Antwerp Province - België

Antwerp Province is the most northern of the Belgian provinces and part of Flanders, the Dutch speaking part of the country. It's the most populous province with an population of around 1.8 million. Also the province has 3 subdivions which are called arrondissements and their names are Antwerp, Mechelen and Turnhout. The Arrondissement of Antwerp comprise ofcourse the capital of the province, the world famous city of Antwerp. The river Scheldt (Schelde) runs trough this part and the important Port of Antwerps can be found here. The area is very urbanized. The Arrondissement of Mechelen can be found in the south of the province and comprise the medieval city of Mechelen with it's gothic cathedral dominate the skyline. Beside Mechelen is also the city of Lier an visit worth. The Arrondissement of  Turnhout is in the eastern part of the province. The city of Turnhout is largest in the area called the Campine (de Kempen) the natural region comprise of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands. The Campine is mostly in the Antwerp province and there are parts in the Belgian province of Limburg and Dutch province of North Brabant. The entire Antwerp province is very suitable for an holiday or at least an visit. So lets take an look at the flag. 

The flag has 24 squares which 8 are red, 6 are white, 6 are yellow and 4 are blue. The colors are derived from the main 3 cities of the Arrondissements. Antwerp is the most important and their colors are red and white. Mechelen is the second import one and their colors are red and yellow. At last the colors blue and white are from Turnhout. The province of Antwerp was once part of the Dukedom of Brabant and the use of squared flags is an typical Brabant custom, the Dutch province of North Brabant use the same design only with the colors red and white. The flag looks like an tablecloth from an Italian pizza restaurant with the extra colors of blue and yellow.

Nantucket County - United States / Massachusetts

Nantucket County is one of the 14 counties of the state of Massachusetts, with Dukes County it's comprise out of islands. Also its the only county it's government is combined with an town, because there is only one town and four villages. It's the least populated county of Massachusetts with around 10 inhabitants but it's an summer destinations and with visitors it will be around 50 thousand. Before it became an holiday destination it was all about whaling, the main reason that whale-oil was uses to light up lamps. When petroleum was discovered in Pennsylvania shortly after the Civil War, the petroleum was used for the lamps as an cheaper alternative. The whaling industry totally collapsed and Nantucket goes in economical decline for decades, until tourism came to the sandy beaches of the island. The idyllic town of Nantucket with it's cobblestones streets attracted the rich of New England and New York which owned villa's on the island. Nantucket is used in the story Moby Dick because an real whale ship, the Essex was sunken by an sperm whale like the famous white whale. So that event was an inspiration to that story. So lets take an look at the flag. 

The oddly shaped flag has an dark blue back ground an few white images. Blue stands for the sea an skies and white stands for the beaches of Nantucket. The circulair white rope and whale symbolize the globe which Nantucket whale ships has its range. Also it's symbolize an compass, the harpoon points north from Nantucket and that guided the whale ships around the oceans. Clever looking flag but it's kind of controversial memory of the current endangered whales.

Gozo - Malta

Gozo is the second largest island of the Maltese islands, ofcourse Malta is the largest and between the two we find tiny Comino. Malta is one of the most densely populated countries in the world but this applies more for the main island of Malta. Gozo is more rural, hillier and more fertile. The name of Gozo in Maltese is Għawdex. The population is around 30 thousand and the capital is Victoria also known as Rabat, there is also an another Rabat on the island of Malta. Gozo is only accessible by ferry an the boat docks at Mġarr and the trip takes 25 minutes. When arrived you will enjoy pretty countrysides, beautiful sunsets and spectacular coastlines. Like the rest of Malta a lot of churches, medieval fortifications and pre-historic temples one of the oldest man-made buildings in the world. Small island which is loaded with sights, it's peaceful and relaxing. So lets take an look at the flag.

Flag has an white background and the rest is back. The three black pointy things coming out of the black and white colored waves is the island of Gozo. Wavy patters are on many town flags of Gozo and Malta, but those are all blue and white. No explanation found but i think it has something to do with the island is protected by the sea. Long time people feared Barbary raiders for be taken away, to be solved as slaves or get ransom. Style the hilly shapes on the flag and it will works better, maybe different colors like blue for the sea and yellow for Gozo.

Paris - France

Paris the world famous capital of France with its Celtic origin, the tribe of the Parisii has an settlement. Then the Roman came and took over an named it Lutetia which overlapped roughly the nowadays Île de la Cité en het Quartier Latin. Around 212 they named the city after the Celtic tribe and Paris experienced centuries of prosperous times and lot of drama, alternately to each other. Since the 10th century it's France most important city to this day and i think it will be for an long time in the future. It's survived the Huns, Vikings, English, all the enemies of Napoleon and the Germans several times. Don't forget the uprisings, revolutions, riots and lately the les gilets jaunes for an better and more equality in France. Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world with tons of attractions, landmarks, restaurants, cafe's, shops and many more. Paris and all of it's suburbs has an population around 12.5 million and all roads lead to Paris. So lets take an look at the flag.

Two vertical stripes with the colors blue and red. The colors are traditional and comes from two saints. The blue comes from Saint Martin the guy cutting is cloak in half and give it to an beggar. Also Saint Genevieve the patron of Paris comes with the blue, she diverted Atilla the Hun from his siege of Paris. She cured her mother of blindness and provide the people of Paris with food during an famine. The red comes from Saint Denis an bishop of Paris in 3rd century which beheaded by the sword. But he picked up his head and walk away and still preaching on the way, were he stopped the build an church in nowadays Saint-Denis. Some said that the French national flag is created out of this flag, putting the white of the French monarchy in the middle to connect the common people with the king during the French Revolution, which didn't worked out with the poor king. Simple flag with some saints as backstory.

Kuşadası - Turkey

Kuşadası is an resort town that is located on the Aegean coast in the Turkish province of Aydin. This place lives from tourism and the visitors flocked in from May to October, the population of Kuşadası is around 70 thousand but in those months its around rise to 300 thousand. Beside the European tourists have many Turks an summerhouse in the vicinity to go for some hard earned rest. Old Kuşadası's houses almost all converted to restaurants, cafes and bars and around those parts they build a lot of hotels and blocks full of holiday houses, there is still building going on. Lot of shops selling clothes, leather fabrics, rugs, jewelry and much more and place is very popular with daily docking cruise ships. Don't forget to haggle especial in the bazaar, they expect it! The surrounding area is an visit worthwhile like the impressing Greco-Roman site Ephesus. The rustic Dilek Peninsula National Park for an good hike or enjoy the quite secluded beaches, it's the opposite of Kuşadası. Or take the ferry to visit the Greek Island of Samos it's take 2 hours, the island can be seen from the shore. So lets take an look at the flag.

The etymology of the name Kuşadası means "bird island" it's made from the Turkish words kuş (bird) and ada (island). The island that they mean is Güvercinada because its connected with an man-made narrow causeway, so it's now an peninsula. But the etymology of Güvercinada means literally "pigeon island". Now we know which bird is on the flag. The colored feather has to do with the sunshine and sea around Kuşadası. Also the big no for vexillogists is there, the name of the city. Ditch the name and take an different color for the background, maybe aquamarine blue and the flag is better. 

Pazin - Croatia

Pazin is an tiny town in the Croatian county of Istria an can be found in the center of the county. With an modest population around 8638 its acts since 1991 as the county seat or capital of Istria, before the much larger Pula was it. But Pazin was in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire enjoyed the privilege to be the capital of the area, for that historical reason they changed it back and boost the center of Istria. Many nations ruled over Istria and Pazin namely Francs, Carinthia, Venice, Austria, Italy, Yugoslavia and finally Croatia. Pizan is called in Italian Pisano and in German Mitterburg. The town maybe tiny but the medieval Pazin Castle has an prominent place middle in town overlooking the gorge. So lets take an look at the flag.

The background is light blue and in the center the small coat of arms of Pazin. It's showing an image of the Pazin Castle or in this case an tower. But the doors are open and that means everybody is welcome. Short explanation of an flag but that coat of arms could be an little bit bigger, but like Pazin its tiny.

Schwyz - Switzerland

Schwyz is one of the first cantons of Switzerland and the name of the country is derived from this canton. The capital of Schwyz have the same name and there they keep the Federal Charter of 1291 or Bundesbrief in the museum of the same name. In the year 1291 the cantons of Uri, Unterwalden (split since 1350 in Obwalden en Nidwalden) and Schwyz started an alliance to stand up against foreign bullies, especially the Habsburgers. Over time more cantons joined the Old Swiss Confederacy and in 1648 the united cantons were recognized as independent nation. Schwyz can be found in central-Switzerland and is surrounded by lakes, the Alps are in the south. Schwyz has an population of around 151 thousand and the scenery is stunning. So lets take an look at the flag.

Beside the name is also the Swiss flag derived from Schwyz. The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II give Schwyz its war flag as a symbol of freedom of government in 1240. Original the flag was made out of one color. blood-red. Later somewhere in the 14th century they put an white cross and later put adornments around the cross, the cross symbolize Christianity. The forces of the Swiss Confederacy starting using this flag because Swiss were very popular has hired mercenaries in wars around the European continent. In 1815 they removed the adornments and since then we have this flag. The coat of arms of the canton and city is slightly different because the cross is on the right side. An ancient flag that got an upgrade as an national solid flag.