If you could time travel, where would you go and what would you do?
October 22nd 2006 05:54
As a massive history buff, I’ve always imagined myself in the times and events that I read about. What would I do in that circumstance? How would I feel if I was there, watching these events unfold? What kind of values and belief systems would I hold if I had been born in that time and place?
So my question is short and sweet: If you could time travel, where would you go and what would you do?
I’ve only got one rule and it’s that you can’t travel through time to make a monetary gain, like Biff did in Back to the Future 2. So everything else is in. You can go back to change history, to stop a major event starting or happening. You can go back to a point in your own life and make a different decision, like staying with the piano lessons instead of abandoning them or asking out that guy you’ve always wondered about.
I would go back and travel with Marco Polo from Italy to China in the merchant caravans. I love the Silk Road, and I love this period in history. The Mongols had conquered everything in their path, changing the course of history in many regions of Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Kubilai Khan was in charge of China, Mangu and Ogodai were ruling over Russia and the Middle East and although the Mongol onslaught was furious, their reign was moderate and very religiously open for its time. I’m a complete Sinophile, have lived in China, studied Mandarin and I find modern China fascinating, compelling, challenging and confronting. I would love to have been there as a western visitor way back in the time of the Yuan dynasty and see what it was like then. And to go through the many countries the early Italian traders did and experience the danger, the colour, the variety of cultures and people, well it would be unbelievable.
I can do all of this travel today. In fact my brother and sister in law have pretty much traced the footsteps of Marco Polo from Europe to Beijing, although that wasn’t the reason they chose that particular overland route. But as a medieval history freak I want to do it then. And in doing so I would be able to solve one of the greatest questions hanging over the medieval historian’s head: Did Marco Polo exist? And if so, did he travel to China as he claims, enjoying the hospitality of Kubilai Khan, or is his “Travels” a marvellous work of fiction?
So my question is short and sweet: If you could time travel, where would you go and what would you do?
I’ve only got one rule and it’s that you can’t travel through time to make a monetary gain, like Biff did in Back to the Future 2. So everything else is in. You can go back to change history, to stop a major event starting or happening. You can go back to a point in your own life and make a different decision, like staying with the piano lessons instead of abandoning them or asking out that guy you’ve always wondered about.
I would go back and travel with Marco Polo from Italy to China in the merchant caravans. I love the Silk Road, and I love this period in history. The Mongols had conquered everything in their path, changing the course of history in many regions of Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Kubilai Khan was in charge of China, Mangu and Ogodai were ruling over Russia and the Middle East and although the Mongol onslaught was furious, their reign was moderate and very religiously open for its time. I’m a complete Sinophile, have lived in China, studied Mandarin and I find modern China fascinating, compelling, challenging and confronting. I would love to have been there as a western visitor way back in the time of the Yuan dynasty and see what it was like then. And to go through the many countries the early Italian traders did and experience the danger, the colour, the variety of cultures and people, well it would be unbelievable.
I can do all of this travel today. In fact my brother and sister in law have pretty much traced the footsteps of Marco Polo from Europe to Beijing, although that wasn’t the reason they chose that particular overland route. But as a medieval history freak I want to do it then. And in doing so I would be able to solve one of the greatest questions hanging over the medieval historian’s head: Did Marco Polo exist? And if so, did he travel to China as he claims, enjoying the hospitality of Kubilai Khan, or is his “Travels” a marvellous work of fiction?
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Comment by Little Angry Doll
Falling Haiku Leaf
Inner West Life
Sit with Pablo Neruda with chilled wine on a warm summer night, listening to him talk about my favourite poem "To the Foot from Its Child"?
Lounge around Gertrude Stein's Parisian salon?
These are just the first two that leap to mind. But if I had a real opportunity, I'd go back 17 weeks, to the delivery room at RPA Hospital and demand an epidural.
Comment by work-at-home
Comment by TonyK
AFL Central
NBL News
Comment by KarenC
Genghis Gal
Work At Home, I hadn't even considered that option ... very tempting.
And Little Angry Doll, your first two sound awesome. And I'll keep that last wish in mind if I ever find myself pregnant and demand an epidural straight up.
Comment by Adele
Lost Fanatic
Day Break TV
Giving birth was incredibly painful, but other moms who had the epidural had babies that lacked interest in normal baby things those first few weeks. They kept taking their kids to the pediatrician to make sure they were okay. I had an active baby, so I'm glad I skipped the drugs.
Comment by The Voices in my Head
The Voices in my Head
This is quite possibly my favorite post ever, including my own. (You know we writers have massive egos and really only enjoy our own work. That is a massive compliment! :c)] There are three things I would do:
1. I would make myself a fly on the wall to observe the creative processes of writers like Poe, Hemingway, and others. I would also seduce one of the 'others' but let's move on, shall we? *wink*
2. I would have grabbed CP and kept him from leaving me there beside the van. (I refer you to Muzikal Intimacy, What Was Playing When You..." on www.muzikalmafia.com <---shameless plug, do forgive me.)
and 3. I would have been a Lady in Waiting for Queen Elizabeth I. Not to change or tamper with anything but to have been there...I have always been fascinated.
Great post, very thought provoking!
Voices~
Comment by Luke
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I'd go back to the Roaring 20s in the States to be at one of those hugely debauched industry parties where cocktails were potent as Hell and people were getting up to all sorts of shenanigans ...
Comment by Ragin Cajun
Observer's Post
Death By Myopia
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
How does one choose?
I'd go back to the day before the Library of Alexandria was completely destroyed and bring EVERYTHING back with me...yes, I took a truck.
I'd like to walk around the the Taj Mahal during the days if its true glory.
I'd tell the Captain, "iceberg ahead" way before.
I'd stowaway on Apollo 11...and take one teeny step for humankind....and I'd have my camera with me for a self portrait.
I want to know who discovered that pineapples are edible.
I want to stand in the crowd and listen to "I have a dream" for the first time.
And I'd warn the Wallabies to keep a close watch on Wilkinson at the 20th minute of extra time Rugby World Cup 03 final...
But really...I think if I had this power, I'd stop the course of certain tragedies, personal and historical.
My only dilemma is, if a tragic/sad past event (mine or on a global scale) is changed, does something worse take its place? Or does it all change for the better?
Comment by Damo
Comment by Ash
Flashes of memories
By this time I would be so excited and my brain would be buzzing so much I would have to fast forward to the 1960`s and travel around with a few hippies so that I could calm down before coming back and being glued to my computer as I tried to capture all the memories in words.
Ash
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Yep, dianosaurs, then to be in the cave where the first wheel was invented.
I'd help DuskDevi collect books from Alexandria - absolute must! Then onto meet Mary and Jesus, if they were home. I'd like to spend an afternoon listening to the great man talk a bit, in person.
Then I would have liked to study with Leonardo Da Vinci for a while (probably would have been dissapointed to find out he was a randy old bugger), anyway, I would then zoop off to meet Merlin the Magician and visit the Sisterhood of Avalon, touch base with Francis of Assisi and had tea with Jane Austin. A nice stroll and chat with Thomas Edison and Newton, then I think I'd join Ash with some hippies too for an afternoon concert at Woodstock. Nice thought. Perhaps take in a beetles concert and catch up with Pink Floyds final concert in Venice, which I missed by one day!
Perhaps then a little trip forward (if permitted) to about 2300 just to see how things turn out with global warming and the dwindling of fossil fuel supplies..
Thanks for the flight of fancy.
Lilla
Comment by Brenton
Dr Spin
Tales From The Other Side
Blip Blog
Gadget Museum
Comment by KarenC
Genghis Gal
Wow, this is great. It's such a big ask trying to narrow it down to one or a few things. I pondered for hours. But the pull of Marco Polo was just too magnetic to resist.
There are so many fascinating things that people have raised. Thank you so much for your thoughts.
Adele, it's good to see that I'm not the only person who appreciates a good medieval sojourn. But I still think I'll take the epidural.
Voices and Ash, I completely agree - seeing the greats of writing and art creating their masterpieces would be inspirational. For me, I'd have to meet Oscar Wilde and Salvador Dali.
Luke and DuskDevi, you've raised some other interesting questions and I'm going to put another post up to deal with these. May not come up immediately though - I do have to watch the Biggest Loser this evening.
Ragin Cajun & Lilla: Dinosaurs: Can my three year old niece go with you? She's obsessed with Prehistoric Park and I can just imagine her excitement seeing dinosaurs close up. And can you tell me whether they had feathers and bright colours or hides like elephants?
DuskDevi & Lilla: Can you imagine how much knowledge we'd have with those books. I would be in absolute heaven. I'd love to have a few of the lost gospels in my hands as well ...
Bryn: The speakeasys of the 1920s - my liver is quivering in fear at the thought of the bootleg liquor but my ears are quivering in anticipation at the musical delights. I just hope Capone doesn't crash your party.
Damo, I never even considered a trip to the future. Thanks for bringing that in to the discussion as well.
And Brenton, I hope you survive the surreal ride on which you are about to embark.
Comment by historylass
The Written Word
History Lass
- Going to Australia 1788 when the First Fleet arrived.
- Going back to Elizabethan times.
- Seeing Martin Luther nail the ninety-five thesis to the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral.
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Lilla...may I accompany you to 2300?
Comment by Homer Joyce
The first time I'd travel to would be the foundation of the world ... then I could return and settle the debate once and for all ... One way or another ... there would be a hell of a lot of people out of work ...
On the condition I could see the invisible world of angels and devils, I'd travel back to the time of the Immaculate Conception, and follow the entire life of Mary from conception to Assumption, including Christ's entire life, and the life of St Joseph, and the Apostles and Mary Magdalene ...
It would certainly give my imagination a well-earned rest ...
Homer ...
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
The Secret Teaching of Mary Magdalene has just been released in book form and includes the lost verses of the Gospel of Mary - published for the first time by Claire Bahmad and Margaret Bailey. ISBN 1-84293-154-7 Watkins Publishing.
Cheerio
Lilla.
Comment by KarenC
Genghis Gal
Homer, so many arguments you could settle and people you could put out of work with both those choices. And you could probably prevent a few wars as well with the facts you bring back ...
Thank you Lilla for the info on the book. I'm going to make sure I read this.
Comment by KarenC
Genghis Gal
I've added a post about changing the course of history on that site ...
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
And then compare her to Nefertiti...
Comment by KarenC
Genghis Gal
What about Helen of Troy? Or would you prefer to stay in Egypt?