A life-changing experience like no other, over two years in the making. No other sentence could possibly summarize the monumental adventure my family and I undertook this summer. Spending three weeks travelling by train (and occasionally flying) through some of the most breathtaking and picturesque cities Europe has to offer, we had our fair share of rough wake-up times and unpredictable weather. But in the end, the bumps along the way made this journey so much more unique and gave us such a great sense of accomplishment.
Our first stop on this tour of Europe was Amsterdam. This was my mom’s addition to the lineup of cities, having visited before and also thoroughly enjoying the Amsterdam-based episode of Ted Lasso. The integration of bikes into the city works seamlessly, and really makes me wish more cities were built with bicycles in mind. Something about just moving around the city felt so whimsical and uplifting, and there’s this interconnectedness throughout every corner of the architecture. We also paid a visit to Anne Frank’s house, which was a deeply emotional experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. To conclude our time in Amsterdam, we admired the beautiful works of art in the Van Gogh museum, a painter who I’ve now come to realize is one of my absolute favorite artists.
After hauling our luggage (including my suitcase with a broken wheel) to the train station, we were off to Brussels, Belgium. There we had one of my favorite meals of the trip at Pasta Divina, where, to my surprise, the meal would go toe to toe with the pasta we would end up eating in Italy. The city of Brussels, while still pretty, was incomparable to Brugge, a beautiful medieval-looking city with cobblestone streets and gorgeous canals. I had never heard of this city, and learning about its history, folk stories, and culture enthralled me. By the end of the day, we had walked around the main streets of the city so many times, I started to memorize the layout. It felt like something straight out of a fantasy world, and I cannot stress the beauty of this town enough.
Switzerland was my most anticipated stop of the trip, and it did not disappoint. From the expansive and eye-catching Lake Lucerne, to the scary heights of Mt. Pilatus, the natural beauty of this country astounded me. However, a bigger highlight for me was the delicious fondue. During World War 2, the Swiss Cheese Union popularized the dish by sending it to military regiments and other groups in hopes of increasing cheese consumption. Thus, it has become a symbol of Swiss unity. One can only dream of having a national dish as delicious, as filling, as versatile as cheese and chocolate fondue dips. Switzerland was easily my favorite.
We then spent around a third of the tour of Europe in Italy, where we visited Santa Margherita, Florence, and Venice. Santa Margherita is a lesser-known city in Italy, often overshadowed by its neighboring tourist destination, Portofino. This coastal city was a breath of fresh air from some of the crowded, flashy cities we’d previously been to. After nonstop tours and reservations, it was nice to unwind and sit by the Ligurian sea for a day. Venice was a massive highlight as well. Despite knowing exactly what the city looks like, nothing could have prepared me for when I walked out of that train station and was faced with a submerged city, with the only means of transportation by canal. It seems impossible until your brain fully processes it as reality.
We finished our adventure on the island of Santorini in Greece, a place I only thought could exist in a movie. The buildings, the cats, the food, the air itself, it intoxicated me with feelings of comfort. Taking a cruise out into the sea just before sunset, I found myself at a very introspective point. Bonding over travel has always been an important part of my family, and as I watched the sunset with them, I couldn’t help but feel bittersweet. This was our last big ambitious excursion all together before my time as a high school student comes to an end. But I wouldn’t change a single moment for anything.
If I learned something from these countless new experiences, it’s the significance of taking life into your own hands. The experience is what you make it, and if you’re engaged, wide-eyed and present, you’re going to learn a lot more from it. From art, to food, to architecture, to socializing, whether you’re on an island off the coast of Greece or here in the Bay Area, there’s always something special to admire–even if it requires dragging a broken suitcase through a crowded city.