Gray Ajah Midsummer - Summer Holidays/Vacation

[Ryrin]

 

Here is the place to discuss your holidays/vacations.

They can be vacations you have already taken and those you wish for.

I've also decided to add "staycations."

A staycation is one spent at home and enjoying local attractions.

 

 

 

 

 

[Wildfire Sedai]

My coolest vacation was when I was 17. I applied for People to People: American/Soviet Youth Exchange. The application process was long...an application and two interviews later and I got the call that I was an alternate. I had to learn the geography, history, and language (some..still know some of it ). All throughput this process I was told I still might not be able to go!

 

So, I got to go! For 3 weeks! My itinerary was: Moscow, Kiev, Rostov-on-Don, Sochi, and Leningrad/St. Petersburg.

 

I'll take you through by city (from what I can remember )

 

MOSCOW: We went to Red Square and saw Lenin's tomb. We hit the first of many beautiful cathedrals on this trip. They had a McDonald's there. It was the first one. The line wrapped around the block twice. I didn't go! Why travel halfway around the world to get something I could get at home? Speaking of food, this reminds me of an incident that happened here when I tried some local cuisine.

 

They have street vendors. So, I decided to try a steak and cheese grinder. Pretty simple, right? Wrong! It was so SPICY that not even thinking about it, I threw it away and kept on walking. However, something made me look back, a little girl, in a white dress, no older than 4, picked it out of the garbage and started eating it. Wow, what an eye opener for a 17 y/o.

 

KIEV: I don't remember much except we were in a hotel eating caviar and listening to a live band celebration as the Ukraine declared independence from the former Soviet Union.

 

ROSTOV-ON-DON: The only thing I remember from here was meeting a boy (and I feel terrible that I can't even remember his name ) and his family. We were supposed to go in pairs but the other kids (Americans) bullied me all throughout the trip so no one wanted to pair up with me. Anyway, I got to visit his family by myself. I met his parents, grandmother, and younger sister (I think there was a younger sibling around ). They gave me a book, a record (those round vinyl things you play on a turnstile ) of Paul McCartney,

and their oldest granddaughters Russian primer (the first book you get when you learn to read ). They were very welcoming. This was my favorite city!

 

SOCHI: We got a hotel right on the Black Sea. One of the other kids was the first American to go parasailing...we figured out why...only a 16 y/o would be dumb enough to go on a boat, where the operator has been drinking all day! no one got hurt but when that was found out the chaperones stopped the parasailing. Oh, and I got stuck in a CORNER elevator TWICE. Hey, I was 17!

 

LENINGRAD /ST. PETERSBURG: I don't remember much about this city, except I think one of the PALACES was here. (Summer/Winter). Whichever it was gorgeous.

 

So, that wraps up my vacation.

[Ryrin]

That was quite a vacation for a 17 year old. Thanks for sharing. 

[Wildfire Sedai]

No problem, brought back good memories!

[Ryrin]

My most excellent vacation was to Israel in 2012.  We went from the top to the bottom of the country. My two favorite cities there are Jerusalem and Eilat.  My husband and I along with our youngest son went with a small tour group. It did feel kinda like a rush as the tour was attempting to cram in as much as they can.  We were three for 2 weeks.  I went swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, and my favorite, the Red Sea. I had Shabbat at the Wall. I need to go back.

[Sooh]

I've had so many. So many experiences in so many lovely places! 

Every time I go to Coburg in Germany I have a wonderful time. Cardiff in Wales is amazing. I love being in London. I was in Israel once too, and had a wonderful and almost surreal time. Napoli in Italy is very special and has so much history to offer. LA and more specifically Hollywood gave me more experiences within 5 days than I ever thought possible. 

 

I have been super fortunate to go on so many special trips, and I know I'm leaving some out as well, but these were the ones I wanted to mention specifically. 

[Ryrin]

That's wonderful you have had so many opportunities.  What did you specifically like about Cardiff?

[Sooh]

Cardiff is not very big, but it has a few monumental buildings, like the Millennium stadium and Cardiff Castle which is totally worth a visit. Probably the building that I was most excited to see though was the Millennium centre which is so beautiful down by the bay. This obviously because I am an avid Doctor Who/Torchwood fan.

 

 

 

 

Also to me it was a very friendly city, with lots of great people to hang out with. It helped of course that I was going there to visit a friend and he took me around to places. 

[Elaevia]

My completely unbiased opinion is that cardiff is the awesomest, lol!

 

Your trip to Russia sounds awesome Wifi. It reminds me of a trip i took to japan. I was about the same age and it was an exchange trip run by the county council. We spent ten days there staying in our partners home. We did a mix of things as a whole group and individually and the they spent ten days staying with us.

 

It was totally unlike me to do something like that, and I was exhausted at the end of it but it was an awesome experience.

[Wildfire Sedai]

Sooh...you are so very lucky...would love to travel that much...

 

Ryrin...am glad that you got to go to Isreal...

 

Via...I would love to do an exchange like you did...that one night at the boys house was so awesome...living in a home in a foreign country...Great...

[Ryrin]

On my father's side, I am Welsh and some Irish.

 

I have a friend that exchanges homes and has traveled to lots of places, including Germany, Scotland, and Ireland. She registers with this organization and they stay in each other's homes.

 

I've been to Canada several times as well as Switzerland, Austria, and Germany 2x.. I love Canada. It has a European flavor, the people are extremely nice, and it's pristine.

 

Would you ever consider the homes exchange thing (if it was facilitated by an organization?)

[Guest]

Lol staycation? I almost always staycate. Type is utter relaxation. I'm not really the travelling type. 

 

The only "travelling" I'd do is perhaps to meet up with my friends that live far away from me.

 

We also don't have summer vacation. It's winter here. I have two weeks off because of my profession, but that's about it.

[Wildfire Sedai]

I would love to but my home now is a nursing home and when I get out of here will be a group home...I don't think I could get anyone to come to these places...I know not the nursing home...group home...eh...don't know if we can have overnight long stay visitors so eh.....

[Ryrin]

I like staycations.  We have the Sequoia National forest nearby and people come from all over the world to see that. Sleep in, BBQ, swim at the lake or even at the outdoor pool at the gym. Hike at Kaweah Oaks Nature Preserve. Bird watching.

[Ryrin]

1. Go to the beach or pool.

 

2. Get the bike out.

 

3. Have your own film festival.

 

4. See a play.

 

5. Hike

 

6. Relax outside by candlelight.

 

7. Reading Binge.

 

8. Free concerts in the park.

 

9. Create your own art/crafts

 

10. Visit a nearby town.

 

 

Any other ideas?

 

[Ryrin]

My favorite thing would be to sleep in, spend time outside (mountains or beach), and hit some local events like craft shows, farmer's markets, concerts, etc

[Ryrin]

I'd very much like to go to Iceland.

 

[Elgee]

I would even go so far as to buy a swimsuit and get in that water.

[Ryrin]

Me too.  Awesome. Sigh.

[Ryrin]

Back to work. The vacations are over. Thank you all for traveling with me.

[Elgee]

Nooooooooo *clings to the vacation*

[Elaevia]

:D

 

*smacks work over the knuckles as it tries to drag Elgee away*

[Jivenrah Sedai]

I know everyone has gone back to their work, but before my hubby begins his new job... We just yesterday got back from visiting Yellowstone Park and Grand Teton National Parks. I grew up near there but haven't been for years and years. It was lovely. And I forgot to take the camera.