It’s hard to believe my blog turned 10 years old today. I still vividly remember what pushed me to start writing articles in 2016: a very unexpected stopover in Vancouver. I was so excited to see, for the first time, the snowy peaks and turquoise lakes of the Rocky Mountains from high above, and I could barely keep my camera down - to the likely annoyance of my fellow passengers. Then I had an urge to share my excitement and the pictures with readers. Hence, I started this blog: Explore the World with Simon Sulyma.  

The Mount Washington Railway is the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway. Opened in 1869, it remains the second-steepest in the world, with grades reaching up to a remarkable 37%! It’s an engineering marvel that solved a difficult problem in an era when people believed anything was possible. At the same time, the train offers a spectacular journey: from dense forest at the base to alpine tundra at the summit, crossing three distinct climate zones. And where does it take you? To Mount Washington, a peak notorious for “the world’s worst weather,” where the strongest wind gust of 231 mph / 371 km/h was ever recorded!

Panama Metro is currently the only rapid rail system in Latin America south of Mexico and north of Brazil. With two and a half lines open and a third under construction, Panama’s network is already impressive and punches above its weight. It features modern trains, full grade separation, and strong integration with the existing urban and intercity bus network. And the best is yet to come: with three new heavy-rail lines, two monorails, two LRTs, and one cablecar line planned or being built, Panama will soon rival much larger cities in the region.

Seattle and Redmond may only be a short drive away from each other, but their Big Tech tenants couldn’t be more different. Amazon’s headquarters feels like a futuristic city in the heart of Seattle: tall buildings, bustling streets, and the iconic Spheres that give employees an opportunity to work in a real cloud forest. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s campus in Redmond sits in a tranquil lush suburban forest, where low-rise buildings are connected by walking trails and electric shuttles. Two worlds, two philosophies, and both are shaping the future of work.

When the Finch West LRT officially began service on December  7, 2025, anticipation in Toronto was very high. This is not surprising considering that it was the first new metro line to open in over two decades. Although its sleek and spacious trains and new and shiny stations made positive first impressions, people could not help but notice the elephant in the room - the line is painfully slow. And while most people thought it was part of the soft launch, it quickly became very clear that this is going to be a permanent thing unless the politicians and both transit agencies operating the line - Metrolinx and TTC - sit at the table and fix it once and for all. The good news is that most of the much-needed changes are not too difficult to implement and require just a political will.

Lisbon isn’t just a destination - it’s an experience. It’s one of my favourite cities in the world because it feels real: vibrant, multicultural, and never fake. No matter the season, Lisbon has a way of making you fall in love