I usually look forward to traveling by making new year’s resolutions to travel to new places I’ve always dreamed about. Visiting my new places in my new, New Year’s Resolution is something I’ve done for most of my life. Now that I’ve visited 117 countries, I’ve visited all the places that were in my dreams – and even returned to my favorites many times. Now I’m resolved to create new resolutions by visiting places I’ve bypassed in terms of interest to me — or just literally bypassed by without stopping. And who knows, perhaps finding and recommending NEW favorites since I firmly believe that there’s something interesting and unique to see everywhere. I have never been to the Caribbean since I like large metropolises with many museums, concert halls, magnificent parks. However, I’m changing my mind.

I have been to South America many times. I’ve even led press trips to Buenos Aires on the Atlantic Coast and Chile on the Pacific Coast. And on almost every trip to South America, I’ve flown over the Caribbean. In fact, on a boat to Columbia, I even passed some Caribbean Islands. While I’ve passed Caribbean Islands, I never stopped off at any. I’m just not a beach person and most Caribbean Islands are enveloped in beaches. The closest I’ve come to the Caribbean is lecturing on Havana’s Great Architecture.

I was raised by two educator parents, so in many ways I’m not a “Son of a Beach!” When I was little, my parents took me often to the Jersey shore, Asbury Park – very close to my hometown, Perth Amboy, NJ. My brother and I would go on all the rides, even the rollercoaster, drink our Orange Julius (sweet, malted orange juice) and then venture home. I once asked my parents if we could go swimming and lie on the beach. All four of us did it. When we were wet, the sand would caulk on our legs and back – and the next time (and every time thereafter ) we never sat on another beach.

With the money we saved on suntan lotion, my parents took me and my brother to Europe when we were kids. The closet we got to sitting on a beach was sitting on a wall on the Seine River in Paris with our clothed legs extending toward the water — the River Seine. (As long as we were sitting on the shady side of the Seine.) We learned that oceans and rivers were just for viewing, not for dipping. We were definitely not “In Seine” in Paris or anywhere else it went in France.

Even when we visited Florida, we sat at our poolside for half an hour and became board and then we took off for Disneyland. Disneyland was a bit boring for us, so we ditched Disneyland, ducked Donald Duck and went to Spanish Colonial St. Augustine, which the entire family found fascinating. We even spent an extra day there, no beach for swimming, but at least it made me glad that we journeyed to Florida.

A few years ago, I lectured in Bogata, Colombia and then spent a weekend on Colombia’s east coast in a 16th-century walled town, Cartagena, with great museums, terrific food and a magnificent hotel, the Hotel Sofitel Santa Clara. It was one of the best weekend trips I ever took. I visited a totally unique museum that still gives me nightmares, the Museum of the Inquisition. I went for a walk along the embankment when suddenly I realized that the sea beyond was the Caribbean Sea – an area I never had any desire to visit. Boy, was I wrong!
Therefore, I’ve decided for the upcoming new year, 2026 that I’d like to visit the Caribbean, see its museums and write about them.

One of my favorite homes near Paris is Malmaison (translation “Bad Home”) which was the home of Josephine Bonaparte (Napoleon’s wife) and her home after Napoleon. It is filled with exquisite original Empire furniture and magnificent gardens. Therefore, one Caribbean Island I knew I’d like to visit is French Martinique and the town of Les Trois-Ilets — Josephine’s Birthplace. Josephine’s birthplace is now called the Pagerie Museum with childhood mementos and even an early love letter from Napoléon. Can’t wait to visit this year.

Up near the City University of New York, in Manhattan, is a wonderful 1802 home that sadly is hardly ever visited. It’s the Grange – the home of Alexander Hamilton. Like Josephine Bonaparte, the Caribbean has a part in Hamilton’s history. By now you probably guessed the other Caribbean Island I’d consider visiting. It’s the Island of Nevis in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis – the town of Charlestown with its most notable building – Hamilton House – where Alexander Hamilton was born. And, yes, Josephine Bonaparte and our Alexander Hamilton, unlike Barry Goldsmith, enjoyed walking in the sand on their respective Caribbean Beaches.

Another travel destination I’d like to see this year that I have literally passed over (from 30.000 feet) many times is a National Park. Since I live just a few blocks away from one of the most famous parks in the world, Manhattan’s Central Park, I thought about why do I have to go out of my way to see trees, grass and lakes anywhere else? However, I even know the National Park I want to see. Its very name, “Yosemite,” appeals to Jewish me, “Yo, Semite!”