One of the things that we often discuss in our travels is what kind of place we might want to settle down in. We have a number of criteria, some of which are more important, some less. After two years, however, we have decided that one of the less-negotiable items is living near or on the water.
And we mean ‘water’ in the most comprehensive way. In other words, we like all kinds of water settings: rivers, lakes, oceans, you name it. So here we present (unranked) of our favourite watery locations from the last couple of years of travel.
Akerselva
Our flat in Oslo did not have a view of the Akerselva, but it was only a few steps away. We spent many wonderful days walking along its banks in both directions. If you walk one way, you come into Oslo itself, where the river empties into the Oslofjord, while in the opposite direction you move into the countryside. As you walk upstream there are mills that have been converted into schools or artist residences. You can stop in one of several cafes along the way. There is a beautiful wading pool at one point, and an impressive waterfall at another. There’s a university and a museum as well. At the very end of the river you come to Maridalsvannet, a lake which provides the drinking water for Oslo. And here you can enjoy some beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.
Molos
Our flat in Limassol had a spectacular view of Akrotiri Bay. One of the most enjoyable things we did there was walk (and run) along the molos, the (paved) path along the waterfront. This was a hive of activity at most hours of the day and night (even off-season), with loads of restaurants and coffee shops. Joggers and cyclists are also a constant presence. Not the least pleasure, if you are so inclined, was the excellent cat-watching. The denizens of Limassol take good care of their felines, and an early-morning walk along the molos always revealed one or two people feeding them.
Guadalquivir
The Guadalquivir, which runs through Seville, was our idea of a perfect city river. The river itself was beautiful in colour and had some wonderful sinuous turns. The bridges that joined the two sides of the city were for the most part interesting and well designed. The pathway on the side of the river where we lived is beautiful and takes you past replicas of ships as well as the Torre del Oro. At night, the tables come out and the bars open, and hundreds of people enjoy the weather and the view.
Bosphorus
‘Spectacular’ only begins to describe Istanbul’s dazzling water that bisects the city and separates Europe and Asia. It doesn’t hurt that an almost equally beautiful body of water, the Golden Horn, empties into it. But the Bosphorus is quite enough on its own. A cruise up the 19-mile (30-km) strait offers spectacular views on both sides of human-created and natural wonders. One of our dreams is to have a flat that looks out over the water. Absent that, we had to make do with eating many a meal at Arya, where we found the food almost as great as the view!
Howth
We lived right near the Liffey in Dublin, which we really enjoyed. But Howth – just a half-hour’s train ride from Dublin – is another thing entirely. When you get off the train, you feel as if you are already deep in the Irish countryside. This fishing village occupies the end of a rotund peninsula, with breath-taking views of the Irish Sea to the north, south, and east. There are lighthouses, walking paths (including a cliff walk), a tower, and the ruins of an abbey – not to mention the terrific restaurants that line the coast! We often fantasise about renting a place in the hills surrounding Howth so as to have a great view of the village itself and the sea beyond.
Isis
Given how much time we have spent on its banks, we couldn’t leave out the Isis river in Oxford. The Isis is what they call the Thames as it passes through Oxford, and the local name captures some of the spirit of the river, at least at this point. There are few sights we like more than seeing rowers on the misty river early in the morning. We even enjoy the hordes of tourists wandering through Christ Church Meadow and feeding the ducks by the water. And a sunny Sunday at one of the pubs along the Isis’ banks comes as close to perfection as we can imagine.
So there you have it – some of our favourite waterways. We expect that we’ll discover a number of new favourites in the next year, especially as we move to the South Pacific and Asia. Stay tuned for more watery wonders!
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