The Way of St. James and the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Galicia, Spain

Talk about a long journey! The Way of St James to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela crosses hundreds of miles across Spain, first beginning at various points throughout Europe.  In Spain, it begins in the mountains of the Pyrenees, traverses through the vineyards of Rioja and travels northwest to the lush region of Galicia.

This 1,000 year old cathedral is said to house the remains of St. James the Apostle, although that is up for debate.  Millions have made this spiritual trek to the cathedral, a cathedral that looks melancoly with its green algae and moss clinging to every available surface.  Although I missed the trek part, seeing the cathedral itself and being in its presence gives one the feeling of renewal.

The Cathedral in Santiago is packed on July 25th, on the day of the Feast of St. James.  The Spanish love their holidays, and this is one of my favorites as it also happens to coincide with my birthday.  Visit the Cafe 25 de Julio, just down the street from the cathedral for a great cup of coffee.

Other nearby favorites: Visit the seaside city of La Coruña for beautiful ocean views, seafood, and get in a visit to the Torre de Hurcules.  While in Galicia, be sure to try a white wine from Rías Baixas, most notable is the Albariño, yum!

Date of Completion: February 2003

The Guggenheim Bilbao

Bilbao, Spain

In addition to the cuisine, sangria, and siestas, another favorite of Spain is its diverse architecture.  Spanning over 2,000 years, one can see Roman architecture in the Aqueduct of Segovia, the Moorish influenced Mudejar style of Southern Spain, Gothic architechture apparent in the cathedrals of Northern Spain, and the Art Nouveau of Antoni Gaudi througot Barcelona. Most recent is the famous Frank Gehry designed Guggenheim in Bilbao.

Although I don't remember much about the exhibits at the museum at the time of my visit, I remember being most impressed by the contemporary architecture of the museum itself.  The curves of the building and the simplistic yet complicated pieces forming the various sides caught the light and seemed to give new life to the city. The Guggenheim Bilbao was completed in 1997 and helped revitalize the struggling port of Bilbao.  

Also of note and commonly photographed is Puppy, located just outside the entrance.  This living piece of art uses florals and greens and is ever changing with the seasons.

The city itself is quite charming and was in the midst of change when I visited - I would love to see what it's like now.  It remains the port of the Basque Country of Spain and is also the most populous city.  The Basque language is still widely spoken, and due to government regulation, all signs and printed material must appear in both Basque (known as Euskara in the Basque langauge), and Spanish.  The Basque must always appear first and more prominent.  Doesn't help to learn a few niceties in Euskara if you ever visit.

Date of Completion: December 2002

La Mezquita

Córdoba, Spain

Spanish history is filled with centuries of religious battles between Muslims and Catholics.  Completed in the 10th century, this mosque is often been ground zero for that tug-of-war. Originally commissioned as a mosque (hence Mezquita), it's also served as a cathedral, then again a mosque, then again a cathedral, you get the picture.  One is first overwhelmed by the columns of marble and jasper throughout and their seemingly endless repetition. As the moorish architecture throughout the mosque competes with baroque influences, you find yourself on a walk through history.

Seemingly endless columns of jasper and marble

The Patio de los Naranjos just outside the mosque provides a respite from the hot Andalucian sun.  The fragrance of the orange trees coupled with the trickling of water running between the patio stones provides a great place to relax and meditate. 

Here's a tip: Throughout much of Andalucia, orange trees dot the courtyards of palaces and line the sidewalks of city centers.  Although they smell wonderful, it's said they taste awful.  Spaniards joke that only the British will eat the dreadful oranges.  The oranges are shipped off every season to make marmalade specifically for the UK market.

Be sure to add La Mezquita any trip to Sevilla or Granada.  La Mezquita is not to be missed!

Date of Completion: February 2003

Spanish Journey

Over the next two weeks, I'll be visiting Spain.

Unfortunately, it's not the real sort of journey involving airplanes and luggage, but a written journey.  I've been dreaming about going back to my second home, and figured that while I lack the time to do so at the moment, I can look through pictures and feel like I'm back there. Through the blog, I'll revisit my favorite places in Spain which also happen to be listed among the 1,000 in the book.

• The Alhambra
• La Mezquita
• Sevilla (Sevilla)
• The Guggenheim Bilbao
• San Sebastian
• Le Catedral de Toldeo
• La Sagrada Familia
• Museu Picasso
• Santiago de Compostela
• Madrid

Let's start the journey Monday!

World's Most Beautiful Lakes

Another list, and my favorite, Crater Lake, is listed at the top.

Anyone been to the others? Here's the full list:

• Crater Lake, Oregon, US
• Peyto Lake, Alberta, Canada
• Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
• Loch Lomond, Scotland
• Lake Garda, Italy
• Lake Annecy, France
• Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
• Lake Nakuru, Kenya
• Lake Matheson, New Zealand
• Lake Bled, Slovenia

Click here for the details.

Sydney Harbor & Opera House

As I sort through a list of destinations for my next vacation, it continues to grow as recommendations pour in at the critical point when I should be narrowing down my options. Needless to say, I have a whole book of 1,000.  So really, it's all about prioritizing, right?  Perhaps I'll narrow it down to the Southern Hemisphere. 

Here's a Southern Hemisphere option from Guest Blogger: Travel Gal Alicia.

There’s just something about standing Down Under on the north point of Sydney Harbor, wearing thick sunglasses to shield the sparkling water and SPF 100 to block out the blistering sun. Look to your right to take in the view of the Sydney Opera House and glance to your left to get that perfect shot of the Harbor Bridge. Its almost as if you’ve shifted dimensions into a brighter, shinier world. The Sydney Harbour bustles with suitcase-toting tourists pouring on and off cruise ships; waiters, with trays high, maneuvering the hundreds of tables that line the water; suits falling out the front doors of skyscrapers, loosening their ties; families awaiting the ferries en route to the zoo or Manly Beach; musicians, runners, and lovers. Oh, and an uncanny number of people wandering around barefoot.

At the tip of the harbor, stands the iconic Sydney Opera House. It’s rare that a deliberate move to put one’s self on the map works, but that’s exactly what the New South Wales government accomplished – the Sydney Opera House is now as recognizable as the Eiffel Tower or the Great Pyramids. You never know what to expect at the Sydney Opera House – from last minute steals on tickets to sitting, say, three seats down from Cate Blanchett. Its covered in over a million glass topaz tiles, and boasts a Concert Hall, an Opera Theater, and a smaller drama theater. And just for you history buffs, it also hosted Arnold Schwarzenegger’s final win in the 1980 Mr. Olympia Body Building contest. It’s a destination for student groups and date nights alike, and after the shows end, restaurants that line the harbor throw open their doors (and sometimes whole walls) to offer the passers-by a nightcap before they head for home. I personally preferred the live music and pint of Guinness at a nearby Irish pub, while being entertained by cute military boys on leave. But hey - to each his (or her) own.

Date of Completion: February 2010

New Zealand

Guest Blogger: Travel Gal Alicia

Milford Sound, New Zealand
Remember that scene in Lord of the Rings, when the newly formed Fellowship is gliding purposefully down the river and the camera pans and the scene expands and the river opens to a sound filled with majestic, haystack-like peaks? Did you not immediately want to board the next plane to Middle Earth? Well guess what? Grab your poly-fleece leggings and sandfly repellant – a quick 12 hour flight across the Pacific, three hour drive up the sound and an overnight stay at the Lodge and you too can kayak the Middle Earth waterways. Except it’s actually called the Milford Sound, and it’s happily situated in New Zealand – present age.

There’s only one place to stay on the Milford Sound, and that’s the Milford Sound Lodge. With hostel-type lodging and a fully equipped kitchen, this one stop shop will book all your tours, map out tramping expeditions (“hiking” for you gutter-minded folks), and make a mean latte. In fact, no matter where you go in New Zealand you will find nothing but incredibly friendly people and insanely good cups of coffee. It’s like they learn the craft in grammar school.

Anyway, after the flight, the drive, the booking, the sleeping and the fresh 6am cups of coffee, my girlfriends and I made our way down to the pier to suit up for the outing. Because tourists are typically whiny yuppies who don’t care to be cold – or wet for that matter, even while kayaking in glacier water – we were immediately presented with hideous striped long underwear and fleece pullovers, followed by bright yellow ponchos and reflective life jackets. I fully expected to see “Safety First!” and “Arrive Alive!” bumper stickers slapped on all the kayaks.

We braved the stripes and partnered up, then picked our kayaks and paddled our way out of the marina. After a 15 minute tutorial (during which we were informed the most important thing to remember on the water was to “look good” to the tourists even more yuppie than us who were sipping mimosas on high-end ferry tours), we were off. One girlfriend and I were the only all-girl boat, and thanks to our shortage of upper body strength we were usually a good 30 yards behind everyone else in our group. We played it off as our master plan to take endless amounts of pictures of the peaks, waterfalls, seals, rainbows and each other – looking extremely cool and adventurous.

They’re now some of my favorite photos. The view in every direction was incredible. At times the blue water was so crystal clear we could see right down to the bottom. Huge waterfalls cascaded down the rocks all around us, the farthest being on the other side of the sound three miles away. Honestly, if it wasn’t for all the paddling (and sandfly bites), I could have stayed out there all day just taking it in. It made perfect sense why most of the tour guides chose to live all the way out near the sound, even if it is two hours away from the closest gas station.

Now, if only one of them had a closer resemblance to Legolas.

Date of Completion: February 2010