Pokhara, Nepal, a city high in the Himalayas.
A scenic drive through South Africa.
The Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
New York City's Central Park.
And Monroe, Wisconsin.
These are just some of the far-flung places making National Geographic Travel's Best Spring Trips 2017 list.
We're on it, and we couldn't be more proud. This isn't some ho-hum internet list: This is National Geographic. Those folks know interesting, exotic and beautiful places.
Sure, Monroe and its surrounding environs are beautiful. "Bucolic" is the word that Nat Geo uses -sounds about right. The lushness of the countryside can take your breath away on clear summer mornings, and the stillness of the winter landscape rivals a painted masterpiece.
We're used to it. Maybe even jaded. So it's validating to have others take note of where we live and mention it as a vacation-worthy spot.
It's the Monroe Balloon and Blues Festival in June that earned Monroe this spot on Nat Geo's list. Hot air balloons soaring have been a staple over Monroe skies for three decades. After a year hiatus in 2015, the festival came back in 2016, better than ever.
None of it would have been possible without Matt Urban, the man behind the festival and the reason balloons grace our skies every June.
So, thank you, Matt. Thank you for all the work - the countless hours you've put in, the countless headaches you've endured and the countless obstacles you've overcome - to bring a fun and unique event to Monroe. It's been a lot of fun for us residents and helped put Monroe on the tourism map.
The story is available online at nationalgeographic.com/travel. Click on the link for Best Spring Trips 2017. The photography alone - as always with Nat Geo - is worth a look.
nnn
A letter from Harlan, Iowa, this week caught my eye. Maybe Harlan, a town of about 5,000 in western Iowa, didn't make Nat Geo's list, but my parents lived there for a bit back in the 1960s and used to comment on what nice folks Harlanites were.
The envelope was addressed to Editor, The Monroe Times, in neat printing. In pencil - not something I see every day. Inside was a photocopied, signed, also very neatly, in a cursive script by Sammi I., a fifth-grader at Harlan Intermediate School. Her class is studying the geography and history of the United States and she's looking for pictures, postcards and information about Wisconsin. Her teacher, Mrs. Newlin, is also looking for a car license plate for a teacher project.
I don't know what kind of student Sammi is, but I'm impressed by the legibility of her handwriting.
Oh, and Mrs. Newlin also included a note of thanks for encouraging the students.
If any readers wish to send Sammi any info, her address is:
Sammi I., Mrs. Newlin's Social Studies Class, Harlan Intermediate School, 1401 19th St., Harlan, Iowa, 51537
And make sure to tell Sammi what a nice place Monroe is, in case her family wants to visit sometime. Maybe during the Balloon Festival?
- Mary Jane Grenzow is editor of the Monroe Times.
She can be reached at
editor@themonroetimes.com.
Her column appears on Saturdays.
A scenic drive through South Africa.
The Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
New York City's Central Park.
And Monroe, Wisconsin.
These are just some of the far-flung places making National Geographic Travel's Best Spring Trips 2017 list.
We're on it, and we couldn't be more proud. This isn't some ho-hum internet list: This is National Geographic. Those folks know interesting, exotic and beautiful places.
Sure, Monroe and its surrounding environs are beautiful. "Bucolic" is the word that Nat Geo uses -sounds about right. The lushness of the countryside can take your breath away on clear summer mornings, and the stillness of the winter landscape rivals a painted masterpiece.
We're used to it. Maybe even jaded. So it's validating to have others take note of where we live and mention it as a vacation-worthy spot.
It's the Monroe Balloon and Blues Festival in June that earned Monroe this spot on Nat Geo's list. Hot air balloons soaring have been a staple over Monroe skies for three decades. After a year hiatus in 2015, the festival came back in 2016, better than ever.
None of it would have been possible without Matt Urban, the man behind the festival and the reason balloons grace our skies every June.
So, thank you, Matt. Thank you for all the work - the countless hours you've put in, the countless headaches you've endured and the countless obstacles you've overcome - to bring a fun and unique event to Monroe. It's been a lot of fun for us residents and helped put Monroe on the tourism map.
The story is available online at nationalgeographic.com/travel. Click on the link for Best Spring Trips 2017. The photography alone - as always with Nat Geo - is worth a look.
nnn
A letter from Harlan, Iowa, this week caught my eye. Maybe Harlan, a town of about 5,000 in western Iowa, didn't make Nat Geo's list, but my parents lived there for a bit back in the 1960s and used to comment on what nice folks Harlanites were.
The envelope was addressed to Editor, The Monroe Times, in neat printing. In pencil - not something I see every day. Inside was a photocopied, signed, also very neatly, in a cursive script by Sammi I., a fifth-grader at Harlan Intermediate School. Her class is studying the geography and history of the United States and she's looking for pictures, postcards and information about Wisconsin. Her teacher, Mrs. Newlin, is also looking for a car license plate for a teacher project.
I don't know what kind of student Sammi is, but I'm impressed by the legibility of her handwriting.
Oh, and Mrs. Newlin also included a note of thanks for encouraging the students.
If any readers wish to send Sammi any info, her address is:
Sammi I., Mrs. Newlin's Social Studies Class, Harlan Intermediate School, 1401 19th St., Harlan, Iowa, 51537
And make sure to tell Sammi what a nice place Monroe is, in case her family wants to visit sometime. Maybe during the Balloon Festival?
- Mary Jane Grenzow is editor of the Monroe Times.
She can be reached at
editor@themonroetimes.com.
Her column appears on Saturdays.
