So you are about to experience your first winter or you already are in the thick of it. How do you keep it together as temperatures drop and wind gales blast?

Surviving your first winter is usually quite a dramatic and memorable experience. If you’ve grown up in a country where winters aren’t a thing it truly is an adventure orienting yourself to life in chilly conditions. Contrary to what you may think, the UK is relatively cool compared to other European countries – basically, it could be worse. Temperatures in Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Iceland really do plummet way below zero degrees. In the UK , particularly England, sub-zero days are few while sub-zero nights are more common but then you’re likely in bed then, plus it rarely ever gets to sub-zero double digits. This is an encouraging start to the tips to follow, hopefully.

The right attire during the winter months is an essential. If you are a new immigrant, I suspect you already have at least one jacket which took you through autumn. Most likely the jacket was too warm for autumn but as your skin isn’t yet used to the cold, autumn must have felt as cold as Antarctica.

In England, it rains – a lot. The combination of cold, rain and wind really demands that you be methodical about how you dress. You will find yourself giving more thought to what you wear and pack before you step out the door than you likely did back home , in terms of ensuring you survive and don’t die of frostbite. To recap, you need a good warm jacket (preferably with a hood), not much more will be said about that as this is an impractical guide afterwards. What needs to be said though is that you need more than a warm jacket.

You need a scarf; of the right length. I find scarves that are too long more of an unwieldy burden than they are worth. Also, personally, when a scarf is too bulky and begins to feel like a blanket, one begins to slide into the territory of discomfort in my opinion. For one, temperatures fluctuate as you change locations during the day. For instance, you step out from the cold into the underground station in London where it is likely warmer if it is an indoor station. You are now saddled with having to lug what is essentially a blanket around because it has become too warm for you to leave it wound around your neck. A smaller scarf will easily fit into your bag and still keep you warm when it is around your neck. That is a perfect scarf in my opinion.

Edinburgh, Scotland. Wearing a blanket scarf

Next, you need gloves. My biggest wardrobe regrets in the winter often involve gloves. Either one of the pair gets lost (or both) or I forget to bring them along with me or I buy a pair that is not warm enough. Cold hands are terribly inconvenient and painful as once your fingers get numb, your hands become useless. Even trying to find your bus pass becomes a task as your fingers just won’t work leading to bus drivers becoming utterly irritated by your ineptitude. In short, get a warm pair of gloves and keep them safe.

Things begin to get really complex when it comes to hats. Wearing a hat really makes a difference in maintaining warmth but I personally feel one can do without it except you are bald, have really short hair or have not very voluminous hair which means the cold can access your scalp easier. I have puffy Afro hair which means I often do not find a hat big enough to squeeze my head and hair into and if I do, it ruins my hair style for the day. Voluminous Afro hair also serves as a hat itself, keeping me warm as even I hardly ever see my own scalp thus the cold has little chance of getting to it. Assess your hair condition (volume) and if it’s not suitable to provide cold protection, get a hat.

Earmuffs are another possibility. Again, I think England is hardly ever cold enough to warrant one. As you may be noticing, I do have a relatively good tolerance for cold. I have seen people wear everything I have mentioned so far all in one go. I would burn up in the cold if I ever did that. Additionally, a good, snug hat that you can pull over your ears could negate the need for earmuffs (which really become an extra winter burden to drag around and fiddle with).

Me in a hat. And my Afro served as free earmuffs

Snow! If you’re lucky, you’ll get some snow. This is really something if you’ve never experienced snow before. It all begins to feel less like luck and more like a curse though when the snow begins to melt. When snow is fresh and settles, however, it’s truly beautiful. I’ll never forget my first snowy experience; my nose was squashed against the window of my room as I watched the snow flakes tumble to the ground. Once the snow had stopped, I layered up and ran outside to make a snow angel. It was epic!

Walking in snow when it’s fresh is manageable and beautiful. Once the snow begins to melt and sheaths of ice begin to appear on the tarmac, you need to be very very careful when you walk and drive as you could easily slide into oblivion. Good, waterproof shoes with a firm grip are essential for snowy days, get one! Another thing, you know those metal slabs often covering a hole in the pavement? They are extra dangerous when it’s cold and icy as they become mini-ice rinks. Avoid walking over them at all costs. Avoid walking over anything shiny when it’s cold.

After all has been said and done, if the worst happens and you do fall, which has happened to me at least once, hopefully it’s not a dangerous fall and you are able to get up and move on. Don’t worry too much about it, falling in icy conditions is nothing to be embarrassed about. Reduce your likelihood of falling with good shoes and calculated.

As the days become shorter and the nights longer it can be very tempting to lock yourself indoors where it’s warm. I would advice to try get out as much as you can. Make friends, build or become part of a community, go to a Christmas market or a museum, go to a bon fire night. As they say, there is no bad weather, just bad clothing. So long as you dress appropriately at all times and keep warm drinks close, you can enjoy life outside in the winter.

The Impractical Immigrant Guide to Life in the UK: Ethics of Public Transportation

October 2, 2023October 20, 2023Leave a comment

This is one you need to get to grips with quickly especially if you don’t own a car. Danfo buses are very prevalent in Lagos, Nigeria and are the main source of transportation for millions of people daily. The modus operandi with these particular types of buses in Lagos is really ‘first come first serve’ in the realest form. No queuing, just standing alert waiting for a bus going your direction with a free seat. There are really no bus timetables to work with, buses come when they come. Once the bus arrives you hop on as quickly as you can and with the most agility you can muster. It doesn’t matter if you were the last person to get to the bus stop; and so in an egalitarian sense you should be the last to get on the bus. No, you just need to be fast. The last becomes the first – if fast. Once aboard said Danfo, anything really should be expected. Silence is a rare possibility. What is more likely is boisterous, sporadic conversation. Sometimes that conversationality features in the form of arguments but nonetheless, conversation with strangers is very normal and unsurprising in these jam packed buses. Personal space isn’t a thing. All you need is a seat and just about enough oxygen . One has hardly lived the Lagos life until they’ve experienced the drama of Danfo buses.

My nephew and I minding our business on the London Underground

Danfo buses provide a transient platform for discussion on ethics, morality and incredulity. As Lagos is such a buzz, with a trillion things happening all at once and all around, discussion topics are never scarce. There’s always someone somewhere doing or saying something weird which sparks commentary from Danfo passengers. Alternatively, there could be an argument between the bus conductor and a passenger which warrants other passengers to intervene. Danfo buses are not ideal for quietly reading a book on your daily commute. They are more suited for engaging in fiery conversations or altercations, which means you arrive at work fully awake and energised. Again, these conversations, which everyone is usually welcome to join in, make you a part of something, your voice matters.

Now, transportation in the UK almost has no similarity to voyaging in Lagos beyond the fact that you are conveyed from one place to the other. Everything from the speed, comfort and vibe with which you get to your destination is different.

As a new immigrant one of the first things you should figure out is to identify when you need to queue. British people take this seriously. I was once told off by a granny in my early days in the UK for jumping a queue unknowingly. If you see people huddled around a bus stop or even on the underground platform (though very rare) in something that looks even vaguely like a line, make sure to confirm whether or not it is a queue before hustling to the closest possible spot that gives you quick access to vehicle entry like I usually do. For someone used to using speed and wits to get on public transport back home, having to humbly queue is annoying and underwhelming but it is what it is.

If you live in London and you are on the underground, as a newbie London commuter, you are advised to either take a seat or have a firm grip on something. Do not compare yourself to those people who seem to be able to keep their stamina while free standing and holding on to nothing. They are at the pro level of underground commuter travel. Except you have previous experience travelling on underground trains in some other part of the world , you are a novice. If you do not hold on to something steady, you will be caught off guard when the train suddenly jerks, and jerk it will. If you are lucky you will only stagger dangerously, if you are not so lucky you will barge into someone else or outright fall to the floor. And if you read my previous post on how the English respond to minor mishaps, you will know once you do fall you are very likely to be respectfully ignored except you obviously hurt yourself or someone else. So until you master the craft of free standing on the London underground, seat down or hold something. Be humble.

Alighting a train in Italy. People seem to mind their business on Italian trains too (surprisingly)

There is more to say about tube transportation in London. Eye contact with fellow passengers is considered awkward, so look everywhere but directly into the eyes of your fellow passengers. Secondly, and this is the case for buses too – do not start a random conversation with your fellow commuters. I repeat, do not start a random conversation. At best you’ll get someone who doesn’t think you’re are a nutter (cray cray) give a one word response, nod or awkward smile. It’s just not the thing. Public transportation in the UK is not where to seek out vibrant conversation. Is it absolutely impossible, of course not. Is it as prevalent as is the case back home in Nigeria, absolutely not. The motto is, seat down and mind your business.

There is one thing that may, however, spark the spirits of a Lagos commuter turned London commuter. Running for buses and trains is still a thing especially if you lack patience and don’t want to wait for the next one or according to the time table, if you miss this one you’d be waiting a long time. This is your opportunity to revive the vigour of public transport entry you may have missed. Run! Put your now latent hustling skills to use and run!

A voyage across the English Cotswold

The Impractical Immigrant Guide to Life in the UK: The Sin of Spontaneous Visits

July 21, 2023October 2, 2023Leave a comment

There is a spontaneity and unannounced nature to the social sphere in Nigeria which is anathema to Brits and British residents. I make a distinction between Brits and British residents here on purpose because I believe this hatred for a type of spontaneous socialisation is often quickly imbibed by new immigrants (i.e. British residents), interestingly/suspiciously.

So what am I talking about? Those who’ve grown up in Nigeria will likely understand the phenomenon where one can casually visit a friend completely unannounced and be welcomed with an open door and open arms, and maybe even a plate of food. There’s a constant, relegated, expectation in every host’s mind that a visitor may arrive at any moment. Of course, these visits are timed when a host is likely to be home such as after work or on the weekend. Also, the visits are usually made by visitors who live reasonably nearby, which means disappointment of perhaps not finding a host at home is not taken too badly. The visitor can easily retrace their steps back home with little harm to energy, fuel or finances. In other words, there is sense in the spontaneity; it’s not harebrained. Another thing that makes these surprise visits fairly common is the ‘outside’ nature of life in Lagos I believe. It’s warm, and verandas, patios etc are common. People can easily see your presence whilst walking down the street and decide to ‘branch’ by for a visit.

One thing to confess is that I am, to be honest, depicting my life as a kid in the 2000s. With the over abundance of mobile phones and the magneticism of social media, it is very possible people are now more inclined to insular, non-wandering lives and would rather binge watch some K-drama than gallivant the streets, conducting surprise visits!

That said, in the UK, visiting even a family member unannounced is probably as bad as snatching a wig off someone’s head. You don’t do it. You just don’t. You need to give notice that you will be presenting yourself before launching into someone’s home and life. Spontaneous visits are an insult and will be greeted with a cold reception or an obviously fake welcome. No one arrives unannounced at anyone’s home twice as the first time will forever scar the untrained visitor. A relative based here in the UK once told me of a time he spontaneously visited a friend he’d gone to high school with in Nigeria unannounced. He’d only just moved to the UK and was unaware of these little subtleties. Well, suffice it to say that the friendship dwindled from that day on.

To be fair, I will say I have witnessed unannounced visits, usually by young people, in villages or small towns in the UK. The kinds of places you can let your children wander off with no fear. The norm though is to give notice before casting your shadow on anyone’s door.

I mentioned how it’s interesting that new migrants imbibe this British disgust for unannounced visits so quickly, myself included, as I would be genuinely upset if anyone just popped up at my door for a visit without prior warning. I wonder if this suspiciously quick acceptance of this very British proclivity is because immigrants from uber welcoming cultures probably low-key resented the pressure of unannounced visits. On the other hand, I can’t imagine this is the case in the average Nigerian home, as if there’s one thing a Nigerian will do, it is to tell you the truth, in the most unembellished, direct way possible.

The Impractical Immigrant Guide to Life in the UK: Minor Mishaps

June 29, 2023October 2, 2023Leave a comment

There is quite a lot of information out there on practical information, such as complex visa proceedings and passing the Life in the UK test, when it comes to living in the UK. Though I am a Nigerian immigrant, I will be of zero help when it comes to such practical and obviously necessary information as I moved to the UK as a teenager over 15 years ago and I know things have massively changed since then when it comes to starting life in the UK legally (things have probably also changed hugely on how to start life here illegally but again I am certainly of no help there either!).

So with 15+ years under my belt as someone who has lived, and I daresay thrived, in the UK, I thought it’d be fun, if not useful, to recount some of the things that helped me get to a place where I can call the UK, specifically England, home.

The Brits are just different

Let’s start by stating the obvious. Cultures are different. No matter how much you’d want a Brit to be as easily readable as say a Nigerian, it is unlikely going to happen. British people are less expressive, less dramatic and not as forthcoming as the average Nigerian. This means for the Nigerian fresh off the plane, there will likely be plenty of awkward moments as you try to relate with the generally inscrutable Brits. Some people would even say the British can be two-faced, I personally wouldn’t be so blunt, but one thing is for sure, you will need to grow your ability to discern what a British person really is saying or what they really think of you as they seldom just blurt it out unashamedly as your Nigerian friend would. Just because that colleague of yours says ‘interesting’ a lot in response to all your tales doesn’t actually mean they believe so.

Let’s not get paranoid here, the British speak English so it’s not like you are having to navigate a new language, it’s more cultural than anything else and as time goes on you’ll figure things out. The contrast between British and Nigerian folks is more apparent when dealing with strangers or acquaintances. Whereas you can comfortably and warmly have a full blown, non-alcohol induced, conversation with a Nigerian stranger you meet on the street for the first time back home it is less the norm here.

One scenario that often flabbergasts the non-Brit from an expressive culture is the Brits’ response to a relatively minor mishap or emergency. Case in point, you’re happily walking up the stairs in a London underground station and all of a sudden you trip and fall, almost cascading down the flight of stairs. You expect a yell of panic from at least a couple of fellow commuters and for a small concerned crowd to gather round, helping you up and asking effusively if you’re ok. Well this is unlikely to happen, in fact, it didn’t happen as this event actually involved me a few years ago – I was the one who nearly tumbled down the stairs in a busy station. I was unceremoniously ignored, as people nonchalantly clambered up the stairs around me continuing their journeys completely unbothered. I found this experience hilarious, as at the time I’d lived in the UK for a good few years and was not particularly horrified or shocked by the seeming lack of concern.

It is only until recently I understood what was happening in the average British mind in such a situation. I believe the reason British people ignore minor mishaps is because they do not want to draw added attention to what is already an embarrassing situation. By completely ignoring you, the British are helping you save face. You will find that there are times when you try to help someone who you think needs help and they brush you off embarrassed. You’ve unknowingly broken a sort of social code by reaching out to help someone who can clearly help themselves. Now in scenarios where the mishap is far from minor, the response is very different, still not dramatic, but much more care and concern is shown.

As a new immigrant to the UK, do not expect the daily entertaining melodrama that seems to be the case in bustling cities like Lagos.

Speaking of cities, as a caveat, you will notice cities in the North of England tend to have more of that warmth that is familiar in Naija.

A word of encouragement to the new immigrant – don’t let anyone make you feel weird because you are straightforward, easily excitable and possibly theatrical. The British are used to Nigerians at this stage as they are surrounded by us, so just as we are learning their styles of being, they have and are learning ours. You are not as foreign as you think.

Common sense should tell us (apologies for the directness, I am Nigerian afterall, this apology, though, highlights my Britishness) that the above hosts generalizations and not every Nigerian or Brit fits the above stereotypes but life in the UK will show you that these generalizations are more true than not.

Next impractical tip loading..

5 Things to do in Madrid, Spain in a Day!

February 15, 2020February 15, 2020

1. Have some churros at Chocoletaria San Gines. It’s an institution. And has been selling delicious churros for centuries. They give you a cup of warm thick chocolate to dip your churros in.

2. Go to the Prado Museum. I have a love hate relationship with most European museums I have been to, especially the arty ones. This is because people of colour are either completely erased or are more often than not depicted in positions of servitude. Nevertheless, the Prado is one of my fave museums and it houses the very famous Bosch triptych, The Garden of Earthly Delights.

3. Visit Malasana if you like quirky, indie spaces. Also, there are quite a few vintage shops around the area.

4. Stroll down Gran Via, which is the equivalent of London’s Oxford Street or Paris’ Champ d’elysee. It’s a long blingy street full of shops. You can get some delicious ice cream along the way at Borgonesse which serves absolutely delicious ice cream!

5. Go to El Retiro Park for a run, a picnic or just a leisurely wander. It is a huge park offering a respite from city life.

Istanbul and Cappadocia, Turkey

October 20, 2019October 20, 2019Leave a comment

Turkey was my first venture into the Arab world and it was as vibrant as expected.

I aim to celebrate each birthday in a different part of the world and this year was not any different – I celebrated my last year in my 20s in Turkey!

Istanbul has the buzz and hustle of most big cities across the world. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the bazaars – I love markets. I usually hate crowds but I can abide the madness of a good market, I am after all a true Lagosian. Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is apparently one of the biggest covered markets in the world. It is crammed full of stalls, merchants, their wares, shoppers and tourists. The Grand Bazaar has on offer a wide variety of things and I was especially taken over by the spices and teas! Everyauthentic market always has an abundance of merchants feverishly calling out for you, and it’s no different when at the Grand Bazaar. The only thing is the soliciting for customers turns weird when it happens to be three Black women (me and my friends) who are the buyers. The sellers, all men (I don’t recall seeing any female sellers) kept calling us various female African-American celebrities – from “Beyonce” to “Rihanna” 🥴. It’s getting old (was the same in Greece too).

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Something I highly recommend experiencing whilst in Istanbul is to take the 45min (about, there is a fast boat and a much slower one. We took the faster option) boat ride to Buyukada Island. It is the largest of the 9 Prince’s Islands. Its a serene dream! It has no cars except working vehicles like trucks, and I only saw a couple of those. The main mode of moving around especially for tourists is by horse and carriage. The houses are huge and terraced. There is greenery everywhere. It looked like what I imagine a Caribbean Island to be. Some people find the Island depressing and indeed it is an Island that feels trapped in time but I found it to be a respite from the bustle of Istanbul main land.

We also visited the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia started out as a Greek Orthodox cathedral AD 537 and at that time was an architectural feat! The Blue Mosque seemed to be undergoing some sort of renovation when we went in May, 2019 but I still found it worth seeing. Especially memorable was me and my friend trying to sneak in with what is considered inappropriate clothing and being caught swiftly by one of the guards who yelled “dress problem!” I suppose we wouldn’t have gotten far anyways even if we made it into the mosque. Thankfully, there is a place nearby to rent long skirts and scarves for free. A more sensible approach is to plan ahead and wear a long skirt/trousers and bring a scarf along. That way you avoid having to wear borrowed, possibly rarely washed, oversized garments 🤷🏾‍♀️.

burst

On one of the evenings in Istanbul we went on a boat cruise. It had belly dancers and whirling dervishes and a very fun MC. My advice with this is to pay more to go on a classier cruise. Ours, though fun, was a bit over-packed and the food could have been better. We saw other nicer and quieter boats pass by and wished we’d paid a bit more to go on one of those.

Also, we had a Turkish bath at one of the oldest Hammams in the city and felt like new people afterwards! There are several things you really must do whilst in Turkey such as having delicious Turkish delights and visiting bazaars, another must-do is having a Turkish bath, it is purely mandatory. This is the one we went to, which I highly recommend.

CAPPADOCIA

The highlight of my time in Turkey was in Cappadocia. Cappadocia is a semi-arid region in Turkey which is about half an hours flight from Istanbul. It felt like being on Mars… with scores hot air balloons (instead of space ships) floating around. For most people, Cappadocia would fit on their ‘World’s Remarkable Places’ list. Jutting out of the ground all over Cappadocia are conical natural rock/sand formations. It does make you feel like you have left planet earth.

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There are various tours of Cappadocia and there is quite a lot to see from sprawling underground cities that hid thousands of refugees to churches carved into rocks. The popular tours are named after colours and I went on the Green Tour which is a day tour starting at 9am and ending at 6pm. You are picked up and dropped off at your hotel. On this tour I went to the Goreme Open Air Museum, Pigeon Valley, a Turkish Jewellery shop (featuring the most beautiful precious and semi-precious stones), a gift shop (which I am sure the tour company struck some sort of deal with which meant they dropped scores of tourists at the shop everyday as an ‘opportunity to try Turkish sweets’) and Ihlara Valley. I actually spent most of my birthday trekking though the Ihlara Valley, which is the second largest canyon in the world. The trek ended in a restaurant selling not great food, but the outdoor seating by a long stream in the depths of the valley made it bearable.

Cappadocia is very famous for its cave hotels and we stayed in one of them. Again, it was quite the experience, being shrouded around by cool rock walls in the belly of the caves (ok, I exaggerate, not really the belly of the caves like the photo above of me in one of the many underground cities, more like at the precipice of a cave…)but I found it quite calming and grounding.

Istanbul and especially, Cappadocia were a delight and Cappadocia really did feel like an outer-worldly experience. Turkey is truly a city offering many worlds; it straddles both Asia and Europe, Christianity and Islam. It’s spices and teas are reminiscent of the east and empires long gone. It truly is an exquisite ride on a pendulum that swings in many directions.

Budapest, Hungary – The City of Baths

September 2, 2017October 10, 2017Leave a comment

Budapest is definitely the most unlikely city I have visited so far. By unlikely, I mean it was never on my “top ten” list of places to go and it seems not to be on the list of many people as my sister’s exclamation of “what are you doing in Budapest??”when I sent pictures to my siblings whatsapp group, shows.

The Danube

In short, Budapest was not planned. My friend and I had some other destination we wanted to visit, but the cost of accommodation and flights put us off. Just when we were about to pause on travelling at all, Budapest happened.

Heroes Square (Hosok Tere)

Kossuth Lajos ter

We were in Budapest in the middle of June – the heat was debilitating. However, thanks to the many baths and spas that Budapest is famous for – cooling off was never far away.

The first thing that struck me about Budapest was how manageable the crowd was. For a capital city, it didn’t feel as overwhelming as London but still managed to feel exciting. The people were also very polite, from strangers on the road to hotel staff.

Budapest isn’t the cheapest city I have been to but it is definitely not expensive either. It took me a while to get used to the conversion rate, for some reason, and truly understand the value of things but I can say it was a moderately affordable city. For me, Bogota, is the cheapest city I’ve been to where I would go on a 45mins Uber ride and pay less than £10!

Baths

Gellerts

We had the opportunity to visit 2 thermal baths whilst in Budapest – Gellerts and Szechenyi. Gellerts bath is elegant whilst Szechenyi is hip. Szechenyi was full of young people in their early twenties whilst Gellerts was more family friendly. Szechenyi was bigger and had glum, wet changing stalls that seemed to go on forever, my friend likened it them to prison cells and I don’t disagree, Gellerts, on the other hand is smaller and it’s changing stalls bore little similarities to a penitentiary. I won’t suggest one over the other as they were both fun and relaxing just with different vibes. Szechenyi’ yellow buldings is especially picturesque.
Jewish District

Budapest’s Jewish district is the soul of the city and you immediately feel a shift in vibe when you get there. The second biggest synagogue in the world, and the largest in Europe, is located here and so are several boutique restaurants and street art. Where the street art is, is usually where the most passion in a city lies – at least this is what I believe.

Cuisine

In relation to cuisine, I will say as a legit foodie, who has eaten food from different cultures, that the Hungarian delicacies did not disappoint. My favourite was this pancake stuffed with chicken soaked in a paprika stew. Typical of how I relate to international foods, I do not remember the name but I hope the description is crisp enough to help you find it if you ever go to Hungary. Goulash was also a staple in most restaurants we went to and is definitely something to eat in Hungary.

I can recommend 3 restaurants in order of amazingness which must not be missed if you’re in Budapest:

Bobyglar – this restaurant fell into our laps as we wondered away from Hosok Tere, a square with statues of important figures in Hungary’s history. It’s similar in structure, and its location centrally at a big crossroads, to Trafalgar Square in London. Of course, it was nowhere near as chaotic as Trafalgar Square but it was still beautiful and full of history.

Anyways, we wandered away from this monument and staggered hungrily into the hobbit-home-looking building to find a nicely furnished restaurant which had an outside seating area that we immediately settled into. The staff were top-notch and I will give not just the delicious food 5 stars, but also the service we received.

Cafe New York – Tagged the most beautiful cafe in the world, this is an absolute must-visit. I have never been to a restaurant that opulent and extravagant, let alone a cafe that exquisite. You might actually be intimidated by the setting and assume your pocket won’t survive the visit. For a place as beautiful as a palace, the Cafe is unbelievably affordable. It’s also a great place for taking unrivalled photos.

Mazel Tov – Tucked in the Jewish district is this Israeli restaurant which has sections outdoors whilst their indoor area is covered with clear canopies. It is teeming with greenery so that even when you are inside, you feel like you are outside. The food was was delightful – I had a sharwama that tasted authentic, fresh and delicious. To make the already charming atmosphere more special, there was live music by this guy with a guitar who sang heart-wrenching love songs all night.

Budapest is a truly beautiful city! The wide streets, yellow trams, Jewish district and Moorish architecture made Budapest feel idyllic and like a cross breed between Portugal, San Francisco and Tel Aviv (none of which I’ve been to, but Pinterest pictures tell you a lot).

Budapest is not very diverse, in the sense that non-White people are a rarity, so my friend and I were stared at quite a bit, but we have become used to this as we often find ourselves in situations where we stand out. If you’ve travelled through most countries in Europe as a Black person, you won’t find the stares in Budapest shocking. In fact, the stares were milder than I have experienced in other countries such as in areas of Greece or the South of Italy were I almost stopped traffic.
Budapest was an unexpected trip that has now become an unforgettable experience.

Venice, through the eyes of a Zimgirl

August 25, 2017August 25, 20172 Comments

Hello All,

This post, about the beautiful Venice, is a piece by my friend and fellow travel blogger, Goitsimang Makanda! You can find her witty blog on WordPress here. I am sure you’ll enjoy this post and it’s colourful pictures as much as I did!

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Venice is one of those cities that I’ve spent years drooling over the pictures and reading travel blogs about. Its waterways and bridges have long been plastered on my Pinterest boards. I just had to see it in person and my 27th birthday presented the perfect opportunity for a cultured weekend break.
Venice is a marvel of engineering, perfectly situated across a group of 118 small islands, separated by canals and linked together by bridges. This city of water is nothing short of a dream land.

I arrived at midnight and even under moonlight, you could still appreciate Venice’s untampered beauty. I stepped off the ferry and was confronted by the breath-taking beauty and romance of the city. Under the moonlight, the buildings were gleaming, standing tall in their ornate grandeur. It felt like I’d stepped back in time. The city is oozing with character and authenticity. There is no pretentiousness. I completely fell in love and our walk through the narrow lanes to our hotel filled me with so much excitement. I couldn’t wait for the sun to rise so I could see the city in its full glory.

I booked to spend 3 full days in Venice. The spontaneity in the way the trip was planned meant that I didn’t know what exactly I was going to do or see till I got there. Luckily, the owner of the gorgeous guest house I stayed in was more than happy to drop her pearls of wisdom about all things fabulous in Venice. This invaluable local insight, in conjunction with the help of the Get Your Guide app helped us make the most of our time there.

So, instead of boring you with how we woke up every morning and had breakfast on a terrace overlooking Venice’s tiled roofs and gorgeous canals, I thought I’d just give you a breakdown of the highlights.

1. The three-island tour.

I usually HATE organised tours. It’s that feeling of being a herded sheep I cannot stand. But this one was so worth it due to the limited time we had.We used the Get Your Guide app to book the tour and it was perfect. All the tour company did was to drop us off at the location and then they told us what time to come back, so we were free to wander, marvel and explore.

First, we visited the Murano Island where famous Murano Glass makers can be found. There we had the opportunity to watch a glassblower practice his craft, followed by a tour of the workshop gallery, showcasing breathtaking glass items made by the Master Glass Blowers. It’s amazing what you can do with glass, from the fluorescent coloured chandeliers to the grand floral mirrors, each petal and leaf painstakingly crafted in glass.

Next, we went to the island of my dreams. Burano. Imagine a rainbow just exploded and covered all the houses in bright happy colours. That’s Burano! The houses on this island are an eclectic mix of broad and vibrant colours. Every single house was the backdrop for a stunning picture.

The last island was Torcello, which had some of the coolest bridges I’d seen in my time in the region. Torcello also had historical churches which are well preserved and I enjoyed the best fast food I’ve ever had there!

2. The Libreria Acqua Alta

As an avid reader and lover of bookshops and libraries, I couldn’t leave Venice without visiting the Acqua Alta library. It was everything and more. The eclectic mixture of books was a reader’s dream. What makes the bookshop so unique and special is the presentation of the books. In the centre of the store, you find a gondola packed with books and as you walk about the store you will also find bathtubs filled with books. My favourite pastime is sitting in the bath with a good book. I have so many water-stained books at home so seeing this literature filled baths made my heart smile.

3. The Gondola

“You can’t go to Venice without going for a Gondola ride” – That’s what everyone back home was saying to me when I told them I was in Venice. Personally, I didn’t see what the hype was about, it’s an overpriced ride on a long boat seeing the exact same sights I can appreciate by foot. But anyway, peer pressure got the best of me and I gave in. We found an experience deal on the Get Your Guide app for €27.

I’m glad I had the experience. It was the perfect goodbye to this incredible city. Everything looked so different when gazing from the water. It was very peaceful and serene as we floated through the canals. The views were spectacular, including our hunky gondola driver (I’m sure that’s not what they are called?)! What they say about Italian men is true! Phwoaaarr!!!

4. Getting Lost in Paradise

The super cool thing about Venice is that it’s a pedestrian-friendly city. There are so many picturesque and narrow alley ways and bridges connecting different parts of the city that it’s easy to get lost exploring. In almost every square you find something new. A cluster of unique shops or cafes, or my favourite, old grand buildings and churches with the most amazing doors. I loved wandering into the residential areas, seeing the clothes hanging up high and seeing native Venetians go about their day. They must feel like fish in a bowl. Tourist eyes peering into their private courtyards with vulgar curiosity. I’d have loved an opportunity to go into one of their homes.

Now, before you start thinking we are uncultured – we of course also visited St Mark Square. How could we not?

It was as incredible as the guide books said it was.

I easily can rave about the beauty of Venice all day long but I must highlight at least one thing that annoyed me: Venice is EXPENSIVE!!! Getting food, particularly in the more central parts, is costly. Every restaurant seems to have an obligatory 12% service charge (but I must say the service is top notch, everywhere I went I felt welcomed and the waiters were consistently attentive) and an extra charge, ‘Coperto’, which is basically a charge for you sitting down. The mistake we made was going to eat in St Mark’s Square, as its more central, it’s pricier. I suggest eating at around lunch time as the lunch menus are cheaper. On a positive note, the food was incredible, I can still taste the mouth-watering carbonara I had on my first day. And the Bellini!!! OMG, that was incredible.

Oooooh and the freaking pigeons. OMG! Now everyone who knows me knows I have a profound phobia of winged creatures. The St Mark’s Square area is infested with the flying rats and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw people having them perch on them as they posed for pictures! One particularly distressful episode was when I was happily enjoying my Lasagne on one of the terraces and the woman on the adjacent table decided it was a good idea to start feeding her bread to the already obese pigeons. They were flapping all around my legs and almost gave me a heart attack. So, if you’re like me and you hate pigeons then avoid eating around St Mark’s Square.
Other than those minor annoyances, Venice is spectacular and I highly recommend you go.

London Series – Part 2, Kew Gardens

July 9, 2017Leave a comment

So I began my London Series with Columbia Flower Market and it is honestly a coincidence that the long overdue instalment also has a lot of flowers and plants involved.

I visited Kew Gardens with my mother a while back and we totally underestimated how huge the Gardens are. I recommend at least half a day to fully enjoy the wonders within the Gardens!

I truly felt like Alice in Wonderland the whole time 💐🌼🌻💃🏾

Enough of the talking and enjoy the sights from magnificent Kew Gardens!

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