Lisbon, Portugal
Destination: Lisbon, Portugal
Other names: Lisboa
Known for: Peri Peri, Portuguese Tarts, drinking in the streets,
Food:
At the beginning of this trip, if someone were to mention Portuguese food, I would immediately think peri peri chicken and nandos. The ‘real’ Peri-Peri Chicken is perfectly cooked and not dry at all, the peri peri sauce is brushed onto the chicken and adds a nice heat kick. We were recommended Bonjardim by a friend and it did not disappoint.
The Portuguese tarts are highly recommended by the locals. From the way they described it I thought I had tried something similar back home (egg tarts you get at yum cha)). These “sugar bombs” are the perfect afternoon accompaniment with the strong (and I mean strong) local coffee.
Seafood is astoundingly affordable and for someone who is not big on seafood I found it delicious. We had booked a restaurant on a friend’s recommendation and also our friends we were with saw the restaurant on travel show. This restaurant serves the freshest seafood and to my knowledge is the only one with their signature dessert as a steak sandwich… that’s right the real surf n turf. Garlic prawns were amazing (I’m salivating as I write this).
Nightlife:
Two words Barrio Alto . The drinking district in Lisbon’s city centre. The norm in Lisbon at least, is to purchase your drinks from one of the many “hole on the wall” type bars and take into the streets and drink. Although it was raining for the two nights we went out there I could imagine the vibe on a summer’s/spring day. Most of the locals speak English quite well (the younger generation at least) and for some strange reason heard this song at least 14 times each night lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITzNPZPhT64
sadly the parties we attended were not like that in the video clip 😛
Attractions/History:
The Alfama district is the where the Portuguese locals and older generation hang out. Whilst I didn’t spend a whole lot of time it was described as an area of the city that still has ‘village’ feel to it, where everyone knows everyone and you can really feel how proud they are to live in the alfama district/ old town.
Fado tour:
A common performance which can be found at most bars within the al fama district is the traditional music known as fado. It involves two guitars, a traditional 12 string Portuguese guitar and regular 6 nylon string guitar. A singer will then takes to the stage and do their thang. The music can be described as emotional, slow or depressing but we were told it is about yearning for something, whether it be for home or for a loved one. It may not be for everyone, however I found it to be very entertaining as I am a fan of any kind of live music (bar death metal).
Portuguese empire – was the first global empire (thanks Wikipedia) for myself the architecture in Lisbon reminded me of some of the buildings in my hometown in Melaka, Malaysia as the Portuguese’s landed there in early 1500s. There is a monument in belem which celebrates the accomplishments to all the the Portuguese explorers and maps out over the centuries the regions which fell under their empire.
The area of Sintra is about an hour’s train ride away from Lisbon city centre, here you will find many historic castles and parks. Be prepared to walk, or wait hours for the one bus which services the many kilometres of road linking the various tourist attractions. We visited Pena national castle which is definitely a site to check out. The castle was inspired apparently by Disney type castles and the first thing you notice is how vibrant colours of the castle walls. The inside is furnished with the finest furniture and accessories for those times. There is even a dedicated ladies waiting room, where the monarch would hold his mistresses I’m assuming before having his way with them.
Apart from the lousy weather in which it rained 3 out of the 4 days we were there, Lisbon is a city which has something for everyone. From party goers to young families, its an affordable destination and one I want to come back too in the not too distant future (hopefully when the sun shines a little brighter! :P) I should also mention the hostels in Libson are world class, in fact 3 of the top 4 hostels in the world are in Lisbon so definitely consider staying in a hostel if you can! You are bound to meet some amazing people to share the city’s experiences with.
Lastly I want to say a big THANK YOU to Celine for basically planning my whole Lisbon trip with her fantastic recommendations! Getting local insight to a city always help!
Obridgado Lisboa!
Venice, Italy
Destination: Venice, Italy
Other names: Venezia, Queen of the Adriatic,City of Bridges
Notable people: Marco Polo (explorer), Antonio Vivaldi (muso)
Other known associations: Masks, Blinds lol
Links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LAPFM3dgag (vivaldi)
Did you know that the city of Venice actually sits within a lagoon? It is made up of roughly 120 islands and to manage your way across the various pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that is ‘Venezia’, you must navigate one the 400 odd bridges that be found within the city. Now while I come across as extremely worldly person :P, I must admit I have plagiarised these facts from our lovely tour guide on a recent trip to Venice.
Now I have seen many photos and paintings of Venice but it is a very surreal feeling to see the famous city of canals in real life. Visually, it is a city like no other….
The first thing, I noticed about Venice was how few venetians actually reside in the city. Whilst there are many rustic residential homes it feels like a ghost town (in winter at least). It feels like it a grown up “Disneyland” in that it is set up for tourists and is bustling by day, however at night all the locals go home to the nearby town of Mestre. Now this could be Combinations of factors including;
a) Time of year – Apparently in summer it is almost claustrophobic with the amount of people in the city.
b) The fact that it’s a pain in the bum to get home from a big night out as gondoliers only work during the day. The other alternative is a water taxi but no one wants to pay €100 to get home!
c) All those car lovers who refuse to live in a city where they cannot drive their luxurious European cars, as cars are banned.
d) The smell – some parts of Venice city have a very ‘funky’ smell that have you covering your nose and mouth almost immediately.
I found Venice to be a city rich in culture with opera and classical music performances being a major centre piece of the city’s entertainment offering. There are hundreds of little alleyways and shops where you can easily lose yourself. Venetians masks, Casanova hats, Quill pens are among the more popular venetian souvenirs that are sold all over the city.
The iconic gondolas can be seen moving effortlessly almost anywhere throughout the city. Although, I think it is a myth that all gondoliers sing opera, our gondolier instead whistled the Popeye theme song for our 40 min journey,( but was entertaining nonetheless). Rustic and beautiful baroque style churches are fairly common in the city landscape as well.
Most importantly Seafood and traditional Italian food is done so well it is easy to see why this city has been so popular with tourists for decades.
For the coffee lover, it is a well-known fact that Italians are the masters of coffee and the coffee here definitely did not disappoint. We were recommended café del doge by a friend (thanks Anne!) which served the perfect ‘wake-me-up’ cappuccino.
An interesting fact is that during the winter and autumn there is a phenomenon know as high tide where water levels rise and parts of the city begin to flood. To allow people to traverse the labyrinth of passage ways and bridges, planks are strategically placed those common routes tread by tourists.
My good deed this weekend was to piggy back a Singaporean aunty onto one of these planks because my shoes were fairly waterproof and she was stuck….I was also tricked into carrying my 80kg travel buddy as well…only to realise later had we turned the corner we could have easily access the planks. #sorebackfornothing (I’m new to the hashtagging thing so forgive me if it’s wrong!)
5 observations.
1. Seafood is amazingly fresh
2. Almost all the pasta is homemade – delicious
3. Even in winter gelato is still in demand!
4. Tap water is not drinkable
5. Venetian blinds are not commonly found in Venice!
A city like no other and one that would suit the hopeless romantic and curious traveler alike with its majestic buildings with hundreds of canals and bridges scattered throughout this stunning city.
JD
Belfast, Ireland
I recently took my first UK trip which landed me in Belfast, Northern Island. This was my first trip in 2013 and hopefully the start of a jammed packed year full of travel!
Having grown up with an Irish godmother I’ve always thought the Irish people to be the friendliest people in the world. From the moment we landed, the locals were more than happy to help and point us in the right direction. They did so with a big smile, a sing-a-long voice and a jig (okay so maybe the jig is a little embellished lol).
We hired a car and went on a road trip around northern Ireland. Below I’ve listed a few of the places we visited.
Mussenden Temple:
Built in 1785 as a Library, it sits atop a 120 ft cliff face with ocean views in the backdrop. There was sheep poo all around for some reason that day which made the walk there slightly harder than anticipated.
Dunluce Castle:
An impressive medieval castle perched atop another cliff with spectacular sea views. It was however extremely misty that day and visibility was not the greatest, but still worthwhile checking out.
The Giant’s Causeway:
A Unesco heritage listed site with 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed from volcanic eruptions which covers the Causeway Coast. A stunningly beautiful site and scenic walk to get to the causeway.
Carrick-a-Rede:
Unfortunately this bridge was closed and we were not able to cross, but this was my favourite place of the trip, the views really highlight the natural beauty and coastline of Northern Ireland.
Titanic Museum:
A very interactive museum about one of the greatest love stories ever known (Jack & Rose), and also something about a ginormous ship too.
Chinese New Year – Irish style:
What I didn’t realise was that this weekend also coincided with Chinese New Year. Having been described as a “banana” (yellow on the outside, white on the inside) and someone not in tune with their Chinese heritage, this was certainly not helping my case! We did manage to bring the new year with some lobster noodles at a surprisingly authentic Chinese restaurant in Belfast, so all was not lost.
The great thing about flying back from Belfast is that it is considered a “domestic” flight and therefore no immigration checks necessary Woohoo!
Belfast is an underrated destination which you can explore at your own pace and enjoy the natural beauty and history.
JD
First post of the Year
Greetings
For those who have stumbled upon this blog, welcome to the first post of 2013. To family and friends who I have informed about the existence of this blog – Hello 🙂
The month of January thus far has been a cold and frosty one. Given that in Melbourne I would sport thermals under my suit pants for sub 10 degree temperatures, this is a new experience for me.
But there are pros to living in a snow covered city.
- Firstly, engaging with the local kids in ‘free for all snowball fight’ on the way to get groceries, offers an adrenalin rush not usually experienced first thing on a Saturday morning
- Moon walking and Usher-like moves suddenly become second nature, that or its just me not having snow appropriate footwear. For the record I am capable of a pretty decent side moonwalk for those who were wondering lol
- There is something ‘movie like’ about having coffee with your friends whilst the snow covers the trees and rooftops outside.
As you can see, snow is a new thing for me and kind of a big deal!
Not so much has been done on the travel side of things just yet, it starts to kick off in February after which point I will be travelling roughly twice a month for the rest of the year.
But even though I’m not travelling I did have one of the best weeks gone by.
One of my all time favourite artists – the very talented and multi Grammy award winning – Mr Brian McKnight was in town to perform and I must say this is probably the best gig that I have ever been to. For those not too familiar with his songs I include a youtube video to jog your shameful memory!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVqgWZG27mg
For those who know me well, they will also know I am a huge NBA fan and was lucky enough to see the Knicks play the Pistons at the 02 Arena. An electric atmosphere that I hopefully I will have an another opportunity to experience in the not too distant future. (*Fingers crossed for that green card lol!). For the record New York won it comfortably.
Throw in Les Mis (FYI – Russell Crowe’s singing was painful in this one) for good measure and that is a pretty hard week to top in my books.
JD
2012: Recap
The beginning
At the beginning of 2012 I was getting through the daily grind in Melbourne as my job as an assistant private banker in Melbourne. However, the days went relatively slowly as I was counting down till March 17. This was the date I would start my new adventure overseas on a 2 year working holiday in London. I had no idea what to expect, all I knew was I needed something fresh and exciting to escape the rut I was in.
Away from work I found life to be quite dull and unexciting. Each week would consist of work, gym maybe twice a week, basketball and copious amounts of the play station 3 to fill in the gaps. In between funding a mortgage and saving for the working holiday, I was not left with much disposable income to enjoy Melbourne. Consequently I was a slightly depressed person who was not exactly the life of the party. My brother would describe me as a “drainer” i.e. one who drains the life of you when you are around them. I didn’t see it at the time, but I now completely agree with him.
Sadly it was also during this time that my parents and brother led more active social lives than me. By way of example the following conversation with my mum, happened regularly on a Thursday night.
Mum: “Boy we’re not in Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday night you alright for dinner”
Me: “Uh no”
Mum: “Ok there are two minute noodles in the pantry…see you!”
Me: “well this is depressing, can you make sure my shirts are ironed for work on Monday!”
D-Day
I don’t remember all that well to be completely honest. It was a surreal feeling as one moment I was saying goodbye to my parents at tullamarine airport, next thing I knew I was in doha transiting to my London bound flight, and then shortly after that I found myself in King cross (yes Platform 9¾ quarters for those harry potter fans!) looking for a cab to my friend’s apartment. I do make it sound like it was a 5 hour journey but it actually took a whole 24 hours to arrive in London town.
The transition
From the months between March and June would be where I matured from a mummy’s boy to a independent jet-setting Londoner.
Job:
Was a turbulent 2 month hunt, which consisted of numerous and intense phone staring sessions and recruiter meetings. Finding your first job is the hardest as all London firms prefer to hire people with UK experience. Of course if no one gives you your first break then how do you get London experience? The answer…just wait, eventually you will find that one manager who has a soft spot for Australians and sees that you are more than capable of fulfilling the requirements of the role.
Ultimately, this is something out of your control and when you finally land that role, you will wonder why you stressed in the first place. Eventually I managed to land a role as a financial analyst with a fund manager. Basically I am a professional spreadsheeter here in London….best we move on to the next topic!
Mi casa:
Trying to view and secure a room in London is harder than an Asian fella trying to pick up an Aussie girl at eve nightclub on a Saturday (never gonna happen!) Rooms get snapped up every 3 minutes (source: http://www.sparerooms.co.uk) and once again patience is required. Eventually when you do get it, it is such a relief, as you appreciate how good it is to sleep on a proper bed after couch surfing for 2 months!
Friends:
Thankfully, I had a few good friends from university and also my old work place, who had already established themselves here. This was one of the few “wins” I had in London. It was great to have some friends in London and to be perfectly honest if it wasn’t for my friends Steve and Gajia (honourable mentions to Chris and Louise!) my London experience would have been a lot tougher.
Cost of living:
Surprisingly, based on the current exchange rate I would say London is comparable to Melbourne and Sydney. Food and public transport is cheaper (metro-you should be paying me to use your subpar and overpriced services), rent probably a little more expensive and night life roughly the same.
Cooking:
Thanks to youtube and recipes mum had emailed through, I was surprised to learn that I am capable of cooking food that does not cause pain and suffering to those who consume it! My signature dish is the good ol chicken stir fry. (I’m not being biased or anything, but its pretty damn good and I am happy to challenge anyone iron chef styles if they want!)
With ironing, a quick 3 minute video from TM lewin (thanks again youtube) assisted me with reducing the time taken to iron a shirt from 40 min to 10min. Quite an accomplishment for someone who was not able to survive on their own only 3 months prior.
Holiday planning & Travel:
- http://www.sky scanner.net (compare airfares)
- http://www.tripadvisor.com (check quality of hotels/attractions)
- http://www.trivago.com (compare hotels)
These are the three sites I use to book my holiday and after awhile one does book holidays with the same proficiency as a Flight Centre travel agent.
The first holiday I booked was to Aarhus Denmark. Where in the heck is that you ask? Why? Because it was cheap and also I wanted to visit somewhere off the tourist trail. Ok so the latter reason maybe embellished a little to save face. Nonetheless I had a great time there and discovered that the some of the best food in the world can be found in Denmark, you can get 24 hours of sunlight during the summer in some parts of the country and also the humble coffee from starbucks (or equivalent) costs around £5 ($7.50 AUD).
My other trips would see me visit Germany, Spain, France, Hungary, Italy and Belgium over various weekends throughout the year.
For me, Morocco was the most enjoyable and culturally enriching trip that I went on. If you do get the chance, do check the place out. It is unlike anything in the western world and Asian world for that matter!
From 2012 to the new year!
A new start granted me the opportunity to rejig my thought process and approach to life. I unintentionally forced myself to get out of my comfort zone, began to learn the life skills I so greatly lacked and simultaneously found my passion for life again.
Having a clean slate allowed me to really think what is it I want to do. Not what should I do because I have always been doing this or I feel that I should do this. The result – I was now working to live (not living to work has I had done previously). I had a life again, I rediscovered my motivation to go out and explore, but most importantly I realized that those people who enjoy their lives, choose to do so. They plan ahead, they know what’s going on and what’s coming up. They don’t wait for life to come to them, they go and get it!
With this new mind-set, 2013 is shaping up to be one of the best years ever. I have over 15 cities I want to visit this year and this blog will be where I post up my adventures and experiences from those visits, so stay tuned.
JD
HAPPY NEW YEAR
A Happy new Year to Everyone!
The new year is upon us and my goodness it is flying by already. Throughout the year I will be posting pictures and stories of my travels throughout Europe, as I continue my working holiday here in London. This weekend I am sick so unfortunately I do not have any interesting stories to share with you just yet!
But stay tuned as I’m sure it will get more interesting in the upcoming months!
JD
The JD Chronicles 