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Lovely street in Clerkenwell lined with independent shops and very good restaurants (Exmouth Market's the home of Moro, a restaurant that kick-started the regeneration of the street ten years ago).
When I strolled down recently there was a new outdoor food and craft market. I was very very pleased to see that Neals Yard Cheese had a stall as usually you have to trek to Covent Garden or Borough market for their cheeses. Was lovely to be able to buy some really good, and not ridiculously priced food but wihout the business of some of London's other markets. I think the market's only there on Friday and Saturday; a lovely way to while away a weekend afternoon, especially as there are lots of tasting opportunities and a really good mix of well-known companies and tiny cottage industries.
Off Rosebery Avenue near Farringdon Road.
Nearest Tube is Farringdon
website is www.exmouthmarket.co.uk
If you're looking for reasonable kids’ ski wear, head straight to TK Maxx. I recently bought my son a designer jacket that had retailed at £160 for £25! A complete bargain that I'll be able to sell on ebay when he grows out of it!
In several north American and Canadian resorts, like Whistler, you can often get a refund from you ski pass for days you haven't skied. Great news if the weather doesn't play ball.
Indian restaurant in Randwick, not too far from the SCG, in case the Army are suffering from Indian cuisine withdrawal symptoms. Great food and nice price. BYO too, bottle shop near-by.
Bombay Bloomers Indian Restaurant
Randwick
NSW 2031
Australia
Google map: tinyurl.com/onfk4p
Bali Bali is a Malaysian restaurant just off Cambridge Circus, in the heart of theatreland. Excellent food and great service in a relaxed, bustling atmosphere and at budget prices, this is my favourite restaurant in London.
150 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2. Nearest tube is Leicester Square (walk north) or Tottenham Court Road (walk south).
www.balibalirestaurant.com
Having had more than a few ski holidays with the major holiday companies I wanted something cheaper, and the only alternative I could find was to use the big companies to book self-catering accomodation. Then I discovered the French youth hostel website (FUAJ). Cheap accomodation and the most amazing food - and lots of it! One year I couldn't take a whole week off to go boarding so had a long weekend, something that is much harder to organise through the big companies, who tend to deal only in week-long packages.
I speak a little French while the friends I went with don't, but they didn't find it weird being in a hostel where everyone else was French. Yes, you have to organise your own transport but in my experience more and more people are doing this anyway.
I learnt to ski in Bodmi just a couple of years ago. It is easily accesible, parents can leave their kids over there whilst enjoying the slopes and offers a great meeting point for the skiers. From time to time they also offers night skiing practise which is really cool!
Bodmi is located in the little village of Grindelwald, Switzerland. Getting anywhere in Switzerland is easy as their transport system is way better than what we know in the UK.
Fly to Zurich and then either hire a car or, as I chose, hop on a double decker train with panoramic windows for a 4 hour train journey to Grindelwald, you willl need to change trains at least once so bear that in mind when thinking whether to pack those extra pairs of shoes...
All the main hotels are very close by to the train station but if yours is a bit further there are nice reliable buses available and also taxis. Save up on hotel expenses staying at a youth hostel (they do individual rooms if you ask!) and shopping at the local supermarket. The endless fun you will have at the snowy slopes will pay off!
Bar Mleczny (literally "milk bar") is a type of very cheap restaurant, which serves Polish national dishes. Bar Mleczny Turystyczny, situated right in the centre of lovely marine city of Gdansk, is a unique place, in which you can have a quality full meal for as little as 50 pence. You can often meet backpackers from different parts of the world there.
80-835 Gdańsk, Szeroka 8/10, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_mleczny
Local town near Breckenridge, you can stay here much cheaper than staying near the slopes in Breck itself. Also useful as a base for Keystone, A-Basin and Copper.
You don't even need to drive as the free Summit Stage will deliver you to all the resorts, although a car would be handy. If you don't have a car stay on Main Street as it's quite a walk to the restaurants / bars from anywhere else.
Housed in an old palace overlooking the Hippodrome the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts charts the history, influences and changes in Islamic art through the use of pottery, tiles, artefacts, calligraphy, glass and metal work, manuscripts and friezes.
There are some wonderful exhibits, especially the beautiful calligraphy and decorated manuscripts, vibrantly coloured tiles and also the exquisite, elaborate pins and brooches used to decorate turbans.
The later galleries and the Main Ceremonial Hall contain one of the world’s foremost collection of antique carpets. The exhibition explains the different types of carpets and how some styles are named after certain artists i.e. Holbein, because they were featured in paintings by those artists. In the west Turkish carpets were so prized that they were used as table coverings rather than on the floor, thus showing the wealth of those who owned them.
The museum also has an Ethnographical Section which includes a reconstruction of a traditional Yurt dwelling and also details of how natural dyes are made from such things as plants, dried flowers and even crushes insects.
All the exhibits are well displayed with descriptions in Turkish and English. There is a lot to take in however the museum also has a lovely tea room where you can refresh your senses and feet and, in summer, sit out on the terrace with beautiful views over the Blue Mosque.
At Meydani 46, Sultanahmet
Overlooking the Hippodrome, opposite the Blue Mosque.
Tucked in a busy street of bars, restaurants, hotels and hostels, Albura offers a large selection of Turkish and International dishes at very reasonable prices.
Wooden floors and ceiling are offset by orange/ochre walls and exposed brickwork, the walls also decorated by interesting metal lamp fittings. Seating is on iron or wooden chairs and some very comfortable leather banquettes.
The menu is extensive with traditional Turkish dishes – such as mixed meze, kebabs and fresh fish – on offer next to wider ranging fare such as crepes, salads and pasta. There are also a number of vegetarian options.
The food was well cooked and very tasty, more along the lines ‘comfort food’ than modern or fusion cuisine but nothing wrong with that, as attested by a number of people in the restaurant who were visiting for a second time. Indeed had we not wished to sample as many restaurants as we could we may have returned as there was a number of different things on the menu I would like to have tried. We had a couple of criticisms, the salad we ordered had a bit too many pickled/bottled vegetables, making it rather less fresh and more bland then I would have liked, and the baked potato accompaniment with one of the dishes was slightly cold, however, these are really minor caveats and didn’t effect our overall enjoyment of the meal.
Combine all the above with friendly staff and a price tag for two starters, two main courses, a dessert, two beers and a coffee of 83 YTL (approx. £34.00) and you’ve got a good evening out.
Yeni Akbiyk Cad. 26
This is a great two-star hotel (breakfast only - quiet bar) brilliantly located less than 100m from the foot of La Flegere so it's an easy walk even in boots. The Flegere ski area is wonderful for skiers up to good intermediate skill level, with easy access, short queues, a range of eateries and offering wonderful views of the Mt Blanc range to the south. The hotel is simple but very comfortable and cosy and a number of the rooms have balconies with incredible views of Mt Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi.
There are two ski hire shops close by which offer discounts to guests. The free bus stops right outside the hotel so access to the rest of the Chamonix Valley ski areas couldn't be easier. To top it off, there is a truly lovely tree-lined snowy walking trail between Les Praz and Chamonix central (25mins) which winds it's way along the banks of the River l'Arve and is well lit at night - a terrific way to ease those weary legs at the end of the day as you head into town to party.
If you don't want the nightlife, the Hotel Eden (50 metres walk) offers a really good restaurant with a fine wine list. Parking is easy at the Hotel Les Rhododendrons or the hotel staff can organise a pick up from Geneva.
Prices: 53 euros single, up to 118 euros for a quadruple room. Booking is easy, efficient and reliable using the web.
100 Route de Tines, Les Praz de Chamonix, - Chamonix Mont Blanc 74400 - France
Phone: 04 50 53 06 39
Fax: 04 50 53 55 76
www.planigo.com/en/AF328/hotels/planigo-407_3-booking-partner.html
Great for those who always want what everyone else has orderd, this Italian 'tapas' restaurant offers a tasty selection of small bites. Plates are priced around the £2/£3 mark, so you can easily get carried away. Best to go in a large group to make the most of the spicy meatballs, calamari and miniature pasta dishes.
115 Deansgate, Manchester M3 2NW
0161 831 9930
We have just got back from four magical days in Budapest, staying at this brilliant apartment. The place is fantastic, and Tomas is a very good host who can tell you places to visit. Its location is fantastic, in a beautiful old building with a cafe at the bottom. Convenient! Honestly, look no further, this is the place to go.
Tomas: +36 20 3328952
www.jop.hoteltargets.com
Three-star hotel on Sonnenstrasse, just off the end of Kaufingerstrasse and handy for central sights such as Marienplatz and Frauenkirche as well as the Hauptbahnhof. Modern and friendly with a pleasant breakfast room on the first floor. I stayed in an en suite double room (in 2003) for a very reasonable 65 euros a night.
Sonnenstrasse 5, Munich, DE, 80331
www.hotelstravel.com/Europe/DE/Munich/HotelDaniel.html
www.holidaycityeurope.com/daniel-munich/index.htm
travela.priceline.com/hotel/overview-Germany_Bayern_Munich_Hotel_Daniel-5562305.html
The guidebooks I read before setting off to Nice failed to mention Cagnes. I wanted to go to Renoir's museum so that's why I went. I was very taken with the place. I imagine it's like Brighton was in the 1960s but with a lot more class and a lot more sun. Pay this place a visit. There are restaurants a plenty and they are much cheaper than in Nice yet to the same standard. There are so many children here having fun in the sun too. A very sweet family holiday place which I intend to recommend to my niece's ma and pa.
If you want a taste of real passion for cricket come to this stadium in the Motera district of Ahmedabad. Indian people come regardless of who is playing simply because they love to watch great cricket and cheer at every good shot. It's a great atmosphere. Be warned you can't take water into the stadium and you can't buy it at the site (there are vendors outside the grounds). This is because (i am told) people have a habbit of chucking water at the players when they are at the boundries! There is usually a way around it - kind kids will usually try and smuggle some in for you! Tickets are reasonable from 300rps to 2000 (but a mid price on of about 500rps is usually the way to go).
Motera district in the north of the city
Although "Goa trance" isn't really my music scene, I enjoyed Anjuna immensely. There are a whole lot of freaks out there and most of them travel into Anjuna at some point. There's a good choice of places to eat ranging from Tibetan, Indian and Chinese to Western.
Lots of bars abound on and around the beach areas and there's plenty of cheap accommodation for those on a tight budget.
The local nightclub is pretty impressive, even if it's all bang-gnab trance all night long.
The beach is medium sizee but really nice (just expect a lot of hawkers) and locals are as friendly as the tourists.
This is a really good place to relax on the beach by day and party by night. You also have a lot of options for exlporing the rest of Goa once you get there.
Anjuna beach, north Goa
This is an informal and welcoming bed and breakfast. It's 20 minutes on the 53 metro line to the centre, making this a quiet place to stay.
The hosts Jan and Cecile make every effort to make your stay a comfortable and enjoyable one. The breakfast is particularly recommended.
Bed & Breakfast Apostrophe
Geerdinkhof 258
1103 RA Amsterdam
www.apostropheamsterdam.nl
Baga beach down by the creek at the quiet end of the Candolim - Calangute stip, is just perfect as a base for exploring north Goa. There are some excellent hotels, guest houses, restaurants and night clubs in the area. You can walk around the cliffs to Anjuna if you don't mind a bit of a hike. Half way round is a small secluded bay and beach shack imaginatively called "Cliffs" perfect for stopping of for a mid moring snack or drink.
Calangute is within walking distance in the other direction should you need the exercise, but a taxi or Tuc-Tuc will take you anywhere within north Goa for less than £10! The views from the top of Chapora fort or from Arambol lake are spectacular at any time of day and Vagator beach is fantastic for sundown.
The capital city of Panjim is also worth a visit as is Old Goa for the architecture and churches - a 3 day trip to Hampi is also well worth the time and trouble.
Dabolim airport is 70 mins away and Mapusa Station is 10 minutes away.
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