Sightseeing dilemna - opinions please?

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CatholicFireman said:
OK, Juliane here goes.

I plan on getting beat up on this one. My future wife and I were driving I-40 when I seperated from the Air Force. There was a sign for a tourist attraction twenty miles away but I was on a time schedule, had a certain amount of petty cash, and was a stubborn 23 year old so I drove by. Twenty five years later she still won’t let me live it down.

The tourist attraction? The Grand Canyon. :o

Go see the dune, dear.
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Same thing here.Only I wont let my hubby live it down. 😛 We were being stationed in Ca ( Coast Guard) and we were coming from Texas. We were an hour away but it was getting dark and like you…we were burning daylight. I got the promise that we would see it on the way home. NOT, we too I10 home. So now I’ll probably never get to see it. Oh, well. He did let me take the girls to Disneyland twice while we were there:D
 
cat3gs said:
Same thing here.Only I wont let my hubby live it down. 😛 We were being stationed in Ca ( Coast Guard) and we were coming from Texas. We were an hour away but it was getting dark and like you…we were burning daylight. I got the promise that we would see it on the way home. NOT, we too I10 home. So now I’ll probably never get to see it. Oh, well. He did let me take the girls to Disneyland twice while we were there:D
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She’s getting me back. After I retire I told her I would retire to Washington state (she’s from Oregon…Washington is the only west coast state that doesn’t tax retirement 😉 )
 
faithfully said:
Ok, So I grew up in an area that sand dunes are all along the beach. Nothing exciting. Not even remotely. I’m with you, I can’t imagine anything more boring.

So, I wonder, where are these amazing sand dunes? Any chance you’ll share this info? I feel I must google!

I’m just so curious. I’m actually can’t fathom piles of sand so amazing that someone says, “you’ve GOT to see the sand dunes.” that almost makes me want to go. I’d either expect to see something I couldn’t even fathom, or I’d be gaining the confirmation necessary that DH had officialy become brain dead.
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I had to look it up myself, since I’ve been like this the whole time he described it.

:yawn::sleep: Yeah, I’m that bad…heck, he took both our sons to see it and I thought “well that’s over with, the boys did the dune thing, now I can just enjoy the other stuff…” No chance.

Le Dune du Pilat

Now I have to backtrack completely and convince him that I really DO want to go see it! This is going to teach me a lesson, that’s for sure…Big slice of humble pie on my plate…
 
odile53 said:
Go and look at the sand dune, and have an additional sightseeing option all lined up and ready to suggest. Something like, “Of course. And after we see the sand dune, let’s go to see the (insert local attraction.)”

When someone says, “you have to see this,” it’s usually because the thing struck them so that they want to share it with you, not that they want to make you see it. Respond to this in that spirit. Sure, it might be a big pile of silica, but if so many people supposedly are going to see it, it must have some sort of elan to it. There probably aren’t all that many people who would be so enthusiastic about just a plain old pile of sand. Go, notice, and try to find out just why your husband said “you just gotta see this!”

I’ve gone along on jaunts with my husband that I thought would bore me to tears, but when I got there I was interested, pleasantly surprised, and enjoyed the experience.
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This is what I was thinking too… My poor dh has complied with my requests because of this premise, and I have done stuff with him because of this too, and it has always been worth it for me to go (lol, not sure if it has been worth it for him), to be able to share X Y or Z with him, even if it was something that would not have interested me one bit on my own. One more vote for the pile of dirt! 🙂
 
Hi Juliane, I say see the stupid sand… you might enjoy it but even if you don’t… just give this one up. The reason being is that it’s obviously important to him that you see it. I think that’s kind of sweet actually.

My husband and I both enjoy football very much, but he is a total football head and gets extremely serious about analyzing plays and what not. Often times I’ll be doing something else and he will pause the TV and yell excitedly for me to come watch a certain play or see a certain foul. I really don’t feel like stopping what I’m doing to go watch something that looks like every other play to me, but I do it… because I think it’s cute that he wants to share it so much.

Hopefully it’s a short visit to the sand and then you can enjoy the stuff you want to do!!
 
TheRealJuliane said:
And he, a very lapsed Catholic who can’t even say he believes in God, has gone to Mass with me most of the time, over nearly 20 years, so our sons will have a faith in God that he doesn’t. He’s probably going to go to Mass with me on the trip, although he hasn’t gone by himself (of course, what atheist goes to church?).

I think I can sacrifice and go see the dune.

😊
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Twenty years versus one day…I think this says a lot (of good) about your husband. Please go to the dune without another negative word about it to him.

You must have heard that expression: " If you can’t change someone, change the way you think about them." Stop expecting the worst. It might actually be a great dune.
 
Is this sand dune out in the middle of nowhere? And do you have to get out of the car and make a big trek to get to it?

I would think this is an opportunity to see some beautiful/impressive scenery whether that be God-made (mountains, deserts, forests, canyons, bodies of water…) or man-made (buildings, bridges, roads, houses, vehicles…)

Even if the sand dune itself is not that impressive to you, the shared journey as a family
will be likely be worth a lot.
 
It sounds boring to me too…but I also think you should go.

I’m not sure how your husband “asked” you, but it sounds kind of familiar to what my fiance occasionally does. He’ll say “We’re going to do such and such” instead of “I’d like to do such and such” not because he’s controlling, but because he knows whatever it is he wants to do is going to bore me to death and he’d rather act like we’re going to do it instead of entertaining the possibility that we might not. I’ve tried a million times to explain to him that it would make me much more willing to do certain things if he’d just ask instead of tell me “we’re doing this”. It drives me crazy and makes me less willing to go along with something boring because I feel like I have no choice.

I still don’t think he gets it, but he only does it when he really, really wants to do something so I generally go along with it. And truthfully, most of the time we do what I want anyway, It’s just the manner he goes about asking that makes me upset. If he’d said to you “I’d really like you to come with me to look at this sand dune” do you think you would have ended up going?

In any case, I think you should go and come back here and tell us about it because I’m curious to hear about what in the world could be so exciting about a sand dune.
 
CatholicFireman said:
She’s getting me back. After I retire I told her I would retire to Washington state (she’s from Oregon…Washington is the only west coast state that doesn’t tax retirement 😉 )
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Well, when you get here, let me know, so I can help her pile on you!😃

By the way, if you don’t get here soon, Heaven only knows what we’ll be taxed on next! :eek:

And when the Ex got out of the USAF, and returned home to Seattle, I asked him if he wouldn’t take us to see the USS Missouri, which was still docked at Bremerton. Nope. He waited, and made excuses, and guess what? it was re-retired in Hawaii!
 
OK Real… The wiki site did NOT do it justice:

theworldroamer.com/the-great-dune-of-pyla-the-sahara-of-france/

Check out the pics from this page… any chance it will be warm? Can you snorkel?

the photo with the sand out from the coast line is breathtaking!!! The forest behind an unusual addition. Added to keep the sand from eroding…

I think I might go. It could be BORING… But it’s only 40 miles from Bordeaux… Wine tasting next!!! Which I’d be ALL OVER!!!

Enjoy your trip! Take pics and share please!
 
Or you could get some wine and snack ON the way! Then a day at the Beach. Although I’m not one for Sand Dunes, I LOVE THE BEACH, I’d live at the beach if I could!
 
If he is talking about Sand Mountain outside of Fallon, NV, you should go. It IS something to see!
 
Katie966 said:
It sounds boring to me too…but I also think you should go.

I**'m not sure how your husband “asked” you, but it sounds kind of familiar to what my fiance occasionally does. He’ll say “We’re going to do such and such” instead of “I’d like to do such and such” not because he’s controlling, but because he knows whatever it is he wants to do is going to bore me to death and he’d rather act like we’re going to do it instead of entertaining the possibility that we might not. I’ve tried a million times to explain to him that it would make me much more willing to do certain things if he’d just ask instead of tell me “we’re doing this”. It drives me crazy and makes me less willing to go along with something boring because I feel like I have no choice.
**
I still don’t think he gets it, but he only does it when he really, really wants to do something so I generally go along with it. And truthfully, most of the time we do what I want anyway, It’s just the manner he goes about asking that makes me upset. If he’d said to you “I’d really like you to come with me to look at this sand dune” do you think you would have ended up going?

In any case, I think you should go and come back here and tell us about it because I’m curious to hear about what in the world could be so exciting about a sand dune.
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Yes, that’s definitely a big part of what set me off in the first place. It was that the agenda was going to be set for me without my (name removed by moderator)ut. So I got mulish about it. My dad was from Missouri and HIS dad was a mule trader some of the time. I guess it runs in my blood…that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

I have never liked being told that I am “going to do such and such.” I guess I wouldn’t have done too well in the military…I like to have a say-so in my own life. Even for something as inconsequential as going to see a great big pile of sand.

You know, it’s amazing how well I can justify my own bad behavior…I really was feeling quite put upon until I came here and asked for feedback.

😊

Thanks everyone, for being so honest and yet not telling me what a silly person I am.
 
faithfully said:
OK Real… The wiki site did NOT do it justice:

theworldroamer.com/the-great-dune-of-pyla-the-sahara-of-france/

Check out the pics from this page… any chance it will be warm? Can you snorkel?

the photo with the sand out from the coast line is breathtaking!!! The forest behind an unusual addition. Added to keep the sand from eroding…

I think I might go. It could be BORING… But it’s only 40 miles from Bordeaux… Wine tasting next!!! Which I’d be ALL OVER!!!

Enjoy your trip! Take pics and share please!
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You’re right, those are much better photos of it. Thanks! No, it will be cold, possibly rainy. I’d be lucky to have a clear day like those photos. There are a lot of para gliders in the summer but I doubt if they do that in the winter. Well, at least there won’t be millions of tourists there a few days after Christmas…

Lourdes is on the itinerary too.

👍
 
TheRealJuliane said:
Yes, that’s definitely a big part of what set me off in the first place. It was that the agenda was going to be set for me without my (name removed by moderator)ut. So I got mulish about it. My dad was from Missouri and HIS dad was a mule trader some of the time. I guess it runs in my blood…that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

I have never liked being told that I am “going to do such and such.” I guess I wouldn’t have done too well in the military…I like to have a say-so in my own life. Even for something as inconsequential as going to see a great big pile of sand.

You know, it’s amazing how well I can justify my own bad behavior…I really was feeling quite put upon until I came here and asked for feedback.

😊

Thanks everyone, for being so honest and yet not telling me what a silly person I am.
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You’re not a silly person and I hear what you’re saying. It helps to be consulted regarding plans that include you.
When you get back you’ll have to tell us all about the pile of sand! With photos! I mean, please tell us about the pile of sand when you return home!😃
 
No problem, and yes, it’s only polite to be consulted about something. My husband is a big fan of what he calls spontaniety. I call it lack of planning. Obviously, either point of view taken to the extreme is nuts.

When we were first dating I was still performing. On the closing weekend of Swan Lake, he had a tremendous surprise for me. He picked me up after the last performance, and we drove through the night into the wilds of northern New York (near where I was born) to do–guess what–climb Mount Marcy! His thought was to make the trailhead by daybreak, because (like your husband told you) “You just gotta see this!” I slept most of the way in the car (hadn’t even showered after the performance, and the closest thing I had to appropriate footwear was a pair of ratty sneakers, complete with slashes in the vamps for my ballerina bunions!) Big black flies were everywhere, and with dried on sweat, I was a smorgasbord for them.

He woke me up when we got to the trailhead, got out a huge backpack that looked like you could survive on the contents for a couple of weeks, and said, “Let’s go.” I said, “Go where?” He pointed up.

I laughed weakly. Then I pointed to my blistered feet. “You mean with these?”

He got the point. We got back in the car and headed to a diner, then headed to a motel to crash. A few hours later, we went into Lake Placid to get me a decent pair of hiking boots and a lot of bandaids.

Sometimes it’s just a lack of communication. But heck, it sounds like you have a great trip planned, anyways.

Enjoy the dunes, and everything else. And judging from the pictures of that dune, better do some stationary bicycling before you even think of climbing it! And wear good boots with ankle support.
 
Trishie said:
You’re not a silly person and I hear what you’re saying. It helps to be consulted regarding plans that include you.
When you get back you’ll have to tell us all about the pile of sand! With photos! I mean, please tell us about the pile of sand when you return home!😃
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See, YOU got it right away!!!

:rotfl::rotfl:
 
Wow.
I wonder if this is the same Huge Pile of Sand
I’ve been contemplating as a possible vacation destination?
😃

If it were me,
I’d go, make my husband happy,
bring my camera, have him stand there and wait
while I took pictures (I’m an artist/photographer, so
he would definitely need patience as a virtue while
I made sure to get just the right angle for my landscape scene
featuring the Huge Pile of Sand) …
and then I’d make my husband
go somewhere that I wanted to go.
Fair is fair.

How about that?
:o

~~ the phoenix
 
odile53 said:
No problem, and yes, it’s only polite to be consulted about something. My husband is a big fan of what he calls spontaniety. I call it lack of planning. Obviously, either point of view taken to the extreme is nuts.

When we were first dating I was still performing. On the closing weekend of Swan Lake, he had a tremendous surprise for me. He picked me up after the last performance, and we drove through the night into the wilds of northern New York (near where I was born) to do–guess what–climb Mount Marcy! His thought was to make the trailhead by daybreak, because (like your husband told you) “You just gotta see this!” I slept most of the way in the car (hadn’t even showered after the performance, and the closest thing I had to appropriate footwear was a pair of ratty sneakers, complete with slashes in the vamps for my ballerina bunions!) Big black flies were everywhere, and with dried on sweat, I was a smorgasbord for them.

He woke me up when we got to the trailhead, got out a huge backpack that looked like you could survive on the contents for a couple of weeks, and said, “Let’s go.” I said, “Go where?” He pointed up.

I laughed weakly. Then I pointed to my blistered feet. “You mean with these?”

He got the point. We got back in the car and headed to a diner, then headed to a motel to crash. A few hours later, we went into Lake Placid to get me a decent pair of hiking boots and a lot of bandaids.

Sometimes it’s just a lack of communication. But heck, it sounds like you have a great trip planned, anyways.

Enjoy the dunes, and everything else. And judging from the pictures of that dune, better do some stationary bicycling before you even think of climbing it! And wear good boots with ankle support.
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Men - aren’t they just the silliest creatures?

😃
 
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