El t�nel del Ayer - Colonia del Sacramento - Uruguay

A few weeks ago, we ventured across the Rio de La Plata for a day trip to Colonia de Sacramento in Uruguay. We traveled via the fast ferry boat (one hour each way) that leaves from the centrally located Buquebus station of Puerto Madero, downtown Buenos Aires.

We purchased a tour package directly from the boat company Colonia Express. One can do it over the phone, like we did, the night before, by using your credit card and the price for the package deal was $332 pesos per person (about $100.oo each). This price included a round trip ticket on the "fast ferry" from Buenos Aires to Colonia, a guided tour of the historically preserved city of Colonia and a pretty decent meal in a designated restaurant in the old city (beverages not included).

The ferry schedule options were as follows: Departures from Buenos Aires were either at 8:45am or at 12:30pm and returns from Colonia were either at 7:30pm or at 11:30pm.

We opted for the 8:45am departure, which put us in Colonia right around the time the city's commercial venues opened their doors to the public. The ferry ride was comfortable and fast and the boat offered snacks and beverages plus items of duty free for sale during the ride over. The seats in the cabins were not assigned, but they were as comfortable as most airplane coach seats.

When we arrived in Colonia, the tour bus was already waiting to pick us up as soon as we got off the boat. The bus tour of Colonia was followed by a walking tour of the city with a guide and then we were led to the restaurant that served us our pre-payed lunch. After lunch, we were told we were free to explore the city.

Lunch was served in a restaurant on a main street of Colonia. It was pretty good and it consisted of a cold buffet salad bar for starters followed by a hot main course. There were about seven main course choices available - meat, veggies, pasta or fish. For dessert, we had cakes or ice cream plus coffee. Cold drinks, for some reason, were extra and a mineral water cost $40pesos Uruguayos - $2.oo USD.

After lunch, as we roamed the streets of Colonia, we discovered a fun photo studio that takes "staged" photos with bygone, aged backdrops named "El Tunel del Ayer" - It roughly translates into "The Tunnel of Yesterday". We had some photos taken there and the price for the initial photo was $16 dollars. Additional copies were available for $9 dollars each.

If you're interested in getting one of these photos made for yourself, it may be best to head to the studio right after lunch. It took me about three hours from starting point to finish to get the whole project done and I was not slow in choosing my props. (check out the photo enclosed for to see finish product). For more information on the Photo Studio "El Tunel del Ayer", please click on the following link - El t�nel del Ayer - Colonia del Sacramento - Uruguay

While visiting Colonia, we also had a drink at the "Torreon Bar" on the seaside walk overlooking the water. It was a very nice place with a lovely view of the water. While we sat there, we saw some beautiful "gambas" dishes (shrimp dishes) pass us by. The food looked delicious and tempting.

We also saw many vintage cars just parked around the historical city. We're not sure if they were parked as decoration, but they sure were worth admiring !

Colonia Del Sacramento has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and it was first settled by the Portuguese in the 17th century. If you visit, you may also want to see the lighthouse, the Portuguese Museum, the Municipal Museum and the Iglesia Matriz, the oldest church in Uruguay, built during 1695.

FYI - If you're visiting Buenos Aires as a working airline crew member, you may not be able to travel to Colonia on the ferry for the day. It seems airport immigration in Buenos Aires does not stamp your passport when you enter the country as a crew member, and you can not leave Argentina with out a stamp.

Story and photos by Beatrice Cristofari (FRASW)

Geneva Flea Market by "Geneva Spotted by Locals"

Word by word, this is what Geneva locals are saying about their Plainpalais (weekly) Flea Market held in the center of town.

"...You might ask yourself why there is this huge deserted place, in the heart of the city.- The Plaine de Plainpalace - Historically, it was the place sick people were brought to – strategically located outside the city to avoid any epidemic... thanks to modern medicine, it is nowadays used for episodic events, like circuses or a Luna Park twice a year..it’s not Rome’s Porta Portese, but on Wednesdays and Saturdays, rain or (shine), you’ll find a good number of stands, forming a walking tour around the plaine, selling almost anything, from old CDs or DVDs – and many old VHS to be honest… – to dubious 80s furniture..."

For more information of this flea market, click on the following link published by the "Geneva - Spotted by Locals Blog". Plaine de Plainpalais – Flea Market | Geneva Spotted by Locals

Plainpalais Flea Market Schedule : Tuesdays,Fridays and Sundays from8am to 5pm, rain or shine. Take tram 12 or 15 to Plainpalais.

Geneva's Restaurants in the Paqui's Area - recommended by locals!

Here's a very helpful list of affordable restaurants and cafes in the Paquis Area of Geneva, Switzerland, an area close to our downtown layover hotel. Next time you're in Geneva, check these recommendations posted by Geneva locals in the "Posted by Locals" blog - Geneva city guide section.

The list includes Lebanese, Japanese, Italian and Chicken restaurants, popular neighborhood bars, cozy breakfast spots, artsy cafes with reading areas and scenic places along the lake for an "al fresco breakfast". For more information on this informative list with includes maps with the locations of these places, click on the following link and enjoy the feast! Geneva Spotted by Locals | Les P�quis Geneva – All our local tipsAll tips by our Geneva locals in the Les P�quis area. To narrow down further select an activity (bars, restaurants, etc) on the left (‘Spots – by area’)

Le us know what you think of these recommendations, and if you have any place you would like us to write about, let us know!

Enjoy Geneva!

How to Order the Perfect Coffee In Argentina

If you're a coffee drinker, this handy list of coffees will help you order the perfect cup of joe while in Buenos Aires. It's written and published by this fun Argentinian English Blog you may want to visit, called "beyond empanadas".

The list, according to them, goes as follows:

.." a cafe - is a small expresso in Argentina
...a cortado - is a small expresso with a few drops of steamed milk
...a cortado jarrito - is a cortado in a larger cup
...a lagrima - steamed milk with a few drops of coffee
...a lagrima jarrito - the same, but in a larger cup
...a cafe con leche - an expresso shot with steamed milk
...a capuccino - an expresso served in a large cup dusted with cocoa powder and cinnamon
...a submarino - steamed milk served with a bar of dark chocolate..."

If you want to read more Beyond Empanadas blog posts, click on the following link. beyond empanadas...: How to order coffee

A Little Bit of India at Maharaja Restaurant - Moscow

On my last trip to Moscow, I joined the crew at The Maharaja, a fantastic Indian restaurant near Red Square. I learned about this restaurant from Phil, our first officer. He found Maharaja the previous week while he walked the streets of Kitai Gorod. At the time, he decided to eat his dinner there and loved it, so much, that he couldn't wait to get back there for more the following week and invited us to come along.

Well, Phill was right! the restaurant was wonderful. Thanks Phill! The service was attentive and welcoming ( a rarity in Moscow), and the food was really tasty. In a city best know
n for hard staring waiters, difficult to read menus and high prices, The Maharaja was such a pleasant surprise. They served great food, had a friendly staff and the prices were reasonable - We spent about $30 dollars each (excluding alcohol).

If you want to eat at The Maharaja, it's not hard to find. About a 20 minutes walk from our layover hotel, it's just off Red Square (about 6 blocks away). Make a left on the street right at the end of the GUM Department store. This street turns into Pokrova Utilisa. Maharaja is located right off Pokrova, in a tiny street that crosses Pokrova Utilisa called Starodsadski. This street is between a Gourmet Supermarket on the right side of Pokrova and a light blue church. Turn right into this small street, walk about 10 steps and on your left, you will find the entry door for Maharaja.

Passport to Moscow food critics claim that the Maharaja serves the best Curry west of Dubai! I can tell you that my Chicken Tika was delicious!

Maharaja's address is: 2/1 Pokrova, Kitai Gorod. Make sure the concierge writes the address in Russian before you leave the hotel so you can ask for directions in case you get lost. To get there, you can either walk from the hotel or take the Metro to the Kitai-Gorod stop.

The Maharaja accepts credit cards, their staff speaks English and they have English menus (what a relief!). A major plus for Moscow, I promise!

Have a great meal!

The Maharaja Restaurant
2/1 Pokrova
Kitai Gorod
921-9844
(open from noon to 11pm)

Great Gloves for Cold Trips

My hands froze on my last trip to Moscow. It was 40F degrees below zero when I got there and I was wearing leather gloves lined in cashmere. Big mistake! They looked good, but they were not sufficient to bear the brunt of a Siberian winter blast. Every other part of my body was covered in sheep skin wear, so I was warm and toasty - hat, boots and coat. An excellent choice of clothing by the way, for beating the extremely cold Russian winter temperatures.

For my next winter trip to Moscow, I decided to replace my old gloves with something more "substantial" to protect my hands. I found a reasonably priced pair of sheep-skin lined gloves at Lili's, a Buenos Aires leather shop located in San Martin Avenue, for $20.00 dollars. They were the perfect solution for my problem and for the perfect price.

If you're interested in a pair of these gloves from Lili's, they have a whole trunk filled with them in black or brown and in all sizes for men and for women. I recommend you try them on first though, because their sizing is irregular.

With my brand new gloves in hand, I'm now eager to get back to Russia to try them out. They promise to be just as cozy and warm as my other sheep skin wear.

Lili's Leather Shop
San Martin 960
Buenos Aires, Argentina
4515-1211

Ps- Lili's owns a leather factory so their leather is reasonably priced. They also carry leather jackets, fur hats and coats, etc. Also, if you tell them you work for an airline, they will give you a discount.

The Bolshoi Theatre of Russia

Do you want to see the The Bolshoi Ballet perform in their home turf next time you're in Moscow? If that's a yes, have the hotel concierge call to reserve your tickets, as soon as you arrive at the hotel from the airport. You may also purchase tickets via the official Bolshoi website, an option that I have not explored.

If you're serious about going to one of these shows, have your credit card ready and be prepared to cough up $90 to $120 dollars per seat. Last minute seats go fast over the phone and if you take too long to think about it the seats and price you were quoted, will be gone. Remember, the Bolshoi Ballet only performs at home in Moscow during the winter months because during the summer months, they tour the world, so it's best to see in the winter months.

The Bolshoi Theatre is located a short walk away from our downtown layover hotel. Check before you go, which theatre will hold your performance because they have several performance sites for the Bolshoi in Moscow. If you're not familiar with the layout of the city, be sure to get clear directions from the front desk attendants for your assigned theatre before you leave the hotel or take a cab so you won't get lost. One last thing, please, don't be late!

For additional information/schedules for The Bolshoi Theatre performances for 2010, please visit the official Bolshoi Theatre website (in English) in the following link: The State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia