Special Places ...

[katydidthat]

I was just reading a book and it mentioned a place that I visited, which reminded me of another place close by that I found really magical.  

I thought we could share a bit of information about places we remember very fondly.  

Carcassonne ... a restored medieval city in France.  Absolutely stunning to look at ... although I haven't found a website that does it justice yet.  

What I heard when I went there was that as security improved in Europe, the old fortified castles weren't really necessary any more, so the castle had fallen into disrepair, and the locals had carried off the old stones to build their own houses.  Then, some bright spark had had the idea of rebuilding the fort, so everyone took back the old stones and they re-created the castle.  Inside, they built a themed tourist attraction with shops, bars and restaurants.  

http://www.tourism-carcassonne.co.uk/en-ot-carcassonne/photos

So, what are your favourite places?  It can be a castle, your home, your bathroom, an exotic location overseas, or one of the many beautiful places in Australia ... or anything 🙂

[bright.ton42]

Hi Katy,  When I was in my twenties (a long time ago)  I got a job as a tour guide in the Southern part of Switzerland near the border of Italy -  Lugano.  The lake of Lugano runs into the lake of Como.  The beauty of the place and surrounds stunned me. The air was like

crystal.      The lakes shimmered.   We would climb the mountains then drink merlot and eat 4 course meals in restaurants

at the top. 

I believe much of it has changed now with a freeway running through and the arrival of pollution but i think it would still

be magical. 

[icyfroth]

The Blue Mountains (NSW) will always be a special place for me.

[tasfleur]

There is a very special place that I still love ... it's a log cabin way up in the Rockies many kilometres from Calgary (Canada).   A wonderful winter spent there in wilderness and snow, absolute peace and silence.... 

[sineaterdoodah]

in my hometown of middleborough,massachusetts,there's a place called oliver mill park. the herring and alewives "run" through this park to their spawning grounds every april,and i used to watch then climb the falls for hours,and catch them too! 

it is my favorite place on this earth,i have so many happy memories there. 🙂

here is 2 videos of it. the first shows the fish running, the second is a view of most of the park.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-Tiiz3Ot6M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA5yEew_yVo

[softail-joanie]

When I think of what I might consider some of my favorate places, I have to add the phrase

"Without a cop or the police coming in to ruin things for me"

Using that phrase, I now can respont to this topic.

All U can eat resturaunt- The Golden Corral- (phrase included)

The Duck pond and the wooded area behind the high school where I can ride my bicycle on a blacktoped trail and pretend I'm on a Nascar racetrack. (phrase included)

Theres a place in Kentucky I went once, while hiking up a hill where the view was magnificent, and I could see for a long distance anything coming my way,, just in case (phrase included) Thought it would be great to build a house there, and live there.

For the most part, I like just having a comfortable spot in the shade, not to hot or too cold, not too much rain but some at times. with internet access, and a place I can take showers, and also a place I can cook meals, (a kitchen)

I like to ride my bicycle (phrase included)

I like to sleep, play video games, watch youtube videos, and communicate with you all from my computer (phrase included)

Cookouts, camping, outtings, hiking, boating, swimming, (phrase included)

I kinda like it under that bridge at the river, thought it would be a good spot to hang out (phrase included)

But no place in paticular, like a vacation spot, I can have just as much fun where I am. of corse (phrase included)

[pink-budgie]

i came to australia from england as a 12 year old i am now 60

5 years ago my husband and i drove around australia and it was wonderfull to learn more about the incredable beauty of this wonderfull country 

i think myself very lucky to live here and i get very angry when i see that some peaple do not appreciate being able to call austalia home

i can't pick one place to single out it is all to beautiful!!!!

[sineaterdoodah]

budgie,because of being on this board,i have been able to see so much of the beauty, and the wonders,of your adopted country. you ARE lucky to live there! 🙂

[lloydslights]

Following a 6 week tour around Europe and living out of a suitcase, I came home to Australia.

I was allowed to recover from a bit of jet lag, and was taken on a small homegrown trip to the Brisbane Waters National Park.  On a beautiful September day, we talked and walked along bush tracks surrounded with masses of flowering waratahs.  

We came up to a trig and looking south, a vista of the Hawkesbury River glistening and becoming part of the ocean was the most glorious scene I had ever witnessed.

Maybe it would not have been appreciated so much if I hadn't been away. I was now back with loved ones and in a wonderful country.

It will always be a special place for me.

DEB

[katydidthat]

I grew up in London and came here when I was 20.

I love all the seaside resorts in the UK with piers or funfairs ... yes, they are old and tatty now, and the hotels are expensive, and the rooms are tiny, and the catering is usually ... er ... um ... challenging. But ... I still love 'em.

My favourite place of all the resorts is Porthcawl in Wales. We used to stay at the Esplanade Hotel which was knocked down some years ago.

The town centre is not very touristy. It has a bakery (long jam doughnut filled with fresh whipped cream, thank you), a greengrocer (fresh hazelnuts in season), and a shop where you can buy the most beautiful greeting cards (Mrs Dali hangs out the washing).

From the Esplanade Hotel (the Esp 😉 ), you walk to the left, keeping the sea on the right. There is an ice cream shop, and a pair of binoculars that you can put money in and look at the sea.

The sea is shallow ... it takes a while to get into water deep enough to swim. It is very safe for kids. On the beach, there is a big trampoline (a pound for ten minutes or so), and there are donkeys to ride.

On the left as you are walking towards the funfair is (or was) a miniature railway. On the right is the funfair with rides and Haunted Mansions and "test your skill" games and the rest of the stuff you associate with fairs.

Best of all are the slot machine arcades. The lowest sum you can put in is 2 pence (about 5 cents). We'd buy a bag or two of 2 pence coins and gamble away.

For lunch it's usually the Welsh equivalent of meatballs with mushy peas. If my Aunt Eileen is around, something a little more genteel, lol. She's a character. I bought a doughnut for me and a bread roll for my son when he was little. She thought I was cruel. Later I caught her trying to give him lollies (sweets). He'd never had them before ... and was valiantly saying "no thank you".

Moving away from the beach, there is a park for kids to play in and a miniature golf course. Something for everyone in Porthcawl.

I've been going there since I was a little girl - it was great taking my own son there and showing him all the places I loved as a kid. It must be about 7 years since I last went there and I look forward to going again. Hand over the 2p pieces and away I go 😉