Tamil Nadu smells of Jasmine. It’s a lovely, sweet and tropical smell wafted about by the fresh flowers worn in the hair of the women there, and one that will forever transport me back to the state.

Challenging Chennai

Though my lasting impression is fragrant, my first impression was unfortunately Chennai. Chennai (formerly Madras) is a hard city to love. Busy, smelly, dirty, confusing — it‘s all the horrible things an Indian city can be. Being that it’s the state capital and a major transport hub, most visitors can’t avoid it.

And since you’re going to be there you may as well be in the Pod hotel. It’s a stylish design hotel in the coolest part of the city — in striking distance of decent coffee and shopping — and in walking distance of the Government Museum, the city’s only real attraction. Go to the museum, see the incredible archeological artifacts, and then get the hell out.

To the seaside

The logical next stop is Mamallapuram — a seaside town that is in theory just one and a half hours south of Chennai by bus. I say in theory, because in reality it took a good three hours, four different bus stops, two taxi rides and a lot of bad information to find where the bus left from. Lesson number 1 about India: Indians don’t like to say “I don’t know”.

Mamallapuram is a World Heritage listed for the amazing 7th and 8th century carved temples dotted throughout the small town centre — most iconic being the shore temple that sits on the beach. It also has a pleasant low-key beach resort feel, and plenty of seafood restaurants. Staying at the massive Ideal resort up the road meant that bicycle was the perfect way to get around, and passing a day or two here is one of the more chilled out options in India.

A spiritual quest

Pondicherry, by contrast, is a deceivingly large city. It’s known for being the French pocket of India, where a semblance of the culture, the food, the language survives from when the French ruled this region. While altogether too much is made of the French connection, there is a novelty of seeing French street names and architecture, as well as the odd croissant in self conscious cafes. While Pondicherry is mostly good for mooching around in shops and drinking café au lait on the sea front, it is also something of a New Age hub.

Many are drawn by the city ashram founded by famed spiritual leaders Sri Aurobindo and a Frenchwoman known as The Mother, both of whom died decades ago. Yet more are drawn by the bizarre city of Auroville, an experimental ‘universal township’ founded by The Mother in the late 1960s, located less than 20km from Pondicherry. Over 2000 people from around the world live here, in servitude of the ‘Divine Consciousness’. A daytrip will suffice for the merely curious; time for a visit to the information centre, a glimpse of the giant golden ball statue known as the ‘Matrimander’, a browse of the (many!) onsite shops, and lunch at the really quite wonderful vegetarian cafe. While Auroville was formed as a place without religion it more than makes up for this with spiritual mumbo jumbo, and though the vision of a better world – one without paper money – is a beautiful one, I rather prefer the real world. It’s certainly less boring.

My hotel near Pondicherry, The Dune Eco Village, is something of an experiment in itself as a sprawling complex incorporating the ideas of harmony with nature (organic farm) and engagement with the community (onsite artists workshop), but also incredibly stylish. My ginormous detached room is actually more of a loft apartment, complete with tasteful art and my own personal pool — a proper ‘pinch me coz I’m dreaming’ kind of place.

Off the beaten track

Reluctantly moving on, my next stop is well off the beaten track Chettinad — an area famed for a former community of wealthy bankers who have left behind a legacy of spectacular mansions and elaborate, world influenced food. The idea that the owners of the Bangala hotel had in turning an abandoned mansion into a hotel was a brilliant one. They inspired others in the area to follow suit, singlehandedly created a tourism industry.

The Bangala is located in Karaikudi — a small village that, thanks to the pillaging of the mansions which fell into decline following WW1, boasts an array of astonishingly cheap antique shops to put Paris to shame. During a fascinating day trip of the area I visit local tile and sculpture craftsmen, a plethora of opulent abandoned mansions and a temple where women shave the heads of their children to show their devotion. The highlight is, of course, the food which is prepared in a traditional way and served on a banana leaf. The cuisine here is more subtly flavored than in other parts of the south, more meat-centric and incredibly rich — truly food to have a heart attack to and die happy.

Back in the city

As I continue eastbound towards Kerala, I make a stop off in Madurai. Another horribly congested and unpleasant city, it is worth enduring to visit the moving Ghandi museum (housing the blood stained dhoti he was killed in) and of course the beautiful Meenakshi Amman Temple complex.

Here is a quintessential Indian spectacle, where the heady mix of spirituality mixed with commercialism (all sorts of trinkets and edible offerings are onsale inside) and the sheer numbers of devotees cannot fail to overwhelm.

Relax and regroup

A world away in spirit, but just 2 hours away by car is another one of India’s hidden gems — the Cardamom House. Owned by a British doctor, the lodge is an idyllic and homely escape from civilization – next to a lake with a mountain backdrop in an area called Dindigul, there’s not a lot to do besides enjoy the views, good company and the wonderful food. And that’s the way it should be. Waking up for a prolonged breakfast with a view on my personal outdoor dining table is one of my calmest moments in India; an essential regrouping pause for anyone traveling in the country for a length of time.

In touch with nature

There’s a dramatic shift in scenery and temperature as my bus climbs into the hills for my final stop in Tamil Nadu — Kodaikanal. The town itself is an incredibly touristy mountain hub — not without its charms — but the Elephant Valley lodge where I am staying is a good 25 minutes out of town and into the mountains. The lodge is remarkably well integrated in the environment, both in aesthetic and with its eco ethos and sprawling organic farm. Nature appreciation is the focus here, with guided nature walks or horse riding the main activities, with touches like the campfire and the treehouse room, as well as the passionate staff, making the lodge memorable and special.

With belly full, bank balance still healthy, and the faint scent of Jasmine upon me it’s time to take my leave of Tamil Nadu and head over the hills for Kerala.

Useful Information:

TAMIL NADU

Located in the south-easternmost corner of India, next to Kerala, Tamil Nadu may not be one of the better known states but it is one of the most frequently visited — in particular by domestic tourists who travel there to see the famous temples. Over 72 million people live in the state; the national language is Tamil and the predominant religion is Hindu.

TRANSPORT

I traveled using public transport; a combination of bus, train and rickshaw, to keep costs down. While it’s safe and dirt cheap to travel this way in Tamil Nadu, it can be a headache at times with changes and connections, so the majority of foreign visitors hire a car and driver for ease and convenience.

HOTELS

The Park Pod, Chennai

Ideal Resort, Mamallapuram

The Dune Eco Village, Resort and Spa

The Bangala, Chettinad

Cardamom House, Arthoor, Dindigul

Elephant Valley, Kodaikanal

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I had two answers to that question. Firstly, I was born in Baltimore, and my family moved when I was a very little. I have always wanted to get to know my place of birth, as an adult.

Secondly, I always suspected Baltimore was awesome. Turns out, I was right.  

Even geographically, Baltimore is a grey area. In David Amsen’s recent feature for Travel and Leisure, he asks, “Is Baltimore the northernmost Southern city? The southernmost Northern city? The easternmost Rust Belt city?” His conclusion is that Baltimore is on its own, unclassifiable, and just fine with that.

For many people the TV show The Wire is the primary cultural reference for Baltimore. Though widely considered one of the best TV shows ever made, its focus on crime, corruption and urban decay hardly increased the city’s appeal as a tourist destination. Yes, Baltimore does have problems, but there is of course more to the story.

For music obsessives like me, Baltimore has long been on my radar as a place with a robust music scene: Beach House, Dan Deacon, Lower Dens, Lungfish, Dope Body – all bands I love that hail from there. Frank Zappa was born in Baltimore; Tori Amos, David Byrne and Billie Holiday spent their formative years there. And for counter-culture types like me, Baltimore is perhaps most significantly the hometown and muse of the inimitable filmmaker John Waters.

That alone was a draw, but, as I found out, it has much more. I found a warm, weird – and yes, charming – place that I could really imagine spending some serious time in. If you’re the kind of person who thinks the measure of a city can be taken by the arts scene there and what it’s like to hang out in its independent shops, cafes and bars, then you will love it too.

IT’S HAMPDEN, HON

The neighbourhood of Hampden (top image) is the alternative and independent hub of Baltimore and a place that felt instantly like home. It’s not without some of the tell-tale signs of gentrification, however, as empty shopfronts rubbed shoulders with high-end homewares stores and long-standing barely-scraping-by businesses. But overall, it’s a still vibey neighbourhood that feels small, friendly and accessibly cool.

Hampden is also the home of ‘hon’ culture, something I’d never heard of before this visit. The classic ‘hon’ look (short for honey, as in the term of endearment) is that which John Waters exaggerated and immortalised in his film Pink Flamingos – big hair, big skirts, cat eye glasses and a broad ‘Balmerese’ accent. It’s a nod to a specific group and culture and way of speaking, of a particular white working class group from the 60s and 70s, and it remains a loved/hated cultural archetype. There is the Hon Cafe and the Hon souvenir shop on ‘The Avenue’, Hampden’s main drag, not to mention the annual 2-day Honfest.

Hon’s aside, The Avenue was one of my favourite stops in the city. A day wandering the Avenue will reward you with vintage shops, record stores, junk stores, friendly shop assistants, street art and one of the coolest bookstores in the world – Atomic Books. Atomic is home of a lovingly curated selection of books, zines, and comics and also features events; it even turns into a bar sometimes. And yes, it’s also the place where John Waters picks up his fan mail.

FELL’S POINT: HISTORY, POE AND NATTY BO

This area is often referred to as ‘Historic Fell’s Point’, and though this struck me as redundant (everything has a history, no?), it does admittedly have a charming old-timey cobblestone vibe. Especially around the waterfront the brick frontages, quirky ale houses and knick-knack stores have the feel of a quaint seaside village in England or Wales – but one populated by young good-looking American people with dogs. One shop in particular, Emporium Collagia, stood out as such a wonderfully idiosyncratic and whimsical reflection of one particular person – collage artist Launa Kaufmann – that I couldn’t help but marvel that it even exists.

Just up the road at the Natty Boh merch shop I learned something new about the city: the connection between Edgar Allan Poe and Baltimore. Natty Boh (National Bohemian) is Baltimore’s beer, and when I noticed a lot of Poe references in the t-shirts, bumper stickers and other Natty Boh paraphernalia onsale I asked the shopkeeper why. He looked at me like I was crazy. “He lived here for awhile, he even died here! Had his last drink at the bar next door! Our football team (The Ravens) are named after his poem! You didn’t know that?” Well, no. But it’s pretty awesome. I tell him that I’m planning to go next door to The Horse You Came In On Saloon, AKA Poe’s Last Stop, to finally try a National Bohemian for myself. My new friend, paid employee of the Natty Boh merch store, tells me that I should definitely check out the saloon but warns me, “I don’t know if you want a Natty Boh, it actually doesn’t taste very good.”  

INNER HARBOR: CRAB DECKS AND GLUTTONY

Telling you to go to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore is a bit like telling you to go to Times Square in NYC, Leicester Square in London, or Darling Harbour in Sydney. It’s shiny, it’s soulless and it’s strictly for tourists. And you know what? Sometimes you’ve just gotta see what all the fuss is about.

When the kind people from the Baltimore tourist board organise a crab lunch on the crab deck of Phillips Seafood in the Inner Harbor you do NOT miss this opportunity.

Maryland is famous for crab, and a place with an entire deck dedicated to eating it is an ideal place to do just that. The server sets us up with plastic bibs and small wooden mallets, and starts to bring out piles of food. There’s fried chicken. There’s crab cakes. There’s corn on the cob and potato salad. And then, and then, there’s the crab. Piles of it, to be crushed and destroyed and chewed and sucked into oblivion.

Luckily, I had YouTubed how to do that, so I didn’t make a fool of myself. I recommend you do the same. It was, of course, delicious. And more than that, a visceral and unmissable experience.

Just as I was thinking that I felt fuller than I ever had before, I found myself ordering the Smith Island Cake, with the excuse that it is the official cake of Maryland.

Consisting of countless thin layers of cake and fudge icing, it was up there with the richest desserts I’ve tried and really tipped me over to level comatose. I couldn’t remember having ever been so stuffed since New Orleans. In terms of food at least, I’d say Baltimore feels like a Southern city.

LOCAVORES AND MORE

The Baltimore food scene is not, of course, all about crab cakes and potato salad. In fact the farm-to-table movement has truly made it to the city, and the much-recommended and thoroughly local Woodberry Kitchen seems to be at the forefront. Though we didn’t have time to dine there, we did poke our heads around the thoroughly impressive converted factory and garden. We did, however, have time for a coffee at the utterly charming Artifact Coffee, owned by some of the same people and located in a different gorgeous converted building. I can report that the flat white easily passed the fussy Australian test.

Though there are a few surviving old-school food markets, such as the Lexington Market which could use some TLC, there are also a couple of new kids on the block including R-House in Remington which is the sort of modern-day food court that seems to be popping up everywhere. I’m still not entirely convinced on this model, but it’s hard to argue about a bustling Wednesday night crowd, 12 choices of cuisine (I opted for Venezuelan arepas, excellent) and a well stocked cocktail bar.

Not far away is the Mexican taco and mezcal joint Clavel, which is extraordinarily pretty and delicious, and is the sister restaurant to the much-recommended speakeasy WC Harlan. Owner of both locales, Lane Harlan, has been given credit for kickstarting the Remington revival as well as bringing mezcal, that smokey Mexican agave spirit – which happens to be a personal obsession – to Baltimore.

So many cool people, so many great and delicious things and we haven’t even gotten to my highlight of Baltimore yet.

The American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM)

It’s not like I have anything against trained artists and the art that they create, it’s that somehow this museum of outsider art – the first one I’d ever seen – somehow felt more human and intimate than your traditional museum. Perhaps it’s the story-focused curation of the sprawling building and grounds, but I felt fully engaged and engrossed with almost all of the art in a way I rarely do.

No such thing as museum fatigue here – from the larger-than-life Divine statue (John Waters reference), to the pez collection, to the paintings by a guy called Reverend Albert Lee Wagner who had an epiphany over a bit of spilled house paint on his 50th birthday, I was gripped. It’s a Willy-Wonka kind of place I could imagine returning to frequently, with so much quirkiness to take in and so much inspiration to be found. Not to mention the unbelievably eclectic treasure-chest of a gift shop which is a destination in itself. It also doesn’t hurt that the grilled cheese sandwich in the fantastic museum restaurant Encantada was truly memorable.

Later on I found out there are a handful of similar museums in the world, including one in Chicago called Intuit. On the website for Intuit I found this wonderful description of outsider art which, if you replaced the word ‘artist’ for ‘people’ and removed the word ‘art’, could be a life motto and mission statement for myself and all of my kindred outsiders:

“The work of artists who demonstrate little influence from the mainstream art world and who instead are motivated by their unique personal visions.”

I love the fact that the AVAM exists in Baltimore, a place that seems to exist happily on the fringes and embraces those who choose to do the same. I know I have no real claim to the city, seeing as I was a baby when I lived here, but screw it – I’m gonna claim it anyway.

Baltimore might not be my place exactly, but it’s definitely my kinda place.  

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DAY TRIP: Washington DC

While most people would daytrip or short-break to Baltimore from DC, I would recommend the opposite. Baltimore’s more fun. Here’s what you should do while in the capital:

Do: Museums! The Smithsonian Institution is the collective name for the 17 museums and galleries that you can visit for FREE in D.C. And considering there are many more apart from the Smithsonian as well, you will be overwhelmed by choice. Hot tip: do not try to be too ambitious, pick a couple you really want to see and enjoy them properly. We went for Air and Space, as well the American Art Museum but no matter what you choose you will have to learn to live with some serious museum FOMO.

The other non-negotiable is a trip to the National Mall, the 3km stretch of green where you’ll find the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the reflecting pool in between (which you’ll recognise from Forrest Gump).

Eat: You might not know it, but DC is considered one of the country’s hottest and most cosmopolitan food scenes. We went straight-up American diner for breakfast at the famous downtown Lincoln’s Waffle Shop. If you’re looking for something a little more upscale, head to 14th Street near Logan Circle and you will be drowning in options. French bistro Le Diplomate was the perfect choice for what we wanted – buzzy, brisk, good for people watching. Oh, and delicious. Black Whisky just up the road is a perfect after-drink spot but you definitely won’t be going thirsty in this part of town.

Stay: The W Hotel’s claim to fame is that it’s the closest hotel to the White House, take that as you will. Either way the view from the stylish rooftop bar POV is a must-stop in the evening.

Get there: The AMTRAK and the slightly slower but cheaper MARC train both offer frequent service Baltimore-Washington and take less than an hour.

The post Baltimore: rich in offbeat charm outsider travellers crave appeared first on Australian Times News.

And like the Kiwis, you can’t really fault them for it, as their homeland really is pretty spectacular. Lush and tropical with brochure-friendly beaches, the state is known for having the highest literacy and life expectancy in India. This is the India of honeymoons, yoga retreats and houseboat cruises, far from the pollution, chaos and masses.

There is a palpable change crossing over from neighbouring state Tamil Nadu as the landscape becomes greener, denser and cleaner. The air is thicker, the roadside tea stronger. On the bus three schoolboys make conversation in good English, buy me a bag of candy floss from a hawker in the seat in front, and wish me a nice stay in Kerala.

Nature embrace

I am traveling with the help of Hotels Under 100, who have arranged a selection of their bargain boutique hotels across the state taking in many highlights and culminating in the city of Cochin. The first stop is Shalimar Spice Garden, located just inside the Keralan border in Thekaddy, at the edges of the Periyar National Park. There’s a tropical, Bali-esque feel here as the tasteful cabins fight against the ever encroaching spice gardens that make up the resort grounds. Over my first of many coconut-rich Keralan meals I make plans to visit the National Park the following morning.

The Periyar National Park is a Tiger Reserve with strictly controlled entry but my guide Saresh tells me that at most if I’m lucky I will see bison, deer or elephant. As it turns out I have to make do with warthogs, a mongoose and lots of leeches, which we combat with knee — high leech guards and tobacco powder. Tigers or not, however, it is a stunning park and when I spot boisterous (human) families disembarking one of the boat wildlife tours I congratulate myself for opting for the much quieter walking tour option.

Venice of the East

From here it’s a half-day journey to the famed Kerala ‘backwater’ system of canals and rivers, passing through gorgeous tea country and culminating in a short boat ride to my next stay — The Emerald Isle villa near the town of Allepey. The family owned property is a beautifully converted mill with just five rooms, and with (incredible) home cooked meals and personal service it has a home stay feel. While the owners can arrange for activities — including a sunset paddle boat ride and a performance from local singers (a must) — one of the highlights is exploring the area by foot and witnessing everyday life on the waterways.  On one of my strolls on the maze-like connection of walkways and bridge I start chatting to 12 year old Elizabeth and her younger brother, who are fishing, and they invite me into their home for sliced banana and a chat.

I need to get to Allepey to catch a train to the coast, and I decide to combine transport with sightseeing by taking a boat ride to town. For about £1 I enjoy the serene domestic scenes of the lush region from the ferry, a trip that would cost at least 20 times as much on a private boat organized through one of the Allepey travel agents. From here it’s a scenic 2 hour rail journey to the popular clifftop beach town of Varkala.

Rewarding retreat

Arriving at the cusp of the rainy and tourist seasons I am treated to diminished crowds and overall favorable weather, staying at boutique B&B Kaiya House. The 5-room property is run by American Debra, who has an impeccable eye for design and style (each room is carefully decorated to a different country theme) and treats guests like a visiting friend. With her help I enjoy an insider view of Varkala, a unique mix of small town meets sun-seeking hippies, where you can witness traditional life AND enjoy a decent espresso. Kaiya House is the ideal base and retreat for Varkala, and highlights of my visit include a pre-dawn beachside walk, followed by a rooftop breakfast of my choosing, a clandestine visit to the temple elephant to feed her bananas, and a memorable salad at a clifftop restaurant (after 2 months in India you truly appreciate a good salad).

Cooking in Kollam

I’m even further from the madding crowds at my next stop just a 15 minute rickshaw drive away, the Fragrant Nature resort in the backwater area of Kollam. This hotel is fully blown tropical resort luxury, complete with idyllic lakeside location.  Enjoying a complimentary boat tour of the serenely gorgeous lake I am joined by the only two other guests on the property (thank you, low season!), a pair of Aussie ladies who can’t believe their luck.

“We organised our trip through an internet deal and never imagined it would be so amazing!”

Besides enjoying the benefits of being on secluded privately property by soaking up the rays in a bathers (a luxury you quickly realize is rare in conservative India), the extra-curricular activity that catches my eye is the Keralan cooking course, which I sign up for.

Being a fancy kind of place, I am pleasantly surprised at the authenticity of the course which is led by the Fragrant Nature chef but held at the simple home of one of the grounds staff. While everyone who’s had Indian take away will be familiar with the dahls, jalfrezis and biryanis of the North, in the South – and particularly in Kerala – pretty much every meal involves a new experience for your tastebuds. The day began with a trip to the local market, the expected cornucopia of colorful fruit and veg, where we pick up fresh supplies and fish — a staple of the Kerala diet. My Chef tells me: “A Keralan woman doesn’t consider it a real meal unless there is fish”, sharply contrasting to the largely vegetarian North.

Back in the very local kitchen of the gardener, his wife and the chef start whipping up a storm as I take notes and try to keep up. Within about half an hour the pair have transformed our ingredients into a Keralan feast — including fish curry, spiced yam, a shredded coconut and veg dish called thoran and even a chutney made from scratch.  Time will tell if my versions will taste the same back at home.

Getting used to gluttony

The gluttony continues at Beach Symphony, my resort located at an isolated spot called Marari Beach, one hour south of the city of Cochin. I arrive at night after a long journey, and against the faint sound of waves I am led to my romantically lit, spectacularly furnished bungalow. There’s a personal espresso machine in the room, a private pool out the back, and I can tell just by looking at it that the statue on my bedside table is worth more than my life savings.  Chef Beepu comes round to say hello, asks me how I’d like my fish, and gestures to the prepared table on my personal veranda. All meals are to be served to my room and eaten al fresco, and there’s not another soul in site. This, I think to myself, is how the other half live.

The next day in daylight I discover that the property — comprising 4 very private bungalows, an outdoor pool and no reception area — back onto a beautiful stretch of beach used by sunbathers and fisherman alike. Although activities can be arranged here — renting a bike proves a very pleasant way to explore the area and kill an afternoon — the whole point of the place is to relax, and in style. The European couple behind the property, Christell and Jan, are clearly perfectionists, and Jan enthusiastically showed me two more exquisite properties they are developing in the region. A Beach Symphony is the clear winner in the ‘Honeymoon’ category, however restless souls beware: there’s little in the way of things to do.

The way of Walden

Reluctantly leaving behind the idyll, things get a bit Walden as I head to a cabin in the woods called Periyar River Lodge.  The lodge has just two rooms, no TV and no internet; entertainment options involve swimming in the river, a wildlife-spotting canoe trip and a visit to the nearby Thattekad Bird Sanctuary. Still, the best activity here is sitting on the swing bench on the porch and watching the sunset over the stunning scene, while enjoying the abundant hospitality of the host Luigi. Be warned that even if you are on your own there will be enough food for 6, and he will make sure you eat it all. The mango curry here remains a culinary highlight of Kerala.

One last rickety bus ride takes me to my last destination, and a completely different world. Cochin is a sprawling port city with a colorful past — having been historically settled by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and Brits, a distinct cosmopolitan streak remains to this day. As far as cities is India go, this is great one to hang out in, and staying at the immaculate Tissa’s Inn hotel, located in the best part of what can seem a bafflingly spread out city, is the best way to enjoy it.  The joys of Cochin are very modern — fantastic antique and clothes shopping, great fusion food, arty cafés — but as a way of easing myself back into urban life I find it the perfect ending place.

Just as I’m gearing to leave the tourists are starting to arrive — in a week’s time the hotel prices will be doubled and the café’s full.  But I’m grateful to have had God’s Own Country as my own country.

Useful Information:

ABOUT

A long thin sliver on the south western coast of the sub continent, Kerala is bordered by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Over 32 million people live in the state and the national language is Malayalam. I visited early to mid September.

TRANSPORT

I traveled using public transport; a combination of bus, train and rickshaw, to keep costs down. While it’s safe and dirt cheap to travel this way in Kerala, it can be a headache at times with changes and connections, so the majority of foreign visitors hire a car and driver for ease and convenience.

HOTELS

My accommodation was organised by Hotels Under 100, who offer a selection of unique luxury properties, many well under £100 for 2 sharing.

In Kerala I stayed in:

Shalimar Spice Garden, Periyar
Emerald Isle, Backwaters near Allepey
Kaiya House, Varkala
Fragrant Nature, Kollam
A Beach Symphony, Marari Beach
Periyar River Lodge, Anakkayam
Tissa’s Inn, Cochin

TOP IMAGE: Traditional Kerala makeup (Ambadysasi/Pixabay)

The post God’s own country: India’s captivating Kerala appeared first on Australian Times News.

Where: Pamplona, Spain

When: July 6 — July 14

What: The Running of the Bulls is only one part of the festivities for the town’s patron saint, San Fermin, including sports events, bullfights, fireworks, a giant-heads parade and a whole lot of wine and sangria. It is easily one of the wildest and craziest festivals in Europe and almost a rite of passage for Aussie travellers.

The daily ‘run with the bulls’ (encierro) is kind of like anti-bullfighting where men (and women, although this is frowned upon by the locals) run from rather than at the animal. The running of the bulls is the biggest of many events of its kind that take place in Pamplona and the surrounding region of Spain.

An abridged history of Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls

There’s no great story for the origin of the loony pastime that is the Running of the Bulls, but it’s basically developed from the foolhardy games of bored cattle drovers. The San Fermin festival was brought to the attention of the wider world largely by writer Ernest Hemingway, who was quite taken with the event.

Following his writings about the bull runs, young men have travelled from across the globe to prove their bravery on the streets of Pamplona, with the festival and its bovine dodging daredevils taking on ever greater proportions and notoriety.

How the Running of the Bulls all works

The kick off for the San Fermin festival in Pamplona is midday 6 July each year, when a rocket is fired to signal the end of sobriety and the start of unrelenting drinking and merriment. Not for the faint hearted, and that’s not just because of the bull running — there is some serious partying to be had. The opening day is often regarded as one the best days of the entire festival, with wine fights galore (don’t wear your good whites!) and a lot of friendly interaction between the tourists and the locals.

For the bull runners, from 7 July onwards at 8am every day the bulls are released for their 848 metre sprint, which takes around four minutes to complete. It’s best to get ready for the run nice and early, with people usually gathering in the narrow cobbled stoned streets from around 6am.

Another major part of the festival is the bullfight that happens every evening, and those who oppose the bloodthirsty charade want to make sure they’re up early each morning to see the bull’s get their own back on humans.

The primary colours of the festival are white and red — with most runners/revelers wearing white t-shirts and white shorts/pants, with red hankies, scarves, belts and bandannas completing the San Fermin look.

How to get to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls

There is an airport in Pamplona but it is only accessible via domestic transfer. Other airports in the vicinity that are accessible from the UK are Bilbao – 170km away, Zaragoza – 172km away, and Biarritz (in France) which is 128km away.

Staying in Pamplona

Pamplona is a decent sized city with a population of around 200,000 so there is plenty of accommodation but, naturally, you will have to plan way, way ahead to have any options for Pamps (over 350,000 visitors enjoy Pamplona over the festival period!). You probably are looking at 2019 now to get in on the action, but some of the popular youth travel companies like Top Deck and Contiki may still have some availability and are worth hitting up.

TOP IMAGE: Pamplona, San Fermin Festival – Running of the Bulls. (By Asier Solana Bermejo – Montón, CC BY-SA 2.0)

MIDDLE IMAGE: Pamplona, San Fermin Festival (By A. www.viajar24h.com – Flickr, CC BY 2.0, Link)

BOTTOM IMAGE: Pamplona, San Fermin Festival – Running of the Bulls. (By Carreras_por_Iruña_(14610396362).jpg: Iñaki Larrea derivative work: Stegop , CC BY-SA 2.0, Link)

The post Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls: what happens and how did it come about? appeared first on Australian Times News.

WHAT: Only the biggest festival in the WORLD! Some 6 million revellers celebrate Oktoberfest in Munich each year. Though the festival started as a one-off celebration of a royal wedding, it gradually grew into a horse race, then an agricultural festival and eventually blew up into the veritable orgy of food, fun and beer that it is now!

WHO: According to data from previous festivals, 72% of the attendees are local Bavarians and approx 15% are foreigners, yeah, that means you Aussies too! You’ll find plenty of Antipodean brethren, especially at the Hofbrau tent.

WHERE: Oktoberfest is held in Munich, Bavaria, the southernmost state of Germany. Specifically it is held in a large flat grass area in the centre of town called Thereisienwiese where about 14 large tents and 20 small tents are erected, some of them requiring 3 months to set up.

WHEN: Despite the name, Oktoberfest actually happens in September, with the mayor’s tapping of the first beer barrel at midday on a Saturday in the middle of the month: this year it happened on the 16th – that’s right, it’s on now! The festival closes with a traditional gun salute in early October – this year at 12:00 on Wednesday, October 4.

During the week the opening hours are typically 9am — 11.30pm, on weekends 10am — 11.30pm. Last orders are at 10.30pm unless you are at the wine tent, which opens till 1am. If you haven’t got a tent reservation (which you probably don’t), aim to be at the fest by 10am on the weekend and 3pm during the week to nab a spot.

HOW: Reservations for the beer tents, which are sold by whole tables and by buying food and drink coupons beforehand, usually sell out months in advance. Therefore the majority of festival goers just wing it — you can enter a tent without a reservation and you will just have to vie for the few spare seats. Outside in the beer garden is where you’ll find most of the seats.

Though the hotels and hostels of Munich book up way in advance (not to mention hike their prices up) there are official campsites within a few kms of the festival, with bus transport available. The most popular are Campground Obermenzing or Campground Thalkirchen, both of which take no reservations and are first come first serve, BYO tent.

If you have no tent a good option is the Weisn Camp, a dedicated Oktoberfest Campsite where you can rent a budget tent or caravan for up to 4 people.

For flights, check the usual suspects. Once in Munich, the U-Bahn (subway) line U6 runs to the stop ‘Poccistrasse’ every 24 minutes, which is about a 10-minute walk to the Oktoberfest venue.

WHY?: Are you kidding? Munich is not only a brilliant place for drinking beer, but it also offers expats a chance to catch up with like-minded mates! So when you are chugging down a pint of Hofbrau, remember where you read about this awesome festival!

Also see: The infamous 100 Club at Oktoberfest

OKTOBERFEST PACKAGES:
Loads of companies offer Oktoberfest packages, many of which include return coach travel from London and camping just outside of Munich. Check out Top Deck, Contiki, Busabout, PP Travel and Stoke Travel.

BEER AND FOOD GUIDE:
There are only 6 official Oktoberfest breweries; the beer they produce especially for Oktoberfest is made extra strong and easy on the palate. Get to know them well:

• Augustiner-Bräu
• Lawenbrau
• Hofbrau
• Paulaner
• Spaten
• Hacker-Pschorr

If you’re not a huge beer drinker (besides ‘what the hell are you doing here?’) there IS a special wine tent as well as other tents offering cocktails and other beverages. Or if you fancy a chandy ask for a ‘radler’, but don’t tell your friends.

Some of the food you will be stuffing in your mouth will be:

• Brezn: Pretzel
• Steckerlfisch: Fish-on-a-stick
• Hendl: chicken
• Schweinebraten: roast pork
• Warstl: sausages
• Ochsenbraterei: roast ox
• Sorry vegetarians. Did we mention there’s 6 kinds of beer?

BEER DICTIONARY:
The German language is fantastic, often summarising in one word what it takes a sentence to say in English. Here are a few Germanisms that may come in handy;

• Bierleichen: people so drunk they’ve passed out; literally translates to ‘beer corpses’
• Bierdimpfe: notorious beer drinker, “tavern potato”.
• Eihebn: if you’re dizzy because of too much beer, you have to cling to something.
• Fingahackln; Bavarian sport. Two men hook their middle fingers and try to pull the opponent over the table. Popular activity at the Oktoberfest.
• Gaudinockerln: luxuriant breasts
• Noagerlzuzla: person who drinks the last remainders from abandoned glasses, also used as a cuss.
• Oabischwoam: to solve a fight through drinking, a much better alternative than letting the fist do the talking, at the Oktoberfest as well as elsewhere.
• Pratzn: snide term for a (large) hand.

Beer and food guide sourced from www.oktoberfest.de/en

TOP IMAGE: Oktoberfest (By senator86 – CC BY 2.5, Link)

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Where: Buñol, Spain

When: Held the last Wednesday in August (in 2017: 30 Aug).

What: The tomato growing season for this Spanish town, 40 kilometres from Valencia, always ends on the last Wednesday in August. What happens next is the local population is joined by tens of thousands of visitors for the cultural celebration of La Tomatina.

Then: Rumor has it La Tomatina started over a ‘you say tomah-to, I say tomay-to’ dispute, but more reliable sources tell us that the tomato throwing is in honor of the patron saints of the town, and that it started in the 1940s. Though its exact origins remain a mystery, the tradition caught on (and except during a ban during the Franco period) it has grown bigger every year.

Now: These days, Buñol, a town of 9000 swells to up to 40,000 during the La Tomatina week. The main event aside, other activities include parades, dances, music, fireworks and a paella making competition.

On the big red Tomatina day…

The tomato fight takes place on the Wednesday, starting at around 10am. In theory, the proceedings will officially begin when one person has successfully scaled a tall greasy pole and reached the leg of ham that has been placed on top. In reality, the combined unlikelihood of achieving this task and the eagerness of the punters means the tomatoes get thrown early.

For exactly one hour the city is a pulpy, tomato flavoured battleground and it’s every person for themselves. 125,000 kilograms of ripe fruit is trucked into the town and chaos ensues. The key is to wear clothes you won’t miss as even if you manage to escape the river of red (which you won’t), shirt ripping is also not unheard of (and practically a given if you are a bloke).

After the appointed time, the water cannons are switched on and the cleanup process begins. As luck has it, the town in sat on a river so most throwers will head there for a wash. Tomato soup for lunch?

La Tomatina dos and don’ts

1) Buñol is a very small town and there are a lot more accommodation options in Valencia, just a short train journey away. If you do stay in Valencia, get the earliest train possible on the morning of the festival to secure a good spot in the plaza and ensure you see the greasy pole climb action — which is well worth it!

2) Wear goggles to protect your eyes from acidic tomato juice and clothing that you don’t mind being ruined and that can’t easily be ripped – Ladies, there have been stories of girls getting their bikinis ripped off, so a good solid t-shirt is advised!. Also don’t forget a waterproof camera or camera case, as well as a waterproof pouch for money and train tickets as you and your belongings will get soaked!

3) Never underestimate how crazy and chaotic things are going to get — it’s really easy to lose your crew once the fight starts, so pick a meeting point in the town that you can go to once everything is over.

4) You won’t be allowed back onto the train to Valencia if you’re still covered in tomato pulp (and they are strict on this!) so make sure you wander down to the river, or take advantage of locals hosing down tourists trekking to the train station.

Tomatina travel and bed

Get there: The nearest airport to Buñol is at the sunny seaside city of Valencia, which is well serviced by the popular budget airlines. Many also choose to arrive by coach.

Stay there: Because of the limited accommodation options, many festival goers choose to stay in nearby Valencia and bus or train it in for the day. Buñol is about 38km from Valencia. Naturally, the region gets packed out so plan ahead or opt for a package tour.

Also see: Pamplona: Running with the Bulls at San Fermin

IMAGES: La Tomatina in Spain (By flydime (La Tomatina (25.08.2010) / Spain, Buñol) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons)

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A clever marketing concept that serves to highlight just how much art can be enjoyed in — and has come out of – a mere 20-mile radius in Yorkshire. It’s also the perfect excuse to head up north to visit the UK’s largest county, on a weekend break with a cultural bent.

First stop on the triangle trail is the Hepworth Gallery (pictured above and below) in Wakefield; a city which is also in the ‘rhubarb triangle’, so called because – you guessed it – this corner of West Yorkshire is known for growing that most unusual of vegetables. Despite the fact that Wakefield holds a rhubarb festival every February, if we’re really honest there was probably little reason to stop in before the Hepworth Gallery was built.

Having said that, the bold and distinctively box-ey structure did meet with some scepticism when it first appeared in 2011. One of the museum attendants, a local lass, tells me:

“A lot of people here complained about it when it was first built, but it has definitely grown on most people now.”

It also proved a big success: the Hepworth is one of the most visit galleries in Britain. And rightly so, as it’s a fantastic place. The bright and modern space is attractive and cleverly laid out, featuring work of such artists as Henry Moore, LS Lowry, Jacob Epstein as part of the permanent collection.

The highlight of the visit is the Barbara Hepworth room back in the main gallery. Featuring some truly impressive pieces, it provides a concise retrospective of the Wakefield-born sculptor and includes models and photos of her works from around the world.

And so onto Leeds, the attractive – if foggy – city that as one point of the triangle is also home of two of its attractions; The Henry Moore Institute and the Leeds Art Gallery. It is also in striking distance of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park which we will visit tomorrow. Tonight, however, we are seeking strictly non-art action.

Though it’s one of the largest UK cities, Leeds’ centre is compact and easy to grasp. A good way to take stock of the city is with a drink and the view at the Sky Lounge, on the top floor of the Hilton. From here we take a short stroll along the River Aire for French food that hits a nice compromise between traditional and accessible, at Brasserie Blanc.

In seeking post-dinner pints we stumble across the Call Lane area, where a cluster of low-key independent bars and pubs serve the many students who reside in the city. It’s not until we reach Brudenell Social Club, however, that we find our Leeds ‘local’. A live music venue of some note, it is also a damn fine watering hole with a casually buzzing atmosphere, a nice selection of beers and outdoor seating. Just the place to nurse a pint and debate the finer points of Moore’s oeuvre. Or not.

IMAGE: Millennium Square Hands, Leeds

Day two is wall-to-wall art. The morning begins with a double-hit, as we take the easy walk (everything in Leeds seems to be an easy walk) to the Leeds Art Gallery. In contrast to the Hepworth, the Leeds gallery is a fixture of the city, first opened in the 19^th century and boasting a varied collection of exhibits spanning the classic to the cutting edge.

Adjoining via a corridor is the Henry Moore Institute, established by one of the most recognised sculptors in the world — whose work is often said to be influenced by the curves of his native Yorkshire landscape. Moore established his Foundation, of which the Institute is a section, to ensure that Leeds would forever more have access to a wealth of sculpture that didn’t exist when he was a young artist. As well as boasting its own collection, library and education program the Institute is also charged with curating the sculpture section of the Leeds Art gallery.

Both the Moore Institute and Art Gallery are free, so it’d be silly not to visit — even if you are not a fan of art. Why? The Tiled Hall cafe – originally used as a reading room for the Central Library, which is located in the same complex — is an absolute delight. Renovated in 2007 to its current tiled, marbled and columned resplendence, it surely one of the most decorative and atmospheric places in the city to grab a light lunch or early dinner.

IMAGE: Tiled Hall cafe

As much as we’d like to, there’s no time for lingering – there is more art to see. A mere half hour drive away is the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, an idea so simple it’s impossible not to love. Art! Outside! Around since 1977, the free attraction features over 60 sculptures spread over a stunning 500-acre property and is open year round.

We luck out with a cold but clear afternoon, but even on a bleak day a visit is warranted as there are five indoor galleries and a lovely cafe with a view. In fact, even if for some reason you hate art and beautiful parks, I daresay you’ll find Richard Hiorns’ piece ‘Seizure’ is most definitely worth a gander. The work answers the question: what happens if you let blue crystals take over a (real) council flat? The bizarre apartment-sized sculpture is housed on the YSP grounds and is a happy bonus to the already impressive collection.

IMAGE: Yorkshire Sculpture Park

And so, the triangle is complete. How else to top off a weekend of sculpture-spotting than to enjoy some of Yorkshire’s culinary offerings? Don’t scoff — the county is about much more than the famed Yorkshire pud. The Blacker Hall Farm Shop, conveniently located just down the road from the Sculpture Park, is the perfect place to sample local wares and shop for edible souvenirs. There’s an in-store cafe for dining; but we opt to stock up on local ingredients and design our own edible artwork on the picnic tables out front.

Returning home with our eyes and bellies appeased, I’m grateful for the excuse to discover the riches of sculpture and art in Yorkshire. Whatever shape it was in.

Leeds is just over 2 hours from London Kings Cross by train. Wakefield and the Sculpture Park are easily accessible via train and bus. For more information about the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle see: YSP.co.uk

TOP IMAGE: In celebration of their 40th anniversary in 2017, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park presents Ai Weiwei’s ‘Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads’ (2010), a dramatic group of 12 bronze animal heads that has been on a worldwide tour since May 2011, making a colossal migration through Europe, Asia and the Americas. (Photo by Charlotte Graham / Guzelian – courtesy YSP.co.uk)

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Montreal is the largest city in Quebec, the bi-lingual eastern province whose capital Quebec City is frequently described as being European. As a Melburnian who has spent most of the last decade in Europe, who better to see if the two comparisons are apt?

PART ONE: QUEBEC CITY

The Old Town

Within minutes of arrival in Quebec City, my boyfriend and I were able to confirm that it is in fact luxuriously European in the manner of such chocolate-box towns as Bruges in Belgium, or pretty much any charming place in France. The view from the window in my gorgeous boutique hotel was all but filled with the grand hotel Château Frontenac, the most notable and unavoidable building in the city.

Famously known as the only walled city in North America, the historic centre is broken up by a dramatic cliff, meaning you essentially need a topographical map to navigate even a short journey. Or you could catch the comically short hillside lift, which at $1.50 a pop can take you up or down in mere seconds.

The first evening’s wandering of the picturesque but conspicuously empty city were put into focus the following day with a tour from seasoned guide Michelle Demer, of the local tourism board. She tells us an awful lot about the history of the city, and the alternating French and British rule; it would seem the two nations squabbled over the city for quite some time.

Michelle is extremely knowledgeable about the history and architecture of the city, but the thing that really sticks in my mind is the holy door of the Notre-Dame Basilica Cathedral. Introduced by the Pope to celebrate the Cathedral’s 350^th anniversary last year, the door opens intermittently – at the will of the Pope, or on jubilee years. It is one of only seven such doors in the world, and the only one outside of Europe. Walking through the door symbolises repentance, and a renewal of faith. Sealed now for another 25 years, it was pretty cool to be made privy to the magical powers of an ordinary door I would otherwise have walked straight past.

Wendake

Heading way further back in history, before the Europeans arrived to bicker over the region, is the story of the First Nations people. Though it’s a story that takes up far more words than I have here, what we did have time for was a visit to Wendake, a small area governed by the Huron-Wendat nation just a few minutes drive outside of the city.

The centre of tourism in Wendake is an upscale hotel and restaurant called Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations, a strikingly unusual building combining spaceship-modern architecture with traditional wood and taxidermy interiors. Over a lunch of contemporary updates on Huron-Wendat classics (mostly hearty game and fish fare), tourism representatives Jason and Paule filled us in on the area.

Jason explains that the people of Wendake, despite many hardships, have historically been very adept at harnessing their culture into successful tourism ventures, and are well known for producing unique handicrafts and jewelry. Besides the hotel and restaurant, the grounds also boast a fabulous cultural museum and an impressive replica of a traditional longhouse where guests can stay overnight if they wish.

A tour of the rest Wendake reveals a charming village, with cute and colorful houses and bustling river at the edge of it. Outwardly, it’s no different than I imagine any other small Quebec town looks. We visited the local church, which also looks like most little old churches but for one female idol who I’ve never come across before. It’s Tekakwitha, also known as Lily of the Mohawks, a braided and serene young woman who is the first, and currently only, Native American saint.

The New Town

Returning to Quebec City, we took the afternoon to explore the modern part of the city. Away from the beautiful but somewhat aloof centre, we found bustling Le Sacrilège pub to be the heart of the trendy St. Jean-Baptiste neighbourhood. Not to hammer it home, but the warm brick building just felt so French. However everyone in the place was quick to help us with translations, and so it wasn’t long until we were watching live music and having a great old time, saddled with microbrews and free popcorn.

The area is dotted with the kind of cafes, galleries and delis that mark a young and cool area and we spent a good few hours ducking in and out of microbreweries to sample the local selection. Eventually, when we were hungry, and realised that we hadn’t done any research about where to eat, one of those magical travel moments happened.

Walking along a decidedly closed-for-the-day 46 Rue Saint-Joseph and contemplating our fast food options (pizza or death?) we saw a faint glow in the distance. As we crossed the road and peered through the window, someone stepped outside, cigarette in hand, and said to us; “Go in, you will not regret it”.

So we went in, and it was marvelous. Candle-lit and about the size of a large living room, the restaurant was homely, rustic and quietly stylish in a way that is very difficult to achieve without looking forced, or messy. The waiter casually dressed in a t-shirt read us the day’s menu in the manner of a man reciting a poem, and recommended pairing wines and beers. But not in a wanky way. Meanwhile the chef, and only other employee present, was at a two-burner stove using what appeared to be some olive oil and a spring of thyme to dish out the most fantastic smelling creations.

We went with it. It was an amazing, magical, special meal. One of the best ever, and at totally fair prices. We felt like we’ve made the biggest discovery of our lives until we got home and googled the name – ‘L’Affaire est Ketchup’ – to find it is in fact one of the most popular restaurants in town; raved about by Anthony Bourdain and usually booked out.

Oh well, we’ll leave unearthing hidden gems to the professionals.

And so concluded our time in Quebec City, with a mid-morning train to Montreal scheduled for the next day. I left with the feeling that this is a city that is perhaps even better during winter; many of its biggest festivals and events take place then, and there’s a certain cozy romanticism that would be nicely accentuated by a snowy blanket.

As we check out, the hotel receptionist promises we will like Montreal, adding; “It’s much more lively than Quebec City”.

But is it more Melbourne? Tune in for Part Two to find out…

TOP IMAGE: Via Shutterstock.com
ALL OTHER IMAGES: By Gary McGarvey

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IS IT a gig? Is it theatre?  No one is entirely sure what to expect ahead of the performance of Tina, in the Green Dress at the Roundhouse. One thing’s certain however – they don’t waste any time. As soon as I hand over my ticket a lady in military fatigues barks at me to get in a queue. Before I can even think about a cloakroom I’ve been ordered to put on a set of headphones and pushed forward into a dark room as the sound of choppers surround me.

And so begins the journey.

Tina, In The Green Dress is the ambitious collaboration between emerging electro-pop group A History and theatre company TwistedHip. The interactive show tells the story of Tina, an American girl who is estranged from her lover Jimmy when he is drafted to Vietnam. It is based on a suitcase of real letters sent between the couple, which the band found at a market in Coney Island.

The journey sees Tina travel from to Mississippi to New York, but tonight we start firmly in Vietnam. There are soldiers everywhere and we are ushered through a bewildering maze of dark alleys – someone hands me a sandbag that I am to carry and deliver to a waiting soldier. There are snippets of action happening all around, heated exchanges and illicit encounters involving soldiers – and then Tina appears in the middle of the room for a dramatic choreographed crescendo as the music floods my head.

It’s an incredibly immersive experience, and I’ve lost myself so completely by now that I’m oblivious to the other equally engrossed audience members.

We are transported to a New York club for the second phase of the production, where A History are performing in a sleazy club with Tina in her green dress at the microphone. The band perform several songs as the dancers bump and grind, and the audience relaxes in the more familiar gig environment.

The band are hot; dark beats laced with shimmering glints of melody are a backdrop for magnetic singer Aquila Rose to mewl and growl and coo – the Aussie/English/Spanish three piece are nothing if not sexy.

Things get funky during the infectious ‘Boom Down’ as the dancers get hot and heavy, and drop down a notch for the moody ‘Howling’, which has echoes of Fever Ray. Single ‘Fox’ is their real diamond however, sneaking up on you with its hypnotic circuital guitar melody and gentle build up. It’s the kind of song you only need to hear once before you’ve got it stuck in your head.

We emerge from the vintage Big Apple to present day Big Smoke thoroughly impressed, and slightly confused. Still not exactly sure what it was, but we definitely want more.

For A History see www.ahistorymusic.com, and for TwistedHip see www.twistedhip.co.uk.

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By Jennifer Perkin
So you’re living in London, the most exciting city in the world. The centre of the universe, you might say, when it comes to music, theatre, travel, media. But does it ever occur to you that not only do you live in London, but if you zoom out a little bit on the map, yes — that’s right-, you live in England. Zoom out a little further and you’ll see that England is just member of a quartet that goes by the name of United Kingdom. And in the UK there are 66 urban centers holding city status, all full of people hustling and bustling and thinking and acting like their city is the centre of the universe. What of it? Well if you really want to say you’ve lived in the UK you’re gonna have to get out and explore and see what makes all these other places so great. And luckily you have us to help you out in that department, so rip off those London blinkers and hop on a train to…

1.       Liverpool
Though famous for Lennon’s, McCartney’s and football, Liverpool’s true drawcard is the scousers that populate the city. Typically down to earth, quick to joke and full of pride for their city you can enjoy some of the best football banter in the pubs, admire some of the most undressed and overdone WAGS in the clubs and all the while smile helplessly at their lovable sing-song accent.

Do: The Albert Dock, ideal for a waterside stroll and a stop in at the Tate Gallery amongst other museums, mostly free.

Eat: The aptly named Bold Street is where you’ll find the best independent book stores, coffee shops and eats including awesome haunt ‘Leaf’, an epic two storey bar/restaurant/tea shop cum music venue meets sometime craft and vintage market.

Stay: The Sir Thomas Hotel offer what other reasonably priced, centrally located hotels don’t: character.  Old fashioned and with a hint of class, it’s a cut above the hostels and offer weekend specials, see SirThomasHotel.co.uk

2.       Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the Sydney to Glasgow’s Melbourne — iconic, classically beautiful, blessed by natural location and boasting a more sleek veneer than its main rival.  With its mix of sights, shopping and history it is the ideal place for a more ‘local’ city break — romantic, girly or otherwise and that’s not even mentioning the famous August fest (Fringe) or Hogmanay. One visit alone just will not do.

Do: Walk to the top of the hill to see the view from Edinburgh castle. Don’t bother paying £10 to enter unless you’re a real castle enthusiast.

Eat: Treat yourself to a truly fancy meal in an opulent locale at Rhubard, in the Prestonfield House hotel; the 2-course £17 lunch deal is a bargain. Prestonfield.com

Stay: Castle Rock hostel is the ideal kind of hostel — sunny, clean, friendly and with a droolworthy location overlooking the city. See ScotlandsTopHostels.com/edinburgh/castle-rock-hostel

3.       Birmingham
The Brum is cursed with something of a bad rep, which makes it all the more a pleasure to discover it’s actually pretty damned cool. Aside from a nicely developed music and cultural scene — it was crowned this year as the ‘Home of Metal’ — the city has a healthy appetite and boasts an ‘Indian Triangle’ which puts Brick Lane to shame. Celebrate both with various celebratory Home of Metal exhibitions and the food fest in September.

Do: The IKON Gallery is a fantastic warehouse style building with ever changing interesting exhibitions, it’s hard to believe it’s free. Lunch at the adjoining Spanish-themed café comes highly recommended. Ikon-gallery.co.uk

Eat: Bodega is a new South America cantina with an impressive array of authentic tapas and mains spanning the continent, as well as Latino themed cocktails.

Stay: Mint Hotel: Central, cheap, stylish and a great breakfast.  MintHotel.com/our-hotels/birmingham

4.       Cardiff
More than just a place to watch the rugby, the Welsh capital is one of the most vibrant cities in the UK and though it has Cymru pride in its heart, it is geographically more accessible to London than to northern parts of Wales!

Do:  Visit Cardiff during the awesome SWN music festival  in October— kinda like the Camden Crawl but across a whole city. Swnfest.com

Eat:  The kind of independent, creative, vegetarian, community minded and bursting-with-originality hang out that every city needs, we love Milgi Lounge. Not just for tree huggers either — the cocktail menu is jaw dropping and cheap. Milgilounge.com

Stay: When the River House Backpackers has received impeccable reviews from various sources, including taking out Hostelworld’s best UK category for three years running — there’s really no need to stay in a hotel. See RiverHouseBackpackers.com

5.       Manchester
If you’re a hardcore London-ite reluctant to venture beyond zone 6 then Manchester is probably your best stepping stone. But don’t be fooled – this not just a London in miniature, the city has its own thing going on and with a much smaller population, has been privy to some powerful cultural revolutions — particularly on the music front. Ever changing, ever vibrant and with just enough edge to keep it interesting.

Do: Drinking is a sport in Manchester — you’d do worse than to sample some of the city’s finest local brewed offerings at the Marble Beers pub on Rochdale Rd. When you’ve run out of beers there move on the Hula Bar — an authentic Tiki haunt where watching the bartenders make the cocktails is almost as fun as drinking them. www.hulabar.co.uk

Stay: Mint hotel, flawless option, awesome location. Also see Birmingham above. minthotel.com/our-hotels/Manchester

Eat: Craving a taste of home? At the somewhat fancy Australasia you won’t find Four’N Twenty’s but you will find an Asian infused menu focused on tapas-style plates, as well as good ole fashioned steaks of course.  Australasia.uk.com

Runners up…

–          Glasgow: Searing music scene, lush Mackintosh architecture, incoherent accents. Just say yes.

–          Belfast: Warm soul belies a troubled past — discover both over several Guinness’s.

–          Exeter: Never heard of it? Us either — until we discovered its stunning and compact historic centre, with a deeply continental Europe feel.

What makes a city?
Historically a town was officially a city if it had a cathedral, but since 1888 that practice is no longer and getting city status is now a matter of applying to the Lord Chancellor and crossing your fingers. The UK’s smallest city? St David’s in Wales, clocking in at less than 2000 in population, gets in on a technicality under the old Cathedral law…

The post Top five UK cities that AREN’T London appeared first on Australian Times News.

Over the edge
Coasteering has been on my to-do list for a long time. I must admit though that not until now – standing on the edge of a cliff face about to leap into choppy, chilly water waaayyy below – did I know what it actually involved. So now you know people: it’s jumping off cliffs. All afternoon we’d been working ourselves higher and higher, until finally we are at the highest point, from which only a few in the group are game enough, or stupid enough, to jump. So here I am. Emitting an involuntary string of expletives, I leap… Our tour guide and coasteering expert Ant tells us that no two trips have ever been the same for him; and to be fair, flinging your body off high platforms and swearing is not all it involves. Today, kitted out in wetsuits, helmets and trainers, we are scrambling, climbing and swimming our way around a section of the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast. Ant and his larrikin sidekick Bramble are the ultimate guiding duo — Ant pointing out wildlife and danger spots while Bramble does dive bombs and splashes the girls. Amongst all the adrenaline stuff we learn about the sea life, experience an amazing blowhole in a secret cave and are joined all the while by a curious and friendly seal. Adventure travel doesn’t get much better than this, and the cherry on top is the thermos of hot chocolate that awaits us in the van after wriggling out of our wetsuits.

Eco idyll
Coasteering is just one part of our ‘Adventure Cocktail’ weekend at Preseli Venture, the ultimate eco lodge located in the beautiful countryside of South West Wales, just minutes from the coast and a painless 5 hour train journey from London. The lodge is named for the Preseli Hills, where the stones of Stonehenge where sourced (no one knows how). The idea is simple: show up on Friday night ready for adventure and let the Preseli crew feed you, lead you and generally show you an awesome time until they wave you off on Sunday. The environmentally friendly lodge is purpose built for chilling out, a perfect antidote to the outdoor activities, and features spotless and modern rooms, facilities and bar / eating / chill-out area. There’s also plenty of outdoor space which we gladly use — lucky for us we happen upon an absurdly sunny weekend and actually succeed in getting a sunburn! Friday night we take it easy. After the first of many hearty and healthy meals cooked by the instantly loveable chef and surfer nomad Rupert, we sip on local ale and play a game of jenga while a stag group whoop it up around the pool table. Contemplating our weekend’s activity schedule up on the blackboard, we opt for an early night.

Get amongst it
This morning the first thing on a schedule is a hike along the coast, but not until we’ve stuffed ourselves at the breakfast buffet. We are dropped along with our fellow adventures at the tiny village of Trefin, known for being the home of Catatonia singer Cerys Matthews’s family, and where she has made headlines more than once with her rock star antics. We are given directions for a leisurely stroll 3 hours along the coast and back to the lodge and are left to our own devices. A self guided walk is the best way to familiarise ourselves with the surroundings — following a rough path traversing farmland along the cliffs, we are offered spectacular views throughout. The cliffs are truly dramatic, conjuring images of huge swathes of earth sliding away and leaving nothing but sea. And a gorgeous aquamarine sea it is, surprisingly tempting in this heat. I can’t help but think that if the weather was always like this, Australia would have some pretty stiff competition. We amble back into the lodge just as Rupert is dishing out bowls steaming fresh cawl, a kind of hearty Welsh soup, served with crusty bread and chunks of cheese, which we stretch out into a two hour lunch in the sun. Why can’t real life be like this?

Local life
We work off lunch with our afternoon coasteering adventures and before we know it are back at the lodge eating in the evening sun, well deserved beer in hand. We get a hot tip about local bands playing in the nearby hilltop town of Mathry, and decide to take a walk there to explore. Mathry, it transpires, is more pub than town and we arrive as the band are packing up, but it’s still quite wonderful to sit on the village grass and watch the local community fussing and gossiping on a leisurely weekend. This part of Wales is known as ‘Little England’ since old times, so while there are some peculiar accents to be heard, there’s not a lot of Welsh language being spoken. It’s a lovely slice of country life, and we enjoy a few games of pool in the boisterous pub until the locals drive us out with Bon Jovi on the jukebox. It’s back to the lodge bar then, where we sink a few with the stag boys before stumbling to bed, well exercised, well fed, sunburned and content.

Snail snacks in kayaks
This morning’s activity is sea kayaking, and after gearing up we hit the water and are given an introductory lesson — both in sea kayaking and water splashing techniques. It’s a brilliant jaunt, and Ant and Bramble are on form — Ant pointing out scary looking jellyfish while Bramble attempts improbable white water kayaking; “don’t follow Bramble!” We are given the option of going over some pretty hairy rapids but only one kayaker in the group capsizes; by some miracle it isn’t me. Bramble plucks a shelled creature off the rocks and says ‘Here, eat this’. It’s a bit like a mussel, not too bad, and it’s lucky that not till later that the internet informs me that a limpet is a water snail. Our last lunch and we’re off, with most headed for the train station, London bound. Waving goodbye there’s a pang of sadness but also of intense satisfaction — the perfect combo of active and idle combined with a perfect setting, wholesome food and fantastic company. This is using a weekend to its full advantage. DO IT YOURSELF!: We took part in the ‘Adrenaline Cocktail’ weekend package, which includes 2 nights accommodation, all meals, 3 half day activities and equipment and train station transfers from £209 per person. They also offer surfing lessons, conditions pending. The centre is open all week so you’re not restricted to weekends, and there are also special group rates and itineraries. See PreseliVenture.co.uk or call (01348) 837709

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UPPLEV MER is a Swedish outfit that have hit upon the clever idea of showing off their capital city from a bird’s eye view. After strapping you in with safety harnesses, your guides will lead you on an aerial tour of the city’s history and architecture as you literally walk on the rooftops of Stockholm’s buildings.

A tour lasts just over an hour and costs around £50. See UpplevMer.se

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EVEN as a vegetarian, the wittiest slogan shirt I have ever seen reads “MEAT IS MURDER, Tasty, tasty murder…” Who says veggies don’t have a sense of humor?

Those of the carnivorous persuasion should sharpen their knives, strap on a bib and hotfoot it to New York this week where the annual Meatopia is taking place. The event, known as the ‘Woodstock of Edible Animals’ will involve loads of celebrity chefs, BBQing and bonecrunching of pretty much anything with a pulse, all washed down with free flowing beer.

Check out Meatopia.org

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THE film 127 Hours chronicles the true story of a young rock climber who finds himself fighting for survival after a nasty accident. Somewhat ironically, since the film was released the Moab region of Utah, where it was filmed, has seen an increase in tourism.

You too can experience the lunar landscape and even take part in some safe, supervised rock climbing with expert guides with the Moab Adventure Centre who run tours of the red rock playground.

See MoabAdventureCenter.com

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FRANCE’S big day, known in country as the ‘The National Celebration’ is held in honour of the public storming of the national prison (Bastille) in 1789, an act which symbolises the end of the French Monarchy and the birth of the Republic.

Today, the celebrations start on July 13 and July 14 is a bit like Christmas; a day to be lazy and over indulge in food and drink. On the big day, towns of any significance put on a massive fireworks display but Paris is the epicentre — with a famed parade, a military flyover and general merriment in the streets.

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THOUGH marred by an over-touristation problem and the pick pocketing issues that comes with that (hello, London!), Barcelona is overwhelmingly a breezy and light city. Quite literally so, as even on the rare grey sky day the city seems to radiate a youth, vibrancy and sunniness that few cities in the world can match.  Just a few things from our crush-list:

1. The food

Ok, so we are wearing our priorities on our sleeves but even by very high Spanish standards, food in Barcelona is freaking awesome. For starters, their idea of breakfast food is donuts dipped in molten chocolate — ask for ‘churros y chocolate’ and be prepared to fall in love. On the healthier side, start at La Boqueteria, the food market to end all food markets. Push past the throngs of photo takers at the front and wander the back aisles of picture perfect fruit and veg, cheeses, olives and a bewildering array of cured meats. It’s all about simple quality ingredients — trust us when we say once you’ve tried a tomato here you will never appreciate other tomatoes again.

2. The people

What language is spoken in Barcelona? Spanish, you say? Well, yes…but the first language of the city is Catalan, unique to the state of Catalonia. And if you’re thinking you can just wing it, Catalan is actually nothing like Spanish and is in fact closer to Welsh. After years of suppression during the Franco regime, Catalonia has been steadily gaining autonomy since his downfall and to this day Catalonian nationalism is alive and well. Catalonians have a proud culture distinct to classic Spanish culture and they’re not afraid to let it be known — for example the territory is the only one on mainland Spain where bullfighting has been banned by popular vote.

3. Gaudi

Few architects have made their mark on a city as Gaudi has in Barcelona, and it’s impossible to imagine the city without his weird and wonderful works. A  proud Catalonian, Antoni Gaudi was a young designer who gradually gained high profile commissions in the second half of the 19^th century and eventually became a key player in the Catalan Modernist movement. His deeply original style, inspired by natural landscapes, is most popularly observed in the Sagrada Família church, which consumed the second half of the artist’s life and remains famously unfinished to this day.

4. The backstreets

One of the classic complaints about Barcelona is how touristy it is. It’s true that Las Ramblas — the main pedestrianised drag — can feel like a circus at times. However, what these whingers don’t realize is that a short stroll will see you in a different city altogether — one where locals outnumber tourists, life is lived on the street and the true buzz of Barcelona can be appreciated. Probably the best suburb for strolling is El Raval.

5. Primavera  Sound Festival

The major festival of the season for music nerds. The brain popping lineup this year saw A-listers such as Pulp and Grinderman bringing down the house, while on smaller stages the likes of Warpaint, Caribou, James Blake rocked the crowds until, quite literally, the break of dawn. The festival is set over 3 days at the city’s waterfront and entry includes side shows in venues across the city. Expect to become nocturnal and rock out with one of the most beautiful festival crowds you’ve ever seen.

6. The bars

Drinking at a good bar in Barcelona is a totally different experience to a pint at your local. Beer served in small glasses, cheap red wine that tastes far better than it has any right to, oodles of ambience and always, always, tasty bar snacks. Forget grazing on packets of crisps; how about a chorizo and manchego sandwich? No language? No worries, just take up a perch, smile and nod and let the drinks and good times flow.

7. The shopping

Those of the high street persuasion will find all their favourite brands and a few they haven’t seen  – remember Zara, Mango, Bershka and Camper are all Spanish brands. There are high streets and malls galore, but if that ain’t your thing than you can browse the retro vintage shops and a myriad of record stores in the El Raval district. For flea market junkies El Encants is the ultimate oversized car boot sale — get in early for the good stuff.

8. Tapas

Tapas is the perfect way to sample a range of dishes, especially local delicacies that mainly consist of melt in your mouth seafood. The best way to try tapas that a Barcelono would deem worthy is to find a place with a Spanish only menu (Papitu by La Boqueteria is a fine choice) and ask the waiters to bring out their recommendations

9. Miró

Like Gaudi, the works of painter, sculptor and ceramicist Joan Miró are inseparable from his home city. His work, often described as surrealist, was at first ridiculed in Spain and he had to flee to France in the early 1900s to find like minded artists and acclaim. Now, however, he is one of Spain’s most celebrated sons and if you are going to visit just one cultural site in Barcelona, make it the Miró Museum.

10. The beach

Seeing the sites, eating the eats, walking the streets in the centre, it’s easy to forget that Barcelona is very much a coastal city. A short stroll down Las Ramblas and there’s a whole different culture going on — one where it’s not unusual to see nudists strolling mere metres from the street.

The post Ten great reasons to love Barcelona appeared first on Australian Times News.

The bizarre event does not actually originate from anti-Amtrak sentiment, but from a bet that a local drinker made some 30 years ago that he would buy a round for anyone in the bar who would flash themselves at the next passing train. It’s now turned into something of day-long fiesta with hundreds of people lining up against the fence and dropping their pants, with trains slowing down especially on the day.

For more info see www.amtrakmooning.com, however be warned, there is extreme nudity!!

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IF you want to visit North Korea, one of travel’s last frontiers, an organised tour is the only way you are allowed.

Tour company Koryo organize affordable and accessible trips for the likes of me and you, visiting the capital Pyongyang, the mountains, the DMZ and the famous Mass Games performances if the season is right (Aug-Dec).

As you can guess, this is not your average holiday, so leave the bikini and after sun at home. You will be forbidden to wander unaccompanied by a guide or take unauthorized photography, you will be obliged to bow at statues of the Great Leader and if you are a journalist you can just forget about it.

Quirks aside, the trips are an amazing glimpse into a hidden world, one visited by just 2000 western tourists each year. The beach can wait!

Trips start at around £1000, see KoryoGroup.com

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Finding them a bit histrionic on record, I wasn’t sure what to expect live but found myself instantly won over. Vocalist Kim Benzie’s truly impressive high melodic voice soars powerfully over the heavy, proggy backdrop to moving effect — no black clad pretenders, these guys are serious musicians in the vein of Tool, Butterfly Effect and Karnivool.

In this tiny, dark venue they were playing with stadium intensity, and though the crowd was small they were all dedicated, fist-in-the-air, know-all-the-lyrics types. The band were clearly chuffed with the response from their northern cousins, and Benzie paid his dues by dropping a few Aussie band names; in particular Cog, who he said ‘started the movement for the new generation of bands’.

It was a beautiful thing to witness, these fellow Aussies rocking this corner of the globe with such sincerity, and I found myself overcome by a mixture of pride and homesickness that I hadn’t felt since seeing Crowded House at Glasto.

Watch this space.

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