American burger 3

No matter how much I like a place I don’t usually go there twice; yet there is a place I have already visited three times, and I am not sure Sunday was the last time. The place I am talking about is Sallies Restaurant and Snack Bar in Albertsund, Denmark.

The place tries to offer an american experience to its guests, and the first clue in such direction is it’s motel design (yes, there is a restaurant and a motel in the same place) with rooms which come with parking spots just in front of their doors.

However, I first went there at the invitation of some friends. I couldn’t say it amazed me; apart from the american-like style that can be noticed from outside, there were nothing else that captured my attention. Moreover, I didn’t like that there is offered a buffet-menu as well; I am not a fan of buffet places, and I see them as low quality offering. I don’t really remember what it was that I ate first time, but I remember that after about six months I visited Sallies again, and this time I had a Burger Club with some fries topped with cheese and paprika; appealing to try was also the coffee shake. Even that time I was surprised I was visiting this place for the second time, and I couldn’t see it coming another visit there.

Yet, last Sunday at the suggestion of the friends I was there for the first time, we drove again to this place and had a great time with lots of burgers, fries and milkshakes. This time I had the Bad Boy BBQ burger with the same fries with cheese and paprika, and the same delicious and big glass of milkshake.

The food as good, and the atmosphere as well, with almost all the tables taken, only the tables from outside were available, and so it was ideal we had made a reservation before going there.

We were five persons, and had four burgers, five burgers four fries and a snack and paid about 670 Dkk, which I would say it is more than ok; being one of the cheapest burger places I have eaten in Denmark.

Go and try it on your own, hoping you’ll enjoy it was well.

Romanian food experiences disappointed me this time

In this post I am going to present shortly my culinary experiences I have had during my holiday in Romania. I will be talking solely about the experiences I had while eating out, not about the ones eaten home at my family.

My holiday lasted about one and a half weeks, time when I was road-tripping Romania, crossing 14 counties, traveling from Dambovita up to Maramures, and then down again to Dambovita (my home county) from which I went one more time up the country, this time in the eastern part of Romania, in Bacau County.

I traveled all these areas because there were many points of interest (tourism wise) for me, points I have never traveled so far, eg. to the Merry Cemetery, Timisoara, Corvinilor Castle etc. However, apart for this points of interest, food was another goal of my trip. I use to travel for food, and I am very interested in tasting local foods, or just eating out and trying the talent of different chefs or the level of service different places have to offer.

I am quite used with the local food in Romania, but I am still excited about eating out -in Romania- as often as I can, looking for exciting experiences both through the places and service, but also through the dishes.

This time I was pretty disappointed with most of the experiences I have had in Romania; and here starts my story:

Me together with my companions first ate out in Baile Herculane, a touristic destination in the western part of Romania (very popular not long time ago). There we had dinner at a place named Restaurant Pizzerie Cristal; a random place we discovered in the middle of the town. From the street the place looked clean and appealing, with plenty of guests inside, and a menu of interest for me (with grilled trout and the traditional papanasi).

The disappointment started here from the very first moment, with waiters being inattentive at us, letting us stand in the middle of the restaurant without welcoming us or having any kind of interaction with us. After some moments when we waited for their attention, we decided to go to them and ask them. Just then we got a table. That was also the moment when we began to discover more about the places. There was water on the floor but nobody cleaned it, or place a sign of slippery floor. The waiters seemed to be all very uninterested in their guests. Moreover, some of them just used our chairs to support themselves while discussing about their guests or arguing that some guests left the place without paying. Then some of them began a fight with another guest who apparently didn’t received its order for a long time. At a moment I received the food I ordered; grilled trout with boiled potatoes. If the fish was good, the potatoes were cold and not very well boiled. The first positive aspect from waiters’ side came only when my wife received hers papanasi, and the waiter decided to give us two spoons instead of one, since there was only one person who ordered it. At the end of the dinner, on one side, we paid a cheap price for a dinner, but on the other side the food and the service matched the price we paid; both being very low.

The next time we ate out properly was in Timisoara. This time we chose the place that was recommended to us from our hotel’s receptionist. The restaurant is named Casa Bunicii. It is located in downtown Timisoara, and it has a very lovely garden; a perfect place for a dinner in a nice summer evening. Although there were many guests, we managed to get a table without having a reservation. The waiters seemed to be guests-orientated, apart from one of them who seemed very uninterested in working there, waiter from who we had never received back any answer to our requests, so we had always to ask one more time another waiter. Yet, the food was delicious and comes in the right portions.

In Cluj -the next major city we stopped in- we asked the receptionist of our hotel for some recommendations of good restaurants, but we were not able to receive any hint; we were sent however to the historic center of the city, being told that there are plenty of restaurants. It is truth that there are many restaurants and eateries, and after a long walk around them we decided to eat at Bistro Vienna, a bistro with terrace and a menu close to the Austrian menus. However, from the first interaction with one of the waiters we faced the same problems: poor service and extremely long waiting time. The waiter was quite irritated by our questions related to the menu or availability, closing the discussion with a invitation to stay only if we want to wait about 45 minutes until we receive the order. We stayed! We chose a table for ourselves, order and then wait. The drinks came first, and the food came after a long waiting time. I got a portion of Bistro ribs; the food looked ok, but it tasted not very good. The ribs were kind of plain; the cabbage was fade, while the boiled corn was almost sour. Then, the waiter forgot about the portion of papanasi my girlfriend asked for, so I had to go and order it again. When it finally came the waiter realized he had never cleaned our table after we finished the main dish. In the end we paid about 40 euro, and left the place disappointed, wondering whether we’ll find a decent place with a good service or all the places have the same issues in Romania.

Next stop was at Spanata, in Maramures, a place very popular for the Merry Cemetery. After we visited this tourist attraction we head for lunch at Complex Pastravul, a place recommended to us by a local. Complex Pastravul is a guest house somewhere close to the nature. It looks very clean and well maintained with a terrace behind the building and two deer in a small garden in front of it.

The menu is quite exciting with many dishes representing Maramures’s region. I decided to go for a goulash soup, a portion of warm polenta with sheep cheese and scarps, and a lemonade. The excitement was very high, but it was cut off be the news that the waiting time for the food was of about 45 minutes; and it proved to be no more and no less than 45 minutes. The waitresses were running all the directions, but they seemed not to be enough. I saw guests disappointed and leaving, but me, together with all I traveled with, decided…again…to stay. In the end it was all worth it, because the food tasted very good. However, the disappointment remains for the lack of attention businesses pay to services.

One of the best experiences I had, was the coming morning, when I had breakfast in the restaurant of Maestro Hotel in Vatra Dornei. There I had for breakfast food most of you’ll like to have for lunch or dinner: fried chicken livers, and fried cheese. Here the place was clean, the menu was rich, the prices not bigger than other places I was eating before, but the service was very good -at least in comparison with the other places: the waiter was welcoming, polite and customer-minded. The food came in good time, but I have to mention there were not many guests either. However, this was the first place I left tips at a restaurant in Romania, after driving about 1000km and eating in many different restaurants; the tips was worth it.

The last part of my holiday in Romania I spent it in Bacau, my wife’s city. There I use to ate at my wife’s mom -who cooks very well- but it happened to eat out three times. First time I ate at Restaurant Manhattan. There I had a portion of lasagna and the Romanian traditional dessert profiterol. Beside I had a glass of fresh orange juice. The atmosphere was very decent, and the service as well. There was a waitress who behaved nicely, and the food came in good time, especially if compared with the other experiences I had in Romania before. The food was good, though the orange fresh juice tasted a bit “not fresh” and the profiterol was a bit different than what I knew it should be like; moreover, it was very big, more than enough for a hungry man.

The second place I ate in Bacau was Pizzeria Luca. Luca restaurants have spread around Bacau and now they can be found all around the city offering different goods: from pretzels to sandwiches and pizza. I discovered this place by driving by it and it caught my attention with the crowds present on its terrace, and through its appearance: made of wood and clean. The first impression on spot was still not satisfying: we entered the restaurant, passed by some waiters without being greeted or asked anything, reached a reception where the waiter in charge there didn’t even looked at us for about 2-3 minutes although we were just face-to-face. In the end, we were sent to a table, with a cold voice. The waitress who served us was quite professional though, and together with the quality of the pizza we had, we declared the dinner to be ok.

The last dinner out we had in Bacau was at restaurant Piazzetta, located on the way to the town Roman. The place serves as a restaurant and bed and breakfast. From the street it looks just like a big house, but after making few steps the footpath takes you to the entrance in the restaurant, terrace and parking lots. Here I first made a reservation for the dinner, and we arrived there at 19:30. The staff at a first impression was professional. Once we got at our table we had to wait about 40 minutes for the waitress to get our order; at that moment she said that it will take maximum 30 minutes to receive our dishes. In the end it was 2 hours of waiting for the food, and I am not exaggerating. It is the worst experience I have had. It is a pity for the food and the place which both deserve more.

My holiday in Romania ended with a coffee in Otopeni Airport, at a lounge which name I don’t recall. However, although the prices are high -as it usually happen on airports- the service satisfied me very much. The waiter was welcoming, helpful and prompt.

All in all, after all these experiences I had in Romania, I can say I was very disappointed and I believe all the businesses activating in the service and hospitality sector in Romania have to improve seriously if they want to attract more tourists to them. I was surprised unpleasantly by the lack of training of the staff in the restaurants I visited, the lack of personnel and the lack of quality and creativity when it comes to food, situation I met in most of the places I ate.

Next time I will travel to Romania I plan to try some of the restaurants in Bucharest, and I have already higher expectations; based on the experiences I had in Bucharest before leaving Romania to live abroad, but also on the fact that being a capital city there is a bigger diversity and more people with money willing to spend them on quality stuff, including here food as well; so where there is demand for a product or a service, I expect that there are also companies willing to bring that on market.

As soon as I’ll get to visit any of the restaurants in Bucharest I’ll write about it here!

Ven island – the perfect destination for a day trip

Ven is a tiny island in the Øresund stright, belonging to Sweden. Being an island it can be visited only by ferry, and there are three possible departing points towards Ven: Landskrona (in Sweden, with scheduled departures all year round), Helsingør in Denmark, and Copenhagen (only on summer time).

Me and my girlfriend took the ferry from Copenhagen. The tickets we booked online with only a couple of hours before the departure; then all we needed to do is to get ready and show up at the ferry a bit before its departure time. There is no check in or requirements regarding any arrival time prior boarding.

The ferry is not huge, but it has a sort of a restaurant and place for bicycles, if one wants to take the bike with him/her. However, there is a 90 Dkk fee for the bikes, the same fee one pays for renting a bike on the island of Ven.

I have not mentioned that the little island of Ven is a perfect destination for tour on bike. Thus there are many tourists who take their bikes with them or rent them on the island. We decided to rent bikes on the spot, so after a ride of about one and a half hour with the ferry we arrived on Ven. There we walk for about five minutes uphill until we arrived at the shop where the popular yellow bikes are rented. There is a huge parking lot full of all kiind of bikes (tandem; with support for kids; classic etc.).

The weather was not great but the enthusiasm was high; it was the first time when I was about to start a trip on bike. So we took a map of Ven from the bike shop and we were gone. There are many tourist on bikes, and very few cars. There is harmony and relaxation because no matter the way one take there is no risk of getting lost. There are few houses, many cafes and beautiful nature. Our first stop was a little harbour, just under the old church of Sankt Ibb. There are many little shops with ice-cream snacks and possibility for picnic. After an ice-cream, we head to the church from where we took a beautiful picture and stunning sight. Then we continued riding around the island, discovering many cozy places and beautiful nature. However, due to the weather we didn’t stop for picnic, but we stopped for lunch a Pumpkin Delicatessen and Cafe. It was a very good experience: I had a great pizza with goat cheese and many glasses of organic apple juice, one of the best I have ever drunk. After the lunch the sky broke and and we head back to the harbour, not before we returned the bikes.

The ferry from Copenhagen lives at 09:15 and returns at 16:30, so it is important not to miss it. If missed, there are many camping opportunities on Ven.

There are many positive aspects about Ven, and it might be worth it to visit it for more than one day, but we didn’t have more time; yet, we want to go back there one day.

St. Jean Cap Ferrat & Eze village

Two days ago it was the outdoor adventure day. This is because we decided that instead of laying on one of Nice’s beaches we would rather discover more of Nice surroundings. Thus, we decided to visit St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and walk around that peninsula.

The place is not far away from the city center. However, we traveled there by bus a it took us about half an hour. There was bus 81 that we took from a station close to Acropolis, and we got off at it last station. The route offers a great scenic view which made us many times want to get off and walk around, but we knew that if we would have done that, we would never get to walk  around the peninsula. So we resisted the temptations and we got off at bus’s last stop. 

From the bus stop itself the view was breathtaking, with the view of the sea with its turquoise spots, many small and large yachts, and the sights of the fancy houses on the hills around this place. Our first stop though was the tourist information. With the tips we got from there we started our walking journey expected to take around three hours. We started with the little peninsula on the left of the main St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula. This little one has two beaches along its coast, and a chapel. However, after passing the first beach, instead of taking the path along the cost we took the road to the chapel, road that is not spectacular. At the chapel, there is not much to do or see -for my taste- only a chapel which is nice to see, but nothing else, and there is no way to continue the rad to the beach, but to walk back to the walking path. Coming back to the walking path, it is quite rocky so you feet would thank you if you have some comfortable, maybe even outdoor walking shoes on, we didn’t have and at the end of the day we had pain in our feet. The walk along the little peninsula was refreshing but nothing spectacular.

When we completed the walk around this little peninsula, we continued the big walk around the St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula. The walk happens in the same conditions as on the little peninsula: rocky path with unspectacular sights. However, after completing about half of this walk, the sights and the walk in general becomes more pleasant. There are still rocks but they become suddenly interesting, with many creeks were one can walk down to the water, great rocks on the sides of the walking path, and towards great views of Nice’surroundings.There were also a place where one could drink water or fill his/hers bottle for the rest of the walk. Moreover, at the end of the walk there is a little beach with a restaurant so one can get some rest and drink or eat something after such a nice outdoor experience.

After we completed the walk, because there was only 2PM we decided to visit the Eze Village. So, we made a short stop at the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, after which we hurried to catch the bus 83, not before getting something to eat. I know it sounds as a busy plan, but apart from the visit of Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild where we didn’t have time to enjoy everything in a low tempo, we had plenty of time to follow all our plan and to enjoy it in the same time. 

The ride with the bus 83 towards the Eze Village follow the curvy roads up to the mountain, offering some amazing scenic views over the valley and the bay. While in the way up it looks like there is nothing super spectacular, but once at the medieval village of Eze all these feelings are gone because around the little and fancy medieval village, there are plenty of restaurants, hotels and tourists, making the village look like a vivid tourist destination.

The medieval village is very close to the bus station, and it is the main major attraction of this place. Walking along its narrow streets with plenty of restaurants and shops it is a great experience and I would say something that everyone visiting Nice for a holiday shoud do. Moreover, there is also an exotic garden, for which there is a 6 euro fee required. The garden is pretty nice with many different plants and flowers, and with the possibility to enjoy a great view over the bay. Yet, at the time we visited it the weather was not as great as the view might be; there was rain and clouds which hindered the great views of over the bay, or the view of the village. We waited there for a while hoping the weather will turn better, but it didn’t so we decided to take the bus back to Nice. One thing to remember is that there are not so many buses running up to the village, and for example, the last one to go back to nice was at 19:57.

All in all, we had a full day with many kilometers walked, but with great memories and appreciations for the sights we saw. Without having time to enjoy any of the beaches, the walk around the St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat and the visit of Eze Village can be done in one day if anyone want to do that. If yes, don’t forget the comfortable shoes, camera and enthusiasm. 

Bon voyage!

From Höfn to Seyðisfjörður

As planned from yesterday evening, today it has been the day to drive to Seyðisfjörður. The day started in the best possible way, with a lot of sun which gave us positive attitude and joy for the rest of the day.

As soon as we took the breakfast in Höfn, we went to the tourist information office to ask for suggestions about what to do around Höfn. However, we left from the information office with no so many options since the lady working there said she didn’t know much about the whole area, but she suggested we visit the glaciers in the direction to Vik, and do the one hour walk around Höfn’s coast; for more info about the attractions towards Seyðisfjörður she suggested we have to ask at info office in Djopivogur. We decided to do the walk, which proved to be refreshing with nice views.

After the walk we decided to go take off to our destination for today, Seyðisfjörður. We set the info in the GPS and there we drove. Although the route is neither very short but nor too long, just about 220 km, without detours, there are a lot of beautiful sights, that made us stop many times to take pictures or just to stare at the beautiful display of the nature.

The first stop we made in Djopivogur, a town in one of the stunning fjords on the southern coast of Iceland. There we went to the information office to ask about what can be done/seen from there up to Seyðisfjörður. There we got lots of booklets with info about the whole region. However, first we had lunch at a very nice restaurant inside a hotel called Hotel Framtid. The food is not the cheapest in the town but is very good and the place looks great. I highly recommend it.

We visited also the birds’ eggs expo but we were not impress. Yet, the whole town is very picturesque and worth a visit.

Then we decided to drive further, having in mind to stop also in the other towns from the other fjords on our way. Yet, the planned changed because the other town are very small and we didn’t see it was worth stopping; so the next and last stop was at the destination in Seyðisfjörður. Nevertheless we still stopped many times to take pictures.

On the way there were also two tunnels, and a unpleasant paved segment of the road (on the Ring Road) which is not possible to avoid; it has a length of few kilometers. Moreover, the last part of the trip, after exiting from the second tunnel, the road takes drivers up the mountains where at this time of the year is a lot of snow (not on the road though).

Furthermore the 25 km segment from Egilsstadir to Seyðisfjörður is a curved road up the mountain, after which is the down the mountain drive to the fjord. The view is amazing, though we caught a cloudy weather.

Seyðisfjörður is a small village but is has its charm. It is not much to do here but, a nice walk and very beautiful scenery justify such an choice. In Seyðisfjörður we are hosted at the old post house which is now transformed in accommodation under the name of  Hotel Snæfell.

Because we have already walk around all the village, we plan that tomorrow we are leaving early further towards the second biggest city of Iceland, Akureyri.

Lets sleep well and get ready for some more action waiting for us tomorrow.

First impressions from first time in Iceland.

I have just stepped on Icelandic land for the first time in my life. It was kind of a dream to visit this destination, since many talk about it using euphoric words and descriptions in regards to its nature in special. So, I managed to set together a couple of free days from work and study, and I took off from Copenhagen direction Reykjavik. I landed last night at midnight, although it looked more like a late evening, because there was quite much natural light outside, which surprised me in some degree…in a positive way because it means that there is more time to enjoy the attractions Iceland has to offer.

Then, there was not so cold…I was expecting to be cold, but even at midnight it was like seven degrees Celsius, with no wind, which for my skin trained in the Danish weather felt not so bad!

This morning me and my wife woke up around half past six planning to have breakfast in Reykjavik and then to do the Golden Circle, with arrival and spending the night at Blue Lagoon, Silica Hotel. However, to find a place where to grab a coffee and something for breakfast seems to be difficult in Reykjavik, even in a Friday. In the end we discovered a cozy place -C is for cookie- and enjoyed a cappuccino with almond milk in a friendly and warm atmosphere.

After consulting the barista from this cafe, but also someone from tourist office, we learned that to do the Golden Circle by ourselves, won’t take more than five or six hours, so we decided to spend a bit more time in Reykjavik and got in top of Hallgrimskirjka to enjoy the view over the city.

At around 11:30 we lest the city heading to Pingvellir’s National Park, from where we drove to Strokkur Geyser and Godafoss. All these attractions are great, especially the geyser and the waterfall. The geyser erupts very often and the eruptions are very exciting and powerful. Godafoss waterfall is also very attractive. We were lucky to get very nice weather and we even had the chance to see a rainbow over the waterfall (although not a big one) which made the sight even more exciting.

As a negative thing I can mention the roads, which on some segments were not very good, but having holes.

The drive took as we expected but, for instance at Pingvellir National Park is nice to have time and walk around the tectonic platforms, so I would recommend to allow more then five hours for driving the Golden Circle, with return to Reykjavik.

At around six in the evening we were at Silica Hotel ready to check in. This hotel is very expensive but I can say it worth every penny. It have  very cool surroundings, great rooms and its own blue lagoon, which is open from 09:00 to 00:00 for its guests.

In top of all these, the weather was great with a lot of sun, no rain and no wind.

We are no looking forward for tomorrow when we plan to drive to Vik and spend the night there.

If you have done this segment (Reykjavik – Vik) and have any tips for things to do, I would be more than happy to hear them, so I won’t miss to much from the amazing Iceland.

First time flying Alitalia!

Recently I flew Alitalia for the first time in my life. It was a return flight from Kastrup Airport (Denmark) to Linate Airport (Milano, Italy). Usually I get very excited about new experiences, especially if they involve planes; moreover, I believe that this post might offer some insights to some of those planning to travel with Alitalia for the first time as well, and so to know what to expect from it…these two factors make me want to share this experience with you!

This story started in the afternoon of a spring day somewhere in April 2015, when I was looking to book a flight to Milano (it didn’t matter which airport; it didn’t matter at that time, because now, looking back to my inspiration I would say it should have matter…but you will find more info latter in this post). This is how I discovered, to my surprise that the lowest prices were available at Alitalia, not even at low cost airlines like EasyJet or Ryanair; it costed me few euro over 100 euro (with the baggage included and the possibility to get something for the stomach in the plane). To this, add the fact that I was going to fly a carrier I haven’t flown before, and this made my overexcited. So, the prices at Alitalia were very convenient, this is the first thing to be remembered from my experience.

About five months latter – also in the afternoon – I found myself in Copenhagen Airport ready to check in: direction Milano Linate. An unpleasant thing was that Alitalia don’t have the possibility to check-in online, for flights from Copenhagen!

As I stepped into the plane a strong green color took my eyes; it was the color of the flight attendances’ blazers. So looking down I took my seat, waiting to take off. The taking off happened without any problems as you can also see in the short video from below. 

In meanwhile I noticed the seats looked like the ones on long-haul flights, yet without the possibility to access functions like TV, music etc. (however this was something I didn’t like because it looks like a low cost airline, who just changed the seats from a plane to another, without caring about the details); moreover the magasines on board were very dirty and dooled by some bored passangers (even in that state they weren’t changed!!!). Shortly after takeoff, the service in the cabin begun. At this point I got even nervous; mainly because I was very curious to see what they offer and then because I was also kind of hungry (because I hadn’t eaten before the flight due to a previous experience with Air Serbia, where they offered a really meal in the plane, but I couldn’t enjoy it because I had eaten before boarding). The disappointment was enormous when I was asked: “Spicy or sweet?”! I answered “spicy” and I got a tiny bag with corn chips…not even enough for an ant. Then, when it came to drinks, the only options I had were: water, coffee, tea, orange juice, and Coca-Cola (from a bottle where it was written “cuola”…nothing more!!! Very disappointing! I had a glass of orange juice and the corn snack and then I was looking forward to arrive at Milano.

However, the most important thing was that I arrived at Milano Linate well and in time, being welcomed by a fancy name “Imperio Armani” which made me think of a fashionable airport.

Linate Airport I got the chance to visit it in just couple of days from my arriving, when I supposed to take the plane back to Copenhagen. Then, I arrived three hours before the gate supposed to close, so I had plenty of time to walk around. At first I walked around the area outside the security check. I had thought that there would be plenty of fancy cafes and stores, but to my disappointment there weren’t so many, on the contrary the whole image of the airport is that of a low cost airport; something like Luton Airport (UK) for example. There was a big place to eat a sandwich and drink something, or have a colazione. Beside this place there were one Mc Donalds and anther coffee shop. After a while I went through the security check hopping for a better experience in the other side of the airport. But there was the same, at least in the way to the gates 1-10. There was a restaurant/café where beside coffee and sandwiches/pastries, cooked food was also served, but the place looks deplorable. Apart from that there was an ice cream shop and two more little coffee-shops in the gates area. All of them crowded and pretty messy, as it was the general impression of Linate Airport, an airport I hope I will not visit again…ever. The flight back was identic to the previous one: no problems and the same options for the cabin service.

When I put the foot in Copenhagen Airport, I could say that officially my first experience with Alitalia was over. Usually first time, in everything, is a memorable experience. Mine was not a memorable one, but it was a good one by the fact that I didn’t encounter any problems and I paid a low price for the tickets, but the services weren’t as good as I expected.

No matter of my experience I wish everyone flying Alitalia to have a super flight with them, and then to share the stories, so everyone interested can know about it.

The best two places to have a fika in Stockholm!

I have just returned from a two days trip to Stockholm. Unexpectedly I found Stockholm as being a very attractive city with many offerings, especially for the tourists. Among these one of them is on the lips of almost everyone travelling to this particular city, and generally in Sweden: FIKA!!!

Fika seems to be a social thing meant to bring people together; at least this is my understanding of it. However, according to one of my school teachers, fika refers to the moment when at least two people meet together for a coffee and a kanelbulle (cinnamon cookie); more than this, for such a moment to be called a fika, it requires that the ones meeting together socialize as much as possible. Moreover, according to one of the receptionists from Radisson Blu Viking Hotel (the hotel I stayed in Stockholm) -answering to a question of mine referring to this subject- fika can be served at any time during the day (not just in the morning as I had thought it happens).

Now, like I said, I didn’t know much about the city, but as a tourist I knew and I wanted to try fika; and I wanted to try it not just to thick it on my list, but I wanted to try the best places for fika, not to brag about it (although it is also a very big temptation) but also to get the best out of this experience.

Since I stayed there only two days, I tried fika only two times (once every day) not being able to drink more coffee. Yet, I am sure I had tried fika in two very cool places in Stockholm, which are ready to offer the best experience to anyone visiting them; therefore I want to share them here with you, hoping that this hints will give you some inspiration.

The first place I visited was Vete-Katten. It was only the first day of my stay in Stockholm, and after a thorough research on internet about the best places to have fika, I chose to follow as inspiration Stockholm’s DMO (Destination Management Organization) guidance. There in a select group of only five places best to have fika, Vete-Katten was one that caught my eyes. I can’t say exactly for what reason; maybe only because it was the closest one to my hotel…which means it is very close to the Stockholm’s Central Station and to the shopping street. However, if one doesn’t know about it, it may be easy to pass by it without noticing it, and so missing a great experience.

I had such a great time there, and I liked so much this coffee-shop that I cannot find the right words to convey the right feeling and the richness of the one hour time I spent there. First of all I must mention that even though I discovered it on internet, I didn’t read more about; the address was the only thig I read. So, when I arrived at the destination I was pleasantly surprised to see that Vete-Katten has a super nice patio in-between the buildings, offering a green and quiet environment, just perfect for a coffee and a relaxing chat in a late Saturday morning.

Then, I crossed the patio to go inside the coffee-shop and order my coffee and my cinnamon cookie. Inside another nice surprise: the design is very beautiful, making me feel like I was visiting an art house or a royal palace.

Yet, the counter or at least a stuff member was kind of difficult to find, so I kindly ask another customer about where she had got her coffee from; just then I understood that the place is actually bigger, and I have to keep going turning right and then left and just then I will find the counter. I did so and I ended up in front of a beautiful and appealing area with a lot of super cakes, cookies and sandwiches. Since I knew I want the fika, I asked what exactly fits with the concept and I got a coffee with a cinnamon cookie. Happy to have reached my goal, and with my hands busy with the yummy coffee and cookie, I went outside and enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere, having a nice chat with my girlfriend. This is the story of the first place I visited for fika.

The second one I had discovered also on internet, and it is Cafe Pascal; a cafe which I found out it won the award of the best coffee shop in Stockholm, in 2015. So, fika in the best coffee shop in Stockholm!!! What else could be more appealing to me?! Cafe Pascal was neither very close to my hotel, but nor too far away. I had to take the metro (the green line) for three stops from the Central Station in order to arrive to it. So I got off at Odenplan Station, and walked for circa two minutes to be there.

I don’t know Stockholm, but it location seemed to be a bit outside of the touristic areas of the city, and so created in my mind an image of a coffee-shop with an authentic Swedish feeling; and I liked that feeling. However, from outside the coffee shop looks like many other coffee-shops in the city: clean environment and a couple of tables with people gathered around them.

Then I went inside, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover a very large room, designed with style, with an aired feeling, clean and with smiling baristas ready to welcome each of their customers. I couldn’t resist the temptation and before everything else I took some pictures, as if I was afraid that I am in a dream and I risk to wake up at any moment and lose all that nice sight.

Just when I decided I took enough pictures I decided to go to the bar to see what they have and to order. But it was not so easy because at the bar I discovered a lot of very appealing pastries and sandwiches, so it suddenly became very hard decide what I order. Because the menu didn’t help me either (it was all in Swedish) I decided to ask a barista for some recommendation. The barista was very relaxed and confident, but of course it stated asking me questions about what I usually like so he can make a recommendation; but this strategy doesn’t work too well for me, because I like so many things that is very difficult to make a decision. In the end, I decided to go for an appealing sandwich (the traditional cinnamon cookie I had it in the previous day, so I considered it was time for a change) and –suggested by the barista- I had an espresso tonic (i had never had one, or heard of something like that). Then I went to the table I considered good enough to add value to the pictures I will take with my kind of fika. Once I manage to do this, you can already figure out what came after: picture, picture, picture again, eat, drink and talk (again with my girlfriend). I didn’t want to leave the place, this is how much I like it! I girlfriend walked put the coffee-shop but I was still inside, taking pictures, feeling like I want to take as many memories as possible with this superb place!

In the end fika is nothing new or different than having a good coffee out together with someone else, at least this is my view. Yet, it turned in a exciting asset for Sweden to sell itself better to tourists; but no matter of any of these, if you want to have a fika or a great coffee in Stockholm than this two places are a must. I haven’t been to many other places in Stockholm, but based on my experience I consider these places as very good, and even though there might be other good places in Stockholm I am sure that they are no better than Vete-Katten and Café Pascal.

Go try them and then you will understand my excitement.

Helsingborg for beginners!

Helsingborg is going to be my residence for the next six months. This is for sure now. In this context it is very important for me to get to know the city, since I haven’t been there so far, so everything is totally new.

However, before I have even start doing the research about the city by myself, the first opportunity to discover Helsingborg was given by the institution I will go there for, Lund University. They organized a city tour for all the new students in the city, including me of course. It was a tour lasting about two hours when we walked around the centrum of the city, including most of the basic information, not only for students, but also for everyone new in Helsingborg, or for any tourist coming here for a city break.

Here are some of the things I discovered:

There are projects to change the city plan. This wants to say that the city was developed in the middle of the 20th century, being designed for easy access, by cars, to the city centrum. Now, because the focus has changed towards a greener and more eco-friendly environment, with more walking and cycling, the plans are to take the main street and the train rails underground, leaving a more aired centrum, and an easy access, by foot and/or bike…at least in the southern part of the city, the one we began the tour with. For the moment there are tunnels for pedestrians to go under the rails and road to the other side.

Southern part of Helsingborg, called Söder, has not a very good reputation and it is not very attractive. It seems that here is the district where most of the immigrants and homeless people live. From my little experience with the city, I also consider the Northern part of Helsingborg a lot more beautiful and interesting than the southern part, with the beautiful seaside, the Sofiero Castle and the green forests, to mention just a few.

Want cheap food?…then visit Gustav Adolf Market. It is located in the same area, Söder, next to the church with the same name, Gustav Adolf Church. As I understood, the products here are cheaper than other places around the city, but in the same time you have to check them for the quality.

There are two main churches in Helsingborg: Gustav Adolf Church, in Söder, and Sankta Maria Church, in centrum of the city; churches that can be visited as well.

In Helsingborg lived Linda Nilsson. At Bruksgatan 5, in the central Helsingborg, lived Hida Nilsson, one of the famous angel makers in Sweden. She is believed to have killed eight babies before she was sentenced to death. The babies were given to her, by the mothers who got pregnant outside their marriages or before the marriage, in an era when this kind of behavior was harshly condemned (http://www.algonet.se/~hogman/angel_maker.htm).

Tura! Helsingborg is the closest Swedish point to Denmark. From here are only 20 minutes ride by ferry to the Danish city of Helsingør. Now, as it was told to us, Swedes have a funny tradition and enjoy taking the ferry between these two cities! Until here nothing funny or unusual; the funny thing is that they don’t get off on the Danish coast, but ride the ferry back to Sweden, and then again to Denmark, and so on!!!! This is because they use to enjoy the time on the ferry together with friends, drinking and eating, and only when they are full, they decide to get off the ferry, most likely in the Swedish port. This is because the drinks are cheaper on the ferry than in any of these cities. This kind of trip has even a name, which is Tura! So, whenever you are invited to a tura, you know what to expect.

Kärnan Tower, is the high tower oversees the city from its top. It is a symbol of the city, representing and lasting from the old times when it was used in defending Helsingborg from the enemies’ assaults, especial during the war with Denmark.

Kullagatan Street. It is the oldest shopping street in Sweden. Although not a very long street, it is very crowded with people looking to explore the multitude of shops. The street looks very nice especially due to the many flags hang up.

Fika! Not the last, I found out which is the most loved social activity in Helsingborg, and generally in Sweden; it’s called Fika, and it defines the moments when people use to sip a coffee and have a cinnamon cookie, but it also require that those having these two things engage in friendly discussions to each other.

These are the first things I learned during my first time exploring Helsingborg guided by the representative from Lund University. However, there remains many aspects to be discovered. For instance, just walking around the city –this time alone- I enjoyed a lot the view, from instance the one of the harbor, the city hall building, again the superb view given by the top of Kärnan Tower, the Dunker Culture House ( museum and art center designed by Kim Utzon, the son of Jørn Utzon, who designed Sydney Opera House) and Sofiero Castle and gardens (this place is a bit outside the city –only 5km away- but it worth any effort made to visit it. It is like a corner of heaven on earth: green, quiet, a lot of flowers, restaurant, forest, a lot of different plants which would make jealous almost any botanical garden etc.).

Sofiero Castle!

Helsingborg’s City Hall!

The entrance in Helsingborg’s harbor!

As a consequence I believe that Helsingborg has a lot of resources to make worth it a city break. I would live there more than that and for sure some of the sights will become no longer of interests, but I can already foresee that the overall beauty of the city will not stop delight and attract me.

PS. If possible, don’t miss this weekend in Helsingborg, ’cause this is when it takeS place Helsingborg’s Festival, and I heard it’s a pretty cool time to be there.

Lunchtime on the Peblinge Lake!

Summer is about to be over, at least in the northern part of Europe. Yet there might be few more days with very beautiful and warm days, when any of us would like to spend the day somewhere out, chilling next to a drink and enjoying a nice view.

Thus for all of those belonging to this category of people, I might have a suggestion, at least for those living or visiting Copenhagen. My suggestion is to go and spend some quality time at Kaffesalonen (http://www.kaffesalonen.com/), on the Peblinge Lake (Peblinge Sø).

I was there myself on the beautiful Saturday that has just past, and I had a great time. The interest in this place had been built up by my brain some long time ago. It is so because it, my brain, linked the excellent position – on the lake – of the cafe, with my interest in exploring new places and enjoying a day next to the water…and this link was made all the time I travelled by bus around that place. So, at a moment when all the Danish media was talking about the great weather from this last weekend and about the best and sunniest August in the last 11 years (http://www.dmi.dk/nyheder/arkiv/nyheder-2015/08/dejlig-varm-august-maaned/), I couldn’t remain cold to it, and I decided to go out and enjoy the day at this particular place from my must-do list, Kaffesalonen. With no reservation, but with my girlfriend and two more friends, we hit the road together towards this cafe.

Kaffesalonen is centrally located, some 10 minute walk from Nørreport Station, in Nørrebro’s direction. Then, just after passing Queen Louise Bridge, which is the most crowded bicycle bridge in the whole world (https://designtoimprovelife.dk/busybikecph/), we turned left (the cafe can be easily seen from the bridge) and there we are, ready to meet one of my interest summer spots in Copenhagen.

Kaffesalonen – on the left side of the lake!

Without being welcomed or anything like that we walked alone around the place, looking for a spot to satisfy everyone of us: chairs, tables, standing, sitting etc. In the end, we decided to seat in the area that looks like it was designed for picnic.

There we had the menus as well; menus that I would say offers a quite good diversity of drinks and food.  After a thoroughly check of them, we decided to order; but for this we had to go the bar.

The bar!

India Pale Ale Beer!!!

At the bar we thought we could order both food and drinks, but we were wrong: only the drinks could be ordered at the bar, for the food it is necessary to cross the street and go to the cemented location of Kaffesalonen, and place the order there. However, we ordered the drinks and with them went to order the food.

On the way there I unpleasantly discovered that my beloved ice coffee was actually ice-cream coffee, a totally other think that, despite its desired refreshing effect, it is very sweet and it has nothing to do with the ice coffee I know, like and want: coffee and ice, dot. Disappointed to have been paid 45 kr for a drink I didn’t want, I was looking for a better experience from the food. Like I said, the cafe is just over the street, and it looks like many other coffee shops in Copenhagen: that Danish style, with simple arrangements, bare walls and, in this case, grey walls although they were designed for sure to be white. When at the desk, I had another disappointment: the waitress told me that even for my Caesar salad, the average waiting time was of about 40 minutes!!!! I was blank for a second, then I started joking and in the end I still ordered the salad, paying 119 kr, knowing that we would be there for at least one more hour; but still 40 minutes!!!!

My Caesar salad

These chain of events were the most challenging facts of that afternoon, because once we return to our fancy spot we started talking and having a great time while enjoying the hot rays of the sun. The place is magnificent! Imagine only: you are in the middle of the city but in the same time you can lie down, even strip, and enjoy the sun next to the lake! It was all I needed. In the end, I received the salad too. It was very good, but the memories of those 40 minutes made it taste less delicious that it actually was.

We spent there about three amazing hours, and then we had to go with the thought that we have to return there again, maybe next year.

As a last line, I don’t specifically recommend Kaffesalonen, but I recommend its position and its great asset…the seating on the lake.