Viva México!

Mexico has been on my list of places to visit for long time, however, I ended up discarding it every time, because I thought it was not suitable for a solo vacation, boy I was wrong!

Surely, there are areas that are to be avoided, and certainly in Mexico City, or DF as it is commonly referred to, one should be careful, but not significantly more than you would be in any other big city. Now, maybe I have been lucky, maybe me being a city girl and used to be mindful of certain things, I didn’t make fatal mistakes, so I don’t want to dismiss all concern and say, go straight in, but I do want to encourage other women to take the plunge and explore this amazing country without having to worried about being chaperoned.

My tour started Mexico City where I spent four nights. For three nights I stayed in the beautiful area called Polanco: green, you can walk everywhere, cafes, restaurants, it is truly vibrant. I stayed at Pug Seal Tennyson, a lovely boutique hotel with great customer service. They have other hotels in town and I am planning to try out a different one when I will be back in June for a wedding (long story, maybe for another time). My last night I went to Condesa, just to try out a different area. It was really nice as well, although not as green as cosy, but many great spots here too. One restaurant I would recommend, which is a bit different, is Lardo. I stayed at Condesa DF, a nice, although fairly weird hotel. I enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t necessarily go back.

There’s so much to see in the capital, that it would be crazy to try to list it all, especially since there are plenty of guides for that (I always start with a Lonely Planet and go from there), but maybe the one thing I enjoyed the most was the walk in Coyoacan a really quaint area, which used to be a village and you can feel it. Of course I visited the House of Frida Kahlo, which is just there and thoroughly enjoyed the visit, but what I retained more than that was the very simple lunch at the mercado. Museums are impressive, especially the Palacio de Bellas Artes, which is a jewel in itself. Diego Rivera’s murals are glorious and so is Plaza de la Constitucion. However on the last one I would say, be careful and choose the quietest time you can, because the square and the surroundings become incredibly busy and loud, uncomfortably so.

Food is excellent in Mexico City, there are so many restaurants to choose from for all budgets and tastes. My favourite one, for the whole experience has been Restaurante Antiguo San Angel Inn. An hacienda converted into a restaurant, set in a beautiful location with a glorious old-fashioned atmosphere.

While in Mexico City, I also went to Teotihuacan, the archaeological site of the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. It’s an easy one day trip and it is certainly well-worth it. I was lucky to visit the site on a breezy sunny day with very few tourists around, so I really made the most out of the experience. The museum there is also a very valid addition to the visit. Also don’t miss out on the very charming restaurant that is close to the site, La Gruta. Yes is touristic, but it’s really unique and the food it very good.

From DF, I travelled north using buses. There are many different companies operating buses linking most cities and travelling great distances. I always used Primera Plus, as it was recommended by a friend and I found it just impeccable. The vehicles are very comfortable and have free Wifi, before you set off you are offered a bottle of water and a snack and, in my experience they are always extremely punctual. One additional benefit is that from DF Primera Plus leaves from Patio Santa Fe, which is a nice shopping mall in a nice area of town as opposed to the other companies that leave from Estacion Norte, which is apparently not that safe. (ETN is the other company leaving from Patio Santa Fe, I haven’t tried, but apparently it is as good).

The towns I visited are Queretero, San Miguel de Allende and Guanajato, all nice all interesting. InQueretero I was with Mexican friends, so of course it was extremely enjoyable and I got to see and do things I would have not done otherwise, including a local wedding which was pretty amazing. San Miguel is charming, artsy and touristy. A different vibe altogether from Queretero which feels more like a city.Guanajato is somewhere in between the two. I would recommend them all for different reasons. They are all within a couple of hours drive, so you can slowly make your way north as I did and then go back at your own pace. I stopped again in Queretero to break the trip and spend more time with my friends. As I went back I headed directly to the airport and flew to Yucatan for the second half of my holiday.

Cancun was pretty terrible. I decided to stay two nights instead of just one, just because a friend recommended IslaMujeres describing it as a paradise island. Now, if you are in Cancun, which I would describe as a bad version of Miami, by all meansisla mujeres is a nice escape, but don’t cross the ocean to go, it’s just as loud and tacky as Cancun, just in smaller scale. The only redeeming factor of my stay in Cancun was an amazing dinner in a lovely restaurant in the old town, La Habichuela Downtown. Bottom line is: fly there, and if you are too tired to continue, then get yourself out of the zonahotelera for a nice meal and move on.

I took an Uber to go from Cancun to Tulum which was not too expensive. The ride was pleasant, but made it apparent that the coast from Cancun, all the way south is a long stretch of mega resorts, one after the other, one more monstrously big than the other (one has a roller-coaster!), until you get to Tulum. This little town has been spared by massive developed so far. However I don’t think it is for long as I saw numerous constructions. Maybe they will keep them small and upscale as they are now, but there will be manymany more in the next few years. However, as of today, Tulum is still a laidback, lovely town with numerous charming hotels on the beach nicely integrated in the environment. I stayed at the Mezzanine Colibri Hotel and at El Pez Colibri Hotel. Both hotels are part of the same group and have a similar vibe, however the first is more upscale. The best restaurants I tried were Mi Amor and Arca.

A couple of things worth mentioning:

First of all I was there in low season, so I didn’t experience crowds and I biked around easily, but I am told that the traffic is horrendous in December. There’s only one main small road that crosses the town, hence in the high season it becomes unmanageable.

Then, Tulum is expensive. I am talking Europe/US expensive. While for the hotels I managed to strike good deals (because of the low season and thanks to Booking.com genius level), restaurants prices I assume are kept the same year-round, so one dinner in a nice restaurant is no less than USD 50, and taxis have insane rates. On the other hand, entrance to attractions, such as the ancient ruins or the Cenotes are still cheap.

Finally, the sargassum, the algae that washes ashore on this coast. You will find lots of information and misinformation about the phenomenon. The truth is that it is unpredictable. It depends on the weather and the ties and while there will be better season and worse seasons, the situation can change from a month to the other and sometimes from a day to the next. Case in point, in July-August 2019 there were plenty of algae on the beach of Tulum, a month later in September, it was absolutely clean. I had 5 beautiful days, then two stormy nights brought tons of seaweed all over. They are very well equipped and deploy massive forces to clean the shore as quickly as possible, but the water may remain murky for a while.

My advice is to book your holiday without worrying too much and if worse comes to worse, you can go somewhere else. Yucatan is beautiful, there are many places I meant to visit, but I didn’t because I needed to pause a bit before going back to work. Merida, for one. The capital looks amazing, then the pyramids and you can even venture further south towards Belize. Don’t let anything discourage you from exploring Mexico, you will love it and you will come back with amazing memories.

A presto, Veronica

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes – Diego Rivera Murales

Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan – La Gruta

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes – Diego Rivera Murales

San Miguel de Allende

Guanajato

Cancun

Archeological Zone of Tulum – Mayan Port City Ruins

Tulum – Gran Cenote

Tulum – Mezzanine Hotel

Tulum

Sardinia – the paradise next door

Last time I was in Sardinia, it was August and I hated it!

Everywhere it was crowded, everything was overpriced, traffic and parking a nightmare, service generally appalling and people around were mostly loud and vulgar. I know that August is not a representation of how a place actually is, but I was left with such unpleasant memories, that I didn’t feel like I could do the trip again. However time has passed (a few years actually!) and given the chance to go on the first week of July, I did not pass on it, and I am glad I didn’t.

I was based in Golfo del Pevero, a gorgeous bay a few minutes away from the ritzy Porto Cervo, and we could simply walk to the nearest beach to enjoy crystal clear water. With a short drive (between ten and twenty minutes) one could venture to more amazing spots like Cala Liscia Ruja. I also appreciated (although I know that some would not agree) that almost everywhere there would be a beach club, or at least a chiringuito of some sort. I am not talking establishment after establishment, but merely one place for an entire bay. It means that you have the option to enjoy the beach in comfort, or, if you like to be more secluded and choose your own little nook, you still have a place you can go to if you want to grab an ice-cream, or sit down and sip on a fresh beverage. It means less cooler boxes, on the beach, which is a blessing, who can argue with that?

I tried a few restaurants in the area, some better than others, but I ate pretty well everywhere we went. La Mola is a really good pick if you are looking for an elegant restaurant with a refined menu. Il Pulcino is an old-fashioned place with a good variety of traditional dishes and Lu Stazzu was the winner with its lovely courtyard and delicious suckling pig.

For aperitivo, Hotel Cala di Volpe is an absolute treat, while if you want an Instagrammable place, Phi Beach in Baia Sardinia is for you. It’s rather a club on the beach, but it starts at sunset with people flocking in high heels and linen shirts, phones ready for a deluge of selfies.

To experience how a regular Italian beach town really is, I would recommend a walk in Cannigione, where you can eat some earthy food at Tavola Blu and shop the unnecessary at the night market.

If you get tired of lying on a beach and swim all day, take some time to visit a nuraghe. These ancient megalithic edifices, developed during the Nuragic Age (between 1900 and 730 B.C.) are typical of Sardinia and are fairly magical. I visited Nuraghe la Prisgiona which is incredibly well preserved. The staff at the sight was very helpful and shared plenty of information and anecdotes.

And finally, don’t miss out on La Maddalena. This tiny island is easily accessible from Palau, in just fifteen minutes, on ferry boats that leave every 30 minutes throughout the day. It is a natural reserve and rightly so, it’s legitimately stunning, with jaw dropping sights, topaz water and amazing spots, like Spiaggia del Relitto in Caprera. Caprera, a smaller island part of the Maddalena archipelago, linked to the main island with a bridge, was the home of Garibaldi, Italy’s national hero. It is possible to visit his home and a museum that takes visitors through his legendary life and deeds and to the events that led to the unification of Italy. A beautiful experience with a breathtaking view as a bonus.

Costa Smeralda is just a very small portion of a wonderful and diverse island, but it certainly is a big jewel in the crown. Jewels come expensive, that is clear. However, if you can afford the premium, it is well worth it. That is if you go off peak season so that you can enjoy the sea, the view, the food, the people at their best.

A presto

Golfo del Pevero, Sardinia

Liscia Ruja, Sardinia

Arzachena – Nuraghe la Sprigiona, Sardinia

Caprera – Museo Garibaldi, Sardinia

Tunisi – into Phoenician land

Only one hour flight from Rome, and you are into the blue.

Tunis is a quiet city that is overly underestimated. While the medina is not as impressive as the souks of Marrakesh, it makes it for a really pleasant walk, and some good shopping, without the hassle of the Moroccan hard sellers. On the main roads the smell of fragrant food, spices and soap fills the air; off the main roads some interesting artisanal boutiques offer unique, original pieces, Makhzen is where I found my happiness. There are hidden restaurants inside beautiful courtyards that serve delicious food and cafes perched on terraces overlooking the city where you can sip rose water scented coffee.

La Marsa, off the city centre, is where I stayed. It looks like an Italian seaside town, with the houses overlooking the shore, little cafes and restaurants all big windows and tables on the pavements. I had lunch in La Gourmandise, a chain with a few restaurants around town, pleasant, but nothing special, and brunch in Sabato and in Ivy, both pretty amazing. For dinner it was fish in a beautiful restaurant called Le Golfe, on my first evening and couscous in a very local place on the second evening.

I also had a small taste of Tunis night life at Le Carpe Diem, a very laid back place where young Tunisians (and a few expats) were dancing with lots of joy and little to no pretense to the rhythm of a local band playing Tunisian music and some well-known international songs.

Sunday was a glorious sunny day and I explored more of the coast. In Carthage, I visited the Baths of Antoninus a really beautiful and peaceful site where Roman ruins overlooking the Mediterranean make an incredible scenery. In Sidi Bou Said I was amazed by the beauty of this little hilly white and blue town, where winding roads lead to the most gorgeous panorama. The bonus was the delicious bombolone eaten on the go.

I had a really lovely long weekend left on Friday morning, back on Sunday evening. Enough to explore Tunis and surrounding, but I would definitely go back and see more of the country.

Madagascar – the unspoiled paradise

North-west Madagascar crossing the rivers

North-west Madagascar river communities

North-west Madagascar farmer with zebu

North-west Madagascar crossing the rivers

I had the fortune to visit Madagascar three times in the past two years. I went on work, which means I have not see as much as I would have as a tourist, especially considering that I was there for two months collectively, on the other hand, I visited places where no tourist has been before, and if they have, I’d be interested to hear their stories.

While the area of Nosy Be, in the north-west coast of the island, is well known and boasts a fairly developed tourism industry, the rest of the country remains rather untouched. Venturing south requires some skills to face the lack of infrastructure and flexibility when it comes to accommodation. The north-west coast is more forgiving, but still challenging.

The area around the rural town of Maroantsetra is where I have spent the majority of my time in Madagascar. It is linked to the capital with a few flights operated by Air Madagascar, all stopping at the port town of Tamatave, which is also worth a visit, before reaching the airfield in Maroantsetra.

The town has a few basic hotels and restaurants, but it comes out from a different century. Many river communities live around the banks of the river that crosses the area; canoes are the main transportation mode for goods and people and it can take up to two hours to travel what would be twenty kilometres by road, but it makes one of the most mesmerising experiences you will ever have. These little boats glide on narrow canals through rice fields, banana and mango plantations, as well as through large patches of land where farmers take their zebus and birds accompany their work. It’s a painting from the Macchiaioli with a different kind of landscape.

Back in the capital you will find all the comforts you may need, impeccable service, good food. Antananarivo is a nice city, hilly, breezy, and fairly safe during the day. The traffic is mind-blowing though.

The first two times I went I stayed at the hotel Palissandre, which is very nice, central, although not in the centre, and has probably the best restaurant in Tana.

This last time, in January, I wanted to try something different and more centrally located, so I stayed at the hotel Sakamanga. I liked the diffused hotel vibe and the garden, but it certainly is more basic and less clean, even if service was as kind and helpful as in the higher-end hotel. Food was not great. Breakfast buffet was big, but not very fresh, bar food passable and the restaurant Sakamanga upstairs is alright, but nothing to write home about.

Other restaurants I tried were Kudeta, Arirang, La Varangue, Le Carre, Chez Arnaud, which I have all reviewed on TripAdvisor as usual, as well as Vatel, which is a hotel management school with a functioning restaurant and hotel. The food is fairly good and it is very decently priced. Service is a bit clumsy, but that is normal as they are all learning.

On my way back I stopped in Paris for a day to make something out of my weekend which otherwise would have been spent entirely travelling. I simply enjoyed the city, walked around as much as possible, savouring the vibe of a place I used to call home and had an amazing meal in one of my favourite restaurants, Les Papilles. The following morning I indulged in a perfect pain au chocolate picked up at the Épicerie du Bon Marche, walked some more and headed to the airport to finally go back home.

A presto.

Back to the Slopes

I like to take a few days off during the Christmas break to rewind and start the new year on the right foot.

Last year I chose a warm city break and headed off to Marrakesh, while this year I opted for a more conventional winter choice, a ski trip.

I went to Courmayeur on 2 January and had four full days there.

Curmayeur

Curmayeur view from Mont Blanc

Curmayeur the slopes

From Rome it is quite a journey, and I would not recommend driving. Although the road is fantastic all the way to the town, it is an eight-hour journey.

If you want the freedom, but can’t be bothered with being behind the wheel for that long, I would recommend the train to Milan and a rental car from there. Turin is closer, but the Rome-Milan route is covered by the high-speed train which takes three hours.

Flying is the other option, which all in all would take the same time, if not a little longer, and it is a bit of a hassle because even if you rent the equipment you will probably have to check your luggage; mountain attire is so bulky that even I, the queen of the carry-on, can’t do hand luggage only.

Courmayeur is a cute town. It seats at the foot of the mountains so you always have those giants towering over you. Some people may find it oppressing, but I loved it, it is a constant reminder that the mountains rule, so you should respect them.

It is not your typical mountain town with basic restaurants and ski stores. It certainly was, and there are still reminders of that time, in the little square dedicated to the Alpine guides, for example, but it is now a rather ritzy destination, chosen by the wealthy of Milan and Genoa and more and more foreigners. This means that the town transformed to cater to its clientele, hence the fancy restaurants, the nice bars serving perfect drinks, the expensive jewellery stores.

This is not a bad quality for me; after skiing for several hours, having the option to relax in a lovely café and looking forward to a tasty dinner which is not necessarily fondue and potatoes, it is certainly something I am for. Also, while you will come across the vulgar man with the fake tan or the over the top woman in her cringy fur, they’ll be among a larger crowd of young people looking for sport and fun in a polished, easy environment.

The slopes are really good, long, varied. The downside is that you have sun only in the morning, and partly in the afternoon, but that in a small portion of the domain. I was in Switzerland two years ago, in Champery and if I compare, the domain there, which they call Portes du Soleil is really huge, especially if you do the pass for the Swiss and French sides, however there is still plenty of skiing to be done here.

The other advantage is that if you are in the centre you can walk to the cable car and in a few minutes you are on the slopes. They are also very organised because there are ski rentals just around the cable car and even up at destination and you can leave your equipment there at the end of the day, so you don’t need to carry around anything but your tired self.

After skiing, it is very nice to stroll around and by 5 pm the centre is buzzing with skiers happy to rest their limbs and warm up. My best finds have been Caffé della Posta for a really good aperitivo in a Frenchish environment, Petit Bistrot for crepes you will not forget and Pierre Alexis for a gourmet dinner inspired by the hearty mountain food, but made lighter and modern. Also, do not leave town without stopping at Panizzi and stock up in fresh yogurt, cheese and mocetta.

Finally an experience which should not be missed is the Skyway, a cable car that in two stops will take you up on the Mont Blanc at 3,466 metres. Saying that it is breath taking up there it is an understatement. The two stations are equipped with cafes, entertainment centres and much more, maybe even too much, but it is very interesting and having prosecco up there is fairly decadent, in a good way.

There are options for activities for adventurous skiers and trekkers as well, but I haven’t looked into it. I was happy to spend a few minutes up on the 360-degree terrace taking in one of the most gorgeous view I have even seen.

A presto

Entertaining during the festive season

Christmas bruch – Rome

For years I have thrown a Christmas party at my house around mid-December. I think it is a nice way to gather your friends before everybody is too caught up with Christmas shopping and family engagements.

A few years ago, I turned the evening party into a bubbly brunch and never got back. My friends love it, it’s very convivial and you get to spend more time socializing, that you would at an evening do. I pick a Sunday, so that I have Saturday to prepare and everybody is more chilled.

As I have a big kitchen counter in the middle of my living area, that makes the whole event very convivial, as everybody hangs around it, eating and drinking, I can cook throughout, without ever being cut off from my own guests. Also people come and go more fluidly.

On Saturday afternoon I make a few cakes, normally banana bread and a lemon cake, or an orange and cocoa cake, something breakfasty basically. I also make a cheesecake, because that is my signature dessert. I also chop some veggies, mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes and grate some mild cheese which I will use to make scrabbles eggs and omelets. These I put in Tupperware ready for the day after.

On Sunday morning I bake some savory muffins (cheese and bacon, and cheese) and some savory croissants with ham and cheese. I make a pancake mix and line eggs and the pans ready. Then I take everything else out: the bakes from the day before, berries, salmon and nice multigrain loaf.

As people arrive around midday, they start munching on what is on the table and I start dishing pancakes and eggs any style they want and the day goes by with people merrily eating and drinking throughout.

As I choose to accompany the food with bubbles it is important to invest in quality bottles, otherwise you’ll regret it the following day. This year I went forVeuve Clicquot, Bollinger, Jean Vesselle.

Last year I have also introduced a little raffle. I prepare little cardboards with numbers on. Each guest picks one as they come in and when someone leaves they take out a number from a bowl and whoever has that number can pick one of three presents I have prepared under the tree. I choose things everybody can enjoy, a bottle of wine, a terrine, a nice candle…

It’s a really nice and fun formula and I highly recommend you to test it.

A presto