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: 4.8 out of 5 based on 173 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Justin Rabindra. Justin is a Manager with an Advertising Agency in Delhi. He is also an avid traveler and photographer.

One of the things we look forward to on our travels is the food. A lot of planning goes into which restaurant we’ll go to and what we’ll eat. At Tallinn last year we had German beer for the first time. It was honey flavoured, thick and dark with a sweet after-taste. We followed it up with an 8 pound steak. People were drinking beer off steins that I couldn’t have lifted with one hand. That beef and beer meal alone was worth the choppy ferry ride across the Baltic from Helsinki. Kingfisher ain’t anywhere near making a world-class beer. And with the beef slaughter ban, you can only dream of a juicy steak.

For the majority of Indians food is a source of tension that starts the moment they get on a flight, because most of us are vegetarians. Travel agents automatically tick ‘Hindu meal’ without checking first and that’s miserable for us, because you end up with some bland roti and sabzi and gulab jamun while the guy in the next seat tucks into roast pork and mashed potatos and blueberry cheesecake.
Blueberry Cheesecake
I think you miss an essential part of travelling when you are closed to trying the local fare. We’ve discovered flavours, smells and experiences with food that I wouldn’t exchange for anything. In China at one time, at Huangshan (near the famous Yellow Mountains) we struggled to order lunch at a restaurant – the menu was in Chinese and no one spoke English. We just walked around the tables and pointed to the customers’ dishes that looked most appealing. One guy even offered to let us taste from his bowl of soup, which we politely declined. Turned out the best Chinese we’d ever had.
This photo is a shot I took from the tallest church tower in Tallinn, Estonia, after walking up hundreds of steps.
Justin Rabindra
3 Apr 2010
http://justinrabindra.blogspot.com/

Average Rating: 4.7 out of 5 based on 268 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Rupali Dean. Rupali is a noted travel & food writer based in Toronto, Canada

Foodies like me can’t help but marvel at the most sensitive palates and the diversity and abundance of food available in France. That said it’s also because in France chefs are not only respected but worshipped too, so much so that even streets are named after them! The cuisine certainly belongs to its chefs who are constantly improving upon the past resulting in professionalism par excellence.

FRENCH PASTRY

My first trip to Paris a few years ago, had left me gawking at every pastry window, thinking one required super natural powers to make such perfect gems, after graduating from a cooking school , I realized it’s not that difficult after all! Interestingly during the second empire, Jeanne Souchard, Ernest Laduree’s wife and daughter of a famous hotel-keeper in Rouen had the idea to mix styles hence the café and the cake shop gave birth to “Laduree” one of the first and finest Parisian tea rooms. The menu runs the Gamut from Traditional Croissants, Pretzel, Sandwiches, salads, and short crust pastries to the best Macaroons in town. At “Dalloyau” too, the pastry chefs make pastries that look like jewels and taste like ecstasy. Macaroons are a specialty here with flavours like velvet-black currant, liquorice, raspberry, lemon, morello cherries to name a few.

THE SPECIALITIES

Foie Gras (pronounced fwä-grä) aka French for ‘fatty liver’ is a rich and buttery gourmet delicacy made from the liver of a duck or goose. For the French, it is not just a familiar ingredient, but an intricate part of the historical and cultural heritage of the people. Pate with Melba toast accompanied with Solera sweet wine from the Champagne region makes a winning combination. You cannot talk of French food and not mention the cheese, the most popular being the delicate and salty Camembert which tastes best with the Baguette (France’s best bread!). My personal favourite cheese however is the reach creamy and flavourful Boursin, absolutely stunning and tastes great with almost everything.

WINE GALORE

It is no secret that one of the best cuisines in France occurs in some of the finest wine regions. In Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Provence, Touraine, the wine is as common in the cooking process and is cheaper than water. Interestingly in 2010 Atout France published a survey that concluded that being accommodated at and sharing meals with winegrowers are top of the wine-tourists priorities after wine, visiting wine purchase, cellar and museum visits and exploration of landscapes.
Beautiful Bottles of Beaujolais
Indeed Gastronomy is an integral part of the French cultural heritage as much as the arts!

FAST FACTS

• Exploring France involves all your senses.

• Not stuck in its ways, but focused on modernity.

• A new generation of chefs are making their own passionate, original and flavoursome cuisine.

• Bistronomie is the latest concept.

• Know-how and tips are passed down from mother to daughter through the generations, maintain the tradition of “eating well” with the family!

DID YOU KNOW?

France is the first country to be honoured by UNESCO for its national food and cuisine. In order to honour this living heritage of French Gastronomy, “Fete de la Gastronomie”, a food festival has been created which will take place on the first day of Autumn each year across the country!

Rupali Dean

28 Oct 2011

http://rupalideantraveller.blogspot.com/

Average Rating: 4.4 out of 5 based on 214 user reviews.

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by Roy -

Yes, being safe is the usual choice when it comes to eating out whilst you are travelling. Well, you really don’t want an upset stomach in the midst of your a trek in the Namibian desert or a stay in the village where the nearest doctor would probably be miles away.

The safe traveller would pack in couple of packets of dried nuts, fruits, chips and resort to heading out to the nearest burger joint. And yes, I do agree that packing a sandwich or a burger over trying out the local flavor always seems the right way to go especially when you are face with a menu of unknown dishes. Paani-puri? Anago-meshi? Uova con tartufi? “Um, I’ll take a sandwich and a salad to go”

But, I’ve always felt that the best way to sink your feet into the local culture is experimenting and what better way than the local cuisine. There is an instant connect – bang on when you sample the local delicacy just like every one else. You throw off the mantle of being ‘just another tourist’ and don on the ‘locale flavor. So how do you do it…well, it’s pretty simple!  Take a cue from the locals when looking for the perfect dish to try. Look around. See what the crowd is gorging on.  Smile. Point. And Indulge!!!

And ofcourse, a bold and brave taste buds are essential; in some cases, an iron stomach is encouraged.

Arepas of Colombia

Colombia might be the only Latin American country where rice is more important than corn. But Colombians have a special place in their heart for the cornmeal cakes they call arepas. If you’ve never had the pleasure, imagine corn bread with a more delicate crumb that’s been flattened into a pancake, filled with cheese or egg, and griddled or fried to form a brown, crispy crust. Each bite sends butter streaking down your chin and, for Colombians, inspires memories of abuela at the stove. For the best, fly down to Cartegena…head to the nearby soccer field, where a gaggle of ladies sell carimañolas (yuca fritters filled with ground beef), empanadas, and most importantly, those fabulous arepas.

Sago’t gulaman of Philippines

One of the beautiful things about the Philippines is the love for food everyone has. And a must try local delicacy is Sago’t Gulaman – walking around local markets, you would find street food vendors with their moveable food cart serving hungry lines of mouths just waiting for a bite to eat of this local delicacy. Sago’t Gulaman is a mix of sago and agar agar in a sugary caramelized liquid. This dark colored refreshment is sweet to the taste and filling with all of the sago and gelatin like cubes. Top it up with a cantaloupe juice – where the melon is so sweet….strips of the cantaloupe meat float around your cup, so you get some with each sip you take. If you finish all of the juice, the cantaloupe strips are layered right in the bottom of your cup, all ready to be snacked on.

Average Rating: 5 out of 5 based on 294 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Cyrus Dadachanji, an avid food journalist, storyteller, non-fiction film and TV scriptwriter, researcher, advertising copywriter and poet, based in Mumbai

If you thought dining out in London meant eating Fish ‘n’ Chips, you’re in for the surprise of your life!

Welcome to London. A bustling, throbbing megapolis that is a delight for the senses in every sense of the word. If you love food, this is the city of your dreams. Name any cuisine and you’ll find it here. Not surprpising that the humble Indian Chikken Tikka has been voted as the most popular dish in Britain. That in itself says a lot for the adventurous nature of the British palate, tired of being brought up on a diet of bland roasted food. The new mantra in London seems to be… the more exotic the better. And restauraunteers have taken traditonal British hospitality to its logical end, falling over backwards to cater to these newly evolved tastebuds. So, let’s go on a gastronomical tour de force of London’s restaurants, one cuisine at a time.

When in Britain… well if you followed that dictum, you’d probably end up eating almost everything except British food. However, food represents the nature of a country and its people, lets tuck in to a little Brit grub, to begin with. Britain lives in its pubs and that’s where you’ll nvariably find the best pub grub. Check out The Anglesea Arms near the Ravenscourt Park tube station. This is one of the few pubs to have a Michelin star (which is the highest rating for resaturants in Britain). You can have a good meal for around 12 – 15 £. With dishes like calves’ liver, which melts in the mouth, the food is nothing short of adventurous and consistently good. Try having two starters instead of a main course and you’ll never be disappointed. Not for nothing has the Anglesea Arms has been voted s one of the best Value for Money establishments in the city. If you’re in the mood for some excellent roast duck, drop in at The Chiswick, near the Turnham Green Tube station. It’s a modern sort of restaurant with a pleasant amibience and an excellent selection of of new world wines, making it the perfect place to sup one evening.
While Mackintosh’s near Turnham Green station is a great place to take the kids along Try their Eggs Benedict and Curried Potatoes for a hearty Sunday Brunch. You can give the kids bowls of pasta to mess around with – and the restaurant stocks crayons so they can draw on the paper tablecloths! Stick to the food here and the ales; don’t experiment with the cocktails. Of course, in most British resturants, you’ll find the typical pot roast, steak and kidney pie and the ever popular fish ‘n’ chips or kippers (mackerel)… but there are many more culinary delicacies waiting to be discovered.

“The nice thing about dining out in London however is that there are restaurants to suit every budget, even among what may be called speciality resturants.”

Steak & Kidney Pie

For those who like their food lightly flavoured, with a hint of herbs, London has a fine selection of European and French restaurants. The nice thing about dining out in London however is that there are restaurants to suit every budget, even among what may be called speciality resturants. What’s more, most resturants, especially the Continental ones create an ambience of sophistication, blended with authentic décor. So tuck in your serviettes messeieurs and take a seat, while the aromas of Europe tease you and the food tittilates your tastebuds. But be sure to book a table well in advance, for some exclusive restaurants have a 6 week waiting list!

Granita, near Angel Tube Station all the makings of a terrific restaurant. The ambience is perfect, the service, impeccable and the food, simply divine. A mouth watering menu is backed up by perfect service. If you’re a vegetarian and wondering wheteher you should step in, there’s a good range of vegetarian dishes that are equally inspiring. But just make sure you call up and book a table, because Granita is very popular with the people in the neighbourhood.

Step out of London proper to the neigbouring borough of Kent and you can dine under the stars, with a gurgling brook serenading you as you tuck into your meal. Welcome to the Haxted Riverside Brasserie near Haxted, Edenbridge (main line). Few restaurants can beat the Brasserie in terms of ambience, service and the quality of the food served here. What’s more, the locale and the climate give your appetite the boost it will need to knock off the huge portions. Back in the city,  The Abingdon is a trendy bar and restaurant nestled behind Kensinghton High street. The bar is spacious with seating at round tables and the ideal place for a drink if your table is not ready. The restaurant has quiet booths which are very comfortable and intimate, but still alow you to see what’s going on around you. The menu changes regularly, so you never know what you may find on your nextt visit. For starters, try the mussels mariniere and carpaccio of beef with a walnut dressing. The Abingdon has an exotic menu which includes Grilled noisettes of lamb with mustard sauce, brochette of scallops and squid with lemon tagliatelle and rabbit pie. They have a lemon creme brulee and rice pudding with berry compote on the desert list and both are simply out of this world… as is most of the food served here. So, if you’d like to taste European food, as it really should be cooked, the Abingdon is your best bet.

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 300 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Aashish Gupta, founder of Yellowleg.com — The Discerning Traveller’s Bookstore

Travelling with family and friends is fun but there is a different thrill altogether if you happen to be a solo traveller. Here are some of the things you must keen in mind while travelling alone though.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime — Mark Twain.

Isn’t Mark Twain absolutely fantastic with his witty yet truthful one-liners? I am currently reading the book The Innocents Abroad written by him, which unveils the true spirit of travelling and is undoubtedly one of the best books ever written about excursions away from home.

So how does one start? I am sure you must have been to lot of places, met lot of different people and have enjoyed your travel. Were you there with friends? Family? Friends and Family? If yes, I am sorry to say but you might have missed that special novelty the place had to offer.

Consider this, what if you are given an opportunity to go somewhere you’ve never been before? And that too you’re asked to travel all alone! What do you say to yourself?

Surprisingly, I come across majority of people who usually end up responding to that question as ‘Yaar, main wahan akela jaa’ke kya karunga? (What do I do there alone?)’ and snub that opportunity which could have given them more rewarding experiences than they possibly could ever imagine.

And to your surprise, you may never know when travelling alone taught you to reach out to strangers and be compassionate and empathetic towards people around.

So have an open mind and the next time when you plan a vacation, think about travelling solo and take that leap! I’m sure you won’t regret it!

So how can you travel alone? What things to pack up? What to do while you’re alone? Read on.

Sounds too cliched, right? But it’s not. It’s really very important to have the information handy before you visit any unknown place.

Find about the culture, people, food, the local laws and the best time to visit. This will make you confident and fearless enough about the unknown factor.

If possible, get a local map and be sure that you carry it around every time.

Maps usually help create a mental image where you’re going.

Moreover, if you’re just more inquisitive, you can visit online forums where you can just post a specific query about the place you want to go and within minutes you’ll have it answered.

Guidebooks also usually provide a list of local police station, hospital, emergency cab service numbers. Better safe than sorry!

Tip: Websites like WikiTravel, Lonely Planet, Wikipedia can be of great help. Lonely Planet has an array of books published on almost all the international destinations. Pick one and you’re ready to go! Remember, the more information you have about the place, the better you can deal with any given situation.

Budgeting is an art. What kind of a traveller are you? Do you shop on impulse? Or you buy things ONLY when you need them? Do you like to splurge? Or a shoestring budget is more than enough?

When you know yourself better, you can spend better. Deciding a budget and sticking to it is one of the best way hone your self-discipline skills.

For instance: You must decide how much you want to spend every day: Room/Dorm rent – Rs. 500, food – Rs500 for and Rs. 500 for miscellaneous expenses, if any.

So a budget of Rs. 10, 000 is more than enough for a weeklong trip. You can always save at times where you really can.

It really doesn’t make much sense if you rent out an expensive yet luxurious room and you’re out all day seeing places. Rather you can always go for a dormitory, which is usually comes at 1/10th rate of a luxurious room and can become another place where you can socialize a bit.

If you take a dorm, I am sure you’ll have lot of interesting people around you from different walks of life. Just another way to enjoy your journey! So it all depends upon you the kind of choice you want to make.

Tip: Budgeting can leave you stressed. Just to make it simpler, set your priorities as in what you really want out of your trip. One more thing, every choice will come with its price. So be it having a beer or exotic food, ensure that you know how much you’re spending on what, keep a tab!

Ask yourself what is it that you really need? Asking this over and over while packing can be of great help.

From regular clothes you wear, to goggles, sandals, shoes, socks, deodrants, soaps, cosmetics and some heavy ones like cameras, batteries, chargers, books are something you can think about.

If you’re going to a city, you can always buy things whenever you need them. Stuffing your backpack with all the things that you use every day will only leave your backpack way too heavy and you being worn out carrying it along. Rather than taking 2-3 pairs of jeans, you can always go for cotton trousers or khakis that are light and comfortable.

Tip: Whatever you’re packing, ensure that you travel light. Always! Since you may never know when you might miss a bus, train or even a plane. So carrying around that loaded baggage with you can give you a tough time. You never want to be left frustrated with pondering over why you packed so much!

When you’re alone you can be yourself. But soon there will be time when you will realise that you feel awkward being alone, you search around and there’s no one to talk to, no one to share with what you’re up to, how and what are you feeling and the list goes on. Don’t lose heart and stay bold!

There’s a way to deal with it, what I do is I simply jot down whatever things I faced all day including anger, happiness, excitement, loneliness whatever in my travelogue. It helps me cope up with myself. And the next day I start afresh!

Whatever things you are experiencing you can write them down before the day ends, and soon you’ll start appreciating it.

This method may or may not work for you, but within first couple of days of your travel, I am sure you’ll find your own ways to deal with your emotions!

Soon you’ll start to enjoy being with yourself and that’s when you enjoy things around you.

Travel is one of the best ways to self-discovery; it’s the best teacher where the world is your classroom.

Carpe Diem!

There are many more things that can be written here. I wish to cut this article short by quoting few lines by Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!
Today is your day,
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

Yes, you’re off and away!

Bon Voyage!

Aashish Gupta

2011

http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-travel-travelling-solo-4-tips-to-remember/20111111.htm

Average Rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 253 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Meenakshi Bhalla, a Businesswoman  and a travel writer, based in Mumbai, India

Of course travel entails physical movement from one place to another. But some of the most experiential ways to travel is of course the culinary travel, one of my most favourite ways to see and smell and experience the new cultures.

Macaroni Bechamel

Egypt was a delight of a discovery if the cuisine appeals to the palate, like it did for me. Egyptian cuisine consists of the local culinary traditions of Egypt and makes great use of vegetables and sprouts of many kinds. Probably because of the rich Nile delta that produces large quantities of high quality crops.

Bread forms the backbone of Egyptian cuisine, consumed by all classes is largely accompanied with beans. Bread was central to all food in Egypt, just as much as the roti or rice is as a staple to India. Infact an interesting anecdote was narrated to me about breads in Egypt – more than an occasional fight has broken out over bread, leading to fear of bread riots in Egypt. So yep bread is serious business there. Very central to food consumption.

Egyptian Kushari

The one dish that caught my fancy so totally in Egypt was Kushari made of lentils, rice, macaroni, chickpeas and tomato sauce and yummy fried crisp onion shavings as toppings to add the right crunch to a tasty wholesome meal. For a vegetarian this dish is full of goodness and nutrition, tasty and has a delicate flavour, very close to home grown food for me:)The other favourite of mine was and is the fresh herbs mixed with spicy tomato salad (almost like the salsa) which is stuffed in aubergines and then baked or deep fried in butter. Lip smacking yummy! Mulukhiyya is another popular green soup made of finely chopped leaves, coriander and fried garlic that gives it the bite needed for the locals to feel the food. I find the garlic to be over powering and hence not one of m most favoured among the many dishes I absolutely loved there.

While I was there and did not partake in the non veg fare I could see that non veg food is a way of life there just as much as eating fresh vegetables is. In many nations I have seen people slant one way or another but in Egypt the Egyptians eat in a balanced manner, the kebabs and the koftas are accompanied with a healthy helping of veggies and salads that make for wholesome food.

The other dishes that blew me away so completely – the famous rice dish! It’s a dish where spicy rice is stuffed into vegetables like bell peppers. Absolutely divine and melts in the mouth experience. Then it can also be prepared with rice and tomatoes which in turn is rolled in grapevine leaves and is unmistakably tangy in taste. The same preparation had a variation – can be made in cabbage leaves if you cant deal with the tanginess of the grapevine leaves (I prefer the cabbage leaves) – I found this dish delectable. It is time consuming labour of love, but the ultimate result is a craft and precision that allows for a gastronomic delight.

Asbusa

If you think India is delight for the sweet toothed, think again, India has competition! I went into a pretty similar halwai shop (like our very own Chappan Bhog or Ghasitaram) and the result was I brought back kilos and kilos of fabulous sweets from Egypt into India through customs! The deserts are to absolutely die for! Their pastries and puddings dripping in honey, soft and gentle, tatse that makes you want to over indulge and give 2 hoots about calory intake! Mahallabiya is the Egyptian version of Indian kheer (milk pudding) , Asbusa is like a lovely flaky cookie to have with a good cup of coffee, Asabi gullash has lots of nuts, spices and syrup , these are little finger food snacks and is …yum. Baklava is made in ghee and is horrifically rich, sinful, divine and demands a second helping! As you can tell the food in Egypt is wide varied and something you fall in love with very easily. Basbousa another favourite of mine – a semolina cake coconut based (and to think of it I am not really too fond of Indian coconut based sweets but loved this Egyptian sweet!) with almond, vanilla, rosewater. The true test of good food is when a vegetarian like me endorses that food:)

If I don’t stop writing right away, I will be adding more weight to myself just thinking about all this food. So! My closing thoughts … while all that you have heard of Egypt about its mysticism and what not is true but the real Egypt lies in the food – give me my last morsel from Egypt and I will reach jannat!

Meenakshi Bhalla

2009

http://meetravels.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-03-29T08:08:00-07:00&max-results=10

Average Rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 195 user reviews.

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by Roy -

Before going, certainly going on a trip it helps to know what make the run, stress-free experience. Learn how to avoid wasting precious vacation time and how to travel within your budget while and this certainly is while getting the actual most out of your vacation.

Join in travel or like something else an automobile club can, certainly can save you like as in yourself money on maps, hotels,  car rentals, visits to museums, fairs, exhibits, galleries businesses, etc. Creating an itinerary will, like actually will save money, time and headaches.

Some people think that, certainly that planning ahead of time takes the actual fun out of travelling and makes it less adventurous. Nothing could be, and really be further from the actual truth. Take note of this part, it pays to be prepared.

Create Travel itinerary

Determine how many as in lot days you like as in yourself will travel. Mark List of the actual towns and places you like as in yourself plan to visit. Road map find how many as in lot miles you like as in yourself have to travel between towns, calculate how much time it will, like actually will take to travel. record on your itinerary.

On the actual internet find points of interest you like as in yourself want to visit along the actual way. Look for museums, historical monuments,  national parks, state parks, fairs, exhibits, galleries, etc. Record on your itinerary. Decide which places you like as in yourself want to visit, how much time it will, like actually will take to visit and how much time it will, like actually will take to get there. Record on your itinerary.

Decide how far you like as in yourself want to travel every day. This determines where you like as in yourself will spend the actual night. Record towns on your itinerary.

Look for hotels at your destination on the actual internet. Wait to make reservations until your itinerary has been, actually been finalized. For each travel day record: where you like as in yourself will start the actual day how many as in lot miles you like as in yourself will travel which laces/events you like as in yourself will visit where you like as in yourself will spend the actual night? how much money you like as in yourself will spend that, certainly that day for food, lodging and events.

Review and revise your list. Make sure to keep this is in mind. Ask, will you like as in yourself have enough time to do all the actual things you like as in yourself want to d.ill you like as in yourself have enough vacationday.ake changes as well as necessary. Figure out your budget: add up the actual cost of hotels, events/activities/ how much money you like as in yourself will need for food, gas and fun spending.

Add up the actual total projected cost of your trip and make adjustments if you like as in yourself find that you like as in yourself are going, certainly going over your travel budget. After you like as in yourself have create.inal budget, make hotel reservations.

Take Copy of your tour itinerary and leave another copy at home for your family or like something else friends. Take note of this part, include the actual phone numbers of the actual lodgings where you like as in yourself will be, and really be staying so they know where to find you like as in yourself in case of an emergency.

Raj Aryan

25 Jun 2010

http://blogs.rediff.com/peoplefav/2010/06/25/how-to-travel-smart/

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