1. Belfast – I know it so well and I’m so happy to see it come alive again after years of hiatus. There are great restaurants and pubs, good shopping, and of course the “craic”. Some of the architecture is amazing if you take the time to look up. I’ts full of characters who are always ready for a chat. N Ireland as a whole is a lovely place to visit, it’s compact, easy to get around, lots to see, old and new, and friendly people.
2. Dublin – Like Belfast it’s got lots going on, it’s not too big, the pubs are buzzing and the natives are friendly. Southern Ireland is a hotch potch of cosmopolitan cities like Cork and Galway interspersed with quaint traditional villages and small towns. The scenery is verdant and whilst it doesn’t have the stature or grandeur of somewhere like the Alps or Tuscany it is still a wonderful place to drive around and there is almost always a visual treat around the next corner.
3. Barcelona- I love this city, it is so vibrant and the Gaudi houses and his park are wonderfully crazy, visually arresting and as for the cathedral, well, it has been described more eloquently than I ever could, but when i first saw it i thought of a huge melting gothic style candle. Down by the port at night the fountains pulsate and glow in time to music, a feast for the eyes and other senses as the pungent aromas of spanish cooking waft airily across the harbour.
Las Ramblas is the main strutting street, in the evening you walk up and down admiring the various stalls and stopping across the street for tapas and beer. From here you can explore the winding side streets, full of little shops and cafes. I have been on several occasions and took my mother here for her birthday, she loved it too.
4. Amsterdam – Canals and bikes and museums, beer and croque madames. A very liberal place, coffee shops that sell hash brownies ( I don’t indulge), a red light district which is on the tourist trail, it’s full of young unwashed travellers but they look like they are having fun.
5. Paris – It’s been a long time since i last visited Paris, it was my first European capital and i was so excited. My main memory was how expensive it was, but the atmosphere and the sights and smells and the chicness of the people were novel to me and i soaked it up like a french peasant sopping up his soup with a torn lump of baguette.
6. London – I’m not sure about London, against other cities it’s dirty and harsh but it still has areas that you have to see and the museums and art galleries are worth the trip alone.
7. Munich – Another lovely city with loads to see and do, the beerhalls are a bit touristy but if you go to a small one or better yet to a beer festival in a nearby small town it is joyous, brass bands, traditional dancing, pretzels and cheese and everyone having a good time.
8. Prague – One of my favourite cities, easy to travel around, impressive old buildings, hearty food, music clubs, history around every corner, I’ve travelled around the czech republic and another place I love is Brno. When I was last there it had started to awaken from the time trap that we had found it in but it still had it’s own unique and quirky feel to it.
9. Vancouver – I adored this city as soon as i arrived. It seems to hang between the water and the mountains, so beautiful. I did all the tourist city stuff, granville island and street, gastown and it’s funky clock etc etc. Went up as far as Whistler, the scenery is breathtaking, i could just have stayed there. Visited Vancouver island and had afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel, vey upmarket, I felt almost like royalty. Took a train up to Nanaimo and crossed by ferry to Horseshoe Bay then around the coast to Marine Drive where my uncle lives.
I will definitely go back there and soon i hope.
10. Texas – Stayed close to Bastrop on a ranch and got to see Austin and Houston and a few other places. Texas was different from what i had imagined but strangely at the same time it was just how i thought it would be (now there’s Irish logic for you). I loved the ranch and enjoyed the spaciousness and peacefulness.
11. Budapest – Similar to Prague, olde world, like stepping back in time, a magical place, my friend Jen and i were there over St Patrick’s Day and they were giving free beers at different venues to Irish people, however they couldn’t seem to agree on the date so we celebrated on 16th, 17th and 18th and all for free- cheers.
12. Crete – An extremely interesting island, both in terms of historical sites and the beauty of many of it’s towns and villages. We met a local man who told fascinating tales of the german occupation and the cretan resistance and who took us to his home in the mountains for a splendid rustic meal with his family and neighbours. Truly hospitable.
13. Turkey – I have been to several cities in Turkey and enjoyed them all as a sun filled, eating, drinking, lie on the beach, girls together holiday. However one evening stands out in my memory, Sting played a concert at Ephesus and it was magical, a wonderfully balmy evening, we sat on stone benches in that ancient amphitheatre, the acoustics were marvellous, one of the best moments of my travels.
14. Italy – What can I say. Florence – a city of art and architecture, a feast for the eyes and the senses and the stomach, Rome-again the art is everywhere and to know that you are walking on the cobbles where Caesar and Mark Anthony once trod that’s awesome Even if you’re not Catholic the Vatican is a must see. The Lakes – I’ve only made it to garda so far but it was beautiful and where we stayed was peaceful and relaxing. Pompeii was amazing and we were lucky in our guide who made the whole place come alive, you could almost feel the people around you working and living before the volcano erupted. And there have been lots of other places in between, yes Italy is well worth visiting.
