Hôtel de Crillon

Hotel de Crillon across the Place de Concorde at night (carla777)

Located at the end of the Champs Elysees and just 500 feet from the Jardins des Tuileries is the Hotel de Crillon.  Originally constructed by King Louis XV in 1758, the Hotel de Crillon was one of the first two buildings to make up the famous Place de Concorde.  Today the building functions as one of the world's oldest luxury hotels with 103 guest rooms and 44 suites.

Like many buildings in Paris, the history behind the Hotel de Crillon is just incredible.  Here's a brief rundown of the early history of the first building on the Place de Concorde:

1758 - Commissioned by King Louis XV and designed by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel.
1778 - Location of the signing of the first treaties between the United States and France.
1793 - King Louis XVI is guillotined directly in front of the hotel as a result of the French Revolution.

Eventually the building was returned to the Count of Crillon, whose descendants lived in it for over 100 years.  However, I find one of the lesser known facts about the Hotel de Crillon to be the most interesting.  If you look at the front of the building, you might notice that the fifth column from the right is just a slightly different color from the rest of the columns on the face.  Notice in the picture below how one column is several shades darker than any of the other columns?  According to the story, towards the end of WWII during the liberation of Paris, one of the tank gunners was told to watch for "fifth column infiltrators," and took the meaning quite literally as he fired and hit the fifth column of the hotel.  When the column was eventually replaced after the war they were unable to exactly match the color, giving the fifth column its unique shade that still shows through today.

Front of the Hotel de Crillon (Carles Tomas Marti)

Of course, this story is completely unverifiable.  Today, there are no available photographs that show the Hotel de Crillon without its fifth column.  You'll probably even hear a different version of the story depending on which French company you book your walking tour with.  However, even with a lack of evidence, the story of the Hotel de Crillon is just too good not to tell.

Basteibrücke

There is one trait that many of the things I want to see have in common - a unique juxtaposition of the flawless beauty of nature with an impressive example man's ingenuity.

Basteibrücke from afar. Source: hassmanm

The Basteibrücke is a perfect example; even the word itself contains both natural and human parts.  The Bastei is an incredible rock formation that rises over 600 feet out of the Elbe river in the German state of Saxony.  The rocks, formed by water erosion over many years, were one of the first tourist attractions of the Saxon region over 200 years ago.  In 1824 a wooden bridge was built between some of the rocks to give tourists a better view of the Elbe valley and the rock formation itself.  Nearly 30 years later the wooden bridge was replaced with a sandstone version that still stands today, giving the Basteibrücke the second half of it's name.  Brücke is the German word for bridge.

Basteibrücke.  Nature meets human history.

Basteibrücke in the winter. Source: Badboy of Maths

Nowadays, the Basteibrücke is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany.  According to Wikipedia, it's not uncommon for 50,000 people a day to visit the site during the summer.  And like most great tourist destinations, the journey to the Basteibrücke is half the attraction.  One of the most popular ways to make the trip is to take a steam paddleboat up the Elbe river from Dresden to the small town of Rathen.  I could write another whole post about Rathen, but I'll save it for another time.  From Rathen to the Bastei you can take one of several hiking routes that vary from easy to moderate in difficulty.  If you have time in your itinerary to stay in Rathen for a day or two there are many other nearby attractions that are definitely worth seeing.

Rathen Spa. Source: DHausBT

Germany is probably in the top 2 or 3 countries that I am looking forward to visiting and aside from the beer, the Basteibrücke is at the top of my list of things to experience while there.

Giethoorn, Netherlands

Thatched roof house in Giethoorn. Source: Hojjat (aka Huji)

In a rural corner of the Dutch province of Overjissel lies a city known around the world as the Venice of the Netherlands, although the locals refer to it as Giethoorn.  Founded in the 13th century, the original city center has no traditional roads.  Instead, nearly 10km of meter deep, interconnecting canals wind through the town connecting houses and businesses alike.  Instead of cars, the locals get around using  kayaks, canoes, and "whisper boats" which maintain the tranquility of the surroundings by using silent electric motors.  Nearly all of the houses sit on private "islands" surrounded on all sides by these canals.

The history of the town of Giethoorn is a little foggy.  Some say that the village was originally founded by fugitives from the Mediterranean, while others believe it was Franciscan monks that were the first to settle here.  According to legend, the first settlers of Giethoorn came upon loads of goat horns shortly after arriving, which is how the town got its name (giethoorn = goathorn).  It is believed that large numbers of wild goats were killed in a flood some 60 years before humans arrived.  Meanwhile, the same flooding conditions that led to the death of these goats, were also likely the cause of Giethoorn's picturesque canals.  The canals that wind throughout the city were originally dug out by peat diggers in order to transport the peat in and around the town.  These peat diggers would dig large quantities of peat from the marshy areas surrounding Giethoorn, forming large lakes in the process.  Without their homemade canals they would have had no way to transport the peat from these lakes to areas where it could be of use.

One of the many bridges that cross the canals.  Source: Hojjat (aka Huji)

Nowadays the canals serve as the main method of transportation for the locals and tourists who come to visit on a regular basis.  There is also a bike path and over a hundred footbridges that criss-cross the canals connecting individual islands.  And, as you might expect, in the winter time the city is also an ideal spot for ice skating with people traveling from all over the Netherlands to skate along the frozen canals.  While many locals do reside in town, tourism is still a major economic source for the village as the local restaurants and attractions tend to reflect.  However, for all its boat rental shops and out-of-place cafes, the town of Giethoorn still manages an impression that is authentically Dutch.  The thatched roofs and wooden bridges will have you feeling like a part of a real life Vincent Van Gogh painting.

House in Giethoorn surrounded by canal.  Source: Hojjat (aka Huji)

Travelling to Giethoorn is actually quite simple.  Located only 1.5hrs outside of Amsterdam means that many tourists make only a day trip to Giethoorn.  If you'd prefer to stay in the village you have a choice between a couple of hotels/bed and breakfasts, or a vacation house rental.  Wherever you end up staying, a room with a view is a must if you want to get the most out of the charming surroundings.  And lastly, if you'd like to make your stay more permanent house prices in Giethoorn start at 3/4 of a million dollars and can run much much higher.  Whether you visit in the summer or winter, Giethoorn is a picturesque Dutch village that is both relatively easy to get to and inexpensive to visit.

Relampago del Catatumbo, Venezuela

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Time for another language lesson - this time in Spanish. Relampago is the Spanish word for lightning and the Relampago del Catatumbo is one of the most incredible natural weather phenomena in the world. Where the Catatumbo River flows into Lake Maracaibo there is a lightning storm that has been occurring continuously for centuries. First referenced by the poet Lope de Vega in 1597, the Catatumbo lightning storm shows up in the exact same location between 140-240 nights per year, 10 hours per day, with up to 280 lightning strikes per hour. That's a total of over 700,000 lightning strikes per year!

While the ultimate cause of the storms is in some debate, most scientists agree that it is most likely a result of the unique topography of the region. High winds blow across Lake Maracaibo before meeting mountain ranges on three sides resulting in a low pressure pocket of air. Combined with the high temperature variance of the area, this spot becomes an ideal location for localized thunderstorms. There have even been some scientists that suggest a major cause of the storms is the high volume of natural methane that is stored underneath and surrounding the lake, while others point to a high uranium content as the source. Whatever the cause, the frequency and intensity of the Catatumbo lightning is unique to this single part of the world. In fact, these storms are estimated by several sources to be the single largest producer of tropospheric ozone on Earth.

The shores of Lake Maracaibo.  Source: Wikimedia Commons

 The lightning storms of Catatumbo are so frequent in this area that they have become a part of life for the residents.  According to legend, the lightning has even played a part in multiple maritime battles. In the late 16th century, the lightning is said to have given away the position of the ships of Sir Francis Drake as he was attempting to take over the city of Maracaibo. Then in 1823 the storms reportedly helped José Prudencio Padilla guide his fleet to victory over the Spanish Navy in the Venezuelan War of Independence. These events have caused the storms to become known as the "Lighthouse of Maracaibo" as they guide the ships along the lake.

State flag of Zulia, Venezuela featuring a lightning bolt.  Source: Wikimedia Commons

 Unfortunately for you and I, seeing the Catatumbo storms in person is a somewhat difficult task. The western shores of Lake Maracaibo sit ~60 miles from the Venezuelan/Colombian border which means that the area is known as a refuge for drug-traffickers and many armed gangs. Even the lake itself is said to be dangerous after nightfall. However, for those still wanting to make the trip, it is suggested that you fly into and stay in the city of Maracaibo. The storm is said to be visible from over 400km away and the city of Maracaibo is only 100 miles away as the crow flies. Staying in the city will be a safer and more enjoyable experience than making the ~8 hour drive around the lake through drug-trafficking territory.  All-in-all the Catatumbo lightning is still an experience worth the price of admission.

Navagio Beach, Zakynthos, Greece

Shipwreck at Navagio. Source: Ghost of Kuji

     Navagio Beach, also known as "Smuggler's Cove", is a small beach cove on the northwest shore of the Greek island of Zakynthos.  An all too typical example of the beauty of the Greek island's beaches, the white sand on Navagio beach is surrounded only by limestone cliffs and crystal clear water .  For the most part it looks exactly how you would expect a Mediterranean beach to look, unless you know Greek.  In which case you would know that the word Navagio is the phonetic spelling of the Greek word ναυαγιο, which literally translates to "shipwreck".  The cove was so-named because of the remains of the ship Panagiotis which ran aground at this spot some time in the early1980's and was left to become a permanent part of the picturesque landscape.  All together, the shipwreck makes this location a beautiful blend of pristine nature and legend that can only be found in a handful of spots in the world.

So, we know why it's called Navagio Beach, but why is it also referred to by many as "Smuggler's Cove"?  This is where the story gets more interesting.  Although there are conflicting reports as to when the wreck actually happened (some say 1980, other's believe it was in '82 or '83), most agree that the ship was carrying a load of black-market cigarettes from Turkey when the Greek Navy began pursuing it to investigate.  At some point the ship ran into stormy weather causing it to run aground on Zakynthos, where the crew abandoned the wreck in order to evade the Greek Navy's pursuit.  Some versions of the story even go so far as to suggest the illegal cigarettes were be transported on behalf of the Italian mafia, giving this tall tale an almost mythical touch.  However, there are also those (mostly the locals of the island) who believe that the ship did not wreck there at all and was instead placed there by the Greek Ministry of Tourism.

Navagio Beach from cliffs above. Source: Anna Oates

If the ship was indeed placed at Navagio Beach by the Greek government it has definitely been a successful experiment.  Despite its relatively remote location Smuggler's Cove attracts thousands of visitors each year, mostly during the peak tourist months of May through August.  To visit the shipwreck at Navagio Beach one would most likely need to take one of the water taxi tours from Porto Vromi.  These boats take tourists around to many of the Greek caves on the northwest coast of Zakynthos and allow you to spend as much time as you want at Navagio Beach before catching a different boat back to the port.  Alternatively, if you don't want to venture out of the water you can make the journey via motor vehicle to the top of one of the cliffs overlooking the cove to get an amazing view of the beach, cliffs, water and shipwreck all in one.

In the end, the natural beauty of Navagio Beach combined with the story behind the shipwreck put this location pretty high up on the list of things I want to see.  And with a location that is relatively near other great places to check out, I think I will make this one a priority.

First Post

Welcome to my comprehensive list of things I want to see!

A couple years ago I started sending myself an email every time I heard of or read about a place somewhere in the world that I wanted to visit.  With each email I would tell myself that someday I would organize all of them into a list so that I would have my own not-so-traditional bucket list of things I want to see.  This blog is me finally coming through on that promise.  From this day forward it will serve as not only a list of unique places I want to visit, but also a documentary of my travels when I am finally able to check each one off at some point in the distant future.

So, what's on the list?  Nearly all of the things I want to see come with an interesting story.  I love reading the history behind places and things, especially those that are less than well-known.  You won't find any posts about the Pantheon or the Great Wall of China, but the stories behind the things on my list are just as fascinating.

And while the primary purpose of this blog is to serve as a long term to-do list for myself, I hope that there are others out there with the same sense of adventure that will find the places I write about just as intriguing.