As a year rings to a close, I often takes the time to look at my accomplishments and goals that were achieved. This year though, has been a strange one. The goals I took this year have been put on standby, where they will remain waiting to be accomplished in the next.
As I pondered over what the significance of this delay is, I realized that, in the grand scheme of things, it is but a trifling compared to the changes and adaptations one has had to make to get through. It is more important to manage the present than to worry about the future.
Just as goals were put on hold, so were travel plans. The places, like the real-life Disney Castle pictured here that one seeks to visit. will remain, just as the goals that are waiting to be accomplished.
Schloss Neuschwanstein
Schwangau Germany
Mittelrheintal
When I learnt that I was going to be staying in the heart of the Rhine valley a few years ago, I imagined watching fairytale castles and medieval forts go by as I passed tiny villages and towns meticulously preserved for centuries. I envisaged sampling wines from the very vineyards lining the gentle slopes of the Rhine and Moselle.
It almost seemed too good to be true. But when I did visit this region, it was everything I described and much more. Staying in a tiny village with houses that dated to the 12th century lining cobblestone streets that exuded a German charm, I spent hours tramping up and down the nearby hills, and discovered many a hidden gem. I learnt how to distinguish between trocken, halbtrocken, and süss wien from the numerous visits to the many wine cellars, sample delicious sherry, and savor dozens of varieties of German bread.
Someday, I hope to retire in such a village, enjoying a simple life surrounded by the beautiful Rhine Valley
Mittelrhein
Germany
Old World Germany
Historic town centers, spellbinding castles, placid countryside and a rich cultural heritage were the upsides of visiting a country not particularly known as a tourist destination or as a foodie haven. One of the most underrated tourist destinations proved to be one of my most memorable trips.
Germany (Various)