love hearts & food: January 2014

While we were in London we wanted to take a day trip to the countryside. The parents have been to London so we decided on Bath. This was one of the best surprises of our trip as I did not really expect anything.

We took the bus from London which took about 3 hours to reach Bath. You can also take a train but our three re tour bus tickets was equal to one train ticket so we took the more economic route. I booked our tickets through National Express. By taking the bus you also pass through great landscapes and small towns which shortens the "journey time".

The bus-stop is located in the city centre. Across from it is the shopping area and if you take a 5 minute walk you will reach all the major sights. All the major sights can be reached by foot and you don't need any other transportation.

We first went to the Roman Baths as it's one of the busiest attractions and there usually is a queue. Luckily we were early enough and paid our entrance fee of 13,5 pounds with which you receive an audio guide. The Roman Baths in Bath are one of the few places today that are still well preserved where you can experience how the public bathing went down in the Roman ages. There are four main features you have to visit and includes the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman Bath house and the museum holding. To really experience this attraction I would recommend you visit at least for 2 hours.

Next to the Roman Baths is the beautiful church Bath Abbey. Entrance is 2,5 pounds. As it is still an active church so be sure to check the visiting times of the day you want to visit.

We then headed over to the river Avon over which the Pulteney Bridge crosses. Its a world heritage site and one of the four bridges in the world that has shops situated on both sides of the entire bridge. After we crossed the bridge we also identified the famous Bath rugby stadium.

As it was Christmas time the town was full of Christmas markets selling delicious food, drink and Christmas decoration. The streets of Bath are of cobblestone and you wander through narrow alleys of shops and restaurants.

It was a rainy and cold day and we did a large amount of exploring so we then headed to a pub called The Raven situated off the beaten track in Bath. Here we had the opportunity to enjoy some pie&gravy, bangers&mash and pimms&beer. The pub was filled with locals and at one point we almost thought we were English :)

From the pub we went to The Circus. Now it's not the typical circus you are thinking about. It's actually a piece of Gregorian architecture that was designed by architect John Wood and its called The Circus because in Latin it means ring, oval or circle. He drew inspiration from the Colosseum and the Palladium.

From there we headed to The Royal Crescent . In the street that leads from The Circus to The Royal Crescent there are numerous art galleries you can browse through. The Royal Crescent is a magnificent building and one of the best examples of Gregorian architecture. It consist of 30 luxurious town houses. There also is a Gregorian museum if you want to learn more about this specific architecture style. We just walked around and took some photos.

We then strolled down to the city center and shopped. Most of the chain stores that you find in London are also in Bath and they also then have some small individual boutiques.

I really loved Bath and I will definitely one day go back and visit for a weekend. London countryside at its best!

I've been quite these last few weeks as I was away on holiday with my family in Europe and when I returned I immediately started with my 5th year of medicine. The next few posts will be about the places I visited as well as some tips for future travellers. I planned this holidays for months and came across great finds that could help all future travellers. We travelled to London, Bath, Amsterdam, Prague, Vienna and Budapest.

My first post will be about London. Now I must say the rand versus pound were not in our favour but we still had a fabulous time. I have only visited overseas during the summer months so going over during their winter time was very exciting. We were overweight when we started the journey (oops sorry dad) as we over packed so my first tip would be really pack in less than what you want. The sales after Christmas everywhere in Europe are also great as I bought some clothes that were marked down with 70% - bargain!

The other thing I also realised was that the more you plan your trip, especially the main things you want to do and see, the more productive your trip will be. We had an itinerary for everyday and we really had so much fun and utilised our days. So take some the time before you leave and plan your trip.

I used the following websites a lot and some of them also have apps you can download on your phone

Afar : Afar will help you find great must do and eat places that locals and other travellers suggest. You could also join their site and recommend places to other travellers.

Travellerspoint : Travellerspoint gives you the forum to map your whole trip, create an itinerary and countdown space, read other traveller blogs as well as create your own blog and share your photography of the trip.

TripAdvisor : The old time favourite I used to cross reference places I found.

Fodor's : Fodor's has excellent maps as well as one, two and three day itinerary's that shows you what you can do in a day to help you plan your time usage.

The man in seat 61 : ANYTHING you want to know about travelling such as using the train in Europe, the purchasing of tickets ect you will find here.

Air b&b : During our trip we stayed in apartments mostly off the Air B&B website. Especially great if you intend to stay for longer periods. We stayed in apartments that were excellent located, well equipped (even with Nespressos) and very homey. We were there over Christmas time and really did not want to sit in an apartment and not be able to make a Christmas dinner.

Now lets get to London :)

The best thing about London is how efficient their transport system works. We used public transport our entire trip, even from the airport as it works out much cheaper than taking a taxi. The following website, http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modalpages/2625.aspx, allows you to plan your journey from whatever station you are travelling from. This also gives you an idea how far everything is from each other if you perhaps are going out for dinner and you have a reservation or if you are on your way to a show.

You buy an oyster card for 60 pounds and you can travel for 7 days on all the underground and busses for an unlimited amount. There are also cards for 1 and 3 days as well as the selection of zones you want to travel in. We had the most expensive option as we used it to travel to and from the airport which is located in Zone 6. Most of the attractions are in Zone 1 and 2. The oyster cards are available at most of the counters at the station, not at the ticket boxes.

Now I had a massive blooper the first day of our trip as I lost mine during the process of putting on my gloves and walking out of the Borough market. Luckily I have amazing parentals and I just was in debt of a few beers to the father. (thanks dad ;) )

Myself and the family have been to London before and we then did all the touristy stuff so the following are things we enjoyed...

Borough Market : The food and drink mecca of London. Here you can indulge in sweet treats, cheese, meat, beer and wine just to name a few. The market was packed when we visited and had such a jolly atmosphere. The full market is there Thursday-Saturday and they are open for lunch of Monday and Tuesday. This was one of our London highlights and is situated close to the London Bridge station.

Old Spitafields Market : Located in the Shoreditch area is this market. Clothing, jewellery, art ect are sold here. The market is surrounded with various cafes and restaurants. Some of the items sold here are also available at Camden market. My favourite however was Lola's cupcakes. A friend told me I can't leave London without trying one and she was correct. They sell mini and regular sized cupcakes. I went for the mini cupcakes so that I can taste a few. I loved the red velvet and Oreo flavoured one's. The cake was moist and the icing creamy. I am dreaming about them now!! The market is different everyday as they rotate between the general market stalls, antiques, fashion and art as well as a themed market day. All the details are on their website. The nearest underground station is Liverpool street and Highstreet Shoreditch.
Camden Markets : The area of Camden hosts a few markets such as the Camden Town, Camden Lock and Camden Stable market. The main reason to visit Camden however is to check out all the alternative people that wonder the streets with their big hair, many piercings and fierce stares. Its a very large area of markets to cover and I would recommend that you put out at least a half day to see everything. Here you will find t-shirts, jewellery, leather bags and various food options.
Hydepark Winter Wonderland : We spent a few hours here before we went out for dinner. It's a massive amusement park in the beautiful Hydepark over Christmas. You don't pay entrance to get into the park but pay per ride with tokens that are 1 pound each. The rides average at 5-7 pounds each. There are also food, drink and curious stalls. I was mesmerised by all the lights and the jolly atmosphere everyone was in. We decided that we had to at least go on one ride before we left. Needless to say I cried with laughter to my mothers reaction. She thought we were heading into a haunted house but we actually were on a rollercoaster going fast over bend and turns. It was an awesome evening. If you re not in London over Christmas time than I would still recommend you go for a walk through the beautiful park.
Westend show: A show in London is a must-do. We watched warhorse that's based on the novel by Michael Morpugo. The larger than life puppets were made in South-Africa. Some of the horses were operated by three people who all contributed to the breathing and galloping of the horses on stage. After a while you don't see the puppeteers anymore and it is as if you're watching normal horses on stage. The story is about the a horse and its owner how they managed to be reunited through tribal war times. Tickets start from 17 pounds. The nearest underground station to the theatre is Holborn Station.
Oxford and regent street shopping: London is synonymous with shopping. You ccan ant put out several days to try and cover all the shops and department stores but you won't be able to. Zara, H&M, New Look, Selfridges, Victoria Secret, Anthropology and many more will be at you disposal. One shop I did not know about was Primark. Loads of people we walking around with the signature brown bag and turquoise print on it. Myself and the mother went and checked it out and found some great bargains. Its a five floor department stores where you will find some cheap buys. 5 Pounds for dresses, jerseys and scarfs. I have a feeling everything will probably look different after you washed it but hey it was the beginning of my trip and I did not part with my money easily :) I bought 8 items for 40 pounds. Can you say bargain???

Restaurants in London

Jamie's Italian : We visited the branch at Angel, located two minutes from the station. The restaurant is beautiful and decorated with an industrial feel. Service was friendly and efficient. I enjoyed the mushroom risotto and the parents had lasagne and penne pomodoro. The food was nice but not great. The restaurant mostly gets average reviews on Tripadvisor and I wanted to go and determine for myself but it was a been there, enjoyed but won't return experience. My first recipe book was from Jamie Oliver and he is one of my food heroes so next time I will maybe try out his Union Jacks or Fifteen restaurant.
The Breakfast Club: One of my London highlights. People queued outside to experience this famous breakfast place. We visited the branch in SOHO. It's a small place decorated in a 80's style. Very cosy and a great place to hide out during a rainy morning in London. We enjoyed the some flapjacks and french toast. So delicious and very bad for your bum :)
Chinatown: Every big city has a Chinatown. We came here for dinner the night before our show. A few streets are lined with Chinese restaurants that range from budget to sophisticated dining. A great excuse to visit another part of London.