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Just been to the Ilocos region to see Paoay and the Sta. Maria churches. I have visited San Agustin church in Intramuros likewise. Seeing these churches felt like I was thrown back in time.

The Paoay church surely made an impression on me. Perhaps it's because one can see the whole structure without any distractions around it and also it is very imposing, really. I loved it.

What I like in the San Agustin church in Intramuros is its grandiosity, that trompe l'oeil ceiling.

The Sta. Maria church impressed me with its location the most though.

I think something should be done for Paoay church. Its kind of falling into neglect.

Trowulan is a well known as the site of a ruins of Majapahit kingdom. Most of them are restored and their garden are beautifully maintain, from gateway "Gapura Wringin Lawang", and a number of monumental bricks temples : Bajang Ratu (The Quin temple),Berahu temple (considered as king Brawijaya tomb),Candi Tikus (The bathing place temple), and some which are not reconstructed ; Menak Jinggo and Bhre Kahuripan temple, Kedaton Siti hinggil, Gentong and several excavation site around Trowulan. Its museum from collection of H. Maclaine PONT, who also made a reconstruction drawing of the old city with its old water reservoir and distributions.

São Francisco Square is located in São Cristóvão, a small town close to the capital of the State of Sergipe - Aracaju. It is rather an ordinary square, like so many others in Northeastern Brazil, with a simple church and a religious museum on its side. What UNESCO suggested to be extraordinary is that the square was designed in 1590 according to Spanish Ordinations, something unique in Brazil and it was to the fact that, at that time, the Portuguese and the Spanish Crowns were united under Philip II. There's a couple of other 17-Century churches nearby and a humble museum of the State of Sergipe - São Cristóvão was its first capital, and nothing more. It is difficult to understand why UNESCO chose this city to have the same status of Olinda, Salvador or Ouro Preto, majestic colonial cities. If you really want to collect this WHS, Aracaju is well served with internal flights and, by land, is not far away from Salvador.

Whilst I was visiting the cave of Tito Bustillo in Ribadesella I took the opportunity to have a bit of a hike to see this potential World Heritage site. There are two Ichnite sites near to Ribadesella, one at then of the towns charming beach and another a few km's away up and over the cliff at Terenes. I visited both on a lovely September afternoon.

Now seems like the best time to admit; I have absolutely no idea if I have seen these footprints or not. There were signs pointing out where they were supposed to be, but like Els I couldn't really see anything that didn't look like standard eroded rocks. As such the attached picture may or may not be of some Dinosaur footprints. I did have one brief moment of excitement where I thought I had finally spotted them, but actually I think these were just mildly dinosaurian looking

However this was far from a wasted trip, I really enjoyed the climbs up and down the local cliffs and clambering all over the rocks on the shore. The surrounding landscape was very impressive, and I also managed to catch local hero Fernando Alonso winning a grand prix in a delightful bar at the top of the cliff at Terenes.

I am not sure if these sites will be added in their present format, and I have no real knowledge of Dinosaur Ichnite to say whether they are worthwhile or not. However as a casual observer I …

Just observing the Careenage, and the Parliament Building should have drwn your attention to an island that has no interests,and is only 166sq.miles. Then, the Garrison says why Barbados should be on the UNESCO's World Heritage List.That wooden house that was shown shows the fortitude of Barbadians,especially the slaves that were there for hundreds of years before emancipation.

Hi All,

My name is David Hlatky, I have dual citizenship (Ecuadorian and Australian); I grew up in Ecuador and lived there until I was 24 years old. When I turned 24 I finished my Uni degree and travelled to Australia to further my studies and eventually finished my master's degree in Environmental Management.

I have (sporadically - some time ago now) been in contact with Craig Downer from the Tapir Foundation and Mark Hockings from the United Nations.

I wanted to emphasise the fact that the national park is being exploited by increasing human settlements all along the Guamote - Macas Road. The national park is shrinking all along the road and settlements are going deeper and deeper inside the National Park. If no action is taken is only a matter of years before we lose critical habitats and species within the park.

I hope this letter is added to a number of claims already made from interested parties; I hope this claim does not fall into deaf ears.

Regards

David Hlatky

My husband and I are, at present, staying in the Yuso hostelerie. We have done the tour and visited Suso this morning. We walked back through the woods glimpsing deer on the way.

It is Sunday. Staying in a monastery we looked forward to daily Mass and special celebration today but no............. we will have to go to the chapel in the village since no mass is said in church - at least not for visitors. What a terrible waste of resources.Such atmosphere, such history and the centre of it all ignored!

I went there with my son in July 2011, and if I read the elder reviews a lot has changed. I came with my own car and the road was, although not paved, reasonably good. It was a very hot day, we left very early in the morning from Tunis, but of course you are never early enough when the summer-sun is burning in Egypt. You do not need any police-permission anymore (anyway there is hardly police in Egypt after the revolution), you just buy a ticket before wadi el Rayyan. The first part of the road is passing sand-dunes and the lakes, beautiful!! The second part white sand, mostly flat, the white is burning in your eyes. There was only one person at Wadi Hitan, showing us where to start the 3 km long walk. We were very happy to walk on what was 40 million years ago the bottom of the ocean. Everywhere you see little or bigger sand-hills (over 6000), covering the fossile rests of all kinds of ocean-habitants. Fantastic. We were there all alone, if we were bad people we could have taken fossile vertebra's or ribs... (of course we are not). We loved the landscape so much! We were wondering who is taking the sand away after a sand-storm... We finished our walk at 10.00 h and that was just in time! I am advising you to go as early as possible in summer.

The complete title of the UNESCO application is “Schwetzingen, a Prince Elector's Summer Residence – garden design and Freemasonic allusions”. The garden was designed in the second half of the 18th Century in two parts: a French baroque garden and an English landscape garden. A high number of the original structures and elements are preserved. Beside the main palace, there are several outbuildings, a theatre in rococo style, an orangery, a mosque (photo), small temples, fountains and sculptures. The garden is very nice indeed and is worth a visit. I was there on a sunny day in August 2009 and spent the whole afternoon walking through the garden. However, there are already many similar sites on the WH list. Thus, I think it is unlikely that it will be inscribed in 2012.

Schwetzingen is very close to the WHS Speyer cathedral (20 km), Abbey Lorsch (35 km) and Maulbronn monastery (60 km).

The Bayreuth Opera House will be nominated for incription to the WHL in 2012. The Opera House is considered a unique example of a baroque theatre. It was built between 1744 and 1748 during the governance of Margravine Wilhelmine, an older sister of Frederick the Great from Prussia. When I entered the hall I was overwhelmed by the ornate wooden interior, the steeply rising boxes and the ceiling painting. The interior was smaller than I had expected, but at that time opera performances were only for the Margrave and his guests, not for the public. I visited the Opera House on a weekday in March 2011 and was the only participant in the guided tour. Mostly this can be boring, but not in this case. The guide was highly qualified and he talked not only about the history of the building and the life of Margravine Wilhelmine, but also in detail about the upcoming restoration. On one part of the wall the restoration was tested and one can imagine how bright the interior will be when it is finished. I had also the opportunity to visit the upper boxes, which is not possible with a larger group. The renovation will begin in September 2012 and last for several years. Thus, it could be that the Opera House will be inscribed in the WHL (and I hope they make it), but will be closed for a few years. In any case, I will come back after the renovation and can hopefully …

Very poorly signposted and when we eventually found it all that was there were remains of excavations in a cleared site, no-one about. Probably v important site, obviously hearts of knapped flints everywhere. One to tick off if you are collecting sites, we were passing nearby to see the canal lifts too, and Tournai (also disappointed due to rebuilding until 2016!) 9th July 2011

I have visited the San Salvatore-Santa Giulia museum complex and Brescia. Although the highlights of the complex are the Winged Victory and the richly decorated Santa Maria in Solario containing the crucifix of the Lombard king Desiderius, I think the museum's most significant contribution is the extent to which it documents the history of Brescia. From prehistory to today, the museum is packed with artifacts, both fascinating and mundane, tracing the development of the city through the ages. Outside of the museum, one can also explore remains of civilizations from the Romans and beyond through open-air excavations. This summer, I will also visit Cividale, Castelsprio, and Monte Sant'Angelo, so I will update when I get the chance.

I suspect that this list will most likely be expanded in later years. Namely, Pavia would probably be added for being the Lombard capital and for a few surviving churches from the era. Also, Monza will probably be added as well for housing the Lombard crown.

last month i have been to Majuli with my family before visit i was not aware about this island and when my father told me about this island i was very excited to see this island cause i have been to islands of sea but not of a River.

so i went there and found that island absolutely awsome.

i felt that i came to 50 years back of earth's life

everything near by so green so healthy nearby we can see river and greenry around and best part waking up in the morning actually i felt there 4:15 and sun is there in front of us.

I have been to different satras of the Island i met the family who preparaes mukhote and they also perform during ocassions.

the lifestyle of people there is just so simple and so sweet.

we stayed at assam tourism resort which was built in Majuli style which was one of the beautiful architecture and also our cook in resort he was thye best one cause whateverwe ordered he prepared and that was tasting like we are at some high class restraunt and the way they served the food was so lovely as there was a small problem of electricity which is completely acceptable so me and my family we had candle light dinner.

what else to say about to be in Majuli we stayed there only arnd 24 hours but we wanted to stay for more but as we were lacking with time …

Bergamo is a beautiful town, with the centro burried deep inside the citta alta, concealed by layers upon layers of seemingly deserted streets. When you first enter the wall (which was not as straightforward as I thought it was going to be) you will be met by empty and quiet alleys that wind in and out of corners senselessly. But then the corner turns towards the old square, and the city reveals its beauty and streets upon streets of candy shops, butcher shops, fruit and veg sellers, etc. It's like finding a Shangri-la.

However, UNESCO? Italy is pretty good at twisting its descriptions around to make its ancient cities seem like eternal and forever-important centers of culture. But even though Bergamo is heartbreakingly beautiful, I question the state party's claim to its significance (especially alongside its neighbor, Milan)

I love Cesky Krumlov and not only because I was born in this beautiful gem of a town. The enchanting cobbled streets and magnificent castle invoke feelings like one was in a fairly tale, but it is the history of the town that brings it all together.

Truth to be told, I trully started appreciating the beauty of the town, once I moved to England. Having lived ten years abroad and travelling whenever possible, my point of reference became much broader and it is only now I see Cesky Krumlov for what it really is.

If visiting in the summer, try to get tickets for a play in the 'rotating open air theatre' in the castle gardens. Performances are in Czech, but most stories are well known and you will be able to follow even without understanding the words.

Enjoy!

In Nov 2010 we visited Cape Coast and Elmina castles (just 15 kms apart) and climbed up to, but didn’t enter, Fort St Jago which is also at Elmina. These are the most popular cultural tourist sites in the country and a tourist visit to Ghana without seeing at least one of them is unthinkable.

Both castles are impressive buildings and are wonderfully situated right on a coastline of fine beaches next to fishing harbours and markets which extend right up to the castle walls (my photo is of Cape Coast Castle). Their colourful activity is an interesting part of a visit. The blue of the sea, the gold of the sands, the greens of the palm trees, the white of the castles and the multi-coloured boats will lead you to use up a fair chunk of your digital photo card!

The buildings are of course indelibly associated with the Atlantic slave trade and, for many people that will be the main focus of a visit. The dungeons are certainly impressive in their size and, if you are so inspired, a stimulant for introspection on the events which happened there.

Beyond them however the buildings are really rather attractive and belie that aspect of their history – both were restored in the 1990s. In the centre of Elmina is a Portuguese chapel dating back to 1482. It was later used as an auction hall for slaves but is now a little museum covering a wide range of …

Being interested in medieval history and all things Italian, I was really looking forward to seeing this site inscribed. Sites from late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages are rather underrepresented on the list, and this seems to fill the gap at least a bit. When I looked at the individual sites, I was slightly surprised to find a site that I had been to a few years ago - the Sanctuary of San Michele in Monte Sant'Angelo, in the southeastern region of Puglia. Dedicated to the Archangel Michel, this is one of Italy's most important shrines and pilgrimage sites. I knew about the connection of this place to the Normans, but I was unaware of any Longobard influence here. Well, there isn't such a big one really, it's just that one Longobard king (Rothari) was buried there. I'm not sure this is enough to include it in a Longobard-themed WHS, but I probably missed his burial chapel when I was there (reason enough to return one day...). The other sites seem to be worth a visit as well, although I'm surprised that Pavia, capital of the Longobards, is not included (it is a separate site still on Italy's T list).

Like the other reviewers here, I'm not too enthusiastic about this site. The bus ride from Amsterdam Central Station (buses leave on the north side, near the ferry terminal) takes 45 minutes, and then it takes you another 20 or so minutes to see everything in the tiny village of Middenbeemster. I don't really understand how this place could be a WHS, except for the not very specific reason of being a typical Dutch landscape having to do with water management. On a positive note, the landscape there is rather idyllic, a world away from the urban jungle of the Randstad and with a surprising number of animals both tame (horses, cows, sheep,...) and wild (swans, herons and many other kinds of waterfowl). The info centre is reasonably well-stocked with maps and folders, and the helpful lady there could answer all and any questions. The major monument in the village is the large church, which I didn't go inside since it was a Sunday morning and there was a Mass going on. Generally, I doubt Beemster's WH value, but it was still a nice trip into a rural part of the Netherlands that most people miss. Several forts of the Stelling van Amsterdam are close by, but they are only practical to visit if you have a car or bike.

This is a pretty interesting and unique site, but one that is a bit challenging to visit. It consists of over 30 separate sites within a 15 to 20-km radius around Amsterdam, all in various states of repair, with many not accessible to the public. The highlight is the small (artificial) island of Pampus in the IJsselmeer, which can be reached by ferry from Muiden. The military and civilian installations there are still very impressive and give a good idea of what life was like for the soldiers stationed there (it was only fully staffed during WW I). The guided tours seem to be in Dutch only, but you can get a map and walk around on your own. The pretty port city of Muiden has a nice maritime atmosphere and features, besides the interesting Muiden Castle, another part of the WHS - the Muizenfort, which includes some well-preserved trenches. The West Battery is directly opposite the castle and can be seen from the ferry (it would be a very long walk there). In the nearby town of Weesp (where the buses to Muiden leave), I went to see the Fort aan de Ossenmarkt, which looks quite impressive and well-preserved from the outside, but can't be visited. These sites are all southeast of Amsterdam and seem to be the ones that can be visited most easily. After my visit to Beemster (north of A'dam), I went to the nearby town of Edam, which is most famous for its cheese-making tradition. …

We visited the Ashanti Shrine at Besease in Nov 2010. Our research (the Nomination File, the Web and the Bradt Guide) indicated that it was the easiest and best of the 10 (or 13?) shrines to visit from Kumasi and I have no reason to doubt this judgement. We traveled by coach from Accra to Kumasi and, as we were very short of time, arranged to be dropped off at the village of Ejisu on the main road about 20kms short of Kumasi. The shrine is signed from the main road road and is set back around 200 yards to the left facing Kumasi.

The old man who is "guardian" (the same guy as in Els's review and photo) and can open up isn't there all the time and will probably have to be fetched from the village somewhere but locals in shops/stalls nearby the shrine seem to know where to get him. We were warned that he might be "some (African??) time" but in our case they found him in around 10 minutes. He expects a tip on top of the entrance of course so he has good reason to come!

An hour is enough to see the shrine and have the old man "doing" his grass skirt show (said skirt is hanging ready on one of the walls!). As Els says, the old guy doesn't speak English but a local school-boy teamed up with us to explain the libation ceremonies etc which were not really covered …