Author: Stanfords

The Pub. One of the best aspect of living in Britain or Ireland. Something I really miss every time I spend even just a few days in Poland. I have to admit that there are periods when I might visit them a bit too often (from my liver’s perspective at least) but it is such a fantastic institution, how could one resist?

So during my recent trip to Ireland I couldn’t miss the opportunity of visiting a good Dublin pub. Our choice (based on a recommendation of one former Dubliner) was The Stags Head. Located at 1 Dame Court, it is not far from the touristy Temple Bar area but far enough to escape the worst aspects of its mass tourism. At first glance it looked like many other historic pubs; dark wood panelling, stained glass, and a real stag’s head above the bar. It could even be seen as kitschy if it wasn’t also so real at the same time. It is hard to explain what I mean but it was different than all those bland corporate pubs which try to look like the “real deal”. Surprisingly it is actually run by a pub chain.

But the best aspect of this fantastic watering hole was the bar staff. I have to say they offered the best service I have ever experienced in any pub, in any country. Ever. On the night we popped in there were only two guys serving but they managed without the slightest issue, despite quite a sizeable crowd of tourists and locals. They were even collecting and washing glasses themselves. One would expect a frenzied chaos or unfriendliness in such situation. And one couldn’t be more wrong. Continue reading Dublin Pubs – The Stags Head

In their latest blog post Matt and Sharon Ward passed through the wonderful historic town of Hoi An in Vietnam.  Here’s what they had to say on the town from a His and Hers perspective.

After an early morning pick up from our Da Lat accommodation, we headed to the airport for our flight up to Hoi An. This felt like travelling in style after our previous bus journeys and we arrived at the Sunshine Hotel in Hoi An around mid-morning. As our room wasn’t quite ready, we took the opportunity to relax by the pool and take in our new surroundings.

His Guide:

I was taken aback by the cleanliness and bright white walls of our latest accommodation. Not only was it very reasonably priced, but the staff couldn’t do enough in helping us feel at home. After a quick bite to eat in the restaurant, we headed out to see what Hoi An had to offer us. I had heard great things about the town so I was feeling very relaxed about our time here. I was delighted to see that the main shopping streets were blocked off to cars and motorbikes, which allowed us to causally walk around the streets and stalls in peace.

On our first morning, we wandered downstairs to make the most of the breakfast, which was included in our room price. I was gobsmacked to see a couple at the table across from us happily tucking into a plate of spaghetti carbonara. With that sight still fresh in my mind, I went for the more familiar option of omelette and toast. After breakfast we walked back into the town to sample more of Hoi An. I don’t think I’ve ever seen more tailor shops in a small area in all my life. I would have had no idea which one to buy from, but luckily I wasn’t on the lookout for a suit. Around mid-afternoon we started spotting motorbikes zooming along the cornered off streets. We figured out that there must a point in the day when it’s ok for them to use the streets again, much to my disappointment. Continue reading His and Hers Guide to the Globe: Hoi An

by Jess Williams

Another train brought us into Udaipur where we had had the foresight to organise a personal auto-ricksaw to our hotel, so we were greeted at the station with a sign for “Jeffica.” The Jess/Jeff mix up is fairly common when ordering taxis but this was a new highlight of mistaken names. I wish I had had the foresight to get my camera ready for the event.

Anyway, we were dropped at Minewa hotel in time for a Christmas Party Skype conversation with our London flatmates on the beautiful roof terrace, complete with cushioned alcoves. We spent a lot of time on that roof the next few days, working our ways through all the flavours of lassi on the menu.

Other, more culturally stimulating highlights of the city were the palace and view of the floating palace from Octopussy. Octopussy is everywhere, and screened every evening at some hotels. We manage to avoid it in favour of flute lessons though, and a trip to a fancy 5 star hotel to see our flute teacher perform. Oh, how the other half live…

We were actually very busy in Udaipur, squeezing in an early morning horse ride, a yoga lesson, and a trip to a leather workshop where we gave specifications for a very particular satchel, to have it whipped up in front of us. It was posted home, stuffed full of Christmas presents. Continue reading India: From Udaipur to Goa

by Rachel Ricks

Deciding which barrio (neighbourhood) to stay in Buenos Aires can be a tricky decision for travellers to the city. Ranging from the smart and leafy Palermo to the gritty Constitucion, you can find accommodation in all different areas of BsAs, depending what kind of experience you’re looking for. I stayed in each of the main central neighbourhoods while I was there – keen to get to know all the city’s faces – so I’ve done the leg-work for you.

Palermo/ Villa Crespo
The smarter end of town, you’ll notice the difference as soon as you step off the Subte. Tree-lined streets offer funky boutique shops, trendy hotels and pavement cafés. Great nights out can be had in the Palermo Hollywood and Palermo Soho neighbourhoods. You’ll need to take the Subte or buses to go anywhere in the city centre though.
Best for: Being smart and trendy.
My tip: Looking for some designer shopping? Look out for the Guia Queens Vintage Guide, a fold-out map of this area, highlighting all the cool shops and eateries. The main concentration of outlet stores is in the blocks between Aguirre, Avenida Cordoba and Murillo.
Where I stayed: Pop Hotel (Juan Ramirez de Velasco 793) – excellent, funky boutique hotel. Continue reading Expert guide: Which barrio to stay in Buenos Aires?

by Charles Davis

There are two Andorras. One, regrettable and forgettable, is a place of packaged Winter breaks, hypermarkets, shopping trips, crowded towns and traffic jams. The other is the traditional, timeless, romantic, landlocked principality high in the Pyrenees, the Andorra of independent character and a cheerful contempt for other people’s frontiers, of smugglers’ paths and high mountain passes, of medieval villages and remote refuges, the Andorra of a thousand lakes, of tumbling torrents, towering peaks, splendid vistas, meadows full of wildflowers, and some of the finest paths in the Pyrenees. No prizes for guessing which of the two we chose to explore in Walk! Andorra.

Andorra is a topsy-turvy sort of place, nowhere more so than in the nature of its seasons. Hectic with skiers during nature’s months of hibernation, the slopes go to sleep during the Summer, making it the perfect place to escape the crowds that reduce some sections of the Pyrenees to trekking motorways. This relative neglect has nothing to do with the quality of the walks, which are superb, but is the result, ironically enough for Europe’s highest country (the lowest point is 840 metres above sea level), of it’s comparatively modest altitude. The fact that its highest peak is ‘only’ 2,942 metres means the sort of people for whom mountains are an adult version of standing on top of the slide and chanting “I’m the king of the castle!” tend to be a bit sniffy about Andorra as a hiking destination, gravitating instead toward the major summits of western Catalonia and Aragon. Which is all to the good for the rest of us. Continue reading Walking in Andorra