CAG on travel: Climbing in Snowdonia Wales

The love of the outdoors is something I can really get behind. Despite the fact that I've been living in the UK for so many years, there are still so many things in this country that continue to amaze me. Such a small place with so much to offer. Going to get my climb on in Snowdonia National Park Wales was such an interesting experience.

You can really tailor a trip to so many preferences, levels of ability, and types of accommodation. Snowdonia is huge, so picking an area to stay in was pretty key unless you really don't mind driving over 40km a day to get to where you want to climb. That doesn't sound like that long of a drive, but it's probably more key for thinking about post mountain summit.  Opting for the quaint country cottage in Dolgellau (largely for pub access reasons!), we settled into a nice, quiet, completely inundated by sheep weekend.

The first climb was Cader Idris, a smaller climb than Snowdon in the National Park, but a popular and pretty mountain. It was a pretty standard hike/ climb and because the weather was perfect it was quite easy, just a long walk. The views were amazing from the top of Cader Idris, and the barbecue after was so much more worth it.

The next day was a flatter, more foresty hike in the Coed y Brenin Forest Park. It was mostly mountain bike paths, but also provided a lot of beautiful scenery and waterfalls. It was a long walk as the park is huge, but again totally worth it.

The post walk treat was one of the top rated restaurants in Dolgellau called the Y Meirionnydd, partially situated in a medieval cellar. I still can barely pronounce any of the names in Wales- such a difficult language. The food really was amazing, mostly locally sourced, really nice staff, and the owner even offered to drive us home (just showing how nice people really are in Wales)!!

Wales is also known for its castles, so I'm putting photographs of this castle called Cymer Abbey up, but it was largely underwhelming. I'm sure the other castles in Wales are much more exciting.

CAG on travel: Eating in Athens

A little delayed for 2014, but I’m finally catching up on some of the blogging I’ve been meaning to do. As usual during my travels in Athens, I have so much Greek food that I love and miss when I’m away. When I was in Athens earlier this year I had a few old favourites and some new culinary experiences.

Cutting the Vasilopita

On arrival, I finally had a chance to take part of the Vasilopita cake cutting. The cake technically is meant for New Years Day to celebrate Saint Vasili. There’s a coin placed in the lemony sponge cake batter, and whoever gets the slice with a coin in it will have a New Year with lots of luck. I had a piece of cake with my family- no coin. I also had another piece at my cousin’s business anniversary party- again no coin. On the positive side, I ate a whole lot of cake symbolising life, liberty, and happiness, so that’s working out.

Cut pieces of cake, neither with the lucky coin

I also restablished my love of late night food after a long Greek night out at my favourite crepe place. Just on Kifissias Avenue and on the way home, savoury crepes might be my very favourite post party food. I really wish there were a few more late night choices in the UK as well.

The lovely Greeks hard at work making my spinach crepe

The best place I ate during my trip was Dionysos, a restaurant directly in view of the Acropolis. Anywhere you eat while looking upon the Acropolis is pretty magical, but this restaurant was very special.

View from the restaurant

It is quite pretty, modern, and formal inside, and the food is absolutely amazing. Probably not the biggest portions of food available in Greece, but everything is really delicious at least. It’s also worth it for the winter sunset alone.

Monkfish, horta, mustard based sauce

Winter sun!

CAG on travel: Marrakech part 2, Navigating the market

Market stalls just off of Jemaa el-Fnaa

Olives anyone?

I like to think I have a good sense of direction. I can find my way around cities, read maps, and I generally always know where I am. But some places are just way beyond my reach. The souk, or the open-air marketplace, in Marrakech is my worst nightmare. I loved all the amazing visuals of the place, but I was like a mouse in a maze. And after three days of navigation I was still helpless in the unavoidable souk in the middle of town.

Needless to say I gave up on any navigation duties inside the souk, but the streets of the town itself were reasonable enough to navigate. Within minutes of walking around on my first day in Marrakech I bought an African mask - couldn’t help myself.

 

This is the shop I actually bought a ‘Moroccan’ mask in, not the mask above

A few minutes on the streets filled with every variety of leather good, lamps, ‘magic’ boxes, jewellery, knock off designer wear, and every spice under the sun, and the sales pitches began with fury. Vendors in their stalls were coming out from everywhere – some with some very slick lines and others just super annoying. Bargaining is the name of the game, and it’s my opinion that absolutely everything is marked up about 90% what it should be selling for, and that’s being kind.

Getting roped into a spice store after I fell for the mask on hand thing

Leather tire clothing shop (not bargaining for this lady’s outfit)

I’m not actually a huge shopper when I go abroad unless it’s at an outlet mall in the States, but buying tat from dusty street stalls is definitely pretty low on my list of things to do. I did get into the spirit of bargaining and shopping vicariously through the purchases my friend made. Without worrying about it I made some pretty audacious price cuts in my bargaining and didn’t budge since it wasn’t for me anyway. Most of the price demands stuck, which felt pretty rewarding.

Marrakech just feels really full on at all times. Moments when all you want is a cold beer and a bit of relaxation, you suddenly realize how difficult it can be to find a drink and don’t dare get lost. Get lost looking like a tourist, and suddenly someone is kindly offering to direct you and then immediately shaking you down for a rather large tip. I refused to bargain on that one as well, which led to some colorful disputes. The majority of people we met and talked to were relatively nice though, and we did have some genuine chats that didn’t end in people asking for compensation.

In my opinion Marrakech is definitely a lovely place, but you need to be armed with some great retreats in mind for multiple points in the day- places to grab a beer, places for shade, and certainly places for peace and quiet. 

CAG on travel: Marrakech, Morocco- part 1

Everyone needs a little sun once the UK starts to turn back to its normal state of grey and gloom. A quick trip to Marrakech sorted my need for sun and warmth right out. I actually went to Morocco last year as well, but went to the seaside village of Taghazout for sun, surfing, and yoga...my most super yuppie venture to date. I don't normally just travel places for full on holiday relaxation, so I did feel quite guilty about just staying within 5 km of my hotel, and seeing little else of Morocco than the waves.

On my return to Morocco this time, I stayed in a 'traditional' riad in Marrakech in a riad chain owned by the Lotus Group. On the very first night though, the room wasn't ready and instead we were offered a stay in another Lotus riad, the Infinity. The owner and his sister greeted us and were both really lovely. It almost convinced me that I should stay there the next time.

Riad Lotus Infinity, view into my room

The courtyard

The settings on the inside are a complete contrast to the outside setting of the Medina at night. Inside the walls of the riad, the courtyard seemed like some sort of spa relaxation area except that was the whole place. Marble floors, fountains, flowy curtains, African masks displayed very museum-like... I was really loving it.

View of Infinity terrace

Then on to dinner at the actual riad that we would be staying at for the next few nights, the Riad Lotus Privilege. It was even bigger and grander than anyone could ever expect. Especially considering that you take twists and turns down an alley that makes you worry for your safety, and suddenly you enter the door and are surrounded by opulence.

Riad Lotus Privilege courtyard by night

Dinner was delicious starters, tagines, and Moroccan wine and included a belly dancing show as well.

The dancer selecting audience participants

After a pretty amazing night and what felt like a full day of travel, a lovely rest at the Riad Inifinity was all I wanted. Somehow I didn't sleep that well though and suddenly it was 4 a.m. or whatever a.m. middle of the night and the beautiful for the first 5 minutes, terrible after another 10 minutes morning prayer began and I never got back to sleep again. All part of the cultural experience I guess. More to come...

CAG on travel: Amsterdam

Apple, bacon and butter pannekoek

There isn’t much I can say about Amsterdam that everyone doesn’t know already… because it is amazing! Key points: Lovely Dutch people, amazing museums, cheese, pancakes and waffles, Indonesian food, and beer

Beautiful cheese wheels

This is probably just a tourist’s point of view, but a few weekends ago I partook in a little snippet of what a more normal Dutch life would be like if I lived in Amsterdam. I left for the weekend and stayed a little further out from the center in an area called De Pijp. Recently named one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world by Stylist magazine (a renowned and reliable source), and I believe this is true.

De Albert Cuypmarkt

De Albert Cuypmarkt

De Pijp is amazing. It has De Albert Cuypmarkt, which has delicious Dutch treats, which is a perfect place to do some people watching and is only about a 25 minute walk to the center. I heard accents from all over the world.

Herring, onions, pickle

Then off to the Rijksmuseum which hasn’t been open any time I’ve visited Amsterdam since I moved to Europe. I also previewed the famous Rembrandt ‘The Night Watch’ painting before I visited by watching the flashmob staged by the museum on youtube to mark its re-opening. It is really fun to watch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6W2ZMpsxhg).

Henry Moore sculptures in garden

Stained glass window in the Rijksmuseum Great Hall

The museum was really beautiful. Both the architecture and the artworks were really engaging, and I haven’t been in a museum as busy since I went to the Louvre in Paris years ago. Not really worth fighting the crowds to take a photo of ‘The Night Watch’ when there were some much more serene galleries to take in the art and ambiance.

Sculpture gallery in Rijksmuseum

The rest of the trip focused on taking in the scenery around the edges of Old Amsterdam in Spui, eating, and drinking.

Spui

Indonesian feast

And then on to another night out in De Pijp, with all the other cool Dutch people. Most of the bars are all located within a few minutes walk of each other, but they all have very different feels, and most importantly different Belgian beers. It’s really lucky that England is so close to such a fun and beautiful city.