Author: simon611

Nestled between the sea and sky, the six stone towers of Akrolithi Boutique Hotel offer stunning views of a sweeping bay in the Mani Peninsula, Greece. This family-run, eco-friendly hotel in the Peloponnese provides a warm welcome, inviting you to relax on the terrace and soak in the scenery.

We used Akrolithi as our base to explore the beautiful Mani Peninsula, known for its mountainous landscapes, rocky coastline, and unique stone tower houses. The hotel’s friendly owner, Panagiota, greeted us at the informal reception and showed us to our suite in one of the six tower houses. Panagiota and her husband Michalis started their hospitality business with a guest house nearby. As their business grew, they expanded in 2004 by building the six towers that now form the boutique hotel. Michalis constructed both the guest house and the hotel in the traditional style of the region’s stone Maniot tower houses.

The name Akrolithi means “edge of the rock,” and the hotel offers breathtaking views of the mountain range running down the peninsula’s spine and the Bay of Oitylo below. This family business, run with love and attention to detail, sometimes gets help from their four children during school and university holidays.

We stayed in the Petrompeis suite, located on the upper floor of one of the towers, offering wonderful sea views. Each suite is named after an aspect of traditional Mani life, and Petrompeis commemorates the famous Mani clan leader Petrompeis Mavromichalis, a key figure in the 1821 Greek Revolution of Independence.

The suites at Akrolithi are divided into two main categories: Junior Suites on the ground floor with shaded terraces overlooking the bay, and slightly larger Deluxe Suites on the upper floor with spacious outdoor terraces. Our Deluxe suite was elegant yet homely, decorated in restful shades of grey and brown, with classic wooden furniture complementing the natural stone and wooden ceiling. The suite was spacious, featuring a sitting area with a sofa and two chairs, and a flat-screen TV that we never turned on, preferring to enjoy the beauty outside.

The suite had charming decorative touches, such as a gilded antique wardrobe front and original artwork by Greek artists. The kingsize bed was extremely comfortable, with high-quality bed linen and extra covers. The outdoor terrace was a private sun trap, perfect for relaxing on the chairs or sun loungers and enjoying the views over Oitylo Bay.

The compact bathroom featured a shower and modern fittings, softened with pretty patterned tiles and monogrammed towels. Toiletries were provided by Oliva del Mediterraneao, made with organic olive oil and fragrances of bergamot, orange blossom, and eucalyptus. We appreciated the refillable hand soap dispenser and individual soap bar, which helped reduce plastic waste.

To reach Akrolithi Boutique Hotel, drive 1.5 hours south from Kalamata in the Peloponnese. The hotel is located halfway down the western side of the Mani Peninsula, making it easy to explore beaches and interesting places in either direction. The hotel’s hillside position offers gorgeous views but requires a car to reach the beach and nearest restaurants, unless you’re up for a 20-30 minute walk. The peaceful atmosphere and easy access from the main road, along with on-site parking, make it a convenient and serene getaway.

Breakfast at Akrolithi is a treat, featuring a “Traditional Greek Breakfast” with cereals, bread, fresh fruit, cold meats, and local specialties like creamy Greek yoghurt with honey, Kalamata olives, local cheese, tomatoes, and Peloponnese pastries. Freshly squeezed orange juice and excellent barista coffee are also available. Depending on the weather, breakfast can be enjoyed in the glazed extension with bay views or outside on the terrace.

The hotel’s reception area feels like entering a friend’s home, with a relaxed and homely atmosphere. The decor is stylish and elegant, with warm muted colors and rugs softening the natural finishes of wood and stone. Beyond the reception is a cosy area with built-in seating and pretty cushions, ideal for reading or chatting with friends. The adjoining bar serves breakfast and offers drinks and light meals throughout the day. The main restaurant area, in a glazed extension, allows guests to enjoy the sunshine and views while staying sheltered from cooler temperatures. In summer, the space opens up to become a shady extension of the terrace.

Akrolithi focuses on light meals, cakes, and snacks rather than a full-scale restaurant. The well-stocked bar offers coffee, drinks, and local cakes. During our stay, we enjoyed pizzas and freshly prepared salads from the evening menu, perfect for a light supper without needing to drive to other restaurants. The menu expands in high season to include more home-cooked dishes showcasing regional cuisine.

We appreciate eco-friendly hotels, and Akrolithi’s commitment to sustainability was a major draw for us. The hotel employs various eco-friendly practices, such as reducing plastic waste and using organic toiletries.

Each suite at Akrolithi is individually designed with elegant and comfortable decor inspired by traditional Mani life. The hotel also offers three guest houses in a traditional stone-built tower house, providing self-catering facilities while allowing access to the hotel’s services. These guest houses are ideal for families or groups, accommodating up to eight people.

Akrolithi Boutique Hotel’s location is perfect for visiting the small seaside and hilltop towns around Oitylo Bay and other attractions in the Mani Peninsula. Nearby activities include exploring the old town of Oitylo, swimming at Neo Itilo’s pebble beach, visiting the ruined Kastro Kelephas castle, dining in Limeni’s restaurants, and shopping in Areopoli. The area also offers hiking and cycling opportunities, with the hotel providing advice on the best routes.

For day trips, the Caves of Diros, Kardamyli, and the abandoned village of Vathia are all within driving distance. Akrolithi Boutique Hotel is an ideal base for exploring the Mani Peninsula and enjoying the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage.

To book your stay at Akrolithi Boutique Hotel, visit their website or contact them directly. The closest city, Kalamata, offers an international airport with direct flights from various European cities. Alternatively, you can drive from Athens or take a bus to Kalamata and then hire a car to reach the hotel. Another option is to take a ferry from Zakynthos to Kyllini and drive to Kalamata.

For more information on visiting the Peloponnese, check out the official tourism website.

At 8am, the heat was already rising as my taxi dropped me off at the Arikok Park Visitor Centre in northern Aruba. When you think of the Caribbean, you might picture lounging on white sandy beaches with a rum punch in hand. While I had enjoyed plenty of that, today was about exploring a different side of the island. I was set to hike through Aruba’s sandy paths, weaving between spiky cacti, past cave paintings, and giant boulders.

My guide, Stanson, met me at the Visitor Centre, an impressive hardwood and glass building constructed in 2008. This centre provides information about hiking in Aruba, the local flora and fauna, and much-needed air conditioning. It’s the starting point for hikes in Arikok National Park and is easily accessible. However, the park’s speed bumps make it easier to navigate with a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Stanson, a student volunteering as a park ranger, was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We started on the Cunucu trail, an easy path perfect for first-time visitors. This circular route from the Visitor Centre takes about two hours to complete. The ground was unusually damp from overnight rain showers, the first decent rain in three years.

Aruba’s hot and arid climate creates a distinctive landscape covered with prickly trees and cacti adapted to survive the lack of water. Within the park, a few hills offer viewpoints over the island. Our path took us past Sero Arikok at 185 meters, where there’s an air traffic control beacon and a trail leading to the well-known Conchi or Natural Pool on the coast, a popular attraction in Aruba.

When the park was established, locals already used trails to ride horses or donkeys to the Miralamar gold mines. These trails were later cleared and marked with stones to create hiking paths. The Cunucu Arikok trail was an easy, level walk on sandy paths. Although I enjoy challenging hikes in the Alps, I appreciated the gentle stroll in the rising heat, allowing me to take in the natural landscape.

Stanson warned me about the Bringamosa plant, which he described as “like poison ivy on steroids.” It can make your skin burn and itch for several days. The best antidote is to pour alcohol over your skin or rub it with the Seida plant, which looks similar to Bringamosa.

A more pleasant discovery was the Turk’s cap cactus, a spiky ball topped with a felt-like cap containing bright pink berries. These berries, known as Bushi or Bush fruit, can be carefully pulled from their furry enclosure and eaten. They look like tiny pink peppers with little black seeds inside.

As we continued along the trail, we stepped aside for a group of mountain bikers. The park has a few challenging trails, with a new one opened a couple of years ago by the Trails for Life project as part of their “Good for the Neighbourhood” community scheme. High school students constructed a new hiking and biking trail that reaches the Natural Pool.

The trail narrowed, hemmed in by huge boulders that seemed to have been dropped by a playful giant. Here, we saw cave paintings left by the Caquetío Indians, traced in red and white pigment. I could make out an iguana and a bird with outspread wings, an image used in the Arikok National Park logo. There are more paintings in the Quadirikiri and Fontein caves on the other side of the park. These larger caves contain stalactites, stalagmites, and a colony of bats, which are important pollinators for Aruba’s plants and flowers.

Throughout the hike, Stanson pointed out various flora and fauna. I saw the Wayaka tree, also known as Evergreen, which never has brown leaves. This tree survives on deep underground water reservoirs and grows very slowly, perhaps an inch each year. A tree that’s 2-3 meters tall may be around 300 years old.

The park’s cacti come in all shapes and sizes, from tangled thickets to elegant lone cacti framed against the sky. Stanson explained that just as tourism is an economic pillar on Aruba, cacti are the ecological pillar. They provide prickly pear fruit, a main food source for many birds on the island. To conserve water, cacti have shared root systems that spread underground over a wide area. Eventually, a cactus may get too heavy and topple over, but its dried wood can be used to construct frames for old-style adobe houses.

We occasionally spotted birds in the trees, such as the Bananaquit with its bright yellow breast, the blue-tailed Emerald hummingbird, and the Ruby-topaz hummingbird. The Burrowing Owl, or Shoco, is the national bird of Aruba. It buries its eggs deep in the ground, and the chicks dart around to catch insects and small lizards once they are old enough.

At the end of the trail, we reached an old Adobe house, enclosed by a trankera or fence made of cactus plants and a tranchi stone wall. This traditional form of enclosure provides security, fruit, and a haven for wildlife. The house is a replica of an older building destroyed in a hurricane and has been restored to show how a traditional homestead would have looked on Aruba. It’s constructed with a cactus wood frame smeared with a mixture of mud, sand, clay, and saltwater, known as Torto. Inside, we saw a kitchen area with a cooking platform and a stone mortar for grinding meal.

Our circular route took us back to the Visitor Centre. We passed a tree that looked bare and lifeless, but Stanson explained that in Aruba’s arid landscape, every plant has its own survival tricks. After rain, trees like this one quickly flower and fruit, attracting iguanas from miles around.

We also saw plenty of Aloe plants, another economic driver on the island before oil refining and mining. Aloe is known for its cooling and healing properties, and some species provide sugary syrup and fiber for making rope.

By now, we had completed the Cunucu trail and returned to the Visitor Centre. I was thankful for the cool air conditioning and refreshed myself with a drink. Later, I headed back to my hotel with its pool and views over Eagle Beach. My morning in Arikok National Park offered a fascinating insight into Aruba’s landscapes and natural world, far removed from the tourist beaches and bars. I’m glad I went for that hike and discovered a different side of Aruba.

Aruba is small, so it’s easy to get to the Arikok National Park Visitor Centre by hire car or taxi. The taxi ride was about 30 minutes from my hotel at Eagle Beach and even closer from Oranjestad or San Nicholas. The park is open daily from 8am to 4pm, and I recommend arriving early to avoid hiking in the heat. Wear a sunhat and take plenty of water. You can hike the easier trails in trainers and shorts, but for more advanced trails, boots and long trousers are advisable.

The park entrance fee supports the maintenance of roads, trails, and infrastructure. You can book a Park Ranger as a guide for free, but you need to book at least a day in advance. Rangers are also available at the Visitor Centre and around the park for advice and information. I highly recommend booking a Park Ranger, as their knowledge of the flora and fauna will enhance your experience. However, the Cunucu trail is easy to follow and doesn’t require special guidance. More demanding trails in the park may require basic climbing skills and ropes, so these are best taken with a guide.

The Romans bathed in it, the Georgians drank it, and Jane Austen wrote about the fashionable society that flocked to enjoy it. I’m talking about the thermal spa waters in Bath. While you can’t bathe in the public Roman Baths anymore, which are now a visitor attraction, there are plenty of hotels offering spa breaks in Bath.

We enjoyed a one-night spa break at the historic MacDonald Bath Hotel and Spa. This is where we escaped the lure of the laptop and the mobile for a Sunday night spa getaway.

It was a beautiful day, with the morning sun lighting up the honey-colored stone, as we arrived for our spa break in Bath at the MacDonald Bath Spa Hotel. The hotel is a historic mansion on the edge of Bath, a 20-minute walk to the center if you want to spend time sightseeing, with plenty of parking for guests.

The original house was built in 1835 by a retired Indian army general. It’s designed in the Greek revival style and surrounded by seven acres of gardens, with a grotto, exotic plants, and trees. The house was named Vellore and had various owners over the years, including the Rector of Bath Abbey, The Bath College, and the regional hospital board. After a major renovation, it opened as a hotel in 1990. You can still enjoy a taste of the pretty gardens as they would have been then, featuring classical statues, tinkling fountains, and attractive plantings around the hotel buildings.

We chose Bath for our spa weekend because it’s close enough to Bristol to be there in under an hour, but far enough to feel like a treat. If you’re looking for a relaxing spa day or spa break around the UK, the Spa Breaks website has lots of choices so you can easily compare options. Search by region of the UK or narrow it down to a specific place like Bath, where we spent our Sunday night getaway. There are 300 spas around the UK to choose from, so you are sure to find something that suits your budget and location, great for a girl’s getaway or a romantic break.

Having arrived on a Sunday morning, we wanted to make the most of our spa break. Although we were a bit early to check into our room, we had a chance to look around the hotel and relax in the grand rooms. Everywhere you look at the MacDonald Bath Hotel and Spa, there’s ornate plasterwork, decorative moldings, and sparkling chandeliers. The building certainly has the fine features you hope to find in an English country house that would have played host to the cream of Bath society.

On arrival, we read the weekend papers over coffee in the spacious drawing room, with rich shades of rusty red velvet and country library chic. The light and airy Colonnade overlooks the courtyard garden. A fountain was playing among the formal box hedges, and this is where we ordered a sandwich for lunch.

Luckily, our room was ready a little early – check-in is normally from 3.30 pm. We were able to enjoy our four-poster bedroom before we headed down to the spa. Our room 429 at Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel was on the first floor in one of the wings adjoining the original house. It overlooked the courtyard garden in front of the Colonnade. Decorated with gilt mirrors and brocade hangings, it was very restful and luxurious with classic antique-style furniture. The four-poster bed would have been a practicality in the past, with curtains that provided warmth and privacy in unheated and crowded bedrooms. These days a four-poster seems to epitomize that elegant English style that visitors flock to Bath to find.

Our bathroom was floor-to-ceiling white marble, with lots of mirrors, and a huge bath with a shower. There was a plentiful supply of fragrant Elemis toiletries in their signature White Lotus and Lime. Our toweling gowns and slippers awaited us in the room, ready for us to go downstairs to enjoy an afternoon in the hotel spa.

My spa treatment was booked for later in the afternoon. We had time to have a swim in the hotel’s pool, with a Jacuzzi at one end and loungers that had been mostly bagged by other hotel guests. After wafting around for a bit in the indoor pool, we also tried the outdoor hydro pool. This was like a warm bath and very pleasant to be in the fresh air. Jets of water were shooting from the sides to ease aching muscles. Inside, we worked our way around the different saunas, the dry heat of the Rock Sauna being my favorite. We also ventured into the aroma steam bath amid clouds of menthol steam. We visited the Salt infusion room with a warm burst of salt-infused air, but I decided to give the ice bath a miss. I’m not quite as hardened as the Scandinavians to the alternate hot and cold that is supposed to be so good for the circulation!

My full-body one-hour massage treatment was booked as part of our Spa Breaks package. After a short wait in the seating area, I was welcomed by my therapist Maria, who was super friendly and professional. With each Spa Breaks package, you get a choice of different treatments. I was keen to have a massage to ease some of the tension in my back from sitting too long working at my laptop. I’d asked for medium to firm pressure, and Maria smoothed the fragrant massage oil over my back in long sweeps. I drifted away to that spa music that somehow takes you to a forest with the wind rustling the treetops or the distant shore with the waves washing on the beach.

After the massage was over, I was shown into the softly lit relaxation area, with plenty of easy chairs and extra blankets. Spa guests can rest for a while and drink lots of water to rehydrate. I felt so soporific that I could easily have dozed off and was certain I’d be sleeping soundly that evening.

That evening we were booked into the Vellore restaurant at MacDonald Bath Spa Hotel. This is named after the original house and has a double AA Rosette award. The style of the restaurant is classic and elegant, set in the ballroom of the house with excellent and friendly service. We chose from the set menu, with several options in each course. I started with the spiced goat cheese mousse with heritage beetroot and candied pecan nuts. It was very prettily presented and a delicious combination of mild cheese and fruity flavors. As the main course, I ordered the grilled brill served with sapphire, vegetables, and a thick tomato sauce. Guy went for a classic rib-eye steak, both of which were perfectly cooked and presented. Never one to pass on dessert, I really enjoyed my passion fruit cheesecake on a crisp base. It was accompanied by creamy honeycomb ice cream and a wafer of white chocolate. This is certainly accomplished cooking, moving towards a fine dining experience. It would make a wonderful special occasion meal and certainly a treat as part of our spa break.

After a relaxing evening in our lovely bedroom, we slept soundly as always after a spa experience. We awoke to a clear bright day with a distant view of the sun lighting up the honey stone of Bath. There was an excellent breakfast spread in the dining room. I stuck to some of the healthy juices, fruit, and yogurt options, wanting to keep that virtuous feeling after our spa break. Guy, however, got stuck into the excellent freshly cooked Full MacDonald breakfast. The MacDonald hotel’s Scottish roots show in the smoked fish options. On offer were award-winning kippers, smoked haddock, and smoked salmon that are also available on the breakfast menu.

How quickly 24 hours goes and yet how much relaxation we managed to pack in! I highly recommend a mini spa break to anyone who works hard. We all need a bit of time to recharge, to reconnect with your loved one or friends.

There are plenty more great options for a spa break in Bath available on the Spa Breaks website. Here are just a few more spa experiences that might tempt you. Since you can’t actually take a dip in the Roman Baths that are fed by the thermal spring waters, the Thermae Bath spa is the next best thing. This day spa was created to allow visitors to Bath to experience the thermal waters. Four baths are fed by the mineral-rich waters. The rooftop bath allows you to bathe in the warm waters with therapeutic jets while enjoying a bird’s eye view over the city.

The Royal Crescent hotel is one of the most prestigious luxury hotels in Bath. It’s located at the center of the sweeping Royal Crescent that is one of the landmarks of Georgian Bath. Passing through the hotel’s secret garden, you’ll find the spa and bathhouse with a 12-meter relaxation pool, Himalayan salt-infused sauna, and herbal seat inhalation rooms.

The Bath Priory is the first and only spa by L’Occitane in the UK as well as being a five-star hotel. The Garden Spa by L’Occitane transports you to Provence. Enjoy a voyage of the senses through herbal aromas and relaxing music inspired by Provencal traditions. The four treatment suites provide a tranquil and calm environment in which you can totally relax, with an indoor pool, sauna, and steam pod.

No. 15 by GuestHouse Bath offers charm and character with an elegant subterranean spa. It’s complete with a cedar wood hot tub, a sauna, separate steam area, and a decadent relaxation area. No. 15 by GuestHouse Bath is beautifully located in one of the grandest streets in Bath and makes a wonderfully romantic escape.

Just outside Bath at Bradford on Avon, you’ll find Woolley Grange, a luxury hotel that’s especially family-friendly. If you are traveling with little ones, this would be a good choice. You can enjoy a spa experience knowing that there’s plenty laid on to keep the children happy while you relax. Facilities include both an indoor pool and a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, steam room, and sauna. There’s a wide range of treatments to choose from.

No visit to Bath would be

The lush landscapes and turquoise waters of Saint Lucia offer year-round warmth and vibrant colors that attract visitors to the Caribbean. It’s no surprise that this island paradise has inspired many St Lucian artists, both those who grew up on the island and those who visit and return repeatedly to capture its beauty.

We traveled around Saint Lucia and discovered many talented artists. However, there was a consensus that many traditional skills and crafts are fading. Young people are pursuing careers in other sectors like tourism. Despite this, we found individuals working to sustain the Saint Lucia art community. Galleries like Choiseul Art Gallery and Island Mix provide retail outlets for local artists. Muralist Sakey involves young people in painting community murals, and hotel owners like Karolin Troubetzkoy of Anse Chastanet collaborate with Saint Lucian artists to beautify their hotels.

On a recent visit to Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain, I was impressed by how much the owners have done to encourage art in Saint Lucia. Nick and Karen Troubetzkoy, private art collectors, commission artworks to fill their hotel rooms and public spaces. The art gallery at Anse Chastanet exhibits and sells the work of local and international artists, and guests can participate in classes, demonstrations, and exhibitions. Their support for the St Lucia art scene has extended to public commissions, such as the murals in Soufriere by local artist Sakey, who also runs art classes at Anse Chastanet Resort.

If you’re interested in finding Saint Lucian artists, looking for a sense of place and color for your trip, or seeking authentic souvenirs, supporting local artisans through your purchases is a great way to help. This article aims to guide you to some of the interesting art galleries around Saint Lucia.

We visited many St Lucia art galleries on a recent trip. If you love art or want to buy locally made souvenirs, these are the art galleries in Saint Lucia we recommend you visit.

Hattie Barnard, originally from London, settled in Saint Lucia with her husband Leo, who is from the island. Together, they set up Choiseul Art Gallery, which is well signposted and just off the main road. Their aim was to provide a studio and gallery for Hattie’s work and showcase other local craftspeople and artists. Hattie’s images are often painted live on location, capturing the natural beauty of Saint Lucia. Her husband Leo works with her to create many of the craft pieces sold in the gallery. The gallery also features traditional baskets, mats, wood carvings, and textile souvenirs from other local craftspeople.

The Pink Plantation, set on Morne Hill overlooking Castries, is an old French colonial house restored by restauranteur and St Lucia artist Michelle Elliot. The house serves as a restaurant, guest house, and gallery for her artwork. The ceramic serving bowls, jugs, and vases are inspired by the fruits and scenes of daily life in Saint Lucia. Michelle also uses silk screen printing on cushions, bags, and table mats that furnish the guest rooms upstairs.

Eudovic’s art studio, located at Morne Fortune just outside Castries, is one of the best-known art studios in Saint Lucia. Owner Vincent Joseph Eudovic, a leading Caribbean wood sculptor, opened the gallery in the 1970s. The gallery and gift shop display the work of seven wood sculptors, including Joseph’s son Jallim Eudovic, a well-known sculptor in his own right.

Island Mix gallery in Rodney Bay provides a haven of calm with a grassy garden facing the marina. Nadia Jabour, who runs the gallery, supports artists and local crafts, running art classes and displaying paintings and locally made souvenirs. The cafe offers a menu of finger foods with a Caribbean and international flavor.

Artist Simon Gajadhar, aka Zaka, started the Zaka business in 1997, specializing in brightly colored masks made of recycled telephone poles. The Zaka art cafe, just south of Soufriere, hosts painting demonstrations and live music on weekends. The cafe also features crafts by other artists, including colorful recycled paper dolls by Shirley Ann Edwards.

The Howelton Estate, a beautiful old house over a hundred years old, is now a heritage and crafts center with gorgeous views from the terrace across the gardens towards Castries. The estate features a wide range of Saint Lucian crafts, including Caribelle Batik, which has been established here for over two decades. Interactive craft activities include batik making demonstrations and a Cocoa Carib chocolate making experience.

Local artist Naja Misaki Simeon, known as “Sakey,” balances his job as an art teacher with work as an artist and muralist around Saint Lucia. His murals, which can be seen in Castries, Soufriere, and other smaller villages, create an Outdoor Gallery. Sakey collaborates with other artists and has plans for many more colorful projects in the area.

Anse Chastanet Resort uses local and visiting artists to decorate its rooms and sells artworks in its gallery by the beach. The resort collaborates with visiting artists through the “Art in the Hotel” program, inviting artists in residence to capture the magic of the island.

The Inner Gallery, close to Rodney Bay, is one of the longest-established art galleries in Saint Lucia. It has shown the work of artists like Jonathan Gladding and has been an active participant in art festivals and events.

Dunstan St Omer, one of the most eminent Saint Lucian artists, was born in Castries in 1927 and is best known for designing the flag of Saint Lucia. His murals, featuring Caribbean faces in the Holy Family, can be seen in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Castries and other churches around the island.

Alwyn St. Omer, another prominent Saint Lucian artist, was inspired by his father Sir Dunstan St. Omer. His work often features carnival and masquerade themes. Luigi St. Omer, another of Dunstan’s children, is known for his paintings featuring characters from Saint Lucia’s carnivals or rural life.

Lawrence Deligny’s work features heavily around Anse Chastanet resort. Born in 1952 in Choiseul, he is a self-taught artist known for his carved masks and sculptures. Daniel Jean-Baptiste, who grew up in Choiseul, uses silk painting to capture the natural world of Saint Lucia. His work can be found at Anse Chastanet gallery and on his website.

Dominica-born Arnold Toulon is known for his colorful and expressive abstract images. Saint Lucian Matthew Paul, known for his colorful painted ceramics and calabash, tragically died in a landslide following hurricane Tomas in 2010.

The area around Choiseul is known for its large number of artists and craftspeople, especially for pottery and other traditional crafts. Internationally renowned Llewellyn Xavier OBE is known for his richly textured fine art paintings and works from his studio at Cap Estate.

In addition to resident Saint Lucian artists, many artists have visited regularly and created paintings inspired by the island. These include Jonathan Gladding, Stefan Szczesny, Claude Sandoz, Stefan Schlitter, and Elvira Bach, who have all collaborated with Anse Chastanet.

If you are an art lover, we highly recommend a stay at Anse Chastanet resort. The hotel works with local artists and artisans throughout the resort, and artworks are available for guests to purchase in the Anse Chastanet art gallery and gift shops. The resort offers a premier dive center, access to two wonderful beaches, and a private plantation for hiking and mountain biking.

On the hillside above Anse Chastanet sits the sister hotel of Jade Mountain, a favorite for honeymoons and luxury getaways. Even if you don’t stay at Anse Chastanet, we highly recommend a visit to the art gallery beside Anse Chastanet Beach.

During our family holiday at Hullam Hostel on the shores of Lake Balaton in Hungary, we enjoyed a nightly tradition of eating stew cooked in a massive pot over an open fire. The warm weather allowed guests to relax in the open-air bar area next to the street, where they chatted, played cards, and listened to jazz and world music. Despite the hostel’s tiny guest kitchen, which had just a sink and a two-ring burner, they found a clever way to make it work.

Each night, the hostel served a different one-pot stew with fresh bread. We had Hungarian goulash one night and ham and cabbage another. The all-you-can-eat setup had us going back for more of the delicious home-cooked stew. The meals were very affordable, costing around £3-4 per person, making it a no-brainer to eat there even though there was a mini supermarket and a great greengrocer next door.

Around 4 PM, we would watch the young chef start chopping vegetables and adding them to the huge pot, which simmered for hours over the open fire. This communal cooking method is popular in Hungary, similar to how we might have a barbecue. We even saw many of these cooking pots for sale along the roadside.

I asked Hullam Hostel for their Hungarian goulash recipe to share with you, and here it is:

Hungarian Goulash (serves 10):
1. Stew 70 dkg of chopped onion in lard or oil on low heat until golden yellow.
2. Remove from heat and add 3 large spoonfuls of Hungarian red paprika powder.
3. Add 2 dl of water and 1 kg of beef (cut into 1-inch cubes). Return to high heat and cook until the meat is white and slightly fried.
4. Add a whole finely chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons of whole caraway seeds, some ground black pepper, 3 cubed tomatoes, and 2 sliced sweet paprikas (TV paprika).
5. Stir well, add 6-7 liters of water, and simmer on medium heat for three hours.
6. When the meat is nearly tender, add 70 dkg of peeled, cubed potatoes, 3 sliced parsnips, 5 sliced carrots, and 1 cubed celery root.
7. Cook until all ingredients are tender, and optionally add some finely chopped parsley.

Enjoy your homemade Hungarian Goulash!

Many thanks to Hullam Hostel in Revfulop for the recipe and the wonderful holiday experience at Lake Balaton in Hungary.

If you’re visiting Budapest and looking for a cheap, tasty, and typically Hungarian snack, you should definitely try Lángos. Pronounced “Lang-gosh,” this treat is a must-try.

We had Lángos a couple of times during our trip. Once, we got it from a booth on the top floor of the Central Market, which I recommend for an inexpensive lunch. Another time, we enjoyed it at the cafe at the Palatine Strand baths on Margaret Island, along with several plates of chicken livers (but that’s a story for another time!).

Lángos is a delicious cross between a doughnut and a pancake. It’s made from a yeasty dough that’s rolled into balls and then flattened by slapping them from hand to hand. We watched this process at the Central Market. The flattened dough is then deep-fried in hot oil until it puffs up and is served with either savory or sweet toppings. One of the most popular toppings is sour cream and grated cheese, known as sajtos tejfölös (sajtos means cheese and tejfölös means sour cream).

Another Hungarian specialty you might encounter, especially in tourist areas, is Kürtős Kalács. We saw this at the Hungarian Arts and Crafts Festival in August, among other places. This treat is made from milk dough rolled into strips, which are then wound around a metal cylinder and toasted over an open fire, similar to what you might do when camping. The name comes from the funnel inside a chimney that it resembles once it’s removed from the metal spit. After it’s cooked, it’s typically rolled in sugar and cinnamon, and sometimes nuts. You can then peel strips off the roll to eat, making it a great snack to share with family.

Thanks to my Hungarian friend, János, for explaining these delightful snacks to me. All I know is that they were fun and tasty to eat!

During my visit to the Ecuadorian rainforest community of Sarayaku, I met a young filmmaker named Heriberto Gualinga. He was the brother of our two local guides, Ingaro and Gerado, who joined us on a week-long river journey from Puyo to Kapawi near the Peruvian border.

In Heriberto’s traditionally built family home, made of wood and palm thatch and powered by solar panels, he set up his laptop and gave us an impromptu screening of his film, “Soy Defensor de la Selva” (I am the defender of the rainforest). He was sponsored by Accion Creativa, an organization that supports social change through film and other creative media.

The film documents the struggle in Sarayaku against the oil companies that had been granted exploration rights by the Ecuadorian government. The community strongly opposes this exploration, which would destroy the rainforest. When oil workers moved into their territory, Heriberto was there to film their resistance.

Heriberto gave us a copy of the film, which I shared with friends. Now, it’s available on YouTube, and I encourage you to watch it. The version above is 3 minutes long, but you can find links to the full 15-minute film below.

Soy Defensor de la Selva (I am the defender of the rainforest) – Part 1
Soy Defensor de la Selva (I am the defender of the rainforest) – Part 2
Soy Defensor de la Selva (I am the defender of the rainforest) – Part 3

This experience taught me how crucial media is in giving a voice to remote communities and spreading their message to the wider world. I hope we bloggers can also use our platforms positively to address important issues affecting our world, so let’s spread the word!

Alright, I’m not usually one to go on a rant, but after watching yet another travel documentary hosted by a middle-aged man, I feel compelled to speak up for women everywhere. This autumn, UK TV screens are flooded with travel documentaries, but I can’t help but wonder, “Where are all the female travel presenters?”

Last night, I watched Stephen Fry touring America in his quintessentially British London taxi. Then, Paul Merton was in India, trying his hand at cricket with a blind cricket club. Competing with him was Griff Rhys Jones, attempting to sing Gospel in New York for his “Greatest Cities of the World” series. Notice a pattern? It seems like there’s a conspiracy to feature aging male comedians on our screens all at once, only to sell us their coffee table books for Christmas.

I blame Michael Palin for starting this trend. I’ll admit, I have his videos and books on my shelf. But seriously, where are the female TV travel presenters? I want to see an adventurous woman exploring exotic places. My husband is tired of hearing me complain about it.

The closest we’ve come recently is “Tribal Wives,” where an English woman in need of a life change stays with a remote community, often leading to a prospective romance with a local. No stereotypes there, right?

I’ll make an exception for Bruce Parry, who brings a charming, if slightly mad, enthusiasm to everything he does. I can’t forget him leaping naked over cattle in an Ethiopian initiation ceremony or eagerly anticipating the hallucinogenic drug Ayahuasca, despite knowing it will make him vomit uncontrollably before giving him weird dreams.

When I was in Ecuador, our guide told us a tale of two travelers who disappeared into the rainforest. Unlike Hansel and Gretel, there was no happy ending. They died after overdosing on Ayahuasca, and the locals hid their bodies to avoid trouble. After hearing that, I decided to pass on Ayahuasca.

Then there are the Medicine Men, identical twins Chris and Xand, who debate whether to treat sick children with Western medicine or leave them to the local shaman’s herbal remedies. The scene where they found a tapeworm in a piece of roasted monkey was particularly appetizing.

But something’s missing for me – where are the adventurous female TV travel presenters? I know women travelers are out there because I read their blogs. So why aren’t they on TV?

Here’s my vision for the next hit TV travel series: An intrepid woman explores unspoiled wildernesses, delves into the deepest rainforests, stays with nomadic desert peoples, and shares her stories from a woman’s perspective. No powerful motorbikes or other boys’ toys involved!

Or how about this scenario? A hip and gorgeous woman scours cities from Istanbul to Marrakech, Berlin to Beijing, finding the coolest, most secret spots with the help of local bloggers. By the way, I’m past thinking of myself as that hip and gorgeous woman, but I could always be her fixer.

What do you think? Any collaborators out there?

While wine tasting in Luxembourg’s Moselle region, I noticed the statue of St. Willibrord, who is considered the protector of the grapes here. His three raised fingers symbolize the idea that drinking three glasses of wine a day is beneficial.

The local wine growers believe that a combination of saintly protection and nearly 2000 years of winemaking expertise ensures the success of their wines. The tradition and dedication of family businesses are as constant as the Moselle River that flows through the vineyards.

If you’re into wine, you might know about the Moselle River, which forms the border between Luxembourg and Germany. The region is known for grapes like Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and the more unique Elbling, Rivaner, and Auxerrois. However, Luxembourgeois wine is not widely known because 66% of it is sold within Northern France, Germany, and Belgium.

Our wine tasting tour began at the wine museum in Ehnen, where we explored old stone buildings and barns filled with historical agricultural tools. We saw a lady mannequin dressed in traditional attire, ready to collect grapes in her basket. Outside, different grape varieties were planted, and an old helicopter used for crop spraying was on display.

At Domaines Vinsmoselle, we met Stephen De Roy, an expert who guided us through the winery. Founded in 1921, Domaines Vinsmoselle includes over 300 winemakers who sell their grapes to produce diverse wines. The vineyards, stretching over 42 kilometers along the Moselle, mainly produce white wines due to the mild microclimate and evenly distributed rainfall.

During our tasting, we learned about the differences between a Pinot Noir aged in oak barrels and one aged in stainless steel tanks. Stephen humorously remarked that if he wanted to taste oak, he’d go to the forest, not his wine. A specialty of the region is the sparkling Cremant, a delightful alternative to Prosecco. We also tried Tam Tam, a fresh grape juice made from the finest grapes, with no fermentation to mask any imperfections.

Stephen’s favorite wine is a 2009 Riesling from the Charte Schengen prestige brand, made from grapes of vines over 30 years old with deep roots. These grapes come from twelve selected growers near the winery, including four from France, Luxembourg, and Germany each. This cooperation reminds us of Luxembourg’s role in founding NATO and the Schengen Agreement.

Although we didn’t visit the European Museum in Schengen, we saw the town from a boat trip on the Moselle River from Remich. That evening, we enjoyed a 2013 Riesling from Charte Schengen at a gourmet barbecue at the Pundel winery. Known as the king of wines in Luxembourg, it had a balanced bouquet of citrus fruits, apricot, apple, peach, pear, lime, eucalyptus, and even a hint of petrol.

The Pundel winery, a modern glass building, offered a fabulous view of the vineyards from its rooftop terrace. Unfortunately, due to rain, we had to dine indoors but still enjoyed a delicious meal of steak and seafood brochettes.

Our tour concluded with the Grape and Wine festival in Grevenmacher, where we enjoyed rock music, local wines, and a parade led by the wine festival princess. The evening ended with a spectacular firework display over the Moselle River.

As we left the Moselle Valley, I felt ready to embrace St. Willibrord’s motto of three glasses a day for good health. With a glass of Luxembourg’s sparkling Cremant or vintage Riesling in hand, I’ll happily toast to that!

During our pre-Christmas weekend in Paris, we stayed at the Hotel Pullman Paris Montparnasse. This large, modern hotel is located in the 15th arrondissement on the Rive Gauche. It’s a great spot for both business and sightseeing.

The staff were friendly and helpful. We stayed in a Deluxe room on the 23rd floor, which offered stunning views of the city. We also enjoyed dinner at the Cafe Atlantic restaurant. Here’s my review of the Hotel Pullman Paris Montparnasse and some highlights of the neighborhood.

We arrived at the hotel after a Friday night flight into Charles de Gaulle airport. It took about an hour by train and metro to get there. The hotel is conveniently located near Gare Montparnasse, with two metro stations within a 5-10 minute walk. If you’re driving, it’s easy to access from the Periferique ring-road.

The hotel is in a multi-story building, which offers great views from the upper floors, though the immediate neighborhood lacks character. The reception area is large and bright, and we were checked in quickly. Our initial room wasn’t ready, so we were upgraded to a Deluxe room on the 23rd floor with a view of Tour Montparnasse.

The hotel has a large lounge area next to the reception, with modern chairs and changing lighting effects. Despite its size, there was plenty of room for everyone. Our Deluxe room was spacious, with modern decor and a great view of Paris. The bathroom was elegant, with a powerful shower and nice toiletries.

The hotel underwent a renovation a few years ago, and the Deluxe rooms feature a modern red and black color scheme. All information about the hotel is available through the TV, which might be convenient for some but stressful for others.

The hotel caters to both business and leisure travelers, with free Wi-Fi in all rooms and a business center on the ground floor. We enjoyed the buffet breakfast in the Justin restaurant, which had a cozy atmosphere despite the hotel’s size. The restaurant also has a pleasant roof garden.

On Sunday evening, we dined at Cafe Atlantic on the ground floor. The food was good, and the service was friendly and efficient. While the cafe isn’t a destination restaurant, it’s a convenient option for guests who don’t want to venture out.

The concierge recommended several nearby attractions, including Tour Montparnasse, Jardin du Luxembourg, and Saint-Sulpice church. For dining, there are plenty of bars and brasseries on Boulevard du Montparnasse, as well as more intimate bistros like l’Assiette and Le Chardenoux des Pres.

Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Pullman Paris Montparnasse. It’s a comfortable, well-located hotel that’s ideal for both business and leisure travelers. The modern decor and spacious rooms make it a great base for exploring Paris.