KIROKAZE
2025 on Tumblr: Trends That Defined the Year
AnasAbdin
izzy's playlists!
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
No title available
ojovivo
if i look back, i am lost
I'd rather be in outer space šø
h
sheepfilms
Claire Keane
Aqua Utopiaļ½ęµ·ć®åŗć§čØę¶ćē“”ć
almost home
blake kathryn
Discoholic šŖ©
Cosmic Funnies
Cosimo Galluzzi
ellievsbear
$LAYYYTER
seen from TĆ¼rkiye
seen from Uzbekistan
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Jordan
seen from Germany
seen from Jordan
seen from Jordan
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from Italy
seen from Indonesia
seen from TĆ¼rkiye
seen from France
@rou5a-blog
Paris untold secrets...
Paris untold secretsā¦
Paris off Clicheā¦
I donāt think there is a need to convince anyone of Paris as a travel destination. So writing the top 10 sights or what to do in one or three days wouldnāt add much. Besides, this kind of info is merely scratching the surface of whatās there to explore.
Weāve to admit Paris has got a lot of secrets confined to a few of its inhabitants. Though its population is not strictlyā¦
View On WordPress
Djerba was a curious start of a road trip around Tunisia, it turned out it is a rich little island with a lot of tradition, it was also pretty raw. And it was puzzling how intact it remained despite the flood of tourists who come in the summer to relax.
Accessing Djerba
While planning the itinerary the goal was to minimize driving time and win a day.Ā The trip theoreticallyĀ would take 7 hours on GPS which meant 12 in reality. Thatās mainly because of the lack of real highways, most of the roads connecting the cities are bidirectional roads with only two lanes with no separators, means you are subject to rush hours, dangers like people or animals crossing the street or other drivers trying to pass the traffic ahead, the roads are not straight either, there are many curves except on Douz-Tozeur road which also meant we had to avoid night driving.
Anyhow, we decided to book a local flight, it was not fun to drive in the capital and my rental car (check my recommendation here) was waiting for in Djerbaās airport. The rental cost, fuel, a lost day and my spinal health seemed more expensive than a āless than one hourā flight. And actually it was cheaper if I we were twoā¦You could also directly fly to Djerba from Europe. Look for great offers in those sites: Flyin ,Expedia,Trip
Tip: Use these sites for information on best deals and timings but book directly from the airline official site as it gives you more flexibility and you donāt pay a commission.
The car matters because Djerba is small, you can tour it in a day but it has many points of interest, it offers you a lot more in terms of what you see and when to stop. I am a car rental addict, I used to reject the responsibility but a few years back by pure luck in Jordan I got hooked.
The majestic island of traditions
In case youād like to do it differently, there are points of access to the island one through the ferry from Jorf that drops you in Ajim which is around 20 kms from houmt souq in the north which is where I recommend you to stay. And looking at the map that gives you an idea on the size of the island.
The other access point is through the historical āChaussee romaineā that extends along 12 kilometers between El Kantara and the road to Zarzis. Djerba is a special island as the water is shallow all around it, so the Romans strategically placed an amount of stones to form a pathway linking the island to the mainland built mainly for commercial purposes. The road lasted from the 2nd century till today. So you should at least pass by there once, it feels like you have become part of the story.
A decent 12 KM 2 way road, if only Tunisians were patient driversā¦!
Ā Accomodation
Now Iāve mentioned that itās recommended to stay in Houmt Souq, cause this is where you can easily find accommodation, restaurants and above all it has the souk (market) for local crafts, food, also the traditional fish market. There is also a huge tradition museum that is very informative and explains a lot of what you see, architectures, beaches, port and a roman castle.
One of Houmt Souq mosques in the old medinaā¦Sidi Ibrahim
Itās also easy to stay in a hyped tourist area on the eastern part of the Island because this is where youāll find the beaches. . I personally stayed in a traditional Djerbi house owned by a french guy whoās married and settled in Tunisia, itās called Dar Sema and all rooms were equipped with a kitchenette not to mentioned the quality of the furniture, bedding and service. You can find similar experiences in Booking and Expedia.
We had to keep the memory of the place, it was one of the best we had in Tunisiaā¦
DjerbiĀ Attractions
Cultural experiences (Live the Djerbi tradition):
Thereās a lovely feeling of diversity cause despite the strict tradition and raw nature of the place, people accept differences. In terms of religion, there are plenty of mosques built in a simple and attractive architectural style. There is a couple of churches for foreigners that are only open during service as well as a major Jewish community, the largest one of the most vibrant in North Africa.
Saint Joseph Catholic church in Houmt Souq
Djerba is the home of one of the largest and msot vibrant jewish communities in North Africa..
Djemaa in Djerba
El Ghriba synagogue hosts hundreds of pilgrims gather for the Lag BāOmer festival in spring time, and they are not the only one to celebrateā¦
The oldest synagogue in North Africaā¦
The evidence of diversity is how well people from different cultures and background feel living there, despite the attack on the synagogue 10 years ago (the locals refused to talk about it) but they all live in Harmony now. And I quote uncle Mohamed (the palm leaves weaver): ā Alla created us with a beautiful diversity, how do we expect people to think the same way of everything?ā
The experienced craftsman is illustrating the steps to make palm leaves articlesā¦
Like I mentioned Djerba sticks to its traditions to a great extent, everything from crafts to food to outfits is explained. Here are the key museums:
Musee de Guellela in Guellela
An extensive museum of social and commercial traditionsā¦
Musee du patrimoine traditionel Djerbien in Houmt Souq
Mainly focused on different professions and locals everyday lifeā¦
Local crafts workshop in Houmt Souq
A local hub for traditional crafts ā¦
Biological diversity is also a thing, youāll find goats, sheep, olive trees wherever you go, youāll enjoy the diversity of sea life, there is also a zoo that unfortunately was closed during my stay but itās also an interesting natural reserve on the island.
Fact: the island was not all olive and palm trees, there were apple orchards but somehow the locals lost interest in apples and preserved vegetation to different crops. This you learn at the entrance of the castle of Djerba, it has a great view in addition to some Roman and Islamic relics as the island had a key role strategically and economically in the old days.
Inside view
View from the outside
Ultimately it doesnāt have to be all running around, checking out museums, religious and historical relics. The best you can do is to relax by the sea at sunset or sunrise with or without your favorite drink.
A classic winter sunset in the northern shallow side of Djerba
A foodieās heaven
Another tradition you gotta observe; the fish auction. All fishermen gather in āsouq el houtā (fish market) and offer lines of their fresh catch: what typically happens is that they thread a variety of fish on a thin rope and everyone offers their bid and so onā¦
He was very proud showing off his line to my lensā¦
Iāve asked for a few fish only as we wouldnāt be able to eat a full line or store it and they were very generous to give me exactly what I wanted at an excellent rate. Outside the market there are restaurants that would cook your fish and prepare the classical fish sides, like the āharissaā āeggs with peppers saladā and so onā¦I recommend Chez Hanini.
Spicy green chili
The delicious fresh fish right off the hook
The fish market
Then you need to try the original Djerbi specialties like the Djerbi Rice (the spices and different aromas make it heavenly) or Couscous, the Ojja with Merguez (eggs with merguez sliced and dipped in a red sauce)ā¦
Rouz Jerbi
Egg salad
Harissa (chili paste)
Ojja Merguez
Couscous with Lamb
Egg plant and harissa salad
You can eat the āRouz Jerbiā in el Medina restaurant, it had the most enticing flavors, you can also check le Berbere for a fast meal. Do not miss out on breakfast at cafe Ben Yedder in the heart of Houmt Souq medina and right in front of the covered market entrance. The location is optimum for relaxing, contemplating, people watching and writing diaries while sipping your coffee and nibbling on your breakfast pastry.
Fresh pastry filled with eggs and tuna, seems weird but it was super delicious with a cafe au lait under the sunā¦
View From Ben Yedderās
There is a place for men only in the park right off of el medina, where we used to sit in the afternoon for some tea and more people watching, mostly elder men activities this time and jobless guys. We were three girls but they were enjoying our co-existence in a friendly manner. One of the waiters though cheated on us as the tea was so cheap but his colleague apologized on his behalf and served us for free the day after, so in case you go one cup of green Tunisian tea there costs 0.5 TND.
The sweet strange looking traditional green tea of Tunisiaā¦
Shopping and Local crafts
We regretted not buying local crafts from the market there, we thought everything would be available in Tunis Medina which was true to an extent but they didnāt have same quality or variety in terms of traditional clothes, Pottery, palm leave crafts or leather. Mostly traditional clothes and potteryā¦There are few spice specialties also like dried fish that you reduce into powder while making soup as well dried red chilis.
Dried anchovies/ sardines
red chili
covered souq
Local crafts workshop
There is a space that used to be the āMedina hotelā where traders used to stay during their commercial travels that is now a local crafts and artisans workshop.
if youād like to book your itinerary through a tour operator, Adventoro and Trip Guru seem to offer good deals.
The sea side in Houmt Souqā¦
Ā Ā Djerba: The island of traditionā¦ Djerba was a curious start of a road trip around Tunisia, it turned out it is a rich little island with a lot of tradition, it was also pretty raw.
I was warned that the Russian cuisine could be the downside of my world cup trip; they have nothing but tasteless starch and fat. Well, That was partially a big fat lieā¦There were not a city or a place where I didnāt enjoy my meals whether in a good restaurant or on the streets even the ready made meals in the tiniest train station stallsā¦ Itās also important to understand that beyond the capital and 2 or 3 big cities, Russians are not fans of eating out, itās always on special occasions and a good restaurant normally costs a lot. Your other option is a bistro or a cafe with less fancy options, however in Saint Petersburg and Moscow there are famous chains that serve what can be considered Russian fast food which is something between street food and easy lunch recipes like Teremok for example.
Soups
Borscht (8/10)
This is a Ukrainian recipe and some claim it was originated in southern Russian. If you donāt like beetroots then this one is not for you or at least its red version. Itās normally made with potatoes and accompanied with sour cream. Itās true that those are Russian cuisine essentials but creativity doesnāt stop there.
Top soup in Russia, you can have it hot or cold based on beetrootsā¦
Ā Okroshka (8/10)
A cold summer soup, the first taste youāll notice is a bitter sweet one of Kvass which is a nearly non-alcoholic beverage made of fermented rye. Other than that it contains raw veggies, herbs, boiled potatoes and eggs and sometimes you may get it with some tiny slices of the meat of your choice. You can have it with sour cream but I liked it without as it was very light and nourishing. I have to warn you itās not for everyoneā¦
A cold soup based on raw veggies, boiled potatoes, eggs and tiny pieces of meatā¦
Street food
khinkali (7/10)
Itās a Georgian dumpling recipe but this is not the same thing, it just looks like it and maybe itās the same dough recipe, just bigger and filled with potatoes and chickenā¦
The russian varitty
Stuffed with chicken and potatoes
Shashlik (8/10)
Meat skewers of any kind, easy to nibble on the streets along with one of the delivious fried dough variety that you get filled with stuff.
Delicious charcoal grilledā¦
Pirozhki orĀ Pirog (9/10)
The difference is that the Pirog is the full sized pie and Pirozhki is the small version of it. These fried or baked pies are stuffed with a multitude of fillings such as spinach, cheese, meat and onionsā¦etc. youāll find it all over, in train stations, supermarkets, metro stations, among street vendors. And they are super delicious, except when you are up at 7 am pointing at something you donāt know to the vendor, and turns out to be a hot piece of fried dough full of raw meat and onions. Then it takes you the whole day to get over it.
All meatā¦
This one was all cheese
There are other variations of course, like the Vatrushka, a baked pastry filled with sweet cottage cheese in the centerā¦
Oladyi (10/10)
Those are from ukranian origines, a small fried pancake or fritters based on sour milk or yoghurt and is usually served with sour cream (smetana). Itās a calorie bomb but super delicious, try it if you can and share with friendsā¦
I found this gem in a marvel piece of interior design art or a supermarket called Yeeliseevskiy Gastronom; Some Oladyi and a sardine like fried fishā¦
Breakfast
Syrniki (10/10)
A piece of heaven on a plate, thatās allā¦But if you are curious itās a fried dough made with Tovorg or something like curd that can be also replaced with farmerās cottage cheese served with jam or/and sour cream. The secret that itās all creamy in and outā¦
Guriev Porridge (7/10)
Try it if you want, itās not my thing but itās a rich meal in the morning. It can be a dessert also as itās sweet and usually coupled with wild berries among other fruits.
Try it if you like porridgesā¦
Blini (9/10)
Itās a russian pancake made of buckwheat, you can eat it anytime of the day coupled with any sort of filling like jam, cheese, cream, cold cuts, caviar and cooked meat for lunch.
Caviar filling
Sour cream for breakfast
Whipped cream for dessert
Ham and cheese for brunch
Goryachaya kukuruza (corn) (10/10)
Sweet boiled corn that can be topped with salt or whatever fits your taste buds. I found it an energizing snack.
During my visit to Paul and Peteās castle in Saint petersburgā¦
Russian frankfurter sausages (8/10)
No words needed, except that itās originally made of pork, but itās not hard to find veal or beef based sausagesā¦
Big and heavy piece of pork sausageā¦
Lunch/Dinner
Olivie (russian salad) (10/10)
The all famous potatoes, veggies and mayonnaise mix comes in a variety of garnishes and fillings but the base remains the same.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Pelmeni (9/10)
Thin dumplings filled with a variety of minced meats or a single type, comes in different shapes, has to be coupled with sour cream and itās a delight to haveā¦
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Fish and things that go with (9/10)
There are large water surfaces surrounding and penetrating the mother land, that implies a good variety of fish and techniques to serve it. Summer is perfect for fresh fish that comes in a completely different variety than what I am used as a Mediterranean girl who is familiar with both Indian and Atlantic ocean varieties. But none of the fish I tried have failed to impressā¦
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Worth mentioning that since they donāt fish all year round, they are also producing a large amount of dried fish that you can get ready packed as well. I highly recommend the dried squid or calamarā¦
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Beef Stroganoff (9/10)
A delicious serving of mashed potatoes topped with the creamy stroganoff and mushrooms and fried onions
Pozharsky cutlet (10/10)
Cutlets can be made of chicken, pork, veal, deerā¦etc. The russians have not retrained themselves from eating bears, boars, deers along with the casual assortment we are used to. So the first time, it was deer then I used to find chicken and veal cutlets in the train stations coupled with boiled or baked potatoes alwaysā¦
Yes, yes I ate Bambiās cutletā¦!
Kasha (8/10)
Itās a dried porridge made with onions and maybe mushroomsĀ that tastes a bit like our koshary (rice and lentils) or the indian Dhal with riceā¦Itās a russian national dish not very common among tourists.
Buttered with onions and mushroomsā¦
Grilled meat or barbecues (9/10)
The way russians treat the meat is supreme, donāt hesitate to tryā¦
Veal shanks
Grilled pork ribs
Sweets
Honey cake or medovik (10/10)
Itās essentially a honey cake with creamy layers of anythingā¦
This one is filled with wild red fruitsā¦
Doughnuts (8/10)
Itās not about the shape or size, the secret word is Tvorogā¦
cof
dav
Fruits (9/10)
Russia is famous with its wild berries used in most sweet recipes and in a lot of cocktails recipes like the bellow mentioned Vodka Julep.
Fresh fruits and nuts stalls in Danilovsky marketā¦Just grab some fruits and nibble on them on your way.
Drinks
Vodka julep cocktail with blue berries on top.
Of course Beer and Vodka, what else?
For some reason, all beers Iāve tried in Russia were smooth and light. Except for a few, most bars have their own special brew that I encourage you to try. You can always order a take out, they provide it in plastic cups or bottles if cups are not avaialble. So yes you can normally drink on the streets
Vodka is preferably gulped down cold in its original form. Itās not impossible to find coktails including the famous white russian (in the featured image).
They do not have wine, there is no room for vineyards in such weather, but they produce a variety of local brandy, cognac and scotch that I donāt recommend. There is plenty of vodka to try and herbal liquors.
Itās also worth mentioning that Iāve always had good coffee and Iād recommend you donāt miss out on Ivanās tea pot.
Where to eat?
Itās narrowing of me to recommend specific places, target the food, clientele and cleanliness according to your standards. The only thing you need to be careful with is where and how much will you drink alcohol?
Souvenirs
Russian standard, Beluga and the Czarās bottles are good souvenirs to bring home. Also make sure you buy some of those traditionally cured and smoked meats, as the way they do it is totally different even with sausages. Iāve tried plenty of different animals, loved the deer and boar as well as the bear assortments.
all photos were shot by myself using my Huawei P9 or Fuji XE-2. Please do not reuse without consulting me first.
These are not all Russian cuisine specialties but the ones I managed to taste frequently in different locations at different prices and quality levels so that I can definitely assure you they are worth trying.
Tip: If you are renting a space and have a fridge and a microwave; buy food and alcohol from the supermaket, it'll save a ton of money and it'll not be a heavy compromise on quality if you choose the right places.
The world cup diaries: RussianĀ Cuisineā¦ I was warned that the Russian cuisine could be the downside of my world cup trip; they have nothing but tasteless starch and fat.
The World Cup diaries: Rasha in Russia
The World Cup diaries: Rasha inĀ Russia
āMy name is Rashaā¦Just like the country but itās not.ā That sentence would be my ice breaker when I introduce myself to non-arabic speakers but it broke more than ice in Russia. People cracked jokes, broke in laughter specially after I decided to add a new cliche: āā¦and my dogās name is Vodka by the way.ā That was the kick starter for conversations that lasted for hours. I had traveled for theā¦
View On WordPress
To chew
TrdelnĆk
Stuff it with delicious Czech chocolate
You can have it with sugar only
Most found treat on the streets
Itās always confusing whether itās Slovak or Czech, the good news is itās delicious and popular with tourists. Youāll find a kiosk everywhere you go.
Beef steak tartare
A complex beer snack, requires a methodology to eat.
Yup, itās not a meal, itās the most popular snack dish in pubs. On the side you are served a topinky or fried bread (cooked in lard mainly) with several condiments; a raw egg and most importantly garlic. How you eat it? Rub the garlic in the fried bread, season your steak and mix with the egg. Put a portion over your garlic bread and āBon appetitā. Some chefs will serve it already mixed, personally I always enjoy making some effort before eating. On the other hand, the waiters have enjoyed my puzzled look before they decided to explain to me how it works.
Sausages
Whether you are starving on the street or just having a breakfast in your fancy hotel, there is a variety of Czech sausages that you need to experience. There are plenty of kiosks in Wencelas square, of course very touristy but would serve you well after a good amount of beer at night. There is a good variety of sausages as they come usually grilled, fatty and juicy regardless of the size or color.
The perfect midnight snack after a drinking nightā¦
Kiosks in Wencelas square are a bit touristy and too commercializedā¦
Perfect for a hearty weekend breakfast
Confit de canard āCzech duckā
One of the most famous dishes in Prague
If you like ducks, this one is juicy coupled with red cabbage and dumplings, as simple as it gets, as tasty as it gets. I recommend a dark Kozel to go with it.
Fried cheese or SmaženĆ½ SĆ½r
Another beer snack, could be an Edam or Camembert coated with flour, eggs and bread crumbs and fried to a sweet golden tone. Usually served with a salad, sometimes potato wedges or even a burgerā¦Might be a exaggerating a little.
The perfect beer snack coupled with rocca salad and berriesā¦
Goulash
Itās not very different from the duck, itās just either beef or pork with sauer kraut and dumplings. Even though you can find anywhere in Prague but each place will give you a different flavor. I am not a big fan of well cooked meat, but I was never disappointed.
Kolache & Butchy
My favorite breakfast in Prague.
With fruits (plum for example) or cottage cheese. Itās to die forā¦
PalaÄinky
A sweet thin pancake with honey, cream sauce and herbsā¦Yes thatās for dessert!
Additionally:
For some reason Czech peach was awesome, even though i donāt generally eat peach. They are also famous chocolatiers, so have your fill in a Trdelnik or a bar. The Czech cuisine may not be exclusively czech, most of the surrounding countries have the same dishes including schnitzel.Ā Some of the most famous dishes to have in Prague are from different countries but it doesnāt matter, the food will not disappoint youā¦
Pork conserve with pickles and bread
Camembert with some rocca and berries
Foie gras with beet root and rocca
Pork ribs with eggs and roasted potatoes ornamented with basil and berries
To sip
Beer
Welcome to the land of beer, itās not only cheapā¦
Blonde lager beer
Was having a tasting round between Bakalar honey, Krakonos cornel red ale and kynuteā¦
My favorite barman in a breweryā¦
Just beer
Not bad at allā¦
My absolute favorite.
Liquors
Czech republic is the home of many herbal liquors, including the dangerous absinthe.
Becherovka sweet
Itās a herbal liquor with a sweet taste and the bitterness of ginger, a favoriteā¦
Gingery tasteā¦
Speaking of ginger, donāt miss out on ginger tea, a local speciality made with lemon and fresh ginger, it could pull your brains out, literallyā¦
Ginger tea
Tip:Ā Avoid Czech wine at all costs.
If you would like to know more about things to do in Prague please click hereā¦
A foodieās guide toĀ Prague To chew TrdelnĆk It's always confusing whether it's Slovak or Czech, the good news is it's delicious and popular with tourists.
Smile upon arrival, smile to say thank you, smile to gently decline an offer, smile and kindly accept the ride and embrace the giant city of Bangkok. Embrace the crowd where you could possibly wait for 300 people before you can book a taxi. Then keep a smile plastered on your face in the daunting traffic because at some point youāll find it rewarding. Like most Asians, Thai people are not confrontational and they hate it when you are violent. So, keep practicingā¦
Old ladies having lunch near the Khlong Toey slums
Bangkok: a city of Light ā Plan your itinerary
We had a warm humid and rainy welcome as we arrived in July, in the middle of the monsoon season. Bangkok minus the suburbs is split in two main areas that host most attractions, good hotels, restaurants and nightlife hubs. The old town around the river and downtown districts that can be easily navigated via the Sukhumvit BTS line.
Sukhumvit BTS
Bangkok is big and hot so itās recommended to define your points of interest ahead. Always packĀ water, wear light clothes and keep a rain cover before venturing out. Getting lost will not help you discover new things unless you navigate with GPS/paper maps. I found āA walking tourĀ ā Bangkokā helpful; the book includes a series of timed walks that takes you through Bangkokās main districts exploring different architectural styles. It presents 9 paths through 11 maps and 100 illustrations. I also had a small pocket guide from Lonely planet with a pull out map.
Navigate the old town through the riverā¦
Highlights
Khlong Toey slums
I was heading to the river side seeking a BTS station after a strenuous attempt to walkĀ to the reclining Buddha temple and stumbled on an array of colorful housing that clearly belongs to the less fortunate population of Bangkok. I kept roaming around, wandering inside and coming day after day after dayā¦You may wonder whatās attractive in poor people housing?
Delicate constructions hosting thousandsā¦
Tons of things; colors, simple decorations, plantations, utensils, footwear carefully placed on their doormats, glimpses of neat comfortable rooms that may host too many people considering its capacity. The place is simply booming with love and lifeā¦
At the entrance of the slums
Didnāt mean to intrudeā¦
Riding along the Chao Phraya (river of kings)
Ā There are different options depending on your personal preference. I got addicted to the normalĀ express boat that gets as cheap as 10 Bhat. Ā There is a private option which is the long tail boats available in major piers. Their prices depend on your ability to bargain and customized journey. Beware of cons who may try to rip you off in the middle of the water.
You can reach the Wat Arun temple with a crossing ferry.
Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)
The ārecliningā Buddha
Very close to the grand palace, located behind the Emerald Buddha near the Sapphan Taksin pier across the river from Wat Arun temple or temple of the dawn. The Wat Pho is one of the largest temple complexes in Bangkok, other than the giant golden Buddha there are plenty of chapels, statues and architecture to explore. People miss out on the massage school there. If you are interested in a relaxing massage pre-book to avoid a long wait.
Two monks chillingā¦
Jim Thompsonās Thai Silk Company
Silk ladies
The house is near the National stadium BTS,Ā located beside a Khlong as Jim used to easily navigate with his boat to the river and across the city and some areas in the country. ItāsĀ overlooking the slums and close to MBK shopping mall.
The khlong right outside Jimās houseā¦
The place is intriguing because of the inspiring story about an American guy who managed on his own to save the silk industry from extinction in Thailand. Jim was initially studying architecture but for some reasons he failed to get his license, eventually he landed a position in the O.S.S. (now CIA) near the end of WWII,Ā and was sent to Thailand. He was simply motivated by the fact that the country was importing so much silk despite its potential. From there he managed to make Thai silk and his brand one of the best world wide. He ventured all over Asia, in the process he managed to gather a large collection of Thai art and antiques he acquired from the war ruins.Ā Some accusation regarding stealing Buddha relics made him donate his house and art collection as a museum. No one knows how he died or if he did as he just disappeared in Malaysia at the age of 52, there were no body, till today the mystery remains unresolved.
Street food
There are two flavors I appreciate in Thai cuisine; red hot chili peppers and lemon grass. Those two flavors are the base for most Thai recipes although the red chili was originally brought by the Portuguese. As a streetfood addict, I fell in love with the sweet sticky rice with mango, fried fish, squid, shrimps, oysters and the amazing Pad thai which is stir fried rice noodles mixed with seafood or chicken or meat.
The city of Darkness: when the night comes
Night life
The night markets are attractive if you are looking for some cheap brands and souvenirs for your pals after sightseeing.Ā Patpong market is easy to reach as itās between Siam BTS station and Sala Daeng. There will be a train of street vendors, follow thatā¦
Traditional street vendor
Youāll be pestered with the sex shops and go go bars, the girls will suddenly block your view with their menus explicitly dedicated to numerous vaginal activities you didnāt think were possible.
The most central night market.
Where poverty reigns
Back to the riverside slums; stories of violence, drugs and sexual abuse are most common. The inhabitants are people who left their home townsĀ with a dream of a relaxed and wealthy live in Bangkok. However they ended up in small spaces suffering from unemployment, poor hygiene, fragile infrastructure and ignorance.Ā There are numerous efforts to help and support the kids in these areas for a better future, like theĀ oneĀ that father Joe initiated.
Those immigrants flow to Bangkok bearing dreams and expecting endless opportunities. Those dreams crashed at the feet of merciless employers that demand an insane schedule in exchange for a small salary. As a tourist, you may or may not want to play your part when it comes to social responsibility and make sure aware of who you are dealing with and what you are encouraging when spending your money. For example donāt abuse girls because their families are in need, donāt engage in fishy action in Patpong clubs, donāt encourage animal abuse by riding on the back of strained elephantsĀ and the list goes on and on.
You may also want to ReadĀ About Thailandā¦Part 1
Ā Ā Smile upon arrival, smile to say thank you, smile to gently decline an offer, smile and kindly accept the ride and embrace the giant city of Bangkok. Smile upon arrival, smile to say thank you, smile to gently decline an offer, smile and kindly accept the ride and embrace the giant city of Bangkok.
Tunisia guide: Plan your trip.
Tunisia guide: Plan yourĀ trip.
Why Tunisia?
First step to plan any trip is to define what makes you click on travel; culture, heritage, meeting locals, adventure, nature, wild life..? Second step is to understand what the country has to offer. Then you will be defining the appropriate time with respect to both; country specific seasonality and your schedule. First step is for you to figure out, the rest with regards to Tunisiaā¦
View On WordPress
Memoirs of Negombo...The arrival!
Memoirs of Negomboā¦The arrival!
The day never started yet itās coming to an end, been travelling all night and all day. By the time the sun started going down, I was outside the airport gates. Things were smooth despite the crowd; no welcome smiles yet but no frowns. My head was swirling as I carved my way out through the nagging curiosity of of the locals to the empty big streets.
Your casual everyday scenery; a tuktuk parkedā¦
View On WordPress
Once upon a time in Praha...
The land of ale, trams and castles. Kafka's captivating dark misty maze...
Prague or Praha, the Czech capital, land of ale, trams and castles. Kafkaās captivating dark misty maze where the food says it all; itās where the recipes blend and the boundaries melt.
This is not an article, this is mainly a photo gallery that I hope youād enjoy and find helpful in planning your next visitā¦
Prague is not conventional when it comes to the district numbering system, not circularā¦
View On WordPress
A solo woman in Sri Lanka...
A solo woman in SriĀ Lankaā¦
Safe travel recommendations are often exaggerated, as no one wants to mislead a person into oblivionā¦Thatās when you realise that ignorance is bliss.
Ladies on their way to the temple of the tooth relic in Kandy
I wouldnāt want you to feel the way I did as my initial enthusiasm for a trip, that Iāve been waiting for 2 years to happen, faded to an unknown somber feeling in my gut as I landed inā¦
View On WordPress
What to expect?
Is it a little India? Maybeā¦Those dark smiley face drenched in sweat, hardly looking into your eye will feel familiar. The heat, the stench of sewage and crows even though itās a lot cleaner. Less crowded which means that traffic clown business is not as crazyā¦
On a train from Colombo to Badullaā¦
Local/traditional food will and must contain either grated coconut or coconut cream or coconut milk and definitely cooked with coconut oil in addition to curry and other spices. Which is ātoo heavyā for an indian stomach.
Sri Lanka a poor country which explains the hassle around every tourist attraction, but you will not find anything similar to the poor Mumbai slums. Robbery is not a major issueā¦
Tourists will find international food they can savour because the restaurant business is not exactlyĀ directed to localsā¦Lankans are raw, they keep a lot of their tradition in many aspects of their daily life. The same way thatĀ Nature is still raw, unexploited or at least not fullyā¦Ā Beaches in many areas are sewage free and the ocean still preserves its gorgeous pallet of turquoise, greens and blues.
The gorgeous south coastā¦ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Lankans are mostly Buddhists, few are Hindus in contrast to India. There is a decent number of mosques and churches specially in the areas where Portuguese and Dutch colonies used to reside. Ā Christians will most likely have european christian names and keep to themselves, and muslims are ethnically distinct; a muslim old man in Galle explained that he came from a moroccan descentĀ and how the sovereign at that time enabledĀ Arab merchants to settle, allowed them to marry local women and build a life to do what they knew best; commerceā¦
Sunday morning at St Paul Church in Kandyā¦
My only concernĀ as a solo femaleĀ was to maintain a balance between the recommended safety precautions and not building a wall.Ā Itās all commons sense; locals do not stay out late, by 8 you could sense itās nearly midnight from the empty streets and closed shops. Itāll be more likely to face danger at that timeā¦
Getting dark in Kandy around the lakeā¦
Ā The major health risk consists of exposure to mosquitoes that carry Dengue or Malaria. The only way to protect yourself is an efficient combination of mosquito repellents all day, all night. Dengue fever has no vaccine as it changes its form and can be deadly at rare occurrences. The cure is not complicated; rest for a few days and have paracetamol.
Most insects are friendlyā¦Except for the mosquitoes.
Getting there
Sri Lanka is an Island that has 24 airports, yet only 2 are international and only 1 is actually functioning as such. If youād be travelling from the south of India; there is a cheap operator called Spice Jet. Or sailā¦
What to do?
Everywhere on the Island has got something to offer, may not be tempting for more than a day or two but if you want to have a good plan you need to define your priorities; Culture(whether itād religious, food, city life, village lifeā¦etc)? Ā Nature and hikes? Wild life? Swimming and surfing? Whale watching? or is it all of them?? Because itās all there.
In the capitalā¦
Plan an adequate amount of time for your commutes; there are no long distances but most roads are 2 ways, 2 lanes with habitation. You also need to be careful about when to go; The weather is tropical and the monsoon can be a barrier as the rain sometimes causes minor floods as well as changes to the animal migration patternā¦
A little stormy in the southā¦
Optimum trip duration would be a month, try not to plan less than 10 day if you want a little bit of everything, the south is very tempting and the tea country is a must.
Attraction map, courtesy of Ceylon Discovery toursā¦
Hereās theĀ itinerary that Iāve used circling the southern half;
The fish market, main attraction of Negombo
Day 1: Land in Bandaranaike International airport and spend the night in Negombo, a village that is good for nothing except for its proximity to the airport. In town, you can visit the fish market but watch out as touts are everywhere. A little further everything is overpriced around the beach, however Iāve enjoyed the beach park near sunset watching kids flying their kites. Alternatively you could spend sometime in Colombo and start your journey with the national museum and a fancy meal.
Tuna drying out on the beach near the fish market
Days 2-3 Kandy: Famous for the temple of the tooth relic which is a pilgrim site and worth every penny. Ā There is a nice walk around the lake next to the temple and a traditional dance show at 5 pm.
Pilgrims into the temple of the toothā¦
Kandy station
Days 4-6 Ella/Nuwara Eileya: Both are ideal for hikes, calm nature and tea plantations. Ella has a great tea factory and is less crowded but either would suffice. Donāt expect much from Ella at night though, itās not even a town but you can have a cooking class.
Tea plantations and Adamās little peakā¦
Cooking with Lanka
Days 6-8 Tissamaharama/Kataragama: The starting point for Safaris at the Yala national park, the advantage of Tissa is its proximity to Bundala national park if you are a bird lover and Kirinda fishing village. Both towns have pilgrim sites as well.
Tissamaharama dagobaā¦The main temple.
Days 8-10 Mirissa: to watch the whales, as itās the only location in the south offering this adventure.Ā Enjoy a day on the beach, eat some sea food and relax and then you could easily reach the airport within 4Ā hours and fly back home.]
4 pm sun at Mirissa beachā¦
Waves and footprintsā¦
Gorgeous beachā¦
You could also go for a day trip in Galle and stroll around the dutch fort and the fish market. SpendĀ another in Colombo, although 4 hours were more than enough to go to the national museum and the temple, including 1.5 hours to eat one single crab.
On the walls of the dutch fort, Galleā¦
Where to stay?
My pick would be homestaysĀ for several reasons: 1- A family will protect its home and business, theft is not very likely, 2- itās hot, there are mosquitoes and really after a long day, personal space can be appreciated. 3- itās still cheap. 4- You can befriend the family, and have some insights on local life.
If you are planning on staying in hostels; make sure there are lockersā¦
View from the homestay in Kandyā¦
Commuting
Monk priority seating
Always colorful, and always musical
Train/bus: Cheapest, slowest and least convenient but you get upclose and personal with Lankans, literally. Second class train tickets are less than 200 rupees for the famous routes like Kandy-Ella or Colombo-Galle. Buses will not exceed 300 rupees and are generally faster since trains run between 20-40 km/hr on average, maximum 60 but not all the time. Buses can go as fast as 80 km/hr
The family I befriended on the trainā¦
Trains offer the time and space to socialize. The ride was scenic towards Ella, and seeing the waves crashing beneath the train on the way to Colombo was something out of this world.Ā Buses will grow on you specially that the ride is very rhythmic.
Yes the waves are crashing beneath the wheels of your trainā¦
There is aĀ collaborative spirit among Lankans, If you are lucky to find a seat you owe it to your co-citizen to keep their purse/bag on your lap.
Tuktuk:Ā Cheaper than taxis and a bit faster as they can go easily around traffic. Beware that 3 wheelers areĀ neither roadĀ safe nor comfortable specially in long rides. So travelling with a tuktuk for more than 20 kilometres is a bad idea. And always negotiate starting with half price, however in Colombo as them to turn the meter onā¦
Youāll find tuktuks in the most rural unexpected places as well the crowds streetsā¦
Taxis: Safest, most comfortable and most expensive aswell. A bus from Ella to Wiraweela cost 385 SRL, from Wiraweela to Tissa youād ride a tuktuk and pay 400 SRLĀ so in total 785 SRL, youād pay 7000 and 8000 SRL for a taxi.
LocalĀ Food
Since Lankans are not much of restaurant goers, restaurants are widely spread where tourists go and itās really easy to find those whoĀ serve western or chinese food. There are Pizza hut, dominoes, KFC or burger king in major towns. In small villages, itāll be harder to find a restaurant, so youāll eat at your home stay, hostel or hotel.
A pork Kothu with an omelette on topā¦
The unwritten Lankan cuisine rule is: āeverything will, can and shouldĀ be cookedĀ with grated coconut, coconut milk or coconut cream and definitely coconut oil. Cause coconut is a way of lifeā¦ā
Breakfast:
Anything can make a good breakfast, you could have egg hoppers or hoppers with honey or any filling of your preference, hoppers are crepe-like bell shaped pastry also made with grated coconut and coconut milk.
Egg hoppersā¦
Traditional breakfast consists of leftover rice and curry. Or a fresh bakedĀ roti with coconut Sambal and Dhal (lentils) curry. Ā The roti contains coconuts and cooked with coconut oil, coconut sambal (a dry curry made of grated coconut, onions and red or green hot chilli peppers).
Roti with an omelette
Dhal curry
Coconut sambhal
Locals usually stop by aĀ bakeryĀ on their way to work or school and get one of these delicious pastries; fish sambal, samosa, vegetable roti, egg roti, hotdog bun, bread rollsā¦etc. Donāt forget to couple it with some milk tea.
A small roti with a fried dhal pattyā¦Ā
Lunch or Dinner:
Rice & curryā¦
Rice and curry for lunch, dinner or breakfast, some would replace rice with roti. Curries may have a protein base (fish, chicken,Ā mutton, beef, porkā¦etc), or simply vegetarian or fruitarianĀ options like beetroot, coconut, dhal, pumpkin, and passion fruit.
Roti with fish, veggie and tomato curriesā¦
Kothu is a street food that consists of shredded veggies, chilli, fried roti leftovers, some seafood or protein of your choice. All pan fried in coconut oil with an egg. It tastes sweetā¦ Donāt expect your plate to be bone or shell free though.
Fish Kothu
Chopseuy;Ā fried rice dish with shredded veggies and left over meat, Ā not necessarily traditional as itās also mild.
Chopseuy with seafood (squid and shrimps)ā¦
Deviled meat: A sweet and sour treat. It consists of chili, palm honey, veggies and a protein of your choice. Very saucyĀ and normally served with riceā¦
Deviled prawnsā¦
Fresh seafood: Fish, shrimps or crabs, can all be fried or served dry. The spiciness level is not guaranteed so make your preferences clear. My favourite would always be crabs; those enormous giants are soft, sweet and tender. It takes at least an hour to devour an 800 gm monster.An hour of criminal pleasureā¦
Sweet chilli crabā¦
Tip: If you are not into spicy food, then curries are not for youā¦
Snacks:
Street food is cheap, as in 10 SRL per piece, spicy and hard to name as well as sorts of cashews, nuts, exotic fruits and paan. For those who donāt know what paan is, youāll find stuffed green leaves that people buy from small kiosks or street vendors. This contains either tobacco or sweets, itās nice to try once at leastā¦
Rice milk with spicy curry on a banana leaveā¦
I particularly love the Issu vadei and uludu wade as well as things with dhal (lentil) base captured below.
Yummy street eatsā¦
Curd with honey: Curd is basically a buffalo milk yoghurt but itās a bit different in the making process which is called curdling. In terms of taste, there are evident solid masses, and a bit of a salty taste similar to cottage cheese.
Curd & honeyā¦
Tip: I am not sure they call it paan in Sri Lanka, that was the name in India, you donāt need to spell it, justĀ point at it.
Desserts:
I am not a fan of sugar but I always appreciate a good dessert. iāve tried some cakes based on coconut and bananas, some were dry served with a breakfast and some were moist and spongyā¦
Banana cake at heritage cafe in Galleā¦
Try string hoppers, rolled and stuffed with caramelised coconut, it was too sweet for my liking but I am the kind of person who doesnāt need sugar for their tea or expresso.
Kalu dodol: found at speciality shops, itās made of coconut of course, cashews, flower and something else called Kithul jaggery along with flour.
My breakfast on the boat, egg toast, sausage, string hoppers with coconut, cake and pineapple.
Urunda and varieties: Crispy balls made of coconuts or simply flour, honey among other ingredients that I cannot really recognise but I can assure you itās world class.
Drinks:
Coconut water: Whether itās fresh off the tree or mixed with lime and mint. A perfect way toĀ quench your thirst and very nutritious, specially if you eat the coconut afterwards, normally between 50 -70 rupees.
Carving the coconut meatā¦
Ginger beer: my favourite non alcoholic refreshing beverage, itās basically carbonated fermented ginger with some additives. EGB is the best in my opinion.
I terribly miss these on a hot dayā¦
Lion Beer: The one and only, ābe strong, be a lionā or thatās what the tagline says. Itās not bad at all. The challenge is to get a cold one thoughā¦
With an ocean viewā¦
Arrack: Other than Toddy (fermented coconut) that is best drank fresh, Lankans make a distilled version called arrack, goes well with a coke as itās basically tastelessā¦
Arrack on iceā¦
Cream Soda: For some reason I cannot fathom, Sri Lanka makes an excellent cream soda.
Tea: Itās not a rumour, Ceylon tea is the best,it comes in all grades and flavours but all with good quality. Donāt miss the Uva Halpte factory if you are near Ella. Try ginger tea.
And when you serve tea, it has to be done rightā¦
Lankan coffee: If it werenāt for the English, the first drink would have been coffee or so they say. Some local brands are starting to bloom and gain popularity. Sri Lanka is one of the prime greenĀ coffee exporters yet they are still learning the art of making it.
Budget
1 USD = 153 SRL
Depending on what you would enjoy; you can go as low as 150 $ per week.
If you are a budget traveller you can live with something between 3000 ā 6000 SRL/day on average. Itās enough for public transportation, few tuktuks in town, decent meals and maybe something luxurious every once in a while, activities like safari and whale watching as well as one beer per day.
A streetfood shack in Colombo Green Faceā¦
Accommodation in homeĀ stays: 1800 SRL per night, half of it with AC to avoid mosquitoes and have a good night sleep, Ā you can still have your own room at 1000 SRL per night.
Transportation: I was travelling from a place to the other every two nights in addition to the commutes within town limits (I did walk a lot though) for Ā 400 SRL.
The awesome bus stopā¦
Meals: 600 SRL/day without crabs, with crabs itād go up to 900/day. A single crab can cost up to 4000 SRL depending on how big and where you eat it. Yet if you are going to live on street food you can spend as little as 400 SRL per day. Prices differ from a place to the other. You are more likely to spend less in big townsā¦ Add to that around 150 SRL for snacks as a safety net.
Fresh fruits standā¦
Drinks: If you are going to bars, sip a fresh coconut, ginger beer and bottled water, your average would be round 550 SRL, without beer it can go down to 200 SRL. LionĀ Beer would cost anywhere between 300 -500 SRL.
Seema Malaka on Beira Lake, Colombo.
Activities: museums, temples,Ā theatres, safarisā¦etc would average around 1500 per day, Safari costs around 6000Ā SRL/person for 6 hoursĀ with breakfast and drinks in a 6 person jeep. Whale watching is between 4000-6000 SRL including breakfast, water and snacksā¦
School students on the way homeā¦
ShoppingĀ varies from a person to the other, so nothing to recommend here, not much of a shopper myselfā¦
A buddhist monk near the lake in Kandyā¦
Please note that prices are subject to change, my calculation before travelling went to the drain as it was based on old information while all prices went up in August 2017, always buffer with a 25% extra and note the articleās date.
Next: A Solo female guide to Sri Lanka.
All photographs are shot by myself Racha Rachad, and I preserve all copyrights.
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave
Sri Lanka; The essentialsĀ guideā¦ What to expect? Is it a little India? Maybeā¦Those dark smiley face drenched in sweat, hardly looking into your eye will feel familiar.
Napoli...On and off the beaten tracks!
Napoliā¦On and off the beatenĀ tracks!
Previously on Rou5a travels; Ā Buongiorno Napoli, Treating your stomach all Napolitana, The Amalfi coast & Vesuviusā¦Ā There are other less known sightsĀ that you could only reach on foot from SpaccanapoliĀ due to a scarcity of public transportation and a strictly local habitat like for example the āFontanelle cavesā, itās a cemetery that was used during the plague to bury, more like toss, theā¦
View On WordPress
The Amalfi coast & Vesuvius...
The Amalfi coast &Ā Vesuviusā¦
Previously on Rou5a travels: Buongiorno Napoli, Treating your stomach all Napolitana. A series of stories from my personal experience in Napoli and around the Amalfi coast.
Amalfi marine Trafficā¦
Napoli is well connected to the other coastal cities via ground and marine transportation, so if youād like youĀ can use a boat orĀ a train to Sorrento then a bus to anywhere else around the Amalfi. Busesā¦
View On WordPress
This is the second of a sequel of posts related to my Neapolitan experience, to catch up hereās a link to the first postĀ ā¦
The Neapolitan special edition
It was hot in Napoli, the kind of hot that makes you gulp a beer after the other as if it was water. Ā Campania an ancient and famous wine producing region, yet it was only decent like most of the authentic mediterranean wines, Ā most commonly served was Falanghina white wine and Ā according to Neapolitans white is betterĀ than the red variety they have. We didnāt want to go there in such a weather anyway. I did like it but not from the start, it grew on me with its lemony taste that makes it fresh and lively after the first few sips. Iāve also appreciated the Greco Bianco but I am the Pinot grigio and Muscat kind of girl.Ā
Falanghina
Roaming around local markets and eating something fresh and authentic instead of processed food is a passion of mine, specially for breakfast. That was impossible in Napoli with the amount of pastries I wanted to try;Ā you may or may not already know that Napoli is also famous for Baba al Rhum or as french call it: Baba au Rhum. It comes in different sizes and you can buy the bland pastryĀ from the baker or get it with its ready made syrup and some fresh cream or gelato at any cafe. They also make jars of preserved Baba with Rhum, Limoncello and other liquors for tourists. The jars are ornamented with coloured canvas so I kept a few in different sizes as a souvenirā¦
A quick tip regarding sitting in a cafe; the service charge doubles the price of everything, some places shower you with free stuff to taste but donāt count on itā¦
Canoli that was served as a compliment with the coffeeā¦
The modern aperitif/aperitivoĀ culture was inventedĀ in Italy, itās also called apricena or a pre-dinner meal, but it could also date back to Ancient Egypt. However the important thing is to experience it with art. Italians have a good range of drinks that would perfectly match the occasion;Ā Campari, Vermouth, Negroni, Aperol Spritz and Prosecco. Any cocktail or simply some white wine would work, places who serve aperitivi are expensive, you pay anywhere in the range of 5 to 15 euros. The trick is that they serve some condiments or snacks with it for free and is somehow considered a happy hour. Some bars have an all day happy hour. Some would serve bits of cheese, nuts, olives and taralli (sort of Ā flavoured bread similar to a pretzel but hard), some others would stuff you with sliced hamĀ sandwiches in piedina or simple panini. No need to recommend place, just sneak a peak onto the tables and youāll be able to decide for yourself whether the place is generous enough.
#gallery-0-13 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-13 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-0-13 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-13 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Port call with some cheese, dillā¦etc
Wine and a piedina
Bruschettas
Campari soda
A perfect spot is in front of Castello SantāElmo gates on a hill overlooking Napoli, Ā an awesome view of the city centre and port as well as the mountains of the Amalfi coast. The Castello closes at 5 or 6 pm, so you could stop by after your visit for an aperitivo, a glass of Aperol is around 5 euros (cheap) butĀ donāt dream of more than peanuts, olives and taralli. Chapeau to the owner for his choice of location!!
The view
As the night starts to re-paint everything in light and darkness, the shops are closing and your stomach starts to indicate itās time for dinner. It was one of two options; either eat Pizza where it belongs or leverage the fact that the city is a big port and eat fish.
Full moon night around the port of Napoliā¦
The first things we tried was a very old Pizzeria, called Antica Pizzeria PortāAlba in a side Vico off of Piazza Dante. The Napolitana is thin, fresh and extremely tasty because they do make the right combinations. Itās also very common that you get a Pizza without cheese, just tomato sauce, some basil and some sort of meat or seafood, so if you want cheese ask for it or make sure itās in the ingredients. In via Tribunali there are quite a few pizzerie that have long queues signed in front of them. Ā Not necessarily because they are that goodā¦ Iād recommend a couple of fantastic pizzeria to try;āDonna Sofiaā and āDi Matteoā The later looks like a small take-away kiosque but they have big rooms upstairs and without competition they served me the best pizza Iāve ever had in my entire life.
Di Matteo
PortāAlbaās mussels and tomato pizza
a brilliant creamy cheese and ham pizza
Ā Our favourite fish place was discovered on our way back from SantāElmo we took theĀ funicular toĀ Montesanto station, then we headed to via Portamedina, the street is crowded with garments shops as well as mini markets and a big Pescheria Ā or a fish market that also functions as a restaurant at night called Pescheria Azzurra. The place had already grabbed our attention earlier as all its display seemed to be fresh unlike many others.Ā Nothing we ate was disappointing except for the waiters so you know what to expect. Eat spaghetti with sea fruits orĀ mussels, Ā also try the big mussels platter, or that tender sword fish with cherry tomatoes and basil, the mixed fried/grilled fish platter and Ā the well balanced zucchini and shrimps pasta.Ā
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
So to summarise, start your days with pastry, snack with an aperitivo and pick your condiments carefully. Have tons of Pizza and fish for dinner, donāt forget to consume litres and litres of Falanghina white wine and local beer in the process.
More to followā¦
Treating your stomach alla Napolitanaā¦ This is the second of a sequel of posts related to my Neapolitan experience, to catch up here's a link to theā¦
We haveĀ arrived to the airport at 10 am, it was of one terminal in size. We were all crammed into one line waiting to stamp our passports, my bladder was willing to explode under the effect of the 3 bottles of wine I had onboard, waiting till we landed was not a good idea. I had to cheat and take the advantage of the amount of Ā non-chalant people bundled together and managed my way through half of the line, signalling to the other generous half that āI had to goā. The officer wished me happy holidays, of course, most of us are going to be sprawled across one of the Amalfi coast beaches. This factĀ on its own relaxes your muscles just a little bit more.
View from Giardini del Molosiglioā¦
The bus stopped in Garibaldi square, you may have noticed that Garibaldi street and square is almost everywhere in Italy. Giuseppe Garibaldi was a revolutionary who had a special impact on the south of Italy as his conquest enabled the unification of Italy. We have decided to stop for an expresso break at a cafe across the train station that happens to make brilliant neapolitan sweets. Coffee is a cult in Napoli, its inhabitants till not so long ago did roast the beans themselves and ground it to make the perfect most fresh cup of espresso, even when they thought about charity they created something called cafe sospeso. It works as follows; you pay for two and get one, an anonymous later would benefit from it. It was also crucial that Eshpresso would be my first taste of the city, there are few well knownĀ neapolitanĀ Ā coffee houses, my personal favourites would be Kimbo and Toraldo as their coffee is strong and rich inĀ flavour.
Kimbo Espresso Schiumato
Toraldo Espresso
The second most important taste is a pastry called sfogliatella riccia āSmall leaf ā in english, itās shell shaped and made of layers filled with riccotta with a bit ofĀ cinnamon and a tinge of orange or lemon. There are other versions in Campania like for example sfoglia di campania, which is half filled with ricotta as well as other flavours depending; could be chocolate, orange, lemon, strawberry. Itās also worth Ā mentioning there is another variation of Sfogliatella which is the frolla; exactly the same inside however made of shortbread crust which is pasta frolla instead of the layered sfoglia crust.
Sfogliatella Napolitana
Sfogliatella on the inside
Sfoglia Campania al limone
Our apartment, located in the city centre, took us from the wide streets near Garibaldi square and the train station to the small cobble stone paved streets āviaā and alleys āvicoā; Ā youād smell a fresh zest and look up to find laundry hanging between two buildings. You look down to the sides and all you see is open doors, chairs and people staring at you, once you say Buongiorno or Ciao, their faces break into smiles and they would all greet you back. Itās important to get friendly with your neighbours,Ā when your apartment gets flooded theyād be the ones to save you. Ā You may also wander in those Vici and Vie for ever and youād always find something new; from what kind of laundry they put out to the small ornaments on their door steps and balconies.
Creative hangerā¦
Fresh zest, fresh laundryā¦
Neapolitans are laid back, they smell good all the time even if at some point all you can smell the sewage in the streets, no worries, itās only temporary. They are not strictly professional and have higher friendly tendencies than the rest of their fellow italians when it comes to managing businesses. The coffee places is where you hear all the stories, where you get to know what happened to Carlo last night, and try to resolve Lucioās love trouble. Weād all be involved yet without specific expectations, you pay for your espresso and then leave a sospeso; Girogio is having a rough time these days. This is would be good consolationā¦
two cooks on a break
Busy life in Spacca Napoli
La tarantella tunes emanate from the souvenir shops in via san Gregorio Armeno, a southern beat that sounds too familiar to my Mediterranean self. If you have seen the dance youād recognise the cheerfulness and rhythm ofĀ greek Sirtaki and the levant Debke however differentĀ individually yet thisĀ similarityĀ feels beautiful.
Via Gregorio Armenoā¦
When itās time for lunch, weād find a small shop, eat a primo piatto or an antipasto, preferably a pasta with basil and tomato sauce or maybe a light one with garlic, parsley and musselsĀ Ā always ai denti and as fresh as its ingredients. To digest, we took a long walk across the marina to via Duomo, then down to via san Biagio dei Librai or speccanapoli to melt with the crowd and have some āGelatoā with the seasonās flavours.
Pasta alle cozze
Pasta with tomato and basil
Ā If you are in the mood for some shopping you can walk up and down via toledo but not before you pass by piazza del Gesu Nuovo. There is tourist information centre there next to a water fountain and between two magnificent churches; Gesu Nuovo and Santa chiara, Santa marta is much smaller, however located in the same block.
Via Toledoā¦
Piazza del Gesu Nuovo, the church on the left, on the right santa Chiara, and the small red building is the tourist information building
To be Continuedā¦
SaveSave
SaveSave
Buongiorno Napoli We haveĀ arrived to the airport at 10 am, it was of one terminal in size. We were all crammed into one line waiting to stamp our passports, my bladder was willing to explode under the effect of the 3 bottles of wine I had onboard, waiting till we landed was not a good idea.
ĪĪ±Ļ ĻĪ»ĪÆĪ±, ĪĪ±ĻĻĪ»Ī¹Īæ, ĪĪ±ĻĻĪ»Ī¹ĪæĪ½...Or the Old town of NAFPLIO.
ĪĪ±Ļ ĻĪ»ĪÆĪ±, ĪĪ±ĻĻĪ»Ī¹Īæ, ĪĪ±ĻĻĪ»Ī¹ĪæĪ½ā¦Or the Old town ofĀ NAFPLIO.
The Peloponnese is a region in western Greece, a peninsula that confines an antique world dating back to the year 3000 BC or even earlier. There are plenty of historical sites, mountains, beaches and vineyards to explore. Nafplio is in the eastern part, the capital of Argolis region, it also used to be the capital of Greece. Ā The location is tempting; a confined port at the end of the bay, it isā¦
View On WordPress
Landed in Jordan...
Landed in Jordanā¦
Going to Jordan was one of the most spontaneous decisions I have made in my travel life, people who are blessed with a passport like mine do not get this luxury often. We always need to prepare our documents early enough to apply for a VISA, wait for the response before confirming travel plans or risk cancellation fees. I was waiting for a Canadian VISA to spend Christmas with loved ones but itā¦
View On WordPress