What is your favourite thing about the U.S.?

[EagleSmack]

Technical and scientific advancement are a couple things I appreciate, for which Americans contributed to heavily. Approx 90% of the video games I play are created/published from the US, I can't live without those.

Laughing. Me too Durka! BF2, Oblivion, Rome Total War (etc.) I could go on!

 

[triedit]

If you're looking for paranormal fun (not you Dex LOL) I recommend Point Pleasant, WV. Aside from being beautiful, there's an old inn there that is loaded with ghosts. Buy my book first so you know all the deets.

Seriously though, its a weekend trip from toronto and the hotel only charges about $100 or less a night.

 

[shadowshiv]

The later part of this thread is very near and dear to me... our Civil War Battlefields. The ones that have been protected are incredible. Although I am from the North East I try to make it to the mid Atlantic states to see one or two a year. Some are better than others. If any of you have the chance, please try and see Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. The US Parks Department has gone through great pains to make the place as it was those 3 days in July 1863. They have removed vegetation and have preserved areas exactly as they were and they are still researching the landscape. They are in the process of buying land back to remove a little bit of the sprawl that creeped up in the unprotected lands. It is a spectacular story and when you are there, there are plenty of monuments and placards to show you exactly what happened at that very spot. Gettysburg is truly hallowed ground with regards to the Civil War. All over the battlefield the bodies of Blue and Gray are still buried in unmarked graves. The most recent one was found in the late 90's and they say there could be hundreds more out there.

Thanks for this thread.

I see great minds think alike(with regards to Gettysburg;-)).:smile:

 

[DurkaDurka]

Laughing. Me too Durka! BF2, Oblivion, Rome Total War (etc.) I could go on!

We share similar tastes in games Eagle; I still play BF2! Played Oblivion for a few months etc.

 

[shadowshiv]

Laughing. Me too Durka! BF2, Oblivion, Rome Total War (etc.) I could go on!

All good games!

 

[shadowshiv]

We share similar tastes in games Eagle; I still play BF2! Played Oblivion for a few months etc.

Did you get the Knights of the Nine and the Shimmering Isle expansions?:smile:

 

[DurkaDurka]

Did you get the Knights of the Nine and the Shimmering Isle expansions?:smile:

Yeah, didn't get too far into them though, by the time the mini-expansions came out I had already put some serious hours into the game

 

[EagleSmack]

I went to Gettysburg for a class trip in my American History course in high school, it was quite the place, hard to fathom the amount of blood that was shed there.

There were over 50,000 casualties during that time. There were over 8,000 left dead on the field and needed to be buried quickly which is why they were popping up every time a plow went in the ground, or a clearing for a new road, etc. Thousands more died of their wounds. The place was a horror show not only during the battle but for months after in the field hospitals. Just about every house, every church, hotel, and barn were packed with wounded and dying in that sleepy town. Modern day Gettysburg is still about the same size as there are strict limitations on growth there. Truly folks... if you can... go see it.

 

[karrie]

If you ever decide on a excursion to the U.S., I would highly recommend Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Truly a beautiful place to behold, especially considering how much blood was spilled during the Civil War.:smile:

yeah, I can't see that being a draw for me. Too much strained energy around places like that. Batoche nearly killed me. If I ever do take the time to travel to the states, I'll go with hubby to Houston, or Lafayette, when only one of us has to pay our way. Ultimately, the US doesn't hold a lot of mystery for me, so paying to go see it just doesn't have that big of an appeal.

*el cheapo!*

 

[EagleSmack]

Did you get the Knights of the Nine and the Shimmering Isle expansions?:smile:

I am still working on the original game but I plan to get the expansions. Perhaps we should take this to another thread?

 

[shadowshiv]

There were over 50,000 casualties during that time. There were over 8,000 left dead on the field and needed to be buried quickly which is why they were popping up every time a plow went in the ground, or a clearing for a new road, etc. Thousands more died of their wounds. The place was a horror show not only during the battle but for months after in the field hospitals. Just about every house, every church, hotel, and barn were packed with wounded and dying in that sleepy town. Modern day Gettysburg is still about the same size as there are strict limitations on growth there. Truly folks... if you can... go see it.

And the people there are really nice. Not an exaggeration either. They truly make you feel welcome.

 

[shadowshiv]

yeah, I can't see that being a draw for me. Too much strained energy around places like that. Batoche nearly killed me. If I ever do take the time to travel to the states, I'll go with hubby to Houston, or Lafayette, when only one of us has to pay our way. Ultimately, the US doesn't hold a lot of mystery for me, so paying to go see it just doesn't have that big of an appeal.

*el cheapo!*

I don't know. It's hard to explain, but I felt really peaceful when I was there. It is quite serene, to be honest. The fields just stretch out as far as the eyes can see, and the grass swaying in the breeze is almost surreal. I'm not trying to sound like I'm a salesman or anything. It is just that it is truly beautiful. I would rather go there than a place like Miami to be honest.

 

[karrie]

I don't know. It's hard to explain, but I felt really peaceful when I was there. It is quite serene, to be honest. The fields just stretch out as far as the eyes can see, and the grass swaying in the breeze is almost surreal. I'm not trying to sound like I'm a salesman or anything. It is just that it is truly beautiful. I would rather go there than a place like Miami to be honest.

Ha... as ill as Batoche made me, I'd rather hang out on a million battle fields than go to Miami.

I'd prefer to see the bullet riddled churches and the ricochet pitted headstones any day... much more interesting.

 

[EagleSmack]

In light of all the recent hoo-haw about anti-American sentiment, I figured we needed to voice the stuff we like about our neighbours to the south. Kind of a "gimme three" game ... I'll start

1. I LOVE American accents! The broader, the sexier.
2. I like the fact that Americans are so patriotic. Always amazes me.
3. I like beautiful beaches ... I dream of living somewhere warm year round

Hooookaaaay ... next?

And remember the Bambi rule ... "if ya can't say anything nice, go to Wreck Beach instead"

Crankies will be pounced upon and beat about the head and shoulders with a dead fish.

You should hear my Boston accent. I travel the country a lot and I have people cracking up at what seems so natural to me... speaking. I definitely don't sound like I type. When I got in the Marines I thought everyone sounded so funny to me and they all had southern accents. It was only later from fellow recruits that I found out that I sounded different from everyone. Not only do we leave out certain letters... "R" to be more specific we had different names for things.

For example... a water fountain was never a water fountain... it was a "bubbler" pronounced "bubbla"

 

[Cosmo]

Eaglesmack ... we gotta find a way to add voice clips to this board! I love the way the Boston folks speak.

Wow ... the whole history thing is even more amazing after listening to you all talk about it. It feels like Canada is missing out in this area. Those ties to the past also tie people together in the present ... obviously even people who are not from the U.S.

 

[karrie]

Eaglesmack ... we gotta find a way to add voice clips to this board! I love the way the Boston folks speak.

Wow ... the whole history thing is even more amazing after listening to you all talk about it. It feels like Canada is missing out in this area. Those ties to the past also tie people together in the present ... obviously even people who are not from the U.S.

Canada has a rich history too... people just seem less willing to seek it out. I know when we went to Batoche, we were practically the only ones, height of summer and all. My hubby recently went to visit the Frank slide site. I'd had no idea it existed until very recently, and most people I told about him going had no idea it did either. The Qu'Appelle valley is another example of history we never hear about... that whole area is full of tons of tales, historic old churches. It's a shame really.

Another would be Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump. Rich rich history. Yet how many people do you know who've taken the time to go?

 

[hermanntrude]

me me me... ive been there :0)

 

[EagleSmack]

Eaglesmack ... we gotta find a way to add voice clips to this board! I love the way the Boston folks speak.

Wow ... the whole history thing is even more amazing after listening to you all talk about it. It feels like Canada is missing out in this area. Those ties to the past also tie people together in the present ... obviously even people who are not from the U.S.

It probably sounds better in person than a WAV file. That way I am not paying attention to the way I sound.

I've read countless books on Gettysburg. Not just the battle but how the battle effected the people of the town. There are many human interest stories on how the town of about 400 hosted two armies of over 400,000. My numbers may be off a little but you get the idea. The rumors before the battle of Lee's southern army on the march in PA. At different times in the weeks ahead of the battle both armies sent cavalry units to the town searching for supplies. Then the excitement on the night before the battle with Union Cavalry setting up outside of town waiting for the Southern army to come. Civillians brought food and water to soldiers in the fields outside of the town, they helped water horses, etc. Then during the first day of battle when the Union troops were pushed back and had to retreat through the town. Fighting occured in the streets, in houses, back yards, and porches of these people. Before that 3 day battle Gettysburg was just like any other town in 19th century America, but after would be forever changed. Not just the town but the people. Each family or town member had his/her/their story to tell and it is all well documented with astounding accuracy as they saw it, heard it, smelled it.

 

[EagleSmack]

Canada has a rich history too... people just seem less willing to seek it out. I know when we went to Batoche, we were practically the only ones, height of summer and all. My hubby recently went to visit the Frank slide site. I'd had no idea it existed until very recently, and most people I told about him going had no idea it did either. The Qu'Appelle valley is another example of history we never hear about... that whole area is full of tons of tales, historic old churches. It's a shame really.

Another would be Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump. Rich rich history. Yet how many people do you know who've taken the time to go?

I've always wanted to go to the Yukon. What sounds more rustic and historic than that place? A man from my town wrote a book about a no name hockey team from the Yukon (true story, yet slightly embellished) that challenged the Montreal Canadians to a hockey game. Dawson City Seven I think it was called. They loved him up there after he published the book and was well received.

 

[Curiosity]

How about starting a Canadian topic - favorite places?

This one is the U.S. and I am grateful for it - thanks to Cosmo! We rarely get to read positive things about the place.

Delicately I approach the topic - because I enjoy almost everywhere I have been. Earlier I travelled back east but I love the west coast from Blaine, WA down to San Diego/Coronado. My favorite place is Esalen, near Carmel in California. It is the most spiritual place I have ever visited.

Another beautiful place is Montana de Oro in San Luis Obispo County between San Francisco and Santa Barbara - when the poppies bloom - the coastal range mountains are covered in them....blood red as far as you can see

And the Mustard Trail the Catholic Missionaries planted from south to north where they built their little Missions along the way, leaving the yellow mustard plants to guide the next group on their journey north.