When I was in Florence last February, for the first time, I knew I needed to see David. <BR> <BR>So we went to the Accademia, paid for our tickets, and the first corner we turn into, there it is...at the end of the longest corridor ever..the David Statue. <BR> <BR>I remember having to catch my breath, and feeling a big lump in my throat. I was absolutely breathtaking, and I couldn't believe this "thing" that I'd been hearing about, reading about, seen in history books all my life, was in front of me. <BR> <BR>I'll never forget that...

1 The Pieta at the Vatican Pavillion- 1964 World's fair New York <BR> <BR>2 Jemez Canyon- New Mexico <BR> <BR>3 Seeing the Bay from Noe Valley-San Francisco <BR> <BR>4 Coming up out of the metro and finally seeing the Sagrada Familia <BR> in Barcelona <BR> <BR>5 New York Skyline from a flight into LaGuardia on a warm and gorgeous summer day

Another classic for your summer reading

If I may steal a few of S.Fowler's lovely words, there is one quiet, unpretentious little place which for me transcends day-trips and museum visits and all those other must-do compulsions that I often fall prey to. Everyone who has contributed to this posting has shared a moment that was aesthetically and spiritually breathtaking. Mine is the evening view from my tiny balcony of the 2-star Albergo Panorama in Gerra-Gambarogno on Lago Maggiore. After the sun went down, the water, mountains, and sky turned blue-violet, and the lights of the towns on the opposite shore began to twinkle. I was mesmerized. I sat on that balcony half the night because I knew I had to lock that memory away safely and completely. It's a treasure.

1. The view of the Treasury from in siq in Petra, Jordan <BR>2. Cliffs of Moher in Ireland <BR>3. "Norway in a Nutshell" train ride <BR>

Im a fledlging traveller so here's my two cents: <BR>Piazza San Marco at dawn <BR>The first time I laid eyes on Paris <BR>Kathmandu in the early morning mist. <BR> <BR>

To a history buff and proud American, Omaha Beach in Normandy and the American Cemetery on top of the cliff overlooking the beach. We visited both on a beautiful mid-week October day and had the beach entirely to ourselves to contemplate the awesome courage it took to cross the sand and move up the draws. The Cemetery feels like an open-air church. On clear-weather days, in a salute to the fallen heroes, the French Air Force flies a Mirage jet over the beach at the level of the trees of the Cemetery. A day in my life I'll never forget.

It was on our first trip to Jamaica (lo, those many years ago). We had done our beach, bar and board thing at Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio and headed out around the Island to Kingston (the lounging and relaxation were fun, but we are, after all, inveterate sight-see'rs). We were tooling along enjoying the beautiful sea views, the little villages, a stop for lunch at a thatched roof shack for jerk and beer. It was a great day. In one little village we stopped at, bare-footed children came running over smiling and jumping, pointed their fingers at us and shouted "look what they are, look what they are". <BR> <BR>Just past Morant Bay, still in love with the sea on our left, not a care in the world, we came around a turn and ran smack into the local, rag-tag Militia. Their partial uniforms may have been unimpressive, but their very large sub-machine guns earned our respect very quickly. There were about six of them. They said very litte as they motioned us to the side of the road with their guns. After what seemed like "for ever", a young man in a complete, rather starched, uniform came out of a little building, asked us where we were going and did we have any guns. We said "to Kingston" and "no, we did not have any guns". He directed us to open the trunk and he proceeded to open our luggage while a couple of his irregulars searched the interior of the car. Finally, satisfied that we had no guns, he said we could go and we should proceed slowly. We didn't argue (would five miles an hour be slow enough?). <BR> <BR>This experience really did take our breaths away, literally. My wife was shaking uncontrolably. If you have ever stared down the business end of a submachine-gun, you will understand why. <BR> <BR>We went on to Kingston to tour the old Pirates Lair submerged by an earthquack years ago and the fine Botanical Gardens featuring tropicl plants we had read about. Their were guns everywhere. We took a quick look at the old fort, wandered through the Gardens, again, quickly, and got back on the road, this time over the Mountain for the quickest trip back to Ocho Rios. When we arrived, as is the custom, the Inn Keeper greeted us and offered us our arrival drink and a little conversation. When he found out where he had been, he simply shook his head and we began to understand our little joyride was probably not the smartest thing we ever did in our travels. Oh well, youth; isn't it grand.

What took my breath away? Standing at the top of the world on the Great Wall of China....Seeing Michelangelo's David at the Accademia in Firenze...Chandni Chowk Market in Delhi......Seeing the top of Mount Everest from an airplane.....the town of Sintra in Portugal....the view of Hong Kong from the Peak.....the Taj Mahal at sunrise...a full moon over the lagoon of Venezia, the water lapping at the Riva Schiavoni.....the view of the Faraglioni Rocks in Capri with Le Nozze di Figaro playing in the background from a record player in a villa.

Great thread! <BR> <BR>the items that have taken my breath away (in no particular order): <BR> <BR>1) view of the alps from city centre Innsbruck <BR>2) view of the Dordogne River from Beynac Castle <BR>3) First glimpse of Mont St Michel <BR>4) Seeing (and being part of) the evening candlelight ceremony at Lourdes <BR>5) the view of the Golden Gate on any sunny day <BR>6) the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains (Australia) <BR>7) my first view of Akaroa, Nw Zealand on the drive from Christchurch <BR>8) the view of the rice patties from the Kupa Kupa Barong in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia <BR>9) My first view of Sydney harbor <BR>10) the view enmerging from the train station in Venice <BR>11) the view from Glacier Point into Yosemite Valley <BR>12) watching Hong Kong unfold on a night-time airline approach after crossing the Pacific (especially in the days when you could literally see people inside their apartments as you landed at the airport) <BR> <BR>John H

the men in Firenze, Italia.<BR><BR>oh, And the great Australian Outback at sunrise was pretty amazing too.....

The early morning busride from Siena to San Gimignano - the dark silhouette of the countryside against the brilliant colors of the sunrise, then after exiting the bus, the view of the fog-covered valley as the sun came up. It was so peaceful and stunning.

Attending a performance of Aida under the stars at the Caracalla Baths during my first trip to Europe as a college student, more years ago than I want to acknowledge. (Yes, they used to hold performances there, before they realized that it was ruining the antiquities; anyone else out there remember that?) Hearing the Triumphal Entry March always evokes memories of the magic of being young and in Rome, hearing and seeing that magnificent opera in the most beautiful of settings.

Not Europe, but...<BR> When I touched the stones at the top of El Castillo in Chicgen Itza - the vibes I got were indescribable. Same feeling in Coba. In Portugal, the interior of St. Anthony's cathedral in Lagos. And, more vibes, touching the wall of the "castle" in Silves.<BR>ja

Cool, Ja. I must remember to do that at Notre Dame. : )

Many, many years ago, being young, full of adventure, my friend and I were driving through France with no destination, and the area not yet overrun with tourists, when suddenly at dusk emerged like a mirage, The Pont de Gard, seemingly from out of the trees. Years later, I returned to see it again , this time it was not that mystical event but a watering hole for hordes of tourists.

Duuuhhh - forgive me - I meant to type ChicHen Itza, not Chighen. oops!<BR>ja

I too saw Aida at theBaths of Caracalla back in 1962. It was a powerful experience -- even from the highest seats [where we were...]. I wonder when they stopped doing those performances....

I was there in '61! This past summer was my first time back to Rome, and I was disappointed to hear that they'd discontinued performances; perfectly understandable, tho. I, too, wonder when they stopped.

Several things:<BR><BR>Conner pass on the Irish Dingle peninsula on a clear day (also mentioned above, both have to repeat this one)<BR><BR>Strasbourg Christmas village at night around the cathedral<BR><BR>The Vosage mountains in Alsace-Lorraine at peak fall colors with the sun rising over the trees (got up at 3:30AM for this one-it was worth it)<BR><BR>Sailboats on Lac Leman surrounded by fog in a red-soaked sunset .