nickfranssen's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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nickfranssen's activity rankings
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Places visited in Yekaterinburg, Russia
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Places edited in Tajikistan
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Places visited in Fars Province, Iran
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Places visited in Iran
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Places edited in Kazan, Russia
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Places visited in Semey, Kazakhstan
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Places visited in Kazakhstan
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Places visited in Ethiopia
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Lalibela, Ethiopia

Bete Giyorgis of Lalibela

An Ethiopian "Jerusalem" featuring a church hewn out of a single rock.
Afar Zone 2, Ethiopia

Dallol

The hottest place on the planet.
Afar Zone 2, Ethiopia

Erta Ale

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

Abuna Yemata Guh

Reaching the "Church in the Sky" requires scaling the cliff face of a sandstone pinnacle with a 650-foot drop.
Mezairaa, United Arab Emirates

Singing Sand Dunes of Liwa

Over the dunes of the Empty Quarter, the mysterious music of the desert.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Whitewashed mosque contains the world's largest carpet.
Liwa, United Arab Emirates

Moreeb Dune

One of the largest sand dunes in the world is nicknamed the "Scary Mountain" due to its steep slope and sharp incline.
Al Madam, United Arab Emirates

Buried Village of Al Madam

An abandoned desert hamlet swallowed up by sand.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The Dubai Frame

The world's largest frame offers spectacular views of the city's past and present.
Maqabil, Oman

Beehive Tombs of Bat

Groups of prehistoric tombs that dot the mountains of northern Oman.
Qurayyat, Oman

Bimmah Sinkhole

A sinkhole and now a swimming hole, too, full of dazzling turquoise water.
Muscat, Oman

The Muttrah Souq

This bazaar is one of the oldest in the Arabian world.
Muscat, Oman

Chandelier at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

This spectacular mosque houses the second-largest chandelier in the world.
Sur, Oman

Dhow Factory of Sur

Where artisans use centuries-old techniques to build traditional Arabian ships.
Qalhat, Oman

Bibi Maryam Mausoleum

This lonely tomb is all that remains of a once-bustling ancient trade hub visited by Marco Polo.
Oman

Snake Canyon

Nature's water park in the Wadi Bani Awf valley is full of pools flanked with cliffs and natural water slides.
Al Bidya, United Arab Emirates

Al Bidya Mosque

The oldest surviving mosque in the UAE has mysterious origins and unusual architecture.
Fars Province, Iran

Naqsh-e Rustam

The ancient necropolis houses the immense rock-cut tombs of four Persian kings.
Shiraz, Iran

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

A spectacular rainbow of stained glass makes the "Pink Mosque" one of the most beautiful in Iran.
Meymand, Iran

Maymand

This 12,000 year old Iranian cave village has been continuously inhabited for over 3,000 years.
Shiraz, Iran

Tomb of Hafez

A dreamy mausoleum honors Persia's most famous poet.
Iran

Tomb of Cyrus

This ancient burial site is believed to be one of the first earthquake-protected structures in the world.
Fars Province, Iran

Graffiti at Persepolis

Marked by the hand of the explorer Henry Morton Stanley.
Kerman, Iran

Lut Desert (Dasht-e Lut)

The hottest, driest, and most scenic desert on Earth.