Venice and around it – some time ago!

Venice and around it – some time ago!

I have discovered a few new places during the last year which I didn’t write about and one of the most wonderful trips must have been the visit to Venice and its surrounding area. Everybody knows that Venice, along with Paris, is one of the most favourite honeymoon targets . Romance is flowing through its ancient canals, hiding in little alley ways known by Casanova and whispering into ears of craftsmen while they are creating intricate colourful glass shapes.

Just when you arrive to the train station and take a first step out into the streets, the Venetian atmosphere hits you with the view over the Gran Canal. Public transportation in Venice is tightly connected to water. It is not trams, underground or buses that take you around the city, but boats! In the heat of the city I found this means of transportation a very agreeable solution. The breeze doesn’t take away just heat but also any troubles that could have been on your mind before.

Walking through the streets and seeing all the famous ventian touchpoints wasn't always on top of my list. I was so lucky to experience the city through the eyes of someone who knows it well and who guided me through the streets with love and attention to what interests me – food! Unfortunately, due to heat and our not so deep pockets we limited ourselves to fresh fruit and bottled water rather than all the beautiful pastries and delicous bites we saw. However, I am one of those people that don’t even mind spending hours looking at food and its thousand forms and possibilities.

To be honest, I am more of a fan of the beatiful little towns and monuments which are not surrounded with camera snapping tourists. Places that have been shot thousands and thousands of times over and over again lose the sense of surprise and originality when you finally visit them. Eventhough I loved Venice, I cannot say it suprised me a lot. This, however, I definitely cannot say about Asolo.

During my very short 4 day trip the town of Asolo and the hills behind it (Monfumo and Castelli, up to Possagno) completely charmed me. Blue sky was the perfect match for old stone buildings and mountain hilly views. On the square, to taste a bit of local Italy in a little restaurant bar, we had a plate of cheese and cold cuts. I was very hungry, but I could still identify the distinct delicate flavours that differ so much from any hams in Czech Republic or in Spain. Those flavours just melt in your mouth telling you about the balance between rustic sharpness and delicacy of simplicity.

Following this lovely experience and a short walk around, it was time to set off on the scooter (very italian style) and follow the road through villages and fields. As the journey countinued, and apart from buying fresh milk delivered into our plastic bottle right from the source and consuming quite substantial portion of ice cream, I realized that there is so much more to discover about this beautiful country than just funny accent and exported pizza trend. In Italy, everything has historical background, and I hope that one day I might be able to look into its history of gastronomy in a lot more detail than in the four days and my hobby style reading, beacuase as Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright said in Pavarotti, My Own Story: "One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating."

Escape to Pyrenees!

Les Pyrenees

I fell in love with Les Pyrenees few years ago when for the first time my parent’s friend took me hiking and rock climbing without permission. For me Les Pyrenees breathe out serenity and natural beauty of immeasurable value!  People are friendly and the food is just full of rustically rich and amazing flavours! When I was asked where I want to go from Barcelona for a weekend, Les Pyrenees was a clear answer. There was no other option for me.

Food market in Vilafranca

Our starting point was the tourist area of Stiges just outside of Barcelona from which we travelled to Vilafranca to see its food market. They had everything from hand knife cut jamon to amazing cheese, vegetable and fruit! The kaki there had such a vibrant colour - so dark and attractive just singing about ripeness! After all my food excitement it led us only up and up to the mountains!

Food market in Vilafranca

Half way I washed the grapes we bought on the market in a mountain stream. They were so rich and juicy – the high levels of sweetness made you feel like smelling alcohol before eating them! While I fed on these wonderful treats I enjoyed the breathtakingly beautiful scenery along the road, which was full of autumn colours ranging from bright yellows to rusty reds and browns. . The trees were an inspiration to nature's best symphony and the young, fast water stream was its orchestra!

Clear water of Pyrenees

After a quick tour of deserted Benasque, we decided to move on and sleep over in Aínsa. The decision often reminds me not linger on something that is not worth it as it may keep from something very special. Aínsa is an amazing location with plenty of nice views and we arrived just on time to see the sunset from the town walls! So many tones of pink spreading along the sky!

Beautiful views in Aí

Then we found an apartment to rent for one night right in the centre on the main square and made a reservation in a restaurant recommended by Michelin called Callizo. The dinner was an intriguing experience - some liquid nitrogen, some dessert eating right from the table, some delicious salmon ceviche and liquefied olive oil „olives look alike“ and much more! I took photos of almost everything! 

Cheese soup in Callizo

I call that a perfect presentation of a paté!

My new and silly beginning...

I have been away for a very long time – everybody needs at some point or another to figure out a bit more about themselves ... and I moved to an island next to Africa for 6 months!

Ok,ok, it was connected to another working experience, but I can say that Vin Diesel’s bodyguard is a really nice guy and that baby bananas and mango-lemon jam from Tenerife are delicious.

I have received an amazing birthday cake, went up a volcano which I was scared of since 7 years old and for the first time of my life spent Christmas without my family – just to spend it with some amazing people that survived living with me those six months.

Meanwhile learning about myself and about my pressure resistance, I was taking a lot of photos and keeping in mind that this blog is a part of my life. I will keep on working on it even if nobody reads it, because traveling and cooking is what I truly love!

Please, do forgive me for the idleness and I promise I’ll improve! I am hopefully coming back a little wiser and with new ideas and energy on my side! 

The real happiness!