I've been to several countries, but Eastern Europe was life changing. While reading The Gulag Archipelago I was able to visualize so much of what was being articulated with actual 1st hand memories. Experiencing the locations of mass murders and war crimes and seeing bullet holes in buildings where people were assassinated was absolutely mind blowing. Seeing the amazing history and architecture then contrasting it with the visible failures of communism in their projects and infrastructure. That and their women were hot.