TRAVEL TALES

Before anything else, I have to know where I’ve been so far.
visited 13 states (5.77%)
Create your own visited map of The World or Like this? try: Ant ArenaNow, here is the map of my top 15 destinations.

Create your own visited map of The World

———————

Church of the Saviour on the Blood at Night, St. Petersburg, Russia Deutsch: Auferstehungskirche in St.Petersburg, Rußland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1.  ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - It’s on top of my list because of my favorite author, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s, writings.  His works portrayed a haunting and melancholic but inspirational and artistic St. Petersburg.  I want to delve into that feeling.

———————

Ortaköy Mosque, along the Bosphorus, in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2.  ISTANBUL, TURKEY - I want to indulge into history and see for myself the grandiose of former Constantinople.  Istanbul could be a great showcase of how east meets west and I would love to be in this interesting crossroad.

———————

Taj Mahal, Agra, India.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3.  AGRA, INDIA – because I’m a sucker for love and the world’s greatest man-made symbol of love would surely send me to the clouds. DONE!

———————

Kinkakuji (ito) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4. KYOTO, JAPAN - heavily influenced by the dreamy books I’ve read about Japan, thanks to Clavell and Mishima, it was a dream destination since I can’t remember when. Thanks to a graduate scholarship, I stayed in this beautiful country of sakura, geishas, samurais and castles for almost 2 years. DONE!

———————

5. THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA - Whenever I travel, I always want to have the realization that I am too minute and my problems are too impertinent compared to the magnitude of the earth.  I rely on the Great Wall to prove such humbling greatness.

———————

English: The Chocolate Hills in Bohol Province, Philippines. Français : Les Chocolate Hills, dans la province de Bohol (Philippines). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

6.  BOHOL, PHILIPPINES- I’ve seen the endless stretch of Chocolate Hills from my textbooks when I was young and wanted to see this amazing land formation since then. The warm people, beautiful beaches and historical churches are few of the reasons why Bohol is the best choice if one wants less crowded and commercialized destinations. DONE!

———————

Landscapes of Tibet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

7.  TIBET - I was 13 when I watched the movie, 7 years in Tibet, and since then I promised to myself that I will go to this land and try to forge an inter-cultural friendship (similar to how Harrer and the Dalai Lama cultivated a strong bond of friendship and loyalty) with its people and spectacular sceneries.  It is of great paradox that this beautiful land is being scarred by conflict and I dare myself to be involved.

———————

Tashichho Dzong, Thimphu, Bhutan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

8.  BHUTAN, NEPAL & THE HIMALAYAS - I dream of Bhutan where happiness is the soul of human existence. Aside from the tourist-drawn Himalayas, there’s an unexplainable mysticism and enchantment in Nepal that entices me to explore it.  Despite its landlocked geography and propinquity to border conflicts (plus the fact that the Tenzing-Hillary airport at Lukla as one of the world’s top 10 most dangerous airports is named as the Runway of Death), it exudes a sense of indifference–a craft that I am a master of.

———————

Angkor Wat at sunrise (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

9. ANGKOR WAT, CAMBODIA - I started dreaming of seeing Angkor Wat in 2008 because of a beautiful painting in one of my university’s lounges. I went there on the same year. (CHECK!)

———————

Evening over Damascus / Syria (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

10.  DAMASCUS, SYRIA - recently allures me to see the historical remains of this once-great city.

———————

Early morning in wonderful Machu Picchu (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

11. MACHU PICCHU, PERU - I see this ancient estate of the Incan civilization as an Atlantis above sea-level.  I’m seriously willing to be exiled and realize my frustration of being an archaeologist in this heavenly paradise.

———————

Photo credit: http://www.itastours.com

12. GREECE – Art and architecture, history, mythology, wars, philosophy–all the intangible and material wonders of the ancient world are cramped in this coastal  country and I’m willing to be packed in this only European destination in my list.

———————

All Giza Pyramids in one shot. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

13. THE PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT – Until now, how the pyramids were built remain an uncracked mystery.  Whether slaves, mammoths, outerspace technology, or plain mathematical ingenuity, I need not search for its magnificence is enough to make me dumbfounded.

———————

Basco Lighthouse, Batanes, Philippines (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

14. BATANES, PHILIPPINES - is the perfect place to escape from the complex and bustling city life to a secluded island boasting of panoramic views comparable to the backdrops of the Lord of the Rings movie.  Known for its warm people, simple life and breathtaking views, I’ll definitely do a soul-searching trip in this island.

———————

Bagan, Burma (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

15. BAGAN, MYANMAR - I dream of Bagan, where religious gems spread out as far as the eye can see.