Travel Gal

01/06/2025

It’s Monday ✨💫🌟

01/02/2025

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12/31/2024

Happy New Year! May all your dreams and aspirations come true in 2025!!!!
🙋🏽‍♀️☃️❄️🎄🎼🎉🥂🎊

12/30/2024

I have often thought of spending New Year's Eve away, so when looking up best places to do so....Cape Town made the list. Having just been there, and falling in love with it, I was interested to see more of what they suggest to do.

Two pluses are, it's just entering summer there, so celebrating in warmth is definitely appealing to me plus, going some where where our dollar there is extremely in our favour, when last I looked it was our dollar equaling 14$ there!

Cape Town is one of the most beautifully situated cities in Africa -- and the world. New Year's Eve fireworks make it all the more spectacular. Lots to choose from, on how to ring in the New Year... from stellar shows and outdoor light show parties to boat cruises and lavish dinners. I can attest to the food here. I didn't have a meal in any establishment, that I wouldn't rate 5 star. Amazing food there.

The Cape Town Waterfront plays host to arguably the biggest New Year’s Eve party in South Africa. This year they’ve introduced several outdoor entertainment zones and a variety of carnival-themed performances to keep partygoers entertained throughout the night. From 5pm onward, each zone will come alive with circus performances, roaming musicians, bands, dancers, floats and carnival characters, while more than 80 restaurants and food trucks will be on hand for a midnight snack.

If you’re keen on watching the fireworks but don’t want to end up sitting in traffic for hours, consider driving up to Signal Hill or Table Mountain where you can watch the display from the comfort of your car. Make a night of it by packing a picnic basket, and be sure to get there early for a good spot. If you’d prefer to skip the city center altogether, you can also watch the fireworks from Milnerton Beach.

Another idea is to sip on sparkling wine as you cruise about Table Bay Harbor on board a stylish catamaran or schooner, and watch the spectacular fireworks display at midnight.

For a more relaxed New Year’s celebration, head to the beautiful Nederburg Wine Estate in Paarl where the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and a host of popular local singers will deliver a night of laid-back classics. Bring your own picnic basket, grab a spot on the lawn and sample the estate’s award-winning wines while you enjoy the concert under the stars.

Tip of the iceberg, on what to do, and those choices alone all appeal to me!
The thought of spending New Year's Eve there checks all the boxes for me. Summer, celebration, the choices available....they had me at Cape Town
🙋🏽‍♀️🧳✈️🌍🎉🥂🇿🇦💃🏾🕺🏽🌞🦪🍤🥘🍷

12/24/2024

Merry♪•*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•♪ Christmas♪•*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•♪
Merry ♪•*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•♪
Christmas......
Merry♪•*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•♪ Christmas♪•*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*

Have a wonderful happy holiday with your family and friends...All the best to you to you all in 2025!!!
♥️🎄🎅💫✨🦌☃️❄️🥂

12/23/2024

It's hard to dampen the spirit of Paris at Christmastime—the city shines on, from the lights along the Champs-Élysées to the Christmas market at Les Halles to some of the most decked-out window displays in the world.

Sights, and activities to experience a Parisan Christmas is to take in the visual feast that is the Galeries Lafayette Christmas tree—an annual display comparable to NYC's Rockefeller Center, great window shopping, lots of Christmas concerts, and of course the famous Christmas Markets, great place to shop. Go ice skating under the Eiffel Tower.

Disney Land Paris is decked out to the hilt or go back in time with a vintage fairground at the Musee Des Arts Forains. This private collection of fairground rides and stalls dating back to 1850 is normally only open to visitors on guided tours. But from 26 December 2019 to 5 January 2020 it hosts the Festival du Merveilleux, with storytellers, magicians, musicians, dancers and puppeteers.

Paris is a food lover’s dream come true. Baguettes, croisants, macaroons....ahhh...the cheeses...and the wine to go with those cheeses....oh, la la

A popular Paris comfort food is couscous believe it or not. In 2006, couscous was even voted Parisians favorite dish — beating out classics like beef bourguignon and cassoulet.

Trying steak frites in Paris was a must. A recommended spot is Le Relais de l’Entrecôte, a classic eatery with various locations around town. Another while in Paris must is finding good duck confit. This classic French dish is made by salt curing the duck (covering it with salt and herbs for a couple of days in the refrigerator) and then slowly cooking it in its own fat until incredibly tender.

A fabulous place to stay is The Peninsula Paris, it is pure lavish luxury, and it even has its own upscale Christmas Market and skating rink!
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12/22/2024

Celebrations in Europe start four Sundays prior to the eve of Christmas which marks the beginning of the Advent. Post the Advent, most of the Catholic countries also celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas on the 6th of December. This may not be the tradition in all countries but some of the best places to spend Christmas in Europe do celebrate it as a part of their culture. Following the feast, the main celebration is that of the Christmas Eve wherein people attend the Midnight Mass and relish a heart-warming meal their families, and friends.

Krakow,Poland is among the best Christmas destinations in Europe that celebrate this much-awaited day of the year with as much enthusiasm and joy as any of Catholica nation in Europe. With twinkling Christmas trees set up in town squares, delightful church services and prayers, and lavish feasts on Christmas Eve called Wigilia, Christmas in Poland will surely put you in the spirit! In fact, it is said the mystic city of Krakow looks its best when its draped in Christmas festivities and cheer, sprinkled with a fresh blanket of snow to add a fairytale touch!
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12/21/2024

12/20/2024

Happy Campers it’s FriYeah!
Have a good weekend!
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12/19/2024

If your idea of Christmas merriment includes an authentic Irish pub crawl ,then book a December flight to Dublin. There's no better way to warm up on a cold Christmas night than joining the locals for some black pudding and a few pints, as for sure this city has enough cozy bars to last you through New Year's. But the city isn't just about drinking, of course. Holiday offerings include Christmas markets, extended store hours on Grafton Street, and tree lighting ceremonies galore.

The one thing to get you in the spirit would to attend the Irish Baroque Orchestra's annual production of Handel’s Messiah is held at the incomparable St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The Westbury Hotel would be an great choice to stay, becomes even more luxurious during the holidays, with prime views overlooking the lights of Grafton Street and pear and mulled wine tarts during afternoon tea.
🙋🏽‍♀️🧳✈️🌍🎄☃️❄️🎅🦌🕊🍀🥘🍺🍷🥃

12/18/2024

When you visit Copenhagen, Denmark the birthplace of hygge (basically the Danish concept of "coziness"), you better believe your winter vacation is going to be spectacular here.

That feeling can be found throughout Copenhagen, from pastry shops to inviting hotels and restaurants.

Those Michelin-starred restaurants, Tivoli Gardens, and canal views are certainly worth bundling up for.

My choice for my stay would be the Nimb Hotel. Originally built as a castle in 1909, it overlooks the Tivoli Gardens and has warm touches like birch wood-burning fireplaces and antique furniture.
✈️🌍🗺❄️☃️🎄🍷🥘🧜🏼‍♀️🏰

12/17/2024

Bruges, Belgium

Europe’s best-preserved medieval city is also one of its most charming, especially during the holiday season. Let's start with its light displays—every tree and storefront seems ablaze with twinkle lights; just look up as you wander the cobblestone streets. When you're frozen, warm up with mugs of Belgian hot chocolate in historic Craenenburg Cafe.

Christmas tradition here has children leave their shoes in front of the fireplace, rather than hang up a stocking. St. Nicholas is said to have a horse, rather than reindeer, so a carrot is often left.

The main Christmas meal is usually eaten on Christmas Eve. Seafood is popular, along with a Christmas cake in the shape of a yule log, and plenty of red wine.

Belgium is proud of its chocolate, and special Christmas chocolates are filled with nuts, cream or liquor. Belgians also drink a lot of its more than 600 varieties of beer during the holiday season.

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12/16/2024

The tradition of Christmas cards started in England....brilliant marketing I would say....
Having helped set up the Public Records Office (now known as the Post Office), Sir Henry Cole and artist John Horsley created the first Christmas card in 1843 as a way of encouraging people to use its services.

There couldn't be a more Christmasy setting than jolly ol' England, with a lot of the christmas stories like A Christmas Carol, that we have grown up with giving us the vision of a traditional Christmas.

In modern day during the Christmas season, Hyde Park becomes Winter Wonderland as Londoners celebrate the holidays with one of the world’s biggest festivals. Last year more than two million visitors attended, and for good reason. Winter Wonderland has traditional Christmas festival elements: an ice rink, visits with Santa Claus, more holiday food than you could possibly sample and Christmas shopping. Plus, it also has two Christmas-themed Cirque du Soleil-style circuses by Zippos Circus, as well as two massive roller coasters, a 200-foot high enclosed-pod observation wheel, kids' rides and Santa Land.
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12/14/2024

Good Morning ☕️☕️☕️
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12/13/2024

Happy FriYeah!



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12/12/2024

So, if one wanted to chose a European destination, to experience a magical Christmas ambiance, and get in the true Christmas spirit, voters have chosen Budapest.

"In addition to being the most beautiful Christmas market in Europe, the Advent Feast at the Basilica deserves the title of Best Christmas market with the spirit of Christmas but also the title of Best eco-friendly Christmas market," European Best Destinations says.

Highlights are the ice rink in front of the Basilica, mulled wine, traditional Hungarian cuisine, and the biggest 3D light show in Europe as some of the most attractive features of the Christmas market.

With over 100 stalls, great place to Christmas shop looking for such as handmade souvenirs, craft chocolates and specialty coffees. Experiencing food like a local, while the Christmas market has plenty of food stalls to chose from, Budapest has permanent markets that are recommended visiting.

Hold Utcai Piac is gastronomic heaven with a Michelin-star bistro in the middle of the market. Whether you are looking for cheese, cold cuts, fish dishes or restaurants with traditional or unique food, this is the place to go.
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12/11/2024

A big part of the Christmas celebrations in Germany is Advent. Several different types of Advent calendars are used in German homes. As well as the traditional one made of card that are used in many countries, there are ones made out of a wreath of Fir tree branches with 24 decorated boxes or bags hanging from it. Each box or bag has a little present in it. Another type is called a 'Advent Kranz' and is a ring of fir branches that has four candles on it. This is like the Advent candles that are sometimes used in Churches. One candle is lit at the beginning of each week in Advent.

Christmas Trees are very important in Germany. They were first used in Germany during the late Middle Ages. If there are young children in the house, the trees are usually secretly decorated by the mother of the family. The Christmas tree was traditionally brought into the house on Christmas Eve.

In the 1880s Woolworth stores started selling glass ornaments imported from Germany and some were in the shape of various fruit and vegetables. It seems that pickles must have been among the selection!

Around the same time it was claimed that the Christmas Pickle was a very old German tradition and that the pickle was the last ornament hung on the Christmas tree and then the first child to find the pickle got an extra present.

The legend of the glass 'Christmas Pickle' is famous in the USA, but it's that, a legend. Most people in Germany have never heard of the Christmas Pickle!
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