Friday, June 29, 2007

The Friday Five


Again, another Friday rolls around, and again, I'm still ripping off The Rotten Correspondent (go see her here, go on, I'll wait).


So today's Friday Five is......


Five Places I Want to Go Before I Die and Why (in no particular order)

1. United Kingdom

Half my family history originates in Scotland or England. Medieval archaeology was going to be my specialty (had I graduated college). I really dig a good cuppa. And I desperately miss good fish and chips. I've always wanted to go, but not just to see the cities. I would love to rent a small cottage and just live for a bit. My husband and I once fantasized about running off to the U.K. and getting jobs with the BBC, then we realized our families would probably hate us and never speak to us again, so we'll just have to settle for an extended visit.


2. Ireland

Again, a family history thing. My maternal grandfather was from Ireland. I never knew him, because he and my gran split when my Mom was just little. Also, I had planned to spend a semester studying at Trinity College in Dublin. That got disrupted by a guy, who convinced me to move to Alabama. So this trip would also be revenge on him for screwing up that little plan. And I like Guinness.


3. India

Land of extremes and dichotomies. It's one of those places where there are people living in fabulous wealth with all the latest technology, while down the road there are people living in shacks, without basic sanitation. I studied Indian religions for one year as part of my Comparative Religion minor. It was amazing. I'm still in love with the Mahabharata. And even though I'm nervous about travelling anywhere I might contract malaria, seeing the Taj Mahal and eating the wonderful food would counteract those fears.


4. New Zealand

Yeah, sure I'd love to go to Australia, and see the Sydney Opera House, but I want to see New Zealand more. In seventh grade, I had an exchange teacher (he taught science) from New Zealand. I loved the fact the country is still very unspoiled, and while tourism is a major industry, not as many people go there. And of course, Lord of the Rings was shot in some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen.


5. Montana

Okay, I've listed all these international places and I can practically hear the record scratch in your brains as you read "Montana". I want to go to Montana, put a blanket down out on the plain, miles from the nearest town, and look at that sky. I'll be careful not to put the blanket down an a cow patty. It's hard to explain why I want to go there. Maybe because there aren't a lot of people, maybe I'm harbouring some kind of secret cowboy fetish, maybe because I don't have a desire to go to Arizona. But I want to go.

Okay, those are my five, now it's your turn. Where do you want to go? Or maybe you don't want to go anywhere at all? And I love reading your comments, guys. They make the blog better.

11 comments:

Jo Beaufoix said...

Ok, Jen, I'll have a go...

Five Places I Want to Go Before I Die and Why (in no particular order)

1. Africa
I have always had a longing to see lions, elephants, zebras, hippopotami etc. in their natural habitat. To see their raw yet majestic wildness.
I just think it would be absolutely breathtaking and very moving.

2. Amsterdam.
Mr B has been there and it just sounds like a really quirky and interesting place full of humour and history. Also, it's not too far away so it's something we'd be able to do while the kids are still relatively young, so it seems possible.

3. New Zealand.
One of my closest friends moved there about 4 years ago.
They have a completely different life now and set in the most beautiful scenery.

My friend Dez is also moving there in January to teach design and she'll only be 2 hours away from Ju so we'll have places to stay..
Another good thing about NZ is the distinct lack of creatures there that can kill you. That kind of puts me off Australia.

4. Rome.
There is just so much history there. I want to sit in an ampitheatre and imagine how many others have sat there before me.
I want to see the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the gardens of the Villa Borghese.
(Big sighhhhhhhhhh.)

5.The Galapagos Islands.
Everything I've read and seen about them makes me believe they must be one of the most magical places on earth. They inspired Charles Darwin on his first theories of evolution. They have an amazing mixture of polar and tropical species. Coral reefs and submerged craters, remote mangroves, pirate hideouts, cliffs and coasts, secluded lagoons.

It just sounds so wonderful and I would love the chance to go there one day.

Ok, that's me done.
I enjoyed that. It's good to dream
Close runners up were New York, New Orleans, India and Thailand.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jenny :)

Very interesting choices you have!

I think my 5 will be:

1. Canada
2. China (highlands)
3. Bora Bora (for long)
4. Arctica (no man's land)

and

5. Atlantis (childhood dream)

:)

Jen said...

taqdeer, tell me where Atlantis is (besides showing on the Sci-Fi network over here) and I'll go with you!

Again, I love the lists! Kepp 'em coming *grin*

Anonymous said...

Wow - only five?

1) DEFINITELY Paris. My friend Mark got a chance to go a few weeks ago for work, and although he didn't get a chance to do tonnes of touring - he did get me my promised picture by the Eiffel Tower. I SOOO have to go to Paris.
Also 'cause I want to sing in the Paris Opera House - what originated Gaston Leroux's "Le Fantome de l'Opera".

2) Australia/New Zealand. I'm putting these two together, because they're so close together, and I wouldn't visit one without visiting the other. I want to see the Great Barrier Reef - go sea shell collecting along the shore, that'd be awesome. I want to see Ayers Rock, the Sydney Opera House, and oh yeah - get some kiwis.

3) Africa. Not just for the lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) but so I can visit my Foster child. She is 7 years old and lives in Ethiopia. (Addis Ababa, actually) That'd be cool to see her.

4) I'd like to take the Rocky Mountaineer (that's a train that goes through the Rocky Mountains in Western Canada.) I think that would be fun - though it would be somewhat claustrophobic. I'd have to deal with that.

5) The Entire United Kingdom. This, of course, includes Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, etc. All those good UK spots. England has to be for the architecture. The amazing construction of the churches, (St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, etc.) Scotland - definitely NOT for the haggis *I shudder at the thought of eating oatmeal encased by sheep intestines. ugh.* The Scottish Highlands has to be one of the things I need to see - the rolling green hills as a piper plays on the Moor - so amazing. I'd like to go during the Highland Games - nothing like a true good looking Scot in a kilt. *nudge, nudge, wink, wink* I'd love to find the Loch Ness monster - get a t-shirt from there would be kinda fun too.
Ireland - for a pint of Guinness at a TRUE Irish pub. That plus the fact that I want to find a leprochaun, 'cause if I did I'd get me a pot of gold.

6) Yes, I know you only said 5, but I've never been one to follow orders directly - you know that. Italy. This could be mixed with my trip to the UK, however - for the architecture; the Vatican (not that I'm Catholic - it's just so beautiful there!); to ride in a gondola; to eat REAL fresh Italian pasta with tomatoes; so much fun.

7) Las Vegas Nevada. What happens in Vegas STAYS in Vegas.

8) Hawaii. Just because I want to get a lei. Seriously.

Anonymous said...

Oh...sorry...I was feeding Boris.

Aside from Wrigley Field in Chicago because I always promised myself that I was going to see a Cubs game in person before I shuffled off this mortal coil...here goes.

1. Australia. I've always wanted to see the Outback and every picture I've seen of Sydney has been absolutely Beautiful.

2. Ireland. Thanks to Matt Lauer for this one. He visited during his "Where In The World..." segment on the Today Show. The cliffs overlooking the ocean are a sight.

3. Hawaii. I need a vacation. There's probably no better place.

4. Canada. Thanks Jen. You've told me many things over the years about how pretty it is north of the border and how great the people are. Jen and Jillian prove that..by the way. I want to see for myself.

5. Alaska. An Alaskan cruise would be nice, wouldn't it? I've always wanted to go there and just need to find the time. It would probably be life at a different pace there. I'd enjoy that.


There it is. I'm sure not as exotic as most. Oh well..

the rotten correspondent said...

I love these things!

#1. Australia. This has been my biggest fantasy for years. Of course I'd go to New Zealand, too. Is there anything better than an Australian accent? Short answer - no.

#2. Great Britain/Ireland. I've spent time in England, but never Scotland or Ireland. I also have a lot of family history in this area.

#3. Greece. One word. Islands. Endless islands and blue water. And fabulous architecture and history.

#4. New England. Other than New York I've never been. I have to do this, since I have fantasies about living on the beach in Maine at some point in my life. Might as well visit first.

#5. France. Never been. Always wanted to. One of these days.

Anonymous said...

http://thewhitbyzoo.blogspot.com/

There you go, Jen! I have to figure out how to add a picture to the entry itself...

TTYL!

Susan said...

1. Chicago

2. London

3. The rest of England

4. The Jersey Shore--I'll be there in two weeks!!

5. The rest of the Atlantic coast line--begin in Maine and make it all the way to the tip of Florida.

And if can cheat--

6. Hawaii

Dumdad said...

In no particular order:

1. Ireland.

2. New Zealand (My wife and I toured Australia for six weeks, pre-kids, but I'd love to go to NZ one day, with kids).

3. Interior of United States (I've been to New York, which was great, but I'd love to explore the Midwest, go to the Grand Canyon, the Great Lakes etc).

4. Iceland.

5. Denmark/Norway/Finland. (My wife, my son when he was four and I went to Sweden).

Jen said...

Hey dumdad! Thanks for returning the favour and stopping by, I really enjoyed your blog...as you can see we have an eclectic group here, and I hope you'll stop by again...

Saphyre Rose said...

It is amazing that your list and mine are identical...if I had to change any I would say replace GB (I have already been to great Britain) and replace it with Nepal.

We had planned to go to Ireland this fall...but we still have no word on when we can expect our passports, so we cannot buy the ticket in advance. Damn bureaucracy.

Hubby wants to move to Montana. I look at the weather channel and see that Cut Bank MT starts getting snow in September and it doesn't stop until JUNE! No thanks.

I want to see the Taj Mahal before it completely falls apart.

I fell in love with New Zealand after watching years of Xena, Warrior Princess. The backgrounds of the land was beautiful and oh! The waterfalls!