AMERICA
Countries visited:
1. Argentina
2. Chile
3. Bolivia
4. Uruguay
5. Paraguay
6. Peru
7. Ecuador
8. Colombia
9. Venezuela
10. Brazil
11. Panama
12. Costa Rica
13. Honduras
14. Nicaragua
15. El Salvador
16. Belize
17. Guatemala
18. Mexico
19. USA
20. Canada
21. Trinidad and Tobago
22. Cuba
23. Dominican Republic
24. Bahamas
25. Jamaica
26. Saint Lucia
27. Saint Kitts and Nevis
28. Barbados
Countries not visited:
29. Dominica
30. Antigua and Barbuda
31. Grenada
32. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
33. Suriname
34. Guyana
35. Haiti
1. Argentina
One of my top 5 favorite countries. Unbelievably diverse: glaciers, jungle, pampas, metropolis. Beef galore, pizzas, empanadas, mate: all among the tastiest things I’ve ever tried. There’s this indescribable melancholy in Argentinian humor, lifestyle, tango and talk. South American and yet so Italian, so Mediterranean. Buenos Aires strikes me with its magnificence, and I can’t help to always try to imagine it in its colonial splendor and significance. I’d be down to explore again its streets any time.
2. Chile
My overall time spent in Chile amounts to less than 90 minutes in the adjacency of Santiago International Airport first and Iquique International Airport later. I liked what I saw but I saw so little. Chilean is indeed my least favorite Spanish dialect but I do understand their jargon fairly well having lived and shared with several Chilean nationals during my studies in Aachen, Germany.
3. Bolivia
Land of abrupt contrasts: extremely hot and humid but then cold and dry; extremely wealthy lifestyle but also stern poverty. Land of breathtaking landscapes, land of my parents. A lifetime would be necessary to discover all its treasures.
4. Uruguay
There’s no place like Uruguay in South America. So unassuming, so neat and colorful. It sits down there in a corner somewhat forgotten and hidden and yet it boasts such a liveliness as though from a parallel dimension. Tiny Uruguay lives at the shadow of big brothers Argentina and Brazil, but it is so mighty indeed. It’s a forge of kind, cheerful people, mate, good soccer, even better meat. Uruguay is a gem that you discover and you want to keep it to yourself lest someone else comes and turns its magic known to the whole world.
5. Paraguay
Mystique, chaotic and melancholic. It’s the most enigmatic Spanish-speaking country in South America to me. Atypically proud of their native pre-Columbian era heritage. Chipá and tereré and the lively chaos in Ciudad del Este are my best memories of Paraguay.
6. Peru
Chocolate in Arequipa should not be missed. I crossed Peru by land on my way from Bolivia to Venezuela. I remember endless sand dunes and the cliffs North and South of Lima also impressed me a lot. Before that, in my childhood, I remember we used to take flights that had layovers in Peru, with AeroPeru and later with Taca. Food in Peru is delicious, although, being from Guayaquil, I will always prefer our shrimp ceviche to their fish ceviche. Also, if you want to dis them, tell them you heard pisco is Chilean.
7. Ecuador
I love Ecuador; I was born in Guayaquil, in the coastal area. Ecuador is very distinctly divided in 3 zones: the coast, the Andean mountains and the Amazon jungle, but the rivalry is mostly between folks from the coast and folks from the mountains (sierra). It is like two different countries and cultures merged into one: the climate varies and so does their food, their talk, their life attitude and even its colonial history. The coast people are more laid-back, extrovert and party-prone. If in Guayaquil, don’t dare miss their crabs, encebollado, bolón, ceviche. Plantains are a major (and delicious) staple food that can’t be missed. Ecuador is home to the first beaches I ever saw; I wasn’t even two months old when I first visited them. The ocean has had an important impact on my life ever since.
8. Colombia
I am Colombian! Having been born in Ecuador and raised partially in Venezuela, I like to think I am a citizen of this supranational union that existed shortly and is now referred to as Gran Colombia. Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia and Panama were once one country and I really wish they would merge back together one day, and Bogotá would be, of course, the capital. Colombia is extremely diverse, culture-wise, nature-wise, people-wise. The paisa accent of the folks from Medellin is probably the sweetest and most melodic variants of Spanish.
9. Venezuela
Venezuela is truly paradise on Earth –horrendous socialist government aside. Venezuela is not only naturally beautiful as its Caribbean beaches make evident, but it’s also music, passion and a state of mind. Its people are the most cheerful and they always find a way to make fun out of any kind of situation. The climate in Caracas is the best I have experienced. At about 900 meters above the sea level, and at that latitude, the temperatures vary almost imperceptibly throughout the year ranging from 20 to 30 degrees most of the time.
10. Brazil
Football, churrasco, beach, forró, huge Rio, huge Sao Paolo are words, or phrases, that come to my mind when I think of Brazil. And the breathtaking Iguazu waterfalls, too. I like it how one can communicate with Brazilians in portuñol and how we share so much more than just a subcontinent.
11. Panama
Extremely hot and humid. One time we landed there late at night and the air was so unbearably humid that I kept wondering how it would be in the afternoon next day. Panama is a booming, promising country that I wish to see become a truly major hub of the American continent.
12. Costa Rica
When we lived in Honduras, our best friends were a Costa Rican family and I learned to see their country through them. When I visited Costa Rica, I was mostly impressed by the power of its volcanoes, Poas and Irazú. Years later, I was able to visit and enjoy its Caribbean beaches. Pura vida!
13. Honduras
My childhood is for a large part Honduran. I owe to Honduras so many things that I learned there about life and everything; things that consciously or not shape and mold the decisions that I make today. I cherish all my memories from Honduras; we live happily even though the criminality rates were so menacing. Also, the beaches in Honduras contributed to form this special bond that I have with the ocean. I went to La Salle primary school in San Pedro Sula, and I attended there fifth and sixth grade. Wendy’s, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Pollo Campero, Popeye’s, Subway, camarones empanizados in a restaurant called La Tejana, baleadas, macheteadas, mondongo, tortillas, fried black beans, Coca-Cola in a plastic bag with a straw: those things I tried for the first time in Honduras.
14. Nicaragua
I only stepped foot for less than an hour over the Guasaule bridge coming from the Honduran side in 1995. My family took for some reason I have forgotten a trip to Choluteca in the South of Honduras and from there we drove further South to the border and that is as much as I can recall.
15. El Salvador
Too little contact with this country at all. One time while driving on the western part of Honduras, my dad brought my attention to a volcano in the far horizon. He told me that that volcano was on the other side of the border, in El Salvador. Another time, we had a layover at the San Salvador airport on our way back to Honduras from Costa Rica. My parents bought me a very cool Casio watch which was one of my favorites in my childhood. I enjoy pupusas and always try to get one whenever I have a chance, which is seldom, and usually in the US.
16. Belize
I visited Altun Ha, strolled around Belize city and skipped the coral reefs. What impressed me in Belize was its inhabitants’ multilingualism: you could hold conversation in Spanish with most, in English with many more and then they would switch swiftly to their own English-influenced languages.
17. Guatemala
We hadn’t been back in Central America for over 5 years when we visited Guatemala, and when we got there, all these Central American memories came back and I felt like I was home again: the unique smell of tortillas, and black beans, and corn, and sour mango … I also realized in Guatemala how wonderful the Mayan culture is. Antigua Guatemala was one of the highlights of my life up until then.
18. Mexico
I know three Mexicos and they are all different: I’ve been to Tijuana, to Durango and Mazatlán, and to Cozumel. What doesn’t change: food is incredibly tasty in all three places. Mexican culture has been in my life so ubiquitous that it felt natural to be there and nothing that I saw or experienced struck me as unexpected, which is definitely not to say that I love it there.
19. USA
USA
Oh, wow. In my top 10 of countries, if not top 5, if not top 3. Words aren’t enough to describe such a vast nation. In my childhood we took several trips to Florida and later I discovered California, Oregon and then the East Coast. I like many kinds of food and I am always open to trying new stuff, but let’s face it: hamburger and pizza will always be my number 1. I don’t think I would ever get bored in the US, with so many places to discover.
Puerto Rico
San Juan’s downtown is one of the nicest Colonial-time downtowns that I have seen in Spanish America. We drove all around the island and bathed at awesome beaches, visited the Arecibo Observatorium, tried delicious Mofongo and had fun bonding with local fellow Latin American people.
Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas was a cool, laid-back place like all the island nearby. I remember walking through the city center and taking a bus tour to some hills to get a better view of the island.
20. Canada
Canada holds a special place in my memory because it was the first country where I was completely responsible of myself. I attended an intensive English course in Toronto so I like to think of Canada as (or at least one of) the source of my English knowledge. Toronto felt at first unfriendly, distant, mechanical. But then I grew fond of its people and its diversity. When I visited Vancouver several years later, I was amazed by how many Canadian things still were there even more so given the huge distance between Toronto and Vancouver. Canada is a place I would definitely to explore more, especially its eastern and northern territories.
21. Trinidad and Tobago:
I made friends with a very selfless taxi driver who saw it as his duty to show me the best spots of Port of Spain for no additional charge. We drove to a hawker’s stall to get some roti: interesting local delicacy with roots in Asia. Trinidad and Tobago made me aware of the fact that two big cultures coincide in the Caribbean: the Hispanic and the Anglophone, sharing a common geographical place but yet very unknown to each other socially. Many Christmas carols from Venezuela are sung locally. Most have only kept the melody and some others mix English with chunks of the original Spanish texts.
22. Cuba
Such hospitable, cheerful, positive, witty people despite living in a country economically devastated by a corrupt communist regime. Havana impressed me by its vibes, cars and music.
23. Dominican Republic
The first thought that comes to my mind are not its pleasant, white-sand beaches but rather the ruins from the colonial era. For someone keen on Spanish history on the American continent, the old town in Santo Domingo is a must-see place.
24. Bahamas
While I spent some time in downtown Nassau, the highlight of the Bahamas were definitely its beaches. While I love the Caribbean, I would still always most likely choose a Spanish speaking area over any place in the Bahamas for a beach vacation.
25. Jamaica
‘Ya man’, we were told by one of our bus drivers, while touring around Ocho Rios, was the most useful Jamaican phrase that we should learn. Jamaica is probably my favorite non-Spanish-speaking country in the Caribbean.
26. Saint Lucia
Lovely island in my favorite sea, the Caribbean. We took a cruise and Castries was one of the stops. A high density of waterfalls for such a small country.
27. Saint Kitts and Nevis
The coolest part of Saint Kitts was the series of hills on the South of the Saint Kitts Island from where you can see Nevis. There were also some ruins from the colonial era, too.
28. Barbados
The highlight of Barbados was the ride on the water ski. We visited Barbados and other islands in the lesser Antilles while on a cruise that we took from Puerto Rico.
EUROPE
Countries visited:
1. Portugal
2. Spain
3. Andorra
4. France
5. Italy
6. San Marino
7. Vatican City
8. Malta
9. Liechtenstein
10. Luxembourg
11. Belgium
12. Netherlands
13. Iceland
14. Ireland
15. United Kingdom
16. Switzerland
17. Austria
18. Germany
19. Czech Republic
20. Slovakia
21. Monaco
22. Poland
23. Denmark
24. Norway
25. Sweden
26. Finland
27. Belarus
28. Lithuania
29. Latvia
30. Estonia
31. Ukraine
32. Moldova
33. Romania
34. Bulgaria
35. Greece
36. Hungary
37. Slovenia
38. Croatia
39. Serbia
40. Bosnia and Herzegovina
41. Montenegro
42. North Macedonia
43. Armenia
44. Azerbaijan
45. Georgia
46. Turkey
47. Kazakhstan
48. Russia
Countries not visited:
1. Albania
2. Cyprus
1. Portugal
Some streets of downtown Lisbon were reminiscent of South America. Portugal has been the European country that resembles the most our cities at the other side of the pond. Opposite to what happened to me in Brazil, in Portugal I was let down and frustrated by the fact that I could not understand their language. Most Portuguese people, though, have a more than fair command of the Spanish language. Bacalhao and the Algarve are two great memories from there, too.
2. Spain
La madre patria. Spain is always a love/hate story for us Latin Americans. Living in Germany, going to Spain feels like a refreshment and recharging of one’s Hispanic language and culture. Madrid impressed me with its neatness and broad avenues, but the real treasure in Spain is Andalusia, with its cheerful, musical people. I had once a strange feeling of coming back “home” in Mallorca when I realized that I could talk to the waiter in my language. Finally, I like Catalonia but I do not support their independence aspirations.
3. Andorra
Teeny tiny mountainous land where we stopped by on a road trip from Barcelona to Germany. Nice views and language Babylonia. An average person there will be fluent in 2 or 3 if not all of the following: Spanish, Catalan, French, English, Portuguese.
4. France
France
I don’t like France, or anything French. I did enjoy visiting a friend who whose temporarily living in an old castle in Macon, though. And I also like visiting Alsace and discover vestiges of its German past. Also, I once took a bus from Stuttgart to Lyon, met friends and drove their car all the way down to Barcelona and back.
Saint Martin
It was interesting to be on a Caribbean island and at the same time on territories owned by European countries. Most of the time spent on the island was actually spent on the Dutch part of it.
5. Italy
My favorite country in the world! I love Italian food: both eating it and cooking it. I like how Italians are so rigorous and serious about their cuisine. I love their language and I always have fun with their humor that often reminds me of Argentina. My father worked for most of his life for an Italian company, which is why we have been in contact with their culture for pretty much all my life to the degree that it plays an important part of my life. Living in Germany, I appreciate the Italian chaotic lifestyle which I find to be a good balance between Germans’ utter respect for the rules and our Latin American complete recklessness. Rome is by far my favorite city in the world and never fails to impress me with some new church or Roman ruins or piece of ancient art.
6. San Marino:
Nice castle/country/city/view. All good, just too small to deserve more lines.
7. Vatican City:
I jogged around the whole of it once. I love Saint Peter square and Jesus, just maybe not the political body that controls it all.
8. Malta
We managed to also get to Gozo Island which was very cool. They are an interesting melting pot of European and African Mediterranean lifestyles with a heavy British influence. Nice country but not breathtakingly wonderful.
9. Liechtenstein
A rather boring and uneventful place. Its capital is nothing but a wealthier-than-average village and its mountainous landscapes are nothing that Switzerland or Austria can’t offer. I came back, or rather, drove through several times. Also, once I went skiing to Austria and overnighted in a hotel in Liechtenstein as all Austrian hotels near the ski resort were fully booked.
10. Luxembourg
Major cliff right in the middle of the city that allows for nice views but other than that, a typical European city not that distinct at all from any city in Belgium, France or Germany. Still worth a weekend visit though.
11. Belgium
Bruges, chocolate, waffles and French fries. I went to the beach in Ostend in October and I was puzzled by the fact that the sand was cold. Up until then I had only been to beaches where the sand was somewhere between comfortably tepid and unbearably hot. Brussels is definitely a great partying city.
12. Netherlands
Netherlands
Bikes, yellow trains, crazy partying, too much redness on sidewalks and pavement on account of bike paths, more bikes. I lived in Aachen, Germany so we would very often take a ride across the border to party in Maastricht. I used to live so close to the border that my phone would often cling to a Dutch network. I found Amsterdam chaos disgusting at first, but I did appreciate its channels and I was amazed by the Anne Frank Museum. Knowing Frank’s story enhanced my experience of discovering Amsterdam.
Aruba
When I lived in Venezuela, I somehow imagined Aruba to be much greener than it was when I saw it. One of the top locations in the non-Spanish speaking Caribbean with a good combination of beaches and nightlife.
Curaçao
The colorful houses in Curaçao are the first thought to my mind. And my dad bought himself a cool watch in its cheerful, lively downtown.
Sint Marteen
Maho beach was very cool indeed with the airport just behind the beach so that beach-goers get to see the airplanes incredibly close and take jaw-dropping pictures. What many don’t consider, however, is the huge wind generated by the airplane turbines that causes more than one sand-in-the-eye events.
13. Iceland
Another incredibly beautiful and indescribable country. Probably in my top 10. There is no place like Iceland. Volcanoes, glaciers, whales, waterfalls, geysers, blue-watered lagoons, puffins, northern lights, tectonic plates, Vikings, horses and more horses. We drove all around the island and I must proudly say I hit the 180km/h mark in a country where a maximum of 90km/h are allowed. No downside to Iceland.
14. Ireland
I suffered a jaw dislocation right after landing in Ireland. It caused me to spend a day getting acquainted with the Irish health care system. Ireland is a land of traditions, beautiful cliffy coastlines and a glittering capital with a vigorous bar and nightlife scene.
15. United Kingdom
Scotland
The Scottish highlands are among my top 10 favorite destinations in Europe. When I visited it, it was rainy, windy and cold, but the wildlife, its forests and lakes were like nothing I had seen before. Also, Edinburgh is just precious. And Scots definitely know how to throw a fancy party. Glasgow is not bad, either.
Wales
England’s little brother. Its countryside reminded me of 19th century classic English novels.
Northern Ireland
Their identity is a struggle between Ireland and Great Britain. The mixture can be perceived just by walking down Belfast downtown streets.
England
England is London mostly, but also Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. I find the English lifestyle very appealing, and I would readily spend some years there. I don’t like their cuisine, or lack thereof, though. And they become too noisy and annoying after some drinks. Still, an awesome country!
Cayman Islands
We swam with stingrays in the middle of turquoise waters and we took a boot ride through the backyards of very expensive houses where each one has its own dock, yacht and asked to the ocean.
16. Switzerland
Mountains, lakes, no beaches. Costly living is Switzerland’s middle name. Don’t get me wrong, both the countries natures and its cities are honestly very impressive, but whenever I am in Switzerland I feel like I’m at my rich aunt’s house: it all looks neat and gleaming, but one is not allowed to touch anything or else one can count on being admonished.
17. Austria
Vienna is extraordinary and its grandeur has no parallel. Besides that, for me Austria is my skiing resort. I love skiing and so I try to do it as often as I can. In consequence, I visit Austria extremely often in winter and hardly ever if at all in the summer.
18. Germany
Love and hate. Germany has extremely comfortable living conditions; lots of vacation days and work flexibility, but there must be a reason why I, or most of the foreign working force for that matter, spend practically all of their vacation time somewhere else. Germans are quite nerdy, and rules and money are their gods. They’re not the most punctual people in the world, but the ones that boast the most about punctuality being important. They’re extremely politically correct to the point of hypocrisy and self-deception. They are not direct and straight-forward when expressing an opinion as they so proudly like to think of themselves, but rather tactless and rude. South West Germany has become my home, but I also cherish the memories of my time in Aachen, in Mannheim and in Munich.
19. Czech Republic
Slightly overrated, but still very beautiful and good for parties.
20. Slovakia
Unbeknown to most of Western Europe, this tiny country is much more than Bratislava, which in turn is much more than the backyard of Vienna. Slovakia is a relatively recent country that will most likely have more to offer in the years to come.
21. Monaco
I drove to Monaco from Germany via Turin and the Ligurian coast; San Remo and the like, to witness the formula one race. Rich people, lovely waterfront, nice Formula One atmosphere, overly crowded. Not bad for once in a lifetime I prefer to watch the race on TV. Downside: they speak French, too much.
22. Poland
Poland is not Poland. A large portion of current Poland was Silesia and West and East Prussia, among other former German provinces. My German side of the family has roots in these former German territories so for me Poland is a special place for special reasons. I don’t see the current towns when I’m there, but I try to discover and imagine their past in its German splendor and glory. I think Polish people are wonderful, though; I get along very well with them.
23. Denmark
Cold, modern, bike-friendly, easy to explore. Plenty of nice options for a healthy and wealthy lifestyle.
24. Norway
Imposing landscapes! Norwegian fjords are among the most beautiful natural monuments. The Lofoten Islands should by no means be missed and Tromsö is a great location to spot the northern lights. Norway is the perfect place to connect with nature; preferably buying or renting a cabin pretty much anywhere within its gorgeous geography. I arrived in Oslo at somewhere around midnight and the sun was still shining in the horizon.
25. Sweden
One of my favorite countries in Europe; a place I can’t get enough of and I place I always long to come back to. Stockholm has a special flair, but so do Gothenburg and Malmö and let alone Kiruna! The Sami community in the north is very hospitable; riding a snowmobile and experiencing life in towns completely covered by snow has been of the highlights of my life. I remember staying at a Sami lodging, with its rustic heating methods ancient hunting and fishing techniques. Also, Swedish is one of the language I would like to learn up to at least a basic-intermediate level.
26. Finland
A lot like Sweden, just many more lakes and a funnier-sounding language. The ferry trips to Stockholm, Riga or Tallinn offer legendary partying possibilities. Finland still displays traces of their recent past under Swedish and Russian rule.
27. Belarus
I found Minsk exceedingly clean and appealing, with its wide avenues and extensive parks. It felt like Moscow’s little brother with only the good stuff: no chaos, no excessive concrete grayness, smaller scale. Belarusian people are also remarkably welcoming and hospitable. I got hit totally out of the blue while crossing a street by a distracted driver and was taken to the hospital with severely injured knees and bruised legs. The car got away with a smashed-in windshield and a major dint on its hood. That didn’t affect my attraction to Belarus at all, though.
28. Lithuania
My German great-grandfather was an explorer by nature. He was born in Memel, the northernmost city of the German Empire. After having worked and lived in the Caucasus and in Central Asia, he transferred to South America from whence he never could come back to its native East Prussia. The World Wars made it possible for his town to be massively destructed; all of its population was forced to vacate their houses to never come back. We managed to trace back the exact whereabouts of his house: it is now in the exact crossing of two streets. Klaipeda, Nida, Vilnius are really magnificent cities, but Lithuania for me has a total different flair. I try to go there as often as possible, to Memel it is, and discover more and more of the region’s Prussian past.
29. Latvia
I crossed the country by bus from south to north. Riga, by the time I visited it for the first time, made it up to my top 10 cities. After the second visit, though, it descended some positions. It is still a great city and I still like it. The downtown area and the park with the creek flowing along it is unique.
30. Estonia
Tallin’s downtown was a travel back in time to the medieval age. I totally felt transported to a different era. People were really friendly and kind, although a kindness in a colder, Nordic way in total contrast to the warmth of, say, Balkan hospitality. Not, however, as distant as is the case in its neighbor Finland. Estonia’s history is quite fascinating, too, and complex with its old Teutonic past, then the Russian and Swedish periods.
31. Ukraine
A vast country that I am willing to explore further in the future and from which I only have the pleasure of having visited its capital. Kiev still maintains a great deal of traits from its Soviet past. It is, unsurprisingly, very similar to many Russian cities: their subway system for instance runs hopelessly deep down the surface. Kiev is a city with lots of magic spots, hilly but with awesome views down to the river. Nice food and cheerful people.
32. Moldova
A secret and magical place. Straddling Romanian and Russian cultures, Moldovans are bilingual to a high degree. Admittedly, the country is rather poor and has not much to offer tourism-wise, but it is still a gem for those interested in places where different, apparently clashing cultures seem to live in harmony.
33. Romania
Very interesting history, even more interesting Romance language with traces of Slavic influence. One night in Bucharest I spotted a salsa place and decided to go and show the Romanians how we Latin American people like to dance to our Caribbean tunes. Well, Romanians turned out to be extremely skilled salsa dancers; so much that I almost had to pretend I had my roots somewhere else on this Earth lest they realize how incompetent I was in comparison to them.
34. Bulgaria
Somehow whenever I recall Sofia I have vivid memories of yellow building and yellow sidewalks, which is one of the prevalent colors in its downtown area. Both Vitosha and the mountain ranges visible from the Macedonian border all the way down to Sofia are very present in my mind.
35. Greece
My father had to spend a couple of weeks in Athens on a business trip so I decided to visit him and check out the country. From up above, Athens is a very white city; marble is a pretty standard construction material down there. Many ruins, although not nearly as many as in Italy, reveal the country’s majestic past. Greeks are proud of their cuisine; I found it just okay. Santorini was unfortunately so overcrowded when we visited it that we could not enjoy it in its full splendor. In Mykonos, we had a nice, relaxed beach day. In the area around Thesaloniki, the beaches we visited were just okay.
36. Hungary
Buda and Pest and Obuda. Mystical place with a breathtaking castle and a lively atmosphere. Unique style in their subway system, huge open-air sauna and huge ice rink. Gulash can’t be missed. Hungarians are very hospitable and they were eager to showcase their culture and history.
37. Slovenia
Hard-working former Yugoslavians. Ljubljana is a very picturesque big little city. Slovenia struck me as much more colorful than its Slavic southeastern neighbors.
38. Croatia
Oddly enough, I had one of the best pizzas in my life in Zagreb. Zagreb has a very cool feature: they have a scale model of our Solar System all around the city. This means that you can find yourself strolling around downtown, minding your own business and suddenly stumbling upon a neat yet apparently insignificant sphere that turns out to be the representation of one of the planets on our system.
39. Serbia
Best party animals are to be found in Belgrade. Most welcoming and hospitable people although this is commonplace in the Balkans. Lovely, walkable downtown area in Belgrade. I also stayed at some friend’s place in Pančevo. The first time I visited Serbia, I took a bus from Belgrade to Skopje in Macedonia. I hoped the bus would pass by Kosovo but it didn’t.
40. Bosnia and Herzegovina
The most different country, and probably my favorite, in the Balkans. I arrived in Sarajevo train station from Zagreb and I was at first struck by the old, poor infrastructure. It was very early in the morning but the sun was already up so I took a ride downtown and I got some burek for breakfast at the first open bakery I saw. Alike my experience in Serbia, I found Bosnians to be extremely hospitable, willing to go one extra mile to make sure you are truly feeling at home. Minarets are to be seen at whichever direction one chooses. Standing at the so-called Latin Bridge right where Mr. Franz Ferdinand was killed, event which triggered World War I was a unique experience.
41. Montenegro
Rather new country struggling to create its own identity to set themselves apart from Serbia. Not much to see in Podgorica; nothing radically different from other sites in former Yugoslavia.
42. North Macedonia
It was still simply called Macedonia when I visited it. Alike Montenegro, struggling to create a national identity and thus large construction projects in downtown Skopje. Cheerful, laid-back people. I am not getting into the Macedonian/Greek conflict. Another highlight: Mother Theresa’s house turned into a museum. A place worth visiting while in Skopje.
43. Armenia
Chess! And backgammon! And several other board games being played on the streets and squares. The stories about the Armenian genocide, their territorial losses, and conflicts with both their Turkic neighbors covered the better part of my conversations with locals. Yerevan was for me an interesting blending of Soviet, Turkish and Persian cultures, reflected in their people and especially on the sound of the music being played on the streets. Also: many different bread sorts, unknown in European bakeries (flatbread and the like).
44. Azerbaijan
I took a train from Tbilisi to Baku. The city struck me as modern in some downtown areas and rundown in the outskirts, much like the rest of the countryside. It’s a rich oil-producing country so I couldn’t help to compare their neat subway stations with marble flooring, with subway stations in Caracas. The government is obviously nowhere nearly as corrupt as Venezuela’s.
45. Georgia
My Prussian great grandfather spent some time in Batumi and that was my major reason for visiting this country. But Georgia for me was more than its interesting Black Sea beach with stones rather than sand. Tbilisi, and its red roofs, reminded me of Cochabamba, Bolivia; especially when seen from the aerial cable car. Last and by no ways least, their food: khachapuri (Adjarian one especially), Khinkali and even churchkhelas: all worth a trip down there.
46. Turkey
Random thoughts: insane traffic, Istanbul: beautiful one-of-a-kind-city with traces of a centuries-long history everywhere, lovely Bosphorus, strange inflatable fish set on fire and on top of a pile of salt for dinner. Also my favorite hamburger restaurant on the main pedestrian street: Shake Shack!
47. Kazakhstan
A country in transition, a country with a long nomadic tradition and a more recent Soviet past. Russian and Turkic/nomadic lifestyles fighting at times and peacefully coexisting at others. In Almaty, I tried horse meat (sausage) for the first time.
48. Russia
Multifaceted and yet more uniform culturally speaking than one would expect of such a vast country. Incredible landscapes, and impressive history. A world of its own. Even after several visits, the Russian lifestyle never failed to impress me.
ASIA
Countries visited:
1. Mongolia
2. South Korea
3. Japan
4. Singapore
5. Malaysia
6. Thailand
7. Cambodia
8. Laos
9. Vietnam
10. United Arab Emirates
11. Kyrgyzstan
12. Uzbekistan
13. Indonesia
14. China
15. Qatar
Countries not visited:
16. Philippines
17. Brunei
18. East Timor
19. Myanmar
20. Turkmenistan
21. Tajikistan
22. Nepal
23. Bhutan
24. India
25. Maldives
26. Sri Lanka
27. Iran
28. Jordan
29. Israel
30. Bangladesh
31. North Korea
32. Afghanistan
33. Pakistan
34. Iraq
35. Kuwait
36. Saudi Arabia
37. Oman
38. Yemen
39. Bahrein
40. Syria
41. Lebanon
1. Mongolia
This is my absolute favorite destination. I loved Mongolia so much that I visited it twice. I first explored the area around Ulan Bator, Bogd Khan Uul, Terelj, and then the Altai area (Tsengel, Sagsai, etc.) where ethnic Kazakhs live. I became fascinated by the real nomadic lifestyle. It is probably one of the last corners of the world untouched by globalization. In both trips, we drove with an old Soviet UAZ-450, (уазик) that are still so popular there, to some nowhereness in the Mongolian grassland. Having reached an initial yurt, we rode on horses (in the trip to Altai, we also had a camel come along with us on our journey carrying our belongings) during the day until, approaching the sunset, we looked for a yurt where we would ask if we were allowed to overnight. Some days, we even rode horses at temperatures as low as -20°C. In their yurts, Mongolian families were always eager to make us feel at home and cooked dumplings for all of us from scratch, starting by mixing flour and water and then chopping the meat from their own goats. No roads, no internet connection, no restaurants, no cities, just infinite grasslands, beautiful lakes, mountains, free-roaming animals, camels, horses, dogs, sheep, goats. The Shagai bones. Truly awesome.
2. South Korea
Hyundais and Kia (and other Korean brands) occupy what feels like 90% of the South Korean car park. Clean, amazing, efficient city, though not as clean or as amazing as Tokyo. Still, Seoul has its own charming flair. Food, of course, is one of Korea’s highlights, as is K-Pop, to which I am rather ignorant.
3. Japan
Male purses were popular in Japan when I first visited it. Impressive subway network, cleanliness. Tokyo felt like the most technologically advanced places when I visited it. I also took a bus to Gotemba, to visit one uncle who has lived there for over 20 years. Japanese towns are also very charming and organized.
4. Singapore
I visited Singapore 3 teams (as of Aug. 2024). It was always a very well-developed city, but it still changed a lot from my first visit 2009 to my last visit in 2023. The peaceful coexistence of Indian, Chinese and Malaysian peoples is impressive. Singapore felt in many ways like a US city, with the charm of authentic Asian history, culture and food.
5. Malaysia
So close to Singapore and yet so different. After graduating from Aachen, I took a short internship at Sains Universiti Malaysia in Georgetown, Penang. My accommodation, and the university campus, were in Nibong Tebal. I remember how interesting it was to take the boat to Penang Island from the Butterworth jetty. Other highlights were, obviously, the food, Malacca and their Muslim culture.
6. Thailand
I was firstly introduced to Tom Yam and Tom Kha Kai during my internship in Penang, Malaysia. I was quite amazed by their hot and exotic taste. I also took once a train from Singapore to Bangkok, and then one more to Vientiane and back to Bangkok, and finally one bus into Cambodia. Several years later, I visited Phuket with my wife and daughters. The exotic streets and markets and the chaotic tuk-tuks seemed less so in my second visit to the country.
7. Cambodia
Angkor Wat stands out in my memory. It felt somewhat like Copan, Honduras, but at a larger scale. In the bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, I got a terrible cold on account of not having more clothes than shorts and a T-shirt and the very low temperature from the air conditioner. I had fever and cold chills all night long and I had to bargain hard at a pharmacy to get some medication having only some Scottish British pounds and no local language command.
8. Laos
I arrived by train to Thanaleng station, and I was asked some amount of money for my visa. When the officers saw that I did not have the requested amount, they told me to simply give them all I had and that should do it.
9. Vietnam
I travelled from Saigon to Hanoi in the third class of a train and this was an adventure on its own: with chickens in the aisle, cockroaches roaming freely, colorful smells from fellow travelers’ food… I was also struck by the reckless driving (horn honking and motorcycles swarming the streets), but I enjoyed the local culture and the delicious cuisine.
10. United Arab Emirates
I visited Dubai in 2009 and from what I have seen and read ever since, the city has dramatically changed in the last years. Burj Khalifa was under construction. The Burj Al Arab hotel was probably the biggest attraction back then. Dubai seemed to me a hot, modern, pedestrian-unfriendly city.
11. Kyrgyzstan
This is one of the destinations where interestingly I profited the most from my basic Russian language knowledge. What stood out from Bishkek was the Soviet-style urban infrastructure and this (for me) hitherto unknown Central Asian flair. What stood out from the country in general were its strong traditions, nomadic life and picturesque lakes and mountains. I still own an Ak-kalpak hat from here. Locals insisted often on me trying Shoro, a very popular local savory (jarma) drink, which, despite big efforts, I could not bring myself to like.
12. Uzbekistan
The land of Tamerlane, whose biography later impressed me. Uzbekistan impressed me in many ways: its mosques and buildings with their vibrant turquoise tiles; the ubiquitous basil plants in Samarkand, plov, probably my favorite dish, especially the ones I tried in Tashkent, the silk road stories, its cuisine, Spanish trains, hospitable people.
13. Indonesia
Friendliest and most laid-back people! Bali, Bandung, Jakarta. I witnessed the wedding of a local friend, had a blissful time in Bali.
14. China
China
Just as soon as I crossed the Mongolian-Chinese border at Zamyn-Üüd / Erenhot, at night on a sleeper train, I felt like I was entering into a new and completely different world. First impressions in Beijing were polluted air, busy city, inability to communicate with people due to massive language and internet barriers, the traffic jams and the reckless motorcyclists. But I also really enjoyed the Chinese hutongs, the Great Wall and Beijing’s vibe.
Hong Kong
Red, double-decker buses, crowded, loud, busy streets, extreme heat, beautiful harbor-side light show. At one point I had to deal with their bureaucracy (I can’t recall anymore why, but I needed to get some document; maybe I lost some important immigration paper or something), but it was more efficiently than I would have thought and they spoke good English.
Taiwan
It was refreshing to be in a place without internet restrictions and a little confusing as it resembles mainland China a lot. Taipei was very walkable, despite its size, and enjoyable.
15. Qatar
Doha seems like the perfect place to me, just not for a kind of people like me. There seems to be everything one needs to live happily there: nice beaches, nightlife, reliable government, well developed infrastructure.
AFRICA
Countries visited:
1. Tunisia
2. Morocco
3. South Africa
4. Ethiopia
5. Tanzania
Countries not visited:
6. Egypt
7. Mauritania
8. Chad
9. Niger
10. Djibouti
11. Eritrea
12. Algeria
13. South Sudan
14. Sudan
15. Central African Republic
16. Mali
17. Senegal
18. The Gambia
19. Ghana
20. Ivory Coast
21. Togo
22. Benin
23. Cameroon
24. Nigeria
25. Guinea
26. Guinea-Bissau
27. Equatorial Guinea
28. Gabon
29. Burkina Faso
30. Congo
31. Democratic Rep. Congo
32. Kenya
33. Uganda
34. Burundi
35. Rwanda
36. Libya
37. Zambia
38. Madagascar
39. Namibia
40. Angola
41. Lesotho
42. Swaziland
43. Zimbabwe
44. Botswana
45. Mozambique
46. Sao Tome and Principe
47. Mauritius
48. Seychelles
49. Comoros
50. Cape Verde
51. Liberia
52. Sierra Leone
53. Malawi
54. Somalia
1. Tunisia
I got lost in translation really badly in Tunisia. At the airport, I took the wrong bus and I noticed only after some miles that I was being taken away from the city center instead of into Tunis. I got off as soon as I could and I struggled to communicate in English (most spoke only Arabic and the most known foreign language there is French) and I was unable to even read the signs on the schedule boards or buses signs because it was all in Arabic script. Then, on the bus, rather minivan, I was sitting in the front right next to the driver. At one point, a police officer stopped the car, opened my door and pointed at something inside the car. I thought he wanted something from me. It turned out, he simply wanted me to scooch over and make room for him to sit next to me.
2. Morocco
Several Moroccans are unable to hold a basic conversation in Arabic, French, English and Spanish. The market streets of Marrakech struck me by its liveliness and its dirt. Arabic countries are not my favorite destinations, but I don’t dislike Morocco. I would probably visit it again over visiting another unknown Arabic country.
3. South Africa
I “learned” to surf in Cape Town. The view from the beach to Table Mountain is spectacular. The vibes, the people, the food, the wildlife and nature in general area all awesome in South Africa. High quality of live in Cape Town with the commodity of a western city, plus the beach, plus the nature reachable in no time.
4. Ethiopia
Not much to say as I visited only Addis Abeba airport for some hours during my layover bound to Cape Town.
5. Tanzania
Zanzibar is pure bliss. White sands, laid-back, happy, cheerful people. I had some major motion sickness on a boat ride but this beautiful island is not to blame.
