dc16
- dEsPeraTe cRaNky -
The Azores
Explore the dramatic natural beauty and bounty of crater lakes in this collection of nine volcanic islands in the middle of the North Atlantic. Portuguese by language, it has a culture and cuisine all its own. Feast on the geothermally heated hotpots called cozido das furnas, which consist of mixtures of meats and stews and are a feature of the area near Sao Miguel.
Bhutan
High up in the Himalayan Mountains sits the world's newest democracy, whose 30-year-old king has been instrumental in developing the country's parliament, and injecting a democratic voice into Bhutanese affairs. The term "gross national happiness" was coined by the country's former king, who began the Buddhist country's path to modernization. It now straddles both the old world and the new, and has earned the nickname, "the last Shangri-La."
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Some places offer such unique natural attractions that visiting can make you feel as if you've left earth and are floating among the stars. Mosquito Bay captures and retains large amounts of naturally occurring dinoflagellates that glow when disturbed. Row out to the middle of the bay at night with a tour group, then take a swim in a starfield--an experience to which no photo can do justice.
Yakushima, Japan
About 60 kilometers south of the busy Japanese port city of Kagoshima sits an island that is both quintessentially Japanese and like nothing else in the sprawling archipelago. Designated as a World Heritage Site, Yakushima is rich in sub-tropical life, and attracts visitors from all over Japan with its elusive native wildcats and intricately gnarled yakisugi cedar trees.
Explore the dramatic natural beauty and bounty of crater lakes in this collection of nine volcanic islands in the middle of the North Atlantic. Portuguese by language, it has a culture and cuisine all its own. Feast on the geothermally heated hotpots called cozido das furnas, which consist of mixtures of meats and stews and are a feature of the area near Sao Miguel.



Bhutan
High up in the Himalayan Mountains sits the world's newest democracy, whose 30-year-old king has been instrumental in developing the country's parliament, and injecting a democratic voice into Bhutanese affairs. The term "gross national happiness" was coined by the country's former king, who began the Buddhist country's path to modernization. It now straddles both the old world and the new, and has earned the nickname, "the last Shangri-La."




Vieques, Puerto Rico
Some places offer such unique natural attractions that visiting can make you feel as if you've left earth and are floating among the stars. Mosquito Bay captures and retains large amounts of naturally occurring dinoflagellates that glow when disturbed. Row out to the middle of the bay at night with a tour group, then take a swim in a starfield--an experience to which no photo can do justice.




Yakushima, Japan
About 60 kilometers south of the busy Japanese port city of Kagoshima sits an island that is both quintessentially Japanese and like nothing else in the sprawling archipelago. Designated as a World Heritage Site, Yakushima is rich in sub-tropical life, and attracts visitors from all over Japan with its elusive native wildcats and intricately gnarled yakisugi cedar trees.



