At least now we know why 20mm had so much knowledge in what women say vs what they mean thread.

Not there's anything wrong with that...

OK, clarification. I didn't have a sex change operation. At least, I don't think I did. I think I would remember that. Who knows?

But once upon a time, I did travel to Chambersburgh PA and lived in a dorm there for three weeks. Why? Well, I'm glad you asked. There was an auto body repair teaching facility called Vale Tech and they recently relocated to Wilson College from some hell hole in western PA. Blairsville or something. This was the first year Vale was at Wilson. Maybe Wilson needed some cash, I don't know.

It was pretty bad. The females there posted hate filled notices on the bulletin boards about us, I mentioned the death stares, especially in that crappola cafeteria. I was very happy to leave there. Oh, and I graduated first in class! WTG Mr. or Ms. 20mm!

The good things were, I got to go our nations capitol, see the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capitol Building, the Executive Office Building, some of the quick hitter museoums, and a famous bar where I'm sure Teddy Kennedy spent some time. I know this because they told me. Then, later on, we got lost on a Saturday night in the ghettos of DC and despite having one black guy in the car (who was the most concerned about our future), we made it out.

Gettysburg was the choice one though.

Ok back on topic.

I have been in Gettysburg and at Bull Run. When I stand there and look over the country side, it seems to me that it probably hasn't changed that much since the Civil War. I can imagine the troops on both sides doing battle.

Most of the time periods that really interest me are times of war. Even going back to Rome, that is the time period that I soak up knowledge about. I wonder what it says about me though.

Haven't been to Bull Run, but I can almost guarantee a solider survivor from Gettysburg would still recognize it today. It has not changed.

Clambering through the rocks and boulders in the Devil's Den I wondered what it was like for an 18 year old soldier to fight for his life and his fellow's lives in there.

Or as a Confederate in Pickett's charge, facing Yankee cannons and rifle fire.

A lot of good men, on both sides, gave their all in that three day battle. A nation so divided cannot stand.

The most recent case for me where I got a definite sense of awe from being at a historical place was when I visited Monticello back in 2000. Just the fact that I was at the home where Thomas Jefferson lived 200 years ago filled me with a sense of awe and excitement.

The valley were I live is the site of a victory of the Roman general Marius on germanic barbarians (Cimbres),protecting the town of Aix en Provence (Aqua Sextiae)...102 BC...it is said to have been an huge slaughter...and the reason why it is a very fertile valley.

PM,
I understand what you mean. To stand in the shoes of history. I've felt that in Washington DC, Springfield Illinois, Gettysburg, Pearl Harbor, many other places. Just kind of overwhelms you.

But the only other place where I felt that sense of something bad was at the World Trade Center site in NYC. I just stood there and stared at this huge cavity in the earth and thought Oh My God. I tried to picture how high the towers must have stood above the surrounding buildings and I couldn't do it. I saw a picture pre 9/11 of the towers above a layer of clouds, and they were the only structures you could see.

I don't know. I didn't expect it, but when I was there it just hit me. So many lives lost, in that one instance. I knew people who died that day in NYC and that probably had something to do with it.

Still, it is. I'll never forget it and I'm glad I went to both places.

I am lucky in that area. I live just outside of Baltimore and there are a lot of places near me that are historic. PA is an hour away. Virginia is about 90 minutes and DC is about an hour. I remember going to Fords Theatre as a kid on a field trip. It was a special thing for a bunch of different schools. They even put on a play for us to watch there. It was The Carpetbaggers. There are a lot more restrictions at Fords Theatre now.

It isn't considered a "historic" place, but if anyone ever gets the chance, go see the Vietnam Memorial. Speaking of that, also go to Arlington Cemetary if you get the chance also. I have a pass so I can drive in since my dad is buried there, but most people have to take a bus in.

I visited both when I was in DC in 2000 and it was a very emotional and exciting experience for me. Those are the kinds of experiences you dont forget.

That's for sure. It lets you see the cost of war in lives. When you see numbers, you only see that, numbers. But when I saw names and tombstones, it takes away the numbers and makes it people.