The UK is well-known for its sweets and in me, the country met its match. I ate just about everything this country had to offer; Tesco cookies, tiny triangular sandwiches at high tea, sausages from illegal vendors that only come out at night and of course Cadbury everything.
But on one fine day in London, all my dreams came true on a personal food tour of Harrods. My friend, who shall remain nameless because I’m not sure he wants to suffer the embarrassment, and I sampled just about everything the upscale department store had to offer; truffles, pralines, expensive deli meats, even a few Krispy Cream Donuts. To top it off we shared a massive banana split at the Ice Cream Parlour at Harrods.
Our eating frenzy continued for a few more stores after Harrods as we made our way home. But it came to a sad end at the lifts in our residency. We hopped on the lift with just a couple other people, the norm, but unlike usual, this time the lift didn’t budge.
We were over capacity.
So with our heads down in shame over how far our fat kid dreams had gone, we hopped off.
This post is by Andris Piebalgs for MyDestination.com.
Hey guys, what’s up? With the sun disappearing behind rain clouds, temperatures dropping to below comfortable, and the looming prospect of having to go back to work, it is no surprise that some of us might start having summer withdrawal symptoms. We are always looking for that perfect chill out holiday, somewhere to get away and forget the troubles of the world. Personally, I feel that such a holiday has to be dynamic. This means going surfing, hiking, biking and partying till your feet are sore with blisters and your body feels as though it has been pummeled and pounded by the waves.
Cape Town to my eyes has all the attributes of a perfect chill-out spot: beautiful beaches, an amazing landscape and great food all combined to give an experience unlike any other. The Cape of Good Hope, named because it marked the point of a more easterly direction around Africa for explorers, sits in a unique geographical position sharing borders both with the cold Atlantic Ocean to the west and the warm Indian Ocean to the right. This is in part responsible for the wonderful diversity of wildlife in the Cape Floral Kingdom and the breath taking beauty of the Table Mountain national park, both amazing places to explore. There are also a unique variety of beaches where water temperature can change by up to several degrees Celsius with considerable changes also in wave size, giving beginner and pro surfers alike a great chance to enjoy the water.
Cape Town restaurants provide a great offer of both local and international cuisine. The city’s love affair with the sea has produced some of the finest seafood restaurants in the world while South Africa’s rich cultural history ensures a wonderful selection of vegetables and meat. South Africans in particular are proud of their outdoor cooking so be sure to go to a barbecue when you’re there. Wash down their fantastic cuisine with some fine wine from the Western Cape or alternatively their local drink ‘Castle lager’. Check out Mydestination.com/capetown for more information.
Photo courtesy of MyDestination.com
There is plenty of hotel accommodation in Cape Town that can suit your taste and your wallet. If you’re a backpacker looking simply for a place to stay then there are different hostels and hotels available. Alternatively you can easily find accommodation that is more conveniently placed by the beach or in the city center, somewhere that is more than just a place to lie down.
Photo courtesy of MyDestintion.com
In other words, there is no excuse for you not to head to Cape Town for your next holiday. Book your flights early to get good value for transportation, bring or rent out a surfboard and wetsuit, hit the water, do some exploring and sit back and take in the scenery. Enjoy the amazing food and you will no doubt feel regenerated and refueled in body and soul alike for another year of hard work ahead.
This post is by Andris Piebalgs for MyDestination.com.
Any time I would dine with other people in Donsol, Philippines they would ask the waiter or waitress, “Can you recommend more dishes like the local ones you did before?”
Bicol is the local culture and dialect in Legazpi, Philippines and the city’s surrounding area, including Donsol. This special culture includes quite a few unique dishes people may not be able to find anywhere else in the world, but definitely won’t be able to find better anywhere else.
It’s always a better idea to taste the local cuisine when traveling, not just to try something new, but also because those are the dishes the locals best know how to make. That may be why Amor Farm Beach Resort in Donsol has a sign in its Kawnkita Restaurant that reads, “Bicol cuisine at its best,” with four suggestions of key Bicol dishes listed underneath.
Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon
Kinunot P150
This dish features some kind of white flake fish, often sting ray or tuna, cooked coconut milk and malunggay, which is a popular tree that produces leaves similar to spinach. It’s very flavorful and can be quite spicy at times. A lot of dishes in Bicol cuisine are based in coconut milk and if you saw the endless amount of palm trees in the area, you would understand why.
Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon
Adobadong Manok P175
A good choice for the not-so-adventurous eater, this dish includes sauteed chicken with coconut milk and papaya. It’s a mild dish similar to other several sauteed chicken dishes, but with a slight taste that makes it special.
Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon
Laing P75
For the vegetarian, this dish has gabi taro leaves, which has a consistency similar to spinach when cooked leaves, cooked in coconut milk. The dish can also include ginger and taste very strong of it depending on whose cooking, Its quite a rich dish, so don’t be surprised if you can’t get through one serving.
Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon
Bicol Express P175
The name sounds westernized, but the tastes is like nothing outsiders have had before. They take pork and cook it in finger chillies and coconut milk. The mixture of spicy and sweet goes well with the meat, especially its fatty bits.
All dishes are served with rice.
Thanks to Amor Farm Beach Resort and Whaleshark Adventure and Tours for supporting my trip to Donsol.
Travelers may not always have the chance to land that perfect hostel. During high season, these cheap accomadations fill up quickly, making it hard for the spur-of-the-moment travelers to land the Pink Palaces or Flying Pigs.
But just because a more well-known hostel is booked doesn’t mean you can’t have a great time somewhere else. Even if you do get the big-name hostel, one traveler’s bad mood or habits can ruin an experience for others. Here are some tips to make the most of your hostel experience, while not intruding on others’ experiences.
Be outgoing: One good thing about traveling is most people you come in contact with are eager to meet new people and see new places. That’s the point, right? All it takes is a simple “hi,” or compliment to spark a conversation. Better yet, ask a person where he or she is coming from. Not only will you learn something about that person, but he or she also might give you ideas for future travels. With good crowd that gets along, any hostel can be great.
Don’t eat others’ food: Staff will post a million signs. People will even leave post-it notes on their items in the fridge. Still, someone’s food always goes missing. Don’t be that person. It’s just mean. Actually, it’s stealing! Plus, travelers really focus on budget and give up a lot to just spend a few more days on the road. Eating just one slice of a person’s pizza could mean one less day that person gets to travel.
Be courteous: This one may seem obvious and applies to life in general, but it’s important to reiterate. Traveling can be stressful. You never know what a fellow traveler went through in the past 24 hours. Did he or she have to sleep on a cold floor? Has that person not had a chance to use a bathroom? Did he or she have a bad encounter? On the road a hostel is home, even if it’s only for a few days. Accordingly, you should treat people in the hostel as you would family. There’s no telling how much “can I help you with your bags,” or even “how are you” means to a person who has not slept in two days.
Don’t snore: This one is a little far-fetched. People obviously can’t help it if they snore. But if you’re is notorious for snoring, maybe try laying on your stomach or side. If you really want to be awesome, invest in nasal strips. But really it’s not that big a deal. Just a tip for light sleepers though; BUY EAR PLUGS.
Keep it tidy: One of the ways hostels keep prices low is by only providing room service after a patron leaves his or her space. On top of that, most hostels bunk at least four, sometimes upwards of 20 people in one room. A traveler should keep his or her things together and in one space close by, whether it be in a locker or under a bed. Don’t feel the need to make your bed every morning, but don’t leave dirty clothing or tissues etc. around shared rooms and common areas. This is especially important in the bathroom and kitchen. As a basic rule, clean up any mess you make as soon as you make it. It’s fair and will prevent tension.
Watch how hard you party: It’s fun to go out with new found friends at hostels and there is almost always something to do at night with hostel friends. Some hostels are known for its party-atmosphere. Others really don’t mention either way. Regardless, be aware of others. Go out and have fun. Party hard till all hours of the night. After all it’s your vacation too. But know your limits in regards to getting sick, out of control and being too loud. It’s one hostel patron’s right to a good night’s sleep and clean, unoccupied toilet, just as much as it’s another hostel patron’s right to go out and party.
Don’t hog the computer: Computer/internet access is the greatest thing in the world for techies, actually anyone traveling far from home. But no matter how long someone has been away from a computer, everyone should be able to enjoy this privilege. If there is no one around, take advantage of the computer. But if someone is lurking behind you or bluntly waiting for the computer, don’t just keep looking at people’s Facebook profiles. Do what is imperative, then share the computer with others. This applies to all shared resources in a hostel.
Don’t blast personal music: Not everyone has the same music taste. Unless people say they don’t mind, it’s best to wear headphones whenever listening to music. (Look below.)
