iwannagothere's blog

The Salt Hotel, Bolivia

peter — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:00:46 +0000

In the dining room of the Hotel de Sal Playa in Bolivia, the salt is always on the table. In fact, at the world’s only hotel made of salt, the salt is the table.

Located near the famous Uyuni salt mine in the southwestern part of the country, Hotel de Sal Playa’s roof, and bar are built of salt. Even the floor is covered with salt granules.

The hotel was built in 1993 by a salt artisan who saw a mint in the number of tourists looking for places to stay while visiting the nearby mine, which is one of the world’s largest of its kind.

The lodge has 15 bedrooms, a dining room, a living room and a bar. Prices varies from 15 to 30$ per night.

The hotel walls are made of salt blocks stuck together with a cement-like substance made of salt and water. During rainy seasons, the walls are strengthened with new blocks, while the owners ask the guests to avoid licking the walls to prevent deterioration.

80 days around the world. Day 54: Bolivia » Uyuni

Pick of the week: M&M Store

maria — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:00:52 +0000

This is one of the greatest things about Times Square: gigantic branded stores!! The M&M’s store is great not just because of all the merchandising but also because it’s a perfect place to look around while tasting all different coloured-kinds of chocolate. Dinner and fun for free ;)

M&M Store posted by adriii

Featured picture of the week: Cork

maria — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:00:48 +0000

Taken by charliecostelloe in Cork

Join the iwannagothere flickr group!

Top 10 dishes in Beijing

maria — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Fang is from China. She is fan of Beijing, Tokyo, Madrid, Sevilla, San Sebastián , mountains, and cold weather.

What she likes most about traveling is you can just look and think into deep silence, without any noise and what fang likes least about traveling is sometimes the weather just doesn’t back you up.

Take a bite out of Beijing by sampling these top-ten local eats! Try not to drool as our insider takes you on a fantastic culinary tour of the best foods Beijing has to offer. There’s something for everyone here as the dishes range from purely vegetarian to totally carnivorous.

Hot Pot, Xiehuang tofu, Beijing duck, Ganguochashugu and much more!

Top 10 dishes in Beijing is an Iwanna Guide posted by fang

5 places in Amsterdam you need to know about…

Anabel — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:19:44 +0000

On a visit to Amsterdam you obviously don’t want to miss the canals or the Anne Frank House. But if your thinking of skipping the following lesser known inspiring places, don´t do it. You will regret it.

De Kas Restaurant: One of the most contemporary and exquisite gastro experiences I have enjoyed lately. It´s not simply a plain restaurant because it also boasts its own vegetable gardens. That means that the carrots you taste in the big dining room have just been collected a few meters from you. A real luxury.

Het Schip. Don´t be discouraged by the fact that it´s not downtown. Bus number 22 takes you 10 minutes to this interesting neighbourhood. The main symbol is Het Schip, a complex designed by De Klerk during World War 1, as part of the Amsterdam School. This bizarre but charming building is made by red brick and contains housing, a museum, a school and a meeting room. It still retains its atmosphere of a revolutionary place.

Hema: It´s cheap but it doesn´t look cheap. This huge store is great for real Dutch souvenirs. Food is beautifully packed and lamps could be from Ikea or Habitat. Plus its a great chance to mix with the locals.

LLoyd Hotel&Cultural Embassy: It used to be ( in chronological order) an inmigrant hostal, a prison and artist’s residences…. Today it is an interesting hotel that includes rooms from 1 star to 5 star. The Lloyd also works as a Cultural Embassy, but a real one: a vibrant place for guests and the whole community. A great exercise of reinvention.

Westergasfabriek: Don´t stay downtown all the time. Grab a bike ( one of the almost half a million of the city) and go to the Westerpark area. There you will find this impressive and huge complex. It used to be a gas factory but now it´s a cultural center with a lot of things going on. A great example of how “dead” industrial sites can be resurrected with the right energy.

Pick of the week: Tutti Frutti in San Francisco

maria — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:36:50 +0000

Kitsch, thy name is Tutti Frutti. Looking for a “Grow a President Obama” (simply put him in a glass of water !!!!), George Bush Dumb Gum, Elvis PEZ dispenser, sock monkeys, vintage inspired lunch boxes, or a kit to make your own “Holy Toast”? This is the shop for you!

The ultimate in kitschy gifts that aren’t necessary, but you just want them, they have gifts, gift wrap & cards. Unlike other gift shops where the kitsch is mainly geared toward the adults, they also has a kid’s section with books & toys.

Tutti Frutti posted by bon-vivant

Featured picture of the week: Marrakesh

maria — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:33:52 +0000

Taken by Mauricio Retiz in Marrakesh

Join the iwannagothere flickr group!

The Official NYC Visitor Center

maria — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:39:50 +0000

This video is amazing! I can’t wait to visit the new NYC Visitor Center!

Located just north of Times Square, the center integrates architecture and media into a seamless experience.

The centerpiece of the experience is a bank of three large interactive map tables.

By placing a ‘You are here’ disc on the table, visitors can explore the city and create custom guidebooks which can be emailed, sent via SMS, or printed. Visitors can also see their saved places on a large-scale, Google Earth flythrough.

The Official NYC Visitor Center from Local Projects on Vimeo.

I wanna go to New York!

No related posts.

Delicious indian sweets!

maria — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:22:35 +0000

Delicious indian sweets! is an Iwanna Guide by susanna-alaitz

Most Indians will confess to having a sweet-tooth. Can you blame them? The delicious variety available is too much to resist.

Indian tradition demands that neighbors exchange platters of sweets and snacks with each other, this makes it really special in their culture.

Kajoo barfi, Kalakand, Rabdi-rasgulla, Kulfi, Sesame laddoo, Shahi falooda and much more!

Delicious indian sweets! is an Iwanna Guide by susanna-alaitz

Pick of the week: Kaufbar

maria — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:55:37 +0000

Kaufbar is a cozy cafe where you can buy everything you see, I mean, the chair you are sitting on or the table you are sitting at, the pictures, couches…everything!

That means decoration is constantly changing. There is a biergarten at the back (open in summer). It´s the ideal place to go before or after visiting Boxhagenerplatz´s Flea market to have lunch.

Kaufbar posted by mikimono