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Feature: Restaurant.....
Try this Turkish Restaurant we highly recommend..
Manolya Restaurant
21-22 Tudor Square, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 9XF.
Telephone: 01920 486688
Check out the menu
Starters
Maincourse
Deserts
Coffees & Tea
Wines
Lunchtime menu
Feature: Destination.....
Tunisia...city of Sousse and more...
January 2010........
Thinking of a winter break? does Tunisia come to mind? not necessarily, we had not visited this north African country before and we thought why not!
We arrived in Monastir Tunisia (picture above), a little not sure of what we would be in for, we had heard nothing bad and so was open minded, we had left behind snow and after a 12 hour delay, we felt a bit warmer and ready for a break.
We travelled with Thomson holidays a reasonably cheap winter break, we chose Sousse as our destination and a hotel which was ideal for this break, we met with the representative who was Tunisian, and after our welcome chat, we were offered the choices of trips (I guess most of us have been there), I asked for a trip to taste local Tunisian cuisine and see some Tunisian culture, so we were offered one called the 'Light and Laser Show' at a place called 'Medinat Alzahra Parc' (sadly their website is currently down, but you can read some good write ups online) here are a few pictures for you too view:
  
Did you notice the last picture? we were treated to some bread cooked flat against the pot, with heat coming through the centre and offered to dip in harissa and oil to taste-it was really nice, it is the way the bedouine or berbers cooked the bread, quite amazing!
We had a four course Tunisian meal here and to my surprise, it was delicious.
The soup was impressive a tomato soup, similar to this one featured click here (see 05-Sep-2009), followed by Tunisian Lamb couscous and the sweets and deserts are for people with a sweet tooth, we sampled sweets such as baklawa, honey cake stuffed with dates, and pastry with figs followed by tea (a green tea with mint) and fresh tangerines (they taste better freshly picked). After the meal we saw the show '3000 years of Tunisia' we loved it and learned so much!
Places of interest, things to do.....
Tunisia is full of history as we saw at the 'light & laser show' 3000 years of history, under rulers who have influenced the country and left their mark, early battles over Carthage and Tunis, to the impressive and beautiful colosseum at El Djem and visit the holiest centre in Tunisia at Kairouan, or take a trip to Sidi Bou Said (a district of Tunis), you can simply just relax with a welcoming coffee in the port at El Kantaoui, why not enjoy a relaxing time in the health spa of your hotel (highly recommended to de-stress from our way of life and un-wind), plus make new friends, here are some of our pictures.
  
  
Tunisia offers a great holiday and it is not that far, just the other side of the Mediterranean sea, the cleanliness is very noticable and the people very welcoming, our only advise be careful at the markets, otherwise this lovely country will surprise you how beautiful it is!
Try this dish Tunisian Couscous with Chicken and Meatballs - Delicious!
A warm Tunisian smile welcomes you.....
Feature: Destination.....
The island of Sardinia...the city of Alghero.
September2009........
Flying time from the UK is around 2 hours and 10 minutes with Ryanair from London Stanstead to this 'Jewel of the Mediterranean', Alghero on the north west corner of the island of Sardinia, it is Italian with a mix of Catalan, due to the occupation of area, the influences still noticable today, with the street names being in Italian and Catalan (the only place outside Catalunya you will find Catalan written), and some food such as cremá catalana (for recipe click here) being on alot of menu's in the restaurants.
Alghero, described as Sardinia's most picturesque medieval city. It's sand-coloured buildings in the historical centre are a medley of domes, turrets and moulded cornices with lots of alleyways leading down to the port, the city has a warm apricot colour glow to the walls and is full of beautiful shops, bars, restaurants offering very traditional delights, such as red coral, pecorino cheese, locally produced olive oil, honey and many other things that please the eye and taste buds, you cannot help feeling a love for the place,feel inspiration from the beauty of the place, it makes you feel you are worth a million, you even see washing hanging over the alleyways, which adds to the character of the place, sit and have lunch (a delicious house salad with local tuna & a glass of local wine fom Alghero, for example) at one of the many restuarants near the harbour, enjoy the local delights that make you want to eat more, enjoy how the the pace of life slows you right down, in summary relax, unwind and enjoy the delights this wonderful city has to offer.
Views of Alghero
  
  
  
Accommodation, The best way to stay in Alghero is bed & breakfast, it makes the visit reasonable and adds a touch of being at home feeling about your visit.
Try Alghero Solemare b&b and apartments....
  
The best in the area is 'Alghero Solemare Alghero, Bed and Breakfast & Apartments' owned and run by Elio Frulio, and looked after by Mariarosa (the houselady). Elio has transformed the previous home of his late grandfather into a fantastic and modern accommodation to enjoy the delights of this beautiful city, just a few minutes walk to the beach and around 15 minutes to the centre of the city, nearby are supermarkets and each Wednesday in Via Europa, (two streets away) you have the wonderful Alghero Market. The location could not be better, view here.
The gardens at Solemare B&B Alghero
  
Elio offers a range of accommodation, see his website www.algherosolemare.com and send him your request for availability, it will give you peace of mind and make your holiday very special to know that you have a local person who cares and looks after his customers, from requesting a lift and drop off to the airport (15 minutes by car) to hiring a bicycle or any assistance you may need for your holiday, Elio speaks perfect English (with an Italian accent). Ask Elio about the Barbecue (see middle picture above) and enjoy eating with other guests or just by yourselves with fresh produce from the local market or the local supermarkets.
The accommodation at Solemare B&B Alghero
  
Food
Alghero market in Via Europa (every Wednesday from 7.30 until 1pm), here you will find the best pecorino cheese (sold in the open air, don't let health & hygiene know) ask for a sample, it is how cheese is meant to taste and be sold - it is matured out of a fridge for years!, real brown olives (so delicious you will want to bring tubs of them back home), and all the best of locally produced fresh food such as tomatoes, melons, apricots, oranges, lemons, lettuce, cucumbers, potatoes, grapes and a vast array of fresh tasty delights to make your mouth water, it is something not to be missed for sure.
Be sure your try the pizza and pasta here, a pizza restaurant on the beach front, just a few streets from Elio's, it is an experience for sure and will make a big talking point from your holiday, can you manage a metre of pizza I wonder!
Eating out is great fun here, with its mix of fresh fish and seafood, and it's catalan history, you can get some great paella and cremá catalana combined with local Sardinian specialities like Alghero pasta (made with local sausage) it is very tasty, the dessert I loved is Sebadas or Sedas, it is pecorino wrapped in a semolina pastry and fried and drizzled with honey, so delicious! try it when you come.
Best places to eat out in the city are Nettuno, Piazza Civica (the view accross the harbour is stunning, watch the sun go down here), Palau Reial, Via Maiorca (meat and fish dishes done to old Sardinian recipes), La Lepanto, Via Carlo Alberto (Alghero's top fish restaurant).
And finally, enjoy a trip by boat to the 'Grotto di Nettuno' (the caves of Neptune),
a pleasant journey across the bay heading towards Capo Caccia, this two and a half hour visit will make you visit to Alghero an experience you will never forget.
The caves
  
Images from places near to Alghero for you to enjoy
  
  
  
You may well visit again and again, it is heaven on earth! | 