My Best Travel Memories Aren't In Guidebooks ...

Every traveler has a completely different, personalized experience when they visit a new town or country. That's why we travel, instead of just reading guidebooks!

Ask a hundred people what they remember most about Prague, and while quite a few might mention the crowds of tourists and rows of artists on Charles Bridge, others will speak of a paddle boat ride on the Vltava River, some might mention some great Czech beer, and me - I'll tell you of the moments I spent waiting with some Japanese friends to witness the on-the-hour antics of the Town Hall's Astronomical Clock.

As I wrote this week's article about Ventspils, Latvia, a sweet town on the coast, my mind constantly wandered back to my most memorable experience there back in 2003. I was strolling along the Ostas Street promenade taking photos of the unusual fountains and public art sculptures there. As I took a shot of what I always liked to call the spaghetti fountain - you can imagine - I heard two men speaking behind me. Of course, I knew about two words of Latvian, but in the middle I unmistakably heard the Latvian pronunciation for "digital camera".

I turned around and found two grey-haired men checking out my camera. They spoke to me in English, and one explained that his friend had never seen a digital camera before, and he was telling him how it works. I had a brainwave, and quickly took a photo of the two of them, and showed the friend the picture of himself on the screen. "Splendid!!!" was his reply, and I always remember it. We chatted a little more and they strolled on. Sometimes I wonder if they remember me; or whether they own digital cameras yet. And the memory gives me that nice warm feeling when I think about my days in Ventspils.

What are your special travel memories like? Start a discussion and let me know.