El Hierro
How many Canary Islands are there?
The Canaries are made up of large islands, small islands (islets), and lumps of land protruding from the sea that ambiguously lie somewhere between being tiny islets and big rocks. […]
Year: 2022
Hiking
Walking to the mountain lake in Peneda-Gerês
Anyone who knows Portugal’s only National Park will be aware there is more than one mountain lake in Peneda-Gerês, but the one above Peneda itself will always be THE mountain lake to me. […]
Food & drink
Top Ten Tapas in the Canary Islands
Tapas are a mainland Spanish way of eating when socialising, but it is also easy to find tapas in the Canary Islands, and tapas aimed at the palates of a local population more than a visiting one. […]
Madeira
Which is better, Tenerife or Madeira?
An article in The Telegraph pondered the question ‘which is better, Tenerife or Madeira?’ The article didn’t reach any kind of conclusion, instead it listed the attributes of both. But it included a poll so […]
Gran Canaria
Favourite views, above Tejeda on Gran Canaria
Unfortunately, this portrayal of the Canaries as being arid rocks isn’t uncommon, and yet the reality couldn’t be more different, as illustrated by one of my favourite views in the archipelago, this vista from above Tejeda on Gran Canaria. […]
Galicia
Six of the best of Pontevedra
Pontevedra’s great charm lies in the maze of streets that make up its historic quarter. The network of narrow lanes is a labyrinth full of little interesting snippets to devour. […]
Checking In
Could do better, review of Quinta das Vinhas, Madeira
We love small, semi-rural hotels in historic buildings, especially ones set in a vineyard overlooking the ocean. Quinta das Vinhas in Estreito da Calheta, a workaday village on the Madeiran hillside, ticked many boxes. With […]
Food & drink
What foreigners think about British food
The other night we cooked one of our favourite Portuguese dishes, arroz de pato (duck rice). It’s a popular dish in Portugal, you can even try it at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport. Yet I rarely […]
Channel Islands
Slow Travelling to Jersey’s Castles
There are times in travel where you have no choice but to slow the pace down, to be patient if you want to achieve your goal. Being able to stroll around most of Jersey’s castles is a bit like that. […]
Slovenia
24 hours in Piran
As first-time visitors to Piran, what immediately struck us was how it felt more Italian than the towns we’d passed through/stayed in during our travels around Slovenia. […]
Hiking
Levada walking on Madeira
Our introduction to walking on Madeira came as a punch-in-the-gut shock. We knew some routes on the Floating Garden of the Atlantic had become extremely popular at certain times of the year, but not the São Lourenço Peninsula. […]
Food & drink
Britain’s gastronomy is the most diverse in Europe
Can you spot the difference between the following two statements? ‘Britain’s gastronomy is the most diverse in Europe’ and ‘Britain has the best food in Europe.’ […]
Galicia
Food along the Camino de Santiago
The first thing anyone needs to know about the food along the Camino de Santiago is, what that food consists of could vary depending on which route a pilgrim follows. There are numerous routes, starting in Spain, France, and Portugal. For the sake of keeping this simple and not overly lengthy, I’m concentrating purely on dishes with a robust link to Galicia. […]
Equipment & Accessories
The Trouble With Women’s Hiking Pants
Why do manufacturers of women’s hiking pants think that women do not require such essentials as maps, GPS devices, mobile phones, and compasses? I want my hiking pants to look good on me, but I also need them to be every bit as functional as men’s. […]
Travel Talk
What do locals think about tourists?
A thought struck me as I tootled along behind a visiting driver enjoying the scenery at under 40mph in a 60mph zone. Apart from when I lived in Manchester and Stockport, I’ve always lived in places that were popular tourist destinations. This has covered four different countries. […]