Christopher Muther’s favorite pictures and memories from 2022
Our travel writer’s look back at a year spent re-exploring the world
There were moments when 2022 felt almost . . . normal, at least in the world of travel. The year began with mandatory proof of vaccination to enter nearly any country in the world, mask mandates on airplanes, and COVID-19 test requirements aplenty. By the end of the year, vaccination cards were collecting dust, and most people had doffed masks on flights as soon as the
CDC rule was shot down by a Florida judge in April.
For the first time since 2019, I was fully back in action, except for the 10 days I endured COVID-19 after returning from Greece. But let’s forget about that. I certainly have. What I prefer to reflect on are the memories that I accumulated in 2022 as I cycled, danced, dined, and dived through the year.
I also took a lot of pictures. I have a camera stuffed with images of ruins, strangers, flowers, and a criminal amount of cats. Half the fun of reading travel stories is looking at the pretty pictures, and I love my dual duties of travel writer and travel photographer. This is a good point for me to zip my sentimental yapper and start showing you some of those pictures. These are shots that were previously unpublished, either because they didn’t fit the story or there wasn’t space. Here’s a glimpse.
Bogata, Colombia. Jan. 4, 2022
On my way to a Colombian island called San Andreas, I took a day to explore Bogota. The highlight was a funicular ride 10,000 feet above sea level to the top of the sanctuary of Monserrate, where the Christmas light show was still on full display. Traveling to countries that celebrate Three Kings Day means that the Christmas lights stay up into January, helping to stave off pesky post-holiday depression.
Siesta Key, Fla. Jan. 23, 2022
Unless you’re going to Key West, there’s a strong chance you’ll encounter frigid January days in Florida. When I went to the west coast of Florida in late January, I was chilled to the bone while attempting to report on activities that are best saved for days that were 30 degrees warmer. One of them was beach biking with a group of cyclists on Siesta Key (that’s me in the picture). I was attempting to take pictures using an app on my phone to control
a DSLR camera I had set up on the beach. All while biking. In the process of fumbling with my phone, I tipped the bike and fell into the water. Misery is riding a bike in jeans when wet, muddy, and cold.
Richmond, Va. Feb. 8, 2022
I felt as if I was watching history. While driving down Monument Avenue in Richmond, the last of the Confederate statues built during the Lost Cause were coming down. It was all the more poignant because I was here to write about how, for a brief period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Richmond was a cultural and financial epicenter for Black Americans. I stopped to watch crews take apart the column of a statue of Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy. The statue itself, covered with graffiti, was toppled during protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. Residents had long since moved past discussions about the monuments, so I decided to focus my camera on more recent displays of public sentiment.
Vancouver. April 15, 2022
Vancouver is one of the most photogenic cities I’ve ever visited. It’s also one of the cloudiest, particularly in April. I wanted a picture of Dennis Oppenheim’s “Engagement,” a sculpture of a pair of giant rings at Sunset Beach, but I wanted to get it while it was sunny. Any time I was near the sculpture, clouds would roll in. If there was a sliver of sun, I’d jump on my bike and pedal to it, only to have the clouds return. On my last day, it was perfectly clear, and I finally got the picture.
Corsica, France. May 7, 2022
My eye usually wanders to mountains, the ocean, scenic vistas, or sunsets. But I’m also fond of mundane spots, like street corners and decaying European alleys. When I took a cruise along the Italian Riviera in the spring, I often ventured off the boat at ports and wandered on my own. We docked in Corsica on a very sleepy Saturday, and the town of Bastia was shuttered for the afternoon. When I stepped away from the tourists at the citadel and Place du Marché, I felt as if I had the town to myself.
Marciana Marina, Elba, Italy.
May 11, 2022.
Napoleon was banished (to a grand villa) on the island of Elba in 1811. But life on Elba isn’t exactly punishment. It’s more about perfect weather and incredible pasta. I drove around the island while my ship was docked here, and although I saw a lot of gorgeous sites, Marciana Marina, the smallest town in Elba, charmed me like no other place on the island.
London. May 30, 2022
On a quest to report on all things ABBA, I had come to London to see the band’s state-of-the-art new concert. I also happened to be here as the city was reaching a fever pitch over Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. The country was on holiday, and families were filling the streets. Also filling the streets: Every Union Jack in the British Isles. I never saw the queen during the Jubilee, but I’m grateful that Brits had the opportunity before she passed in September.
Stockholm. June 4, 2022.
I’m not a fan of zoos (leave those animals alone!), but I was glad to have wandered into Skansen Aquarium. The highlight here isn’t the aquarium. It’s the 75-acre open-air museum and zoo. There are Scandinavian animals, preIndustrial Revolution structures from 150 regions of Sweden, but also critters such as lemurs and meerkats.
Orleans. July 7, 2022.
I managed to score the plum assignment of the summer. From mid-June to mid-July, I was on the Cape with my colleague Devra First. We ate fried clams and peppermint stick ice cream every week for a month. It was like being on vacation with my work spouse. Because there was a drought, we didn’t have a single rainy day, so we squeezed in rainy-day activities, such as bowling and mini golf, after cocktail hour to hilarious results.
Liverpool. Aug. 8, 2022.
I think Liverpool is one of the great underrated cities in Europe, and I don’t say that simply because I slept in George Harrison’s childhood bedroom. I love the mural on this fish and chips shop, but if I owned a food establishment, I would think twice before agreeing to a painting of a giant bug on the building.
Las Vegas. Aug. 14, 2022.
I come to Las Vegas for a largerthan-life travel conference every August, and usually, my views are of conference rooms and drunk dudes at blackjack tables. But one evening, I busted out and crashed a fancy party in a suite at the Bellagio (please don’t tell anyone). It was the first time I viewed the fountain show at the Bellagio from above with a panoramic view.
Nafplio, Greece. Sept. 27, 2022.
I could fill a book with images from my trip to the Peloponnesian Peninsula. I explored ruins, beaches, and bars, and stuffed myself silly with gourounopoula (that’s roast pork) and deep red tomatoes. But when I think of Greece, the first thing that comes to mind is cats, and this sweet creature sat in a parking lot near the boardwalk in Nafplio, ready to greet me shortly after my arrival.
Rudyard, Mont. Oct. 28, 2022.
When I boarded Amtrak’s Empire Builder in Seattle at the end of October, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I was on the train for two nights, and over the course of 36 hours, I watched the landscape change from the grandeur of the Pacific Northwest to the splendor of Glacier National Park, to the desolate fields of Montana, eventually watching the sun rise over scrapyards in St. Paul. There are things that I would have changed about the train (and the food), but in retrospect, I’m grateful for every moment of the trip.