Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, is a city where tradition and modern life meet in unexpected ways. Streets are lined with traditional Bhutanese architecture, colorful prayer flags, and shops selling handicrafts, while government offices and modern facilities operate alongside centuries-old temples.

Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, has long served as a cultural and trade crossroads in the Andaman Sea. Centuries ago, it was a stopover for merchants trading tin, spices, and textiles, with influences from Chinese, Portuguese, Indian, and Malay travelers still reflected in the island’s architecture and cuisine. Inland, the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary protects rainforest habitat home to gibbons, civets, and exotic birds.

Kingston is a waterfront city in eastern Ontario where Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and the Rideau Canal meet. Its location at the entrance to the Great Lakes and the Thousand Islands has shaped its role in transportation, trade, defence, and settlement. The city is known for its limestone buildings, historic downtown, waterfront parks, and connection to Queen's University and the Royal Military College of Canada.

Grand-Bassam is a coastal city in southeastern Côte d’Ivoire, about 40 kilometres east of Abidjan, where the Ébrié Lagoon meets the Gulf of Guinea. The city extends across lagoon shores and a narrow coastal strip lined by Atlantic beaches and coconut palms.

Who would have thought, back in the tumultuous coup and counter coup days of the 1970s, that Burkina Faso would become the cultural darling of West Africa? Unlikely as it seems, Burkina Faso has become the Utah of West Africa, hosting a biennial film festival that rivals the Sundance Film Festival for cultural clout. When it's not hosting film festivals, it's busy organizing its other biennial cultural festival.