As I travel whether it's abroad or at home, I find some great things that strike me as odd or weird. Here we go!
1. The fake foreign cities of China. You didn't read that wrong. I'd never viewed China as a life sized version of "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" but there it is. There's not one, but several of these themed cities. They aren't a theme park. They are cities, and people live in them. Why? imagination I imagine.
Most of the residents of these cities tend to be part of China's Nuveau Riche and apparently, they find it a lot of fun. In a lot of the cities, like the Jackson Hole, Wyoming clone; most people have their vacation home. They don't live there full time. In fact, sometimes when you show up; there are barely any people there. It's an odd cross between eccentric and ghost town.
I found this one odd. In my lifetime, it seems as though people in China have been cut off from the rest of the world, but it's also reportedly the rich who have homes in these cities. Chinese rich travel. I'm not sure what it's really about. I've also heard that people who can't afford to travel the world visit these cities for their vacations. A window to the outside world when you can't afford to go and see it? Maybe.
Anyway, it's an oddity. I found it interesting. Can outsiders visit? Yes, we can.
https://www.youngpioneertours.com/chinese-fake-cities/
https://www.vagabondjourney.com/what-happens-in-chinas-western-replica-towns/
2. Katz's Deli, Houston Street, NYC. I love a great story, a great home town spot, and most of all, the rhetoric that comes with famous people visiting your business in New York. Katz's Deli is one of the longest standing deli and restaurants in the city, and there's a plethora of reasons.
Location is the first one that honestly comes to mind. It's on one of the widest streets in town. It's in the heart of NYU. Everyone who's anyone has been there. The movie "When Harry Met Sally" filmed one of the film industry's most famous scenes there. But let's be honest; it's mostly about the fabulous sandwiches!
I recently went there, and me and my friend had to share a sandwich, because it was so big. That should alleviate the shock when you see the price of a sandwich. Just remember, they have some great meats! Also, remember that if you're picky and want to tell them how to make a sandwich; go somewhere else. It's Katz's and they've been making great sandwiches since before any of us were born.
Remember to follow the rules, be polite, and if necessary just share a table. If you want a real hoot; try to sit at the table from "When Harry Met Sally." It's got a sign hanging above it to let you know which one it was.
https://katzsdelicatessen.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqRdaRUOw-BUzkbySThqjxAByTPLZ83BHxxoCNUPlAQRj1v3S-a
https://www.instagram.com/katzsdeli/?hl=en
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNEX0fbGePg
https://www.walkingoffthebigapple.com/2008/06/walk-through-south-village-below-west.html
https://www.nyctourism.com/itineraries/see-your-city-lower-east-side/
3. The New Year's Even Show in Dubai. Let me put that differently; you should have watched this on YouTube. For anyone still watching exclusively network television on New Year's Eve; stop it! Every year I watch celebrations around the world in several spots on YouTube.
Check out this year's amazing footage from Dubai. They love that they have the tallest building in the world, and every year this celebration gets more elaborate. Sometimes, the end of the year gets me down and I don't go out to celebrate, because I'm old. This gives me a little spirit and allows me to get excited about the next year.
Try it! Check out YouTube!
https://www.timeoutdubai.com/news/burj-khalifa-2026-laser-show
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1755886471754239
4. An honest to God, authentic, communist commissioned, Lenin Statue, just off Houston Street, NYC. If you know me, you'll know why this was an accidental yet exciting find for me. I'm investigating Houston Street for my YouTube channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon," and I run across a Lenin statue.
A lot of questions run through my mind when I find something like that. The first one was "What the hell is that doing on the lower east side of Manhattan?
This statue comes from Russia. It was commissioned in the late 1980's and it didn't work out. Why? Well, because the Soviet Union fell right about then. Long story short. There was an apartment building constructed in the neighborhood that was called "Red Square." The statue ended up being a part of that building. The neighborhood is quirky and very artsy. After the building was sold more recently, they didn't want the statue anymore.
This statue had become part of the neighborhood. Therefore, a property a couple doors down, took the statue so that Lenin could still look out over the city. The funny part for me is that he now lives almost over a church.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lenin-statue-at-red-square
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/10471
https://www.eastcoastroads.com/states/ny/nyc/houston/map
5. Namibia is becoming extremely popular, so why? I had to ask this question when suddenly all the travel vloggers on YouTube started to rave about their visits to this country.
Here's the long and short of it. It's the least densely populated country in the civilized world. It doesn't take much to get away from it all there. It's inexpensive, beautiful, has great local food, and you can drive it yourself pretty easily. It's full of desert vistas, navigable cities, exotic animals, and the Skeleton Coast. It has history and culture and all with one of my favorite things; a palatable budget.
Here's the thing. If you don't want to go it alone; it costs a lot less than most places to take a tour in this country. There are resorts in the middle of nowhere. There are some of the world's most innovative safaris. There are so many options. I've officially put it on my own list. I would definitely check it out.
There you have it. There are a lot of interesting and sometimes a bit odd things out there to see and do. I love finding that off the beaten path item that I'll never forget. It's worth looking into. The standard tourist attractions and hot spots are fine, but the hidden, unexplored, not overcrowded, gems are definitely worth it.
If you'd like to see what I'm doing in the meantime; check out my YouTube channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon!"
https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2025
Hope you find the perfect vacation destination this year and a whole lot of fantastic adventure! Enjoy!
