TRAVEL

ITALIAN DAY’S | When in Sardinia

Hello lovely people and Welcome to a new travel blog: Hello Sardinia. Finally the big holidays arrived a few months ago and off we went to beautiful Sardinia.

This journey did not start as well as expected due to a two hours delay. We had to rush a bit at Sardinia airport to be on time to collect the rental car. Fortunately the rental company waited as we arrived around midnight. Nevertheless, we got the car and there and then we began our journey through Sardinia. OYEAH!

Arriving at our house in Stintino, which is in the Northern part of the Island, is in one word AMAZING! The house is huge and beautiful, to be honest way too big for just the two of us. It had two bathrooms, three bedrooms on two floors. It has a beautiful and multi-functional kitchen for cooking, more than one balcony and a nice private garden to barbecue in. Looking from the front balcony we could see the sea. It is not a huge town, but definitely true that there are some beautiful beaches in this beautiful town.

In the end we had two wonderful and relaxing weeks in Sardinia. It is quite a big island, so from one end to the other can take maximum three hours with the car.

Grab some hot choco (because it is already cold in London at the moment) and enjoy reading our suggestions and adventures on this beautiful island.

Stintino

Beautiful Stintino. It is really true that the most beautiful beaches are located in this area. Of course we went to the La Pelosa beach the next day. Before we went to this beach, we had lunch at BAR SKIPPER DI LAGORIO. This is definitely a recommendation. We had some delicious tuna belly with white wine and an octopus salad. The best part was the view of the sea that came with this package.

Another great beach is Spiaggia Le Saline a white peddle stones beach. It is really close to Stintino and they offer much more privacy on the beach were you are able to bring all your beach stuff, parasol included.

La Pelosetta is the beach next to La Pelosa and near the Torre della Pelosa. This beach is a bit smaller, but with your goggles on, you can see a lot of fishes swimming around. The sea is full of sea life to see. Plus you see the small island across the top of Sardinia here.

All around Sardinia you will find beaches for every need for example for families, for couples, for surfers. We even saw some people swimming with their pets.

Sassari

We decided to explore the island and the first stop was Sassari, an old historic city not too far from Stintino. It was a beautiful bright day with a blue sky and temperatures around 26 degrees Celsius. Unfortunately we discover that on Mondays a lot of the main attractions like churches are not open. A nice thing is that we did not see a lot of tourist or a lot of people at all. The best is to park the car in the centre and just walk around.

Walking around you will see a lot of beautiful historical buildings. On the Piazza d’Italia we went to have a local snack at Pronto Pronto. Handmade pizza with some French fries inside for only two Euros.

Check out these highlights if you are in this area:

A good supermarket here is the Carrefour. We did a lot of groceries here, because they really have a lot of fresh stuff and it was not as expensive as other supermarkets. We bought some fresh Sword fish to cook at home. Omgsh this was better than a good tuna steak!

 

Alghero

Alghero is more like a city centre surrounded by walls. You can find a lot of delicious rich Panini’s for lunch in the cafetaria and great restaurants for dinner. It has a lot of Catalan Gothic elements like the church Cattedrale di Santa Maria, Palazzo Guillot and Chiesa di San Francesco, a 14th-century church.

If you are looking for gifts, this is the city of red coral. I love jewelry and  I decided to get something small. I got a real red coral pendant in the end. Some restaurant recommendations are La Saletta, great food only slow service and Trattorria al refettorio. This Trattorria was located in an alley, great food, good service on a super romantic location.

 

For night life the best is to go to the boulevard and go to L’Arq bar. This bar has some good cocktails,  liquors and nice music. For the art lovers, there is an Sardinian artist that has a small studio and unusual exhibition with his creations, Chicco Mannazzu. Check out his art here.

From West to East

Our road trip from west to the east side was mesmerizing with in Olbia, beautiful landscape scenery. We went through the Burgos forest to Oliena with their gigantic lime stone mountains. Check out the Burgos castle on the way.

For a walk through the forest go to Su Gologone. You need to pay a small fee to enter this park, definitely worth it.  You can do the 20 minutes’ walk through the forest and if you like enjoy the beautiful view on a kayak.

Oliena

Oliena is a small town between the lime stone mountains. The view here is amazing. We were lucky to experience a local festival that was going on the last few days of our holidays on the 7th till the 9th of September. If you are here, try some local olive oil and their local cheeses. By the way drinks were super cheap here; we had two Aperol spritz for 6 Euro.

Argentiera

This small mining town is very peculiar. You will find an abandoned mine here. You can still feel the atmosphere of this mining town from when the miners were working here.

A suggestion is to do the mine tour. Unfortunately the guide doesn’t speak English. Maybe if you are lucky there is someone in the tour who can translate it for you. The sea on this side of the Island is pretty wild with huge waves. Pretty cool to see and to swim in.

Porto Torres

If you are in this town, go see the Basilica San Gavino. I think we did not spend too much time in this town, because we had a wonderful activity after.

Sunset horse riding

This was the activity I mentioned before that we needed to go to. It was a two hours horse riding under the sunset. Super romantic. I will be honest, the whole day I was super scared, because I never did horse riding by myself in my life. So for someone who never did horse riding, I was pretty proud of myself that I did it!

I think I started to enjoy this experience more after the first hour and when we went to the beach with the beautiful sun going under. Definitely an experience I won’t forget and thankful that we did this experience together.

Castelsardo

I think Castelsardo is one of the most beautiful towns near the coasts that I have seen so far in Sardinia. Go up to the Castle, within the Castle you can find a small village with some restaurants and shops. Bring some cash because an ATM is hard to find in this area.

We had some lunch at Trattorria da Edoardo where we had some delicious pasta’s. Most restaurants / Trattorria closes early and they open again in the evening so if you got a change go around noon (or in the evening) and try their delicious pasta’s.

After an afternoon in Castelsardo we went to Lu Bagnu beach to see the sunset. This never gets boring. Great place to see the sunset and to take some great pictures. My profile picture was taking at that moment.

Cagliari

This City is quite far from Stintino, almost a three hours’ drive to go there. So you must go early in the morning if you want to explore this city. Parking is super cheap, there are even some parking spots that are free (check the white parking area’s ), but in general finding a parking spot can be difficult with all the traffic. In Cagliari you can find a lot of mainstream shops, so that was not interesting for me.

 

A suggestion and a fun idea is to go on a tuk-tuk for an 1, 5 hours to see the main sight seeing attractions. I think it is definitely worth if you are like us, coming from far. Especially with all the ups and down the stairs and the extreme hot weather. It was very hot and humid in this city. We did not experience it in any other Sardinian city. We had lunch at Il Brigantino, which the starters were super delicious.

Porto Cervo

Porto Cervo is a bit overrated I think. The Marina and yachts are very nice to see, but not that spectacular anymore. Not worth to spend too much time here, maybe it is spectacular if you want to see some Italian celebrities. I heard that they all go here to enjoy their summer holidays.

Stargazing

Best activity ever is to go stargazing! Just go somewhere where there is no light pollution and just park the car on a safe spot of course and look at the stars. We brought our own telescope and we saw so many constellations that I hadn’t seen before. I am still impressed till this day.

 

The Milky Way is very visible in Sardinia and just amazing to see that we are a part of this giant galaxy. One night we saw the Ursa Major (it was super close) in our garden when we had a nice dinner at home.

Small shopping haul

I didn’t  bought a lot in Sardinia. I like to bring something from nature like a specific stone or rock as a souvenir if possible. A souvenir suggestion would be to go for some red coral jewelry in Alghero.

For me a special gift that I got is the Aqua di Sardegna – eau the perfume, which reminds me every time of our wonderful trip to Sardinia. A nice small souvenir can also be something you have found on the beach.

For a relax holiday, Sardinia is definitely the place to be. I would go back for sure. Thank you for reading the complete blog. Hope you have gotten some ideas for your next trip to Sardinia. If you liked this blog, please give it between 1 and  5 stars. It will be much appreciated.

 

Till the next travel blog!

Ciao Miss Widjaja

LIFESTYLE

Hello London | Hello Autumn

Hello lovely people… Autumn is finally here and if you are around in London this season, please stay, because I did pick some amazing autumn events for you to go to and explore!

The fun part of this blog is that these upcoming events that I picked for you guys are mostly new for me as well. So we all got some exploring to do this October and November.

I did pick 10 upcoming events/ things to do this autumn, so I would say just go to the ones that makes you say YES YES YES.

As usual crab your cup of hot tea and enjoy reading, maybe a pen and notebook will be useful this time. (No problem this tip is on the house.) So no further a due these are the 10 upcoming events this autumn in London.

#1 Museum at Night 25-27th of October

This is not only London related, but around the UK there are many events in a lot of museum at night. Check the website for all their events planned this end of October. The one that sounds interesting to me is AN EVENING AT DR JOHNSON’S HOUSE; it is an eighteenth-century townhouse of Dr Johnson. Sounds a bit spooky at night.

#2 Comic CON 26 – 28th of October

Comic con is where it all comes together if you are a huge fan of Movies, Gaming, Comics, Anime, Television, Gadgets, Clothing and Toys. Super cool to see people dressed like any characters of all genres. If you are a fan of any kind of character(s) from movies or comics, you will have a blast meeting them here in real.

#3 Bonfire night 5th of November

Bonfire night is also known as Guy Fawkes Day. This is a yearly returning event. On this night there will be different firework shows in parks around London. I remember this night from last year which was cool seeing so many people outside, cosy together and in the park to see some spectacular fireworks. Hopefully it will be less cold as it was last year. If not, be prepared and dress well because it can be freezing outside at night.

#4 Winter Wonderland from the 22nd of November

This is more in the winter than autumn, but definitely worth a visit if you like the Christmas spirit here in London. After all it is the most wonderful time of the year and a lot of Christmas lights will be flashing here in Hyde Park.

#5 Christmas lights displays around London

The famous Christmas lights are never boring! Every year I enjoy seeing them when I am in the bus or walk around Oxford Street. This year I am planning to walk around all these places where there are Christmas lights displayed which are; Carnaby, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, Bond Street, the Shard and around the South Bank. Let’s call it a Christmas lights display tour through the city!

#6 Regent Park in autumn

See beautiful autumn leaves falling from the trees in any Park actually. I just mentioned Regent Park, because this Park is not so far from where I live and it is very beautiful as any other Park in London around this time of the year.

#7 Black Friday 23th of November

Save this date, because it is Black Friday! Online and in many stores there will be a lot of discount on products by lots of retailers. I would definitely say, save your Christmas shopping for this day! Especially… if you want to buy some tech stuff or expensive gifts.

#8 October fest in London 17- 20 October

For all the beer lovers, feel the German spirit and enjoy the music, some bratwurst (yum) and German beer of course. Don’t wait too long, it is happening as we speak.

#9 Comedy on the Thames

Get some good laughs on the Tattershall Castle. Via Fever the App, entree tickets are not that much and you will have a great evening full of laughter and a beautiful sight on the Thames. What else do you want! Great for a date night by the way!

#10 Carousel London

I heard about the Carousel from a colleague. It is great place to have dinner with friends served by chefs from around the world. Cool thing to do as well is to go to one of their wild life drawing evenings, were you can draw a real wild life animal such as a wolf or owl.

Thank you for reading my blogs. I hope you got some new ideas for this autumn and gave some of my picks a GO!

Ciao MissWidjaja

ART

ART | MY WORK 2018

Blue Pointe Shoes 40 x 50cm Oil on canvas – unavailable 
 
 
Dark Angel 40 x 50cm Oil on canvas – unavailable 
 
 
Tribute to the birth of Venus – Botticelli 40 x 50cm Oil on canvas – unavailable
 
POWERFUL WOMEN SERIES – MRS WIDJAJA – 2020 – oil on canvas – unavailable *GIFT* (50 CM * 60 CM)
POWERFUL WOMEN SERIES – JAMEELA JAMIL ACTIVIST – 2020 – oil on canvas – (50 CM * 60 CM)
BEAUTIFUL SOUL GOLD – 2020 – oil on canvas – *GIFT* (20 CM * 20CM)

 

LIFESTYLE

Hello London | King’s Cross – St Pancras

Hello Lovely People and welcome back to another “What to do in London” Hello London Blog. This time it is all about these two beautiful stations that I pass by every working day; St Pancras and Kings Cross. I found out there is lots to do around this area in the summer, so why not blog about it and let you know what exciting things there is to do.

Autumn is coming and fortunately it is still a bit sunny here in London. So let’s go outside and explore St Pancras and Kings Cross.

Don’t forget to grab your pint of beer, note book and enjoy reading this blog.

St PANCRAS and KING’S CROSS

First of all a bit of history about these two stations. These stations; King’s Cross and St Pancras is open since 1863. It is the second busiest station with an interchange between six Underground lines: Metropolitan/Circle/Hammersmith & City, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria. Find more information if you click HERE.

THE BRITISH LIBRARY

Take a look at the British Library which is the largest national library in the world by number of items catalogued. It is a great library for researchers. At the moment there is a Science + Art exhibition which you can visit until somewhere in December 2018. The building itself is already a sight to see.

LEWIS CUBITT SQUARE

This square is a bit behind King’s Cross and more in the residential area of King’s Cross. The latest event which was really nice, which was Cubitt Sessions, this was wonderful live music festival, with every day one hour of live music. There is always something going on, so please check the website for latest events or click on Lewis Cubitt Square above.

CANOPY MARKET

This market is located in front of King’s Cross station. What to find here? Fresh Hipster Food of course. Really nice if you want to buy a different kind of souvenir or if you want to enjoy something else for once. Also a great idea to find here, “special” cheeses for dinner parties. For opening hours check the website, because they are not open like most of the shops.

PLAT FORM 9 ¾ FROM HARRY POTTER

Maybe only super exciting for the real Harry Potter fans among us, but the platform where Harry takes the train on platform 9 ¾ is at King’s Cross. There is a shop as well where you can purchase all the merchandise from the movie, a bit over priced I think. Nevertheless worth a visit to check off your “Must see in London” checklist. DONE. Maybe take a cute picture for Instagram as well.

REGENTS CANAL

Especially when the sun is shining, it is really nice to chill and relax around the Regents canal. There are many spots where you can relax next to the canal. A tip for the sporty ones under us is to walk along the canal to Camden and back.

GRANARY SQUARE

On the banks of the Regents canal you will find Granary Square. Check out the fountain in the square which will be lighted by night. Find some nice restaurants around the square to have some drink at. The latest Bridget Jones movie had a scene on this square. You will find the Lighterman house here. Read on to find out what it is.

DISHOOM

Dishoom is an authentic Indian café / restaurant.  This restaurant is located between Lewis Cubitt square and Granary square. Please note that it is possible you need to queue, at least this summer. So be patience, because I was presently surprised by the fast service and the delicious dishes. The dishes are spicy, but in a good way. I did like it more than a typical Indian Curry restaurant. I am not sure if they take reservations, but they work really efficiently and they will try to get you seated as soon as possible. CERTAINLY A RECOMMENDATION.

THE LIGHTERMAN HOUSE

The lighter man house is a gastropub with minimalist modern British food. Great place to catch up with friends and family.

COAL DROPS YARD

On the 26th of October 2018 you can shop till you drop at this new shopping street with shops, bars, cafes and restaurant. Its beautiful Victorian architecture which was built in the 1850’s. This was the place where they received and sorted coal as it arrived by train. I think this will be  nice shopping area and sight as a lot of the buildings has been remained. Definitely worth a visit if you still around London end of October.

THE GERMAN GYMNASIUM

Wow what a history here in St Pancras and King’s Cross. A lot of buildings from the 1800 gathered just for a beautiful sight for our sore  eyes. This German Gymnasium is one of my favourite building next to the St. Pancras station. It is literally located between the two stations. Originally it was the first purpose-built gymnasium in England for athletics in Britain. Built in 1864-65 which it first indoor events of the Olympic Games in 1866. It is now a wonderful mix of a European deluxe grand café / brasserie. Most of the original features are remained. Check the website – they serve delicious German specialities.  Great for a date night and still on my list to check!

 

ST PANCRAS OLD AND NEW CHURCH

This church is dedicated to Pancras of Rome  who converted to Christianity around the year 304. It was built in 1819 to serve the people in the newly built area, Bloomsbury. It is still in use today. Stroll around to see this great neo classical Greek church.

The St Pancras old Church is one of the oldest churches in Somers town, Central London. It is said that this church is from AD625. Roman tiles were found in the fabric of its tower which where they found an inscribed alter stone dated from AD625. In the church yard you will find the tomb of John Soane. Check my previous blog Hello London |Hello Summer were I mention the Sir John Soan’s museum and the old St Pancras church as well.

PANCRAS SQUARE

This square is relatively new and a bit hidden between the stations and buildings.  You will find the gateway to King’s Cross station next to this square. KIMCHEE is an authentic Korean restaurant that just opened a restaurant here. One of my recommendations if you like Asian food.

CLASSIC CAR BOOT SALE

This event take place a few times a year at Granary Square. You can buy (or like me wander around checking) beautiful vintage cars and clothing.  Lovely atmosphere and people. Last event was in August and you will need an entree ticket to get in.

There is so much more to see here in St. Pancras and Kings Cross. I would recommend to just stroll around this area and discover some new great restaurants/bars, shops and museums. Don’t be afraid to go in the alleys where you can discover much more about this wonderful neighbourhood.

If you liked this blog after reading, please rate it below, which helps me a lot to see what you guys actually like when you read my blogs.

Many thanks for that!

Ciao Ciao Miss Widjaja