Travel Quote Tuesday | Nature is Impersonal, Awe-Inspiring, Elegant, Eternal

โ€œNature is impersonal, awe-inspiring, elegant, eternal. It’s geometrically perfect. It’s tiny and gigantic. You can travel far to be in a beautiful natural setting, or you can observe it in your backyard – or, in my case, in the trees lining New York City sidewalks, or in the clouds above skyscrapers.โ€ ~ Gretchen Rubin

A simple quote this one, and yet it resonates.

As a city girl, I am used to living in a bustling metropolis; a densely built up urban space full of buildings and people and noise! But at the same time I have a deep appreciation for nature, and the awe-inspiring beauty of the natural world. I have travelled far to see it โ€“ to Africa and South America, to the Antarctic, to the Galapagos Islands, where I have wondered at some of the world’s most incredible flora and fauna. But I also take great joy in the beauty of flowers (and even the weeds) in my back garden and allotment. And if there’s a botanical garden anywhere I’m visiting, I am absolutely drawn to visit it. Even taking a walk in any local park is a moment of real joy; there’s something very replenishing about being in the presence of treesโ€ฆ

(c) Kavita Favelle - Gretchen Rubin

Taipei is one of the ugliest cities I’ve ever visited (on a purely aesthetic level) and yet I utterly loved it. There was something wonderfully warm, welcoming and fascinating about this city of food-lovers that really stole my heart. Although we took a larger dose of nature during our visit to Taiwan’s Taroko Gorge National Park, one of the highlights of our five night visit to the country was a half-day trip out of Taipei to the nearby mountain village of Maokong, known for its tea production. The views over city and forest from the cable car were a delight!


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23 Comments to "Travel Quote Tuesday | Nature is Impersonal, Awe-Inspiring, Elegant, Eternal"

  1. Siddhartha Joshi

    My views resonate with you on this! I also live a big and bustling city of millions, and love the small parks and gardens in the neighborhood. I think appreciation is essential, and so is preservation. I just hope the metropolis of the future embrace nature even more…

    Reply
  2. Anu

    Nature has a way of soothing you. No matter where we live, we need a bit of it every now & then. After living in many big cities I chose to live in a smaller town in the middle of two rivers meeting the sea. The jungles are less than half hour drive & their presence close-by is reassuring.

    Reply
  3. Panchami Bekal

    Staying in Dubai for over two years has made me realize the thing I am missing the most here- The unlimited greenery and nature back home (Bangalore,Mangalore and Kerala)
    Though there are many gardens and parks here, there is nothing like finding a tiny waterfall on the way when it rains or finding a secret pond or a lake ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  4. Thomas Mathys

    The good thing about nature? It’s everywhere and it will even be there when we won’t. Even in big grey cities you can see unexpected specks of green. It’s a shame we don’t protect it moreas a human race, but like I said: nature will outlive us ๐Ÿ˜€ It’s good to keep an open mind and look for nature where you expect it least.

    Reply
  5. Eloise

    I live in a city and I try to go to a natural place every weekend. It’s super important to feel good. We chose to live in a city for work reasons, but we picked one with many national parks and beaches around. We can go hiking and kayaking very easily.
    I wished the value of nature was better understood in the whole world so we’d develop in smarter ways…

    Reply
  6. Ankita

    I can relate to your blog. I also live in a big city and I too travel to offbeat places to enjoy the beauty of the nature. You are true, every city has its own beauty, even the crowded ones.

    Reply
  7. Hannah

    I am a city kid too, I love a bustling metropolis, but equally, there is something fulfilling about a visit to nature. My favourite places to blow away the cobwebs are beaches… there is something soul-quenching about a beach and the wild coastline.

    Reply
  8. Malini

    Great quote! As a writer, I find myself collecting quotes and phrases. I’m also a city slicker but find such peace in nature.

    Reply
  9. Bernadette Jackson

    I grew up in the countryside – in a hamlet of three houses – so the city I live in now is still a novelty to me. I think it works because we are surrounded by greenery here, and I am woken by birds. When we travel, probably the thing I seek out most is bodies of water: rivers, canal, lakes, the coast.

    Reply
  10. Silke

    The look and feel of a city is one thing. But one mustn’t forget to also have a look at the people that live in that city. Was moves them, was makes them tick, what they strive for. People watching is one of the best things you can do in a city, hence the appeal even when cities like Taipei appear ugly on first sight. I love both, nature and the city, and I prefer living somewhere between these two extremes.

    Reply
  11. Lance

    I think that in most cities, you get the best of both worlds. A city like New York has so much to offer and it has the most amazing Central Park. The same can be said of most cities I have visited (although maybe not on the same scale). I have always said that I would love to live in the country as long as there was a city nearby for me to get my dose of culture (museums, theater, live music, etc.)

    Reply
  12. soaringtraveler

    Nice quote! Sometimes the best parts of a vacation (or even a walk around the local park) are the small, quiet moments.

    Reply
  13. Jennifer

    I am so grateful to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I am a city person, but I would prefer to be in the woods any day. I always say trees are my favourite people as a joke, but it’s kind of true:)

    Reply
  14. Carmen Edelson

    Such a fantastic quote! And I would visit any city (ugly or not) that has great food so I think I should add Taipei to my list ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for sharing

    Reply
  15. Elena

    Ouch, to say that Taipei is one of the ugliest cities is a strong statement. It might be not the prettiest, but it has some interesting parts and fairly green. I fully agree about the warmth and welcoming nature of Taiwanese people. I consider them to be the friendliest people I ever met.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    I’m giving my honest opinion, and my point was that while I found it aesthetically ugly (yes the ugliest I’ve visited), I still loved it, that was the takeaway. Ugly doesn’t mean not interesting!

    Reply
  16. Cathy

    Taiwan is like my city where I used to live, Manila! And though I haven’t been here, I am planning on next year! I love nature! Will definitely try the cable car and see the tea plantation as I’ve been wanting to go for one! Love the quote, btw!

    Reply
  17. Corinne

    I love quotes like this as well…I had to laugh about Taipei being an ugly city. I didn’t think so, but I thought it was chaotic and hectic. I loved it.

    Reply
  18. Megan Jerrard

    I’m a very big nature enthusiast, and I don’t know what it is about being surrounded by it, but it instantly puts me at ease. Escapes the stress of the big cities where everything is manmade and intense and the busy is so constant. Nature on the other hand is pure, and perfect, and imperfect, it’s a world of contradictions but leaves you in awe! We also travel to the ends of the earth seeking beautiful nature to see ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  19. Mel Butler

    I am a huge fan of nature as I am from the bush in Australia originally but now I am based in the UK. My husband, I like to go camping so we can be outside with nature. I love that you have a open mind about it all ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  20. Janine Thomas

    It’s interesting that you say”Taipei is one of the ugliest cities Iโ€™ve ever visited “. I have a glamorous in my mind so I would be greatly disappointed. The cable car looks like a stunning way to see the city from a different perspective.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    It’s a fabulous city to visit and we loved it and are super keen to go again. Aesthetically / architecturally I was surprised by the ugliness but that’s just one tiny aspect!

    Reply

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