Bute
A Comment on Travel Articles
A couple of examples over the last week highlighted some of the problems travel writing faces in a world where anyone who’s connected to the internet can pass themselves off as an expert. […]
Britain
Europe
Chinese swans to Thai tapas, 10 favourite meals in 2019
I couldn’t tell you how many times we’ve eaten in restaurants, cafes, bars etc. in various destinations this year. Basically, a hell of a lot. But there are some dishes which stand out above others for numerous reasons. These aren’t always solely to do with the food on the plate in front of us […]
Europe
Is food in Britain boring?
Food in Britain is boring. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard a variation of this statement in online travel discussions. When I hear the evidence generally provided to back it up, I tend to wonder about the travel habits of those who make it. […]
As we walked out
A series of short walks in Scotland
A short route recommended by the folk at our hotel, the 15th century Knipoch, took us along a grassy path lined by bushy confers and moss-covered drystane dykes to an open hillock surrounded by crispy bracken and a tartan coloured vista which took in slender Loch Feochan, Mull, Islay, and a rolling landscape which had me wishing I was wearing my kilt. […]
Hiking
Community, capitalists, and the Douro Valley
The rosy glow from this rural community, people bonded by the production of Port wine for over 300 years, was like being wrapped in a Merino wool blanket on a chilly morning. […]
Europe
Picking at pies, upper crust countries and floppy failures
Although it’s believed the first pies originated in Italy, proper pies (i.e. ones made from butter/lard and flour) come from Northern Europe. […]
Food & drink
An irresistible parade of hot breakfasts in Scotland
On a road trip around Scotland in September we both dived head first into the cooked breakfast dark side. The use of local produce made it impossible to just say no. […]
Germany
When cash and card societies collide
Individual countries within the EU retain their own way of doing things across many aspects of life. One which is especially noticeable to visitors is when it comes to the question of paying with cash or card. […]
Bavaria
Why I’ll eat Burgers in Bergamo and Pizzas in Provence
Is there a law which says if we want to be considered discerning travellers we should only eat what is considered ‘local food’ whenever we visit a destination? […]
Bute
The sensitive topic of toilets and travel
I don’t care if you’re a member of the aristocracy with refined blue blood coursing through your veins, at some point when travelling you’re likely to get caught short. […]
England
A Taste of Urban Grit, Manchester in Photos
There is beauty in the beast. It might not always be obvious but it is there in the twinkling neon reflections in an oil stained puddle at the kerb or in the soot blackened red bricks of old industrial factories whose… […]