An Edible Voyage

August 2021 Northern Cyprus lured me with it's sunshine and Mediterranean vibes, but ruggedness and lack of tourists compared to the south of the island. During my stay at Gillham Village in Ilgaz, I went for an explore.  Flanked by awe inspiring mountains, this sleepy village does well at keeping it's awesome views a secret.  Marrows grow from the smallest of cracks along the street, dogs laze in the sunshine, and men lounge in plastic chairs watching TV on the terrace of the Post Office.  For the best view in the village, take a seat on the top floor of the open sided Ilgaz cafe and sip Turkish coffee whilst looking out over the jaw-droppingly enormous mountains and down the valley to the sea. Find Ilgaz cafe in the middle of the village - you can't miss it!  They also did what seemed to be a popular and hearty breakfast. 

February 2020 Snow in winter, sun in summer and always incredibly scenic mountains.  The cuisine is influenced by rural farming villages of years gone, leading to hearty dishes, heavy in dairy products. Winter and summer I love the French Alps.    Chamonix is my choice for the summer – plenty to do, great vibe, some stunning hikes, start of the Haute Route trail, and close to some beautiful lakes to cool off in.    Come winter, La Plagne is great for mixed ability groups as there are lots of wide, cruisey blue runs, but plenty to keep more advanced skiers and boarders challenged.    St Martin de Belleville is a pretty, quaint mountain village with a relaxed vibe, but which is linked by a gondala and chair lift to the 600km of pistes in the 3 Valleys.    It’s a great option if you’re not looking for anything too raucous but don’t want to compromise on the size of the ski area.    And if you do fancy an apres-ski p...