I NEED SOME SUN !

Ok, I have to postpone writing about my Cordoba once again. Let’s say that today I have something else on my mind. This time I will not tell you about a place that I have seen…it will be about a destination that is on the first place on my wish list, Cuba.

Sometimes I wonder why Cuba is so magnetic to me and what edge does it have over the rest of the world. I think that the mix of tropical climate, uncommon atmosphere, difficult history and people make this place absolutely unique. Of course It depends on preferences, but for me there is nothing more I could ask for.

Cuba is the biggest island in the Caribbean Sea. It has tropical climate with warm waters and one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. When Columbus landed on the island in 1492 he described the it as ’the most beautiful that human eyes have ever seen’…I think we can take it for granted J The most popular seaside resort is probably Varadero , where you can find everything mentioned above.

Cuba is of course more than tropical climate. Difficult history of the island includes spanish colonisation and rule, slavery of Africans, fake independence “granted” by U.S government and real revolución conducted by Fidel Castro that totally changed everything. It helped to develop a unique landscape with sugar plantations and colonial houses, culture of music and dancing influenced by latin and African rythms, old Cadillacs left by americans, legend of brave Che Guevara and Ernest Hemingway drinking mojito in his favourite bar in Hawana – El Floridita.

As I love travelling and photography, I hope that sooner than later I will have a chance to see it by my own eyes. I hope that someday I will go to club in Hawana, hear original Cuban band and watch normal people there dancing with a lot of passion. But I have to do it in a hurry, because recently US decided to renew diplomatic relations with Cuba. It is only a first step and it will take a while, but eventually, the original, romantic, unique climate of the island will catch up to global standards. And I am not interested in visiting McDonalds in Hawana, so…time to plan the trip and make it happen!

The perfect tapas

As I am taking my sentimental journey to Andalusia on this blog, I have to take a short break and expand on something tasty.

Speaking honestly about Spanish cuisine, it doesn’t impress me much. Of course there are few exceptions, but when I think about all the ingredients that are available in Spain (fresh seafood, fruits, vegetables)  I have a strong feeling that it is not good enough. It is probably caused by approach to food, completely different in Poland and Spain. In our country we pay a greater attention to cooking, serving, flavoring… in Spain food seems to be only an addition to a meeting, without importance. When you are in Spain for a few days it is ok, you can enjoy something different. But when I stayed for almost half a year I really miss polish food.

Positive product of spanish approach to food are tapas, understood as all the types of appetizers served in bars.It originally comes from Andalusia and appears in a wide variety of forms. During my stay I had the opportunity to find a perfect one. And I did J

Salmorejo can be decribed as a purée consisting of tomato, bread, garlic, oil and vinegar. It has a taste close to gazpacho, but it is more creamier and thicker(because of breed). It is usually served with great Serrano ham and hard-boiled eggs. It tastes great, it is refreshing – perfect addition to spanish climate.

I was lucky because Salmorejo, comes from my spanish “hometown” – Cordoba, so I could find the best one. Funny thing that I found it two hundred kilometres away –in Nuevo Restaurante, Granada. I also did it on my own in Poland and it was really good – it is not difficult but you got to have a very good ingredients!

It was a short, culinary break…hope you enjoyed the read!

Buckle up, this time we will travel to the heart of Andalusia…

Year ago as an Erasmus student I had a great opportunity to live in this beautiful region for a while. And although it was not my first visit in Spain, Andalusia will always be the most significant for me. What makes it so special? Someone might say that I am biased by the fact that I was living there, and to be fair – they are right. But the truth is that Andalusia is like an image of Spain. It is a land of the sun and home of genuine Spanish culture: flamenco, corrida, pueblos blancos and paella. It is unique connection of Arabic and European influences, perfect climate for relaxation and many breath-taking views.

But first we have to get there, which is neither difficult nor expensive. There are many connecting flights with Andalusia, with Malaga as the cheapest and most available destination. It is a perfect city to start, the capitol of Costa del Sol, birthplace and home of Pablo Ruiz Picasso and a nice warm–up before next surprises. I remember amazing view of the city from Alcazaba, the muslim palace that stands on hill within the city –the harbour with port, the beautiful historical centre with cathedral. I also remember uncommon atmosphere of the Old Town – especially by night…

Andalusia is a lot more than Malaga, so we have to continue the journey. Spain has great communication between cities with the cheaper but comfortable alternative (buses) and more expensive but lightning-quick and luxurious(trains, RENFE). Every choice you made will be good, it really depends only on how much you can spend.

The next obvious stop could be Granada, because it is closest to Malaga. The city has a lot to offer, with magnificent Alhambra to begin with. I can find a way to describe it – it has to be seen with one’s own eyes. All I can say that it is huge and it takes at least five hours to explore it, but it surely lives up to everyone’s expectations. When visiting Granada, you could not miss Albaicín and Sacromonte - districts of city with rare, Arabian-influenced atmosphere. And when you wake up, you can taste a classic andalusian breakfast – baguette with jamón Serrano and tomatoes with juice and coffee.

Next destination will be Sevilla, the capitol of Andalusia. It is a little bit different from other places–people are moving a little bit faster there, you can also feel the atmosphere of the bigger city there. But you also can find traditional andalusian culture there, with monumental architecture like The Cathedral of St. Mary with towering La Giralda, Alcazar with beautiful gardens and Plaza de España, with history of Spain written all over the walls. You could also see La Maestranza, one of the most important bullrings in the world. Wandering around Sevilla, between beautifully decorated tenements is truly magical.

This is the first part of my story about Andalusia, there are so many places to visit… Next time I will write about city that has special place in my heart, Córdoba.

SUSHI - MY LOVE

Hi again! 

After short break I am back and this time I will write about food. It should also show that sometimes it is worth to give another try to something.

I used to avoid sushi. Let's say that up to one point my experience with this dish was very underwhelming. What is more I heard some rumours about parasites in it so I decided to stay away. Luckily, last time I went to restaurant “Pad-Thai” and I get the opportunity to change my mind. I ordered sushi and fell in love with it. And I can only wish to turn back the time and make that order earlier…

Sushi is the definition of what I like in food. It is healthy, light, fresh and contains ingredients that I really love. Moreover, it even looks amazing – colourful, esthetic, tasty.

This traditional japanese food consists of cooked rice combined with variety of ingredients, for example fresh seafood (shrimps, salmon) and tropical fruits or vegetables (cucamber, avocado, mango). It is usually served with ginger, wasabi and soy sauce and in the most popular form rolled in “nori”. There are many different types of sushi, which are differentiated by ingredients, size or way of serving. My favourite one is called ebi which literally means “shrimp”.

Interesting fact that although in Europe we used to eat sushi with chopsticks, traditionally it is eaten by bare hands.

There are a lot of health benefits of sushi. Sushi, in general, is very low in calories and fat but very high in proteins, vitamins and minerals. Seafood and fish as an ingredient are very rich in omega-3 fatty acids which can be effective in reducing risk of heart disease. Nori (seaweed) is highly nutritious (it contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C…) and it prevents cumulate cholesterol in blood vessels. There are a lot more advantages for health, and as sushi is one of the most popular meal in Japan, you can take life longevity there (average around 85 years) as an evidence.

That said, unfortunately, some of the myths surrounding sushi are true. Some types (prepared from raw fish, like sashimi) may contain parasites. But at the same time, in Europe we eat carpaccio or steak tartare, made from raw meat as well so we face the same risk. There is one universal rule – eat this type of food only in tested, good restaurants.EU regulations forbid the use of fresh raw fish and if the food is prepared properly we have nothing to worry about.

Last paragraph might be a bit repelling, but if we take care about where and what we eat there is no reason to be worried. Personally I love sushi and I just avoid risky ingredients…everything else is just a great taste and fun.

Hope you enjoyed the read!