…Here are some of the lessons I learned for next time I climb Kilimanjaro, along with some tips and gear recommendations. I’m by no means a hardcore mountain climber, although I’ve spent a good bit of time backpacking, camping, and traveling on all seven continents. But there are things…
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Lemosho Route / Day 1
…Right, time to go for a bit of a walk. We’ve been talking about climbing Kilimanjaro for a couple of years. A lot of planning, ridiculous amounts of time and money spent at REI, and some long flights later, we’re here at the edge of Kilimanjaro National Park. The…
Lemosho Route / Day 2
…We got our wake-up call at sunrise. Because we’re so close to the equator, days are consistently close to 12 hours year round. The longest day in a year is about 12 hours and 19 minutes with sunset at 6:42 PM. The shortest day is about 11 hours and…
Lemosho Route / Day 6
…Our guide was right when he said that today would be the hardest day of the climb. But it was “very doable,” he kept saying. We also found out why we’d had to sign waivers for the Western Breach back to Londorossi Gate. A couple of American climbers and…
Lemosho Route / Day 7
…It’s summit day. We’ll reach 19,341 feet, by far the highest any of us has been without being in a plane. It was cold last night. Our water bottles froze solid inside the tents. And it’s cold as we head off before sunrise. Compared to yesterday’s climb up the…
Lemosho Route / Day 5
…were blown over. Later in the day, when we got to Arrow Glacier Camp, we came across some climbers heading down. Their tents had been shredded in the wind and they were aborting the climb. There’s really no hope for sleep. The sunrise doesn’t calm the wind, but being in…
Lemosho Route / Day 4
…a large column of rock jutting up conspicuously on the edge of a small level area that is used as Lava Tower Camp. If you’re game and not too exhausted, you can climb to the top of Lava Tower. I decided resting and getting warm was a better way to…
Lemosho Route / Day 8
…Heading back up isn’t exactly high on our list of things to do right now. For the umpteenth time, we marvel at their stamina and proficiency. And we’ve gotten to know a few of them along the way, something that has really made the climb that much more interesting. Right…
Lemosho Route / Day 3
…We gained another 2,000 or so feet today, but it was very different terrain to yesterday. It was much flatter, and without the effects of altitude would have been a pretty leisurely hike. We really only started climbing about half way, as we got to Fischer Camp (named in…
Iglesia de la Merced | Granada
…But, along with many of Granada’s landmarks, it has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times in the centuries since. The current facade, looking in need of some repairs, dates to the 1780s. More damage in the 1850s led to the interior being rebuilt in 1862. The Clock Tower…
Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala
…the nearby area, prompting school closings and emergency evacuations and cleared much of the vegetation near the top of the mountain. That May 2010 eruption, though, didn’t convince some of the local hardy souls to move away. Only about an hour outside Antigua, and not much farther from Guatemala City,…
Ek Balam, Maya City of the Jaguar
…It’s a deceptively hard climb considering it’s only 106 steps. The stones are old, worn, and uneven. It’s steep–surprisingly so–and there are no railings running along the side of the wide steps and nothing else at hand to hang on to. It might not be for the vertigo-challenged, but…
Thatbyinnyu Temple
…Thatbyinnyu Temple is the tallest of the pagodas in Bagan, rising up the equivalent of about 21 stories. And being close to both Ananda Temple and Old Bagan, it’s one of the easiest to visit. Despite its prominence on the skyline and close proximity to the famous Ananda Temple…
Climbing Kilimanjaro
…But the view is spectacular. It’s taken us a week of trekking to get here. Here’s how we climbed this magnificent mountain. I’ve put together a climb diary with photos from each day as well as some gear tips for Kilimanjaro and what to expect from your climb. Lemosho Route…
Up Close and Personal with the Great Barrier Reef
…Ever fancied a pre-breakfast swim with turtles and manta rays? If you’ve ever had a hankering to get up close and personal with Australia’s extraordinary Great Barrier Reef and are willing to forgo some of the mod cons of fancy resorts, there aren’t many better ways than a trip…
The Antikythera Mechanism, The World’s Oldest Computer
…the Olympic games in any given Olympiad (there were only four choices at the time). And just as remarkably, its creator carved instructions into the faces, suggesting it might have been used for students or wealthy benefactors. Who created it remains a mystery. And it’s not clear exactly how old…
Granada’s Market
…as well as a few vendors selling clothes or Central American party supplies (ie. that is to say, piñatas). And there seems to be an over-representation of flip-flops and colorful bras. You can find some uninspired tourist trinkets in stalls in the surrounding streets, but if you’re after souvenirs you’re…
Kronborg Castle’s Chapel
…The Chapel at Kronborg Castle isn’t especially large, and it’s not ornate by the standards of other European churches, but it has its charms. It’s also one of the oldest parts of the castle. It dates back to 1582 and survived a major fire in 1629 that claimed much…
Cu Chi Tunnels
…“No one has ever demonstrated more ability to hide his installations than the Viet Cong; they were human moles.” –General William Westmoreland1 I don’t usually have issues with claustrophobia, but this isn’t fun anymore. I find it amazing that people could live down here, spending all day below…
An Oasis in Texas
…to tourism. I love Austin, but it’s a definitely a place that’s hard to wrap your arms around as a visitor. And I’ve always thought it was a place that’s definitely at its best after-hours, with a great climate that lends itself to outdoor eating and drinking and just taking…
Trinity Church, The Church at the Bottom of the World
…a Russian Orthodox church–the world’s southernmost eastern orthodox church–on Russia’s Bellingshausen Station on King George Island in the South Shetland Islands.1 It’s located on a rocky outcrop separate from but overlooking a cluster of research bases. Amongst hard-core Antarcticans, King George Island is regarded as a bit of a beach…
Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City’s Cathedral of Art
…organilleros. The building is also widely regarded as the most beautiful in Mexico City. It’s an unusual mix of Art Nouveau and Neo Classical on the outside and soaring Art Deco on the inside. It makes for a striking combination, but it somehow works. It was conceived around 1905 but…
The Colors of Antarctica
…striking against a dark grey backdrop. A clear day brings a beautiful deep blue sky–there’s no pollution or smog to speak of, after all. And while in summer there’s close to or actually 24 hours of daylight, the sun still gets low on the horizon and casts a rich orange…
A Beautiful Underground Oasis at Cenote Dzitnup
…constant 76 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) year-round–and stunningly clear. With small bats nesting on the ceiling, small black fish in the water, and limestone formations overhanging the water, it’s a unique and atmospheric place for a refreshing dip to escape the Yucatán’s heat. From the photos, you might think…
Granada’s Waterfront by Lago Nicaragua
…It no doubt seemed like a good idea at the time. Take about 2KM of parkland along the lakefront and turn it into a public park, with a long beach, playgrounds and park benches galore, and numerous bars and restaurants. It’s close enough to be an easy walk from…
Australian War Memorial
…resulted in the establishment of a new, planned city part way between them (in reality, it is much closer to Sydney) within its own territory (Australian Capital Territory), effectively forming a federal government enclave within the state of New South Wales. And it’s the very presence of the seat of…
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul’s Byzantine Jewel
…of the world’s great churches. Within one busy year, 326 AD, he ordered the construction of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome and Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Neither version of the building that stands now dates quite that far back, but Hagia Sophia comes closest–by about 1,000 years. The site upon…
Coba’s Mayan Ruins on the Maya Riviera
…modern-day Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. It was at an important trading crossroads but also close to the sea, and the residents of Coba made extensive use of the nearby coast to trade down the coast and throughout Central American, including Guatemala and Honduras. The city sat next to two small lakes…
Templo de San Bernardo
…It was originally part of a Cistercian order convent dating back to 1636. The church is a little newer, but only by half a century, dating to 1680. On the church now remains, with the rest having been closed and demolished in the late-19th century, making way for the…
The Hanoi Hilton
…“Maison Centrale.” I had been shot down a short walk’s distance from the French-built prison, Hoa Lo, which the POWs had named “the Hanoi Hilton.” As the massive steel doors loudly clanked shut behind me, I felt a deeper dread than I have ever felt since. [John McCain]1 Hoa Lo…
The Citadel in the Imperial City of Hue
…only so much that can be done with rubble. What’s left of the Citadel is impressive, but it’s clearly but a shadow of what it once was. Photos of Hue’s Citadel The massive flag at right is at the Citadel. This show was taken from one of the bridges over…
Panama City’s Biomuseo
…of low-lying land linking a few small islands protecting the entrance of the Panama Canal. The only building nearby is the old Army-Navy-Air Force club building, a single-story box that’s presumably a lot less busy now that Panama no longer has an Army and minimal naval and air forces. The…
Dhammayangyi Temple
…Over the subsequent centuries, some paintings were added to the walls. They’re in various states of disrepair now and aren’t as ornate as some you’ll find in other temples. But the red brick work is worth looking closely at–it’s especially good and renowned for the fine precision in how the…
Kayaking in Antarctica
…seal lounging on a small iceberg. Craning your neck as precarious glacier cliffs tower above. Watching the playful penguins dart underneath the kayaks. Bracing yourself for a possible dunking as massive, curious elephant seals come up to nibble on the rudder. And if the breeze is in just the right…
The Belfry of Bruges
…years ago. [The Independent, 1900]1 The Belfry (or Belfort, as it’s sometimes known) is probably the most famous of the several famous landmarks in Bruges. It stands 272 above the scenic medieval square below, the Markt. It’s a clock tower. It’s a carillon, with its 47 bells peeling out telling…
Granada, Nicaragua
…the town is the Parque Central, with streets radiating from there in a grid. Church steeples, bell towers, and clock towers are the only really tall structures in town, standing far above the otherwise low-level buildings. Many of the city’s beautiful historic buildings have been damaged or destroyed and rebuilt…
Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar
…Market closes. The Eminonu waterfront buzzes, the two plazas next to the New Mosque fill with people out and about, and the mosques fill with people. Photos of Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar Spices. Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image. Photo by David Coleman. How to license…
Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar
…recycled metal goods or fabric by the yard. While the segregations clearly aren’t strictly enforced, broadly speaking, there are distinct districts within the bazaar, some focusing on clothes, others on carpets, some on jewelry. There are an awful lot of tiny shops, but a surprising number of them sell much…
Tulum, The Original Maya Riviera
…Yucatan Peninsula, but none has a more beautiful location than Tulum. On small rocky cliffs above white sandy beaches overlooking emerald green waters, it showcases the coastal beauty of Riviera Maya (also known as the Mayan Riviera). And it shares with Cancun what must be Mexico’s best sunrise, with the…
Boston’s City Skyline at Night
…When I took this shot, behind me was the bay and beyond that the airport. It was summer, meaning a late and drawn-out twilight–Boston is quite far north, after all. The low clouds also helped even out the lighting and reflect the city lights with some great colors. The pink…
Luang’s Prabang’s That Chomsi
…It’s a steep climb up to That Chomsi. But from the stupa at the summit, there’s a wonderful view out over Luang Prabang and the Mekon. At least, there is when the weather is clear. It’s just across the street from where the morning market sets up, and it’s…
Winter Charms of Old Quebec City
…If you were to build a model of a winter wonderland town at Christmas, it would probably look quite a bit like Quebec City’s old town. Towering over the town, on a cliff overlooking the Saint Lawrence River, is the grand Fairmont hotel Le Chateau Frontenac, a fairytale castle…
Chattanooga and Ruby Falls
…I recently had reason to venture out to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and although I didn’t have a lot of time to look around, I was quite impressed with what I saw. It’s clearly a city that puts heavy emphasis on being “livable,” and so far it seems to be doing…
North Pole Expedition Museum in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
…in 1906, 1907, and 1909. None was successful. Norge Expedition. The expedition with the airship Norge carried out the first verified overflight of the North Pole in 1926 (there were few earlier claims by other expeditions, but they have been disputed). It was a multinational effort by Italian, Norwegian, and…
Kronborg Castle / Hamlet’s Castle
…then, it’s also a lot newer). And it’s not over-the-top like Baroque castles with their impossibly ornate and whimsical flourishes. Rather, Kronborg is fittingly Scandinavian, with wooden floors, clean lines, and plenty of open space. When you visit today, there are some pieces of old furniture and decoration there to…
Montreal’s Notre Dame Basilica
…accent lighting in a range of hues, especially a rich blue. The effect isn’t what you’d call subtle, and it’s perilously close to something Disney would dream up, but it is quite something to behold. Photos of Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica A horse and carriage taking tourists around the winter streets…
Defending Charleston Harbor
…you’re going to love it. There are a lot of mounds and hills and parts that are exactly the kinds of areas that look very appealing to kids to climb, but the NPS warns that most of them are unsafe to climb, and there are signs everywhere about staying on…
Istanbul’s Beautiful Mosques
…revel in their opulence. Over centuries, they’ve tended to accumulate a hodgepodge of tributes, statues, paintings, and stained glass, and some of the most impressive are so because of the sheer accumulation of gaudy and opulent clutter collected over centuries, with paintings, statues, and a mishmash of other paraphernalia crammed…
The View from Ancon Hill
…however, see much more clearly the residence of the Minister of the Canal, an important role in the Panamanian Government. As you go up, it’s on your right, a large white house with immaculate lawns and enclosed verandas facing the road. And once on top, standing under the deliberately ostentatious…
Guatemala City’s Zona 1
…Guatemala City, or Guate to the locals, isn’t what you’d call a pretty city. Nor, for that matter, is it an especially safe one. Your first clue of that will be the guards with pump-action shotguns outside every store, followed closely by the prodigious amounts of razor wire strewn…
The Waterfront of Punta Arenas
…in Chile, but it’s close. There are settlements further south. Ushuaia, in Argentina, is further south. And between Punta Arenas and wild expanse of Drake Passage lies a number of big and small islands with more than a few inlets. But it is the largest town south of the 46th…
The Karakoy Waterfront
…by David Coleman. How to license & download this image. Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image. What to Know Before You Go Karakoy is on the northern bank of the Golden Horn adjacent to the Galata Bridge. The closest tram stop is Karaköy on the…
The Beautiful Beaches of St. John
…inhabitants of humid, tropical climates—mosquitoes and sand midges—can spoil from the idyllic surroundings. The view of Trunk Bay, in particular, from a nearby overlook, has become one of the most widely dispersed tropical beach views in the world, even if it’s rarely identified as such. Caneel Bay, with its famous…
The River Outpost of Nong Khiaw
…steep limestone cliffs, or karsts, that frame the surrounding forest in a most picturesque way. The main part of town is at the base of a mountain that towers another 3,300 feet above it.1 And the bridge is no rickety walkway made of bamboo like you see in some other…
Tarangire National Park
…Although it’s not as well known as its neighbors, the Serengeti or the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park (pronounced Tarrangeeri, with those distinctive clipped vowels and the hint a rolled r’s of a Tanzanian or South African accent) is larger than the entire island of Zanzibar. But as large…
Ho Chi Minh City’s Reunification Palace
…a clash of contrasts. The building served three primary purposes. In those, it was roughly analogous to the White House in Washington DC–it was both home and office for the president. In the basement are the stark, utilitarian corridors and cramped, windowless offices of the war rooms. Communications equipment lays…
Australia’s Blue Mountains
…a long string of mountain ranges running almost the entire east coast of Australia known as the Great Dividing Range. The most famous landmark in the Blue Mountains is a trio of rocky spires known as the Three Sisters. Standing next to Katoomba and clearly seen from Echo Point, they…
The Buddha Statue Workshops of Mandalay
…or businesses. And much of the demand from around the country (but not all of it) is met by this cluster of workshops on Kuauk Sit Tan Street in the Chanmyathazi neighborhood of Mandalay surrounding the Mahamuni Temple, one of the country’s holiest pilgrimage sites. The artisans create all of…
The Mighty Maya City of Tikal
…We’re walking in the dark to one of the largest of several pyramids that are part of this ancient city. We climb the steep wooden steps to the top. There, we sit and wait and listen. All we can see is thick mist. But we can hear the jungle waking…
Thisa-wadi Temple
…Dating to 1334, Thisa-wadi Temple is a medium-sized in the southeastern section of the Bagan Archeological Zone in Bagan, Myanmar (Burma). While it’s not the grandest of Bagan’s temples, it’s one of the handful that have terraces that you’re allowed to climb, and they offer great views out over…
Krakow’s Rynek Glowny at Night
…I’m a big fan of Krakow, Poland’s royal capital. From my first visit to Poland about 15 years ago on my way to Russia, Krakow instantly became one of my favorite European cities. I visited again about a decade later and it was clear that tourism had definitely picked…
Museu de São Roque
…to 7 pm / slightly extended hours on Thursday, 10 am to 8 pm. October to March: Monday, 2 pm to 6 pm / Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm Closed: January 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, and December 25 Last entry 30 minutes before closing time….
Niagara Falls
…up close and personal with the falls, it’s unusually easy here. There’s no hiking through the jungle or risking treacherous rocks involved, although there’s an excellent chance of being drenched, even with the light ponchos that are part of the price of admission. Thanks to the iconic tourist business Maid…
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
…DC close to the US Capitol, and another hangar-like structure known as the Udvar-Hazy Center about 30 minutes away in Chantilly, near Dulles Airport. Considering the extraordinary size of many of the museum’s artifacts–there are only so many airplanes you can fit in a building–the Udvar-Hazy extension was purpose-built to…
The Musical Instrument Museum of Brussels
…Instrument Museum presents music in a truly global context. There’s also a very good collection paying tribute to Belgian musical history. Among Belgium’s musical claim to fame is that Brussels was home to Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone. As you work your way up through the museum, you’ll move…
Our Lady of Pilar Basilica
…in recent times (unlike many other churches). But the real gem of Our Lady of Pilar Basilica is off through a small door at the left of the nave: access to the cloisters. These are the oldest part of the original church and date back to the period 1715 to…
Ocracoke Island Lighthouse on the Outer Banks
…running the length of the Outer Banks. But historically it was only accessible by boat, and even then, carefully–the area is riddled with treacherous sand banks. Ocracoke Island There’s a reason lighthouses are so closely identified with the Outer Banks, and there’s more to it than their quaint patterns and…
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
…sculpted fountain by Gabriel Grupello (1644-1730) titled Fontaine Murale aux Dieux Marins (1675/76). What to Know Before You Go The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium is just a stone’s through from the Royal Palace, and adjacent to the Magritte Museum. It’s also close to the Musical Instruments Museum….
Cathedral of Saints Michael & Gudula
…towns.) Gudula’s claim to sainthood seems based on her piety. She’s often represented with a candle or lantern, supposedly representative of the light she carried in her pre-dawn walks to the church, two miles from her home. When a demon extinguished the light, Gudula appealed to God to rekindle it….
Tayok Pye Temple
…Tayok Pye Temple (also sometimes written as Tayok-pyi) is one of the larger temples in the eastern part of the Bagan Archaeological Zone. It’s notable for intricate stucco ornamentation on the outside (much of it renovated) and its painted murals inside. Precisely when it was built isn’t clear, but…
Granada Cemetery
…Granada’s city cemetery is Nicaragua’s oldest. And because of Granada’s historical significance, the cemetery is unusually beautiful and ornate and is considered a national treasure. The most opulent tombs and mausoleums belong, naturally, to the wealthy. They’re clustered around the chapel near the entrance. As you move further away…
Phonsavan’s Morning Market
…food goes to waste. In Western countries, it’s an even higher percentage. And the consequences of that are profound, even if we don’t see them up close. But Laos is not a country that lets a lot go to waste. It can’t afford to be. The average individual income in…
Mani Sithu Market in Nyaung-U
…Before You Go If you fly into Bagan, you’ll fly into the Nyaung-U Airport (also known as Bagan-Nyaung U / airport code NYU). The train to Bagan also terminates in Nyaung-U. The Mani Sithu Market isn’t far from the airport and is close to the impressive Golden Shwezigon Pagoda….
The Rugged Charm of the Top of the Land of a Million Elephants
…an ecologically protected zone. Hillsides have been cleared and rubber plantations encroach well inside the zone’s borders. It becomes easy, after hours mount up traveling along road number 13, to take this combination of beautiful mountain scenery and small, traditional villages for granted. But it’s a striking contrast to the…
The Standing Stones of Hintang
…But they’re believed to be even older than the jars, probably put there by the ancestors of the people that installed the jars. When this forgotten civilization lived–although it’s generally believed to have been thousands of years ago–or even who they were, isn’t clear.1 Like the jars, the standing stones…
Start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2009
…These are photos of the start of one of the world’s great ocean racing events, the 2009 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in Sydney Harbour, Sydney, Australia. Hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and starting every year on Boxing Day (26 December), the 2009 race was…
The Tombs of the Sultans
…Hagia Sophia. Which means it’s closed Sundays and open other days 9 to 5. It’s free, although you’ll have to go through the obligatory security checkpoint on the way in. It’s small. There are five tombs in a small courtyard. 30 minutes is plenty of time. You’ll have to remove…
Newark at Night from the Air
…taken with a Nikon D800 in DX crop with a Nikon 18-200VR, handheld with a Kenyon KS-6 gyro stabilizer. It wasn’t an ideal situation for stills–we were moving at a pretty good clip and didn’t have time to hover, but the combination of the D800’s high ISO performance and the…
The Marina Grande Waterfront in Capri, Italy
…Capri is one of those places I can’t wait to go back to. It’s been several years since I was there, but I loved everything about the place from the winding walkways through the village and along the tops of stunning cliffs over the Mediterranean (there are virtually no…
A Stone Farm House Amidst Burgundy’s Vineyards
…vines have been trimmed back to their bases, some of which can be over a century old. Through the summer they grow with harvesting in October. So a few months after this shot was taken the field would have been covered in leafy vines with clumps of grapes. Map…
National Palaces Painting Museum
…of the Dolmabahçe Palace complex and a ticket to the palace includes entry to the Painting Museum. The Painting Museum is closed on Mondays and Thursdays. Other days it’s open 9 to 5. Unlike the other areas inside the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Painting Museum is self-guided–no need to wait for…
North Stradbroke Island, Australia
…from Cleveland. Without a car, it’s quite a bit harder to get around–the ferry drops you off on the bay side of the island in Dunwich, which, while pleasant enough, doesn’t have the long surf beaches of the ocean side. But whatever you do, don’t try to drive there, even…
La Capilla Maria Auxiliadora
…La Capilla Maria Auxiliadora isn’t the grandest or most famous of Granada’s churches. It doesn’t dominate the city’s skyline like the Cathedral of Granada. Nor does it wear its weathered history like Iglesia de la Merced. But La Capilla Maria Auxiliadora makes a credible claim as the most beautiful….
Myanmar’s Scenic U Bein Bridge
…can fit 4-5 people and you can board them at the dock on the western bank or arrange for the boat to meet you at one of the landings part-way along the bridge. Sunset. The highest chances of a clear sky are during the peak tourist months of January-February….
Lisbon’s Castelo de Sao Jorge
…the castle from downtown Lisbon, but be prepared for a steep climb. You can also get one of the tuk tuks, although not all drivers will be interested in a one-way taxi run. As you can see from the photos, you’re able to walk up on the ramparts. As you’d…
On Top of Mandalay Hill, Myanmar
…Mandalay Hill hosts a cluster of monasteries and convents. One, in particular, is a major attraction. Sitting on top of Mandalay Hill, Sutaungpyei Pagoda features a large ornately tiled patio that offers a wonderful view out over Mandalay City to the south. And if you time it right, and the…
Manuha Temple
…perhaps from the 18th century.1 What is clear is that much of what we see today when we visit is much newer again. An earthquake in 1975 caused major damage, and the temple was rebuilt in the late 1970s, this time of reinforced concrete. Photos of Manuha Temple Photo by…
Apeyadana Temple
…through myth. Precisely when it was built and by whom isn’t clear–archaeologists rely heavily on inscriptions at the temples at the time they were constructed to date them, and there are none here. Their best guess is that it probably dates to the late 11th or early 12th century. Apeyadana…
Istanbul Naval Museum
…and a section of the famous chain used to block the Golden Horn during Mehmet the Conqueror’s efforts to invade Constantinople in the mid-15th century (sections of the chain are also on display at several other museums in the city). Photos of Istanbul’s Naval Museum Decorative cladding from the Orhaniye….
Monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora
…The Monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora is one of the ornate white buildings that you can see clearly from the ramparts of Saint George Castle. The present monastery dates back to the 17th century, although the original church on the site goes much further, to the 12th century….
Igreja de São Roque, Portugal’s Oldest Jesuit Church
…each wall of the nave. On the left, closest to the Altar, is the grandest of them: the Chapel of St. John the Baptist. It was commissioned by Dom João V (King John V) (1689-1750) and constructed in Rome. It was blessed there by the pope and then dismantled and…
Istanbul’s Ancient Basilica Cistern
…but the non-skid surface isn’t one of them. So watch your step not only the stairs but also on the walkways. The Basilica Cistern is relatively compact and can be comfortably visited in a half hour or less. It’s very close to both Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque….
Prague, Bohemia’s Capital
…popular travel destinations. Its cobblestone streets and fairytale clocks and turrets attract tourists in droves. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Prague became the place to be for the young westerners with an adventurous spirit; young American expats flocked there in the 90s. Since then, the city’s Old Town…
Pictorial Guide to Pagan (Bagan)
…a large fold-out map. Click on the image for a lager version: PDF Version I’m posting it here in two formats–feel free to use whichever you prefer. First, here’s the PDF version: Pictorial Guide to Pagan JPG Version And here are the individual pages as JPGs: To the best of…
Panama City’s Casco Viejo
…something of a ghost town feel. A fancy new nightclub or hotel will probably share a wall with an abandoned shell of a building. On weekends, the areas new rooftop bars are the places to be, and traffic pours in and clogs the roads. Some hotels, like the American Trade…
Penguins in Antarctica
…Seals and whales first attracted humans to Antarctica. But that didn’t go so well for them–they were hunted nearly to extinction. These days, penguins are a major draw. And it’s no wonder–for comical antics and all-around cuteness, penguins are hard to beat. On land they’re clumsy and slow. In…
Paris Skyline
…For a big city–12 million people and counting–Paris doesn’t have the kinds of skyscrapers you might expect. Aside from a few carefully segregated clusters, most of Paris’s buildings aren’t more than five or six stories tall. That, of course, is quite deliberate. When the Tour Montparnasse was built in…
Harlech Castle
…the cliffs or towards Harlech village, it’s easy to imagine archers manning the battlements. An enormous stone gatehouse stands in the way of the only direction an attack could feasibly have come. And the castle would have been even more imposing at the time it was built. Back then, the…
Conwy Castle
…Castle Conwy is imposing and impressive, just as it was meant to be. But as you stand on top of the turrets looking out over the waterfront and town, it becomes very clear that the primary thing in King Edward I’s mind when he commissioned its building was the…
Highclere Castle
…July and August, but there are sometimes closures during that time for special events. They also have special openings at other times such as Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Christmas. You can find information about buying tickets online here. Jessica Fellowes, The World of Downton Abbey Revealed (London: St. Martin’s Press,…
