The UK, in general, has a bad reputation for their food. It’s sometimes thought to be…
If there one thing I like to do more than anything else it’s to explore locals marketplaces. Whether it’s a rural farmer’s market no bigger than a few tables of tomatoes or a giant European market hall, there is something so exciting about being surrounded by a myriad of colours, aromas and flavours local to that city.
Japan is often thought of as an expensive city to visit. Tokyo is one of the world largest metropolis and while finding a cheap place to stay might not always be a walk in the park, you can easily save money on eating out while still eating like a king!
The Butterfly and the Pig is one of the best tea shops in Glasgow. The perfect place to unwind and relax, all the while sipping traditional Scottish teas and treats.
The four of us decided on heading down to the Finnieston for dinner in the west end. The Finnieston is a chic cocktail bar and restaurant that specialises in locally-sourced seafood and bespoke beers.
To visit some of Scotland hipest shops and restaurants, we headed off to Glasgow’s infamous Ashton Lane. Ashton Lane is a cobblestone backstreet in the West end lined with bars, restaurants and even a cinema. All of these places are housed in the old, brick houses that have stood on this street for ages.
This beautiful, art nouveau building is one of Prague’s most beloved buildings. It was once the seat of the old Royal Court Palace but has since been transformed into what is known today as the Municipal House or Obecní dům. In 1485, the old Royal Court was abandoned with the dissolution of Bohemia, and it wasn’t until 1920 when the now Municipal House was built.
One of the best places to grab a bite to eat, enjoy people watching while being surrounded by one of the most beautiful views in Dresden, is at the Dresden Neumarkt. The Neumarkt is the cultural centre of the Dresden historical district. This area was mostly entirely destroyed in WWII during the same bombing runs that destroyed the Dresden Frauenkirche. After the war, during the communist era, the surrounding buildings were rebuilt in the socialist, realist style. This was not a favourite of the German people and after reunification these buildings were demolished and the reconstruction of the Neumarket to restore it to its original architectural style got underway.
You can’t visit Prague without sampling their beer. It’s honestly such a HUGE part of their culture and cuisine. Every bar has their unique home brew as well as hundreds of other local varieties.
Every time I visit the Valley of the Sun I am consistently amazed by the enticing restaurants popping up all over the city. For anyone spending a few hours, a few days or even an extended vacation, here are some of my favourite joints to visit while enjoying the sunshine, desert views and Sonoran hospitality.
During our first visit to Barcelona, we stayed in the up and coming, trendy neighbourhood of ‘El Poble-sec’. We picked a colourful and quirky Airbnb for our lodgings. We hoofed our way up the six floors, barely managing our clunky bags up the narrow 19th-century staircase.
While on our honeymoon, we tried to book a special dinner in each destination throughout our European adventure. For the most part, we’re not the fanciest of diners. We love a great meal, but for us, that great meal doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Some of the best food I’ve ever had has been on the side of the road or off the back of a truck. But since it was our honeymoon, and we’d been gifted some money for a ‘Dinner by the Danube’ we went all out, and I booked us a table at Halaszbastya Restaurant.
Sushi-Nova is a restaurant where diners can enjoy sushi delivered right to their seat via a high-speed conveyor. For travellers, you’ll be pleased to hear that all their tables of four provide outlets to charge your devices and they even have free wifi! (which yes is a big deal in Japan)
I think in retrospect we should have spent more time researching. But I will say, that this cafe, unlike many many other, ensures that the light inside is very dark, as the animal are nocturnal and sleep during the day. This cafe also didn’t allow you to pet all the owls, and some were only for observation.
Today, the gardens are the only accessible part of the Imperial Palace available every day. The Palace is still the primary residence of the Emperor. Their current home is a more modern building as it was finished in 1993 and located in the Fukiage Gardens. Much like Buckingham Palace, it is not accessible to the public except for private guided tours.
While wandering through the streets of Shinjuku at night, you are remiss not to take a walk down a dark and mysterious, hodgepodge row of bars called the “Golden Gai”.