Where's off limits?

Okay happy campers, today I have a question for you: Where's off limits?

We all have trips planned. However plausible, each one of us have one, two, five or ten places in mind that we'd like to see next (as an aside in case any of you are interested, mine go: Kili, Cappadocia, Gonder, Bagan, Great Barrier Reef, Copan, Maccu Piccu). The real question though is this: Where are the places that you want to go, but don't think you can? Maybe you think it's too dangerous. Maybe too far. Maybe you can't get in. Whatever the reason, what is it?

I'll let you in on mine. Actually, there are two: Babylon, Iraq and the Persepolis/Bam/Kharanak sites in Iran.

I'm a huge archaeology buff and the idea that the world hasn't discovered Iran and Iraq blows my mind. Most of the well-known ancient empires that are popular tourist destinations are the Meditteranean civilizations - Greek, Roman and Egyptian. The next in line seem to be the Mayan, Incan, Aztec empires of the south. The up-and-comers of late have really been the empires in SE Asia and India. The Babylonian/Persian empire was bigger than them all.

I've spent many an afternoon in the Oriental Institute in Chicago admiring their collection, and imagining what must be left to be found in Iraq and Iran. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers and Mesopotamian geography, gave rise to the most powerful ancient civilization ever, and for the most part no one knows anything about them. There are thought to be more ruins in number in Iraq and Iran than even the Egyptians. For obvious reasons, Iraq is off-limits right now because of the ongoing war. Iran though, contrary to popular belief, is quite safe. If it weren't for the Visa restrictions, I'd be there in a second.

So here's the question for you: Where are your off-limits places you'd love to explore, but for whatever reason cannot?