9.11.2019

On (Not) Becoming a Travel Writer


I originally wrote this as a poem (http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2018/11/travel-writer.html), and have now expanded it into an essay.




I wanted to become a travel writer, so I headed to Ljubljana, Slovenia to become inspired.
 
The first trick of traveling writing, as everybody who’s anybody knows, is to capture the essence of a place, to document those things that reach out and grab you and don’t let you go. So, I hit the ground running. I started with the low-hanging fruit and went on to discover the hidden gems around every corner.

I strolled fabled, sun-dappled streets filled with cobbled stones, stately squares, and statuesque statues. It was a bustling collection of old-meets-new. I strolled along the river, meandering as it meandered. I got lost in winding alleys that time forgot. Cozy cellar bars shared ancient passageways with boutique bistros. Authentic homecooked meals, which were to die for, were followed by libations at trendy clubs too cool for words. Everything, the restaurants, pubs, and lodging was so cozy and romantic. Absolutely oozing with charm.

Ljubljana is such a carefully curated treasure, a truly unique spot once long hidden behind the Iron Curtain. I was bombarded with the essence of it, it hit me in the heart like a ton of bricks. I couldn’t escape his charms. It was love at first sight.

The other key to travel writing is to describe what makes a place special. And let me tell you, Ljubljana was special offering something for everyone. There was a castle nestled on a hill offering breathtaking views and regal dragons perched on splendid bridges. Lovers announced their amore with love locks, shackled them to bridges, and threw away the key. Now that’s really special.

And when you get right down to brass tacks, you realize Ljubljana is all about the people, who are so down-to-earth and real. Everyone was friendly as can be and so helpful and cute as a button.

It was all so fabled and wondrous and precious. I easily found ten things you absolutely must do on your trip to Ljubljana. I can’t wait to tell you about them.

Ljubljana was flawless. It had all the right ingredients to become the number one tourist destination in Eastern Europe if not the entire world. Ljubljana is a mini Prague. Ljubljana is the Paris of the East. A paradise in the Balkans. A European Mecca of (low-key and up-n-coming) cool.

Upon arriving home, I was eager to write about it, but when I tried to spill my words out onto the page, I was no longer sure I wanted to become a travel writer.

~
More thoughts on travel



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