I've been reading a few Amish books by Beverly Lewis and I have a question if anyone knows about the Amish or their way of living....In a couple of her books, it uses a word, which I can't remember just now, but it pertains to young people right before the courting starts...And in the books, the young ladies sneak out during the night and meet up with fellows and stay out all night...And also, both books I've read have mentioned the girls having a love seat in their bedroom for entertaining their young men....I'm really surprised that this would happen...The author states she grew up in Amish country....Anyone know....I'm just amazed.....

Ive done some minor trips alone-- extensions of business trips, a week at the beach, a day or overnight in a city. I really don't need the company of others for the times when I am lounging on the beach, shopping or museuming. I think the key is to plan your trip around the things you very much enjoy alone. I used to rent a house on the beach where I could take my dog. My sister and niece would come down for an overnight.. sometimes I would allow a bf to come for a night or two. I loved those getaways but I don't really think of them as vacations. I have been looking at options for a trip -- not yet sure of the timing but I am considering a cooking school in mexico that offers a lot of solo time as well as a trip to Cuba. The problem with these kinds of solo trips is that you are at least loosely connected with a group. I am not sure if I'll enjoy that.

It's so odd to read this here, as last night I was feeling nostalgic about our long-ago trip to Guatemala and so went to YouTube to watch the videos there. I was eleven when my parents and I made the trip by car, driving from Chicago to Guatemala City, six weeks altogether. It was the fifties, there were very few Americans traveling by car in Central America then. We felt perfectly safe, except for an event in Guatemala City. We spent considerable time in the Highlands, visited Lake Atitlan, sailed across it to watch a feast day celebration in one of the towns ringing the lake, stayed in Antigua, but best of all, spent two days in Chichicastenango. Chichi has a very famous market, huge, with all sorts of merchandise, well-organized. Also a notable church: the worshippers climb the steps swinging their incense burners and praying. Afterwards, they climb a nearby hill to pray and offer food to a black stone, an idol left over from pre-Christian days. Fascinating. We stayed at the Mayan Inn, a charming hacienda-style hotel, with tropical flowers and birds, soft marimba music, and delicious food. It's still there, I think. On this entire trip we did not eat any food that was not washed and peeled and preferably cooked, and drank only bottled water, usually mineral water. Even so my father got quite ill returning through Mexico City; he was in bed in the hotel for a few days, with the doctor regularly visiting him. Guatemala City was an experience. We stayed at a lovely old Swedish pension with a large courtyard and very nice owners. On the day we arrived, we checked in, and went to park the car (at a garage, almost a mile away). We were walking into the city's main square when suddenly machine gun fire erupted and everyone ran in different directions, a mad rush of screaming people. My parents and I found shelter through an open door and into a garden, which turned out to be a Red Cross hospital. We sat there for many hours into the night, watching the wounded being brought in. A doctor explained to us that this had been a coup attempt. Late at night we crept back through the streets hugging the buildings. There was a curfew and no one to escort or drive us. At our pension they welcomed us in, in tears because they thought we were dead! Later, around 2 a.m. our room lights were suddenly thrown on by soldiers who came through our room, overturning suitcases, searching our belongings. Then they apologized to my mother! We settled down in the city and then my father left for what had been the main goal of this trip - a visit to Tikal. At this time, Tikal was completely unexcavated, hidden deep in the rain forest and totally covered by vines and other greens. It looked like a massive green mountain. There were no roads there. My father flew with a bush pilot far in, then hired an Indian (Mayan) guide to take him up by mule. The guide used a machete to cut down the vines as they rode along. They were gone for a week. No communication whatsoever! My dad, a truly fearless archaeologist, loved it. Meanwhile, my mother and I stayed in the city, reading and writing letters on the pension's veranda, exploring the beautiful gardens of the city, and shopping. All in all, we considered it an extremely successful trip, except for my father's illness, which he wrote off as "something a traveler has to expect". Meanwhile, watching the videos of Chichicastenango last night on YouTube, I noticed that nothing has changed in the town. It is as poor and under-developed and colorful and friendly as ever.

I love it I've never been to Mexico yet. I seriously want to go someday. To Mexico City and some other cities..I don't recall the names right now. I saw them on TV..)) We've been to Costa Rica.. Nicaragua (Granada and several pueblos)..I'm not sure whether islands count? We stayed in some boutique hotel in St Lucia-everything was made by local crafstmen and artisans, one of the most memorable places in terms of design I've been to. Yes I'd gladly go there, and not once, if I'm fortunate to do so. I'd love to visit other countries too. I learned many new things there, and it's fascinating how architecture, design, colors inform of history etc In Granada for example no one's allowed to change their older house's architecture-it's one of the oldest cities in Northern America so they try to keep it as intact as possible. (was numerously rebuilt as it was often left in ruins by pirates etc) So in order to have fun and to change, they have a custom of repainting their facades every year. Usually on New Year's. The colors are pretty vibrant. So one year one can say "My house is a green one to the left side on street such and such"-but next year, it's pink or yellow or blue.. That's a bit of OT, probably Anyway, all that region is very interesting, and the more one sees and learns the more one wants to go there again.