What travel experience has touched your heart the most?
Jul 20th, 2003, 07:46 AM
#41
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1. Hiking up the trail behind Neuschwanstein to the Marienbruecke bridge and making myself not look back at the castle until I was in the center of the bridge. When I turned and saw the castle and valley below I gasped out loud.
2. I was displaced out of Barcelona by an unforeseen Magicians Convention. Rented a car and went south a bit and found a hotel on the main rambla of Tarragona. Walked to the east end of the rambla having no idea of the view I would have when I reached it. You're up high on a cliff with the beach below and the beautiful Mediterranean spreading out to the horizon. It was such an incredible find because I just lucked into it.
As an aside Tarragona clinched my desire to see the rest of Europe meaning destinations other than London, Paris, Rome and Venice.
3. Anyplace I take my Dad. Both of us never thought he'd make it to Europe. Now I've created a monster and have him hooked too.
2. I was displaced out of Barcelona by an unforeseen Magicians Convention. Rented a car and went south a bit and found a hotel on the main rambla of Tarragona. Walked to the east end of the rambla having no idea of the view I would have when I reached it. You're up high on a cliff with the beach below and the beautiful Mediterranean spreading out to the horizon. It was such an incredible find because I just lucked into it.
As an aside Tarragona clinched my desire to see the rest of Europe meaning destinations other than London, Paris, Rome and Venice.
3. Anyplace I take my Dad. Both of us never thought he'd make it to Europe. Now I've created a monster and have him hooked too.
Jul 20th, 2003, 05:57 PM
#43
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Author: John G
Date: 12/06/2001, 12:35 am
Message: The most glamourous place I have ever seen is the Chandni Chowk Market in Delhi. All the Brahmin women and their daughters come out in their private rickshaws to do their daily shopping here. You will see these women dressed in beautifully coloured saris such as ruby-red, saffron or jade. They also wear their best intricate jewelry of gold and sapphires. (One woman I saw wore silver and ivory cuffs on each wrist that reminded me of the cuffs that Diana Vreeland used to wear.) Some will have faded Harrod's or Fauchon shopping bags sitting next to them or at their feet. To preserve their beautiful light skin, many will be holding parasols as bright as their saris, or cover their eyes with huge movie-star sunglasses. If you smile in their direction in your passing rickshaw, they will be polite enough to say, "Good afternoon," in perfect English. Now, imagine these women against a teeming backdrop of honking taxis, spice stalls, silver shops, perfume stores that fill the air with the scent of sandalwood, and a supporting cast of tens of thousands of pedestrians going about their daily lives. This is the kind of glamour that rivals the dull, kabuki-mask glamour of the Via Condotti, Via Napoleone, or the sidewalks of Monte Carlo and Paris.
I am pasting this from a previous thread. I think it applies here as well.
No, I was not overcome with emotion at seeing the Terra-Cotta Warriors of Xian. It is very hard to see these soldiers because of the dark pit they are in. It is much better to view the warriors in the Xian Museum that are placed in well-lighted display cases.
Author: John G
Date: 12/06/2001, 12:35 am
Message: The most glamourous place I have ever seen is the Chandni Chowk Market in Delhi. All the Brahmin women and their daughters come out in their private rickshaws to do their daily shopping here. You will see these women dressed in beautifully coloured saris such as ruby-red, saffron or jade. They also wear their best intricate jewelry of gold and sapphires. (One woman I saw wore silver and ivory cuffs on each wrist that reminded me of the cuffs that Diana Vreeland used to wear.) Some will have faded Harrod's or Fauchon shopping bags sitting next to them or at their feet. To preserve their beautiful light skin, many will be holding parasols as bright as their saris, or cover their eyes with huge movie-star sunglasses. If you smile in their direction in your passing rickshaw, they will be polite enough to say, "Good afternoon," in perfect English. Now, imagine these women against a teeming backdrop of honking taxis, spice stalls, silver shops, perfume stores that fill the air with the scent of sandalwood, and a supporting cast of tens of thousands of pedestrians going about their daily lives. This is the kind of glamour that rivals the dull, kabuki-mask glamour of the Via Condotti, Via Napoleone, or the sidewalks of Monte Carlo and Paris.
I am pasting this from a previous thread. I think it applies here as well.
No, I was not overcome with emotion at seeing the Terra-Cotta Warriors of Xian. It is very hard to see these soldiers because of the dark pit they are in. It is much better to view the warriors in the Xian Museum that are placed in well-lighted display cases.
Jul 20th, 2003, 06:29 PM
#44
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Killer thread.
1) Climbing to the top of the Great Pyramid at Giza in 1983 (when you still could 'kind of legally') and taking pics. Tallest stone structure on earth, heaviest stone structure and exactly in the dead center of the earth's land mass! Fantastic views.
2) The Pieta blew me away in Rome.
3) In my home town of Washington DC, EVERY time I see the Vietnam Memorial I cry. I can't help it. I walk down below the earth level, seeing all those 54000 names, they get higher and higher as you go lower and lower and the #'s get greater and greater the furthur down you walk. By the time I'm at the bottome of the walkway, I get overcome with tears. Reading the messages left by family totally overwhelms me. I send all my out of town guest there first!
Steve R
Silver Spring MD
1) Climbing to the top of the Great Pyramid at Giza in 1983 (when you still could 'kind of legally') and taking pics. Tallest stone structure on earth, heaviest stone structure and exactly in the dead center of the earth's land mass! Fantastic views.
2) The Pieta blew me away in Rome.
3) In my home town of Washington DC, EVERY time I see the Vietnam Memorial I cry. I can't help it. I walk down below the earth level, seeing all those 54000 names, they get higher and higher as you go lower and lower and the #'s get greater and greater the furthur down you walk. By the time I'm at the bottome of the walkway, I get overcome with tears. Reading the messages left by family totally overwhelms me. I send all my out of town guest there first!
Steve R
Silver Spring MD
Jul 20th, 2003, 10:34 PM
#45
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What a great thread!
1) Ditto for the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC. Not only do I cry, but it is a gut wrenching experience - to see people take a rubbing of a name - a son, a husband, a father, a friend...
2) Ditto for the Great Wall of China
3) Seeing the unbelievable half moon of Monterey Bay stretched out -driving either from the north or the south for that great view
4) Seeing Tremadog Bay stretching in another unbelievable half moon with the ruins of Harlech Castle standing guard, North Wales
5) In Italy, seeing the Sistine Chapel, the Pieta, the David
6) Driving at night on the opera circle in Vienna, by the Eiffel Tower in Paris,
7) Seeing Mt Everest from the cockpit of a jet flying to Katmandu, Nepal
8) View of Kowloon and the New Territories from the tall glass windows of the New World Hotel...
So many, so many unforgettable sights that remain in the mind's eye...
1) Ditto for the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC. Not only do I cry, but it is a gut wrenching experience - to see people take a rubbing of a name - a son, a husband, a father, a friend...
2) Ditto for the Great Wall of China
3) Seeing the unbelievable half moon of Monterey Bay stretched out -driving either from the north or the south for that great view
4) Seeing Tremadog Bay stretching in another unbelievable half moon with the ruins of Harlech Castle standing guard, North Wales
5) In Italy, seeing the Sistine Chapel, the Pieta, the David
6) Driving at night on the opera circle in Vienna, by the Eiffel Tower in Paris,
7) Seeing Mt Everest from the cockpit of a jet flying to Katmandu, Nepal
8) View of Kowloon and the New Territories from the tall glass windows of the New World Hotel...
So many, so many unforgettable sights that remain in the mind's eye...
Jul 21st, 2003, 06:22 AM
#48
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My first magical European experience happened in 1999 when I flew to Milan with a friend. We immediately drove out of Italy through Austria and into Germany, later on to Prague. I thought I was in a dream. Seeing the Alps, the castles, just the sheer beauty of the countryside like I had never seen. And My God, Prague....walking across the Charles Bridge at night and seeing the cathedral on the hill lit up. It was truly a magical thing. We did make it back to Italy on that trip and the magic continued with 10 days in northern Italy to Umbria. We went back the following year.
Jul 21st, 2003, 08:19 AM
#50
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Attending the Papal Audience and seeing the Pope being wheeled out on the stage. Seeing and hearing the thousands of people cheering for the Pope. Seeing the fragile man up on the stage speaking 7 different languages. This is one place where I have seen so many happy people, and all United.
Jul 21st, 2003, 08:21 AM
#51
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Thank you all for sharing your special memories. Here are mine:
1) Visting Vietnam for the first time in 1997 and looking into the faces of the young women everywhere knowing that I could've been one of them had I not been one of the lucky "boat people"...
2) Visiting the Taj Mahal this past May and having my picture taken on the same exact marble bench that my mother sat on some 30 years ago. The moment just seemed to capture everything that is so timeless about the Taj.
1) Visting Vietnam for the first time in 1997 and looking into the faces of the young women everywhere knowing that I could've been one of them had I not been one of the lucky "boat people"...
2) Visiting the Taj Mahal this past May and having my picture taken on the same exact marble bench that my mother sat on some 30 years ago. The moment just seemed to capture everything that is so timeless about the Taj.
Jul 21st, 2003, 08:56 AM
#53
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Well, I hope I'm never touched in the same way as I was seeing these two sites: the American cemetary in Normandy, and of course, the rubble of the World Trade Center.
More positive ones: Saint Chappelle. Seeing that was almost miraculous. Don;t even bother going on a cloudy day though--it's the light coming in that makes it so wonderful (for me).
Also, Italy. Just--Italy. Wow!
More positive ones: Saint Chappelle. Seeing that was almost miraculous. Don;t even bother going on a cloudy day though--it's the light coming in that makes it so wonderful (for me).
Also, Italy. Just--Italy. Wow!
Jul 21st, 2003, 10:06 AM
#55
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In Europe, it was watching the northern lights a few miles above the Artic Circle off the coast of Norway.
Overall it would have to be walking the Via della Rosa in Jeruselam, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Also, on the same trip, driving to the Dead Sea and visiting Masada.
MM
Overall it would have to be walking the Via della Rosa in Jeruselam, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Also, on the same trip, driving to the Dead Sea and visiting Masada.
MM
Jul 21st, 2003, 10:20 AM
#56
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JMM and allovereurope, I'm sure you have many wonderful photos of Ste. Chappelle - but if you don't, I have 2 really beautiful shots that capture the rose colored light..I personally think they're great anyway. If you'd like to see them I can email them to you.
