Strolling Through Hyde Park, London - Photolog

I've been in London for two weeks and it appears that summer is already over. It's been grey, cloudy, rainy and everyone's telling me I should just get used to it. 

So when I woke up on Saturday and it was sunny I escaped from my hostel and headed straight to Hyde Park for a power walk. 

Beautiful white swans swimming in Serpentine

Serpentine Bridge

Italian Gardens

A nest in one of the ponds. There were four little baby birds nestling up against each other whilst their parents guarded them protectively. Awww...!  

How I fell in love with Santorini

Santorini is one of the world’s best known Greek Islands. Before visiting Santorini I was slightly apprehensive that it was going to be a honeymooners destination, touristy, expensive and crowded. I was also under the impression that the only way to travel around the island was by sitting on a donkey!

Santorini charmed me with its imposing cliff tops, stunning scenery and friendly locals. I slowly began to fall hard and fast for Santorini. I was so enamoured that I even broke my travel itinerary to stay an extra night there!

Six Santorini Must Do Activities


  1. Hike around the volcano

1.

The island of Santorini was formed by a volcanic eruption. A caldera was created and the volcano itself has been inactive since the 1950s. Having never hiked around a volcano before I was expecting to see molten lava in the crater! My naivete was soon dispelled when all I could see were black rocks. These ‘hot rocks’ in the crater reach temperatures of 40-80 degrees Celsius.

Our cheerful guide led our tour group of 40 in a work appropriate uniform comprised of a yellow bikini top, denim shorts and hiking boots. We nicknamed her ‘Volcano Barbie’!

The hike to the volcano takes about 40 minutes, make sure you wear closed shoes as the rocks can be unstable.

2.     2. Watch the sunset 

I blogged about this in an earlier post, but it is a must do. Most cynics say that you see the sunset everyday, truth be told you don’t see it in Santorini every day!

I was on a cruise around the caldera bay on one evening to watch the sunset. It was a less crowded viewpoint in comparison to being in Oia where masses congregate for sunset. 

3.     3. Clamber over rocks on Red Beach

Red beach is a rocky beach so don’t expect to walk on red sand. A 1.30 Euro busride takes you to the outskirts of the beach and from there it’s a ten minute walk. The beach is framed by huge red cliffs and it’s a short hike to get down there. Once I navigated my way to the water in my thongs (flip flops) I didn’t really want to take them off ! The pebbles are very slippery so I’d recommend wearing reef shoes in the water and taking a beach mat if you’re not hiring a sun lounge.

4.    4.  Sip Iced Coffee at Kastro Café by day

Greek iced coffee is always beautifully presented in layers of milk and coffee. It’s a great pick me up on a sweltering summer’s day. Kastro Café has three levels with fantastic views down to the old port and over the caldera.

5.    5.  Drink a cocktail at Tango Bar at night

In the evening, the lights of the town cast reflections on the water. It’s a peaceful view and on one particular night a ghostly pirate ship was docked in the harbour.

Tango Bar has reasonably priced cocktails for 10 Euro and comfy lounges for you to recline on and gaze over the water.

6.     6. Party at Murphy's

“If you want to get crazy, go to Murphy's!” Our rather enthusiastic waitress at dinner advised us when my travel buddy and I asked for directions to a bar. I think our Aussie accents were suggestive that we were looking to get crazy. Murphy's is a typical Irish tourist bar with all the important facets – cute bartenders and great music. The DJ was playing RnB hits all night and the dance floor was absolutely packed.

It’s rather hot and steamy inside so once you’ve had you’ve danced your heart out the only way to end a great night in Santorini is by eating a gyros. Somehow it seems nicer than ending a night out with a ‘kebab’ which is what usually happens back in Australia...  

Best Budget Hotel:

I can’t recommend the family-run Hotel Antonia highly enough. It’s in a great location being only a five minute walk into the heart of Fira town, yet it's quiet enough for a good night’s sleep. The owner was very accommodating and provided a free transfer to the new port when we left. Also very importantly, it has super fast free wifi.

Wanderlust Wednesday - Dubrovnik, Croatia

You can't visit Dubrovnik and not complete the walk around the city's walls. Dubrovnik's walls are a UNESCO world heritage site and were constructed in the 14th to 15th centuries to defend the city.

The walk takes under two hours, depending on your climbing pace, and offers stunning views across the terracotta rooftops of the city and over the bay. During the climb you also get glimpses into Croatian life by peeking down into the backyards of locals.

The Sleeping Dogs of Europe - A Photolog

In Europe dogs seem to be everywhere. Seen as a natural part of one's family, they follow their owner's to work, go shopping and some of the lucky ones even go on holiday! Stray dogs don't have the most luxurious life, however those that live in Pompeii are well looked after. I captured some of the cutest dogs, and a cat, having afternoon siestas during my recent European adventure.

A Golden Retriever rests his head in Paros Island, Greece.

Two dogs sleeping on the street in Piraeus, Athens.

This dog is sleeping amongst the ancient ruins of Pompeii. 

Contemplating life and a snooze in Makarska, Croatia.

Ok, I'm not a cat person. However this cat looked so incredibly relaxed on a couch outside a cafe in Santorini that I just had to snap a photo. 

All photos were taken on my iPhone.

Six Pieces of Paris – For Second Time Visitors

Dear Paris, I confess that I’ve always been in love with you. Your six level high buildings with ornate balconies are so charming, your bistro food is divine and the pastries you offer are delectable. I adore saying ‘bonjour’ to strangers and attempting bad French. It’s fun, non?

Depending on who you’re travelling with, a second timers visit to Paris often ends up being a mix of seeing tourist spots you originally missed and discovering new places.

This time around I stayed in the Latin Quarter for four days, managing to carve out a slice of Paris that truly felt like my own.

1.     1. Climb the steps to Sacre Coeur

This church is beautiful but perhaps it’s more well known for the views outside. The uphill climb is worth the absolutely stunning 360 degree view of the city. Be careful of hawkers on the way up though.

2.     2. Eat Macarons

Macarons taste better in Paris. My Parisian goal was to eat at least one macaron or “sweet burger” every day. Pistachio. Caramel. Strawberry. On one day I think I ate three mini macarons, it was a very good day…

3.     3. Visit Shakespeare & Co

Messages on the wall from visitors

At this English bookstore I overheard an American lad ask, ‘why is this bookstore so famous?’ It’s  independent, charming, rustic, old and has been in movies like After Sunset. You can purchase second hand books and I bough Dreams from the Endz by Faiza Guene for 5 Euro.

4.     4. Do a jump shot in front of the Eiffel Tower

This is devastatingly touristy. But doing a perfect jump shot requires precision and a camera that has a 'jump shot' function... I actually lost my first time visit to Paris photos so an Eiffel Tower photo was a must for my scrapbook/blog.

5.     5. Pretend to be a local on Rue Mouffetard

This delightful street is what you imagine ‘suburban’ Paris to be like. It’s filled with fromageries, boulangers, wine shops and restaurants. Cute fashion boutiques also appear in between as well as the delightgul Gelati d'Alberto where you sample the best gelato in Paris. My friend Kassie and I also learnt the hard way that chantilly means cream not ‘ice-cream shaped like a flower’.

6.     6. Shop hard on Avenue du Montaigne

This street is all class. High end designers line the avenue. Make sure you have your credit card on you before visiting any of these stores! Note that this Dior bag isn't mine...unfortunately!

I highly recommend staying at the Hotel Maxim in Latin Quarter. It’s not exorbitantly priced and is in a great location right by Censier Daubenton metro station. It has lots of affordable bistros nearby and a supermarket just around the corner. It actually felt like my home in Paris!

NB. Sorry for the delay in posts, I'm now in London so posts will return to a more regular schedule.

Wanderlust Wednesday - Cannes, France

Being in the French Riveria in high season makes you want to be a billionaire. The bay is crowded with luxury yachts. Sports cars speed down the promenade. Along the beach front are five star hotels and designer boutiques. The original Chanel store at shop number five on the main boulevard apparently inspired the name of the Chanel no. 5 perfume.

If you're like me and prefer not to pay for the beach, the public section offers you a priceless dip in the sea for free.