There
once was a time when I would collect shot glasses from the places I visited.
I've since given up on this collection, but I do have quite a few shot glasses
from my past travels. Here are some of those, mainly from Hard Rock Cafe and
Planet Hollywood, with a little about the places I got them from;
Paris:
I've been to Paris a few times. There was a weekend trip with a friend which we
did using the train from Germany, a day trip by road, again from germany, just
so that a visiting friend from USA could see the Eiffel Tower, a business trip
with my father where I also visited Disneyland Paris, and one more that I can't
seem to remember (which can be attributed to too much wine). Anyhow, I have
always enjoyed Paris, just walking along the city and enjoying the sights and
sounds. It might not be the most romantic city in my book, but it definitely is
one of the most vibrant cities of the world.
Prague:
I remember visiting Prague on a backpacking trip with a couple of my friends
from college. Unfortunately this was in the late 1990s and I hardly remember
much from it. I am doing a series on my blog titled "I Remember" in
which I look back upon old trips and I might just feature Prague in it someday.
I do however remember that we traveled in the tram for two days without knowing
where to buy tickets for it. So Yes! Our local transport was free :-)
Birmingham:
My other home. I've spent a number of months in Birmingham each year just
relaxing, away from the daily hassles of business and life in India. Birmingham
is a rather underrated city which has lots to offer in terms of culture and
events. Unfortunately, the Hard Rock Cafe featured in the shot-glass has since closed,
but I remember spending a memorable New Years in it with my wife and best
friend.
Athens: I fell in love with Greece when I visited it in 2004. I haven't been there again, but I am totally taken over by the people, the food, the culture, and the history. Athens was my first look into Greece and it remains a wonderful place to visit. Although, the actual Hard Rock Cafe hadn't opened when I visited, the gift shop was open, so picked up the shot glass.
Kentucky:
My last trip to US was to Lexington, Kentucky in 2001 and whenever I tell
people that, the first question I get back is "WHY?". It's actually a
nice little place, which gave me the time to unwind by walking all day in the
malls and catching matinée shows in the theaters. I must also add that since I
exclusively used public transport I have memories of meeting some rather
colorful characters on the busses.
Amsterdam:
The most visited city in Europe by me, I have never really gotten bored of
Amsterdam. I still like walking along the canals and just people watching
sitting in one of the numerous squares with that cafes. Amsterdam is best
explored on foot, and dusk is the most beautiful time to be out and about as
the last rays of the sun bounce off the canal water producing some memorable
sights.
Melbourne: That one city where I can actually think about living permanently. I love how
multi-cultural Melbourne is. It seems to have so much packed into such small
space that you can literally do anything that you desire. The laid back
attitude of the locals goes without saying.
Rothenburg: My favorite place in Germany, Rothenburg is a quiet little town that makes a
great destination for hiking, gentle strolls along the town wall, and some much
needed timeout. It also houses the biggest Christmas shop in Europe (maybe
World?).
Sydney: Colorful, vibrant, exciting, Sydney is again a typical city, but with an
Ozzie twist to everything. I did not experience it in detail because I was
there just for 3 days, alone, and tried to cram in everything touristy
possible, but someday I plan to return and enjoy it at a more leisurely pace. I
did however make it to Bondi!
London: Not much I can say about this one of a kind city that hasn't already been
said. It's fast, it's modern, it's fashionable, and it has got everything you
would expect from one of the premiere cities of the world.
Munich: One word, Oktoberfest! A lovely German city that is famous for beer drinking in the month of October, but has so much more to offer in terms of architecture.
Norway: Visiting college friends in Sandvika was my first experience with Fjords and
the beauty of frozen ice. From walking on the fjords to watching ice fishing
and tasting shrimps for the very first time to walking on the Monet Bridge, it
was a memorable trip.
Caribbean
Islands: My first cruise was an experience in gaining maximum weight in the
shortest amount of time for me personally. Every time I remember the first
night of the cruise and witnessing (and experiencing) sea legs, I can’t help
but smile. One of my fondest family vacations till date.
Venice: Another college trip, this shot glass was bought by my parents much later for
me, but nevertheless I've been to Venice and that is what counts. Again, I
liked how almost claustrophobic Venice is (I seem to like small towns/cities as
they come across as more cozy) with its small winding lanes, and the canals
adding to the atmosphere. I do have to say that we visited Verona on the same
trip and I was more taken by it than by any other place (Juliet's bust might
have something to do with that). The Venice shot-glass is by far the prettiest
in my collection.
So
there you have it, a few shot glasses from my collection which have all had
tequila in them at one time or another. I no longer have an urge to collect
shot-glasses but do pick one up every now and then as little souvenir reminding
me of the good times I’ve had during my travels.
