What has exceeded your expectations

[DenisetheMenace]

On the back of another thread, what has exceeded your expectations.

If I may, I’ll kick off with The Lost Gardens of Heligan, St. Fagans Museum, Tokyo, Michelangelo’s David, Tintagel and Porthminster Beach Cafe in St. Ives.

Weird I came on to say the pencil museum but really the whole of the Lake District.
Skara Brae, wanted to go since I saw a TV program as a teenager despite years of anticipation it profoundly affected me, and the whole of Orkney.
The North Coast 500 drive around Scotland took a caravan and drove round it in a week I bore everyone telling them how amazing the scenery, the beaches, the history and Cocoa Mountain in Durness was.
Rome and everything in it also Ostia Antica.
Venice went for a day and really want to go back some time.

Alice Springs in Australia. I as expecting a shanty town for some reason....

The Northern Lights in Iceland.

The terracotta warriors in China. Blew my mind!

My new wheelchair. Thought I would feel extremely anxious and uncomfortable and everyone would be staring. The feeling of freedom and being able to go outdoors is incredible after 8 weeks of being cooped up unable to walk! Oh and people are super polite to you too!

Fingal’s Cave
Carols in Durham Cathedral

Rome.
Everyone says it's busy/dirty/overpriced. Maybe as a city dweller I have a high tolerance for busy/dirty, but it's just so fabulously beautiful that the fact it can be a bit rough around the edges doesn't matter, and people were super-friendly.

We also found it really, really easy to eat well and cheaply. As it's a working city as well as a tourist destination, literally walking just 5mins from the main tourist hotspots there are great, cheap places, so you don't have to choose between tourist trap or schlepping miles to go off the beaten track.

Also The Mining Museum at Wakefield - so much more fun than it sounds. And Yorkshire Sculpture Park. I thought the latter would be pretty good, but it immediately became one of my absolute favourites.

Hamilton. I resisted it for so long because everyone going on about it annoyed the shit out of me.

It's been on repeat in my house now since last July.

Running - hated the idea of it my whole life, then did c25k in my late 30s and have been running ever since. Love it and does wonders for my mental health.

Disney World Florida - was very unsure about going, but loved it

Better Call Saul - was very cautious thinking it’s a silly spin off, but it’s every bit as good as Breaking Bad (and in some respects even better!)

Glad someone mentioned Ellis Island! We only ended up there as the Statue of Liberty was fully booked. Amazing.

Bamburgh beach. Most breath-taking sunsets I've ever seen over a completely deserted beach. Glorious.

The 360 degree museum in Arromanches, Normandy. Went there on our last day and frankly, was D-Day museumed out. One of the most moving experiences. I cried my way out through the gift-shop!!

Marmite houmous

Ostia Antica near Rome. Like Pompeii with no tragedy attached. Much quieter. You can see where people lived and really imagine them living their lives without feeling ghoulish.

I went to Pompeii a couple of years later having wanted to go there all my life and felt miserable and guilty at seeing the casts of all the poor dead people. I couldn't enjoy the trip because of the tragedy. Ostia was much better.

The musical Wicked

My puppy. I was warned it was like having a baby, super hard work, furniture and everything ruined, piss everywhere.
It’s waaaaaaay easier than a baby or a toddler. I had the Velcro non sleeping baby from hell.
And he isn’t destructive either.

I felt tears come to my eyes when I saw the Alahambra. Just so beautiful

Good Housekeeping Magazine- I got a subscription last year to get the massive cookbook really cheap. I wasn't expecting that much from the magazines but I find them really interesting and entertaining. The current edition I'm reading has profiles on the first deaf woman to row across the Atlantic, a Sikh woman who joined the police force in 1991 and is now a high-ranking officer and three female CEOs of environmental charities.

And it still has pretty pictures of cake and cushions. It's like the perfect blend of fluff and thought provoking articles.

It surprised me with how much I enjoy reading it.

@TrainspottingWelsh

A pony foal I bought for £5 at a low end auction. Purely out of pity with no expectations whatsoever, other than providing a happy life as an unridden pet. Since been on pony club teams with both dc, now bringing on another little jockey and is 100% perfect for a friends dc with needs so complex the rda struggled to accommodate them, and always in demand as she can turn a hoof to anything. In short, the type of pony you'd usually spend well into 4 figures and months searching for, or at the least spend years of blood, sweat and tears to try and turn around.

Aldi, many years ago. I went in for a few basics because I find large supermarkets frustrating and there wasn't a corner shop handy, and became a convert.

@TrainspottingWelsh

That made me cry, the pony bit, not Aldi.

Being a mum. Just amazing. I put it off for a long time and I'm so glad I didn't put it off completely.

Having a dog. We waited for that too and she truly is a part of the family.

Road-trip around the island of Ireland. Didn't expect to absolutely fall in love with a place, but I did.

Karcher window vac. So handy.

Glasgow. Fantastic city!

Owning my west highland white terrier dog Ben. The love, loyalty and fun was beyond words

Noosa. I had a random 2 nights there on a business trip, and it was just so picture perfect with a gorgeous, non tacky beach and walking right into a nature reserve where I saw koalas and dolphins in the ocean. I didn't really have any expectations as someone else had booked me to stay there, but I didn't want to leave

Trevi fountain
Petra
Pyramids
Berlin
Venice
Niagra Falls
Apple iPhone and iPad

Agree with Niagra falls, thought it would be nice but from the Canadian side it’s so much better and we were amazed how close those little boats get to it, agree the town is not great but the falls were spectacular.
My oh would say cruising, he wasn’t keen, gets sea sick a lot even on short ferry trips we went on first one for a special anniversary and we are now well into double figures!, waking up to a new place every day is wonderful, we have only stopped because of COVID he hopes we can restart soon and keeps checking online deals! Would never have thought it!

NYC- I found it a bit claustrophobic at first (all those skyscrapers!) then fell totally in love with it.

Also on the American side- Disney World. I freely admit I was a teensy bit snobby about it before we went, and I've never been keen on theme parks in England, but oh wow. It's wonderfully, gloriously over-the-top and makes no excuses about it. It's now one of my favourite holiday destinations.

Wicked the musical
The 9/11 museum in NYC
Working part time
Sex in a long term relationship, thought it'd get boring but just the opposite
Spring, always forget about how lovely it is and then the later evenings, better weather and blossoming nature catch me by surprise

Marriage
Notre Dame (I found it incredibly spiritual - in fact it's where I discovered my faith)
Norfolk
EuroDisney
Manchester (blew me away)
Belfast - such beautiful architecture
The Pyrenees
The Sandringham Estate Gardens
Glyndebourne
A beautiful beach across the fields near Fowey - can never remember the name but there is a delightful house at the end.
A Stubbs painting in Christie's pre sale gallery - it was irridiscently exhilarating
Kaui - more beautiful than Maui

Grandchildren
Berlin
La Granja in Mallorca
Furlough
Post divorce life and subsequent great relationship