“So much of who we are is where we have been.” (William Langewiesche) Someone I know has traveled around the world, starting and ending in Detroit. I’ve been to Mexico (Juarez) and have crossed the Detroit River into Canada (Windsor). What exotic spots have you visited? While travel is fine, I believe that people we’ve met and books we’ve read tend to influence us the most. I once was set to lead a tour of the Holy Lands, but bombings cancelled it. ;-) Jack
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Gary and I have been to all 50 states, most of them numerous times. We've been to Mexico several times and Canada many many times to many provinces. He has traveled to Luxembourg, Sweden, Germany and Austria on business. My favorite state beside Michigan is Idaho. But every state has a special place we love and they are all beautiful. They have all left an impression on both of us.====JACK: After listing places we've visited, in our mind we should list the books and people who've made a difference in our life.====JUDY: I think that's why we love to travel. People are so fun to get to know from all over the world. I still am in contact with people we met years ago on a cruise to Nova Scotia.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Travel people and books certainly all make life very interesting and challenging. Bali Australia Hawaii Alaska Rio Paris Rome Venice are some of my favorites. And of course the Bahamas where we lived for three years and many many more...and Moline was a great place in which to grow up! People are very interesting. One of my favorite books is still Men to Match my Mountains. Another is Steve Jobs.====JACK: You've had the best of both worlds. Working for Eastern Airlines, you've had a chance to fly cheaply (even free) to many destinations. As an educator you've had a chance to read many books and to interact with many people, students and colleagues. ...and I agree with you about Moline. "We are Moliners!"
FROM FACEBOOK LIZ: one can travel the world over and over, yet never become worldly... ====JACK: It depends on what you mean by worldly. Would you be described as worldly?
Experienced and sophisticated and enlightened and streetwise? ...or, are you one who is concerned with material values or ordinary life rather than a spiritual existence? I would guess that you are more of the first than of the second.
FROM WALMART REV: Willmar, MN has been by "Disney World" experience with its Adventureland, Frontierland Fantasyland and Tomorrowland!====JACK: Willmar also has a racetrack with an AG preacher giving the invocation and singing the National Anthem...and a Pastors' Race where local reverends can get into a race-car and go like He(ck) around the track.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: I have been so blessed to be able to be able to travel to England, Scotland;, Wales and France, the Congo, Africa,,Japan (for 3 wks. when Sarah taught English there), India, Nepal & Naga Land, and the Holy Land, Turkey and Germany! Jan and Hal celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by taking their family and Bill and I on a cruise to Mexico and Caribbean Isles! Also toured Canada and Nova Scotia one summer. We were always thankful to return "home" to the good old USA! But indeed seeing conditions in the rest of the world IS life-changing, The more you're aware, the more you care, and travel does open your eyes!! Books do sway us in different ways, and certainly key people in our lives are an influence, you are right on about that! Just had a memoriam yesterday in the newspaper for Bill's 91st b.day, had he still been among us. Because of memories in the heart, we'll never be apart!====JACK: You're up there among the most well-traveled person that I know. I once took the Quinlan Ferry across the Mississippi from Rock Island to Davenport. As I recall, the fare was five cents. Maybe I'm among the least-traveled person you know.
FROM RS IN TEXAS: We've been blessed to visit Canada (6 of the provinces), England, Ireland, Mexico, and Costa Rica. We almost always try to stay at an Airbnb or a Bed and Breakfast to get to know the locals. In most cases it's the people that we remember more than what we saw. Great people everywhere. Viet Nam was on my list - that was a mixed bag. OK when you weren't getting shot at. Gloria has also been to Medjugorje (Bosnia and Herzogovina), Spain and Morocco. Still a few places on our bucket list - Sweden, Finland, Scotland,France, Austria, New Zealand......and the 4 states I haven't been to - RI, MT, WY and ID. Figured we could knock out the last 3 of those with a trip to Yellowstone. We'll see.====JACK: Be careful when going to Yellowstone. I've heard that there's a big volcano there that's about ready to erupt...but that should be nothing compared to the danger you faced in VN. I'll always remember how proud your parents were when you were promoted to be a helicopter pilot.
FROM CPA BOB: As a kid, like many others, I thought the US was the best at everything and invincible. I did not have the experience of the depression as you did and my parents both had jobs (pharmacist and secretary) through the depression. My perspective changed dramatically when I started to travel and understood that everyone sees things from their own “center of the universe”.
It’s people Margie and I have met, primarily in other countries, who have influenced my thinking the most, particularly friends and/or relatives in Italy, Hungary and Israel. We have not been to what I would call exotic places. The Dominican Republic and Costa Rica may have some of those characteristics. I think that cultural differences seemed the greatest in Shanghai and Seoul, although both show significant Western influences. Thanks for your insight in this and so many other topics. ====JACK: I know that I could have benefitted from more travels. I was pointing out that our lives (in my opinion) are shaped more by people and books than by sight-seeing. Mary and I did take a train trip from Toronto to Vancouver, through the Rockies. Does that count as travel?====BOB: Yes, that train trip counts as travel. I think that if you go more than a nominal distance from where you live and work to see someone or something new, it counts as travel. I think that seeing the unique resources available to others also influences our thinking about some of what’s important to them.====JACK: I've read that some people are spending their senior years living on a cruise ship because it's cheaper than living in an assisted living facility. Boring!
FROM KANSAN DON: Travel has been my desire and privilege (but not much more). Scandinavia, of course. Three LWR trips (Peru/Bolivia, Kenya/ Tanzania, and Israel/Palestine. Perhaps most unexpected was East Germany, where I had a significant lesson on democracy. When visiting students in 1973, they taught me about democracy. I noticed that their voting seemed to be almost a useless act and I asked why they voted knowing the predictable results. Their explanation; We’re supposed to vote! So we go as a group to the polling place and cast our ballots. Some vote for and others against party people, but going as a group kept them from identifying who voted for whom. Further, we used the voting booth, because a party loyalist would ‘brag’, “I don’t need the booth, I can mark my ballot right here!” Did the party candidate get a small or larger percent this time as last? That was their way to register opinions/concerns. Yes, all should vote and the private booth is IMPORTANT. Will I vote next time in Kansas?====JACK: In one of my travels, I did go to Lindsborg, Kansas. Does that count as foreign travel?====DON: I hope you felt welcome without depending on Swedish.
FROM GL MARY: i have been to many great and exotic places...turkey, lebanon, syria, mexico, canada, costa rica, equador, china...but i am so much like dorothy..".there's no place like home". i love road tripping in the states and canada. my goal is to visit each state and provinced before i pass on to the next realm. i also love to explore through books. i always have a good read with me when i travel!====JACK: My first and only passport's as clean as a whistle, while yours has all kinds of strange languages stamped on its pages.====MARY: Hey, I just saw that my name has changed on the blog. No more peppermint mary?====JACK: I thought that you had retired from the Peppermint School, so I retired your moniker.====MARY:
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