A change in latitude, does wonders to my attitude.

If you asked if i've eaten boa, crocodile, ostrich and bush rats, I would not batter an eyelid. Yes, i've had those, during my stint in Congo, Africa. If you asked if fried scorpions, bugs, and larvae taste good, i'll offer that these pick up the taste of the cooking liquids and marinates. Blood sausages, horse meat, cow's tongue, pig's brains, calf's sweetbreads and innards - these don't appeal to me at all. Sea Urchin Uni may be the darling of gourmet but I can pass. The only innard that I'll eat happily is foie gras. Pan-fried whole with some sweet balsamic !  Stewed Duck's Tongue Today, for the first time in my travels around the world, I ate duck's tongue.  And it had to be in the most inconspicuous coffee shop in Johor, just a stone's throw from CIQ ( immigration checkpoint ). We were guests of a good friend and what better way to start the day but with a local breakfast of hot beef noodle soup ( very good broth ), soya stewed pork wit

Delhi Belly holds a double meaning for me. Not the runs to the toilets but a belly I did get from eating too much. Who can blame me when the choice of Indian food is so wide and so delicious? And not to mentioned the notoriously sweet indian pastries at Kaleva Sweet shop. It is many times bigger than Komala Villas in Little India, Singapore. We stayed at the Taj Mahal Hotel, which is part of the Leading Hotels of the World. It is very posh and classy and what I liked about it was the courteous service from the service staff. We were billeted at the Taj Club Floor, which meant that we had access to the club lounge for breakfast, high-tea and cocktails. It was nice to have an oasis to relax after facing all the hassle and bustle of Delhi city. Although for breakfast, a much wider selection could be had at the main dining room. And what a spread of freshly squeezed juices, smoothies, yoghurts, fruits, hot and cold dishes, breads, croissants,cupcakes, danish and best of all, Indian breakfa

Well heeled ladies and gentlemen visit Lake Como for many reasons. It's got old charm ( holiday destinations since ages ), picturesque villages and near the crossroads of Italy and Lugano ( Switzerland ). Waters have always attracted human settlements and it is perhaps this reason why Lake Como is the place to go and buy a villa if you're in the league of George Clooney or Richard Branson. Luckily for us, we were guests of our good friends and they had chartered a boat for a half day cruise on the lakes. With the guide going on about the history of the area, most guests perked up when we passed by the villas of George & Richard. Paparazzi us! Lunch was a delightful buffet served on deck - i headed for the luscious mozzarella ! After, we stopped at the village of Bellagio and wandered its cobbled windy lanes only to stop at an old church for a quick prayer. Dinner that evening was at a family owned restaurant where their produce comes off the family farm. Best tasting meat w

I've been keeping my ticket stubs of the Museo Del Baile Flamenco for the best must-do when in Sevilla. Flamenco dance performance.  h ttp://www.flamencotickets.com/seville/museo-del-baile-flamenco.htm  )  Sure, it's made for tourists but the performance is one of the better ones and professionally done. When I was researching on Flamenco shows, many addresses came up. And after screening and reading other people's comments, I choose this and didn't regret it. Walking tours are the best way to have a crash course about a small city and Pancho Tours is a good way to go. http://www.panchotours.com/ciudades/sevilla.php . It's free and the all you do is tip the guide at the end whatever amount you want to. The guides are usually youngsters who are proud of their city and  make some extra pocket money. The guide we had gave us the normal "tour sites talk" plus lots of anecdotes about what young people think about their society. Where to stay ? We booked ourselv

Every year we go to Belgium, a tiny country sandwiched between France, Holland and the North Sea. With its language divide of Flanders and Wallonia, the best of Belgium actually means great food, seriously good beer, chocolate haven, great railway travels and good living. This year we did all that and more, we went house hunting.. Probably because hubby's feeling the need to roost ! After searching the sea side villages of Niewpoort we decided to choose a new development which is sited about 4km off the sea coast. Niewpoort is an ancient city with its typical town hall and town square. Historical records dates back to more than 800 years. It was part of the the sites along the northern sea coast, witnessing two world wars, when Germans and Allied Forces clashed. As a result, military cemeteries dot the countrysides commemorating the war heroes. At Ypres (Ieper), the Last Post calls out every evening. Today Niewpoort is a fishing village and home of the biggest Marina in this part o