Maiasmokk is the most charming restaurant with a café overlooking the street on the ground floor where you can sip coffee or have drinks and watch the world go by. It’s tucked behind the main square but is easy to find. The best dinner the Beetle had whilst in Tallinn – and the competition was tough! Address: (1-2) Pikk 16, tel: 6464-070.
Want to tell us about your favourite coffee corner or watering hole? Then e-mail: the Beetle
In about 200 AD a famous Greek astronomer named Claudius Ptolemy believed that the earth had to be balanced or it would topple over. He figured that there had to be a land yet unknown to Europeans somewhere below the Indian Ocean. Over time this yet to be discovered land came to be known as Terra Australis Incognito that means the Unknown Southern Land.
This report of the last London meeting on the 1st December is written by Padmassana.
John Hornbuckle’s wonderful slides took us around Chile. He showed us the wildlife and landscape of the country. Though John began with a slide of an owl, this was a topical Harry Potter joke, he went on to show us photos of birds that can only be found in the Andes and animals like the Vicuna. He went on to tell us about Arica, which until recently was the driest place on earth, Lauca National Park in northern Chile. We saw photos of snow-capped mountains and volcano’s. John’s slides then showed us the salt area of Salar de Uyuni and down to the far south via the hot springs of El Tatio.
After the break, Denise Heywood showed us Vietnam, without too many references to the war. She explained that over 60% of the population were born after 1975 and showed us photo’s of the children, who are Vietnams future. Denise showed us colonial French architecture, such as the Opera House, which is a copy of the one in Paris and towns like Hoi An and Na Trang. She also showed us the Cu chi tunnels left over from the war, which are difficult for westerners to enter. These tunnels led into underground schools, hospitals that the Vietnamese operated in during the war, there are hundreds of miles of tunnels going as far as the Cambodian border.
Coming on 5th January: Four Mini-Talk Presentations and New Year Party – a programme of four twenty minute talks, offering a format that aims to offer the opportunity for different, specialist and off beat subjects and first time speakers.
After the meeting we will be having our annual New Year Party, please bring a contribution of food and non-alcoholic drink
London meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Gardenat 2.30pm the first Saturday of each month. For more information, you can contact the Globetrotters Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk
If you find yourself in London, at a loose end, fancy something just a little bit different, then give the Mandalay a go.
It can be found at 444 Edgware Rd Tel: 020 7258 3696. The nearest tube is at Edgware Rd.
The London and New York Globetrotter chairs went to dinner there earlier in the year (with their friend Rob of Grand Canyon fame!) and they had a great time saying the food was fantastic and the owners really friendly and interesting about their country.
Want to tell us about your favourite coffee corner, restaurant or watering hole? Then contact the Beetle: the Beetle
This was our first trip to Bali and I have to say that the Balinese are in general the loveliest people, very gentle and welcoming.
Driving out there was a real experience though! It appears that the traffic laws (where there are any) don’t apply to the thousands of motor bikes on the road. It was common to have them coming at you in a one way street!
Prices are fantastic, it cost us about a fiver to tank up a big people carrier, they thought we were mad driving ourselves but once you get used to it and remember to use your horn as much as they do it’s not too bad.
Certainly a destination I’d recommend and will definitely be going back. Kuta is very touristy but get out of town and it’s a whole different world.
Joanne is from Canada and works with the Beetle. She has not been in the UK very long. She had never been to a bonfire night!
We explained to her that on November 5th, 1605, the Catholic Guy Fawkes and some fellow conspirators, crept into the Houses of Parliament and stored lots of barrels of gunpowder in an attempt to blow up the houses of Parliament.
He and his associates were caught and taken away to the Tower of London and beheaded. Since this time, each year, on November 5th, the entire country celebrate the foiling of this event (I know, it seems strange!) by having a bonfire with an effigy of Guy Fawkes and we have huge organized and private firework displays.
The public firework displays are always stunning! One of the best ones in London is at Primrose Hill and starts at 7.30pm on the closest Saturday to 5th November.
Meeting news from our branches around the world.
Under 24? A member of Globetrotters Club? Interested in a £1,000 travel award?
Know someone who is? We have £1,000 to award each year for five years for the best submitted independent travel plan. Interested?
Then see our legacy page on our Website, where you can apply with your plans for a totally independent travel trip and we’ll take a look at it. Get those plans in!!