Tag: Explore

Travel/

Bergen, Norway – The perfect winter holiday destination

December 2024 – We decided to go on a short winter holiday and Bergen turned out to be a phenomenal choice. Located in the heard of the Fjords, Bergen is picturesque, cute, cosy with mesmerising views and sooo much more. It is located in the west coast of Norway and is surrounded by seven mountains. Once you get there, you definitely don’t want to miss Bryggen – the old Hanseatic wharf. The vibrant area of Bryggen is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. I definitely recommend you staying in that area as you will enjoy it to the fullest.

What to do in order of priority (according to my view that is)

  1. Fjord cruise: We booked the Bergen – Mostraumen fjord cruise of duration 4 hours. The views were breathtaking and despite the challenging weather conditions we couldn’t resist standing out on the ferry deck taking it all in. Check out a short clip capturing the highlight of our experience. [You should expect to see narrow fjords, steep mountainsides and waterfalls! We sailed up the 27-kilometer long Osterfjord towards Modalen, the country’s second smallest municipality with only around 380 inhabitants. Along the way, we safely navigated through strong currents in the shallow and narrow Mostraumen straits. We got so close to a towering waterfall that we even felt a refreshing spray on our face! – Source: visitbergen.com]
  2. Fløyen mountain: Mount Fløyen is definitely something you should explore during your visit in Bergen. It’s easily accessible via a state of the art cable car (Fløibanen) which is quite affordable – approximately €11 roundtrip for adults. There are many options once you are up there – enjoy the majestic views, hike, visit the troll forest and capture the unique creations, access the nearby lake and more. We explored the map available once you get to the top via QR code and it is fairly easy to navigate as everything is appropriately signposted.
  3. Walk around the beautiful city
  4. Christmas Market: The entrance to the Christmas Market is free – be sure to check the dates it will be operating prior visiting.
  5. Museums: There are many museums that are worth a visit. Click here to explore the available options.

Where to stay

I strongly recommend you staying at Radisson Blu Hotel as it is affordable and perfectly positioned in Bryggen. And when I say perfectly, I mean perfectly. The pick up point for the Fjord cruise we booked was conveniently enough right outside the hotel and the same holds for the AirPort Express shuttle Flybussen (the cost was approximately €14).

How to get there

The most convenient way is to fly to the Bergen Airport – and then get the Bergen Light Rail Line 1 to the centre (the cost is approximately €5 and it is very convenient and smooth). If you are staying at the centre the distance is short so you will definitely be able to walk to your accommodation.

When to go and for how long

As mentioned we wanted to experience the winter holiday vibes of Bergen so visiting in December right before Christmas was a good choice. Make sure you look up the dates the Christmas Market will be available though as the last available date to experience it during our visit was 22nd December. Three to four (3-4) days are more than enough to explore the city and make the most of it.

Tips

  1. If you are worried about the language, don’t. Everyone speaks English in Norway, they are very kind and eager to help.
  2. Bergen is the most rainy city in Europe so having an umbrella with you may be useful.
  3. During this time of year temperatures vary from 0 to 2 degrees centigrade so bring lots of layers with you and a warm coat.
  4. This is funny coming from me being a vegetarian, but if you are a meat eater definitely try out the local hot dogs at Trekroneren.
  5. My mummy friends have been asking whether it is a suitable city for babies and the answer is of course. Navigating with a stroller is super easy there! Make sure you bring all necessary equipment and you will be more than fine.
  6. Bergen City card: Is it worth it? Well if planned properly yes, making sure you have enough time to visit the free attractions included in the price. If not, then it is not worth it.
Travel/

Cenotes in Mexico – a unique and refreshing adventure

August 2022 – I was so thrilled when my friend Theodora (friend of mine from uni) reached out and asked my to be her plus one at her best friends wedding. I jumped at the opportunity to explore Mexico with her and of course her lovely Mexican and Norwegian friends. Right before the wedding when everyone started to get to know each other we went on a beautiful group activity in Puerto Morelos (Yucatan Peninsula) to explore the magnificent Cenotes. The Cenotes Zapote Eco Park was really close to the hotel we were staying and the wedding venue so it was our first choice and definitely wasn’t one to regret.

Cenotes

Let me start off by saying that Cenotes (pronounced: se -no-te) are large sinkholes / caves / natural pits formed by the collapse of surface limestone, filled with cool and clear groundwater. Some of them are overground (open Cenotes) and some of them are underground. We chose to take the Zapote tour that included access to four (4) different cenotes (two open cenotes and two undeground ones). We paid 55 USD per person (adults) and our local Mexican friends mentioned that this a reasonable price and it was pretty convenient as we had a guide with us the entire time. The guides were very friendly and were sharing with us all necessary information.

Facilities

  • 4 cenotes (I recall the names for two of them: Las Palmas Cenote & Cenote El Abuelo Che Che)
  • Zip line circuit
  • Mountain bikes
  • Life jackets
  • Lockers
  • Restrooms
  • Restaurant
  • Hammocks
  • Round trip shuttle

What to take with you

  • A waterproof camera or your phone in a plastic case
  • Wear your bathing suit
  • Dry towel
  • Comfortable shoes

It’s an amazing experience, if you are with a group of friends or your family you will definitely enjoy it. You get the chance to swim or float or jump even in some of the cenotes. Our group of friends kept jumping again and again in the open water cenotes and loved every minute of it. The water is very clean and if you look closely you will observe some turtles and fish in there. In the underground cenotes the water is a bit colder but it is worth it as you will be amazed by the scenery.

Stay tuned for more adventures in Mexico!

Travel/

Gems in Japan: Takaragawa Onsen (Hot Springs)

August 2017 – One of the highlights of our trip to Japan was the Takaragawa Onsen (hot springs), located in the wider Minakami area. The Onsen has a unique touch which gives a feeling of traditional Japan as soon as you arrive. The energy of this little piece of paradise made me feel like a weight was lifted off my chest when I walked in. The staff was very welcoming, respectful and polite! If you have visited any part of Japan you know exactly what I mean. I wouldn’t expect anything less. When we checked in we were given yukata (a casual version of kimonos) and zori (Japanese sandals) to wear throughout our stay there. Truth be told that was the first time during our trip we had a chance to feel like locals.

The baths

Lush, mesmerizing sceneries, breathtaking views. We decided to visit the baths very early in the morning (6 a.m.) so we had them all for ourselves. The Onsen has four outdoor baths, three mixed gender and one for women only. There are also separate indoor baths for men and women. The Onsen staff will give you instructions as to what to wear in the baths. From our experience there, women wear a dress robe in the baths (provided by the Onsen) whilst men are not required to wear anything in the baths. They can, however, cover themselves using a small towel (provided by the Onsen).

Tattoos

It seems that the Onsen is tattoo friendly, it would be a good idea to cover your tattoos, however, prior entering the baths. Generally in Japanese hot springs access is restricted to customers with tattoos. The reason for this, is that people with tattoos are associated with members of Japanese organized crime (Yakuza) so before accessing any other Onsen be sure to do your research for any restrictions.

The rooms and the food

The rooms were very comfortable and traditional. People always ask me about the food and local cuisine. Those of you who know me well enough you’ll know that I am clueless when it comes to food tasting. Luckily, I had an amazing crew that absolutely loves Japanese cuisine, thus I can confidently say that the food was amazing. Being a vegetarian was not a problem at all, we enjoyed a tasty traditional buffet dinner.
If you want to feel the lifestyle of traditional Japanese this is your answer.

How to get there

From Tokyo get to the Jomo-Koegen train station (takes approximately 1.5 hours). From the Jomo-Koegen station you can get by bus to the Onsen. We bought the Minakami 3-days pass (costs ¥2100 approximately €15) and in approximately 1 hour you will get to the Onsen.

Tip no.1: Contact the Onsen in advance as they may offer a free ride from the station to the Onsen and back.

Tip no 2: To check the availability, pricing and timing of trains and other transportation means in Japan use the site hyperdia.com. We were impressed by the punctuality of all transportation means so be there on time.

When to get there

We visited the Onsen during August and the weather was just perfect (not cold and not hot either). If you love winter sceneries though you can definitely visit the Onsen during Autumn or Winter as well. Judging by what my friends said when they visited the Onsen in April, it will definitely feel like walking into a fairytale as everything will be covered in snow.

Sincere thanks to my cousin Leda and my friends Maria and Stefania for providing some captures from this wonderful adventure. Together with Ashley and Qeoni you made this a very unique adventure for me. Special thanks to the welcoming locals that shared their stories and made us feel like home.

Thank you ” Arigatōgozaimasu” in Japanese- (ありがとうございます)

What are you waiting for, book your stay at Takaragawa Onsen, you won’t regret it. The video below has been published on the Onsen’s official website.

But that’s not all we did in the Minakami area, we also did Bungee Jumping in a river near by. I will tell you more about this story later though.

You know what? I want to go back and explore more aspects of the Minakami area. I’ve done my research and it’s at the top of my bucket list.

Hint: Snow monkeys