Festival of the Iberian Mask – Portugal

The Festival of the Iberian Mask began in 2006 and takes place each year on the first weekend of May in Lisbon, Portugal. During the weekend people in masks and costumes take to the streets of Lisbon to celebrate the historical and cultural ties that exists between Spain and Portugal. The four day event is…

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Wat Ratchaburana – Thailand

The meaning of Wat Ratchaburana is “the temple of Royal Restoration” Wat Ratchaburana was built in 1424 and is located adjacent to Wat Maha That in the center of the old city in Ayutthaya, Thailand. It was built by King Boromaraja II as a memorial to his two elder brothers. At the center of the…

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Skylon Tower – Canada

The Skylon Tower was opened in 1965 and is located in Niagara Falls, Canada. After seeing the falls from ground level, consider seeing them from above on the Skylon observation deck which provides spectacular views of both the U.S. and Canadian sides of the falls. The Skylon Tower reaches a height of 775 feet and…

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Deoksugung Palace – South Korea

Deoksugung Palace is a walled compound located in Seoul, South Korea and is the smallest of the five grand palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty. The Joseon Dynasty was Korea’s last dynasty and lasted for over 500 years from 1392 until 1910. The name Deoksugung Palace means “Palace of virtue and longevity”. It was inhabited…

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Haus der Kulturen der Welt – Germany

The Haus der Kulturen der Welt is a place for international contemporary arts with a focus on non-European cultures and societies. Its name translated in English is “The House of the World’s Cultures”. It is located in Germany’s capital city of Berlin between the Spree River and the Tiergarten Park near Brandenburg Gate and the…

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Rainbow Bridge – Taiwan

Rainbow Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Keelung River in Taipei, Taiwan. The bridge connects the Xinming Road in Neihu District and Raohe Street in Songshan District. Raohe Street is the location where the Raohe Night Market (one of the most famous night markets in Taipei) is located. The bridge is a suspension…

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Kualoa Ranch – Hawaii

Kualoa Ranch is a 4,000 acre private nature reserve as well as a working cattle ranch. The ranch is located approximately 24 miles outside of Waikiki on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The terrain on the ranch varies from steep mountain cliffs to lush Hawaiian rainforests and wide open valleys. The ranch supports more…

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Rocks of Fame – Spain

The “Rocks of Fame” are located near the Tenerife Auditorium in the city of Santa Cruz on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands of Spain. I call them the “Rocks of Fame” because they reminded me of the Hollywood Walk of Fame in California. The Rocks of Fame are a huge rock that…

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Todaiji Temple – Japan

Todaiji Temple is one of Japan’s most famous temples and is located in Nara Park in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple was built in 752 AD and consisted of two nine story pagodas, a lecture hall, quarters for the monks and the Great Buddha Hall. The complex is very large with plenty of…

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Black-tailed Prairie Dog – Texas

Black-tailed Prairie Dogs are burrowing rodents of the squirrel family that are native to the grasslands of North America. The Black-tailed Prairie Dogs are tan color with small ears, strong legs with long claws and a 3 to 4 inch tail with a black tip. The name “prairie dog” comes from a combination of their…

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Teotihuacan – Mexico

Teotihuacan is a vast archaeological complex that predates the Mayas and Aztecs which was home to more than 150,000 people and covered an area of 12 square miles (20 sq. km). The abandoned city was discovered by the Aztecs in the 14th century and they gave it the name of Teotihuacan which means “The place…

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Washington Monument – Washington, D.C.

The Washington Monument is the centerpiece of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It is located with the U.S. Capital on one side and the World War II Memorial and Lincoln Memorial on the other side. The monument was built to honor George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War…

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