Top Places to See in Istanbul

Istanbul

Istanbul is a large city divided into two continents and has 15 million people inhabiting it. Needless to say, it is one of the most visited cities and offers a wide range of finds for the budget traveller to the history buff. The city seems to take you back to an older time, yet it is incredible modern as well. Here are a few sites that were awe-inspiring, beautiful, and some that are obvious “must sees” when journeying there.

Semana Santa-A Journal-Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday)

I just finished experiencing my first and maybe last Semana Santa in Sevilla, Spain. It was overwhelming at times and even though it was chalked full of people, it was an unforgettable experience. Here is my journal entry from day one of Semana Santa, with a little commentary from the rest of the week and of course, a few pictures.

Balcony on Domingo de Ramos

Tapa Thursday-No Kitchen

No Kitchen is a relatively new restaurant in Sevilla, but one that should not be skipped. It has been on my list since I saw one of my friend's pics from a lunch he had there. It is such a great, yet simple idea: no kitchen. The items on the menu are fresh, simple, and delicious.

Tapa Thursday-Almería

This being my last tapas post about Almería, I thought that I would showcase a couple of other places in Almería that were too good not to mention. 

Tapas Thursday-El Candil, Almería

We found El Candil nestled in a quiet corner of a plaza in Almería. Only a few patrons were sipping their wine and beer when we popped our heads into this little dive. We only became aware of the place because the Ruta de Tapas was taking place in Almería while we were visiting the city. It was stop number two on our list that night and we ended up staying there during the entirety of a football match and then returning the next night. The tapas bar does not offer much on views, but it more than makes up for that in their food.

Tapas Thursday- Cervecería El Pescaíto, San José

Nestled in the bottom of Spain on the Costa de Almería, San José is a quaint beach town an hour away from Almería. We decided to take the hour bus ride and visit this pueblo blanco on the sea. We just happened to be there during lunch time, and found Cervecería El Pescaíto. Here in the Almería region, the tradition of serving a free tapa with an order of a caña or vino still holds true. When arriving at 1:15, a bit early for lunch in Spain (our bus was leaving at 3:00), the establishment had a handful of men who were catching up on the daily gossip and a welcoming decor of blue-checkered tablecloths and fish nets hanging from the ceiling.

Tapas Thursday- Restaurante ConTenedor

Restaurante ConTenedor has been on our radar since we have been in Seville. It has extremely high ratings and also it is a convenient five minute walk from our apartment. We chose an evening with some friends to dine at this amazing slow food restaurant and were not disappointed, by the food or the company. This slow food restaurant is often packed and a reservation is usually needed. It delivers a fresh approach to food, it is suitable for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike and is a nice break from the Sevilla tapas bars.

Tapas Thursday - El Ambigú

Bar El Ambigú is on the busy Feria Street and a great place to stop when your stomach growls. This small bar has plenty of locals and tourists scavenging for a place to sit, but we got there early one evening and had a choice of tables. By the end of our first tapa, people were spilling out onto the street. 

Top Ten Places to Visit from Nice

Being able to live in Nice for three months helped me with a few of my life goals: being able to live by the water where a beach was easily accessible (I have lived landlocked all of my life), living in France, and being able to visit a number of other towns or cities that were close for relatively cheap. If you are planning on visiting the south of France, I recommend making Nice a base to enjoy the beach, but also to see some amazing places nearby. 

Here are my top 10 places to visit around Nice.

Tapas Thursday - Bar Las Teresas

Wondering around on a Sunday afternoon is always fun in Spain. Sundays are a leisure day for the Spaniards and also a day to go out and eat, drink, and enjoy the afternoon before returning to an evening at home. It is a great day to spot where all the locals go to get tapas and drinks. On a recent Sunday stroll, we came to Bar Las Teresas and popped into a very busy bar for a few tapas.

Tapas Thursday - Eslava

When we were first researching tapas bars in Sevilla, Eslava came up on numerous searches as one of the "best" in Sevilla, as both a restaurant and a tapas bar side-by-side. It was also recommended by both my Spanish teacher and a friend of ours at school, so after a day trip to nearby Itálica, we headed that way from the bus stop. The mid-February day was perfect for sitting outside in the sun at one of the few hightop tables and enjoying these delicious tapas. 

Carrillada Ibérica Estofada

The Beautiful Doors of Marrakech

Here are some photos of doors in Marrakech. They definitely opened the door to my heart to the unknown world of Marrakech!

       Mihrab at Médersa Ben Youssef / Door into Student Area at Médersa BenYoussef

A Romantic & Relaxing Arab Bath

One step into the Arab baths in Sevilla takes you back to a different time. Hundreds to thousands of years ago people took bathing and relaxation to be part of not only their hygiene, but also as a healthy way of life and it should be an example for us modern day folk. Even back in that time, it was vital to give your body some TLC and relaxation.  

Courtesy of Aire de Sevilla

Tapas Thursday - Bar Kiko

If you want one of the better deals in Sevilla for lunch, head to Bar Kiko. This extremely small tapas bar is on a small side street in the Alfalfa area and home to a 6.50 euro menú de día, which does not disappoint. When we came to the door of Bar Kiko, the smells poured out and we followed our noses and our stomachs into the small room. One of the women motioned for us to go towards the back where there were a few tables since the bar was full with maybe six people sitting in it. We grabbed a chair and immediately an explanation of the menu of the day was given. For 6.50 euros, you get two plates and a drink.

Tapas Thursday - Bar Antojo

Anyone hungry? My selection for this week's Tapas Thursday is a real find and you better go with an empty stomach. This place is situated on a street past a local favorite hangout, the Plaza de la Alameda de Hércules. When we went for lunch, we were the only non-locals there. The menu at Bar Antojo offered the normal tapas choices, but it also had a few that are unique to only them.

Tapas Thursday - Bar Alfalfa

This tapas bar is situated in the Alfalfa area in the old center of Sevilla. This area hosts many tapas bars and it is easy to get sucked into many bars in one evening. We first went to Bar Alfalfa on a quiet Sunday afternoon for just a quick tapa and drink, knowing that we would return for more in the near future. Sure enough, that near future was only five days later after a relaxing evening at the Arab baths (a post on this to come). This place is run by younger Sevillians and it does not disappoint. The atmosphere is very comfortable and  intimate as this place is very small. The upper walls are filled with old wine bottles and we were witnesses to many tapas being handmade behind the bar. So grab a vino tinto or a sherry and take a look at our finds at Bar Alfalfa.

Special Córdoba Edition - Tapas Tuesday

I figured a special Tapas Tuesday edition from our recent trip to Córdoba would be needed after the delicious offerings that Taverna de la Montillana provided. While searching the internet for interesting tapas bars in Córdoba, I felt a little hesitant for great tapas because the tapas bars did not seem to be as plentiful or as popular as in Sevilla. But, I pinned a few on my Google maps and forgot what they were known for or what to order. I did remember, though, the specialities of Córdoba, the flamequín and the berenjenas con miel. 

Tapas Thursday - Los Coloniales

Eating - it is one of my favorite things to do. Luckily, I have a few months stay in Sevilla, where food is one the highlights of the city, and it is a host to more than 3000 tapas bars. Here in Sevilla, the very essence of getting tapas is something not to take lightly. Many tapas bars are very crowded and it is very intimidating being the sole tourist in a local bar trying to get inside. But, once you have a caña, sherry, or a vino in front of you, the focus becomes entirely on the food. A common practice here in Sevilla is to bar hop, simply slip into one bar and grab one or two tapas and a drink, then on to another bar. This of course, can go on for multiple hours and it is always fun to have some friends to come along. We have not quite gotten into the habit of going to multiple place because it is always so hard to pull away from a place that has so much to try. I am sure that we will have plenty of time to work on this in the upcoming months. 

For the first Tapas Thursday post, I am showing you a few plates from one of our favorite places so far, Los Coloniales. 

Signs of France 3

On we go with the third installment of French signs. These four signs are some of my favorites and they made me smile when I saw them. I hope you enjoy the creativeness and uniqueness as much as I did.

Les Patates-A simple lunch in Monaco

Food is always a easy thing to get excited about for me, especially when it is my favorite, potatoes. On a recent visit to Monaco, I stumbled upon a classic food staple, made in a French (well Monaco, really) style. A baked potato with French cheese melted on top. Literally, two days before coming into Monaco's Christmas village and seeing this kiosk, I turned to my husband and said, "I think that I am hungry for a loaded baked potato." Now, I did not get a loaded one, but, believe me this may have been better.