Random Fridays: Dream Vacations- Book Edition

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Hey'a, everyone! I know, I said that there wouldn't be any Random Fridays during NaNoWriMo, but Emma asked me to collaborate with her on this week's, and her idea sounded so cool that I couldn't say no. This week's theme is dream vacations, but Emma and I decided to add a twist. Our vacation locations will be based on, what else, books! As a note, I haven't read all the books on this list, though the locations are all places I'd like to visit. Emma picked most of them- which was probably wise, since the majority of my favorite books are set in places you can't actually go. (E.g. Middle Earth. Or Narnia. Or any of the eight locations in my second to last Random Fridays post, which was actually on that topic.)

Anyway, time to start the grand tour! We'll begin with the place that's closest to my home (though still pretty far away).

1. New York, NY.

Book: From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg*

New York is one of those places I've wanted to go pretty much as long as I can remember and I don't even know why anymore. It probably had something to do with some book I read when I was much younger and I've forgotten about by now. (There are a lot of those.) But I wanted (and still want) to see the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.

And we can't forget the Metropolitian Museum of Art, where The Mixed up Files is set.

Ok, enough with the big city. Let's go somewhere more relaxing.

 2. Prince Edward Island

Book: Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Very relaxing-looking, wouldn't you agree?

Of course, I had to include Green Gables.

This one isn't Green Gables, but isn't it pretty?

Time to move on. NYC and Prince Edward Island were the only two locations on this side of the Atlantic; our next stop is . . . 

3. Paris, France

Book: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

One location that plays a major part in Scarlet is the Paris Opera House, properly called the Palais Garnier.

I couldn't find a picture of the outside that I liked, so you can look at the awesome grand staircase instead. 

 And the grand foyer.

And the grand . . . um . . . room where they perform operas and such. I'm not sure of the technical term. But it's got to be the grand something, no? 

I'd like to include the Palace Versailles in this post too, even though none of the events in Scarlet go near there. Unfortunately, there's no way I can pick just one picture. So, it's time to move on to our next location.

4. Rome

Book: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordian*

Ancient Rome fascinates me. Actually, ancient just-about-anything is pretty fascinating, but especially Rome. There's something interesting to learn no matter what kinds of things you like. And oh, the potential for writers! 

Getting back on track, one place I'd definitely want to see would be the Colosseum.

  Fun fact: did you know that the Colosseum was originally called the Flavian Amphitheater, named for the ruling family at the time it was built? The name Colosseum comes from the fact that a large statue, or colossus, of Nero had been erected outside the Amphitheater because it had been built on the site of his home. I find that rather appropriate, considering that Nero began the official persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire, and many Christians were martyred in the Colosseum.

Another place I'd like to visit would be the Pantheon.

Which is not to be confused with the Parthenon of Greece. 

I'm told that I also need to include the Tiber River, which wasn't on my list of places I'd want to see. But it does make a nice picture here, and I like the bridge. 

Anyway, on with the grand tour!

5. Copenhagen, Denmark

Book: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry*

  Yes, of course I started with a picture of a castle. My research tells me it's called Egeskov Castle.

I don't really know much about Copenhagen or Denmark in general, but I do think it would be an interesting place to see. 

The waterfront. I love the rainbow of house colors.

Moving on to somewhere I know more about:

6. The Lake District, England

Book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

 Then again, this region is so lovely that I think it pretty much speaks for yourself.

I can definitely see why Elizabeth wanted to see the lakes with her aunt and uncle. I'd like to go there too. 

Of course, I'd like to go just about anywhere in England.  It's on my Top Five Places I'd Like To Go list.

It's places like this that really make you consider just how amazing God is. After all, He made all of this. And He made it for us to enjoy. Also, if Earth can be this beautiful, what must Heaven be like?

7. Scotland

Book: The Martha series of Little House books. 

Specifically, the Scottish Highlands. Not that I wouldn't like to visit all of Scotland, but there's only so much you can do in one post, especially if you have to stop seven other places too. Also, the Martha books are set in the Highlands.

Scotland happens to be one of the few places that I know exactly when I started wanting to go there, and yes, it's because of the Martha books. I always wished there were more than four of them; the Martha series was probably my favorite Little House series.

Is it just me, or does this picture make you want to live there? 

Time for the last stop on our tour! 

10. Germany

Book: The Healer's Apprentice, The Fairest Beauty, and The Captive Maiden (not yet released) by Melanie Dickerson

I couldn't find a good picture of Hagenheim, where The Healer's Apprentice and its sequels are set. I like to think it would've looked something like that town, though, minus the river. 

This is the Wartburg, a castle that I just learned about in German class a few days ago. Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism, fled here to avoid persecution. It's also said that a minstrels' contest took place at this castle. The stakes were very high in this contest, though; some accounts say that the loser(s) were killed! Not sure if that's true or not, though.

 Of course, we can't forget the Black Forest . . .

. . . or Nuschwanstein Castle, the famous castle built by Ludwig II, the 'fairy-tale king'. Speaking of fairy-tales, it should be no surprise that most of Melanie Dickerson's fairy-tale remakes are set in Germany, since that's where the stories they were based on come from. 

We need more towns that look like this. We really do.

Not that this has anything to do with the picture, but Germany is also the setting of The Book Thief, the movie version of which will be coming out later this month. I haven't read the book, but it sounds rather interesting. 

And that's the end of the tour! I hope you enjoyed it! Many thanks to Emma for coming up with the idea and letting me join in on it!

What are some real world book locations that you'd like to visit?

Auf Weidersehen!

-Sarah (Leilani Sunblade)

Sarah (Leilani Sunblade)

*Have not read.

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