The Earth is huge, like really huge. For context, after being here for thousands of years, there are still parts of the Earth that we humans haven't yet discover. Many people have dreams of one day travelling the Earth, but it is always huge cities and famous attractions. For the true adventurers out there, what if I told you there were plenty of lesser known places that are much more interesting to visit?
The Island of the Dolls, Mexico
It's not a real island, no no. It's just a land surrounded by plenty of rivers, making it look like an island. According to legends, a little girl drowned in this place more than 50 years ago, but her soul would remain and haunt the villagers.
Therefore, a local by the name of Julian Barrera decided to hang a doll on a tree to keep the little girl company. Since then, more and more dolls have been put up, especially as more and more tourists come to visit. The end results? Chills down your spine, definitely.
Garden of Bomarzo, Italy
The Garden of Bomarzo is also known as the Park of the Monsters. It was created in the 16th century and holds many weird and fascinating sculptures like "a dragon attacked by lions" and "a turtle with winged woman on its back". Ever since the creator created it to cope with his wife's death, it has been abandoned until the 20th century. The overgrowth adds to the character of the garden, which remains a major tourist attraction until today.
Ghost Town Centralia, USA
Early during the days in Pennsylvania, USA, the town was a thriving business hub thanks to its mines. According to surveys, there were as many as 2700 residents back in 1890. The town was completed with 7 churches, 5 hotels, 2 theaters, 1 bank, 1 post office, 14 grocery stores, and 27 salons (WHAT!).
The good times lasted until the beginning of the First World War, when any miners were recruited into the army. Then a fire in 1962 was the final nail in the coffin. At that time, the fire used to incinerate garbage broke out and spread through the mines, almost burning down the entire town.
The Hill of Crosses, Lithuania
The Hill of Crosses is located 12 kilometers North of Siauliai, a city in northern Lithuania. No one knows the origin of these crosses, but locals believe that the first batch of crosses were put up back in November 1831. At that time, there had just been an anti-Russian uprising and the crosses were part of some military installations.
Many years later, Catholics who prayed there would place more crosses and statues of key figures such as Virgin Mary and Lithuanian patriots. Apparently, there are more than 100,000 crosses there since 2006. Another thing that is in abundance is the amount of ghost stories and legends from the days of the resistance.
Hand of the Desert, Chile
This mysterious , 11 meter tall sculpture can be found in the Atacama Desert, somewhere in the middle of the west coast of South America. Although most of this desert is located in Northen Chile, parts of it belong to Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina.
The lonely sculpture is a product of Chilean Mario Irarrazabal back in 1992 and is made of concrete and iron. It acts as an important landmark in Chile and is said to symbolize loneliness, injustice, helplessness, and vulnerability.
So, the next time you plan your overseas trip, consider adding these locations to the list! You will probably be the only person among your friends and family who have been there.
