Our picture of the day takes us to the Swiss village of Lauterbrunnen, where the Staubbach Falls shimmers in the distance beyond a quiet alpine valley. This is the landscape a young traveler, J.R.R. Tolkien, crossed during a hiking trip in 1911, long before he became the storyteller behind "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit." Its soaring cliffs, silver waterfalls, and crisp mountain air left a lasting impression and are believed to have inspired his vision of Rivendell, the elven refuge hidden deep in Middle-earth.
J.R.R. Tolkien Day
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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On the wings of the Wright brothers
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Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence
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Castle Stalker, Argyll, Scotland
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Spiegelgracht canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Where do those colors come from?
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Daylight saving time
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World Water Day
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An iris garden in Tokyo, Japan
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Bringing together history and technology
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Alaska Bald Eagle Festival
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Oxbow Bend on the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
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Into the woods
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Ring of fire
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Finnish Independence Day
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Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China
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Emerald Bay and Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe, California
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St. James Tidal Pool, Cape Town, South Africa
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Oloupena Falls, island of Molokai, Hawaii
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A memorial in Germany
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World Oceans Day
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Three cheers for polar bears!
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Happy birthday, Capitol Reef National Park
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Río Negro, Amazon basin, Brazil
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A reflection of Europe s past
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Vatican City with St. Peters Basilica
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Scotts Bluff National Monument, Gering, Nebraska
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Modica, Sicily, Italy
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A tower of remembrance
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Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

