Places guynthomas Wants to Go

Mongolian Buddhists believe this monastery in the Gobi desert to be the center of the world's spiritual energy.

The oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia has survived centuries of invasions, political shifts, and religious purges.

A huge communist-era propaganda monument and mural that offers stunning views of the Mongolian capital.

Enormous statue of the Emperor of the Mongols.

Stalin's secret bunker.

Each spring, a dreamlike carpet of bluebells overtakes the forest floor.

The birthplace of an eccentric alchemist and possible inspiration for the fictional reanimator of monsters.

The fairy tale castle of the “fairy-tale king,” this was also the inspiration for Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty.”

A mysterious emblem tucked in an small alleyway is actually the coat of arms of a heroic medieval family.

This sprawling concrete suburb of Kraków was designed by the Soviet Union as the model proletarian city.

One of the largest amphitheaters in Europe is a former Nazi German gathering place that still stands today.

Boats must transform into railroad cars to navigate this Polish canal.

Warsaw's fantastically preserved gasworks...almost.

The site of the first battle of World War II.

Communism's topsy-turvy effect on Poland has been brought to life in this wacky tourist trap.

The former Nazi Germany concentration camp stands as a museum to remember this dark chapter in European history.

This uber-quaint Polish village is known for its habit of painting elaborate floral motifs on just about everything.

A fairytale Gothic castle steeped in Nazi treasure conspiracy theories.

This Nazi ruin was the site where Hitler was almost blown up by a suitcase bomb.

An underground city of salt.

The walls and ceiling of this Polish church are decorated with thousands of skulls, with another 21,000 skeletons just below.

A curious art park at the geographic center of Europe is home to 3,000 television sets and other wonders.

An old hill fort covered in over 100,000 crosses is a symbol of Lithuanian nationalism and beliefs.

Abandoned Soviet base once stocked with short and medium range missiles pointed at western Europe.