Our trip was meant to be a reunion for the family and it was indeed. The bonus of course, is we get to see new places that we have not been to before. They say travel is not an expense but an investment – which for me is true. You gain different type of new insights and perspectives which you cannot have just by looking at social media or reading in magazines and books.
Nothing can beat first-hand experiences. While there, I had to get used to drinking from the faucet. In fact, in one hotel where we stayed, there was a sign that water in the bathroom faucet is safe to drink. But water is not free in restaurants even if they can get it from the faucet (at least for those we have been to). There is also a price for ordering water.
Our trip is not just to visit popular or historical sites but we are also on a food trip. This is what we do when we visit places even those which we had visited before. For us as a family, food or dining offers the best perspective into a place and its culture although we are also enjoying visiting historical landmarks, souvenir shops, old buildings and structures, etc.
In the Philippines, due to the lack of infrastructure to properly clean and disinfect the water to the standard required to be safe, those who can afford, buy bottled water for their households. Revenue in the bottled water segment according to statista.com amounts to US$2.38bn in 2023 and the market is expected to grow annually by 4.15% (CAGR 2023-2027) In the past when we visited Europe, we usually stayed in different types of hotels. But on this trip, we found out we are more comfortable in modern hotels than the old ones although in terms of prices, they are almost the same.
On our trip to Prague, we have a nice hotel – right smack in front of the astronomical clock which is attracting thousands of tourists every day. It seems to be a two-bedroom apartment but it is owned by the hotel next door, with a big living room and two rooms with king-size beds in both rooms. There was one big bathroom and a big separate toilet and lots of bath and hand towels. This accommodation also has a kitchen complete with utensils and plates with all the kitchen equipment. If you are the type who does not mind going up the stairs to the upper floors and having a stone-throw-away place from the tourist spots, this is the hotel for you.
But after walking many miles during the day, we do not have the energy anymore to go up the stairs to our room and I am longing to ride in an elevator. If you are on a business trip, better to avoid touristy places and choose a modern hotel instead. The hotel prices are almost the same outside of these tourist areas but have more modern and better facilities. That is what we did in Vienna - the next country we visited.
My daughter booked for us to stay in a more modern hotel. It is not in a tourist area but it was near the train station near the bus stops and the trams so it was a breeze going to the shopping center and to the tourist spots. It was not cheaper than the hotel in the tourist area but we enjoyed the facilities. In Budapest, we stayed again in a more modern hotel on the second night but within the commercial areas, because on the first night, it was again an old building but far from the commercial center and difficult to reach based on our itinerary.
The cheapest country we have been in this trip is Budapest. In fact, it is still one of the cheapest cities to travel in Europe, partially because Hungary is not part of the Eurozone, and its national currency has decreased in value in the past years. For 1 EURO the exchange is 388.35 Hungarian Forint at the time when we visited. It may not be a popular tourist destination but I was surprised that there were so many beautiful places and historical landmarks to see. Hungary, especially Budapest's devalued currency works in favor of tourists. The luxurious or more expensive restaurants are more affordable than anywhere else in Europe. But the best thing about these Europe countries is they are bicycle-friendly. In fact, in Amsterdam some tourists in groups are led by their tour guides to tour the city on bikes There are around 515 m (320 miles) of dedicated cycle lanes.
Amsterdam is routinely rated as the world's 2nd most bike-friendly city, just behind Copenhagen. Vienna is also a bicycle country but not as many as in Amsterdam. Budapest has 200 km of pathways designated for cycling but not as big as those in Amsterdam and Vienna. I still love my country for there is no place like home but I can wish, can I?
One of my wishes is that the Philippines will have better infrastructures for clean water so we don’t have to buy bottled water anymore and not only minimize the use of plastic bottles but save on water expenses. My other wish is, to substitute car trips with bike rides, bus trips, train rides, or other forms of public transportation to prevent more gas emissions. This is only possible by improving bicycle lanes and transportation infrastructures, for transportation is now the number one source of greenhouse gases. Can I see even just one of these wishes come true? Only time will tell – but I hope I am still alive when that time comes.
(Wilma Miranda is a Managing Partner of Inventor, Miranda & Associates, CPAs, Chair of the Ethics Committee of FINEX and member of the Board of Directors of KPS Outsourcing, Inc. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of these institutions.)