World Heritage Sites

I'm afraid Japan has spoiled Laura. Me, too, but especially Laura since it was her first destination. Everywhere we went in Japan seemed to be a World Heritage site. It was almost difficult to maintain a perspective of how few there really are worldwide - 890. Split across the entire world, and adjusting for the fact that Europe has a few more than it's share of them - there's really not so many to go around. So I decided it might be interesting to see which ones I had been to.

In the United States I've managed to see precious few of them. Most of them are on my top ten list of things to see in America, however. :) Of the U.S. sites, I've seen Everglades National Park, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico, and Yosemite National Park.

In Greece I've seen the Acropolis in Athens.

In Germany I've seen Cologne Cathedral.

In France I've seen the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, and Paris Banks of the Seine.

In Finland I've seen the Fortress of Suomenlinna.

In Belgium I've seen La Grand-Place, Brussels.

Of Norway's sites, I'm kicking myself for not seeing Røros. Maybe next time. I'll be studying right next to Bryggen, so that's a given for the near future. As it is, I've seen 'only' Geirangerfjord.

I didn't see any of the World Heritage sites in Sweden or in Costa Rica.

I didn't see any of the World Heritage sites in the Netherlands proper, although after my German class I feel like I've been to the Wadden sea, but I did see the Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Netherland Antilles in Curacao.

For Mexico I've seen the Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza.

For Italy, which is positively overflowing with these things, I've seen Villa Adriana, Costiera Amalfitana, Historic Center of Naples, and Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura. Yes, that is one name. I'm trying to figure out why the Forum, the Colosseum, Pompeii, and Herculaneum aren't on the list. Seems a bit weird. But then again, that's the hardest list to read. Also, the Vatican City, listed separately...

For Japan I've seen the Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area, Himeji-jo, Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Itsukushima Shinto Shrine, Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, and Shrines and Temples of Nikko. (I also got close enough to Shirakawa-go that if I was less impressed by the area, I wouldn't feel the need to go back. But I loved it, so I probably will. :))

So, in all, I've seen 25 World Heritage Sites. Of these, 6 were in Japan, and 6 were in Italy.