Gyeongju Historic Area

Gyeongju Historic Area - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for the Gyeongju Historic Area: The Gyeongju Historic Areas contain a remarkable concentration of outstanding examples of Korean Buddhist art, in the form of sculptures, reliefs, pagodas, and the remains of temples and palaces from the flowering, in particular between the 7th and 10th centuries, of this form of unique …

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2008 Travel Year in Review: Part 1

2008 marked the first calendar year I did not step foot inside the United States or its territories. What is amazing about traveling is how much you remember. Before I left on my trip, one day would sort of blur into the next. You develop a routine every day and it becomes hard to remember …

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Shrines and Temples of Nikko

Shrines and Temples of Nikko - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for the Shrines and Temples of Nikko: The shrines and temples of Nikko, together with their natural surroundings, have for centuries been a sacred site known for its architectural and decorative masterpieces. They are closely associated with the history of the Tokugawa Shoguns. Nikko is a day trip from Tokyo. …

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Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara

Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara World Heritage Site, Japan

From the World Heritage inscription for Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara: Nara was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784. During this period the framework of national government was consolidated and Nara enjoyed great prosperity, emerging as the fountainhead of Japanese culture. The city’s historic monuments – Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and the excavated …

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Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area

Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage Inscription of the Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area: There are around 48 Buddhist monuments in the Horyu-ji area, in Nara Prefecture. Several date from the late 7th or early 8th century, making them some of the oldest surviving wooden buildings in the world. These masterpieces of wooden architecture are important …

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Thailand Expats

I had Christmas dinner with a group of American/Canadian expats who live in Bangkok. I was invited by Art who runs CrazyDogTravel.com and other websites. Most of the guys were involved in internet/web design so it was nice to be able to talk shop with some similar minded people; something I almost never get to …

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Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto: Built in A.D. 794 on the model of the capitals of ancient China, Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan from its foundation until the middle of the 19th century. As the center of Japanese culture for more than 1,000 years, Kyoto illustrates …

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Himeji-jo, Japan

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Himeji-jo

From the the World Heritage inscription for Himeji-jo: Himeji-jo is the finest surviving example of early 17th-century Japanese castle architecture, comprising 83 buildings with highly developed systems of defense and ingenious protection devices dating from the beginning of the Shogun period. It is a masterpiece of construction in wood, combining function with aesthetic appeal, both …

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Christmas in Asia

Growing up, you would always see articles/book/tv shows about how people celebrate Christmas around the world. The impression you get is that everyone, everywhere celebrates something this time of year, even if it isn’t Christmas. I can say categorically that Thailand, and SE Asia in general, really doesn’t celebrate anything around Christmas. Save for a …

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