Oslo – Norway

On 02/10/201525/10/2015 By TravelbyjaedIn architecture, art, lifestyle, photography, TravelLeave a comment

I went to Oslo, Norway in March 2015, it was my second Northern European country to visit and my second trip to Scandinavia.

How long I stayed
I stayed 3 days and 2 nights, I arrived Friday afternoon and left on Sunday afternoon.

The weather
It was March and the weather was as still very cold, it wasn’t more than 4 degrees and the Saturday was overcast making it feel even cooler.

The cost of trip
A return flight from London Stanstead to Oslo Rygge cost £40 return, it would have been £20 but that is a story for another day. 3 days and 2 nights stay at the hostel cost £53, so in all flights and accommodation cost £93.

Where I stayed
I stayed at the Oslo Hostel Central, the hostel was in a good location, being 5 mins walk to Akershus Fortress and Oslo Harbour and 10mins walk from the Oslo central station and Oslo Opera and Ballet House. The hostel was clean and the staff friendly.

What I did

Oslo Cathedral/ Oslo Domkirke
I was privy to watch a youth choir rehearsing for a show, they sounded amazing and truly angelic. Oslo Cathedral/ Oslo Domkirke is gorgeous and I loved the internal decor.

Oslo Catherdral - Oslo Domkirke — Oslo Catherdral/ Oslo Domkirke

Inside Oslo Catherdral - Oslo Domkirke — Inside Oslo Catherdral/ Oslo Domkirke

Oslo Ballet and Opera House
I felt like a child at a candy store, I loved that Oslo Ballet and Opera House felt like one giant piece of interactive sculpture. You can walk up the sides onto the roof, the roof has different levels, falls and surface textures to play with. I went there twice, once during the day and the second was at night the view of Oslo were amazing and I got some amazing pictures of the city and of my shadow against the building.

View from Oslo Opera and Ballet House at Night

My shadow on Oslo Opera and Ballet House

Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress sits overlooking Oslo harbour. Akershus Fortress was the first place I went to when I arrived in Oslo, it was a happy accident as I had thought I was going to Old Aker Church but I had misread the map and ended up at the fortress. I visited during early evening, it was quiet and peaceful, a very good place to unwind, I felt serene watching the sun set over Oslo harbour. Entrance is free to the fortress and guided tours can be organised.

Old Aker Church
Old Aker Church is the oldest building in Oslo and was built in the 1100s. A quaint little church that sits high up, the views from the grounds over Oslo are pretty amazing. It is very peaceful, spiritual and a good place to sit and reflect. There are graves on the grounds but I didn’t mind them and I spent an hour there.
I walked from the hostel to the church, the hostel was central located and it took about 30mins to walk there and the same back.

Astrup Fearnley Museet
Astrup Fearnley Museet is one swish gallery, beautifully situated on Oslo bay the modern architecture sits in and compliments the bay area very well.
There is a cafe in the gallery that over looks the harbour, I recommend having lunch there, although it is a little pricey.

Eyes by Louise Bourgeois in the Astrup Fearnley garden, Oslo

Spalt by the late Franz West on Astrup Fearnley Gardens, Olso

Snow white and the seven dwarfs, Astrup Fearnley garden, Oslo

Museum of Contemporay Arts/Museet for Samtidskunst
No entrance fee is payable to get into The Museum of Contemporay Arts/Museet for Samtidskunst. The main reason I went to the museum was to see the works by Louise Bourgeois. It was worth the visit as there were other contemporary artist such as Karl Holmquist who I discovered.

Louise Bourgeois's Cell VIII, Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo — Louise Bourgeois’s Cell VIII, Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo

Louise Bourgeois's Quarantania, Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo — Louise Bourgeois’s Quarantania, Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo

Louise's Bourgeois, Fee Couterie, Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo — Louise’s Bourgeois, Fee Couterie, Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo

Installation, Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo

Karl Holmquist, Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo

The Royal Palace/ Kongehuset
The Royal Palace/ Kongehuset is very clean lines and no drama, you are treated to great views of central Oslo from the palace. The best time to visit is around 1.30pm as the changing of the guards takes place at this time daily.

The Royal Palace/ Konghuset, Oslo — The Royal Palace/ Kongehuset, Oslo

View from The Royal Palace/ Kongehuset, Oslo

Me at The Royal Palace/ Kongehuset, Oslo

Just walking around
I walked everywhere in Oslo and I came across many things that made me stop and take a picture.

What I ate
Norway is expensive for eating out generally but you can also find inexpensive good quality food. It was recommended that I try whale meat, however I couldn’t bring myself to try it.

My booking at the hostel included breakfast which was served buffet style. The breakfast was very good with a variety to choose from. Cheekily, as I knew food is expensive in Oslo and as I was on a budget, I made packed lunches at breakfast.

As with Stockholm (read my post on Stockholm) I found a good Sushi and Thai restaurant where I ate most of my dinners. The sushi selection and pad Thai were delicious.

Pastel De Nata
The coffee shop across the road from my hostel did a good deal on coffee and cake for £4 The coffee was good and the cake even better.

My Ratings on Oslo

Culture =7/10
Oslo was an interesting city, I loved the museum and galleries, there is also The City hall and The Nobel Peace centre to explore.

People/friendliness = 5/10
The people in Oslo were even less friendlier than in Stockholm. Perhaps the northern chill gets into their bones.

Attractiveness 6.5/10
Unfortunately for Oslo I went to Stockholm first and so I was forever comparing the two cities. I found Stockholm to be the more photogenic of the Scandinavian siblings. Nevertheless it is not to say that Oslo is not a beautiful place it is, but her sister just got more of the looks.

Food =7/10
My motto is good grub is good grub. I didn’t eat any traditional Norwegian meal but the food I had tasted good.

Affordability = 4.5/10
Compared to London my home city, Oslo is expensive but with careful planning you can have a relatively inexpensive trip like I did.

Vibe =6.5/10
Oslo has a vibe of pride, the Norwegians love their country/city and their country/city loves them back. It also has a chilled vibe which is good for a main city.

Overall = 7/10
Oslo was an interesting place to visit, I loved Akershus Fortress, Old Aker Church and playing on the Oslo Opera and Ballet house. It was a good experience and served to quell part of my desire to visit Northern European countries. At present I have no desire to return but I am grateful I have been.

If you’ve enjoyed my review or not leave a comment.
Or if you want any advice for your trip leave a comment and I will be sure to do my best to help you.

Stockholm – Sweden

On 29/09/201525/07/2016 By TravelbyjaedIn architecture, art, lifestyle, photography, Travel1 Comment

I went to Stockholm Sweden in February 2015. Sweden was the first Northern European and Scandinavian country I visited.

How long I stayed
I stayed for 4 days and 3 nights, I arrived on a Friday afternoon and left Monday afternoon.

Cost of Trip
My flight from London Stanstead to Stockholm Skavsta cost £32.35 return. I then paid approximately £22 for a return coach using the Flygbusssarna service to get from Skavsta to Stockholm City centre. The cost for a 3 days and 4 nights stay at a hostel cost £44, so in all I paid £98.35 for my flight and accommodation.

The weather
February was very cold whilst I was there the weather was no more than 4 degrees but it was sunny and dry so it was pleasant to walk about. I wore my thickest coat, I need a hat, gloves and two pairs of socks. Sweden is cold during winter, very cold.

How I got around
Even though it was winter and snow was everywhere, I walked all over the place mostly. I enjoy walking as it is a good way to find new places and things that may otherwise be missed. I did also take the metro and local bus which was relatively cheap. For £6 you could buy a pass that allowed you 4 single journeys on the buses, tram and metro.

Where I stayed
I stayed at the City Backpackers Hostel, this hostel was very good, it was clean and the amenity spaces were fantastic. The hostel is centrally located and situated at the end of Drottninggatan (Queen Street), the longest shopping street in Stockholm.
There is one quirky rule in the hostel; no outside shoes can be worn past the reception areas, but it is really safe to leave your shoes in lobby area or simply take of your shoes and carry them to your room.
Lest I forget there is also a sauna in the hostel that is free to use, so I recommend you pack swimwear if you are going to stay here. After a long day walking in the cold it was very nice to unwind in the sauna.

What I did

Stockholm Walking Tour
I went on three city walking tours, with the Free Tour Stockholm group. They offer three tours a day on specified days of the week. No booking is required and no fee is paid, just turn up and walk and listen to the tour guides. At the end of the tour, there is an opportunity to give a tip. The tour lasts between 1.5 hours to 2 hours dependant on which tour you go on. I really enjoyed the tours and found them a great way to learn about Stockholm.

Stockholm Moderna Museet/ Museum of Modern Art
Moderna Museet/Museum of Modern Art holds modern and contemporary art, it is located on the island of Skeppsholmen in central Stockholm. The Entrance fee to the museum was £9.50. I saw pieces by artist such as Michael Elmgreen, Louise Bourgeois, Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Alexander Calder.
Without a doubt my favourite piece was Louise Bourgeois’s spider, that took pride and place at the main entrance. I spent nearly 4 hours in this museum, it is not a large museum but it is filled with amazing pieces of art that require time to be studied.

Alexander Calder - The four elements — Alexander Calder – The four elements

Louise Bourgeois - Spider — Louise Bourgeois – Spider

Art in Modena Musset — Art in Moderna Museet

Robert Rauschenberg - Monogram — Robert Rauschenberg – Monogram

Andy Warhol - Moderna Musset — Andy Warhol – Moderna Museet

The Royal Academy of Fine Arts/Konstakademien
The Royal Academy of Fine Arts or Konstakademien, is in central Stockholm and is located in the former Sparreska palace. Entrance to the museum costs £8. It is well worth the visit, especially if you like sculptures.

The Kaknas Tower/Kaknastornet
The Kaknas Tower/Kaknastornet is the hub of all TV and radio transmission in Sweden. The 155-metre tower offers fantastic views of Stockholm and the city’s surroundings. There is a viewing gallery, café, restaurant, sky bar and a gift shop in the tower. The entrance fee to go up to the viewing tower is relatively inexpensive at £4.50. It took about 45 minutes to get from the city centre to the tower using both buses and the metro.
A visit to the tower was well worth the trip, however it was very cold and windy on the viewing platform that standing was even a problem. I had to psyche myself up to take my gloves off to take pictures as the wind chill made my fingers feel like they where going to fall off if left exposed. The views of Stockholm were lovely, white blankets of snow complimented the clear blue sky.

Gamla Stan
Gamla stan (The Old Town), until 1980 was officially Staden mellan broarna (The Town between the Bridges), it is the old town of Stockholm, Sweden.
Gamla stan is a lovely area and my favourite part of Stockholm, I loved the old richly painted unique north German architecture. Gamla stan is home to the Royal Palace, Stockholm Cathedral, the narrowest street in Stockholm, Riddarholm Church, and The Nobel Museum.

Saint George and the Dragon statue, Stockholm

Kaffekoppen and Chokladkoppen, Stockholm

City Hall/ Stadshuset
The City Hall/ Stadshuset is one of Sweden’s most famous buildings, and one of the Stockholm’s most visited tourist attractions. The City Hall/ Statshuset is also the venue of the Nobel Prize banquet held on 10th of December each year.
I spent about an hour or so just walking around the area, it was peaceful and I wished I had brought lunch with me, for it was a great location for sitting and reflecting.

View from Stadhuset Stockholm — View from Stadshuset Stockholm

Me posing on the grounds of Stadhuset Stockholm — Me posing on the grounds of Stadshuset Stockholm

Walking Round
I enjoy walking around in order to find new things and I am not deterred by the weather. Luckily for me Stockholm was cold but dry; see below for some pictures of my discoveries.

What I ate
Eating out in Stockholm can be expensive, however there are several restaurants and places you can eat at inexpensively. I didn’t try any Swedish food, also as I had recently given up eating meat I couldn’t try Swedish meatballs.

I had breakfast at the hostel which was reasonably priced at £5.50, breakfast consisted of a cereal, a waffle or a sandwich roll, yoghurt and fresh fruit orange juice, tea or coffee.

Vapianos
I had a meal at Vapianos, for a pizza and a drink I spent £9, which is really good in my book.

Cupcake STHLM
Cupcake STHLM sell really good cupcakes, what I really liked was that the cupcakes were not too sweet, I am assuming this is due to the high tax on sugar in Sweden. The cupcake shop I went to was in the Skrapan mall in the Gotgatan shopping district.

Kungshallen
Kungshallen/ Kings Hall is a food court to get good quality inexpensive food. I visited twice and had two meals, one meal was Turkish and the other was Mexican, both meals cost £7 each, the meals were good and value for money.

Thai and Sushi
I found a little Sushi and Thai restaurant that was on the same road as the hostel I stayed in. The restaurant is a small family run restaurant but the food was very good, so good that I ate there thrice during my trip. A meal consisting of a sushi selection and a Thai green curry and rice cost £7, excellent value for money. Sweden was the first country I came across where Thai and Japanese food were being sold together but it really works.

My Ratings of Stockholm

My ratings are out of ten and are my own personal views therefore feel free to disagree.

Culture = 7/10
Stockholm is a beautiful city with so much to offer, the museums and galleries even though they require an entrance fee are worth visiting.

People/Friendliness = 5.5/10
Swedish people are very attractive but I found them to be a little cold generally.

Attractiveness = 8/10
Stockholm is most definitely an attractive city and is ideal for photography enthusiasts. Everything felt very clean and fresh except for Gamla stan of course that had a more rustic lived in feel.

Food = 7/10
I ate loads of good food in Stockholm, I really liked the cup cakes from Cupcake STHLM, I wish they would open a branch in London and The food from Sushi and Thai was also superb.

Affordability = 5/10
Compared to London, Stockholm is expensive, I found it an anomaly that I had to pay to get into galleries and museum. Stockholm is expensive but with careful planning you can have an inexpensive trip.

Vibe = 7.5/10
Stockholm’s vibe is very functional and clean. The Swedes have a very good lifestyle, they are practical and it reflects in the city and resonates all round in the air. It is very hipster and cool.

Overall = 8/10
I had a very good time is Stockholm, it was the first trip in 2015 and it really inspired me to keep on traveling. I would definitely go back to Stockholm but during the summer, I am curious to see what the city is like during summer. All in all a great city and a wonderful experience.

If you’ve enjoyed my review or not leave a comment.
Or if you want any advice for your trip leave a comment and I will be sure to do my best to help you.

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Paris – France

On 27/09/201525/07/2016 By TravelbyjaedIn architecture, art, lifestyle, photography, Travel1 Comment

I have been to Paris twice, the first time was in August 2013 and the second time was in December 2014. This post mixes my experience during both trips. I will try to specify below the trip each experience relates to.

How long I stayed
August 2013- 1 day, 1 night
December 2014- 1 day 2 nights

The weather
August 2013- the weather was very warm and it was sunny all day as you will see in the pictures below.
December 2014- the weather was mild and I didn’t need gloves or a hat. However it rained non-stop.

Where I stayed

August 2013- Comfort Inn Saint-Pierre Hotel
Being Naive I assumed a hotel near the main station and some what centrally located would be ok. Well whilst the hotel was ok, the area around Gare du Nord is not. The only word I can use to describe it is as is…scary. I would not recommend that a single female book a hotel around the main station as I felt very unsafe.

December 2014- B&B La Villette
This was a nice clean 3 star hotel , the breakfast was very good but again I did not like the area. I had no choice about this hotel as it was part of a Topdeck tour holiday I was on. I wouldn’t recommend walking around or going out around the hotel as a tourist late at night.

How I got around
I did buy a metro pass but I like walking so I walked everywhere. The metro pass was really in expensive and costs £10, which gave you 10 single journeys to travel all over Paris.

What I did

The old Grand Palace of Louvre and the museum
The palace is impressive, beautifully preserved and a stunning piece of architecture. The historic palace buildings wrap themselves around the magnificent modern glass pyramid of the Louvre Museum. The old and new work together in harmony and is testament of how historical and new architecture can compliment each other.
This area and it is a must see if you ever decide to come to Paris.

One my first visit I did not go in the Louvre as I was on a day trip and being an artist I take my time when I go in to galleries, I would have spent the whole day viewing the pieces. Even though I am yet to go to the Louvre museum, I recommend if you do go to Paris, going to the Louvre Museum should be on your agenda, as it is the home of the famous Mona Lisa and a truly magnificent museum with some of the worlds best pieces of art.

The Old Grand Palace and Louvre Museum, Paris

Arc De Triomphe
After my visit to the Louvre Palace, I walked to the Arc De Triomphe, where I decided it would be a good idea to run across the most notorious roundabout in the whole of Paris if not France. I later found out during my second visit that the French government does care about tourist and public safety and had built a safe subway for access to the Arc De Triomphe, removing the need to run through Parisian traffic. I seriously had believed running across the roadways the only way to get across to the Monument, might I add that I wasn’t alone in my daredevil act of taking on Parisian motorists. Running across the Arc De Triomphe roundabout is not recommended.

Eiffel Tower
After visiting Arc De Triomphe, I walked to the Eiffel Tower but I decided not to go up the tower, should I have decided to wait to go up the tower, I suspected I would be writing this blog from the queue even now. If you wish to climb up the Tower I suggest you get there as early as possible to avoid the very long queues.
After taking several pictures and selfies trying to get the iconic tower as I wanted it, I left. During my second visit to Paris I went to the tower at night and it was even more impressive lite up. Paris is not titled the city of light without just cause.

River Seine cruise
This was one of my favourite part of my trip, I love boats and being on the water. I went on the river cruise during my first visit to Paris in August and the weather was perfect.
A river cruise is great way to see any city and Paris is no exception. The cost of the cruise was €23 and that included a waffle with Nutella and strawberries and a drink. The waffle was very tasty too. The cruise was an 1hr and half long, I highly recommend this.

Moulin Rouge
During my second trip in December 2014, I decided I wanted to go to the Moulin Rouge, not for a cabaret show but to see the iconic building to take some pictures. It was also on the way to Mont Marte and Sacre Coeur so it was a good detour.

Monte Marte
After taking several pictures of Moulin Rouge, I headed to Monte Marte the artist quarter, where my kindred spirits reside. Unfortunately the artists of Monte Marte only really come out during summer so the area was rather quite.

Sacre Coeur Cathedral
This beautiful Cathedral sits at the highest point in Paris. An impressive functional Cathedral, there were a number of people praying as I walked round, it was very sombre, but in a good way. The little gift shop is offers good value on religious trinkets if you are that way inclined.
The view from Sacre Coeur even on the damp grey December day was still impressive, Paris looked so chaotic but peaceful at the same time.
The garden of Sacre Coeur is also very beautiful and idyllic perfect for asking that all important question.

The Grand Palace/ Le Grand Palais
I can’t ice skate, heck I can’t even shuffle, therefore whatever I did on the ice for the time I was at The Grand Palace was very undignified. However the experience and atmosphere made it very memorable and worth all of the €25 to cling to side of the rink. I did build up courage enough to go one full circuit without clinging to the sides but that took every ounce of strength and determination. If you are going to Paris during Winter I highly recommend this.

Notre Dame
What a cathedral! It’s everything I imagined and more it sits very impressively on the banks of the River Seine and was beautifully lite up for the festive period.
During my first visit in summer I took some amazing pictures from a boat on the River Seine. Notre Dame is an amazing feat of gothic architecture and it free to get into.

Christmas market
The stalls had the festive spirit in abundance, the cute stalls lined both side of the Champs Elysees, and were wonderfully lite. The snack food and especially hot wine make walking though the different stalls even more pleasant.

Sampling hot wine at the Christmas Stalls

What I ate

Standard Restaurant
I tried french onion soup but I really disliked it and I definitely will not be trying it again.
I also tried some snails, this surprisingly I liked, it could be due to fact that the part of Nigeria my parent are from, giant snails are a delicacy so I had eaten snails on many occasions. The food at the restaurant was ok, simply ok.

Standard Cafe
Le Petit Josselin had been recommended for its savoury crepes. The Crepe was lovely and at £10 for a lunch menu that included a savory crepe,a desert and a drink it was well worth it.

Market food

During my summer trip I bought some sausages and chicken from a Farmers/ antique market on my way to the Eiffel tower however both were gross. The chicken had not been seasoned not even with salt and the sausage was far to rich for me.

Laudere

Laudere is dessert and sweet heaven. The cakes and macaroons were divine and worth every Euro. You must go there, French sweets/ desserts have no competition in my book.

My Ratings of Paris

My ratings are out of ten and are my own personal views therefore feel free to disagree.

Culture = 8/10
Paris is a city of culture there is so much to do and see, with so many museums, theatres and places of historical significance you will have loads to keep you occupied.

People/ friendliness = 4.5/10
Well the Parisians were stylish as expected but a little too cold for my liking. I felt unable to approach the locals for help and when I did manage to get someone to help, it felt like i was a bother.
The Parisians are not the friendliest is all I will say.

Attractiveness = 8.5/10
Paris is a beautiful city, a very proud city with the architecture to match. Being a city girl, i thrive in the chaos of a city and Paris certainly had enough chaotic charm.

Food = 7/10
Of the 7 points the 5 goes to the desserts at Laudere. Perhaps it was the food or restaurant I ate but I found french food to be rather average. If i was scoring desserts alone it would probably be a 8.5 if not a 9.

Affordability = 7/10
As a Londoner there are not many places I find expensive as I am used to being ripped off. Paris was affordable in my opinion, the most I spent on an activity was £25 euros and that was to ice skate in The Grand Palace.

Vibe = 7/10
Paris has a chic and cool vibe. I could also sense that it would be very romantic and there are so many locations to make ones partner feel special.

Overall= 7.5
Paris is a beautiful city with lots to do and see.A day trip is fine as a taster but I recommend a three-day weekend trip to really get a feel and experience some of the things Paris has to offer. Paris should be on your bucket list of cities to visit, even if it’s for the cakes.

If you’ve enjoyed my review or not leave a comment.
Or if you want any advice for your trip leave a comment and I will be sure to do my best to help you.

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Amsterdam – The Netherlands

On 27/09/201526/10/2015 By TravelbyjaedIn architecture, art, lifestyle, photography, TravelLeave a comment

I have been to Amsterdam twice both times were during winter, the first time was in February 2014 and the second time was in December 2014. Therefore this post includes my experiences from both trips, I will try where possible to specify which trip I am referring to.

How long I stayed
February 2014– 1 day
December 2014– 2 days

Cost of Trip
February 2014– The trip cost £79 for two (£39.50 per person) people sailing from Newcastle, England to Amsterdam, The Netherlands. As I live in London also paid £30 for a return train ride from London to Newcastle.
So all in all I paid £69.50 for accommodation and travel, this cost included the coach ride from IJmuiden habour to Amsterdam city centre.

December 2014– My Trip was part of a Topdeck Winter Express mini Europe tour, therefore I do not have the costs for my time at Amsterdam as it was all wrapped up in the overall tour price. I will be writing a post about my Topdeck Winter Express trip soon.

The weather
The weather in February and December was cold as is to be expected. I needed gloves and a scarf but not a hat.

How I got around
I walked everywhere in central Amsterdam but took the tram to get back to my hostel. You can also hire bikes, this is a really good way to see Amsterdam, with the provisions for cyclists in Amsterdam being second to none.

Where I stayed
February 2014- DFDS Segway Ferry
I booked a cabin as we sailed over night to Amsterdam. We left Newcastle at 5pm and arrived at Amsterdam at 9.30am.
Whilst the cabin was basic and small, it was clean and the bunks were surprisingly comfortable. The ensuite however was so small that as I showered if not careful I could touch the toilet bowl, with only a shower curtain to separate the toilet and the shower area, showering was done hurriedly. However do not let this deter you, it is a worthwhile experience which is value for money. For couples there are also cabins with double beds but they cost more money to book.

The ferry was pleasant with lots of amenity space however the price of food on the ferry is astronomical, for example the cheapest meal of burger and chips cost £18. I had viewed the menu before boarding so, I bought my own food (Chinese takeout) on board which the staff at the canteen of the ferry were nice enough to warm up for me. I recommend taking your own food and drink on board as this is allowed.

This is the cabin we stayed in on the ferry — Example of the cabin we stayed in on the ferry

December 2014- Stayokay Amsterdam Zeeburgh
The hostel which was only a 10mins tram ride from the centre of Amsterdam. The hostel was nice, clean, safe and in a pleasant residential area too. I shared a 6 bedroom dorm with 6 other girls and there was enough space for all of us, our dorm had the shower and toilet in the room which was a big plus for me.

What I did

Anne Frank House
I am not going to go into the history of who Anne Frank is. I just recommend going to the house to learn about her and engage with the not too distant past atrocity that was the holocaust that made the tragic story of Anne Frank a reality.

Canal Cruise
I love river/sea/canal cruises any mode of traveling on water is right up my street. You would assume coming to Amsterdam by ferry I would have had enough of the water.
I don’t know the exact number of canals there are in Amsterdam, I just know there are loads and I enjoyed travelling on them. The price of the canal cruise was about €13 for an hour. I went on a canal cruise during both my trips.

Me posing by the boat that took us on the canal tour

View of the Eye Film Institute from the Canal cruise

De Simonehoeve – Clog/Cheese making factory
We visited a farm on the outskirts of Amsterdam and we were taught by a husband and wife tag team on how to make cheese and clogs.
The cheese making was first, all I can say is brace yourself for the smell. It was pongy but after a while my nose adjusted and I was able to listen to the process and it was actually interesting, plus I got to sample free cheese.
The clog making demonstration was a little more exciting than the cheese making. Mr farmer was engaging, funny and a little naughty.
The farm also had a souvenir shop where I was able to buy good quality souvenirs

Shopping
Amsterdam has some of the best vintage cloths shops of any city I have been to, I and my pal spent ages going through one particular store for bargains.

Red light district
For those who didn’t know prostitution is legal in Amsterdam, the girls pay taxes like with a normal job and in some sense they are better protected that other sex workers who operate under the radar. I walked through the district as I had heard so much about it, it didn’t feel seedy, dark or gross, it was just fascinating.

Coffee shop/weed shop
Believe it or not I actually went into the coffee shops and ordered a lemon tea to go. I was rather unwell, self inflicted I might add therefore any drugs or alcohol would have killed me off.
Back to the main goods sold in coffee shops. I was amazed at how relaxed and easy it is to buy marijuana. There is menu, you select what you want, pay and you are handed your goods, which you can either smoke in the coffee shop or on the street. You can also buy marijuana muffins or brownies if smoking is not your thing.

Walking Round
Just walking around, getting lost and finding new and exciting places is one of the many things I do on a trip. I did this whilst in Amsterdam and it was amazing, dutch architecture is splendid and Amsterdam has such a nice chilled and relaxing vibe. See below for some of the things i encountered as i wandered.

Party
Being with 47 other people during the December 2014 trip at Christmas time there was a natural party atmosphere within the group. Some of us went out Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Christmas Eve was weird due to the place we found ourselves in, partying with old ravers (60yrs +) is not my idea of fun, also one Dutch local took too much of liking to all the ladies in our group.
However Christmas Day was much better, we didn’t have to pay an entry fee to get into the bar we stayed in, we partied until 4am and the vibe was all good. The drinks were also very responsible priced at £4/5 for a bottle of beer.

What I ate
I cannot tell you what Dutch food is, I guess I should have sought it out but as I walked round there were many generic restaurant.

Dutch cheese on the other hand is really good, I spent nearly an hour in one shop sampling cheese and deciding what to buy.

February 2014– I found a nice Turkish restaurant and had an amazing meal that was every in expensive. I think I paid £10 for my meal.

December 2014– For lunch I had sushi, it was really good and reasonably priced, my meal and green tea cots £15 (if you continue to read this blog you will notice that this will be a trend).

For one of my dinner, I eat at a Thai restaurant, I had a King Prawn Thai green curry and it was really good. The restaurant was tiny and cosy but the food was really good and cheap at £12 for a two course meal.

I was in Amsterdam over Christmas and for Christmas dinner we had a Chinese buffet at the Sea Palace (a floating pagoda-style restaurant on Lake IJ) , the food was incredible.

My Ratings of Amsterdam

My ratings are out of ten and are my own personal views therefore feel free to disagree.

Culture = 7/10
Amsterdam has loads to do with many museums and activities a three-day weekend trip will be jammed packed with activities

People/Friendliness = 9/10
Dutch people are the friendliest of all the people I have met on my travels. It felt very easy approaching strangers for help and I was able to converse with several locals and it was very nice. Dutch people speak perfect English (I am not saying all people should speak English), which removed the awkwardness of trying to communicate.

Attractiveness = 7/10
Amsterdam is a hipster city. Its just a cool city with its canals, awesome architecture, bicycles and barges.

Food = 7/10
I ate loads of good food in Amsterdam but none of them were Dutch meals, still good grub is good grub.

Affordability = 6/10
Amsterdam is affordable my benchmark is London and I did not feel I was paying more that I would pay at home.

Vibe = 8/10
Amsterdam has such a good vibe, so far it is the only European country I would consider relocating to. It just seems that the Dutch have the perfect work life balance, I like their lifestyle.

Overall = 8.5/10
I truly enjoyed my visits to Amsterdam and I would definitely be going back to visit. The say that a people makes a place and the Dutch people certainly made both my trips to Amsterdam very memorable and special.

If you’ve enjoyed my review or not leave a comment.
Or if you want any advice for your trip leave a comment and I will be sure to do my best to help you.

Cardiff – Wales

On 06/09/201525/07/2016 By TravelbyjaedIn architecture, art, lifestyle, photography, Travel2 Comments

I went to Cardiff Wales from the 26th May to the 28th May 2015. It was my first time visiting Wales and I figured Cardiff the capital city of Wales was a good place to start.

I found a very cheap hostel, The Riverhouse Backpackers at which I stayed 2 nights and paid £46 for a 4 bed female dorm. It was very clean, the facilities were good and the location was brilliant, only 10 mins from Cardiff Castle, 5 mins from the Train and Bus Station and across the road for the famous Cardiff Millenium Stadium.

Cardif Millenium stadium — Cardiff Millenium stadium

Cardiff is a relatively small city with just over 300,000 in population. Regardless of its size Cardiff has a lot to offer.

What I did on my trip

Cardiff Bay

Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration in the United Kingdom.

The bay has a lot going on, with lots of pubs,bars, restaurants, Dr Who Experience and water sports to keep on occupied.

Although I didn’t do this but you could also walk to Penarth marina along the barrage. I trust this would offer some fantastic views.

I really liked the Bay Area although it was very busy and touristy.

I also went on a boat ride around the bay, a 20 minutes boat ride cost £3, cheap as chips.

It was a lovely if a little chilly boat ride but the daffodil boat had blankets on board which I found very nice.

Cardiff Castle

Cardiff Castle (Welsh: Castell Caerdydd) is a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion located in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. The original motte and Bailey castle was built-in the late 11th century by Norman invaders on top of a 3rd-century Roman fort.

The Castle is truly amazing. It is so well kept and a fitting and dominating landmark in Cardiff.

Twelfth Night in Cardiff Castle

I actually came to Cardiff Castle to watch Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night night by The Lord Chamberlin’s Men theatre group.

Twelfth night in Cardiff Casle — Twelfth night in Cardiff Castle

The play was hilarious I truly enjoyed myself and it felt extra special watching the play in such a historical and beautiful place such as Cardiff Castle.

Cardiff History Museum

I went to the Cardiff history museum as it was free and although the museum exhibits are geared mainly towards children, I found it interesting and worth the visit.

One of the exhibitions I really liked as it depicted the Welsh fighting spirit very well.

The National Museum Cardiff

This was an interesting museum with lots of things to see, I found the exhibition based on the formation of the earth to present day to be most fascinating. Children will also love the life-size recreation of prehistoric animals, with some being automated like the wholly mammal.

Exploring Cardiff

I just walked round and took pictures of any amazing architecture I came across. Taking pictures of buildings and things I find is one of my favourite things to do on a holiday/trip/getaway.

My Ratings of Cardiff

My ratings are out of ten and are my own personal views therefore feel free to disagree .

Culture = 5/10

I went to the Cardiff History museum and The National Museum Cardiff they were both very interesting, free and in the city centre.

I would normally visit the Museum of Modern Art in any city I go to, but I didn’t have enough time. I did however find a gallery that had some cool pieces.

People/ Friendliness = 5/10

The people were just British, that’s the only way I can describe them.

Nightlife = 6/10

Cardiff has a very dynamic party scene, however I found it odd that many of the pubs charged an entry fee, that I found to be rather off-putting.

Attractiveness = 5/10

It’s a quaint city, being a Londoner I felt like I was in a big London town and not a capital city. It is still a cool city.

Food =???

I cannot give a rating as I did not seek out any Welsh food to eat, I ate Pizza two of the nights I was there. However there appeared to be many restaurants to cater to all types of tastes and cuisine preference.

Affordability = 7/10

Cardiff was very affordable, it is certainly cheaper than London. I didn’t need to use public transport as i walked everywhere. I didn’t pay any entrance fees for the museum I visited. Prices for food and drink are also rather reasonable, a three course meal could be for £25 at most standard restaurants.

Vibe = 6/10

Quaint comes up a lot when I think of Cardiff. The vibe was chilled which is what I wanted. However any longer than two days I would have been too chilled and started to feel bored.

Overall = 6/10

All in all Cardiff was a great break for me it was 3.5hrs away via coach, the return prices was only £17. For those coming from farther afield I suggest Cardiff forms part of a tour of the UK rather than the main destination.

And there you have it, it was a very short trip and I believe two days was enough to see this small but beautiful city.

Would I come back? Yes, however for a specific purpose, such as another play or event in the Castle. If i do come back I would go to other places nearby such as going for a walk on Brecon Beacons which isn’t too far away.

I hope you enjoyed my blog and please leave a comment and please come back 🙂

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	Travelbyjaed on Cardiff – Wales

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