Beautiful Lake Lugano as seen from the Italian village of Oria, just across the border from Switzerland. Lake Lugano sits in both countries and served as the backdrop for a weekend reunion with Tim, Chuck, Judy, and Brian.  Brian and I stayed at the Hotel Principe Leopoldo while Tim and his parents stayed elsewhere in Lugano.  Lugano city is actually part of Switzerland and is about an hour north of Milan Malpensa airport, an easy 1 hour 15 minutes flight from Brussels.

Lugano is a posh town with high end shops, amazing hotels, and good restaurant choices.  Nearby Gandria is a town that can only be reached by hiking or boating - definitely worth a visit and a lunch overlooking the lake.  Tim and his buddy Paul rented a boat in Lugano and picked up Brian and I in Oria...just as the only rain of the weekend started to pour.  Gypsy (Tim's dog) was NOT loving the boat ride!

One of the best moments of the trip was dinner at this small family run restaurant (Osteria Nostranello) in the village of Neggio.  Delicious food accompanied by music from the owner and his mates.

Catching up with the guys and hiking along these beautiful trails made for a perfect weekend away.

In expected Swiss fashion, great signage to guide your every step along the trail.  Onward to the top of Monti Bre...

These are edibile...

...but definitely not these

Don't eat the red mushrooms but very cool to find these excellent specimens along the trail.  We met a lady on the trail who had a backpack full of mushrooms.  She showed us some of her prizes of the day.

In the clouds above the town of Bre a breathtaking view of Lake Lugano.

And a post hike lunch at an osteria in Bre.

Cote d'Opale

Within 2.5 hours drive from Brussels there are natural beaches with sand dunes, bike and hiking paths, some cute coastal towns and good seafood.  This is NOT Belgium rather the Opal Coast which is south of Calais on the North coast of France.  Mel and went to this region two weekends in a row during the mini heatwave in August 2012.

Le Cap Blanc Nez and its sister further down the coast Le Cap Gris Nez are key geographic attractions in the area.  These are the equivalent but smaller versions of the White Cliffs of Dover on the other side of the Channel in England, which is visible on a clear day from this area in France.

On weekend #1 we stayed in Dunkerque at the Welcome Hotel and had dinner at Atelier de Steff.  The town was completely deserted due to the August holidays and the nearby beach, Malo les Bains was similar to what we have at the Belgian seaside, ergo miss-able.  Dunkerque is an oil refinery town so very industrial and with a sulphuric odor lurking in the town.  However, we drove down the coast to the Cap Blanc Nez and hiked to the peak for spectacular views.  We spent a day on the beach in Wissant followed by a day of biking in the hills above Wissant.

Cap Blanc Nez, Cote d'Opale, France

Lunch in Wissant...cockles, whelks etc.

Dune-y beach in Wissant but COLD North Sea swimming!

The following weekend, Le Touquet, France which provided a totally different experience.  Again, we drove down after work on Friday evening and went straight to dinner at Le Jardin.  We stayed at a B&B in the woods about 5 minutes out of town.

Le Touquet is also known as Paris-Plage as it's just over an hour from Paris and is still a weekend destination for British tourists given the proximity across the channel - Angelina dropped in for the day from London via chartered helicopter when we were there.  Hence, some nice shopping and restaurants (and chocolate: still dreaming about Au Chat Bleu).

One of the nice finds of this trip was discovering the town of Montreuil-sur-Mer, a town surrounded by a high fortification wall, encompassing some charming streets.  Below the town is a hamlet called Madeleine-sous-Montreuil where we took a nice stroll and a peek in La Grenouillere - a cool hotel and restaurant for 'next time'.

On the beach at Le Touquet

Colorful homes in Le Touquet

Mallorca, Spain

Mel, Margot, Brian and I headed off to Mallorca to attend a week at The Ashram.  We landed in largest city on the Island, Palma, on Saturday and spent a night at Hotel Saratoga in the center and enjoyed a terrific dinner at Forn de St. Joan within walking distance from the hotel.  Before dinner we strolled the shopping streets and hiked up to the cathedral.  Somehow I had expected Palma to be full of rowdy easyjet tourists but I was happily surprised at how beautiful and cosmopolitan the city is, and hugging the coast no less, with a great walking/biking/running path trailing along the harbor.

Next day, and through to the following Saturday afternoon we spent our week just outside of Soller, about an hour's drive from Palma.  We followed a well-orchestrated routine each day: 5am wake-up, 5:30 yoga, then breakfast, a 5-6 hour hike up hill somewhere in the mountains, lunch, massage, core exercises, more yoga, dinner, bedtime.  The food was great, mostly vegan but well prepared with mediterranen ingredients.

Saturday, after our time at The Ashram ended, we promptly taxi'ed our way up the hill to a French patisserie we heard about from one of our Ashram buddies.  Here, two sisters had set up in a family estate a random coffee and tart stop along one of the beautiful hiking trails.  Later, we had lunch at Es Faro with incredible seafood and views across the Soller harbor.

Dinner at The Ashram

Dragonera Island, off the coast of Mallorca

Soller Market Day

Tapas in Palma in Palma

Lucca (and surroundings)

Our friends Russ and Rob from NYC came to Europe this summer to visit and after much back and forth planning we agreed to situate ourselves in Lucca for our week in Tuscany.

Mel and I had visited Lucca a couple of times previously as some friends have a family home nearby in Tereglio. More on that below.

For this trip we rented an apartment from a private party via:

www.holidaylettings.co.uk (we have also done this for another trip via

www.vrbo.com).

Both of these sites have worked fine for us and this was no exception. We wanted our own kitchen, some outdoor space, and charm and we got all of this. What we didn't get was air-conditioning - normally not a big deal - but July in Lucca turned out to be much hotter than expected.

We managed to do most of our excursions by train and bike with exception of Tereglio which is 45 mins north of Lucca and is best visited by car.

Top things to do in Lucca and the surrounding area:

1. Enjoy the ambiance of the town, meander the streets, find charming lunch or dinner spots

2. Walk (or bike) the 4 km fortress wall which surrounds the entire town early in the day or at sundown as the locals do

3. Florence day trip which is about an hour train ride (but only if you want a big city experience during your holiday)

4. Cinque Terra day trip (more below) if you like a good hike and amazing cliff side views of the Mediterranean Sea

5. Viareggio or Torre del Lago beach about 20 mins by train

6. Rent bikes and take the established paths alongside the Serchio River (outside of the north gate of Lucca) up into the surrounding hills to have a meal and visit some amazing historical villas (Villa Reale has amazing gardens)

Villa Reale

7. Climb the tower in Lucca at the Palazzo Guinigi where trees have taken root on top and where you will have a panoramic view of Lucca and the surrounding countryside

8. If you rent a car, visit Tereglio, where our friends have a family home. This town is located on top of a mountain ridge and is one of the most peaceful places I know (from here you can hike in the Garfagnana)

Restaurants

It is pretty much common knowledge that food in Italy is one of the main reasons to visit. One can be almost guaranteed a great meal anywhere you go. For this reason, I won't list every restaurant we visited since you'll make your own discoveries. Here are a few to get you started:

1. Da Leo (Lucca) is a family style trattoria with very special (and brightly lit) ambiance. If possible get a table outside but if not, it is still worth eating here for all the Tuscan standards.

2. Erasmus Trattoria (Ponte a Moriano) about 7 miles north of Lucca is this small town and as you leave the town you will see the restaurant near the bridge. Here you also have standard Tuscan options and in summer a great courtyard in which to eat. We biked here from Lucca. (photo at left is what you can expect)

3. Da Michele (Tereglio) is a nice 1km walk from the town center where you will have typical food (fried porcini mushrooms when in season!)

Cinque Terra

Rick Steeves, the well known travel writer from the US, has made this place even more famous than it already was and consequently it is a popular destination for US visitors. Perhaps the economy in the US held tourists back (or maybe it was the logic of not wanting to hike hot trails in mid-July) but we saw few Americans on the trails.

The special attribute of this area is the five towns perched on cliffs, joined together by a train and by hiking paths. It can be hiked from north to south in a day but we chose to start at the second to last town in on the Northern end called Vernazza and we hiked to the second to last town on the southern end where we took a ferry to the last town and rejoined the train back to Lucca from there. This area is actually part of the Liguria region (not in Tuscany) but can be reached in about 1.5 hours from Lucca.

Upon reaching Vernazza train station, simply walk downhill until you've almost reached the water. The hiking trail will be off to the left up some stairs. Ask if you can't find it as it is not well-marked. Once you get started it is pretty straightforward and at times challenging. Ideally, take the time to have a swim in one or more of the towns, have a lunch overlooking the sea and enjoy the serenity, views and relaxation. In my opinion, this is a MUST DO especially if you enjoy a good long (4-5 hours) hike.

Mykonos

Finally, I've made it to Greece and have spent a relaxing week on the island of Mykonos, a short 25 minute flight from Athens. Mykonos is well-known as a 'party' island but what I've really enjoyed here is simple relaxation. The town is very charming with lots of narrow, winding, pedestrian-only streets packed with tourist shops, high and low end jewelry shops, restaurants, bars and people. There are incredible views from nearly every place perched on the hill above the town. A selection of beaches to accommodate all tastes and lifestyles from nudist to gay, to family, to the yachting euro crowd. Here is what I would suggest as must do:

1. stroll through the main town (Hora aka Mykonos) and enjoy the late night ambiance (dinner starts at 9pm)

2. check out the various beaches..

• Aghios Stosis on the north (quiet, few amenities but gorgeous setting and Kiki's restaurant nearby-see below)

• Elia (mixed gay/straight crowd, umbrellas and lounge chairs for rent and restaurant on the beach)

• Paradise (mixed crowed, pebbly beach, loads of beach clubs and amenities and pretty crowded)

• Super Paradise (beautiful cove setting, peaceful but with amenities like lounge chairs and umbrellas and lunch)

3. Kiki's restaurant: no sign, no advertising, run by a Swede/Greek couple above Aghios Stosis beach

4. Pub crawl evening: Kastro Bar, Montparnasse piano bar, Lola's, Jackie O's

5. Sunset cocktails: at your own hotel, at the Kastro Bar in the Little Venice section of the town and at the Elysium Hotel

6. Greek food: feta cheese, fresh tomatoes, seafood, fried zucchini with tzatziki sauce, black-eyed peas, fava beans

7. Island hopping via boat: if you're with friends you might want to charter a boat to visit Parros or other nearby islands, taking you well off the beaten trail (take dramamine along...the Aegean Sea can get rough as we discovered)

Hotel

Hermes Hotel is perched on a hill overlooking the town and a 5 minute walk down hill (10 mins uphill) to town. 20 steps away is a place to rent scooters or 4-wheel all-terrain vehicles if you want that or simply walk to town or take the bus to the beaches. Mel and I stayed 2 nights at this family run hotel which was very welcoming, clean and probably a 3 star in terms of amenities. Great buffet breakfast included, nice pool with views of the harbor. Definitely not chic but convenient and friendly. The rest of our trip we stayed with friends in a villa they rented on the south side of town.

Restaurants

Mykonos is a late-night destination which means all meals are delayed 2 to 3 hours later than what most people are used to. Lunch is common around 3pm, dinner at 10pm. Try making dinner reservations earlier than 9pm and you will definitely find yourself alone in the restaurant or possibly even refused.

Also, take note that seafood (apart from octopus and calamari) is very expensive as are alcholic beverages: e.g. beers usually 9 euros, cocktails 10-15 euros. Greek house wine is usually available by the carafe and is not expensive and is perfectly fine.

Matsuhisa, at the Belvedere Hotel is a spin-off of the Nobu dynasty where you will find great cocktails, uber-chic scene, and Japanese food prepared in the way for which Nobu has become famous around the world. Here you will spend big bucks (15 euros for a cocktail!.) I made Mel pay for the meal so I wouldn't have to look at the bill. Nevertheless, for people watching and taste of the fabulous life this is where you want to be. p.s. the ginger cocktail is addictive.

Nammos is on Psarrou Beach about 20 minutes from town. For amazing food, ambiance and service the eight of us agreed this place scored a 10. Also not inexpensive, but the quality/price ratio made sense. If you are eating fish you go pick from the ice chest which one you want and they cook it on the grill. They will sort you out with starters so you get a taste of various local dishes.

Kiki's is just above Aghios Stosis beach, tucked away with no sign. There is very little in this isolated part of the island so eventually you will find this restaurant - just look for a row of parked cars as you approach the beach. The food is simply prepared on the grill and a selection of local starters which you can choose by looking at a display in the kitchen. The restaurant has 10-15 tables perched on a deck overlooking the bay down below and is shaded by a tree canopy. Inexpensive and well worth the 25 minutes drive.

Maria's Traditional Restaurant is just behind the Delos Hotel in Mykonos town and serves Greek standards at very low prices. Here you can get grilled octupus and sardines, Greek salada with Feta, other typical cheeses prepared in different ways, pizza and pasta. I could eat here everyday.

Katrin was on the 'recommended' list we received from a friend-of-a-friend and it is, indeed, very charming, located in the old town hidden away in the labyrinth of streets. They have a very sophisticated French/Greek menu and we enjoyed part of our meal by candlelight as the power in the town crashed for 2 hours during our meal. The staff just kept right on going as if it happens all the time (which it apparently does). The only word of caution: prices are steep. On par or even more than our meal at Matsuhisa (see above).

Joanna's Nico's Taverna (not to be confused with Nico's Taverna - see below) Brian, Patrick and I hiked down from our villa to the town beach situated to the right of the famous 6 windmills if you are looking from the sea. This restaurant is literally right on the beach just steps from the town and is a typical Greek taverna which means grilled meats, seafood like octopus and calamari, greek salad, and meze platters...all at very low prices. Really nice for lunch due to it's location on the beach.

Nico's Taverna is located in the town center just behind the small marina and is one of the long-standing well-known establishments in Mykonos. Here they serve up all the Greek standards and specialize in seafood which you select from the ice-chest or the waiter will pick it out for you and bring it to the table for your approval before it is cooked. For a lively (LIVELY) people watching scene, this is worth checking out as their tables are spread throughout the outdoor plaza in front of the restaurant.

Marrakech

Due to the Icelandic volcanic ash debacle our trip to Morocco was extended and our stay at Le Dromadaire Bleu riad went from 5 days to 10 days! Fortunately for us, Marrakech has an endless supply of nooks and crannies to explore accompanied by laughs from our US and Belgian-based friends who joined us for some or all of this wonderful holiday.

Morocco has a population a little larger than California and several well-known cities like Casablanca, Fez, Tangiers as well as a desert, the Atlas mountains and the Atlantic coastline. On this trip, we took a day hike in the foothills of the Atlas mountains (about 1.5 hours from Marrakech by car), through Berber villages and had a picnic lunch made by local gentlemen who hauled in the food via mules. We also did a day trip to Essaouria on the coast - a longer drive of about 3 hours on some good and bad roads - here you can ride a camel on the beach, lounge in seaside trendy cafes, and tour the medina of the town in which you find most of the same merchandise that is available in the Marrakech souqs.

It's hard to sum it all up as Marrakech offers a lot of everything: you can get lost in medieval souq alleys where donkeys haul loads of fresh mint (or people, or building materials) or you can spend a day poolside at a luxury resort hotel and have your skin scrubbed off in a too-hot hammam. One thing we all agreed on: the people are wonderfully sincere, have a friendly sense of humour, and have amazing traditions that made all of us really feel transported somewhere totally different from our everyday lives. I highly recommend a visit!

Top Things to Do

1. Get lost in the souqs, including the Bab Doukkala food souq (insane!)

2. Engage with the Marrakechi locals by negotiating a purchase in the souq

3. Drink fresh squeezed orange juice in one of the cafes on the Djemaa-el-Fna square in the early evening

4. Visit a hammam for a gommage treatment (a serious scrubdown!)

5. Spend a day poolside at one of several incredible resorts - most allow day visitors for a small fee

6. Dine in riad courtyards

7. Hike in the Atlas foothills

Tips

1. 'guides' will come up to you and ask where you are going..usually they say you are heading in the wrong direction, that the street ahead is closed all in the name of getting you to 'hire' them to lead you around. We did use a guide twice...but most of the time avoid it if you can.

2. negotiating in the souq is part of the fun and a way to interact with the locals. They expect you to do this. They will suggest a price usually almost double what they are willing to take. They will ask you what you are willing to pay...be ready to buy if they agree to it, otherwise be prepared to be followed around the souq for awhile and harassed.

3. for the tourist restaurants, which are mostly what I recommend below, call to reserve in the morning or the day before.

Restaurants

Cafe du Grand Balcon: on the south side of the Djemaa-el-Fna square, a place to have a tea or orange juice at sundown and watch the action on the square.


Djemaa-el-Fna food stalls: eat dinner ONCE just for the experience, walk through it a couple of times and let the hawkers try to convince you to come to their stall, when you finally make your choice ( mostly all the same offerings ) the vendors will clap with joy! You can eat lambs-head, entrails, grilled-meat kabobs, fried seafood..all of it reasonably safe but probably not totally sanitary as there is no running water in the square! (how do they wash the forks?!).


Dar Moha: upper end Moroccan food, we had a many-course, fixed-menu lunch here but would also be a nice dinner place. Ideally, reserve a day ahead and ask for a courtyard table.

Le Tobsil: upper end Moroccan food, finding it is a challenge as it's buried in dark, twisty alleyways. We walked by the derb (alley) entryway twice before we saw a guide from the restaurant who led us down the path. This riad is filled with candles and atmosphere and two guys were singing and playing traditional instruments beautifully (and at low decibel). Consensus from our group is that this was one of the best for local food and atmosphere. Reserve a day or two ahead.

Azar: trendy Lebenese in La Nouvelle Ville (next to Le Chat qui Rit, see below). Due to our large group we had a set menu of typical Lebanese mezze followed by various typical main dishes. The restaurant interior is modern Marrakechi and there was live music during our meal. As a break from Moroccan food, this is a great choice.

Jardin des Arts: upscale intercontinental & French in Gueliz (about 10 mins cab from the medina). Our Asbury Park friend, Christine, suggested this place as her friends are owners. We were there on an off night so had the entire place to ourselves. Food and atmosphere all modern and I expect on a Friday/Saturday this place would be packed.

La Terrace des Epices: in the heart of the souq in a penthouse of a shopping arcade, this place is my favorite for lunch. Modernized decor, comfortable all outdoor seating shaded or optional straw hats to wear. Salads, fresh fruit juices, sweets, teas etc. A great break while shopping in the souq. A couple of recommended shops are downstairs (see below).

Le Crystal: located at the Pacha Marrakech hotel, this high-design, French/Moroccan restaurant gets busy around 10pm. The atmosphere, decor and food are all excellent. The location is about 10 mins by car from the medina. There's a big nightclub here that draws internationally known DJs (e.g. David Guetta).

Le Foundouk: this restaurant is ranked either #1 or #2 depending on who you ask among our group. It is nearly impossible to find on your own as it deep in the souq so paying a local 20 dirhams to help you find it is well worth it (you will have many offers for guides...who already know what you are looking for). The place is inside a riad that has been perfectly decorated, very serene atmosphere, perfect service, moroccan food.

Riad 72: a small hotel riad (just 4 rooms) but beautifully designed, we stopped by to have a look and decided to reserve for dinner in their courtyard. We were served a menu of delicious carrot/orange soup and a tagine of beef. A very typical meal served by very kind staff. You can chat with the cook while she's preparing the meal - recipe for carrot/orange soup: 2 kilos carrots, 1 potato, vegetable broth, zest of two oranges, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper (stew and then puree) serve with dollop of creme fraiche. Mmmmm.

Grand Cafe de la Poste: is a converted former post office that has a french colonial feel to it. It is VERY touristy and well known, located in the Nouvelle Ville. I would say for lunch sit outside on the porch or for dinner sit inside. We didn't have a reservation so we were relegated to a back corner near the kitchen and had fairly poor service. In spite of all that, I would give it a second chance but reserve ahead.

Le Chat Qui Rit: located in the Nouvelle Ville, next to Azar (see above) and a good lunch spot to either sit on the porch or inside. The place serves Italian food and good salads and you can get a tap beer in a frozen glass. For a break from Moroccan food...

Shopping

Souqs: there are two souq areas we shopped in: one above the Djemaa-el-Fna where you find the leather souq, the slipper souq, the jewelry souq etc., the other is in the Bab Doukkala neighborhood which is more local and here you find the food souq and many other little shops.

Akbar Delights: this tiny shop is in the square just north of the Djemaa-el-Fna where you will also find a handy ATM machine. You might need it if you make a purchase in the shop as everything here is top end, including beautifully crafted tunics for women and lovely objects well-chosen by the owners. They also operate a shop in the Nouvelle Ville called Moor, which has more tunics and more homewares. They can ship to locations outside Morocco if needed.

Lalla: is a home decor shop in the same building as Terrace des Epice restaurant in the souq and well worth a look. Several of us made purchases there. Top quality items, well-chosen/edited. Much of what you find in the souq repeats so these small upscale shops help short-cut the entire experience. Across the courtyard you will find Stephanie Jewels, which offers delicate, beautifully designed jewelry.

Atelier Moro: is a hidden away shop (buzz to get in) in Place de la Fontaine in the souq. Here you find a selection of souq merchandise that is a cut above and edited down.

Michi: unique products, small selection, tucked deep into the souq (slipper souq, I think) specially designed slippers by the Japanese owner with small well-chosen household items. A nice break from the endless souq shops whose merchandise can seem repetitive.

Al Kawtar: disabled women have formed a cooperative and produce lovely, hand-crafted linens and clothing. A purchase here is a great way to support this and come home with something unique.

Sites and Other Things to Do

Hike in Atlas Mountains: this can be arranged as a day trip or for 2 or more days depending on how much you want to be in the outdoors hiking through villages and experiencing the Atlas mountains. I found Mohamed randomly via google and he gave us a perfect experience: arranged van/driver from Marrakech, guided hike by him, picnic hot lunch of local food, for about 35 euros a person! The driver stopped for an hour on the way back at Richard Branson's boutique hotel so we could have a drink and look.

Mohamed Aztat Mountain Guide & Trekking organizer Imlil-MoroccoTel (Mobile ) : 00212 6 68 76 01 65 www.atlastrekshop.comhttp://toubkl.guide.free.fr Guest House in Imlil " Dar Adrar"www.daradrar.com

Essaouria (day at the beach): about 3 hours drive from Marrakech, we hired a driver via the concierge of the Mamounia hotel where some of our friends were staying. We arrived in time for lunch at a beachside restaurant followed up by a walk through the medina of town. The town has a very active an interesting fishing port - very colorful. We lazed in the afternoon at a beachside cafe and then headed back to Marrakech in time for dinner. In hotter weather this would be ideal as an overnight or two to enjoy the beach more.

Pool/Spa Day at La Mamounia: this is one of the most traditionally elegant hotels I've been in and puts the Ritz Carleton into perspective. The hotel just completed a billion dollar renovation a few months ago so everything is new and gorgeous. The staff/customer ratio is ridiculous (e.g. getting out of the pool someone is there to put a towel around your shoulders). You need to wear nice clothes (no shorts) to get past the front gate. Once inside, it is easy to act like a guest - make your way to the poolside restroom to change into your swimwear and enjoy the pool and gardens. Otherwise, pay 50 euros for a day pass to feel more entitled. The hammam in the spa area is incredible. There are several restaurant options - all very expensive but fun to indulge. Drinks on the terrace at sundown is fantastic.




Les Bains de Marrakech Day Spa: a much less expensive but equally satisfying option to Mamounia spa. This spa is nicely designed, modern but with local touches and the prices were reasonable for the treatments. It is located in the Kasbah area (within the medina) where you can also check out the Saadi Tombs nearby. The thing to do at any hammam/spa in Marrakech is the gommage treatment. You sweat for 15 mins in the hammam, then the attendant rinses you off and covers you with some goo, more sweating, then she/he scrubs you with a kessa (special loofa glove) that scrapes off the first layer of your skin. Yes, it sounds painful, but it's tolerable and totally exhilarating. After this, I had an hour massage - and slept through most of it.


Dar Cherifa: this well-preserved historic riad provides visitors with a calming environment either rooftop or within the courtyard where you can relax, have a tea, lunch or dinner. A wonderful place to take a quiet break from the souq.

Gent

Restaurants

Cafe Parti - (Belgian/modern) Located near the train station in Gent, this modern brasserie has excellent food and service. NOT in the old town center but nevertheless worth the effort. A 20 minute walk along the canal from the center or 1 minute walk from the train station. The bouillabaisse was superb.

Belga Queen - (Belgian/modern) in the historic center of Gent, the restaurant is the sister to the one in Brussels and the one I prefer due to its fabulous location on the canal in a medieval flemish-style building. Here you will find all the flemish standards as well as incredible seafood plateaux (raw bar offerings).