This year went by quickly. It was a “moving” year: I had three different addresses in Greater Vancouver. It was also the year I visited two bucket-list destinations—Neuschwanstein Castle and Mont-Saint-Michel. Neuschwanstein Castle inspired the Disney logo, while Mont-Saint-Michel appears, in photographs, to rise mysteriously from the sea.
I have visited many UNESCO sites over the years to understand what makes them worthy of inscription. When some of these World Heritage sites are also popular tourist attractions, I have subconsciously avoided them. I reckon such sites must also hold great aesthetic appeal for YouTubers and Instagrammers. Since this relatively short journey would probably be my swan song to Europe, I challenged myself to embrace the crowds and visit several popular UNESCO sites this time. Afterward, I could only conclude that they would be far more beautiful if there were fewer tourists.
My first two homes this year were in Vancouver, where I shared a basement suite with international students, foreign workers, and refugees. My current place is outside Vancouver. There were conflicts in all three living situations. At the second place, the situation escalated in June when a housemate pushed me forcefully against a wall. I fell to the floor and suffered a concussion. Although there were two cameras in the kitchen, they did not deter further assaults. The landlady, who was elderly, was frightened and pleaded with me to leave the house to avoid future problems. With no other choice, I stored my belongings in a locker and began travelling for about three months, starting on July 11.
Although I have travelled extensively within Canada, I had never visited Atlantic Canada east of Quebec City. Encouraged by the Prime Minister’s call to vacation within Canada rather than in the United States, I spent three weeks along the eastern seaboard. It was a refreshing immersion in Canadian history and geography, and I once again experienced the warmth and friendliness of Canadians. Halifax reminded me of my hometown, Vancouver, in the 1970s and 1980s. The cost of living is also lower in Atlantic Canada than on the West Coast, and I was tempted to consider moving there permanently when I become a pensioner.
After my visit to Atlantic Canada, I flew from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, to Dublin, Ireland. I spent two weeks there, visiting mostly tourist destinations as well as a Marian apparition site called Knock, which became my most memorable Irish experience. This visit was similar to my encounters with other Marian apparition sites around the world. I particularly appreciated the sense of tranquility, even though the site was filled with pilgrims. I do not feel the need to visit another Marian apparition site after Knock; they all feel authentic to me.
My next destination was the United Kingdom. Although I had visited parts of England several times before, I had never been to Northern Ireland or Scotland. I stayed in Belfast for only three days, during which I joined a bus tour to the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site. I also visited the Peace Wall in West Belfast, where “The Troubles” between Protestants and Catholics lasted for decades.
I took a two-hour ferry from Larne, Northern Ireland, to Cairnryan, Scotland. I nearly skipped Scotland altogether because I could not find affordable accommodation. My first two nights were spent in a historic town west of Glasgow. Many events were taking place before the school year started on August 21. Fortunately, friends on the east coast invited me to stay with them. I took a break from sightseeing and lived like a local in a small Scottish village for four days. Afterward, I continued touring Scotland until August 31, then travelled by bus from Edinburgh to Newcastle.
The three English cities where I stayed were Newcastle, York, and Bath. From Newcastle, I visited Durham University and Cathedral and Hadrian’s Wall, both UNESCO sites. From York, I visited Saltaire. From Bath, I travelled to Stonehenge and the Avebury Stone Circles.
I then took an overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Caen, Normandy, France. This year marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. I made a detour to Bruges, Belgium, where waffles were cheaper than regular bread. Bruges is often described as the Belgian version of Venice.
From Belgium, I continued eastward to Berlin, Germany. For some reason, I had never visited the German capital before this journey. My main motivation was to see the remains of the Berlin Wall from the Cold War era.
I travelled next to Munich, where I paid an exorbitant amount for very basic accommodation because it was the height of Oktoberfest. I took day trips to Augsburg and Füssen. Neuschwanstein Castle is not far from Füssen. Although I had hoped to spend my 63rd birthday at the castle, difficulties purchasing train tickets online prevented me from doing so. Instead, I spent a surprisingly educational birthday in Augsburg, complete with a taste of Bavarian Black Forest cake.
My final destination on this European journey was Bologna, Italy. From Bologna, I visited Ravenna—whose name rhymes with my own, Rowena—and San Marino, my 123rd country. San Marino is also the oldest republic in the world.
Upon returning, I found myself preoccupied with the possibility of major earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault on the West Coast. When searching for a place to stay until my next journey, I deliberately focused on higher elevations in Greater Vancouver. Since October 9, I have been living near the foot of Burnaby Mountain in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood.
After a year defined by constant movement—between homes, countries, crowds, and quiet places—I have come to realize that travel is not always about discovery. Sometimes it is about retreat, sometimes about endurance, and sometimes about learning when to stop searching. I have crossed borders, climbed elevations, and stood before places deemed worthy of UNESCO inscription. Yet the most unsettled question remains unresolved: whether stability is something one finds, builds, or eventually relinquishes. For now, I remain suspended between journeys.
