Wadi Rum, often called the “Valley of the Moon,” is a desert landscape in southern Jordan renowned for its dramatic sandstone mountains, sweeping red sand dunes, and ancient history carved into the rock. Its vast, otherworldly scenery has made it both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a backdrop for films set on distant planets.
Manaus, capital of Brazil’s Amazonas state, is a city that rises unexpectedly from the rainforest. Once the center of the global rubber boom in the late 1800s, Manaus still holds onto that legacy with surprising elegance. The Teatro Amazonas, an opulent opera house imported piece by piece from Europe, sits at the heart of the city, its pink façade and domed roof tiled in the colors of the Brazilian flag. Today, it hosts concerts, festivals, and curious visitors eager to step back in time.
Kennebunkport is a small coastal town with a long maritime history and a character all its own. Originally settled in the 1600s, it grew as a shipbuilding center before becoming a quiet summer escape. Today, its working waterfront meets charming streets lined with boutiques, historic homes, and small galleries. Dock Square, the town’s walkable heart, is where visitors can browse local crafts, sample Maine-made ice cream, or pick up a hand-carved wooden buoy as a souvenir.
Devon occupies England’s southwest peninsula, a county shaped by seafaring, farming, and long continuity of settlement. Its history stretches from prehistoric sites on Dartmoor through Roman roads and medieval ports to towns that grew wealthy on trade and shipbuilding.