UNESCO, my not so secret obsession.

Hello folks. As we bid a fond farewell to Europe, not withstanding the European section of Istanbul, I look back at the truly awesome sights and experiences we have seen with a certain reverance and look forward to more of the same. Well, there is an international body that also thinks some of the places we visited are most definately noteworthy. There is nothing better, for me, than to have our choices validated. Of the twelve countries and one city-state we have visited so far, we have visited a UNESCO world heritage site in all but one. Sometimes our visit is planned (i.e. me, "oooooh we should go here, it's a UNESCO site!"), sometimes they are suggested and sometimes we just end up there by chance. Regardless of why we go, to date we have checked off 23 world heritage sites with more to come.

Without any further ado, in order of appearance we have seen:

*USA
1) The statue of liberty
*UK
2) Tower of London
3) New & old town Edinburg
4) Giants causeway


*Ireland (Republic of)
5) Bend in the Boyne
*Germany
6) Palace and parks of Potsdam


*Netherlands
7) Rietveld/Schroderhuis, Utrecht


*France
8) Banks of the river Seine, Paris
9) Palace and parks of Fountain Bleau
10) Jurisdiction of St. Emilion


*Spain
11) The works of Antoni Gaudi
*Vatican city
12) St. Peter's Bacilica & the Sistine chapel
*Italy
13) Ancient Rome
14) Ancient Naples
15) Pompeii & Herculaneum archeological areas
*Croatia
16) Old town Dubrovnik
17) Diocletian palace & old town Split
18) Plitvice lakes national park
19) Old town Trogir
*Hungary
20) City center/historic Budapest


*Greece
21) Acropolis, Athens
22) Ancient Delphi


23) Old town Rhodes

Wheew! (Sorry Switzerland we could not get to any of your world heritage sites.)

Some spots were more impressive than others but all in all the sites held their own with the exception of Naples (read my post on how much we "liked" Naples).

We even have a few more sites on the agenda! In Turkey we are going to Pamukkale and the UNESCO sites in Istanbul. We also don't intend to miss Ankor in Cambodia, and Machu Picchu in Peru. I know I'm forgetting some and we are sure to stumble upon more still. I for one can't wait!!!

To see the list in it's entirety the post title is a link to the UNESCO website. You have probably been to a few yourself. Let us know where, maybe we will add them to our "must see list". Or maybe we will be jealous because it will be impossible for us to go there (Boo-hoo hoo, poor us only 23 and counting world heritage sites). No really, I am interested. Recommend, comment, brag...where have you been.

My next post will be on another more secret obsession I am tracking. Hopefully "thunder stealer" won't spill the beans ;-) Jason