Solivagant

Member since December 2005

#8 854 328

I am now retired but have been "travelling" for a "hobby" since I was 15 (1957!) whilst pursuing otherwise normal mundane career and "home" things in UK - thus being limited by "annual leave" allowances. During that time I have visited 164 "independent countries" - defined by me as the 193 full UN members plus (somewhat illogically, but they are generally accepted as "sovereign") Taiwan and Holy See (but am not pursuing "193"!). Unfortunately quite a few relatively easily accessible current WHS got "missed" along the way. If only I had known they would get chosen - they are not all obvious choices! Despite the weaknesses in the list and the politics involved in the selection and voting mechanism they provide a quick means of grasping the highlights of many countries and sometimes lead down interesting knowledge and research "avenues" which would otherwise have remain unexplored. 
Proposal for a new WHS:- Roca Agostino Neto Cocoa Plantation Sao Tome.
There are just too many European WHS relative to the rest. Little Sao Tome became the world's greatest producer of cocoa under the Portuguese. So poor were the social conditions that Cadbury boycotted Cocoa from there in early 20C. At Roca Agostinho (and other crumbling colonial sites on Sao Tome) you might just get a feeling for the economic system which created it and "fed" Europe with a raw material so often taken for granted - a really atmospheric place. But it isn't even on the "Tentative list"!

My most impressive site: Machu Picchu. I would like to choose somewhere

My proposal for a new site: See under

Recent Visits
  • 11
    0
    July 28, 2024
    Beijing Central Axis, Funerary and memory sites of the First World War, Gedi , Hegmataneh, …
  • 0
    4
    Jan. 1, 2020
    City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Dunhuang Yardangs, The Lijiang River Scenic Zone …
  • 0
    5
    Jan. 1, 2020
    Ancient cities of Upper Myanmar, Bago, Inle Lake, Shwedagon Pagoda, Wooden Monasteries of Konbaung Period
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About Solivagant

First name
Solivagant
Member since
December 2005
Country of Origin
None
Visits
Rank
#8
WHS
854
Tentative Sites
328
Website Participation
Reviews
442
Ratings

Ratings

World Heritage Sites
855 0
Photos
N/A
Locations
N/A
Zones
N/A

Reviews by Solivagant

Page 19 of 23
Copán by Solivagant

Copán (Inscribed)

Copán

Honduras has its merits as a tourist destination but lacks the appeal of Guatemala with its indigenous peoples, historic sites and scenic variety. However, if you are basing a self …

Leptis Magna by Solivagant

Leptis Magna (Inscribed)

Leptis Magna

What did the Romans ever do for us? Well, there are some beautifully preserved Public Toilets at Leptis Magna (see photo) which show a degree of civilisation unmatched in many …

Itchan Kala by Solivagant

Itchan Kala (Inscribed)

Itchan Kala

The WHS of “Khiva” is more properly titled the “Itchan Kala” (or Ichon Qala or Ichan-kala) which refers specifically to the old walled town of the Khiva Oasis. The town …

Shakhrisyabz by Solivagant

Shakhrisyabz (Inscribed)

Shakhrisyabz

The “standard tour” of Uzbekistan will take you to 3 WHS – Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Unfortunately the direct route (6hrs by bus) from Samarkand to Bukhara misses out the …

Antigua Guatemala by Solivagant

Antigua Guatemala (Inscribed)

Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala is the antidote to Guatemala City. Unless you really need to, don’t even think of staying in the capital! The drive to/from the airport is hardly any longer …

Khami Ruins by Solivagant

Khami Ruins (Inscribed)

Khami Ruins

It is perhaps a bit surprising that both Great Zimbabwe AND Khami ruins are registered as separate WHS. They are however from different, albeit related, cultures. Historically the former preceded …

Victoria Falls by Solivagant

Victoria Falls (Inscribed)

Victoria Falls

It is a bit surprising to discover that, as of May 2005, Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls have still not been reviewed – so I will “put that right”!

One reason possibly …

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by Solivagant

Bwindi Impenetrable National … (Inscribed)

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Those who want to see Gorillas in the wild have relatively few choices. In Central Africa, Gabon is a possibility but, in 2001 after 2 days hard tracking there, we …

Thracian tomb of Kazanlak by Solivagant

Thracian tomb of Kazanlak (Inscribed)

Thracian tomb of Kazanlak

I have mentioned to Els that it might be interesting to produce a list of WHS which one is not actually allowed, as an ordinary member of the public, to …

Echmiatsin and Zvartnots by Solivagant

Echmiatsin and Zvartnots (Inscribed)

Echmiatsin and Zvartnots

Echmiatsin is the “Rome” or “Canterbury” of the Armenian Church being the home of the Katholikos of All Armenians and his cathedral. As such it is clearly an important site. …

Pyramids (Memphis) by Solivagant

Pyramids (Memphis) (Inscribed)

Pyramids (Memphis)

The Pyramids –Then and Now!

The growth in leisure travel over the last half century threatens to overwhelm many of the most famous WHS sites such as the Pyramids. With …

National History Park by Solivagant

National History Park (Inscribed)

National History Park

The Citadelle La Ferriere and Palace of Sans Souci near Cap Haitien are 2 of the most remarkable historical remains in the Americas. Seeing them is worthwhile both in itself …

Ancient Merv by Solivagant

Ancient Merv (Inscribed)

Ancient Merv

Those travellers who have followed the Silk Road will have become used to restored cities – Bokhara, Samarkand and Khiva in Uzbekistan. And very fine they are too. But if …

Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn by Solivagant

Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn (Inscribed)

Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn

The brief desription on the UNESCO site was intriguing

“The protohistoric site of Bat lies near a palm grove in the interior of the Sultanate of Oman. Together with …

Bahla Fort by Solivagant

Bahla Fort (Inscribed)

Bahla Fort

The forts of Oman are undoubtedly one of that country’s “glories”.

At Muscat airport, or at one of the forts themselves, you should try to get hold of a …

Arabian Oryx Sanctuary by Solivagant

Arabian Oryx Sanctuary (Delisted)

Arabian Oryx Sanctuary

Making a proper visit to this WHS is not a practical possibility for the ordinary “passing tourist”

The Birdwatching Guide to Oman (H+J Eriksen) provides excellent detailed maps for …

Mount Athos by Solivagant

Mount Athos (Inscribed)

Mount Athos

If you want to visit Mt Athos have a look at the following site http://abacus.bates.edu/~rallison/friends/

You need a permit and visitors are limited to 100 bona fide pilgrims a day …

Land of Frankincense by Solivagant

Land of Frankincense (Inscribed)

Land of Frankincense

The collective name (The Frankincense Trail) of these sites was only given to them at the suggestion of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) at the time of inscription …

Old Town of Galle by Solivagant

Old Town of Galle (Inscribed)

Old Town of Galle

We have just visited post-Tsunami Galle (Mar 2005). If you are in Sri Lanka you should DEFINITELY try to go there - both because the locals need tourists and because …

Sinharaja Forest by Solivagant

Sinharaja Forest (Inscribed)

Sinharaja Forest

There is a category of WHS which, whilst being “important” in terms of the criteria leading to inscription, doesn’t actually “repay” a great deal to those who go to see …

Page 19 of 23