My Picks
5. Hillside in Switzerland’s Lauterbrunen Valley
Nobody ever said cowbells are sexy. But echo them across a
jade valley while a young couple rests from their hike on a grassy hillside,
and you’ve created yourself the stuff of fairy tales. There’s something very
Sound of Music about lounging in the grasses of the Alps’ foothills. Whether
you’re twirling or not, the scenery immediately removes you from reality and
all at once romance and anything else you can dream up is a very real
possibility.
After experiencing the Top of Europe (the Jungfrau), not
much else can compare to the exhilaration. But hiking back down through the
Lauterbrunen Valley, with stops in some of the hillside villages picking up
lunch supplies from local vendors, is a close second.
Our honeymoon to that point had been filled with adventure.
We sat on a random patch of grass, fumbled through our backpacks for some
chocolate and cheese and leaned back to the contour of the land. A train
chugged by below, hauling another group of wide-eyed travelers up to the frozen
peak. For us, though, the sun settled in next to a warm breeze and all at once
the peace of nature ensnared us. For so many moments, the only sound was the
cowbells clanging on the opposite side of the valley. My wife held my hand for
more minutes than I can remember then kissed my cheek and pulled me to my feet.
The hike wasn’t nearly close to being finished. There was a lot of valley left
to descend. It is the Alps. And anywhere you stop is going to give you an
unforgettable moment.
4. Juliet's Balcony, Verona, Italy
If Shakespeare says it’s romantic, it’s romantic. As someone
who spent a lot of money and a lot of time delving into the finer points of
Billy’s life works, I can tell you that this particular play ranks dead last on
my list of favorites. But there’s something to the locale, a tourist-crowded
alley spilling into a tight courtyard, that makes this spot worth a peak and a
peck.
The walls leading into the courtyard are carved and covered
with love notes, mostly to the eponymous maiden, immediately bringing out the
romantic in even the sternest fellow. In the far corner a statue of Juliet
stares demurely at the passers by, the majority of them copping a feel of her
breast (good luck, they say – I say some perverted statue maker needed a good
excuse). The petite thing rests underneath the famous balcony and should you so
desire, and although I would urge against it many a sock-in-sandal tourist
would not, you can recite a few poorly remembered lines up to the stone outcrop.
But it’s not until you actually climb through the home and
get to the balcony that the scene becomes more surreal. We were in Verona
off-season (mid-September) and the crowd thinned hastily. We were left alone on
the famous balcony, a few stragglers below pacing unhurried over the
cobblestones. Some famous lines of the Bard floated on an easy breeze, stealing
away the tourist-trap tenor and leaving behind a still moment of not love but
rather blind devotion – the ability to see in something, someone what no other
sees and to cherish it. It seems like a highly Shakespearean ideal, and one
Juliet’s balcony will gladly oblige.
3. Cinque Terre, Italy – from your balcony looking onto the ocean
Italy’s five lands have had a rough go of it these past few
months. Floods and mudslides devastated these quaint seaside villages, leaving
dirt and debris piled waist high in the typically uncluttered piazzas. But the
villages built for pirate refuge will be rebuilt and emerge more vibrant and
resilient than ever. Its people have an immense affection for the towns and
when visiting, you’re instantly immersed in emotions you’ve very rarely felt.
The sun glows out over the sea like one of the freakishly large lemons swaying
in a nearby garden. And the stars at night are outnumbered only by the infinite
anchovies schooling away from the midnight fishermen. If only they could cast
their nets to the sky.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Cinque Terre, you’re lucky
enough. Period. So climb to your balcony – your room, which is probably an
apartment-style abode up innumerable stairs – will have one. Step out and
breath in; hold onto the railing or the clothesline or someone’s hand and peer
out across the terraced green hillside and the terraced rainbow of homes that
stagger down to the harbor.
Read more at: http://whereverittakestravel.blogspot.com/2010/09/cinque-terre-land-of-stairs-912.html
2. Frog Pond Ice Skating, Boston Common
Somewhere on this list I had to give some love to the
biggest little lover’s town in the Northeast. Boston may be known for its
history and rabid sports scene, but those minutemen (revolutionary and sideline
at Gillette Stadium) go home to someone. Family and affection abound from
Causeway to the Common, which is where you’ll find Frog Pond and little slice
of winter heaven. This dreary season aside, when Boston Common is sunk in a sea
of white powder, the skating rink at Frog Pond shimmers like a frozen oasis.
Underneath glittering lights strung through the trees glide couples old and
young, coordinated and not, while children weave in and out of their legs like
the yarn in a mitten. If you take the time to absorb the atmosphere, you’ll
forget about the New England chill. With someone special in tow, Boston in wintertime
will provide plenty of ways to stay warm.
1. Key West Lighthouse, Key West Florida
By default, the Key West Lighthouse had to be number 1 on the list of most romantic spots around the globe. Here's why:
Key West has long been a destination of creativity and romance. The island is peppered with hotspots and hideaways and won our hearts on our first visit. We had climbed the lighthouse for the panoramic view and we loved walking the pier at sunset. To pop the question, I combined them both.
The Key West Historical Society, proprietor of the Key West Lighthouse, was more than happy to oblige my request to reserve the lighthouse at sunset during trip. Only four marriage proposals had ever been done at the lighthouse – none at sunset. All four had said yes. So I was going to be the first at something - either the first to propose during after hours during one of those legendary crimson Key sunsets, or the first to get shot down.
The Society helped me set the secret plan in motion: Bob the lighthouse keeper would be sweeping in the driveway fifteen minutes before sunset. We set up a secret code word so he’d know it was me when Danielle and I approached. With everything in place, seemingly fool proof, I got nervous. Danielle and I had never had the best of luck when it came to significant relationship events. On our first date, the power went out. On our first vacation together, the theme park rides broke down. The beautiful disaster that was our relationship became somewhat of an inside joke. For this particular trip, we set up our vacation with my cousin and his girlfriend – Key West for a few days and then a drive up to Disney World. It seemed perfect. Danielle was totally unaware.
The disaster almost came at the airport. My cousin was carrying the ring for me. He was pulled aside by TSA, who started rifling through his bag. Turns out the dope had packed a too-large bottle of Scope. He never came across the ring - safe.
I planned to propose the day we arrived. But as we arrived, so too did Tropical Storm Fay. The forecast was for near-hurricane conditions. The weathermen didn’t have a precise time for when the storm would hit the Keys – they just knew it would, and it would be powerful. I was resolved to follow through with my perfect proposal. And Tropical Storm Fay was kind. The day was gorgeous – sunny and warm. That evening we walked past the lighthouse. Bob was waiting, sweeping. He told us the lighthouse was closed but he’d let us take a walk up while he finished cleaning. At the top of the lighthouse, as the whole island sunk into a deep red sunset, I knelt and asked her to marry me.
At 6am the next morning we fled the Keys, Fay biting at our heels. And I was the first person to propose after hours atop the Lighthouse during one of those legendary crimson Key West sunsets.
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