World Heritage: Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.
UNESCO World Heritage sites are places as unique and diverse as the Pyramids of Egypt, the Yellow Stone National Park in U.S.A and Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located.
This section lists my visits to some of our world’s natural and man-made wonders, now protected under UNESCO, preserved and care for generations to come. Please click on any photo to learn more about that place.
The Belfry of Ghent, belongs to the set of Belfries of Belgium and France, a group of 56 historical buildings, designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Ghent, Belgium. (2005 – Jul)
The Belfry of Bruges, belongs to the set of Belfries of Belgium and France, a group of 56 historical buildings, designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Bruges, Belgium. (2005 – Jul)
The historic town center of Lima, Peru. (2006 – Apr)
Chan Chan, the largest city of the pre-Columbian era in South America and the largest adobe (mud brick) city in the world. Located near Trujillo, Peru. (2006 – Apr)
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, and the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.
The section below lists Intangible Cultural Heritages I witnessed and experienced during my travels around the world. Please click on any photo to learn more about it.
Kok Boru, Traditional Horse game, where each team needs to pick up a goat or a sheep and drop it on the opposite side, Kyrgyzstan (2019 – Aug)
Craftsmanship, traditional knowledge and skills in making and wearing Kyrgyz men’s headwear, Ak-kalpak. Bokonbaevo, Kyrgyzstan. (2019 – Aug)
Ala-kiyiz and Shyrdak, art of making Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets. Bokonbaevo, Kyrgyzstan. (2019 – Aug)
Kimjang, making and sharing Kimchi in the Republic of Korea, South Korea (2014 – May)
Yarpaq Dolmasi (Dolma), Azerbaijan’s national dish making and sharing tradition. Azerbaijan. (2018 – Jun)
Oxherding and oxcart traditions of Costa Rica. (2012 – May)
The batana, Rovinj’s traditional wooden fishing boat with flat bottom, that enables navigation and fishing in shallow water. Rovinj, Croatia. (2018 – Oct)
Licitars, colorfully decorated Gingerbread biscuits made of sweet honey dough are part of Croatia’s cultural heritage and traditional symbol of Zagreb, Croatia. (2018 – Oct)
Bachata Music and dance is omnipresent in Dominican community celebrations and social gatherings. Dominican Republic (2005 – Sep)
Vegetarian sandwich on Ftira, Maltese flattened sourdough bread. Gozo, Malta (2018 – Oct)
Mariachi, a traditional Mexican music. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (2011 – Dec)
Palov, a traditional dish made and shared throughout rural and urban communities of Uzbekistan. Bukhara, Uzbekistan. (2019 – Sep)
Fado, A sculpture of the Portuguese guitar at Rua do Capelão, Bairro da Mouraria, the birthplace of Fado. Lisbon, Portugal (2015 – Apr)
The beer culture of Belgium. (2005) The country has more than 200 breweries and more than 2,500 varieties of beer.
Tango, a dance that was developed by the urban lower classes in Buenos Aires and Montevideo in the Rio de la Plata basin. The tango was frequently practiced in the brothels and bars of ports, where business owners employed bands to entertain their patrons with music. 2009 – Aug – Buenos Aires. Argentina.
UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments. MAB Biosphere Reserves are areas of terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. Biosphere reserves harmonize conservation of biological and cultural diversity, and economic and social development, through partnerships between people and nature.
The section below lists Biosphere reserves I visited during my travels around the world. Please click on any photo to learn more about it.
Almaty Biosphere Reserve, located on the Zailiysky Alatau ridge, on the watershed of several river basins featuring a number of lakes, including Big Almaty Lake, Kazakhstan. (Jul, 2019)
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Please come back.. More wonders of world will be coming soon.. I have visited more than 100 UNESCO World Heritage sites. This website will be continuously under construction. 🙂
In May 2017, 23 days before I was going to complete 50 years, grabbed an opportunity and took an early retirement.. Picked up a backpack and traveling ever since.. Love to travel around the world, experience different culture, local cuisine & drinks .. and take pictures.. so far been to 108 countries and still counting...
Window on the World 