Just returned yesterday from a 15 day Trans-Canada Train Tour, and we saw bear, deer, bald eagle, llamas, mountain goats, and sheeps. We started in Montreal, trained down to Toronto, then across the great Canadian continent to Vancouver where we spent the last three nights. I'll post a summary of our trip in a few days. c.i.
Moments I still remember and treasure are when on a holiday in Devon with husband and 2 daughters - one poetic and quiet aged 7, one hyperactive and daring aged 2
- creeping off with poetic quiet daughter and leaving husband and energetic daughter playing, while we sat on the rocks in a beautiful little cove and watched the sunset in a lovely harmonious silence until it was totally dark. Bliss
It is special moments that last, not lists of places visited. They are interesting, fascinating, strange, educational, whatever but only some have those really magical special moments which is I think what this thread is about?
Vivien, I have a different take on my travels. I love every place I visit without exception, because they all present different experience. Even to places I have visited often such as London, my favorite destination. For example, I had a live chat with a friend in Tanzania this morning. He's a physician, and his wife is a physician too. They have a young son who is completing grade 7. I hear from him often, and we have shared many hours of communication. He recently won a international medical award given to five doctors in poor countries. I have friends in Egypt, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Canada, Germany, Britain, Iran, France, and all over the USA. I guess my "special moments" are many, and I treasure most of them. This is not meant to belittle your idea of "speical moments," but to show another perspective of why I love to travel. c.i.
mmm I understand what you are saying ci but these are normal highly enjoyable things - like my friend the international photographer, trips to various countries, living in far flung places etc
Special moments are up and beyond these and are not necessarily some exotic place or fantastic museum or famous person but simple unexpected things that take your breath away. That moment can be somewhere exotic or a museum or whatever ...
one of mine would have to be the Marmattan museum in Paris, sitting surrounded by HUGE Monet paintings of Giverny in rooms similar to those in the Orangerie - but better. Breathtaking.
One memory that still brings a happy smile to my face is from 30 years ago.
There was 6 of us in all, 4 Americans, 1 Aussie and me the Brit. It was late Friday evening and we were in a cafe in the Arab quarter of Old Jerusalem. A wonderfull evening when we ate hot goats cheese on Arab bread, followed by ice cream
and drank Heineken beer and listened to Led Zeppelin. Wow
oak, Your new avatar looks like the underground map of London.
Like you, one of my fond memories go way back to the late fifties when I was stationed in Morocco on TDY with the US Air Force. A small group of us went down to Marrakesh for a long weekend, and we met up with some French paratroopers. They didn't speak English, and we didn't speak French, but we spent the better part of a day drinking wine and talking by sign language - until the MP's picked us up and took us back to base. We had the French paratrooper insignia on our hats which the MP's took away from us. It seems like it was only yesterday...... c.i.
CI, welcome back Sir Explorer. Where you of to next ? Fresno ? San Juan ? No ? oh well.
yes that is a map of the london underground CI, the central half mainly.
it sounds like morroco was pretty good fun. I always enjoyed those spur of the moment adventures , let's do it now kinda things. some years ago , pre- mrs oak, a bunch of us decided to go to the horse race meeting at Brighton. not one of us had a winning bet, it was a hot day and the beer flowed and we got the last train back to London , at 11.15 pm ... what a fun day
My ex is a Finn and after we had two children we finally took our first trip together with the kids to Finland. Her mother lived in Risteys which is Swedish (Finland used to belong to Sweden) for Crossings. After a wonderful stay I mentioned going to Karjaloja to buy something as a thanks for her mother and father. She had some things to finish so sent me off alone to get them. This is not a wise thing to do. My few words wouldn't do if a problem arose. Nonetheless off I went. Having made the purchases for her parents it occurred to me to get two coloring books and crayons for the kids to be entertained on the bus back to Helsinki.
The purchase was done and the package sealed when I realized the clerk had given me too much change. I asked if she spoke English. Not a word. Other clerks and a manager had no better success. The original clerk was now angry since she felt I was trying to get more money. Finally I said Anteeksi (excuse me) and got the same items from the shelf and duplicated the sale on paper giving the amount I had paid in markka their currency. Then I showed my change and they saw I had too much. I gave the correct amount of overage to them and there were warm smiles and kittos (thank you) for the correction. Pausing at the top of the steps they all waved to me.
Four years later on our second trip we happened to go into the same store. A group of the employees all came over to say hello and shake my hand. I was dumbfounded to realize they still remembered. It's really good to do the right thing even when it's difficult.
bobsmyth, I've been to Finland once, but still remember my visit there with some clarity, because on the flight there, I was struck with unconscienceness. Lucky for me, the steward was close to my seat, and caught me as I started to fall. When I woke up, I was laying on the floor in the back with three crew members and a doctor. I was going to get up, but they said to stay still for a few more minutes. The doctor did a quick physical on me, and said there didn't seem to be anything wrong, but suggested I go see a doctor when we arrived in Helsinki. I was on my way to Russia, and the doctor gave me a clean bill of health, so I was able to continue with my journey. I still remember visiting the rock church, the Lutheran church (in Senate Square?), and the downtown shopping area. There was a sculpture in a park, and our tour guide asked if any of us understood what the sculpture represented, and I said "music." I was correct!
c.i.
The Grand Canyon at river level, 1969. It was a 10 day run down the Colorado River. The magic was the nights. No designer in the world could even come close to giving me a setting like that to fall asleep in.
Hey c. i. Glad you were able to make it there. Finland is beautiful. The sculpture may have been to Sibelius composer of Finlandia. If you're not familiar with this music make a point to hear it at some time.
bobsmyth, That's the one! The tour guide named the composer, and your mention of it brought it back to my hazy memory cells. Thx, c.i.
West Greenland would have to be one of the most unique places I've been. Incredibly tranquil and fabulous scenery... fantastic!
Aaron
