Which Way's East?

I've mentioned here in the past how I am most comfortable when I know the compass directions for my location. For example, right now, I know that because I'm facing my monitor, I'm also facing almost directly west. Therefore, Washington State is to my left and Toronto behind my back. I seem to need to understand my physical orientation in comparison to the rest of the world. For all common places such as classrooms at BCIT, or the supermarket, I know my bearings.

Maybe this is why when learning a city on vacation, I could never just hop on a sightseeing bus to see the landmarks. I want to know where things are in relation to each other. I need to grasp the 'lay of the land'. Without walking and figuring out the transit system, a city would seem just a series of unconnected spots. I cannot think of anything more annoying than that.

So, whether Rome last fall, or Washington DC last week, I always return with a pretty good idea of the geography of the cities we visit.