I'm taking some time off work to travel and spend as much time as I can with family and friends all over the world. Creating this blog as a memory of my trips and so you can follow where I'm at and what I'm up to!
In our remote resort in Skoura, we have our first breakfast buffet and it has all the usual suspects but also includes eggs and some mystery meat. It’s delicious as usual. We’re all done by 8:30am and are ready to explore more of this interesting countryside. First stop is Amerhidil kasbah.
Amerhidil kasbah, Skoura
We walk around the back of the building to a room where we have an opportunity to view some handmade carpets. This carpet shop is a woman’s cooperative supported by the USA. All of the money spent will go directly to the women and families who weave the carpets (hopefully)!
Of course we are treated to some mint tea while the carpets are rolled out for our viewing! I’m personally not a huge fan but they are indeed pieces of art in themselves and we do get a sale to be shipped to Australia.. woohoo!!
Back on the bus I’m loving the barren scenery with palm groves dotted around.
We drive through the Valley of Roses where each spring 3,000 to 4,000 tonnes of petals are picked. We stop to see what products they make but no sales are made – the rose smell is too strong for me. As we continue along the road of 1,000 kasbahs we see many old abandoned kasbahs in favour of the new towns where most people now live. They have given up the mud built homes for concrete.
It’s time for lunch and we arrive to a big town called Tinerhir. We pull into a restaurant that is kitted out for a large lunch spread… the tourist buses must be due. We have a very nice lunch of soup/salad and a main – I go for the beef tagine. Nice as it was, we’re hoping that the guide might take us somewhere more local in the coming days.
Onwards to the Todra Gorge….. As we drive the winding road there is beautiful scenery around every corner. Lush palm groves and old kasbahs with the cliff backdrop. It’s stunning.
We walk along the gorge where we see rock climbers, donkeys and of course carpets and clothes for sale.
A final photo opp. of the stunning valley and then it’s back in the bus for a two hour drive to the Sahara.
On the way we see some camels. They don’t have wild camels here in Morocco so a farmer will own these. They’re quite small, I hope the ones we’re gonna ride are bigger than that!
We see giant sand dunes on the horizon – we have arrived!! These dunes are the Erg Chebbi dunes in Merzouga’s Sahara desert.
We’re transferred to a four wheel drive to get closer to our camels and then it’s time to mount these dromedary’s (one humped) and ride toward the camp. The smallest of the camels is picked for me but he’s being very troublesome and won’t get up so I’m put on another. Rich tries the troublesome one too but he’s having none of it.
[Sidebar: last night I sent that video that went viral a few years back of the couple trying to get up on the back of the camel and the Titanic music playing all wonky (you know the one!), it puts the fear into everyone but it’s still so funny!]
We all manage to get up successfully and we set off across the dunes. It’s a bit nerve wracking initially but they’re fairly stable and it’s quite enjoyable once I loosen the death grip on the saddle! Fatima, Couscous, Ali Baba…. Let’s go!!
We stop to watch the sunset and the guides insist on taking all sorts of ridiculous photos where we look like we’re holding the sun or throwing sand in the air… insta shots that won’t be going on the insta!! We do get some great group shots though.
In the camel “carpark” just outside the camp the guides give us a hard sell on some souvenirs …. It’s for their families. I’ve no doubt we’re being ripped off but sure we’ll consider it a donation!! We all get a little something and I’m happy with a small bowl made of smooth stone.
The luxury campsite is impressive with each “room” containing a queen bed plus two single beds – it’s huge!! There’s a dining tent where we have a very nice 4 course meal of cauliflower soup, salad with goats cheese, an odd main considering we’re in the desert (chicken and mushroom, veg and tomato covered in creamy sauce), finished off with crème brûlée. We have a bottle of wine we saved from last night so get one decent glass each. After dinner there’s some local music which is essentially drums and what seems like repetitive roaring and shouting… we call it a day and enjoy the reduction in temperature as we head back to the tent.
Next morning we get up before 7am to see the sunrise. It brings a beautiful colour to the sand dunes.
After another delicious breakfast which always includes a big glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, it’s all aboard the bus as we set out for Fez with a few stops along the way. We are ascending over the Atlas Mountains driving along the Ziz valley with its giant palm trees.
It is date season and this south eastern part of the country is where the best dates come from. We stop at a market which is a fairly decent size and very busy and it is ALL dates. Crates and crates of dates…
We buy a box and snack on them on the bus. I’m still in awe of the landscape. Parts seem like the US mid-west and apparently are referred to as Utah and Colorado.
As we continue our drive through the Ziz valley, the scenery is impressive but it’s a long day of driving and I nod off multiple times… between the heat and the motion of the bus it’s hard not to.
We stop for lunch in the town of Midelt. It’s a late lunch and in an effort to avoid the big tourist lunch stop we eat panini style sandwiches in a local cafe. Not quite “Moroccan” food but it’s tasty and the owners are delighted for our custom. They recommend apple juice which they make fresh, one version with water and one with milk…. peculiar!!
We admire another change in the landscape and even see some water which has been rare. The rivers we’ve seen have all been dry as there’s been no rain and no snow on the mountains to melt.
We see lots of cedar trees in this part of the country and have a quick side of road stop to see the Barbary apes.
A final stop in Ifrane, known as “Little Switzerland” which is a ski resort and where the king has a residence. This is a very different little town and for sure has a European feel to it. It is pristine and full of busy cafes with families out and about. We have a coffee (I get tea in a teapot with cold milk 😀), use the facilities and we’re on the road again.
Large trucks really maximise the load they carry
We arrive in Fez and stop at Carrefour to get some alcohol (just in case there’s none at the riad) but as it turns out there was no need. Plenty of booze options available at this riad. The standby booze can wait. We have dinner at the riad which consists of multiple salads and a chicken pastisse. We have a drink on the terrace where we get a view of the medina and hear the many calls to prayer at sunset.
This riad, called Riad Mabrouka is another beautiful accommodation option.
Tomorrow we will explore Fes… but that’s for Part IV. Inshallah (God willing)
We arrive in Marrakech by bus and are met by the guide who will be with us for the next 10 days. The rest of the pals are flying in from France later and tomorrow we will officially start our tour of the country. What we’ve seen so far of the city is mostly unaffected by the recent earthquake. It’s good to know that we will hopefully provide some income for the people who work in the tourist trade in these hard times.
We’re not quite sure what vehicle to expect and having seen some six seater vans earlier are thinking it might be a bit of a squeeze but when we’re brought to our “van” we’re very pleasantly surprised. It is a beautiful brand new Mercedes that seats 15 people in addition to the guide and driver.
Our guide’s name is Hocine and he takes us straight to the Riad so we can check in. It’s called Riad Melhoun. The manager welcomes us with some mint tea and coconut biscuits and one of the staff shows us around. It is stunning and we are very excited.
Riad Melhoun (a riad is a traditional guesthouse)
Shane has organised the tour and been the main point of contact, so the tour company called ahead to tell the manager of the riad that he should get first choice of rooms. There are two regular rooms on the second floor and one bigger room on the top which we obviously choose.
Complete with a swan/love heart towel and rose petals!!
The riad itself has only nine guest rooms so it is quite small but it has a lovely terrace and overall is just really impressive.
The “swimming” pool 🤣
We take a walk to Ozadriya square which is near the Jewish quarter and have some lunch at Mazel cafe. I have the most delicious lamb in a bread roll and Shane goes for some vegetable couscous. Fresh lemonade is the perfect thirst quencher to accompany it.
From here we take a walk to the main square in the medina – the famous Jemaa El Fna square. Since 2001 this is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is a huge open expanse exposed to the scorching sun. You definitely need a hat here and if you don’t have one you can certainly find one to buy. There are stalls in the square selling juice and fruits, ladies waiting to give henna tattooes, musicians, men with monkeys and strange pets (we saw baby turtles and exotic tiny birds in the one cage) and the infamous snake charmers! The square and surrounding souks have been on Shane’s list of must see’s for years so he’s very happy to be here.
As we are leaving the square we see the remains of the minaret of the Kharbouch Mosque in Marrakech’s Jemaa el-Fnaa Square which collapsed during the earthquake. This one was all over the news.
Clean-up from the earthquake continues
Looks like the flight is on time, so we’ll head back to the riad to rest our feet and anticipate their arrival! They arrive around 4 pm and I greet them with my feet in the water! We decide to eat at the riad tonight and they told us they will surprise us with the menu.
We have a drink upstairs on the terrace – a very nice white wine and San Miguel for the boys – that’s all they’ve got!! A first selfie with the gang back together before we move downstairs for dinner.
The surprise menu does not disappoint, it is delicious and such a nice venue around the pool.
We have two different starters, one is tomato based, the other aubergine. I’m not sure how to describe them, suffice it to say they are gorgeous. Then onto the mains which are served in tagines (of course!), one a lamb dish with apricot and prunes, the other chicken with vegetables. It‘s all served with bread and of course the obligatory olives. We finish our meal with a chocolate mouse and they have black tea with milk so I’m happy out!
Next morning we have a leisurely breakfast as our guide has suggested we meet at 10am. The breakfast is much like what we had in Essaouria including yogurt, jams, breads and fruit. Delish!
Our guide arrives and we are off to our first stop – Koutoubia mosque. This is the largest mosque in Marrakech and can accommodate 20,000 faithful! The area outside is closed off due to the recent earthquake, although we cannot see any visible damage. Friday is the busiest day as everyone goes to the mosque to pray.
From here we walk around the mosque and head through one of the many beautiful gates (bab Agnaou), toward the Jewish square.
There is a spice market that our guide recommends so we spend a half hour in there being served tea and learning about the benefit of different herbs and spices and of course Argan oil.
We all buy a few bits and pieces and the ladies get a gift of a green lipstick which actually is pink or red on your lips depending on your temperature. I’m particular excited to try my ras el hamout spice when I get home.
Onwards through more winding alleys and narrow lanes.
We are supposed to visit the beautiful El Bahia Palace but it’s closed due to some clean up needed after the earthquake so instead we visit Ben Youssef Medrasa. A medrasa is an Islamic school or Qur’anic school. This one dates back to the 14th century and is no longer in operation but had 900 students at any one time.
We visit the small rooms where the students stayed.
The moorish design with its many arches and bright tiles are beautiful.
We explore the souks around Jemaa El Fna square. There is so much to see – hides being dried, leather shoes being made, blacksmiths, shoes, hats, wood carvings, it’s insane! We’re not in shopping mode yet but there’s so many things to buy at good prices.
We stop for a local lunch on a terrace where there’s a nice breeze from this 30 degree heat.
Throughout the medina there are communal ovens where local families still being their bread to be baked.
Majorelle gardens are next on the tour. Jacques Majorelle who settled in Marrakech and ended up designing much of the new city (we have mostly been in the medina which is the old city) built these beautiful gardens and placed a striking blue building at their centre.
It’s quite a change of pace roaming around the gardens and the trees have a cooling affect. There’s a lot of variety of cactus and there’s also, as you’d imagine, an awful lot of posing for photos going on…. And it’s not by us!!
After Majorelles death the estate fell into disrepair and it was purchased by Yves St Laurent. At the end of the garden there is a “love gallery”. Apparently YSL designed a postcard each year to send friends and it was always about love… I love it! (pun intended)
The Yves St Laurent
Driving back, you get a great sense of the size of the medina and it’s walls which apparently are 19 km long.
We have booked a birthday dinner for James at a restaurant called Naranj close by the riad on a terrace along one of the narrow streets into the middle of the medina. There’s no alcohol here but the food is gorgeous. I have aubergine served like a steak and covered in mince with a yogurt sauce and topped with fried pitta.
After dinner we go to “Cozy” bar in the Jewish square which is only a few minutes walk from our riad. Again they have Spanish beer but they also have an 8% beer from Casablanca which is the obvious choice for the lads. A few of those with white wine for the ladies on the outdoor terrace is lovely. I’m impressed by the background music which is a cool French jazzy tune and comment that’s it going on for a long time. I even Shazam it to see what it is. Then I realise it’s the same 3 minute (ish) song playing over and over again…. Argggh. It’s time to go!!
Next day we are driving 200km to Ouarzazate so will be driving for approx 4 hours. Our guide tells us lots of interesting things along the way. He tells us that today is a holiday in a lot of Muslim countries as it is the prophet Mohammad’s birthday. For some reason this is a bit of a controversial holiday not celebrated everywhere. He tells us the people respect the king and are grateful for the improvements he’s making in Morocco.
There’s some great scenery on the journey especially as we start to climb up high.
We pass through the Tizi-N-Tichka pass and take a quick pit stop to admire the view from 2,260 metres, the highest road pass in Morocco.
We are heading toward the most famous kasbah (Aït Benhaddou) and seeing many new and old ones along the way. A kasbah is a fortified family dwelling and they appear among varying landscapes across the country.
A ruin of a former kasbah
We arrive to Aït Benhaddou, an expected highlight of the trip. It is a fortified cluster of kasbahs and the best preserved in the country. A popular spot for tours, it’s a UNESCO world heritage site.
Before we climb to the top, we have lunch of Moroccan salad and kofta and egg tagine. Very nice. Outside it’s over 30 degrees but it doesn’t stop us clinging to the top and enjoying the views.
This is the oldest ksar (fortified city) dating to the 13th century and currently there are only five families still living within its walls.
We continue through Quarzazate and stop for two things. Firstly at a Carrefour for some booze as our accommodation for the next two nights does not have alcohol. This however, is a bit of a disappointment as due to the feast day of Mohammed’s birthday there is no alcohol for sale. The second step is to see the picturesque Taourirt kasbah.
We see an amazing concentrated solar power system. There are five across Morocco and they generate solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight into a receiver. It’s so bright, I’ve never seen anything like it. Hard to capture in a photo.
We do a quick drive by the Atlas film studios where many movies have been filmed taking advantage of the surrounding landscape.
We continue on the road of a thousand Kasbahs to Skoura where we will spend the night. It’s another beautiful accommodation in the middle of nowhere with a huge gate keeping us in!!!!
We are served mint tea and biscuits on a very relaxed lounge.
There’s a nice swimming pool so after checking out our digs we go for a dip….it’s cold – just want we need and feels great.
Our dinner is included at our secluded little resort tonight. After watching the sun set and “enjoying” some local music put on for another Aussie group staying, we sit outside and are treated to a beautiful meal of salads, chicken on skewers, kofta and even some homemade chips. It’s really tasty and all the better when halfway through Hocine arrives having found some wine for us! Hooray!!!
Tomorrow we will travel further south toward the Sahara… coming in Part III
I’m travelling to Mumbai for work but hoping to have some blog worthy experiences in between the office stuff! I leave early Saturday morning and fly through Abu Dhabi. From there it’s only a three hour flight to Mumbai. Unfortunately we’re smack bang in monsoon season so I’m not optimistic about the weather. I am staying at the 5-star St Regis hotel though so that’ll be nice.
Business class on Etihad is really comfortable and I have one of the best meals I have ever had on a plane.
Chicken tikka with naan and a cheeky little red!
I arrive at 3am and get through the airport fairly easy…. it has a very 70’s feel to it with the decor!
My butler (yes I have a butler service at this hotel) asks if I’d like him to unpack my case but I can’t get rid of him quick enough so I can get into bed. It’s a very comfy room and I can’t believe it’s 1pm on Sunday when I wake up. One of the guys from work has text me so I agree to meet him and go out to explore. We stop at a local eatery first as he’s hungry for lunch. I decline any grub for now as I’ve made a decision to be very careful and hopefully get through the trip without the dreaded Delhi belly!! We’ll see how that goes……
We take an Uber to “The Gateway to India” which is Mumbai‘s most famous landmark. It was the first site to greet travellers to Indian shores during the heyday of the British Raj. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911.
There are lots of people around but not too many foreign tourists. I definitely stick out as a white western woman and I’m asked to get in some family photos. A man hands me his baby and gathers his family around for a photo with me. Hilarious!
Across the street is the famous Taj Mahal hotel. In 2008 there was a terrorist attack which led to the deaths of approximately 31 people over a four day siege. Gunmen who had attacked and killed over a hundred people at other key locations, seized the hotel with hundreds of people trapped inside. Since I’ve been home, I watched the movie “Hotel Mumbai”. It’s a great watch and it’s amazing to see how quickly the staff and people of Mumbai rallied to get this historic building back to its original glory.
The Taj hotel and Gateway to India are on the Colaba Causeway
Next we go to the famous train station known as Victoria Terminus. It is an impressive example of Victorian, Gothic revival architecture. Also known as the CST, it is considered the most beautiful railway station in Mumbai.
Opposite the train station is the municipal Corporation building. This building is among the tallest structures in Mumbai and was completed in 1893. It’s a popular spot for photos.
I’m already tired so it’s back to the hotel for some dinner and an early night. My first meal is delicious. I go for butter chicken with naan and it’s just a little spicy.
I’m up and ready for a busy week at the office. Breakfast is spectacular…. There’s so much choice across a range of cuisines. I try something different every morning.
Ready for the training sessions with my colleagues.
I’m knackered after a long day so opt for some room service – biryani and paratha.
There’s a really nice pool at the hotel and I make it there a few mornings for a swim before work. The locals don’t tend to start super early so it’s manageable.
The food at the hotel really is fabulous, breakfast in particular. There are about eight different stations and every type of food imaginable, this morning I’m trying the dosa and it is really tasty.
I’m loving all this delicious local food but a few days in and I have a touch of the Delhi belly. I think it’s a combination of everything, the spicy food, change in temperature, time difference and just the overall environment. I avoid food for 24 hours, take some medicine and seem to be ok. We’re going out for dinner tonight and I can’t miss it. I have one cocktail (I fully believe some alcohol might kill whatever I picked up) and I don’t go mad but I taste plenty of the food that we order. It’s a Chinese restaurant and it’s all delicious. As if by miracle the next day I feel fine. I avoid breakfast and eat little over the next couple of days, avoiding lunch and having a banana that I’ve taken from the breakfast buffet. This seems to have worked and by the weekend I’m feeling back to normal.
It’s Friday night so myself and my colleague Bharath head to Marine Drive. The reviews say it’s a beautiful walk along a path approximately 3 km long. We head straight from the office with our driver and have him drop us at the beach end of the walk.
The walkway unfortunately is mostly closed. We have to walk on the road which is a significantly busy dual carriageway. After about 2 km. we get to an overpass and we literally have to cross in front of the cars to get to the other side,
Eventually there is about a kilometre of seafront where we get to enjoy the view of what they call the Queens necklace. There are lots of people standing on the wall looking out to sea and the views across the water. It seems to be a very popular meeting place for locals.
We stop at the Dome bar, which is in the Intercontinental hotel and have a cocktail upstairs to admire the view.
Carrying on, we walk to the end of the walkway and look out to the sea. We turn back and walk a few hundred metres to the Bay View where we will have dinner. It’s getting dark now so we can see some of the lights from the restaurant but the views are not great through the monsoon battered windows. We order paneer and butter chicken, which we have with naan and roti and it’s very tasty. I have a Kingfisher beer (my first of the trip) and it goes perfectly. Home time now so I can rise early in the morning as I’ve been invited to join the work crew for their annual monsoon trek. The meeting time is 6am at the office, however I’m fairly confident the bus won’t leave on time so after checking with a couple of the folks who are going they reckon a 6:30am arrival would be more realistic.
View of the Queens necklace
On Saturday morning I jump out of bed at 5:55am and I’m out the door in ten minutes. On the way to the office there’s a message in the WhatsApp chat to say the bus has left… I can’t believe it, thought I was being clever now I’m in a panic and wondering can we get to the second pick up place. I call Prachi who I met yesterday and she tells me they’re joking around on WhatsApp and she hasn’t even left her house yet!! Seriously people!!! We get to the office at 6:20am and the buses are there with a handful of people hanging around. There’s still about 70 people to arrive so I’m early!!! A request for ETA’s on the WhatsApp range from “I’m 15 minutes away” to “7am” to “I will reach at 7:15”!!!!!! After signing the consent form and a lot of hanging around we finally depart just after 7:30!
There’s a quick shout out to Ganesh to keep us safe on our journey and finally we are off. We are heading southeast away from the coast to Karjat which is still in the Maharashtra region. It’s about an 80 kilometre journey but takes around 3 hours!! There’s lots of fun on the bus!
I am definitely on the fun bus… loving the sing-song!
I enjoy the views and have lots of fun getting to meet people along the way.
The trek to Bhivpuri waterfall is easy with just a few slippy bits due to the rain along the way. But today the sun is shining and it is not so much a monsoon trek that was expected.
When we get to the waterfall most of the gang go straight in, in full hiking gear, including shoes. Everyone gets soaked and are loving it. I’m a bit reluctant at first, but I go to the smaller of the waterfalls and really enjoy the gust of water that hits my back and shoulders. It feels fantastic and the temperature is so nice as we are hot and sweaty from the trek in the sunshine.
I sit on the rock to dry off a bit, but I’m convinced to continue to the bigger part of the waterfall for more soaking action. It’s really exhilarating, and at one point terrifying, as every so often the water gushes really strong and nearly knocks me over. We are trying to smile for photos, but cannot open our eyes because the water is so strong. It gives a nice massage to the back and shoulders.
Enjoying the cool water
It’s a very squelchy walk back to the campsite where we switch into some dry clothes in some very basic changing rooms. It’s worth it though. It was such great fun. Time for lunch now and there’s a buffet of spicy chicken, paneer, rice, and of course paratha.
Goodbye waterfall.
The bus journey home is the best fun. We play charades which is hysterical – all movies, some Hindi, which is a struggle to partake in but some are in English so I can play along. The singing then kicks off and there is even dancing. I wish I knew some of these songs so I could join in more. This gang loves the craic. It’s after 8 pm by the time we hit home, and I’m happy to get back to the hotel for a shower and order some food.
On Sunday morning after another delicious breakfast myself and Barath head off to explore more of Mumbai. First stop is Dhobi Ghat, the famous laundry area where they wash clothes, and you can see them hanging on many many lines.
Onwords towards the Gateway of India to catch a ferry to Elephanta island. It’s an hour journey on the ferry which is fairly bumpy but good fun and we are very lucky with the weather as there still is no rain.
It’s a bit hairy scary, stepping off those boats as they’re still moving but there is help at hand. There is a small train that takes you to the beginning of the steps up to the caves, and I convince Bharath we can walk.. on first glance, he tells me it’s quite far and we should probably take the train but in reality it’s less than a kilometre and the train is only arriving when we are already at its destination. There are quite a few steps to climb to get to the entrance to the Elephanta caves, and we are very sweaty once we reach the top.
The Elephanta cave temples were carved into the rocky cliffs in the sixth century A.D. They are considered among the great masterpieces of Indian sculpture and are a UNESCO world heritage site.
The caves are dedicated to Shiva and there are many impressive carvings throughout the numerous caves.
There are monkeys on this island and although they’re not as bad as those on the rock of Gibraltar, they do pester us a little bit looking for food. At one point one makes a run towards us and I have to throw my water bottle at him.
On the ferry back, the lady sitting beside me tips me for a selfie and tells me it’s friendship day.
I chat to a man sitting on my right and he tells me he’s from Iraq and also just had hair plugs!!! He’s lived in Mumbai for a number of years and his parents are visiting as the health system here is better. He’s a physicist and I have a very interesting conversation with him that makes the journey seem much shorter. As we arrive back, we get a great view of the India gate and the hotel Taj Mahal.
Just enough time for a quick photo bomb with some visitors.
Next we had to Mani Bhavan which is where Gandhi lived and worked between 1917, and 1934. Admission is free, with a request for a donation and the exhibits are really interesting.
Outside Gandhis houseThe room where Gandhi worked and received visitorsPhotographed with Charlie Chaplin
There were some very interesting letters that he wrote in particular one to Hitler in July 1939. There were also some letters that he received in particular a really interesting one from Albert Einstein lots of interesting photos and facts about his life and we got to see the room in which he worked.
I would like to visit the famous mosque that is on the water, however, there is a massive queue of Sunday worshippers and the viewpoint across the water is closed off because of construction. It seems like the whole town is under construction. So we call it a day and head back to the hotel. I have a fish curry with naan for dinner but I don’t over do it as I’ve booked myself a massage later this evening before bed. I opt for the traditional iridium massage which is a pretty strong full body massage, honing in on tension and stress points. It lasts for 90 minutes which fly by. The therapist is a small young Indian woman who climbs up on the bed and uses her elbows all the way up my back. Fabulous!
The view from my room and the one glass of wine for the whole trip
More new things to try at the breakfast buffet.
The team of colleagues who we have come to train are a lovely bunch. I’m getting lots of tips for food that I should try while I’m here, one must-try being a wada pau (or vada pav), which is a vegetarian deep-fried ball in a bun. It is considered a snack and although it’s street food (which I’m told to avoid) they tell me it’s safe for me to try and bring some into the office in the afternoon for us all to have. It is delicious with just the right amount of spice, a good kick but not too crazy.
Wada pau
One of the guys from work tells us he is a state champion at table tennis and there is a table in the cafeteria. I challenge him to a game considering I just had some practice recently at the villa in Spain. I’m pretty sure he’s being easy on me, but I give him a good run for his money. He shows me how to do the killer smash shot and I’m delighted with myself when I trash him. 🤪
An opportunity to have a lunchtime dosa….
Tonight we make it to the lobby for 6:30pm for the free glass of champagne that is served to guests each night. Apparently this is a ritual in every Saint Regis around the world at this time. The lobby area really is lovely and the fresh flowers throughout the hotel are stunning.
A couple of staff arrive down the stairs and announce that they will be opening a bottle of champagne with a very large knife…. it’s all very exciting! There’s no sign of the champagne coming which is a bit of a worry but eventually the complimentary glass arrives. We sit and chat for a while and low and behold another member of staff appears to be shaking some cocktails and he appears to be offering them to guests sitting around the lounge. He eventually comes our way and we are treated to a Bombay Sapphire gin cocktail which is very nice and we enjoy with some spicy nibbles.
It really is a very fancy hotel
The hotel is attached to a huge high-end shopping mall that has lots of restaurants. The lads are tired of Indian food and insist we go to an Irish bar for dinner tonight! Apart from pizza at a Jamie Oliver restaurant last week this is the only non Indian meal I’ve had….. I’m sure you can guess what I had!
On my final night we go for a team dinner. The name of the restaurant is TAP. We’re told there will be dancing but I’m anticipating I won’t stay out late enough for that!!!! In true Mumbai style we arrive an hour late! There’s some event at the hotel and it takes the driver 20 minutes to just get out of the hotel grounds. The dinner is secondary to the dancing and I learn a whole lot of new moves.
It’s a slow morning following our night out and most of the team don’t arrive to the office until noon! We finish our training and then are treated to some food cooked by the man who has brought us our teas and coffees each day. It is a type of dahl called khichdi. It is absolutely gorgeous and demolished by everyone. An authentic final meal.
Home made (well office made!) khichdi
I say goodbye to the team who then all follow me to the car for even more goodbyes…
I have a couple of hours at the airport so I get to try some local Indian wine in the lounge and it’s surprisingly good.
Overall it’s been a really successful business trip with a lot of fun exploring during the two weeks. My tummy isn’t the best as I head home but it seems par for the course! Until next time Namaste!
Time to move a short way down the coast to Benalmadena and meet up with the family for a week in the beautiful Villa Una Maria. We were here nine years ago and have all been looking forward to getting back. So on Sunday morning Shane and I pack up and head for the train station.
It’s an easy train journey but the station is a fair way up the hill from the villa. We have a while before check in so we sit at a cafe and have some breakfast. I do love the toast with tomato sauce.
While sitting outside watching the world go by some men on horses pass and it looks like they are ready to party….
When the bulls arrive we realise it’s a full on parade…. Not sure what they’re celebrating but we have a front row seat for the whole thing.
There are lots of horses and lots of bulls so as you’d imagine there is poo! A large one in particular “laid” right in front of us!!! The onlookers are laughing and the people walking in the parade are trying to avoid it, there’s a lot of nudging and side stepping. But one of the Spanish cowboys (let’s just call them that!) decides it would be a good idea to dance in it… no joking he jumps in it like lord of the dance and it flies up and hits some women in their beautiful dresses… funny for us to watch but I’d have killed him! This is what remained…
We watch the whole parade and the clean up that happens immediately after the last cart goes by – it’s pretty impressive. Having lingered long enough over brekkie we head out into some drizzly rain and head down to the hill to the villa. It’s just as I remembered it and the caretaker is the same English guy (Lee) from last time. We get settled and wait for the others to arrive.
First to arrive is the big brother with girlfriend Jenny, and my sister Linda with my very cool nephew (watch out fashion influencers!) Matthew.
They head out for lunch and after familiarising ourselves with the Casa we go for a walk and paddle our feet in the ocean. It’s officially the Alboran sea which is the western most portion of the Mediterranean… there you go!
Back at the Casa we await the arrival of the bus with the rest of the gang…. There’s great excitement when they arrive – Ma and Da, Ange and Emily (now 10 but only a toddler when we were here last), the full complement of Wards (Deb, Pat, Vicky and Laura), Con and Maja and the youngest newest addition to the family “baba” Anya 😍
The villa is essentially two 5-bed houses attached as one so there’s a kitchen and living area on both sides and two huge basements – one with a ping pong table and the other with a pool table…. Handy if the sun gets too hot or if it rains! The owners leave a welcome pack which includes milk, biscuits, teabags, wine and beer. The pool action kicks off immediately!
Everyone is settled in and ready to head out for some dinner….
For dinner I have black squid ink rice and it’s different to the one in Malaga but just as tasty. Shane has a beautiful tuna dish and we pair it with the hosue Verdejo – delish!
We’ve split into smaller groups for dinner and then all meet for a drink on the front afterwards.
Some of the gang go on to another bar for some music and dancing. [Now those of you how know us O’Dohertys know who the party animals are and who the ringleader is right!] I’ll say no more!
The next few days are all kind of mixed together… I was too busy to be keeping track but suffice to say there was a lot of pool action, hanging around, messing, eating and drinking!!!! Here a few snaps to give a flavour….
There’s a lot of pool time to be had which includes a lot of jumping in…and yes that includes jumping in by me!!!
Emily’s swimming is amazing. She is jumping in the deep end, swimming, diving, doing tumbles and headstands … she’s like a fish and must be exhausted every evening after so much pool action.
It’s hard to have such a large group eat together every night in a restaurant so some nights we’ve been splitting up to suit everyone’s different tastes – we do manage to get everyone out for the obligatory holiday Chinese. Lots of glamour for the nights out….
It’s a lovely walk along the marina and you can walk all the way to Toremelinos. It’s great to come back home and jump in the pool. It’s sunny until 8/9pm so it’s easy for it to all of a sudden be very late after some downtime in the evening. Early or late there’s always some messing going on at the pool!
More delicious dinners tonight…
One of the hotels has a singer on that we check out… she’s delighted with us cause we’re singing and dancing among some very stiff ole foggies!!
One of the mornings we walk the opposite way along the coastline to where we would normally walk. We’re kind of at the end of Benalmádena but there’s another really pretty piece of coastline that we explore. You can’t avoid the steep steps down to the beach but it’s very quiet and has some nice romantic looking cafes on the waters edge.
Tonight we’re going to have a bbq so Shane, Mama and I hit the Mercadona (you gotta love the Mercadona) to get the groceries. We have oceans of burgers, sausages, steak, chorizo, veg for skewers and 3 full fresh fish – I think there’ll be enough!
Lovely view on our walk to the shop
There are two bbq’s – one on each side of the garden. Shane as chief chef enlists Pat as chief helper and burger flipper!
A bit of singing after the grub….
A song from Milly Mac!
Some of us are a bit knackered after last nights shenanigans so we’re having a slow morning. Eventually I manage to get my act together and We meet Mike and Jen for a swim in the sea and a beautiful lunch. The white sangria is delicious.
Lucky for me the water is calm so I’m happy to join in and we go for a dip….. the water really is gorgeous
Everyone rallys for an evening on the town and even hit a karaoke bar (full disclosure, Shane and I don’t make it, we’re lightweights!). In fairness it was a big day for me swimming in the sea but seriously I don’t know how my family do it….. no bother to them to be out til 3am… I’m happy to hear all the stories the next morning.
Today Shane and I book a Bolt (Uber is here too but Bolt seems be the most popular) and we go to Mijas. It’s up in the hills and really is gorgeous
We get a map from the tourist information and follow it to see all the places of interest.
The bullringThe shrine of the Virgin De La Pena
I insist on going into the museum of tiny things (leaving himself to have a coffee).. it’s the oddest place. You view tiny pieces of art and “stuff” through lenses…. Mental!
This painting is on the top of a pin!This is the extent of the displaysNot sure I remember what this is but it’s tiny!
The views and white washed buildings along the narrow streets are very picturesque. There must be rules about the plant pots.
We stop for a wee tapa in a very old school locals bar….
Then after a little more exploring we decide it’s gonna be paella for lunch.we haven’t had it yet and it doesn’t disappoint.
More pool fun back at the villa…..
Tonight we take the folks to one of the fish restaurants on the front to have fish cooked in the coals.
As we’re sitting there some of the rest of the gang arrive and can’t get a table as it’s jammers everywhere so they go next-door.
They haven’t even noticed us!
Settled in and milling the grub!
Apparently today is a big holiday here – the feast of San Juan – it’s like St. Patrick’s day. Mad busy with music and parties on the beach plus fireworks.
On our last day there are trips to Malaga and souvenir shopping to be done. There are tattoos and hair braids to be sorted so everyone is busy.
Shane and I take the bus with destination Stupa and head to Benalmádena pueblo (old town). It’s gorgeous… I definitely haven’t been here before. It’s much further away than just at the top of the hill. The views are fab out across the coastline.
The little streets are so picturesque, not unlike Mijas yesterday and the views out toward Fuengirola are stunning
It’s roasting so we sit in the shade outside a really cute cafe for our final lunch.
We’ve left it til the last minute but we want to get a family photo before the sun goes down… it’s hard to get everyone in the one place at the same time so unfortunately we are missing Con, Maja and Anya…. But here’s the rest of us!
What a great bunch and a brilliant holiday ….. Adios Espagna!!
We are off to Spain….. a few days in Malaga before heading further along the Costa Del Sol to meet up with the family. For now we’ll take a few days in the city. The flight is an easy couple of hours from Dublin starting with the obligatory afternoon beverage in the lounge (that’s the last of the free passes on Aer Lingus for now!!)
We arrive at 9pm so have ordered a pick up through the Airbnb host but it’s still bright and the temperature is just nice. Our apartment is smack bang in the middle of Malaga by the main fancy shopping street… you know this one:
As you’d expect at 10pm in Spain, the place is buzzing so once the host Carmen has given us a bit of info we head outside for a little something…
Our first tapas of the holidays… patatas bravas, chorizo and manchengo cheese
The Airbnb host gave us some recommendations and also told us that it’s tuna season which is a bit of a thing here… we see there’s a tapa with tuna so try it plus there’s aubergine with honey which I’ve had before and is gorgeous so we try both of those… washed down of course with a glass of the local wine… delish!
Thin slices of aubergine drizzled with oil and honey… gorgeous!
This style of tuna is called Atun en manteca which means tuna in fat… it’s essentially tuna preserved in lard on toast!!!
It’s so nice to sit outside in the warm weather… a great start to the trip.
We have two days of work to get through before we are in holiday mode so it’s up early and laptops on. We nip outside to our local cafe for a breakfast bocadillo…
At lunch we walk to the market which is really impressive to see… so much fish and especially the ham. On the way back we pick up some takeaway empanadas.
Finally I finish calls at 7pm and we can go out… we take a walk along the beachfront.
We’ve decided we’re going to have fish for dinner and Casa Vicente, in an alley between two main streets looks really authentic with old school waiters. Looks perfect for us…
The mixed fish and huge plate of salad is perfect for sharing and really tasty. The rosé is very nice too.
A bit bold for a school night but we’re tempted into another little bar for a nightcap. There are loads of vermouth bars around and this one is particularly nice. Shane has the manzanilla and I have a glass of red.
The nighttime view of our local church is impressive as we walk home.
Friday morning I get out for a run before the work day starts. Yesterday while I was on calls Shane climbed up to Castillo de Gibralfaro and got way ahead of me for the days step count. I’ll be making up for that this morning!
The paths seem never ending, I keep thiking I’m at the top and there’s another loop to goThe views are worth the climb
Delighted to have made it to the top…it was tough going
A well deserved breakfast of chocolate and churros this morning post run. So many people order this for breakfast!
It’s a hot day… about 28c. So at lunchtime we put our hats on and go out for a bit of a break.
At the square (there’s a fountain but you can’t see it) at the top of the street where we live
More tapas for lunch…. croquettes, salad, pork skewer…. All really tasty.
A sneaky sangria at lunchtime…
A tasty vermouth to help lunch go down!
Back to the grindstone but we’re on the home stretch now. Shane is pretty much done as he’s been working since 6am and I have a few hours to do and then it’s out-of-office on, laptop shut and holiday time.
I listened to a travel podcast about Malaga and they mentioned visiting Soho describing it as an edgy creative quarter along the riverside
There’s lots of graffiti and street art…
We find this really cool pub where you can sit in the open window. Love it, it’s really small and serves sangria and all sorts of homemade tapas.
We pass another old looking bar called Hasta los Andares and stop in for one plus a small tapa of Iberico ham. It really is tasty. Four men arrive in and there’s a bit of shuffling of chairs to accommodate them, one is speaking Spanish but I’m sure when he switches to English he has an Irish accent. He does and we have a brief chat with him – he’s from Sutton, lives in Bologna and visiting Malaga with his brother, nephew and German cousin! We try a red wine from Ronda which is really good.
We head toward El Pimpi which is a famous old bar that overlooks the Roman theatre.
Around the corner there’s craft beer bar so we stop in there for one more. The waitress says they have a sidre (ie cider) so I’m delighted thinking it’s something local… alas she brings me a Magners (aka Bulmers) which is clearly labelled Irish Cider!!! Hilarious!
Time for dinner and this is the best meal so far… black rice with squid. I absolutely love it, and it’s all the better that it’s a huge pan for sharing and paired with a crisp cold Verdejo.
Black rice with squid ink at Taberna El Mentidero
It’s Saturday morning and today we are heading to Gibraltar for the day. We make our way to the bus stop (which we sussed out last night) for the 8:30am bus to La Linea, from where we will walk across the border. It’s just over two hours on the bus as we have a few stops along the way, including Marbella and Estepona… the bus will go on to Algeciras but we can see the rock from here so our stop is next…
View from the bus across to the Rock of Gibraltar
This is a really unusual border crossing as to pass on foot you must walk across the airport. We pass through the first border control to exit Spain and about 50 metres further another checkpoint to enter Gibraltar. The man is green and we are ready to go.
This is very cool crossing the runway….
Just when we reach the other side there’s an alarm and they are closing the cross way for a plane to take off. We stop and watch… it drives down the runway that we just walked over then turns and takes off in front of us! Very cool.
We walk along Main Street where there are lots of shops especially booze shops as it’s a tax free jurisdiction and we see a soldiers parade.
We stop at Trafalgar cemetery
Then it’s onwards to the cable car. [it’s expensive at £18 to take the cable car and then you have to pay to enter the Gibraltar Nature Reserve so we buy the combined ticket which will cover us for everything and it’s £37.50 each) It’s a long way up so we’ll cable car to the top and walk back down. The views from the top are fab:
And of course we are greeted up there by the famous monkeys…. One of which is a very good friend of my sister Ange 🤣
They appear to have mastered the art of posing
We continue to the sky walk which is new since I was here last. Again some great views but the actual glass walk way is quite small (it certainly ain’t no Grand Canyon skywalk!)
From here we head to St Michael’s cave and see some impressive stalagmites and stalactites. One of the bigger areas looks like an angel and it’s lit up with bright lights – very impressive.
From here we are going to another attraction in the reserve which is the Windsor Suspension Bridge.
In the distance you can see Tangiers so I give Morocco a wave “see you in September!”
We continue down the rock and have some lunch at The Angry Friar. English grub – I go for a Cornish pasty and chips and have a dry blackthorn cider (it’s donkeys years since I had one of these!). Time to climb up again as we head for the Moorish castle. It’s a long way up… I’m not entirely sure it was worth it but again great views.
Clocking up lots more steps as we go back down and make a break for the border. It’s a quiet walk back across the airport and through the checkpoint.
On the other side we walk to the beach and sit on the wall enjoying the sunshine and resting our feet. We look back at Gibraltar and then go to the bus station for the bus back to Malaga.
La Linea de la Concepcion
We have our final tapas in Malaga as we’re leaving for Benalmadena in the morning. Shane had a peek in here the other day and the waiter seems to remember him.
We have mushroom, albondigas, broadbeans and chichirron… yummy!
We’re heading off for the June bank holiday weekend to Berlin. Neither of us have been before so we’re looking forward to exploring from what I’ve heard is a very interesting city. After a busy week of work we head to the airport and manage to get a pass for the lounge….here’s to the long weekend ahead…
The flight is just under two hours and we arrive quite late but we do manage to get our first curry wurst and a Berliner beer!
We’re staying in Hotel Pestana which is by Tiergarten, one of the many parks in Berlin. We take the train from the airport to the zoo and walk about 15 minutes to our destination.
On Saturday morning we are up for parkrun in Hasenheide park. It’s my first where the briefing is in a foreign language but they do a special English briefing as there are lots of visitors.
Berlin’s colorful life-size Buddy Bears have been on tour around the world as Germany’s ambassadors of goodwill since 2002. We see lots of them positioned throughout the city.
We head back to the hotel for a quick shower and we are off again to explore the town…. Starting in Mitte with Alexanderplatz
I love the green man at the pedestrian crossing … turns out he’s very popular and you can buy all sorts of merchandise with him on it!
A statue of Martin Luther with St Marienkirche and the Berlin TV tower
Next we head over the bridge to Museum island. Berlin’s Museum Island is a grand work of art in and of itself: five museum buildings from the time of the Prussian rulers, together with the modern James Simon Gallery, form an exciting ensemble that was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999.. We also see the Berlin cathedral as we pass over the bridge.
And it’s lunchtime… for our first lunch in Berlin I go for a schnitzel because it’s very much a local staple and also I can’t understand anything else on the menu. We sit outside this old restaurant apparently established since 1270. Shane has a cold fish dish and overall it’s a really good meal.
A little research for the best lunch option Fur GerichtslaubePork schnitzel with potato salad
Back on museum island there are so many museums, it would be impossible to visit them all and it’s even hard to pick one.
I’ve always loved seeing antiquities especially the Egyptian stuff so when I see a poster for the Neus museum and realise this is where Nefertiti is I get very excited and we have to go in. I’ve wanted to see this statue ever since I visited Egypt in 2009 but I thought it was in Frankfurt… so excited to get the opportunity to see her and pay €14 for the privilege.
It’s a bit silly… you’re not actually allowed to take photos in the room that the statue is in but you can take them from back here and zoom in!!!
Back outside in the sunshine we continue our way along the many museums. We notice people gathered at a building so take a look and realise this is the Neue Wache (new guardhouse) where in 1969 the remains of an unknown soldier and an unknown concentration camp prisoner were laid to rest. With a sculpture of “mother with her dead son” in the middle of an otherwise empty room, this has now become the Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Victims of War and Tyranny
We head to the Brandenburg gate. The light isn’t the best but we get a quick selfie and plan to come back tomorrow.
Our next stop is the holocaust memorial or to be more accurate The Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe. There are separate memorials for other minorities who were killed by the nazis including homosexuals, and gypsies. The memorial was built in 1999 and covers 19,000 square metres, on which the designer Eisenman placed 2,711 concrete stelae of different heights. The area is open day and night and accessible from all four sides. The memorial is on a slight slope and its wave-like form is different wherever you stand. It also has an uneven concrete floor. There are children running around playing, which is unavoidable in a structure like this but it certainly provides an opportunity for reflection.
It’s quite sobering as you’d imagine so I need a bit of cheer…. Time to try those crazy Berliner drinks…
Beer with syrup… seems very peculiar but it’s a real Berlin thing and very common. Easy enough to drink but very sweet, I wouldn’t be needing another!
We go to Zollpackhof beer garden and I have rosé served in a glass mug. It’s lovely! The sun in shining (although we are happy in the shade) and the place is fairly busy.
The food being ordered around us looks so good and I really am enjoying the rosé so we decide to have dinner here. We get pork knuckle and a smoked pork loin served with sauerkraut and chips (the later at my request of course!). The food is really good.
To get closer to home we take an S train which brings us to the main train station where we can get on the underground. As we pass through Washingtonplatz there’s a stage with a DJ cranking out a few tunes. This is no doubt the closest we will get to some techno music and a dance while we’re here!
We walk through Tiergarten, by the zoo and see some antelope or caribou or some type of large deer!
On to another beer garden… well it’s only 8pm! This is essentially our local and it’s called Cafe am Neuen See. I go for a large radler. We are a bit knackered and by the time we walk home have hit 30,000 steps.
On Sunday morning we set off and walk through Tiergarten which is a beautiful park in the city and it’s right on our doorstep.
The Victory Column with Victoria, the Goddess of Victory in the centre of the Tiergarten
As we walk along the road that runs through Tiergarten a large portion of it is closed to traffic and there’s some sort of festival going on – it’s called the Umwelt festival and there are stalls which seem to be advertising organic food.
We get a cup of tea and a coffee from a stand and it’s served in delph mugs which we’ll need to pay an extra €3 each as a deposit!! Hilarious!! We opt to drink our tea at the stand so he can have his mugs back safely. A few stands down we try a cinnamon pastry… a cinnamon swirl although it’s called something German obviously but I can’t remember!
Onward to the Brandenberg Tor (Tor means gate). The light is much better for a photo although the herds have gathered. The hotel to the left (not in this photo mind you) is where Michael Jackson dangled his baby from the window!
There’s plenty of art and historic story boards and photos in the underground stations. I quite like this as we descend the escalator.
We are heading to the Berlin Wall and to where apparently is the best kebab or kebap!! If we hadn’t had that pastry to share this would count as a breakfast kebab but in fairness it’s lunch! Locals don’t ask for a kebab they just ask for a doner – it may be the best I’ve ever had…
The first döner kebab in a sandwich form is said to have appeared in Istanbul in the mid-1960s, but it was in Germany in the 1970s that it was developed into the distinctive Döner that we know and love today – a thinly-sliced meat sandwich topped with salad, vegetables and sauces
We take the train to Ostbahnhof where the wall is painted with elaborate graffiti. It is the longest preserved section of the Wall at 1.3 kilometres long and it stands along the River Spree. It is called the East Side Gallery because the eastern side of the Wall was painted here by 118 artists from 21 countries. From February to September 1990 they were allowed to let their imagination run wild.We walk all the way and check out all the murals.
There are lots of people at the famous mural of “the kiss”
There’s a really nice looking bridge – Oberbaumbrucke and we can see molecule man from a distance up the river.
Onwards to get closer for a better view ….
Molecule Man is a series of aluminium sculptures, designed by American artist Jonathan Borofsky, installed at various locations around the world.
From here we are heading to a brew bar that Shane wants to check out and surprise surprise it has a beer garden… it’s such a nice way to enjoy a Sunday evening. BRLO Brouhouse has cider (none of the beer gardens have so far) so I’m delighted and it’s really nice.
I’ve been looking at the list of the top 10 beer gardens in Berlin and we’ve only hit two of them so far… some are too far or too awkward to get to but one is near our “local” so on the way home we decide to stop there for one… it’s in Tiergarten again called Schleusenkrug. I think it’s time I got a round in…
People around us are ordering food and it looks really good. It also has a couple of things we have wanted to try… the flammkuchen (kinda German pizza!) and German meatballs. We are certainly not disappointed as the food is delicious.
It’s time to leave and we decide to stop for one in our local!! It is jam packed… we watch people arrive on small boats and have one more beer. I have a “radler” which I find out is actually a shandy.
It’s bank holiday Monday and our flight home tonight isn’t until 9:45pm so we leave our bags at the hotel and head out for a last day of exploring. We stop at a cafe for a cup of tea and a pastry – pastries are so good over here and they are everywhere!
We pass The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, which is the symbolic center of West Berlin and one of the city’s most popular sights. The original West Tower was partially destroyed during a bombing by the Allied Forces in 1943. It is a striking ruin and it’s free to go in.
We continue on and get the bus to Charlottenburg to see Schloss Charlottenburg but the palace is closed today so we walk around the grounds for a goo! The gardens are from the 17th century and are very pretty.
Back on the bus we head further along the same route (Bus M45) to Spandau. “So true funny how it seems” 🎶… Spandau actually means a German machine gun!
First things first, I still haven’t had a pfannkuchen (a German donut). Now is the time!
We visit the “old” town, not really sure how old it is but it’s very nice. A much smaller town outside the big smoke! We visit St Nickolas church. It’s a Protestant church so generally no sign of Mary but in the corner there’s a statue called the Spandau Madonna… I can’t read the history of this statue as it’s in German so I’m not sure how she got into this church!
There’s a brauhouse that looks like the perfect spot for lunch. The pollen is crazy high and I’m sneezing badly, there are visible pieces of flowers floating around… especially in the garden at the brauhouse… allergy city!
Our final meal… guess what, it’s sausage!!
We continue to Spandau Citadel, a 16th-century fortress that hosts open-air concerts, is home to a history museum, and has a bat colony in its cellar. We also climb to the top of the tower for some good views.
We visit a UNESCO world heritage sight which is essentially an apartment block!! [Berlin Modernism Housing Estates consists of six housing estates that testify to innovative housing policies from 1910 to 1933, especially during the Weimar Republic, when the city of Berlin was particularly progressive socially, politically and culturally. The property is an outstanding example of the building reform movement that contributed to improving housing and living conditions for people with low incomes through novel approaches to town planning, architecture and garden design. The estates also provide exceptional examples of new urban and architectural typologies, featuring fresh design solutions, as well as technical and aesthetic innovations]
I could pretend that Shane dragged me here but honestly I was interested to see it, that said, it’s not the most exciting so I wouldn’t be suggesting going out of your way if you’re in Berlin to see it!
It’s thirsty work walking around Berlin in the sunshine so we stop for a cola… I’ve seen the Fritz Cola advertised quite a bit and reckon it has to be tasted.. it’s very good.
Back on the U-bahn, we head to Checkpoint Charlie – we passed here the first day but I missed it and I don’t want to leave Berlin without saying I was there.
Checkpoint Charlie tick!
I read about a book burning memorial at Bebelplatz. It’s easy to miss as it’s under the ground, viewed through glass in the ground. It’s hard to see as the sun is shining but it’s essentially a library with empty shelves that would fit 27,000 books – the amount of books that were burned in 1939 in this very square.
It does attract lots of students though…
I mentioned on day 1 that there are a lot of museums in Berlin. There are museums for absolutely everything.. I particularly like the look of this one and if I had more time I’d love to visit them all!
However our time has come to an end and we get the train to the airport for the homeward bound journey. Auf Wiedersehen Berlin!
I’ve been to Derry before, stayed in Carnlough and did the Giants Causeway but I’ve never been to the city and walked the walls… that changes this weekend…..
We arrive Friday evening and it is sunny and warm… woohoo!!! We’re staying in an Airbnb apartment on the Foyle River and we start by a walk along the river. I love the fact that Derry now has a peace bridge that connects what was (and possibly still is) a Catholic side with a Protestant side.
Hello Peace Bridge!
We walk across the bridge to The Walled City brewery and have an amazing meal. It’s quite fancy and not what you might expect at a brewery. I order a really nice glass of white wine so then I order another!!
An oyster stout for Shanespicy calamarisea bass with a beautiful sauce
The sky looks nice as we look back over the bridge and head home… no cardigans needed tonight, it’s roasting!!
Back on our side, we walk through the city instead of along the river and get our first view of the walls.
Beside the walls we walk up Waterloo street with a slew of busy bars one after the other… we might check these out tomorrow night, although they do appear a bit trendy and loud for us!!
There’s a massive fortress of a police station on Strand road that I think might have been featured in something I’ve seen on tv recently… I’ll have to do a bit of digging.
On Saturday morning we’re up early and ready for… you guessed it… parkrun! The starting point is literally outside our apartment block – we couldn’t have picked a closer location.
The parkrun route goes over the peace bridge through part of the forest on the other side and back.
We definitely have to factor in an Ulster fry while we’re up here so after a shower we go to the Pickled Duck cafe on Ship Quay which is said to have a great fry-up.
I could do without the beans or the tomato relish but it is delish! Clonakilty pudding!! It’s the potato farl that makes it!
Post brekkie we head to the Guildhall. It’s a beautiful building inside and out.
There are some really nice stained glass windows…
And some dress up clothes…
If only this gear was in fashion, I’d be well into it.
In the main hall they are getting ready for an event….
Now it’s time to start the walls. We start at Magazine Gate where we were last night. The walls are really wide, not like ramparts I’ve walked in Europe.
Not far along the way we see the Derry Girls mural. It’s fab. If anyone reading this has not watched Derry Girls, you must watch it… it is fantastic.
As we continue on there is a mixture of loyalist and republican vibes
The Derry Walls were built between 1613 and 1618. They include eight bastions and two platforms. The bastions project out from the Walls where the Walls change direction, which allowed soldiers to watch the long stretches of wall on either side. There are cannons positioned where they would have aimed and fired during the siege of Derry.
The walls consist of a 1.8-mile loop trail and there’s plenty to see along the way.
One of Derry’s most prominent buildings, St Columb’s Cathedral sits within Derry’s city walls and was built between 1628 and 1633. St Columb’s Cathedral is Derry’s oldest building and was the first Protestant cathedral built in Britain or Ireland following the reformation.
There’s another lovely old church with a picturesque graveyard (you know I love a graveyard!) further along also inside the walls. At Augustines is a neo-Gothic church from 1872. Built of whinstone with sandstone dressings, It is a very ancient church and is the site of St. Columba’s/Colmcille monastery, founded 546AD. That’s the same Columba aka Colmkille who founded Swords!
As we continue on, we look down to the road and can see the Free Derry sign. The sign, along with a memorial garden is in the middle of a fairly busy road and we are the only people there. A bloke crossing the road asks if he can take our photo so I hand him my phone and he walks a fair bit back to take our picture… in that moment I think he’s bound to run off with my phone but of course he doesn’t… he smiles and hands us back the camera having taken about 6 photos and wishes us a good day!
There are a lot of murals on the surrounding houses.
The Memorial garden is clearly from a republican standpoint. It’s quite sad reading about the hunger strikers and other people who were killed that I remember hearing on the news back in the 80’s. I have a lasting memory of the news on RTE, followed by the Northern Irish News (I wonder when that stopped (maybe my Ma or Da know)
There’s a small part of the walls to finish but it’s getting late into the afternoon and we have a causeway to see so we head back toward the apartment.
There are plenty of Dohertys in this neck of the wood..
We get the car and set out for the causeway coast. First stop is the Musenden temple. We drive onto the beach (I was here just over a year ago worth the Texas Girls) and did a much better job then of parking!! Today having just read the sign that says “be careful of soft sand” I manage to drive straight into a soft patch that I can’t move the car out of… oh God, I’m mortified… Shane has to get out and push the car, with the help of a couple of young lads on the beach! I get onto some hard sand but I’m stressed now so I send Shane out to check out the beach and the view of the tower.
He even has a paddle!
I’m happy to keep driving… I won’t ever make that mistake again! We continue on to Dunluce castle. I’ve visited this caste twice and I love it but I’ve only viewed it from up top, I’ve never actually gone in. I swore next time I was here I would go in. It’s nearly 4pm so we just about have enough time [by the way how ridiculous is it that somewhere like this closes at 5pm when there’s nearly five more hours of light!!]
I’m so pleased to see the castle from inside. It’s much bigger than you’d realise.
From here we drive through the small town of Bushmills and toward the Giants Causeway. It’s after 5pm when we get there and the visitor centre is closed but once we pay for parking we can visit the causeway at our leisure. We walk along the top which is a new view for me and descend down just past the popular spot where all the cool rocks are.
It’s a nice time of the evening to view the causeway
The step count is fairly high again and we’re a bit knackered so we jump in the car for the hour journey back into Derry city.
We head out for an easy dinner at Pykes and Pommes – good tacos and burgers here. We intend to hit a few pubs. We’ve had a few recommended so we start with Blackbird which has a good range of beer but it’s packed and very loud so we stand outside but it’s raining a bit and there’s no seat under the cover…. NEXT!! We look into the bars on Waterloo street – Peadar O’Donnells is very popular but it’s jammers so that’s a NO!
Finally a pub that works.. in fairness we walked past this a couple of times and I knew this would be the spot for us… looks like it’s in bits from outside and it certainly isn’t fancy inside but it’s comfy and welcoming and we can hear ourselves chat!
We have a few here including the owners on brew called Dopey Dick and are happy out!
On Sunday morning we finish the walls and have a breakfast butty sitting outside a really nice cafe called 9 grounds. We decide we’ll visit the museum before we head back to Dublin. The museum is in the Tower by Magazine gate.
The museum tells the history of Derry chronologically and I read so much history it’s hard to take in and almost impossible to remember it all… there’s the siege of Derry, home rule, the troubles… it’s all in there.
I found out something interesting that I hadn’t realised. When we think of Home Rule (and by we I mean anyone who went to school in Ireland and learned Irish history) we think of Charles Stewart Parnell but the Home Rule organisation was created by Isaac Butt and he was a Protestant.
It’s just over a 3 hour drive to Dublin so we get on the road just after 1pm so it’s not too late when we get home (there’s some packing to do for the next adventure!). We’ve really enjoyed our trip to Derry.
Santorini is somewhere that’s been on my wish list for a long time. I’m very excited to see it even if it’s only for a short time. I’m heading off with Nina for a fun long weekend and then I’ll work from Monday to Wednesday before returning home. We are up at the crack of dawn for a 6:15am flight. It’s hard to believe that the airport is so busy but we get through without any issues. The flight is direct (which makes it a much easier destination than it has been in the past when you needed to fly through Athens) and after a four hour, ten minute flight time, we have made it to this beautiful island.
This little church appears to be on the runway. Apparently they extended the airport a while back and this is now right on the perimeter.
We are met at the airport by Panos who will take us to our Airbnb which is in Akrotiri by Red Beach. Traffic isn’t the best on the island and it takes just over half an hour to get there but sure we’re in no hurry. Panos gives us a bit of info about the island and we ask about transport… he tells us taxis are expensive but you can’t rely on the bus… sure we’ll see how we go!
The villa is fab….I think we’re going to be very happy here. We get the run of the place (most importantly how to work the jacuzzi) and then head out to explore our local neighbourhood.
Santorini is one of the Cycladic islands, along with its neighbours Crete, Naxos and Mykonos (to name a few). It’s capital is Fira (aka Thira) which is where the airport is and it’s most popular and developed town is Oia in the north (that’s the famous one where most of the iconic photos of Santorini are taken). We are staying in Akrotiri which is a quiet village, of great interest as it’s home to archeological ruins that are more that 4,000 years old. It is situated on the south west edge of Santorini, about 15 kilometers away from Fira and it offers exquisite views of the island.
Looking west from our villa
We check out our immediate surroundings and the stretch of coastline to Red Beach
It’s a stunning and unique looking beach. To get to the actual beach we’ll need to walk a path along the edge… it’s really windy so not today!
It’s quite a bit past lunchtime so we head to a local taverna – Peirasmos Grill and try our first pita. The bread itself and all the ingredients are so fresh it is amazing and at a price of €4!! We’re expecting Santorini to be expensive (and we will come across some of that) but this first meal of two pittas (a decent size), a large water and a carafe of wine comes to a total of €14. Happy out!
Super fresh food cooked on the grill, this place was busy nearly all day long.
I do love me some gyros.
There’s a mini market across the street so we purchase the bare essentials – some bread and eggs for breakfast, milk for the tea, a packet of biscuits and a bottle of wine! Back at the villa we decide to check out the jacuzzi with a little tipple and plan our weekend to explore the island.
Yamas!!
Next morning we are up early and ready to walk the island. We walk into the village and eventually the bus to Fira comes (it’s a bit late maybe because of some roadworks) but we’ve given ourselves lots of time and are delighted to be heading into the capital to start our walk to Oia.
There are tiny alters or mini churches like this dotted along the roads.
And churches in the middle of nowhere
At one point on the bus I joke about meeting anyone called Costas and low and behold a very “Costas” looking man appears on the bus. There’s a loud announcement: “ticket control”… lucky we held onto our tiny paper ticket.
Nina has done some research on the 12km hike that starts from the Atlantis hotel and essentially hugs the coastline until we reach the northern end of the island at Oia. The views are impressive from the very outset…
Looking toward where we’re going to walk….Looking back on Thira that we’ve just walked through
We stop at this very cute pastry shop and get a tea, coffee, a spinach and feta spanakopita and some sort of semolina, custard sweet deliciousness… here’s our first taste of those high prices – it costs €23!
We continue walking and enjoy the beautiful white buildings and the views out to the Aegean Sea. [they must go through a massive amount of white paint in this town – everything is so clean and freshly painted] This walk is going to take a long time as we keep stopping to take it all in.
The online guide to the hike that we’re following (well I say we but Nina is the official guide and navigator!) mentions a worthy add-on out to Skarros rock. It’s a slight detour which is supposed to add about an hour to our hike. Looking out at this rock, we agree it’s a must do.
The pathway to Skarros…. Definitely worth the extra steps
We pass beyond the sign that clearly warns us not to but it looks fairly safe and we’re very careful!!
The views from out here are amazing.
Moving along, we get a few kilometres under our belt with a slightly different terrain.
We make it to Oia and are delighted to be here off season. I can only imagine how busy it gets in the height of summer. There’s a nice atmosphere but it’s not packed.
The pathway on arrival to Oia…. It does not disappoint
We are ready for food and decide to eat at a restaurant that was recommended by Irish Instagramer Eadoin Fitzmaurice. She gives great recommendations for Dublin so we thought we’d give it a go. It’s called Melitini, a tapas style restaurant serving Greek meze.
We order the tomato “balls”, saganaki (baked cheese), fried potatoes (which I swear we didn’t realise would be chips!) and the obligatory Greek salad. Washed down with a quarter carafe of rose for me, and white for Nina.
Once we’re fed and have had a bit of downtime we’re off again to walk to the tip of the island and see those famous views.
What an amazing day we’ve had. We continue to walk (we’re at 27,000 steps) and find the bus station….. there is a bus ready to leave for Firra so we jump on. We’re tired and ready to get the runners off. When we get to Firra there’s 15 minutes before the next bus leaves for home so we find a supermarket and grab some wine and goodies… the supermarket is clearly laid out for tourists as the front of the shop has all the booze, crisps and chocolate!! There’s a big queue so we end up with only a minute to spare and leggit back to the bus which is closing its doors as we arrive… I bang the door and shout Akrotiri (in my best Greek accent!) and he lets us on… phew!!! We are expecting to get dropped in the village but low and behold the bus actually goes all the way to Red Beach – we are delighted. It stops practically outside our villa. When we discussed the hike originally we thought we might have to take a taxi all the way back from Oia and were told by Panos it would cost approx €50! Well done us!
Within minutes of arriving home, the shoes are off, the wine is poured and we are in the jacuzzi. This is the life 😁
Next morning we have a leisurely start to the day and enjoy the sunshine reading our books over breakfast on the terrace. It’s Sunday so we’re a bit nervous as the bus timetable is a bit sketchy. We can’t believe how lucky we are when we walk outside and there’s a bus to Fira on our doorstep. We are heading back into town to take a boat trip.
We head down to the old port on the Cable car which is a bit bumpy but great fun with great views.
The water is stunning down here.. it’s so crystal clear.
We’re a bit early for the boat and it’s lunchtime so we have a snack and a beer while we wait for our trip. I get to try the “fava” which is a creamy mashed fava bean dip with red onion, served with doorstep fresh bread… it’s delicious!
We set off on the boat and stop at the hot springs. Nina gets into the cold water from the boat and swims to the hot muddy area… I stay on board and watch her and take a few photos!
Next we dock at the volcano alongside a few other boats. It’s a popular 3-hour trip (costs €25 for anyone who might be going)
We set off with a guide from the boat and climb to the top. It’s steep but not too high and fairly handy. There are a lot of loose stones as you’d imagine.
Looking into the volcano
The views from here are amazing. We have a 360 view back to where we “live” (Red beach), straight across at Fira, the whole stretch of where we walked yesterday over to Oia – you can basically see the whole of Santorini island.
Heading back to the port we see the path back up to town….. no cable car for us we will walk the five hundred and ninety odd steps.
This pathway is famous for taking a donkey ride but seriously those poor donkeys, it’s so cruel. We take on the steps by foot and pass the donkeys and their poo (there’s a lot of it!). The sun is shining and the wind seems to have miraculously abated so we are roasting (and the poo is stinking!) but of course we make it and are delighted with ourselves
Poor donkeys…
This evening we are heading to a restaurant that’s been recommended in Fira by a friend of Nina’s. It’s called Ouzeri. It’s really cute and we have a view out to the sea. The food is amazing.
We start with mixed peppers and a horta salad (cooked wild greens). Both are really good.
For our mains we order mousaka which is served in these individual bowls and it’s definitely the best I’ve ever had… mine has mince, Nina’s is vegetarian- both are crispy on the top and creamy in the middle….just so good. I think the waiter is afraid we are going to tuck straight in and burn our mouths as he comes over and spoons some onto our plates (in fairness he thought ride!!). Nina has her first baklava which she’s now a fan of and of course we enjoy it all with the local white wine.
Time for the bus home and you’ll never guess what we’re doing tonight… yep hitting the jacuzzi
Early Monday morning before work we do a quick tour of the archeological site of Akrotiri – it is literally across the road from our villa. We do a bit of ear-wigging as there are a few bus loads of tourists with guides and it’s enough to get the gist of what we’re looking at.
Akrotiri was a Bronze Age settlement which was destroyed by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC. The city was buried in ash which preserved a lot of objects and frescoes (much like Pompei in Italy) but no human bones were ever found. The site was first excavated in 1967 and is believed to have been a very affluent town with evidence of trade and wealth.
Then it’s work for me and a day of leisure for Nina… in fairness this is not a bad view to look out at but I am inside on calls most of the day [ohh I can hear the “poor you” sighs!!]
We do get a chance to pop out for lunch so it’s back to our local for a gyros…. Yummy!
On Monday evening we are off to catch the bus again…. We are practically locals. Two minutes after walking outside of the villa and a bus arrives… we can’t believe how lucky we are and how well the bus runs. €3.60 at the ready 😁
There’s always lots of action at the local bus stop….we love the local bus!
It’s our local bus conductor who we know!
Tonight we are having a wander around the shops in Fira before we have some cocktails to watch the sunset. We arrive at VLounge where Nina has managed to get us a reservation and we are escorted behind a VIP rail to our seats…. LOVING IT!!!!
VIPs at VLounge
The cocktails are fab (expensive at €18 a pop but delicious)
The views are amazing whichever way you look, left, right and down!
Not the most magnificent of sunsets but it was a beautiful evening
After a lovely surprise of some complimentary cocktails courtesy of Nina’s friend, we head for dinner. We go to a restaurant called Parea which is a really cute taverna with a great selection of Greek dishes and really friendly staff.
We start with the zucchini balls (aka fritters) served with tzatziki and they are delicious
I haven’t had any fish yet so I’m excited to get a swordfish souvlaki
We have a bit of craic with the waiters at Parea, initially mixing them up and thinking they’re the same person!
We have to get a taxi home tonight as the last bus left at 8pm so we take advantage and enjoy the nighttime views.
Next day, after an early morning jacuzzi (we were too late last night to jump in) and a breakfast of banana on toast, Nina, looking a million dollars heads off into town and leaves me here to do a days work… sob sob. I’m mostly on calls so I can’t even sit outside in the air! Ah well, it’s worth it just being here.
Later back at the villa….This is the kind of thing that goes on when only one of you is on your holidays and one of you is working!!! 😁
But it’s only a few hours until I finish work and this evening we walk to our local village of Akrotiri. It’s only about ten minutes away but along a windy road with no footpath. We climb up to the Venetian castle
The view from Akrotiri’s highest point – the Venetian Castle
There’s a cafe at the top (Punta Castelli) where a family live. We chat to Nicolita who tells us she has five kids and is slowly renovating the castle. The views are fab so we sit and have a beer and order the tomato balls (which in case you haven’t noticed are never actually served as balls!!)
Nicolita tells us where the lighthouse is (we hadn’t figured that out) and also points out the high mountain which is Mount Elias and has a monastery at the top. There’s no bus that goes up there but she offered to take us on a Sunday if we come back.
We head back down to the little village and choose a small but very busy restaurant called Zafora. It’s a bit windy (again!) and was a bit chilly in the outdoor cafe at the castle so we’re happy to sit toward the back, near the kitchen, where it’s nice and cosy.
Tonight I order lamb or as the menu says lamp! The local red wine, I’m happy to report, is decent. The potatoes are also gorgeous and I’m thinking about how I need to cook more with oregano as it seems to be the flavour of Greece.
There’s one waiter taking the orders and serving up the food and he’s run off his feet with no help. He does a great job though and the atmosphere is lovely. There are two American ladies sitting beside us (they’re twin sisters) and turns out one of their sons married a girl from Skerries! They’re dying to chat when they hear we are from Swords!After things quiet down the chef who appears to be the mama comes out from the kitchen for a little rest and chats to us (as best she can)… she’s delighted we enjoyed the food so much and that we were impressed with the waiter… she’s been run off her feet and is shattered!
Not so full as we’re leaving…
Straight to the jacuzzi once back at the villa and one more glass to round off the night. About 20 minutes in, while we’re enjoying the bubbles there’s a power cut. Nina jumps up like a bat out of hell, not quite sure why, but she has a ninja response to the blackout and jumps to action (I’m still not sure what the action is but I’m not moving til the lights come back on). She goes inside and establishes that all power is gone but there is an emergency light that’s giving us some light in the villa. I can see from the jacuzzi (I haven’t moved!) that the whole area is in darkness bar some candles or solar lights from a neighbouring establishment. I convince her to get back in until it comes back (or we get cold cause there’s no power to keep the water hot) so she gets her phone and puts on her torch and we happily wait it out. All power returns within about half an hour and we go one more round of bubbles before calling it a night. Back on dry land (ie in the villa getting ready for bed), Nina notices a lump on her leg, we think maybe she’s been bitten but soon realise she must have banged herself when doing her ninja move out of the jacuzzi.. poor thing has a sore leg and a massive bruise!
It’s our last day in Santorini and it’s a busy one work wise for me plus the weather isn’t great so no last minute photos just a final meal in our local taverna (this is the closest to the villa), called Glaros. We have a meal for two which consists of tomato “balls” (again they are flat pancake shaped), fava (the delicious creamy bean dip), stuffed peppers and mousaka, all washed down with a final carafe of the local white wine. We have had an amazing time at this villa and seeing the sites of Santorini. It’s somewhere I would absolutely recommend (but don’t go peak season) and I really hope to come back some day.
It’s time to tick off a new country – Laos! It’s a small country, north of Thailand and west of Vietnam that I didn’t get to visit when I was in Southeast Asia in 2017 with Suzanne. Oh yeah and it’s landlocked. On Saturday morning we fly from Singapore direct to the capital city of Vientiane on a small airline called Scoot. It’s less than three hours away and we arrive to 33 degrees… it’s HOT!
We’re staying at a very “local” style hotel called Chanthapanya and have a huge room with a large bathroom and an amazing multi headed shower!!
We’re hungry for lunch and the guidebook mentions a nearby place that’s good for pho (soup with noodles for my mammy who won’t know!) so we head straight there …
“Pho Zap” looks basic…
But the pho is great and about €3
We set off to explore Vientiane… it’s Saturday afternoon in the capital but it’s very quiet with very little traffic. We pass an interesting stupa with all sorts of greenery growing out of it. I find out later that it’s from the 16th century and known as the black stupa.
Along the streets there are lots of ATM’s in little booths like phone boxes and a lot of very interesting food. The electric wires are not quite Nepal bad but they’re a bit sketchy…
We continue walking the quiet streets and get to the victory gate – Patuxai or as we like to call it Punxsutawney Phil!!
There are vendors under the arch and I buy a hat as I forgot to pack one and it is seriously roasting!
We continue along to the Mekong river which doesn’t have a whole lot of water in it but it’s a popular place at night with a night market and lots of food stalls. Looking across at the far bank we are looking at Thailand – Thailand is shouting distance away! After a quick pit stop (I’m dripping with sweat), we head back to the busy streets around the hotel and chose a bar called Sticky Fingers to try the local beer… BeerLao
We go around the corner and have an amazing first dinner of grilled Mekong fish. So good… the beers (and ciders) are tasting good too 😁
We set out next morning to visit the key sites around town and to take in some of the not so key but interesting buildings…
We are going to see a lot of temples over the coming days. In Laos they call them wats. The names are really tricky and can be different on the map, on the sign outside them and on Google… we may have to give them some nicknames! We go to Wat Si Saket (or as we are calling it Sissy Spacek). It’s the oldest wat in Vientiane …
…. and is most famous for the more than 2,000 Buddhas in symmetrical niches in the walls of the cloister.
Sissy Spacek aka Wat Si Sikat
Across the street is what used to be the exclusive temple of the Laos kings. It’s called Haw Pha Kaew and it’s now a museum housing many (you guessed it) Buddhas!
The most important Buddha statue that was here until it was stolen by the Siamese in 1779 is the Emerald Buddha. The Emerald Buddha is on display in Bangkok and most people go to see it when they visit. Nobody mentions that it belongs to the Laos people.
There are so many wats and so many Buddhas…. I particularly love the reclining and the big belly Buddha.
We visit the COPE visitor centre. COPE stands for Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise. COPE is an NGO supporting those injured from unexploded bombs leftover from the massive tonnage of bombs dropped by the US on Laos from 1964 to 1973. The bombs were mostly cluster bombs which are just terrifying when you see how many small explosives they turn into and how much damage they can do. I wasn’t aware of what they call the “secret war” on Laos so I’ll need to do a bit of research on that later.
We have a bit of lunch at an outdoor cafe which involves some mystery meat and then have our first tuk tuk ride home… we’ve covered a lot of ground today.
Back at the hotel we have a refreshing swim.
It’s time to try a traditional Laos massage. When I arrive up to the massage parlour a young man comes outside and asks me what I’m looking for. He explains the Laos massage is stronger than a Thai massage (😳) and that it’s 80,000 Kip for one hour (that’s less than €5). He also mentions this isn’t his shop, he’s just a customer but he speaks English! I swap my flip flops for their indoor flip flops which are a giant men’s size and in I go. From here on in there is no common understanding of language… I sit down in a chair and a young girl brings a basin and washes my feet. Then she motions for me to follow her upstairs to a large room with 3 thin mattresses on the ground. The room is empty so she points to the middle mattress and hands me a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. [I’m pretty sure the shorts are men’s, most likely for the more ‘over-sized’ westerners!!].
I would describe the massage as a cross between a physio session and a hard-core 1:1 stretching class. The girl uses all of her body to stretch me out. She starts at the feet and presses her knuckles in hard, making her way up my legs. Every time I wince in pain she giggles and then I giggle and it’s all very funny! She seems surprised with my reaction to some of the stretches and I can only imagine my degree of flexibility is something she doesn’t come across every day. I reckon if this was a test I have been a massive fail!!! She has certainly loosened me out though and I’m happy to have had the experience.
There are so many good food options very close to the hotel. I’ve had a hankering for roti so tonight we have Indian and it doesn’t disappoint.
We’re up and out early next morning in an attempt to catch the cooler part of the day. It doesn’t feel much cooler to me. It’s still about 30 degrees. The sky is hazy as we take a forty minute tuk tuk ride to Buddha park.
I’m loving the Buddhas, even if it is a bit of a tourist trap… Shane not so much.. the gardens are lovely though with some colourful flowers. The garden goes to the river and again we get a view across to Thailand.
There’s a strange circular thing in the garden that has a low door to climb through….
I go in to take a look and it’s a weird circular cave with Buddhas in the centre. There are narrow steps that I climb to get to the top where there are many signs to say it’s slippy.. in fairness it’s a bit of a death trap. Shane takes my photo from below and I’m outta there!
Google told us that another temple (Pha That Luang) is closed today but the driver says it’s open and he can take us. This has a beautiful golden stupa which is the symbol of the Lao nation and appears on their money. (I checked and it’s on all the notes)
In front of the stupa is a statue of King Setthathirat
On either side there are monasteries so we take a peak into one of them but it’s very quiet with not much there. It’s a beautiful building though with with an impressive staircase.
Next door is another impressive building with an interesting Garuda flanking the pavilion.
Around the side is a tree with Buddhas all around….. love it… I can never have too many Buddhas!
We head back to our tuk tuk driver who’s waiting for us and realise there’s another section of temples and Buddhas I take a quick peek in and am delighted that there’s a large golden reclining Buddha (lazy Buddha as someone I know calls him!).
We get dropped in town and look for a bit of lunch….. we find the ideal street stall and have a baguette (banh mi style) and it’s delicious. The lady toasts it first before filling it with mystery meat and salad!
Time for the last temple of the day. It’s close by our hotel but we haven’t managed a visit yet. The name in the guidebook is different to the name on Google which is different again to what it says outside the building. We’ll go with Wat Ong Teu. It has a beautiful vibrantly coloured entrance.
There’s a beautiful green jade Buddha in the garden
All templed out we head for the national museum which seems to have relocated from about 10km away but alas it is closed for renovations (Google didn’t tell us that). So we’re a bit disappointed but there’s a craft beer bar around the corner so we head there for a well deserved rest and a beer.
I love trying the local crisps… they have peculiar flavours… surprise surprise I enjoy them all!
Back to the hotel for a cool down in the pool before we get ready for a walk down to the river to see the sunset.
On the way back through the busy night market there’s an exercise class happening. We head to Sticky Fingers for a cocktail while we figure out what our final meal will be. On the way to the restaurant we’ve settled on, we pass a very casual eatery on the side of the street which has Mekong fish on the grill. We are tempted to stop but keep going….. alas the restaurant we’re heading to is not there, it must have closed down so we head back to the locals type establishment and have a gorgeous final dinner of grilled Mekong fish, pig intestines (they were actually quite tasty, chewy!), fried rice with shrimp, stir fried pork with basil and some bonus soup! An amazing final meal.
Demolished!
We are picked up at 7am and taken to the train station for our train to Luang Prabang. There was a bit of confusion yesterday and some emails exchanged with the tour company and we are now on a slightly later train. The journey to the train station is shorter than expected and we arrive with lots of time to spare so we sit in this new empty modern building in the middle of nowhere!!! I was about to say that there’s literally nothing in this train station but a small shop has just opened! Here’s to an enjoyable train journey north to Luang Prabang.
Today we take the train north to Luang Prabang. It’s approximately 300 kilometers away and takes just over 2 hours on the fast train. The train station and process for boarding is all very official…
When we board the train there are continuous announcements until we start moving and I’m sure the announcer keeps saying “some nut job”… we both hear it and are in stitches.
We arrive to Luang Prabang (hereafter LP) and are picked up by a young man who doesn’t converse with us at all but gets us safely to our hotel – Villa Maly. It is very impressive on arrival…
We are invited to sit in the beautiful lobby and are given a snack while checking in. Then a lady from the spa gives us a 5 minute shoulder and neck massage… delightful. I’m gonna love this place!
I think I’m going to need mosquito spray….
Will be checking out that pool at some stage for sure.
Luang Prabang was the royal capital of the country until 1975. It is full of temples and stupas and the whole end of the peninsula where it sits was deemed a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995. Today is Day 1 and we walk the length and breath of it – it’s quaint and beautiful
The first “wat” (temple) we pass but the first of many….
Our first meal in LP is lunch and it’s hard to pass a noodle soup. Mine is the red coloured one… sooooo good!
We finish lunch and pop into Joma bakery (recommended by the DK eyewitness guide book), which appears to be the Starbucks of Laos… it’s very popular with a certain cohort of tourists (you know who you are!!). I reckon Lonely Planet would have set us wide! Well I am happy with my valentine’s love heart cookie!
We’re on the move again… I can tell it’s going to be a high step count day! On the west of the peninsula is the Mekong river and to the east is the Nam Khan river. There are a couple of bamboo bridges that cross the Nam Khan. They are built every year after the rainy season, in November and taken down every June. We will definitely be crossing both, just not today.
The Maiphong bridge which crosses the Nam Khan river
It’s so quiet and peaceful around here, maybe it’s the change from the big city but it’s just gorgeous… I’m really captivated by the calm, the colours and the general vibe of it all.
Jackfruit trees along the road
We meander through the streets and then head back to throw ourselves into the pool (which by the way is freezing!)
Shane has booked a fancy restaurant for dinner tonight… well it is Valentines day so we’re treating ourselves! It’s called “MANDA de LAOS” and has been family run for generations. It has three lotus ponds which have been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. It is a stunning restaurant with excellent food
We are looking out on this as we eatWe start with a cocktail (as you do!), and have the tasting menu with a crisp bottle of white wine… everything is really delicious and the ambience is just lovely. What an unexpected treat 😍
Day 2: We set of early to climb to the top of Mt Phousi… there’s a fair amount of steps but it’s an easy walk, done and dusted before breakfast.
As you’d expect there are Buddhas randomly spread across the mountain.
On a clear day, with a blue sky, I’m sure the views are magnificent from the top, but the sky is hazy (and has been since we got here) so it’s not great.
As we head back for breakfast the morning market is in full swing.
There’s all sorts of fruit and veg for sale. I particularly like the mounds of paste that no doubt make the food taste so good. I would love to buy a whole heap of stuff if we were staying longer and had a kitchen. I also like this lady 😁
After brekkie, we head back out. This time we are walking down the middle of the peninsula to see all the little streets we haven’t yet explored. We like to call it the “guts”. We visit a couple more wats…. Cause that’s what you do in this town!
It’s tiring all this walking in the heat and I really want Shane to try a local massage so we decide to try out one of the many massage places. It costs 80,000 Kip each that’s about €4! I have an hour of reflexology and Shane has the traditional Laos massage. I’m not hearing much groaning so I don’t think she’s been as tough on him as the lady in Vientiane was to me!
We stumble upon Wat Xiengthong which is on my list to see. The guidebook tells me it’s one of the most important wats in town (mind you it seems to say that about nearly all of them for some reason or other!). It was built in the 16th century so it’s one of the oldest and considered one of the most beautiful in LP. The complex is indeed beautiful…
It has an unusual uniqueness whereby there are glass mosaics on the exterior walls of some of the temple buildings….
Before heading back to the hotel for a little rest ahead of the evenings activities, we have lunch at a very low key restaurant… more laab, local green veg and some spring rolls… delicious!
After a quick change and a little respite it’s off to the bamboo bridge. We cross this first one and have a happy hour cocktail …….
Stunning location for a happy hour g&t
…….then walk around the far side til we get to the other bamboo bridge and cross back. We arrive to the edge of he Mekong river just in time to see an amazing red sunset but not with enough time to photograph it… by the time we get into a good position it’s gone… bugger! But it’s captured in my minds eye 😁
We finally get to try the local beer and see the beautiful sky after that amazing sunset.
We make our way through the night market which stretches about a kilometre along the road. It’s hard to believe there wasn’t a sign of this earlier when we walked down this road. When we get to the end of the stalls selling clothes and whatnot’s we arrive at the food market. We’ll grab something handy here tonight as we had a big lunch… it is packed with people and with lots of food options. Shane brings back grilled fish but when it’s my turn I get the real good stuff…. Roti!
Day 3: This morning we are heading out on a Mekong riverboat cruise. We have a light breakfast (well we try!) as we’re getting lunch on the boat.
Our boat is called the Nava Mekong and there are just two other couples onboard – one German, who barely say hello and the other English, who we have a great chat with. [They booked a trip travelling through Southeast Asia with Trailfinders and while loving it, they are exhausted as they’re packing all of the tourist stuff in and they are constantly with a guide – they look wrecked God love them]. It’s really relaxing and we sit upfront until the sun gets too hot and then move inside where there is some shade.
We visit a small village where they demonstrate how they distill the local firewater – some sort of whiskey and where they make scarves etc.. it’s the selling part of the day but that’s ok, we haven’t done any shopping and are happy to contribute to this little village.
I buy a scarf from this lovely lady and we buy some firewater to have later on the balcony.
Of course there’s also a temple here…..
Next we visit the Pak Ou caves. I hadn’t read much about these but they’re included in all the tours.. they’re pretty basic as caves go. Unusual in that they are full of Buddhas! They became a place of worship in the 18th century.
Looking toward the lower cave
There’s an upper cave and a lower cave. Of course we climb the steps to the upper one (although everyone doesn’t).. not that exciting but I’m always happy to see another Buddha!
The view out to the Mekong from the caves is a big part of this cave visit.
Back on the boat they’re ready to serve us lunch – it’s really good… more local Laos food and we love it. We have a local Luang Prabang beer because why not!
Monks on the Mekong!
We take advantage of our beautiful hotel and have a couple of hours on the balcony this evening chatting and tasting the firewater and ordering wine (well that’s just me!) from the bar downstairs! It’s a nice temperature (I mean still seriously roasting for us Irish) but I’m coping… just about!!
We decide to eat at a small place close to our hotel. It’s full when we arrive but there is one table that we happily grab. Beside us are three men, with a fourth standing but drinking Beerlao with them. He also seems to be taking orders and delivering food. He’s mad to chat to Shane, wants to know where he’s from and clink glasses for cheers, santé and I tell him slainte! We have a great chat and giggle with him. He tells us he’s working putting in electric wiring and he has two little kids. His name is Ling. Every few minutes he cheers again, we are having great craic. There seems to be quite a rush on in the kitchen and I think a couple of tables are getting a bit impatient for their food. We’re grand as we’re on the beerlao. Ling decides to give Shane a plate of cucumber with soy sauce on it.. he says that’s how they eat it in Laos. It’s actually very nice, I might have cucumber like this all the time at home.
We do a loop and walk as far as the bamboo bridge. It’s pretty to see it at night with the lights.
Day 4: We get up at 5am to see the monks walk from their monasteries to Coll alms. The daily ritual is called Tak Bat (morning alms) and involves people placing food and personal care items into the alms bowls of the passing monks. This tradition has gone on for centuries but from what we observed, I think this has lost some (or dare I say most) of it’s true meaning. I accept that I (as a tourist) am part of the reason for that, but it feels like an event for the tourists.
We see tourists line the streets sitting on tiny plastic chairs with food ready to give to the monks. Sellers are everywhere ready to sell you more alms. Then the monks arrive, always in silence and in a steady row. We see their bowls overflowing but they continue to accept the alms offered. But having just received alms, from the tourists lining the streets, they drop them into a large open basket at the end of the row of chairs. It looks like people are selling tourists food to give to the monks and then the monks give it back to the them… hmmm maybe the baskets are for poor people who the monks share their food with… I’m generally not cynical about these things so I really hope I’m right that they’re giving away the alms to the poor.
A little further up we see what appears to be some local people giving money joysticks and praying – now that looks a little more authentic.
We probably didn’t need to up this early but we do see the whole thing play out.. from setting up the seats, selling the offerings and the clean up afterward. Bizarre. We head back to the hotel for an early breakfast (it’s not even 6:30am) and then go back to sleep for a while.
Late morning we take a wander to some local wats. One of them apparently has a Buddha with the huge Thai ears – I’m keen to see him. Alas they’re closed… guidebooks do lie! Beautiful to see from the outside though.
Vat Manorom
We explore a bit further afield and see the monument of President Souphanouvong
It’s time for some noodle soup… this time with crispy pork – it may be the best yet!
We continue our exploring and pass a large supermarket which is called JC’s. We have to take a look inside. It has absolutely everything so we pick up some local wine (dying to know what this tastes like) and some more odd flavoured crisps!
The weather was forecast to rain today so we purposely left our visit to the palace complex which is now the museum in case we needed to be indoors..… no rain came!
There are no photos allowed inside but we see the rooms where the royal family lived and lots of treasures they accumulated, in part gifts from other nations. We continue our ramble and find yet more temples to view… there is no end to them. (I mean that in a good way!)
BanXiengMuan
We stay on the peninsula and watch the sunset from a bar with a view… it’s lovely and we have a few drinks to cheers our last night in Laos (or is it!).
We spotted a restaurant we like the look of around the corner so head there for our final Laos meal. As ever we are delighted with the feast. We have sausage, laab (the minced pork salad), fried rice with shrimp and some stir fry vegetables – they really do veggies well in this town.
Tomorrow we are due to fly to Bangkok and I leave at 2am so we’ve picked an area that sits on a canal and has a night market, a temple and a reclining Buddha and we plan to visit that before I head to the airport and Shane says overnight before flying on his onward journey the next day.
On Saturday morning Shane takes a look at the airport departures online and can’t find our flight. He soon realises that it actually left yesterday!!! Oh crap! I booked this one and before we met in Singapore I received a change of itinerary email which I read as a change in the time of the flight…. when we looked again it was also a change to the date (which was in small font and not highlighted at all)….. we had both missed it – not like us and a pretty big boo boo… I jump out of bed sick to my stomach but Shane is already sourcing other flights… Unfortunately Luang Prabang is tiny so we don’t have a lot of choice. There seems to be a flight to Bangkok at 12:15 (it’s currently 9am!) so we try to book it but there’s only one seat available. I book it for me as we don’t want me to miss my flight home and Shane has a little more wiggle room as he’s not leaving for Sydney until the next day. What a balls up. I have to leave him in Luang Prabang and go to Bangkok by myself…. I’m gutted 😩
I let the hotel know I need a car to the airport and that Shane needs to stay for another night (thankfully the room is free and he can stay put), pack fairly quickly and I’m off to the airport.
Strange looking airport
It’s a short 10/15 minute journey to the airport and costs anything from €2.75 to €8. It’s so small and has very little in it. When I get to the checkin desk, the guy checks me in, takes my bag and then says “are you aware the flight is delayed until 3pm”… that’s 4 hours from now! Well I’ve held it together this morning but now I’m ready for a little cry. I’m too sad to hang around this airport for that long so I get on the WI-FI and eventually get Shane (he was out exploring so had no cover) and we agree I’ll find some mode of transport from the airport and get back to town for a final visit to a Buddha, lunch or anything for a couple of hours….
Vat (or wat) Visounnarath
Wooden Buddhas “calling for the rain” position
Monks washing on the line 😁
Well that worked out great we visited two wats that we hadn’t managed to get to and sat in a nice cafe for an hour before I jumped in a tuk tuk and headed to the airport for the second time. The second goodbye is never as hard as the first. 😁
A little reflection on this trip. I never got sick and I barely got bitten so that’s a win. Yes we made a boo boo with the flight change but we figured it out with no drama (Shane doesn’t do drama) and I’m thankful for that… although the credit card is getting a bigger hit than planned – I don’t think travel insurance covers for being stupid 😳. Laos you have been fantastic and we enjoyed it all. Bon Voyage for now!
odohertyelaine 