Time Travel destinations

[minakichan]

Brainstorming ideas for a comic I'm writing, which is essentially a time-travel epic-- nothing too original, but something I want to write for the fun of it.

So, I'd like to pose this question to you all-- if you had the ability to travel back in time as an observer, what eras or events of historical or scientific importance would you like to explore? This is a pretty common question, but with a bit of a twist. You can't change anything-- no killing Hitler when he was a baby-- nor can you interact with anything-- no asking Jesus for his autograph or whatever. Best examples are those that are not well-documented or understood, something that would sate your historical or scientific curiosity. How was the universe formed? Was there a second shooter at the JFK assassination? Things like that.

[Dante]

Well, there are obvious answers, like wanting to go back in time and observe Jesus to learn from him as just a member of the crowd. Personally I think it would be awesome to go back in time and observe Moses when he was up on Mnt. Sinai. Just going back in time and experiencing other cultures that have been lost forever would probably be a lot of fun. But at the same time, a lot could be gained by going back into your own past, to observe yourself to give yourself a new perspective on your own life. Maybe I'd watch how I acted around other people in the past to see how I could change myself to be a better person in the future. Alternatively, I could go back along my family tree and skim over the major events in the lives of those who lead up to mine. I have a relatively weak understanding of our family history, so that might be somewhat interesting. I think it would be the most fun to go back in time and watch history go forward at a rapid pace while reading the Bible, read a passage and watch the event happen at the same time. That would be an incredible way to build one's faith.

[Fish and Chips]

Somewhat off topic, but this reminds me of a short story I once read about an organization dedicated to keeping the time line consistent, "Fixing" all the changes people tried to make, Hitler in particular being popular with about seven or so different attempts to remove/prevent his rise to power, including one plan to bribe the board of an art college.

The really memorable thing is that the entire story is relayed as the characters posting on an Internet message board concerning time travel.

[ChristianKitsune]

Haha! My friend and I were just talking about something similar to this... (PRetty much we hope God has like documentaries playing up in Heaven about the biblical stories lol)

I would love to be there and see everything the Iraelites saw as they were fleeing Egypt... to experience God like that would be awesome. I'd also love to follow Jesus around and see what he saw.

But then again, then I wouldn't need faith

[ChristianKitsune]

whhhooops double post... (I thought my internet didn't go through and this page was still up with my reply in it XD)

[Jingo Jaden]

Let's see.....

Mikhail Bogdanovich Barklay-de-Tolli's order of a scorched earth policy on Major Russian cities. He is said to be a melancholy soul so it could not have been light on him.

Basil the Bulgar slayer's decision to blind 15000 of his captured enemies. Seeing them lead back to his rival who died of shock upon their arrival would be a nice travel spot.

Napoleon being crowned emperor.

Sampson killing a thousand men with the bone of a donkey.

The viking at Standford bridge.

Charlemagne comfronting his hunchbacked son after his attempt to take the throne.

X amounts of Churchill's witty quotes and the map he drew once he did meet Stalin.

Constantine crossing the galleys to the eastern roman capital with his cavalry before winning one of the most famous military encounters of all time.

Brutus stabbing Caesar.

Caligula nominating his horse for counsel.

I could go on and on. XD Still, that's just on the top of my head.

[Lynna]

I would want to find out about my ancestor who came from Scotland to Canada five generations ago.

[rocklobster]

Somewhat off topic, but this reminds me of a short story I once read about an organization dedicated to keeping the time line consistent, "Fixing" all the changes people tried to make, Hitler in particular being popular with about seven or so different attempts to remove/prevent his rise to power, including one plan to bribe the board of an art college.

The really memorable thing is that the entire story is relayed as the characters posting on an Internet message board concerning time travel.

YOu know, at first, I thought you were referencing Poul Anderson's Time Patrol books, but they didn't have anything about the Internet in them.
ANyway, I also would want to go back in time to see Jesus's birth. I'd also like to go back to when C.S. Lewis was teaching in Britain. I'm sure he gave great lectures.

[RidleyofZebes]

This is quite a 'novel' idea! (Get the pun!? ) This actually reminds me of the 'Greatest Adventure Stories from the Bible' series. Just a little bit. Except that they could interact with it to a certain extent.

Somewhat off topic, but this reminds me of a short story I once read about an organization dedicated to keeping the time line consistent, "Fixing" all the changes people tried to make, Hitler in particular being popular with about seven or so different attempts to remove/prevent his rise to power, including one plan to bribe the board of an art college.

The really memorable thing is that the entire story is relayed as the characters posting on an Internet message board concerning time travel.

This has caught my attention, and I am now very interested in reading this. You wouldn't happen to remember what it was called/where you found it, would you?

[Etoh*the*Greato]

In five minutes.

[minakichan]

Somewhat off topic, but this reminds me of a short story I once read about an organization dedicated to keeping the time line consistent, "Fixing" all the changes people tried to make, Hitler in particular being popular with about seven or so different attempts to remove/prevent his rise to power, including one plan to bribe the board of an art college.

The really memorable thing is that the entire story is relayed as the characters posting on an Internet message board concerning time travel.

Pretty much exactly what my story's about =/ Although I like to think that mine's more about the characters and less about plot, so the time travel stuff is kind of just the backdrop.

[Esoteric]

As an archeology buff, I'd want to go back and see who built several monuments, like Stonehenge, Easter island, the Sphinx. And also solve a few mysteries, like how much of America did the Vikings explore? What happened to the Templars? Or to the colony at Roanoke? Who built the money pit on Oak Island?

These would probably make pretty boring plots though.

[Fish and Chips]

This has caught my attention, and I am now very interested in reading this. You wouldn't happen to remember what it was called/where you found it, would you?

I can do better than that.

Fish delivers.

[Azier the Swordsman]

I would go chapter by chapter, book by book in the Bible, and view it all as it actually happened.

[Ingemar]

I'd like to travel back to the first Council of Nicea to see jolly ol' St. Nick bright-slap Arius.

[RidleyofZebes]

I can do better than that.

Fish delivers.

Thanks, man. That's an awesomely interesting piece of work there. Shame it's so short, though. I love to lurk forums, and would gladly have read any more the writer had.

[Roy Mustang]

The early 30's to the early 50's in the USA and Canada, so that I can take my digital camera with me and photography a lot of places that would be worth a lot of money now a days.


[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang [/color][/font]

[Vega]

I'd go back to when I was 4 so I could teach myself everything and overthrow my superiors

[rocklobster]

I just thought of another historical event I'd visit: Woodstock!

[Kung_Fu_Master]

Not to sound like a broken record but 'All of the Bible as a whole' (Except Revelation for that hasn't happened but instead of that, When John had his vision a the end of time.)

For everything else it boils down to the simple ones. Six days of creation, Creation of the rest of the universe, The start of every Civilization (as of yet), The end of every Civilization (as of yet), The in-between of every Civilization (as of yet), My family line (but not when they're actually being made), The life of every monument and work of art (mainly their start. EX: Stonehenge, Easter Island Heads, the Sphinx), Unsolved Mysteries (Any that you see on the History Channel), To see every epic thing in this epic world and epic universe that is maximally epic epically, To remember my girlfriend's or wife's (I'm single at the moment) birthday or our anniversary or just to remember when we first met, When I'm about to die and I want to relive all the things I've done (That will be a short trip). Basically everything I've done so far with my time powers thus far but the last two. Of Course I didn't have a camera for these trips. If only I could go back in time and fix it.

[minakichan]

Fish delivers indeed! Pretty cute story, I like that kind of humor.

I guess most of the responses aren't quite what I'm looking for (more specifically, what events or eras would be interesting for historians and scientists that feel they need to learn more about because there's a lot of mystery or uncertainty surrounding them, rather than "This place would be cool!"), but they're interesting nonetheless =D

I'd definitely be interested in seeing how early humans existed and communicated with each other. Seeing dinosaurs alive would be awesome too. Not so sure about historical stuff though.

[RidleyofZebes]

I just thought of another historical event I'd visit: Woodstock!

I second this. I can't believe I didn't think of it first! Just think: There's thousands of people there, so relatively little chance of being out of place. ideal for some idle time-traveling.

EDIT: Sorry it took me so long to post these few lines. I hadn't seen minakichan's latest post, and will henceforth try to keep responses along the lines stated therein.

[Atria35]

I dunno, the social history of today may be the historical mystery of tomorrow. I mean, 1000 years from now when we've gone through WW III and historians are looking back, they may say 'Oh, why haven't we found this guitar yet? Thousands of people flocked to this little town called Woodstock to listen to someone play a Jimi Hendrix, why didn't they make more than one of these "Jimi Hendrix" guitars, and what made this guitar so great?' So, it's really a perspective of the times.

For me, the beginning of the universe. Why? Because I wasn't there and there's no one around (God excepted) that was there when it did happen, so there's no one to really confirm it.

[Bobtheduck]

I'd first study hebrew for about 5 years in the present, then study Greek for another 5 years, and go on a Biblical journey.

ANd bring a videocamera. Particularly for major events in Jesus' life. I'd definitely record the sermon on the mount. I'd think about reording the resurrection, but I'd feel a bit funny about that, and... I don't think I'd be allowed to anyhow. Same with any event involving the more spectacular miracles. Somethig like the bread and fish or the water into wine or healings, yeah, but not something like angels or the Holy Spirit decending on Jesus...

[Peanut]

Either Hitler's or Napolean's decision to invade Russia. I'd just like to be there, in the room or tent when they announced those grand plans so I could chuckle to myself knowing exactly what was about to happen.

Another fun moment I would like to see is the assassination attempt on Andrew Jackson. Legend has it, after it failed, Jackson had to be restrained because he was beating the tar out of the would be assassin with his cane.

[Whitefang]

I would definitely want to go back and check out some historical blunders:

Harold marching south to meet William in 1066. (And seeing if he was indeed struck in the eye with a well-placed arrow).
Pompey going on the offensive against Caesar.
Caesar alienating the Senate.
The Spanish Armada being singularly decimated by Elizabeth's navy.
The trials of heresy in the Medieval ages to see just how ridiculous they actually were.
I would be intensely curious to watch 1500 years of Ireland and to see how exactly they remained Catholic after English kingdoms reverted to pagan religions, and then remained Catholic again when the rest of Northern Europe turned Protestant during the Reformation.
I dearly want to know where the European printing press originated. Some say the technology was brought to Europe from China, others say they came up with their own printing press separately. I'd really want to see the first Gutenberg Bible being pressed.
I would want to watch the Battle at Thermopylae.
I'd like to watch the first and last slave trading ships sailing across the Atlantic.
I would like to watch Abe Lincoln in his final days to see where his paper with ideas for the reconstruction of South went off to.

I'm sure there are many more, but that's just a quick sampling of the things I'd like to see.

[KagayakiWashi]

I would go back to the days surrounding Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection
The days shortly after creation
Visit John on the island of Patmos
Visit Daniel during the days he was given his visions
See the concert where Beethoven premiered the 5th and 6th symphonies
See the first performance of Beethoven's 9th
See the premieres of each opera in Wagner's Ring
Go to the opening of "The Rite of Spring" and see the riot that broke out over it
See various Spike Jones, Raymond Scott, and Frank Zappa concerts, specifically when he was touring with "The Petite Wazoo".

[The Doctor]

Being a fan of Doctor Who, who's title character (The Doctor) is a member of the once powerful race known as the "Time Lords" who's primary rule was to observe but never interfere, I'm quite happy to answer this question.

For me, personally, two areas in time I'd love to visit.

1. The 1980's.
Reason: I was born in 84 so never got to experience the decade from an adults perspective. I have come to love that decade so. The music, the movies, the television, even the anime are all so memorable. They don't make stuff like that anymore. Plus, and I hope I don't start any flamewars, but since you wanted other historical reasons, I must state that it is because my favorite American President's tenure was during the majority of that decade.

2. The 1950's. The 50's were such an iconic time of hope. The largest drawback to that era was the horrid continuing racism of the time. Beyond that, who wouldn't want to live in an era where you could leave your cars unlocked and the biggest problem in public schools were chewing gum and talking?

[Nate]

I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where there was going to be an eclipse and tell the cave men, "If I have come to destroy you, may the sun be blotted out from the sky." Just then the eclipse would start, and they'd probably try to kill you or something, but then you could explain about the rotation of the moon and all, and everyone would get a good laugh.

[Fish and Chips]

I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where there was going to be an eclipse and tell the cave men, "If I have come to destroy you, may the sun be blotted out from the sky." Just then the eclipse would start, and they'd probably try to kill you or something, but then you could explain about the rotation of the moon and all, and everyone would get a good laugh.