P Leisure Info

Where not to go on the London tube

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:34:27 +0000

During the Olympics, there are places to avoid

avoid here

Vegan foods worth travelling for

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:03:31 +0000

Here are some great vegan dishes from around the world.

http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/11-11/12-mouth-watering-vegetarian-dishes-worth-traveling-for.html

It just goes to show that vegetables by themselves can make delicious meals.

Soup of the day

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:47:38 +0000

I love soup. Such a great meal, worth more than just a role as a starter. Delicious, nutritious and cheap. An irresistible combination. In recent times in the UK, soup has become posh with various up-market brands selling interesting combinations of soups from around the world. These designer soups can be quite outstanding.

However, my favourite soup has to be French onion soup. I remember first having some forty years ago in small restaurants near the Halles market in the centre of Paris. Although it was on the tourist agenda, the restaurants were cheap and cheerful, mainly intended for the market workers, often putting in long hours through the cold nights. The combination of the tangy onion soup with the toasted bread croutons and the grilled cheese was heavenly.

Of course things have changed a lot since then. The market has moved out of the centre of Paris. The restaurants are still there but have gone way up-market, particularly their prices. Even I have changed as I can no longer tolerate cooked cheese. But the soup still tastes great.

Which makes it all the more surprising that it hasn’t made this list of the top ten soups of the world.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/vietnam/travel-tips-and-articles/76865?affil=twit

It seems to me that the author has gone for obscurity over quality. A case in point is the Belgian soup, which has always been chicken-based on the many occasions I have seen it in Belgian restaurants. However, I would be quite happy to eat my way through this list. Soup is great.

Bologna -please don’t tell anyone

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:05:09 +0000

I have been keeping Bologna to myself. It is a delightful city, full of investing architecture and good food. A lovely place to hang out. Not least because there are virtually no tourists.

Unfortunately, that may be about to change. More and more people are writing about it. So get there quickly before it becomes as crowded as Florence or Venice.

http://www.adventurouskate.com/bologna-italy-the-sexy-the-delicious-the-untouristed/

Umbria. An undiscovered gem

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:50:43 +0000

Umbria is a beautiful part of Italy. Assisi and Perugia are fabulous places to visit, full of interesting things but comparatively unspoilt. Go visit them while they stay that way. I can remember Venice when it was a lovely place to visit. But then I am old.

Do you think car insurance is optional?

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:46:11 +0000

I don’t know about you but it would never occur to me not to take insurance when I am renting a car. But then I guess I am ultra-cautious.

Some people think that rental insurance is just a big rip off. It is certainly true that the car rental companies seem to add on anything they can think off to your bill. Kitchen sink? Twenty dollars.

But I am not sure that I agree with the tone of this article below. What do you think? As always, I would like your opinion.

http://www.elliott.org/blog/ridiculous-or-not-a-false-choice-at-the-car-rental-counter/