Varna, Bulgaria
Monument of the Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship
This once-grandiose behemoth of a monument from the socialist era now sits quiet and closed up.
Places I want to go
Places on this traveler's wishlist.
Varna, Bulgaria
This once-grandiose behemoth of a monument from the socialist era now sits quiet and closed up.
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Beatlemania is still going strong... at least in Kazakhstan.
Muynak District, Uzbekistan
Once a bustling fishing port, this semi-ghost town is now more than 90 miles away from the shore.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
The Avenue of Mausolea is a series of grand palatial tombs.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Light still pours into the ruins of this ancient Islamic observatory.
Ozersk, Russia
Most polluted lake in the world, used as a radioactive dumping ground for years.
Beruni, Uzbekistan
These "50 Fortresses" have been unearthed in the ancient oasis of Khwarezm.
Semey, Kazakhstan
One of the most horrible legacies of the Cold War is a site where the Soviet Union tested nuclear bombs on civilians.
Kokand, Uzbekistan
Final palace complex of the last of 29 Kokand rulers.
Ulugnor District, Uzbekistan
Beautiful palace stands tall over the Fergana Valley.
Kyrgyzstan
Lonely minaret stump of a destroyed city.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Looking for a unifying history, Uzbekistan finds its answer in a 14th Century Turco-Mongol conqueror... despite the fact he wasn't Uzbek.
Denisov District, Kazakhstan
An abandoned Soviet-era park that, when viewed from the air, looks like a pentagram.
Aralsk, Kazakhstan
Rusting ships sit in a desert where a sea used to be.
Baikonur, Kazakhstan
Avenue of trees planted by cosmonauts before their space departures.
Astana, Kazakhstan
Iconic pyramid from famed British architect Norman Foster designed to represent all of the world's religious faiths.
Astana, Kazakhstan
A modern tower, symbolizing the legend of a golden egg on top of the tree of life.
Astana, Kazakhstan
An entertainment center in a huge transparent tent.
Chamarel, Mauritius
This small group of sand dunes manages to pack in a strange rainbow of colors.
Seychelles
Over two-thirds of the world's population of giant tortoises live among this coral formation.
Mampikony, Madagascar
Giant disc-shaped gate took 20 men to close off this city in Madagascar.
Morondava, Madagascar
The centuries-old trees lining both sides of this dirt road may become Madagascar's first natural monument.
Sundi, São Tomé and Príncipe
This abandoned plantation was once witness to an eclipse that proved Einstein's theory of relativity.
Menchum, Cameroon
Deadliest lake in the world suffocated over 1,746 people in one night.