N 12°30′E
Region: Lazio
Province: Province of Rome
Founded: 8th century BC
Mayor: Walter Veltroni (VERY good mayor)
Area
- City 1,285 km² (496.1 sq mi)
- Urban 5,352 km² (2,066 sq mi)
Elevation +20 m
Population
- City (2005) 2,553,873[1]
- Density 1,983/km² (5,135/sq mi)
- Urban 3,831,959
- Metro 5,304,778
Time zone: CET (UTC+1)
Postal codes: 00121 to 00199
Area code(s): 06
Patron saints: Saint Peter and Saint Paul
Website: http://www.comune.roma.it

What can I add? I live in Rome since the day I was born (although my father is from Sicily), and I love it. I love travelling, but everytime I come back I feel really "at home". BTW, if any of you US guys want to switch, I'm willing to accept.

[Narcizo]

Originally Posted by fantastic flying froggies

For you heroic fantasy readers out there, if you've ever read the Hawkmoon series by Michael Moorcock (sp?), Hawkmoon's friend and father in law, Count Brass is count of the Camargue (spelled Kamarg in the book) and his castle is situated in Aigues-Mortes, a medieval walled city about 10 miles from where I live.

Exactly what I was thinking about when you mentioned this. From what I can remember that would make me the Evil Empire (can't remember what it was called), I just remember that it was England who were the baddies.

[stevew]

Mexico D.F. is a more mexican way to say Mexico City.
D.F. in english standing for Federal District.

Chilangos is a nickname for the people who live in the city. It seems similar to the term "Canuck" where it could have either a positive or negative connotation.


From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_city
The city is colloquially known as Chilangolandia after the locals' nickname (chilangos). Natives of Mexico City dislike the nickname, as it is often used by those who live outside of the city as an insult. The origin of the term is nebulous, but is used by non-residents of Mexico City to distinguish the busy-body, selfish, big-city people from the rest of the country, which generally believes it is more relaxed and respectful of others. Some argue that the term "chilango" refers to workers who have come to Mexico City looking for employment. Some others that it cames from the world "chile" (chili) that was cultivated by the Mexicas. Ironically, it has been fully adopted by the hippest young urban classes of the city. There's even a magazine with that name (Chilango, containing the English publication Time Out, México D.F.) which deals with the numerous entertainment possibilities of the megalopolis among other subjects related to the city. The natives who avoid the term chilango use "defeños", from the Spanish pronunciation of "D.F.".

[VPI97]

Portsmouth is located in southern Ohio along the banks of the Ohio river. The town has a footprint in the history of American football and instead of regurgitating the history, I'll copy the wiki info below:

Portsmouth had a series of semi-pro football teams in the '20s and '30s, the most notable being the Portsmouth Shoe-Steels , whose roster included player-coach Jim Thorpe.

From 1930-1933, Portsmouth was the home of the Spartans, the NFL franchise that became the Detroit Lions in 1934. The roster included Glen Presnell, the NFL's leading scorer of 1933. Presnell later would set an NFL record with his 54-yard field goal, which was a record for 19 years. Also on the roster was hall-of-famer Dutch Clark. In 1930, the Spartans played the Brooklyn Dodgers in the first night game in NFL history. In 1931, the Spartans were supposed to play the Green Bay Packers for the championship game, but the Packers refused to play. The Packers were named the champions anyway, but the next season the Spartans beat the Packers 19-0. The game became known as the "iron man game" because coach George Potsy Clark refused to use subsitutes as a protest of the NFL naming the Packers champions. They lost to the Chicago Bears in the 1932 Championship Game. The team was sold in 1934 and it became the Detroit Lions. The Lions won the Championship the next year, with a roster made up of mostly Spartan holdovers.

The Spartans played their games in cozy Spartan Stadium and even though the NFL left town, the local high school (Portsmouth Trojans) has continued to use the stadium to this day.

Also, that's where my wife was born

[cartman]

Originally Posted by VPI97

The Spartans played their games in cozy Spartan Stadium and even though the NFL left town, the local high school (Portsmouth Trojans) has continued to use the stadium to this day.

Also, that's where my wife was born

Your wife was born in Spartan Stadium???

[VPI97]

Originally Posted by cartman

Your wife was born in Spartan Stadium???

You never know...I was born in a sanitarium, so anything is possible

[fantastic flying froggies]

I went to Spackenkill High School in NY state, and we were called the Spartans so I've always been partial to that particular nickname...

[fantastic flying froggies]

Originally Posted by Narcizo

Exactly what I was thinking about when you mentioned this. From what I can remember that would make me the Evil Empire (can't remember what it was called), I just remember that it was England who were the baddies.

It 's actually the Dark Empire, aka Granbretan, capital city of Londra.

[Dutch]

The KAISERSLAUTERN WOLVES

Sadly, that is not a trout. It's a carp, and it makes up part of the city's coat of arms. Carp was King (Emperor) Barbarossa's favorite food. He would come to this region as a favorite hunting getaway and fish for carp on the local river (circa: 12th century).

Kaiserslautern means Kaisers (king's) Lautern (river) or "The King's River".



The city is located in the south-central region of Germany, a stone's throw from France. It is about 450 km away from Paris and 160 km from Luxembourg.

It's population is 98,000. And on top of that, 30,000 NATO troops (primarily American Army and Air Force) live in the region. If I'm not mistaken, it's the largest American population anywhere outside US territory (maybe Baghdad's taken that honor...but I digress.)



Downtown Kaiserslautern.

But about 25 minutes outside of town, is the small village of Hettenhausen (population 200) where the Owner of the Kaiserslautern Wolves calls home.


From the edge of town looking into the valley...


From the valley looking into Hettenhausen...

[QuikSand]

Hawk Mountain - Located along the Appalachian Flyway in east-central Pennsylvania, scenic Hawk Mountain Sanctuary offers visitors an outstanding, year-round nature experience with its mountaintop vistas, 8 miles of hiking trails, and the thrilling migration of nearly 20,000 hawks, eagles and falcons each autumn.



In league terms, we are about an hour or so due south of scenic downtown Wilkes-Barre, which makes us maybe an hour and a half south of the very charming Scranton area. The regional rivalry will just sell itself, naturally. And we can certainly all agree to hate Atlantic City.



The Sharp-shinned Hawk is from the Accipiter group of hawks (Accipiter striatus) -- generally slimmer and more agile that the larger soaring types like the Buteos -- and is the slightly smaller relative of the Cooper's Hawk, a fairly common backyard invader for those who have bird feeders. (If you look out your window and see absolutely no birds at your feeder, odds are very good there's a Copper's Hawk or Sharpshin perched nearby, looking for stragglers)

This year, the visitors and guides at Hawk Mountain have seen more than 5,000 Sharp-shinned Hawks, making it among the most prolific of the raptors seen on the eastern migratory flyway, and something of a "signature" bird for the sanctuary.


I have been to Hawk Mountain several times, and have always found it to be a wonderful visit, good hiking, and if you time the visit well, just breathtaking for birdwatching. Their trails lead up to a number of rocky overlooks, and the air currents literally bring bird after bird right by the viewing areas -- frequently there will be plenty of birds that are soaring through the mountian gaps, but manage to come within 50 or 100 feet of the visitors, which is quite awe-inspiring. On a single good day during the fall migration, visitors might easily identify hundreds of individual birds of prey, including hawks, eagles, falcons, and others.

[Dutch]

I see Hawk Mountain is nestled snuggly in between Lebanon and Bethlehem. That's one tough football team you're gonna have there.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Kaiserslautern means Kaisers (king's) Lautern (river) or "The King's River".

Are you sure about that? I was always under the assumption that Kaiser = Emperor, since the Dutch word for Emperor = Keizer. I know King or Emperor is a minor detail, so forgive me if it's one of those German-Dutch 'misconversions'.

[fantastic flying froggies]

Kaiser is indeed Emperor.

King would be Koenig.

[Narcizo]

Originally Posted by fantastic flying froggies

It 's actually the Dark Empire, aka Granbretan, capital city of Londra.

And they had 4 big warships (or something) called John, Paul, George and Ringo.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by fantastic flying froggies

Kaiser is indeed Emperor.

King would be Koenig.

I did wonder why they would call the Emporer's River the King's River. But I have somewhere along the line convinced myself that Kaiser meant King. Thanks for the clarification.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Dutch

I did wonder why they would call the Emporer's River the King's River. But I have somewhere along the line convinced myself that Kaiser meant King. Thanks for the clarification.

Imagine the look of horror on my face when I found out "arschloch" doesn't mean "good friend"...

[wade moore]

I'm going to work on moving this thread over, but it will take a bit of time.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by cartman

Imagine the look of horror on my face when I found out "arschloch" doesn't mean "good friend"...