It was St. Augustine who said that the world is a book, and that those who don’t travel, read only one page. Throughout my life, I’ve been to a number of places, each with its own unique feel and character. I’m going to introduce you the 10 most fascinating places in the world I have been to. I’ll mention some of the things I liked about these places, along with some of the interesting activities I enjoyed, and that you may want to consider if you decide to visit them as well.
And if you’re planning on traveling to any of these places, and are looking for fun things to do, feel free to contact me and perhaps I can help you with information or at least steer you in the right direction.
Now on to the great places in the world I’ve been to:
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1. Cuba (2004)
I had the pleasure of visiting Cuba in November 2004. I went with my wife, who was from the ex-Soviet Union. At the start of the trip, we spent two days in Havana, staying at the Hotel Nacional. My ex-wife and I visited a restaurant inside someone’s house. We ordered quite a bit of food + drinks, which came out to around 100 euros (us plus two friendly guests whom we’d met not long before). It might seem expensive, but for the quantity of food that we ate, it proved to be quite reasonable. Then we traveled to Varadero, the beach resort. We snorkeled, then attended a refreshing swim at the renowned Saturno Cave. The highlights of my trip were meeting several Cubans who spoke Russian. My wife, Sveta, spoke with these locals, including our tour guide in Varadero. We met a nice young man named Alexei, who arranged our snorkeling trip, and I remarked how interesting I thought it was that he had a Russian name. I have nothing negative to say about the country or tourist industry, but I must say, just the other day, I had the feeling that I was monitored during my trip. Ever had a sudden intuition about something? Some weeks ago, I was in my room, alone, thinking about it, trying to flood my mind with some nice images from my past trips to improve my mood, and I thought about Cuba. For instance, during the snorkeling excursion, we were accompanied by a group that was Cuban. Two other interesting things that happened there, was trying their beer, Cristal, which is the sweetest brew I’ve ever tasted, on the boat on the way to the snorkeling portion of our sojourn, and, during the snorkeling, I touched a beautiful-looking coral and felt a sting. My wife and I as well got to see Al Capone’s former residence in Varadero, and the beaches are gorgeous. Another thing is, the beach that we stayed at had no one, except for an older Canadian citizen sitting on a towel about 90 feet away. I introduced myself to him. He was soft-spoken, and we didn’t talk much. I mostly asked him about life in Canada. The fact that the beach was almost deserted seemed a bit strange, but I relished the moment. I now believe they were making sure I could be watched. I actually felt bad about that for the first time years later. I think that probably applies to some travelers even today. And, the older woman at the airport who checked our luggage as we were to leave the country as well as the taxi driver [the latter wished me a “a safe trip back to Puerto Rico” even though that’s not where I was headed], were super nice. These experiences both at the end of my trip left me with a good impression, and I’m always happy to recommend the country as a tourist destination.
2. Vietnam (1997)
I took a solo trip to Hanoi, Vietnam, in November 1997. Among the highlights included visiting Hoàn Kiếm Lake, in one of the most verdant and delightful parks I’ve been to anywhere in the world. Vietnamese Pho Bo is one of my favorite dishes, and I got to sample it a number of times during my trip. The most curious place I visited during my time was the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. To this day, I can’t believe I actually took that trip to Vietnam. We took a picture before or after the visit to the mausoleum with a statue of the former leader, but unfortunately, I lost it about thirteen years ago. My tourist guide was a woman that I met by accident. The month before, I called a phone number in my Lonely Planet guide for some place, but it was the wrong number and I got the woman. Not that I was being creepy or anything, but I pursued the conversation and we ended up agreeing to meet in the country when I arrived. That is a true story.
3. Israel (2001-2002, 2003)
I’ve visited Israel several times, most recently in the summer of 2006. Then before that I had volunteered at two kibbutzim in Israel, Dalia (2001) and Hanita (2002). At the latter, I chugged bananas to carts for about 7 or 8 hours a day (once, I think I did it for 12 hours, with breaks). At the former, I worked in the soap factory. Israel is a fascinating country and I’d always wanted to visit it. Some of the highlights of my trip include visiting the Sea of Galilee, in the spring of 2002. In 2003, I worked at a the number of odd jobs in Tel-Aviv, including at a discotech where during party time, I carried across the dance floor a bag filled with used beer bottles at a club. That was the first time I learned with the word ‘Piccolo’ meant. But, when I was explained my duties the receptionist-recruiter at the hostel I was staying at, I was given the impression, just based on the elegance of the word, that it would be easy. I also worked at a restaurant called “Meshuga’at,” which is Hebrew for crazy, on the famous street Ben Gavirol, assisting the cooks. That job wasn’t too difficult, but the hours were long. At a third restaurant I worked, I’ll never forget the large, succulent beef stake the owner would give us for lunch in the 2 days I worked there. Once, the chef at that place, whom I was working with–a foreign worker from Peru, and who spoke fluent Hebrew–asked me if I’d like to work another twelve-hour shift after I’d already put in twelve, and I said no thank you. I’ve seen Jerusalem, the confluence of many faiths and peoples, and it’s a quaint and charming town. I miss Israel and the memories of my trip there vividly stand out.
4. Los Angeles (1996, 1997)
I lived in Los Angeles on and off between the years 1996 and 1997. And it was the first time I visited the city. Los Angeles is one of those places that you either love or hate. There’s nothing in between. I personally like Los Angeles, but it took me a while to get used to it. Why? Because, somehow subconsciously you think that because it’s the second city (the term used to refer to the population of the Windy, which was for many years second, before Los Angeles took over), it must be a lot like New York, but there’s a lot of differences. I also think that if you don’t have a car you’ll have a difficult time getting around, and I don’t drive at all. Some of you may know I’m a baseball fan, during the trip, I got to see one of my favorite broadcasters, Vin Scully. What was amazing is he was broadcasting the games himself, which I didn’t know was his usual motives up around you. Also, there was a game against the New York Mets that started at 10:30 in the morning, the first time I’d ever seen a live morning baseball game.
5. Denver (2015)
Denver is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve been to. The Colorado Rockies are visible from downtown. Some of the best things I like about Denver is the fact that it seemed very clean to me. The downtown is one of the most beautiful areas of any place I’ve been to. Colorado and many ways seems to have its own culture. For instance, the state’s affinity for cannabis is evident in its unique laws compared to other states. I remember listening to a radio broadcast about the issue, and they seem quite partial to it. This seemed a bit strange to me as I had not experienced such an openness to the substance anywhere in the United States. A city I definitely love to visit again someday.
6. Seattle (2016-2017)
I visited Seattle for the first time in 2016. It’s easily one of the most beautiful cities in the United States and the entire world. One negative is the fact that when there’s ice, well, what are you going to do if you drive? Of course, the streets were entirely empty of motor vehicles in the days when ice blanketed the streets. Some of the other things about Seattle is, besides the fact that it’s a beautiful city, is it is expensive–pricier than I thought. It’s also very walkable, so you won’t have a problem getting from place to place. The locals were friendly. I actually almost worked at the football stadium during the season, but I think I refused the job or didn’t go when I was supposed to on the day I was supposed to work. But the city has a strong sports culture and even though the Mariners have never been to the World Series, perhaps this is their year because, if I’m not mistaken, the team is in first place as we speak.
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7. Romania (1995, 2004)
I’ve been fascinated by the Romance languages ever since I was a kid. I took my first trip to Romania in 1995. It was a trip during which I tried to meet my longtime pen pal, but unfortunately couldn’t. I ended up marrying her 3 years later, and we lived in Chicago married for 3 years. I visited Romania again in 2004, and the country seemed to have changed dramatically. The economy was great, and I got to meet lots of foreigners. But it’s this 1995 trip that I really enjoyed because it was my first time ever in Romania, and even though I didn’t much understand the language then, it was the first time I actually was able to practice it with natives in their own country. And it was my first foreign trip.
8. Chicago (1998-2001)
I lived in Chicago from 1998 until 2001. It was one of the best times of my life. Chicago is a lot like New York, yet it has its own personality. For instance, when you arrive at the airport and head downtown, you’re going to be flanked by the highway to your right. As far as I know, or at least in the cities that I’ve been to, a train ride to downtown is nothing special. But in Chicago, the trip from O’Hare to the city is a pleasure. My first apartment, a studio, cost only $395 a month, and was located only a block from Lake Michigan. What makes Chicago interesting too is the fact that you’ve got Lake Michigan. On a beautiful day, a green tone will brighten. The water seems to shimmer in an emerald color. A negative, of course, is the fact that Lake Michigan is one of the roughest of the Great Lakes, and–perish the thought–one can easily be dragged by the currents if not careful. So if you ever do come to Chicago and decide to go to the beach, keep this in mind. Another great thing about Chicago is its sport culture. There’s the Bulls, the Blackhawks, the Bears, the Cubs, and the White Sox. Except for football, the city has experienced a lot of hapless seasons and went 108 years without winning the World Series, until the Cubs broke the curse in 2016. The White Sox themselves won their own World Series in 2005 after a drought of 88 years. Another interesting thing about Chicago, at least as far as I’m concerned, is even though I spent 3 years there, I never met anyone from New York City. Not one. Of course, I’m sure there are lots of students and other professionals in the city, but I never met them. And I had a decent social life. It’s not like I knew a million people, but it also wasn’t only ten. Chicago is a city with a unique personality all its own, and I highly recommend experiencing it for yourself.
9. San Francisco (1997)
I lived in San Francisco for a short while in 1997. I remember it as a city with good vibes. It was also the first time in my life I had my own apartment, a small studio that at the time was $750, which, I think for the mid-1990s and San Francisco, was reasonable. The downtown is gorgeous. I remember partaking in chess matches on Mission Street. I was young then too, so the world seemed filled with possibilities, and San Francisco is easily one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to. I didn’t spend much time in San Francisco, so I don’t have many memories, but it is a place that I’d like to visit again sometime in the future.
10. Puerto Rico (1989)
I visited Puerto Rico for the first and only time in August ’89. My grandparents were born and raised on the island. I grew up in the Bronx, where there’s a huge Puerto Rican population. And so we visited a number of towns during our trip. The highlights for me were the fact that it’s a gorgeous island. I mean, really. Cuba is a beautiful island as well, yet it seemed different than Puerto Rico. Like Cuba, Puerto Rico has a famous fort in its capital. I’ve visited it in either country. [Now that I remember, the trip from the hotel to the Castillo del Morro, Havana’s own fort, was only $1–I thought he was joking when he put up his index finger to indicate it.] I don’t know how expensive it was then, because, as a kid, my grandma was generously taking care of me with expenses. Puerto Rico is an island I recommend if you’re looking for a beautiful experience. Though, like Los Angeles, you’ll need a car. Last but not least, New York is a great place, but I remember as the plane was getting ready to land at the airport, how disappointed I was that I wasn’t in Puerto Rico, because the island is beautiful, and it took me a while to get used to the “overwhelmingness” of New York City after visiting the island.
