Let me say this about that.

If you read the blog on “The scariest place on earth”, I included a list of countries I have personally visited in order to establish a degree of credibility in selecting a location that was deserving of this title.  Due to the subject matter, it was a necessarily negative blog and a bit of a downer.  I was thinking I could use this same list of countries to establish credibility to write about something much more pleasant ….  a list of  “The 10 Most beautiful Places on Earth”. 

You may have never even heard of some of these places, but I can assure you from personal experiences, every one of them is worth putting in your “Bucket List.”  Also, out of reverence for each location, I am going to break-down this list into two parts, with the first five…    locations (number 10 through number 6) being published today and saving the top five for publishing tomorrow.  So, LMSTAT readers, “The 10 Most Beautiful Places in the World”, listed in decending order:

Avenue of the Giants, Humboldt, California

10)  AVENUE OF THE GIANTS, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California:

This is a 31 mile stretch of Old Highway 101 in Northern California that traverses the largest remaining redwood forest in the world.  These are the oldest and largest living things on earth.  Driving the 31 miles through this magic forest will take you a couple of hours because you will not be able to resist pulling the car over, getting out and walking among these giants.  Experiencing the redwoods in person is the only way you will ever be able to actually see an entire tree, as they are simply too large to be able to be photographed in a single frame.

Puerto de Soller

Majorca, a Mediterranean island off the coast of Spain, is a favorite of the rich and famous.  The main city of Palma is an old port town with loads of charm of it’s own.  But for unsurpassed natural beauty, take a drive up the north coast mountain road to the village of Puerto de Soller.

Glacier Bay, Alaska

The only way to get to this remote location is by boat or sea plane.  But watching the glacier calve 10 ton chunks of ice into the bay is worth the trip.  The summer months are the only time this magnificient place can be visited because of the massive chunks of ice that populate the bays in the winter.  But, summertime brings the whales which adds to the special nature of this place.

PHUKET, Thailand

This tropical island is located off the southwest coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea, and is a favorite holiday location for wealthy Europeans.  And, (get ready for a shock) it is one of the only places on Earth that I have found where Americans are genuinely liked !!  Nearby, there is a series of small limestone  monolith islands that served as the backdrop for the James Bond movie “Man With the Golden Gun”.  For those of you who are fans of hot food, this place is Mecca.  Try the “Tun Yum Soup” to be initiated into a small group of  ‘westerners’ that have eaten the hottest dish on the planet.

COKI BAY, Virgin Islands

This magnificent spot is best viewed while sitting at the bar with an umbrella drink on top of the mountain adjacent to the bay.  Take a car from the main town of Charlotte Amalie and drive “up”…… that is the only direction you will be given to the mountain top overlooking this magnificient bay.  Coki Bay is part of the island of St. Thomas, but her sister islands of St Croix and St John are also worthy of a visit.