1907, 2011

Kansas City Rainstorm

American Cities
369

Kansas City is the largest city in Missouri and a state economic and cultural capital. This is reflected in the buildings of the downtown area. Prominent in the cityscape and featured in this eScapes video are the oblong headquarters of H&R Block and the historic Mainstreet Theater. Kansas City sits at the edge of the “Tornado Alley” of the United States. Though tornadoes in the city have been uncommon, it often experiences severe weather such as ice storms and flooding. However, less extreme storms like the one in this scene provide beautiful views of glistening city streets and dazzling lightning displays. Peter White is an English smooth jazz guitarist who played with several artists, including a

1807, 2011

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse (Night)

Lighthouses
134

The Point Cabrillo Light Station, located in Mendocino County, California, is a California State Historic Park. The lighthouse indeed has a long and interesting history. First lit in 1909, it was a guide for a record number of ships carrying lumber to rebuild San Francisco after its 1906 earthquake. It later adopted new technology when it became a monitoring station for the now-defunct LORAN electronic navigation system. Since its construction, the lighthouse has been maintained by a variety of owners and keepers, and is now owned by California State Parks and managed by the Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association. The grounds includes several outbuildings including vacation rental homes. The intricate lantern shown at the end of this

0207, 2011

Shanghai, China (Huangpu River)

World Cities & Harbors
386

This brilliant look at the Huangpu Riverfront in Shanghai, China demonstrates why the city has become the premier economic and cultural center in mainland China. Here, two sides of Shanghai come together. The Bund– a mile-long riverfront filled with mostly historical buildings and traditional architecture– sits opposite the Pudong District, Shanghai’s modern commercial district. The Pudong skyline includes the two tallest buildings in all of China: the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center. As the huge amount of sightseers may suggest, this area is now one of the most popular travel destinations in Shanghai. Bob James is recognized for his role in establishing smooth jazz music. His influence on the genre is