Backpacking through Europe

                                                Backpacking through Europe

                                                            By Lee Hyon-soo

                                                               

History was one of my favorite subjects in my school days. I was particularly interested in Western civilization. Not only did I read a lot about it, but I longed to go see historic sites scattered around Europe. Therefore, I did not hesitate to travel to the continent whenever the opportunity presented itself. But the most memorable of all my European trips was, of course, the first one I made.

 

Before I set out on my month-long journey with my family, I bought a travel guidebook which seemed to contain all the information that I would possibly need about the cities I was planning to visit — where to stay, where to dine, what to see, and how to get around. I consulted this book every step of the way throughout my journey and indeed it proved most helpful.          

 

Athens was our first stop. On our way from the outlying airport to Athens, the stately Parthenon atop the Acropolis suddenly came into view. To see the Parthenon, high overlooking the city, was a thrill I will never forget. So naturally the Acropolis became the focus of our Athenian tour and we spent hours climbing up and down this dramatic hill. Athens has reminders everywhere of the great classic age and we trod where Demosthenes orated and Socrates taught. 

         

From Athens we flew to Rome, a magnificent city meriting its nickname, "the capital of the world." There were so many sights to see in Rome that we were simply overwhelmed. Among those we saw, the Capitol, the Colosseum, the Catacombs, the Vatican and the Trevi Fountain come to mind.

          

We then headed northwest, stopping in Zurich, Munich, Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam and London. To tour these renowned cities was a breathtaking experience for us. The length of our stay in each city varied, depending on how much there was to see there. All European cities looked unique and it was a lot of fun to wander from one city to another at a leisurely pace. We used all modes of transportation — airplane, train, bus, and taxi — and availed ourselves of various types of accommodation — hotel, inn, and pension.

 

Our tour would have been incomplete without our visits to museums and art galleries for which Europe is famous. It was a delight to view great cultural and art collections in person.

 

We were fascinated by the tastes, sights and sounds of the cities we visited. My appreciation of early Western civilization was enhanced immensely by my visits to Athens and Rome in particular. But the cities that captured my heart were Paris and London.          

 

Paris seemed to have magic in the air. What I especially enjoyed doing in Paris was to stroll along the Champs Elysees, browse among the stalls on the quays of the Seine, explore the winding streets of Montmartre, or lunch at one of the sidewalk cafes while discreetly gazing at passersby – Parisians and other tourists from all over the world.           I

 

I was attracted to London for a different reason. Although it was my first visit to London, I felt right at home there. After I went through other European cities where I had a communication problem, it was a welcome change for me to be able to talk with anybody in English on the streets of London. Furthermore, it was fun indeed to scour the old city for the roots of North American culture. 

 

One advantage of backpacking over a packaged tour was that I was able to do anything as I pleased. Of course, backpacking cost me more money than would be the case with a packaged tour, but it was money well spent.

 

The Korea Times

August 2015