Travel Diary : Prague

 We are slowly approaching the end of March and I've been lucky enough to so far achieve my goal of travelling more in 2015! The year started with a trip to China, and last week I went on a little trip to Prague, Czech Republic. A big fan of city breaks and visiting beautiful cities in general, this was on my list of European cities to visit and it certainly didn't disappoint. I don't think I've ever really been let down by the various cities I have travelled to, but with Prague, I didn't really know what to expect, which made it all the more enjoyable whilst I was there. If you're a lover of history, beautiful architecture, good food, little streets, and perfect scenery then Prague is definitely for you. I wanted to share some of my pictures, and just like my Guangzhou, China post do a little list of things to do whilst your there. Whether you've never been to Prague and just want to get an insight into the things you might enjoy doing whilst there, or you've been before and want to remember the fun memories.. keep reading :) 

x

 The obligatory 'view from the plane' shot.. I never get tired of seeing these.. 

 1. Visit the old town.

Okay so it's pretty much a given, but aside from just seeing the clock tower and the other beautiful buildings surrounding the old town square, it's also nice to wander around a little. Side streets gave way to cute little shops and cafes which are always worth visiting, as well as the various street performers and lovely atmosphere. Cafe's and restaurants on the square are always going to be a little more pricey than your average place, but with Prague being quite a cheap place to visit, I still found the various places lining the square affordable, and promptly decided on 'Oliva Verde' a predominantly Italian place with heaters, blankets and simple but yummy food.

If you're there on the hour, make sure you see the little show, it's nothing impressive but there's some music and people peeping their little faces out of the clock :)

Then...     2. Wander over Charles Bridge and keep walking!!...

I am wearing     Hat-H&M   Scarf-H&M   Jacket-Zara   Trousers-Zara 

           Boots-Topshop   Bag-Marc by Marc Jacobs.

You might find my ultimate heaven.. a 'gingerbread' museum!! A must visit if you're a baking and gingerbread fan like me :) squee

3. You also need to visit Prague castle. 

This was thrown in on our bus tour, which we were lucky enough to get free with our package. However, city bus tours tend to be affordable and a must do if you're looking for an easy way to see the sights and hop off when you feel like it.  The castle is a beautiful place with the church, the architecture and the spectacular views all on offer here :)

Other things to do..

Visit the Gingerbread Museum.   Wander around the Jewish Quarter.  Visit restaurant 'Kogo' for amazing and affordable Italian food.   Munch on some 'Trdelnik' a Czech sweet pastry.

Travel Diary: Guangzhou, China.

I can't believe it's 2015. 2014, although amazing and busy, went by in a flash and I am feeling slightly guilty that I haven't updated my blog since December (sobs). I thought about doing a typical 2014 summary and a 2015 post with resolutions but realised I actually didn't make any! Instead, I have some goals I want to achieve (big and small), and I've already half completed one, which is to travel as much as I can.

That's usually on the list every year as I love nothing more than trying to visit at least one place in which I have never been before, and in January I was lucky enough to go to Guangzhou, China.

I was going to do a summary post, but while I was writing this one first I got carried away uploading the pictures and realised this list of Five Things To Do In Guangzhou, would be a good enough way to tie it all together, show some pictures, and also list some things I think you should do if you ever visit. Travel posts are one of the things I enjoy reading most on blogs, and as I'm trying to travel as much as possible this year, I'm going to try and post as much as possible, even if it's just about a little day trip somewhere.

Happy Reading.. And New Year!

x

1. Wander around Yuexiu Park 
Yuexiu Park is one of the largest parks in Guangzhou. Having visited here on the first day, I had no idea what to expect but was shocked at how big, beautiful and colourful it was for a park! From the bold flowers to the museum, the famous statue and boating lakes. Its definitely worth having a stroll around.

The park also has a museum, I can't remember how many floors but we wandered around for so long that I forgot I was even still in the park! When we got to the top floor we found ourselves on a balcony bit and stood looking out at some tall skyscrapers and an old football stadium..

2. Take A Trip Up Canton Tower.

Pretty much a given if you're in the city, going up the Canton Tower is a must do. We had booked tickets for 5.30, and after hopping into the lift, in a couple of minutes we were on a floor observing the amazing views of Guangzhou. Much like Blackpool Tower (maybe not everyone will know about the lovely Blackpool..) there's a glass bit which you can stand on, seeing right below you, which I decided to give a miss *gulp*. We climbed further to the very top and found ourselves at the very top, looking at the most amazing sunset, with music playing. I was a little scared because I'm not the biggest fan of heights, but when you reach the top you forget all about it, and I even braved the bubble cars, another must do! 

Tip: Visit when the sun is setting for the best experience, and watch the city slowly turn to darkness.

3. Wander Around Shamian Island.

If you're looking for a unique Chinese experience, this might not be the place for you, however I had to include it because this is one of my favourite places that I visited whilst I was in Guangzhou. As I was on a trip with the purpose being to recreate old photos, we visited here twice as some of them were located in this area. I actually felt more like I was in Europe strolling around here, because of the lovely buildings, architecture and gardens. It's the perfect place for an afternoon filled with little shops, places to eat, and if you're thirsty (and erm.. in need of a proper western toilet) the prettiest Starbucks I've ever seen.

 

4.Visit Baiyun Mountain

Another thing I would say is a must-do, althought I haven't completed the trip fully.. is to visit Baiyun Mountain. Not far from our hotel, we set off on our last day to take a visit to the top, however after a late night of KTV(Karaoke, the best EVER!) and multiple croissants for breakfast, we weren't really fit enough to climb the four hours it took to make it to the top, something we really should have found out before we set off. After that lovely shock, we decided to take a cable car up and down, however when we had been walking for forever (probably not, probably just the carbs slowing us down..) we were informed we were still another 9km away from the cable cars (cry). As we were short on time, we decided to just wander, and when we had had enough, set off back. This turned out to be just as beautiful and enjoyable, given that there's so much to see in the area and we stumbled across several lakes (one in which we fed some fish), paths and a place to sit and have ice cream! If you ever make it to the top, let me know how it is...

5. Walk and Take a Boat Ride Along The Pearl River.
Seeing the skyscrapers in Guangzhou,(especially in the new city) is a special thing to do anyway but taking a boat ride along the Pearl River, to see them close up, particularly at night, is a special thing to do. I'm not a fan of boats but when it's a river it's no problem, and it was nice to just sit and watch the sights and lights pass by as we were served little cups of tea and took photographs. From my side of the river when taking these pictures in the day, there were also lots of bars and restaurants if you're hungry. We had a drink early on in a place called Cafe 136, a little spot filled with football tables, comfy sofas and a mish mash of pictures on the wall, and decided to go and eat there again when we hopped off the boat! If you want a cosy atmosphere, music, free wifi, and are craving simple food, (Chinese or English, I shamefully had chicken strips and chips here in China, but what can I say, we were craving some simple western food at this point, and the fries were heavenly) I'd recommend here for a no fuss place to eat.

Have you ever visited Guangzhou, or anywhere else in China?

Let me know!!

xx

Travel Diary: Berlin

I love city breaks. Whilst I look forward to enjoying a summer holiday if I am lucky enough, I sometimes think I love mini breaks the most, especially in Winter. I have to say I think this is the first official WINTER trip I have taken, I have visited Rome during December but found myself strangely taking off my jacket and wandering around in a thin top as the weather was unexpectedly warm! This was not the case when I visited Berlin this weekend though, although I had been checking the weather, nothing could prepare me for how cold it was! I'm not actually a wimp when it comes to the cold as I LOVE getting wrapped up and wearing as many layers as possible, however it was bitterly windy indeed. One of the best things about the trip was getting to see family who I don't get to see very often, and also to experience the Christmas markets. Berlin is definitely the place to go if you want to get into the festive spirit, there is no shortage of lights, markets and amazing scents of food and mulled wine that follows you wherever you go. Although this might make me a bad beginner blogger, sometimes you're just having too much fun in the moment to take several snaps, so here are just a few from the trip...

                              The famous fish tank, in the beautiful Radisson Blu hotel..

Christmassy decorations in the Radisson Blu, I would stay here all day every day..

                                              This was one of the 'smaller' markets...

As I said, it was freezing! I was wrapped up like an eskimo in my Topshop coat, Zara boots, and grey accessories..

                                                                     Beautiful lights...

Have you ever visited Berlin? Which are your favourite cities to visit? Ever been on a mini-break at Christmas time? 

Natasha x