Game Time Part Seven

Decided to start a new thread.

Anegada

Ile Tintamarre, Saint Martin?

Caribbean, yes, but not Anegada or Tintamarre.

Any chance it's in the western Caribbean? I'm thinking Isla Mujeres.

Western Caribbean. NOT Isla Mujeres.

Cozumel?

Ellen--Ding, ding, ding!! You're up!

OK, where are we?

Dominica

Saba. Only because there are SHEEP!

and a goat. Tail down = sheep. Tail up = Goat

I think I recognise the location... St Kitts?

That's how I tell them apart sometimes, but that middle one in the pic with the tail down is messing with us!!! and agree that flat looks like St Kitts///

Jeannius is the winner!

Sorry for the delay in posting. Been asleep.

Finding a photo now.

Mike, not many clues for me but I'll start with South Africa.

Nice picture. I’m going New Zealand. Based on English words and the penguins in the window.

Not South Africa or New Zealand. I know at least two TTOL members who will have seen this place but they may not be playing the game. No clues as yet.

With a name like "Angelique" I'd wager a French place, but that doesn't jibe with the penguins in the window... I'll hazard a wild guess of somewhere in the Marquesas?

Cancel that - I couldn't wait and googled it because I was so intrigued. Hence I've disqualified myself from guessing this picture and my responses and questions should be ignored

Yes there are some 'mis-directions' in the photo

I wish I'd chosen another location for today... I'm watching the Tour de France and today's stage finishes in a ski resort I've been to a couple of times. Should have used a photo from there.

Zanshin... Just been looking at your stuff on GitHub... We have some old programming languages in common F77 and PL/1. Did a lot of Intel Assembler as well back in the day. Although I'm officially retired I still write stuff in C and it's later derivatives as and when someone pays me.

it is the sign that has me confused on the side of the building.
He has a seal and the word "Indefatigable" which was a British Battleship sank at the battle of Jutland...

But the surroundings do not look like the north Atlantic...

Argentina?

So my daughter totally disdains science... But for her degree she had to take a course in the BS world...
She went to Elon University in NC, which year after year rates number 1 in study abroad programs.
So a mini-semester course was the plan in science
To get her through the requirement she lived on a 82 foot in the Galapagos Islands for a month.
When she returned home she had a C which was all that was required.

So my daughter and Lonesome George guess the Galapagos (2005)
(which explains the jungle and the penguins on the walls, but what about the Ship Name)

Mike - I currently do work with big data and big data warehouses, which is trendy and pays quite well. But I've been offered gigs to do COBOL and PL/1 work which have a significantly higher hourly wage because all of the "old" programmers have retired or died off! I still remember in the early 1980's when I was told that "COBOL is a dead language, it has no future" Just as with the dead language of Latin - if you want to become a doctor you had better learn it...

p.s. If you'd chosen the Tour-de-France picture I'd be up at bat by now!

Galapagos is correct. This was going to be the next photo...



Lonesome George was still there in 2010 but I believe he is no more. The original HMS Indefatigable did visit the Galapagos back in 1812 but the name plate on the wall probably relates to the WW2 vessel of the same name.

Your turn Tom.

Yes I was very disappointed back around Y2K as I didn't know COBOL. People in the UK made a fortune from the banks making sure the systems kept working. I bet many of them of them are still going now!

We went to watch the Tour last year, the last 5 stages or so, finishing it up in Paris. Such a fun trip. Got to see the riders up close at starts and finishes. I love the mountain stages, I need to do some catch up watching, last stage I wathced was Sunday's mountain finish.

Big stage today Ellen. On the final 20 km climb up to Meribel right now.

I'll find a way to watch this one, 24% grade, yikes!

And poor Egan Bernal, and will Peter Sagan be able to pull it out?

Ellen I remember your helpful info for last years France trip (as well as Jeannius and others!), which unfortunately was our last "real" travel! I'll be watching today!

Yes, mine too. Canceled Italy for October 2020.

Watching the Tour and the views from the helicopter, is the closet thing to "real" travel for me.

Well depending on your hobbies when you travel - Some folks may recognize this place immediately

No idea but guessing Italy as a start.

I'll try Italy as well.....Siena?

Italy would be correct... Siena would not be....
However here is a sketch you may recognize

San Gimignago? Spelling is off I'm sure

I am the world's worst speller so close counts! But I am sorry S.G. is not the place.

I spelled the next hint so bad that if one capitalized one letter and unscrambled the word it would be a good clue

lebonilbo

Is that sketch on a wine lable? if so I know you like all things Piedmont region?

Yes it is a wine label
And you are correct, I love the wines from the Piemonte Region of Italy

Now which town?..............without a map I know Turin?

I know of Baralo wine, but that doesn't seem to tie the word scramble.

Not to change the subject but I know we have had a "Piemonte" from wholefoods...I think is was Monte-i-rustico something or other....Tom when this is solved please pm with Piemonte reds for us to try since you know local availability/stores!

Not Torino (Turin)
Hint 3 answers Ellen's guess

Help you with hint 2

Nleboilbo (it is what Barolo and the unknown pic have in common)

Beerman - will do on the wine when solved

Don't know if there is such a place, but trying your word scramble Il Bonoble - sounds like an Italian town to me!

Bra?

Sorry Fred... Wrong Scramble - Hint: It is the name of a grape that the region is known for. I am a wine geek.... sorry

Sorry Beerman... Not Bra, ahhhhh but that is the e town where Slow Food became Real!

Hint 4 - A very small town and a very BIG wine

Paper map.....not Asti?

Donna just said we used to get a Tati Barbera from Piemonte Region, but wholefoods stopped getting it....is there a town of Barbera?

Nope Barbera is a grape not a place. Some would say Barbera is the little brother of the scrambled word.

One factoid about Barbera... It is supposedly has the chemical make up that makes you sleep
My wife the hospital / health enthusiast did a presentation on Barbera.

Great wine, but is not anywhere near the big brother grape of the region. - IMHO

Surprised Sleepy Chef has not chimed in

Scottish Scotland

Would this be the town of "Barolo" itself? The hint is of a grape type used to make Barolo - Nebbiolo (many moons ago I did my sommelier exam in night school)

See my next post

I just saw the label image you posted - is that a bottle of Conterno that goes for over €1000? If so, then I do know which town this comes from!

Zanshin - you are correct the hint is the grape - Nebbiolo.
Nebbiolo is famous for big wines that age for years.

There are two areas where the grape truly shines in Piemonte. Barolo is one, and the picture is the other.

The wine you mentioned, Conterno, does indeed have a village on the label, but not the one in the picture. And you are also correct that it is one of the world's best Barolos -
I am pretty sure it comes from the village of Serralunga d’Alba, which is a sub-area of Barolo. (Not positive)

So the question at hand... Is anybody going to make a Osso Bucco tonight? I highly recommend a Barolo or a ____________________ to enjoy with your meal.
Make sure you decant for at least an hour... especially if the wines are young. (less than 7 years)

Ah, and I was sure it was Monforte d'Alba! Now I'm curious as to what the answer is going to be.

Barbaresco?

Monforte d'Alba is also in Barolo

However.....

Beerman's Barbaresco guess is correct!

Great little town. There is church that has been de-sanctified and now serves as the enotecha for the village.
They have a VERY reasonable tasting fee, and all but two Barbaresco wines can be tasted.
And there are 100s maybe a 1000
TomB found a happy place. Walls and walls of Barbaresco

That was a fun and educational game! Hard to believe it's September already and a continuous travel drought. We are talking about returning to Italy next year, I think biking through the vineyards of the Piemonte Region should be included! Can you please post another pic of your favorite landscape of that region while I search for a pic? ....and if/when you have time for wine recommendations you can leave that bottle of Conterno off $$$$$. ;-)

Would a picture from another wine region suffice as a carry-over?

Of course!

OK, here goes. The grapes in the first picture look pretty beat-up, but they are actually very prized ones to make a special wine. And the second picture shows where, around 1800, this was first discovered.

oops - I didn't mean to post this as the next question! The grapes are Riesling, and they are affected by Botrytis, also called "Noble Rot". The second picture is of Schloss Johannisburg, where modern sweeter/higher alcohol wines was discovered by accident. The story goes as follows:

The legend of sweet Riesling is generally accredited to Schloss Johannisberg in the Rheingau who 'accidentally' created their first 'Spatlese' or late harvest in 1775. The legend goes that the messenger bringing the official order to start picking was robbed on the way. By the time he arrived the grapes had rotted, been infected with Botrytis and were given to the peasants. The peasants brewed their own wonderful wines and the rest is history. It's the Riesling grapes ability to develop high sugar levels while maintaining acidity that produces white wines that age very well. Riesling is produced from dry to very sweet. The sweet, botrytis affected wines are rated in ascending order of sweetness as: Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese.

Zanshin,

LOVE IT - It is like drinking liquid gold
When people say they do not like sweet wines... I say they have not had a real one.
Cupcake Moscato is cheap white wine with a 1/4 cup of sugar in the bottle... NOT GOOD
I love Beerenauslese wines

Now for Beerman's request
The restaurant sign in the picture is one not to miss. Highly recommend a long lingering lunch!
Welcome to Piemonte

where were we......

by the way Tom, is that Barbaresco in the distance through that wire wine glass? Im googling the heck out of Piemonte right now! Vaccine soon come.....

Time for a clue? This gigantic statue of Neptune was much larger before a WWII bombing raid destroyed the opulent villa it was attached to. Neptune's missing large arms used to hold up a large sea shell and trident, old photos are amazing. Unfortunate for the locals who opposed their fascist regime, so I've read.

I am pretty sure it is the town of La Morra is on the hill
We had just finished a wonderful tour at Marchesi di Barolo in Barolo
Another really cool town is Monforte d'Alba

The restaurant sign is in another neat town (Serralunga d'Alba) with probably the best view in Barolo

http://www.schiavenza.com/en

Definitely check out movie on web page

They look like the grapes at the bottom of my garden in Spain. They are Muscatel and are used in the region to produce a sweet dessert wine. Unfortunately I only have enough to make about two bottles a year so they get eaten instead. They were ready for picking in July this year which is incredibly early.

IS that in the Cinque, looks familiar.

I worked very close to this statue a few years ago...
And speaking of sweet wines... my personal favorite comes from here... Sciacchetrà

Yes Ellen in the Cinque! I believe that is close enough for this one since there's only 5 villages to guess. Google il Gigante in Monterossa to see the original statue and Villa, pretty cool. Marked the location...

I'd never heard of Cinque Terre before reading about it here on TTOL. It's amazing really as I've travelled fairly extensively around Mediterranean but had never heard the name. Definitely want to visit when things get back to normal.

Wow - I would have never guessed that you had not been to the Cinque. Unfortunately, it can get overrun now that the cruise ships have found it.
(Not a slam on cruise ships - Just when the ship has 2500 more people aboard that live in the town it gets overrun quickly)

My favorite two towns are to the East of the Cinque Terre. They are Lerici (pic1) or Porto Venere (pic2)
They are much better for an overnight on a boat. The ferries run regularly.
If you stay in La Spezia the train runs through the mountain to the CT. Maybe a 15 min ride

Mike, I was trying to find the date and details of the Allied bombing and found some article that says tourism is relatively new to Cinque Terre. 1970's-80's mostly Italians, then some guy named Rick Steve's wrote about it in the 90's and American backpackers started flocking in. Covid certainly hit them hard, but sounds like restaurants etc opened at 50% capacity in June. It is one of our favorite travel memories, we hiked through 4 villages and because the trail was closed we had to train to the last. Tom and Ellen can probably back me up, but it's amazingly beautiful and peaceful. This pic is from Bar Gabbiano on the trail between Vernazza and Corniglia, you can imagine how that hike was from village to village, my wife is looking down at Corniglia, great hike!

Yes it is beautiful. Had a house on a cliff booked there in a couple of weeks. Pushed it to 2021.

So I am traveling and had to take a picture off my phone. So we will see how fast it goes.

That explains why you all know it and I don't. Travel writers have a lot to answer for!

A while back a Brit writer called Peter Mayle wrote a book called A Year in Provence ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Year-Provence-Peter-Mayle/dp/0140296034 ) . It was a massive hit in the UK, the BBC turned it into a television series and well-off Brits bought every property within about 20 miles of the main location. Completely spoilt the place for years. Fortunately it's now pretty much forgotten and life for the locals is returning to normal.

That's Atlantic City isn't it Ellen?

I am going with the Atlantis complex in the Bahamas

Winner is Tom B. Thought it might go fast.

Atlantis is the polar opposite of the Cinque.

Yeah, I knew it the second I saw it, but Tom beat me to it!! Tom has much better pictures than I do anyway!

Never been there... but it is pretty distinctive and the color of the buildings was the give way.

So how about this one...

Mike, when Kenny Chesney started writing songs about the islands I knew it would change forever.

I've been there but failed to identify it properly. It was I think 40 years ago this year so perhaps that excuses me getting it wrong.

No truer words have been spoken... but in his defense he has done some good for the VI
I think the biggest thing that has impacted the islands was 9/11- especially the VI. Americans were to afraid to venture too far from home those first couple years and then No Shoes Nation arrived.

The first time we chartered in the BVI in 88 we saw like 10 boats under sail the entire week.
Last time we went it looked like exit 130 on I-95 and mooring balls were harder to get than parking spot at best buy in black friday

So I guess it is good to be old to have been able see places before they were overrun and hear Buffett in a small bar before he found cheeseburgers.
The little island at the end of A1A has change a lot since the 70s also...

Don't get me wrong, I am a Chesney fan, both music and for what he has done for the islands and the locals, I just remember saying uh oh, especially when the old blue chair song came out! Our daughter is only 25, but she has been going her whole life and says things have changed! I tell her you'll be able to say you remember when! Not hijacking the thread but.......who remembers this guy? pic is from around 1980....I wish group selfies were a thing back then ha!

No worries - I love off ramps!
If it is very early 70s I would say Foxy.
First time we ran into him was in 92 - and he was showing a little white then

And oh do I have a KC fan in the house... my sweetie
I am still stuck on Pink Floyd
here is a pic from a concert a while back

Back on the main highway...
here is the picture we are working on



I think the monkey thinks he can see the end of the world

Only place I've seen a character like this was S. Africa (but mine didn't have such a thick fur coat - maybe this was a winter picture)

I’ll go other side and say New Zealand.

Nope not S. Africa nor New Zealand
Some thought this location proved the world was flat and a ship would fall off if the ventured further

Portugal?

Gibralter?

He does look like one of the apes at Gibraltar but I don't remember Africa looking quite that close.

So Tom... Which was the best, Dark Side or Wish You Were Here? Amazingly Nick Mason has just come on BBC Breakfast News - while I'm looking at the thread - talking about a live album he's just released of even earlier Floyd!

Could this be from Hakodate, Japan?

No idea on your pic Tom?

That gentleman in my pic was Vistor Hall, owner of The Kite bar above Cinnamon Bay.

Pink Floyd....great music...have a cigar is a favorite

Swifty - you are correct - Gibraltar!
I had one of those monkeys jump on me, wrapped his legs around my neck, covered my eyes with his arm and started bounding away on my head with his other arm.
Bad Monkey


Beerman - man do you have a treasure in that pic!

While we wait for Swifty to post a picture here is a little brain tease for you world travelers

oops late add - when you think you know the 4 countries click on [SHOW CONTENT BUTTON] and your answers will be revealed

( Which 4 European Countries drive on the left-hand side of the road?)

United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus

My guess - England, Scotland, Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland?

And here is my pic. Sorry for the delay - I overslept this morning!

Trying one more time to post a larger pic. Let's see if this works...

Sorry - giving this one more try. I think the pic might be hard to identify unless you see it a bit larger.

Swifty - If you click on the [Show Content Button] The correct answers will be revealed

Try # 3 worked - but clueless

Ahhh - I have so much to learn!!

Looked at the pic again
Central America... Costa Rica?

You were pretty close Swifty. I don't entirely agree with Tom's definition as the United Kingdom is made up of the Countries England and Scotland, the Principality of Wales and the Province of Northern Ireland. It's no wonder we are not really that United!

I'd have got the answer wrong as I'd forgotten about Malta.

Thanks Mike!

Tom - you are correct. My pic is from Costa Rica. Can anyone narrow it down?

I have only been to San José to land and head to a fishing camp north of Golfito
Looks like you are in the middle of a Rain Forest, but not a clue of the name.
Any Costa Rica travelers out there



Yep - I thought Brexit or the 2014 Scottish independence referendum would change the United in the Name.
In retrospect I have a problem with my answers - it should have been Éire instead of Ireland.

Don't talk to me about Brexit. You'd be amazed how many people I know who voted for Brexit that still want a free holiday at my house in Spain.

LOL!

Did not mean to Poke the Monkey!

I’ve got nothing for Costa Rica sorry. Looks lovely.

It's a pretty remote spot. I'll give it a little more time before giving a clue.

It's all right Tom. I like to moan about it at least once a day

It looks like you are in one of volcano national parks, looks like one of the run off lakes.

Yes - the pic is from one of the volcano national parks. Any idea where it was taken?

Not a clue, but I new when I saw the color of the water I knew right away what that was. I think they have several national parks surrounding volcanos. Not sure which one.

Arenal Volcano National Park
Tabacon?

Arenal! Not Tabacon but not sure how close you need to be in order to win.

Well, I edited for Tabacon trying to show off! Isn’t that close enough?
(Disclosure, I ran a tour company 10 years ago that had a specialization in Costa Rica! I also knew the Galapagos answer last weekend too, but was out of town!)

Let me look for a pix...

One reason this city is best viewed at night.

JP have we gone to Egypt?

Luxor, i missed Gib earlier hopefully can stop playing this game soon and get back to work soon.

FYI - my pic was from the Cerro Chato in the La Foruna area of Costa Rica. The trail to the crater lake at the top of this inactive volcano was cut off in 2017, but we hiked it in 2009 when it was still open to visitors. At the time, we thought we had discovered another world. We ran into a family from our hometown on the way back down, so maybe not such a secret place!

Tom, you were on track, and Sleepychef got it quickly. Luxor on the Nile. I didn’t post a shot with the figures, knowing that would be too easy, but you guys are too good! We did Egypt just a few weeks before it went crazy, my wife’s most memorable trip.

Swiftly, sorry to highjack before you were done w the story,

Chef is up next....again!

JP

The wifes first snow, need the village name a good clue is you need to walk 17 miles to get a drink.

I think I get your clue, but sans Google I'll guess Taos.

17 mile drive is pebble beach to me, so I’ll wait to see how it develops.

Utah in the old days?

Friends of mine spent a summer at a fishing plant in Alaska and said it was a 15 mile walk to closest bar...Alaska?

not drive you must wak or sail to this location, not Alaska

That looks horribly wet snow on the ground. I'm going to go with Scotland

A 17 mile walk to the nearest bar, in Scotland? That doesn't sound likely. And the transformers on the pole look distinctly north American.

You are probably right Arnd. I did once ski in Scotland and I haven't recovered yet from the experience. Getting a drink was always possible but avoiding getting blown off the side of the mountain was pretty tricky.

My only thought on that picture is that Indian reservations are typically "dry" and could explain the long hike to a bar from a place that has evident human habitation. There are a lot of first nation places in the north and west of the American continent, which would also explain the snow.... but since my only experience of that area is skiing in Whistler I'm going to have to wait for someone else to guess the location.

My first thought was also a Reservation, but then the part of sailing or walking led me to an island in the Pacific northwest. I've now narrowed this down to several hundred islands in this vast area. In other words, I don't have a clue.

It is in Scotland and its at the most remote Pub in the UK

Was this pub used as a movie location?

Local Hero?

Not a movie but for a music video for Wings and the song title is not the answer

Well Google says Old Forge at Inverie.

Thats is the place better known as Knoydart, we have a winner. No cell phone signal, no internet, very peaceful and surprisingly busy.

Sleepychef, ironically I've been there. I was on S/V Skyelark in 2013 and we were just finishing World Cruising's Malt Cruise - next day was Oban. Skipper Dan & I went ashore and had a couple of pints but needed ice for cocktails later on the boat. Dan, being an astute English fellow, gave me the ice bucket and said "Fred, with your accent, they'll give us all the ice we need".

I've tried the full editor, but when finished it says nothing is attached (even though I attached a photo and hit done)

OK, one more try. I guess this one will apparently work.

Dominica

No, a long way from Dominica.

Fred--I'm sorry, it's obviously an orchid, but otherwise???

True, but it's early and an orchid (as opposed to many other flowers) is a clue here.

there is a screen behind the plant. I know st Lucia is not far away, but my guess.

In case I win, probably not, going to bed now. All have fun!

Cmon you have to have a building or some other landmark. This could be the entrance to Trader Joe.

Fred, I've seen a similar looking place but can't recall where it was...Roatan comes to mind for some reason.

Fred--I have orchids on my front porch, but I don't think the picture was taken on my front porch...

Luzon, Philippines

This orchid could very well be the offspring of an plant propagated by a famous person who loved orchids. It is a long airplane ride from St. Lucia, Roatan or Carol's porch, but not nearly as far from Luzon. If no one gets it soon, I'll post the giveaway picture.

In that case it might be Madagascar

Not Madagascar and the other direction from Luzon - but right hemisphere. The famous person was in several films and a couple of TV series in the US.

I looked up the moth orchid, and thought that might be the reference to Charles Darwin. The only other orchid personage I can recall is Nero Wolfe, but he was in NYC and a fictional character to boot...

Are we into Google territory yet, because if so, my guess is Tahiti.... If not, I guess I cheated!

Carol, you are at practically the same latitude but about 1,800 too far east. Question: Is the time stated on posts the Eastern Time Zone in the US?

OK, so I cheated for nothing. And I have no idea where it is, based on that picture.

The time on your screen is however YOU set it, under your preferences.

Fiji

sleepychef--did you know that or did you Google it?

not its a guess from the latitude

It's apparently the right answer, as I googled it, since I had already cheated once!

it was the clue he gave you that i got my guess, i have no good pics so you take my turn please once confirmed

Well, it's a good guess and the late Raymond Burr (aka Perry Mason) was the orchid lover that established this preserve. Fiji is correct.

That's funny, as I got Raymond Burr, and that took me to Tahiti, as there is an orchid named after him, with Tahiti in it!!

OK, not sure how hard this will be. I have a follow up picture that people will get in a flash, I'm sure. Sorry for the very messy edit job...

No guesses?

Berlin

Right country.

Munich

I am positive I have seen it, and immediately struggling with an answer Nuremburg or Cologne
Both are probably incorrect

NOT Munich, Nuremberg or Cologne..

Heidelberg?

Bernkastel?

Or Zons?

Ellen and Swifty--NO.

Located toward southern Germany, as of 2018, this town is technically part of another town.

Since I'm old, will be going to bed soon, so will check back in the morning, and if no other guesses, will post another picture which should lock it up for someone.

I'm currently in this neck of the woods (in Bavaria, Franken) and just about every big town has at least one of these wells/fountains/reservoirs. Most of them aren't as large, though. If I think of the tourist towns which are frequently visited by American and strike those already mentioned, my first guess would be Ansbach.

Not Ansbach. I think this should make it easier.

No guesses? OK, google away!!

Great pics no guess

Fussen?

Swifty--no.

Bretten

No. I am surprised no one has gotten it. As I said, google away if you want!

Rothenburg?

Rothenburg

Ellen got it first, by a minute!! You're up, Ellen!

So where am I?

Cape Cod

Hmm... the last Brat before you get to America (in German)? With that landscape, a location which Germans frequent, and an ocean view towards the USA I would guess Tenerife?

No to both guesses.

Ellen--I have no guesses, but that's a cool picture!

So continent is Europe, country is not Spain.

So looking at the background I would say an island in Greece or Portugal

I am going with Portugal
However no clue where

Portugal is correct.

So it says it is the last hotdog until America, but it is not quite the westernmost point of Europe.

Here we are panned out from the hot dog stand.

Lagos? No idea if it has a lighthouse but I know it sticks out into the ocean a bit.

You are darn close, still further west though. I would have thought someone else would have driven out here to eat a hot dog.

OK I'll declare Mike the winner, he is closest.

The hotdog stand is west of Sagres at the end of Cape St Vincent. Technically not the most western point in Europe, but close. And you do feel like you are at the end of the world out there. Very beautiful and the hotdog was pretty good too.

That was a good picture and I wouldn't have guessed that it was Portugal. But please, a Bratwurst is not a hotdog[u][/u], to use a wine analogy, a fine Barolo Riserva has little in common with a cheap sweet Valpolicella apart from being made of water, alcohol and grapes

Sorry for the delay, I didn't know I'd won. Here you go...

I'm going to be out for 5-6 hours so if anyone knows the answer then carry on without me!

I'll guess France

Xrayman saw it too, in the picture! So I’m with him, France! Ha ha!

France is indeed correct. I'll post another picture shortly.

Remember any picture posted has to have been taken by you or someone in your family.
Do not want to get Carol in trouble with the copyright police...

Tom--I didn't see that until you said that. Mike--I would prefer if you take that picture down.

I'll be offline for a few hours, so if you need help with that, contact Eric at admin@traveltalkonline.com

Sorry about the photo. The location is Montech in France and is a mechanism for replacing locks by pushing a wall of water up a slope. Here's a youtube link... Montech Water Slope I was there last year but sadly it is no longer in operation. This is how it looked last year...

Does Mike post another picture (without watermark) or what? I might need another fix soon

Just done it Fred but I've already given away the location. Anyone got one ready to go?

I have one ready from a previous thread where I thought I'd nailed it. I took this picture when I got my new camera and as I was taking shots using a tripod at night a passerby asked me what I was doing, and when I explained the picture and the bothersome light in the top right corner he said "I can turn that off for you, if you want". It turned that he was the building operations manager and could actually turn off that light! I was working in that building at the time, somewhere on the 16th floor. So in which city is this building?

Without much to go on, and you have worked interesting places, I'm going Zurich.

This is not in Switzerland. But they speak 4 languages in Switzerland and one of those languages is indeed spoken here. Considering this was a new SLR camera for me and one of the first images I took with it, I like this picture. Most people living in this general area would immediately recognize the building due to its rather unique square shape.

I'm going to be offline for the next 8 hours, so I'm adding another picture I took from balcony of my rented apartment on New Year's eve, with the building in the original picture in the bottom right.

Great pic!!

Yeah, that last pic is outstanding!

No clue on the location, so just throwing out Hong Kong.

One of the languages is German and those roofs are built to last so I'll guess Germany. Don't have a clue which city.

I’m going Hamburg Germany.

Well, it is Germany, but not Hamburg. And staying with night shots, here's the next picture. This one was taken from the same location (my balcony) as the second one, but looking 90 degrees counterclockwise.

Looks like a pretty big city. I'll go Frankfurt.

It is indeed Frankfurt am Main (the only real skyline in Germany, we call it "Mainhattan"). The building in the 2 first pictures is called "The Cube" and is the home of the German Stock Exchange in a Frankfurt suburb called Eschborn. I worked as a consultant there for a while and the building is architecturally interesting. It is actually 2 buildings with the space between them enclosed completely and glass crosswalks every other floor; it was designed so that a fire could completely consume one half and wouldn't destroy the other, allowing the business to continue. Walking from one side to the other on the 20th floor is not for those with vertigo, although the crosswalks are fully enclosed, they are mainly made of glass! I had colleagues who would take the elevator down to the ground floor, walk across to the other side and take the elevator up - just to go to another office on the same floor...

Here's an inside view:

Looks like something from a Star Wars movie. Nice story and pictures.

Looking for a photo now. Wasn't prepared for having won.

Here you go...

This is probably not in the Caribbean, so I am going to guess Ischgl.

Wrong resort, wrong country.

Wow, being afraid of heights, just looking at that picture makes me a little woozy!!! Very interesting building..

Switzerland?

Whistler, BC?

Méribel, France? Somehow that picture looks european; and the ski resorts I've been to in the USA have all been in the bottom of the valley rather than up on the hill. And those hills on the other side look like the Alps.

My list of Swiss ski towns is short, so I am going Gstaad.

Zanshin closest so far. Some clues as I'll be disappearing for 24 hours or so pretty soon.

Correct country and not that far away as the crow flies. A fair distance though by the time you've gone down one mountain, along a valley floor and up the other side. Probably equates pretty much to one mountain stage of the Tour de France.

Chamonix?

Not as far as that Fred.

Have to speed this up... This place pioneered a ski tuition system whereby you started on skis 1 metre long, skiing parallel from the beginning, no snowplough turns, then you progressed after a couple of days to 1.3 m, then 1.6 after a few more days. You only went to longer skis if you were tall/heavy.

Could this be Chamonix? I've skied there before but don't recognize the buildings in the pictures.

Leaving Gstaad heading over and into a valley, Jungfrau area?

Wrong country Ellen. Zanshin's earlier guess of Meribel wasn't very far away. Head North East from Meribel, pretty much north from Val d'Isere, there is a TGV railway station in the town at the bottom of the mountain. A massive ski area when you look at it on Google maps. Google allowed.

Courmayeur by your directions, spent a ski season in Alpe d'Huez

North of Val d'isere might be Les Arcs? I haven't skied but those "hills" look like those around Mont Blanc

Alpe d'Huez would be the Tour tie in to the clue.

Alpe d"Huez is the finish point after the 22 bends of hell, buses even have trouble getting up that hill. Courmayeur is a start point for the tour I think.

Les Arcs it is. I believe you can see Mont Blanc from there but not the view that is well known.

Ellen... One of the tour stages last week included Bourg St Maurice, Les Arcs in the description. Bourg St Maurice being the base of the mountain that has the TGV station.

I've done a lot of skiing in those mountains, but most of it in Austria, Germany and Switzerland (when I could afford it). Here's a picture where skiing is usually not a winter sport:

Just becasue I am from the US, I think of the Mississippi River, so guessing that river and New Orleans.

Annapolis Maryland, I see a sailboat I think in the background.

St. Louis?

I'll go with Hamburg given the large sailboat in the background. Must be near the ocean.

Regardless of whoever gets it right, we need to close this one and start a new thread with the winner. So, when there is a winner, please start a new thread. Thanks!

Fred - you got it right off the bat, I planned this picture as a "teaser" to get people on the wrong trail and then planned that the next picture of that green freighter, the "Rickmer Rickmers", would give it away. It is all yours!