China

I had expected a better organized version of India but what I got was closer to the United States: 6-lane highways, skyscraper filled cities, new bridges, dams and railways, nice hotels, shopping malls and bumper-to-bumper traffic. 30% of the world's steel production and nearly 50% of the world's concrete production is gulped down here. Everywhere you look the building boom is stunning.

Like the Germans and Vietnamese, the Chinese hold themselves to a higher standard. The people are resilient, proud and fun and their cities are modern and clean; traveling here is easy and comfortable. The biggest challenge: ordering vegetarian food; as the saying goes, "the southern Chinese will eat anything with four legs except for the table."