Travel the World - A few most beautiful bookshops

Book Vibes Only. If you like to travel and if you like reading, check out what comes now. Books are like friends. I find non-readers highly suspicious. Why would one want to miss out on all these stories?

Speciality Coffee - From Bean to Cup in Colombia

Imagine David Bowie would have written songs and only his family were allowed to hear them. That would have been absurd. Why am I saying this? Easy. Over the years I grew accustomed to drinking extraordinary excellent coffee in Melbourne, the capital of Victoria in Australia. My love affair with speciality coffee started in 2006 and ever since I have been a coffee snob. There is (sort of) no such thing as bad coffee in Melbourne and I always search for that same high quality. The moment I find good coffee is as if the sun comes through on a rainy day.

At first, I didn’t get what the fuss with speciality (aka third-wave) coffee was all about, but the passion and dedication of Melbourne's baristas and coffee roasters at independent coffee shops had a huge impact on me as a customer and coffee drinker. The coffee scene in Australia started to develop as soon as Italian and Greek immigrants arrived and brought with them their coffee culture. Slowly, over the years I learned more and more about speciality coffee and started to understand where and under what conditions farmers grow the beans we drink daily in form of coffee.

The Speciality Coffee Scene

If you have been to speciality coffee shops you will have noticed that some shops have a little bit of an attitude. It can feel very elitist. I’m not saying this is the case everywhere but I can think of quite a few coffee shops who could work on their hospitality skills to make the experience nicer for everybody. Not sure why that is, I only know that it is certainly wrong to make others feel inadequate or not good enough to drink coffee. In Melbourne, for example, great quality coffee is enjoyed by everybody, no matter where you are from or whether you are 21 or 90. The majority of Melburnians expect great quality coffee and it gets delivered without an attitude. It is telling that the coffee chain Starbucks accumulated losses in Australia and closed shops. In Melbourne people preferably buy their coffee from independent shops who offer decent customer service and great quality coffee. And to be honest, no one needs weak coffee with artificial spices or colouration added.

Travel Colombia. What not to do in Cartagena

Thanks to the internet we now live in a world where the harsh criticising of others is widely accepted. Users on social media spread false rumours about places and people, and they do this well knowing that they might destroy their victim’s reputation, livelihood or career. It seems to be an enjoyable pastime for many. People who believe to know and understand everything explain others the world we live in. Unfiltered, and they love to do this anonymously. The foolish person's revenge is to give false and negative reviews online. Will we ever find out where all this hate comes from?

Travel and Feel the Vibe. Street Art explains places

Imagine a life full of blue or red balloons, dogs that wear golden crowns, flying hearts, little black men in street signs, sunglasses-wearing elephants, cheeky video game characters, cherubs who carry devil horns... When travelling to a location, one wants to see the hotspots – the Tour Eiffel in Paris, the Colosseum in Rome, the Tower of London, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and the list goes on. But what about all the street art that is out there? Some call it vandalism. Vandalism according to the Oxford dictionary is: Action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property. When I travel I hunt for street art and I see it as art. Next time when you see street art as vandalism, think again. Please, it tells you so much about a place. 

Travel Colombia. Cartagena de Indias Street Art Collection

Street Art creates the opportunity to be suddenly able to hear other people's thoughts. In a way, or is this too dramatic? Most of the street art in Cartagena tells about the history of the town, about indigenous people and about how Spain colonized Cartagena; the situation of Afro-Colombians, the local culture in general and lots of big and small messages about gentrification. You will also find pieces that tell about love, the happy as well as the unfulfilled. 

 

Travel Colombia. The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Cartagena

The Andes, the street art in the capital city of Bogota and picking red coffee cherries are the reasons that brought me to Colombia. A friend reasoned that if I visit Colombia, I have to see Cartagena too. Glad I followed his sage advice. A holiday in Cartagena conjures up images of colourful and picturesque streets. Cartagena is a dream come true for fans of city trips and the Caribbean lifestyle. When travelling to Colombia at least one week in Cartagena is a must. My friend said three days would do it and I'm glad I didn't believe a word. I found that the best way to explore Cartagena, a UNESCO world heritage site, is to get lost while walking her pretty streets. 

Travel Colombia. Where to Eat Vegetarian in Style in Cartagena de Indias

The country in Northern South America has a coastline of 3,200 kilometres and Cartagena, with its tropical climate, faces the Caribbean Sea between Panama and Venezuela. The town founded in 1533, is named after Cartagena in Spain by Spanish conquerors. The walled city, Ciudad Amurallada in Spanish, since 1984 Unesco World Heritage Site, with its colonial houses and their colourful entrance doors that are often framed by bougainvillea, hibiscus or oleander is a come alive wonderland.

At times humidity can be as high as 97%, simply drink vast amounts of ice cold Limonada de Coco (it is blended coconut, lime juice, sugar and ice) to live through it. I got a map of the old town and walked literally every single street. The smell of jasmine wafts through the air, fruit- and handicraft sellers coexist with lots of coffee shops and stylish restaurants. I found the most amazing ones of the latter along the way, there are more than 600 of them in this town.

This town is surely one of the most exciting foodie destinations right now; try food-creations that are a fusion of indigenous, Spanish and African flavours. Restaurants offer high quality dining which is value for money. What is the point of eating out, if you won’t get the most amazing experience?

The look of restaurants is just as important as the food. Restaurants, often on Cartagena’s main streets, feel hidden and tucked away; the ambience in town is simply magical. All restaurants I recommend understand how to mirror their cooking skills in the design of their dining rooms (or probably vice versa). You will find many decorating ideas to steal.

Read on to find out where to eat vegetarian in style in Cartagena.