The name is Perez, Anthony Perez!
No Time to Die finally released in the US this week after three excruciating delays from the pandemic and I’ll have to say that I think this was the most excited I’ve ever been for a film release!!!! Without spoiling the movie, Daniel Craigs final Bond film after 15 years of 007 was by far the most emotional yet fitting farewell to Craig as Bond. A few days after watching the movie and I still don’t know what to do with myself….
“BUT WAIT, WHAT? What does James Bond 007 have to do with your travels?”
That’s because the Bond films (all 25 of them), have been massive influences in me becoming a world traveler.
007 is just a number!
In my case is is more than a number, it’s my age. Ironically, I started watching Bond movies at the age of 7 and have been addicted ever since. Pierce Brosnans first Bond film Goldeneye was the first James Bond film I had ever seen back in the mid 90’s and as a movie lover at an early age, there were a few things that drew my attention to the movie. The action was incredible, James Bonds charm in suits and smooth talk was super cool and last and most importantly, James Bond travels the world.
James Bond IS a World Traveler!
Apart from the high speed car chases, gun barrel sequences, and Aston Martin ejector seats, if you look back at the series, James Bond is a world traveler and these films are indeed travel films. Las Vegas, Iceland, Istanbul, Jamaica, Italy, Miami. Greece….hell, even SPACE! But not only does Bond go to these location, the entire production team does. Growing up watching all of these movies exposed me to the beautiful vibrant and ever changing colors of the world and it’s incredible destinations of unique languages, people, and culture. That very curiosity would eventually mold me into the globetrotter that I am today!
Stamps in time
007 throughout the years have had missions that deal with global issues at the time. But apart from that, it’s just so incredible to see Jamaica and Istanbul in the 1960s, Checkpoint Charlie in Octopussy in the 80’s, and these stamps in time, memories to go back to. That’s what I feel the parallel is to travel, is that where we go, who we meet and encounter, and the experiences we have not only leave a timestamp in our lives, but others too. James Bond leaves a lasting impact wherever he goes and that I how I feel a GREAT world travel should be.
Traveling is one of the greatest blessings any human can have having the opportunity to go out in the world and literally learn more in one moment than 6 months in a classroom could teach.
Going Everywhere Bond Went
Having had the ability to travel some of the world these past 10 years have been incredible blessings. But a Bond fan is not a true Bond fan without visiting all the places James Bond had been in the movies, especially is you’re a globetrotter like me. Why wouldn’t I do this?
Here are some of the places I’ve been, where Bond has been as well:
Dunns River Falls, Jamaica – Dr. No (1962)
Amsterdam, Netherlands – Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Danube House, Prague, Czechia – Casino Royale (2006)
Rose Island, Bahamas – Thunderball (1964)
Basilica Cistern – From Russia With Love (1963)
Istanbul, Turkey – Skyfall (2012)
Meteora, Greece – For Your Eyes Only (1981)
The above locations are merely a small fraction of all the Bond locations I have yet to see. Look at this James Bond world travels map!!!
Some people have Harry Potter while others have Star Wars (I love Star Wars actually.) But my series is James Bond and always will be. 33 years old and reflecting on these past 26+ years, I am truly fascinated at how much these films have severely impacted me at an early age of curiosity to now living out that curiosity with missions of my own. Only my mission entail learning about unique cultures and its people and using my platforms to educate the world on just how big and interesting it is.
My hopes, that this James Bond can grow your curiosity too!
