Australia is positively teeming with birds. If you go there only to see the opera house, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Bondi Beach, and a didgeridoo, you’re missing out. Whatever part of the country you visit, check out the parks, botanic gardens, and nature reserves. Then, just pay attention. Take binoculars if you can. You’ll be amazed at the unseen dramas you miss without the aid of those lenses.
I think of Australia as “parrot-central.” While there are a few free-flying parrot species in the United States and Europe (most of which are feral), Australia is the natural habitat for the birds we usually only see in cages.
It’s next to impossible to specify a top 10, but I have managed to choose my favorite Ozzie feathered creatures.
The kookaburra really does laugh. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Kookaburra. No discussion of Australian birds would be complete without a mention of the famous kookaburra. There are actually four different types, and they aren’t difficult to find. They’re fairly large birds, and that laugh is hard to mistake. Without any effort, I saw several while in the country.
Rainbow Lorikeet. The most common parrot in eastern Australia is also the most colorful (pictured above). You will see these everywhere. They were all over the trees that line the sidewalk above Bondi Beach in Sydney, for example. They have blue heads, yellow necks, red breasts, and green backs. At Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane, you can watch wild ones fly in for nectar feedings.
Lyrebird. I didn’t manage to see a lyrebird, but I heard one while in a forest. This bird is fascinating because it’s a mimic, imitating the songs of 20 other bird species, as well as a car alarm and chainsaws.
Crested pigeon in the Australian Outback. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Crested Pigeon. Many people in the United States believe our common pigeon is the only kind in the world, but there are actually more than 300 different species of pigeons and doves across the globe, many of which are gorgeous. One of these “fancy” pigeons is quite common in Australia. I saw them in more than one place, but the most beautiful view was against the dark red clay of the outback near Uluru (Ayers Rock).
King Parrot. This fairly large parrot has a bright red breast and dark green back. I saw a group of them in a tree in a small town, and it looked just like Christmas.
Satin Bowerbird. There are several different types of bowerbirds. The males of this particular species collect items that are blue, anything from a fountain pen to a piece of paper, and place them together in a “bower” to attract females. While in a forest, I saw one of these bowers filled with blue things. Astonishing.
Pied Butcherbird. What the Pied Butcherbird lacks in color (it’s a common, beautiful, medium-sized black and white bird), it makes up for in song. I saw several, but my best experience was near Ayers Rock. The Pied Butcherbird varies its song, and I imitated it, causing it to imitate me in turn. An interesting conversation, to say the least.
Black Cockatoo. Back to parrots, did you know there are black cockatoos? Unless you get lucky, you may have to hire a birding guide to find these, but they’re huge and magnificent.
Galah. Now that you know there are black cockatoos, did you know there are pink ones, too? The Galah is a common bird in eastern Australia. When you take a drive, watch for small flocks feeding on the ground in front of homes. They have a sweet song (not screechy like some parrots), and they’re stunning and playful.
A galah parrot. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
New Holland Honeyeater. I saw this beautiful bird near the Great Ocean Road, a road in Victoria alongside a set of enormous rock formations in the ocean. While the rocks are wonderful to see, you never know what other wonders you’ll find if you pay attention!
A new Holland honeyeater near the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
For avid coffee drinkers the Turkish, Greek or Arabic version of the beverage is a satisfying sip of a “coffee delight.” It is an integral part of the Arabic, Eastern Mediterranean and Balkan as well as North African culture and social life.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The coffee preparation is a ceremony in itself. This specific version of coffee requires a different way of brewing, with a very distinct brewing device. The pots, called jezve oribric or ibrik in Turkish and briki in Greek are long handled; many times they are hand-hammered small copper pots that are tinned inside and have a lip. The pot is heated either on a gas burner or an electric stove top or, preferably, in very hot sand covering the top of a clay firepot, nowadays using an electric heater element, until the mixture of very aromatic, freshly medium roasted and pulverized coffee, sugar and water starts frothing up.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Then the créma i.e. the froth is poured into a demitasse cup and the process is repeated – traditionally three times – until the entire ibric is emptied. The resulting coffee is strong, has liquid at about 3/4 up the top of the cup and “mud” at the bottom quarter; and that mud is to be avoided at all costs!
When the pot has emptied, you give the ibric a rinse with warm water and dry it with a towel. Don’t use soap. Don’t use an abrasive scrubber. Just a thorough rinse is all that is needed.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Depending on the amount of coffee powder, sugar and water and the number of times the liquid is allowed to rise and then be poured into the cup, the name of the beverage changes. The servings (kahve in Turkish, kafés in Greek, gahwa or qahwa in Arabic, ahweh in Lebanon) have different names such as çok şekerli (i.e. very sugary) in Turkish and in Greek glyki vrastos (i.e. sweet and well boiled); the Greek metrios i.e. equal small amount of coffee and sugar and boiled until the froth partially rises, is called orta şekerli in Turkish; and when no sugar is used it is called in Turkish şekersiz or sade or mirra (in Syria and the rest of the Arab world) or skétos kafés in Greek. In Egypt the different levels of sweetness arearriha (sweet), mazboot (medium) or ziyada (very sweet); sada is plain coffee without sugar. Yet another Greek designation is pola vari ke ohi (i.e. very heavy without) which means more coffee powder without sugar and barely boiled until the foam just starts to rise. These are some of the designations in a coffeeshop or home with which I’m familiar. It’s been said that there are 30 different ways one can order coffee depending on where you are and the sugar to coffee-powder ratio and the level of boiling.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and Yemen, across the Red Sea, was the first country where, in the 15th century, coffee was grown as a commercial plant.
Turkish coffee dates back to the 16th century and the reign of the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent when an Ottoman governor who was stationed in Yemen, at that time part of the Ottoman Empire, loved the beverage and introduced it to the imperial kitchens. A century later, as the story goes, Sultan Murat IV outlawed coffee, calling it an indecent drink and chopped off the heads of those who drank it. Obviously, coffee won the day and the entire region that was once the Ottoman Empire now drinks coffee the same way, even though they use different local designations.
By the early 17th century, coffee had arrived to Europe and became popular across the continent. The Catholic clergy – like Sultan Murat IV – condemned coffee when it came to Venice in 1615, calling it the “bitter invention of Satan!” But coffee won again.
It should be noted that, prior to 1974, in Greece the coffee was called “Turkish Coffee” and in Izmir, where I spent 2 years in the early ‘60s with the NATO forces, it was called “Greek Coffee.” In Sarajevo, Bosnia, it is called “Bosanska kafa” i.e. Bosnian coffee. Nowadays the coffee in Greece is called “Ellinikos kaffes” i.e. Greek coffee since all names having a Turkish connotation were changed to have a Greek name, such as Turkolimano(Turkish Harbor) for example, a seaside cove near Piraeus with a famous restaurant-row, has been changed to Microlimano i.e. Small Harbor.
The “Arabic” version, which is mostly drunk in North Africa and the Arabic Peninsula, many times has additional aromatics such as powdered cardamom or cinnamon added to the coffee powder.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
When visiting someone’s home, the hostess will ask you how you like your coffee and then will brew cups for everyone in the room, according to their taste, to be drunk with a small sweet on the side such as a Turkish Delight or a small piece of baklava or other pastry or little round cookies. It is an integral part of the hospitality tradition.
Other times, depending on where the home is, the sweet part of the offering could be a spoon-sweet which is a spoonful of syrup-drenched fruit preserves or candied rose petals that are exceedingly sweet and heavily aromatic.
Most Turks and Greeks and Eastern Mediterranean residents are avid coffee drinkers consuming numerous cups per day starting with morning coffee, then elevenses, post lunch, mid-afternoon and ending with a post-supper cup to “settle the stomach.” The Italians drink espresso, a similar very strong demitasse cup but without the “mud” at the bottom, and will many times make it a ristretto i.e. with a shot of grappa, the fiery liquor distilled from fermented grape pomace once the grape must is removed.
In the Spanish speaking world a small cup of coffee is called cortado and is mostly drunk with a splash of frothed milk.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The “morning coffee” is usually accompanied by a piece of buttered toast or a simit (in Turkish) or koulouri (in Greek) which is a toasted sesame or poppy seed covered circular bread, reminiscent of a thin bagel.
Most high end porcelain manufacturers make beautifully decorated demitasse coffee cups as part of their dinnerware sets that sometimes, depending on the producer and where and when they were created, can cost $100 each or much more, including the small plate underneath. In my collection I have wonderfully decorated thin bone china demitasse cups from such world known manufacturers as Wedgwood, Royal Copenhagen, Meissen, Spode as well as Spode Copeland, Royal Crown Derby, Vista Alegre and Bernardaud Limoges to name but a few.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
I also have, meant for everyday use, much less expensive “coffeeshop” demitasse cups that are made from heavier porcelain, earthenware or even stoneware since they have to endure more frequent use and in most cases machine washing. Many of them are given to the coffee shops by coffee suppliers when a contract is signed, to be used as that brand’s promotion. Regardless of what type of pot or cup you use and how you call it, enjoy your coffee whenever you get a sip of it.
In Egypt, the ancient meets the modern more intensely than anywhere I’ve been on the planet. Besides the temples and hieroglyphs, you’ll see cars parked next to carriages drawn by horses or donkeys. You’ll see women in jeans walking next to women in full burkas with only their eyes exposed. These kinds of contrasts are only a few of the reasons why Egypt is one of the most fascinating countries I’ve ever visited.
The Sphinx and a pyramid at Giza. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The question on everyone’s lips right now, though, is whether it’s safe to travel there. I wish I could answer the question with an unequivocal “yes.” The U.S. State Department puts Egypt at Level 3 for “reconsider travel.” Meanwhile, tour operators say their tours are continuing without incident.
Only you can decide if you feel comfortable enough to travel there. Certainly, from our own economic perspective, the cost of visiting Egypt is relatively inexpensive. If you aren’t afraid to go, you can get a lot for your money.
The pyramids at Giza. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A big reason for the success of my trip was GAT Tours, a company that handled every aspect of my customized trip with the utmost professionalism. While I booked my own international flights from the U.S., GAT even managed to get me a slight break on my domestic flights within Egypt. They met me in Cairo and took me to my hotel, where their representative explained everything I needed to know, including tipping recommendations.
For the next two days, I had private tours in Giza and Cairo to see the main sites there – the pyramids and the Sphinx, the Alabaster Mosque and Citadel with its panoramic views of the city, the Hanging Church, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. I also visited Memphis and Saqqara. I especially enjoyed Memphis, which houses an impressive 10-meter limestone statue of Ramses the Great in its museum (lying on his back since his feet are missing).
The Sonesta St. George ship that took us on the Nile. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
My favorite part of my time in Egypt, however, was the Nile Cruise. I flew from Cairo to Luxor to meet up with the Sonesta St. George, which traveled for five days and four nights south to Aswan. One of the most luxurious vessels on the Nile, the ship is designed in grand, classical style with ornate gold, chandeliers, and wall frescos.
A lounge on the Sonesta St. George. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
My stateroom was larger than I expected with dark wood furniture, plenty of closet space, an in-room safe, a minibar, a TV, and a full bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub. I didn’t have a balcony, but I had sliding doors with a railing so that I could look out at the life happening along the river and even wave at people as they went about their daily activities.
I’m an experienced traveler, but I’ve always avoided cruising. I’m not sure I’d feel the same about a huge ocean liner with thousands of passengers, but I thoroughly enjoyed the relatively slow pace on the Nile with our small group of travelers. The food was delicious, and an activity was scheduled every evening from performances to games. The cruise price included everything except WiFi and drinks, which means you also pay for bottled water.
Sunrise on the Nile with an egret flying past. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Each day, we disembarked for a visit to a historic site, including Karnak and Luxor temples, the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the Temple of Hours in Edfu, and Philae Temple in Aswan. We also took a felucca (a small sailboat) ride on manmade Lake Nasser to the south of Aswan, and visited the High Dam – an engineering marvel completed in 1970.
While the historical sites were my primary reason for visiting Egypt, I found myself even more fascinated by the people-watching. Our boat ported at Edfu one evening, and a couple of fellow travelers and I decided to take a walk in the small town. Few locals have air conditioning, so a lot of people were outside on the street into the wee hours of the morning, staying cool while playing backgammon and smoking hookah pipes.
Men in traditional dress in Luxor. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The majority of those out and about were men in traditional dress, so the three of us – two women with uncovered heads and a man in shorts – couldn’t have been more obvious. We were followed, as people tried to get us to buy things from them. The harassment became so uncomfortable that we returned to the boat quickly.
Luckily, our guide from the cruise and some Egyptian travelers went out with us later in the evening, and in their company, we managed to sit quietly at an outdoor table, drinking and smoking hookah.
At dawn most mornings, I went to the roof deck of our ship to watch people beginning their morning activities on both sides of the Nile. Lots of fishermen were out, and some of them waved as I photographed them. One of them yelled, “Good morning, Lady!”
I watched men riding donkeys to their fields, children swimming in the Nile, and women in burkas washing clothes or kitchen pans. Tiny islands in the middle of the river were dotted with white egrets, and when the sun rose, it looked like a gigantic beach ball with palm trees silhouetted against its glow.
Our last night on the cruise, we were ported in Aswan, so our guide took a few of us to a busy area near the train station with a market, shops, and bars. The number of people walking on the streets was staggering, and the traffic of cars and carriages was chaotic. I could have spent hours watching the people going about their lives.
Staircase to the Nubian Village in Aswan. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
After the cruise, I stayed on in Aswan for two nights so that I could visit the temple of Abu Simbel and the Nubian Village. Abu Simbel is a three-hour drive in each direction, but the enormous statues built by Ramses the Great are nothing short of magnificent. You should leave very early in the morning to beat the heat, and your car must be scheduled as part of a long convoy that’s allowed to visit the temple each day. It’s not to be missed.
To reach the Nubian Village, we took a boat on Lake Nasser to the bottom of Elephantine Island. Then, we climbed colorfully painted stairs to the Village. The guide that GAT Tours arranged for me grew up in the Village, so he took me to a friend’s house, where the gentleman showed me around his modest but lovely home, complete with a flatscreen television. I bought a mask made of goat leather from him, and he gave me a beaded necklace as a gift.
Fishermen on the Nile. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you go to Egypt, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, all public bathrooms have attendants who hand you toilet paper as you enter. You’re expected to pay for the paper, and these people rely on that money. So, make a concerted effort to keep lots of small currency in your wallet, which you’ll need constantly for tips.
Second, many Egyptians are desperate, so you’ll be severely pressured to buy things. Our guide from the cruise advised us to avoid eye contact with the many people who followed us into temple sites. If we gave them an ounce of encouragement, he told us, we would be swarmed, and he’d be forced to call the tourism police to disperse them.
Those issues aside, the people I met in Egypt were universally kind and friendly – even the armed guards outside the museum in Cairo, who smiled and said “as-salaam alaikum” as I walked by with my guide.
Life on the Nile. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you choose to go, you’ll feel more comfortable with a private guide or a group tour, even if you aren’t traveling solo like me. GAT even went so far as to meet me at the airport when I returned to Cairo from Luxor, and transferred me by car to the other terminal for my international flight.
It made everything easier to have someone attending to every detail for me during my stay. For those of us with wanderlust, it’s a must-see destination.
During a recent press trip to Switzerland, we were lucky enough to spend a few days at the landmark Hôtel Bristol in Geneva, near the Mont Blanc Bridge and Rue du Rhône. A hotel location is paramount, and Hotel Bristol is perfectly positioned between the main railway station and the lake.
The hotel is in the center of the city near the Square du Mont-Blanc – a little over a block from the lakeside front and in the same vicinity as other renowned hotels and less than five minute walk from the central rail station – making exploring Geneva and its environs easily accessible. The original 1851 building was entirely redesigned in 2020/2021 by well known French decorator Annie Zéau; the award-winning Bristol can now be favorably compared for facilities and service quality, with 5-star properties that abound in this town.
It is quite unusual to have a starred hotel outperforming its official rating. The usual situation is a hotel that under performs; what I would call a “property with delusions of grandeur.” But the Bristol is actually rated as a four-star superior hotel and offers 5-star level amenities and services; well above its official rating!
Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Through my many years of staying in luxury 5-star properties in every major world city I’m used to encountering the atmosphere of sophistication that I found at the Bristol. Most personnel is multi-lingual. The room we stayed in had a cream-and-gold color scheme that is the coloring of the general Art Deco design of the hotel. Exceptional photographs in gilded frames decorated our spacious room’s walls and the bathroom had a glass enclosed rain shower, marble tiles and a nice Molton Brown amenities package.
De rigueur in luxury hotels nowadays are heated towel racks and large lighted shaving/make-up mirror, but an extra-special feature at the Bristol is an anti-fog bathroom mirror to enjoy those hot steamy showers and still have a useable mirror.
There was a well stocked coffee machine at the room’s desk, convenient for a cup of tea or a shot of caffeine during the day or night. And, very important nowadays, there is free WiFi throughout the hotel. I also appreciated the fact that, having size 12 wide shoes, the slippers in the room were of the appropriate size and I did not have to struggle to fit them onto my feet!
Photo by Manos Angelakis.
There is a well stocked bar at the ground floor near the entrance. An interesting architectural feature is the blue-and-cream-carpeted original 1851 spiral staircase now hung with museum quality portraits of generations of the Jacqulot-du-Boisrouvray family. The privately owned hotel has been in the hands of the Du Boisrouvray family since 1972.
Despite being at the heart of the city, the hotel is quiet thanks to very effective double glazing of the windows. The breakfast was buffet-style and very ample, featuring fresh fruit and fruit preserves and some very nice chocolate-filled brioche, a variety of cheeses and cold cuts and scrambled eggs and sausage or bacon but without the freshly cooked egg station that many luxury properties now have as part of their breakfast experience.
I was able to have my favorite breakfast, creamy plain yogurt topped with lots of aromatic honey. Because of our hectic schedule, we did not have a chance to personally experience all the amenities available in the hotel such as the Gault et Millau rated Restaurant “Côté Square” or the full service spa, but what we did experience was at a very high level.
Photo courtesy of Hotel Bristol.
Another unusual feature available to guests on registration is a public transportation free pass for Geneva that is included in the room rate. In-town transportation in all the Swiss cities we visited was great with trolleys, buses, trams and taxis plentifully available day or night. All in all, staying at the Bristol was a very pleasurable experience and I appreciate the effort the owners and management has put in reviving a very good hotel in a city filled with very good properties.
The author received a complimentary stay at this hotel, but as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
Whether you call it Lucerne in French or Luzerne in German, it is a very old Swiss city with many of the buildings still in use dating back to the 14th or 15th century. These buildings and the iconic Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge), which was built in 1333 and links the Old Town to the Reuss River’s right bank, are lovingly restored and maintained to keep the city’s character alive.
Photo by Barbara and Manos Angelakis
The famous wood-covered Kapellbrücke was built to link the two parts of the city separated by the Reuss River which flows into Lake Lucerne. There are actually two ancient timber covered bridges in this city; the Chapel Bridge and the Spreuer Bridge, so named for the chaff from cereals (Spreu) which could only be dumped into the river at that location.
Both bridges have painted panels added in the 17th century when Lucerne was still practicing Catholicism before the Reformation took hold. In the Chapel Bridge are the surviving panels (many of the originals were destroyed in a fire) depicting scenes of local history including the lives of patron saints; while the Spreuer features 67 paintings of Dance Macabre, a warning of what awaits a sinner.
One of the most interesting pastimes when visiting the city would be a walk around the Aldstadt (German for Old Town) which is known for its stunning and well preserved medieval architecture, open-air museum quality murals, luxury shops and restaurants, churches, waterfront walkways, and more – all with a backdrop of beautiful snow-capped mountains.
The winding warren-like streets and alleyways are never far from views of the water, the mountains, or spectacular paintings decorating building facades some as ancient as the buildings themselves. Every turn reveals a new delight.
Photo by Barbara and Manos Angelakis
In Lucerne we stayed at the Wilden Mann (Wild Man), an iconic old hotel. While it is only rated as a 4-star property, it has a long and interesting 500+ year history. It started as a tavern and that original space is where one of the current dining rooms is located. Its rafters are still attractively decorated with the coat of arms of prominent city families and the trade guilds.
Later the building became an inn. It was not until the 19th century that the Wilden Mann was transformed into a “respected address”. It currently consists of seven lovingly cared for interconnected buildings that add to the character of the hotel by requiring patrons to transit up and down steps and curiously connecting hallways to access their rooms.
The public spaces are decorated with classic furniture and portraits of distinguished city figures. The individually decorated rooms and suites feature antiques, warm colors, brocaded fabrics and amazing views of the old city’s rooftops.
The hotel is very centrally located, very close to the famous wood-covered Kapellbrücke.
Photo by Barbara and Manos Angelakis
The Wilden Mann is a figure of legend dating back to medieval times. Being the guardian of the city’s blue and white coat of arms, the bearded giant is omnipresent in Lucerne and, as you stroll through the city, you will come across him again and again in murals as well as sculptures.
Photo by Barbara and Manos Angelakis
The Burgerstube, is one of the two restaurants in the hotel. The Burgerstube is the space the tavern occupied and it features interesting dishes and drinks. We had lunch there. Very tasty was the wild garlic cream soup and the Lucerne “Fritschi” pie, a puff pastry full of vegetables including delicious locally sourced mushrooms and/or meats depending on your preference.
The breakfast room on the first floor offers breakfast American style, with a selection of breads and pastries, fruit juices, yoghurts, cheeses, charcuterie, eggs cooked in many ways, plus sausages and bacon and very good coffee. Some of the walls of the breakfast room are decorated with frescoes inspired by the murals with which many of the city buildings are decorated.
Photo by Barbara and Manos Angelakis
For supper we went to a restaurant, across the river from our hotel called Da Ernesto. It features classic Italian cuisine with nice antipasti, carpaccios and the usual assortment of veal and chicken, fish and seafood and pasta dishes. Of course I opted for some pasta, so a tagliatelle plate with basilico verdure and sautéed baby artichokes was my dish. Instead of wine or beer I had a bottle of cider (see article about cider) and I thought that it cut nicely the olive oil that dominated my supper.
Photo by Barbara and Manos Angelakis
Barbara also had pasta, but in her case it was spaghetti topped with grilled giant prawns in a very light cherry tomato sauce.
We finished with Tiramisu della Casa and espresso and we felt it was a very good dinner. Switzerland is an expensive country so the prices of this restaurant are on the high side when compared to an equivalent New York City Italian establishment. But I’m not complaining; the food was very good, the staff was friendly and attentive, the location was excellent, close to our hotel and many of the “must see” city sites.
For Barbara the highlight of our visit to Lucerne was the visit to Mt. Rigi.
Across from the main train station is Pier 1 where you catch the sleek modern ferryboat to the town of Vitznau for the cogwheel tram that takes you up Mt. Rigi. After days of chilling rain and low-lying clouds the day dawned exceptionally clear with blue skies and puffy white clouds hanging off the highest of the peaks of the Alps, just exposing the snow covered tips.
Although there had been little snow this season, happily the night before it had snowed leaving a deep blanket of pristine white covering the countryside as far as the eye could see. The mighty fir trees hanging on to the steep sides of the mountain were dripping with the weight of the snow creating a visual wonderland.
Photo by Barbara and Manos Angelakis
The air was crisp but the sun was warm when we exited the 45% steep ride up the mountain. The hotel at the top had already closed for the skiing season had passed so we enjoyed the view along with the other tourist of all ages and shared stories about traveling.
We met a young couple from South Korea on their honeymoon and an elderly couple from England that had taken a detour to Lucerne on their way to welcome their 1st grandchild. There were several people from the United States and lots from Asia. The cogwheel train that we rode up the mountain was very new but we had a chance to see pictures of the original displayed during lunch.
Afterwards we took a harrowing horse-drawn carriage ride along a narrow ridge covered with fresh snow and icicles dripping from low hanging branches. We wondered at the people who chose to live on these steep mountainsides with no visible sign of access into their homes. The horses returned us safely to the tram to Vitznau where we caught the ferryboat back to Lucerne cherishing memories of a magical, unforgettable day.
This article is based on complimentary stays and meals, but as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
Located in the heart of Old Quebec City, just steps away from all the activities in this delightful Ville, is the UNESCO Heritage site of Le Monastère des Augustines; a wellness retreat with a story to tell.
In 1639, three incredibly brave young Augustinian Sisters boarded a sailing ship and departed the safety and serenity of their cloistered monastery in Dieppe, France with a mission. Their mission was to establish a hospital for the Aboriginal peoples of New France – the area today known as the Province of Quebec.
The missionary order of Jesuits that had traveled to the new world years earlier in anticipation of converting Aboriginal peoples to Catholicism, inspired a French noblewoman, the Duchess of Aiguillon, to finance the nuns journey with the hope that it would turn the tide of conversion for the Native population. The Augustinians were a cloistered order so sadly for the Duchess, the undertaking by the Sisters was not to convert but to serve by healing, and that they did with great zeal.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Unaware of what they would find in their new home, they three intrepid Nuns packed everything they would need for their mission into one large wooden trunk, including the medicinal plants and herbs used in their healing practices.
For security they each had a key to the trunk which could only be opened when all three were inserted together. For three long months they endured the unimaginable hardships of the crossing but when they finally arrived they were welcomed by the First Nation peoples they had come to minister to.
Within a few short years these enterprising young women had established The Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, the first hospital north of Mexico. Over the years as the order grew, 11 more monastery hospitals were opened along with schools for training aspiring young native women in the healing arts.
Everything that was needed for survival in the new world, as well as medicinal plants to treat their patients and food to feed the community was produced by the Sisters who ministered to everyone without judgment or regard to origin, religion or financial status. Their philosophy of four pillars for good health treated the whole body, mind, emotions and spirit… in other words holistically.
Remarkably, it has taken over 400 years to catch up to the holistic treatment of the body that the Augustine Sisters developed and practiced in the 17th century.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
The Augustinian Sisters ran the hospitals until the soft revolution of 1965 when medical practices came under the control of the government of Canada, and the Hôtel-Dieu de Québec was turned into a Wellness Center still keeping intact the Sister’s mission to minister to the needs of the community.
The old building has been completely restored incorporating much of its original architecture making it a truly unique museum/hotel/spa, all in one. Six Sisters are still in residence and while no long active in the healing arts; their songs can still be enjoyed during daily Vespers in the Augustinians choir.
Le Monastère des Augustines is a distinctive Wellness Retreat, not a religious center in any sense of the word. It is far from your usual state-of-the-art spa but maintains the vision of the Augustinians by offering guests the four pillars they initially established for good health.
Spa treatments are offered for the body; Holistic Consultations for the mind; Yoga and other physical modalities for emotional balance; and breathing and meditative walking exercise to support the spirit. No distractions to total relaxation and healing in the way of TV or radio are provided in the rooms and guests are even encouraged to place their cell phones in a bag specially knitted by the Sisters once they retire for the evening.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
The accommodations are twofold: a contemporary room with en suite bathroom or a converted 17th century authentic room which was once a Nun’s cell with modern bathroom facilities conveniently located just down the hall.
Each of the authentic rooms has a distinct personality, accented with decorative articles produced by the Sisters and furnished with refurbished items used by them. The wrought iron single beds are wonderfully comfortable and there is a sink is in every room. Cozy bathrobes are provided to visit the spotlessly clean bathrooms but it is suggested that you bring your own flip flops or slippers for the short trek across the hall.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
The bigger contemporary rooms are also sparsely decorated but with a larger bed and more amenities. In either case the rooms have a warm friendly vibration and a feeling that care has been taken to support you during your stay.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Additionally, there are 10 heritage rooms available for group retreats, workshops, conferences, etc. including the awesome 17th century vault which makes a perfect event space. During my stay we were treated to a moving musical performance in the vault made so much more magical by the ambiance of the space.
The first floor museum is a collation of the artifacts and practices of the Sisters accumulated over their almost 400 years of service. Although we had a guided visit I found that going back on my own to more completely delve into what this amazing Order of women accomplished solely through their courage, intelligence, ingenuity and dedication was inspiring.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
One would be remiss not to mention the Mindful eating practiced at Le Monastère’s reataurant Le Vivoir. Chef Dereck McCann is as artful in the kitchen as he is at sharing his love of good food and drink with guests in the dining room. All products are procured locally with Chef McCann having a personal relationship with all his providers. He knows what produce is in season and when the best livestock are available.
Every meal is a selection of the freshest ingredients and always includes fish, poultry and/or meat along with vegetables and salads of every description and combination. Desserts tend to be the quality one would expect from a French trained chef and local wines are appropriately selected to add to the enjoyment of each meal.
One night, Chef McCann prepared a masterpiece of culinary creativity for our small group of visiting travel writers and blew us all away with his unorthodox combinations of ordinary ingredients prepared in extraordinary ways.
The author received a complimentary stay at this hotel, but as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
Sangiovese wines are some of the most important and most beloved wines of Italy.
Tuscany, Umbria and Campania and their many DOCs and DOCGs produce more Sangiovese wines than any other viticultural area of the world. In Tuscany, the Sangiovese grape is more ubiquitous than any other cultivar.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The Sangiovese grape was first cultivated in Tuscany by the Etruscans from wild vitis vinifera indigenous vines. The grape requires a long growing season, as it buds early and is slow to ripen. The grape is quirky, it requires sufficient warmth to ripen fully but too much warmth will weaken the intense flavors and coloring and the acidity will become uncomfortably elevated.
For the last couple decades Sangiovese wines blended with amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Noir or other indigenous varieties such as Ciliegiolo, Canaiolo and Colorino are produced by growers that prefer not to be affiliated with any local consortium so as not to be restricted by a consortium’s blending requirements; other growers prefer to have less than the minimum required by a consortium Sangiovese content and more of the French varietals. Many of these producers are well known wineries with high enough reputation and owners that can afford to go their own way because of the quality of their bottlings.
Since the 1300s the Florentine Frescobaldi family, a family that started their fortunes as medieval bankers, produces some of the best known Sangiovese-based wines in a number of estates throughout Central Italy. The family owns 11 different estates in Italy, with 6 of them in Tuscany proper.
Tenuta Luce Della Vite, one of their best known estates produces a number of red wines including Super Tuscans.
They just released their 2020 vintage of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Merlot from the Luce della Vite estate. Called Luce (the first wine made from older vines) and Lucente (the second wine made from younger vines) they are both delightful. At our recent tasting of the 2020 vintage of both wines, the consensus was that they were exceptional wines; the Luce rated at 95/100 points the Luciente at 92/100.
Photo courtesy of Frescobaldi Estates
Tenuta CastelGiocondo, another of the family’s better known estates is in Montalcino. Located south of Siena, the estate was one of the first few to produce Brunello di Montalcino in the 1800s. At our tasting, the 2017 Reservathat I have been aging since I got it garnered 97/100 points.
Photo courtesy of Frescobaldi Estates
An ancient stronghold East of Florence from the year 1000, the Castello Nipozzano, is a historic and illustrious property of the Frescobaldi family. It produces Montesodi, a great expression of Sangiovese, a Chianti Rufina Riserva DOCG wine with the Sangiovese grapes harvested by hand. A brilliantly ruby red colored wine, it is dry, with a firm structure and the dense texture typical of the best Sangiovese wines. At our tasting the 2020 vintage garnered 91/100 points.
Photo courtesy of Frescobaldi Estates
In the heart of the Maremma is the Tenuta Ammiraglia Estate. Its vineyards undulate upon the nearby hills of the Tyrrhenian coast. Best known for its elegant Aurea Gran Rosé, the estate’s signature wine which is a blend of Syrah and Vermentino, Aurea draws on wine making techniques typically used for white varieties, relying on a white production process even for the Syrah grapes. The Aurea sample rated at 89/100 points.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
One of their most renowned wineries, Ornellaia, located in the Bolgeri DOC, on the Tyrrhenian coast of Maremma, with wines that normally retail in the $258 to $300 range for a regular bottle, does not use any Sangiovese in most of their blends preferring a classic blend of French varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pettit Verdot. Only Le Volte, first released in 1991, has a 50% Sangiovese and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend. A Salmanazar (9 lt. bottle) of Ornellaia 2005 was sold for USD$33,600 at a recent Christie’s auction. At our tasting, a 2020 Bolgeri Superiore Red garnered 98/100 points. A truly superb wine!
The multinational Ottoman Empire that once spread from the borders of Persia to just outside Vienna and as far south as North Africa, greatly affected the Turkish cuisine culture. Turkish cuisine now offers a wide variety of choices from meze, soups, meat and vegetable dishes, dishes with olive oil and pilafs to pastries, milky desserts, Turkish delights and ice cream.
Hamdi is a restaurant in Istanbul with three venues located in key city neighborhoods. The locations are: the original in Eminönü, where we have eaten a number of times and like the dishes very much, one in Pera at the Radisson Blu hotel and one in Şişli also at the Radisson Blu.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The original is located at the top floor of a high-rise next to the Spice (Misir) Bazaar with spectacular views especially in the evening of the Golden Horn, the Yeni Camii (New Mosque), the Bosporus and the Galata Bridge and Galata Tower. It seats over 300 people but, if you decide to eat there, make sure you make reservations and ask for a table by the windows or on the terrace in the summer for the view, as the restaurant gets very crowded for both lunch and dinner!
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Chef Hamdi Arpacı, the founder of Hamdi Restaurant, was one of several kebab masters who migrated from the Urfa province to seek fame and fortune in “The City.”
His restaurants now offer one of the best examples of fusion cuisine. Fusion cuisine is the synthesis of various cuisines from different cultures and Turkish cuisine is one of the leading fusion cuisines in the world.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Hamdi is a grilled meat heaven, a Turkish southeastern style kebapçi (grilled meat restaurant) with interesting meze starters; and the variety and quality of grilled meat dishes such as the classic Siş Kebap and Adana Kebap, the Yoğurtlu Kebap and the really authentic İskender Kebab is exceptional.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Additionally there are other typical dishes including Turkey’s and Armenia’s answer to Italian pizza, the delectable Lachmacun or Pide Lachmajoun, a thin flatbread topped with a slightly spicy mixture of diced tomato, ground beef and lamb meat and aromatic herbs.
The restaurant offers excellent food and a nice wine selection along with the spectacular view.
Save some room for the restaurant’s renowned pistachio baklava or the decadent katmer, a flaky pastry with crushed pistachio slathered with kaymak (clotted cream). For beverage, you can have raki, wine or ayran. the wine is quite good from vineyards in Souther Turkey; there are a couple raki options and the ayran, yoghurt deluted with ice cold water and salt, is very refreshing and pairs surprising well with the grilled kebabs.
Chefchaouen, Morocco is one of the most picturesque hill towns in a country overflowing with picturesque cities and villages! We stopped to take photographs of the sparkling blue city from a distance, but the impact doesn’t truly hit until you enter the city gates and get your first close-up look.
A panoramic shot of Chefchaouen. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
In the 14th century, the village barely consisted of 8 or 10 houses occupied by Imazighen — translation “free men” (singular: Amazigh), more commonly referred to as Berbers. In the Berber language, the name “Chef” translates to “look,” and “chaouen” translates to “horns.” The name reflects the geological position of the city set into the hillside between two prominent mountains of the Rif chain.
During the 1471 hostilities between Morocco and Portugal, the Sultan of Morocco turned Chefchaouen into a military installation and fortification against possible Portuguese incursions. He sent troops to the area, and housing was constructed to garrison them, which accounts for the symmetry of the dwellings we see today.
It wasn’t until the expulsion of the Jewish and Muslim populations from Spain in 1492 that the village expanded to give them sanctuary. Due to their shared experience, they continued to live and work side by side as they had done for generations on the Iberian Peninsula.
The small Berber presence integrated with the incoming populations, and apparently, many converted to Judaism or Islam attracted by the concept of one god. For some time they coexisted in peace and prosperity.
Originally, all the houses were constructed of the same tan-colored earthen bricks. According to our guide, Youssaf Shu, a lifelong resident of the city, the Jewish population either began painting the bottom half of their houses blue to remember the sunny sky of Andalusia or to symbolize divinity because blue is the color of the sky and sea. I leave it to each person to decide which version works best for them.
Muslims responded by painting their houses white – the color of Islam. Initially, the paint covered as high as the house’s occupant could comfortably reach, and as the people were not very tall, only the bottom half of the houses got color.
A plaque about the Jewish Mellah in Chefchaouen. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
Over the years, as the population expanded, a Mellah (Jewish quarter) developed around the synagogue. But in general, Jews, Berbers, and Muslims continued to work side by side. The homes were designated by a rounded or arched door, while shops were entered through a square door.
At some point, an enterprising Jewish resident decided to paint his entire house blue and decorate it with flowers. The house got much attention. People even came from surrounding villages to marvel at the blue house. Village residents began a friendly competition for attention, which was the birth of tourism in Chefchaouen.
A village street in Chefchaouen. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
In 1994, blue became the official color of the city. Although there are no longer any Jews living there, every year when the houses are cleaned in preparation before the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, the women of the town repaint their houses in the shade of blue that is popular or most available that year. This contributes to the various shades of blue, sometimes even on the same house, which makes the town so appealing.
This town of roughly 42,000 residents (and more than 3,000 cats, we were told by Youssaf) is located in the mountains virtually in the middle of nowhere and can only be reached by a precipitous winding road.
That doesn’t stop tourists from all over the world arriving to take pictures. The Chinese especially seem to be enchanted and visit in droves, so much so that Chefchaouen’s central square now has restaurants serving Chinese dishes.
An entrance staircase in Chefchaouen. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
Wandering through the town and peering up and down the alleyways veering off the main street is a photo op bar none. I took dozens of pictures because around each corner, a new must-have visual caught my eye.
But I was not the only one pointing out picture-perfect views. All around me were tourists as enthralled as I was, clicking away. Periodically, I would stop long enough to shop for souvenirs at one of the many stores lining the streets offering handcrafted items.
Eventually, we had to leave this charming town, which was probably a good thing, as my camera was running out of memory, and my pocketbook was running out of funds.
Nothing could have been more Swedish. Food apart, the cups, the plates, the cutlery, everything came from Sweden – including Orrefors and Costa Boda glassware. Even the dining room had a clean, functional, very Nordic look about it.
I’m referring to Björk, the café and bistro that recently opened on the ground floor of Scandinavia House on Park Avenue at 38th Street in New York City.
As for the food, trust Ulrika Bengtsson to take good care of that. A renowned chef in New York City, who grew up in Sweden, her commitment to her homeland fare is unmistakable.
When she told me about her childhood on a farm in southern Sweden, there was no end to her enthusiasm. “We grew many things,” she said, “and my father was a hunter, so all the Swedish classics were on the table – meatballs, cod in egg sauce, biff a la Lindström, and much more.”
Recalling the autumns, the time for moose hunts and mushroom picking, she became quite galvanized, her face blushing with pleasure as she told me of her unbound love of chanterelles.
We talked about cloudberries and lingonberries, after which we turned to the Björk menu.
One section, titled DAGENS, featured the daily specials, beginning with Monday’s Biff Lindström with honey and mustard sauce, and ending with Friday’s Pytt I Panna with pickled beets. On Tuesdays, there is Laxpudding with brown butter and horseradish, a delicacy I tasted and photographed.
Photo by Bo Zaunders
Next to the menu’s daily specials is a relatively short listing called CLASSICS, which seems to sum up what we think of as quintessential, not only of Swedish, but of Scandinavian food: Herring plate, Gravlax with honey mustard sauce, Toast Skagen, Smörgåsbord plate, and Meatballs.
Wondering if the shrimp used for Toast Skagen still comes from the waters outside Greenland, I was not only given an affirmative answer, but a plateful of shrimp was brought out from the kitchen and, as if to confirm their excellence, Ulrika bit into one of them.
Incidentally, she also, later on, nibbled at one of her famous meatballs and sipped a spoonful of Nordic Borscht.
Photo by Bo Zaunders
Another classic, prepared during my visit, was potato wrap, tunnbröd, or what is known in Norway as lefse, served open-faced with sausages, mashed potatoes, pickled cucumber, mustard, and crispy onions. Definitely a winner.
Photo by Bo Zaunders
Regarding desserts, I especially enjoyed a Crispy Swedish Waffle with jam and whipped cream. And, adding to my pleasure and served on a different plate, a variety of cookies, buns and cakes.
Several times I tried to find out if Ulrika had a favorite dish. It was all in vain.
Then, at one point, she gave me an answer that made perfect sense: “It’s like asking a mother to pick her favorite kid.”
Photo by Bo Zaunders
On a follow-up visit with my wife Roxie, I picked the Smörgåsbord plate as a main dish, and was duly impressed – a sensational mix of Scandinavian classics, including gravlax with mustard sauce, pickled herring, Jansson’s temptation, meatballs, and few other delicacies, all placed in nice portions on a deep plate.
Photo by Bo Zaunders
And this time dinner concluded with a generous slice of Princess cake, a traditional Swedish layer cake consisting of alternating layers of airy sponge cake, pastry cream, raspberry jam, and with a coating of green marzipan.
Roxie and I have also dropped in for a visit to the Björk bar, which boasts some happy hour drink specials and a small menu of its own. I drank beer, Roxie wine, and shared a platter of gravlax bites with a honey mustard sauce dip, as well as bread and butter.
