# Google Maps Game **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 23, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898 "2012-11-23T15:06:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/1 "2012-11-23T15:06:02Z")
I love Google maps. I like to take the little human and drop him randomly anywhere in the world, and see what amazing or mundane scene appears. Right now I’m “at” [Chenonceau Castle](http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1233&bih=926&tbm=isch&tbnid=2ZF3hMf3oInIaM:&imgrefurl=http://www.all-free-photos.com/show/showphotop.php%3Fidtop%3D6%26lang%3Den&docid=G8aKnVWi7ygq0M&imgurl=http://www.all-free-photos.com/images/chateaux-4/PI5973-hr.jpg&w=1600&h=1200&ei=VpCvUK3RA4q80QGH1YDABw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=478&sig=108103325019980315320&page=3&tbnh=133&tbnw=197&start=62&ndsp=33&ved=1t:429,r:82,s:0,i:406&tx=95&ty=56) in west-central France, a place that not surprisingly I never knew existed. It’s truly magnificent. A few minutes ago I was in the middle of a Kansas prairie. I can’t wait to see what pops up next! ETA: Whoa. Some place in Croatia just appeared. I had no idea they had photos from there. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/2 "2012-11-23T15:08:49Z")
Interstate 80 in Nebraska. I’m stuck behind a double semi. Move yer ass! ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/3 "2012-11-23T15:34:43Z")
Ha! I was zoomed all the way out, dropped him randomly over the UK and I ended up right in front of Stonehenge. Pretty cool! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/4 "2012-11-23T15:40:13Z")
That is cool! The second time I tried, I ended up in the middle of a bridge that I pass over every Wednesday night. Rolling the dice again: Looking at a ship called Louis Jolliet in Quebec City. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/5 "2012-11-23T15:54:20Z")
That’s pretty neat, although not quite randomized. You still drag to a certain world location. I was just on a bridge in the Ukraine, with a large “Levi’s” billboard, and then on a rural highway in Manitoba. In the first case I was dragging toward Sweden, and in the second case I was aiming for middle-America. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/6 "2012-11-23T15:59:56Z")
I was aiming for the mid-Atlantic, a bit inland. “Welcome to Sauble Beach”, South Bruce Peninsula, Ontario. I suck at darts, too. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/7 "2012-11-23T16:05:57Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I was aiming for the mid-Atlantic, a bit inland. “Welcome to Sauble Beach”, South Bruce Peninsula, Ontario. > > I suck at darts, too. Sauble Beach is awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/8 "2012-11-23T16:09:46Z")
I was somewhat surprised to see a Croatian street. I’m astounded that I found a hit in the middle of Lesotho.\* Google’s reach is impressive. I wish they supplied some exact coordinates instead of just approximate addresses when you search this way, so we could share exact images… \*And I’m not referring to a Panoramio photo either, although the amount of photos they provide is also amazing. There is seemingly no place on earth that isn’t covered. ---
**Author:** ![kirk1168](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@kirk1168](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirk1168)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/9 "2012-11-23T16:16:50Z")
I’m in Jamtland County, Sweden, and it looks remarkably like where I live in western Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/10 "2012-11-23T16:19:09Z")
**Fiddle Peghead** , you can share images. Click the little button that looks like a chain just to the left of the image. Another bridge! Carretera Federal 180, Ocampo, Tampico, Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/11 "2012-11-23T16:25:05Z")
You know, I was hoping someone would correct me on this. Thanks, **tdn**! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/12 "2012-11-23T16:41:50Z")
It’s way easier than describing it or posting a screen shot! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/13 "2012-11-23T16:49:15Z")
Hmm, is this a baseball diamond? At night? In Puerto Rico? https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Esquila%2BRoad,%2BSanta%2BFe,%2BNM&hl=en&ll=18.416664,-66.064318&spn=166.329013,69.609375&sll=42.55308,-71.71875&sspn=162.469959,69.609375&oq=esquila%2Broad%2B&t=h&hnear=Esquila%2BRd,%2BSanta%2BFe,%2BNew%2BMexico%2B87508&z=1&layer=c&cbll=18.416664,-66.064318&panoid=G0RD4W7jIE4AAAAAAAAInA&cbp=12,77.34,,0,-7.66 ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/14 "2012-11-23T16:58:39Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Hmm, is this a baseball diamond? At night? In Puerto Rico? > > [Google Maps](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Esquila+Road,+Santa+Fe,+NM&hl=en&ll=18.416664,-66.064318&spn=166.329013,69.609375&sll=42.55308,-71.71875&sspn=162.469959,69.609375&oq=esquila+road+&t=h&hnear=Esquila+Rd,+Santa+Fe,+New+Mexico+87508&z=1&layer=c&cbll=18.416664,-66.064318&panoid=G0RD4W7jIE4AAAAAAAAInA&cbp=12,77.34,,0,-7.66) Zoom out and see. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/15 "2012-11-23T17:17:19Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Zoom out and see. Weird how it’s at night. I only know of one other place like that. But I can’t get to street level on any surrounding streets. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/16 "2012-11-23T17:26:54Z")
That’s not a Google photo. I think I can see the shadow of the person taking the picture, in the infield dirt, btw. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/17 "2012-11-23T18:06:38Z")
Good point. My next try landed me on another bridge… next to a baseball stadium! (Pittsburgh) ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/18 "2012-11-23T18:22:41Z")
Ok I was skeptical, but this is actually fun. First time I landed on a bridge overlooking a stadium in Memphis. Then I landed in Mexico City in front of palace. Most recent attempt was right in front of a candy shop in Savannah Georgia, where I’ve actually bought candy. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/19 "2012-11-23T18:29:19Z")
This is fun! Let’s see, this time randomly on the left coast. Will I get a bridge or a stadium? Neither. Baker City, OR. Home of the mom & pop store! ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898/20 "2012-11-23T18:41:15Z")
I’ve long been fascinated by the desolate beauty of the Orkney Islands at the northern tip of Scotland. I will visit there someday, but until then, [this](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Orkney+Islands,+UK&hl=en&ll=59.09313,-3.180531&spn=0.143721,0.306931&sll=40.07304,-74.724323&sspn=6.850429,9.821777&oq=orkney+islands&hnear=Orkney+Islands,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=12&layer=c&cbll=59.09313,-3.180531&panoid=zjfLjhevq2EI-5yBkgrtAg&cbp=12,251.58,,0,0) isn’t a bad substitute. So even though I said “random” in the OP, I usually target areas with an idea in mind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-game/641898.md?page=2)