Ben Pastore

Having just spent a week on Praslin Island, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit this tiny WHS. Claims that this might have been the original garden of Eden …

Once the religious center of ancient Egypt, the Temple of Karnak was as impressive as they come. And while repeated exposure to ancient sites tends to leave one jaded to …

My visit here was at the age of eight years old. How my mother let my go climbing around those precarious stairs and ledges is beond me. Regardless, even at …

My visit to Morne Trois National Park in 2004 was primarily in the breathtaking Titou Gorge, where we participated in an excursion called the tropical tunnel. This consisted of a …

For an Atlantic island, Bermuda feels much more like the Caribbean, and the related fortifications reflect as much. This small yet lovely island is usually crawling with tourists, but that's …

Situated in serene Tiantan Park south of the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven is a classic Chinese icon, perhaps second only to the Great Wall. While there's much traditional …

Hundreds of years of British history and intrigue wrapped up in a medley of ancient towers, forts and embattlements. Plus, the Queen had a pretty nice jewelery collection. For some …

This gem on the banks of the Danube are a travellers dream. A favorable exchange rate, convenient forms of mass transit, and an overall Eastern European flavor, made Budapest one …

Only the Forbidden City could host so many throngs of tourists and still seem huge. The open areas are truly impressive and the famous landmarks are even better in real …

It may be hard to pronounce, but this storybook setting seemed like a dreamscape when I visited in 1999. This is what Austria is all about, and this scenic region …

Not bad for a salt mining town. I thought it struck a fine balance of modern convenience and Old World charm. Europe as it should be.

The Acropolis is one of the best cityscape vantage points I've ever seen. Looking down on Mars Hill, a.k.a. the Areopagus, I could just image the apostle Paul addressing the …

I visited at a time of relative peace, though security was high and we happened to leave the West Bank the same night as the Israeli army. Regardless, Jerusalem reflects …

Rome isn't the eternal city for nothing. The juxtaposition of imperial remnants and modern technology are classically Italian and only serve to highlight the city's historic value. The Colisseum has …

My visit to Brimstone was no more than 15 minutes, but this imposing fortress took me back in time and I half-expected to see a ship bearing the Jolly Roger …

Most people wouldn't assosciate swamps with valuable real estate, but this park, encompassing almost the entire southern tip of the state of Florida, has an ecological value that goes beyond …

My first impression of the Grand Canyon was a mental struggle to grasp the enormity of it all. Sure, it's essentially a really big hole in the ground, but what …

No matter what a person's view of the United States' government may be, no one can deny the importance the documents and designs that originated in this building have had …

To me, this Bastion at the heart of San Juan is what the Caribbean is all about. Take away the cruise ships and high rises, and what you have is …

Anyone who visits here had better like the color green and I'm not talking about money. It seemed like everything was covered with moss and other green growths, and the …