Itineravoy's Travel Writing Blog
by blogging pair Caroline and Debbie.
Previously in: 2011 - Read about Auckland and Downingtown;
2010 - Read about Queenstown and Queensland;
2009 - Read about Downingtown 150 and Brisbane 150.
Don't forget to read/add comments.
The spice of life in India
My husband and I have just returned from a close friend’s wedding in Goa, India. Aside from being a famous travel destination and surely one of the most exotic places to get married, Goa, like much of India, is renowned for its rich and aromatic cuisine. “In India we cook for flavour, not presentation,” a new acquaintance told me at the wedding dinner, adding “Indians don’t eat to live, they live to eat!” Indian cuisine utilizes a dazzling array of herbs and spices that are grown across the Indian subcontinent. With such a wide variety of tastes on offer, it’s not hard to see why eating is such a preoccupation in the country. We worked our way through a number of delicious local specialities during our week in Goa, including Vindaloo and Xacuti curries, but only scratched the surface of what was on offer. For Indians, though, eating is not only about flavour. It is also closely bound up with religious and social practices, and with health. Vegetarianism is widespread in India and around 80 percent of Indians also use Ayurveda, a traditional medicine system in which nutrition plays a vital role (Camellia Panjabi, 2011). In Ayurveda, proper food choices, food combining and cooking methods, as well as herbal nutrition, help to re-balance the three doshas or humours in the body. Ayurveda also emphasises the concept of shad rasa, or six tastes - sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent - which should all be present in order for a meal to be balanced. This helps to explain the typical Indian meal which comprises a spicy-sour taste mix (often in the form of a curry, or dal), a yogurt-based dish, a small amount of hot and bitter pickle, and a sweet. In terms of the spices, these have a range of roles to play in the diet such as anti-inflammatory in the case of turmeric, anti-bacterial as with curry leaves, and digestive functions in the case of cumin and clove. A combination of spices has the overall effect of improving digestion and ensuring a cleaner intestine – believed to be the key to good health.
Wine on Waiheke Island, NZ
Hop on a ferry on a rainy day in central Auckland and a mere forty minutes later you could be lounging on a sunny beach in Waiheke, a beautiful sub-tropical island only a few kilometres across the Hauraki Gulf. How is this possible? Well, due to its size and positioning Waiheke Island has a micro climate which makes it both drier and warmer than Auckland all year round. Infact, according to the locals, rain clouds seen over the city often miss the island altogether. In addition to making Waiheke an ideal weekend destination for Aucklanders, this climate has helped to spawn a thriving boutique wine industry which now produces some of the most sought after vintages in New Zealand.
The potential for wine growing on Waiheke Island was discovered in the late 1970s by Kim and Jeanette Goldwater, an enterprising couple who established the renowned 'Goldie' winery. Now there are over thirty vineyards on the island and a number of tour operators running wine tasting tours. We opted to take one of these on our last visit and found it a great way to learn more about the individual histories of local vineyards, including the excellent Kennedy Point. Since space is at a premium on the island, the focus of winemaking is very much on quality rather than quantity and we enjoyed some superb wines during our tour, including the Kennedy Point Malbec and Weeping Sands . Waiheke has great terrain for cycling so we plan to return on two wheels and try some of the wines we missed. With ninety-two square kilometres of territory and over twenty-five wineries left to visit, it could be a long ride! - Caroline, for Itineravoy
Do You Believe in Santa?
We recently visited NYC and braving the crowds made it to the Macy's windows so we could look at the story of Virginia O'Hanlon who, in 1897, received a letter from the The (New York) Sun confirming that "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus".Whether or not you believe in Santa, we wish you Seasons Greetings and all the best for 2012. ~ Debbie, for Itineravoy.
A short coastal walk at Long Bay
Just thirty minutes from central Auckland is the aptly named Long Bay, a huge expanse of sand which makes for great swimming and is also part of Okura Marine Reserve. Follow the track up behind the beach and you'll enjoy one of the regions loveliest coastal walks; the guidebooks say it's three hours return but it can certainly be done in less. You can also return along the rocky sea front, giving you greater opportunities to spot marine life and birds such as kingfishers.
Nuptials in Czech Republic
Congratulations to Itineravoy blog author, Caroline, on her recent marriage which occured in the beautiful, historic town of Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic. Now that both blog authors have recovered from jet-lag and returned home from Prague, we hope to resume regular, local blog postings. ~ Debbie, for Itineravoy.
Brandywine Valley Wine Trail Harvest (USA)
This weekend is the local 9th Annual Harvest Festival, involving all the Branywine Valley Trail wineries. September 24-25 and October 1-2 you can experience the sights and fun of the 2011 vintage. The wineries are within a 50 mile radius and located close to several national points of interest including, amongst others, the Brandywine Valley Museum and Hagley Museum. It is a beautiful time of year to explore the region ~ Debbie for Itineravoy.
Auckland Botanic Gardens
The majority of New Zealand's native flora is found no-where else on earth, so it's worth taking a few lessons in local plant life to help you understand your surroundings. If you're up north, the easiest way to get started is to visit the Auckland Botanic Gardens. The Gardens are young by world standards - they were first opened to the public in 1982 - but provide a wealth of information on New Zealand trees, flowers and plants, as well as species from further afield. They are also great simply for a lengthy walk and there's plenty of ground to cover: 64 hectares (156 acres), including 10 hectares of native forest. We particularly enjoyed the kauri grove, extensive collection of palms and threatened native plants garden. There's also a weaving flax collection which gives an insight into this traditional Māori craft.
Tāwharanui Regional and Marine Park, North Auckland
The best thing about living in Auckland, in my view, is its 26 regional parks, which cover more than 40,000 hectares of land. All within striking distance of the city, they offer amazing natural diversity. One of the most stunning is Tāwharanui Regional Park, which doubles as an open nature sanctuary established to protect and reestablish native plant, bird and animal species in the area.Eighty percent of New Zealand's plant life is endemic, along with 70% of its birds and 90% of freshwater fish. With this unique ecology, New Zealand is rightly protective of its natural environment and Kiwis take their conservation seriously. This hits home as you drive through the park entrance - a small gate in the 2.5km long predator-proof security fence which separates the Tāwharanui peninsula from the rest of the mainland.
Inside, as well as spotting native birds, you can enjoy some of the Auckland region's most beautiful white sand beaches and coastal forest. We took a two-hour walk to the tip of the peninsula to take in incredible views of the surrounding islands, then headed back to Anchor Bay for our best New Zealand beach experience yet. With a decent amount of surf ahead and the city hidden behind Tāwharanui's rolling pastures, we felt days away from Auckland even though it was only an 80-minute drive home. ~ Caroline for Itineravoy
Looking forward to 3rd anniversary celebrations
Waratah Communications LLC (of which Itineravoy is a part) is looking forward to celebrating its 3rd anniversary later this year. Thanks for your support. ~ Itineravoy.
Puhoi historic village: a Czech-English-Kiwi experience
Drive just 30 minutes north of Auckland city and you come across an unusual piece of New Zealand history: Puhoi village, founded in 1863 by German-speaking Bohemian (Czech) immigrants.
