Bo, Author at ResponsiBo Travel

Sumba Hospitality Foundation: a future in sustainable tourism for the youth of Sumba

January 22, 2020

by Bo with No Comment Beautiful People Indonesia

During our research on Sumba, Indonesia we had the opportunity to interview someone from the Sumba Hospitality Foundation. In this blog for my Beautiful People section, I will share the story of the foundation, what they do for the people of Sumba and the environment and my experience visiting the foundation.

Sumba Indonesia

The Sumba Hospitality Foundation (SHF) is based on the Indonesian island called Sumba since 2016. This island is located in the South of Indonesia and is rather underdeveloped. It gets a small amount of tourists every year in comparison to mass tourism destination Bali. Then again this is also the strength and beauty of Sumba, being a rough diamond in an area full of mass tourism. If you want to read more about Sumba and my personal highlights click here.

The foundation

Founded by a Belgian woman with love for Asia, the SHF is set to provide a future to underprivileged youth of Sumba by educating them about the hospitality sector, sustainable tourism, environmental awareness and permaculture farming. The students of the hotel school get housing, meals and healthcare together with their education. After the theoretical and practical lessons at the school, the students do an internship at a 5 star hotel or restaurant to turn those skills into practice. One of these resorts is Nihi Sumba which is rewarded as world’s best resort for the last couple of years. By providing education on sustainable development, the foundation hopes Sumba to be an example of a sustainable tourism destination, where the local community is included in economic welfare and decision making and the environment is well taken care off.

The school

The whole campus, including the school, resort, restaurants etc. are built from bamboo as it is a very sustainable and durable product. Also, the students get taught about farming and growing herbs, fruits and vegetables that are used in the restaurant and bar. By using solar panels for energy and a water treatment system, the campus is able to be fully self-sufficient.

The hotel

As part of the lessons, the students have to work in the hotel or restaurant on the campus. This hotel is also built from sustainable products and provides a great learning space for the students. Here they can transform the theory learned in the classroom into practice.

Our research

During our research on Sumba we got the opportunity to attend a day at the school. We had to share our research design and they got to share their knowledge about their island. It was an amazing day meeting all these beautiful people and hearing their stories. We also got a tour of the whole ground and they showed us their farm, classrooms etc. It is amazing how in such a short period of time, they created this foundation and are able to help the students with their future.

The practices at the school are a great example of how a destination should develop. The students learn about how precious their island is and how they should treat it in order to benefit from it in a responsible way. I think the Sumba Hospitality Foundation is a beautiful example of sustainable development. Making sure the local community benefits whilst taking good care of the environment.

If you have some questions or other remarks, please leave a comment or contact me!

What to do on Isole Tremiti, Italy

January 17, 2020

by Bo with 2 Comments Italy

Besides doing research on this beautiful island archipelago, I also went around the islands of San Domino and San Nicola. In this blog I will tell you my favourite spots of these two islands and some general information on this destination

First off I would like to say that these islands are very VERY small, so you will not need too much time to discover them. However, they are definitely worth visiting as they are amazingly beautiful. With forests on San Domino and bright blue waters surrounding the islands, this destination is perfect for relaxation and activities like hiking and swimming.

I went around the island by foot and explored it in a few days, but I think if you have a full day, you can walk the whole island in one day! I just liked to cut it in a few parts and explore something else every day.

San Domino

Cala delle arene

This beach is located near the harbour and really looks like a tropical paradise. The sand is white and the water is blue and the trees are green, sounds like paradise to me right? The plus side of Isole Tremiti is that it is not that popular by the masses (yet) which is why this beach is nice and quiet! Unfortunately, when I was here there was a lot of rain and it was too cold to swim.

Cala Spido

When you are on top of the island of San Domino you will probably see a place with benches and tables where people eat their own snacks. From here, you will have a gorgeous view over Cala Spido. A path will lead you down to the water and will give you great opportunities to swim and snorkel!

Scoglio dell’Elefante

A bit further down the path you will encounter signs saying ‘Scoglio dell’Elefante’. This immediately made me happy as I loveee elephants and I wanted to see this place that is promising an elephant shaped rock. Once you get there, you will immediately see the rock and understand why they named it like this!

Il Faro di San Domino

All the way at the end of the island is the old lighthouse. It is mostly the walk towards the lighthouse that is beautiful with different kinds of scenery. I felt like the landscape changed once you got closer to the light house, or is that weird on a small island like San Domino haha?

Colle dell’Eremita

This spot is quite the walk but worth the view! It is a bit of a search but just try to follow the signs saying ‘Eremita’ and you will get there. From here you can spot three islands in one picture! Quite cool huh?

Cala dei Benedettini

This was one of my favourite places because there was literally no one around me and the place was insanely beautiful. I do not understand how an island like this can be so quiet in May? Anyway.. no real tips here, just climb over some rocks and enjoy the views! And if you are here in summer, enjoy a swim!

Viewpoint Grotta dei Pagliai

From this point near Grotta dei Pagliai you will have a beautiful view over the sea and the other islands. Take a moment to take in the beauty of this spot:

Where to eat and drink?

Of course, during your holiday in Italy you have to eat! As any other place in Italy, this island is perfect for a great pizza or another Italian dish! In May some restaurants were closed, but if you are here in summer, they will probably be open! Still I got a nice place to eat delicious pizza and a place to drink your cocktails!

La Fenice

Like I already said: PIZZA! For non-veggies there are some other good options (of what I heard of other people) but I just liked the pizzas here. At one point I found myself eating pizza for 5 days in a row… whoops.. (think the restaurant was very happy I did my research on this island haha)

Cocktail bar

I do not know the name of this place anymore (I am not sure if it even has a name), but here you can find the cocktails on the island! The bar is close to the restaurant called l’Altro Faro, you will find it! It is owned by a local couple with hearts for Isole Tremiti. Besides the good cocktails, I liked their solution to banning single use plastics: using pasta as straws!

Where to stay?

Hotel Tramontana

There are not that many hotels on the island (you can only sleep on San Domino), but I stayed at hotel Tramontana. Owned by a family from Tremiti, this hotel offers everything you need: comfortable rooms with nice bathrooms and a good location on the island. Here I met a local who helped me translating all my interviews and showing me around!

San Nicola

This island is smaller than San Domino, but is home to a nice fortress. I would suggest to take the boat from San Domino to San Nicola and just wander around for a few hours. There is not really much to do, besides some spots to eat. Still, the views were amazing and I really enjoyed this island! It is very pretty and also very quiet, so you will have everything to yourself.

How to get there?

This archipelago is rather unknown and not accessible from a lot of places. You can either reach the islands by ferry or by helicopter (which is in low season surprisingly affordable, unfortunately I could not do it..). The ferry leaves from multiple towns, but I decided to go from Termoli.

Termoli is a small harbour town from where ferries daily depart. The trips takes around 45 minutes with nice views of the coastline! In summer there are more ferries than in the low season and one of the companies operating between the islands and Termoli is called ‘Tirrenia’. For daily schedules and prices go to: https://www.tirrenia.it/

Harbour of Termoli

If you have some questions or other remarks, please leave a comment or contact me!

10 things to do in Barcelona

January 10, 2020

by Bo with No Comment Spain

Having a sister who loves to travel as much as I do has its benefits and downsides. Her love for Barcelona resulted in her moving to Spain. This means that I have to miss her most days of the year as we live far apart. However, now we appreciate the moments that we can be together even more AND I now have a nice address to stay when I want to go to Barcelona! As this blog is about What to do in Barcelona, I want to share you my favourite places and things to do in this city (lots of credits to my sister haha). Even though Barcelona is already a very known and touristic city, I hope I can share some new and fun information with you!

See the Sagrada Família from the inside

Yes, I know.. the Sagrada Família is probably the most famous site in Barcelona. Still I wanted to include it in here, just because it deserves its spot! I have been to Barcelona multiple times, but I never went inside the church. During my last visit I had some time to spare and I decided to finally go inside this impressive piece of architecture.

To skip the lines at the ticket office, you can buy a ticket online in advance and with some reduction! With this ticket you will have a particular timeslot, which reduces the amount of time that you need to wait to get in.

As beautiful the Sagrada is from the outside, as breath taking it is from the inside. Instead of using Biblical images for the windows, bright colours and patterns are used and in combination with the sun shining through the windows, this really creates a magical feeling. Besides the fact that this basilica is massive, the amount of details put into this piece of art is out of this world. Even though I can write about the Sagrada Família for pages, I think its best to leave it to the pictures!

Climb up the rooftop of the Barcelona Cathedral

From the outside this cathedral is pretty, but not something I haven’t seen before.. But wait until you reach the top! Inside the cathedral you can buy a ticket to take an elevator up to the roof. Here you have an amazing view of the cathedral itself, but mostly of the city..

Walk underneath the Arc de Triomf

No, I am not talking about the one in Paris! Barcelona has an Arc itself with a very nice orangey colour. Just admire this building as a piece of art and of course do not forget to take a picture!

¡Vamos a la playa!

What better place to go for a stroll or a dip in the ocean than La Barceloneta? The last time I visited Barcelona was in February and even though it was too cold to swim, it was so nice to stroll along this beach. Is it just me or do you also prefer a coastal city?

Get an overview of the city at Bunkers el Carmel viewpoint

For those who wish to see the city from another viewpoint, Bunkers el Carmel is the place to be. Unfortunately this place is getting more known by the larger public, which means it can get busy. However, I think it is still worth it to go as the view is priceless.

Hike to the Tibidabo theme park

For those who are looking for something different and outside the city, a hike to Tibidabo is an option. Tibidabo is a theme park on top of a hill with an amazing view of Barcelona.

The park is accessible for free but once you want to go in an attraction you will have to pay a ticket. Next to the park there is a big temple called ‘Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus’. This majestic building has a statue of Jesus on top that overlooks the city. Take a windy climb up to the statue and enjoy the panoramas.

Eat at Brunch and Cake

Whether you go for breakfast, brunch, lunch or just something sweet, Brunch and Cake is your place to be. To be exact, its your ‘places’ to be as there are multiple restaurants of this concept spread over Barcelona. My favourites are the avocado toasts and yoghurt and granola breakfasts, jummm..

Eat nachos at Carabela Café

Nice bar, nice atmosphere, nachos, guacamole, salsa and cheese….. Do I need to say more? Just check this place out when you are in Barcelona!

Eat pinchos at Carrer de Blai

When in Barcelona, eating pinchos should definitely on your list! This street is filled with little bars where the selection of pinchos is wide. Here you can choose a few and order a drink and enjoy the Spanish cuisine.

Sing karaoke at The George Payne

When you are in the mood to go out and enjoy some nice drinks whilst singing some karaoke, The George Payne is the bar for you. Here a mix of tourists and local people get together and the real daredevils can take the microphone and sing a song on top of the stairs in front of a big audience. At The George Payne you are sure of a good night out!

For the art lovers there are of course a lot more options in this city where Gaudi left his traces. Places like Casa Batlló, Casa Milà and Park Güell are worth visiting when in Barcelona for the first time. I normally skip these places as they are very touristic and I think Barcelona has also a lot of different places to offer!

If you have some questions or other remarks, please leave a comment or contact me!

How to travel Morocco in a responsible way

January 6, 2020

by Bo with No Comment Morocco Responsible Travel

I love to travel, I try to spent every Euro I earn on flight tickets and trips. Unfortunately, whilst traveling you leave a footprint on the environment and the local community. In this blog I will share my tips for traveling responsibly in Morocco.

Use public transport

Of course, a holiday at home would be the best for the environment. However, I understand that people want to travel (so do I!!) so sometimes taking a plane to a country is inevitable. If I take a plane somewhere, I try to always take ground public transport at the destination itself.

Morocco has a nice public transport system containing trains and busses. The railways (by ONCF) are operating between the bigger imperial cities like Marrakech and Fes, but also reach to Tangier and Oujda. The trains are comfortable and in a good condition and very affordable: Marrakech – Fes costs 215 dirhams one way for a 6 and a half hour train ride!

Where there are no trains, busses take over the transportation. There are two mayor bus companies operating in Morocco: Supratours and CTM. Supratours is often located near the train station as it is part of ONCF. Both companies have comfortable busses and also offer Comfort plus options on some popular routes like Marrakech – Agadir. There is no need to buy the tickets for busses and trains in advance, I always make sure to arrive half an hour in advance to buy the ticket at the station. However, on the popular route from Fes to Chefchaouen, tickets might get sold out so here I would advise to buy your ticket at least a day in advance.

Of course, the public transport does not reach every corner of the country, so if you are planning on visiting the real remote places of Morocco, you either have to take a shared taxi or drive yourself. Often there are possibilities to take a bus and then a grand shared taxi. These taxis wait until they are full, which means you sometimes have to wait before you can leave.

In the cities there is also good public transportation with mostly busses. However, do not expect them to arrive on time. It is wise to keep your schedule a bit relaxed as you never really know at what time you will arrive.. I once waited an hour and a half for the bus to Taghazout from Agadir..

Besides these little discomforts, I think traveling by public transport brings a lot of good experiences. You can sit down, relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery and get closer to the local community. And in Morocco it is very affordable!

Do not stimulate animal abuse

Who doesn’t like to see animals on their holiday? Morocco is a country rich of various species of animals like camels, barbary macaques and tree climbing goats. Unfortunately, the interest of tourists in the local animals results in abuse. Animals are often used to generate money from tourists for pictures and have no freedom at all.

Djemaa el Fna square

If you want to travel responsibly, please make sure to always check if your excursion or activity includes animals and how they are treated. One example of mistreated animals in Morocco is at one of the country’s most important tourism spots: Djemaa el Fna. Here you can see monkeys wearing clothes and being chained around their neck. If you take a moment to look at them, you will see them fighting with their owners and trying to pull the chain from their necks.

The monkeys that are not used at that moment at the square are put in too small boxes and have to sit in there all day. Every tourist at that square is a witness of hard animal abuse and the least we can do for them is to not give the sellers what they want: money for pictures. At one point they should realise that tourists are not interested in staged pictures with animals that are captivated in the worst possible way, right? If you really want to see the monkeys and take pictures with them: go up north where you can see loads of them in the wild.

Unfortunately, I am not finished talking about animal abuse at the Djemaa el Fna square. Even though I am not a fan of snakes, the way they treat them at this square is simply WRONG. I am not saying that all snake charmers do this, but a lot of them make sure the snake cannot attack them anymore. They do this by either pulling out the fangs or by sewing the mouth of the snake shut. In both ways the snake will starve and die a very painful death. When this happens, the snake charmers just catch a new victim to work for them and generate money from tourists.

So please! When you go to Djemaa el Fna, enjoy the beautiful juice stands with fruits stacked on top of each other and listen to the music made by musicians and look at the other performers. Animals belong in the wild, a picture is not worth an animals life, right?

Goats in Trees

Morocco is home to a very unique phenomenon of goats climbing in trees. They like the fruits of an argan tree and once they finish the ones hanging at the bottom, they start climbing the tree to find some more. These cute goats are very popular by tourists and shepherds noticed that they can charge tourists money for taking pictures. Now there are tours offered to tourists to see these goats, and the poor animals are tied up in the trees. They often have to stand in the sun for hours and cannot move at all. Besides the fact that this is abuse of the animals, the trees are also harmed by these practices.

I can imagine that you still want to see these cute animals balancing on the thin branches of the trees. However there are ethically better ways of doing this than booking a tour. The only right way is to drive around yourself and look for a shepherd who is genuinely letting his herd roam freely. I always keep my eyes open when I take a bus to another city and hope to spot them. You should think about it like whale watching, you are either lucky or unlucky as it is never sure if you will see them.

Want to interact with animals in a responsible way? Volunteer for Morocco Animal Aid during you stay in the Agadir region! Check out their website and see how you can make a difference!

Minimise your plastic waste

Morocco is a country coping with a huge waste problem. Everywhere you look, you will find garbage in the street and nature. As a tourist you have to be careful with drinking water from the tab so buying bottles of water is the safest option. Try to always buy bigger size bottles to minimise the amount of plastic you use. Also, if you really want to take it next level, you can bring a reusable metal straw which you use instead of all the plastic straws they give you. As juices are super cheap and veeeery tasty, a lot of plastic straws are used..

Support the local community

By choosing your accommodation wisely, you can help the local community benefit from your stay in Morocco. So always book your stay at a local place like a riad or even try to stay at someones home! By choosing a big hotel chain you stimulate the concept of ‘leakage’ where the money ‘leaks’ away from the local community into to pockets of the wealthy (foreign) people. Not staying at these big hotel chians will give you the opportunity to get in contact with locals and learn more about the culture / way of living.

Respect local culture

Another tip for traveling responsibly in Morocco is about respect. It is important to always respect the culture of the destination where you are going. You are the guest in their land and you should adapt to the culture. In Morocco this mostly means to take the way you dress into account. Both men and women should always cover their shoulders, knees and chest.

Not only will you show respect to the people, it will also help to get maybe less harassed.

Do not give money to beggars

Unfortunately during your trip in Morocco, you will get asked a lot for money by beggars. I want to advice you to not give them money. Often (not always) they are fully capable of working and they decide to beg for money as it is an easy way of earning it. Also, a lot of parents use their children to beg for money, which keeps them away from school. The only way of making the kids go back to school is to not cooperate with it and say no when they ask you for money.

I know it is a lot, but the people, environment and animals of Morocco will thank you!

If you have some questions or other remarks, please leave a comment or contact me!

Highlights of Jordan

December 20, 2019

by Bo with No Comment Jordan

Jordan is gaining popularity in the tourism sector. I think Jordan is an amazing country with kind people, good food and amazing sites. This blog will contain all my best tips for an unforgettable journey in this Middle Eastern country.

Petra

This ancient city is an UNESCO heritage site and one of the seven wonders of the world. Petra is a must visit during your trip to Jordan and was one of my personal highlights. Petra is not just that one image that probably everyone knows. Even though it is one of the highlights of Petra, the Treasury is not all there is to see. Starting with the entrance of the park, you will walk towards the Siq. Here you can already see the red rocks and some creations that were made from the rocks. Once you arrive at the Siq, the real adventure starts. The Siq is a small canyon which works as a pathway to the first real site to see in Petra: the Treasury.

The Siq itself is already worth visiting Petra. For those who are not able to walk much, there are horse carriages that can take you to the Treasury. However, if you do not need this, I would definitely recommend to walk. This gives you the opportunity to enjoy the Siq at a slower pace. The end of the Siq is probably what everyone is waiting for: The Treasury. Here I would like to suggest to step away from your camera for a moment and take in the beauty of this building. After the walk through the Siq, there are more hiking trails of different levels. I would definitely recommend to do the Treasury from above and the trail to the Monastery.

The easiest way to visit Petra is to stay in the village nearby called ‘Wadi Musa’. Here are multiple hotels and restaurants. From the hotel, a shuttle to the entrance is offered, which is most of the times for free. The entrance to Petra is quite expensive (around 60 euros for 1 day) but I would definitely recommend to go at least 2 days. Besides buying your ticket at the ticket office at the entrance of the park, there is the option to buy a Jordan Pass before your trip starts. This pass includes multiple sites throughout the country and you can choose how many days Petra you want to include. In this way you will save some money, you are sure of your tickets and the visa costs for entering Jordan are included. I will share more tips about Petra in my Petra Guide later on my website!

Wadi Rum desert

Of course, the Wadi Rum desert cannot miss in this list. Wadi Rum is located in the south of Jordan and is used in multiple movies (e.g. the Martian) because of its interesting landscape. We arrived at the entrance of the desert and here we had to wait for the owner of the camp to pick us up. He brought us first to Rum village where we had a tea in his house and discussed our wishes for the day and night.

We decided to do a 4×4 tour through the desert which dropped us off at the camp at the end of the trip. This was an amazing experience with a very nice driver who gave us the opportunity to stop often and give us time to walk around and enjoy the desert. We drove around the desert for a few hours, visiting some of the famous spots and even got to drive the car ourselves. It was a crazy but amazing experience to drive a 4×4 truck in the middle of nowhere with no path and just sand in front of you!

After the 4×4 trip we arrived at the camp where we would sleep. This camp is called ‘Beyond Wadi Rum Camp’ and is run by a five local brothers. There are a couple of tents with comfortable beds, a place to shower and to go to the bathroom and there is a small place to where you can eat your dinner. From the camp you see and hear nothing but the desert which creates an amazing and peaceful atmosphere. In the evening they prepare a traditional desert barbecue with the most amazing food. Even though I am a vegetarian I had one of the best meals of the trip here in the desert.

After dinner the staff goes home and you stay in the desert, you can drink a cup of tea whilst looking at the stars. We were there alone with only one other couple and the whole experience was just magical. After a beautiful night looking at the stars, we quickly got a few hours of sleep before waking up the next day in the desert.

After breakfast we left the camp, this time not by 4×4 but by camel! This camel ride made the desert experience complete. Even though it was not the longest ride it was okay as camels are not very comfortable.. Still, it was an once in a lifetime experience to ride a camel in the Wadi Rum desert.

My tip for a good accommodation in the Wadi Rum desert is to look at the location of the camps. Our camp was located somewhere in the middle of the desert which creates a much more authentic experience than the camps located near the road. Here you will still hear the road in the night, which might ruin your peaceful desert experience.

Dead Sea

When visiting Jordan, this place cannot not be on your list. Experiencing the lowest point on earth whilst floating and covered in mud.. do I need to say more? Unfortunately this place is drying up because of climate change and the sea already decreased a lot in size. From here, you are so close to the Israelian border that you can see it on the opposite side of the sea, which gives an extra special touch.

I do have to warn you though! As magical as this place sounds, it is wise to take some things into account before you dive in the Dead Sea. Point one: ‘diving’ not a smart thing to do as your eyes will hurt like hell because of the high amount of salt. Point 2: try to NOT visit the Dead Sea right after you sat on a camel or visited Wadi Mujib..

We arrived at the Dead Sea right after visiting Wadi Mujib (which I will tell more about below) with our legs and butts scratched and bruised from all the rocks in this big canyon. Without thinking twice about it, I covered myself in mud and went into the sea. What I did not expect was the high amount of salt being in the sea stinging my wounds so bad that I run out while crying and trying to shower all the mud and salt from my skin. What also did not help, was the temperature of the outside shower that was heated by the outside temperature of 44 degrees Celsius that day.. The benefit of this painful experience was that my wounds were completely gone the next day! The next day I was able to fully enjoy the Dead Sea and experience this natural wonder.

The easiest way to get to the Dead Sea is to stay at one of the resorts located at the shore. These resorts often have a few swimming pools, restaurants, spa’s and direct access to the sea and its healthy mud.

Wadi Mujib

This place is maybe a bit lesser known by the wider public, but definitely worth a stop. Wadi Mujib is a big canyon offering a few different trails for the more adventurous travellers. What makes this canyon special is the cool water rushing through, creating a real canyoning experience. When we were there, there was only one trail opened because of safety reasons. This trail was the ‘easiest’ one and is allowed without a guide. The river starts quite calm and you can manage to stay dry for some time. At one point, the river gets smaller, deeper and rougher and you need to swim, climb and slide through the canyon. Sometimes strong currents are difficult to conquer and this makes some people to give up before the finish line: the waterfall at the end of the trail. Luckily, we all managed to make it to the end and we were able to see the full beauty of Wadi Mujib.

On the way back, you take the same route but this time you would let the river guide you downstream. While laying in the water, you will probably bump into a few unexpected rocks (which caused the scratches) but it is worth the experience of complete freedom!

Because the entrance of Wadi Mujib is next to a road, we were afraid to leave our valuables in the car. Being the well prepared person I am, I brought a drybag. So we decided to bring our passports, money and one phone with us to the canyon. We thought that this was a smart decision as we had the drybag right?! Unfortunately our drybag was not ‘rock-proof’ and on the way back it got a scratch which caused water getting in our bag. When we got out of the water, we saw that the phone, the money and the passports got ruined.. So be careful with trusting drybags! I still get questions at border controls if I went swimming with my passport haha..

Even though, we lost almost all our pictures of that day, our belongings got ruined and our bodies got scratched, Wadi Mujib was definitely worth the visit!

Amman

This is the place where our journey through Jordan started and we could not ask for a better start. Amman is the capital of Jordan and is home to some very nice hotspots. Our hotel was located across the Roman Theatre and within walking distance of the Amman Citadel. This citadel consists of a few ruins on top of a hill, but what is more impressive is the view from here. You can see the whole city and during a call for prayer this place turns magical for a few seconds.

Besides these ruins, Amman has also some great food to offer. Jordan cuisine is all about small dishes called ‘Mezze’, which include pita, hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, haloumi cheese etc. There is one particular place in Amman which is famous for its falafel: Hashem Restaurant. Without ordering anything, they will come to your table and fill it with all kinds of mezze. We had the best falafel ever and we only had to pay around 6 euros for the whole table.

There are lots of options for accommodation in Amman, however we very much liked our stay at the Amman Pascha hotel. This is because of the local people that we met here. Every evening they would sit on the rooftop, make music and sing songs. We were invited to sit with them and they shared stories about Jordan with us. The second night we even got invited to go to the rooftop bar of the W hotel, which is the place where the elite of Jordan comes to party. This was an once in a lifetime experience and Amman became one of the highlights of our trip because of the people we met there. The hotel is also home to some very cute animals like rabbits, guineapigs, owls and chipmunks!

Amman is also perfect for daytrips to, for instance, Jerash. Here, we met someone from Syria who invited us for a lunch at his home. Here you can read more about this memorable experience!

Madaba

Madaba is a city located near Amman and the airport and is famous for its floor mosaics. We stayed at a very nice hotel in the centre called: Saint John hotel. With a very nice view on the mosque from the restaurant and bar, where you can order a nice lemon mint (must try when you are in Jordan!!).

In this small city you can find the Saint George church with a mosaic on the floor showing the oldest map of Palestine. Besides this historical aspect is Madaba a very nice destination because of its friendly and welcoming inhabitants. I liked our time in Madaba, because of the relaxed atmosphere and the kind people. Everyone was friendly and we were able to explore the city on foot.

During our time in Madaba, we had one of our best meals of our trip through Jordan at: Haret Jdoudna. I can definitely recommend ordering the Fatteh Makdous here, which is an eggplant dish with yoghurt, pine nuts and crispy bread and it is simply yummie!!

Some general information..

Jordan pass

During our Jordan trip, we used the Jordan pass. You can buy this pass online and enjoy some nice free entries to sites in Jordan. With this pass you can also include the entrance to Petra and choose how many days you would like to visit this wonder of the world. Another benefit of the Jordan pass is that it includes your Visa on arrival! So when you entre the country, you can just show your pass and you will get your visa! Find more information on: https://www.jordanpass.jo/ (non spon)

Public transport

I love to travel a country by myself and make use of public transport. Using public transport is environmental friendlier than going by private taxi or by car and gives you the opportunity to get closer to the local community. We had some nice but also challenging experiences with the public transport in Jordan. There are no trains in Jordan, so you will have to take the bus. These busses are not reliable and often leave when its full, so if you are on a tight schedule, this might not be the best option. This is why I was very happy that we had many days in Jordan, so we could travel at a slow pace. Often busses to other cities only leave once per day and are packed with people.

As two Western people in a bus full of locals, we got a lot of eyes looking at us, but also a lot of friendly faces. On one bus ride from Kerak to Wadi Musa, my boyfriend got asked if he could arrange a Dutch visa for the person sitting next to him haha.

We travelled from Amman all the way south to Wadi Musa by bus, which was perfectly fine. A few days later we were supposed to take the 6 am bus to Wadi Rum, but as we were lucky to meet a Dutch couple with a car, we could travel with them to the desert and later to Aqaba, Wadi Mujib and Madaba!

How to dress in Jordan

We travelled to Jordan in July, which means that the temperature was around 35 degrees celcius, with a peak of 44 degrees celcius at the Dead Sea. Even though it is hot during the day, there is almost everywhere a nice breeze and in the evening it also cools down to a nice temperature.

However, as a big part of Jordan is Muslim, it is wise to always cover your shoulders and knees as a woman and also cover your shoulders as a man. Not only as a way of showing respect to the local culture, but also to avoid getting unwanted attention.

I would suggest bringing loose fitting clothes that are made of thin fabric to keep you cool. We also liked to wear a scarf on our heads that we bought in Jerash, which not only looks awesome on pictures, but also protects your head from burning.

If you like to go to one of the fancy rooftop bars in Amman like the one at the W hotel, make sure to pack some fancy clothing as casual outfits will not be allowed inside. We got almost denied because my boyfriend was wearing shorts.

If you have some questions about our Jordan adventure or other remarks, please leave a comment or contact me!

A Perfect Day in Bologna, Italy

December 13, 2019

by Bo with No Comment Italy

Bologna might not be the most famous city in Italy, but it is definitely worth a stop during your trip through Italy or as a nice city trip! In this blog, I will share my tips on how to spend a perfect full day in this amazing city. I was lucky to call Italy my home for 6 months, and I think Bologna turned into one of my favourite cities of the world!

Due Torre

I always love to start my city trip with seeing the city from above. This way you get a nice overview of a big part of the city and from here you can get clearer view on where you are in the city. This is why I would suggest to start your day (when it is also not so hot) by climbing one of the two towers. These towers mark the centre of Bologna and provide a beautiful view of the city. From here you can see why people call Bologna ‘La Rossa’ which is Italian for red.

The climb is rather scary (in my opinion) as you have to climb the tower by a never ending amount of wooden steps. It is quite exhausting if your condition is like mine haha, but then you will only appreciate the view more afterwards! You need to buy the tickets in advance as there is no ticket office at the tower itself and you need to buy a certain timeslot. The easiest way is to buy your ticket at Piazza Maggiore (the main square in the city) at the Bologna Welcome shop. Full price 5 euros, reduced price (e.g. kids, elderly and students) 3 euros.

Lunch at Osteria dell’Orsa

From the Due Torre go north to find the place to have lunch: Osteria dell’Orsa. Osterias are known as typical Italian restaurants with a homely atmosphere. As Bologna is the home of Tagliatelle al Ragu this is the best place to try some of the amazing Italian kitchen. As I am vegetarian I could not try the Ragu but I had tortellini filled with vegetables, which was also delicious. I recommend this place as there are lots of local people coming here, I was the only tourist at that time and it really felt like a local experience.

Finestrella

After lunch, you can walk a bit further and see the Finestrella. If you are in high season you do not have to look a lot to find it as you will probably see some tourists around it. But if you are in low season it can be a bit difficult to find. This is because it is only a small window which shows you a bit of the old canals of Bologna. Unfortunately, both times I went to see it, half of the houses at the canal were in construction. But it still was a cute experience.

Walk to Santuario di San Luca

If you are feeling active, you can decide to do the walk to the Sanctuary of San Luca. This basilic is located outside the centre of Bologna on top of a hill. The walk takes around 3 hours and a large part of the route will include the arches of Bologna. The walk is long, but it is a beautiful route with a lot of nice views (including the stadium of Bologna).

Once you have reached the top, you will be able to go to a small rooftop, from where you will have a nice view over the forest. You will also be able to see the Due Torre from a far distance. The nice thing about this rooftop is that you can only reach it by climbing a stairs inside the basilic. At this point, you will be in between the roof and the basilica’s inside, which creates a weird but special feeling). If you are too tired to walk back, you can also wait for the little train that will bring you back to the city centre.

Aperitivo

After this long and exhausting walk it is time for an Italian tradition that I really like: aperitivo. As Bologna is the main food capital, this is your place to be for a good aperitivo! The places I like are located next to Piazza Maggiore: Via Pescherie Vecchie and Via Clavature. Here you will find multiple spots where you can order nice plates full of Italian cheese or meat with a good glass of wine. But make sure that you do not eat too much as the last stop of this day will be a place to eat good old pizza!

Eat pizza at Zapap Pratello

A trip to Italy is of course not complete without eating a pizza! This little place has a terrace outside where you can sit and enjoy their delicious pizzas. I recommend having a pizza with fresh buffalo mozzarella! They put the mozzarella on the pizza after it has been in the oven, so it melts a bit but the good flavour stays. I liked this place not only because of its good pizza, but also because of the feeling to be in a spot where also Italians eat. And of course, because I made a little friend here!

Besides these tips, Bologna has countless beautiful buildings, squares, churches, streets and shops to discover. To me, Bologna always felt like coming home. The whole atmosphere of the city is different than in the big tourist cities like Rome and Venice. It is cosy and the ambiance is amazing. I would suggest to eat as much Italian food and drink as much Italian wine as possible to get the real taste of Bologna!

Do you have any questions or another remark? Leave a comment or contact me!

Why you should visit Eindhoven in November: GLOW light festival

December 12, 2019

by Bo with No Comment The Netherlands

Every year when the temperatures drop, the days get shorter and the nights get longer, Eindhoven organises a week full of art. This art contains projections of lights on buildings and other art pieces with lights, throughout the city. During an +/- 3 hour walk you can see all these pieces and enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate, tea or wine.

Living Colours

Every year art students and artists create their pieces according to a particular theme. These pieces can be moving projections on buildings like churches, or statues or other light involved creations. This year the theme was ‘Living Colours’ and was one of my favourite editions. Every piece had a colourful story and took my breath away. Using smart 3D projections makes it look like the building is really moving and with the right music, the story of the artist is transferred to the person who watches it.

Free event

GLOW is a free event and attracts people from Eindhoven and surroundings and even from other places in the Netherlands and Europe. This year, (2019) the visitor number reached the amount of 770.000 visitors. It is a nice way to explore Eindhoven and brings a magical touch to your stay in the Netherlands. Every year, the route changes and new buildings and places are used for the creation of art.

After the long walk, you can warm up at one of the terraces with heaters at the ‘Markt’. And enjoy a hot drink or a glass of wine with fresh nachos or bitterballen (Dutch speciality). If you are still hungry after this you can also choose to buy a fresh oliebol (oil ball) with lots of icing sugar, which is also a Dutch speciality. GLOW is a nice evening out for everyone, from families to couples who would like a romantic evening walk. Put on your warm winter coat, gloves and hat and your good to go!

Where the ocean meets the Sahara: Sandboarding in the Small Sahara

December 12, 2019

by Bo with No Comment Morocco

When you think about Morocco, you will probably think of the desert. The Sahara is the biggest desert in the world and a must see when you are in Morocco. However, the most beautiful places like Erg Chebbi are far away from the popular tourist cities. For example from Marrakech you will need at least a 12 hours’ drive to get to Merzouga from where you can go into the desert.

Surf Paradise Morocco

As I did not have the time yet to visit the Sahara, I decided to do a trip a bit closer to home. This trip is offered by Surf Paradise Morocco (https://surfparadisemorocco.net/), which is a surf hostel located in Tamraght. From here they organise multiple trips in the surrounding areas including this sandboarding trip. Around 4 pm they pick you up from the location you want in the area of Taghazout, Tamraght or Agadir, but a pick up in Agadir costs 5 euros extra. I decided to travel to Taghazout myself (which costs 7,5 dirhams by bus which is around 75 euro cents) and wait there for the pick-up.

Banana plantations

I thought that there would be a whole group of tourists as the website says it can be a group up to 20 people, but when they arrived it was just the owner of the hostel with two other Moroccan men. The drive from Taghazout to the Small Sahara takes around 30 minutes and has the most gorgeous views of the coastline. During this trip you will also pass by the big banana plantations and we stopped in a nearby village called Tamri to buy coffee and go to the toilet. Here, they also bought a Moroccan doughnut for me.

Small Sahara

After arrival at the site, you first have to walk and climb a dune to get to the real dunes. Here there is no vegetation anymore and all you see is sand and the ocean in the background. It is called the Small Sahara as there are only 5 or 6 sand dunes, so do not expect a big desert. These dunes are high and steep which make them perfect for sandboarding.

The guide brought a surfboard and showed me how to stand on it. It is quite difficult to get speed as the sand slows you down. This makes it more difficult to keep your balance and there is a possibility that you will fall with your face in the sand like I did. Luckily, the sand is soft and the fall will not hurt. Determined to do it right, I tried again and this time I made it all the way to the end and it felt awesome!

Views of the ocean..

Of course, walking up the dunes with the surfboard is very exhausting, which is why we all lay down in the sand and enjoyed the view. The people were all super chill and relaxed and gave me the freedom to do whatever I want. There was also some time for pictures and videos of this amazing spot. I felt extremely free and the place itself is super quiet. Even if you do not like to go sandboarding, this place is beautiful and fun to go to.

I would definitely recommend to plan a visit to the Small Sahara during your trip in Morocco to escape the busyness of the cities. Surf Paradise Morocco plans its trips in the afternoon so that you will experience the sunset. Unfortunately I was not lucky as there was no sunset this night, but the timing of the day still made the whole scenery look magical.

If you have any questions about sandboarding in the Small Sahara or other questions you can always send me an email!

My 7 favourite sunsets around the world

November 27, 2019

by Bo with No Comment Indonesia Italy Jordan Morocco Uncategorized

As I am from the Netherlands and it often rains in this country, I always prefer a destination with lots of sun to travel to. Not only brings the sun warmth and a nice tan (however, I always turn red immediately..) the sun is maybe at its most magical when it is about to set.

Lots of people come together to watch the sun disappear after a full day of activities. I always think about the places where the day will start after it ends where I am at that point in time. As I love to sleep, I prefer watching sunsets over sunrises.. Which is why I would like to share my 7 favourite places for watching the sunset that I have experienced so far.

Walakiri Beach, Sumba Indonesia

This beach was already mentioned in my Sumba highlights post, but I think it also deserves a spot in this list. The sunset here creates a beautiful image of mangrove tree silhouettes. These trees look like they are about to dance, which is why they are often called ‘Dancing Trees of Sumba’ and people pose with them as if they are dancing. This trip was very special to me as we went to Indonesia to do research about waste management on two islands: Sumba and Belitung. I will never forget the beautiful people we met and the experiences we had..

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Sleeping in the desert was on my bucket list already for a long time. To see the sun set in this desert with nothing around you and in full quietness is just magical. The desert gets filled with beautiful sunrays and colours and if you are lucky you see a family of camels passing. After the last string of light the desert is dark and you will see a sky full of stars..

Hassan II Mosque Casablanca, Morocco

This spot is perfect for the ones that love architecture and photography. The mosque with the colours of the sun shining created magical pictures. During sunset a lot of families come to the square in front of the mosque to enjoy a nice evening out. The Moroccan culture and architecture in combination with the colours of the sunset is the reason why this place is in this list.

Agadir beach, Morocco

Another spot in Morocco to enjoy a beautiful sunset is on the beach of Agadir. Now that I live here, I look out of my window every night to enjoy the sunset. Every single time I get amazed by the different colours of the sky. At one point, the whole sky turns a bright purple and in combination with the mountains in the background and the palm trees, this is a must see sunset!

Liberty Bridge Budapest, Hungary

For this next sunset we are going to Europe. Of course, to enjoy a nice sunset you do not have to fly for hours. There are a lot of beautiful places for sunsets closer to home. This next one is in Hungary, which I experienced with my sister during our interrail trip. In our hostel they told us to go to Liberty Bridge during sunset. During this time of the day, people from all over the city come to this bridge and climb on it to find the best spot to sit and watch the river. Here, the sun will set behind a mountain and you will have a beautiful view on the river and the city. The whole experience of sitting (or standing) on a bridge with lots of people around you is a unique way to end your day!

Termoli, Italy

I experienced this sunset when I was traveling alone through Italy for my research. Being alone while watching the sunset does not make it any less special. It made me more aware of how privileged I am to be able to travel and enjoy beautiful views like these. Termoli is a small harbour town in the region of Puglia and this sunset shining on the pastel coloured houses looked amazing.

Monkey Mia, Australia

For this last sunset we have to travel all the way down under to Monkey Mia in Western Australia. We also have to travel far back in time as I experienced this sunset in 2007! But the fact that I still remember this place says it all. Imagine being at a tropical beach, watching the sun set and see a dolphin swimming right in front of that fire red sun. Do I need to say more, mate?

Liked this post? Or do you have another great sunset spot to share? Contact me!

7 things to do in Agadir, Morocco

November 22, 2019

by Bo with 2 Comments Morocco

Agadir, located in the South of Morocco is a popular beach destination for both international and domestic tourists. In this blog I will list some of my favourite things to do or see in this busy coastal destination.

Agadir Beach & Boulevard

The beach of Agadir is long and is surrounded by a big boulevard with little shops and restaurants. At the beach there are multiple spots to rent a sunbed and umbrella, but if you prefer to just lay on your towel then there is also enough space. At the beach there are multiple activities offered like surfing, bodyboarding and jet skiing. However, Agadir is not the best spot to go surfing as the waves are often not high enough and too close to the shore.

Of course, during the winter period the sea is not perfect for swimming anymore. Still, this area is perfect for a beach stroll and getting some fresh air. So also if you are not a swimmer or a beach activity person, you can still enjoy the nice sea breeze and a fresh mint tea afterwards.

Agadir Marina

This small pleasure port is located between the big port and the beach. Here you can find restaurants, shops and people trying to show off their newest outfit or car. From here, you can also go on a boat tour. Eat here in the evening to enjoy all the young people trying to find a spot to park their cars and get ready for a night out. For one moment, you feel like your in a French or Spanish port instead of a Moroccan one.

Memoire d’Agadir & Jardin d’Olhao

After the earthquake in 1960, there was not much left of Agadir. In this little memorial site you can see pictures of the city before and after the earthquake and read news articles from during the catastrophe. After this history lesson you can wander around in a nice park and clear your head. This is also a place where younger people and families like to come in their weekends to relax.

Agadir Oufella

After visiting the memorial and seeing the pictures, it is nice to see the remains of the Kasbah in real life. To be honest, there is not much left of it. There is just a wall and a few rocks, however, it is still worth a visit because of the great view over Agadir. Especially during sunset this place has a magical view.

After the earthquake they placed big rocks on the mountain in the shape of 3 Arabic words and every night these words light up and give a magical touch to the beach side of Agadir.

Shop at Souk El Had

Some say the Souk of Agadir is the biggest souk of Africa. Even though this statement is not true, it is still very big and worth a visit during your time in Agadir. This big souk has a roof and contains 12 gates (bab). I would recommend to start at Bab 6, as this is a nice big gate from where you will get a nice entrance to the souk. Here you will find everything variating from fresh fish, meat, fruit and vegetables to tea pots, clothing and furniture. Masses of colourful fruits are stacked on top of each other and bananas are hanging from the roof. This is the place to shop your Moroccan souvenirs as the prices are better here than in the tourist shops.

My tip as a solo female traveller here is to, if you can, go with a local person. This will give you the freedom to just walk and look around without shop owners trying to sell you something. If you are not in the position to go with a local, I still recommend you to go as this, to me, felt more like real Morocco than the rest of the city.

See the Mosques

During your time in Agadir you will probably hear when it is time for prayer because of these mosques. Even though non-Muslims are not allowed to enter, the outsides of these mosques are worth to see. The architecture and the details of all mosques in Morocco amaze me and I think these mosques are just gorgeous. There are two mosques relatively close to each other: Lebanon mosque and Mohamed V mosque.

La Medina d’Agadir chez Coco Polizzi

After the earthquake in 1960 an Italian-Moroccan artist named Coco Polizzi designed a new medina in Agadir as a reconstruction of the old medina. Using traditional Berber techniques, this medina feels like an open-air museum. Even though it is not the ‘real’ medina anymore, I do think that it is worth the visit! It is a nice and quiet space and with the entrance ticket you will get a free drink at the terrace. Ticket costs 40 dirhams.