Native American people have occupied the Carrizo Plain for at least the last 10,000 years. The Carrizo Plain National Monument lies primarily within the historical territory of the Chumash people. This 50-mile stretch of protected land includes the Temblor and Caliente Mountain Ranges and Soda Lake, the largest natural alkali lake in the state. This lake is a unique sight, whether it’s full of water and frolicking birds, or dried out with dust devils spinning across it. All of this natural beauty and diverse wildlife sits in California’s Central Valley, better known for industrial agriculture than for wildflowers. This location may help explain why, as the Bureau of Land Management puts it, the “Carrizo Plain National Monument is one of the best kept secrets” in the state.

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Formally known as the House-Monument of the Bulgarian Communist Party, the monument at Buzludzha is like something out of a 1950s sci-fi movie. The saucer-shaped monument rises to a height of 107m, and was designed by the architect Georgi Stoilov. More than 60 Bulgarian artists collaborated on the design of murals for the site, and thousands of ‘volunteers’ were involved in the construction process, which took almost seven years to complete. In the 15 meter-high main hall of the memorial a 500 sq.m. fresco present portraits of Marx, Engels, Lenin and the Bulgarian communist leader Todor Zhivkov. The dome of the structure was covered with thirty tones of cooper. Two 12m stars of ruby glass was built-in on the top of the 70m high pylon of the monument that symbolizes a waving communist flag. The Soviet star which adorns the tower of Buzludzha was three times larger than that at the Kremlin. Built by the Bulgarian Communist regime in 1981, the 14,186,000 leva (£5.3million) Buzludzha Monument eventually became the headquarters for the Party. After the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, the building fell into a state disrepair and the Bulgarian government has neither the funds to renovate or destroy the structure. It sits atop a 1441 metre peak in the Balkan mountains, surrounded by open space, hilly terrain and miles and miles of nothingness. Now the monument lies abandoned and ruined, its doors closed to the public.

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Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is located on the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona. It includes the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. The Monument borders Kaibab National Forest to the west and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to the east. The 3,000-foot escarpment of the Vermilion Cliffs reveals seven major geologic formations in layer-cake fashion. This remote, unspoiled 294,000-acre national monument is a geologic treasure of towering cliffs, deep canyons, and spectacular sandstone formations.

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Martinique is one of the most unique destinations in the Caribbean thanks to its French Creole history. The best time to visit Martinique is either May or June, but there is a chance of hurricanes in summer. Capital city is safe and friendly. On one side of Martinique rests the Caribbean Sea, on the other the Atlantic Ocean. Shores offer you sand that is soft and white. Francophiles adore the French island for its gastromony, its music and élan, and the availability of the finest French products.

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The Great Wall of China is also known as the wanli changcheng or Long Wall. It is China’s biggest and most popular tourist attraction. It was built from the 3rd century B.C.E to the 17th century AD, in order to prevent the Mongols from entering and invading China. That the Great Wall is a single and continuous wall built as discontinuous segments by various dynasties. It is located in North China and with its length of 3,890 miles (6,260km) is the longest manmade structure in the world. The most visited section is Badaling, over 70 kilometres (43 miles) north of Beijing with 100 million visitors.

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Devils Tower was the first declared United States National Monument, established on September 24, 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. A National Monument is a protected area that is quickly declared by the President of the United States without the approval of Congress. Devils Tower sits across the state line in northeast Wyoming. It is 867 feet from its base to the summit. It stands 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River and is 5,112 feet above sea level. It was formed by the intrusion of igneous material. Devils Tower National Monument is open year-round 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Admission is $10 per vehicle and $5 for bicycles and pedestrians for a seven day pass.

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The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India (204 Km from Delhi ). Agra airport is 7 km from the city center and 3 km from Eidgah bus stand. Major airlines operate daily tourist shuttle flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Banglore. Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is widely recognized as \”the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage. Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Turkish and Indian architectural styles. Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble. The Taj stands on a raised, square platform (186 x 186 feet) with its four corners truncated, forming an unequal octagon. Its central dome is fifty-eight feet in diameter and rises to a height of 213 feet. It is flanked by four subsidiary domed chambers. The four graceful, slender minarets are 162.5 feet each.

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Redefining the term rogue state through its isolationism, controversial nuclear weapons programme and missile testing, North Korea is probably the most mysterious country in the world today and one almost entirely untouched by tourism. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea. The Amnok River and the Tumen River form the border between North Korea and the People\’s Republic of China. A section of the Tumen River in the far northeast is the border with Russia. More than 23 millions inhabitants live in this country. In comparisson, North Korea is slightly smaller than England and around 2000 square kilometers larger than South Korea. Special thank you for unique photos to John Pavelka.

Panorama Hall of the Operation for the Liberation of Taejon (Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum)

Skyline from the Monument to Victorious Fatherland Liberation War

Ryugyong Hotel

Arch of Triumph

Monument to the Foundation of the Worker’s Party

Entrance to Kim Il Sung Stadium

Pyongyang Traffic Girl

Puhung Station (Pyongyang Metro)

Yonggwang Station (Pyongyang Metro)

Mansudae Grand Monument

Mansudae Grand Monument

Bronze Sculpture at Monument to Victorious Fatherland Liberation War

Defending the Skies of the Homeland   (Monument to the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War)

Monument to the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War

Three Charters for National Reunification Monument

Kim Il Sung Statue (Kaesong)

Kumsusan Memorial Palace

9-Story Quadrangular Pagoda (Pohyon Temple Mt. Myohyang Region)

Stone Memorial (Pakyon Falls Kaesong Region)

credit: John Pavelka

This obelisk is a memorial to George Washington, the first president of the United States. It was built in DC in 1884. It is the world\’s tallest stone structure without steel beams and the world’s tallest obelisk. The monument is made of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss. It is 555 feet 5,5 inches (169.294 m) tall structure.

The city castle of Kremnica consists of a complex of 13th -15th century objects, protected with a double line of fortifications. The oldest object is a 13th century carner, its fortifications were built in the 14th century. The dominant structure in the middle of the castle is the originally Gothic church of St. Catherine. The castle is a national cultural monument. The fame of town Kremnica in the past stemmed in gold mining. It also was the reason why Kremnica was called the “golden town”.