Category Archives: Europe

The Bethst of: Beaches in Favignana

June 11, 2017 Beth 2 Comments

Favignana is a gem off the coast of Sicily. It is one of the three, and the most populated of the Aegadian islands. Favignana is a thirty minute ferry ride west of Sicily and is among my favourite islands to adventure. Once off the boat, head over to Noleggio Ginevra di Catalan Amadeo (their website) and rent yourself a hog for the duration of your stay. It’s the best way to get around.

Lido Burrone

Lido Burrone is a beautiful sandy beach. It is also the only beach with facilities. Here, you can rent a beach chair and an umbrella, and you can head up to the bar to order a drink or buy a snack. You can also use their toilets. It’s nice to be on a sandy beach, but this one can get quite crowded. It’s not good for incognito topless tanning, but it is great for people watching!

Sandy: yes

Crowded: definitely

Swimmable: yes

Speedos: too many to count

Cala Azzure

Named after the colour of the water, Cala Azzure is a total stunner! The water is so crystal clear, it’s almost unreal. As for lounging by the water, there are a few sandy parts for lounging, but there wasn’t much room when we arrived. We walked along the beach, over the rocks and found a more secluded area to set up camp. This place can get super busy too, I am sure, but feels a bit less so because of the way the rocks are located around the water. It’s easy to feel like you’re the only ones there.

Sandy: somewhat

Crowded: not if you walk to the other side

Swimmable: yes and it’s refreshing AF

Instagrammable: #youbetterbelieveit

Bue Marino

This is less of a beach, and more just a really cool place to hang out and not swim. There is a little path down towards the water that opens up over a huge, flat area. The cliffs down to the water are jagged and beautiful, and the water is, again, crystal clear. Here, you can find all sorts of caves in the rock. It’s a fun place to adventure, hang out in the sun, and drink fresh orange juice from the huge, orange-shaped bar at the top of the hill (if it’s parked there).

Sandy: no

Crowded: not a soul in sight

Swimmable: not if you want to live

Adventurous: totally!!

Cala Graziosa

Yes, you will park in a big, empty parking lot, yes you will be across the street from a big factory looking thing, no, there won’t be any other cars in the parking lot. You’ve found the place! This is such a lovely swimming hole. The quality of your experience will be determined by the wind. If it’s coming from the north, skip this place. If it’s coming from any other direction, this place is heavenly. The water is still, deep, and super clear. There are rocks around the edges perfect for jumping into the deep watering hole. Don’t feel like swimming? That’s fine! Go explore the rocks, you’ll find an abundance of tide pools around!

Sandy: no… it’s rocks

Crowded: not when we went! We were the only ones there!

Swimmable: if you’re prepared to jump!

Life in the tidepools: crabs and urchins galore!

Europe, Travel Tips

Italy: Five things to know before you go!

June 8, 2017 Beth Leave a comment

You’re going to Italy?! Buonissimo! Italy is the birthplace of some of the best things in the world: pizza, pasta, gelato, aqua-ducts! And, it is a country with something for everyone: beaches, mountains, old stuff, lots of wine… It’s an easy country to travel. That being said, there are some things I wish someone had told me before I arrived. Here are five things to know about Italy before you get there

1. Know some Italian!

There are a few places you may travel in Europe where English is commonly spoken. I have gotten by in many European countries knowing none of the native language. Italy is not one of those countries. The first thing we did when we landed in Rome was go for a piece of pizza and a beer, and neither of us knew how to order it. The woman working didn’t speak a lick of English, either, so it was an awkward exchange! Know some basic Italian before you arrive. Here are some key words and incredibly important phrases:

Ciao (chow): hello AND goodbye!

Grazie (grat-see-uh): thank you. people will respond by saying, “prego!”

Per Favore (pear fahv-or-ay): please

Uno (oo-no): one

Due (doo-way): two

Tre (tray): three

Possiamo avere due bichierri di Prosecco per favore: Can we have two glasses of Prosecco please?

2. Carry Euros, credit/debit cards are not used universally

Italy is a place where you will want to bring cash. Supermarkets, most hotels, and most tourist places (museums, etc.), will accept credit card, but as you travel out of city centres, out of tourist areas, and into more local spots, cash is the name of the game.

3. It is expensive, but you can do it on a shoestring.

Italy is an expensive place, there is no doubt about it. In July and August, prices skyrocket! That being said, you can find cheap stuff. A few tips to save some Euros. Make your own lunch! Having a picnic is the best. Pack some prosciutto, pecorino, bakery fresh bread, and a small bottle of wine, and find a bench to sit on! Some of my favourite Italians were the ones we met working at the deli counter, they often give you free samples! Stay in an AirBnB with a kitchen. It will absolutely have a little coffee pot and you can make your own cup. Even when an espresso is only €2, if you plan to be in Italy for two weeks, it can really add up! And when looking for inexpensive restaurants and cheaper eats, go outside the city centre. Use apps like Foursquare, Tripadvisor, or Google to filter restaurants by top rating AND cheap eats.

FullSizeRender 9 — The perfect picnic! Read a story about it here

4. On that note, don’t eat at a place that has pictures of the food on the menu.

Chances are, you have stumbled into a tourist trap! These are the places that have stereotypical Italian food, but also serve things like “American breakfast” or “British fish and chips.” Unless you are really hankering for an egg and bacon breakfast (which you could cook up in your Airbnb kitchen for a third of the price), steer clear of these places. The experience you will have will probably not be authentic, and you will pay far more than it is worth. When you arrive at a restaurant, stick your head in and listen. Are the patrons speaking Italian? Grab a table and enjoy! (I wrote a story about the best meal I had in Florence! Read it here).

5. Don’t eat mounded gelato!

This is probably the most important piece of information there is. I thank my mother for this tidbit of info. Don’t eat mounded gelato. In the display case of a Gelateria, you will see ice cream piled high, drizzled with syrup, adorned with fruits and chocolates. These mountains of gelato will be enticing— they look beautiful!— but that ice cream is not cold enough. Real gelato is meant to be served super duper cold, and when it is displayed in big mounds, the ice cream is not being kept as cold as it should be. When you see mounded gelato, keep walking and wait until you see the stuff that is flat in the container.

Europe, Travel Stories

Partying like an 18 year old in Napoli

June 2, 2017 Beth Leave a comment

Tonight we would dine at Trattoria Da Nennella. Michael read online that it boasts a three course meal with wine and water included for only €12! We also read online that the line up can sometimes be so long, people wait for an hour or even two to be seated! We found the place and stood in the line. It was only about half a block long, so we didn’t think the wait would be too long. Everyone around us was drinking Aperol Spritz in little plastic cups, so we followed suit. Michael quickly found the place selling them and ordered two while I stood in line. He came back, “they were €1 each,” he said. “Well,” I replied, “it looks like we are getting wasted tonight!”

Michael went to get our second round; the first one went down so quickly. The line hadn’t moved, so I asked the young guys in front of me how long they had been waiting. “For what?” one asked. “Aren’t you in line for Nennella?” He laughed and told me that no, in fact they were just standing there, drinking. Michael came back and told me that on his venture to get two more drinks, he went to the other side of Nennella to discover the actual line — a way bigger line. We both laughed. The young guys in front of us “in line” introduced themselves as Luca and Francesco.

The street was bustling! Shoulder to shoulder people. I was getting a bit hungry, and Luca told us to eat at Nennella, but to just skip the line. He told us that we could either stand in line for ~2 hours and have 3 courses and wine for €12, OR we could order our food from the window and eat it on the street. We went to the window and ordered two bowls of penne, Michael ordered seafood, and I ordered pesto. When I took the bill to the cash register to pay, the man told me €5. I’m sorry? For both? When the meals came, the bowls were HUGE. I love Italy.

We ate our meals and chatted with Francesco and some of his friends. Francesco told me he is in first year university. He said he is older than all of his friends, that most of them are still in high school! Michael and I laughed. There we were, hanging out with 18 year olds That’s when Francesco asked, “Want to go to a trash party?” Yes, Francesco, we do. We didn’t drink 4 Aperol Spritz and two €2 glasses of red wine to just go home before midnight!

We followed our new young friends through the back streets of Napoli. People were on the streets everywhere, drinking, eating, smoking, and having the coolest time. We finally made it to the trash party. It was in a big courtyard of an old building. Under-the-table beer was €2, and a DJ was set up at the end of the courtyard. I danced. I was drunk. Just so drunk. So, I danced. The DJ was horrible. He played only 90s and 00s hits (which is old school for most of the attendees), but only the choruses and then there came a point when he didn’t even play the whole chorus, and just skipped to the next song. Even drunk Beth knows this is poor form.

We lost our friends, they probably realized early on that this trash party was going to be garbage (haha). After a bite to eat at a street food cart, we stumbled home. Man, partying like an 18 year old when you’re 27 really takes it out of you!

Europe, Travel Stories

In Florence, Eating the Best. Sandwich. Ever.

May 25, 2017 Beth 2 Comments

Michael googled a great place to eat for dinner this evening: La Fettunta. We slowly made our way over to the street. People sat on the sidewalks, curbs, and doorsteps that lined the street on the way to the restaurat. We found our place and were given a table. The man who seated us told us that sandwiches were served outside. Ok? We took our seat and began looking at the menu. It was so hot in that room. I thought maybe it was because we just walked here, but no. I looked past Michael at a woman sitting at a nearby table, and she wiped sweat from the side of her face. I said to Michael, “that woman just wiped sweat from the side of her face. Let’s get out of here.” He agreed. We told the man we wanted sandwiches and he pointed next door.

We walked into the next door place, still La Fettunta, and I was quite pleased to see the big slab of porchetta in the display case. Delish! A very Italian man, wearing a black leather jacket (that’s how you tell), sat on the stoop of the shop, eating the most amazing looking sandwich I’ve ever seen, and drinking an ice cold Coca Cola out of a glass bottle. He looked like a Coca Cola commercial. He made that Cola look so damn refreshing. And I wanted that sandwich.

I asked him what he was eating, and with his mouthful he laughed and yelled Italian to the woman working. She came over and began speaking English to us. She explained how it worked—choose bread, meat, cheese, vegetables, and sauce… wait a minute. SAUCE?! Please tell me this is real. We haven’t had mayo or aioli or any kind of sauce on a sandwich since Canada. Oh my gosh. I didn’t realize how much I missed sauce until I felt the familiar ‘about to happy cry’ lump in my throat as I read the list of available sauces: garlic, Gorgonzola truffle, sun dried tomato, truffle cream. Holy shit. Pinch me. I pointed at the man sitting on the stoop, drinking his Coca Cola in slow motion, “what’s that?” Pizza bread, porchetta, garlic sauce, melted cheese, fresh tomato. “I’ll have exactly that.” She laughed. Michael ordered sausage, with fresh tomato, melted cheese, and the Gorgonzola and truffle sauce.

We took our seats on the curb outside the shop, and began. This is absolutely, without a doubt, one of the top 5 meals we have had in Italy so far. Maybe even top 3. Maybe even number 1. This sandwich changed my life tonight. Michael just laughed at my totally genuine reaction to the sauce.

We sat on the sidewalk, feet in the street, eating our FUCKING UNBELIEVABLE sandwiches, drinking our Birra Morretti (my new favourite Italian beer), and chatting. It’s absolutely amazing that we don’t run out of stuff to talk about. Best sandwich ever. Best evening ever.

Europe, Travel Stories

The Perfect Bicycling Day in Tuscany

May 18, 2017 Beth 2 Comments

May 18, 2017

You know, we’re not ‘cyclists’ by any means, we’re just going on a really uncomfortably long bicycle ride through the rolling hills of Tuscany: Siena to Montalcino to Pienza, and back. That’s why we don’t use the word ‘cycling’, and instead, we say ‘bicycling’. It’s different. Cycling is with Lycra and teeny tiny thin tires. Bicycling is with Lululemon outfits and batteries to help us get up hills. I can’t imagine this bicycle ride without this electric bike. We were going uphill at 20km/hr!

We bicycled and bicycled. Today felt like a total breeze compared to yesterday. Knowing we were only going 30km today (as opposed to yesterday’s 50!) made everything feel just a little easier. We arrived at San Quirico d’Orcia and decided that this would be our place for lunch. We pulled up to the old town wall, where we saw an unassuming stone staircase leading up to one of the turrets. We parked our bikes, locked ‘em up, and brought our picnic lunch up to the top. There, we sat and ate our €15 lunch with our €1million view. The prosciutto, the pecorino, the fresh bread. The orange, the banana. Oh my gosh, it all tasted so much better sitting on top of a fortress wall, looking out over ALL OF TUSCANY! Everyday is an adventure. And every meal can be five star.

We stopped again when we arrived in Bagno Vignoni, with hopes of finding a hot spring to swim in! This place is known for its huge Roman bath, and all the blogs and reviews celebrated the free hot springs open to tourists! We bicycled up the long, windy hill, and arrived at the top, only to find that no, in fact, there is no swimming allowed in the bath. If we couldn’t partake in any free hot springs, we would have expensive gelato instead! I had stracciatella, a sweet milk-based gelato with chocolate pieces swirled into it. Oh boy, I do love some gelato.

We left Bagno Vignoni and after a breezy bicycle uphill (thanks electric bike!) arrived in Pienza. We found our AirBnB quite quickly, as it is right on the edge of the old town and the old town of Pienza is teeny tiny. This evening, we decided we would have a picnic for dinner. We went across the street to a market and bought some meat, cheese, the most beautiful tomato you’ve ever seen, and some antipasto. We asked the man at the market if they sold porchetta, a pork dish Pienza is famous for, and he laughed, “no, we do not have enough room.” Huh? He told us where we could buy some in the old town.

We found the place and when we went inside, the salty smell of cured meat filled our noses. There, behind the display glass, was an entire pig, roasted, cured, salted, and cut in half. Ohhhhhh, that’s why he didn’t have enough room at the last place, because porchetta is an ENTIRE PIG! We ordered our porchetta and the old Italian lady working behind the counter hand sliced three beautiful pieces.

We had the most perfect picnic ever this evening. The tomato, the cheese, the meats, the antipasto, the wine, the view! Oh, the view. I may have a sore butt from bicycling, but I have a glowing heart. I’m truly having the time of my life.

Europe, Travel Stories

One night in Rome, Italy

May 8, 2017 Beth Leave a comment

May 3, 2017

Our first evening in Rome! We left Canada at 12 noon, May 2nd and after hours and hours of planing, training, and automobiling, arrived in Rome at 11am on May 3rd. It was now 10 pm, and we were so very tired. But also, so very hungry. Michael Googled highly rated yet inexpensive food places nearby and one, Trattoria Pizzeria Vecchia Roma, caught our eye. We quickly found the place. When we walked in, we joined the crowd of people waiting… no… desperately hoping for a table. The restaurant was totally packed! With Italians! We knew we were in the right place. The man who appeared to be hosting came to the crowd on the stairs and said “only reservations!” Bummer! The crowd thinned, and almost everyone left, except for two women, who were taken by the host to their reserved table. Michael and I stood on the stairs, alone. A waiter looked over at us. He smiled and I smiled back. He motioned for us to come sit in his section. Life lesson: With a bit of persistence and some friendly eye contact, you really do just get what you want.

Our table was crammed between a huge table of ten, and a display case of various meats and cheeses. We ordered our €3.50 half litre of red wine (!) and settled in. Our waiter was wonderful! He brought us a few paper-thin slices of delicious prosciutto from the display case to try – for free! I love free food! We ordered two types of bruschetta – mushroom and olive – to share, a plate of gnocchi, and a plate of spaghetti puttanesca. Today, I learned that bruschetta does not necessarily mean tomatoes on toast. We ordered the mushroom and olive, thinking they would be mixed with tomatoes and garlic, like the bruschetta we are used to at home. In fact, our bruschetta was not what we were expecting. No tomatoes at all, just one with olive tapenade, and the other with a mushroom paste. Oh man, they were delicious! Ditto the pasta. The puttanesca was al dente, and super garlicky, and the gnocchi was cheesy and perfect.

Michael went to the washroom and our waiter came back to clear our plates. I thanked him profusely for his kind service and the prosciutto at the beginning of our meal. He said he was so happy we could join him this evening. I asked his name: Fabrizio. Of course it is. The most Italian name I can possibly imagine. Michael returned and Fabrizio brought us two tastes of limoncello- a lemony liquor made in Italy. Oh boy, it was strong!

It was late, and we were one of the few tables left in the restaurant. We thanked Fabrizio again. What a perfect first evening in Italy! We wandered back to our hotel and were instantly asleep.

Europe, Travel Stories

Celebrating King’s Day in Amsterdam

April 27, 2017 Beth Leave a comment

April, 2015

This morning I woke up with a spring in my step! It’s King’s day!! Koningsdag!! The biggest birthday party in the world!! I donned my orange feather boa and my orange feathery crown. We hit the streets and wandered through Haarlemmerstraat. It was packed to the brim! People (in orange) walked along the street shoulder to shoulder. Little stalls set up on the sidewalks with kids selling lemonade, parents selling old clothes, toys, and other various items. Music was playing around every corner, and not one face was frowning. It was wonderful!

We saw boat after boat filled with orange people. There was one boat in particular carrying only boys all wearing orange onesies, orange afro wigs, and orange sunglasses. They were quite a spectacle! We figured it was a good time to stop and have some lunch. We sat on the canal edge, with our feet dangling over, and ate our snacks. We watched the boats go by and laughed at the characters on each. One boat looked like a giant floating dance floor! One boat that went by set off a confetti cannon!! It was magical and wonderful! I think confetti cannons are up there among a few of my favourite things.

We found ourselves at the stage on Westerstraat and danced to the awesome music they played. We were dancing with two guys dressed in big, furry, orange onesies. I laughed at them. Over their shoulders, I could see a third and a fourth dressed in the same outfit. Then a fifth and sixth. Then a seventh. Sally said, “there are SO many of them wearing that onesie!” I laughed as I looked around at the sea of furry, orange men. I looked over at the buildings surrounding and there was one window in particular that made me smile. There were four older ladies dancing at the window and taking part in the fun! it was so fantastic to see them dancing along to the tunes, cheers’ing their drinks to each other, and looking like they were having such a good time.

We decided to call it a day and head home. We sat on my rooftop balcony for about an hour, directly in the sun. I could have fallen asleep right then. I think everyone could have. MY goodness I’m tired! And SO happy with my King’s Day. Happy Birthday, King!

Europe, Travel Stories

Cycling around Ven, Sweden

April 18, 2017 Beth 2 Comments

June 21, 2015

We arrived in Landskrona and took the bus to the ferry terminal. We sat outside on the sundeck, and shivered in the cool wind. I marvelled at the wind turbines, and my Swedish friends made fun of me. “Don’t you have those in Canada?” they asked. Yes, we do. But something about them is just so majestic! The ferry arrived in Ven! It is a small island in the middle of the Strait between Denmark and Sweden. We walked up the very steep hill towards the bike rental place. It was a hard place to miss because there were a lot of bikes parked out front. I would say about 700 and that doesn’t include the 300 tandem bicycles they had as well. We laughed that half the world’s tandem bicycles were parked on Ven. We collected our bikes are were off! The sun came out almost immediately after we began riding! It was perfect!

We cycled through field after field, past cliffs and sailboats. It was stunning. We found ourselves the perfect lunch spot outside the little church on a hill.

I went in the church and found a little pile of beads. Each colour represented something different. A little note invited me to choose a bead that represented what I needed the most, and at their next service, the congregation would include my prayer bead in their prayers. I chose blue. It represented tranquility, serenity, and trust. These are things I desire right now. I need tranquility and serenity, and to stop worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. I especially need to trust myself. We sat on the cliff’s edge and ate our sandwiches. Our lunch was cut short when a gaggle of geriatrics showed up on their walking tour.

We cycled down to the beach so we could have a swim in the freezing water. I did not swim, instead I took picture after picture after picture. This is one photogenic island! The flowers, the sun, the fields, the cliffs, the beaches. My goodness!

We biked back to the harbour and enjoyed a scoop of ice cream while we waited for the ferry. We originally grabbed seats inside, but very soon after we started our ride, I decided to go upstairs to the sundeck. I was prepared for it to be cold and windy, but it was not! The boat shielded me from the wind and the sun beat down hard. I closed my eyes and could have fallen asleep. But then I remembered I didn’t have sunscreen on! I quickly lathered my face with some SPF 30, closed my eyes, and did fall asleep.

Europe, Travel Stories

A Hygge Day in Copenhagen

April 11, 2017 Beth 2 Comments

June, 2015

We ran to the square where the tour was starting. We were running behind and I didn’t want to miss the tour! We arrived just in time and were placed in a group. There were around 50 people in our group. Phew! As we left the square, we walked past a statue of two Vikings wearing helmets, and holding a giant two horned trumpet. They say that when a virgin walks by the statue, the horn sounds! We all listened closely as we walked by, but it seems that this 50 people are all sexually active!

Our tour continued through the streets of Copenhagen, beautiful and colourful, even on this rainy day. We were taught a Danish word: Hygge. There isn’t a direct translation to English, but, it’s describes something that is cozy and wonderful and perfect. If something is hygge, it means it’s exactly as you want it to be.

After the tour, we visited Christiania. This place is cool. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of it before. It is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighbourhood of about 850 residents. I don’t know what that actually means, but apparently it’s not technically a part of Copenhagen? Anyways, it was a cool place. Signs welcoming you in read “you are now leaving the EU”. There were three rules in Christiania:

1. Have fun

2. No running- it causes a panic

3. No photos- the sale of marijuana is still illegal

This place is like paradise! Everybody was high and smiling, and there was nobody sitting on their phone, instagramming or tweeting. It was a very social place where everybody just seemed happy. I was happy to be there.

We finished our day at an outdoor concert along a canal. I can’t remember the name of the band, but they were incredible! They played a jazz, Baltic, fusion genre. They didn’t really fit into one genre. The accordion would have a solo followed by a rap solo by the guitarist. We danced and danced. As did the entire audience. It was such a fantastic show. One of the singers kept switching between singing, drumming, trombone, and doing gymnastics. “What can’t that guy do?” It was a perfect day in Copenhagen.

Europe, Travel Stories

A HUGE Pillow Fight in Amsterdam

March 14, 2017 Beth Leave a comment

We walked quickly across the city towards Dam Square. Amsterdam is a very bicycle friendly city, where bikes have the right of way. Pedestrians, on the other hand, are low on the priority list and you really risk life and limb navigating your way. We weaved in and out of the crowds of fellow pedestrians, dodged trams, cars, and bicycles, and finally found ourselves in the shadow of the National Monument. We and perhaps 1000 other people. Music radiated through the square, people were dressed in all kinds of costumes, chatting and laughing, and everyone, I mean everyone, had a pillow in hand.

The crowd enthusiastically counted backwards from ten. 10…9…8…People stretched their backs and arms, limbering up for the fight…7…6…5…grips tightened on pillow cases…4…3…2…1…GO! The fight began! Pillows were flying through the air, smacking people in the face and back. Before long, feathers had been freed from their cases, and were exploding into the sky. I almost drowned in down! People were stumbling out of the crowd, breathless, covered in feathers. Some had lost their pillow in the fight, others were lucky enough to still be holding on to, and flinging their downy weapon around. It was hilarious! The music was blaring, the sun was shining, and everyone was covered in feathers and laughing. And how could they not be laughing when the music is blaring, the sun is shining, they are covered in feathers, and they are in a pillow fight with 1000 other people, in the middle of Amsterdam?!