In Defense of Monaco

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Emma Gray in Monaco | 1 Comment

Monaco.

When you read that what do you think of? Shiny red Ferrari’s driven by billionaire business men with their frozen faced girlfriends in the passenger seat? Luxury super yachts moored in the harbour? Ladies dripping in sparkling jewellery and wrapped in designer clothes costing thousands of pounds?

All of the above?

Just hearing the word Monaco prompts connotations of the vacuous, shallow, self obsessed world that this tiny tax-free nation is so famous for. And it is all of these things, and more.

But I have a confession.

I kind of love Monaco.

But before you dismiss me as having all of the negative qualities I’ve just listed above, hear me out.

Monaco is beautiful

Killer view of Monaco and the Cote d’Azur

You only have to look at the picture above to see the undeniable beauty of the place. The whole of the Cote d’Azur is absolutely stunning, and indeed one of my favourite areas in the world.

The cars are aaaamazing

I’m a self-confessed car lover, with an incredible penchant for Ferrari. Being in a place where I can see numerous Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s, Rolls Royce’s, Maserati’s and many more is so much fun. For a car lover then there really is no better place than Monaco.

Gorgeous F430

The last time I stayed in the south of France and visited Monaco for a day, my rather awesome parents surprised me with a Ferrari experience in this very car. Driving up into the hills, round tight bends and hearing the engine roar as we sped through black tunnels was one of my favourite experiences ever.

Best. Parents. EVER.

Being dropped off in front of the grand Casino in the Casino square next to the Cafe de Paris at the end of the experience was totally surreal. Everyone stared at me because I’d just got out of a Ferrari. They were probably wondering who I was, a celebrity? Girlfriend of a rich businessman? Spoiled hedge fund kid? I turned bright red and was so embarrassed. I hate being centre of attention like that! If that’s what it is like to be super rich or a celebrity then count me out. I’ll take the car, but not the awkward stares and attention.

Don’t Take Monaco Too Seriously

This is my ultimate piece of advice if you’re visiting Monaco.

Don’t get caught up in arguing about how it’s unfair that these people live tax-free and seemingly without a care in the world. Enjoy it for what it is. It’s a fascinating place to visit and see ‘how the other half live’ (cliché or what!). It’s certainly not a place I’d want to spend a lot of time in – there’s much nicer places in the south of France - but it’s definitely fun to visit and imagine what life would be like if you were super rich.

Have you visited Monaco? What did you think of it? Love it or hate it?

The Other Side of Santorini

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Emma Gray in Greece | 4 Comments

Santorini is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful of the Greek islands.

I haven’t visited them all, or anywhere close, but I’m pretty confident in putting that statement forward.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit Santorini on 4 or 5 different trips and each time I’m stunned by the breathtaking scenery of the caldera.

Gorgeous view from Fira

The majority of visitors to Santorini (including myself!) are visiting on cruises, and most just check out the port town of Fira or the village of Oia. Having already explored the narrow, winding streets, and admired the dreamy views from Fira on previous visits I decided it was time to see what else the island has to offer.

I took a tender boat from my cruise ship to a different port on the island – Athinios – and from there took a bus up to the town of Akrotiri. The bus journey was incredibly steep, winding up the seemingly precarious roads to the top of the cliffs. If you’re afraid of heights or steep drops then you’re probably not going to enjoy that bus ride! If you don’t feel the need to sit with your eyes shut then you’re treated to some amazing views as the bus makes its ascension.

View from the top

Akrotiri is without a doubt one of the quaintest small towns I’ve visited. The steep, narrow, cobbled streets are great to walk around and generally tourist free. This meant I was treated to a truly authentic experience that I loved.

As we wandered the streets we came across many locals leaving one of the more than 250 churches on the island and making their way towards their homes. The locals we came across were all so friendly and delighted to see travellers exploring their little town. One adorable old lady dressed all in black, the traditional outfit for a widower, enthusiastically welcomed us to the town and insisted we try some of her home-made sweet bread – it was delicious!

This is someone’s front garden…how cute!

Whilst wandering through Akrotiri we got to see the rather unusual way they grow the grapes to make wine on the island. The vines are trained into a basket shape to protect them from the strong winds and to soak up as much rain as possible in what is a very arid climate. After seeing the vines I made sure to have a glass of the local wine with lunch, purely for comparison purposes of course!

Not a typical vineyard…

I loved exploring the less touristy side of Santorini, and it made me fall in love with the island even more. With some of the most beautiful views I’ve ever experienced and small-town charm in bucket fulls, it’s a place I’d happily return to.

Have you enjoyed local hospitality somewhere around the world? Did it make your overall experience even better?

Musilac 2012 – My First Music Festival

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Emma Gray in Travel Tales | 2 Comments

Confession – I had never been to a music festival before. I’d always been put off by the thought of strange people, horrible toilets and copious amounts of rain- that’s what musical festivals in Scotland are like anyway!

So, when I was invited to Musilac Festival in Aix-les-Bains in France I checked the line-up carefully first. Noel Gallagher, one half of the enigmatic Oasis brothers, as well as others such as Franz Ferdinand were listed and I decided to go for it. Why not!

Whilst spending an inordinate amount of time at the gate waiting to recieve our press passes Dylan (of The Travelling Editor fame) and I spotted many a strange person in the crowd. Most disturbing were the women in their thirties who were unable to do anything other than scream and spin around in circles. I was feeling just a little apprehensive after seeing them!

Our Musilac Passes

After recieving our press passes (VIP baby!) Dylan and I headed to our special bar and terrace area to watch Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. As the sun set over the hills of Aix-les-Bains and darkness surrounded us the atmosphere completely changed. The crowd grew more intense, and the sound increased. Everyone loved Noel, me especially!

Stage, as seen from the VIP section obviously

After Noel and his birds, there was Jean Louis Aubert- an aging French star from the 70s and 80s. Safe to say I wasn’t too excited about seeing him as I’d never even heard of him but he turned out to be really good! Then, just like in Scotland, the heavens opened and we found ourselves soaked and waiting for a shuttle bus back to the hotel at 1am. Despite being absolutely drenched and freezing cold I’d had a great night, plus I had the promise of a warm, comfortable bed and a hot shower waiting for me at our hotel.

Day two at Musilac looked to be promising. On the agenda for the Saturday night were Franz Ferdinand and Lenny Kravitz, amongst others. Dylan and I kicked off the party early that afternoon by taking a ride that we dubbed the Party Boat. An hour trip around the beautiful lake with amazing music and a live saxophonist! When you think of a saxophone player you immediately think jazz, right? Wrong. This guy was playing along to everything from R’n'B to dance and everything between. It was ridiculously good and at only 10 euros it was an absolute bargain!

Dylan and I chillin’ on the Party Boat

We LOVED the Party Boat

Cool sax guy

Franz Ferdinand were amazing, who knew the French loved them so much?! They had great stage presence and really knew how to engage the audience. Shame that the same couldn’t be said for Lenny Kravitz… (the sax guy would have been better than him!).

The worst part about Musilac for me was the fact Dylan and I had to leave on Sunday afternoon and didn’t get to see Two Door Cinema Club, LMFAO and Blink 182. That would have been so much fun! Maybe I’ll just have to check out the line up for next year…

Disclaimer:

I visited Musilac Festival as a guest of the Rhône-Alpes Tourism board however, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Scotland in Summer – As Seen through Instagram

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Emma Gray in Scotland | 1 Comment

When the sun shines in Scotland, I think it’s definitely one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen (or perhaps I’m just a little biased!). Anyway, here are some of my Instagram pictures of summer in Scotland. Enjoy!

: The view from my back garden

Loch Lomond is pretty even when it’s cloudy

The view from one of the Scottish islands – the Isle of Cumbrae

Somewhere over the rainbow…

One of Aberdeen’s gorgeous beaches

I love sunsets

and I love sunrises too

Loch Lomond again, this time in the sunshine!

Lazy summer days are my favourite

View from seaside town, Largs

Have you visited Scotland in summer before? What’s your favourite season to visit new places?

Enchanted by Ephesus

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Emma Gray in Turkey | Leave a comment

Have you heard of the ruins in Ephesus, Turkey? Well, you should have.

They’re my favourite ruins that I’ve ever visited, and I’ve been lucky enough to explore quite a few. I’ve been to Pompeii in Italy, the Acropolis and Parthenon in Greece, and The Forum in Rome - some of the most famous and well-known ruins in the world. So why is Ephesus my favourite, and why have so few people even heard of it?

Ephesus can be found near the port of Kusadasi on the west coast of Asia Minor. It was a city of more than quarter of a million people in the 1st century BC and the scale of it is truly awe-inspiring. When you first walk through the gates you’re confronted by what seems little more than a pile of old rocks but walk a little further and you’ll find arches, pillars, amphitheatres and whole buildings that have been excavated and restored to their former glory.

Pillars

Having visited Ephesus before (yes it’s so good I’ve been twice!) I knew what to expect, but I found myself noticing things I hadn’t before, and being even more impressed by this amazing city. Some parts have been so well restored that you can truly imagine walking the streets thousands of years ago, and seeing local people going about their daily business. Ephesus was once a port, although it now sits a few kilometres inland, and as such it was a wealthy and prosperous location. This is reflected in the ostentatious and impressive architecture.

One of the smaller amphitheatres

The remnants of former glory

One of my favourite parts of Ephesus is The Library of Celsus. The first view you get of it is from the top of the wide, marble street which leads downhill towards the library. It is from this point that I was able to truly understand the scale, and the wealth, of a city which had this stunning library. I was stunned by how they could build something so magnificent and imposing thousands of years ago with primitive techniques and no technology to aid them.

The Library of Celsus

It amazes me how they were able to build something this beautiful thousands of years ago, but also saddens me because I know our generation won’t leave anything this incredible behind. Sure the Burj Khalifa is pretty damn tall and London’s Millenium Dome was pretty cool when it was first built, but can it ever really compare to something like this? I don’t think so.

My other favourite part of Ephesus is The Great Theatre. You see it first up close, but it is best viewed from a distance. It is an amphitheatre able to seat 25,000 people. It was used for religious talks, concerts, plays and gladiator fights and is still used for concerts to this day. The sheer size of it is so impressive.

The Great Theatre

Note:

I recommend going to Ephesus first thing in the morning when it opens as it gets very busy and if you’re visiting in the summer months the sun is unrelenting and there is little shade. They also only accept Turkish Lira at the entrance gates.

Lyon in Pictures

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Emma Gray in France, Travel Tales | 2 Comments

St. Georges Church

When I first arrived in Lyon, France I was delighted to find out we were staying in the oldest part of the city, Vieux-Lyon. I dumped my bags and headed straight out to explore. Within less than two minutes I came across the stunning St. Georges Church.

The banks of the Soane

I really like this picture. I took it standing on the banks of the River Soane, which runs through the centre of the city. I love the mix of different colours of the buildings combined with the swirl of white clouds in the bright blue sky above. I really wasn’t expecting Lyon to be so beautiful!

The opposite view

Notre Dame de Fourvière Basilica

The Basilica sits high atop Fourvière hill, looking down over the city. It has four large spires and is affectionately known by locals as ‘the upside down elephant’, as they look a little like legs. From the area next to the Basilica you are treated to amazing panoramic views over the entire city. It’s definitely worth the walk to the top of the hill just for the view. Or there’s a funicular if you’re a little lazy like me!

Inside a traboule

Lyon is full of traboules – secret passageways that were created between buildings to allow workers to pass between streets to go to between work and home more quickly. Some of them are small and cramped, but others like this one are open in the middle and even have peaceful little courtyards within…

Cutest courtyard

I had such a great time in Lyon. The food is incredible – Lyon is world-renowned for its gastronomy and for good reason. The architecture, both old and now, is striking and eye-catching. The oldest part of Lyon is brimming with character and charm and the Confluence area is modern, chic and contemporary. The only thing I regret is not having enough time to explore the city more fully. Although I guess that gives me a pretty good excuse to go back, right?!

Disclaimer:

I visited Lyon as a guest of the Rhône-Alpes Tourism board however, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.