Hi!
It’s been a while—about a week since my last post? I’ve been caught up with work and studying these past few days. I was supposed to have my essay exam today, but it was postponed due to some personal events involving a few of my classmates. So here I am, writing and hanging around my blog.
What should I talk about? (I mean, write about?) I have a couple of ideas sitting on my post list—like my travels outside the United Kingdom over the past five years. I’ve only visited two countries, but I’m still proud of those trips. I could also write about the books I’ve read this year, or maybe my most recent read. What do you reckon?
I’d better choose, because this blog post is getting long! Let’s go with my five-year travel experience outside the UK.
Looking back…
The first country I visited was France—Paris, to be exact. I went with a few acquaintances, and it was a fun trip. We stayed in an Airbnb for five days and had a blast exploring Parisian culture and food. I can’t remember everything we did on specific days, but I can mention some places: the Eiffel Tower (hahaha—honestly the only one I vividly remember), a museum—which was fantastic—gardens, and of course Disneyland, the highlight of my visit to Paris.
If you ask me what I think about Paris, I’ll be honest: it’s overhyped. There’s nothing particularly special about the place. The French can be a bit rude, especially if you don’t speak their language or at least attempt to—they simply won’t care. Very unbothered! And the streets smelled like urine.
The food was typical—coffee and pastries. Paris is known for its high-end fashion industry, which is absolutely true. I saw how French women carried themselves on the street (not just in magazines)—very chic. Transportation was fairly easy, and walking on cobblestone streets wasn’t bad at all.
One thing that broke my heart about Paris was the pickpocketing, theft, and scams. I was on the Metro when a lady told me someone was trying to open my bag from behind. Thankfully, I didn’t have any valuables in that pocket.
I suppose Parisians are concerned about the increasing incidents of pickpocketing and theft in their city.
Here are some snippets from Paris:
Next was Belgium—the land of chocolate, my favorite! It was only a 3-day trip, but somehow it felt sweeter there. I went with two acquaintances, and together we visited Antwerp, Brussels, and Ghent.
In Antwerp, we unexpectedly got caught up in a Pride parade. It was my first time witnessing such an event, and it was truly eye-opening. “You can’t choose who you love, but you can choose how to love.” That moment really stuck with me.
In Brussels, I wasn’t expecting to walk into another event, the main plaza was filled with a floral display—different kinds of flowers arranged on the ground to form various images. There were tons of artists around the area, and I managed to capture some of them in my photos.
Our next and last stop was Ghent. We only spent half a day there because we needed to travel back to London on the same day. We didn’t have any specific tourist spots in mind, so we simply enjoyed the food (chocolate, of course!) and the surroundings.
Now, this next one is still within the UK, but I’ll include it anyway—Edinburgh, Scotland. No surprise there, since it’s just about five hours away from London. I went with my brother and housemate, and we stayed for three days… I think? It was cold—the temperature was definitely lower than in London. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, but it’s nowhere near as crowded. The scenery has a dark, gothic vibe that I absolutely adore. The castles are stunning, like something out of a fairytale. It gives off the atmosphere of a fantasy novel.
And of course, here are some snapshots from Scotland:
The truth is, I want to explore more of Europe, but I need to wait for something first. Maybe when that “something” is finally in my hands, I’ll be visiting Switzerland, Finland, and Japan. The rest of the countries can come later.
I really, really hope so!❤
Anyway, if you happen to come across this blog, let me know what you think about these places—Switzerland, Finland, and Japan. I know they’re beautiful, but I’d love to hear any tips or tricks you can share.❤
