Gonder, Ethiopia

You go to Gonder to see the castles, which date from the 17th century, but there's so much more to the city than that. I had the good fortune to encounter a terrific guide, Emmanuel, who showed me all around the place and even took me to his nephew's baptismal party. It became typical of my Ethiopian experience: random acts of kindness and hospitality that have changed my outlook on life forever, and hopefully my way of interacting with other people.