Portugal’s Alentejo region - a corker of a place

September 4, 2014

Portuguese wine has been a revelation to me over the last few years. I’d always poo pooed it with memories of overly sweet, slightly fizzy vinho verde produced from stubby Mateus bottles – albeit the bottles did come in handy to make artful candlestick holders!

Luckily for me our local wine shop (Reserve in Didsbury) always ensures that I “try something different” and never seems to get it wrong. So, when I was offered a Portuguese white from the Duoro valley I was amazed to find it was rather good and I haven’t looked back since! Wanting to discover more about the wines of Portugal, on our recent trip to Portugal (after discovering an alternative Algarve – read about how you do that here) Julian and I headed north to the central Alentejo region. But to our delight we discovered more than just wonderful wineries.

Kaleidoscopic Kathmandu

July 4, 2014

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is chaotic, mesmerising, fascinating and exhausting all at the same time. This slightly bonkers city is an absolute assault on the senses but it’s also utterly captivating and I first fell under its spell when I arrived on the overnight bus from India – a journey that has haunted me for over 20 years!

Now don’t get me wrong, compared to an Indian city, Kathmandu was still a mad old place with the same persistent stall holders and imploring beggars. But it was different. With the legions of trekkers visiting the area over the years, the city had come to cater very nicely for the needs of the independent western traveller – the pizzerias with wood fired pizza, cafés offering salads washed in filtered water and German bakeries with the best tasting cakes, were like nirvana to me after spending months in India living on Dahl!

Livin' la pura vida in Costa Rica

June 6, 2014

There’s a local phrase in Costa Rica which is on everyone’s lips, “pura vida”. Roughly translated it means pure life but in reality it means all’s well and life is great and it really is the answer to everything! I reckon that’s why the local Ticos are so warm and friendly and the whole place seems to have a relaxed vibe.

At just two thirds the size of Scotland, Costa Rica is a small country that manages to pack a lot in. It’s a nature lover’s paradise with active volcanoes, adventurous activities, alluring cloud forests and verdant rain forests teeming with exotic birds and other wildlife. There are plenty of beaches too, if you want to throw in some rest and relaxation. There’s enough to see and do to keep everyone interested which is why it makes a great destination for both couples and families.

Northumberland - a place of wide open spaces beneath big skies

May 1, 2014

I’d read about the wild and stunning Northumberland scenery and its rugged coastline, but always wondered whether it was worth a trip, especially as there didn’t seem anywhere decent to stay and I was never into Harry Potter, which was filmed up there.

So, when I heard about a medieval pub in a quaint village which was undergoing a smart makeover, I got the long weekend booked. And, I have to say, I’m so glad I did. Julian and I left asking why, as lovers of Great Britain’s big country (not the 80’s band incidentally), we hadn’t been before.

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