Core Memory from Traveling?

[AJL67]

This just popped into my head while watching an old episode of Wild, Wild West.

I'm interested in core memories from travels, something that could be quite small but has always stuck with you and you look back on fondly.

For me I was redesigning Nike's call center software and as part of the project they took me (they all went because hey free travel) to Amsterdam and Ireland to test my designs with call center agents in those two countries.

We were Ireland and the business analyst from my company and I went to a pub in Dublin right on the main street, we had stopped at JJ Fox and payed 4x too much for a couple Ramone Allones Specially Selected cuban cigars and wanted to hang outside and smoke and drink, he grabbed a table at said pub and I went in to get us drinks, the bartender came over while wiping down the bar with a rag and said "What can i get for ya, boyo?" ... I am pretty sure i started grinning like a Cheshire cat, it was such a little thing but for some reason that's when "you're in Ireland" hit me and i was just so happy that I was in a real Irish pub ordering up a couple pints. A lot of cool stuff happened on that trip but that is the one thing that always sticks out and makes me smile like it just happened.


So what do you have, any core memories from travels?

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

On my first trip to Germany my wife and I took a long vacation to travel through the country and just do whatever we wanted to, no itineraries'. While visiting a medieval fountain in the center of a very small town in the black forest very early in the morning, we were approached by a very friendly older gentleman. He didn't speak much english and our deutch was pretty dreadful. But the we got the gist, he wanted to show us something in the church next to the fountain. We obliged and he led us into the church and motioned for us to sit in the front pew. He proceeded to sit down at the 100+ year old church organ and play a raucous medley of boogie woogie, rock n roll, R&B, and gospel. He made the stained glass vibrate! All while grinning from ear to ear. It was amazing! After he was finished playing we thanked him profusely and did his best to tell us a little bit about the history of the town, church, and fountain. Most of which I forgot, but I will never forget the experience or his playing.

 

[PA Piper Mike]

On 1 of my few trips to Boston, I finally got to go to Fenway Park and take in a game. Walking the concourse then out to our seats which were on the 3rd base line so we had a great view of the Green Monster. The smell in the air, the sound of....whistles, skating, slap shots and checks....my 1st game at Fenway was Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins for the 2010 Winter Classic. Won't ever forget that.

 

[scloyd]

My wife and I were in Salzburg Austria (pre cell phones and maps) and after wandering around, we got lost and couldn't find our way to the train station. A sweet little old lady walked us to a bus stop and waited for the bus to arrive. She then proceeded to tell the bus driver to make sure he got us to the train station. She was a such pleasant woman.

As we got on the bus (which was full) two teenage boys stood up and offered their seats to us.

Those two acts of kindness pop up in my mind from time to time.

 

[AJL67]

On 1 of my few trips to Boston, I finally got to go to Fenway Park and take in a game. Walking the concourse then out to our seats which were on the 3rd base line so we had a great view of the Green Monster. The smell in the air, the sound of....whistles, skating, slap shots and checks....my 1st game at Fenway was Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins for the 2010 Winter Classic. Won't ever forget that.



View attachment 249215View attachment 249216

I moved (got moved) to boston in 87 a guy i worked with at a hotel took me to my first Red Sox game, i remember walking up the concourse on the first base side and as soon as i came out of the tunnel i was amazed that the Green Monster was "right there" granted it was across the diamond but anyone that has been there knows what I mean, such a great park, and that was before all the expansions. I've visited quite a few parks and none ever really hit me like fenway, sadly never saw a game at Wrigley but i did see the Foo Fighters there a few years ago

 

[warren]

The differences and, surprising similarities of people across the world. I'm speaking mainly in terms of wants, needs and aspirations. People, in similar social levels, always seem so similar. I always find such striking.

Secondly, the numbers of other people in foreign countries whci have a decent grasp of English. It is indeed the language of commerce in most of the world. While in the US most people seem to be utterly parochial in their language skills. Indeed, parochial in their knowledge of what is occurring anywhere beyond a few miles from their residence.

 

[username]

Being on the autobahn in Germany and my grandma screaming for my grandfather to "slow down your going 120" only issue was that wa 120 kilometers per hour. We were only going about 75 miles per hour.

 

[AcesAndEights]

When I hear “core memory” I think childhood. All us kids piled in the station wagon. My brother and I in the far back seat that faces backwards. My dad driving, smoking a cigarette.

 

[Briar Lee]

We were somewhere in the Rockies in Colorado in our 1965 Ford Galaxie returning to Colorado Springs from Cripple Creek, and my mother started singing Pretty Red Wing.

While she sang like a caroling angel the moonlight poured into that Ford and I could see the endless pines passing by as we drove.

The lights of Colorado Springs, glittering like diamonds came into view, and too soon we were back at the motel.

 

[ashdigger]

My core memories are all wrapped into the same experiences.

When I was young, ages 8-14, every summer I went and lived with my grandparents in Arizona. My grandfather owned gas stations.

The cities were, Seligman, Wikiup, Yarnell, Needles, Winslow, and Flagstaff.

As an adult when I go to or drive through these towns it always triggers great memories.

Not to mention all the camping and fishing.

I’ve been east of Colorado a handful of times. Left the USA exactly three times.

My love and travels are the Southwest.

I’m extremely fortunate my work has me driving the roads seeing the vistas I love.

 

[georged]

This part.

It's always this part:

 

[georged]

My grandfather owned gas stations.

The cities were, Seligman, Wikiup, Yarnell, Needles, Winslow, and Flagstaff.

It's virtually certain I bought gas at several of them when he was The Boss.

Most people couldn't find those towns on a map (except maybe Flag) without Goggle, but I can see their streets as clear as a photo in me brayne.

LOTS of AZ backroads did I drive...

(I love this kind of "degrees of separation" discovery. Meaning, when I was pumping gas in Yarnell in 1976, how amazed would I have been to know I'd talk to the station owner's grandson a half century later on science fiction screen widgets 1200 miles apart?)

 

[ashdigger]

It's virtually certain I bought gas at several of them when he was The Boss.

Most people couldn't find those towns on a map (except maybe Flag) without Goggle, but I can see their streets as clear as a photo in me brayne.

LOTS of AZ backroads did I drive...

(I love this kind of "degrees of separation" discovery. Meaning, when I was pumping gas in Yarnell in 1976, how amazed would I have been to know I'd talk to the station owner's grandson a half century later on science fiction screen widgets 1200 miles apart?)

This is just outside Wickenburg

 

[solideogloria86]

We were at the Asheboro Zoo. Me and my little brother had gotten some of those animal shaped souvenir cups. I think we were standing there looking at giraffes or something. My little brother handed my dad his cup at some point. After a little while, my dad decides it's time for little brother to take his cup back. He says "Son, take your cup back." about 3 or 4 times. He gets no response. He reaches down and grabs this little blonde boy by the shoulders and turns him to face him and says "Son, I'm talking to y...." Turns out the little blonde boy to dad's right was someone else's kid and my little brother had moved to his other side beside mom. The other kids dad looked pissed for a second, til dad produced my little brother and explained the mix up. Everyone had a good laugh. I'll never forget it.

 

[georged]

This is just outside Wickenburg

What do I win?

 

[captainsousie]

For other people it's my dad fixing their cars and vans as a priority when they were stranded in the wilds of Wyoming. For me, a couple stand out. When living in Latvia, my now ex-wife went to a local vegetable stand to get some supplies for dinner. While talking with the owner in a combination of English, Latvian and Russian, he learned that she was American. He proceeded to say "oh no, Russia no like you...but I say you're OK." He said it with a big grin and a thick Russian accent. He got a lot of our business going forward. Another one was when I was in the backwoods of Germany at Christmastime and we were staying in a little hotel. They had some cats there and one morning at breakfast one of the kitties decided I was a perfect mark. He crawled into my lap and started stealing food from my plate. I didn't mind but the hotel owner who spoke only a little English came over and grabbed him saying "oh he is too big...I use two hands!" Kitty was mad but it was just such a funny interaction. She ended up teaching me a lot of German in the week we were there to the point I could survive in the old town where the older shopkeepers spoke little to no English. There's a lot more and I may add to the thread but those were just a couple of my favorite memories.

 

[ashdigger]

What do I win?

View attachment 249291

Excellent skills.

You win one headed the other way, just outside Nowhere, AZ

 

[georged]

Excellent skills.

You win one headed the other way, just outside Nowhere, AZ

You're trying to trick me, now...

"Nowhere" was a gimmick sign between Congress and the base of the climb to Yarnell. It's been gone for years.

"Nothing" is an actual place (sort of) about a half hour north of the old 40 ft tall "GAS" sign where 93 goes over 71.

 

[ashdigger]

I tricked myself. Lol.

Nothing AZ is what I meant

 

[OzPiper]

The nearest beach was only 23 miles from our home when I was a kid.
School holidays was beach time.
Dad always got the car serviced, brakes and tires checked - even though it was just a 30 minutes drive.
Find a spot under a large shady tree and lay out the picnic rug/mat
Mum would unpack the picnic lunch - almost always sardine sandwiches. Never had sardine sandwiches any other time except at the beach. And cordial or barley water
The visit to the beach always finished with an icy confection (ais campur) at the local stalls before the drive home.

So Dad getting the car serviced meant we were going to the beach.