I Have always been very interested in early United Sates History, in particular the Wild West. So naturally I have always had the desire to visit the Alamo but being the youngest of four I never had a say in where we went on family vacation. so one day I convinced my friends to take a trip to see this holy sight. I still remember driving past it and being captivated. This is a tangible link to one of the biggest stand taken Against Santa Anna. I could walk through doors that were once used by men like James Bowie, William Travis and Davy Crockett. the building had such a physical presence and you felt that you were on sacred ground. I could relate it to the Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing site, a very humbling feeling. To feel that and experience history beyond page in a text book is significantly more meaningful.

“you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas.”

Davy Crockett

This song was a Ballad written about the siege of the Alamo famously recorded by Marty Robins.

This is St. Paul’s Church in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. My family is from Germany and my uncle currently lives in Munich, so every couple of years my family will plan a trip to go visit. St. Paul’s Church is an enormous, gothic-style Catholic Church that was built in the late 1800s. In my opinion, this is one of the most incredible buildings in Munich and one that I think every person should take the time to see if they ever have a chance to visit. Standing in front of the church is breathtaking; it almost seems as if the church rises so tall that the top is in the clouds. It is visually striking how immaculate the details are throughout both the interior and exterior. To say that this building is an impressive work of art does not do it enough justice. 

Over Christmas break in 2016, I was fortunate enough to visit one of the new seven wonders of the world. Although you are unable to walk up the stairs the structure itself is absolutely breathtaking. During the tour, we were told that during ceremonies the priests would stand at the top whilst all the members of the civilization would stand at the base. What’s interesting is that the Chichen Itza temple was built in a way where clapping at the base had unique acoustic sounds. It is hard to explain but when an individual clap at the base the feeling would be felt traveling up the stairs.

Not too far from the temple itself, is a ball court that the Mayans would play at. What’s interesting is there are several rings on both sides of the court. It most similarly depicts the sport in the fictional setting of Harry Potter Quidditch. The game itself requires teams to toss a ball through the hoops.

Located northeast of Arcadia Lake, Pops has always been an ideal location for spending time with my friends and family. It’s marked by the giant neon soda bottle in front of the building. I often see groups of bikers or car enthusiasts gathered there. Pops is a gas station as well as a restaurant. But this restaurant has a drink selection unlike any other. One side of the building is full of fridges with unique and interesting sodas. You can get anywhere from Strawberry Jalapeño Soda to Peach Cobbler Soda. I’ve tried so many flavors I’ve lost count. Sometimes I get disappointed in one flavor, but I’m awarded with a surprising one. Peach Cobbler actually tastes like a peach cobbler! The wall facing the front is full of windows with many bottles on display.

Behind the restaurant/gas station is an orchard and tables in the shade for eating. Whenever I go to the lake with friends and family, we always follow up with a trip to Pops for burgers and unique sodas.

While visiting Paris, i was told that i should make a detour to visit Sacre-Coeur and it did not disappoint. Although it is not nearly as large of a building, relatively speaking, as the some of the others i visited, what it lacked in size it made up for in ornateness. I was first struck by how pleasing it is aesthetically; i immediately noticed the symmetry of the church and its positioning upon the hilltop. The interior was very pretty as well, but i found the exterior to be the true source of attraction. Pictured are photos that i took from above and below, and the view of Paris when exiting the cathedral was breathtaking.

While living in Taiwan my last two years of high school, I visited the palace museum in Taipei. The building itself shows attribute of Chinese architecture, with its swooping rooves and decorated wood beams. The museum holds a collection of treasure and art from when Chinese royalty fled to Taiwan, known then as Formosa (“beautiful island”). The immense size grows even bigger as your walk across the tile path and up the stairs and finally over the courtyard. I enjoyed seeing so many trees and ferns and other greenery. The garden seen on the bottom right of the picture included coy ponds for people to feed fish. Inside the palace, I was intrigued by the detailed art styles and seeing a timeline spanning several hundred years. I felt a great deal of respect for the people that chose to preserve the artifacts and documents.

I visited Big Ben for the first time when I was in middle school, and it was a breathtaking view. As young as I was, the clock made me feel tiny whenever I looked up at it. Though, it also makes you think of London’s industrial history when seeing it. The gothic revival architecture used in the construction of the clock gives a very powerful, old time feeling. During the day, the clock is easily noticed due to its height and near gold color; though, at night, the clock fully illuminates and shines down onto the city. Overall, it was a very positive experience, and very memorable architecture.  

As a high schooler visiting OU, I toured the Bizzell Library for the first time. From the outside, the red bricks and high arching windows are a gorgeous view. The building gives off a strong scholarly persona with the high columns in the front and straight edge hedges surrounding it.  Upon entering the Great Reading Room, I was met with the most collegiate style room I’ve ever seen. It’s like seeing a classroom from Harry Potter. The high ceilings with old wooden arches surrounding them give the room a very vast and empty feeling as well. Though, the windows give a very open feeling as a spot to watch over the entire campus without being bothered. Overall, I find the building to be very aesthetic holding a powerful presence.

I first visited the Empire State Building when I was in elementary school. It was one of my first big trips as a kid, and every part of New York was new for me. The size of the skyscrapers, and the vast amount of buildings throughout the city were all encompassing for me. When we got to the Empire State Building, it felt very surreal to see in person. As a building that has appeared on thousands of different tv shows and movies, it’s almost like meeting a celebrity in real life. The view from the top was just as impressive as looking up at the height of the building. Overall, it was a very memorable experience.

Years ago, when I was in middle school, I visited the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris with my family. It was one of the most memorable trips we took due to the unique architecture and history that the structure displayed. I remember looking at it for the first time and feeling incredible small due to its size. The view was breathtaking, both inside and out. It’s hard to imagine its construction, as well as the incredible process it must have been when it was first built in 1163. I’m very glad I was able to visit before the fire tore down parts of it.