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The Navajo Nation today is inside of, and in a portion of, the traditional Navajo territory as described by tribal oral history and creation stories. That traditional core land where the clans gathered is called Dinétah. This area is the upper San Juan river basins and the canyons that are located to the east and south that include Blanco, Largo, Carrizo and Gobernador Canyons.The emergence place for the Navajo into this world is in the mountains just north of here at a lake with a island. Some accounts place it in the San Juan Mountains near Pagosa Springs (from Hastin Tlo'tsi hee). Others place it in the La Platas (Teddy Draper Sr.), and still say at others at the confluence of the San Juan and the Los Pinos Rivers (Sylvia Many Goats). This location is called the Crossing of the Waters (To bil dahisk'id or To Alnaozli) where the female and male river cross. There are also a number of ceremonies centered on stories that are tied to specific places on the landscape in this area. Examples are, Coyoteway, Male Red Antway, Nightway, Shootingway, and many others.The some of the oldest Southern Athabaskan (Navajo and Apachean) archeological sites are in this area too. The hypothesis holds that Athabaskan speaking immigrants from the north, came into contact with ancestral Puebloan peoples in the Southwest and adopted some Puebloan culture traits and acquired maize agriculture and weaving and became the Navajo. This theory proposes an arrival in the Southwest for the Apachean peoples anywhere from 700-85o CE, to 1000 CE, to 1200-1300 CE. There was most likely an intermountain route of migration that from the way the deep canyons and passes work ends up forcing people to enter the Four Corners area in the San Juan River area. The traditional Navajo conception of the natural length of a human life is 102 years. Navajo tradition tells that the Navajo were “created”, ie “became Navajo”, 714 years before the 1890s, placing the time of Navajo ethnogensis also in this time frame at around 1176 CE.Other unrelated peoples traditions confirm this. The Jemez Pueblo oral history records the Jemez origin in a lake south of Dulce, New Mexico near the continental divide. It is said that while they resided in that region a nomadic race identifiable as the Athabaskans who arrived in the Southwest probably after 950 CE. The Jemez are clear that their relationship with the Athabaskans occurred well before their departure to the vicinity of their current location near Albuquerque, which dates to around 1300.This area is also where Changing Woman (Asdząą́Nádleehé) was born, found, and raised by the Holy People ( Diyin Dineʼé), First Man (Áłtsé hastiin) and First Woman (Áłtsé asdząą́). It is in this area that the Hero Twins were born. The two central sacred mountains are here (Dził Náʼoodiłii and (Chʼóolʼį́ʼí) , and it is the symbolic center of the Four Sacred Mountains that mark the spiritual boundaries of Navajo land. The Four Sacred Mountains are: in the east, Sisnaajiní (Blanca Peak, CO); the south, Tsoodził (Mt Taylor, NM); the west Dookʼoʼoosłííd (San Francisco Peaks, AZ); and in the north Dibé Nitsaa (Mt Hesperus, CO).The Navajo Nation has about 330,000 enrolled members (the tribal enrollment at the last tribal census in 2010 was 300,048). Navajo people live all over the country today. However, the majority live on or near (in the Southwestern states near the Four Corners) the Navajo Nation territory. About 160,000 Navajo live within the reservation boundaries. In WWII a number large number of men joined the military and people also went places to do work for the war effort. Families especially went the LA and Bay Area in California. Some families stayed there. Starting the late 40s to the seventies there was the Indian Relocation program that encouraged Native people to move to cities. Navajo mostly went to cities in the SW and west coast cities, and some still are there. The forced boarding school programs meant that people met and sometimes married people from other tribes. The emergence of Urban Indian Centers and Native American colleges has also meant that people intermarried with other tribal members and then moved to cities. The result is that Navajo people are everywhere. Census: Navajo enrollment tops 300,000In 1864 the Navajo people were forced at gunpoint away from their homeland in what is called the Long Walk. For four years most of the Navajo (some hid in Navajo Mt and in Utah and other places) were confined to a concentration camp at a place called Bosque Redondo in New Mexico. About half the Navajo people died. There was a great deal of corruption in running the camp. It became known and it was a scandal. The Navajo gained a large number of supporters in government positions at this time. The plan had been to send the Navajo to Oklahoma. Navajo leaders said the people would rather die. The Navajo did ceremonies to prevent this from happening. Supporters lobbied the government. In the end the Navajo were allowed to return to a portion of their traditional land in 1868.The new reservation (reserved lands from the ones taken) was 5,200 sq mi. The treaty had called for twice that, however powerful New Mexico interests had forced it to be smaller in New Mexico. From that time up to the 1930s the Navajo lobbied and had people who helped them expand their lands. The first expansion occurred on October 28, 1878. The last was in 1934. In the eastern part in New Mexico there was the Dawes Act allotment process which meant many people and the tribe lost land. This is what created the New Mexico Checkerboard lands and complex ownership patterns.The Navajo Nation reservation lands today stretch across three states in northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah. It is about 27,413 sq miles. This is the size of Holland (16,412 mi²) and Belgium (11,849 mi²) combined. Or the size of New England without Maine (Mass, VT, NH, Conn, RI). Or a little bigger than the size of West Virginia.Most of the land is contiguous. The exceptions are the so-called “Checkerboard” lands in New Mexico. There are also the three non-contiguous areas in New Mexico: the Ramah (Tl'ochin in Navajo), which is also checkerboarded, near the Zuni Pueblo; Alamo (Tʼiistsoh in Navajo), near the Acoma Pueblo ; and Tohajiilee (To’Hajiilee) near Albuquerque, also called Cañoncito Diné.In the early 1980s in the southeastern area of the reservation, the Navajo Nation and the American government purchased some ranches, which is now called Nahata Dzil (Planning Strength), or “New Lands”. They are leased to Navajo individuals, livestock and grazing associations, and livestock companies. In the last few years the tribe has also been buying back lands under the Tribal Nations Buy-Back Program (a component of the Cobell v. Salazar Settlement). This has been around 155,503 acres added so far. Two years ago (2017) the tribe bought 16,350 acres of land in south central Colorado. The property is located near Blanca Peak (Sisnaajiní), the eastern of the four sacred mountains of the Navajo people which mark the boundaries of traditional spiritual territory.The capital of the Navajo Nation is Window Rock. There is an elected government of a president and vice president, a Tribal council which is the legislative branch, and a judiciary. There are departments for all the sorts of things that a State or Territory might have like education, parks, roads, natural resources, health, forestry, agriculture, a zoo, water, historic preservation, fish and wildlife, tax, gaming, management and budget, telecom, community development, fire, police, EMT, transit, economic development, EPA, and so on. There are several tribal colleges. The largest irrigated farm in America. There is a newspaper and tribal radio stations. Local government is in county sized areas called Chapters. There are 110. There are a few town government structures too. There are well over 100 communities on the Navajo Nation.There are also Navajo who are members of the Colorado River Tribes which has lands on the Colorado River in Parker Valley mostly in Arizona and a little in California. Members of this tribal government are from the Chemehuevi, the Mohave, Hopi, and Navajo tribes. The Navajo and Hopi members moved there in 1945. Colorado River Indian TribesCRIT reservation to celebrate 151 years as a federally recognized tribehttps://www.indianz.com/News/2016/03/01/colorado-river-indian-tribes-c.asp

Yes, because they have no malls (just kidding, they have JCPenny and Dillard’s).Baggs, Wyoming 10/2020Simple answer: it’s not a profit driven state; that is, profit at the expense of their environment and Western cultural way of life. Thus, they have largely been unaffected by the American Industrial Revolution, urbanization, and their byproduct concrete metropolises and, instead, prefer to continue to rely on their abundance of natural resources for their economy, such as free grass for their livestock, cattle and sheep, and the mining of oil, natural gas, coal and minerals, such as sodium carbonate-containing trona, uranium, and Bentonite, and the severance tax from these extractions just like Alaska and North Dakota do. Ranching has been a central part of Wyoming’s economy and culture since its beginning when cattleman and investors sought to profit from Wyoming’s free grass and high cattle prices. And utilizing free grass is a unique ranching method in this day an age though it was the norm before urbanization. All along the Rocky Mountain area of the West, the transhumance, or moving of stock, in spring and fall to and from the higher mountains is still vital to most Wyoming ranches. They depend upon having their stock graze in the high country during the summer so that they can grow feed for the winter in the lower valleys. Most Wyoming ranches wouldn’t be viable without these seasonal movements. Much of the grazing in the high country is in inaccessible places and sometimes in wilderness where all motors are forbidden so that the only practical way to work the cows over these vast areas is still on horseback. As for sheep, the sheepherder stays with his flock in the wilderness 24/7. So, unless your a cowboy, shepherd, driller, or miner, you won’t find any work.And, along with Alaska, it’s one of our last great wilderness states where the land remains as God created it and its animals are more important than development; that is, preservation and stewardship of nature —the beauty of the wild over profit. (Idaho and Montana have at least one large population center of over 100,000. Wyoming still doesn’t, and it’s the least populated state in the country with just over 500,000 people though it’s one of the largest.) It contains a vast stretch of the Rocky Mountains that dominate more than one-third of the state, and there is lots of habitable land for wildlife that the federal government owns which is a little over one-half of Wyoming. It’s geography, grasslands, and harsh climate, extreme bitter cold winds, are a animal’s paradise. Even treeless areas that appear barren except for patches of brush are a mule deer and pronghorn haven. So, it’s almost like living in a national park. Driving itself then becomes hazardous just from all the animals running across the roads, especially at night. Everyone in your vehicle needs to be on the lookout for wildlife, and you have to drive a lot slower. Besides all the mule deer, we even had a large bull elk slam into the side of our truck one night on a narrow, winding, icy, muddy, and steep cliff road. The existence of wildlife also then doesn’t bode well for the safety of livestock and pets, and humans if we are in an area populated by grizzly bears. While I was there, a shepherd had to get his Great Pyrénées all stitched up after he had to fight off two mountain lions and a black bear in just one day. In other words, if your not a tough s.o.b., even your dog, it won’t be appealing to you especially with vegan eating 21st century Americans who take their kids to a therapist if one of them happens to see a meat eating animal kill and eat another animal because they think all animals are like us and die natural deaths. Rather, most animals can’t be tamed or domesticated; that is, their natural instincts will always keep them wild. Where everyday brings death, from being eaten or starving to death from a brutal winter (except for grizzlies and wolves and that’s when wolves thrive), or one more day of survival. The law of nature is kill or be killed. Thus, they also need to be allowed to live as God or nature has designed even though it’s too harsh of an environment for most people.And no one gets special treatment. I went to a Mexican restaurant in a trailer one night and sat next to the governor of Wyoming. In Wyoming, you’re just another one of the cowboys in a pickup truck. I just read a review of another restaurant, its only one, of a place I eat at in a motel: “The food was the worst by far we have ever eaten anywhere”, must of been some lost city folk. I’m quite fond of the place myself. Once, someone let a wild bobcat loose in the motel lobby. At least, I think it was. It was running and jumping around so fast, it was hard to tell. Of course, most of Wyoming’s townspeople aren’t cowboys and live typical American lives, but most do own guns and hunt, or at least has tried it (There is free meat at one’s disposal with all the elk herds, pronghorns, and mule deer.), even 12 year old girls. I ran into a father and his twelve-year-old daughter hunting deep into the rugged wilderness of the Little Snake River Valley. She was so excited. Not quite the proper sensibilities to attract pampered urbanites.So, unless your a rancher or miner (It’s also a great place to lease government land for cattle and fossil fuels.), the “Cowboy State” doesn’t have the jobs or economy to allow lots of people to live there, or the cultural climate to attract most people. However, it’s thus a great place for all the indigenous wildlife to thrive, to get a reality check, and to restore your soul. This then makes Wyoming one of our most important states and tourist destinations. Yellowstone National Park is mostly located there in the north western corner (96% of it), with small sections in Montana (3%) and Idaho (1%). Yellowstone was the world’s first national park, and it’s the largest animal ecosystem in the lower 48 states. See the video “Wolves restore the ecosystem in Yellowstone National Park” on YouTube, it will blow your mind on how amazing nature is.In addition, their constitution guarantees the rights of ordinary citizens over corporations, or big money interests (Article I, Section 2 of the Wyoming Constitution), in order to keep politicians from spending more time and energy courting big money than serving their constituents. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has recently ruled that corporations are people and money is speech. So, the “Wyoming Promise” is trying to legislate against this. Thus, it’s also not a corporate friendly state constitutionally in which case corporations would get special treatment so that also adversely affects its job appeal to nonresidents and large companies.Do to the great response I’m getting, I’m also compelled to make readers aware of a growing problem with nonresidents interference in Wyoming’s way life. Do to their uncommon desire to live harmoniously with nature in order to preserve it, by having a sense of stewardship, all animals of their natural ecosystem, including predator and prey, have continued to thrive in the midst of our westward disruption and expansion. For three examples of their successful effort to preserve natural habitat for all their indigenous species, see (1) the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole Wyoming, nearly 25,000 acres. It was designed to provide wintertime habitat for herds of migrating elk from Yellowstone National Park to Jackson Hole when its residents lobbied Congress after a particular harsh winter in 1910 decimated the herd. The protection of their natural habitat (And if needed due to a harsh winter, the elk will also be fed alfalfa pellets by staff of the refuge.) allows for this third longest ungulate—mammals with antlers or horns that are prey animals—migration outside of Alaska. Pronghorn, often colloquially known as American antelope, migrating between the Green River basin and Jackson Hole is even longer, 120 miles. But the longest is the recently discovered (2012) mule deer migration, about a 150 miles, in this western corridor of Wyoming as the deer travel from their winter range in south central Wyoming’s Red Desert to northwest Wyoming’s Hoback Basin. For more information on Wyoming’s ungulate migrations, see the video “Wild Migrations: Atlas of Wyoming’s Ungulates” by the University of Oregon as they partnered with the University of Wyoming’s Migration Initiative, WMI, on Facebook and YouTube. (2) Yellowstone National Park, over 2 million acres, you would have to go to Alaska to find a bigger animal sanctuary. It’s the largest natural summertime feeding ground in the high country for ungulates, or grazers, and thus it also becomes the best feeding habitat for predators, the meat eaters. Predators, whether human or animal, are important because they keep the ungulates from overpopulating an eating a habitat barren which would bring death to the whole ecosystem. Yellowstone also has the largest bison herd with 4,600, over 3 times more than the second closet. A nickname for Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley is the “American Serengeti”. This region of the park is known for its abundant and diverse wildlife-watching opportunities, including bison, grizzlies, wolves, coyotes, elk, and moose. You might not see any deer in the park though because of all the predators, but in our national parks that keep grizzles and wolves out, such as Yosemite National Park in California, there you will see them up close along with lots of black bears, raccoons, and squirrels, a different ecosystem. And (3) Grand Teton National Park, over 310,000 acres, is a great recreational destination also full of wildlife.Environmentalists and money grabbing lawyers, however, say that they haven’t done enough and thus want to run all the ranchers out and restore the state to its original animal population before westward expansion. Of course, they have no such inclination to do the same for the states in which they now live after killing off most of its indigenous animal population for urbanization. And worse yet, what they don’t understand is that it is because of ranching and ranchers that the wilderness has been preserved, and in some states, such as Colorado, more elk winter on private lands than public due to the continuing destruction of habitat through development and the increasing disturbance by humans in their natural habitats. Yet, they try to dictate government policy over other exemplary sovereign states through federal legislation and litigation, taking away our fundamental right of liberty.The natural animal problem for Wyoming’s citizens, along with the states of Montana and Idaho, occurs when predator populations of the grizzly bear and wolf grow so large that they outgrow their parks ability to sustain them so they migrate out of the parks and public lands into private land populated by people and domesticated animals. For instance, the grizzly bear was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1975. But the population has since recovered. U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials delisted the Greater Yellowstone grizzly in 2017. (By the 1970’s, the grizzly bear’s range in and near the park became the first Informal boundary of a theoretical “Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem” that included 4 million acres. Now it’s said to include 12 to 20 million acres depending on your source.) So, grizzlies are now encroaching upon human populations. Besides ravaging livestock (Grizzlies and wolves will even kill for sport, in one year alone, one rancher lost 259 ewes and 186 lambs.), attacks on humans by grizzlies is now a real threat. Grizzly bears, and moose, are the only animals in our ecosystems that are occasionally aggressive (i.e., they will chase you in order to kill you) towards humans (Montana has had a lot of attacks. Todd Orr was mauled twice by the same bear.), and bear spray repellent often won’t stop them, no matter how many times you read that it will. In one attack, the above sheep rancher, 88-year-old Mary (“Mickey”) Thoman along with her three daughters, also had one of their ranch hands, Marcelo Tejeda, attacked and mauled to the brink of death. His two cans of bear spray were not enough to stop the bear’s attacks (see her Op-ed, “Yellowstone grizzlies are not an endangered species - but ranchers like me are”, usatoday.com), and a Wyoming hunting guide working in the Teton Wilderness recently lost his life in a horrifying grizzly attack after he was pulled off his horse by the charging grizzly.In addition, some ranches are sanctuaries for ungulates because they have no predators on their ranches. For instance, the Cotton Wood Ranch in Big Horn County, Wyoming, at 50,000 acres, provides a large sanctuary for elk, deer, antelope, and birds due to its absence of wolves and grizzlies. We also need these types of exclusive refuges for specific types of species to thrive, such as the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole, in addition to the inclusive National Park ecosystems.The point is this: grizzlies and wolves must be isolated and contained to specific areas because they pose too much of a deadly threat to humans, pets, livestock, and other wildlife since the federal government has already procured enough habitat for their existence in Alaska (home to 30,000 grizzlies) and in six Recovery Ecosystems in the lower 48: in the Yellowstone Ecosystem in northwest Wyoming, eastern Idaho, and southwest Montana (9,200 sq. mi), Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem of north central Montana (9,600 sq. mi), North Cascades Ecosystem of north central Washington (9,500 sq. mi), Bitterroot Ecosystem in the Bitterroot Mountains of east central Idaho and western Montana (5,600 sq. mi), Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem northwest Montana and northern Idaho (2,600 sq. mi), and Selkirk Ecosystem of northern Idaho, northeastern Washington, and southeastern British Columbia (2,200 sq. mi). Thus, grizzles can be isolated from us and also carefully monitored as to their hunting, breeding, and eating habits and sometimes even individual dispositions to insure their survival and ours as we visit our national parks.A group called the Center for Biological Diversity (The irony is it’s something these urban dwellers aren’t and the Wyoming’s ranchers are. They, instead, work in offices and their headquarters is in a desert.) is at the center of hundreds of bogus lawsuits against the federal government causing a logjam that costs taxpayers so much money the government isn’t even sure how much. This organization and others like it have turned environmental activism into a profitable business. Their lawyers make millions of dollars by forcing the government into settlements and by using these lawsuits as an occasion to enrich themselves. Besides their efforts to sue on the behalf of any species on a whim that started with one owl in a tree and now with their attempts to put the grizzly bear back on the Endangered Species List. (In India, they have also chosen not to control the populations of their apex predators and aggressive species, and instead, allow them to kill people. So, tigers killed over 373,000 people between 1800 and 1990. That’s almost 2,000 people a year just from tigers, and presently, tigers and elephants kill more than one person a day. They die a brutal and gruesome death, young and old, and it’s horrific just trying to figure out what happened to a family member who goes missing. Then you come upon a trail of blood and body parts like they did of a sixteen-year-old girl recently, and then the family has to identify the victim.) They have also included as their mission the termination of the use of government land for grazing, mining (*see below), and logging. In other words, they also want to take our safety, jobs, minerals, and building materials, such as wood, from us. Loggers cull the forest. They don’t destroy it. They also have a machine that replants saplings in the ground right after the trees are cut down. And forests are growing at a faster rate now because of the increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as shown by satellite data from NASA (climate.nasa.gov) to measure leaf cover thus making our planet a lot greener. It’s also clear, the activists don’t actually care about the species or forests they claim to fight for - otherwise, they would celebrate the complete recovery of the Yellowstone Area grizzly, rather than fight to put the fully-recovered species back on the Endangered Species List. And they would celebrate ranching, private lands with large natural habitats (For example, the Three Forks Ranch in Colorado, at 200,000 acres, had as many elk on it in 2019, nearly 6,000, as Yellowstone National Park had, 5,800, according to the park’s annual survey.), and the increased growth of our forests due to carbon dioxide, rather than fighting to stop ranching and the production of this necessary form of plant food for photosynthesis. And Wyoming should be the last state castigated for its exemplary stewardship of their private and public lands, an anyone who does is a self-righteous, hypocritical urbanite because of all the blood and environmental destruction on their hands for the urbanization of the natural habitats in the states they live. Or just consider all the adoptable dogs that are still killed each day in their animal shelters throughout the U.S., over 5,500, include cats, over 1.5 million a year.The stakes are high. Out-of-state environmental groups sitting safely in glass towers with no wild apex predators in their backyard want to take control of our apex predators and wildlife by challenging the authority of Fish and Wildlife officials to manage as they actually live and work among the wildlife they protect at great peril, from inclement weather, poachers, and the very dangerous predators they are trying to protect, let alone state sovereignty:“Congress intended that, when a species recovered, it would be removed from federal listing and managing would be turned back over to state jurisdiction”, said William Perry Pendley of Mountain States Legal Foundation. Thus, not only does this self-appointed environmental group “frustrate” the will of the citizens of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho but also “the will of Congress.”——————————————————*There is a fanatical push to abolish fossil fuels (through legislation or taxation) as a source of energy which would greatly affect Wyoming, particularly the city of Gillette which calls itself the “Energy Capital of the Nation”. The problems inherent in this belief:Millions of people would die around the world without electricity generated by fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—because there would be no artificial heating, cooling, and refrigeration, no modern equipped hospitals and intensive agriculture (without machinery or electricity to irrigate there is no mass food production or if it’s too expensive because of punitive taxation), and our schools, businesses, and factories would have to cease or change from their present form because there are not any other alternative sources that can replace the large demands for sources of energy, not even close. For example, in 2018, in the US, we were dependent upon them for over 64% of our electricity generation, and 45 of our 50 states used coal, including New York. In the transportation sector, air and land, it’s even higher, petroleum products accounted for about 92% of the total US energy source. And without high tech transportation, the world would turn to chaos and anarchy. Altogether, in 2015, fossil fuels made up 81.5% of total US energy consumption. The world’s primary energy sources in 2018 consisted of petroleum (34%), coal (27%), and natural gas (24%), amounting to a 85% share for fossil fuels. So, who is really saving lives here? And who is really causing an apocalyptic ending?Air pollution would increase. India has the worst air pollution in the world. The air quality in New Delhi, the second largest city in the world, often registers ten times worse than the air found in Beijing, China that has become notorious for its poor air quality. Since there is a lack of fossil fuels, India is heavily dependent upon other more toxic sources of energy, such as biomass fuels for cooking and heating which contributes about 8% to their air pollution, and they are more dependent upon fire to clear waste from crop residue. Waste burning in the rural areas - a cheaper alternative to mechanical tilling - contributes another 17% , and worst of all, the dust generated from their roads contributes between a third and 56% of the most harmful pollutants, coarse pollutants, in the city’s atmosphere, along with the dust from the many large construction sites, are the chief contributing sources to India’s air pollution. Being landlocked by treeless plains and deserts, Delhi is inherently dusty, and that is why their standard for air quality for PM2.5 pollutants is 40 units. But the World's Health Organization’s guideline is 10. And rather than cooking and heating with clean-burning fossil fuels like natural gas that doesn’t create toxic indoor air pollution, many Indians still use biomass, such as cow dung and firewood (or fuelwood), as a cheap source of fuel and because of the lack of an adequate natural gas infrastructure. However, when it burns, it produces smoke, carbon monoxide poisoning, and numerous indoor health pollutants at concentration levels 5 times higher than coal. So, if India was using fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal, instead of renewable fuels like biomass in their homes, their indoor air quality would be at a safe level.And, there is not enough fossil fuel to destroy our planet. The real question is not whether the earth’s atmosphere is getting warmer because it’s always in flux and has natural mechanisms to counterbalance itself through the cycles of cold and heat, but instead, Are we capable of triggering a runaway greenhouse effect ourselves? Carbon dioxide gas currently makes up 400 parts per million of the air, up from 280 ppm before the Industrial Revolution. To trigger a runaway greenhouse effect, we would have to get the level up to 30,000 ppm. So, is that possible with fossil fuel emissions? No way, because it would take about 10 times more carbon dioxide than can be released if we burned all known fossil fuels. There are other more potent and dangerous sources of greenhouse gases, like the seabed methane that escaped during the PETM (Methane gas, released from our landfills, is 28 to 36 times more potent than carbon dioxide.), but it seems like the likelihood of us being steam cooked is nonexistent.The future is nuclear power, but it’s not sufficient enough without fossil fuel and hydro mix. The problem: the people, such as environmentalists and politicians in the US, who talk about climate change have no idea how power grid works (i.e., power plants). There are base load plants, load following plants, and peaking power plants. So, when your buying power from utility, you are buying electricity by mix of power plants, nuclear, coal, natural gas, diesel, and hydro, and renewables, wind and solar, just don’t fit in the existing power grid, not until we have superconducting cross-country power cables that will allow us to transport power over huge distances with zero losses. France, however, has a different type of nuclear power plant that isn’t base load but load following, and it’s a lot better. So, unlike Europe, American environmentalists and politicians are pursuing the wrong path because they don’t understand how power plants work, that we also need fossil fuel plants and better nuclear plants. So, instead, we should be building load following nuclear power plants like France where more than 71% of its electricity is generated by NPPs, and thus less need for fossil fuel plants. Our media is also partially to blame. Journalists don’t interview electrical engineers about energy sources, but only fanatical interest groups and politicians espousing pseudoscience for sound bites and readership and not the truth. The hypocrisy: According to the US Department of Energy, the US uses nearly 25% of the world’s fossil fuels, but contributes only 3% of total fossil fuel production. However, many of our politicians want us to stop production but we then have to use imported fossil fuels to replace our production. Thus, it’s clear they are more concerned about following the latest media crusade to sound like their saving the world and getting elected than seeking the truth and really saving lives.

Top 50 Travel Destinations for 2015.Vineyards Barossa Valley, Adelaide – AustraliaBarossa Valley, AustraliaSouth Australia always shines, but the Barossa Valley is beaming. One of Australia’s oldest food and wine regions, the Barossa is criss-cut with more than 150 wineries. Some, like the heritage vines at Penfolds and Henschke, have been fruiting since the late 1800s. But Barossa is not all about history; the region also bursts with new butcheries, bakeries, breweries, cideries, creameries, and cooking schools such as Mark McNamara’s latest Food Luddite Kitchen. Travelers can ramble between standbys like Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop and recently opened accommodations ranging from the Ikara Safari tents in the Flinders Mountains to the gorgeous Japanese villas attached to the Sticky Rice Cooking School in the Adelaide Hills. Be sure to save time for Adelaide, too. The bounty of Barossa will fill your plate; a bourgeoning small bar scene fuels the night; and the Minima Art Hotel has 46 rooms, each transformed by a different South Australian artist. - Serena RennerVienna and Salzburg, AustriaSophisticated Vienna, with its Baroque palaces and matchless art museums, is a city to adore at any time, but 2015 brings a series of exhibitions and celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the building of the Ringstrasse. This most elegant of boulevards surrounds the inner city and was the brainchild of the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph. Opened on May 1, 1865, it replaced the city’s former fortifications with grand palaces, the Vienna State Opera, the city hall, theaters, museums and art galleries in what was surely the grandest town-planning project of the time. Also happening in 2015, the 450th anniversary of the Spanish Riding School will see spectacular dressage performances in June in the Baroque manège. Salzburg also shares the Austrian spotlight in 2015, with the Sound of Music 50th Anniversary Celebration kicking off on Monday June 22. Events include special screenings of The Sound of Music as well as visits to city locations associated with the film. The festival culminates on Friday June 26 with a concert at the Mozarteum Salzburg, where much-loved tunes from the movie will get an airing. - Sasha HeseltinePineapple Fountain in Waterfront Park, Charleston South CarolinaCharleston, South CarolinaWith its hospitable, well-mannered locals, classic architecture, horse-drawn carriages, and cobblestone streets, Charleston oozes relaxed Southern charm in a way that hasn’t changed for more than a century. Modern day Charleston is a food-centric city, having been voted one of Conde Nast Traveler’s Best American Cities for Foodies. A number of new, world-class eateries have opened recently including Xiao Bao Biscuit which offers “Asian Soul Food” and The Ordinary, a gourmet oyster hall where the shucking takes place inside a vintage bank vault. In 2015, the city will host BB&T Charleston Wine + Food and the Lowcountry Cajun Festival, both featuring a wealth of local dishes. Historians will appreciate the myriad events taking place in 2015 throughout Charleston to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War. Through the end of the year, visitors can experience Civil War art gallery shows, traditional battle reenactments, lectures, educational tours, and a host of other special events. - Mike RichardOkavango Delta, BotswanaThis vast flood plane in the northern part of this landlocked African country is one of the best spots on the continent to do some serious wildlife gawking. Not only because you have a great chance at spotting the Big Five (that would be lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros), but also because the area is fresh off getting the stamp of approval from UNESCO in 2014. One thing that makes the delta unique is that the Okavango River floods every year during the dry season; the result is that plants and animals have synchronized their biological clocks to the seasonal floods. The mass amount of flora that grows because of the floods means grazing herbivores are ample and it also means that carnivores are not far behind them. So, for the visitor, you can predict where and when you might spot, say, a lion or a black rhinoceros. Another reason why you might be more likely to catch site of the Big Five here is that the country just made hunting illegal. That’s right, no big game hunting is happening here anymore. The only thing people are going to be pointing at animals here is a pair of binoculars. - David FarleyMorning in JasperJasper, Alberta, CanadaForget five star luxuries and discover Jasper’s 5-billion-star scenery. Set beneath the rugged Canadian Rocky Mountains, Jasper National Park is an UNESCO world heritage site known for its stunning landscapes. It’s also one of the planet’s largest Dark Sky Preserves, which means its limited light pollution footprint allows for unparalleled stargazing and the annual Dark Sky Festival takes place in October. The incredible wilderness setting makes for abundant wildlife throughout Jasper National Park, too, and elk, Bighorn sheep, Mountain goats, and Black bears are all commonly spotted along the highways; however, to spot an elusive, and sadly at-risk, Caribou you’ll have to hit either the Skyline or Tonquin Valley trails, two multi-day treks that access the remotest corners of parks. Visitors step beyond nature’s edge at the Glacier Skywalk, which is the newest attraction in Jasper National Park. After an interpretive walk along a cliff-side path, step out onto the Glacier Skywalk and discover new vistas from the 918-foot-tall, glass-floored archway. It’s just minutes away from the Columbia Icefield Centre, where it’s possible to board a Glacier Explorer Bus to travel atop the Athabasca Glacier. - Jeff BartlettHobart, TasmaniaWe agree with Lonely Planet; the time to visit Tasmania is nigh. With its wild and rugged scenery and thriving artisan food, drink and art scene, the entire West Virginia–sized island is worth a “squiz,” as they say in Australian. If you have to settle in one place, Hobart is the center of antipodean action here. The Museum of Old and New Art hasn’t stopped shocking people since opening in 2011. It’s now a cultural icon that hosts a full lineup of events including Mona Foma and its winter counterpart, Dark MoFo, which will celebrate its third wacky year in 2015. Hobart is also surrounded by three prominent food and wine regions, becoming increasingly renowned for whiskey and cider; island escapes abound like the new Bruny Island Long Weekend; and uncharted territory is never far off. In 2015, the second stretch of the Three Capes Track will enable hikers to venture 20 miles deeper into Tasman National Park. - Serena RennerInverness, ScotlandInverness, ScotlandScotland hit the headlines in 2014 thanks to its much-publicized bid for independence, but although it’s officially remaining part of the UK, it’s fair to say that Scots have a newfound love for their home country and 2015 is all about celebrating its individuality. Discover Scotland’s impressive natural heritage by hiking through the Highlands, climbing the UK’s tallest mountain or cruising along Loch Ness; tuck into delicious Scottish salmon or traditional haggis in celebration of the 2015 Year of Food and Drink; or attend the biggest event of the contemporary art scene at Glasgow’s Tramway gallery – the prestigious Turner Prize, presented in Scotland for the first-time ever. Fans of Scotland-based hit TV series Outlander will also be in for a treat in 2015 – as the hotly-anticipated second season hits screens, you’ll be able to travel back to 18th-century Scotland on a tour of Outlanderfilming locations. - Zoe SmithTorres del Paine, ChileChile’s most well-known national park in the depths of Patagonia has soaring granite towers, milky azure lakes, wide-open vistas and glaciers from the Southern Patagonia Ice Field. In recent years,Torres del Paine, the 927 sq. mile park has become more accessible due to a new road from Puerto Natales, the closest nearby city. The park is home to herds of the llama-like guanaco, and the rhea, South America’s answer to the ostrich. There are also foxes, kingfishers and seldom-seen huemules (tiny Andean deer) and pumas. Visitors can enjoy the park in a number of ways, traversing subpolar Magellanic forests and Patagonian steppe on a 5 day hike called the W, or the one called “the circuit,” that takes 8-9 days, and circles the Paine massif, part of the mountain chain in the park. Even in just a one-day trip, visitors can see two glacial lakes, Nordenskjold and Pehoé, and get to the large waterfall in the park called, appropriately, Salto Grande. Since Chile dropped the $160 reciprocity fee for US Passport holders in 2014, you can use that cash to finance your trip to the park, and have a large celebratory dinner when you emerge again. -Eileen SmithJiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest AreaJiuzhaigou Valley, ChinaLocated in Sichuan province, the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve, or Jiuzhaigou Valley, should be on your travel radar for its picturesque beauty of lush forests, impressive waterfalls and glistening lakes. As China endeavors toward cutting its carbon emissions by 2020, however, Jiuzhaigou is also blazing the trail for biodiversity conservation and environmental awareness in China by advocating eco-tourism. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992 and a World Biosphere Reserve in 1997, the area is home to many endangered plant and animal species, including the beloved Giant Panda. Environmentally friendly hotels are dotted throughout, and a ‘green’ tourist bus will drop you off at boardwalks to explore on foot where traffic cannot reach. To delve further into the alpine surroundings (and away from the crowds), Zharu Valley, in particular, is the designated eco-tourism zone within the national park. Visitors are restricted in number with access only via guided treks to the tranquil surroundings and furthermore, into one of the nine Tibetan villages that occupy the region. With China’s carbon reduction efforts in full effect and Jiuzhaigou first in line to support a greener future, the area can confidently look forward to welcoming many more generations of visitors to come. - Emily ChuToronto, Ontario, CanadaThe Canadian metropolis on Lake Ontario is having a moment. A recent building boom – at one time there were more construction cranes in the city than in the rest of North America combined – has resulted in making Toronto much more vibrant and dynamic. New hotels, such as the new flagship location of the Four Seasons, and the 45-floor, 567-guest-room Delta South Core, have freed up some room space for a city that was suddenly lagging in hotel rooms – testament to this city’s popularity. There is also a burgeoning restaurant scene, as acclaimed chef David Chang opened up an outpost of his Momofuku franchise in the Shangri La Hotel and French chef Daniel Boulud fired up the burners on his first north-of-the-border endeavor in the Four Seasons. And if there’s one time of year you might want to touchdown in Toronto, go in mid-July when the Pan Am and Parapan Am games hit the city. Athletes from Buenos Aires to New Brunswick will be competing against one another, filling the city with an international spirit of fun and games. - David FarleyBoulevard in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto RicoWhile Puerto Rico’s government has fumbled to manage the island’s economy properly, the past few years have been a boom time for travel to America’s Caribbean outpost, thanks to enthusiastic, colorful magazine spreads touting the island’s cuisine (showcased in a growing number of food festivals) and architecture (take, for just one example, the recent renovation and reopening of the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, originally built in 1919). But it’s beyond the attractions featured in glossy pages where you’ll find the most interesting people and places in the island’s capital, San Juan. The once gritty neighborhood of Santurce lures visitors not only for its well-advertised hotspot restaurants, José Enrique and Santaella, but also for food trucks, an annual street art festival, Santurce es Ley, and hole-in-the-wall, locals-know-best spots like Club 77, a mid-size venue for both Puerto Rican rock bands and visiting jams from the mainland. - Julie Schwietert CollazoThe Croatian CoastRemember when the Balkans were inflamed with violent in-fighting? We barely do, either. Twenty years ago this year, the bloody three-year conflict between neighbors Croatia and Serbia ended. It didn’t take long for Croatia, or at least its 1,100 miles of coastline and equal number of islands, to recover. Croatia joined the European Union in 2013 and it’s not looking back. The Dalmatian Coast, as most of the country’s coastline is called, has since become a major tourist draw. And the gem of the Adriatic, the one place any discerning traveler has to see, is Dubrovnik, located in the southwest part of the country. Imagine: white limestone pedestrian streets, and rickety red-tiled houses crammed into a space encircled with 80-foot-high walls right on the Adriatic Sea. There isn’t a check-list of things to do here. It’s all about strolling the streets of Stari Grad, or Old Town, and relaxing by the sea, perhaps with a glass of Croatian rakia, or plum brandy. Factor in some of the most luxurious hotels in the region, restaurants serving just-off-the-boat seafood and you’ve got a memorable spot to enjoy a beautiful blend of culture, history, and azure-colored sea. - David FarleyStreets of Cuenca, EcuadorMainland EcuadorMany people only visit mainland Ecuador as a quick stopover on the way to Galapagos; however it warrants a trip of its own. One of the most biodiverse countries in the world, in Ecuador it’s only a matter of hours travel from the snowcapped Andes to the Amazonian rainforest or a coastline perfect for surfing. Don’t speak Spanish? Not a problem. There are many hotels, hostels and tour operators that accommodate English speakers. And while Ecuador opens travelers with open arms it isn’t overridden with tourists. There is no established tourist trail and it’s still possible to have authentic experiences without feeling like you are being herded from one town to the next in a generic experience. It’s a country of contrasting landscapes, warm smiles and exotic experiences. It’s a country you should visit before the rest of the world discovers its beauty. - Ayngelina BroganOrlando, FloridaThere’s no shortage of theme parks and attractions in Orlando. But Florida travelers are always looking for something more, bigger, and better! In 2014, the city revealed one of the world’s most anticipated attractions – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Diagon Alley™ at Universal Studios Orlando. Harry Potter fans can now visit real-life replicas of the Leaky Cauldron™, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, and Ollivanders™ wand shop. Spring 2015 will see the grand opening of I-Drive 360 – a massive, new entertainment complex featuring Madame Tussauds Orlando wax museum and Sea Life Orlando aquarium. At its core, the park will also include an observation wheel modeled after the famous London Eye. Appropriately called The Orlando Eye, this massive ride will take visitors 400 feet above the complex in self-contained, air-conditioned glass cars. It promises the best views in all of Central Florida, reaching as far as Cape Canaveral on a clear day! - Mike RichardDuomo square of MilanMilan, ItalyMilan isn’t an uncommon stop on many Italy itineraries, but it’s usually just an entry or exit point thanks to the city’s major international airport. Dig a little deeper in this northern Italian city, however, and you may find some reasons to stop and stay awhile. Of course there’s the many-spired Duomo (you can climb to the top and walk on the roof), and one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous pieces of art, “The Last Supper” fresco in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie. But some of the reasons to visit Milan are fleeting, only available for a short period of time. In 2015, one of those reasons is Expo 2015 (the latest iteration of the World’s Fair, which is held every five years), to be held in Milan from May through October. The massive event is called “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” and sub-themes include such things as food safety, food scarcity, and food as it relates to culture. It will be an opportunity to see how different countries plan to address these issues, while sampling some possibly futuristic foods. Milan Expo 2015 will be in a purpose-built fair grounds in the nearby Rho district, easily accessible via public transportation. - Jessica SpiegelEngland (Outside of London)As one of the world’s most vibrant, cosmopolitan and fashion-forward capital cities, London has always been top of the itinerary for travelers to Europe and there’s plenty going on in the upcoming year all around England. Start with a visit to the legendary Stonehenge, where archeologists have recently uncovered 17 previously unknown monuments around the landmark, then head to Oxford where Lewis Carroll’s former university city will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland with a series of special events, exhibitions, concerts and performances. Back in London, the British Library will be hosting a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition to mark the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta and the 2015 Rugby World Cup finals will be held at Twickenham Stadium. - Zoe SmithDowntown Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota“Dig, if you will, the picture,” was the first line to Minneapolis native Prince’s smash 1984 hit “When Doves Cry.” He wasn’t necessarily talking about his hometown but he could have. After all, dig, if you will, this city of 400,000, which has some recent additions that make it the Midwest’s coolest metropolis: the city’s modern art museum, cutting-edge Walker Arts Center (放っておけないガラス交換・ガラス修理の依頼は早めに), was spiffed up by ultra-hip Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron; the historic Guthrie Theater (Welcome) moved into a new building designed by Jean Nouvel; the Twins have a handsome new baseball stadium downtown (the Vikings state-of-the-art new football stadium will be ready in 2016); and theater is alive and well here (Minneapolis has the third most theater productions in the United States). Hungry yet? The City of Lakes knows how to feed, especially recently: the newly re-opened Travail Kitchen & Amusements, located just north of the city in Robbinsdale, serves up avant-garde cuisine at its best and acclaimed chef Gavin Kaysen, the erstwhile top toque of New York’s Café Boulud, has returned to his hometown to open Merchant. It’s enough to make the non-local purple with envy. - David FarleyFaroe IslandsThere are few places in Europe as remote and uncharted as the Faroe Islands and archipelago’s unique location will be its biggest draw in 2015, as it’s one of only two places in the world to view the Total Solar Eclipse of March 20th from land. Europe won’t see another eclipse until 2026 so it’s worth the journey to witness the natural phenomenon, but there’s also plenty to see and do on the Faroe Islands while you’re there. The 18 small islands, found halfway between Iceland and Norway, are home to the smallest capital city in the world, Torshavn, as well as an expanse of mountains, moorlands and coastal cliffs ideal for hiking, climbing and horse riding. Visit for the eclipse in March and you’ll also have a chance to view the Northern Lights, as well as paying a visit to the famous bird cliffs of Vestmanna, home to around 300 different bird species including Puffins, Guillemots and Gannets. - Zoe SmithVictoria at duskVictoria, British Columbia, CanadaCraft beer? Local wine? Cool restaurants? Long-known for its British heritage – from the manicured Butchart Gardens and to the ritual of afternoon tea – British Columbia’s capital city of Victoria has morphed into a promising destination for lovers of food and drink. This compact seaside city has a growing craft beer scene; schedule your visit around Victoria Beer Week (March 7-15, 2015) for a wealth of sipping events. If wine is more your thing, plan a day of touring and tasting at the wineries surrounding the city. Foodies can graze through the treat-filled Victoria Public Market, then check out contemporary restaurants, from Ulla to Zambri’s, along with down-home favorites like the Jam Café or Pig BBQ. Victoria’s position at the southern tip of Vancouver Island makes it a great base for outdoor adventures, too. Rent a bike and cycle along the shore, head out on a whale-watching cruise, or take in the buskers on the city’s bustling Inner Harbour. And if you plan your day right, you’ll still have time to smell the roses at Butchart Gardens and relax over a cup of tea. - Carolyn HellerDenver, ColoradoMarked by a UFO-like canopy, Denver’s historic Union Station officially reopened in July. The transit hub — designed to feel like “Denver’s living room” — features such restaurants as the Mercantile by celebrated local chef Alex Seidel as well as shops, a bike depot, bars that let patrons take drinks out into said “living room” and the railway-themed Crawford Hotel. Citywide, more than 90 new restaurants, breweries and distilleries opened in the second half of 2014 alone, including Leopold Bros new four-acre distillery modeled after a German brewhouse and Nickel, the newest dining concept to hit Hotel Teatro. If that’s not enough, downtown has a new bike path; an art hotel is in the works; the light rail tracks are inching closer to the airport; and, in case you were sleeping, Denver has become the epicenter of legal pot in America, giving new meaning to Denver’s moniker, the Mile High City. - Serena RennerHong KongHong KongRegarded as the gateway between East and West, Hong Kong is one of the most dynamic cities in the world. It offers local culture, world-class cuisine, and a variety of historical sites and natural landscapes worth exploring. Getting to Hong Kong will be even easier – and cheaper – from some destinations within Asia. Hong Kong’s low-cost carrier, HK Express, is slated to increase flights, including additional service on the newly launched Tokyo (Narita) – HKG route. Hong Kong’s culinary scene continues to be a trendsetter, with bars like Quinary earning a spot on Drinks International World’s 50 Best Bars, and the number of three Michelin-starred restaurants rising from four to five in 2014. This year, take in the views of Hong Kong from a new location. In December, Hong Kong welcomed the Hong Kong Observation Wheel. Located near the Star Ferry pier on Hong Kong Island, this Ferris wheel offers some pretty spectacular views on the 20-minute ride. If you’re a Disney fan, 2015 is the year to visit Hong Kong Disneyland – September 12th marks the park’s 10th anniversary. Hong Kong Disneyland is scheduled to debut a new Disney Princess attraction maze and/or meet-and-greet area in conjunction with the 10th anniversary celebration. - Erin DeSantiagoKerala, IndiaCelebrated for its beautiful landscapes and year-round pleasant weather, heavenly Kerala is worlds apart from the hustle and intensity common to more heavily touristy parts of India. This southern state is characterized by lush expanses of jungle, gorgeous stretches of cliff-lined shores, and a large network of peaceful lagoons that connect many of Kerala’s most charming towns. It’s also India’s prime spot for traditional Ayurvedic massages and health treatments, and Kerala’s variety of activities—which range from backwater cruises to traditional Kathakali dance performances to elephant festivals—make it an ideal destination for travelers of all ages. It’s also an ideal spot for solo female travelers, and has the country’s highest female literacy rate. Best of all, India recently introduced tourist visas on arrival for citizens of over 40 countries, making it easier than ever to plan a visit. - Margot BiggPullen Park, Raleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh, North CarolinaCNN ranked Raleigh, North Carolina as the #3 fastest growing city in the country. With that expansion, the city’s craft beer and urban biking cultures have grown exponentially. As the undisputed home of bluegrass music, it’s now the ideal destination for a unique brewery, biking, and bluegrass combo tour. Raleigh’s growth has also spawned a thriving gourmet food scene. The city is now home to, not only Carolina’s best BBQ, but dozens of world-class eateries, including one of the country’s only true Laotian-owned restaurants. A number of unusual, family-friendly, food-related festivals – including the Krispy Kreme Challenge, Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo, and the bizarre BugFest – will return in 2015. It’s also among the few cities in America that offers free admission to all downtown museums. The best part is that it’s still well under the mainstream travel radar, meaning thinner tourist crowds and extremely affordable hotel and attraction prices. - Mike RichardDublin, IrelandThe Celtic Tiger—Ireland’s roaring economy that diminished to a meow in 2008—may long be over but the Irish capital seems to have done the best with what it has. And by that, we mean, they’re looking intrinsically inward. The Guinness is still flowing. The poets are still penning beauty on the page. And the Gaelic folk songs are still pouring out of pubs. But there’s a lot of freshness happening. The new Marker Hotel, for example, located in the up-and-coming Docklands neighborhood (also home to the Bord Gáis Energy Theater, designed by Daniel Libeskind), has brought some fresh elegance to the hotel scene. Chapter One, the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the country, is still firing on all burners. But now the rest of the dining landscape has taken a decidedly Gaelic turn with restaurants doing their best to out-Irish each other. And that’s not a bad thing. Restaurants like M. Mulligan Grocer and the Hot Stove are churning out Emerald Isle-inspired fare with a twist: black pudding croquettes, toffee-glazed pork belly or Irish Sea salmon to go with your Guinness, anyone? - David FarleyColorful gondolas in VeniceVenice, ItalyItaly’s famous canal city is also famous for its flooding. We’ve been told for decades that Venice is sinking, and that someday it will be entirely underwater, but a massive engineering project nearing completion may change that dire prediction. The MOSE Project began in 2003 with construction in the three inlets from the Adriatic Sea to the Venetian Lagoon, and is slated to be complete in 2016. The ingenious design is installed mostly on the sea floor, with huge panels that can be raised when the water level goes up, blocking the sea from flooding the lagoon. MOSE is an Italian acronym that is also intended to call to mind the story of Moses parting the Red Sea. There have been successful test runs of the MOSE panels, and – barring further delays – it should be up and running officially in 2016. A visit to Venice in 2015, then, is your last chance to see it under construction. The best place to see the construction is the Lido di Venezia, but in the future the design is such that you won’t see the panels the vast majority of the time. You may see the panel tops during winter flooding periods, but then – assuming everything is functioning as it should be – you can just give thanks that your feet are dry in Venice. - Jessica SpiegelLake Tahoe, CaliforniaPop Quiz: what area is home to the largest concentration of ski resorts in North America? If you saidLake Tahoe, congratulations, smarty-pants. Tahoe has more chairlifts and combined miles of terrain parks than Colorado has in the entire state, but that’s just a fact–not bragging. As for the snow with which to enjoy this winter playground, El Nino will take care of that as he’s predicted to return this year, bringing plenty of rain, which translates to snow in the mountain regions. In addition to what skiers and riders are predicting to be a huge snow year, it’s also a year of updates and renovations at the resorts. Experience the new snowcat tours at Homewood Resort; explore the newly designated Pacific Crest Bowls at Alpine Meadows; take advantage of the first Google Glass app for skiers at Squaw Valley and celebrate Sugar Bowl’s 75th Anniversary while enjoying the $20 million in improvements at the resort. 2015 is the year to shred the pow in Lake Tahoe. - Katie CoakleyThe metropolis of OsakaOsaka, JapanJapanese cuisine has finally been getting the attention it deserves. UNESCO has recently added Japanese cuisine to its cultural heritage list for things in the world that are precious enough they need protecting. And Michelin, that veritable, star-stamping restaurant guidebook, has bestowed enough stars on Japan to make it a culinary universe. In total, the country has 28 three-starred restaurants – that’s the most in the world (one more than France, in fact). And nowhere is Japanese cuisine more renowned than in the eating-focused city of Osaka. The recent Michelin guide granted the eastern Japanese metropolis a star to a whopping 76 restaurants – the most one-starred eateries in the guidebook. The city invented the type of restaurant called kappo – a diminutive spot with stools and a long counter bar with the chef cooking before everyone – which the culinary world has since adopted, from Atera in New York City to Water Library Thonglor in Bangkok. At Nakamura, one of those many one-starred restaurants, the kappo chef might serve up a seafood curry with saffron rice or shiso-leaf-wrapped grilled beef tongue. Or sit down at Kigawa, the seminal kappo spot, where many well-regarded chefs have trained. Here you might eat a delicately cooked piece of pork loin paired with oysters. Whatever it is, you’re eating a taste of Japan, one of the finest cuisines in the world. - David FarleyVilnius, LithuaniaAll set to join the Eurozone come January 1, 2015, Lithuania is the last of the Baltic siblings to do so, completing its journey from Soviet satellite to full member of the EU. Topping the 2015 lists of places to travel*, with a swathe of other awards (cleanest air, most cost-effective destination, in the top ten of ethical tourist destinations) and despite a reputation as the weekend ghetto for messy Euro-stag parties, its capital city of Vilnius is actually one of dazzling Baroque beauty, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and overflowing with stylish, cosmopolitan street life. Having shrugged off Communism, contemporary Vilnius curls around Europe’s biggest and most untouched medieval center. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town is crammed with a mélange of ornate Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance façades, pink fairytale churches and winding cobbled streets, all watched over from above by the Higher Castle. Combine all this history with compelling museums acknowledging Lithuania’s mournful past, an edgy nightlife thanks to its student population, and a high-end designer shopping district and you’ve got 2015’s perfect European weekend destination. - Sasha HeseltineNatural swimming pool of Isalo National Park, MadagascarMadagascarSurfers have been heading to places like Hawaii and Australia for decades, lured by famously great waves (not to mention fabulous scenery). But serious surfers are always looking for the next big surf destinations – and, in 2015, one of those places is Madagascar. The island nation off the eastern coast of the African continent has a whopping 3,000 miles of coastline, and the beaches are well-known to visitors, but Madagascar was only added to the International Surfing Association’s membership in 2014. Surfing in Madagascar is featured in a new documentary about the sport, “Ghost Wave.” Local surfers say the waves are on par with Indonesia, and – perhaps most intriguingly – uncrowded. As you might expect for an emerging tourist destination, some of the best places to go surfing in Madagascar are a little tough to reach without a local guide. The good news is that the surfing is great year-round. - Jessica SpiegelDubai2015 is the year of luxury hotels for Dubai. Many prestigious brands are opening opulent properties in the area – including Versace and Paramount Studios. Hoteliers opening new luxury properties include Langham’s first resort in the Middle East and Starwood, slated to open a St. Regis, flagship W, and a new Westin complex next year. Marina 101, a residential and commercial building, will become the tallest hotel in the world and the second tallest building in Dubai, behind Burj Khalifa. The first 33 floors will be home to a 5-star Hard Rock Hotel while floors 34 to 100 will be residential and hotel apartments. The 101st floor will feature a club lounge, restaurant, and Hard Rock merchandise store. Dubai’s airport continues to climb the ranks as one of the best airports in the world, especially for those with long layovers. New flights are being added regularly, and if you’re looking at a trip that includes a layover in Dubai, check out Emirates’ interesting stopover packages. Emirates is offering a special 48-hour stopover package that includes a complimentary visa, hotel, transfers, and more. - Erin DeSantiagoHistoric buildings in the French Quarter in New OrleansNew Orleans, Louisiana2015 will mark the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s devastating visit to the Gulf Coast. While the aftereffects can still be seen in many places, the city of New Orleans has risen from debris and continues to prove that good can come from destruction. Over the past 10 years, New Orleans has experienced a boom in building, both repairing the areas that were flooded after the levees burst as well as new construction that illustrates New Orleans’s draw as a metropolitan destination with a rich history and an eye to the future. Filmmakers, writers, actors and musicians continue to flock to the Big Easy, adding to the already artsy vibe that emanates from the picturesque squares. Big name festivals like Jazz Fest and iconic favorites like Mardi Gras continue to draw the crowds, but New Orleans continues to grow and evolve. If you haven’t visited New Orleans post-Katrina, use 2015 to celebrate the soul of the city. - Katie CoakleyMalaysiaAfter the momentum of Visit Malaysia Year in 2014, the southeast Asian country has been building up to what is set to be an exciting year for visitors. This year’s MyFest will see Malaysia celebrate its diverse cultural and religious communities and traditions with various festivals taking place across the nation – and will be encouraging its visitors to join in. Many of Malaysia’s religious festivals center on some of the country’s top places of interest, making 2015 the ideal time to visit popular attractions such as the Batu Caves – the most popular Hindu shrine outside India and the focus of the Thaipusam festival at the start of February. The celebrations will continue throughout the year, with more than 200 cultural festivals plus performance art and music events taking place around the country. Of the many things that will entice visitors to Malaysia in 2015, the more practical benefit of it remaining a low-cost option will undoubtedly be one of them. With this on its side, plus the country’s year-long celebrations, festivals, and events, 2015 looks set to truly be the year to visit Malaysia. - Kirsty StuartCabo Pulmo Bay, Baja CaliforniaBaja California, MexicoAfter suffering through a tough year of natural disasters, Baja California, Mexico is definitely ready for and in need of tourism. With an emerging culinary and wine scene, and new resorts popping up all over the region, 2015 is the year to go before everyone discovers Baja’s charms. The region suffered a lot of damage from Hurricane Odile in October, but resorts have reopened and the international airport is gearing up for increased flights in 2015, with carriers like Alaska, Delta, and Spirit adding new routes. Two brand new golf courses combined with a planned JW Marriott opening should keep Los Cabos busy in 2015. In December, SeaPort Airlines started direct flights from San Diego International Airport to San Felipe, a small city on the northern Baja Peninsula. Flights are also available from Burbank Airport (via San Diego) to San Felipe as well. A massive landslide closed the Tijuana-Ensenada toll road in late 2013, a major artery for tourists visiting the region. Good news for travelers wanting to drive to Baja again – the road just reopened in mid-December. - Erin DeSantiagoTromso, NorwayNorway’s majestic fjords, snowy peaks and fairytale castle famously inspired Disney’s megahitFrozen and with a new animation short, Frozen Fever, due next Spring and a Frozen musical hitting Broadway in the not-so-distant future, what better time to discover the real-life Arendelle? As the self-proclaimed ‘capital of the arctic’, Tromso makes a good place to start – a frozen wonderland with herds of free-roaming reindeer and one of the best places in the world to view the dazzling Northern Lights. Make the most of the snow with a husky sled or snowmobile excursion, take a magical reindeer sleigh ride to Lapland to visit the ancient Sami tribes or cruise around the glistening fjords, where you can spot orcas and humpback whales gliding through the icy waters. - Zoe SmithKayaking in Sitka Harbor, AlaskaAlaskaEver since 1875, when the first passenger pleasure cruise visited the Inside Passage, cruise ships have been the preferred means of travel around the mist-shrouded coastlines of Juneau. Recently, however, an increase in the number of Juneau-bound airlines has made the area more accessible, and after fishing the waters of Alaska’s capital or hiking its forested trails, independent travelers can use the ferries to travel on their own schedule. Strangely enough, RV rentals are increasing in popularity in these small island communities, since you can easily put an RV on the ferry and have budget accommodation at night. The growing ease of transport aside, Alaska remains one of our perennial favorites for its scenery, wildlife, and culture. When visiting Southeastern Alaska in summer, watch grizzly bears hunt for spawning salmon near Wrangell or Admiralty Island, and learn about totem poles and Tlingit culture in Ketchikan or Sitka. Just remember to pack a jacket when you visit—as the cool weather is a welcome escape from the sweltering summer heat. - Kyle EllisonLima, PeruTourists flock to Peru to walk the Incan trail – a journey that ends at the ancient ruins of Machu Pichu. Or they head to Cusco, an ambient town known for its potent elevation sickness. Both locations have filled a lot of bucket lists. But there’s another trail in Peru that is worth walking: the food trail. Peruvian cuisine has come a long way and some global food and restaurant observers think restaurants in Lima have hit a zenith with serving local but creatively executed fare. Chef Gaston Acurio, for example, is an international star, exporting his La Mar Ceviceria all over the planet; his flagship spot, Astrid Y Gaston, is renowned, serving up dishes like pan-seared scallops topped with agave and crispy garlic and sea urchin accompanied by algae from the Andes and hearts of palm from the Amazon. Likewise, La Central, where Virgilio Martinez pays culinary respect to the food of this country, has put a twist on Puruvian cuisine; the restaurant reached number 15 in San Pellegrino’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants (Astrid Y Gaston, by the way, wasn’t far behind at 18). All this means that Peruvian cuisine is finally getting global recognition. And also that you get on a flight this year to Lima before every table in town is booked. - David FarleySunset on the Willamette River, Portland, OregonPortland, OregonThe Pacific Northwest is peaking in popularity. With nine new hotels as well as the Central Loop street car coming online in 2015, Portland will do doubt turn heads this year. The Central Loop will traverse the Tilikum Crossing, the city’s first bridge built since 1973. Constructed for modern Portland, only public transit, pedestrians and cyclists can cross the Crossing; the Bridge Pedal in September offers the first chance for bikes to test it out. In other cycling news, the first 30 miles of the Columbia River Gorge bike trail opens in 2015 with the remainder slated for 2016. Several Portland neighborhoods such as Northwest 23rd are witnessing a resurgence; a growing urban wine scene is rivaling that of beer and spirits; and new coffee tours are sharing Portland’s third-wave buzz with caffeine connoisseurs from around the world. - Serena RennerTransylvania, RomaniaBe sure to pack the garlic when heading for Transylvania; Romania’s wild frontier is tucked into the heart of the country touching the Carpathian Mountains. Bram Stoker’s 1897 vampire novel Dracula may be fiction but his writing was based on the superstitions of centuries in Transylvania thanks to the bloody exploits of 15th-century warlord Vlad the Impaler, who murdered 80,000 of his subjects on long spikes. The new movie Dracula Untold, released in 2014, goes part way to telling Vlad’s real backstory. These days, thanks to an influx of cash after Romania joined the European Union in 2014, Transylvania is capitalizing on Vlad’s reputation and the region’s tourist industry is burgeoning. Get there ahead of the crowds as vampire tourism is drawing in travelers to the little-known but gorgeous Baroque towns of Bra?ov, Sibiu and Sighi?oara. As well as offering sophisticated city life, mysterious castles – Vlad’s former home of Bran Castle is yours to buy for $47 million – Saxon villages, and spa resorts fed by thermal springs, Transylvania is a paradise for open-air lovers, with ski-ing in the Bucegi Mountains, cycling and hiking trails, climbing in Piatra Craiului National Park and potholing in the Bihor hills. - Sasha HeseltineSpanish Square in Seville, SpainSeville, SpainTravelers have long been drawn to Spain’s Seville. The southern city captivates with its tangle of tiny streets and alleys that are lined by buildings adorned with ornate rot-iron balconies. From old-fashioned bullfighting to soulful flamenco, Seville exudes zesty and traditional Spanish culture. But these days, it rises as a top destination to visit for a new reason: it is a set for the highly anticipated fifth season of Game of Thrones. Filming has already wrapped at Seville’s Alcázar, a Moorish palace and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once a royal residence, the Alcázar’s gardens, reflecting ponds, and tiled courtyards will serve as Game of Thrones’ Kingdom of Dorne. Filming not only takes place in the city of Seville but also in other locations within the Andalucia region, including the bullring in the village of Osuna. Indeed, whether you wish to discover a quintessential slice of Spain or to immerse yourself in the fictional world of Dorne, Seville is an especially intriguing place to set your sights on for 2015. - Erin RidleyAtlanta, GeorgiaSince hosting the Centennial Olympics in 1996, Atlanta has continued to grow as a world-class city and the hub of the contemporary South. While the arts and culture scene continues to thrive, there has been a need for outdoor recreation, social spaces and a cohesive community feel. Enter theAtlanta BeltLine, a multi-decade urban planning project that makes Atlanta a must-visit destination in 2015. Similar to the High Line in New York, but on a larger scale, the Atlanta BeltLine will ultimately create a network of parks, multi-use trails and transit that will connect 45 neighborhoods through a 22-mile trail around the city. Constructed along a historic railroad corridor, the completion of the Atlanta BeltLine is 25-year project with a target completion date of 2031. However, four trail segments are open and four new or renovated parks are now open for public enjoyment, making Atlanta one of our top picks for 2015. - Katie CoakleyTemples of Bagan, Burma, MyanmarBagan, MyanmarWhether you call it Burma or Myanmar, you’ve no doubt heard about the rush of intrepid travelers headed for the Southeast Asian nation in the last few years. Since the end of the country’s military dictatorship in 2011, tourist numbers have been increasing dramatically – but there are still far fewer tourists in Burma than in nearly any other part of Southeast Asia. If small crowds alone are not enough on their own to make you want to investigate the cost of airfare, then take a look at the spectacular landscape of the ancient city of Bagan. It’s the primary tourist destination in the country at the moment, with good reason – it dates from the 2nd century, and the Bagan Plains are dotted with so many temples and stupas it’s been compared to the Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia. The visa process for Burma seems to change frequently, but so far it’s become easier with every change. The tourist industry in Bagan and elsewhere in the country is growing, too, so there are few excuses left to leave Burma off your list. - Jessica SpiegelDowntown Los Angeles, CaliforniaDowntown Los Angeles once thrived with grand movie palaces and ornate Broadway theaters. Then, residents left for the suburbs and the area was left chipping and peeling for decades. But in the last few years, theaters have come back to life and Art Deco landmarks have been transformed into inviting eateries, bars and design shops. The ultra-hip Ace Hotel — opened in the former Texaco offices adjacent to the Spanish gothic United Artists Theater that Ace restored — and Scandinavia-transplant Acne Studios are two indicators of the neighborhood’s new cool. The revived Grand Central Market is another not-to-miss attraction, and the highly anticipated Broad Museum is set to finally share foot traffic with the curvaceous Walt Disney Concert Hall in late 2015. - Serena RennerRotterdam, The NetherlandsRotterdam, NetherlandsRotterdam is Amsterdam’s cooler little sister, or perhaps the lovechild of Amsterdam and Berlin. After being flattened by bombs in WWII, the city reinvented itself. Where once the quintessential tall houses stood, surreal avant-garde architecture and modern art installations popped up. Walking around the city, your eyes are drawn by neon lights, pretty canals, striking statues, seas of bike bikes, quirky shop windows, cozy cafes, smoky bars and street art. There are more than 30 museums dotted around the city, many of which are situated in the museumpark. One of the most famous is the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum, a contemporary art museum filled with masterpieces by Picasso, Renoir, Monet, Magritte, Mondrian and Dali. Over in Delfshaven, which managed to escape the bombs, you can visit old shipyards, warehouses and windmills, or simply relax at one of the many bars and cafes that lace the waterways and canals. On 29 July 2015 it will be exactly 125 years since Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) died. The Van Gogh Europe Foundation, a collaboration of around 30 organizations is seizing this opportunity to honor the Dutch artist under the theme ‘125 years of inspiration’. The full program hasn’t been released, but I should imagine something would be taking place in Rotterdam — even if it’s independent to the VGEF’s celebration. - Emma KnockNew ZealandThe Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies continue to put New Zealand on our radar, and with the release of The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies, moviegoers will get another dose of New Zealand’s natural beauty. In addition to the drool-inducing scenery, however, a recent rise in Tolkien-themed tours means visitors can spend an entire vacation exploring Middle Earth. Enjoy a morning stroll through the Shire while exploring the set of Hobbiton, and journey to some of the removed hill stations that were the dramatic setting for fight scenes. Or, if sports are more of your passion than movies, New Zealand will be hosting the Cricket World Cup this upcoming February and March. Cricket fans from across the globe will descend on Christchurch and Auckland, with additional matches in Wellington and Napier, as well as Hamilton and Nelson. Add in the wine and adventure tourism, and New Zealand remains one of our favorite destinations into 2015. - Kyle EllisonWelcome to Fabulous Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaEven the most seasoned Las Vegas found it hard to keep up with all the city’s changes in 2014. Several smaller, hip hotels joined the Strip scene alongside but drastically different from the established mega-resorts. Highlights include Delano, a gaming-free boutique hotel at Mandalay Bay; SLS Las Vegas, which opened in Sahara’s former footprint; and The Cromwell, the first standalone boutique property on the Strip. Celebrity chefs are still opening restaurants at a blistering pace, including many in these new properties. Downtown Las Vegas has gone through an incredible renaissance over the past couple years, and visitors can’t miss a stop at the Downtown Container Park, featuring local retail shops in repurposed shipping containers, and Fremont Street Experience, a classic favorite with a brand new zip line running the length of its spine. Open-air pedestrian spaces are increasing in popularity right now, and this past year The LINQ and the Monte Carlo promenade both opened with al fresco dining, free entertainment and retail stores that open to the sidewalk. Several new attractions have also opened in Las Vegas in recent months, including the VooDoo Zip Line, which is strung nearly 500 feet above the ground between the two towers of Rio and the High Roller, the world’s highest observation wheel. - JoAnna HaugenAkureyri, IcelandIn recent years, Iceland has exploded in popularity. This tiny island of 300,000 people now receives nearly one million visitors each year, and most come between June and August, when the days stretch long past midnight. The streets of Reykjavik feel downright crowded and it can be hard to escape the lines of tourists and tour buses at every beautiful waterfall, glacier, and volcano. To see more of rugged, remote Iceland, head north to the second-largest city, Akureyri. Home to a university and situated against gorgeous backdrop of fjords, it makes a great base for exploring the wonders of the island’s northern side, including the small whaling town of Husavik, the thundering power of Dettifoss waterfall, the majesty of the Asbyrgi canyon, and the geological moonscape of Lake Myvatn (which offers a much less crowded version of the south’s Blue Lagoon). For Game of Thrones fans, there’s even more reason to go – nearby is where many of the scenes from the beloved show were shot. - Katie HammelCivil War cannonThe South’s Civil War Sites2015 marks the Sesquicentennial of the ending of the American Civil War, which remains one of the most defining—and bloodiest—events in the history of the United States. Though war began on April 12, 1861 and the last battle was fought on May 13, 1865, the repercussions of this conflict echo even today. The Sesquicentennial is not a celebration—it’s a commemoration to honor the 620,000 American soldiers, sailors and mariners who lost their lives during the conflict. Throughout 2015, destinations in the south are hosting events and special programming that commemorate the ending of the Civil War. In Charleston, SC, the first shot of the war was fired at Fort Sumter and the city is hosting events and exhibits throughout the year. The Tri-State Civil War Association, which encompasses Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia, is conducting reenactments and educational programs throughout the year. For historians and travelers alike, the South is a not-to-miss destination in 2015. - Katie CoakelySnowdownia, WalesAll-too-often overlooked by visitors to the UK, make this the year that you venture off-the-beaten-track and discover the many highlights of Wales. There’s the ruggedly beautiful Snowdonia National Park, where you can hike through the wilderness or ride the railway to the 1,085m summit of Snowdon mountain; more than 150 impressively preserved castles, dating back as early as the 13th century; and miles of windswept coastline, where you can try wind-surfing, kite-surfing and coasteering. Wales has plenty of other unique claims to fame too, like the World Bog Snorkelling Championships, held annually in Powys; the world’s largest underground trampoline which just opened in a cave in Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales; and the Cardiff TV studios where Dr Who is filmed, the cult TV series that celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. - Zoe SmithSunrise at Mesa ArchUtahUtah has a lot to offer and there’s no better time to visit than in 2015. With five national parks in close proximity (you can call them the Mighty 5®), Utah is known as America’s National Park capital. The parks are home to geological formations that are unique to this area, from red rock spires and sandstone monoliths to natural arches and bridges. Hike in the deep canyons, climb the sheer cliffs or mountain bike on some of the most gnarly trails in the country—whatever your adventure flavor, you can find it in Utah. While summer is swell, winter is going to be epic. Ski resort giant Vail Resorts recently announced that it will pump more than $50 million into Park City Mountain Resort for the 2015-16 ski season. With a new gondola connecting Park City and Canyons Resorts, the new Park City Mountain Resort will grow to 7300 skiable acres and will become the largest single ski area in the U.S. Other planned improvements include upgrading some lifts, adding or renovating restaurants and improving snowmaking. If you haven’t skied Utah before, 2015 is your year. - Katie CoakleyKoh Yao Noi, ThailandKoh Yao Noi is a tranquil and largely unknown haven situated in the middle of Phang Nga Bay. Nestled between the ever-crowded Phuket and bustling Krabi, it is often referred to as Thailand’s last untouched island. Lusciously green and mountainous in the middle with stunning palm-fringed beaches along the coast, it is a true island paradise, mostly untouched by tourism – but that won’t last long. days are spent sunning on the pristine beaches, visiting local villages, rubber tree plantations, and coconut farms, or taking a cooking class held at a local’s home. The best way to see the island is slowly, on bike or scooter. Just don’t expect too much action – for that it’s an easy skip to Krabi or Phuket.