圣古斯坦港, 欧赖, 布列塔尼, 法国 Port de Saint-Goustan, Auray, Brittany, France (© Rolf E. Staerk/Shutterstock)

布列塔尼的潮汐之约 Where Brittany meets the tide

圣古斯当港，欧赖，布列塔尼大区，法国

在法国，圣古斯坦港位于奥雷上城区下方，一条小海湾在此汇入莫尔比昂湾。港口坐落于奥雷河与洛克河的交汇处，营造出如诗如画的静谧氛围。13世纪，布列塔尼公爵在此修建了一座桥梁、一座港口和一座城堡；如今城堡已不复存在，但鹅卵石铺就的码头、狭窄的巷道和木结构房屋依然沿水而建。从共和国广场出发，沿着城堡街一路向下，途经艺术工作室和画廊，最终抵达海滨；洛克河畔的坡道建于古老的防御工事之上，可以饱览港口的景色。穿过四拱石桥，即可到达圣索沃尔广场，然后拾级而上，前往圣吉尔达教堂，小镇从那里开始逐渐升高，俯瞰着港口。码头也见证了一段跨大西洋的历史：本杰明·富兰克林于1776年抵达此地，如今一个码头以他的名字命名。如今，咖啡馆和小船点缀着这片区域，而附近的奥雷镇则拥有远近闻名的每周集市和热闹的夏季活动。

Port de Saint-Goustan, Auray, Brittany, France

In France, Port de Saint-Goustan sits just below Auray's upper town, where a small inlet meets the Gulf of Morbihan estuary. The harbor lies at the confluence of the Auray and Loc'h rivers, creating its sheltered, storybook setting. In the 13th century, the Dukes of Brittany built a bridge, a port, and a castle here; the fortress has vanished, but cobbled quays, narrow lanes, and timber-framed houses still line the water. From Place de la République, Rue du Château passes art studios and galleries down to the waterfront; ramps along the Loc'h, built on old fortifications, open views across the port. Cross the four-arched stone bridge to Place Saint-Sauveur, then climb toward Saint-Gildas Church, where the town rises above the harbor. The quay also marks a transatlantic moment: Benjamin Franklin arrived here in 1776, and a dock now bears his name. Today, cafés and small boats fill the scene, while nearby Auray hosts a well-known weekly market and lively summer events.

陆地与海洋的鸟瞰图，维多利亚州，澳大利亚 Aerial view of land and ocean, Victoria, Australia (© Nearmap/Getty Images)

陆地与海洋的鸟瞰图 The land of moving shorelines

陆地与海洋的鸟瞰图，维多利亚州，澳大利亚

维多利亚州位于澳大利亚东南部，坐拥由南大洋雕琢而成的绵延千余英里的海岸线。从高空俯瞰，这里的海滩宛如一条条宽阔的浅色沙带，边缘环绕着碧绿的海水与崎岖的峭壁。这种海陆交融的独特景致构成了该地区的主要魅力所在。著名的“大洋路”沿这段海岸线蜿蜒延伸约150英里，途经热门冲浪胜地、林木葱郁的海角以及各具特色的海滨小镇。

这里最引人注目的景观之一是“十二使徒岩”——这些高耸的石灰岩柱历经数百万年的风浪侵蚀而形成。附近海域既有像贝尔斯海滩那样海浪汹涌的冲浪胜地，也有宁静的海湾，那里沿海植被与开阔的沙滩交相辉映。远离海岸，农田与国家公园构成了别样的景致，不仅孕育着丰富的野生动植物，还设有风景优美的步道。维多利亚州首府墨尔本坐落于菲利普港湾畔，作为该州的核心城市，它彰显了这片土地兼具文化活力与自然多样性的特质——从高耸的阿尔卑斯山峰到原始粗犷的海岸线，风光无限。

Aerial view of land and ocean, Victoria, Australia

Victoria, a southeastern state of Australia, extends along more than 1,000 miles of coastline shaped by the Southern Ocean. From above, its beaches appear as sweeping bands of pale sand edged by turquoise waters and rugged cliffs. This dynamic interaction of land and sea defines much of the region's appeal. The famous Great Ocean Road traces roughly 150 miles of this shoreline, winding past popular surf spots, forested headlands, and seaside towns.

One of its most striking sights is the Twelve Apostles, towering limestone stacks formed over millions of years by wind and waves. Nearby stretches feature powerful surf breaks like Bells Beach and quieter coves where coastal vegetation meets open sand. Beyond the shore, farmland and national parks provide contrast, supporting wildlife and scenic trails. Victoria's capital, Melbourne, sits on Port Phillip Bay, anchoring a state known for both cultural energy and natural variety, from alpine peaks to untamed coastlines.

在沙巴的水稻田，老街，越南 Rice fields at Sapa, Lào Cai, Vietnam (© Anujak Jaimook/Getty Images)

步步传承 Tradition in every step

水稻田在沙巴，老街，越南

阳光穿透流云，洒在沙巴（Sapa）的层层坡地之上，那里的水稻田宛如“活的阶梯”，顺着山脊倾泻而下。这一高地地区位于越南老街省（Lào Cai），其地貌既受大自然的造化，也离不开人类双手的雕琢。数个世纪以来，包括赫蒙族（Hmong）在内的当地少数民族世代在此开垦并维护着这些梯田，他们引导水源流过陡峭的山坡，以维持每个生长季节的灌溉需求。

每一层梯田都蓄着薄薄的水层，倒映着天空，在稻田由翠绿转为丰收时的暖金之前，滋养着幼嫩的禾苗。薄雾在山谷间游走，不时显露出层叠的山丘与蜿蜒的小径，在印度支那最高峰——番西邦峰（Fansipan）之下，营造出一种瞬息万变之感。尽管地处偏远，但沙巴已成为一个日益受欢迎的旅游目的地，吸引着无数游客慕名而来欣赏壮丽景色，并在离开时对这片依然保留传统色彩的土地有了更深的理解。

Rice fields at Sapa, Lào Cai, Vietnam

Sunlight cuts through drifting clouds and settles on the terraced slopes of Sapa, where rice fields cascade down the mountainsides like a living staircase. Located in Vietnam's Lào Cai province, this highland region is shaped as much by human hands as by nature. Generations of farmers from local ethnic communities such as the Hmong have carved and maintained these terraces for centuries, guiding water across steep hillsides to sustain each growing season.

Each level holds a thin layer of water that reflects the sky, nourishing young rice plants before the fields shift from vivid green to warm gold at harvest. Mist moves through the valleys, revealing new layers of hills and winding paths, creating a sense of constant change beneath Fansipan, Indochina's highest peak. Though remote, Sapa has become an increasingly popular destination, drawing visitors who come for the striking scenery and leave with a deeper appreciation for a place still shaped by tradition.

阿蒂特兰湖的日出，危地马拉 Sunrise at Lake Atitlán, Guatemala (© shayes17/Getty Images)

远古火山的回响 Echoes of a volcanic past

日出在阿蒂特兰湖，危地马拉

阿蒂特兰湖（Lake Atitlán）坐落于危地马拉西部高地，占据了一处巨大的破火山口。其深蓝色的湖水被陡峭的火山口壁以及阿蒂特兰（Atitlán）、托利曼（Tolimán）和圣佩德罗（San Pedro）这三座锥形火山所环绕。木质码头向静谧的湖面延伸，勾勒出平静水面与火山活动造就的崎岖地形之间的强烈对比。

该湖形成于约 8.4 万年前的一次大规模火山喷发，通常被认为是中美洲最深的湖泊，深度达 1,100 英尺（约 335 米）左右。陡峭的断崖环绕着盆地，将湖水笼罩在一个宏伟的“天然剧场”之中，无声地诉说着其剧烈的爆发式起源。

湖面之下隐藏着拥有 1,500 多年历史的玛雅水下遗址，其中包括暗示了昔日繁荣湖岸文化的祭祀建筑残骸。沿岸的卡克奇克尔（Kaqchikel）和楚图希尔（Tz'utujil）玛雅社群依然传承着他们的语言和纺织传统，其日常生活仍与这片高地景观的律动紧密相连。

Sunrise at Lake Atitlán, Guatemala

Set in Guatemala's western highlands, Lake Atitlán fills a vast volcanic caldera. Its deep blue waters are framed by steep crater walls and the cone-shaped volcanoes Atitlán, Tolimán, and San Pedro. Wooden piers stretch into the still lake, emphasizing the contrast between its calm surface and the rugged terrain shaped by volcanic activity.

Formed about 84,000 years ago after a massive eruption, the lake is often considered the deepest in Central America, reaching depths of roughly 1,100 feet. Steep escarpments encircle the basin, enclosing the water in a dramatic natural amphitheater that echoes its explosive origins.

Beneath the surface lie traces of submerged Maya sites more than 1,500 years old, including remnants of ceremonial structures that hint at a once-thriving lakeside culture. Along the shore, Kaqchikel and Tz'utujil Maya communities continue to preserve their languages and weaving traditions, their daily lives still closely tied to the rhythms of this highland landscape.

锡拉库萨的日落，西西里岛，意大利 Syracuse at sunset, Sicily, Italy (© Balate Dorin/Getty Images)

百代镌刻之城 A city written in centuries

锡拉库萨，西西里岛，意大利

意大利锡拉库萨（Syracuse）位于西西里岛，由来自科林斯的希腊移民于公元前 734 年左右建立。它曾发展成为古地中海最伟大的强权之一，现已被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录——“锡拉库萨和潘塔立克石墓群”。这座城市永远与阿基米德（Archimedes）联系在一起，他的天才至今仍在塑造着城市的身份；同时也与柏拉图（Plato）紧密相连，他曾满怀着哲学可能重塑政治生活的希望来到此处。这种层叠的历史在马尼亚切城堡（Castello Maniace）中依然清晰可感，这座 13 世纪为神圣罗马帝国皇帝腓特烈二世建造的海滨要塞，至今仍令世人赞叹。

2009年，这座城堡成为了《锡拉库萨宣言》（Carta di Siracusa）的签署地，该文件聚焦于生物多样性以及自然、文化与发展之间的关系。锡拉库萨也为电影人提供了一个天然的舞台，从马塞洛·马斯楚安尼主演的《卡萨诺瓦70》到《夺宝奇兵：命运转盘》均在此取景。在这里，意大利不仅仅代表着阳光、美酒和佳肴：它更是依然在当下跳动着的鲜活历史。

Syracuse, Sicily, Italy

Founded by Greek settlers from Corinth around 734 BCE, the Italian city of Syracuse, on the island of Sicily, grew into one of the ancient Mediterranean's great powers and is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 'Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica.' It is forever linked to Archimedes, whose genius still shapes its identity, and to Plato, who came to Syracuse hoping philosophy might shape political life. That layered past still feels tangible at Castello Maniace, a seafront fortress built for Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in the 13th century, which can still be admired today.

In 2009, the castle provided the setting for the 'Carta di Siracusa,' a document centered on biodiversity and the relationship between nature, culture, and development. The city has also offered filmmakers a ready-made stage, from 'Casanova '70,' starring Marcello Mastroianni, to 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.' Here, Italy is more than sunshine, wine, and good food: it is history still conjugated in the present.

瓦朗索勒高原的薰衣草行，普罗旺斯，法国 Lavender rows, Plateau de Valensole, Provence, France (© Robert Harding/Shutterstock)

紫色花海 Sea of purple

薰衣草行在瓦朗索勒高原，普罗旺斯，法国

在法国东南部，瓦朗索勒高原（Valensole Plateau）的夏季伴随着阵阵紫蓝色的波浪而至。瓦朗索勒作为该地区最大的高原之一，坐落在迪朗斯河（Durance）与阿斯河（Asse）流域之间的韦尔东地区自然公园（Verdon Regional Natural Park）内，毗邻韦尔东大峡谷（Gorges du Verdon）及其湖泊。从6月中旬到7月初，受海拔和天气影响，薰衣草与杂交薰衣草（Lavandin）竞相绽放，将大地转化为普罗旺斯最具标志性的景观之一。空气中弥漫着清冽、干爽且极具地中海特色的香气。

除了如明信片般迷人的美景，薰衣草还是一种原产于地中海沿岸的唇形科（Lamiaceae）常绿灌木。其芬芳源于花朵、叶片及茎部上的油腺，这正是它长期以来被用于制作香水、肥皂、香囊以及通过蒸馏提取精油的原因。古罗马人甚至将薰衣草用于沐浴。它还吸引着蜜蜂和其他授粉昆虫，为田野平添了一份持续不断的嗡嗡声。在瓦朗索勒，美既是农业的、芳香的，也是充满活力的——它深深扎根于气候、耕作与传统之中。

Lavender rows, Plateau de Valensole, Provence, France

In southeastern France, on the Valensole Plateau, summer arrives in waves of purple and blue. Valensole—one of the largest plateaus in the region—lies in the Verdon Regional Natural Park between the Durance and Asse valleys, near the Gorges du Verdon and its lakes. From mid-June to early July, depending on altitude and weather, lavender and lavandin bloom and transform the landscape into one of Provence's most recognizable sights. The air carries a sharp, dry, and unmistakably Mediterranean scent.

Beyond the postcard-worthy view, lavender is an evergreen shrub in the mint family, native to lands bordering the Mediterranean. Its fragrance comes from oil glands on the flowers, leaves, and stems, which is why it has long been valued for perfumes, soaps, sachets, and essential oils distilled from the plant. The ancient Romans even used lavender in their baths. It also attracts bees and other pollinators, adding a steady hum to the fields. In Valensole, beauty is agricultural, aromatic, and alive—rooted in climate, cultivation, and tradition.

凯泽斯堡，阿尔萨斯，法国 Kaysersberg, Alsace, France (© Federica Gentile/Getty Images)

此行，不虚绕道 This is your detour

凯泽斯堡，阿尔萨斯，法国

7月4日，环法自行车赛拉开帷幕——这正是聚焦法国东北部阿尔萨斯地区凯泽斯堡（Kaysersberg）村落的绝佳时机。这座历史名城坐落在维斯河（Weiss River）畔，位于科尔马（Colmar）西北约12公里处，地处孚日山脉（Vosges Mountains）的东坡。

凯泽斯堡的名字意为“皇帝之山”，反映了其显赫的战略往昔。村庄上方矗立着一座山顶堡垒，最早记载于1227年，当时神圣罗马帝国皇帝腓特烈二世（Frederick II）购入并加固了此地。如今，这份遗产向四面八方铺展开来：粉色系的半木结构房屋错落有致地排列在鹅卵石街道旁，一座建于16世纪初、极具视觉冲击力的加固石桥横跨河流，连接着老城的各个街区。

走进圣克鲁瓦教堂（Sainte Croix Church），可以发现追溯至13世纪的建筑层级；或者漫步向被葡萄园覆盖的山丘，正是这些葡萄园在数世纪间形塑了这里的生活。不妨配上一杯清脆爽口的灰皮诺（Pinot Gris）多停留片刻，让阿尔萨斯的这处角落以其特有的悠闲步调徐徐展开。

小溪上方的萤火虫，冈山县，日本 Fireflies glowing above a stream, Okayama Prefecture, Japan (© tdub303/Getty Images)

流光之诗 The poetry of vanishing light

萤火虫发光在小溪上方，冈山县，日本

在冈山县（Okayama Prefecture），当湿润的空气笼罩在溪流之上，被称为“hotaru”的日本萤火虫便开始发出信号。在温暖无风的夜晚，如果条件理想，它们通常会在日落约两小时后开始发光，发散出一种水边独有的静谧感。

萤火虫并非蝇类，而是甲虫（Beetles），大多数种类栖息在水边，如池塘、溪流、沼泽和河流。白天，它们隐藏在低矮的草丛中；入夜后，它们爬上植被并起飞，通过闪烁光芒来寻找配偶。它们的光源自腹部的化学反应，而特定物种的闪烁频率有助于伴侣识别正确的信号。它们的幼虫生活在更安静且充满饥饿感的阶段：作为肉食性动物，幼虫以蜗牛和蛞蝓等软体动物为食；而成年萤火虫则可能采食昆虫、花蜜或花粉。

在日本，“萤狩”（Hotaru-gari，即观赏萤火虫）有着深厚的文化根基。平安时代（794–1185）的作家如清少纳言（Sei Shōnagon）曾在著作中描写过萤火虫，后世的文学作品和浮世绘（Ukiyo-e，一种传统的木版画和绘画形式）也常借其转瞬即逝的光芒来隐喻生命之无常。

Fireflies glowing above a stream, Okayama Prefecture, Japan

In Okayama Prefecture, when humid air settles over a stream, hotaru—Japan's fireflies—begin signaling. On warm, windless evenings, they often start glowing about two hours after sunset under favorable conditions, inviting silence beside water.

Fireflies aren't flies but beetles, and most species stay near water—ponds, streams, marshes, and rivers. By day they hide low in the grass; after dark they climb vegetation and take flight, flashing to find a mate. Their light comes from a chemical reaction in the abdomen, and species-specific timing helps partners recognize the right signal. Their young live a quieter, hungrier life: larvae are carnivores that feed on soft-bodied prey such as snails and slugs. Adults may eat insects, nectar, or pollen.

In Japan, watching them—hotaru-gari—has deep roots. Heian-era (794–1185) writers like Sei Shōnagon wrote about fireflies, and later literature and ukiyo-e art—a traditional form of woodblock prints and paintings—used their brief light to evoke impermanence.

埃斯纳神庙穹顶天花板, 埃及 Ceiling of the Temple of Esna, Egypt (© Nick Brundle Photography/Getty Images)

走进埃斯纳神圣的世界 Inside Esna's sacred universe

埃斯纳神庙穹顶天花板, 埃及

在埃及卢克索以南的埃斯纳神庙（Temple of Esna），游客将步入一个充满生机的世界，这里供奉着公羊头神——赫努姆（Khnum）；传说他曾用尼罗河的黏土塑造了人类。这座神庙主要建于托勒密王朝和罗马统治时期，其现存的大厅由24根高耸的石柱支撑，每根柱子上都雕刻着精美的浮雕与颂扬诸神的仪式铭文。

在古代，进入该处受到严格管控。祭司在入内之前，必须剃净全身毛发、修剪指甲、反复进行仪式性净身，并仅穿亚麻衣物。此外，在为库努姆（Khnum）主持祭祀与仪式前，他们还需禁食某些食物，以确保身体洁净。

在他们头顶上方，天花板（如图所示）宛如一幅装饰华丽的苍穹画卷，绘满了色彩鲜艳的天文景象、黄道十二宫符号及神圣人物形象。这些雕饰绝非仅仅为了装饰：立柱与天花板交相辉映，引领着信众穿行于一个充满象征意义的宇宙之中——在这里，神圣秩序、仪式实践与宇宙循环彼此交织，密不可分。

Ceiling of the Temple of Esna, Egypt

At the Temple of Esna, south of Luxor, Egypt, visitors enter a vivid world devoted to Khnum, the ram-headed god believed to have molded humanity from Nile clay. Built mainly during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras, the temple's surviving hall is supported by 24 towering columns, each carved with intricate reliefs and ritual texts honoring various deities.

In ancient times, entry was tightly controlled. Priests had to shave their entire bodies, trim their fingernails, undergo repeated ritual purification, and wear only linen garments before passing inside. They also avoided certain foods to ensure cleanliness before conducting offerings and ceremonies for Khnum.

Above them, the ceiling—like the one shown—unfolds into a richly decorated sky, filled with astronomical scenes, zodiacal symbols, and sacred figures painted in vivid colors. These carvings weren't merely decorative: together, the pillars and ceiling guided worshippers through a symbolic universe where divine order, ritual practice, and cosmic cycles were inseparably linked.

地牢省立公园, 纽芬兰和拉布拉多省, 加拿大 Dungeon Provincial Park, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (© Kaitlyn McLachlan/Getty Images)

大西洋雕琢而成的加拿大 Canada, carved by the Atlantic

地牢省立公园，加拿大

位于纽芬兰岛博纳维斯塔半岛的地牢省立公园，长期受到大西洋海浪的塑造与侵蚀。公园最著名的景观“地牢（Dungeon）”实际上是一处巨大的塌陷海蚀洞，其顶部因持续侵蚀而坍塌，形成直通天空的壮观开口。这一地貌生动展示了海洋作用如何在数千年间不断改造坚硬岩石。

公园周围的悬崖主要由数亿年前形成的沉积岩构成。砂岩与页岩层记录着远古环境演变的痕迹，其形成时间甚至早于现代大西洋的出现。如今，海鸟、滨海植物以及沿岸洋流共同维系着这片充满活力的海岸生态系统，并持续影响着当地自然环境的发展。

地牢省立公园所在海岸位于西北大西洋重要的海鸟迁徙通道上。每年较温暖的季节，游客有机会看到三趾鸥、海鸠以及北方塘鹅等海鸟在悬崖与海面之间翱翔。丰富的海洋营养物质与崎岖的海岸环境共同构成了理想栖息地，使这里成为众多海洋生物的重要庇护所.

Canada Day

On July 1, Canada celebrates its national day, marking the events of 1867, when the British North America Act (now called the Constitution Act, 1867) united three British colonies into one Dominion.

In 1879, July 1 became a federal holiday, originally called Dominion Day before being renamed Canada Day in 1982. Today, people gather across the country for concerts, community events, and fireworks—celebrations that reflect a shared sense of identity and history.

Today's image takes us to Dungeon Provincial Park on the rugged coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, where nature tells a much older story. Atlantic waves carved a sea cave with two openings, gradually widening it until the roof gave way. What remains is a striking collapsed formation known as a 'gloup,' surrounded by steep cliffs and crashing surf. Boardwalks and viewing platforms allow visitors to take in the scene, while nearby trails offer sweeping ocean views. This dramatic coastline highlights the natural forces that are still shaping Canada's landscape today.