Top 10 Places to See in the World January 16, 2008

So, what’s a girl to do when she’s heartbroken? If she’s this girl, get on a big ol’ jet airliner! Lucky for me, BootsnAll just published their Top 10 Destinations for Independent Travelers in 2008!

1. Kathmandu, Nepal — Before I went to Peru, I toyed with the idea of climbing Mount Everest. Ha! I’m over that but I’d still love to see Nepal.

2. Placencia, Belize — I could do this in a weekend. In fact, anyone want Memorial Day weekend plans?

3. Petra, Jordan — Indiana Jones, anyone??? This is one that I’ve wanted to go to for a while but haven’t quite made it.

4. Palermo, Sicily — Not so sure about this one. It seems wonderful but I think I’ll wait & take my kids (later, when I have them).

5. Queenstown, New Zealand — This is on my short list! But I want to go in their winter so I can board!

6. Imet Gogo, Ethiopia — I actually had a car service driver from Ethiopia once. He was really cool & got me to eat Ethiopian food which was actually excellent. I would visit.

7. Chiang Mai, Thailand — a Night Bazaar with bargain crafts and fashions and hotel rooms start around US$5.00 per night?? I’m so there one day. Probably not this year but you never know.

8. Marrakech. Morocco — Who doesn’t want to go to Morocco after seeing Casablanca (the best movie ever)? And there would definitely be a stop in Casablanca.

9. Budapest, Hungary — I’m going to Europe in June & have a couple of extra days. I was thinking of going to Prague but perhaps Budapest instead. Hmmm….

10. Buenos Aires, Argentina — Strangely enough, I got the overwhelming urge to go to Buenos Aires on Sunday, right after my break up. I’m going to get to work on this . . .

This list works nicely with my top 10 places to go which are:

1. London, Paris, & the Alps — I’m doing this in June with my cousin Danica & her Girl Scout troop. Should be entertaining.

2. Prague, Czech Republic — Ever since Sydney Bristow went there, I’ve wanted to follow. However, I may switch to Budapest since I’m an independent traveler.

3. Buenos Aires, Argentina– I’m not really sure what is drawing me here but something is.

4. Egypt – Pyramids & Camels. Enough said.

5. Queenstown, New Zealand — A center for adventure tourism & cute boys with accents?? Hello!

6. South Africa — I’m highly in need of a safari and some shark diving.

7. Great Barrier Reef, Australia — Diving to see one of the most beautiful underground scenes in existence is so on the list.

8. Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Gotta do this on properly BEFORE the husband & kids.

9. Somewhere in India — I’m not sure exactly where but most of the people I meet from India are so fascinating. I want to go see this place!

10. Taipei, Taiwan — I have friends that live here or have lived here so I’d like to see it. I might get a chance to go to a wedding there this year but we shall see.

So that’s it, I’m planning my 2008 travel and #1 & 2 have already made the cut. I’m honestly trying to figure out how to go to Buenos Aires & still work enough. Exciting!!!

I Like Big Butts! January 11, 2008

I won $100 singing karaoke at my company holiday party singing (well, white-girl rapping) Baby Got Back by the brilliant Sir Mix-a-Lot! My victory was in the Funniest category! Hee.

In honor of my victory, here’s a little Baby Got Back trivia for you: (all from Wikipedia)

• It was ranked the 12th greatest one-hit wonder by VH1.
• It was ranked the 6th greatest song of the 90’s by VH1.
• “Baby Got Back” reached number 1 on the United States’ Billboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks in the summer of 1992, replacing Mariah Carey’s “I’ll Be There”. Madonna bumped Sir Mix-a-Lot out of #1 with “This Used to Be My Playground”.
• “Baby Got Back” won a 1993 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance.
• On VH1’s Greatest Songs of the 90’s, Sir-Mix-A-Lot joked that he was “the dancing turd” during the music video, in which he is on top of a huge “back”.
• The anchors of ESPN’s Sportscenter on many occasions open a Milwaukee Bucks highlight reel with the pun “I like big Bucks and I cannot lie”.
• In the Friends episode The One with Ross’s Inappropriate Song, the only way Ross and Rachel could get their baby daughter to laugh was to sing this song.
• In the Futurama episode A Fishful of Dollars, Fry starts playing Baby Got Back in front of Leela and Bender. Leela turns off the music and tells Fry, “You can’t just sit here in the dark listening to classical music.”
• In the Simpsons episode, Two musical scores are present, first Huey Lewis’s I want a new drug and then Baby Got Back. Dr. Hibbert performs it