Czech Republic, Europe, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, USA

Grateful for Travel: Giving Thanks in 10 Languages

Catherine Sweeney
November 22, 2012
41 Comments

Editor’s Note: This article, originally published in November 2012, was updated on November 2, 2017 to include three more languages and make other appropriate changes.

Grateful for the priceless gift of travel

I love Thanksgiving! I always bake my famous (in some circles) pumpkin pie, indulge in turkey with all the trimmings, watch some football, work on a seasonal jigsaw puzzle, and think about how grateful I am for friends, family and travel. I’d like to highlight some of the places I’ve visited that have me giving thanks for the priceless gift of travel.

Giving Thanks in 10 Languages

Köszönöm, Magyarország

Thank you, Hungary, for the gorgeous architecture, deep history, thermal springs spas, and international intrigue of Budapest that keep me returning. I’ll be back again soon!

"Chain Bridge over the Danube linking the Buda and Pest sides of Budapest at night"

Chain Bridge over the Danube linking the Buda and Pest sides of Budapest

Obrigada, Portugal

Thank you, Portugal, for cities of colorful ceramic-tiled buildings, the vineyards of the beautiful Douro River, and delicious Pastel de Nata!

Red-tiled roofs cover the colorful buildings of Porto

Red-tiled roofs cover the colorful buildings of Porto

Danke, Deutschland

Thank you, Germany,  for amazing walks through history and my wonderful Christmas market experiences in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Lubeck.

"Gendarmenmarkt WeihnachtsZauber in Berlin"

Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market, Berlin

Děkuji, Česká Republika

Thank you, Czech Republic, for Kafka, castles, the Vltava River, and goulash. I was able to check off a big one from my must-see list when I first visited Prague several years ago.

"Prague, often called the Golden City of 100 Spires"

Prague, the “Golden City of 100 Spires”

Grazie, Italia

Thank you, Italy, for always making me feel at home. From the magical cities like Venice to the hilltops of Tuscany, I’ve discovered something new to love every time I visit.

Venice, Italy

Venice, Italy

Merci, France

"Louvre, Paris"

The Louvre, Paris

Thank you, France, for everything about Paris! Also, thanks for fine wines and champagne, and the rich Christmas traditions I discovered in Provence.

"Christmas in Avignon: from religious nativity scenes to traditional desserts and holiday lights"

Christmas in Provence: from religious nativity scenes to traditional desserts and holiday lights in Avignon

Gràcies, Catalunya

Thank you, Catalonia, for Salvador Dali, sumptuous flavors, Barcelona’s “rauxa i seny“ character, and Mediterranean beaches.

"Mediterranean Sea in Roses, Catalonia"

Roses Beach on the Mediterranean, Catalonia

Gracias, Spain

Thank you, Spain, for a glimpse of authentic Spanish culture, world-class museums, art and architecture in beautiful Madrid.

"Museo del Prado"

Museo del Prado, Madrid

Buíochas a ghabháil leat, Éire

Thank you, Ireland, for warm people, villages where my ancestors lived, lush landscapes, the craic (conversation), Guinness and the Blarney Stone.

"Kissing the Blarney Stone"

Kissing the Blarney Stone in Ireland

Dank je, Nederland

Thank you, Netherlands, for Amsterdam’s bikes and boats, honoring the story of Anne Frank at Anne Frank House, and your countryside fields of flowers.

"In Amsterdam Bikes and Boats are seen everywhere"

Amsterdam bikes and Boats

And finally, in my native language…. thank you, USA

"Kelbaker Road, Mojave Desert"

Kelbaker Road, Mojave Desert

Thank you, USA, for 50 states to explore by plane, train and automobile through deserts, mountains, plains, and cities. I am thankful that you are my home.

"Cloud Gate" ("The Bean") at Millennium Park in Chicago

“Cloud Gate” (“The Bean”) at Millennium Park in Chicago

Looking to the future, I’m grateful for the travel opportunities ahead. Thank you, my readers from all over the world for following along!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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41 thoughts on “Grateful for Travel: Giving Thanks in 10 Languages”

  2. Vera

    This is such a nice idea! In Germany, where I’m from, we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving as such. We have a holiday, where we thank God for the year’s harvest, but it is more church-related, I believe. Through Facebook, the jokes, pictures and statuses, I get an idea what makes an American Thanksgiving, and the question “What are you thankful for?” pops up often. To be honest, I’m not very good with this question, but your Giving Thanks to the countries you visited rings a bell with me – because I can instantly write down a similar list, and it makes me happy:) Hence: Thank YOU for this post!

    Reply ↓
  4. jan

    We do not celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia, but I too feel thankful every day that we are fortunate to be able to travel and experience this beautiful world. Your Roses Beach photo made me feel happy – I guess I am a beach person!

    Reply ↓
  6. Vera Marie Badertscher

    Interesting post! I also did a “Thankful for Travel” post, although mine was limited to this year’s travel. Maybe next year I’ll expand to different countries (and different languages) as you did. Great idea and fun pictures.

    Reply ↓
  11. Jackie Smith

    What a wonderful post! It is nice to sit back and simply give thanks for the experiences we’ve had this year, isn’t it? What a joy to have ‘found’ another world of friends who live in the blogosphere. I am grateful for knowing you (and your travels!).

    Reply ↓

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