Gee, I thought it would be bigger
Jul 9th 2009
Madeline HunterMadeline Hunter & My Life As A Plebe
DH and I took a vacation to the eastern Mediterranean this summer. It was fantastic, and not nearly as expensive as it should have been because (1) the economy is creating deals and (2) we left the boys at home. The latter, I have 
discovered, really cuts the price a lot. Turns out family vacations are a lot cheaper if you leave out half the family. Of course, it is absolutely vital that you not go into Mehmet’s store to “browse” Turkish carpets if you want to stay within budget. I know of what I speak here.
Between shopping excursions I saw some buildings that I have studied and taught for years. I was surprised that most places, like the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and the Parthenon in Athens, were better than the pictures led me to expect.
Often I am disappointed when I finally see some site or monument that I have wanted to see 
for years. I will have seen it in pictures from all angles and think I know what it will look like, but the reality is often different. Smaller. Less stunning somehow. Stonehenge was like that. It just looks bigger in photographs so visiting it takes some adjustment of expectations.
I have heard some people say that just about the only tourist attraction that everyone agrees is never smaller or less impressive than the image conveyed in pictures–to anyone– is the Grand Canyon——–
Okay, topic hijack alert. That title up there will not shut up. It is like a walk-on character who insists on his own story and keeps tempting a writer to get off track. And, like those characters often are, the title was just an accident, really. A throw away. I did not realize the potential when I typed it.
About ten minutes ago I saw the double entendre (I am sooo sharp, huh?) And I thought, that should be the title of a blog about lines you will never read in romance novels, not about siteseeing. Only problem is that it is one in the morning, and I am not sure that I can think of other lines that would never be in a romance novel. Hmmm. How about:
His former mistress was the nicest lady, and did everything possible to further his new wife’s happiness.
Not a single woman at the ball indicated that she had noticed Miss Buttercup’s faux pas.
Felicity discovered to her dismay that this hunk who made her hot was a sloppy kisser.
–Nope, not enough for a whole blog. I did have a great vacation though.
Have you ever seen a famous site and thought it was disappointing?
Which ones really impressed you?
Can you think of any other lines that you would never find in a romance novel? I don’t have enough for a whole blog on it, but we can still have some fun
66 Comments »
66 Responses to “Gee, I thought it would be bigger”
LoriHandeland on 09 Jul 2009 at 5:37 am #
Have you ever seen a famous site and thought it was disappointing?
Not disappointing but definitely smaller than I thought and kind of odd.
The Alamo–it’s right in the middle of downtown San Antonio. And I kept thinking–how did all those guys die in here? It’s so small.
And the Grand Canyon–it’s huge and impressive, but we looked and went “Huh. Big.” And that was pretty much it except for the photos. I was definitely not traveling to the bottom on a donkey.
Which ones really impressed you?
I was seriously impressed by the WW2 memorial in DC. It gave me goosebumps.
Can you think of any other lines that you would never find in a romance novel?
Not tonight, baby, I have a headache.
Tanya on 09 Jul 2009 at 5:41 am #
How about: “She thought the bulbous hairy wart on his nose was extremely sexy.”
Not that it was disappointing in any way; but the Sistine Chapel was much smaller then it looked in all the pictures I have seen (it is still an absolutely beautiful though)!
Susan M on 09 Jul 2009 at 5:53 am #
Have you ever seen a famous site and thought it was disappointing?
Yes…Graceland. I am a huge Elvis fan and couldn’t wait to see it. But when I finally got to…well…it was so much smaller than I had pictured. I thought it was going to be this huge mansion and it really wasn’t.
Which ones really impressed you?
I haven’t really traveled much. I was most impressed the first time I saw the ocean. As someone from the midwest that was very impressive to see.
Can you think of any other lines that you would never find in a romance novel?
I’m going to have to think on this one…it’s too early for me yet.
Lisa H on 09 Jul 2009 at 5:58 am #
I had the priveledge of going to Paris a couple of years ago. Everything was better than I expected except the cuisine.(Perhaps we just didn’t know how to choose a good restaurant) The Louvre was spectacular, the Eiffle Tower, Notre Dame and Sacred Heart. Paris delivered on all counts.
I also have been to The Grand Canyon and was pretty much rendered speechless. I am not an “outdoorsey” person, but I could imagine hiking and rafting through it, and never tiring of its splendor.
I love to travel, and am so happy to be anywhere, that I am rarely disappointed.
PJ on 09 Jul 2009 at 5:59 am #
I agree with Lori. After seeing the movies, I was shocked at how tiny the Alamo was in person.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa was much smaller than I had thought it would be and left me feeling kind of blah. On the other hand, the Colisseum in Rome was everything I had imagined and more. But, the one thing that leaves me breathless every time I see it is Michelangelo’s David. There could not be a more perfect reflection of the magnificent sculpting brilliance of Michelangelo than that statue. Standing less than two feet away and knowing that it is made of cold marble, it is so life-like that you could almost convince yourself that it breathes and would be warm to the touch. It’s incredible.
Like Tanya, I thought the Sistine Chapel would be larger but it was in no way disappointing, especially when you consider that Michelangelo, who was a sculptor, not an artist, painted it after only a few months of art lessons.
Lisa H on 09 Jul 2009 at 6:00 am #
Phrases you will never hear in a romance novel, “It was just slam, bam, thank-you mam, nothing to write home about.”
“He was so hot, I could easily overlook his bad breath and brutish manners.”
“She was almost perfect. A little bit of khol and face paint would have finished her off nicely.”
Lisa H on 09 Jul 2009 at 6:02 am #
Oooo one more place I found spectacular is Sedona Arizona. A small town with red clay mountains will surely take your breath away. It definitely lived up to it’s reputation for me.
Archer on 09 Jul 2009 at 6:03 am #
Have you ever seen a famous site and thought it was disappointing?
I was a bit disappointed in Dublin. I had it in my head that it would have a somewhat mystical feel. It was just a really dirty city and the buildings didn’t look historical just run down. Although the stew, the Guinness, and Baileys were awesome the prices were pretty high. The other parts of Ireland were beautiful.
A lot of my friends have said they’ve been disappointed by the pyramids in Egypt, but I still really want to see them.
Which ones really impressed you?
Edinburgh…. just thinking about that city makes me smile. The city just has such a magical feel to it. Its not like you’re visiting the castle as a touristic site, it feels like its still part of the city.
Malta was also amazing. The city of Valetta looks so old. It looks like its made of clay. Although the currency exchange rate in Malta is insane.
Can you think of any other lines that you would never find in a romance novel?
I didn’t know that they came in smaller sizes.
Pesky on 09 Jul 2009 at 6:18 am #
I love to travel which means no matter WHAT I see I’m really excited about it. “Oh man look! A Prarie Dog!” So I tend not to be disappointed.
However, I do remember the “more” experience.
I never wanted to see Paris. Nothing there to interest me. Everyone I know came back reporting “rude people”. So, why go someplace where people hate me and spend my money? Then came the 12 hour layover in France on my last trip to Ireland. There was no way I was staying in the airport. So I went out and exercised my french with the worlds nicest cab driver and got this tour of Paris at night that was amazing. I met the most awesome people there, and Notre Dame…wow…all I can say is…wow. I’m going back as soon as I can.
lines you will never see in a romance novel:
Contemporary: How many men have I had…are you familiar with the term “Wilt Chaimberlain Numbers?”
Historical: Well honey, hold that thought, I have to go do the dishes.
Pesky on 09 Jul 2009 at 6:24 am #
Oh! I do remember the first time I learned you REALLY have to pay attention when looking for castles in Ireland. We were in Galway, I was looking on the tourist map and saw “Lynch’s Castle”…I was sure I was walking past the spot in the city where it said it was but all I could see was a bank. Then I realized Lynch’s Castle had been turned into the bank. d’oh!
Freshechelle on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:09 am #
The Mona Lisa. She’s just not all that when there’s so much amazing work in the same room of the Louvre and a few rooms over. The de Medici Cycle and Napoleon’s Coronation were such much more, more than just their grand scale – they have hubris.
On the pleasant surprise side, the Grand Canyon, Caillebotte’s Floorscrapers at Musee d’Orsay, Venice, the drive through southwestern Wisconsin, Vancouver’s waterfront. These were places I thought little of seeing or thought I knew what to expect and was pleasantly moved by their beauty.
Things you’ll never read in a romance novel: “Looks like you’ve put on a few pounds.” “What are you doing back there?”
Claudia Dain on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:09 am #
I have to ditto Graceland. I happened to be in Memphis and thought I should see it while I was there. It’s just a suburban house! You get on the tour bus at the visitor’s site, drive across the street, headset on (mind-boggling) and then you’re in the driveway. It was a very strange experience all round.
Edinburgh exceeded all my expectations. It doesn’t feel like any other city I’ve ever visited.
Never-never lines in romance novels:
“I waited all this time for *that*?”
“Are you sure you’re doing it right?”
“This is exactly what my mother told me to expect. No wonder I’m an only child.”
Rachel Gibson on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:10 am #
The Alamo was very anticlimactic. And speaking of anticlimactic. A sentence you’ll never read in a romance:
It looked like a penis, only smaller.
Cail on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:19 am #
hm. Places that didn’t live up to expectations: i’m kind of blanking on this one. most of the time when i travel i don’t go to tourist traps, but i have to say that quite a few aquariums have really disappointed me. i live in a tourist town and our own aquarium is definitely not worth the 20 bucks they expect you to spend.
i loved all of the big European cities I’ve been to and most of the American ones. The Colosseum was awesome, and Notre Dame was an experience I will never forget. I finally realized that after living in NY for most of my life, it’s not worth going to museums unless there is something specific I want to see in another place. The Rosetta stone was a bit of a disappointment, but luckily the Brittish Museum is free, and we just popped in and out to see it. Visiting Hyde Park made me wish I was in regency era England instead of modern day.
Connemara in Ireland and all of Iceland are two of the places that really went beyond my expectations. Although the Blue Lagoon in Iceland is a bit of a disappointment.
Julia London on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:31 am #
Lori and Rachel, I’m with you on the Alamo. Nothing like you see in the movies.
Lines you’ll never see in a romance novel: He was tall, with dark blue eyes, thick brown hair, the neck of a bird and the arms of a scarecrow.
Michelle B on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:36 am #
Mount Rushmore is so much more impressive in person. The really funny part is that you are so impressed and take all these pictures only to get home and the picutures just don’t do it justice. You then ask yourself, “Why did I take all these picutures of the same thing?!” I do this all the time with scenery that blows me away and then the picutures are just ordinary. Like the Rocky Mountains.
I can’t believe everyone is disappointed with the Alamo. I lived in San Antoino two different times and love visting it. Yes, it is small, but the history comes alive there. My imagination runs wild with the scenes. There were actually more walls out closer to the street, you can see the foundations still, so it was much larger. The rest of the Missions are also very cool to visit.
Freshechelle on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:40 am #
What about the basement in the Alamo?
Sabrina Jeffries on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:43 am #
St. Paul’s Cathedral in London was WAYYYY bigger than I realized, and I only saw it in passing on a bus! Next trip to England, I definitely want to visit it.
The entire city of Los Angeles disappointed me. *G* It was so covered in brown dust. I’d always pictured it the way it’s depicted in that Randy Newman video, “I Love L.A.” but it’s really much dirtier and the sun is way too bright. I know, that sounds weird, but I just wasn’t terribly thrilled with it. I did love San Francisco, though. That city had a totally different feel.
Line you’ll never read in a romance novel: “Sure, hon, I’m okay with you going to the ball with another guy. I hate dancing.”
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:49 am #
I was in San Antonio once and never got to see the Alamo because something was going on there and they had it blocked off. But I could tell just from its location that it would not be very big. Movies can make that look a lot different.
On the Sistine ceiling—this is a good example of why I am often surprised. When you see pics of that, they are close up. When you are there, you are 70 feet below it, so everything becomes “smaller”.
I agreeo on the Mona Lisa, Fresh. The first time I saw it, through a mob of cameras, I was “eh.” Then I turned around and was face to face with the Giorgione pastoral and was blown away.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:52 am #
The really big disappointment of this trip we took was the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. I had a picture in my mind of covered walkways full of stalls—like a covered open-air market. It is more like a huge shopping mall. There are actual stores lined up in it. On the other hand, Istanbul itself is a very interesting and modern city and I would not mind going back to explore it more.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:56 am #
I love these lines that won’t be in romance novels. Nope, none of them will be .
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:01 am #
I agree that Venice is better in person. It is sort of surreal. The Amalfi coast stunned me, because pictures can’t capture the broad vistas and perspectives you have when you drive down it.
Margaret on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:03 am #
Gosh, it’s so good to be home and have the energy to play with you all again. I love my large, extended family but I missed my nest and my doggie.
I haven’t traveled in Europe and am envious of you that have. I guess I’ll have to live vicariously.
I was horribly disappointed in the Petrified Forest in Arizona. It was just a lot of stones lying around. I expected to see stone trees standing around. With leaves intact, of course. In my defense, I was only 10-11 at the time & had little idea what ‘petrified’ meant. At about the same age I was also disappointed in the fact that the Alamo was surrounded by concrete and tall buildings. It took me a few years to feel the history when I walked inside. Then, I had chills as I thought of those men who knew they were going to die but fought on anyway. Ditto on Graceland disappointment.
Grand Canyon was awesome. The Rockies are a cathedral unto themselves. I’m like Pesky. Awed by everything. I almost wrecked the car last week when I came across a WV ridge with wind turbines dancing across them. Beautiful & graceful.
nancyg on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:19 am #
I’m with y’all on Graceland – I was like, “This is the famous jungle room”??
I was disappointed in the Tower of London (excepting the crown jewels) – I don’t know what I expected, but I was kinda – eh.
The San Diego Zoo wasn’t as great as I expected – it’s just bigger. The kids had a great time though & that’s what it’s all about.
Paris & Monaco were awesome. Monte Carlo was everything I thought it would be – it’s postcard beautiful!
Cannes was pretty, but not as glamorous as I expected. Went the week after the film festival – the red carpets were still out, etc. Beaches were pretty, but nothing in a special way than anywhere else. Every French person I met was very nice. I think people in the Caribbean are much ruder to tourists.
Spent a wonderful summer in Taipei – the difference in cultures is amazing – the temples & palaces were gorgeous. Experienced my 1st typhoon, lol.
line in a romance?
…and he kicked her out of bed for eating crackers.
…and, thus, the dance move hereafter known as the funky chicken was born.
She suffered a pang of disappointment as she realized his codpiece was stuffed.
They were sweating like a whore in church.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:23 am #
Okay, that does it. Consensus is forming here. Graceland should be stricken from my list of places to go before I die.
elsiehogarth on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:24 am #
Susan M and Claudia, I have to agree about Graceland. I went to the 10th Anniversary of Elvis’ death and I was shocked on how small it was and also in the decor. What about that Jungle Room and the shag carpets?
Two places that I have been in awe of and would love to visit again would be Greece for the Parthenon and the Acropolis and Egypt for the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphnix. In Athens and Cairo, I was lucky enough to be, in a hotels, that I could view the Pyramids and the Acropolis from my balcony.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:27 am #
I mentioned in passing Mehmet the Turkish carpet seller. Does anyone else here buy things on vacation that you would probably never buy otherwise? Does the vacation spirit help you open your purse. I am pretty good about this, but I have to admit that I was no match for Mehmet. He probably categorizes potential customers in five seconds, and I went into the category titled “sitting ducks.”
Kathleen O on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:28 am #
I toured South Carolina a few years back and went to some of those plantation houses and I must say I thought they would be bigger than they were.
I would have to agree on Edinburgh..it is a lovely city and the castle is a site to behold, espicially if you are seeing it while watching the annual Tattoo and all it’s glory.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:30 am #
Elsie, I am so jealous that you had those hotel rooms!
I was so nervous about the Parthenon. That it would be smaller, or the color of the stone different or something. It has taken me forever to get there so this was a big deal for me. I was so relieved and had a wonderful hour up there with it and the other buidlings. DH and I managed to get to it before the hordes that day too..
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:31 am #
Kathleen and others—- I have never talked to anyone who visited Scotland who did not love all of it—cities and rural areas. Even my sister, who is not a big traveler, loved it. So that is high on my list, since I have never been there.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:34 am #
nancyg, I’ll bet there were a lot of disappointments in the age of codpieces.
Tanya on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:46 am #
I would love to go see the pyramid in Eygpt!!! That is on my “bucket list”…
Tanya on 09 Jul 2009 at 8:46 am #
or pyramids – since there are more then one *g*
Freshechelle on 09 Jul 2009 at 9:36 am #
I have been to Graceland at least 3 times and never once wanted to go.
The serious Elvis worshippers don’t think it’s funny when you say things like “The spirit of Elvis has entered my body.”
but that jungle room is something else… in a 70s porn kind of way…
Lorena on 09 Jul 2009 at 9:55 am #
Who said the Rockies are a cathedral? A hundred times, yes. The first time I was up in the mountains I was just blown away. Even the little towns–touristy or otherwise (Leadville, Fairplay, etc) … I just fell in love.
Greece, the same. I went as a summer exchange student when I was in high school, and it was everything I’d imagined, despite the modernity of it all.
St. Augustine. Love it, always expect it to be bigger *g*
Which in itself kind of sounds like a line you wouldn’t see in a romance novel…
Lorena on 09 Jul 2009 at 9:56 am #
Fresh–they don’t like it when you say that because they think he’s still alive. 150 years old, but still alive…
Janae on 09 Jul 2009 at 10:06 am #
San Franscico & Yosemite. The first time I was in San Fran, it had to be the dirtiest city that I’ve ever been to in my life. There were streets just lined with trash 4-5 inches deep. I was expecting so much more since the area is reputed to be so environmentally friendly. It was dirtier than South Central LA. Yosemite. There really isn’t that much to see. It’s all in Yosemite Valley. I grew up going to Yellowstone. There’s just more to see – Old Faithful and the Old Faithful Lodge, Upper and Lower Falls, Tower Falls, Paint Pots, wolves, Mammoth Hot Springs, buffalo, elk, moose, Yellowstone Lake, etc. My dh, a native Californian, and I argue all the time about which park is better. Deep down I think he knows, which one is THE park because he always counters my argument of more to see with ‘it’s all in one place.’
Lines that you’d never read it a romance -
Her eyes flitted across his chest and his back as he rotated slowly around, showing her his body. What she did not expect was the amount of body hair that covered his body. He was as hairy as a gorilla. She wondered if she could convince him to get waxed.
Claudia Dain on 09 Jul 2009 at 10:19 am #
I never buy anything while on vacation, that’s if we’re not counting books. I always buy books. On one trip to England we had to buy an extra suitcase to carry them all home!
Claudia Dain on 09 Jul 2009 at 10:21 am #
Margaret, welcome back! You were missed!
Rachel Gibson on 09 Jul 2009 at 10:34 am #
If you like the Rockies, the Sawtooth mountains are truly awesome. Some of the clearest blue lakes I have ever seen.
Susan M on 09 Jul 2009 at 10:38 am #
Lorena…just wait…in a couple of years it’s not going to be Elvis sightings anymore…we’re going to start having Michael Jackson sightings.
Cail on 09 Jul 2009 at 10:39 am #
i only buy certain things in certain places. rarely do i come back with anything substantial. I’ll get the occasional cool t-shirt, but usually, when i’m abroad, it’s candy. i LOVE British candy. It costs way too much to buy Lion bars over here, so I get them in Europe when I go (or beg my friends who are traveling there) to get them. I once asked my old boss to bring one back for me from a business trip and he presented me with a full box of them. He was The Best Boss Ever.
But, to answer the question, i rarely buy things on vacation.
Julia London on 09 Jul 2009 at 10:40 am #
Madeline, things I have bought I would never have bought otherwise: A lime green leather purse in Rome. A glass pig in Venice. Face cream in Norway or Sweden that I think cost about a months’ mortgage and no better than my usual cheap brand. A wooly sweater in Scotland (must have forgotten Texas there for a moment). If I look around long enough, I will find more. Painted bowls in Mexico that are too small to put any food in, too big to put anything else in, and OH OH OH a very expensive bottle of tequila that has yet to be opened! sits up there next to the Irish whiskey that has also yet to be opened!
SuzyQ on 09 Jul 2009 at 11:00 am #
I agree with the Mona Lisa. I was so disappointed when I saw it at the Louvre, but there were so many other things there to make up for it.
Things that I have bought? Hmm, well there’s quite a lot. But the two biggest would have to be the big carved wooden idol from Hawaii and a huge sombrero from Mexico. I think they are now in a box somewhere in my attic.
freshechelle on 09 Jul 2009 at 11:52 am #
I buy practical things like a hairdryer when I was in Italy. Now I have a proper hair dryer with a cold shot for all my European jaunts that I rarely take.
A tiny, lightweight umbrella from Scotland that doesn’t add weight to my handbags.
I buy qtips in the UK because I like the packaging.
I bought cream for chilblains at Boots because my friends and I are amused by the word. It’s so Jane Eyre to have chilblains.
evlqn on 09 Jul 2009 at 11:55 am #
I can’t say I was disappointed by anything but I was surprised that they could fit so many people on the Golden Hind. We toured the reproduction of it several years ago and even I (the original munchkin) had to duck .
“Really?? You’re a dude??”
SheridanLA on 09 Jul 2009 at 12:07 pm #
Though it was still amazing, I was kinda irked that I could not see Mt Rushmore close-up. No one ever tells you that it is on the top of this hill and you can only see it from way down at the bottom. Perhaps I went with delusions of Cary Grant saving me from villains or something.
Alamo is a bit odd being in the middle of the city, but most of the missions we had already seen on that trip were also rather small.. they were more about basic function then grandeur.
One place that really was more amazing then I thought it would be was Machu Picchu. I knew it would be worth seeing, but had no idea how overwhelming it would be when I actually got there. Others that were also overwhelming: Rome, Parthenon, Acropolis, Santorini, Phuket and Banff (course, they are part of the Rockies, which I grew up in… I will always love the mountains.)
Pesky on 09 Jul 2009 at 12:13 pm #
LOL Fresh: Maybe it’s about the presentation…next time drop to your knees, throw your hands over your head and attach to the drama queen within when you shout “SHADES OF ELVI! I FEEL THE SPIRIT OF THE KING HIMSELF COMING WITHIN ME.” then stand up, do your best Elvis pose and say “Thank You…thank you very much.” and calmly walk away like nothing just happened.
Make sure you have young relatives with you when doing this feat, their utter mortification is just the final icing on the cake.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 12:19 pm #
janae, I have to agree about Yellowstone. It is pretty impressive esp when, like me, you really don’t know what you are going to see there.
I had to run out, guys, to get my hair cut for the conference. Later this afternoon it is nails. Man, getting ready for these conferences takes a ton of time. I am still waiting for something I bought to be delivered but I am beginning to think the person who sent it to me lied and it will show up after I head to DC.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 12:24 pm #
Cail, I also buy candy in any country I am in. DH has to “test” the chocolate and I go for unusual other kinds of candy.
Julia, of course you had to buy those bottles! We always bring back something local, and never open it either.
Claudia, we are counting books, esp if you need an extra suitcase. London has these wonderful used bookstores with fascinating and obscure books and I went into one and an hour later had a stack. Then I had to figure out how to get them home. I don’t go in them anymore.
This trip, we carried home hand painted Turkish quartz tiles. Heavy. And every single security checkpoint stopped us. But they are purtty.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 12:26 pm #
other non-romance lines:
historical: “If I had known you were the kind of woman who enjoyed sex, I never would have married you.”
contemp: “The store had some flimsy nightgowns but they would never keep you warm, so I bought you flannel for valentine’s day.”
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 12:27 pm #
suzyQ—I’m sure that sombrero seemed like a good idea at the time.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jul 2009 at 12:31 pm #
Sheridan, Machu Pichu is on my list of places to go.
Tanya on 09 Jul 2009 at 12:45 pm #
Lines you would never hear: “He lovingly stroked her long curly armpit hair.”
or – “Her delicate feet smelled exactly like rochford cheese, and everyone knew how much he loved a good strong cheese.”
Claudia Dain on 09 Jul 2009 at 1:44 pm #
I also thought Mt. Rushmore was amazing. Bigger than I expected, very grand, but so strange to see this achievement out in the middle of nowhere! Hey, I’m not from North Dakota; it felt like nowhere to me.
Mari on 09 Jul 2009 at 3:12 pm #
When I was in Paris I saw the Eiffel tower and I guess I imagined it would be bigger.
When I was in Spain I saw the painting “Guernica” and I didn’t realize it was so big, and the subject matter was almost hypnotizing.
Karen Rose on 09 Jul 2009 at 6:32 pm #
I thought the Alamo was small, too. And I kept snickering because I was thinking of PeeWee’s Big Adventure.
“There’s no basement at the Alamo!” I was very bad to snicker as it’s a respectful place. I blame PeeWee.
I was disappointed with Mount Vernon and Independence Hall. It’s like … and?
I was also disappointed with Schoenbrun Palace in Vienna. Its got something like a million rooms and they let us see six. Six. And we couldn’t get close. And there was this tour group who kept pushing us out of the way.
The Vatican Treasury. LAME-O. I think they were hiding all the good stuff in the basement. How many teeth did John the Baptist have anyway?
Coolest weird thing I’ve seen? Mummifed dead popes, in full regalia, lounging on their sides in glass coffins in Ottoburen Cathedral, Germany. Creepy but amazing.
Janae on 09 Jul 2009 at 6:53 pm #
KarenR – You’re not alone in being disappointed with Mount Vernon. Not only do they herd people thru the house like cattle, some of the information that they give out is historically inaccurate – how Washington died, for example and what killed him. The only thing that saved Independence Hall for me was a conversation that I had with one of the ranger people. It was a real discussion about the Constitution and some of the players.
Unexpected treat – our trip to the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston. Amazing old building – built in 1804 for the Society. They have portraits of famous early Americans that I’ve seen in my American history books over the years. I’d love to work there; it’s my dream job. Alas, my dh works in animation, so I don’t see us heading to Boston anytime soon. Oh, and the Old Statehouse in Boston – site of the Boston Massacre. They have SC Representative Preston Brooks’ cane that he used to beat MA Senator Charles Sumner on the floor of the Senate in the 1850s. Considering the cane beat someone, it looked practically new.
TinaLouiseF on 09 Jul 2009 at 6:56 pm #
Claudia,
Mt Rushmore is near Rapid City, South Dakota
North Dakota has the painted hills and the Badlands.
Gannon on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:07 pm #
PJ, I’m so with you on Michaelangelo’s David. Nothing I’ve seen has come close to such complete brilliance, except maybe his Pieta. So moving!
Susan M, we were in Memphis several years ago and just drove by Graceland. I agree that it was so much smaller than I thought it would be.
K-Rawk, how about all of the statues in the Vatican missing their penises. What did they do with all of them?
nancyg on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:22 pm #
The only thing I tend to buy during my travels are paintings and/or Christmas ornaments from the places we’ve been to. It’s like a running gallery of where we’ve been together.
And when we’re putting the tree up, it’s like a stroll through memory lane… “Remember that was the trip when the rental car died?” or “That’s when you had the horse that wouldn’t move?”
Karen Hawkins on 09 Jul 2009 at 7:48 pm #
I love the David! The best part was the tour we got from a local guide. He was simply INCREDIBLE and knew all sorts of gossip about Michelango’s life and his struggles with the Pope and oh, a ton of interesting things!
Things not as I expected … the Sistine Chapel AFTER they cleaned it. It had so much more dignity before. Now it’s just so pastelly and Disney-sih. Garish actually comes to mind.
But then maybe Michelangelo knew it would gray over because of smoke, etc, and he di painted it that way on purpose.
Lines you’ll never see in romance novels: He was tall, broad shouldered, with striking black hair and blue eyes and she could see from the way he walked that he was a complete Momma’s boy from head to toe.
Patricia Barraclough on 09 Jul 2009 at 9:52 pm #
Went to Mount Rushmore a few years ago and was pretty much shocked at how nothing it was. The visiting area is mostly paved over. Tour buses and taxis pull up to it. Over half the people were in dresses, heels, or suits. It is a National Memorial and I guess I was thinking park, nature, learn something. Wrong on all points. It had a very small room for park information and displays. The commercial concessions took up most of the space. Most people got out of their car, walked a few hundred feet, looked at the rock faces, got their souvenirs and left. There is no feeling to it at all.
On the same trip we went to the Crazy Horse Memorial, not far from Rushmore. What a world of difference! For one thing, the rock memorial dwarfs Mt. Rushmore, which was a lot smaller than I had expected. The buildings and exhibits at Crazy Horse are beautiful and very well done. The history of the site and the project are well explained. It was one of the best stops on our trip.
Lines not for a romance novel – As she turned to snuggle closer to him, he rose on one arm and said “Can we make this quick, I have a tee time in 30 minutes.”
Patricia Barraclough on 09 Jul 2009 at 9:55 pm #
TinaLouiseF
The Badlands are in South Dakota.
Susan M on 10 Jul 2009 at 5:33 am #
Patricia – I have wanted to see the Crazy Horse memorial for so long. Now I REALLY want to see it!
Deb Maher on 12 Jul 2009 at 11:33 am #
Have you ever seen a famous site and thought it was disappointing? Stonehenge. Glorious expectations but as we drove up it was just sitting between two forked highways, somehow smaller. Walking around it started getting us into the spirit. Then a ram got his horns stuck in the surrounding wire farm fence. The word “sacrificial” popped into my mind, but several Brits set him free.
Which really impressed you? We took a catamaran cruise on the San Francisco Bay last year. Memories still leave me breathless. California Redwoods. Grand Canyon. The monuments in Washington DC — especially WWII, Lincoln Memorial, and the Wall.