Comments on: It’s your home, so how can it be exotic?

By: Paul Parkinson

Paul Parkinson — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 16:44:46 +0000

You know you are so right. I travel a bit for work and it’s great to visit all these places (Kuwait, Emirates, SA, most of Western Europe) and see all the differences, the wealth/poverty gaps and the variety of people, architecture and scenery BUT it’s even better to get home. Not just because it’s home and family but the UK (and specifically London) has a sense of historical purpose which I have a passion for.

Sure it can be a little grey, it CAN be a little tatty and it can even be a little depressing at times but just take a look round. It’s just, just, just, PERFICK!

By: Abbey Reynolds

Abbey Reynolds — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 11:36:06 +0000

Hi,

I just arrived from Portugal. Just beautiful. It has everything: gorgeous beaches, delicious food, great culture, cool people (everyone speaks a bit of English), fado, Alentejo, Algarve…

Just loved it!!

If anyone wants info. here is a great site I found:
Portuguese Tourism

Obrigado Portugal!!

Abbey Reynolds

By: Mom

Mom — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:27:18 +0000

Geez, Neil. By the time we became a country, all the good monuments and buildings had already been built elsewhere All we could do was learn to pave. And pave. And you know.

Our greatest blessing and curse has always been our size. We see an empty space and need to fill it up with something, anything. I don’t know if it’s greed or insecurity–probably both.

I’ve been in 23 states, and I’ve seen incredible natural beauty–the Grand Canyon, amazing Sequoia trees, the Mississippi, the Rockies, plains that seem to go on forever. We do take it all for granted. Familiarity breeds not contempt, but complacency.

That said, I do envy you the age of your country–the foundation, the history you have, and the visibility of it all. There have been humans in America for around 16,000 years, but we seem to have gone directly from mound building to concrete high rises. I wish we had a pyramid, a Stonehenge, a Temple of the Sun. Having a real interest in history and archeology, I feel the lack. Quite frankly, a bucketful of flint spear heads is nice, but. . .

I know the feeling you describe on returning home. I’ve felt it on vacations. Home is home, warts and all. I don’t think I could live any place else. Maybe the people who think their grass isn’t green enough are looking at it from the wrong angle.

I’m leaning toward warm and fuzzy–must stop

By: jEN

jEN — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 14:22:10 +0000

Beautiful post sweetie. Makes me smile.

By: Gary

Gary — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:59:12 +0000

He’s about to be honoured on the new Birmingham ‘Walk of Stars’… I bet he’s thrilled!