If you won’t have a chance to take a trip this summer then I recommend you read French Milk by Lucy Knisley. This was a book I picked up for the Graphic Novel Challenge and it was one that resonated with me (my review).
No, I’ve not been to France (yet) but the feelings the author captures about being away from your home and immersing yourself in another country and culture for longer than just a quick getaway are sentiments I can relate to.
I know I look at Germany with a bit of a different perspective than just as a tourist probably because my husband is German and I’ve made so many trips to Germany. Every time I come back I feel a bit disoriented and it takes me a while to get back to normal life. I actually feel like I’m leaving home.
Anyway, back to French Milk, if you have thought about going to France or want to do some armchair traveling this summer then I highly recommend it.
And, because I can’t help myself, here’s another photo of Stolberg, Germany. I want to imagine I’m there right now. Where would you like to be this summer?
Thanks for the recommendation, I love reading about other countries, especially France, so I will have to look for this one.
If I could be anywhere this summer, it would be Copenhagen. I used to live there and I love it so much. One summer I would also like to do a walking tour through Scotland. Sigh :).
I can relate. Luckily for me I have a large community of Americans to help me adapt. Maybe I’ll order this book and see how other people handle the change.
I wouldn’t mind being in Italy, but if an overseas trip is out of the realm of possibilities, I’d love to go back to the Pacific Northwest, specifically to the San Juan Islands. We had such a great time there last summer!
French Milk sounds wonderful. Thanks for the review 🙂
Such a beautiful pic! Please read Maus and Wild Swans next; I love both so much – want to see your take on them. 🙂
French Milk sounds great. I love France though so anything that takes me back there sounds good to me. As for where I’d like to be this summer, anywhere in Europe would do. 🙂
Really enjoying your photographs.
This graphic novel sounds wonderful and I think it would resonate with me as well. There is something that happens when you travel and get lost in new country, city etc. It is a feeling I wish I could bring home with me after travels and have it linger. I think it would be great to always feel like a traveler in your own city. I guess I am lucky in the sense that I feel some of that now in discovering a new city and all its hidden delights.
Thanks for sharing “french milk”…I need to add that to my list
I want to be below the Equator. anywhere cold, where I can take a hot shower to get clean.
What a beautiful picture! With the exception of Canada, I’ve never been outside the US. So I would love to travel almost anywhere!
I’d love to be in Aruba after reading An Island Away by Daniel Putkowski 🙂
Thanks for the recommendation. I went to France and Germany 11 years ago.
wow – what a beautiful photograph!
i would like to be anywhere that has a beach… i’m in desperate need of a vacation!
I wouldn’t mind being on the very street in your picture. It’s lovely. I would love to be in Scotland this summer, but it looks like a week at the beach will have to do. 🙂
Love the pic, Iliana! I wish I’m away on a vacation now after reading all your wonderful posts! I’ve no idea where I’d want to be… as long as I’m away from work, that is, lol.
I’m be right here in San Francisco this summer because I have to teach summer class. Then I start my post-doc in the fall. So I won’t have a vacation until winter.
Greer – I hope you check it out and you’ll have to post on how you liked it. I’ve never been to Copenhagen or Scotland but just like I have a TBR list, I also have a long list of places I’d love to visit one day!
nik – It’s a fun book and I loved the illustrations.
Les in NE – I remember reading your posts about your vacation last year. I’ve never been in that part of the States and would love to visit one day. It looks so beautiful.
Nymeth – Hope you’ll check it out!
Jendeis – Thank you! I do plan on reading those but I’m as always so behind on my reading list – I promise to keep you posted 🙂
tanabata – I hear you. I’m back and would be ready to go back in a heartbeat!
Christine – There was one particular passage in the book that made me think of you. I know we’ve talked about traveling and how it changes our perceptions. I hope you’ll check out the book as I’d love to hear what you think about it!
Isabel – Ha,ha.. I understand girl 🙂
Ex Libris – I’d be up for traveling anywhere myself 🙂
Sara – Ah, Aruba sounds dreamy..
Kelly – You bet – hope you like the book!
Jenna – Thank you. A beach sounds good to me too!
Lisa – Well, a week on the beach with lots of yummy cold drinks and books sound like a dream too 🙂
Melody – Ha,ha… I understand. I’ve been out of work for several months now and somehow I am not feeling that itch to get back to it 😉
Matt – Good thing you were able to get away recently right? I hope your summer class goes well and isn’t too tiring.
Well, given that I simply don’t make it further than twenty miles away at the moment, this sounds like a very good idea. One of the reasons that I don’t miss being able to travel is that I really don’t like the idea of just popping in somewhere for a week or so and then thinking that I’ve ‘done’ the place. I want to get embroiled in the culture. I’ll definitely look this one out.
The books sounds interesting… although I live in Belgium and France is pretty similar! 🙂
Your photos of Germany look lovely – I haven’t seen much of Germany but you’re making me want to rectify that. It’s so close that I really should!
I’d like to go to the beach–but I’m thinking of somewhere like Oregon–not hot. Of course Europe would be nice, too! I’d like to read the Knisley book as well–I read about it a while back. I need to look for it at the bookstore.
I’d love to be in Hay-on-Wye Wales, book shopping, relaxing, biking along the river, picnicking and generally loafing.
The summer class is very exciting. I have the students form a circle in the classroom to allow a forum setting. We’ve been having class out in the lawn the last couple days since the weather is just gorgeous.
I will take you up on this one, and try to find the book!! It sounds like a really good one, and I do love armchair travel.
Thanks for letting us all know!!!
Ann Darnton – I totally get what you mean. I much prefer to spend longer in one spot, even if that means not getting to see more. I think you end up “seeing” more about the people/culture that way.
Joanna – I don’t think I would have ever thought of Germany as much for a travel destination if it wasn’t for my husband. I think it’s greatly underrated! I love it there.
Danielle – I do love the beach but haven’t been in such a long time. I’ve never been to Oregon – I’m with you, some place that’s not hot would be ideal! 🙂
Stefanie – Oh, Hay-on-Wye is a dream! I hope you get to go there one day!
Matt – I wish you had been my teacher! That sounds wonderful and a great and relaxed way for learning.
bethany canfield – I know, isn’t it great that good books allow us to travel? Of course I end up adding dreaming of all the places I want to see one of these days!
Armchair traveling sounds like a great idea! I’d like to travel to Paris this summer.