Photos: The 10 best things in the world
 

http://images.smh.com.au/2010/10/12/...al-600x400.jpg

Backpacker blogger Ben Groundwater names the 10 best things he has seen around the world.

1. The Taj Mahal. So what makes it so impressive? The smooth, shapely lines of the marble? The reflection pool running through the middle of the well-kept gardens? all of those things, and none of them. Photo: Quentin Jones

<IMG id=mImg alt="10. The Hollywood sign. It's not an architectural achievement, or a feat of engineering, or even very nice to look at. But there's a definite buzz the first time you stare at the world's biggest street sign. Photo: AP" src="http://images.smh.com.au/2010/10/12/1982111/Hollywood-Sign-2-600x400.jpg" width=591 height=400>

10. The Hollywood sign. It's not an architectural achievement, or a feat of engineering, or even very nice to look at. But there's a definite buzz the first time you stare at the world's biggest street sign. Photo: AP

<IMG id=mImg alt="9. Big Ben. Actually, Big Ben is a bell, which isn't very impressive at all. But the clock tower, and the surrounding parliament house and Westminster Abbey, are as English as you can get. Photo: Reuters" src="http://images.smh.com.au/2010/10/12/1982113/London-Big-Ben-600x400.jpg" width=593 height=400>
9. Big Ben. Actually, Big Ben is a bell, which isn't very impressive at all. But the clock tower, and the surrounding parliament house and Westminster Abbey, are as English as you can get. Photo: Reuters

http://images.smh.com.au/2010/10/12/...ll-600x400.jpg
8. The Berlin Wall. Given the history, it seems slightly wrong to talk about this as the "best", but it's that history that makes the Berlin Wall so amazing. Pity about all the graffiti.

<IMG id=mImg alt="7. The Colosseum. It's huge - absolutely huge. You don't realise that until you set eyes on it yourself, and then all of the scenes from Gladiator suddenly rush to life in this crumbling cauldron. Photo: Reuters" src="http://images.smh.com.au/2010/10/12/1982110/Colosseum-Rome-600x400.jpg" width=596 height=400>

7. The Colosseum. It's huge - absolutely huge. You don't realise that until you set eyes on it yourself, and then all of the scenes from Gladiator suddenly rush to life in this crumbling cauldron. Photo: Reuters