Menorca, Spain - A Tale of Two Towns (Part. I)

Menorca, one of the Balearic islands in the Mediterranean Sea, is a popular holiday destination for Brits, Northern Europeans and Spaniards alike. But unlike Mallorca and Ibiza, the more well known of this Spanish group of islands, Menorca is a laid back, much more rural and untouched gem, surviving on its own cultural and natural beauty, away from the mass commercialisation that many of Southern Europe's isles have succumbed to. I remember visiting Menorca as a child, before my teen years with my brother, parents and grandparents and staying in one of the few touristic bays called Cala Galdana on its southern shores. Fifteen years later, older, probably not much wiser, definitely balder but with a greater sense of enthusiasm, passion for exploration and travel, I ventured back, about 7km to the East to the small town of Santo Tomas. Lidya and I had kindly been invited by my parents to share a villa with them and my nan to which I gladly agreed (Free holiday! How can you reject that!?). We spent a week here which, unfortunately for everyone involved, was sadly marred by the passing of two very close family members within 5 days of each other. Although this greatly hindered our enthusiasm we managed to achieve the purpose of what this blog is all about; getting to know a place beyond its usual reputation. For me, Menorca has always been renowned for its beautiful natural coves and its 'floating' boats on the crystal clear waters. As we found out however, Menorca is very much a tale of two towns.

Part 1 - Mao-Mahon (Llevant)

From our base in Santo Tomas, Mao is reachable within 45 minutes on the local buses which operate throughout the week from around 8:30am to 8;30pm at a cost of 3.25 euros each way. Our villa at Santo Tomas was very much central to the island in terms of West to East (it sits on Menorca's southern coast) so it gave us an ideal starting point in which to explore Menorca. The 27km drive passes through the municipalities of Es Migjorn Gran and Alaior, of which I shall revisit in a future post, along the major road, ME1, which dissects the island. The main roads leading into the town of Mao from the west consist of numerous retail shops, factory outlets and small business blocks, the more modern side of the centuries old town. Along with car dealerships there was also a yacht showroom, all of which I assume were well out of my price range. Before entering the traditional part of the islands capital we passed the small football and athletics stadium, home to Menorca and Mahon football clubs.

Expertly drawn map of our route through Mahon.

The bus dropped us off at the towns station where all the islands buses arrive, a 10 minute walk to the harbour and just 5 minutes to a selection of shops and restaurants. The above map marks our twenty toes trail through the old town cobbled streets. As we had caught the earliest bus at 8:35am from Santo Tomas we had decided to eat breakfast in Mahon. Straight outside the bus terminal we found three or four busy cafes; Casa Sexto, El Viejo Cafetin, mostly packed with the chatter of locals who sipped on their morning lattes, cigarette in hand. All the menu's sold very similar selections of tapas and beverages all at a very cheap price comparative to the central hub. We walked to a nearby square named Placa Esplanada and selected Cafe Amadeus (1) as our first port of call, only 200m from the station. One of the meals I love to eat when in a European city is breakfast since nearly every nation on the continent has their own version of a sweet pastry. Although most commonly associated with Menorca's neighbour Mallorca, the ensaimada is on near enough every menu and available in any bakery. Similar in texture to a croissant but looking more like a Danish pastry, it's light, flaky, sweet from the icing sugar and is either served plain or with a filling of chocolate sauce or custard cream. I'm writing this the day after returning from Spain and I'm already starting to have withdrawal symptoms. The cafe itself has a pleasant view over the square as we watched the shop tellers set up for the day ahead in the warm morning sun. Inside was a fully stocked bar and they had a wide variety of dishes ranging from a breakfast selection, tapas and full course meals, no doubt a lively establishment when the sun hits the horizon. The staff were all amiable and helpful and it'll definitely be a cafe I'd enjoy spending a lazy hour or two in the temperate Mediterranean sun.

A statue in Plaza Colon in front of Santa
Maria's bell tower.

Walking away from Placa Esplanada, we headed north east towards the centre of Mao, passing through terraced styled Spanish shops and buildings, three or four storeys high with nonuniform verandas and window boxes, jutting out over the streets below. Tables and chairs from half a dozen cafes adorn a broad pathway (2) trailing towards the unconventional streets of central Mahon. At this point, the walkway starts to descend past intermittent shops of modern fashion and traditional bakeries. Another small square, Plaza Colon, provides another pit stop to refill on Menorcan Pomada. Towering over this square is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria (Iglesia de Santa Maria) (3). Partly Gothic, partly neo-classical, the church is neither striking in detail nor structure yet stands out purely based on its size among the surrounding buildings. Built from 1748, its most notable feature is its 3210 piped organ. I'm pretty happy I didn't hear it being played as I'd left my ear defenders at work. Located along the Placa Constitucio with the town hall, we found it to be one of Mao's most memorably squares. The town hall, or S'Ajuntament, is definitely the most aesthetically appealing building in this opening, decked with arches, moderately detailed facades and topped by a clock, that was presented to Mahon by Richard Kane, the first of the towns British governors. We walked down a narrow alleyway between the church and the town hall to another common, whilst the crowd followed the main road towards the market. Placa de la Conquesta is nestled between the back of the church of Santa Maria and the houses clinging to the cliff face, vacant, except for a lone statue of Alfonso III, who liberated Menorca from the occupation of the Moorish (North Africa Arab) rulers. The main highlight of this location however is the viewpoint from the cliff face (4), the panorama being of the most inner part of Mahon's large natural habour. From here you can see the winding path that leads down to the dockside, plenty of yachts and villas that climb up the banks of the opposite shore, the old British naval port that is now occupied by the Spanish Navy and an array of seafood restaurants and bars that wind around the inlets bay.

The clock face and archways of the
S'Ajuntament, or town hall.

Stature of King Alfonso III in Placa de la
Conquesta, who evicted the north Africa
 Moors from Mao-Mahon.

The winding road down to the port was a pleasant, tree shaded descent to the waterside cafes, bars and restaurants of Llevant (Llevant, as Mao-Mahon is sometimes referred, means 'East', as oppose to Ciutadella 'Ponent', or 'West'). Although we didn't venture far along the meandering road that mimicked the contours of the waters edge, we had a wander around the few makeshift stalls that sold the typical 'I love 'enter city's name here'' T-shirts and common souvenirs and trinkets before settling at a dockside bar named 'Varadero' (5). Close to midday, the south European sun was bordering on sweltering so the much needed respite came with the opportunity to sample the local Spanish beer, a must in any country. Although Menorca is renowned for its gin as oppose to its beer, I had the choice of three Spanish mainland options; Estrella Galicia of A Coruna, Mahou of Madrid or Estrella Damm of Barcelona. Since the Catalan's had an involvement in the history of the island, I opted for Estrella Damm (it was the cheapest but I am pretending it's due to its possible slight significance). Despite the glorious weather and it being lunchtime, the harbour restaurants and bars were oddly quiet, very strange considering the beautiful setting. Granted seaside establishments tend to be pricier than the rest but the bar we drank in was very reasonably priced, offered great views and the staff were once again attentive and friendly.

View from Varadero's on the harbour.

After our beers we headed back from where we came, through Parc Rochina, this time turning in the opposite direction towards Placa Del Carme. Down at dockside, the two standout features of the town are the two churches, that of Santa Maria and Esglesia Del Carme (6), so having already walked past the former we naturally headed for the latter. Fronted by a statue of three darkened steel horses, the church and adjoining convent, built from 1726 onwards, looks of a different era, much older in my opinion, although as you can see from the information given, they were built around the same time. The styles are very much dissimilar and the Esglesia Del Carme was built outside the original city walls, maybe a reason towards its different characteristics. The church is very much second choice to the treasures to be found in the converted convent. Within the Mercat des Covent (7), or the Convent Market, there is a wonderful array of local fruit and veg, meats, fish, chorizo, cheeses, bakeries, confectionery, clothes and other regional products. It's refreshing to go into a food market and be greeted with vegetables of peculiar size and shape but undoubtedly fresh and delicious, as oppose to the general supermarkets that only select the produce that's 'aesthetically pleasing' on the eye. We bought possible the largest red pepper I've ever seen, a few varieties of different potatoes, garlic cloves, huge aubergines and waxy skinned cucumber. Everything seemed so vibrant and colourful, there was a very refreshing fragrance wafting around the old stone archways of the original church building. Chorizo sausages hung from racks outside the butchers, nothing uniform about their appearance whatsoever, the 'perfect' look very much sacrificed for purely quality produce. We saw irregular grown plums of odd shades, giant deep red cherries that were almost the same size as kiwis, ensaimada's 18 inches in diameter freshly made that day and the pungent draw of Menorcan cheeses, sourced by the islands farmland cultured residents. Although the prices are very reasonable for a farmers market it is easy to get lured in and brainwashed by the luxuriance of what's on offer. Having spent around 15 euros, we came away with enough vegetables to feed a small army.  The makeover of the convent hasn't just brought a local food market, there is a school of music on the first floor along with an art collection and museum detailing the islands past.

The front entrance of Esglesia Del Carme and the convent to the left.

As this was our first venture outside Santo Tomas and it was lunch time, we planned to indulge ourselves with Spain's national dish, with a view! In the north western corner of the convent is a bar/restaurant called Cafe Sa Placa, with quaint views over the inner most harbour and the western portion of the town. The terrace outside was well shaded with umbrellas to keep us out of the midday sun and we were kindly aided with a new brolly as ours had broken. No matter where you are in the world, a great vista and a cold pint of lager is always one of life's little luxuries. It sure does help when it comes with a large pan baked, sizzling hot traditional Spanish chicken paella. We ate paella 4 times whilst in Menorca, once here, once in Ciutadella and twice in Santo Tomas but this one was definitely our favourite. It was the brightest of yellows, like a reflection of the Mediterranean sun, mixed with juicy chicken on the bone that melted on contact with our tongue, red and green peppers plus giant beans all of which made it a kaleidoscope of colour. The one thing that I love about southern Europe, whether it's Greece, Italy, Spain etc. is that the climate produces so much wondrous food that, in my opinion, can't be matched anywhere else on the planet.The paella was served piping hot in the pan at 9 Euros, a bargain for the quality and size of the meal. Once again, as I was starting to find with our Menorcan hosts, the customer service was quick and affable and Sa Placa's waiter had a great deal of repartee. It's always the icing on the cake to be served by restaurant staff who enjoy the customer interaction.

After paying up and taking a few photo's of the view we strolled back into Placa del Carme and across the square to the Xoriguer shop (8). For anyone unfamiliar with the islands famed alcohol, Xoriguer gin is the result of British moaning during their occupancy (Some say moaning is our national sport) so local wineries started to distill the spirit in the 1700's to satisfy the British. The name, taken from a family windmill, has been going strong every since, owned by generations of the Pons family. The shop is clearly visible, marked with its yellow and red sign on a black shop facade. Only small but packed with all different varieties of the named gin, the store also sold wine from everywhere in Spain, from Andalucia to Valladolid. Instead of option for the litre bottle of Xoriguer gin or the sweeter Pomada (Gin with lemon) we bought five small 40cl bottles. These were pomada as well as stronger spirits called Light Fruit Schnapps, Crema De Rosas, Crema De Cocao and Calent, all of which are products by the gin company. I am still very much perplexed as to how the calent is to be drunk. Despite its high alcohol content it claims on the bottom that it must be hot to drink it, yet the translation of Spanish to English online is sketchy at best. Do I drink it alone or mix it with something else, say coffee? If anyone has tried this before then please let me know as I am intrigued. I only have a small bottle so don't want to waste the opportunity to try it by doing the wrong technique.

At around 2:00pm the locals of Mao follow almost religiously the afternoon siesta. Although I can understand the idea behind an afternoon nap with the blazing hot sun it is rather frustrating if you are hoping to shop. On the other hand, it's the perfect time to walk about snapping photographs as the streets are a lot less crowded and you can get plenty of untainted shots without the throngs of tourists. However, for us, the day in Mahon had draw to an end. As we were in Spanish territory it was only fitting to jump on the bus back to base camp and delve into another of those regional customs and have a sleep.


Feel free to add any feedback or share stories, experiences or advice about Menorca's capital. Thanks for reading.


Rich
Twenty Toes

Journey to The Homeland (Part 1)

Bare with me, i'm trying to type my story.

First, i am so sorry for not keeping my story of writing during my journey to Indonesia. and because of that, i can't write everything in the exact details.

So here i am sitting in Starbucks, Meadowhall, Sheffield, England; trying to pick up the pieces of my memories during my stay in Indonesia.

For a note, i will divide this post into several entries since i went there for 2 weeks and it could be boring to read every single thing at once. Here's the first two days of the journey.

Ok, my reason. My reason for not writing during my stay is because...... Indonesia is always hectic for me. my family, especially, they like the rushy feelings where you just go somewhere like hit and run. LOL. i don't know how to explain things, but my husband, Richard, he always said "every times i went to Indonesia, i feel like i need a holiday when i return." HAHAHAHAHA!

Let alone sitting down and write, i can't even just sit down. Trying to fit so many activities in 2 weeks is REALLY tiring!

Ok, enough with the rant and all the reason, let's start the 'picking up the pieces' story.

DISCLAIMER: this story, review, and every score i put in here are completely from my personal point of view from my actual real life experiences. i do not gain anything from this nor under any circumstances getting any profit towards this. All result can be different if you go and experience it yourself.

INDONESIA.

16 hours flights from Manchester to Jakarta just enough to make you think it's not worth going. BUT, don't even think to judge before you go if you never been.

Beautiful tropical heaven, crowded place that never sleep, palm trees, fresh coconut that actually round.

I have been staying in England for just a bit less than 2 years, i went to Indonesia so many times that i cant even count it. Looking at my passport stamp, rather than founding the answer of how many times i went to Indonesia during these two years, i got confused. Haha.

I know Richard has been writing about Indonesia too. In a British point of view. Now this is mine. As a half local. LOL.


Day 1 - 16th May 2015

Arrived in Jakarta midday, my brother decided to take me around the neighbourhood to grab something to eat. So we went to this restaurant called Bebek Kaleyo. I don't have the picture of the food. I'm really a bad blogger. So here it is, the picture that i stole. Haha.

Courtesy of Arlita Ayu

 Bebek Kaleyo is a franchise restaurant that sells various kind of Indonesian style fried Chicken and Duck. It's superb! My favourite menu in this restaurant is ayam goreng cabe ijo. Which is a fried chicken with green chilli as u seen in the picture. The meal came with a steamed jasmine rice. You can change the rice with coconut steamed rice called nasi uduk. The price in this restaurant is magically cheap! They even did 'apologise' for their ultra-cheap price in their website. For the meal in the picture, you can have them for around IDR 13,000 - IDR 18,000 (approximately GBP 0.65 - GBP 0.90) depending by the kind of chicken that you ask for. free range or not kind of thing. Amazing, right? I honestly wish England has these kind of meal price. For more information about the restaurant, please feel free to visit their website by clicking this. Make sure your website translation is on, because their website is in Indonesian Language.

There's not many things i did that day since i'm practically worn off by the flight. I ended my day with a cup of Caramel Javachips Frappuccino by Starbucks.


Day 2 - 17th May 2015

Hardly getting any sleep because of jet lag, i woke up at 5 AM thinking of what am i doing this early in the morning. Unlike the sun in England, Indonesia sun always rises and sets in the same time everyday through out the day. The sun rises at 6 AM and sets at 6 PM. Everyday. It is actually possible to know the time by just looking at the sky. As a little imaginary preview, if you live in England, the sky in Indonesia at 6 PM everyday will look like 10 PM British Summer Time (BST).

The Shops in Indonesia open from 8 AM to 10 PM. Malls opening time will be 10AM to 10PM through out the year. Most of Starbucks open 24 hours, so is McDonald's. Malls, one very certain type of shopping centre, there's quite a few in Jakarta. Currently, roughly, there is 18 massive malls in Jakarta region only. That obviously what Wikipedia said. It isn't included small malls, and the malls on the Jakarta outskirt. If you can count the exact number of malls in Jakarta, please comment down below as i'm quite curious. So you get the picture, there are a lot of Shopping centre in Jakarta. Apparently, as a country that is not as high in standard income, Indonesians are a massive shoppers, and it is actually quite popular in some tourism countries. I myself as an Indonesian never actually went to a shop where they would say "OMG you are Indonesian! You should spend all your money here!" but i'm used to those look where they look extremely happy to know that i am Indonesian. Haha, pretty funny.

OK. So what did i do on the second day?
I went to the outskirt of Jakarta. The city called Tangerang, a part of Banten province. Located 25 KM on the west Jakarta, Tangerang is the sixth largest city in Indonesia.

As a promise from my brother and mother to take me to eat Chicken Pop, they took me to this Padang restaurant.

To see more about this restaurant, click here.

Padang restaurant is a restaurant that serves food authentically from Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia. If you are quite adventurous towards your tummy needs and you are just happen to be in one of the cities in Indonesia, it should not be hard for you to find these restaurants. It came with a different names, but if you want to be safe, i suggest you to go to the restaurant that called Sederhana. It's one of the safest place to try Padang food. They are a franchise restaurant with a speciality of Padang food. Make sure you bring enough money, though. This restaurant can be a little bit pricey. But as much as i am concern, most of the restaurant under this brand accept cards. I mean, your plastic money. *winks*


Don't be surprise when you came in, no one greeted you nor giving you any menus. There is no menus in Padang restaurants. Choose your seat, sit down and relax. Any kind of food that they have cooked that day will come to you automatically. These waitresses are trained to carry more than 5 plates at once in both hands. And don't be panic when you see your table fulfilled with so many different kind of food. In Padang restaurants, they have only one rules. What you touch is what you pay. After eating your food, the cashier person will come to your table to count your bill. In person. Manually. Honestly, until this second of my life, i still don't get how did they count everything precisely without any mistakes. That's talent!

Courtesy of Sederhana.

My suggestions will be for you guys to try their Rendang (thick curried beef), Ayam Gulai (yellow curry chicken), and Ayam Pop (steamed-deep fried chicken). Now that last one is my favourite!

Ayam Pop, Courtesy of Gapracoolz.

Ayam Pop is magical! soon as i have a bite, i will not be able to stop until i really cannot breath anymore. I am no good at cooking, so i don't really know what the special ingredients in this one certain food other than a chicken. All i know, they marinated the chicken over-night, steam it, then dip it in a very hot vegetable oil for a couple of seconds. And that, my friend, why the chicken looked white, although the have a delicious scrumptious crispy skin.

Dan't forget to dip it into the chilli that comes in pair with the chicken. Because when magic is paired to magic, it became unbearably magic combo! Seriously worth driving for hours.

My score towards this food? 9 out of 10. The other one goes to the amount in one plate. I don't understand. Somehow, they always put two pieces of chicken on the plate. I NEED MORE! To get more, you have to order again, and wait for it to arrived. They always made it fresh. I mean, the dipping it into the piping hot oil part. And for some reason that i don't know, they never serve it on your table along with the other food. So if you don't know it's exist, there is a big chance that you've never tried it before. Like them secret menus on Starbucks. You gotta know how to order it to get it.

Enough with the chicken, i went to a small shopping centre with my best friend that happened to came along with my family to the Padang restaurant we went just now. Nothing to review about this shopping centre. Just another mall in the metropolitan Indonesia.

At night, though, we went to a bar in the area called Kuningan, South Jakarta. This area fulfilled with expatriates. Why? I don't really know.

Most of the high-end bars, clubs, pubs, restaurants are mostly sited around South Jakarta. Five stars hotels, big buildings, and all sorts of International Companies will be found in this area too. Wait, that's probably why this area is fulfilled with expatriates. Driving around this area will make you feel like you are in another city. Big city with all the glam and fancy buildings.

Back to the night with my best friend. Her name is Sweety. That, is her real name, by the way.

Courtesy of Loewy

Sweety and i started our night outing journey to a bar called Loewy.

This Bar and Restaurant is popular among urban people around Jakarta.

This retro chic style bar will serve you the best of the best cocktails to brighten up your night and fill your hungry late night stomach with a delicious classy meals.

Courtesy of Asia-Bars.com

Of course, since it is a hi-end bar, you are entitled to dress up. Smart casual to semi-formal will be their dress code. Don't even try to get in with a flip flop if you don't wanna be stopped by the security that would not let you in without you changing your apparel. Sounds bitchy, but that's life.

Trust me, i have been there.

But other than that, this place is simply cozy. Lively at night, but won't force you to scream to your friend's ear just to say hi.

This place is one of my favourite place to hang out. Almost all the crews are friendly. Almost. :) - Leave it that way.

For more informations about reservation, menus, and all the pretty little things about this bar and restaurant, click here.

The night still young! Leaving the cozy bar, we head off the dance floor!
Yep, it is club time!

We went to a club situated in a (again) hi-end mall in Indonesia called Plaza Indonesia. From the mall building, you can actually see the second most popular iconic place in Jakarta called Bundaran HI. I will not show you the picture of the area. Don't be lazy, Google it. There are too many pictures of Bundaran HI that are taken by too many excellent talented photographers. So help yourself by Googling it if you really want to see what Budaran HI looks Like. Or... Just click here if you are that lazy to type. You are welcome.

Just a little explanation about Bundaran HI:

Bundaran HI. Bundaran means roundabouts, HI stands for Hotel Indonesia. You got it right if you guessed that Bundaran HI is a big roundabouts near (used to be called) Hotel Indonesia. The hotel itself has been refurbished and renamed as Hotel Indonesia Kempinski. Bundaran HI also known as Tugu Selamat Datang (Welcome Monument). The monument has been completed in the year 1962 under the order of Indonesia first president, Ir. Soekarno. The monument was made with the intention to welcome the visitors of the Asian Games IV that held in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Monument was sketched by (at that time) the vice governor of Jakarta, Sir Henk Ngantung and sculpted by Indonesian sculptor called Edhi Sunarso. Fun fact, the monument's constructions started on the 17th of August 1961. Which is the exact sweet sixteenth anniversary of Indonesia Independence day.

Courtesy of Immigrant

Back to the club. I went to Immigrant.

The club is located in the sixth floor of Plaza Indonesia.

Immigrant is a restaurant and bar in day time, lounge and club during night time.

For those who haven't got their name in the guest list, you need to pay 300,000 IDR (approx. 15GBP) to get in after 10 PM. This price is included one drink that you can choose at the till before you get in.

As much as i concern, you need to be over 21 to get in. It is a legal age for drinking in Indonesia. But then again, sad to say, it's Indonesia. If you are under 21 and are allowed to get in, count yourself as lucky. :)

I drove home and arrived home at 5:00AM the following day. Do not try to do that to yourself. Thanks to that night, i am completely broke the day after and my feet was swollen. Been in hilly part of England for almost two years made me lose my ability to stand on my platform heels for more than two hours.

Well that's it for today. I will write more about the journey tomorrow.

Stay tuned, don't forget to check back everyday for new posts sent directly from our laptop to yours!

P.S: we are working on our youtube channel! We will link you here when it's ready! Don't forget to subscribe and leave your comment. We'd love to hear from you!! :)


Here's a little preview of the first Twenty Toes UK Youtube vlog!

Cheers everyone!

Lidya

Twenty Toes UK

My Indonesian Travel List - The goal for our travels

   As my wife, Lidya, is Indonesian I have been fortunate enough to visit Indonesia nine times so far. Since I shall be going back and forth between England and Indonesia for the foreseeable future I decided to draw up an Indonesian travel wishlist of places I'd like to visit. The list is as follows:

1. Krakatau - This volcano in the Sunda Strait was responsible for one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recent times in terms of lives lost and devastation. It lies in the sea between the islands of Java and Sumatra. Although the vast majority was blown up in the blast of 1883, 'anak Krakatau' is growing at a rapid rate.

2. Taman Nasional Tanjung Puting - This national park on Kalimantan's southern coast is famous for its orangutan conservation despite the parks severely depleted habitat.

3. Komodo National Park - For the lizards, obviously! If anything is going to give you a feel of prehistoric life before man then I imagine Komodo island will.

4. Lake Toba - This lake in North Sumatra is the largest volcanic lake in the world. It is the remains of a supervolcano that is thought to be the biggest volcanic eruption of recent geological times.

5. Ujung Kulon Nasional Park - On Java's  west coast this national park is a UNESCO world heritage site and the last stronghold of the critically endangered Javanese Rhinoceros. 

6. Prambanan Temple complex - The largest Buddhist temple site in Indonesia and part of UNESCO's heritage, this impressive selection of monuments is situated in Central Java.

7. Pagaruyung Palace - I've always been a fan of old or ancient buildings with unique characteristics and this palace has got just that. Near Padang on the island of Sumatra, this palace was built during the 17th century.

8. Tana Toraja - Another of the archipelago's quirky style of buildings through the years, Tana Toraja is home to many of these unique tropical built huts with iconic roofs.

9. Mount Rinjani - As someone who likes hiking, Rinjani on the island of Lombok has caught my eye. Despite the popularity of Mt Bromo in Java, Lombok for me seems to offer better 'tropical island' views off the main tourist track.

10. Raja Ampat - If there is one picture that defines Indonesia as a tropical utopia then it's Raja Ampat. I'd just take a camera and be happy snapping all day long in these Western Papuan maze of Islands.

The destinations already ticked off my list include the National Monument in Jakarta, Borobudur Temple in Central Java, the iconic rice terraces of Bali, Kawah Putih, or 'White Crater', which is the beautiful spot that we had our pre-wedding photographs taken and Ulun Danu Temple, which is the reason I decided to start a blog. For me, travelling is all about the adventure, discovery and thrill of seeing something for the first time, admiring a building, culture or landscape that you don't see everyday. As much as I want to see the Parthenon in Athens, Machu Picchu in Peru or visit Hagia Sophia in Instanbul, I don't want to lose the feeling of what they are through overcrowding, the noise and the constant flash of cameras. I witnessed Borobudur midweek early in the morning before the potential throngs of tourists but unfortunately I wasn't so lucky at Ulun Danu Temple. What should be a peaceful religious site on a mountainous lake side turned out to be a bustling noisy stampede of people, packed shoulder to shoulder trying to take photographs. It ruined the complete aura of the place. Maybe slightly ironic as I was one of the crowd.
   I will continue to fulfill my Indonesian travel list and I will no doubt see some of the worlds other major tourist attractions but my goal here is to find the sights beyond the tourist track, away from the melee of camera flashes and to discover the forgotten but otherwise awe inspiring places of the world.

Rich

TwentyToesUK 

One of Those Moments of Reflection

Whether you are an avid traveler scouring the globe or just enjoy a holiday whenever you can, you might find yourself stumbling upon one of those moments when words and pictures can't describe how you feel. I always imaged these moments in time would come only when experiencing a form of nature, so magnificent and captivating that it's unimaginable to grasp the timescale a landscape has taken to develop and how fortunate you are to have witnessed it in such a stage of its existence. I picture floating on a cormorant fisherman's raft, meandering along the Li river in Southern China surrounded by the jagged alienesque hills of Guilin. I speculate that I'd experience that same stunning aura if I'd hiked 12,000 feet up the Andes mountain chain, the air getting thinner, expecting to reach a conical summit only to be met with Salar de Uyuni, a 4,000+ square mile expanse of salt flat, shimmering mirage like in the burning South American sun. I expect nature to be the only one to leave me in a state of awe, for nature has had the time to develop a landscape so beautiful without the hindrance of man. However, I have only experienced this state of true reflection once, not in the presence of a purely natural scene, but at Borobudur Temple, Indonesia.

Jakarta's train station. The largest mosque in SE Asia in the
background and the women only carriage of the train

From our second home in Jakarta, West Java, we drove to the train station early one morning before the sun had risen. After purchasing return tickets for 350,000 rupiah (or 25GBP at the time) we were awaiting our 6am carriage to Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia's previous capital city. We'd bought seats in the executive cabin of the train as, by British standards anyway, 25GBP is extremely cheap for a 336 mile, 8 hour train journey, return! When you consider that a train journey from my home in Sheffield to London is half that distance and, bought only a few days in advance, a one way ticket costs 50GBP I was extremely happy with the price. Anyway, the train consisted of around eight or nine carriages on arrival, one executive, one business and the rest standard, except for the last carriage which was reserved for women passengers only, as is the norm on Indonesia's trains. This isn't a isolated sex orientated division either, as I found that there are also women's parking spaces situated closer to shopping entrances in some malls, as well as the more religious divisions in pray among mosque goers. The compartment we were in was very spacious, plenty of leg room, not the comfiest of seats but able to recline with two arm rests and the added bonus of our own personal food cart which was always available within our cabin. As we chugged slowly through the melee of corrugated tin roofs of shanties and the hectic cries of the city's markets, we started to leave the metropolis of Jakarta behind, the chaotic scenes making way to much more aesthetic looking fields. The landscape gradually became more undulating and unpredictable, traversing rivers and hillsides, crisscrossing rice paddies and small tracts of rain forest. It wasn't quite as dramatic as I'd hoped but then again Java and Bali which I have frequented the most haven't quite lived up to my expectations in regards to natural grandeur and the tropical paradise in which I envisioned, mostly because of the overcrowded roads and the much cultivated land. Nonetheless, it was a whole lot better than being stuck in Jakarta's traffic for three hours travelling no more than six miles! The train journey was, despite its length, pleasant, the only drawback for me being that had I needed to go to the toilet in more urgent circumstances (I'm still not great with some Indonesian food), then the hole in the floor and the lack of toilet paper which constituted a toilet would have no doubt ruined my whole experience.

At Borobudur's base.

We arrived at a very frenetic Yogyakarta train station mid afternoon under a tropical monsoon. Having made our way through the swaths of persistent taxi and tuktuk drivers offering their services we chose a much drier 4x4 to escort us to our hotel, the Royal Ambarrukmo. My first impressions of Jogja, as it is more commonly known throughout Indonesia, was much the same as Jakarta, minus the skyscrapers but much more hilly. It has the same frantic streets, rife with the sound of car horns and shouts from the roadside food stall sellers, the same shabby shacks lining the streets selling everything from electrical goods to refurbished office furniture. The one thing the city didn't have as oppose to Jakarta though was that capital feel. Where investment is obvious to see in the country's capital, Jogja seems to have been left behind, spared of the development which would have seen in progress at an albeit slower rate than Jakarta. I did enjoy my time in the city though, the grand palaces of the ex capital were rather grand among its perfected trimmed lawns, the place oozed history as it has been at the heart of all Java's dynasties throughout its rich history. And perhaps most importantly for me, since I mentioned early about my stomach still struggling to adapt to some Indonesian food, we found a restaurant where I not only enjoyed the atmosphere and food, I can honestly say I had the most amazing curry I have ever eaten. The restaurant was called Gajah Wong, it consisted of three styles of rooms with accompanying music. We choose to eat in the jazz spirited part which had a mixture of authentic Indonesian and Western tastes. Having traveled midweek the restaurant wasn't busy so we sat alone beside a beautiful antique piano as the musician and singer graced us with melodic free-flowing jazz, the whole ambiance wouldn't have been out of place on a Parisian boulevard. After choosing to have a Malay orientated curry we further enjoyed the harmonic music as we awaited our meal. Lidya, a mix of impatience waiting for our meal and the urge to sing, joined the young female vocalist and sang 'Girl from Ipanema'. She absolutely brought the house down! Well, I gave her a standing ovation plus the pianist, singer and one waitress which accumulated the whole room. I think the only regret I had that evening was not taking a picture of the work of art that was my meal. I'm from Yorkshire, England, where we enjoy a good hearty meal, I don't need a fancy picture perfect plate or a gourmet styled tiny morsel of fancy, hard to pronounce, cuisine, I just need a good heartwarming dish, and plenty of it! However, for the first time, I got both. My plate consisted of a mildly spiced Malay curry with boneless chicken breast, a wicker basket of sticky Indonesian rice, the most crisp and vibrant side salad, diced and fashioned into an array of shapes which was fascinating it itself, half a dozen dips and aromatic sauces, a large stack of chapati and the most bizarre concoction of banana spiced chutney. It was one of those dishes where you know you are full but just can't stop eating. I haven't been back to Yogyakarta since but even if it wasn't from the attraction of seeing Prambanan or a return visit to Borobudur, I would truthfully go back just so I could order this curry again. If they did deliveries to England I would be on the phone straight away!

Lidya at the main stairway of the temple.

We woke up the next morning, me having had lucid dreams of last nights meal, fresh and ready to explore Borobudur. I must admit that previous to my travels to see Lidya in Indonesia, I had never heard of Borobudur before so had no intention of seeing it, it was only through a bit of research via google and searching for images of various cities around Java in which to visit that I stumbled across it. I have always been in awe of ancient architecture, whether it be centuries old British castles and cathedrals, the Roman ruins across Europe or the more commonly known temples of the Egyptians or Mayans, so visiting Borobudur sounded just the sort of thing I'd love to see. As we drove through the central Javan countryside we passed distinctive lava stream beds of past mount Merapi eruptions, a reminder that we were in a setting where nature really did rule. Rising just shy of 3,000m, the volcano was a daunting figure yet its flanks were heavily cultivated as the ash provides nutrient rich soil for agricultural use. As we left Merapi behind to our right we turned towards the ancient temple complex, getting the odd glimpse of its peak figurines among the tropical mishmash of trees. The temple was set in a wonderfully well kept park, giant trees wrapped in creepers and vines with an abundance of tropical flowers adorning the beds beside the lawns. The temple itself emerges as you follow the winding path through the foliage, dwarfing the tropical plants which had only a few minutes ago looked the equivalent of nature's skyscrapers. As the obstructions cleared and it revealed itself in front of our eyes, that's the moment you can take in just how complex and the vast Borobudur really is.

Buddhist figurine looking out towards the mountains.

Built in the 8th and 9th centuries, Borobudur was and still is, 12 centuries later, the largest Buddhist monument ever built. That means, despite the technological advances we've experienced over the passed millennium and how basic everyday commodities such as transport, tools and the non existence of machinery was back then, the people in the time of the Syailendra dynasty responsible for building it have never been surpassed. That is ridiculous! When you consider that we live in an age when mankind is trying to build things bigger and better than ever, when the tallest building in the world gets outdated within a few years, these ingenious people with their rudimentary tools managed to create a temple that still stands in the most magnificent and inhospitable of places today, as the largest of its kind. I'd compare Borobudur to the Egyptian pyramids or the Mayan's in Central America in terms of structure, only of course in a South East Asian way. The temple is built in three tiers, forming a 'square' triangle, encompassing 2,500m square. The three tiers represent the Buddhist philosophy of kamadhatu (the base of the temple), rupadhatu (the mid section) and arupadhatu (top section) of which makes interesting reading but I will spare you the details here. All you need to know is it was constructed perfectly in accordance with Buddhist lore. Atop the pyramidal structure are 72 bell like statues, many more Buddhist figurines and expertly carved platforms and walls. An army of workers must have toiled in tropical disease infested rain forest, through monsoon type weather and the very possible threat from Merapi and other active volcano's in Central Java, to shape the 60,000m3 of stone that comprises the monument. What makes it even more remarkable as mentioned before is all this was done a millennium ago, 300 years before the more famous and popular Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Borobudur has since been reinvigorated by UNESCO as it was abandoned for at least 500 years and subjected to volcanic eruptions and weathering but the fact it has survived is a testament to the dynastic, visions of the king who built it and the Buddhist faith.

Lidya's moment of reflection.

When I scaled the worn steps on that day in 2012, early in the morning before the crowds had arrived, I reached the summit and that's where I experienced my only moment of true reflection. From the bell on the peak of the pyramid you gaze out over rain forest in every direction until you hit the abrupt rising mountains and volcano chain that gave birth to these islands. It's hard to imagine living in a place so wild and unruly, so full of myth and unpredictability. Yet years ago, five centuries before the introduction of Islam to what is now the world's most populous Islamic country, a dynasty began building the world's greatest ever temple to Buddha. It would have been a monumental achievement had they built it on flat grassy plains nearby a river or a stone's through away from the Java sea yet this is constructed on a hill in the middle of the humid heartlands of a tropical island. It's astonishing to think that thousands of tonnes of stone were carved and fashioned into detailed statuettes, huge slabs of identical stone, all of which were carried miles uphill then pieced together like a massive 3D jigsaw in the most inhospitable place imaginable. As I gazed out, looking at the surrounding tranquility of the Javanese landscape, the whole aura of the place just seemed right. Borobudur will stay with me forever and I would not hesitate to return given the opportunity, or for the curry!

For additional information on Borobudur please check on Unesco's website here: whc.unesco.org/en/list/592

Rich  

Yorkshire's Capital of Food - Malton Foodfest

   This weekend I decided to drive up to Malton, North Yorkshire, midway between York and Scarborough, for a food festival at a place acclaimed to be Yorkshire's food capital. A steady 80 minute drive up the M1 and A64 from Sheffield through brilliant yellow fields of rapeseed took us to the medieval market town, situated in idyllic countryside just south of the North York Moors National Park and 20 miles inland from the North Sea coastline. With the promise of plenty of stalls selling locally produced goodies, freshly cooked and baked treats and an array of continental sellers flogging their country's delicacies I thought it would be wise to skip breakfast to allow more room for tasting! I'm happy to say that it was well worth starving myself for.

Before the main crowds arrived.

   After parking up in the main car park, just a stones throw away from the centre of the town, I was happy to find that the parking was just 1.50GBP for the entire day, plus the toilets were free, something that is becoming all too rare nowadays. This put me in a good mood from the start and convinced me that drinking at the beer tent would now be a relatively cheap and consequence free (ish) experience. Having sat patiently salivating in the car journey on the way North in anticipation of the bounty of food on offer my brother and I decided it wise to start with locally reared venison from ROUND GREEN Farm in the form of a burger. We'd arrived about 10am and having strolled into the market area the sizzling venison on the grill and the smoky smell enticed me to look no further. Topped with crispy onions, cheese, tomato relish and finished on a white breadcake, I couldn't have asked for a better way to start our Malton food experience. Ironically, the farm is located only 6 miles from my home in South Yorkshire so fortunately for me I will have the chance of buying this venison again without having the travel far.

St. Michael's Anglican Church

   The square, encircling St. Michael's Anglican church, was bustling on all sides with stalls selling everything from cheese, meats, locally grown fruit and vegetables, fresh bread, pies, oils, regionally brewed alcohol to continental delights such as baklava, pastas and confectionery, all intermingled between grills and stoves cooking a variety of worldwide street foods such as burgers, nachos, hotdogs, hog roasts, Thai cuisine or for the sweet tooth Spanish churros and French crepes. All this combined with musicians, whether it be the orchestra or drummers that played on the main stage or the young talented artists that sang, guitar in hand, on any unoccupied corner gave a really festival atmosphere to what proved to exceed all expectation. Although we didn't buy tickets to some of the events of the day, cookery classes were available along side internationally renowned chefs, live demonstrations took place to provide the intrigued amateur chef with tips and advice, book signings and interviews and tasting sessions progressed as the day went on. The crowds bustled through the cobbled North Yorkshire streets as the town crier rang his bell in his eighteenth century attire. But most impressive of all the attractions and chaos was the outside bar!

The beer tent

   During the day we spent the majority of our time camped beside a large beer barrel table, pint glass in hand, sampling the local breweries creation. Brass Castle Brewery, situated in Malton, one of two responsible with quenching our thirst, whether it be the pint of Tail Gunner or Malton Amber, or a glass of Northern Monk from the Leeds based distillery, each with its own distinct colouration, aroma and taste. From here we had the music of the main stage echoing through the pavilion and the vociferous crowd of beer connoisseurs, as every man is when he's surpassed three pints. At 3.50GBP per pint there was very little excuse not to be drinking outside in the glorious early summer sun. It was time to get some more food to soak up all that beer.
   As a lover of Latin American/Spanish food we opted to test two stalls, one for something savoury, one for something sweet. El Kantina provided us with a large portion of its 'Ninja Nachos', a combination of crispy tortilla chips lathered in cheese, tangy tomato salsa and juicy pulled pork, topped with chopped hot jalapenos. A mix of Mexican and Southern State street food classics all produced freshly from the fields and farms of Yorkshire created a unsurprisingly delicious snack. El Kantina, like most of the other mobile stalls, are available for hire at events and parties so please do check them out online. Travelling back into Europe, or the next stall along, we bought one of my current favourite dessert, churros. This is fried dough in a stick like shape powdered with cinnamon sugar with an accompanying pot of either chocolate or caramel sauce. If every there was a reason to stop keeping fit and healthy and just give in to greed and gluttony it's for churros! Like El Kantina, Senor Churro is also available for hire, they also sell hot drinks and create their food with as many fairtrade products as possible, another great reason to give in to the temptations.

Yorkshire Dales Real Food stall.

    We finished our Malton Food Festival trip with another stroll around the square and a bit of present shopping for the family. We bought a chilli plant from 'Yorkshire Chilies', producing a variety of bullet shaped jalapeno that can be eaten when green (mild) or when red (hot), we purchased healthy sugar free walnut granola for our health conscience mum from Yorkshire Dales Real Food, something she's given the thumbs up to and is almost gone after 2 days, plus a unique shape of pasta made in 'Yara's Kitchen' by Etruscany. I could quite easily have spent a small fortune on so much more as we were drawn to nearly every market stall by the most amazing incenses, blends and charismatic sellers.
   Malton has it's major food festival once a year and it is definitely an event I will be going back to in 2016 and recommend it highly. They also have a monthly market that can be found at www.maltonyorkshire.co.uk for anyone who is looking for a day out. I am home now, weighing slightly more, having an ever higher expectation of ingredients and conceding that Malton probably does deserve the title of Yorkshire's food capital.

A cabbage and leek cow. Healthy but doesn't provide a good steak.

Rich

GWK Cultural Park, Bali

Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park is a place that I've visited twice during my travels to Indonesia, once in February 2012 and once in February 2015. The first time I went I was in awe, not particularly of what was there at the time but of what it promised. The torso of Vishnu (Wisnu), a Hindu God, and the mythical bird Garuda, Vishnu's stead and Indonesia's national symbol, tower above everything in the park and are therefore the main attractions. These statues, although already impressive, are only part complete so stand in wait for the rest of the parts to be finished. I Nyoman Nuarta, Indonesia's most highly acclaimed sculptor, models and develops the parts in Bandung, West Java, out of brass and copper before shipping the parts to the south of Bali. When complete, the statue will consist of Wisnu riding Garuda as depicted in Hindi teachings, complete with a golden mosaic coated crown for the God and decorations for the legendary bird. The statue will have a combined weight of 3000 tons of copper! To put that into some perspective, the Statue of Liberty weights 204 tons. It will be almost 3 times as tall as the the US' great figure with a wingspan of 64 metres. Not only this, it'll sit on a pedestal of 30,000 square metres containing an art gallery and conference centre among other facilities. 30,000 square feet! That's huge, it's like the equivalent of an average Premier League players house. 

   

 When I first saw the current monuments at GWK I was excited at the prospect of seeing one of the world's biggest ever statues as it gave me a glimpse of what was to come. Unfortunately, 3 years later and it's in the same state as what it was on my initial visit. Maybe I'm just impatient to see progress. How long does it take to make a phoenix as long as 10 buses and a Godly figure with a gold encrusted crown as tall as 60 Peter Crouch's? There's no doubt I will go back if I have the opportunity when I know it's complete but until then I won't be returning. I wouldn't particularly recommend it to tourists at this stage or discourage anyone from going if they had this in mind but from my point of view, the whole park is a project in process. It's built into an abandoned limestone mine that looks like the set of the film 'Maze Runner' and offers what feels like a natural but clearly manmade environment. Other facilities on site include a large amphitheater where the traditional Balinese dancers in fully classical attire and masks tell the story of Garuda and other Hindu deities to the sound of the gongs and angklung. Fortunately for us, there was a very nervous looking bloke sat in front of us who stood out of the crowd more than we did so he got chosen to dance on stage. After making a swift exit we headed to a small row of shops that sell all the authentic Indonesian products: cloth, instruments, packaged food, pictures. Lidya however thought it would be a good idea to go for a therapeutic massage session which I happily agreed to, only to be terribly misinformed and ended up laid on my side while a elderly woman held a burning candle in my ear. Due to the fact that I had a flame very close to my head and extremely flammable hair, which seems to be receding at a rapid rate, I found this anything but relaxing. After about 15 minutes of this I'm still none the wiser as to what it was for as my hearing was still the same.

   The grounds surrounding the stalls are quaint and very tranquil, with a lotus pond and flowering trees, something I hope to see more of on the estate next time. Other than this, the area is vast but pretty bland. Facing away from Garuda at the western end you look out at a track of lawn between the the limestone cliff faces with nothing but a small human sized figure at the far end. Whether they have any plans to develop this area is unclear, it could be the location for the eventual final mega statue which, if chosen, I think would somewhat reduce the impact its presence would have as it would be sandwiched in a valley. For me, some kind of botanical garden would compliment the serenity of the place and be fitting among religious icons.

   

When you pull up to the park entrance off a busy street heading south from Bali's Ngurah Rai International airport I expected it to be like most of my Balinese experiences: interesting, picturesque but too much litter and massively overcrowded. What I found to be the case here though, bizarrely, was the complete opposite. Soon as we entered the gates the usual bustle and reverberation of bike engines disappeared and we were suddenly in a peaceful locale. The shacks lined up between 7Elevens or Indomaret's vanished and we were surrounded by vibrant green lawns, rubbish free and tidy. This was short lived though when we were greeted by the soothing sounds of circular saws cutting through the concrete throughout the entrance and pedestrian walkways just through the turnstiles and the sight of heavy machinery landscaping certain areas. Work in progress is very much what GWK is at this moment. 

I love the ambition of the project and what it will represent for Indonesia when or if it is ever completed. It would be a massive accomplishment and generate an influx of tourists to see one of Asia's most spectacular creations. And probably most importantly of all, unlike the Spring Temple Buddha statue in Henan Province, China, it will be accessible to tourists without having to travel far from the main resorts (15 minute drive from the airport, 40 from Kuta and 90 from Ubud). I have a lot of admiration for I Nyoman Nuarta and can't fault his enthusiasm for such a grand plan. I generally can not wait to visit when it's all complete and that gold enameled crown is final placed upon Wisnu's head.

Rich

Roche Abbey, South Yorkshire

Imagine this scenario. You are told by your boss that you have a business trip to the UK. You've never been before so you are understandably excited and it's a three day trip so surely you can take in the sights. You're already planning to pose inside a red telephone box in front of Big Ben, hit Piccadilly Circus at night and tell all your friends you've had tea with the Queen. Then your boss tells you that you aren't going to London. You try to stay optimistic, you could take an Old Trafford tour if it's Manchester or enjoy the 'City of Culture' and see the Beatles museum if you're based in Liverpool. Then you are informed it's Yorkshire. You can't believe your luck, God's Country! Then, as if you have just been punched in the stomach by Tyson in his prime, your boss mutters 'Rotherham'. Rotherham!? You could watch Rotherham United Football Club said no tourist ever. Do you feel annoyed? Gobsmacked? Confused? Either way, you need somewhere to venture close by, preferably somewhere that's iconic and will calm you down after your disappointment at being sent to 'Rovrum'. Fortunately, I have the answer.

   Just 10 minutes from the A1(M) and M18, Roche Abbey is set in a beautifully landscaped valley a few miles from Maltby, South Yorkshire. After driving along a country road my SatNav took me onto a one lane cobbled track through a wood at which point the signal cut out and told me to do a U-turn. After proceeding down a hill, almost shaking my car to pieces, I arrived in an opening and parked up. The first thing that greets you is a gatehouse which I unfortunately didn't snap a photograph of. This is divided into two gateways, one for carts and the other for pedestrians, in which the monks also distributed food through to the less fortunate of the time. I further found out that the weathered figures of entrance were exceptionally rare for a Cistercian Abbey as images were prohibited on holy buildings. The day was glorious, not a cloud in the sky and having visited midday on a Friday it was empty other than myself. After going through the site shop, owned by English Heritage and costing 3.80GBP, I entered the grounds of which were so serene and tranquil that it still felt spiritual despite being long abandoned and dilapidated. 

   Roche Abbey's surroundings were further landscaped in the 18th century to enhance the aura that the abbey exudes. Two streams also flow through the foundations, creating a halcyon atmosphere as the trickle of water further adds to the soothing environment of the whole scene. The abbey used to be dived into two living quarters, the monks, numbering 150 in its prime, occupied the east and the lay brothers abode in the west.  The only part of the abbey that has survived to any significant height are the transepts which are still viewed as important evidence of Gothic ruins for the North of England. What makes Roche Abbey somewhat unique is that Yorkshire monasteries tended to extend their buildings as required with the growth of its population but Roche maintained its original construction leading to the remains which are left behind now near enough all original, over 800 years old. 

   I spent about 45 minutes strolling around the ruins, over the stream, taking photographs of the columns and ruinous stonework and generally enjoying the peace and quiet. Whether or not you take pleasure in visiting religious or historic sites it's hard to not appreciate how large the monastery would have been as a structure built in the twelfth century, considering it is an example of a modestly sized church. It was Gothic inspired and takes a lot of influence from the French built abbeys of the time as oppose to the Roman style versions. Only 15 minutes from Rotherham town centre, Roche Abbey is a place worth seeing as a part of a day out, whether you're a seasoned historical traveler or just fancy somewhere different to have a picnic on a sunny day. 

For any further information, check out the English Heritage website. Conisborough Castle is also nearby if you fancy something different.

Richard

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