Have I been here? And if so When?

Have you ever gone somewhere you never have been before, but when you actually got there you knew somehow, someway that you knew your way around?

I have had that happen to me a couple of times in my life.

Well today I am going to tell you about the first time.

I was 19 and had just left college, to go to my parents home, after having a Blast my first year at college (Blast by the way is code for Bombed).  My parents lived in Germany at the time, beautiful country by the way if you ever get a chance to go.  When I arrive I got to know the local area and got my European Drivers License and began to explore the surrounding area.

I got myself a job working at the dinning facility on the Air Base, at the time it was under a German company's contract and most of the employees were German and a few of the girls were my age.  Of course we all became friends (yes, the girls my age and I) and they invited me to join them over to the town they lived in so we could all go clubbing together.  The town was Hameln.  At the time I did not know the place and barely knew how to get there.  As I got closer somethings started looking familiar; the surrounding hillsides, the streams etc.... and the closer I got the more Familiar it all became.

The girls had told me the streets they lived on and I was to call them when I got into town for the directions.  Once I got into town I didn't need to call, I drove straight to the first girls apartment.
Talk about weird, I had no Problem at all finding the place.

A few minutes after I got to the first girls place she was ready to go and asked if I needed directions to the other girls place and I responded that I didn't think so.  10 minutes later we were at the other girls place and picked her up.  Both of them were surprised that I found them all that easily.  The clubs I did need directions too.
We had a good night, I got them both home and got myself home.

The next day at work we all were discussing it during our breaks.  Apparently both of them lived in very old parts of town and I told them I had never been there but for some reason I just knew where to go.  They both looked at each other, and one of the older ladies decided to speak to us in broken English and German.  The girls had to translate the German I didn't understand.

Anyway, the older lady (that looked like she could have been my Grandfather's Grandmother) basically said I had an "Old Soul".  The girls were as confused as I was by the statement.  She went on to explain to us a bit of the history of Hameln and explained that Americans and English referred to it as Hamlin - as in The Pied Piper of Hamlin.  Then she laughed at our looks and said "Maybe you are one of the children come Home!?!"

Sort of weird, spooky, and awesome all rolled up into one.  One thing I can say is that no matter where I was in Hameln, I never once got lost.

Is it possible to have knowledge of a place with never having been there before?  I can't say yes or no for everyone but as for myself I Do think it is possible.

If you have no Idea what The Pied Piper is, look it up and read it. A very interesting tale that will make you think.

Places

Today I will be setting up future post about places I have lived and Places I have LIVED. 

I will not get into the difference between them now.  Today will just be listing the ones off of the top of my memory and by seeing this list you may just get an idea where some of my writing comes from now and in the future.


Countries I have lived in or spent more than 4 months in:

Of course the US of A,                                                                                  

England,  

Germany,

Italy,

Bosnia,

and Spain

Red is where I am, and blues are where I have been in general.  (Not the best artwork I know but it serves the purpose.)

States I have lived in for various amounts of time:

Nebraska,

Oklahoma,

Texas,
Georgia,
South Carolina,
Florida,
New Mexico

States and countries I have been to and adventured in (not mentioned above):

States:
North Carolina,
New York,
Tennessee,
Kansas,
Ohio,
Kentucky,
Colorado,
Connecticut,
Utah,

Countries:
East Germany, and yes to those of you to young to know there used to be an East Germany,
Denmark,
Czech Republic,
Greece,
Turkey,
Portugal,
Mexico, but just across the boarder to Juarez (years before it became as dangerous as it is),
Hungary,
Cuba,
St. Thomas, US Virgin Isles


As you can see it is a pretty good sized list with many, many stories to tell.  If you will notice everything is North of the Tropic of Cancer except Cuba and St. Thomas.  I have had the Pleasure to go to most of these places due to my service in the US Navy and the US Army. 

One thing I will say in this post:  If you ever have the chance to serve your Country and go to other places, take the chance!  It will open your eyes to Wonders beyond your imagination and allow you to see other "People" in a totally different aspect.

Something I learned in all of those travels was, that if you put forth an effort to understand them and try things Their Way, you tend to get so much more.  Its as if the People where you are "open" doors you didn't even know were there and it brings forth some of the Best Experiences of a Lifetime!