Barcelona: A Culinary Adventure
Barcelona, regarded as one of Europe's most visually stunning cities, is mostly associated with art and architecture. Barcelona is considered a place to go for a cultural experience. With culture comes food.
From 2005 to 2006 Barcelona commanded culinary respect when it hosted a 12 month celebration and exhibition of food. Since then, Barcelona has not been able to live down its reputation.
Barcelona features chefs from all over Spain and around the world, but an appreciation of two qualities , local and fresh, bind them together.
People in Barcelona love fish, rabbit, duck, lamb and natural ingredients such as mushrooms and herbs from the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean. If you've never been able to tell when dishes are made from frozen ingredients, a visit toBarcelona will grant you the ability.
Barcelona's chefs have a signature style which is unique pairing. You will find menus with creative and tempting food couples such as duck and pears and goose with prunes. Fish with nuts is also popular.
Visitors usually find the combination of flavors quite irresistible. More than a few travelers overspend because they are enticed by food adventures. For many, the tasty budget busting is well worth it.
Advice Before You Go Out
Speaking of money, there are a few things to consider unless the number of euros you peel off doesn't concern you.
If you choose to eat in touristy places, you will eat like a tourist. That means you will get scanty portions of somewhat authentic and mediocre food.
Lunch, usually served from 2 to 4 p.m., is the locals. main meal of the day. If money and value concern you, it should be yours too. Most restaurants offer a menu of the day which may be one of the most delicious deals in Europe. Usually you get three generous courses including wine and coffee for only ,5.50 to 25.
Dinner in a restaurant may be something you wish to try for a night or two. If you plan to dine in restaurants every night, hopefully you are not a budget traveler.
People of Barcelona eat late and enjoy courses. Dinner rarely starts for locals before 9pm.
Don't be shocked to find that the portions are small, especially if you eat in a touristy restaurant. Usually items are a la carte. So you may find that you order a meat dish but vegetables, if desired, must be ordered separately. By the time you receive the bill, it can easily amount to ,55 or '60 per person.
To do as the locals do, in lieu of restaurants for dinner, you will choose tapas. If tapas had to be compared to something, fast food would probably be best. But the offerings are not burgers and fries.
Tapas are small portions of fresh foods that are prepared quickly. A delicious example is gambas ajillo (shrimp in garlic). Tapas dishes are not designed to get you full. And, the tapas experience is not meant to be had in single location. The idea is to have a dish or two in one place and continue to the next and the next until you have had your fill.
Breakfast in Barcelona is far from an extravagant affair. For most people, a cup of strong coffee will do. Sometimes locals go for bread or patisseries.
Specialties
Barcelona's diet is a healthy one which thrives on seafood, fibrous vegetables and red wine. But the three absolute musts in every kitchen are olive oil, tomatoes and garlic.
Fideua is a good example of how the popular ingredients merge. This dish is like a special Catalan paella. It is cooked in a large flat pan with olive oil, shellfish, poultry, meat and vegetables. The unique twist is that skinny noodles replace rice.
Mar i muntanya (sea and mountain) is a specialty dish which is hard to hide from. In Barcelona, chefs have their own method of surf and turf. It is not merely the predictable steak and shrimp that most Americans know. Sea and mountain pairs game with seafood. So you may well find at your fingertips a platter of rabbit with prawns or meatballs with cuttlefish.
Pa amb tomaquet is thick rustic bread doused with olive oil and rubbed with garlic and tomatoes topped by a pinch of salt. This is a Catalan staple that is delicious anytime.
Espinacas a la Catalana is spinach made divine by cooking it in olive oil, with garlic, pine nuts, raisins and sometimes bacon bits.
Additionally, there are five sauces that lie at heart of Catalan cuisine:
Sofregit consists of fried onions, tomato and garlic.
Samfaina is sofregit with red pepper and eggplant.
Picada has a base of ground almonds accompanied by garlic, parsley, pine or hazel nuts, and usually breadcrumbs.
Allioli is pure garlic and virgin olive oil whipped into a mayo that you will find served with potatoes and vegetables.
Romesco consists of almonds, tomato, olive oil, garlic and vinegar. This sauce is sometimes used as salad dressing.
Drinking
Barcelona's cuisine is most often complimented with robust Catalan wines from the Pendes region. While you may enjoy the chase of hunting down a nice red wine, white wines are almost always better. Most popular is cava, a local sparkling white wine.
Sangria is also popular. Some restaurants place jugs of it on the tables. This drink is usually made with wine and fruit punch. But be careful. Sometimes sangria is laced with brandy. For those who aren't accustomed to the mixture, the end results can be heavy.
Estrella Damm is a local beer that has several varieties. If you are going for potency, you'll want Voll Damm. If you want to experiment with your brew, order a clara, which is beer with a generous splash of lemonade.
Bars, cafes, tapas, whiskerias (singles bars filled with professional escorts) xampanyerias (cava bars), restaurants and beer halls, each of these places have their own styles and offerings. InBarcelona, you won't go hungry or thirsty. And you won't be able to stick to a diet either.
Located in the Sants Montjuic district of Barcelona, the Mossen Costa i Llobera Garden is considered by many to be one of the most important succulent plant gardens in the world. Dedicated to cacti and other tropical plants from as far away as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Mexico, the garden offers a range of scenery unlike anywhere else in the area.
Mossen Cinto Verdaguer Garden
The Mossen Cinto Verdaguer Garden, which is also located in the Sants Montjuic district, is known for its beauty and tranquility. Dedicated to aquatic, bulb, and rhizome plants, the garden showcases outstanding planning based on color and height, with extra consideration given to the blooming period of each species. The best time to visit is from March to April or July to September when the garden is in full bloom.
With so many beautiful gardens to see in Barcelona, it can be hard deciding on which ones to visit. For a unique experience, consider going to one of the city's thematic gardens. With a different theme featured in each of the three locations, you can witness spectacular sights unlike anything else in the city.
Beatriz is an experienced Barcelona tour guide at http://www.barcelonacitytours.com
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Paradise Hotels in the Bahamas and Around the World
Paradise hotels are the most wonderful vacation accommodations you will ever experience. Learn more about some of these havens that bring us close to paradise in the Bahamas.
Paradise hotels are just a figure of speech to mean a very pampering and luxurious accommodations experienced anywhere near the beaches. The term was coined because the feeling of being one with nature, seeing the sun rise and set, and hearing the soothing whispers of the ocean waves are all equated to being in paradise.
Bahamas Islands are one of the best places known where most people book their long awaited vacation trips. They have more than just the world class casinos. They have what people called the Paradise hotels.
The islands of Bahamas offer more than just great accommodations. They offer a colonial island paradise with an inherent beauty. Travelers converge here from all over the world to marvel at the sights like no other. It is conducive to many water sports and other activities, with many pristine beaches around.
They are however not just beaches. The Bahamas bustles in commercial spots also for a great shopping experience. There are also historic sites and nightlife for entertainment. The island of Bahamas is like a medicine for those who need to unwind from their daily activities and busy schedules.
The downtown proper is the most visited place in the Bahamas. The area attractions that you can see here are the Junkanoo Beach, Pirates of Nassau Museum, Vendue House, Christ Church Cathedral andthe Paradise Island Bridge. Visitors never forget to pass by these places of interest.
Hotels downtown are very luxurious. Some listed are the Compass Point, Holiday Inn British Colonial Hotel and the Chez Willie. The East Bay is a budget hotel yet not compromising its first class services. Another recommended budget hotel is the Red Carpet Inn
There is also the Cable beach. This is very much recognized by more to the hotel districts of Bahamas. The golden sands are a sight to behold especially in the early mornings. The beach presents many dining options. You could try the BBQ Beach, Capriccio and Androsia.
You could do a bit of shopping mostly found in the Marriott Crystal Palace. If you want a clear walkway you can find it at the center of Marriot and Radisson. It is quieter here than the downtown.
The next best thing that you can find in Bahamas is their Paradise Island. It is known to have the most expensive shopping areas. The first place visited here is the venerable Club Land or. Golfing is the premiere sport.
Not everything is expensive here however. You will find stores selling affordable souvenirs and beach gears in the Hurricane Hole and Paradise Plaza.The Paradise Island might be the most expensive place in Bahamas but they are also the most tourist oriented. You will never get bored in here.
There are other paradise hotels all over the world. They are scattered all over Europe and the United States. There are also some in Mexico especially in Acapulco. More and more people come to visit these places to experience pampering like no other. They yearn to have the most memorable trip, the closest to heaven they could get, as they say.
Tourist thinks that they can have the best way to have a vacation if they try the paradise hotels in Mexico. They give emphasis on the inherent splendors of the country. The paradise hotels give the visitors the Mexican heritage of the place. Mexican hospitality was known because of these hotels. As there are lots of paradise hotels in Mexico, the most famous are Hacienda Paradise, Paradise Village, Freedom paradise and Hotel Beach Paradise.
For more information on Paradise Hotels and Paradise Vacations.Please visit our website. http://www.paradise-hotels.net/ & http://www.paradise-hotels.net/affordable-vacations.html
Paradise hotels are just a figure of speech to mean a very pampering and luxurious accommodations experienced anywhere near the beaches. The term was coined because the feeling of being one with nature, seeing the sun rise and set, and hearing the soothing whispers of the ocean waves are all equated to being in paradise.
Bahamas Islands are one of the best places known where most people book their long awaited vacation trips. They have more than just the world class casinos. They have what people called the Paradise hotels.
The islands of Bahamas offer more than just great accommodations. They offer a colonial island paradise with an inherent beauty. Travelers converge here from all over the world to marvel at the sights like no other. It is conducive to many water sports and other activities, with many pristine beaches around.
They are however not just beaches. The Bahamas bustles in commercial spots also for a great shopping experience. There are also historic sites and nightlife for entertainment. The island of Bahamas is like a medicine for those who need to unwind from their daily activities and busy schedules.
The downtown proper is the most visited place in the Bahamas. The area attractions that you can see here are the Junkanoo Beach, Pirates of Nassau Museum, Vendue House, Christ Church Cathedral andthe Paradise Island Bridge. Visitors never forget to pass by these places of interest.
Hotels downtown are very luxurious. Some listed are the Compass Point, Holiday Inn British Colonial Hotel and the Chez Willie. The East Bay is a budget hotel yet not compromising its first class services. Another recommended budget hotel is the Red Carpet Inn
There is also the Cable beach. This is very much recognized by more to the hotel districts of Bahamas. The golden sands are a sight to behold especially in the early mornings. The beach presents many dining options. You could try the BBQ Beach, Capriccio and Androsia.
You could do a bit of shopping mostly found in the Marriott Crystal Palace. If you want a clear walkway you can find it at the center of Marriot and Radisson. It is quieter here than the downtown.
The next best thing that you can find in Bahamas is their Paradise Island. It is known to have the most expensive shopping areas. The first place visited here is the venerable Club Land or. Golfing is the premiere sport.
Not everything is expensive here however. You will find stores selling affordable souvenirs and beach gears in the Hurricane Hole and Paradise Plaza.The Paradise Island might be the most expensive place in Bahamas but they are also the most tourist oriented. You will never get bored in here.
There are other paradise hotels all over the world. They are scattered all over Europe and the United States. There are also some in Mexico especially in Acapulco. More and more people come to visit these places to experience pampering like no other. They yearn to have the most memorable trip, the closest to heaven they could get, as they say.
Tourist thinks that they can have the best way to have a vacation if they try the paradise hotels in Mexico. They give emphasis on the inherent splendors of the country. The paradise hotels give the visitors the Mexican heritage of the place. Mexican hospitality was known because of these hotels. As there are lots of paradise hotels in Mexico, the most famous are Hacienda Paradise, Paradise Village, Freedom paradise and Hotel Beach Paradise.
For more information on Paradise Hotels and Paradise Vacations.Please visit our website. http://www.paradise-hotels.net/ & http://www.paradise-hotels.net/affordable-vacations.html
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Top 3 Dive Sites in Mauritius
Mauritius, an emerald jewel in the Indian Ocean, attracts large numbers of holidaymakers who flock there for the sun, sea and silvery sands. But increasingly, the hotels in Mauritius are playing host to visitors looking for a different kind of �s� scuba diving!
The warm waters that lap the island�s shores are popular with underwater fans of all levels who enjoy year round diving holidays inMauritius . A coral reef extends around the entire island creating an enchanting, underwater playground. If you are a beginner, you can explore the shallows close to shore, and mosthotels in Mauritius will offer an expert to guide you through your dive. The more adventurous underwater explorer can head out to one of the many wrecks or caves around the island.
The Cathedral
This popular site is located off the Flic en Flac on the western coast of Mauritius and is definitely a �must visit� site on your diving holiday to Mauritius. The dive begins at 18m, then drops very sharply to nearly 30m. Although the bottom is quite sandy and bare, along the cracks and crevices of the chamber you can make the acquaintance of an abundance of marine life characters. You may brush shoulders with Gropers, Wrasse, Sweetlip, Angelfish and Clownfish. You will see scores of shrimp and crayfish on the move as well perhaps enjoying their own holidays inMauritius ! The dive narrows along a kind of chute and then opens out into a large cathedral like cavern illuminated by filtered sunlight. The diffused light gives the site an almost ethereal aura, but beware of the giant Moray Eel that dwells in the dark recesses of the cave!
Rempart Serpent
It is easy to see how this unusual site got its name. Literally translating to �Snake Reef�, this incredible rocky pocket is over 100m long. As its mesmerising blanket of seaweed bends and sways in the slow moving waters, it resembles a slow moving snake sliding across the ocean floor. Strangely barren looking, Rempart Serpent is not only home to the usual brightly coloured tropical fish, but also home to huge numbers of sinister looking stonefish, scorpion fish, lionfish and Moray Eels. Mosthotels in Mauritius will arrange diving excursions to this unique site under the guidance of a knowledgeable marine expert.
Stella Maru
Any diving holiday in Mauritius should include an expedition to at least one wreck site. The waters around the island are home to many easily accessible wrecks, but one of the most striking is that of the Stella Maru, at Trou aux Biches on the North West coast. Resting at a depth of around 25m, the Stella Maru is an old Japanese trawler sent to a watery grave in 1987. Although sunk on her side, her huge bulk now sits upright on the ocean floor after a massive cyclone in 2002. Relatively intact, the Stella Maru is an imposing sight, made all the more dramatic by the vibrant surrounding coral and hordes of exotic tropical fish darting by. Huge Moray eels have also made their home in its bulkhead. This is a particularly good site for keen underwater photographers looking to capture some amazing images while on their holidays toMauritius.
Ricky Coates is a Mauritius holiday specialist for key2holidays, an online tour operator offering luxury holidays in Mauritius (http://www.key2holidays.co.uk/mauritius), as well as trips to Australia, Cuba, the Caribbean, Italy, Egypt, the Far East, the Indian Ocean, Dubai, Oman and South Africa. ke
The warm waters that lap the island�s shores are popular with underwater fans of all levels who enjoy year round diving holidays inMauritius . A coral reef extends around the entire island creating an enchanting, underwater playground. If you are a beginner, you can explore the shallows close to shore, and mosthotels in Mauritius will offer an expert to guide you through your dive. The more adventurous underwater explorer can head out to one of the many wrecks or caves around the island.
The Cathedral
This popular site is located off the Flic en Flac on the western coast of Mauritius and is definitely a �must visit� site on your diving holiday to Mauritius. The dive begins at 18m, then drops very sharply to nearly 30m. Although the bottom is quite sandy and bare, along the cracks and crevices of the chamber you can make the acquaintance of an abundance of marine life characters. You may brush shoulders with Gropers, Wrasse, Sweetlip, Angelfish and Clownfish. You will see scores of shrimp and crayfish on the move as well perhaps enjoying their own holidays inMauritius ! The dive narrows along a kind of chute and then opens out into a large cathedral like cavern illuminated by filtered sunlight. The diffused light gives the site an almost ethereal aura, but beware of the giant Moray Eel that dwells in the dark recesses of the cave!
Rempart Serpent
It is easy to see how this unusual site got its name. Literally translating to �Snake Reef�, this incredible rocky pocket is over 100m long. As its mesmerising blanket of seaweed bends and sways in the slow moving waters, it resembles a slow moving snake sliding across the ocean floor. Strangely barren looking, Rempart Serpent is not only home to the usual brightly coloured tropical fish, but also home to huge numbers of sinister looking stonefish, scorpion fish, lionfish and Moray Eels. Mosthotels in Mauritius will arrange diving excursions to this unique site under the guidance of a knowledgeable marine expert.
Stella Maru
Any diving holiday in Mauritius should include an expedition to at least one wreck site. The waters around the island are home to many easily accessible wrecks, but one of the most striking is that of the Stella Maru, at Trou aux Biches on the North West coast. Resting at a depth of around 25m, the Stella Maru is an old Japanese trawler sent to a watery grave in 1987. Although sunk on her side, her huge bulk now sits upright on the ocean floor after a massive cyclone in 2002. Relatively intact, the Stella Maru is an imposing sight, made all the more dramatic by the vibrant surrounding coral and hordes of exotic tropical fish darting by. Huge Moray eels have also made their home in its bulkhead. This is a particularly good site for keen underwater photographers looking to capture some amazing images while on their holidays toMauritius.
Ricky Coates is a Mauritius holiday specialist for key2holidays, an online tour operator offering luxury holidays in Mauritius (http://www.key2holidays.co.uk/mauritius), as well as trips to Australia, Cuba, the Caribbean, Italy, Egypt, the Far East, the Indian Ocean, Dubai, Oman and South Africa. ke
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