michaelsballard's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Places visited in Chattanooga, Tennessee
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Places added to Caribbean Netherlands
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Places visited in Togo
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Places visited in Benin
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Places edited in Antigua, Guatemala
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Places visited in Antigua and Barbuda
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Places visited in Somalia
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Places added to Oman
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Places visited in Caribbean Netherlands
Shanghai, China

Oriental Pearl Tower

The once highest point in China blends symbolic design with a kick of adrenaline.
Added by Mordy
Zhangjiajie, China

Bailong Elevator

The world’s tallest outdoor lift stretches along the stone pillars that inspired the floating mountains in the movie “Avatar.”
Tony Dunnell Added by Tony Dunnell
Xuzhou, China

Western Han Dynasty Terracotta Warriors Museum

These tiny statues form a terracotta army from China's Han dynasty.
Added by ssmccall
Zhangjiajie, China

Tianmen Skywalk

For those with no fear of heights: a skywalk 4,700 feet up on a Chinese mountain.
Added by Mordy
Zhangjiajie, China

Tianmen Shan

A total of 999 stairs lead visitors through a massive hole in a mountain known as the Gateway to Heaven.
atimian Added by atimian
Zhangjiajie, China

Avatar Hallelujah Mountain

This vertical pinnacle in China was the inspiration for the floating mountains in the movie “Avatar.”
lewblank Added by lewblank
Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Chorsu Bazaar

Prowl through this sprawling bazaar under a massive Soviet-era dome for delicious eats.
Added by soloobscuro
Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Dushanbe Flagpole

The world's second-tallest flagpole stands proud despite dropping rank.
Rachel Added by Rachel
Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi's Train Street

Twice a day a speeding train passes only inches from the homes of this residential neighborhood.
AbiInman Added by AbiInman
Dissani, Togo

Koutammakou

The unique building practices of the Batammariba reflect the community's deep reverence for and connection to the earth.
Michelle Cassidy Added by Michelle Cassidy
Lome, Togo

Akodessewa Fetish Market

The Voodoo Superstore of the world.
Shannon Ohaire Added by Shannon Ohaire
Cape Town, South Africa

Bo Kaap

Formerly known as the Malay Quarter, Bo Kaap is a colorfully-painted suburb located in the “Mother City” of South Africa.
lewblank Added by lewblank
Cape Town, South Africa

Chapman's Peak Drive

This road winds through the steep coastal cliffside offering spectacular views for those who brave the drive.
JSmet Added by JSmet
Cape Town, South Africa

Just Nuisance Statue

A memorial to the only dog ever officially enlisted in the Royal Navy.
Tony Dunnell Added by Tony Dunnell
L'Agulhas, South Africa

Cape Agulhas Marker

This small monument marks the divide between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans at the southernmost tip of Africa.
Added by hm1945
Hargeisa, Somalia

Oriental Hotel

The oldest building in Hargeisa survived the 1988 bombings that destroyed some 90 percent of the city.
Added by shreyasus
Hargeisa, Somalia

Guluf Airline Restaurant & Hotel

Dine on roast goat inside a scrapped 1960s Soviet airplane.
Added by CrabSauce
Hargeisa, Somalia

Laas Geel

This cave located in the badlands of Somaliland contains some of the oldest cave art in Africa.
Roseparis Added by Roseparis
Hargeisa, Somalia

Hargeisa War Memorial

A MiG-17 fighter jet sits atop this memorial to the indiscriminate bombardment of Hargeisa.
Tony Dunnell Added by Tony Dunnell
Accra, Ghana

Black Star Square

An enormous public square and parade ground built to celebrate Ghana's independence.
Tony Dunnell Added by Tony Dunnell
Cape Coast, Ghana

Cape Coast Castle

Where thousands of slaves passed through the "Door of No Return."
taotaoholmes Added by taotaoholmes
Arsi, Ethiopia

Tiya Stelae

Ethiopian standing stones featuring remarkably preserved carvings of swords and people.
kweiss2001 Added by kweiss2001
Djibouti

Lake Abbe

A salt lake dotted with steaming limestone chimneys.
serflac Added by serflac
Tadjourah, Djibouti

Lac Assal

Rimmed by white crusts of salt on every edge, Lac Assal is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world.
Added by hanemij