Tag Archives: eat

Venice of the North

~Molen van Rolde ~

Depending on whom you ask, Amsterdam is the principal city in Netherlands, the capital of cannabis tourism or the cultural heart of Holland. Built by fishermen in the early days of the twelfth century, Amsterdam was converted from a marshy stretch of land into a beautiful metropolis where old structures are juxtaposed with modern architecture and a maze of pedestrian bridges crisscross a host of canals. Visitors are fascinated by its multiple faces: the Amsterdam of the windmills, tulips and bike rides, the Amsterdam of festivals, concerts and street performances, the Amsterdam of the coffee shops and nightlife and, the Amsterdam of the Golden Age, modern or contemporary art venues.

Irrespective of affinities, Amsterdam has something to offer to each of its guests, which is why it is high on my list of places that I would like to revisit.

Stay: The Dylan Amsterdam

Eat: La Oliva, De Kas, Vis aan de Schelde, Razmataz; traditional restaurants carry the sign “Neerlands Say”

See: Architecture (medieval wooden houses – Begijnhof, Magere Brug), windmills (De Gooyer, Molen van Slotten), tulips, Van Gogh Museum, Vondelpark, Rijksmuseum, Hortus Botanicus

~ Hortus Botanicus ~ 

~ Begijnhof ~

~  De Gooyer ~

~ Rijksmuseum ~

~ Van Gogh museum ~

~ Magere Brug ~

~ Tulips ~

Until next time,

Bodhi.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

A Star in Provence


One of the places that are currently on my “must-see” list is Moustiers Sainte Marie, a small village confined between rocky cliffs and jade waters at the entrance to the grand canyon of Verdon in southern France. Moustiers boasts lovely medieval houses perched on steep cliffs, winding narrow alleys, arched passages, exquisite water fountains and numerous ceramic shops as is expected in the capital of faïence. The village is also known for hosting one of the great pilgrimage churches of the Middle Ages, Notre-Dame de Beauvoir, and for the four-foot golden star swinging on a chain between the two robust summits that overlook the community. According to a legend, the star is a votive offering dedicated to the Virgin Mary by a crusader who, while imprisoned in the land of the Saracens, promised to suspend a star from the rough peaks above Moustiers if he survived.

As if the above attributes were not sufficient to rouse one’s interest, Moustiers is located in the Upper Provence region and offers fantastic opportunities for gastronomic exploration in surroundings that are covered in thousands of olive trees and bathed in lavender perfume.

Stay: La Bastide de Moustiers (chef Alain Ducasse’s inn)

Eat: La Bastide de Moustiers, Le Santons

See: Moustiers, Verdon gorges, the lake of Sainte Croix, the neighboring village of Valensole

Until next time,

Bodhi

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

Cinque Terre

Living in New York City, I have suffered lately from a nature abstinence crisis and since a vacation is not an option at the moment due to a long list of work related commitments, I turned to images of places I once visited and would love to go back to. Cinque Terre, the Ligurian Riviera in Italy, has been on my “dream list” while I was a teenager and in 2007, when I finally visited the area, my heart doubled in size trying to capture as much as possible of the five villages.

If you are looking for a destination that is far from the crowds of modern-day tourism (for now, at least), where replenishing your oxygen supply involves walking among lost in time gardens and pastel houses perched on steep cliffs at the edge of beautiful sea water, then head to Cinque Terre.

Stay: Hotel Al Terra di Mare - Levanto

Eat : Miky Ristorante – Monterosso al Mare

See  (top 3): Sentierro Azzurro (Blue Trail), Monarola ,Vernazza

*Unfortunately, two of the villages, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare, have been badly damaged by rain-triggered landslides in October 2011.

Until next time,

Bodhi

Image sources:

Riomaggiore,  ManarolaCornigliaVernazza, Monterosso al MareVia dell’ Amore