Day One

Angkor Wat, located in Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. This beautiful temple is an important building in the Hindu religion. The temple is massive, beautifully constructed with towers and gorgeous palm trees. I was very impressed by this sacred piece of architecture. This temple is the earthly representation of Mt. Meru, the Mount Olympus of the Hindu faith, and is a source of national pride.

Borobudur is located in Indonesia. Borobudur is an incredible piece of architecture for Buddhism. I was extremely impressed with the sheer size of the temple as well as the huge groups of people who came to visit it. It was built around 800 C.E. as a monument to the Buddha.

Day Two

Badrinath is located in India. Badrinath is a special city for the religion Hinduism. The colorful homes and huts alongside the river were quite a sight to see. This is a holy city. Many Hindus pass through here on their yearly pilgrimage.

The Ganges River is located Along Northern India and goes into Bangladesh. The Ganges river is an important site for Buddhism. This river is even larger than it looks in the picture I took. Many homes are built alongside this river, because of it's importance to Buddhists. This river is considered the holiest of rivers and is named after the goddess Ganga, daughter of the mountain god Himalaya.

The Taj Mahal is located in the Indian city, Agra. The Taj Mahal is an incredible building in the religion Islam. This ivory-white marble mausoleum was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to contain the tomb of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. I was impressed with the incredible dome on top, as well as with the massive crowds of Muslims there to view it.

Day Three

Mecca is located in Saudi Arabia. Mecca is a sacred site in the religion Islam. This city is central to the Islamic religion, and is the birthplace of their prophet Muhammad. The Hajj pilgrimage to this sacred site is performed by all able Muslims to honor their faith. I was extremely shocked at how beautiful this city is. It is truly a magnificent site.

Day Four

Bethlehem is located in Israel, south of Jerusalem. Bethlehem is a sacred city for Christianity. This sacred site had a very sweet spirit within it, as it was the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Many Christians visit this place to honor his birth. I loved walking down the cobble-stoned streets and seeing the brick building of old age.

The cross of Calvary is located in Jerusalem. This cross is significant to the religion Christianity. This cross is where Jesus Christ was crucified, and therefore is very important to all Christians. They come here often to mourn His death and to celebrate the perfect life that He led. The cross is very old and scraggly, but is still magnificent.

Day Five

Jerusalem is located in Israel. Jerusalem is a sacred site for Judaism. Jerusalem is a huge city with lots of old buildings and many Jewish churches. It is one of the oldest cities in the world, and many Jews come here often to recall its sacred importance to them. They pay pilgrimage here often, and this site is subject to much controversy about who has control of it.

The Wailing Wall is located in Jerusalem. The Wailing Wall is sacred in Judaism. This wall is considered holy due to its connection to the Temple Mount. The Jews come here often to pray in order to feel closer to their God and be more spiritually in tune. It was amazing to see how large this wall is and to see the large flocks of Jews who came there to visit it.

This trip has been such an incredible experience. Exploring the different religions of this world has really opened my eyes to the different lifestyles and cultures that exist. I will never look at the world the same way ever again.