I’ll never forget the time in 2001 when my then-16 year old son asked the question. He was intent and seemed almost, fearful. “Mom, was I ever in the World Trade Center?”
It seems even at his age he felt a need to be able to say, “Yes, I’ve been there,” much like the adults among us that brag about their travels on Facebook and personal blogs, and through Flickr and maps populated with virtual push pins.
Everybody’s keeping score. In some ways, though, his reverent question touched me, for it reflected perhaps the newer reality, that the Twin Towers were now hallowed ground. It also reinforced that primal urge, to be there first, to experience something before its relevance is diminished by external forces.
I almost felt the whoosh of relief from him when I answered, “Yes, you were there, in fact, you may not remember, but we ate at Windows On the World, the restaurant there, several times with your grandparents.” (This could lead to a whole other discussion on whether it counts or matters that you have been someplace, if you can’t remember it personally, or never left the airport, but I digress).
That strange conversation, or rather, the strange unexpected upside-down world events that prompted it, did have an impact: We made sure we visited the Empire State building – which he had never been in – the next time we went to New York.
In the years since, it has informed and influenced our travels greatly. Forget about those books touting 10,000 places to visit before you die, we’ve been forced, by the world’s uncertainties, to start ticking off the places we want to visit before they’re destroyed.
The tally is disheartening: WTC — leveled, the Buddhas of Bamyan – blown up, the Amazon -now being rapidly deforested, Haiti — flattened, numerous Indian Ocean sites — washed over by the tsunami, the Acropolis and the pyramids — overrun with tourists and decaying from pollution. There seems to be an earthquake a minute these days — more than enough to spark the fear that your most desired destination with crack up or slide off the map.
Some monuments have simply succumbed to time and decay while others became victims of man-made catastrophes, including a dizzying array lost during World War II. I was amazed while in Hanoi to find that the back end of the infamous Hanoi Hilton had been razed – for an office tower. Where will it end? Or, more alarmingly, when will it end?
With all the dire predictions on the years, decades or lifetimes it will take for the Gulf to recover from the oil spill down there, this has never been a more thought provoking matter.
Let’s face it, terrorism isn’t the only thing that can wipe a vista off the fact of the earth – industrial accidents, acts of war, fires, floods, hurricanes, volcanoes, modern “progress,” and even steady erosion, can all take a toll. Even being ‘discovered’ as a tourist destination can substantially ruin the experience for those who come late in the game. How vulnerable is the place you want to see ‘sometime?’
For myself, I’m glad I’ve been able to work through a goodly portion of my “A list.” I got to go to Petra before the throngs inspired by the Indiana Jones series walked all over it, I saw the Natural Arches in Bermuda before they were wiped out, I trekked through the relatively unspoilt (and seldom visited) Mekong jungles of Viet Nam, I walked down a deserted volcano crater in Hawaii, I hung out in Niagara Falls before they built casinos, I remember Las Vegas when it still had a Sands and a Stardust hotel, and I’ve gone to a number of ‘deserted’ or ‘undiscovered’ habitats specifically to see the trees, fish, beaches, historical buildings, etc., before they were gone with the wind, rain, political coup or whatever.
So, what do you want to see while it’s still here? Here’s a list of some considerations:
If you’re an American and want to see any historical or natural landmark, think about doing it sooner rather than later because, you know, the U.S. seems to be the biggest bull’s-eye for terrorist activities.
The Alamo, Mt. Rushmore – get ‘em before they’re hot and smoked. While the Grand Canyon is popular and spectacular, I’m not sure what anyone would be able to do to a 2 mile hole in the ground.
The stadium – love the old time feel of one of our landmark parks and arenas? Go! Build it and they will come has become a death sentence for Old Ebbets Field and a number of those sentimental favorites.
The Eiffel Tower – It’s well-recognized, French and romantic, so you know someone hates it.
Libya- Be an early adopter. Word is, this country is littered with beauty spots and ancient finds, like the untouched Roman city of Leptis Magna. It’s poised to be the next Egypt – get there before everyone else does. Speaking of Egypt, one of its last hidden gems is the Oasis of Siwa. Shh! Don’t tell anyone else!
Antarctica – Not everyone’s cup of cold tea, and usually seen from the deck of a cruise ship, but they keep adding observation stations and other junk. See it before it either melts, or becomes an antarctic slum.
The Amazon – the WSJ recently ran a rather disturbing piece on the number of shopping malls (yes, you read that right) that are cropping up in this territory that most think of as remote. Get there soon, or the only ‘remote’ thing about the region might be the one for your hotel’s TV.
Africa — Numerous places in this breathtaking continent are under threat. Mt. Kilimanjaro is listed by the UN as seriously threatened by illegal logging, other areas are undergoing large-scale tourist development, and some are being plundered by outside interests for oil and valuable minerals. Just make sure it’s safe – no use getting caught in a coup and ending your streak.
Asia — as their white-hot economies continue to heat up, many of these little developed nations are beginning to burn up natural resources such as rivers (by damming) and natural vistas and ancient cultural sites (through building programs). Cambodia has been slower to develop, which might be to its advantage. Wildlife experts and scientists continue to find and identify previously unknown exotic species of flowers, frogs, lizards and animals. Get there before the local Marriott, so you can see it in all its untamed glory.
Tibet – It used to so mystical and hard to reach, increasingly the only mystery is which hotel to book through Expedia. Visit while it still has some karma left.
Spain & Portugal – Government austerity programs are no fun, even if you’re just visiting. Take a gander at its grand old elegance before modern unrest sets in and while the currency is still good.
Any coral reef near you – even before oil was polluting the ocean with regularity, these fragile eco-systems had been on the decline. Shipping, souvenir hunters, careless scuba divers and chemicals have all taken their toll. If you’ve never seen one of these wonders under the ocean, you haven’t truly seen our planet. Take a dive, and while you’re at it, send a few dollars to the Ocean Conservancy – maybe your children will still be able to see some of it.
Stonehenge — Even European landmarks have their troubles. This ancient wonder has been placed on a most threatened list because of the British government’s failure to manage road traffic near the site. One expert lamented that the site had been “brutally divorced from its context” and that “seeing it without its surrounding landscape is to experience only a fraction of this historical wonder.”
Easter Island – even this iconic far-flung refuge is in danger, its tree bare slopes and shores causing the island to dissolve into the ocean. In addition, the burgeoning tourist trade has resulted in an excess of trash that the locals dispose of through burning. Visit responsibly.
Venice – Over on the other side of the world, this site is allegedly sinking, and although even most scientists measure the ocean’s rising tides in miniscule segments, the government’s plan to dredge a harbor for a cruise ship terminal and shipping port threatens to substantially accelerate that process. And, the influx of salty water lapping at the centuries’ old buildings because of the sea level rise is advancing their decay.
Cuba – OK, so don’t break the law – it’s illegal for most Americans to go there – but be poised to book when the government finally opens the doors because it won’t take long after the rush for the dynamics to change. Since it’s legal for employees of my humanitarian agency to go there, I can tell you the place is a paradise for fans of old cars, warm beaches, hot food, and cool music.
This is just a small, but sorry, sampling of significant places that are fighting for survival, or that could be the next quick target. If you do choose to visit, please be sensitive to the conditions that can lead to the decline of many of these treasures. There’s no use adding to the problem. If you go, be ‘green,’ be respectful and try to patronize smaller, independent (but safe) operators, consider staying a bit further out from any attraction, and visit during the ‘off-season,’ if there is one.
Photo: Leptis Magna
