Sitting on top of Mandalay Hill, Sutaungpyei Pagoda features a large patio that offers a wonderful views over Mandalay City and the Ayeyarwaddy.
Myanmar’s Scenic U Bein Bridge
U Bein Bridge has become one of Myanmar’s iconic landmarks. Spanning 3/4 of a mile, the foot bridge is reputed to be the longest teak bridge in the world.
The Buddha Statue Workshops of Mandalay
Covered from head to toe with thick white dust, crouching low on their launches, the young men and boys use angle grinders to carve statues of the Buddha out of solid blocks of white marble.
The View from Mexico City’s 44th Floor
The open-air observation deck on the 44th floor of the Torre Latinoamericana offers spectacular views out over Mexico City.
Panama City’s Biomuseo
Opened in late-2014, the Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseo focuses on Panama’s biodiversity and how the isthmus of Panama has changed the world.
Granada’s Market
Granada’s market is especially good. It’s large and colorful, pungent and bustling. And it’s the only show in town, so everything is concentrated here.
The Blue Mosque
There are good reasons why the Blue Mosque is one of Istanbul’s prime attractions and one of the world’s iconic religious buildings.
Marine Corps Sunset Parade at the Iwo Jima Memorial – 2016
The Marine Corps Sunset Parades at the Iwo Jima Memorial are one of Washington DC’s summer treats. Here’s information and schedule on the 2016 season.
Kayaking in Antarctica
There are worse places to be than gliding silently at water level amongst the icebergs, seals, and penguins of Antarctica.
Trinity Church, The Church at the Bottom of the World
Trinity Church is not the only church in Antarctica, but it may well be the most elaborate.
A Beautiful Underground Oasis
Cenote Xkeken, near Valladolid, is one of the prettiest of the 3,000 or so underground cenotes scattered across Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.
The Rugged Charm of the Top of the Land of a Million Elephants
The rugged, mountainous terrain of northern Laos is beautiful. While well off the beaten track and not really on the road to anywhere else, Luang Namtha and Oudomxai provinces are well worth seeing.
Climbing Kilimanjaro
We’re on top of Mount Kilimanjaro. 19,341 feet. It’s no wonder that we’re lightheaded, breathing hard, and tired. But the view is spectacular.
Luang Prabang’s Morning Market
Southeast Asia’s morning markets are much more interesting than the night markets. Luang Prabang’s morning market is no exception.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul’s Byzantine Jewel
Hagia Sophia is old. Very old. The building that currently stands on the first of Istanbul’s famous seven hills dates back almost 1,500 years and has had a remarkable and colorful history. It’s also a beautiful place to visit.
A New Home for Phra Bang
From its fearsome gold naga guarding the main stairs, its incredibly lavish gold and red interior, and multi-tiered roof, the Haw Pha Bang at Luang Prabang’s Royal Palace looks ancient. But it’s not.
Hoan Kiem Lake, Home of Hanoi’s Giant Turtle
Hoan Kiem Lake (also known as Sword Lake, Ho Guom, or Lake of the Returned Sword) is at the very heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and a cultural heart of the city. And it’s rather beautiful.
Wat Si Saket, Vientiane
Wat Si Saket (or Sisaket Temple), with an impressive collection of 2000 Buddha statues, is reputed to be the oldest Buddhist temple still standing in Vientiane.
Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater has an unusually dense population of African wildlife and is one of the top stops in Tanzania’s northern safari route.
Vietnam’s War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum presents an important but one-sided history of the appalling legacy of the decades of war that have ravaged Vietnam.
The Mighty Maya City of Tikal
Tikal, in northern Guatemala, was once one the largest and most powerful of the Maya cities. Today it has been most taken over by jungle.
The Luminaries of Portuguese History and Culture
Under the distinctibe white dome, the National Parthenon pays tribute to luminaries in Portuguese history and culture, including navigators, kings, presidents, writers, poets, and even soccer players.
Panama City’s Casco Viejo
Casco Viejo is up-and-coming part of Panama City. Which might sound like an odd thing to say about some of the oldest parts of the oldest city on the Pacific coast of the Americas.
Defending Charleston Harbor
Fort Moultrie isn’t as famous as its neighbor, Fort Sumter, but it has played crucial roles over the centuries in defending Charleston Harbor.
Lisbon’s Royal Town Square
In a space once occupied by the royal palace, Lisbon’s Praça do Comércio (or Commerce Square) occupies not just prime real estate but also a central place in the city’s life.
Palace of Sintra
The Palace of Sintra sits in the heart of the old town section of Sintra. From 1385 through 1880 it was a royal residence and summer escape.
Portugal’s Maritime History Museum
Lisbon’s national Maritime Museum pays homage to Portugal’s proud maritime history from centuries ago.
Luang’s Prabang’s That Chomsi
That Chomsi is at the top of a hill overlooking the old section of UNESCO World Heritage Site Luang Prabang, offering wonderful views out over the town, nearby wats, Mekong, and the region.
Museu de São Roque
Attached to the Igreja de São Roque, the Museu de São Roque displays artifacts related to the church’s history, collections of the Jesuits, and other items.
Lisbon’s Military Museum
Lisbon’s Military Museum, housed in a 16th-century cannon foundry next to the Tagus River, showcases Portugal’s important military history.
Igreja de São Roque, Portugal’s Oldest Jesuit Church
Portugal’s oldest Jesuit church is plain on the outside, but inside it’s beautifully decorated with a series of Baroque chapels.
Lisbon’s Graffiti
Lisbon has nowhere near the level of rampant graffiti that Athens has, but there is still some creative and impressive street art in the downtown area.
Belem Tower, Guarding the Entrance to Portugal’s Global Empire
One of Portugal’s iconic landmarks, Belem Tower (Torre de Belém) was built in the early 16th century to guard the entrance to Portugal’s global empire.
Chapultepec Castle (Mexico’s National Museum of History)
Sitting high above one of Mexico City’s best green spaces is Chapultepec Castle. It sits on top of a hill that has been a sacred place for Aztecs and housed a military academy, imperial residence, and presidential home. Now, it’s a museum.
Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, Greece
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens is one of the grandest churches in this ancient city. And in typical Greek Orthodox style, it is opulently decorated inside.
The Dimotiki Agora in Athens
If you want to see where many of the Athen’s restaurants gets their fresh seafood and meat, head to the Dimotiki Agora, or public market.
Ananda Temple
Ananda Temple is one of the most famous, most visited, and most renovated temples in Bagan, and it has been an active place of worship for nearly a millennia.
Athens is Paradise for Graffiti Artists
The Greek economy might be in the toilet, but at least one group is clearly thriving in Athens: graffiti artists.
Mexico’s Cultural Treasures
Mexico City’s impressive National Museum of Anthropology showcases the region’s endlessly rich and diverse pre-Columbian cultural heritage.
Mexico City’s Metropolitan Cathedral
Dominating the northern side of the Zocalo in the historic quarter of Mexico City, the Metropolitan Cathedral is the the largest Roman Catholic Cathedral in the Americas.
Thisa-wadi Temple
Dating to 1334, Thisa-wadi Temple isn’t the grandest of the thousands of temples, stupas, and pagodas in Bagan, but it is one of a handful where it’s possible (and allowed) to climb on the upper terraces for wonderful views out over the plain of Bagan.
