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Mosque of Abu Al-Abbas: Alexandria, Egypt
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The largest mosque in Alexandria, Egypt, was originally built in the
18th century, above the tomb of the Muslim saint Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi.
Its minaret towers 73 meters above the building and the city. |
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St. Petersburg, Russia
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To get a taste of the mind-boggling opulence of imperial St. Petersburg
in Russia, take the boat service from the riverside Winter Palace (the
Hermitage) to Petrodvorets, Peter the Great’s Grand Palace. Peter
personally drew up the plans for the extravagant summer home and 300
acres of gardens, where sixty-six fountains (including the Grand
Cascade shown here), thirty-nine gilded statues, and 12 miles of canals
were constructed by leading French and Italian architects, artists, and
engineers. |
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Copper Canyon, Mexico
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Mexico’s Sierra Tarahumara region is often referred to simply as Copper
Canyon, although the name is a bit of a misnomer for this stunningly
beautiful area that is becoming popular with adventure travelers. There
are actually six different canyons in the region. |
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South Luangwa Valley, Zambia
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Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park is one of the richest wildlife
sanctuaries in the world. After a day of spotting elephants, zebras,
and giraffe, take refuge in Mchenja Bush Camp, one of the area’s luxury
safari camps. |
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Ashford Castle, Cong, County Mayo, Ireland
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Think turrets, drawbridge, and battlements, some dating back to the
13th century, then imagine this time capsule brimming with canopied
four-poster beds and crackling fireplaces, and you’ll have an idea of
the allure of Ashford Castle, one of Ireland’s fairest hotels. |
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Cook Islands
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If you’re in search of some Pacific
Islands that are only now emerging on
the tourism map, consider these options: The Marquesas, Marshall Islands, Solomon
Islands, Vanuatu
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Kvikne’s Hotel, Balestrand,
Norway
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Norway’s
unique beauty lies in its fjords, and the Sognefjord is not only the longest
and deepest but also one of the most dramatic. After a fourhour sail from Bergen, you’ll see the
rambling Victorian carved-wood frame of Kvikne’s Hotel on a small peninsula
jutting into the 127-mile-long fjord. Dating back to 1752, the hotel has been
the destination of both poets and monarchs for the four generations that the
Kvikne family has been at the helm.
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Lake Windermere,
England
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England’s
Lake District is one of the country’s most
scenic areas, at once pastoral and wild, graced with fifteen principal lakes,
including Windermere, and dozens of lesser ones. William Wordsworth described
the Lake District as “the loveliest spot that
man has ever known.”
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Abu Simbel,
Egypt
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“Nothing can be more strange than so extremely distinct a
revelation of a face, in every feature, perhaps a mile off. The expression of
this colossus is very agreeable.”
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Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen,
Denmark
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More than 100,000 twinkling lights and 400,000 flowers set
the fun-filled (and romantic) scene at Copenhagen’s
Tivoli Gardens. The park’s 20 leafy acres
feature carnival games, marching bands, and amusement rides. Dance halls, beer
gardens, and free open-air concerts keep people entertained and coming back.
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Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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If you’re looking for more action than this quiet canal
scene suggests, plan your visit to Amsterdam
to coincide with Queen’s Day, on April 30, a celebration of the country’s
monarch Beatrix. Locals paint their faces orange, the national color, and
street fairs and open-air concerts last all day. |
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Himalayas, Nepal
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Containing nine of the world's fourteen highest peaks, Nepal is a true
Himalayan kingdom. The Himalayas cover three fourths of the land in
Nepal. |
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Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile
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The Torres del Paine National Park in the heart of Chile’s Patagonia
region is one of nature’s last virtually untrammeled wildernesses. The
600,000-acre network of deep aquamarine lakes, rushing rivers, groaning
glaciers, pampas, and fjords is best known for the Cuernos del
Paine—spectacular 10,000-foot granite towers overlooking Lago Pehoe. |
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The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin
Islands
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The Baths, on Virgin Gorda in the British
Virgin Islands, are a popular spot for yachters, but snorkelers
will also want to hit the nearby “Crawl,” a small lagoon crowded with tropical
fish. |
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Château D’esclimont,
France
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The 16th-century Château d’Esclimont, less than an hour
outside Paris and near both Versailles and Chartres, serves as a departure
point for ballooners off to see the sights of France’s historic heart, the
Loire Valley. |
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Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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The Burj Al Arab, one of the world’s most expensive hotels,
has become a landmark of the Dubai where it is
located and a symbol of the over-the-top luxury in this Las
Vegas of the Middle East. |
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Machu Picchu,
Peru
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The supreme showpiece of pre-Columbian archaeological sites,
Machu Picchu’s strategic setting coupled with its mysterious significance in
the ancient Inca universe make this “lost city” one of the world’s most
beautiful and haunting destinations. Speculation about the 100-acre complex of
houses, temples, and warehouses continues, although some believe it was a
retreat for Incan nobility or a purely ceremonial site. |
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Natal, Brazil
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Beaches are the main claim to fame of Natal,
in Brazil,
and Genipabu is the finest. Miles and miles of white sand dunes and some of the
world’s most beautiful beaches can be found 15 miles north of Natal in and
around Genipabu, where sunset strolls, horseback or Jeep rides, sand surfing,
and, not least, camel “trains” are pastimes of choice. |
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Petra, Jordan
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The rose-red city of Petra
in Jordan, one of the wonders of the ancient world, has man-made parts that are
miraculously preserved and others that have been sculpted by the elements. Petra, which means “rock,”
was a fortress city and thriving trade center whose inhabitants carved houses,
temples, and tombs, sometimes with elaborately columned facades, out of the
canyon walls. |
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Newport,
Rhode Island
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When you’ve got it, flaunt it, and in Newport, Rhode Island,
that’s exactly what the wealthiest American families did in the 19th century.
They built massive, European châteaux-inspired “summer cottages” on the rocky
coastline, putting the gilding on the Gilded Age with their over-the-top
opulence. The showstopper is undoubtedly the Breakers, a seventy-room,
thirty-three-bedroom Italian Renaissance palazzo with 40-foot ceilings. |
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