Finding Heaven on Earth

Christine Sarkis, writing for Yahoo Travel, has some suggestions for where to explore in 2012:

Here’s a great New Year’s resolution: Travel more. We’ve looked into the 2013 crystal ball and found destinations to dazzle in the year ahead. Find out why you’re invited to the Emerald Isle, how the City by the Bay is making the most of its waterfront, and which country is set to make a dramatic solo debut into the European Union next year.

These 10 picks will inspire your travel adventures and finally give you a New Year’s resolution you can stick to.

I think it’s a great list - there isn’t one place that I wouldn’t want to explore. Without exception, the places on this list are either great urban centers of culture and human life or areas of great natural beauty and interest. These are places that celebrate the spirit and vitality of humanity or places that remind us of our place in nature. These are places that reflect a little slice of heaven on earth whether that heaven is pristine nature or the bustling communal life of the city.