Berlin - something for everyone

When you visit Berlin, it feels as if you're part of something special.  The history is rich and haunting.  

We started our journey in Mitte, the historical central area and headed east towards Alexanderplatz.  This is a large square and travel hub and the Berliner Fernsehturm (TV tower) is easily accessible from here for 360'C panoramic views of the city.  

From here we proceeded past the Holocaust memorial, a striking area with around 2700 concrete pillars or varying heights designed by Peter Eisenman, towards the Brandenburg Gate.  We stopped off for a snack at Reinhard's, a stylish bistro decorated in 1920s style. 

We stopped off at Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous crossing point along the Berlin Wall and wandered around the area, taking in the history.

That evening we sampled great Bavarian fare, Bratwurst, sauerkraut, dumplings and pork. The food was magnificent!

The next day we ventured outside the city centre to the East Side Gallery.  The colourful art on this stretch of the Wall is really wonderful and my favourite experience in Berlin.

We took a cruise tour from Museum Island and the ride along the river Spree was a wonderful way to take in the sights.

Berlin truly is a great city.  Whether you're after the great dance music culture, history & museums, shopping or just a relaxing break, there is something for everyone.

New York in 2 days!

Day One

We started the day at Circle West Diner in Midtown.  What a great place!  The pancakes were amazing!

Next we headed to Times Square to pick up our City Sights bus tour tickets and meet a wonderful friend I hadn't seen in 13 years!

New York awaits!  The bus took us through the Garment District, Macy's, past the Empire State Building, Greenwich and down to Ground Zero.  The bus was a great way to get around but be warned in winter they are still open top and there is no heating at all downstairs or upstairs!

We went to the World Trade Centre Memorial to pay our respects before lunching at the wonderful Blue Smoke in Battery Park City.  Jeff and I shared the Rhapsody n Cue, a true barbecue treat...

As part of the bus tour, a river cruise is included and to escape the frosty day we took the hour long tour.  A live guide gives information about the sites and the cruise is really great for photo opportunities passing under the Brooklyn Bridge and stopping a few hundred yards away from the Statue of Liberty.

After a toilet stop in the wonderful Conrad hotel, we walked to Wall Street to see the Bull and embarked back on the bus to East Village via South St Seaport.

As fans of the TV show Diners, Drive-Inns and Dives, we couldn't come to New York without visiting a place highlighted on the show.  The Brindle Room did not disappoint, with the house burger and daily specials.

We tried to walk off some of our amazing dinner across town to Greenwich Village where we sampled the NY Jazz scene at the Village Vanguard before calling it a day.

Day Two

We started the day at the Time Warner Centre at Colombus Circle.  The Whole Foods store had an amazing choice of fresh fruit, baked goods and healthy cereal options for breakfast.  The Colombus Circle Christmas Market was out so we browsed the stalls while waiting for a bus to take us uptown.  The City Sights Uptown tour takes you past the Lincoln Centre, points out where John Lennon was shot, through to Mornington Heights and on to Harlem.  

After passing (a rather derelict looking) Apollo Theatre we alighted at the Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market.  We were promised a vibrant market by the guide books.  Alas. At just before midday only a few stalls were fully open,all displaying similar items.  It was a big surprise and rather disappointing!  If you only have 2 days in New York you can give this a miss!

Back in Manhattan, we stopped at Pret A Manger for refuelling before heading to the Rockefeller Centre.  As a fan of 30 Rock, I was delighted!

The Christmas tree and ice rink were up with giant Christmas tree decorations scattered around.  So exciting!  Here's me standing under Atlas...

Alas our trip to the Top of the Rock had to be cancelled due to zero visibility. The tickets (bought online in my great organisation) were non refundable so we were really disappointed, but a credit voucher valid for a year was given.  Silly weather.

We walked along 5th Avenue to cheer ourselves up and stopped at Bryant Market to buy some lovely prints of the city.  We ended a great day at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.  What a beautiful theatre, what talented Rockettes!

Farewell Manhattan, we've had the time of our lives!

Auckland Beaches

One sunny but chilly Friday in early spring, we set out on a beach tour of southern Auckland.

First stop, Bucklands Beach.  Hidden behind suburbia, Bucklands is a quiet pebble beach only 50m from the roadside.  There is a dairy for snacks and a few restaurants and toilet facilities nearby.  We happily tucked into our buns and cokes and enjoyed the views.

Next stop was Eastern beach nearby.  With a large car park, toilets and picnicking facilities, this must be a summertime favourite.  In early September though, we had the beach to ourselves and especially enjoyed the shade of a large tree.

With lunchtime approaching, we took a longer drive to Maraetai where we stopped to have fish and chips for lunch from the beachside cafe.  The seagulls seemed keen on our food too!  Maraetai is a great beach to visit, with picnic spots, childrens' playground and boating facilities nearby.

Our final stop was Beachlands. What better way to end the day than with an ice cream!  We drove to the fascinating marina and walked around to see the boats.  The local dairy stocks ice-creams and there are cafes and restaurants to enjoy the local feeds and views. On our way back to the car we watched the boats being stored in the yard with a huge crane - stacking boat upon boat.

Such a splendid day!  Can only imagine what it's like in the summertime!

Safe Surf Spots for Beginners

What can I say?  We became thrill seekers later in life than most! 

We first decided to try out surfing after my better half went on a school trip to Devon, UK where among activities like abseiling and canoeing they had the chance to try surfing.

We booked a B&B in Croyde, Devon in August 2012.  Not quite Maui...

But with the help of a two hour class with Surf South West, we even managed to stand on our boards by the end of the lesson.  The next day we opted for boogie boards instead and drove to the nearby Putsborough Beach.  The sun had come out and we hired wetsuits for the day and took to the surf.

 

 

It was a while until we next had the opportunity to use our newly acquired board skills... so we decided to start over.  When looking for a mini break for the late May Bank holiday in 2014, Ericeira in Portugal came up as a great surf spot.  Luckily my work colleague Ana from Portugal enquired as to our surf skill level and advised us to try Costa da Caparica instead.  Ericeira is a great spot... if you've had more than one previous lesson!

We were amazed by Costa da Caparica.  Situated just outside Lisbon in the Almada region, there is just stretch after stretch of white sandy beaches.

End of May is not quite the tourist season yet in Portugal so we booked an hour long lesson for only Euro 10 each (including board and wetsuit) at Lufi Surf School, just opposite the entrance to Hotel Costa da Caparica where we stayed. 

The weather wasn't the warmest so we explored the nearby beaches.  We stopped at Praia de Castelo and enjoyed a delicious lunch cooked on an outdoor barbeque before stopping for coffee at the furthest point at Kailua, Fonte da Telha where we admired the wind surfers.

We had to give it another go so in August 2014, we spent a night in Raglan, New Zealand - a small beachside town close to Hamilton.  We opted for a supervised lesson rather than a beginners lesson from Raglan Surf School and were very proud to stand on almost every attempt.  If only we could surf every weekend!! 

After our lesson we were ravenous so stopped off at Thabun bakery in Raglan town for hot chips.  We retired to our lovely Dreamcatcher Lodge for the night.

On the way home we stopped at Manu Bay which has the longest left-hand break in the world.  We aspire to catch a wave here someday.

 

We had lunch at The Shack for lunch before heading to the Bridal Veil Falls just out of town.  Hubby took a selfie, my fear of heights meant I could only listen but not look!

 

 

Happy surfing all, and remember to always stay in the designated areas to avoid rips...

8 things to do in Budapest in 2 days in June

1.  Start your day with a Starbucks just outside St Stephen's Basilica.  

2.  Hop on the hop on/hop off bus and head towards Heroes' Square

3.  Rent a boat in the City Park nearby

4.  Continue the bus tour towards Buda Castle

5.  Enjoy the Castle grounds, stop off for a snack!

6.  Catch the ferry on the Danube towards Margaret Island

7.  Have dinner at Menza in Liszt Ferenc Square

8.  Spend the morning at Szecheny Baths - spoil yourself with a massage!

Thank you Budapest for 2 great days!  

Lookng for Paradise? Try Tulum

Tulum in the Mayan Riviera, Mexico is well known for the Maya ruins.  This archaeological site overlooks the ocean, with access to the beach below.  Be sure to take a hat!

Nearby, is the snorkelling spot of Akumal, where close to the beach you can see turtles swimming at their leisure.  Pack eco-friendly sunscreen to preserve this natural haven.

But the real gem along the coastline, just 25km south of Playa del Carmen is la Playa Xpuha.  The beach front restaurant serves authentic Mexican cuisine, from tacos to seafood.  Spend the day on the beach or chill out in a hammock

or grab a swing at the bar and sample the selection of cocktails

 La Playa Xpuha is the perfect place to chill out, soak up the sun and enjoy the beach!