There are great trails, but my favorite is the short bog walk, which takes a person through a bog.  Along the bog walk, carniverous plants, mosses, and tamarack can be see.  Signs explain bog plants and ecology.

The garden featured pines, irises,turtles, and water gardens.  It was a pleasant to stroll around and enjoy the plants.  The garden itself was a sanctuary after the atomic bombing, where many burn victims went to cool off in the water, and ultimately perished.  The ashes of some victims are interred in the garden.

This small museum was staffed by elderly women, none of whom spoke English (beyond some words and sentences) when I visited.  Thus, the tour of the museum was explained in broken English, German, and Russian.  Nevertheless, it was a great museum that brought the seige to life through artifacts, photos, and stories.  The guide recommended the book 900 Days: the Seige of Leningrad, which I read after my visit.  The book was a good supplement to museum and information that I could not understand because of the language barrier.  This museum would be of interest to those with an interest in human suffering and war history.   

One of the more interesting castles that I've visited, it offers insight into the conquest of Wales.

It was a cold day, with driving rain and umbrella breaking winds when I visited the grotto.  Because of this, the hike up to the hill was miserable and I didn't stay long to appreciate the Buddha statue.  I would have gotten more out of it on a nicer day.   

The Winter Garden was small, but featured many interesting cacti.

I don't believe in ghosts, but, the night tour was still a little unsettling for me.

I didn't expect the ruins to be on a cliff over looking the sea.   In my imagination, Mayan ruins were enveloped by jungle on all sides.  So, I think at the very least I learned that some of these cities were on the sea.  I enjoyed examining the ruins and watching the many iguanas.  

Mt. Misen is located on the island of Miyajima, Hiroshima.  There are many shrines and interesting shops on the island, but for me, the mountain hike was the best part of the island.  Unfortunately, it became dark when I was hiking down and it also started to rain.  It was also past the time that trams down the mountain were running.  So, as an obvious suggestion, be sure to know when sunset is. Otherwise, it was a nice hike that wasn't too long (less than 2 hrs up), but sometimes tiring.  (There are several routes up the mountain) I believe that monkeys may live on the mountain, but I only saw deer.  I was happy not to see any monkeys in the dark and rain...

I don't eat meat, but it was still interesting to visit the fish market.  If nothing else, you can see the many different fish, muscles, and other forms of aquatic life alive in tanks and bowls.  It's like a morbid aquarium.

I wasn't very impressed by this museum since it seemed small.  Maybe I was expecting more.  The Geology Museum is much better than this museum (and also better than the Natural History Museum.)  Nevertheless, it is near the Beijing Zoo, so it might be something to do if in the area.  Children might enjoy it more.

A cable car can used to take travelers up to the caves in the mountains, or there is also a pathway.  Once in the caves, there are many interesting formations of stalagmites and stalactites.  For me, the most interesting thing was the shells and small fossils on the cave walls.  It is interesting to think how much the world changed! It is strange to consider that the inside of the mountain was at one time under a sea!  

Chiaksan National Park is great for hiking or visiting waterfalls.  There are several routes for hiking up  Mt Chiak (Birobong), which takes several hours and, for me, was arduous and steep towards the top.  There are the remains of temples and stone pagodas at the park as well. 

I enjoyed this museum, as I wasn't very aware of Finnish history.  It helped me to understand developments and discoveries in Finnish history and how Finland related to the rest of Europe (in terms of development). 

The statue park is a walkway along Lake Onega, where statues from sister cities are on display.  I enjoyed the park, since it was a nice way to enjoy the view of Lake Onega during the eternal days of summer, while enjoying ice cream.

The most remarkable thing about this museum was the feathered dinosaurs.    I am in love with feathered dinosaurs, as these fossils are not only elegant, but astonishing.  The fossils break down stereotypical images of dinosaurs as ancient, stupid, hulking reptiles, and connects them to something alive and beautiful: birds! There was also three floors of minerals, precious stones, fossils, etc. to explore.  It is a good way to learn about the geology of China, where some minerals can be found, and their uses. 

This place was awesome!  I was the only tourist there, so, I took my time exploring the ancient astronomical instruments.  When considering the circles and triangles of the instruments, it is easy to see the relationship between an understanding of geometry and the cosmos.  We live in a world where the universe is presented through powerful telescopes, so it is fascinating to learn how earlier people  attempted to make sense of the motion and appartent motion they saw.   

This was one of the best museums I have visited.  It made the atomic bombing real in a way that reading, documentaries, and school had not done for me.  Visiting this museum compells a person to seriously think not only about the use of nuclear weapons in the past, but current policies.  The museum is balanced, recognizing Japan's role in WWII, but sends a clear message that what happened in Hiroshima should never be inflicted on any one else.   

These cliffs offer a nice view of the East and South Seas.  There are many rock formations to explore and picnic on, as well as a lighthouse and a temple.  The park is a beautiful contrast of pine trees, rocks, and sea.  A train can be taken up the park's road for those who don't care to hike.     

It is a strange experience to say the least.  On one level, it is an opportunity to see a corpse that has been preserved since 1924.  On another, in his thoughts, words, and actions, he was a significant historical figure of world communism.  On a third level, he is a tourist attraction in capitalist Russia.  So, as I said, it is a unique and contradictory experience.    

Mt. Halla is an ancient volcano that isn't too difficult to climb and offers a great view of the island.  Vegetation changes as you climb to the top, where there is a small crater lake!