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The local cuisine in Santa Fe, NM is unique.  Locals will tell you adamantly that it is “New Mexican” and not Mexican food, and they are very right.

Vibrant, unique flavors and interesting textures permeated my meals while I was visiting Santa Fe.  Here are some ideas about food in Santa Fe , New Mexico that will please your palate!

La Choza Restaurant in Santa Fe, NM:

My first (and best!) meal during my short time in Sante Fe left me almost ready to head to the store to pick up some antacids, which I forgot to pack (you would think that after all of the spicy food that I ate in Thailand, it would have been no big deal, but being pregnant has given me a new respect for hot chiles and what they can do to my digestive system).

I explained to the waitress as she refilled my water glass for the umteenth time that we just don’t have many foods this spicy in Minnesota (we are bunch of Swedish and Norweigeian immigrants eating casserole, don’t cha know?)

My meal at La Choza was a perfect introduction to New Mexican cuisine.  It is the sister restaurant to the popular Shed, located in the plaza in the historic district of downtown Sante Fe.

Unlike its older sister, this restaurant is laid back, easy going and has easy parking.  It was recommended to us by fellow travel bloggers at Santa Fe Travelers who are experts on this unique and historic city.

So, lets cut right to the chase.  The food.

Pinto Beans: New Mexican cuisine has raised the humble pinto bean from something easily forgotten as one moves on to the main course to an experience to remember.

The pinto beans were not like the refried pinto beans that you have come to expect in a Mexican restaurant.  They were still whole, and cooked with some delightful spices that were just enough to give them some personality.  The texture was perfect – creamy without being mushy, melting in the mouth.

Posole: I had never had posole before.  Posole is a traditional Mexican stew that is made of hominy corn (field corn soaked in lime, a traditional food preparation technique of many indigenous cultures) cooked with meat (usually pork or chicken), chiles and other spices.  While it had its own unique flavor and personality, the earthy taste of the corn accented all of the other dishes on the plate perfectly.

Carne Avovada:  Bright red and fiery in both taste and appearance, the flavors of the Carne Avovada exploded like little fireworks on my tongue.

A stew made with pork or chicken cooked with a mixture of chiles and other spices until it is fall apart tender.  It can be served on its own, or as a filling for enchiladas, burritos or other new-mexican staples.

The pork on La Chosa’s Carne Avovada felt like it was melting on my tongue, giving a contrasting softness to the intense flavors of the chiles.

Chile Sauce: What would a meal be in Santa Fe without some chile sauce?  I opted for the green chile sauce, as the waiter had suggested that it was less spicy than the red.  It came ladled generously over my blue corn enchilada.

I think that the miraculous thing about chile sauce (and in my opinion, particularly green chile sauce) is its ability to meld and bring out the best flavors in any other food that you serve it with.  When combined with the blue corn of the enchilada and the mild cheese that filled it, it was like a food symphony on my plate, all parts in perfect harmony.

Chile sauce is served abundantly on most foods in Santa Fe.  It can be ordered red, green or Christmas (depending on the restaurant, the red or green chile sauce could be hotter).

Sopapillas: The perfect ending to this meal consisted of a little sweet to balance out the heat that was still lingering in my mouth – a sopapilla.  This is a fried bread that is typical New Mexican cuisine.  It can be unsweetened and filled with savory fillings, or dusted with sugar and cinnamon and drizzled with honey.  Mine was the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

The post Must Try Food in Santa Fe New Mexico appeared first on There and Back Again.

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The holy grail of travel off the beaten path (for me, anyways):  finding that local restaurant where they are serving great, cheap local cuisine with no tourists to be found.  I am talking about the type of restaurant that is one big adventure, because no one speaks English, and there might not be a menu in English to fall back on.

This great, local gem is located in Segovia, Spain. It wasn’t fancy, but it offered very humble, typical, local cuisine.

This was my Cocido (a typical, Spanish dish), The bowl of broth was on the right, and the plate in the center of the tray had the ingredients for my stew (chickpeas, pork roast, chorizo sausage, carrot and cabbage) that I could mix into the broth in whatever proportions I wanted.

A great, local restaurant is like a cultural fondue pot, where you have a opportunity for you to mix and mingle with locals on their own turf, and get a real taste for everyday life in the place that you are visiting (not the watered down, tourist version that you get in the main tourist haunts.)

Even if you don’t speak the same language, your confusion will perhaps open up the doors to communication with some helpful locals, and sharing food is a universal tradition of friendship.

An off the beaten path gem in Chiang Dao, Thailand with few tourists to be seen.

The pavilions along the river at this restaurant in Chiang Dao made an ideal place to eat lunch. You just can’t beat this view!

The food might not be as flashy as the food that you would get in the touristy restaurant, but it will be REAL (and I can almost guarantee that eating in a real, local restaurant, whether the experience is good or terrible, will be a most memorable part of your travels!)

Finding these off the beaten path gems is sometimes harder than it would seem, and sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to do it.

Tips for Finding Authentic, Local Restaurants:

If you consistently find yourself eating bland, tasteless tourist food, don’t despair.  Your “spider sense” for finding good, local food will get better with time.  Each trip, try to push yourself outside of your comfort zone a little bit.

Get off of the tourist path: This is common advice, but it is so very true.  If you want to find the authentic, cheap food that the locals eat, you have to go where the locals go.  This is generally not the same place that the hordes of tourists hang out (more tourists also equals higher prices).  Often, heading just a block or two off of the tourist path is far enough.  Take a chance.  Wander down a quiet looking street to see what you find.

Follow the locals:  Now,  I don’t mean that you should stalk anyone, but watch where they are heading around meal time.  If you see a restaurant or street food stand with a lot of local people around it, chances are you will find some good, cheap food.

Follow your nose: In my experience, it is rare for one of those generic, tourist restaurants to exude smells that draw you in from blocks away.  If you smell something good, see if you can figure out which direction it is coming from.  If you can’t, ask someone.

Talk to people:  Be brave.  Talk to the natives.  They probably won’t bite.  For me, this is the heart of authentic travel.  Finding that off the beaten path gem because you chatted with a a local while waiting for a bus=priceless.  Chat with your cab driver-they are great sources of local information!

In addition to giving you great advice about where to find authentic experiences on your travels, making these connections with local people will give you more depth to your experience and is likely to create some of the most vivid memories from your trip!

This Korean restaurant was found by making a detour off of the main tourist drag down a slightly forgotten looking allley.

When we went inside and sat down, we had a very authentic experience with a bunch of Korean people eating a modest lunch. Yum.

Look for restaurants that are clean…but not too clean:  I think that this is the number one guideline for finding great local food.  Good restaurants that cater to locals have a certain look about them.  Think about your favorite hole in the wall restaurant in your home town.  Is it a shiny, clean place that someone visiting  from another country would be drawn to?  Probably not.

It might be a little scuffed up around the edges…a little gritty, a little dingy.  Now, apply this image to looking for a great place to eat when traveling.  Look for a place with those characteristics; a place that a local would feel completely comfortable eating at but that a tourist might pass by.

Learn Some Basic “food” Words in the Local Language:  Each language has its own code words for cheap food.  In Costa Rica, you might be looking for a restaurant that says “tipico”.  In Japan, finding an “izakaya” will generally yield a cheap meal.  Eating in France is almost never REALLY cheap, but if you find a cafe advertising a “prix fixe” meal, you will generally be getting the chefs choice of the day and a solid deal.

Knowing the local words for what it is that you are looking for can also help you in rudimentary communication with the locals.  Chances are decent that the person that you are talking to does speak a little English, but they might be more likely to help lead you to their favorite cheap lunch spot if you give it a go in their language first!

Looking for other great tips for travel off the beaten path? Check out these other great pieces that I have written:

• The Importance of Including Local Farmers Markets in Your Travel Plans
• The Pros and Cons of Free Walking Tours
• Driving in France: How I Overcame my Fear of Driving in a Foreign Land

The post Travel Off the Beaten Path: 6 Tips for Finding Authentic, Local Food appeared first on There and Back Again.

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As a relatively new blogger, it is always nice to receive small bits of confirmation that I am heading in the right direction with my blogging efforts.

When I received a nomination for the Very Inspiring Blogger Awards from The Travel Wench, it was like my little nudge from the Universe for the day that I am doing the right thing with my blog, and things are slowly but steadily heading in the right direction.

Here are the 5 steps in order to accept this award:

1. Display the award logo on your blog
2. Link back to the person who nominated you
3. State seven things about yourself
4. Nominate 15 other bloggers for this award and link to them
5. Notify those bloggers of the nomination

Seven Things About Me:

1. My favorite places to travel are France and Scotland.  Scotland holds a special place in my heart.  I love the warmth of the Scottish people and the beautiful countryside.  France has always welcomed me warmly, and I love the food and wine and picturesque villages dotting the countryside.  Both places just make me feel instantly like I have come home.

2. I am kind of a chicken about eating new foods.  I know, any “real” traveler is willing to try any strange, new local delicacy at the drop of a dime (and if you need to know what it is first, you must not be a “real” traveler, right?)  Well, I am proud to say that I need to know what I am eating first, and I am proud to hold onto my god given right of refusal.  It might mean that my culinary experiences are a little on the tamer side, and I might miss some things that are really good, but it also means that I likely miss quite a few really icky things, too!

3.  My least favorite place that I have ever been is Bangkok.  I know, there are a lot of people out there who disagree with me (Bangkok seems to be a love/hate thing for most travelers).  We only spent one day in the city, and I just couldn’t get past the trash, bad smell and diseased dogs roaming the streets.  There are enough other great things to see in Thailand that we didn’t feel a need to spend any more time here than necessary.

4. When traveling, I much prefer countryside and small villages to big cities.  Of course, I love Paris and London, and we had some great experiences in Tokyo, but my most cherished travel memories took place outside of the big city, in the countryside or making connections with locals in small villages.  For me, this is where the heart of travel is.  Seeking out these types of experiences are what feeds my addiction for travel.

5. I speak some French (generally, just enough to keep me out of trouble) but it is a long term goal of mine to learn to speak French more fluently.  Speaking a foreign language (even if you only speak a little, tiny bit of one) opens up so many doors when you are visiting another place!

6. Some people collect magnets when they travel.  Some people collect spoons.  I collect rocks.  My suitcases are frequently at their maximum weight limit because there were just too many rocks that wanted to come home with me.  I brought back small, marble eggs from Scotland.  Limestone spheres from Estonia.  A whole bunch of cool, white smooth rocks from the oceanfront on Nice.  At least they are generally not expensive souvenirs…

7. Other than my love of travel, my other dream is to buy some land and built a little semi self-sufficient hobby farm.  I want to have a big garden, an orchard of  fruit trees and perhaps someday some chickens and goats.  When it comes right down to it, I really just want to live a simple, uncluttered life out in the country wish fresh food and fresh air.

Blogs that I Love:

1. JDomb’s Travels: Adventure Travel With a Glass of Wine
2. The Barefoot Journal: Road Tripping for Entrepreneurs
3. Ambitious Traveler
4. Traveling Jersey Girl: Living with Intention
5. Planet Holland
6. Wandertooth
7. Nomads on the Road
8. Traveling Liz
9. Around the World in Eighty Years
10. Don’t Ever Look Back: Around the World Travel Blog
11. My 1st Impressions
12. World Travel Family: Making the World Our Classroom
13. The Professional Hobo
14. Wanderplex: Tips, Tricks and Inspiration for World Travel
15. Anglo Italian Travel Blog

The post Very Inspiring Blogger Award appeared first on There and Back Again.

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So, silly me.  I thought that Gustave Eiffel’s only masterpiece was that crazy pointed tower in Paris!  I discovered this summer that I was so wrong!  Mr. Eiffel was a busy bee, and he designed structures in countries all around the world.

In addition to having his fingers in the design of a certain well known statue that was gifted to the US by France and stands over Manhattan, Mr. Eiffel designed an impressive list of other projects, making a huge impact on architecture styles all over the world.

This summer, on our trip to France and Portugal, I stumbled across three of Mr. Eiffel’s works (pointy tower included:)

The Garabit Viaduct in the South of France

Garabit Viaduct,south of France:

Coming across this gem was literally by chance-a random turn off of the motorway taking us in an unexpected direction.  I didn’t even know until later that Mr. Eiffel had been so involved in its creation (though if you look at the design elements of the bridge and the Eiffel tower, this might give you a clue!)

The bridge was built between 1882 and 1884, and it is located in central France.  It is a huge and impressive span, and its striking red color makes some picturesque photo opportunities (best of all…it is a little “off of the beaten path”, so few tourists to be seen!)

We continued from our detour at the viaduct along from the bridge along pleasant country roads and discovered how great travel can be when you just get off of the motorway!

Eiffel Tower, Paris

Eiffel Tower, Paris:

Ah, the iconic tower that defines Paris for so many people around the world. Obviously, the Eiffel Tower was built my Gustave Eiffel, but what you might not know is that before its construction, there were actually a whole list of people who signed a petition against this lovely iron lady (how could you not love a pretty face like that?!)

The tower takes 57 tons of paint ever 7 years to keep it looking fresh and pretty (and you thought that the lady in your life used a lot of makeup!)

Maria Pia Bridge, Porto, Portugal:

This bridge is a big point of Pride in Porto.  At the time that it was built in 1877, the bridge had a longer span than any other bridge in the world (at the time, a bridge crossing the Mississippi River in St. Louis held that title.)

At a cost of 965,000 French Francs to build, it was a bargain in modern day terms.

And what an appropriate place for such a magnificent bridge!  It is in good company, with 5 other bridges connecting the city of Porto to the city of Gaia across the river.

You can get a magnificent view of the bridges by taking one of the many river cruises that leave from near the Port wine warehouses by the river (the one that we took was only 10 euros, and gave us a scenic cruise and some great background on the city of Porto!)

If you enjoyed this little snippet of history, check out these other great historically based pieces that I have written:

• Looking Down the Road: Bastille Day in France
• Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin: At the Crossroads of History in Ireland
• Conspiracy, Accusations, Executions  The Pont Neuf Bridge, The Knights Templar and Friday the 13th

The post Hello, Again Mr. Gustave Eiffel appeared first on There and Back Again.

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The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a stirring and inspiring display of the best of Scotland’s history and culture, and it is a must see if you are planning a visit to Edinburgh in the summer time.

I would even go as far as to suggest that it is well worth planning your whole trip around, if you are traveling to Scotland around the month of August!

The Tattoo draws an audience from all over the world for its yearly three week run, each summer in August.  Over 217,000 people attend the Tattoo each summer.

This worldwide family gathers together amidst the splendor of the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade for the most spellbinding and extensive display of bagpipes and men in kilts that you are ever likely to see!

The word “Tattoo” used in reference to a gathering of military pipes comes from the phrase ”doe den tap toe” (basically Dutch for “last call” at the bar).

The British adopted it and regiments of pipes and drums would stroll through cities to signal to tavern owners that it was time for last call, so that the military men would retire to bed at a decent time.

In addition to proudly featuring the heart and soul of Scottish culture in grand fashion, the Tattoo features military regiments from other countries all over the world.

The precision marching is breathtaking, especially when combined with the massed pipes and drums (think of the droning wail of hundreds of bagpipes…it awakens something deep in my heart just to think of it!).

This soul stirring show climaxes with a lone piper playing an ancient Scottish lament from the wall of Edinburgh Castle.

This is followed by the entire audience singing Auld Lang Syne accompanied by a heap of bagpipers (it doesn’t matter if you know the words or not, and once you have sung this well loved Scottish anthem with thousands of Scots and others from all over the world, you will understand why tickets for this event sell out months ahead of time!)

2013 Tattoo Details:
Dates: August 2-24
Prices: 24-60 pounds for standard seating (80-220 pounds for premier seating packages)
Website: http://www.edintattoo.co.uk/

• Didn’t buy tickets ahead of time but you find yourself unexpectedly in Edinburgh during the Tattoo’s yearly August run?  Show sold out?  Don’t panic!  It is sometimes possible to purchase last minute tickets on the day of he show.  Check in first thing upon opening on the day of the show at the The Tattoo Ticket Sales Office, (33-34 Market Street, Edinburgh).  Their hours are from 10:00am-4:30pm (might be good to get there a smidge ahead of time, in case there is a queue).  Available tickets are sold on the day of the show (limited to two per person).

A tip for seating: If good photos are a priority for you, splurge for the seats at the end of the esplanade (not down the sides).  These seats will give you the castle as a backdrop for you photos (the castle is lit up in different colors during different parts of the show, making for some awesome photo opps!)

If you are planning a trip to Scotland, please check out these other helpful pieces:

• The Best Fish and Chips in Scotland
• A Tour of the Edinburgh Royal Mile
• The Isle of Skye: Awe Inspiring Scenery on Scotland’s West Coast

The post The Edinburgh Military Tattoo: A MUST Add to Your Edinburgh Itinerary appeared first on There and Back Again.

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*** These posts are  a a little more journal/stream of consciousness oriented, giving you a candid look into the ups and downs of being a new blogger.  I hope that these posts will be helpful to you on your blogging  journey.  Shanna ***

I am not going to try to sugar coat anything.  The last couple months have been hard for my blog.

Establishing a successful blog requires determination, persistence and consistency.  Up until a few months ago, I felt like I had been doing pretty well with these things…traffic had been steadily increasing and I have just been putting in my time, taking the advice of the bloggers that have gone ahead of me and not giving up.

Recently, the priorities in my life have been rearranged for me like the pieces in some crazy, drunken game of chess that the Universe is playing with me.

It isn’t all so terrible and dire as it sounds.  It all stems from something really happy.  My passion for travel and blogging is still there, but my creative energy is being taken for a different project…

We are expecting a baby in August!  Given that this is possibly the most important creative endeavor that I will ever partake in, I want to make darn sure that I do it right.

The kids play area at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport (MSP)

Under the circumstances, I guess it is understandable that I am just not here the way that I need to be.  My mind is frankly just elsewhere much of the time, and the attention to detail necessary for writing quality information to help you with your travels fades in and out like a radio station that you are just on the edge of losing.

I hate feeling like I am making excuses, but that is just reality right now.

On top of that, the impending arrival of the baby has already changed our travel habits.  For the first three months, I was too sick to go anywhere.  Soon, I will be too big to travel comfortably.

It hurts-I am truly addicted to travel and my soul doesn’t feel adequately nourished unless I am seeing something new, but I am sure that I will have plenty of “new” in my future.

Even if that wasn’t the case, I have come to a hard realization for a travel addict.  We will travel again someday soon, but for right now, our resources of time and money need to be put in a different direction at this moment.

It has been very hard for me to accept that I just can’t do everything right now.

I am not giving up, but I have realized that if I am in this for the long haul, my energy and the way that it relates to this blog will rise and fall over time.  I still have plenty of travel stories to tell, and once things are more settled, I have a feeling that I am going to have a lot of fresh travel inspiration to feed my writing.

Have you noticed an ebb and flow to your blogging over time depending on what was going on in your life?

The post Diary of a New Blogger: Coping with Changing Priorities appeared first on There and Back Again.

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Just because you are on a cruise doesn’t mean that you are doomed to gain multiple pant sizes by the time that you return!  Here are some cruise tips that will help you upon your return to fit into the same clothes that you left in:

• Take the stairs!  In many cases, it will be faster than the elevator and it will help you to burn off that extra pastry that you had for breakfast!
• Go ahead and eat..a lot…but consume your calories in many small meals throughout the day.  Eating this way helps to boost your metabolism and ensures that your body is able to burn off all of the calories that you are putting into it.

• I know that there are a lot of bad for you foods readily available on a cruise…but there are lots of good foods, too!  My intake of fresh fruits and vegetables drastically increases on a cruise, simply because they are available.  It is al great opportunity to get your recommended daily number of servings of fruits in veggies served in appetizing combinations.
• Pay attention to your hunger signals!  The presence of food ALL THE TIME makes you feel like you need to eat ALL THE TIME.  You find yourself saying, “Well, I COULD be hungry…”  Only eat when you are really hungry, not just because food is available.
• Pace yourself (particularly on a long cruise.)  Start slowly, don’t gorge in the first days of the cruise.  Your eating habits for the first few days set the precedent for the rest of the trip.

• Use small plates.  It is human nature to fill up the space available, and the standard sized plates on cruise ships can be very large.  You can always get more if you are really still hungry, but a small plate that is full will trick your brain into thinking that you are eating more food.
• Stay away from the deep fried crap.  Really?  You came on a cruise to eat mediocre burgers and french fries when there are so many other options readily available?
• Don’t eat dessert with every meal.  Do you really need to eat dessert with lunch?  Another thought:  There are many low quality desserts on a cruise ship, particularly in the buffet.  Save your calorie expenditures for a dessert that is REALLY good, not just the plain looking piece of chocolate cake with sprinkles that probably won’t taste as good as it looks.

• Watch your intake of liquid calories.  Lemonade, juice, soda, alcohol and other drinks readily available on the ship all contain calories.
• Split things.  Want to try something bad for you?  Split it with a travel companion and cut the calories in half.
• STEP AWAY FROM THE FOOD!  If you are hoping to maintain the same pant size, for gosh sakes, don’t sit by where food is available nearly all the time. The Lido deck is a very bad place for you.  There are lots of great places to sit on a cruise ship.  Having food readily and easily available will make you more likely to eat when you are not really hungry.

Looking for more great tips about cruising? Check out these other pieces that I have written about life aboard a cruise ship:

• Cruise Ship Dining Option: Fixed Time Dining VS Anytime Dining
• 5 Reasons to Choose Holland America for Your Next Cruise Vacation
• 5 Reasons that you Should Book a Transatlantic Crossing Cruise

The post Cruise Tips: How to NOT Gain Weight on a Cruise appeared first on There and Back Again.

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Travel in Focus is a monthly feature highlighting the best travel tips and suggestions for a particular place from around the web. Check out the internet’s best travel writing about London to help you plan your trip!

Budget Travel in London:

• Visiting London on a Student Budget from Holiday Nomad
• 10 Ways to Save Money in London from Flashpacker Family
• The Best Free London Attractions and Activities for Summer from Sophie’s World
• London on the Cheap from Over Yonderlust
• The Ultimate Guide to Saving Money in London from Wanderplex
• Visiting London on a Budget from On the Luce

Did you know that this iconic landmark is not really called the London Bridge? It is actually called Tower Bridge…

London Travel Tips:

• London Travel Tips from Y Travel Blog
• 8 Things that Every Tourist in London Needs to Know from Savoir There
• 5 Things that I Wish I Knew Before Visiting London from Landlopers

Eating and Drinking in London:

• 3 Spot on Teas for Two in London’s Hyde Park Area
• A Proper British Afternoon Tea in London from Bucket List Journey
• Where to Buy Good Whiskey in London and Edinburgh from There and Back Again Travel
• Four Under the Lense Veggie Sandwiches in London from Flanerie Feminine
• My Favorite Asian Restaurants in London from Bitten by the Travel Bug
• The Foodie’s Guide to London Eats from Misadventures with Andi
• Top 10 Japanese Restaurants in London from Savoir There
• Eating Bone Marrow at St. John Restaurant in London from Bucket List Journey
• London’s Unusual Bars and Restaurants from Inspiring Travelers

Unique London Classes and Tours:

• London’s Top Food Classes and Tours from On the Luce
• Fat Tire Bike Tours
• The wheels on the bus go round and round: On board a Big Bus Company Tour of London from As the Bird Flies
• Gastronomic London Tour from Context Travel from Misadventures with Andi
• Spooky Tourism – Jack the Ripper Walk in London from Traveler Ahoy

Things to do and See in London:

• Buckingham Palace: Changing of the Guard from Jdomb’s Travels
• A Royal Day Out at Buckingham Palace from Jdomb’s Travels
• London-What to do in Kensington and Chelsea from Our Oyster Budget Travel Blog
• Tower of London from Jdomb’s Travels
• I Spy from the London Eye from Jdomb’s Travels
• London with the London Pass from Escape Artistes
• 24 Hours in London from Jessie on a Journey
• Four Places Not to Miss in East London from Escape Artistes
• Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Part I from Bucket List Journey
• Be in Two Places at Once at the Prime Meridian in Greenwich from Wanderplex
• 10 Things to do in Kings Cross from Savoir There
• Top London Sights and Attractions from Europe Up Close
• A Stroll Through London’s Hyde Park from Bucket List Journey
• How to Mix Business with Pleasure in London from Jdomb’s Travels
• Saved by a Poet: The Story of London’s St. Pancras Station from On the Luce
• Inside Kensington Palace from A Taste of Travel
• Three Days in London Without Exhaustion from Inspiring Travelers
• 5 New Activities to Add to Your London Itinerary from Heels and Wheels

Off the Beaten Path in London:

• Bloomsbury: The Best Little Corner of London from Flashpacker Family
• Five Urban Adventures in London from Matt Gibson Presents
• 9 Offbeat Things to do in London from Wanderplex
• Slice of Life: Guy Fawkes Day from Over Yonderlust
• Green London from Tales Told from the Road

London With Kids:

• 5 Things to do With Kids in London from Escape Artistes
• The Best Things to do in London with Kids from My Little Nomads
• Some Things to do With Kids in London from Travel Signposts

Getting Into and Around London:

• A Guide to London Airports from Flashpacker Family
• 12 Tips for Navigating the London Underground from Bucket List Journey

Worthwhile Accommodations in London:

• Checking in to Check Out the Generator Hostel in London from Bitten by the Travel Bug
• A Little Bit of Luxury (Hostel) at London Palmer’s Lodge Swiss Cottage from Bitten by the Travel Bug
• Great Sleeps in London from Travels with Carole
• Sleeping Around London

Big Ben, the London Eye and a double decker bus, all in one photo!

Books and Films about London:

• 5 Best Films about England from A Traveler’s Library
• Gee Whiz London: A Guidebook Digression from A Traveler’s Library

Seasons in London:

• Autumn Leaves in Kew Gardens from Sophie’s World
• Autumn in Hyde Park from Jdomb’s Travels
•  Christmas in London from Inspiring Travelers

The post Travel In Focus: What to do in London appeared first on There and Back Again.

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Glastonbury Abbey is the site of a spectacular set of ruins of an ancient 12th century monastery.  Located in south west England, Glastonbury Abbey was an extremely worthy afternoon excursion.

Walking through the ruins of the ancient monastery makes you feel like you have stepped into another time, and they are filled with incredible photo opportunities.  Though the ruins are just a shell of their previous glory, you can easily imagine what life would have been when the Abbey was full and bustling with activity.

While you are in the area, round out your trip to Glastonbury with a visit to Glastonbury Tor for beautiful scenery and a touch of mystery and to the Chalice Well (one of Brittain’s many sacred wells and the alleged resting place of the Holy Grail!)

The post Fabulous Friday Foto: Glastonbury Abbey, England appeared first on There and Back Again.

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The same Mediterranean waves that lap over sands in Malta do the same in Mallorca, over 1300 miles away. Still, water’s not all these two islands share and so choosing between them for a holiday can get pretty tricky.

Food, beaches and car hire deals – judging each island on these three categories will hopefully make the decision a little easier:

Malta’s Best Food
Malta is famous for its rabbit dishes and in true South Mediterranean style, each meal is accompanied with a tasty sauce (usually cooked in red wine). There are hundreds of humble food outlets amidst the crooked streets of St Julian’s and Valleta, serving homemade Fenkata (rabbit fried with wine and garlic), but for a real ‘fine dining’ experience, Pegasus Brasserie has the best seat on the island.

Just 15 minutes from the airport, you could be savouring the finest dish in Malta the same night you land. Tuck into their locally sourced rabbit marinated in an Italian cacciatore sauce and you’ll never forget the taste.

The waiters are helpful enough and invisible enough to make sure you have the perfect meal.

Mallorca’s Best Food
The majority of dishes in Mallorca have one ingredient in common – olive oil. With over four million olive trees on the island it comes as no surprise but the end results are far from spoilt. Moli d’en Bou is a Michelin star restaurant located in the East and serves the best tasting pork for miles around.

Head Chef Tomeu Caldentey likes to put a twist on traditional Mallorcan dishes – his pork served with crayfish, watermelon and mint, is unusual but absolutely out of this world. The restaurant is part of the Protur Sa Coma Playa hotel and is an hour away from the busy Palma Mallorca Airport.

Malta’s Snorkling Beach
Għajn Tuffieħa
Best bit: Snorkling in the marine
Best route from airport: Northwest along Triq Ħal Qormi
Distance: 20km
Travel time: 30mins

Mallorca’s Hidden Beach
Cala de Bóquer
Best bit: Cliff diving into the torquoise water
Best route: Northwest through Tramuntana mountain range
Distance from the airport: 93.8km
Travel time: 1hr 40mins

To get the most out of a holiday on either of these holiday islands, there is one thing you need to book in advance – car hire…

The Malta Deal

Get up to 10% off car hire in Malta with Holiday Autos – the offer is running up until February 28th. You can get a two-door Mini from £12 per day – and it comes with air conditioning (which is a must in Malta’s high temperatures).

The Mallorca Deal

Alternatively, you can get up to 40% off Holiday Autos car hire in Mallorca – for selected cars booked before 22 March 2013. Pick up your two-door Mini from Palma Airport from £6 a day and you could be cruising to Cala de Bóquer straightaway…or heading East to taste the best pork dish of your life.

This post was brought to you courtesy of Holiday Autos.

For more compelling writing about planning your trip to another place, please check out the following pieces:

• Thailand or Japan?: A Useful Comparison Between the Two Countries
• International Travel Tips: How NOT to be a Jerk in Another Country
• Having Trouble Coming Home: The Dark Side of Travel Addiction

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