Millions of people will converge on Los Angeles today to pay their respects to Michael Jackson. As the world prepares to mourn the loss of one of the greatest entertainers of all time, some Cheapflights.com staff members took a moment to reflect on their Michael Jackson moments from around the world.
Some caravanned across the country to see him in concert, others traveled the world in search of the Michael Jackson white chocolate statue (on display in Budapest), and still others just remember standing in line at their local record shop for their copy of “Bad.” No matter what part of the world you live in, everyone has a Michael Jackson memory to share.
“I was 11 years old when I first saw Michael Jackson. We were living in St. Louis at the time and he was doing the ‘Victory’ tour with his brothers. My mom and dad threw me and my sister in the car and we caravanned with thousands of other people to Kansas City, Missouri.
On a normal day, the drive from St. Louis to Kansas City is about six hours, tops. But I remember vividly that drive — and the endless hours we spent in traffic. People were listening to his music, singing from their cars and dancing in the streets all the way to Kansas City. I remember how frustrated I was in a car with my baby sister for almost a day, but I’ll never forget the moment the Jacksons came out on stage singing “Can You Feel It.” — Melanie
“I was planning to see Michael Jackson live in London. Being a huge fan, I was devastated to learn of his death, and sad that I would never have the chance to see Michael Jackson perform live. I did see him in one form, however.
The main reason why I traveled to Budapest was to see his likeness in the form of candy. Yes, it’s true: the Szabó Marcipán museum in Szentendre, Hungary, features a life-sized statue of the King of Pop – made entirely out of white chocolate!
If seeing that statue makes you hungry for more, Budapest will not disappoint. I was surprised to learn just how delicious Hungarian desserts are! Budapest has plenty of cafes and confectionaries, and the selection of cakes and pastries is incredible. You can pay your respects to Michael at the Szabó Marcipán museum, a short ride from Budapest by bus or train. Michael would have loved this museum – it’s filled with Muppets and Disney characters constructed out of candy. Afterward, visit the adjacent café and try anything with chestnuts – trust me, you’ll be smitten.” — Kate
While we all have personal memories of Michael Jackson, there is one destination that benefited most from his music. Africa raked in over $63 million in 1985 thanks to the success of Michael Jackson’s USA for Africa single, “We Are the World.” While mass amounts of people converge in Los Angeles to honor Michael Jackson today, we’re thinking of an upcoming trip to Africa to carry on Michael’s quest to heal the world.
© Cheapflights Ltd Melanie Nayer (Photo credit:Fabio Ikezaki)
