I left New Zealand mid-2003, bound for Istanbul and a new lif. After two years, a Belgian guy lured me into his world, deep in the heart of Europe. For a long time I was an in-process immigrant. One day we married. These days it's about photography, a little red wine and wandering ... and so the journey goes.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Travel is fatal to bigotry, prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Broad wholesomeness and charitable views cannot be acquired by vegetating in one tiny corner of the globe. Mark Twain.
I had a wee giggle, twitches. I think that's something you would have to take up with Mark Twain.
I'm trying to back away from political news as of today. I do believe I might have been thinking intensely of Sarah Palin when I put that quote there ...
You, on the other hand, seem like someone I would welcome into my home with your open-minded, liberal, wholesom and charitable ways ... that sense of humour of yours is a delight too :)
Love that Twain quote. I guess I have the same question as twitches. I've been traveling in my mind since I was a little girl. Back then I even included my future husband in my prayers, and I was positive he wasn't in the U.S., maybe Ireland. That didn't pan out but the travel dream is alive in me still...
A lot of travel writers write of the constant questions they get from those who don't travel and usually accept it as their penance for freedom. Perhaps Mark was reacting to that with his words because clearly I wouldn't say that of you Lydia.
I have to admit, it's up there for me too Tara ... especially after exposure to most countries immigration policies.
While I obviously agree with the quote, I discovered that traveling can reveal that a charming country can have its fair share of (often partially hidden) bigotry.
While I was enjoying the Bodrum, Turkey marina last September, I bumped into a state-issued huge billboard, denying the Armenian genocide during WWI (before Turkey as the country we know today even existed)
I was most upset, given the "right in your face" location of the billboard in front of Bodrum castle (in English, targeted at tourists)
So travel cannot only be fatal to bigotry, prejudice and narrow-mindedness, travel can also expose it.
I am travel-phobic, but then again, I am already open-minded, liberal, wholesome and charitable. So does that make it okay that I'm a homebody? :)
ReplyDeleteI had a wee giggle, twitches. I think that's something you would have to take up with Mark Twain.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to back away from political news as of today. I do believe I might have been thinking intensely of Sarah Palin when I put that quote there ...
You, on the other hand, seem like someone I would welcome into my home with your open-minded, liberal, wholesom and charitable ways ... that sense of humour of yours is a delight too :)
Love that Twain quote. I guess I have the same question as twitches. I've been traveling in my mind since I was a little girl. Back then I even included my future husband in my prayers, and I was positive he wasn't in the U.S., maybe Ireland. That didn't pan out but the travel dream is alive in me still...
ReplyDeleteOne of my all-time favourite quotes.
ReplyDeleteA lot of travel writers write of the constant questions they get from those who don't travel and usually accept it as their penance for freedom. Perhaps Mark was reacting to that with his words because clearly I wouldn't say that of you Lydia.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, it's up there for me too Tara ... especially after exposure to most countries immigration policies.
While I obviously agree with the quote, I discovered that traveling can reveal that a charming country can have its fair share of (often partially hidden) bigotry.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was enjoying the Bodrum, Turkey marina last September, I bumped into a state-issued huge billboard,
denying the Armenian genocide
during WWI (before Turkey as the country we know today even existed)
I was most upset, given the "right in your face" location of the billboard in front of Bodrum castle (in English, targeted at tourists)
So travel cannot only be fatal to bigotry, prejudice and narrow-mindedness, travel can also expose it.
Picture over at my blog.