Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Currently I am reading Winter of the World by Ken Follett. One of the characters, Lloyd Williams, finds himself leaving the comfort of his Wales existence to join the volunteer army in Spain to fight against Fascism. Follett introduces his relocation with this beautiful paragraph:

It was amazing, Lloyd Williams thought, how quickly you could come to love a place. He had been in Spain for only ten months, but already his passion for the country was almost as strong as his attachment to Wales. He loved to see a rare flower blooming in the scorched landscape; he enjoyed sleeping in the afternoon; he liked the way there was wine to drink even when there was nothing to eat. He had experienced flavors he had never tasted before: olives, paprika, chorizo, and the fiery spirit they called orujo. (Follett, Winter of the World, 244)

I immediately identified with Lloyd's ability to passionately adore a new location despite only being there for a short time. So I began to reminisce about the places I have visited that hold the greatest piece of my heart.

At the top of my list has to be the greater Los Angeles area, specifically Malibu. I lived in the area off and on for 8 years while attending school and beginning to figure things out after graduation. Why does this place hold such attraction for me? Of course there is a connection with friends and beautiful memories. I also adore the weather! The fresh breeze coming off the ocean did wonders for my allergies as well. (Reducing the amount of sneezing that occurs in a single day is a priceless treasure when you can find it!) Los Angeles was also a place of exploration for me. I became aware of music, shopping, film, and theater in a way that had previously eluded me. LA will always be associated with growth, freedom, and excitement in my mind.

My two week visit to southern Germany forever changed my view of the world. This was my first trip across the ocean and I was amazed to learn the value of a relaxed approach to life. My visit was centered in the quaint Bavarian town of Marktoberdorf. Even though days were filled with music lessons and rehearsals, there was plenty of time to explore the town's treasures and interact with the German people. My weekends saw trips to Salzburg and Munich. Even though I saw a lot of wonderful things in each of these cities, I was still enthralled by the calm approach to life found in Europe. I fell in love with the geography and architecture. I desperately want to return to this part of the world and explore more countries while learning more about the people, their cultures, and myself.

I could go on down the list. NYC and Honolulu hold fond memories (some of which are associated with the cities while others are linked to a dear friend). Texas is becoming more interesting to me as I spend more time there with the freedom to hop in my car and go exploring. Then there are the cities of San Diego, San Francisco, and Portland....my only complaint is that I never seemed to have enough time in any of these places!

What places have you visited that grabbed your heart and imagination? Which are you most anxious to return to? Where have you dreamed of going that you haven't yet visited? I'd love to hear from you in the comment section below. Who knows....maybe we'll begin to make travel plans....