100 things meme about me-me-me

[carbonel]

Gacked from selkie_b. The usual deal -- bold the ones you've done, post in your own LJ if you want. I've added parenthetical comments here and there, so remember to delete those if you use it for yourself.

1. Started your own blog (assuming LJ counts)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain (for smallish values of "mountain") 
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola
29. Seen a total eclipse (someday...)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community (one that was intended for tourists)
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been inside an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (they don't want me any more, though)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (assuming a family cookbook counts...)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (but I have swum in the Dead Sea)
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Comments

[redbird]

Whoever compiled this was fond of Paris. Not an unreasonable fondness, but it has entries for the city itself and for what may be the top two tourist things to do there. Not sour grapes here, as I can check off all three, but there's definitely a "well beaten tourist trail" thing here: also with New York getting Times Square and the Statue of Liberty, and London getting changing of the guards (rather than, say, ridden the Underground or a double-decker bus, or seen a live play in either city).

[carbonel]

The one that I thought was odd was that both the Sistine Chapel and Vatican were listed. Who goes to the Vatican (as as tourist) and doesn't see the Sistine Chapel?

But yes, this is more of a "common human experiences" listing than some of the listings that consist of rare and quirky items.

[timill]

Me. But the last time I was in Rome was some 35+ years ago...

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

The well beaten tourist trail for all the bohemian scoffing it gets from the world-weary hipsters who'd never dream of rubbing shoulders with the great unwashed masses of travelers, is nevertheless not something to treat lightly.

These places are the best, and/or most famous a country or city has to offer and are worth seeing because of both of these qualities. I know someone who went to London and deliberately avoided everything even remotely touristy. This is unfathomable to me, whose first London trip included museums, historic sites, famous places and as much of all these as we could fit in.

K.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

I don't mind the things that have climbed to iconic status, like the Eifel tower and the Statue of Liberty (speaking of heavy French influence!).

For some reason it would bug me if say Disney World were included. I can't really find any way to justify it; the Eifel Tower was built pretty much for the purpose of being a tourist attraction, wasn't it? And while it's older, Disney World is no spring chicken these days. Probably it's just that I think the Eifel Tower is kinda neat, and Disney World isn't.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Disneyland and Disney World are the same thing to me, though not to the list.

K.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

I've actually been to Disneyland, when I was about the right age, 4 or something. Not having been to the other, I can't really compare them meaningfully, but they're "the same" in my head; I just used the name most people seem to use these days.

[carbonel]

I feel much the same way. Now that I've been to England several times (and spent enough time there that the Red Cross doesn't want my blood), I'm more interested in just being there and seeing more out-of-the-way places, but my first couple of times there, the Let's Go guide was my bible, and it did well by me.

In general (as you say), the major attractions are such because they're worth seeing, even if there's somewhat of a cattle drive feeling in the experience. I'd like to be special enough to have the Eiffel Tower to myself briefly, but the fact that there were huge crowds there didn't keep it from being a spectacular experience.

I'm glad you felt that way when we had a day to spend touristing in New York City.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Climbing the Statue of Liberty with you was quite fine.

K.

[redbird]

Some more than others. The Eiffel Tower and Mona Lisa, I'll give you: but if you have limited time in London, I'd say going into the Tower and looking at the Crown Jewels or a West End play are a better use of time than the changing of the guard.

My other thought was just that it's almost a three-for-one: if you've visited Paris, you probably get to check three boxes on that list.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I've only been to the second deck of the Eiffel Tower so I wouldn't check that box. Perhaps being too literal isn't the point, though.

K.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Where is the 100th item?

K.

[carbonel]

I present the list as I saw it.

What do you think the 100th item should be?

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Climbed a pyramid.

K.

Just listing the ones I have done -

[anghara.livejournal.com]

1. Started your own blog (assuming LJ counts)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain (for smallish values of "mountain")
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
12. Visited Paris
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
16. Had food poisoning
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
28. Ridden in a gondola
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community (one that was intended for tourists)
36. Taught yourself a new language
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been inside an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
88. Had chickenpox
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Respectable...