My friend Luc has a post up about his top 5 travel spots.  Well friend might be too strong a word, depending on the hockey teams playing.  I’ve been kicking around a similar idea for a while now and his post is triggering this one.

Pre-amble.  I am not big on travelling.  In fact, I have a rather large distaste for it.  I like the destination part but the trip itself, garbage.  I think it’s just a bad taste with US travel, really.  Any other country, customs practically gives you a high-five for showing up.  That’s another topic though…

Believe it or not, I am a rather large history fanatic.  History as in anything that occurred before the West was colonized.  I really love stories and the best ones are legends from other cultures. The legend of Gilgamesh is fascinating and is nearly 4000 years old.  Japanese feudalism, China’s dynasties, Egypt’s emperors, Greece and Rome’s democracy, South America’s empires, the European dark ages up until the monarchy sets in the 1700s.  Each one has a very large impact on today’s society, even though most don’t realize it.

Funny anecdote, my wife was reading a Disney book to my eldest and they pointed to a character they didn’t recognize.  I said “that’s Merlin”.  Both said, “who’s that?”.  The recognized Pinnochio, Belle, Cinderella and all the other ones but not Merlin.  I still have trouble understanding how a grown-up today would not know that name.

Ok, to the main point now.  Top 5 places I would like to visit!

1. Ireland + Great Britain.  A large part of my heritage comes from here.  This place to me seems like the last place on earth with real magic.
2. France.  Specifically the Louvre.  I think I could spend a month in there.
3. China. Half the inventions the world uses daily come from here.  It’s the oldest continual civilization to boot.
4. Japan. The other half of inventions.  Feudal japan is fascinating.  Religion is particularly interesting here.
5. Home (Canada).  I’ve seen some amazing parts but there’s so much more to see.  Maritimes are on the short list.

In my anal ways, I’ve already made “brain plans” as to how and what I’d do to make this list real.  Many years ago. If I was a DINK, this would be simple.  So I’m stuck on the idea of bringing kids for a historic tour without them having the context, waiting for them to gain the context (in 15 years) or going without them.  I much prefer the second option but time is always a challenge.

How bout other people?