Travelogue
"A truthful account of an individual's experiences travelling....."
Travel writing World
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Here are just a few of my personal thoughts and reflections on the places visited so far on The Alphabet Tour !
Amsterdam
I first visited Amsterdam many years ago and found it to be a place like no other. A beautiful, multicultural, liberal city. A mesmerising, exotic place to wander. It certainly was an amazing location to start the Alphabet Tour and set the bar very high!
Alphabet Highlights:
The American Hotel.
A fabulous building inside and out. The Reading Room is truly magnificent. If you don't stay here at least visit for coffee or a nice lunch!
The Red Light District.
Be brave and experience De Wallen and tick it off your bucket list!
The Van Gough Museum.
Go and immerse yourself in the work of this wonderful artist. Van Gough was such a sad soul but his work I find uplifting.
Barcelona
I love Barcelona and have been fortunate to have been there several times. Although this has always been with girlfriends or daughter, which sounds like a great excuse to go again with my husband. He is definitely missing out!
Alphabet Highlights:
Placa Reial.
Located in the Gothic Quarter, to me this square is magical. I could sit here all day and night sipping Sangria and soaking up its vibrant yet relaxed ambience. Love it.
The Gaudi Architecture.
Quirky, unique, awe inspiring. The man was a genius. Try to take in as many of his wonderful creations as you can! But if you have to chose you must see:
Sagrada Familia.
I consider this to be one of the best structures man has ever made. Don't miss it despite the number of people, it will still take your breath away.
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Champagne
This was our original slightly left of field destination. However it was one very close to the heart of an Alphabettie and made complete sense to us. Guess this is where the phrase "it's our tour" first made an appearance!
Alphabet Highlights:
Hotel Clos Raymi.
A beautiful boutique hotel with a fantastic, eclectic interior. Right up my street!
Moet Chandon Winery Tour.
Discover the secrets behind this iconic, luxury champagne.
Reims.
A lovely town to wander around, steeped in history and dominated by the impressive Cathedral of Our Lady. And of course sample some of the local wines!
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Dublin
This was a very strange trip and you'll understand why once you read the chapter! But Dublin is a fair city indeed, friendly and welcoming and full of Irish charm.
Alphabet Highlight:
Temple Bar.
The legendary home of Irish music, whiskey and nightlife certainly lived up to it's reputation. Bustling and buzzing !
Bewley's Grafton Street Cafe.
An iconic cafe in which to experience a full Irish Breakfast with everything baked on the premises - the smell is amazing!
A Horse drawn carriage ride.
A great way to see the city - weather permitting, accompanied by delightful Irish banter. It's a cliche but we had fun!
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Edinburgh
I have visited Edinburgh a few times and every time there has been something new to discover. This trip was especially great as we had our own Alphabettie Tour Guide!
Alphabet Highlights:
The Witchery.
A fantastic hotel hidden in buildings dating back to 1595. If you can't afford to stay in this luxurious hotel, try and have a meal at the gothic Secret Garden Restaurant. It's fabulous!
Victoria Street.
The Alphabetties love to tick off a World Heritage Site and Victoria Street is one of the city's most iconic thoroughfares. The colourful facades and eclectic shops, showcase Edinburgh's wonderful architecture. A great place to wander - and spend money!
The Elephant House Cafe.
A must see for all Harry Potter fans and voted the best coffee house in Edinburgh. The menu was great and really varied. I could certainly see why JK Rowling found inspiration here.
Faro
This was another of our trips which was pretty tenuous. Although we flew to Faro we actually stayed in Vilamoura, some 15 miles west on the Algarve coast! But it is beautiful there and here are a couple of things you may like to do if you follow The Alphabetties to the letter!
Alphabet Highlights:
Boat trip along the coast.
This was a really gorgeous day, very relaxing and a great way to take in all the beautiful coastal scenery. We booked a trip on a catamaran but there are many to choose from around the harbour.
Beaches, bars and restaurants.
Its such a great feeling, after a dip in the Mediterranean, to then sit at a beach bar and watch the sun go down. Vilamoura had plenty of such spots on offer within walking distance of the harbour. You can imagine, we sampled a few of them!
Glasgow
One of The Alphabetties grew up in this vibrant city full of rich heritage. Like it's residents she is very proud of Glasgow and rightly so.
Alphabet Highlights:
Cafe Gandalfi.
This is a Glasgow gem. With eclectic wooden furniture, wood panelling and high ceilings, this is great place to enjoy an extremely pleasant lunch.
The House of an Art Lover.
Sitting in Bellahouston Park, this is the venue of choice for fans of Charles Rennie MacIntosh. It is stunning, especially the Music Room. Well worth a visit, I just loved it.
The Ubiquitous Chip.
A splendid name for a splendid restaurant. The food is marvellous and the place thoroughly deserves its reputation for legendary Glaswegian hospitality. And I loved all the plants!​
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Heath Spa
I'm making this section more generic, although Hoars Cross Hall would be a great location. However, I have to say it looks a t lot more upmarket today than when The Alphabetties visited!
This type of weekend isn't for everyone and people have very different opinions as to what they consider relaxing. But here are my favourite things to do on a spa weekend:
Hot stone massage.
I thoroughly enjoy this type of back massage and really feel my muscles relax if it's done properly. I prefer it if the stones are actually used to massage you rather than just having them laid on me.
Luxury Pedicure.
Again I know a lot of people do not like having their feet touched, but I love it. I feel the tension just fading away whilst my feet are been rubbed and pampered.
A Relaxation Room.
You can't beat a good relaxation room to just get away from it all. I find these particularly wonderful if you go to a spa in the city. It feels like you've found a secret world.
Iberian Peninsula
I'd say this location is possibly the second most tenuous destination The Alphabetties have come up with! It is geographically correct but you do have to go through a lot of steps to make 'I' stand for Puerto Banus! But we managed it and this is what we liked.
Alphabet Highlights:
Joy's Bar
Originally Old Joy's Piano Bar. I'm personally glad they've dropped the old! This is a great fun place with live music and great cocktails right along side the Puerto Banus Marina.
Paella
This is one of the best known Spanish dishes. The dish takes its name from the wide, shallow traditional pan used to cook it. I'm not a big seafood fan, but made with chicken, cooked and served with a view of the sea, it's delicious!
People Watching.
Puerto Banus is a glamorous destination attracting visitors from all over the world, from families to the rich and famous. So it's the perfect location to sit with a jug of Sangria and watch the world go by. And of course, a brilliant place for the Red/Green Game!
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Jerez
Although I'm not a great lover of sherry this was a very pretty Andalucian town to visit, especially during the sherry festival. As well as being world renown for the fortified wine, Jerez is the home of flamenco. So the place couldn't get more Spanish!
Alphabet Highlights
Itaca Jerez Hotel.
Again The Alphabetties managed to find a gem of a hotel. Located in a nineteenth century convent in the heart of the old town, this is a gorgeous boutique hotel. I especially loved the bright pink dining room!
The Sherry Festival.
We were lucky enough to visit Jerez during the Sherry Festival which takes place on the first Saturday in September. The festival celebrates the annual grape harvest. The town is buzzing with sherry tasting, beautifully dressed horses and fabulous flamenco. It is very beautiful.
Tio Pepe Bodegas Tour
This was a really informative tour which takes you through the vineyard, gardens and ancient cellars. All on a little train! And the gift shop is great.
Kinsale
Kinsale is dubbed "The Gourmet Capital" of Ireland. A reputation which it lived up to. This is a charming seaside town in County Cork. After an eventful journey to get there we really enjoyed our stay.
Alphabet Highlights:
The Townscape.
A great deal of the town's charm comes from it's beautifully colourful, historic streets. It's quirkiness and bright colours are wonderful. I love it when a place has this joyfull attitude.
The Spaniard.
Set on the hill above the harbour, this pub and restaurant is well worth the walk. Built on the ruins of an old castle, the place is full of charm and offers masses of Irish hospitality.
Dock Beach.
I am never happier than when I'm on a beach. Dock Beach is just six minutes out of town, across the river. This small, sandy cove is perfect for whiling away an afternoon and watching the activity in the harbour.
Malaga
Malaga is a Spanish port city famed for being the birth place of Pablo Picasso. It has a beautiful old town, gorgeous beaches and a truly huge cathedral!
Alphabet Highlights:
Petit Palace Plaza Malaga
This is a great little boutique hotel right in the centre of Malaga just off the pedestrianised Calle Larios. It has a gorgeous terracotta facade and oozes Andalucian charm. Thoroughly recommend.
Sardines on the Beach.
Although I don't really like a lot of fish, for this I make an exception. Fresh locally caught sardines, cooked on a stick over olive wood embers, served with a lovely glass of vino verde on the beach was delicious!
Cathedral of Malaga
This cathedral is truly monumental and can be seen from all over the old town. It is a feast of columns and marble and is definitely worth a visit. What's more you can take in its magnitude from a couple of lovely little bars in the square in front of its giant doors.
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Long Boat
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You may be wondering why 'L' for long boat hasn't been included in the Travelogue above. Well I feel that this is actually more of an activity than a place and as such is difficult to make recommendations about. But here are a couple of my thoughts about life on our inland waterways which I guess are applicable to whichever canal you may choose.
Alphabet Thoughts:
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Life at an Easy Pace.
A trip on a canal boat is definitely taken at a leisurely pace. If you like to fill every minute with activity then I'd say this isn't for you. But it is lovely, once in a while, to slow down and take in the world around you as you pass slowly through it. And of course you can do it with a glass of a good wine or ale in your hand!
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Skill Set.
Having said this is a slower way of life, you still have to be on your toes and have your wits about you. Navigating the canals requires you to pay careful attention and ideally call on some teamwork. If you don't know what you're doing going through a lock you could end up in trouble. Or worse feel the wrath of other canal folk!
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Canal Folk
On the whole, from my very limited experience, I can say that the people you meet on the canals and canal adjacent, are very friendly and helpful. People are happy to impart their wisdom, share a cup of sugar if needed or tell you where the nearest pub is. I feel this reflects that canals still seem to exist in a simpler time.
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