Yep, that’s a pretty bold headline, but that’s what a recent list published by www.askmen.com is promising. Here’s the top five from the list and I’ve added a few more I reckon are pretty special.
Askmen’s Top Five
- The Acropolis, Athens
- Lipu and Yaoshan Mountains, Guilin
- Lanikai Beach, Hawaii
- Eiffel Tower, Paris
- Grand Canyon, Arizona
Here’s AskBrett’s Alternative Top Five (OK, it’s a few of my favourite spots)
- Sunset on the Bosphurus, Istanbul
- The Remarkables, Queenstown
- Charles Bridge at dawn, Prague (right)
- Wadi Ghul Canyon, Oman
- Sydney Harbour. Sydney
Let us know what, where and when I’ve overlooked…
While you’re here, check out our photo galleries of some of the coolest places in the world!
How many condos does Panama City need?
One of the things that surprised me the most about my trip to Panama is the amount of development going up in Panama City, Panama. There are literally dozens of highrises going up right now, in addition to the dozens that are already there. Panama is a fairly small city, about 600-800 thousand residents, based on different estimates. Yet, judging by the skyline, you would think that this is a multi-million resident metropolis.
I have talked to a few people about this and they thought the development had to do with a) rise in tourism, b) banking, and c) planned expansion of the Panama Canal. Still, I don’t understand why the need for thousands of condo units. Even Donald Trump has been developing here. Well, gambling and prostitution are legal here. Is this going to be the Vegas of Latin America?
Latin American airlines rock! Can we have them here?
It has been so refreshing to fly those little regional airlines in Latin America in the last couple of weeks. I have taken 4 regional flights so far and I love how well it has worked for me. Granted, the planes look about 50 years old, while the pilots look about 20, but they do seem to know what they are doing.
I appreciate that they operate like trains, without any of that insane ticket pricing structure we have all reluctantly gotten used to: “The air ticket you looked up yesterday for $250? Um, that will be $600 today. Why? Just because. Check back tomorrow, it might come down again. Umm, why?”
I have forgotten how nice it is to walk up to a counter and buy an air ticket for a flight that takes off 30 minutes from now. I did exactly that a few of days ago in Panama City. I walked up to an Aeroperlas counter and bought a one way ticket to Bocas del Toro for $70. If I bought the ticket 2 weeks before or 6 months prior, it would have still been $70. I love that – first come, first serve. Makes budgeting for travel much easier. Even better – if you miss the flight (which I did on one ocassion), they will issue you a new ticket to the same, or different, destination at no extra cost. How cool is that?
Try the same thing in the US or Europe, even with those so-called budget airlines, sometimes. They will charge you $2000 for a $200 ticket if you want to fly the same day. Changes? Yeah, right. The airlines would rather have the seat empty than charge something sensible. I remember taking a course on airline pricing structure in college and I remember that the overly complicated way air ticket pricing is set didn’t make any sense to me then. Clearly, it still doesn’t.
War in Panama: attack of the sandflies
Yes, these are my legs. Yes, they have seen better days. I woke up a couple of nights ago and counted 85 sandfly bites on my left calf alone. I don’t understand why I don’t see anyone else chewed to pieces. Why do they love me so much?
Last week, I spent trekking through the Corcovadorainforest in Costa Rica and didn’t get a single bite. I was ready to fight mosquitoes in Panama’s Bocas del Toro, but I wasn’t prepared for sandflies! They have mosquito nets here but those pose no problem for sandflies. The sandfly is basically invisible, doesn’t make a noise, is about a quarter of the size of a mosquito and much faster. By the time you feel them biting you, they are gone. If there is a definition of irregular warfare, this must be damn close.
I brought repellent (40% DEET) and have been using it religiously during my hikes through the jungle. I should have been better about putting it on at night, I guess. That’s when sandflies attack. Apparently, most sandflies are harmless (except for the really itchy bites) but some carry the parasite Leishmaniasis, which can result in ugly sores, scars and if left untreated, death.* That does not sound like fun. Meanwhile, I am putting all my energy into NOT scratching.
* I find that 5 to 6 bottles of Panama beer makes one forget about the imminent death by tropical parasites.
Photo of the Day (11/26/07)
Since I am in Panama now, here is a picture I took a few days ago in cloudy Panama City (it’s the end of the rainy season). This is my first time in Panama and I am blown away by the amount of construction going on in this city. The obsession with highrises reminds me of Shanghai; so do the slums with the view of the “good life.”
***To have your photo considered for the Gadling Photo of the Day, go over to the Gadling Flickr site and post it.***