Cesky Krumlov – As Bohemian As Can Be
Czech Republic’s Next Tourist Hot Spot
Cesky Krumlov Castle
Mention Czech Republic and the one and only thing that most people have in mind is Prague. Prague is indeed a very beautiful and romantic city, but there is more to see in the Czech Republic than just Prague. Several medieval towns dot the entire country, and if you search well enough, you’ll be amazed by all the quaint-looking towns and villages that is steeped in history. One place that many people have now discovered is the small town in southern Bohemia called Cesky Krumlov.
What is in Cesky Krumlov?
View of Cesky Krumlov Town
Cesky Krumlov is a good 3 hour drive south of Prague. This tiny town situated on the banks of the Vltava River, and is one of the most important cultural and art centres in the Czech Republic. The Cesky Krumlov Castle nestles atop a rocky hill, and stands majestically overlooking the entire town. The town can trace its roots back to the construction of the castle in the 13th Century. The buildings around the town have been built between the 14th and 17th century, and have since been restored and preserved. The whole of Cesky Krumlov has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, an honour which it truly deserves.
Cobblestone streets of Cesky Krumlov
Wandering around Cesky Krumlov really takes you back to the medieval times, with its cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways, those quaint shop windows and the typical town square that forms part of any medival town. I visited the town in winter, and as many people would agree, it is the best time to see this town. The snow-covered rooftops of the houses, the castle, and the river banks look very picturesque. The best part of visiting during winter is that the town has less tourists, and you can feel that real laid-back atmosphere that the town is normally, sans the tourists.
Cesky Krumlov town - view from the castle
There isn’t much in the way of must-see attractions in the town, apart from the imposing Cesky Krumlov Castle, which offers a spectacular view of the town and its surroundings. There are some museums around, and definitely those quaint shops are worth visiting, but just having a stroll around its cobblestoned streets and admiring the architecture that the ancient buildings have to offer is worth the visit to this bohemian town of Cesky Krumlov.
How To Get There
View of Cesky Krumlov with castle tower
Shuttle buses run everyday between Prague and Cesky Krumlov, and from Vienna or Linz in Austria. Companies like Shuttle Lobo or Private Prague Guide offer these shuttle buses which doesn’t cost a lot more than the train, and is more convenient. The train station in Cesky Krumlov is a bit further from the Old Town itself, and hence, doesn’t provide quite the same convenience to tourists.
If you’re coming from a country other than Austria, Germany or Czech Republic, the easiest way is to arrive in Prague, as this is the nearest city with a major international airport. Check out some great deals to Prague or Vienna on Expedia or Zuji, two of the best travel websites around who offer great deals quite regularly.
I was just chatting up with one of my friends who now lives in Edinburgh the other day, and it reminded me of my previous visits to this historical Scottish capital city and how much I’ve missed the place. I’ve visited this place over three times already, and each time I always feel enchanted by it. The city has so much character and history and its people celebrate it with a great flair with the numerous festivals throughout the year. From the picturesque Princes Street Gardens to the imposing Edinburgh Castle, this place will give you a great impression the minute you see it. 
Edinburgh Castle sits on top of a hill and overlooks the old town of Edinburgh. The castle can be seen from Princes Street Gardens and Waverley train station. It has been in existence since the medieval times, and over the centuries have been destroyed by numerous wars and uprisings and then rebuilt. Its last purpose is as a military garrison, and up to this day, has some military significance to it. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo happens each year on the castle grounds, and is a military exhibition by the British armed forces.
This cobble-stoned strip of road starts from Edinburgh Castle and stretches all the way down to the Holyrood Abbey. It has a great collection of medieval and Georgian buildings including St. Giles Cathedral, a distinctive feature on the Edinburgh skyline, the Scottish High Court building, and many more conjoined buildings that have now been turned into shops. There are small passageways in between some of the buildings, and some offer a great view of the old town. This is a well-preserved historical area of the city, and it takes you back in time as to what the high street (or main street) of a medieval town must have looked like.
This medieval chapel used to be a small not-so-visited church in the village of Rosslyn, which is around 15 minutes away from Edinburgh city. However, in the recent years, it suddenly gained significant popularity. It’s claim-to-fame is its inclusion as one of the location of Dan Brown’s mega-popular bestselling novel “The Da Vinci Code”, which has already been turned into a Hollywood blockbuster. I have heard of this chapel being mentioned by my friend on my first visit, years before The Da Vinci Code novel came out, as it has a lot of intricate stonework and great history around the chapel. I didn’t take much notice and wasn’t in my must-visit places. But since I read the novel and became a fan of it, I made it a point to see this chapel on my third visit to Edinburgh. I must say that the hype made the novel has done me a huge favour, as it is one of the best preserved medieval churches that I’ve ever visited in the UK! It’s really worth the visit, with or without the hype.
Oh, the 
I visited the Andalusian region of Spain a couple of years ago, and I must say that it’s one of my favourite places in the world to date. This post will focus on the city of Seville.
Seville
When I arrived in Seville, the very first thing I noticed was the sheer number of orange trees that dot the streets. The orange trees were bearing fruit, and it was such a delight to see them! Rows and rows of orange trees and I really got tempted to just pick one from the tree and eat it! I did in the end, but perhaps there is a reason why they’re just on the tree.. It wasn’t yet ripe enough for people to pick them out! Anyway, I still begrudgingly finished in all, as I didn’t want to waste the orange..
In the city centre of Seville, you will find the old Moorish fortress called the Alcazar. From the outside, you’ll find that it’s all just covered by this huge plain stone wall that looks like a fortress. It does look intriguing going through the narrow alleyways in order to get to the Plaza del Truinfo where the entrance is. It doesn’t look as grand from that point, but the minute you step in, it’s a completely different world. The palace is actually huge and the decors are just a feast to the senses! The level of detail on the carvings on the walls and the ceilings with ancient Arabic script forming patterns are just fascinating to look at! There are also lots of examples of marble inlaying patterns on the walls and the floors that have been so immaculately done, and it is truly a work of art. The Alcazar also has lots of courtyards with a nice fountain in the middle. A big portion of the palace is the original Moorish structure, though there is a part that has been built after the Moorish era. It’s now a museum showcasing items used by the Spanish royalty. There is also a nice botanical garden inside the complex, and a nice big fountain in between. This is a definite must-see when you are in Seville.
This complex was built for the Expo 1929, and showcases the different regions of Spain. It’s a grand building with a huge fountain on the entrance. At the lower level, you will find tiles on the walls with descriptions of the various regions of Spain and their specialties. It’s a great area to stroll around, and has a romantic feel to it. There are horse-drawn carriages that offer tourists a tour around the city.
The city of Seville sits on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, and an esplanade/walkway has been created along the riverbanks, which makes for a good stroll. On the esplanade, you will find the Torre Del Oro, an old Moorish watchtower that was used for defensive purposes by the Moors. You will find some modern sculptures along this esplanade, and there is also a bridge that crosses to the other side of the river. On the corner of the esplanade and a bridge is a small churros shop where I managed to indulge into this delicious Spanish snack with a rich chocolate dip!
There is a special place located 42 degrees south of the Equator. It’s comprised of 2 major islands, and it’s often confused to be part of Australia. Its original inhabitants called it “Aotearoa”, which means the “Land of the Long White Cloud”. The locals refer to it as “Godzone”. If this still doesn’t ring a bell, I’m talking about the beautiful country of 
New Zealand holds a very special place in my heart. It’s one of the places on Earth that I have never grown tiredof seeing and I always have great fond memories of the place, the people and the laid-back lifestyle. I cannot work out still how I managed to end up in New Zealand, but I’m so glad I did. One memory I had before I first arrived in New Zealand was when I was in 
Christchurch has often been referred to as the Garden City of New Zealand. You will notice it with all the beautiful parks around, and the well-manicured lawns along Fendalton Avenue, where you will most likely go past from the airport going into the city centre. Christchurch is also known to be the most English city in New Zealand. This is due to the fact that the city was specifically created as a new settlement by the English who arrived here in search for a new life in the colonies. The city was designed to look like a typical English town, hence you will notice that in the architecture of the old buildings around the city.
1.) Christ Church Cathedral - this cathedral is the focal point of the city, and the Cathedral Square, where it is actually located. This cathedral is of a gothic style, and took a few years to complete. It’s one of the best cathedrals in New Zealand in terms of its type of architecture. On Cathedral Square, people hang around and there is an area where they play this huge chess pieces, and anyone can have a go at them. You can play with anyone you want. They also have an open market in the square every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, where you can buy local, handmade New Zealand products and souvenirs . Most of the vendors at this small open market moved to the Arts Centre weekend market for the weekend, so if you miss them at this location, look out for the Arts Centre on weekend.
3.) River Avon, Botanical Gardens and Hagley Park - this is a great place for a stroll, especially during Spring or Autumn, when you see the different colours come alive! In Spring, you will find lots of cherry blossoms in full bloom along Hagley Park and in the botanic gardens. In autumn, on the other hand, you will find the change in the colour of the leaves, which is really stunning! Both the Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park are right beside each other. The River avon cuts through the middle of both of them, and you can do “punting” on the Avon, which is basically like cruising on a gondola in Venice.
5.) Lyttelton and the Christchurch Gondola - Lyttelton is a harbour town that is technically outside the Christchurch city boundaries, but is very close to the city. It’s only a 20 minute drive from the city. This is where the first settlers from England docked in Christchurch in the 1850s. It is now the port area for Christchurch, and from time to time, you get cruise ships arriving here. The town itself is quite charming, as its location is on the slopes of the Port Hills looking out to the Lyttelton Harbour. There are nice cool cafes and shops around that’s worth checking out, and if you happen to be Filipino, the only Filipino restaurant in Christchurch is just right there. On the harbour, you can also go for a dolphin watching cruise. You can have a great view of Lyttelton and Christchurch City by taking the Christchurch Gondola. The gondola is basically a cable car that will take you up to the top of an observation deck where you can have coffee or a meal with a view. There is a restaurant at the top that you can check out
8.) Akaroa - A little bit southeast of Christchurch is an area called Banks Peninsula. This area is quite hilly and offers some beautiful coastal villages. The biggest town in the area, and a big drawcard for tourists, is Akaroa. This town is a 90-minute drive from Christchurch, and is known for its rather French character and heritage. The French nearly colonised New Zealand in the 1840s, but the British managed to beat them by a day. There was a boatload of settlers from France who wanted to settle the Akaroa region, and when they found to their disappointment that the British beat them to it, some of them still settled here and put in their French character throughout the town. You’d find the street names are in French, and is the only town with a French character in the entire country.
9.) Hanmer Springs – This small town in the Hurunui district is a 2-hour drive from Christchurch, but it is a popular weekend destination amongst people from Christchurch and surrounding areas. The main attraction here is the thermal pools. These are natural pools that used to be just a hole in the ground in the 1890s, but eventually got developed into more like a resort complex. The water is still taken from the ground and distributed to the pools. There are different pools of different temperatures and nature, so kids can play as well as the adults. Around town, there are a number of great mountain biking tracks that you can explore, and walks up the nearby mountain range. It has an alpine feel to the town, and definitely a great winter getaway if you feel like staying in a log cabin. This is one of my favourite weekend getaways from Christchurch, and what my friends and I do is hire one of the holiday homes for the weekend, and just chill out on the thermal pools or go running up the beautiful mountains around!
10.) Kaikoura – This town is 2.5 hours away from Christchurch and offers a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean and the Kaikoura Ranges. The town’s name is comprised of 2 Maori words: “Kai” meaning Eat and “Koura” meaning Crayfish. Kaikoura has an abundance of crayfish on its shores, and you can see some stalls on the roadside selling these cooked crayfish that are just so good! This town is also known for its whale watching. Sperm whales tend to hang around near the deep trenches just a few kilometres from Kaikoura’s shores, which makes the area so unique in that whales can be found close enough from the shores. There is also a winery just as you enter the township of Kaikoura called Kaikoura Wine Company, and their location is absolutely wonderful! It is on a hill facing the ocean, which makes for a gorgeous view.
11.) Mt. Hutt – If you’re into skiing or snowboarding, then you have to check this field out. Mt. Hutt is one of the closest ski fields in Christchurch, and one of the best in the region. It has great facilities for beginners, intermediate, and advanced skiers. It’s only a 90-minute drive from Christchurch and has a reasonably good access road up to the ski field itself. This is one of my favourite ski fields in New Zealand and highly recommended when you’re in Christchurch during winter.
Walking around Granada itself is a fascinating experience. It’s like walking into medieval Spain where there are a lot of the Moorish influence still evident, yet you don’t hear anyone speak Arabic. The narrow cobble-stoned streets and the Moorish-styled buildings with a courtyard in the middle, the water features that are ever-present in the middle of it… It’s one of the very special places in Spain to visit!
Chamber of the Lions (Cuarto de los Leones) – don’t worry, they don’t have real hungry lions waiting to devour tourists! 
It’s a courtyard with a 6-lion fountain in the middle, and braided with narrow water features along the courtyard flowing from the fountain. The building around it has some awesome moorish decor!
Towers of the Homenaje (Homage) and the Quebrada – there is a maze before you get to the towers, and this was designed to distract any invaders from getting to the towers. There is a magnificent view of Granada from here, and the Sierra Nevada.
4.) After visiting the Alhambra, make sure you make your way to the Albaycin (or Albayzin), the old Moorish quarters on the opposite hill facing the Alhambra. Climb through the hilly suburb, enjoy the beautiful houses around, and once you get to the top, there is a lookout point called Mirador de San Nicolas where you can get a magnificent view of the Alhambra from the outside! There is a nice outdoor cafe there and you can sit out and enjoy the view of Granada and the Alhambra. It’s really one of the best spot I’ve found to chill out and enjoy a magnificent scenery!
On Xmas eve, we had dinner at one of my brother-in-law’s favourite pub, the Chequers pub on Church Road in Churchill, Oxfordshire. It’s a 15-minute drive from Stow-on-the-Wold. Gerry has surveyed the pubs in the Cotswolds area, and even wrote a book on the 
My niece Georgia woke up early and excited to unwrap her presents. She was eagerly sitting by the tree and waiting for all of us to wake up and sit by the tree. She has been waiting for it since the previous night, and she has prepared Santa a brandy and a biscuit so that Santa will give her the best Xmas gift ever! 
When we finished exchanging presents, we then sat on the breakfast table and had a quick breakfast before starting to prepare for the big Xmas lunch.