Munich

Munich is incredibly beautiful and filled with the most amazing history!! I learnt all about the history by going on one of Mike's Bike Tours. Our awesome guide (funnily enough, not called Mike...) took us around to the breathtaking sites, passing through parks and stopping over for a ginormous lamb knuckle lunch that literally almost killed me. I'm not much of a beer drinker (although my beer pong crew might beg to differ...) but we also bought mugs of beer bigger than my face. I had to bribe a red head girl on tour with 5 euro's to down my beer because I just couldn't finish it and damn she did well!!! Although I can't remember her lasting long for the rest of the evening after that!!!

In most of the places I have stopped at around Europe, there is usually some statue of some sort that people tend to rub to acquire some luck or promise of returning to that particular city. To gain love or happiness etc... In Munich there are two lions that even the locals walk past every day and rub if they can get to them. Unfortunately these two lions, right outside a gorgeous cathedral, are going to be taken away soon and replaced. They will be going to some museum of sorts... which is sad but also pretty cool as the guide told us that we would be some of the last groups to be rubbing these statues.

As a surfer back home in South Africa, I was so excited to reach the end of our bike tour because right at the end our guide took us to this famous surf spot. In the middle of Munich!!!!! Whadafuck??? 

Literally an artificial wave built on a river called Eisbach flowing through the Englischer  Garten, I was completely and utterly mind-blown!! Surfer's line up one at a time and take turns at surfing this incredible wave. 

I mean, how cool can you get!?!?!?!!?

Yet again, we had another massive night out in Europe when we dressed up in Dirndl's (for the ladies) and Lederhosen's (for the guys) and went out to the famous Hofbräuhaus am Platzl.

I LOVED Munich.... It had so much more character than Berlin did. But before I hopped on to Berlin, I stopped over in the beautiful city called Prague! 

Until next time!

Over and Out. 

J

Sunday Funday!

Who here knows David Bowie? Anyone.... Anything???

Well if not, here's one of his songs for you all to listen to:

He's not exactly my most favorite musician and I'd be stumped if you asked me to name his songs off of the top of my head! But I had to laugh at what happened to me last night.

I went out to see a friend at the most amazing little village called Timberlake in the middle of no where. It is kind of like a little market square with a kiddies play park, petting zoo, little bar shack and restaurant as well as some adorable little stores with crystals, fairy's and wind chimes. It is gorgeous.

It was only supposed to be one quick drink.. a little farewell before I jet off to Zanzibar in a few days time. But does it ever go that way???? One drink? Pfft.

We met up at 13h15 on a Sunday afternoon and parted ways nearing on 23h00. We drank all day. We listened to some amazing live music. We stroked a pig and fed some goats and watched a poor little boy get completely traumatized when a turkey tried to eat him. Hahaha... not so funny when rolls are revered hey little dude!? Shame though. I think the little kid is scarred for life.

After a few hours I think my folks finally realized something was missing from home... namely.. their daughter. So, I got a message from her... clearly she'd been listening to David Bowie on her iPad.

If you don't know the story from listening to the song... Ziggy Stardust was a persona that David Bowie basically adopted in the 70's. Freaking brilliantly genius reply I'd say. I had to laugh.

Anywho... so the night was complete and utter madness and this morning it took me over half an hour in the shower to scrub off red permanent market that somehow found its way onto my legs. Originally, we had wanted to add our mark onto the walls at Pili Pili as one does when you are at the awesome beach bar over there. Buuuuut.... weeeellllll....... I mean last time I was there I stole a life-size cardboard cut out of Kelly Slater and drew a mustache on him for goodness sake... I had to continue the naughty streak! I couldn't have done it any other way!!

So we ended up going slightly mad with the market pen.. I think at one stage I was even picked up and wrote on the ceiling on the guys bathrooms. Oooops. Sorry Pili Pili!

He is such a cool guy and I feel so blessed to have met someone that I am on the same level with. We just get each other. It is so easy to talk and joke and have fun and it’s not often I find a friend that I connect with so quickly.

I will always be the type of girl that has more male friends than female. It is who I am. I have far much more fun with guys than I do with women because a lot of the time I just cannot care less about the kind of pointless conversations that females have. I don’t read magazines or care about how hot some latest actor is… I don’t give a damn about what Kim Kardashian and Kanye West named their son and whatnot. Just no. It’s not me.

(yes... the above photo is taken above a urinal).

So... now that I am more or less scrubbed completely clean again (who knew that nail polish remover / acitone removes permanent marker off of the skin!!?) and am sporting one or two new nice blisters on my feet from sparks from an outside fire shooting at me... it is time to pack for Zanzibar!

I've been told I need to pack light. Light??? What's that!? hahahaha

These were my favorite shots from last nights shenanigans:

Hope you all had a stunning weekend and may you all have the best week ahead filled with lots of love and happiness!

♥

Spaghetti Aglio Olio Peperoncino

My mum spent the entire day in bed yesterday. I can't say I blamed her, it was a horribly stormy winter's day. The ultimate weather to stay snuggled up in pajama's and under the covers. It also helps that she had these four big babies entrapping her:

Their names are India, Guru, Striker and Mini Minx. Coolest cats in the world!

(Yes... I am aware that them sprawled out across a leopard print blanket is slightly sadistic....)

Anyway - as it's just the two of us at home at the moment, I felt like spoiling her with some lunch in bed (she had breakfast in bed too, by the way! Lucky lady...) so I went off to the shops and bought a few small ingredients as well as a delicious bottle of Nederburg wine and set to work in my kitchen. 

The dish I decided to make for us was a vegetarian pasta typically known as: Spaghetti Aglio Olio Peperoncino... also known as: Pretty Much The Best Damn Pasta In The World. 

I can also tell you why I believe that: 

A) The ingredients (which I will list below) are all common things found in even the most simplistic kitchen. 

B) If you do not have one of the ingredients, absolutely everything you need is dirt cheap anyway!

C) It's quick and filling! What more do you need?

Ingredients

Serves 2

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Big Red Chili's, Chopped Ruggedly
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, Diced
• Spaghetti 
• A Handful of Fresh Parsley
• A Handful of Bread Crumbs
• A Bottle of Your Preferred Wine! (not optional)

Start by preparing all of your ingredients while the spaghetti boils away for roughly 8 minutes (until cooked al dente). 

Destalk parsley and tear the leaves roughly up with your fingers and put them into a dry pan. 

Add in a handful of bread crumbs which you can find at nearly any bakery you try for as little as 50p. 

Then put this dry pan onto the stove and cook until the crumbs turn golden brown.

Ruggedly chop through chili's and dice up the garlic cloves before putting them into a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil over the stove. 

You have to be really careful at this point not to burn your garlic because if you do it will give the dish a bitter taste. 

Once the garlic and chili's are cooked through you can drain your spaghetti (leaving a few ladles of pasta water to prevent dryness if necessary). Mix the spaghetti into your pan with the chili and garlic with the stove on low heat. 

Grind in some salt and pepper to your liking.

Now take your other pan with the bread crumbs and parsley and mix these ingredients all together thoroughly. 

Dish up your plates and add a fresh parsley leaf on top as garnish. 

Serve immediately. 

I first had this pasta in Venice. A friend of mine, Tom, told me it was an amazing pasta and I really wasn't sure that I believed him. How could it be??? There's so little ingredients and no meat.... but boy did he prove me wrong. This is by far the yummiest, tastiest, most incredible pasta and I will make it again and again! Particularly when I'm just cooking for myself at home! Perfect meal for one. 

♥

Soul Trips

I have had the most amazing few days. I firmly believe that every couple of weeks one should just go off into nature and nourish the soul with the great outdoors. I believe you need to give your soul a trip and a journey of its own every once in a while. It doesn't have to be oversea's and doesn't necessarily have to involve hopping onto a plane... just taking a stroll through your local forest or beach would suffice. Or, if you live in a concrete jungle like I know many of you do then go to a museum or park in the area. There is so much beauty in this world and we all need to take a day or two to just enjoy it. And that is exactly what I did....

A week and a half ago I lost a friend that I had considered to be one of my closest in town... losing him among a million and one other things going on lately tipped me over the edge. So, what better way to mend a slightly battered heart than to go out and have a bloody drink!? hahahaha 

While out, I met four really awesome people and over the past week I have had the greatest pleasure getting to know them and spending my free time in a different town, at a different beach, at a different bar... it has been so uplifting for my spirit and wonderful to experience something new and exciting. I needed this. 

One of the first things I did with one of them, the one that has kind of taken me under his wing and has really bonded with me over this past week, was go down to the Sea Cliffs. He takes every newbie there to experience the hidden beauty that lurks so close by. One of the things that he does when he takes people there is 'initiate' them. He makes them crawl through this tiny hole in some boulders and it was nothing short of hilarious. Not only am I already incredibly clumsy and a goof-ball at heart, but there was also tornado like winds that literally nearly swept me off my feet! Unfortunately because of the wind we couldn't really stick around to enjoy the view... but I did my initiation, passed it and then we ventured on to explore The Garden Route further.

I also enjoyed some time over at an old rustic bridge just outside of town. I used to go there often when I was younger... I'd get a group together and we'd go and drink beer, listen to music, sun tan, jump off the bridge into the lagoon below... we'd hop onto speed boats and go fishing in the area... it was the life! So it was lovely to revisit a place that holds so many of my favorite memories. 

Yesterday, my new found friend (who is seriously awesome by the way! So blessed to have such amazing people in my life!!) took me for a walk along the train tracks in his town...... 

I have no words. 

Just... wow. 

The beauty is absolutely breathtaking!!! We passed through this little tunnel and voila.. it was like a whole new world sheltered from trouble and pain. There's a cave just around the corner from the tunnel where a group of people literally live... some come and go and some stay for good. It's incredible and fascinating and completely 'Wonderlust' style!! That is how I want to live!!! And you should see the way that they have made the cave up! It is simply gorgeous!!! It is like a proper home right on the cliff, in a cave, next to an old, out of use train track. 

I had yet another absolutely wonderful day and met more lovely people who are so at peace and calm... and they are exactly the sort of people I want in my life. 

Funny, I have lived in The Garden Route for the majority of my life yet I never knew there was so much beauty and fun to be found here. You just have to look in the right places. Sometimes it can be right under your nose where you least expect it. 

Five days to go until I set off on my big road trip up to Joburg and the jet off to the beautiful island of Zanzibar!!!!

PS : I have just added a badge to my Instagram account on the side of my page! If you have Instagram I'd really appreciate the follow and would definitely follow you back :)