Lauren Profile

Focusing on WHS travel since 2014. 

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Reichenau

Lauren USA - 11-Jun-22

Reichenau is an island on the Bodensee/Lake Constance where the monastic tradition dates to the 800s. The island has three remaining churches that date to the 11th/12th centuries, and some original paintings remain.  The island has built small museums by each church with some information— however, it was a lot less history/information/signage than nearby St. Gall  

I visited St. Gall and Reichenau in a single day by rental car from Zurich. Both sites are about an hour from Zurich and an hour from rich other

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La Fortaleza

Lauren USA - 11-Jun-22

This is actually a two-part site, consisting of La Fortaleza and other fortifications that make up the San Juan National Historic Site, run by the US National Parks Service. La Fortaleza is currently a building used by the Puerto Rican government and can only be visited by an advance tour. In contrast, the other areas are open to visitors with standard hours — the grounds are free and open 24/7. To go inside the two forts (El Morro and San Cristobol), it’s a joint $10 ticket (or free for two guests if you have a US annual National Parks Pass.). The two forts are a 10-15 minute walk from each other.  Both are within ild town San Juan, which is pretty compact — you can cover most of it on foot in a few hours

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Abydos, city of pilgrimage of the Pharaohs (T)

Lauren USA - 22-Feb-22

Another of Egypt’s tentative sites that blows many listed sites out of the water.  Abydos was a very important city and is ancient even for ancient Egypt.  It was buried under sand until about the 1800s, which means that it is very well preserved.  In particular, it is known for having preserved colorful paintings on the inside of the Temple of Seti I.

It and Dendara, another tentative list site, can easily be combined on a (long) day trip from Luxor. Both are worth visiting.

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The monasteries of the Arab Desert and Wadi Natrun (T)

Lauren USA - 22-Feb-22

I liked Egypt so much that I came back to Egypt in February of 2022. I made a point to visit the four monasteries in Wadi El Natrun, since I saw these were on the tentative list and set for nomination.

The nomination includes six of the oldest monasteries in the world — four in Wadi  El Natrun and two on the Red Sea coast.

The ones in Wadi el Natrun are relatively easy to visit on a day trip from Cairo or Alexandria, with a driver who speaks English or a guide and a driver.  One could also visit them traveling between the two.  The sites are free, and had more tourists than I was expecting as well as those there to partake in religious services.

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Sítio Roberto Burle Marx

Lauren USA - 05-Nov-21

Isn't it lovely when you visit a tentative site, and it ends up inscribed years later?  I visited Sitio Roberto Burle Marx back in 2017 while I was in Rio.  It is well worth a half-day trip from the city and a good example of why WHS-based travel can be so rewarding -- it's a place I'd have never discovered had I not been looking at the lists (well, tentative lists at the time).

Burle Marx was a Brazilian landscape architect.  The site consists of his house and gardens.

Logistics: I emailed the site to schedule a visit in advance and took an Uber from Barra da Tijuca, where I was staying (about a half hour); I had no issues calling an Uber for the return trip.  I was able to get on an English-language tour, which I believe they had several of each week.  Overall, this is a quick and easy site if you're already in Rio

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Profile Data

Name
Lauren
Country
USA

Recently Visited WHS

Update 30.07.23
Rating Stats
Matera 4.5
Puebla 4.5
Kondoa 4
El Tajin 3.5
Quirigua 3.5
Byblos 3
Copán 3
Anjar 2.5
Butrint 2.5
Chavin 2.5
Uluru 2
Atapuerca 1.5
Abu Mena 0.5
Cuenca 0.5
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