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Flag Fact Friday: Albania

11/15/2019

Albanian flag consists of a red leaf where a black double-headed eagle is depicted. The flag was adopted in 1912 when Albania gained independence from the Ottoman Empire. The origin of the flag is associated with a national hero Skanderbeger (formerly George Kastrioti), who lived in the fifteenth century and who was a general of the Turkish army. However, Skanderbeger left the army so that he can return to Albania and erect the flag with a double-headed eagle above the castle of his father in Kruje with words: "I did not bring you freedom. I found it here, among you." After his return to Albania, Skanderbeger managed to unify Albania and defend it against the Turkish attacks.

Where in the World Wednesday: The Great Barrier Reef and Whitehaven Beach, Australia

11/13/2019

Although the Great Barrier Reef—the largest living thing on Earth—can be seen from space, the best vantage point belongs to the avid snorkelers and scuba divers who visit each year. If you must resurface, do it at the Whitsundays—namely Whitehaven Beach, often considered to be one of the world's most beautiful beaches.

Whitehaven Beach is a 7 km stretch along Whitsunday Island, Australia. The island is accessible by boat, seaplane & helicopter from Airlie Beach, as well as Hamilton Island. It lies across from Stockyard Beach, better known as Chalkie's Beach, on Haslewood Island. The beach is known for its crystal white silica sands and turquoise-colored waters.

Flag Fact Friday: Togo

11/8/2019

The flag of Togo was designed by Aheyi Paul and it has been adopted in 1960. It consists of five horizontal stripes altering between green and orange-yellow color. In the pole part of the flag, a red square that bears the symbol of a white five-pointed star is placed. The colors used are of classic pan-African symbolism, therefore, it stands for solidarity among all the independent African nations. The flag's design is very similar to the Liberian flag. Five lanes allegedly represent the five regions of the country - the coast, the plateau, the central region, the Kara region, and savannas. Another interpretation says that the five bars indicate five fingers, which should symbolize human behavior.

Flag Fact Friday: St. Vincent & The Grenadines

11/1/2019

The flag of the island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines which is located in the Caribbean, is composed of three vertical stripes, where the first one is blue, the middle one is wider and yellow and the last one is green. In the middle of the yellow stripe, there are three green diamonds arranged in the shape of the first letter of the name Vincent. The blue represents the sky and the sea, yellow stands for sunshine and green symbolizes lush vegetation of the islands. Green diamonds refer to the national plurality on the islands and also to a large number of islands. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines were once of interest of France and Great Britain, but the British won the fight and they dominated the islands until 1979 when the independence was proclaimed.

Where In the World: Avenue of Baobabs, Madagascar

10/30/2019

The dirt road linking Morondava and Belo Tsiribihina in Madagascar is framed by dozens of rare and ancient baobab trees creating a setting so beautiful and unique that it may become the country’s first official natural monument.

These giant, dry season-deciduous trees (members of the Mallow family), many of which are more than 800 years old with trunks that are over 150 feet around did not always stand alone. At one time the trees dotting the lane were part of a rich forest of the trees and other plants, but the encroachment of modern civilization and increasing populations in the area led to massive deforestation leaving the remaining baobabs to stand in relative isolation.

Baobabs are incredibly useful plants, their trunks are harmlessly tapped for water during the dry season and have even been lived in, the young leaves (when reachable) are eaten as a salad vegetable when little else is available, and the nutritious sour brown pulp (tasting somewhat like tamarind) of the hard-shelled fruits is made into a pleasant summertime beverage all over Africa, and is also an ingredient in a Senegalese peanut and couscous dessert pudding called Ngalakh.

Flag Fact Friday: Palau

10/25/2019

The flag of Palau was adopted on January 1, 1981, when the archipelago decided to separate from the territory of the Pacific Islands and it was proclaimed a republic under the protection of the United States. The flag is composed of a pale blue sheet and a yellow circle centered slightly toward the left side of the flag. When the flag is hung it creates an impression that the circle is located right in the center of the flag. The blue color symbolizes the Pacific Ocean that surrounds the islands and the yellow circle allegedly resembles the full moon, which is an important period for the islanders. They believe that activities such as fishing, planting, and harvesting are much more effective during this moon-phase.

Where In The World Wednesday: Mount Kelimutu, Indonesia

10/23/2019

The tri-colored lakes of Mount Kelimutu are special because of their natural occurring phenomenon. Due to the ever-changing colors and the varying colors amongst themselves, it is beautifully haunting. The local people here consider it as a resting place for the departed souls. They believed that Mae was a god of the afterlife and those who died will sit by the base of the lakes on their merits in life. Therefore, it is connected to the names of the lake, when translated meant one for the souls of the people, another for the spirits of young people and lastly for the spirits of soothsayers.These lakes change color dramatically and unpredictably from blue or green to red or black, making it one of the natural phenomena to be beheld by many.

Flag Fact Friday: Nauru

10/18/2019

The base of the flag of Nauru, the smallest independent country in the world, which has been adopted in 1976 when the country achieved independence, consists of a dark blue sheet. The sheet is crossed by a yellow stripe in its middle and below the stripe and closer to the left part of the flag a twelve-pointed white star is placed. Each chip represents one of the twelve tribes that used to inhabit the island, although two of them do not exist already. Yellow stripe symbolizes the equator and the star depicts the position of the island against the equator. The blue color of the sheet should remind the Pacific Ocean, which surrounds the island. The design of the flag was chosen through a public competition, where a draft of an Australian designer won.

Where In The World Wednesday: Richat Structure, Ouadane, Mauritania

10/16/2019

In the midst of the vast, vacant Sahara desert, just outside of Ouadane, Mauritania, lies a 30-mile wide geological oddity known the Richat Structure, sometimes called the “Eye of Africa.” From space, this natural curiosity forms a distinct and unmistakable bulls-eye that once served as a geographical landmark for early astronauts as they passed over the Sahara.

Once thought to be an impact crater due to its circularity, the unusual formation is now widely believed to have been caused by the erosion of what was once a geological dome. Over time, desert weather has caused the dome to gradually shed layers, resulting in the structure’s remarkable flatness.

Flag Fact Friday: Madagascar

10/11/2019

The flag of Madagascar was inspired by a flag of the tribe Hovo and it consists of three stripes in total. The first stripe is vertical and it is located in the pole part of the flag. The waving part of the flag is filled with two horizontal stripes - red on the top and green at the bottom. Originally, a red-white flag of dynasty Merino symbolized efforts to keep independence during the times when Europeans were colonizing Africa. White color traditionally stands for purity and chastity, red for independence and green signifies hope for better tomorrows. According to another interpretation, green represents the coastal population, white is associated with the family of Volafots and red with the family of Volamens from the 17th century.