As a spirited cow mooving through this chaotic world, I decided to take livestock of myself and go on a grand journey around the world. A journey that would take me to places old and new, a journey to discover and most importantly a journey without any bull(s) In this weekly humour travelogue, expect to see travel tips, misadventures, chewing of cud, food recommendations and reflections as this lone cow navigates her life outside the proverbial cow shed.
Instagram: NoBull_Travel
Monday: #MondayMisadventure at Florence, Italy
Today’s #mondaymisadventure is about turning misfortune into adventure and misadventure into fortune. Today I was all set to be a cultured cow and hit the mooseums of Firenze. I woke up early on this Monday and readied my plan. I would go for a short run to the mooseums, sneakily ahead of all tourists, buy my tickets and then return triumphant later in the afternoon to the mooseums skipping lines to admire renaissance wonders all day. Alas I miscowculated! As I found out my standing near the very empty Pitti Palace, all mooseums are closed on Mondays in Firenze! I think my planning needs more cowlabiration with reality!
Dejected, I began to run to get my mind off the error. I remembered the advice of a locowl to try running in a big park in Firenze. I thought why not? I have the day to myself now. And so I jogged alongside the pretty Arno and found the Parco Della Cascine.
And what a wonder it turned out to be! Expansive boulevards, interesting trails, lush gardens and a delightful lack of tourists with selfie sticks! Here I ran, hiked, walked, jogged and ran for an hour enjoying the crisp sunshine, cool breeze and sensational trees! As I later found out, the park was a farming and hunting estate for that little known farmily, the Medicis and its name “Cascine” derives from the Italian word meaning bovine livestock! cowincidence?
Tragedy averted! Pictured here is the gorgeous historical park where I spent the morning burning cowlories from all the pasta in my #4tummys and learning to love Firenze a little more! When Monday gives you lemons, make a limone gelato!
Tuesday: #Cowabouthat? at Florence, Italy
Today’s #cowabouthat comes from phenomenal Phlorence! As I combed through the streets, finding beauty, art and history at every corner, I chanced upon something quite quirky!
Road signs! Whimsically transformed into something quite else! Imaginatively changed from Do-Not-Enter to something quite less menacing. As soon as I found two, I knew there were more to be found. And so began a scavenger hunt for this street art to give me a laugh and a thought!
As I discowered, this was Clet Abraham! The famoos street artist loves working with street signs in to the wee hours of the night and adds a little humour and cownversation to the city scape! Peppered throughout the city are signs with stickers that add a bit of spice to the renaissance roulade!
During a long hike up to Michaeloangelo’s piazza, how fortunate was I to chance upon Clet’s studio and the artist himself in San Nicolo! Here I found his stickers and him working against a large white canvas! Post purchase of one of my own stickers, I now take a piece of modern Florentine art with me as I travel!
Cowntemporary art in the land of renaissance wonder? #Cowabouthat
Wednesday: #DutyfreeforHumpDay at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, Turkey
2 days done and 2 more to go! We are right in the middle for #DutyFreeforHumpDay
Here's a day that reminds you that the best things in life should be availabull without the burden of local taxes!
Pictured here is the gorgeous duty free store at Ataturk airport in Istanbul. Notice how the cheery colour and promise of discount is trying to distract you from your nagging jet lag and stiff neck! On display are fine wines from the world, if you're not worldly enough! Everyday here is a special offer for your benefit, cow can you resist?
Check with your friends if they need a bottle and feel #bullessed
Thursday: #4TummyThursday at Istanbul, Turkey
What do you get if you add 3 Tummies to 1 Tummy? Its #4TummyThursday! Your weekly stop for all things headed to my bellies!
Today we travel to Incredible Istanbul for a breakfast for Turkish Champions! When I reach a new place, I like to do my cowshedwork about where to eat, sleep and graze. And in my research, I chanced upon Namli Gourmet, the gourmet store out of your world food dreams!
This large cafeteria-style shop has all the meats, jams, olives, oils, breads, dried fruits and other tasty delights in the known universe and best of all, its open for brekkie!
The thing with visiting local favourites in a foreign land is you are pretty sure to have a lost look about you! But be brave and keep going! And so as I wandered around this brightly-lit, beautiful-smelling shrine to my stomach, I was cowerwhelmed with my choices. I had read that a traditional breakfast is a mixed plate of fresh goodies from farm to table but had no idea how to assemble it!
I moved quickly to the meat and cheese stall right in front and pretended to look like I knew what I was doing! A few minutes later as the servers began to enquire about my order in Turkish, I was stuck! A silly smile, a tentative point to the cheese and a shrug is all I could muster. Lucky for me, the server that day was up to the cownundrum! With a large amount of cownfidence, he appeared to look into my soul and begin to create a cowstomised plate with marinated olives, cheeses and meats (with pistachios!) to tickle my 4 tummies! Cow amazing! He then, with a smile and a flourish handed me a number for my table and ushered me outside to some seats.
So here I sat, with a view of the gleaming bosporus on this outstanding day in Istanbul with a Turkish tea in hoof and a plate of locowl favourites in front of me! When it cowmes to food, have no fears, dive in, ask for help, be lost and you shall be rewarded my cowlings!
Friday: #TheCowShed at Tuscany
TRANSIT: We interrupt your regular scheduled programooing as a transit is occurring today.
Don't panic. This isn't your last chance to board though. Come back for more NoBullity tomorrow.
Saturday: #WeekendMilkTip at Destination Anywhere
Today's #weekendmilktip is about all the unsung heroes of your extended travel. Those oft-forgotten but critical components to a pleasurable travel. Here's a roundup of those brave and selfless carry-on baggage warriors. Today we salute you and promise to never leave you behind!
1. Power Adapter: The only truly global citizen there is. With ability to speak in any frequency, voltage and power, this block of magic will have you charged up across all cowntinents. A lifesaver if you need to refuel on train, flight or your cow shed!
2. Neck pillow: U-shaped soft delight with powers soporific, this pillow can fight away any crick! Buy them in all colours at your nearest airport store, travel the world without a neck that's sore!
3. Headphones (in ear): Excellent cowmpanions for those long journeys and for pretending you are the star of a moosic video. Also doubles up as earplugs to help you sleep, in case of snoring roommate!
4. Holder for Docowments: What a delight to have a place for everything travel document related and everything in its right place! Breeze through immigration and check in with an organic handmade Nicobar passport holder with place for boarding pass, passport and that odd ticket stub from a mooseum!
5. Scarf: None as versatile as the humble scarf! This scarf can shepherd you through chilly nights on the plane, sunny days as you sight see and provide some much needed style to that drab airport atheleisure ensemble!
Sunday: #DayofGraze at Bangalore, India
Today’s #dayofgraze is about slow cooking for slow Sunday. Carve out 4 hours out of your day to engage in a most thoughtful endeavour! Cooking mooningful food for your friends and farmily!
Make pasta while the sun shines! Begin by boiling the walnuts for a most delectable Salsa di noci. Peel skin while cownversing about your day. Grind up walnuts, garlic and olive oil while discussing days past. Set aside for rumination and moorination. Be mindful of the flour, eggs and water as you knead together your dough. Listen to some light jazz as you mould your food to perfection. Put in cling wrap and keep for 20 moonites. As the time moves slowly, so do you to handcraft your food. Roll out your dough, add flour and slice into your required shape. You can be in any form today and so can your pasta. Craft some Gardinelli with half your dough and for the other half? Some Tagliatelle. Add to boiling water for only a few moonites and add to the walnut sauce with fresh parmesan and pepper.
Feel the day pass you by as you slowly eat your creation with a sense of accowmplishment. Fresh, handmade food for a most delicious #sungraze .