the 31 Places to go in 2010

sorry for the lack of blogs lately.. here's a couple to make up for it.. :)

I was reading the NY Times a couple of months ago and the article was discussing about 31 places to go in 2010.


These are the ones on the list I found most inspiring:

1) Sri Lanka: the article states it feels like one big tropical zoo, elephants roaming freely.. mmmm now I like that. And pristine coastline and miles of sugary white sand. Then there's Nilaveli Beach in Tamil north, where you can lounge on hammocks under palm trees or go snorkelling. I'm sold.

2) Antartica: polar bears and a whole lot more, why not. :)

3) Mumbai: Look, India should be on a travellers list just because. I remember once watching Amazing Race (one of the greatest shows ever!!!!), checkpoint India. How do they serve tea there for the public offices? People riding on bicycles, going from one building to another and delivering tea to people on multiple floors. And no, I didn't see fancy lifts, beautiful carpetry and all that jazz. But you'd never see tea served that way here, nor anywhere I've ever lived in, and that's one reason why it's worth visiting. I'm sure anyone who's ever visited India would have felt terribly sorry for the children one often meets, begging for money. I came across that when I was in Bali Indonesia few years ago. One child would come up to you, you give or buy the item they'd sell, then more will keep coming. And there's really only so much you can give.

4) Minorca, Spain: the article says "miles of beaches, some 120 of them... crystal clear swimming waters in the coves of Cala d'algaiarens (just saying that out loud is already sexy), fine sand and rolling dunes.. greenery and sun-bleached towns". I have a serious love for anywhere related to water, sand and sun.. beautiful towns and glorious mediterranean weather.

5) Costa Rica, Central America: the article talks about Costa Rican Bird Route which opened in early 2009, where there's 13 far-flung nature reserves with 500 bird species. I like birds simply because of their ability to fly freely, but no, not fond of some birds such as crows or magpies. In the western culture, you'd often see eagles (strength) and doves (peace) used, whereas in Japanese culture, you'd often see swallows, cranes, phoenix etc being used as decorative symbols on tableware or other art, often representing longevity or freedom.

6) Bahia: northeast of Brazil. Never been to South America, but it's sure on my list. I think if I ever headed there, I'd probably have to allocate a good month or 2 to really explore all the countries. We've only ever gone as far down to mid-America, ie Mexico. I definitely want to see the Amazon forest and the very spectacular Carnivale live!! The article mentions Palacete das Artes, and "The Kiss" and "The Thinker" by Auguste Rodin is available for temporary viewing. If one takes me to a gallery, I'd be pretty happy. heh

7) Norway: I've never been to any scandinavian countries, and I heard Norway is truly beautiful. Again like South America, I'd like to spend a good month or two exploring all countries covering Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.

8) Gargano: anything related to coastal areas of Italy is a must for me.

Check out the full list:
www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/travel/10places.html
borrowed photos from Pascal Rouget for "Fisherman", and "Slowly through the Tea Hills".