Journey Around the Globe [36] Trivia Quiz

Answer: Puerto Vallarta

Found on the edge of the State of Jalisco, the beach destination of Puerto Vallarta is one of the premier Central American vacation spots on the Pacific Ocean, and it's one of the most frequented locations for all-inclusive resorts anywhere in the world.

While Acapulco, to the south, was established in the 17th century, Puerto Vallarta wouldn't be founded for a couple hundred more years, growing from a village to a dedicated getaway spot in the decades to follow. In the modern era, this location, resting on a hundred kilometre coastline along the Bahía de Banderas, has maintained that reputation.

Answer: Medellín

One of Colombia's largest cities, Medellín has had a notoriously troubled history with the drug trade, crime, and poverty, but at the turn of the twenty-first century, this destination, nestled in a valley in the Andes Mountains, made a sharp turn, pulling itself out of its hole and becoming one of the nation's faster-developing regions. Now considered one of Colombia's hubs for art, culture, technology, and education, Medellín is a location noted for its innovation and its unique cityscape. Comuna 13, one of its poorest districts, was gentrified upon receiving connections to the city metro and escalators that allow locals to ascend the steep hillsides.

It's particularly known for its vibrant street art.

Answer: Argentina

Although there is a Córdoba in Andalusia, Spain, the one found smack-dab in the north-central region of Argentina came about in the mid-to-late-16th century and was named after the original by conquistadors who settled there. Found in the middle of the Pampas, Córdoba is known for its central core which is peppered with colonial architecture and sprawling park spaces.

In addition to being a major financial centre for South America as a whole, Córdoba is home to one of the oldest universities in the Western Hemisphere.

Answer: Montevideo

Montevideo's name is of particular interest because it doesn't have a single origin, or at least not one that's confirmed. Some believe that the word is an abbreviation of Monte-VI-D-E-O, or Monte VI De Este a Oeste, referring to the phrase in the question ('I saw a mount from east to west').

Some believe it came from the Portuguese phrase 'I saw a mount' ('monte vide eu'). No matter which way you look at it, Montevideo is a coastal capital sitting on the Bay of Montevideo across from Buenos Aires.

The mount people were likely referring to is Cerro de Montevideo, a hill upon which Fortaleza General Artigas looks over the sprawling city.

Answer: Eritrea

Making up a long stretch of coastline on the Horn of Africa, the nation of Eritrea is younger than most of the other established nations on the continent but its history of settlement is one of the oldest in the world, with prehistoric fossils of early hominids being found in its section of the Great Rift Valley. Eritrea would gain its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, and while it has seen struggle with quality of life, political strife, and poverty in its early decades, it's home to a diverse wildlife population and unique cultural touchstones not found anywhere else in the world.

Answer: Mandalay

A Southeast Asian nation known for its volatility at the turn of the twenty-first century, Myanmar (formerly Burma) has had numerous capitals in its history, most of which have situated themselves inland on the Irrawaddy River. Mandalay grew to be quite the capital (and a royal one at that) in the 19th century, becoming a destination for beautiful and expansive religious landmarks in the region.

When the Myanmar government realized that the city could not sustain its growth rate, they established the nearby Naypyidaw as the new royal capital in 2005, creating a modern and notoriously massive (though sparsely populated) replacement that could better house the nation's military.

Answer: Kiribati

Although a small country in terms of land, Kiribati is a series of atolls and islands that stretches across nearly three and a half million square kilometres. Because of where it extends in the South Pacific, it's both due south of Hawaii and due north of New Zealand, and this size across the ocean gives it the unique designation of being in all four hemispheres (though the International Date Line swerves around it). Because of how close to sea level Kiribati is in all regards, it's a nation highly susceptible to climate change.

Its small population has generally relied on aid to remain on the islands.

Answer: Philadelphia

The capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, is a short drive west from Phillie while the other likely candidate, Pittsburgh, is much further to the west. Philadelphia, however, was built in the far southeast where the state borders New Jersey. Though on the Schuylkill River, this waterway links to the Delaware and flows south into Delaware Bay, making the city a convenient port. And it almost goes without saying that Phillie's history is almost second-to-none in the U.S., being one of the few cities that can boast its responsibility in the forming the nation in the 18th century.

The Declaration of Independence, the nation's first flag, and the Liberty Bell were all made there.

Answer: Hispaniola

Although Hispaniola is split between Haiti to the west and the Dominican Republic to the east, vacation-goers are more likely to head to the one side over the other, especially since the Dominican Republic has embraced its fortunate weather and beautiful regions with an eye for relaxing and adventure tourism. Puerto Plata, found on the northern shores of the Dominican Republic, is home to sandy beaches, thick rainforests, and mountainous regions the deeper inland it gets. Sosúa, and Cabarete Beach on its shores, is known for its water sports due to its consistent surfing conditions.

Answer: Bridgetown, Barbados

A city with, surprisingly, very few bridges, Bridgetown was named as such because of a bridge placed across the river by the indigenous Taíno people of the island. The English would colonize the city in the 1630s, developing it into a key city for the commonwealth's administrative needs in the West Indies. Barbados is just over four hundred square kilometres, so anyone headed there on a plane or cruise ship is likely to stop off in this capital, whether just as a port of call stop or en route to the island's many resort destinations, especially along its west coast.