top tips from thetravelinggiraffe

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Bom Dia! One Week in Portugal – Port Tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia

May 15, 2018by Arden Jobling-HeyLeave a Comment

Bom Dia! I’d love to continue in Portuguese but after one week in Portugal, that’s all I can muster. Sad, but true. Egg tarts I can seriously get behind. Ronaldo? I mean, the guy has an ego the size of Everest but he defies gravity when it comes to executing a perfect scissor kick. But Portuguese, the language? Identifying the language as something between Russian and Spanish is pretty much as close as it gets.

But let’s get back on track. Last summer, I was lucky enough to enjoy a 7-day girly getaway to sunny, stunning Portugal. Over the past couple of years, I’d heard whispers of people’s travels to Portugal and how much they absolutely loved their time there. Rumour had it that Portugal was still less expensive than it’s neighbour to the north (and east) but just as accessible.

Untouched and more preserved than typical tourist hot-spots like Rome, Barcelona, Paris or Madrid, it reportedly had a hopping night life and plenty to keep you occupied during daylight hours. It was steeped in history and diverse in it’s geography. And to top it all off, it is best known for it’s exclusive production of port, of which I am a very, very big fan. I was sold. Continue reading “Bom Dia! One Week in Portugal – Port Tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia” →

giraffe travel, thetravelinggiraffe, top tips from thetravelinggiraffe

Travel Poland: 3 Days in Warsaw

August 15, 2017September 7, 2017by Arden Jobling-HeyLeave a Comment

When my husband and I decided to book a family holiday – just the 3 of us for the first time in 3 years – I was over the moon. I started planning months in advance, imagining us renting a car and driving around Ireland or drinking gallons of Spanish wine and ordering plates of tapas in the heart of Barcelona.

But mid-daydreaming I realized that, more often than not, I’m the one who gets really, excited about where we’re going. So I turned to my husband and asked where he would like to go. He paused. Then finally, after much internal deliberation, he sent me a message that read: Poland. And just like that we’d booked flights into Munich and onto Warsaw, and out of Krakow.

Did you know? 3 Facts About Warsaw

Warsaw is the capital city of Poland and has been since 1596. It is also the largest!
Warsaw, once described as the Paris of the East, was known as one of the world’s most beautiful cities German invasion of WWII in 1939 which left to over 85% of its building in ruins
Warsaw was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980

Continue reading “Travel Poland: 3 Days in Warsaw” →

giraffe travel, thetravelinggiraffe, top tips from thetravelinggiraffe

Poseidon of Paros, Resort and Spa: A Piece of Paradise in Beautiful Paros, Greece

November 9, 2015November 9, 2015by Arden Jobling-HeyLeave a Comment

When our good friends invited us to their wedding in Paros, we were convinced they said “Paris”. I mean, it made sense. She’s French, they’d met in Boston (where the civic ceremony was held), and he’s from a beautiful part of Romania called Timisoara (I love you Romania, but Paris… is Paris). So when talk started circulating of warm climates and beach vacations, we were a bit confused. It was only when we received the official invite that we realized they hadn’t been talking about Paris, at all.

Paros: Greek Island. Not French Capital.

Paros? The first thing we did was Google it. Long behold, nestled somewhere close to Naxos, floating in the middle of the Aegean Sea, was Paros. After 2 wonderful days spent lounging in Santorini, we took a 3 hour(ish) ferry ride to Paros. The ferry, by the way, operated by Blue Star Ferries, was BY FAR, the best ferry ride I have ever, ever taken.

First of all, it was enormous. There was no cramming in between fellow passengers, running to get the first seat, or panic that you might be left standing for hours on end. Second of all, it was luxurious! Of course, this is coming from the backpacker who camped on the floor under a table on the ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm – so maybe take my opinion with a grain of (sea) salt. Tons of space for everyone to sit on couches, with tables on every level and a restaurant/cafe smack in the middle of things. Not to mention, the bathrooms which had walls facing out to sea and undoubtedly the best view on the boat.

Continue reading “Poseidon of Paros, Resort and Spa: A Piece of Paradise in Beautiful Paros, Greece” →