In Italy they have Montepulciano, Positano, and Stromboli. In South America, Valparaiso, Tierro del Fuego, and Belo Horizonte. In the USA you will find Chatenooga, Albuquerque, and Pensacola. In Canada, Medicine Hat, Moose Jaw, and Saskatchewan. All, I'm sure you'll agree, are fine 'come visit me' names (even if the reality is less appealing).
But it's not only those 'far away places' that have charming and poetic names; think of the UK's Wigan, Cleethorpes, and Splott.
Whoever said that romantic destinations don't exist in the UK?
Where the devil is Splott? There must be some inviting place names in England but just for the moment I can't think of any. Oh wait a minute, isn't there a place in Notts. called Plumtree or something like it. There is a village near us called Smeeton Westerby I always liked the sound of that.
ReplyDeleteSplott is a little-spoken-of area of Cardiff.
DeleteOld Bolingbroke; Mavis Enderby; Bag Enderby; Ashby Puerorum; Hagworthingham; Fairy Wood; Moon Wood, Skendleby Psalter - all dreadful places within ten miles of Owl Towers Sir, although I shall admit, the town of my birthing - Cleethorpes - is a dump!
ReplyDeleteAll right, all right, don't go on about it! I knew I'd get flack over this, my chin is pointing in your direction.
DeleteSo long as you're not giving me an Italian chin-flick, just pointing it in my direction! No flack intended and none possible; I do originate from Cleethorpes, after all ...
Delete;-) and other emoticons.
I always liked Thorpe Constantine (Queen's Head public house), Clifton Campville (The Green Man), Shakerstone (The Rising Sun), Newton Burgoland (Belper Arms), Appleby Magna (Black Horse) all charming and charmingly named villages within striking distance of the town I went to school, Ashby-de-la-Zouch (The Fallen Knight).
ReplyDeleteThe Army School of Ammunition was located at Temple Herdewyke with the little village of Bishops Itchington (Butcher's Arms pub) within staggering distance.
I love these place names (and it is amazing I managed to pass any exams at all!)
Don't forget the Wallops.
ReplyDeleteOr the Piddles.
DeleteWhat about St. Mary's Mead? And was said saint a purveyor of the liquid gold? Please don't tell me that is a made up name....it would be crushing!
ReplyDeleteSplott, hee hee.
ReplyDeleteIn Pennsylvania there is an Amish town called Intercourse. A town nearby is called Bird in Hand.
Those Amish can be quite naughty.
all from California: Angel's Camp, Skidoo, Weed, Needles, Likely
ReplyDeletenot romantic - just odd
We have some interesting little town names near me in SC....Let's see...Ketchup Town, Monk's Corner, Britton's Neck, Galivant's Ferry...I'm sure I'll think of a few more...
ReplyDeleteWe live not far from a place called Shirebrook, which probably sounds really countrified and romantic.
ReplyDeleteIn reality it's an old Derbyshire mining village with huge social problems now the mines are gone. Bandit country in fact. So names can be very misleading !!
Here in Oz we have Cooloola, Wagga Wagga, Bellbowrie, Indooroopilly Toowoomba and Mooloolabah to name but a few. They can be quite a challenge to spell!
ReplyDeleteSome of those Aussie names are fantastic. I should have used some above. Lots of double O's.
DeleteWho could resist visiting a place called Splott?
ReplyDeleteIn the USA (and in my little northwest corner of it), we have Humptulips, Queets, Walla Walla and Sequim (pronounced "skwim"). Perhaps not quite romantic. More like odd. Wonderful odd.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Cheryl, you forgot to mention that Blue Ball is nearby Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand! Also, you pass through Intercourse to get to Paradise.
ReplyDeleteYes, more real place names in PA (Pennsylvania).