A Little Trip Down Memory Lane. My adventures traveling Italy, Thailand, India, France, Spain, The Mediteranean and Scotland

In 2011 I left on my first major "walkabout".   I traveled to Rome where I studied Italian at the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Language school.  Here I met people from all around the world.  We dined together, toured and practiced our Italian. (Read more about Rome here). I discovered my fascination with small vehicles and took many photos for my nephews.

I then went to Florence, Italy and found adventures walking in the hills outside of the tourist areas. 

One day, the day after Christmas, while out on a jog/walk (yes, I still did that in those days...) I came upon a man and his dog who were walking along the same path. He spoke almost no English and I fumbled along with the Italian I learned from the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci .  Turns out, I had learned enough to communicate and to carry on a conversation that led to me joining his walk during which I learned about the area, the birds and wildlife, the flowers and plants he used for cooking or medicine and, sadly, that he was out walking for the first time since his wife passed just before Christmas. He told me about her and about his family and how nature brings him back to his center.  Nature was a common language for us that day.  It was magical. (Read more about my time in Florence here.)

Bologna was next. I visiterd a cheese maker and a Balsamic artisan.  Where I was introduced to aged balsamic ov er french vanilla ice cream! Sienna and a few other areas of the region drew me in and meals and sightseeing were fruitful and delightful.

Cheese making- Bologna

Sienna and parts near

 I then went to a cooking school in Soverato, Calabria, Italy, visited Venice in the winter.



I decided to go to India and needed a visa so I flew to Bangkok, Thailand to apply for the visa.  As I awaited the visa,  I visited many sites in the city and visited many of the key cultural and tourist places as well as took a cooking class where we made the most delicious, from scratch, green curry I have ever tasted.  I gorged on mango and sweet rice and got overwhelmed by the scents at the market (dried fish), I even squeezed in time to have a medical health and wellness check up in one of the programs at Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. I then, made my trek to India, the Osho Meditation resort in Pune India, here I went deep into a few different programs and met amazingly interesting people.  One of the best parts of traveling is the people you meet along the way!  After my time in Pune, I decided to go to Paris, even tho my original itinerary was to go through Indonesia and into Australia, then New Zealand.  I had a rather large birthday coming up and I was feeling the love after my deep meditations in India so I decided to go to the city of love Paris! I walked everywhere, determined to feel every part of the city. I rented the most lovely place ate myself around town and met up with a pal from the language school in Rome. I took a class and learned how to make Macaron (my favorite!)





I then rented a car and "did France slowly". I started with a drive to Giverney then headed to the coast Normandy, Brittany across the Dordogne,  including Tremolat, down to Nice and Cannes (just in time for the film festival!) spent time in Vance and many small towns along the way (see my France post here) I ended up back In Paris where I attended a writers retreat for a week then to Provence for another one! Super inspiring. Writing in cafes and hanging out with fellow writers it was a dream. I took the train to southwestern France and visited Sete and other areas such as the Camargue. Then to Barcelona, Spain hopped on a ship and cruised for almost two weeks in the Mediterranean with dear friends and their awesome kids. We met locals and did tours it was hoot!

After this I flew to Scotland to hang out in Edinburgh. All of this time I did a great deal of writing and walking, The city was brimming with activities as it was the time of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This is a must do event for those who are fans of the arts. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is also on at this time full of events around the Edinburgh Castle, pipers from all over and my favorite part of attending the festival on the grounds is to hear the lone piper as hey plays atop the castle walls.  It is hauntingly beautiful. I so enjoyed this walk about but the time came where it had to end and back to the states I went.  It was an amazing journey and this short synopsis coves the very tip of the iceberg (which I will talk about in another post about the Arctic!)

I was revitalized by this trip into the world.  It was by far one of the best tings I have ever done in my life.  I am actively preparing for another "walkabout" I am deciding the itinerary and time frame of this one which I imagine will involve a shorter run but one never knows in my life.

Travel on,

Pam

Budapest spring bounty

Spring vegies! I just love fresh beautiful vegetables. After a nice trip to my local market these beauties came home with me to be lovingly prepared. I chose to blanch half of them, and enjoy the light lemony vinaigrette, sweet, crunchy, fresh, delicious!

The celery root made a light springy soup, which was enhanced by the blanching, from the assortment of carrots, parsnips, spring onions, white radish and me potatoes. Topped off with a bit of crispy potato. Bread croutons and a drizzle of olive oil. A fresh and delightful rooftop patio meal.

Lunch for one at Le Vieux Logis in Tremolat in the South West Dordogne

The Dordogne is one of my favorite areas of France.  This hotel Le Vieux Logis is a beautiful setting for a date for one or two or even for a wedding.  It is located in the center of this village and is a most beautiful building with fantastic gardens.  It is Early May and I am enjoying the outside as one of only two tables dining at this moment.  I sit imagining myself planning my wedding here tasting each dish as if it were being presented for consideration on my menu. Looking around for each setting, the rehearsal dinner, the  wedding ceremony, the reception and the photo session. Numerous nooks and expansive gardens fit all of the profiles with perfection.  I ordered the Degustation menu of the season.  The restaurant offers several menu options all looked equally delicious.

The beautiful garden in which my table was located. Food photos to follow....

funny things for my nephews

Hello to my nephews! Here are some more funny things from my travels.

This bike was on the streets of Paris neat the Jardin De Luxembourg.  They say people here are obsessed with the garden. Scooters and bikes are everywhere here too as well as in other parts of Europe.  As we saw in Rome and around Italy the scooters and small cars are needed as many of the roads are very narrow through the cities and villages. My larger car got stuck once in a rock wall lined hilltop street in a little village in Vence, France. I couldn't make the turn and got stuck as I was also poorly skilled at driving a car with a stick shift on a steep hill.  My tears turned to laughter once I finally got myself unstuck and found my way to the final destination for the day.

another little car for my nephews

Italian Institute of Advanced Culinary and Pastry Arts

I have received many suggestions from friends that I post about the "cooking school" that I attended in Calabria, Italy this year. Specifically about what a disaster it was and to warn others to beware it is not what it professes to be.  

Last year, after many years of not following my own passion but encouraging others and to follow theirs, I made a decision to go to Italy to attend a cooing school.  I was truly excited about the curriculum and the teachers/chefs looked great.  They were advertised as "masters" in their field and winners of World Cup competitions... I was looking forward learning from true experts.  We were to be housed in a fine hotel overlooking the sea in a popular resort town.  We had a list of excursions, consultations and meetings with producers, purveyors and artisans to learn deeply about the production and creation of things such as olive oil and gelato.  It was touted as a professional development program of the highest caliber.

Instead...

I arrived to a deserted town near Soverato Italy.  The hotel, abandoned for the winter, was cold in appearance and in temperature as the building remained unheated for the winter.  The hotel, positioned at the top of a tall hill overlooking two bays, had the potential to be fabulous and may have been at one time but years of neglect and seeming indifference have rendered it mostly uninhabitable.  Many rooms were closed because of the crumbling hillside. Many toilets, water heaters and room heaters did not function. The foul order of methane caused two members of the student population to become ill, plumbing issues which persisted and involved many student changing rooms repeatedly.  No hot water, no water, sewage back ups, I could go on. For many of us the heat did not work properly in our rooms (or at all).  The only heated area of the entire hotel was in the classroom and kitchen, the dining area and hotel lobby area remained unheated and frigid. The wifi access was available only in the unheated lobby or outside on the front patio... outside.... in the winter... getting the picture...  and was so slow it was almost pointless to use.   The resort town of the hotel was empty not really a soul around.  Soverato, the nearest functioning town was about 20 min by taxi at a minimum of 15 Euros or over 20 bucks.

I myself was bitten by something in my room that sent me to the hospital.  Bugs happen, I know, but I'm painting the full picture of my disappointment.

The first night of the welcome gala was a meal fit for a dive bar, touted as a wonderful display of regional specialities.  This was my first pang of fear that this might not be what I had thought or what I was looking for.  

France's coast Normandy and Brittany Mt Saint Michel, Carnac, Trouville

This part of the trip went along the Brittany coast.  I loved this area so much the food the people the sea.  It was so interesting with all of the history and cultural mix from celtic origins, actually before that.  There were sites of interest all along the way , castles, churches, monoliths and alignments ( stones all lined up facing certain directions in Carnac amazing.  

My route

the beach at Carnac a nice place for a nap...

The amazing rocks and alignments, the Carnac Stones.

Normandy and the coast

As I begin the journey from Paris I stop in  Giverny that town of Monet, and see his home and fantastic garden.  So the post dedicated to this place.  I then proceed to travel Normandy a beautiful norther region of France.  I admit I did not spend enough time there.  I went to the town of Rouen. Famous for Joan Of Arc  Rouen.  Then to the coast along to Le Havre,  Trouville-sur-Mer, Deauville.  I just loved these coastal areas and being one of the few people there at the time it was magical.

Paris to Angers map and destinations

Rotisserie chicken at the Rouen market.  Notice the potatoes at the bottom soaking up all of the juices!  They have another with other roasts, proc and such.

The road this was the most vibrant green.  All of the rain is fertile for spring.

This was brilliant yellow.  this cloudy day doesn't do it justice, so bright.

the bridge connecting Le Havre to Honfleur

Monet's garden

A little detour on my way to Rouen.  For some reason the name Giverny sounded important to me while looking at the map.  As this road trip was particularly spontaneous I followed my instincts and low and behold Monet's garden.  I knew I knew it.  It was 5 pm and I was nearly alone here, a magical experience.  It was raining a bit but it was still a fairytale garden.

the town

the front of Monet's house

Cooking up a little something in Paris- Macarons and a walk in the rain.

Weather report for the next 10 days - rain-.  Dang it.  Ive been walking in it and strolling and enjoying myself between rain drops and sun bursts.  Today I took a Macaron making class.  fun! My chef teacher was at La Varenne Ecole de cuisine for years ( a school I attended in 1986) and was even there when I was so it was fun sharing stories about chefs past.  I actually found myself strolling around the old neighborhood in the 7th before class.  Small world.  It is feeing much smaller to me now after traveling.

I have to say I cooked at home tonight just too cold to go back out.  I nailed it!  fennel and leek soup,  simple and great.  wild mushrooms with cream and leeks and reduced to a yummy intensity, I just put it on bread.  oh my! So much for a light dinner.  I did follow it up with a green salad... All ingredients from a few local markets that i've been wondering around.

Macaron class at La Cuisine Paris cooking school. http://lacuisineparis.com/content/english-speaking-cooking-classes-in-paris

Classes in english are available, this one was taught by a former La Varenne chef grad and current chef.  Students fromUS, Paris, New Zealand and Australia and Me.

The egg whites after the sugar syrup went in, beautiful white and fluffy.

A new look....

Today I was experimenting and somehow changed the look of the blog.  let me know what you think , better, worse moreconfusing. I guess all the goodies are on the left pane now... Im not sure I like it...

Thai Cooking school in Bangkok.

Cooking Thai food in Bangkok.  After checking out several schools this one proved to be the most entertaining and actually low key as well as informative.  With a classroom full of internationals from Brazil, Australia, Japan, England, Switzerland and the US, we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and yummy food.  So after freezing my tush off in Italy for the last several months, I am now sweating it off in humid Bangkok.  As this was rather spontaneous I am glad for the few warm weather clothing items I happened to pack.  Mostly yoga clothes. These are quite a few photos beginning with a market visit and through various classes on different Thai dishes. Wow what a switch in food.  And after the crappy food we were fed at the Italian Institute of crappy food and abuse, Im thrilled with the fresh and fantastic food i am experiencing in Thailand.

this is coconut milk processing , this bowl contains the shredded coconut that later we will squeeze to get the coconut mil we use for the amazing dishes we prepare.

Fish and shrimp, Thai style.  I love going to different market.  This one is actually quite small and really clean and no stinky smells.  Other markets have all of the dried fishes, shrimps and other sea things then when dried smell very strong ! this one is bright and cheery perhaps it caters to all of the cooking schools in the area.  It seems to be everywhere that I see little signs for cooking schools, so it is quite a business.

our baskets of goodies

Not good at change

I feel like my parents.  As I sit here attempting to make sense out of a new Blogger format, I barely had an idea of how to handle the last version now we are on to another, I find myself remembering my father and the VCR.  I have become my parents.  I left several unfinished blogs in draft mode awaiting my photos and I can't seem to figure out how to find them now... Perhaps in time I will.

Buddhas in Bangkok

Here are a few photos of a few Buddhas in Bangkok.

This is the reclining Buddha.  It is huge.  I took several photos from various angels and in some included people to show its enormity.

A special touch at the hotel

A special touch in the room.  The day I arrived I had an array of small purple Orchids, so perfect in fact I assumed them to be fake.  The next day I noticed a change and then realized these to be real.  So I am taking a photo of all of them as they change because I appreciate the touch so much.  This hotel is a lovely oasis from the chaos outside.  I don't think it is extreme traffic, having grown up in Chicago and lived in several cities.

Another day in Bangkok- night too- the night market scene

Another day in this bustling town.  What a difference from the sleepy town we were in near Soverato, Italy.  Another friend has appeared in this town and a group of us went out to enjoy more yellow curry crab and a night out in the night market.  ( more like meat market- and not the steak kind) Back at home I was often in bed by 10 and up by 6, my schedule has had several changes over the past few months.  In Rome, I adjusted to the mid day huge lunch followed by an equally huge nap and later nights and large meals most of the time.  This continued for most of Italy until school- no naps but my nights were now later as I discovered blogging,online books and online movies/tv.  (old habits die hard).

Now it would seem that staying out until 2am and sleeping until noon was the new for last night.  I am attending another cooking school tomorrow so an earlier night is preferred.  The night market was so intense I forgot to take photos so I will do my best to explain.  I'm embarrassed to say what shows were being offered for our viewing pleasure ( some involved ping pong balls and others darts or "lady boys") I had heard about this before but as this trip was impromptu I had conveniently parked this information deep in the dark hallways of my mind.  Until last night.  We walked through areas of stalls selling clothes, watches, t shirts , knock off purses and wallets, lighting , jewelry and other trinkets.  Most stalls repeating the wears every 4 or 5 stalls.  these stalls were along the main road and through the center of a wide side road.  These stalls were flanked by various bars and night clubs and the occasional restaurant.  It began to close down around 1 am.  at least the stalls selling .  It looked as if the bars would continue for a while.  After an interesting cab ride back to the hotel I was happy for a shower in my beautiful rain shower.  The hotel is very nice.  the room is great and a perfect size.  The bed is dreamy comfortable and the AC is perfectly cold.  All in all the hotel is a great find.  But again I have the newest set if jumping kids above my head.  Tonight going out to see a rooftop restaurant or two...

Ronald McDonald in Namaste

Namaste

Day one Bangkok- doing pretty well so far

After a disappointment with the Culinary School in Calabria my friend Abeehru and I decided to make lemonade out of lemons.  We arrived in warm and friendly Bangkok.  I have never been here before and am pleasantly surprised with the warmth of the people every where we go here.  We began our day with a delicious lunch of fried grouper and yellow curry crab and the best iced coffee i've ever had.  We will try another school here, and plenty of culinary research - eating :)  

A view from the restaurant near the hotel

beautiful and yummy too, this came with a green papaya salad that was quite hot ( not quite rip your tongue off hot but hot !)

Yellow Curry crab

We are happy now, good food, good friendship good day!

More Venice- winter in Venice

This was a sight.  The canals of Venice frozen.

Aspects of Venice

There are many photos here I couldn't pick just a few so Ill keep the writing mostly here and captions by some photos.  Many years a go my brother and I spent a summer doing the post college summer trek.  I recall Venice and almost skipped it for sights previously unseen.  Let's just say I am so glad I went back. I must say I am thoroughly enchanted by Venice.  It was cold, I mean COLD.  I wore my long johns and wool pants and it was still COLD.  I went with a few classmates from culinary school.  We rented a great apartment well located to everything we wanted to see.  Six adults sharing one bath, we did pretty darn good.  These photos are in no particular order and are taken on my phone as I still have not fixed my "good" camera.  I think the little Blackberry is doing pretty well considering.

Canals and more canals. This place is a maze of canals.  ( I am speaking as if no one has been here just to help my descriptive process flow, I do not mean to insult anyone who has)  Per usual my traveling companion of three months and I wandered out without a plan or map and as usual discovered beauty and excitement around each turn.  We feel we should write a guide how to get lost in Italy and see everything anyway.  

Strange but typical- a quick post

For some reason there is a german family camped in the hall outside of my hotel room with all of their belongings and two young children spread all over the hallway crumpling piles of plastic bags for the past hour.  I had the opportunity to change rooms today as the original room I booked wasn't ready yesterday.  I decided to stay in this room because it was quite... go figure.  I have had a strange Karma with rooms for the past few years.  (up until now...)  if there was a banging door Ill be next to or above it, a fighting couple , jumping children on my ceiling, a party or elevator dinging... Don't know why, wish it would stop.  Maybe when I get to the point I can laugh every time it happens it will stop.  Today I am laughing and wondering... but as I had hoped for a nap, not going to happen... they are literally leaning on the wall of my room.. Im in a nice hotel too.  I'm making an assumption they are either awaiting entry to their room, lost their keys, are too hot to go out or are catching a late flight.  they did not want my help so...

But for today all I know is that I have A/C a terrifically comfortable bed and equally comfortable pillows for the first time in 3 months, I am no longer freezing my tucas off without hot water in a dumpy hotel in Calabria. It is a good day. :) My wish is for everyone to have a good day too.
 this is what my nice room looks like.. its a good day