Vienna, Austria. Spent 8 years growing up there, although I’m not Austrian. So now I can speak the language, get around just fine, etc. I love the history and culture and even the public transportation! About the only thing I don’t like are the prices, everything is too darn expensive in most of Western Europe. If I were there now I’d go straight to the Prater (amusement park) and take a ride on their ferris wheel. You can see all of Vienna from up there, it’s amazing at night.
Runner-up
Rock climbing in Colorado. I can’t imagine anything I’d rather be doing right now than that, and the state is simply breathtaking. I seriously want to move out there after college/grad school.
I know it sounds cliched, but it’s true. I’ve had some wonderful experiences in some wonderful places, on 4 different continents. But nothing beats home.
As to where home is - I’ve lived in the same house my entire life. In the most beautiful city of the most beautiful country in the world. (But then I’m biased).
Seriously though, I haven’t travelled enough to have a favorite place in the world. But as far as locally, I would have to say a park along the river called “The East Race” and the adjoining “Howard Park” That’s my peaceful place. It’s on the riverbank, scenic, tranquil, great place to walk the dog, read a book, or just about anything.
That special branch in that special tree in that special park down the road…
Best place in the world for thinking, people-watching, relaxing, killing time, writing, etc. etc. etc.
Runner up: Here in this chair with all of my Doper friends
Wow, listening to these replies, combined with the fact that it’s simply a perfect day outside, make me think I should spend the rest of it in my hammock. I’ll talk to all you wonderful people later!
Cougarfang, peoplewatching is so much fun! Do you ever do it in airports? I don’t know if it’s the psychology major part of me or just natural tendency, but I love watching the different nonverbals and trying to guess what people are thinking.
Oh dear, I’ve just hijacked my own thread… :o anyway, back to favorite places…
I really love my hometown. The only place I ever felt “at home.” Shame I can’t move back there, but there’s really no jobs for me there. Favorite spots I’ve visited:
• Portmeiron, a bizarre little seaside town in Wales
• Ickwell, a terribly quaint town in Bedfordshire where a friend of mine lives
• Martha’s Vineyard
• and the Algonquin lobby, my favorite NYC hangout
The balcony of the Selden End of the Duke Humfrey Library, part of the Bodleian Library, Oxford. I’ll admit that I’m putting this down partly to counterbalance the Tab reference above, but also because it’s where I wrote about half of my doctoral thesis.
Also, the woods behind my grandparents’ old house. Where I spent about half of my childhood.
A beach/camping ground (no facilities bar a long-drop karzi) in Croajingalong National Park in Vic. (Aus). The mozzies can be a bit of a problem sometimes, but it is the most magical place…wild relatively untrodden beaches, stupendous sand-dunes, and forests just a few metres back in the hinterland.
Lying flat out on the dock at Camp Kahquah. It’s on a small lake just east of Parry Sound, north of Muskoka. Rocks, water, fir trees… it’s a Group of Seven painting come to life. Perfect. As I write, I have a big, blown-up photo behind me, taken from that very dock at sunset, with the waves gold-tipped and the trees blackly silhouetted against the sky.
Driving along the eastern edge of Iowa (yes, Iowa!) along the Mississippi. It’s very bluffy and hilly and just beautiful (if you’re into bluffs and hills, that is).
2nd Place: That Baskin-Robbins along the interstate somewhere in southern New Mexico or Arizona. I was moving out to Los Angeles after college and one of my friends was caravaning with me. I saw the sign for BR and suggested we pull over. As we sat in the hot sun eating our ice cream, it really hit home that I was completely on my own and could pull off the interstate and eat ice cream whenever I had the notion! It’s the little things…
Hey, I just spent all day today in the Duke Humphrey…definitely my favorite place to be indoors amongst the Spires (ahem, aside from the Turf).
Favorite place in the world: hands down, Piazza San Marco, Venice. Just sitting in front of the Mueso Correr, watching the people fight for space with the pigeons (am I the only person who actually likes pigeons?). Ah, to be in the Serenissima!
Favorite non-tourist place: sitting on a dock on Lake Vermillion, in the northern reaches of Minnesota. A little chunk of heaven laid out for us mortals…
