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Edinburgh, Scotland – Great Places to Eat, Drink, and See

Calton Hill Views

As a food lover, Edinburgh is one of my favorite European city travel destinations. Scottish cuisine is amazing–delicious Aberdeen Angus steaks, incredibly fresh seafood (salmon heaven, I tell you), and a focus on fresh complimenting veggies that extend much further than “neeps and tatties”. Speaking of “neeps and tatties”, let’s not forget Scotland’s most famous culinary contribution haggis! Love it or hate (I love it!) you’ll find it on the menu in some form or another at just about every restaurant/pub in Edinburgh.

fun fact: did you know that Traditional scottish haggis has been banned in the usa since 1971?

 

During my 4 day/3 night trip to Edinburgh, I found tons of places to eat, drink, and see. But I only want to share the places that truly stood out. If you’re looking for recommendations for places to eat,  drink and see on or near the Royal Mile of Edinburgh THIS article is for you. Continue reading “Edinburgh, Scotland – Great Places to Eat, Drink, and See”

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Pakse, Laos – Land of Waterfalls and Beauty

Tad Yuang Waterfall

Laos has always had a special place in my heart. Luang Prabang is one of my favorite getaway destinations from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. So when I was invited to participate in a sponsored trip to the Champasak District of Laos I was both honored and excited. This initiative by the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office  was meant to inspire tourism to Southern Laos and places that are off the usual paths for tourists.

The inspiring 4-day itinerary was put together by the Southern Laos tourism organization. It captured the amazing sights of the city of Pakse and natural beauty of the Southern Laos destinations nearby in the Champasak District. If you’re looking for unspoiled landscapes, UNESCO World Heritage sites, all free from throngs of tourists, then put this destination on your radar.

Let me show you some of the things to do and places to eat that makes this place special… Continue reading “Pakse, Laos – Land of Waterfalls and Beauty”

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Paro, Bhutan – Entering the Land of the Thunder Dragon!

Taktsang Monastery, Paro Bhutan

In the native Bhutanese language of Dzongkha Bhutan is called  Druk Yul which is translated as “Land of Thunder Dragon“.  It got this name because of the intense thunderstorms that rushed through the valleys from the Himalayas. In those early days the booming thunder and lightning were thought to come from a dragon.

Bhutan has always been high on my bucket list of travel destinations. It’s a place of incredible landscapes, architecture, people, and food. It is also the only country in the world that has an index to measure their “Gross National Happiness“. How neat is that?

I booked a private tour with Maebar Travel which enabled me to experience this beautiful country for 9 glorious days. The itinerary took me through Paro, Thimpu, Phobjikha, Wangdue and Punakha, and the newly opened Haa Valley. Rather than write a single GIANT article encompassing the entire trip, I’ve decided to break it up into a few articles about each place I visited.

As Paro is the gateway for International travelers arriving to this beautiful kingdom, I figured this would be a great place to start! I guarantee you’ll want to buckle your seatbelt for the landing…  Continue reading “Paro, Bhutan – Entering the Land of the Thunder Dragon!”

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Samut Sakhon – Mangroves, Salt Farms, and Seafood!

Samut Sakhon

I really love living in Bangkok. But sometimes it’s nice to get away from the big city and see another side of Thailand. Fortunately, for this latest trip I didn’t have to go far. In fact, adventure was found just an hour outside of the Big Mango in the lovely coastal province of Samut Sakhon.

TakeMeTour in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) have put together day trip tours under a program called “Local Table“. These private tours offer visitors a unique opportunity to explore Thailand through the eyes of locals.

I received an invitation to review the very first Local Table tour for Samut Sakhon. It was described, “Discover the Secrets of Salt and Savor Homemade Seafood at Salt Farm“. I was thrilled to accept. The tour consisted of a tour to a mangrove forest, an active salt farm, and a lunch of seafood and unique local dishes prepared by the salt farming family. Honestly they had me at seafood!

It was a fantastic break from the city, and I’m happy to share this experience. Continue reading “Samut Sakhon – Mangroves, Salt Farms, and Seafood!”