A stone marker and sculpture in the city of Riga stake a claim for the very first community Christmas tree.

The oldest housing complex in Riga is a mini timeline of architectural trends.

The widest waterfall in Europe is a natural wonder and one of the only places where fish are caught in the air.

3,000 market stands in five former Zeppelin hangars.

A former Latvian headquarters of the brutal KGB secret police is now open as a grim reminder of their atrocities.

The hottest place on the planet.

Ethiopia's "smoking mountain" is in one of the hottest regions on the planet and is home to two lava lakes.

Known as the most dangerous bridge in the world, the Hussaini Hanging Bridge is only one of many precarious rope bridges in Northern Pakistan.

This dazzlingly turquoise mountain lake was created in the wake of a natural disaster.

Known as the "Valley of the Moon," this Jordanian wadi is one of the most amazing desertscapes on Earth.

This ancient town is full of stunning Ottoman architecture and streets so narrow trash collection is done by donkey.

This cascade of mineral-rich hot springs and waterfalls is an oasis in the Jordanian desert.

Concentrated around the Dead Sea, these surprising canyons are filled with coursing water, fish, and even crabs.

The longest and tallest aqueduct in Britain can actually be sailed across.

Hiding in plain sight near Kathmandu’s government center is a giant mandala that has become a locus for political protest.

Jumping-off point for a climb up Mt. Everest is the most dangerous airport in the world.

A Stalinist prison camp for the wives and children of men accused of betraying the Soviet state is now a memorial museum.

This Soviet-era athletic and recreation facility is the highest ice skating rink in the world.

The lovely lake that was naturally dammed, then naturally destroyed, then unnaturally saved.

One of the most horrible legacies of the Cold War is a site where the Soviet Union tested nuclear bombs on civilians.

Submerged trees jut ghost-like out of an idyllic turquoise mountain lake.

Swirling layers of white and red rock earned these mountains their festive nickname.

A scenic canyon with thick forests and historic ruins.

Some wattle-and-daub, a Moorish mural, a glacial erratic, and a Giant named Gilbert.