There are places in the world that don’t just show you nature—they tell you stories. And then there’s Lake Mashū, a mystical caldera lake nestled in the mountains of Hokkaido, Japan. Known for its mirror-like waters and often shrouded in fog, Mashū is mysterious on any given day. But once a year, it unveils something truly otherworldly: the Dragon Eye.

Imagine temples so magnificent, the world couldn't let them drown. That's the story of Abu Simbel—two ancient temples carved into a mountainside that were rescued from the rising waters of the Nile, block by massive block, and reassembled like a giant stone puzzle.