If I Could Go Anywhere in the World...

Blog It July Day #21
If you could vacation anywhere where would you go and why?

I think I mentioned this before, but one of my most central life goals is to visit every continent before I die. Based on that, I should pick somewhere in Africa, Australia, or, I suppose, Antarctica. (Yes, I would like to go to Antartica. I know I'm a little crazy, but I think it would be amazing.)

However, the places that first come to mind are elsewhere.

I would love to travel through India. It seems like such an interesting, colorful place. Images and music and videos from India are always so full of life. When I mention this, people usually say something about how much poverty there is there. I'm aware of that and, while it makes me sad, I don't have a problem with seeing it. I think it's important to see poverty. I know I'm privelleged in many ways, and I want to understand that privelege in as complex a context as possible.

And, I mean... INDIAN FOOD!



Svalbard



 Another of my travel pipe dreams is to visit Norway and the island of Svalbard, way up in the north. I have wanted to do this ever since I read The Golden Compass (by Philip Pullman). I have already decided that seeing the Northern Lights will be my midlife crisis. While I know I could see them in Alaska, Canada, or even (as some people have pointed out) right here in Minnesota, my real dream is to do it in Norway.

Even though I love traveling to new places, I would be sorely tempted to return to a few select, most beloved past destinations.

I miss Buenos Aires often. I love the culture there. People stay up late. They drink really great coffee. They enjoy art and dance and music. They spend Sunday afternoons eating ice cream and watching puppet shows at the local feria. They take the subte (subway) and walk alot. They have a thriving literature culture. Really, I loved everything about that city. And for all that other parts of Latin America joke about Buenos Aires locals ("Porteños") being snobs, people there are friendly and nice and fun-loving.




Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires



Speaking of Argentina, I would also love to visit Iguazu Falls again. (I think the picture says it all, but it's worth mentioning that when Eleanor Roosevelt visited, she was quoted with saying, "Oh, poor Niagra!")

Enough said

Lastly, I fell in love with Italy when I traveled through Europe. Florence in particular. So I would be very eager to go back.

Not a very concise answer. Sorry about that. But hey, I have the travel bug - I want to go EVERYWHERE. I could have gone on for days, so count yourself lucky.