Mikonos: a free-spirited island
Greece and its islands are a paradise for tourists where culture, mythology, art, cuisine and incredible landscapes blend perfectly. But if people go to Santorini or Crete looking for a relaxing and peaceful holidays, they go to Mykonos in search of its leisure and its famous beach parties, like it happens for instance in Ibiza.
Mecca of gay tourism, people live without prejudice in Mykonos; it is a happy, carefree and cosmopolitan island as many people who visited Mykonos at the time as a tourist, and stayed falling in love of its style and life quality.
The facades of the houses in the tourist areas are painted twice a year of pure white and make a wonderful contrast to the blue, yellow or deep red of some domes or details in the houses, in a neat appearance.
During the day you can relax on the pristine beaches of Kalo Livadi, Agrari, Elia, Psarou, Paranga Gialos, Ornos or Kalafatis, and, when the night falls, enjoy their wide leisure offer.
Two of the most popular beaches are Paradise and Super Paradise, about 6 miles southwest of Chora; nice beaches with good infrastructures, particularly famous for its parties. When evening comes, the entire beach becomes a huge outdoor club where house music and lounge turn up the volume in different bars and people dance until dawn. Here is the Paradise Club, one of the most popular clubs on the island, especially for the younger public, with the best techno, pop rock and dance music.
Out of Paradise and Super Paradise, there is a great deal of small clubs or large macro-discos throughout the island:
Caprice Bar
caprice.gr
It has been in Alefkandra for years, one of the most beautiful areas of Mykonos, also known as Little Venice, with its low houses with porches that almost reach the water.
Cavo Paradiso
cavoparadiso.gr
With a privileged location on a cliff overlooking the sea, Cavo Paradise is the place for electronic music lovers. The best dj’s come around here during July and August!
Skandinavian
skandinavianbar.com
Located downtown and with two floors; the ground floor is occupied with bars with terraces and there is a dance floor upstairs where house and the most commercial hits sound.
Astra Bar
www.astra-mykonos.com
One of the classics of the Greek night. Its doors opened in 1987 and its decor is stunning. Since then, the Astra Bar is a place, not as big as the famous clubs of the island, but where you can find good music and an atmosphere away from the tourists. Sometimes they bring djs and boast their taste for good music.
Picture Little Venice by Zitumassin | Picture Mikonos by Sailko
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more infoBetween lakes and marshes
Nador, capital of the province of Rif, is a sprawling city with some Spanish flavor, as it is located only 15 kilometers south of the city of Melilla. Its main attractions are its natural beauty, scenic views and beaches.
Downtown Nador
In contrast with the traditional developments , the city of Nador has a layout of streets in a grid . Its main avenue Mohammed V Avenue , which crosses the city from east to west , from the City Hall to the Bou Areg lagoon by a pleasant palm trees and lampposts walk. . The other main spo is the Hassan II Avenue , which crosses from north to south to the bus station.
Here lies the largest tourist attractions in the city , though not particularly remarkable , it does have some attractions . We can recommend the Marhama restaurant, a large property with quick service and one of the best places to eat Moroccan specialties and international cuisine , prepared according to traditional recipes . It specializes in fish dishes such as sole , swordfish , monkfish , hake and red mullet that cooks prepare in front of customers, and recepies such as couscous , lamb kebabs and different tagines of rabbit , chicken or beef .
In the north of the city there is the souk Morakeb , one of the largest commercial complexes in which you can find a little of everything. To your right there is the Kasearia souk or gold souk, famous for selling gold, fabrics and garments.
Sebkha of Bou Areg
Nador’s rich natural environment is one of its main attractions. At the foot of the city of Nador there is the Mar Chica or Sebka of Bou Areg , a stunning lagoon in which fresh and salt water mix. Ponds, marshes and dunes are a valuable ecological environment that shelter many species of seabirds and waterfowl as pink flamingos , the hoopoes or plovers .
Kariat Arkmane
About 23 kilometers from Nador there is the village of Kariat Arkmane . Surrounded by Bou Areg’s lagoon , its waters attract various species of birds such as flamingos and terns , which can be seen walking along the beach easily .
The Gorges Zegzel
About 70 kilometers through the plain of the road Moulouya Oujda surrounding the massif of Beni- Snassen , there is the turnoff to the Gorges of Zegzel . A perfect area for excursions for its spectacular scenery .
Image: Kokopelado
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Three (or four) meals in Brussels
By Laia Zieger from gastronomistas
Breakfast or Brunch at the Maison Dandoy
Opened in 1829, Maison Dandoy is one of the oldest pastry shops in the city. To go with an exquisite cup of hot chocolate, you can choose from an endless range of local sweet delicacies; large, light and crunchy Brussels Waffles, or the sweeter, softer Liege variety, Speculaas biscuits flavoured with cinnamon and other spices, Sablés (butter biscuits) and ‘Greek Style Bread’; a baguette sprinkled with cane sugar.
Rue Charles Buls, 14 - Bruxelles
For lunch, make your way to Chez Lola
Fashionable, contemporary and cosmopolitan, Chez Lola serves international dishes made with local, market ingredients. Standouts include cold roast beef served with homemade mayonnaise, foie gras and bouchée à la reine; puff pastry bathed in béchamel and studded with small pieces of different meats, mushrooms and snails. It’s worth noting that the menu always has a special section of dishes using in-season ingredients, be they asparagus, mussels or artichokes.
Place du Grand Sablon, 33 - Bruxelles
At the end of a perfect day, have dinner at La Taverne du Passage
The Galerie de la Reine, an old shopping arcade with a glass covered ceiling, is one of the city’s most emblematic spaces. Inside is this must-visit restaurant, whose menu is an ode to Belgium’s national cuisine. La Taverne du Passage’s décor, with it’s elegantly classical lines, and formal, white jacket and black bow-tie waiting staff, evoke another era or at least seem to have stepped out of a silent movie.
The specialities of La Taverne du Passage include (of course!) mussels with pomme frites (with various sauces to choose from) and prawn croquettes (probably the best in the city). But above all try the steak tartar. Prepared at the table with two teaspoons of homemade mayonnaise, this alone is worth your trip to Brussels.
Galerie de la Reine, 30 - Bruxelles
*And at any time of the day when hunger strikes, throw restraint out the window for a cone of pomme frites at Friterie du Café Georgette. Not your average chip, the potatoes are hand cut and fried the old fashioned way – in beef fat. They can be enjoyed with dozens of sauces at your disposal.
Rue de la Fourche 37/39 - Bruxelles
For More Information: Tourist Office of Wallonia-Brussels
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more infoWiener Schnitzel. The emperor’s dish.
One of the most representative meals in Viennese gastronomy is wiener schnitzel (or Viennese escalope). In fact, is the national food, even is originally from Austria, actually.
Is a common recipe in many countries: in Spain is known as San Jacobo or cachopo, also seen as the Japanese tonkatsu, the Argentinian escalope or the Italian cotoletta, among other examples.
The origin has become an intense debate among culinary historians. Most of the agree to point the origin in Spain, where it was introduced by Arab traders, who already covered meat on bread during the Middle Age.
Then we have the legend, which says it was imported from the Italian "costoletta milanesa" by marshal Joseph Radetzky, who sent the recipe to Franz Joseph I of Austria. They said he liked it so much that he incoroporate it to the Austrian gastronomy under the name of winer schnitzel.
Therefore, many countries claim the origin. This happens often for any new invention even sometimes, what happens is that it appears in different countries simultaneously, a each country looks for old gastronomy books to claim the origin.
However, there’s no doubt that is a delicious and crunchy dish, wanted by any tourists that arrives in the city.
To prepare it, a thin slice of veal is softened with a mallet, then is dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, and finally fried in butter. It’s served with potatoes, salad and lemon slices and seasoned with vinaigrette.
Generally, these dishes are easy to cook and delicious, but not so glamorous. That’s not the case with schnitzel, presented as an haute cuisine specialty. It might be because of the elegant way Viennese people cooks it.
Even the veal is the main ingredient for the classic version of this dish, pigmeat is often used and is more popular. There is also a version made of chicken or a veggie made of tofu, seitan or soy.
In Vienna you can try this meal anywhere in the city centre. This is a list with some of our favorites so you don’t leave the city without trying the Viennese schnitzel.
Figlmüller
Wollzeile 5, | Bäckerstraße 6, Vienna
Schnitzelwirt
Neubaugasse 52, Vienna
Gasthaus Poschl
Weihburggasse 17, 1010, Vienna
Strandcafé Wien
Florian-Berndl-Gasse 2,1220, Vienna
Café Einstein
Rathausplatz 4, 1010 Vienna
There is not only wiener schnitzel in Austria gastronomy. Even it’s a little country, it has a long culinary tradition, mixing many European specialties. You shouldn’t miss a chance to try more typical dishes like tafelspitz (boiled beef), milling trout (Forelle nach Müllerin Art), Kaiserschmarrn (sweet), Palatschinken (Crêpes), Apfelstrudel (apple cake) or Sacher cake. Yummy!
Picture by Kobako
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