The Great Travel List, Part I: The Americas

Shewara and I love to travel, probably due to our seemingly unending curiosity about the world and all cultures therein. As such, we made a list of all of the places we wish to see before we die. And as a token of gratitude to my loyal readers, I will shower you with the benefits of our wisdom by revealing our list, in selected parts, over the next few days. We begin with the Americas:

UNITED STATES

• American South / Alabama - It seems that this area is avoided by many people in other parts of the United States, but we both are curious to see how the culture there differs from the culture in the rest of the nation. We think Alabama would be the best representative state.
• American Southwest - Another tour of a beautiful landscape, only this time it comes with more beautiful art. Apache, Navajo, and Hopi peoples have one of the greatest artistic traditions in the United States, and I really want to see examples (both ancient and modern) firsthand.
• Hawai'ian Islands - It is technically not part of North America, but it counts as the United States anyway. Shewara has visited the islands many a time, and is apparently also a skilled hula dancer. I have never been to Hawai'i, but I am anxious to see the beautiful landscapes and fascinating interaction of American, Japanese, and Pacific Island traditions.
• New England / Boston (preferably in Autumn) - Neither of us have ever been to Boston, but we hear it is beautiful in the the fall months. October perhaps? On the cultural side, it seems like it could be an interesting and stark juxtaposition to our Alabama trip.
• Pacific Northwest / Seattle / Vancouver - We both think the art of the Pacific Northwest peoples is gorgeous, especially Totem poles and the surprisingly abstracted and yet naturalistic animal forms. Plus, the scenery is breathtaking.
• San Francisco, CA - Every person I speak to who visited San Francisco has nothing but words of praise for the Bay Area; as such, we took it upon ourselves to find out what all the fuss is about. The architecture is supposedly beautiful, the scenery wonderful, and the cultural activities abound.
• Wyoming - this one is more for me. Colorado gets all the press, but Wyoming is far less crowded and open to visitors. It is the best place to see the Rocky Mountains in all their glory.

NORTH AMERICA OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

• Toronto and Montreal, Canada - I visited Toronto once when I was little, and neither of us have been to Montreal. Canada always gets a bad rap in the United States, but its people are friendly and accepting, and the cities are safe and clean. Going to Quebec will give us a chance to brush up on our French skills, and I keep hearing wonder-stories about the bagels in Montreal. All the more reason to go.
• Cuba (post-Castro) - We want to see Cuba both for its fascinating blend of Caribbean, African, and Spanish influences, but we feel that it is too much of a hassle as long as Castro's communist government is still in power. We will wait for a better governmental system to come along, and then its off to one of the Caribbean's most exciting and culturally eclectic destinations.
• "Non-touristy" Mexico (Oaxaca?) - Parts of Mexico have become havens for tourists, especially young spring-breakers from the US. We feel like visiting a nicer, less crowded, and more "original" part of the country. We both love Spanish colonial architecture, especially church plazas, and a visit outside of a place like Cancun or Acapulco will give us a better chance to soak it all in. Oaxaca state is my top choice, simply because the name is awesome.
• Belize - Maya ruins abound, few tourists visit, and English is the official language. It is like going to Central America and getting all of the good things and almost none of the bad.

SOUTH AMERICA

• Argentina - South America's most fascinating country (along with Brazil) contains an interestingly large Italian population, a strange group of Welsh-speaking communities, and some of the finest beef in the world. In the south, the region of Patagonia is quite possibly Earth's most daunting and dangerously beautiful landscape outside of Antarctica. A fascinating and diverse country with a unique blend of cultures all its own, Argentina will probably be our first South American stop.
• Brazil - I love African diaspora culture, and where better find it than country with more people of African descent than any nation outside of Africa. We will probably hit the more touristy spots like Rio and Sao Paulo, but some day trips outside of the large cities would be nice as well. I have also heard stories about the near lack of importance Brazilians place on skin color when choosing a partner; hence, Brazil has become known as a "Mendelian Wonderland" for the amazing variability of phsyical traits (eye/skin/hair color, etc.) among its population. I think we would both be interested in seeing this firsthand.

Next time on The Great Travel List: Europe!