Travel Contest: Go Away This May

How do I enter? Just as a comment?

Yes, pleas reply in the comments. 

As
my fiance and I plan for our honeymoon to backpack across Europe this
summer, I’ve added quite a few “must see” cities to our list. That said,
the two cities that I can’t wait to see happen to be nearly polar
opposites: Munich and Venice. Munich has a practical beauty, and always
seems to have “a place for everything, and everything in its place.”
There’s Weisswurst in the morning, the Glockenspiel at 11, and a
hefeweizen and pretzel in the afternoon. All this is wrapped up neatly
amidst the endless bike, car, and pedestrian lanes that run across the
city in synchronized perfection. I’m an avid biker, so I can’t wait to
spend a few days scouting biergartens in Munich’s numerous parks.

In
contrast with the seemingly left-brained Munich, Venice glistens with
its own creative impracticality. It’s a city built on water, need I say
more? It’s sinking as I write this! Twenty-euro cappuccinos aside, I
can’t wait to visit San Marcos, get lost in the city’s winding streets
(and dead ends), and explore the more obscure gelato flavors. As home to
some of Italy’s most creative and quirky inhabitants, I’m excited to
visit the works of the Venetian masters (and maybe a few contemporary
artists, too). And last but not least, while I know gondolas don’t offer
the free range to explore that Munich’s bike trails do, I can’t resist
their romantic charm!

As
luck would have it, Munich and Venice are linked by a beautiful, scenic
train route that allows passengers to take in the sunny, green Bavarian
countryside, glimpse at the Alps, and stop for lunch in Romeo’s own
fair Verona. The train journey will be an experience in itself. 

My younger sister is graduating from college later this month, and she’s never been to Europe. As I myself was planning a backpacking adventure I suggested to my parents that seeing the continent by train is something every twenty something has to do, and that perhaps a trip to Europe would be a good graduation gift. After a lot of worrying and questioning from my father, they agreed.

And so our research began. We’ll be using the global eurail pass to explore Europe, from Copenhagen to Krakow to Croatia, and reading about all the amazing things to do and places to see has been wonderful. We don’t have a strict itinerary or exact route planned, just a vague sense of which cities are must-sees and (with the help of the Deutschbahn website) which train routes are not to be missed.

Ok, so maybe I have more than just a vague idea of where I want to go…

The leg of the journey that I am perhaps looking forward to the most will come toward the end of our exploration, when we’re in southern Europe after seeing Denmark, Germany, Holland, Hungary, etc. The ride from Barcelona to Nice is the one I’m talking about. I lived in Nice for several months a few years ago and am excited to show my sister around the city. To relax on the Mediterranean coast, explore the bars and museums, meander through the old town, and basically just enjoy our time. In Barcelona we will do much more wandering, walking where the mood takes us to discover small cafes and lively squares and colorful shops. Let the city decide what we do.

The train ride between these two great cities is a wonder of its own, the best real estate in the south of France belongs to SNCF after all. Gorgeous views of beachs and fields and far off cities will make the ride an adventure in and of itself; a chance to meet fellow backpackers, take a siesta after a day of exploring, and just bond with my little sister.

The rail system is the reason we’re able to take this trip, it connects everything to everywhere and offers excitement and a link to the (personally) unexplored cities of Europe. When I told a friend about our trip he asked, “Where are you going?” and I told him, “We don’t have a destination. We’re going for the journey.”

For my trip, I’d like a little F. Scott Fitzgerald meets Ralpho Waldo Emerson: high society in Monte Carlo and nature in the Camargue National Park. France (and its little brother, Monaco) offer the best of both civilization and nature. In Monte Carlo, I’d love to spend a few days relaxing and living like a millionaire. I’d take in the beaches and the beautiful, white Monaco Palace. Then, I’d try my luck in the casinos and be sure to try the local dish Barbajuan (as well as some of the finer dining options!) In the Camargue, I’d look forward to camping and horseback riding through what is arguably France’s most beautiful national park. I’m an avid outdoorsman, so after a few days of luxury in Monaco, I’ll be leaping into that sleeping bag! 

With two beautiful locations at either end, the best part about this trip may still be the journey itself. There’s a beautiful and scenic train that rides down the Cote D’Azur to San Rafael, with a full view of the coast the whole way. I’d love to take in the country that way. From San Raphael, I’d switch gears to the faster TGV to make my way to Nimes and then the Camargue. Happy travels to all!

I posted this earlier but I don’t think I posted it properly:

My younger sister is graduating from college later this month, and she’s
never been to Europe. As I myself was planning a backpacking adventure I
suggested to my parents that seeing the continent by train is something
every twenty something has to do, and that perhaps a trip to Europe
would be a good graduation gift. After a lot of worrying and questioning
from my father, they agreed.

And so our research began. We’ll be using the global eurail pass to
explore Europe, from Copenhagen to Krakow to Croatia, and reading about
all the amazing things to do and places to see has been wonderful. We
don’t have a strict itinerary or exact route planned, just a vague sense
of which cities are must-sees and (with the help of the Deutschbahn
website) which train routes are not to be missed.

Ok, so maybe I have more than just a vague idea of where I want to go…

The leg of the journey that I am perhaps looking forward to the most
will come toward the end of our exploration, when we’re in southern
Europe after seeing Denmark, Germany, Holland, Hungary, etc. The ride
from Barcelona to Nice is the one I’m talking about. I lived in Nice for
several months a few years ago and am excited to show my sister around
the city. To relax on the Mediterranean coast, explore the bars and
museums, meander through the old town, and basically just enjoy our
time. In Barcelona we will do much more wandering, walking where the
mood takes us to discover small cafes and lively squares and colorful
shops. Let the city decide what we do.

The train ride between these two great cities is a wonder of its own,
the best real estate in the south of France belongs to SNCF after all.
Gorgeous views of beaches and fields and far off cities will make the
ride an adventure in and of itself; a chance to meet fellow backpackers,
take a siesta after a day of exploring, and just bond with my little
sister.

The rail system is the reason we’re able to take this trip, it
connects everything to everywhere and offers excitement and a link to
the (personally) unexplored cities of Europe. When I told a friend about
our trip he asked, “Where are you going?” and I told him, “We don’t
have a destination. We’re going for the journey.”

Just curious…will a winner be announced?