Qatar's oldest market can trace its origins back more than a century.

Robot jockeys ride their humped mounts to victory as part of a 21st-century twist on an ancient desert sport.

The building is a gigantic piece of art inspired by the shape of a desert rose.

A mesmerizing wonderland of salt-encrusted tree branches and pencil roots.

Climb down into the largest sinkhole in Qatar.

Some of the best pastries in "the Czech heritage capital of Texas" come from a gas station off I-35.

Belly up to the bar in Cowtown, don't forget to buy some boots.

A symbol of Texas pride.

Home to the largest urban bat colony in North America, estimated at 1.5 million bats.

Village of slate houses, built on a white marble outcrop.

This centuries-old tree tells an unusual tale of vegetation and fertility in the desert.

A desert that rolls right up to the ocean, where it's so dry animals live off the fog.

The rocks around this mountain are filled with so many carvings that the area became known as the "open library."

Space-age minarets towering over Islamabad.

Tibetan-influenced mountain fortress in Northern Pakistan.

A massive collection of petroglyphs dating back some 40,000 years.

This mysterious but iconic tapered tower appears in many Azeri fairytales and legends.

The building's fluid, wavelike walls are a true feat of architectural ingenuity.

A unique museum dedicated to culture and artistry of carpet weaving.

Home to nearly a third of the world's mud volcanoes, Azerbaijan is home to a messy, bubbling, and sometimes explosive landscape.

A shrine of fire worship built on top of a natural flame.

Mysterious hillside with a continuously burning natural fire.

Whitewashed mosque contains the world's largest carpet.

Four steel monoliths stand in the Qatari desert, in a breathtaking work of large-scale art by Richard Serra.