A lot of people want to see Paris, or cruise to Alaska, or hike in the Grand Canyon, or see Buckingham Palace. But what if you're bucket list isn't like everyone else's? I just thought I would share some of the crazy, but a little geeky things that have fallen on my bucket list.
1. The Headquarters of the United Nations, International Territory, Manhattan, New York. I just finally had the opportunity after all these years to visit this hallowed ground. Since 1952, this complex in the city has been their official headquarters. They do have offices in Geneva, Switzerland, Nairobi, Kenya, and Vienna, Austria; but this is the official headquarters and this is where all 193 delegates of the general assembly meet to discuss vital socioeconomic and human rights issues around the world.
I went through a lot of security and even had to have a badge to even get in the visitor's center. A security guard escorted me from the security area to the meeting building directly to where I would find my tour. In that area there were a lot of things. They have an amazing bookstore, enormous gift shop with items from all over the world, a cafe, and more. They also have another security stop where you prove you have a ticket for the tour, they check everything again and give you an ID for your specific tour. A lot of security. But, technically you've left the United States, so it's to be expected.
For $29, I got a guided tour and it was pretty thorough and lasted about an hour and a half. I learned a lot. I saw great exhibits, meeting rooms, and so much more. I learned a lot about how the United Nations works and how many different things they are working on all at the same time. We even ran into Michael Waltz, our current Ambassador to the United Nations. You may think this is just plain nerdy, but they are there to make the world a better place. It was amazing, and I highly recommend it.
https://www.un.org/en/visit/tour
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/un
https://news.un.org/en/news
https://www.reddit.com/r/visitingnyc/comments/1v2hxi7/is_it_worth_it_to_tour_the_un/
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47715
2. The Supercollider Complex at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. This was not my bucket list; it was my husband's. However, I was really glad I went. This was years ago, and it was one of the earlier things on any list we were able to do. We were actually on our way to the Alps and Lauterbrunnen, but we stopped to stay a night and get some rest in the area. Turns out we were staying at the apartment complex where the physicists stay when they come to work. Needless to say, it was easy to get a tour.
I didn't know it then, but we felt like Sheldon Cooper of "Big Bang Theory" as we got to see how it works, the collider itself (part of it). It is a 27 kilometer in circumference ring. And we got to see a lot of the equipment they use. It was educational, interesting and I felt like I'd been transported to another planet. If you ever get the chance; do it.
3. The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, Illinois. Believe it or not, this was one of my favorite places to take a day trip to when I was a kid growing up in northern Indiana. To be fair, it's not just me. This museum is ranked one of the best of its kind in the world, and the largest science museum in the western hemisphere. We've seen all the museums around. That's a huge claim to fame.
I can't explain what this museum taught me and how they kept me entertained. They have a nuclear submarine. They have the Fairy Castle; the largest doll house in the world. They have a simulated coal mine. They have a hall of whispers. They have so much to do that you probably can't do it all in a day. I've been several times and I guarantee that if I went back today, I would find something new and interesting.
It's $26 for a ticket, but it's so worth it! There's so much to do that no one should miss this one!
4. City Hall, Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden. This one breaks my heart. I was in Stockholm and I've just told you how I am about the United Nations whose members have won 12 Nobel Peace Prizes, so imagine how I felt that it was closed during my visit!
This city hall is probably the most famous city hall in the world, largely because this is where they award those Nobel Prizes. The Peace Prize is not the only one they award. There are several other categories and the laureates are all remarkable people in their fields.
Most of the time, you can book a guided tour to see this beautiful and remarkable place. Unfortunately, I didn't get to and I'm not sure that I'll ever be back in Stockholm. If I go back, I'll make sure I can tour this fascinating spot. The building is centuries old and still is a seat of government. It's beautiful and can also be rented out for special occasions, as long as it's not during the Nobel presentations!
5. Hobbiton, the Movie Set, Matamata, New Zealand. That's right, "Lord of the Rings" fans can visit the iconic movie set used in the Peter Jackson films that brought the J. R. R. Tolkien books to life. I'm planning on visiting this next year, so hopefully that will cross this one off my to do list. No, I'm not going all the way to New Zealand to see this, but it is close by Hamilton where I'm going for another reason.
Now, that being said. It will cost you around $130 at least to take a tour of this site. It is in the middle of nowhere, so you'll either have to drive or take a tour that brings you from the city to the site. There are various ones available. Most tours last about an hour and a half and you get to wander through the village where Sam, Frodo and Bilbo legendarily lived. Is this a geek spot? Oh yeah. I can't wait to go!
There you have it! What's on your geeky bucket list? Let me know and I'll check into the details! I love doing some of the off beat things. I don't always like to do what everyone else does and I do like to do what I want to. Don't be afraid to do travel your way instead of doing what everyone else does!
I'm always busy and I've done some of these things, so check out my YouTube Channel "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon" that's me!
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