Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Dot's Trip to Moscow

I forgot to take my camera battery charger so this is the only photo I took...

Day 1

“They shrug their shoulders and talk endlessly about the terrible, hopeless state of things”

“Russian must be the only language in which one hears so frequently over the phone ‘I’m on the plane’”

“My first impressions were the familiar musty smell, the layer of grime over everything and the darkness”

I flew to Moscow on an early morning empty flight. The purpose of my trip was so visit my friends that I had made during my 18 months living and working in Moscow and to meet a few more Tripbods. I had a very contented feeling of returning to a place I know well rather than the apprehension of travelling to a new place, so the journey gave me time to get some things done. I studied Russian at University and speak Russian so during my time in Moscow I really got to know the people, their ways, and I fell in love with the city.

As soon as we landed, we all jumped up, and the Russians got on their phones to tell their friends of their arrival. Russian must be the only language that hears so frequently over the phone ‘I’m on the plane’. We were shortly told to sit back down again. A small lady with bleached hair, a stoop and a medical-blue face mask boarded with a grey gun in hand that shone a light to read our temperatures. Russians are paranoid about letting disease in, which is why you need an HIV test to get a multi-entrance visa or work permit for Russia. As she came down the aisle pointing her gun at passengers in turn, almost no one could suppress a smirk at the absurdity and pointlessness of the exercise. It was a happy moment when I really felt that, yes here I am again in this strange and wonderful country.

I sped through security and passed taxi drivers, who disperse themselves amongst the crowds, making themselves known with a barely audible, “taxi, devushka, taxi”. You need to get passed this uncomfortable environment as quickly as possible and get on the AeroExpress – the fast train from Domodedovo to Paveletskiy Vokzal. My first impressions were the familiar musty smell, the layer of grime over everything and the darkness. I wondered whether, if they replaced the low yellow lights in the Metro with some bright bulbs, it would modernize the space or confirm its backwards place in its murky history.

On the metro carriage a man, reeking of a 20-year drinking binge, grabbed my suitcase. With less shock than you’d imagine, I turned around and attempted to take back my bag. But he was determined to look after it for me, ‘relax, don’t worry, stop worrying, take your hand away, I will look after it for you, you don’t have to worry until Mayakovksaya, I will watch it for you, I’m not going to run off with it’. In a strange way I trusted him but still decided it would be sensible to keep hold of it. So he politely gave up his seat and let me sit guard of my bag. Just as I thought that the episode was over and let my own far away thoughts take over, I felt a warm pungent breath on my neck as he leant in to my ear to make some comment about keeping hold of a bag, ‘hehehe’ he mused to himself watching my stiff determination to keep a tight grip on my bag.

I arrived at my place of stay after dragging my heavy suitcase up and down, up and down, endless underground bridges and tunnels. I was pleased at how second nature these tunnels still are to me but it struck me that just riding the metro could be an adventure, or an ordeal, for any foreign visitor. I did a very quick turnaround at the flat and flagged down a taxi to the restaurant to meet my friends. I deserved it after my commitment to public transport earlier. A muddy Lada pulled over and I negotiated a fee of £4 to Kitai Gorod, a good twenty-minute ride. We weaved our way through the four lanes of traffic, discussing the war in Afghanistan. To be precise, I received a lesson rather than took part in a discussion. ‘Ponimaete?’ (Understand?) finished every sentence. He told me that roads in Russia are dreadful because officials steal all the money, he fired stats at me comparing government expenditure in China, USA and Russia. He then told me about the Russian experience of Afghanistan. The conversation always leaves me with a feeling of, ‘ok then what can we do?’ With the inevitable regrettable answer of, ‘nothing’. This is the corner or powerlessness that Russians talk themselves in to. They shrug their shoulders and talk endlessly about the terrible, hopeless state of things.

I arrived at Propaganda, a great restaurant in Moscow that serves very reasonably priced food and has DJs from 12-6am. It is very accessible for foreigners and has been mentioned in enough guidebooks that you’ll see numerous table of Europeans and Americans here. I had got the times confused and arrived an hour and a half too early so I went to a cafe on Maroseika Street called Volkonsky. It is a very cosy place where tea is given enough adjectives and ritual to justify the £4 price tag. There is no standard pricing in Moscow. Take tea for example, in Cofemania (a pleasant, modern but coffee shop not unlike a London run-of-the-mill cafe) it is £8, whereas in Pushkin (one of the most ornate, beautiful and elegant restaurants in Moscow) it is only £1. I sat at a communal table and received curious stares as I began to read in English and scribble ideas on a napkin, in English. Russians have no qualms about staring and quite often whispering about you.

I caught up on Moscow news from one of the free newspapers, the Moscow News. It reminded me of this particular Russian expat rhetoric which looks down upon and mocks Russian politics and culture. My friends and I agree that this only strengthens our loyalty to the Russian people, feeling that they rarely get a fair deal in English-language communication. They do have funny peculiarities and behaviour, which is very easy to snigger at, but reverting to this status-quo prevents any more insightful investigation of what is happening in this country.

I went to meet my friends, and waited a while at the bar, with a beer, reading my book. It realized how comfortable I feel in this city. Once you get used to the stares and turn them in to something positive rather than threatening, you can enjoy floating around in this strange land, drifting and sitting and thinking. I find that the flow of ideas is slower in Moscow: they are not as impatient to change things as we are in London. We have an insatiable need to innovate in London, to throw out the old and welcome the new, until it becomes old a few months later. Moscow has a more cyclical flow of ideas, perhaps to do with their geographical, cultural and political isolation.

My friends arrived and it was just like yesterday that I saw them (in fact in was 7 months ago). We all ordered a Chicken Caesar Salad – a Moscow delicacy. Russian tastes are suitably inclined towards the rich, creamy, salty, ‘salad’ characteristics of the dish. I found that my appetite for this kind of food had declined after some time in London.

My two Russian girl friends fired questions at me about how London is different from Moscow: what people do in London, what’s cool there. I gave my experience of finding it much hastier; activities are fitted into much smaller time segments and are sandwiched very close together. I said that London is a hive of innovation and ideas, that there are too many opportunities to keep up with. I can only give my own experience, which is a lucky and privileged one. I don’t suppose everyone in London feels like this at the moment.

My first day left me with a very cosy feeling – that I had returned to a familiar and friendly city where I am welcome.

Day 2

“It’s also an ‘authentic Russian experience’ dealing with the usually difficult shop assistants”.

“My favourite city was feeling a bit more hostile but I refused to get angry at it, in case I provoked the beast even more”.

“Nothing is easy in Moscow, it is the opposite of convenience”.

I woke up late after a late-ish night and decided got myself organized with my Russian SIM card. You can buy a Russian pay as you go SIM for 150 rubles (≈£3) which has 150 rubles of credit on once you activate it. If you have Russian friends it is definitely worth doing as it will save you a package on your home phone bill and it’s much easier for them to call you. It’s also an ‘authentic Russian experience’ dealing with the usually difficult shop assistants.

I wanted to do some work on my first day so took a short walk from Biblioteka Lenina past the Kremlin and up Tverskaya to Kamegerskiy Pereulok where they have just opened a new Starbucks. They also have Prime Star, a Pret a Manger knock-off, and a Pain Quotidien. I tried to use Akademia for WiFi, to not immediately revert to a familiar chain but they didn’t have any plug sockets, so I went to PQ. Akademia is a good place for pizza in the evening or a very good business lunch, a set 2-3 course menu. If you want to know if they have a business lunch, it’s the same phrase in Russian – Business LANCH.

Unfortunately after a few contented hours doing my work in Moscow, I realised my wallet had been stolen somewhere since dinner the night before. My favourite city was feeling a bit more hostile but I refused to get angry at it, in case I provoked the beast even more. Instead I headed home (luckily my metro ticket was in a separate pocket) and cancelled my cards. I think my time living in Moscow taught me how to be calm and collected about dealing with difficult situations. Nothing is easy in Moscow, it is the opposite of convenience. People like to stand in your way, erect obstacles in your path, and generally be unhelpful. You learn to shrug your shoulders and find another way around it, and you become a little bit more Russian every day. Money is here one day, gone the next. Better to spend it all as soon as you get it.

Friday evening was just a few hours away from lift off and texts were flying around. We met atSolyanka for dinner. Again a reasonably-priced, slightly bohemian, well designed, restaurant/club (they remove the tables at 12 to make way for the dance floor) with music that is too techno for the space. After that we wanted to try a new club called Rolling Stones, apparently the new Simachev in town, but did not get in due to full capacity. You are more likely NOT to get in to a club than to get in in Moscow. So unless you’re feeling ambitious and ready to take taxies to several different places without losing the will to go on, just to get in to one of the finest Moscow establishments (Soho Rooms, Krysha, Opera), head somewhere ‘democratic’ as they call it (Propaganda, Krisis Zhanr). We went to Bonnie & Clyde on Tverskaya– a tacky bar with loud cheesy music, chandeliers and black velvet, gold rimmed chairs. We had a great time. At 3am it was time for some Karaoke. The place with private rooms on Tsvetnoi Bulvar was full so we ended up in Etazh on Belorusskaya, suffering with enjoyment communal karaoke until the morning.

Day 3

“The magnificent shapes of the cityscape are spectacularly lit up and the disarray of life swept aside by a tumultuous social, political and cultural development is blanked out”.

“Driving around Moscow at night gives me a great rush of excitement – the frustration of the Russian daily grind is put to rest and the excitement of the unruly excess wakes up”.

Saturday began late. We woke up at 3.30pm and made arrangements to meet for lunch at 5pm. We went to Filial, a new restaurant recently opened by the owners of Propaganda and Krisis Zhanr. Just like the other restaurants, it’s cosy and comfy and reasonably-priced. It’s a nice place but slightly lacking in depth of character, as it is brand new. I have no doubt it will only get better with time.

After a large meal, we drove home via Correa’s to get the best Honey Cake in town to take home and eat in front of a film. After a relaxing evening in, we went out at midnight to Sky Bar – a bar/restaurant on the 34th floor of Swissotel. You pay for the view in the prices (cocktails are 800 rubles, nearly £20) but it is a great place for a relaxing, civilized couple of drinks away from the chaos of the city centre.

Moscow at night is my favourite view. The magnificent shapes of the cityscape are spectacularly lit up and the disarray of life swept aside by a tumultuous social, political and cultural development is blanked out. Driving around Moscow at night gives me a great rush of excitement – the frustration of the Russian daily grind is put to rest and the excitement of the unruly excess wakes up.

Day 4

“As the little lady swept the bunches of twigs over me and started hitting me with them, the heat grew to an intense level and I started to scream and laugh at the same time”.

On Sunday we went to Krasnopresnenskiy Banyi. It is not one of the most upmarket bath houses in Moscow but it does have the best steam. It costs 850 rubles for 2 hours and an extra 400 rubles for Vrenniki – a massage with birch twigs. The Banya comes with a lot of cultural history, ritual, associations and customs but you can easily go along and follow what everyone else is doing. If you can go with a Russian friend or someone who has been before, it will be more enjoyable. It was the first time that I’d had the Vrenniki massage in the banya and found it very hot and painful. As the little lady swept the bunches of twigs over me and started hitting me with them, the heat grew to an intense level and I started to scream and laugh at the same time. I wanted to run away but her words of ‘be healthy, get rid of the demons, relax, goodness comes in’ reassured me that this would be worth it. Finally after hitting me front and back she let me go, making sure that I plunged in to the ice bath with my head underneath the water 3 times. My entire body was pink with large white blotches – a sign that I had done Banya properly.

We spent the evening in a new establishment from the owners of Jean-Jacques, a very good French restaurant where you can draw on the tables with crayons provided. The new place is an English version of Jean Jacques called the John Donne pub. It serves British fodder and plays football matches but it is still unmistakably Russian with the table service and wooden chairs and tables, more suited to a bistro than a pub.

For the other few days I was enjoying a bit of working-leisure, using Moscow’s abundance of WIFI cafes to keep up with business developments. On Monday the first snow fell and I was delighted to find my office in a cosy Pain Quotidien looking out at the fresh metre of freshly dumped snow.

Moscow is wonderful at this time of year, if you’re lucky with the snow. The temperature is just right – between nought and minus five – which means that skiing, snowboarding and ice skating are all easily accessible. Many people are uncertain about a holiday to Moscow and usually I would not recommend it to go alone. However with a friend at the other end with Tripbod who can help you out with some good places to go and things to do, you will be able to see the warmth of the Russian people and skip the unfriendly reception that is an out-of-date and misleading preconception.

I connected with Baira, Tripbod in Moscow to plan my trip.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Visiting Rome this week

Elena, our fantastic Tripbod in Rome, emailed to let us know that starting today (Dec 19th) until January 6th there will be a very special event every week-end in Rome's central archeaeological park.

Rarely open to the public, The House of Livia on the Palatine Hill - the house that belonged to Augustus' wife in 1st century b.C. with beautiful ancient frescoes - will open its doors to visitors. The Temple of Romulus in the Forum, a pagan temple that was turned into a church with an original huge bronze door, is also open and free to enjoy. This is something not to be missed!

FREE guided tours are available in English and combined with a brief theatrical show inside these two incredibly evocative locations.

There's a number you can call to book: (0039) 06 3996 7700
Or you can go there directly - the meeting point is at the Roman Forum ticket office at 10am, 11am, 12 and 1pm.

Hope you enjoy it! (And if you do visit, please let me know your feedback)

All best
Elena
Tripbod Rome

Monday, December 14, 2009

New Tripbod in Bangkok talks about his city


I made Bangkok as my home town and have never regretted this decision. Bangkok reflects truly the heart of Thai culture and houses many of my countries most important and elaborately crafted temples. At the same time, it reflects my culture in art, performance, and food, yet it absorbs readily modern and foreign influences. It is a melting pot of cultures and traditions, of the past and the present, but also of rich and poor people. You will find with Chatuchak market one of the largest markets in the world, yet you can easily relax on a canal tour through the klongs (canals) or readily immerse yourself in the tranquility of Wat Mahathat or any other temple off the beaten track if you want to step away from the crowds.

Bangkok is also the perfect hub for other Thai destinations and the South East of Asia.

Contact Poramin to start planning your perfect trip to Bangkok...

Friday, December 4, 2009

Top ethical destinations to visit

The original press release for this article can be found here: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/worlds-top-10-ethical-destinations,1075337.shtml

Are you the kind of traveler who wants to have a great time AND feel good about where your travel budget is going?

Ethical Traveler's new report, "The World's Best Ethical Destinations," identifies the 10 countries in the developing world that are best protecting their natural environments, promoting responsible travel, and building a tourism industry which provides real benefits to local communities.

"There's no doubt that worldwide interest in mindful, responsible travel is growing - not only among travelers, but within the countries that host us," says Jeff Greenwald, executive director of Ethical Traveler and co-author of the report. "Now is the perfect time for savvy travelers and well-intentioned governments to evolve together, each encouraging the other. This is especially true in the developing world, where travel and tourism can be developed as lucrative, low-impact alternatives to forestry, mining, and the destruction of ocean habitats."

In alphabetical order, the best ethical travel destinations for 2010 are:

Argentina

Belize

Chile

Ghana

Lithuania

Namibia

Poland

Seychelles

South Africa

Suriname

"In drafting our report, we use scores of information sources -- including publicly available data -- to rate each country's genuine commitment to environmental protection, social welfare and human rights," says Christy Hoover, co-author of the report. "Data sources include the United Nations Development Program, Human Rights Watch, Columbia University, Reporters Without Borders, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and many others. Private interviews with NGO leaders are part of the process, as well." The full report can be viewed at http://www.ethicaltraveler.org/destinations

TRIPBOD FOUNDER, SALLY BROOM, SAYS::

‘It's great to see this report being published. Increasing numbers of travellers want to spend their time and money in the right places, and these sorts of guides really help them turn those intentions into action.’

However Broom added ‘It is still important to remember those wonderful destinations not mentioned but working very hard in all the areas mentioned in the report: environmental, social, economic and human. So it’s always worth checking that when planning a trip. But we need more of this kind of information and we thank Ethical Traveller for publishing this list...

... and hurray for South Africa and their World Cup Football games in 2010!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Welcoming Rwanda into the Commonwealth


This week Rwanda was the 54th country to be welcomed into the commonwealth, in recognition of the progress made since the genocide of 1994.

It is right and proper that this progress is being celebrated; the commitment and dedication of each Rwandan citizen to re-building their society and protecting unique biodiversity is truly astounding.


Appropriately this is also the UN Year of the Gorilla, a focus on the wonderful work being done across East Africa and beyond in primate conservation. Rwanda is a focal point in this work, as a relatively small country boasting a unique wealth in biodiversity.

So Rwanda and its people are now being recognised for the role they are playing on a global scale to preserve and promote conservation and sustainable development.



Tripbod is proud to work with Edwin Sabuhoro, founder of Rwanda Ecotours, who is playing a leading role in this work.


Sally, founder of Tripbod, enjoyed a visit to a community tourism project with Rwanda Ecotours in June 2008

Monday, November 30, 2009

Top five festive days in Cumbria


It's dry (at last), snow-capped and as beautiful as ever. Even better, it's also much quieter than normal! People, it's the best time to visit Cumbria so come on up, the weather's lovely

Despite the terrible recent flooding in Cumbria there are still plenty of wonderful places that are accessible and very much still available to enjoy. Most of South Lakes is perfectly passable and the flooding is easily avoidable. Now just as the festive sparkle starts to gather, so do the snowflakes on the peaks. So to help you make the most, here’s our Top Five festive days in the Lakes:


1. Kirkby Lonsdale, 10 mins off the M6

If you're in the mood for something festive why not turn off at junction 36 on the M6 and head east for 10 minutes. You'll arrive in Kirkby Lonsdale which is arguably one of the prettiest villages in Cumbria and perfect for finding that festive feeling.

Shop: Look out for the Christmas fair over the weekend of 5th and 6th December.

Eat: The Sun Inn is perfect for a mulled wine by the fire. We also love Avanti for a spot of lunch or Sublime cafe by the market square for a scone.

Wander: through the church yard and down to the river to feel as though you've stepped back in time

2. Ulverston, 35 mins off the M6

Ulverston is a larger market town but just as traditional and a great Christmas destination.

Clearing cobwebs: Walk up the Hoad (currently being restored) for fantastic views

Eats and drinks: warm up in Gillam's tea room over some lovely organic tea and cakes by a traditional stove complete with roasting chestnuts. It's all one rather lovely cliché. Also try the World Peace cafe for really tasty veggie food.

Sparkle: we tweeted recently about the rather lovely Italian platters on offer in Avanti Capitola Wine Bar - goes nicely with a glass of Prosecco over lunch. Hic!

Shop: I was enjoying Two by Two at the weekend, a lovely independent clothes shop that is part of the famous Tinner's Rabbit shop, an art gallery, gift shop and local book store all in one. Ulverston also boasts fantastic charity shops - check out St Mary's Hospice shop for some real high quality bargains.

3. Darkest Muncaster – a real day out amidst stunning scenery

Muncaster Castle is a delight at any time of the year but not least during the dark nights, when something magical happens... Muncaster is currently hosting a spectacular during the evenings called 'Darkest Muncaster' where there is a show of lights and sounds after dark, illuminating the grounds and surroundings. With a rum hot chocolate you can cosy up and enjoy the feast for eyes and ears.


4. Windermere

Given that Tripbod is about getting off the beaten track we wouldn't normally suggest dropping into Windermere as it's very much the honey pot of the area. But due to the flooding and national assumptions that the whole county is underwater, the town is not so crowded and this might be just the time to visit.

Start the day: Jump on the train and arrive into Windermere right next door to the flagship Lakeland Limited store. If you don't lose hours in here among the aisles of kitchenware you never realise you needed until now, then we'll be amazed.

Drinks and eats: From the station tottle down into the main part of town where you could do no better than checking out Francines bistro for lovely seafood, or drop into The Lighthouse for a mulled wine while people watching. Fish and chips just over the road is pretty good too

Shops: some independent gift shops and a lingerie shop that was recently praised in a national retail awards ceremony. You might just find the perfect Christmas gift in there for the lovely lady in your life...

5. Cartmel and a New Year's Eve to remember

The Faure Requiem will be performed in the hauntingly beautiful Cartmel Priory at 11pm on New Year's Eve. Have supper before hand in one of the lovely local pubs and then wander to the priory for an enchanting night and start of the new year.


****

If you want a few personalised tips to add to your visit to Cumbria then please do get in touch. We are your Tripbods in Cumbria, waiting to hear from you and share our local knowledge.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The other Rome



Mass tourism leads fluxes of thousands of people a day through areas and monuments that are supposed to show you an image of grandeur and make you "feel the weight of History" (as Michelle Obama told my boss a few weeks ago!).

The other Rome is much less glamorous, but it has History too! You just can't appreciate the "rione" (neighborhood) Monti if you don't know that it was the center of the main business that supported this city throughout centuries: prostitution!
But the areas that still bear surprises even for me, are the ones that still live in what we call History. As if time had never gone by.

When my sister moved to a neighborhood called Pigneto, I started exploring and discovering areas of Rome that seemed to come right out of a Pasolini movie: Two enormous ancient aqueducts stripe the area, and people, ever since World War II, just "nest" in their cavities. That shows you the thin line between considering a bunch of two-thousand-year-old ruins, monuments or half-built half-price solid houses...
Its worth going to have a pizza between the two aqueducts: everyone around you chats lively and doesn't seem to mind the two "dinosaurs" of History looking into your plate...

Close by there is a park, the largest one in Rome, were locals like to go jogging. A friend of mine lives near it and took me once (although jogging is the equivalent of torture for me...). She talked and talked as I struggled to survive. From time to time we'd stumble on a Renaissance farm, or an imperial nympheum, or e medieval chapel: isolated dots in a vastness of green hills. There was no one around, just a few panels that explained a story. Sometimes school field trips go discover these places, but that's it. These are places that belong to the kids that play in them, making their imaginations run wild!

That night we went to a "trattoria" (a restaurant with paper tablecloths, wooden plates and waiters that speak "Roman" and not Italian at a very high volume), one of those places where the traditional cuisine is still served: tripes and brains and other succulent cuts that over the decades the poor have turned from discard to masterpieces.

Rome is not that big: about 1200 km2. With a half-hour car ride you can visit the villages that surround it, where time has stopped at the middle ages. Just last week I went to a jazz concert (talk about contrasts!) in one of these minuscule villages that occupy the tip of a pointy mount, with defensive stone walls around it, cobble stone streets and a castle at the top. Very pictoresque... When the concert was over my friends and I headed towards the door of the village and as we were going down we noticed a little old lady washing her dishes at the public fountain, she had emptied the scraps of her casserole onto the floor. She was dressed in black and told us that she only went down to the local market once every 6 months, because her husband had died 7 years ago. Very... retrò.

So, Rome is History, ancient mostly, but recent History gives it its charm too. Many areas of Rome that until no more than ten years ago, were simple, inhabited by the working class, are gradually being transformed by the youth that can no longer afford to live close to the center and that are investing in restyling their neighborhood. So, areas with a rather sad abandoned industrial taste, become popular, with caffes with poetry readings or photography expos, and gain a new charm, sometimes just by illuminating differently that same old building. And that is were students gather, those piazzas and alleys become lively hot-spots of the roman "movida". (Of course, usually the consequence is that after a few years, the prices to rent appartments in those same old crumbled buildings, rise up to infinity, and students have to find some other place)

About Industrial Archeology, as they call it, we picked up the idea from England and France, and by now we've made a few attempts at transforming ex-factories into museums or posh restaurants, that in my opinion are glorious results that tourists often miss. The thing is that because we have this very italian (especially roman) mania that keeps us from throwing anything away, these structures are never completely emptied. For example, the Gare d'Orsay in Paris is a magnificent building, voided, made neutral, to contain an art museum. Well, we just didn't have the heart... you'll find an ex-power plant turned into a museum, with white greco-roman statues next to turbines and alternators. Fascinating!

Yes, we like contrasts, and most of us have never been inside the Colosseum.

Elena is your Tripbod in Rome.
Connect with her now on Tripbod and start planning your perfect trip!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Hip Hip Hooray, for the Settle-Carlisle Railway!

I was delighted to read in the Westmorland Gazette (a great regional newspaper in Cumbria) this morning that the wonderful Settle-Carlisle Railway was voted No2 in the ABC American News 'World's 10 Greatest Railways', second only to The Blue Train in South Africa

Settle is in North Yorkshire and Carlisle is the county town of Cumbria where I am a Tripbod.



This railway is very special and I am delighted that it is now appreciated across the globe, despite not being particularly grand. Yet apparently grandness does not matter, because the Settle-Carlisle line beats the Orient Express and the 'Palace on Wheels' in India!


Then again, with views like this, who needs luxury?!

It is difficult to express the breath-taking beauty the feeling of 'getting back to nature' that runs through you when you trundle along this route.

For me train journeys are often about being able to read or catch up on work, but this route leaves your eyes unable to move from the scenery. Even on a wet day the landscape is stunning.





The wonderful little stations through which you pass have barely changed for a century. It feels as though you are being transported, physically, back through time.


So pack a picnic, jump on the train (costing a whopping £10) and as the ABC article promises, 'your eyes will find plenty to feast on'.




Other individual railway lines we love include:



Photos courtesy of:

Friday, November 13, 2009

Please watch this film

This moving film was played during the launch of World Responsible Tourism Day. Please take a moment to watch it...

Thanks
Sally



Courtesy of Ben Keene's Tribewanted blog

Tripbod at WTM 2009

Thanks goodness it's Friday.... what a week it has been!

The 30th World Travel Market (WTM) took place in Excel, London and saw many thousands of travel folk from across the globe come together to talk travel, business and innovation.

One of the most rewarding experiences of this massive week was the amount of attention given to niche/local/responsible/positive (whatever you want to call it!) tourism. When I first started going to WTM and talked about connecting travellers to the grass roots and great local people, I was treated as an outsider, except by those wonderful people who have since become friends and a few of whom are now Tripbods.

But this year everyone was extolling the virtues of niche, grass root travel and I was inspired by the number of like-minded entrepreneurs who were in attendance, vying for their piece of an ever-fragmented marketplace.

The highlight of the whole week, however, had to be the Fringe event on Monday evening hosted in central London by Tripbod and friends. The Fringe is a global network of like-minded travel entrepreneurs and organisations, passionate about 'good' travel, the kind that benefits everyone and so-called because they are so often on the Fringe of big travel events. Well, not any longer - the Fringe WTM event was the place to be!

Sponsored generously by Intrepid, Rough Guides, The Blue Yonder and Travel To Care we saw 75 guests from 40 countries 'speed' networking away and enjoying a cosy evening in the basement bar of the Pavilion End pub, just next to St Paul's Cathedral. Lots of new friendships and business ideas were forged and it made for the perfect start to what turned out to be quite a crazy week.

Anyway, thank goodness it's Friday....

Fall Traditions in Veneto - Chesnuts and Novello wine


The summer in Italy ended with a screeching halt two weeks ago, literally overnight the temperature went from hot and humid to cold and damp. However, as much as I do love the summer, the fall in Italy comes in a close second. With the changing of the weather comes a change in activities. The piazza is still the place to be in the evening with a spritz in hand, but the ice in the glass makes it a bit chilly so some adaptation needs to occur. With the added chill in the air comes the added treat of the little man who roasts chestnuts...yes, it's over an open fire and some “New Wine”.

I used to live in Boston and there would be a man downtown that would roast chestnuts, but he used a gas powered fire and the smell just about made me sick and he didn't do it by hand, he had a little machine that swept in circles inside of this steel barrel turning the nuts. On the contrary, my little roaster man here uses real wood that realizes a sweet smelling smoke that gently curls over the roofs of the nearby buildings lining the piazza. The nuts are actually roasted by hand by a gentleman who (in my opinion is nearly 80) uses a giant, cast iron skillet with holes in the bottom that has a long (about 6 feet) wooden handle.

I must admit that this little 80 year old man is my favorite roaster; he seems to know exactly how to toss the nuts into the air so that the shells come off of the nuts. Even as he continues to roast them, he never burns the actual nut inside and every single one has a warm, sweet, flavor that didn't exist with the roaster in Boston. Each skillet filled with nuts is just as perfect as the one before it and he seems to do it so effortlessly that you would think that the skillet is a feather in his hand.

The price for a bag of freshly roasted, piping hot chestnuts is roughly 1.50 Euro per etto (1 etto = 100 grams; 500 grams is 1.1 pounds) which is more than enough for 1 person. With all of this goodness around you, you can have a relaxing, romantic, fall evening in the piazza. But what if you get thirsty? Novello wine, roughly translated, means New Wine. Why? Because that's exactly what it is. From now until the beginning of summer, Italians alone will drink somewhere in the neighborhood of 100,000 bottles of this sweet, smooth, very young red wine. Every year this wine is typically produced from the beginning of November (usually the 6th) to the end of March...that's it.

Novello is an easy drinking wine that isn't very strong, and for those of you who think that you prefer something a little fruity, I guarantee this will be right up line of sight! Novello wine is meant to be drank immediately. Don't think about buying a bunch of bottles and storing them in your wine cellar, by this time next year the wine would be bad. Just pick up a bottle and uncork it, it's the way to do it. The main thing that makes Novello the way it is comes from the way that it is fermented. The grapes are not crushed like they are with most wines, but rather the wine is fermented using whole grapes, this allows for a minimum amount of sugar to be converted into alcohol, which consequently gives the wine it's smooth, fruity, flavor.

So if you're thinking of heading to Venice in the next few weeks, perhaps this could be a lovely alternative to the many enotecas and wine bars that abound in Venice. Find yourself a cozy piazza with a man roasting chestnuts and small enoteca that offers Novello wine...it might be the best night you'll ever spend in Venice. But don't think you have to come only to Venice to experience this, you can also find a wondeful array of roasters in Padova, Treviso, Bologna, as well as many other small towns around Northern Italy. If you happen to see me in the piazza make sure you say “Buona sera.”.


Brad is Tripbod in Veneto and Venice

See his profile and contact him to start planning your perfect trip

Monday, November 2, 2009

James talks about Scotland's overlooked legends and raiding the larder


Everyone can come up with an Icon of Scotland when asked, whether it is Edinburgh it’s ancient Capital or St Andrews, the home of Golf or indeed Whisky or “Uisge Beatha” to give it its ancient name, the Water of Life.

Scotland however has so much more to offer, it has the deep history of its people and their proud achievements as Engineers, Artists, Missionaries and Sporting heroes to be explored and enjoyed. There are also many beautiful destinations in Scotland which quite often get overlooked by visitors.

For example the Angus Glens & Southern Scotland’s rolling hills or the truly breathtaking Inner Hebrides. Scotland is also a haven for the active visitor, with Walking, Cycling & Watersports centres, it’s a very different way to take in the beauty of this great country.

Like any other country it has its myths and legends, none more so than the Loch Ness Monster, which has beguiled many visitors and citizens to seek out the legend on a visit to Scotland. But also William Wallace & Robert the Bruce it’s great heroes, or Robert Burns who left us many songs, poems and traditions from Haggis Neeps and Tatties to Auld Langs Syne.

Scotland’s larder is also one of it’s major contributions to the enjoyment of its visitors, renowned the world over for its fresh seafood, unique cheeses, organic fruits and vegetables and of course the Haggis, Stornoway Black Pudding & the Arbroath Smokie.

This world beating produce is put to great use by award winning Scottish chef’s the world over, such as Gordon Ramsey, Tom Kitchin or Nick Nairn.

So even if you knew about Golf, Whisky & the Loch Ness Monster, there’s actually much more that you never realised you knew about Scotland, why not plan your trip now.

James is Tripbod for Glasgow and the Highlands.

See his profile and start planning your perfect trip to Scotland.

Make the trip to Joyce Bakeshop one afternoon and enjoy Brooklyn the way the (real) locals do...




Situated near the beautiful Prospect Park, the monumental Brooklyn Museum and the ephemeral Botanical Gardens, Joyce Bakeshop is a perfect example of that which Brooklyn’s neighborhoods can offer. Just off the corner of Vanderbilt Avenue and Park Place, Joyce Bakeshop is this Brooklynite’s favorite spot to get coffee, tea, and of course, snacks. Open only since 2006, this family owned and operated spot provides the Prospect Heights neighborhood with the best of the best in hand-crafted pasteries. The owner and chef, Joyce, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in NYC offers up fresh ideas and old favorites, with precision, every single day. My personal favorites are anything that has to do with Brioche, of which you can get whole loaves on Saturdays and Sundays. Moreover, they offer Brooklyn Roasted Gorrilla brand coffee (definitely better than the standard Starbucks or Koffee Khaus blend) and a wide array of loose teas to choose from.

I did not find Joyce Bakeshop by accident, and neither will anyone else. Admittedly, a good friend of mine (for years and years) is Joyce’s brother-in-law. The first time I ever set foot in the shop it was about three weeks after their grand opening (and two weeks after I returned to New York from a year living in St. Petersburg) and he was helping out while they were building up a staff. Upon my first entrance, I was wowed by the cozy atmosphere of the wood molding and the mind-blowing array of pastries behind the counter. I quickly settled down for a cup of black tea and a sampling of Joyce’s selection. By the time my friend was done with work (we were to go for dinner) I was completely full, having eaten about six or seven different things.

Since then, my friend has moved to San Francisco, but my enjoyment of Joyce’s pastries has not lessened one bit. In fact, it has grown with every bite. To emphasize how fantastic this shop is, I repeatedly traveled the 30 minutes on the metro from my Manhattan apartment for 2 years. Now, living in a different part of Brooklyn (Greenpoint), I make my weekly (or twice weekly if I have time) trip via bicycle despite the many good local cafes and bakeries within walking distance.

Even though it is not my neighborhood, the community that revolves around Joyce is a fantastic slice of New York life. This includes the adorable recognition they give to their “lifers”; that is those children who have been coming to Joyce with their parents their whole lives.

If on your next trip, you are hungry, or want some coffee, or really even if you don’t, make the trip to Joyce Bakeshop one afternoon and enjoy Brooklyn the way the (real) locals do. So go to Joyce and try everything(!), maybe take a friend or two so you don’t get too full.

Joyce Bakeshop
www.joycebakeshop.com
646 Vanderbilt Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 623-7470

Scott Ritner is the New York City Local Expert for Tripbod.

See his profile and start planning your perfect trip.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Art festivals in Paseo, Oklahoma



One of the great things about being a Tripbod is trying to uncover just what it is that makes me think Oklahoma City is so great. I know that I love it, but if asked to articulate why exactly I happen to enjoy spending my time in a moderately sized metropolis, stuck in the middle of the plains, where the first image that pops into most people’s heads is of cowboys and Indians, sometimes I have to stop and think for a second. Or at least, I used to have to. As I’ve gotten older, well, not THAT much older, I have realized that as an adolescent and early college student I suffered from the near universal, often unrecognized and untreated, disease of birthplace loathing. Fortunately for me, I’ve been exposed to enough foreign cultures (cultivated, but not necessarily in a laboratory) to build up an immunity to this horrific thief of Midwestern youth. No longer do I aspire to get out for no other reason than a belief that everyone else in the world is having a hell of a lot better time that I am. For, you see, I have realized this simply is not the case.

Permit me an introduction, not to myself, but to a hidden and often unjustly despised part of my town that helped dispel me of the aforementioned loathing. My first apartment out of college bordered on an area called The Paseo. It cost $300/month and the lease was signed in the back of a truck on a piece of notebook paper with a landlord who firmly believed that he would make his fortune as an independent wholesale merchant of goat meat. My grandmother, despite swimming on one of the rooftops as a youth in the 1940s, was relieved to find out when I had moved out of a place that had received, probably rightly earned, a reputation that was less than wholesome through decades of disrepair and debauchery. I hope you have an unfavorable picture of this area. Why? Why would I want a potential visitor to have this image? Because I want you to have the same experience that I, as a local, had, and realize its blatant falsehood.

Not until I lived in the Paseo did I realize the richness of Oklahoma City. This area has undergone an INCREDIBLE revitalization over the past five years. Roughly 10 square blocks, itcontains 17 galleries and 60 artists. Not to mention numerous restaurants, music venues, and my favorite bar, the Red Rooster. The Paseo Arts festival in May brings out the city and state’s best artists and musicians in an incredibly pleasant and unpretentious atmosphere. Because of its unique place in OKC, many 20-30 year olds like to call this place home, and as someone fitting this category, I appreciate it as an area in which you actually know your neighbors, see them out, and can walk from place to place instead of drive. This quality makes the festival even better, as it really is like a large gathering of friends (and, admittedly, some of those friends of friends that you weren’t quite sure where they came from, but better not ask to leave out of politeness…). Despite reveling in all of this, I’ve recently discovered something more! The first Friday of every month, most of the galleries are opened up for late night viewing, wine tastings, and music. The next Saturday, many artists open their studios for demonstrations. With winter coming up, I should probably take advantage of November’s.

I realize a week from Friday might be rushing things a bit for you to make it over here. But maybe in December? And we don’t have to go see some artists. I hope I’m not being too forward, but I would love to have the opportunity to let you see a side of Oklahoma City that makes you think “I actually DO despise my hometown!” and “The people in Oklahoma City ARE actually having a hell of a lot better time than I am!”

By Hugh Long, Tripbod in Oklahoma
Go to his profile

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tripbod gets busy on TV

We have decided at Tripbod that we love videos! With a global network the size of ours, there's only one way to feel a bit closer and that's through the most all encompassing medium there is so far - videos.




Here are some other great video websites:

Travelguru.tv

Thisismycity.tv

Thursday, October 22, 2009

New Tripbod in Kenya


Richard Trillo, writer of Rough Guides to Kenya and East Africa joins Tripbod.

See his profile

New opportunities at Tripbod

Find out what it is to be a Tripbod and join our global network of trusted local experts.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

New Tripbod in Wicklow, knows all the best places to go

Una is our newest recruit in Ireland. She is well connected to the local area, having worked in the local library for many years from where she is soon to retire. In retirement Una plans to spend her days enjoying the land and sea around her. She is an avid outdoor swimmer and plans to carry on swimming every day throughout winter. Una is also proud of the literary heritage of her area and is keen to help visitors explore the nooks and crannies of Greystones.

Here are some website recommended by Una:

www.mountainviews.ie
An Irish web-site that gives great route descriptions and links to other related sites.
http://winter-swimmers.blogspot.com The sea swimmers site, Greystones South Beach.
http://www.wicklowway.com The classic walk through Wicklow.
http://www.visitwicklow.ie/attractions/bray-greystones-cliff-walk.htm This is enough to bring a visitor to Greystones. It can be cycled too. http://www.festivalofworldcultures.com/ Next year this festival is in July .
http://www.mountainstosea.ie/ A literary festival.

Una talks about her local area:

"Greystones Wins First Place and Gold Medal in 2008 International Awards for Liveable Communities in Dongguan, in South China. The project achieved first place in the “whole city” section, judged as the world’s most liveable communities, population up to 20,000. I never get over the variety of beauty that surrounds me, we are enlosed by “hills” behind us and look out at the wide expanse of ocean (or Irish Sea).

Wicklow County has a wide range of tourist attractions, all are well advertised on the sites above. Wicklow has beautiful beaches, mountains, proximity to the City of Dublin and many Arts, Culture, Music and Community Festivals. It is well served by public transport. If you get the “DART” from Greystones to Dublin you will have the coast on your right and it is compared to the “Bay of Naples”. I see it every day going to work and it never ceases to amaze me, the mountains come down to the seas. It is a journey not many take unless they are going into Dublin to see the “sights”. Likewise a train trip in the other direction to Wexford is a good day out. Hire a bike and you could be in Enniskerry, Powerscourt, Djouce Woods, Devil’s Glen within the day. There are some very good hostels available too. One BLOG already refers to Glenmalure Hostel. It is in an idylic location, and if you are interested in Irish History and Local Heroes there is some very interesting reading to be done. Heard of Glendalough?

Go outside Wicklow! Where to? Guidebooks invariably head you to Killarney, Galway, Mayo and the best of the rest. All of these are well served by public transport, leaving you free to walk or hire bikes or use local buses to get around.

The Northern coast is one of my favourite trips. You can cycle and there are guides to day routes. The Mournes, Carlingford Lough, the strands of Portstewart and Donegal... Art exhibitions, Galleries, Bookshops, Literature festivals..Dun Laoghaire have regular author readings in the local libraries, all information is widely publicised on the web-sites. Walk down Dun Laoghaire pier before you head home on the ferry which leaves from the nearby terminal once a day, or go to Dublin Port where there is more choice, that way you can bring your bike with you (or your car). Prices are high for food, drink and accommodation.

You can do Ireland on a budget, you may just need some local advice. "

Contact Una to find out more

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