Behind the Blog # 5: On Countries

Behind the Blog is a meme to help bloggers connect their life and interests to the content showcased on their blog. The co-hosts, Faye, Kathe, and Melissa will provide a different topic, idea, or question every week that bloggers can relate to themselves and the books, films, or other media they find interesting!
Because of the recent Jubilee, a time to celebrate everything British, as well as the upcoming Olympics, we’re looking at countries this week. Where do you live? What is your favorite country and why? In relation to media, what book has described a place you desperately want to visit? What film has showcased an area you someday want to go?

Well, even though I'm bad at geography, I would admit it, I've still read plenty of books to understand and know about some marvelous places I most certainly would want to visit some time in my life! I don't know a lot about many places, still, ironically, I really want to visit, see and explore every beautiful city, town, island in the world! :D

I wouldn't say my country's awesome. India has a rich culture, great history, I love the natural beauty of some places and I especially love the mountains in the north! I don't mind saying mountains are my favorite kind of landscape. I really like the sound of climbing those huge natural structures, gear and all. I don't know when it will be that I get to climb Mt. Everest someday (not exactly in India, it falls in Nepal, but still), but it's definitely on my bucket list of things-to-do-in-my-life! What I don't much like is the corruption that's literally making the country fall apart and making it less appealing to me day-by-day! I mean, I used to be such a my-country-best thinker as a kid, but seeing corrupt, sad, bad, pitiful things happening, stuff that should be illegal (and it is!) happening without any repercussions, is really affecting the way I feel. Living in a city where I can only see cement and brick buildings all around with hardly any open space to enjoy watching the stars doesn't help (which I love watching. One such experience was in Shimla, a hill station in north! It was filled with stars! Awesome!). Sometimes I wish I was in a place better suited to my interests. I would happily swap the present one with one in the mountains or with natural beauty around! I know ultimately I'll be living the life I want for myself, including the places and all, but I can't wait for it! Even then, I wouldn't say I'm not enjoying. I love my friends and we have awesome fun together. I know many great people who share similar thoughts and who're really kind. Whatever the pitfalls, it's still 'my country and my people.' :)

That's me on my first trip to London.
In Trafalgar Square. I was what?
One and a half years old!
Coming to foreign countries, I've actually only ever been to London (thrice, the last time being when I was just 12!), Australia and for a very short while, Singapore. All these trips were before I was 12, so you can guess how very bad I want to go somewhere, now! There's no saying when the next time will be, so I keep myself happy with the 'within-India' trips! I love London, though. With all that I remember, the best thing I would say is the cleanliness, which is bad here. :| It was like a life from a novel, which it would be, I realized, because I've read some with the setting over there! Australia would've been fun too, if the pictures are any indication. I was so small that I don't remember anything more than our family friend's place where we stayed, the pool outside their home, a visit to some park where there were extremely tall men walking on stilts and some fireworks! We were in Brisbane. It has beautiful landscape and I think even back then, I loved it! Dad visited Perth recently and boy, was it bea-uti-full!!! I fell in love with that place just by seeing the pictures! Hills on one side and the sea on the other. In my words, "heaven"! I really want to go there sometime! 

Venice! I want to be here!
Coming to books, I think The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson was one book that's made me really yearn to visit the wondrous city of Vienna, with it's special Spanish Riding School, the Prater (which has a once-upon-a-time world's biggest giant wheel) and the world's greatest musicians like Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Strauss have all lived and composed over there! Then of course, I want to visit Europe and its cluster of wonderful countries too (all of them, especially Venice, the city of waterways, canals and bridges). To think about it, I want to visit every place imaginable! Fiction can give us so much flexibility in our thoughts that nothing seems impossible! Another book by Eva Ibbotson, Journey to the River Sea had brilliant descriptions about the Amazon river and life of people who lived around it. In fact, among my top-favorite-things-I-like-about-books, is the extent to which it describes real places and its people. :)

So what do you think? What are your favorite places or those where you want to be?

Comments

  1. Ooh that's so cool! I love the pictures!

    I saw Lake Como, Italy in Star Wars Attack of the Clones and ever since then I've really wanted to go there. Never been there, yet, but I'll make it someday, I'm sure!

    It's so nice to meet you! Following along :)

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    1. Thanks for reading Jess! :)
      I have a feeling I would absolutely LOVE traveling, wherever there's scenic beauty.

      Welcome to my blog! Thank you for your comment and the follow. I've been at your blog since the past few days. :)

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  2. Hi Ashna, Luv ur blog esp. the reviews and photos :D **New Follower**
    I would visit some where really hot and peacefull, like an island with very few people, amazing food and a quite pace of life. I have always wanted to go to Hawaii ...that would be bliss.
    www.bookishtimes.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Hello Shahnila and welcome to my blog. Glad you like it :)
      I love the sound of an island and I so love peace and quiet! That really would be awesome!

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  3. Hey Ashna! Looks like this blog contains you more than the pages of your dairy! What more can a bibliophile do better? ;)

    You are a deep dreamer and want to emancipate yourself from the incarceration which ensues your limited exposure to the world and limited travelling. The first para tells me that you're a wonderful person who knows how to measure things around. That's what Leo observed.

    I haven't been outside my country and I don't read as much as you do, so perhaps I have a limited knowledge and perception about the outside. But I do know that it is something beautiful. And something where I want to be. I want to be in some new place every week and if I could make this possible, I'll never stop travelling.

    Once again Leo says, you're awesome! :D

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    1. SO glad to see your comment here Rachit! Even if we haven't been to many places, we still know about things and we want to be there and experience them. I don't think I know anyone who doesn't want that. Ditto with your idea of traveling every week! I could do that too! :)

      You're awesome first, if you say that! :D Thanks!!!

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  4. First, climbing Mt. Everest, please don't ever let that go. Now, as Rachit says, you've been to many places and you've read a lot books to know about other places so you would have a better perspective which is awesome.

    I wish, like everybody else to travel too. But there is a small difference, I don't want to travel in a group(like family or a huge friends group) because I'd rather prefer going alone to take in the beauty of the place when I visit. Not stand in front of every mountain, building and famous sculpture and getting photos clicked to show the world..'look, I've been there, I've been there..'

    Once, I used to sit in front of 'Discovery Travel and living' and make a note of places I want to visit. Its still my favorite channel.

    Okay, back on the topic. I really specially loved this post because of the topic and the way you wrote about it.

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    1. I wouldn't let that go for sure! It's one of those things that make me hopeful about the future when I'm feeling low :)

      Traveling solo! I would love that, apart from the fact that I'd most probably get lost within a second, what with the horrible sense of direction I have. I love going out with family, though. The only one interested in clicking pictures is well, me and I take them more from a photographic point of view, not getting everyone to pose differently. Besides, they, like me, are more interested in experiencing the scenic beauty and so I like it! :)

      I honestly haven't seen much of Travel and living, but from what I have seen, I know it's pretty good!
      Thank you!! :)

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  5. Climbing Mount Everest is such an awesome goal. I really hope that you get to cross it off your bucket list someday. :) Look at that adorable picture of you!

    Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful post.

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    1. I'm glad you like it Melissa! The Mount Everest goal stays on the top and I too wish to cross it off soon! :)
      Thank you for your comment!

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