June 2020

The structure shown in our April 2020 mystery photo is something that is seen by virtually everyone visiting Ashgabat, the capital of the Central Asian country of Turkmenistan. Sometimes referred to as “The Plunger,” the Monument to the Independence of Turkmenistan is 299 feet tall. Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov, who ruled the country until his death in December 2006, ordered the monument's construction, which began in August 2006. (The country's date of independence was Oct. 27, 1991.)

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Dear Globetrotter:

In May of 2019, my husband, Lynn, and I met his sister and her spouse in Dubrovnik, Croatia, to begin a 2-week independent road trip. While planning this adventure to Croatia and Slovenia, everyone wanted to focus on UNESCO World Heritage Sites, so we decided to add an overnight at Mostar, in Bosnia & Herzegovina, as well.

Direct to Dubrovnik

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When I took my first solo trip to Europe in 1973, I must have kept my parents on the edge of their seats.