Page 2 of 41

Heatherlea: “Gorgeous location”

26th January 2018 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

The location of the B&B is absolutely gorgeous with a cute lake nearby and a view to die for. The B&B is set in a rural environment, but is only a five minutes drive from Mallaig, where you can take the ferry to Skye. The room was spacious and clean with a lovely view. Breakfast was ok, the vegetarian sausage wasn’t that great, but vegetarian sausages rarely are. The host was very friendly. I can imagine that the rooms will be cold in winter though, but extra heating is provided.

Heatherlea, Glasnacardoch, Mallaig PH41 4RH, Scotland

Stayed June 2013. You can find my review about Heatherlea also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 5/5, location 5/5, sleep quality 4/5, rooms 4/5, cleanliness 4/5, service 5/5.

Dunheanish Guest House: “A lovely stay in a wonderful place”

25th January 2018 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

Dunheanish Guest House has it all: friendly hosts (with a lovely sense of humour), excellent breakfast, clean and spacious rooms and a view to die for. We absolutely enjoyed our stay here and wouldn’t think about staying anywhere else if we return to Oban. Be prepared to climb some steps though when coming from the harbour. But we didn’t mind the exercise.

Sadly there wasn’t room for us in the rooms facing the bay of Oban, but we could sit outside on the terrace while watching the sunset.

Information
Dunheanish Guest House
Ardconnel Road
Oban
Argyll PA34 5DW
Scotland
+44(0) 1631 566556
info@dunheanish.com
https://www.dunheanish.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dunheanish-Guest-House/144466766273753

Stayed June 2013. You can find my review about Dunheanish Guest House also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 5/5, location 5/5, sleep quality 4/5, rooms 4/5, cleanliness 5/5, service 5/5.

Cathedrale de St-Pierre: “Beautiful”

24th January 2018 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

You should definitely visit the separate chapel, very beautiful. In the cathedral you can see the chair of Calvin which is very small. I enjoyed the view from the towers of the cathedral. It is a climb, but worth the effort.

Information
Saint-Pierre Cathedral
Place du Bourg-de-Four 24
CH-1204 Genève
Switzerland
http://www.saintpierre-geneve.ch/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Pierre_Cathedral

Visited November 2012. You can find my review about Cathedrale de St-Pierre also on TripAdvisor.

The Japanese onsen experience

15th January 2018 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

If you’re looking for Japan traveling tips, please read my previous article.

In this article I would like to talk about Japanese hot springs. When visiting Japan soaking in the naturally heated water of an onsen really is a must. I hardly can think of anything that is more relaxing after a day filled with activities.

When my boyfriend and I went on a bike tour through the beautiful landscapes of Hokkaido, we stayed in lots of traditional ryokans, which all had an onsen. Although we weren’t exactly experienced bike riders, we never once had a muscle ache. Up till this day I am still convinced that the steaming hot bath we took every evening helped prevent any pain. And sure, the water of some onsen is considered to be good for your health.

Be warned though, most onsen are separated by gender and in rural areas you’ll find some people staring at you, strange foreigner. It happened to me more than one time that I had one half of the bath to myself, while the rest of the Japanese women preferred sitting as far away from me as possible. Actually I didn’t mind. More room for me! 😉

One very important rule to remember when visiting an onsen: it is considered very (VERY) rude to enter the hot bath without washing yourself thoroughly beforehand. Most of the bathing facilities offer shower gel and shampoos, but you can, of course, bring your own. The washing is done on a little stool and make sure to wash of any remaining soap, so that you can enter the communal bath squeaky clean.

Batu Caves: “Situated 13 km outside of KL”

6th January 2018 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

Beautiful natural caves with an impressive gold colored statue. The hindou temple inside the cave wasn’t that special, but the location definitely is, with the wild monkey’s roaming the stairs looking for foods to steal from tourist. You also should visit the dark cave. We took a 45 minute tour in the dark cave and got an excellent explanation about all the creatures living there.

Information
Batu Caves
Gombak
68100 Batu Caves
Selangor
Malaysia
+603 – 6189 6284
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Caves
http://www.malaysia.travel/en/my/places/states-of-malaysia/selangor/batu-caves

Visited October 2013. You can find my review about Batu Caves also on TripAdvisor.

Izumi: “Absolutely adored the food”

20th December 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

I have to say, this is definitely the best meal I’ve had in Geneva so far. Looking for a nice restaurant to spend the evening, we were very lucky to find a table for two, since we failed to make reservations. The restaurant can only accommodate 25 people, so reservations are normally needed.

The food really was outstanding. Sort of a Japanese fusion style. We opted for the menu and were not disappointed. The yellowtail sashimi with chilipepper and seabass sashimi were just incredible. Also loved the lobster and baby spinach. And a restaurant that serves ice mochi as dessert, can do no wrong (just a small tip for the staff: the mochi were served too cold).

Be warned though, drinks are very expensive. We were kind of shocked when we saw the prices of the champagne we choose as aperitif on the bill. Skip the aperitif and go straight for the sake, which is very good. Still pricy, but not as expensive as the champagne.

Really loved the atmosphere in the restaurant, very cosy. Service was also excellent! Staff was very helpful in explaining the courses and very attentive. Never in my life have I been asked so many times if I enjoyed my mail. (I did, very much, so thank you.)

Next time we visit Geneva, we’ll certainly be back! With reservations!

Information
Restaurant Izumi
Rooftop of Four Seasons hotel
Quai des Bergues 33
1201 Geneva
Switzerland
+41 22 908 7522
izumi.gen@fourseasons.com
https://www.fourseasons.com/geneva/dining/restaurants/izumi/
https://twitter.com/FSGeneva
FourSeasonsHotelGeneva

Visited November 2014. You can find my review about Izumi also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, atmosphere 5/5, service 5/5, food 5/5.

The Helix Bridge: “Impressive architecture”

19th December 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

The architecture of this bridge is quite stunning. The bridge itself offers great views of the Marina Bay area. At night it is beautifully lit. A top photo spot!

Information
The Helix Bridge
Between Marina Bay (Marina South) and Marina Centre
Singapore 038981
Singapore
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helix_Bridge
http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1045_2011-06-30.html

Visited March 2015. You can find my review about The Helix Bridge also on TripAdvisor.

Casemates du Bock: “A must see when in Luxembourg”

18th December 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

Such an interesting historic place right in the middle of Luxemburg. I was really impressed by the extent of the Casemates. If you’re interested in the history of this beautiful city, you really must visit this site. It only costs 4 euro per person and you get a feeling of how it must have been when people where using this place to defend the city. Be warned though, lots of narrow staircases and some places are really dark. Not for you if you are claustrophobic.

Information
Casemates du Bock
Montée de Clausen 10
Luxembourg City
Luxembourg
https://www.luxembourg-city.com/en/place/fortifications/bock-casemates
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bock_(Luxembourg)
http://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/place/castle/bock-casemates-luxembourg

Visited April 2015. You can find my review about Casemates du Bock also on TripAdvisor.

Truffle Pigs Bistro & Lounge: “Nice pub”

17th December 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

We arrived at about nine in this pub in Field and it seems to me that was a little bit too late. We were lucky to get a table, because it was very busy when we arrived, but most of the people had already eaten. The restaurant doesn’t have any airconditioning, so it was rather warm inside.

I started my meal with some excellent sparkling wine. Really lovely. We had a beautiful day in Kootenay National Park so I was in an excellent mood.

So I didn’t mind too much that we had to wait very long for our order to arrive. I really think we arrived just before the kitchen was planning on closing.

When my dish arrived, I was disappointed. The grilled baby farm fresh mini peppers which were advertised on the menu were nowhere to be found and my broccoli stem was very small (I ordered the gnocci based on the plate I saw arriving at our neighbours’ table, my plate didn’t look half as good). The food was nice enough though and my boyfriend was so kind as to share his peppers with me.

I have to say, that after all the great reviews I’d read, I left the restaurant a little bit disappointed.

Information
Truffle Pigs Bistro and Lodge
100 Center Street
Field
Yoho National Park
British Columbia V0A 1G0
Canada
http://www.trufflepigs.com/
https://twitter.com/TheTrufflePigs
https://www.facebook.com/TrufflePigs/

Visited August 2015. You can find my review about Truffle Pigs Bistro & Lounge also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 3/5, service 3/5, food 4/5.

Rhine Tower (Rheinturm): “Lovely views!”

16th December 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

I always love seeing a city from above. The Rheinturm offers impressive views of Düsseldorf and its surroundings. Really worth the trip up and down the very fast elevator. You can have a drink at the bar or dine in the revolving restaurant if you like.

Information
Theinturm (Rhine Tower) Düsseldorf
Stromstrasse 20
40221 Düsseldorf
North Rhine-Westphalia
Germany
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheinturm
http://www.guennewig.de/en/rheinturm-duesseldorf
https://www.facebook.com/Düsseldorf-Rheinturm-414458578635359/