Rapid Travel Chai

The annual UNESCO meeting resumed for one day in Istanbul to hastily conclude the year’s business. Added to the prior 9, 12 further UNESCO sites were inscribed.

They are:

• The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan, Switzerland)
• Antigua Naval Dockyard and Related Archaeological Sites (Antigua and Barbuda)
• Pampulha Modern Ensemble (Brazil)
• Khangchendzonga National Park (India)
• Hubei Shennongjia (China)
• Mistaken Point (Canada)
• Archipiélgo de Revillagigedo (Mexico)
• Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine National Park (Sudan)
• Lut Desert (Islamic Republic of Iran)
• Western Tien-Shan (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan)
• Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape (Chad)
• The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities (The Republic of Iraq)

See the full press releases here and here.

I have seen many works of Le Corbusier and may have passed through Western Tien-Shan.

The dockyard in Antigua is my highlight of that beach-centric island.

While living in China I considered a trip out to Shennongji. Instead, due to then limited transport access and preference for history over pure natural park, I went to Wudang Mountain, another UNESCO site in the same province.

The sites in Iran, Iraq and Chad are not in the currently most accessible parts of their respective countries. The one in Sudan is up by Port Sudan and should be feasible to get a tourist permit (To visit Sudan most nationalities need a confirmed tour booked with a local operator who obtains specific permits for every destination. Some, such as Darfur, are not likely to be approved).

Mistaken Point in Newfoundland, Canada looks to be a 2-hour coastal drive south from St. John’s. It is not the way I will be heading for St Pierre & Miquelon, so will fit it in if I can. That will be after the massive drive for the Viking landing site L’Anse aux Meadows.