2009 - travel picks of the year

Destination of the year

In defiance of my usual favorites, this years "Destination of the Year" is Lhasa - home to the Jokhang Temple and Potala Palace - two of the most important places in Tibetan Buddhism. Visiting Tibet has been a dream of mine for many years and it was a great achievement to visit this year.

Honourable mentions:

  • Antwerp is a heady mix of arts and culture embodied by the ever-present Rubens - the citys favorite son and Belgian beer. One of my all-time favorite combinations.
  • Melk is home ot famous Benedictine monastry that bears its name and the library of historical importance.

Monument of the year

The Grand Buddha at Leshan is one the most fantastic monuments I've ever seen and a winner for the inaugral year "Monument of the Year." Coming in at 71 meters in height (with 7 meter ears) carved into Limestone it's a wonder it's lasted over 1,000 years. Take a look at the picture on the right to compare the size of the people with the Buddha!

Honourable mentions:

  • Jokhang Temple and Potala Palace - I would loved to have made the Potala Palace or the Jokhang Temple my monument of the year - but I'd heard so much about them before the trip that I kinda knew what to expect. They only lost out to the Grand Buddha at Leshan because of "expectation skew."
  • Melk Abbey is one of the most impressive and important Baroque Abbeys in Europe and for sure a must-visit to anyone visiting Wachau area of Austria.

Restaurant of the year

Anthonys Kitchen ( Quellenstrasse 49, Zurich ) is one of Zürichs best restaurants and my personal favorite of the year. Anthony Carlos, seafood specialist, changes his menu every day to suit the finest, fresh ingrediants available in todays markets. Overall, Anthonys Kitchen wins for freshness, intimacy and great service.

Honourable mentions:

Bar of the year

Oud Arsenaal ( Maria Pijpelincxstraat 4, Antwerpen ) is close to the Saturday market of Antwerp and, as a result, packed full of friendly locals - all of whome are more more than happy to share their passion for the city they clearly love. Popular with market traders and customers alike - the Old Arsenal is a don't miss in Antwerp.

Honourable mentions

  • Toms Beer Box, Chur has fridges for bars packed with a varying assortment of beers from around the world. The lavs are worth a visit for pure novelty value of taking a waz in what amounts to a giant barrel.

Train ride of the year

The "Train Ride of the Year" goes to the Magnetic Levitation Train from Shanghai out to Shanghai Aiport. Capable of reaching speeds over over 400 KPH (really!) we reached over 300KPH during the evening when restrictions apply. Watch the video and see the cars on the motorway go backwards!

Honourable mentions:

  • The train out of Lhasa was a close run 2nd. Reaching altitudes of over 5,000 meters, the overnight journey to Chonqing was an excellent journey across the Tibetan Plateau. Great journey - if you don't mind sacrificing some creature comforts.

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