Its been a BIG travel year and I couldn’t have been more blessed. My normal annual goals for foreign countries visited is 4 but I hit it out of the park this year with 17. What a year!  The 5 months I spent on the road were so eye opening filled with new experiences, wonderful reunions, amazing new friends and just a few mishaps to make sure I wasn’t getting too careless. Plus how could I forget World Wide Capoeira (keeps me on my toes, keeps me humble and keeps me in shape when I’ve had one too many foreign pastries).As an end of the year summary, here’s a favorite photo from each country I visited.  And to answer the question that I get asked most frequently about my trip, scroll to the end to find out my favorite destination from 2012. 1. Japan

I was so fortunate to be in Japan during the Cherry Blossom season. This picture was taken in Kyoto.  Cherry Blossoms by moonlight are magically beautiful!

 2. Korea

I loved how the temples in Korea included bright vibrant colors along with the more subdued wood, stone and concrete.

My trip to Australia was all about Capoeira and not as much about sightseeing  But I did take a minute to visit Coogee Beach and shot this picture from a bird’s eye view (walking not flying).

4. Qatar

Staying out of the Qatari heat by wandering the passageways of the Souq .

5. Turkey

Food Shopping? Souvenir Shopping? Furniture shopping? Yep – you’re in the right place!  Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar.

6. UAE

The Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi – one of the most beautiful structures I’ve ever seen.

7. Lebanon

One of the things I loved about Lebanon is the contrast of the new and the old, the traditional and the contemporary, the preserved and the destroyed.

8. Cyprus

Island life on Cyprus is oh so nice!

9. Hungary

Like in Australia, I spent most of my time in Hungary practicing Capoeira, but I did manage to get a few good pictures of this beautiful city between trainings and rodas.

10. Spain

On the streets of Pamplona after the Running of the Bulls.  Ma drid and Barcelona were great, but taking part in this festival was one for the books!

11. Portugal

Take a short train ride from Lisbon to the beautiful mountain town of Sintra. Amazing views,  plenty of hikes and a quaint village center. A great weekend away from it all.

12. U.K.

Representing the USA at the 2012 Olympics in London

13. Austria

Amazing gardens of Schonbrunn Castle in Vienna

14. Germany

At the German Bundestag – a great self guided tour if you get the chance

15. The Netherlands

My future river boat home along the canals of Utrecht, The Netherlands

 

I was so pleasantly impressed by the old world charm, the food, the shopping and the atmosphere of Antwerp, Belgium

17. France

Its hard to take a bad picture in Paris, but I just loved the rooftops and the skyline in this shot.

And so which country ended up being my favorite from my 2012 world tour? Of course I have to go through the beauty pageant disclaimer…All places I visited were amazing and all of the countries were winners in their own ways.  Blah, blah, blah…

OK…seriously…it was a hard choice, but I have to say, in the end my favorite country was the Netherlands.  I loved the fact that the cities were small enough to easily navigate (even on bicycle) but large enough to keep you entertained with museumes, shopping, good food and outdoor public areas.  And bonus: almost every city has a Capoeira group where I can train.   Also, an extensive train system meant I could hop between cities quite easily.  I loved the mix of cultures I found in Amsterdam,  The Hague, Utrecht and the beautiful laid back nature of Gouda and Maastricht. Plus, across the board, each Dutch person I met (both in and outside of the Netherlands) was amazingly kind and welcoming.  But more than anything, I just felt really at ease in the Netherlands and I’m not sure that even I can put an finger on exactly why. I know I lucked out going in the summer when the weather is warmer, but I think I would feel at home in the Netherlands at anytime of year.  I will be heading back that way for sure…hopefully in 2013.