Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Do you think people park their cars in the middle of the street along the Copacabana in Rio today? No way! There are now three lanes in each direction, but they have also preserved and upgraded the center median (I love center medians!) Not surprisingly, there are also a lot more buildings now.

The Church of Our Lady of the Rock was built in 1635 and is famous for the 382 steps of the main staircase. Never mind the church or the stairs; there's something very appealing about men wearing white suits with hats.

The Arcades - Cleveland, Ohio

 

If only modern shopping malls could be so attractive. The Superior Arcade in Cleveland was built in 1890 and was one of America's first indoor shopping malls. The arcade was designed by John Eisenmann and consisted of two 9-story towers connected by a 5-story atrium. We have reason to rejoice, because the arcade has been preserved. Today, it houses a Hyatt Regency Hotel and shops and restaurants. Here's what it looks like today.

Here are a few more shopping arcades in Cleveland:

 

Zara, Turkey

Zara is located in the Sivas Province of Turkey and currently has a population of about 20,000. Sivas is an Anatolian Province and is the second largest province in Turkey. The province is noted for its thermal springs.