For those of you looking for a feelgood Christmas tale, look away now. This is a tale of architectural wonder… of reality, not make belive fairytale. This is where SantiagoCalatrava stamps his signature on various places around the planet… and we gaze in awe (well, some of us do anyway).
He was born in Valencia and first came to my attention when visiting the Freedom Tower in New York City in 2017. Santiago Calatrava was responsible for the futuristic design of the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub.
So, where does Santa come into this picture, you ask. Well, seeing as you asked so politely… here I am in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, and would you believe it, Santiago Calatrava got here before me. He designed the Auditorium de Tenerife Adan Martin… a stunning performance venue on the harbour…
And what of Syd, you ask. Well, it’s just my random thinking that if you take a look at the Sydney Opera House when you’re next passing by that way, have a think of what those architectural curves remind you of.
Until we speak again, as Juno often remarked… I might have been her erstwhile servant, but get a proper hobby fella, and pack in these random trains of thought 🤔
What, you thought I’d do all the tourist stuff about Antoni Gaudi, La Rambla, and all that BarcaFC shtick? Think again, it’s in the archives back in March 2019! This was a completely unscheduled visit planned in the airport arrivals, having missed a connection onto Florence!
After a tiring day of travelling and improvising, a marina side evening stroll culminated in a visit to the upmarket Barceloneta restaurant.
The food and wine were of the expected high quality. What was unexpected was the presentation and quality of the maciatto. This was a ‘performancecoffee‘ with the waiter providing the milk/foam finish with a flourish at the table!
This got me thinking, as my following morning experience confirmed my previous recollections… Barcelona is not a place that will trouble competitors in the world cappuccino stakes!
Needless to say, I had now found my pointless mission for this very relaxing visit to a stunning city. Ocana in the Gothic Quarter may not have provided the best post Flamenco gig meal, but they unexpectedly raised their game with the maciatto!
Alegoria, located neatly down a narrow side street and then an even narrower alley, so that the tourist hordes along La Rambla don’t even know it’s there… is undoubtedly an absolute gem of a restaurant. More about this one in a separate post!
They didn’t need a sugar gimmick to remind me where I was languishing, but the maciatto not surprisingly maintained the high standard I had come to expect. That wine was delicious to.
Until we speak again, if you want pictures of the photogenic place that Barcelona is… go there!
It’s time for a British Summer Tour 2024. Why go travelling the world in search of summer sunshine and exotic experiences? Yes, I know, that question has probably already answered itself.
In times of undoubted climate change, we can thank the mindless emitters and evidence deniers for the cooler and even wetter British June & July of 2024. Ducks need not engage with this previous sentiment!
However, we Celts do occasionally need to acknowledge that our English neighbours might just have some interesting places to visit. No, not London. For historical value, there are few better places to spend a couple of days in than York.
After years of conquest and occupation, the Romans finally decided the Mediterranean climate was more to their liking. It seems their departure was accompanied with a distinct middle finger to the Yorkshire locals…
However, their latter-day Italian ancestors have a lot to be thanked for when it comes to certain culinary twists on good British ingredients (particularly lamb)…
Conquests and posh nosh aside, when it comes to extending a welcome to neighbours across the street, where is better suited than the Shambles in York?
The most infamous Shambles also contains a few sources of mystery. Though I’m sure some questions don’t really need an answer…
Until we speak again, no visit to York is complete without breakfast at the famous Betty’sTeaRooms for a dish of kedgeree and some properly presented EnglishBreakfastTea…
You have the whole of the Algarve to be soaking up rays in… so why bother taking the other direction out of the airport into the city?
For a start…the rays are here as well! No, not just on the other side of the track…
It’s got a genuine OldTown… not just something that’s about 30 years old, which the sun worshippers already consider to be uncool and out of date…
There’s a restaurant with a well in the middle of it that’s over a 1000 years old…
Your safety isn’t just guaranteed from falling down unexpected holes in your eating joint… it’s also a matter of 24-hour vigilant surveillance. With a nest like this, do you really think the occupant has any other intentions…
The food elsewhere may claim to come from the sea, but here, the smell of the sea leaps off your plate (believe it or not, there’s a salmonfilet residing beneath this roof of shells and veg!)…
The local residents are so chilled they can’t even raise the effort to flutter a few feathers…
And did I mention the much sort after rays can be found here as well. Why not take a boat out across the nature reserve to find beaches in the shadow of a 170 year old lighthouse…
Then, there’s the matter of the SmokeTiki. After a couple of these, your trusty correspondent struggled to remember what an Algarve was supposed to be used for… an implement for sun worshipping… possibly? Who needs the sun when your drink comes with a blow torch accompaniment, anyway?
Until we speak again, you’re welcome to go to everywhere else on the Algarve in search of your rays. Me, I’m not venturing far from Faro! Just maybe, those SmokeTiki misdemeanours are rendering movement a bit more restrictive!
If you’ve heard the saying… I diedandwenttoheaven… well, dying is no longer obligatory! The good news is that you just need to go to Portugal!
If proof of heaven were needed, then MensagemRooftopRestaurant in Lisbon puts forward an application based on a starter of VealCarpaccio with a Syrah red wine from the nearby Beira region…
Not yet convinced? Faro quickly steps up with a main of ArrozNegro (blackricewithcuttlefishink, andcrispysquid) accompanied by a robust Tomato & Roast Pepper Salad. The local Algarve wines provide an extremely dry white, aptly named ‘SoBlanc‘…
What do you mean, where’s the dessert? This is Portugal, where the best dessert is widely available throughout the day. PasteisdaNata are what Portugal was invented for, didn’t you know? Best taken with a proper cappuccino side…
Until we speak again, whatever your version of heaven is… I’m sticking with this one!
Say what you want about the diminished size of the BritishArmedForces. But, here in Cardiff docks, the Senedd Cymru (WelshParliament) is ensuring its own security against foreign invasion in this increasingly uncertain world.
Until we speak again, a special thanks go to the Spanish Armadasurplusstores for the loan of Galeon Andalucia. What, you thought the British Navy had anything more viable? 🤔🤣
It’s not exactly the welcome you expect when splashing the cash on some quality nosh. But, if you happen to be splashing something else, you may just be rubbing shoulders with this guy…
The Guardian of the Gent’s surely isn’t meant to provide the highlight of a visit to Ivy Asia. After all, he is resting beyond the prying eyes of many visiting punters.
It may be borrowing on a famous name from London restaurant culture. It could even be a barely disguised financial trading up on the aforementioned cultural icon. But, the Ivy Asia is still a relatively recent addition to the Cardiff dining scene, adding some distant exotic colour to the supposedly bland indigenous cuisine.
And oh, what colour it adds…
Whilst disposable chop sticks greet you at the table, sunglasses may be a useful implement for aiding the dining experience. Talking of which… what is the dining experience? Essentially, Asia sums it up… a fusion of cuisines from across a sub-continent.
As a group of diners, we were trading up from our previous meetings over fry-ups in South WalesValleys caff culture! Here, the challenge is to make some sense of a menu written in English, but not necessarily the language we were more familiar with. Blindly sticking a pin in the menu to make a choice would probably be just as rewarding as trying to decifer the range of what was being offered.
Ultimately, we each went to seek guidance from the aforementioned Guardian… and then stuck a pin in the menu. For the record, we side-stepped the more exotic options to settle on vaguely familiar choices of SzechuanChicken, DuckSpringRolls, Beef & LambSkewers, and SteamedRice. And all were deliciously presented and in taste.
As it was a celebration brunch, my own phobia for desserts needed to be overcome. Passionfruitdonuts, and Lychee, Mango & Chocolate were instantly snapped up by the others. For me, something called TheGreenLantern sounded in keeping with the ambience of the place. If I told you what was in it, I’d be causing a stampede to the place…
Until we speak again, beware of strange men in unexpected places! At least remember the tried and trusted British welcome… whoareyou lookingat!
What is it about churches, well cathedrals really, that draws me like a magnet? Quite simple, really, they just knew how to build something spectacular back in the day. Take Stephansdom in Vienna, for example…
I’m sure there is something important about the religious trappings and paraphernalia, at least for some people. I personally just don’t subscribe. A bit like Facebook, really, it’s populated with people and events that simply don’t attract my attention.
As for Peterskirche, a short walk from the cathedral, it provides a fabulous backdrop for a ViennaClassicalEnsemble concert. The idea that I might sing a hymn and listen to a sermon would never present a cause for temptation.
Moving onto Prague, the imposing St Vitus Cathedral is yet another built in an imposing top of a hill position (c.f. Lincoln Cathedral in the UK). Located alongside Prague Castle, this one requires you to climb several flights of stone steps to arrive at the front door…
… but beware, if you want the fabulous views of the city there is a further few hundred spiral steps up the south tower (they hadn’t heard of lifts back in the day, and for authenticity, and lack of suitable space, they still haven’t!).
However, Prague did entice me with a religious experience (each of the three nights)… the AghaRTA jazz club had all the architectural trappings of a subversive underground religion…
Until we speak again, enjoy your religion, enjoy good architecture, and when the two combine… feel free to worship!
From wherever you’re arriving, air, rail, tram, and bus services will deliver you very efficiently to the centre of this UNESCOWorld Heritage Site. But, once you get there, only one form of transport will do, and that’s… walking! It’s the only way to take in what this well-preserved city offers the discerning traveller.
Riga is definitely a feast for the senses, but don’t feel too concerned for the man with the world’s most enormous haemorrhoids… he’s still providing every passer-by nothing less than a jolly welcome…
Feeling lost? If at any time you’re feeling like you’re away with the birds… well, Riga has a neatly organised solution. Check out the colourful tree in one of the central parks, as here you’ll find one of the biggest collections of bird boxes……..
Then, when you’re lost for somewhere to park your spare zeppelins, check out the amazing Riga CentralMarket. Yes, back in the day, the 5 pavilions that now provide a home to Europe’s largest indoor market once provided the ideal hangars for WW1 military airships.
Meanwhile, strolling by the Dome Cathedral, if you suddenly feel peckish, they have a unique menu presentation (aka TheTown Musicians of Bremen)… a strange sculpture based on a Brothers Grimm tale… apparently, rubbing the animals’ noses brings good luck!
Walking the city can be thirsty work, but no fear, if you need a reminder of essential Latvian culture, they will be happy to offer you a hint…
A Houseof Blackheads doesn’t sound like a healthy attraction. But this historic site dates back to the 14th century. However, what you see is the 1990s replica, the original having succumbed to some Nazi/Soviet target practice and demolition games through the 1940s. With several uses across time, it is now mainly a museum, but the basement is apparently an original part of underground Riga (see also a previous post on dining in MedievalRiga).
Then again, if you’re into collecting stuff, they’ve already got you covered… well, they’ve got a wall covered, at least. Regional badges from across the country. And to add to any local rivalry, the neighbouring PowderTower provides an explosive mix… a place that the Swedish occupants of bygone years literally blew up through a combination of design & storage ineptitude…
For historic architecture, Riga spans numerous centuries… just ask TheThreeBrothers… well, only if talking to buildings is your thing…….
However, if ArtNouveau architecture is your thing, Riga has a delightful district of the stuff…
But, not everywhere is as stunning. No photographs provided, but one of the most boring buildings just happens to house the highly fascinating Museum of theOccupationofLatvia. If you’re of a Russian or Nazi persuasion, lookaway now… for this is a detailed exploration of Latvian courage and determination in the face of occupation and oppression across the majority of the 20th century. It’s an emotional story of human resistance against invaders attempting to completely obliterate Latvian culture and identity.
Riga offers an interesting take on this beautyintension, being the home to the FreedomMonument…
While in close proximity, there is the Russian Orthodox Church… photograph it from the outside, because inside is a clear message to look but don’t snap! Ever wondered where your lost gold ended up?
Then again, sometimes it just pays to walk. Turn any corner, tilt your head back, and look up… Riga provides more than its fair share of well-preserved historic beauty…
Until we speak again, Riga also reminds you to spare a thought for the precarious nature of being a cat!
On a recent trip to Riga, I have to admit the write-ups about Latvian cuisine may have been on the up… but still not gripping my taste buds and demanding my undivided attention. Though the local darkbreads are dense but tasty enough to definitely be leaders in their particular league.
So, my very own personal guide to the city stepped in with a vote for Georgia. The name Alaverdi might be giving off an Italian vibe to the casual observer, but look a little closer and give yourself up to that ‘TasteofGeorgia‘ hint at what could be. We’re early, so plenty of choice of tables…
In my limited experience, Georgian red wines are hidden gems overshadowed by the European heavyweights bordering the Mediterranean. A glance at the wine menu here (see in the previous ‘Taste of Georgia’ link) lets you know you’re encountering a country with a serious approach to its falling over water!
So, where to start when it comes to the food? Khinkhali is the Georgian way of doing dumplings; and when they come filled with veal and lamb who could possibly refuse? The visual and textural presentation may be something you wipe your hands on after a particularly messy encounter with a seafood dish, but don’t be put off by first impressions. However, the Dolma with Duck with rice, greens and spices, supplemented by pomegranate seeds in a light spicy sauce… this was a dish that does wonderfully messy things with your mind, not with your hands! Suffice to say, when Donald met Dolma (that’s Donald Duck, not the orange fart in America version) the world became an altogether better place.
A main event to savour would be a difficult challenge for any chef after that dolma sensation of a starter. But, the idea of Beef Tenderloin Medallions with potato gratin and demi-glace sauce; well, that certainly provided the pomegranate bridge from the first course to the main, with a further wow factor baked in. The Pork Neck Shashlik on lavash with vegetable caviar, red onion and satsebeli sauce gave the whole event further depth and breadth befitting a new country’s cuisine to add to my taste bud travels.
This had already developed into a meal you don’t want to see ending. My trusty guide was in the mood for dessert… a cheesecake with a difference of stewed in red wine cherries, spices and caramelised pistachio with a few raspberries on the side as a nod to healthier times.
Me, I’m not habitually inclined towards the dessert section of any menu, so it was time to add a Riga essential to my local experience… a glass of Riga Black Balsam… not for the faint-hearted. No, that isn’t an extra glass of wine as dessert this time… It’s the national drink of Latvia, more of a 45% proof affair, purely imbibed for medicinal purposes, of course… a herbaceous floral thing, with a liquorice, lime, ginger, mix and no doubt a hefty kick. Like Coca Cola very few people know its exact recipe. Unlike Coca Cola it’s best used for an after meal digestif, rather than a toilet bowl cleaner!
Until we speak again, Georgia is definitely still on my mind. With this taste of some of what the country has to offer, it might well be under my feet sometime soon!
JUNO's VIEW 