Beaches, Mountains, Jungles, and Cities—This Little Country Has it All

Plus, Workers Setting Up Scaffolding at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris Discover Ancient Tomb [Manage newsletters]( [View in browser]( [Image] [Image] The entire world in your inbox. Hello all– It’s hard to believe that a year ago we were all scrambling to figure out when and where we could get vaccinated, and wondering if we’d ever get to countries we always dreamed about visiting any time soon. And here I am, taking off tomorrow for Qatar and Egypt, both countries I’ve never been to before. I’m sure many of you have thought about visiting Ecuador before, if only for the Galapagos. But once you read Cassandra Brooklyn’s [informative and expansive piece]( on the astounding variety of worthy destinations this country the size of Colorado has to offer, you’ll surely move it to the top of your travel list. We’re all horrified by the news and images from the crash of the China Eastern Boeing 737-800. [Clive Irving updates us]( on what is known so far, and what big questions we should be asking as more information becomes available. Last month, I was lucky enough to join Keith Taillon (many of you likely know him from his fabulous Instagram account [@keithyorkcity]( which documents Manhattan history and recaps Gilded Age episodes) for a VIP tour of the Empire State Building. It was pretty incredible, and definitely pushed my limits when it comes to height fears, but Keith [has a great write-up]( on what that experience is like. Enjoy! —[William O’Connor](, Travel Editor [Image] [Beaches, Mountains, Jungles, and Cities—This Little Country Has it All]( [This spectacular country is about the size of Colorado but it has the diversity of the entire continent of South America.]( [Workers Setting Up Scaffolding at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris Discover Ancient Tomb]( [Crews preparing to repair the ancient spire that was destroyed in the devastating 2019 fire have found ancient tombs with perfectly preserved mummies.]( [How Could One of the World’s Favorite Jets Just Plunge to Earth Like a Ballistic Missile?]( [In an age where every flight is instantly tracked, data and images of a journey that ended with 132 people dead have kicked off an extraordinary global guessing game.]( [The Empire State Building Is Still Full of Surprises]( [The iconic tower is facing some stiff competition when it comes to Big Apple views, but she still has something special.]( [“For some time archaeologists have assumed that the dagger had extraterrestrial origins. For scientists what that means is that the blade was constructed out of a metallic meteorite that was discovered nearby. Even before the Iron Age began, circa 1200 B.C., humans had been pounding implements out of space iron.”]( – Candida Moss [reports on the strange paths conspiracies about King Tut’s dagger have taken](. OMG I Want to Rent This House! Bedrock Homestead Cave, Boulder, UT ([Airbnb](): This home is a little smaller than our usual features, but it gets a mention because it may just be one of the most unique homes we’ve come across, especially as those of the outdoorsy persuasion start gearing up for summer travel. Located eight miles outside of Boulder, UT, this isn’t just a holiday home and its not just a cave—it is a work of art! The last two years have been traumatic as a whole, but, on a day-to-day basis, they have also been profoundly boring. Who wants to be stuck inside with just a restricted quarantine pod all the time? Going back to the time of the Flinstones may not seem like the perfect antidote to the Covid-era hangover, but we think it just might be so given all the reviews that talk about the opportunities for exploration and adventure here. It’s about time you indulge in another holiday escapade unlike any you’ve been on before. Book Your Stay: [Bedrock Homestead Cave](, Boulder, UT: $340/night via Airbnb Don’t miss previous OMG, I Want to Rent This House posts, which spotlight the most spectacular and unique homes that you can actually stay in. [Check out the full archives](. See the Coolest New Buildings From Japanese Architects To say that contemporary Japanese architecture is cool would be an understatement—it might just be the world’s coolest. The face of the country’s building designs is Tadao Ando, one of the world’s most sought after starchitects. A total of seven of its architects have won the Pritzker and its architects’ designs, both at home and abroad, remain some of the most cutting edge, creative, and beautiful globally. It’s no surprise, then, that [Taschen’s sleek new survey Contemporary Japanese Architecture]( is our latest selection for [Just Booked](, our series on exciting new travel-related coffee table books. Edited by Philip Jodidio, the extra-large tome hops around Japan and around the globe, from France to the U.S. to China, to introduce readers to some of the more spectacular recent buildings from Japanese architects. There’s the Mount Fuji World Heritage Center by Sigeru Ban, with its mesmerizing wood lattice inverted cone that graces the book’s cover, or the totally unexpected Mosaic Tile Museum from Terunobu Fujimori that looks like a giant earthwork with an almost giggle-inducing fringe of pine trees running along its edges. [BUY ON TASCHEN >>]( Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts or newsletters, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up here.]( [Daily Beast]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( @copyright 2022 The Daily Beast Company LLC I 555 W. 18th Street, New York NY, 10011 [Privacy Policy]( If you are on a mobile device or cannot view the images in this message, click here to [view this email in your browser](. To ensure delivery of these emails, please add emails@thedailybeast.com to your address book. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, or think you have received this message in error, you can [safely unsubscribe](.