2021 Dec 14 10:35 AM - edited 2021 Dec 14 10:37 AM
Hello Everyone,
Today I would like to invite you to a very special journey. The places where we will go will be defined by imagination and stories of your favorite places around the world. In my opinion a favorite place can be anywhere. I think what is most important for defining one's favorite place in the world is the memory of how great/happy/calm it made them feel.
Ideally in this thread you can share what is your favorite place in the world, a short description of it and if you feel like it why (also if you have a picture of it you took, that would be also great).
This is a picture of myself during a period of two years where I travelled around the world before university. I volunteered in bio farms in Germany (while learning very basic German in a library with a dictionary:), I was a camp counsellor in the US, Pool boy in Miami Beach, Bartender in the Dead-Sea, busboy in a Ski resort in California and a backpacker in South America. The memories and adventures I acquired during these years positively changed me and helped me fulfill and accomplish myself for years to come.
However, after all these travels I realized that my favorite place in the world is a town named Zefat, in the north of Israel (my home country). I got to live in Zefat for almost a year and a half before my travel period. It's a very spiritual town with a lot of history and a view of Sea of Galilee. It is my favorite place because of how I felt at home every time I went off the bus, the view, the air, the friends and happy memories that although almost 20 years went by, still make me happy today.
What is your favorite place in the world?
2021 Dec 14 11:03 AM
So far my favorite place has been South Africa, on safari, in a town called Hoedspruit. Seeing and hiking with the wildlife was amazing - and look how close we are to the rhinoceros:
The ranger told us that this giraffe and zebra are best friends; the giraffe can see over the trees while the zebra hears everything on the ground.
Also meet Ntombi, our lovely hiking guide. She was looking for food the first day of the stay so she led our hike; the second day, she was still looking for food, so she was the "caboose" of our hike. The third day she stopped as she found something to eat.
I really felt like I was part of the family in South Africa - I loved the food, the coffee, the people and the animals.
2021 Dec 14 12:06 PM
Amazing. Thanks a lot for sharing. I have never been to Africa before and I'm really looking forward to the day I will.
2021 Dec 14 12:43 PM
Great story @moshenaveh ! Traveling around the world is exciting and such a great chance!
I cannot really say I have "my favorite place" to be. I love the sea but I also enjoy being in the mountains, no matter if I am hiking, mountain biking or snowboarding. For myself I can really say that I can adopt very easily to new places and can enjoy myself and relax from everyday challenges very fast. This is a good attribute I suppose 😅
But let me share a photo of Varkala Beach in India from 2019 - the Indian Ocean was so beautiful, warm, clear and I loved to be in there, right @mynynachau ? You remember? 😊
2021 Dec 15 5:44 AM
Thanks a lot:)
Yes, the sea is definitely one of my favorite places. There is a cliff in front of the ocean in Tel Aviv beach where there is a sculpture of a bird gazing at the ocean. That used to be my place where I'd love going when I needed quiet and peaceful time.
2022 Feb 04 10:42 AM
2021 Dec 14 3:20 PM
I forgot to include 2 more special pictures from the great South Africa:
I have never seen a bird with this color - it is so pretty! I am sure the ranger told us the name of the bird, but I forgot.
It is so great that the elephants in South Africa have no trouble stopping traffic in Kruger Park. We got to spend one day there and we saw this occurrence multiple times.
2021 Dec 14 3:33 PM - edited 2021 Dec 14 3:34 PM
What a difficult decision……… but for now I’d go with this one, for the place itself, the necessary journey to get there, and the surroundings, namely Liguria on the one hand and Cinqueterre on the other hand.
If you have a chance, spend a day going by boat from Camogli to San Fruttuoso and then Portofino, and return to have dinner in Camogli while the sun sets.
2021 Dec 15 5:45 AM
Thanks a lot for the recommendation. It has been a while since I was in Italy and this place sure does look like a location worth visiting:).
2021 Dec 15 10:14 AM
Earlier this year I was driving in the car with my kids and they asked me “if you could live anywhere in the world where would you choose”. Without hesitation I named the town that we currently live in.
Needless to say they were both utterly confused and they struggled because their school was having all the students ask the questions to their family so they could learn about places to study in class.
For those who don’t know me, I chose the town I live in about 20 years ago. I’m not native to Germany but for the past 20 years it has been home. My kids were both born in this town.
The result of this of course became a trip down memory lane and all the places I have lived in my live. We talked about the things I liked, things I did not. Reasons I left, reasons I stayed etc.
I love this thread - although I am not sure I could really “pick a location”, I live where I live because I chose it but does it mean it’s my “favorite” but wouldn’t it be if I chose to live my life here?
Such a philosophical question I think LOL I will now think about this for weeks to come 🙂
2021 Dec 15 10:23 AM
2021 Dec 15 10:45 AM
You are very fortunate to name the town you currently live in as your most favorite place. Even if it's just for this point of time, it means a lot.
Great picture! It reminded me of a majestic summer I had in Germany when I was in a youth delegation during high school. We travelled through different locations in Germany. One place I really liked was the village of Gnadental. Very peaceful and from what I remember it's the classic German village scenery. I remember a funny story that happened to me while I was there:
I was jogging and suddenly I saw a sign that indicated that Achtung is 500 meters down the road. I thought it would be cool to visit the village of Achtung and maybe buy a snack and a drink after the run. I remember that after running for a couple of minutes another sign said that Achtung is 800 meters so I got all confused and I dropped the idea of visiting Achtung. Later when I asked my friends where did I miss the turn to Achtung, they explained that Achtung means Attention in German. So I never got to the village of Achtung 😉
2021 Dec 15 2:02 PM - edited 2021 Dec 15 2:04 PM
I have many favorite places, including my own home (Thanks @craigcmehil for reminding me of the pleasures of home) but the one that stands out to me is Kauai.
Sadly, I have no digital pictures of my many visits to the Garden Island because it was back in the 90's (LOL, I know, whut? no digital pictures?)
We were there for a vacation in September 1992, enjoying beautiful Poipu Beach, when we were awakened at 5AM by a call from the hotel front desk. We were instructed to evacuate to a nearby elementary school because there was a hurricane headed directly for the island.
There were around 400 other people from the local hotels who were directed to this school. Hurricanes (if you don't know this already) are long term events - the winds picked up around 9AM, and grew stronger and stronger. The eye of the storm passed over us at about 4 PM with winds of 145 mph.
The day was very long - and with many anxious people. The Red Cross was there, and they provided food and beverages. But here's the thing - there were many local people who came to the school and for absolute hours, they told us stories, sang songs, played ukeleles, and other diversions. One lady I remember so well was Auntie Lia, who had a real gift for entertaining all the children there. These people left their homes to come to the school and they took care of *us*. Yes, perhaps their own homes were a danger for them to stay in, but I choose to also believe they were doing these things because they were good people.
In the aftermath of the storm the next day, we all (tourists and locals) worked with the Red Cross to take care of many necessities, because we didn't know if/when we would be allowed back to our hotels (we weren't) or when we would be taken off the island. For 3 days, we bathed in streams, we worked to remove debris, we found a liquor store that graciously sold us warm beer.
Despite all the damage, fortunately there was little loss of life. There was no looting or human-generated destruction. There were many people working together to help everyone. I think this is why Kauai is one of my favorite places.
In the middle of a disaster, be the Auntie Lia.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia.org
2021 Dec 15 4:51 PM
This is a very sad but happy story at the same time. I love people like Auntie Lia and I could really feel how it might have been when I was reading. Of course, it's always said when hurricanes hit the islands or also other nature disasters. Reading that tourists helped the next day, is so great and a beautiful example how sticking together could lead to a better world 🌍🌎🌏
2021 Dec 16 9:13 AM
Thanks a lot for sharing Sue. First my daughter's name is Lia and she is such a caring person that I totally see her doing something similar if she was in a similar situation.
I think your story is a great example how people can be a great light and shine when it's darkest.
Happy holidays!
2021 Dec 15 5:32 PM
This is such a hard question to answer!
I think my favorite place to live was Germany. I lived there twice in the 1980's, courtesy of the US Army. The first time I lived in Bamberg and Würzburg. The second time, we were in Schweinfurt. I loved all of it! I grew up in Massachusetts and was 15 during the US bicentennial, so there was a wealth of history around me. But living in Germany, there is so much more history. In the US, 200-300 years is a big deal historically. In Europe, it's not uncommon to see buildings and places that are over 1,000 years old. It definitely shifted my mindset about some things.
My favorite place to visit is my mom's and stepdad's place in Maine. It's outside of Lincoln and is a 6-hour drive north of Boston, MA. The last half-hour of the drive is dirt road. Their house is on Cold Stream Pond and it's absolutely beautiful! I love sitting out on the screened porch at night and listening to the sounds of the loons on the lake.
I wish I had pictures to post, but I don't have any that aren't hard-copy photos - and I'm not sure where those are.
-Dell
2021 Dec 16 9:53 AM
Thanks a lot for sharing Dell.
Don't worry about not having the pictures. I was able to envision a nice image of that porch in my head:) Sounds like a really special place, especially in the spring or when the snow starts to melt and it's all sunny.
2021 Dec 22 8:11 AM
Cool, so You know the place where I grew up. If You've been there (Germany) you should also know the former US Airport in Kitzingen, right? I'm from a small town NE of Kitzingen. This is wine-frankonia. Bamberg is beer-frankonia. Are You more with beer or wine? Did You try the smoked beer in Bamberg 'Spezial Bräu' or 'Schlänkerla'?
2021 Dec 22 2:48 PM
Hi Manfred!
Yes, I've been to Kitzingen - there was an Army base there as well. One of the companies that was stationed there was a corps support maintenance/supply company that was part of the same battalion as we were in. I was there looking for parts at one point.
Yes, I've had the smoked beer at the monastery at the top of one of the hills in Bamberg - it was very interesting. As to beer or wine - yes to both! I got very spoiled on beer when I was there, to the point where I can't stand what I call "mainstream American horse **bleep**". 😏
-Dell
2021 Dec 22 3:00 PM
The smut filter strikes again, although based on context, I'm sure readers can fill in the **bleep**.
--Jerry
2022 Jan 03 8:45 AM
Hi,
our subsidiary is in Fredericksburg VA. Been there Oktoberfest 2012. There were Bavarian Flags all over. Have been told that most local breweries have German ancestry. They have really good beer. So it's not mainstream. Perhaps You should do a beer rally there and find your new fav. Don't know how far You are from Fredericksburg. But it's definitely closer than Bamberg 😄.
2021 Dec 15 5:46 PM
Well, it used to be "wherever my family is", but since they're all adults now, it's really "wherever my wife is".
2021 Dec 16 2:17 PM
Yay. One thing I learned through my life is I the better place is where your loved people is. My favorite place is around my daughter, and my rest favorite places are around my friends and family. I will not post pictures of those places, sorry.
But if I must name a place where I want to go again (with my daughter) is the Garajonay Forest (I'm a forest guy, you know... life is like a box of chocolates). What I felt there was not magic, was peace.
(and no, I'm not the guy in the video... nor Homer Jay)
2021 Dec 17 2:33 PM
2022 Jan 21 7:30 AM - edited 2022 Jan 21 7:52 AM
I love travel and its one of my passion. I love big cities, little towns and even completely isolated nature ! Each has its own charm. Sharing some glimpse, I captured, from places I visited and loved.
Cities :
View from Singapore Flyer, Singapore
Beautiful and clean city. Amazing to see the development and how they maintain a balance between the skylines and the parks in such a small space. You do not need a cab / car at all and entire city is connected by Metro and buses and drops you right in front of al tourist places and at a very cheap price. Its also a dream destination for foodies who can explore delicious Asian cuisines at reasonable rates at any Hawker's Stall.
Taj Mahal , Agra, India
A beautiful architecture, built with white marble. The photos do not make justice to the enormity of the structure. Its is once-in-a-lifetime visit. But make sure to visit during Sunrise to capture it with less people around. Locals tend to exploit foreign tourists with overpriced mementos, tours, etc which makes me sad.
Louvre, Paris, France
This city amazed me with its architecture. Every corner was like a museum, with beautiful historic building. The Eiffel Tower is so tall and more beautiful at night with light and sparkles. The Louvre, Pantheon, Versailles, everything is majestic.
Towns :
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Little wooden houses, meadows, mountains and waterfall, this town felt like I was in a beautiful dream. You will have to visit it to know the feeling, words won't do justice.
Nubra Valley, Ladakh, India
Lesser known place amongst the tourist. Ladakh is one of the most beautiful places in India. Its more of an adventure, due to its high altitude and isolation from rest of the cities in the country. Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake and the small city of Leh are some of the must-see places.
Rothenberg ob der Tauber, Germany
This was an image I saw on the internet and I decided I should visit it and capture the very place I saw online. This led me to capture Plönlein in Rothenberg ob der Tauber. The Christmassy town was like right out of a fairy tale.
It is my dream to work and settle in one of the European cities like Germany someday. That way I would also get access to mountains, towns, cities, countries to explore !
2022 Jan 24 6:37 AM
Thanks a lot for sharing. Amazing places.
We share the love for small towns. Each place has its own story. I love getting to places in a boat, walk to the center and order a cup of Coffee and imagine how life is in such places. The best is meeting and talking to locals.
2022 Jan 24 8:03 AM
Agree ! I always tell my friends - never be a tourist in any place you visit, live like a local. Stay in Airbnbs / Guesthouses / Homestays. Drink coffee and eat local food at places where the locals do it. Walk around instead of taking cabs and travel in public transport. Take time to see some hidden secrets and non-touristy places which only locals know about. This is a better way to see a town/city/country.
2022 Jan 24 8:16 AM
This reminds me of very cool things I was a part of during my travel years:
This organizations enabled to really get to know people, experience cultures and amazing memories. Servas is an organization where you host travelers if they get to your area and the same apply for you when you visit other countries (very special). WWOOF is where you volunteer in organic farms in exchange for room and meals. Later on I will share pictures from those experiences
2022 Feb 04 10:40 AM
@vivekprabhu13 your photographic eye is brilliant! I enjoy the photos you shared here a lot, really. Sitting in my home office, looking at these pictures let me daydream and travel to these places. 🙂 May I ask what camera and lens do you use for these pictures?
2022 Feb 04 12:58 PM - edited 2022 Feb 04 12:59 PM
Thank you so much. I do love Photography but I am not an expert 😅 . Just learning.
I have a very basic DSLR Camera - Canon 550D (a.k.a Rebel T2i and Kiss X4 Digital). I have 2 basic lenses. I usually rent 10mm-18mm or 10mm-20mm Wide Angle lens for landscape to capture larger frame - used this for Singapore Flyer, Lauterbrunnen and Rothenberg ob der Tauber. This lens is also great for astrophotography at night ( Yet to click a good Milky way Photo.. someday )
I use the basic 18mm-55mm lens for normal pics - the Nubra Valley
I use 50mm lens for portraits - it reproduces the view the human eye naturally has and covers smaller frame.
And of course I use my Mobile Phone for quick photos - The Taj Mahal was clicked through a phone. 😁
Then a bit of editing in Snapseed app for adjusting the colors and brightness !! 😅
2022 Feb 04 1:24 PM
We have a thread on "Skywatching" started as well - the fear of diving into the expense realm of astrophotography....
2022 Feb 04 2:08 PM
Wow, thanks for sharing! And I just noticed that the moon picture is yours on the Skywatching discussion, too! Man, I wish I was as good as you, I'm more a beginner when it comes to taking pictures with an DSLR camera. To not further distract from the actual travel discussion here (sorry everyone 😁), I think we should have a separate coffee corner thread more focused on photography 🙂 Happy to exchange further with photography lovers like you!
2022 Jul 05 8:26 AM
2022 Aug 20 10:49 AM
2023 Jan 13 10:16 AM
2023 Jan 12 9:26 AM
Hi everyone!
Today I would like to share with you one of most favorite places in the world which is the Dead-Sea. I love it because of the landscape, view and how calm I feel after I deep into the salty water:). The Dead-Sea is known as a place where you can float due to the high level of salt in the water (Fun!:)). Back in the days I used to work in a hotel there , which also brings back good memories:).
Looking forward to hearing more about your favorite places.
2023 Jan 13 10:19 AM
Hello everyone!
This morning I was fortunate to visit one of my favorite places in the world:
This is a statue on a cliff on top of Tel Aviv beach. I used to come here whenever I needed inspiration. Amazing spot!
What's your special place?
2023 Jan 16 8:21 AM
Looks stunning with the sea in the back. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
2023 Jun 11 2:50 PM - edited 2023 Jun 12 9:40 PM
Well, the question is multidimensional (as we -- in Data && Analytics -- would say).
My favorite places are those where I can enjoy the moment sharing it with my closest people: my wife, my kids, my father, my relatives, my friends. And quite often it is... our home's backyard. Here in the picture: the speaker's celebration after the SAP Inside Track in Wrocław a few years ago.
The other place on Earth I love is Silicon Valley: with both its impact on tech and its nature! Even though that place has gone mad recently, it is still quite easy to detach from the world there and become a part of nature.
"Becoming part of nature" are moments that fulfill me, and luckily are possible without long trips to California. Sometimes it is just an hour from your home in Poland, like post-volcanic formations in Paszowice...
...or Krogulec Rock in Izerskie Mountains -- the most beautiful and calm place I've been to last year.
Last, but not least, of course, I love Ukraine, where I was born, and the place we are fighting right now for to remain ours and to remain a part of the free world 💙💛
2023 Jun 11 7:33 PM - edited 2023 Jun 11 7:34 PM
@Vitaliy-R Thanks a lot for sharing. How inspiring! For sure, often the places we love is where we celebrate and experience joy with those we love.
Once our backyard was a combination of a desert and trees. It was a great scenery for theme days with the kids, such as hunting, historic figures and more. They loved it and want to do it again. Although we moved since we will do it.
Thanks again for sharing,
Moshe