2014年1月31日 星期五

十大夢幻未訪之地 ─ 末代版 version. 2



一年半前,排這個『十大夢幻未訪之地』(其實那時候只排了八名) 名單時,我還說這是『末代名單』。沒想到,我過去一年半中,雖去了很多地方,但也剩了一大堆沒有拜訪到。2014 馬年的第一天,我想想今年旅遊計畫,想去的地方,排一排,竟然還排得出這個榜。


http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/penguins/happy-feet-penguin-smiley-emoticon.gif http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/penguins/happy-feet-penguin-smiley-emoticon.gif http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/penguins/happy-feet-penguin-smiley-emoticon.gif


這個榜單,就稱它為『末代十大夢幻未訪之地』排行榜 version 2 吧! 

上回的榜單中,第四名的格陵蘭 (Greenland),第五名的婆羅洲 (Borneo),第六名的尼泊爾 (Nepal)。過去一年半都拜訪過了。過去一年半,還航行了本來沒在榜單上的巴拿馬運河,以及在西非外海的台灣邦交國聖多美普林西比 (São Tomé and Príncipe)達成拜訪國家數破 150國。


漸漸地,我終於有種,千山萬水已走盡,,所有風景都看透的心境。
 
(ㄟ,為什麼要放這首歌? 總不會我還在夢想這世界會有人還等著陪我看細水長流吧?  )


這一次,很努力地,想排出前十名。十個目的地是排出來了。可是六到十名那幾個,連我都不知道,自己是不是真的那麼想去。


如果這是『末代榜單』Version 2,那,應該是不會有 末代榜單 Version 3 了吧? 


10. 北韓 (North Korea):

老實說,我對拜訪這國家並沒很大的期待。現代的局勢也不是很適合去,再看看了。自從 2012年為了搭西伯利亞鐵路(由莫斯科到北京),辦了生平的第一本『台胞證』。今後要去中華人民共和國,要比從前簡單得多。去北韓,幾乎無論如何都得由北京搭朝鮮航空,或中國東北搭火車出發。有了台胞證的我,若回台灣探親時,連要去北韓都變得簡單多了。但聽說去那裏,是一定要參加旅行團就是了。接下來的這一,兩年,會有機會去嗎?



9. 葉門的縮可挫島 (Socotra Islands,Yemen): 

『縮可....』這是甚麼碗糕島啊?這個印度洋小島,一度入榜過我的 Top 10,那時算是搞笑把它拿來墊檔的。 不過,最近又開始有點想去這個地方。 有『印度洋的加拉巴哥群島』之稱的 Socotra 據說景色荒涼美寂,又有許多全球絕無僅有的植被及鳥類。此島本身是葉門領土,人民的血緣文化其實和葉門鄰國阿曼 (Oman)比較接近。地理位置則是夾在葉門本土及索馬利亞的亞登灣(Gulf of Aden)之間。沒錯,這一帶的海域,基本上是目前全球海盜最猖狂的區域 。 所以,基本上除了由葉門首都沙那 (Sanaa) 搭國內線小飛機去之外,幾乎沒辦法去。老實說,我目前對於去葉門興趣缺缺。因此短期內也不太可能前往縮可挫島。再看看了。




8. 尼加拉瓜 (Nicaragua):中美洲我只剩貝里斯 (Belize),尼加拉瓜,及薩爾瓦多 (El Salvadore) 還沒去過。貝里斯雖講英文,基本上和加勒比海島嶼型國家沒什麼兩樣,大家去都是去躺在沙灘上烤人肉,到珊瑚礁浮淺。這些活動我都沒甚麼興趣。感覺就像其他加勒比海小島一樣,貝里斯,搭郵輪去拜訪,讓它瓜分掉我人生的八到十個小時,就已足夠。

而我雖然有好幾個朋友是薩爾瓦多出生,他們多半是年紀很輕時就已移民美國,英國,或澳洲 (薩爾瓦多1980年代有內戰,很不幸地迫使很多人必須移民別的國家)。他們雖然在那裏還有親戚,一般來說並不太常拜訪那裏。而且薩爾瓦多治安敗壞,連我這些『薩僑』友人都不是很鼓勵我自己去拜訪。而且據說國土小,景點少,連要找旅行團去,也很難找到 (上回去的,就只去瓜地馬拉及宏都拉斯)。

因此,這三個中美洲『未訪國』,就只有尼加拉瓜比較吸引我。因為有火山,美美的尼加拉瓜湖,以及幾個充滿西班牙殖民風味的小鎮,像是格拉納達 (Granada),算是比較令人想拜訪的地方。當然,正在學西班牙文的我,也可以找機會去那邊上中級語文班。


http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas/nicaragua.gif


7. 敘利亞 (Syria): 




















Am I crazy? No, not really。

把它列在這裡,是因為我真的還是很想去敘利亞。只是,我也知道,短期內是不可能去的。

只希望戰爭能早日結束,和平能早日降臨敘利亞 :'(


6. 馬利 (Mali):另一個目前因戰亂不能去的地方。
立這個西非的沙漠國度過去一度進入我的前五名。後來因游擊隊攻陷北半部,整個國家分裂成兩半。幾個歷史古城 Timbuktu 及 Djenne 一度被實施中古恐怖手段的民兵組織治理。後來法國派兵攻擊,幫助馬利政府收回北方包括Timbuktu的幾個城市。然而,目前北方情勢仍不甚穩定。短期內北半部的幾個歷史名城並不適合拜訪。雖然我把它放在 Top 10 這裡,短期內不是真的有去那裏旅遊的打算。.


 
5. 伊朗 (Iran):重新回到我的 Top 10。因為伊朗的新總統 Rouhani,改採門戶開放政策,開始鼓勵觀光客。接下來這幾年,辦簽證會變得愈來愈容易。 而且聽說現在拿台灣護照,已經可以在德黑蘭機場辦落地簽證 (真的嗎? 因為太久沒上『背包客論壇』Backpackers.com.tw,所以沒有伊朗旅遊的新資訊)。


http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/middle-east/iran/map_of_iran.jpg

原名為『波斯』(Persia)的伊朗, 其實除了社會風氣比較保守,全國禁酒,女人都要帶頭巾外,應該是個觀光資源很豐富的國家。我一直 想去看伊斯蘭古城伊斯法罕 (Isfahan)及舍利子 (Shiraz),也想到裏海 (Caspian Sea)海濱漫步。2014年2月阿酋航空開始飛台灣,以後由台北經杜拜轉機到伊朗,應該更加容易得多 (雖然幾天前上阿酋航空的網站,發現台北飛德黑蘭,竟然比飛歐洲大部分的城市都還貴)。

 
4. 馬達加斯加 (Madagascar):



等於是順勢遞補進入前五名。也許是為了想看狐猴 (lemurs),而對這個世界第四大島有如此大的嚮往吧!但老實說,我除了知道這個國家講法文及馬達加斯加文,人種並不是完全的非洲黑人之外,並沒有很大的了解。本來是希望 2014年夏天拜訪的,但因今年事情蠻多的,可能最快要等到 2015春了。


3. 摩洛哥 (Morocco):

也是順勢遞補,如今終於首度進了我的前三名。雖然在中東國家住了好幾年,也藉機拜訪了周圍好幾個阿拉伯國家。但發現北非也許是因離歐洲還比較近,這些年我北非國家竟一個也沒拜訪過。除了很多年前去過埃及外,突尼西亞,利比亞,阿爾及利亞,及蘇丹一直都沒去過 (反而東非的衣索匹亞去了兩次)。在『阿拉伯之春』起義之後,感覺利比亞及突尼西亞都還不是很穩定,現在並不適合觀光。而蘇丹和阿爾及利亞一向不歡迎觀光 客,簽證好像也很難辦。但是,看看整個北非地圖才了解,我竟然從未去過摩洛哥!不知道為什麼,這些年就是忽略了這個國家。


2014春,目前計畫拜訪的幾個國家之外,終於決定此回一定要去摩洛哥。也許由巴黎或柏林搭個廉價航空到中南部的歷史名城 馬拉喀什 (Marakech) 一遊 (沒錯,西歐有不少的廉價航空可以直達摩洛哥各大小城市。)。雖然也可能先到西班牙南部,搭個渡輪橫渡直布羅陀海峽,去大港都坦吉爾 (Tangier)。

雖目前詳細行程未定,2014年,應終將能到摩洛哥一遊。
..



上一回排行第三名的 外太空 (Space) 本次排行並沒有進前十名。

我捫心自問,我真的想花20萬美金,搭『Virgin Galactic』到外太空,然後只待個20分鐘就回到地表嗎? 

The answer is definitely: NO!


There are better ways to waste your money...


(當然,也有可能幾個月前,看『地心引力』,被珊卓姊姊的鬼叫嚇到了,不敢夢想去外太空了...)


接下來,最後的前兩名也是我這名單的老班底了。當然,這些年會一直沒去過,主要也是和簽證太難弄,或政治局勢有關吧!


2.  中亞五國 (Central Asia):

中亞五國主要是指:哈薩克 (Kazakhstan),烏茲別克 (Uzbekistan),吉爾濟斯 (Kyrgyzstan),塔吉克 (Tajikistan),及土庫曼 (Turkmenistan) 。都是回教風味濃厚的國家。也都是前蘇聯的領土。如今他們也是這名單的老班底了。這些年一直在我的第五及第十名間徘徊。一直沒拜訪的原因,主要還是因為這 幾個國家的簽證都很囉唆。最有趣的烏茲別克,有好幾個前絲路時代的名古城。可是最近烏茲別克和吉爾濟斯政治情勢都不穩定,族群衝突不斷。因為簽證麻煩,加 上我根本不會俄文或當地語言,要去幾乎是一定得跟團。不過若要找團跟其實應該不難,不論是洋人團或是台灣團。但老實說,我不是很想跟團去。前一陣子看到台 灣有出團,20天不到大概要三,四十萬台幣,貴得教人昨舌~~~


也許,像去巴爾幹或南美洲一樣,以自助旅行的方式去。或者,等有朋友去那邊的 NGO 做事時,再去拜訪他們?


2012年夏,在去了俄羅斯 及高加索兩小國一趟後,更了解到俄文的重要。也許我現在開始學俄文,四,五年內就可以講得很流利了。所以,現在這個地區,先 hold 住暫時不拜訪。再過四,五年,如果我俄文夠好,也許就可以去自助旅行了?

何況,所有想去的地方,全部都拜訪過了,沒留下任何可以幻想的地點也不太好。也許,關於走絲路,由中亞五國的夢,還是先放一邊,留到幾年後在實現吧!

Central Asia in 2018, Maybe??



Okay, now, onto the No. 1
http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/penguins/happy-feet-penguin-smiley-emoticon.gif

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/penguins/happy-feet-penguin-smiley-emoticon.gif

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/penguins/happy-feet-penguin-smiley-emoticon.gif

其實,和上回的 No. 1,是一樣的....

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/penguins/happy-feet-penguin-smiley-emoticon.gif



http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/penguins/happy-feet-penguin-smiley-emoticon.gif




http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/penguins/happy-feet-penguin-smiley-emoticon.gif



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1.  委內瑞拉 (Venezuela) 的失落世界以及天使瀑布 (Lost World and Angel Falls):

老實說,對於委內瑞拉這個國家,我並不是很想去。我對加勒比海海灘興趣缺缺, 首都加拉卡斯 (Caracas) 據說空氣汙染嚴重,治安又敗壞。最近前委內瑞拉小姐訪鄉探親遭槍擊身亡,連五歲女兒都挨槍的恐佈新聞,只是再度暴露了這個國家的治安問題 (2012年的統計,委內瑞拉的謀殺率,是全球第二高,只有宏都拉斯的謀殺率比他們高)。其實委國我真正想去的,主要是南部接壤巴西的那一區 (和它的鄰國同名,就叫『圭亞那 (Guyana)』區。


多年前,看『勇闖天涯』(Global Trekkers),Ian Wright 把委內瑞拉演得很不好玩。但最後十五分鐘,他抵達委國南部的 Gran Sabana 桌山區 (別稱『失落的世界』 - Lost World),剛好是我在南美洲,甚至全世界最希望能去健行的地區。在那一集的最後,他走了一整天的叢林山路,終於看到全世界最高的天使瀑布(Angel Fall)。天使瀑布的美景如夢似幻,叫人神往。

2009年非常感人的卡通片『天外奇蹟 (Up)』,片中老先生和亡故的妻子一輩子魂牽夢縈的那個瀑布,片中雖稱『天堂瀑布』但沒錯,其實就是現實中的天使瀑布。去委瑞內拉,就算只能看個天使瀑布,我也心滿意足了。





上圖:天使瀑布。深藏在叢林之中,非常不容易拜訪。得搭小飛機,然後再搭一整天的橡皮艇,然後,還得在叢林中健行幾小時,才能看到此一美景。但所有去過的人都覺得不虛此行。

2013年夏,本來是要去委內瑞拉找朋友的。但因他被調到厄瓜多,返鄉假期和我的行程沒協調好,加上南美洲內陸線機票票價超貴,以及我被加拉卡斯的超高搶劫槍擊率嚇到,不敢自己去....各種不利的因素,最後還是沒去成。如今人已經搬離北美洲。未來要飛往委拉瑞拉更不方便。

天使瀑布 失落的世界 再度與我緣慳,成為我旅遊生涯一直無法揮去的殘念。

2014,今年會再度錯過嗎?


記得最近,聽到某個朋友於他臉書網頁上摘要的一段話;

『Live with your dreams, but don't die with them。
   When you die, die with your memories』

I am lucky to have so many memories from my travel through all these years. However, I still have some dreams not yet realized. However, now, I feel I am so close to the point that I finally realize all my dreams - in travel.

Almost there, but not yet there.


And I am looking forward to the day when I reach that point.

Then, I can start pursuing my other dreams, those non-travel related dreams.  (and there are, a lot, a lot of them)

【完】

2014年1月12日 星期日

紐約時報 ─ 2014 年全球最夯之 52個旅遊勝地


其實,我1月10日在『紐約時報』(New York Times) 的電子版看到今年的名單時,是想專文討論的。

結果,因為今年台灣有上榜,雖然只有第 11名。不過因為 『紐約時報』畢竟是國際大報,這名單一刊出,台灣媒體馬上就大肆報導。既然到處都有主流媒體對此名單的報導,我也變得沒甚麼興趣再去詳細討論對這名單的看法。

下面就放個網頁連結,大家自己去看吧!

New York Times: 52 Places to Go in 2014

(Published on January 11th, 2014) 

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2014/01/12/places-to-go/assets/images/taiwan-1254.jpg 上圖:台灣是 2014 "Place to Visit" 的地11名。大概是台灣美食還是最受遊客歡迎吧!文中雖在討論台灣新的文華酒店,博物館,及墾丁國家公園。結果選的照片,竟然是這張魚酥羹的照片~~~

 自認英文還不錯,也想發表一下意見的,可以上 New York Times 的 Readers' Comments 留言。


2014年1月8日 星期三

『虹在天涯全球最愛城市排行榜 Top 10 - 2014 年年初版』


這算是 2014年刊出的第一篇文章吧,剛好回顧一下我目前全球最喜歡的十個城市

(不過目前只有英文版,中文本很快會刊出)

It's been almost 2 years since I listed my last "Top 10 Favorite Cities" in the world. Things have changed a lot in my life. My perception about some places have also changed. Thus, it is good time to update my "Top 10" list, when this new year just starts.

Yes, Paris has fallen out of Top 10 for the first time in 20 years (supposedly at No. 12 at this moment). I haven't visited Paris since early 2011, and strangely, do not feel I miss it at all.

While at the same time, New York City, after at least half a dozen visits in 2013 (and a very lovely friend who's been a long time New Yorker has continuously encouraged me to move back to Big Apple), I decide to move NYC from its permanent No. 51 place (yes, you can say that I "banished" New York LOL), back to my Top 50. Unfortunately, it lands at No. 11, just barely missing the Top 10. Yes, I do still need time to consider if I and New York City (which was my No. 1 for several years from late 1990's to 2000's) indeed can love each other again :(

And this year's big loser is Washington DC, another of my former "home." Several unpleasant incidents makes me not wanting to be there for awhile. Well, it just takes over New York's No. 51 place XD

The following is my current Top 10 cities in the world.

10. Venice, Italy (Times visited: 4 times)  

 Finally an Italian city makes it to my top 10 (yes, that has never happened) After visiting it for the fourth time (and second time for the Biennial Art Fair), I finally learned to appreciate this overcrowded and always touristy city. It is always lovely to get lost in its streets.


9. London, England (Times visited: Too many to remember) This is one of few my current Top 10 cities I actually failed to visit in the whole 2013. It did take very long for me to appreciate London that it didn't moves into my top 5 until almost 20 years after I first visited it! I always enjoy its wonderful (and mostly free) museum and the ethnic (and thus, culinary) diversity of London. And yes, there is always hopping nightlife in London-town. Also, what not to love about the city that gives the world Adele (remember her song "Hometown Glory"?)

8. Munich, Germany (Times visited: 8) A short layover in April last year consolidates its status in my Top 10 (once again). One of my favorite cities in my favorite countries in the world. Always clean, safe, and cultured, it was great to see it let its hair down during Oktoberfest. It also has a nice natural setting. With such great airport (and good transportation to and from the Airport), I will find excuses to pass by here again and again, as I did last April on my way from Washington DC to Cape Town. 

7. Vienna, Austria (Times visited: 6):  
It was chosen by Mercer Institute as the city with "the best quality of life" for several years in a row. It looks understated and not shockingly attractive. However, the history and culture are everywhere. There are so many great museums, quite a few great coffeehouses, and even great natural setting (the Alps are just around the corner). The Rathaus Platz (City Hall Square) always has decent art or musical activities whenever I'm in town. I went there in both 2009 and 2010 for different conferences and started to like it even more. And at the end of 2013, I just wanted to see its Christmas markets so much, I actually bought a ticket to fly there from Dubai. What a surprise that it turns out that Vienna now has several big Christmas markets (all of them have their own cute souvenir mugs). Since now I reconnect with an old classmate there, I know I always have a friend to see and have tea with when in town.


6. Cape Town, South Africa (Times visited: 3) Cape Town is my favorite place in the whole continent of Africa. Though Africa is an enormously fascinating place to visit, African cities generally are unpleasant, polluted, chaotic and even dangerous. However, Cape Town is one big exception. Though there are quite dangerous parts of the town (and poverty is actually quite visible), it is mostly peaceful. With beautiful natural backdrop and intriguing mix of cultures, it is indeed one of the most interesting places on earth. And what not to love when there are so many lovely wineries just around the corner (The Cape area is one of the best wine-producing regions in the world)?

I started two of my "trips of lifetime" here (one overland to Nairobi, and the other sailing along the coast to Dakar, Senegal), so Cape Town will always occupy a special place in my heart. Now with some new friends based in Cape Town, I also know that I have people to visit when I'm in town!

At No. 6, you think Cape Town is my favorite place south of the Equator. No, it is actually...
















5. Melbourne, Australia (Times visited: 3) After 2 visits in the past 2 years, now Melbourne not only consolidates the place for my favorite place in Australia (or, the whole Oceania), it is also my favorite city in Southern Hemisphere. Strangely, the weather was almost always bad whenever I visited. However, unlike Sydney, I can always find interesting places to go even when the weather sucks outside (yes, I meant museums!). Thanks Val, that I finally got to visit the headquarter of my favorite travel guidebooks last year (which sadly, might be closed down soon). In addition, now Melbourne is the city where I have more friends than any other places in Southern Hemisphere! (again, sorry, Sydney!) A conference later this year (in July, yes, again at the time when the weather may be bad) might bring me back there. And maybe this time, I want to stay there for at least a month!

4. Montreal, Canada (Times visited - I Used to Live There) Now moving back to my Top five, and another place where I have quite a few friends. Just don't visit it in winter, seriously. 

3. Chicago, USA (Times visited - I Used to Live There) My former No. 1 city in the world (back in 2008) has been my No. 1 city in the US for awhile. They always have friendlier people than other US metropolis with similar sophistication level (yes, I'm talking about you, NYC and DC). A place that things come alive in summer but still offers a lot of things to do in the winter (well, as long that it is not -25C outside). If I really would like to settle down in the States, this would be my first choice.

2. Vancouver, Canada  (Times visited - I Used to Live There) After one month's stay-cation in 2013, I officially declare that Vancouver is my favori... well, second favorite city in the world. Thanks for some of my old and new friends there, I finally feel truly at home in this lovely city. A place I formerly called home but could not stay because I could not find a real job there, this is one of the most scenic and naturally stunning places in the world. It doesn't hurt that it has *THE best* Asian food in the whole North America. Now, with a portable job that I can live anywhere, is Vancouver the place I should move to and re-settle in? Well, let's see...hopefully that its real estate price is not so inaccessible.







So...that leaves my No. 1 city in the world as...







Oh, well











No, there is no change...











It is still...











1. Berlin, Germany   (Times visited - Too many to remember) For a history buff like me, Germany's "former" but also "new" capital is the most fascinating city in the modern time. It had morphed 5 times in the 20th century alone. Even after entering 21st century, Berlin still hasn't stopped its process of metamorphoses. Now the avant-garde art and nightlife center of the new integrated Europe, Berlin still remains a relatively bargain destination. Your Euro (or pounds, dollars, or pesos) can still go further here than many other European cities. For architecture buffs, many interesting modern building can be found here. I have long been aware Berlin is a fun place to visit while most of the world still did not know. Unfortunately, now the secret has been long out, and Berlin now is the 3rd most visited city in Europe (That means now I have to wait in a long line when trying to visit many museums)....


After visiting this city more than 10 times in the past 18 and 1/2 years (and actually living there in one summer) do I feel that Berlin is losing its edge? Yes, sort of, maybe. And yes, have I finally feel tired of Berlin? Well, we will need more time to see.

But I know, when I have a chance, I will not miss my chance to make a stopover there!




The above is the Top 10 places I have been to.

But, what about Top 10 places I haven't been to? Those "To Visit" dream destinations?

It will be revealed when the "Year of Horse" arrives, which is on January 31st 2014.

Cheers!