Ambassador Mark's Travel Blog

Holiday Travel Forecast

2007-12-19T09:49:00.000-06:00

The AAA has released estimates for the holiday season this year. Although they expect an increase over last year, they are predicting it will be only a slight increase. They expect the number of people who will fly or drive more than 50 miles this year will increase by only 0.7 percent over last year. They will be paying 16 percent more on airfare this year, and an average of 70 cents more per gallon of gasoline.

(Source: Los Angeles Times)

A Plan

2007-12-17T10:07:00.000-06:00

Jeff and I discussed our options for this summer, and neither one of us can really afford to fly to Europe right now. Instead, we are going to go camping. I said I have always wanted to see Glacier National Park, and then I saw something on TV about Grand Teton. He asked if I've ever seen Mt. Rushmore, which I haven't. So... we may drive up from Kansas City, see Mount Rushmore, then move on to Grand Teton, and up to Glacier National Park.

Churrascaria

2007-12-14T12:08:00.000-06:00

As I finish a disappointing sandwich from the company cafeteria, I am thinking about one of my favorite types of places to eat when I am on the road – a Brazilian churrascaria. Basically, a churrascaria is Brazilian barbecue (but don’t think of it in terms of American barbecue). The meats are put on metal skewers and cooked in a rotisserie. Then the gaúchos carry these skewers around to each table. If your chip or wooden dowel is turned green-side up, the gaúcho will offer to cut some off for you. If the chip is red-side up, he will pass you.

I’ve never been in a churrascaria with a female server, but I assume they would be called gaúchas. A gaúcho is a Brazilian cowboy.

The meats are varied. One gaúcho will visit with a skewer of beef. Another will visit with chicken. Yet another will have Brazilian sausages. I especially like the lamb in most places. There is also a buffet of salads and other Brazilian foods to eat with your meal. I love the black bean stew known as fejoiada.

I have been to both chains and independent churrascaria. I think my favorite is the chain Texas de Brazil. WARNING 1: You can quickly eat a lot of food until it becomes difficult to breathe. WARNING 2: Churrascaria are very expensive. A single meal can cost around $50 per person.

Here is a list of some I have been to:

Texas de Brazil (Multiple cities)

Fogo de Chão (Multiple cities)

Brazil Grill (Portland, Ore.)

Ipanema Brazilian Grill (Seattle, Wash.)

There are also a couple churrascaria that have opened in the Kansas City area, but I’ve not eaten at either one yet (I’m not on the company dime). They are:

Em Chamas Brazilian Grill

Amor de Brazil (A chain partly owned by former Chiefs player Neil Smith)

Graduation

2007-12-13T09:01:00.000-06:00

I have not been meeting my goal of writing five times a week, and I apologize. I can't say that I've been particularly busy, though my trip to Omaha was one interruption.

This weekend I go to Baldwin City, Kansas for my graduation ceremony at Baker University. Baker was founded in 1858 and is the oldest university in Kansas. Its location, Baldwin City, is about 20 miles south of Lawrence, Kansas, and about 45 miles southwest of Kansas City, Missouri.

The big event held in Baldwin City each year is the Maple Leaf Festival. Organized as a harvest celebration, the festival takes place in the third full weekend of October each year. It includes a parade, arts and crafts, plays, and rides on the historic Midland Railway (11 miles long).

My traveling buddy Jeff is coming in from Minnesota, so he and I will discuss possible future trips. He wants to take another crack at the Appalachian Trail in 2011, and has invited me along. We have also discussed another trip to Europe. A trip to Europe is always fun, but to say I have successfully hiked the 2,000-mile A.T. would be quite an accomplishment.

Afterthoughts from Omaha

2007-12-07T14:59:00.000-06:00

I did not think I would have anything to write about after my trip to Omaha, other than where I ate (which I will discuss at the end of this post), but there were some events that I cannot pass without comment.

The first incident happened before I arrived in town, but it was still developing when we got within range of local radio stations. At around 1:30 p.m. CST, 19-year-old Robert Hawkins went on a shooting rampage in the Westroads Mall in Omaha. He killed eight and injured several before committing suicide with the AK-47 assault rifle he was wielding.

It feels a little disturbing to me, and I think that is a result of being in the Washington, D.C. area during the sniper shootings in 2002. Two days before I left on that trip, the unknown assailants had shot a kid at a school less than a mile from our office. It already had me feeling uncomfortable to me, and when we got there, we always scanned for possible lines-of-sight on us, as targets. We zig-zagged through parking lots and tried to keep a low profile.

One night we had to go to Home Depot to get some material for the job. Surely we’ll be alright at Home Depot, we thought. People are getting shot at gas stations and schools. We did our shopping, and went back to the hotel. I turned on the T.V. Someone had been shot at a Home Depot. It wasn’t the same one we went to, but it made me realize that we didn’t really know who the sniper was going to target or where.

We put off getting gasoline as long as we could. It was our last night, and we had to return the van the next day. We drove around casing gas stations until we found one that had limited line-of-sight, and we went to the pump that was the furthest from the street. My co-worker fueled the van, and I laid my seat back, trying to stay unseen.

Hearing the breaking news about the shooting at the mall brought back some of those feelings from D.C.

The other noteworthy part of my trip was the drive back to Kansas City. A snow storm hit the area as we started our work that morning. By midday when we were ready to leave, a couple inches had fallen already. It was very slow getting out of the city. The drive down I-29 was littered with several dozen cars that had left the highway. Accidents were everywhere. There was a semi that had crossed the median on an especially icy stretch of the highway (see below). I don’t have much hope for the driver.

Here are some photos I took along the drive:

Now, for the lighter side of the trip. After we completed our work for Wednesday night, my co-worker and I ate at Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse. The service wasn’t particularly good, but the food was tasty. We started off with the Little Italy Combination appetizer, and that was enough for a meal. It included the Sausage Bread, which was the best item I had there. I forced a little of the Crusted Steak & Shrimp down, but after the appetizer, I was too full to enjoy it.

For lunch the next day we ate at the Upstream Brewing Company. I like beer, but I couldn’t bring myself to really dig in to their selection at lunch, especially before driving back to Kansas City. I did try one of their brews, the Dundee Export Scotch Ale. It was a darker beer with a surprisingly smooth finish. I also bought a bottle of their barrel-aged seasonal called Ebenezer Ale. The bartender gave me a taste of the un-aged version of it on tap, and I can’t wait to try the fully aged bottle this weekend.

Destination: Omaha, Nebraska

2007-12-04T10:36:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow I will drive up to Omaha for work, and return Thursday night, so I thought I’d do a little reading on Wikipedia about the city. This isn’t my first time to the city, but it is probably the first time I’ve been there in more than a decade.

Occupied by various native tribes over the years, the area became known as “UmaNhaN”, or Omaha, meaning “those going against the current.” After the Lewis & Clark expedition passed through the area, American settlement of the area began. The city was ultimately incorporated February 2, 1857.

In the 1800s, Omaha was a major player in the meat packing business, shipping the product out on the railway. Like all good Midwestern cities of the time, Omaha was a hotbed of prostitution and gambling, nurtured by political boss Tom Dennison.

A big boon to the Omaha economy during the Great Depression was the location of Offutt Air Base, which ultimately became the home of the Air Force’s Strategic Air Command, tasked with controlling America’s nuclear strike option during the Cold War. The Strategic Air Command was dismantled after the fall of the Soviet Union, with the command of the nuclear arsenal being split between different commands. Offutt is still in operation, and was a stop for President George Bush on September 11, 2001, where he communicated with key military and civilian personnel until it was determined he could safely return to Washington, D.C.

Today, Omaha’s economy is much more diverse than it was in the 1800s, though it still plays a big part in the meat packing industry. Omaha also boasts being the home of one of the world’s richest persons in the world – Warren Buffett.

I cannot forget my own city’s connection to Omaha (besides being a city built on the riches of the cattle industry). Omaha is the location of the main farm team for the Kansas City Royals. That’s not a ringing endorsement these days, but one day the Royals could return to victory as a result of the young talent being developed in Omaha. It is also the home of the NCAA Men's College World Series.

I will be in the city less than 24 hours, so I’m not sure I’ll get to do much, but if there is anything worth noting, I will post it here when I get back.

The Destination that Never Was

2007-12-03T15:35:00.001-06:00

I don’t remember how I stumbled on to the Atlantis Project, but I was probably killing time in the computer lab while working on my undergrad. I came across a website for a utopian society “they” were trying to build called the Atlantis Project, and it was a man-made island that could be positioned just about anywhere around the world.

Oceania, the man-made island, would have been a cool place to visit. The site used to have a proposed constitution (based on Libertarian ideals), articles on the technologies that would keep it afloat, and lots of really cool computer images.

I don’t know if Oceania or the Atlantis Project was ever a serious notion. The site now links to a new project by the guy who ran it. The Lifeboat Foundation now seems to be geared toward building space stations for colonization instead of floating cities.

Volunteer Vacations

2007-11-30T13:42:00.000-06:00

My trips abroad have all been leisurely trips. I generally just strolled around, looking at the cities and towns, but never acting as anything more than a tourist. I have recently been thinking about doing a volunteer vacation.

The idea popped in to my head recently when I was talking to my godson about what he wants to do when he gets older. What he was describing sounded like he wanted to be an anthropologist or an archaeologist. I remembered that the USDA had a program for that called Passport in Time (though I didn't remember the name of it straight away). Passport in Time has archaeology-related projects each year that one may participate in. Some projects only accept adults, while others may accept families. There are currently six projects listed for the 2008 calendar.

I decided to look for what was available internationally, and a site I came across was Go NOMAD. This site allows you to search by regions, countries, types of volunteer work, and duration of project. I think I will be able to find something for myself in the future on this site.

There are always opportunities locally and abroad for Habitat for Humanity. One can do more than build for H for H, but it is generally known for its main mission of building decent housing for impoverished people.

Above First Class

2007-11-29T09:54:00.000-06:00

If you’ve ever been on a flight lasting more than three hours, you know how torturous the experience can be. Even if you fly first class (which I don’t do), such a long flight can be debilitating. But for the lucky few who can afford it, Singapore Airlines now offers a version of first class far above what anyone else offers.

Aboard the new Airbus 380, the largest passenger aircraft in operation, sporting two full decks, Singapore Airlines has created a set of First Class Suites. With a sliding door to close for privacy, each First Class seat offers a truly private cabin aboard the aircraft. Each suite includes a leather chair, a separate full-sized bed, and a 23-inch widescreen LCD televisions with on-demand programming.

Designed by French luxury yacht designer Jean-Jacques Coste, the Singapore A-380 offers 12 of these luxury suites. They are configured 1 x 2 x 1 across the aircraft, and are configured for eight single cabins plus two doubles. Gourmet meals are served at the passenger’s leisure.

Destination: Bled, Slovenia

2007-11-20T10:56:00.001-06:00

High in the Julian Alps sits a small glacial lake with an island in the middle of it. This place was once an important pilgrimage point to Christians in the region, and to their pagan predecessors. Now it is an important pilgrimage point for gamblers, skiers and sightseers. Bled, Slovenia provides visitors with thermal baths, a casino, a castle, several old churches and an amazing cream cake called kremna rezina.

If you are going to make a pilgrimage to Bled, you must hop on one of the gondolas and ride out to the island to see the church that evolved over a period from the 9th century until the 18th century. When you first land on the island, you will climb a large staircase with 99 steps. At the top you will have the opportunity to walk the grounds and have a look inside the church itself, which offers 14th century frescoes. Be sure to ring the bell for good luck.

Back on shore, find the trail leading up to the castle on the north side of the lake. Blejski grad is built high up on a sheer cliff, overlooking the lake. Originally built in the 11th century, Blejski grad was largely rebuilt after an earthquake in the 1500s. It is a long, steep walk up to the castle, but peering over the ramparts to look out over the lake is well worth the trip. (Note: If you have a car, there is a road leading up to it from the other side of the cliff.)

Like most places in Europe, there are plenty of winding roads to explore. You will find restaurants and pubs everywhere. Among my favorites was the pizzeria Pletna. You’ll have to ask someone how to get there because we had been wandering aimlessly through the streets when we decided we were hungry and popped in. Although I don’t remember the exact location, I remember that the Pizza Diavolo was very tasty, and the upstairs terrace provided a nice view.

As I mentioned above, Bled offers a gustatory delight called kremna rezina. This cake with vanilla crème and custard was invented in Bled and, unless you are a diabetic, you will not regret eating a slice or two. If you are a diabetic, well… it’s up to you, but the insulin coma may be worth it. Bled is also the location where I had my favorite cup of hot chocolate, mentioned in a previous post.

I cannot speak to all the accommodations in Bled. There are plenty of hotels, but we stayed at a very cute place called Mayer Penzion. You couldn’t exactly say it is in the heart of things, but it is not far. The rooms were cozy, the tub was perfect for soaking in after walking all day, and there was hockey on TV to help me along to an afternoon nap.

Digestivo

2007-11-16T11:08:00.000-06:00

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Of course, I’ve never been to Rome, but I was in Northern Italy last year, and while there, I enjoyed taking a digestivo after my meals. A digestivo is an after dinner drink that is said to aid in digestion. There were two digestivi I drank most often while there -- grappa and limoncello.

Grappa is a brandy made from the leftovers of the wine making process. It is strong, and you have to shake off the first sip, but the rest of the small glass goes down easily, warming your insides.

I have looked for grappa at my local spirits shops, but they only carry a high-dollar brand that I am not willing to pay for. We didn’t waste our money on the high-priced stuff in Italy. We went straight for the €8 bottle in the market.

The other digestivo I really enjoyed in Italy was limoncello -- a lemon flavored liqueur. Limoncello also makes you warm inside, and makes you smile a lot. At least, it made me smile a lot. And it can be purchased much more easily in Kansas City than grappa.

Destination: Santa Cruz, California

2007-11-15T10:43:00.000-06:00

Recently I have spoken of the old Colonial charm of an East Coast city, but I thought I would travel to the other side of the country and talk a little bit about Santa Cruz, California. About 70 miles south of San Francisco, Santa Cruz sits on the northern boundary of Monterrey Bay. Founded in 1791 by the Spanish as the Mission La Exaltación de la Santa Cruz, the city has grown in to a place offering a huge selection of recreation such as swimming, sailing, kayaking, and the kids’ favorite -- amusement park rides.

Santa Cruz is probably best known for the Boardwalk. The site for the Boardwalk has been host to many tourist attractions dating all the way back to 1865, but it was in 1908 that the first amusement ride was added. At the centennial of the Boardwalk, it now offers 35 rides, three arcades, a game deck, 27 games of skill, 36 food vendors, electronic shooting gallery, indoor miniature golf, and over 15 gift (Source: BeachBoardwalk.com). It is a great place to spend the day with the family, riding the rides and swimming in the ocean.

For the more contemplative person, drive west of the boardwalk to Point Santa Cruz (also known as Lighthouse Field State Beach). Although the lighthouse has been moved back from the coast several times as the land underneath it has changed, Point Santa Cruz has been warning vessels of the dangers there since 1869 (Source: SantaCruzState Parks.org). Walk out onto the rocks and consider your place in the Universe as you watch the powerful ocean waves crash against the jagged coast. If you are not the contemplative type, still stop by the lighthouse, as the building now houses the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum.

If you’ve had enough of the ocean, go downtown where you will find a surprise. Having been founded as a Spanish mission, you would expect to find a predominance of the Spanish Mission style of architecture. Instead, you will find a heavy Victorian influence, similar to what you see in San Francisco. Though some buildings were torn down after the 1989 earthquake, much of the original architecture remains. As you walk along, taking in the architecture, you will be able to shop, eat, see a movie, look through an art gallery, or hear some live music.

(Additional sources: Encarta, Wikipedia)

Finding Cellular Service

2007-11-14T09:19:00.000-06:00

A gentleman at work stopped by my desk today to say he was going out of town for Christmas, and wondered how far he could go and still get service for the “on-call” phone. I thought I would pass along some links to you, the reader, in case you ever need to 1) figure out if you are going to have coverage where you are traveling, or 2) figure out how the hell you can get away from everyone and legitimately say, “I guess I didn’t have cell coverage down there.”

Below are links to check the coverage area for four major cellular carriers:

AT&T

Sprint/Nextel

T-Mobile

Verizon

You may also want to know if you can use your phone while traveling abroad. You will need to know what digital signal your phone operates on, such as CDMA or GSM. You should be able to find this information by model number on your provider’s website. The links below will take you to the overview of international services for each provider. If you are lucky, you will receive a phone call from an 11-year-old in Missouri, at 4:30 a.m. in Italy, wanting help identifying the transitive verbs in a sentence.

International service information:

Destination: Annapolis, Maryland

2007-11-13T13:09:00.000-06:00

Colonial charm. Historical significance. Great sailing tradition. These are but a few terms to describe a wonderful place to visit – Annapolis, Maryland. Radiating out from the state capital building are brick streets lined with beautiful Colonial architecture. These aren’t buildings built in the Colonial style. These are the real deal in a city dating as far back as 1649 (though most original buildings date back to the 18th century).

The city is able to boast important moments on the timeline of American history. The Maryland State House, the oldest state house still in use, is where the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, officially ending the Revolutionary War. Subsequently, Annapolis served as the capital of the United States from November 1783 until June 1784. The State House is also where General George Washington resigned as general of the Continental Army in December of 1783.

Annapolis also has two important educational institutions to see. Originally founded as King William’s School in 1696, St. John’s College has been operating under its current name since 1784, and is the third oldest college in the United States (after Harvard and William & Mary). The school’s Great Books program is recognized world-wide as providing one the best-rounded educations in Western philosophy, history and art.

The other institution, almost synonymous with Annapolis, is the United States Naval Academy. Established in 1845, the USNA is a four-year program that culminates in a Bachelor’s degree and an officer’s commission in the United States Navy. A beautiful campus, one can see many monuments, statues and items of great historical significance to the Navy, such as the flag flown by Commodore Hazard Perry bearing the dying words of Captain James Lawrence: “Don’t Give Up the Ship”. Finally, one should visit the crypt of John Paul Jones, a naval hero from the American Revolution. It is located in the Naval Academy Chapel.

Equidistant from the State House and the U.S. Naval Academy is City Dock, a great place for shopping and dining. Among the selection of great restaurants, I can recommend three that I have been to personally. The Middleton Tavern is one of the oldest operating taverns in America. It is a quaint tavern serving excellent crab cakes (among other local favorites). In winter there are four separate rooms one may be seated near a warm fire.

On the other side of a small street from the Middleton is Maria’s Sicilian Ristorante, serving old family recipes since the late 1960s. I recommend the Spaghetti alla Puttanesca.

A few doors down from Maria’s is a restaurant that used to be called Griffin’s. Although the name has changed to the Federal House Bar and Grille, the menu looks basically the same. The Crab Dip is an excellent appetizer, best washed down with a glass of Yuengling.

The Middleton Tavern
2 Market Space
Annapolis, MD
(410) 263-3323

Maria's Sicilian Ristorante
12 Market Space
Annapolis, MD
(410) 268-2112

The Federal House Bar & Grille
22 Market Space
Annapolis, MD
(410) 268-2576

Major League Ballparks

2007-11-12T10:09:00.000-06:00

I can’t always explain what prompts a particular thought in my head, but I just got to wondering how many ballparks I have been to for a major league baseball game. Here is my list:

Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City Royals)
Angel Stadium of Anaheim (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)
Metrodome (Minnesota Twins)
Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees)
Safeco Field (Seattle Mariners)
Jack Murphy Stadium (San Diego Padres)

I have also been outside of, but not in, a number of other stadiums:

Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)
Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs)
Coors Field (Colorado Rockies)
McAfee Coliseum (Oakland Athletics)
Three Rivers Stadium (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Busch Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals) – I’ve actually been in the stadium, but not for a Cardinals game
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore Orioles)
Candlestick Park (San Francisco Giants)

Since I have made it to a game in 20% of the ballparks, I am wondering if I should make it a personal goal to see the rest. (And, should I go see another Padres game since they play in a new stadium now?)

Apocalyptic Places

2007-11-11T17:43:00.000-06:00

Do you believe the last book of the Christian Bible tells of future events for which we must prepare? Or do you believe it was a text written for the Christians of the time to have faith that they would survive the persecution of their time? Even if you belong to another group that completely rejects the writings in the Bible, you must recognize that the Book of Revelations has an influence on how many Americans see and interpret the events of the world. For me, this influence creates an interest to see some of the places connected to the Revelation.

The first place related to the Book of Revelations is the Isle of Patmos. A small Greek island in the Aegean Sea, Patmos was the location where John (also known as St. John the Divine and St. John the Theologian) wrote down the visions he said were revealed to him by God. Here one may see the cave in which it is believed John wrote his prophecy. The Monastery of St. John the Divine was built near this site around 1100 C.E.

From the text itself are a number of places. First is a collection of Christian communities known as the Seven Churches of Asia. These churches all existed in modern-day Turkey. Though the Christian community is small today in Turkey, these seven communities (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Ardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea ) were among the largest in the world at the time of John’s writing. There are still important ruins worth seeing at Pergamum and Ephesus, according to Frommer’s.

The best known place, culturally speaking, is Har-Meggido (Armageddon). It is at Har-Meggido, or the Hill of Meggido, that the final battle between God and Satan is supposed to take place. Located in Israel, Meggido was an important location which many trade routes passed through. Meggido has been the site of many important battles throughout history. Egyptian armies have met other armies from the region at this place for several battles, and an important battle from World War I took place near here between the Allied troops and the Ottoman Turks.

Personally, I find the Isle of Patmos the most intriguing of the sites listed above. Whether one views it as an historical text trying to give hope to an oppressed people, or that it is the true revelation of the return of the Christ, this still remains the place from which the writing originated. It would be fascinating to see the distant place (and ancient culture) that has had such an influence on American culture.

A-B-C, and now 1-2-3

2007-11-08T08:31:00.000-06:00

Moooooooo. The Cattle Call at Southwest Airlines is going away… sort of. When you check in for a Southwest Airlines flight, you will still be assigned a letter (A, B, or C), but the letter will also be accompanied by a number. A-1 through 60, B-1 through 60, and C-1 through 60.

A video on the Southwest Airlines website shows a line of columns. Each column represents a group of five on one side, and five on the other. For example, the first column reads 1-5 on the left side, and 31-36 on the right. The next column reads 6-10 and 37-42. Now you, the passenger, sit in the seats in the waiting area (instead of on the floor in your designated line). When your letter is called, you jump up and queue up to board the aircraft.

“After testing assigned seats in San Diego last summer, we quickly learned that the majority of our customers did not want us to abandon our open seating but they did challenge us to enhance the way we board our aircraft.” Southwest Airlines’ CEO Gary Kelly said. “Through innovative thinking and a lot of long-hours, I am confident that our employees have successfully built a solution that answers our customers’ direct request, while protecting and even improving our aircraft efficiency. All the while, I am proud to say, preserving our out of the box thinking that makes us different.”

The assignment of letters will still be based on the time at which one checks-in, so it is still important to check-in for your flight as early as possible. The airline allows Ticketless passengers to check-in and print out a boarding pass beginning 24 hours prior to the flight’s departure time.

View a sample of the boarding pass.

View the video.

Hot Chocolate in the Julian Alps

2007-11-07T09:15:00.000-06:00

The weather has been cold the past few days in the Kansas City area. I awoke this morning to the first real frost of the year. As I sit here sipping my coffee, thinking of travel, I remember back to the first time I had hot chocolate in Europe. It was 2004. I had spent a few days in Münich sampling beers, and then taken the train to a mountain resort town called Bled, Slovenia. The air was cold in the Julian Alps, and so I popped into a little café for something warm.

I didn’t know much of the Slovene language, but I was able to negotiate the conversation well enough to determine that the waitress recommended hot chocolate for the day. What I got back was not Swiss Miss instant with little marshmallows floating on top. In my cup was a thick, smooth liquid with a spoon beside it. I put the cup to my lips and tilted back.

Instead of following the path of least resistance to my stomach, the liquid chocolate crawled across my tongue and down my throat. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I took another sip and lingered in the experience. I took my time with the rest of the drink, and as it cooled, I learned what the spoon was for. Still warm, the chocolate could no longer be drunk. Like a pudding, I spooned the rest of the rich, dark chocolate in to my mouth, and then I ordered another.

The 5 Most Interesting Places I’ve Visited

2007-11-06T13:17:00.000-06:00

When you have spent time traveling, and made an effort to see as much as possible in each of your destinations, you develop a list of places that you found to be most interesting. If you are like me, the list is long. Asked what your “Top 5” were, you would have a hard time answering that question, and the list may change from day to day depending on your mood.

I tend to categorize my mental list by things such as “Most Beautiful” or “Most Fulfilling.” The following list is the “Most Interesting.” Although I have limited myself to five, I have actually written out a longer list on the notepad on my desk, if you count all the things I have scratched out and replaced with something else. I finally decided to just freeze the list as it was and add the caveat that this is the list as of the moment of this writing. It may be different next hour or next week.

Why have I labeled the following as the most interesting places I’ve visited? These are drawn mainly from those places that provided the most unique and intriguing experience for me at that particular point in my life.

1. Venice, Italy

How many people have written about Venice? That is probably because it is a place that is interesting to a wide swatch of people. It is a city built in the middle of a lagoon with most of the buildings on stilts in the water. Originally inhabited by people fleeing invading barbarians, the city was built out from small islands onto the water as the people became prosperous merchants involved in shipping and trade.

Walking through the meandering streets, crossing arched bridges over the canals, and admiring art and architecture that predates Columbus’ initial voyage across the Atlantic makes this one of the most interesting places I have visited. Seeing a photo of the Ponte di Rialto will never equal the experience of buying a gelato and looking in the shops atop the bridge during your passegiatta (the traditional afternoon stroll). The enormity of the Basilica di San Marco and the adjacent Palazzo Ducale di Venezia cannot be conveyed in words. All these things need to be experienced first-hand.

2. Škofja Loka, Slovenia

I was wary about traveling to Slovenia. I was not familiar with it other than it was formerly part of Yugoslavia. When I got there, I was amazed by the beauty of the Julian Alps. Every place I visited in Slovenia was interesting, but I name Škofja Loka because of the atmosphere in the old part of town.

Built in the 14th century, the old part of Škofja Loka sits in the confluence of two rivers, and is overlooked by Loški Grad, a medieval castle. Like any old European town, Škofja Loka is a series of winding alleys and narrow streets, occasionally opening onto a square. While wandering one day I came upon an older, smaller castle known as Puštal Manor, built in the 13th century.

If you ever go to Škofja Loka, I recommend eating at Jesharna, a nice little pizzeria in the cellar of a building next to the Selška River. I also recommend eating at Pub and Wine Bar Kašča, in the basement of the Granary. Stay away from the Hotel Transturist when looking for accommodation.

3. FC Bayern-München Football Game

The only experience I had ever had with live professional soccer was going to see the Kansas City Wizards play at Arrowhead Stadium. The small crowd they are able to attract in Kansas City is nothing like the maddened crowd that came to watch FC Bayern-München play at the Olympic Stadium.

Before going to Germany, I looked up teams so I could try to see a game if possible, but didn’t give it much thought once I was already there looking at all the sites. Then, walking through the Marienplatz at 9:30 in the morning, a group of fans for the visiting FC Schalke ’04 were marching down the street, arm-in-arm, completely drunk and singing their team’s song. I turned to my friend Jeff and said, “We’ve got to find tickets.”

When we learned that tickets had to be purchased at the stadium, we headed for the train station, and that’s when I started to notice how different soccer was in Europe. Police dressed in what looked like fighter pilot jump-suits and berets were patrolling the station to keep the arriving fans in order (and I later got to see one stuffed in the back of a van).

On the walkways outside the stadium, cavalry officers patrolled, and up on the hills were vans filled with more police waiting to swarm down on any trouble. The stadium was filled to capacity, unlike going to watch the Wizards play. On the north end of the field, behind the goal, sat the fan club for FC Schalke ’04. On the opposite end was the fan club for FC Bayern-München. Lining the aisles of those sections were more riot police.

Although there was a lot of jeering whistles and yelling, the crowd behaved themselves, making it a great experience. Luckily, the home team won.

4. National Portrait Gallery, London

My hotel in London was in the central part of the city, and I was close to many great places. One night when I was tired of being around the crowd I had traveled to London with, I set out on my own for a little dinner at Leicester Square. On the walk back was the National Portrait Gallery, halfway between Leicester and Trafalgar Square. I looked at my watch and believed I had plenty of time to walk through the gallery.

The National Portrait Gallery houses a collection of paintings, photos, drawings and sculptures of important and famous British people. Someone tipped me off to start at the top, so I took the four-story escalator to the top and started with the oldest portrait, a painting of Henry VII dated to 1505, and worked my way down.

Paintings ultimately gave way to photographs. Sketches and sculptures were throughout most of the timeline, and as it became more acceptable to criticize political leaders, caricatures began to show up.

I made it through every room except one before they booted me out at closing time.

5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Having grown up in America, I guess I have become somewhat complacent with my own culture, and so foreign cultures have really piqued my interest. However, a recent visit to Philadelphia gave me the opportunity to visit where so many important events in my country’s history took place. It was there where we formally severed our ties with the sovereign of England, and where we later crafted a government structure that, though recognized as imperfect, it was believed to be the best option for a democratic society at the time.

I first visited Carpenters' Hall where the First Continental Congress met and formed an early association between all the colonial states. Carpenters' Hall is much smaller than I expected, and when they told me it was originally sectioned off in to several rooms as opposed to its current, open layout, I cannot imagine those men cramming in to that small space.

After walking through the area around Carpenters' Hall and seeing such things as the First and Second Banks of the United States, I noticed a little door around the corner for the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) that said “Museum of the American Philosophical Society.” The APS was started by Benjamin Franklin as an intellectual club to discuss science and philosophy.

The society became more formal over time and sponsored many expeditions. Their collection of artifacts and documents from these expeditions was very impressive. It was here, while looking at an original book of drawings by John James Audubon, that I was asked a question I’d never been asked before: “Excuse me? Can you read?” The gentleman wanted me to read some small print that he could not make out without his glasses, but it seemed like an odd way to ask for help.

The Pennsylvania State House, more commonly known as Independence Hall, was the most awe-inspiring part of my walk through historic Philadelphia. Standing in the same room where my founding fathers gathered together and decided to break away from England and form a new country was sobering. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and all the others, had always been just names to me, but being there made it all real. Again, it is something that cannot be described in words, and one must experience on one’s own.