TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE DIARIES

Because I got booted out of the 100-year old Chinese mansion hotel I stayed at (they have no permit allowing foreigners to stay with them), I moved to a hotel just down the road which does not offer breakfast. Not that I mind though. Bian Rou Wonton noodle soup in Xiamen. The dumpling noodle restaurant is on Zhongshan Pedestrian Road on the corner of Jukou Jie street. The best landmark is the street gate beside it on Jukou Jie. This is perfectly fine for me as this will give me the excuse to splurge on a brunch. My idea of splurge does not mean expensive, exclusive and eating large amounts of food by the way. Splurge for me is when I have the freedom to try out new things, and in this case, Chinese food. For this brunch, I was searching for some warm noodle soup. I was craving. Noodles are my favourite dish in the world. I make a lot at home at home, sauteed or soup style. The Dutchman loves them as well. The only difference with the noodles I make is that I add a huge ...

A must-see when in Belgrade and most importantly, it’s free admission =) The old citadel of Belgrade lies at the junction of the Sava and Danube rivers in Stari Grad (Old Town) with its defence walls looking over to Novi Beograd. I visited twice, the first time on my first night in the city and the second time, during the day. It is very easy to get to the fortress and park. One just has to follow the busy Knez Mihaolova pedestrian street until reaching the end of it where the trams pass. Across this street is the park leading to the entrance to the fortress. On this park are many portable souvenir shops selling Vladimir Putin souvenirs. I am not sure if Putin is loved by the locals here but he sure is a very popular item on sale =) I highly recommend this place and I will tell the reasons why.... Firstly, it is a place that is steeped in history. The fortress is the site of the ancient Roman city called Singidumun which is Belgrade during the Ottoman era. Drink in ...

One of the best ways to discover a new town or city is simply by walking. And it is free! Kralja Milana, one of the main avenues in Belgrade with many historical buildings such as the Oficirski dom (mustard coloured building). Not many people I know would prefer to hike around when on holiday but it has its own advantages as well, namely, burning the calories for the day, getting to see local things up close and personal and feeling the raw side character and personality of the city, which you can only experience when you walk on its streets. Most especially, when you venture out of the centrum. But first things first, we have to understand the layout of Belgrade, known as Beograd by the locals. Belgrade is divided into neighbourhoods: Helaas, I have only visited Stari Grad (Old Town) , Vracar and Zemun . I have, however, and I am sure of this, been around with my rental car and the taxi in the nearby surrounding neighbourhoods, including Novi Beograd. I even got lost ...