Random Windows Spotlight images

Nestled between the charming (but sometimes tourist-packed) towns of Seaside and Cannon Beach is a slice of wild Oregon coast protected as a state park. We're looking down on Indian Beach in our image, along Ecola State Park's 9-mile stretch. Getting here is half the fun: A long, winding road meanders beneath a canopy of Coast Range forest, thick with evergreens and carpeted in ferns. Indian Beach itself is wide, windswept, and dotted with tide pools. Sea stacks rise from the ocean, and you're likely to see wetsuited surfers bobbing in the waves year-round. Hiking trails, clifftop lookouts, and great views of Tillamook Rock lighthouse are also part of this extraordinary coastal park.

We eat its seeds. We use its oil for cooking and as an ingredient in body-care and industrial solvents. We feed it to birds and livestock. And scientists are even trying to produce a new hypoallergenic form of rubber from it. All this and a bunch of them look gorgeous gathered in a vase. (Thanks, sunflowers!)

The Helianthus annuus, or common sunflower, is thought to have first been cultivated in Mexico more than 4,000 years ago. And the belief that the head of a mature sunflower swivels on its stem to face the sun as it transits through the sky? That was debunked all the way back in 1597. (But admit it: You’re still going to watch those sunflowers to see if they move.)

Santa Marta is a coastal city in Colombia that offers a blend of natural beauty, historical heritage, and cultural diversity. You can explore its stunning beaches, where you can relax, swim, snorkel, or surf in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. You can also visit the Tayrona National Natural Park, where you can hike through the lush rainforest, admire the wildlife, and discover the ancient ruins of the Lost City, a sacred site of the indigenous Tayrona people. If you are interested in the colonial past of Santa Marta, you can visit the Museum of Gold, where you can learn about the pre-Columbian cultures and their exquisite craftsmanship. You can also see the oldest church in South America, the Iglesia de San Francisco, and the house where the liberator Simon Bolivar died. Santa Marta is a place where you can enjoy the sun, the sea, and the history of Colombia.

Mallo is a Spanish word for mallet, and we can see how these stout-yet-soaring rocks earned their name. Rising behind the small village of Agüero, this is one of two huge ">Mallo is a Spanish word for mallet, and we can see how these stout-yet-soaring rocks earned their namMallo is a Spanish word for mallet, and we can see how these stout-yet-soaring rocks earned their name. Rising behind the small village of Agüero, this is one of two huge conglomerate formations within viewing distance of each other in rural Huesca, a province of northeastern Spain. The neighboring village of Riglos attracts rock climbers to its Mallos de Riglos, but both towns showcase the dramatic Pre-Pyrenees geography to spectacular effect. Agüero tends to draw fewer visitors than its more renowned neighbor, but offers just as many hiking trails, climbing challenges, and breathtaking vistas.