by Roy -

This article is written by Shantanu Ghosh.

Some of you have been amused I could actually write three posts on Vienna without describing its food in some detail. Actually, I was saving the best for the last! Vienna has much to offer the foodie, more so if you love meat and have a sweet tooth. During my week in this lovely city, I sampled every local delicacy I could find. Between the evenings of fine dining, gourmet coffee at Vienna’s famous cafes and the local desserts, there was enough to keep me content. And of course, there was that evening in an underground wine tavern.

First, let me cover fine dining in Vienna. Armed with recommendations from colleagues who have lived in this city, I ended up in a restaurant that dates back to 1933. A Michelin recommended restaurant, Drei Husaren is located within a block of the famous St. Stephens Cathedral. Started by three hussar-officers, this restaurant changed hands multiple times during its long history. What did not change is its reputation as one of more interesting Viennese restaurants in the old Imperial district.

As you enter the restaurant, the warm colors, paintings of old maestroes and period furniture all contribute to setting the mood. Service is formal but impeccable. Fresh bread and a variety of herb butter spreads arrived as we perused the wine list. We finally settled for an Austrian Pinot.

I started with the Boletus Soup. This mushroom soup, made from the seasonal Porcini and topped with Cappuccino foam with slivers of mushroom, was served in a glass. The soup was highly flavored, served at just the right temperature, and was among the best soups I have tasted. What a great beginning to the meal!

A pianist played compositions of the many local greats, we moved to our entrees. They had charged us €5 per person for the live entertainment, but the pianist was gifted – this was Vienna after all!

For my entree, I chose the Escalope of beef with crisp onions, Viennese-style sauteed potatoes and gherkin. This was another winner. Chewy, but in a good sort of way, and the meat went very well with the deep fried onion.

For dessert, I selected a pancake, The Three Hussars, stuffed with walnuts, and topped with chocolate and strawberry sauce. They also had a Cheese Torte on their menu.

By the time we finished dinner, we had sampled two different reds, both local Austrian wines. While Austria doesn’t export much, they have a vibrant wine culture. In fact like the beer pubs in London and Germany, they have Wine Bars here. Austrians also drink a cider made from a mixture of apples and pear (or only pear). Vienna is the only place – outside India – where I have seen rock sugar offered after dinner with the cheque.

The Drei Husaran is an excellent choice for a special evening in Vienna. The location, the atmosphere and the food are all excellent, as is the service.

Konig Von Ungarn, Schulerstrasse 10

My other fine dining experience was on my final night in Vienna. This time we dined at Konig Von Ungarn at Schulerstrasse 10, just behind the St. Stephens Cathedral. Again, a restaurant steeped in history (this hotel dates back to 1746), orange walls, vaulted ceilings, wrought iron adornments and crystal chandeliers – all of which made for a great ambiance. Dignitaries from St. Stephens once used this place as a guesthouse and horse stables. Of course, these royal visitors also appreciated good cooking. Also, just above this hotel is an apartment where Mozart once lived and composed some of his famous music.

Potato Goulash with grilled turkey sausages

This time, I started with a Potato Goulash with grilled turkey sausages. Please note they also have an interesting hors d’œuvre trolley from which you can select too. I have noticed that goulash is a safe choice in Vienna – I have never been disappointed and tonight was no different. The breads here come with butter and peppers!

Grilled Variation of Fish with truffle oil sauce and almond butter rice.

For my entree I selected the Grilled Variation of Fish with truffle oil sauce and almond butter rice. This dish contained three types of grilled fish – pike, perch, salmon. I loved this dish. The fish was fresh, it was fun to taste the different fillets on the plate at the same time. The sauce complimented the fish and the almond butter rice was wonderful too. All of this with a locally grown ruby red Cabernet Sauvigon that went well with the entree

I chose a Dessert Sampler that had a pudding in vanilla sauce, a chocolate soufflé, and coffee ice-cream with apricot jam. During desserts, they wheel another trolley, this time with a variety of brandies and other digestifs.

At the Konig Von Ungarn, food was good and the ambiance was excellent, but the service was somewhat lacking; the staff was friendly but they kept mixing up the orders. Among the two places I have reviewed here, I would rate the Drei Husaren higher for this reason.

Incidentally, if you enjoy dessert wines, you must try the Austrian Kracher. This wine is made from Welschriesling grapes, which have nothing to do with Riesling, and Chardonnay, which are unusual in a sweet wine. I enjoyed this revered wine, of all places, on my return flight on Austrian Airlines!

Shantanu Ghosh

7 Sept 2008

http://www.shantanughosh.com/2008/09/foodie-in-vienna-part-i.html

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 158 user reviews.

[ | | | | ]

by Roy -

If you looking to enjoy natural splendor these holidays then the beautiful city, Cebu City in Philippines is perfect for these holidays. Lying in between two canals, Cebu city well deserves the title of “Queen City of the South” and is the core city of Philippines. It is quite right to say that Cebu city is a perfect tourist destination with all its features like numerous exotic beaches, amusement parks, lush vegetation, stunning scenic views especially of snow-capped mountains and crystal clear blue water of the sea. Being the second largest city of the nation, Cebu is well connected with the rest of the world through airways. The best time period to explore Cebu is between March to May.

Average Rating: 4.7 out of 5 based on 165 user reviews.

[ | | | | ]

by Roy -

Spinnaker Tower – England

Spinnaker Tower is a 170-metre (560 ft)–high landmark tower in Portsmouth, England. It is the centrepiece of the redevelopment of Portsmouth Harbour, which was supported by a National Lottery grant. Its shape was chosen by Portsmouth residents from a selection of concepts. The tower, designed by local firm HGP Architects and the engineering consultants Scott Wilson and built by Mowlem, reflects Portsmouth’s maritime history by being modelled after a sail. After several years of delays and cost overruns, it was opened on 18 October 2005.

Structure

The tower, at a height of 170 m above sea level, is 2 1?2 times as high as Nelson’s Column, making it the tallest accessible structure in the United Kingdom outside London. The tower is visible for miles around Portsmouth, changing the horizon of the area. It can be seen from the Isle of Wight, and even the Manhood Peninsula.

The tower represents sails billowing in the wind, a design accomplished using two large, white, sweeping steel arcs, which give the tower its spinnaker sail design. The steelwork was fabricated by Butterley Engineering. At the top is a triple observation deck, providing a 350° view of the city of Portsmouth, the Langstone and Portsmouth harbours, and a viewing distance of 37 kilometres (23 mi). The highest of the three observation platforms, the crow’s nest, has a wire mesh roof, allowing visitors to be in the elements. Windows extend to above head height, so it is not possible to get a view unobstructed by glass. The glass floor is the largest in Europe. The tower has a design lifetime of 80 years.
The design is similar to the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, whose structure is a little less than twice as tall at 323 metres (1, 060 ft).

Source: Wikipedia

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 221 user reviews.

[ | | | | ]

by Roy -

This article is written by Shivya Nath. Shivya is an India-based writer who loves to seek out offbeat travel destinations that few have been to and fewer have written about.

For the almost half a dozen years that I lived in Southeast Asia, Malaysia was one of those next door neighbors that provided respite with its pristine blue waters, forest-covered expanses and inviting mountain peaks, all under the same roof, and more importantly, all under the same visa.

I came to love it as a country that has everything a traveler could want, sans vegetarian food perhaps. Here is a collection of three unique experiences spanning beaches, mountains and forests, that you probably can’t find anywhere in the region other than Malaysia:

1. MOUNT KINABALU: Climbing the world’s 20th highest mountain.

An outdoor treat for adventure lovers, Mount Kinabalu in Borneo is an amateur climb with gorgeous landscapes,  that peaks in a breathtaking sunrise. The first half of the climb takes you through high-cut steps, with the surroundings gradually transforming from tall trees to small shrubs, and typically takes 5-6 hours.

The more grueling second half starts at 2 am in the morning, when you set out on bare, sometimes vertical rocks, a torch fixed on your forehead to light the way, and ropes clutched in both your hands. You only know you’re heading up, oblivious of the straight fall below, because there’s no way turn your torch around.

At sunrise, you reach the Low Peak, 4, 095 meters, and feel like you own the world. You never forget the first rays of the sun that promise to keep you warm.

And if you’re a beginner at climbing, you never forget the adventure that is descending the vertical slopes, either. An overnight stay at Laban Rata to break the climb is compulsory, as is hiring a guide.

2. TAMAN NEGARA: Exploring the world’s oldest tropical rainforest.

If you’re game to get your hands (and feet) dirty, the jungles of Taman Negara National Park will charm you with their ancient canopies and unique biodiversity. You can seat yourself in a quiet corner of the jungle and fascinate yourself with hours of birdwatching. Or you can set out deep into the wilderness, where no one can promise what (who) you might find.

The limestone caves of Taman Negara aren’t for the faint-hearted. You could be a dodging a giant insect or caressing a bat on the roof of the cave, with only the dark protecting you. The Orang Asli tribes that live in the jungles of Taman Negara may not be easy to interact with directly, for more reason than the lack of a common language, but their nomadic settlements might inspire your wanderlust.

3. Pulau Perhentian: Snorkeling with sharks.

The more popularly known Malaysian beaches of Pulau Tioman & Pulau Redang might have waters almost as azure and underwater life almost as beautiful as Pulau Perhentian, but neither of the two offer you the chance to snorkel alongside black-tip sharks or smoke shisha on the beach on a night lit only by the moon and the stars, with the waters receding into low tide.

Your boatman will tell you that the sharks are not man-eaters, not until they’ve tasted human blood. You’ll believe him, cross your fingers that no human blood seeped into their territory while the boatmen were gone, put on your snorkeling mask, and begin your chase. You’ll feel your hair stand in the water when you catch your first glimpse, and be glad you survived to tell the tale.

Shivya Nath

29 Oct 2011

http://theshootingstar.wordpress.com/2011/10/29/malaysia-travel-adventures-blog/

Average Rating: 4.4 out of 5 based on 202 user reviews.

[ | | | | ]

by Roy -

Blend of modernization and archaism can be seen in Baguio of Philippines the popular holiday destination.  Lush vegetation and top-level cleanliness are the main reason for its popularity. The city is not only famous for tourism but it is also one of the main commercial core cities of Philippines. Baguio is a great holiday destination with the cool climate throughout the year. Stunning scenic views and lots of historical places made Baguio the most popular tourist spot of Philippines.

Burnham Park is one of the top parks in Baguio. This park is so popular among tourists as well as local people just because of its calm and peaceful environment. This feature of Burnham Park allures lots of people to organize picnics and also concerts. To entertain its visitors, there is a football field, athletic oval, an Orchidarium and also tennis and basketball courts.

Baguio Cathedral is quite majestic to capture the heart of its visitors. Its prime location on the top of the hill is also one of the main reasons of its popularity. The charming twin-spire structure also throws a great impression on the tourists.

Baguio Country Club is one of the most popular attractions for tourists in Baguio. This club has fantastic tennis court for the visitors as well as for its members.

Botanical Garden is another amazing attraction in Baguio. This garden has wonderful huts in its premises completely built up in Cordilleras’s architecture.

Camp John Hay is the prime attraction for tourists in Baguio. It was supposed to be the main recreational hub for US personnel but nowadays it is open to all the public. This astonishing place comprises of a swimming pool, a six lane bowling center, basketball and volleyball courts, seven food outlets and also six tennis courts.

The list of attractions in Baguio not ends here. Lourdes Grotto is one of the major religious landmarks in Baguio. This authentic place has an idol of the Lady of Lourdes. Grotto can be reached by climbing up about 252 steps. After reaching its top, one will sure forget his tiredness just by viewing a marvelous scenic beauty of the city.

Bell Church is famous for its outstanding architectural style and is situated on the border of Trinidad Valley and Baguio city. This clustered temple is the only place where all the different religions like Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucianism is worshipped together.

Mansion House is another attraction in Baguio to make place in the heart of its visitors. This house is good example similar to Buckingham Palace with its architectural style. Mines view Park is also the must-see place in Baguio. This park has lots of attractions for tourists but the main attraction is its Benguet’s gold and copper mines. Other destinations that can be explored and enjoyed in Baguio are Aguinaldo Museum, Bued River Gorge, Philippine Military Academy, Bridal Veil Falls, Tam-awan Village, Kennon Road, Mount Santo Tomas, Wright Park and Asin Hot Spring. But lots more are waiting for you!!

24 Dec 2011

http://blog.gohoto.com/

Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 151 user reviews.

[ | | | | ]

by Roy -

The United States is a big place with a lot of ground to cover. So what is buzzing for travellers in the coming year? Here are our top 10 picks for US destinations that should be on your radar in 2012.

US Virgin Islands
In a year when travellers are likely to still be watching their wallets, the US Virgin Islands are our number one choice for an American tropical getaway. The US territory is eternally warm,  rimmed with white-sand beaches on turquoise water, and each of the islands has their own identity. If you want a break from the resorts, St John is nearly two-thirds lush national park, with tent cabins amid trees and hikes to secluded beaches. This sadly may be the last year for the Maho Bay Camps, a long-standing eco-resort that is the place to stay if you are watching your budget; or try the St John Inn which offers great value rooms with kitchenettes. For more action, the previously inaccessible Hassel Island, now part of Virgin Islands National Park on St Thomas, can be explored by snorkel or kayak, and the Captain Morgan Rum Distillery on St Croix will open its new visitor centre in the spring.

Hudson River Valley, New York

Any visitor to New York City should spend a day or two in the Hudson River Valley, a slice of rural Americana just north of the city. Its leafy drives, wineries and farm-to-table food options draw even spoiled-for-choice Manhattanites. A favourite spot to stay is former B-52s singer Kate Pierson’s Lazy Meadow, a renovated 1950s cabin complex near Woodstock.

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 197 user reviews.

[ | | | | ]

by Roy -

 From left, Expensify, Concur and XpenseTracker.

Sometimes it’s not jet lag or missed connections that thwart business travellers – it’s filling out those tedious expense reports. Thankfully, a few smart phone apps are lessening the ordeal.

The three apps most often recommended for tracking expenses are Concur, Expensify and XpenseTracker. These apps allow you to automatically import bank account and credit card transactions into an easy-to-use expense report that meets IRS requirements. They make it a cinch to snap photos of your receipts, categorise them (such as by “entertainment” or “lodging”) and attach the images to a report, which can be edited later via the apps’ websites. The apps also produce files that are compatible with many small businesses’ accounting systems, such as QuickBooks. Lastly, the apps allow you to enter transactions in a variety of currencies and produce reports in a variety of formats, such as spreadsheets that you can import into software like Excel.

Each of the apps differ slightly from the others, so though they’re all highly rated and frequently downloaded, one may work best for you.

Concur is the largest North American company in the travel-and-expense management business, and its tracking products are used by more than 15, 000 corporations. This app may be best for anyone employed by a large company because its data has the greatest likelihood of being seamlessly compatible with their company’s expense-reporting system. Free for the basic version on Android, iPhone/iPad and Blackberry.

Expensify is an innovative, two-year-old app that has been downloaded more than 300, 000 times and has high ratings from its users, many of whom seem to be freelancers and entrepreneurs. It’s my personal favourite for its irreverent touches; for instance, its “submit report” button is named “telepathy activate!” Silliness aside, the app does an accurate, automatic job of reading the receipts you’ve uploaded, pairing expenditures with individual items listed in your online bank and credit card statements, and categorising your expenses. Free for the basic version on Android, iPhone/iPad and Blackberry.

XpenseTracker has an elegant design and clean user interface, making it extremely intuitive and quick to record mileage travelled and other details on the fly. Many experienced travellers sing its praises, including Pauline Frommer, the globetrotting creator of the award-winning guidebook series, who says she uses it “religiously”. The app stands out for producing sophisticated, PDF-formatted expense reports that are well-enough designed to make you look like a pro when you submit them to clients. (The reports of the other two apps mentioned above are less impressive when printed out and seem mainly useful for copying the information and re-entering it into an employer’s or client’s own forms.) One downside: XpenseTracker currently only works with Apple devices ($5 for iPhone/iPad).

19 Jan 2012

http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20120118-new-travel-apps-speed-up-expense-reporting

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 177 user reviews.

[ | | | | ]

by Roy -

When planning for a backpacking trip, most people try to create a budget of how much they think they are going to spend. While the flight, accommodations, and daily meals are often factored in, there are still many others expenses that still need to be covered. Here is a list of some of the expenses I’ve encountered in my travels that can add extra dollars to your budget.

Average Rating: 4.4 out of 5 based on 272 user reviews.

[ | | | | ]

by Roy -

What do Guimarães in Portugal and Maribor in Slovenia have in common, apart from that most people cannot find them on a map? This year, the pair of cities share the title of European Capital of Culture.

The medieval city of Guimarães was made a World Heritage Site in 2001.

More than 40 towns and cities have held the honour since Athens was named the first European Capital of Culture in 1985. Selected by an international panel of cultural experts, the aim of the title is to bring different European countries closer together by highlighting the diversity of their cultures.

Castelo de Guimaraes

Despite being often overshadowed by Oporto, just 30 minutes to the southwest, it makes sense that this year the committee selected the burgeoning cultural scene of Guimarães in northern Portugal. With around half of its inhabitants under age 30, Guimarães is one of Europe’s youngest cities, both in age and spirit. A boom of contemporary culture in recent years has revived its medieval streetscapes, a World Heritage Site since 2001.

Now the year-long European Capital of Culture program is set to bring even more life to Guimarães. The rich repertoire of events ranges from music, cinema and photography to fine arts, theatre and dance. More importantly, a crop of new openings, sparked and partly financed by the program, is about to give a further boost to the city’s cultural landscape.

Centro Cultural Vila Flor (CCVF) 

Centro Cultural Vila Flor (CCVF) kick-started the city’s cultural revival when it opened in 2005 in a striking modern building added onto a converted 18th-century palace. Events at this culture powerhouse include movie screenings, cafe concerts, theatre and art exhibits. This year, as part of the European Capital of Culture program, CCVF will present the second edition of GUIdance (1 to 11 February), an international dance festival showcasing major contemporary dance companies such as Belgium’s les Ballets C de la B, who are slated to open the festival with the world premiere of their new work, Au-delà.

The Center for Art and Architecture Affairs,  Guimarães

The Center for Art and Architecture Affairs, unveiled in October 2011 in a former textile factory, is the latest opening in Guimarães. The non-profit collective promotes interaction between various fields of creative expression, including visual arts, design, film, literature, media, performing arts and architecture. Upcoming events on the European Capital of Culture program include a conference focused on the work of John Cage (10 March to 28 April) and Frame Art,  a video art and experimental cinema festival (3 May to 8 July).

Plus there is more in the pipeline. Opening in March in a run-down part of town called Couros (named after the area’s once flourishing leather industry) is the Design Institute, a partnership between the municipality, the University of Minho and Portugal’s National Design Association. Its inaugural exhibit, part of the European Capital of Culture program, will focus on product design, specifically the relationship between traditional products and contemporary design.

Another notable opening this year, scheduled for June, is the Platform of Arts and Creativity in a former market, a multipurpose space dedicated to arts and various creative endeavours. It kicks off with an exhibition by Portuguese painter José de Guimarães, with pieces from his private collection of pre-Colombian, African and Chinese art.

José de Guimarães

The same month will see the opening of the House of Memory, located in an old plastic factory right next door to the Platform. This cultural institution will host an interactive display composed of memory-laden personal items donated by the people of Guimarães. It is designed to tell and preserve the history of the common people, an admirable effort in this world that forgets and changes so quickly.

Anja Mutic

11 Jan 2012

http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20120111-guimaraes-culture-boost

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 213 user reviews.

[ | | | | ]

by Roy -

It never takes long before people realize that Oporto (known to locals as Porto) is an extraordinary city. Perhaps they will be standing along the Douro River in Villa Nova de Gaia – the neighbourhood built and sustained by fortified port wine — captivated by the way Portugal’s second largest city looks like a pop up town, with medieval relics, soaring bell towers, extravagant baroque churches and stately beaux-arts buildings piled on top of one another, illuminated by streaming shafts of sun.

Or maybe it will be the quiet moments that grab them: the slosh of the Douro against the docks, the snap of laundry lines drying in river winds, the shuffle of a widow’s feet against the cobblestone, the sight of young lovers tangled in the notch of a graffiti bombed wall, the sound of wine glasses clinking under a full moon.

Yes, Porto is a tumbledown and artistic, historic and young, wine-drenched town that can make you weak in the knees in hundreds of different ways. Consider just three.

The night is alive

Porto is a college town, and the narrow cobblestone streets just north of Rua das Carmelitas, especially Rua Galeria de Paris, fill with young nocturnal marauders for an all-out street party on warm summer nights and on weekends throughout the year. Rockers and bohemians pile into Plano B, where the upstairs art gallery and cafe are atmospheric and social, but the cosy basement is kinetic with international indie rock, DJs, performance art and engaging theatre.

Guerrilla art

Maybe it is some postmodern, evolutionary art cycle, wherein the city chooses its worthy, salvageable relics and lets street artists fix the rest, but three-dimensional scrawl appears everywhere in Porto, on garage doors, crumbling ancient walls, empty storefront glass and neglected stucco. Here, a stencilled pilgrim; there, a cloaked bodhisattva. There is no getting around it — when graffiti tolerance is this high, it becomes a sort of passive celebration. And in Porto the graffiti deserves to be celebrated. It is massive, ubiquitous and spectacular, especially at Lapa Metro Station.

Classic flavour

Roast Veal Dinner

Tucked into a tight corner of the Unesco-certified Ribeira district, A Grade (Rua da Saoicolau 9, 223-321-130) is a humble family operation and a masterwork of traditional fare. Padre Ferreira works the room with a beaming smile and generous pours of tawny port. Madre Elena prefers her tiled kitchen where she bakes octopus in butter and wine, and presents special roast veal dinners in gorgeous casseroles alongside sautéed kale and crispy potatoes. The meal ends with free nips of Padre’s house-aged aguardiente (Portuguese brandy) then guests are released and drawn to the banks of that ever present Douro River: a sheet of dimpled glass reflecting a glittering, dreamy city.

Adam Skolnick

10Jan 2012

http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20120110-urban-treasures-in-oporto

Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 based on 220 user reviews.

[ | | | | ]