I just read an article in an old Conde Nast Traveler magazine about the scents of places visited. It seems the author has his most vivid impressions and memories of places visited by the various scents encountered, rather than visually or otherwise. He doesn't even carry a camera. I am probably like most, and my memories tend to be visual although DW accuses me of remembering the details of every meal I ever ate - not quite true, but close. Although I have a lifetime of musical training and I notice sound in detail, the sounds of a place are mostly quickly forgotten. The question of how one remembers could also explain mine and DW's differing memories of our first, and for her, last visit to Venice. It was summertime and my memory is of its jaw dropping grandeur and beauty. Hers is that the place stinks. I never really noticed or perhaps remembered any bad odor, but that is her memory of the place that displaced all else -I need to get her back in a season other than summer.

How do you remember things, sight? sound? smell? blend? other?

After hiking through a cool, damp, earthy-scented forest up to Burg Eltz on a sunny, hot May day (and visiting the castle), we strolled back down to the town of Moselkern. At the edge of the village was a small, family-owned cafe-Konditorei.
We sat at a table oudoors in the very warm sunshine, skin damp from exertion, sipping tart-sweet,cloudy, yeasty Federweisser and ate a succulent Zwiebelkuchen with tiny bits of bacon, warm from the oven, while the hostess played traditional german style band music softly, from within the house somewhere, not loud enough to drown out the babbling brook across the very still one lane street.....True memory!

Dear basing:

I have read similar info about places and smells and the memories it brings back. On our trip to France, Switzerland and Italy in 1994, I packed a small Degree deodorant stick. To this day, if I use Degree, it reminds me of that trip and the places we visited.

Venice may be smelly in some places, but the visual effect and ambiance makes up for it in my book!!

MY

Absolutely ... ! The smell of Coppertone and Creosote takes me to the boardwalk at the beach. What can I say about lavender, garlic, and onions all in a mix in the South of France...while I sip a cool rose'?

basingstoke2,

I spent most of my childhood in southern California and on some days any place in the world, I smell a southern California day. I call them perfect days. It's dry, warm, and has the smell of certain trees. I believe it is not only the scent, also the feel.

Well written, rach.

Now, I will have to go to Burg Eltz!