Tuesday, June 29, 2010

A question for ya

Lauralea and myself are this very year, celebrating hanging in there with each other for 25 years, which, like most things when you look back at it, seems a whole big deal. So we are thinking of a bit of a celebratory tour and we are having trouble making up our minds. While we don't want this to be the reason we lay down our 25 year relationship, we do want to have a bit of fun. It's just that with such an abundance of riches, we are having trouble deciding.

I was wondering how you might decide.

Think one week tucked away on a Scottish Island in late October in a small place right next to the sea. Long walks through the Scottish heather covered moors, warm fires with cups of good tea and during meals of halibut chowder, enjoying a cold glass of Tennent's Ale. Quiet with places to pray where people have been doing that for hundreds of years.

or...

Taking a small apartment in London in the cool of October, seeing the beautiful art exhibits, and taking in noon hour concerts at St. Martin in the Fields. Walking through Hyde and Green parks through the big orange leaves, stopping for a pint or hot drink at the oldest pub we can find. Spending a day in Charing Cross with hours just for the used book stores that smell of old leather and paper bindings. Maybe take in an evening show in the West End, or a concert or two. Then hop the Eurostar and in two hours be in Paris for two days. The Eiffel tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, french bread, strong coffee, outdoor cafes, Champs Elysees (To look and not to touch...)


See, it's a tough call.
If you had such options, what would you choose?
And if you know, then answer why you would choose that way.


Go ahead, dream a little.

14 comments:

  1. Yep. That's a tough decision. Even tougher for me to be of help because we're doing the London thing ourselves next month...

    The only thing I'd say is that if you've done the London bit before, which you have to a pretty good extent, that you might want to change it up for the island in Scotland. Sounds amazing and pretty romantic, too.

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  2. You've been to Iona, Wouldn't Scotland be like going back again? London is a great city, you should go visit. And if you do go, if you have the time take the chunnel into Paris.

    There would be plenty to do in London alone.

    Jeremy

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  3. I'd definitely do the bit in London and such. Sounds so you guys. There is nothing like the scent of old books. Love it! Go be romantic and have some fun.

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  4. I'm with Jeremy and Tammy.

    Unless you want to recreate your Iona experience for your anniversary, knowing you guys, I would think London would be the better choice.

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  5. Go to Rome. Way cooler than London or Scotland.

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  6. If it were me going someplace exotic, I would select Scotland? Why? That is where my Dad came overseas from. He was a real Scotsman, he was. My brother offered to take him once but he refused. He wanted to remember Scotland as it was. Oh well, I will never get there to roam my Dad's old haunting grounds and I would really like to ...sigh ...

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  7. Wow - to choose...the first thing I asked myself was...what's the weather like at that time of year? Fairly cool for both places I'm thinking.

    What do you want to get from this holiday? Quiet? Alone-time together? Once-in-a-lifetime memories/experiences? Excitement?

    My first choice was Scotland...but you could perhaps find similar places in Canada - west and east coast...even some wonderful, quiet place in the mountains...just not as exotic sounding.

    I've never been to London/Paris and for me it would be the once-in-a-lifetime thing and when I think of those places...the history...the excitement, I get excited thinking of the possibilities of adventure and exploring.

    So there's my input...for what it's worth.
    What are Lauralea's thoughts about this?

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  8. I've been thinking, and I still vote Rome. Or Munich was fun too (and good beer was cheap).

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  9. Knowing you guys and ol' blighty I'd make different choices, but then you know it a bit too. I'm also a little biased, because Scotland would be a pain in the posterior to visit in order to see you for a day or so.

    How fixed are the choices?

    FWIW a lass just walked past me here in Lesvos who flew from Portland via Calgary to get here. I think they're still open in October, though only just.....

    Toni

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  10. If it were me, I'd save a bit more cash and take both..1 week in London/Paris and 1 week on the island to end it all nicely. BUT if you have only one week...hmmmmm, I'd still save up and go for two weeks in both places:-)

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  11. I would pick Paris over just about anywhere else . . . but if Amsterdam were on the list, it would be a tougher choice.

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  12. If you want to visit England (not Scotland) Then there are some places I could recommend you might find 'thin'. But if you wanted to re-visit certain sites then that's not really relevant.

    Toni

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  13. Well, thanks all for your input, it helped me conclude that it's gonna have to be us who choose.

    Lauralea's all "It all sounds great to me" so there is no strong indicator there. Except our joint desire to go back and see friends. That's why the UK is strong in the deal. We'd love to do Austria, Vienna probably. And yes some Germany and German cities would be so fun. Hey we've even seriously been talking about Moscow because we'd like to do that too.

    But we have friends in the UK and how often can we sit down across from those far away friends and talk and talk and talk. That's a treasure we kinda don't want to miss, so we are reserving time for that.

    We are tired and in need of a break, so a week at the sea could heal so many of our tirednesses. But then its an opportunity to hit a couple of the most cosmopolitan world class cities on the earth right now and we could live for a week like they were our home towns. Tiring but a dream come true. Maybe even a couple of dreams.

    Or like I said to Lauralea the other day from a tired place, maybe we should just use the money and buy a hot tub and put it outside the back door and just sit in there for two weeks.

    Her eyes lit up a bit too much for me to leave it alone.

    We'll see.

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  14. HOT TUB - HOT TUB!

    Keep it warm for us in case we come over!

    ;)

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