Bermuda!

Why go...the country that inspired the short!  often considered caribbean, it's actually in the atlantic at the latitude of north carolina!  it has awesome weather spring summer and fall and a mild winter.  neat history of being first discoverd in 1609, failure to reach virginia by the brits.  then became a source of produce agriculture for the american colonies!  was an important port during prohibition as well as the civil war and a british port once they lost america.  also important for transatlantic cable. comfy weather all year made it into a north american vacay spot during the victorian era.



http://www.gotobermuda.com/default/

conde nast gold list

st george - the oldest continually inhabitted british setlemtn in the new world.  town is unesco site.

british naval yard!  includes pub and barrel making factory!  i love to drink and learn!

aquarium

victoria park

http://nmb.bm/

http://www.bamz.org/

http://www.caves.bm/

http://www.buei.bm/

http://www.bnt.bm/

http://www.fairmont.com/hamilton-bermuda/

http://www.grottobay.com/

caves, ponds, beaches,

lighthouse
museum
underwater exploration institute
pink sand
snorkel
forts!

Swaziland!

Why go...One of the last absolute monarchies in the world!  Swaziland embraces and retains their ancient traditions, and they also have a reputation for being friendly!  


Reed Dance Cultural Festival!  Girls come from all over the country to sing and dance for the Queen!  Lots of pageantry!


Mantenga Cultural Village!  A living history museum of a traditional Swazi homestead; you can try in grinding grain etc!


Craft markets!


See rhinos, elephants, and hippos, (Oh my!) in one of Swaziland's national reserve parks!



Phophonyane Falls Ecolodge.  You can stay in their beautiful, Swazi-style "bee hive" rooms!


Riley's Rock Lodge.  You can wander through the botanical gardens that surround the lodge and feel like you're on an episode of Murder, She Wrote!  The lodge also takes guests on all kinds of awesome safaris!

Kuwait!

Why go...Lots of awesome museums!  Malls!  Souks!  Scuba diving!

Failaka Heritage Village!  This is a former palace that has been restored and is now a museum.  



Grand Mosque!  Take a tour and learn about Islam!

Guyana!

Why go...Rain forests!  Waterfalls!  And Lily pads! 


Cara Lodge.    Pretty hotel that will take you canoeing through the mangrove forests, as well as out to see absolutely everything else in Guyana!  
 

Taiwan!

Why go...One of the most densely populated places in the world!  Mixture of indigenous tribes, Chinese, and Japanese cultures!  Night market haggling!  Cherry blossoms!  Lantern festival!  Fireflies!  Beautiful national parks! Hot springs! Tea houses!  Scuba diving!  And extremely safe!  Yey!


Taipei, the huge capital city, is divided into sections...


Taipei, Shilin!  Awesome museums!  Huge night market!





Taipei, Beitou!  Mysterious and steamy Hell Valley! Hot springs!




Keelung!  Go to the giant and famous Miaokou Night Market!


Pingxi!  Beautiful Sky Lantern Festival on Chinese New Year!  So dreamy!


Tamsui!  A Spanish colonial town, later inhabited by the Dutch with a touristy waterfront!


Yingge!!!  This is a town filled with ceramic artists as well as the Ceramics Museum.


Jiufen!  The beautiful little town that is the setting for the movie Spirited Away!  Ocean views, tea houses, and charm!


Yangmingshan National Park!  A famous picnic spot known for it's beautiful silvergrass!  The park also has an explosion of cherry blossoms and azaleas every spring!  There are also hot springs!





Sun Moon Lake! The largest lake in Taiwan is the traditional honeymoon spot for newlyweds!   Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village; learn about a traditional culture!  Go in February to see the beautiful cherry blossoms!  The Lalu Hotel has pretty views of the lake!  Wander through Maolanshan Tea Trail!  See the Cien Pagoda!  Find hidden garden hide-aways along Songbolun Trail!  See the original inhabitants of Taiwan at Ita Thao Village and Tutingzai Trail!








Yilan!  Kumquat Farm; this tourist attraction lets visitors see how kumquats are harvested!  Traditional Herbal Medicine Garden; this garden/pharmacy displays how traditional medicinal plants are grown and used!


Taitung!  A seaside town that has not been inundated with chain shops, etc.  So visitors are able to see the awesome mixture of cultures - Chinese, Japanese, and indigenous!  Formosan Naruwan Hotel.   The town is also home to the National Museum of Prehistory; a museum dedicated to the original inhabitants of the island!




Alishan National Park!  The elevation rises and the vegetation changes from tropical to alpine! 2000 year old forest!  Alishaun House is a  hotel with beautiful views and a firefly tour!  Wow!





Kenting National Park!  The beachy, southern part of Taiwan!  Diverse undersea life to see when scuba diving!



Nantou!  Cingjing Farm!  This gorgeous place has an abundance of trails and cherry blossoms to soak up all the lovliness of Taiwan!


Taichung!  Wuling Farm!  Another beautiful farm designed for guests to wander around!

Fresno!

Why go...Bread-basket of California!  Underground gardens!  Oak trees!  Basque food!


Fresno!  Forestiere underground garden; this is a hand carved, underground home and garden built by a Sicilian immigrant in the early part of the 1900s to resemble the catacombs of Europe!  Vinyard Farmers Market!  


Visalia!  Kaweah Oaks Reserve!


Kernville!  Float down the beautiful Kern River in an inner tube!  Soak in the hot springs in Lake Isabella.


Bakersfield!  Basque food!  Bakersfield has the largest Basque population outside of Europe!

Nebraska!

Why go...A state that is renowned for being nice!  Fossils! Giant rock formations that the pioneers used as landmarks as they went west!  An awesome zoo with the world's best indoor swamp/nocturnal cave exhibit!


Arbor Day Farm!  This is an apple orchard, park, and historical center!  They even have a treehouse!


Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park!  A long time ago, when rhinos roamed the mid-west, a volcanic explosion killed many mammals; their bodies were preserved in the ash!  The skeletons are in such great shape!


Omaha!  The largest city in Nebraska!  Old Market historic downtown!  Joslyn Castle built in 1903!  Lauritzen Gardens Arboretum.  Omaha Zoo with a big indoor swamp and nocturnal cave exhibition!  They keep the "cave system" dark in the daytime and light in the nighttime.  This reverses the animals circadian rhythms so that visitors get to see what the nocturnal animals like to do!  Simmons Wildlife Safari; see elk and bears and eagles, oh my!