The Spirit of Brazil

On 13th September, I celebrated what is, The Brazilian Embassy informed us, National Cachaça Day at Langhams Hotel. Cachaça is the country’s 400-year-old national drink that has only recently been propelled onto the world stage. Walk into pretty much any good cocktail bar in the world and you will find Caipirinhas – that classic mix of cachaça, lime, sugar and ice on the menu. This unique spirit that is as much a part of Brazil’s culture as carnival and football, today is – believe it or not – the world’s third most popular spirit.

During the afternoon tasting, we were presented with 16 cocktails, followed by neat samples. That is a lot to get through and I nearly didn't manage it. Luckily I was there with my wine writer friend, Stuart George, who I met on a wine tasting trip in Brazil last year arranged by the embassy. Stuart, who is a consummate professional, managed to get through all these drinks, continuing to make thorough tasting notes all the way through. Read his brilliant blog about the event.

When Brazilians order a Caipirinha they tend to share it between four. This makes sense to me as I reckon they are quadruple the strength of drinks in the UK. My favourite is a version 'de maracuyá' (with fresh passionfruit). At Langhams, the Bossa people made a good version, calling it a Bossa Passion. Velho Barreiro, who have been going since 1873, came up with O Draque, a 400 year old cocktail that is the precusor to the mojito, which was fresh, rustic and classic.

I have a confession to make and its one that gets most Brazilian's eyes rolling. I like the dirty cachaças, like 51, drunk by people on the street, rather than in the shiny cocktail bars of Rio. Cachaça is known as aguardente ('firewater') for a reason. Arrebenta peito (chest smasher), assovio de cobra (snake’s whistle) are some other wonderfully descriptive alternatives. But I also like the smooth cachaças made for the American market.

Leblon presented us with a cashew nut batida (a kind of Brazilian alcoholic milkshake) that was smooth, lively and not too sweet. I have a soft spot for the people from Leblon because one of their representatives took me out on a charming cocktail tour when I was last in Rio. It doesn't surprise me that during New York's Fashion Week, models were drinking Leblon's very own strawberry and basil caiprinhas at designer Diane von Fürstenberg’s event. Leblon's website, particularly the 'Daily Muddle', is a great read, with a beautiful soundtrack. I just lost myself in Luisa Maita and Forro in the Dark.
Although cachaça is often compared to rum, this really is a misnomer. Both spirits are made from sugar cane, but this is where the similarity ends. Cachaça is made from fresh sugar cane juice, rather than molasses (a derivative of sugar cane) and is altogether sweeter and fresher tasting than rum. More people seem to be discovering that cachaça can be appreciated in the same way as a good whiskey or a top shelf tequila and not just in a cocktail.

Amber Nectar and How to Order a Beer In Australia

It’s no secret that Australians love their beer. One joke runs that a seven-course meal in Australia is a pie and a six-pack. But you might be surprised to learn that they drink less per capita than the British, Czechs, Germans, Irish and Belgians, and the increasing popularity of wine and other drinks has caused beer consumption to fall.

The two Foster brothers, Ralph and William, were the first to come up with the idea of selling cold beer in Australia in 1888. Until lager arrived, the national brews were ales and stouts conditioned in the cask or bottle. The most well-known beers in Australia lagers are made lighter and cheaper with cane sugar, rather than rice, as in America or maize, as in Britain.

The great Aussie drink is a "tinnie" (can) of beer, which some seem to drink as if it were water. It is crucial that the beer is as cold as possible and the further you go into the interior – where the hotter it is – the more extreme the obsession becomes, so that by the time you get to Alice Springs you are given an iced can from the fridge in a ‘stubby holder’ so the heat from your hands doesn’t warm your drink and in Darwin the beer is served in an ice bucket.

Most brands have about 4.8% alcohol but "light" beers are widely available, with less than 3% alcohol.

A word of warning: don’t criticise an Australian beer unless comparing it to another kind of Australian beer. Fosters is the brand most internationally known and actually the third most available beer in the world, sold in over 130 countries. But most Australians would never touch the stuff, tending to prefer beers produced in their own state.

One of the most popular beers is Victoria Bitter – which is actually a lager and known as ‘VB’ – ask for it by its full name and your bar man is likely to fall on the floor laughing. Logically enough, this is most commonly drunk in Melbourne and the state of Victoria, although some say this is one of the worst kinds of Australian beers and too weak to drink. If the rumours are true, actor Russell Crowe flies cases of Victoria Bitter into the film set wherever in the world he is working.

In New South Wales, Tooheys (new or old) is the local brew while XXXX, or Fourex, is the beer of choice up in Queensland. It has been drunk there since 1924, but is still hard to find outside of the state border. Coopers and West End are brewed in South Australia, although Coopers has found its way to the East Coast. In Western Australia, they drink Swan Lager and Emu bitter, and in the Northern Territory NT Lager.

There’s no such thing as a pint (except in Tasmania) or a half in Australian bars, and to make matters even more confusing there are enormous variations between the states when it comes to ordering the size of your beer. If in doubt, just ask for your preferred brew and let the bar person prompt you on the measure.

In New South Wales a middie (285 ml) is roughly half a pint and a schooner (425 ml) a pint.

In Victoria they only drink pots (285 ml).

Tasmanian bars serve tens (285 ml) and pints (425 ml).

Queenslanders drink pots (285 ml) and schooners.

In South Australia ask for a pony (142 ml), a Butcher (200 ml), a Schooner (285 ml), or a pint (425 ml).

Measures in Western Australia are a bobby (200 ml), a glass (285 ml), or a pot (425 ml).

And in the Northern Territory a six is 200 ml, a seven 285 ml and a handle 425 ml.

This text appeared in my book, Living and Working in Australia, published by The Sunday Times.

Understanding Cuba

While it may seem hard for the holidaymaker to make sense of Cuba, spare a thought for the Cuban. As one hotel gardener put it: “I was born a year after the Revolution. I have been living with this system for nearly 50 years and I still don’t understand it.”

The first thing to remember when you land in Cuba is that you have just entered one of the world’s last bastions of centrally controlled socialism. Its government has delivered free and universal housing, health and education to the people of this island, but has deprived them of many civil and human rights. Freedom of speech is restricted, the only newspapers are government-run and Cubans are not even allowed to have the Internet in their home. Open criticism of the government is not tolerated, and freedom of movement is heavily restricted.

On top of this, millions of Cubans have fled to the US since the Revolution, and many people are resigned to never seeing their loved ones again. The US government makes it hard for Cubans in America to send money home, and only allows one visit per year, part of a cold war against Cuba that began when Castro nationalised industries that were owned by big US companies.

The measures against Cuba have intensified through the years, with the US demanding that its trading partners fall into line and isolate the country economically. In response, Cuba came to rely on the Soviet Union, but following the collapse of Communism in Europe, ordinary Cubans were left high and dry. Families, particularly in the countryside, were left with nothing to eat for days on end.

In 1990, the Government declared an austerity programme known as the Periodo Especial (Special Period). For five years, rations were cut to the bone and the World Health Orginisation estimates that during that time every Cuban lost between 5 and 20 pounds due to food shortages. Even today, the memories are painful: every Cuban has a story to tell – of babies who could not be fed, of scams to sell cardboard as food, or of young girls who turned to prostitution to feed their families.

Tip: Don’t bring up questions about Castro or politics in public places. Many Cubans are happy to talk if there is no chance of being overheard, but even then try to be tactful and listen, rather than offer your opinion on such a complex matter.

The strength of the people is tested daily by la lucha (the daily struggle). As Cubans say, “Everything here is difficult”, but they also assert: “Todo se resuelve”, everything will sort itself out. The Cubans are nothing if not determined, and necessity being the mother of invention, the country is gradually bouncing back, and is even beginning to show signs of thriving. Cuba is proud that after hundreds of years of foreign intervention (Spanish, English, American, Soviet) it is now standing on its own two feet.

This article appeared in Thomas Cook's HotSpots Guide to Cuba

Kids in America

Forty years ago, when I travelled around the United States (pictured left in Miami at the age of three) with my family, we didn't have a guide book.

Here are six facts from a guide to the USA for children I wrote, part of a series which The Times described as 'Fun, easily accessible...and witty'.

DID YOU KNOW?....

Uncle Sam is a cartoon character of an old, honest man with a long white beard who represents the United States. No one knows for sure who created him – way back in the 1800s – but it is thought that his name comes from his initials ‘U.S’ which are the same as those of ‘United States’.

The first skyscrapers, like the famous Empire State Building, were built by Native American Indians because many of them do not have a fear of heights. Even today nearly half of all skyscraper builders are Native American because as high up as eighty floors they don’t need to wear safety harnesses.

In winter in some parts of America it’s so cold that children need to wear special fur-lined snowsuits to school which cover everything except their eyes. In Minnesota it sometimes gets to minus 50 degrees with 50 inches of snow – about half as high as a front door.

The Dutch bought the island of Manhattan in 1624 from the Native American Indians for some beads worth about £15 and called it New Netherland. When the English took it from them in 1664 they called it New York after the Duke of York.

The Statue of Liberty was a present from France to celebrate the French and Americans working together during the Revolution. It took hundreds of people ten years to make and had to be sent in 350 pieces to New York where it took a year to put together in the harbour in 1886.

Wall Street in New York got its name from the high wooden wall the Dutch built in 1653 to defend themselves against attacking Indians. The very first traders met under a buttonwood tree in 1792 and the street is still known all over the world as a centre for trading.

Scooby Doo's Guide to Greece

Now that the condemnations of Greece are rolling in, many of them along the lines of how the country has made a 'dog's dinner' of its economy, I thought it timely that I put up my Scooby Doo's guide to the country. With some pundits claiming that 'THE history of Western civilisation is expected to come full circle as Greece brings it crashing to the ground', it made sense to take things back to basics with some simple facts from my children's guide to Greece.

• Greece is the land of olive groves, retsina (wine), kebabs, feta cheese, vine leaves, fishermen, ferries to islands, sun, sunbathers and goats.
• Greece used to have money called Drachma, but now people spend Euros like in many other European countries.
• The olive branch (which is a sign of peace) and the Olympic torch are symbols of Greece.

In the TV series It's All Greek To Scooby, the kids go to Greece for spring break and of course end up in the middle of another mystery, when Shaggy buys a "lucky" ancient Greek amulet that actually attracts some kind of monster... Watch Scooby doo and Scrappy doo in Greek.

Certain experts are claiming that the world of science, art and democracy born in Athens 2500

years ago is now going to hell in a handcart.

Scooby-Dooby-Doo, Where Are You?

We got some work to do now.

Scooby-Dooby-Doo, Where Are You?

We need some help from you now.

How to become a Travel Writer

Susan Grossman runs travel writing workshops (see below) for those who want to break into the business. Here Susan gives some invaluable advice:

‘Years ago when I was writing travel reports for Holiday Which? magazine we weren't allowed to accept as much as a coca cola from a hotelier for fear of being 'compromised' or having our 'integrity' shattered in a million pieces. Nowadays apart from the odd magazine and 'a' newspaper that could well be on the way out, travel editors couldn't care less how much 'hospitality' you've had, whether there was champagne flowing out of your ears or you were put up in the suite they usually save for celebrities and heads of state.

What editors want is to keep advertisers happy, with a feature that's topical, and to stay in budget. That's not to say that if someone famous comes along and demands a vast fee they won't pay it, they just won't pay you very much if you're sharing the issue. What always amazes me is that in the twenty plus years I've been contributing to the travel pages of magazines and newspapers, the fees for freelancers have gone down. And that's goes for pictures too. Still, with a lot of hard work and a lot of travelling you can just about make a living out of travel writing, and if you add up what you would have had to pay out for the 'holidays' you've had for free, you're positively rolling in it.

It's a fine line to tread, the negotiating with the tour operator for a 'facility trip' and the editor who you want a commision from, with you in the middle playing one off against the other. Making it all work, often falls down to the pitch. Lots of writers are fine once they are 'in' with a particular editor and their commissions come thick and fast. But once an editor moves on (or these days gets fired) things start to toughen up. Real pitches take a lot of thought and hard work and without a decent one, you're unlikely to get a commission. To make decent money you need to write to get three or four features out of each journey. It's a lot easier than you might think and freelancers who always seem to be busy have cracked it. When I was a magazine editor I had to laugh. I commissioned a good freelancer to write something for my magazine. On his return he produced a very 'thin' account of the place. 'Didn't anything else happen?' I asked him. 'Well', he said, pausing, 'it did, but I sold the rest to 'Hello'.

Susan Grossman's 'Pitching to Editors' workshops run regularly at RIBA, W1.

Her next one-day workshop: 'Pitching to Editors' will be held on Friday 23rd April or Saturday 24th April. For more details:

www.susangrossman.co.uk or http:/uk.Linkedin.com/in/susan17grossman

Or email Susan directly: susangrossman@tiscali.co.uk

A Taste of Amsterdam

Steeped in history, Amsterdam features exquisite examples of its 17th-century Golden Age legacy. Protected monuments abound, and it is easy to imagine Rembrandt strolling the charming canalside streets, sketchbook in hand. World-class culture is here, too, in the dazzling, newly expanded Hermitage, as well as the classic art and historical museums, many of them revamped for the 21st century. Of course, there are plenty of contemporary distractions in this city that boasts beautiful boutique hotels, eclectic modern restaurants, chic cafes and vibrant nightlife. And let’s not forget that urbane Amsterdam is also one of the world’s most livable cities and its forward thinking policies on social issues and transport are now being emulated around the globe.

Whether you want to eat in a shiny, modern eatery complete with designer fare and décor, or you desire a restaurant that is traditional, French and Michelin-starred, there have been some exciting new additions in the city, where visitors can enjoy modern French/Italian dishes atop a disused railway bridge at Open! A truly modern restaurant in an enormous glass container surrounded by water on an old railway bridge. It’s a lovely spot for a French-Italian dinner and worth a look for just a drink or a snack. Or there's Yamazato, the only Michelin-starred traditional Japanese restaurant in Europe, offering a superlative, authentic experience. Set in a Japanese garden with carp-filled lake. If you don’t want to go the whole hog, try the lunch box with a selection of dishes. Reservations are essential.

Travelling by bike in Amsterdam is, quite simply, a joy. The city’s longstanding and forward thinking transport policy that penalizes and restricts car use means that trafiic is kept to a minimum. With flat terrain, readily available bike hire including Orange Bike and the prevalence of cycle lanes, means there is little reason not to travel by two wheels.

For a novel way to arrive in Amsterdam, why not follow the 15-km, signposted cycle route around Schipol airport and into town? Many airlines let you bring your bike for free, although it may need to be in a purpose built box; check with your carrier. Otherwise hire a bike at the airport on arrival, use it to get around town, and then just drop it off on your return.

This text appeared in AA Essential Amsterdam.