What’s a country that’s at the top of your bucket list?

I’m not sure if or when I’m ever going to make it back to Europe, but I’d like to see Greece in person before I kick the bucket. I was a history major in college. I want to see the birthplace of Western civilization. Also, I hear the food is amazing.

In the meantime, we’ve been doing some “virtual travel” through a company called Indigare. The trips are offered to us as a free benefit through our bank. At first, I thought that this was just a sad holdover from the pandemic lockdown and the “tours” would be totally lame. But I’ve actually enjoyed these virtual trips, which include a private tour of a major site, followed by live Q & A with scholars and experts. I always like it when I ask a question (in the chat) and they answer it live. It’s done through Zoom.

So far, we’ve done virtual tours of:

Machu Picchu and the lesser-known Inca ruins of Chachabamba with famed explorer Peter Frost

UNESCO’s Alhambra (Spain’s Royal Masterpiece) in Granada

Olympia, Greece: The Birthplace of the Olympic Games

India’s Architectural Masterpieces: the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Itimad-ud-Daulah (the Baby Taj)

King Tut at the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza pyramids in Egypt

Next up is “Japan’s most extraordinary art destination” this Thursday at noon.

Aaaaah, no airports, no jet lag, no huge bill$, just a fresh cup of coffee and expert tour guides showing me something really cool.