Countries I've visited, 2016 edition

I still owe this blog a recap of my fantastic trip to the Alps earlier this summer. I don't know when or if I'll ever get around to creating that, but I can at least update the list (which I started last year) of countries I've visited. Besides spending several days in Germany and Austria for the first time in 14 years, this summer I also finally stepped into two countries I have always wanted to visit: Italy and Switzerland. Both of these were short, cross-the-border visits - a matter of a few hours apiece - and I definitely want to go back and explore both countries further. But it's nice to be able to say I've finally been there. I can now say that I've actually eaten a pizza in Italy.

The country I think I found most intriguing, however, was right across the border from Italy: Slovenia is breathtakingly beautiful and the people there (at least, the ones I interacted with) were very friendly. Again, it was a visit of only a few hours, and we ultimately decided not to make a second trip into the country to see the capital of Ljubljana (not enough time!), but right now Slovenia is at the very top of my "GO BACK!" list.

Anyway, below is an updated list of countries I've visited and the years I've visited them, with the most recent visits denoted in red. If I didn't stay overnight in a country - e.g. a order crossing, an airport stopover where I left the terminal, or a cruise port of call - the year I visited is italicized. Nations with an asterisk (*) next to them are among the world's 25 smallest countries, of which is my life's goal to visit all of them before I die. Having spent the night in the picturesque (and ridiculously expensive) Principality of Liechtenstein during this most recent trip, I'm now 20% of the way there.

Antigua and Barbuda*: 
2015

Austria: 
2002, 2016

Barbados*:  
2015

Belize:  
2006

Canada:
1974, 1980, 1982

Czech Republic:
2002

Ecuador: 
1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 2001

Germany: 
2002, 2016

Ireland:
1985

Italy:
2016

Japan: 
2005

Liechtenstein*:
2016

Mexico: 
1979, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

The Kingdom of the Netherlands:

The Netherlands: 
2002, 2006

Aruba: 
2014

 St. Maarten:  
2015

St. Kitts and Nevis*:  
2015

St. Lucia*:  
2015

Slovenia:
2016

Switzerland:
2016

United Arab Emirates: 
2006, 2008, 2012

The United Kingdom:

England:
1985

Scotland:
1985

 Wales:
1985

This past summer's travels get me up to 20 out of 206 sovereign (or de-facto sovereign) nations, or 9.7% percent. Still not great, but I'm making progress.

(Flag source: World Flag Database)