After more
than four years on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, it is time to make a
short summary of the best and worst this side of the world. In particular, how
do the USA compare to "old Europe"?
First, let me acknowledge that it
was great and easy to travel around and discover both the USA and the Americas.
In the USA, I have now visited just over 50 percent of the states. I think it is quite good that I visited 26 states and a half. The map
below tells it all. But there is still a big gap in the middle of the country - maybe another time?
Second, and
while it is past the Oscar ceremony, time to hand out some prizes:
- Best landscape: Yellowstone National Park
- Best walk: Peekaboo Trail/Bryce Canyon
- Best bike ride: Evergleades/Florida
- Best technology: Cape Canaveral/Florida
- Best amusement park: Harry Potter/Florida
- Best city: Miami
- Best island: Puerto Rico
- Best adventure sport: Dog sledging (Mendenhall glacier)
- Best tennis: US Open
- Best concert: Coldplay
- Best bar: 230 Fifth, 5th Avenue in New York
- Best architecture: Chicago skyscrapers
- Best mountain: Mount McKinley
- Best cheesecake: Cava Mezze, Greek restaurant, DC
- Best flight: Balloon over the Shenandoah
- Best airport: Cincinnati (meeting with Nadal)
- Best beaches: Outer banks
- Best political moment: Obama’s reelection night
- Best tennis court: Randall Park (playing in front of DC mayor)
- Best aquarium: Baltimore
- Best zoo: DC (pandas)
- Best animal: Bisons (being a few meters from them)
- Best spiritual moment: Dalai Lama
- Best season: Cherry Blossom in DC
- Best TV show: The big bang theory
- Best ads: Geiko
- Worst airport: Dulles
- Worst language: New Orleans
- Worst animal: Fox begging
- Worst amusement park: Kings’ Dominion
- Worst political moment: Obama’s inauguration
- Worst car: Voice of my GPS saying “recalculating”
- Worst season: DC, as soon as there is a milimeter snow
- Worst infrastructure: Chesapeake Bay Bridge, by Annapolis
- Worst noise: Fire truck siren
- Worst museum: Ripley’s believe it or not
- Worst historical site: Jamestown, first settler landing in Virgina
