How can you have a bucket list of places  to travel to if you haven’t been to them before? Over the years, little seeds have been planted in my head of the places I’d like to visit before I die.   Who knows how they got there?  Maybe it’s a place where history balanced on an edge, or a place of head-shaking beauty, or of great culture, or spectacular art collections (my weakness).  I can not imagine how many places I would love to see that I will never think of, but these are the ones I have thought of:

1. Turkey   Turkey has it all.  History, art, culture, food, beauty and I get to go to a part of the world  I’ve never been to before.  I WILL make it to Turkey…of this I am certain.

2. St. Petersburg   As long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by Russian history–or maybe it was that movie Reds with Warren Beatty.  Then when I got older and discovered the Hermitage Collection, that sealed the deal for me.

3. Prague  In younger days when I stayed in European youth hostels not a day would go by without at least one traveler saying “Have you been to Prague?  No?  You’re missing out. Best place I’ve been to on my trip.”  I still hear their voices in my head.

4. New York City  I’m embarrassed to say I have not yet been to NYC.  Art, art, art and shows, shows, shows.  Of course, I’ve heard the food ain’t so bad either.

5. Laos I spent a month in VietNam, but did not have time to go to Laos.  I don’t know much about it, but friends have said it is a must do.  I believe them.

6. Iceland Maybe it was the pity I took on them during the financial collapse or that a world of airline passengers blamed them for an erupting volcano (like it was THEIR fault!) but Iceland seems to be such a fascinating place to visit.  It’s taken a lot of heat and just keeps oozing coolness.

7. Maldives This is my token tropical-blue-sea-white-sand-paradise.  There’s no way this place can live up to its pictures so I’m going to have to check it out in person.  Unfortunately I’m not the kind of person that can just lie around all day so hopefully they unearth some really old ruin before I get there.

8. Peru  Not only am I sucker for old ruins, but I like the little hats they all wear.

9. Yukon/ Northwest Territories I have no idea what I will find when I go North, but I know I will love it.  Any suggestions for places to see here are enthusiastically welcomed.  Order me up some Northern Lights, guys.

10. Chicago Dang those artists!  I could have almost avoided Chicago if it did not woo me with its art.  Again, I’ve heard I can get a mean meal there as well. (photo courtesy Charles N Abbott at http://99cnaclasses.com  http://99cnaclasses.com/chicago/ )

I rarely desire to go back to a location I’ve been to already, mainly because there are so many places to see, but for these places I am willing to make an exception (all photos by me).

Ireland When someone asks me if I liked Ireland the answer is always the same, “I’d be there yesterday if I could.”  I feel like I have left a piece of my heart there.

Great Skellig, Ireland

VietNam For sheer scenery VietNam is tops and then you add in the fact that you are meeting the nicest people on the face of the earth and who wouldn’t want to return?

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Normandy The history is overwhelming in Normandy. It is horrific, sobering, calming and unparalleled beauty all rolled into one…and, oh, the  mussels!

Beaches of Normandy

A girl can dream, can’t she?