by: Adeline Tumenggung-Cooke*
Fancy a “window shopping” in the world’s vast cultural heritage in one continent? Europe is the place. From Berlin Wall, Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, windmills of Holland and masquerade carnivals in Venice, all can be reached by land.
Romantic Paris can begin with Monalisa, who is not the only resident of Paris’ Musee du Louvre. Art lovers would need a whole day exploring it. At the entrance, you will find the inverted pyramid that captured Dan Brown’s imagination in Da Vinci Code. From Louvre, walk to the river Seine. There are floating restaurants, cafes, even free benches where you can enjoy the same view with your own wine, bread and cheese from a local grocer. To sail along Seine, you can take a guided tour or hop on the Batobus with stops on both sides of the Seine.
Visiting Eiffel Tower is amazing in both sunlight and moonlight. On the top, there are telescopes to see Paris from above. Eiffel Tower at night is even more romantic. After dark, the entire tower is lit by 336 light projectors and 20,000 sparkling lights.
Not to be missed is the sunset in front of Basilique du Sacré-Cœur on the summit of Montmartre. The area was the set for Moulin Rouge and Amelie, and the work place of Dalí, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh Toulouse-Lautrec, and many famous artists.
Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice sets in the only city in world built entirely on water. Venice held one of the most prestigious international film festivals in late August or early September. During Carnival of Venice - around February and March – you will see masks like those featured in Eyes Wide Shut. The mask was historically worn to hide identities and social class differences. Nowadays, a jury of international designers annually votes for La Maschera piu bella, the best masked costume of the year.
Gondolas have always been part of Venice’s post cards. It is romantic, but not cheap – 80 Euros for a 40-minute ride. If you know where you want to go, better take the vaporetto (water bus) or the traghetto (gondola ferry).
If your time is limited, the must-seen place is Piazza San Marco. From there visit St. Mark's Basilica, the Museo Correr, and the clock tower. The archway beneath the clock opens onto the Mercerie, where you can buy traditional souvenirs. Away from Venice’s city centre, the island of Murano is famous for its traditional glass making and Burano for its colourful fishermen’s cottages.
The tulips of Holland would colour your spring. Situated between Amsterdam and The Hague, Keukenhof opens from March to May. It has over 80,000 tulips of 600 varieties. You can also have your photo taken in traditional Dutch clothing.
Food-wise, there are giant pancakes in Leiden. But my favourite is the Dutch way of serving French fries. Snackbars in Dam Square Amsterdam serve chips with many choices of condiments. Try patatje oorlog (“little chips at war”), chips with mayonnaise and peanut/satay sauce. You will be surprise to find that the combination actually works well! As you walk around Amsterdam, be careful when walking into a “coffeeshop” as this is the popular name for legal places to enjoy cannabis.
Visitors of Berlin this year will have a chance to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the building of the Berlin Wall. On August 13, there will be commemorative ceremony dedicated to the victims of the Wall and the division of the city.
Berlin has a number of high-rise observation decks. TV Tower near Alexanderplatz is the tallest tower in Germany and second in Europe with a rotating café. Bundestag (the Parliament building) near the Brandenburg gate has a spectacular glass dome, with a great view of Berlin.
Home to the Berlin Philharmonic, the city is a paradise for classical music lovers. For younger taste, Berlin has the largest techno scene in the world. The Berliner nightlife is legendary, for there is no curfew (http://www.visitberlin.de/en). After partying all night, try currywurst, a fast-food dish of hot sausage (wurst) seasoned with tomato ketchup blended with curry powder. Most imbissbuden (snack stalls) would sell this local delicacy.
Cross the English Channel to London, and you will be spoiled for choice in the diverse UK. Start by walking along the river Thames. You will find the Parliament building and the London Eye is close to each other; Buckingham Palace is only ten-minute-walk away. Further along the Thames, the Tower of London is one of UNESCO’s world heritage, built by William the Conqueror. Madame Tussauds is another popular place to see, but you need to allow more time as the queue is always long.
For Beatles fans, Liverpool in North West England offers an experience of its own. Try the Yellow Duckmarine for a unique one-hour amphibious sightseeing tour of Liverpool's historic waterfront, city and docks.
Travellers around Europe have choices of budget airlines departing from small airports. You can also travel by land. Eurorail pass offers choices of Global Pass for 22 countries, selected pass for up to five countries, or One Country Pass. For affordable accommodations, consider joining Hostelling International. The yearly membership gives you access to over 4,000 hostels around the world.
Europe is vast and diverse, and so does your options. Whatever you choose, enjoy the trip!
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§ The writer lives and works in Manchester (UK Switzerland , Austria and other places in the UK
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