Explore Tenerife and its Outdoor Attractions

Holidays to Tenerife have long been a popular choice with European and especially British holidaymakers looking for a little slice of sunshine.

As the largest of the Canary Islands, nestled off the north western coast of Africa, Tenerife benefits from incredible climes and blistering sunshine throughout the year. Whether you choose to travel in the summer, to take advantage of temperatures that soar into their 30s, or you prefer to enjoy milder weather consisting of temperatures in the mid-20s with an accompanying Atlantic breeze, Tenerife holidays are the perfect answer.

While many of the accommodation options on the island involve all-inclusive, bustling resorts that families are drawn towards because of their great value, there are also plenty of luxury hotels and villas for you to call your own, too. Sophistication can be found in various corners of the island, waiting for you to snap it up!

Once you have your accommodation sorted, it’s time to plan your activities. Many will be content with simply lazing on the sands and enjoying the resort’s amenities but if you do wish to head for the great outdoors, there’s plenty to see and do, including:

• Teide National Park dominates a large portion of the centre of the island, and is well worth visiting if you have a day spare. Mount Teide is the third largest volcano in the world and regular bus tours and camel rides will enable you to see this majestic formation in all its glory.
• Barranco del Infierno in Adeje is perfect for walkers and hikers who love to get to grips with the terrain beneath their feet. The walk takes about four hours, and has an extensive range of fauna, flora and watering holes to spot.
• Icod de los Vinos on the west coast is the place to go, not only for the Cueva del Viento which is the largest volcanic cavity in the world, but also to admire the mythological Dragon Tree, which some say is over 800 years old!

Make the most out of your holiday to Tenerife and explore beyond your resort of choice. There’s so much to see, it’d be a shame not to!

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Real Turkish coffee in Istanbul

Even though I am not a coffee drinker (I consider myself more of a tea person), I like to try a good cup of coffee once in a while. I really liked the coffee I tried in Rome some time ago and was looking forward to trying a Turkish variety.

It might come as a surprise to you but finding a good cup of Turkish coffee in Turkey can sometimes be very difficult. All too often it is thin and watery, rather than thick and viscous.

I doubt we would have ever found a proper place on our own, but luckily we had a local friend to turn to.

A small coffee place tucked in a narrow street in the Asmali area of Beyoglu was exactly what we were looking for. It is called Mandabatmaz and has been serving coffee since 1967. The name of the place could supposedly be roughly translated into “so thick even a water buffalo wouldn’t sink in it.” And that is just what the brew made here is like.

The brewmaster of the place has been doing it for the last 21 years. They have a blend of coffee delivered to them that has been blended and roasted especially for them. The blend itself is a carefully kept family secret.

The coffee is really thick and strong. As I have been told, you should constantly swirl the coffee cup in your hand not to let the thick stuff sink to the bottom. This should allow you to finish it all.

Not being a coffee drinker I must admit I had trouble drinking it all. Italian coffee varieties with some milk are definitely closer to my taste. If coffee is totally not your thing, you should perhaps try a glass of freshly made tea instead. It is also supposed to be very good.

I definitely recommend this place, but you should not expect exemplary service or an extensive menu. However, a genuine experience is guaranteed.
You can expect to pay around 3TL for a cup of coffee.

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Views of Istanbul from a ferry

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Food we loved in Istanbul

Apart from Turkish fast food I wrote about in the previous post we have tried quite a few other tasty dishes, while in Istanbul, Turkey.

We were happy to learn seafood is a big thing in the Istanbul area. If you find a good seafood restaurant you can hardly go wrong with a vast variety of fresh fish, shrimps and clams.

So when deciding between a multiple course meat dinner and seafood dinner, we opted for the seafood variety. We were lucky enough to get a restaurant recommendation from a local friend who generously agreed to join us for the evening. We went to a restaurant on the Asian side of the city, which tourists rarely decide to explore.

It was a typical Turkish sit down Meze meal with many delicious starters, followed by some additional fish and washed down with a bottle of Raki.

Everything was really delicious but some of the starter dishes are still making my mouth water. I guess I enjoyed shrimps in garlic butter the most. Also fried calamari were some of the best I ever tasted (and I usually do not even like fried squid).

You should definitely try this type of meal at least once. Since there is a good chance you will want to do it more than once, I suggest you do not save it till the end of your trip.

Another dish you just have to try while in Istanbul is a rather simple soup. If you want a short break with quick meal between two attractions on your sightseeing list and you are not into any of those fast-food options, there is a tasty alternative you can try - Lentil soup (Mercimek Çorbasi).
It is usually served with lemon wedges and dried red pepper flakes. A squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon of red pepper make it even more delicious.

We have discovered a simple place offering delicious lentil soup near the Sultanahmet area where most of the famous attractions are situated. Karadeniz Aile Pide ve Kebap Salonu can be found in the Biçki Yurdu Sokak street just off the Divan Yolu Caddesi (nearby the Sultanahmet tram stop).

Since they also make decent pides (a Turkish variety of pizza) you can look forward to a delicious fresh-made bread to accompany the soup. We liked the soup so much we even stopped there for the second time during our short stay.

The soup makes quite a filling meal - especially considering the low price. Definitely a delicious, affordable and healthier fast-food alternative.

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Fast-food deliciousness of Istanbul

Many varieties of fast food can be found on the streets of Istanbul but I guess the undisputed king of Turkish fast-food must definitely be kebab (or kebap). Kebab places range from low budget street stands to high end restaurants.

There are also many varieties to choose from, but to really appreciate the difference among them, one should visit a propper restaurant. Among the few varieties I tried, I liked İskender kebab the best (it has lower fat content compared to more widely known Döner kebab and is cut from larger pieces of lamb). Just delicious!

Those street kebab varieties might be made out of lower quality ground meat, but in my experience they taste pretty good nonetheless. On these same street stands they often also offer freshly squeezed juice. The most popular varieties are pomegranate, orange and grapefruit and all are a great source of vitamins.

Apart from that I also have to recommend a fast food version of seafood. Numerous stalls can be found on and just next to Karaköy Fish Market. It is situated just next to the Karaköy ferry port (west of the Beyoğlu end of Galata Bridge). Just outside the market you can find delicious, freshly made mackerel sandwiches. Crusty bread loafs are stuffed with fish, vegetables and spiced just right.
Considering the price (around 6 TL), this was my favourite snack of the trip. Even those amongst us who do not like mackerel absolutely loved this.

I found the fish market interesting enough even without the food. It just has a special vibe to it and there are countless sorts of really fresh fish and shrimps on display. The setting definitely offers countless photo opportunities.

However, even if you absolutely adore fast food, you can not afford to leave Istanbul without trying a traditional Turkish dinner with countless starters (mezes) and wash it all down with a Turkish national anise-flavored spirit (raki).
You can find out more about that in our next post.

Clicking on any one of above photos will reveal it in a much more flattering resolution.

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Moon over the Süleymaniye Mosque

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Mosques of Istanbul

Churches are an important piece of the western tourism puzzle. To be honest, some of them really are spectacular. Consequently they can often be found on various top tourist attractions lists.

This however can not be said for the Islamic world and their mosques. If churches generally welcome visitors without exception, that is usually not the case with mosques.

Mosques are above all a place of worship and usually as such do not welcome tourist visitors.
Some places are quite strict about this and other not so much. Istanbul is definitely one of the less strict places - there is a free entrance for everyone to all mosques.

That gives a visitor of this great city a chance to see some great architectural monuments from up close.

Usually mosques look pretty spectacular on the outside but not so much on the inside. Even more so if you compare them with richly decorated basilicas of the Christian world. Often a large dome of a major mosque is accompanied with a few high minarets.
These dominate the skyline of Istanbul and offer great photo opportunities - especially at sunrise and sunset.

When choosing from many of the city's Mosques (according to Wikipedia, in 2007, there were 2,944 active mosques in Istanbul), you should definitely at least consider these:

• Sultan Ahmed Mosque (aka Blue Mosque) is the only Ottoman mosque with six minarets. It was completed in 1609 and was built in a period of 10 years.
• Suleymaniye Mosque was built in 1558 after only 8 years of construction. It is one of the most monumental examples of the classical Ottoman architecture and seems to be partly inspired by Hagia Sophia. It is the largest mosque in the city.
• Mosque of the Valide Sultan (aka Yeni Mosque) is an Ottoman imperial mosque located in the Eminonu district of Istanbul, near the Spice Bazaar. It was built between 1597 and 1660.
• Bayezid II Mosque has a central large dome surrounded by four semi-domes. It's construction began in 1500 and was completed only 5 years after.

From today's perspective it is truly remarkable that half a millennium ago they were able to build such architectural masterpieces in such a short time. I doubt we could do it today with all technical equipment of our time and also make the results last for such a long time.

Apart from those listed above, there is also the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), literally meaning Holy Wisdom. Standing directly across the Blue Mosque (or the other way around), it was originally built as a Christian basilica in 537 but was converted to a mosque in 1453. In 1935 it was transformed into a museum. Some original Christian frescoes and mosaics have been preserved to this day.
Since it is a museum, they charge an entrance fee of 25 TL. It is not cheap but still worth a visit in my opinion.

I visited a few mosques before during my other trips. You can check out a post from my Moroccan adventure (Casablanca and Hassan II Mosque) and a photo of a Blue Mosque from my first time visit of Istanbul.

Even if open to public, mosques are still a place of worship. Do try to remember that and behave respectfully during your visit. Usually they even provide scarves (which you can borrow for free) and bags (to carry shoes you take off, with you) at the entrance.

Clicking on any one of above photos will reveal it in a much more flattering resolution.

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Happy New Year 2014!

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A trip to Istanbul

In the beginning of December M. and I have visited Istanbul, Turkey for the second time. Since our first visit only lasted an afternoon we were very excited to see some more of this huge city.
If you are interested in my first-time experience a few years ago, you are welcome to check out this post published as a part of our Egyptian adventure: A day in Istanbul.

This time we were lucky to get our hands on some very affordable return flight tickets from Ljubljana to Istanbul. As was the case last year on a trip to Lisbon, Portugal, we went as a group of 7 travel friends.

Unfortunately being a pretty large group usually has some disadvantages. For instance choosing a date that was OK for all of us proved to be quite a challenge. Also going for a period longer than 5 days was out of the question.
Everything worked out just fine in the end and we were all happy we went.

At first I was a bit sceptical about visiting the Turkish capital in December but everything turned out just perfect:

• no tourist crowds at all,
• it was not too cold (temperatures never fell under 8 degrees Celsius) and
• we were also lucky enough to make it through without some serious rain or snow.

Also the air was really clear for most of the time, allowing me to snap a few really nice photos.

Since this was another of our budget trips, we stayed in a centrally located hostel. Bahaus Hostel proved to be clean, pretty affordable and there was breakfast included in the price. But then again, it is nothing to write home about.

During our stay we have visited a few tourist attractions and also tried to sample some local past time activities. We were lucky enough to make contact with a local who showed us some really genuine places we would have never found by ourselves. Thanks again Burcu for making our stay even more enjoyable!

I will try to point out at least a few of these places. Hopefully this will help many travellers to this beautiful destination enjoy it even more.

Stay tuned for my next posts.

Clicking on any one of above photos will reveal them all in a much more flattering resolution.

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Bled and Slovenia promo video

Another great video presentation of Slovenia has been released a while ago. Since I like it a lot I decided to share it with you.

This video mainly focuses on lake Bled and popular activities in the nearby area. Some other beautiful Slovenian destinations are also included in the presentation.

If you like this one, you should probably also check out a few similar videos about Slovenia I posted a while ago.

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Discover Cyprus

If you're looking for an island paradise that's home to beautiful bays and beaches, world-famous legends and soul-stirring scenery, look no further than Cyprus.

Cast out into the Mediterranean Sea, overlooked by Turkey and the Middle East, Cyprus is a melting pot of cultures that boasts many centuries of heritage. The earliest known human activity is believed to date back to the 10th millennium BC, when ancient archaeological remains have been linked with the Neolithic village of Khirokitia.

In the centuries that followed, Cyprus became home to a myriad of influential nations, including the Mycenean Greeks, the Egyptians, the Persians, the Roman Empire, the Byzantines and the Venetians, among others. All these different civilisations left their mark on this fascinating island, which provides yet another reason to visit.

Cyprus holidays have so much to offer. If you're after a non-stop clubbing holiday with more late night shenanigans than you can shake a glow-stick at, Ayia Napa is the place to be. Here, it's like one big summer party when big-name DJs come to spin the latest tunes and keep the party going well into the small hours.

If that is not quite your scene, you will find plenty of Cyprus holidays geared towards families. For instance, head to the lovely resort of Coral Bay near Paphos for a laid-back retreat with plenty of amenities on your doorstep. In nearby Paphos you'll find a superb town that is UNESCO World Heritage Site-listed and full of ancient archaeological wonders. Or head to Larnaca for a fabulous beach break with a cracking line-up of hotels.

If anything above takes your fancy, look at some of the package holidays on offer to see which suits your wish-list. For instance, there are tons of Cyprus holidays available through The Co-operative Travel, here - http://www.co-operativetravel.co.uk/holidays/cyprus/ - offering a superb choice of accommodation and travel arrangements to suit many different tastes and budgets.

So whatever you fancy, whether it is a laid-back family escape or a non-stop clubbing holiday with friends, why not discover Cyprus? It could just be your holiday of a lifetime.

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Istrian liquid gold tasting

No harvest is complete without sampling some fruits of labour. It is no different with olive harvest. As it is evident from the previous post, we recently participated in an olive harvest in Istria, Croatia.

After all the work for the day was done olives were taken to the press. Since picked olives soon start to oxidise it is essential to squeeze the oil out of them as soon as possible.

Luckily for us, this meant we had a chance to try out some of the freshly produced oil. Any extra virgin olive oil tastes good in its own way but this was extra delicious. The colour, the smell and the taste of it were very strong and fresh.

I just could not resist and had to make myself a little gourmand snack. It consisted of home grown cherry tomatoes, small pieces of goat cheese and a healthy dose of olive oil. A piece of bread and a glass of good white wine fit in perfectly.

I guess you will believe me when I tell you it was all gone and the plate cleaned with a little piece of bread before I could snap a photo of it. Simple and delicious!

Clicking on any one of above photos will reveal them both in a more flattering resolution.

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Olive harvest in full swing

We spent last weekend in Istria, Croatia - near the charming little hill town of Grožnjan. We have visited Istria many times before but this time the main reason for visiting was to get an insight into secrets of the Istrian liquid gold. That is a local synonym for olive oil which symbolizes healthy lifestyle and longevity.

At the time of my visit, olive harvest was in full swing. Those of you unfamiliar with the olive business might not know this, but November is usually the time for olive harvest throughout the northern Mediterranean.

I am a huge fan of olive oil - the Extra-virgin olive oil that is. For olive oil to obtain that title it can contain no more than 0.8 percent of free acidity and is judged to have a superior taste. Some fruitiness in its taste is common and it can have no sensory defects.
Since it contains unsaturated fatty and oleic acids, it is rich in antioxidants and polyphenoles that were proved by modern medicine to have significant impact on the overall well-being.

The taste of the final product also varies depending on the olive varieties used. Varieties grown in Istria are: Buža, Istarska Bjelica, Leccino, Pendolino and also some others.

Despite my affection to the delicious product this has been my first time to participate in an olive harvest. I guess apart from some mechanical equipment involved, the picking procedure has not changed a lot since the ancient times.

First we laid nets and large cloth sheets around each individual olive tree. Than olives were shaken off from branches to the ground using small rakes, various mechanical tools and last but not least our hands. Afterwards it was quite easy to gather them into large boxes to be loaded onto a tractor trailer.

Back at the farm olives are sorted with a use of a special machine. In this way olives are separated from leaves and little branches and put into bags. They take them to the press as soon as possible and get olive oil ready for immediate use. There are a few modern presses nearby and they make sure everything is kept under the highest standards.

For olive oil to be of top quality (and to earn that extra-virgin title) it is essential not to be heated over 27 degrees Celsius at any time during the pressing procedure.

After a day of picking olives we were lucky enough to also sample some fresh olive oil. It had a very strong, fresh smell and was a bright green colour. It might be pretty obvious but I just have to put it in writing - It was delicious!

If you ever find yourself in that region do not let those famous local truffles take all of your attention. Take some time to also taste some of the local liquid gold. It is a safe bet to wander to a random farm in the Istrian countryside and find some top quality olive oil. If you do not strike gold, they will definitely kindly point you in the right direction.

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Loving cosy, warm and tender places

Cats love warm and tender places. A heap of freshly cut sheep wool is definitely one such place. This photo was taken during Legenda fest - an annual ethnohistorical event in Vrsno, Slovenia.

Clicking on the above photo will reveal it in a much more flattering resolution.

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Things to Do in Paris with Your Family

Paris is well known as a city of romance, where many couples choose to visit for long walks along the Seine, candlelit meals and musing the wonders of the many works of art in the numerous galleries. But did you know that there are also a lot of things to do in Paris even when you have children in tow?

As a capital city it is only to be expected that Paris will be busy and bustling, filled with people and interlaced with traffic. You will therefore need to keep a tight hold of your children’s hands if they are small - don’t try that if you have teenagers, they won’t like it. But thankfully there are many open spaces in the city if you know where to look and a few decent attractions that are specifically aimed at children of all ages. So find some suitable accommodation (the further away from the centre, the cheaper the hotels, and the Metro system will get you to where you need to be quickly enough) and book some coach tickets to head off to Paris for a family holiday!

Why coach tickets, you ask? Well because it is probably the cheapest way of travelling from London to Paris; there are rest stops and if you travel with iDBUS, you will have lots of leg room and elbow room, free on board Wi-Fi and plug sockets (don’t forget your plug adaptor!) – making the journey comfortable and even fun.

So, here are a few ideas of things to do in Paris that are suitable for the whole family:

1. The Batobus: this is a waterbus that runs along the Seine all the way along the city, allowing you to hop on and off at the various attractions or just to sit and take in the view. It is a great way to get from A to B in a way that does not involve busy roads or maps and most children are happy to be on board.
2. Jardins: there are several major ‘jardins’ in Paris. Jardin de Tuileries is very close to the Louvre; the Jardin de Luxembourg is in central Paris, Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter and is a great place to run around and sail toy boats.
3. Disneyland Paris: a bus or train ride away from Charles de Gaulle airport (to which your iDBUS could take you) this is the ultimate in children’s entertainment. Staying in a themed Disney hotel is fun but expensive, so to save on cost stay on the northern outskirts of Paris and take the train or bus to the park.
4. The Musée Rodin includes a large outdoor area displaying some of the most famous sculptures created by the eponymous artist, enabling you to combine fresh air and culture with a bit of space for a quick game of tig.
5. The catacombs beneath Paris are spooky, eerie and full of skulls: if that sounds like something your child would love then make sure you don’t miss this offbeat attraction. You should keep in mind that this attraction might not be suitable for everyone.

Always plan ahead for dry weather and wet weather alike and always have a few different options up your sleeve for in case there are long queues or unexpected problems. I am sure you will have a much more relaxed trip in the end, if you plan ahead. Well worth it, if you ask me!

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Ironing the Old Fashioned Way

One of many things presented within Legenda Fest in Vrsno, Slovenia (check out our last post for more information) was also a presentation of ironing. Ironing the good old fashioned way.

That is the way our great-grandparents did it. The presentation was set up in a style of a workshop. Visitors could try out their ironing skills with the old equipment. There were various models on display and ready for use.

Heavy irons were filled with ember in order to get properly hot. Those holes on the sides are there to ensure ventilation when swinging an iron through the air. This brings the heat a notch up when it is needed.

Since opportunities for trying out things like these are pretty rare nowadays, visitors seemed excited to try them out.

Even children had no problems fitting in the workshop. On the contrary - it seemed like they were having a great time.

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