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Where are you traveling to next?

Been to someplace of historical interest? Planning a trip? Have a question? Post here!
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Margaret
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Posts: 2440
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
Location: Catskill, New York, USA
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Where are you traveling to next?

Post by Margaret » Mon April 25th, 2011, 5:22 am

I've just started a new section, Travel by Novel, at HistoricalNovels.info. The first page is devoted to historical novels set in Paris. I've checked some statistics about the most popular travel destinations around the world, and this is one. The resort areas in Mexico, like Cancun, are another - but it strikes me that people vacationing in Cancun might not be quite as likely to read up on the history of Mexico as people traveling to Paris would be to read about Paris. Since the folks here do like to read about the places they're planning to visit, I thought I would do an informal survey here.

What city or country are you planning to visit next?

What cities or countries have you visited in the past few years? And if you read a good novel before, during or after you trip that gave you some insight into that city or country, do let me know!

Thanks, everyone!
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info

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Mythica
Bibliophile
Posts: 1095
Joined: November 2010
Preferred HF: European and American (mostly pre-20th century)
Location: Colorado
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Post by Mythica » Mon April 25th, 2011, 10:55 am

I honestly don't know because my husband seems to be planning a surprise trip for our 5th anniversary (yay). But I think places like London and Rome should be the next logical additions after Paris.

Apart from the major cities such as those, I would go with places that have major archaeological or historical sites - like Pompeii/Herculaneum, the Pyramids/Valley of the Kings, Stonehenge, Angkor Wat, etc. As a history lover, if I was going to one of those places, I'd love to read a novel set in or based on them.

And there are popular Pre-Columbian historical sites in Mexico or thereabouts - Chichen Itza is one of the "New" Seven Wonders of the World. I wouldn't rule it out as a category completely, though I might not make it a top priority either.

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Madeleine
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Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Mon April 25th, 2011, 11:38 am

Possibly Italy next, and the US; maybe Italy in "real life" too!
Currently reading "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer

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Ludmilla
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Posts: 1346
Joined: September 2008
Location: Georgia USA

Post by Ludmilla » Mon April 25th, 2011, 12:50 pm

We don't ordinarily go anywhere very exotic since we are usually doing a family vacation when we travel. This year my daughter wants to visit Washington DC, so we'll go there for a week this summer and plan on stopping by Williamsburg on either our way there or back.

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Michy
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Joined: May 2010
Location: California

Post by Michy » Mon April 25th, 2011, 2:58 pm

No trips for me in the foreseeable future, thanks to the economy and the current exorbitant price of gas. :( So my vacations this year will probably all be stay-cations, and my travels limited to vicarious ones via books. :o In glancing through my TBR pile, it looks like most of my "travels" will be in the US and England.
Last edited by Michy on Mon April 25th, 2011, 3:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
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Posts: 3566
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Mon April 25th, 2011, 3:24 pm

We have promised our Pakistani friends we will visit, but with the security situation, we're not sure but what we would be a liability--not to mention the cost of the airfare! Though after that, we would be guests, so the expenses would be small.

They live in Islamabad, and Aden's parents also own an apartment block in Murree, which is their version of Aspen, Colorado.

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Ken
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Joined: April 2009
Location: Truro, Cornwall, UK

Post by Ken » Mon April 25th, 2011, 5:08 pm

Leaving from Plymouth to Santander next Sunday on my way to our place in the South of France, passing through Carcassonne on the way!

On this holiday, the aim is to stop procrastinating (at which I am an expert!) and concentrate on re-igniting the creative spark (if there is one!) enough to finish my book.

I'm currently 10 chapters in and struggling!! :( :o

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Vanessa
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Posts: 4378
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
Preferred HF: Any
Location: North Yorkshire, UK

Post by Vanessa » Mon April 25th, 2011, 5:28 pm

The most exotic places I've been to are Thailand and India. Thailand is known as the 'land of smiles' and the people are certainly very welcoming, as are the Goans. The most beautiful city I've been to is Venice, but I also loved Paris. I've also been to Mexico and the usual European haunts of Spain, France, Greece and Italy - Lake Garda is especially picturesque. Another country is Turkey (visited it twice now) where I'm hoping to go for a week this summer, but not sure yet.

I usually enjoy reading a book set where I'm travelling to and can remember reading Leonardo's Swans when visiting Italy once.
Last edited by Vanessa on Mon April 25th, 2011, 5:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads

Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind

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Madeleine
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Posts: 5859
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Mon April 25th, 2011, 7:23 pm

Sadly it looks like i'll only be visiting Italy in books, as due to personal and work commitments, I don't think we can do the holiday we wanted - Lake Garda, we've been before and it's gorgeous - as the tour only runs on certain dates.
Currently reading "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer

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Susan
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Location: New Jersey, USA

Post by Susan » Mon April 25th, 2011, 7:45 pm

This summer we are going to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, and St. Petersburg. We're flying into Copenhagen and will spend three days there. Next, it's on to Stockholm for one day and then we board a cruise ship for two days at sea, a day in Helsinki and two days in St. Petersburg. I am so excited to be going to St. Petersburg. My paternal grandfather was Russian and I have always been drawn to that part of my ethnicity. Upon returning to Stockholm, we will spend an additional three days there. I will visit as many royalty-related places in Copenhagen, Stockholm, and St. Petersburg as possible.
~Susan~
~Unofficial Royalty~
Royal news updated daily, information and discussion about royalty past and present
http://www.unofficialroyalty.com/

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