Another dumb OT thread: prettiest country you've visited...

[RandygoCuse]

That's interesting. Did you actually go underground into the twelve- and seventeen-story underground labyrinths, plus the faerie towers with the iconic wall paintings (frequently with the eyes put out)? I didn't even mention those--and I was certainly grateful to be my compact 5'6" in parts of that claustrophobe's nightmare--but that was also great. Maybe my suffering in Texas made the arid climes less of an ordeal?

I agree that Istanbul was tremendous (and Ephesus was no slouch), but I'd never forego Cappadocia. It's a built-in three-banger, each one enjoyably different from the last.

Good call on Ephesus. You can do it without even staying overnight.

 

[HastingsCuse]

South Africa (Capetown area and Garden Coast) and French Polynesia (Bora Bora)

Some other beautiful places not including the USA: Almafi Coast (Italy), Crete (Greece), Lamu Island (Kenya)

 

[CusefanATL]

i love me some costa rica.

 

[CuseTroop]

Oh, I guess perhaps a third of the way across from west to east, with the whole horizon looking north showing the Alaska range and glaciers. Then again, that scene gets repeated several times (with all different mountains and glaciers) across the 100+ miles of the highway.

I passed on a Denali Highway trip this weekend. They werent coming back until today, and I had too much to do at work to take today off.

 

[themole]

Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, as others have mentioned!

 

[stuckinbig11]

I passed on a Denali Highway trip this weekend. They werent coming back until today, and I had too much to do at work to take today off.

I have driven it twice. A clear day makes it magnificent, so try again when you get a chance. Also try fishing for grayling in the little streams you cross.

 

[CuseTroop]

I have driven it twice. A clear day makes it magnificent, so try again when you get a chance. Also try fishing for grayling in the little streams you cross.

I'm sure we will get out there before the end of summer. I have some friends who want me to snow machine it with them this winter as well.

 

[edowd26]

I passed on a Denali Highway trip this weekend. They werent coming back until today, and I had too much to do at work to take today off.

Yea.... seems it.

 

[CuseTroop]

Yea.... seems it.

Systems are down. Our IT guy is trying to fix it. Gave me a little extra time to chat on the board, scout and recruit a PF and a C for my basketball team, and wander around the hall clucking like a chicken.

 

[edowd26]

Systems are down. Our IT guy is trying to fix it. Gave me a little extra time to chat on the board, and recruit a PF and a C for my basketball team, and wander around the hall clucking like a chicken.

Life is good.

 

[CuseTroop]

Life is good.

I'd rather be on the highway, or sleeping lol.

 

[edowd26]

I'd rather be on the highway, or sleeping lol.

Well its not quite that good.

 

[njcuse]

America. My wife and I have traveled to several countries, among them Canada, England, France, Japan, and a couple I can't spell in Eastern Europe. We have seen some impressive sights both natural and man made, but you can find most of what we saw somewhere in America, especially the natural. Many countries have older shrines, architecture, art, but few have given the world more hope for democracy and freedom than America. We have many flaws, have made many mistakes, but we still provide the best model for what a country can be as we move forward.

 

[NKR1978]

French Riviera, and most specifically Antibes and Eze.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[CiscoCuse]

Yes CTO...Norway is the best kept secret! But for spectacular beauty I'd have to say Grindelwald, Switzerland...but Upstate NY has some great places in the ADK...like Big Moose Lake.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I may lose all karmic credit and be docked 300 likes for agreeing with a man with "goduke" in his title (unless he's talking about Raoul), but I'm glad somebody finally stepped up and mentioned Turkey. Yes, I've been to the aforementioned places in Switzerland, many places in Italy, the coast of Ireland, Hawaii, etc.--but the incredible history, texture, and visual beauty of Turkey--varying widely from the Aegean Sea Coast to Cappadocia to the breathtaking Istanbul--belongs on anybody's bucket list. And God help me, but Randy's also right about the hot air balloon trip in Cappadocia. Photos are available through a simple Google search, but seeing it in person was absolutely unforgettable.

Great ideas from the rest of this thread. Thanks, all.

Do you remember a girl from Ludden named Kathy Orr?

 

[CuseinNYC]

I recently returned from a trip to eight Baltic countries... and I totally (and unexpectedly) fell in love with Norway. The mountains, the fjords, the waterfalls, the pastoral panoramas, the quaint rural villages...were just amazing. I've been to many "exotic" places, and more than 40 countries, but Norway was such an unexpected treat.

Just curious as to what other neat places (that you have loved) that I may have missed -- and would like to visit.

The scenery in New Zealand absolutely blew my mind. I've never seen anything quite like that.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I recently returned from a trip to eight Baltic countries... and I totally (and unexpectedly) fell in love with Norway. The mountains, the fjords, the waterfalls, the pastoral panoramas, the quaint rural villages...were just amazing. I've been to many "exotic" places, and more than 40 countries, but Norway was such an unexpected treat.

Just curious as to what other neat places (that you have loved) that I may have missed -- and would like to visit.

My favorite cities are Rome and Venice.

My favorite scenic route is the train trip through Southern Bavaria into Austria and then into Italy via the Brenner Pass.
Close behind are Route One south of San Francisco and the drive through the Lake country in Northern Italy (Lago di Como and Lago Maggiore)

My favorite islands are Santorini and Kauai.

Something a little off the beaten path is the city of Ostuni in Puglia. Stunning.

 

[suttree]

Do you remember a girl from Ludden named Kathy Orr?

Yes. What did I do wrong?

 

[texascpa]

Texas

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Yes. What did I do wrong?

She is a very well-known meteorologist in the Philly area who does the weather for one of the local TV stations.

She and I were very good friends in college.

When we are down in Philly area and we are watching TV, we try to catch her forecast.

I knew she went to Ludden at same time you did so I figured you might know her.

 

[suttree]

She is a very well-known meteorologist in the Philly area who does the weather for one of the local TV stations.

She and I were very good friends in college.

When we are down in Philly area and we are watching TV, we try to catch her forecast.

I knew she went to Ludden at same time you did so I figured you might know her.

Cool. Love the small world stories. She's also a Newhouse grad, I see.

She's a couple of years older than I, so I'd be surprised if she took notice of my Freaks & Geeks persona. If she ever needed a 16mm projector delivered to one of her classes, though, your loyal AV Club Suttree would have likely been on the scene.

 

[sutomcat]

Cool. Love the small world stories. She's also a Newhouse grad, I see.

She's a couple of years older than I, so I'd be surprised if she took notice of my Freaks & Geeks persona. If she ever needed a 16mm projector delivered to one of her classes, though, your loyal AV Club Suttree would have likely been on the scene.

Kathy worked in Syracuse for a while for WTVH 5 (CBS).

Some Film From Back in the Day

 

[Mr. M]

A lot of natural landscapes mentioned.

DUBAI- As for a modern man-made city & landscape, my vote is Dubai, UAE. I recently went for two weeks...incredible. World's tallest building, 7 star sailboat shaped hotel, enormous palm shaped islands littered with 5 star hotels. World's 3rd largest indoor ski slope...all in the middle of the desert. Anyone else been?

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Cool. Love the small world stories. She's also a Newhouse grad, I see.

Yeah. I've actually got a few of them..Kathy, Neal McDonough, Craig Carton, Danny Zuker...

The funny part is that, despite being friends with all of them in college, other than Danny, I never had any idea what any of them majored in or what they wanted to do for a career.

Danny was just so fantastically funny and talented that you just knew he was going to end up being a huge success in the entertainment industry.