5 Places I Just Gotta Go

I know you guys aren't expecting a post this soon. So I won't count on a response for another week or so. Anyway, as the title states, I'm going to write about 5 places I really want to go, in no particular order.


Savusavu, Fiji--I've been to Fiji 3 times, to 4 different islands, and Savusavu is, by far, my favorite. There's a song about Savusavu the koro wananavu--basically Savusavu the cool village. There is a curry shop, The Harbor Cafe, at the south end of town that has the best curry I have ever tasted, ever. My friend Tora and I called it The Curry Cap. That alone is enough to want to visit again. It doesn't compare, however, to the view that you have coming down into Savusavu as you drive from Labasa. God's Country. No related book.


Mediterranean Coast of Spain (Barcelona and Valencia)--This is the part of Spain that is responsible for Paella--something akin to and, perhaps the ancestor of, Jambalaya. It is also home to 2 of the greatest soccer clubs in the world, FC Barcelona and Valencia CF. Another side note: this part of Spain was a thorn in Franco's side and leans a little to the left. Right now, as I'm typing, if I could go anywhere it would be this part of Spain to practice my Spanish and learn Catalan. Related book--Barca by Jimmy Burns.


La Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina--This is another soccer trip. I love Boca Juniors. They are based in a barrio full of color called La Boca. It was a hotbed for immigrants from Genoa, Italy. Have you ever tried Gnochi? It's big in Argentina and mighty tasty. Plus, River Plate v. Boca Juniors is thought by many to be the greatest soccer rivalry in the world. La mitad mas uno. Related book--Rayuela (Hopscotch in English) by Julio Cortazar.


Tuscaloosa, Alabama--My Paternal Grandparents are from Alabama. They were sharecroppers. So for me this is nostalgic. I am very sensitive to the differences and similarities between places that share points on the compass--The South, The West, The North, The East. I am particularly drawn to The South. I would like to go to school at the University of Alabama, just one of the checkpoints on my Follow Forrest to Happiness Tour. I'm putting it in writing right here, right now; The Crimson Tide have the best uniforms in all of sports. And remember, The Stars Fell on Alabama. Related book--To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.


Angel Stadium, California--I don't like Southern California, but I'm intrigued by the palms, the ugliness, the traffic, the Spanish names, and the greatest baseball player of the last decade--Super Vlad. At heart, I'm a fan of the national league style of baseball. But, there's nothing like a huge Dominican sending a bounced pitch over fence, hobbling around the bases like his legs are asleep, and throwing an overexcited runner out from the right field wall. Related book--Ask The Dust by John Fante.