What was most surreal to you?
Feb 27th, 2008 | 07:53 AM
#62
Joined: Nov 2006
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I have so many spectacular memories from trips we have taken but for the most "surreal"....
First sight of the Grand Canal on the vaporetto - I got lightheaded - there simply are not adequate words to describe that vision.
The next time I felt that was when I sat on a wood pew in the Sant' Antimo abbey listening to the chanting of the resident French monks. There were only 4 other visitors in the abbey at that moment. Very surreal and sort of an "out of body" experience.
First sight of the Grand Canal on the vaporetto - I got lightheaded - there simply are not adequate words to describe that vision.
The next time I felt that was when I sat on a wood pew in the Sant' Antimo abbey listening to the chanting of the resident French monks. There were only 4 other visitors in the abbey at that moment. Very surreal and sort of an "out of body" experience.
Feb 27th, 2008 | 08:30 AM
#65
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,052
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I too have many surreal moments, and many of those were unexpected. Here are a few:
I'll never forget my first glimpse of Dubrovnik sparkling in the waters below as we sat in the back of our taxi from the airport.
Seeing St. Peters Bascilica for the first time. I loved seeing sights such as the Coliseum, but it looks just as I had imagined it. However, nothing prepared me for the sheer size and beauty of St. Peters.
Sitting in a rowboat in Uena Park in Tokyo. We had half an hour on a pond in the middle of Tokyo with unbeatable views all around. There was something very surreal about that.
Seeing the Eiffel Tower glittering at night. Cliche, I'm sure, but there is something so special about seeing the Eiffel Tower's light show. I had always wanted to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower and it certainly didn't dissapoint.
Tracy
I'll never forget my first glimpse of Dubrovnik sparkling in the waters below as we sat in the back of our taxi from the airport.
Seeing St. Peters Bascilica for the first time. I loved seeing sights such as the Coliseum, but it looks just as I had imagined it. However, nothing prepared me for the sheer size and beauty of St. Peters.
Sitting in a rowboat in Uena Park in Tokyo. We had half an hour on a pond in the middle of Tokyo with unbeatable views all around. There was something very surreal about that.
Seeing the Eiffel Tower glittering at night. Cliche, I'm sure, but there is something so special about seeing the Eiffel Tower's light show. I had always wanted to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower and it certainly didn't dissapoint.
Tracy
Feb 27th, 2008 | 01:50 PM
#66
Joined: Apr 2006
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And if you really do mean "surreal" and not just breathtaking, I would say that emerging from the metro at Alexanderplatz in Berlin at night and seeing the t.v. tower all lit up was most surreal. I felt like I was on some other planet. I've always been surprised that that vision has not made its way into movies and popular culture. It's VERY bizarre.
Feb 27th, 2008 | 03:10 PM
#68
Joined: Jan 2003
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I don't think of the sites as being sureal but I do think it is surreal that I am visiting them.
Red Square and the Kremlin were awesome, having grown up hearing about Communism and the Evil Empire. So was Tianamin Square with the traffic, bike riders and kite flyers not that long after the Incident there.
Watching the Matterhorn appear at me from behind clouds. Seeing the leaning tower in Pisa. The sites of Rome.
So many.
Red Square and the Kremlin were awesome, having grown up hearing about Communism and the Evil Empire. So was Tianamin Square with the traffic, bike riders and kite flyers not that long after the Incident there.
Watching the Matterhorn appear at me from behind clouds. Seeing the leaning tower in Pisa. The sites of Rome.
So many.
Feb 27th, 2008 | 05:59 PM
#73
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,222
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"I am in the Serengeti. I am in the Serengeti. Hey, there's a lion." Actually, even before that on the first trip, getting off the plane in Nairobi and seeing it all and thinking, "I am in Africa," almost teary eyed.
And nearly every nook and cranny of the centro storico in Rome--especially the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and, yes, the Sistine Chapel. It'll wow you. Have a great trip!
Agree with arriving in Venice the first time.
Strangely enough, although I love Paris, I have never had one of those moments there. Nor in London.
And nearly every nook and cranny of the centro storico in Rome--especially the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and, yes, the Sistine Chapel. It'll wow you. Have a great trip!
Agree with arriving in Venice the first time.
Strangely enough, although I love Paris, I have never had one of those moments there. Nor in London.
Feb 27th, 2008 | 06:12 PM
#74
Joined: Feb 2008
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I had gone to the MOMA for a special exhibit and did a fast walk through the regular collection. And as I was zipping through I went past Warhol's Marilyn Monroe and went "Hey! THE Warhol Marilyn Monroe, not a poster, not in a book, not on TV. Go look at it stupid!"
When I lived in San Francisco and commuted to Marin every day, I would frequently stop at the overlook mentioned above. I would sit there and watch the tourists stream past and revel in the fact that I got to do that when ever I wanted. Now I wonder why I left.
When I lived in San Francisco and commuted to Marin every day, I would frequently stop at the overlook mentioned above. I would sit there and watch the tourists stream past and revel in the fact that I got to do that when ever I wanted. Now I wonder why I left.
Feb 27th, 2008 | 07:11 PM
#77
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 16,297
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seeing paintings I had previously seen only in art books, on calendars, cards...etc
Klimt's 'The Kiss'
Velazquez "Las Meninas"
Manet's 'Olimpia"
Van Gogh's "Starry Night"
Picasso's Guernica
not to mention the 'Mona Lisa", " The Night Watch", ' The Girl with a Pearl Earring"....and so on.
Klimt's 'The Kiss'
Velazquez "Las Meninas"
Manet's 'Olimpia"
Van Gogh's "Starry Night"
Picasso's Guernica
not to mention the 'Mona Lisa", " The Night Watch", ' The Girl with a Pearl Earring"....and so on.
Feb 27th, 2008 | 07:13 PM
#78
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,188
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It was surreal to see a boy of about 10, sitting on the ground, begging in St. Eustache church in Paris. He'd get a coin, and then mumble, in a very rote way, a prayer. (I think it was a Hail Mary in French, but I don't remember for sure.) This somehow seemed very medieval.
In Florence, I was walking along at night, and a man starting singing an opera aria.
In Florence, I was walking along at night, and a man starting singing an opera aria.
Feb 27th, 2008 | 07:14 PM
#79
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 145
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Swimming in the pond formed where the Casca d'Anta waterfall drops in the São Francisco River, in Brazil. Gazing up at those 550 feet of undisturbed water sheet falling while I floated, belly up on the pond and watched it hit the surface of the pond just a few dozen yards away from my head. It was nothing short of mystical. No cathedral ever brought me so close to Nature/God/Nirvana.... you name it;
The first time I saw Rio de Janeiro from the Christ (I was 16,then); I literally cryed.
The boat ride on the Devil's gorge just beneath the Iguazu Falls cataracts; Undescribable fear, adrenaline, awe, exhilaration.
Going over the 2 feet wide bridges which dangled from two steel cable lines, hopping from stop to stop and watching the watery inferno created by the mighty Paraná river while it squeezed a 3 miles wide colossus into a 210 feet gorge, 30 feet under my feet (Sete Quedas - Guaira, in Brazil). This unbelievable experience/sight is no longer possible, since the falls were drowned by the lake formed by the Itaipu dam in the late 1970s.
The first time I flew in an airplane. I was going from Santa Cruz de La Sierra to La Paz and watched the snowy Andes approaching me.
The first time I arrived in the US and found out that, yes...! I had learned English, all right! and natives could undestand me and I could understand natives. In a smaller degree this experience repeated itself later on with Spanish, Italian and French.
Attending to a mass inside an Ossary/Sanctuary in Asiago, Northern Italy, last Nov 4th/2007, while celebrating the Victory over the Austro Hungarian forces in WWI. I was "immersed" by the bones of 50.000 dead soldiers, both Italian and Austro-Hungarian and watched the representatives of both Italian and Austrian armies answering while the names of dead soldiers of both armies were called. It gave me goose pimples and watered my eyes. This was a particularly touching experience because my great grandparents came from that same fairy tale little "comune".
The night ride on the vaporetto from Rialto to PiazzaSan Marco and back to Santa Lucia's train station, with my wife celebrating our 35th anniversary.
The Cusco-Macchu Picchu complex.
The first time I saw Rio de Janeiro from the Christ (I was 16,then); I literally cryed.
The boat ride on the Devil's gorge just beneath the Iguazu Falls cataracts; Undescribable fear, adrenaline, awe, exhilaration.
Going over the 2 feet wide bridges which dangled from two steel cable lines, hopping from stop to stop and watching the watery inferno created by the mighty Paraná river while it squeezed a 3 miles wide colossus into a 210 feet gorge, 30 feet under my feet (Sete Quedas - Guaira, in Brazil). This unbelievable experience/sight is no longer possible, since the falls were drowned by the lake formed by the Itaipu dam in the late 1970s.
The first time I flew in an airplane. I was going from Santa Cruz de La Sierra to La Paz and watched the snowy Andes approaching me.
The first time I arrived in the US and found out that, yes...! I had learned English, all right! and natives could undestand me and I could understand natives. In a smaller degree this experience repeated itself later on with Spanish, Italian and French.
Attending to a mass inside an Ossary/Sanctuary in Asiago, Northern Italy, last Nov 4th/2007, while celebrating the Victory over the Austro Hungarian forces in WWI. I was "immersed" by the bones of 50.000 dead soldiers, both Italian and Austro-Hungarian and watched the representatives of both Italian and Austrian armies answering while the names of dead soldiers of both armies were called. It gave me goose pimples and watered my eyes. This was a particularly touching experience because my great grandparents came from that same fairy tale little "comune".
The night ride on the vaporetto from Rialto to PiazzaSan Marco and back to Santa Lucia's train station, with my wife celebrating our 35th anniversary.
The Cusco-Macchu Picchu complex.
Feb 27th, 2008 | 07:39 PM
#80
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,818
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Dear Encore:
>>>Tower, that touched a chord. My grandmother died at Treblinka<<<.
So disturbing to know that your grandma died that way, that time, that place. My condolences for a tragedy that happened so long ago, but will be long remembered.
I'm sure it's no consolation for those in your family who perhaps remember her in life, but we uttered The Kaddish prayer over the mass grave while we were there, embracing all of the victims.
Stu T.
>>>Tower, that touched a chord. My grandmother died at Treblinka<<<.
So disturbing to know that your grandma died that way, that time, that place. My condolences for a tragedy that happened so long ago, but will be long remembered.
I'm sure it's no consolation for those in your family who perhaps remember her in life, but we uttered The Kaddish prayer over the mass grave while we were there, embracing all of the victims.
Stu T.
