A wander through Valencia

This summer's trip to Valencia presented a new Spanish city to me and I was incredibly impressed. I'd heard great things about Valencia when I lived in Cordoba and combining it with the world-famous La Tomatina Festival gave me the perfect opportunity to explore.

What's incredible about Valencia is its stark contrast between the old and new. The historic centre is linked by the former river, which has been rerouted, leaving an incredible park, to the new ultra modern City of Arts and Sciences. It's wonderful to wander this path, taking in all that Valencia has to offer. Follow a wander through the city from its beautiful Estacio del Nord, through the old town, down the former river and ending at the City of Arts and Sciences

Inside Estacio del Nord

The train station's stunning exterior 

Carrer de la Pau 

Valencia's historic centre 

Traditional horchata shop, dating back more than 100 years

By the Mercado Central 

Inside the market

The market's central dome

Weathervane atop the market's central dome

Torre de Quart 

Valencia's crest, as seen on a manhole cover 

 Monument to the victims of the Spanish Civil War

 The Turia Gardens link the old to the new

First glimpse of the City of Arts and Sciences 

Some travel and blogging thoughts and resolutions for the New Year

As 2015 draws to an end, it is only natural to reflect on the past 12 months and the year that is about to start. In terms of both travel and blogging, it has been a successful one and I hope to build on this in 2016. I've been lucky enough to travel to Malaga with work and discover a highly compatible travel companion in the wonderful Tania. We spent a crazy two weeks dashing around northern Argentina and discovering the charms of Uruguay with a brilliant 12-hour stop-off in Munich on the way back. I look forward to more travels with her in the future.

That South America with an added dollop of Germany trip taught me that circumstances can lead to some very serendipitous happenings. Our flights to Buenos Aires were cheap, seriously cheap, with our stop-off in Munich being one of the reasons why. But it ended up being a highlight of our trip and just goes to show that making the most of such situations can lead to brilliant experiences.

It would be impossible to look back over 2015 and not mention the craziness that was La Tomatina. Despite the early morning start, the GoPro getting nicked (and returned) and washing tomato out of our clothes three days later, it was a bucket list experience I'll never forget. I'm not sure I'd want to be squashed into the streets of Buñol again, but I'm really glad I did it once.

Having clear targets, supplied by my bucket list, has added an extra dimension to my travels and helps to gauge where to go next. Many of the principles I applied to 2015 I simply want to continue and this goes for both travelling and blogging. Trying to post at least once a month and ending up with more articles in total than the previous year is a definite aim that I intend to stick with. I may have slipped ever so slightly on the first point, but the second one I have achieved in 2015 and hope to improve upon in 2016.

Planned travels for the coming year

Morocco in February - because I can't think of anywhere better than the Marjorelle Gardens to celebrate turning 30

Jordan in May/June - this year's girly trip with my wonderful travelling companion Tania

Prague in November - the trip I have been dreaming about with two of my friends for years. The plan is to stay at The Alchymist Hotel to mark all our 30th birthdays

Some resolutions for 2016

• Keep up the good work - try and blog at least once a month with an additional post wherever possible
• Finish posts that have already been started - I have 18 blog posts in my drafts. Not all of these will become fully fledged posts, but many of them have the potential to be, so I need to get them finished and published
• Travel more slowly - after dragging my other half around Barcelona and Valencia at break neck speed this summer, I realise I perhaps need to plan fewer activities and relax a little more on holiday
• Be on holiday - speaking of being on holiday, I think I also need to remember to switch off the travel writer/blogger mode while I'm away sometimes. Turn off the camera and live in the moment

La Birreria - A new addition to Valencia's craft ale scene

The craft ale revolution seems to have spread to all corners of the globe, ensuring a glass of local, small-batch brewed beer can be found in most places. This goes for Valencia as much as anywhere else, as my boyfriend and I discovered when we were visiting to coincide with La Tomatina Festival this summer.

In the centre of the city, we stumbled upon The Market, offering a good selection of brews including some we had heard of and a few new to our pallets. This little place close to the Central Market had all the makings of a great craft beer bar - a bit dingy inside, an upturned barrel on the street used as a table and a friendly and knowledgeable barman keen to match the right beers with his clientele.

While we enjoyed a few beers here, a real find came a little later on when we were exploring down the route of the former river towards the sea. Keen to check out the ultra-modern buildings that had been built down there we took a wander, but decided to stop for some lunch on the way. The receptionist at our hotel had recommended a few places to get a traditional paella, but at the height of the summer we found most of them were closed. Eventually we got to Raco de Turia, where we had a delicious lunch, but we walked past La Birreria as we wandered about the area.

It was closed due to the hour (lunchtime), but we vowed to stop by on our return journey later that evening, which we did. This lovely little modern bar serves up artesan beer from Valencia, Spain and the wider world and we later found out, was just three weeks old.

Sitting at one of the tables in the street we watched as a member of staff laid a small table for a party. It turned out that the celebration was to mark the owner, Roberto's, birthday. As we sat and tried various beers, including a sea water one called Boqueron, we were welcomed into the festivities and given morsels of tapas and birthday cake. Surrounded by Roberto's friends and family, the atmosphere was really fun and inclusive.

If you are in Valencia and are a fan of craft beer, be sure to head a little way out of the historic centre of the city to find La Birreria. We are sure you will receive a welcome as warm as the one we experienced. And we wish Roberto and his staff lots of luck in their venture. It deserves to do well.

The well-fed pescatarian samples paella in Valencia

Until this summer I had never travelled to Valencia, but there were a few things on my bucket list for the city that I couldn't ignore and right at the top was paella. Obviously food can be entirely evocative of a place and knowing that this rice and fish dish originated in Valencia I wanted to try one and have the ultimate paella experience.

No pressure then! In order to try and minimise the risk of the outcome of this exercise being disappointment, a paella recommendation was needed. Luckily, the receptionist at our hotel was forthcoming and highlighted a few reliable establishments in various parts of the city. As we wanted to head down to the City of Arts and Sciences we decided to check out an area she recommended just off the former riverbed, which has been transformed into a beautiful park.

Despite there being a small cluster of restaurants scrawled on the map in biro by our friendly receptionist, each one we came to was closed. This is a common problem in Spain during the summer months, when many establishments shut up shop for a few weeks for staff holidays. It was getting late in the day for lunch when we finally found Raco del Turia and the welcoming sight of lights and people inside. It was coming to the end of their lunch service, but they were happy for us to order and we took our seats outside on the pavement.

Eating paella in Valencia is not something to be rushed and while our huge pan of the speciality was being prepared, we enjoyed some smaller dishes, including squid and a delicious salad. When the steaming dish arrived, it was a vision of bright yellow with the seafood distributed across the top. What amazed me was how thin the layer of rice was, allowing it to be cooked evenly over a massive surface area.

From a selection of paellas on the menu we went for paella de mariscos - prawns, cuttlefish and monkfish and it was delicious. The rice and fish were both cooked perfectly and it was quite unlike anything I have ever had before, despite loving all of the ingredients that ended up on my plate. The bright yellow comes from the all-important saffron, which is a much more delicate flavour than its intense hue would suggest.

Safe to say that the paella experience lived up to expectations. So much so I bought a paella pan from a hardware store we walked past the following day. Despite saying it serves two, it was a fraction of the size of the one our authentic paella was brought to us in at Raco del Turia, but that is probably a good thing as I wouldn't have been able to slide it down the back of my rucksack quite so easily if it had been larger! I look forward to plenty of paella suppers at home to evoke leisurely lunchtimes in Valencia.

Love where you live: Newcastle's Long Play Cafe

Wandering into Long Play Cafe on a Friday night, the Stone Roses can be heard from a record player in the corner, people are chatting and enjoying their cups of coffee and a sense of calm can be felt throughout the establishment. It's hard to believe that just metres away the first of Newcastle's Friday night revellers are starting to get into the swing of the evening ahead. This cafe on the Quayside is a haven for real music lovers and coffee aficionados alike.

Long Play has now been open for two weeks and has already received rave reviews from those who have ventured inside. Taking on a part of the popular Popolo bar between 8am and 8pm each day, it serves up Lola's Coffee and vintage records in equal measure.

For those feeling a little peckish, there is a simple menu on offer, with everything from all-day breakfasts to deli sandwiches and jacket potatoes to choose from. Sensibly, a small number of things are being rolled out, so that they can be done well. Although I didn't have anything to eat on this occasion, I'll certainly be back to try the bagel with scrambled egg and smoked salmon. There is also a selection of freshly baked cakes to choose from.

Customers are encouraged to browse the racks of secondhand vinyl for sale and can select records to play on the cafe's own system. Upholstered chairs and pieces of carefully selected vintage furniture have been used throughout the venue to give it a welcoming and comfortable feel. Frames containing record sleeves add to the music-lovers' vibe and are dotted about the place.

Full disclosure

Jackson and Nella who run Long Play Cafe are friends of ours, so I was always going to be predisposed to liking it. But coffee and records; what's not to love?! And these two have the credentials to start up such an enterprise. They are heavily involved in the local music scene. In fact, Nella is in the band Kobadelta. And Jackson was until recently running popular cafe/sometimes music venue Blakes. This venture has therefore been fully considered and undertaken by two highly capable chaps.

How to find Long Play Cafe

Located on Sandhill, Newcastle Quayside, the best landmark is the Swing Bridge, which is directly opposite Long Play. It's impossible to ignore the fact that the Riverside venue is also just across the road, as this link with music continues the theme set out for the cafe.

Long Play Cafe can also be found on Twitter and Facebook

Highlights of the Edinburgh Fringe 2015

Having a sister living in Edinburgh does not just provide the perfect excuse to visit this fine city, but also means free accommodation during the Fringe. For anyone who has looked into heading to the Scottish capital in August or has made it a reality, it is safe to say this should not be underestimated. With thousands of performers and audience members swelling the population throughout the month, finding somewhere to stay can be a difficult and expensive exercise.

With my sister and her family away on holiday for ten days during the festival, my retired parents basically relocated to their house. Mum and Pops are huge lovers of the Fringe and see a wide selection of free and ticketed events every year. This worked out perfectly for me, as they had the time to go through the phone book-thick programme and work out an itinerary for my visit and book tickets - now that's service.

Foil, Arms and Hog

There are occasions when you go and see something at the Edinburgh Fringe and it is only afterwards that you realise it was the funniest thing you will see all weekend and perhaps, all year. This was the case with Foil, Arms and Hog and their Skiddlywup show. Fresh from my train, we headed to the venue and took a seat. My parents had been in Edinburgh a few days by this point and were into Fringe mode, but I still had work on my mind and needed to relax.

Foil, Arms and Hog was perfect for this. From their carefully crafted jokes and clever use of props to hilarious accents and audience participation, these lads had it spot on. They dealt well with an early heckler and involved other members of the crowd in a way that was funny, but not disrespectful - a difficult balance to achieve. One participant, Jake, was returned to again and again throughout the show to great effect.

Jokes about bouncers going on dates, medical musical chairs and the comedic disappearance of Sophie Johansson were all highlights. Mum and Pops booked tickets for this year's show based on how much they had enjoyed their act in 2014. Take my advice: if you are in Edinburgh in August 2016 and Foil, Arms and Hog are performing, be sure to go and see them. You won't be disappointed.

Austentatious

On previous trips up to Edinburgh and Manchester I have tried to see Austentatious - including when it first appeared at the Fringe and was a free show. It seems that third time is lucky and we managed to get tickets. This hilarious improv show is different each time and based on plot suggestions from the audience. Able to attract huge crowds at the Udderbelly venue, finally getting to see it was not a disappointment, with some of the laughs coming from the bizarre situations the unpractised nature of the show put the cast members into.

The "lost Jane Austen work" that one of the actors plucked from a top hat of suggestions was The Unicorn's Wedding. A classic tale of love between both the human characters and their equine counterparts. It's easy to see why the format has proven so popular and lovers of classic literature, as well as comedy, will get plenty of enjoyment from it.

Around the World in 80 Days

Oxford University Dramatic Society's (OUDS) version of Around the World in 80 Days was charming and innovative. Just eight actors portrayed all the parts, using various props to change the settings and their characters along the way. The highlight of the show had to be the appearance of a lovingly realised elephant, created out of an upturned wicker laundry basket, with fans for ears and a series of 45s strung together for its trunk. Plungers were pressed into service as the elephant's feet trudging along - very effective.

Jimmy McGhie

Jimmy McGhie is more of the classic one-man stand-up that many people have seen before. While he may be one among many, he is still good at what he does. Much of his comedy comes from quite a dark place and a difficult relationship with his father, but while this may sound awkward, in reality it made it very personal and there were elements that everyone in the audience could relate to.

McGhie is another Edinburgh performer who knows what a strain doing the same show every day for nearly a month can be. He touched on this, but while obviously sticking to a well-planned overall structure, he bounced off the audience too. Whether it was the soon-to-be-father sat next to his heavily-pregnant partner or the woman who jumped in with a substandard punchline to one of his jokes, he got everyone involved and made the show unique.

The Edinburgh atmosphere

Being in Edinburgh during the Fringe is a fantastic experience, as the whole city swells to welcome some of the most interesting and talented people the UK and wider world have to offer. As well as the comedy, there are a lot of plays to see, music and street art all going on everywhere. The smallest and most obscure places are turned into venues - sheds, barges and camper vans - with something to see at every turn.

The Edinburgh Book Festival is also on at the same time as the Fringe, with lots of events being held around that. Its marquees are set up in Charlotte Square and there is a lovely bookshop to browse even if you don't make it to any of the author speeches or signings.

A trip to Mother India for dinner and a pint at the Bow Bar are the other two things that complete my must-do activities at the Edinburgh Fringe. It's an exciting time of year in the Scottish capital and one everyone should attend at least once. Just don't book too many shows too close together, as that can be exhausting. Factor in some wandering time and you will have an incredible visit.

Oxfam stewarding is a great way to do a festival

All quiet at the end of the night shift at Fire Tower Echo

When an earthquake shook Nepal just weeks after my parents returned from visiting the country, the importance of international charities really struck home. Many people they had met were affected by the situation and many will not see their lives return to normal for a long time.

One way that charities, such as Oxfam, can raise money is by providing stewards for music festivals in the UK. They are given the equivalent of an hourly minimum wage for the work their volunteers do and these helpers get to experience a festival while doing good at the same time.

Pops and I are big music fans and festival veterans, so this year decided to offer our services up to Oxfam and volunteered for Womad. It turned out to be a great decision, leading us to meet some wonderful people and have a truly positive stewarding experience.

How do you get a picture of the Womad sign with nobody else around?

Do it at 7am after a night shift

Having never stewarded before and not attended Womad either, the whole thing was new to us, but we were welcomed into the stewarding fold and quickly felt at home. One of the nicest things about stewarding is that Oxfam has its own campsite and you are immediately surrounded by friendly faces. Not only this, but there is a marquee where you can sit and chat to fellow volunteers, showers and onsite catering, which was provided at Womad by Nuts.

The Oxfam campsite has a very special atmosphere

We were all told in advance to bring our own crockery and cutlery, as disposable items such as these would not be provided. Nuts piled up our plates with huge mounds of delicious food at much cheaper prices than those that could be found in the arena. Each steward is given a food voucher for every shift they do, which also helps to keep the workforce going, with hearty falafels and masses of salads for me and steak and chips for Pops.

Seeing the sun come up at the end of our night shift

Stewarding a festival is not the same as simply attending one as a punter and eight-hour shifts should not be entered into lightly. The benefits of experiencing a festival in this manner far outweigh the hard work, however, with some small and large perks coming as part of the bargain. It is really nice for example, to be able to explore the site before the customers arrive; to recognise the faces of the people you wristbanded in the rain, now that the sun is shining; and to make lots of friends with fellow volunteers.

In return for working the festival, Oxfam stewards get to see some of the acts, without having to buy a ticket. Not knowing what shifts we would be given in advance, we didn't manage to see Count Drachma or Aurelio, but we did get to see the likes of Souad Massi and a Kathkali performance. You certainly can't grumble about that.

Kathkali performers from Kerala in The Big Red Tent

The weather at this year's Womad has seen it dubbed by many as Womud, but luckily Pops and I were prepared. We spent a very soggy eight-hour day shift wristbanding people in the rain, as we were decked out in wellies, overtrousers and waterproof coats. No matter whatever the weather, Oxfam stewards soldier on and we all got through it together. A sign went up in the Oxfam marquee saying that anyone flooded out of their tents could sleep in there, although it appeared nobody needed to make use of the invitation.

It is also almost impossible not to remain vigilant while not on shift and help the public even when not wearing your Oxfam tabbard. Not only did Pops and I help when we spotted someone who had fallen in the mud, but I gave directions to people who were lost and generally got involved at every opportunity.

On leaving Womad, we said goodbye to the friends we had made in the Oxfam campsite and started to head off towards the car. One of the main organisers of stewards at Womad thanked us for our help, which echoed an attitude that was felt throughout the whole festival, with those in charge being very communicable and appreciative of the time people had donated.

Make a difference - steward for Oxfam

There were 400 Oxfam stewards at this year's Womad festival, making some £70,000 for the charity. During the summer festival season in the UK, Oxfam makes more than £1 million through stewarding. This is a huge amount for just three shifts per person. To find out more, visit the Oxfam stewarding website.