Food Mood: Couscous, Berber Deli

There is nothing simpler than this food. Or tastier. Or versatile. Buy a pack of couscous - fine or medium grain, it doesn't really matter. Put 250 g in a large bowl.

Paris Bits: Pont des Arts

   

It seems I've been growing fond of bridges lately. Especially pedestrian ones. After Charles Bridge in Prague, now it's Pont des Arts in Paris, crossing the Seine River and linking Institut de France and Palais du Louvre square.

Prague in 6 Hours (Part 2) - Charles Bridge on Vltava

8:30 a.m. -  10:00 a.m. - After we saw the Opera House in Part 1, we headed for the banks of Vltava River. The longest river in the Czech Republic crosses the capital from north to south, offering stunning views to those who take a stroll along its banks.

Paris Bits: Les Galeries Lafayette on A Rainy Day

 
If you happen in the 8th or 9th arrondissement in Paris on a rainy day, Les Galeries Lafayette are the best place to go to. Even if you're overwhelmed by the prices or you're not a fashion enthusiast, there's still something for you to do...

Paris Bits: Arc de Triomphe et les Champs-Élysées

Our adventure in France starts at Place de l'Étoile, with stunning views of Arc de Triomphe. Quite triumphant, I would say. We circled the square and took pictures of this huge monument from all possible angles. On a sunny, warm day like this one, Paris looks absolutely stunning.

Prague in 6 Hours (Part 1)

Me on Charles Bridge, one of the highlights of the day.

Hello from Prague, my friends! We had 10 hours to kill on our way to Paris, so we strolled around  this amazing city for 6. I didn't think it was possible to see a lot in such a short time, but the friendly layout of the place helped us a lot. So, what did we do in Prague?
 

Venice Beach (Los Angeles)

Venice is a beachfront neighborhood in West Los Angeles, California, whose layout imitates the canals in Venice. The place is known for its rich population, canals, huge beach, 2-mile long pedestrian walkway.

New York #1: Battery Park City

 

Battery Park City (http://www.batteryparkcity.org/) is a waterfront area at the southernmost tip of the island of Manhattan and one of the most convenient starting points for discovering Manhattan either on food, or by public transportation. The region is called The Battery because of its common usage throughout history as an artillery location for the batteries that would protect or at least attempt to protect the island from foreign invasion. It is also the former Greek quarter. Coming from Brooklin, the most convenient stop is South Ferry, with the M4 train. The Battery Park City Ferry Terminal is at the foot of Vesey Street opposite the New York Mercantile Exchange and provides ferry transportation to various points in New Jersey.

Holidays in France: La Maison des Roses (Calvados)

I have never imagined that the house in which I spent one of the most beautiful holidays with my family was going to be turned into a Bed&Breakfast. But it was and I almost didn't recognize it - well, the Romanian and French hospitality can work wonders.

Crystal Lagoon - Chile

Well, lately I felt like swimming. A lot. I read about all swimming styles and techniques, even practiced a bit in Nha Trang. But rarely is the sea calm enough to allow me practice my newly acquired skills unhindered. So, where should I go... where should I go? Here is an understatement - this place would do: 900 m long, 3.5 m deep, 66 million gallons of sea water, Guinness Book listing.

Location: San Alfonso del Mar Resort (private resort) - Algarrobo (Chile)

Drungli - The Adventure Generator

I came across Drungli while I was planning this year's holiday in Europe, which, Thank God, is going to happen pretty soon. Back to clean streets, high prices, cold people - yes! three times yes! I need that for at least one month before heading again who knows where.

Even if its slogan is "Adventure generator for spontaneous people", it's a pretty good planning tool if you are the kind who can wait until two months before the holiday. The spontaneous part is the destination - that you cannot choose.  All you have to do is fill out the city of departure and the date and then let Drungli take wherever it wants according to one single criterion: low prices.

For example, if you live in Paris, you can go on May 16 to Bergamo, Gerona, Manchester, Prestwick, Glasgow, Oslo, Santanter, Turin, and Zaragoza for 6.99 Euro, to Barcelona, Bologna, Budapest, Beziers, Pescara or Pula for 10.99 Euro, and for 17.99 Euro to Malaga, Gothenburg, Krakow, and Marseille. Not to shabby, is it? However, the prices do not include taxes and are valid for a one-way trip. For the trip back, you'll have to ask Drungli again. Maybe it will change your mind and take you somewhere else than home.

Perfume River (Hue, Vietnam)

Perfume River crosses Hue from West to East. Its name comes from the flowers from the orchards upriver which fall into the water, giving it a perfume-like smell.

Phnom Penh by Tuk-Tuk

(c) RRCaroll. Source: Flickr.

It's been two months since we've been to Cambodia and I am trying to remember why I liked its capital city that much. Not an easy task, since we spent not more than 18 hours spread over two days. The shabby roads, the no-traffic-lights system, and the sheer poverty of most neighborhoods make that even harder. But truth is I had a great time and felt more at ease than anywhere in Asia. 

After an 8-hour bus ride by Mekong Express from Saigon ($22 for a round trip), which is supposed to take only 6 (but, well, welcome to Asia!), we "landed" in an air-conditioned van that took us on a guided tour to four of the most important sights in the city: the Royal Palace, the Independence Monument, the National Museum of Art, and Wat Phnom.

The main entrance to the Royal Palace.

The Throne Hall

The Royal Palace was built in the 19th century and amazingly survived all horrors of the 20th century. The complex houses the Silver Pagoda and the Temple of Emerald Buddha, as well as a series of perfectly executed stupas and shrines. 

The grounds are wonderfully maintained and really worth seeing. The Palace is open every day between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. and in the afternoon, between 1 and 5. 

Inaugurated in 1958 as a memorial to Cambodia's war dead after the gaining of independence from France in 1953, the Independence Monument, built in the Angkorian style in the form of a lotus-shaped stupa, consists of five levels decorated with 100 snake heads and dominates the intersection of Norodom Blvd. and Sihanouk Blvd. in the center of the city. The best time to visit it is in the afternoon, just before sunset, or at night, when it is fully lit.

The Independence Monument

The next stop marked a 45-minute visit to the National Museum of Art (Street 13, Sangkat Chey Chumneas, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh), just opposite the Royal Palace. You really don't need more time unless you are a historian or an archeologist: the museum is fairly small, but very interesting, and the guides are really effective. No pictures are allowed inside the museum.

The exterior of the National Museum of Art.

The last attraction on our guide's agenda was Wat Phnom, the temple on the hill (St. 94). The namesake and symbol of the capital city of Phnom Penh sets prominently atop an artificial 27-meter hill (or Phnom) near the Tonle Sap River in the northeast section of the city. Legend relates that Daun (Grandmother or Lady) Penh, a wealthy widow, found a large koki tree in the river. She hoped to use it for a house, but inside a hollow of the tree she found four bronze statues of the Buddha (and possibly a stone statue of Vishnu); she erected a small shrine on the site to protect them. Eventually this became a sacred site and sanctuary where people would make wishes and pray for good luck and for success in school or business.

Inside Wat Phnom.

Well, that was the first time we went on a guided tour. No tourist's remorse at all, especially because the time was short and we couldn't have possibly seen so many things by ourselves in only 3 hours. But the best thing came the next day, when I discovered how pleasant a tuk-tuk ride can be.

The advice I will give to anybody who visits Phnom Penh is to get up in the morning, have a good breakfast, and jump in a tuk-tuk. Tell the driver to give you a tour of the city starting on Sisowath Quay, the boulevard that parallels the bank of the Mekong. This quaint neighborhood dotted by picturesque hotels, cafes, and chi-chi shops and fronted by manicured lawns is the best place to start and finish your $3 or $4 city tour.

Cafes along Sisowath Quay.

One of the hotels on Sisowath Quay which offers great views of the river.

Then tell the driver to head to the Central Market. You'll pass en route by most of the attractions I mentioned before:

The Park in front of the Independence Monument, where most national celebrations are held.

The Independence Monument itself.

The area around the Royal Palace.

 Then he will take you along circuitous streets that made me think about Thessaloniki, imagine! 

And the closer to the market you get, the more delicacies like these ones you'll see:

River shells roasted with salt and chili. 

Pastries and assorted fruit.

I didn't spend more than half an hour at the market as it seems to me most tourist markets in Asia sell just about the same things, like these ones:

More stuff to add to your luggage. At least it's dirt cheap.

Well, even if you decide to give up and shop like crazy for GAP T-shirts for $2 and 50-cent souvenirs, you can still take the tuk-tuk back to Sisowath Quay for lunch and drink a cold Angkor beer for me. To Phnom Penh!

Sapa in Top 10 Tourist Sites for Walking

Lonely Planet released Top 10 Best Tourist Sites for Walking: Grand Canyon (USA), Aoraki or Mount Coock (New Zealand), Lake District (UK), Torres del Paine (Chile), Lauterbrunnen (Switzerland), Brecon Beacons (Wales), Kakadu National Park (Australia), Taman Negara National Park (Malaysia), Dartmoor National Park (UK) and Sapa (Vietnam).

[caption id="attachment_721" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Sapa (c) Lawrence Sinclair. Source: Flickr."][/caption]

The Lonely Planet presents Sapa in a wonderful way: “The Queen of the Mountains, Sapa sits regally overlooking a beautiful valley, lofty mountains towering over the town on all sides. Welcome to the destination in northwest Vietnam, gateway to another world of mysterious minority cultures and luscious landscapes. The spectacular scenery that surrounds Sapa includes cascading rice terraces that spill down the mountains like a patchwork quilt. The mountains are often shrouded in mist that rolls back and forth along the peaks, offering tantalizing glimpses what lies in wait on a clear day”.

[caption id="attachment_722" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Sapa (c) James Khoo. Source: Flickr."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_723" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Sapa (c) Jared Kelly. Source: Flickr."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_724" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Sapa (c) Ronan Crowley. Source: Flickr."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_725" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Sapa 2 (c) Ronan Crowley. Source: Flickr."][/caption]

Going to California: San Francisco City Break on A Budget

I don’t know if there are any onomatopoeic words in English or Romanian or in any other language on earth to describe the sounds sea lions or seals make. However, it is the sounds they make that come back buzzing into my mind whenever I think of San Francisco, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Oh, and the rattling of the cable cars, running up and down the crooked streets. I finally got to see TchaTchafiko. It's the way my little brother and I used to pronounce the name of the city whenever we watched and talked about the fashionable Streets of San Francisco TV series, back in early 90s.

At first, we thought of using money more wisely than spending it on a 3-day city break in the Bay Area of California towards the end of our 7-month stay in the US. But we could not resist it – our travel impetus and having too much Southern California got us on the first Amtrak Pacific Surfliner we could book seats for online. A good idea, as long as all trains are equipped with outlets for laptops and offer café cars and ample room for legs – more than most business class areas in any posh airline. But trains stop in Goleta and those who need to continue the trip up north, to San Jose, Oakland, or San Francisco, need to take an Amtrak bus that serves the area.

We hit (not the tarmac, but) the walkway in front of the Ferry Building at 5 in the morning. Rodney, our very lively bus driver, had been so dedicated that he’d got to the destination 35 minutes earlier. That meant 35 more minutes of shivering in the chilly cloudy San Francisco morning. We put on some more warm clothes and headed for Pier 39 where we knew there were coffee shops and diners.

In the morning

“This is a smoking free bus, said Rodney at the beginning of our trip. And I have to remind you this is also valid for the bathroom. Lest you want to continue your trip walking, refrain from smoking. And bear in mind your seat neighbor will tell on you if they suspect you did that while in the bathroom.” OK, the bus ride was over and I could use a cigarette, just to take my mind away from the cold.

In case you arrive very early in the morning in any American city, just don’t have high hopes. Don’t dream of steamy coffee or hot tea, served with sizzling omelets or fluffy pancakes. That you can have, but only after 7:30 in tourist areas and after 9 in all other parts of the city. And don’t dream of public restrooms – they open late, only after a little energetic Asian or Mexican guy rubs them up really well for some thirty minutes.

Sunrise @ Pier 39

Our San Francisco morning hushed away all the clouds and revealed a clear horizon, from which the sun started to rise in glory over the bay and the Bay Bridge. At Pier 39, one of the most popular waterfront attractions of the city, the sea lions were stretching on their docks for another day of Sea Lebrities photo shooting. They first arrived here in 1990, in droves of 10-50, immediately after the 1989 Loma-Prieta earthquake. The friendly environment turned the West Marina into the home of more than 300 cute sealebrities, whose number amounts to even 900 during the winter.

Cute Sealebrities

After some overpriced cups of coffee and tea, we decided to head for the hotel, with hopes for a very early check-in. The road took us along the whole bay waterfront. Fisherman’s Wharf was quiet. We realized it was President’s Day and that the early check-in was an amazing idea. We walked north along the bay, passed by Ghirardelli Square and crossed the Marina District from East to West, until we got on Lombard Street. Then we walked again up north, towards Presidio Park, lingering along the crescent streets rich in exotic flower flavors and radiant Spanish colonial houses, with huge silvery bay-windows and large lavishly decorated stone patios. If you ever get to San Francisco, our wholeheartedly housing recommendation is Country Hearth Inn, at 2707 Lombard St, in a quiet residential area, very close to Presidio Park, with large clean rooms and more than reasonable prices.

Fisherman's Wharf

Marina District (close to Ghirardelli Square)

At noon

On our second day, just before noon, we met poet, translator, and anthologist Stacy Doris, a wonderful person and an exquisite professional. She lived and taught in Paris and New York and now she works and lives in San Francisco, with her husband and two children. We met in Central Sunset. 19^th St. at Taraval St. is a quiet residential area, with long wide steep boulevards full of small businesses and cozy quaint cafés, most of them run by Asian families. We had a very pleasant conversation about poetry, expat life, and American realia. In spite of the general preconception, many poets show a really objective point of view on down-to-earth realities. Stacy was one of the few Americans we met who could give us valid explanations for some of the economic and social issues we had identified during our stay there. The significant number of homeless people in Southern California, for instance, she elucidated, was due to both local authorities' failure in dealing with the increasing number of underprivileged citizens or illegal immigrants, as well as historic federal policies regarding Vietnam-war mentally disordered veterans.

The route of trolley L (light rail) to downtown took us through the Twin Peaks area of San Francisco, a wonderful neighborhood set on two hilltops, with crooked streets and trees in blossom, with Victorian mansions set among small coquette villas. We simply could not help hopping off the trolley, then browsed the streets with the exciting feeling that the place could make a nice home for us anytime - but not then, not now, just sometime. So we hopped again on the next trolley and got downtown.

Twin Peaks residential area

Like all central areas of any American city, downtown San Francisco could have been packed with homeless, lunatics, or at least weird-looking people. Not the case here – it was not packed, one just could spot them here and there. Market St. crosses downtown westwards and connects Civic Center to the Ferry Building area. The liveliest part of it is around Hyde St., end of line for the San Francisco historic cable car. This is the place for the shopping addicts as well, as most of the important retailers are set here: Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Westfield Center, etc. If you keep going westwards, you’ll cross the financial district just before getting to the Ferry Building on The Embarcadero, very close to the Bay Bridge that links San Francisco to Oakland.

San Francisco Civic Center

On Market St.

Building in the financial district

The Ferry Building is the ferry terminal of San Francisco and one of the most important tourist attractions in San Francisco. It serves tourists and locals alike, as it hosts a very lively farmers’ market every day, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Opened in 1898, it has been ever since the focal point for all commuters in the Bay Area. A columnist for San Francisco Chronicle said ‘The Waterfront without the Ferry Tower would be like a birthday cake without a candle’.

Ferry Building

 Going counterclockwise around the San Francisco peninsula, you will get to Pier 39. Around noon it gets as lively as possible. Cafes, bars, diners, souvenir shops, chocolate shops, all will invite you to spend money and take a part of San Francisco with you. Or you can just buy some Ghirardelli chocolate and sunbathe on a bench, delighting in some seal spotting.

Tons of chocolate

For a complete and heart-throbbing San Francisco experience, take a Cable Car trip - $5 one way or $13 a day pass. Not only it will take you through the most crooked routes and will offer stunning views of the city, but it will also make you snap and sigh each time it stops according to its schedule or because of an impromptu power break. Breaks are manual, operated by two men, one in front, one at the back. Hilarious. Just to gain some more strength, before jumping on the cable car at Powell St. (for the Powell-Hyde route), stop briefly at The Buena Vista and ask for an Irish coffee. It will spare you any fears and it’s tipsy-yummy.

In the evening

After a day at Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf, Marina District is the right place to be. There is no raspy touristy wheezing, only people walking barefoot on the beach, dogs swimming and fetching the ball to their master, children building sand castles, posh boats, amazing sunsets, and incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Marina before sunset

Alcatraz Island

Golden Gate Bridge

If you are on a shoestring budget or if you just don’t want to spend money on food, but only to get a glimpse of the true American sleazy dining, go to Original Buffalo Wings, on Lombard St. For only $6, you’ll get something like in the picture below. Plus domestic beers for $1.5. And you’ll know you wouldn’t have to worry about where you’re going to dine out tomorrow.
  

Safe travels!

How to get there: By train: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, $61 a return ticket from San Diego By plane: all the American carriers, including Southwest Airlines Where to stay: Budget: Country Hearth Inn – 2707 Lombard St. Where to eat: Budget: Original Buffalo Wings – 2499 Lombard St.