TouchNote is a great service I heard about from a friend while I was traveling in Austin. It sends postcards or cards from anywhere in the world (as long as you have an internet or data connection) to almost anywhere in the world using pictures you can upload into the app. It is an excellent resource for anyone that wants to send personalized letters or postcards, and it is especially great for travelers that want to stay connected for afar. When I used it I found it convenient and very easy to use. Once the app is downloaded, you select the type of card you want to send. Once you have selected your card you can select a layout, upload one or multiple personal pictures, and add a note to the card. Then you address the note and send it is printed and sent to whomever you want from one of TouchNote’s shipping centers. The prices are very affordable, usually just a dollar and change depending on the options you select (and they will often offer free premium trials!). It is great for many different occasions, including holiday cards, birthday cards, or just to say hello. I highly recommend giving it a try!
0 Comments
What I did and saw: Valletta City Gate and The Triton Fountain- Entering Valletta feels a bit like going in a weird time machine that mixes a variety of cultures. Due to the influence of the countries surrounding the island of Malta and the countries that have ruled over Malta, it has produced a unique mix of culture and history. It is a cool experience to walk into and through the old city of Valletta, which was founded in 1565, and take in the different cultural influences displayed there. Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens- The Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens are both free to enter, and it is well worth the trip. It provides great views of the island and the sea. Also, there is a display showing the filming locations for a variety of popular movies and TV shows that were filmed on the island such as Game of Thrones, The Count of Monte Cristo, Troy, Risen, Gladiator, Captain Phillips, World War Z, and a couple James Bond movies. Siege Bell War Memorial- During World War II Malta was attacked by the Axis forces due to its strategic importance in the Mediterranean, and it was one of the most bombed areas during the entire war. After being under siege for over two years, the Allied forces prevailed in a major victory. This monument is built to honor the siege and victory. Where I ate and drank: Lot Sixty One Coffee Roasters- Lot Sixty One serves up some excellent coffee in the old town of Valletta. They also offer some tasty pastries and bread. Also, I was also a fan of the simplistic, sturdy design of their coffee cups. It was the best cup of coffee I had during my time in Valletta. 67 Kapitali- The food at 67 Kapitali was unique and absolutely delicious, and they also had a nice selection of local beers. I had the “Bruna” sandwich, which contained Parma ham, creamy Brie, and homemade banana and almond chutney. It may sound strange but it tasted delicious. I also had a bit of a platter with some local Maltese cheese. Theobroma Raw Cacao Collective- If you are looking for some tasty chocolatey treats, Theobroma Raw Cacao Collective is a nice place to get them. Also, they are focused on sustainability and will give out a free chocolate if you bring your own container. Cafe Jubilee- Cafe Jubilee is a nice place to grab a bite to eat or a drink. They serve good food at good prices. While I was there I tried their homemade cinnamon ice cream. Nenu the Artisan Baker- I had to opportunity to get some “Ftira” from Nenu’s which is a great place to get it. It is somewhat similar to a heartier version of a pizza, and it was very tasty. The Beer Cave- I was only able to spend a short time in The Beer Cave because I had to catch a bus, but it was a very cool place. It looks very inconspicuous from the outside, but after going down the stairs it opens up into a very nice space. They have a very nice beer selection, and I would definitely go back again next time I am in Valletta. Is-Suq Food Market- Is-Suq is a great place to go to try different Maltese foods. A number of different restaurants have stalls inside the market, and there is also a grocery store where you can buy a variety of Maltese food items. Where I stayed and how I got around: I visited Mdina via public bus on a day trip from St. Julian’s on Malta’s northern coast, where I stayed at Luma Residence. I would typically prefer to take a train over a bus, but Malta does not have much of a train system. However, because it is such a small island, the bus journeys from city to city are fairly short. My favorite thing:
The food and drink in Valletta was excellent, but my favorite thing about Valletta was the mix of cultures and the history. My least favorite thing: Due to its geography, there are not many public transportation options in Valletta with the exception of a bus system. I tend to get carsick on long bus rides, but fortunately Malta is a small island so no bus ride is extremely long. Also, once inside Valletta it was very walkable. For next time: Next time in Valletta I would like to dive further into Maltese history. I would also like to check out Wild Honey, which was closed while I was there, and I would be interested in taking the ferry from Valletta to Sliema. Wine is the typically drink of choice in Barcelona, and they do it very well. Typically if you order a beer in Barcelona you will be served an Estrella, which is a mass produced beer in Spain. However, much like the growth of craft coffee in Barcelona, there are a number of great places to find craft beer in the Mediterranean city. Here are a few of my favorites: Mikkeller Bar Barcelona- Mikkeller is a Danish nomadic brewing company with an outpost in Barcelona. The have a great selection of beers, great service, and some great rotating food offerings. They usually have a few different stouts (my favorite style) on tap, but always have plenty of good choices of a variety of different styles. Brewdog Barcelona- Brewdog is a Scottish brewing company with a location in Barcelona. They offer some excellent beer choices with excellent service. They also offer a beer school (free and paid versions) where they will explain the brewing process and let you sample different styles of beer. Brewdog also has an “Intergalactic Beer Visa,” which can be stamped at their various locations throughout the world to document your travels. It is free to obtain, and I got my first stamp at the Barcelona location. Abirradero- Abirradero is a great location for craft beer with a variety of styles and 40 taps. They even offer styles such as mead and Gruut that can be harder to come by than other styles. In addition to some excellent beer, they also serve kombucha and have a great food menu and great service. Ølgod and Kælderkold- Ølgod and Kælderkold are great places to find a variety of different craft beer. Ølgod is located in the Raval neighborhood and has a more food options, while Kælderkold is just off La Rambla in the Gothic Quarter and has a whiskey bar located inside as well. OKasional Beer- My favorite bottle shop in Barcelona is OKasional Beer. They have an excellent selection at good prices to purchase for later, and they have also recently expanded their space and offer a few beers on tap as well. Honorable Mention-
Edge Brewing is an excellent brewery started by American ex-pats. Although their brewery is rarely open, you can find their beers at many craft beer spots in the city. Ale&Hop has a nice beer selection and some super tasty sweet potato bravas. Cat Bar serves craft beer along with the best vegetarian burgers I’ve tasted. Olofson has a great beer selection and a variety of smoked food (they even smoke their whipped cream!). Garage Brewery is one of the more popular craft breweries in Barcelona, although they don’t tend to have an extensive selection of darker beers. Cerveseria La Mes Petita, like their name suggests, is a small place that serves some high quality brews from Ratpenat. Barna Brew has a limited selection of beers, but what they have is very good. BlackLab Brewhouse & Kitchen serves “Beer cocktails” in addition to their beers. Bodega Fermin my favorite place to get local tapas and craft beer. El Drapaire De La Cervesa Artesana has a great selection and is located near Placa Catalunya in the center of the city. Lambicus Bar and Lambicus Bottle Shop are the best places to get Belgian-style beers in Barcelona. Caravelle offers craft beer and some excellent food (they have even started selling the Impossible Burger), and they also offer good coffee and an excellent brunch. Rosses i Torrades only has a couple beers on tap, but they have an excellent bottle selection, and La Beata is another nice bottle shop that also has a bar in the Gràcia area. Chivuo’s, Bar Centro, La Central Hamburgueseria, and La Menuda are all great places to get good food paired with a craft beer. CocoVail Beer Hall was started by locals that went to university in Arizona and wanted to bring the American beer hall culture to Barcelona. They have a wide selection of craft beer on tap (although not usually any high gravity), and is a great place to watch sports. Some other great places to get craft beer in Barcelona are Kraftank, BierCab, La Bona Pinta, Beer’linale and The Growler. I would also like to check out Local Beer Barcelona, but their hours are fairly limited. The Aeropress was invented by Alan Adler in 2005, and is now featured in craft coffee shops around the world (a few of which I’ve been able to visit). In the past I used to primarily use a V60 setup or a French Press. However, for the past two years I have used either my Aeropress or my Hario Cold Brew filter. Here are my thoughts on my Aeropress:
Advantages- Great Coffee- You can find Aeropresses used in craft coffee shops around the world. The Aeropress has become so popular that there are now worldwide championships to determine who can make the best cup of coffee with an Aeropress. I was able to check out the Cataluña Aeropress championships in Barcelona and see the different varieties of variables such as water temperature, grind size, and timing. At home and while traveling I use an Aeropress myself, and it allows me to make a delicious cup of coffee (assuming, of course, that the beans are freshly ground, good quality beans). Travel- The Aeropress is a great way to make coffee when traveling. Devices like a Chemex or a V60 are impractical to travel with due to their fragility and the amount of size they take up when I am traveling with just a backpack. However, the Aeropress is fairly durable, and I can usually fit it and my Hario grinder in my backpack. Price- An Aeropress is also one of the cheaper craft coffee making devices. It is usually listed at less than half the price of a Chemex. I picked mine up at Right Side Coffee Roastery in Castelldefels for about thirty euros. Maintenance- The Aeropress is very easy to use, clean and maintain. After brewing your coffee, simply pop the “puck” (coffee grinds) into a composter or garbage, then rinse the parts and you are ready to brew another cup. Filter coffee or espresso- While I prefer filter coffee to espresso, an Aeropress can also be used to make espresso-like coffee. All you have to do is adjust variables such as grind size, water temperature, and brew time, and you can get a cup of coffee that is very similar to an espresso. Disadvantages- Small batches- While the Aeropress is great for personal use, it is not ideal for making a lot of cups in a short amount of time. The Aeropress is great for personal use or even for very small groups, but if you are planning on hosting large groups of people I would recommend other methods such as a large Chemex or another drip brew method. Bottom Line- Unless you are planning on making coffee for large groups of people, I would highly recommend using an Aeropress. An Aeropress is especially handing when traveling. What I did and saw: Mdina Gate and old city- Mdina is a charming old city that is fun to wander around. It is very well preserved and was even featured in season 1 of the Game of Thrones series. The city is fairly small, and it can easily be explored in a day. Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Paul- While it may not be quite as grand, intricate, and impressive as other cathedrals such as the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, or the Kolner Dom in Cologne, it is still worth checking out. The 12th century cathedral was destroyed by an earthquake and rebuilt at the end of the 17th century. It is said to have been visited by the Apostle Paul after his shipwreck in Malta. Although Mdina is not a coastal city, Malta is a very small island and Mdina is historically an important city, so it is likely that Paul at least spent some time somewhere within the old city. Where I ate and drank: Fontanella Tea Garden- If you are looking for tasty treats or drinks with a view, the Fontanella Tea Garden is a great spot to check out. The views were excellent, and although there is not an extensive amount of healthy food on the menu, they do offer some very tasty treats. Located within the old city walls, it is definitely worth checking out. Chalk Cafe- Chalk Cafe is a cozy spot located outside the city walls. It is a great place to grab lunch, a snack, or a just a drink. They offer some very good local food and drink, and it is a nice place to catch a break. Where I stayed and how I got around: I visited Mdina via public bus on a day trip from St. Julian’s on Malta’s northern coast, where I stayed at Luma Residence. I would typically prefer to take a train over a bus, but Malta does not have much of a train system. However, because it is such a small island, the bus journeys from city to city are fairly short. My favorite thing:
The old city was fun to wander around, and I really enjoyed the snack, drink, and view from the Fontanella Tea Garden. My least favorite thing: Mdina is a very historic, charming city, but it is also very small. It is a great option for a day trip. For next time: Next time in Mdina I would be interested in checking out the dungeons and more of the history of the city, including St. Paul’s Catacombs, where the Apostle is believed to be buried. |
About MeWelcome to the Healthy Explorer Blog. If you like travel stories have a look around my blog and check out my podcast— maybe you'll find an extra spark for your own adventures.
Archives
October 2020
Categories |
Proudly powered by Weebly