23 - Feng-huang, China

County in W Hunan province.

Fenghuang are mythological Chinese birds that reign over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the females Huang. In modern times, however, such a distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that the bird can be paired with the Chinese dragon, which has male connotations. The Fenghuang is also called the "August Rooster" (traditional Chinese: 鶤雞; pinyin: kūnjī) since it sometimes takes the place of the Rooster in the Chinese Zodiac. In the West, it is commonly referred to as the Chinese phoenix.

112 - Fischer, Texas

25mi. W of San Marcos.

Seeds of the community were sown in 1876 with more than 3,000 acres acquired by brothers Herman and Otto Fischer. Herman claimed and stuck with 160 acres, building a small 3-section “dog trot” cabin -- part of it becoming the original Fischer’s store and the hub of “Fischerdale.” Otto, however, thought 3,000 acres would be more suitable for a livestock operation. It makes sense, then, that Herman became known as “Store” Fisher, and Otto known as “Stock” Fisher.

Over the years, Fischer’s store expanded far beyond its mercantile role to also become the community’s post office, “bank” and saloon -- the original 3-section cabin giving way to a larger frame building. At about 1900 it became the frame and tin structure we know today. Never one to miss a business opportunity, “Store” Fischer established a thriving cotton gin across the road at a spot now marked by two cedar trees in the open field.

Progress also brought name changes to Fischerdale, which quickly became Fischer’s Store. However, with the post office came a forced name change to simply Fischer, so the postmark wouldn’t “advertise” the store.

Here's a tractor patent by Fischer resident Kevin Wilson:

86 - Faiyûm, Egypt

District on the Nile containing the below-sea-level Birket Qârûn. I'm guessing this system of dikes and pools is some sort of salt-making scheme ...

60 - Franeker, Netherlands

In Friesland, NE of the Zuider Zee. Great colors in the tidal shadows inside the Friesien Islands.

Famous People from Franeker

Eise Eisinga
François Hemsterhuis
Jan Hendrik Oort
Anna Maria van Schurman

33 - Farasan Islands, Saudi Arabia

In the Red Sea, just N of the Yemeni border.

Wikipedia:

The Arabian gazelle (Gazella arabica) was an elusive gazelle that was hunted to extinction in its Middle Eastern homeland, Saudi Arabia. It is only known from a single specimen collected on the Farasan Islands in the Red Sea in 1825. Since the 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species this species is included as extinct by its Antelope Specialist Group.

This site:

Throughout western and southern Arabia, these variable gazelles were once common and widespread. Today the total global population is estimated to be no higher than 20 000.

123 - Fisher Bay, Antarctica

In George V Land, Australian Antarctic Territory, 145 E longitude. As things go, it is rather close to Australia:


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71 - Franchesse, France

40mi. S of Nevers. In an odd research twist, a few hours after the initial post I decided to research a bit more about this town, and discovered that the top Google result for "Franchesse, France" was ... my own blog entry.