The good, the better, the best

It has been some time since I wrote my last blog post. Covid-19 has taken its toll on travel worldwide. Plans for travel to both the Dolomites and Edinburgh had to be cancelled, and my summer trip around the Nordic countries had to be put on hold.

About 1.5 years ago I started on this website, with aspirations for it to be an avenue for me to record my journeys and to share them. It slowly evolved to one which shared travel itineraries and ratings, as well as opportunities to join me on my trips. One of the my most go-to conversations would be where I had the best experiences, where I ate the best food, and where I witness the most amazing of sights. With that in mind, I decided to dedicate this post to the best sights, tastes, and sounds of the countries that I have visited in Europe.

Best food

Not taking the exorbitant prices into account, I would say the paellas in Spain were the most fitting to my palate. Despite being priced at about 19 Euros per plate, I could easily describe it as the tastiest rice I’ve ever had. When I was in Barcelona, at least half of my meals were paella because it was just so good. If you do have a chance to visit Spain, be sure to try out their paellas, because you definitely would not regret it.

Spanish Paella

Best scenery

Hands down, I’m giving Iceland this. Having been to Iceland twice, I’m 100% sure the scenery in Iceland beats everything in Europe. It isn’t just the beautiful waterfalls and glaciers, but it is also coupled with the fact that the northern lights are easily visible too. For my first trip to Iceland, at least half of the nights were clear enough to witness the northern lights. Coupled with the tranquil background of waterfalls and mountains, it literally feels like a different world. Absolutely heavenly.

Atop a hill in Iceland

Best place to go on a date

Paris is overrated for romance. In my honest opinion, I think Prague is a much better choice. Not only is it safer and less packed, everything there is probably half the price of Paris. In addition, the lighting in winter as well as the Christmas markets make it really romantic for taking a slow walk along the numerous streets, stopping by for some gelato. Definitely an ideal location for a date, and I wouldn’t mind visiting Prague for a third time for this reason.

Prague at night

Friendliest people

I think there is a good contest between the Dutch, the Irish, and the Icelanders. I like the Dutch and Icelanders mainly because they are very hospitable and friendly towards tourists. However, the Irish are well known for their bars and live music, which really gives a countryside vibe. The customer service in Ireland is pretty good as well, and speaking fluent English inadvertently results in them being more friendly towards you. Hopefully Covid-19 doesn’t change their attitude towards Asians much.

Irish Bar

Most value for money

Generally eastern European countries are much cheaper than western European countries. Personally, I would say Poland is one of the better countries to go to if you are strapped on cash. Things there are priced the same as Singapore, and there isn’t a lack of activities to do there at all. On my trip to Poznan, I played a 20-minute game of laser tag with some random Poles for about 9 SGD. Joshua and I also went go-karting for about 8 pounds for 10 minutes. In addition, accommodation there is pretty cheap. I spent about 8-10 pounds a night for my first trip to Krakow with my NUS medicine friends, and 27 pounds a night at a 4 star hotel (with breakfast and a swimming pool) on my trip to Poznan. Did I forget to mention that its cheaper to Uber than to take public transport as well? You can literally get around permanently using uber with your friends because its only about 5 dollars per ride (that’s why I recommend groups of 4 for trips to eastern European countries)

Krakow central market

Best alcohol

Ok this is a tough one. Price wise I’m giving it to Budapest because it’s literally 1 pound a pint over there. 10 pounds can leave to absolutely knocked out. Taste wise, I would say Germany has got pretty good beer, especially the ones that you find at the Christmas markets. Maybe it’s the atmosphere that contributes to the taste, but I do find the beer pretty decent. On a side note, the Guinness from Ireland is on a completely different league. I normally don’t take stout, but draft stout from Ireland is amazing. With a creamy top, and somewhat tasting like Kopi-o with alcohol, it’s a must try should one visit Ireland. If you are looking for vodka, head to the eastern European countries, because it’s not just very soothing to down a shot, each shot is pretty cheap as well (about 1 pound per double shot).

Pint of Guinness in Dublin

Best architecture

Quite easily I’m giving this to Rome, Italy (I haven’t visited Athens yet so I can’t comment). Possessing the Colosseum, the Roman Forums, as well as numerous archs around the city, it’s quite easy to see that a lot of the city’s history can be seen through the architecture. In addition, Vatican City is located within Rome, and itself is a key highlight of anyone visiting Rome, with huge museums, the Sistine Chapel, as well as various precious artefacts. Definitely a must go for anyone who appreciates architecture.

Roman Architecture

Most eye opening

In my opinion, the red-light district of Amsterdam is quite literally eye-opening. However, if you were to ask which trip impacted me the most, it would be the visit to Auschwitz (located between Katowice and Krakow in Poland). For anyone that has an interest in WWII, this place will highlight the atrocities committed by the Nazis, and also serves as a grim reminder that for evil to trump, all it takes is for good men to do nothing.

Auschwitz entrance

That concludes my article. If you have any questions on where to visit next, hit me up and I’ll provide some travel advice!