Dushanbe, Tajikistan

On my way through central Asia, I decided to take in the sights of Dushanbe, Tajikistan. At first glace, the city doesn't look like much, but do some exploring and you'll find some diamonds in the rough. Aside from being the largest city in Tajikistan, Dushanbe is also a sister city of Boulder, Colorado. I stopped by the Dushanbe Zoo and relaxed for a while. I also saw the second tallest free standing flagpole in the world, it was pretty neat. The Gurminj Museum of Musical Instruments was also a very cool spot for a music nerd like me. I finished my visit to Tajikistan with a hike through the mountains on the outskirts of the city, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Dushanbe.

Astana, Kazakhstan

As I made my way through central Asia, I made a quick stop in Astana, Kazakhstan. It was a beautiful city, and was also hailed as one of the weirdest capital cities by CNN. Astana's modern design was a stark contrast to the steppes surrounding it, in fact, there are very few people for hundreds of miles.

The first place I visited in Astana was the Khan Shatyr shopping mall which doubles as the world's largest tent. I also visited the Central Concert Hall, which looked a lot like the White House, to take in some of the culture Astana had to offer. Finally, I visited Astana Arena to watch an Astana FC soccer match. I was Impressed by how Modernized Astana was and hope to return to this beautiful city one day.

St. Petersburg, Russia

My second destination in Russia was St. Petersburg. Through the years, St. Petersburg has gone by many names like Leningrad and Petrograd. There were some amazing sights to see in the city. First, I went to the winter palace, where Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks led their October Revolution. In fact, the city was home to three notorious revolutions, The February, October, and the Revolution of 1905. The winter palace was beautiful, it reminded me of the palace of Versailles. The summer palace was also a work of art. Just when I thought the buildings couldn't get any better, I visited St. Isaac's Cathedral. The architecture's beauty on the outside was only rivaled by the immaculate paintings on the inner walls. St. Petersburg has beauty around nearly every corner, it was a truly remarkable city.

Moscow, Russia

When visiting Russia, there is no better destination than the nation's capital, Moscow. Overshadowed by the city of the same name, Moscow, Russia is almost as famous as its cousin Moscow, Idaho. While in the city, I visited some of the most popular tourist destinations like the Red Square, and the Kremlin. While visiting the Kremlin, I actually saw Vladimir Putin walking out of the building. I chatted with him for a bit and talked about the disaster that was the United States Election. He told me I had a place in Russia when I wanted to leave the U.S. and I might just take him up on that offer.

Rome, Italy

From one of Europe's most historic cities to another; the next stop on my trip was Rome, Italy. Rome had so many historical locations, I had to get sightseeing right away. I saw the Flavian Amphitheatre (the coliseum) first. It was a lot larger in person than I had expected. The mazelike tunnels running underneath it were works of art in their own respect. After I reluctantly left the coliseum, I headed for Vatican city, which is a country with about half a square mile of land, making it the only country with two popes per square mile. I saw St. Peter's Basilica and Michelangelo's fresco. I spent so much time in those two locations, I didn't have time to go any place else.  

Paris, France

The first destination in Europe on my world tour was arguably my favorite destination, Paris, France.  I visited some of the most iconic destinations in the world. I went to the Eiffel Tower, the arc de triumph, and the louver. Each destination more amazing than the last. The last place I visited in Paris was the Palace of Versailles. It was truly beautiful, from the architecture down to the gardens. On my final night in Paris, I took to the streets and visited some world class restaurants. Paris had so much to offer, it is hard to pin down my favorite thing about it.