Where do you want to go this year?

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Friday, February 12. 2010

Where do you want to go this year?

Photo: Tenerife, Canary Islands

Mrs. BD and I have been engaged in a month-long debate about trips this year (in addition to the usual Cape Cod family reunion and, I think, hunting in Manitoba).

Cruise or car or trains? Scotland? Provence? Vienna and Prague? Venice and Veneto and the south Tyrol? Canary Islands and Madeira with stops in Morocco and Portugal? Turkey (I love that country)? Sailboat down the Turkish coast? Israel and Egypt?

Carpe diem, right? Now, or never. Could get hit by a bus tomorrow.

I am more in a Provence mood (or maybe Sicily again), but I always do love to get on a ship or a boat. It gives me a reason (besides tuitions) to work. (My theory of life? We can relax when we are dead.) Put it on the credit card...

Where do our readers want to go?

Posted by Bird Dog in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 13:34 | Comments (24) | Trackbacks (0)

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While currencies always go up and down relative to one another, I think some of the current trends are likely to continue through the summer. At the moment Europe is much more expensive than usual because of the value of the Euro relative to the US Dollar, so anywhere where the Euro is the local currency (such as the Canaries) might best be left for the future.
On the other hand, fuel prices, when adjusted for inflation, are probably near what in recent history is a low, so airfare to distant places is probably cheaper than usual.
I suspect that Turkish culture and politics are changing in a way that will make it less friendly to the west in the future. Perhaps now is the best time to do that sailing trip.
Oh to have the income and time to make such choices...

#1 DOuglas2 on 2010-02-12 13:41 (Reply)

I am surprised at you! You are not thinking out of the box--think south. Way south in our winter seasons it is their summer. Go for Patagonia--while it is still relatively safe. In a few years it will be as dangerous as the Somali coast. I would do Brazil, Chile, Peru, Patagonia and home through Argentina. I would go either in early to mid December, or I would go in February. In between are the high peak seasons of Summer down there.

#2 apple pie on 2010-02-12 14:20 (Reply)

We are thinking about the Aran Islands, Cornwall, or maybe Kenya.

#3 The B on 2010-02-12 14:22 (Reply)

I am an American.
I spend my money in the United States

#4 bruce wayne on 2010-02-12 14:31 (Reply)

I also am an American. I spend my money however and wherever I want!

#4.1 BD on 2010-02-12 14:41 (Reply)

I never know how to respond to such profoundly ignorant comments. The USA is a trading nation, the greatest trading nation that ever was. It must of necessity take money and spend it in...wait for it...horror of horrors...foreign countries.

I am a Canadian. I sell you more of your oil than any other country even though you are so stupid you think your oil comes from Saudi Arabia or out of a Democrat congressman's private parts.

If you don't stop talking isolationist nonsense I will let you freeze in the dark and sell the oil to the Chinese, who are polite, and I will spend the money in France, where they are about as arrogant than you, but have much better food and booze.

Man, I love America and Americans. I have never been treated better in all my travels throughout the world than in Montana. You have literally save the world at least twice.

How do you create so many perfect people and so many ignorant'er 'n a pig hillbillies at the same time?

#4.2 Fred Z on 2010-02-12 22:39 (Reply)

If you haven't already, or hell, even if you have, I'd suggest following the waterfowl migration from central Saskatchewan to around Missouri.

#5 LWS on 2010-02-12 14:31 (Reply)

Although most of the government appears to be against my plans, I would like to go to work this year.

#6 foxmarks (Link) on 2010-02-12 14:32 (Reply)

With regard to cruising around the islands north of UK/Scotland: did you know that you can get on a ferry in Denmark and work your way north to the outer Hebrides, and then also catch a ferry from there over to Iceland? It takes some very careful planning, but it can be done! Icelandair home to the states of course. I would fly out of JFK on SAS to Copenhagen. The ferry harbors north of Copenhagen.

#7 apple pie on 2010-02-12 14:34 (Reply)

You can start at this website:
http://www.virtualhebrides.com/location/barra.htm

Then go here for help with ferries:

http://www.calmac.co.uk/Onboard%20Services/services-on-board.htm

The folks above will help you connect to the ferry from Denmark.

May the Lord watch over each of us on this, or any journey.

#8 apple pie on 2010-02-12 14:41 (Reply)

"I also am an American. I spend my money however and wherever I want!"

How very selfish of you! There are alot of people in Washington who know how to spend that money much better than you.

Think of all the lazy people sitting on their much to large behinds who need that money.

SHAME ON YOU

#9 jg on 2010-02-12 14:56 (Reply)

Motels are the same everywhere.

The back porch is great. Food is agreeable, lots of room.

#10 rhhardin (Link) on 2010-02-12 15:08 (Reply)

Small trips in the summer. Probably a week at the parents' place in Naples, FL in June. Maybe a week in the Adirondacks later in the summer.

Considering taking the kids with us somewhere in the Caribbean for the week of Thanksgiving. They think they are little fishermen - so maybe some fishing in Islamodora, or bring them to English Harbor, Antigua.

Someday I will bring the whole family to Sri Lanka where I spent a semester - but probably not this year.

#11 NJSoldier on 2010-02-12 15:24 (Reply)

The sweetest thing we can do as individuals--reach out to strangers with hospitality. The most effective deterrent to hostility has been the flow of tourism dollars. Too many places have been decimated by the greedy developers, but the peaceful exchange of dollars has played a critical role in our history during the last fifty years.

#12 apple pie on 2010-02-12 16:46 (Reply)

Belfast, ME. Too hot to go to Europe.

#13 MissyW on 2010-02-12 17:31 (Reply)

Where I'd like to go? Israel, Chile, Sicily, Argentina, Australia. Where I'll try to go? Cape Cod.
Where I can afford to go? Maybe West Virginia if they are having some specials this year

#14 Seppo on 2010-02-12 18:34 (Reply)

Home to Montana.

#15 Tralfaz on 2010-02-12 18:55 (Reply)

Another 2 week "Bike and Barge" tour somewhere in the Netherlands would be most welcome.

#16 Susan in Seattle on 2010-02-12 20:25 (Reply)

Cayucos california, hang out on the pier, walk on the coast, minimum crowds. Protem Missouri, fish Lake Bull Shoals, if you miss the faster pace Branson is about 45 minutes away then you can retreat back to peace and quite. Taos and Santa Fe New Mexico, Fort Robinson, Nebraska where the west begins. Yellowstone, The National Park. Dahlonega Georgia. Kennebunkport Maine. Florida and or Arizona during spring training for baseball.

#17 exrailroad on 2010-02-12 21:15 (Reply)

argentina it has everything buenos aires and the to the gaucho countrydown to patagonia flyfishing they have it all.

#18 opie109 on 2010-02-12 21:21 (Reply)

When I could still drink wine, and not have it mess with my meds, I had an ambition to take a barge trip through the Rhone Valley, to visit the vineyards and sample the wines, while coming back each evening to the very comfortable barge and the delightful cooking of some Frenchman [or woman] of great talent.
Athletic types could ride their bikes from one lock or town to another; lazier folks could be bussed to the vineyard tasting rooms. All very lazy and delightful. Then of course, there are also the great chateaux which are open, some of them, to careful and lightfooted tourists. A view of a lost way of life.

Marianne

#19 Marianne Matthews on 2010-02-12 23:16 (Reply)

Ahhh, Marianne, that sounds delightful.

#19.1 Susan in Seattle on 2010-02-12 23:54 (Reply)

Do you know where they shoot the MTV reality show "Jersey Shore"?

Far from there.

#20 Eric Lindholm (Link) on 2010-02-12 23:39 (Reply)

For you: Through the Panama Canal and then up to Costa Rica to the cloud forest near Monteverde (Santa Elena).

For me: Palau

#21 Agent Cooper on 2010-02-15 04:16 (Reply)

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Friday, February 12. 2010

Where do you want to go this year?