Traveling with the Jones

One of our favorite ways to learn about a new city and its culture is to take a food walking tour.
During our late November visit to Milan, we participated in a delicious food tasting and cultural tour with the Milan Food Tour company.

Our first stop was at an Italian bakery and pasta maker called Panificio. While we sampled cannoli and other sweets, we learned about variable styles of Focaccia in different parts of Italy. 

The bakery also made and sold fresh pasta, which looked delicious.

Next we headed to Parma & Co, where our guide taught us how to identify a true prosciutto of Parma (you’ve got to look for the brand on the meat.)

We tasted our way through cured meats from different parts of the pig.

Most of us agreed the Culatello con Cotenna was just as tasty, if not more so, than the prosciutto from Parma.

They are both delicious, just a slightly different flavor to each.

After washing down salty pig parts with an Italian beer, we headed to our next stop.

After all, it would not be an Italian Food Tour be without gelato, would it?

I tried the dark chocolate and the coffee flavors at the Gelateria Solferino.

As we walked through the upscale area of Milan and enjoyed our gelato, our guide shared many insights on the history and the culture of Milan.

What if you are a busy Italian woman with no time to cook in this food obsessed city?  You buy take-out foods that are prepared just like they would be at home at a place such as Antico Pastificio Moscova.

Here, we sampled the eggplant parmigiana plus two different types of Italian meatballs well-known in Milan.

The cocktail hour is important to locals in Milan. We were told that you can’t end a real Milanese day without drinking an aperitivo – which in Milan, often means something like a Campari or Aperol Spritz,  a traditional “aperitif” cocktail made with a bitter orange/herb spirit prosecco, served with snacks such as green Italian olives or a side of potato chips.We tried some of the typical drinks and snack accompaniments at the Take Away Bistrot (more of a bar than a take-away place.)

The wine and liquor selection was artfully displayed at Enoteca Cotti, where our guide offered us a spray of grappa, in addition to the tasting of an Italian wine.  This traditional Milanese locale opened in 1906 and has been run by the Cotti family since 1952.

The last stop was at Princi, a trendy pizza place. Everyone on our small group tour was stuffed by this point, despite the walking we did in between food tasting locations.

If you are visiting Milan and want to learn more about the food (and the best places to enjoy it), we recommend the Milan Food Tour.

Have you visited Milan? What was your favorite activity? Please share in comments below.

You may want to check out these posts on other food tours we’ve enjoyed around the world:

• Eating Our Way Through Chinatown with Food Tour Singapore
• Eating and Drinking Our Way Through San Juan, Puerto Rico with Spoon Food Tours – Part 1
• Walking and Eating With Chicago Food Planet Tours
• In Search of Milwaukee’s Best Pizza on Milwaukee’s Pizza Bus Tour
• Eating Our Way Through Budapest With Taste Hungary

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We will be visiting Langkawi, Malaysia on a cruise call on December 31st, so we did a little quick advance research.

The Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia, at the peak of Gunung Machinchang, is reached by taking the 1.4 mile long Langkawi Cable Car. The Sky Bridge is currently closed but is scheduled for re-opening in the first quarter of 2015. Photo by Flickr user “The Dilly Lama.”

We will be visiting Langkawi, Malaysia on a cruise call on December 31st, so we did a little quick advance research.

12 Fun Facts About Langkawi, Malaysia

1. Located about 18 miles off the coast of northwestern mainland Malaysia in the Andaman Sea,  Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 to 104 islands (depending on the tide, some of the islands are covered by water.)

2. Four of the islands have residents. Pulau Langkawi, or the island specifically named Langkawi, has a population of about 65,000 people, making it the most populated of all of the islands in the Langkawi archipelago.  There is also an administrative district named Langkawi with the town of Kuah as the capital and largest town.

3. The islands of Langkawi are a part of the Malaysian state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border.

4. Langkawi is a duty-free area. Langkawi was a sleepy backwater until 1987, when the island was granted tax-free status with the intention of promoting tourism and improving the lives of the islanders. Because of Langkawi’s tax-free status, alcohol is much cheaper than in the rest of Malaysia.

5. Under the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, the British gained power over Langkawi that continued until Malaysian independence, except for a brief period of Thai rule under the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II. Thai influences remain in the culture and food of Langkawi today.

6. The 1.4 mile long Langkawi Cable Car is one of the major attractions on Langkawi Island. It provides an aerial link from near Burau Bay Resort at Teluk Burau to the peak of Gunung Machinchang, where you can get a great view of Pantai Cenang.

7. The island Langkawi does not have public transportation, but you can use taxis, or rent a car, motorbike, scooter, or bicycle to get around. All taxis work to a fixed price system, a fare from one part of the island to another always being the same price.

8. Driving is on the left side of the road. It is important to watch out for tourists, children, chickens, cows crossing the road. Snakes like the warm asphalt of the roads at night.

9. The Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls, also known as the Seven Wells waterfall is named after the seven natural pools along its path. There are two viewing areas at Telaga Tujuh; the lower area at the base of the falls, and the higher area with the seven pools. You can swim in the pools and even slide down the slick rock between them, if you are willing to climb more than 300 slippery steps to reach them.

10. The Laman Padi Rice Garden is a museum providing in-depth details on the process of cultivating rice.

11. The 40-foot tall reddish-brown eagle at Dataran Lang (also known as Eagle Square) was built as an emblem of the island. According to folklore Langkawi’s name came from two Malay words – “˜helang’ (eagle) and “˜kawi’ (reddish brown): hence lang-kawi.

12. Pantai Cenang is Langkawi’s most popular beach with powdery sand and a plethora of beachfront restaurants and bars.

Have you visited Langkawi, Malaysia? What fun fact can you add in comments below? 

If you enjoy learning interesting facts about far-flung destinations, check out these other Fun Facts posts:

• 18 Fun Facts About Phuket, Thailand
• 12 Fun Facts About Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• 14 Fun Facts About Penang, Malaysia
• 24 Fun Facts About Cochin “Kochi” India
• 24 Fun Facts About San Marino
• 16 Fun Facts About Malacca, Malaysia
• 15 Fun Facts About Myanmar (Burma)
• 12 Fun Facts About Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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The December Holidays are often the busiest season to travel.  There are so many more people traveling, especially by car, and this can lead to many more accidents out on the road.

With this knowledge in mind, I’ve made a short video of 5 Tips and Tricks to Traveling this Holiday Season by Car.

To help outline the video, here are the five tips and tricks mentioned below

5.  Be sure to check the weather before you go!

You don’t want to be traveling somewhere that you might encounter icy roads and not be prepared!

4. Plan your route and schedule stops before hand!

It will make things easier for you during your travels, especially on a long trip!

3. Pack efficiently!

Don’t block your windows, and make your food easily accessible!

2. Check your car before you go!

Make sure your car is ready to hit the road!

1. Drive Safe!

Don’t drive distracted – that means no texting!  Don’t Drink and drive! Always remember to wear your seatbelt!

Are you traveling by car this holiday season? What tips would you share with other drivers?  Please scroll down and leave your answer in the comments below!

This post was written by Lauren Youngerman, a student at the University of South Florida studying international business with a focus on Spanish and Info Systems.

She is a member of her school’s sailing team, and also works as a sailing coach at a nearby club.

Lauren is an adventure seeker who has had the opportunity to live abroad in both Brazil and Nicaragua, as well as to being a part of the U.S. Army.

Currently completing a social media internship for VentureTime Travel, Lauren seeks a career in marketing after graduation. Learn more about Lauren’s work experience via her LinkedIn profile.