brucewatson71's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Places visited in Sterling, Virginia
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Las Vegas, Nevada

Bugsy Siegel Monument

An overlooked monument to the celebrity gangster who helped put the sin in Sin City.
Las Vegas, Nevada

Berlin Wall Urinal

A piece of the iconic wall found an unlikely new home in a Vegas bathroom.
Istanbul, Turkey

Palace of the Porphyrogenitus

Byzantine emperors ruled, lived, and died in this 13th-century palace-turned-museum.
Istanbul, Turkey

Theodosian Wall Stone Ladder

Climb a set of vertiginous stone steps to the top of this impressive ancient edifice.
Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul 2461

Quite possibly the oldest love poem known to humankind.
Istanbul, Turkey

Rumeli Hisari

This half-forgotten fortress was constructed by the Ottoman conqueror of Constantinople.
Istanbul, Turkey

Hagia Sophia Wishing Column

Legend says if you stick your thumb in the hole and it gets wet, your wish will be granted.
Istanbul, Turkey

Nakilbent Cistern

A sixth-century Byzantine cistern hidden below a modern carpet store.
Istanbul, Turkey

Camondo Stairs

A gorgeous, Gaudí-esque stairway constructed in the city of Istanbul by a prominent Jewish family.
Istanbul, Turkey

Tombs of the Sultans

Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.
Istanbul, Turkey

Obelisk of Theodosius

This remarkably well-preserved Egyptian plinth is pretty well traveled for a giant piece of stone.
Istanbul, Turkey

Viking Runes at Hagia Sophia

A small etching on the white marble parapet was written in runic script by a Viking mercenary.
Istanbul, Turkey

Basilica Cisterns of Istanbul

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.
Dolinka, Kazakhstan

KarLag Memorial Museum

A sober museum housed in the original administrative building of one of Stalin's largest gulags.
Malinovka, Kazakhstan

ALZHIR

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

Vladimir Lenin Busts and Statue

A collection of Lenin busts and other Soviet Era statues sit idly behind the Semipalatinsk Hotel.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Bayterek Tower

A modern tower, symbolizing the legend of a golden egg on top of the tree of life.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Khan Shatyr

An entertainment center in a huge transparent tent.
Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Cosmonaut Grove

Avenue of trees planted by cosmonauts before their space departures.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Zelionyj Bazaar

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.
Semey, Kazakhstan

Semipalatinsk Polygon

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

Palace of Peace and Reconciliation

Iconic pyramid from famed British architect Norman Foster designed to represent all of the world's religious faiths.
Enbekshikazakh District, Kazakhstan

Issyk Lake

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

Big Almaty Lake

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.