I have traveled to 19 countries but places that I want to
visit in my bucket list keep growing. My spouse and I enjoy traveling and
creating memories. Given time and money constraints, we are often forced
to make choices about where to travel and when to travel to make each visit
special and a memory to cherish.
Thinking of places we have visited, the question of where to
travel is relatively easy in hindsight. Most of the places we have
visited are for cultural tourism. Cultural tourism is a kind of tourism that involves learning about the
history of a given region, the lifestyle of people in a particular geographical
locale, architecture, oral traditions, religions, festivals, cuisine, etc.
Activities of cultural tourism involves visiting museums, theaters, art
galleries, and learning about indigenous cultural communities and their
traditions, lifestyle, and values. The countries that we have
visited that can be included in this category include India, Italy, Mexico,
Venezuela, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, France and Germany.
We have found that the best way to learn about the culture
of a country is to visit its famous memorials and museums. Some of the
museums and memorials that have left a lasting impact are the holocaust
memorials. We have visited the Jewish Museum
Berlin (photo) and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, both are
in Berlin. In Italy we visited several beautiful art museums but I
continue to remember the visits to the Holocaust museum. Remembering these
visits today on 27th January is significant, as today is
International Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorating the tragedy of the
Holocaust that occurred during the Second World War. Personally, these visits
help to remind me of the thousands of lives lost in Sri Lanka during its Civil
War and how fortunate we were to escape and be able to share our
experience. By visiting and contributing money to the holocaust museums,
I hope I help people never forget the atrocities that have been committed in
this world.
We also love visiting historical places and monuments,
churches and temples. Who can ever forget standing in awe in front of the
Mona Lisa at the Louvre or walking to the Eiffel tower from there? There
are plenty of cafes to have a break during the 2 mile walk; wine was cheaper
than a bottle of water. In Italy, climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa is an
awesome experience but this should be done when we are physically able.
Florence also has good cuisine and excellent wine. Always look for a
family owned small restaurant; their service is extra ordinary even if you
can’t converse without knowing Italian. Temple of the Reclining Buddha is a
must see in Bangkok, Thailand, but the city is not for people who have road
rage. There are millions of memories and hard to write about them all;
but these help to summarize the lessons I have learned.
Question: How do we prioritize and select places to visit?
My experience:
- Identify the types of tourism that you like, see the Slide Show on Different Types of Tourism
- Select a country or a place that fits the type of tourism that you like.
- Read about the historical places, museums, monuments and other attractions in places that you can visit. Plan your trip.
- Allow
plenty of time for traffic, enjoying the sights, and tasting the local
cuisine.
Share Your Experience: If you travel frequently to see different places, how did you prioritize and select the places that you have visited?
RESOURCES:
1. Destinations you should only visit in the summer
2. Nordic Summer Holidays
3. Bucket lists according to travel agencies
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