South Harris & Sgarasta Mhòr Beach

 

Harris (Scottish Gaelic: Na Hearadh, pronounced [nə ˈhɛɾəɣ] (listen)) is the southern and more mountainous part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. 

The southern part of Harris is less mountainous, with numerous unspoilt, white sandy beaches on the west coast. Its main settlements are Rodel (Roghadal), known for its medieval kirk of St. Clement (Eaglais Chliamhain), the most elaborate surviving medieval church in the Hebrides after Iona Abbey, and Leverburgh (An Tòb na Hearadh or An t-Òb na Hearadh). A ferry sails from the latter to Berneray (Beàrnaraigh na Hearadh), an island off the coast of North Uist (Uibhist a Tuath), to which it is joined by a causeway.

Stanford

 

Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University,^[13][14] is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies 8,180 acres (3,310 hectares), among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students.^[15] Stanford is ranked among the best universities in the world.^{[16][17][18][19][20]}

Golden Gate and Oakland Bay Bridges

 

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the one-mile-wide (1.6 km) strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The structure links the U.S. city of San Francisco, California—the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula—to Marin County, carrying both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1 across the strait. It also carries pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and is designated as part of U.S. Bicycle Route 95. Being declared one of the Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers,^[7] the bridge is one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco and California. It was initially designed by engineer Joseph Strauss in 1917.

The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, known locally as the Bay Bridge, is a complex of bridges spanning San Francisco Bay in California. As part of Interstate 80 and the direct road between San Francisco and Oakland, it carries about 260,000 vehicles a day on its two decks.^[3][4] It has one of the longest spans in the United States.

Cascate di Stroppia

 

The Stroppia Falls are located in the upper Maira Valley , in the province of Cuneo , and more precisely in the locality of Chiappera in the municipal area of Acceglio : with a jump of 500 meters ^{[1] they} are the highest waterfalls in Italy .

Chiesa parrocchiale di Santa Maria Assunta

 

The Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta is located in the municipality of Elva , in the province of Cuneo and diocese of Saluzzo , in the hamlet of Serre, seat of the town hall.

The frescoes were carried out in two different phases: those of the vault are the work of an unknown painter of late Gothic culture, presumably around 1470, those of the walls are attributable to the Flemish painter Hans Clemer , also known as the Master of Elva(15th-16th century). It is a fresco cycle, dating from around 1493, which illustrates stories from the life of the Virgin and Christ, culminating in a grandiose scene of the Crucifixion that occupies the entire back wall. These frescoes, considered one of the best works of the Master and one of the most significant examples of Piedmontese art of that period, were restored in 1985 by the Superintendence of Artistic Heritage.

San Peyre

 

Situated in mid valley, along the road which leads to Elva, the church sits on a rocky spur which looks out over the road below.

As you approach, you can’t help but notice the splendid alpine Gothic bell tower.  The interior of the church of san Peyre (St Peter) features a structured space and has several frescoed scenes which can be ascribed to the late Middle Ages.  Amongst these, as well as Christ on the throne, the Apostles, the Evangelists and several saints, mention should be made of the interesting scene of the Dormitio Virginis (Dormition of the Virgin) and, within the smaller apse, the fresco of painted music with the shepherd playing the piva (bagpipes), an instrument which was a symbol of popular music.