Andros
10 scenes of the Greek Island of Andros
Over a week’s walking from north to south we passed a grand total of seven other walkers. Three of these were Greek, the others were a Dutch couple we passed twice. […]
Year: 2018
Europe
A Taste of the Camino de Santiago
We pass the familiar stone waymark post with a yellow shell on a blue background. On top, a pair of walking boots sit, their journey done, their story now woven into the very fabric of the Camino… […]
Food & drink
People who should never write Tripadvisor restaurant reviews
I reference Tripadvisor frequently because it is massively influential. It can be incredibly useful. We use it all the time for pointers, but we know how to sort the wheat from the chaff. And there’s an awful lot of chaff. […]
Coimbra
Nun’s bellies and batty books, 72 hours in Coimbra
Despite stifling temperatures and the smell of a country burning was on the breeze, stepping off the train at Coimbra’s city centre train station was like a breath of fresh air. […]
Europe
A pictorial pub crawl of Madrid
As I sipped a decent Greek red, Madrid popped into my head; specifically the tapas bars lining streets around the Plaza de Santa Ana area. If Santa Ana was the big top, the bars lining the spokes leading from the plaza were the sideshows […]
Hiking
Don’t stray from the path, the psychology of following route directions
Every quaint country pub should have a Brian Glover, a rough diamond with a Yorkshire accent who sits in a corner nursing his pint of real ale and only springs to life whenever any hikers […]
Algarve
Finding the flavours of Portugal part 2, Lisbon, Tagus Valley and The Algarve
Over the last twelve months we’ve visited all five of mainland Portugal’s regions, encountering a delightfully diverse gastronomy which has regularly surprised. […]
Europe
Food, footwear and falling into bed on the Camino de Santiago
This is about the practical aspects of walking the Camino de Santiago, including observations over those three days which should help us plan effectively for walking a full Camino. […]
Europe
Three stages of walking the Camino de Santiago
On the second day of walking three stages of the Camino de Santiago, about an hour after taking to a wooded path running alongside frosty fields on a cool but sunny March morning, Andy asks me the question. “Do you still want to walk the whole of the Camino?” […]
Alentejo
Finding the flavours of Portugal part 1, the north, central and Alentejo
Over the last twelve months we’ve visited all five of mainland Portugal’s regions, encountering a delightfully diverse gastronomy which has regularly surprised. This is an abridged version of regional dishes we enjoyed most in Porto and the north, central Portugal and also the Alentejo. […]
Food & drink
Avoiding gastronomic adulthood
Since we left the UK we’ve eaten out far more than we ever did in Blighty, so you tend to notice eating patterns more; a lot of people don’t stray from their culinary comfort zones. […]
Europe
The mission, 24 hours to capture the Aveiro Lagoon
Our mission was to take photographs which captured the feel of the Aveiro Lagoon area for inclusion in the brochure which included a new cycling holiday in the area. […]
Austria
In the depths of the dark cave
Once you’ve been told the cave, or volcanic tube to be more exact, was once home to eyeless cockroaches and giant rats it’s hard to banish thoughts of mutant creepy crawlies from your mind. […]
Beach Holidays
Beaches are best out of season
Back in the days when we were suited nine to fivers we always booked holidays for late May/early June and then again around September/October. Colleagues with children, understandably, had first choice at the summer months, […]
Germany
When snow covered Germany is warmer than Tenerife
As we gingerly step from the warm train onto a freezing, sleet-blasted platform we know there’s no way we’ll escape hypothermia if we attempt the 15km route around the lake dressed as we are. […]