A Taste of Turkey

I recently returned from my summer holiday in Turkey and thought I would write a travel post about the country.

I stayed in Fethiye, which is your average tourist resort, with plenty of bars, restaurants and excursions. If you visit this area, you are sure to have a relaxing and enjoyable holiday where you don't have to plan too much to use up your time.

If however, you are like me and love exploring 'off the beaten track', then this post will feature places where you won't find many tourists and can really embrace the Turkish culture

Let me start by saying that Turkey is a beautiful country that has sadly been bombarded with many tragic events, putting tourists off of visiting there.

When I went, there was no sign of any conflicts or unrest, and I felt as safe as I feel at home, so please do not let the media and the actions of a few organisations put you off.

The first place I would recommend is the Yaka Gizlivadi restaurant. There is a farm/restaurant by a similar name close by, but I'm talking only about this restaurant. It is situated near the Saklikent Gorge (well worth a visit too), and if you are looking for a tranquil place to eat and refresh, this is the place to visit.

You can sit (or rather lie down) in the traditional treetop huts whilst taking in the breathtakingly beautiful surroundings. Fresh water runs through the restaurant from the mountains and creates a calming atmosphere as you relax to the background noise of trickling water.

I was the only person in the restaurant when I went, so you will not bump into many tourists here.
Combine this with a visit to the Saklikent Gorge and it makes a perfect day out.

The second place to visit is the Olive Garden restaurant in Kabak, near Olu Deniz. This restaurant boasts stunning clifftop views and an infinity pool. It takes a while to reach by car, where you will wind around some nerve-wracking mountain roads, but the drive is worth it. The food is delicious, and combined with a swim in the pool, makes for a unique day out. Words cannot do this place any justice, so I'll let the pictures convey the charm of this place.

Only the natural sounds of the sea and nature can be heard, and you really feel like you are in a luxury hotel here. This is one place that is not to be missed if you really want to take in the beauty of this country.

If you want something fun and different, take a visit to the Sultaniye Thermals and Mud Baths near Koycegiz. This is the one where the locals go so there will be no tourists flocking here on excursions. 

For only 4 TL (about £1), you can use the natural spring baths before bathing in a pool of mud. After drying in the sun, you can wash it off by jumping in the crystal clear lake. Not only will your skin feel amazing, but you will also be crying with laughter when you start to look like an alien as the mud hardens in the sun.

Wash off the mud by jumping into the crystal clear waters of the lake

The views on the roads into the mud baths

My final must-do experience in Turkey is a visit to Pamukkale.

I've been lucky enough to go here twice, and each time it has taken my breath away.

The natural limestone/calcium pools, nicknamed "Cotton Castle', make it seem like you are walking on ice, but the water is warm enough to bathe in them as you ascend up. The ice blue pools make for magnificent photos and they make infinity pools look boring!

At the top, you can take a walk around the ancient ruins of Hierapolis. Do not forget to take a moment to absorb the view from the top. My recommendation is to go at sunset, when it starts to get cooler and less busy. There is nothing in the world that can beat watching the sun disappear behind the mountains, and it is a moment I will never forget. No amount of pictures can convey the peacefulness of this moment.

Cue the Pamukkale photo montage...

If you really wanted to treat yourself, you can book yourself into a nearby 5* hotel, like the Spa Hotel Colossae Thermal, and stay overnight to recover from the lengthy drive there and back. That way you can relax in the hotel pool before climbing Pamukkale, and enjoy a breakfast buffet (included) in the morning before driving back to your resort.

I hope this gives you a taste of what Turkey offers, and that wherever you go, you can always explore the real beauty by taking a step off the usual tourist hotspots.

Love Charlotte x

It's always time for cereal...

If you are visiting London and want to eat somewhere unique, different and quirky, then look no further than this post!

I'm a big fan of cereal but I do get bored of having shreddies every day. But, if you visit the Cereal Killer Cafe in either Camden Market or Brick Lane, then prepare to be blown away.

On a busy sunny day in London, we headed to the Camden branch of the cafe. The menu is laden with a vast array of cereals from all over the world.

If you fancy chocolate, honey, smore's or peanut butter flavoured cereal, you will find it here. The amount of cereal's on offer is mindblowing, and trying to choose one comes with difficulty.

I opted for one of the cereal cocktails, where you get a mix of different types. Mine was called the 'Lion King', which was a bowl of chocolatey/caramel sweetness. It even came with caramel milk, however I'm one of those weird people who prefers eating cereal dry and opted out of the milk.

If you think this cereal won't fill you as a meal, don't be fooled. The medium sized bowls don't look like much, but in real life, it counted as my lunch.

My advice would be to eat in, where you can choose to sit on a bed whilst you eat. If you are an 80/90s kid, you will be transported back to your childhood bedroom, complete with Spice Girls wallpaper and beany baby's.

The prices are expensive for cereal, but when you think about the types of cereal and the overall experience, it really isn't overpriced at all.

WDW Guide: Magic Kingdom

Saving the best park till last, this is a guide to the main park of Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom.

As soon as you hop off the monorail, boat or bus (these are the many different ways to get to the entrance), you will be greeted by the vision of Walt Disney.

This park oozes the classical Disney themes throughout. As you wander through the turnstiles and under the bridge of the rail station, you will be greeted with the town square. Carry on walking and you will see the sight that makes my heart melt every single time: Cinderella's castle.

Main Street USA is a wondrous place to walk down. Here you will find a vast array of shops selling all the merchandise you can think of. If you want candy, character ears, ice cream, christmas decorations or anything else, you will probably find it in one of the shops. Do take the time to wander in and out to take in the detail, and escape the heat for the AC!

For coffee lovers, a Starbucks can be found here as well.

Main Street USA

Directly in front of the castle is a statue of Mickey and Walt which I really think is worth a picture. The castle often has welcome shows featuring dancer's, princesses and the famous characters. It is a Disney way of welcoming you to the Magic Kingdom.

The various lands surround the castle where the attractions await. I don't think there is a particular route you should go, as it will likely be busy everywhere unless you get there as soon as the park opens. The lands are summarised below:

Tomorrowland

Sci-fi is the theme of this land with Disney favourites located here such as Stitch's Great Escape, Monster's Inc laugh floor, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (very popular) and Space Mountain (also very popular).

My top tip: Go on the People Mover. It may not seem like a thrill ride but it won't be a waste of time and its great to have a quick rest. You can also get great views of the castle and see the rides in Tomorrowland from a cool behind-the-scenes view.

Also, make sure you catch a character dance party. These are so much fun and are great for making you laugh. Details of these are available on a program at the entrance to MK.
If I could give advice on what's not worth doing in Tomorrowland, it'll be Walt's Carousel of Progress. Its great for Disney fans but in my opinion, not worth the time doing if you are only there for a few days.

Fantasyland

Every little prince and princesses' dream place is Fantasyland. Here you'll find the classical Disney fairytales played out in various forms, such as roller coasters, tea cups or even a flying elephant. 

Must do rides are Peter Pan's Flight (be prepared to queue or get a fastpass), Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid and Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

I actually couldn't do the mine train as the queue was ridiculously long but I've heard that it is good. You can also get fastpasses to meet the popular princesses or if you love Beauty and the Beast, then you can meet Belle at her Enchanted Tales.

Be Our Guest

One thing I love doing is the carousel. If any of you have seen Saving Mr Banks, Walt Disney rides it in Disneyland, CA. Whenever I go on the carousel in any Disney park, I feel like I'm being transported back to when Disneyland was brand new and Walt could see his vision become reality.

Recommendations for eating here are Be Our Guest, which is very popular and sadly we weren't able to go. We did eat at Pinocchio's Village Haus, which is a great QSF&B serving pizza's, salads and flatbreads. Do try the Blue Raspberry frozen slushy, it is seriously the best thing I've ever tasted but it will turn your tongue blue!

Flat bread and Blue Raspberry slushy 

Also, don't forget that you can board the railroad here to take you around the park, which is great if you want a little sit down.

Liberty Square

The next themed area is Liberty Square. Catch the Haunted Mansion, a classic Disney ride. Apart from that, I'd recommend the riverboat if you have nothing else to do. Liberty Square is quite small, so really the Haunted Mansion is the main attraction.

For food, the Sleepy Hollow is famous for the waffle sandwiches although I am yet to try one!

Frontierland

Home of two of the mountains and the former being my favourite ride- Splash and Big Thunder! These are the top attractions and can have hefty wait times so fast pass is recommended. Some cool themed merchandise are also located here.

Adventureland

Do ride the Jungle Cruise, a hilarious boat ride that is so enjoyable because of the Cast Member operating the boat. Pirates of the Caribbean is another favourite. For kids, they'll love the flying carpets of Aladdin and if they are keen explorers, the Swiss Family Treehouse is cool to climb and get great views of MK.

If you want to meet Aladdin and Jasmine, you'll find them here also!

One thing I will always get in Adventureland is a classic Dole Whip. Opt for pineapple, vanilla soft serve or a mixture of both. The float comes with pineapple juice, but either in the Floridian heat is refreshing and will cool you down nicely.

Overall, this is a miniature version of a guide to MK and is based on what I have experienced and therefore recommend. MK really requires two full days to get everything done. 

Do not miss the Festival of Fantasy Parade or the night time Main Street Electrical Parade. Make sure you pick up a program with the parade routes and times to ensure you get a good spot.

Festival of Fantasy Parade

At the end of the day, you can saw goodbye to MK by watching Celebrate the Magic. Projections of famous disney scenes can be viewed on the castle itsself, followed by the night time firework spectacular that is Wishes.

Celebrate The Magic

Wishes

This will send shivers down your spine and almost make you well up (it did to me). It's times like these when I watch the show and realise how special Disney can make people of all ages feel. It'll be at this point when all the planning, money spent and travelling to get to MK is way worth it. You will not want to leave after this. 

I hope this has given a good insight into the main park of Walt Disney World. What you do with your time is up to you, and members of your party of all ages will feel so special in this park. 

If you are going, I hope you have the most magical time!

A Peep Down the Rabbit Hole...

A weekend in London would not be complete without visiting somewhere I hadn't been before, and this time it was the turn of the British Library.

Nestled around the corner of St Pancras station, and right next to that hotel where the Spice Girls filmed there 'Wannabe' video (just so you know), this building takes pride in the rich historical legacies it holds.

Recognise these steps?

It was also the perfect place to host the latest exhibition about Alice in Wonderland.

The small Alice-inspired display is perfect for somewhere to pop into briefly without taking up too much of your time, and educational in the sense that you can learn about Lewis Carroll and the evolution of Alice in Wonderland, and how it has been shaped by illustrations throughout the decades.

You will be able to view the original manuscript, as well as take in some Alice memorabilia.

The exhibition is small, but it's a great opportunity to visit the British Library and take in the extensive sources of literature. There is also a pop up shop to accompany the display which sells really unique souvenirs, from copies of the book to apple crumble smelling candles and small bottles of wine with 'Drink Me' labels on.

I personally wanted to buy something unique as it is a pop up shop so the souvenirs are only available for a limited amount of time. I came across this cute trinket box that looked like a macaroon, and with my love of baking, I thought it was perfect for me and I could store jewellery in it at the same time.

Of course a trip to London would not be complete without trying out a new restaurant as well, and so we took the tube to Warren Street and walked to Charlotte Street (best name in the world) and explored the vast array of restaurants there.

You can get anything you want from Hawaiian, Italian, Vietnamese and loads more. Seriously, this is a whole street lined with food from all over the world.
Eventually we settled on a cool looking pizza place called Icco, where they do amazing Italian style pizzas. My advice would be to avoid rush hour if you want to get a seat, or alternatively takeaway one of the many pizza choices. But do check out this cool, inexpensive restaurant if you are around that area.

There's always room for dessert as well as after taking a long stroll for Goodge Street to Camden via Regent's Park, we managed to find a cute little cafe called Camden Coffee House tucked away down a side street for a nice cup of tea and a indulgent triple chocolate cookie after a day well spent in London.

Review: Nutrition Mixer

I have to say, I'm quite hard to please. And when it comes to spending money, I don't like to be ripped off.

So I've had my eye on the Nutribullet for a long time, ever since it came out.

I've also been consumed with jealousy when coming across people's instagram pictures of delicious, colourful looking smoothies that people create using these blending machines.

I realised it was time to invest in one when I really fancied a bowl of warm, homemade soup that wasn't straight from a tin. This was impossible to make without some sort of blender, so when I heard that Lidl were creating the Nutrition Mixer for only £29.99, I took the chance and purchased my own.

At around £80, the NutriBullet is £50 more expensive than the Nutrition Mixer, which both do the same job.

So, armed with my blender and an collection of recipes I had been saving up, I got straight to work making that bowl of soup.

I chose to make a simple, yet satisfying butternut squash soup.
When it got to the blender step, I filled up the beaker, flipped it over and began pureeing it.

The Verdict:

I was amazed! 

Not only is it super fast, it whizzes everything into a smooth puree within seconds! Yes it's loud, which I expected, but the results blew me away and I could finally enjoy that fresh bowl of homemade soup I had been craving for ages.

Now I cannot compare this to the NutriBullet because I've never used the NutriBullet. But I can review Lidl's Nutrition Mixer and I have to say, I'm impressed! I certainly do not feel like I'm being ripped off.

 I cannot wait till summer to try fresh smoothies, and I've already planned a Mexican night where I will use the machine to make homemade guacamole.

So if you are looking for something cheap, good value for money and does a fine job of blending, then definitely consider this model! I guess what they say is true, good things come to those who wait! I'm certainly glad I waited until a cheaper model came out than jumping straight on the bandwagon and buying the NutriBullet.

Battle of the Christmas Drinks

This post is about Christmas drinks! Yes I know what you're thinking, Christmas has been and gone, but I started this around 2 months ago. I wanted to try as many Christmas themed drinks as possible, and only managed about 5 but I have included my thoughts on the most popular flavours:


So I just tried the famous  Gingerbread Latte from Costa, which is one of their festive special edition drinks and my first ever holiday drink!

Yup, I've never tried any Starbucks, Costa, Pret, even McDonalds festive drinks ever! Call me crazy because it was the biggest mistake of my life!

So I had an epiphany, why not try as many festive themed drinks as possible and review them all? At first this sounded like a good idea, who wouldn't want to gorge calorific, sugary drinks and call it research?!

Then I realised how bad they were for you, so for 'research' purposes (and so I don't get diabetes), I will be trying the skimmed/non-fat sugar free versions. Also, these things aren't cheap and due to being so busy, I only got around to trying ones from Costa and Starbucks.

Disclaimer:
This is my personal opinion and taste, which differs from every single other person, so just because I don't like something doesn't mean you will too!

Up first is...

1. Costa Coffee Gingerbread Latte 

Well, this was delicious in every sense. I had it with no whip because I hate the stuff, but as soon as I took one sip of this I was succumbed to that warm, festive feeling. The gingerbread is prominent throughout the whole drink, not just the first few sips. It also meant I could enjoy a coffee without the need for sugar because the sweetness finishes it off nicely. If you are a fan of gingerbread, this is the drink for you. It was sensational! Extra points for the cute cup designs as well.

2. Costa Coffee Caramel Fudge Hot Chocolate

Admittedly I tried a sample of this as I'm not a big fan of hot chocolate, but nevertheless it was nice. I failed to taste the difference from normal hot chocolate's though, which made me question why it was a festive drink if there was nothing festive about it. It was pretty sweet, too much so that a full size drink would have been too much for me. Last year I believe they had a chocolate orange drink which they never bought back this year, to many peoples anger, and I couldn't help but feel this would have been better than the fudge version this year.

3. Starbucks Toffee Nut Latte 

Well this surprised me. I expected it to taste like a generic toffee latte, but the nutty flavour really stands out. I'm not the biggest fan of nuts (no pun intended), but this adds to the whole drink. It's subtle enough to not overpower the sweet toffee syrup in the milk, yet it adds a nice festive touch. I found myself wanting another one straight after. Again, I went for no whip but it was still really nice and I would definitely recommend trying it! I would even go to say that it is worth the more expensive price than the other coffee chains, just because it is quite a unique flavour.

4. Costa Coffee Black Forest Hot Chocolate

Another sample I tried, but I was remarkably surprised by this drink. The cherry flavour really is prominent in this drink and compliments the chocolate well. It really is like drinking a Black forest gateau. So if this is one of your favourite desserts, then this drink is the one for you!

5. Salted Caramel Cappuccino (Costa)

A cappuccino is by far my favourite coffee drink so I was very excited to try this. I love salted caramel as well, and when I received the drink it was topped with gold chocolate! How cool is that?! So when I took a sip of this I was a little disappointed. I could taste the caramel, but no salt. It tasted like a regular cappuccino but with a pump of caramel syrup. It did redeem itself with the gold chocolate though!

6. Starbucks Gingerbread Latte

So my last taste test was the Gingerbread Latte from the American chain, so I could do the ultimate comparison between Costa and Starbucks. I have to say, this was good, but Costa ever so slightly won in the taste test. In fairness, they do taste pretty similar so it was hard to distinguish which one was better, but maybe Costa had that little extra drip of syrup.

So that's all I managed this Christmas because these drinks ain't cheap!
My favourite and winner of this experiment has to be Costa's Gingerbread Latte, just because I love ginger and the cute cups made it slightly better than Starbucks!
However, it is followed closely by the Toffee Nut Latte which was unique and still just as delicious.

Hope you enjoyed this experiment, I know I have! Now it's time for a sugar detox as I wallow in post Christmas depression. See you next year!

WDW Guide: Epcot

Oh Epcot. You either get it or you don't.

I've heard a lot of people say this is their least favourite park because it has no solid theming throughout.

Like Animal Kingdom, this park should not be underestimated. This is Walt's baby, as EPCOT stands for Experimental Prototype Centre of Tomorrow, and he had a heavy influence on the attractions seen their today.

It can easily be done in a day, or half if you are hardcore and don't take in all the details.

Popular rides here are Test Track, which most definitely will have a long queue in peak times, so fastpasses or single rider is preferable on this attraction.

Similarly, Soarin' is popular and has the slowest and most boring queue in the world so try and get a fastpass for this (single rider isn't applicable).

Other attractions include going into the big 'golf' ball, called Spaceship Earth, and Mission Space. These are great to experience, but I wouldn't say they are must do's in my opinion.

There are other low key attractions at the park, but since I haven't ridden them, I feel I can't really comment on them.

The other big attraction is the World Showcase, an area featuring 11 different countries where you can walk around each pavilion and immerse yourself in the different cultures.

Mexico

The countries featured are Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, UK and Canada.

UK

Each pavilion features the architecture typical of that country, as well as merchandise, food, drinks and some attractions/entertainment.

Morocco

This could take half a day to walk around if you really wanted to see everything, but if you aren't that bothered then I would suggest visiting Mexico, Morocco, France, Japan and China.

Of course, as I'm British, a visit to the UK is a must for me!

I ate at the Akerhusus Banquet Hall in Norway for breakfast, as it was character dining and included in my disney dining plan. You get to meet most of the princesses who come around to your table for a chat, as well as performing a princess parade around the restaurant where they lead little prince and princesses around in a procession.

The food was nice, in a buffet style featuring traditional Norwegian foods along with the usual american fare. They also have a hot plate with sausages, bacon, eggs and hash browns which can be replenished if you ask the servers.

To work of all the food we ate, I wandered around each country, stopping to buy a drink in the Rose and Crown pub in the UK and also to take a look at the delicious french patisserie in France. Next time I go, I will most definitely be buying a treat from there.

 

My favourite shop was Karamell-Kuche in Germany, where they sell a selection of Caramel treats. The smell of that shop made me want to live there forever. It smells like a Werther's factory a.k.a. heaven!

Germany

Here you can buy caramel apples, caramel corn, caramel chocolate, caramel cupcakes... yeah you get the gist! Unfortunately I didn't get anything which I really regret but next time, that will be my first stop.

Another highlight at Epcot that stood out for me was browsing the merchandise at Mouse Gear, which I think is one of the best places to buy merchandise.

Also, you can have a go at tasting the flavours of fizzy pop from around the world. Some are horrible (Beverly) and some are yummy (Fanta Melon) but its fun to try them all.

To end a long day here, IllumiNations is the evening show to watch. Not only are there spectacular fireworks set to an amazing musical score, but it is also magical to watch at various places in the world showcase where the lights on the buildings are in sync with the show.

Definitely make sure you see this show, and if you want to splash out then certain restaurants around the world offer dining packages where you can eat in the perfect firework viewing area.

WDW Guide: Animal Kingdom

If you find yourself visiting WDW then I have blogged about my 2015 experience of each park. This first one is about Animal Kingdom!

 This park often comes at the bottom of peoples top parks list, but I think it is underestimated and it is great for kids who love animals. The thing I enjoy most about this park is the theming. It is so wonderful to be able to walk around and feel like you are in Asia, then to walk across to Africa, and if you have an appreciation for this then take the time to have a wander around.

There aren't as many rides here, but the ones they do have are great. Do check out:

- Kilimanjaro Safaris

Your driver can really make this ride so much better so it does depend on individual experiences as well as whether the animals are actually awake and not hiding somewhere! If you're lucky, this can be a really great attraction.

- Expedition Everest

A high speed rollercoaster that goes backwards! It took me by suprise at how fast it is but most kids and adults will enjoy this and the queue theming is amazing.

- Festival of the Lion King Show

A great choice for a chance to sit down on a busy afternoon. The Lion King's famous and well loved songs are recreated with dancers, actors, singers and guest interaction. This is one of the best shows of WDW so do make sure you check it out.

- Kali River Rapids

You may or may not get soaked on this, so be prepared! Queues for this can get really long so try and fastpass if possible. It's great fun for the family and one of my favourites.

- Dinosaur 

This has been at this park since I first visited when I was 4 or 5, but this was my first time riding it and it was actually fun! Very bumpy so not for those who hate rides, but the storyline is cool and usually the wait isn't long.

If possible, take a walk around the Maharajah Jungle Trek which offers you the chance to get close to animals and takes you away from the busy crowds.

 Where we ate:

Yak and Yeti Restaurant
Amazing cuisines from Asia/Africa and I tried the chicken tikka masala which was amazing! After craving one for months as America don't do Indian cuisine as much as the UK, this was the perfect treat that reminded me of home and was delicious.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Selection of sorbets

Do check out the other choices of food as street vendors are everywhere and offer so many cuisines as opposed to the usual American food. Here you can stimulate your taste buds with the different flavours from all over the world.

Animal Kingdom is a great park to visit in one day but can also be a great choice for a relaxing day at the park if you are not bothered about getting everything done in one day. Do not miss this park out because of other peoples advice. WDW wouldn't be the same without it and with the upcoming expansion, this park has great potential.