The tour I’m doing is a tour of cities. Berlin, Krakow, Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Vienna, Budapest, Bled and Venice. Seven countries in two weeks. As we travel by train in between the cities, I look out the window at the countryside flying by, and realise I need some green.
Cities make me tense. People everywhere. Harsh concrete and stone (even when carved into beautiful facades). So much going on in such a small space.
I find myself seeking out the gardens and parks of each city. The Teirgarten in Berlin. The Moat Gardens in Krakow. The Castle Garden in Prague. The River in Cesky Krumlov. The Danube Island in Vienna. Some old trees in Budapest. And Bled... that was my type of place.
Bled is a small town on a lake in Slovenia, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. A day spent in the Triglav National Park... mountain passes covered in snow, beautiful aqua rivers, walks through the forest, a white water rafting trip down the Soca River, swimming in freezing but beautiful waterfalls... what a wonderful day. Very refreshing.
As I sit here writing this, I am in a park in Venice. I can hear the sounds of the city, but they are somewhat muted by the layers of green I have surrounded myself with.
I have always connected with nature. I have always felt the need for it. I wonder if this need has been enhanced by my recent studies, that show just how important nature is to the human psyche, but I think it has just reinforced what I already knew.
Nature is my temple, the place I go to reconnect, to relax, to feel the wonders of the universe. Every person has needs, and time in nature is one of mine.