The Rocks – Australia

The Rocks is the location where European settles first landed in Sydney, Australia. Originally, this area was a rough place to live as it was occupied by a settlement of convicts, soldiers, sailors and street gangs. Today it is a popular area with upscale restaurants, trendy bars and art galleries. The Rocks is Sydney’s oldest…

Read More

Museum of Cham Sculpture

The Museum of Cham Sculpture is located in Da Nang, Vietnam and is the only museum in the world completely dedicated to the Champa era. The museum was founded in 1915 and displays almost 300 works of art ranging from the 7th to the 15th centuries. This post is a follow-up to my post on…

Read More

Cham archeological site at Mỹ Sơn – Vietnam

The Cham archeological site at Mỹ Sơn is a Hindu religious site that is located near Hoi An and close to Da Nang, Vietnam. The Mỹ Sơn complex dates from the 4th to the 13th centuries and was the central worship complex of the Champa people. There are around 50 remaining Cham sites dotted over…

Read More

French Quarter – Louisiana

The French Quarter is the historic center of New Orleans. It is famous for lively nightlife, colorful building, jazz clubs, great restaurants and rowdy bars. The distinctive architecture is the first thing that is obvious when walking into the French Quarter. Many of the buildings are brightly colored and the balconies have ornate ironwork with…

Read More

Guard Changing at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial – Taiwan

The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is guarded by two soldiers that stand motionless on each side of the Chiang Kai-shek Statue. The guard changing at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial takes place every hour starting at 9:00 A.M. until 5:00 PM. The basics of the ceremony is no different than other changing of the guard ceremonies. The…

Read More

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall – Taiwan

The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall was built in 1980 to honor the former President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and is located next to Liberty Square in Taipei, Taiwan. The octagon shaped roof represents the Chinese cultural symbolism of the number eight which is traditionally associated with fortune and wealth. The building is 76…

Read More

Golden Triangle – Thailand, Myanmar and Laos

The Golden Triangle is the area where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet at the convergence of the Ruak and Mekong Rivers. Chiang Rai, Thailand is the nearest major city to the three-way border although there are numerous small town along the river in all three countries. The area is rugged landscape with…

Read More

Caddo Lake State Park – Texas

Caddo Lake State Park is located in the piney woods of eastern Texas and is the largest of only a handful of natural lakes in Texas. Caddo Lake covers an area of almost 27,000 acres of bayous, wetlands and backwater which have an average depth of 8 to 10 feet. The distinguishing factor that makes…

Read More

Monasteries at Meteora – Greece

The Monasteries at Meteora are located in the Thessaly Region of Greece near the town of Kalabaka. Most of the monasteries were built during the Middle Ages and are perched on the peaks of towering sandstone pillars. The Greek word for meteora means “suspended in the air” and the term appropriately describes these Greek Orthodox…

Read More

Frenchman’s Rock – Australia

Frenchman’s Rock is located near Penneshaw Beach on Kangaroo Island in Australia. The rock marks the location where Nicolas Baudin found freshwater when navigating the North Coast of Kangaroo Island in 1803. Baudin released pigs into the wild to provide food for future explorers and a crew member carved details of the expedition into the…

Read More

Old Town Munich – Germany

Old Town Munich brings the culture of the past into the present. Munich is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. The city sits on the banks of the River Isar, north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich’s old town is located in the heart of Munich and is only 1.25…

Read More

Wat Maha That – Thailand

Wat Maha That is famous for the tree that has grown around a sculpture of Buddha’s head and is one of the most important temples in Ayutthaya. Wat Maha That is believed to be one of Ayutthaya’s oldest temples and is thought to have been built by King Boromaraja I around 1370 to 1388 A….

Read More