I’m on a dirt path surrounded by swaying coconut palms that offer up little in the way of afternoon shade. The heat is relentless, scattering everyone indoors and blanketing the village with stillness. I hurry along, seeking out an oasis. Then, around a corner I find it — a small farmhouse with a red tiled roof and a spacious balcony.
It seems a small village can hide many secrets. And here I am, in an unexplored part of my ancestral home, out to uncover one of them. Camurlim is a village in North Goa, near to the popular market towns of Anjuna and Mapusa. And the red-roofed farmhouse is where I’ll be learning about Goa’s Hindu Saraswat cuisine, courtesy of Shubhra Shankhwalker, a graphic designer and cook who runs a catering company, Aai’s (‘aai’ meaning ‘mother’ in Marathi and Konkani) and hosts sit-down meals for groups of up to seven people.
Shubhra greets me with a chilled glass of kokum (a sour tropical fruit) juice, and we sit on the balcony enjoying the coolness of the red oxide floor beneath our bare feet. She belongs to the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community, in a country where concepts of caste and cuisine are often inseparable. “One of the biggest misconceptions about Goan Hindu food is that it’s vegetarian. But we eat chicken, mutton and fish,” she explains. “Goan Saraswat cooking is not only about following recipes but choosing the best ingredients and knowing how, and when, to cook them. We’re very particular about ingredients.” A glance around the kitchen supports this, with not a packaged or ready-made masala in sight. Even the salt, I learn, is rock salt sourced from the state’s few surviving salt pans. Shubhra prepares everything from scratch, drawing on all she learned from her mother-in-law — including how to treat fish.
An integral part of Goa’s cuisines, fish is plentiful in a state with almost 100 miles of coastline as well as numerous inland bodies of water. “I was taught that fish has to be fresh, and eaten according to season,” Shubhra explains. “You can reheat a fish curry, but it’s important to cook fish as soon as you get it.” Like most Goans, she sources hers at a fish market and from the fishing jetties, or sometimes even by waking up at 4am and visiting the manos (sluice gate) to source small prawns for pickling.
I watch and listen as she cleans and cooks the fish, picking up tips. Mackerel skin, for example, should show rainbow colours when it hits the light — that way you know it’s fresh. The mackerel in question is soon to be part of a lavish lunch — it’s deboned and stuffed with a coriander and chilli chutney-like paste, a combination that seems to bring out its meatiness. It’s not the only fish on the menu — there’s a pearl spot, otherwise known as a green
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In the spring of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, the always bustling Dam Square in Amsterdam was deserted, silent and surrounded by concrete counterterrorism blocks. The Dutch street artist Frank de Ruwe, who goes by the name of Frankey, decided these daunting studded blocks resembled something more innocent — giant Lego blocks — and that the city needed something to lighten the gloom.
Rainbow-like stripes of vibrant tulips as far as the eye can see. White, lavender, deep purple, and even rare yellow and blue lilacs perfuming the air. Acres of fluffy cotton candy-colored peonies as big as salad plates. And 500 varieties of irises in just one charming display garden.
Even as we travel around the globe, it’s easy to forget that our planet is part of a much larger celestial dance. Sure, we mark the orbit of the Earth around the Sun each year, but nothing reminds us that we are part of something much bigger than the experience of watching the Moon slide in front of the Sun during a solar eclipse.
In the autumn of 1897, after gold was discovered in the Klondike, my English great-grandfather rode out from a cattle ranch near Edmonton, Alberta, to make his fortune. It was late in the season. He traveled with three Americans, eight pack ponies, a Winchester rifle, a tin billycan for tea, a Dutch oven for making bread, a goatskin coat, and a few light mining implements. But the snowfall was heavier than expected, which made the ground treacherous for the horses. When his companions decided to sit out the winter with some fur trapping, my great-grandfather sold his share of the ponies for sled dogs and hired an Indigenous tracker instead. His pace picked up, but the weather deteriorated. When supplies got dangerously low, he suggested to his tracker that they eat the dogs. Eventually, he was forced to return to England empty-handed. His diary, however, survived.
In anticipation of International Women’s Day on March 8th, Visit Estonia is shining the spotlight on the island of Kihnu, where a matrifocal society thrives amidst the Baltic Sea. For travellers looking for inspiration for a unique island escape this summer, Kihnu provides a welcoming and fascinating destination to explore, where the local women are known for preserving the rich cultural heritage dating back centuries and riding motorbikes in colourful, traditional homespun folk dress.
Sefton Monk is a British tech guru and CEO of the world's first fully bookable cruise app, My Kind of Cruise, with over 125,000 downloads and an average customer age of 38.
Last year, my parents took their first-ever group tour to France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. You know, those tours where you share a coach bus with 30 strangers for a week, stop at popular tourist draws, stay in pre-arranged hotels, and go on guided city walks with bright orange audio boxes that might as well be “look at me, I’m a tourist” placards. I tried to dissuade them, offering to plan their entire Eurotrip myself, but they ultimately opted for the tour’s convenience and relative all-inclusiveness. Now they’re absolutely hooked, with two more tours under their belt this year.
Drifting off the west coast of Greece (and Albania), Corfu is one of the seven Ionian Islands. Nereids and deities, fishermen and warriors, heroes and sea monsters from this region have inspired myths that still enchant Greek island-hopping travelers. Modern-day Corfu (Kérkyra) is just as beguiling for its craggy coastline and jaw-dropping beaches while the Venetian-built capital adds a surprising twist. Plan your next Greek odyssey to one of these idyllic Corfu Airbnbs on the beach or up on the cliffs.
The Acropolis in Athens, Greece, is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. Visiting the artistic complex offers a chance to stand where philosophers once debated, where democracy was born, and where art and culture flourished during the Greco-Roman era. The structure has endured wars and stood the test of time thanks to ongoing restoration and conservation efforts. It sits atop a hill in the heart of Athens, which rewards visitors with panoramic views of the city, stretching all the way to the Aegean Sea. The UNESCO World Heritage site attracts around three million visitors annually. Due to the throngs of summer tourists and concerns over the long-term preservation of the ancient citadel, there is now a daily cap of 20,000 sightseers per day. The restriction does not affect most. That said, opting for a vacation rental close to the Acropolis will give you a head start for a morning visit and a spectacular backdrop for your stay. These Airbnbs near the Acropolis are all within walking distance from the heritage site and have direct views of the complex from balconies or rooftops, so you can sit back and enjoy your visit to Athens without hustling through crowds.
Who wouldn’t be seduced by the selection of fine wines and cheeses, and other sensory delights served aboard Le Bougainville, the 430-foot-long mega-yacht that the luxury travel company, Abercrombie and Kent, charters for their 10-day Greek islands cruise?
This year more folks are prioritizing travel and newfangled experiences. We’re inspired by beloved television shows à la Emily in Paris to reexamine cities we’ve previously visited. Scoring tickets to see our favorite musical artists, like Taylor Swift, fortuitously opens up the prospect of flying to a different country. A rising wellness and longevity movement encourages travelers to seek alcohol-free vacations. Slower and more intentional travel—quality over quantity—is important and sustainability and eco-minded experiences are at the forefront.