CityJet’s inflight magazine ‘Velocity’ recently held an interview with blogger Natalie Siereveld from OrangeSpots.nl. In the January 2017 Velocity edition you’ll read about Natalie’s passion for travel and her favorite hang outs in her home town Rotterdam. Read the full article in this blog and get to know Rotterdam’s must visits according to Natalie!
LIVE LOCAL – ROTTERDAM
Velocity Magazine – January 2017 edition
I’m Natalie Siereveld, a 31 years old passionate traveller, foodie and sports fanatic. Born in Peru, my family and I moved to Rotterdam (the Netherlands) in 1991. What am I doing for a living? I’m a Press Officer for Flanders (Belgium) based in the Hague for 5 years now. It’s great to promote Flanders as a travel destination amongst Dutch journalists. Why? I get to sample, discover and taste the best of Flemish cuisine, beers, culture and heritage! My hobby’s? I have a passion for photography. During my spare time I love to wander through the streets of Rotterdam and capture the magic of the city.
With a bit over 1 million inhabitants, Hiroshima does not make the top 10 of Japans biggest cities, however it is in my personal top 3 of places to visit in Japan. Hiroshima’s inhabitants are friendly and outgoing, the local food is excellent and the atmosphere in the city is buzzing and upbeat.
There are so many things to do, see and eat in Hiroshima. I compiled a top 5 of must do’s.
Japan has a lively craft beer movement with many micro breweries offering their own local specialty beers. When we travelled to Japan, I sent myself on the quest to drink at least one local craft beer per city/region we were about to visit. During our stay I got more and more enthusiastic about the taste and quality of Japanese beers. That’s when I decided to share my experience with you!
March this year I visited San Fransisco for a work related event. I asked my US co-workers to show me around their favorite places in the city. This resulted in me visiting local dive bars, hidden gems and … a country dance club. I have experienced life in 5 different apartments of the city: the Mission district, Marina area, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Financial District and the Union square area. These are the spots I can recommend when you’re visiting San Fransisco in California.
When I had the opportunity to travel to Minsk in Belarus, I had no clue what to expect. Without any form of research I left for the capital of Belarus, only to be surprised. The city is buzzing and offers a whole range of entertainment: Karaoke Bars, crowded night clubs, large casino’s, cozy bars, cafes and great restaurants (people really love to go out!). The inhabitants of Minsk are friendly and even though not many people in Minsk speak English, they are patient to help you and with friendly gestures and smiles you will get a long way.
After WWII Minsk has been remodelled to the taste of Stalin: wide lanes with big sovjet palaces and buildings, all of them being lit during the evening, which is an impressive sight.
If I have to capture Minsk in one word, it would be fascinating!
Bij aankomst op het vliegveld van Palma de Mallorca op een vroege ochtend in oktober (twee uur eerder was het koud en regenachtig op het vliegveld van Rotterdam), kon ik niet geloven dat de thermometer 25 graden aangaf. Ik kon mij ook niet voorstellen dat we een uurtje later op een mooi terras zouden zitten met zicht op de haven, een brandende zon op onze huid en een lekkere verse sinaasappelsap in mijn hand. De daaropvolgende dagen genoten we van een heerlijke break: fietstochten langs strandjes, drankjes in gezellige cafés, smakelijke diners bij diverse restaurantjes en een wel hele leuke boottocht. Palma, je hebt ons verrast!
PALMA DE MALLORCA – SPANJE MY ORANGE SPOTS
BUGAMBILIA – Bar/restaurant
Tijdens onze ‘bike & beach tour’ langs verschillende strandjes in de omgeving van Palma, stuitten we op een klein en knus strandje genaamd Cas Catala. Aan het strand vind je een bar waar ook eten wordt geserveerd. Je hebt hier een prachtig zicht op de zee, rotsen, strand en bootjes. We zagen op een groot bord het woord ‘paella’ staan, en die bestelden we uiteraard. Met een lekker Spaans biertje erbij genoten we van een heerlijke middag. De paella was voortreffelijk. Ondanks de simpele aankleding van deze bar kwamen we niets tekort, het uitzicht maakte alles compleet. Echt een SUPERTIP!
Adres: Cas Catala (strand)
Website: geen.
Elk jaar in oktober, als de herfst zijn intrede doet en Halloween nadert, denk ik terug aan mijn studietijd in Oxford Mississippi. De kleuren van de bomen en de geur van natte bladeren brengen wij meer terug naar een bijzondere tijd, waar ik veel heb genoten van de Amerikaanse cultuur en tradities als pumpkin pie eten, verkleedpartijtjes tijdens Halloween, lange wandelingen door oranjegekleurde bossen en een overvloed aan pompoenen…
Bangkok is one of the most impressive and diverse cities I’ve ever visited. You really feel like being immersed in a multi-sensory experience. When walking down the crowded streets you’ll smell the most delicious meals coming from many food stands and restaurants. It really makes you curious for tasting the famous Thai cuisine which is obviously more savory compared to your Thai next door. I went on a culinary expedition in Bangkok which certainly was one of my most memorable experiences. I also visited some very nice places I would love to recommend.
BANGKOK – THAILAND MY ORANGE SPOTS
SIAM @ SIAM SKYBAR – CHAMPAGNE & WINE BAR After doing some shopping in the nearby malls in the area of Siam, it’s nice to have a cocktail or a glass of champagne at this trendy skybar. Enjoy the nice view from the roof bar (especially at sunset) and the trendy design of the furniture. At night the bar gets illuminated. You’ll find a beautiful design hotel in the same building called Siam @ Siam Hotel with an amazing swimming pool, great interior and good service. We loved the authentic asian bath robes in our rooms!
Address: 865 Rama 1 Road, Wang Mai Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 – Thailand BTS- Nation – Stadium Station
Barcelona, een stad die schreeuwt om verkend te worden en je telkens weer verrast. Ik kom er vrij regelmatig en kijk er altijd naar uit om nieuwe wijken te ontdekken en mooie architectuur te spotten. Barcelona verveelt nooit. Huur een fiets en ontdek de leukste plekjes in bijvoorbeeld de arbeiderswijk Poble Sec of het charmante Gràcia. Hier eet je niet alleen goedkoper (en misschien zelfs lekkerder en authentieker), maar zit je ook tussen de Spaanse ‘locals’.
Not far from the Dutch boarder and just an hour drive from Rotterdam (NL) you’ll find one of my favorite cities: Antwerp, the city of Rubens, fashion & diamonds. This is the place to hunt for the best fashion items, jewels, shoes, design… Besides, Antwerp is also known for its majestic historical buildings, its authentic Flemish alleys, its gorgeous main square (Grote Markt), beautiful churches and other architectural gems. But let’s not forget to mention the famous Belgian chocolates! There are plenty of excellent chocolatiers scattered all over the city. An upcoming area that has become one of my favorite places in Antwerp is the quarter ”t Eilandje’. Here you can visit the impressive Museum aan de Stroom (MAS), a peaceful little harbour with cranes, boats and warehouses (housing restaurants and trendy bars). If you fancy nice events and good food, I can recommend the yearly gastronomic festival”Antwerpen Proeft”, music festivals, fashion shows, sport events and concerts at the Waagnatie, located at the river banks of t’Eilandje. Did I get your attention yet? Find out about my favorite spots in Antwerp below.
ANTWERP – BELGIUM MY ORANGE SPOTS
THE CHOCOLATE LINE BY DOMINIQUE PERSOONE
Get ready to taste one of the best chocolates in the world! ‘Shock-o-latier’ Dominique Persoone produces the finest chocolate with a fairtrade label and adds the most exotic and unthinkable flavours to his Belgian pralines. Think of chocolates with bacon, wasabi, cauliflower, weed, exotic fruits and much more. Dominique Persoone opened his first store in Bruges and his second in Antwerp. The shop in Antwerp at the Meir street is quite unique: situated in a beautiful building with a stunning decoration. When visiting the shop, don’t forget to walk to the back to take a glance of his chocolate atelier and chocolate art.
Address: The Chocolate Line – Antwerpen, Paleis op de Meir 50
