A BLAST FROM THE PAST
Caused by a comet or small asteroid, the Tunguska blast of 1908 leveled miles of trees in the central part of this Russian region
Siberia
Around 1591 the Rialto Bridge was completed by Antonio da Ponte across the Grand Canal in this city
Venice
This city is home to the USA's oldest & largest Chinatown & Japantown
San Francisco
Temple Square is a fixture of this U.S. capital, once referred to as New Jerusalem
Salt Lake City
This city where the girl from Ipanema goes walking: January river
Rio de Janeiro
A deadly 1962 explosion in one of these in Carmichaels, Penn. was attributed to underground methane gas
a coal mine
"Julius Caesar" is thought to be the first Shakespeare play performed at this venue
The Globe
It's the "Birthplace of the American Railroad" & of "The Star-Spangled Banner"
Baltimore
New York's second-largest city, it's situated where Lake Erie tapers off into the Niagara River
Buffalo
This South American country that reminded Amerigo Vespucci of home: little Venice
Venezuela
Now tree-covered, Hanbury Crater was created by a 1944 explosion in an underground bomb depot of this UK military branch
the Royal Air Force
Simplifying navigation, this Flemish cartographer made his eponymous 2-dimensional world map
Mercator
This saintly city is a gateway to Zion National Park & it's where Brigham Young had a winter home
St. George
***TRIPLE STUMPER***
Salt Lake City
As in the name of a nearby lofty tourist attraction, this 4-letter name comes before "Kawaguchiko," a beautiful Japanese lake town
Fuji
This region where Alexander the Great was born: land of the tall ones
Macedonia
***TRIPLE STUMPER***
In 1917, a munitions ship blew up in a Nova Scotia harbor, flattening more than a square mile of this city & killing 2,000 people
Halifax
***TRIPLE STUMPER***
Living in southern-ish Europe, in the second quarter of the century, you were likely a subject of the first King of Spain & fifth Holy Roman Emperor of this name
Charles
***TRIPLE STUMPER***
One of Oklahoma's largest cities, this college town was named for a surveyor, first name Abner
Norman
Once capital of the Helvetic Republic, this city lies on the lake that bears its name, as well as on the Reuss River
Lucerne
***TRIPLE STUMPER***
Geneva, Zurich
This city that's no longer an African capital: lakes
Lagos
At the 1585 Siege of Antwerp, gunpowder-packed Dutch ship called hellburners blew up a bridge built by these attackers
The Spanish
***TRIPLE STUMPER***
Launching the Reformation, Martin Luther is said to have posted his 95 Theses on the castle church door in this German city
Wittenberg
***TRIPLE STUMPER***
Würzburg
This second-most populous Illinois city is nicknamed "City of Lights" because of early street lamps, not a natural phenomenon
Aurora
Site of a dramatic commando raid in 1976, this Ugandan city juts into Lake Victoria
Entebbe
This Asian capital known for its towering Twin Towers: muddy estuary
Kuala Lumpur