We All Need Craic!

It was a cold and grey morning when I landed in Dublin for the first time in mid-January 1989. In those days, Ireland was in a bleak state: it was one of poorest countries in Western Europe; unemployment rate had remained above 15% for at least half a decade; public debt was at 120% of GNP; there was mass emigration, with 200,000 people (over 5% of the population) leaving the country during the decade. No wonder Ireland was not a very popular destination. There were few tourists, less so in winter, and most were from other European countries. At the time, the Irish population was not diverse at all so everyone knew I was a tourist just by looking at me. But it was not a bad thing: locals would ask me if I needed help going somewhere and would actually take me there at times. Amazingly friendly people.

A lot has changed since then. Though still recovering from the 2008 economic crisis, Ireland is in much better shape today: it is attractive to multinationals, unemployment rate is declining, and the Irish economy was the fastest growing in the European Union last year, with forecasts predicting it will continue to have the highest growth rate in the EU through 2016.

But without a doubt, the biggest change on the island took place in Northern Ireland. From 1968 to 1998, Northern Ireland was plagued by The Troubles, violent conflicts between unionists (mostly Protestants who want to remain part of the United Kingdom) and nationalists (almost exclusively the Catholic minority who want to become part of the Republic of Ireland) that resulted in over 3,600 people dead and more than 50,000 maimed or injured. Peace came in 1998 when the Good Friday Agreement established a power-sharing government that must include both unionist and nationalist parties. But old enmities die hard...in several cities, including the capital Belfast, there still stand several so called Peace Walls, built during The Troubles to separate unionist and nationalist neighborhoods, and minimize violence. There are plans to remove all Peace Walls by 2023 but here's an interesting fact that almost no one hears about: some walls have gates and to this day, they are closed at night! If you take a black taxi tour (which I think is a must), you will see the walls and political murals in both the Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods as well as learn more about Belfast’s recent troubled history.

A place with so much turmoil needs weather to match. Ireland is known as Emerald Isle, almost 100% green when seen in a satellite image. The lushness comes from rain but it is not steady...it is more dramatic than that. There can be a downpour for 15 minutes, followed by sun for 20 minutes, then some hail followed by more rain. You will likely experience all weather conditions in a single day in Ireland. Your outdoor experience will depend a lot on luck as you can get stuck with several cloudy and rainy days in a row (as happened to me in 1989) or you can have hours of sunlight, as we were graced with when visiting the amazing Cliffs of Moher, towering stone faces that plunge vertically into the sea and stand against gale force winds that will sweep you down to sea if you don't have enough rocks in your pockets.

One thing that the Irish talk about, look for and enjoy is craic, a Gaelicization of the word crack. You will have it too and won't need to check into rehab afterwards. In the Irish context, it means fun or good times, usually involving good company (easily found in Ireland) and music, and perhaps that is why live music is frequently found in Irish pubs.

Speaking of music, many may not know it but next year will mark 40 years that 5 punk-inspired lads in their mid-teens formed a band called Feedback (later Hype) in the north side of Dublin (even today people jokingly say that you only go to the north side if you want to get robbed). They chose that name because it was one of the few musical technical terms that they did know. No, they didn't know much...but they learned and less than two years later, five became four and changed their name to U2. The rest is history. And whether you like them or not, one thing you have to realize: an Irish band achieving the level of success that they did in the mid- to late ‘80s was nothing short of extraordinary. I know this because I love rock & roll and, in fact, only learned English because I wanted to understand song lyrics and only started to travel because I wanted to buy CDs that weren’t distributed in Brazil at the time. Silly teenage whims, yes...but that took me places.

Sun, Sand, Surreal

Until the late 19th century, Tampa was an isolated, yellow fever plagued area. But in 1883, phosphate, a mineral utilized in the production of fertilizers, was discovered and the area's fortunes changed. Soon a railroad connecting Tampa to Jacksonville was built to enable phosphate and fish transport to the north, but it also brought the first visitors, Thomas Edison and John Ringling (of circus fame) among them. Nowadays, the Greater Tampa Bay area, also encompassing the cities of St Petersburg, Clearwater and Sarasota, has over 4 million residents.

Tampa was once called "Cigar City" after many cigar manufacturers moved in from Key West in the late 1800s to take advantage of railroad transportation. A group of cigar manufacturers led by Vicente Martinez Ybor brought in mostly Cuban and Spanish immigrants to work in the factories, and created a town that came to be known as Ybor City. At their peak in the late 1920s, the factories were hand rolling some half a billion cigars annually. But the Great Depression of the 1930s and later the US embargo against Cuba led to the end of the cigar era. Ybor City turned into a collection of empty factories and deserted sidewalks, remaining so until the late 1980s when artists looking for inexpensive studios began converting vacant spaces into galleries. Ybor City is now a National Historic Landmark District and an entertainment, nightclub and shopping area.

Further west is Clearwater, a place (in)famous for two things: the birthplace of Hooters, and the worldwide spiritual headquarters of Scientology, in a building that used to be the Fort Harrison Hotel and dominates the downtown area. Clearwater's namesake beach stretches for 3 miles along the coast, is very popular and very commercial, with a Hooters right in front of the main entrance area. Yuck. If you want something less spring-breaky, head to Honeymoon Island State Park which has the same white sand and turquoise waters plus a short trail that leads to osprey and eagle nesting areas.

Siesta Beach near Sarasota stretches for half a mile and is hailed as one of the best beaches in the US, in large part due to its very fine white sand. So fine in fact that it is claimed that Siesta Beach has the "whitest and finest sand in the world". Exaggerations aside, it is indeed soft and supposedly remains cool underfoot even on the most scorching days due to its mineral composition. But remember...it is the sand that stays cool, not you. Don't turn into a swollen lobster like many I saw roasting themselves down there.

Lonely Planet has compared Florida's Gulf Coast to "an impressionist watercolor painting". But the must-see paintings are those in the Salvador Dalí Museum in St Petersburg where the largest collection of his works outside Europe is found. He used extensive symbolism in his art and the museum offers free docent tours every hour where you'll gain some insight into his genius. Just as an example, in the slideshow there is one of his paintings showing a woman looking out the window. Pause there, move some 5 to 7 steps away from the screen, look again and you'll see something totally different. Surreal.

Eat, Drink, Pray

Is it a province? Is it an S.A.R. (Special Administrative Region)? Is it a country? It is not clear and therefore Taiwan is one of those ambiguities of our time. It all started in 1949 when the then ruling party in China, the Kuomintang, realized that its defeat in the Chinese Civil War was imminent and decided to relocate the seat of government of the Republic of China to Taiwan, leaving the communists in the mainland. Along with it went China's gold reserves and some two million refugees that included soldiers, businessmen, landowners, monks, artists, gangsters, peasants and intellectuals. There were now two Chinas: the Republic of China in Taiwan, and the People’s Republic of China in the mainland, both claiming to be the legitimate government of China! In 1971, the UN recognized the People’s Republic of China as the only lawful representative to the United Nations and since then, Taiwan (to this day officially called the Republic of China) has operated as a de facto independent state. It is not recognized as a country but maintains diplomatic relations (formal or informal) with nearly all nations.

Whatever the official status may be, Chinese influence in Taiwan is clear, especially when it comes to food. If you are an adventurous eater, Taiwan will be heaven. Not only is food cheap but also ubiquitous, with at least one eatery or restaurant on virtually every block, some serving very out of the ordinary delicacies: pig ears, pig’s brain soup, caramelized duck tongue, caramelized pig blood cake, duck head. And someone please tell me how one would go about eating a head.

I confess that for a vegetarian like me, Taiwanese cuisine was at times horrifying but one local product I couldn't get enough of: tea. Taiwan has the perfect environment for growing tea (high mountains in a subtropical climate with a fair amount of rainfall) and the country is an important producer of teas, with some varieties of its oolong called "The Champagne of tea" . Tea has long been a part of Taiwanese culture so it is no surprise that tea houses and bars abound. There are countless flavors and you'd need months to try them all: melon, plum, rose, jasmine, ginger, pudding milk, grass jelly milk, red bean milk and others you'd never think could end up in a tea but that turn out to be delicious. And perhaps the most exotic of all is the pearl milk tea, also known as bubble tea, a Taiwanese invention from the late 1980's - an iced tea mixed with milk or fruit, with some tapioca balls (the pearls) thrown in. It is very popular in Taiwan and though not my favorite, it is definitely worth a try.

If food and tea feed the body, temples feed the soul. As of 2009, there were almost 15,000 registered temples in Taiwan, nearly one for every 1,500 residents. They are not, however, merely houses of worship; they also play the role of art museum, community and recreation center, marketplace, pilgrimage site and sometimes even fronts for money laundering. Taiwanese temples are very colorful, generally with multitiered roofs decorated with the four spiritual beasts: dragons, phoenixes, tortoises and qilins (mythical hooved creature associated with the arrival of a sage). Though Taiwanese temples can be very similar architecturally, the atmosphere inside them varies widely. Some are very lively such as the Longshan Temple in Taipei where daily hour-long chanting draws throngs of worshippers while others such as the Confucius Temple are low key and conducive to silent contemplation. But one thing they all seem to have: the door gods, very fierce-looking creatures that look ready and willing to kick your ass. But worry not...their job is to ward off evil spirits. I just wish they were real and could wipe out some of the evil in the world today.

(Al)Mighty Caves

Turkey sits at the crossroad between the West and the East, and the uniqueness that arose from its location is seen everywhere: it is a non-Arab secular democracy currently governed by a Muslim-oriented party; Islamic and Christian symbols are at times seen side by side; women in short skirts can be spotted next to women in traditional Islamic dresses; sheep can roam the streets next to BMWs.

Istanbul, the only city in the world built on two continents and the seat of three former empires (Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman), perhaps best reflects the contrasting nature of Turkey. A "Welcome To Asia" sign greets you when you cross a bridge; a belly dancing show and a whirling dervish ceremony may be found in the same block; women in headscarf sit next to youngsters wearing the latest fashion and carrying iPads. Interestingly, one of the starkest contrasts in Istanbul is smack in the middle of the Old City - its two grandest landmarks, the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

Hagia Sophia, or Church of the Holy Wisdom, was built during the reign of Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, converted to a mosque in 1453 and turned into a museum in 1935. The structure is massive: 250 feet (76 m) long, 220 feet (67 m) wide, with a dome 108-ft (33 m) in diameter that rises 180 feet (55 m) above the floor. Such a monumental dome was often compared to the vault of heaven and no wonder Hagia Sophia remained the world's largest cathedral for almost 1,000 years. Hagia Sophia is imposing, cavernous, and could almost be oppressive if its architects (in fact, one physicist and one mathematician) weren't wise enough to set 40 windows beneath the dome that filter sunlight in. Everything inside is grandiose, but the apse will draw your eyes not only for its size but also for an unexpected combination of elements: a mosaic of the Virgin and Child (ie, Jesus) hovers above the mihrab (a niche in a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca), flanked by panels inscribed with the names of Allah, Mohammed and other prominent Islamic figures. In a way, that sums up one impression that Hagia Sophia left me with - that some things there don't fit together. Metal detectors at the entrance remind more of an airport than a museum; peeling paint and cracks throughout the building belies its grandeur; and late in the day when tour buses are gone, the place feels almost ghostly.

The Blue Mosque feels very different. Sitting opposite Hagia Sophia at the other end of the main square, you could say it is the grey counterpart to the red Hagia Sophia since it was heavily influenced by it. I said grey, not blue; the popular name comes from the tiles inside, not the external color. The Blue Mosque has the largest courtyard of all Ottoman mosques, an area abuzz with dozens of worshippers and tourists, day or night, in a constant ebb and flow of people sans metal detector (there's a dress code patrol though). The Blue Mosque is almost as cavernous as Hagia Sophia but much brighter as 260 windows spread throughout the building let daylight flood in.

Commissioned in the 17th century by Sultan Ahmet (and officially named after him) to outshine Hagia Sophia, the mosque has two unusual and striking features: cascading domes in a heavenward flow and six minarets. Mosques usually have one, two or four minarets and one account for the six minarets states that they were a mistake, that the sultan ordered gold (altin) minarets, misunderstood as six (alti) minarets. I personally don't buy this. Still according to legend, the six minarets caused an outrage because they matched the number of minarets at the Haram Mosque in Mecca, the holiest in the world. Unfazed, the sultan solved the problem by simply sending his architect to Mecca to add a seventh minaret...

Next I went to a very unique place deep within Turkey. Set on a high, dry plateau in the middle of the country, and shaped by volcanic ash, wind and rain, Cappadocia is a fairyland of cones, pillars and chimneys in shades of red, pink and yellow. It is a colorful, otherworldly landscape. People discovered that these rocks were soft and could be easily carved so dwellings, underground cities (some housing thousands), churches and monasteries sprang up. Why live in a cave? The area was at the boundary of rival empires in pre-Christian times so residents needed places to hide. Later during early Christianity, Cappadocia became a religious refuge and numerous churches decorated with Byzantine frescoes were established. The most impressive cave churches are around Göreme (don't miss the Göreme Open Air Museum) where murals are in remarkably good shape despite some defacing. But impressive as the man-made structures are, they pale in comparison to the Cappadocian natural setting. So go out on some hikes and be rewarded with one of the most amazing scenery you'll ever see.

Wi-Fi and Sci-Fi

Some countries are surprising little gems and that is the case with Estonia and Latvia. They have a number of things in common: both had a strong German community from the 13th century until USSR occupation in the 1940s; both were under Russian influence since the 18th century and still have a sizeable Russian speaking population; both have beautiful medieval old towns where amber shops abound. And each has a charm of its own.

Estonia is the smallest of the three Baltic countries with a population of 1.3 million people, one of the least densely populated countries in Europe. Because it is small and little known, many people are not aware that Estonia is currently one of the world's technology leaders, the birthplace of Kazaa (an early file-sharing network) and Skype (yes, the code was created by Estonians and is still mainly developed there). The country came a long way: when it regained independence in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union, less than half the population had a phone line. But thanks to a progressive government that established free trade, ease of registering businesses and decided to invest in information technology, tech startups sprang up. By 1998, all Estonian schools were online; in 2007, it became the first country in the world to allow internet voting in a national election. It has one of the world's most advanced e-governments (95% of Estonians file their annual tax returns online and it takes only five minutes thanks to a flat income tax system and pre-filled forms), e-health systems (health records are stored in the cloud, combining patient's data from different sources) and such robust cybersecurity that NATO's Cyber Defense Centre is based in Estonia's capital Tallinn.

While Estonia keeps moving full speed ahead into the future, it also cherishes its past. And I'm not talking about some Soviet-era buses that still roam the streets. I'm talking about the jewel of Estonia - Tallinn's Old Town where over half the medieval walls still stand. The Old Town has two sections: the upper part is Toompea, the hill that dominates the capital with several viewing platforms overlooking the Lower Town. The highlight of Toompea for me is St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the loveliest orthodox church I've seen. But tourists beware: if you're tired after the climb, don't dare sit on the cathedral's steps as one of the devout ladies may earnestly flog you with their kerchiefs. In the Lower Town, the dominant feature is Town Hall Square, the centre of activity since markets began here in the 11th century. Nowadays, it is lined with cafés and restaurants but one of the coolest places is nested in the Town Hall building itself: III Draakon, an authentic tavern serving medieval fare such as elk soup, boar sausage and vegetable pies. Food is tasty and cheap so give it a try.

If you're lucky to visit the Old Town when it's relatively empty, you feel like you're in medieval times. Sounds echo along the narrow, winding streets...klop, klop, klop, klop...and you can almost imagine a horse coming by...klop, klop, aaaahhh, thud. That wasn't a horse, of course. It was a woman who thought it was a good idea to hit cobbled streets in stilettos.

In Riga, capital of Latvia, there are also women desperately trying to sprain their ankles in the Old Town. Once known as 'The Paris of the North', Riga is the largest city in the Baltics and more cosmopolitan than the other two capitals, perhaps because it was so influential until Soviet occupation. Under the Germans, the city was a junction between Russia and the West, and by law all German merchants had to conduct their Baltic trade through Riga. Under Swedish rule in the 17th century, Riga became the largest city of their Empire (even bigger than Stockholm) and after being snatched by Russia in the early 18th century, Riga became the world's biggest timber port and Russia's third city after Moscow and St Petersburg.

Riga's Old Town is a maze of cobbled streets and alleys, church spires and broad squares that host café tables and outdoor concerts in summer. It is best explored at random to take in its diverse architectural styles that include romanesque, gothic, baroque and rococo. The area is small at 0.2 sq. miles (0.6 km²) so you will not get lost. Beautiful though as the Old Town is, the highlight of Riga is outside its former walls: the art nouveau district, especially on Elizabetes, Strēlnieku and Alberta streets. Riga has the largest showcase of art nouveau architecture in Europe with over 800 buildings with elaborate façades featuring antiquity motifs, mythical beasts, anguished masks, goddesses, goblins, gargoyles and other creatures that could very well double as aliens in sci-fi movies.

The most iconic building in Riga is not in the art nouveau style though. It is the House of Blackheads on Town Hall Square, and despite the name, it was not a shelter for teenagers with oily skin. The house belonged to the Guild of Unmarried Merchants who chose St Mauritius as their patron, an African black moor hence the name 'the Blackheads'. The Blackheads initiated a centuries-old tradition: as winter solstice approached in 1510, the men of the guild brought a gigantic fir tree to Riga to set it on fire according to a tradition of burning a log around the shortest day of the year. But the tree was too big to burn and they returned to their house to decide what to do. In the meantime, children found the tree and began to decorate it with anything they could find. As it got dark, the children headed home and when the Blackheads finally came out (with no decision, it's worth adding) and saw the 'miraculous' transformation of the tree, decided to set it up in the city centre. "This is a Christmas tree - a gift which we should use to bring joy to each other at Christmas", said one of the Blackheads.

That is the official story. Here is the unofficial one: the House was known for its drinking parties and on Christmas Eve in 1510, the unmarried merchants (probably drunk as skunks) hauled a big tree to the square in front of their house and decorated it with paper flowers. Then they burned the tree to the ground. Ah, nothing reflects the true Christmas spirit like a bunch of drunk single men setting a tree on fire. Which version do you believe?

Death By 10 Million Wheels

Vietnam conjures up images of things exotic, of conical hats and yokes, of silk and áo dài (Vietnam's national dress), of bloody wars and destruction, of temples and pagodas. What doesn't come to mind is getting run over so let's start with a few survival tips.

#1 - There are over 6 million people in Hanoi's metropolitan area and over 4 million motorbikes. It feels like the other way round, though, so it is important to never forget the main traffic rule in Vietnamese cities: there are no traffic rules; bikers can pretty much do whatever they want.

#2 - You, pedestrian, are at the bottom of the food chain. Pedestrian crossings are meaningless and sidewalks are not for you. They are parking lots for bikes so if you happen to be casually walking on a sidewalk and suddenly see a motorbike coming straight at you, do not despair. It is not a communist trying to slaughter you, capitalist pig. He/she just wants to claim the space you're unduly occupying.

#3 - The art of crossing streets: in Hanoi's Old Quarter, there are more than 50 streets and some 4 or 5 traffic lights which won't help you anyway because vehicles can run red lights at will (there are no traffic rules, remember?). So to cross a street, do like the locals and just go but do it slowly. Never, ever, run. It sounds counterintuitive but just remember that if you move slowly, bikers will have time to avoid hitting you. It will work and you'll feel like you've conquered Everest after you've done it the first time.

So now that you know how to survive, you can enjoy. The heart of Hanoi is its Old Quarter, a maze of narrow streets that make up one of the liveliest, busiest, most hectic places in Southeast Asia. The history of the quarter goes back to the 13th century when trade guilds established themselves in the area, each on a different street which was then named after the product sold in that street. The tradition continues to this day with each street specialized in a particular product but while most of the trades changed, the names didn't so you still find Sweet Potato Street, for instance. In a way, I like it because you still see romantic names like Sails Street or Brushes Street rather than Plastic Toys Street or Xmas Ornaments Made In China Street. Two streets are a must: P. Hàng Gai filled with stores selling silk clothes (some can be custom made) and P. Hàng Quat with numerous shops selling Buddhist wares.

Bordering the Old Quarter to the south is Hoan Kiem Lake, an oasis where you can get a break from the chaos of the Old Quarter. According to legend, in the mid-15th century, Heaven sent the Emperor a magic sword that he used to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam. One day after the war, he came across a golden turtle swimming in the lake who then grabbed the sword and disappeared in the waters to restore it to its divine owners. There were indeed turtles in the lake in the past but there is only one left now known as Cu Rua (Great Grandfather) who many Hanoians believe to be the legendary turtle or at least its direct descendant. You can catch this and other local lore at the Water Puppet Theatre on the northeastern corner of the lake. Water puppetry is an ancient art form that appeared in villages of the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam in the 11th century, using ponds and flooded rice paddies as stage. Nowadays, performances are held in a pool of water, with puppets controlled by puppeteers trained for a minimum of three years. Shows last almost one hour and are very dynamic, with puppets weighing up to 33 lbs (15 kg) gliding or bouncing through water. You won't see this in any other country so don't miss it!

Within driving distance of Hanoi is Halong Bay, one of Vietnam's crown jewels with over 1,600 limestone monoliths rising sharply out of the water. Translated as Bay of Descending Dragons, legend has it that when Vietnam was coming together as a country, the Vietnamese had to fight invaders. To help them, the gods sent dragons who began spitting out jewels and jade that turned into islands and formed a wall against invaders. After victory, the dragons decided to settle in the bay so when you look at the endless rows of karsts, you can actually picture the backs of countless dragons. And I must say, these dragons are smart...they chose a place where they wouldn't need to cross any street.

50 Shades Of Green

Picture mid-January in the northeastern US.It's so cold your face hurts, you wear so many layers that you look like the Michelin man, your skin tone is a ghostly pallor. I dare you not to think: why couldn't I be in a warm place? Warmth, of course, is relative and in those gelid and dark winter months, I often find myself thinking of California, particularly of San Francisco with its "balmy" 50°F (10°C) winters. Some complain that SF is the city of four seasons...every day. And while it's also true that summers tend to be on the cool side and fog is common, I think these are actually small prices to pay for 260 annual days of sunshine.

But it wasn't sun that attracted people to SF in the first place; it was gold. Discovered in the mid-1800's, it brought rapid population growth in a unique combination of fortune-seekers, sailors, immigrants and artists. And like any other mining town and port, SF had its share of permissiveness in bars and nightclubs that only grew after Prohibition: the "bohemian clubs" around the North Beach neighborhood became popular with marginalized groups (communists, anarchists, homosexuals among others), and the city's openness to all people and all lifestyles became widely known. As a result, SF is the most liberal place in the US nowadays. And perhaps because they are so open-minded, San Franciscans love novelty and the city is at the forefront of innovation: there are countless startups in the area, and locals are early adopters, often the first to get a look at new technology and apps.

Also on the US west coast but further north and not nearly as sunny is Seattle. On average, Seattle is overcast 220 days annually, and in some years the sun does not appear at all during winter months. Perhaps because the city gets so much grey, some inhabitants take it upon themselves to brighten up Seattle...by colorfully dyeing their hair. Lime green, anyone? But that's not the only way they try to brighten up the days, grey or not; music is another and there's a reason why Seattle was the birthplace of grunge in the late '80s/early 90's. Specially around Pike Place Market, there are a number of street musicians showcasing their talents. The good ones will catch your ears with the power of their voice or instrument alone; others less gifted will draw attention by playing guitar while hula-hooping and balancing a second guitar on their head. As the saying goes, if you can't dazzle with brilliance, baffle with bullshit.

Some say that the best of Seattle is coffee (and probably the reason they drink so much of it is to get a jolt in that grey weather) but I'll argue that the best of Seattle is the wild country around it, so lush because it rains constantly. Within a 3-hour drive, you can reach mountains, volcanoes, waterfalls, even a rain forest. I chose Mount Rainier National Park for a daytrip and confess that I was a bit wary as high mountains are finicky creatures that make their own weather and cloak themselves in clouds at will. I was very lucky, though; Mt. Rainier graced me with full view of its 14,411 feet (4,390m) and so did Seattle, with 4 sunny days out of 5. Unfortunately, five days were not enough to explore all I wanted in Seattle and surroundings. One place I regret missing is the Olympic Peninsula, where its Hoh Valley is said to contain the densest, wettest, greenest and most surreal temperate rain forest in the world with unimaginable shades of green. True? I may have to find out someday.

But the area is not just about flora; the fauna is also noteworthy, with orcas the most iconic in the Pacific Northwest. They are the best known and most studied orca population in the world, divided into three distinct groups: residents who live in the inland waters of Washington / British Columbia, and have been designated endangered; transients who move along the coast from Southeast Alaska all the way to Southern California; and offshore orcas who live in waters well beyond the coast. The largest of the dolphins and highly trainable, orcas were relentlessly kidnapped in the Pacific during the 1960s and early 1970s for aquariums and marine parks, with more than 1/3 of the resident population getting captured. Orcas in captivity have a much shorter lifespan (usually less than 25 years versus up to 90 in the wild), and even the largest tank in the world is less than 0.0001% the size of the smallest range of wild orcas. To learn more about orcas in captivity and how detrimental it is to them, watch the documentary Blackfish and next time you feel the urge to go to a marine park or anywhere animals are used for "entertainment", think of how your life would be if you had to spend it in a tiny enclosure.