Surfing around the blogs, I found one that started a vacation list. The subject is simple...name 10 places in North America you been to and why they are worthy of the list.

Given my less than stellar mood of late (working on it, but still cavedwelling), I thought it was a fantastic little exercise.

In no particular order:

Charleston, South Carolina - I visited a friend in Atlanta several years ago, and we took a side trip to Charleston. I knew very little of the place going there, and my main reason for going was to be able to say I'd seen the Atlantic Ocean. The place was gorgeous, and amazing. The humidity was unlike anything I'd ever experienced, but combined with the history, the smells emanating from the outdoor market, the architecture and the friendliest people, I long to go back.

Indio, California - My parents used to winter there in their motorhome before my Mom got too ill to travel. One Easter, I flew to Palm Springs and then drove the hour or so out to Indio. It was such a strange little place. One one hand it was a snowbird's paradise, but with so many odd sights in the desert, very intriguing. We found a man who was told by God to paint a mountain, so he did. He has been featured in several television shows, but is such a humble - if not a bit eccentric - man. In another area, the Salton Sea, I believe - the tilapia fish had died en masse, leaving piles up to 3 ft. high of dead fish. Still another part of the Salton Sea was some small community that was set up in the 50s as a retirement resort but didn't go over well. It was a ghost town of hotels, and structures that left you feeling like you walked onto an X-Files episode.

Cle Elum/Roslyn, Washington - where Northern Exposure was filmed. On a road trip whim, we detoured out of Seattle and found the place after a hot, dusty summer drive. And it's got a funky name too!

Telegraph Cove, BC - On the east coast of Vancouver Island. We took a boat to get there, and stayed in a lodge on the coast. Cruise ships and whales swam by and it was absolutely breathtaking.

Red Deer, Alberta - not exactly the prettiest town, but I've had some wonderful times here when family still lived there. And of course, where Ms. Thang was born. Any town that has friendly townspeople in -40 degrees is good in my book.

Deception Pass, Washington - on the Olympic peninsula, I believe, but not far from here. The scenery is gorgeous, and the colours of the blue water beyond description. We camped (one of the VERY few times I've ever been coerced into a tent) in torrential rain, and even saw a whale off the coast. Although no one ever believed that, I know I saw it!

Cannon Beach, Oregon - the whole Oregon coast, actually but Cannon Beach was the site of many childhood vacations. My Mom would cover my ears with a scarf so the wind wouldn't cause discomfort, and we would walk for miles. My older brother would dig holes in the sand and cover me up to waist level, or build a castle around me. We'd eat salt water taffy, and watch the seals in the ocean and feed squirrels outside our hotel room window. Or we'd drive up to Tillamook and have some ice cream and watch the cheese being made.

Shingletown, California - the home of the Wild Horse Sanctuary, owned by my cousin Dianne. They have around 5,000 acres and several hundred wild horses and burros. Waking up in the morning to the braying of burros and whinny's of wild horses is something not to be missed. They do trail rides and cattle drives to raise money to offset the care of the wild horses, and it is a treat to go on one. They've built an overnight area, very rustic but with all the necessities, so that people can spend a night in the outdoors as they did a hundred years ago.

Lahaina, Maui - I've been back to Maui twice, but Lahaina will always have a special place. The banyan tree, the ocean breezes makes you feel like it's a hundred years ago, and the whaling ships are just off shore. I've not been since 1987 though, and have heard it's become much more commercialized now, but in my memory it's still quaint.

Arlington, Virginia - across the way from DC and so much history everywhere you look. There's great shopping, fantastic food and it's enough out of DC that it's not too busy, but close enough that you can still get there.

I would love to hear some of the places others have been. Leave me a comment if you do this on your blog, and I'll stop by.