Your best vacation?

[Pendergraft]

9yrs have passed and I still vividly remember my vacation in Jamaica! The catamaran ride around the bay, the deep sea snorkeling, the horseback ride in the mountains then the beach. Local freshly made breakfast with kale (first time I've ever tried) blue mountain coffee in the morning by the window, overlooking the beach just a few feet away. Went for a yoga by the beach each morning and had a wonderful massage, mani/pedi combo at the hotels spa. Ate copious amount of jamaican jerk chicken from a local grill with rastafarian men singing Bob Marley in the background.

My first taste of weed, finished a whole joint but NO effect, which was quite disappointing. My girlfriend on the other hand was skinny dipping at a lighted pool directly in front of her parents bedroom window singing to her hearts content. Was there for a friends wedding, it was THE best wedding I've attended to date! Really got to know all 50 guests considering we've never met and we're all from different places (Scotland, NY, NJ, Philippines, England, Ireland, Paris & China). Most of the of the activities were spent with them and it made the wedding so much more intimate. Lots of dancing at night and just really good fun relaxation during the day.

[SheRa Seastar]

I do not like Ormskirk personally lol. So freaking boring. YMMV.

Why would you choose to study at Edge Hill of all places :P

Cafe Red. The only reason to visit Ormskirk

[SheRa Seastar]

I loved Cuba. The first time I went in 2000 we did a tour of the island for a week, then a week by the beach. It's such a beautiful country and so different depending where you choose to stay.

The second time I went to a wedding in varadero. It's literally a strip of land surround by glorious, white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters. It was a great base to take trips to places like Havana, and the Cuban people are lovely, friendly, passionate and funny.

[lessthanluke]

Cafe Red. The only reason to visit Ormskirk

I was referring to Lime Tyger.

[Kikajon]

Thank you...I feared something even worse :)

I'm sorry, it's a shame, really...

:grouphug:

[Maithanet]

But tourists, tourists, everywhere. And gypsies/illegal ware-hawkers. If someone wasn't trying to get one's luggage on the train for payment (they ripped it out of my hands as I said NO! NO!), someone was trying to sell water, hats, umbrellas, etc untaxed on the streets.

I had a similar experience in Italy, although I only went to Venice for a couple of days. Venice was smelly, claustrophobic and crowded with tourists. I much preferred Prague and Berlin (the other main cities we went to on that trip).

[SheRa Seastar]

I was referring to Lime Tyger.

Cafe Red is a waffle shop, it is the only reason to visit Ormskirk, Liverpool's the place for cocktails

[all swedes are racist]

Six days backcountry hike in Pemigewasset Wilderness in the White Mts up in New Hanpshire a few years ago over 4th of July weekend. Nobody goes backcountry.that week so my brother, myself. and a couple friends.saw about three other human beings the entire week.

Nothing like waking up just before dawn.and drinking coffee with a shot of bourbon in it while watching the.sunrise in the middle if nowhere. Other higlights included bathing in 40 degree water on 90 + degree days, following a moose an entire morning on a swampy loop to Thoreau pond. Never saw that swamp donkey, just the steaming piles it left us to follow.

Close second is going to Gathering of the Vibes with my gf last summer

Oh man, yes. My family used to camp up there every summer. Lincoln, Woodstock, love that whole area. Beautiful country, great memories.

Yeah, that river is fucking COLD

[Cuellar]

For city, I liked my trip to Rome. I went in Feb, so it was miserable weather wise (I'd stay in LA if if that was all that mattered), crouds were non-existent and I got to do a lot of things the average tourist doesn't. I saw maybe 10 people the whole day I spent in Pompeii which became such a eerie experience. I had no lines in the vatican, and got to sit and chill in the sistine chapel. Also, I walked nearly everywhere and got insanely lost plenty of times, but it was a neat experience finding random fountains and piazza's.

For beaches, I really enjoyed my private island resort stay in Fiji for my honeymoon. Water was awesome, just relaxed, people were friendly, did some diving, fishing, etc. I'm headed to the Maldives in Feb, so we'll see if that tops Fiji.

For adventure, south Africa/Zimbabwe/Botswana trip was unbelievable for the wife and I. Took myself on safari in a 4x4 in South Africa, did white water rafting in a croc infested river under Victoria falls, boat tours in Botswana... definitely a once in a lifetime trip!.

[Tears of Lys]

My husband and I, with two other couples, chartered a 50-foot sailboat and sailed the British Virgin Islands. That had to be one of the top two vacations I've had. They'd drop anchor wherever we chose and we'd jump out with our fins and masks/snorkels on. We got to see things when they weren't crowded with cruise ships. That vacation was tacked onto the end of a week's long stay at Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico, which wasn't too shabby either!

The other that would rate the highest on my list would be a San Francisco/Napa Valley week. We drove up the coast from San Francisco, going through Monterey (which has got to be seen to be believed) finally winding up in Napa. We stayed at this fantastic B&B that was so gorgeous, I still dream of having a home like it. They had their own small vineyard too, and huge herb shrubs that grew all year round. The rosemary trailed over terraces that led down to a shaded walk to the vineyard. Drank a LLLLLLOTTTTTTT of wine that week! :drunk: But I still remember it!

ETA: May I add that my husband was always in sales management and worked for companies that rewarded their top producers with diamond class vacations where all expenses, from flights, rooms, meals, down to massages and side trips, were included. Sigh... those were the days.

Oh! A lovely trip to Hawaii - Oahu and Maui - was fantastic too. Horseback riding along the beach, diving into waterfalls, scuba diving... you name it, I wanted to experience it.

I've gotta leave this thread. It's making me want to go on another vacation!!

[all swedes are racist]

My favorite (and to be honest, only major) vacation was the two weeks in Ecuador, 10 days of which on a boat touring the Galapagos. I can't even come close to describing how amazing and frankly life-changing the trip was. The best I can say is I desperately want to go back. Like, I want to go back and never return.

The Galapagos were absolutely stunning. Maybe not the classic tropical paradise you might expect, but all the varied landscapes, the up close encounters with exotic wildlife and sense of history were breathtaking. And the tour boat we were on (Lobo del Mar II rules the world!) was amazing. The boats chef alone deserves his place in heaven for those meals. This guy single handedly 180'd my opinion on seafood. Whatever that dope ass sea bass type thing baked in shaved coconut... Epiphany. It didn't hurt that I watched the dude trade two plates of tonight's dinner to local fishing boats for a share of their catch, to be used tomorrow.

I shit, I should put a bunch of pictures up on photobucket to share, give an idea of the start beauty of the place.

And mainland Ecuador is no slouch either. Quito, my second love. What it might lack in terms of (European-style) history and culture (not that it lacks in either, just not as long or world-renowned), it makes up for in beauty and character. In spades. And the weather.... Oh that perfect, fucking glorious year round weather...

Quito struck me a very youthful and hip city. We didn't exactly dive into the nightlife scene, but we walk the streets, hung out and drank on some awesome tavern patios, watched and chatted (to lend undeserved validity to my shirty Spanish) with young people going out to clubs or enjoying other nocturnal frivolities. So much fucking fun. I wish we had expired even more.

Also notable, (but I've rambled on enough) the Mindo Cloudforests, Mitad del Mundo (the REAL one, informative AND educational... They take that shit seriously...)

Tl;dr: Eduador fucking rules.

[sj4iy]

My favorite vacation was when I spent a month in Tasmania in my last year of college. I had some friends that I had met in Japan who lived there, and I said "hey, can I crash on your couches while I'm there?" and they said "absolutely". I saw almost everything on the island, it was absolutely beautiful. I only took $200 with me, and stretched it out for the entire length of my trip because my friends were really awesome.

[Robin Of House Hill]

1973 Puerto Rico, Saint Maarten and Guadaloupe

[baxus]

I was in Florence and Rome, at the end of May. Florence, in particular, was overrun with tourists.

I loved Florence even if I was there for less than a day on our high school graduation trip of Italy.

There were quite a few tourists, that's true.

Still, it always cracks me up when I hear people going to major tourist locations as tourists and complain about tourists :lol:

I had a similar experience in Italy, although I only went to Venice for a couple of days. Venice was smelly, claustrophobic and crowded with tourists. I much preferred Prague and Berlin (the other main cities we went to on that trip).

Venice was definitely not my cup of tea.

Prague and Berlin left a much better impression.

My trip to Berlin was quite enjoyable too.

A few of us went to Berlin to run a half-marathon, spent a week there before.

Pergamon is one of the best museums I've ever been to, and Jewish history museum is close to the top too, Bundestag was impressive but even more so was the Treptawer (spelling?) park.

Even with all that, the thing that will stand out in my memory is the half-marathon itself. Running among 30.000 people through the Brandenburg gate, Tiergarten etc. was a great experience.

In a way, I've seen Berlin in a way that most Berliners haven't.

[Ser Lucious Left-Foot]

I only have one word : Corsica.

Though they don't like tourists there. But they hate metroplitan french even more, so you're cool.

[deleted01]

I adore Belgium. My first holiday abroad was spent with a Belgian friend and her family, and I felt that I truly got the cultural experience. Fresh bread from the local bakery, home-cooked meals, a day spent at a lake with her friends and family. We even went on an old speedboat that someone had restored. Late-night bars, smoking inside, ice cream shops. Watching her dad pull out a huge bag of weed :laugh: I had a great time.

My boyfriend and I visited forum friends in Belgium earlier this year. A very different experience, but still lovely. We would love to return. Although we both hate Brussels.

Other than that, I've only been to places in the UK. Belfast was beautiful, but my heart belongs to the West Country, Plymouth and Cornwall specifically. A definite must-visit for anyone spending time in the UK.

[Little Miss Sunshine]

I absolutely love going to London. Then again, after this year's trip (partly because of WorldCon), I felt like I needed a holiday from the holiday, as - between the Con and visiting friends left and right - it was absolutely exhausting :p

So far, my best holiday experience was an extended weekend with my best friend in Paris 3 years ago. If there is a city I have visited more times than London, it is Paris, but that time I had an absolute blast - few things can beat holidays with my best friend. Out trip to Amsterdam the following year was also quite nice, but nowhere near Paris :)

[Buckwheat]

I agree with Chataya on everything Italy-related. Especially:

And the garbage on the streets...like a third world country.

This, this, this. (I have never been to a third world country actually, so cannot compare that.) The dirtyness of Italy seriously bothers me every time I go there. The first time I was in Italy was in Florence (I was 15) and really noticed how much garbage there was on the streets, how dirty streets were, also the public toilets tend to be dirty. And then I was told that Florence is actually one of the cleanest Italian cities since it is one of the most touristy ones too, and the further south one goes, the dirtier it gets. I declared I am never going to Italy again back then. - I visited a few times more still: Rome, Venice (which for all its supposed romanticness and beauty is just stinky), Siena, and the latest visit was Palermo in February.

Italy does have the historic sights and art and culture in abundance, but one must be prepared to put up with the dirtyness and the crowds of tourists.

Pergamon is one of the best museums I've ever been to, 't.

Absolutely agree, I loved that museum.

I cannot say which holiday I have liked the best, each time it was something special. :) Maybe the best time I had away from home was not actually a vacation, but an 2-week international translation course in the very holiday-y setting of a Croatian island two years ago.

[lessthanluke]

Berlin - OMG, I am going back!!!! Loved everything about Berlin.

I reallllly want to go to Berlin.

[Larry of the Lawn]

The moon