I struggled to come up with an idea for this post, as I wanted it to relate to the wanderlust in some way. It hit upon me that for every place I have traveled, even though I have found beauty and something positive in each one, places that really have stayed with me have one thing in common: hills and views from above. Don’t get me wrong, flat is beautiful too; I am a New York City girl and frequent visitor to D.C., and except for the occasional high point here and there in those cities, they are for the most part flat. However, here are some cities that have particularly struck me.
One such place that fits said description that comes to mind is Edinburgh, Scotland, a city I have had the privilege of visiting twice (and, I may add, hope to have that privilege again soon. It’s my wee bit of Scots blood spurring me on no doubt.) Imagine my complete surprise the first time I set foot in the city. The rocky, almost volanic landscape literally took my breath away . The majestic Edinburgh Castle, the fortification that has withstood battles and intrigue, still proudly stood high above the city. Of course, Scotland itself stands at the top of the list of my favorite countries, and it’s doubtful that will change. The landscape of the country itself is hills personified.
Buda, Hungary comes next. I visited Budapest in 2006, and one can’t help notice the difference between Buda and the city’s Pest section. Buda and Pest were two separate cities on either side of the Danube River until they were unified in 1873. What a topographical contrast. Pest, flat and “city-like,” and Buda, tucked up in the hills. We wound our way through those hills as houses peaked out before us, like hidden gems among the landscape. Perhaps its residents find the expansive view of the rest of the city, sprawled out with the flowing Danube and its bridges in the foreground, old hat. I would find it breathtaking, but again I don’t wake up to that view every day. It is here on Gellert Hill that one can stand in the shadow of Buda Castle and partake of the beautiful vista below.
I won’t focus solely on Europe in this post. I am also an ocean lover, and my three trips to the Caribbean (not counting my many trips to Bermuda, as it technically doesn’t fall in that area) certainly more than satisfied on that front. However, what stands out for me is the island of Tortola’s wonderfully rugged geography. Yes, hills and lots of them. Actually, my very first cruise brought me to this island in 2007. It’s was once owned by Britain, so driving is on the left side, a fact that literally gripped me as we wound our way up the craggy mountainside. I guess not being used to driving on the opposite side compounded the adrenaline rush I got from looking over the steep inclines to the vast blue ocean below. The jovial driver kept saying something to the effect of, just wait, when I stop you will get a spectacular view. Well, he didn’t disappoint. It certainly was that and more as I whipped out my camera to snap a shot before my fellow tourists, all equally enthusiastic as I, could get in the way.
I will conclude this post by saying that oddly, I am not a lover of heights. Ask me to climb the narrow stairs to the top of an English castle and I will get dizzy. However, when I am outdoors it is a different story. I could go on and on about this paradox, my admiration for the thunderously tall redwoods that grace Northern California’s Muir Woods and the high, windy roads driven to get there; the hills of Scotland and driving in the shadow of its highest peak, Ben Nevis. Perhaps I was some kind of a daredevil in another life, one who didn’t mind scaling high peaks. Well, Everest hasn’t called yet and while it would be the highest of the high, the view of all views to see, I think my nerves would get the best of me.
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