I love to travel, and I love to write, so it's no surprise that I should want to be a travel writer! Travel writing is a relatively new niche for me, though I have produced several destination pieces for publications. To hone my skills, I've added Travel Diaries to the site. The following destinations are places I've been, and am happy to recommend to other travelers. Enjoy!
Escaping the Tourists in Robin Hood’s Nottingham
Tell someone that you’re going to England and they instantly picture you holding your camera up in front of Buckingham Palace, snapping away with hundreds of other American tourists. While London is a great city to visit, there is a whole country outside of it, and plenty of places where you won’t be forced to shuffle along with other tourists.
Surprisingly, one of the cities that boasts few foreign tourists is Nottingham. Robin Hood’s legendary haunt is about a two-hour drive north of London. You probably won’t have reason to go to the compact business district, and should plan on spending much of your time in the City Center. Restaurants, bars and plenty of shops line the narrow streets, many of which are pedestrian-only.
We stayed at the Welbeck Hotel, just a couple of blocks away from the City Center. The rooms are nicely apportioned but affordable, and a restaurant on the top floor offers a nice view during the day and an excellent steak.
If you fancy music and theatre, the grandiose Royal Centre is in the heart of City Center. On our first night in the city, hordes of theatre-goers were dressed as nuns. Yes, nuns.
During the daytime, it’s worth heading to the site of Nottingham Castle. Destroyed hundreds of years ago, a wealthy nobleman built his mansion on the castle’s remains, situated at the top of an imposing cliff. The house today holds a museum about the history of the city and its favorite son, Robin Hood. The real attraction is at the base of the cliff, where the museum continues inside historic merchant’s homes. Not only were the houses built against the cliff, but into it, and the man-made caves were used as a bomb shelter during World War II.
When you’re finished with the museum, pop into Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem for a pint. The ancient pub, which also extends back into the cliff face, is the oldest in England. Originally open for business in the late 800s, its low doorways and crooked walls once welcomed Crusaders who fancied a drink before heading to war.
Nottingham is a great city for doing as the locals do. Find a quaint mom-and-pop diner for a traditional English breakfast, and mingle with the regulars at a pub. If you stop by Foreman’s Punk Rock Bar, tell them the Yanks (that’s slang for American) from Atlanta say “cheers!”
Leave Fall Behind in Rio
The name Rio de Janeiro is synonymous with Carnival, but the famed Brazilian city is also a great getaway during their quieter seasons. When the leaves begin to fall and temperatures drop here, Brazil is just entering springtime. It’s a perfect chance to indulge before Copacabana’s rush of summer visitors arrive.
The Sofitel is on prime real estate in Copacabana, on the southern end of Rio’s crescent-shaped beach. The elevated pool deck provides a beautiful view of Rio, with the long beach finally culminating in Sugarloaf Mountain. A poolside restaurant is great for soaking up the sun during the day while you munch on lighter fare, or for sipping sangria in the breezy evenings.
Take advantage of the hotel’s on-site spa services, including massages, saunas and a Turkish bath. Or, head out to the sand where beach chairs invite you to lounge.
The best way to see the rainforest that covers the mountains on the backside of Rio is by private car. Ask the concierge to hire a car for you, and you’ll get a tour on the two-lane roads that wind through the rainforest. A stop at Christ the Redeemer is a must. The huge statue guarding the city is impressive, but the view over Rio and the ocean even more so.
End your day with a stroll through Copacabana’s open-air artists’ market, which offers plenty of locally-made souvenirs on weekend evenings.
Back
