04 September 2006

Off to China?

I have often been asked if I have actually been to China. No. Would I like to go there? Before Google Earth I wasn't that interested in it, but now that I'd really like to see the central and western parts of that country. Hmm, but those are the parts that are less accessible. And I don't think a travel agency is going to sponsor a "KenGrok Goes to China" trip anytime soon.

What countries have I been in? In chronological order they would be:

U.S.A.
Germany
Canada
U.K.
Ireland
France
Switzerland
Italy
Austria
Denmark
Sweden
Norway
Hungary
East Germany / GDR*
Netherlands
Sri Lanka
Greece
Vatican City
Bulgaria
Macedonia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Poland
Belgium
Luxembourg
Slovenia
Croatia
Bosnia Herzegovina
Liechtenstein
Monaco
San Marino
Spain
Cyprus

Thus I have seen a fair amount of Europe, little of the rest of the world. I need to fix that.

* I count East Germany because countries are not just geographical areas but political entities as well. I was in the GDR for a while in 1989 before all the events which led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. A friend of mine at the American representation in East Berlin got me a semi-diplomatic entry visa that allowed me through Checkpoint Charlie without the customary inspections or the requirement to exchange German marks daily for worthless East German money.

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I see that on 15 August someone added the HYT affair to the Wikipedia article on Aksai Chin.

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