Photo before a fall at Angkor Wat

It is with good reason that Angkor Wat receives millions of visitors each year. The temples, carvings, statues and surrounding landscape are exquisite, and one could easily spend several days absorbing everything the site and its surroundings have to offer. 

 

However, my memories of my include an uncomfortably close shave with serious injury or worse for the sake of a photo. Not paying attention to where I was placing my feet as I framed a photo inside the temple of Angkor Wat I tumbled off a wall and fell 12 to 16 feet before landing in the mud below. Apart from a few cuts and bruises (and a destroyed camera) I was able to continue my visit, but it was certainly a strong reminder of the need to tread more carefully during the remainder of the trip. The photo above is the last one I took before my camera met its end.

Leaping forward in China without destroying the past

China's breakneck development over the past 25 years has undoubtedly brought huge benefits to large swathes of its population. However, it is also widely recognized that this has been accompanied by major environmental problems, widespread property dispossession at the behest of developers and frequent disregard for the country's architectural and cultural heritage.

CNN's recent report on the magnitude of the challenges facing China in this regard is telling. Among the sad facts shared with readers is the destruction of 1,000 acres of historic alleys and courtyard homes in Beijing since 1990, the loss of one-third of the Great Wall of China due to natural erosion and wilful destruction, and the loss of almost one million villages across China to frenetic (and still continuing) urbanization.

On the positive side of the ledge, China's growing prosperity and emerging middle classes have in recent years led to a growing focus on preservation and conservation. While the approaches taken to preservation may not always adhere to international best practices, the efforts are nonetheless welcome.  

The restoration of Yungang Grottoes, a world heritagesite in Shanxi Province in the north of the country is a positive example of the new mindset. According to Xinhua, the recently completed restoration project, which began in 2012, included efforts to slow down or stop water erosion, a major problem for the site, and establish visitor facilities to balance access with protection of the amazing cave paintings more than 50,000 statues of the Buddha dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries CE. I can't wait to pay a visit!

Farewell to the world's heritage?

As so-called Islamic States continues to invent and perpetrate new atrocities to remain the focus of world media attention, world heritage under threat is a recurring theme in newspaper reporting around the world.

The latest manifestation of the genre is an article in today's Daily Mail providing a run-down of world heritage sites UNESCO considers to be in danger, with a focus on "20 ... you should visit now... before it's too late." 

Why these sites were chosen rather than others is not entirely clear, but the photos included in the article are first rate, and it is instructive to be reminded of the degree to which world heritage sites the world over are facing similar problems, notably:

• damage caused by tourists
• weather erosion
• earthquake
• urban development
• agricultural development
• failure to undertake necessary repairs

Needless to say, many of these issues could be addressed with sufficient resources and commitment by governments, local communities and site visitors.

Machu Picchu's new twin

Twinning with a city or town in another country is a favourite way for municipal governments to try to promote themselves on the world stage, yet Otama in Fukushima Prefecture in Japan has done better than most by twinning with Machu Picchu, a world heritage site in Peru featuring the ruins of an 500-year old sanctuary high in the Peruvian Andes.

A testament to the longstanding history of Japanese immigration to Peru in the last century, authorities in Machu Picchu agreed to the twinning after turning down many other requests. According to the Japan Times, the arrangement is meant to honour Yokichi Nouchi (1895-1969), who was born in Otama and contributed substantially to tourism development in Machu Picchu after immigrating to Peru in the early 20th century. 

Congratulations to both parties in the twinning!

Rio de Janeiro 40 years ago

Inspired at an early age by my parents' keen interest in photography and fortunate to have lived with them in the 1970s in what was undoubtedly one of the most welcoming neighbourhoods (Leme) in one of the most beautiful cities of the world (Rio de Janeiro), I put my Polaroid camera to good use. 

A world heritage site since 2012, Rio's Zona Sul contains a wealth of sights, sounds and people. The photos below were all taken in 1976.

Rio's Jardim Botânico (Botanical Gardens), established in 1808, offers a welcome escape from the city's bustle.

Taken from the window of our apartment, this photo features the Morro de Leme as well as the end of Leme beach. As a child I always wanted to climb to the top of the Morro, but sadly it was a military zone at the time and hence visitors were not welcome. 

One of Rio's most iconic attractions, Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf) was usually the first place my parents would take anyone visiting us from overseas. However, I never tired of the journey up and down the glass-walled cable cars...

Not so Great Pompei Project

One of the most visited archaeological sites in the world, Pompei - in southern Italy near Naples - is at once a testament to the destructive power of volcanism (the site was engulfed by burning pumice and ash in 79 CE) and the complexity and sophistication of Roman civilization. 

Sadly however Pompei has suffered from mismanagement and corruption over the years, notwithstanding its importance to Italy in historical and economic terms. In an effort to counter the effects of this mismanagement, which include collapsed arches and sagging walls, in 2012 the European Union pledged EUR78 million in support of the grandiosely named "Great Pompei Project." However, as recently reported by Reuters, the funding commitment runs out at the end of December 2015, and to date only 20 percent of the money has been spent.

Faced with the prospect of losing tens of millions of Euros, managers overseeing the project are ramping up their restoration and preservation work, for example by hiring 20 additional technicians to work at the site.

While it remains to be seen whether a deal can be struck with the EU to extend the deadline by which funds must be used, the poor planning which led to this flurry of last minute activity hardly leaves one confident in local authorities' management skills, let alone the quality of the remedial work being done.

More conflict at the UNESCO Executive Board meeting

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict was not the only source of enmity at this week's meeting of the UNESCO Executive Board in Paris. Reverberations of Yugoslavia's disintegration were also felt as Kosovo lobbied successfully to have its bid to become a full member state recommended to proceed to a final vote at UNESCO's general conference in November, despite fierce opposition by Serbia and its allies. 

In reaction to the Executive Board's decision Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic aptly characterized the binary view of national heritage which seems to go hand in hand with nationalist rivalry the world over: "The aim is to falsify history and to create a new state, a national and cultural identity which implies the total extinction of everything that testifies about the Serb presence [in Kosovo],"

New front in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict opens at the UNESCO Executive Board

As violence ratchets up once again in the Occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, new fronts continue to open in the seemingly endless spiral of conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. As reported by the New York Times, the latest battlefield UNESCO's Executive Board which met this week to discuss a resolution brought forward by six Arab states to reclassify the Western Wall as part of the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's old city.

While in the end the Executive Board agreed only to a resolution condemning “Israeli aggressions and illegal measures against the freedom of worship and Muslims’ access to their holy site", the episode starkly demonstrates how political forces - on all sides - harness exploit cultural and religious heritage in pursuit of their particular interests and objectives.

Rebuilding Timbuktu's historical buildings

Timbuktu, a world heritage site in northern Mali, was a centre for the propagation of Islam throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries, and remains famous for its historical mosques and mausoleums as well as its libraries of ancient religious manuscripts. In 2012 Timbuktu's historical legacy was placed at risk when the city was seized by Islamist militants, and more than a dozen mausoleums and other religious buildings were destroyed.

While the international community strongly backed calls to rebuild the destroyed buildings after the Islamists left Timbuktu, UNESCO has reportedly struggled to raised even a quarter of the USD11 million estimated for the project. 

Meanwhile, local builders have pushed forward with their own rebuilding efforts using traditional methods and local materials, although a great deal of work remains to be done.

Adding arms to Venus de Milo: Harsh criticism of ongoing restoration work at Chartres Cathedral

As recently reported by The Telegraph newspaper, divergent perspectives on the restoration of ancient monuments has erupted into a war of words targeting a multi-year project to lighten the interior of ChartresCathedral. The cathedral, a world heritage site since 1979, dates from the 12th century and is widely viewed as representing the apex of French Gothic art.

While the criticism has originated principally from American architects and historians, including one who termed the project a cultural travesty tantamount to “adding arms to the Venus de Milo”. Other commentators claim that the approach adopted flies in the face of the 1964 Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites, while Le Figaro, a Paris newspaper, likened the experience of visiting the "lightened" cathedral to watching a film in a cinema where they haven’t switched off the lights.

However, other commentators in France have defended the project, and at the end of the day the whole affair may say more about differing Gallic and Anglo-Saxon sensibilities when it comes to the restoration of historical buildings than the rights and wrongs of this particular project.

Controversy in Edinburgh over planned development at world heritage site

The continuing controversy over a plan to develop a luxury hotel in Edinburgh and its impact on the city's world heritage status rumbles on, although The National newspaper has noted that, even if the plan is approved, it will be “some time” before Edinburgh is considered for removal from the world heritage list.

While the depth of feeling being generated by the controversy is a testament to the importance of a heritage designation in the eyes of the public, it also illustrates the fine line that separate politics from the technical process of determining whether a given world heritage site is in danger or should be de-listed altogether.

Proposal to deploy UN blue helmets to protect world heritage sites

According to the Guardian newspaper, Italy has proposed the deployment of UN peacekeepers to protect world heritage sites against Islamist militants.

The Italian Minister of Culture indicated that the proposal has the backing of more than 50 countries. He also offered the expertise of Italy’s cultural and heritage police in support of the initiative, should it be implement.

Petition against Stonehenge tunnel

As the UK government pushes forward with its plans to establish an expressway tunnel under Stonehenge linking the M3 and M5 motorways, opposition by conservationists, historians and environmentalists is gathering pace. Notably, activists have launched a petition against the government's plans that has - to date - attracted almost 20,000 signatures. 

Stonehenge is perhaps the UK's most iconic world heritage site, and one hopes the govenrment will re-think its plans with respect to the tunnel.

Co-management scheme at Uluru world heritage site under review

Uluru, formerly known as Ayer's Rock, is an immense monolith set in the flatlands of Central Australia. A world heritage site since 1987, Uluru is illustrative of the conflict that often arises at such locales between cultural protection on the one hand and tourism development on the other.

As the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported this week, Australia handed the site back to its traditional indigenous owners 30 years ago, and it has been co-managed with the Australian federal government ever since. The relationship between the co-managers has been marked by tensions, yet ironically it is also held up as a model for joint-management schemes elsewhere.  

In this context, Parks Australia has recently launched a review of the arrangement that will focus on such questions as how the park is managed and how park staff and traditional owners interact with each other. Let's hope that the conclusions and recommendations arising from the review are widely circulated, given that conflict between the interests of local communities and tourism authorities is a recurring problem in heritage sites the world over.

Japan threatens suspension of its funding contribution to UNESCO

If proof were needed of the fine line separating heritage and politics, one need look no further than Japan's announcement this week that it may cut its funding to UNESCO after Chinese documents related to mass killings by Japanese troops in Nanjing in 1937 were included the UNESCO Memory of the WorldRegister.

As reported by Associated Press, Japanese authorities characterized the decision to include the documents as biased, citing a lack of transparency in the decision-making process and UNESCO's alleged failure to allow access to the Chinese documents.

Japan reportedly contributed 3.72 billion yen (aproximately USD31 million) to UNESCO in 2014, or 10.8 percent of its budget.

Impressions of Quseir Amra, a "castle" in Jordan's Eastern Desert

Jordan is known principally among Western tourists for the ancient Nabatean city of Petra, typically visited on a side-trip from Israel, although these days many are foregoing even this short jaunt into Jordan given the country's uncomfortable proximity to the Middle Eastern flashpoints of Syria and Iraq. This is a shame, for not only is Jordan comparatively much safer than many other popular destinations in Western Europe and North America, but it offers an array of sights and activities that should be enough to satisfy even the most discerning of visitors.

Jordan's Eastern Desert Highway

Having spent almost a month in Jordan last year, one of the experiences I enjoyed the most was visiting the country's "desert castles" over the course of several days. These castles were not so much strongholds for the aristocracy as complexes which in their heyday served diverse purposes, ranging from hunting lodges to caravan rest-stops. Built chiefly during the period of Umayyad rule over the region in the 7th and 8th centuries CE, and scattered over hundreds of square kilometres in Jordan's Eastern Desert, they differ greatly from one another in terms of their setting, layout and degree of preservation and restoration. 

Quseir Amra

One desert castle in particular stands out as it enjoys the status of world heritage site. Known as Quseir Amra, the complex originally served as a garrison and pleasure palace of the Umayyad caliphate. On the day of my visit on a very hot day in July there was no one else around apart the keyholder who insisted on giving me a personal tour (gratuity expected of course). Although the site is quite modest as one approaches from the high ground near the roadway, the interior is incredible, with beautiful frescoes covering the walls, including one of the earliest known surviving portrayals of a map of the heavens on a domed ceiling. 

Domed ceiling featuring map of the heavens

Credit goes to the Jordanian authorities for taking steps to maintain and protect Quseir Amra, and perhaps from this perspective it is just as well that the site is not marketed as an "A-list" destination, given the physical damage and other ill-effects that mass tourism is clearly inflicting on Petra.

Thai stamps commemorate UNESCO

According to TheNation, an English language newspaper in Bangkok, Thailand Post launched a series of 40 stamps this week to commemorate UNESCO's 70th anniversary. The stamps feature 37 world heritage sites across Southeast Asia, and the entire set can be bought for THB200 (EUR5.00, USD5.60). There is no word on what is featured on the remaining three stamps...

Destruction of Sana'a Old City decried

The death and destruction currently being visited on Yemen is shocking by any measure, and all the more so for the fact that it is so underreported in the Western media. As such, Belkis Wille and James Ross' recent opinion article published by Reuters on October 9, 2015 is a welcome counterpoint.

As the authors indicate, not only has the Saudi-led air campaign resulted in over 2,000 civilians deaths, but those responsible on both sides for the destruction of historical buildings in the Old City of Sana'a are effectively committing war crimes. The risk of not acting to stop this destruction is an "impending threat to Yemen’s — and humanity’s — cultural heritage."

Portobelo: Panama's neglected jewel

Arriving in Panama City in June 2002 after a four-day odyssey across Central America (albeit admittedly on very comfortable Tica Bus coach) I was immediately struck by the pervasive contrasts: a modern city of skyscrapers and shopping malls within sight of the narrow streets of the Casco Viejo; huge gleaming cargo ships alongside decrepit fishing boats; the bustling shopping avenues a stone's throw from streets where mugging is a near certainty (as I learned firsthand during the first week of my stay).

Still, as memorable as Panama City might be, it is a world away from Portobelo, a fishing village on the Caribbean coast which was once a trans-shipment point for the tonnes of gold and silver extracted from Spain's colonial possessions in South America. As soon as I arrived in Panama I was determined to pay a visit, as much to see the extensive colonial-era Spanish fortifications as to channel the likes of Henry Morgan, Francis Drake and other ne'er-do-wells who once stalked the Spanish treasure ships in the waters nearby. 

Getting from Panama City to Portobelo involves a bus journey across the isthmus, which is a unique experience in itself. Where else in the world can one travel - in less than two hours - from one ocean's shore to another? Mind you, arriving in Colón, Panama's principal Caribbean port, is not exactly uplifting. While none of Central America's port cities exudes savouriness, Colón is ahead of the pack in this regard, so much so that walking anywhere in town was not recommended at the time of my visit. Fortunately, the transfer from one bus to another does not necessitate leaving the station, and soon as I was on my way to Portobelo on a brightly painted bus that once brought children to and from school in North America.

The accounts I had read and the photos I had seen did not prepare me for the striking beauty of Portobelo. The village itself is pleasant enough, not dissimilar to dozens of other small settlements up and down the isthmus that subsist on fishing, farming and tourism. However, approaching the old port the view is unforgettable: the low hills coverage covered in a lush forest against the azure waters of Portobelo Bay, and everywhere one looks the lichen-streaked black stone of ruined 16th and 17th century fortifications, with cannons laying askew here and there on the parapets and in the grass.

On the days of my visit (for I returned a second time during my stay in Panama) there were no other visitors present, and clambering over the ruins was a highlight of my sojourn in Central America that year. It is therefore sad to think that since 2012 the site has featured since on UNESCO's list of world heritage sites in danger. Despite calls by UNESCO over more than a decade for the Panamanian authorities to take steps to preserve Portobelo's fortifications, action has not been forthcoming, with progressive deterioration of the ruins and continuing urban encroachment on the property.

Let's hope that Portobelo's amazing historical legacy receives the protection it needs for the sake of future generations of Panamanians, and indeed anyone who values our common history and heritage.

Surveying earthquake damage to Nepal's world heritage sites

The UN News Service reported yesterday that experts, including a team of archaeologists from Durham University in the United Kingdom, have begun surveying damaged buildings and temples which form part of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site.

Given the extent of the damage caused by the powerful earthquake, which struck Nepal in April and caused thousands of deaths and widespread displacement, the task ahead for those involved in protecting and preserving the site is undoubtedly daunting in the extreme.

Application to have ancient Iranian aqueducts registered as a world heritage site

I normally associate aqueducts with structures that allow for the movement of water above ground, sometimes at substantial heights. I was not aware that the ancient Persians built complex aqueducts, known as qanats, over long distances as long ago as 1000 BCE, and in many cases these aqueducts are still in use today, three millennia later! 

The Iranian authorities have recently applied to UNESCO to have 11 of these aqueducts registered as a world heritage site. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's application is to be considered at a UNESCO summit in July 2016.

Homage to Khaled al-Asaad, known as "Mr. Palmyra"

Among the thousands who have been killed in the conflict in Syria in recent years, the death of Khaled al-Assad certainly struck a chord with archaeologists, curators and lovers of history the world over. Captured by the so-called Islamic State when it overran the city of Palmyra this past Spring, Mr. al-Assad reportedly refused the divulge the whereabouts of ancient artefacts and was beheaded by IS for his steadfastness.

This Boston Globe reported this week that the city's Museum of Fine Arts is honouring Mr. al-Assad by putting on display a relief bust made in Palmyra in Roman times. A funerary sculpture, the bust features a woman and dates from the 2nd century CE.

A fitting tribute to a man whose lifelong efforts to preserve, document and study Palmyra's ancient historical heritage earned him the moniker "Mr. Palmyra".

Holidaying in Albania

British tabloid newspaper MailOnline makes a strong case for taking one's next holidays in Albania, a country that in past decades seemed to have more in common with North Korea than its European neighbours.

Although visitors are nowhere near as numerous as next-door Greece, the country seemingly has much to offer, including the historical centre of Gjirokastra which, along with nearby Berat, embodies a remarkable architectural legacy running from the 4th century BCE to the Ottoman era. The area was first inscribed in the UNESCO world heritage list in 2005, and subsequently extended in 2008.

Even if the article is not enough to convince readers to reach for the telephone to call their travel agent, the photos of Gjirokastra and environs are certainly impressive.

Roman City of Volubilis, well worth visiting, but perhaps not in mid-summer

Reading about the destruction of Palmyra's monumental arch by IS reminded me of a visit in July 2012 to Volubilis, another ancient Roman city that also has the well-deserved status of a world heritage site. Despite the blazing sun and oven-like heat, the site was incredible!

Ruins range from the politico-religious (including the monumental arch pictured above) to the vernacular (no tour guide misses the opportunity to point the site of a reputed brothel), along with amazing mosaics that are all the more impressive for being preserved in situ.

Ancient monumental arch in Palmyra demolished by Islamic State

The destruction of Syria's ancient cultural heritage continued today with the reported demolition of a 2nd century CE monumental arch at Palmyra, a world heritage site seized by militants of the so-called Islamic State in May 2015.

The arch was reportedly built during Emperor Septimius Severus's reign (193 to 211 CE), possibly to celebrate his victories over the Parthians. Elaborately decorated, the arch was emblematic of the city when Western travellers brought back to Europe their accounts and illustrations of the site in the 18th century.

Bureaucratic wrangling allows serious deterioration to a 15th century gate complex in Hué, Vietnam

In my view Hué is not to be missed by anyone considering a visit to Vietnam. Established as the unified country's capital in 1802, Hué boasts an incredible array of sights, ranging from citadels to pagodas. It is also striking to see the scars of battle within the complex dating from the American War in the late 1960s. 

While the Vietnamese authorities are clearly committed to the preservation and restoration of the Hué complex, which was inscribed as a world heritage site in 1993, the challenges are undoubtedly daunting given its size and the poor state of repair of many of the structures. However, Viet Nam News reported this week (October 3, 2015) that bureaucratic wrangling between the provincial authorities of Da Nang and Thua Thie-Hue has allowed serious deterioration of the 15th century Hai Van gate complex, which straddles the two jurisdictions, and lies just outside the area formally recognized as a world heritage site. 

While discussions are ongoing, UNESCO has reportedly suggested a neat solution that could clarify the status of the gate complex: propose the enlargement of the world heritage site to encompass the gate and surrounding area. Such a proposal, if made, could be considered by UNESCO as early as 2017.

Natural world heritage sites at risk from mining and exploration activities

Safeguarding Outstanding Natural Value, a report published by the World Wildlife Fund in September 2015 makes for grim reading for anyone concerned with the state of health of the 229 natural world heritage sites around the world.

Of particular concern to WWF is the impact of commercial mining and oil and gas drilling in the vicinity of such sites, causing significant and often irreparable damage. Seeking the attention of financial institutions and investors in particular, the report describes the extent of the risk facing sites as diverse as the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System in the Caribbean and the Doñana National Park in Southern Spain.

Coastal villages of Cinque Terre on Italy's Ligurian coast overwhelmed by mass tourism

The Telegraph newspaper reported this week that residents of the Italian coastal village of Cinque Terre feel overwhelmed by mass tourism in their region. The area surrounding Cinque Terre has been designated a world heritagesite on account of its "landscape of exceptional scenic quality that illustrates a traditional way of life that has existed for a thousand years".

However, with the establishment of a cruise ship terminal in nearby La Spezia the number of tourists has skyrocketed, congesting local streets and transportation networks, overwhelming refuse collection and leading to a widespread problem of public urination in back gardens and in doorways. Residents are expressing their unhappiness through an online petition, "Save the Cinque Terre from Mass Tourism", which calls for the number of visitors to the region to be managed better.

While the cruise industry was reportedly "saddened" to learn of residents' unhappiness, there is no word yet on what concrete steps if any the industry will take to address local concerns.