MUST EATS IN PRAGUE: ESKA

MUST EATS IN PRAGUE: ESKA

Written by Lauren Bailey

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www.thatblondetravels.com

Eska - an amazing restaurant located about 10 minutes from the heart of Prague - is part of the Ambiente group which owns many restaurants throughout Prague.

This was our second breakfast, the first being at Boho. We all were pretty full so we ordered light. Even though we didn’t eat a full course meal, everything we ate was absolutely delicious!

It was also really nice to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city to relax and hang out with a great cup of coffee.

Eska’s dishes have a Nordic flare with a focus on vegetables. We all ordered coffees. I ordered pancakes with fresh creme (OMG! so good!). Lauren ordered a yogurt parfait which was also equally delicious and Wendi ordered oatmeal. Everything was so fresh and tasty!

If you’re heading to Prague anytime soon, then I definitely recommend checking this place out! You can thank me later!

Eska

Pernerova 49, Prague 8
Website
Phone: 731 140 884 - Email

See my review on Yelp!

ABOUT ME:

I was born in Mississippi but raised a Tennessee girl! I attended undergrad at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where I received my degree in Biochemistry. I then proceeded to go to pharmacy school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center with my last 3 years in Knoxville. (Go VOLS!) 6 years ago I followed my sweetheart to Dallas, Texas, where I have been ever since!

I am currently a practicing Inpatient Pharmacist with a love for traveling. I love to get off the beaten path and go places/do things that are not the normal “tourist” thing to do. I love hiking and adventure travel!

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Follow me: @thatblondetravels

UPDATE TO MY ULTIMATE ICELAND RING ROAD ADVENTURE BLOG POST

Before I left for Iceland, I took my planned itinerary and made a blog post about it. If you remember it, then you probably remember that it was a little over-zealous and included a lot of activities!

Here is the updated version of my Ultimate Iceland Ring Road Adventure!

SUGGESTIONS:

In order to see the entire ring road, I would recommend no less than 10 to 12 days. We did the entire ring road, but it involved a TON of driving. We had to cut some stuff out so that we could make it to our next destination before midnight.

Þórsmörk is absolutely breathtaking! You could easily spend 3 to 4 days in this area hiking, snowmobiling on a glacier, or taking a Superjeep Tour (See my post here about our Superjeep adventure with Southcoast Adventures.)

While our Cozy Campers campervan was amazing, I highly recommend splitting up the trip and spending a couple nights in a hotel just to stretch out your legs. While I’m mentioning the campervan, it takes a while to get organized and head out from the campground in the morning. We would wake up, make breakfast, clean our dishes, then shower and get dressed. Depending on the campsite, the showering is sometimes more difficult than at other places.

Do yourself a favor and skip the DC plane - it is a 4 mile walk round trip and there is absolutely nothing to look at during the walk - OR you can pay 2500 kr to take a shuttle bus. It was the biggest tourist trap. I felt like they just placed this plane out in the middle of nowhere and were like these stupid tourists are going to walk all this way to see this - insert evil laugh here.

Hot Springs:

The Blue Lagoon: Like Disney World for adults (If you go, I would recommend staying at Silfra so that you have your own private hot spring.) Also, VERY IMPORTANT, do not get your hair in the water at the Blue Lagoon unless you have a ton of conditioner in it or your hair will be dry for weeks!
Grettislaug Pool: There is a campground here! I would recommend camping here overnight so that you can enjoy this amazing hot spring!
Secret Lagoon: While touristy, this was one was by far my favorite. The bottom is rocky instead of slimy like others and the water does not have a ton of floating algae in it.

Snaefellsnes Peninsula - If you remember back to my full itinerary post, then you will see that this is at the end of our trip. We were exhausted by this time due to all the driving that was involved during our last few days. We had planned to start the next day with the Glymur Waterfall hike but there was a monsoon the night before and morning of so we weren’t able to do it.

These are just a few of my suggestions to changes that I would make to the itinerary that I blogged about a few weeks ago! Updated itinerary Iceland post coming soon!

bags

Duffel Bag or Travel Backpack
- This carry-on bag from Lo & Sons is very nice and can fit so much!
Day Pack
Packing cubes
Reusable bags - For grocery shopping (you have to pay for all plastic bags in Iceland) or carrying your wet clothes after exploring a hot spring.
Reusable plastic Zip-lock bags

clothing

Iceland-land of fire and ice-ring road adventure-ring road-self drive-hiking-active travel-travel-adventure travel-traveling-luxury travel-travel agent-traveling-cozy campers-campervan-iceland camping-iceland roadtrip-iceland campervan roadtrip-road…

Thermals (Base layer) - I like Thermotech or Hot Chilly’s
Waterproof Jacket and Pants (I like this Northface Gor-Tex but Frogtoggs are the cheapest, most economical option.)
Mid-layers
- Fleece Pullover
- Hot Chilly’s Half-Zip Pullover
Outer-layers
- Warm Vest
- Jacket
- Hat (Preferably fleece-lined) and gloves
Hiking Pants (I like these Columbia ones or these Eddie Bauer ones)
Hiking Socks (My absolute favorite! They are double-layered to prevent blisters.)
Hiking shoes (Great resource for hiking boot reviews here)
- Timberland Women’s Mt Maddsen Mid Leather Waterproof Hiking Boot
- Merrell Moab 2 WP Low Hiking Shoes - These are my personal favorites, although, they are very heavy.
2 x swimsuits - There are a TON of hot springs so I would bring 2, so while one is drying you have a dry one available.
1 x Jeans (These Agolde ones are my favorite!)
Sunglasses

toiletries

Hanging Toiletry Bag
Micro-fiber towels
Refillable Water Bottle - This one is nice because it has a clip to clip to your bag and also it compresses so packs down easily.
Flip-flops for the shower (Old Navy has some great ones for super cheap!)
European Blow Dryer
Biodegradable wet wipes
Coola Sunscreen - My fav!

other ESSENTIALS:

What do you think about my packing list? Anything that I left out or you feel is an essential? Let me know in the comments below!

ABOUT ME:

—

Follow me: @thatblondetravels

Disclaimer: This Iceland Packing List contains Affiliate Links for services and products I’m using on my travels – therefore I can highly recommend using them. By using these links you won’t pay any additional fees but support me to keep this site running!

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ÞÓRSMÖRK HIKING AND SUPERJEEP ADVENTURE WITH SOUTHCOAST ADVENTURE ICELAND

Written by: Lauren Bailey

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www.thatblondetravels.com

ICELAND - the land of FIRE and ICE. We spent a wonderful and adventurous 9 days in Iceland over Labor Day (You can find the blog post here.)

Our time was filled with numerous hikes, beautiful sunsets, and breathtaking views. One of our most memorable experiences was our day with Southcoast Adventures!

ÞÓRSMÖRK SUPERJEEP ADVENTURE:
Spectacular hiking options and adventurous rides over various un-bridged glacial rivers.

Porsmork superjeef adventure with Southcoast Adventures

Southcoast Adventures Gljúfrabúi base is located down the road from the famous Seljalandsfoss waterfall. There is an amazing campground that is located at this base (Hamragarðar Campsite) that sits below the Gljúfrabúi waterfall. You can park your camper van here for the night while you spend a full day in þórsmörk hiking.

TIP: Spending the night camping at Hamragarðar Campsite allows you to beat the crowds at Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi waterfalls

Our Þórsmörk superjeep adventure started first thing in the morning with a 45 minute drive from Gljúfrabúi base to Þórsmörk, which is the sight of many trail heads.

The drive to Þórsmörk itself is quite entertaining! You’re fording rivers and going over large rocks down one of Iceland’s F-roads all while spotting glaciers and mountains in the distance.

We did several hikes during our time in Þórsmörk valley. The main one that we did was . This is the longest of the most popular ‘short hikes’ in the area (around 10km) usually starting in the canyon valley. We started in Húsadalur and made our way to a delicious lunch at Húsdalur at Volcano Huts cabin. Our guide was Darri and he kept us entertained all day with stories of Icelandic Trolls (The Christmas story was especially entertaining.) and normal day to day life in Iceland.

My husband’s bag was lost for the whole first five days of our trip so we had to cut our hiking day short. Just a heads up, there is no where to buy men’s underwear in Iceland - HaHa! (We finally found some at a local grocery store on night four!)

We had enough time to stop by a small canyon on the way back to Gljúfrabúi base, however. The canyon involves some jumping from rock to rock over a small creek/river. Once inside the canyon, you use this chain that has been bolted into the side of the canyon in order to pull yourself up over a small waterfall to see the much larger waterfall. It was gorgeous!

If I could do this trip all over again, I would spend a couple days in Þórsmörk taking in all the sights and doing multiple hiking trails. Everywhere you turn, the views are incredible and all so different. I would have to say this is probably the most favorite hike that I have ever done.

ABOUT ME:

—

Follow me: @thatblondetravels

CANYONING IN PIHA, NEW ZEALAND

Piha Beach is located about 40 km from Auckland on the west coast of New Zealand and is know as New Zealand’s most famous surf beach. This laid back surf town has more than just surfing up it’s sleeve however. During our trip to New Zealand, we took a day trip from Auckland to Piha Beach for a Canyoning excursion in Piha Canyon.

The Piha Canyon is set in the hills behind the beautiful Piha beach in a steep-sided volcanic rock valley, with a series of thundering waterfalls that cascade their way down the valley towards the ocean – providing a spectacular setting for adventure.

Once you get used to the freezing cold water (not to worry! - your wet suit will keep you warm), you’re in for an enjoyable day! After a short hike, the adventure begins by rappelling down a waterfall into a canyon.

At the bottom of the canyon we jumped into a pool of water and then climbed over several rocks and logs. Once on the other side, you swim through more water and then go through a rock tunnel to where you will do some cliff jumping!

There are two spots that you can cliff jump from. It was seriously so fun - and I’m scared of heights!

On the way back to Piha Beach, we walked past Daniel Radcliffe. Our friends ran back and asked him if he found a go-pro haha!

If you’ve never been canyoning, then I highly recommend it! If you’ve ever tried it, leave me a comment below about your favorite part!

Have you ever been to New Zealand? What was your favorite part of the trip?

DAY 1:

Welcome to New Zealand, where your adventure begins in Queenstown! After a long flight, grab your bags and head to your hotel for the next 4 nights.

After checking into the hotel, make your way to the Skyline Gondola + Luge for an adventurous downhill ride with stunning 220-degree views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables mountain range beyond.

If you’re feeling extra daring, you can also sign up for bungee jumping at AJ Hackett ledge jump or swing!

Grab some dinner at The Bunker or if you’re looking for something quicker to eat, try Smith’s Craft Beer House.

DAY 2:

This morning is an early start, but for an amazing reason! Head to Queenstown airport to catch your short flight to Milford Sound with Milford Sound Scenic Flights, where you fly over Wakatipu Basin and into Fiordland, sweeping the length of Milford Sound where you can take in unparalleled views of world famous fiord.

Once landing in Milford Sound, you will take a short boat ride over to Sandfly Point to begin your guided walk on the famous Milford Track. This is a three and a half hour walk taking you along a well formed track to the half way point, Giant Gate waterfall.

After the walk, transfer to the boat terminal where you’ll board a Mitre Peak Cruise through Milford Sound where you will see scenic highlights along the way, such as the Bowen Falls, snow-capped Mount Pembroke, and the awe-inspiring Mitre Peak itself, towering 1692 meters from the ocean floor.

The flight back is breathtaking as you first spot 548 meter Sutherland Falls. This scenic flight will allow you to take in magnificent views of the mountains, glaciers, lakes and forests of the Fiordland national Park on your way back to Queenstown.

After your busy day, grab dinner at The Cow. This is seriously the coolest restaurant. The ambiance is awesome and they have a roaring fire for cold, dreary days. This was one of my favorite restaurant experiences in Queenstown.

TIP: If you end up like us and have bad weather, take this opportunity to explore downtown Queenstown or plan a trip on the Shotover River Extreme Jet Boats.

DAY 3:

Since you have some time this morning, I highly recommend grabbing breakfast at Bespoke Kitchen before your excursions for the day.

After breakfast, head to your thrilling Tandem Paragliding excursion.

Grab a quick burger at Fergburger for lunch or head back to your hotel and make a quick lunch if you got the suite with a kitchen.

Next up, canyoning! This was probably one of my favorite things that we did while in New Zealand. If you’ve never done it, then I highly recommend this excursion! This adventure you will go down natural water slides, zip lines, pool jumps, abseils (rappelling), swimming and scrambling. I have a major fear of heights, but I would do this again and again!

Suprisingly, New Zealand has some of the best Thai food that I have ever eaten! Check out @Thai for some delicious Thai green curry.

*Bespoke Kitchen, Queenstown. Picture / Guy Coombes*

DAY 4:

The beautiful Routeburn Track is located in Mount Aspiring National Park and is our plan for today. It is a hike that begins with a gradual ascent, through 130 million year old magical world of ferns, mosses, lichens and beech forest. During this trek, you will explore forgotten paths of the Maori, finding enchantment around each corner. This walk is often described as, being “far better than the Milford Track”.

Just 2.5 hours down the track, the woodlands part to reveal the rich grassland of the Routeburn Flats, overlooked on all sides by cloud-scraping mountains, some so high they have permafrost. The Flats is a pristine site to stop for lunch. After a delicious Kiwi style picnic lunch, turn and enjoy the valley in reverse.

DAY 5:

Being from Tennessee, I have been whitewater rafting numerous times. That being said, whitewater rafting on the Shotover River after tons of rain making normal class 4 rapids become class 5 rapids was a whole other level!

This was the coolest experience! Due to weather, it was almost cancelled. Thankfully, at the last minute, they decided to run the excursion.

The Shotover River runs through Skippers Canyon and was one of the richest gold bearing rivers in the world. Start the journey from Deep Creek over peaceful waters at first, head towards the exhilarating rapids of the lower canyon. The adrenaline pumps as you paddle Rock Garden, After Shock, Sharks Fin, and Pinball to name but a few of the rapids. Raft the 170m Oxenbridge Tunnel before shooting Cascade Rapid to complete your adventure.

RECOMMENDED HOTELS

Here are three hotels that I would recommend. We stayed in the Scenic Suites. It was really nice because it was walking distance to downtown and it had a kitchen so that we could cook breakfast in the mornings before heading out on our busy day.

PLATINUM QUEENSTOWN

LAKERIDGE QUEENSTOWN

SCENIC SUITES QUEENSTOWN

Have you ever been to New Zealand or Queenstown? If so, leave me a comment below and tell me your favorite experience of your trip!

If you need any help booking a trip to New Zealand, I would love to help!

ABOUT ME:

—

Follow me: @thatblondetravels

FOODIE FRIDAY: BURNING RICE

Written by Rachel Yue

Featuring: BURNING RICE

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www.thatblondetravels.com

Rating: 8.5/10 (the best bibimbap I've had my entire life, but I have yet to go to South Korea)

Website: BURNING RICE

I had heard of this place opening up in Frisco recently and had passed by it multiple times, but never got the chance to try it until recently when a couple of church family friends asked me to go with them. I did not really have high expectations for this place, but what I ended up eating here blew me away (like literally). The restaurant has a very simple and clever setup (I would call it the "Korean" Chipotle). You walk in and go up to the cashier and order your food. The menu is also very simple, which consists of just bibimbap (either hot stone bowl or regular bowl), but you can choose meat and other toppings to put in the bibimbap. The cashier will then give you a number and you can go sit down at a table. There is a self-service counter in the middle of the restaurant where you can get different types of Korean sauces, free salad, and free miso soup and seaweed vermicelli soup! There will be someone to bring you your order when it is ready. Overall, the food was delicious as I will go into more detail below and the service was top-notch. On another note, the portions are HUGE. (you can order one bowl and share between two people and be very full).

FOODIE FRIDAY-FOODIE-FOOD BLOG-DALLAS FOOD BLOG-BURNING RICE-NEW RESTAURANT-GOOD FOOD-WINE

HERE ARE MY RATINGS FOR THE SPECIFIC ITEMS ORDERED:

LA Kalbi Regular Bowl (pictured above, around $11): this is more like a salad type dish that is not hot). The toppings for this one included zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, and an egg on top. The kalbi at this place is one of the most well-cooked I've had in my life. The kalbi (korean short rib) didn't have a lot of fat in it and was all meat, and it was grilled and marinated to perfection. I enjoyed the regular bowl, but I prefer my bibimbap hot rather than cold.

Bulgogi Hot Stone Bowl (pictured above, around $10): this is what I prefer in terms of the food being in this sizzling hot stone bowl with rice at the bottom. The bulgogi was very delicious, seasoned and cooked perfectly as well. This bowl consisted of carrots, zucchini, mushroom, spinach, kimchi, and bean sprouts. I love the crispy rice at the bottom. I would recommend getting this hot stone bowl more than the regular bowl unless you prefer eating a cold dish vs. hot dish. I would also recommend getting the LA Kalbi with the hot stone bowl and adding all the toppings onto it.

Pineapple Kalbi Steak Hot Stone Bowl (around $11): Another meat choice is something called pineapple kalbi steak, which is basically pineapple with kalbi meat without the bone. If you want something both savory and sweet then I would recommend this choice of meat. The toppings are similar to the ones mentioned above. This was also very delicious as the meat was tender and grilled to perfection with some sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Please check out this place if you LOVE bibimbap. I promise it won't disappoint!

About me:

I fell in love with food and all the intricacies about it at an early age and after that my passion for food just kept growing. Two of my favorite things to do if I’m not training for a marathon is checking out a variety of restaurants (after doing a lot of research and studying the menus way beforehand=p) and trying out new recipes. My favorite cuisines are Japanese and Cuban but I’m always excited to try a variety of cuisines. Be sure to check out my Instagram page for frequent stories of endless food adventures!

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Follow me: @rachrun11

MUST EATS IN PRAGUE: ESKA

Eska

Pernerova 49, Prague 8WebsitePhone: 731 140 884 - Email

SUGGESTIONS:

bags

clothing

toiletries

other ESSENTIALS:

FIVE DAYS IN QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND

DAY 1:

DAY 2:

DAY 3:

DAY 4:

DAY 5:

RECOMMENDED HOTELS

FOODIE FRIDAY: BURNING RICE

HERE ARE MY RATINGS FOR THE SPECIFIC ITEMS ORDERED:

Pernerova 49, Prague 8
Website
Phone: 731 140 884 - Email