Blenheim is a massive palace located in the village of Woodstock, just outside of Oxford, England. While open to the public, it is actually the private property of the 12th Duke of Marlborough. The 11th Duke passed away just 3 weeks prior to my visit to the palace. It has the distinction of being the …
From the World Heritage inscription for Dorset and East Devon Coast: Located on the south coast of England, the property comprises eight sections along 155 km of coast. The property has a combination of geological, palaeontological and geomorphological features. These include a variety of fossils, a beach renowned for its pebbles and textbook examples of …
From the World Heritage Inscription: The Red Fort Complex was built as the palace fort of Shahjahanabad – the new capital of the fifth Mughal Emperor of India, Shah Jahan. Named for its massive enclosing walls of red sandstone, it is adjacent to an older fort, the Salimgarh, built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546, …
Aksum is the most significant pilgrimage site in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and one of the largest tourist attractions in the country. Aksum is important for several reasons: It was the seat of the Axumite Empire, which reached its peak in the first millennium. The Axumite Civilization was one of the largest and most important …
Nan Madol is one of the most fascinating and significant places in the Pacific. I first visited Nan Madol in 2007 as I began my around the world trip. However, it took until 2016 to be placed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The site is extremely deserving of world heritage status and for …
From the World Heritage inscription: The presence in the Judean Lowlands of thick and homogeneous chalk sub-strata enabled numerous caves to be excavated and managed by Man. The property includes a complete selection of chambers and man-made subterranean networks, of different forms and for different activities. They are situated underneath the ancient twin cities of …
From the World Heritage inscription: Battir is a major Palestinian cultural landscape, the adaptation of a deep valley system for agricultural purposes as a result of a good supply of water. The complex irrigation system of this water supply has led to the creation of dry walls terraces which may have been exploited since antiquity. …
When the New Seven Wonders of the World came out, I added my two cents—it wasn’t always favorable, because there’s a lot that doesn’t make much sense in how that global contest panned out. Buy that list inspired me to look the countries—including the USA—that I visit with an eye toward the natural, manmade, and …
My three month North America road trip is over. This was by far the most driving I’ve ever done in a single period in my life. The final tally for what I saw and experienced was more than what I initially expected. It was a busy three months and in the end it was something …