Think of some place on earth, any place, that you would love to visit. If someone names a place to which you have been, post and tell us all about it.

I will go first with the Scottish islands, any of them. They really appeal to me and hopefully I will be able to visit some if I can afford it when the cat dies.

Oh, Sue, how I wish I was there again .
Two years ago I visited (part of)Isle of Mull - Tobermory to be exact. Travelled with the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry from Oban to Craignure and then by bus to Tobermory.

I've seen some breathtaking views while on the ferry, and I was so lucky as to witness the biggest rainbow I've ever seen. It was huge and seemed so close I almost tried to touch it .
Now about Tobermory, which is a jewel - it is an old small town built as a fishing port and it's curved around the bay. It's a 10 minutes walk on the Main Street (if you don't stop to look at the shops) from one end of the town to the other. But the shops are definitely worth seeing!
You have to taste their 'native' chocolates - Yummy! and stop at "An Tobar" Cafe where you can also benefit from a 'year-round' ehxibition of contemporary paintings, sculptures and crafts for free. "An Tobar" is located uphill (above the Main Street) in an old Victorian school building. From there you have an awesome view on Tobermory Bay.

Then there's the small Mull Museum (I still keep the entrance tickets ), which deals with the island's past and where I've seen an amazing display of old household tools. Tobermory was an important harbour during WW-II and the military section of the museum is impressive.

I haven't visited the Tobermory Open Farm. I hear that's where the famous BBC TV programme "Balamory" is filmed, which also shows the brightly coloured buildings of the Main Street.

Now you've made me take out my 'memories of Scotland' suitcase and mingle with it . Thanks!

I wish I was in amsterdam, the netherlands. I'n the anne frank museme.

I've never been there, but I'd love to be on Easter Island.

I have always wanted to go to Morrocco.

I too, would love to visit Amsterdam, and see Anna Frank's home in the 'Secret Annex'.
Also high on the list is a site about 15 minutes from Amsterdam, in old Haarlem. This narrow house [known as the Beje ] sits in the middle of of town and was home to Corrie Ten Boom and her family, who went to prison for working with the Dutch underground. This family of poor watchmakers somehow managed to hide and feed dozens of Jews during the occupation in their secret room upstairs. A good friend of mine was there recently and took some wonderful photographs for me. Seeing the pictures make me want to visit all the more, though.

I want to see England and [ once and for all] view the Mull Of Kintyre in Scotland for myself.

I feel quite fortunate in, with the exception of Easter Island, having visited all the foregoing many times.
I've sailed, on a yacht that is, all around the inner and outer Hebridean Islands, and past the Shetlands and Orkneys, and hiked and camped on most of them too, Mull being my favourite.
Amsterdam is fascinating with its many canals, and I've travelled through the city several times by yacht. They make you do it by night in a large close convoy, when they can open and close the many bridges as you reach them. You don't slow down either, and the bridges are opened just as the first boat approaches!
Morocco is one of my favourite countries where I've been many times. It has the huge Atlas mountain range with snow capped peaks, and thousands of varieties of Alpine flowers and herbs, as well as fascinating cities, and people. In the south is the spectacular Sahara desert, with huge dune areas, and desert mountains. I love that country, especially away from the tourist centres.
My favourite scenic location is the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, but you have to hike the trails, and descend deep into it to truly appreciate its scale and grandeur.
My favourite city, without question, is Mendoza in Argentine. Its clean, tree lined boulevards, pedestrian areas, parks, Spanish colonial style architecture are all delightful, and it is the centre of Argentine's wine growing industry, so for many miles around, there are huge vineyards. Beyond these, the pampas wilderness stretches unbroken for hundreds of miles, and to the west the massive Andes mountain range towers above.

I met Corrie Ten Boom many years ago; she came to speak at our church. I believe it was when the movie of "The Hiding Place" was going to be released. She made quite an impact on me.

I do have to get to the Orkneys one day. I've got some gravesites and rather distant cousins to visit. I've always loved that sort of landscape, too.
I've also wanted to go to Greece since I was a little child. My first career aspiration was archaeologist. (Until I actually met an archaeologist friend of my mom's--who drove a cab to make a living. )

Unfortunately, I've never been out of the US. Although I have been to most States, other than Alaska, Hawaii and the New England states...

Wow, all those people wanting to visit Amsterdam! I guess it's different when you live relatively nearby. The Anne Frank museum is well worth a visit though. It really makes you stop and think about what you take for granted. Ktstew, do let me know when you make it to Amsterdam, I'd love to meet up!

One of the places I would love to visit: the Himalayas. I have read about so many Mount Everest adventures, that I would love to have a look and see what the Himalayas are all about. Not necessarily climb Mount Everest though!

I have visited Amsterdam twice I think, yes twice. The first time in the summer and the next time in December a couple of years later.

We didn't visit the Anne Frank museum, unfortunately. I much enjoyed The Netherlands, both in summer and winter.

Greece is a favourite of mine, be it the mainland or the islands. What always springs to mind is the friendliness of the Greek people. I have toured mainland Greece, stayed in several places including Athens and a small place called Tolon. I have been to Cyprus a number of times, and to Crete and to some small islands.

Quote:

---

Not necessarily climb Mount Everest though!

---

Oh why not, Leau? (While you are there, you might as well give it a go?!)
It is very hard to choose. I too loved Cyprus, the Greeks and the Turks, Greece itself, especially the islands. I also loved Amsterdam, oh that rikstafel!
Indonesia especially Bali. Yes I am choosing that. The delightful people, the perfect beaches and the gorgeous food. yes.

I've visited Amsterdam about six times and, I guess I wasn't really thrilled with the underside of it as I had the kids with me. It's a very interesting city of course, but, lots of foreign tourists taking advantage of tolerance of open drug use just repelled me. I think trying to get the kids fed was tiring too. I remember going to bakeries and getting hit up for spare change while waiting in line, inside the shop.
It might be that I was always there on the way to or from somewhere and once or twice, had had a bag left somewhere and was worrying about it. The airport is superb and one of the nicest ones I've ever seen.

Bruges worked out much better and Ghent in Belgium. They were cities with a smaller town appeal and I felt safer there.

I would love to visit some little stone villages in France again because there isn't anything quite like it in America. I know them well, but, just miss them.
I still haven't been to Rome and that should happen once in a lifetime at least. Got to Venice though.

Wonderful photos. I recognise Teide, I have been up there to the crater, very smelly.

A country I'd love to visit, especially if I had plenty of time (and money), is Brazil. In addition to places on the coast like Sao Paolo, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro, I'd love to see Manaus.

For some reason, the thought of a would-be classy European city in the middle of the Amazon forests has captured my imagination and my sneaking liking for the absurd.

Here's a link to a picture of the Manaus Opera House:

http://www.brazilhotdeals.com/images/Manaus_TeatrodeAmazonas.jpg

And here's a link to a photo of a slightly round down part of the city:

http://www.grandpoohbah.net/Grandpoohbah/images/Manaus/ManausStreet.jpg

Niagara Falls - I love watching all the water going over. And the Maid of the Mist trip is awesome!
And I'll be there again in June - hurray!

I would kill to be livin' it up in Spain right now!!

I always wished to see Australia/New Zealand and we finally did for 25 wonderful days this past March

I didn't see this thread first time around. We visited the Anne Frank museum in Amersterdam in 2001 when we visited relatives in the Netherlands. The Anne Frank museum was one of the highlights of our trip, although 'highlight' doesn't seem quite the right word when you consider what a sad story it represents. It is a "must" if you are visiting Amsterdam.

I studied "The Diary of Anne Frank" in school and it had a profound impact on me then and again when we saw where it all happened. Also my Dutch heritage and the fact that my father was also a prisoner of war in WW2 must have an influence. While we were there, we also visited the camp in Vugt where my father was imprisoned.

Bruyere, I know exactly what you mean about the "underside". It wasn't just the people begging money, or the obvious availability of drugs. It was the pornography as well.

My daughter was only ten when we visited Amsterdam and I had to make her and her father wait outside the souvenir shops while I went inside to buy things (I was given a list of things to buy for my aunt like tea towels, souvenir teaspoons etc). Almost every souvenir shop we went into had prominent displays of pornography, penis-shaped souvenirs, etc. Not in a discreet corner at the back of the shop, but right in your face as you entered. I've never seen anything like it!

However, don't judge the rest of the Netherlands by Amsterdam. The rest of the country is just beautiful and quite normal and conservative!

Good heavens. Your very own father in Vugt?
I really can't think of anything appropriate to say, Mother Goose -I had no idea.

Quote:

---

Good heavens. Your very own father in Vugt?
I really can't think of anything appropriate to say, Mother Goose -I had no idea.

---

My father was an exceptionally quiet and reserved man who never talked about the war. I kew he'd been in a prison camp but never knew that it was Vugt until my relatives told me and took me there. My father died in 1992. I learned more about my father in my four week trip to the Netherlands than I learned about him in the 70 years that he was alive.

Despite his imprisonment, he never appeared to hate the Germans and we had German friends. It did turn him right off religion, however. He said that the German priests were telling their people "God is on your side" and the Dutch priests were telling them "God is on your side" and my father wondered how there could be a God who would allow such a terrible war. And couldn't I tell you some stories about the ramifications of all of this? However, I won't as it wasn't my intention to hijack this thread!


To get back on track, I'd love to visit most of the places people have mentioned above. Maynooth keeps a big map of the world up on the wall of his hobby room and it's got pins stuck all over it marking all the places he's been. He's travelled a lot more extensively than I. When we decide it's time for a holiday, there is always a big problem deciding where to go. Maynooth says he'll go anywhere where he doesn't have a pin!

If money and time were no object, I'd love to explore the UK thoroughly, but I fear that's not affordable at the moment. Based on what I can afford, I'd like to visit Greece (particularly Athens, Corfu and Lesvos) and Rome.

Wish we could visit Scotland!!Our son(only child) is currently there for 2 years on a working holiday.I've been "touring" Scotland on the Net for the past 8 months, but still, I would LOVE to experience Scotland.I think Scotland is as near to heaven as you can get.Our son is coming home(SA) in 69 days for his holiday!!!! O yes, his working on a farm in Livingston near Edinburgh at the moment.Looking for pics of Livingston and the countryside at the moment on the Net, but there is so little...but am gratefull for what I've found so far! Happy quizzing!!!