Travel

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."
- St. Augustine

I've been to 20-some countries and 42 US states. Although my desire to see the world has diminished somewhat - only because I really like being home - I still appreciate the things that can be learned from experiencing new countries and cultures. A trip to Costa Rica about 6 years ago reminded me of how good we have it here. Costa Rica is a country blessed with a warm climate, lots of rain, beaches and mountains. It is also a country that is beset by crime and low wages. One could be perfectly happy there because the climate is agreeable (except during the summer months, but I could say the same about Ohio), housing and food costs are relatively low, and you can fish anywhere and anytime you like. But there are bars in the windows, and it was for good reason that the rental car agent told us to be sure to lock the car, even if we were only going to be away from it for one minute.

Economic well-being is only one facet of a complacent life, but the reality is that where there is poverty, there is crime. Theft is essentially accepted in some places. Jealousy and envy are powerful motivators.

Much of my foreign travel has been to the European continent, where things are stable and predictable. Canada is much the same way. Mexico, on the other hand, is beautiful but with a curse: everyone - and I do mean EVERYONE - is trying to separate you from your money. That might also be the case in Europe and the US, but the attempt to fleece you is not so blatant. And I can walk down the sidewalk in any city in the US (except Las Vegas) without people trying blatantly to rip me off.

I'd love to see the pyramids, Ayers Rock, the South Pole and Mauna Kea. I'd also like to play Pebble Beach and St. Andrew's. The Kremlin would be worth a trip to Russia. But if I spend the rest of my days in Ohio, it won't be a huge disappointment. I have learned enough to know that there is no place like home.

Travels last year took me to Foxborough, Massachusetts, Toronto, Canada and Las Vegas, Nevada. Toronto was all I expected it to be. It's a vibrant international city, and I'm told it's the largest city in the world in which more than half of its inhabitants are not native. Two things disappointed me about Toronto: it is expensive, and there are panhandlers everywhere you look. The airport was also a disappointment. When they recommend that you show up two hours before your flight, they are assuming that the check-in process and American customs will go smoothly. I'd recommend three hours.

Toronto is home to what used to be the tallest man-made structure in the world, the CN Tower. It dwarfs the building around it. Cities like Cleveland, Ohio could learn something from Toronto. The lake front has been beautifully developed, with marinas, walking/biking trails, and beaches.

Toronto is also home to the largest HDTV in North America (not counting the screens that can be found in football stadiums around the country). That TV hangs on a wall at the Real Sports bar, next door to the Air Canada Arena where the Toronto Maple Leafs play hockey. The Hall of Fame Game was being played in Canton, Ohio while we were there, and here is a picture of the 37-foot screen. It helps to stand about a hundred feet away to watch this television.



If only one didn't have to pay five bucks apiece for beer while watching this TV...