h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My wife and I are starting to think about our next vacation (holiday) I told her we can probably go almost any place in the world she wants to see. Our last trip was to Havana, Cuba by cruise ship and I have been thinking about a full transient cruise of the Panama Canal. This is an international board, so what do you think is the most important place to visit? We enjoy history, culture and anything unusual.

F S

Great Wall of China
Machu Picchu

That sort of thing or perhaps a yacht round the Med, what ideas do you have so far

Thank you for replying bob

I know of a great many places that sound interesting, I was rather hoping for 'I went here and it was great because... , or not'

Why is 'The Great Wall of China' more interesting than 'Hadrian's Wall'?

What does 'Machu Picchu' have that makes it more interesting than the Mayan ruins on Yucatan?

The place I really want to see might even be in your own back yard

F S

If you are true to your name (FL), how's about renting a sleeps 2 to 4 mobile home? Point your nose west and see what you can see.

I could do the same here in Canada, and even weeks of stops and looking couldn't touch but a small fraction of this country. Yours is nearly as wide and far more populated, with more variations of people and communities to experience.

Why is 'The Great Wall of China' more interesting than 'Hadrian's Wall'?

It depends on your point of view Hadrian's Wall is excellent but an enthusiast will get more out of it, purely because there is a lot missing. Knowledge is the key to Hadrian's wall but it is still a fantastic walk.

The Great Wall of China leaves little to the imagination and there is a lot more of it. It can get overwhelming because of its size, redeeming feature is the country it passes through, it is simply spectacular. Again research heightens the enjoyment of the visit.

I believe you are interested in 17c reenactment write to the sealed Knot or the English Civil War Society and find out what they are doing in the way of living history. An invitation to join in will be easily forthcoming if you talk to them.

It depends on the type of holiday you are looking for.

The British water ways are excellent book a canal barge and tour the canals for a week or two, Interesting relaxing and good fun! And the accommodation comes with the hire craft. There is plenty to see and pubs and other places to eat are normally excellent. You can always hire a car for the day if you want to visit some where special.

Hope that helps a little

Part of Hadrian's Wall is situated inside the Northumberland National Park. Northumberland is also home to Lindisfarne Holy Island.other attractions are various castles. Ainwick,Bamburgh Castle,Dustanburgh being just three along the coast. Northumberland's coastline is extremely beautiful. It's all worth a visit though a car might be a necessity to see all the sites.

Part of Hadrian's Wall is situated inside the Northumberland National Park. Northumberland is also home to Lindisfarne Holy Island.Other attractions are various castles. Ainwick,Bamburgh Castle,Dustanburgh being just three along the coast. Northumberland's coastline is extremely beautiful. It's all worth a visit though a car might be a necessity to see all the sites.

Someone needs to feed the hampsters..Sorry about the double post.

Interesting ideas.

Egypt- Luxor and the Pyramids - does that need a justification? My dream holiday - perhaps I'll wait till it gets a bit safer over there is the only thing these days.

Rome - can't move for historic stuff.

Istanbul - the same - though again perhaps a bit dodgy these days.

So much world history in those places that surely need little explanation and so much still standing.

Got to admit though - the Theodosian walls in Istanbul are better walked having done some research otherwise they're just some old (but still impressive walls) - with some research they are incredible.

I think about "he Janissary Tree" when I think about Istanbul https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Janissary_Tree

Here are some photos of he tree
http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt0n39q9pw/?order=2&brand=calisphere

Spain.
Endless reasons.

Gastronomy: one of the most tasty and varied.

Arts: museums,historical buildings since Pre-Romans times...

Landscapes: from Alpine to deserts places. Beautiful beaches, ancient forests...

Y otra buena ocasión para practicar español.

http://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A27975153

Granada is my hometown. The Alhambra is amazing, and the town too. Tapas are free!

Free tapas and the Alhambra>

I've heard that the world's been ham is raised in Spain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jam%C3%B3n_ib%C3%A9rico

Acorn-fed pigs are said to make great pork and ham.

The jamón ibérico is a delicatessen indeed. And also the rest of products like embutidos/cold meat sausages,and the meat a la brasa/on the heat from ambers. The good restaurants use holm oak wood for their parrillas/grills.

Salamanca , a beautiful town, offers that food and excellent wine.

My area is full of big, old oaks. You get a feeling of security with such steadfast trees around.

I love those trees too. And call me treehugger, but I feel very relaxed and with a deep feeling of serenity whenever I sit under an encina for a while.

The Quercus family is quite big.
Do you know how cork is collected?
http://youtu.be/u1K1dW5CSYw


The alcornoque / cork oak grows in Spain and Portugal in dehesas:

http://h2g2.com/entry/A87820464

North America's land was "managed" by the people who lived there before Columbus arrived.

http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/how-native-americans-managed-wild-land-long-before-settlers.html

Coppicing, controlled burning of brush, and intelligent use of seeds were all normal practices then. Then European-style agriculture replaced them. The thing about managing land as parkland is that you have old-growth trees, understory plants, and animals appropriate to the area, whose droppings mix with leaves and fertilize the land. Nutrients get brought up from deep underground by the trees and made into leaves, which fall to the ground in Fall and get broken down by soil microorganisms. Rainwater dissolves nutrients in the humus and seeps down to the roots, where they start the upward journey again.

It has been learned recently that trees are social organisms. Big trees guard little trees. If necessary, strong trees give nutrients to weak ones through the roots. I've seen a a study about birches and douglas firs that trade nutrients. And it isn't just plant-to-plant sharing. There are fungi that channel nutrients to the roots of plants. Some organic fertilizers contain fungi appropriate to plants.

One place that I’d like to go back to in Italy. The Amalfi Coast.

Scenery to die for along the coast and more history than you can shake a stick at.
Coastal villages. Mainly with a nautical theme.
Naples.
Vesuvius. You could hike up it. It’s a stiff walk but do-able.
Pompeii.
Beaches
Boat trips out to local islands. Capri (that I didn’t get to) and Ischia, that I did. That’s especially worth the trip for the gardens of la Mortella created by the wife of the composer William Walton.

Deek

Hi. I am new here - first post! But am probably a good person to help as I have lived in 13 countries and visited many more.

If you like history, then a driving tour of Europe would be a good one. Italy, France, UK and what else you can fit in. I would start in Scotland - which is where I am now (originally English) and see some of the sights, then head south. Through England, onto the channel tunnel into France and spend time around Paris and onto the Loire Valley - loads of little interesting towns. Down into Italy and through Tuscany down to Florence and then onto Rome.