New Book - Slow Travel Journal

Slow Travel, a guided journal written and illustrated by me is now out! The journal is packed with thoughtful prompts and watercolour illustrations. The irony of publishing a travel journal in a global pandemic isn’t lost on me. But if there is one thing we’ve all learnt during the pandemic it's finding joy in the little things, which is what this book is all about. The great thing about mindful travel is it’s about slowing down and making memories, even if you’re not travelling very far at all. I know this year most of us will just be travelling within our own country, state, or even our own neighbourhood, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be magical. This fully illustrated guided journal is full of prompts to help you record all the little details that made it special, including spaces to sketch and collect tickets and tokens. I absolutely loved working on this book, it feels like such a love letter to travel, and I hope you like it too.

Top Tips for Slower Travel

Earlier in the year my husband and I went on a little holiday to Tuscany, where we stayed in the tiny picturesque town of San Miniato, and had one of our best holidays ever. A friend asked me what there was to do there. The answer was nothing; there was just a beautiful town, with beautiful scenery, great restaurants and lovely weather. We just relaxed, walked, ate, talked and enjoyed ourselves. My husband and I never made a conscious decision to embrace ‘slow travel’, (a growing trend for mindful holidays), it was just something that happened naturally. After a couple of very chilled, very relaxed holidays we now realise that slow travel is what we’ve been doing all along.

I think a combination of social media and limited annual leave means people are keen to pack as much as they can into a short period of time. The ‘photos or it didn’t happen’ culture makes us feel like the most important thing is other people knowing where we went and what we did, rather than how much we actually enjoyed it. I don’t like the way people talk about being able to ‘do’ a city in a set number of days, as if the city is nothing but a collection tourist attractions to be ticked off your list. I feel like the rise of Instagram has made travel very performative and it can actually become stressful for many of us.

Slow travel is all about slowing down and taking the time to make a real connection with the place you are visiting. It’s about spending time in one place, exploring your surroundings at a gentle pace and really relaxing, rather than rushing around in order to visit lots of different places. It means doing what you really want to do, whatever that is for you. It’s about abandoning the to do list of ‘must see’ sites and tourist attractions, and taking the time to really enjoy things rather than just check them off the list.

Top Tips for Travelling Slow

Pick somewhere where you can get around on foot or by bike.
It could be a gorgeous little village, it could be a city, but pick somewhere where you’re not constantly having to drive from place to place. You experience so much more buy just walking and taking in your surroundings. You could even make walking or cycling the main activity of your holiday. I love going on long country walks with my husband.

Keep your schedule flexible
Don’t pack your holiday full of constant day trips and early starts, make sure you’ve got time to relax and explore the area you’re staying in. Leave some day unaccounted for and see how you feel on the day.

Consider going self catering
Eating out is definitely part of the fun when travelling, but I also love going to little local shops to pick up fresh produce for an alfresco breakfast or a simple lunch. Staying in a holiday rental like Airbnb gives you a chance to have a little taste of living like a local.

Prioritise what you want to do, not what you think you should do.
Forget the things you’ve been told you ‘must see’. If you want to do them, do them, and if you don’t, don’t. Don’t feel guilty about going to a place and not seeing it’s top attraction if it’s not something you are genuinely interested in. Equally if you really lovely somewhere don’t worry about doing the same thing more than once.

Embrace public transport
My husband and I can’t drive, so we’ve kind of been forced to embrace public transport. But we could just take taxis everywhere and we don’t. Using local buses and trains is often a much more memorable experience.

Take time to get to know the area you’re staying in
Find your favourite bakery, your favourite route from your apartment to the main square, get a loyalty card at the local coffee shop, buy fresh produce from the market every morning and take time to observe the rhythms of the place you’re staying in.

Make time just to be
Don’t pack your days full of things to do, constantly rushing from one place to another on a tight schedule. Take time to sit, have a drink, soak up the atmosphere and hopefully the sunshine too. If you feel like it bring a book, a journal or a sketchbook with you, but equally it’s fine to do absolutely nothing.

The most important thing is of course to make sure your holiday works for you. Everyone has different needs, but slowing down a little bit and taking in your surroundings can only be a good thing.

A little Guide to the Suffolk Coast

I love Suffolk; I think it’s a little bit overshadowed by Norfolk as a mini break destination, but Suffolk has so much to offer. It’s only an hour and 10 minutes from London on the train and is full of beautiful villages and charming seaside towns. This is by no means an exhaustive guide to Suffolk and for this first instalment I have decided to write about the Suffolk coast line, which is recognised as an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Aldeburgh

Aldeburgh is a lovely little seaside town with a pebble beach, colourful houses, boutique shops and a nostalgic British charm. It also has a generous helping of art with Maggi Hambling’s scallop shell and Antony Gormley’s figure on the Martello Tower, plus several good art galleries, including Thompsons. Aldeburgh is known for its fish and chips, with queues stretching up the road at lunch time.

Walberswick

Walberswick is a favourite place from my childhood. I have fond memories of going crabbing with my little brothers and playing in the sand dunes. The highlight of Walberswick is definitely its slightly wild, windswept feeling beach with sand dunes aplenty.It also has extensive heath and marshlands with picturesque herds of dosing cows. Around this part of Suffolk there is a trend for black painted wooden clad buildings, which I love as they look so striking against Suffolk‘s flat landscape.There isn’t very much to the village of Walberswick, but I recommend having lunch at The Bell or The Anchor.

Southwold

Across the river Blythe is Southwold. You can walk across the bridge or get the ferry. The ferry is simply a wooden dingy sailed backwards and forwards by a man who charges £1 per person, dogs are free. The journey only takes a few minutes and it’s lovely to take part in something that has been a Walberswick tradition for so long. Southwold is a very pretty town with a great selection of shops, cafes, pubs, bakeries and galleries. Highlights include The Swan Hotel, which has been recently renovated and has beautiful rooms, and the lighthouse. 

Thorpness

Thorpness is a strange little village by the sea. It mostly consists of holiday cottages built in the early 1900s, the Meare, a shallow yet extensive man made lake for boating, almshouses built in the 1920s that looks like they could be  mediaeval, and the house in the clouds, which was originally built to hide the eyesore of having a water tower in the village. In 2003 it was named Britain’s weirdest village, so it's not just me that thinks it's a bit odd. It also has a stretch of quiet and windswept beach. It’s definitely worth paying a visit to see the house in the clouds and go boating on the lake.

Orford

Orford is a small village near the coast, on the banks of the river Ore. It’s famous for its castle and the excellent Pump Street Bakery. I definitely recommend popping in for a hot chocolate or a sausage roll. You might recognise its distinctive pink building from Instagram.

Snape Maltings

Not far from Orford you'll find Snape Maltings, a converted barley maltings turned arts venue. This complex of buildings houses everything from concert halls, galleries, vintage shops, print studios and cafes, set in stunning natural surroundings. It has a couple of excellent pieces of outdoor sculpture, which work so well as part of the landscape.

Felixstowe

Whilst Aldeburgh, and Southwold feel distinctly upmarket, Felixstowe definitely isn’t, but that’s where its charm lies. There is something nostalgic and a teeny bit tacky about Felixstowe. It’s a very affordable place to eat and drink, with a scoop of ice cream costing £2.20 rather than the £2.95 you'll find in Southwold. I particularly recommend the Little Ice Cream Company for excellent ice cream. Felixstowe boasts a newly renovated pier and a long stretch of pebbly beach with colourful beach huts. At the far end of Felixstowe the beaches are a bit more wild and dog friendly through out the year.

I hope you have enjoyed this first instalment. I'm hoping to write another covering the lovely villages you find inland at some point. 

A Little Guide to Sóller, Mallorca

My husband and I love a European city break, but I've realised in the rush to do and see as much as you can in three or four days it's not always that relaxing. We decided to book a springtime European getaway with a focus on slowing down and relaxing. Ideally we wanted somewhere beautiful and rural, but neither my husband or I drive which poses a bit of a problem. Sóller in Mallorca was the perfect solution, as this small town is surrounded by stunning countryside, yet it’s easily accessible by bus and train.

Sóller

We flew into Palma and then got the antique train through the mountains straight to Sóller. I had read reviews on Trip Advisor urging me to get there early and be prepared to fight for a seat. As we were travelling out of season and mid week there was no queue at all and our carriage was almost empty. The beautiful antique train takes a scenic route through the mountains, passing olive groves and fields of sheep. A single ticket is €18, so it’s not cheap but it’s a beautiful journey. It’s also worth checking out the train station in Sóller, which includes a free permanent collection of works by Miro and Picasso. Possibly the most cultural train station I’ve ever been to.

Sóller is a gorgeous little town, fairly untouched by modernisation. The main shopping street is still full of independent boutiques, butchers, greengrocers and many, many ice cream shops. The main plaza is particularly picturesque as it features a huge church, orange trees, outdoor restaurants and cafes and an antique tram which winding through it all. The antique tram runs regularly between Sóller town and Port de Sóller carrying waving tourists. We stayed in a hotel in the centre of town then walked and cycled in the surrounding areas. Our favourite restaurant was Bar Molino, a family run place on the edge of own.  It doesn't look like much but it is the place to find authentic flavours, friendly service and big portions.

On our second day we hired bikes and planned to cycle to Port de Sóller via the scenic route. The scenic road actually involved cycling up a mountain. We zig-zagged up the mountain for over an hour, at every corner hoping we were at the top, and when we finally made it to way we thought was the top my husband got a massive puncture and we had to walk the bikes all the way down the mountain to the bike shop. You’ve got to laugh. The tire was replaced and we decided just to take the main road and cycled to the port in less than 10 minutes. We had a lovely lunch on the sea front, I did some painting and we explored the area on our bikes. 

Ecovinyassa

I developed a bit of an obsession with oranges whilst in Sóller: I probably drank about a gallon of freshly squeezed orange juice and came home with a memory card full of pictures of orange trees. To fuel this obsession further we paid a visit to Ecovinyassa, an organic orange farm in the Sóller valley that offers tours. We spent an hour wandering around the orange groves and learning about different varieties of oranges and organic farming methods, and just generally taking in the beauty and tranquillity of the scenery. The tour finishes with a jug of orange juice and a snack of bread with fresh tomatoes.

Fornalutx

There are lots of beautiful walks in the surrounding area. Our hotel gave us a map of hiking trails, and we did a few of the shorter ones, walking to Biniraix and Fornalutx. The walk to Fornalutx via Binibasi is particularly lovely. The scenery is so magical, I'm not sure that photos really do it justice. There are miles of orange and lemon trees in every direction, remote stone villages dotted along the mountains, wildflowers growing along the edge of every road and blue mountains rising in the distance, with a delicious smell of orange blossom, jasmine and woodsmoke everywhere you go.

Deia

Another day we decided to get the bus to Deia. The timetable said it would only take 25 minutes, but it took more like 40 as it wound its way through the mountains, slowing to a crawl every time we passed another car. There were a few hair raising moments as we squeezed past another bus along a cliff edge. Deia is a mysterious, quiet town, once home to the writer  Robert Graves, and the setting for the BBC drama The Night Manager. The bus dropped us in the town and then we decided to walk down to the sea, which as it turns out is quite a challenging 30 minute walk following the path of the river until it meets the sea. I don't mind clambering over styles or small streams, but it's something to bear in mind if you're planning at visit. We had a drink in a picturesque restaurant jutting right out into the sea (it was used in The Night Manager). It was the most expensive orange juice I'd had all week but it was worth it for the breathtaking views. We sat and watched braver folk than us swim in the crystal clear turquoise waters. 

The Can Prunera

On our last day the weather was a little cooler so we explored Soller town a bit more in the morning. We visited the Can Prunera, a stunning art nouveau townhouse that is home to a collection of modern art. The rooms are beautiful, and the way the furniture and artefacts are arranged you feel like the owners have just stepped out for a minute. It’s easy to imagine these elegant people of the Fin de Siecle catching the wooden tram down to the port, or strolling in the main Plaza.

Mallorca is such a gem of an island, and so much more than just a party destination or somewhere for a bit of sun and sand. I feel like we have only just scratched the surface of the wonders that Mallorca has to offer, and we are keen to go back. I would recomend it to anyone; pack a book and some comfy walking shoes and prepare to relax. 

A very short film of my time in Mallorca. Music Mysteries by Dan Lebowitz

How to Sketch While You Travel

Is there anything more relaxing than sitting painting in the sunshine whilst on holiday? However it’s so easy to pack your paints and sketchbook in your suitcase and then leave them there all week! I’m definitely guilty of taking my art materials on holiday, but never actually using them. When you are on holiday and you’ve got a limited amount of time to do and see things it can be difficult to make time to sketch. Here are my top tips for making it happen.

Preparation

Paint
Think carefully about the materials you are bringing. You want to choose things that are compact and lightweight. At home I use a Schmincke Horadam Watercolour Set that comes in a metal tin, however this is very heavy, so on holiday I take this Winsor & Newton Watercolour Set which comes in a light plastic palette with lots of mixing space. It's the perfect paint palette for travelling with.

This was my first time travelling with gouache. I had just bought a set of Holbein Artists Gouache, which come in tiny 5 mL tubes. These teeny tiny tubes are perfect for travelling as they take up no space at all.

Brushes
Water brushes, brushes that contain water in the handle, are ideal for painting on the go. I also like to bring small travel brushes with me. The set of Winsor and Newton watercolours I linked to above comes with a size 5 brush with a short handle so it fits perfectly inside the palette. You can get travel watercolour brushes with detachable or retractable handles that keep the bristles intact whilst travelling.

Sketchbook
I might be completely biased, but I love my sketchbooks from Papier. Yes, they might have my illustrations on the front, but the paper inside is great for pencil sketching, gouache and watercolours. The sketchbook is paperback and staple bound so it opens up completely flat and is very light to pack. The pages are thick enough that you can paint on both side.

Pencils
If you are packing traditional pencils make sure you bring a pencil sharpener, and if you are taking a mechanical pencil make sure you bring some spare leads. I bought my Blackwing pencil with me which has a great rubber on the end.

Pencil case
I used a make up bag as a giant pencil case which I could fit my sketchbook, paint set, brushes and pencils into. Having everything all in one bag made it easy to keep everything together.

Choose your Colour Palette
It’s a good idea to pick a colour palette before you go as it will allow you to limit the amount of art supplies you need to bring. Some people might say that you never know what will inspire you, and therefore what colours you will need, but realistically knowing that I was going somewhere with stone houses with green shutters and lots of orange groves that I would need a good green, orange and stone colour.  Think about the place that you are going and the colours you are most likely to use. For example if I was going to Japan during cherry blossom season I would want to take some great pinks with me. If you are bringing watercolours you will probably just bring the whole set, this applies more to tubes of gouache, colour pencils or felt tip pens. On my holiday I brought five tubes of gouache - white, raw umber, permanent yellow, permanent green and flame red. I also took a set of watercolours.

Top tip -

If you are short of space you can just take a set of watercolours and a tube of white gouache. You can mix the pigment from the watercolours with the white on the palette to make gouache of different colours. 

Make it Happen
 

Make Time
Doing a sketch or painting takes a bit of time, it’s not like taking a quick photo. Plan times when you are likely to be able to do some painting and take your sketchbook out with you. I found that waiting for my food to arrive in a restaurant was a great time to sketch, as we were always eating outside in picturesque locations.

Compromise
One of the tricky parts of painting on holiday is compromising the people you are travelling with. Explain to your travel partner that you want to do some painting and suggest that they have a go sketching as well, or bring a book to read. On holiday I did lots of painting and my husband read. 

Edit
Don’t feel like you have to paint everything you see in front of you. If you are inspired by one small detail of what you can see, like a particular person, a beautiful tree, or a cute dog it is fine to just paint that one thing. It’s also fine if you don’t finish your painting or sketch in one sitting. Take photos of the scene and use them, plus your memory, to finish it later.

Save it for Later
If there is something you want to paint and you don’t have time grab a sneaky photo and paint it later. I always like to do some holiday paintings in my sketchbook when I get home whilst it is all still fresh in my mind.

Enjoy the Moment
Don’t worry about creating a masterpiece or a beautiful sketchbook. Painting on holiday is about the experience, not just the end result. Painting while travelling is a great way to force yourself to slow down and really take in your surroundings. Enjoy the moment and don’t worry too much about the outcome.

I hope those tips have inspired you to get painting on your next holiday. Let me know if you have any questions. Here are some great blog posts about sketching while traveling from my friends Jackie and Viktorija.

More from my trip to Mallorca coming up soon!

A Little Guide to Lisbon

Lisbon has always been on my must visit list, so when I decided book a mini break as a treat for finishing writing my first book it was an obvious choice. I couldn’t wait to explore the cobbled streets and colourful alleyways of Lisbon. We went at the beginning of October, and were expecting pleasantly warm weather, what we actually got was a heat wave with highs of 32°. Perfect weather for wafting about in a sundress, drinking beer and eating ice cream, although it did make the steep hills and hundreds of steps in Lisbon a bit of a challenge.

Santos and Bario Alto

We stayed in an airbnb in the historic Santos neighbourhood, on the charming Rua da Esperanca, which translates as Hope Street. It was a quiet and pretty neighbourhood, and an easy walk into the busier neighbourhoods of Barrio Alto. We arrived just before three in the afternoon, so we had plenty of time to explore our first day. One of our favourite local finds was  Mercearia da Milla, which is a lovely delicatessen selling great coffee, pastries, salads and sandwiches. After grabbing a coffee we made our way into town for a wander and a chance to get our bearings. For dinner we popped into the Time Out Market, which everyone raved about. Unfortunately it just wasn’t for us. The food looked great, but having to bring your food on a plastic tray to a vast communal table in hope of finding a seat somewhere near your partner as well as having to shout to each other among the crowds of people just wasn’t our kind of thing. I’ve realised that any restaurant described as having a 'buzzing atmosphere' just isn’t for me. I picked up an incredibly tasty custard tart at Manteigaria, the first of many, to eat on the go. It was warm, flakey, fragrent and slightly gooey; the best. We found a little family run restaurant in a quiet alleyway near where we were staying and had an excellent, and very affordable dinner there instead.

Alfama, the flea market and the tram

The Museum of Antique Art was just around the corner of where we were staying, so of course I dragged my husband there on our first morning. The museum is a real mixture from mediaeval art work to the home furnishings of the Portuguese royal family. One of the most memorable exhibits in the museum was a triptych by Hieronymus Bosch. It was my first time seeing a Bosch in the flesh, and we must’ve spent about 20 minutes just staring at it. After a few hours in the museum we decided to go to the flea market in Alfama, which is pretty much the opposite side of Lisbon. We made our way there slowly throughout the day, with lots of stops for iced coffee, beer, ice cream and a chance to take in the beautiful views. Santini in Chiado was our favourite spot for ice cream. Our route took us through the Praça do Comércio, a large plaza that looks out onto the river Tagus. From there we made our way into Alfama, the oldest neighbourhood in the city which is beautifully higgledy-piggledy and colourful. After walking up what seemed like hundreds of steps we made our way to a mirador (view point) where we enjoyed an iced coffee and a stunning panoramic view of Lisbon and the Tagus. After that we continued towards the flea market via George castle and the church. The flea market itself is vast, and I would describe it as containing everything you could possibly imagine, but don’t actually want to buy. Everything from rusty nails and vintage matchboxes to cheap shampoo and tourist postcards. It’s great fun to wander round and have a look. After that we decided to get the historic Tram 28 back, as we couldn’t face walking all that way in the scorching sun. Tram 28 is a traditional wooden tram from the 1930s and it’s a great way to see the city

Fado

We had dinner at the same place as before, partly because I had left my scarf there and partly because it was really good. After that we made I way to Barrio Alto to hear some Fado. Fado is to Portugal as Flamenco is to Spain. It is a haunting and melancholy music. There are many Fado bars in Barrio Alto and Alfama, and they get very busy in the evening.
 

Cascais

We debated going to both Cascais and the castle district of Sintra in the same day and getting a taxi from one to the other, but in the end we decided it would be more relaxing to spend the whole day at Cascais instead. Cascais is a beach resort 30 minutes from Lisbon on the train (€5 return). It has lots of beautiful sandy beaches, stunning historic mansions, beautiful parks and lots of restaurants. It has such a relaxed, chilled out vibe, I would love to go back and stay longer. My favourite part was finding a teeny tiny hidden beach tucked behind a stunning mansion. There were only four people on the beach and you could only reach it when the tide was out.

LX Factory

On our last day we visited the Estrela Basilica, and paid to go up onto the roof, which was amazing, but not for those scared of heights. After that we had a wander in the park and explored the quiet neighbourhood Estrela. Looking for somewhere for lunch we stumbled across the Mercado de Campo de Ourique. There were vegetables, meat and cheese for sale as well as stalls selling hot food. The food section was similar to the Time Out market but much more quiet and family friendly. My husband had steak and fries and I had huge salad.

After that we decided to walk to the LX Factory which is a little way out of the city centre. We did an awful lot of walking on our last day! I’d been trying to drag my husband to the LX Factory since the first day but he is very resistant to anything that sounds too trendy. We had a coffee then explored Ler Devagar which Is probably one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world. For a bibliophile like my husband this definitely made the journey to the LX Factory worthwhile. The bookshop is built around a huge antique printing press, which printed the very first ever newspapers in Portugal. Currently on the printing press, which is about the size of a small house, there is an exhibition of kinetic art run by a charming and eccentric old man. He makes electric sculptures out of old bits of rubbish and delights in showing them to visitors. There was something so wonderfully absurd and charming about them that you couldn’t help but to grin from ear to ear.

After that we walked back to the Santos neighbourhood and had a beer in a rather smart bar overlooking the river next to the Museum of Antique Art and waited until it was time to call an Uber.

This painting inspired by the lovely old neighbourhood of Alfama is now available as print in my shop. 

Peru Part 2 - The Sacred Valley

We arrived in Cusco airport and got a taxi into town to buy our Boleto Turistico, a ticket that gets you into many of the ruins and museums across the Sacred Valley. You can pay for them individually, but the Boleto Turistico is much cheaper.  It is valid for 10 days and you get a stamp for every site you visit. We then got a collectivo to the Incan village of Ollantaytambo. Collectivos, also known as combis, are shared minibus taxis, and are a cheap convenient way to get around. They leave when they are full and passengers get on and off along the route. It was a two hour journey through the Sacred Valley to our destination, but the route was stunning as we slowly descended through the mountains.

Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo is a unique intact Incan Village, and is often people's last stop before reaching Machu Picchu. This can give the place a bit of a backpacker vibe, but instead of just passing through, we decided to stay there for four nights. It is referred to as a living Inca Village, because the traditional Incan streets are intact and it is still inhabited by the indigenous  Quechua speaking community. The people living here in Ollantaytambo today are the direct descendants of the people who built the town.

On our first day we explored the ruins of Ollantaytambo. We went slightly off the tourist trail and found a path that led us right up the side of a mountain, leaving the tour groups far behind. The route we took gave us a spectacular view of the valley and the low-lying clouds. We then climbed up to the granaries on the opposite mountain. These mysterious sloping buildings look like churches, perched on the inhospitable hillside, but they are in fact store houses that were used by the Incas to store grains.  

Moray and Maras

The next day we decided to visit some of the local sites with a driver, as recommended by our hostel. We visited Moray, Maras, Salinas de Maras and Chinchero in one day for the cost of about £40, plus tip. The mysterious circular terraces of Moray look like an amphitheatre, but it is believed they were actually used as an agricultural laboratory. As the different levels of the terraces receive different amounts of wind and sun, it allowed them to see which crops grow best in different weather conditions.

We also visited the salt flats at Maras. You can wander around the extensive salt mines on a network of wooden bridges. Warm salty water drips constantly between the hundreds of salt ponds. Salt has been mined here since pre-Incan times. Naturally salty water emerges from an underground spring and evaporates in the sun leaving pools of white crystals behind.

The town of Maras its self is very small and very quiet and has an unusual and slightly eerie atmosphere. Our driver took us on a route from Maras to Chinchero via the back roads, which in the winter are completely impassible. This was a wonderful opportunity to see the unspoiled Peruvian landscape. You see whole families working in the fields growing traditional crops like corn and wheat, the way they have done for hundreds of years. At one point we had to make an emergency stop as a herd of piglets ran across the dirt track. The scenery is stunning, with golden green fields of wheat and dramatic snow topped mountains.

Chinchero

The little town of Chinchero is famous for its traditional weaving community, and was one of my favourite places in Peru. The Incans knew it as the birth place as the rainbow, and it certainly produces a lot of colour and beauty.  At over 12,000 feet it was the highest altitude we experienced, I must have been an alpaca in a past life because I was completely impervious to the altitude. We later met people who had gotten serious altitude sickness from visiting this village. There are numerous collectives of weaving families who sell their wares together and give demonstrations of the traditional processes. The alpaca wool is washed and spun by hand before being dyed with natural organic dyes. Purple corn, lichen and cochineal are used frequently. The women demonstrated how the shade of red produced by the cochineal can be changed by adding ingredients like salt or lime juice. The finished yarn is then woven to create beautiful textiles used in traditional dress and homewares. The weaving process is elaborate and lengthy, and the traditional designs incorporate many symbols of Peruvian nature, such as pumas, lizards, rivers and mountains. The most expensive textiles are those finely woven with alpaca wool; they are very detailed and are often used in clothing. The dense weave keeps out the rain and different towns have different traditional designs. My favourite type of traditional Peruvian textile is the Frazada, which means blanket in Spanish. They are made in two halves and then sewn together. These are a chunkier, heavier textile and quicker to weave, which is why they are less expensive. They are used as rugs and blankets are and cut up to make backpacks and cushion covers. In the square in front of the white washed church of Chincero,  women in traditional dress sell their colourful textiles. This open air market backs onto the Chinchero ruins.

Pisac 

Pisac is famous for its market, and is busiest on the main market days when tourists pour into the town from a fleet of coaches. The market is a colourful maze spread over the cobbled town square, and sells everything from the most beautiful textiles to the tackiest tourist tat. A lot of the goods are mass produced and there is more of a hard sell here, which is why I prefer shopping in Chinchero. After wandering through the market we decided to head up to the ruins. These were our favourite ruins; they were a challenging walk with spectacular views and Inca terraces and fortresses dotted all over the mountain. We had the trail almost completely to ourselves. At the top of the mountain we met a tiny little old lady selling bottles of water from a huge bag on her back.

Where to Eat

As a pair of jet lagged coffee snobs it's always important to us that we find a good local cafe. Our favourite in Ollantaytambo was Cafe de mi Abuelo. The coffee was good, the staff are friendly, the top floor has an amazing view over the mountains, and they have great home-made alfajores. Also they have a daily happy hour, which means you get two Pisco sours for around £4, which is exactly what you need after a tiring day of walking up mountains. On our last day we discovered Cafe Mayu, which is right next to the platform in the train station and has excellent coffee. It is attached to El Albergue restaurant and B&B. Uchucuta was our favourite restaurant, and did an excellent alpaca steak with red quinoa and Andean sauce. We also visited Hearts Cafe regularly, a casual cafe and restaurant whose profits all go to local community work. The Living Heart charity does lots of fantastic work in the local community, and I am proud to support them with the sale of this print.

The Sacred Valley is a magical place with truly unique people. Stay tuned for part three and four where we spend a night in the Urubamba Valley at Inkaterra and then venture on to Machu Picchu.

A Little Guide to Seville

I’ve always had a fascination with Seville, probably because so many operas are set there. It has always seemed like the most romantic and mysterious of Spanish cities. So when we where looking for a city break that would provide a bit of winter sun and allow my husband to practice his Spanish, Seville was the obvious choice. October is a great time to go to Seville as the weather is warm (high 20s) but not oppressively hot.
There are so many things to do in Seville and it is such a charming, walkable city that it is the perfect place for a city break. We spent four days in Seville, and though we would have loved to stay longer we definitely got a feel for the city. Here are a few of my favourite things to do in Seville, though really the best thing to do is just walk and walk and explore the city on foot (with lots of stops for tapas).

The city’s most famous attraction, the Alcazar, is a must see. The Alcazar is a royal palace original developed by Moorish kings. It’s famous for it’s stunning architecture, tile work and gardens. We bought our tickets (€9.50) on the day and queued for about 20 minutes, but you can buy them in advance online. Once you get through the ticket office it’s easy to shake off the hoards of tour groups and explore the expansive gardens and rooms on your own. It is such a calm and peaceful place that you almost forget that the city outside exists.

The Plaza España is a collection of governmental buildings on the edge of the
Maria Luisa park. It doesn’t sound worth a visit but it really is. The buildings are beautiful, set in a semi circle with miniature bridges and waterways that you can row through. It is a testament to stunning Sevillian craftsmanship, every region of Spain having its own elaborately decorated alcove. It’s also completely free to visit. Make sure you also explore the park, which is beautiful. 

The city’s newest attraction, the Parasol Metropol, is somewhat controversial and not everyone is a fan. I think it’s definitely worth a visit as it only  costs €3 and gives you stunning views of Seville. Your ticket also entitles you to a free drink, I highly recommend enjoying an ice cold glass of beer at the top whilst taking in the view.

You can’t go to Seville without seeing some flamenco. There are shows in the city centre that cater to tourists where the tickets are quite expensive and then there are shows in the outskirts that cater to locals and aficionados, starting at midnight and serving only hard alcohol. La Carboneria is a happy middle ground. It is located in the city centre, it’s free to get in and shows run from 9:30 – 12:00. The shows are fantastic, and need to be seen to understand the passion and the energy. 

It’s actually quite hard to have a bad meal in Seville, pretty much everywhere is good. We mostly ordered tapas as its fun and cheap. Ordering tapas means you can try lots of different dishes and even several different restaurants in one night. Portions are generous and we usually ordered four tapas between two. Here are a few places I’d recommend: El Rinconcillo – the oldest tapas bar in Seville – go for atmosphere, decor and good tapas, La Huerta 9 – lovely tapas eaten under the orange trees, Confiteria La Campana – classic coffee and patisserie, staffed by adorable old men in stripy waistcoats and El Rincon el Rosita – the friendliest restaurant in Seville and delicious food.

We flew with Ryanair and stayed in an Airbnb apartment. We stayed in the Macarena neighbourhood which I would highly recommend. It’s about 20 minutes walk from the centre and is a really charming neighbourhood. Get £25 off your first Airbnb stay here.

What I wore:
Checked dress – People Tree, shorts – vintage, straw boater – vintage, white blouse – charity shop, denim jacket – H&M, sunglasses – Anthropologie, watch – Daniel Wellington

Honeymooning in Tulum

When it came to choosing our honeymoon destination we were looking for beaches, good weather and culture. I saw a picture of Mayan ruins over looking a stunning beach and we were sold. Two flights to Mexico booked.

Tulum is a tale of two halves; a stunning beach with trendy boutique eco hotels, and the town which is more rough around the edges but full of local colour and flavour. We stayed in the town in a lovely Airbnb and cycled down to beach on the purpose built cycle path. I have read a lot of travel pieces on Tulum recently that pretend that the town doesn’t exist and that you should spend your whole time staying in beach hotels in eating in beach restaurants. I think that is a bit of a shame because you miss out so much of the local culture and colour if you never venture into the town.

BEACH

On out first day we made the mistake of heading down to the beach, having a swim then lying down on our towels for a read and sunbathe. Big mistake, we both ended up with very burnt backs, despite slapping on the sun cream. I also fell off my bike, stepped in wet cement and turned green in the swimming pool, so we had a hilarious first day. You really can’t over estimate how strong the Mexican sun is. A few days later when our sun burn had healed we ventured back to the beach and did things the smart way. We went to Papaya Playa Project and rented a sun lounger for the day. The loungers are free if you are eating and drinking at the beach club. The days we spent at Papaya Playa were complete bliss; going for a swim in the incredibly warm, clear sea, coming back to our lounger to read, paint, drink smoothies and eat octopus tacos. Being served delicious Mexican food and cold beers whilst reclining on a lounger on a breathtaking almost empty beach was a new level of luxury for me, and I think Tulum has spoilt me for all other beaches. Also I could stay in the shade 90 percent of the time, which is really the ideal situation when you're as pale as me.

One of the amazing things about Mexico is how full of wild life it is. One of the best things that we did was to swim with wild sea turtles. You can swim with sea turtles for free at Akumel, you just need to hire a life jacket and snorkelling equipment. It’s a good idea to get there as early as possible before the crowds arrive. While in Mexico you should also keep an eye out for iguanas, pelicans, tropical birds and giant butterflies.

CENOTES

Another must do thing in this region of Mexico is to visit some cenotes. Cenotes are natural sink holes filled with fresh water. They are incredibly beautiful and an amazing place to go for a swim. We visited a few and our favourite was the Gran Cenote in Tulum. Large crowds tend to arrive from 11am onwards so I would recommend getting there before 9. Thankfully the jet lag makes it easy to get up super early If you have snorkelling gear bring it with you, and if you scuba-dive you are in for a real treat. Cenotes Dos Ojos is great for divers. 

VALLADOLID

If you love colour and folk art and want to see a less touristy side to Mexico you have to visit Valladolid. It's only a few hours away by coach, but it's a world away from trendy tulum. It's streets are full of colourful colonial buildings, perfect for exploring and taking photos. It's got a great selection of folk art shops and local boutiques. Cenote Zaci is a large cenote in the town that is worth a visit. My biggest regret of the holiday was missing the chance to visit the folk art museum because the infomation on TripAdvisor was wrong. What I saw through the door looked amazing! Coqui Coqui is a gorgeous perfume boutique and tearoom that you have to visit.

RUINS
There there are lots of Mayan ruins around Tulum but the ones at Coba were our favourite. They are in the jungle which thankfully provides some shade and also makes them super cool to explore. Hiring bikes is the best way to get around. Mexico doesn’t do health and safety, which is why seat belts are optional, you can swim in caves and you can climb up really tall Mayan temples. I didn’t know I had a fear of heights until I got to the top and couldn’t look down! The steps are steep and uneven so don’t wear sandals like l did! Whilst you’re in the area you can also check out the local cenotes and zipline across the lake.

Our trip to Mexico was everything that we hoped it would be and more; sunshine, beaches, culture, colour, adventure and a lot of incredible food. There’s not been a day when we haven’t wished we were back in Mexico. It was a truly unforgettable honeymoon.