Dining Out In London

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Traveling in London can't be separated from culinary prowess. Considered as one of the most fascinating city to produce wine and dine in, London is a place where the culinary folks want to explore their culinary tastes in many restaurants. There are 6000 restaurants, 5000 pubs and bars, the British capital serves up best cuisines from over 70 countries worldwide.

There are the Roast, Lamb and Flag Public House and Inn the Park for traditional English cuisine restaurant. Modern British Cuisine you can visit is Babylon At the Roof Gardens, Arbutus and Mezzanine Restaurant. The oyster Bar and Rhodes 24 are the best French restaurant. For those who are in the mood for curry should drop in at the The Cinnamon Club, or Moti Mahal that are fare and affordable price tags. Asian food is all at Inamo. But if you want to visit some specific Asian food from Korea, there is British home restaurant in Cah Chi. There is also a place named Momo for vegetarian people.

Choosing a restaurant in London is not so hard depending on the kind of food and decoration you want to choose. If you are holding a big party, you must know the party size, budget, date and time of booking before you decide to call some restaurants. London is the place for its food, wine, attractions and culture amongst its people and tourists. The beautiful sightseeing, happening events, great food and beverages bring London alive! Hence, it is nice to explore a variety of culinary place in London to ensure fun-filled leisure time.

In http://www.londonuk4u.com/ you can find information on London attractions, such as Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey and London Zoo etc. LondonUK4U is the complete tourist guide to London attractions, parks, markets, hotels, theatres, museums and galleries in London. Go to: http://www.londonuk4u.com/ and get your free report of London.

Innocents in Egypt: In a Time Before Trip Advisor

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I'd studied Egyptology for a quite a few years. I knew the difference between my Ra and my Bestat. I'd been looking forward to this holiday for a long time.

Our first mistake was the cheap three star hotels. These were the days before TripAdvisor (I know - I'm that old) and we had a habit of going for the bargain-basement hotels in those days (we're not much better now to be honest, but at least we have ready access to reviews by trusted members of the public in these tech- savvy times...)

The windowless room in Luxor was made more miserable by the sound of a scuttering cockroach in the bathroom. And at least the lack of light meant it was less easy to see the throbbing red sores on my legs (I believe there were around 40 of them in total), caused by those rampaging insects who found me so delectable on the night I sat outside my slightly posher hotel room in a hotel on the outskirts of Cairo. And there was even less light to see the welts by when the electricity packed in (this happened more than once.) Although out in the bright light of a Karnak morning, a lady behind me in the queue was able to see them very well, commenting on "that poor girl's legs!" I was mortified.

Don't get me wrong, the sight of the pyramids had very nearly reduced me to tears, and some of the not so well known temples that we were taken to by a lady and her taxi driver friend that we ran across completely by accident (she called herself Madame Rosa) were tremendous. Madame Rosa was in Luxor as a scientist, working on the greening of the Egyptian desert while living in the village of Kuna on the banks directly opposite Luxor. She took tourists around who were interested in seeing sights away from the madding tourist crowd as a side-line to her main job. (In fact, I'd love to hear from anyone else who has come across her.)

And Cairo museum was great - the number and quality of exhibits there was mind-blowing to this amateur Egyptologist. Even the Arthur Daley character who accosted us in the street outside and made us go and see his Papyrus showroom didn't take the shine off too much. And our trip into the desert by convoy to see Hathor's temple at Dendera as an experience and a half (this wasn't long after the bombing at Luxor in 1997). But we never did take to the bargaining for goods (we ended up finding the one shop in Luxor that had set prices) and the baksheesh issue ended up giving us nervous tics (even though we know it's a poor country - we know, we know.)

But for all that, and especially for those more travel-savvy than we were at the time, I couldn't recommend Egypt enough. And thinking about it, it's probably one of the holidays that I remember in most detail - which must mean something.

French Villages

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I wasn't expecting a view of the Marquis de Sade's chateau from my terrace. But then, his neighbours weren't expecting someone who would violate community standards by violating the community!

No Expectations

What I was hoping for, (not expecting), was a quiet WARM refuge for the Winter. To continue these scribbles, and work on "The Film." What was to eventually morph into "Bicycle Gourmet's "Treasures of France."

BG Scores

Once again, luckier than smart, I met a Dutch Woman who was ga-ga for "The Arts," and had a vacant gite. So, as she was terminal "arts n' crafts", and I was a terminal artist - the die was quickly cast.

This, dear reader, was a big score. For a number of reasons. Within the Luberon National Park(ie -heart of provence, but minus the "action") off road, wild(as in untended Cherry trees(Bings, I might add) left, right, and center -  equally wild, and plentiful salad goodies on and around my "atelier", one of the best caves in the region, 100 metres away, and ringed by  hilltop villages.

Beauty and Disappointment

Bonnieux, to the left(and UP, bien sur), Gordes, (further left and equally up) Lacoste (Former home of the Marquis (behind.) Sadly, like so many things in life that are exquisitely beautiful at a distance, (often at night) the Marquis' "tough love" palace(in daylight) was a dogs breakfast of authentically old, inauthentically "enchanced." Exuding all the charm of a burnt brick.

Lacostes' major claim to (provencal, at least) fame - is an annual Summer Classical Music festival presented by Pierre"designing is my drug" Cardin. Otherwise, it's yer basic ancient, hilltop village with a view of the Luberon plains.  Curiously, tucked into it's moldy chic-ness is a Frence outpost of the Savannah(as in Georgia,USA) College of Art. (And you thought French people had an accent!)

The village of Menerbes (past Lacoste, heading toward Cavaillon) has long been a classic hang-out for artists, renegades and other assorted deadbeats without a real job.Peter Mayles, the noted English scribbler was in residence there, until he pissed off the locals by making them the butt of his literary humor, and was forced to shift to Lourmarin. On the other side of the Mountain.

Waaaaay back....when he was looking into his crystal ball,(and when was he not?) Nostradamus proclaimed: "Menerbes floats on a sea of vines."Menerbes has only one main street, and severely limited parking. works for me. Howsabout you?

THROW  ME  A  BONE  HERE  PEOPLE!

What are ya thinking?

Christopher Strong is the Creator/Director/Host of the Lifestyle/Adventure TV Series - "Bicycle Gourmet's Treasures of France", and author of "Gliding to the Bonheur." His behind the scenes story of the "Bicycle Gourmet experience."

Share more of his adventures at - http://www.bicyclegourmet.com/