Christmas Food Around the World

Ah Christmas time again. The time of stuffing your face and suffering from heartburn. When you watch TV, it is all about the food at Christmas time. Having lived in a few countries, I have had Christmas dinners in different shapes and sizes consisting of lots of different dishes. A good time to

Growing up in the Netherlands, Sinterklaas was a bigger event than Christmas, but it didn't really come with food. Unless you count candy as food, there are the spiced biscuits also known as pepernoten, the taai taai or ginger biscuits and lots of marzipan. Christmas dinner was usually a cook your own in the fondue pot. Lots of fun guaranteed especially when the bits of meat got lost in the grease.

Photo by Thomas under Creative Common Licence

The Shell Grotto in Margate

I wrote about my coastal walk between Ramsgate and Margate I did in the summer just gone and how I was pretty underwhelmed by the much hyped-up makeover of Margate. One thing that was worth mentioning on that summer visit was the Shell Grotto in Margate, a weird and wonderful point of interest among the tack of this English coastal town.

A Coastal Walk from Ramsgate to Margate

Apparently Margate is hippifying, or at least that is what the media is suggesting. From friends I hadn't really heard many good stuff about this coastal town, so I decided to find out for myself and went on a coastal walk from Ramsgate to Margate. With my mom.

Daytrip to Oxford

Oxford is always a good option if you've got out-of-town visitors who've seen it all in London. My folks were here a few weeks ago and after a full weekend of DIY-ing we hopped on the Oxford Tube at Victoria and went on a day trip to Oxford.

Five Top Beaches in the UK

Sun's out, and so is the bikini. It won't be long before we start complaining that it is too hot in London town. So if the heat is getting to you already, here are my five top beaches in the UK to escape to this summer.

Brighton

I'm lucky to live near Clapham Junction, so for me Brighton Beach is only an hour's train ride away. Besides chilling on the beach, there is lots of other cool stuff to do here. Wander around the Lanes for some bohemian impulse purchases or enjoy some playful fun on the Brighton Pier. Summers are good here in Brighton.

Things to do in Stratford upon Avon

This post is slightly overdue, but two weeks ago I went to up north to celebrate Shakespeare's 400th birthday and discovered some cool things to do in Stratford upon Avon. It was a bit of a trek for a day trip from London, but you'll be surprised how much you can cram in a day, if you just get up early enough.

Newcastle Christmas Shopping Getaway

Are you starting to get that festive feeling already? Or are you starting to feel the pressure to get your shopping done? Newcastle has got a bit of a reputation for being amazing to shop at, and even more so during the run-up to the festive season. If you're planning a Newcastle Christmas shopping Getaway, here are a few things not to miss.

Best Spots to go Leaf Peeping Around London

Some people might think I'm mad, but my favourite season of the entire year is actually autumn. Not spring time when daffodils and tulips are flowering and lambs are frolicking in the meadows. Not summer when the days are long and sunny and the footwear of choice are flipflops. And definitely not winter with its grey and dreary weather.

Scary Things to do around London This Halloween

It's that time of year when spooks, spirits and phantoms come out to play again. If you feel that you're too old to be donning a witch's hat or a white sheet and holding out your hand for chocolates and sweets, then I've got some hair-rising alternatives. Here are my favourite things to do around London this Halloween.

Visiting Knole House in Sevenoaks

Visiting Knole House in Sevenoaks wasn't exactly at the top of my must-see list. It just so happened that on a rainy day, I was leafing through an old Lonely Planet edition of England, when my eye fell on a description of this little gem of a palace. And with Sevenoaks being just outside of the M25, (They are desperately trying to get Oystered) it is real easy to get there on the train.

Visiting Hambleden and Henley

England is full of pretty, little villages and one such village is Hambleden near Henley. In fact this one village is so pretty, that it has been the backdrop for many a blockbuster movie or TV-show. You might recognise it from Sleep Hollow starring Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci, or maybe from the HBO mini series Band of Brothers with Tom Hanks.

Popular UK Attractions for Music Lovers

The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, Blur, Queen Pink Floyd… do these names sound familiar to you? If not, these are just some of the most popular musical artists and bands who originated from the UK.  Over the years, UK music has greatly influenced modern artists across the globe and this island nation in Europe can be considered a top tourist destination for music lovers.

 A lot of towns boast their very own music landmark. Whether you love jazz, blues, rock, Britpop, or punk, you can definitely find something that’ll tickle your fancy. If you are taking your holiday/trips to the UK, then check out the top music attractions in the country!

1. Abbey Road Studios, London

As a music lover, your journey must begin in Swinging London. When you get to Camden, drop by the Abbey Road Studios. The crossing in Camden is the place where The Beatles took their iconic photo for the cover of their eleventh album named Abbey Road. The studio, meanwhile, is where the band recorded their popular songs.

A Daytrip to Bodiam Castle and Hastings

Bodiam Castle was built in the 14th century by a gentleman called Sir Edward Dalyngrigge who was a former knight of Edward III. He felt that the ongoing threat from France called for the need of a sturdy residence and voila. Moated Bodiam Castle was the result.

A Day in St Albans

This summer being my summer of 'get out and discover more of England', I headed north and spent a day in St Albans yesterday. Only a 20 minutes's train ride away from St Pancras Station, St Albans feels miles away from London's urban hustle and bustle.

Discovering Blenheim Palace

I love living in London, but I love leaving it for a day trip even more.  Blenheim Palace had been on my to-do list for a while, so I thought it was high time to go and check it out.

Day Trip to Whitstable

I'd kind of given up hope that there was such a thing as a quaint seaside village in England other than the ones in Cornwall, till I went on a day trip to Whitstable. No sleazy arcades, stinky fish 'n chip chips and decrepit Victorian piers here. It's also very easy to get to from either London Victoria or London St Pancras as within an hour and a half you can dip your toes in the sea.

Horses of the New Forest

I love long weekends, because you can get away without taking any time off work. Last Easter weekend, my friend and I decided to go hiking and biking in the New Forest.

Russel-Cotes Museum in Bournemouth

Walking on the beach in England in February, could potentially turn into a finger numbing and sand stormy experience. So when my friend and I attempted to take a walk on the beach in Bournemouth last week, we were happy to find the Russel-Cotes Museum sitting right on the beach.

Chocolate Boutique Hotel in Bournemouth

What could be better than a girlie weekend at the coast in Bournemouth? A girlie weekend at the coast at the Chocolate Boutique Hotel in Bournemouth. Yes, that's right, last weekend my friend and I stayed at a hotel where chocolate was omnipresent.

Cruising on the Thames

I've seen the Thames from its riverbanks millions of times, but since I moved here eleven years ago, I've actually only been on it a handful of times. So today after a long hike that took me from the river system at Weybridge to Hampton Court, I hopped on a boat and sailed from Hampton to Kingston.