Future Plans – fantasy location edition

Last month I posted a list of UK locations I’d like to visit once the world gets calmer and the idea of global travel gets taken for granted again. At this very moment I’d be happy just to be able to visit Liverpool – this week I missed the chance to see Doctor Who filming at the Albert Dock! The TARDIS was there and I couldn’t go as it was not ‘essential travel’ – though to a lifelong Doctor Who fan that would meet my criteria. I did get to enjoy the excitement vicariously through live Twitter updates of Liverpool native fans.

So no location report, instead I’ve made another list. I got to thinking what would be the 10 I would love to visit but that might take more time and money that I could reasonably justify spending? I listed the first ones that came to mind, some that are in places in Spain and Italy are the most possible, the others are a ‘maybe one day’.

1. Plaza de España in Sevilla, Spain.  ‘Star Wars Episode 2 – The Attack of the Clones’ as Naboo.
2. Royal Palace of Caserta, Italy. ‘Star Wars Episode 2 – The Attack of the Clones’ as Naboo. Also used in ‘Angels & Demons’ as the Vatican.
3. Villa Balbianello, Lake Como, Italy. ‘Star Wars Episode 2 – The Attack of the Clones’ as Naboo.  Also used as a James Bond location in ‘Casino Royale’.
4. City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia, Spain. Doctor Who Season 10 – ‘Smile’ – alien world.
5. Vancouver, Canada. 1996 Doctor Who TV Movie – doubling as San Francisco. Also countless TV shows and films!
6. Hawaii. Films such as ‘Jurassic Park’, TV shows such as ‘Lost’.
7. Vasquez Rocks, California, USA. Used a few in various incarnations of ‘Star Trek’ – in the Original Series, Kirk fought the Gorn there! Also ‘Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey’.
8. Mayan Temple ruins Guatemala. ‘Star Wars IV A New Hope’ -rebel base.
9. Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, USA. ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’.
10. Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant & Japanese Garden, Los Angeles, USA. Star Fleet Headquarters and Star Fleet Academy – in various episodes of ‘Star Trek The Next Generation’, ‘Deep Space Nine’, ‘Voyager’, and ‘Enterprise’.

Honourable mention to the Giant Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona, USA – I haven’t seen the 1984 film ‘Starman’ with Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen since I was a child. I don’t remember much about the film other than the massive natural crater that features in it towards the end, I would so love to see it in person.

But for the moment I’m just looking forward to going to Liverpool next week when England Covid-19 restictions allow ‘Stay Local’ travel. There’s a special temporary River of Light Trail that has been set up through the city https://www.visitliverpool.com/riveroflight

The city has a great history of free public art instalations – the photos I’ve added to this post are from previous events I’ve visited over the years.

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