2013 Travel Review: Kristofor's Top 100

---

Geo: -37.8143, 144.963

2013. What a year it's been. My Great Travel Adventure could hardly have gone any better. It was the best 6+ months of my life.

As with Natalie, I've attempted to rank my Top 100 experiences over this period, narrowing it down from almost 300 notable experiences. Hopefully 2014 and the years ahead bring some more adventures and memorable experiences!

100. Petronas Towers (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
The highlight of our day in Kuala Lumpur with Natalie's family. Spectacular to behold from the base with an excellent view from the bridge joining the two towers.



99. Bird Watching (Huatulco, Mexico)
An enjoyable warm day in Mexico, with some great sightings of some exotic tropical birds; parrots, hummingbirds and woodpeckers. Finished off with a swim at the beach in a beautiful setting in Huatulco



98. Rudolfinum Theatre Classical Music Concert (Prague, Czech Republic)
Excellent Concert with the best of Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach, Panchelbel and more, lasting around 80 minutes. The theater itself was ornate and fairly impressive. A place to shelter after an unexpected sudden storm swept across Prague



97. Natural History Museum (London, England)
An excellent museum with four different sections covering all sorts of areas from geology, space, human biology, psychology, animal biology and more. My favorite was the extensive dinosaur exhibit with heaps of skeletons on display.



96. Tower of London (London, England)
An impressive castle overlooking the River Themes. Plenty to see, with an immense history, has served as a place of imprisonment and torture for many hundreds of years.



95. Szechenyi Thermal Baths (Budapest, Hungary)
The largest medicinal bath in Europe. Its water is supplied by two thermal springs. There are several different pools to bath in, indoor and outdoor with varying temperatures. Pretty fun whirlpool outside.



94. Heineken Experience (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
A pleasant surprise! Only went after we were not allowed into the van Gogh museum. Fun for everyone, regardless of your interest in beer. An interactive tour and museum with games, music, challenges and finishing with a few free beers.



93. The Santa Klaus Mine (Svalbard, Norway)
A long abandoned and mysterious place on the cliff face overlooking Longyearbyen. Once brightly lit with Christmas lights and a place of work, it has now been abandoned since World War 2 when it was struck by a German bomb and burned for years. It is now left as is, lost in time, and a fascinating place to explore for the adventurous!



92. Turulda Castle (Turulda, Latvia)
A unique castle, with a much different archicture to most. Located in a scenic garden near Turulda in Latvia, it also features an impressive lookout from the tower.



91. Ponta Delgada (Azores, Portugal)
A slice of Portugal in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on the Azores Islands. Pretty brown and white architecture on many buildings, with some nice churches and a palace in a tropical setting.



90. Arch de Triomphe (Paris, France)
The best view of Paris in my opinion. A Grand Arch on the Champs de Eylsee built as a victory monument to honor fallen French soldiers. Offers a great panoramic view from the top.



89. Matthais Cathedral (Budapest, Hungary)
A unique Cathedral with its interior decor in the Castle borders of Budapest. From outside, offers a spectacular view of the city.



88. Finchale Abbey (Durham, England)
A beautiful site in County Durham. Scattered ruins of a one grand monastery and home to monks overlooking the River Wear.



87. Cathedral of the Spilled Blood (St Petersberg, Russia)
A grand and very impressive Cathedral. Colorful decoration and onion domes. No time to venture inside, but enjoyed a walk around the exterior.



86. The Citadel (Budapest, Hungary)
Arguably one of the best lookout points I visited in all of Europe. A hike to the top, where the Citadel Stands, once a military base. Offers a spectacular view of Budapest and Impressive Liberation Monument


85. City of Helsinki (Helsinki, Finland)
We enjoyed a great day in this coastal city. Several cathedrals, sea breeze, little squares, cafes and markets. Clean and pretty.



84. Flam Museum (Oslo, Norway)
Enjoyable museum experience in Oslo, a short ferry ride from the city centre. Offers a historic account of sea exploration over the years, as well as a 'virtual' Northern Lights Display.



83. Windsor Castle (Berkshire, England)
Huge castle, and one of many current places of residence of the Royal family in England. Spectacular design and impressive state rooms.


82. City of York (York, England)
Beautiful historic walled city. Impressive Cathedral, and old Tudor buildings overhanging narrow streets.



81. City of Cartagena (Cartagena, Columbia)
An enjoyable sample of South America and Columbia. Some nice old forts, a Gold museum baring American antiquities, the chance to hold a sloth, and see several examples of wildlife in a tropical jungle area surrounding the port. Oh, and I got to hold a sloth! This alone was one of the greatest things ever!


80. Eiffel Tower (Paris, France)
It's just an awesome and grand structure. Iconic of Paris. Pretty to behold the light show that occurs here after sunset.



79. Vajdahunyad Castle (Budapest, Hungary)
Old Castle in the Gardens of Budapest. Complete with drawbridge, mossy watch towers and Cathedral, I just really enjoyed it's architecture.


78. Opera Garnier (Paris, France)
Beautifully ornate Opera House in Paris. From the staircase, to the theater, the chandelier, Phantom's Box 5, to opulent balcony/reception area. An enjoyable experience all around.



77. Singapore Zoo (Singapore)
One of many great zoos on our travels. Extensive amount of happy, well looked after animals in a nicely organised zoo. Also the separate night zoo, with nocturnal animals added for an extra and enjoyable experience.


76. Disneyland (Anaheim, USA)
The original Disneyland. Compared to others, felt a bit dated, but still heaps of enjoyable rides and shows featuring all your favorite Disney characters.



75. Walking Tour of Ghent (Ghent, Belgium)
Evening out, walking the city with our friends Bert and Nele. Tremendously pretty city with cobblestone streets, grand buildings, a castle, impressive cathedrals and little squares. All you can eat ribs for dinner with Belgian beer just improved the experience.



74. Velvet Cave & Valkenberg Castle (Valkenberg, Netherlands)
An enjoyable tour underground, in a maze of an old mine. Dozens of carvings, paintings and even a secret church found beneath the earth. Located under the ruins (complete with secret passage) of the Valkenberg Castle.


73. Versailles (Île-de-France, France)
The benchmark of European Royal Palaces. Incredibly Ornate in parts, the Hall of Mirrors being the highlight. A little underwhelming given its reputation.



72. Izapa Ruins (Tapachula, Mexico)
Mayan ruins in Mexico. Supposedly the origin of the modern calendar. Impressive and different, yet quite small.



71. Jungle Safari (Puntarenas, Costa Rica)
River cruise on a small boat, in the Jungle in Costa Rica. Several great sightings of crocodiles and birdlife, as well as the best melon and pineapple I've ever tasted.



70. City of Lucerne (Lucerne, Switzerland)
Just an incredibly picturesque beautiful city in central Switzerland. Some very pretty old bridges, nice buildings and streets.



69. Mount Edna (Sicily, Italy)
Large Volcano in the mountains on the island of Sicily. A scenic drive and exploring the craters in the area.



68. Sterling Castle (Sterling, Scotland)
Impressive Castle in the west of Scotland. Certainly formidable sitting on a cliff face overlooking the town nearby. Grand rooms and fun to explore.



67. Pantheon (Paris, France)
Crypt in Paris for famous and significant Parisians buried over the years. This huge cathedral is topped with a Giant dome ceiling. Exploring the ornate crypts beneath is impressive.



66. Dragons Den Cave at Krakow Castle (Krakow, Poland)
An impressive red stone castle and cathedral in itself, this castle has a unique feature. A watch tower descends below the castle to a huge cave complex beneath. Supposedly the site where a dragon made its lair in Polish legend.



65. Kinderdijk Bike Ride (Molenwaard, Netherlands)
A fun bike ride from Hendrik Ido Ambacht, to Alblassedam and the Kinderdijk windmills and back with Jan, Marielle and Nat, making a few stops at Historic family sites along the way



64. Hermitage Museum (St Petersberg, Russia)
The second largest museum and art collection in the world behind the louvre. Full of impressive paintings and artwork



63. Vasa Museum (Stockholm, Sweden)
A museum centred around the raised remains of the great sunken Swedish warship. Over 95%!o(MISSING)f the ship is original materials.



62. Christiansborg Palace (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Royal apartments of the Danish family. Spectacular and ornate with a rich history.



61. The Panama Canal (via Panama City, Panama)
Started by the French at the end of the 1800's and finished by the Americans at the start of the 1900's, an impressive engineering feat, a man made canal that connects the pacific and Atlantic oceans. A series of lochs either side of a lake and surrounded by thick tropical jungle



60. Stockholm Old Town and Royal Palace (Stockholm, Sweden)
An enjoyable guided tour through one of the more impressive Royal palaces. Fascinating stories to hear, and decor within the staterooms. The Old Town in this area was awesome.



59. Dubrovnik Old Town (Dubrovnik, Croatia)
Medieval walled city right on the waterside. The location where they filmed Kings Landing from Game of Thrones. Enjoyed a glass bottom boat ride around the bay, getting a view of many nice fish, and a stop off on a remote beach.



58. DHM German History Museum (Berlin, Germany)
Excellent Historic Museum, taking you across the centuries from BC Germania, to medieval times, the Holy Roman Empire to Bismarck, to World War 1 and 2. Engaging and informative with many fascinating artifacts and exhibits.



57. Skansen Open Air Museum (Stockholm, Sweden)
Historic Swedish museum in large garden area. Included historic buildings across the centuries along with various Scandinavian animals.



56. Old Town Prague (Prague, Czech Republic)
Not laden with dozens of landmarks, but a generally cultured and pretty city, by both day and night. Timed our stay well with a music and food festival making for some fun times in the town square. Best ham off the bone I've ever had.



55. Hadrians Wall (North of England)
Roman wall built in the north of England by Emporer Hadrian almost 2000 years ago, designed to keep the raggedy Scots at bay. Ruins of the wall and forts lay scattered across the north of England.



54. Dachau Concentration Camp (Munich, Germany)
Remains of one of the first Nazi concentration camp designed to enslave political prisoners. Approximately 40,000 people were killed here. A walk through an original gas chamber was an eerie experience.



53. Swedish History Museum (Stockholm, Sweden)
An excellent museum, rich with historical artifacts across the ages of Sweden. Interactive also, play Viking games, and fire a bow and arrow.



52. Loch Ness (from Inverness, Scotland)
The great hunt for the Loch Ness monster in Scotland. Several sightings were made, but no photos turned out. A beautiful place in itself, with Castle Uruquart a spectacular sight to behold on the shore of the Loch.



51. Notre Dame (Paris, France)
A grand cathedral in the heart of Paris. As grand as it is ornate. Beautiful decor, and some fascinating relics held in the Cathedral Treasury, Including the Reliquary of the Crown of Thorns and piece of the cross of Jesus.



50. Akuyeri The Jewel of the North (Akuyeri, Iceland)
A place that truly took our breath away. I remember waking on board the Adventure of the Seas ship that day, tired and dreary, and the sight of our magnificent surroundings had us instantly inspired. Pretty village, surrounded by white-capped mountains.



49. Krakow Old Town (Krakow, Poland)
I'm not quite sure what it was about this city that I loved so dearly. Medieval feel to it, old buildings, cobblestone roads, affordable food and drink, little monuments, the cathedral and castle. We had a great time here.



48. Anne Franks House (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
The site of a tremendous story. Where a Jewish girl and her family kept in hiding from the Nazis during the second world war. Exploring the artifacts, reading her story and being in the place it happened was an experience.



47. Glencoe Highlands (Glencoe, Scotland)
Awe inspiring mountains rising up high on either side of a valley. Beauty as far as the eye could see. A perfect spot for hiking.



46. Roman Baths (Bath City, England)
The city itself was pretty enough. These Roman Ruins of a Bath House were impressive indeed, surrounding the still naturally heated hot springs.



45. Schindlers Factory Museum (Krakow, Poland)
The original Factory may not be intact, but this museum today, stands at its original location. Just a fascinating museum. Lots of stories, movies and themed rooms to experience.



44. St Paul's Cathedral (London, England)
It dominates the London skyline. A huge domed cathedral, one of the largest domes in the world. Ornate and beautiful interior and spectacular view of London from the top of the dome.



43. Vatican City (Vatican City)
Spectacular in it's entirety. Seat of the Pope, in this independent city state within Italy. From the Staterooms of the Vatican to Sistine Chapel, to St Peters, the largest church in the world, there was plenty to admire and behold here.



42. Delft Cathedral (Delft, Netherlands)
Unique in it's appearance, I remember the Tower of the Cathedral looming up above me. Beautiful interior and views from above. The whole town here was very pretty.



41. Bamburgh Castle (Bamburgh, England)
A spectacular sight, sitting atop a mountainside, right on the seaside. More modern, but one of the most enjoyable castles of my travels.



40. Nou Camp Football Match (Barcelona, Spain)
Well, I'm a massive football fan, and to see a cup final match at arguably the best (or one of the best) football club in the world right now, was an experience indeed. 90,000 fanatical fans made for quite an atmosphere. Shame about the score.



39. Hunebedden (Borger, Netherlands)
Ancient stones, as old or older than Stonehenge. Burial sites, sites of worship, markers. Mysterious and wondrous.



38. The Louvre (Paris, France)
The worlds largest museum. Beneath the great glass pyramids, there are countless wonders, sculptures, paintings, artifacts and works of art to explore. A full day!



37. Prague Zoo (Prague, Czech Republic)
Probably the greatest zoo of our trip. A short bus ride from Prague, in green parkland on the hillside. Many animals and a great variety. The animals seemed very happy.



36. Walled City of Visby (Gotland, Sweden)
Wow. A completely walled city, on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. Huge towers lined the wall. Untouched since the 13th century.



35. Burj Khalifa (Dubai, UAE)
The world's tallest man made structure, it's tip reaching 830 metres into the sky. Amazing to behold and not a bad view from the observation deck either!!



34. Edinburgh Castle (Edinburgh, Scotland)
My favorite castle. Huge and imposing. Stands at the top of old town. Immense, and plenty to see inside, including the Crown Jewels of Scotland.



33. Dune Bashing Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
This was a memorable experience. I've hardly seen a proper desert before, so to ride this crazy SUV in a roller coaster over the dunes, was something. I'll never forget Natalie's laughter. Cultural show in the middle of the desert was fun too.



32. Venice & St Marks Square (Venice, Italy)
My favorite city in Italy with ease. Yes, crowded and lots of tourists, but plenty of opportunity to get lost, off the beaten track, in the maze of little alleys and side streets. Memorable experience staying in a small apartment, discovering great food and exploring here.



31. City of Tallinn (Tallinn, Estonia)
Just the most complete, impressive medieval city I visited on my travels. The roads, the buildings, the food, the people, the atmosphere. I loved it.



30. Luxembourg Old Town & Casemates (Luxembourg)
A small landlocked country between Belgium, Germany and France. It is rich with culture, borrowed from it's neighbors and other foreign influences. Picturesque location in a valley, with many beautiful buildings and fascinating maze of caves built into the cliff face.



29. Montserrat (from Barcelona, Spain)
An hour outside of Barcelona. A grand monastery situated atop a rugged mountain range. Impressive structure here, and enjoyable hike, overlooking the valley below.


28. Fossil Digging (Svalbard, Norway)
It's not every day, you can dig up a 30 million year old plant fossil, in the wilderness, and just take it home, no questions ask. The scenery on the hike here was spectacular, in grand company with a husky guide. To dig up such a fossil from under a dead glacier, by a stream was something I'll never forget. I still have the fossils!



27. Miami Bus Tour (Miami, USA)
Miami was a real surprise for me. I loved it. Warm, tropical feel, right on the water, relaxed atmosphere. Plenty of little bars and cafes to explore. This scenic bus ride really gave us a good taste of the city.



26. Austria Wine Cycling Tour (from Vienna, Austria)
An excellent scenic bike tour, opportunity to taste great quality wines, getting a bit off the beaten track, and a swim in a picturesque river. It was a winning combination.



25. Durham Cathedral (Durham, England)
The crowning touch on the beautiful city of Durham. Arguably my favorite city in England. A pretty historic university town, with cobble stone roads and old buildings. The cathedral is colossal and grand. Great view from the top.



24. The Colosseum (Rome, Italy)
The iconic heart of Rome. Incredible stadium still standing today after nearly 2,000 years. Amazing to behold from the outside. Enjoyed a nice tour inside.



23. Westminster Abbey (London, England)
As if it wasn't impressive enough from the outside, stepping inside just takes your breath away. The history, the stained glass windows, ornate craftsmanship and graves of countless nobility within is utterly encapsulating.



22. Stonehenge (Wiltshire, England)
Simple, but ancient and utterly mysterious. These stones have stood the test of time for thousands of years. Their purpose and origin still unknown.



21. Universal Studios (Singapore)
I just love theme parks, and this was an absolute cracker. Heaps of great rides to enjoy and shows to see.



20. Path of the Trolls (Møre og Romsdal, Norway)
Incredible scenic, winding mountain pass. The craziest road I think I've laid eyes on snaking through a steep mountain valley. The weather wasn't ideal, but still a spectacular experience.



19. Olden & Briksdalen Glacier (Olden, Norway)
Olden could be the prettiest little town I have ever seen, on a lake, surrounded by spectacular looming mountains. Our hike to a nearby glacier was memorable indeed. Through green woodlands, to a crystal blue glacier, wedged between two mountains.



18. Auschwitz Concentration Camp (from Krakow, Poland)
Chilling Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camps, both at Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau. Over a million were killed here. Chilling review of the holocaust, with some grim relics, none more so than a huge room full of human hair.



17. Lands End Cliffs and Snorkeling at Chileno Bay (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)
A sail out from Cabo San Lucas, to the Seal Colony and Cliff Faces of Land's End. From there, out to Chileno Bay to snorkel in crystal blue waters, and say hello to dozens of brightly colored tropical fish.



16. The Golden Circle; Gullfoss and Geysirs (Iceland)
The eighth biggest waterfall in the world. Huge amounts of water tumbling over several layers. On the way, Volcanic Geysers, shooting bursts of gas and water high into the air. A unique landscape.



15. Neuschwanstein Castle (from Munich, Germany)
Well I said Edinburgh Castle was my favorite, this was the most unique of all castles. More modern, beautiful and picturesque than any, nestled mountain top overlooking green forest. Designed for the Mad King Ludwig.



14. Het Loo Palace Holland (Apeldoorn, Netherlands)
A huge surprise that my favorite Palace experience would be in the Netherlands. A beautiful day, excellent audio tour, spectacular state rooms, history and beautiful gardens.



13. Disneyland (Paris, France)
Head and shoulders above the American version. Shame that near everything was in French. Thrilling rides (About 4 coasters with loops), great shows, great food. The night show was amazing. Everything about it was superior to America.



12. Interlaken (Interlaken, Switzerland)
I could hardly imagine it possible to design a more perfect scenic spot. White capped mountains, warm weather, blue skies, beautiful turquoise lakes. Wow.



11. Sagrada Familia Church (Barcelona, Spain).
They started building this in 1882, and it's still not finished. What a sight it is from outside. It's colossal. I can hardly remember been as blown away as we stepped inside for the first time. It's grandeur and size are breathtaking.



10. Tour of Carthage (Tunis, Tunisia)
Our trip to Tunisia was certainly memorable overall. Planned at 48 hours notice, we opted to take a taxi tour of the various ruins of Carthage scattered throughout Tunisia. This proved to be amazing, seeing Roman and Carthage ruins against a Mediterranean feel back drop, in North Africa.



9. Pompeii (Naples, Italy)
What an amazing place. A complete Roman City, so much amazingly preserved after it was coated in lava from the eruption of nearby Mount Versuvius. So many things remain all but frozen in time, including casts of people with the facial expression they wore at their death.



8. Universal Studios (Hollywood, USA)
The best theme park we went to. With all the quality of rides and shows of Singapore, but with the authentic touch of being in Hollywood. Sets, props, studios actively filming new shows and movies. It was like being a part of the movies. Halloween theme made it all the more fun.



7. Blue Lagoon (from Reykjavik, Iceland)
It's hard to get your head around it. You're freezing, it's 5 degrees, the air is misty. You're swimming, in bright aqua, volcanic heated water. It's perfectly warm. Oh and you're applying volcanic mud to your face, for beauty purposes of course. What an experience!



6. Las Calletas Hideaway (from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)
Paradise. The most exotic and relaxing beach experience I've had. This was a completely remote spot, isolated, accessible only by both, in the tropical jungle, on the Mexican Coast. Everything was included, great food, drinks, and a couple hours snorkeling, looking at brightly colored fish, and swimming in beautiful blue water. Even snake, monkey and parrot petting was included.



5. Pyramiden (Svalbard, Norway)
Probably the most remote and exotic place I have ever visited, period. A Ghost Town. North of the most northern city on the planet. Isolated, only accessible by boat four hours north of Longyearbyen. A mysterious place, a Russian mining town abandoned in haste in 1998. No comprehensive explanation as to why, or where the people left. Essentially, left as it was.



4. Mount Blanc (Chamonix, France)
The highest point in Western Europe, nearly 4000 metres high. Above the clouds, spectacular views of snow, mountain peaks and endless white cloud. Amazing. Afterwards, the chance to explore the pretty town of Chamonix, and take a cogwheel train up to a glacier cave system.



3. Husky Ride (Svalbard, Norway)
What an experience this was. As if I didn't love huskies enough already. We got to assemble our own sled of huskies, leash the dogs, drive the sled, and play with them afterwards. What amazing animals. Our ride took us off across the spectacular, seemingly uncharted tundra of the Arctic.



2. Mount Titlis (from Lucerne, Switzerland)
Well we couldn't have wanted a better day to explore this mountain. Crisp, clear blue skies allowed us absolutely spectacular views as far as the eye could see. At the top, snow, the chance to go tube sledding, the world's highest suspension bridge, and a maze of ice caves carved beneath a glacier. Wow.



1. Svalbard Glacier Hike (Svalbard, Norway)
The best hike I have ever done. Exploring the frosty wilderness of the arctic, hiking out with our guide, it felt as though we were treading places where human feet may never have stepped. We wore spiked soles to safely cross a glacier face, before clambering up a steep summit to arrive at an amazing view. Overall, Svalbard was my favorite place. Remote, exciting, untarnished by tourism. A hidden spot, a place for adventure, exploring and excitement.

---