Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Sylt


Whenever I'm near the water, everything's just right. It's like my sign and stars have aligned. And so did I start my favourite month with my fellow June baby (babies!), OG sport buddy and my now adoptive Ate - Anne. I've found a little sweet spot in my City overlooking the Binnenalster (a portion of the "Alster" lake downtown), dating myself (I think I'm gonna do this often), trying to put my thoughts together. 

me while churning this post. Binnenalster - Hamburg Innenstadt

So many events have already happened up until this very day. Did I mention I already turned 25?! And that I'm now a Barista... in training?! :) 

But first - Sylt. I'm one lucky girl to go Camping for two nights with family/friends on this beautiful island in Northern Germany. It's quite exciting for an island girl like me to find such in my new-called home which is reachable by train! According to Wikipedia, Sylt is connected to the mainland since 1927 by the Hindenburgdamm Causeway. Pronounced [ˈzʏlt] is the northernmost island in Germany famous for it's long stretch of sandy beaches and is quite a charm for both tourists and locals. Sylt's topography is filled with both hills and greens, sand and sea with occasional sightings of hares and rabbits which sometimes made me think I'm in Teletubbies'! 

We took the Regional Bahn from Hamburg, and after a missed train, a few delays and several interchanges, we happily made it to our Jugendherberge in Westerland, Sylt. I could personally go cowboy and rest in a sleeping bag or go big in a single queen-sized bed! But our Youth Hostel gave us the right 'Glamping' experience during our stay! We had 2 family-sized tents (that is, for the youngsters and the youngsters-at-heart) in a Campingplatz provided with clean showers, dressing rooms and toilets (when the banyo is good, everything is good in the hood!), amenities like basketball and volleyball courts and complete access to the beach which is basically our Camp's backyard. Check the DJH Jugendherberge here and have your accommodation, meals and excursions covered.


Living in Germany, specifically in the North, made me aware how the weather could get really tricky. But for some reason we were blessed with nice warm days in Sylt that we spent the entire day at the beach all to ourselves. And the sun not setting until 11PM in the Summer. Hence, a longer Golden Hour delight! We were singing and dancing to music from then and now, Zumba hits and OPM til midnight. Combining the celebration of Anne's birthday and her Kuya's birthday salubong. I'm glad to have been part of their family's little tradition. 



Being the Peripatetic (new word!) me after having left wanted to plan my next visit and come back immediately. I loved Sylt just the way it is and more because of the people who took me with! In hindsight, I'm always amazed by the people I have met (and keep meeting) and came into my life.  Where I met Ning and Rita, there have I also met Anne. And they're not for umsonst! Each and everyone did have a purpose and did me something - either to teach me a lesson, guide my path, make me feel, give advice, travel with, inspire or simply keep me sane! All of this was just the right beginning to my birth month in my birth place.