Category: slow travel

hotel mastinell, Weekend pampering in the Heart of Barcelona's Wine Countryside

Amazing Weekend Getaway in the Heart of Barcelona’s Wine Countryside

February 15, 2018

Barcelona Weekend Getaway After our Castle sleepover in January, we decided to do some more weekend splurging – this time in the superb cava inspired architecture of Hotel Mastinell, located in the heart of the Catalan wine country and a stone’s throw away from Barcelona. Penedès is the equivalent of France’s Champagne’s region and has … More Amazing Weekend Getaway in the Heart of Barcelona’s Wine Countryside

castellers competing in Placa Jaume for Barcelona's Festa de Merce

Catalunya’s Castells Behind the Scenes: An Authentic Tale of Human Towers

February 8, 2018

A tradition which almost disappeared 1000 years ago, Castells – Catalan for castles – are a unique cultural phenomenon, particular to Catalunya, which were declared UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010. … More Catalunya’s Castells Behind the Scenes: An Authentic Tale of Human Towers

Come See Barcelona’s Gegants and Fiesta Differently

January 25, 2018

Every year in September, Barcelona celebrates its birthday with a unique fiesta: Fiesta de la Merce. A mashup of crazy street celebrations including correfocs, Castellers and, the object of my immediate affection: gegants.
… More Come See Barcelona’s Gegants and Fiesta Differently

hotel mastinell, Weekend pampering in the Heart of Barcelona's Wine Countryside

Fifty Weeks of Spain & What to Expect for the Next 3 Months

January 11, 2018

Remember Fifty Weeks of Spain? And how I said we would forget all about flamenco, tapas and bullfights? I promised you a lot, and I mean to keep that promise. So here goes: This is Spain! Haunted castle sleepovers, luxury splurging in wine country, or hanami madness in Spain’s least known region? That’s just a taste … More Fifty Weeks of Spain & What to Expect for the Next 3 Months

Hidden Spain Collection: In a Medieval Mood

October 21, 2017

It’s been one year already. One year since I packed up and moved away from gloomy Brussels and into sunny Barcelona.

One year that flew by, as I purposefully neglected Spain’s gems and instead fell in love with South Africa, Indonesia, and soon New Zealand.

But as the end of the year draws near, so will my travels. And I guarantee you this much: Spain will shine in the spotlight of the year to come, in colors you’ve never seen it wear before!

I figured gorgeous Besalú with its matching, picture perfect neighboring friends will make for a wonderful start or that journey – and an easy day trip from Barcelona.

Prepare to be taken by surprise by a Spain few people know: … More Hidden Spain Collection: In a Medieval Mood

6 Things I Never Thought I’d Do on Kilimanjaro

October 5, 2017

I knew it’s going to be tough as sh!t.

I also knew it will be one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. First time ever climbing a mountain, and I had to pick Kili..

And I was aware that the trek will take us through the most beautiful and diverse scenery, like trekking through a nature documentary:

a 6000-meter snow-capped volcano on the equator, and when you finally reach the roof of Africa you might just think you can do anything.
What I didn’t expect though, was that I’d have so much fun, and feel so much pain, and never want to trade it for anything different.

And I also didn’t expect this: … More 6 Things I Never Thought I’d Do on Kilimanjaro

La Bourgogne Wine & Caramel Tasting

How To #SouthAfrica In Style: The Wine Route!

September 26, 2017

Like most people who enjoy a glass of red for good value, I knew of course that South Africa has a good rap for wines. I did not, however, expect it to be so incredibly exquisite in its offer!

I mean, I see now there’s a solid reason behind the fact that South Africa has the longest wine route in the world. 850km long, to be more precise!

While we merely scratched the surface (see blue dots area above) and the experience left us wanting more, our two wine tasting trips should give you a fairly good idea of the amazing things waiting for you down in South Africa!

.. … More How To #SouthAfrica In Style: The Wine Route!

Tales of the Metric System

Readathon-ing towards South Africa: Tales of the Metric System

September 24, 2017

Like I said before. The rules of choosing books for my readathon are pretty fluid – mainly it’s :

Author is from said country &/or
Action is set in said country
Other than that, the sky is the limit ;). So when I came across Imraan Coovadia’s book in a Goodreads thread I chose it because of the title, really.

Well, of course, I read the details and got an idea what it’s about, and I did see that the book was featured in the nota bene of the WorldLiteratureToday magazine. But I didn’t imagine it will be so skillfully written. … More Readathon-ing towards South Africa: Tales of the Metric System

Lion chilling in the sun

When Organized Tours Go Well – A South African Safari

September 21, 2017

As you’ve seen in a previous post, I’m not one advocating for organized tours all that much. And so, for a long while planning our SA getaway, I was actually looking at booking accommodation myself and organize transport on the spot. Eventually, after a few questions thrown on TripAdvisor / Twitter, I decided to go the paved way in.

Of course, it didn’t help that neither I nor my travel partner in crime owns a driver’s license (laugh all you want, I’m just not all that interested. There.)

So I had an extensive back and forth with two local tour companies, narrowed it down to one, and eventually settled on a package which seemed fair. That company that made my happy travels real, was GoSAfari.

Most of you must know how rare it is that you come across a travel agent who is professional & dedicated, looking to provide as much value as possible and helping tailor make the best package without overcharging you for it. For us, that rare bird was Glen @GoSAfari. … More When Organized Tours Go Well – A South African Safari

Fact Checking South Africa & What I Didn’t Know

September 17, 2017

Fact Checking South Africa & What I Didn’t Know

On our way to see the eluding whales (we only got to see a tail, far into the sea, and through binoculars), our very friendly guide shared a wealth of information about the country – both things he was proud of, and sadder realities – something I personally very much appreciated. 

Some of the things he was saying sounded a bit stretched, though, so I decided to fact check him when I got back home.

Fact Checked

It’s how I learned, for example, that South Africa:

Has the longest Wine Route in the World. Spanning a distance of 850 km, Route 62 is said to be the longest wine route in the world, stretching from Cape Town, Constantia, to Port Elizabeth
…

… More Fact Checking South Africa & What I Didn’t Know