We're in the throes of buying a house. That means we're going to have an alternaholiday this year since most of our stuff is in the process of getting packed.

We'll do gifts for our daughter and we'll have a nice meal.......but we're going to keep it all *very* simple. The money we're saving will go toward new things for our house - so that is our big gift.

That said, my husband has promised our daughter a big vacation get away for next summer - for us, the planning is half the fun.

I am looking for suggestions........we have lots of frequent flyer points and we're adventurous.

I would love to know where you've gone and the places you enjoyed the most

Thanks! Terri

Hmmmm, lets see. I think maybe San francisco, or possibly Washinton D.C.. I loved DC when I was a kid and went there. The Smithsonian is worth it alone. I touched the capsule that landed on the moon (I wasn't supposed to so shhhh, don't tell anyone.) LOL! The national gallery (I think thats what it's called) was awesome. I loved it. There is also The Bahamas, or you could go to Paris, or London depending on how many miles you have saved. Where ever you go I hope you have fun!

LOL!!!! I didn't even notice where you were! Well, I guess DC is out! Hmmm, I think maybe New Orleans, or Hawaii. So many places! My mom says Seattle is great in the summer, they have the sea fair, and speed boat races. Not to mention all of the beautiful mountains.

Terri, dear... come to Canada. You'll get more bang for your bucks.

Thats right Ellis ! A whole lot more!
Virginia

Prince Edward Island. It is the prettiest place I've been to, and I'm from Cape Breton.....shhhh....I'd be de-Capered for admitting there's anywhere on earth prettier than CB. Seriously, PEI in the summer is where I want to spend eternity. Red earth, sandy beaches, open fields, farms, beautiful scenery everywhere...it's...unspoiled. There's the whole Anne of Green Gables thing, too, of course. You can send for free tourism guides and they send you all kinds of information. I have some here from the summer of 2001. I can get you a website if you want.

YOU ARE RIGHT ELLIS!!! DH and I sure did bang a lot in Canada.........

Den, are you drunk? You are soooooo in the gutter.

I haven't been there yet, but I'd go to Newfoundland. The rock. It sounds and looks so beautiful and raw. And the people are real.

HANG ON.... HANG ON.... I just figured it out! Terri wants us all to invite her to our houses, and she'll pick which location she likes the best!!!

ALWAYS!!!!!! (In the gutter I mean!)

Travel is my passion... I would go absolutely anywhere in the world given the means and opportunity.

So far, my absolute favorite place in the world would have to be Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) in Venice, Italy. I will never forget our first day out in Venice... wandering through the maze of narrow streets searching for the famous piazza... and then suddenly we came around a corner and there was this amazing sight. It literally took our breath away and we stopped dead in our tracks, jaws hanging open, eyes wide in overwhelming disbelief. Venice is a beatiful city and sometime in your life you must go. We also visited Rome, Florence, Pompeii, Sorrento... all incredible in their own ways.

Another beatiful and historic city is Toledo, Spain... where we were hounded by gypsies, almost killed by our crazy speed demon bus driver, drank too much sangria, and spent the day laughing and enjoying the amazing views. Toledo is a city that makes you feel as if you've stepped back in time. And of course you must see Madrid and Barelona and the rest of this Spain.

I've also been to San Francisco and northern wine country, Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Washington DC, the Rocky Mountains,the Badlands, Florida and the Keys, all of the midwest states, camping in the Smoky Mountains, spelunking in Mammoth Cave National Park, lounging on the beaches in North Carolina, spent three months canoing and backpacking in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota and Canada, downhill moutainbiking in Colorado, and driven everything in between. Of course I would definitely try to head south over the winter holidays!

Jan/Feb I will be in Thailand... which is supposed to be incredibly lush and beautiful. Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Fang are on the iternerary. I am SO excited!

If I were to pick a place to go over the holidays... I would go to Puerto Rico where you get perfect weather, historic cities, beautiful beaches, resorts if you want them, great night life, and even a rain forest. It is on the top of my list of future winter holiday trips.

For REALLY affordable trips to Europe, go to http://www.go-today.com , where you will find air, hotel, and breakfast for extremely low rates per person. We're talking only several hundred dollars per person for a week, and in the winter even lower prices. We booked our Italy trip through them and extended the trip to two weeks. Fabulous!

thanks grrlfriends for all the wonderful ideas........


I see where Sojo gets her screen name! but I'm curious as to what you saw in Venice that took your breath away.....was it something in particular or just Venice in general? I would love to go to Spain......brush up on my language skills........ I actually used to live in PR


Oh yes.........I love Canada! All parts! I would love to go to Ontario again and Cape Breton and PEI........maybe on the way to Newfoundland? They say Newfoundland has a charm all of its own .......I saw a movie several months ago, set in Newfoundland .......with Kevin Spacey and Dame Judy and......can't-think-of-her-name-pretty-woman........where they showed the Newfies eating flipper pie? can I ask what flipper pie is ?

Terri - thank you again all!

I have been to Scotland several times and loved it! It is beautiful and the people were very friendly. I went to Edinburgh castle for the Tattoo (Pipe band competition with bands from all over the world) and it was amazing. We also took a tour up to the Highlands and through Glencoe and Stirling. Breathtaking! Then we went to London for a week which was also a great experience-Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Tower-so many different historical places to visit.

One of my best trips ever was to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. We toured plantations, the voodoo museum, the graveyards and did a haunted walking tour. The Audubon zoo was a lot of fun as were the riverboat tours. The architechture in the French Quarter and the Garden District was amazing. Great music everywhere too-I love Jazz!

DH and I went to Cuba for 2 weeks on our honeymoon which was very beautiful and relaxing. We would both like to go back one of these days.

Okay, not to generalize or anything, but this is what you get when you don't have kids.... you get to travel. Unless you're RICH with kids! I've barely been anywhere.... yet! Except for England and the States. But once those kids are older, DH and I are out of here!!

DITTO ELLIS!!!