The Best of MEXICO

Mexico (officially known as the United Mexican States, since it is a federation comprising 31 states plus the capitol), is the world’s 13th-largest country by area … More

Memories of SINGAPORE

Singapore is an island city-state in Southeast Asia, located off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula about 85 miles north of the equator. It … More

The Walls of Tallinn

The first wall around Tallinn, known as the Margaret Wall, was named after the Queen of Denmark, Margaret Sambiria, who … More

Singaporean Cuisine

Singaporean cuisine derived from a number of ethnic groups, including Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, English, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai. In Singapore, food is viewed as crucial to its national … More

Mexican Cuisine

Mexican cuisine has roots in Mesoamerican cuisine, which began with early agricultural communities such as the Maya, who domesticated maize (corn). Successive waves included the Olmec, Teotihuacanos, Toltec, Huastec, Zapotec, Mixtec, Otomi, Purépecha, Totonac, Mazatec, … More

Korean Cuisine

Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions, Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change, reflecting a complex interaction of … More

Japanese Cuisine

Japanese cuisine, traditionally, is based on rice with miso soup and other dishes, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. Side dishes often consist … More

French Cuisine

Historically, French cuisine has been influenced by France’s many surrounding cultures, namely, those of Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium. However, … More

Roman Theatre of Arles

The Roman Theatre of Arles (or Théâtre antique d’Arles) was built during the reign of Caesar Augustus in the 1st-century A.D. It is … More

Memories of Beijing

Beijing (北京, alternatively Romanized as Peking), the capital of the People’s Republic of China, is also the world’s most populous national capital city, with over 21 … More

UNESCO: Intangible Cultural Heritage

According to UNESCO, a country’s intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is made up of practices, representations, expressions, and/or skills that are unique to … More

Forbidden City, Part 6: Hall of Mental Cultivation

The Hall of Mental Cultivation, situated in the inner courtyard of the Forbidden City in Beijing, was first built during the Ming Dynasty in 1537 and … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part VI (101-120) – Countries with the Most Sites

Here is a list of countries with the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites (as of August 2021): Italy (58 – … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part V (81-100) – Selection Criteria

Nominated UNESCO World Heritage Sites must be widely considered to be of “outstanding universal value” and meet at least one … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part IV (61-80) – Site Types

The complete World Heritage List comprises 1153 properties of “outstanding universal value”. Of these, about 23% are represented by natural … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part III (41-60) – In Danger

Armed conflict, war, natural disasters (such as earthquakes), pollution, poaching, uncontrolled urbanization, and unchecked tourist development all pose major problems … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part II (21-40) – Delisting

World Heritage sites may lose their designation when the UNESCO World Heritage Committee determines that they are not properly managed or protected. A … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part I (1-20) – Origin

UNESCO (or the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was founded in 1945 as the successor to the League of … More

Place de la République (Arles)

Place de la République, located to the south of the old Roman forum in the town center of Arles, France, … More

San Antonio Missions, Part 5: San Francisco de la Espada

Mission San Francisco de la Espada is the second Roman Catholic mission that was established in Texas by Spain in order to convert … More

San Antonio Missions, Part 4: San Juan Capistrano

Originally Christened as “La Misión San José de los Nazonis” in 1716, the present-day Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded in … More

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

Dominating the approach to Cartagena, Colombia, whether by land or sea, lies the fortress of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, named … More

Greenwich, Part 5: Old Royal Naval College

Designed by Christopher Wren (the architect of St. Paul’s Cathedral) and constructed between 1696 and 1712, the buildings of the Old Royal … More

Church of the Eremitani

The 13th-century Gothic Church of the Eremitani (Italian: “Church of the Hermits”) is a former-Augustinian church located in Padua, Italy. It is also notable … More

Place de la Concorde

Covering 19 acres, the Place de la Concorde is the largest public square in the French capital. Located at the eastern end … More

San Antonio Missions, Part 3: San José

Mission San José is just one of a series of historic Catholic missions in San Antonio, Texas. This one in particular was founded … More

The Seine

The Seine is France’s 2nd-longest river, flowing about 482 miles before emptying into the English Channel at the Port of Le Havre. The name for the river … More

Tallinn Town Hall

Tallinn Town Hall is notable for being the oldest and last surviving Gothic Town Hall in Northern Europe, which includes … More

Orchard Road

Orchard Road is a 1.6 mile-long road in central Singapore that has also become a famous tourist attraction for its upscale shopping, featuring … More

Churches of Tallinn, Part 1: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox church crowning Toompea Hill in the Old Town of Tallinn, Estonia. It was designed in a typical Russian Revival style between … More

San Antonio Missions, Part 2: Concepción

Mission Concepción was first established by Franciscan Friars in 1711 (as Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Hainais) in eastern … More