Recipe Per Request

2 cans artichoke hearts (drain, squeeze out extra water, and cut into pieces)
2 cans black olives (drain)
2 cans bamboo shoots (drain)
2 cans mushrooms (drain)
2 cups zucchini sliced very thin
bottle Italian dressing (low oil)
package Hidden Valley Ranch

 

 

This is a recipe from my mother-in-law. It makes a lot of servings too. I took it to a dinner and it was a crowd pleaser and everyone wanted the recipe so here it is:

Combine ingredients and mix in a bowl. That’s it :)

Jacob : This salad is soo good.  I had 5 helpings at our “break the fast” dinner.

A Rant From A Small Business Owner

Alert...I (Kalli) am going to rant...sorry in advance. I will reveal some of my conservative leanings in this post.

Speaking of charity from the last post, I found it kind of ironic...

I have a friend on Facebook, a staunch liberal, who likes to say conservatives just don't care about the needy...after all, they don't support tax raises that just want to provide welfare to others...they are selfish because they want to keep the money they earned...after all, they have a lot of it, right?

But if you research it you'll find statistics that say on average, conservatives donate 30 % more of their income to charity than liberals, as well as donate more time and even more blood to charitable causes.

It seems the current government's way of management is to take money from people who worked smart and earned it and give it to the poor, helpless, little people...isn't that generous??? Obama's like a parent with 300 million helpless children who gives out handouts left and right taken from the mean, bad business owners who dare to be successful and make a lot of money.

Oh wait, that's me and Jacob.

I'm mad. Jacob and I work hard to budget our money, and for what purpose? So that the federal government can blow their budget out of the water? And I'm supposed to help pay for that via taxes? It's nice to know that for months January through April we will donate all of our money that we earned so that the government can put up one powerful, yet succinct, paragraph on its 18 million dollar website. Not.

It's not that we don't care about people who are struggling right now. We donate a lot of money to various charities every year. But I like getting to choose where my money is allocated--to which charities and for what purpose. The government is not a charity I would like to donate to.

I still like Obama personally and I still wouldn't have wanted to see McCain's face for four years.

But so far his lip service to small business has been just that, lip service.

I only ask for one thing from the government. And that is, to use my money wisely. I don't want them to tell me my morals, or to tell me anything really. I just want them to stay out of my business and get the job done. With as minimal amount of my money as possible.

If this continues, we're moving to Canada.

Or...India!!! We'll probably be leaving in a week. I'm nervous. We've got our visas, passports, vaccinations, and mini-size towels, blow and hair dryers, etc. We've been incorporating the business, preparing taxes, and getting everything organized before heading out again while staying with Jacob's parents...The plan is currently New Delhi, Agra to see the Taj Mahal, Varanasi the holiest city of India, and then settling in Kolkata, former home of Mother Teresa. We'll see though, we have been known to change plans last minute.

The Storehouse

For the first time, I got to see what a Bishop's Storehouse looks like when Jacob and I volunteered there this week. Yet one more reason I am proud to be Mormon. It's like the best non profit ever.

The way it works is that struggling families can go to their bishop, or congregation leader, to ask for help. The bishop, based on their situation, gives them permission to go to the bishop's storehouse, which is like a grocery store where items are given, not purchased, and in return they perform a service that the Church needs, like cleaning the church building. I asked the other workers there if anyone is paid, and I was told that it is run completely by volunteers, mostly retired men and women.

Awesome, right?? I was amazed at how huge it was, the variety, and the resources that the Church has in times of emergency. Not only are we encouraged to have 2 years of food storage, but in the event that something happened and Jacob and I needed help, we would always have a resource to turn to.

The LDS Church strongly encourages self reliance and independence, because when you are, you are better in the position to help others. So the Storehouse isn't a free ride, but sort of a step up when you're really out of luck.

This is also why I love paying tithing. Tithe, which literally means "tenth" is a voluntary contribution to the Church. I have seen so often how it is used for the good that it is a privilege to be able to pay it. For example, BYU tuition is so low because tithing helps to fund it. In Turkey, humanitarian aid missionaries were helping to distribute free wheelchairs all over Turkey. And now we got to see how our tithing pays for food of needy families all around the globe.

And all of this is distributed by people who are not paid! It is really incredible.

Awesomest drumming

This is probably one of the coolest drumming demos I have ever seen!

I love the aggressive stance and power of these drummers.  They have some serious panache going on (I love using that word).

This is from the Epcot Center in Disney World.

 

Disney World or Universal Studios?

As soon as you get to Orlando for vacation you realize that there are a lot of choices for parks;  4 Disney Parks and 2 Universal Studios.  Which one is the right choice?
We recently went to Florida and visited Disney World (Ebcot Center) and both Universal Studios; I thought I would add my 2 cents.

Initial Impression

DW: As soon as you step in the gates to Disney World there is a certain feeling of awe that lasts the duration of the visit.  The layout, the sites, and the entire visual and audio experience is very other worldly and keeps you consistently interested.  I felt everything was done with the utmost attention to detail and taste.
Disney seems to take pride in everyone being part of the magic, and so the employees at Disney World were all smiling and pleasant.  For instance the people who take your pictures as you walk into the park were not pushy, in fact, they took our picture with our own camera for us.
US: I looove roller coasters so I was excited for Universal Studios, however after experiencing the other worldliness of Disney I was disappointed to feel like I was going into just another amusement park.  Rock and roll music clanged as throngs of thrill seekers piled into Universal Studios.  The park was very well done but the feeling was very comparable to a 6 flags etc… 
Employees from the outset were clearly just working their day job.  To use the same example of the photographers, here you clearly wanted to avoid them, as they seemed pushy.
Rating for Initial Impression
DW – 9.5 – Great attention to detail, aw inspiring, beautiful sites.
US – 6 -  A big and well done amusement park.

Rides and Activities

DW: Rides and activities are very well done, although they may not be as intense as a roller coaster, they are definitely interesting, enlightening and well done.  Some of my favorite rides were “Honey I Shrunk the Kids”, a great 4-D experience very well done,  “Soarin’” – A Hang glider simulation.  “Space Ship Earth” – A ride through civilization with a funny and personal video at the end.  The attendants were also “into” the job and added to the experience. 
US: The 4-D and experience rides were not as well done as DW, but US did have roller coasters, of which “Incredible Hulk,” and “Dueling Dragons” were my favorite.  US is divided into 2 parks (separate ticket required) and only one of them has roller coasters.  I also liked the “Jurassic Park” ride which features incredible moving Dinosaur models, which of course are attacking you!  The “Simpsons” ride was the best simulation / 4-D ride and was very well done.
Rating for Rides and Activities
DW – 8 – While the rides were not as thrilling, they were often more interesting, and gave a fresh, new and often educational experience.  Many of the rides and activities left me with a lasting sense of “that was really neat.”  The rides here also had no sense of being cheap, they all seemed to have cost an absolute fortune and spared no expense.
US – 7 – The experience rides and simulations were not quite as well done, and sometimes appeared a bit cheap.  There were do higher thrills then DW but it was just another level of experience.

Pricing

Both parks ran about 60 – 80 bucks a ticket.  I felt that DW was a great deal because many of the attractions such as the music, and amazing fireworks display were at no additional charge.  It is expensive but for the price you get a lot at DW. 
DW is the better value for pricing.

Food

US had some nice choices including the big turkey leg (one of my favorites), as well as some restaurants that were better than fast food.  DW had snack stops, as well as fine dining that could run 20 – 50 dollars per plate.
DW has more food choice although no Turkey legs ;(

Highlights etc…

Ambiance and crowd in Disney World is different from other parks.  People go there as families with the mindset of a wholesome family event.  This was different from the other amusement parks that attracted groups of thrill seekers.  The awing (?) ambiance of the park keeps the feeling very nice.
Note – While the park ambiance was nice and even “wholesome” it was actually NOT hokey or Barnyish (although they do have a Barney ride).  I can’t say this wouldn’t be true in other parts of Disney World that are perhaps more targeted at kids.
Epcot center has a portion of the park where each area is built to look like a foreign country.  The experience is completed by DW hiring natives from each country who run that portion of the park.  They come directly from their country to work at DW for 1 – 2 years, so they are the real deal.  It was interesting for Kalli and I to see Morocco, Germany, and England from this point of view.  Morocco’s area really gave us a nostalgic feeling, except the vendors were much much less aggressive :)

These international areas also had authentic restaurants and cuisine, as well as rides or display’s to learn about their country.  We ate in China and it was very good.  Each area also played music or displayed other traditions and had shop areas that would be very similar to the country’s own shops.

Final Suggestion

For both parks lines can be very long.  DW has an option to use a “fast lane” which allows you to come back a couple hours later and skip the line.  This was very nice, and saved us a lot of line time.
US has an upgrade option for $30 per passenger that gives you an “express” pass.  This allows you to bypass the line.  There’s just something wonderful about passing people waiting!

    

The Winner

It’s probably obvious by now, but Disney World is the place to go if you are in Orlando and having to choose between the 2.
I love rides, but a if you want a roller coaster experience you can get that in your own state, 6 flags, Worlds of Fun etc...  Disney offers a unique experience that has no equal in other amusement parks.  The ambiance, and setup of the park is incredible and very tastefully done.  Only after I had fully soaked up the DW experience would I consider coming to Orlando to go for Universal Studios.
Both parks are a blast, but DW offers an experience that deserves your time if you are going on a 1 – 4 day vacation.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, please comment below.

Technorati Tags: Disney World Universal Studio Florida Vacation

eBook Readers Comparison and Review: Amazon Kindle vs Sony Touch vs Barnes and Noble Nook

 

My conversion to eBook Reading devices is complete.

I went into this with a penchant towards wanting to use the device, for economic and logistic reasons, but skeptical that an electrical device could create the same degree of mysticism that a traditional book could create.

The reading experience for me has clearly been enhanced.  If you haven't considered an electronic reading device consider the following...

Convincing rhetoric (I hope) on the side of using an eBook reader; In no particular order.

1.     Never decide which book you want to take with you again!

Just grab your electronic bookshelf and you have got anything you ever want to read…  In fact you have an entireBarnes and Noble right at your finger tips (well Amazon.com). 

2.     Never look for a book again!

When you are reading 10 books at a time finding the one you want to read NOW, can be frustrating… not any more.

3.     Take a Barnes and Noble err Amazon… with you anywhere!

Uhh.. yeah covered above, but isn’t it nice to peruse around a Barnes and Noble?  I love to just browse the books.  Well now you can do it anywhere, and anytime.

4.     Listen to music (or speed read guides) as you read.

Some music is nice to read to, but I have a speed reading pacing system I listen to as I read… it is now very easy to manage my speed reading lessons.  Speed reading is the real deal!

5.     One page only?!  Yep…

I actually enjoy only having once screen and don’t want a double screen device.  Much simpler to read without going back and forth.

6.     Never lose a book (library security)

All books are stored in one location.  You can retrieve them or get the backup at anytime.

7.     Cheaper books…  Millions are even free.

With no material costs books are at a fraction of the price $1 – 9.95 are typical prices…

The Gutenberg project by Google as accumulated millions of copyright free books that are free to download and read… Dracula, Frankenstein, Alice in Wonderland and many many others…

8.     MUCH smaller packing job… particularly relevant to Kalli and I.

Our heaviest and most spacially greedy items are books.  What a relief to replace them all with this tiny device.

9.     Read to me feature… (in some editions)

The read to me feature so you can continue the reading in the car, on the go, or if you just prefer being read to.

10.     Never “find your place again” and manage a large reading selection.

This may be a bit trivial but you simply choose your book, and go.

To sum it up:  Maintaining, and enjoying a large and affordable reading selections is now much easier.

Kindle vs Sony Touch vs B&N Nook

We live on the road.  Those who know us understand that we are not exaggerating here.  We have no home and we live in a new country every other month.

Finding English books is sometimes near impossible, and the small load of books we have is the heaviest and weightiest item.

An eBook reader for us made sense if only just to save all the space.  ( we each carry only one suitcase).

I bought or was gifted all three of the top machines and only kept one.  After my own experience and a fair amount of research here’s my rant on the eBook wave.

So the search began, and was particularly frustrating.

You see, each book only accepts certain formats which means each device has a more or less limited reading supply.  Which is issue #1

ISSUE 1 Selection:  Kindle vs Sony Touch vs B&N Nook

 

Which device has the greatest selection of books?

I’ll make this one quick.

Well, the selection could be sufficient for most readers, one may occasionally contain a book or two that the other doesn’t.  Any of the above selections may or may not completely satisfy a random sampling of readers.  From my perspective there is no clear winner or loser here, but they all have very large and growing selections, but they are all missing millions of books.

If you are looking for a specific genre check the perspective official sites below to get a feel for the book selections of each company.

FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS ON BOOK SELECTION - IMO

Although the companies are trying to get the “monopoly” by having their own proprietary formats, publishers are wanting to expand their audiences and allowing their books to be posted in both formats. 

All companies have a a lot of books to digitize!  But there are plenty of books available.

 

ISSUE 2 – Which SHOULD be a non-issue…

Program and page turning speed; which make a large part of the “ebook experience.”

As stated above, this should be a non issue.  The problem is these new screens have very slow refresh rates, which makes page turning down right annoying.

Sony - Program and page turning speed.

Sony’s first ereader was way too slow to even consider.  Waiting between page turns is just not an option.

Sony’s Touch edition is far improved.  But still not as fast as the Kindle 2.

Although Kindle 2 is faster, the swipe feature to turn pages is very neat, although it’s really not that much faster or more effective.  It’s neat though!

B&N Nook – Program and page turning speed.

We took this baby out of the pacakaged impressed by the intial look and feel of the device but…

SLOOOOOWWWest of all!

Page turn and menu navigation is problematically and fatally slow.  The sluggishness of this device renders it darn near unusable.  It feels like you are waiting seconds for each page turn.

Kindle 2 - Program and page turning speed.

This is the fastest page turner and navigating machine.  Page turn Speed could still improve, but the Kindle 2 turns pages at an acceptable speed.

The Winner for Program and page turning speed?

Kindle 2 is easily the snappiest device available.

FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS ON PROGAM SPEED AND PAGE TURNING

I think this should be and will soon be a non issue as new devices come forth and the competition and technology race moves forward. 

How fast  a page can turn should not be a reason to buy or not buy an ebook reader… but for now it is.

ISSUE 3 – SETUP, USABILITY, AND OVERALL EASE OF USE.

Not going to get too techy here.  Overall how easy is it to place books on the reader, manage your book selection, acquire new reading material etc…

Sony - SETUP, USABILITY, AND OVERALL EASE OF USE.

Initially I was very impressed.  The Sony touch had a nice feel and simple set up for managing books.  Via wifi I could connect to the internet to Sony’s Books Store, or via the software I could manually add books downloaded to my desktop.

PROBLEM! – I could not get the software to work.  Period!  I am a fairly techy guy and I could not get the software going on my laptop.  I researched hours on forums and found countless others having the same problem.

The software problems made things VERY limited.  Books would not be properly formatted into chapters and books uploaded manually have virtually no formatting, no indenting, no paragraphs etc… 

I spent my 8 hours or so trying to get the software to work so I could properly get new books.  Fail.

I have had a total of 2 (that I can remember) unsolvable software issues in my computer history, this being #2… 

So to find out how easy it works you’ll have to find someone who could actually get the software working.  Given you can get your books in the machine.  You will like the setup.

B&N Nook – SETUP, USABILITY, AND OVERALL EASE OF USE.

Pretty machine!  Some are misled that it is a color screen but really it is only a colored navigation bar.  The ever present navigation bar is handy, and easy to navigate.  But this machine is plagued with one biiig problem.

It’s sooooo slooow! 

Navigation although well setup takes so long to load as to negate it’s smart framework.

Almost great, gone bad, by slow system speed.

Kindle 2 - SETUP, USABILITY, AND OVERALL EASE OF USE.

I had a set of free scriptures on the book within 5 minutes. 

I was browsing Google within 6 minutes.

I was browsing Amazon’s enormous selection and reading from samples within 7 minutes.

I was having the book read aloud in 7 ½ minutes…

In 10 minutes I had it loaded up with my music, old books, and knew how the entire device functioned.

In 11 minutes I was drooling and googooing about how great it was (and really haven’t stopped since.)

The Kindle connects via Wifi or free ATT network (worldwide) to download new books, browse google, etc etc..

The Winner for SETUP, USABILITY, AND OVERALL EASE OF USE?

The Kindle by far was easiest to have it out of the package, setup, and in full swing with very very slight learning curve.

The device has simple navigation, a keyboard for fast typing, quick and intuitive menus, and is very minimalist in layout.

No one wants to have to learn a new device and Kindle has done the trick.

 FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS ON SETUP, USABILITY, AND OVERALL EASE OF USE?

Some devices are just heading in the wrong direction here.  With an eReader you just want to do a few things really well.  Read, acquire new selections, and manage your library.  Anything that does less than this isn’t hitting the mark.  Anything doing more than this, AND in the process mucking up the real point of the device is also missing the mark.

Don’t get me wrong I’m all for some additional functions like web browsing, and a few others that I’ll mention at the end of this rant, but…

Any additional neat features should not detract from the original goal of the device.. to improve the reading experience.

LAST ISSUE – OVERALL PINACHE and CLOSING REMARKS.

Nook – Third/Last Place.

O Nook… your’e like that amazing pupil who had everything going for you but never reached your true potential.

Barnes and Noble has a very nice deign, a decent setup, some promising wireless features, and they know books!

The thing is just too slow to compete at this point.  BN has recognized the problem and promises to fix it soon but they should have never released a machine that turns pages so slow. 

Such an oversight on the side of BN makes me feel that they are out of touch with the reading experience, and lose some faith that they are going about this in the right way.

BN knows books, and I am sure they will bounce back with the necessary improvements (it won’t take much) to compete near the  level of the Kindle.

Sony – Second Place.

The Sony although heavier, is more durable, and has a solid nice feel to it.  The screen appears to be slightly larger and the touch screen is a nice addition, but a physical keyboard is still quicker.

Sony is venturing into new territory with eBook selection and I worry how they can keep up with Amazon whose primary focus is in books.

Sony’s device is a winner, it’s the peripheral features at the core of an eBook reader, like selection and community, and the reading experience that are my biggest hold backs for Sony.

Kindle 2 – The Winner.

When I was near the end of the rope with eBook readers, and thinking that their day had just not yet come… Kindle came.

The Kindle has taken the reading experience to the next level.

With an entire library omnipresent at your finger tips, and whatever book you want available to you in 2 clicks, I am thrilled with our new acquisition (thanks to Scott and Ohleen for the gift!).

The praise of eBook readers goes on.

I’m a situational reader.  I’m a wanna be book worm.  What I mean is that given the right conditions, (when the stars align) I read A LO maybe 15 books a month.  But if the right books aren’t in front of me, and convenient opportunities to read are not available I am not so die hard that I can’t be without them, and stick to reading the blogosphere from my computer.

Kalli, on the other hand will read anything and everything she can.  She is the most consistent reader I know.  For her, the eBook reader won’t necessarily get her reading more, but it will make her life easier (if she can tear the thing from my grips!).

For me an eBook reader provides the convenience and ease of use so that I read much more often (we’ll see if that continues).  I’m enjoying turning to the same page/screen for all my reading… whether it be a training book, leisure reading, scriptures, it’s all right there.  And when I want my next book, I don’t need to plan my trip to Barnes and Noble, or some other Book store, I can just browse the online store with my Kindle, and read the “samples” until I find my next victim.

Where to buy your eBook device?

Buying can get pretty annoying finding the official place to get your product.  I’d recommend getting it from the official home page just in case you want to take advantage of their refund policies.  They all give between 30 – 60 days for evaluation.

Kindle 2

Kindle Official Site

BN Nook

Nook Official Site

Sony eReader

Sony Touch Official Site

Further Reading… to make your choice.

I didn’t cover everything here… but Wikipedia did.  Seriously their pages on the respective readers provide all the data, specs, and some very unbiased critiques.  Below you can find the pages…

 

Kindle 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle

BN Nook

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnes_&_Noble_nook

Sony eReader

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Reader

The Future of eBook Readers – All in one devices, GPS, etc etc…

 With MAC coming out with a new ebook reader (Slate?) and about 15 other companies coming out with ebook readers, we are about to benefit from our competitive free market.

Initially we wanted a device that did more than just books so we could consolidate our devices.  Laptop screens are too bright and not portable enough to read novels from.  The Iphone is just a bit too small to make it happen.

Ultimately I'd love to see a device with at least GPS, and eReader capabilities.  

Ultimately we are getting closer and closer to a tablet PC with an "eInk" screen.

Personally I think we are going to see a new break of devices combining phones/communication, reading, GPS, and apps and portable computing (not quite laptop).

Whatdya say?

Think eBook readers are a joke, and not going to catch on?

I realize this "review" is terribly incomplete, and missing alot of information like the fact that nook uses an Android (Google) operating system, and device storage etc...  I hope that the items we discussed did shed some light on the subject in general and the links provided the full specs you might be seeking, but please add your piece below!

Best (And Worst) of 2009

I've decided to give awards and "first times" for all the cities we've been in over the last year...Travel is all about superlatives, right?

Global Cities Awards For Our First Year of Travel According to Kalli in Collaboration With Jacob


Heiligenhaus, Germany:
First Time to Visit Germany after studying German for Many Years
Most Rural German City
Most Difficult to Reach by Public Transportation
Best Pizza
School Principal Most Influenced by the Nazi Regime

Sofia, Bulgaria:
Worst Traffic
Most Dangerous for Pedestrians
Most Dishonest Taxi Drivers

Radovis, Macedonia:
Most Alcohol-Loving
Most Time on Their Hands
Most Jolly
Most Welcoming
Most Fashion-Conscious
Most Hair/Nail Places Per Capita
Best Breakfast (burek and ayran)
Cheapest Skiing
Sassiest Music
First Time to Dye My Hair
First Time to Get Served Fish Whole, Head Included

Jerusalem, Israel:
Most Historic
Most Spiritual
Most Dangerous-Feeling
Most Religiously Significant
Most Emotion-Inspiring
Most Like a Costume Party
Most Underlying Tension

First Time to Meet Palestinians

Jericho, Israel:
Oldest Continuously-Existing City
First Time to Stand Straight Up in Water (At the Dead Sea)


Istanbul, Turkey:
Most Exotic
Most Beautiful Mosques
Largest City
Best Hostel With Dinner and Friends Included
Best LDS Ward to Visit
Best Practically Free Ferry Rides
First Time To Eat in the Homes of People From Turkmenistan and Senegal
First Time To Learn About Islam
First Time to Try Turkish Delight

Diyarbakir, Turkey:
First Place to Make A Friend With Ties to a Terrorist-Affiliated Group
Longest City Walls Besides the Great Wall of China
Most Exciting Sporting Event
Most Black-and-White Striped Buildings
Most Mentally Ill People On the Streets
First Time To Wear Muslim Scarves

Urfa, Turkey:
First Time To Hang Out With Former Nomads
Cleanest Eastern Turkey City

Cappadocia, Turkey:
Weirdest Terrain
Best Hostel Breakfast
First Hot Air Balloon Ride
First Year Anniversary Celebration By Eating "Manti" For the First Time

Pammukale, Turkey:
Best Natural Water Park

Ephesus, Turkey:
Best Preserved Biblical City
Most Crowded With Tourists

Rhodes, Greece:
Most Relaxed Island
First Couch Surfing Experience

Santorini, Greece:
Most Beautiful Sunset
Best Snorkeling
First Time to See a Red Sand Beach
Funniest Villa Owner

Athens, Greece:
Most Polluted
Most Obvious Drug Problem
Most International LDS Ward
First Introduced to Death Metal







Larissa, Greece:
Most Pleasant Greek City
Best Greek Cooking

Leeds, England:
Most Pleasant, Polite, and Soft-Spoken People
Best Bridal Shower
Best Family Dinners


















Berlin, Germany:
Best Modern Historical Interest
Best Museums
Best Variety of Food From Ethiopian to Eritean
Best Public Transportation
First Time For Jacob to Visit a Concentration Camp
Most Flamboyant Gay Parade
Best Place to Learn German
Jacob's First Time To A Real Opera

Ouarzazate, Morocco:
Biggest Apartment

Calmest With the Least Stuff to Do City

First Place I've Ever Visited Without A Library

Jacob Would Say Friendliest Folks

First and Last Time To Visit A Hammam

Marrakesh, Morocco:
Nuttiest
Rudest People
Most Aggressive
Most Exotic Animals
Best Place to Depart For A Camel Trip in the Sahara
Best McDonalds to Get Food Poisoning
Weirdest Food (pigeon pie, goat head, snails)

Tangiers, Morocco:
Hands-Down Worst Hostel

Coin, Spain:
Loveliest Overlook
Most Hilly

Madrid, Spain:
Most Talented Pickpockets
Most Comfortable Apartment
Most Surprising Lack of a Good Typically Spanish Main Dish
Most Ham Museums
Nicest Parks

Segovia, Spain:
Prettiest Old-Timey Castle

Barcelona, Spain:
Sexiest
Best Architecture
Best Street Music
Most Entertaining Street to Take A Stroll (Las Ramblas)

New York City, New York:
Tastiest Food
Most Expensive
Most Languages Spoken
Most American History
Most Neon Lights

Buenos Aires, Argentina:
Most Crime
Most Literate
Best Amusement Park
Most Street Demonstrations
Grassiest Drinks
Best Steaks
Best Gyms
Most Free Tours
Most Crowded Public Transportation
First Time To Be Openly Threatened
Fanciest Restaurant Meal Which Included Foam on Salmon
Best Street Dancing

Iguazu Falls, Argentina:
Biggest and Longest Waterfalls
Most Exciting Speedboat Ride
Best Place to See Monkeys in Their Native Habitat
Biggest Ants
Most Butterflies

Top Questions Asked After Returning Home:
What Was Your Favorite Place? Israel. Runners Up: Turkey and Berlin


What Do You Miss the Most? free bathrooms with real toilets, toilet paper, soap, and sinks, water fountains, and unlimited soda refills. The English language.


Where Do You Want to Settle Down?
No doubt, the USA. It's the best place on Earth!!!