The love that Nicholas Cage's character Ben has for his country in "National Treasure" is obvious, but he nonetheless ironically brings in a British investor's team, which proves to be less than trustworthy, to help him find the treasure that his forefathers swore an allegiance to protect from the British.
That in many ways is America, a country that changes and adapts to evolving developments. Even those of us who never doubt the USA is always fundamentally a force for good in the world become frustrated with our leaders or fellow citizens sometimes. The other night on one of my favorite TV shows, "The Amazing Race," CBS saw fit to bring the race to Vietnam, where the racers' tasks involved a song glorifying communism and visiting a memorial to a shot down American B52. As we watched, Julie and I were trying to figure out what the show producers were thinking, but that's the freedom we have in America, even if it is sometimes used in a distasteful or misguided manner.
We are constantly re-creating ourselves and our country, and even when we lose something of true value, we do our best to find utility and appreciation in that which supplants it. Las Vegas, which periodically rebuilds its image as well as its buildings, epitomizes this penchant for American reinvention. Passing through Vegas yesterday, Julie and I stopped to share a muffin and coffee at the Venetian, a Disney-esque version of that historic city. Our earliest public buildings and monuments intentionally revived classical Greek and Roman architecture and symbolism to emphasize that we are a country whose philosophy is built on the best hopes and foundations of humanity from the past. In the Washington Monument (and the unfinished pyramid on the back of the one dollar bill), we even go as far back as ancient Egypt, which despite being Middle Eastern (as opposed to actually "western" geographically) was one of the earliest birthplaces of "Western Civilization," almost simultaneous with its neighbor ancient Mesopotamia, which is where many scholars consider Western Civilization to have began, despite the fact that it was located in what is present day Iran, to the east of Egypt. Mesopotamia may have started more ideas, but Egypt produced more identifiable monuments.
A cruise is the perfect way to visit the birthplaces of civilization, and of course cruises also begin in some fascinating cities rich with historic foundations as well as modern trends, including Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, Seattle, Port Canaveral, Charleston, Galveston and, signicantly with regard to "National Treasure," Boston, New York and Baltimore (near Washington DC). Sometimes, however, the best route will be overland.
Yes, you can get in the family car and drive, but the truth is that too often we speed past the historic monuments and race through the remarkable scenery while getting to the houses of relatives or to amusement parks. Even when we do visit historic cities, who couldn't benefit from the insights of a knowledgeable guide?If you'd like to explore the history of the United States, or discover the deepest secrets of America's National Parks, consider taking a tour. I represent the finest tour operators and resort packaging companies in the world, and I would love to match you with the one that best suits your travel needs, including Globus, which combines more admissions to places you should visit with enough free time to explore on your own. While they aren't limited to the United States by any means, it seems most Americans are less likely to think of tours when exploring our own country. Why not give the United States the full focus it deserves, with a guide to helps you uncover the hidden treasures?
