What's your dream vacation spot?

I guess I'm day dreaming about warmer weather, as I listen to the wind blowing around the snow here in 9 degree F temperature!
Man, one of these days, I need to get to Hawaii!!!
Where would you all like to be?

Oh boy it was cold here too.

I would love to be in Egypt

hatshepsut

Really? It would be awesome to see all those pyramids and mummies. A bit to hot there though, and scary travel these days.
I loved Egypt on the National Geographic channel when they show you the ruins, then a computer simulation of it looked like back then.
Very cool!

Oh yes I would so love to travel to Egypt and see the funeral Temple of Hatshepsut and her Obelisk and her mummy of course. I watched a program a while back with Dr. Hawass about Hatshepsut. Absolutly fascinating.

hatshepsut

France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France France ......................... every time ................ rural southern France for me!

Oh yes ............................. and France.

hmmmm I think Gelert wants to go to France ........rural southern France.

The pictures I've seen of southern France look beautiful. It must be nice there.

hatshepsut

Yes. Been lots of times. The quiet bits. Rustic villages. Markets. Nature. Sunshime. No tourism. Just nice.

I'd like to live there one day. Perhaps when I retire. Dreams! Aaaaaaaaaah!

The pictures of the villiages and markets that I've seen is like looking into the past. France is another one of the places that really fascinates me.

hatshepsut

Can either of you speak french? I personally would want to be able to speak the language if I were to visit anywhere like that. Otherwise i would feel lost and uncomfortable. I love accents!! Very sexy!! ( Did I say that out loud just now? )

Hi Mystery Lover!

I've been self-learning (CDs, etc.), for the past few years, so I can hold a conversation fairly well. There's a fantastic beginners' (and more advanced), course available that few people here seem to know about. The trouble is there are so many CD-ROM courses and DVD's, etc., and many of them are poor., or just for tourists. "Where's the beach?" . . "Do you speak English?" .............. ugh!

The one I used (and still do), is 'French with Michel Thomas'. There's actually no memorising at all. It's his own technique, whereby you just listen (in a quiet room, or whilst driving - carefully!), and absorb. It's amazing how well it works. It''s all about confidence building from the basics upwards, building on words to sentences to conversations. I also read French newspapers and the odd simply written book these days.

By going to France fairly regularly I get to gauge how well I'm doing from year to year, just taking it easy. I agree completely that to live in France, or any other country which is predominantly non-English speaking, you need to learn the language. Not least because it's disrespectful to expect non-English speakers to speak English when in their homeland. Also, to get a job in France, it's almost impossible without French fluency. I'm finding that! Also, the French are very proud and protective of their language, their country and their way of life. That's why so little ever changes there, other than in the biggest cities.

If you ever fancy learning French, or another language, I'd recommend the Michel Thomas CD-ROMs.

I'm not on commission!

Thank you Gelert! I would love learn Italian. My son is learning spanish in school ( mandatory) and teaches me!!

I know there's a Michel Thomas 'Italian', 'German', 'French', 'Spanish' ........... probably others.

Mystery Lover wrote:

Can either of you speak french? I personally would want to be able to speak the language if I were to visit anywhere like that. Otherwise i would feel lost and uncomfortable.

But I like the initial feel of being lost somewhat (shouldn't take too long though).
Actually I most enjoy visiting places that are literally 'foreign' to me.
Once I wanted to buy a trainticket, and I just showed the appropriate line in my travellers dictionary. The girl behind the counter then picked up her 'English for receptionists' and pointed at 'tomorrow'.

This summer it will be France too again. And I don't even speak that.

no Mystery Lover I'm sad to say that for the most part all the French I learned in school is now lost to me. French is a beautiful language.

hatshepsut