Pantheon – Italy

The Pantheon is one of the best preserved monuments remaining from ancient Rome. It was completed between 126 and 128 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Hadrian. The name “Pantheon” is derived from the Greek words “pan” meaning “all” and “theos” meaning “gods” so the meaning of the name Pantheon is “all gods”. Plaza and…

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Japanese Macaques

Japanese Macaques are the northern most non-human primate. They live exclusively in the Japanese Islands and are found in three of the four main islands (Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu but not in Hokkaido). They are also known as “snow monkeys” because they live in areas where snow covers the ground for months each year. These…

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Tilikum Crossing Bridge – Oregon

Tilikum Crossing Bridge crosses the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon and is the largest car-free bridge in the United States. While the Tilikum Crossing Bridge doesn’t carry any car traffic it is still busy with traffic from the Portland Streetcar, the MAX Orange Line, TriMet buses, cyclists and pedestrians. The name of the bridge seems…

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Tran Quoc Pagoda – Vietnam

Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, Vietnam. It was built in 545 A.D. on the banks of the Red River but it was moved to its current location on a peninsula in West Lake in the early 17th century. The outer wall of the pagoda is painted vibrant yellow and red with…

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Yarra River – Australia

The Yarra River begins in Mt. Baw Baw northeast of Melbourne and flows for a distance of 242 Km (150 miles) where it empties into Port Phillip Bay just after passing through the central business district (CBD) of Melbourne. The focus of this post is on the portion of the river that pass through the…

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Wat Pho – Thailand

Wat Pho is one of the largest temple complexes in Bangkok, Thailand and is famous of its giant reclining Buddha and for being a great place to get a traditional Thai massage. Wat Pho is located about a 10 minute walk from the Grand Palace. Architecturally, the buildings of Wat Pho are similar to the…

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White Pass and Yukon Route Railway – Alaska and Yukon Territory

The White Pass and Yukon Route Railway starts in Skagway, Alaska and travels to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory in Canada. Today the train stops at Carcross YT because the tracks to Whitehorse are inactive. The White Pass and Yukon Route Railway is a narrow gauge (36 inch wide) railway that was built between 1898 and 1900…

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Windmills of Kinderdijk – Netherlands

The windmills of Kinderdijk are located about 30 minutes outside of Rotterdam, Netherlands. The Kinderdijk area lies below sea level and a system of windmills and pumps has been draining water from the Kinderdijk polder soil into the river for centuries. Most of the windmills were built between 1738 and 1740 with the exception of…

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Spectra Light and Water Show – Singapore

The Spectra Light and Water Show is Singapore’s version of the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas although the Light and Water Show takes it to another level by adding colored lighting to the fountain, a projection show and lasers. The light and water show is a free performance that takes place every night in front…

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Jinek Bay Marine Reserve (Part 2) – New Caledonia

This post is part 2 of the fish and coral in Jinek Bay Marine Reserve that is located on Lifou Island in New Caledonia. In my part 1 post I included photos of 18 fish species and 6 coral species. In this post I have included 19 fish species, 2 coral species and photos of…

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San Jacinto Monument – Texas

The San Jacinto Monument is located in Houston, Texas, USA and was built on the site of the Battle of San Jacinto where the Texas Army defeated the Mexican Army. The freedom of Texas from Mexico was won in this battle and the battle field site is known as the birthplace of Texas’ independence from…

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St. Peter’s Basilica – Vatican City

St. Peter’s Basilica is located in Vatican City across from the Tiber River in Rome, Italy. The church is built at the site that is the likely location where St. Peter was buried in 64 AD. The construction of the basilica was completed around 349 AD and is the largest Catholic Church in the world….

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