Of all the places in the world ...

If I could choose one place in the world to live, I'm not sure where it would be.

There are so many places I have been fortunate enough to visit that have seemed so wonderful to me. Moorea, the big island of Hawaii, London, the South of France and Colorado are all places that live on in my heart. Even Vienna, where I was both happy and sad during two years there, was named in a survey by a British newspaper as the best city in the world in which to live.

In fact, just about the only place I've visited outside this country where I can't imagine myself living is Beijing, and that's for political reasons as much as any thing else.

The picture is of Cook's Bay in Moorea, which has been called the most beautiful place in the world by quite a few people. I had the opportunity to see it for a week in 1999 when Nicole and I visited Club Med.

It is definitely breathtaking, but Moorea -- the next island over from Tahiti in French Polynesia -- is somewhat off the beaten track.

That isn't altogether bad. I have lived right in the middle of the beaten track for the last 19 years, making my home in one of the world's great cities, and I think I have been about as entertained by great cities as I care to be.

Actually, where I choose to spend the remainder of my days depends on one thing -- whether Nicole and I are still together. I'm not talking about divorce. We will be together as long as we are both alive. But my life will be very different if I should ever have to be alone.

If we are together, we will probably retire to Northern Colorado, an hour or so north of Denver. Close enough to a great city to enjoy the benefits, but far enough away to escape the pollution and the traffic.

If it's just me, I may move far from the madding crowd. I don't think I'd ever want to live without electricity or running water, but I think I could be very happy passing a few days at a time without the milk of human kindness.

Of course, I'm rooting for Option A.