AL Conquered, Redux

I still remember when I first heard of Jose Altuve. It was on Keith Law's mid-season Top 50 prospects list in 2011. This was a really dark period in Astros history, as is well known. That year, they lost 100+ games for the first time. It was a long time coming. They had hemorraged talent from 2006-2010 due to a series of incredibly shortsighted moves, bad drafting and pathetic free agent decisions. They were the worst run franchise in baseball. They needed a reckoning. 2011 was that reckoning. It set off the worst three-year stretch of any team ever. It is now known as the tank that built a potential dynasty, but if we go back to 2011 by itself, it wasn't. Luhnow wasn't there yet. Drayton McLane was still the owner. They didn't lose 100+ games in 2011 because they tanked. They did because they were putrid.

But in that dark abyss, was one bright spot, a tiny infielder that Keith Law at the time said could hit for high average and had incredible contact ability. Altuve wasn't particularly high on his list, but the Astros had one of the worst farm systems in baseball, so even having one prospect on that list was a small tiny sign of things to come.

Jose Altuve came up in 2011. He was a solid 1-2 WAR player in 2012 and 2013, when teh team intentionally tanked, and lost 105 and then 111 games. Jose Altuve is the only guy on this team that had to deal with those losses, that infamy; deal with teh parade of hilariously overmatched players that ran through that clubhouse. Altuve was there through it all. For that, it is so earned, amazing and perfect that it was his home run that sent them back to the World series. 

Jose Altuve is a miracle, a 5'6" player that not only became a major leaguer, but won three batting titles, grew into having dependable power (even if the juiced ball helped him get to 30 HR this year). He grew into a damn MVP, and an earned one at that. This little guy put up 32 WAR in a 5-year stretch. He became one of the best players in baseball. The rest of the team was all planned. All the other great players on this team were brought in because they were great, or were always supposed to be good ones. George Springer is the only other guy who was there before Luhnow, but he was a Top-10 pick in the 2011 draft. Altuve was the miracle. 

The weight of what the Astros did hasn't left me yet. Of course, neither has that brief 15-minute period between Osuna blowing the game and Altuve winning it - 15-minutes wherein I was an uncontrollable mess. But I'll trade that little period of misery for the unbridled joy and boundless excitement that was Altuve's home run to end the series. The Astros are back in the World Series, beating the Yankees to do it again.

It is easier to say this when you support the team that won the series, but that was an incredible series of baseball. Both offenses were below their normal level, but so much of that has to be chalked up to the pitching on both sides being incredible. The Astros had the lowest strikeout rate as an offense. The Yankees somehow struck out loads of them. The Yankees drew so many walks with their usual patient approach, but through a combination of incredible defense and timely putching the Astros escaped time and time again.

We had of course the signature moments, from Correa's perfect walk off and celebration to end the Game 2 marathon, and of course Altuve's series ender. There was drama in so many games. The Astros went to New York in three chilly games and walked away with two wins. You even had the craziness that was the first inning of Game 5 when the Yankees rocked Verlander, complete with mystique and aura pushing Hicks ball nicely off the pole. It was that type of series, one of the better six-game sets I've seen.

The Astros are in an incredible run right now. The team looks to be great in 2020, but nothing lasts forever. Cole will likely be gone. Verlander and Greinke another year older. The Astros will have to depend on a returning-from-Tommy-John Lance McCullers, Jr., and a prospect finally making good in Forrest Whitley. The offense should still be good, but injuries have been concerns for a couple years now. Who knows what the future holds, but the present has the Astros with the chance to have one of the more dominant three-year stretches in MLB history.

The joy in that stadium was palpable even sitting in my house 1,400 miles away. The noise, the cannon, the train, all of it - with Altuve's giant grin being the capper. Jose Altuve deserved that moment, for suffering through the losses, the tank with no guarantee this would be at the end of that run. They all deserved it. Hell, us Astros fans deserved it. 

When I started this blog, I barely wrote about baseball. If I did, it was about the joy of watching Roy Oswalt be traded away from the sinking ship that was the Astros at the time. The fact I've gotten to write about two AL pennants is unbelievable. I could never have asked more than the dramatic run that was 2017, but this has been nearly as good. Now just four more wins to go.

Hating Being the Favorite

God I hate being the favorite. This is the third straight year the Astros are in the ALCS. This is the third straight year they are also the favorite in that ALCS. I have to say, after seeing my team squeaking by one year (2017) in seven hilariously tense games, and then seeing them lose one year (2018) in five increasingly haunting games, and now with them potentially blowing a 3-1 lead, or squeaking by again, I have to say I absolutely hate it.

Baseball playoffs house some of the most tense, amazing moments in sports. But the combination of normal playoff randomness that effects any sport, and the small gap between the best and worst teams in baseball relative to other sports, make it all the more cruel. The good news is when we talk about baseball, be it who the best players are, or if people are HOFers, we generally focus on their regular season exploits (Kershaw stuff excepted). But still, when you root for a team, it is so much worse to be in this position.

It was bad enough last year, seeing a truly great 103-win team lose to a truly greater 108-win Boston team. I should note, Boston had home field, they were healthier, and they fully deserved to win, but the ridiculous nature of Houston's ALDS win over Cleveland, their status as defending champs, and slightly better underlying numbers made them the bettor favorite. Last year, Houston went in and calmly won Game 1 in Boston, and then took a lead halfway through Game 2 (weirdly, very similar to what the Yankees did this year). At that point I understood why they were the betting favorite.

Of course, then Boston won Game 2 off some Green Monster enabled shenanigans, and won all three games in Houston. It was excruciating, as I wrote at the time. As we left the series, it was even worse to see stats like Houston actually out-hitting Boston, but their numbers with RISP and cluster luck was terrible compared to Boston.

Somehow, a year later, the series is playing out in reverse. The Astros went to New York and won two games. But this year, they are also hitting way worse than the Yankees this series. On its face, the Astros lineup is every bit the equal of hte Yankees. They were the best lineup by WRC+ since the 1927 Yankees. Seriously. That is a fact. What is also a fact is more than half the lineup is hitting under .200 for the playoffs, with most of that inadequacy coming in this series.

I decided to go to Game 5, because I could find fairly rock-bottom (for playoffs at least) prices on SeatGeek day off. I understood it, as Yankee fans were selling off playoff tickets down 1-3. Of course, I should have known karma would get the best of me and I would see them lose. I just didn't realize it would be in that way, with them getting an early lead but leaving two guys on in the first, and then seeing Verlander inhibit 2015 Verlander for five batters. The roar of the crowd in Yankee Stadium as Aaron Hicks's ball hit the foul pole was incredible, but also so harrowing. Seeing the Astros lineup meekly flail away for eight more innings was worse.

The Astros have already given me a series of all-time fan moments in 2017. From Game 7 against the Yankees throughout their epic seven game win over the Dodgers (the last series that the Astros were not the favorite in). I'll never forget the greatest roller-coaster of all time Game 5 win in that World Series. And at the end of the day, they won. My team won. Most of the guys in that lineup that today can't hit and last year couldn't hit, all hit damn well in the same pressure moments. So it isn't them. It is just baseball. I know I have no right to ask for another title - but you know what, forget about that for a second.

I lived through 2011-2013, three pathetic 100-loss seasons as the Astros tanked harder than any team until maybe this year's Miami Dolphins. They were truly embarrassing. People got on Sam Hinkie, but what he did in Philadelphia was amateur hour compared to what Jeff Luhnow (technically, Ed Wade in year #1) did in Houston. They promised it would work, and it has better than anyone could have ever hoped. They created a machine from teh ashes of that mess. But I also know it worked too well, that even if Luhnow stays and they continue with this brain-trust, the 2017-202X version of the Astros will be as good as it gets, and I do want more than one title in that run.

I will say this, for years I've struggled to truly get acclimated to being a fan of an AL team (and I know it's been six years now). At my most impressionable sports fan age, my rivals were teh Cardinals and Cubs, and they still are. I hated to my core seeing the 2016 Cubs break their curse. I loved to see the Cardinals embarrassed in the NLCS this year. But the last two years has been a trial by fire, first losing to Boston, and now potentially New York. Yes, we beat both of them as well in 2017, but having to lose is a lot more lasting than winning. If anything, losing as the favorite to the Yankees devil magic, the year after losing to Boston at their most annoying? I'm for sure an AL fan now.

My 60 Favorite International Cities, Pt.2 - #30-1

30.) Luang Prabang (2019)

There may be no better small three road town than Luang Prabang, a well manicured slice of Laotian heaven deep on the banks of the Mekong. The place is built for tourists, but expertly combines Western modernity in their restaurants and bars, and Eastern serenity. The amount of temples within this small town is truly incredible, all quite well adorned and decorated. The Laotian cuisine is always a hit. Much like another town on the list in El Calafate, its main street is so full of life. From what I know, unless you want to get really down and dirty, this is as good as Laos gets.


29.) Izmir (2007)

I don't know how I forgot about Izmir the umpteen times that I have done this. I loved my trip to Turkey and for a while only had Istanbul on the list. I finally remembered how much I loved Izmir when I went back and saw an album. It was a pristine coastal town, with unbelievably fresh seafood, a lot of interesting Capadoccian sites nearby, and just a cool air about it. The food and the fun alone put it well up in my mind - and also makes it a place I absolutely want to return to.


28.) Panama City (2012)

My highest ranking Caribbean city probably could be higher, but I’ve been to a lot of great European cities so I don’t want to get crazy. I went to Panama with really low expectations, and I was blown away. It has a really impressive skyline, one that holds its own even if you forget that it is a poor latin country. It has great food of different cuisines. It has a ton to see, with the Panama Canal and the rainforest both falling into its sights. Other than Calgary (which I talked about in the last list) I don’t know if any trip I’ve gone on has been such a surprise as Panama, the Caribbean’s only truly modern city.


27.) Palermo (2019)

There's a few cities on this list I like for hard to describe reasons - be it Turin, or Krakow. Add Palermo to that list. The sites can basically be visited in barely more than a day, but the atmosphere and culture of Palermo can last a good week. The old town is one of the nicer ones I've gotten lost in, with so many bars and restaurants that spill out into the streets. As you approach the water, you get fancier, more upscale restuarants that could fit in Rome, Milan or any fancier city - but at small town prices. Palermo is also relatively untouched by tourism, the last vestige of true Italia.


26.) Paris (2006, 2018) 

There’s obviously a ton to see in Paris, and the city center around the Eifel Tower, on either side of River Sein, is beautiful. Paris is a probably a city that certain people would love, but I am not one of them. Of course, I liked it enough to put ahead of some damn good cities, mostly on the ridiculous amounts of things to see alone. I actually don’t remember much of my Paris trip, which is strange given its relative recency, but I do remember thinking one day in the Louvre was far from enough, and the city center of Paris containing some of the best architecture of any European city. **After going back in 2018, I can say I might be being harsh on Paris, but to me it is a slightly less great version of the other great European capitals like London, Madrid, Rome - unsurprisingly all higher up the rankings.

25.) Taipei (2019)

I should have figured that Taipei would be a really great city. Still, however, I was surprised by how well built, how green, how beautiful it was. The food was great, from beef noodle shops to fancy high-end restaurants. The bar scene was excellent, with a burgeouning craft beer culture was shocking. The tourism was great, with nice pagodas and temples tucked away all across the beautiful green city. If only the cuisine was slightly better Taipei would have ended up much higher. There's also a lot of hills and forests and greenery within an hour of the city in every direction. Taipei has so much going for it.


24.) Amman (2019)

If you really want to stretch the 90 minute rule, Amman includes all things from the amazing ruins of Jerash, to the edge of the Dead Sea. Between those things, you have a fantastic city, one of the more modern in the Arab world. It has one of the nicer market areas, a beautiful little stretch with a Roman Amphiteater behind a large, open square, to some great food. Amman is a large city, but surprisingly easy to get around, and is the one place within Jordan's limits that modernity reign.


23.) Berlin (2014)

Berlin is the only German city I've gone to as an adult, and from what I read it was a good one to pick. The city is sprawling, and has covered it's whole 'we had a giant wall' thing with some really modern buildings and a few nice memorials. But what it also hides is an incredible city. The main squares, or platzes are all incredible, including that entire stretch between the Brandenburg Gate, through the Tiergarten, and ending with the Berlin Island. There are various areas of the city with incredible churches, restaurants, bars (and bars, and bars) and historical buildings. The city houses some fascinating museums that touch on the long, varying history of Germany is a country. Berlin as a city is too big to do in 3 days like I did, but it is definitely alluring enough to go back.


22.) Tokyo (2013)

As a tourist, I don't care what the work and life culture are of the people in the city, and good thing, because if I did I may hate Tokyo. To see people in full suit in the subway at 11 PM coming home from work is jarring. But this isn't about any of that, it is about Tokyo the city, and it is a really fabulous metropolis. Tokyo is sprawling, in a way that makes New York seem small. There are really bustling regions like Shinjuku, really fun late night spots like Roppongi. There is a ton to see, and great food options. The food may be more corporate than traditional and homestyle in Tokyo, but that isn't all bad. The biggest complaint with Tokyo is just the size. It is so big that it is tiring to navigate at times, getting from one end to the other. Even with the reliability and the local JR Train lines, it takes time to get around. Good thing that most regions have enough to do to spend half a day there anyway. One last point, I thought Times Square was bright, until I went to Ginza.


21.) Vienna (2000 & 2009)

The 2^nd time I went to Vienna was on my high school’s Orchestra’s tour of Austria during my Senior year, and much of my high ranking for Vienna is based on that trip. There is a ton of history in Vienna, with the music scene being located there (Mozart and Beethoven’s houses), with the adjoining arts scene with a bevy of theatres. If you like classical music, then Vienna is heaven. I am including the adorable little town of …… where we performed, which was half an hour outside Vienna. The best part of Vienna is how modern it is. The city center has some of the largest streets and public squares of anywhere in Europe, with grand architecture all around. The food isn’t great, but it is no worse than Germany and Switzerland, and Austria is generally less expensive. It took a second trip to get acclimated with Vienna’s charms, but they are there, and plentiful.



20.) Bangkok (2003, 2013, 2019)

Here’s the gist of what I remember from Bangkok: nice Wats to see, incredible food, up all night, eating all the time. Bangkok is a food-lover’s paradise, especially for those who like Thai food. Bangkok is also close to areas where you can do all those Asia type things like ride elephants and see the jungle. The weather is surprisingly decent for a city in Southeast Asia, and from what I remember it is pretty easy to navigate. My thoughts regarding Bangkok have indeed changed with my one-plus day visit. The city is better than I remembered, with sprawling malls, an advanced metro system, and new urban centers. The weather isn’t quite as good, as it is still hard to get to different parts of the city, but the city center of Bangkok is about as good as any I’ve seen in Asia. ** After going again for a few days in 2018, my opinion of Bangkok is largely unchanged, but improved in a way. The food is great, particularly the soon to be closed Gaggan. There are some really nice districts. But what it lacks is the cleanliness and constant modernity of a Singapore.

19.) Goa (2011 & 2013)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, my initial ranking of Goa was a little ridiculous. It was built off of an admittedly awesome trip to Goa in 2011, but that was a perfect storm. We were staying in the best part of Goa for a first timer who loves food on beaches at 2 AM. I was fresh off of an alcohol cleanse (which of course came after the opposite of an alcohol cleanse), and was greeted with $0.50 beer. Goa still has all those things, but I quickly realized upon my second visit that the area of Goa you stay in makes a huge difference. Stay too far South and you get isolated beaches, which I am sure are nice to some, but they don't have the same nightlife and food options littering the beach. Instead, they have litter littering the beach. Stay in the right part of Goa and it is amazing, the wrong part and it is merely OK. Still, it is unlike anything else in India, and for that it will always be in my part.


18.) Granada (2001)

I'll admit, I have very limited memory of Granada - like I do with most of my trip to Spain and Portugal in 2001 (otherwise, Lisbon would probably be on this list). But from what I do remember of Granada, mainly around the magic that is the Alhambra. Granada also has great food (as does most of Andalusia), including amazing seafood and lamb. Spain itself is probably my favorite country to visit, and a large part of that is even outside is major metropoloses (which are good enough to both be in Top-10 for me) it has incredible gems with incredible history and culture.


17.) Mexico City (2014, 2018)

I put 2014 there, but I went to Mexico City two different times, staying in two different areas of that expansive, massive, festive city. Far safer than most areas of Mexico, La Cuidad is incredibly impressive. There are tons of historical sites, like the entire Zocalo, the Chapultepec, and La Reforma. Mexico City also has a wealth of food options, with incredibly authentic Mexican fare from around the country, including the incredible Oaxacan food. Really fun night spot as well. Mexico City blew me away also with its strange, mysterious beer culture. The City is a sprawling testament to how secretly, behind the dangerous cartels that line the exterior, the soft interior of Mexico is a gorgeous, cultural attraction that is bettered by so few cities. **After going again in 2018, I realize how much I missed out of Mexico City's overwhelming culture. The neighborhoods of Polanco and Condesa may some of the most cultured and serene in North America. The food scene is incredible, be it world class Pujol or the street taco vendors. Just an amazing city.


16.) Dubrovnik (2017)

My expectations were raised on Dubrovnik from a number of friends and families had already visited, and oh man was it great - matching everything I would have hoped for. Dubrovnik, like many cities that line my top half of the list, aren't huge sprawling metropolises, instead smaller, untouched little power-packs of culture and beauty. The actual structure of the town reminds me of a European Cape Town, with the old town and fort replacing the V&A Waterfront area, and the hills of the newer part of the city similar to East Cape Town, and the hills in hte background, fixed with their own version of Table Mountain, being, well, Cape Town's Table Mountain. The history in Dubrovnik is amazing, with the old town such a beautiful array of nooks and crannies, with steep stairs on alleys down to the water. Within it contains history, and amazing restaurants, and, of course, Game of Thrones. Dubrovnik is one of the gems of the Adriatic Sea, right there with the other great ports of the Mediterranean.


15.) London (1999, 2000, 2010, 2017 & 2018)

I probably should just go to London more, because both my Dad and my Sister, who lived there, swear by London as an incredible city. But again, I’m not ranking this by how livable they are, but how good they are as tourist destinations. London definitely has enough to see, including the nicely compact Royal stuff (palace, parliament, other stuff), and a neatly packed city center (West End, Trafalgar Square, other stuff I’m forgetting), but it is a little too big. It’s subway system is clean, but doesn’t have the expansiveness that it needs (something I give huge credit to the NYC Subway System for, no matter how dirty it is). Of course, it is damn expensive, and the weather is mostly lousy. It may get better with more trips, but I think London is too big for its own good, and a little too confused, as it tries to be both Rome and New York. **So I went here in 2017, and really have nothing more to add. I think what I wrote back then is more or less accurate. In the end, being in any English speaking city outside of the US just doesn't seem as foreign & exciting.


14.) Cusco (2016)

Full disclosure, I'm cheating by including Machu Picchu as one of the associated sites of Cusco, which is a large part of the reason it places so high. Machu Picchu is a spectacular tourist attraction, from teh never-ending views of Hauranya Picchu's face, to the cascaiding hills on every side, to the great hikes. When you peel back to Cusco proper, it remains a great secondary city, a South American, high altitude version of Krakow (next on the list). The food is great, with so many small, but fine quality, restaurants. It has a vibrant restaurant and bar scene, and quite a bit of tourism locally, including other Incan ruins near the city limits. Finally, the altitude, as Cusco us probably the highest city that is easily and heavily visited. Plus, I owe a lot to the Loki Hostel, a wondrous place of Blood Bombs and fun.

13.) Ho Chi Minh City (2019)

The great food, the wide open streets and lanes, the great balloons, the sights. Ho Chi Minh City was truly a perfect Southeast Asian retreat. The place is so full of joy and pride in their city, be it the pristinely conditioned temples, the French architecture. There are great museums and sights all over. What set Ho Chi Minh City apart for me was you get the food of a Bangkok, with the infrastructure and lack of traffic of a Europe - the city so well blending their French history and Asian sensibilities. The nightlife and food was truly incredible. If not for the weather (unavoidable in that part of the world) it probably would be Top-10 for me.


12.) Krakow (2014)

By rule I like smaller cities over sprawling ones. Well, while there are expanses to Krakow that extend in all directions, almost everything worth seeing in the city is in a 10x10 block radius circling the best city square (Rynek Glowny) I have seen in Europe. When you get a city that has (their claim) more bars per capita than any in the world, combine that with amazing open space and roadside/streetside restaurants, and an economy that does not use the Euro and is far cheaper than comparale cities in Western Europe, you get a pretty fantastic city. Also, you want history near its borders, you get Auschwitz about 2 hours away. Krakow is an incredible secondary city, arguably the best secondary city I've ever been to. The beer, food and endless beautiful women makes it Top-25; the sites, easily walkable goegraphy, and amazing history (Copernicus lived there too) makes it Top-10.


11.) Jerusalem (2018)

Religion's most important city remains the best new city I've been to since I last wrote this piece. I'm floored by how much I enjoyed every aspect of Jerusalem. The obvious important religious sites were incredible, but the food spots in the city, the areas in the old town that are disconnected to religion, the great beer bar tucked inside the great Mahane Yehuda market. All of it was excellent. If I spend more time in Tel Aviv, maybe I add that to the list to, but for Jerusalem, it was a perfect mix of history and culture.


10.) Kyoto (2013)

Kyoto is the 3rd biggest City in Japan, but resembles so little of Tokyo (the biggest city) that makes it seem like a different country. Sure, the food options and the bustle is still there, but Kyoto, in some ways, is like a supersized Siem Reap. The real highlight of Kyoto is the ridiculous amounts of Temples and historical Japanese buildings. All of these are encircling the downtown area of Kyoto. Of course, that downtown is quite large, with beautiful malls, tall buildings with summer beer gardens (umlimited beer buffets for $30) and plentiful up-scale food options. Kyoto even has the most expansive Geisha area of Japan. Kyoto is the perfect city to experience what people's idea of Japan is, temples and pagodas and sushi, oh my!


9.) Rome (2003)

Speaking of Rome, history’s most famous city checks in next. I haven’t spent any time in Rome as an adult, but I don’t think Rome is the type of city that would change much from an adult’s perspective. It is good for its history and sites first, and if you like Italian cuisine, the food second. If you include the Vatican, and as a Catholic I do, in Rome, then there is even more to see, as you have two different parts of history, the formation of the Catholic Church in the awe-inspiring Vatican grounds near and inside St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Roman history which is very well kept up. I can’t remember how their public transport was, and we went in December, so the weather was bad, but I don’t think it is a very big city. And then there is that food. I don’t want personal biases like my ambivalence towards Italian food to sway this. Many do like Italian food, and the city is even better for those people. That said, what hurts Rome in my book is I think it is too dependent on the sites, and if you aren’t there on a religious pilgrimage, I can’t imagine the allure of going to Rome more than once.

8.) Athens (2010)

So Athens is very much like its historical partner, Rome, with a few less sites, a lot less crowds, less expensive, and with better weather. So does that whole equation spit out a better city? In my mind, it does. Part of this has to do with visiting Athens at the perfect time (19, during March) and Rome not (13, during December), but Athens has it all. It has a lot to see, but not so much that sightseeing takes over the trip. It has a city that is hard to navigate by car and by walking, but has an adequate subway system. It has excellent food, and a great environment that bursts with fun and enjoyment. Just a grand old time in Athens, as I’m sure it was 2,500 years ago.


7.) Singapore (2012 & 2013)

Singapore is one of those places that has to be seen to be believed. There is no city any cleaner. There is no city as tightly situated while having enough external attractions. There is no city better built for a short stay. What doesn’t Singapore have? It has a theme park for kids. A bird park (highly recommended) and a night safari for kids and adults. It has a brand new casino for adults. It has a centralized bar/pub/club area near the waterfront. It has a preponderance of food from really, really cheap to really expensive. It has livable weather year-round. It also has the most interesting and enjoyable airport I’ve ever been to (there is a pool and gym that everyone can use for free in it!), and the cleanest, best organized subway system I’ve seen. So why is Singapore only #3? Because there isn’t that much to do, and Singapore’s not cheap enough to just sit around and eat/drink/do nothing. The sights have no historical resonance, and are replicated in other cities. Still, for a period less than a week, there is no better city to visit.


6.) Santiago (2018)

Midway through my second day in Santiago, I started debating how high it would go. Honestly, on the initial drive to the airport, through beautiful underground tunnels and well manicured streets, it earned its place on the list. Many great meals, multiple vibrant and differing neighborhoods, enough sites to last you days, and a cleanliness of Europe and culture of the Americas, and Santiago morphed into a truly special city. You have views, like at the top of Santa Lucia Hill. You have museums. You have regal government buildings. The restaurants are amazing, going from good street food to world class tasting menus. The competing Barrio Italia, with its Portland-esque vibe, and Barrio Bellavista, with fun bar after fun bar, add the neighborhood vibe as well. It all mixed to a truly brilliant city.


5.) Sydney (2013) 

Take the weather and leisurely attitude of Australia, combine the waterfront facade of a Chicago, add some pub and club nightlife of any city in Europe and you get Sydney, a city that combines the great aspects of every major city I have been too. It doesn't have a true culture of its own which hurts it in my mind. What I really mean by that is, much like the problems I have with England, there are too many similarities to the US. You don't really feel you are in a foreign city too much. Of course, that all changes when you walk towards the Opera House, or go to the night spots with the Australians out partying, or eat great meats. Sydney is a wonderful city, probably the most livable of any in the Top-10 (of course, it is helped by being English-Speaking), but sometimes I would sacrifice livability for uniqueness, which is why it isn't any higher.


4.) Barcelona (2007)

I really want to go to Barcelona again, because it could easily be #1. All the ingredients are there. Pristine weather. A people who don’t care about life, making the tourist experience more fun. Good beaches within reach. Stuff to see. An airport that is easily reachable and a city that is easily maneuverable. My issues with Barcelona (other than my dislike for the Blaugrana) are simple. There isn’t a lot to see in terms of history, mainly because the Catalans want their own history so they destroyed or shunned any Spanish national history. Barcelona is a nice city in terms of seeing the sights for a day or two and then doing nothing the rest of the time, but I do want more from my cities. 

3.) Istanbul (2007)

Istanbul is kind of a secret still, but there is really nothing to complain about. It has a waterfront, an easily accessible city center, a lot to see (the palaces, the Bosphuros, the Red & Blue Mosques). Istanbul also has a brilliant food scene, with both Muslim and Meditterannean influences but all sorts of bases (including a ton of seafood). There is little to separate any of the cities this high in the list. My only knock on Istanbul would be the public transport is lacking without a proper Subway (this could have changed since my last visit). Overall, Istanbul combines the palate and affordability of Asia, with the energy and cleanliness of Europe, the best of both worlds.


2.) Cape Town (2013)

I've been wondering whether doing Cape Town first helped increase my perceptions of it. I was at my most curious and excited at the start of the trip. Then, I remember everything amazing about Cape Town, like the incredible scenery and breathtaking views, the active harbor and Long Street areas (for the youngsters among us), the great food of every type and the wine region to one side with the Cape of Good Hope below it. Cape Town is a special place on the total other side of the word (laterally speaking). I've really never been any place quite like it, which is why I want to go back there more than any place in the world.


1.) Madrid (2001 & 2010)

I’ll never forget Madrid. It was where I turned 10 years old, in April of 2001. It was where I saw my first naked woman in real life, as I saw two nude woman near the pool in Madrid (given my age and their age, this wasn’t a good thing). It was where I first traveled alone, and where I learned the inherent joy of visiting a place a 2^nd time. Barcelona might be more ‘fun’, but I can’t think of a place that combines everything I want from a city more than Madrid. Madrid has a dependable airport, and a dependable subway system. More than that, the city is small enough in its center that you can easily walk from the Prado side on the East, to the Palace on the West and not break a sweat. It has some of Spain’s best museums. There is more than enough to see. And, of course, you are still very much in Spain. It isn’t as relaxed as Barcelona, but is just as Spanish, with open squares, easy food and drink,  a lot of youngsters (and a lively area for them at night). This wasn’t a criteria, but a lot of people speak English there to boot. Madrid is basically a perfect city. Small enough to walk, with enough sites to not get bored, enough food to not go hungry, and a relaxed, but not too relaxed nature that you won’t ever get tired of doing nothing for an afternoon or two.

My 60 Favorite International Cities, Pt.1 - #60-31

I like that this is a living, breathing document since I first wrote my Top-20 cities back in 2013. Anyway, we're up to 70-now, and in reality, if I remembered more about my trips in 1999-2001 to Europe, I probably could have added quite a bit more.

*************************************************************************

The last time I did this was in 2015, and since then I've added a few more cities to the list. Not as many as you would think, but enough to warrant another go at it. I didn't have 5 more to add, but a couple and I'm really opposed to dropping anything off, so I'm just going to go to 32.

*************************************************************************

The last time I did this was late in 2013, following my Round the Trip world. I don't know why I'm choosing now to update the list, but it is now expanded to 30 cities, and adds four new places that I've visited the last two years, and then an additional forgotten gem from my Round the World Trip.

Again, these are ranked as cities I would visit (all of them I have visited), not where I would live. I would live in Geneva, but probably not visit again because there isn’t much to do, it is cold, and some other reasons. There are places that I wish I could rank because from what I’ve heard from family/friends that have been there they seem really good, like Moscow, Berlin and Hamburg, and when I visit them, I will update this list. Also irrelevant is the ease of getting to this city. Singapore isn’t hurt because it is the farthest commonly visited location from NYC than any other place, and London isn’t helped because it is 6 hours away.

A city includes sites and destinations that are a reasonable distance away, so Barcelona won’t get credit for the Playas that are 2-3 hours away (and are closer to Valencia), and Athens won’t get credit for Ephesus which is 3 hours away, but London would get credit for Stratford (or whatever it’s called where Shakespeare is from, or Oxford – and Rome gets credit for the Vatican, which for being a different country, is totally part of Rome) which is reasonably close.

60.) Qeuretaro (2014)

Admittedly, I'm adding this one because I couldn't think of a 60th. I did a project in Queretaro so I wasn't really a visitor here like in the other places. However, I spent a few weekends in Queretaro, and surveyed a lot of its restaurant scene, and found it a truly pleasant town. There is some historical significance, be it a pretty aqueduct, or a well preserved old town that doubles as a UNESCO heritage site. The food was excellent, with a lot of mid-range restaurants serving truly glorious authentic Mexican fare. There was also a bull ring and a burgeoning soccer club. There's no reason to visit it, but if you find yourselves a few hours from Mexico City, there's few better places than Queretaro.


59.) Kuala Lumpur (2013)

Our first day in Kuala Lumpur, I hated it. We didn't really plan much to do and aimlessly went around. The second day, where we had a plan, it became a lot better. There are a few standout sites, like the Menara KL, the Petronas Towers, the Bird Park. The food was excellent, from down home Malaysian cooking, to fancier places. The shopping is quite nice. There are myriad cooler cities in Southeast Asia, but when you give KL a chance, it really starts to shine.


58.) Phuket (2013)

I was sick for most of my time in Phuket, but the one day I was healthy was excellent, seeing the Phang Nga Bay (about 90 minutes from Phuket, but I'll count it). It was a beautiful bay, with so many incredible rocks and lagoons and caves. The town itself of Phuket is pristine sand and sunsets and everything you would expect, with solid Thai food. It's a beach town, which for me isn't all that exciting, but it is probably the best version of a beach town out there.


57.) Avignon (2018)

In reality, not sure if this deserves a spot, but I wanted the list to have a nice round number, and didn' want to put on a city that I only spent a layover in (e.g. Dubai, Buenos Aires). Avignon was a great city, that had nice architecture (including a nice palace/castle structure), really good food, a perfect little beer bar among a sea of wine spots. Nice city, one I really want to go back to as all of Provance is really quite nice.


56.) Belgrade (2017)

In 20 years, Belgrade may deserve a spot well up this list, but for now for a city on the rise it gets on. For advantages, Belgrade is cheap, it houses some nice history, really good restaurants, and a great bar and club scene. For negatives, none of these things are marketed well enough. Belgrade should continue to grow, and as it does it will replace dirty streets with cleaner ones, complete the renovation on its main church, and just overall work on the edges. Then again, I kind of like a city that can still have cool ass floating clubs with affordable bottle service.


55.) Da Lat (2013)

The little hamlet high above the Vietnamese hills, Da Lat was probably the most pleasant surprise of any place on my trip. The city itself is modeled after European cities, with parks, downtown circles and even a model Eiffel Tower. The surrounding areas houses more traditional Vietnamese fair, like temples, Buddhas, waterfalls and even roller coasters, all underneath a cool mountain air. Da Lat's hills hide many nice restaurants, bars and clubs. It isn't nearly as loud or as famous as Ho Chi Minh, Nha Trang or Hanoi, but Da Lat may be the most pure mix of Asia and Europe that I have seen. Also, it has an incredibly nice airport given the just six flights that fly there each day.


54.) Penang (2013)

There are positives and negatives to Penang, and depending how important the positives are relative to the negatives to you, Penang could rise or fall on your rankings. Personally, food and culture are really important to me, and Penang has both in spades. It may be a little overrated with food, but the seafood night markets that litter both Georgetown (the main city) and the beaches (all within an hour or so from Georgetown) are wonderful. The Nyonya food in Penang is far better than that in Kuala Lumpur. There is enough to see, including a nice little trek in Georgetown to some interesting historical buildings (the Cheong Fat Tze is a nice highlight). Of course, Penang is also very crowded, slightly dirty and the beaches themselves are quite barren. In the end, I find this fair for what I still consider a great eating spot.


53.) Warsaw (2014)

Warsaw may have gone higher had I spent more time there, but like many other European countries, the capital is often a bit too commercial, a bit too gray, than the smaller pearls of cities (like Krakow, for Poland). Warsaw has some great sites, like its main street and clock tower, the palace, and I'm sure a whole host of others I forgot about or didn't have time to visit, but it is a bit lost in a city a bit too big for its own good. The food is decent, but what I really want to commend is its bar scene. There were some great gastropubs and beer bars that littered across the Warszawa Central district.


52.) Positano (2019)

Positano may have ranked differently if we went a week later - after the start of their 'busy season'. Maybe it would have ended up higher because that's how most people see Positano, or maybe lower because the crowds and prices would have been unbearable. Anyway, Positano might be one of the prettiest towns I've ever visted, with incredible views from all directions, whether up top looking down and across, or down at sea level looking up to waves and waves of houses. Positano also had a slew of nice restaurants, shops and tourism fare, be it hikes or boating. Positano is also well connected to a bunch of other Amalfi Coast towns, be it Amalfi or Sorrento or otherwise. Nice town, but a bit too overpriced and popular (in the busy season, at least).


51.) Hong Kong (2003)

Hong Kong has little to do in terms of historical sights. With a couple countries claiming ownership of Hong Kong, they have done a nice job removing any ties to any country. Still, it has arguably the best skyline in the world (though after the new WTC complex is finished in all its glory, NYC will have a good claim to that spot), and being situated in front of and on a mountain gives it some excellent views. Their airport in universally hailed as great, and the gambling capital of Asia (Macau) is just a ferry ride away. But still, picking a place to be higher than 15^th given its total lack of history, or its lack of any particular brand of brilliance other than its propensity to build really tall buildings just feels wrong.


50.) Parma (2015)

Italy is the one country where I would love to just visit a lot of their secondary cities. Parma was a fantastic little slice of Italia. The food was excellent, and the eponymous cheese was even better. The balsamic was the cherry on top. Yes, Parma is almost fully a food tourism place. It also was a beautiful little town, replete with nice lanes serving drinks and good times late until the night. I wish I got more time in Parma to experience the life in the city.


49.) Cairo (2018)

My ranking of Cairo definitely includes Giza (about 30-60 min away, depending on traffic), and Saqqara, and adding to those two pyramid and druin complexes, if you add in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo has some truly top notch sites. Of course, my view of cities go beyond sites, and that is where Cairo starts to struggle, be it the lack of truly great food, the restrictive nightlife that puts most fun places out of the reach of solo travelers (the old 'couples only' rule). These things are important to me, particularly the food aspect, and Cairo doesn't stack up. It does with key sites though, and when you add in some nice neighborhoods, there is a chance I am being unfair here.


48.) Brussels (1999)

This is definitely further back than I wanted to go in these, as I only visited Brussels once and it was 20 years ago, but I do have distinct memories of the cities. Most are food related - be it the danishes or the mussels (in Brussels - get it? It rhymes!). I also remember the greenery, the flowers, the statues adn the beauty of the city. I do think if I go back 20 years later, it might fly up this list. But for a place I visited in my first trip abroad, I do have quite a distilled, lasting memory of the city.


47.) Jaipur (2013)

I hated traveling in India in my limited tourist experience in India prior to Rajasthan. First was Agra, where the Taj was nice but completely offset by the filth of Agra. Kerala was a mess. Given those two, was not too excited to be going to Rajasthan, but I have to say it was great. Jaipur is slightly too touristy, with most of the city, at least as far as I could tell, built off Forts, Palaces, strange Astronomical objects, and of course shopping. For pure tourism, it is probably the best city in India, even if it gets a bit too hot at times.


46.) Johannesburg (2016, 2018)

I've flown into and out of Johannesburg three different times, but spent a total of one night and about two days in the city, seeing a few of the main sites, but in reality not enough to get a real true sense of the city. What Joburg does have are some nice sites like the Apartheid Museum, a few gentrified neighborhoods, some classy foods and areas, the nice lion safari on its outskirts. The negatives are its sheer size (it takes forever to get from place to place), and the danger. Now, that danger part is being unfair - Cape Town has a higher murder rate, though most of that is localized into slums - but when you drive through posh districts and suburbs and every street has barbed wire it gives a less than stellar impression.


45.) Munich (2000 & 2009)

I have a strange history with quite a few international cities, and Munich is another one. I had both my 9^th and 18^th Birthday in Munich (in related news, I’m pretty sure where you can find me on April 7^th, 2018). The first during my initial trip to that part of the world, and the 2^nd on the penultimate day of our Orchestra’s tour of Austria (we flew out of Munich). Berlin is supposedly a great, modern city, but out of all the cities I have been to in Germany, Munich is by far the best. It is incredibly modern, and getting increasingly so, with modern architecture abound. It is the only European city with a skyline that can compare to those in the US (not a crucial factor, but still nice). The downside is there is little to see and that German food isn’t that good. Either way, Munich will always be the place to spend any birthday that is a multiple of nine, and for that alone, it gets on the list.

44.) Hanoi (2019)

If we average out the mess present at times in its clustered old town and the beauty of its large West Lake area, you get a truly great city. Hanoi is a bit more staid than its Vietnamese colleague in the South (further up the list), but it still has its charm. The lakes throughout city create a more atmosphere and some truly stunning temples and pagodas. The food, as it surely is thrughout Vietnam, is excellent. The beer flows well. There's nothing wrong with teh city, but there's no one feature that sets it apart.


43.) Siem Reap (2013)

Siem Reap is a one-stop town, in that the only real thing to see there is Angkor Wat, but do you know what (excuse the pun), that is enough to get it a spot on the list. Looking back at my time there, even the town itself of Siem Reap is quite nice - good restaurants, nice bars, enough to do when not lollygagging around the Angkor Wat complex. Anyway, that's not to say that it would be ranked had Angkor Wat been there. Angkor Wat is one of the better two day tourism sites I've ever been to, a parade of amazing history. It's an added bonus that they've developed the town enough to make the nights fun as well.


42.) Punta Arenas (2017)

It's odd that none of the Patagonia cities are that close to the sites that surround those areas, so they were hard to judge. Punta Arenas is probably the most substantial town of the three we visited, with an actual down-town, with nice ornate buildings and squares, The best part of the city is an unexplainable sense of being so far away from home, from anywhere, with Punta Arenas being the Southernmost city of more than 50,000 people. There are of course some nice restaurants and bars, and a good mix of locals and tourists, which created a nice atmosphere as well. Of course, with the Tierra del Fuego and Isla Magdalena Penguins within driving distance, the tourism isn't too bad either.


41.) Florence (2003)

I’ll admit that Florence should probably be higher on this list, but it is my list of favorite cities that I would recommend. This is a strange combination, because personal favorites are wholly subjective, while cities that you recommend should be somewhat objective. Anyway, my problem with Florence is I’m not really into art, and if you aren’t than there is little to do in Florence. If you like art, specifically really detailed portraits from the renaissance era, then you will love Florence. If you don’t, then it will be something of a bore to a disappointment.

40.) Udaipur (2013)

Our first new city on the list is my 2nd Indian city on the list. As somehow who hated traveling in India, picking a city that is in one of the hottest areas in the country, and a city I visited during their hot dry season, this high might seem surprising. Well, I can't recommend Udaipur, along with Rajasthan as a hole, enough. The city has some beautiful scenery being built on a far more hilly area of the country than you would expect. They have famous lakes that hold famous hotels built on famous castles. They have nice food and street shows that line the corridors of the inner city. THere's the strange love for the movie Octopussy, where screenings are shown nightly. There's a beautiful palace inside the city. And I'll stretch my 'sites withing 1.5 hours count' rule by saying that the Jain Temple at Ranakpur was incredible - and in any modern country it would be within 1.5 hours.


39.) Split (2017)

Both of my two new cities are coastal Croatian outposts, and first comes the bigger of the two cities, in Split. There is so much to like about Split, be it the sprawling old town with enough sites and small alleys lined with shops and restaurant to keep you busy way too long, or the modern clubs and restaurants, or the sites from its hills. I guess in theory I can include the island of Hvar as well as that is within a 1-hour boat ride away, which adds beautiful beaches and mountains to this as well. Split as a whole might be a little too commercialized - they had a lot of stalls selling the normal tourist fares that aren't always appreciated, but the city truly is a beautiful slice of culture deep in Croatia. I do love how varied the drink and food scene is there as well.


38.) Lima (2016)

Lima has a few things going for it. First, its culinary brilliance, with two restaurants ranking in the Top 10 in the World per San Pelligrino's list (the most accepted of that type of list), one being Maido, a Japanese-Peruvian sensation. The sites aren't the best, few major cities are in retrospect, with a few museums and halls. The real sites of Lima are the whisping cliffs, the shops and the eclectic nightlife. The best South American cities combine Andean views with European charms, and few big ones do it better than Lima.


37.) El Calafate (2017)

I have a few inexplicable choices on this list, and El Calafate, a more or less one-road town, might be at the top of those odd choices. I mean, literally 95% of the restaurants and shops are either on, or right off of, the main road. Of course, those restaurants and shops are fantastic, a great number of restaurants with fine Argentinean fare (Parilla's, and more earthern restraurants). Of course, the bars are great as well, from chic library-style cocktails, to an American craft beer oasis. However, none of that would place it on this list, but the irreplaceable Perito Moreno does. One of the greatest tourist joys of my life was walking around and then on that amazing, stunning glacier. A perfect mix of blues and whites, cascading chalks of ice, and the hoth-like conditions when traversing its face. All of it special.


36.) Aswan (2018)

Sadly, I can't list 'The Nile Cruise' as a city, because combining Luxor, Esna, Edfu and Aswan would probably deserve quite a higher spot. However, only the last of those (Edfu) is probably within the 90 minute range. Aswan is a nice city, with open streets, nice restaurants and hotels off of the Nile, architectural marvels both new (the Aswan Dam) and old (Phillae temple complex and Elephantine Island). When you add in the sites within its radius, it starts to glow as Egypt's less cluttered jewel.



35 & 34.) Prague/Budapest (2000)

These two are kind of blended together for me. I visited them essentially right after each other, both 13 years ago so my memory of each is a little hazy. I remember both for mainly positives. They are both beautiful cities, with lovely rivers running through them. They have some stuff to see, but not a whole lot. They are more affordable than the major cities in Western Europe, which is a plus (but also English –at least then – is not very transferrable to there). Budapest has some great food (Goulash!), while Prague is a pilgrimage for Catholics.


33.) Phnom Penh (2013)

I lied when I said that Da Lat was the biggest surprise of the trip. Phnom Penh was. I wasn't expecting too much from Canbodia's capital, but the mix of history, good and bad, food, nightlife and surprising urbanity made Phnom Penh a real highlight for me. I really loved Cambodian food, and it was at its best in Phnom Penh, a perfect mix of Malay and Thai cuisine. Phnom Penh itself embraced its own history, not shying away from the terrible acts of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, maintaining multiple areas in the city to pay tribute to those who died. The rest of the city pays tribute to the rich culture of Cambodia that preceded the destruction, with large pagodas in beautiful parks and nice museums. Phnom Penh also has a nice riverfront area that is really, really lively at night. Add into all of this that the currency of choice in the Dollar, and you get a really nice, underrated city.


32.) Melbourne (2013)

Melbourne could be a Top-10 city to spend four or five days in. There is not too much to do, but enough to keep you occupied. If you like sports, which I do, then it is even better. Melbourne tries to lay claim to the Sporting Capital of the World, and when you mix together one of Tennis' four main tournaments with the 2nd most famous Cricket Ground (and most famous Aussie Rules ground) in the world right next door, it is hard to argue. Melbourne's riverfront is a beautiful area, with amazing views of the city around it. It's food options are endless, with really good Asian cuisine throughout the city. The nightlife seemed nice enough. It also has some really beautiful scenery around an hour of its boundaries, with beautiful parks, wine regions and the Great Ocean Road. Add into that Philipp Island, which just hits the cutoff to be included with Melbourne, and you get a solid, Top-15 city.


31.) Turin (2015)

I was close to picking Parma, as then I could include the Parma cheese factories, but picking Turin allows me to count the Piedmont wine country, and those little towns that dot it. Turin the city though, is a understated version of how incredible Italy is. It has the requisite churches and squares, but also has the open palacial squares and river-fronts that you normally associate with other countries in Europe. It has some incredible little hamlets of food, with great options for eating throughout the day (some excellent tea joints). My favorite place in Turin actually wasn't one of the two main squares, but Piazza Vittorio Veneto, one that borders the river with an amazing view of the city behind it. It was the last place we went to in Turin, an incredible capper to an unexpected amazing day in a great city.