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

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Persepolis by Solivagant

Persepolis (Inscribed)

Persepolis

One of my lifetime “travel objectives” has been to visit at least 1 archaeological site from every “significant” (Yes I know this is judgemental but you can’t grind too small!) …

Longmen Grottoes by Solivagant

Longmen Grottoes (Inscribed)

Longmen Grottoes

You may discern in the attached photo, taken outside the Longmen Grottoes, that the majority of the people are wearing blue “Mao suits” – this photo was taken on my …

Pantanal by Solivagant

Pantanal (Inscribed)

Pantanal

The Pantonal is an enormous area of flat lands in the basin of the river Paraguay in Western Brazil. Within it areas have been designated as a National Park or …

Mogao Caves by Solivagant

Mogao Caves (Inscribed)

Mogao Caves

When one writes a WHS review there is perhaps a feeling that one needs to emphasise what a great experience the visit was – after all one put a lot …

Chitwan National Park by Solivagant

Chitwan National Park (Inscribed)

Chitwan National Park

The Royal Chitwan Park is situated in the “Terai” - the lowlands south of the Himalaya shared between India, Nepal and Bhutan. Its main up-market hotel/lodge sports the name “Tiger …

Palmyra by Solivagant

Palmyra (Inscribed)

Palmyra

Lonely Planet talks of Syria and Jordan’s “Unflattering media profile” as putting off tourists. I can’t see how that can apply to Jordan but it is certainly the case with …

Masada by Solivagant

Masada (Inscribed)

Masada

Whilst non Jews might not be fully aware of the history surrounding the event for which Masada is most famous they will have come across the word “Zealot”. These were …

Colonia del Sacramento by Solivagant

Colonia del Sacramento (Inscribed)

Colonia del Sacramento

Currently Uruguay possesses but a single WHS : at Colonia Del Sacramento on the banks of the River Plate. In summer 1999 we were journeying from Buenos Aires to Iguassu …

Lake Baikal by Solivagant

Lake Baikal (Inscribed)

Lake Baikal

We chose to visit Siberia in winter (as long ago as March 1989 - no doubt it will be a different world now) in order to experience it as it …

Tyre by Solivagant

Tyre (Inscribed)

Tyre

Tyre is an ancient town whose history is known from around 2700BCE. In particular it was an earlier home of the Phoenicians and it was from there that they set …

Mountain Railways of India by Solivagant

Mountain Railways of India (Inscribed)

Mountain Railways of India

India possesses a number of “Hill Railways” built by the British to aid government officials and others in their escape from the major cities to the nearest Hill Country. It …

Bosra by Solivagant

Bosra (Inscribed)

Bosra

Bosra is a very strange “ruined town”. Its remains are primarily Roman and its star attraction is the well preserved 15000 seat Roman theatre. What is slightly disconcerting when visiting …

Cape Floral Region by Solivagant

Cape Floral Region (Inscribed)

Cape Floral Region

The WHS additions in July 2004 were a mixed lot in my opinion but 1 stood out for me –the “Cape Floral Region Protected Areas”. Alongside the usual litany of …

Thingvellir by Solivagant

Thingvellir (Inscribed)

Thingvellir

A trip out to Thingvellir is an essential part of any trip to Icelend - as well as providing an opportunity to see some Icelandic scenery (albeit a long way …

Los Glaciares by Solivagant

Los Glaciares (Inscribed)

Los Glaciares

Most descriptions of Los Glaciares National Park provide as a “signature picture” the Perito Moreno Glacier on Lago Argentino. The glacier is undoubtedly impressive and must be one of the …

Zabid by Solivagant

Zabid (Inscribed)

Zabid

The main glories of Yemen are to be found in Sanaa and the mountains. On either side of these however are 2 other sights – to the east the desert …

Lima by Solivagant

Lima (Inscribed)

Lima

Is there no one out there prepared to write a (positive?) review of the “Historic Centre of Lima”? Lima has a poor reputation among tourists – I have not even …

Choirokoitia by Solivagant

Choirokoitia (Inscribed)

Choirokoitia

No doubt someone will prove me wrong but most Neolithic WHS sites tend to be “Megalithic” (ie related to the placement of large stones for burial, ceremonial or “cultural” purposes …

Sana'a by Solivagant

Sana'a (Inscribed)

Sana'a

San’a is a city to wander round without a map and without any particular objectives other than soaking up the atmosphere. “Dive in” at the Bab Al-Yaman and just see …

Gelati Monastery by Solivagant

Gelati Monastery (Inscribed)

Gelati Monastery

The “double headed” WHS of “Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery” consists of a ruined (in 1691 by the Turks) Cathedral of the 10th to 11th centuries in the town of …

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