Wandering History

Essay Writing Competition 2026
Category: 12 - 15 years
- Runner-Up -

Runner-Up: "Wandering History"

by Mira Tate from England

This piece was submitted in the Kids World Travel Guide Essay Competition 2026 in the Senior Category 12 - 15 years.

Wandering History

I’ve never really liked history. Not much of a shocker, really. The history I’ve been taught has always included bloodshed, anguish, fear and endings that belong in halloween stories rather than history books.

So, when my mother suggested we go on a history-inspired trip, I wasn’t thrilled. Once more would the stories of violence and aggression chase me. Really? How many people have to die before history, before we, learn?

It was a particularly sunny day; the sunniest so far, I’m sure. Every step forward was another reminder of how hot it was. Step, after step, after step, I wondered how much we would have to walk before we arrived. The path can’t be that long, surely. I was wrong. The path was quite long, with trees that hardly shadowed the sun and barely rustled. Other people began to join us, all filled with excitement to awe and gape at another piece of bloody history. I wasn’t one of them. My feet dragged against the rough path.

Up ahead, the reddish walls finally loomed over us, massive and imposing against the bright sky, but it still felt miles away. The crowd around us was surging forward, eager and impatient, pushing through queues and lines, yet I felt completely frozen in place despite the heat. My mother said something to me, her smile bright and excited, her voice muffled by the ringing in my ears and the sheer exhaustion of the day, but I couldn't bring myself to answer.

I just stared at the ancient stone, wishing I could be anywhere else, just waiting for the moment we could finally stop moving "Por aqui, por favor," The little Spanish I knew left me, leading me to blindly follow my mother’s steps. The worker seemed tired, lazily shuffling people with her sunburnt hands. "Ticket, por favor," She held out her hand. My mother complied, handing her our entrance tickets. "Gracias. Proximo, por favor." We passed her, stepping through the gate and leaving the crowded line behind us. There wasn’t much to see.

Perhaps I’m the wrong person to ask for historical opinions, but there truly wasn’t much to see. That was until, perhaps, the tour really began.

The Alhambra. Rooms and kitchens and gardens of past Spanish and even Arabian royals, mingling together to form such an interesting blend. Chirping birds and exhibits of how these royals used to live. Their inventions, to survive heatwaves and control water transportation. These creations, made five hundred or so years ago, could easily have passed off as new and modern technology. Ironed robes, silk headpieces, and shoes that perfectly aligned. It’s fascinating to think that a royal stepped on these very tiles I did, gazed at the same fountains I did. The massive gardens, with blooming flowers and etched pomegranate drawings on the floor, and whispering walls with Arabic calligraphy enthralled me.

At some point, we reached a pond, so glassy you could practically count all the pores on my face. For a second, I didn’t just see a girl, but I saw a wondering royal, unaware of how long their legacy would live on for. But the illusion suddenly shattered, and heaps of tourists began to crowd beside the pond.

I have always thought history belonged in the past. I thought history was already lived, so why bother trying to live it again? Yet now I see perhaps I had been a bit narrowminded. History as beautiful as this, with mystery and fascination, cannot possibly remain unknown. History isn’t only bloodshed, I now know. It’s about bravery, courage, reflection and love, and all the lessons we can gather from them.

I’ve never really liked history, but maybe that could change.

Congratulations, Mira! Your excellent piece has been selected as a runner-up in the 12-15 years age category!

What an amazing mature and reflective essay! Your emotional journey as you explore the Alhambra includes rich vocabulary and varied sentence structure. Your thoughtful pacing through the transformation from reluctant visitor to someone filled with curiosity and awe is very well managed! What a powerful reminder of always keeping an open mind and being willing to reconsider our choices.

A truly inspiring piece! Well done!

Mira is 15 years old and homeschooled. English is her first language. Here is the author's note she submitted with her essay:

"I picked the Alhambra to reflect my own personal experiences of how, at first, I didn’t like history but soon realised there was more to it than I originally thought. The Alhambra mixes rivalry, unity, intellect and uniqueness perfectly, reminding us of how history isn’t always a thing in the past, but a thing to live by."