You can’t just stroll around Moelln without stopping every few steps to gasp at the dreamy landscape. The tiny lakes streaming through the town, dotted with swans and lined with charming houses cast a spell on its onlookers. It is best to visit Moelln in spring or summer, for you can choose a bench in one of the many beautiful parks and enjoy a scenic view of the dense forest from across a lake while licking a cone of ice-cream.
I feel at home the minute I set foot in some countries and feel like a total stranger even to myself in some others. With Scotland, it was love at first sight.
The spires of beautiful monuments and hilltop castles dominate the skyline in cities. Cattle grazing on rolling hills with a scenic backdrop characterize the Highlands. And the fishing villages are full of spirit and seagulls. Scotland, brimming with lochs (lakes) overflowing with legends of monsters and heroes, is now my favourite country.
Dutch villages are known for iconic windmills, beautiful tulip gardens, impressive old town with stunning architecture in the form of churches, archways, museums, and bridges.
Peppered with wealthy people, expensive real estate, and expat community, Sintra is synonymous to splendour. It is home to three palaces and a castle and one of the most expensive municipalities in the Iberian Peninsula. The affluent district is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, and need I say a popular tourist destination.
Malaga is the sixth largest city in Spain. Palm trees -allegedly nonnative- lined alleys, parrots screeching their lungs off, narrow side lanes packed with cozy restaurants and shops selling knickknacks and over a dozen beaches within the city limit, make it a perfect destination for any kind of traveler.
Hamburg is the prettiest metropolitan city I’ve ever lived in. I spend most of my time craning my neck admiring the gorgeous architecture in different styles that makes up this stunning Hanseatic city.
Oxford boasts of over 100 libraries, above-ground, underground and wherever else it is possible to have a library. Some of the historical buildings and lanes have played an important role in many storylines including Alice in Wonderland and The Lord of the Rings. And my favourite part is that Oxford also gave us Aslan and Tumnus of Narnia.
The Cotswolds are the quintessence of a picturesque countryside. It is synonymous to market villages, sheep grazing over rolling hills, thatched-roof cottages made of honey-coloured limestone and meadows as far as your eyes can see. It feels like you’re walking right through the settings of a romantic English novel from another era.
Amidst the quintessential chaos of a sought-after city, Berlin shines as bright as the midday sun. Once a war-torn capital speaks volumes to all those who listen. Even if you are averse to cities, Berlin, infused with so much history, culture and art scene can make you think differently about cities.
As a big fan of handsome heroes slaying monsters, the folklore to the tell the story of how Antwerp got its name appealed to me even more.
The Grote markt in the old town flaunts a stunning fountain of baroque Brabo. Legend has it that a giant named Antigoon lived close to the river Scheldt. He collected a toll from the boatmen crossing the river and chopped off a hand of those who refused to pay and flung it into the river. Then our hero Silvius Brabo entered the scene, took charge of the situation and severed the monster’s hand and threw it into the river, thus giving Antwerp its name. In Dutch Ant stands for hand and werpen is the verb to throw.