The sharp contrast of Ponte Vecchio by day and by night in the captivating city of Florence.
How to Take a Photo of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
November 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is famous for obvious reasons. Tourists flock there to capture photos of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. However no one tells you that it can be quite difficult to get a photo of the tower actually leaning! As you can see in my photo below it appears to be rather straight!
How to take a photo of the Leaning Tower of Pisa:
- To get a good leaning photo of the Leaning Tower of Pisa it’s best not to stand directly in front of it
- Crouch down to get a low angle photograph
- Ensure you’re standing a good 30-50 metres away from the Leaning Tower of Pisa
- The best locations to take a photo of the Leaning Tower are on the steps of the Pisa Cathedral, or Duomo, or on the grassed area from the south side of the Piazza dei Miracoli or ‘Field of Miracles’
- The ultimate, cheesy, touristy photo is of course holding up or pushing over the tower!
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is often just a whirlwind pitstop on an Italian itinerary. On my mother-daughter Europe holiday we made it more than just a tick on the list of sights to see. We walked from Pisa train station to the Piazza dei Miracoli, through the main streets of Pisa.
Pisa is a small, rustic but energetic town with charming cafes and restaurants. We paused at a cafe/patisserie/restaurant to have a big Italian lunch with courgette and prawn pasta, salad and a takeaway bag of dolce or dessert to eat on our train ride to Florence.
A Traditional Paris Food Market
November 7, 2011 By 3 Comments
One of the best things about living in London is being able to go to Paris on the weekend. No matter how many times I visit Paris, I’m always excited when I discover a new part of the city, a chic cafe, a funky boutique or simply finding a quiet haven in the city of love.
On a recent trip to Paris I travelled with my mother on her first European adventure. I’ve had a lot of travel companions over the years but I really enjoy mother daughter travel. On my 24th birthday, we had a mother daughter trip to Bali. For me, mother daughter travel is a different kind of travel experience. The budget tends to be a little more extravagant than my usual glampacking in style on a budget and the pace is also a lot more relaxed!
During our first mother daughter trip to Paris, we strolled the streets and discovered a traditional Paris food market on Rue Franklin D Roosevelt. It was, to quote my mother, like the food markets you see in French movies! Locals were carrying shopping baskets, selecting fresh fruit and vegetables, smelling bouquets of flowers and choosing mouldy cheeses!
Now if only I lived in a Parisien apartment just so I could buy all these goods! I’d settle for having a packed picnic with gourmet goods from this amazing traditional Paris food market.
Visiting Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania
October 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Peles Castle up close
Visiting Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania makes you feel like you’ve been transported to the 17th Century where king and queens rule the world. Built in the late 1800s, the castle was the residence of several monarchs including King Carol I.
Peles Castle is not like ‘Dracula’s Castle’ or Bran Castle. Inside it’s incredibly ornate as the castle is regarded as one of the most beautiful in Europe! To me it was like visiting the Versailles of Romania! You’re not allowed to take photos inside unless you have a pre-bought photo pass. Visitors receive a guided tour in English if desired. Rooms are inspired by French, German, Italian renaissance and even Moroccan styled interiors and furnishings.
Peles Castle has a connection to the bear sanctuary which I volunteered at with Oyster Worldwide. Max, a blind bear, used to be kept as a tourist attraction at the base of the road leading towards the castle. Now Max leads a peaceful, happy life in his enclosure in the safety of the bear sanctuary.
Peles Castle up front
Peles Castle from afar
An Autumn Festival in Sinaia, Romania
October 24, 2011 By 1 Comment
A Romanian barbecue in Sinaia
Romanians love eating good hearty food. This is something I experienced first hand whilst volunteering at bear sanctuary with Oyster Worldwide. Whilst visiting the town of Sinaia, we stumbled upon an autumn festival with lots of local foods. There were endless stall selling pots of steaming stews, sizzling steaks and bowls of polenta!
I called the autumn festival in Sinaia, Romania, the ‘Pink Tie’ Festival. Stall holders were wearing pink ties as they served up plates loaded up with all kinds of meat. There were also traditional sweets being sold including gingerbread – softer and chewier than Western style cookies, pretzels and ultra sugary nougat. Delicious!
Romanian Vegetarian Stew
Romanian Sweets
The Pink Tie Festival in Sinaia, Romania
Top 5 Things to do in Brasov, Romania
October 17, 2011 By 1 Comment
Brasov Probably the Best City in the World
- It’s not often when I’m glampacking that I stay in one place for a week. I’m often on weekend jaunts and short stays so when I lived in the old town of Brasov, Romania for one week it made me appreciate slow travel. I walked the cobble-stoned streets in the shadow of Tempah mountain and bought groceries in the local supermarket. It was almost like being a local…with badly spoken Romanian!
Whilst staying in Brasov during my week of volunteering with Oyster Worldwide at a brown bear sanctuary, I discovered restaurants with local charm, bars great for cocktails and learnt a bit of history as well.
My top 5 things to do in Brasov, Romania were:
Goulash with polenta at Transylvania
- Dining at Transylvania
A family-owned restaurant, Transylvania serves up traditional Romanian cuisine and a great house red wine to wash it down. I enjoyed the tender beef goulash with just a hint of chilli with a side of polenta, which is very popular and best eaten drowned in gravy!
The Black Church Tower
- See the Black Church and Brasov’s main square
The Black Church is ‘black’ due to a great fire in 1689 and was originally built by the German community in the 15th century. The imposing gothic structure was formerly a Catholic church and stands tall in the centre of Brasov’s old town. With the city formerly known as Kronstadt, there’s still lots of Saxon-styled buildings in the old town. The main action of Brasov town happens in the city’s square, Piata Sfatului. It’s a great place to sit back with a coffee and café, often for less than 4 Euro, and watch the locals.
View of Brasov Town
Sign at the top of Tampa Mountain
- Climb to the top of Tampa Mountain
A 2 minute, seven lei ride to the top of Tempah Mountain gives you unparalleled views of Brasov. It’s an easy walk up or down the mountain too…sometimes brown bears can be seen…!
Festival 39
- Have drinks at Festival 39
This art deco style restaurant and bar serves up great cocktails. The strange thing is that in Romania, it’s still acceptable to smoke inside restaurants. Maybe the smoke adds to the feeling that you’re in the Roaring 20s…or maybe it’s the effect of the cocktails!
View Brasov Town from White Tower
- Hike up to the citadels and towers
The city walls of Brasov were created as fortifications in the 15th century by Saxons. Climbing up the White and Black towers will give you great views over the city from the point of view of a Saxon soldier.
Tips for visiting the Guggenheim Bilbao
September 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The architectural splendour of the Guggenheim Museum is unlike any other museum in the world. Created by Frank Gehry 1987, the museum is a majestic ‘mess’ of steel. By mess, I mean that it appears to have no particular order, the building has parts the stick out and appears to have layer upon layer of titanium, aluminium and limestone.
We were so captivated by the building that we wandered around the entire museum site, before finding the entrance. It perches on the edge of Bilbao’s estuary, adjacent to a bridge. The arc of the bridge is a work by Daniel Buren, named Arcos Rojos.
We climbed up the stairs to peer down over the museum, spotting a café on a balcony and still unable to see the main entrance! You do get a great view of Bilbao though!
Outdoor sculptures surround the exterior including Tall Tree and the Eye by Anish Kapoor, who earlier in the year had an exhibition in Kensington Gardens, and Jeff Koons’ Tulips which reminded me of metallic balloons.
The main entrance is at the bottom of the stairs behind Jeff Koon’s Puppy, aka the massive floral dog!
My highlights included:
- The Matter of Time by Richard Serra – this installation needs to seen at all different angles, from the ground, from the second level and from the ground up
- The Luminous Interval D.Daskalopoulos Collection – including a work called Palms by John Bock that has to be seen…its like an explosion of an imagination
- Jenny Hozer’s Installation for Bilbao – a LED light show of words on sign columns, feels like its written in stream of consciousness, the poetry of the display moves so quickly it makes you feel nauseous!
Since we only had an afternoon in Bilbao, the Guggenheim was the one and only thing at the top our list. To cap off our trip in Northern Spain, we sat down on the terrace to enjoy one final round of tapas and, although this looks like sangria, it’s actually Tinto de Verano – known as the ‘red wine of summer’. It has less alcohol than sangria but is very refreshing!
I’ve officially visited two Guggenheim museums, having also been to the New York City and I’m now making it my mission to visit all of them! Next…Berlin? Venice? Or perhaps Abu Dhabi?
Glampacker’s Tips for visiting the Guggenheim Bilbao:
- Catch the tram to Bilbao – just remember to validate your ticket before getting on board
- Get an audio guide – they’re essential to finding out more about the artworks
- Take your time – we were a bit rushed to get off to the airport – but sit down, stare at the building, wander through the exhibits and just pause for a moment
Things to do in Madrid, Spain in One Day
September 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
In the city rivalry between Madrid and Barcelona, Madrid is the Melbourne and Barcelona is the Sydney. By that I meant that Madrid may not have the instant allure of beaches, major architectural sights like the La Sagrada Familia or epitomize the stereotypes of Spain…Madrid will instead blow you over with it’s culture – on the streets, in the city squares, the food and its people. It’s possible to do a lot in a one day in Madrid even on a tight budget – I barely spent 50 euro in a space of 12 hours!
My first impression of Madrid’s urban dwellers? Chic. The ladies know how to dress in Madrid and are always stylish and glamorous. They made wearing heels in 35 degree heat look comfortable! For me travelling in style in hot weather means wearing practical day time shoes like thongs/flip flops or sandals!
Stroll around in Parque el Retiro
The city’s biggest park stretches over 130 hectares. It was originally built in the 15th century by King Phillips IV as a retreat for the royal family and was home to the Real Sitio del Buen Retiro palace. Most of the palace was destroyed in the Napoleonic wars and now only parts remain, including what is now the army museum.Visitors can hire row boats and cruise along in the lake in the shadow of the King Alfonso II monument. Street musicians perform along the main paths. There’s many smaller gardens and nooks and crannies where many locals were asleep, finding respite from the heat!
Explore Madrid’s streets
I was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of the city. The little things surprised me, like the handpainted street signs, narrow laneways and laid back vibe. I was expecting more bustling, non-stop city traffic. There was a protest in Puerto del Sol – the ‘heart of the city’ so it was blocked off but nonetheless the city felt safe with policemen happy to help us with directions to the metro.
Gawk at the architecture
The historic city has many buildings from the Spanish Empire including the Royal Palace and Town Hall. Walking along the busiest street, Gran Via, is a great way to see the mix of old and new Madrid.
Visit the El Prado Museum
It’s free after 6pm! Madrid’s most well-known museum has thousands of artworks. The European collection ranges from 12th to 19th Century artworks and classic contemporary Spanish artworks. My Prado museum highlights included The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymous Bosch and The Third of May: the Executions on Príncipe Pío by Goya.
Eat and drink outside in a plaza
Plaza Major is a bit touristy but it’s a great place for people-watching! There are many other smaller city squares with outdoor seating, including some which have cooling mist water spraying over you as you sip on sangria.
Eating tapas outside and watching the glow of sunset is a great way to end an evening in Madrid.
Five things to know before volunteering in Romania at a bear sanctuary
September 5, 2011 By 5 Comments
In less than a fortnight I will be volunteering at Europe’s largest bear sanctuary in Romania. It’s my first time to Romania, my first time volunteering in Europe and it will be the first time in my life that I will come almost face to face with brown bears!
I first won the Oyster Worldwide competition at the Travel Bloggers’ Unite conference in Manchester back in March. Now that my trip is just around the corner, I’m getting ready for my trip of a lifetime with Romanian brown and black bears.
Before any big trip I go into planning mode. What to pack? Carry on baggage always presents certain packing challenges. There will be no typical glampacking clothes, no high heels, no little black dress but instead comfortable jeans, t-shirts, a waterproof jacket and sturdy shoes. I may slip in some make-up though, as I’ve heard the nightlife in Brasov can be rather fun!
Oyster Worldwide’s volunteer program at the bear sanctuary near Brasov is becoming increasingly popular with gap year students, travellers on career breaks or those looking for a completely different adventure! I’m very excited to combine travel and volunteering and helping to make a difference to lives of bears who have been rescued from abuse or exploitation.
Five things to know before volunteering in Romania at a bear sanctuary
- Romania has a currency called the ‘leu’ or ‘lei’ in plural form
- Bună ziua means good day and mulţumesc means thank you in Romanian
- In September, autumn weather is dry and cool around 18-25 degrees – very exciting since it appears to be winter in London already!
- Brown bears eat 10 kilograms of food a day!
- There are 56 bears at the sanctuary and each has their own personality – I’m very keen to see the bear cubs!
Keep up to date with my adventures in Romania by following the #Romaniabears tag on Twitter!
Glampacking Spain: Eating Pintxos in San Sebastian
August 29, 2011 By 3 Comments
Pintxos is like tapas with a slight twist. I like to call it tapas, buffet style. In Basque country, the beachside city of San Sebastian is well-known for taking tapas very seriously. San Sebastian is full of big and little pintxos bars in Old Town. It’s so difficult to choose what to eat and which bar to go to – so bar-hopping and sampling lots of food is a must!
How to eat pintxos in San Sebastian best bars?
- There are cold and hot tapas – cold tapas are spread out on the bar and there’s usually plates on hand to help yourself. You have to order the hot stuff from the chalkboard menus.
- Prices are usually displayed at the bar and can range from 1 euro and up!
- Pintxos isn’t meant to be a substitute for dinner, it’s meant to be a casual eating and drinking experience. If you’re famished, the tapas soon add up rather quickly!
- You pay what you eat. Most bars opt by the toothpick principle – the no. of toothpicks equals the no. of tapas or you simply pay when you order. Some bars just let you pay after you’ve had your fare share, so be honest!
- What to drink with pintxos? Beer or wine? Mojitos or sangria? I think beer goes down a bit more nicely with pintxos, perhaps it’s the salty jamon on baguette bread that requires a cool beer. My best friend prefers drinking kalimotxo – coke mixed with red wine.
- Sit or stand? I prefer sitting at a bench, you may end up at a shared table for sharing your pintxos experience with some locals.
- What’s the singular of tapas? A tapa? Is one pintxos a pintxo? I think it’s best to just keeping eating so you don’t order just one!
