Places Edited by Dylan Thuras

Superfans of The Shawshank Redemption can take a driving tour of most of the films real locations.

This unique Lady Liberty is one of the only examples of the figure sitting down.

An artistic tribute to the famous singer, just around the corner from where he was born.

The tiny Belgian town's ancient version of Mardi Gras involves eerie wax masks, sticks for warding off evil, and ostrich plume hats.

This traditional festival celebrates a family of wooden giants that have survived Nazis, wars, and religion.

Festival of Perpetual Life and Rebirth.

This historic address is home to the beloved ball and is an almost totally empty building among the most expensive real estate in the world.

Both church and state get put to the torch in this annual festival in the "Bonfire Capital of the World."

Annual convention held by the largest pyrotechnic community in the world.

Earth's tallest volcano is sacred to Native Hawaiians, and home to a dozen world-class observatories.

An ordinary pond with fish from out of this world.

Skulls from the plague of 1656 and World War II bombings are united by a cult dedicated to caring for the ancient dead.

On Japan's Tashirojima Island, cats are king.

A Japanese shrine to dolls.

The world's largest model of our planetary system.

A magical place that lets you play in and explore the world of Studio Ghibli.

The largest hewn stone in history.

One of the world's southernmost bars.

The world's highest and most dangerous infinity pool lies at the precipice of Victoria Falls.

A French-Colonial era collection of taxidermy and wet specimens, secreted away in the National University of Hanoi.

Packed to the ceiling with antique taxidermy and hunting arms.

A city built from mud and known as the "Manhattan of the desert."

The closest thing to Mars on Earth.

The world's largest neutrino telescope searches for secrets of the universe at the South Pole.