NatGeo Map Tool Gives Google Earth A Run for Your Eyeballs

I was quite taken aback while traipsing virtually through the National Geographic* mapping section online to find their nifty flagship web map tool is quite robust. While it doesn't allow the "Flying Nun" (or Earl the Angel from "Saving Grace" or Bill the Vampire on "True Blood," if you like) flexibility of Google Earth, it's "bird's eye view" functionality is quite impressive, and much crisper, photographically-speaking, than said "... Earth" tool--famously hard on disk-usage and video cards. Using NatGeo, I flew down over Cadiz, Spain and got a nice close-up of Railway Station and the Old City...in living color.

In any case, try the tool here.

*I was a little troubled by the choice of web-sponsors on the NatGeo site--namely, Coca-Cola. I'm not crazy about Coca-Cola as a sponsor, given my no-refined carbs blog, Factually Food, but I choose my battles. And, truthfully, 'Coke' makes products other than sugar-loaded soda....