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mapssearch.info

There are two types of people in the world: those who are fascinated by maps, and those who couldn't care less.

I fall into the former camp. I'm not sure where this interest in maps began. It's funny looking back in your childhood. Can you remember the first time you looked at a map and understood that one dot on it represented the city where you were, and another dot represented another city, in a certain direction and a certain distance – a place you could travel to by following this folding piece of paper? I'm sure some expert has determined the age at which children become capable of this abstract thinking. I don't recall the first time a map came alive for me in that way. ... (more)

There are two types of people in the world: those who are fascinated by maps, and those who couldn't care less.

I fall into the former camp. I'm not sure where this interest in maps began. It's funny looking back in your childhood. Can you remember the first time you looked at a map and understood that one dot on it represented the city where you were, and another dot represented another city, in a certain direction and a certain distance – a place you could travel to by following this folding piece of paper? I'm sure some expert has determined the age at which children become capable of this abstract thinking. I don't recall the first time a map came alive for me in that way.

I know that part of my fascination with maps is related to travel. I first went overseas as a young teen; in one summer, my competing, divorced parents took me to the UK and out to the Rockies. Later, I lived in the UK for a year. I visited Western Europe that year, as well as North Africa. I can distinctly remember the sense of excitement I had when I was in Africa, picturing my position on the globe.

Much later, my wife and I lived in Japan for two years, traveling to Malaysia, Korea and New Zealand. It was during that time period that I discovered antique maps.

I already had one old map – a family heirloom passed along by my mother. It's a massive map of Canada from just before the Great War. I've traveled extensive parts of my native Canada, and have enjoyed comparing my experiences with the lines on that framed piece of art work.

Maps truly are art. Especially the antiques. My wife and I hit upon the idea of collecting antique maps, the only stipulation being that one of us had to have visited at least some point pictured in the map.

Surprisingly, this hobby isn't as expensive as you might think. For a few hundred dollars, you can purchase a small, three hundred-year old map and have it professionally framed with archival materials. It’s not a small amount of money, but certainly within reach for many people.

So the next time you travel somewhere, instead of bringing back some gaudy piece of mass-produced tourist garb, get a map. Antique maps are my thing, but even a brand new map has a lot more significance than a tacky tee-shirt.


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