France

Return Trips

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When it comes to travel, I’m not a sentimentalist. I don’t generally look backwards, reflecting on the beauty and majesty of places I’ve been to and vowing to go back to see them again. Rather, I am always looking forward—to the next city, the next country, the next adventure.

This trait can obviously be seen as either good or bad, and there are compelling arguments either way.  But one thing it means is that when I am enthralled enough by a place I’ve visited to seriously think about returning there, rather than seeking out some new exciting corner of the globe I haven’t made it to yet, it must really be something special.

So, here they are—a list of places I not only loved, but was captivated enough by to want to return to, whether to explore more, to delve deeper, or—in some cases—in hopes of a do-over.

 

The “I Want to Go Back Because I’m So In Love With It” List

south africa wine country        south africa winery bottles

  • South Africa—I spent nearly a week last year in Cape Town, and I fell in love with the city and its surroundings. And by extension, I fell in love with the rest of South Africa, even though I didn’t get to see it (yet). I absolutely want to go back to Cape Town itself, have more time to wander the streets, explore its neighborhoods further, and make another trip into wine country.  I’d also like to see more of the surrounding areas I didn’t get to, such as the Cape of Good Hope.  And definitely want to see more of South Africa—I have a deep fondness for it after my time there and I really want to explore further.  Maybe on the luxurious Blue Train?
  • Paris—“There is never any end to Paris,” as Ernest Hemingway said. And there’s never any end to my longing for it either.  Paris is a city I just want to go back to and experience over and over—not to see new things, but to rediscover the ones I already love.  Café Angelina, Les Deux Magots, wandering through the Latin Quarter and the Left Bank, and just soaking up the magical feeling of being in a city and country I love and getting a rare opportunity to exercise my pitiful French vocabulary…none of it ever gets old. I always, always wish for more time in Paris, and one return trip after another.
  • Bermuda—I’m one of the luckiest people in the world, because I spent my childhood summers in Bermuda. At least part of them.  My parents bought a timeshare there and from the age of 9 well into my 20s, I was in Bermuda almost every year for the last week of July.  The backstory: my parents met while working in Bermuda years ago, and they took a trip back when I was young and decided to buy some property so they would have a place to return each year.  I spent idyllic childhood days at the St. George’s club, frolicking in the pools, swimming in the beautiful blue ocean and playing on the pink sand beaches that surround them.  I loved walking around St. George’s harbor, seeing the old-fashioned stocks in the town square and imagining the day when they were still in use, and taking boat rides out to other parts of the island and the bus into Hamilton, the charming pastel colored capital city, for day trips.  Bermuda was my first experience with international travel, aside from a brief trip to England and France with my parents when I was seven (I know, spoiled rotten!), and the beauty, relaxation, and sense of being in a place so different from home was something I looked forward to every year.  Maybe it even helped inspire my love of travel! If I have kids of my own one day, I am determined to bring them to Bermuda at least once, to see the magical island where their grandparents met and their mother spent so many happy summer days.

Croatia

The “I Want to Go Back Because There’s Still So Much Else To See” List

  • Croatia—Croatia! How I love you. This country could easily have fit on the “so in love with it” list, but I’ve put it here because as much as I loved my first visit and my time in Dubrovnik especially, my main reason for going back is because of all the other parts of the country I still want to see.  As I plan my long-anticipated Slovenia trip, I’m also trying to squeeze in a little nearby Croatia exploration, specifically Zagreb and the Plitvice National Park waterfalls.  But I’m not stopping there—I also want to visit Hvar, which looks like pretty much the definition of island paradise, and perhaps some of the towns on the borders with Slovenia and Italy.  So much more to delve into in such a relatively small country!  If you haven’t seen Croatia yet, bump it up to the top of your list.
  • Italy—I’ve been to Italy twice and seen most of the major cities and the Amalfi Coast, but I’m still not done. I need at least one more trip to see the Cinque Terre seaside villages, Lake Como and Milan, Sardinia and Sicily.  And I may need an entire trip to devote just to Tuscany, the food, wine, and glorious panoramic views. Although I spent two days in Florence, I had to move on before I could explore any of the surrounding Tuscan villages, which has me kicking myself retroactively.  Next time I go, I’ll be sure to spend time in Siena and San Gimignano, at a bare minimum.  And I’m sure I’ll just return with a longer list of places to see on my next visit.  I think Italy will be a lifelong recurring travel theme for me….
  • Argentina—I’ve only been to Buenos Aires (in fact, it’s the only place I’ve been to so far in all of South America—I need to fix that!) and I really enjoyed it.  An elegant, historic yet fun city with great food, majestic cafes and lots of Evita memorabilia everywhere—pretty much perfect for me.  But I really want to return and see more of this enormous country—Iguaza Falls (I seem to be developing a bit of an obsession with waterfalls lately) and the wine country of Mendoza top my list.  I think at least a few weeks’ return trip is in order….
  • Thailand—I loved my recent trip to Thailand and the places I got to see, especially Phuket. But what excited me most when I left was the knowledge that there was still so much more of this fascinating country to come back and explore!  I’m already mentally planning my next trip, which will hopefully include more time in Bangkok (in the modern, rooftop bar section of the city, away from the tourists and temples, though I’m very glad I saw them this time), Chiang Mai in the north, and Koh Samui for a different island experience.  I also want to spend some time in Koh Tao, and hopefully learn how to scuba dive there!  From what I’ve heard, there’s no place better to do it.

Thailand buddhas     Thailand Phuket beach

 

The “I Want to Go Back for a Do-Over” List

  • Turkey—I wanted to love Istanbul. Oh, how I wanted to love it.  And while I saw a lot of amazing things during my trip there—Aya Sofia, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and a luxurious old-world hamaam being among them—the trip itself was marred because, as a single blond woman traveling alone, I felt singled out and targeted for unwanted attention, even harassment, a lot.  Most people I met were kind and friendly, but a few bad apples put a pall on my experience.  I really want to change that.  I want to go back to Turkey and explore different regions—especially some smaller villages along the Mediterranean  coastline, and maybe Cappadocia—to see another side of the country and enjoy the beauty and tranquility I didn’t get on my first visit there.  Turkey is at the top of my travel re-do list.
  • Mexico—Technically, I’ve been to Mexico, but does spring break in Cancun during college plus an afternoon hopping off a cruise ship really count? I don’t think so.  I want to go somewhere far less touristy, settle in for a week or so, visit Mayan ruins, snorkel, relax on quiet beaches and eat delicious local food.  And I want to explore the Pacific coast, as so far I’ve only seen the Yucatan.  Mexico is such a vast and fascinating country; I need to return and create a memorable trip that gives me time to relax and get to know it without the touristy hustle-and-bustle.  And no more Senor Frog’s!

 

Are there places you want to go back to, whether because you loved them so much, want to see more, or want a do-over? Share!

Croatia, Eastern/Central Europe, France, Thailand, Travel Musings

04

Sep

2015

Paris: The City of Food and Books

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Paris: The City of Food and Books

 

Years ago, I remember a conversation I had with an acquaintance back when bookstore cafes were just catching on as a mainstream concept.  He described them as his ultimate fantasy of the hereafter: “If I’m good, that’s where I’ll go when I die…and do nothing but eat and read, forever.”

As someone who adores both food and books, this always stuck with me.  It sounds about as perfect a description of the afterlife as any I can come up with (though I might throw in a beach or two).  And it also makes me think of one of my very favorite cities in the world: Paris.  Because when I think of Paris, that’s what I think of first: food and books.  My own personal heaven.

Paris is many things besides, of course: it boasts one of the world’s most fascinating cultures, some of its most amazing monuments, and one of humanity’s richest treasure troves can be found in its museums.  Paris is far more than food and books, but nonetheless, isn’t that a great place to start?  I think so.

Foodie Paradise

I first came to Paris as a very unappreciative seven-year-old brought along by my parents.  It was my first trip overseas, a quick stop on the way to a two-week visit to my mom’s family in England.  We spent four days in Paris, and one thing I remember vividly is how much I disliked the food, because it wasn’t like what I was used to at home. I could not grasp the idea of continental breakfasts:  where were my eggs and pancakes?  What were these croissant-thingys the hotel was trying to foist on me?  And why was the only ice cream the street vendor would sell me and my mom vanilla, rather than chocolate?

Ugh.  What can I say.  I was a kid.

My first adult trip to Paris two decades later was a much bigger success, and the food, happily, was a major highlight of the experience.  Childhood breakfast traumas aside, it really is nearly impossible to go wrong when eating in Paris, if you seek out the right things.

Some of the foodie highlights of Paris for me:

  • Café Breakfasts: One of my favorite, quintessentially Parisian things to do is start the morning with breakfast at a quaint local café. Pan au chocolate (aka chocolate croissant), chocolate chaud (hot chocolate—yes, I tend to go in for overkill), and a French newspaper so that I can practice my middling foreign language skills.  I’ve never gone wrong with this order; it’s my absolutely favorite way to start the day, and reminds me that I’m on vacation.  In Paris.
  • Le Relaise De L’Entrecote: This restaurant was a guidebook find from my first visit to Paris with friends in 2007 when I was teaching English in Paris. We didn’t have a ton of cash to splash, but we were in Paris, and we wanted to eat some truly memorable meals, so we found a restaurant that served…steak.  And frites.  And nothing else.  My friends and I had to wait about an hour and a half in line to be admitted to this foodie sanctuary, but it was all worth it: for about 21 euros we were treated to amazingly good steak with a sauce I can’t begin to do justice to in my description, except to say it was delicious and brought out the steak flavors like nothing else I’ve ever experienced.  And of course, there were frites, as well as salad.  That was all the restaurant served, and they kept refilling our plates every time our supplies ran low.  Unbelievable!  The meal actually worked out to be a tremendous value, especially as we had been eating bread and cheese (mmm) for lunch most days so we had a bit of extra money to spare for dinner.

 

Another highlight of the evening: my friends and I got into an amusing conversation with a Frenchman at the next table.  The gist:  he spoke English, I spoke French.  I kept thinking that if I could keep my French conversation going long enough, I could persuade him to switch to French and get in some language practice, but no, he wasn’t having it.  It quickly turned into one of the most bizarre yet entertaining discussions I’ve ever had.

 

  • Angelina’s: I’ve written about Angelina’s elsewhere, but let’s suffice it to say that their rich, creamy Chocolate L’Africain will change your life. This is the most delicious hot chocolate I have ever had in all my travels, and believe me, I’ve taste-tested far and wide.  The thick, steaming chocolate concoction, which comes in a pot with two servings (both for you—don’t even think about sharing) with its own side order of homemade whipped cream, is reason enough to cross the ocean.  Paris is full of confectionary delights, but absolutely nothing tops this.

Oh, and both Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel used to frequent Angelina’s.  No big deal.

Paris angelinas

Café and Literary Life

  • Les Deux Magots: While there were plenty of museums and sights I wanted to see on my first adult trip to Paris, the real truth was, I was there to hunt literary ghosts. I am a huge fan of Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, and like just about every other young literary groupie, I wanted to visit the places where these authors had spent their time, whiling away afternoons eating, drinking, and writing in Parisian cafes.  So I took an afternoon to do a café crawl, and it ended up being the most fun I had in Paris.  My favorite stop was Les Deux Magots, a well-known café where Hemingway was once a regular.  My friends and I ordered a citron-presse lemonade drink (I later returned for the hot chocolate and found that excellent too) and I spent the afternoon gazing around me in wonder, trying to imagine Ernest and Scott eating and drinking at this same table and just maybe, The Sun Also Rises getting a first draft treatment in the very place I was sitting now.  Mind blown.

 

  • Shakespeare and Co.: I actually didn’t make it to this legendary spot until my next visit to Paris the following year, and I’m so happy I did. As Hemingway aficionados know, the original Shakespeare and Company bookstore was owned by Sylvia Beach in the 1920s, and she used to let then-broke aspiring writer Ernest borrow books whenever he needed.  Sylvia helped foster the entire expat writers’ community which blossomed in Paris in the Jazz Age era.  The current Shakespeare and Company isn’t the original, but it’s a rebuilt version that maintains much of the spirit and character you’d imagine it once had.  Books everywhere, and a chance to get lost in a magical spot that connects to a piece of literary history.  It made for a truly magical afternoon.

What are your favorite experiences in Paris?  Are there other cities you’ve been to that have captivated you with similar appeal to food and literature?

France

29

Aug

2015

The Land (or Continent) of Chocolate

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In one of my favorite Simpsons episodes, Homer’s nuclear power plant is bought by a group of German investors. When Homer expresses his concerns regarding candy, they assure him they’re all on the same page because “after all, we come from the land of chocolate!” (Homer then proceeds to have a pretty astounding and delicious fantasy about what such a place might be like.  Suffice it to say, it rains chocolate).

 

While Germany might certainly have a claim, I’ll venture to say that it’s fair to consider all of Europe “The Land of Chocolate.”  They get chocolate there. They do it right.  They give this amazing food group the respect it deserves.

 

If there is one aspect of travel I’m pretty close to expert in, it’s seeking out chocolate in foreign lands.  So just for fun, here’s list of my best chocolate experiences in Europe:

 

Prague: Chocolate (especially my beloved hot chocolate, or horka cocolada) is everywhere in Prague.  It’s been a few years since I’ve been, but I still highly recommend a few places: Kavarna Slavia (which has an incredible view of the Vltava River, as well as delicious hot chocolate—you can probably skip the food though).  Get a window table; you won’t regret it.  And Café Louvre serves liquid chocolate in a cup.  There’s no one alive who won’t like that, unless they are certifiably insane.

barcelona cookie shop

Barcelona: Oh, how I wish I remember the name, but there was a chocolate/cookie shop I explored with unfathomable delight during both of my trips to Barcelona.  Honestly, that’s one of the reasons it’s among my favorite cities.  (I’m sort of embarrassed to admit that, but not really).  And while the Museum of Chocolate didn’t wow me all that much as an educational institution, go there to have one of the greatest cups of hot chocolate of your life in the café.  Oh, and did I mention there’s a gift shop?  Because there is.

 

London: When you’re in London, check out Café Nero and sample their Hot Chocolate Milano.  It’s about the best “European” hot chocolate you can find in London, since England, as so many will remind me, is not really Europe.  Anyway, this drink is divine, and has the distinction of being the one redeeming feature of my seven-hour layover in Dubai airport a while back (they do have Café Nero in other countries, as you can see, but I associate it with London).  And England also boasts something that U.S. Starbucks stores should be ashamed of themselves for not carrying: Chocolate. Chip. Shortbread.   It’s even better than it sounds, which is basically impossible, so try it.  Even if you’re just on a layover in Heathrow, make it happen.

 

Budapest: My favorite café in Budapest is Café Gerbaud, which has amazing hot chocolate (I’m sure you can sense a theme to this piece), but also delicious and decadent chocolate cake.  Splurge on a few euros’ worth of luxury and sit inside this beautiful fin-de-siecle building or outside on the terrace and watch the world go by.  (And yes, I feel a bit silly for having just typed fin-de-siecle, but nonetheless).

Paris angelinas

Paris: I’ve saved the best for last. While there’s undoubtedly amazing chocolate to be found all over the city pretty much anywhere you look (I did not have a pain au chocolat during any of my trips here that was not worth falling on a sword for), the best place of all to experience Parisian chocolate magic is at the legendary Café Angelina.  Wait in line (it’s worth it), gaze around at the beautiful building where Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel used to frequent, and once you sit down, immediately order the famous Chocolate L’Africain.  I don’t really have words to explain how good this chocolate concoction with a side order of homemade whipped cream is—although, and I am not making this up, I once based an entire chapter of a short story around it—but drink it and you will understand, and words will be both inadequate and unnecessary.  Ah, hello, so this is what heaven tastes like.  I’m in.

 

Disclaimer: now that I’ve written an article on the best chocolate in Europe, I have to confess: I have never been to Belgium or Switzerland, and I’ve only spent one day in Germany.  Eek! How could my chocolate-obsessed self have let this happen?  I promise I’ll rectify it one day, and in the meantime, please feel free to share your best chocolate experiences in these countries, or any others!

Budapest, Eastern/Central Europe, France, London, Praha, Travel Musings

22

Aug

2015