What's Your Poison & What's the Strangest Place You've Ever Traveled To?
Oct 21st, 2005, 06:05 PM
#21
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Hi Statia, I just wanted to wish you a wonderful trip!
Just water tonight. I must save myself for Budman's brew
The strangest place I have ever been to was Atlantic City, New Jersey. I can't really explain why, it just was strange to me, lol.
Have a pleasant evening everyone
Just water tonight. I must save myself for Budman's brew
The strangest place I have ever been to was Atlantic City, New Jersey. I can't really explain why, it just was strange to me, lol.
Have a pleasant evening everyone
Oct 21st, 2005, 06:14 PM
#22
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Thanks for the well wishes, seetheworld, and everyone else. (Statia blushing).
moldy, I'd love the name of the store you are referring to. Or, if you can give me a clue of it's location/store front I will try to get by there for a card/info/purchase since we plan to get to Murano this trip.
moldy, I'd love the name of the store you are referring to. Or, if you can give me a clue of it's location/store front I will try to get by there for a card/info/purchase since we plan to get to Murano this trip.
Oct 21st, 2005, 06:23 PM
#23
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Good evening Statia and gang! Statia, I'm sure you and ReasonStatiasSoHappy will have a wonderful time in Venice. I'm looking forward to the trip report.
My poison tonight is the high after 33 minutes on the elliptical trainer. Whew!
I have two strange places; one truly strange and the other strangely beautiful.
First, Portales, NM. I went to college there and frequently return as DH's family still lives in Portales. It claims to be "The Peanut Capital of the World," has frequent dust storms that close down the highways, and always smells like ethanol. Or, it used to...I think they recently shut down the ethanol plant and moooved in a bunch of dairies, so, I doubt the smell is any better. Nice people in Portales, though.
Second, Riva del Garda, on the northern end of Lago Garda in Italy. I think surreal may be a better word than strange. From several places in this town, you could look up through palm, olive, and lemon trees to see snow-capped mountains. I'm sure there are other places in the world (and probably even Italy) that have this unexpected combination, but it was the first time I'd seen it and it struck me as strangely beautiful.
My poison tonight is the high after 33 minutes on the elliptical trainer. Whew!
I have two strange places; one truly strange and the other strangely beautiful.
First, Portales, NM. I went to college there and frequently return as DH's family still lives in Portales. It claims to be "The Peanut Capital of the World," has frequent dust storms that close down the highways, and always smells like ethanol. Or, it used to...I think they recently shut down the ethanol plant and moooved in a bunch of dairies, so, I doubt the smell is any better. Nice people in Portales, though.
Second, Riva del Garda, on the northern end of Lago Garda in Italy. I think surreal may be a better word than strange. From several places in this town, you could look up through palm, olive, and lemon trees to see snow-capped mountains. I'm sure there are other places in the world (and probably even Italy) that have this unexpected combination, but it was the first time I'd seen it and it struck me as strangely beautiful.
Oct 21st, 2005, 06:27 PM
#24
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Long Island Iced Tea and the strangest place was really wonderful!
On a visit to the Grand Canyon, we took a raft ride down the colorado river, starting at a dam. The temperature was 107o but the water was 30 something degrees! Made an interesting 'swim' when we stopped for a picnic on a sandbar....you could not stand on the sand, because it would blister your feet (had to run across to the shade) and your couldn't stay in the water for long, because you froze!....strange!
Belle
On a visit to the Grand Canyon, we took a raft ride down the colorado river, starting at a dam. The temperature was 107o but the water was 30 something degrees! Made an interesting 'swim' when we stopped for a picnic on a sandbar....you could not stand on the sand, because it would blister your feet (had to run across to the shade) and your couldn't stay in the water for long, because you froze!....strange!
Belle
Oct 21st, 2005, 06:45 PM
#25
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Hi Statia! Thanks for the hug via Budman tomorrow! Have a fantastic trip to Venice too!
We'll toast with some Prosecco to all our fellow Fodorites tomorrow at the GTG!
No poison for me tonight...I'm finally sitting down for the first time today and it's 10:42.
Strange place I travelled just today...to Johnson City, NY near Binghamton to pick up a "new to me" 2001 Volvo wagon. It's a 5 speed, thus a keeper! Drove almost 400 miles today and boy am I tired.
Looking forward to tomorrow's GTG so must get my beauty sleep now! Trish
We'll toast with some Prosecco to all our fellow Fodorites tomorrow at the GTG!
No poison for me tonight...I'm finally sitting down for the first time today and it's 10:42.
Strange place I travelled just today...to Johnson City, NY near Binghamton to pick up a "new to me" 2001 Volvo wagon. It's a 5 speed, thus a keeper! Drove almost 400 miles today and boy am I tired.
Looking forward to tomorrow's GTG so must get my beauty sleep now! Trish
Oct 21st, 2005, 06:45 PM
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I'm fond of single malt scotch - enjoying Caol Ila this evening.
This bar between Reading and Allentown in Pennsylvania. This displaced southern girl stopped in for a sandwich and found this strange scene with stuffed animal heads on the walls and not a woman in sight. These ROUGH-looking men sitting at the bar all turned around and stared when I entered. I calmly took a table and had one of the best beers and steak sandwiches ever...
This bar between Reading and Allentown in Pennsylvania. This displaced southern girl stopped in for a sandwich and found this strange scene with stuffed animal heads on the walls and not a woman in sight. These ROUGH-looking men sitting at the bar all turned around and stared when I entered. I calmly took a table and had one of the best beers and steak sandwiches ever...
Oct 21st, 2005, 07:55 PM
#27
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Statia, just a matter of hours til you leave for Italy!! yipppeee!
Drinks tonight for me, Coca Cola we went out for Indian food and that is the best fire quencher for me 
Strangest place that is most recent:
A small town in Central Florida that was like stepping back in time..We could not wait to get out of there, it was creepy and the people were sort of creepy too LOL
Nogales Mexico was pretty strange too , now that I think of it
Drinks tonight for me, Coca Cola
we went out for Indian food and that is the best fire quencher for me Strangest place that is most recent:
A small town in Central Florida that was like stepping back in time..We could not wait to get out of there, it was creepy and the people were sort of creepy too LOL
Nogales Mexico was pretty strange too , now that I think of it
Oct 21st, 2005, 09:49 PM
#28
Diet Coke and popcorn (price under $20 - 
) at the movies (Good Night and Good Luck - wonderful.)
Numerous strange places - an eskimo village on the lower Yukon River populated by families banished from other villages; a caviar factory on the Caspian Sea (forced to watch promo film of Iranian fisherpeople bonking sturgeon on the head while singing Farsi fishing shanties - oy.)
But.... Celebration, Florida. Creeeeeped me out.
) at the movies (Good Night and Good Luck - wonderful.)Numerous strange places - an eskimo village on the lower Yukon River populated by families banished from other villages; a caviar factory on the Caspian Sea (forced to watch promo film of Iranian fisherpeople bonking sturgeon on the head while singing Farsi fishing shanties - oy.)
But.... Celebration, Florida. Creeeeeped me out.
Oct 21st, 2005, 10:39 PM
#30
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Poison is a glass of Sterling Chardonnay after a night at the hospital.(being back at work after a vacation is definitely an adjustment).
Well, THE strangest has to be a night we spent in a B&B in Sydney on Vancouver Island. We stayed there so as to rise early for the ferry back to WA. The B&B was in an old tudor, the staff of Fawlty Towers was at work. We had to remove our shoes on entry and put on a pair of crocheted slippers. Despite the fact it was Sunday we had to rise at 8 am for breakfast in a dining room with shocking pink(swear to god) shear tie backs on the windows. The host stood with his hands crossed over his privates in a corner of the dining room. The hostess was a Hyacinth Bucket type who chirped and sputtered while serving up something called "Nests" which were really grossly undercooked eggs with chopped ham on top cooked in the microwave.
It could have been a bad trip or a bad dream easily. Sadly, it was all too real.
Well, THE strangest has to be a night we spent in a B&B in Sydney on Vancouver Island. We stayed there so as to rise early for the ferry back to WA. The B&B was in an old tudor, the staff of Fawlty Towers was at work. We had to remove our shoes on entry and put on a pair of crocheted slippers. Despite the fact it was Sunday we had to rise at 8 am for breakfast in a dining room with shocking pink(swear to god) shear tie backs on the windows. The host stood with his hands crossed over his privates in a corner of the dining room. The hostess was a Hyacinth Bucket type who chirped and sputtered while serving up something called "Nests" which were really grossly undercooked eggs with chopped ham on top cooked in the microwave.
It could have been a bad trip or a bad dream easily. Sadly, it was all too real.
Oct 22nd, 2005, 02:28 AM
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...My cousin's wedding...
After the luncheon came dancing to music. Typical wedding, right? At some point, the newlyweds and everyone else were asked to sit down and out came a chubby belly dancer hired by the father of the bride. Bellygirl headed straight for my cousin, the groom, who was more than a little shocked. I have little (no!) experience in male strip clubs but her dancing seemed less belly and more grinding and she was doing things with a saber that you probably shouldn't do with a sharp instrument (fake or real). You should've seen the look on the groom's face (and half of the rooms', come to think of it--this was not the NY Jewish wedding that some of were accustomed to) The majority of the bride's male relatives came up, some with their shirts unbuttoned to their navels, shimmying up to the hired dancer which they threw dollars at. A few minutes later she slid over to my cousin's grandfather and pulled him onto the dance floor. It was quite the sight to see this 85 yr old man w/early stages of Alzheimer's getting up there--have to say he had quite the smile for the rest of the day
To top this off, the Hilton where we were staying had a Zena the Warrior convention that weekend. Coming back from the wedding, we saw tons of people dressed up as the characters from the show. It kind of reminded of a Star Trek convention, minus the Klingons.
A strange weekend in So. California for us!!
---
PM, I was at the airport in Manaus about 3 1/2yrs ago and missed those gators at the airport, darn it We did see some odd stuff at the outdoor market but no large biting creatures--saws and hammers hanging on stalls right next to woman's lingerie...
Statia, I know you will have a wonderful trip. OWJ2 and I can't wait to get back to Venice. What a fantastic place to go!
After the luncheon came dancing to music. Typical wedding, right? At some point, the newlyweds and everyone else were asked to sit down and out came a chubby belly dancer hired by the father of the bride. Bellygirl headed straight for my cousin, the groom, who was more than a little shocked. I have little (no!) experience in male strip clubs but her dancing seemed less belly and more grinding and she was doing things with a saber that you probably shouldn't do with a sharp instrument (fake or real). You should've seen the look on the groom's face (and half of the rooms', come to think of it--this was not the NY Jewish wedding that some of were accustomed to) The majority of the bride's male relatives came up, some with their shirts unbuttoned to their navels, shimmying up to the hired dancer which they threw dollars at. A few minutes later she slid over to my cousin's grandfather and pulled him onto the dance floor. It was quite the sight to see this 85 yr old man w/early stages of Alzheimer's getting up there--have to say he had quite the smile for the rest of the day
To top this off, the Hilton where we were staying had a Zena the Warrior convention that weekend. Coming back from the wedding, we saw tons of people dressed up as the characters from the show. It kind of reminded of a Star Trek convention, minus the Klingons.
A strange weekend in So. California for us!!
---
PM, I was at the airport in Manaus about 3 1/2yrs ago and missed those gators at the airport, darn it
We did see some odd stuff at the outdoor market but no large biting creatures--saws and hammers hanging on stalls right next to woman's lingerie...Statia, I know you will have a wonderful trip. OWJ2 and I can't wait to get back to Venice. What a fantastic place to go!
Oct 22nd, 2005, 06:39 AM
#32
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Just cracking open my morning Diet Coke...ahhh.
The strangest place I've ever been would have to be Noorvik, Alaska--a tiny native village of 800 or so people, about 40 miles from Kotzebue, AK (but accessible from there only by private air service). The village lies just inside the arctic circle if I recall correctly, although I was lucky enough to visit in July. All the town's pipes were above ground due to the permafrost and the houses were built on stilts. A box of Minute Rice from their tiny store cost $9, but most of the town's food came from subsistence hunting.
I met people who had lived their whole lives in that village and never left.
The strangest place I've ever been would have to be Noorvik, Alaska--a tiny native village of 800 or so people, about 40 miles from Kotzebue, AK (but accessible from there only by private air service). The village lies just inside the arctic circle if I recall correctly, although I was lucky enough to visit in July. All the town's pipes were above ground due to the permafrost and the houses were built on stilts. A box of Minute Rice from their tiny store cost $9, but most of the town's food came from subsistence hunting.
I met people who had lived their whole lives in that village and never left.
Oct 22nd, 2005, 07:49 AM
#34
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I just thought of another strange place I went. Years ago when I was single I went on a tour of Australia sponsored by a local radio station. Because it was promoted by a rock station most people in the group were my age, and I was one of the few single women in the group. ;-)
One day I was walking around Cairns with 3 guys from the group. It was hot so we decided to stop into a small pub for a drink. The pub was crowded and noisy, but as soon as we walked in, all conversation stopped and everyone was staring at me. Before we ordered any drinks, one of the guys in my group said, "Let's get out of here." At that point I looked around and saw that I was the only woman in the place. Based on the cold stares I was getting, it was obvious this was a guys' hang-out and women were not welcome.
Having said that, I feel a duty to defend the Aussies. This was the only place in all of Australia where I felt unwelcome. We went to other pubs in Cairns and other parts of the country without any problems at all.
One day I was walking around Cairns with 3 guys from the group. It was hot so we decided to stop into a small pub for a drink. The pub was crowded and noisy, but as soon as we walked in, all conversation stopped and everyone was staring at me. Before we ordered any drinks, one of the guys in my group said, "Let's get out of here." At that point I looked around and saw that I was the only woman in the place. Based on the cold stares I was getting, it was obvious this was a guys' hang-out and women were not welcome.
Having said that, I feel a duty to defend the Aussies. This was the only place in all of Australia where I felt unwelcome. We went to other pubs in Cairns and other parts of the country without any problems at all.
)
Oct 22nd, 2005, 02:42 PM
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Just visited some of our Local wineries, and actually enjoyed a nice Merlot. It was a beautiful day to enjoy the beautiful change of the leaves!!
I would have to say the stangest place I visited was Graceland!! Sorry Elvis fans!
I would have to say the stangest place I visited was Graceland!! Sorry Elvis fans!
Oct 22nd, 2005, 05:18 PM
#38
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I'm being an alcohol celibate, which I do when dh is out of town on projects(it does help the waistline).
I would have to count Spokane, Wa. as the strangest place, mainly because my husbands family live there in the valley, and no one has figured out that there is a world outside of the fishbowl yet,lol.
One brother lives in China, work related, and we are in Alaska. So they come up here to see us, and we like it that way!
I would have to count Spokane, Wa. as the strangest place, mainly because my husbands family live there in the valley, and no one has figured out that there is a world outside of the fishbowl yet,lol.
One brother lives in China, work related, and we are in Alaska. So they come up here to see us, and we like it that way!
Oct 22nd, 2005, 05:35 PM
#39
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Belle,
Celebration is just very Stepford Wife-ish. Too perfect. Great concept - but looks like a movie set or a Disney park...which to some degree it is.
Seaside in Florida served as the movie set for The Truman Show.
Good design in both...but the perfection is creepy - at least to some of us.
Celebration is just very Stepford Wife-ish. Too perfect. Great concept - but looks like a movie set or a Disney park...which to some degree it is.
Seaside in Florida served as the movie set for The Truman Show.
Good design in both...but the perfection is creepy - at least to some of us.
