Wanderlust Wednesday: History

It's that time again!  This months topic on Wanderlust Wednesday is history.  I am going to take my usual route on this one and list 5 historical places that I have been and 5 that I would most love to see!

5 That I Have Been To:

1. Carcassonne, France
If you have been around for a bit, you know that I am obsessed with castles.  Carcassone is really what started that obsession.  I have always really liked castles but when I actually got to visit one, I realized how amazing and historical they are and I wanted to see more!  I can not wait to share my post about our two days in Carcassonne! Fun Fact: this castle was featured in the movie "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves". 

2. Rome, Italy
Rome was a dream come true for my 16 year old self.  I had been dreaming of going to Rome since elementary school when I cam across a picture of the Coliseum.  I thought it looked neat so I read about it and fell in love.  Once I discovered the Trevi Fountain, I knew I had to get to Rome.  The entire city is just filled with history and it was so surreal to be there.

  3.  James Madison's Montpelier - Orange, VA
I love visiting old houses, especially those of our Presidents.  I have visited quite a number of them but James Madison's Montpelier is my favorite (George Washington's Mount Vernon is a close second).  This home was gorgeous and even though it is incomplete, I loved it.  I also loved visiting the archeological sites where they have recovered some of the Madison's belongings.  Also, I may be biased because James Madison is my favorite founding father and I attended James Madison University.

4. Sagrada Familia - Barcelona, Spain
Just wow.  Visiting this church was absolutely surreal.  The guide we had on this tour was just awesome and I learned so much about the history of Sagrada Familia and Gaudi.  I believe the church is almost complete after nearly 102 years of construction!  I loved it and it's history so much that I even purchased a way-to-expensive book about it from the gift shop.

5.  Gettysburg Battlefield, PA
I have been to Gettysburg several times.  The first time was with my Uncle Steve and my Oma.  My Uncle Steve is a huge history nerd, he has a degree in History from UC Boulder and his specialty is the Civil War.  I loved visiting Gettysburg and have been back a few times.  It is a very interesting place I think it is worth a visit.  The last time I went was in 2009 with my sister and her friend, Becca.

5 That I Would Love To See:
 
1.  All of London
Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, The Globe Theatre, Tower of London?  Yes, please!! 

2. Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
As I said before, I am obsessed with castles and this is one that I am dying to get to!  The history of the entire UK is something I love learning about.

3.  Angkor Wat, Cambodia
I don't think I could ever do a history post without mentioning Angkor Wat!  This temple is at the top of my list of sites to see, so much history!  It must be so surreal to visit.

4.  Machu Picchu, Peru
This is every anthropology major's dream, including mine.  I have heard that it is obnoxiously crowded with tourists but I honestly don't think I would care.  It would be all of those lectures I sat through come to life and I have a feeling it would be amazing! And just look at those mountains!

5.  Petra, Jordan
The more I read about Petra, the more I want to go.  Unfortunately we didn't really learn much about the Middle East in my anthropology classes so I would love to learn more about the history and culture of Petra.

I just love going to places where I really feel "small" in the grand scheme of life.  Like there is so much before us and so much that will come after us.  It's great to imagine all of the important things that happened at historical places.