Behind closed doors

OK, so this is a slightly strange blog post and it's much more about photos than words today. For some reason, I've been thinking about the mystery and intrigue of what's behind doors. As a traveller you get to see public spaces, whether they be streets, museums, galleries, gardens, markets or sites of historical significance. Occasionally when travelling you get invited behind closed doors to see someone's home. 

Whenever I'm travelling, or even exploring Melbourne's laneways or Ballarat's historic city streets, I'm fascinated as much by what I can't see as what I can. This isn't voyeuristic, I just want to make sure I'm not missing out on anything! Maybe it's an Alice in Wonderland curiosity. Sometimes, as in most of these photos, the door is so beautifully carved or painted that it just adds to the wonder. 

Well, we can't see everything and go everywhere so these images today are just some of the many doors I've admired but haven't been through. 

The photos were taken in Morocco, England, Sweden and Thailand.

A beautiful bookshop

Like many avid readers, I like to find a bookshop with soul. I fit into that category that will pay a bit more for a book from a charming independent bookshop rather than the same book at discount from a big chain. Although I'm not adverse to special offers or buying online.

Whenever I go to a new place, I am always on the lookout for bookshops that are warm, inviting, interesting and cosy. The kind of places that I can linger for hours and immerse myself in the worlds of literature, photography, design and travel. 

On my travels I've discovered a few such bookshops that live in my memory.  Nomad Books on Fulham Rd was one of my favourite local places when I lived in London. It has armchairs, a cafe and a big downstairs room with a huge table and chairs where many a winter weekend afternoon was spent researching the next trip and stocking up on travel guides (although the travel section has sadly since moved upstairs). Robinson Crusoe books in Istanbul is another bookshop that captured my imagination with its dark wood-panelled shelves and a range of fascinating titles. And you can't be a true Melbournian without being in love with Readings in Carlton - a stalwart of the city's literary circle and a favourite evening or weekend browsing and buying place.

I now have another bookshop to add my favourites. It's in a little town called Talbot about 50 minutes' drive from Ballarat. It's one of those gold-rush towns where the main street looks like it should be a western movie set. In its goldrush heyday it had 30,000 people and now it has 340! Talbot is becoming very trendy and has a lovely cafe called London House, a new little homewares store called A Life Less Ordinary, and a really great monthly farmer's market. The bookshop is called Slightly Bent Books. It's lit by lamps, has big armchairs and a couch, a woodfire, a globe, a Moroccan lantern in the window and loads of new and second-hand books. It's one of those places where you pick one book off the shelf and there's another five or six gems in the same genre hiding behind. A book lover's bookshop.

If you are in the Ballarat or Talbot region on 1st and 2nd May, the town of Clunes is holding their annual book fair. 

Afternoon tea delights

It's that time of day when my tummy is rumbling for a tasty snack between lunch and dinner, so I thought I'd share some of my favourite afternoon tea spots. There's a lot to choose from but whether you're in Melbourne, London or Bangkok, here's my selection . . .

In Melbourne, the National Gallery has a delightful room aptly named The Tea Room. It's decorated elegantly with wallpaper and mirrors and they serve sumptuous macaroons, sandwiches, cakes and have a huge selection of tea. I had my birthday there last year but was unfortunately too ill with morning sickness to savour the food (but I have eaten there other times and it's been delectable)! 

The Windsor Hotel in Melbourne is the grand dame of afternoon tea and if you're looking for Edwardian-style decor, richly decorated furnishings, divine food and a real experience then this is a fabulous choice. I am always biased towards The Windsor as I was married there, but even if my opinion is too subjective, it does have a great reputation. Their website tells me they've been serving afternoon tea since 1883 so they're doing something right!

Another Melbourne pick is the Langham Hotel chocolate indulgence afternoon tea. My husband took me there last year for our wedding anniversary and we spent a wonderful afternoon sampling every type of chocolate fondue, tart, crepe, and fruit dipped in chocolate imaginable.

London is of course the epicentre of afternoon tea. There's dozens to choose from but for me the Orangerie in Kensington Gardens and Lauduree in Harrods are the best. The Dorchester Hotel and The Ritz are incredible too but they take afternoon tea to a whole different level. 

The Orangerie is, for me, the quintessential English afternoon tea experience. It's elegant, stylish, light, airy and has beautiful food and teas.  You can sit on the terrace and look out over Kensington Palace, or dine inside and admire the piles of scones and cakes on display.

Lauduree is of course the ultimate Parisian afternoon tea, but you can experience it at a few places in London too. In Harrods at the back of the food hall, the piles of coloured macaroons and sumptuous surrounds are both a foodies and visual delight.

My all-time favourite place to while away an afternoon is The Oriental in Bangkok (pictured). It's old-world, charming, elegant and the afternoon tea room is named The Author's Lounge after some of the great writers - such as Graheme Greene and W Somerset Maugham - that have stayed there. Also in Bangkok is the gorgeous Eugenia Hotel, where you can sit in a dimly lit lounge surrounded by old books and look out over palm trees and tropical surrounds and pretend you're in colonial times. 

I haven't yet tried Craig's Hotel in Ballarat, but the afternoon tea there is meant to be fit for a queen.

Well, I'm off to have something to eat now!