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COMMUTING TO PARIS: A relaxing city break

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I’ve been to Paris many times, and it’s always WONDERFUL. There’s no way to get it wrong in the French capital, as the city is so beautiful and there’s so much to do.

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We hopped on the Eurostar after work on a Friday and got to Paris still in time for dinner. We ate at Cafe Pinson, a veggie cafe that served amazing food. They also had a very nice quinoa beer. Dinner for two cost 50€.

Centre Pompidou and Notre Dame

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It was a rainy day, so we decided to stay inside and visit the Pompidou Centre. The permanent collection is great, and they also had a Jeff Koons exhibition on. As you climb through the many escalators, you get beautiful views over Paris (even through the rain).

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We had lunch at a Lebanese cafe nearby and then crossed the river to get to the Notre Dame. There was a long queue, but we got in fairly quickly. But with so many tourists inside, it’s often better simply to stay outside taking in all the little details of the impressive façade.

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In the evening we had dinner at 42 Degres, a raw food restaurant. It was Valentine’s Day, so they had a special menu full of pretty dishes. The food was good and the service really friendly. A 5-course meal for two including drinks and tip for 118€ – good for a special treat.

La Villette

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We started the Sunday at Parc de le Villette, a very nice park which has many arts and entertainment venues. It’s only a few stops from Gare du Nord, but it’s already much less touristic than most attractions in the city centre.

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There were lots of people exercising about. We walked around the park, stopping to take photos of the many unusual buildings, such as the spheric Geode (which happens to be a cinema) and the new modernistic Philharmonic.

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Bastille

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We had a quick lunch at MOB, a vegan burger place. Food was nice but a bit expensive (almost 20€ for burgers and chips for 2) and quite pretentious.

We then stopped for a beer around Bastille. This is a good area to go for a drink as there are lots of bars around, and it gets quite busy in the evenings.

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We headed back to the hotel for a little break, then went for a beer at Belushi’s. I don’t normally choose to go to Belushi’s as it’s a chain of bars associated with St Christopher’s Inn hostels (just look at their website and you’ll immediately hate it), but actually this one was actually pretty good.

We ended our evening with a nice meal at Saravanaa Bhavan, a veggie Indian restaurant that served delicious dosas. Dinner for two cost 34€ including tip.

Then it was time to get back to the hotel. Early in the morning we got on the Eurostar and commuted back to work. What a nice little break!

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: The Eurostar is the best option from London, as it’s often cheaper than flying, it’s less hassle to go through security and you arrive right at the city centre!
  • Stay: We stayed at Le Rocroy, which was very convenient as it’s 5 minutes from Gare du Nord. Paris has lots of options for accommodation but prices are generally high, so do your research and book in advance.
  • Do: Paris is really easy to visit as there’s just so much to see and do. Grab a copy of the Pariscope at any news stand to find a comprehensive listing of events around the city.
  • Museums and churches: Museums in Paris cost around 15€ to get in. Check before you go as many are closed on Mondays or Tuesdays. Churches are generally free to visit but you pay to enter specific areas (such a treasury or a tower).

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A WEEKEND IN LISBON: Green wine and yellow trams

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I was thrilled to be on the road again, especially since Lisbon is such a great place for a weekend getaway. We hopped on a plane on a Friday after work, and we got to the Portuguese capital just in time to hit the bars.

CASTELO:

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Praca do Comercio is the main square in the centre. It was a beautiful sunny day, so we climbed up the big arch at Rua Augusta to see it all from above.

From there we went to Castelo, a nice neighbourhood where you get great views of the city centre and the Tagus. The area is full of little winding roads and there’s also the castle (which gives the area its name) which is very nice.

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We walked all the way up there but you can take the traditional tram n. 28, although it can get very crowded on weekends. But even if you’re walking, follow the tram tracks and you will get to the main sights.

A bit further is Feira da Ladra, a flea market which is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with stalls selling all sorts of things.

This area is also full of churches and vantage view points, so you can easily spend a whole day there.

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For lunch we stopped at Princesa do Castelo, a veggie restaurant which was simple but very nice. Lunch for two including tip cost 23€.

BELEM:

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Belem is a great area where you will find some of the main historical highlights of Portugal.

We started at the Monument to the Discoveries, which celebrates the age of Portuguese exploration. This is one of my favourite things in Lisbon – the massive map of the world within a compass is very impressive, especially when you’re at the top of the monument.

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We then visited Jeronimos Monastery, which is a beautiful building full of history. The tombs of historic figures such as Vasco da Gama and Luis de Camoes can be seen in the church there.

Nearby is Belem Tower, the place where Portuguese ships would leave from to explore the world.

This whole area is really nice, especially when it’s sunny.

And you wouldn’t want to miss the Antiga Confeitaria de Belem, the place where Portuguese custard tarts are originally from – it is a must see, and although the queues can be quite long, service is quick and these treats are truly delicious!

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BY NIGHT:

There are loads of great bars and restaurants in Lisbon.

Around Castelo, we stopped for a drink at Cruzes Credo. The place is nice but the menu is not particularly veggie-friendly.

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Around Baixa, the pedestrianised area in the city centre, we stopped for a nightcap at one of the many bars. Most places around there look a bit similar and are quite touristy, but it’s still cheaper than London and many places are open till one or two in the morning. Rossio is another area full of traditional cafes.

Another nice place we visited was Bio, a nice veggie restaurant around Rossio. Dinner for two including a drink for less than 20€!

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But really the main area for partying in Lisbon is Bairro Alto. It gets completely packed at night, with bar after bar selling cheap beers and cocktails. Many of these places also offer live music.

We stumbled upon a bar called Spot, which was very nice (they were playing Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes when we arrived, so I loved it straight away), and we stayed there for the rest of the night.

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: Tap and Easyjet offer the best connections from London. The flight takes around 2h30. Book in advance as tickets are not as cheap as they used to be.
  • Transportation: The Metro system in Lisbon is very reliable and easy to navigate. The best thing to do is buying a reusable card from a self-service machine and charge it with some cash. You can use it in all public transportation, and it’s really cheap (the ride from the airport costs only 1.50€). Plus if you’re in the city centre you end up seeing a lot on foot.
  • Stay: We stayed at Artbeat Rooms (this was my second time there), which is ideally located in the city centre. Gosia, the owner, is great and very helpful. But Lisbon has many good options, with award-winning hostels at a good price.
  • Money: Lisbon is significantly cheaper than London, which is always good news. A beer costs around 2€ and a meal at a restaurant costs around 10€ per person.
  • Food: Traditional Portuguese food is not really veggie-friendly, but you can get great cheese and wine (who needs anything else?). We did our research through Happy Cow in advance, and that was very helpful.
  • What to see: We only went for the weekend, but you’d need a few more days to see it all. The Calouste Gulbenkian museum is supposed to be great. Further afield, Caiscais is a nice place for a day trip in the summer – this famous beach resort is only a short train ride away from Lisbon. Nearby Sintra is also very nice: this Unesco Heritage Site is home to two unusual palaces and perfect for a day out.

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This was our first break of the year. We had a great time in Lisbon – such an awesome city!

A WEEK IN RUSSIA: Domed roofs and wildfires

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Russia was the first place I visited in Eastern Europe. In hindsight, I had no idea what I was getting myself into!

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When we arrived in Moscow, the whole city was covered in smog due to wildfires. Everyone was wearing masks to protect their noses and mouths, and it was unbearably hot.

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We spent a few days in the capital, trying to make the best of it. We visited the main highlights…

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…such as the Red Square, the Kremlin, and St Basil’s Cathedral (which is amazing!).

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Everything was different from what I expected!

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The architecture was especially unusual.

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We then took a fast train to St Petersburg, where the weather was much better – sunny days which weren’t too hot (and no smog!).

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Again we stumbled upon domed roofs on every corner!

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St Petersburg is sometimes called ‘Venice of the North’ because of the many canals around the city. And although both places are beautiful, I think they’re both quite different.

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The city is also the home of the Hermitage Museum, one of the great museums of the world, with highlights that include two Da Vinci paintings.

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You can spend a whole day there.

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St Petersburg was definitely my favourite of the two cities we visited, but I should definitely go back to Moscow when the weather is better and reassess!

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TRAVELLING ON FILM: Paris

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I’m off to Paris next month. Paris was the first city I’ve visited in Europe and it remains one of my favourite places in the world.

From the Eiffel Tower to Montmartre, via countless gardens and charming cafes, Paris is so stunning that it’s no surprise that many films are set there.

Here are three of my favourites:

1. Midnight in Paris

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Woody Allen is great at making cities a central part of his films and Midnight in Paris is no different. This whimsical tale of time travel couldn’t be set anywhere else.

It’s great to imagine how Paris was in the 20s, cafes coming to life with artists like Dali and Picasso.

2. Frances Ha

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Frances Ha is mostly set in New York, but the title character spends a weekend in Paris.

This film directed by Noah Baumbach stars Greta Gerwig, who is absolutely amazing in the lead role.

As with all Noah Baumbach films, it’s quirky and hilarious – but probably not to everyone’s taste.

3. Amelie

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I’ve watched Amelie countless times, and I love it!

The film is set mostly around Montmartre, and you will never see Paris in the same way after you watch Amelie.

And you can even put yourself in the title character’s shoes by visiting some of the main locations of the film: the Cafe des Deux Moulins is always full of Amelie fans!

A DAY IN LONDON: A walk in the South Bank

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You could easily spend months exploring London. But if you’re short for time, one of the best things to do is walking along the South Bank of the Thames.

This is the first place I take my friends when they come to visit, as you can see a bunch of the city’s highlights at once.

So here’s a step-by-step itinerary for a leisurely day in London:

1. Eat something first:

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Start your day by taking advantage of one of many places around London that do great brunch. My suggestion is Milk, in Balham (I discovered it recently and it was AMAZING!), but there are loads of places around.

2. The London Eye

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Start your walking tour at Westminster Bridge. There you get one of the best views of the city: Big Ben and the Parliament on one side, London Eye on the other.

The view from the London Eye is awesome (on a sunny day), but the ridiculously long queues are really off-putting. If you are planning to go, book in advance as it saves time and sometimes you can get a good discount (an adult ticket costs £26.96, ouch!).

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3. The South Bank Centre

Continuing along the river, the Southbank Centre is a great venue for arts, so check out what they have going on.

4. The Tate Modern

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You will then reach the Tate Modern. Admission to the permanent collections is free, so you should really stop and have a look around.

There are also some good cafes and restaurants (as well as a great shop), so you can stop for lunch there.

5. The Globe Theatre

Right next to the Tate is the Globe Theatre, which is the original Shakespeare theatre (although it had t be rebuilt after a fire).

There are always performances on (not all of them are Shakespeare plays), and standing tickets cost only £5! I see something there at least once a year, and it’s always great.

6. Millennium Bridge and St Paul’s

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Across from the Tate is the Millennium Bridge, which leads to St Paul’s Cathedral. This is another great place to get a good view of London.

You can continue along the river all the way up to Tower Bridge, but I always prefer to split this up in two days – so I’ll leave that for a future post…

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2014 TRAVELLING: The year in review

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This was another year full of travelling! Here’s how it went:

  • Our first trip was not until March, when we went to Berlin with friends. It was my third time there, but I still want to go back!
  • We then embarked on our Eastern European adventure: we started off in Croatia, went to Montenegro for a day trip, took the bus to Mostar and Sarajevo in Bosnia and ended up bar-hopping in Serbia.
  • In May I hopped on the train at King’s Cross and went to visit my friend in Edinburgh.
  • Then we crossed the Atlantic and spent two weeks in Brazil: we flew into Manaus, swam with river dolphins, stayed in a jungle hotel and finished it off watching the World Cup live!
  • We saw the athletics at the Commonwealth Games: the best bit was Usain Bolt being right in front of us!
  • I finally went to Amsterdam and enjoyed all the highlights of the Rijksmuseum.
  • We had an amazing time in Prague: beautiful, relaxing and scenic.
  • I chased rainbows with my friends around Geneva.
  • We drank Belgian beers and took a boat trip in Bruges.
  • In September we had an amazing adventure through Jordan: we drove through the King’s Highway, explored Petra, slept in the desert, floated in the Dead Sea, and saw mosaics in Madaba. This is definitely one to remember!
  • I went back to Marrakech and got lost in the souks again. It’s amazing every single time.
  • In November I went to Bangladesh for work – I never thought I’d go there!

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Twelve trips and thirteen countries – not bad!