Friday, August 27, 2010

101 Places Not to Visit

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128692710

I think this is great, although I am sure we can come up with our own list - or at least add to the current one.

1 comment:

James R said...

It is a great concept, but needs to be further explored. For example, the place that immediately springs to mind is Halliburton Highlands. This is where every mosquito in N. America vacations during the summer. Now, while we definitely had some horrible times there, if you are looking for wilderness (and great stories to tell after you return) then it's hard to beat.

And that is the first distinction that needs to be addressed. Are we talking of incredibly boring places or places of unique suffering which later lend themselves to being gathered in an entertaining narration or book? It is the difference between, say, the Hoxie Bros. Circus and overnight canoeing on an unknown river you just happen to spot while driving by.

Secondly, some of the places seemed to deliver as advertised, but the author, Catherine Price, decided she would rather have the Disney version rather than the authentic one. She decides prisons aren't very comfortable and Buddhist temples are taxing...Duh?

So while the Seattle Gum Wall and the Winchester Mystery House seem to fall into the enticing-but-fail category and need to be avoided, Price also seems to include places that, while not fun vacation spots, still may be fascinating places to visit for the right adventurer. Panama Rocks in the winter, the Darian Gap, and pretty much any Peace Corps location come to mind.