The Best of CHINA: The East

Over 1000 years ago, Eastern China was the main terminus of the Maritime Silk Road, trading extensively with Japan, Korea, Southeast … More

Balboa Park, Part 7: Alcazar Garden

The Alcazar Garden, located adjacent to the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park, is so named because of … More

Lake Phalen

Lake Phalen is a large urban lake located in the Saint Paul suburb of Maplewood and the centerpiece of the 494-acre Phalen Regional Park. The lake … More

Como Park, Part 2: McNeely Conservatory

The McNeely Conservatory, located within St. Paul’s Como Park next to the Como Zoo, was first opened in 1915. Free … More

The Walkie-Talkie (20 Fenchurch Street)

Colloquially known in London as the “walkie-talkie” building because of its distinctive shape, the building at 20 Fenchurch Street (above, middle) … More

Holyrood Palace

Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, opposite to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace (aka Holyroodhouse) has served as the official Scottish … More

The Best of CANADA

The country of Canada covers 3.85 million square miles of North America, making it the world’s 2nd-largest country by total area. Its 10 … More

The Best of the VATICAN

Vatican City is the Holy See’s independent city-state located completely within Rome, Italy. Also known simply as The Vatican, it became fully independent from Italy with the signing of … More

Memories of Los Angeles

With an estimated population of nearly 4 million, Los Angeles is the largest city in California, as well as the 2nd-most populous in the U.S. and the … More

United States Botanic Garden

The United States Botanic Garden (USBG), located on the grounds of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., is the oldest continually-operating botanic garden in … More

Houston Japanese Garden

Designed by Tokyo landscape designer Ken Nakajima and opened in 1992, Houston’s Japanese Garden is a 5.5-acre garden located within Hermann Park. The garden is … More

Other Recommended ART MUSEUMS

Here is a list of a few dozen more art museums around the world that I would recommend with an … More

The Bakken Museum

The Bakken is a museum that was founded in 1975 by the co-founder of Medtronic, Earl Bakken, near Lake Calhoun (now Bde Maka … More

Buckingham Palace, Part 4: The Queen’s Garden

The Queen’s Garden is a large private park attached to Buckingham Palace, the London residence of the British monarch. Occupying … More

Memorial Sites of Wang Anshi, Part 1

1. Wang Anshi Memorial Park Located in Fuzhou’s Linchuan District, this small park is free to wander through; however, you … More

Parks of Linchuan, Part 3: Celebrity Sculpture Park

Celebrity Sculpture Park is a national AAAA-level cultural and ecological park located in the Linchuan District of Fuzhou in China’s … More

Montreal Botanical Garden

The Montreal Botanical Garden in Quebec, Canada comprises over 190 acres of thematic gardens and is widely considered to be one of … More

Top 20 of 2020

Now that 2020 is finally over, I thought I’d recap the year by listing the blog’s Top 20 most-visited posts … More

Suzhou Gardens, Part 3: Master of Nets Garden

The Master of the Nets Garden in Suzhou is one of the very finest classical Chinese gardens remaining in the city, as well … More

Balboa Park, Part 5: Botanical Building

The Botanical Building is just one of the numerous cultivated areas within the 1,200-acre Balboa Park, a large area of rolling … More

Fort Worth Botanic Garden

The 110-acre Fort Worth Botanic Garden was established in 1934, making it the oldest major botanic garden in Texas. Located in … More

Memories of Paris

Paris is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of nearly 2.15 million residents and an area of around 41 square … More

Sunnylands Center and Gardens

Sunnylands, located in Rancho Mirage, California, is the former estate of Walter and Leonore Annenberg. Owned by the Annenbergs up until 2009, it had served … More

Château Laroche (Loveland Castle)

Château Laroche (aka “Loveland Castle”), is a museum located just north of Loveland, Ohio. It was constructed beginning in the 1920s by medievalist Harry … More

Beihai Park

First built in the 11th century, Beihai Park is a former imperial garden located in the northwestern part of the Imperial … More

The Best of SOUTH KOREA

The country of South Korea derives its name from Goguryeo (Koryŏ), one of the great historical powers of East Asia, which ruled most … More

Zhan Garden

Zhan Garden (literally the “Garden of Forward Watching”) is a traditional Chinese garden located beside Fuzimiao in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. The first garden to be built … More