Friday off-topic. Quaint places that you cherish

[airiefairie]

Which is the quaintest, coziest, cutest place you've been to? A place that makes you feel warm inside, where you've caught yourself sighing with relief and purring with joy? A place as if taken from a post-card, or from the fairy tales of yore? Perhaps it is a place that you relate to a personal story that still makes you smile? Or one where you just feel at home like nowhere else. Come on, name such a place in the world! And maybe post a picture or two?

Mine:

The hills around Theewaterskloof dam in the Western Cape, South Africa, are awash with tasty spring colours. A cute little house near the shore is what I could call my family's personal paradise.

Comments

[luzribeiro]

And the dam is again bursting at the seams, after a disastrous period for the whole region. *SIGH*

[asthfghl]

Cool topic. No doubt, my #1 place is the magical Rhodope mountains, the village of Sitovo more precisely. Some good family friends have a summerhouse there, I've spent tons of time at their place since I was a kid, and I keep going back there to spend nice time in good company, go camping, trekking, biking, and exploring. Also, the whole area is just magical: cool spots for short walks and pleasant afternoons doing picnic by the waterfalls, visiting ancient ruins, mysterious artifacts, high peaks, weird rocks and amazing scenic panoramas, forests, it's got everything.

[garote]

Skagafjörður.

[fridi]

Lake Kleifar in South-West Iceland, where the traditional annual gathering of my clan happens every first six days of the year. There are bonfires, fireworks, music and dance, lots of strong drinks and weird food, open-air theatre, games, competitions, old rituals, horse-riding, fishing, ice bathing and sauna, stargazing, watching the northern lights, and then everyone burns a huge wooden ship in the end. Crazy stuff, in a nutshell. It's where I've always felt complete, and part of something bigger than myself.

Dunedin!

[tcpip]

Population c130,000 with 25% either students or staff at the local university which a weird combination of Gothic revival architecture and modernist brutalism.

A Scottish castle (well, folly) which comes with it's own weird tale.

Beautiful local wildlife.

A disappearing gun emplacement, some fine local beaches, excellent museums, galleries, and theatres, surprisingly good food, and a rather radical planned new foreshore development.



I first visited in 2006 and liked the place so much that I've bought my Secret South Pacific baseretirement home there and now study at the local university.




Oh, and a good spot for viewing the Aurora Australis.