Your Personal Best

Top 10 trips/vacations I've taken:

1. Cairns, Australia
2. Burgundy, France
3. Salzburg, Austria
4. Ketchikan, Alaska -Princess Cruise
5. U.S.O. tour Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, & France
6. Venice, Italy
7. Rekjavic, Iceland
8. Prague, Czech-Republic
9. Sydney, Australia
10. Jerusalem, Israel

Top 10 hotels I've stayed at (add a link to their web pages!)

1. Wynn, Las Vegas www.wynnlasvegas.com
2. King David Hotel, Jerusalem http://www.danhotels-israel.com/kingdavid/index.html
3. Château André Ziltener in Chambolle-Musigny, Bugundy, France http://www.chateau-ziltener.com/
4. Hotel Santa Chiara, Sarteano - Siena, Italy www.conventosantachiara.it
5. Mc Menamin's Townhouse B&B Wexford, Ireland http://dirl.com/wexford/wexford/mcmem.htm
6. Jurys Ballsbridge Hotel http://www.jurysdoyle.com/index.php?hotel_pid=1206
7. Princeville Resort, Kauai http://www.princevillehotelhawaii.com/
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Top 10 restaurants I've eaten at along the way:

1. French Laundry, Napa Valley, CA http://www.frenchlaundry.com/
2. Melisse, Santa Monica, CA http://www.melisse.com/
3. Shakey Tables, North Rothbury, Australia http://www.shakeytables.com.au/
4. Chez Diane, 25 rue Servandoni (6e) Paris, tel.: 01-46-33-12-06
5. Typhoon, Santa Monica, CA http://www.typhoon.biz/
6. 2117, Santa Monica, CA www.restaurant2117.com
7. Brothers' Restaurant in Santa Inez Valley, CA http://www.matteistavern.com/
8. Les Millésimes restaurant in Burgandy, France
9. Salsa Bar and Grill, Port Douglas, Australia http://www.salsaportdouglas.com.au/
10. Breakfast at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem: http://www.danhotels-israel.com/kingdavid/index.html

Top 10 countries I want to visit someday:

1. Russia
2. New Zealand
3. Norway
4. Japan
5. Mozambique
6. Figi
7. Brazil
8. China
9. Portugal
10. Korea

The 10 strangest things I've eaten during my travels

1. Granada in the West Indies - we had 13 courses, 11 of which were meat including pigeon and armadillo. I stopped asking and just sampled. Nothing was bad. How could it be with all those spices?
2. Hawaii - Poi. Why would anyone like poi? It's like flavorless gray playdough. It's in sharp contrast to all the other amazing fresh food in Hawaii.
3. Iceland - putrefied rotten shark. We chased it with Brenivin, an Icelandic Schnapps - yum.
4. Typhoon Restaurant, Santa Monica, CA - they have ants, scorpions, crickets on the menu, but they serve them in generous portions of thinly sliced french fries. The ants tasted lemony. They also have worms, but I passed. This is, however, our favorite restaurant in Los Angeles.
5. England and Ireland - blood pudding and sausages - ugh.
6. Australia - Vegemite. Oh... this is an acquired taste for sure. It's very very intense so use it sparingly. Try the Indian food in Australia. It's amazing.
7. Germany - I told them I wanted to eat 'light' so they gave me a giant bowl of dumplings covered in creme. "Light" must mean something else in German. There is a reason that we do not have Austrian or many German restaurants in America. Have you ever said, "Hey, lets go to that new Austrian restaurant?" That must be why Wolfgang Puck left!
8. Most things you eat in France is going to be wierd, like a raw egg on top of your dinner, but, it will be the best dinner you ever had!
9. In Australia, it is common to put a slice of beet and a fried egg on their burgers. That was very strange, and didn't enhance the flavor. The best was Shrimp cooked outdoor on the barbee!
10. Arlington, Texas, deep fried pickle. It was a breaded, deep fried pickle that was supposed to be dipped in thousand island dressing. I only ordered it for the novelty but, actually, it was very good. They had a deep fried twinky at the Texas State Fair in 2006 but I couldn't find it. This year they had a deep fried Latte, but I didn't go. When they have deep fried wedding cake, I'm there!