(This quote was taken from an advertisement for the Intercontinental Hotels.)

You can’t have a favorite place until you have seen them all. Without being everywhere, how can you make a decision about which is your favorite? While I have done some extensive traveling on the South American, North American and European continents, I have discovered places that are quite high on my list. The cold, crisp rivers running through the high peaks of the Andes mountains, with the narrow and winding road following the base of the mountains in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina; the aqueduct built by the Romans that divides the old city from the new – while simultaneously dividing the small town culture from the big business neighborhoods in Segovia, Spain; the winding, rambling streets and colorful homes and storefronts in the pedestrian city of Guanajuato, Mexico; and the golden red colors of the mountains and vast sky in the old west New Mexico.

These places definitely have a high rank in my list of places to return (or maybe live) because of their immense beauty, the experiences I had and the people I shared them with. But despite the love for these places that I feel, I must say that my favorite place is not because of the physical beauty that I see in it, but the people and history that have lived and has happened there. My favorite place is where my friends and family are located – they are the people that color my world and give it substance. They are the people that know me, and know my past, my present, and where I want to go in the future. While I have not seen every place, I can say that no matter what else I see, my home will always be my favorite place.