Travel Tip #4

🔸Never let TV /print news or Hollywood be your “window to the world.” If you do, you will never see clearly. 🔸

St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow

I had the pleasure of visiting Moscow a few years back and I definitely recommend the city as a travel destination. However, for me, the most profound take away from my visit was (and still is) this - Never let TV /print news or Hollywood be your “window to the world.” If you do, you will never see clearly.

I was never really interested in going to Moscow. My job sent me. And being an American, I had never remembered seeing a nice photograph or hearing anything positive about the place. “It’s ugly, corrupt oppressive” and “as a black person you won’t be safe” were reoccurring comments. But as a tourist, during my very short visit, I really didn’t find this to be the case.

I’ll never forget the gentleman who, persisted in helping me find the poet Pushkin’s house by stopping in a restaurant to ask for directions. He didn’t speak English. Didn’t owe me anything. Just wanted to be a nice person and help.

Travel Tip - If you really want to know, you’ll really have to go - yourself. Don’t rely on the commentary of others to tell you what’s what. If you do, you may miss out on so much of what this beautiful world has to offer.

🌎🌎 What do you think? Are there places you were originally skeptical about visiting, but were later glad you actually did? Other than a war zone, are there any destinations you are hesitant to visit because of negative stereotypes or media coverage?