Daydreams of Stones and History

I wonder anybody does anything at Oxford but dream and remember, the place is so beautiful. One almost expects the people to sing instead of speaking. It is all like an opera. 
- William Butler Yeats

Take a walk with me across a stone-paneled city.  Sand-coloured buildings adorned with windows ornate and tall. Windows lined with flower boxes blossoming in colour. Flower boxes surrounding a grassy space. Take a breathe and think about the history you are part of, even if only for a short time. We are only here on earth for a short time, but this city has lasted for centuries and will continue to flourish for many more. We get to experiences place like this. Where time has passed and history has occurred under your feet. I cannot help but feel that here, in Oxford.

It is good to be reminded of our smallness. A smallness coupled with the fact that we all have a part to play in this great story of God's creation. It is a paradox of the minuscule and the importance that fascinates my imagination. I feel that the most when I am travelling. 

I think part of why I love to travel to old places is because I feel as if I am stepping into a story that has been taking place for centuries, and I get swept away into the middle of the book somewhere. The point is, I get to be within those pages, and it is part of that discovery and learning that thrills me. To be part of it is a privilege. The more unique a place is (and true to itself) the more I love it. I tend to stay away from the touristy sections if I can, so I am able to find the tucked away local spots that give me a feeling of the place. I want to learn the names of some of the locals I will see everyday, at my favourite coffee shop or at the place I am staying. 

As we walk around, look around. 
One thing I potentially dislike about travel is if I am shuffled from one thing to another with no sense of appreciation of a place except to cross it off the list as completed. This is one reason why I do not gravitate to take part in travel tour groups. I want to spend time in a place to gather its feeling, to feel its pulse, not just go nonstop from place to place. Each place has a vibe, but you cannot absorb that if you don't observe, which requires slowing down. So let's slow down for a cup of tea and listen to the locals chatter about their lives.

Everyone has their different modes of travel, and I love to hear about such travels and why they did what they did, and what they learned. So, how do you prefer to travel? Why do you like to travel? What draws you to a place?