Watching the sunset over the Grand Canyon with people of all different nationalities in peace and harmony.


About 10 years ago, having Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell with their friends seated at a table next to us in a West Hollywood restaurant and over-hearing their heated discussion about their kids.

(1) our second evening on Oahu vacation: fresh from my evening romp in the surf, hubby grilling fresh ahi on the oceanfront lanai, the palm trees swaying in the breeze, the sounds and smells of the mighty Pacific right in front of us, my beer cooler right beside me dispensing frosty ones, and watching the awesome Oahu sunset, and I got a lump in my throat thinking "this is the most unbelievably wonderful vacation I'm ever gonna have!"

(2) just last month in Las Vegas: we check into our (corner room penthouse floor) hotel late afternoon and hit the bed for a nap to be fresh for nighttime festivities. Woke up just after sunset, pulled open the drapes and WOW!: that first sight of the strip at dark! It was a magical moment.

Anyone else have a moment ?

hmmm... how to narrow them down...

1) a few years back - watching a thunderstorm move across the Grand Canyon, while we sat in sunshine.

2) this year - late night driving enroute home on I-90, across Minnesota. Watching a very active lightning storm & cloud move alongside us "right there" just across the field - like you could almost touch it - yet we were in beautiful starry skies. Had never seen anything like it in my life. Pinks, oranges, yellows, reds, through the storm cloud...Amazing! Then, the crowning glory, we watched in awe (about 1/2 hr later) as the top center of the storm cloud appeared to glimmer silver/white. The glow got bigger and the white light spread as the moon arose from behind the thundercloud into a pitch black starry sky above.

3) the excitement the first time I saw a whale "in the wild" (not on a boat tour or anything) -- just spotted it myself as I drove along the coast of Newfoundland Canada.

4) the first "iceberg" I saw (not on T.V.) - again off Newfoundland coast.

5) Sitting on top of the rocky cliff overlooking the ocean at Acadia National Park, Maine - nobody around. Just mesmorized watching the crashing of the waves below, with the occasional sound of birds.

I'm an avid golfer and follower of the game, and a few years ago I went to Scotland to play at St. Andrews. Stepping out onto the first tee of the Old Course, with the Royal & Ancient clubhous behind me and the North Sea to our right--it was amazing.

more...

- strolling across the historic wooden covered bridge in Lucerne Switzerland, with hand-done paintings all the way along on the interior of the roof...
only to hear when I returned home from my tour that it had burned completely down (between time I saw it & I returned from my vacation). To think I was one of the last few to ever see it.

- Lake Maggiore Italy. Absolutely beautiful lake/mountain/local homes bursting to the seams with fragrant flower gardens in their tiny front yards.

Seeing my son after 63 days at boot camp in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Threading the car around the little hairpins over Independance Pass in Colorado, seeing those views through all the shimmering flashes off of the Aspen leaves along the sides.

Coming around the bend and seeing Slea Head at the tip of the Dingle Penninsula in Ireland. The N. Atlantic spreading out to both sides, crashing against the rocks.

Driving the seven mile bridge through the Florida Keys, being so far from land on either end and the colors of the shallow water below you.

Nightfall in the town of Bendigo in Australia, in the Gum tree filled park, feeding bananas to Ring Tailed Possums (not anything like an American o'possum), who slip up and take the pieces from our fingers and then go to the low branches just above you and hang from their tails to eat them. All these big round dark eyes cautiously making their way up for their piece. Very cool....

Hiking with friends in Switzerland and deciding spur of the moment to stay at an inn in the mountains that we saw advertised. A one person chair lift was the only way to get to it. The inn was mostly inhabited that day with a wedding party, so eating the food they had for wedding dinner (there was enough left over that the restaurant was still serving that; otherwise kitchen was closed til the following hour) being invited to dance by the drunker members of the wedding party (us in shorts and hiking boots,not having planned to spend the night anywhere, not even having toothbrushes with us, which is sad since we are all dental hygienists!) Sitting at the outdoor restaurant the next morning, having breakfast overlooking the valley where we had been hiking the day before. (a rather long moment!)

Next best moment--arriving in St. Lucia to find that the upgrade we'd made to a villa included a private plunge pool!

The thrill of skydiving while on vacation in Florida.

We were staying at The Keeper's House on Isle au Haut(off the coast at Stonington,Maine). We started out on a bicycle ride(old schwinns) and ended up circling the island on dirt roads and the like. We were bush tired and humbled by the time we made it back to the inn. We saw a lobster boat at the dock and,sure enough, we were served lobster that evening. By the time we ate, we were also feeling somewhat virtuous for our "extreme" bike ride.

I must say the other two that come to mind are not in the US. First there is no experience quite like emerging from the train station and finding Venice in front of you! Second, it was a cold March day at twilight. We had just soaked and steamed and been massaged with jasmine oil at the Paris Mosque Hammans. We walked out along the Jardin des Plants, picked up a lemon crepe, walked along the river and across into the Marais and home. That evening we dined royallly on great Berber food at the Blue Homme in the 11th.

There are so many, but I'll choose 1 from my trip last week to Yosemite with my son. While hiking hand in hand in some of the most beautiful surroundings I've ever seen, my 12 year old suggested we make up myths as to how the major sights (El Cap, Bridleveil, etc) got their names. Quality time!

Two favorites stand out in my memory:

Watching a bald eagle catch a salmon in an Alaskan stream, maybe 20 feet away from me!

Riding an Irish Cob (horse) through a forest of bluebell flowers!

Taking my daughter to Paris for her birthday and visiting Sacre Coeur and then climbing to the very top through the winding staircases and looking out over the entire city. It was breathtaking.

Also, snorkling with my husband and kids in 60 feet of water and through caves in St. John virgin islands. The fish were amazing and we all laughed and had a wonderful time. Definitely one of my best. My son will soon be leaving for college, I hope we can still have trips like that.

Taking my 15 year old son at the time to cover the ESPY awards and having him be one of 3 to interview Mohammed Ali. Unforgettable!!!

The sight of Mt. Rainier just as my ferry boat was pulling away from the Seattle dock. Breathtaking.

ttt

Hmm hard to say....there's too many!!

Mine would have to be this past July in Miami, and trying to escape the snooty touristy part of South Beach, and ended up in Key Biscayne, or more specifically, Crandon Park Beach. Found a vista I hope to return to...all locals chatting gaily with their BBQ's, hammocks tied between the trees, an ocean that seemed to go on forever, extremely warm and shallow water as aqua as I imagined, and the greatest part of all, having fish swim right in front of my legs, and then following them to see where they were off to. That was the first time in a long time where I can say I was completely relaxed and at ease!!

Favorite moment..... a night dive off the Kona coast. 12 of us kneeling on the ocean floor with our dive lights held up. In the pool of light created, a half dozen 12 foot Manta Rays doing barrel rolls right over our heads..Holding your light above your head, they would follow your light beam down till they were inches from your face, before pulling up and flying right over your head. At the same time moray eels swimming around your feet hunting for food.

The one that comes to mind happened when we were in Paris. It was my first time there and I was just blown away by the city and the people and was in a state of shock for the first few days. Everything was so vivid. I kept seeing things for real that heretofore I had only seen in magazines, T.V. or in my imagination and had read about in books. One day we were walking down a street from our hotel to the Metro and I spotted this woman walking towards me. She was in her mid 60s. She was impeccibly dressed in a navy Chanel suit. She had an incredible hat on. Gloves. Pumps. Purse. Cigarette hanging from her bright red lips. You get the picture. And she was walking a white toy poodle with a rhinestone collar! I couldn't believe it! She was walking her dog dressed in $2000.00 worth of clothing and accessories! I will never forget her and forever fell in love with Paris that moment.

Thanking the sled dogs after a 1/2 dogsled trip through the Charlevoix region in Quebec. My husband, myself and our two "grown up" (18 and 21 then) kids were the first to have gone out that year and it was just us and two guides. We have more stories to tell just from that one day than I (and deserved the thanks-- it was 17 below zero F that day!)