In my previous post, I shared some of my best food-related experiences during my travels in America. The second part consists in a guide to the best drinks and meals I've had across Europe. To understand European food traditions, you must first realize that even though this is a small continent, customs and food related traditions differ from region to region. Diversity is a key word, and I just hope to get the chance to keep traveling in order to discover all the delicious well-kept recipes that define the identity of the people thoughout Europe.

13.Salmorejo and Flamenquines in Córdoba's Jewish Quartier
Córdoba's Judería (Jewish Quarter)  represents one of the not-to-miss places in Andalusia. But you should also know, that Andalusia is a paradise for people who love dining, and eating out at a tabern or restaurant can be one of the most remarkable experiences ever. Córdoba is well known for its salmorejo, a cold tomato purée resembling gazpacho, but it is much thicker and creamier in texture, because it includes more bread.  There are several variations in Andalusia, like the porra antequerana (from the region around Málaga and Antequera) that includes bits of tuna. Also popular to the cuisine of Córdoba are the flamenquines, pieces of pork loin wrapped in serrano ham coated with breadcrumbs and then deep-fried. Glory.


Salmorejo cordobés at Taberna de las Comedias, Jewish Quarter, Córdoba

Flamenquines are usually served with french fries. Sooooo delicious!

14.Costa wine and Alhambra beer in Granada
Before my Spain trip, I read somewhere that in Granada, I had to order a costa wine. Not even knowing what it was, I had one on my first night in Granada. This wine has a more acid taste and comes from a wine producing region called Contraviesa-Alpujarra, located south of la Sierra Nevada. Another must in Granada is Alhambra beer. The Alhambra Reserva 1925 is probably one of the best beers I've ever had. Named after the Alhambra Palace in its hometown, Reserva 1925 is an ultra premium lager brewed and matured for 35 days making it one of Spain's finest lagers. Please take me back to Granada!

Costa wine on my first night in Granada. It was served with bread and manchego cheese. Also in the picture, me and my brother's name written in arab. You can get this done at the Alcaicería (the bazaar in Granada) for only one euro.

Drinking one Alhambra Reserva 1925 after a day at the Alhambra Palace seems about right!

Alhambra Reserva 1925

15.Lunch in a tetería árabe (Arab Tea House) in Granada's Sacromonte
Granada is that one city that you have to discover on foot. What I particularly like about this city's neighbourhoods is that they tell the story of the people that have inhabited the region over the centuries. One of the places whose energy I found compelling was the Sacromonte, better known as the gypsy quarter, very popular for its flamenco nights. On our way to the Sacromonte caves, we stopped at the tetería Meknès for lunch. Dining and drinking tea in an arab tea house in Granada reminds you of the still strong influence that arab culture has in Andalusia. And suddenly, you forget for a minute that you're in Spain...

Arab tea house (tetería árabe) in Granada's Sacromonte

Tetería Meknès, Sacromonte

For lunch: moroccan bissara (a dish prepared with fava beans) and mint tea! Heaven on earth!

16.Drinking Glühwein at Christmas markets in Germany
When cold weather starts to kick in, Christmas markets start to appear all over Germany. The main squares of both large and smaller cities are decorated with wooden booths that sell all kinds of things and give the towns that quaint Christmas look that you won't find anywhere else. A traditional drink during this time of the year is Glühwein, a mix of red wine and spices served hot in a cute mug. This beverage warms me up even in the coldest winter night and gives me that warm cozy feeling that Christmas is approaching.

Christmas market in Lohr am Main, Germany. My brother, cousins Katrin and Moritz and uncle Jo.

17.Tapas in Madrid
If there is something more popular about spanish cuisine than tapas, then I don't know what it is. Whenever you order a caña (small beer), quite often a tapa (an appetizer) will be served with it for free. But in our case, my brother and I were hungrier and had lunch at the Bodega tapa bar right next to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Common tapas are patatas bravas (fried potato dices), ensaladilla rusa (little Russian salad), tortilla de patatas (spanish omelette), empanadillas and the list goes on and on...A paradise for people who love to drink and eat out!

Description of every pincho from left to right: pincho of spanish omelette and anchovies, pincho of ensaladilla rusa, pincho of spanish omelette (I think jaja), pincho of breaded meat fillet and the last two pinchos of spanish omelette!

18.Santo Tomé Mazapán in Toledo
When in Toledo, about 70 km south of Madrid, you must try the mazapán (marzipan), a sweet which consists primarily of sugar or honey and almond meal. This is Toledo's most famous dessert and it is often prepared for Christmas. We tried the mazapán of the Santo Tomé bakery, located in the old quarter of the city and in business since 1856. Totally recommended.

Mazapán de Toledo

19.My Grandma's delicious Kartoffelknödel with Rotkohl and Braten
When writing this post, I couldn't forget to include my Grandma's delicious Knödel and Braten. Often regarded as a national dish of Germany, a Braten is a pot roast that can be prepared with a variety of meats: beef, lamb, pork, venison, etc. The recipe varies from region to region. Before cooking, the meat is marinated in a mixture of vinegar or wine, water, spices and herbs. In my family, a Braten is a meal prepared on Sundays, where the whole family enjoys this delicious dish with a glass of wine. A common side dish prepared with Braten, is Kartoffelknödel and Rotkohl. Kartoffelknödel are as the word explains, potato dumplings that are typical to many german and czech regions. You can also prepare Semmelknödel, bavarian bread dumplings. These are prepared with pieces of  day-old bread, a bavarian specialty!!! Rotkohl is a sort of cabbage that has a red/purple color after prepared.  There is no other dish that I love to eat more than this one!

On Christmas morning, the whole family came to Giebelstadt to celebrate. There wasn't enough space for everyone, so we, the cousins, ate at a table set for us right next to the dining room. In this picture, rotkohl and sauce.

Delicious potato dumplings

20.New Year's Brezel all over Germany
Food and traditions are two words that when put in the same sentence, create some of the most memorable moments and tell about the identity of people and the place they come from. In Germany, it is very common that on the morning of December 31st or on the first day of the year, people give each other a Neujahrsbrezel, in english New Year's Pretzel. According to the tradition, this pastry is supposed to bring luck for the upcoming year and protect against disease, hunger and misfortune.

Neujahrsbrezel from Konditorei Scheuermann, the bakery of one uncle in our hometown Giebelstadt, in Lower Francony

21.'Schoppen' in Lower Francony
Mainfranken or Weinfranken. Francony is a region known for its wine, specially the city where I come from, the magnificent Würzburg. The wine of the city is so special, that Goethe once wrote to his wife "Send me some Würzburger, because no other wine tastes so good and I'm annoyed when I run out of my favorite drink". This phrase I found in a book about the wine of the region describes it better: "In Francony, wine drinkers look serene and reverent. Their gaze is relaxed by the wine but it is held in a pious severity".

Schoppen is the word used to name a glass of wine in Francony

An old Bocksbeutel bottle in my home. These are the bottles of the wine producing region of Francony

22.All-you-can-eat chocolate in the parisian Champs-Élysées
So, french people aren't exactly known for producing the most popular chocolate, but during a stroll along the Champs-Élysées, I saw this cute booth selling all kinds of chocolate. I have a natural predisposition for this sweet, so I couldn't resist.

Chocolate is a part of my sweetest memories, here during Christmas time in the Champs-Élysées

 Traveling and eating are two of the biggest pleasures one can enjoy, so every time you go away, even if it is to the neighbouring county, don't forget to be adventurous and try new dishes!
Even though I know this is just a small list, I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I did...

We quite often remember or link places to a special meal or drink we had during our stay. It is also the moment where we sit down and take in what we just saw at a museum or after half a day of walking around. Let's face it: there's nothing better than a conforting pause and the simple pleasure of trying something new. That's why I'll write down for you the most memorable food-related experiences I've had during my last trips.

1. Hot chocolate in El Café de la Plaza, Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
 After a day spent 180 meters underground at the Salt Cathedral, we headed towards the town of Zipaquirá. My best friend Giuseppina, her mother Lucy and I were tired because we had just arrived earlier that morning and we didn't exactly eat anything for lunch. So, at around 4 o'clock we entered the Café de la Plaza for a snack before the 48 km back to Bogotá. Typical to this region is the hot chocolate with white cheese, which goes in the chocolate and melts so deliciously! We had almojabanas (colombian cheese rolls), pan de yuca (yucca bread) and other small snacks! The Café was gorgeous, plus the view of Zipaquirá's main square made it an amazing moment to recover from the flight! Loved it!

Café de la Plaza on Zipaquirá's Main Square

Hot chocolate in Colombia: a new dimension of enjoyment!

2. Candies in La Puerta Falsa, Bogotá, Colombia
In business since 1816, La Puerta Falsa is probably Bogotá's most famous snack shop. Located in La Candelaria (Bogotá Centro) a few steps away of the Primary Cathedral, La Puerta Falsa is a tiny restaurant that offers multicolored candies and chocolate completo (Hot chocolate with cheese, bread and a biscuit) a snack of lore in Bogotá. For us, it was but a quick stop before heading to Monserrate, the mountain that offers some of the most breathtaking views of the city.

Multicolored candies on display at La Puerta Falsa's show-window

3. Ajiaco and Tamal tolimense at the Caterina's in Bogotá, Colombia
My best friend Giuseppina's brother Luigi lives in Bogotá with his lovely family, who were our hosts during our time in the city. With such great hosts we had tons of fun and I must quite say, that it was at the Caterina's home where I ate the best food during my Colombia trip. Our busy plan wasn't a problem for us to sit at the table and enjoy a nice meal together!

Luigi and Giuseppina. Ajiaco is a hearty soup made with three different kinds of potato, chicken and a herb commonly referred to in Colombia as guasca.

Tamales tolimenses were moist and delicious! A must have!

4. Espumilla and other snack pauses in Cuenca, Ecuador
Cuenca is  the colonial gem of Ecuador. And even if we visited the city for just one day, Giuseppina, her mother and I had a great impression of the city's gastronomy. We tried street food, ate lunch at a restaurant and stopped at one candy shop and a bakery before returning to Guayaquil. For an instance, I ate a potato locro (quichua word for soup), espumilla (a popular ecuadorian street food) and obleas con arequipe.

We first thought that it was ice cream, but this street vendor explained us that Espumilla is a guava meringue cream dessert served in ice cream cones.

Obleas con arequipe. Arequipe (also called manjar de leche, manjar blanco or dulce de leche, depends on the region) is prepared with milk, sugar and vanilla.

A bakery in Cuenca, Ecuador

5. Choclo at the Middle of the World, Ecuador
My research on ecuadorian food was pretty poor before the trip, but what I wanted to try was the choclo. Choclo is a large corn cob eaten in countries like Ecuador and Peru. In some places it is served with a slice of cheese, as in a restaurant at The Middle of the World City outside Quito.

Finally having a choclo. Happy face!

I'm telling you, this is THE serious corn cob!

6. Las Quesadillas de San Juan, Quito, Ecuador
I've already mentioned this restaurant on a previous post about Quito, but had to write about it again. Four generations of the Cobo family have been offering their Quesadillas for Quiteños as well as for travelers. Try the hot chocolate with cheese (also typical in this region) with the quesadillas! I guarantee you won't eat just one...

Quesadillas, sooooo delicious!

Hot chocolate is a must in South America!

7. Guanabana ice pop on García Moreno Street, Historic Center of Quito
This wasn't exactly a gourmet snack, but it was one of my favorite moments of the trip. Giuseppina, her mother, her sister and I stopped at a small store on García Moreno street to call Santiago, our friend in Quito. It was about midday and the sun was shining so intensely, that we decided to buy ice pops. We sat down in front of La Iglesia de la Compañía, one of Quito's gems and considered to be one of the most important barroque structures in America and the world! Amazing!

In front of La Compañía, Historic Center Quito

8. Stopping for breakfast somewhere in Imbabura Province, Ecuador
 Our ecuadorian friends made plans for our Sunday in Quito, and what great plans! We visited the San Pablo Lake, the towns Otavalo, Cotacachi and Atuntaqui and we stopped somewhere on the road to photograph the Cayambe Volcano. But before all this took place, we stopped for breakfast somewhere in the province Imbabura. Turns out to be that the area around Cayambe is noted for its dairy products. We tried the queso de hoja (leaf cheese), yucca bread, bizcochos and our trip favorite, hot chocolate!!

Bizcocho and queso de hoja (leaf cheese)

This man was playing traditional ecuadorian folk songs during breakfast. Love how he looked near the poster of one of Guayasamín's (one of the greatest ecuadorian painters of all time) paintings

9.Mariscos in Guayaquil's Malecón, Ecuador
Quito and Cuenca are stunning cities influenced mostly by the fact that they are located in the Andes Mountain range. So, getting to Guayaquil was a dramatic change, as this city has warmer temperatures and it is Ecuador's largest port. We ate great seafood during our stay, and I must quite say, the promenades in Guayaquil's Malecón have a charm to them.

Fresh seafood in Guayaquil

Guayaquil's Malecón 2000 has museums, gardens, restaurants, bars and the first IMAX theater in South America.

10. Lunch at La casa de los Azulejos, Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City is simply great. On our first day in Mexico City, my best friend Danilo and I walked the Centro Histórico del DF, which offers breathtaking architecture, as you see both modern and colonial buildings and Aztec ruins! A real feast for the eye! To take all this in, we ate a nice mexican lunch at La Casa de los Azulejos, a lovely structure covered with tiles and the perfect place to  recharge batteries.

Handsome! During our lunch in the Casa de los Azulejos

11. Micheladas everywhere in Mexico City, Mexico
If there is a drink that I'll never forget for being unusually weird, that is a michelada. Micheladas are  common in Mexico and consist of beer, lime juice, hot sauces and chile slices. It is served chilled and it is believed to be a good remedy for a hangover. Nevermind, we enjoyed drinking one on a warm day. Well, I must be honest about it, I couldn't finish my michelada...

Michelada vendors on a corner in the Centro Histórico

12. Tequila and mezcal before climbing the Pyramids of the Moon and Sun in Teotihuacán, Mexico
On our pyramids day, we visited an obsidian workshop, where we also tried local tequila, mezcal and pulque, better known as the aztec wine. The man in charge of the workshop told us that drinking pulque was probably the only way we could get to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun. We followed his advice.

Tequila and Mezcal. The guy explained us that tequila and mezcal are not quite the same. Mezcal follows an artisanal preparation and is 100% agave plant, whereas tequila is more an industrial beverage which accepts up to 49% chemical additives.

The second part of this post comes tomorrow!

If I had to choose a memorable trip, it would be my last voyage to Europe. Traveling by train from Germany to France, flying from Paris to Madrid, and last but not least, an adventure by bus in southern Spain. My brother and I traveled from Frankfurt, visiting Paris, Madrid, Toledo, Granada and Córdoba, but as the song says, all good things come to an end, and our last stop was in Spain's Costa del Sol capital, the great Málaga.

A view of Málaga, pure Mediterranean charm!

Málaga harbor, as seen from the Alcazaba

Our time in Málaga wasn't long, but it coincided with the "end of the world". As a matter of fact, our flight back home was on 21st December 2012, the day announced as the last one of our era, according to the maya prophecies.

Nevermind, getting to Málaga was pure bliss. If I can give any traveler a piece of advice, I would tell him/her to travel by bus or car. There is probably no better way to perceive a place than by giving yourself the time to see every detail. As when we got to Málaga by bus from Granada. The landscape dramatically changed: from wide olive plantations and snow-covered high mountains to an eternal sunny coast. I remember the first time I glanced at the Mediterranean: my heart started to beat faster and faster...

Málaga has so much to offer, but we had to narrow it down to a couple of interesting sights such as Picasso's birthplace, La Merced Square, The Roman theatre, Alcazaba,bullring, the Cathedral, the pier, La  Malagueta beach and Uncibay Square.

The obelisk on La Merced Square, a monument in honor of General Torrijos.

The great painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga

Picasso's birthplace. Our favorite anecdote: Picasso had trouble breathing when he was born and the reason why he survided, was because he inhaled the smoke of his uncle's cigar.

We stayed at the Pink House Málaga Hostel, which was within short walking distance from the main sights. But from the bus station to our hostel, we took a cab. Eloy Díaz, the friendly taxi driver was all in for giving us a preview of his city, so he drove around before taking us to the hostel. This guy would also be the one to take us to the airport. What amazed me, is how much he knew about the history of this place and the civilizations that populated this area. First the Phoenicians, then the Romans. Later on, the city was under Islamic rule until the Reconquista. The monuments and archaelogical remains make Málaga's historic center an "open air" museum which displays the history of more than 3,000 years!

The obelisk dominates la Merced Square

Málaga is one of the oldest cities in the world

Roman theatre ruins and the Alcazaba (Moorish fortress)

The ruins of the Roman theatre date to the 1st century BC

Some of the Roman era materials were used in the construction of the Alcazaba

Built in the early 11th century, the Alcazaba in Málaga is the best-preserved one in Spain

Another feature that I'll never forget about Andalusia: the scent of oranges everywhere...

The architect restorer Leopoldo Torres affirms that the Alcazaba of Málaga is the prototype of military architecture in the Taifa period. Its only parallel is the Krak des Chevaliers in Syria.

Who's that good-looking lad? My brother Adriano taking a break in the Alcazaba

The La Malagueta bullring from the Alcazaba

All the monuments built under Islamic rule include water as a key element. They considered the vital fluid as a precious good.

The Alcazaba has beautiful gardens and elaborate fountains, which make it perfect for an afternoon walk

Built on a hill overlooking the port, the Alcazaba is a wonderful place to unwind and forget about city hustle

This fortification was built by the Hammudid dynasty to protect the city from attackers

What never ceases to amaze me of the monuments in Andalusia is how fine the details are.

The Courtyard of the Cuartos de Granada, which pretty much looks like the Courtyard of the Myrtles in Granada's Alhambra

The Cathedral of the Incarnation

A view of the city from the Alcazaba

After an afternoon spent in the Alcazaba, we decided to take a break for a well-deserved meal in a restaurante beside the Cathedral. It was a great moment to take black&white pictures and to taste the renowned food and wine of the city. What you should know, is that the wine of this region is sweeter, which makes it nice to drink with every meal...

The Cathedral of Málaga was built following the plans drawn by Diego de Siloé in Renaissance style. Its interior is also in Renaissance style

The south tower remains unfinished. Research points that the funds raised by the parish were used instead for helping the British colonies in the United States to gain their independece from Great Britain. Other investigations state that the money could have been used for renovating a roadway. Hence, Malagueños call their cathedral "La Manquita", in English "the one-armed lady".

La Malagueta bullring

And finally: La Malagueta beach!

After a long day around town, taking a nap at the beach seems like the best idea. Well, it was.

La Malagueta beach, the perfect last stop for our trip

Málaga has one of the warmest winters in Europe, with temperatures ranging from the 17 °C during the day and 7-8 °C at night.

Life in the city is linked to the sea. Eloy, the taxi driver, mentioned a figure that no longer exists in the daily life of Málaga, the cenacheros. A Cenachero was a fisherman who sold fish on the streets

The second largest city in Andalusia is popular among people that learn Spanish

We made it! from Frankfurt to Málaga: a trip to remember!

The most perfect sunset to end our trip

The gentle Mediterranean on a winter day

The Malagueta beach was a perfect way to end our stay in Málaga. Later on that evening we decided to go out. We dined at Uncibay Square, a place boasting of energy and nightlife. Dinner and wine were great, but for me the whole experience of dining was the cherry on the sundae. Lots of people, mostly young, taking night strolls to get to where the party is at its best. Thats what makes this city so special: the charm of its inhabitants and that non-stop beat that makes you want to keep going.

It wasn't the end of the world. Not that I believe in that kind of prophecies, but it was all over the news and social media. In fact, on 21st December, Eloy picked us up at the Hostel (about half an hour late, but still he came. He stated that a coca-cola truck was blocking his taxi, but we know that thats part of the southern charm) and he drove us to the airport on a sunny day, like I hadn't seen in a long time. The sun was shining in Málaga and our hearts were happy and calmed. After all, it was a long trip and we were looking forward to spend Christmas in Germany with our family.
We got to the airport on time, luckily, and said good-bye to Eloy, who helped us carry our luggage to the terminal, checked-in and had extra time to rest before the flight to Berlin, the connecting flight to Frankfurt and then the train Frankfurt-Würzburg.


Again, it wasn't the end of the world. It was the end of an unforgettable journey. An adventure that I'll always cherish in my heart. And with every end, new beginnings come. As a matter of fact, I like to look at my time in Málaga not as the end of my trip, but as the beginning of many others...