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This is a thread to discuss the history of where the group members live and to have some fun off topic chats about it.

This thread was recommended by our own Assisting Moderator - Michael. I was delayed in setting this up not knowing where exactly to place it - whether it was more for the travel folder or for the conversation one and I opted for this spot.

Hope everyone enjoys it.

I have a great affinity to Maine. I love that state and was born there. I do not live there now but wish I could and my family does have property still there.

It is quite beautiful for folks who have not visited:



Here are some interesting topics on the history of Maine which folks might find useful from the Maine government site:

The only state wholly located in Appalachia, West Virginia is truly the Mountain State. The people, separated by the War Between The States, are still Southern in manner and speech. The beauty of the mostly unspoiled landscape is breathtaking and as the song goes, "almost heaven".
Although we have been derided and called "hillbillies" and "hicks", we don't mind. Poverty is certainly not unknown, and the single based economy of coal has been problematic but WV is one of only five states in the US that has a balanced budget!!!
History lives in these mountains: John Brown's insurrection at Harper's Ferry; the coal wars of the southern coal fields; the State's importance in the election of JFK; and the Hatfields and McCoys....great history, friendly people, a wonderful place to live. It's easy to see that I was born and live in WV!!!! I'm afraid this sounds like a tourism advert

For more information:

Great add Jill.

Nice and interesting stories so far :-)

I am also proud of my country, Croatia, and my hometown - Split. Croatia has rich history, as every European country has (although Asians have much much richer ones), that goes back to the Neanderthals -- well, let's skip them -- back to the Greek colonies on our islands and the coast. My hometown is a 1700 years old coastal city, and we even have a palace in the center. It belonged to Diocletian, Roman emperor who was by the way Dalmatian ;-) Historians still argue about the purpose of that palace, some think it could have been just a strategically important fortress. We still prefer to believe that the palace was his retirement cottage, albeit really huge one, where he could in his advanced age grow as many cabbages as he wanted ;-)

Beside wikipedia, here's another source of information about Croatia and Split, if you are willing to read, of course:

Thanks so much,Zeljka....extremely interesting...that's one of the things that make the History Book Club such a good one...the diversity of cultures.
Split looks like a beautiful town....very tropical. For some reason I couldn't get the first link to load but will go back and try again later.

Jill wrote: "For some reason I couldn't get the first link to load but will go back and try again later. "

I clicked it right now, it seems ok, but if interested there's always google ;-) thanks for comment!

I find the history of US also interesting. I even read one guide through US from the first to the last page,

by Jamie Jensen

every state seems to have interesting historical background, beside awesome nature parks of course.
Not that I will ever be able to manage such a road trip, but it's nice even to read about it :-)

That looks like a fabulous book.

Bentley wrote: "That looks like a fabulous book."

Yes, I definitely recommend it for every US and non-US citizen ever interested to take such a road trip. Of course, the author offers many variations of it, north-south, east-west, old route 66 etc. I wouldn't be able to take it ever, not at least before my retirement age, because it's impossible to cover such distances on time restraint. But with careful use of air, train and rented vehicles... Maybe it's possible after all ;-)

Jill and all, I was born in WV too! In the southern part of the state - Cyclone, WV. Went to college at Marshall in Huntington. Then I moved to IL and spent nearly 40 years, got married and raised two kids. Now I live in TN (retired). But I still love West Virginia! Almost heaven is right. It was a great place to grow up. I also came to love IL (near Chicago) very much. Now I am in the process of learning to love TN. It was quite a change from Chicago.

How interesting that in just a few posts I have read of people's love of the places they live that helps me recall wonderful visits to both West Virginia USA and Croatia. I have great affection for the US, having travelled over and across many states and find its history so interesting and people so friendly. My favourite is the White Mountains NH.

Equally Croatia is a beautiful country with lovely people among so many islands to explore all wrapped up in a rich history.

For me the centre of the world, when I was a child was Sussex in England. Great Britain is a wondeful place - it has its problems and certainly its detractors - but it has a great history, wonderful countryside, exciting culture and people who can be the most generous to others. City, town or village I love Britain but Europe and the US? well they keep pulling me back to visit again and again :)

We all seem to have a connection.......eerie.

Barb....I went to grad school at Marshall!!!.....and I love Chicago. What a great city and lots to see and do. I try to get up there at least once a year.

Geevee......you already know that I am an Anglophile and England thrills me to my soul....love visiting there.

But now I need to go to Croatia and the circle is complete.

To complete the circle, maybe I should add I've been to Sussex :-D and fell in love at once with Brighton and the University of Sussex (unfortunately I wasn't studying there, but my friend), and found The Seven Sisters cliffs really awesome wonders of nature, especially because they aren't (at least they weren't last time I was there, five years ago) spoiled by human touch.

Well as they say it's a small world...after all :)

Zeljka wrote: "Nice and interesting stories so far :-)

I am also proud of my country, Croatia, and my hometown - Split. Croatia has rich history, as every European country has (although Asians have much much ric..."

Oh how lovely and interesting! I've now added that to my "places to visit" list! I will also admit to having a silly desire to be able to say "I've been to Split!" :D

Kiri wrote: "Oh how lovely and interesting! I've now added that to my "places to visit" list! I will also admit to having a silly desire to be able to say "I've been to Split!" :D "

:D

Here is some of history of the city and state I love

Wonderful country, Michael. We are truly an international book club.

i'm from Chicago and have lived here all my life. unfortunately, i'm not really that conversant in the history. this thread has inspired me to buy a few books to improve my knowledge of the history of the city!

Although I grew up in the United States, I have spent the majority of my adult life in Europe. Cities, towns and villages vibrate with their long and histories. Obscure or well known, the stories are as interesting as they are varied. My bedroom window looks out over the Waal River and a Castle called Loevestein. The original keep was built around 1357 as a residence and base for extracting illegal taxes from shippers on both the Waal and Meuse Rivers (being constructed in the fork of these two rivers). The Lord of Holland put an end to these activities and during the Eighty-Year War was occupied by Spaniards. Later the building served as a prison. It isn’t the oldest or most impressive castle in Holland but it greets me every morning when I open my eyes. The Netherlands

Thom wrote: "Although I grew up in the United States, I have spent the majority of my adult life in Europe..."

Wow, Thom, what a great view!!!!
Slot Loevestein always makes me think of the TV series Floris in which Rutger Hauer started out (director was Paul Verhoeven). I'm not sure if it actually ever appeared in the series but it has that feel to it.
I'm from Breda but that's another story.
Best,
���Ի��é

I live in the Capital city of Australia - Canberra - that was selected as out nations capital due to the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne. Many of you may be surprised or interested to know that Canberra was designed by Chicago architects Walter Burley Griffin & Marion Mahony Griffin. My city is known as the 'bush capital' due to the large tracts of native bushland, trees and green spaces which I love.

This is the view from one of my favorite cafes and reading spots:



And another cafe/reading spot next to Lake Burley Griffin in the city centre:




For further information:

I am starting to get wanderlust again after reading everyone's posts. Let's see, I can go to Croatia and pop on down to Australia. Been to the Netherlands but love to go again. This thread was a great idea, Bentley but the wanderlust it causes is going to cost way too much money!!!!!

My favourite things in life; books, travel and good wine, nice to combine all three together eh Jill :)

smile, smile, smile....but don't forget good German beer!

The life! I am thinking about one of those river cruises down the Rhine or the Danube, sitting on my private balcony, sipping a glass of wine (or German beer) while taking in the scenery and reading a good book.

whoa, I am really glad to find this topic - really interesting and it seems to me I need to amend my 'the cities I want to visit before I die'-list:)

Rick, Cranberra has to be a very exciting city:)

Michael, thanks for the updates, I didn't know too much about Tasmania and Hobart, but I see, if I once visit Australia I need to make a 'little' jump to visit Tasmania too (and see maybe the tasmanian devil in original?;)))

Zeljka, Split is a really lovely city, I plan so long to visit it again.

Ok, now about MY cities I really like:
I was born in Szentendre, in a really lovely city just a few kilometres from our capital city:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Szentendre a very beautiful city with it's rich history and lovely places.

But I live my life in the capital of Hungary, Budapest:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest

All the places mentioned here are really marvelous and unique in some way, I would love to see them all and learn all about them -- simultaenously whenever possible ;-)

Morgiana wrote: "Ok, now about MY cities I really like..."

The links are not working? -- never mind I've copy-pasted them; both Szentendre and Budapest are really beautiful - I wish to see them soon, at least that I can manage in a day car ride from my town :-)

Jill wrote: "This thread was a great idea, Bentley but the wanderlust it causes is going to cost way too much money!!!!!

:-)) Somehow I think every cent would be worth of a trip to Netherlands, Tasmania, Australia, Hungary, US, UK (miss anybody?), bigger issue would be TIME -- never ENOUGH, both for all the books we want to read and all the countries we want to see!

Too true, Zeljka....but we can dream :D

Definitely yes :-D

Zeljka, it's funny the links are working when I click on them...LOL
but if the copy-paste is working, than everything is ok.
The cities are really not far away from Croatia (I liked to be there LOL) - so you can plan a car ride:)

I think that's is one reason I am gambling on lottery - trips, books, foods and drinks:)

Bentley wrote: "I have a great affinity to Maine. I love that state and was born there. I do not live there now but wish I could and my family does have property still there.

It is quite beautiful for folks wh..."

Bentley, I think I need to amend my list with Maine - it is really beautiful!

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I live in the Capital city of Australia - Canberra - that was selected as out nations capital due to the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne. Many of you may be surprised or interested to know tha..."

it's lovely to see all that open space!

As I wrote a few posts before, I'm from Breda, a nice old town in the South of the Netherlands, more or less in the middle between Rotterdam and Antwerpen.
Some of you might know the famous Velazquez painting: De Sleutel Overgave van Breda

People are very friendly, open minded and laid back - a little like in Flanders (Belgium)
Besides visiting the town center with the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk (the cathedral) and Het Begijnhof and have some Stroopwafels hot from the market stand or "een lekker pilsje aan de bar" I suggest you swing your butt on a rented bike and enjoy the surroundings.
Starting in "Het Ginneken" you cycle to Kasteel Bouvigne, through the surrounding forests - and end up in Belgium - or the Netherlands - or back in Belgium again... smile.
Just in case this seems funny, check Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog and see for yourself. Some people can have breakfast in Holland, walk down the stairs in Belgium (still all in their own home) and end up outside on the street in Holland again. Not that anybody would care about passports or anything. It's fun. And their even is a story to it...

Zundert, Vincent van Gogh's birthplace, is also within cycling range. It has a nice little museum and you can even visit the church in which his father started preaching. Vincent of course never actually painted there but there exist some sketches from his childhood days.

I start with a tiny history lesson which might help you understand how the Dutch came to be such a free thinking and open minded people.

Bentley wrote: "I have a great affinity to Maine. I love that state and was born there..."

Maine, along with NH and the White Mountains, are among my favourite places in the US.

I love Acadia National Park, walking along the "Rockefeller" carriage roads and looking out from the top of Cadillac Mountain with dinner in Bar Harbor in the evening...happy days

Although being from Breda, I also have the nicest childhood memories from the following towns/places, all of which I love and adore:

Brugge



Antwerpen



Gent



Amsterdam



Edam (believe me, there's more to it than cheese...)



Liege



De Ardennen / Les Ardennes



La Roche en Ardenne

���Ի��é, Holland and Belgium are wonderful countries and I've visited many times when living in NW Germany and the UK. The Ardennes is a very interesting area and I love watching motor racing at Spa

Geevee wrote: "���Ի��é, Holland and Belgium are wonderful countries and I've visited many times when living in NW Germany and the UK. The Ardennes is a very interesting area and I love watching motor racing at Spa"

GeeVee, I now live in Hamburg but whenever I return to the Netherlands and/or Belgium I am glad I grew up there.
I hope what I'm working on will soon offer me the chance to move away.
As to Spa - I always try to get the Spa water here - "Niks gaat over een Spaatje, toch?"

���Ի��é wrote: ...I now live in Hamburg " I liked Hamburg - I watched West Germany play football there in the 1980s, and some years later enjoyed touring around enjoying its history :)

Geevee wrote: I liked Hamburg - I watched West Germany play football there in the 1980s, and some years later enjoyed touring around enjoying its history :)"

It's o.k. - there are good and nice people everywhere. But I'm different.

���Ի��é wrote: "Although being from Breda, I also have the nicest childhood memories from the following towns/places, all of which I love and adore:

Brugge

..."



Andre, thanks so much for all the information! next year my husband and i will be spending a few days in the Netherlands, mostly in Amsterdam. other than the Van Gogh museum (which is the first thing on our list) what else would you recommend a visitor MUST see? we haven't set our entire itinerary yet but will have limited time. thanks so much for any recommendations you can make.

(also, i understand that many Dutch folks speak English -- will we be able to get by without a dictionary handy?)

You’ve got to go to the Rijksmuseum (very close to the van Gogh Museum) and see Rembrandt’s “Night Watch��. Being such a small country, Holland has had to accommodate the world by speaking other languages. Most of the younger people speak English (as most movies on TV and the big screen are shown in English). I can safely say that if there is a country to visit and feel comfortable in without knowing the language, it is Holland. Depending on the season you come here, a list of “must sees�� is easy to assemble. Amsterdam isn’t the best place to observe Holland at its best��.but it is a start.

Naomi wrote: "thanks so much for any recommendations you can make...."

As Thom already stated you can get by with English - just like in most Scandinavian countries and Flanders in Belgium.
Thom also wrote that movies are shown in English/their original language, meaning any language; French, Japanese, Swedish, German, whatever (some of the animated kiddies movies are dubbed though).
Not only can the viewer better perceive the "feel" of the original language, you also preserve the actors' talents as a whole, their intentions as they "form" the dialogue (very often ruined by the dubbers trying to add their own whatever)

As to Must-Sees - that of course very much depends on your taste and your age. Are you into fashion, do you like museums etc.etc.
Personally I approach cities usually in a very different way, also depending on/because of the assignments (I'm a photographer).
I never check the guides but just enter the place and discover as I go along. That way I get a better feel for both the city and its people.
Others prefer guides and tours, some even run through the city they visit, happy to have "seen" everything. Yeah, right...

I must say I do like Amsterdam, especially the part around De Negen Straatjes (the 9 small streets). It has nice cafés and small shops and a few good restaurants.
Hotel The Times is quite affordable - and clean.
Hotel The Toren is wonderful, eccentric, but far more expensive (and a terrific staff!!!).
Restaurant Lieve is around the corner - it has great Belgian cuisine and also a terrific staff.

As to cars, I hope you know getting a rental car in Amsterdam makes no sense.
The city plans to let Daimler-Benz/Car2Go install 250 electric Smarts which can be rented by anybody (you do need a special card). Parking is free and rent is charged by the minute.
I prefer to walk (and as a warning: parking in De Negen Straatjes is close to impossible)

How about some weird history! I live in Toccoa, GA. Mississippian Indians (Mound Builders) and then Cherokee Indians were the original inhabitants of this area. Down the road (30 miles give or take!) is the GA Guidestones. A message consisting of a set of ten guidelines engraved on a 20 ft granite monument in eight different languages, one language on each face of the four large upright stones. Moving clockwise around the structure from due north, these languages are: English, Spanish, Swahili, Hindi, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian.
Guidelines read:
1. Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature. (I think we missed that one!)
2. Guide reproduction wisely �� improving fitness and diversity.
3. Unite humanity with a living new language.
4. Rule passion �� faith �� tradition �� and all things with tempered reason.
5. Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.
6. Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.
7. Avoid petty laws and useless officials. (My personal favorite!)
8. Balance personal rights with social duties.
9. Prize truth �� beauty �� love �� seeking harmony with the infinite.
10. Be not a cancer on the earth �� Leave room for nature �� Leave room for nature.
No one is sure who paid to build the structure. In June 1979, an unknown person under the pseudonym R.C. Christian hired Elberton Granite Finishing Company to build the structure. One popular theory is that the patron's pseudonym may be a tribute to the legendary 17th-century founder of Rosicrucianism, Christian Rosenkreuz.
Personally, I would like to see an eleventh rule added: Be excellent to each other. Bill & Ted.


Hope these pictures work!

Kathy, some nice thoughts hit into stone.
I like the apparent desire for harmony and peace.
But I wonder how on earth they want to go at trying to rule faith through reason... I'm pretty sure they'll hit brick walls from the start. After all what do you say to people arguing that things have been written....

���Ի��é wrote: "Kathy, some nice thoughts hit into stone.
I like the apparent desire for harmony and peace.
But I wonder how on earth they want to go at trying to rule faith through reason... I'm pretty sure they..."
Andre, I have to agree that using "tempered reason" and "passion and faith" together is almost impossible. Most religions require you to have faith (belief that is not based on proof) and not to reason (to logically form conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises). I would like that guideline to mean "your rights/beliefs stop at my nose". You can belief whatever seems right to you but don't force your views (and I mean force) on other people. Persuading is okay but don't make laws that say everyone must do/learn/believe in a certain way; ex. not teaching evolution in schools because it offends fundamentalists. My view is teach both evolution and creationism, and let each person decide. May I say, not a very popular view here in the Bible Belt. Aw well,

Kathy wrote: "���Ի��é wrote: "But I wonder how on earth they want to go at trying to rule faith through reason..."
"My view is to teach both evolution and creationism..."

Kathy, you're so right.
I basically see it the same way - though the persuading part...hmmm where does the persuading start - or better where does it end...

Charlemagne probably thought he was persuading his subjects to be baptized/ become Christian. They apparently often disagreed (with his persuasion style/methods)...

Also the sad story with the American couple sailing around the globe handing out bibles....until they were caught by pirates near Somalia.
Everyone has to find his own way to happiness - but why hand out bibles to happy and devote Muslims with Islam being the highly sophisticated religion it is?!?
And/or is it smart to try to convince Kat chewing and gun slinging Somalis they're on the wrong track just by handing them this book?
Things are often so much more complicated than the persuaders would want them to be/see them (that is, if they're looking at all).
Setting a set of "rules" or ideas into stone is a nice thing to do and it will probably inspire a lot of people to think/re-think some of their actions and such, but to me that should be all that's to it: inspiration. There are already so many rules with all of them constantly being broken that setting up a new set will probably not get us much closer to sanity.
But that's just my view of things.

���Ի��é wrote: "Kathy wrote: "���Ի��é wrote: "But I wonder how on earth they want to go at trying to rule faith through reason..."
"My view is to teach both evolution and creationism..."

Kathy, you're so right.
I b..."
Andre, I guess persuading is a poor choice of phrase. Definitely "persuading" by force because someone feels they are ultimately superior to another is wrong by all accounts. Usually, I run into someone trying to persuade me to their way of thinking (around here it tends to be religion or politics) because they care for me and are trying to help me (in their mind) in someway. That is what I was trying to express by the term "persuading". I guess what makes "persuading" tolerable or not is the intention along with the methods used of the person trying to do the persuading. Does that make sense? Probably a better word to have used instead of "persuading" is "advocating".

Kathy wrote: ".. a better word... instead of "persuading" is "advocating"..."

Kathy - don't worry, I got you from the start. I was just playing with the word since it can be "used" so very differently - and has been.