50 PLACES TO VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE (not one in Britain)

The Independent ^ | 10/11/02 | Deborah sheldon

[Jakarta ex-pat]

AMERICA'S Grand Canyon tops a list of 50 dream holiday destinations - but none of them is in Britain.

Twenty thousand BBC viewers voted for the chart of places to see before you die. There was no room for home-grown attractions such as Stonehenge, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Edinburgh Castle.

Areas of outstanding natural beauty like the Lake District and the Scottish Highlands are also not rated as worthwhile.

But Disney World and Las Vegas are both in the top 10.

English Tourism Council spokesman Ken Kelling said: "It's disappointing as Britain has got an equal range of things to see as anywhere in the world.

"Windsor Castle and Stonehenge are considered among the wonders of Britain and I believe we can compete on a world tourism stage."

He added: "If Britons are asked about dream destinations around the world, perhaps they do not consider what's on their own doorstep.

"If foreigners had been asked about world dream destinations, they may well have selected some British ones. People should think closer to home."

Mr Kelling went on: "There is so much history and culture here which do not feature in a lot of other countries."

Runner-up to the Grand Canyon in the poll is Australia's Great Barrier Reef off the Queensland coast.

Despite the world's natural wonders, the top 10 places are mostly man-made sights. Apart from Las Vegas, they include Sydney, India's shrine to love the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Golden Temple at Amritsar.

And despite the September 11 terror attacks, New York still squeezes into the chart at number nine.

America proves the most popular country overall, with nine nominations including Hawaii, Yosemite National Park and San Francisco.

TV personalities also chose their favourites. Mariella Frostrup picked Barcelona, Joanna Lumley the Masai Mara game reserve and Eamonn Holmes Cape Town.

The list of 50 will be shown on Sunday evening on BBC1's Fifty Places to See Before You Die.

[Jakarta ex-pat]

Amazing how "Twenty thousand" can speak for the population of Britain.

Here is another example of The BBC trying to be relevant.

[Gorzaloon]

What do THEY know, they only live there.

I hope to return to Northern Wales someday. The most beautiful place I have ever seen.

[Jakarta ex-pat]

What do THEY know, they only live there.

What i'm trying to get at is who is they

[Crawdad]

Uh-oh. I sure hope that "My house while I'm out of town" didn't make the list.

[Aliska]

They must have asked the wrong people or Brits don't appreciate their own beautiful country. Bigger is not necessarily better. It would be nice to see the Cheddar Gorge and get some of that authentic cheese to send home :-).

[Happygal]

This is a bit silly.
Most Brits have already seen the Tower of London, Stonehenge etc.
So if you'd already seen it, it would hardly be top of the wish list of 'must see before I die places'.

That would be like me saying, I have to go and see Dublin before I die, when I visit the capital a couple of dozen times a year.

[psychoknk]

First of all, twenty thousand is a very good number statistically. The only problem is that you can't be sure that these twenty thousand were truly random voters. Secondly, I'm not too surprised to see that none of the attractions in Britain were posted as being the top 50; not because they aren't worthwhile to see, but rather, that many of the people there have already seen them. Even if they hadn't seen them, they don't have as much of a drive for them to see it because they can do it any time. It isn't as hard for someone in Britain to go to Stonehenge as it would be for them to go to the Grand Canyon. I would also venture to say that it would also be easier for them to see Stonehenge than it would be for someone living on the east coast of the U.S. to see the Grand Canyon.

[Slyfox]

The people they asked were probably the type who've already seen everything in England already. I live in Texas, I've seen the Alamo three times plus I've been to the Alamo movie set in Bracketville where they filmed it. As neat as it is to see, I wouldn't put it on my list of places to see before I die, because I've "been there and done that."

[bert]

There is another list, developed by my hero, Richard Haliburton in his volume The Complete Book of Marvels

A Sample

Chicen Itza, Machu Pichu, Iguazu Falls, The Parthenon, Reims Cathedral, Santa Sophia, The Pyramids of Giza, Victoria Falls, Timbucto,Petra, Jerusalem Temole mount, Palmayra, Isfahan, Udiapur, Taj Mahal, Angkor, The Great Wall, fujiyama

[woofie]

If you visit Epcot while at Disney World you can see all of England and France by lunch time.

[Pappy Smear]

Well, I got to Dodger Stadium a couple years ago, so I am ready to meet my maker. My current desire is to goto North Dakota. I don't know why. Maybe it is kinda like going to the moon. Not too many people have been there.

[Dog Gone]

Add the Wink Sink to this list.

[another cricket]

So if you'd already seen it, it would hardly be top of the wish list of 'must see before I die places'.

Exactly. Angel Falls of Venezuela is one of the most stunning sights in the world and the trip to get there is one you will never forget. The Atacama Desert of Chile is indescribable, the silence hurts your ears. But I have seen them so they are not on my list any longer. I would like to see Dublin though.

a.cricket

[Jakarta ex-pat]

If you visit Epcot while at Disney World you can see all of England and France by lunch time.

I have visited Epcot.

The first year it was born, I believe.

What a bore.

I'd rather go to my own funeral.

[Savage Beast]

"Disney World and Las Vegas are both in the top 10."

Are these the same people who said Apocalypse Now was the best movie?

[Jakarta ex-pat]

At least it had Wagner!

[Happygal]

``Angel Falls of Venezuela''

Now THERE'S a place I'd like to see. Other places on my wish list are Assissi and Florence in Italy; Moscow; Prague and New Orleans. All of which, I will visit before I die (unless I get hit by a bus tomorrow! *L*) BTW..if you ever do make it to Dublin, I'll shout you a pint of our finest Guinness :-)

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

I visited The Great Barrier Reef. 6:30 AM, Late November (summer) amphibious plane to small boat to walk on reef and snorkel at low tide. The ocean was crystal clear and bathwater warm. I recommend it for the beautiful colors of fish and coral. I have never seen anything like it.

[Eva]

I agree, this is stupid. How many Americans would put Disney World or Las Vegas on the top of a wish list? Most of us have already been there and personally, I don't ever want to return to either place.

[katze]

If you get that far away from home (New Orleans), try to visit Vancouver, B.C.; beautiful city, has water, mountains, beautiful greenery, culture. I'd love to live there, but real estate is quite expensive.