This summer, I’m posting short vignettes of places I’ve visited as part of the Summer Travel Series on The Matterhorn. It’s part of our ongoing look at culture and internationalism. We’d love to hear from you in the comments if you’ve been to or know more about these places, or if the descriptions generate ideas and make you think of something differently. Thanks for reading! - Kate
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I’ve got something slightly different for you today. As part of my podcast, I’ve gone back to record my first post here on The Matterhorn, which also happens to have a lot to do with summer travel.
How many of us go to the sea in the summer? How different is an experience at a lake or swimming pool? (I was shocked to discover that people can surf on the Great Lakes, so maybe it’s not all that different.)
Or, do some of you avoid water completely?
This summer, I’ll be at the Mediterranean and Adriatic at different times, but not the open ocean, which I think has a surreal charm. Where will you go? What are the different characteristics of these various seas and coastlines?
Some of my most memorable sea experiences are from my time living in Hong Kong for eight years and traveling in Southeast Asia. Living on an island meant I was constantly at or on the sea: ferries to the other side of the city, quick swims after a run, Junk Boat entertainment…this constant seaside experience is probably when I really started to love the sea.
I remember several amazing little places that perhaps I’ll write about in detail sometimes. There was the tiny island near the busy climber-destination in Thailand called Krabi. Bali’s surf and yoga culture (which I’ll devote at least one episode of my new podcast project Yoga Culture to). Vietnam’s Halong Bay — sadly so touristic with trash floating on all over the water but still amazing geography and wonderful people; the trip to Sapa on the - eek - overnight train is also worth it (or at least was worth it when I was twenty-eight in 2008…). [Also, check out the affordable art galleries in Hanoi and support the local artists!]
One such destination was on a Filipino island called Bohol. I stayed in a brand new tiny local/foreign family run hotel about an hour’s drive from the airport. The tiny beach became my writing retreat for a week, and I learned about the conservation projects the owners hoped to start there. Tiny fishing boats lined the beach each day after the morning catch from locals. We ate fresh fruits, rice, and omelettes overlooking the little oasis.
And then I must write about Hong Kong itself — it’s on my list to do a month-long series. I’ve got way too much to talk about there.
I hope you enjoy the podcast version of my article and would love to hear about your relationship with the sea!
I hadn't read this article Kate so thanks for sharing it again. Also enjoyed listening to the podcast. I agree with Kate Jones that there's something different about beaches and the experience of the sea in other countries. Even being on the coast in Ireland feels different (even though it's so similar geographically). Interesting to ponder on why it feels so different.
There is always something so captivating about the sea, isn't there? When we visit the coast of England, I can just sit and watch it ebb and flow for hours. It just feels so vast and beyond our control. Although the Mediterranean coastlines are breathtakingly beautiful, I'm always struck by how emotionally connected I feel on a visit to the beach we go to most years on the North Yorkshire coast. It's feels so rugged and wild, somehow, in comparison. It feels like home, whereas a foreign (to me) beach feels like a temporary escape to another world. Not sure if that makes sense?!