When traveling in Malawi, you can be certain of finding delicious
street food throughout the day even night hours.
Forget fancy eateries or Starbucks for your eats. Instead, look to
see what the locals are eating because that is the only way to discover
fantastic, flavorsome. Street food is
flavorsome, funky and fresh and cuisine just does not get more authentic ready-to-eat food or drink sold at the streets or other
public places, such as a market or fair, by a hawker or vendor right on
the street.
In fact, most Malawian families eat the
slightest four times in a week Street food which makes it seem like they love
their street food! It’s an important part of Malawian culture.
Great of Malawi cuisine is focused around regular street food
snacks, rather than around big dishes to eat at meal times. As such, a visit to
Malawi is not complete without sampling some of these famous light bites!
Let’s take a look at a dozen of tastiest
Malawi’s street food:
Chips
and chicken
Malawi
seems to survive on chips. There are chips on the streets and chips in the
shops. Go to fancy restaurants and they will offer you chips. Go to eateries
frequented by tourists, and you will find chips. Procedure of preparing chips
is; potatoes are cut to medium size and fried to a near perfect crisp golden
yellow.
The ‘recipe’ is simple: boil the mice, salt them, then cook over a fire until nearly bone dry. Young men and boys do most of the hunting; batches are strung onto long mouse sticks and sold in markets and roadside stalls. Commonly found mice are “Kapuku” known for their rather detrimental distinguishing behavioral feature – they hide out in groups of 25-50 in a single hole, making them the favorite jackpot for hunters.
Carlsberg Beer
Carlsberg green
Welcome to your Carlsberg years… Chances are if you’re reaching for a beer in Malawi, it’s going to be a Carlsberg. The company’s Malawi brewery opened in 1968 and was the first outside of Denmark.
Malawi Gin
Malawi Gin
It may not be the finest spirit you’ve ever tasted, not made with Juniper berries. After a long day on the bike, Malawi’s version of the classic G & T goes down real smooth.
Gado
Is a food with deep
roots in Malawi’s history mostly consumed amongst the people of northern part
of Malawi
Usipa
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Arguably as the most
popular fish species eaten on the streets of Malawi. It is cheap to buy in
wholesale and therefore cheap for the consumer. Although not eaten on its own,
usipa is nevertheless a good accompaniment to rice or soup.
Malanga Yams
These must be cooked to
be safely eaten because natural substances in raw yams can cause illness. The
most common cooking method in Malawi is by boiling, frying, or roasting the
yam. On markets in Malawi, you can purchase your tasty yams whole or already
mashed.
Joll Rice
This is the name of the
Malawian dish that is similar to Spanish Paella. The dish consists of rice,
tomato paste, onions, salt, spices, and chili peppers. Due to the tomato paste
and palm oil, the dish is always red in color. As you can imagine joll rice is
eaten by the bucket load as street food in Malawi.
As Malawi’s popular
snack dish of fried plantains seasoned with spices that are commonly sold by
street vendors, usually at night. It is sometimes served with rice and stew,
peanuts, or alone as a dessert or a snack.
Koko porridge
Very popular Malawian
porridge that is eaten at any time of the day (not just for breakfast). It is a
simple dish to prepare which makes it a great option when sampling the local
street food!
Bofrot
Sometimes called
Puff-Puff are the Malawian versions of doughnuts. They are made of dough
containing flour, butter, salt, water, and eggs which is deep fried in
vegetable oil until golden brown.
Tsofi
Goat tails that provide
people with a very fattening street snack right across Malawi, but especially
in Lilongwe.
Kenkey
Is a large ground corn
dumpling that is usually eaten with soups in Malawi, but it can be found sold
in markets all over the country.
Waakye
Dish of cooked rice and
beans, commonly prepared in the home but is also sold by roadside vendors. It
is prepared by boiling the beans and rice together. It is a popular dish in
Malawi and mostly eaten as a morning or lunchtime snack.
Kachasu
An alcoholic beverage
made from fermented millet or sorghum in northern parts of Malawi. It can be
served warm or cold. It is never found bottled or canned and is purchased
directly from the household at which it was brewed.
Edible bugs have been known to be an enormous source of protein from the ancient times. The native tribes of Assam were no stranger to this fact and have had bugs in their diet since then. As such, the locust fry is considered a delicacy amongst the Assamese people. The locusts are caught in specially made lanterns placed in granaries which are collected at the base of the lantern. These locusts which are unable to fly are then either dipped in a flavored batter or sauce and fried in oil till crispy on the outside. Considered more of as a fritter than a side dish, locust fries can be enjoyed both as an accompaniment to the main course or as delicious munchies.
Silk
Worm:
Silk worm, more popularly the Mugha variety is one of the important commodities which is exported as Assam silk by this small state worldwide. In these silk farms thousands of silkworms are cultivated for trade. However, not all worms survive the cultivation process and most die just as they mature almost ready to form their silk cocoons. These prematurely dying worms are then taken off the farm and consumed as a delicacy as in the region. It is to be noted that it is mostly the Eri variety of worms that are consumed as the Mugha variety can be quite expensive. The mature Eri worms are either soaked in hot water or mildly roasted in order to harden their outer skin which make them easy to cut open worm. What remains is the worm with only its flesh which is of substantial amount. These nugget sized worms are then either stir fried like chicken with veggies or even made into various curries with chili and other spices.
Larvae
fry(Wasp Larva):
Larvae fry which is a preparation of wasp larvae is quite similar to silk worm dishes except they are more often collected in the wild as opposed to being cultivated in the farm. These larvae which are quite fragile forgo the process of cleaning as they are hygienic and are only given a quick rinse under the water. Popularly, the water soaked larvae are stir fried as it is quite easy to prepare in that manner. However, some also soak them in a light spicy sauce and prepare them as curries. It is also have been to known to be mashed with spices to make a larvae puree and served as chutney (Indian Dip). These larvae dishes are quite popular as an accompaniment to xaaz(Rice ale).
If you’ve been to Pittsburgh, or know a
little bit about it, you know that it’s food and restaurant reputation is
stellar. Pittsburgh is rich in neighborhoods that are worlds apart, but all
share the quality of having great places to eat, whether you go to a bar,
gastropub, sushi shop, taco stand, or pizza point. I traveled to one
neighborhood in particular recently for a concert that I had never visited
before. The show was in Lawrenceville, a neighborhood in Pittsburgh just above
Polish Hill that sits against the Allegheny River.
Condado Tacos
Lawrenceville is a hip, trending neighborhood, like many of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods, that is rich in the arts and good eats. It sits tucked into an array of art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, theaters, and music venues on the main Butler Street. Like any good fan of food, I decided that in order to get a true taste of Lawrenceville, I needed to seek out what they had to offer in terms of tacos. So, I got on Apple Maps, searched for taco restaurants, and found a place with good reviews called Condado Tacos.
As I walked down Butler Street towards the
restaurant, I was overwhelmed with a sense of liveliness. People were out and
about, traffic was moving, and you could tell that things would be going on all
night. Condado Tacos sits on a street corner, and when you get inside, it is
instantly warm and inviting.
I have three things to say good things about at this taco restaurant. First, I have to obviously say that the tacos were amazing. Not only are their tacos delicious, as a restaurant known for its tacos should be; they came in all varieties of meat, shell, and topping. Conveniently enough, you get to build your own tacos based on what meats, cheeses, salsas, and toppings you want, and you get to check off these preferences on a little paper menu. I recommend the brisket.
The drinks are also a must-do if you are of
age and want to try something different. Condado has a large and unique menu of
cocktails, beers, and wines, and they are reasonably priced, too.
The third good thing I have to say about
this restaurant is that it is just fun to be there. The atmosphere is totally
welcoming and casual, which I think is a must when exploring a new city or part
of a city. The staff are attentive and friendly, and the aesthetics of the
space are really exciting. The walls are colorful and painted in a mural style
with cartoons of roller derby girls and skate rinks. The seating is at the bar
or high-top tables that are pushed together to make rows of tables where you
can sit close to others while still maintaining your privacy.
I have no bad things to say about Condado Tacos, and I would recommend newcomers to and veterans of Pittsburgh to try it out!
Venezuela, speaking about food and traditional dishes, is one of the most iconic countries in South America.
SOURCE:Wikimedia Commons
Its variety and its very unique way of mixing ingredients can create excellent culinary sensations. If you’re looking forward to taste Venezuelan food, you DEFINITELY have to try these dishes.
Pabellón Criollo
Pabellón Criollo SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons
Pabellón Criollo SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons
The Pabellón Criollo is the most traditional dish in Venezuela and usually, people have it for lunch. It’s made up with white rice, shredded beef, black beans and sweet fried plantains, so it has a little bit of everything. Ironically, in spite of being the most traditional dish in Venezuela, many restaurants don’t have it in their menus, but it’s very easy to make it and people love it.
Arepas
SOURCE:Pixabay
Arepas are the most eaten food in Venezuela. They can be eaten at breakfast or dinner, and there are a lot of ways of filling them. Arepas are made out of precooked cornmeal, and they can be filled with any type of cheese, shredded beef or chicken, tomato, lettuce, and even avocado. Regularly, Venezuelans eat Arepas like 3 times a week, even more.
Patacón
Patacón SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons
The Patacón is a very traditional dish specially in Maracaibo, where it
was created. It’s based on plantains that work like bread in a sandwich. These
plantains are sliced and fried, and on the inside contains mozzarella or grated
cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and the principal item can be pork, shredded
beef, chicken breast or a mix of all. It’s a very peculiar ‘sandwich’ and
people usually eat it for dinner.
Tequeños are one of the most common food items in Venezuela. They’re
basically very crispy fried cheese fingers, which can be mixed with a
sensational ‘tártara sauce’ (mayo, garlic, parsley and salad oil) or ketchup. They
can be eaten basically at any time, usually used as breakfast or in-between
meals.
Pastelitos
Pastelitos SOURCE:Wikimedia Commons
Pastelitos are basically ‘little
pies’ made out of wheat flour, eggs, salt, and butter. They can be used the
same way as Tequeños, principally they’re eaten at breakfast. Pastelitos can be
filled with cheese, shredded chicken, shredded beef and even mash potatoes.
Cachapas
Cachapas SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons
Cachapas are one of the most common
food items for dinner. They are made out of corn and precooked cornmeal, filled
with butter and melted cheese. This is a very easy and simple dish to make, but
that doesn’t make it less delicious.
Mandocas
Mandocas SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons
Mandocas are a breakfast item food, made
out of cornmeal, plantain and cheese. They have a ribbon bow shape and to eat
them it’s recommended to fry them. The plantain gives them a little sweet taste
that makes Mandocas delicious and very tasty.
Mojito en Coco
This is not related to the alcoholic
drink ‘Mojitos’. Mojito en Coco is a Venezuelan dish made out of dogfish, white
rice, fried plantains, cassava, and cheese. It’s very common to eat it at
lunch, and it’s especially eaten at the ‘Holy week’ period, when it is
forbidden to eat meat.
Hallacas
Hallacas SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons
Hallacas are the traditional dish in
Venezuela for Christmas. They’re made out of corn dough and can be filled with
meat, chicken or pork, and they’re wrapped in plantain or bijao leaves. Also,
is filled with raisins, olives and capers. Hallacas are essential for the
traditional Venezuelan Christmas dish, accompanied with ‘Pan de jamón’ (large
bread with jam, raisins and capers) and ‘Ensalada de Gallina’ (chicken salad,
with apple, potato and green peas). This dish is eaten all around Venezuela on
Christmas.
Bollitos Pelones
Bollitos Pelones are basically ground
beef meatballs covered in a mass made out of precooked cornmeal. They can be
served in a delicious tomato sauce and are usually eaten at dinner. Bollitos
Pelones usually take up to 2 hours of preparation and an hour to cook them,
depending on the quantity.
If you’re like me, and you like specialty
foods, then you know what it’s like to crave sushi. All the time. I love both
cooked and raw sushi, whether I’m eating fish or shrimp tempura sushi, salmon,
or a mix of different fish cuts on one roll. I love sushi like no other food,
but unfortunately, I come from a small town in Appalachia, where sushi
restaurants are few and far between, and those that do exist often do not have
the best quality of ingredients.
SOURCE:Pixabay
But what can you expect if you live in the
majority of locations in America that aren’t metropolitan? The bottom line is,
it’s hard to get good sushi – really, good fish in general – if you aren’t in
close proximity to the source of the fish or in a location that gets fresh fish
brought in daily. This is especially true when it comes to raw sushi or sushi
rolls that have cuts of raw fish.
I love to travel, and when I travel, one of
my favorite things to do is try new food. One thing I’ve noticed in my travels
and food ventures is that, the bigger the city I go to, the better and fresher
the taste of the sushi is. I travel to Pittsburgh often, and when I’m there, I
love to have sushi. The quality is definitely significantly better than it is
in places like the Midwest or inland areas in general. But after having gone to
bigger urban areas later, like New York City and California, I noticed an even
bigger improvement in the freshness and taste of the sushi.
SOURCE:Pixabay
And what do these locations have in common?
They’re coastal, or at least close enough to the coasts to have fresh fish as
an accessible ingredient. So, I guess you have to come to accept that if you
really want to enjoy great sushi, it’s probably going to be hard to find it
unless you live in a city or travel to one. But as I say, what better excuse to
get out there and travel?
In my opinion, good food is one of the best
excuses you can find to go travel somewhere new. Just taking the time to get in
the car and go even 100 miles away from where you live can be new and exciting,
and further, it can inspire you to take more ventures in the future when you
have the means to afford a bigger trip. Whether you make it to New York City,
Seattle, or Los Angeles, the possibilities are boundless when it comes to food,
and chances are, these kinds of places are where you are going to enjoy the
best sushi you’ve ever had (at least within the U.S.)!
Do you enjoy quality
vegetarian food, excellent service, and a multicultural selection? Then this
restaurant is for you.
Me getting lunch at Hiltl on a sunny November day. SOURCE: Tamara Marie Johnson
If you’re ever in Zurich, Switzerland, you should definitely
check out Haus Hiltl near the main train station. Founded in 1898, Haus Hiltl
is the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world – and to this day it is
jam-packed full of people. Always. If you don’t want to eat dinner at 11pm, you
should definitely reserve
a table, at least a week in advance.
Haus Hiltl does have a menu but it is best known for its
extensive buffet: over 100 homemade, vegetarian and vegan dishes from around
the world await you here. There are hot and cold main courses, sides and
salads, cakes, puddings, and ice cream.
How it works
You pay by weight until you reach around 50 dollars. And for
every plate, guests get one complimentary piece of fresh bread and as much tap
water as they want. That might not sound like much but Swiss tap water tastes
amazing – and most restaurants charge you for it.
There is a fancy, sit-down restaurant as well as an informal
café-style bistro area (where you cannot reserve a seat). Additionally, you can
get all buffet items in a biodegradable take-out box. Fun fact: Haus Hiltl is
actually just the main restaurant, there are more than 10 smaller locations in
the city that belong to it, including a vegetarian butcher’s shop and a night
club down the street.
Haus Hiltl encompasses more than 10 different locations in Zurich including this vegetarian butcher’s shop. SOURCE: Tamara Marie Johnson
What to expect
Great service
Even if you opt for the buffet, a
waiter will bring you your drinks and ring you up (a receipt comes out of the
scale each time you weigh a plate at the buffet). I go to Haus Hiltl at least
once every two months and I have never had a bad experience. All of the staff
are friendly and fast and most speak English very well. If you enter through
the sit-down restaurant entrance, you will be greeted by a concierge and shown
to your table almost immediately.
Quality food
Again, Haus Hiltl hasn’t ever
disappointed me. There are so many things to choose from and they are all good.
Of course, it helps that they label every dish so that you can check whether it
is vegetarian or vegan, spicy or mild, and generally has anything in it you
know you don’t like. In my case, I like to steer clear of anything made with
raisins.
Broad selection
You can choose from a broad
selection of traditional Swiss delicacies, Indian curries, Italian pasta
dishes, a salad bar, desserts, and so much more. Over 100 different items in
total – and that’s not even counting the à la carte menu. In addition, Haus
Hiltl offers a fantastic selection of vegan wines. My personal favorite: white
Riesling-Silvaner from Küsnacht on the shores of Lake Zurich.
Yuppie
atmosphere
Haus Hiltl may be old – but it’s
one of those ‘in’ places. As such, it is always very busy and loud and there
isn’t ever much room for shopping bags or anything else you may have with you.
That is the only downside to this restaurant: it’s too popular. Other than
that, I give it five stars. Just don’t go here for a romantic evening of shouting sweet nothings in each other’s
ears and you’ll be fine.
By the by, you don’t have to take my word for it: more than
half of the people on TripAdvisor say Haus Hiltl is
‘excellent,’ the overall rating is 4.5 stars.
My buffet selection last week (clockwise): roasted carrots and brussels sprouts, red braised cabbage with caramelized chestnuts, Quorn tikka masala, and buttered Knöpfli (Swiss fresh noodles). SOURCE: Tamara Marie Johnson
Pakistan has a rich heritage and
culture. Traditional food items and Pakistani cuisines are bombarded with
flavors. Apart from famous halwa poori, briyani, siri payee, nihari, sarsoun ka
saag, there are many lesser known food items that are equally delicious and
rich in flavors. Pakistan has five provinces, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan,
Khyber pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan.
This article is about few of the
unusual yet scrumptious food items from Pakistan that may not be common but are
very popular in their local vicinity.
Panjiri
Panjiri SOURCE: Reema Junaid
Panjiri is a Punjabi dish and it has a very unique finished form. It is a sweet prepared with wheat flour consisting of herbal gums and lots of dried fruits. It is fried with sugar in ghee and it looks like a brittle powder with nuts like coconut, almonds, pistachio. It is considered a natural supplement and is consumed mostly in winters along with warm milk .
Sattu
Sattu. SOURCE: Bia Sheze
It is a Punjabi cold beverage that is used in summers. It is made with a mix of spices and powdered gram flour. The powdered mix is soaked in water in a mud pot. It is considered a refreshing drink that makes the body cool and calm in hot weather. People in villages love drinking it from the same mud pot or glass as it refreshens them and gives instant energy.
Punj
Ratani Daal
SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons
Punj means five and daal means lentils. In Pakistan, there are a variety of lentils available that are cooked in almost every household. Generally, lentils are cooked separately or two at a time. But in few localities of Punjab a special dish is made with five different types of lentils soaked and cooked together. This dish is served with roti (flat bread) or rice along with mint chutney and pickles.
Sai
Bhaaji
Sindhi Sai Bhaji During Cooking SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons
It is a sindhi dish that is not very common but is very creative and scrumptious. Sai means Green and Bhaaji means vegetables. This dish is a creative blend of lentils and different vegetables like spinach and aubergine. It is eaten with rice.
Thadal
Thadal SOURCE: Reema Junaid
Thadal is a drink that is a speciality of Sindh. Almond is the main ingredient but it also include poppy seeds and various spices that makes it a refreshing drink. It has cooling effect and is consumed in large quantities by the people of Sindh in summers.
Kheer Kharkun
Kheer SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons
Kheer is a version of rice pudding that is enjoyed by Pakistani people especially during special events and functions. Kheer is a common sweet that is easily available across Pakistan but Kheer Kharkun is another speciality of Sindh that is not very common. This kheer is prepared with dates and milk instead of typical rice.
Roosh
Roosh
Roosh is a Balochi dish that is cooked with chicken. Balochi cuisine has less spices. It has very simple flavors with very few spices, only yogurt and green masala. Rosh is served with fresh salad and roti. There is nothing fancy about the ingredients of Roosh but it tastes amazing.
Kata kat
Katakat Organ Meat Ingredients SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons
Kata-kat also known as taka-tak is from Punjab . It is a meat dish that includes various meat organs like brain, kidneys, testicles, liver, lungs, lamb chops and heart. All the ingredients are put together on the griddle and it is cut, mixed and cooked with sharp blades. The name of this dish is an onomatopoeia from the hiting sound of those sharp blades on the griddle.
Malawi situated in the heart of Africa at the southern end of East Africa’s Rift Valley with a diversity of attractions that is its greatest assets.
A former British colony, a combination of stunning landscapes; fascinating wildlife, appealing Lake Malawi, and rich culture that unites, makes this small country continue to attract magnitudes of tourists throughout the year.
Ingoma dance by Chewa people
Ingoma dance by Ngoni of Mzimba
Ingoma dance by Ngoni
Malipenga Dance by Tonga people
Members of the Lhomwe tribe of Malawi rehearse their traditional dances at Chonde, in the southern district of Mulanje, on October 28, 2017, in preparation for an annual celebration of their cultural day known as “Mulhako wa Alhomwe” due on October 29, at the same venue.
Southern Malawi has been at the heart of a recent panic spread by rumours of vampire activity. Witchcraft and vampire activity are widely believed in the counrty, which has sparked revenge mobs that kill those suspected of black magic. At least 250 people have been arrested in Malawi over the mob violence, and 40 more arrested over similar crimes in neighbouring Mozambique. / AFP PHOTO / Amos Gumulira
The people of Malawi are Bantu meaning, member of any of several peoples forming a linguistically and in some respects culturally interrelated family in central and southern Africa origin and comprise of many different ethnic groups. Those located in Malawi comprise Chewa, Nyanja, Yao, Tumbuka, Lhomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian and European. In majority are the Chichewa (Chewa) people forming the largest part of the populace, largely settled in central and southern parts of the country.
The country divided into regions, northern, central, and southern. Dotted with a number of particular cultural places and historical interest such as Kumbali cultural village in Lilongwe, Kungoni in Dedza, Chongoni Rock-Art in Dedza and all travel will include some elements of cultural experience a true reflection of interaction with locals is very much part of any stay.
Its
giant, freshwater snorkeling running from the northern part to southern-end and
diving in clear water lake is its given natural treasurer. The sunny beaches
alongside Lake Malawi are golden, and the waters are nearly empty except for a
few fishermen boats.
Lake
Malawi, its home to largest number of fish species of any lake in the world,
quick on minds of Malawians being Chambo fish. Bordering with
Tanzania to the north and Mozambique southwest, the lake extends
more than six hundred kilometers from north to south, is up to eighty
kilometers wide and in some sections is over seven hundred meters deep.
Surrounded by beaches of golden sand is not merely a scenic
wonderland but it provides water sport opening for those in search of something
beyond sand, swimming, and sunshine.
The
lake draws in a variety of bird species, as well as hippos, baboons and
warthogs, occasional elephants. Not bad company to enjoy the water with (well,
maybe not the hippos).
This brings us to our third point.
Elephants at Lake Malawi National Park
Elephants at Majete Wildlife Reserve
Hippo in Lengwe National Park
Lion at Majete Wildlife Reserve
Monkey eating fruits in Salima Forest Reserve
Monkey in Lake Malawi National Park
Safari touring in Nyika National Park
The Black Red Gular Pounch in Lake Malawi National Park
Malawi the landlocked country is blessed
with wide range of flora and fauna and has no less than nine national
parks and wildlife reserves across the country. Major one being:
Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve, Lengwe National Park, Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve,
Kasungu National Park, Lake Malawi National Park, Liwonde national park, Nyika
national park and Majete Wildlife Reserve.
Whilst it may not have quite the sheer numbers of large mammals (particularly predators) as some of its better-known neighbors like Zambia and Tanzania, it makes up for this in other ways. Malawi provides intensive and exclusive wildlife viewing in unspoiled areas of genuine wilderness.
Repopulation wildlife and Rehabilitation game reserves
A
number of travel agencies with their main offices in towns offers eco-friendly
trips mountain biking, horseback riding and traditional housing stay, safaris
in parks and reserves at affordable rates.
Most
notable ones and the best parks are Majete Wildlife Reserve and Nyika National
Park, which became targets for poaching that continued into the 1990s. By the
2000s, Malawi government privatized ownership, a partnership with non-profit
organization, which repopulated the park and rehabilitated.
The
Big Five (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo) can be viewed here.
Peaceful
vibe
Malawi, land of peace with fewer traffic jams and hassles of city life. A country largely rural made, comprised of 15.7% population living urban regions.
Mchenga valley in North of Malawi
Shire Rift Valley
Rift Valley
Lake Malawi consumes a large chunk of a rift valley that extends to the south of the country following the Shire River that drains the Lake. The flatter areas of the Rift Valley in southern Malawi are home to Elephant Marsh and Lower Shire Valley including some important wetlands.
When traveling in Malawi, you can be certain of finding or sleep in more budget accommodations throughout the day even odd night hours. Best accommodations sites are: Safari cottage, Nkwichi Lodge, Makuzi beach, Luwawa forest lodge, Kande horse, Chintheche Inn, Chelinda lodge camp.
Children in Blantyre
Driving in Mulanje
Local Malawian drinking water
Mother with a child in a bus
Young girl in Thyolo
Young girls in Lilongwe
The locals are friendly
Fondly
known as the “Warm Heart of Africa,” in the native language, Malawi
locals exude friendliness. It’s common for strangers to wave and greet visitors
as if they know them.
And
it’s easy to make them smile with a “moni” (pronounced mo-nee, not
money), which means hello in Chichewa, the local language, and
“Zikomo” (thank you).
Curious
kids often come by to say hi and see what you’re up to. The refrain I heard
repeatedly was, “Welcome. You are welcome.”
Although
overt friendliness often arouses suspicion in the world traveler, especially
when someone’s trying to sell you stuff you don’t want, there’s hardly any
hawking or selling of tacky souvenirs in Malawi — the people are genuinely
friendly.
Founded in 1964, Malawi has never had a civil war.
With enormous beautiful landscapes and sceneries. Highest peaks
touch 10 000ft (3 000m) lowest point sitting above sea level. These ranges of
altitudes in a small area help to make the landscape of Malawi one of the most
varied in all southern end of East Africa’s Rift Valley. It is generally
evergreen-year-in-year-out, with the plateau, highlands, forests, mountains,
plains, escarpments and dramatic river valleys providing fresh air.
The mixture of scenery is a great attraction to tourists in
additional of the highland areas and forest reserves providing good
accommodation options and plenty of outdoor activities.
The southern region of Malawi has the best-known highlands –
Mulanje Massif and Zomba Plateau. With a number of peaks, plus the highest in
the country and the whole of central Africa Sapitwa in Mulanje, stands at 3000
meters (10,000 feet).
Magnificent tea estates that stretch from Thyolo to Mulanje –
Muloza a bordering district with Mozambique is another wonderfully
scenic. Not as high as Mulanje Mountain, Zomba plateau is gently
undulating top which is accessible by road.
The Dedza-Kirk Highlands is another must visit. It extends the
rise from the Rift Valley on its western edge between Blantyre and Lilongwe.
Dedza, Thuma and Salima Forest Reserve situated in the northern
part of these highlands is marked by the Dedza-Salima Forest Reserve covers a
range of hills at the border with Mozambique. The Dowa Highlands north of
Lilongwe have their most notable peaks at Dowa and Ntchisi Forest Reserve.
The northern part of Malawi has Nyika Plateau, a rolling whaleback grassland plateau unique in Africa. Much of this highest and most extensive high plateau surface in central Africa is archived as the Nyika National Park.
Carlsberg green
Chips, bread and eggs
Malawi Gin
Rice, beef stew together with local vegetables
Tourist taking Carlsberg green
Eat
& Drink
The promise of a good breakfast, lunch and supper is often the
clinching factor when deciding where to book for accommodation as a tourist-
and quite right too, as going the extra mile with breakfast tells you a great
deal about a place and the way it is run.
For breakfast most of tourists takes Malawian tea or locally made juices
with bread. For lunch its chips, eggs, and chicken. As for supper, it rice with
beef stew together with local vegetables. At the bar most tourists takes Carlsberg
green or Malawi Gin.
If you are looking for an epic night of fun, history, delicious food and unlimited drinks, a Cider House, Sidrería (Spanish) or Sagardotegi (Basque) is the place to go in the Basque Country.
This is more than just a restaurant, is a cultural and dining experience. If you happen to be in this area of Spain during the Cider season (January-May) a trip to a Sidrería is a must!
Enjoying a nice night with friends at a local Sidrería.
Source: Desirée Piña
Basque cider or Sagardo is not like your usual sweet and bubbly cider. Sidra is made out of a natural fermentation of apple juice. No carbonic gas is added to the fermentation process, unlike most of other ciders around the world, resulting in a more acidic (not sweet at all) and less bubbly beverage. Some may say it has a distinguished vinegary flavour, which makes sense since the fermentation process is the same.
FUN FACT: If you let cider ferment for longer you can achieve apple cider vinegar.
A bottle of Satxota Cider, Sidrería Satxota, Aia (Guipúzkoa), Basque Country Source: Haritz Satxota & Desirée Piña
The apples are harvested from September to November and the cider season officially starts in January, going on until the end of May. Nevertheless, there are a few share of cider houses that are open until the end of summer and even all year round.
Cider houses
Astigarraga, a small town located 15 minutes away from the city of San Sebastian is called the Capital de la Sidra or the cider capitol city because it has the most number of cider houses per capita in all of Spain. My personal favourites are Sidrería Petritegiin Astigarraga, Sidrería Satxotain Aia, Sidrería Iparragirre in Hernani and Sidrería Zapiain in Astigarraga.
A cider house is the place where cider is made and then usually stored in huge barrels, called Kupelas. Back in the days, people would bring their own food and enjoy drinking and tasting that years cider production.
Today, these cider houses offer not only cider but a delicious set menu as well. There is usually a set price of 25 to 40 euros (depending on the Sidrería of choice) per person. This includes unlimited amount of cider and a set menu that is usually shared by your group in big wooden tables.
Starting with some chorizo a la Sidra, followed by tortilla de bakalao (cod omelette), grilled or confit cod with a typical Basque sauce (Pil Pil, Vizkaína, Piperrada) and some Txuleta (aged steak).
While you are pleasantly enjoying dinner with your friends and/or family you will randomly hear a very loud man screaming TXOTX (pronounced choch) at the top of their lungs. This mean, everyone stops what they are doing and head to the Kupelas or barrels of cider.
A barrel is open, a lined is formed and sidra starts pouring out. There actually is a correct way that you need to catch the cider: from a distinct angle and distance. This is done in order to open the air particles in the cider and which makes the flavour and texture optimal. You should pour a little bit of sidra at a time and is usually drank on the spot.
Remember, this goes on randomly throughout the whole night. So be prepared to drink the night away!
Back to the table and the the king of the night is served. A huge piece of Txuleta (grilled aged steak) is cooked to perfection (maybe too raw for your taste but you can always order to cook it more and they will happily do so) and served in the middle of the table in order for you to indulge.
Dessert consists on an assortment of Basque cheeses, quince jelly and walnuts. Even though you will usually be provided with a nutcracker it is common between male Basque friends to crack the walnuts with their forehead.
Do not be alarmed if you see people crushing their heads in the table in the middle of the night. Most will succeed, many others, specially giris or tourists will go back home with a bloody scar in their forehead.
New York City is lauded for so many things – its fashion, culture, architecture, arts, business, and something that matters a lot to all of us: its food. One thing I didn’t realize when I went to New York City was just how overwhelming it would be to decide something as seemingly simple as where to eat.
There are restaurants and food trucks around every corner in New York City
There are restaurants and food trucks around every corner, and unless they post a menu outside their door, it can be hard to figure out what kind of atmosphere or price range you’re going to walk into when you cross the threshold. On top of that, you may not even know what times of day certain restaurants or cafes are open, let alone when they are usually most busy.
This is why it’s important to have a plan in mind for eating before you go to New York City, especially if your itinerary includes other things besides foodie ventures, because the act of finding a place to eat alone can be time consuming.
It might sound enticing to just go with the flow when
exploring a new place. And this can be
fun. It makes the things you come across all the more exciting and surprising,
and it lets you get an un-staged taste of the city. But believe me when I say,
even if you planned an itinerary for a trip to New York City, from the moment
you woke up and the moment you went to bed, there would still be at least a
dozen things or people that were still able to shock you by the end of the day.
And when it comes to being hungry, you don’t want to find yourself at the end of a day of exploring by foot feeling achy and tired, wandering around the same three blocks of a city with hundreds of blocks. You are simply not going to know where to start when it comes to food, and further, you don’t want to get stuck in the miserable situation of walking out of restaurant after restaurant because of a wait going out the door. Trust me when I say that you’ll wish you had at least done a little research ahead of time.
When I last went to the city, my feet were swollen from a
full day of walking and riding the Subway by the point my partner and I wanted
dinner. We walked up and down the same couple of streets looking for a place to
eat without a wait until we eventually ended up where we were an hour earlier
and settled with a random restaurant.
Not to worry, though, because chances are, if you are in an
up and coming area of the city, such as West Village where I was, pretty much
any restaurant you walk into is going to be worthwhile. This being said, you
can avoid a lot of extra stress while traveling if you just do a little
research ahead of time, even if that means looking up places on Google on your
plane or car ride there.
