*Heathrow terminal 5

I would have to put here - the biggest avoid at all costs, none wow factor must be the new Heathrow terminal 5 - they have announced a cancellation of 54 planes tomorrow following their problems in the past days! Some people waited 3 hrs to get their bags yesterday...and now this.

I would also add
Glacier Bay Alaska to my 'wow' list

Bob- when we were in Capri, we kept saying, "bet this place was really something in the 1960's"...by '03 it had the air of beautiful starlet past her prime.

WOW's
-----
(in no particular order)
- Kumbalgarh fort (Rajasthan)
- Jaisalmer fort, Patwa Haveli, Salim Singh ki Haveli (Jaisalmer, Rajasthan)
- Jain Temples, Rajasthan (esp. Ranakpur)
- Luang Prabang
- Temples in Cambodia
- My first time in London
- My first time in San Francisco/Bay Area. SF still wow's me!
- Everytime I visit Hong Kong
- Bangkok

No WOW's
--------
- Las Vegas: I admit I should have known this before I went. But the way people talked about the hotels and the shows and whatnot, I thought at least I'd be amazed, but was not. Just not my type of place.
- Umaid Bhavan Palace: Jodhpur. More than anything, I did not like the hotel service and did not think it was value for my money. Good breakfast buffet though.
- Los Angeles
- Monterrey, California

Great thread -- thanks for starting it Femi.

WOW:

Rio
Thailand
Jerusalem
Paris
India (every place we visited - want to go back and see more)
Istanbul
Alhambra
Provence (Not really wow -- just love being there)
Luang Prabang
Almost every place in California except the desert
South Africa and Cape of Good Hope

Not Wow:

Florence & Tuscany -- loved it many years ago, but was so disappointed when I went back a couple of years ago.

Most place in the US where I travel for business -- but I just keep thinking about those points!

C'mon you guys!

I was WOWed by Alaska!!!!!!!

then.....Ecuador and Galapagos
then.....Peru
then.....Uganda, Africa

Wowed:
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Sydney Opera House
Glenorchy and Kaikoura, New Zealand
Yasawa Islands, Fiji
Venice and Florence, Italy
Pisa (very early in the morning, only)
Mendocino Coast, California
The Algarve, Portugal
Girona and Cardona, Spain
Red Square, Russia
Hong Kong Harbour (especially at night)
Ta Prohm and Bayon, Angkor

Underwhelmed:
Dublin, Ireland
Grand Cayman
Cozumel, Mexico
Nassau, Bahamas
Rome and Naples, Italy
Munich, Germany
Nice, France
Saint Thomas, USVI
All of Florida

Frightened:
DisneyWorld (as an adult trapped at a conference)

Wow

Scuba diving in
Palau
Yap
Fiji
Thailand (both diving and visiting)
Great Barrier Reef
Cozumel
Waterfall rappel in Costa Rica
Thailand
Hong Kong
Viet Nam
Iguazu Falls
Patagonia
Lake Tahoe
Grand Canyon
Chicago
NYC

Wows:

USA -
Sequoia
Bryce
Arches
Rocky Mt. National Park
Grand Canyon
Olympic National Park, esp Hurricane Ridge
San Francisco
Acadia
Alaska
Grand Tetons

Europe -
Norway - coastal voyage
Rome - Forum, Colosseum, Vatican Museum
Bavaria - Romantic Road, castles
Lake District, England
Dingle Peninsula, Ireland
Alhambra
Auschwitz - in a moving and sobering way

Asia -
Luang Prabang
Siem Reap
Bangkok
Interacting w/ elephants at Lampang

Africa -
Botswana safari

Non-wows:
London - I love it, but wouldn't call it a wow
Florence - EXCEPT David (he's a wow, as already mentioned)
Seoul
Vienna

Forgot...

Middle East -
Jerash ruins, Amman, Jordan
Floating in the Dead Sea
And hopefully I'll add Egypt to my list after February!

Well just got back from Jordan...I thought the whole country was "Wow"..

Taking an overnight camel desert safari was uncomfortable, but amazing....

Ruins of Petra and Jerash absolutely fantastic..

And floating in the Dead Sea was my favorite!!

In India..Rajasthan was a big wow to me...and most recently Palolem Beach in Goa had the Wow factor!

Angkor Wat

All the construction in Dubai

Santorini

Easter Island

Machu Picchu definately probably the biggest wow!!

Iguazu Falls...amazing

I forgot to add that the ultimate WOW factor was Hina Hina Cove, New Zealand, South Island.

My friends, from New Zealand, have special permission to enter this restricted area and it was beyond beautiful.

We sat, on a hill, overlooking the most beautiful water view, from 5PM-10PM, watching for and counting how many of the rare Yellow-eyed penguins would swim in. We also sat in a tiny, green hut, overlooking the water. The penguins are very shy and scare easily. So, we had to be very quiet for 5 hours.

We recorded the numbers of adult and juvenile penguins that we saw and then the paperwork was sent to some scientific bird society that records this information. I had traveled VERY far to see the yellow-eyed penguins and got very lucky as my friends go to that spot about twice a year and said that sometimes non swim in.

Also on that trip was another WOW factor as the same friends surprised me and chartered a boat, as my Christmas present, and we went out to hopefully see an Albatross . We got lucky and, after about an hour or so, one flew overhead. Happy Travels!

Oh yeah, duh! I forgot Machu Picchu. Definitely one of my biggest wows also. Truly a magical place.

And Lake Titicaca - homestay on Amantani Island. Wow.

One WOW not mentioned, was when we saw the northern lights from Sitka Alaska!

Yes, Pat the Northern lights were definitely a 'Wow!' from my plane seat window a few years ago. I woke up rubbing my eyes in disbelief. Ever since then I've tried to be extra alert, but haven't seen anything remarkable. That is until the flight home from my last trip in the Middle East. Once again, I woke up and looked out. I have never, EVER, seen the skies filled with stars like that. It went on for ever, and it seemed like I could just reach out and touch them. I couldn't help nodding off, and when I struggled awake again the vision was gone. Wow.

Pat,

From the governor of Alaska's point of view you are now qualified as an astronaut!

i was WOWed by:

- the sheer beauty & size of alaska
- all the different colors of the rocks in the US southwest
- looking up from the bottom of the grand canyon while soaking my feet in the river
- yellowstone wildlife & yosemite vistas & spring waterfalls
- the chicago skyline on a clear day at dusk
- machu picchu
- a beautiful morning atop isla del sol on the bolivian side of lake titicaca
- the snaking view of the great wall on a 6 mile hike
- being in paris for the 1st time
- the rawness of torres del paine in chile
- flying over uluru (ayers rock) in australia
- helihiking on franz josef glacier in new zealand
- rafting class IV & V rapids at cataract canyon
- 1st morning view from my B&B in kauai
- the amazing wildlife in the galapagos

Interesting to see everyone's choices. Have to disagree with some of the Non-wowed. Here's my Wowed.

USA:
Grand Canyon
Mount Rushmore - as a teenager
Mount Mckinley - landing on the mountain and going into an igloo built by an expedition team
Muir Woods
Bryce National Park

EUROPE:
Prague, Czeck Republic
Czesky Krumlov, Czeck Republic - was truly wowed when we entered this UNESCO town.
Vienna, Austria
Amsterdam, Holland
Bruggee, Belgium
Paris, France
Bath, England
Mont Saint Michel, France
Parthenon, Athens, Greece
Santorini, Greece
Mykenos, Greece
Monemvasia, Greece
Delphi, Greece
Alhambra, Spain
Gilbraltor
Riga, Latvia
Vilnius, Lithuania
Cappadocia, Turkey
Ephasis, Turkey
Side, Turkey
Beramkale, Turkey
Cirali, Turkey - beautiful flowers

CANADA:
Victoria
Buchard Gardens & in particular the outstanding firework display

Can't believe the sheer uselessness of such lists - go, find out for yourselves! How anyone can say the whole of Greece and all its places, people & possibilities leaves them 'un-wowed' beggars belief. Duh, it depends where you go, dudes.

By the way, get to Cape Town, Namibia, Botswana, South Lungwa (Zambia), but only if y'all got some soul!

And Happy New Year to you, too, Leon.

If you find such lists useless, don't read them.

This was asked as a personal question - what "wows" you? No one was asked whether a destination was worth visiting or not, and no one said about any destination that it was terrible and no one should visit go there.

I found it very interesting to read what my fellow Fodorites were or were not wow'ed by.

I don't find the lists useless at all. It gives me some ideas.
After over 30 years of 1-3 international vacations a year, I'm starting to run out of ideas. Plus, I find it fun to read as I personally know at least 6 of the posters on this thread. So, if there's a place that they were "Wowed" by and it might be of interest to me, I can personally contact them to get more info on the place.

Also, I find it fun to read the list. I don't take it so seriously. Happy Travels!

Great Thread!
WOWS:

The tea house 'hike' from Lake Louise in Canada.

China - Great Barrier Reef.

Peru - Macchu Picchu.

Watching the volcano erupt from the Big Island in Hawaii - the lava was flowing in front of us in the ocean.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

The 'sea lion' island in La Paz, Mexico.

Looking foward to more WOWS!

Wowed by:

Bangkok
Paris
Sydney

Underwhelmed by:

Detroit
Newark
Philadelphia

I forgot to add...Salvador, in Bahia (Brazil) and the Ile de Taparica(sp?) outside of Salvador back around 2004. Happy Travels!

i'm so glad to be able to reread these on new years day when i am looking forward to another year of travel and many more after that, including to places i have never thought of or considered...

the sight of a name allows the flood of rememberances to cross my mind....so much fun and worthwhile...

OK a big "Sorry!" to all those I may have offended by being a party-pooper, it was unseasonal, not to say churlish to question your happy lists - if I can explain...I've been interested, entertained & inspired by some of the stuff I've read on this site in the past few months; then to come across 60 or more "wow & non-wow" lists of names as a contrast to the words elsewhere on this very site painting pictures of wonderful & not so wonderful places, seemed, well...limited. And another thing, so person A says they were wowed by timbuktu but person B was not, with no rationale, how does that help me the innocent bystander? As I said before, I just gotta go there myself.

Before I start ranting again, there's something to be wowed by, in any place in this crazy old world, it's just harder to find in some places...like, Jo'burg (just kidding homies!), or Agra. See, I'm getting into the spirit of things!

However as you so rightly say Kathie, I should have just stayed out the kitchen on that one, so from an occasionally grumpy old man, my genuine apologies folks. Ignore me. (Actually I really liked the description, can't remember was it Guenmai, about the bay in New Zealand - now that was cool).

Dream on.

Leon, I can certainly understand that these lists and names don't mean much to you at this point. But many of us "know" lots of the other posters so we get more info from the lists. Also, as Guen says, if something someone says strikes her fancy, she can ask for more info.

I agree that everyplace has the potential for "wow" and I agree that much of "wow" is in the eye of the beholder.

Welcome to the board, Leon. I look forward to what you have to share with us after your India trip.

Yes, exactly, many of us "know" each other personally from going to many GTGs together and some have even met here, on the forum, and travel together. We also meet up with each other, on overseas vacations, and have been on this forum together for years.

So, if we know a Fodorite who has similar interests as we do, and were "Wowed", by a place, then we might also be "Wowed" by it. Happy Travels!

Ahh, Leon's cool. These kind of posts give me the squits too. Lol. I can see we're in the minority. We curmudgeonly old farts have to stick together, learn to zip our lips [already a hopeless task] and let the rest of you have fun.

C'mon leon, you and me, let's go out and get drunk, old fella....

Having returned last night from Vienna, where we attended the New Years Day Concert at The Musikvieren, I have to say that this has now become my all-time, soul-shaking, jaw-dropping, wow-inducing travel experience. Wow, Wow, Wow !!

Copy that Dogdude, (the Vivenda dos Palhacos guesthouse we're staying at in Goa is run by descendants of the Hayward brewing dynasty in India - they promise free beer to anyone who can outdrink the male & female record holders - both Australian); but then after that let's revert to lf's misspent south african & altogether mellower (this was '69 after all) pipe smoking youth & love our fellow posters in an all-inclusve arambol toke-in. Whaddya say folks, let's really get Wow'ed!

lol lol lol I'm with Leon.

'Le-e-e-et the sunshine in...'

I noted some secret plantations in Darjeeling. Tea fields and hooch forests seem to like the same growing conditions. Can't think why. Same in Assam. I have a picture of me standing in bushes up to my neck. 500 rupees should get you enough to build a small grass hut.

I think that qualifies as a 'Wow'.

WOW list

* Angkor Wat at sunrise
* Golden Triangle Mekong River
* Mt. St. Michel in France
* Paris neighborhoods (architecture,cafes, museums)
* first trip to BKK...sights, smells, noise
* sunrise on Haleakala Crater - Maui
* Tunnels Beach on Kauai
* Golden Gate Bridge - Northern California Coast
* Glacier Bay - Inside Passage
* Venice
* Halong Bay (calm, misty, exotic)

To Be Wowed (future travels)

* Machu Picchu
* New Zealand
* Northern India
* Petra

Oh yes, bloodshot dog, i can categorically assure you that does make the grade. One day (not now as people will be heartily sick of too many stoned tall tales) must recount some tales of travel in Swaziland, a very green land indeed.

dive, where have you been hiding?

I read dive's comment as:
* Halong Bay (calm, misty, erotic)

Was about to book another trip to Halong Bay in the hope of the 'erotic' bit - then realised I'd misread your post. Damn.

Leightravelclub:
If I may ask what was the cost to attend that peformance in Vienna- we watched the show and it was great. We watch every year and most times its from the Opera House.

... well, 'Wow!' ...


Before meeting mrs. m Asia business trips:

... Singapore Airlines business class ... Singapore Girls - (Forever) ... a certain Tokyo Park Hyatt 'hostess' ... Singaporean 'masseuses' ... Hong Kong Island Shangri-La 'evening companions' ... now, Bangkok: Thonglor, Aviva, Poseidon, Annie's, Orange, Eden, 'other' 'masseuses' ... all waitresses / hostesses at the Four Seasons, Sukhothai, Shangri-La, Peninsula, Oriental ... and yes, my all-time favourite waitress at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit ... (the one, the only one, who will forever remind me of Zhang Ziyi) ... and finally, my all-time cherished Bangkok 'booker', Khun 'A', and her lovely ladies ...


After meeting mrs. m Asia business trips:

... a certain 'Singapore Girl' - Forever ... Singapore Airlines business class ... our mortgage payments in Singapore, Thailand and the 'greater Bay Area' ... (and forthcoming 'inheritance taxes' in Scotland) ... (and yes, the occasional late-night, in-room massage treatment) ...

... as always, joyous, uplifting times to all of you, and do kindly consider: SQ - thank you ...

macintosh (robert)


... The Greatest Show in the Sky ...

(Singapore Airlines)

Hi BillT, we paid £600 pounds for the tickets....and that was for standing!! Nevertheless...for us.... it was worth every penny.

We too have watched this concert for many many years and have to say that I think you are mistaken about the Opera House. The New Years Day Concert in Vienna always takes place in the Golden Hall of The Musikverien. An absolutely stunning building and of course a very special occasion. One that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Will post a link to some photos in next couple of days.

Thanks- and yes I thought it was the Opera House but I was mistaken. I registered for the 2010 lottery that is held for getting such tickets. This event is so popular that they have to hold a lottery for the tickets and limit you to 2.
Is this a black tie affair? What is appropriate attire for the women? Is a suit for a man acceptable attire? Where is this location? Did you have to cab out and back?

Leigh, I look forward to your photos. It must have been a fabulous experience!