Budapest - Visit a spa. #szechenyibaths #gellertbaths

Budapest is a popular destination for many reasons, spas and thermal baths being one of them.     When I was there recently I took the opportunity to check out two of them to see what it was all about.

The Romans first settled in this area so that they could take advantage of the 120 hot springs created by a fault line.   In the 1920’s Budapest gained the reputation as a ‘city of spas’ and now hosts an impressive selection of thermal baths and spas, some dating back to the 16^th century.

The most ‘instagrammed’ one is the Szechenyi Baths which is one of the largest bathing complexes in Europe built in 1913 housed in a neo-baroque palace near the city park on the Pest side of the city.   There are 15 indoor pools and 3 large outdoor pools with various temperatures.   Inside there are saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools and jets.   The thermal water is considered medicinal as it is high in calcium, magnesium and hydrogen carbonate which is said to ease joint pain and improve blood circulation. There is a very grand entrance hall and maps to navigate the maze of rooms and pools within the complex.  

I spent a whole afternoon at Gellért Baths on the Buda side of the Danube.  I had only planned to visit for 30 minutes but enjoyed it so much that I ended up staying for about 3 hours and could have stayed for longer.  With its mosaic walls and floors, stained glass windows and Roman style columns it is one of the most beautiful spas in the city.    It was opened in 1918 in the art nouveaux style and has indoor and outdoor baths fed by the thermal springs.  It was a challenge finding your way around inside the building, and as I wondered around in a confused daze I found saunas, small thermal pools, and a wonderful steam room where I completely lost all sense of time.    There are also treatment rooms for medicinal massages.   Outside there is a wave pool, another thermal pool and large sauna.   There is also a lovely café on the terrace overlooking the outdoor pool where I enjoyed a cappuccino and pastry. 

If you find yourself in Budapest I would definitely recommend making time to relax and enjoy one of the spas.   

Travel Agent Myth

Myth - Travel agents will charge you a huge fee just for talking to them.

If you’re worried that working with a travel agent will result in expensive fees, you may be surprised to find that many charge nothing, unlike numerous high profile travel websites that charge extra fees you don’t see until checkout. 

Even when booking an All Inclusive there is NO additional fee. The commission comes from the travel provider (the company that packages the vacations) so whether you book online or through a Travel Agent the total paid is identical. But when you book with a Travel Agent you have peace of mind that if a problem arises they will be able to assist you.

If a fee is charged to work on a complicated itinerary it is often put towards the final total when you decide to book. This pays for the hours they’ll spend making sure every detail of your vacation is perfectly planned and should you decide not to book then the fee covers the time worked on the project.

Email me for more info on how I can help you kate@littletravel.co  

Danube River cruise

Mondsee, Austria

You always here people talking about river cruses and how wonderful they are, so I decided to take one to experience it for myself – well it’s easier to sell a product that you have tried, as with anything.

I took an Avalon cruise on the Danube from Budapest to Nuremburg.   Avalon promotes their one-of-a kind stateroom layout with Open Air balcony, wall to wall windows, for spectacular views of the passing countryside and for me the best part is that the bed faces the window.   Sitting there in the morning with a cappuccino was one of my favourite parts of the day.       

River cruises allow you to travel in comfort in an intimate setting of just over 100 passengers, with a 2:1 staff ratio.   Your room is a chic hotel room with wonderfully comfy beds, quality bedding and pillows, a marble-lined bathroom, fluffy towels and luxury bath goodies. The beauty for me is that you only have to unpack once and yet you get to see many different places and also there is no lining up to get on and off the boat, its very convenient way to travel.   

One of the great joys of river cruising is being able to dock in the centre of some of the most beautiful cities in Europe, on a floating hotel that moves you from one beautiful location to the next.   You could opt to stay on the ship and relax or take a guided tour and learn a little of the history.  There were tours for slow walkers or faster walkers, also bikes to take from the ship if you preferred.    Something for everyone.  

Meal time on a river cruise is an experience in itself.  From the lavish breakfast including freshly baked pastries, fruit, smoked salmon, cheese, hot dishes and eggs made to order.    Lunch and dinner were also lavish affairs, with beautifully prepared meals to suit all pallets.    There was also afternoon tea served in the lounge and a coffee/pastry station that was open all hours.    We were also treated to a wine tasting one night in Austria and another night when we were in Germany we learned about the local beers.

There are many different types of themed river cruises now, from wine tasting, to wellness to Christmas market cruises. 

The river cruise was definitely as wonderful as I had heard and I would definitely recommend them, I hope to do another one on a different river.   If you want any more info just email me at kate@littletravel.co. 

                                                                    www.littletravel.co

Paris - le diner Blanc

My daughter Emma (https://www.instagram.com/emscourtney/?hl=en) asked if I would like to go to Paris with her to attend the 30^th Anniversary of le Dîner en Blanc. 

Dîner en Blanc is a worldwide event, spanning six continents and has grown to over 70 cities.  The concept began in Paris in 1988.  People gather to dine in a public location which is kept a secret until the last moment. Diners are requested to dress only in white for this chic occasion, and bring their own food, tables, chairs, a proper table cloth and cutlery etc.  Everything must be white and classy. 

Our visit to Paris culminated on the Sunday evening with the diner.   We dressed in our best white finery and set off down the road to the metro with table, chairs, food and champagne in tow, while trying to maintain an air of Chic which was quite hard as it was hot.   We had to take 2 metros trains to get to our designated meeting point which in itself was quite an adventure.   

It was funny to see other people dressed in white all appearing from different directions and as the numbers grew so did the anticipation of where we would be heading to. 

Eventually we all set off with our dining necessities in line, it must have looked like quite a strange procession to passers by who didn’t know what was going on as thousands of people starting heading to the secret location.   

As we arrived at the Esplanade des Invalides there were already thousands of people setting up their tables and meals in rows.  It was quite a rush to get set up our table and some people had very ornate decorations for their table and lavish meals.   There were 30,000 diners present for this anniversary Dîner en Blanc.

It was an amazing spectacle to see.  As the evening progressed and the sun set over the beautiful Paris skyline we enjoyed a wonderful dinner in a once in a lifetime setting while getting to know our neighbours and where they had travelled from, all over the world.    We were handed sparklers to light and at 10pm as the Eifel tower sparkled so did 30,000 diners.      (The Eifel tower sparkles on the hour every evening from 10p to 1am.) 

It was truly a wonderful evening, full of fabulous people and lasting memories.     If you get the chance to attend in any city, take it!

kate@littletravel.co     www.littletravel.co 

Claude Monet's gardens at Giverny, France

On my recent trip to France I promised myself that I would finally visit Monet’s garden.   I have been to France numerous times and never made it there, which is very silly as it's so close to Paris. 

Monet lived in Giverny, a village in the region of Normandy in northern France only 74km from Paris.    If you are in Paris, there are half and full day tours that you can take which I would highly recommend. 

It wasn't a disappointment at all.  It was just like walking into the artists painting.  Full of colour and beautiful flowers everywhere. It was absolutely stunning and quite moving to be there having seen his paintings all my life.    

There are three parts to the visit, the colourful gardens full of flowers, the water garden with the famous lily pads and bridge and a tour around his house with many of his paintings adorning the walls.    There is also a nice restaurant where you can get a light refreshment or a full meal.

I am so glad that I finally made the time to go this time as it has become one of the most favourite places I have ever visited. 

Smoked salmon and caviar for breakfast - yes please!

I was very fortunate to visit Russia in March,  St Petersburg and Moscow, as part of a group of Travel Professionals invited to 'experience' the country and what it has to offer to the foreign tourist. 

It was such a wonderful opportunity and a huge contrast from Thailand where I had been 2 weeks earlier.  

In St Petersburg we stayed at the Four Seasons,  a 19th century Palace which still retains the feeling of something very special.   The quality of the rooms, service, fabulous food and overall atmosphere was that of elegance.    

I had always wanted to go to Russia and for me it needed to be snowy,  I can't explain,  it's just what I think of when I think of Russia.    The night we arrived there was a blizzard with huge fluffy flakes of snow.   Late in the evening we walked to the Winter Palace and The Hermitage museum, the second largest museum in the world.  The snow made it so magical.  It was very quiet as the snow fell and the whole area in front of the Palace was untouched, it was so beautiful.  

It's a particular moment when you travel that will stay with you forever and make you grateful that you have the opportunity to experience something so wonderful.    


https://www.fourseasons.com/stpetersburg/ 

Thailand elephant volunteering

I adore elephants, so when I saw the opportunity to volunteer for 2 weeks in Thailand and live in a rural village I jumped at the chance.

It was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had and I will never forget the fabulous group of volunteers and helpers that I was with for that time.

We stayed in a home stay an hour outside the city of Surin, 450 kms east of Bangkok.   These communities have kept and cared for elephants for generations, and are like a member of their family.

Twice a week we were able to walk with the elephants and their handler, their Mahout, down to the river to bath them.   They loved to cool off in the water and we were able to go in with them.  

We also helped out in the community, helping to build a toilet in one of the local schools, making ‘elephant poo paper’ to help with the expenses of the elephant upkeep,  and also painted many elephant graves at the local elephant temple.    We were then invited by the monks to attend a special ceremony that most outsiders don’t get the chance to do.  A very very special memory.

If you want to find out more about this project check out this link.   This is an organisation that cares and protects the elephants and doesn’t exploit them for tourist gains. 

https://www.wearebamboo.com/volunteer/thailand/elephants.php?register=register

The ceremony at the elephant temple