Places to Go

By Nalynn Dolan Caine

In July of 2007, Nalynn Dolan Caine started a unique writing journey that will last for three and a half years. What started with just one article, in the end became a book full of emotions and love for beautiful places and people around the world. "Places to go" is a collection of travel articles written from July 2007 to December 2010, a story about almost 120 main destinations with many more small gems: from distant romantic beaches to street restaurants and smiling people.

This book can be roughly divided in four sections. Roughly because the main idea is the same, just the presentation is different. In the first part there are longer articles about towns, places and countries, while the second part is a collection of shorter articles about small gems that have something in common. The third part is a series of articles about magnificent buildings, and just like every journey should end with a good drink in a fine restaurant, the last part of “Places to go” ends with restaurants around the world.

"Places to go" is not a usual travel book with "go there, do that" information, this is a book written with passion and love for every destination. If you weren't at the destinations described here you will enjoy, and if you were you will still find something you didn't see before.

"The writing style is fascinating, a mix of story-telling and tourist guide speech, with a twist in almost every sentence. Sometimes I had a feeling that Great Bard himself wrote down a sentence or two, but all with a good measure. "Places to Go" serves triple causes, I dare to say. First, it can be a welcomed guide to a destination you are about to visit. Second, it can be read as a complete work, not dividing it into pieces. And third, it is a reminder that writing gems are just around the corner, we just need to put a bit bigger effort to find them. I would love to read "Places to Go II". I would really love it." - An excerpt from The New York Times review.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nalynn Dolan Caine
• Release date: Oct 17, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465786784

Book preview

Places to Go

Nalynn Dolan Caine

Copyright Nalynn Dolan Caine 2011

Published by Histerius Publishing at Smashwords

Table of Contents

Budapest - Queen of the blue Danube

Amsterdam - The home of the world's best chocolate

Cairo - the jewel of Africa

Hong Kong - The fragrant harbour

Manhattan - The island of many hills

Malta - On the crossroad of the world

Stockholm - Venice of the North

Let's go to Miami!

Brac - The island with the Golden Horn

Fiji for you

Brazilian dream - Fernando de Noronha

Port Douglas - At the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef

Aruba - One Happy Island

Rhodes - The island chosen by the god

Phu Quoc - Vietnam's pearl

Gambia - Welcome to the smiling coast

Caracas - The heart of Venezuela

Oahu - Where life came by wind, waves and wings

Singapore - Asia Light

Prague – An open sky museum

San Francisco - A misty city with Victorian charm

Bahrain –The kingdom of the two seas

Paris on Earth, Earth is a star

Ole! Madrid

Poirot: the mystery of Brussels

Albania - The land of the eagle

Motovun - Winged-lions town built by giants

Dublin - Come for a day and stay for a week

Tea time in London

Abu Dhabi

Ireland - An island of unique character and characters

Zadar – A town that greets the Sun

Beautiful lady Venice

Nameless country Macedonia

Out of tears, stars and breath, the Kornats were made

Mauritius - Four-colour flag and smiley people

Ithaca - Did Homer actually see this island?

As old as the hills

Athens, Greece

Aleppo, Syria

Like master, like man

Schwerin, Germany

Bolzano, Italy

Debrecen, Hungary

A single prayer moves heaven

Saint Lucia, Caribbean

Guernsey, the Channel Islands

Miyazaki, Japan

Little creeks make a great river

Vatican City

Liechtenstein

An unforgettable oil painting summer

Baikal Lake, Siberia

Cairns, Australia

Lübeck, Germany

Smooth seas do not make skilful sailors

The Musandam, Sultanate of Oman

Okavango Delta, the Republic of Botswana

Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

Imagination is everything

Estoril, Portugal

Taormina, Sicily

The island of Bimini, the Bahamas

The power of government

Washington D.C., USA

Jaipur, India

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

An oriental voyage enriched with delicious ramen

Oriental travelling

Yokohama, Japan

Croatian Titanic, Rovinj, Croatia

Wilderness and cultural kaleidoscope

Hong Kong, China

Mara Buffalo Camp, Kenya

Gurvansaikhan National Park, Mongolia

The red rock, land of ice and heated sand

Ayers Rock, Australia

Iceland

San Alfonso del Mar, Chile

When history and future meet

British Virgin Islands

French Polynesia

Southern Mexico and Central America

In love with heights

Farmington, New Mexico

Antalya, Turkey

When your brain decides to do nothing

Huvafen Fushi, Maldives

Banyan Tree Ringha, China

From the land of the Vikings to the High Tatras

Copenhagen, Denmark

Poprad, Slovakia

From Singapore to Uruguay with a lucky charm in a pocket

Singapore

Punta del Este, Uruguay

Thrill around the globe

Alaska

Canada

Philippines

Building master pieces I

Our Lady of Chartres, France

The Bridge, Dubai, UAE

Red Square, Russia

Notre Dame de la Paix, Cote d'Ivoire

Pula’s Arena, Croatia

Building master pieces II

Linderhof castle, Germany

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Ponte Vecchio, Italy

City Mill Run, USA

Castle Bezanec, Croatia

Restaurants around the world for special occasions

The City of New York, USA – Masa

Tokyo, Japan – Aragawa

New Delhi, India – Bukhara

Rome, Italy - La Pergola

Dubai, UAE - Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina

Beverly Hills, Ca., USA – Spago

New York, USA - Michael's

Woodinville, Wa., USA - The Herbfarm

Los Angeles, Ca., USA - The Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel

Franschhoek Pass, South Africa - La Petite Ferme

Budapest - Queen of the blue Danube

It is the night in the city and you are standing on the Chain Bridge watching the Buda Royal Palace. Thailand? Mmmm... No, it's not. It is about Europe and its Queen of Danube. Welcome to Budapest, Hungary.

Now, try to recall a melody from The Blue Danube, the most famous waltz in the world composed by Johann Strauss II. Take a boat trip on the river and its seven islands and, guided by sounds of the waltz or famous Hungarian Gypsy dance csárdás, meet the beauty of the longest European river which flows through ten states. Make a wish every time you pass under the bridge (it will come true) and find out why people call Budapest Paris of the Eastern Europe.

Back on land enter Buda, situated on the right side of the river, and Pest on its left side, two cities connected by eight bridges that through ages merged in one named Budapest. Start your visit in Buda and take steps or the antique cable-car that will take you up to the Castle Hill and its Old Town, also known as the Buda Castle. That medieval part of Budapest built upon hills is rich with historical buildings, twisting streets, charming squares and cafes.

In Buda you will find charming shops that sell medieval sabres and armours and chess sets made of crystals or wood. (Hungarians are in love with chess). For the Gellért Hill (famous by Citadel, medical baths and the most beautiful views of Danube and its bridges) Budapestians will tell you that it looks like Emmental cheese because it is not unusual to find a cave with spring water there. That’s why Budapest is known as the biggest European spa centre.

Holy Trinity Square, the heart of the Old Town, hosts 700 year old Matthias Church where royalty weddings and coronations were held. The church and Fishermen's Bastion (which never saw a soldier, not to mention a battle) are the capital's most famous landmarks. A stunning Baroque Buda Royal Palace situated on the southern end of Castle Hill can be seen from almost every point of the city. Its seven wings were the home of the Hungarian royal family while today each of them houses a museum or the art gallery.

The eight bridges romantically illuminated in the night connect sleepy Buda with the 20th century vibrant Pesta and the most famous of them are Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Elizabeth Bridge, Liberty Bridge and Margaret Bridge. Chain Bridge will take you towards St. Stephen's Basilica which three levels of cellars going almost as deep as the height of the church. Or, if you go to the north, you'll see Neo-Gothic House of Parliament, almost a copy of The Palace of Westminster in London.

Continue by foot and take a look at iron-framed Western Railway Station built by Eiffel Company and replicas of old trains and then rest your feet in City Park which hosts Europe's largest bath complexes, Vajdahunyad Castle, Botanical Garden and a lot of attractive venues. Find a table in The Gundel, Hungary's most famous restaurant which saw many celebrities, and for the desert order yummy pancake filled with rum, raisins, walnuts, and lemon rinds, served with a chocolate sauce.

Vaci Street, situated halfway between Chain Bridge and Elizabeth Bridge, is one of the most famous street of central Budapest and the best for upscale shopping. It starts from Vörosmarty Square where you can find a bunch of luxury hotels and Cafe Gerbeaud, one of the oldest coffeehouses in Europe with the most delicious cakes you have ever tasted, and it continues to the Inner City Church all the way down to three floor high Great Market Hall, the belly of the city.

The city is the home of Great Synagogue, the largest synagogue in Europe, numerous parks and museums: in just one street you can find 23 museums. Don't forget to visit some of the city islands. In the 19th century, Margaret Island was a favourite destination of the royal family. But this shouldn't be your last station on the river which starts to flow from Germany and continues through Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia all the way down to Croatia and Turkey. Let the blue Danube chooses your next destination.

Amsterdam - The home of the world's best chocolate

Amsterdam is a city with a lot to do, a lot to see, and friendly people. So, why don't you visit it with us?

The city which got the name after the river Amsel (or the beer, who'd know?) has been built on 90 islands connected with 1,281 bridges. So, a canal cruise is the best way to see the historic buildings some 400 years old that once belonged to wealthy merchants. And there are plenty of them: there are thousands of buildings protected as monuments, from big warehouses to small but elegant houses, lined along the city canals. Take a boat and in no time you will be back in the days of great sail boats that came from Far East with all kinds of spices.

You can also wander around on foot through old narrow streets, and on that walk you should not miss Jordaan district where you'll find the home of the famous painter Rembrandt van Rijn. In this district you can find the best brown cafes that got that nickname because their walls are brown after years of smoking. One of the most famous is Cafe Chris opened in the middle of the 17th century. Step in and drink fantastic Quadrupel beer like old sailors did many years ago.

Wherever you go, it seems that every road leads to the Dam Square. That large square is near the Centraal Station and at the crossing of all main streets. On and around the square you can see some of the most important city's landmarks. On the west side there is Royal Palace, beside it there's the New Church built in the 15th century, and opposite to them there's the National Monument, a statue made of white stone, and high-end hotels. No wonder that the Dam Square is the main tourist destination in the city.

On that square you will see why Amsterdam is people friendly city. You may just stand there watching street performers but if you want to make a photo leave them a tip. From the Dam Square you can take a slow walk down the Damrak street which is The Netherlands' Wall Street, but also the street full of restaurant, cafes and shops that are just calling you to buy something. Pay attention to antique things, this city is a great source of affordable antiquities.

While we are at shopping, diamonds are the best souvenir you can bring home. Visit Coster Diamonds at Paulus Potterstraat and take a look at masters who must spent 15 years to become an expert in diamond cutting. No matter how big stone you choose, you may be sure that it is cheaper than anywhere else. Beside diamonds, what's the second best you can give to your lady? Chocolate, of course. Well, you are in the right place. Amsterdam is the home of the world's best chocolate factories, one of them is Puccini Bomboni called the Chocolate Euphoria. Just step in and you'll know whence the name.

If you have no money for all day shopping, don't despair: there are a lot of museums where you can see some of the best masterpieces in the world and entrance fees are symbolic. Now, we'll show you just three and you will find the rest easily. The Rijksmuseum is the largest museum in The Netherlands, situated in a fascinating Neo-Gothic building. Rembrandt and Vermeer are here. Enough said. Van Gogh is the name big enough to have its own Museum but it's also the home for the works of Cezanne and Toulouse-Lautrec.

After a day full of new sights and sounds, you can rest and listen to some music. One of the best places for that is The Paradiso, a former church divided in the big hall and the small hall. While big is the host for the biggest music stars in the world, in the small one you can enjoy some classic music or local jazz band. Just a few minutes to the north there's Cafe Nielsen, the locals call it the place of the best sandwiches in town. Nielsen is situated in Nine Little Streets, one of the city's best shopping areas, and if you didn't buy anything until now, well, now you will.

Cairo - the jewel of Africa

It's beautiful, it's old, it's crowded, and it’s charming and surprising. Call it Cairo, al-Qahirah or Masr, whatever, you will be always talking about one the most interesting cities on the African continent.

Egypt is one of the cradles of modern humans so it's no wonder that its capital is the largest city in Africa, one of the world's largest cities in the world and home of many wonders, from ancient pyramids to newly-built Library of Alexandria. Thanks to its heritage, Cairo is a complex city, its position on the river Nile makes all kind of influences possible and that's the reason why Cairo is a place