Ah. Queenstown.

Ah. Queenstown. I don't quite know what it is about you. Of course, when you look at you, the panorama: the lake, the Remarkables, the starry sky at night. How the lights reflect in the water and at sunset, the sky over your mountain shows every shade of purple. Or when the sun warms my face during the day, while a gentle breeze brushes against me. But it’s not just your external attributes... you are so versatile, so different, sometimes unpredictable yet dependable. I can glide over the water in a steamship from 1912, though if I wanted, I could have taken a jet boat. I can dive into the nightlife in various ways: in a rooftop bar with loud music or in a quiet bar on a floating boat. I can go to Flame for an expensive steak (for me, that’s cauliflower) or get some delicious ramen for just a few dollars. I can plunge into the hustle and bustle of the city, among the many people, or find peace in the Botanical Garden, nestled between the rose bushes. I can hike 1500 meters in elevation when I climb Ben Lomond, or just stroll leisurely along the lake. I can play chess over an afternoon aperitif or lie by the lake with ice cream and coffee while reading. I can be loud and quiet, high and low, extroverted and introverted, exhausting and effortless, big and small, seeking a bit of solitude or company. I can't quite grasp you, can't pin down how and who you really are. Maybe that's why I like you so much, because it reflects my feelings about myself in that way. Ah. Queenstown ❤️