In the town of Baumholder, in the Birkenfeld district, Germany

 "I'd learned a lot in the Army. I knew that above all things in the world I had to become so big, so strong that people and their hatred could never touch me."

-- Sammy Davis, Jr.
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(in the most American town in Germany) Baumholder, in the Birkenfeld district of Rhineland-Palatinate, in the Westrich (a historic region that encompasses areas in Germany and France). Baumholder lies between the Hunsrück to the north and the North Palatine Uplands to the south, on a height that marks the latter's northern boundary. In this area, still known as the Westrich, Baumholder lies some 10 km (~6mi.) south of Idar-Oberstein. The countryside around Baumholder is marked by meadows, fields, and woodlands (broadleaf and mixed). A great part of the Baumholder Troop Drilling Ground abutting the town serves as a refuge for many rare plant and animal species.

+ World War II brought the military to Baumholder. The German government appropriated 29,158 acres and resettled about 842 families from 14 villages to clear the land for use -- by the Third Reich.

+ That's right, more than 80 years ago the farmland around the tiny village of Baumholder, Germany, was turned into a German Army training base. Today, Baumholder is one of the U.S. Army’s most important installations in Europe.

+ The United States Army Garrison (USAG) Baumholder, affectionately known as "the Rock" is set in the wooded hills of the Western Palatinate in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. Today, Baumholder is well known as the location of one of the biggest American garrisons in Germany, which sprang up beginning in the 1950s on the lands of the Baumholder Troop Drilling Ground (Truppenübungsplatz Baumholder), which abuts the town. Ever since that time, the 13,000 or so United States military personnel and their families have characterized the town's image scenically, economically, and even socially.

+ The Americans maintain two facilities, Smith Barracks and Wetzel Barracks, in which around 12,000 people live. There is also Baumholder Army Airfield. The Americans have 12 of their own churches here, as well as cinemas and a hospital. (Many of the town's shops accept U.S. dollars in payment, and are largely dependent on American currency.)

+ To this day, the U.S. forces and the German Bundeswehr are the biggest employers of the town's German population. On more than 35 ranges designed for infantry, tank troops, and artillery, Bundeswehr soldiers can be found training alongside Americans and soldiers from other NATO countries. Since 2002, the US Army has been gradually moving its tanks to troop drilling grounds in the Upper Palatinate. Some of the US troops stationed in town were regularly deployed in the Iraq War, and for the most part, returned afterwards to Baumholder.

+In October 2012, the 170th Infantry Brigade was deactivated, ending a decades-long legacy of combat units stationed at Baumholder's Smith Barracks (though it has since been again designated an enduring military base).

In the city of Schwetzingen, in northwest Baden-Württemberg, Germany

 "What I love most about rivers is

You can't step in the same river twice
The water's always changing, always flowing
But people, I guess, can't live like that
We all must pay a price
To be safe, we lose our chance of ever knowing
What's around the riverbend
Waiting just around the riverbend."
-- some lines from the Disney film, "Just Around the Riverbend," in which "Pocahontas" decides if she will follow tradition and the safe choice, or whether she will explore the unknown and have new adventures.
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(in the Rhine-Neckar-triangle in the plain of the Rhine river, west of the Odenwald, a low mountain range) The city of Schwetzingen in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg, lies around 10 km (6.2 mi.) southwest of Heidelberg and 15 km (9.3 mi.) southeast of Mannheim.

+The Rhine River flows from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea. It is about 765 mi. (1,230 km) long. Near the Swiss city of Basel the river bends and takes a northward course between the Vosges Mountains of France and the Black Forest of Germany. North of the French region of Alsace, the Rhine enters Germany. The largest rivers that flow into the Rhine include the Neckar, Main, and Ruhr rivers on the east bank and the Aare and Moselle rivers on the west bank. Passing from Germany into the Netherlands, the river breaks up into a number of wide branches to form a delta region. At Rotterdam the river reaches the North Sea.

+ Basel in Switzerland; Strasbourg in France; and Worms, Mainz, and Cologne in Germany, are but a few of the historic cities that lie on the banks of the Rhine. Several castles overlook the Rhine. Near Bingen, for example, stands the Mouse Tower, which dates back to the early Middle Ages. The castle of Kaub stands on an island in the river.

+ Though riverboats carry tourists as passengers, cargo is much more important to the river’s economy. The flow of the Rhine has been changed to ease the flow of traffic. Winding curves have been straightened, and canals link the Rhine with other rivers such as the Rhône and the Danube.

+ Featured here is the city of Schwetzingen, in the Rhine-Neckar-triangle in the plain of the Rhine river, lying to the west of the Odenwald and east of the Rhine. The city is most famous for Schwetzingen Palace (shown here) and the Schlosstheater. The palace grounds also feature a mosque, the oldest in Germany. (Although not functional, it was used by Muslim prisoners in the Franco-Prussian War.)

+ The moated castle of Schwetzingen is mentioned for the first time in 1350. From 1720 it served temporarily as the residence of the Elector Karl III Philip (1716–1742) after he moved away from Heidelberg. Later on it served as a summer residence of the Elector of the Palatinate and his court. In 1803 all the territories of the Palatine electorate east of the Rhine were absorbed into the Grand Duchy of Baden and the castle became a residence of the Grand Dukes of Baden. (In 1833 Schwetzingen was elevated to city status by Leopold, Grand Duke of Baden.)

In the ancient town of Trevi, in Umbria, Italy, in the Province of Perugia

 "Why are there so many songs about rainbows

And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide
So we've been told and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me...."
-- a few lines from "Rainbow Connection,"a song from the 1979 film The Muppet Movie (about Kermit the Frog)
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(in Umbria, Italy, in the Province of Perugia.) The ancient town of Trevi is located 10 km (~6 mi.) southeast of Foligno and 20 km (~12 mi.) north of Spoleto.

+ On the lower flank of Monte Serano overlooking the plain of the Clitunno river system, the patron saint of Trevi is St. Emiliano; his feast is celebrated on 27 January with a night-time procession of the Illuminata, in which his statue is carried out of the Duomo around the city. Shrove Tuesday sparks a public celebration in the main piazza, and in August, a 3‑week-long music festival; but the main annual festivals take place in October.

+ In central-west Umbria between Foligno and Spoleto, Trevi rises from the slopes of Mount Serano, which are carpeted in olive-tree plantations that overlook the Spoleto Valley. Churches, towers ,and palaces give a noble silhouette to the town that stands at 412 meters, offering a breathtaking view onto the Via Flaminia.
+ Founded by the Romans, it was an important town along the Flaminius Way. At the fall of the Roman Empire, having already been Christianised by Bishop Emiliano, it was occupied by the Longobards and included in the Duchy of Spoleto. During the Middle Ages Trevi was ruled by Foligno and Spoleto. Political and military instability continued until the 16th century when, after domination by various lords, Trevi became part of the Papal States, except for the Napoleonic period, until 1860.

+ Immersed in olive plantations, Trevi offers evidence of its Roman period in the mighty town walls that encircle the historical center; and the period of the Middle Ages can are reflected in the three city gates: Porta del Bruscito, Porta del Cieco, Porta S. Fabiano -- and the archway, Arco del Mostaccio. Among the most interesting religious buildings here is the church of Sant'Emiliano. Also worthy of a visit is the Gothic church of San Francesco, and the 15th-century Palazzo Comunale, Town Hall, is the Pinacoteca art gallery. The church and the Pinacoteca, together with the Town Museum and the Archelogical Collection, make up the Raccolta d'Arte di S. Francesco, a collection set up in 1996 in a part of the S. Francesco Museum Complex. In the hamlet of Bovara is the oldest olive tree in Umbria, reckoned to be 1700 years old. It is known as the tree of Sant'Emiliano because the future patron saint of the town was tied to it and martyred. The Raccolta includes the Museo della Civiltà dell'Ulivo, which is the first public museum dedicated to olives and olive oil in all of Europe.

+ A rainbow in front of the ancient town of Trevi:

In the city of Schwarzwald, in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany

 "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

-- a few lines from Walden (or, Life in the Woods) by -- Henry David Thoreau
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(in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany) As deep, dark, and delicious as its cherry gateau (cake), the Black Forest ("Schwarzwald") gets its name from its canopy of evergreens. With deeply carved valleys, thick woodlands, luscious meadows, stout timber farmhouses, and wispy waterfalls, it looks freshly minted for a child's bedtime story. Wandering along its many forest trails, you might half-expect to bump into a wicked witch (or an over-eager hunter), and could regret not having breadcrumbs in your backpack. to retrace your tracks.

+ Fairytale villages, thermal baths, casinos, and pine and birch-blanketed mountains lure travelers to the Black Forest. Scenic drives and train trips showcase the best of this area -- where skiing, hiking, mountain climbing, boating, and ice-skating are popular activities. My favorite place to visit in this large forested mountain range is Baden-Baden, with its popular Roman-Irish baths, 19th-century performance hall, casino, and fresco-adorned Pump Room. Historically, the area was known for forestry and the mining of ore deposits, but tourism has now become the primary industry.

+ The Black Forest stretches from the High Rhine in the south to the Kraichgau in the north. In the west it is bounded by the Upper Rhine Plain (which, from a natural region perspective, also includes the low chain of foothills); in the east it transitions to the Gäu, Baar, and hill country west of the Klettgau.

+ The natural regions of the Black Forest are separated by various features. The main division is between the gentle eastern slopes with their mostly rounded hills and broad plateaux (so-called Danubian relief, especially prominent in the north and east on the Bunter Sandstone) and the deeply incised, steeply falling terrain in the west that drops into the Upper Rhine Graben; the so-called Valley Black Forest (Talschwarzwald) with its Rhenanian relief.

+ Shown here is the Schwarzwälder Freilichtmuseum that spirals around the Vogtsbauernhof, a self-contained early-17th-century farmstead. Farmhouses shifted from their original locations have been carefully reconstructed here, using techniques like thatching and panelling, to create this authentic farming hamlet and preserve age-old Black Forest traditions. Explore barns filled with wagons and horn sleds, Rauchküchen (kitchens for smoking fish and meat), and the Hippenseppenhof (Open Air Museum), with its chapel and massive hipped roof constructed from 400 trees. It is a great place for families, with inquisitive farmyard animals to pet, artisans on hand to explain their crafts, and many a demonstration (covering topics from sheep shearing to butter-churning.

In the town of Benalmádena, west of Málaga, in southern Spain

 "Far away places, with strange sounding names, Far away over the sea...

Those far away places, with the strange sounding names, Are calling, calling me...
I start getting restless whenever I hear The whistle of a train ...
I pray for the day I can get under way And look for those castles in Spain!
They call me a dreamer, well maybe I am, But I know that I'm burning to see
Those far away places, with the strange sounding names, Calling ... calling me"
-- a few lines from "Far Away Places” (written by Joan Whitney and Alex Kramer)
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 (on southern Spain's Costa Del Sol in Andalusia) Benalmádena is a town just 12 km (~8 mi.) west of Málaga, on the Costa del Sol. Benalmádena is rich in attractive beaches and popular places like the Colomares Castle (shown here [dedicated to Christopher Columbus]), the 33-meter-tall Buddhist Benalmádena Stupa, and the Benalmádena Marina.

+ Benalmádena covers an area of some 27 sq. km that extends from the summits of the Sierra de Mijas to the sea, falling in some places as a cliff.

+ Benalmádena has been inhabited since prehistoric times. It experienced a remarkable development during the period of Muslim domination. Its development was paralyzed after joining the Crown of Castile in 1485 due to various natural disasters and the intensity of the activity of privateers in the area.

+ In the early 21st century Benalmádena has become one of the main tourist destinations on the Costa del Sol, with leisure facilities including an amusement park, two aquariums, a casino, and one of the largest marinas of Andalusia.

+ Columbus was a great navigator, illustrated in geography, astronomy, Holy Scripture, mathematics, humanities, etc. Seven years before the "discovery," he presented his plan to other States and only the Catholic Monarchs accepted it. He needed marine experts for his companies and he found them in Palos de la Frontera, in Huelva province. It was Martín Alonso Pinzón who got those true "sea lions" to accompany the Admiral.) It was the crown of Castile and its Queen Isabel who helped him and believed in him. They left Palos on August 3, 1492; there were 96 crew members, almost all from Andalusia, and after a few days of provisioning and repairing their ships in the Canary Islands, they left for the unknown and reached an island 33 days later. It was the day of the Pilar on October 12, 1492. The island was baptized with the name of San Salvador, and the natives called it “Island of the Iguanas”.

The three ships that Columbus used in his journey are represented, the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa María in this Castle Monument. La Niña at the top of the building, under the arch of La Rabida, the Monastery that sheltered Columbus when he arrived from Portugal. La Pinta, on the main facade, this being the nave of the Pinzones brothers, with the Pegasus horse, which supports it. The Santa María, isolated from the other two, as this ship suffered an accident and sank on Christmas Day, in Santo Domingo.

At the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

 "The mountains in their overwhelming might

Moved me to sadness when I saw them first,
And afterwards they moved me to delight;
Struck harmonies from silent chords which burst
Out into song, a song by memory nursed;
-- a few lines from "Overwhelming Might" (by Christina Rossetti)
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(in the west-central Balkans at the southern end of the Dinaric Alps) Montenegro, a Balkan gem, is a country bounded by the Adriatic Sea and Croatia (to the southwest), Bosnia and Herzegovina (northwest), Serbia (northeast), Kosovo (east), and Albania (southeast). It has a rich and turbulent history, influenced by various civilizations, from the ancient Illyrians and Romans to the Ottomans and Austrians.

+ Montenegro’s administrative capital is Podgorica, though its cultural center is the historical capital of Cetinje. For much of the 20th century Montenegro was part of Yugoslavia.

+ The country’s name, Montenegro, denotes “Black Mountain,” in reference to Mount Lovćen, its historical center near the Adriatic Sea and its stronghold in the centuries of struggle with the Turks. (Alone among the Balkan states, Montenegro was never subjugated.) The old heartland of Montenegro, in the southwest, is mainly a karstic region of arid hills, with some cultivable areas (e.g., around Cetinje and in the Zeta valley). The eastern districts, which include part of the Dinaric Alps (Mount Durmitor), are more fertile and have large forests and grassy uplands. The drainage system of Montenegro flows in two opposite directions. The Piva, Tara, and Lim rivers follow northerly courses, the Morača and Zeta rivers southerly ones.

+ The terrain of Montenegro ranges from high mountains along its borders with Kosovo and Albania, through a segment of the Karst region of the western Balkan Peninsula, to a narrow coastal plain that is only 1 to 4 miles (2 to 6 km) wide. The coastal plain disappears completely in the north, where Mount Lovćen and other peaks rise abruptly from the inlet of the Gulf of Kotor. (The coastal region is noted for seismic activity.)

+ Montenegro’s section of the Karst lies generally at an elevation of 900 meters above sea level -- although some areas rise to 1,800 meters. The lowest segment is in the valley of the Zeta River, which is at about (450 meters). The river occupies the center of Nikšić Polje, a flat-floored, elongated depression typical of karstic regions, as is the predominantly limestone underlying rock, which dissolves to form sinkholes and underground caves.

+ With majestic mountains and breathtaking beaches, Montenegro proves that good things can come in small packages.

+ The Bay of Kotor (shown here) is lined with medieval cities like Herceg Novi and Kotor, known for its dramatic waterfront fortifications built by the Venetians. Seaside glamour is evident in the marinas of Budva and the palazzos of Perast. Outdoor enthusiasts head inland to Durmitor National Park, where they find some of the most rugged alpine terrain in Europe.