Short Story 6
Nicaragua, Mexico, Colombia, Portugal, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Ecuador
[PART 3] 30 Memorable Countries for Solo Traveling Adventures
July 2025
Contents
Introduction
Other Countries
Introduction
Welcome to PART 3 of 30 Memorable Countries for Solo Traveling Adventures! If this is your first time in the three-part series, in PART 1 (Short Story 4) and PART 2 (Short Story 5), there are 20 countries (10 in PART 1 and 10 in PART 2) to visit.
In PART 3, we'll explore countries 21 through 30, uncovering 1 must-see city or town in each country through my solo traveler’s lens.
With that said, you know what to do from here!
21. Nicaragua
Julio, a former guerilla fighter for the Sandinista National Liberation Front (the acronym is FSLN in Spanish) during the Nicaraguan revolution (a civil war beginning in 1978), is the tour driver and guide during my five days in Nicaragua. This friendly, talkative, and funny sixty-year-old native has been showing me the heartbeat of Nicaragua by taking me to local towns. The humidity right now feels like a swamp, and it’s been that way around the clock.
Today, I’m in Granada, a town I’d never heard of before booking this trip. Granada’s colonial buildings, with their bumpy and uneven roads, give the town a warm and old-school vibe. It doesn’t appear to be a tourist destination. I’ve come across some sweaty foreigners here and there, but no tourist crowds or large vans. I like that Granada has a hustle-and-bustle street in downtown and a laidback Parque Central de Granada (the central park), where the community locals gather daily. The town doesn't feel sketchy to walk around either.
Exploring Granada on a horse carriage ride is a first for me. It’s a cool and relaxing experience too! The guy maneuvering the two horses speaks English. We’re shooting the breeze about random stuff as he gives me a simple rundown of his beloved town, and we’re laughing about trivial things. This is a heartfelt moment and one reason why I enjoy traveling solo. Granada has surpassed my expectations of a place to visit in Nicaragua thanks to Julio Tours.
22. Mexico
Guadalajara's most popular food market, Mercado Libertad San Juan de Dios, is jam-packed on the second floor this Saturday afternoon. The cluttered, dense, and loud open area has a bunch of Mexican food stalls close together. Owners and workers cook food fast, as their greeters constantly holler at people walking by, inviting them to eat now. The hustle and bustle is real!
Meanwhile, a mariachi band of five guys randomly stops at tables where folks are chowing down on food, to play classical Mexican folklore music. Some guys carrying a guitar or accordion do solo music rounds throughout the eating zone. Random individual men roam the second floor, shouting if people want to buy their product. This includes hands-free phone chargers, a hand-held massage gadget, and USB flash drives containing albums from different Mexican musicians or bootlegged movies. One guy walks around with a microphone attached to a large speaker and raps in Spanish.
The downtown market is a little rundown and somewhat rough around the edges, with graffiti outside on the building, but it has been a safe and vibrant environment inside since 1959. Sure, there are a few homeless persons asking individuals, including me, for monedas (coins), but nothing annoying or scary. Other than the abundance of delicious and cheap local food, the soul of Guadalajara is on the second floor. Eating at the Mercado Libertad San Juan de Dios is the best thing to do in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, especially on Saturdays.
23. Colombia
The atmosphere is vibrant in Medellin’s Comuna 13. It’s a dense community on a hill covered with square brick houses, closely stacked together, going uphill and downhill, and has been around since the 1940s. The colorful murals scattered among the walls, community locals selling bright souvenirs and tasty street food, along with the rhythmic Latin/Colombian music, have me eager to explore the zone more.
Another compact area has three young Venezuelan guys from Comuna 13 rapping in Spanish. There are roughly 12 foreign spectators, sitting tightly together. The males freestyle rap without explicit lyrics in this lively, kid-friendly environment. Now there’s Latin dance music. The three men randomly pick one audience member to dance with them in the center spot. Everyone, including myself, is smiling and giggling or laughing.
I’m brought to the stage area, and without thinking, I put my hands behind my head and do a standing hip-thrust dance, moving my hips in a circular motion, while the crowd makes some noise. As I walk back to my seat, one of the guy rappers taps me on the shoulder and takes me back to the center to dance. A retired Caucasian lady and I closely grind in front of each other. I turn my back to the woman, twerking my butt against hers, as the small crowd cheers to our freak dancing. I feel energized and light-footed at Comuna 13 in Medellin, Colombia.
24. Portugal
Sintra’s mountain region of green hills is popping out at me, regardless of the heavy overcast and misty sky. The scenery in Sintra, Portugal is intriguing, as to what lies ahead. It feels somewhat off-the-grid, but with tranquility and mystery. Buddhist monks, spiritualists, and meditation enthusiasts who need lots of quiet meditation time will appreciate the Sintra Mountains.
After a 30-minute drive from Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city, along with a five-minute bus ride on a cobblestone road in the middle of nowhere, I arrive at one of the county’s national monuments: Pena Palace. It’s a bulky castle, constructed and completed during the 1800s, and where the former king and royal family used to live. The yellow, dark red, and gray exterior colors of the castle are noticeable despite the thick foggy sky. Different animal heads are sculpted on stones and strategically placed throughout Pena Palace.
The most provocative sculpture is above me, underneath one of the castle’s large arches. It’s a half-man, half-fish with a long octopus-type beard, holding the tree of life over his head. The ferocious look on his face is telling anyone who crosses this arch that “you ain’t going to see anything like this!” This vivid sculpture, plus the well-kept interior and exterior castle are impressive at Pena Palace in Portugal.
25. Spain
“Wow,” is my first reaction to the astonishing Sagrada Familia basilica. It’s a massively tall church that people from all over the world flock to when traveling in Barcelona, Spain. In fact, the Sagrada Familia plans to be the tallest religious monument in the world at 566 feet high, and with 18 towers by 2026. The tour guide is right, people can spend a few hours just observing the 12 high towers and exterior elements of this Roman Catholic basilica. This includes the nativity façade, sculptures, and other fine details around the temple. My eyes feel somewhat overwhelmed because there’s so much to see.
The inside of Sagrada Familia is structured like a colorful forest that will take me to another dimension, or up to the divine spirit. It’s like a church jungle with hardly any statues. Tall stone columns are designed as forest trees holding branches up to the ceiling. The east part’s walls have stained-glass windows containing different shades of blue, which represent daylight. The west zone’s walls carry orange stained-glass windows to symbolize the sunset. I can see why the inside of the temple is called the “Temple of Light.”
This is the most creatively built church I’ve ever witnessed! Whether someone is religious, non-religious, or atheist, the beauty and creativity of this basilica will grab anyone’s attention. Traveling to Spain and not visiting the Sagrada Familia temple in Barcelona is a no-no.
26. Italy
Exploring some of Italy’s major highlights has been a cool experience, but Florence resonates with me the most. Other than the interesting homes and buildings demonstrating Renaissance heritage, the narrow and curvy cobblestone roads, and the exquisite sights inside various churches, one place stops me in my tracks. It’s not on my agenda to check out Museo Galileo. Even though the outside of the brick-and-mortar building of this two-story museum isn’t eye-catching, my intuition says to give it a try, despite being tired from walking and sightseeing.
To my surprise, Museo Galileo is about astronomy, with about 1,000 items inside this museum. Galileo and a few former top-notch Italian astronomers utilized different astronomical tangibles during the 16th through 19th centuries in Italy. The telescopes, astrolabes, navigation tools, and other artifacts are hitting my psyche hard.
What’s compelling is Galileo and other scientists during his period knew that higher planes of existence and metaphysical dimensions existed, containing at least seven realms outside of the world. I first discovered some cosmic levels beyond the sky during my psychedelic therapy sessions and ceremonies with a few mind-altering medicines. Museo Galileo confirms that other dimensions have existed for a long time and that I’m not crazy. I never thought that out of all the places I visited in Italy, Museo Galileo in Florence would be my favorite encounter.
27. United Kingdom
I’m blown away by London as I ride on the Hop-On, Hop-Off city bus. This includes glimpses of Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and the London Bridge, to name a few. Anyone using the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus gets the most bang for their buck because they see all of London’s major landmarks in three to four hours without getting off. At the same time, being able to get off at any checkpoint throughout the city, whenever, is convenient.
Even though the winding and narrow streets in central London look like a pain in the ass to drive, there’s something unique about the chaotic roadways. Kudos to the local drivers who can get around these complicated routes cool, calm, and collected. Still, I like this fast-paced United Kingdom vibe in London.
My intuition prompts me to get off at the London Bridge stop. While I walk along the riverside, I come across the Borough Market, a bustling place with plenty of local street food and some vendors hollering, offering free samples. This thick, 12-inch-long sausage hot dog I’m devouring is the biggest and best hot dog I've ever had! Other yummy street food in my stomach from Borough Market includes mushroom risotto, lamb croissant, oysters, and some cheese samples with names I’ve never heard of. If it weren’t for the easy access of the Hop-On, Hop-Off city bus stops, I might have missed this great place to chow down on local London food.
28. France
The Eiffel Tower in Paris is massive, and I haven’t even been to the top floor. It would be foolish of me not to visit this famous landmark constructed in the late 1800s while staying in Paris. I look forward to reaching the top floor/summit, which is 906 feet high, since I didn’t know the general public could take an elevator to the top until I booked the ticket. I assumed people typically observed the Eiffel Tower at a lower level or outside the entrance.
The elevator reaches the summit of the Eiffel Tower. This circular aerial view is better than I thought! There’s a lot more to Paris than this landmark. The lower/second floor has its perks, but paying a few more dollars to be at the top/summit is worthwhile. There’s also a daily Eiffel Tower light show at night, starting at 8:00 p.m. It begins at the top of the hour for the first five minutes, until 11:00 p.m. The free nighttime event is viewable outside the entrance of the Eiffel Tower, wherever it's noticeable throughout Paris.
A few hours have passed since my daytime visit to the Eiffel Tower. It’s 8:00 p.m. and the show has started. The golden-yellow sparkling lights covering the 1,083-foot-tall landmark are a beauty. Visiting the Eiffel Tower is a double whammy: a daytime visit inside the summit, plus the nighttime light show, equals a pleasant and useful day in Paris, France.
29. Netherlands
The Amsterdam-Centrum city center is moving and grooving this afternoon in Amsterdam. Many Dutch locals ride their bicycles as if they are tailgating each other on the streets. Buses drive by while numerous pedestrians walk through the area. The canals are active with boats cruising and houseboats floating. Meanwhile, the Amsterdam train station has a constant flow of crowds exiting the compound.
As I go deeper inside Amsterdam-Centrum, there are different marijuana coffee shops, restaurants, cool gift stores, places to shop, and even psilocybin dispensaries where people can buy magic mushrooms legally. Folks can purchase peyote cactus plants too. One thing that’s both kid- and adult-friendly is Amsterdam’s popular local fries. They are thick like potato wedges, but shaped as French fries. It’s my first time eating Amsterdam-style fries drenched in mayonnaise, and they taste good.
It’s nighttime, and the vibe has completely changed. De Wallen, Amsterdam’s gritty red-light district, is where prostitution is legal and readily available until 6:00 a.m., seven days per week, 365 days per year. The tall and narrow homes, built in the 17th century beside the middle canal, have a bunch of window brothels, in each window has a bright red light. About 200 windows operate throughout the De Wallen red-light district. Inside every window is a woman dolled up and standing, dressed in exotic and revealing lingerie, watching men like a hawk. What’s left to say about spending the day and night in the Amsterdam-Centrum is that Amsterdam has it all!
30. Ecuador
I arrive at the Amazonian Kichwa community in the Napo province of Ecuador. It was a five-hour drive without traffic from Quito to this remote region in the Amazon Rainforest. The last sixty-minute route is a bumpy truck drive through a gravel and stony road with lots of potholes. Landing by plane in the Napo Amazon isn't an option.
Drawn by the sound of drum beats from a nearby hut inside the Kichwa community, eight females dance freely and barefoot in the center of the sandy ground. Two adult women play instruments, one hitting a shamanic drum as the other scrapes a stick across a round guiro instrument. My guide, Carlos, who also lives in the Amazon, brings me to the center dance area. He puts a handmade Kichwa straw band over my head, gives me a wooden spear, and tells me to dance in front of a Kichwa girl, moving forward and backward while striking the weapon downward.
The sacred indigenous Kichwa dancing comes to a stop. A young woman from the tribe gives me a small bowl of yucca juice, which her community produces and consumes by grinding the plant in a pot. The watery, milk-like liquid tastes smooth, organic, but slightly bitter. Carlos paints some goldish tribal lines on my face using a redish plant. "Shaman," says Carlos as he finishes drawing. This visit to the Kichwa community in the Napo province in the Amazon Rainforest is my highlight of Ecuador.
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Other Countries
High five for making it through the end! As a reminder, 30 Memorable Countries for Solo Traveling Adventures is a three-part series, featuring 10 countries for each part.
If you're ready for other countries in PART 2 (Short Story 5) and PART 1 (Short Story 4), click the button(s) below!