A world of ‘Thrones’ awaits in Northern Ireland

If you considering yourself among the biggest fans of Game of Thrones, then Northern Ireland should be in your top three places to see before you die. It should be, even if you are not a fan!

All five seasons of the epic HBO series - Game of Thrones - have been filmed at some of Northern Ireland’s most spectacular locations and edited at its production centre in Titanic Studios in Belfast. 

From Winterfell to Dragonstone to Storm’s End, the stunning Northern Ireland countryside has provided the perfect settings for the intricate plots to play out.

For fans, a visit to home of ’Thrones’ offers the chance to walk in the footsteps of the nobles and misfits who make up the shows unforgettable cast of characters.

There are numerous Game of Thrones experiences to be enjoyed in Northern Ireland and among them is the McComb five-star rated location tours which visit the main filming sites.

One of McComb’s tours follows the dramatic Causeway Coastal Route stopping at Ballycastle, home of Lady Catelyn Stark and Varys, Cushendun where fans can visit the cave where Melisandre gave birth to the shadow baby, and Ballintoy Harbour, which doubles for Pyke Harbour.

The tour also takes in Larrybane headland (Stormlands) and the iconic Kings Road, which is known locally as The Dark Hedges.

Although not connected to the series – yet – a visit to the Giant’s Causeway is also included on the tour, as it would be a missed opportunity not to visit this fabulous UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A second McComb’s tour heads for Winterfell, stopping first at Tollymore Forest Park, where visitors can see where the Dire Wolf Pups were discovered and the infamous Whitewalker ambush took place.

Then it’s on to 12th-century Inch Abbey where Lady Catelyn Stark heard of Ned’s death and Robb was crowned King of The North. The final stop is the magnificent 18th-century Castle Ward Estate.

Castle Ward’s historic farmyard is the location of Winterfell’s courtyard, while the wider estate doubled as the Whispering Wood and has featured in many key scenes.

Having played such a central role in the series, Castle Ward is now central to some excellent Game of Thrones experiences.

You will also undoubtedly want to make a beeline for the Clearsky Adventure archery movie set experience. It’s on the very spot that filming took place.

There is the opportunity to be transported into the world of Westeros by dressing up in character costumes from the show and taking up a bow and arrow in a masterful replica of the Winterfell archery range.

Clearsky walking tours of Castle Ward take visitors to key filming locations including Audley’s Castle where Jamie Lannister was held captive, and Audley’s Field which was used for Robb’s camp and filming the capture of the Kingslayer.

For those who really want to immerse themselves in the Game of Thrones’ world, Castle Ward offers medieval banquets. Dressed in character costumes, fans can enjoy a banquet of delicious hog roast and Winterfell fare washed down with pitchers of fine wine and exclusive Winterfell Craft Beer from the castle’s brewery.

There are a number of other tours of Games of Thrones’ filming locations in Northern Ireland, including the Causeway Coast’s one, two and three-day self-driving itinerary, cycling tours and boat tours.

And in Belfast there is the opportunity to visit the Paint Hall Studios, one of the largest indoor film studios in the world and where most of the interior filming for the Game of Thrones saga has been shot.

Game of Thrones series 5 can be watched in India on HBO Defined every Monday at 10pm.  

A solo traveller’s guide to St. Moritz, Switzerland

Over 150 years ago, Engadin St. Moritz in Switzerland was already a popular summer destination for travellers from across the world. The Alpine valley today attracts cricketers, artists, surfers, golfers, vintage car owners and enthusiasts for international events that take place in the Engadin Valley. 

But St. Moritz and the Engadin also has a lot to offer to adventure enthusiasts during the summer months and budget travellers. 

Bathing in Engadin’s mountain lakes: The string of lakes scattered along the wide valley from Maloja to St. Moritz provides perhaps the most defining image of the Engadin. You can explore the beautiful, deep-blue Engadin lakes on one of the scenic lake hikes or a leisurely stroll.  In the summer, even the mountain lakes warm up to a pleasant 20 °C (68°F) for a good swim. Well-equipped with picnic areas, barbecue sites and children's playground, they are particularly ideal for families. 

Tandem hang-gliding flights: Take in the breathtaking panorama of the majestic Alpine range while you are up in the air at a height of 2,486 metres over the Engadin lake plateau. The landscape is beautiful! 

Equestrian sports: Discover picturesque side valleys on horseback, following mule trails through aromatic coniferous forests and across flower-filled alpine meadows. Engadin St. Moritz offers a wide range of chamring bridle paths and professionally managed riding stables for experienced equestrians with or without their own horse, as well as for less proficient riders who simply want to explore the valley from a different perspective.

Water sports: The superb condition on idyllic Lake Silvaplana at 1,800 metres is no more a secret among windsurfing, sailing and kite surfing fanatics. Although participation in the Engadin Wind Surf Marathon is open to everyone, the crème-de-la-crème of surfers also gathers here. If you are here to relax then simply hire a boat on Lake Silvaplana or Lake Sils or crossing Lake Sils with Europe’s highest regular ship service.

What and where to eat?
Mountain dining: Visit one of its mountain restaurants for a 360-degree view of the Alps. Visit Mouttas Muragl (at 2,500 meters) to get a spectacular view of just about all the peaks, valleys and lakes of the region and dine at the Romantik Hotel, a Plus Energy hotel built up in the mountains that overlooks the gorgeous panorama. Berghaus Diavolezza (3000 meters) treats guests to a fine selection of first-class regional and international specialties. Yes, it even serves up an Indian thaali. Guests can also take a dip in the highest jacuzzi built on the sun terrace of the mountain restaurant. 

Where to stay?
If you are looking for a comfortable luxury stay then try The Badrutt’s Palace and The Kulm Hotel that have hosted guests for over 150 years. Other famous hotels are the Waldhaus am See (also houses the largest whiskey collection in Europe), The Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains, The Carlton and Survetta House.  

St. Moritz is not just a destination for the rich and famous but hosts many solo tavellers here for hiking, camping and budget travel. Budget travellers can stay at the St. Moritz youth hostel or one of the holiday apartments. A special 'Mountain Railways Included' offer allows guests staying for over 2 nights at 100 participating hotels to enjoy complimentary travel on 13 cable cars, funiculars and chairlifts in Engadin St. Moritz. (Validity: 1 May - 31 October, 2015)

With a 'Summer Special' for holiday apartments, that feeling of complete freedom is now also available at special rates, with the mountain railways and public transport in the holiday apartment offers.

Local specialties: The delicious Nusstorte has its origins in the Fuatscha grassa, a round, buttery cake that most Engadin families used to enjoy on a Sunday. Engadin walnut cakes of all sizes are available from the confectioneries of Hanselmann and Hauser in St. Moritz.

You must try the traditional dish called the Pizzoccheri, often mixed with vegetables (especially savoy cabbage, spinach and Swiss chard), topped with grated cheese, and sprinkled with melted butter. Certainly no dish for anyone on a diet – but a wonderful treat for the taste buds!

The barley soup is a must try as well. Anyone who degrades this wholesome soup to a starter will have learned their lesson after just a few spoonfuls. For the barley, kidney beans, pieces of 'Bündnerfleisch' cured meat and large quantity of vegetables that go into making it will curb their hunger for quite some time.

How to get there?
Without doubt one of the most beautiful train rides of all is the Rhaetian Railway’s Albula and Bernina lines. In summer 2008 they were jointly named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Rhaetian Railways will take you through many breathtaking locations and landscapes. One can also take the Glacier Express from Chur to St. Moritz as the train carves its way through deep gorges, tunnels and rolling grasslands. The PostBuses can take you on a fascinating discovery to various villages and towns in and around the Engadin Valley.

The Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem

I hesitate to say that this was really the highlight of my trip to Israel. But it was, in all honesty, its foundation on which all my experiences rest.

It won’t be too much of an exaggeration to say that this tragic event in the history of Israel provided the raison d’etre for the nation and it has been succinctly depicted through this heartbreaking memorial - Yad Vashem – in Jerusalem.

It was a poignant moment for me as I walked out to the open space after almost three hours inside the memorial. I was speechless and I daresay you will feel something similar. It was poignant because the memorial expresses deep hurt but in such a beautiful and dignified way. It’s almost as if the Jews are saying: We will forgive, but we will never forget.  

As you approach the open grounds of the memorial, you will see a lot of young army recruits, big groups of school kids and tourists around. This spot is a mandatory stop for young army recruits and a real life lesson for school kids. But their presence makes it difficult to move around inside the museum and really focus. Instead, you end up jostling for space.

That aside, the Holocaust History Museum will give a lesson in history like nothing else will. The structure of the memorial is symbolic in itself. Yad Vashem is designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. We were told by our guide that the design was deliberately made to look like a prison – cramped and dull.

You can hire headphones and a radio that will help you listen to the guide inside even if you are unable to stay close, which will be impossible to do. You can also take a tour by yourself since everything is self-explanatory.

I’m not going to reveal what you will see inside; let that be a discovery of your own. We were told that a lot of Germans visit the memorial too and are often overwhelmed by what they see to the point of crying. You too will find yourself trying to hold back a few tears.

The memorial also has an army-like mess where you can have your meal. Remember to put your plate in the rack once you’re done. You can see some more photographs of the memorial here. Incidentally, Israel observes the Holocaust Memorial Day on April 16.

If you liked what you read on Israel, then you can browse through some more articles on Israel i have written on this blog: The birth of Israel, The old stones of Old Jaffa in Tel Aviv, and Israel: First impressions. Please do leave your comments - bouquets and brickbats both are welcome!

Guest post: 55 hours in Istanbul (part II)

Day 2

I started my day by visiting the Grand Bazaar - the oldest covered market in the world. This is a great place for good bargains on jewelry, leather goods and other knick-knacks. Not very far from the Grand Bazaar is the spice bazaar, which is also an interesting place to visit for those who are into cooking. 

Istanbul is packed with small cafes on every road. To really get a feel of life in Istanbul, I decided to board a tram. It's cheap and easy way to travel around in. I took a tram from Grand Bazaar to Kabatas station. The Dolmabahce Palace is around 100 metres away from here. 

Dolmabahce Palace 

This is the first European-style palace in the city. Sultan Abdul Mecid 1 moved the court from the Topkapi Palace to this one in 1856. 

I am a sucker for palaces and this one greatly piqued my fairy-tale imagination and I absolutely wouldn't mind walking through the corridors of this palace in a big, frilly gown.

I had two really interesting experiences here. The first one was the guided tour of the harem section (kings private residence). You are not allowed to enter alone and most importantly you have to wear plastic booties over your shoes to make sure the carpets are not spoiled. 

The second one was bumping into a group of 30-odd school students who walked up to me and asked me in broken English if I would be okay taking a picture with them. I asked them why they were so interested in doing so. Their answer made me smile. The Turks are fascinated with the Indian look. They find us exceptionally beautiful plus it's rare for them to see a solo Indian female traveler.

While I couldn't stop admiring the beauty of the people in this city, they thought the same about us!

Taksim Square

I continued my trip with Taksim square which is around 600-700 metres away from the palace. This part of the city is more modern and commercial. It gives a glimpse of the everyday life here and it is also the starting station of the old tram system which rides up all the way to Tunel.

I hopped into one and took a slow descent to Galata tower. This 1.6 kms road to the tower has stores on both side of the road. It’s a good place to shop for big brands. Walking distance from the last station is the Galata Tower. 

Galata Tower

From the outside, Galata Tower isn't very impressive. I was unsure about spending 20 liras for a ticket to go up the tower but it was a good call. This should not be missed. The 360-degree view of the Bosphorus, Istanbul’s historic city, from the tower is breathtaking. Built in 1348, this tower now houses a restaurant at the top - a perfect setting for a romantic date.

After spending a good 40 minutes at the top of the tower, I decided to end my trip with some last-minute shopping. With just an hour left before I to report to the airport, I took the same tram back to Grand Bazaar. 

You absolutely cannot leave Istanbul without eating their famous dondurma. It’s the Turkish version of ice cream with a texture so thick, it doesn't melt easily. With my dondurma in one hand and packs of baklava and Turkish Delight in the other, I ran back to my hotel to find my ride to the airport waiting for me. My next visit to Istanbul will be longer for certain.

Read Day 1 of this trip

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About the author

Diksha Singh is an engineer in biotechnology but she is biding her time doing online marketing for a travel media house. She has the exuberance of the young, which is often catching. A self-confessed control freak and a foodie, this serial photo-clicker will endure even chilly winds to get a good selfie. You can write to her at happyhappyradio@gmail.com