Places in the world with which you have a special "Connection."

[darthmacho]

It can, but doesn't have to be a vacation spot. It can be somewhere you've visited, somewhere you've lived or have ancestors, somewhere where you have a special bond through reading, or perhaps you've always wanted to go?

In any case, here's my example, and I apologize if this is in the wrong section, but it didn't really seem to involve planning a vacation, so I put it here for general discussion.

1. Walt Disney World: Obviously, since none of us would be here otherwise, but it was aslo my Honeymoon Spot.
2. Boston's North End: It may be historic for reasons other than Darth Macho growing up there, but the North End of Boston will always be where I "came from." Sadly, it has changed so much over the years, and as an Italian-American it makes me a little sad.
3. White Mountains, NH: My "home away from home" since I was a child, i went on three vacations there with my parents and sister, took my wife and kids there last summer, and hope to take them as often as possible. I look at the Mt. Washington cam every day.
4. Yarmouth, Nova Scotia: Where I proposed to my DW, and I hope to return some day with her, perhaps for our 25th?
5. Mystic, CT: Where DW and I spent our first anniversary, and along with Boston and Yarmouth, always reaffirms our connection to the ocean near which we live.
6. Niagara Falls, Canada: Hope to take our family there some day, I reluctantly went there with my parents as a teen, and was completely taken in by the power of the falls, despite man's tampering with it.
7.New York, NY: I've only been there once, and as a Bostonian, I have a hatred for all of their sports teams, especially the Yankees, but all of that is in good fun. As September 11 should always remind us, we are all Americans.
8. Italy: Country where 3/4 of my ancestors have come from, I've never been there, but hope to go some day. I've been fascinated with the history since a child, when I learned about the Roman Empire, took Latin and Italian in school, and saw photos of Venice.
9. Mexico: More grounded in fantasy than reality, I learned more Spanish from Dora the Explorer than I did in four years of high school. I love the Mexico pavilion in WDW, Mexican music, and even Mexican liturature! I'm also fascinated with the Aztecs and Mayans. My best friend in the whole world is Mayan, though he's from Guatemala, not Mexico.
10. Africa: Also grounded in a child-like fantasy of lions and elephants, I try to balance that by reading as much as possible of the often heartbreaking history of this unique continent.

That's my list. I can't wait to read yours! :tiphat:

[Caroleh]

Great topic!!!

1.) WDW-since I won the trip last year, it'll be the most expensive thing I ever one and the most long lasting, since I fell in love with it with my first step onto the grounds of GF...or it could of been when I saw WL while on ME bus.
2.)Lake Superior-Being from orginally from Iowa, my first vacation to some place "far away" was to Lake Superior. I had never seen an ocean and Lake Superior was always my ocean. When I was married to my ex, we went on regular vacations to LS, it was the one place I could really escape from a bad marriage.
3.)Scotland-I love the accent, I love the land(that I've seen in pictures) and I love everything Celtic!!! (including the bagpipes!!!)
4.)Morocco-I fell in love with the pavillion at WDW. My DH is part Moroccan, so I've embraced his hertiage with both hands and have fallen in love with this culture.

[MsMin]

My connection is with water. My favorite place is in the sugar white sands of the Florida panhandle. I love the roar of the gulf as the waves break on the shore. I grew up on the water, Lake Ponchartrain, so maybe I just always feel at home on the water. Maybe that's explains my love for the swamp too b/c it's so close to home.
I love Italy, I've been twice and while my ancestors are from Sicily and not Italy there is still a connection there.

[poeticeclipse]

WDW: Before my dad passed away from cancer when I was 6, he told my mom that he wanted to 1- get me a pony and 2 - take me to Disney World. He told my mom to make sure that I got those things. Well, I never got the pony (no big loss) but when I was 9 I boarded a plane with my family and was on my way to the World. Every time i'm there I swear that I feel my dad's presense. The joy that I feel there is the joy that I remember when I spent time with my father as a child. I think that I was destined to fall in love with WDW from birth.

New Symrna Beach, FL: This is the place that I want to live when my future husband and I retire. It's so nice and quiet. There are surfing competitions at the inlet every year ( I love surfing). The little shop owners are just so nice... everyone is really warm. I love everything about it.

[conorsmom2000]

Cape Cod, Mass: With a family of 9, our vacations usually involved camping all over the eastern seabord in our little pop up camper - except for one week in the summer (always the last week of August) when we would go to Provincetown, Cape Cod for a week and stay in my Dad's friends house. We did this every summer from when I was a baby until I was 13 (by that point it was down to just 4 of us) and my Parents continued to go every Columbus day weekend with my aunts and uncles, until my Mom passed away in 2002. Cape Cod has such amazing memories for me - the dunes, the ice cream silo, mini golf, the beaches, racing up the pilgram monument.... :) It was definitely my Mom's "happy place" and that makes it a special place for me.

Salzburg, Austria: My parents were married in 1954 when my Dad was home on leave - he was in the Army and stationed over in Austria. After they were married, my Mom hopped on an Army plane and moved to Austria for 2 years to be with her new hubby. I had a sister who was born there, Judy, who died in a tragic accident after they moved back to the states, when she was just 14 months old (my next oldest sister was 2 months old at the time). When I was 16, my parents took 5 of us kids with them on a two week trip to Salzburg, Vienna and Paris. For someone who had only been camping most of their life, it was an amazing trip! But, it was also very touching to see my parents, back in the place where their marriage started - we even went to the house where they had rented an apt at and the same couple still lived there and recognized my parents - it was also really an amazing opportunity to learn a little history of the sister that died so many years before I was born. Then, for some reason my family are all big Sound of Music buffs, and seeing my Mom so excited over doing the SoM tour is a great memory! Just an amazing trip.

And of course, WDW!! We first went when I was 7 - again, it was all 9 of us and my Dad had a business trip that took him all through the South. We spent 3 weeks camping and had some fun times, some scary times and some crazy times. We weren't able to get into Ft. Wilderness at the time, but fate stepped in and when we had to move to a new campsite in Louisiana because the first one turned out to be not so nice, we met a wonderful family who became close friends of my parents - they had 2 reservations at Ft. Wilderness but their friends canceled, and they just gave us their reservation! So, not only were we going to Disney, we were staying at Fort Wilderness! I still remember the movies and sing a long, and Chip stealing my seat - and seeing the castle for the first time!! :cloud9:

And last, but not least, Ireland - I've never been there, but my ancestors are all from Ireland, as are Mike's. Mike's Dad was born in Galway and I love to hear the stories he tells of when he would take Mike there as a boy to visit his family. His Dad goes back to Ireland for a few weeks every year and I love when he calls us from there and passes the phone around so we can speak to all this family that I've never met, but we've heard so much about. Although I've never been there, it is a country that we just have very strong ties to!

Wow, this was quite a trip down memory lane!!! :mickey: :D

[darthmacho]

Wow! Little did I know that this thread would invoke such touching stories when I decided to post it. Thank you to everyone that has shared so far, especially for exceeding my expectations! :mickey:

Please, everyone else, feel free to add something, because I know there are more of you out there with something interesting and relevant to add! :grouphug:

[Marilyn Michetti]

My stepfather, (the only dad I ever knew), had polio as a child, and never walked. Vacationing was something that just was "hard" in the early 50's, so we had a hut type cottage built on a small private lake six mile out of town - (that would be Ashland, Ohio). We spent our summer's there. Dad would go to work and come back to the cottage each night. We did everything in bathing suits, had a little rowboat, listened to crickets at night, and cooked everything outside. We didn't have a T.V., but I don't remember ever missing one. We picked wild berries, and painted shells. It was great.

I'm going back "home" this summer for my 45th class reunion, and I can hardly wait to see what that little lake looks like now.

Thanks for starting this thread.:)

[darthmacho]

Please, I'd love to hear more! :here: :joy: :trampo:

[drummerboy]

1. WDW naturally, especially since I spent my honeymoon there (it took--we're on 30+ years now).

2. Seaside Heights, NJ. In the 50s it was a good family beach with a boardwalk and lots of rides for kids. That was about the only place I can remember our family going on vacation together. My brother, sister and I all remember going to sleep to the sounds of people having fun on the boardwalk.

3. YMCA Camp Ockanickon, in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. I spent about every summer there from the time I was nine to the time I was twenty-two as a camper and then a counselor. I've told my DW that she'll have to spread some of my ashes there when I'm gone.

4. Morrow Mountain State Park in North Carolina. It was the first place I worked as a park ranger and the place where I met DW. I also think it's one of the nicest state parks we have in NC.

5. My current home on the North Carolina coast. Couldn't think of a better place to settle.

[SBETigg]

For us:

1) WDW I fell in love with it when I was 12 (first visit). Later, I convinced my fiance to honeymoon there, fortunately winning him over as well. Later still, we breathed a sigh of relief when we finally brought our two kids and they immediately felt the magic.

2) New York City. A sort of second honeymoon site for us. My son wants to move to NYC. And I do a lot of business in NYC.

3)Wells, Maine We visited years ago and instantly fell in love with the beach here. It's our second favorite(and most frequented due to proximity) vacation spot.

4) England/Ireland Our family roots are in the British Isles, and I have always felt at home in London.

5) Pisa, Italy. I've never been but I've seen pictures that give me a feeling of deja vu, and I want to go.

6) Duras, France The DH spent summers here, and an entire childhood year, and we plan to spend a summer here in the future. Plus, the DD has wanted to go to Paris since she was three (for some odd reason).

[Here we go again...]

1. WDW Of course this has to be top of my list. My first trip was in 2001, right after 9-11... I had to do something to take my daughter away from all of the bad in the world. So, I booked our first trip. I knew nothing about Disney World... I thought it was 1 big amusement park. Thank goodness I sat next to a lady on the plane that had Patience and a Birnbaums book... Look where I am today, the proud owner of DVC!!!

2. Destin, Florida One of my best friends has a house on the beach in Blue Moiuntain Beach, Florida (right between Destin and Seaside). Her wedding gift to me was the house for a week for our honeymoon. I had never seen the house and was expecting something small... when we pulled up we were shocked. This house towered over what was on the beach at the time. The house had 5 bedrooms, a game room, a HUGE deck that we could sit on for hours and watch the ocean. The beach was deserted since there were not many houses back then. As we were walking on the beach one morning I found a starfish that had washed ashore. It was dead so I did not put it back in the water, I brought it back to the house. I still have it today. My friend has been generous enough to let my family share 12 more summer vacations in that house until Hurricane Dennis. They were able to rebuild, but will spend many years renting it out just to recoup some of the money they lost. That house will always be a part of me.

3. New Orleans yes, I said New Orleans. But not the way it is today. I have always loved New Orleans, not the party side of New Orleans, I like the historical side. The best trip I ever took there was with a nun from our church. She walked with me and told me stories for hours. I had the best time on that trip. There is so much that New Orleans has to offer.... Hopefully it will get back to where it was one day.

[CleveSJM]

Great topic:


Canadian Rockies - Honeymooned in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. The incredible beauty and scale of grandeur is truly breath taking.
Shenandoah NP – On one of many waterfall hikes, DW and DD’s (about 9 and 7 at the time) hiked a bit of the Appalachian Trail and came upon a big black bear standing just about 15 feet off the trail. We all saw it. Everyone froze for about 10 seconds (an eternity) before the bear realized he wasn’t invisible and ran off into the bush.
Cape Cod– Whale cruise. Humpback tailing about 50 yards away. Big fin whale right along side the boat, its white chevron glowing bright still 20 feet under the water. Speechless.
Algonquin Provincial Park – Only a couple hours north of Toronto, you can see moose rather easily in the spring. They are drawn near the road to get some of the winter salt melt. Huge animals that make whitetail deer look like dogs with skinny legs.
Shark Valley, Everglades – Huge gators and turtles, all kinds of exotic birdlife.
Bryce Canyon, Utah – Pictures cannot capture the beauty of those hoodoos. Best sunrise spot in the world.
Monterey Bay Aquarium, CA – If Disney ever did an aquarium, it would be like MBA.
WDW – All that entertainment, in one place… Fantastic.
Sequoia NP – Unbelieveable!
Cleveland, OH– yeah, yeah, yeah… But it’s home…:cloud9:

[c&d]

1. WDW, it’s the place we get to and really relax as a family. No work, no stress, just tons of fun.
2. Staten Island, NY “before the bridge.” It’s where I grew up and it will always be home, even though I’ve lived in MA for the past 30 years.
3. Martha's Vineyard, got married there on a day when the heaven’s opened up and was followed by a rainbow over Edgartown Harbor during our reception.
4. Plas yn Rhiw, Wales. Where DH and I rented a cottage for 2 weeks for our honeymoon. Couldn’t have had a more perfect place for our honeymoon.

[aprilisis]

Great Topic!
Alaska- That's where I got my dog, Isis. I spent a couple of weeks camping & hiking there, too.

New York City- I love the hustle & bustle. In high school our Art teacher took us there on field trips & just let us go & do whatever we wanted to. It was great.

Los Angeles- I got to go there at age 17 to visit a friend & have been back a few times. I love the sun, the city, and the star factor.

The Olympic Peninsula in Washington state- I spent about a week out of my cross country road trip there & it was the most diverse landscape I have ever seen. I love it.

WDW- last but not least! It is the ONLY place and time I am able to be stress-free.

[Kate In Wonderland]

The places I feel connected with are places that I feel "at home":

WDW - Obviously!! It's truly the only place in the world that I can just forget all of my stresses and immerse myself in fun.

Boston, MA - I've lived in Mass. my whole life, and I can't imagine any other city coming close to "home" for me (second favorite city is Chicago, but even that isn't Boston!). I am a Boston girl through and through!

Cape Cod, MA - I spent my summers here as a kid, and even now when I'm feeling out of sorts, I hop in my car and drive to one of my favorite beaches on the Cape. Even in winter! :)

Ireland - Every single square inch of this country (yes even the "bad" parts)! My family is from Galway, and every time I go here I feel at home.

White Mountains, NH - One word...beautiful. :)

[JessicaRabbit]

1. Walt Disney World: Since my first trip at age 10, this is the ONLY spot where I can truly unwind. This will sound funny, but this is the spot where I feel like a perpetual child, yet it is also the spot where I got to be "grown up" for the first time. On our 2nd trip, when I was 11 and my brother 12, we were staying at the Polynesian and my parents would let us go the Great Ceremonial House by ourselves to look around or go to the "sundries" shop and buy a drink. My parents would never allow us that much independence at home (for safety reasons). This freedom made me feel so grown up - to be able to get the room key - walk down to the lobby, look around w/out parents and then walk back to the room and myself in....it's funny because I let my son (12) and daughter (11) do the same thing when we were at the Poly a couple of weeks ago - I hope it leaves the same impression on them as it did me.

2. San Francisco: I have never felt such a connection or feeling of "I'm at home" as when I visited San Francisco. I don't know why but I was instantly comfortable in this city (maybe it was all the "Streets of San Francisco episodes I watched as a child!). A friend and I spent 4 days there and I think we walked virtually every inch of the city and I just loved it. Maybe it is because I am a Boston native, and the city reminded me of Boston in some respects, being on the coast and all. I would LOVE to get back there for a visit again.

3. Newport, RI: I love the "summer cottages" - these mansions are unbelievable. Plus they are right on the Atlantic with just outstanding views. I think I was a Vanderbilt in another life. My secret fantasy is to be trapped in one of these houses after hours and have my run of the mansion and grounds :blush:

4. Lexington, Concord and Sudbury, Massachusetts: These are towns very close to where I grew up and are rich in Revolutionary War history. My parents took us for picnics at the Minuteman National Park in Lexington; to the Lexington Green on Patriots Day; the "bridge" in Concord for walks, and to the old Grist Mill in Sudbury to fish and sometimes to dinner at Sudbury's Wayside Inn (followed by a trip to the Penny Candy store - as I kid that was my favorite. I still remember the barrel full of pickles). I love history to this day, and I'm sure it is due to our family hanging out at these places so often when I was a child. My two oldest children have also been to all of these places, but sadly my youngest has not (we moved to NH when she was born 7 years ago). I think it is time to take some day trips back to Massachusetts. I feel a sense of peace at these places - don't know why - maybe it is just because they bring forth such nice memories!

This is a great thread. It is great to read about all of the different places in the world and what inspired people's connections.

[Emily]

I'll start with the obvious...

WDW - I don't actually know when my first trip was (other than in my mother's womb in 1972 ;)), but being from Florida and having relatives there (which I'll get to in a second), we went quite a bit while I was growing up. I was 9 when Epcot opened, and honestly that's the park I was raised in. Don't get me wrong, I love MK, but the years that I remember the best were spent at Epcot, and to this day I feel completely happy and at home in that park. I have some very contentious feelings about my father, but I will say our trips to WDW (and specifically our time at Epcot) was a bit of a bonding thing. It's his favorite park as well - Horizons was his favorite ride :thumbsup: - so we can at least see eye to eye there! I have to give him credit for instilling that love in me. But WDW in general just truly makes me happy, it's really the one place that I just love spending time.

Melbourne & Indialantic, Florida - I was born in Melbourne, FL, and Indialantic is right near there, and that's where my favorite aunt and uncle live. Growing up, we always had our "home base" over there on the space coast when we went on vacation, and we would day trip over to WDW. I loved staying at my aunt and uncle's and being over by the beach. It was weird, though... other than cruising around on the monorail and seeing the Poly and the Contemporary, I think I was clueless for years that there were even resorts or nice restaurants at WDW! :eek: I was 23 when I first ate in a table service restaurant at WDW! That's what you get for always being off site. Anyway, that stretch from the Cape south to Indialantic is my original home and I really enjoy that area. We moved when I was 2 so I didn't live there long, but I did move back there for awhile about 8 years ago and loved it. My parents lived there for many years, though, and they watched all of the Apollo shuttles go up and cool things like that. My dad worked for NASA for awhile, so I have a strong connection to and admiration for the space program.

Montgomery & Wetumpka, Alabama - Mom and Dad were both born and raised in the Wetumpka area, and I have all kinds of relatives in Alabama, mostly in and around the Montgomery area. For years my maternal grandmother had a house out on a lake in the middle of nowhere where we would go for Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. My mom's family is HUGE so those gatherings were always fun, lots of family around. I have really good memories of that house and of my grandparents on my mom's side. They have both since passed, and I miss them. (My dad's parents both passed when I was much younger so I wasn't as close to them, though they were also in Montgomery and I have fond memories of seeing them as well.)

Atlanta, Georgia - My current 'hood! :D Truly a great southern city. Beautiful, great weather (most of the time), tons of stuff to do, very metropolitan but with great southern charm and history. I may have been born in FL and lived a long time in Texas, but I'm related to Robert E. Lee and I consider myself a southerner! I have toyed with moving, but honestly, I just really like Atlanta a lot. :)

San Antonio & Austin, Texas - I spent about 11-12 years in San Antonio (basically most of my school years off and on) and then missed Texas so much I went to college in Austin (Hook 'Em Horns!), so I spent about 7 years there. Austin is a GREAT town, I miss it a lot. I made some great friends in both SA and Austin, some I still keep in touch with after all these years.

Australia - Never been there but it's probably the ONE place on the top of a very long list of places I'd like to visit. Even at a very young age I was drawn to it for some reason, and I really long to go there someday. It looks like such a beautiful country and different than anywhere I've ever visited. And though I haven't been around much water in recent years, I am truly drawn to water, and SCUBA diving on the Great Barrier Reef is something I would love to do.

Wow this is long! :blush: This is a cool thread, though, I've enjoyed reading everyone's responses. Good idea, Darth! :D

[TikiGoddess]

Cool idea! Here's my list:

1. WDW, of course. There are many special places in the world to me, but WDW is the place that pulls at my heart the most.

2. Paris: Paris has always been a place I'd like to call home. The history, the cuisine, the lifestyle, I love all things about Paris. I've been there twice and can't wait to go back when my girls are older.

3. Barcelona: I did call Barcelona home for two years. I was teaching at the American School there and fell in love with the city. I used to walk past Gaudi's Sagrada Familia (the cathedral they've been building for years now) on my way to yoga class and would always marvel at the beauty of the city. Going back to see Barcelona is a must-do sometime in my life.

4. Mt. Dora, FL: My grandparents lived in Mt. Dora (a small town about an hour away from Orlando) when I was a kid. They would stay there in the winter and then live in a house near us in the summertime, in NY. They lived in a two room apartment above the main area of shops. (Years after my grandparents passed away, I went back to Mt. Dora and the apartment had been turned into a jewelry store.) My brother and I would strap on our metal roller skates and take to the sidewalks and the shuffleboard courts in the evenings after everything had closed. There was a bakery next door and every morning we could smell the fresh donuts being made. To this day I love glazed donuts because it always takes me back to Mt. Dora!

5. Toyko: Tokyo is at the top of my wish list. I would love to go to Japan to experience everything about the Japanese culture. Oh, and a visit to Disney Sea wouldn't be bad either ;).

TikiG

[SgtTigger]

St. Bernard Louisiana.......
Yes, it is my home town but I have a much better connection since Hurricane Katrina.... I stayed for the storm since I work for the Sheriff's office and it was flooded with over 14 feet of water. We had water for 14 days here. We did not get outside help for water of food for over 7 days. I had my chance to move somewhere else after the storm and still work here.... But I choice to stay. Why because I have a special connection now........


Walt Disney World
Yes, as does everyone that is around here..... But I really have a connection with the Wilderness Lodge and Villas. I really do feel like I am coming home to my DVC vacation home. I love to explore the grounds and buildings. I have passed that on to 2 of my nieces and will pass it on to the third.


Gulf Shores Alabama
I have been going to Gulf Shores for over 20 years now. When we started going that had little to do other than the beach. Now they have tons of things to do besides the beach and it is growing all the time.

INTERCOT
Yes I know it is odd but I really like to hang out here. I visit almost every day and have meet some really cool people........



:cop: :tigger:

[Donald A]

1) Firestone Country Club: I spent 4 years working here in college and med school. Every year I tune in for the tournament and have fond memories of the hard work I did there. It was not high paying but working on the grounds crew I had a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. I primarily worked the South (tournament) Course and it is almost like the course has a personality. The history of Palmer, the Golden Bear, and Tiger playing there just made it a joy. I also had my wedding reception at the clubhouse there.

2) Seven Ranges Scout Reservation; Kensington, Ohio: This was my Boy Scout summer camp and I have many fond memories of this camp.

3) Jacob's Field and Gund (Quicken Loans) Arena: Growing up in NE Ohio I have spent many hours watching sports at these venues. My wife and I had our first date at a Cavs (Pre-LeBron) game.

4) Hartville / Lake Township, Ohio: This is my hometown where I grew up, went to school and worked my first job. There is a large flea market, great home cooking restaurant, and easy access to Akron and Canton, Ohio.

5) Walt Disney World: I marched in two night-time MK parades with my HS band, had my honeymoon there, and am now a DVC member.

[Pop Centurion]

Wildwood, NJ - My Fiance' and I vacationed there every July for a week to celebrate the date in which we first met. Since 2003 we only go for a day trip and save our money for WDW since it's a better value.

[maizey05]

WDW-Went there at different stages of life: spring breaks, right after I was married, to celebrate our anniversary, as a last hurrah,when I was pregnant

DLR-My first Disney experience (was 6 then). I knew I would be back many more times. As a child I thought, "I want to live by DL someday". Years later, I did.

Leavenworth, Wa-in my homestate. It's a Bavarian village in the mountains. Being there during the holidays makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Oahu-Hawaii is sooo beautiful. Had many good times there. I dated an Army soldier there, and almost married him.

[jillluvsdisney]

[B]Wrigley Field, Chicago. I've been a Cubs fan my entire life and have been to hundreds of games there. Since my Dad retired 10 years ago, we go a lot of game together. I have a lot of good memories of some games. Watching a game in the middle of the week, during the day, with my dad.....nothing tops that.

[sashiroo]

1. WDW- I've been going down since I was 3 years old. I love being there! This was also the first trip my husband (then boyfriend) and I took together. By far my favorite trip was 2 weeks ago when I took my boys (5 & 2 1/2). Watching the parade and fireworks with them had me in tears. Just the memories of doing the same thing with my parents as a child made me so happy! We are going down again in September, I can't wait!!

2. Nassau- My honeymoon location & beautiful beaches!

3. St. Thomas-Again Beautiful beaches & total relaxation

My top favorite is and will always be WDW. I love being able to now pass down the memories to my children.

[minnie-mouse]

WDW - of course! Went many times as a child and now as an adult. Was my father's favorite vacation place to take the family growing up. He passed away over 13 years ago and now I keep the tradition alive for him by taking my own family.

Jersey shore - grew up spending every summer there, there's no place like it!

Hawaii- my favorite vacation destination besides WDW. I never want to leave whe n Iam there, pure paradise!

[Diznee4Me]

Jimmy Buffett has a great line in one of his songs that says something like "I put the book back on the shelf with my heart in it." I also feel that way about most books I read but can definately relate that line to places I visit. Most places I have visited I have "left my heart" and try go back as often as I can as well as learn all I can. Here is my list:

1. Cornwall, England. Tracing my family I came to a small Parish called Wendron in Cornwall. The DW and I had the chance to visit back in 2000 and I think of that trip nearly everyday. I have to get back. Beautiful country, awesome people and amazing history. Had the chance to see the church where my 5XGF was baptized in the 1740's - phenomenal. Definately felt connected with that area - almost like I had been there before.

2. Ocracoke Island, NC. Our best friends introduced us to Ocracoke several years ago and it is another place that I feel so comfortable. Our family can really have fun together - since there are few distractions like Wal-Mart, movies, and malls - we can cookout, play charades, in general do things the hectic schedule of home keeps us from doing.

3. St. Augustine, Florida. My aunt, who passed away in 2001, took me there several times as a kid (Thank you Kay, you were awesome!:thumbsup: ) and I have since taken my DD and DW. I have also introduced our best friends to St. A (for introducing us to Ocracoke). Again beautiful city and very historical. Love St. George Street and Castillo de San Marcos leaves you with a sence of wonder and awe. Amzing what the early settlers went through.

4. Finally for me home. I live in Aiken County, SC in an area known as the Valley. The Valley is made up of a lot of little mill towns - Vaucluse, Bath, Clearwater, Langley, Warrenville and Graniteville. Graniteville of the home of the only southern textile mill to survive the Civil War (it recently closed!) and the 2005 train wreck that spilled Chlorine in town causing us to evacuate. I have lived in most of the little towns but now reside in Warrenville. My family settled here in the 1780's - from Cornwall - and it is here most of us have stayed. I love where I visit and often have dreams of moving to these wonderful places but, home is home. Love the area, climate and our bit of history.

Great post and thanks for letting me share my thoughts and relive some great memories while typing!

[Ian]

There are really only two places in the world that feel like home to me ...

Obviously one is Disney World (and to some degree Disneyland). That place is as familiar and welcoming to me as my own home is.

The other is Lake Wallenpaupack in the Pocono Mountains ... We've been going there every summer for two weeks since I was five years old (that's 32 years!!).

For the last 21 years (since '86) we've stayed in the same cabin on the lake. It's pretty cool, because I started going there as a child with my family ... it was my Grandparents, my Mom, brother, and I, and my Aunt's family (her, my Uncle, and my 3 cousins).

Now my Grandparents are gone and my Mom and Uncle are kind of in that role now. My cousins and I have kids now and we play the role of the parents (which still amazes me).

It's definitely my 2nd home.

[MScholl13]

I love this topic! It's so interesting to read everyone's responses about their special places.

For me I have many places where I get that "Connected" feeling. Here's my list.:)

1.Alaska- I vacationed here last summer with my family and absolutley loved it. Something about it made a lasting impression on me. It is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I cannot wait to go back there and have even toyed with the idea of moving there someday.

2.Many of the National Parks. Grand Teton and Rocky Mountain are just a few. I just get this peaceful feeling when I'm in one of these places. It's amazing to see what beautiful places we have here in the United States.

3.Walt Disney World/Disneyland. Once I walk through the front gates I get such a giddy feeling that I'm jumping around like a child. I love when you first walk down Main Street and all the familiar sights, sounds and smells hit you. Pure bliss!

4.My family's land. I grew up in Northeastern Oklahoma near the Kansas border. I no longer live with my parents, but it will always feel like home to me. We have alot of land and I still love to go explore the creek and woods and smell all the wonderful fresh smells out there.

[Mickey'sGirl]

Pigeon Lake, Ontario, Canada – The site of my Grandpa’s cottage, where I spent many lazy days on the dock or catching frogs and crayfish or canoeing or picking flowers and telling ghost stories by the fire at night. My Grandpa and I had a special connection, and he died next to his dogwood bush looking out over the lake one morning – so my memories of the lake are even more precious to me.

New York City – Far and above my favourite city to visit. If I can’t go to WDW, I want to go to NYC. It is so vibrant and exciting and beautiful and interesting.

Gloucester, England – We stayed in Gloucester for a week with my brother and his family while visiting him in London one year (he lives in London). It is a beautiful old city with an incredible old Cathedral and it was so close to many other wonderful places to see and visit. Some of my favourite memories are from that holiday.

WDW – Of course – like everyone else here, Walt Disney World is my favourite place to be. I love to see my family enjoying it. I love to go on rides or attractions that I have been riding since I was a child – it is like seeing an old friend! I love that we talk about things from WDW, and then we all smile and have a story to tell. I love that I miss it as soon as I leave to come home.

[BrerSchultzy]

I wanted to post earlier...but this isn't one of those posts you can come up with quickly. What a GREAT idea for a topic!

1. Marathon, FL - and more specifically, Coconut Cay Resort. It's where my brand new bride and I spent our honeymoon. I have made some BAAAD financial decisions in my life, and I couldn't afford to give Erin the cruise that she wanted for her honeymoon, but I did the best I could. Well, I didn't expect much from Coconut Cay, since it was the cheapest I could find, but it was perfect. Certainly not five star, but Erin and I will never forget the little marina, and sharing :beer: with roofers from Kentucky, giving them relationship advice until 11 PM. All this, after planning a romantic sunset dinner, but watching the "romantic" part fade away seeing 10 guys fishing...but it was a memorable night, and showed me just one more reason why I fell in love with her.

2. Chuckey, TN Where my wife is from. Beautiful, quiet...just off the Nolichuckey River (where Davy Crockett was born). Her father built their house himself, having no knowledge of construction. He passed away before I met him, but Erin swears he is in every inch of that house...and I believe her. She was raised by storytellers, and Jonesborough, home of the National Storytelling festival, is just minutes away...you can feel the history and the joy in that area.

3. Easley, SC My family and I moved around a lot when I was growing up...and some of the places were pretty cool...And in order for me to stay in the same high school, my dad would drive SIX HOURS to work on Monday, and come back on Friday. But if there is any one place that has ever felt like home, it's the one my parents moved into once I went to college. I have watched my parents become active in their church (now my church, where my wife and I got married). I see how loved they are in their community, and I spend hours each day hoping that I have as much effect on people as they do.

4. Walt Disney World Okay...I lied earlier...if there is every one place that truly felt like home, Disney World is it. Seriously. You all know the feeling. My parents found out I was on my way while they were in WDW. All the pictures of me growing up are from the Contemporary (back then, the resort was over half the fun). My fondest memories are from there...whether it's my dad taking me to see Epcot under construction (or my dad and I riding Kali River Rapids in a hurricane), or taking a group of friends down for Spring Break in college (and returning with better stories than everyone else...cuz we remembered most of them), or watching my little niece Emily come BURSTING out of her shell, and becoming the extroverted little girl we all know and love now. And, I'll admit it, the mere thought of going next June, after my wife has had our first child (he/she'll be 6 months old)...I really do get a little teary-eyed thinking about being in Disney World as a dad........

Anyway...once again...thank you for this thread. I left out a bunch...but I figured if it takes too long to tell the story, I'll just have to save it for another day.

[Diznee4Me]

This has been such a great thread.:thumbsup:

I looked back over all of the posts and realized that I had forgotten - - WDW!

Yes, WDW has become almost like a second home for the DW, DD and I. Since my first trip back in 1976 till our recent trip in Dec 06, WDW has meant so much to me. From my first trip away without my parents to taking my DD for the first time, it holds a lot of memories.

The three of us really enjoy our time together there and, cliched as it may be, we let the cares of the outside world slip away. For a week, eight days - whatever - reality stays on the interstate off-ramp and never enters our mind (except for checking on parents and the cat!:D ).

WDW has become as much of our lives as a long distant relative. We keep in touch by books and the internet - intercot! - but definately have to visit at least once a year. We definately have that special "connection" with Disney!

[mickeys_princess_mom]

Besides my grandmother's house, which was like heaven to me, my home is Disneyworld. I am totally at peace when I'm there, and when I'm away, I'm figuring out how and when I'm going to get there next! The castle is my center, but for some reason, (ancestry, I imagine...) I absolutely love being at Rose and Crown. Feels like I belong.

[pianobabe]

1. WDW-I don't really remember that much about my first trip to Disney, but I do remember everything about my second. My son and I had started planning a trip to Disney in January 1999 for June 2000. Being a single Mom at the time, I knew it would be tight money wise, but we could manage. Well, flash forward about 6-months or so and I decided to go to nursing school. I went from working a full time 40-hour a week job and playing piano for a church to working less than 15-hours a week and playing the piano. Needless to say a lot of penny pinching was going on (even more than there was before). Once it came time for out trip, I remember walking over the bridge toward tomorrowland. I stopped and looked around and thought "Wow, we actually made it". It was the most amazing thing.

2. Brevard, NC-Growing up, we moved around a lot. I figured it up one time and found I have gone to 10 different schools. Brevard has always been the one "constant" in my life. My parents both grew up there, so we would always make treks "back home" to see family. I still have some family there. It is a beautiful city with its laid back feel and tons of waterfalls. I could sit and watch Looking Glass Falls forever. It is just so calming.

3. Savannah, GA-Southern Hospitality at its best. This is where my husband and I went on our honeymoon. The history is amazing. I love going down to River Street and looking out over the river toward the bridge and watching the barges come in. Listening to the musicians play and the street performs doing their acts is great. Smelling the fresh pralines being made or the wonderful aromas coming from any of the incredible restaurant. Being able to walk around the Historic District hand-in-hand with my husband is wonderful. When we first got engaged, it wasn't too far from Savannah and we have made it our tradition to make Savannah our own personal Romantic Getaway. :cloud9:

4. Ocean Isle Beach, NC-My husbands family has always gone down to OIB for their vacations. My son and I got to go down for the first time last year. It was the most peaceful place I have ever been in. My favorite thing was to sit on the porch swing late at night and listen to the ocean. I can't wait to go back this year. It is just a time to sit back and do absolutely nothing.

5. Tokyo, Japan-As I said earlier, my family moved around a lot. I was born in Tokyo, but we moved to the States when I was just over 6-weeks old. My Dad had been in the Air Force, but his service time was up when I came along, so he didn't re-enlist. My passport has my picture taken when I was 1 day old. It has my weight as 6# and my height as 1-foot and 7-inches. I have always grown up seeing all of these beautiful pictures and would love to be able to go and see them "again".

[darthmacho]

Okay everyone, just a pause to say thank you to everyone that has shared so far, and I'd encourage more people to join in.

This has worked out far better than I anticipated. Not only am I getting a tour of the world, but I'm learning about the wonderful people that are on these boards. It's also cool that no matter how diverse this group is, we all have WDW as a common thread in our lives. :mickey:

I wish I could comment on each one, but there are so many now, i don't have time. Glad to read though, and trust me, I've been on the edge of my seat woth every word.

Thanks again, and MORE please! :sombrero: