Ru Chia's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Ru Chia's activity rankings
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Places visited in Damascus, Syria
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Places visited in Kuopio, Finland
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Places visited in Aleppo, Syria
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Places visited in Åland Islands
Budapest, Hungary

‘The Fat Policeman’

Also known as Uncle Karl, the beloved bronze copper keeps a watchful eye on St. Stephen’s Basilica while people rub his lucky belly.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Statue of Panfilov's 28 Guardsmen

This Soviet statue is based on a piece of propaganda that's been elevated to national myth.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Bayterek Tower

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

Ascension Cathedral

In Kazakhstan, a colorful cathedral with many lives once survived the most powerful earthquake in the region.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Zelionyj Bazaar

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

Arctic Brotherhood Hall

The facade of this relic from the Klondike gold rush is decorated with over 8,800 pieces of driftwood.
Skagway, Alaska

White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad

A historic freight system that found the true gold rush is in tourism.
Skagway, Alaska

The Golden North Hotel

A classic gold rush hotel can be expected to pick up some ghosts along the way, and the Golden North is no exception.
Juneau, Alaska

Mendenhall Glacier

A rare chance to get up close and personal with a 13-mile ribbon of ice near downtown Juneau.
Cambridge, Massachusetts

John Harvard 'Statue of Three Lies'

The statue of John Harvard isn't actually John Harvard—or even, technically, the founder of the school.
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard Museum of Natural History

Three prestigious academic collections come together to create a world-class natural history museum.
Cervantes, Australia

The Pinnacles

Alien rock formations grown from the sands of an Australian national park.
Rottnest Island, Australia

Wadjemup Lighthouse

Ships still use this historic lighthouse to navigate dangerous, island waters.
Lisbon, Portugal

Casa dos Bicos

This unique architectural wonder is also tied to one of the 20th-century's most renowned writers.
Tinajo, Spain

Timanfaya National Park

Visit a surreal landscape so otherworldly NASA actually used it to train the Apollo 17 crew.
Barcelona, Spain

Sagrada Família

Construction of Barcelona's iconic (but controversial) church is expected to be completed in 2026—a century after the death of its architect.
Yamanakako, Japan

Lake Yamanaka

The largest of the Fuji Five Lakes is home to an impressive swan population—some real, some with paddles, and one with an observation deck.
Kyoto, Japan

Kimono Forest

An LED art installation composed of 600 poles wrapped in kimono fabric.
Kyoto, Japan

Rokuon-ji Temple

This 14th-century temple is also known as the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion" for its gorgeous gilded reliquary hall.
Kobe, Japan

Kitano-chō

Japan's largest collection of Western-style mansions in the port city of Kobe includes a recreation of Sherlock Holmes' 221B Baker Street quarters.
Tokyo, Japan

Owaraji (Giant Straw Sandals)

An enormous pair of straw sandals woven in the traditional way—to keep demons at bay.
Tokyo, Japan

Odaiba Statue of Liberty

This little replica of Lady Liberty provides a bit of NYC in a Japanese city.