Tanzania

Categories: Accommodations · Arusha · Tanzania · TravelTags: · · · 2 Comments

Jambo (hello)! After a 10-hour flight from Toronto and an 8 hour stopover in Istanbul, I board another flight — this time for another 6.5 hours to bring me to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. And no, I am not here to hike the mighty Mount Kilimanjaro. Arriving at 1:20 am local time, I am driven for an hour to the city of Arusha for a short shut eye before I catch a bush flight to my final destination in Tanzania. Arusha is a cool, lush and green town near the foot of Mount Meru and fringed by coffee, wheat and maize estates. So it is no wonder that…

Dublin Eats (& Sleep)

Categories: Accommodations · Architecture · Dublin · Europe · Food · Ireland · TravelTags: · · · · · ·

Dublin is one serious food lover’s destination. Chalk it up to pure ignorance, but I was delightfully surprised at the number of excellent restaurants and eateries in town. My very first stop after I landed and checked into my hotel was to have the hotel concierge book me a late lunch at The Greenhouse located off St. Stephens Green. Chef Mickael Viljanen, who was crowned the Best Chef in Ireland 2015, prepares innovative Irish cuisine that is both sublime and “art” in itself.   Etto on Merrion Row was added to the Michelin Bib Gourmand list that recognize restaurants that offer…

Temple Bar

Categories: Dublin · Europe · Ireland · TravelTags: · · · · 1 Comment

Everyone hears about the Temple Bar area of Dublin. The city’s erstwhile down-at-the-heels neighbourhood that is now crammed with cafes, bars, pubs, clubs and trendy hotels – a mix of the old with the new. During daytime, Temple Bar is an artsy and cultured district full of hip shops and modern art galleries. At night, such refinement gives way to a non-stop party atmosphere with its 30+ pubs and bars.     The River Liffey separates the north and south sides of the city. Dublin takes its name from the southwest of the city when, in prehistoric times, there was a dark…

Art and Soul

Categories: Architecture · Art · Dublin · Europe · Ireland · TravelTags: · · · · · ·

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) is housed in what was formerly the Kilmainham Hospital. Built in the 1680s as one of Ireland’s Classical-style buildings modelled after Les Invalides in Paris, it is considered the finest 17th century building in the country. The hospital was handed to the Free State in 1922 and served as headquarters for Garda from 1930 to 1950. It was beautifully renovated in 1991 and reopened as IMMA. Christ Church Cathedral as it stands, is a 19th century restoration of what was originally a wooden church. Dublin’s first church was founded here in 1028 by…

Go to Jail

Categories: Architecture · Dublin · Europe · Ireland · TravelTags: · · · · · 2 Comments

Built in 1796, the Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) in Dublin became notorious for the role it played in virtually every painful act of Ireland’s quest for independence. The material used to build the jail was sandstone which wept in bad weather, resulting in damp and grim conditions for its inhabitants. One of the largest unoccupied jails in Europe, Kilmainham Gaol was closed in 1924 and was restored as a museum in the 1960s and provides an informative guide to the country’s history. After a sobering tour of the prison, lighten the mood with what majority of the people associate Ireland with — Guiness. The…

Dublin

Categories: Dublin · Europe · Ireland · TravelTags: · · · 2 Comments

I have always wanted to visit Dublin, Ireland. So when I was itching to do some traveling and only had an extended long weekend to do so, I finally took the opportunity. One of Europe’s more popular cities, Dublin is steeped in history. This laid back Irish capital is a blend of Georgian townhouses, Victorian pubs and modern buildings. With a population of 1.7 million, this explains the number of great restaurants, cafes and bars. Wandering around Dublin is one of the great pleasures of visiting this urban destination. The city is so compact that the chances of getting lost walking around is quite slim….

New York Minute

Categories: Accommodations · Architecture · New York · Travel · USATags: · · ·

Well, it was more than a minute – closer to 5,700 minutes or an extended long weekend – of food debauchery in the gastronomic capital of New York City. What brought me here this time (not that one needs an excuse to be in this city) was primarily a reunion with dear friends from the old University days. Stories were told, bottles of wine were consumed and laughter all around while we reminisce and remember how we have always enjoyed each other’s company. [The food debauchery will be detailed in the next post.] I tried out a different hotel for this trip,…

Musei Vaticani

Categories: Architecture · Art · Italy · Rome · TravelTags: · · · · · ·

The astounding Sistine Chapel, the apartments frescoed by Fra Angelico, Raphael, and Pinturicchio, some ten museums that include collections of Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman antiquities, the renaissance and modern art, and the lush gardens — all make up the magnificent Musei Vaticani. Be prepared to be awestruck!  It will take one at least two hours to see and appreciate many of the works. It is advisable to purchase your ticket online in advance to avoid the queues and it is usually less crowded by mid-afternoon.  

Vatican

Categories: Architecture · Art · Europe · Italy · Rome · TravelTags: · · · · ·

The Vatican is the world’s smallest city-state covering just 120 acres and is home to the Pope, the world’s greatest museum, the ornate St. Peter’s Basilica, and the most astounding work of art ever created — Michelangelo‘s Sistine Chapel ceiling (where photography is now strictly prohibited). The Vatican is located in an area of Rome called Trastevere, which literally means “across the Tiber”. Castel Sant Angelo was the papal castle for 1,000 years and has a viaduct from the Vatican which allowed popes a safe passageway in times of crisis. St. Peter’s Basilica is the capital of Christendom and a must-see with its cavernous…

Ciao Roma

Categories: Architecture · Art · Italy · Rome · TravelTags: · · · · ·

The elegant Piazza del Popolo in Rome started as a trapezoidal piazza in 1538 and contains a 3,200 year old obelisk from Heliopolis. Renaissance and Baroque art, architecture and sculpture can be found in the spectacular Santa Maria del Popolo church. Masters from the Early Renaissance (Pinturicchio, Bramante), High Renaissance (Raphael) and Baroque (Caravaggio, Bernini) exercised their genius in all disciplines here. Beyond the city walls is Rome‘s second largest church, the San Paolo fuori le Mura, over the spot where St. Paul was buried. For about 400 years, it was the largest church in Europe.