Travel Inspirations
Tags: travel memoirs pictures
I was inspired at a very young age to travel. At the age of 3 years old, my mother and father split. My mother and I went from Kansas City, MO. to the Bay Area near San Francisco.
Let me tell you, San Francisco Bay Area and Kansas City, MO. are like two different animals. Kansas City is known for their music and barbecue. When I say barbecue, I mean mouth watering, finger and bone licking, barbecue sauce slinging, using all the napkins barbecue. I think I was sharing about how I was inspired to travel. Kansas City's barbecue is worthy of having a blog of it's own. Now for my travel banter blog entry.
I remember running home plopping down on the living room floor and looking at every page of this book, over and over again. My poor elbows were raw. With my head in my hands and elbows to the floor, I would stare at every pages' details. One page sent me running to my mother asking her if I could have some wine. There was a picture of an Italian family at their dinner table drinking wine. Get this, the kids were drinking wine too! Well, we both know mom declined my request for wine.
My mother had no idea that for years I would look at every child's face in this book wishing I could meet each and every one of them. They were so different from I and all I wanted to do was find out if we had anything in common. Were they nice? Would we be able to speak to each other? What were they like? I must have given my mother the 100 question drill asking about these kids in this book. Poor lady, I'll never know how she dealt with such a curious child.
I found many of the answers to those questions once I turned 19 years old. I had to wait 14 years, because that's when I traveled and lived in Germany for 3 years. While in Germany, I traveled to Spain, Austria, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Holland, France, gosh, I may have missed one or two but you get the idea. Many years later I moved to Sicily and stayed for a year. When it comes to Sicily, I may need a whole blog to share the great experiences I had.
(Provo parlare l'Italiano). The below picture is my most favorite place in the whole world. Taormina, Sicilia.
Buy this Giclee Print at AllPosters.com
Europe was such an eye opener for me. The people were open- minded, in most cases my color wasn't an issue, and differences were tolerated more than what I see here in the states.
Over there, I was an American. In the United States, I'm an African American or sometimes called Black female, depending on the context of the situation.
While I was in Europe, I understood why Tina Turners and Josephine Bakers stayed in Europe. The most refreshing moments in my life was when someone said, "You're a pretty American". Wow, was I glad to be addressed as an American. The sense of pride I had is indescribable.
Thanks mom for bringing home that little book. It inspired me to leave home as an only child and wander into the unknown abyss of self discovery. Parents have no idea how they inspire their children. That little book changed the course of my life and had a direct impact on the decisions I made while serving in the military. I became a drifter.
Every weekend, while living in Germany, I traveled to a different country or scouted the hills, cities, and prairies of Germany. I lived life to it's fullest and appreciated the surroundings and cultures I was exposed to daily. Since 1981, I've never lived in one place for more than 3 years. The goodbyes I've had to say are endless and form a distinct blur in my memory, yet the memories of the places I've seen have enriched my life immensely.
Personal Quote: We find out our true character, when we are in direct eye contact with someone whose different from ourselves.
By the way, that little book is still by the front door, on my mother's book shelf, on the second shelf. :o)
I was inspired at a very young age to travel. At the age of 3 years old, my mother and father split. My mother and I went from Kansas City, MO. to the Bay Area near San Francisco.
Let me tell you, San Francisco Bay Area and Kansas City, MO. are like two different animals. Kansas City is known for their music and barbecue. When I say barbecue, I mean mouth watering, finger and bone licking, barbecue sauce slinging, using all the napkins barbecue. I think I was sharing about how I was inspired to travel. Kansas City's barbecue is worthy of having a blog of it's own. Now for my travel banter blog entry.
The Drifter Was Born
My mother worked in elementary schools as far as I can remember. She retired one year after I did a couple of years ago. One day, when I was around 5 years old, she brought a book home with pictures of children from different countries. This book showed different cultures in their authentic settings. Many of the children wore their native clothing. This book fascinated the you know what out of me at the age of 5. I couldn't put it down.
(To see a copy of the book that inspired me to travel as a child, click on the below link and do a search for Hanns Reich. The name of the book is, "Children of Many Lands". The book was selling for $1.95 which is subject to change). The other book my mom had by Hanns Reich was "Children and their Fathers." The merchant changes the pages often. If you click on the below link and see something other than "Children of Many Lands", place Hanns Reich name in the search box on the page below. The book will be located if in stock.
Children of Many Lands
My mother worked in elementary schools as far as I can remember. She retired one year after I did a couple of years ago. One day, when I was around 5 years old, she brought a book home with pictures of children from different countries. This book showed different cultures in their authentic settings. Many of the children wore their native clothing. This book fascinated the you know what out of me at the age of 5. I couldn't put it down.
(To see a copy of the book that inspired me to travel as a child, click on the below link and do a search for Hanns Reich. The name of the book is, "Children of Many Lands". The book was selling for $1.95 which is subject to change). The other book my mom had by Hanns Reich was "Children and their Fathers." The merchant changes the pages often. If you click on the below link and see something other than "Children of Many Lands", place Hanns Reich name in the search box on the page below. The book will be located if in stock.
Children of Many Lands
I remember running home plopping down on the living room floor and looking at every page of this book, over and over again. My poor elbows were raw. With my head in my hands and elbows to the floor, I would stare at every pages' details. One page sent me running to my mother asking her if I could have some wine. There was a picture of an Italian family at their dinner table drinking wine. Get this, the kids were drinking wine too! Well, we both know mom declined my request for wine.
My mother had no idea that for years I would look at every child's face in this book wishing I could meet each and every one of them. They were so different from I and all I wanted to do was find out if we had anything in common. Were they nice? Would we be able to speak to each other? What were they like? I must have given my mother the 100 question drill asking about these kids in this book. Poor lady, I'll never know how she dealt with such a curious child.
I found many of the answers to those questions once I turned 19 years old. I had to wait 14 years, because that's when I traveled and lived in Germany for 3 years. While in Germany, I traveled to Spain, Austria, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Holland, France, gosh, I may have missed one or two but you get the idea. Many years later I moved to Sicily and stayed for a year. When it comes to Sicily, I may need a whole blog to share the great experiences I had.
(Provo parlare l'Italiano). The below picture is my most favorite place in the whole world. Taormina, Sicilia.
Buy this Giclee Print at AllPosters.com
Europe was such an eye opener for me. The people were open- minded, in most cases my color wasn't an issue, and differences were tolerated more than what I see here in the states.
Over there, I was an American. In the United States, I'm an African American or sometimes called Black female, depending on the context of the situation.
While I was in Europe, I understood why Tina Turners and Josephine Bakers stayed in Europe. The most refreshing moments in my life was when someone said, "You're a pretty American". Wow, was I glad to be addressed as an American. The sense of pride I had is indescribable.
Thanks mom for bringing home that little book. It inspired me to leave home as an only child and wander into the unknown abyss of self discovery. Parents have no idea how they inspire their children. That little book changed the course of my life and had a direct impact on the decisions I made while serving in the military. I became a drifter.
Every weekend, while living in Germany, I traveled to a different country or scouted the hills, cities, and prairies of Germany. I lived life to it's fullest and appreciated the surroundings and cultures I was exposed to daily. Since 1981, I've never lived in one place for more than 3 years. The goodbyes I've had to say are endless and form a distinct blur in my memory, yet the memories of the places I've seen have enriched my life immensely.
Personal Quote: We find out our true character, when we are in direct eye contact with someone whose different from ourselves.
By the way, that little book is still by the front door, on my mother's book shelf, on the second shelf. :o)
*Note: Due to the cost of royalty free pictures, Drifter will use posters of places visited.
Welcome to Drifter's Travel Banter Blog.
posted by LadyVeteran at 1:33 AM
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