The world is so beautiful! Part 1
The world is such a beautiful place!
I recently took a break from work - to spend time with my friends and family and to travel. I am so grateful that I got a chance to travel. I am in my late 20s, and the rapid passage of time in the past few years has been a poignant reminder that life is too short. This made me question if I had been giving excuses to myself that I do not have time to take a break, I do not have enough money or I do not get enough leave to get away from work. I had been debating about travel for so long - because obviously, it is a huge toll on savings. My never-ending question to myself was “should I be saving money rather than travelling?” “Is travel supposed to be on my checklist of ‘how to live a perfect life?’”. I must say it made me richer. It made me find myself a little more. If you ever get a chance to travel, choose it. Manage your finances and choose travel.
Only in photos had I seen how beautiful the world is. And I must say, there is something magical, something sensational about being there in these wonderful places, something that no social media page or photography can justify. It is perhaps the fusion of the glorious beauty of the places with the out-of-ordinary histories, the aroma of impressive culinary, the fresh air, and the distinct languages and accents, that make it a heavenly experience.
When I was growing up, people told me about the marvellous beauty of the Swiss Alps, about the rich heritage, art, and food in Italy, and about the city of love, Paris. I always wondered if the world is as beautiful as these people say it is. So, I embarked on my journey to explore the truth behind all those European tales and I must say there is marvellous beauty on this planet. The world is genuinely so beautiful and it is meant to be seen.
And you know the cherry on the cake? Travel would teach you a mountain of things - about yourself, about people around you, about the places you are visiting, time management, organising finances and so much more... And the learnings would multiply if you are travelling solo. When you are exploring a new place on your own, a place where language is a barrier, you would learn what you are capable of. Stepping outside your comfort zone rewires your brain. It improves cognition, which improves the thinking process, boosting your confidence. You come back energised to take on the world. What I have understood is, that planning for travel and exploring a new place does involve a lot of work, but I am at my most peaceful self when I am exploring a new place and learning through that experience. So, when I decided to take a break from the humdrum of life, I packed my bags to travel through Europe. I took a trip with Contiki. It was such a delightful experience to travel with people from across the world, people I have never met before, people who were visiting Europe for the first time like me.
I have put together some wonderful photos from my trip and a brief description of my visit. Believe me, the photos DO NOT do justice to reality.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Our trip started with the most flavourful place in Europe. Amsterdam has got everything - lush greenery, narrow townhouses, picturesque canals, a wealth of geraniums, tulips and daffodils flooding the streets, zestful shenanigans happening all year round as well as an abundance of history and geography. When you get tired of biking around the city, which is a whole experience in itself, you can explore the infamous Red Light district area, De Wallen.
Admiring glorious canals of Amsterdam on one of my strolls
Apart from the city’s saucy reputation, the city has a rich heritage with some famous museums, such as the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank House (for those who do not know about Anne Frank and the famous, The Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank was German-dutch with Jewish heritage who lived in Amsterdam during the Nazi rule. She is one of the famous victims of the Holocaust, who documented her experience of living/hiding in a bunker to escape persecution at the hands of the Nazi party.)
Amsterdam Centraal
Well, now because we are in the Dutch land, we need to learn how we toast in Dutch. It is “Proost”, baby!
Sankt Goar, Germany
Our next stop was Sankt Goar in Germany. My camera didn’t capture the true essence of the beauty - it was breathtaking. This hidden gem on the west bank of the middle of the Rhine river is mystical, impressively calm and a marvel of extraordinary beauty with acres of vineyard, fascinating history of fairytale castles, and glorious views of the Rhine river. The town also has the largest free-hanging cuckoo clock in the world - it is hanging outside a souvenir shop.
Some Eiswein by the Rhine river after sunset provided the most surreal experience and astonishing sensory pleasure. I highly recommend trying Eiswein (Ice Wine), which is a type of dessert wine locally produced in Germany. And how do we clink glasses in Germany? We “Prost”.
Munich, Germany
The Bavarian capital is famous for its beer and the annual Oktoberfest. But what I enjoyed the most in Munich was biking around the city. The fun part while biking was recurring reminders I kept giving myself that it’s right-hand driving in Europe and I need to take over people from the left. I also enjoyed the delectable German sausages at the Beer Garden. German beer at Hofbräuhaus is a must-try.
The Theatine Church of St. Cajetan
Biking tour in Munich
Biking through the heart of the city and the English Garden was a fun way to explore the city and admire the marvellous architecture and learn about the city’s fascinating history.
Hofbräuhaus
Hofbräuhaus interior
The beer garden
These are a few of the breathtaking places I visited. I’ll continue my fairytale in the next article. Watch this space.