I've always been fascinated with the past, right from my college days, when majoring in English Literature demanded that I study British and World History as well. And those subjects were a treat! It was fascinating to realize how everything that happens in the world today is the direct result of what happened yesterday and what happened yesterday was because of the events of the days and years before. To learn that a revolution in one country led to a war that involved continents which then led to the next war, and to understand that peace follows turmoil to be followed by peace yet again, was to finally understand why the world is where it is today.
Likewise, I enjoy reading about historical personalities, of seemingly ordinary people lead by extraordinary visions and who thus became great. I find it interesting to learn what lead them to become who they were, what their dreams and ambitions were, what their efforts and struggles were. In fact, I find that the past can actually be quite addictive, but thankfully it's an addiction with a bonus. My job often allows me to follow the lives of great people that once lived and if you happen to check my website, you'll notice that most of the stories posted on destinations are reviews of historic places. Being a writer who's often assigned to review destinations, I enjoy the thrill of digging out the history of each place I'm assigned to, after all, every place has a tale to it and what's even more fascinating is that most tales have various versions and each version is corroborated with it's own set of facts, so the most trying of it all is trying to figure out the real truth.
Reading about great kings and their lives had always been enjoyable but to actually and physically visit the palaces they lived and reigned in is always a treat beyond belief. Visiting the Versailles was one such unforgettable experience. Likewise visiting the Edinburgh Castle. In India, visiting the Taj Mahal had been a dream come true. I'd also enjoyed visiting the home of the Gandhis in Delhi which presents the various stages in life and the personal effects of the Gandhis, including Indira and Rajiv.
But it isn't just events and people of the past that I find interesting. I also enjoy visiting historic sites and historical monuments. The Golconda Fort in Hyderabad was enthralling and Stonehenge had left me literally breathless. I suppose, my pleasure comes from the fact that I somehow never fail to realize that the people I learn about and the places I visit were once and will always be renowned, they will always have a place in history and I am lucky to witness their historic presence.
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