Tag: travel stories

Wanderers Travel Tales: Europe in a houseboat

By Meenakshi Shankar

A Houseboat adventure – in the lagoons of Venice

A holiday to remember is how I would put traveling around Europe in a houseboat – a world removed from touristy hotels and villas; a world where a sense of freedom and adventure beckons you –  wherein you could chart your own course when you take hold of the wheel of a houseboat.

Simply put …in a houseboat, everyday the choice is yours.

Breakfast by the lagoon in the Houseboat

The brochures invited me to come and explore a different journey of sorts.

Which is what prompted me to shrug away the usual ‘hotel’ accommodation and board a houseboat – wherein, every morning, the balmy breeze would caress my wanderin’ soul and come twilight …. sipping my glass of wine, I would let the alluring beauty envelop me. My neighbors’ who would drop by to say a quick hello – would be a handsome swan pecking at a porthole of my rented houseboat waiting for some handouts or seagulls who would keep me company on an odd day.

Well, this is exactly the kind of thing that I signed up for – a world away from the usual. In the dreamy European city, Italy, laced with canals, there’s water, water everywhere, and well, I thought I might as well stay on some. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I booked myself onto one of the city’s hundreds of houseboats – Would it rock back and forth, or bob up and down? Would I get a hot shower and a decent night’s sleep? Would I get cabin fever, or worse, become seasick?

Needless to say – all my fears were unfounded — and every expectation was exceeded.

I signed up for a boho lifestyle aboard my own personal houseboat and it was a bargain – (some of the very best are for rent, and at prices on a par with three- or four-star hotels).

 

Shopping at the local market

 

The advantage:
You can move around while sunbathing on the dock with a book, grilling steaks, or indulging in other pleasures that car, plane, or train travel would prohibit.  Even the most banal daily chores, like making beds or washing dishes, become a novelty when they’re performed on a floating abode.

 

Glorious sights – off the tourist trails

The landscape slips by. Squadrons of swallows skim low over the water ahead of the bow. Cruising into the glittering path of a shaft of morning sunlight, with the smell of bacon and eggs cooking on the on board barbecue, it’s easy to see why people choose to live on a houseboat.

Life is visibly slower.

And if you are traveling with children -I believe there’s no better place for children to live out their Huckleberry Finn fantasies. Pelicans, carp and young boys have a symbiotic relationship. On a good day on the river, with only a bit of bread for bait, the fish virtually throw themselves on the hook, and the boys throw all their efforts into catching them.

 

Sailing away on my houseboat trip

Reasons to head out on a house boat trip around Europe

1. If you are a Wanderer like me and want a slice of travel with an edge to it, then a house boat trip is a definite must try. It’s different and panders to your Wandering soul.

2. There is a freedom to discover…unearth and feast on the glorious sights, landmarks and cuisines. In fact, you could discover more than the usual fare. Sailing along, you could chance upon a little tucked away cove, a tiny island hidden away from the usual tourist trails, a quaint cafe which serves the best breakfast…all of that and more.

3.  At first glance, it may seem that houseboats are an expensive option (because they look plush) however they work out to as much as a 3-4 star accommodation.

4.  Yes, it is an ideal getaway for a family vacations – simply because it gives you a feeling of adventure. Pirates of the Caribbean, Huckleberry Finn and other fantasies come alive – it’s an adventure like none experienced before.

5.  There is no license required to drive a houseboat. It’s very easy to work your way around.

6. The best part of a houseboat trip is the simple fact that there are so many options available –

Go on a long weekend – a perfect break from your routine.

A week long trip/roundabout trip – The best way to enjoy your holiday sights. You can take in all the sights and explore the wonders at your pace.

2 week plus – For those who want to simply enjoy the feeling of being on a boat and wandering.

7. The boats are fully equipped – so you don’t miss out on the creature comforts. It’s luxury redefined.

Meeting new friends – warm smiles, glorious sunshine

8.  Catching up on your reading, nurturing your writing skills, meeting new friends,  fishing, angling …the possibilities are endless. The freedom to bask in the glorious sun and do things that you otherwise wouldn’t have done in a holiday trip is what makes a houseboat trip ‘oh-so-tempting’.

9. Cycling tours available – The houseboat trip is not just ‘a world of waterways’ –  you can leave your boat securely moored in a safe harbor and jump on land. Explore the local museum, the market – enjoy the rich flavors of the street side café and more…In fact, some of the islands in Venice’s lagoon are considered sanctuaries for cyclists.

10. The houseboat trips are available in France, Holland, Ireland, Italy, England, Germany, Belgium, Scotland

Check out our latest package on Ireland

Prague: Indeed the best…

 

The gorgeous city of Prague

When it comes to cities in Europe –  Paris, London, Berlin, Rome –  none of these well-known cities have really made it to being the most beautiful city in Europe.  Yes, these cities have their own charm and a sense of beauty and while it’s not easy to make a categorical statement, my recent trip to Prague put it right up there with the best in the continent.

(Disclaimer: I haven’t come close to seeing all the cities in Europe, but I do have to my credit a few sojourns.)

Prague is a very underrated city in the sense that it’s not usually the first place which comes to mind when one talks about Europe.

However, friends who had visited Prague vouched for it and this was my impetus to visit the city.

Once the center of the world, today, the city is bustling…It has seen many rulers in its time, and it’s only since 1989 – when Czechoslovakia became a democracy that Prague took off as a tourist destination.

Prague by midnight

What it has:  Gorgeous monuments, great architecture and one of the most thriving classical music scenes in Europe.

The gorgeous Jewish quarter, the old town square, the river side of Vlatva are just some of the main attractions of the city. I was fortunate enough to  experience the exceptional Royal Philharmonic perform Mozart and Strauss at the lovely Municipal House.

I’m no classical music aficionado, but these guys were real professionals. The ballet and singing also added to the experience, but for me the music was the standout aspect.

I’m reliably told that Prague has a great nightlife, but sadly that’s not my thing. Whatever be the status of Prague as a hip night spot, Prague the city, is breathtaking at night. No photograph does justice to the skyline as you walk along the river – the castle on a hill in the distance, the illuminated buildings and bridges.

Decadent Delight

The food wasn’t spectacular in the Italian sense of the word. But it was very good. We went to a restaurant named after Marie Antoinette’s mother, which we were told serves traditional Czech food. Although we did play it safe by ordering pork goulash and a solid Czech beer, the food was wholesome, the meat tender, the service hospitable and the Medovnik (a honey cake topped with crushed walnuts) a delight. The white bread dumplings served alongside the bread reminded me of sannas served at Mangalorean dinners, as an accompaniment  with curry. There are also local liqueurs to be sampled – the Becherovka flavoured with cinnamon, anise seed and more herbs is one potent combination.

The people. Hmm… that’s an interesting one. Perhaps because I travelled from the Netherlands, the people came across as not particularly friendly. They weren’t courteous, but were never really rude either. They didn’t smile so much, but the fact that they don’t speak much English also adds to the distance. But at no point did we feel unwelcome or unsafe, even though we walked in the city till past midnight. I read only after my trip that the city has some problems with pick pocketing. Thankfully I didn’t experience it firsthand.

A relatively cheap city as far as Europe goes, especially for food and drink, although I have heard of restaurants overcharging people by charging them double tax as well as taxi drivers taking tourists for a ride.

One thing you shouldn’t try to do in Prague is try to pronounce all the names. Many words and names sound like they are missing vowels, but don’t tell the locals that. They probably know their spellings.

All in all, Prague’s a gorgeous city – worth visiting and spending time in. I know I’m going there a second time!

Rohan is a full-time employee of a large multinational and a blogger who doesn’t blog so much anymore (blog URL: https://blog.rohandsa.com/). He is based in the Netherlands and is @doomoo on Twitter. For more about him, visit: https://blog.rohandsa.com/p/about-me.html