Places for love

Next Tuesday is Valentine’s Day! I value that day if only as a reminder to those too busy or too pragmatic, to pause for at least a day and give time for their “significant other” or their husband or wife. Life is too short and downright unpredictable. We must express our love everyday in any way. Who knows what will happen the next minute? I am not being a Cassandra; on the contrary, I want to appreciate life and what it brings…and live it to the fullest, by loving deeply and loving well.

Here are places that come to mind when I think of romance. Mind you, romantic getaways may not be exclusively spent with a significant other. These places can be as fun with a best friend or a beloved relative. And spending time in a place of love may not be on Valentine’s Day…spend February 14 exploring possibilities with your loved one for a trip, a second honeymoon, on a later date.

When you consider Europe as a destination, by all means, avoid Heathrow Airport. Tourists and Londoners alike are complaining on the very high travel taxes levied on air travel, as the British government’s take on airlines’ carbon footprints. If you must go to England, enter by train or by boat (from France).

1) Iceland in autumn – view the fabulous Aurora Borealis, a shimmering display of lights in the night sky that takes your breath away. Watch it far from city lights. Sometimes, it is monochromatic; other times, it is a rainbow of neon colors in morphing display. Best time to go is September-October, but great sightings are still enjoyed up to March. Book a flight to the capital Reykjavic.

2) Denmark in summer – view Edward Ericksen’s Little Mermaid in bronze, sitting on a rock at the Copenhagen harbor since 1913. Legend has it that she has to sit there for 300 years before she turns into a human being. Enjoy the beautifully manicured Tivoli Gardens & its equally famous roller coasters. Shop at Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping street – the Stroget. And expect to bump into Queen Margrethe (Denmark is the world’s oldest monarchy) along the charming fairy tale cobbled stone small streets and quaint squares.

3) German Alps in late spring – view Neuschawnstein Castle of King Louis II of Bavaria, also known as Mad King Ludwig. This magnificent castle sits on top of a 300-ft. high hill in southwest Bavaria, near the border to Austria. It was opened to the public after the mysterious death of King Ludwig in 1886. Unfinished but so magnificent, it is the inspiration of Cinderella’s castle in Disneyland.

4) The Lake District, England – view the scenes that inspired renowned British poets, like Wordsworth, artists and novelists over the centuries. It is just 56 km across at its widest but it has England’s largest lake – Windermere – and the deepest, Wast Water. The district also offers verdant hills and jugged moorlands, placid lakes and tumultuous mountain streams. Located in northwestern England, the nearest town is Kendal (10 km away). Beautiful all year round.

5) Granada in spring or autumn – view the fabled Alhambra Palace at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountain ranges in southern Spain. Gaining a niche in legendary lore as a Moorish fortress (8th – 15th centuries) until reclaimed by the Spanish Empire, Granada has a large gypsy population who used to live in the caves of the surrounding mountains. Thus, it is the center of the traditional flamenco dance.

6) Kashmir in summer – visit Srinagar in the valley of Kashmir with the most pleasant climate in all of India, making it the summer resort of Mughal emperors. It lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary to the mighty Indus. Famous for lovely bridges, gardens and mosques (extant memorabilia of past vacationing emperors), Srinagar offers quaint houseboats on Dal Lake where one can stay to soak in the beauty of the surroundings as one floats in peace.

I stop at six -- enough to whet your imagination. These are places not in the itinerary of the usual package tours. After you have made your choice, consult your trusted travel agent for advice on the best way to get there. Or if you are an adventurous techie, check the internet and go on from there.

Happy Valentine’s! Travel safely now!