Port city, windmills, carnival and a live architecture experiment - Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout 818; Van Nellefabriek 1441; Craft of the miller operating windmills and watermills 01265; Rotterdam Summer Carnival 01870 Windmill arrays in Kinderdijk What and Why The port city of Rotterdam , is in every sense of the word, very un-European. When I landed in Rotterdam from my recent cruise at got into the city, my immediate response was 'Wow, what a sight!'. Unlike most

Origin of industry in China - The Grand Canal 1443; Chinese traditional architectural craftsmanship for timber-framed structures 00223; Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China 01884; Spring festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditionadl new year 02126 Qingming bridge and Jiangnan canal at night Wuxi ( Chinese : 无锡) has a special place in my heart as this was my first time travelling abroad (technically d

A city rebuilt from rubbles - Le Havre, the City Rebuilt by Auguste Perret 1181; Gastronomic meal of the French 00437; Artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread 01883 Le Havre at dusk What and Why I have to say that I had no particular expectations of Le Havre. It was a cruise stop, a box to tick, a city I associated vaguely with Claude Monet's famous painting of his hometown 'Impression, Sunrise (French: Impression, Soleil Levant)' and wartime bombing. What I did no

Ancient Egypt royal necropolis and monuments in an ancient capital - Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis 87 Valley of the Kings with Al-Qurn as the backdrop What and Why Luxor ( Arabic : الأقصر, Al-Quṣūr ) stands as one of the most iconic and culturally rich sites in the world. The modern city morphed from the ruins of Thebes (Greek: Θῆβαι, Thē̂bai ) or in Egyptian ' wꜣs.t' and was the capital of ancient Egypt (مصر , Miṣr ) during parts of the Middle and New Kingdoms (

Historic spa town adorned with gorgeous Belle É poque architecture - The Great Spa Towns of Europe 1613; Knowledge, craft and skills of handmade glass production 01961 Karlovy Vary main square: Market Colonnade What and Why Karlovy Vary is one of the most iconic recreational and spa towns in Europe, renowned for its healing thermal waters, mineral springs, elegant Belle- É poque architecture, rich cultural heritage, and historic ties to the art of Bohemian glassmaking . Ne

The Russian Versailles, Russian Amsterdam and its old citadel - Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments 540 Fountains of Peterhof What and Why As blogged in Saint Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург) | City Centre , the city of Saint Petersburg ( Russian : Санкт-Петербург, Sankt-Peterburg ) is a city built from scratch with a European model in mind, almost fully conceptualised by Peter I (Пётр I, Pyotr I , né Пётр Романов, Pyotr Romanov ) in the early

The grand temple of Ramesses II that moved and started the UNESCO WHS - Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae 88 ; Handmeade weaving in Upper Egypt (Sa'eed) 01605 Abu Simbel temple What and Why The great temple of Abu Simbel ( Arabic : أبو سمبل) is perhaps the most remarkable sites of Egypt (مصر , Miṣr ) , past and present. The grandiose and majesty of the temple needs no introduction, but its cultural signature is definitely more significant. The temple itself is alr

Fortified city protected by three mediaeval castles - Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzona 884 Castelgrande ramparts (from internet) What and Why Bellinzona , located near the foot of the Alps ( Italian : Alpi ) at the canton of Ticino , houses a group of important and well-preserved mediaeval fortifications to shelter herself from foreign invasion. These fortifications come in the form of castles and ramparts and they collectively

The king of all lighthouses - Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France 868; Cordouan Lighthouse 1625; Gastronomic meal of the French 00437; Artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread 01883 Cordouan Lighthouse What and Why The Cordouan Lighthouse ( French : Phare de Cordouan ) , often referred to as the 'king of lighthouses ( roi des phares )' or the ' Versailles of the sea ( Le Versailles de mer ) ' to highlight its grandeur and majesty compared to the rest of boring

Mounds built by Mississippian culture a millennium ago - Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site 198 Cahokia mound: Monks Mound What and Why During the turn of the last millennium, a native Mississippian culture and polity called Cahokia (pronounced /kəˈhoʊkiə/ ) settled near the present town of Collinsville and built a major city, lasting from mid-9th century to mid-14th century. During its heyday, the city covered more than 15 km² and had around 20,000 people, making this va

Cultural and historic confluence of ancient Egyptian and Nubian civilisations - Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae 88; Handmade weaving in Upper Egypt (Sa'eed) 01605 Philae Temple from river cruise What and Why Aswan ( Arabic : أسوان , ʾAswān ) , located in southern Egypt (مصر , Miṣr ) on the banks of the River Nile (Latin: Nilus ) , is a city of great historical and cultural significance. With a history that stretches back thousands of years, Aswan has been a cultu

Great wall of Roman legacy in Britain - Frontiers of the Roman Empire 430 Hadrian wall near Willowford What and Why Hadrian's Wall (Latin : Vallum Hadriani ) , stretching across the north of England , is one of the most significant remnants of the Roman Empire (Latin: Imperium Romanum ) in the United Kingdom . Constructed on the orders of Emperor Hadrian (né Aelius Hadrianus (Latin) ) in 122 under 'divine instruction', the wall served as the northern frontier of the Roman

The heart of wine-making and Romanesque architectural heritage - Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion 932; Gastronomic meal of the French 00437; Art of dry stone construction, knowledge and techniques 02106 Saint-Émilion vineyards What and Why Nestled in the heart of the Gironde region of France , Saint-Émilion is a name that resonates deeply within the world of wine . This picturesque mediaeval village, surrounded by gently rolling hills and vineyards ( French : vignobles ) , is

' Above there is heaven, below there is Suzhou-Hangzhou ': for gardens, canals, food, operas, silk and scholastic activities - Classical Gardens of Suzhou 813; The Grand Canal 1443; Kun Qu opera 00004; Sericulture and silk craftsmanship of China 00197 Canal in Suzhou This post marks the 5th anniversary of my blog. What and Why The quote ' Above there is heaven, below there is Suzhou-Hangzhou ( Chinese : 上有天堂、下有苏杭 , Shangyou tiantang, Xiayou Su-hang ) ' aptly describes how bea

World engineering marvel that conquers the scenic Alps - Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes 1276 Brusio viaduct What and Why The Bernina Express is a sightseeing railway line operated by the Rhaetian Railway ( German : Rhätische Bahn ) that runs between Chur of Switzerland ( Schweiz ) to Tirano of Italy (Italian: Italia ) with a main stop at Saint Moritz ( Sankt Moritz ) . The train line is actually two separated lines combined together: the Bernina Li

Formation of Alps in Switzerland - Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona 1179; Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps 1363; Avalanche risk management 01380; Alpinism 01471; Alpine pasture season 01966; Yodelling 02287 Piz Sardona What and Why The Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona ( German : Weltnaturerbe TektonikArena Sardona ) is a major mountain thrust fault caused by the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates 100 million years ago! This major shearing action no

The only remaining wonder of the ancient world - Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur 86; Koshary, daily life dish and practices associated with it 02278 Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre What and Why There is absolutely no need for any introduction to the pyramids of Egypt ( Arabic : مصر , Miṣr ) . Pyramids are the oldest but the only standing seven wonders of the ancient world , standing on the various sites for more than 4,500 years! Unless

Top of Europe and the most distinctive sights of the Alps - Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch 1037; Alpinism 01471 Sphinx (from internet) What and Why Against popular beliefs, Jungfraujoch is technically not a mountain or a peak, but a saddle or ridge between two main peaks, the Jungfrau and Mönch of the Swiss Alps ( German : Alpen ) . The saddle is also home to one of the largest glaciers in Europe: the Aletsch Glacier ( Aletschgletscher ) . The area, snow-covered year round

The world's most famous and politically-charged square - Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow 545 Red Square What and Why The very heart of Russia ( Russian : Россия, Rossiya ) , the Red Square (Красная П лощадь, Krasnaya Ploshchad ) is symbolic of the politics of Russia and the former Soviet Union (Сове́тский Сою́з, Sovetskiy Soyuz ) . This is where the annual Moscow (Москва, Moskva ) Victory Day Parade (Парад Победы, Parad Pobedy ) is held annually, and I remember vividly the

Cradle and tourbillon of Swiss-watchmaking - La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning 1302; Craftsmanship of mechanical watchmaking and art mechanics 01560 La Chaux-de-Fonds What and Why When it comes to precision and punctuality, no one can beat the Swiss, just observe the incredibly vast but precise networks of railways in Switzerland ( French : Suisse ) . The term 'Swiss-made' comes up to laud their quality of precision, and this is genuinely no hyperbole.