Beijing, the capital of China, is a city where history and modern life intersect on a grand scale. Ancient landmarks like the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven reflect centuries of imperial heritage, while the Great Wall lies just outside the city, offering views of one of the most famous engineering feats in the world.
The southernmost island in the crescent-shaped Comoros archipelago. Encircled by a barrier reef, Mayotte is blessed with one of the world's perfect lagoons. In its lush forests, the fragrant yellow flowers of the ylang-ylang tree are picked to extract their perfumed oil. Against a backdrop of waterfalls and volcanic peaks on Mayotte, there is a feeling of rural tranquility.
Solitaire is a small settlement in central Namibia, positioned where routes from Windhoek, Walvis Bay, Sesriem, and the Namib-Naukluft region meet. Its isolated location among gravel plains, rocky hills, and dry river valleys makes it a practical stopping point on journeys through the Namib Desert.