Wonders of the World
Posted by Ginnie on Monday Jul 26, 2010Under Ginnie, dreams, inspiration, motivation, musings, travel Tags: Mont Saint-Michel
On our recent trip to France, we had one goal in mind (besides general sight-seeing): to see Mont Saint-Michel with our own eyes. Not Paris, mind you, or anything therein. Just Mont Saint-Michel. Next to Paris, it’s apparently France’s biggest tourist attraction. You can understand why.
But after it was done, Astrid and I both said to each other: we’ve done it once; we never need to do it again!
Please explain that to me. How is it possible to see something so incredibly unbelievable and never need to see it again. A wonder of the man-made world. One of the top attractions of a country…or a planet. And once is enough!
But see something like fields of sunflowers (which were in bloom all over the southwest of France), humble stone churches from the 12th century (in almost every village), Chambres d’Hôtes (Bed & Breakfasts) made out of ancient stone…and…I can’t get enough of them! I’d go back and see every one of them over and over again.
It’s the same with photography. Look at the images we see almost every day on the Internet that blow us away. Macro shots of honey bees and flowers. The smile of a little girl in a swimming pool. The barefeet of a newborn grandbaby. The character of a wizened face. Dogs frolicking together in ecstasy. Tell me those aren’t wonders of the world. Tell me they don’t take your breath away. And do you have to pay one red cent for them? No.
We all know this, of course, that life is short. There’s only so much we can see and do. Most of us will only check off a few things on our “bucket list,” if we’re lucky. Some of us more than others, perhaps. But all of us can pay attention and figure out what’s important and what “wonders” us…sometimes right before our very eyes.
I wish it for all of us…the Bucket List and those wondrous things waiting for us right here and now. Which reminds me: I need to go take a walk again past that windmill right around the corner from me!
[On my other-other blog (besides Shutterchance, that is), you can see various other images in collages of the Mont Saint-Michel experience we'll never forget. We climbed all the way to the top and wound our way throughout the Abbey maze of ups and downs, back-n-forths.]
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July 26th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Marcie,
Thank you for your ever-so-sweet comment. I’m so glad I followed you here; this post is perfect. The ordinary is the extraordinary, isn’t it. And while gorgeous sights in famed countries are lovely to cast eyes upon, they are not the breadth of where we see goodness, and beauty.
…and, please do feel free to enter the contest if you like the print
xo,
WHP
July 26th, 2010 at 3:23 am
First – what an absolutely stunning image of what we all know to be one of the world’s wonders and ‘must-see’ sights.
But – like you – I always end up feeling ‘wow-ed’ at that moment..but never really needing to return. Somehow it’s life’s everyday that is the most beautiful and engaging…and what keeps me forever coming back for more.
And those magical captures of these majestic places – altho they make for beautiful picture-postcard images..they do not make up the ‘art’ of seeing. For me – I always end up feeling as if I’ve done nothing to ‘create’..but only as anyone else can do which is to click their shutter’s lens.
Beautifully conceived and written – as always!
July 26th, 2010 at 6:47 am
Omgosh! How MANY times do I have to see this crazy castle?? Just kidding. did you laugh?
I understand what you mean in your post. Once the mind experiences something, there is a need to feel satisfied and not go back and repeat it..helllo High School anyone? But if there is something to learn more about or see..I think you would return…
Ken
July 26th, 2010 at 7:35 am
….what “wonders” us, I just love that. A very from the heart, and mind, post.
July 26th, 2010 at 8:23 am
I don’t know why, but I know yes, you are right.
July 26th, 2010 at 11:37 am
that has become one of my main goals in life, to maintain that sense of wonder, not at the big, obvious slap you in the face amazements, but in the tiny little every day things that make up life. tea in the morning. a child’s laugh. a flower opening.
I loved your post.
July 26th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
I think I’d have to visit to get that feeling of not needing to return.. However, I know you got “the shot” and so I can justify why there is not a need anymore. You went during a perfect day and had a great time!
For sure it’s something to think about… Then there are other places that you just want to visit as many times as possible and never get enough of it.
July 26th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
That night you were MY trooper, the way you climbed those steps half way heaven still impresses me.
It was my biggest (erm…second biggest wish) see Mont Saint Michel and strange, once was enough.
You are right, some things I never get enough from/of and some things; once is enough.
Wonderful post again, love the way you write.
July 26th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Thank you for sharing the beautiful image and your thoughts. I enjoy this blog routinely and am struck that what I get here is never routine. I do thoroughly understand what you mean about so many wonders surrounding us everyday. I hope to never lose my appreciation of the wonders, faraway and near to me, next to me, all around me. Thank you for the reminder today. I’m glad you got to visit one of your places on your list.
July 26th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
I love this photo so much. I don’t have a bucket list. I think that if I am not allowed to see these things in my lifetime on earth, I’ll see it in another:)
July 26th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
I understand what you say about seeing something beautiful and not having to go back. I think it is because you have great pictures. You can look at them any time. And that makes all the difference. When I went to Mont St Michel with my mum for a week, when I was 15 or 16 years old, I did not take any pictures. That was a long time ago too and I don’t remember it well. If I had colorful pictures like you have I would be satisfied, but I don’t, so I’d like to go back some day. Although with all the other places I have not visited yet, this won’t be on top of my list.
I also think that at what time in your life you go somewhere and with whom makes a difference. For example I went to visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok alone and enjoyed it. But when I went several years later with daughter no. 2 (who is more Buddhist than me) I enjoyed it a lot more because she was so incredibly happy to go there.
For now, watching your pictures of Mont St Michel and reading your lovely account of your trip is very satisfying.
July 27th, 2010 at 12:01 am
Okay, so am I the only one who thinks it looks like the castle from Disneyland? Maybe it’s the inspiration for it, I have no idea. I do know what you mean, though, Ginnie, about not needing to see something amazing after seeing it for the first time. The need and desire has been satisfied, and yet the need and desire for simple beauty is never quenched. One of these days I’ll get around to creating a bucket list, but not yet.
July 27th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
This is such a sweet post.
July 27th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
I’ve been thinking along these very same lines, my dear. I just wrote an ode to garlic. It’s the ordinary and simple that we need to find beauty in, because that’s where we live.
July 28th, 2010 at 8:04 am
I think, for me anyway, EVERYBODY can see the big picture. By that I mean everybody (who has the means and opportunity) can take a tour of magnificent places like Mont Saint-Michel and be enthralled by the grandeur and beauty. But not everybody can savor the small nuances — like you did in your 5th blog collage, upper right hand corner. Those are the moments I would want to chase…return to explore.
August 2nd, 2010 at 5:50 am
stunning picture ginnie, better than any postcard i’ve ever seen!!!
August 7th, 2010 at 8:38 am
Fabulous photo … perhaps it is almost too majestic for us? I live near Niagara Falls and visited once the first year we lived here. Okay, good, done that. But visitors to us have forced us to revisit the falls and now, I go on my own to explore and take photos. The photos are more simple, of the minutiae and detail of the area, and, oh Ginnie, I’m not clear here, but I know you’ll get it, we can revisit those amazing places but we still distill it down to babies toes and the repetition of sunflowers in a field.
xo