On March 31, the Eiffel Tower celebrated its 130th anniversary since it opened.     1    (original) planned to last only 20 years, the people of Paris wisely decided to keep it standing,    2     (recognize) its importance. Millions of people     3     (visit) the tower so far, according to its official website.

The tower was created by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel and was first intended as the main entrance     4     the 1889 World’s Fair. It was built in a little over two years and faced criticism from some locals initially. However, it quickly captured the attention of fair visitors, attracting more than two million people. It also had a     5     (practice) use as a radio antenna during World War I.

Visitors today can choose to climb 1,665 steps or take one of the original elevator cars    6     (reach) the top. At the top of the tower,     7     the tower’s administrative office is located, guests can enjoy a drink at the champagne bar on the top floor.

Today, the Eiffel Tower is a symbol of France, representing a feeling of pride and thankfulness. It is a global icon that can bring together people from different     8    (background). The tower is not only     9     popular tourist destination but also a widely recognized symbol, a     10     (believe) held by many who appreciate its enduring charm.

4 . Jessica, a 26-year-old Spanish traveler, arrived in Peru in March, 2020, ready to climb the old Inca trail to Machu Picchu when a terrible disease struck Peru on March 16, the day Jessica was supposed to start hiking.

She decided to hang around for a few weeks, in hopes that it would reopen. She considered taking a flight back home to Spain, but found it to be very expensive. Days turned into weeks, which turned into months, and still Jessica waited.

She made the best of her time. She rented a small flat in the town and passed the time taking daily yoga classes, teaching local children how to box, and studying for various fitness and sports nutrition certification exams.

This fit nicely into her goal of learning boxing skills in various countries around the world before opening her own gym back home in Spain. She’d already spent time coaching in boxing gyms in Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya, before arriving in Peru.

Eventually, Jessica’s patience paid off. On October 11, she was lucky enough to visit Machu Picchu and allowed to enter the ancient site. These magnificent, awe-inspiring, ancient wonders of the world are worth waiting and fighting for. It’s the good example of slow travel, travel so slow, in fact. She didn’t even go anywhere except to the village at the foot of the Andean mountains.

But this kind of slow travel is missing in today’s era of high-speed travel. We’ve grown used to buying cheap flights, sitting for a few hours in airplanes that zip around the globe, and place us in distant lands, where we rush around in a crowd of tourists as scheduled, ticking landmarks off a list before hopping back on the plane and rushing home.

Jessica’s adventure reminds me of historic modes of travel, when some people had to take a multi-month sea voyage in order to visit the continents far away. This built up the expectation, made the travelers get used to their destinations slowly, and opened doors for many new, unusual, and unplanned surprises along the way. It’s how I wish I could travel.

6 . There are some palaces in Europe that you may be interested to know about.

It takes the title of the largest European palace by floor area and it is one of the largest palaces in the world. The Royal Palace of Madrid was built in the 18th century by order of Philip V on the site of the old Alcázar fortress, a former Moorish castle. With over 135,000 square metres and 3,418 rooms, it has seeded centuries of Spanish history. It is one of the few official seats of a head of state that is open to the public.

It is a historic and the most wonderful building in Brussels, Belgium, next to Brussels Park. The Royal Palace of Brussels is the King’s main workplace, where he works daily with his staff. A tradition has been established since 1965 to open the Royal Palace of Brussels to the public normally from the 21 July until the beginning of September.

It is the most popular attraction in Sintra, Portugal, and the main reason why so many people visit the small mountain town less than one hour’s drive from the country’s capital city, Lisbon. The colorful palace perched upon a hill looks like something out of a fairy tale. Its yellow and bright red appearance makes Pena Palace one of the most picturesque places in Europe. The UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) site has a rich history that dates all the way back to the Middle Ages.

It is a former royal living places and gardens located in Venaria Reale, near Turin in the Metropolitan City of Turin of the Piedmont region in northern Italy. It is one of the largest palaces in the world. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997.

9 . I spent a fantastic day in Varanasi. And it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the day was one of the best days when I felt more alive than ever, I was lost in exploration and struck by the beauty of the city. Varanasi, one of the most ancient cities of India, is located on the banks of the river Ganges, which gives it a breathtaking look. There are around 85 ghats(staircases that lead to the river), which are perfect places to walk and explore the city.

When I reached the hotel, it was 11 am in the morning, and I was exhausted. But I didn’t want to waste the day sleeping. So, I immediately took a bath, ordered food, ate it like someone who hadn’t eaten for days, and then headed out for the adventure.

Assi Ghat,one of the most famous ghats of Varanasi,was only 1.5 km from my hotel. So, I decided to walk to Assi Ghat.I found several temples,shops for various items,fast-food corners, and auto drivers looking for customers. The weather was quite fantastic as it was spring season.

When I reached the Assi Ghat,I got my first glimpse of the river Ganges. The shiny blue water stretched under the infinite blue sky gave a brilliant look. The platform above the staircase was crowded with enthusiastic visitors and vendors(小贩)selling delicious foods. Below stairs, there was a 50 m wide sandy area stretching along the length of the river, which gets filled with water in the rainy season.

After taking a short night walk, I reached my hotel happy and satisfied. I slept early to wake timely and enjoy the sunrise in the ghats. The orange sun and its reflection on the water, the magnificent look of the city, numerous migratory birds, and chilled air helped me forget my tiredness.

I will never forget this happy day.