On the Road

Photos: London

dgsfny — Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:49:00 GMT

London

Tooting Bec, London, SW17

dgsfny — Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:46:00 GMT

Tooting Bec may not be on your list of destinations when traveling to London but when fortunate enough to have the hospitalty of an old friend and a couch to crash on you'll find a new area to explore and recommend. Tooting Bec is part of the London Borough of Wandsworth and roughly a 30 minute Tube journey from Central London. The Bec Abbey in Normandy, France was considered the most influential abbey in the Anglo-Norman kingdom of the 12th century, (C. Warren Hollister, Henry I (Yale English Monarchs) 2001:16). The land now known as Tooting Bec was given to the abbey after the Norman Conquest in 1066. Tooting Bec is located on what was originally a Roman Road constructed to connect London with an area further south named by the Romans as Regnentium, now known as Chichester.

Today Tooting Bec is known for it's multicultural mix and large Muslim and Indian population. There are endless kebab and halal shops to choose from and shops selling beautiful saris and jewellry. Go to the Little India store to buy cookware and spices. Tooting Bec station has a convenient meeting point when coming out of the London Underground, the Wheatsheaf. The Wheatsheaf is located directly across from the Tube station and was saved in 2013 through great community effort and support of Sadiq Khan MP from being converted into a Tesco Metro, of which there are many in the London area. It is a large pub with an outdoor garden that serves a large range of draft beers and gastropub menu. The Scotch Eggs are excellent as is the rest of the early afternoon pub menu.

Tooting Bec is home to the Tooting Bec Lido, noted by the Wandsworth Council as "... the largest fresh water, open air swimming pool in England." Go for a swim in the 90m pool open 7 days a week from 7AM - 7PM. The fee is £6.20 for adults and £3.80 for chlidren.

Tooting Bec is also home to Tooting Common, 92 hectares of land offering excellent trails leading to ponds, tennis courts and great expanses of land. If you're travelling and missing your dog, this is a great place to meet locals and dog walkers.

Photos: Al Carli, Tuscany

dgsfny — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 10:13:00 GMT

Tuscany, Goat Cheese and Luccan Hills

dgsfny — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 09:57:00 GMT

The owner of Podere Al Carli (Al Carli) Farm is Monica Ferruci, who took the property over from David Lean. David Lean directed films including the Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia and Dr. Zhivago. Though purchased the property was left empty with no renovation work done. Once the Ferruci family acquired the farmland, they restored the property by painstakingly retaining the original stone and brickwork, using old terracotta tiles and beamed ceilings.

Monica Ferruci is visionary, owner and chef of this incredible spot of land in the Tuscan Hills. The town of Lucca is just 12km south of the farm and accessible by car only. While most visitors stop at the center of Lucca, visitors venturing further north will be overwhelmed by the incredible vistas and winding roads leading up to Podere Al Carli.

When you meet Monica Ferruci you immediately notice a hard working sunny personality with a love of her land, the goats they raise and products they produce, aka incredible goat cheese. Up to 12 visitors can stay at Al Carli treated to incredible meals prepared fresh by Chef Monica. Talk to the owner and they will take you on a short road trip to the goat farm, of 150 goats and take you through the process of creating goat cheese.

Travellers heading north of Lucca into the Tuscan hills will be mesmerized by the incredible scenery and vistas. Drivers be aware the roads leading through Lucca can be very narrow and often windy. It is necessary to pay attention to mirrors placed at tight corners and to honk if there is no visibility when turning.

Podere Al Carli, Image Source: http://loveat-italy.blogspot.co.uk/

Photos: Madrid

dgsfny — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 09:31:00 GMT

Swinging Madrid

dgsfny — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 09:17:00 GMT

Madrid is rich in history and subculture; a popular movement that embraces Madrileños of all ages is the celebration and performance of swing. Keep an eye out on what Madrid Confidential has to report, Mad for Swing or what Cabaret Flotante are up to. Mad for Swing is Madrid's gateway to swing; events, live music and lessons to dance to and or perform are announced on their site. Cabaret Flotante are a group of musicians who appear at various locations, most recently at Casa del Campo performing on boats while literally floating on lakes. It is incredible that no one falls in with stand up bass players playing upright, while washboards are rasped and singers belt out song, all while floating on water.

Casa de Campo is a park in the Moncloa-Aravaca district, west of Central Madrid. It is over 1700 hectacres of land and includes a lake, amusement park, teleferico and lakeside restaurants. On a good weekend, you'll catch a floating cabaret doing a vibrant performance of swing.

Judith and Valentín

dgsfny — Tue, 26 May 2015 23:02:51 GMT

We discovered the heart and soul of Cuba through the eyes and hearts of two hitchhikers, Judith and Valentín of Viñales. They have a place in my heart to this day.

Everything about our trip felt daring. The US Cuba trade embargo was in full swing. As American ex-pats we made our trip to Havana via Spain. At the time, the release of Buena Vista Social Club made the world spin while grunge faded into mainstream glory.

Our plan was to stretch our legs in Old Havana before setting off on our road trip. We would walk along the Malecón, eat ropa vieja and sip mojitos while listening to the distinct sound of the clave.

We did all that and more.

We fell for a young teen offering us an exchange rate for US dollars better than the hotels! We never saw the $100 again. We were overcharged by a cabbie driving the skeletal remains of what was a classic 50s automobile. I spent hours on the phone with the hotel’s car rental agency, realizing we wouldn’t set off on any journey unless we agreed to take the slightly more expensive, but available, vehicle.

We agreed to watch the tourist bubble and be more cautious. We were ready for anything so we set out west from Havana to start our trip around Cuba.

We got lost and stopped by what seemed a deserted field. We were suddenly surrounded by children 5 to 10 years of age. We opened our bag pre-packed with pens, pencils, candies and soap. We handed them out and our path cleared. A short while later we saw hitchhikers. They looked like a sweet couple so we picked them up.

Viñales was originally intended as a brief stop to Pinar del Río. After meeting Judith and Valentín, it became an overnight stay and a place with a big heart. We met their generous friends and ate at their delicious paladar. No one had an idea about Buena Vista Social Club but were happy that Cuban music was seeing so much favor. They took us to a friend who rolled cigars, we learned about the process, and smoked with them. We had rum, chewed sugar cane and answered questions about the United States. We learned about their educational and health system and how they made their living.

We were given a simple room, two beds and a restful sleep. The next morning Valentín had one request. Could he drive our rental car? He wanted to be seen driving with his wife Judith and new American friends. And off we went. His look of pride made my heart swell.

With the US embargo lifted go to Viñales, you might meet a beautiful couple like Judith and Valentín.