lindalove

Mt Rushmore. What a joke. They always make sure that the photos either don't have anything in the foreground for scale, or are taken from super close-up, so you can't see anything but the guy trimming Abe's nose-roots. The thing is dinky! You come around the bend and....blah. What a let-down.

When I first moved to San Antonio, I was shocked to see that the Alamo isn't standing majestically out on a hill somewhere. It is literally across the street from Walgreen's in the middle of downtown.

What famous thing surprised you when you saw it in person?

Siege

The Rockies. They were a lot more beautiful than I thought. Forget the Swiss Alps if you live in Canada. Just head on down to Alberta

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splck

the mona lisa...it's smaller than i thought it would be.

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Supple Cow

Washington Crossing the Delaware. You see that painting in textbooks from the time you're in first grade here in the US and you sort of start to believe it's the size of a movie poster or even smaller. Then you find yourself at the Met here in NYC and the sucker takes up a whole wall... something like 15-20 feet wide.

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Ishmal

really???

WHOA!

i thought it was only "normal" painting size...

i had no idea it was so big...




/me Australian (thats my excuse and i'm stickin to it)

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asaris

The Eiffel Tower. I had no idea it was as big as it was, but when you're standing underneath it... Yeah, it's big.

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"Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht."

"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."

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Charlatan

If I had a nickel for every time I.... (nevermind)

Hong Kong... it was a lot cooler than I thought it would be (and I'd watched a lot of John Woo films...)

Princeton: It was one of the cutest little towns, I really wasn't expecting it.

Canada's Parliament buildings... I was shocked that they are just as impressive and stately in front of you as they are in pictures.

BigBen (the tower not the member of TFP)... much, MUCH smaller than it looks in film. Think Tom Cruise and you are there...

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raeanna74

Pike's Peak. We have no real mountains in Wisconsin. When we went to Colorado and saw the mountains beginning to show on the horizon I still had no idea of their size. It was when we went up Pike's Peak. Up and up endlessly and then stood at the top. How huge it was! I don't think I could ever have comprehended it's size, or any mountain's size, without actually being on one. The phrase "You can move mountains." Carries new meaning now.

The headwaters of the Mississippi - how insignificant. To have birthed a river so wild and large. Something that has affected the growth of the whole country and started so small.

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Redlemon

Agreed. And, you can't really see it, because they keep it behind scratched plexiglass.

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ShaniFaye

Charlatan and Ratbastid.....they are both 100 x's more appealing in person

as far as the original question....New York City (Manhattan) it was a lot darker during the day that I ever thought it would be and the Statue of Liberty was a lot smaller than I imagined

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Bill O'Rights

Add the Alamo, for me. When John Wayne was defending its parapets, it sure looked huge. I've seen bigger QuikTrip gas stations. Plus, you kind of expect it to be out in the middle of nowhere...nope, it's right in the middle of downtown San Antonio. What a let down.

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Lebell

Funny that when I saw the thread title, I thought "Mount Rushmore" too.

I think it's still impressive when it's put into perspective and worth going to, but yeah, I thought, "that's it?"

Going the other way, the Grand Canyon.

OMG.

Everyone has seen pictures and/or movies with the Canyon in it...they just can't convey the size. Even being there almost doesn't do it. It's so frickin huge that it's almost like a painting that takes up your entire eyesite. Things are so big that you can't get perspective from one huge side valley to the next.

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Strange Famous

I suppose I'd probably say Wembly. The first time I went.. a lot less impressive than I thought it would be (although it was to watch Sudbury vs Tamworth in the FA Vase final....)

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BigBen

Well, you can think about a Really BIG Tom Cruise and you are there when you think of me...

I have to echo the Parliament Building statement. It was just as cool as I thought it would be.

The national art gallery has to top this list for me. I was surrounded by paintings made hundreds of years ago, by people that are super famous. I never thought I would look at something like that up close, in real life.

Then, when I got there, there were DOZENS of paintings that I said (out loud a couple of times I think) "HOLY SHIT, I know that painting... it is famous."

I was inches away from my favorite, Monet. I could see every brush stroke, I could take it all in. It was pouring rain outside, so seeing the city (ottawa) was a no-go, but one of the curators said:
"You must be an experienced art lover."
"You couldn't be further from the truth. This is the first time I have ever seen paintings like this." I was basically in shock from the sensory overload. I was curious as to why he would make that comment though. "Why do you ask?" I said.
"These weather conditions wash out the natural light in the gallery, creating the most perfect viewing I have ever seen. It is raining, and this time of year there are very few visitors. Absolutely perfect." and then he strolled away, looking at the paintings as if it was his first time.

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rhaevyn

Agreed on that one. Also:

The Sistine Chapel. I don't know why I thought it would be bigger, it IS a chapel, after all, but it seemed really small. Though that might have something to do with all the people crammed in it.

And the Louvre. I knew it was big, but I had no idea it was so easy to get lost in! But, of course, I didn't even see all of it.

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snowy

The Eiffel Tower. I had no idea it was possible to love a monument so much.

The Notre Dame. Rather disappointing. I much preferred the Sainte Chapelle, which is just around the corner.

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StanT

Mt McKinley in Alaska and my very first grizzly.

I live in the mountains, I've been enamored with them since my early teens. Mt McKinley is a 20,000' peak that is visible from 200 miles away. The entire Alaska range is on a different scale than any other range I've seen. One of those things you have to see for yourself.

Grizzly look kinda cute in pictures. I've read the hiking propaganda, I thought I was prepared for a grizzly encounter. Up close and personal, they are unbelievably huge and fast. We were in a group of 4 (no known attacks on a group that large), turned a corner, and there he was, 10' away. He looked at us, snorted a few times and took off. If he had attacked us, it would have been all over before we figured out we ought to get out the bear spray (we stopped carrying it after that).

ratbastid

Couldn't agree more. Although the Notre Dame rose window is very striking, Sainte Chapelle is absolutely gorgeous.

Actually, I was totally blown away by many european high-gothic cathedrals. The Cathedral at Chartres was amazing, though I had never seen pictures or anything. What struck me most was the vastness of it--it could hold two Notre Dames de Paris. It's this enormous, elegant Gothic cathedral with the most amazing sense of weight and age to it. It's so long that from the front door, you almost can't quite make out the far wall of the trancept. Way way WAAAAY above your head is the most amazing, elaborate tracery and stonework. Just an amazing experience.

Looking down from the top of the dome at St. Peters Basilica is incredible too. You follow these LONG, spiral staircase that's between the innner and outer walls of the dome. That means that as you get higher, the walls get slantier until you feel like you're extremely drunk climbing these steps. It's very disorienting. Then you step out into this viewing gallery that's WAY above the altar.

Gotta agree about Rushmore. It might be more impressive up close, but where you view it from seems a long way away.

maleficent

Paris - i was expecting this beautiful romantic city of lights and stuff - -what I found was an absolutely filthy stinky disgusting place.

The olympics -- twice I've put myself thru this -- looks cool on tv - but in person - the crowds are overwhelming...

St pauls cathedral in london - i heard about the staircase to the top -- you don't realize how many freakin' stairs there are... and the reward at the top was exquisite.

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dogzilla

A few different places

Colosseum in Rome: I was amazed at the size, especially the walls which were extremely thick

Sistene Chapel: Michelangelo's painting and the vivid colors. This was in 2001 just after it had been restored

Palace at Versailles: The gardens and the ornate construction with gold leaf everywhere. It made it more clear why the French Revolution took place.

European churches with their huge domes: I didn't have the time to climb to the top, and maybe would have been scared anyway.

Chechinitza: A lot of Mayan ruins, some still in good condition

Yosemite: I can still remember the smell of the pines the first time I drove in almost 30 years ago. One of my favorite places.

Grand Canyon, Canyonlands: The hugeness of the place.

Daniel_

Seatle. It was so SMALL....

And the arctic from a plane - it was so clean and beautiful.

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Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air,
And deep beneath the rolling waves,
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The Echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand;
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Sweetpea

Yellowstone national park.

I had seen a few film documentaries, but nothing prepares you for the sheer depth and beauty of the place and it's vast size, i was amazed!

Sweetpea

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settie

The infamous portrait of the madonna and her child in Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland- I expected a rather dinky-looking old picture with some scratches on it. But the entire church, the picture, its all rather overwhelming. I had never felt so much faith and belief in one place before.

I agree with the Ottawa Parliament Buildings. They are...magnificent, inside and out.

This isn't exactly famous, but every time my family drives down to Florida and passes through Kentucky, I am always amazed at the meters of rock you pass on the freeway. They tower high above you as you pass, and it just amazes me each time.

The Luray Caverns in West Virginia. Holy cow, beautiful and marvelous. I was so surprised at this underground wonder. I'd love to go back someday

Well that's all I can think of at this moment. Maybe my mind will remember some other surprising things I've seen.

Zeraph

Heh there should be a spoiler tag warning!

It's neat to read about all this, I can't wait to start visiting some of these places myself.

ngdawg

I concur on the Rockies and Pike's Peak. I thought I was seeing clouds as I drove, but it was the Rockies and I was just over an hour away yet.
Mississippi River in MO...that was it? that creek?

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Stare At The Sun

Hoover dam...what a letdown.

quadro2000

Mona Lisa...all covered in glass and with tons of crowds surrounding it. I thought, "this is IT?"

Ditto on the WOW-factor of the Eiffel Tower. It was so amazing up close. Same with the Statue of Liberty.

I was completely underwhelmed with the Coliseum in Rome.

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shesus

Reading through this thread made me realize that I haven't been many places...

NYC: I was shocked that the sidewalks were not as crowded as I thought they would be. I was also surprised that I couldn't find a decent cup of coffee near where we were staying by Times Square.

I'm pretty easily impressed so most things meet my expectations. Although, I still can't get over how tall the Sears Tower is. I see it almost everyday and I am still in awe.

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denim

At the time, I expect it was in the middle of nowhere. Times change.

My understanding is that the Mona Lisa is a normal sized painting. (googles) 53 x 77cm. (shrug)

The closest I can come to what y'all are saying is that when I saw BattleBots in person, it was both MORE and LESS fun than I expected. And the BattleBox is bigger than I thought. Note that the "more" fun was better than the "less" was lesser.

BonesCPA

Martha's Vineyard was a letdown. It was your basic shore town - and for an island, some of the worst traffic you will ever see.

Niagara Falls was more than I expected. You just can't fathom the amount of water until you see it.

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Pip

The leaning tower of Pisa was kind of funny. From the angle I approached it, it looked like it was peeking around the corner of the church. If you can imagine a huge ornate marble tower going Peekabo! that's how it looked.
The Alps took my breath away. Sure, I had seen pics and all, but they were so impossibly high and steep and pointy! Riding a car on roads much higher up than the highest mountain in Sweden was just crazy.

hossified

i used to live 15 minutes from niagara falls (on the canadian side)....and you can stand about 10' away from the crest and just sit there and watch and listen to the water crashing below. It used to be the best at like midnight, midweek, in say november.....there would be nobody around (tourists), and the falls would be lit up......just amazing! I've been there 50 times and could go back and still be amazed

hunnychile

Climbing up the Dunne's River Falls in Jamaica, just north of Ocho Rios. I've never enjoyed a hike more because we were in water moving up the river bed & every 10 or 12 feet you come to another small falls, prettier than the one before it...hence the 8 Rivers....we approached it from the sea and it looked like the Graden of Eden with all the wild orchids and blues of the falls flowing into the sanbar below...luscious. Way prettier than any picture can capture.

Agreed that the Eiffel Tower is utterly amazing (for a man made wonder) - the views from the very top show towns, parks, The snaking Seine and those gothic churches so tiny below and you can see for miles & miles - 35 or more away in to the horizon line. If you're there, you Must go to the Top! Photos never do this experience justice, either.

Ah..."The Louvre" is so much larger & intense than most can imagine....and yes, it's the most confusing museum in the World to travel around in side.

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maleficent

New Jersey????


~~~~~~~~~~

Flying over the Rocky Mountains... purple mountains majesty is an understatement...

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paddyjoe

I'll bet when I finally see a pic of maleficent, it'll shock and amaze me.......





in a good way, ya understand

Psycho Dad

I'll second that. Old Faithful seems to be the one thing that most people associate with the park. But there is so much more to it than that. The rivers, streams, mountains. The trees, geysers and animals. Amazing place.

On the other hand, Hollywood Boulevard was my biggest surprise (read disappointment). Security tossing bums from in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater and transients bumming cigarettes was not what I expected.

Edit: I bet everyone wondered what the hell I was talking about with bums and Yellowstone.

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Grasshopper Green

The White House. Whenever you see it on TV, it's always seems so big and pristine. Well, when I drove by, it's practically gated off, fence all around it, so freaking many cars and trees in the way that you can't really even see it. That was a letdown.

Also, the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. Oh. my. god. So beautiful...perhaps only because I'd never been in a room with that much wealth before I think I went back on the moving sidewalks about five times so I could take in every detail.

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Coppertop

That makes three of us. Crazy Horse Mountain is waaaay more impressive, and it is not even done yet! When Crazy Horse Mountain is done, you'll be able to put all of Mt. Rushmore inside of the horse's head. That is large.

clavus

Monet's paintigns of haystacks. In photos, they look like crap. Boring, stupid, yucky, I can't turn the page fast enough...

When I saw them in Chicago, they were so overwhelming that I can not properly describe them. I had a physical reaction akin to what happens when I hear a fantastic piece of music performed. I broke into a cold sweat, popped a boner and nearly soiled myself.

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maleficent

after years of hearing about it and seeing pictures of it- finally getting excellent seats to see la traviata at the Sydney opera House. What a disappointment, it was like a road show of an off broadway production. The sets were mediocre, the singers were mediocre, the words in english running across the bottom of the stage was distracting -- if you pay attention to the opera... you know what the words are...

Seeing La Traviata at the Met -- lincoln center is so beautiful, the fountain outside, the chandeleir inside, looking up when you are close to the stage and seeing all old sets hanging from the rafters. Luciano Pavarotti was extraordinary, as was the rest of the cast...

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