Hawaii, Big Island

Enjoying the Hawaiian sun by the pool of our great Waikiki hotel surrounded by skyscrapers and listening to the waves of the Pacific ocean was a great way to start off our trip to Hawaii but the best part began when we headed off to the Big Island, officially called Hawai'i. 

Hilo

The Big Island is the island for someone who enjoys hiking and the wonders of nature such as volcanoes, mountains, flora and fauna all on one island. There are beaches, shopping centers, bars and restaurants but it all really does come down to the nature of the island. There are 8 (out of 13) climate zones from tundra to desert on the island and they’re all accessible in one day! Our base was Hilo which is a small town on the east side of the island. We chose Hilo mainly because it’s very peaceful and located in between the jungle in the north/northeast, and rain forest and Volcano in south making it an easy driving distance to both.

Rainbow Falls near Hilo, Hawai'i

We arrived to Hilo on the 25th of December, the Christmas Day! It was a very quiet day. We hardly saw any people, most restaurants were closed and we only saw a handful of cars driving around. The tourist masses were at the bigger resorts, mainly situated on the west side of the island in Kona. To move around the island you’ll need to rent a car which is made easy and simple but be aware that it can get busy at the rental counters even if you’ve booked in advance as pretty much everyone needs to rent a car there.

On the road..

First thing to do as soon as you’re sitting in the car is to turn on the radio to start listening to volcano announcements which, to us, sounded very exotic! As the lava flow was somewhat near a busy road during the time we were there we heard frequent warnings about the areas that might be affected. Luckily the flow got slower day by day eventually stopping without harming people or business.

No shopping in Hilo on Christmas day

Hilo is a small town with approximately 40 000 inhabitants. The town has suffered some serious damage in three tsunami’s since 1940’s. If you’re in the area around Christmas you should book a table at the famous Christmas buffet at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. The food was extraordinary (except maybe the desserts) and the place was packed with locals! What a great experience! 

Kamehameha The Great

Unfortunately we didn’t get to try any of the other local restaurants as many places were closed during our visit. We only stayed three nights in Hilo and were constantly on the move.

Snack in Shoppe

Mr. Ed's Bakery & Akaka Falls State Park

Akaka Falls state park is definitely worth a visit. You'll see a series of smaller water falls as well as the Akaka itself. Walking through the park you'll see beautiful nature with some very unique plants and flowers.

Mr. Ed's Bakery near Akaka Falls

Mr. Ed’s Bakery is another great place to visit on your way to Akaka Falls. Mr. Ed is a retired geography teacher who is famous for his natural preserves. We bought Lilikoi (passion fruit) butter, Lime butter and jalapeno mustard which were all ridiculously delicious. I wish we had bought more! The baked produce were also absolutely tasty so make sure to stop by! 

Akaka Falls

Whale Watching

We have been trying to see whales all over the world yet have been awfully unsuccessful. Our luck turned on Hawaii and we finally got to see these amazing creatures in the Pacific ocean.

Successful whale spotting

Dream come true!

Lava fields & luxury hotels 

After a fantastic and very successful whale watching trip we were taken back to The Shops at Mauna Lani, an open air shopping center, we picked up a delicious sushi lunch from one of the shops and headed to one of the beaches at Kiholo Bay. This is where it gets pretty incredibly awesome: we followed a path leading to the beach while a group of wild goats were enjoying their lunch. We took a refreshing dip in the sea and ended up laying on the beautiful black sand, eating the fantastic lunch (wraps and sushi) while watching whales jumping in the ocean not far from the shore. It was one of the best moments ever!

Volcanoes and lava tubes

Collapsed lava tube

Driving south from Waikoloa, following the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway (19) you can also check out the enormous collapsed lava tubes.

Driving up Kauna Kea

In the evening, about an hour or a little more before the sunset we started our journey to the Mauna Kea summit, 4,207 m. Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano with magnificent views! It took us little longer than expected as we had to stop every now and then to admire the view. Make sure you are on time, the sunset is definitely worth spending some extra time on the mountain. Right after the sunset, people start lining up for the telescopes. You also have a viewing of a short documentary explaining the history of Mauna Kea as well as some background on the telescopes and there’s a small café which is great because if you are not prepared you will probably want to buy a cup of hot tea to warm you up! Pretty soon after the telescopes are put away also the crowd disappear and you’re left there with a handful of photographers and star gazers.

Photo of people taking photos

On top!

Volcano village & Volcanoes National Park

There are many hiking trails for hikers of all levels (even accessible routes) on the Big Island. You can spend weeks exploring the waterfalls, valleys and beaches. We mainly concentrated on hiking around Volcano (the village) as well as Volcanoes National Park. The national park is very popular and you will see a lot of people on pretty much any trail you take. For longer trails on which you need to stay the night it is mandatory to register at the park’s ranger. Make sure you do this on time as they aren’t always at the office. Registration is very important as things can take a dangerous turn fast and you might need to be saved from whatever the situation is; you’re on an active volcano, after all.

Inside a lava tube

Hot and steamy lava field

...and it's active!

Even though Volcano looks small and remote, you have plenty of accommodation options from luxury B&B villas to treehouse cottages. We were lucky to find a fantastic B&B that made our stay perfect with heated bed and beautiful location right smack in the middle of the rainforest. Two days in Volcano was ok but I really wish we had a day or two more because of the fantastic hiking grounds. Also, make sure you visit the Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center for information, maps and advice. There are also a couple of restaurants in Volcano, the best of which are Kilauea Lodge & Restaurant (slightly fancier, reservation required) and Lava Rock Café.

Our fantastic B&B

In the future we are hoping to hike all the way up to Mauna Loa. On this trip we only drove up to an undefined elevation which was high enough to turn on the heating in the car and wear a jacket. For a proper hike you should have proper (thermo) gear as the temperature drops below 0 celcius in the evenings and sometimes you even have snow on top of the volcano.

Skopje, FYR Macedonia

Destination: Skopje, FYR Macedonia
Time of travel: August 2014
Duration: 10 days in total
Travel plan: Thessaloniki, Greece - Skopje, FYR Macedonia - Prizren, Kosovo - Sofia, Bulgaria - Skopje - Thessaloniki.

Stone Bridge and Archeological Museum of Macedonia

Some time ago I wrote about our epic taxi ride from FYR Macedonia all the way down to Thessaloniki, if you haven't read it yet, click on the link and read it now. This time let’s go all the way back to take a look at the time we spent in Macedonia itself. We did a multi-destination trip starting from Thessaloniki as there were no direct, reasonably priced flights to Skopje.  From Thessaloniki we took a bus to Skopje as our initial plan to rent a car fell through – turned out the Greek car rental companies don’t allow you to drive to many of the neighboring countries! The bus ride was easy and comfortable so it doesn’t really make much difference. From Macedonia, you can rent a car and drive to pretty much any country you wish (with some exceptions, i.e Albania)!

Blend in and explore!

Get lost in the old part of the city

We had no idea what to expect. The pictures we saw looked peculiar and didn’t seem to make much sense. Huge monumental white pillar buildings next to Ottoman style wood plank houses surrounded by soviet style apartment complexes? It quickly started to make sense when we walked through the beautiful yet small city center of Skopje. Our most favorite part of the city was the Ottoman part where you really get a sense of history and authenticity all around while eating some of the fantastic food! 

Sunset over Skopje

Like all over the Balkans, you get a great sense of east and west colliding which makes your experience that much deeper. It’s quite fascinating to walk in the Ottoman part of Skopje dining at the tiny eateries with the locals and then walk across the bridge to more modern part of the city to have a Mojito by the river. If you want to go local, try white wine with ice and a squeeze of lemon juice!

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The Warrior on a Horse, aka Alexander the Great statue

Skopje is compact and very pleasant to explore. It’s small so a couple of days is more than enough to see the sights and do some shopping. Make sure to take a trip outside the city to one of the smaller towns in FYR Macedonia or further away to the neighboring countries such as Serbia, Kosovo, Albania or Bulgaria. You can easily make a day trip to the south of Serbia or Kosovo and drive back to Skopje for the night. FYR Macedonia is a very affordable destination in accommodation, car rental as well as food. Leave space in your suitcase as you will most likely be able to make some great finds in Skopje, especially if you are into wine and shoes. Macedonia is also a safe destination and many locals speak English, Russian or German. You'll meet lots of authentic, warm people and many religions living side-by-side which makes it an easy and a friendly place to visit. 

Pillars, pillars everywhere!

The Macedonian roads were not in the best shape but they're not the worst either. Also traffic was most sensible in the region and no one attempted to kill us in one of those crazy overtaking frenzies. Make sure to reserve some time to enjoy the scenery!

Skopje Aqueduct

Bulgaria ahead!

Recommendations:

Buy spices such as paprika and chili powder from the Zegin Bit Pazar (local outdoor market). They are authentic and natural – and incredibly high quality and delicious! At the market you can also try locals hams, cheeses and vegetables. The vendors are very friendly and generous!

Eat local dishes such as kebapi, shopska salad or one of the ridiculously delicious meat pies. The food is very similar to the neighboring countries, so if you love the balkan food, you'll surely love Macedonian food also!

Walk along the ancient city walls and explore the old fortress (6th century) and get lost in the old town!

Most Perfect Weekend in Brussels - eat your way through the city!

We often find ourselves walking the beautiful streets of Brussels and keep on going back time after time for a quick, easy and also a romantic weekend getaway. These are two of our favourite walks to enjoy in good company and great food!

It cannot get more delicious than this - Belgian waffle with Nutella and strawberries!

Saturday

We love to stay at The Augustin. The hotel has quite a remarkable staff, comfortable rooms, delicious breakfast and a great location. It's a small boutique hotel with lots of class. They managed to impress us so much that I doubt we'll be staying anywhere else in Brussels anytime soon. Their service level is incredibly high and they respect their customers. That's why we go back and are happy to spread the word!

Have a glass of wine at Le Cercle Des Voyageurs. They also serve some nice food, the menu is a mix of different continents which makes it quite fun! The food is good and service fast & friendly.

Le Cercle Des Voyageurs is located a couple of minutes from the Grand Place on Rue des Grands Carmes, 18.

Perfect spot to write some cards to send to the family

You might be tempted to skip the crowds of  Rue de l'Etuve but don't! This is the street corner where you'll find Manneken Pis but more importantly (for your stomach) there's also several waffle stands side-by-side. We definitely recommend the Caramel et Chocolat, it's a black framed small shop selling chocolates and waffles. It's not as crowded as the rest of the stands in this corner but don't be fooled. The waffles taste absolutely delicious and the service comes with a smile which isn't the case with some of the more popular stands in the area.

Take a walk across the city center / Grand Place to the direction of Mont Des Arts to enjoy a beautiful view over the city and pop in to one of the art galleries, shops and museums in the area. Brussels is a great shopping destination for just about anything. There's also a fantastic selection of museums, all pretty much near to one another. You can find Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Musical Instruments Museum, Coudenberg Museum or the Royal Palace, to mention a few.

True Brussels

Museum of Natural Sciences is slightly further, in between Mont Des Arts and a wonderful restaurant, Au Cor de Chasse. Great places to combine by first visiting the museum and then continue to have a lovely dinner at Au Cor de Chasse.

Au Cor de Chasse is located in Avenue des Casernes 21.

The changing menu

All reserved!

Although a little further from the city center, Au Cor de Chasse is a restaurant we keep returning to. It's managed by a Portuguese & Brazilian couple who prepare their favorite dishes in their tiny neighborhood restaurant. Without a printed menu, you'll be getting some of their most successful dishes that are written down on a board. The owner will introduce the menu and explain every dish personally. The restaurant is tiny, only has 5 tables so be sure to make a reservation. After dinner you can either take a walk back (about an hour long) or ask the restaurant to call you a taxi (15 min, 15-18€ from the restaurant to hotel The Augustin).

Sunday

Brussels is such a wonderland for someone with a sweet tooth and love towards everything beautiful! A Sunday walk at Grand Sablon is a must! Drop by Godiva to buy some white chocolate covered strawberries, continue to Pierre Marcolini for a box of incredible macarons and pop in to Ladurée for a glass of champagne and a pastry.

Continue walking further up to Square du Petit Sablon to view the beautiful statues of different historical professions and continue walking towards the Royal Palace and the Brussels Park. 

After enjoying the Royal Quarter, walk down towards the Mont des Arts - because it's worth visiting over and over again!

The Royal Palace, Brussels

A Tale of a Restaurant Visit That Turned From a Regular Saturday Night Dinner to a Movie-Scene-Like Adventure (cute dogs and car racing included!)

Once upon a time there was a little restaurant in a country not so far away. The restaurant was surrounded by hills with medieval castles and thick, dark forest in a small town famous for its picturesque landscape. Despite of being popular among mountain climbers the town is not often visited by hordes of tourists but does get it 's share of visitors from the neighboring areas. With mainly one spoken language, visitors often need to use sign language and use their creativity to communicate with the locals. Friendliness is often the second language people tend to go by in this little town by the country border.

The village with brown roofs

In the centre of the town there is a building made of beige limestone. It looks just like any other building in the village, hiding it's treasures behind the windows with red window frames and blue linen curtains. There is a sign nearby, not particularly inviting, pointing to the restaurant and tavern. A few steps lead you to the terrace and further ahead inside the building.

Image source: http://restina.net/nl/belgium/leffe/restaurant-cafe/le-confessionnal/486691874782186#1

A deep red door leads you to the cozy dining room with checkered table cloths, candles and flowers on the table. There is art on the walls, newspaper articles, drawings and such. It's usually packed with locals and some tourists sitting in one of the three dining rooms or the lovely terrace if it's a nice day. The owners often drop by from the kitchen to say hello to new diners and check up on all of the guests while preparing the food and taking care of the restaurant. They are a lovely local couple who work there by the two of them since what to us looks like a forever. They share the work taking parts in kitchen and the dining room, having mutual understanding and sharing responsibilities without even saying too many words, It's comes naturally, as if they've always done it.

Image source: http://restina.net/nl/belgium/leffe/restaurant-cafe/le-confessionnal/486691874782186#1

There's also someone else in the restaurant that everybody knows - and loves. It's the family dog who behaves better than most people even and doesn't pay much attention to the diners - yet won't decline a pad or two, if you really insist!

The cutest dog!

There is no set menu in the restaurant and foods do run out sometimes! The restaurant gets its ingredients from the nearby producers thus it's never a problem to get fresh produce to make up for what ran out. They will explain every dish in detail and even give you a taste if you find it hard to decide or don't know what something is! The restaurant has the most exotic dishes, well at least for the city folks! They are not afraid to cook the most authentic local dishes and they prepare them with great tradition and skill.

Normally the days go by in the same peaceful pace. There are locals visiting but every time also people from out of town or even far away countries. Some get a drink, some have a full meal but all leave with an full stomach and a smile. Sometimes there's more behind the smile though, sometimes it will hide fun memories for years to come.

Delicious, home-made starter

We were enjoying our meal from the first sparkling wines to starters, mains and all the way to desserts. The wines were superb and service the warmest. However, every day comes to an end eventually and so do the dinners. When we were happily full of the delicious food and it was time to pay we found out that no card payment was possible! As we arrived in a slight hurry we didn't have a dime in our wallets! What to do, where to go? How to ask for an ATM when we don't have a common language besides the drinks vocabulary covering cremant and vin rouge? Many smiles and signs were shared and the lady of the restaurant took Tony by his hand and off they went!

She opened the wooden garage door where the old, blue and lovely Citroen stood in all it's old days' charm! The lady took the drivers seat, of course, and rushed through the town, driving a good 10 minutes to the ATM. The Citroen was caughing a little and you could tell it wasn't born yesterday but it did it's job well.

I really cannot believe we were able to find this photo online! The car and the restaurant in the same picture looks like it was made for a blog post! :)

Image source: http://restina.net/nl/belgium/leffe/restaurant-cafe/le-confessionnal/486691874782186#1

Meanwhile I sat in the restaurant, sipping my (complimentary, I must mention) glass of bubbles and talking sign language with the gentleman of the restaurant as well as some guests. No one seemed to understand each other but everyone were very entertained. It was an amusing situation to find yourself in but I believe it was much more amusing for Tony, driving through the town with the lovely lady in their old Citroen.

After 20 bizarre minutes Tony and the lady returned, all smiles and laughs. We paid and left on our way, being cheered off by the remaining guests, the owners and the elderly dog.

You can find the charming Le Confessional on the Rue Rémy Himmer 4 in the town of Dinant in Belgium.

Don't forget to bring cash!

Some of the pictures are not ours as we were enjoying the food and not taking that many pictures. Luckily Google and eventually also Restina.net were able to help us find some great photos that show the restaurant as it really was!