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We
all have sites we’d like to visit one day, but it’s
fair to say that Patricia Schultz’s list is longer than
most—just look at her new book, 1,000 Places to See
Before You Die
JAISALMER
, RAJASTHAN, INDIA
Known
as the Golden City, this former caravan center on the
route to the Khyber Pass rises from a sea of sand, its
30-foot crenellated walls and medieval sandstone fort
sheltering carved spires and palaces. So little has
changed here that it’s easy to imagine yourself back
in the city’s early days, in the thirteenth century.
Jaisalmer’s wealth originally came from the heavy levies
it placed on camel caravans passing through, and merchants
and townspeople built handsome havelis (mansions elaborately
carved from the local golden stone). It’s the only fortress
city in India still functioning, with one quarter of
its population living within the original walls.
Details: Six hours by car from Jodhpur. Stay in the
Narayan Niwas Palace, a former caravansary built by
the maharaja in 1840.
Best times: October to February.
HIGHLAND GAMES, BRAEMAR, SCOTLAND
Begun
in the Middle Ages as county fairs for the exchange
of goods and news, these summer sporting events gave
clan chiefs the chance to check out the physical prowess
of the area’s most promising young lads. Of the nation’s
40-some annual gatherings, the ones at Braemar are the
most renowned. (Queen Elizabeth usually pops in from
Balmoral Castle.) A breed of gigantic men—called the
Heavies—engage in “throwing the hammer,” “putting the
stone,” and the prime event, “tossing the caber”—in
which they hurl a 20-foot tree trunk weighing over 130
pounds. Expect bagpipes, bright tartans, Highlands dancing,
and a nip of whiskey to help things along. Details:
Held the first Saturday in September, in Braemar’s Princess
Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park.
GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, BUSHMILLS, ANTRIM, NORTHERN
IRELAND
The
grand and astonishing Giant’s Causeway—on the northern
coast of the island—is made up of more than 40,000 volcanic
basalt columns, each a foot or two in diameter. Most
are hexagonal, but some have four or five sides, and
others have as many as 10 (and reach as high as 40 feet).
If modern-day visitors are struck with wonder at the
sight, imagine the disbelief of the ancient Irish, who
attributed the geological wonder to the fabled giant
Finn McCool. The warrior was said to have created the
Causeway as a bridge to his lady love on the Scottish
island of Staffa. We now know it was formed by volcanic
eruptions some 60 million years ago. Hopscotch along
the columns, or marvel at the Causeway from the clifftop
belvederes.
MOSCOW METRO, MOSCOW,
RUSSIA
Don’t
even think about leaving Moscow without exploring the
Metro. It’s the least expensive subway (about 25¢)
you’re ever likely to ride, but it delivers a lot more
than a safe trip. The first stop of the 150-station
system was completed in 1935, and the older the station,
the more elaborate the decor—crystal chandeliers, gold
leaf, mosaics, faux Roman statues. (The most interesting
stations are Maya-kovskaya, Kievskaya, and Komsomolskaya.)
Some escalators are so steep, going so deep, that you’ll
think you’re descending to the center of the earth.
While rush hour isn’t recommended for claustrophobes,
others may find it provides the most insightful moments.
And they said New Yorkers were the champions at scowling
and avoiding eye contact!
CHA CA LA VONG, HANOI,
VIETNAM
Cha
Ca La Vong serves only one dish—cha ca, a succulent
fried-fish masterpiece, the recipe for which has been
in the Doan family for generations (the name translates
roughly to “curried Red River fish”). After more than
seven decades, cha ca became so entrenched in Hanoi
that the city renamed the lane out front in its honor.
A rickety flight of wooden stairs leads to the unremarkable
second-floor dining room, full of equally rickety chairs.
Patrons cook chunks of seasoned garoupa fish on a charcoal
clay brazier, stirring in chives and dill. The rich,
oily stew is then spooned into bowls of vermicelli rice
noodles and enlivened by the addition of shrimp sauce,
fried peanuts, and pickled vegetables. The secret ingredient,
if you believe the rumors, is two drops of an essence
extracted from the perfume gland of the ca cuong beetle.
CHUUK LAGOON’S LOST, FLEET CHUUK, MICRONESIA
On
February 17, 1944, American Task Force 58 engaged in
Operation Hailstone, dropping over 500 tons of bombs
on the Japanese navy. Today, Chuuk Lagoon (also called
Truk Lagoon) holds the wrecks of 60 Japanese ships,
the largest concentration of sunken ships in the world.
The 433-foot Fujikawa Maru is the most famous, an aircraft
carrier that sits upright in 30 to 112 feet of water,
a gaping torpedo hole in her side. A combination of
warm water, prolific marine life, and lagoon currents
has acted as an incubator, transforming the WWII hulks—their
guns, trucks, silverware, and sake bottles left undisturbed—into
artificial reefs.
Best times: January to April.
EL QUESTRO WILDERNESS PARK, KIMBERLEY, AUSTRALIA
El
Questro is the ultimate outback experience: a million-acre
working cattle ranch in the middle of Kimberley, just
a dot on the map of massive, sparsely populated Western
Australia. Explore the property’s many tropical gorges
or remote water holes, or go on a ranger-led horse,
foot, or four-wheel-drive trek to waterfalls, thermal
springs, and Aboriginal rock art. There’s a fancy hotel,
with suites, cantilevered over the Chamberlain River,
but those whose wallets dictate Foster’s instead of
champagne can choose one of El Questro’s three less-expensive
lodging options—including camping sites under the stars.
Closed November to April.
STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY, STURGIS,
SOUTH DAKOTA
For
one week in early August, the town of Sturgis (population
6,400) hosts America’s largest motorcycle rally, now
attracting well over a half-million people. Begun in
1938 by the local Jackpine Gypsies, the Black Hills
Motor Classic grew over the years into a bacchanal drawing
gangs of self-styled outlaws. In the late 1980s, the
city partnered with the Jackpine Gypsies to civilize
the event, and today law and order prevail. Baby strollers
are not an uncommon sight—which is not to say that the
saloons and tattoo parlors don’t still do a brisk business.
Wanna-bes and diehards alike partake in the hill climbs
and concerts. Downtime is spent admiring each other’s
bikes, marveling at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum &
Hall of Fame, or eating at the Road Kill Cafe—favorites
include Chicken That Didn’t Quite Cross the Road and
the daily special, Guess That Mess.
Details: Sturgis is 24 miles north of Rapid City. City
of Sturgis
MERCADO DE HECHICERÍA, LA
PAZ, BOLIVIA
At
La Paz’s Witchcraft Market, proud chola women sit among
their goods like queens, unfailingly wearing two braids
festooned behind them and bowler hats adapted from the
British many years ago. What they sell: herbal-tea fusions,
folk cures, coca leaves, figurines, snakeskins, slabs
of llama lard to be burned in offerings to the gods,
and amulets to guarantee a long and happy sex life.
The market has lately begun to accommodate the growing
number of gringo curiosity seekers, and booths hawking
colorful alpaca sweaters and woven textiles do a brisker
business than the vendors pushing dried llama fetuses.
Details: Held daily, on Calle Linares between Calle
Santa Cruz and Calle Sagárnaga.
Best times: April to October.
DIVING WITH MANTA RAYS, TOBAGO,
LESSER ANTILLES
Divers
are flocking to the island of Tobago for the chance
to swim with monster manta rays. A dozen or so giant
mantas, 6 to 10 feet wide, live in the Batteaux Bay
area, some year-round. Divers may have to settle for
a sighting of the creatures, but most will be able to
interact with them. The friendly mantas encourage divers
to hold on for a ride—a practice that once earned them
the nickname Tobago taxis. Today’s more-sensitive approach
is to merely swim in their presence.
Best times: November to April.
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