You are what you see and visit

Many years ago I read an essay by Jonathan Swift. It was a precious piece on how traveling affects your points of view regarding manners and, at some extent, convictions. I cut it off from the magazine and left it in my archive... in Mexico. I have googled it every now and then, but I just cannot find it. It would be perfect to read it again, I am so excited about it. Impossible.

Pacayá volcano, Guatemala (2007)

Because of J. Swift and today's anniversary of the trip to the moon, I was recalling some trips:

1. Most exasperating road-trip: Mexico DF - Guadalajara (1999).
2. Saddest trips ever: Mexico DF (2005) & Cape Town (2010).
3. Worst trip ever: first part of trip to Colombia (2009).
4. Love at first sight: Berlin (2001) & Tel Aviv (2009).
5. Most frightening flights: San Antonio on a Cesna (1991) & over the Andes to Quito (2009).
6. Finally got to destination after three attempts in three days: Acapulco (1986).
7. One of the very best trips ever: New York (2008).
8. Most melancholic trip: München (2005).
9. Biggest excitement before traveling: Europe tour (1992).
10. First trip with a video camera: San Antonio (1993).
11. International trip by bike: Holland - Belgium (2007).
12. Crossing border by foot: Spain - France (1992) & Mexico - Guatemala (2007) & Mexico - USA (2008).
13. First international trip: Houston (1981).
14. Best ice cream: Piazza Navona, Rome (1992, 2002, 2003).
15. Best girls: Maastricht (2007).
16. Most dangerous place due to animals: swim in a lake full of caymans and piranhas in Amazonas (2009).
17. Most dangerous place due to people: old port of Buenos Aires at midnight (2002).
18. Most amazing church: Tonanzintla (1998, 2009).
19. Best bridge: Budapest (2008).
20. Favorite destination: Tekes (always!).
21. Best picture: Budapest (2008).
22. Most impressive river: the RED Sérchio, Toscany (2010).
23. First time I got lost: Rome, 13 years old (1992).
24. Postponed and postponed: Cuba (from 1998 to 2009) & Russia (from 2003 to...).
25. Poorest people: Guatemala (2007).
26. Most charming smiles: Guatemala (2007).
27. Most exciting cemetery: Zemun (2009).
28. Scariest place ever: Sedlec ossuary in Kutna Horá (2007).
29. Perhaps best summer ever: Germany (2006).
30. Biggest disappointment: Toronto (2002).
31. Most stressful trip: Cuba (2009).
32. Big trip missed: Egypt (1997) & Monterrey - California - Alaska (2009).
33. Place I would never visit: Las Vegas.
34. Funniest trip: Toronto (2002).
35. Medical trip: Paris (2006).
36. Philosophical trips: Rome (2002), Monterrey (2003), Wandlitz (2006), Paris (2008).
37. Literary trips: Leipzig (2001), Paris (2002).
38. Trip with the worst companion: Buenos Aires (2002).
39. Book-shopping trip: Buenos Aires (2002).
40. Trip to meet someone unknown: Maastricht (2007).
41. Successful trip without flight ticket: Cape Town - Phoakeng - Cape Town (2010).
42. Successful trip without train ticket: München - Berlin - München (2010).
43. Worst trip successfully avoided: Köln (2004).
44. Friends or relatives met by chance: Paris (2002) & Köln (2006) & Rovinj (2008).
45. Flight which ended up in a relationship: Madrid - Berlin (2007).
46. Most desired trip: Veracruz - México DF by motorcycle.
50. "Musts" I have never been up to: UK, Barcelona, Scandinavia, California, Florida...
51. Most exciting experience: face to face to lava of the active volcano Pacayá (2007).
52. Impressive clouds: Açores Islands (2009).
53. Beautiful sky: Florence (1992, 2002, 2009, 2010).
54. Just missed terrorist attacks: Madrid (2004) & train in Rheinland (2006).
55. Thought I would die on the road: Xochicalco (1991) & Huasteca Potosina (1995) & Taxco (1997).
56. Thought somebody else would die: flight from Frankfurt to Mexico DF (2005).
57. Trips with corpses included: San Rafael's highway (1986) & Acapulco (2005).
58. Warmest welcome ever: New York (2008).
59. No welcome at all: Berlin (2003).
60. Saddest good-bye: San Antonio airport (2008).

To be continued...