Travel?

[Driftless]

Any of you travel as a hobby???

Lets hear some good and bad places you have been and reasons they were good or bad along with some photos.

Len

[nofishfisherman]

I've done some traveling.

Last 2 big trips were to Vienna Austria and to Spain where we went to Barcelona, Madrid, Grenada a a few other small towns.

Vienna was nice but not a ton to do. If you are a music person they have world class performers. Mainly classical and opera but when its some of the best in the world its worth checking out.

Spain was much better. Food was awesome, wine was even better and the culture far more interesting. People in Madrid were not real friendly, they all spoke english but refused to out of princpal. They are very proud of their country and language and see no reason to adapt to Americans (hard to blame them). But everywhere else i went in spain people were great.

I've also done a fair bit of traveling around the US. My favorite part of the country has been the Pacific Northwest. If you are an outdoorsman there is endless amount of adventures to keep you busy. Great camping, fishing, hiking, you name they got it.

[zamboni]

In my Navy days I did.

Great Lakes, IL for boot camp

Millington, TN (NAS Memphis) for school

back to Great Lakes for more school

Guam

Yokosuka, Sasebo, Yokohama Japan

Chinhae, South Korea (since changed its name)

Darwin, Australia

Hong Kong (during British rule)

Manila, Phillipines

Pearl Harbor, HI

Vancouver, BC

Everett and Bremerton WA

And I have been to most of the states in the US. Least favorite place I went to in the Navy was South Korea. My ship was there in dead of winter, and with nuclear war headed torpedoes we had to moor out 5 miles and take speed boats into port. Not fun when its 20 degrees out. Pearl Harbor was gorgeous but very expensive. Cab ride from the base to Waikiki was $60 each way and that was in 1996. Hong Kong would take most peoples breath away. It is absolutely huge especially when your hometown has 1200 people in it.

[B. Amish]

this year the wife and i went to london, paris, and barcelona.

london - lots to see and do. always nice when you can speak the language too. went to wimbledon which was really cool even though i'm not much of a tennis fan.

paris - lots to see and do. eiffel tower, louvre, seen the mona lisa. good food and wine. would never go back. people are rude. the town stinks - sewer smell, garbage laying everywhere, everybody smokes.

barcelona - was there during the world cup, watched the spain vs portugal game in a small local bar. very interesting to see how into soccer they are. swam in the mediterraen sea. great food.

[titelines]

We took a whirlwind, 16 day tour of Italy a couple years back. Started in Venice, took the train down to Naples, then a train up to Rome, then over to Florence, and back to Venice.

Too much to go into here, but I'll just say that it was the most incredible trip I've ever taken. If you're into history (the kind you can reach out and touch), architecture, beauty, art etc., etc., this is a must do trip.

If I had to rank them, I would say Rome was my favorite, followed by Florence, Venice, then Naples...each is incredible in its own way though.

I'll second Spain as well. I biked 550 miles of the northern coast to San Sebastian and it is incredible. Food is awesome, the little villages are awesome, people are great, scenery is breathtaking and you get out of the more touristy areas. I liked Madrid too, but didn't get any further south than that.

[nofishfisherman]

barcelona - was there during the world cup, watched the spain vs portugal game in a small local bar. very interesting to see how into soccer they are. swam in the mediterraen sea. great food.

I was in Madrid during the world cup 4 years ago. It was like watching rabid Packer fans x 10. Made it exciting to watch the games and the crowd sort of just swept you away with their excitement.

[tacklejunkie]

Not including the service, I've been to Jamacia(sp), W.I., Hawaii, Fla., Mexico.

My favorite? Fishing trips up at Lake of the Woods

[Antero]

This year I have been in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma, California, Nebraska, SDak and Minny. We are leaving again for Cali in a couple of weeks. Also, have a Mexico trip scheduled for next Feb and I am working on a Ontario fishing trip for next June.

In the past I have been in Belize, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

While in the Coast Guard 40 yrs ago I was in Jamaica, St Thomas, Bermuda.

Looking back, I would say my favs are Belize and Costa Rica, great weather, good food, cheap beer and nice beaches. Here in the US I would say the fishing in Minny, Wisc and Sdak are my favorite types of trips.

As you can see retirement is great and we are doing our best to keep the travel industry afloat.

[Double D]

Antero, I have a friend who is a travel agent, and they say Belize is way underrated. As you said, the price is great and they said the snorkeling is some of the best in the world. Incredibly clear waters, it is now their recommendation for a lot of people over Mexico.

Myself and the wife were blessed to adopt 3 kids from overseas, that is about the extent of my foreign travel. Russia 3 times and Ukraine once. When we went to Ukraine in 2002 it was a great trip. We went to Simferopol and Yalta on the Crimean Peninsula. Very nice climate, beautiful scenery, great wine and liquor at cheap prices. Lots of history to look at.

Russia, while defintely not as nice, would be great for people who like a little adventure. Beautiful art and architecture, they really cleaned up the drunks between our first and last trips but if you can't stand smoking don't go. Like I said though, good for an adventurous type.

On the way home fro Ukraine we had to stop in the US embassy in Warsaw, Poland for 3 days. That is a beautiful city that most people don't put on their radar, but don't turn down the chance to go if you get it. Again lots of history. We said it is the one city we wished we could have stayed in longer.

DD

[solbes]

I wish I could travel more. So many great places yet to see. Here's some of the places I've been to outside of the lower 48

Alaska

Hawaii (Oahu, Maui, Kauai on delayed 5 yr anniversary)

Jamaica (honeymoon)

Bahamas, USVI St Thomas, St Maarten (7 day cruise)

Mexico City (3 months of work there)

Banff/Jasper, Canada

Southwestern Germany (work)

Belgium (Brussels, Antwerp, Ghentt for work)

London (weekend trip while on business)

I have to say Belgium and Banff were two of my favorites. One for sights and the absolute best beer in the land, and the other for it's majestic beauty. Can't go wrong with Hawaii either. And taking a cruise is something everyone should try once, just bring your wallet for drinks.

Looks like they will be sending me to Costa Rica soon for work, but it's in the central part of the country so nothing too exciting. No big international vacations planned with our younger kids, but someday...