Today's photos are of a lovely, small hotel we stayed in when traveling in the southern part of Germany several years ago. We stayed there at both the beginning and end of our trip. I had searched online for a hotel near Munich, and there were multiple choices. I kept returning to the website of Hotel Zur Linde which was located in Hohenlinden, a small village twenty minutes from Munich.
Our stay there was wonderful, and somehow, it seemed we were supposed to stay in this particular hotel. When we arrived back home, I felt compelled to write about our experience in this small, charming inn which turned out to be run by a Hungarian woman. I wrote about the hotel, the manager, the dining room, the beer garden, and the bells in the church across the road. My travel essay was personal, not a factual travel piece. There is a definite difference between these two kinds of travel essays/articles. This one was published at Dave's Travel Corner if you would like to read it.
I feel certain the editor selected my piece to publish as it added a human element to an essay that featured a small village in Germany, something more personal than the usual travel piece that mentions only the highlights, the costs, and needed information for travel.
I have been moved to write several travel essays, and once a poem about Blarney Castle in Ireland. When traveling in foreign lands or in your own country, there are often sights or experiences that touch you in some way. Jot down your thoughts and feelings while there. When you are back home, write about what you saw, how it made you feel, and why you will always remember the place.
Adding the personal touch is what makes these kinds of travel essays entertaining for the reader. It's not necessarily the historic value of a place you've been, but the memories you have and the reason that you'll always remember the spot.
Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia touched my heart and left an indelible memory. So did the American Cemetery in Normandy. The colonial part of the United States meant a lot to me, being where our country began. You have been to places that have stayed in your memory bank, too. Take advantage of it and write a travel essay. The book, A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle., is actually an expanded travel essay, covering an entire year. It's a delightful read.
Write from a personal viewpoint, but also include interesting historical facts. You want to make this kind of essay more than just facts, though. What happened or how did you feel when you visited the Vietnam Memorial? The how and why of that memorial are of importance, but your reaction or something that occurred while you were there will make your essay live and breathe.
If you go to Dave's Travel Corner, you can read a great many travel essays. They might spur you into writing one of your own. Do remember to jot down notes while you're traveling, then write using them once you return home.
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