Travel seems to hold a special place in the hearts and minds of most of us, whether it is the vacation to get away from work or the lifetime memory created by visiting a special place or having a unique experience. This is Part 2 of Stephen’s 200 travel bucket list ideas – my own personal memory-makers from a lifetime of travel to 54 countries.
It is a long list with a lot of photos, so I have segmented the list into four parts, each one with links to the other three. What follows is Part 2, #51 – 100 of the list.
51. Listen to music in a church carved out of ancient rock, in Helsinki, Finland
52. Visit “old dragon’s head,” where the Great Wall begins, at Laolongtou, Bohai Sea, China
53. Stroll through the world’s oldest open-air museum, Skansen, in Stockholm, Sweden
54. Take amazing aerial photographs (once upon a time) in a blimp ride over Sydney, Australia
55. Devour a classic pizza at Pizzeria Uno, the birthplace of deep-dish pizza, Chicago, Illinois
56. Walk across U Bein, the world’s oldest and longest teakwood bridge, Mandalay, Myanmar
57. Play golf with breathtaking Mediterranean views at the Monte-Carlo Golf Club, Cote d’Azur
I played golf here as part of a corporate awards event, but I don’t have any photos. The club, inaugurated in 1911, is actually situated in the La Turbie area in the heights of Nice. Cliff views are amazing and lead to many lost golf balls.
58. Examine a collection of more than 600 ceremonial masks, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
You can read my post to learn more: 5 unusual things to do in San Miguel de Allende
59. Learn about the wine-making process at Benziger Vineyards, Sonoma Valley, California
60. Ride the subway just to experience its classic art-filled stations, St. Petersburg, Russia
61. Sail on a 248-foot Windjammer to the remote Caribbean Islands of Nevis and Montserrat
I love many things about Windjammer cruises. They are old sailing ships where you can help hoist the sails. Meals are local, sometimes prepared on-shore. And the ships are small enough to anchor at islands the big cruise ships never see.
62. Purchase jewelry made from old bombs at the night market, Luang Prabang, Laos
You can read my post to learn more: Time is now to visit Luang Prabang, Laos
63. Watch the pro surfing world tour at Sunset Beach, North Shore, Oahu
64. Appreciate the dramatic impact of Picasso’s Guernica, at Museo Reina Sofia, in Madrid, Spain
Photographs are not allowed to be taken of this most famous and powerful work of Picasso. It fills a room in Madrid’s renown art museum, Reina Sofia. His moving, anti-war statement was painted in 1937.
65. Learn about the Spanish cultural roots in the 16th century town of Vigan, Philippines
You can read my post to learn more: Ilocos: Philippines are more than beaches
66. Observe restoration of the cultural relics of ancient China at the Stele Forest, Xi’an, China
67. Eat breakfast in French St. Martin, then lunch in Dutch Sint Maarten, Caribbean Islands
This quaint, 37-square-mile island is actually comprised of two separate countries. The northern half is French (St. Martin), while the southern half is Dutch (Sint-Maarten). There is no physical border between the territories.
68. Sample teas at the 300-year-old Fortnum & Mason Piccadilly location, London, England
69. Gaze down at the immense city from its tallest structure, Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo, Japan
70. Sing about the hills being alive from “The Sound of Music,” above Salzburg, Austria
71. Savor succulent Beijing Duck at the original restaurant, Quanjude, in Beijing, China
72. Drive the Pacific Coast Highway from Carmel to San Luis Obispo, through Big Sur, California
73. Play tennis on the red clay center court, at Roland Garros Stadium, in Paris, France
No pictures allowed, but it was a thrill to play tennis many years ago at the mecca of international clay court tennis and home to the French Open. You could almost hear the groans of the crowd as I served into the net.
74. Ride a small motorized raft to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, near Boulder City, Nevada
75. Stroll up the steps to the Ruins of St. Paul’s Portuguese Church, Macau, China
76. Marvel at the Matterhorn reflected in a lake, high above Zermatt, Switzerland
77. Ride a bicycle all around the top of the ancient city wall that encloses old Xi’an, China
78. Gaze at the twinkling city lights from the top of Mont Royal Park, Montreal, Canada
The half-French, half-English city of Montreal is interesting any time of year, even in the long winter when activity moves indoor and underground. Spring and summer bring beautiful views from the top of the city’s major park.
79. Ride in a gondola, then wander and get lost among the countless canals of Venice, Italy
You can read more about the canals of Venice from my post: 8 ways to see Venice like a local
80. Pray at the 600-year-old Heungryunsa Temple, at Incheon, Korea
81. Visit the birthplace of William Shakespeare, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England
The half-timbered home of William Shakespeare sits in a lovely town, especially when visited on a nice spring day. You can almost hear the bard saying “All’s Well That Ends Well.”
82. Be mesmerized by sunrise in winter and sunset in summer at the Grand Canyon, Arizona
83. Explore the many whimsical works of architecture by Gaudi, in Barcelona, Spain
84. Stroll the spooky grounds of the Summer Palace in the middle of the night, in Beijing, China
The Summer Palace was the retreat of emperors for centuries to escape the heat of Beijing. Today the beautiful grounds can be visited during the day only. But as guests of the adjacent Aman resort, they open a gate to allow us to prowl around in the pitch dark of night. I hope all those growling dogs we hear are not on the loose.
85. Work on a float, then attend the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game, in Pasadena, California
86. Pray in the massive Cathedral, in the center of historic Toledo, Spain
87. Climb to 4,680 meters (15K feet) on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, near Lijiang, China
88. Rocket around the track of the Winter Olympics bobsled run at Lake Placid, New York
The United States hosted the 1980 Winter Olympics in the Lake George region of upstate New York. It is best remembered for the “Miracle of Ice,” when a team of American amateur hockey players defeated the invincible Soviet Union. Some of the venues remain, giving tourists a chance to experience the thrill of an actual bobsled run.
89. See Mona Lisa before she was protected by glass, at the Louvre, Paris, France
90. Watch the America’s Cup races from the shoreline of San Francisco Bay, California
91. Explore the world’s longest art exhibition, 14 metro stations in Stockholm, Sweden
92. Eat a “decent bowl of elk soup” at Draakan on Town Hall Square, Tallinn, Estonia
93. Drive from Acapulco to Mexico City, with an overnight stay in the silver town of Taxco, Mexico
Many years ago I drove a VW bug from Acapulco to Mexico City. It is only 400km, but in those days the road was only partially paved, and it took two days. It was made slower by being stopped by the Policia Federal, who were searching for the recently kidnapped mayor of Acapulco. Fortunately, he could not be found in my trunk or glove compartment.
94. Become a kid again, roaming past bugs and dinosaurs at the Melbourne Museum, Australia
95. Endure a 2-hour lightning delay at a Michigan State football game, East Lansing, Michigan
96. Learn how to ride a Segway from its inventor, Dean Kamen, in San Francisco, California
Everybody should experience riding a Segway at some point of their life. I was fortunate enough to be taught how by its inventor many years ago. In those days, we weren’t sure if it was a passing fad or something that would revolutionize personal transportation. I guess it turned out to be somewhere in between. Today, one can take Segway tours in cities such as San Francisco.
97. View a demonstration by a puppet master at his factory in Mandalay, Myanmar
98. Travel by motorcycle sidecar to remote Huang Hua section of the Great Wall, near Beijing, China
99. Watch how cheese is made, then devour exquisite fondue at La Gruyere, Switzerland
Gruyeres, Switzerland is a delightful medieval town less than two hours from Geneva by train. Of course it is the home of the smooth-melting Gruyere cheese that is the basis of fondue. And there is no better place in the world for the Swiss staple than this charming village.
100. Visit all the Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo
