Hey!
And welcome to another day of the 2022 Winter Solstice Countdown!! (I know we haven’t been all that formal lately in referring to our prize at the end of the rainbow, but we’re now inside one week.)
And speaking of the rainbow (yes, yours), what’s at the other end for you? Specifically, what’s your personal mountaintop?
For today, what do ‘ya say we all make like Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg and do some traveling? Yeah, I know ‘ol Phileas and his faithful sidekick Jean Passepartout had a whole 80 days to globetrot, but let’s speed things up and do it in six.
With a lot going on out there in our spinning orb (and please, let’s all try to focus on all the good stuff), what are your top six must-visit locales?
Again, lots out there, but close your eyes and think of your top half dozen. There are no rules really, and since we don’t have the luxury of building in travel time, just do a quick folding of your arms (yep, ala Barbara Eden/Jeannie!), and you’ll be able to switch locales in a blink.
So, I’ll start:
1. Fort Bragg, California – Fifteen+ years ago, I got within about five miles of that little town, but I had to head back down into San Francisco for a meeting. As is sometimes my wont, I was hoping to see the filming location(s) for a movie (The Majestic, 2001) that I’d seen a few years earlier.
2. Arnhem, Holland – Back in college, I read the historical recounting of Operation Market Garden, a two-pronged invasion ((paratroopers and tanks) that was designed to end the war with Germany by Christmas 1944. The campaign involved the taking of several bridges on the way to the German border. The three main bridges were (and still are) 64 miles apart, and while my legs still have something left, I’d like to follow the route from town to town.
3. Palermo, Sicily – Since half my heritage is Sicilian, I’d like to see where some of my ancestors lived. I’d like to see some of the many rural villages plus Palermo, all of Europe’s second-largest cultural center, right behind Paris.
4. Perth, Australia – There’s just something about the Outback, the history and the landscape. It’s definitely near the top of my bucket list.
5. Coos Bay, Oregon – If you’ve read some of my past blogs, you know that the late, great Steve Prefontaine is my personal hero. Coos Bay, OR is Pre’s hometown, and I’d like to see where the greatest American distance runner began his path to the Olympics.
6. Manchester, England – Years ago, I worked with a guy who grew up there. He was quite the character (and a fine musician), and with that Northern England accent, I couldn’t help thinking of the Fab Four. And if I ever do make it there, I’ll be sure to travel the 35 miles southwest to Liverpool. (And if you’ll allow me to take a short boat trip as the last leg of my sojourn, I’ve just got to visit the Isle of Man.)
As always, if you’ve got time/interest, I’d love to see your short list. Please ping me on Facebook, Linkedin or @JLFish51.
Day 5 tomorrow, gang. One step closer.
JFish
@Copyright 2022 by John L. Fischer