Category Archives: travel

loo brush backlash!

23 Tuesday Jul 2019

Posted by in culture, humour, instagram, sevilla, spain, tourism, travel

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Soooooo… have been working on a blog post about tourism in Sevilla. Well, it applies pretty much everywhere I’m sure. Just putting some thoughts together about the effect of mass tourism on travel destinations, and also about how places are so often marketed in a misleading way. One of those horrid catchphrases that I’m sure you’ve all heard by now is LIVE LIKE A LOCAL.

To wit I’ve been capturing some photos of how I – a local – actually live in Sevilla. This was one of them. Funny, right? Well, apparently not. I got some serious verbal backlash when I posted this on Instagram a few days ago with #livinglikealocal and #livelikealocal hashtags. This was followed by a dozen or so “unfollows”. And I had been SO CLOSE to reaching 5000 followers  😉

I would have quoted the Divine Ms M – FUCK ‘EM IF THEY CAN’T TAKE A JOKE – but I’m sure that would have just got me into more trouble. Anyhoodle… will let you know when I finish.  🙂

special delivery!

17 Wednesday Jul 2019

Posted by in getaways, travel, wine

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Look what just arrived! When the folks at Bodegas Cruceiro offered me and @GuitianMayer a gift pack of their wines, and then found out l was travelling with carry on, they said no problem, they would send them to me in Sevilla. And here they are. You may recall that Bodegas Cruceiro was one of my two favourite bodega visits during my trip, and in part this is why. They are just such lovely and generous people.

It wasn’t like we were expecting any freebies from any of the bodegas, but you know, while I spend the next couple of weeks going through my notes and writing my article… having a chilled glass of Casa Noguedo at my side… well, that can only bring back fond memories.  😉

Thank you so much Puri & Ramón! Hope to see you again.

galicia getaway 2019 | day 4 – santiago

16 Tuesday Jul 2019

Posted by in getaways, hotels, spain, travel

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When I arrived at Hotel Rústico San Jaime at midnight the night before, a clearly exhausted chef Miguel González asked me when I wanted breakfast in the morning. I said… 9.00? He said… 10.00? And it was a good thing we decided on the later option because I didn’t actually wake up until almost 9.30… it had been a couple of very intense days. I had also asked Jorge to tell Miguel that I eat very little at breakfast, so just some coffee and toast would be fine. Well, check out what was waiting for me when I came downstairs to the dining room!!!

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galicia getaway 2019 | day 3 – ribeira sacra & ribeiro

15 Monday Jul 2019

Posted by in getaways, restaurants, travel

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Thankfully our day started out not quite so early as the previous one, and the weather was overcast and slightly cooler, with the chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon. The plan was drive through Ribeira Sacra, which was to be the focus of my article, visiting four bodegas in both that region and nearby Ribeiro.

First stop was family run Bodegas Cruzeiros, founded more than 20 years ago by Ramón Marcos. We were greeted by Ramón and Puri and shown the new installation – the winery has recently been moved to larger premises next door to the original. As with most producers in Galicia, their vineyards are various small plots of land scattered throughout the area, and they decided to show us Ramón’s favourite one, 400 metres up and on a 70º slope. You can see them standing at the bottom of the slope in the photo above. Then we were taken back to the winery for a tasting – I am in love with their Casa Noguedo blanco. They are still new to enotourism but have very generous hearts and are looking forward to welcoming visitors soon. This was the other of my two favourite visits.

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galicia getaway 2019 | day 2 – rías baixas

13 Saturday Jul 2019

Posted by in getaways, spain, travel

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Up early to visit wineries in Rías Baixas, about an hour’s drive from Santiago. Jorge & Anna @guitianmayer had organised a very full day for us, with the first of our FIVE winery visits at 9.30. I was excited because everyone wants to go to Rías Baixas when they visit Galicia, though apparently summer is full-on touristy. Luckily we had private tours booked at the bodegas and missed most of the crowds.

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