Been There, Done That- Game

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. C-beams glittering in the dark by the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain."---The movie "Blade Runner".

The "Been There, Done That" Game
List some of the more memorable things you've seen or done on your travels.
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
My list-
I have
-- seen an erupting volcano
-- seen the Rosette Stone, sounds simple enough, but I had to elbow my way through an entire class of university history students and a grabby professor. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif
-- watched the sun set over the Grand Canyon
-- panned for gold
-- been drenched and sick, but looked up long enough to see a rainbow over Niagara Falls.
-- judged a chili contest in Lake Tahoe, Nev.
-- sailed over the Prime Meridian while leaving my mark on the rail.
-- sat in the cockpit of a P-51 Mustang while a Tuskegee Airman explained the controls.[/list]

(now I'm expecting some interesting responses.) http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Keep'em flying

http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gifI've always thought I've been lucky to be able to travel to so many places....some of the things on my list....
- walked on the Great Barrier Reef
- been inside a pyramid
- eaten pizza while watching the sunset over the Grand Canyon http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif
- been on a tour through Buckingham Palace
- kissed the Blarney stone

Some of this happened years ago, some just a few months ago......

- Backpacked through Europe. Camped out in German barns, Irish thatched cottages and houses centuries old. Skinny dipped in quiet Swiss Lakes. Hiked the Swiss pass that Hannibal and Napoleon used into Italy.
-Flew a WW II fighter in aerobic stunts
-Watched sunset from the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris as the famous lights of the city came on
-Took a Helicopter tour of NYC going between the buildings and over and around Central Park (this was prior to 9/11, and a gift to the family and friends who worked for the Helicopter company)
-Watched my spouse make a birdie at the Historic St. Andrews golf club in Scotland. Hole number 18, as the spectators clapped.
-Sunrise at the Grand Canyon
-Sunset at Mt. Rushmore
-Have seen Niagara Falls spring, winter and fall.
-Rode the QEII from NYC to England
-Been to the top of the Sears Tower, the Hancock Building, Toronto Space Needle, Empire State Building, the World Trade Center and many other tall buildings. I love high places!
-Trying to slip out of a tour of the Metropolitan opera house in NYC early to get to the taping of David Letterman wandered into the cat walks and offices where we bumped into Beverly Sills.
-Watched the Tall ships in New York harbor with 4th of July fireworks overhead.
-Rode in a blimp and DC3. To my sadness never rode on the Concorde

After I post this I am sure I will think of a dozen more memories.

What a cool idea! Here are a few of mine, sorry if I duplicate a couple.

- toured the Anne Frank House in AMS
- stood next to flowing lava
- been in the presence of royalty (a few yards removed)
- sat with the chior of St. Paul's Cathedral as they chanted Evensong
- climbed St. Paul's thru a series of domes, catwalks and ladders where I stood outside on the very pinnacle of the cathedral's dome
- stood at the edge of a pit in Xi'an, China looking down at Emperor Qin Shihuang's terracotta soldiers
- walked the Great Wall of China (okay, a tiny, little section)
- sat in a rooftop cafe in Istanbul overlooking the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofia and listened to Call to Prayer being broadcast from the minarets.
- viewed Rio de Janeiro from the Cristo Redentor statue high atop Corcovado
- even though I've lived here less than 10 years I've given so many tours of Chicago to family and friends that I've lost count. I haven't gotten tired of it yet.
- snorkeled with reef sharks in the Bahamas
- and far too many gorgeous sunsets to mention

Wow, so many more memories! It's nice to be able to hop on a plane whenever you want!

To all, feel free to duplicate responses, that's part of the fun, after all, this is the "Been There, Done That" game. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif

So far it appears watching the sunrise/sunset over the Grand Canyon makes a big impression, although our friend Vicki, did see the need to add pizza to her experience. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

and Coyne you "Skinny dipped in quiet Swiss lakes" hmmmm, I believe there's a story there. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Randy when you mentioned St Paul's Catheral, it reminded me of how after walking all day, I decided against climbing up all those stairs to the Whispering Gallery. Sure wish I knew if the legend is true, maybe you could whisper the answer. http://bestsmileys.com/whisper/1.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif

Keep'em flying

Yes, it is true. The whispering gallery is at the top of what is only the first of several flights of stairs, etc. on your way to the top.

I too am wondering about Coyne's little European lake escapade. Like, does her husband know? http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif

I'd also like to know when you're going to add the "crawled home" version of this game to the "been there, done that"?

The husband is aware of my wild past, though the event happened several years before we meet.
Oh to be 20 and backpacking through Europe again. Sigh......
Coyne

Well, can't resist adding to this:
1. Sunrise and sunset from both the North and South rims and sunrise and sunset from Bright Angel trailhead in the Grand Canyon (top that http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif).

2. Rode in the weapons officer's seat of a B52 on a ferry flight (Wright-Pat to March AFB).

3. Met Chuck Yeager at the Air Force Museum.

4. Climbed to the top of the Washington Monument on my 60th birthday (prior to 9/11).

5. Assisted a friend last year in taking his friend's yacht (92' Hatteras MY) from Boston to Pensacola on the Inter-Costal waterway.

Ok AirCosmo I can't top 1-4, but I got you at #5, <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by AirCosmo:
5. Assisted a friend last year in taking his friend's yacht (92' Hatteras MY) from Boston to Pensacola on the Inter-Costal waterway. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

you and your friend might have stolen a yacht, but I've stolen a heart... and I did it from across a room. (Top that!) http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif


Keep'em flying

- A week in a village in Samoa
- Sunrise, Sunset and climbing Uluru (Ayers Rock)
- Flying over Antartica
- Kathmandu and the Himalaya's
- Visited 73 (and counting) countries in the world in the never-ending quest to join the Century Club
- Barrier Reef submersible
- Trans-Siberia
- Norfolk Island with the descendants of the Bounty mutineers
- Tim Horton's in Canada !!
- Easter Island
- Galapagos Islands
- Diners (the true old fashioned sort) on back roads in the USA.
The list is never ending. Even experiencing the culture and way of life of other countries is fascinating.

Biggest Regret? Not getting to fly Concorde. It was always "next trip to Europe or USA". Carpe Diem. Consoled myself with walk around tour of a model in a museum in the UK - as little solace as that was.

Biggest wish list? Latin America, African Safari and Africa in general.

An impressive list, but Al you used exclamation points only once, for "Tim's Hoton's in Canada", so I have to ask... what is Tim Horton's in Canada? http://bestsmileys.com/clueless/7.gif

Keep'em flying

Timmy Horton's? SUrely you jest. It's just THE best donut shop/chain in the whole wide world.

Watched both sunset/sunrise from the south/east rim of the grand canyon
Took a dinner cruise on Lake Tahoe
Visited Sleeping Beauty Castle
Toured Mad Ludwig's Palaces (two of them)
Took a walking tour of Boston
Visited the Witch Trials monument
Hiked in Olympic National Park and had to call the ranger for assistance
Marveled at the glaciers in Alaska
Enjoyed the simple beauty of San Xavier del Bac
Gawked at the cacti in Saguaro National Park
Drove the I-95 from NH to FL, continued on the I-10 from FL to CA and finally drove the I-5 to northern California all in one trip
Spent my 40th birthday in Disneyworld wearing a tiara and a t-shirt saying "Today is my birthday, feel free to treat me like a princess"

You all seem to have had so many more adventures than I!

Trust me Donna, a dinner cruise sounds pretty adventurous to me... arrr, a pirate's life is not for me. http://bestsmileys.com/pirate/3.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Keep'em flying

Mig,

Based on your description of you and water in the above posts, remind me not to invite you sailing next time you're in HNL.

Cruising on a lake is great. Especially when it's your honeymoon and people are buying you drinks left an right. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Now the ocean, a small boat (smaller than an oceanliner) and I, well let's just say that those three things don't make a good combination. I could tell you stories about the almost fishing my family did in Manzanillo a few years ago . . . .

I should add one more from the other day. I saw the most amazing rainbow silhouetted by a desert mountain with the sun shining all around. The rainbow was lower than the mountain so it appeared to be almost a part of it, the rain was just a spray really and the cacti were visible behind the rainbow. I've never seen anything like it and so wish I'd have had my camera but I was on my way to work.

Donna because I suffer terrible seasickness I eat nothing but crackers when out on the water. However once, I did throw caution to the wind and actually had dinner on a boat (actually it was an ocean liner). But because the Queen Mary is permanently moored (set in concrete) I'm guessing that doesn't count as dining at sea. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif

Keep'em flying

Mig,
Too bad you don't enjoy the ocean. Some of my most exciting trips have been crossing a body of water in a storm. For you I would suggest you never cross Lake Michigan from Wisconsin to Michigan. Or take the trip from England to Ireland cross the Irish Sea.
On those routes I have been out on the deck enjoying the elements while my fellow travelers were green around the gills. I must have some sailor blood in my veins.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by CSSup:
Mig,
Too bad you don't enjoy the ocean. Some of my most exciting trips have been crossing a body of water in a storm." "...I must have some sailor blood in my veins. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Coyne if you call crossing a body of water in a storm exciting, then you not only have some sailor blood, but a sailor's stomach too. BTW, I'm not alone in my queasiness, Julius Caesar, Charles Darwin and Admiral Nelson (Trafalgar), all made trips to the rail. (not bad company) http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Keep'em flying

Just doing one of my infrequent visits to this forum and thought I'd add some:

1. Climbed to the top of Mt Fuji. One guy I went with wanted to go down into the crater, but I thought we'd have to then climb back up, then go down. Took a wrong trail down and had to go on the side of the mountain.
2. Visited North Korea. Ok, just Pan Mun Jom, the truce village, but it was quite a scene. Remember waking up one morning when we were on field training and thought, "someone needs to turn down their radio." Turned out we were like 2-3k from the DMZ and it wasn't a radio, but them broadcasting.
3. Did the sunset thing at the Grand Canyon a few times. Seeing the canyon with snow is just spectacular.
4. Visited the following WWII sites (in this order): Pearl Harbor, Auswitz, the Anne Frank House, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.
5. Not as exciting but certainly worthwhile: eat/drink a cup of Ivar's clamchowder on the pier in Seattle.

So Tim, you climbed to the top of Mt Fuji, I'm impressed.
You know when you mentioned
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by aztimm:
...eat/drink a cup of Ivar's clamchowder on the pier in Seattle. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> it made me think of a few of my more memorable meals.
Sooo I'm going to expand the parameters of
"Been There, Done That", to include the more memorable foods you've had while traveling.
My list
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
1--Deep Dish Pizza-- Giordano's Restaurant-- Chicago, Illinois http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif

2--Lobster roll (sandwich)-- Allison's Restaurant (owner retired CO captain) -- Kennebunkport, Maine

3--Deep Fried Nutria-- At the time, all I knew was that it was the "lunch special" and it came with fries and a soft drink. It wasn't until later, that they told me about the orange teeth. http://bestsmileys.com/fainting/1.gif --No Name Restaurant-- New Orleans, Louisiana a link-definately not for the faint of heart http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/list]

Keep'em flying

Well, yeehaw! Ain't nothin' better than fried varmint! http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif Granny Clampett would be proud! http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Yea, the climb up Fuji was something I'll remember forever I think. It wasn't that bad until close to the top, when it got really steep and you had to use your hands too. I was watching all these really old (80+ olds) scrambling up while I was struggling. We started about 1-2pm on a Saturday, went up until about 10pm, slept in a hut (way too expensive), then got up around 1am to finish the climb, hoping to get to the top for sunrise. We were just a few minutes too late.

Surprisingly, there are Coke machines on top of Fuji, but it wasn't cheap, about $5 for one of their thin cans.

Did this in July, temperature at start was in the mid 80s, and was about 25-30 with snow on top. I had a heavy jacket, gloves, etc, yet I still wished I had warmer clothes.

After getting back to my dorm Sunday night (I was doing a semester abroad), we ended up going to Tokyo Disneyland the next day.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by aztimm:
After getting back to my dorm Sunday night (I was doing a semester abroad), we ended up going to Tokyo Disneyland the next day. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

... and thus the phrase "What are you going to do now? I'm going to Disneyland!" was born http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif

Keep'em flying

Well, had someone visiting while I was there, so was trying to squeeze in as much as we could in a week or so. A few days later we took an overnight bus to Kyoto to do the temple scene; took the bullet train back and it was worth every penny. Fuji looked so much better from the windows of the bullet train as we passed by.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by AL - SYD:
Timmy Horton's? SUrely you jest. It's just THE best donut shop/chain in the whole wide world. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You've obviously never visited a Krispy Kreme where they serve 'em up fresh and hot!

I'll be back to post on this thread when I've had time to give it some thought.

Chris,
I have to agree with Al, Tim Hortons is the best. But then again I like my donuts with more then sugar, oil and air.
I think we should should start a new topic, been there ate that.....
Chris it is good to have you back at the forum.

I think there is a small amount of flower in the mixture.

Ok then. I just need to know one thing. Have you ever been to one of the Krispy Kreme shops where you can see 'em come off the machine and get them hot?

-- <UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI> Oahu - Hanauma Bay, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, rain forest hike, toured the island and danced with 7 college students (1 male, 6 female), stayed in a youth hostel 2 blocks from Waikiki for $12
<LI> Baseball game at Fenway in Boston
<LI>New Orleans - beignets at Cafe du Monde, raw oysters at The Acme Oyster Bar, Hurricane at Pat Obrien's
<LI>Maui - hiked a mile over lava rock to get to isolated snorkeling spot - "fish bowl", drove part of "the road to Hana" and swam in beautiful waterfalls
<LI>St. John (honeymoon) - made love on the beach and skinny dippped, snorkeled trunk bay, stayed in a beautiful private villa w/ outdoor shower
<LI> London - West Minster Abby, Picadilly Square etc.
<LI>San Francisco - Golden Gate, Fisherman's Warf, China Town
<LI>Grand Cayman - Sting Ray City
<LI>Washington DC - Spin-the-bottle in hotel room with young girls (I was in the 7th grade) http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif , oh and other memorable, moving monument visits
<LI>Key Largo - snorkeling with son
<LI>Isla Mujeres - beautiful romantic dinner on beach overlooking the lights of Cancun
<LI>Las Vegas - Red Rock Canyon
<LI>Chicago - Monet exhibit, Sears tower, riding the L
<LI>Gatlinburg, TN - made love in a limo (anniversary), hike up Chimney Top
<LI>GA - Praying on the top or Brasstown Bald (GA's highest point). It was winter and I was the only person there. That peak and a few others were the only ones above the clouds. I was on an island in a silver sea - magical!
<LI>Dominican Republic - whale breech in Samana Bay, staying in a beautiful private villa with pool and not wearing a stich for a whole day while the other couple was away.
<LI>Spirit of Delta (767 purchased by employees as gift to company) - Flew on the very last flight. It was low altitude around GA and did a low fly-by over headquarters.[/list]

Well, Tim Horton's is good, really good! But, I have to go with Chris on this one. A Krispy Kreme donut hot off the belt is almost as good as sex! http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Since I've never had a Tim Horton's donut it's kinda difficult to compare it with a Krispy Kreme http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif. However, I grew up with Dunkin Donuts and thought them very good, that is until I got my first freshly made glazed donut right off the Krispy Kreme conveyor...http://bestsmileys.com/happy/3.gif heaven. Trust me, when that red light flashes "Hot Donuts Now", within minutes cars are backed up in the drive-through lane and people are in lines snaking out the front door. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif

Keep'em flying

Guess it is a matter of taste, I like cake donuts much better then Krispy Kreme. Where I grew up in Michigan hot fresh cake donuts rolled in sugar and cinnamon were made at the local apple cider mill. It is a treat that still can be had every fall when the leaves start to turn.