What are some "must see" countries in your opinion? I saved up some money, and just got time off

[skipos]

in November. I figure it will be a good reward for all the work I have been doing for Obama! I have no idea when I will get to travel again, and I want to make this trip count.

[Aristus]

1. There are a lot of "I" countries on my list.

Ireland: which I've already seen a little of; great beer and gorgeous women!
India: The Taj Mahal, great food and, yes, gorgeous women.
Iceland: What can you say about a country with 100% literacy and powered almost exclusively by geothermal energy?
Italy: Florence, Siena, Rome, great food and (all together, now) gorgeous women!


Have fun! B-)

[dropkickpa]

27. My brother and his wife go to Iceland for work

At least once a month, and I am just about pissing my pants in jealousy. They LOVE it there!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Depends on what you really like to do,

but for some of the best pub-crawling in the world, go to Amsterdam.

[skipos]

6. I'd like to see old building, old ruins, old cultures

I am not much of a beach, restaurants, shopping or partying person.

Scenic terrain, mountains, etc are a bonus, but I wouldn't plan a trip around them.

I am definitely interesting in Turkey but the weather sounds iffy in November. Thailand or Egypt sound good, but there are so many countries I don't know anything about.

My cousin went to Amsterdam and loved it. He is a big socializer though.

[Kali]

7. You picked a good one

Turkey is excellent. Of course good old Mexico meets your criteria as well.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

16. Anywhere in Europe, or else China

Europe has so many old buildings, old ruins, and old cultures per square kilometer that it's frustrating, because you can't see them all.

Don't let the coverage of the Olympics fool you. China may have cities with modern cores, but it also has 4,000 years of civilization, with ruins to match, and villages that have hardly changed since the 19th century.

[Withywindle]

3. Three on three continents, all very different places:

Scotland

Brazil

Thailand.


All of them rich and endlessly facinating in scenery and history and culture.

[pitohui]

4. 1)kenya, 2) panama

one of those two would be my choice for a "must see"

both are budget friendly but if you can't travel to africa in the time/budget allowed, then panama will help you cut down on silly airfare/fuel costs

also south africa is beautiful in november if you think you are not ready for kenya but kenya is v. tourist friendly, i wouldn't be shy

p.s. post or PM us when you pick your country so we can all give trip advice!

[mopinko]

5. i get to go to india in late november.

DH has contractors that work for him there. his boss has been begging him to go and do some training.
he is definitely going. i am a little nervous about making positive plans, as my health is not prefect, and i just may bend it a little out of shape on the election. if i don't go this time, i will likely get another chance.
i can't wait, tho. i have wanted to go for a long time. and it will be the best kind of trip- going to see people you know. we have been promised that we will be taken care of. me, i think i would be happy just to go, hang around, eat, look, walk, maybe buy some stuff.

really want to go to china, too. nceca, which is a ceramic art org does trips there. i chickened on the one this year, but i am hoping there will be another soon.

[LeftyMom]

8. My mother loved Hong Kong, back when it was British.

She liked China too, but she's really wanting to go back and see how Hong Kong has changed.

[PBS Poll-435]

9. Alaska

So neat that they should make it a State.

(Again)

:cry:

[skipos]

10. I hope to go there before Palin helps them secede

but that place is too cold for me in November.

[Haole Girl]

11. Can you get to Australia and New Zealand?

Those are two of my favorite countries! :-)

[TZ]

13. Those are on my list!

Diving the Great Barrier Reef is a bucketlist item for me!
If you love wildlife/outdoors/nature/landscapes--those are the two no miss countries for sure!
I'm actually in the very beginning stages of planning a trip to Oz next year...

[Haole Girl]

14. You should see GBR as soon as you can...

it already has 50% bleaching, just in the past two years. :-(

[La Lioness Priyanka]

12. what do you like?

italy and india are two i woudl strongly recommend

[bikebloke]

15. Greece for old buildings.

Though Turkey has been on my list for a while. I've been in the region several times, but never made it there. Then there's Israel and Egypt.

[jobycom]

17. Belgium is a nice visit.

A bit more subtle than the touristy regions of France and Italy (though I've never been to Italy). Good beers and bars, excellent old architecture, a lot of history. The coastal area developed as a center of merchant activity in the later Middle Ages, comparable to Venice, whereas the interior has a history of castles and feudal warfare. Seems like a history of the Middle Ages in microcosm, matching the feudal system against the bourgousie cities.

If you aren't into history, Brussels has cutting edge art and architecture--almost like a Paris without the pretentious self-awareness of Paris (gods, that was awful writing!). Belgium grew up in some ways as a buffer between England and France, and as a buffer, it was also used as a neutral trade center, and still serves that role, so you have a mix of English, French, German, and Dutch.

Luxembourg is nice, too. Small country, very beautiful scenery.

And though I've never been, Portugal sounds fascinating. Very dramatic country. And Spain, with its mix of Arabic and European culture. Barcelona and Cordova, especially.

Damn I hate being broke. :(

[ceile]

18. Ireland

The Ring of Kerry is breathtakingly beautiful. And also the Tyrol area of Germany and Austria (Innsbruck) is really stunning.

[yellowdogintexas]

19. allow a shameless plug for Spain. Ruins back to Roman times, tons of great

art, extraordinary architecture, The Alhambra alone is worth the trip, actually. As is Toledo..the entire city is a national historic shrine or whatever they call it.. you can go over and sit on the hill where El Greco painted ' Toledo in the Storm'.

Start in Madrid, do about a couple of day trips (Segovia with its Aqueduct and Avila with its medieval walls are offered together, for example) then train down to Cordoba, Seville and Granada. This part of Spain features the fabulous Moorish architecture and atmosphere of Old Spain. If you have time you can hit one of the lovely coastal towns on the Mediterranean.

We were there 25 years ago, and we went everywhere by train. I would assume the rail system is even better now.

[HERVEPA]

20. Nepal, Cambodia (Angkor Wat)

[HERVEPA]

21. dup

[RebelOne]

22. The British Isles and France

Been there twice and love England and Scotland.

[applegrove]

23. Italy, France (Paris), the Netherlands (Amsterdam).

[BOSSHOG]

24. Scotland, an incredibly beautiful country but maybe November not the best time

[mwooldri]

29. Definitely not on that...

best time for Scotland is early June-early September.

Glasgow and Dundee are somewhat "gritty" cities - Dundee the people are great but the city centre was a dump. Though I've heard they've done some fantastic work there now and got rid of that Overgate shopping centre eyesore (though they kept the name the same, just re-built it).

Edinburgh's a cool city but quite "touristy". Aberdeen is a neat place but I've not been there (going by reports from my friends from when I lived in Dundee).

Mark.

[BOSSHOG]

31. Get out to Brechin and Montrose and Edzell

take a bike ride and see the castles.

[Sequoia]

25. Think about how the American dollar is down in Europe.

Go where your dollars mean something.

[LSK]

26. New Zealand

You might need to move there if McSame wins and picks a war with Russia.

[MissMillie]

28. Iceland... but not this time of year

How about Brazil?

[Rabrrrrrr]

30. I vote for Japan

[PassingFair]

32. I've been to most of Europe....so....

I would REALLY like to tour Italy and Greece.

Most especially, Capri!

[charlie and algernon]

33. NORTHERN Ireland!!!

You absolutely MUST check out Belfast in Northern Ireland. it's an amazing city trying to move past it's violent past. Take the Black taxi tour and see the beautiful, chilling murals in the protestant section, sign your name on the peace wall dividing the Protestants from the Catholics. Then go to Derry, walk the stores of protestant Londonderry, then walk in Catholic Free Derry, see the abandoned British bases still over looking the catholic section.

[CBHagman]

34. Germany, specifically northern Bavaria, specifically Franconia.

...i.e., Franken (Yes, really).

[GoneOffShore]

35. France - The rural parts

Cassis - Near Marseille and the last unspoiled village on the Med - and by that I mean no Starbucks, no McDo and no skyscrapers.
Carcassone -
Beaune - for the wine
Gordes - for the view
And Paris - because all good Americans need to go there before they die.

[skipos]

36. This info is great!

Thanks everybody!